1 00:00:00,000 –> 00:00:04,740 While we’re continuing our series entitled The Inside Story of Your Future 2 00:00:04,740 –> 00:00:09,660 Life. Last week we looked at the marvelous truth that Jesus Christ is 3 00:00:09,660 –> 00:00:13,720 going to gather his people from every place in earth and on heaven. What a day 4 00:00:13,720 –> 00:00:18,820 that is going to be! Today we’re going to look at the other side of that great 5 00:00:18,820 –> 00:00:23,360 truth. Along with the gathering, the Bible makes very clear that there will also be 6 00:00:23,360 –> 00:00:28,620 a separation. Our Lord Jesus taught that clearly in the parable that we read from 7 00:00:28,799 –> 00:00:34,340 Matthew and Chapter 13. A very simple story with a very profound meaning. Jesus 8 00:00:34,340 –> 00:00:38,040 explains the parable at the end of the chapter. He says here’s what it’s about 9 00:00:38,040 –> 00:00:44,439 God sows good seed in a field Satan comes along at night and he sows weeds. 10 00:00:44,439 –> 00:00:49,020 So you have wheat and you have weeds and they’re growing together in the same 11 00:00:49,020 –> 00:00:54,660 field. Which means that the field looks an absolute mess. And Jesus says, that’s 12 00:00:54,779 –> 00:00:59,799 what the world is like. The wheat and the weeds are bound up together, their root 13 00:00:59,799 –> 00:01:03,580 systems are intertwined, they grow together. 14 00:01:03,580 –> 00:01:05,339 And when someone comes along and 15 00:01:05,339 –> 00:01:09,980 asks the question shall we pull up all the weeds, the Master says no you can’t 16 00:01:09,980 –> 00:01:13,019 do that now because if you pull up the weeds you’re going to be pulling up the 17 00:01:13,019 –> 00:01:17,500 wheat as well. You’ve got to leave both the wheat and the weeds together until 18 00:01:17,500 –> 00:01:22,540 the time of harvest. And then they will be separated. Then the Son of Man is 19 00:01:22,540 –> 00:01:26,360 going to send his angels when he comes in glory and he’s going to gather the 20 00:01:26,360 –> 00:01:34,099 weeds into bundles and he’s going to gather the wheat into his barn. So here 21 00:01:34,099 –> 00:01:38,599 Jesus is giving us a picture of this world. The wheat and the weeds are bound 22 00:01:38,599 –> 00:01:43,680 up together, the children of God, which is his description of the wheat, and the 23 00:01:43,680 –> 00:01:47,760 children of the devil, which are the weeds. They live in the same world. 24 00:01:48,199 –> 00:01:52,480 They’re in the same families, they’re in the same schools, 25 00:01:52,480 –> 00:01:58,300 they’re in the same companies where they’re employed our root systems are 26 00:01:58,300 –> 00:02:04,980 tied up together during life in this world but it will not always be so. When 27 00:02:04,980 –> 00:02:10,820 Jesus comes in glory he’s teaching us very clearly that he will gather and he 28 00:02:10,820 –> 00:02:18,259 will separate and the one truth is obviously tied to the other. Now you find 29 00:02:18,259 –> 00:02:24,500 this very very clearly not only in Matthew and chapter 13 but also all over 30 00:02:24,500 –> 00:02:29,899 the Gospel of Matthew. For example in chapter 3 and verse 12 John the Baptist 31 00:02:29,899 –> 00:02:36,360 says this about Jesus he is going to clear his threshing floor. And using a 32 00:02:36,360 –> 00:02:40,779 similar picture he says he’ll gather his wheat into the barn and then John says 33 00:02:40,779 –> 00:02:46,360 he will take the chaff and the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire. It’s a 34 00:02:46,360 –> 00:02:50,460 separation of the wheat from the chaff, just like Jesus saying the wheat from 35 00:02:50,460 –> 00:02:56,559 the weeds. Remember in Matthew chapter 22 Jesus tells a story about a wedding and 36 00:02:56,559 –> 00:03:01,899 many people are invited but some people refuse the invitation. And at the end of 37 00:03:01,899 –> 00:03:04,839 the story you remember what happens, those who have refused the invitation 38 00:03:04,839 –> 00:03:09,639 they’re outside and that’s one of the many occasions that Jesus says there 39 00:03:09,660 –> 00:03:14,699 will be for them weeping and gnashing of teeth, this is what our Lord Jesus said 40 00:03:14,699 –> 00:03:19,559 Matthew chapter 24, you have the same theme of us separation, listen to these 41 00:03:19,559 –> 00:03:25,360 words. Two men will be in a field, one will be taken, the other will be left. 42 00:03:25,360 –> 00:03:31,600 Separation. Two women will be grinding at the mill, one will be taken, the other 43 00:03:31,600 –> 00:03:37,160 will be left. And you know this story that Jesus told in Matthew in chapter 25 44 00:03:37,279 –> 00:03:41,039 He says this, when the Son of Man comes with his glory he will sit 45 00:03:41,039 –> 00:03:45,419 on his glorious throne and before him will be gathered the nations and he will 46 00:03:45,419 –> 00:03:54,399 separate people, one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the 47 00:03:54,399 –> 00:03:58,940 goats. Now that’s our theme today then, we’ve looked at the gathering we have 48 00:03:58,940 –> 00:04:02,899 to if we’re faithful to the scripture look at the other side of that same coin 49 00:04:02,899 –> 00:04:06,820 which is the very clear teaching of our Lord Jesus and the rest of scripture 50 00:04:07,100 –> 00:04:13,399 that at the gathering there will also be a separation. Now I want to give you very 51 00:04:13,399 –> 00:04:17,959 simply an overview of what the Bible says about this separation and then for 52 00:04:17,959 –> 00:04:24,000 us to look at the intensely practical applications that come from this very 53 00:04:24,000 –> 00:04:30,220 serious truth in the Bible. There are many things about the final judgment 54 00:04:30,220 –> 00:04:34,839 when God separates the wheat from the chaff as it were, the sheep from the 55 00:04:35,100 –> 00:04:41,279 goats. There are many things about the judgment that God has not told us. I for 56 00:04:41,279 –> 00:04:45,859 one find it extremely difficult to imagine what that day will be like. Don’t 57 00:04:45,859 –> 00:04:52,239 