Revelation | Week 4

being here. Love being a part of this church. Love you guys, and I love getting to just come and talk to you, and and talk with you, and

and you know, I also like just hanging out talking with my family. I've told you some of the weird conversations we get into. Well, last weekend, went home, Saint Patrick's Day, Irish family. We were just joking around and looking up like Irish sayings and stuff like that, and I realized where I get my corniness from. And

but I I found this this meme that we just went after, and it was hilarious. For like fifteen minutes, we were trying to do this, what it says on here, and I just wanna share that with you because I think you'll find it just as difficult. But have you guys seen this?

And you're like, you don't get it till you try to say it out loud. Turn to the person next to you and try to say it. Just say it normal speed.

Every service, people are like, then you try to say it out loud, you're like, why can't I say Irish wristwatch? I've been saying now this is probably a bad idea because I probably derailed some of you for the whole service.

You're gonna do nothing but try to say that. I mean, I've worked out. I've been saying it all week, and about as best I could do is I could do Irish wristwatch. That's about as good as you know, like, that's pretty impressive. But if I try to say it three more times, guarantee one or two of them are gonna sound weird and I might actually say something that you're not supposed to say. But, it might not come out right. And then you're like, what is it about? Isn't it weird about those two words put together?

It's just a you just you just it's difficult to say those words in the English language, isn't it? It's hard, and and I've practiced all week, and even though I can say it probably better than some of you right now,

I still have to think about it every time I say it. It doesn't just fly out there real easy. It's difficult and hard to master.

And that's really what the series through the last book of the Bible has been like for us. It's what reading the last book of the Bible can be like, and studying it. It's why a lot of us avoid it. Because no matter how hard and how much you look at it, it seems like right when you think you completely understand it, you never really are confident that you do. And and it's full of a lot of stuff. And then the reason it's it's the Irish wristwatch

of the Bible books is because it's it's in a literature style that that doesn't exist anymore. It's a big chunk of it is is prophetic. It's looking towards the future,

and yet it's written over two thousand years ago. And and and so it can be very hard and difficult, and a lot of it's weird, and and I'll be honest, a lot of it seems real scary.

But we've been diving into that. We we've been willing to say Irish wristwatch. Irish wristwatch. Irish wristwatch. We've been trying to do that, because there's a reason why God gives us his last book of the Bible. And and and that reason has been the the big idea for every week of the series.

Is that if I know what's happening next, it should impact what I do now. So we've been just looking at snapshots of things to try to understand a little bit of this book of what's going on. Just enough to get a feel for what what do we need to know about what's happening next, and what does that mean to us now?

And today, we're coming to our last one we're going to look at. And and and I call it the tale of two judgments.

The tale of two judgments. Because we're gonna be looking at at

two two judgment seats. And I'm just gonna tell you right now, by the end of this message, you're gonna understand that every one of us sitting in this room is going to be sitting at one of them. You go to one, or you go to the other. And and we're gonna talk about that. And so as we get into this and start talking, I just want you to reflect on this question as we talk through. I put up on here, is is when your life is assessed,

how will you do? Now, you don't even understand what that means. Assessed by by God? Yeah. If you talk about if God looks at your life when when it's all said and done, how do you think you're gonna do?

Because we're gonna talk about that as we look at these these two different judgment seats. Now now the first judgment seat I'm gonna talk about that is is actually not in the book of Revelation. We're not gonna go there yet. We're gonna we're gonna jump to one that that they we believe it happens sometime in this tribulation

period when the church is raptured, Christians are not here anymore. We're not sure, it doesn't really say, but the Bible talks about a judgment, and this is a judgment seat that Christians will sit at.

I said that. This is a judgment seat that Christians will sit. Now some of you who probably have avoided this book like the plague, maybe you're newer to church, maybe your church never touched this subject, or maybe you just stuck your head in the ground and and tried not to listen. But the reality is you're like, wait, Christians are judged.

I thought accepting Jesus gave me the get out of judgment free card. Well, you'll see how that works here here in a minute. It it's a seat that we it's a judgment seat called the Bema Seat. That's the name we gave to it, cause it comes from the Greek name in there for this judgment called Bema.

And the Bema was the seat that a judge in this era of time would sit on to to pass judgment. And so we find a couple passages I wanna read about and just explain what I'm talking about here and jump right in. It's in, the first one's in second Corinthians

chapter five. And the writer here, what Paul's talking about is this church of believers is he's trying to encourage them and he starts talking about, you know, I know your bodies are deteriorating

and and and and going downhill, but don't worry, someday since you have faith in Jesus, you're gonna get a new glorified body, an immortal body. It's gonna be fantastic and all that. But he had to warn them because they got so fixated on this new thing that that they were more they were more into what are we getting from God instead of what does it mean to follow and know God. And so he kind of reminds them when he says these words starting in verse nine. He says, so whether we are here in this body or away from this body,

our goal is to please him. So you say, guys, it doesn't matter which body we're in. Our goal is to please the Lord. And then he says in verse 10, for we must all stand before Christ to be judged. We will receive whatever we deserve for the good or evil we've done in this earthly body.

