THE JUDGMENT SEAT OF CHRIST
A priest and a rabbi were standing by the side of the road holding up signs. The rabbi’s read, "The End is Near!" The priest, on the other side of the road, held up a sign which read, "Turn before it’s too late!" They planned to hold up their signs to each passing car. "Get a job." The first driver yelled. The second, immediately behind the first, yelled, "Leave us alone you religious freaks"! Shortly, from around the curve, they heard screeching tires and a splash followed by more screeching tires and another splash. The rabbi looked over at his companion and said, "Do you think we should try a different sign"? The other man responded, "Perhaps, ’Bridge Out’ might be better"?
I. ALL WILL BE JUDGED
A. Hebrews 9:27
And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:
(SOME JUDGMENT FOR EVERYONE)
B. 1 Cor. 4:5
Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness…
(WILL HAPPEN WHEN THE LORD COMES)
C. Romans 14:10, 12
But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ.
So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.
(ALL SAVED WILL STAND BEFORE JESUS AND GIVE ACCOUNT OF HIMSELF)
D. 2 Cor. 5:10
For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.
(WILL RECEIVE FOR GOOD AND BAD)
II. SPECIFICS ON JUDGMENT SEAT
A. 2 Cor. 5:1-3
For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. [2] For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven: [3] If so be that being clothed we shall not be found naked.
(IT IS POSSIBLE TO BE CLOTHED IN NEW BODY BUT BE NAKED)
1. Rev. 3:18
I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.
2. 1 John 2:28
And now, little children, abide in him; that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming.
B. Col. 3:24-25
Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ. [25] But he that doeth wrong shall receive for the wrong which he hath done: and there is no respect of persons.
(RECEIVE FOR WRONG HERE ON EARTH OR IN HEAVEN?)
C. RECEIVE FOR SINS AT JUDGMENT IF UNCONFESSED.
1. 1 Tim. 5:24-25
Some men’s sins are open beforehand, going before to judgment; and some men they follow after. [25] Likewise also the good works of some are manifest beforehand; and they that are otherwise cannot be hid.
(OPEN=ACKNOWLEDGED, CONFESSED, TAKEN CARE OF BY THE BLOOD, OTHERWISE THEY FOLLOW TO JUDGMENT SEAT AND YOU GIVE AN ACCOUNT FOR THEM.
2. Matthew 18:18
Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.
(CONTEXT IS SINNING AGAINST EACH OTHER. YOU BIND YOUR SINS BY NOT CONFESSING, YOU LOOSE THEM WHEN YOU CONFESS.)
3. Psalm 103:12
As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.
(REFERS TO GOD THE FATHER, REMEMBER, ALL JUDGMENT GIVEN TO THE SON) I JOHN 1:9
D. YOUR WAYS JUDGED:
Job 34:11
For the work of a man shall he render unto him, and cause every man to find according to his ways.
Jeremiah 17:10
I the Lord search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings.
E. YOUR WORKS JUDGED: ECCL 12:14, REV 22:12
Eccles. 12:14
For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.
Rev. 22:12
And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.
F. YOUR WHIMS [THOUGHTS] JUDGED: 1 COR 4:5
1 Cor. 4:5
Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God.
G. YOUR “WHYS” [MOTIVES] JUDGED: MATT 6: V1 DEEDS V5 PRAYERS V16 FASTING
H. YOUR WORDS JUDGED: MATT 12:36-37, MALACHI 3:16
Matthew 12:36-37
But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. [37] For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned. [gag order!]
Malachi 3:16
Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another: and the Lord hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the Lord, and that thought upon his name.
I. SOULWINNING JUDGED
1. Proverbs 24:11
If thou forbear to deliver them that are drawn unto death, and those that are ready to be slain;
2. Ezekiel 3:18
When I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die; and thou givest him not warning, nor speakest to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life; the same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand. [Paul said I’m free from the blood of all men.]
3. 1 Cor. 3:6-8
I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase. [7] So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase. [8] Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour.
(GOD’S STANDARD OF JUDGING SOULWINNING)
4. Daniel 12:3
And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever.
(GOOD NEWS FOR SOULWINNERS)
5. 1 Cor. 3:13
Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is.