you? I mean how is God going to bring justice to billions of people? How long 58 00:04:52,239 –> 00:04:58,100 will that take? How will all these people be gathered together in one place? What 59 00:04:58,100 –> 00:05:05,059 will this be like? We are not told in any specific detail. We only know that God 60 00:05:05,059 –> 00:05:09,519 is Almighty and that he knows all things, and he has made some things very clear 61 00:05:09,519 –> 00:05:14,660 with regards to what he will do. So I want to give you in the clearest 62 00:05:14,660 –> 00:05:19,920 summary I possibly can from a broad range of Scripture what has been 63 00:05:19,920 –> 00:05:25,059 made most clear to us in the Bible with regards to this great day in which all 64 00:05:25,119 –> 00:05:30,559 of us will participate. This affects you. You will be part of this. This great 65 00:05:30,559 –> 00:05:36,100 separation. You’ll be on one side of it or the other. And so this is immediately 66 00:05:36,100 –> 00:05:43,220 relevant to every person here today. So, four observations. Let’s begin here. 67 00:05:43,220 –> 00:05:47,059 There will be a judgment and no one can avoid it. 68 00:05:47,059 –> 00:05:53,320 There will be a judgment and no one can avoid it. 2nd Corinthians 5 10. We must 69 00:05:53,320 –> 00:06:00,279 all appear before the judgment seat of Christ. All. There are no exclusions by 70 00:06:00,279 –> 00:06:05,679 age, or ethnicity, or economic prosperity. It’s going to happen for all of us. You’ll 71 00:06:05,679 –> 00:06:11,079 be there and I will be there too. You have the same truth in Romans 14 and 72 00:06:11,079 –> 00:06:17,600 verse 10. We will all stand before the judgment seat of God and Paul says, why 73 00:06:17,600 –> 00:06:22,059 are you passing judgment on your brother? He says, because all of us are going to 74 00:06:22,059 –> 00:06:25,160 stand before the judgment of God. Remember that when you’re tempted to 75 00:06:25,160 –> 00:06:30,079 pass judgment. God will be passing judgment in relation to you. Be very 76 00:06:30,079 –> 00:06:36,239 careful. Romans 14 and verse 12. Each of us will give an account of himself 77 00:06:36,239 –> 00:06:44,420 to God. Do you hear that? You will give an account of yourself to God! So will I. 78 00:06:44,420 –> 00:06:52,100 And so will every person you have ever met or ever will. Hebrews 4 and verse 13. 79 00:06:52,100 –> 00:07:01,380 No creature is hidden from God’s sight but all are naked and exposed to the 80 00:07:01,380 –> 00:07:08,720 eyes of him to whom we must give account.” In other words, when you give an account 81 00:07:09,600 –> 00:07:15,279 will not be able to to pass him off with some version of the truth, some spin that 82 00:07:15,279 –> 00:07:19,540 you can get away with telling to other people even those who are close to you. 83 00:07:19,540 –> 00:07:26,019 Because he knows. He’s omniscient. He knows all things and nothing is hidden 84 00:07:26,019 –> 00:07:30,019 from his eyes, everything’s exposed. He knows everything about you and you are 85 00:07:30,019 –> 00:07:36,339 going to give an account to him and so am I. So here’s what we’re being told 86 00:07:37,200 –> 00:07:42,220 Good and evil are mixed up in this world. The root systems of the wheat and the 87 00:07:42,220 –> 00:07:46,660 root systems of the of the weeds, they’re all bound up with each other in the 88 00:07:46,660 –> 00:07:50,619 same field, which is the reason why the field is such a mess. It always will be 89 00:07:50,619 –> 00:07:54,899 that is just the nature of the world in which we live. The Lord Jesus is making 90 00:07:54,899 –> 00:08:01,700 that very clear, but it will not always be so. It will not always be so. There’s a 91 00:08:01,700 –> 00:08:06,279 day of judgment coming and, and no one can avoid it. 92 00:08:06,279 –> 00:08:10,779 Donald McLeod who writes helpfully on this points out that the sense of 93 00:08:10,779 –> 00:08:17,359 justice is engraved on every human heart. He says, we have laws, we have courts, we 94 00:08:17,359 –> 00:08:22,500 have judiciaries, we have judges, we have penal establishments and these all 95 00:08:22,500 –> 00:08:28,739 reflect our very profound sense that justice must be done. This goes across 96 00:08:28,739 –> 00:08:33,799 all cultures. There’s an engraved sense that justice must be done, and we have 97 00:08:33,799 –> 00:08:37,900 all the apparatus in our country and indeed throughout the world in regards 98 00:08:37,900 –> 00:08:45,719 to this. But, says McLeod, if God has no right 99 00:08:45,719 –> 00:08:51,320 to hold his great a size, that’s a way of referring to the judgment and you know 100 00:08:51,320 –> 00:08:55,719 there are so many people today who think that God has no right to judge the world. 101 00:08:55,719 –> 00:09:02,940 Well, says McLeod’s, if God has no right to hold his great a size then no human 102 00:09:02,940 –> 00:09:11,159 judge has a right to hold his. If hell is immoral every prison, every penitentiary 103 00:09:11,159 –> 00:09:16,940 and every detention centre in the world is an outrage and you don’t think that 104 00:09:16,940 –> 00:09:20,820 prisons and penitentiaries are an outrage because you know within your own 105 00:09:20,979 –> 00:09:26,640 heart that somehow justice must be done, and why do you know that in your heart? 106 00:09:26,640 –> 00:09:31,140 Because you’re made in the image of God, and that’s a reflection of the stamp 107 00:09:31,140 –> 00:09:38,799 that still remains within you from the fact that He is your creator. So 108 00:09:38,799 –> 00:09:43,020 scripture makes this very clear it is already impressed on our heart. There 109 00:09:43,039 –> 00:09:50,919 will be a judgment and no one can avoid it that’s the first thing. Second, 110 00:09:50,919 –> 00:09:55,799 scripture makes clear that Jesus Christ Himself will be the judge. 111 00:09:55,799 –> 00:10:01,799 I quote here John chapter 5 and verse 22. 