IS YOUR NAME IN THE BOOK?
REV. 20: 12-15
1. INTRODUCTION. THERE ARE SEEMINGLY COUNTLESS INDIVIDUALS WHO DO ALL THEY CAN TO GET THEIR NAMES IN RECORD BOOKS BY PERFORMING AMAZING FEATS, BE IT SPORTS, ENTERTAINMENT, THE WORLD OF FINANCE, POLITICS, THE MEDICAL FIELD, EDUCATION, AND THE LIST GOES ON AND ON. WHILE THOSE ACCOMPLISHMENTS ARE NOTEWORTHY, THERE IS ANOTHER BOOK THAT THEY SHOULD BE AWARE OF, WHICH IS NOT FOUND ON EARTH BUT IN HEAVEN; AND THAT’S THE BOOK OF LIFE. YES, MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS, THE ONLY BOOK WORTH HAVING OUR NAMES IN IS THE BOOK OF LIFE. MANY WILL VIEW THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF WORLDLY SUCCESS BY THOSE IN THE RECORD BOOKS, WHILE THE PERSONS IN THE RECORD BOOKS MAY NOT HAVE A RELATIONSHIP WITH THE LORD. BUT, WHAT DOES IT PROFIT A MAN TO GAIN THE WHOLE WORLD AND LOSE HIS SOUL? SO THE QUESTION THAT I WANT TO POSE TODAY IS, IS YOUR NAME IN THE BOOK?
2. THE TEXT. WHAT’S TAKING PLACE IN THE TEXT IS THE JUDGMENT OF THE DEAD. EVERYONE WHO HAS EVER LIVED WILL BE JUDGED.
a) ALL OF US MUST ONE DAY STAND BEFORE THE JUDGMENT SEAT TO GIVE AN ACCOUNT OF OUR SPIRITUAL STEWARDSHIP TO CHRIST WHILE ON THIS EARTH.
b) GOD HAS THE RECORD OF WHAT WE HAVE DONE FOR CHRIST.
c) MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS, NO ONE WILL BE EXEMPT FROM GOD’S JUDGMENT.
d) THIS APPOINTMENT CANNOT BE CANCELLED OR ALTERED; AND MOST CERTAINLY, NO ONE WILL BE LATE FOR IT!
e) AT JUDGMENT, JESUS WILL JUDGE THE MOTIVES OF OUR HEARTS.
f) OUR MOTIVES AND WORKS WILL BE TRIED BY FIRE, AND ANYTHING THAT IS UNACCEPTABLE TO HIM WILL BE BURNED UP.
g) 1 COR. 3:15, “IF ANY MAN’S WORKS SHALL BE BURNED, HE SHALL SUFFER LOSS: BUT HE HIMSELF SHALL BE SAVED; YET SO AS BY FIRE.”
h) THAT’S WHY WE SHOULD MAKE SURE THAT EVERYTHING THAT WE DO FOR THE LORD IS BASED ON SINCERITY.
i) ANYONE WHO IS NOT FOUND IN THE BOOK OF LIFE WILL SPEND ETERNITY IN THE LAKE OF FIRE.
j) SO AGAIN I WANT TO ASK THE QUESTION, IS YOUR NAME IN THE BOOK?
3. HOW DOES ONE GET THEIR NAME IN THE BOOK? MANY PEOPLE THINK THAT COMING TO CHURCH ENTITLES THEM TO ETERNITY, BUT THAT IS NOT THE CASE.
a) SINGING WILL NOT GET YOUR NAME IN THE BOOK.
b) WHERE YOU SERVE IN THE CHURCH WILL NOT GET YOUR NAME IN THE BOOK.
c) THE NUMBER OF CHURCH SERVICES YOU ATTENDED WILL NOT GET YOUR NAME IN THE BOOK.
d) THE NUMBER OF PRAYERS YOU OFFERED WILL NOT GET YOUR NAME IN THE BOOK.
e) THE SERMONS THAT WE PREACH WILL NOT GET OUR NAMES IN THE BOOK.
f) THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT YOU USHERED TO THEIR SEATS WILL NOT GET YOUR NAME IN THE BOOK.
g) THE NUMBER OF MISSION MEETINGS AND CONVENTIONS THAT YOU ATTEND WILL NOT GET YOUR NAME IN THE BOOK.
h) WATER BAPTISM WILL NOT GET YOUR NAME IN THE BOOK.
i) THE ONLY WAY TO GET YOUR NAME IN THE BOOK IS TO ACCEPT JESUS CHRIST AS SAVIOR.
j) ALL THE OTHER THINGS THAT I HAVE MENTIONED ARE THE THINGS THAT WILL BE JUDGED!
k) HOW SAD IT’S GOING TO BE, THAT MANY WILL STAND BEFORE THE LORD ONLY TO HEAR HIM SAY DEPART FROM ME.
l) HOW SAD IT IS TO ATTEND CHURCH FOR YEARS, THEN DIE AND GO TO HELL!
m) DON’T FOOL YOURSELF, YOU NEED TO MAKE SURE AND VERY SURE THAT YOUR NAME IS IN THE BOOK!
n) WE CAN FOOL EACH OTHER BUT WE CANNOT FOOL AN OMNISCIENT GOD.