Now, what's scary is he's talking to believers. He's not talking to people that don't know the Lord. He's saying, you're gonna stand and be judged by Jesus, And and and that sounds scary, but if you go back to first Corinthians,

he doesn't explain what that judgment looks like, because he's already had a conversation with them about it. And it's recorded for us to know, and it's in the first Corinthians chapter three,

and what's happening here is he's trying to get them to calm down because they're arguing. They're getting these arguments and and about what they believe and how they, they're getting these these stupid debates,

and and they're and they're and they're and actually getting really arrogant and acting more important by who each teacher they sit under. Who who they listen to and follow. They're Christian teachers, but they're like, some say, I I follow Apollos. Others say,

Paul. The smartest ones say, Bill Bush. He's the greatest preacher that'll ever live, even though he's not gonna be around for two thousand years. Might have added the last part. But but they're arguing about it, and Paul has to say, you don't get it.

It's not about the teachers teaching, it's about the content of what they're teaching. Jesus. And so in that context, he has to remind them about what we will answer for. So in verse 11, he says, for no one can lay any foundation other than the one we already have, Jesus Christ.

So he's talking to these believers, he goes, no one else can lay a foundation other than Jesus, and that's what you have. Verse 12, anyone who builds on that foundation may use a variety of materials.

So you have this foundation of Jesus, and then he goes, you're gonna build on it, you're gonna build your life. What are you gonna do with your life, is what he's saying. And you can use these materials to build your life. Gold, silver, jewels, wood, hay, or straw. But on judgment day, fire will reveal

what kind of work each builder has done. The fire will show if a person's work has any value. If the work survives, that builder will receive a reward. But if the work is burned up, the builder will suffer great loss. He's talking to Christians. But here he goes, the builder will be saved,

but like someone barely escaping through a wall of flames. So this is the part, the builder will be saved. So this this this judgment seat is not like a criminal court case. It's more like a civil court case. It's determining reward and loss.

But he does say it right there that anyone who knows the Lord is gonna stand before Jesus and answer for what you decided to build your life with what God gave you. What have you done with your life? Did you did you build it? Did you build into your life eternal things?

That's when he's talking about the gold and the stuff that the fire would only refine, it'll survive. Or did you spend your life building things that'll burn up? They're temporary. They're of this world. Did you spend your life even believing in Jesus, but living like the world?

A matter of fact, a few verses down in verse 18, he says, you gotta understand this when he says, stop deceiving yourselves. If you think you are wise by the world standards, you need to become a fool to be truly wise. So what he's saying is is there's there are things

that we decide to do with our lives as Christians, that we're listening to worldly wisdom. Even though we believe in Jesus. And and and and here's the the the throw punch of this, and what he's saying is, is if you believe in Jesus, every one of us that has a relationship with Jesus is gonna stand before judge Jesus.

Not judge Judy, judge Jesus. And we are gonna have to answer this question. Our life will be evaluated in this way. It's not about sin, it's more about this this concept of this. What did I do with what He gave me? Many of you may not have realized that,

but if you are a follower of Jesus, you will stand before him and give an account of what did you do with what he gave you.

Because he gives us a mission. He calls us to say, here's what it means to please me. Remember in second Corinthians, it said, isn't our goal to please him? And he says, if you know my love, you know I want you to be a part of my kingdom, then I want you to be a part of it. But after we come to know him, we have a life we're supposed to live out. And he goes, what did you do? Did you build on your foundation relationship with me with the wood, and and the hay, and and the stuff that'll burn? Did you build all the worldly things?

Or did you take the life I gave you and spend it on things of eternal value? And we are gonna have to answer for that. So to to those of us that are believers in the room, if you're heading to that judgment seat, how do you think you're doing so far?

If if if if you were to project your life out from here till however much longer it is, and you're on the same course you've been on, how are you gonna do in that judgment fire?

And you know what's crazy is we think it's just a slap on it. I don't know what the reward is, but it says if if your life, if if the works you do, if you spent all of what God gave you, not on eternal things, it says you will suffer great loss. Great loss. I don't know what that looks like.

I don't know what the reward looks like, but I know it is a sobering moment that we will stand before Jesus, and we will come to the realization that if I spent my life on what he gave me, on things of that that don't matter, I will deeply regret that moment. I will.

Now, what does it mean? What have I done with the life He gave me? Throughout scripture, I think there's four categories of things that He's talking about. That he's gonna challenge us to go, what did you do with this that I gave you? And and were you with me or were you with the world? Did you fool yourself? Did you think you were wise because you listened to the world but you're actually not? Or did you choose to become a fool? And the reason he says become a fool is because the world will say, if you do it God's way in these things, it looks dumb.

And there's four things that he gave us that he's gonna ask us, what did you do with it? First one is our time.

Your time. Every one of us was given time. Some of us have more time, some of us not as much, but we all have the same hours in the day. We've been given time on this planet to serve and follow Jesus. And he goes, what did you do with your time? Did you spend all of your time running after the things everybody else runs after? Or did you give up of your time to go after the things of God? Did you spend time with God? Did you spend time in His word? Did you spend time with Him? Did you spend time serving Him? Did you spend time worshiping Him?

