Judgment Will Be No Joke

JUDGMENT WILL BE NO JOKE

Text: Rev.20: 11-15; Acts 17: 31

Intro: The Great White Throne Judgment is an event that is still at least 1,007 years in the future; but it is as certain as death. It will be God’s final act of justice upon sin and the sinner.

This judgment will be unlike many modern court cases of our day. Warren Wiersbe notes the differences this way:

At the white throne, there will be a Judge but no jury, a prosecution but no defense, a sentence but no appeal. No one will be able to defend himself or accuse God of unrighteousness. What an awesome scene it will be! (Warren W. Wiersbe, Be Victorious: Victor Books, Wheaton, IL., pg. 144).

When Jesus ascends the Great White Throne for the final judgment, all excuses will be useless. The time for mercy will have ended. All that will remain is passing sentence upon the hopelessly lost.

If I could make one point perfectly clear today, it would be that every person who does not know Christ as his or her personal Savior, stands in jeopardy of The Great White Throne Judgment. But there is hope for the lost sinner through faith in Jesus Christ.

It’s my prayer today that anyone who finds himself in danger of this judgment would cast himself upon the mercy of the Lord Jesus Christ before it’s too late. This could be your last chance.

Theme: At The Great White Throne Judgment:

I. GOD’S FACE SHALL BE UNVEILED

Rev.20: 11 “And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.”

A. It Will Be The Face Of Jesus.

Acts 10: 41 “Not to all the people, but unto witnesses chosen before of God, even to us, who did eat and drink with him (Jesus) after he rose from the dead.

42 And he commanded us to preach unto the people, and to testify that it is he which was ordained of God to be the Judge of quick and dead.”

Rom.2: 16 “In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel.”

B. Jesus Will Act Not As Savior, But As Judge.

John 5: 22 “For the Father judgeth no man, but committed all judgment unto the Son:

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27 “And hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man.”

NOTE: The story is told of an incident that happened during the days of the Old West. One day a respected young lawyer was walking down the wooden sidewalk of a little western town when he noticed a buckboard racing down the town’s street, out of control. Something had obviously spooked the horses, sending them full gallop down the street. As the lawyer watched this incident unfold, he noticed out of the corner of his eye, that a little boy, unaware of the impending danger, started to cross the street. Without even thinking, the lawyer made a dash for the child, barely scooping him out of the path of the oncoming buckboard, and certain death.

Years went by, and eventually the lawyer became a judge in his particular territory. One day a young man was brought before him, accused of murder. He was tried and found guilty by the jury. When time for sentencing came, the judge said, “Young man, you have been tried by a jury of your piers and found guilty of murder in the first degree. For your crime you will be taken to the gallows one week from today, where you will be hanged by the neck until dead.”

At that moment the identity of this judge finally dawned on the young man. This was the man who had saved his life so many years before. With this realization, the young murderer said, “But judge wait! I remember you now. You’re the man that saved my life when I was just a kid. Can’t you help me now? Can’t you give me another chance?

“Yes,” said the judge. “I remember that day so long ago. But that was then, and this is now. Then I was your savior. Now I am your judge.” With that, the judge brought down his gavel, and the young man was taken away. (Source Unknown)

II. THE FACTS WILL BE UNCOVERED

A. The Lost Will Be Judged From God’s Digests.

1. God’s Word will be the standard of judgment.

John 12: 48 “He that rejecteth me (Jesus), and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day.”

2. God’s record books will substantiate the guilt of the lost sinner.