4. THE JUDGMENT. THE JUDGMENT WILL BE CONDUCTED BY JESUS, THE RIGHTEOUS JUDGE.
a) HE WILL HAVE ALL OF THE FACTS AND EVIDENCE BEFORE HIM.
b) AS YOU HAVE HEARD ME SAY BEFORE, THAT WHEN HE RENDERS HIS DIVINE JUDGMENT, THERE CAN BE NO APPEALS.
c) FOR CHRISTIANS, IT WILL BE A GLAD VERDICT. BUT FOR SINNERS IT WILL CONDEMN THEM.
d) AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, THAT OUR WORKS WILL BE TRIED BY FIRE. THEREFORE WE MUST ENSURE THAT EVERYTHING THAT WE DO IS FROM OUR HEARTS. ANYTHING THAT WE DO THAT IS NOT FROM THE HEART FOR THE LORD, IS FROM THE FLESH AND IS NOT WORTH DOING.
e) SINCERE SERVICE TO THE LORD IS NOT PREDICATED ON APPLAUSE, NOTORIETY, OR POPULARITY; BUT A HUMBLE HEART DEDICATED TO THE LORD.
f) MANY IN THE MASSES WANT TO PLEASE PEOPLE WITHOUT EVER PLEASING GOD. BUT PEOPLE DO NOT HAVE A HEAVEN OR HELL TO PUT YOU IN.
g) MANY IN THE MASSES WANT TO SEE THEIR NAMES IN WHO’S WHO; BUT IF YOUR NAME IS NOT IN GOD’S WHO’S WHO, YOU WILL BE ETERNALLY SEPARATED FROM GOD UPON DEATH.
h) IN THE UNITES STATES COURTROOM, THE VERDICT IS ANNOUNCED BY THE JURY.
i) BUT, IN THE HEAVENLY COURTROOM, THE VERDICT IS ANNOUNCED BY THE JUDGE.
j) BROTHERS AND SISTERS, DON’T LET YOUR LIVING BE IN VAIN!
5. A FEW BENEFITS OF HAVING YOUR NAME IN THE BOOK OF LIFE.
a) DUAL CITIZENSHIP.
b) ETERNAL REST IN GLORY.
c) NO MORE SORROW, SICKNESS, OR DEATH.
d) UNITED WITH LOVED ONES WHO HAD THEIR NAMES IN THE BOOK.
e) FELLOWSHIP WITH BIBLE FIGURES WE HAVE READ ABOUT.
f) THE BEAUTY OF HEAVEN THAT OUR MINDS CANNOT COMPREHEND.
g) AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, TO SEE THE FACE OF JESUS, THE ONE WHO PAID REDEMPTION'S PRICE.
6. A FEW CONSEQUENCES OF NOT HAVING YOUR NAME IN THE BOOK OF LIFE.
a) ETERNAL DAMNATION.
b) ENDLESS TORMENT.
c) SEPARATION FROM GOD, AND THAT’S ENOUGH!
7. SO NOW MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS…
• LOVE GOD BECAUSE YOUR NAME IS IN THE BOOK
• PRAISE GOD BECAUSE YOUR NAME IS IN THE BOOK
• SERVE GOD BECAUSE YOUR NAME IS IN THE BOOK
• WORSHIP GOD BECAUSE YOUR NAME IS IN THE BOOK
• THANK GOD BECAUSE YOUR NAME IS IN THE BOOK
• GIVE GOD THE BEST WE HAVE BECAUSE OUR NAMES ARE IN THE BOOK
• SHOUT TO GOD BECAUSE HELL CANNOT NOT HAVE YOU
• WE CAN SHOUT DOWN HERE BECAUSE WE’RE GOING UP THERE
• UP THERE, PAIN MEETS DEFEAT
• UP THERE, DEATH IS OBSOLETE
• UP THERE, THE ANGELS SING
• UP THERE, CHRIST IS KING
• UP THERE, THE WICKED WILL CEASE FROM TROUBLING AND THE WEARY SHALL BE AT REST
• UP THERE, EVERYDAY SHALL BE SUNDAY AND THE SABBATH WILL HAVE NO END
