I Made It To Heaven, Now What
GNLCC 11/13/2005 Ecclesiastes 12:1-14 2 Corinthians 5:6-10
Let’s suppose one cold day you were down at Lake Erie and you saw a fisherman fall out of his boat not too far from shore. He yelled out help, “I can’t swim. Somebody help me.” You’re a pretty good swimmer. You dive out into the water and you save the man’s life by bringing him back to shore. The man tells you how grateful he is and that if he can ever repay you just let him know.
The next day, you have a terrible cold from having jumped in the water. You get very sick, and you develop pneumonia. The sickness lingers and you lose your job. Your bills are mounting. As you’re reading your newspaper, you see the guy whose life you saved has hit the lottery big time with a 50 million jackpot. You remember his saying, “let me know if I can ever repay you for saving my life.”
You give him a call, and remind him of who you are. He says, “of course I remember you. How could I ever forget? You saved my life.” You tell him about your pneumonia, your loss of your job and your mounting bills. He says to you “say no more, I’m writing you a check today and having a courier personally deliver it.” You are so grateful. You can’t wait to see just how much he’s going to send you. Two hours later the doorbell rings. It’s a courier package for you. You open it and you see a check for fifty dollars, with a note saying, “Thanks again for saving my life. I really appreciated it. How do you feel about the appreciation that was shown? I want you to remember that feeling and we’ll get back to it later in the message.
Suppose you were invited to be on the football team, and you didn’t know much about football, but you did know something about sports. So you decided to get an early start preparing. You go out and buy you the best basketball hoop on the market. When you slam dunk it, it springs back in place. You get a NBA regulation basketball. You practice your dribbling.
You perfect your three point shot. You read on the defensive and offensive strategies of the game. You spend hours at the free throw line. You play in every pickup game that you can. You become one exceptional ball player. Now what’s going to happen on the first day of football practice. You’ve spent all those hours focusing in on something that is not going to help you when it really counts.
In Bible Study this past week, we focused in on the reality that our life is usually over before we know it. We may think we have many years to live, but the Bible refers to our lifetimes as a mist, as a vapor, and as an evening shadow. These are things, that are a here for a moment, and then they are gone. The psalmist told us to number our days that we might gain a heart of wisdom.
There was a guy who talk this verse literally, and since the Bible said our days are about seventy years, he made a backwards calendar. He figured out there were 25567 days in a 70 year period. He subtracted the number of days he had lived from that number. He then put up a calendar with the number of days he had left. Each day he would rip off a page, and the new number would indicate how many days he had left. That number would always be one number lower.
For the past two weeks, we have looked at the Great White Throne Judgment and people going to hell being cast into the lake of fire. We discovered that those who are believers, will have Jesus step into their place to pay for the penalty of their sins. They do not stand at the Great White Throne Judgment. They have made it to heaven. But now what. Some people are under the delusion that all they have to do is just accept Jesus as their Savior, and that’s it.
Somehow people think you can accept Jesus as your Savior, but not accept him as Lord of your life. No, Jesus can only be your Savior if he’s your Lord. If you are in control of your life and how you behave, you’re not trusting in Jesus as your Savior, you’re still trusting in you, and you’re still lost.
There were two kinds of people who knew all about Jesus and claimed to serve Jesus, but ended up being lost and cast into the lake of fire. . The first group is in Matthew chapter 7, when Jesus said, not everyone who calls me Lord, will be saved. But only those who obey the will of God. These people had plenty of good works, but they lived as they pleased when it came to sin.
The second group is Matthew 25 which is made up of people, who were self centered. They didn’t help the poor, they wouldn’t clothe strangers, they were too busy to visit the sick or stop by nursing homes, and they wanted nothing to do with people who were in prison. They acted as though life was all about themselves. They were not out sinning, but they were not concerned about the needs of others. We need both works to show we love people and obedience to show we love God.
But what about those of us who have made a real commitment and are seeking after God. We know we’re not perfect, but God knows we’re trying. What’s our first step when we get to heaven? We all are going to go before Jesus Christ, to be judged by him. Let’s read 2 Cor. 5:9-10 So we make it our goal to please him, whether we are at home in the body or away from it. 10For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.
Paul is talking to a group of believers when he says we make it our goal, and we must all appear. Each believer is going to stand on his or her own. Neither Jesus nor anyone else can speak up on our behalf. Now the Judgment seat Of Christ is not a place to determine whether we are saved or lost. No, we are going to be saved, but it’s the place of giving an account to God for how well we lived our lives.