What did you do with your time? The next one is your talents.

All through scripture says God has given you, if you are a believer, you've been given spiritual gifts. These are gifts that come right from the Holy Spirit, and they are given to do two things. Reach people who don't know Jesus, and edify and build up the church that does. So we should be people that share our faith with our time and our giftedness.

But also, we've all been given a gift that is meant to serve the body of Christ. To serve in your church. That is one of the clearest teachings in all of scripture. So the question is, if you're a Christian, do you use your gifts and serve in your church? And if the answer is no,

then whatever you're doing with your gifts and your time is not of eternal value. It's gonna burn up. What do I do with those gifts?

That's the parable of the talents that Jesus taught. Now, you are only responsible for what God gave you. We're not all on the same category. You're just gonna be held accountable for what did you do with what he gave you. So much time, he gave you a certain amount of giftedness, but do you use them?

So it's kind of weird, like that's why I challenge people. I go, if you're a believer, and you say this is your church,

if you're not serving, there is something wrong with the way you're following your Lord. And I know we have well, I don't have time, it doesn't work, it's like this, I can't find the right that's all the world's wisdom. Be a fool for the Lord. Gets scarier. Treasures.

The Bible talks so much about what we should do with our money. And it says store up the treasure in heaven where it can't get destroyed. Anything we spend our money on that's the way of the world goes away. It goes away. You can't take it with you, but you can send it on ahead.

And the idea is that God is so clear about how he wants us to trust him with our money, and he does it for multiple ways. The reason if you are a believer, you should give financially to your church is not because the church just needs your money. It does use the money because it's how God uses all of our collective giving to go impact the world and to build up us. That's why we have children's ministry and all these things. For us to be stronger, he does feed the church and reach the world with it, but for you personally, it's also a test in which way do you trust. Is your trust in the world's way, which is my finance, or can you trust God? So when you're tight, that's the time to trust God the most with your money.

Because you gotta say, I believe that God provides for me. I'm a matter fact, was just reading in my devotional this morning out of Psalms,

where there's a passage that says, don't you know that he, I own the cattle on the thousand hills? And meaning God owns all the cattle, but the verse right before most people read said, hey, do not say that I took your goat or took your cattle. That's what they brought as money when they when they gave. That was their their sacrifice. That was what they gave. And he goes, don't say I took that from you. Then the next verse says, because I own all the cattle. You realize those two verses together says, God, the church, I don't take church doesn't take money. You don't give as much as you give back to the Lord what's already his. 100% of what you have belongs to him.

Everything. And the reason he asked you to give that is in those times, that builds trust. It's an obedient act that is for us. It builds into us the ability to understand that. Wow. I made it. It wasn't my job that helped me survive. It wasn't cash that helped me. It was God.

And you're gonna stand before God, whether you wanna listen to what I say or not. And he is gonna look at what you did with your finances. You're gonna have to answer the question, what did you do with what I gave you? And then the last one is our testimony.

We all have a story of God's love in our life and his grace in our life, And he wants us to use it

in the same way to build people, to reach people, to to but also to build people up in community when we're in groups, and and we should be sharing our stories with one another to help each other to further worship and trust. Do you do you use your testimony, your story of the grace of God in your life

to further the kingdom of God and your own worship? Those are the things. Those are the things that that whether you like it or not, we will stand before God and answer for that.

And you could take it one at any. When he says become a fool, it's because the world says everything I said is dumb. The world's way would say, oh, you're a pastor. He just wants to get you to give him free labor, give you money. He wants to build a kingdom. It's his own thing. And there are people that manipulate this. There are.

But can I tell you why I will constantly preach these things? This is why. This challenge is why I will say stuff like, hey, please don't come to the 10:00 service. That's when all the new people come. It's why I'll say we're starting a a fifth service. We need a 100 new people to serve in children's ministry alone. So if you're not serving, you need to serve.

It's why we're gonna build another building pretty soon, and I'm gonna come back and say, listen, I need you to not go to Starbucks or not do this. We're gonna have to tighten, batten down the hatches, and sacrifice big time. Because we need to go and build this to go where God wants us to go. And I'm gonna constantly challenge you to do these things.

I'm gonna constantly do it, and it's not because I'm trying to build my own little world. That's the world's wisdom trying to fight with what God's ways are. Can I tell you why I'm gonna do this? It's because I have to answer the same question you do.

And you realize that I've, one of my spiritual gifts, my only real one, is a mouth that is willing to talk for the Lord. And and and and and and what the act of preaching, the gift of preaching is a prophetic act. Not predicting the future, but proclaiming

the words of God. A prophet spent most of his time going to God's people and say, God, you realize God's word says this. We need to go where God's word says.

And and all the old testament prophets went to Israel, which should have listened, but they wouldn't listen. But the prophet did his job if he kept challenging the people to trust God, because I believe God's ways are actually the best ways for us. But you realize,

if I have to use my I'm gonna have to answer for how I use my gifts. And I gotta answer, did I challenge us to go where God wants us to do? Did I rightly preach this word? And in his word, he challenges us with what we do with our time, our talent, our treasure, and our testimony.