112 00:10:01,799 –> 00:10:15,659 While the Bible refers to the judgment of God many times remember that that is 113 00:10:15,659 –> 00:10:23,200 because Jesus the son of God is as much God as the Father is and specifically we 114 00:10:23,200 –> 00:10:27,719 are told in the Gospels and in many other places that that the father has 115 00:10:27,719 –> 00:10:33,500 trusted this whole matter of judgment to the Son. This is clear in the teaching of 116 00:10:33,500 –> 00:10:39,340 Jesus in Matthew in chapter 25 when the Son of Man, a name by which Jesus called 117 00:10:39,340 –> 00:10:44,340 himself, when the Son of Man comes in Glory he will sit on his glorious throne 118 00:10:44,340 –> 00:10:50,299 and before him, before Jesus, will be gathered all the nations and he, Jesus, 119 00:10:50,299 –> 00:10:55,380 will separate the people one from the other as a shepherd separates the sheep 120 00:10:56,200 –> 00:11:04,700 from the goats. Friends, this is of huge importance. We know who the judge is 121 00:11:04,700 –> 00:11:13,900 going to be. That is of huge importance. That is marvelous information to be given 122 00:11:13,900 –> 00:11:20,400 especially because the judge offers to you the opportunity of making peace with 123 00:11:20,559 –> 00:11:28,239 him now. The judge offers to you in grace and in mercy the opportunity to become 124 00:11:28,239 –> 00:11:39,599 his friend. The judge has come into the world in order to be the savior. Now 125 00:11:39,599 –> 00:11:44,239 these are things of huge and eternal and incalculable proportion that God is 126 00:11:44,239 –> 00:11:49,619 revealing to us and we are responsible in regards to how we respond to them. 127 00:11:50,039 –> 00:11:54,780 Everyone who’s ever been in a court knows what it’s like as there’s a sort 128 00:11:54,780 –> 00:11:58,539 of a hush and then the judge comes through that door and then he takes 129 00:11:58,539 –> 00:12:07,039 his seat up there. What will it be like for those who have despised Christ to 130 00:12:07,039 –> 00:12:15,880 see him take his seat as the judge? What would that be like for you if the 131 00:12:16,460 –> 00:12:21,359 life today is to resist his claim upon your life? And that pattern can 132 00:12:21,359 –> 00:12:25,599 continue. So what would that be for you? Think about it. You know who the judge 133 00:12:25,599 –> 00:12:30,520 will be. So what are you saying about him? What are you thinking about him? What are 134 00:12:30,520 –> 00:12:35,520 you doing in relation to following him? These are huge questions. 135 00:12:35,520 –> 00:12:40,280 Thomas Watson pictures the scene as Jesus Christ takes his seat in the 136 00:12:40,280 –> 00:12:49,140 judgment and he says to sinners, I am Jesus whom you have sinned against. I am 137 00:12:49,140 –> 00:12:58,919 Jesus whose laws you have broken. I am Jesus whose blood you have despised. 138 00:12:59,859 –> 00:13:07,099 Years ago I came across a poem written in the trenches of the First World War 139 00:13:07,359 –> 00:13:13,280 by a soldier whose name was Willie. Willie had been rebelling against God 140 00:13:13,280 –> 00:13:18,020 and one night right there in the trenches, God gave him a vision of the 141 00:13:18,020 –> 00:13:24,340 glory of Christ and he saw something of what it would actually be for him to 142 00:13:24,340 –> 00:13:31,619 stand before Jesus. He wrote this poem. 143 00:13:31,619 –> 00:13:41,000 There ain’t no books. There ain’t no thrones. It’s him you’ve got to see. It’s 144 00:13:41,000 –> 00:13:50,580 him. Just him who is the judge of blokes like you and me. And boys I’d sooner 145 00:13:50,580 –> 00:13:57,659 shrivel up in the flames of a burning hell than stand and look into those eyes 146 00:13:57,659 –> 00:14:11,299 and hear his voice say, well one day you and I are going to stand before the Lord 147 00:14:11,299 –> 00:14:16,960 Jesus Christ. You need to think about that. 148 00:14:16,960 –> 00:14:27,280 Third, God is just and he will consider every opportunity and every mitigating 149 00:14:27,359 –> 00:14:35,359 circumstance as he exercises judgment. Now I think this is very important to say. 150 00:14:35,359 –> 00:14:41,679 The Bible teaches everywhere that God is just. That means that no one will be 151 00:14:41,679 –> 00:14:47,539 judged for a single sin that they did not actually commit. That means that no 152 00:14:47,539 –> 00:14:52,340 judgment will be passed that is out of proportion to the sin that has been 153 00:14:52,440 –> 00:14:58,179 committed. No one will be held accountable for knowledge that they were not given 154 00:14:58,179 –> 00:15:05,919 or opportunity that they did not have. That is part of justice, and God is just. 155 00:15:05,919 –> 00:15:10,380 Say, where do you get that from? I take evidence for this from the words of 156 00:15:10,380 –> 00:15:15,799 Jesus about the town of Bethsaida. Do you remember that Jesus performed many 157 00:15:15,799 –> 00:15:19,640 wonderful miracles in the town of Bethesda? The people there had the 158 00:15:19,799 –> 00:15:25,580 clearest possible revelation of the glory of the Son of God and they did not 159 00:15:25,580 –> 00:15:31,440 repent. Their hearts were like stone, and Jesus said this in Matthew chapter 11, 160 00:15:31,440 –> 00:15:37,539 Woe to you, Bethsaida, for if the mighty works that had been done in you had been 161 00:15:37,539 –> 00:15:41,380 done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago and they would have 162 00:15:41,380 –> 00:15:47,440 done it with sackcloth and ashes Jesus said. But I tell you, it will be more 163 00:15:47,780 –> 00:15:54,940 bearable on the Day of Judgment for Tyre and for Sidon than it will for you. Now 164 00:15:54,940 –> 00:16:00,239 you see what Jesus is saying. The point here is that judgment will be made in 165 00:16:00,239 –> 00:16:05,820 the light of opportunity given. The people of Tyre and Sidon did not have 166 00:16:05,820 –> 00:16:09,380 the same opportunity as the people of Bethsaida, they did not see the miracles 167 00:16:09,380 –> 00:16:13,260 that Jesus did in that place. So Jesus says well it is going to be more 168 00:16:13,260 –> 00:16:17,419 bearable for them than it will be for you on the day of judgment. That’s what 169 00:16:17,419 –> 00:16:23,299 he