The imagery which comes from the greek word judgment seat, is the platform or place where the awards were given out to the winners in the annual Olympic games. The judges would determine whether an athlete had won fairly or should be disqualified for something done in the event. As believers we are all in a race, for the Bible says, let us run with endurance the race that is before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfector of our faith.
In every race or contest there are rules. There are temptations to take short cuts or to get an unfair advantage. Today we have the scandal of steroids. We find that winners have cheated and therefore their medals and their crowns will be taken away.
The judgment seat of Christ is going to be a place where all of us are going to see the real deal and what really was going on in each other’s lives. The word “appear” actually means revealed. All the good things we’ve done for Christ, and all the bad things are going to show up. God is not going to be showing our sin, but our faithfulness or lack of faithfulness as he reveals the motives behind what we have done. We will see why we should either be commended and praised or disqualified for a work done.
If a teacher says, “we’re having a test on Friday.” The first thing we want to know is what is the test going to cover. If we know it covers chapter 6, then all we have to do is study chapter 6. On Friday, all that test is going to do is reveal how well we studied chapter 6. We don’t walk around in fear because of the test because we studied the material.
Now Jesus has told us, there will be a test, and your obedience to my plans is going to be covered. Now the only people who are going to have a problem are those, who insisted on doing things their way. Those who are not going to do what God has told them to do.
God has given us one life to live. He has told us to prepare to meet him at the Judgment seat of Christ to give an account of what we did with that one life. But did you know that some of us are focusing in other things and pouring out hearts into them, and they’re not going to matter at the judgment seat. It’s just like the person who was invited to be on the football team, and they spent all their time getting ready for basketball. Some of you have great ambition, great drive, and great determination, but you’re not using it for the cause of Christ.
Verse 9, so we make it our goal to please Him. Is that really your goal in life, to be found pleasing to Jesus Christ. Now at the judgment seat of Christ, everything we do is going to be tested. Here is where we will give an account for every word that comes out of our mouths. All of the excuses we give for why we cannot serve God, cannot make time for ministry, cannot help here or there are going to be shown for what they truly are. Some translations translate we make it our goal as we labor which means we love to honor, or to be ambitious to do something. We are to be ambitious to please Christ.
When we give our lives to Christ, Christ becomes the foundation of our lives. We are then to build a temple for God to live in. One of our purpose is to worship God. We are to tell others about God. We are to become disciples of Jesus Christ. We are too have an active ministry in the church. We are to impact people’s lives outside the church. These are the reasons God put us here. This is what is going to be examined at the Judgment Seat of Christ.
Let’s look at how it happens. 1 Cor. 3:11-15 For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12If any one builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, 13his work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each one’s work. 14If what he has built survives, he will receive his reward. 15If it is burned up, he will suffer loss; he himself will be saved, but only as one escaping through the flames.
Everything we do in the will of God, for God out of a genuine love for God and a commitment to do it with all of our heart will be made of gold, silver and costly stone. Everything we do with a half hearted attitude, a wrong motive, out of envy, and out of jealousy will be considered wood, hay or straw and will be quickly burned up. There are so many people who think they’re getting points with God by coming to church, when all they are doing is coming to a building. It’s what you do in worship, that helps you to build with gold, silver and costly stone.
The one who is sitting on the throne at the judgment seat of Christ, is the very one who helped you through your struggles in life. He is the very one who comforted you at times when you had little hope. He is the very one who opened doors for you that you could not see. He is the one who healed your body when you cried out for help. He is the one who answered the prayers that you prayed in secret. He is the one who died on the cross and went into hell, so that you and I might have life. And yet what will we have left to offer to Him, after our works have been placed in the fire. This verse says, some will be saved, but only as one escaping through the fire.
Do you remember how you felt when I gave you the story of your rescuing the man from Lake Erie and all you got for your pneumonia, your losing your job, and your medical bills was a check for $50. That was that person’s appreciation for what you did? How do you think, Jesus is going to feel when with all the years he gave you, all the talents he blessed you with, all the wealth he sent your way, and at the judgment seat of Christ, all you have is fifty dollars worth of works remaining.
What will you say, when Jesus says, “is this all there is. Is this all that you have to offer to me. Did you think so little of the pain I went through in dying for you? Did you despise the love I have for you? How could you not appreciate all I helped you through in life? Did you not make promises to me in your prayers?
Some of us are going to be so ashamed of how little we did for Christ with our lives. We will see all of our rejections of opportunities to make a difference. We will see our self centeredness for what it truly is. We will regret we’ve run out of time. There are going to be a lot of tears and sadness in heaven over our lack of doing what we should have done. Not everybody is going to hear the words well done, you good and faithful servant.