Over and over and over and over again. And if you think it's hard to listen to, you realize that when it says the person who's gifted to teach and preach, there is a scripture that says, I will be held to a higher standard of judgment than you on this. So I have failed my calling.

I have failed this test. I will suffer great loss, and you will too. If I'm not honest with you and challenge you, and if you don't wanna listen to that, you are fighting God's wisdom. Flat out fighting it. And every excuse we make as Christians, every excuse we make not to do these things,

is you've bought into the earthly wisdom and you think you're wise, but you're really a fool. And if you wanna be wise, become what the world would say a fool, and go for it. And go for it. That would be the challenge.

Here's the bottom, that's why we have the book of Revelation. That's why we have these passages in scripture.

If you're a believer, you can listen to me now. Or not. But you will answer that question before your Lord. And there will be reward or loss. So how you doing on that? Now, the next judgment, we're going to go into Revelation now. This is the judgment seat you don't want to go to.

And there are gonna be some people that think they're at the one I just described, and maybe you think, I'm just probably gonna not do well at it, but at least I'll be there because I said a prayer, and I I believe Jesus, and I come to church all the time. You do realize you can sit in your garage all day long, but that doesn't make you a car.

Repentant faith means you turned to Jesus, and it's 100% His grace. 100%. You don't earn your salvation, But if you've really turned and accepted the grace of God, says you have the Holy Spirit now.

And it is impossible to truly be a Christian, and not at least want to want to. I get it. We struggle. Some of we are you're believers, you're just wrestling. You've got caught in the way of the world. You've made bad decisions. Like the money thing, tons of you got massively into debt. You can't figure this out, but you want to. That's a different story.

It just means am I willing to go find a way out of that? But if you are sitting here and listening to what I just said, and you say, I believe in Jesus. I don't do any of those things to please God, and I'm still not going to. You have no desire to. If there isn't even a desire, that's a problem.

You might not actually be a Christian. The Bible says that that there will be people that stand for God and say stuff like, but I went to church. I did these things, and he'll say, depart from me for I never knew you.

You might be doing some of the things, showing up, but if there's no desire in there, there's no real relationship. What did he say? You don't actually know me.

And whoever doesn't know Jesus is who's gonna end up at the second one. And that's back in the book of Revelation. What's happening is we're picking up in Revelation chapter 20.

Chapter 19 is the end of the tribulation period. It all ended with Satan rising up with his minions of people that took his mark of the beast. They knew what they were doing. They're fighting God this battle of Armageddon. It's not much of a battle. Jesus rides in. Done.

And so then, it doesn't go right into judgment seats and all into eternal glory right away. There's something that happens before, and I wanna read that because it kinda sets up what's going on. So we're starting in chapter 20, and it says this.

When I saw an angel coming down from heaven with the key to the bottomless pit and a heavy chain in his hand, he seized the dragon, the old serpent who is the devil Satan, and bound him in chains for a thousand years. So Satan gets bound for a thousand years. The angel threw him into a bottomless pit, which he then shut and locked, so Satan could not deceive the nations anymore until the thousand years were finished. So now, the power of Satan, the tempter, the world's, what's called the world is Satan's kind of realm of the world system, longer contempt or cause problems.

But then it says after a word, he must be released for a little while. Get to that. Then I saw thrones and the people sitting on them that had been given the authority to judge, and I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their testimony about Jesus, him for proclaiming the word of God. They not worshiped the beast or his statue, nor accepted his mark on their forehead and their hands. They all came to life again, and they reigned with Christ for this thousand years. It's not saying, okay, Satan's gone. The people that took the mark of the beast and don't believe in God, they've all they're all gone. Right now they're dead. They'll they'll they'll come back in a little while. But then who's left?

And he says, who's gonna come back to life is all the people that became Christians in the tribulation and got martyred for it. They come back.

What you gotta remember is, there's gonna be two types of people here. People that have come back to life, and they they have their their, what's called their, glorified immortal body, versus those who made it through the tribulation are still in their bodies like us.

So this is, they're in their glorified immortal body, and he says this is the first resurrection. The rest of the dead didn't come back to life until a thousand years had ended. Blessed and holy are those who share in this first resurrection,

for the second death holds no power, but they will be priests of God and Christ who will reign with him.

So, and then it goes on to say, then the thousand years when the thousand years comes to an end, Satan will be led out of his prison. He will go out to deceive the nations called Gog and Magog in every corner of the earth. He will gather them together for battle, a mighty armor army as numberless as the sand along the seashore.

And I saw them as they went up on the broad plane of the earth and surrounded God's people in the beloved city. This battle doesn't last very long either. But fire from heaven came down and attacking armies and consumed them.

Then the devil who had deceived them was thrown into the fire lake of burning sulfur joining the beast and the false prophet where they will be tormented day and night forever. Stop there real quick. Explain. So what he's saying is, the tribulation ends, Jesus comes back, that's called the second coming. Jesus shows up.

