Examine some Judgment Day Surprises so that they won't be surprises to us. Text: 2 Corinthians 5:9-11
Introduction.
1. There are a great number of passages in the Bible that deal with the judgment.
2. Unfortunately many in the world today do not fully understand what will happen at that time.
3. Many people will be surprised to learn about the following things.
Body.
I. Some will be surprised to find that the Judgment is a reality.
A. So many passages affirm that there will be a judgment.
1. 2 Corinthians
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."
2. Matthew
25:46. "And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the
righteous into life eternal."
3. Ecclesiastes
12:13-14. "Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear
God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. For God
shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be
good, or whether it be evil."
4. 2 Timothy
4:1. "I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ,
who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his
kingdom"
B. Even those who have denied the very existence of God will one day stand before
Him in judgment.
1. Psalms 9:17. The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that
forget God.
2. Hebrews 10:27. But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery
indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.
II. The time of the Judgment will surprise all.
A. There have been many failed attempts by individuals to predict when the
Lord will come back. (Deuteronomy 18:22
"When a prophet speaketh in the
name of the Lord, if the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that is the thing
which the LORD hath not spoken, but the prophet hath spoken it
presumptuously: thou shalt not be afraid of him.")
1. The Seventh Day Adventists.
a. William Miller (1782-1849).
b. Predicted the second coming of Christ would occur between
March 21, 1843 and March 21, 1844.
c. When He didn't come in March 21, 1844, the date was
changed to October 21, 1844.
2. The Jehovah's Witnesses have predicted that Christ would return in
1874, 1914, 1925, 1975.
B. The Bible teaches that we can't know when Christ will come back.
c. 2 Peter
3:10. "But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night;
in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the
elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that
are therein shall be burned up."
III. The purpose of the Judgment will be a surprise.
A. It will not be a day of trial in which one's guilt or innocence is determined.
B. The decision has already been reached.
1. The Lord knows who are His. (2 Timothy 2:19.
"Nevertheless the foundation
of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his.
And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from
iniquity.")
2. Unbelievers are condemned already (John 3:18.
"He that believeth on him 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.")
3. We see this illustrated in Luke
16:19-31.
C. Rather, the Judgment is much like a prisoner standing before a judge waiting to
here the decision that has already been made.
IV. The standard used at the Judgment will be a surprise to many.
A. It will not be:
1. Man-made creeds.
2. Man-made books.
3. What the preacher says.
4. What our conscience tells us.
B. It will be:
2. The Books of the Bible (Revelation 20:12.
"And I saw the dead, small and great,
stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened,
which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which
were written in the books, according to their works.")
3. The Gospel (Romans 2:16.
"In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men
by Jesus Christ according to my gospel.")
4. His Truth (Psalms 96:13.
"Before the LORD: for he cometh, for he cometh to
judge the earth: he shall judge the world with righteousness, and the people
with his truth.")
V. The basis of the Judgment will surprise some.
A. We will be judged by our works.
1. Ecclesiastes
12:13-14. "Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear
God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. For God
shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be
good, or whether it be evil."
2. 2 Corinthians 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."
B. We will be judged by our words. (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.
For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be
condemned.").
Conclusion.
1. There is no need for us to be surprised at the Judgment Day.
2. Rather, we should constantly be preparing ourselves.
a. 2 Peter 3:11-12.
"Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of
persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness, Looking for and hasting
unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be
dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?"
b. 2 Timothy 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."
3. Are you ready?
-- Ralph Price - 2001 --
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