But others are going to stand before Christ, and have their works stand through the fire. For every person you won to Christ there is a reward. For every time you remained faithful in a painful situation, there is a reward. For every time you made a sacrifice in the kingdom of God because there was a need, there is a reward. For every time you invested in someone for Christ, whom you knew could never pay you back, there is a reward. For every prisoner that you touched, for every hungry person you fed, for every stranger you took in, for every difference you made for the cause of Christ, without doing it to be seen, there is a reward.
For every time you put your all in the song you were singing not to be seen, but to give the praise there is a reward. For every class that you taught, every ushering that you did, every offering that you counted, every time that you served, everytime that you danced or cheered to the glory of God there is a reward. We learned in Bible Study the other night, that God is going to look at the motives we had in doing all of these things.
Now those of us who do things just to be seen, have already received our award. But for those of us who are doing them, out of a desire to be found pleasing in God’s sight, God is going to reward at the judgment seat of Christ. These are the people who hear the word’s well done, you good and faithful servant.
God knows what each and everyone of us is doing and not doing. The second part of verse 10 says that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad. Notice we get rewarded for what we actually do in our bodies, and not our spirits. Don’t send your spirit, take your body to do the job.
Not everybody is going to have the same kind of lifestyle for all eternity. Heaven is not going to be the same place for everybody. 1 Cor. 2:9 However, as it is written: "No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him"—God is an awesome God and I trust Him to have some awesome rewards.
No believer should simply just want to make it to heaven. Our goal should be to please Christ with our lives, because all of us who know Jesus are headed for the Judgment Seat of Christ to give an account for how we lived our lives. Some of us may say I don’t need a reward for serving Christ, I’m grateful already for what He’s done.
That may be, but remember it’s not all about us. The reward is not the only thing involved. It’s about God. God gets a joy out of blessing us and rewarding us, in the same way that we get a joy out of rewarding our kids for a job well done. If I can please God by accepting what He wants to give, then let me accept what He has to offer.
We are all going to literally see each other in the complete sense of the word at the judgment seat of Christ. Is the character you now have something you’re going to be proud of or ashamed of? The works you’re building will they come forth as jewels, or burn as hay, wood or straw. Are you living your life so that it counts for Jesus or are you focused on yourself? If you want a chance to change what will happen at the judgment seat of Christ, today would be a good day to make a change. If you’re going to make it to heaven, make it worth what Jesus has done for you.
Sermon Outline—Pastor Rick 11/13/05
I Made It To Heaven Now What?
Eccl 12:1-4 2 Corin. 5:6-10
A. Using Your Imagination
1. Rescue At Lake Erie
2. Cold, Pneumonia, Job Loss
3. Lottery Winner, Check In The Mail
4. Invited To Play Football
5. Best Basketball Equipment
6. Life-Vapor, Mist, Shadow
7. 25,667 Days To Go
B. The Judgment
1. Great White Throne
2. Jesus—My Savior Not My Lord
3. Matthew 7—Did Not Obey
4. Matthew 25—Did Not Do
5. Works And Obedience
C. The Judgment Seat Of Christ
2 Cor. 5:9-10 So we make it our goal to please him, whether we are at home in the body or away from it. [10] For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.
1. Addressed To Believers
2. Olympic Imagery
3. The Real Deal Revealed
4. Teacher Test On Friday
5. Test At The Judgment Seat
D. What Is Our Goal In Life
1. Make It Out Goal To Please Him
2. Excuses Won’t Count
3. Be Ambitious For Christ
4. Worship—Discipleship
5. Evangelism, Ministry, Mission
1 Cor. 3:11-15
For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. [12] If any one builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, [13] his work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each one’s work. [14] If what he has built survives, he will receive his reward. [15] If it is burned up, he will suffer loss; he himself will be saved, but only as one escaping through the flames.
E. Attitude Does Matter
1. What Was The Motive
2. What Jesus Has Done
3. How Big Is Your Check
4. What Will You Offer
F. God Plans On Giving Rewards
1. Pain & Faithfulness Counts
2. Sacrifice & Service Counts
3. Winning Souls Counts
4. Feeding, Caring, Counts
5. Wrong Motives—Done
J. Why The Rewards
1. We Act Differently
2. Spirit Actions Do Not Count
3. Heaven Is Not Going To Be The
Same
1 Cor. 2:9 However, as it is written:
"No eye has seen, no ear has heard,
no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him"—
4. Our God Is An Awesome God
5. It’s Not About Us
6. Let God Be God & Be Blessed
7. Today Would Be A Good Day
For A Change
