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Speaker: Rev. Shine Thomas
Posted on: 2011-04-10
Series: Revelation

You can start with Are you ready to be judged - Part 1

Introduction

We all know Jesus Christ as a loving saviour who came into this world and died for us. He took all our sin and curse on himself and reconnected us back to God. But do you know that Jesus Christ is also a judge and every person will be judged according to what he has done in the body.

This morning we are going to look at Jesus the judge and we will have a look at the eternal judgments. We will have a closer look at the believer’s judgment. My goal this morning is to prepare you for that judgment day.

God’s eternal judgment is divided into 4 parts and it happens in 4 different time periods in eternity.

1. Judgment seat of Christ – For believers

The first eternal judgment is going to be the judgment of the believers. 1 Peter 4:17 For it is time for judgment to begin with God’s household; and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who do not obey the gospel of God?
Judgment begins always with the house of God. The first people to be judged in eternity will be the believers.

When the believer’s judgment going to take place? All believers who have already died and are living in body will be judged immediately after the rapture, which is the coming of the Lord Jesus in the sky and taking us to heaven. 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 16 For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever.

2. Judgment of Israel – In great tribulation

Judgment of Israel – Special people set apart by God. Even though they have not be faithful God has never finally rejected them. The Lord will not reject his people for his great name’s sake because it has pleased the Lord to make Israel his people.

What God does for Israel is not because of Israel’s merits but for God’s name, that his name may be glorified. God will deal with them specially.

God blesses the Jews direct but God blesses all nations through the Jews. Every blessing we have ever received we owe to the Jewish people. James 4:22 Salvation is from the Jews. God expects us to recognize that.

God blesses the Jews direct and blesses the gentiles through the Jews.

When God judges – God judges the gentiles direct but he judges the Jews through the gentiles. History clearly shows that.

This is in the great tribulation
Jeremiah 30:3-7 3The days are coming,’ declares the LORD, ‘when I will bring my people Israel and Judah back from captivity and restore them to the land I gave their ancestors to possess,’ says the LORD.” 4 These are the words the LORD spoke concerning Israel and Judah: 5 “This is what the LORD says: “‘Cries of fear are heard— terror, not peace. 6 Ask and see: Can a man bear children? Then why do I see every strong man with his hands on his stomach like a woman in labor, every face turned deathly pale? 7 How awful that day will be! No other will be like it. It will be a time of trouble for Jacob, but he will be saved out of it.

Not saved from it, saved out of it. In the end of tribulation God will finish judging the Jews. Then God will judge the other nations

3. Judgment of other nations. Beginning of millennium

Joel 3:1-2 The Nations Judged
1“In those days and at that time, when I restore the fortunes of Judah and Jerusalem, 2 I will gather all nations and bring them down to the Valley of Jehoshaphat. There I will put them on trial for what they did to my inheritance, my people Israel, because they scattered my people among the nations and divided up my land.

God will judge gentiles by the way they have treated Israel. For 2 reasons: for oppressing the Jews and for dividing the God’s given land.

4. Judgment before the great white throne

Revelation 20:11-15 11 Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. The earth and the heavens fled from his presence, and there was no place for them. 12 And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books. 13 The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was judged according to what they had done. 14 Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death. 15 Anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire.

This is the final judgment. Judgment of people without Christ. Whose names are in the book of life will enter into eternity with God. And the rest will be thrown out ever from the presence of God.

Believer’s Judgment

The main features of believer’s judgment.

1. Individual. Each one will answer for himself. Romans 14:10-12 10 You, then, why do you judge your brother or sister? Or why do you treat them with contempt? For we will all stand before God’s judgment seat. 11 It is written: “‘As surely as I live,’ says the Lord, ‘every knee will bow before me; every tongue will acknowledge God.’”12 So then, each of us will give an account of ourselves to God.

You have to give account of only your life, not of me or of your friend. Some of us waste a lot of time judging others, but we must be judging and accounting our life. The only person you are going to be accountable for is you.

2. It is for the things done in the body. The way we lived in body on earth. 2 Corinthians 5:10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.

There will be no secrets, everything will be totally exposed, nothing will be hidden. Each of us will receive what is due us for the things done while in the body.