The church, who I talked about was raptured, pulled out at the beginning of this last seven years. Everyone who's alive at the time and knows Jesus disappears. They come back with them.

The people that were martyred that were believers during this time, they rise up, and they have their glorified bodies, and they're there. There's also two other groups of people that are sitting there at this moment when Jesus comes to earth.

You have Gentiles, non Jewish people who became Christians during the tribulation. They're still in their mortal body like you and me, alive. You also have what Zechariah says and what I've said through this whole series, a lot of revelation is talking about God's covenant with Israel.

It says that the remnant will turn, it says basically all of Israel, everyone who's left in Israel, Jews, are gonna turn and accept Christ. So you're gonna have a whole bunch of Jewish believers still in their mortal bodies. And then what he does is he sets up this thousand year reign.

The millennium. Not the millennium falcon, the millennium. Or as we call the millennial reign of Christ. Not the reign of the millennials, that would be a mess. This is the millennial reign. Alright, I've offended cats, Seahawks fans, now millennials.

If you're a 29 year old cat loving Seahawks fan, you probably think I hate you, but I don't. It's just fun. I'm just joking. But it's this thousand years,

and what it describes, which sounds crazy, is Jesus will literally reign on this earth for a thousand years, and those people with their mortal bodies, go read Isaiah 65, it says they will

will live a lot longer. It'll be like the time right after the fall of man when when people lived seven hundred, eight hundred, nine hundred years. So, Vlad's people, they'll live almost the entire millennium, and they will still have children, and children's children's children's

And that's why you have when Satan gets released at the end, and gets a whole bunch of people to follow him again, and says this is this massive army. Because there are a lot of people populating the earth again. But imagine, it's during this time where Jesus literally reigns, the world systems are gone, you have no Satan to to to lead that system of of temptation,

but still we the the people that are here, that are in their mortal bodies, still have their broken lives. They still have a propensity to sin nature. And that's why it says in the old testament Jesus will rule with an iron scepter.

Because he will establish law, establish order, run it right, but there'll be no poverty. People will live. The earth will be semi renewed, so everything will be really green, and you know, like a green, like really good earth, no poverty. And and and everyone will live great for a thousand years.

Now there's two questions you have. Why does he do that? Part of it is because he said he would. Remember? This book is a lot about wrapping up the covenant with Israel. It was God's plan the whole time to how to save people in the world.

And he said, I will reign literally. You will have a king in the line of David, which Jesus is, that will literally rule for millennia. So he's gonna come and literally rule on this earth. He's king Jesus this time. The king they expected to give them their land back and rule, now has come.

The second thing, shows his grace. He lets all these people keep going on, and they get to live in this much more utopic kind of society, and produce children, and all that. But then you're like, but how could they possibly rebel against God after that? How did Adam and Eve do that?

Satan came along and distorted the truth. And if you still have a bent towards sin nature, imagine if you've had millennium millennium, you're like lived and kids and grandkids and grandkids and grandkids, and they've grown up in this perfect society,

but they still have a bent, but they've never truly been tempted, and then you let the master deceiver come along again, they're gonna fall for it. Tons of people are. And what it proves is you can actually

live in God's kingdom, but Him not be your king. Just like you could what it's trying to tell us today is you could sit here in this church and say, I come to church. I come to the place where we celebrate the kingdom of God over and over and over again, and Jesus still isn't your king. It's still about you.

And so if Salai comes along that says, you know what? You can There's good. Go back to last week's sermon. Can get good without God, and that's what's gonna happen. It is. We see it all the time.

We see it all time. People right now don't realize that we live under the grace of God in many ways, and we kind of ignore it and complain. So that is something that can happen. It's weird, I know. So then after that, it says that everybody who's ever died

comes back to life. These are the people that died, they're they're risen into their their resurrection and but these are people that do not know Jesus. You look in verse 11 and it says, I saw a great white throne

and the one sitting on it, the earth and the sky fled from his presence but they found no place to hide. I saw the dead, both great and small, standing before God's throne.

And the books were opened, including the book of life. And the dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books. The sea gave up its dead, and death and the grave gave up their dead, and all were judged according to their deeds. Then death and the grave were thrown into the lake of fire.

This lake of fire is the second death,

and anyone whose name was not found recorded in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire. So this is Jesus now on the great white throne. This is God sitting there, and and now you're judged based on they have these different books. One set of books is we consider the law, the books of God's word. Here's how you need to live, And it says, if your name's not in the book of life, and the book of life is simply do you know Jesus?

If your name was that, you're not at this one. So they said, if your name's not in it, which it wasn't, you then had to stand under judgment for your own deeds.

What did you do? If you wanna be in the presence of God, if you wanna go on to this, you'd have to be perfect, and no one is. So basically, this is not much of a trial. It's not like those movies where you defend your life, well, wasn't so bad. There's no chance. This is a sentencing hearing at this point. Guilty. Gone.

Lake of fire. It's not as popular to talk about in today's society, even amongst younger Christians. Ones I've tried to I've tried to I train up a lot of young pastors, and they want to choke on this concept of hell. And people don't want to believe that hell's real.