says. In other words he’s underlining this point. You were given the clearest 170 00:16:23,299 –> 00:16:32,059 possible revelation and you did not repent and you are accountable now for 171 00:16:32,059 –> 00:16:38,619 what you have received and for what you have done with it. Now in Romans in 172 00:16:38,619 –> 00:16:42,820 chapter two, Paul takes up the same issue and many of you will have asked 173 00:16:42,820 –> 00:16:46,539 questions about this and it’s important for you to know where these issues are 174 00:16:46,859 –> 00:16:51,020 addressed in the Bible. In Romans chapter 2, Paul takes up the issue of those 175 00:16:51,020 –> 00:16:56,580 who have never heard. It’s interesting by the way, the Bible never takes up 176 00:16:56,580 –> 00:17:02,580 directly the issue of those who have never heard the gospel, but it does take 177 00:17:02,580 –> 00:17:08,979 up directly the issue of those who have never heard the law. You should think 178 00:17:08,979 –> 00:17:16,020 about that, it’s very significant. And you find that in Romans in chapter 2. What 179 00:17:16,160 –> 00:17:19,739 about those who have never heard the law? That’s the issue that Paul has there. 180 00:17:19,739 –> 00:17:24,800 They have not been given the particular Old Testament revelation of how God 181 00:17:24,800 –> 00:17:30,619 calls a person to live. Remember, God gave his law to Israel but what about people 182 00:17:30,619 –> 00:17:34,060 who were brought up worshiping other gods in other parts of the world? Far 183 00:17:34,060 –> 00:17:38,459 from Israel people who were brought up worshipping gods like Baal or like 184 00:17:38,459 –> 00:17:42,780 Degan, and and never ever heard the Ten Commandments. What about them? You’ve 185 00:17:42,780 –> 00:17:48,319 asked that question haven’t you? What about those who have never heard? Well 186 00:17:48,319 –> 00:17:51,920 look at what the Bible says, Romans chapter 2 and verse 12. 187 00:17:51,920 –> 00:18:01,920 All who have sinned without law, will also perish without the law. And all who have 188 00:18:01,920 –> 00:18:09,420 sinned under the law, will be judged by the law. You see Paul is making a very 189 00:18:09,420 –> 00:18:14,979 important distinction here. He is saying, understand this, nobody is going to be 190 00:18:14,979 –> 00:18:20,939 judged by a law that they were not given or that they never heard. Okay well then 191 00:18:20,939 –> 00:18:25,739 how will people who never heard the law and never knew the Ten Commandments, 192 00:18:25,739 –> 00:18:30,979 how will they be judged? Well he answers that question there in verse 15 and 16. 193 00:18:31,000 –> 00:18:39,459 He says the work of the law is written on their hearts while their conscience also 194 00:18:39,459 –> 00:18:45,640 bears witness, and he says the conscience gives rise to conflicting thoughts that 195 00:18:45,640 –> 00:18:51,459 sometimes accuse or even excuse, and this is what will be the basis of judgment 196 00:18:51,459 –> 00:18:58,060 on that day where according to my gospel God judges the secrets of men. This is a 197 00:18:58,099 –> 00:19:08,579 very clear statement. Now here’s the issue. The conscience condemns us as much as 198 00:19:08,579 –> 00:19:17,099 the law. That’s why Paul says in verse 12 there that those who without the law 199 00:19:17,099 –> 00:19:22,660 perish without the law. Why, because the idea that folks are somehow innocent 200 00:19:22,859 –> 00:19:30,020 righteous lives is a complete fallacy isn’t it. Of course there are times when 201 00:19:30,020 –> 00:19:36,540 we try to do right as far as our conscience is concerned. But 202 00:19:36,540 –> 00:19:41,300 honestly I ask you is there any one of us here today who would be comfortable 203 00:19:41,300 –> 00:19:51,339 to stand before God on the basis of your own conscience? I wouldn’t. I could not 204 00:19:51,459 –> 00:20:01,439 stand before God with a hope in the world apart from Jesus Christ. Which is 205 00:20:01,439 –> 00:20:06,439 why there is a compelling motive friends for us to take the good news of Jesus 206 00:20:06,439 –> 00:20:14,839 Christ to the world. Because once we get the idea that somehow salvation is going 207 00:20:14,839 –> 00:20:19,079 to open up for everybody outside of Christ we cut the very root of what 208 00:20:19,119 –> 00:20:24,839 Jesus Christ has called us to do with our lives. Think about these things deeply. 209 00:20:24,839 –> 00:20:29,819 They’re very important for the kind of Christian you become and the kind of 210 00:20:29,819 –> 00:20:37,900 church that we are. Listen to these words from Anthony Hokema which I think put 211 00:20:37,900 –> 00:20:39,839 this very clearly. He says, 212 00:20:49,079 –> 00:20:56,119 those who had only the Old Testament revelation will be judged by 213 00:20:56,119 –> 00:21:03,000 the response to the Old Testament. Have you done what’s there? Those however who 214 00:21:03,000 –> 00:21:06,459 received neither the revelation found in the Old Testament nor 215 00:21:06,459 –> 00:21:11,180 which is found in the new will be judged in terms of the light that they had. 216 00:21:11,819 –> 00:21:23,119 Now folks, do you see the profound impact of that for us today? Who’s had more 217 00:21:23,119 –> 00:21:32,739 opportunity than you and me? Who’s been given more revelation than us? Who has 218 00:21:32,739 –> 00:21:37,500 been fed more of the word of God in a Bible center church over years and years 219 00:21:37,500 –> 00:21:47,020 Let me speak of my own position. You can check it out in James chapter 3 and 220 00:21:47,020 –> 00:21:52,699 verse 1. It says those who teach, the references to those who bear this burden 221 00:21:52,699 –> 00:21:58,579 and have this privilege of teaching the Bible. Those who teach will be judged 222 00:21:58,579 –> 00:22:06,859 more strictly. Why? Because anyone who speaks in the name of Jesus Christ must 223 00:22:06,939 –> 00:22:12,699 give an account to Jesus Christ for what has been said in his name. But it’s not 224 00:22:12,699 –> 00:22:16,640 just for those who speak, it’s for those who hear. Remember what Jesus said about 225 00:22:16,640 –> 00:22:23,500 if you hear my words and do not put them into practice what are you like? 226 00:22:23,500 –> 00:22:29,920 A man who builds his house on the sand, and on the great day the collapse is terrible. 