Scripture Ref: Matthew 24:36-44
Genesis 1:1-10
Revelation 21:1-2, 11-25
Isaiah 61:10
2 Timothy 4:18
Revelation 21:3
1. Introduction
a. Last week, millions of Americans were glued to their TV sets watching the Oscars, staring in awe at all the special people, wistful in thinking “Why couldn’t that be me?”
b. The stars (the special people, not the heavens) were radiant in their designer clothes. The set glittered with lavish design. The auditorium swelled to the sound of orchestral music.
c. All of this was done to honor one another, to admire their skills and their creations, their cinematic talent in varying fields.
d. Yet, not once did I hear one of them in their acceptance speeches give credit to the one who endowed them with those special talents.
e. So, today we are going to have an awards show of our own, celebrating the greatness of God.
f. Welcome, ladies and gentlemen, to the first and only Celestial Awards show.
2. The Start of the Show
a. The invitations have been issued—you must attend. The party afterwards is optional, it’s your choice. Only, you have to make that choice now, you can’t wait until the day of the party.
b. The ceremony has been planned since before the beginning time.
c. But now, we skip to somewhere in the future. The exact date is unknown, because only God knows when that will be. We must, however, be ready to attend at a moment’s notice.
Read Matthew 24:36-44 1
d. Suddenly the trumpets of the heavenly orchestra play a resounding chord. The heavens ring with the sound of an angelic choir singing “holy, holy, holy is the Lamb of God” and our host appears in the eastern sky descending on a cloud.
e. Compliments of the miraculous GBS (God Broadcasting System), the event is seen throughout the world. Every eye witnesses this glorious event.
f. Rather than applause, every knee bows and every tongue confesses that He is Lord.
g. The voice of the archangel is heard saying “Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the first and only Celestial Awards.”
3. Best Special Effects
a. As our host announces “The nominees for best special effects are God and man,” as we see behind Him God speaking the universe into existence.
b. Read Gen. 1:1-10 2
c. We see a broad expanse of black and nothingness. The blackness begins to shimmer as a planet with no features or occupants, covered in water in miraculously appears.
d. Out of this nothingness a majestic voice booms, “Let there be light,” and suddenly the sky is alive with light.
e. Slowly the earth begins to rotate, and then to orbit about the source of this great light. And, as it does so, the light becomes separated from the darkness.
f. The majestic voice again speaks and says “Let there be an expanse between the waters to separate water from water” and clouds and atmosphere gather over the face of this new creation and God called it “sky.”
g. The majestic voice speaks again and says “Let the water under the sky be gathered to one place, and let dry ground appear” and immediately large expanses of land emerge from the roiling waters—mountains stretching and reaching up to the newly formed sky, islands appear in the middle of immense oceans, and deserts far from the kiss of water lay basking in the sun.
h. No examples for man’s special effects are shown because they pale in comparison.
i. As the magical view of creation fades, our announcer then says “and the Celestial award for best special effects goes to…God.” The angelic chorus responds with a round a hallelujahs.
4. Best Set Design
a. Our host informs us that the next Celestial award is for best set design and again the nominees are God and man.
b. Read Revelation 21:1-2, 11-25 3
c. Again we are treated to a scene of immense beauty. A city approximately 1500 miles long, by 1500 miles wide, by 1500 miles high descends from the heavens.
(1) The city is surrounded by a wall of jasper, and the city itself is made of pure gold.
(2) The foundation of the city is made of every kind of precious stone— jasper, sapphire, chalcedony, emerald, sardonyx, carnelian, chrysolite, beryl, topaz, chrysoprase, jacinth, and amethyst.
(3) The 12 gates are made from pearl, each gate from a single pearl.
(4) The main street is made of pure gold.
(5) The river of life, clear as crystal, flows from the throne God down through the center of the main street.
d. As the scene fades, we are shown fleeting glimpses of a few of man’s best creations — the Taj Mahal, Disneyland, the Wynn Towers in Las Vegas, the mountainside homes of Santorini Greece, and they pale in comparison, leaving us wanting more.
e. As the scene fades, our announcer says “and the Celestial award for best set design goes to…God.” Again, the angelic chorus responds with a round a hallelujahs.
5. Best Costume Design
a. Our cameraman pans the audience giving us a view of the guests of this heavenly awards presentation.
b. Just as he does, we once again hear the announcer speak — “The nominees for best costume design are…man and God.”
c. The beautiful people in Hollywood can’t compete with the beautiful people at this gathering, for they have been given perfect, glorified bodies, just like Christ’s.
d. Each person in the assembly wears an unblemished robe of righteousness, their heads adorned by a brilliant, sparkling crown of righteousness.
e. We are then shown man’s best designs and creations worn at his earthly events —Versace, Gucci, Christian Dior, Liza Claiborne, Tommy Hilfiger, Calvin Klein —and they pale in comparison, for the guests are dressed by the very hand of God.
