Hey friend, welcome back to the Semi -Seminarium.
Here we are, another week. Another installment
of our Bible study series we're calling the Bible
for Grownups. We are in week two of a little
mini -series that we are calling The End. And
we're looking at the end of our lives. What does
the Bible say about heaven and the rapture? What
happens when we die? What happens? Well, I don't
have all the answers, but I think I've got a
good conversation and maybe some things from
scripture that give you something to think about.
What is the end of your life like? Well, I can't
say for sure what it's going to be like, but
one thing I definitely know that it will happen.
And as a believer, what happens at that point
is very, very important to you because it's about
your eternal life. As a non -believer, what should
be important to you as well? Again, I don't have
all the answers, but I think there's something
to think about. Hey, I'll see you on the other
side. All right, so week number two in the end
times. And last week we looked at 2 Thessalonians
chapter 4 and we talked last week about the return
of Christ. We saw the resurrection of dead. We
saw the reunion of Christians with God in heaven.
Now remember, next week what we're going to do
is an overview of the book of Revelations. So
I'm going to pick some snapshots out of that
final book in the Bible that I believe, personally
I believe, can help us have a better biblical
understanding. of what will happen in the end
times. Today what I want to do is I want to talk
about your end times. Because whether or not
Jesus returns in your lifetime, the end of your
life will come on earth. And you'll have to face
one of two judgments. Remember I talked about
the two judgments things last week and I said
remember that we're going to talk a lot more
about that. I also teased that maybe I thought
that might have been the thing that Again, one
of my goals for anyone that comes to this or
anyone that's listening to the podcast is that
you listen and maybe there's at least one thing
that maybe you didn't know before. And maybe
that's not a lofty goal, but man, if every person
here, if I could talk for 45, 50 minutes, and
even if it's just one thing, I didn't know that
or I hadn't thought about that, then I consider
what I... have done a success. And I kind of
felt like maybe this two judgments thing might
be something that a lot of people are not quite
sure on. So we're actually going to talk quite
a bit about that. We're also going to try to
talk about what will heaven be like. So let's
build a foundation for our study this evening
by going to the last chapter of the book of Revelations.
We'll look at Revelation 22, verses 12 and 13.
The words of Jesus to start us out. Jesus says,
Behold, behold, I am coming soon. Jesus said,
And what will be with Jesus when he returns?
He said, My reward is with me. And Jesus said,
I will give to everyone according to what? To
what he and or she have done. Christ says, I
am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the
last, the beginning and the end. Christ says,
behold, I'm coming soon, and my reward is with
me. And I will give to everyone according to
what he and she have done. Now, if you're new
to Christianity, let me be very, very clear.
Already we are not, as we're born into this world,
We are not qualified for heaven by how good we
are and how we live our lives. Right? You do
not qualify for heaven with how good you live
your life. Because the truth, friends, is that
we are all sinners. And that the only way that
we can be made right with God, we Christian believers
believe, is faith in Jesus Christ. His life is
ministry. His death, his resurrection and his
return. Right. Our faith in that is what provides
us the ability to be made right with God. We're
made right with God, not because we deserve it,
not because we earn it by grace through faith.
We're forgiven by Jesus. But those of you that
are Christians, it's very, very important to
know. that although your works do not qualify
you for heaven, that's not how you get through
the doors, the way you do live does determine
how you will be rewarded in heaven. Okay? So
this will be interesting, I think. Let me say
again, for those of you that are Christians,
the way you live your life on earth will determine
how you will be rewarded in heaven. For example,
Let me give you an example. A preacher, a taxi
cab driver, they both die, and they end up in
heaven. St. Peter meets them at the pearly gates
there. Welcome, pastor. Welcome, taxi driver.
We've been expecting you. And St. Peter says
to the pastor over here, pastor, we have a lovely
three -bedroom, two -bedroom, I'm sorry, three
-bedroom, two -bath, ranch -style home. with
a nice fixed -in, fenced -in backyard prepared
all for you. And to the taxi cab driver, St.
Peter said, on this side, taxi cab driver, we
have a seven -bedroom mansion, a lovely swimming
pool overlooking the seventh hole at the Heavenly
Greens Golf Course, prepared just for you. And
the pastor, of course, says, no, no, no, no,
no, no, no, no, no, no. Wait just one minute.
I'm glad he's here and I'm glad to be here too.