227 00:22:29,920 –> 00:22:34,180 So once you grasp this principle, that God in his absolute justice holds us 228 00:22:34,199 –> 00:22:39,199 accountable in relation to what we have received, it might put a little bit of 229 00:22:39,199 –> 00:22:44,780 urgency into all of our lives in relation to the stewardship of the 230 00:22:44,780 –> 00:22:52,859 immense privileges that are ours to have this whole scripture and to have it fed 231 00:22:52,859 –> 00:22:58,459 into our lives every day and every week and every year. You thought about that 232 00:22:58,459 –> 00:23:03,939 and the responsibility that it brings. To whom much is given, Jesus says, from them 233 00:23:04,199 –> 00:23:10,900 much will be expected. God is just and he will consider every opportunity and 234 00:23:10,900 –> 00:23:16,699 every mitigating circumstance in exercising judgment. Fourth, what is 235 00:23:16,699 –> 00:23:25,300 actually going to be judged? Judgment will be passed on our works, our words, 236 00:23:25,300 –> 00:23:32,219 our motives, and our secrets. Get these four cargoes in your mind, I’ll give you 237 00:23:32,260 –> 00:23:35,459 the scripture for them in a moment, but get them clear, because they’re the 238 00:23:35,459 –> 00:23:42,900 things you need to watch. Judgment will be passed on our works, our words, our 239 00:23:42,900 –> 00:23:51,020 motives and our secrets friends. Everyone in heaven will know why they are 240 00:23:51,020 –> 00:23:56,219 there. There will not be any doubts, there will be absolute clarity. Everyone in 241 00:23:56,219 –> 00:23:59,380 heaven will know that they’re there because of Jesus Christ and because of 242 00:23:59,380 –> 00:24:04,219 Jesus Christ alone. Everyone in heaven will know that they’re there because of 243 00:24:04,219 –> 00:24:10,060 his death for them and his life in them. But I have to tell you that every person 244 00:24:10,060 –> 00:24:16,060 in hell will know with equal clarity as to why they are there too. They are there 245 00:24:16,060 –> 00:24:23,260 because of their sins. And in a court of law charges must be specific. In other 246 00:24:23,260 –> 00:24:25,900 words a judge cannot say in a court of law, 247 00:24:26,540 –> 00:24:31,060 I’m sentencing you to five years in prison because you’re a generally bad 248 00:24:31,060 –> 00:24:34,339 person. That’s injustice, isn’t it? You can’t do that. 249 00:24:35,099 –> 00:24:40,300 There have to be specific charges. They have to be read. Jury votes on them 250 00:24:40,300 –> 00:24:47,079 and so forth and so on. Now, that is how it will be in the judgment. A person in 251 00:24:47,079 –> 00:24:52,900 hell will have full knowledge of why they are there, and precisely what it is 252 00:24:52,939 –> 00:24:57,540 that has been done. That has landed them there. The Bible speaks clearly about 253 00:24:57,540 –> 00:25:04,640 what will be judged. So, these categories are important. Number one, our judgment 254 00:25:04,640 –> 00:25:09,880 will be in relation to works. This is very clear in the Bible so note it 255 00:25:09,880 –> 00:25:15,180 carefully. Revelation 22 and verse 12, Behold, I am coming bringing my 256 00:25:15,280 –> 00:25:23,180 recompense with me to repay every one for what he has done. Revelation 22 12. 257 00:25:23,180 –> 00:25:29,699 Same phrase in Matthew 16 27, The Son of Man will repay each person 258 00:25:29,699 –> 00:25:36,699 according to what he has done. Second Corinthians chapter 5 in verse 10, We 259 00:25:36,699 –> 00:25:40,520 must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ so that each of us may 260 00:25:41,239 –> 00:25:48,640 is due for what he has done. You find this again and again in the New Testament. 261 00:25:48,640 –> 00:25:53,400 So salvation is through faith because faith unites us to Jesus Christ, who 262 00:25:53,400 –> 00:26:01,119 saves us. But judgment in the New Testament is everywhere focused on works. 263 00:26:01,119 –> 00:26:06,479 That is true both for the evil that will be punished and for the good that will 264 00:26:06,520 –> 00:26:12,140 be rewarded. Which is why Jesus says that even a cup of cold water that is given 265 00:26:12,140 –> 00:26:18,040 in His Name will not go without its reward. That is why for those who are in 266 00:26:18,040 –> 00:26:22,880 Christ, there is this wonderful encouragement. For example in 1 267 00:26:22,880 –> 00:26:28,280 Corinthians 3 in verse 8 we read this. Each will receive his wages 268 00:26:28,280 –> 00:26:34,199 according to his labor. In other words in the perfect justice of God there 269 00:26:35,040 –> 00:26:41,439 is going to be sentencing in relation to sin for those who are outside of Christ 270 00:26:41,439 –> 00:26:47,319 And there is going to be reward in relation to that which has been done for 271 00:26:47,319 –> 00:26:56,359 those whose judgment has been covered in Christ works. What you’re doing in your 272 00:26:56,380 –> 00:27:04,520 life matters. Whether you’re a kind of couch Christian as it were, living within 273 00:27:04,520 –> 00:27:11,060 your own ease or whether you’re stretching yourself out to use the 274 00:27:11,060 –> 00:27:13,859 God-given life that you have to the max for Jesus 275 00:27:13,859 –> 00:27:16,540 Christ, that matters, that makes a difference. 276 00:27:16,540 –> 00:27:21,119 The matter of works. What are you doing with your life? 277 00:27:21,260 –> 00:27:23,459 Stewardship. We’ve got to give an account. 278 00:27:23,459 –> 00:27:31,819 I have to give an account to Jesus. Who thought about that in the last month or 279 00:27:31,819 –> 00:27:39,579 the last year? Then judgment will relate to our words. Not only works but words. 