The Judgment Seat Of Christ: Our Good Works Series

PREPARING FOR THE JUDGMENT SEAT – OUR GOOD WORKS PART I

Please open your Bible to 2 Corinthians 5 as we continue our series on Eternal Rewards with today’s message, “Our Good Works.” As we have already discovered, every Christian will stand before Jesus Christ at His Judgment Seat. The big question is, are you prepared for that moment? Are you ready for Him to test your life?

When a teacher tells the class, they will have a big test at the end of the week, the students immediately want to know what will be on the test, and how they can best prepare for it. That should also be our attitude. How can I best prepare for the judgment seat of Christ?

That’s what this series is all about. My goal in this series, is to show you how to prepare for that great and awesome day at the Judgment Seat of Christ.

2 Corinthians 5:9 Therefore we make it our aim, whether present or absent, to be well pleasing to Him. 10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad. NKJV

WHAT’S AT STAKE

Before we dive into this message, I want to make sure you clearly understand the seriousness of this series. It’s important that you understand what’s at stake. What’s at stake is eternal greatness, eternal rewards, and eternal treasures beyond comparison.

A hundred years from now, the things of this world that gripped our attention is nothing compared to what’s at stake in eternity. What’s at stake is so great, that if God were to give you a glimpse of the great rewards and treasures He has in store for you, you would do everything possible to make every moment count for eternity. If Christians truly knew what is at stake at the Judgment Seat, it would fill them with a godly fear to live godly lives.

Imagine staring into the face of Jesus! Just you and Him, one-on-one. In a flash of a moment, you see, what He sees. There will be no hiding. There will be no opportunity to put on a better spin. There will be no lawyers to represent you. Your every thought, your every motive, your every action, and your every word, will all be examined.

All of us… must stand before Jesus and give an account of what we did on this earth as a Christian, whether it is good or bad. In that eternal, life changing moment, Jesus Christ, the eternal King of heaven, will examine your faithfulness, your obedience, your commitment, and your motives, and for those who pass the test, He will reward with great eternal treasures and rewards and positions in heaven, that will be for all eternity. That’s what at stake.

Life is very short, and right now is the only time you have to make your life count for eternity. What you are today, and how you live your life now, will determine how God will reward you tomorrow in eternity. That’s why we must live with an eternal perspective.

GOOD WORKS…

When we stand before Jesus at His judgment seat, one of the most important things He will

be looking for, are the good works we have done in His name. The Bible clearly says our good works cannot save us, no matter how great they are. However, after you become a born-again believer in Jesus Christ, the works you do in His name, and for His glory are very

special to Him. For example… listen to Ephesians 2:10.

Ephesians 2:10 …For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, (What kind of works? Good works…) which God prepared in advance for us to do. NKJV

The Bible speaks of three types of works. There are good works, bad works and no works. God obviously wants us to do good works. The question is, what kind of works are you doing?

God created you to do good works. Our good works are so important that Jesus said…

Matthew 5:16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven. NKJV

When you stand before Jesus, He will be looking for good works that glorify Him. For some Christians, the Judgment Seat will be an embarrassing and shameful moment because they did not perform any good works that honored Jesus. They were too busy with other things to be involved with the good works God created for them, and because of that, they will lose great rewards. That’s what’s at stake!

Eternal rewards are so important, that God has personally created special good works that He has called you to do. Regardless of your inabilities, or your lack of talent, God has something unique and special for you to do, that will reap for you great eternal rewards.