The Final Judgment

Jesus is in the Bible, both a judge and a Savior. Now you're going to meet Him as a lamb or lion. You're going to meet Him as judge or Savior, but I promise you, you will meet Jesus Christ. You have a date with Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is the unavoidable, inescapable person in your life. Now you may have cursed it. You may have mocked Him. You may have ignored Him. You may have debated Him. But one day, as I stand here, I can promise you on the authority of the Word of God, that you are going to meet Jesus Christ. There is coming, ladies and gentlemen, a judgment. There's coming a time when all that men had dreamed for and schemed for, and so this souls for would have turned to rust and dust and mold and corruption. There's coming a time when God will put the final period upon the final sentence, upon the final paragraph, upon the final page, upon the final chapter, upon the final book of history as we know it. Time as we have known it will have come to conclusion, the millennium will have ended, and the dead will rise to be judged one by one to stand before the Lord Jesus Christ and face the final judgment. Revelation chapter 20, find it in your Bible. We're going to begin reading in verse 11, and we're going to stay primarily in that passage. I will quote other passages, but you can keep your Bible open to Revelation chapter 20, and that we'll begin in verse 11 and read right on through verse 15. Here is the vision that God gave the Apostle John of the final judgment, and here's what he saw as he looked into the future. I saw a great white throne and him that said on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away, and there was found no place for them, and I saw the dead, the small and great stand before God, and the books were opened, and another book was opened, which is the book of life, and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books according

to their works, and the sea gave up the dead which were in it, and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them, and they were judged every man according to their works, and death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death, and whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire. Now, that's God's word, totally true, fully inspired, and it is God's message for this generation today, and it is this, there is a judgment coming. Four things I put before you this morning concerning that judgment. First of all, as we open the Bible, I want us to see what I'm going to see, what I call the setting describe. In verse 11, John says, and I saw a great white throne, and him who set upon him, from whose face the earth and the heavens fled away. What a scene. What a setting. We're talking now about a trial, notice the courtroom. There is a da'ez, there is a bench, a throne, and it is great, and it is white. The greatness speaks of the power of it. The whiteness speaks of the purity of it. The word throne speaks of the purpose on it because there is a sovereign who is sitting upon this great white throne. I hope you never have to stand there. Sometimes people ignorantly pray something like this. They are already saved in the history. And Lord grant that one day we may stand before thy great white throne. Don't pray that for me. And don't pray it for you if you understand the Bible because those who stand before not only the throne but notice who is sitting upon it. Notice the person on the throne. Who is the judge and him that set upon it? Who will be the judge in eternity? It may surprise you to know that Jesus Christ will be the judge. Jesus will be the one sitting upon the throne. You say, no, Jesus is the Savior. Yes, He is the Savior. But He's also

the judge. May I give you a scripture? John 5 verse 22, "The Father judges no man but hath committed all judgment to the Son." Jesus Christ Himself is the judge. Not your opinion of yourself, not some friend, not your mother, your father. My mother never could find any fault in me. She would gloss over whatever I did. But my mother would not be the judge if I stood there. No, who is this judge? None other than the Lord Jesus Christ. You see, Jesus is described in the Bible as a lamb, but also as a lion. Jesus is in the Bible both a judge and a Savior. Now you're going to meet Him as a lamb or lion. You're going to meet Him as judge a Savior, but I promise you, you will meet Jesus Christ. You have a date with Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is the unavoidable, inescapable person in your life. Now you may have cursed Him. You may have mocked Him. You may have ignored Him. You may have debated Him. But one day, as I stand here, I can promise you on the authority of the Word of God that you are going to meet Jesus Christ. Now, we've already described Jesus Christ in the book of the Revelation. This is near the end of the book. But let me show you how He is described in the opening chapters of the book, the one who sits upon the throne. And then you're going to understand why He is so awesome, so terrifying that even the heavens and the earth flee from His presence. You want to go back to Revelation 1 and look in verse 13. The apostle John has a vision. He sees the exalted Christ. And here's what he wrote, "And in the midst of the seven candlesticks was one like unto the Son of Man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and gird about the paps that is the chest with a golden girdle. His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow, his eyes were as a flame of fire, his feet like a defined brass as if they burned in the furnace, and his voice as the sound of many waters. And he had in his right hand seven stars and out of his mouth went a sharp two-edged sword, and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength. That, my friend, is the one sitting upon the throne. He is wearing the regal robes of a king and a judge. His hair white as wool speaks of his unsullied absolute purity. His eyes like a flame of fire means that not only does He see you, He sees through you. He knows all about you." The Bible says, "neithers there any creature that is not manifest in His sight, for all things are naked and open unto the eyes of Him, with whom we have to do. He cannot be deceived. He cannot be discredited. He cannot be disputed. His feet are like fine brass. Brass in the Bible is a symbol of judgment. He is going on relentlessly