280 00:27:39,579 –> 00:27:45,420 Here are the words of Jesus from Matthew 12 on this and it is a stunning 281 00:27:45,500 –> 00:27:54,199 statement. On the day of judgment Jesus says, people will give account for every 282 00:27:54,199 –> 00:28:00,280 careless word that they speak. They will give an account for every careless word 283 00:28:00,280 –> 00:28:05,560 that they speak. For by your words you will be justified and by your words you 284 00:28:05,560 –> 00:28:14,479 will be condemned. You see, this again is why James speaks of those who teach will 285 00:28:14,479 –> 00:28:20,260 be judged with greater strictness. Teachers are responsible for the words 286 00:28:20,260 –> 00:28:28,119 we impart to others. If I was simply in ministry for my own comfort, we would 287 00:28:28,119 –> 00:28:32,420 never have a series on eternal matters. The weight of it is enormous, 288 00:28:32,420 –> 00:28:38,140 but if I were never as your pastor to speak about these eternal realities, I 289 00:28:38,140 –> 00:28:43,099 would have to give an account of that, would I not? And you might rightly say to 290 00:28:43,500 –> 00:28:49,920 me, why did we never hear that in church, when Jesus said it so clearly? 291 00:28:53,300 –> 00:28:56,099 1 Corinthians 4,5. Do not pronounce judgment, 292 00:28:56,520 –> 00:29:00,319 Paul says, before the time, that is before the Lord comes. Because when He 293 00:29:00,319 –> 00:29:05,119 comes, He will bring to light the things that are now hidden in darkness, very 294 00:29:05,119 –> 00:29:12,400 important statement, and will disclose the purposes of the heart, and then each 295 00:29:12,479 –> 00:29:20,479 one will receive His commendation from God. This is very important. The motives 296 00:29:20,479 –> 00:29:26,339 of other people are hidden from us. That’s why we must be very careful about 297 00:29:26,339 –> 00:29:31,699 making judgments. It’s a terrible thing to ascribe evil motives to a person, 298 00:29:31,699 –> 00:29:38,660 would be something you would answer for. So Paul says we must not pronounce 299 00:29:38,780 –> 00:29:43,619 judgment on motives. We may have to judge actions but we must not pronounce in 300 00:29:43,619 –> 00:29:48,459 regards to motives before the time. But a day is coming when the Lord will 301 00:29:48,459 –> 00:29:55,660 quote, disclose the purposes of the heart. So here’s two people in a dispute and 302 00:29:55,660 –> 00:30:00,979 one of them says, have you ever heard this phrase before? It’s not about the 303 00:30:00,979 –> 00:30:06,859 money. Have you heard that phrase before? And you don’t know if it is about the 304 00:30:07,000 –> 00:30:11,939 money or not because the motives of the heart are hidden, but if they say it’s 305 00:30:11,939 –> 00:30:17,719 not about the money and it was about the money one day you will know the 306 00:30:17,719 –> 00:30:23,800 purposes of the heart that have been covered will be revealed. And if it was 307 00:30:23,800 –> 00:30:27,479 the case that you thought it was about the money but actually the truth was it 308 00:30:27,479 –> 00:30:33,160 really wasn’t about the money, then you will know that too. It’s a huge powerful 309 00:30:33,359 –> 00:30:39,400 reality that is being taught to us in the Scriptures right here. Fourth and 310 00:30:39,400 –> 00:30:46,520 perhaps most incisive of all, what will be judged on the last day secrets. Romans 311 00:30:46,520 –> 00:30:50,560 2 and verse 16, this comes again and again in the Scripture about secrets. 312 00:30:50,560 –> 00:30:58,000 The day when according to my Gospel Paul says God judges the secrets of men by 313 00:30:58,000 –> 00:31:02,660 Christ Jesus. Ecclesiastes 12 and verse 14, same thing, 314 00:31:02,660 –> 00:31:09,640 God will bring every deed into judgment with every secret thing whether good or 315 00:31:09,640 –> 00:31:14,699 evil. Luke chapter 12, the words of Jesus, Nothing is covered that will not be 316 00:31:14,699 –> 00:31:19,479 revealed or hidden. That will not be known. Therefore whatever you have said in 317 00:31:19,479 –> 00:31:26,280 the dark shall be heard in the light and what you have whispered in private rooms 318 00:31:26,459 –> 00:31:32,260 will be proclaimed on the housetops. That does not mean of course that that which 319 00:31:32,260 –> 00:31:35,599 is legitimately private and appropriately private is going to be 320 00:31:35,599 –> 00:31:39,099 revealed but that which is hidden, that which is covered up, that which is hidden 321 00:31:39,099 –> 00:31:48,560 in the dark, that which involved a degree of deception to other people. Secrets. 322 00:31:49,140 –> 00:31:53,099 Now friends this is what the Bible is telling us and we need to weigh 323 00:31:53,099 –> 00:31:58,800 ourselves in the light of these awesome and eternal truths and say these are the 324 00:31:58,800 –> 00:32:02,959 words of our Lord Jesus Christ who is the Savior that many of us are trusting 325 00:32:02,959 –> 00:32:10,660 we have to give weight to his words. Now let’s get to the application. Three 326 00:32:10,660 –> 00:32:20,359 things. First, use this to help you practice patience and live at peace. Let 327 00:32:20,359 –> 00:32:25,280 me quote you from Romans 12. If it is possible, Paul says, as far as it depends 328 00:32:25,280 –> 00:32:29,520 on you live peaceably with all. You say wow in a world like this how am I 329 00:32:29,520 –> 00:32:34,219 supposed to do that. Here’s how. Beloved don’t avenge yourselves but leave it to 330 00:32:34,219 –> 00:32:39,319 the wrath of God for it is written vengeance is mine I will repay, says the 331 00:32:39,319 –> 00:32:43,579 Lord. In other words Paul is saying that when you really grasp the awesomeness of 332 00:32:43,579 –> 00:32:50,160 the judgment it will help you pursue the path of peace. It’s extraordinary truth. 333 00:32:51,140 –> 00:32:56,579 And it’s a wonderful reality knowing that there is a day of judgment will help you 334 00:32:56,579 –> 00:33:02,459 to pursue the path of peace. Here’s how. When you know that Jesus Christ is the 335 00:33:02,459 –> 00:33:07,660 judge and that one day he will bring things to light you can choose to trust 336 00:33:07,660 –> 00:33:14,520 an unresolved grievance or an injustice into the hands of God. You can make that 337 00:33:14,520 –> 00:33:19,500 choice. You don’t need to consume the next 10 years of your life with trying 338 00:33:19,500 –> 00:33:25,880 to get even and sort it all out now. You can make the choice to hand this 339 00:33:25,880 –> 00:33:31,260 grievance and to hand this injustice that may have been done, into the hands 340 00:33:31,260 –> 00:33:37,020 of God because you know that there’s a judge. And there’s a day of judgment. 