They can't understand Irish wristwatch, so they make it Irish stew, cause that's easier to swallow. And they don't want to, but I'm telling you, hell is a real place. It says it right there. There's no way around it. And I think a lot of people want to deny it because it just doesn't sound pleasant. It doesn't sound good.

And the wisdom of the world says, a loving God would never send anyone to hell. Well, here's there's so

many problems with that sentence. First of all, a loving God, you would say, wouldn't do something, but what about a just God? A righteous God, a holy God, a God that promises us justice. Why do you think we want justice?

Why do you think he gives his little kids, that's not fair? We can notice not fairness, but then our selfishness kicks in. We like unfair to us and fairness from everyone else. And and But the problem is is he's just and holy and righteous, and he will judge sin. And that's the truth.

And and and we think, well, he would do it. And then the other thing is, a loving God. God is love. Love is not God. God is more than love. God defines love, not the other way around. God is the definition of love, and he didn't send anyone to hell. He said, here's the way it is. If you wanna be in my presence,

you either have Jesus who justly took your sin for you, so there's been justice, or you answer for your own, and justice is you're out of my presence.

And over and over again throughout scripture, it says God wants us to go, to be the church, to share, to love Christ. He calls people. He says, for God so loved the world, he gave his one and only son. John three sixteen, you can't go to a football game without somebody holding up the sign. Over and over, God came and he, Jesus died for us. He loves you, and he sacrificed, and all you have to do is is is commit and turn to him and accept his love, and so he didn't send anyone to hell. God wants you. The question at the great white throne is not whether God wanted you, it's whether you wanted him.

And if you spend your life saying, I don't want you in my business. I don't want to listen to you. I want to do it my way. Hell is basically okay. You're getting that.

And I don't know what it means lake of fire. I think a lot of reason people freak out about hell and say there's no way God would send us there, or even have it, is first, he doesn't send us. But second, the definitions and descriptions you heard of it. Hell is not Dante's inferno.

Satan doesn't rule in hell. He's already thrown in the lake. He's in his own Hell.

He has no influence on you in Hell. There's no demons pitchforking you and torching you. The second thing I know that Hell is not, it's also not some cosmic Guantanamo Bay that God has set up to do enhanced interrogation of those who wouldn't follow him. That's not what it is. I don't know what it physically is,

but I can tell you one thing for sure it is. The absolute removal of God's presence completely, and that should terrify you.

Because imagine, what if hell is not just about physical pain? What if hell was literally just you keep going on in a society like this? You're like, that doesn't sound so bad. Now imagine how hard life can be right now. Don't you strive for stuff? You ache and long for stuff, and sometimes you get a little satisfaction, but sometimes you don't. You always feel like there's more.

And that's in a world that right now the Bible says that that God causes it to to shine and to rain on the just and unjust alike. Christians love to jump on the rain part and say,

things happen to those who even follow Jesus. True. But the reverse is also true in that passage. A lot of great things happen to people that are unjust, and and here's the world's wisdom, where we're arrogant, we wanna replace God. You think all the good things that you've built in your life is you built them.

And I'm telling you, if you don't know Jesus, that's not how it worked. You are living those good things as a part of the incidental collateral grace of God on this planet. And as much evil as there is, God holds the evil back. It doesn't have its full expression.

So now imagine if you were just sentenced. It doesn't have to be a fiery pit. You know what's more terrifying, is imagine going on an existence where God is completely gone. No presence. So evil can go to its fullest extent. Your anxieties

that you try to get help for, there's no help. There's no hope. Your anxieties consume you. Your fears consume you. Your selfishness consumes you. Your striving and trying to get something to cause satisfaction

is like that burning fire where there is no quenching of that thirst. You will long and chase and long and chase, and it won't even be like this world. There will be not one second of hope because

God didn't do anything to you than say, fine, and stepped away. The punishment is I'm just gonna pull back and let you have what you wanted. You know, an eternity without me, and you're gonna be in for a rude awakening if you think the good things you've done have been from you, and you laugh at what I'm preaching, and you laugh at this idea of God.

When you realize there is absolutely no hope. So some of us reject hell because we think it's just God torturing. No, it's not. All he has to do is leave.

You realize, even next week we're celebrating Easter. Read the whole story about Jesus going to the cross. He was God, but he was also a man. And we always focus on the physical pain He suffered. But do you realize the moment that cost Him the most anguish, it's the only moment on the cross where He cried out, God,

who is man, but He was overwhelmed. That it says God actually didn't just that it wasn't the physical thing He went through for us. He put all of the sin, all of the guilt, all the anxiety,

all of everything for everybody of all time went on to Jesus, and it said he had to make him into sin. Meaning, God the Father had to literally basically turn his back and separate. And Jesus experienced in that moment, the only time where he did not have God the father with him. And in that moment, for that short period of time, God the son,

the most righteous, toughest man, the perfect God man, cried out, my God, my God, why have you forsaken me? You realize the moment he cried out was when he was out of the presence of God. What do you think hell's gonna be like? It doesn't have to be demons torturing you. Your own demons will torture you,

and there's no hope. So what terrifies me more about going to hell would just be God leaving,

and that's gonna be a rude awakening for some people.