to judge. He is unstoppable. His voice is like the sound of many waters. When he speaks, it's like one hundred cascading waterfalls. Can you imagine somebody standing and arguing with Niagara Falls? This is the one who is sitting upon the throne. Second thing I want you to see. I want you to see not only the setting described, but I want you to see the summons delivered. God is going to send out a summons together those to be judged. Look in verses 12 and 13. The Apostle John says, "And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God, and the books were open." And skip on down to verse 13. And the Bible says, "And the sea gave up the dead which weren't it. And death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them." And they were judged, on the score of this, every man. When God sends out His summons, He doesn't have to get any extradition from death and hell. When He says come, then they are going to come. judgment. Notice the summons. He says, "I saw the dead," listen to me, "small and great stand before God." I don't know how insignificant you think you are or how powerful you may fancy yourself to be. But without Jesus Christ, I will guarantee you upon the Word of God in one of these days, whether you're a big shot or a little shot, whether you're up out or out and out or down and out, you're going to stand before God. These who are going to be called to the judgment can be put into five categories. Now, I want you to classify yourself because you are going to be in one of these five categories. First of all, there's the out and out center. The out and out center, these hate God, hate Christ, hate the Bible, hate preachers. They're none like that here today, unless you come to mock and make fun. If you have me, God, pity you and have mercy upon you. But there are people in this world who stand on their big two feet, stick out their chest, stick their nose in the air, shake their puny fist, boldly and brazenly in the face of God, and say, "God, if there be a God, you're not big enough to make me serve you." I will not

bow, there's something like that. They will be there at the judgment. You can be certain of it. I said that there's anyone like that here today, but there are plenty like that in the world. There's another category of persons who will be there, and these are not out and out centers. Conversely, these are self-righteous people, and there's some of them here today. These think, because they're not out and out centers, that they're heaven bound. They think that the gospel is for the thief. They think the gospel is for the murderer. They think that the gospel is for the drunkard, but not for them. They're nice people. They drive fine automobiles. They wear nice clothing. They have members of fine clubs. They treat their neighbors fine. They treat their children fine, and they don't think they need to be saved. They are righteous in and of themselves. They do not understand that the Bible says it's not by works of righteousness that we've done, but according to his mercy that he saved us. And the Bible says that our righteousness is as filthy rags in the sight of a righteous and a holy God. Many people in America are egomaniacs, strutting to hell, thinking they're too good to be damned. I've said it before. I'll say it again. The worst form of badness, the worst form of badness is human goodness. When human goodness becomes a substitute for the new birth. The out and out sin will be there. The self-righteous person will be there. I'll tell you a third category of persons will be there. And these are neither out and out sinners nor they self-righteous. They are sinners and they know it and they know they need to be saved, but these are procrastinators. And the many like that here today, you know that you need to be saved. You have determined

that you will not die and go to hell. You intend to get saved some day. And I will give an invitation this morning. And I will ask you to come once and for all now and forever and give your heart to Jesus Christ. And the devil will whisper in you. Don't do it today. Do it, but not today. But the Bible says both not thyself of tomorrow. For thou knows not what a day may bring forth. The Bible says he that being often reproved and hardened his neck shall suddenly be destroyed in that without remedy. And I want to say this as clearly God helped me to say it. This may be the last gospel service you will ever be in today. Are you dare not presume upon tomorrow? Tomorrow is only a time that's on the fool's calendar. What is your life but a vapor that appears for a little while for that you ought to say if the Lord will we shall live and do this or that. There are many people who are procrastinators who intended one day to get saved who will drop into hell having never been saved. Now I'll tell you another category of persons who will be there. Not the out and out center, not the self righteous and not the procrastinator. But these are they who have been duped by religion. These are church members. They're not procrastinators because they think it's all settled. They have somehow have religion but they don't have Jesus Christ. They're religious. They've joined the church. They've been baptized. They may be members of a Bible preaching, Bible believing church. You may be a member of this church. I've told you before and I'll tell you again the devil just to soon send you to hell from that pews. He had the gutter. It makes no difference to him. There are many people who get their name on the church Is that not true?

You're going to find out that the books were open and whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire. You see, I believe in the church, but the church is not the way to heaven. The church is the sign that points to heaven. Now, there's a fifth category of persons who are going to be there to be judged, and these are they who've never heard the gospel. They're not out and out sinners. They're not self-righteous. They're not procrastinators. They're not lost church members. They do not know. They've never heard the saving message of Jesus Christ, and while they do not have enough light to save them, they do have enough sin to condemn them. They are sinners, and they will be judged. You say, "Well, is that fair for God to let somebody die and go to hell who never heard the gospel?" Are they saved? Aren't they saved past of they don't hear? I think it's a bigger question, or you saved if you don't want to tell them. No, the Bible teaches that these without Jesus Christ are going to be judged, but they're not going to be judged the same way you're going to be judged. Listen to Luke chapter 12, verse 47, "And that servant which knew his master's will

and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes, but he that knew not and did commit things worthy of stripes shall be beaten with few stripes, for unto whom sever much is given of him shall much be required." Now, here's, let's go to the third thing, and think not only of the summons delivered, but the secrets displayed, rather. Look in Revelation chapter 20, verses 12 through 13 again, "And I saw the dead, small and great, which stand before God, and the books were opened. The books were opened." And another book was opened, which is the book of life, and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books according to their works. God is keeping books. God is recording the secret things that nobody else knows about. May I give you some verses for your margin? In Ecclesiastes 12, verse 14, "For God shall bring every work into judgment with every secret thing, whether it be good or whether it be evil." Romans chapter 2 and verse 16, "In the day when God will judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ." The Bible says every idle word that men speak, sins that have been repressed, and secrets will be then revealed. Luke 12, verses 2 and 3, "For there's nothing covered that shall not be revealed, neither hid that shall not be known.