Whatever we do can be qualified only into categories, either good or bad. 1 John 5:17 All wrongdoing is sin, and there is sin that does not lead to death. Anything that is not righteous is sin. There is no neutrality.

3. There is no condemnation for the believers. We are going to be judged but we are not going to be condemned. The judgment is for assessment of service.

John 3:18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.

John 5:24 “Very truly I tell you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life.
Romans 8:1 Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.
It is not a judgment of condemnation it is a judgment that will assess your service to Jesus during your life.

4. It will be a rewarding judgment.

1 Corinthians 3:10-15 10 By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as a wise builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should build with care. 11 For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12 If anyone builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, 13 their work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each person’s work. 14 If what has been built survives, the builder will receive a reward. 15 If it is burned up, the builder will suffer loss but yet will be saved—even though only as one escaping through the flames.

We have to be built on the foundation of Jesus Christ. When we stand in heaven we will bring along our deeds that we did on earth. All what we did for the Lord; the ministries, the giving, the good work will come up in heaven with us. The Bible describes our deeds as either gold, silver, and precious stones or wood, hay, and straw.

Now, God is a consuming fire. You bring wood, hay or stubble in the presence of God and it is burned up. You bring gold, silver, and precious stones into the consuming fire and it only is purified. I cannot know why you do what you do for the Lord. I am a human being and cannot know your motive for what you do. But when you get to heaven and get before God on judgment day, God is going to put your motive on display and if you served the Lord from a self-serving sense for what you got out of it, all that you will have is wood, hay, and straw and God will consume it. It will never remain in heaven. You will have a smell of smoke upon you, your soul will be saved but for the next million years people are going to be sniffing you because you are going to be smelling burnt. Wood hay etc an be accumulated in quantity, but gold silver cannot be accumulated in quantity.

This is Jesus the judge. Just as efficient he is in saving you he is efficient in judging you. He is the judge with eyes like a flame of fire. When John met Jesus in that capacity he fell on his feet as dead. It is the very same john the disciple, so intimate with Jesus on earth but when confronted with Jesus as judge he falls at his feet as dead.

Three ways we can assess our service

1. What is your motive? The only motive acceptable to God is for God’s glory. Now what is happening in churches are done by man for man’s glory. There is a lot of personal ambition on part of ministers and people now. The largest church, miracles, money etc.. It will all be burned up because the motive is wrong.

2 Corinthians 10:31 So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. There is only one acceptable motive for our service it is the glory of God.

What is motivating you in your service for him? The right attitude is what can I offer to God, the wrong motive is what will I gain? It is the same with marriage. Nowadays people get into marriage looking for what they can get out of marriage but our motive should be how I can offer myself to you.

2. Doing the will of the Father. Our work has to be done in obedience to the Word of God. Mark 7:21-23 21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ 23 Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’

Our basis on going to heaven is not on casting out demons, preaching, prophesying but doing the will of the father is what is required.

3. Operate in the power of the Spirit. We either operate in the power of the Spirit or the ability of the flesh. Romans 15:18-19 18 I will not venture to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me in leading the Gentiles to obey God by what I have said and done— 19 by the power of signs and wonders, through the power of the Spirit of God. So from Jerusalem all the way around to Illyricum, I have fully proclaimed the gospel of Christ.

These are the 3 requirements for our works to stand the test of God. Motive, doing the will of the Father, operating in the power of the Spirit.

Patterns of judgment

The Parable of the Ten Minas Mina – means measurement

Luke 19:11-27 11 While they were listening to this, he went on to tell them a parable, because he was near Jerusalem and the people thought that the kingdom of God was going to appear at once. 12 He said: “A man of noble birth went to a distant country to have himself appointed king and then to return. 13 So he called ten of his servants and gave them ten minas. ‘Put this money to work,’ he said, ‘until I come back.’ 14 “But his subjects hated him and sent a delegation after him to say, ‘We don’t want this man to be our king.’ 15 “He was made king, however, and returned home. Then he sent for the servants to whom he had given the money, in order to find out what they had gained with it. 16 “The first one came and said, ‘Sir, your mina has earned ten more.’ 17 “‘Well done, my good servant!’ his master replied. ‘Because you have been trustworthy in a very small matter, take charge of ten cities.’ 18 “The second came and said, ‘Sir, your mina has earned five more.’ 19 “His master answered, ‘You take charge of five cities.’ 20 “Then another servant came and said, ‘Sir, here is your mina; I have kept it laid away in a piece of cloth. 21 I was afraid of you, because you are a hard man. You take out what you did not put in and reap what you did not sow.’ 22 “His master replied, ‘I will judge you by your own words, you wicked servant! You knew, did you, that I am a hard man, taking out what I did not put in, and reaping what I did not sow? 23 Why then didn’t you put my money on deposit, so that when I came back, I could have collected it with interest?’