So when you read all that and you hear this millennium and all that, I know the way that we think, even logic, it just sounds a little crazy, doesn't it? Some of this sounds weird.

Actually, most of it sounds weird. And a lot of times we avoid it because it sounds weird. We're like, I don't get it. I just I I'm not sure about it. I don't like it. It's like taxes. Not Texas, taxes. Well, Texas is pretty weird too, but now if you're a Seattle Seahawks fan, cat loving millennial Texan,

It's like Texas. You may not like them, but they're coming up.

But think about it may be weird, may sound odd, but it's gonna happen. It's gonna happen. Lots of things that sound weird happen. Just a couple weeks ago, was reading my newspaper. That's not the weird thing. Some of you are like, he still gets a newspaper?

But I was I was and and I and I saw an article about, did you guys hear about the guy that was driving to work in the morning in Chandler? And a zebra ran out from his car so fast he hit it, killed the zebra, totaled his car? Anybody hear about that? Doesn't that sound weird?

A zebra, hitting a zebra, driving to work in Chandler, Arizona. People don't run into zebras and kill them driving to work in Africa. And it happened here. And imagine that. It got weird. Imagine that. And it happened because the zebra got out of the ostrich festival. Why does Arizona have an ostrich festival?

Can you imagine if someone told this guy, hey, you know what? You know what's gonna happen tomorrow? You're gonna hit and kill a zebra driving to work. That guy wouldn't believe it. That sounds like the weirdest thing ever. Now imagine if a guy two thousand years ago was writing about this moment,

and prophesying about it. And John wrote down, if he just wrote, you know, I see a vision in a desert plain where the road has been flattened and darkened, and a man is driving. He's he's going in a in a horseless chariot, faster than any chariot has ever gone before.

And and when suddenly a beast, a horse of black and white only darts in front, they collide and it dies because the beast had come from the festival of the long necked flightless bird.

That sounds stupid.

But it happened. So seriously?

Everything else that's been prophesied in the bible has always happened. Jesus is who he said he is.

We are gonna stand in front of him at one of two judgments.

Which one are you gonna be at? And how are you gonna do? Because like I said, it's like taxes. But you know what's weird about me? I was supposed to do my taxes on Friday.

Second time my wife set up an appointment for me and I avoided them. Every year I avoid it, I avoid it, I avoid it, and I don't wanna do it. Anybody with me? Anybody avoiding? Here's what's crazy about me. In the history of me paying taxes, I've never owed. I've never got a lot back, but I've never owed.

Why do I still hate it? I think because it's the tax system, it's it's so confusing to me, and daunting, and I don't really trust the organization as much. I'm not sure in who's asking this for me, and I also think in the back of my mind there's this slight fear of this might be the year

when that green number turns red on my TurboTax. Anybody with me on that? That's what it feels like? You realize that same issue is how many of us approach this last book of the Bible, especially this talk of these judgment seats.

Even if you're heading to the Bema seat, it's like we don't quite understand it. It's a little bit confusing. Some of us aren't sure if we trust God.

And so when you hear about this judgment, you hear about standing before him, we are leery of it. We are scared of it. And you know what we'd rather do? Put it off as long as possible. But that's not a good plan. Because you have hope right now.

Right now, you can not go to the great white Throne, and you can end up having that be a wonderful experience of hearing God say, well done good and faithful servant. Well done. You realize that's really to take the time to ask myself that question. How am I doing with what God gave me? And then do I even know Jesus?

Is what communion is all about. That's what we call in the church communion, if you're not familiar. It's when when they take the little wafer and the the juice and we drink it. It's really doing something that Jesus, the day before he was crucified,

at his last supper, he broke some bread, said this is my body broken for you. Poured some wine, said this is my blood spilled for you. And he says, do this in remembrance of me. So he asked us as a church body to to to take time to reflect.

And really what we're supposed to do before we take communion is ask our self that question. Which judgment seat am I going to, and how am I gonna do? Now, if you're heading to the great white throne, taking communion means nothing. If you don't know Jesus,

this is not some magical moment incantation that if you take it, it makes you okay with God. Eating a Styrofoam and and drinking a little bit of grape juice doesn't change anything. This is for someone who already believes.

But if you already believe what you were supposed to do in this moment is ask ourselves that question. What am I doing with what God gave me? It's a chance to remember, to reflect, to repent or respond to, and turn and recommit to where God wants me to go. That's really what it is. So how are you doing?

So what I'm asking you to do is if you are a believer that knows, just right now, just start letting the spirit talk to you about how am I doing in my walk with God? What are some things I maybe need to confess? What are some things maybe I need to commit to? But

reflect on that Jesus died for you. Because here's what's crazy. Here's what's crazy. Both of those judgments I described, the king that sits in judgment over us in both of them is the suffering servant who went to the cross for us. We shouldn't be afraid of trusting him.