Therefore, whatsoever ye have spoken in darkness shall be heard in the light, and that which ye have spoken in the ear in the closets shall be proclaimed from the house top." What a day that will be. What a day that will be. One of these days skeletons will come out of closets. One of these days God's candid camera will begin to play. One of these days God's tape recorder will play, and you will be standing there to face the record. Now let's move on to the final thing, and that is now the sentence determined, the sentence determined. You see, we're talking about a courtroom now. We've given you the setting. We've talked about the summons. We've talked about the secrets that are going to be brought out. Now there's a sentence. The sentence is going to be determined. Notice what he says here, and they were judged every man according to their works, verse 13, "And death in hell were cast into the lake of fire." This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire. Now in every trial, in every trial there are three parts. First of all, the evidence is presented. The books are open. What is the evidence? Your deeds, every lie, every cursing, every thing you stole, every gray hair that you gave your mother, every wrinkle that

you pinched into your daddy's brow. Every infidelity. Then your thoughts, God wrote down lust as adultery. God wrote down hatred as murder. And then your influence, not only what you did, but those that you've influenced to do wrong. And then your failure to do good. The great light that you had and you rejected, all of that will be the evidence that is presented against you. One foul smelly mountain of sin, sins that you have forgotten, sins that are there, the evidence will be presented against you. And then you have a chance to make your defense. Now you think about it. You make your defense. What will your defense be? Right now, supposed end of time has come, and you're there to stand before the Lord. What will your defense be? I mean, there you are before Jesus Christ. You've ignored Him, cursed Him, walked out on Him, turned your back on Him. What will you say? Oh, I know what you're saying. Wait a minute, Lord. Wait a minute, Lord. I didn't know what church to join. There were so many churches. The church, President Church, Church of God, Church of Christ, Piscopated Church, General Assembly, regular Baptist. I didn't know which church to join. He said, "I didn't say believe on the church. I said believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you'll be saved."

He said, "But Lord, I wasn't going to go down there and be a hypocrite. Not me. I wasn't going to go until I was sure I could live it." He said, "I didn't say believe on yourself." I said, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and I shall be saved." But Lord, I didn't have time. When I had that head on collision, I didn't have time. You had time that morning, that Sunday morning, when my servant preached to you and begged you to give your heart to Jesus Christ. I mean, think about what you're going to say. It doesn't even satisfy you. How do you expect it to satisfy a righteous and a holy God? No, the evidence is presented. You make your defense, and then the verdict of the court is handed down. The recording angel is there. He says, "Lord Jesus, what shall I write?" And a brokenhearted Savior will say, "He that denies me before men the same must I deny before my Father, which is in heaven, write L-O-S-T." His name is not in the book of life. It's not said because it could have been. It should have been, but He's not found written in the book of life. You find your soul dropping down into hell, not that God desires it. C.S. Lewis said, "There are two categories of persons, those who follow Satan and say to God, not your will, but mine be done, and those who follow Jesus who say, "Not my will, but thine be done," to the first category. Those who say to God like Satan, "Not your will, but mine be done," when they drop into hell, a brokenhearted God will say, "Not my will, but thine be done." "Not my friend will give you the dubious privilege of choosing your destiny." And who said was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire. I'm not going to stand before the great white throne.

You want me to tell you why? I've settled out of court. I have settled out of court. I have given my heart to Jesus Christ, and on that cross Jesus Christ took my sin, He took my judgment, Romans 8 1 says, "There's therefore now no condemnation to those who in Christ Jesus." He died for you. He loves you. He invites you. And I want you to get it settled today. Would you bow your heads in prayer? Heads are bowed and eyes are closed. I want you to pray like this. Right now, dear God, I want to settle out of court. I want to come and stand where the fire has already been. I come to Jesus. I come to the cross. I give my heart by faith to Jesus Christ. You've told me, Lord, if I would trust in Him, you would save me. Jesus, I do trust you. I believe you're the Son of God. I believe you paid for my sin with your blood on the cross. I believe that God raised you from the dead, and right now by faith, like a child, I receive you. Come into my heart. Forgive my sin, save me. Save me Jesus, did you pray it? Then pray this way, thank you for doing it. Now Lord, I will make it public. I will not be ashamed of you because you died from me.

Give me the courage to make it public. In your name I pray, amen. (gentle music)