(1) Read Philippians 3:20-21— But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.
(2) Read Isaiah 61:10—I delight greatly in the LORD; my soul rejoices in my God. For he has clothed me with garments of salvation and arrayed me in a robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom adorns his head like a priest, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.
(3) Read 2 Timothy 4:8—Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.
f. As we stare in awe at the brilliance and beauty of these transformed and transfigured bodies, we again hear our announcer — “And the Celestial Award goes to … God.”
6. Best Script
a. As the crowd goes wild with praise and adulation, the scene shifts once again. We are shown a beautiful starlit night on a hillside. Shepherds, staffs in hand, gaze out over a flock of grazing and bleating sheep.
b. Suddenly, in the distance, a faint star begins to glimmer, gaining size and intensity, until its light is almost as bright as day. Just as its beams start to shine down on a small town on the other side of the hill, we again hear our announcer — “The nominees for Best Script are … man and God.”
c. As soon as he stops speaking, an angel appears and speaks to the shepherds saying “Fear not, for I bring you glad tidings of great joy! For unto you is born this day, in the city of Bethlehem…”
d. Scene after scene is shown of the hungry being fed, the lame walking, the blind seeing, the deaf hearing, the dead awakening, the very elements of nature bowing in submission to this great man.
e. Ultimately we see Him giving His life on a cross and then being laid in tomb, only to leave it under his own power—fully risen, fully alive, fully in power, and fully in control.
f. And then we are shown a great and magnificent throne — And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God…” (Revelation 21:3)
g. Next we are shown some of man’s great stories — the Spanish Inquisition, the Great Crusade, World War I, World War II, the holocaust, the Korean War, the Viet Nam War, the Persian Gulf Crisis, 9/11 New York City. The scenes flash by so quickly, one can’t be distinguished from another.
h. As the last scene starts to fade, the announcer speaks the words we have heard numerous times at this gathering — “And the Celestial Award goes to … God.”
7. Best Actor in a Leading Roll
a. We finally reach the pinnacle of the ceremony. With great humility, the announcer informs us that the final award to be presented is Best Actor in a Leading Roll. “And the nominees, once again, are man and God.”
b. We are again shown scenes of man at his best.
(1) Nero, persecuting Christians by feeding them to ravenous lions, or making lampshades out of their skin, or burning them alive to provide light for one of his infamous parties.
(2) Man capturing and selling his fellow man into slavery, treating his dog infinitely better than he treats his slave.
(3) Man, out of greed, killing his fellow man for possessions he wants but can have no other way.
(4) Hitler, stirring the crowds into a frenzy of hate.
(5) Adm. Hirohito leading an attack on the unsuspecting Hawaiian islands.
(6) Americans dropping the atomic bomb on Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
(7) The list is too long to repeat here.
c. As the last atrocity fades, we are then shown scenes of God at His best.
(1) Forming man with His own hands, and breathing His own breath of life into the body.
(2) Providing guidance as burning bush.
(3) Providing guidance as a pillar of cloud by day and pillar of fire by night.
(4) Turning water into wine.
(5) Feeding a multitude of 5,000 with only five loaves of bread and two fish, and having leftovers.
(6) Walking on the water and calming the winds and waves by simply telling them to “be still.”
(7) Destroying the chains of death and the gates of hell.
d. As the last vision of miracles fades, our announcer, now with great excitement and anticipation says “and the Celestial Award for Best Actor in a Leading Roll goes to…”
e. Suddenly the crowd goes wild chanting “God, God, God, God…” As they do so, those who have RSVP’d for the victory celebration are drawn up in the air to meet Him as their new home, the Holy City, the New Jerusalem descends from heaven.
8. Summary
a. In reality, this is not the description of an awards ceremony, but the description of the day of judgment.
b. In reality, you have a choice. You don’t have to participate in the victory celebration for eternity, but you do have to participate in the judgment before the celebration.
c. In reality, the events and people and scenes described are not scripts or sets or costumes or actors. They actually occurred, performed by man and God.
d. In reality, you do have to hear one of two final pronouncements. Which will it be, “Well done good and faithful servant” or “Depart from me you worker of iniquity, because I don’t know you.”
e. In reality, the choice is yours.
9. Invitation