Because the one that's gonna judge is the one that wants you. He wants you. God, Jesus wants you to know him so bad. He wants you to know Him. The question is not if God wants you. The question is, do you really want Him? That's the question. That's the question that that communion makes us look at.

So if you're already a believer, just ask what am I doing with what you gave me? Do I really want to please you in my life, Lord? And where do I need to go with it? You start praying about that, but I'm gonna just talk to the rest of the crowd here,

which we've had a lot of those people in this category the last three services. And that's maybe you're pretty you're you're afraid to I think I'm going to that great white throne you described because I either a, obviously, know I don't know Jesus.

Or I'm not sure if I've ever put my faith in Jesus. How do I if I know he wants me, how do I want him? How do I how do I have this relationship with him that's a salvation relationship? A relationship that gives me his love that that helps me. I don't go to the great white throne judgment.

Because then you can take this with us and it'd be real. It means something. It's simple. We sang the song earlier. What can wash away my sins? Nothing but the blood of Jesus. It says in the book of Romans, if I can confess with my mouth Jesus is Lord and believe in my heart God raised him from the dead, I will be saved.

If I if I so basically, I cry out to Jesus. I put my faith in him. I put my trust that the way life is supposed to work, the way I have relationship with God, the way all of eternity works is I need to trust and put my faith, not in me, but in what he did for me. What he did for me.

Because Jesus died for you. He wants you. But then he came back to life. We have a little bit of a big deal about it next week. And and and he he did that proving he is who he said he is. So have you ever confessed with your mouth and believed in your heart? Have you ever chosen to take your faith off yourself

and turn it to Jesus? I'm gonna give you a chance right now. We're gonna pray together. But when I pray, you're just I just pray something like my prayer. Make it your own words. Make it your own. Just pray it in your heart to God. Because it's not a magic incantation. It's a chance for me to say, I'm declaring

Jesus, you're my Lord. So with everybody just close your eyes. And if you're someone in this room, like so many people in the services already, that realizes, I don't think I've ever declared Jesus as my Lord. I don't think I've ever put my faith in him and asked him to forgive me.

Here's your chance. But I'm gonna ask you to do before I pray is if you think that's you, you know God's whispering here, I want you and I'm gonna respond just with no one looking around but me. Raise your hand. Just put your hand up.

Don't be afraid. Just hold us right up high, man. You do you you wanna be wanted by God? Just put your hand up. Awesome. I see those hands all over the room. Lots of hands. It's not too late if I pray and you didn't put your hand up. You're not left out of the club. You can pray.

But let's pray together. Father, first I thank you for all these hands. I thank you for all the hands that have went up through all the services. But Lord, right now, I just I just wanna pray with these people that are wanting to put their faith in you. So if if you're one of those people that just says, I I need Jesus.

I've never put my faith in him. Just pray something like this with me. Just pray. Dear Lord Jesus, thank you for coming and living the perfect life and then dying on the cross for me. And and right now, in the best way I know how, I put my faith in that and what you did for me.

I'm sorry for trying to be God in my own life. I'm sorry for going my own way. Forgive me. And Lord, thank you for coming back to life, defeating that death and giving me an opportunity to be with you, to know you, to please you. I thank you for that.

So help me to go from this moment and learn each and every day more and more of what it means to please you. And don't try to please you for your love, but from your love. Thank you. I pray this in the mighty name of Jesus. Amen. He then took the bread and broke it. He said, this is my body broken for you.

He then took the cup and said, take drink. This is my blood spilled for the forgiveness of your sins.

The king of kings, who stepped down from his throne to stand in our place. We lift him up. We glorify him for all he is, for all he's done. We sing it out. For all you are and all you've done, we lift you

me. That How great a king.

How great a king.

You. You're the king of kings. You're the lord of lords. Seated on the throne, sovereign over all things, creator and sustain er of life. You knit us together in our mother's womb. You know every thought, every word, every action of our entire life.

You know every hateful and spiteful thing we've ever said or done or thought, every rebellious and wicked thing, you know, the guilt that rests upon us because you yourself came and stood in our place and took that guilt and that shame on the cross.

You were the king who was rebelled against yet took the punishment for the rebels To make a way for us and we rejoice in you and we celebrate you today, God. We thank you that you are our king and you are worthy of our lives laid down at your feet for you gave up everything for us that we might have everything in you.

I thank you God for every soul that was saved here this weekend God.

Every eternity sealed and set with you. And we pray God as we go from this place that we would, Lord, live lives that declare that we are the children of God who have been saved rescued and restored by the savior who laid down his life for us and for the world.

So God, may may the love and light of Christ shine in our lives as we go from here. That you will be glorified and that many more will be coming with us, God. We rejoice in you, we praise you, and we glorify the name of Jesus. Is in your name we pray all these things. And all God's people said, amen. Oh, what a king. Church?

What a king we serve. Before you go, if you just need some time to pray, we have some people up front who would love to pray with you. But don't forget, next weekend is Easter, so make sure you reserve your seats. Come in, at one of the eight services.

We're so excited to see you there. But God bless you. Have a great week. We'll see you next weekend.