341 00:33:37,020 –> 00:33:40,800 Listen to Thomas Watson on this. It’s very practical. He’s talking about money here 342 00:33:40,800 –> 00:33:46,900 and money left in wills. What a comfort it is to the saints who have met with 343 00:33:46,900 –> 00:33:52,719 unrighteous judgment in this world, who have been wronged of their estates in 344 00:33:52,719 –> 00:34:00,920 lawsuits, or have had lives taken away by an unrighteous sentence. Christ will 345 00:34:00,920 –> 00:34:09,020 judge things over again and he will give a righteous sentence. Now if you know 346 00:34:09,020 –> 00:34:11,739 that and you have really taken it into your mind and into your heart it will 347 00:34:11,780 –> 00:34:18,120 wonderfully help you. It will release you. Then secondly there are situations in 348 00:34:18,120 –> 00:34:23,320 this life where you just cannot get to the truth and you’re left wondering, now 349 00:34:23,320 –> 00:34:28,820 what really happened? Now he said this and she said that, and this other person 350 00:34:28,820 –> 00:34:34,659 said something else. I cannot get to the bottom of it. What really happened? There 351 00:34:34,659 –> 00:34:38,479 are mysteries that are never resolved in this life but they will be unraveled 352 00:34:39,219 –> 00:34:44,219 of God that’s what we’re being taught here. You will know. Thomas Boston says 353 00:34:44,219 –> 00:34:53,239 this, secret murders, adulteries, thefts, cheats, and other works of darkness which 354 00:34:53,239 –> 00:34:59,679 defied all human search will be discovered and laid open before the 355 00:34:59,679 –> 00:35:06,399 world with their most minute circumstances. Thomas Watson adds that 356 00:35:06,419 –> 00:35:13,600 God is so wise he can never be deluded and he is so strong that he can never be 357 00:35:13,600 –> 00:35:18,760 resisted. And a person who has managed to shield the truth from you will never 358 00:35:18,760 –> 00:35:24,219 manage to shield the truth from God. You can let it rest there and it will help you. 359 00:35:24,219 –> 00:35:28,919 You can live with what is unresolved now, if and when you know that he will bring 360 00:35:28,919 –> 00:35:33,159 the truth to life, that’s part of why we’re given this marvelous truth. And 361 00:35:33,479 –> 00:35:39,520 then knowing hat God will judge will help you to bear the burden of unfair 362 00:35:39,520 –> 00:35:45,439 criticism. Now maybe you have been criticized in an unreasonable way in 363 00:35:45,439 –> 00:35:50,320 your family, in your workplace. Someone has it in for you, they’ve told 364 00:35:50,320 –> 00:35:55,780 lies about you. It has made your life so difficult. Now this is precisely the 365 00:35:55,780 –> 00:36:00,159 truth that you need. Someone misjudges you, they have assigned evil motives to 366 00:36:00,159 –> 00:36:03,739 you. They’ve said all kinds of things about you. How do you handle it? What are 367 00:36:03,739 –> 00:36:09,520 you gonna do? Well Paul knew all about unfair criticism and people assigning 368 00:36:09,520 –> 00:36:13,139 evil motives to him and he tells us about how he handled it in 1 369 00:36:13,139 –> 00:36:16,580 Corinthians in Chapter 4. And it’s this very thing, he says this, 370 00:36:16,580 –> 00:36:21,959 “…with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged by you or by any human 371 00:36:21,959 –> 00:36:27,320 court.” I read that verse and I’m so sensitive to criticism. I’m trying to get 372 00:36:27,320 –> 00:36:31,760 better at it, but I read that verse and I say, I wish I could say, it is a very 373 00:36:31,760 –> 00:36:36,040 small thing to me that I’m judged by you. So I say, Paul, how did you get there? And 374 00:36:36,040 –> 00:36:46,139 here’s how he got there. Here’s how he got there. “…it is the Lord Who judges me.” 375 00:36:46,139 –> 00:36:55,139 It’s what he says. “…It is the Lord Who judges me.” And in this barrage of criticism and of 376 00:36:55,139 –> 00:36:59,360 assigning of evil motives that had come against the Apostle Paul, he says, here’s how I stand 377 00:36:59,360 –> 00:37:04,860 up under it. I know that God is my judge. He knows my heart, my conscience is clear 378 00:37:04,860 –> 00:37:10,139 and when He comes He will bring the truth to light. See, the great truth of the Final 379 00:37:10,139 –> 00:37:18,439 Judgment saves him from being crippled by other people’s false judgment. That’s why 380 00:37:18,439 –> 00:37:23,459 you need this truth. And you need to have it vigorously placed in your heart and in 381 00:37:23,800 –> 00:37:29,580 That’s why God gives it to you. It’ll help you. It’ll help you to practice patience 382 00:37:29,580 –> 00:37:38,520 and pursue peace. There’s another application. It will help you to confess sin and pursue 383 00:37:38,520 –> 00:37:47,020 holiness. Now here’s the obvious application, folks. Works are going to be judged, so turn 384 00:37:47,020 –> 00:37:52,260 from all actions that displease the Lord and pursue that which is good. That’s the only 385 00:37:52,300 –> 00:38:00,320 possible response, isn’t it? Words are going to be judged, so watch your tongue. Be done 386 00:38:00,320 –> 00:38:07,800 with lies. Stop it, slander, filthy language. Speak in a way that builds other people up 387 00:38:07,800 –> 00:38:14,280 and start pursuing that today. Motives will be judged, so guard your heart against pride 388 00:38:15,280 –> 00:38:24,159 and envy and seek first God and His Kingdom. And secrets will be judged, so confess the 389 00:38:24,159 –> 00:38:31,520 secrets of your hearts to God. Walk in the light. That’s what the Bible says to Christians. 