1 Cor. 3:15
If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.
JUDGMENT FOR WHAT SORT OF WORK NOT SOULWINNING AT ANY COST, NOT SERVING FOR SPOTLIGHT OR WHEN PREACHER IS IN TOWN, ETC.
J. NOTHING HIDDEN
1. Mark 4:22
For there is nothing hid, which shall not be manifested; neither was any thing kept secret, but that it should come abroad.
2. Luke 8:17
For nothing is secret, that shall not be made manifest; neither any thing hid, that shall not be known and come abroad.
3. Romans 2:16
In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel.
Part 2…
III. MOTIVATION
Joke--Malcolm, a man with a terrible temper, was playing a round of golf with his pastor. After leaving three straight putts on the edge of the cup, Malcolm exploded. "I missed!" he screamed. "How could I miss?" With that he heaved his putter into a nearby lake, kicked a wheel on the golf cart and drove his fist into a nearby tree.
Pastor was shocked. "I have never seen such a terrible display of anger," he said to the poor man. "Don’t you know that God doesn’t like it when we are angry? I have heard that there are angels whose one assignment is to search out people who express their anger so ferociously and to send lightning bolts from heaven to burn them to a crisp."
Malcolm was embarrassed. Heeding the warning of Pastor, on the next few holes, he managed to control himself. However, on the last three holes his putting failed him again. When the last putt veered off to the right just in front of the hole, Malcolm went crazy. "I missed!" he screamed. "How could I miss?" He broke his club across his knee and threw it as far as he could, he kicked up several large clumps of dirt on the edge of the green, and once more drove his fist into a nearby tree.
Suddenly the sky grew dark as an ominous cloud passed over. There was a clap of thunder and an awesome burst of lightning-and the pastor was burned to a crisp!
An eerie silence filled the golf course. All that could be heard was a quiet voice from heaven: "I missed! How could I miss?"’
Judgment is sure for all of us, and God won’t miss!
A. NEGATIVE MOTIVATION
1. 2 John 1:8
Look to yourselves, that we lose not those things which we have wrought, but that we receive a full reward.
(CAN LOSE WHAT YOU ALREADY HAVE)
2. Rev. 3:11
Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown.
(CAN LOSE CROWNS) MATT 10:32
Matthew 10:32
Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven.
3. Rev. 4:10
The four and twenty elders fall down before him that sat on the throne, and worship him that liveth for ever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne…
(IMAGINE NOT HAVING A CROWN TO CAST)
4. 2 Cor. 5:11
Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are made manifest unto God; and I trust also are made manifest in your consciences. (TERROR OF THE LORD)
5. 1 Peter 1:16-17
Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.
And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man’s work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear. (PASS OUR TIME IN FEAR)
6. 1 Peter 4:17-18
For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?
And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?
(RIGHTEOUS SCARCELY SAVED W/ DIFFICULTY)
7. 1 John 2:28
And now, little children, abide in him; that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming.
(NOT ASHAMED)
B. POSITIVE MOTIVATION
1. 2 Peter 1:10-11
Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall:
For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
(ABUNDANT ENTRANCE)
2. Eph. 6:7-8
With good will doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men:
Knowing that whatsoever good thing any man doeth, the same shall he receive of the Lord, whether he be bond or free.
(GUARANTEED TO RECEIVE OF THE LORD FOR THE GOOD)
3. CROWNS TO BE WON AT JUDGMENT SEAT OF CHRIST
a. INCORRUPTIBLE
1 Cor. 9:24-25
Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain.
And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.
b. LIFE [martyr’s]
James 1:12
Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.
Rev. 2:10
Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.
c. GLORY
1 Peter 5:4
And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.
d. REJOICING [SOULWINNER’S CROWN]
1 Thes. 2:19
For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming?
Philip. 4:1
Therefore, my brethren dearly beloved and longed for, my joy and crown, so stand fast in the Lord, my dearly beloved.
e. RIGHTEOUSNESS
2 Tim. 4:8
Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.
Mt. 25—faithful over few, ruler over many [5 cities]? How about you? What will your position be in the kingdom…in eternity? How much can God entrust to you? Are you faithful in that which is least?
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