24 “Then he said to those standing by, ‘Take his mina away from him and give it to the one who has ten minas.’ 25 “‘Sir,’ they said, ‘he already has ten!’ 26 “He replied, ‘I tell you that to everyone who has, more will be given, but as for the one who has nothing, even what they have will be taken away. 27 But those enemies of mine who did not want me to be king over them—bring them here and kill them in front of me.’”

Let’s see the pattern of God’s judgment based on this parable. First of all we must understand that Jesus is the king and he has given us all talents and gifts. On judgment day Jesus will ask an account of the talents and abilities given to us.

1. Our service in this life will determine our position in eternity. One who gained 10 was in charge over 10 cities, 5 over 5 cities.
Luke 19:19-17 16 “The first one came and said, ‘Sir, your mina has earned ten more.’ 17 “‘Well done, my good servant!’ his master replied. ‘Because you have been trustworthy in a very small matter, take charge of ten cities.’

2. God judges our faithfulness not our success.
Luke 19:16-17 16 “The first one came and said, ‘Sir, your mina has earned ten more.’ 17 “‘Well done, my good servant!’ his master replied. ‘Because you have been trustworthy in a very small matter, take charge of ten cities.’

Jesus did not say well done good and successful servant, Jesus said well done good and faithful servant. Do not put much stress on success, put stress on faithfulness. We all are striving after success and prosperity but how many of us are faithful in what God has already given us?

3. Not to use your gift is to lose it. If you use your gifts you will be given extra.
Luke 19:20-26 20 “Then another servant came and said, ‘Sir, here is your mina; I have kept it laid away in a piece of cloth.’ “His master replied, 23 Why then didn’t you put my money on deposit, so that when I came back, I could have collected it with interest?’ 24 “Then he said to those standing by, ‘Take his mina away from him and give it to the one who has ten minas.’ 25 “‘Sir,’ they said, ‘he already has ten!’ 26 “He replied, ‘I tell you that to everyone who has, more will be given, but as for the one who has nothing, even what they have will be taken away.

If you do not use your gifts it will be taken away.

The Parable of the Bags of Gold

Matthew 25:14-30 14 “Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his wealth to them. 15 To one he gave five bags of gold, to another two bags, and to another one bag, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey. 16 The man who had received five bags of gold went at once and put his money to work and gained five bags more. 17 So also, the one with two bags of gold gained two more. 18 But the man who had received one bag went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money. 19 “After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them. 20 The man who had received five bags of gold brought the other five. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with five bags of gold. See, I have gained five more.’ 21 “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’ 22 “The man with two bags of gold also came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with two bags of gold; see, I have gained two more.’ 23 “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’ 24 “Then the man who had received one bag of gold came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. 25 So I was afraid and went out and hid your gold in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.’ 26 “His master replied, ‘You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed? 27 Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest. 28 “‘So take the bag of gold from him and give it to the one who has ten bags. 29 For whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them. 30 And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

Points from the parable.
1. God blesses people differently. God loves everyone and God blesses every one differently. Some are blessed with good family, some finances, some gifts, some talents, some job. Whatever God gives is his best for us. Notice in the minas parable each one got one mina, but in the talents parable one got five, another got two, and another one. He distributed them according to their ability. God blesses us according to what he knows you can do with them. If you can use 5 He will give you 5, if 2 only 2, do not worry about it, he knows your capacity.

2. God will ask account for what he has given you. Matthew 25:19 After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them. We have to given an account on judgment day for everything that God has given to us – Time, talent, money, gifts, children etc.