390 00:38:31,520 –> 00:38:37,399 If we confess our sins He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and cleanse 391 00:38:37,439 –> 00:38:44,179 us from all unrighteousness. Notice that what God brings into the light is what is hidden 392 00:38:44,179 –> 00:38:50,840 not what is confessed. So here is what you can do. You can set up a tribunal in your 393 00:38:50,840 –> 00:38:55,959 own heart before you ever get before the tribunal of God and you can say now search me, and 394 00:38:55,959 –> 00:39:01,959 know me. And see if there is any wicked way within me. And I want to confess that. And 395 00:39:01,959 –> 00:39:11,159 if what you have done has wounded another person, then you must confess it to them. 396 00:39:11,159 –> 00:39:16,360 There is a judgment ahead, and we are going to live in the light of it because we are 397 00:39:16,360 –> 00:39:24,040 taking the Bible seriously. And then what you confess you must forsake. The Bible is 398 00:39:24,040 –> 00:39:29,820 very clear about this. Alan Redpath used to put it this way in a great phrase. He says 399 00:39:29,979 –> 00:39:37,840 God has not promised to forgive one sin that you will not forsake. Oh, there may be a sin 400 00:39:37,840 –> 00:39:42,639 that you confess to him and you fail again in the future, but what cannot happen is this. 401 00:39:42,639 –> 00:39:49,060 You cannot confess a sin to God and ask for the cleansing of the blood of Christ when 402 00:39:49,060 –> 00:39:56,459 in the deepest place of your heart, you are intent on repeating it again. That’s not repentance. 403 00:39:56,860 –> 00:40:03,000 That’s trying to fool God and He will bring it to light on the day. And as you confess 404 00:40:03,000 –> 00:40:08,120 secret sins, go after holiness in the power of the Holy Spirit. Strive for peace with 405 00:40:08,120 –> 00:40:15,399 everyone and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord. The pursuing holiness 406 00:40:15,399 –> 00:40:23,959 is the evidence of having a new life in Jesus Christ. The bulb is planted in the ground, 407 00:40:23,959 –> 00:40:30,500 but it pushes its way up towards the light. That’s how you know it’s alive. And it’s 408 00:40:30,500 –> 00:40:34,860 the same with a Christian. When you become a Christian, the new life of Christ is within 409 00:40:34,860 –> 00:40:38,719 you and the evidence that the life of Christ is within you is that there is a drawing to 410 00:40:38,719 –> 00:40:43,860 the light and a going after it. Here’s the very last application and it’s 411 00:40:43,860 –> 00:40:52,300 a wonderful one. Befriend the judge and trust His promise. Here’s the emating gift of 412 00:40:52,340 –> 00:40:59,340 God in the Gospel. The judge himself offers to be your friend. It’s amazing! There’s 413 00:40:59,540 –> 00:41:03,820 no parallel to this in this world. Doesn’t this sound rather shady, making friends with 414 00:41:03,820 –> 00:41:10,219 the judge? Here! Jesus the Judge is also the Savior. And it was for this purpose that He 415 00:41:10,219 –> 00:41:14,899 comes into the world. He takes our flesh. He’s born under the law. He offers Himself 416 00:41:14,899 –> 00:41:21,899 to you as the one who bore sins and who stood under the sentence. And that is why He is 417 00:41:23,379 –> 00:41:28,419 able to forgive. That’s why cleansing comes from the blood of Jesus. That’s why there’s 418 00:41:28,419 –> 00:41:34,659 every reason for you to come to Jesus in repentance and faith today, and to live and walk with 419 00:41:34,659 –> 00:41:40,780 Jesus in repentance and faith all your life. And listen to the wonderful Scripture that 420 00:41:40,820 –> 00:41:46,219 is given to us who walk with Jesus. 421 00:41:46,219 –> 00:41:52,719 There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ. Who will bring any 422 00:41:52,719 –> 00:41:59,719 charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies, who is He that condemns. Christ 423 00:41:59,919 –> 00:42:05,820 is able to keep you from sinning and He’s able to present you without fault and with 424 00:42:06,100 –> 00:42:13,100 great joy in the presence of God. It is because of the love of God John says we have confidence 425 00:42:14,500 –> 00:42:21,500 before the day of judgment. Two quotes and we’re through. The first is 426 00:42:22,139 –> 00:42:27,879 from the Heidelberg catechism. An excellent tool that for centuries has been used to teach 427 00:42:27,879 –> 00:42:31,879 the Christian faith. It’s a question and answer thing. 428 00:42:32,120 –> 00:42:36,939 Question number 52 asks this fascinating question.How does Christ’s return to judge 429 00:42:36,959 –> 00:42:43,959 the living and the dead comfort you? What? I’m to be comforted by the truth that Jesus 430 00:42:45,699 –> 00:42:50,760 is coming to judge the living and the dead? And here’s the answer. In all my distress 431 00:42:50,760 –> 00:42:57,760 and persecution I turn my eyes to the heavens and confidently await as judge the very one 432 00:42:58,280 –> 00:43:05,280 who has already stood trial in my place before God and so has removed the whole curse from 433 00:43:06,639 –> 00:43:13,639 me!”That’s what it means to be in Christ! That is why a Christian does not cower before 434 00:43:14,959 –> 00:43:21,580 the thought of the judgment but accelerates his own pursuit of holiness and casts himself 435 00:43:21,580 –> 00:43:26,840 upon the mercy of Christ, knowing that the Judge is his Savior. 436 00:43:27,000 –> 00:43:29,000 Thomas Boston writes this to Christians – 437 00:43:29,000 –> 00:43:36,000 Let not the terror of that day dispirit you as you think about it. Lift up your heads 438 00:43:36,560 –> 00:43:43,560 with joy for the last day will be your best day. The Judge is your Head, and your Husband, 439 00:43:45,000 –> 00:43:52,000 and your Redeemer, and your Advocate. You must appear before the judgment seat. But 440 00:43:53,000 –> 00:44:00,000 in Christ you will not come into condemnation. Father, settle your Word like living seed 441 00:44:06,399 –> 00:44:13,399 in our hearts, that we may know how to live in the light of it for Jesus sake. Everyone 442 00:44:16,560 –> 00:44:17,500 said – Amen.