The Judgment In God's House

WESTSIDE BAPTIST CHURCH

PASTOR: TERRY VAUGHAN

SERMON TITLE: THE JUDGMENT IN GODS HOUSE

“FOR GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD THAT HE GAVE HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON, THAT WHOSOEVER BELIEVETH IN HIM SHOULD NOT PERISH, BUT HAVE EVERLASTING LIFE. FOR GOD SENT NOT HIS SON INTO THE WORLD TO CONDEMN THE WORLD, BUT THAT THE WORLD THROUGH HIM MIGHT BE SAVED. HE THAT BELIEVETH IS NOT CONDEMNED; BUT HE THAT BELIEVETH NOT IS CONDEMNED ALREADY BECAUSE HE HATH NOT BELIEVED IN THE NAME OF THE ONLY BEGOTTEN SON OF GOD.” JOHN 3:16-18 KJV

1 PETER 4:17 “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?”

I BATTLED OVER THIS SCRIPTURE THIS WEEK. I KNEW GOD WANTED ME TO PREACH IT AND I WAS UNSURE ABOUT SOME THINGS AND WHEN I’M THAT WAY I DO A WHOLE LOT OF READING AND A WHOLE LOT OF PRAYING AND A WHOLE LOT OF STUDYING. I’M NOT GOING TO GET UP HERE AND SHARE SOMETHING WITH YOU UNLESS I KNOW FOR SURE IT’S RIGHT. I PRAYED AND TRIED TO GET GOD TO GIVE ME SOMETHING ELSE. BUT THIS IS WHAT HE LAID ON MY HEART AND I’M GOING TO PREACH IT AS HE SHOWED IT TO ME.

IT SAYS THAT THE TIME HAS COME FOR JUDGMENT TO BEGIN AT THE HOUSE OF GOD. THAT’S TALKING ABOUT GODS PEOPLE AND GODS HOUSE. IT’S NOT NECESSARILY TALKING ABOUT WESTSIDE BAPTIST CHURCH BUT ABOUT GODS HOUSE. WHAT IS GODS HOUSE? IT’S GODS PEOPLE. HE SAID WHERE TWO OR THREE ARE GATHERED, THERE AM I IN THE MIDST OF THEM. I’M GLAD THAT THOSE THAT ARE SAVED BY THE GRACE OF GOD ARE GODS PEOPLE AND THEY ARE GODS HOUSE. I WANT TO PREACH JUST A FEW MINUTES ON THE JUDGMENT IN GODS HOUSE AND ON GODS PEOPLE. IF THERE WASN’T ANY JUDGMENT COMING FROM THE LORD WE COULD LIVE ANY OLD LIFE WE WANTED TO. WE COULD COME IN THE HOUSE DRUNK AND TRY AND WORSHIP THE LORD. THERE’S A LOT OF PEOPLE IN THE WORLD TODAY THAT LIVE LIKE THE DEVIL DURING THE WEEK AND THEY WANT TO LIVE LIKE GOD ON SUNDAYS. BUT I LIKE TO LIVE LIKE THE LORD TO THE BEST OF MY ABILITY SEVEN DAYS A WEEK. WE NEED TO BE CHRIST LIKE NO MATTER WHO WE’RE AROUND OR WHERE WE’RE AT. I BELIEVE GOD HAD TO PUT THE JUDGMENT IN THE HOUSE OF GOD TO KEEP US IN LINE. BECAUSE IT’S REAL EASY FOR US TO GET OUT OF GODS WILL. THE JUDGMENT IS NOT A BAD THING. IT’S A GOOD THING. A LOT OF PEOPLE HEAR THAT WORD JUDGMENT AND IT SCARES THEM HALF TO DEATH. I’M NOT PREACHING ON THE GREAT WHITE THRONE. THE GREAT WHITE THRONE JUDGMENT IS WHEN THE FATHER, THE SON AND THE HOLY SPIRIT JUDGE THOSE SINNERS THAT’S NEVER BEEN SAVED BY THE GRACE OF GOD. THEIR FINAL JUDGMENT WILL BE THE LAKE OF FIRE ACCORDING TO THE BOOK OF REVELATION. WE WHO ARE SAVED WILL NOT BE PARTAKERS IN THAT JUDGMENT. BUT WHILE WE’RE HERE, WE WILL BE JUDGED BY JESUS CHRIST.

FIRST I WANT TO SHARE THE MEANING OF JUDGMENT. THE ABILITY TO PERCEIVE OR DISTINGUISH THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN TWO OBJECTS. LET ME TELL YOU WHAT THE TWO OBJECTS ARE IN A CHRISTIANS LIFE THAT HE JUDGES US FOR. RIGHT AND WRONG. THERE IS NO IN BETWEEN. I’LL SUMMON THAT UP WITH TWO OTHER WORDS: GOOD OR EVIL.

ROMANS 7:21 “I FIND THEN A LAW, THAT, WHEN I WOULD DO GOOD, EVIL IS PRESENT WITH ME.”

EVIL IS ALL AROUND CHRISTIANS. THE DEVIL IS ALL AROUND US TRYING TO BRING US DOWN. IT WOULD BE REAL EASY FOR US IF WE GOT IN THE FLESH TO SLIP OUT OF GODS WILL. BUT HE’S GOING TO JUDGE US FOR GOOD AND EVIL.

ROMANS 2:9-10 “TRIBULATION AND ANGUISH, UPON EVERY SOUL OF MAN THAT DOETH EVIL, OF THE JEW FIRST, AND ALSO OF THE GENTILE; BUT GLORY AND HONOR AND PEACE, TO EVERY MAN THAT WORKETH GOOD, TO THE JEW FIRST, AND ALSO TO THE GENTILE.”

WE’RE NOT SUPPOSED TO DO NO EVIL THING. WE’RE SUPPOSED TO DO GOOD THINGS. GOD IS A GOD OF LOVE, MERCY AND KINDNESS. WE’RE SUPPOSED TO BE GOOD CHILDREN.

ROMANS 12:9 “LET LOVE BE WITHOUT DISSIMULATION. ABHOR THAT WHICH IS EVIL; CLEAVE TO THAT WHICH IS GOOD.”

DEPART FROM THOSE EVIL THINGS THAT ARE IN YOUR LIFE. AND LIVE A GOOD LIFE IN JESUS CHRIST.

ISAIAH 5:20 “WOE UNTO THEM THAT CALL EVIL GOOD, AND GOOD EVIL; THAT PUT DARKNESS FOR LIGHT, AND LIGHT FOR DARKNESS; THAT PUT BITTER FOR SWEET AND SWEET FOR BITTER!”