3. Jesus expects at least 100% back of what he gave you. See the principle of his judgment in this parable. The servant who got 5 bags of gold gained 5 more. The servant who got 2 bags of gold gained 2 more. That is 100% returns. But in the parable of the minas the first servant made ten out of one mina, the second servant made 5 out of the one he received. Here the ratio to serve is 1000%. So you can use your talents and gifts a 1000% but a minimum of 100% is expected by God. Jesus knows what you are capable of and he will not ask more from you.

4. Laziness is wickedness. Not using what God gave you is laziness and God sees laziness as wickedness. Matthew 25:24-26 24 “Then the man who had received one bag of gold came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. 25 So I was afraid and went out and hid your gold in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.’ 26 “His master replied, ‘You wicked, lazy servant! God sees laziness as a great sin.

Matthew 25:30 And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Weeping and gnashing of teeth is in hell. The people who do not use their gifts are people who could have made it to heaven but could not because of their laziness. They had all the opportunity but were lazy to do something for the Lord. If you are lazy you will be rejected by God. Matthew 25 speaks of 3 parables and 3 classes of people who were totally rejected by God.

a. Foolish virgins who took no oil.
Ten virgins took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom, 5 of them were foolish, 5 were wise. The wise took oil and the lamp, the foolish took lamp but no oil. The bridegroom became late in coming and all 10 virgins slept. At midnight the bridegroom came. The wise virgins trimmed their lamps and lighted them, the foolish virgins went to buy oil. When the 5 foolish virgins came with oil in their lamp the bridegroom had already come and the door was shut, they were rejected.

b. The one talent servant who did not use it.
The one talent servant in the second parable did not use the bag of gold, he hid it in the ground. He was rejected and thrown outside into hell.

c. The goat nations who did not help the brothers of Jesus.
The third parable speaks of goats and sheep. The shepherd separates the goats to the left and sheep to the right sheep. The sheep is accepted but the goats are rejected. Matthew 25:34-36 34 “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 35 For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36 I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’

The foolish virgins, the one talent servant, and goats were rejected by God. What did they all have in common to be rejected? They did nothing. Do nothing for God and you will be rejected by God in judgment.

5. If you cannot use your talents put it in the bank.
Luke 19:23 Why then didn’t you put my money on deposit, so that when I came back, I could have collected it with interest?’
Matthew 25:27 Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest.

Now to the man who did not make anything Jesus said maybe you did not have the ability to make money yourself but Jesus said you could have put it in the bank and collected and given me the interest. What does that mean? Some of you may say me pastor I do not have a big ministry, I am not a preacher, I am not a singer, I am not a good administrator. I feel I am called by God, I know I have a gift but I do not have the time because of my work or family what do I do? The answer is simple, put it in the bank, earn interest and give it back to God. What is that? Invest in missions. After paying your tithes and offerings in church invest in missions. That is the bank where it is multiplied. Find a mission filed where the money is used effectively for the gospel and invest in it. We do missions in North Karnataka, Arunachal Pradesh, North India etc. You can put your money in interest. When you invest in missions you get your interest when the Lord comes.

Listen, the people who were rejected were the people who were the one talent person. Usually people who are multitalented will do something but the ones who have one talent often sit on it dong noting thinking they cannot do anything. If you decide you can use your one talent and be more faithful and useful to God than your multitalented brother or sister. When you compare both the parables the man with the one mina made 10 more which is a 1000% of what he received whereas the man with 5 talents made only 10 which is only 100% of what he received.

Do not worry if you have just a single talent. God has given just that one talent to you because he knows that you can use that and be more successful than the multitalented people. Look at Billy Graham, he had just one talent I suppose, evangelist or preaching the gospel. He used it faithfully I believe he got a 1000% for his work. Mother Theresa she had probably just one talent, serving. What she had she used it and God make her work grow by a 1000%. Decide to use what you have received. It is God who makes it grow.

Conclusion

We have opportunities here to use your talents for the kingdom. Understand do not hide your talents for you have to give an account for all what you have received. Understand we are going to face Jesus the judge very soon, so let us be careful on what we do and use our talents for his kingdom. Amen and God bless you.