Don't get me wrong, right? But you do know that
I served Jesus faithfully as a pastor for all
of those years on the earth. St. Peter says,
well, yes, pastor, we do know that. But we think
you need to know that how you're rewarded, how
you're judged based on the results you got on
earth. And pastor, whenever you preached, people
slept. But when the taxi cab driver drove, people
prayed. So welcome to heaven. Now, it's not how
it's going to happen. That's a really corny joke,
right? St. Peter will not be there welcoming
you either. Don't get any ideas. But the way
that you do live your life on earth will determine
how you will be rewarded in heaven. And I want
you to know what the judgment will be like for
you and for me. Okay? Judgment of your life.
I don't know. Maybe you're like me, but whenever
I was a kid, they told me like, you know, you'd
be standing in line, everybody else watching,
probably alphabetical, right? There's going to
be a big screen in heaven, and God's going to
show a movie of your life. And then he's going
to judge you? Did anybody kind of think that
as a kid? I did. And I thought, you know what?
Just send me straight to hell. That would be
horrible. I'm guilty. What will judgment be like?
We're going to look at two different judgments.
Whether you are a Christian or whether you are
not a Christian will determine how and when you
will be judged by God. Oh, that's awesome. I'm
glad you're here, right? So the first one in
your notes there is the judgment seat of Christ.
Here we go, the judgment seat of Christ. What
is it? When will it take place? Well, let's start,
when will it take place? A lot of biblical scholars
believe that it will take place right after the
return of Jesus and the resurrection of the Christian
dead. And the reason why these scholars believe
this is because of a little verse in a story
that Jesus was telling in a gospel account according
to Luke. In chapter 14, Jesus said this. Hey,
if you're throwing a dinner party, don't just
invite your family and your friends and other
rich people because they can pay you back by
inviting you to their swanky parties. Right?
Don't just invite the rich people. Don't just
invite the influential people. Because you're
not doing that for kindness sake. You're doing
that to get something in return. Jesus says,
on the other hand, instead, invite the poor and
the lame and the crippled. Why? Because they
cannot pay you back. Jesus says, but I will repay
you. Luke 14, 14. Jesus said, although the poor,
They cannot repay you. You will be repaid. You
will be rewarded. When? You will be repaid at
the resurrection of the righteous. Okay? An event.
A lot of people, when they hear the term judgment
seat, right? And I'll bet you you're one of these
Christians too. Why? Because you were probably
taught the Bible as a child or you were probably
taught the Bible as an adult. By someone who
was taught the Bible as a child. And you probably
heard judgment seat and you thought judgment
like guilt or innocence. Right? That's what judgment
means. Okay, a lot of people think that when
this happens, that's not what this is and we'll
explain. But let's talk about first, real quickly,
finish talking about when it will happen. Right?
Now remember last week we studied that the righteous.
Paul was writing about those who were believers
who had already passed and Jesus hadn't come
back yet. They were trying to figure out how
that all worked. We studied the righteous, those
who were in Christ. When they're raised from
the dead at the first judgment, they will be
judged at the judgment seat of Christ. Which
is a different judgment, I'll explain here in
a moment, than the great white throne. Two different
things, I'll explain. Most scholars believe,
and I tend to agree with them, that the judgment
seat of Christ is a judgment for Christians only.
This event is for believers only. You're not
judged also at this time. You're not judged for
your salvation or damnation here. Why? You're
already saved. If you're at this judgment, you're
there because you're a believer. You have faith
in Christ. Your sins have been forgiven. This
isn't to decide, you know what? Jesus said, you
want to go to heaven? Believe that I love you.
Believe that God loves you as much as he says
he does by the evidence of my death on the cross.
He has the power that he says he does based on
my resurrection. And he continues to love you
and is faithful enough to send me back. If you
believe that in me, right? When you die, you
don't get to go back and go, well, let's just
make sure it all stuck. Jesus already paid for
your sins. The judgment seat, the Bema seat,
is not about your salvation or your damnation.
You've already been saved, right? But what it
is, is a judgment for your good works on earth.
This isn't about. Whether you will make it to
heaven or not. This is about the rewards that
you will now receive now that you have made it
to heaven. Okay? And here's why people believe
this. Here's where this comes from. The word
in these scriptures, Romans 12 is one from 2
Corinthians here. Paul uses the same word, judgment
seat, as bema. He uses this specific word. Okay?
And that's important because a bema... is not
the judgment seat where a judge sets the issue
of a verdict of guilty or innocent. Instead,
it was a throne where the judge would sit to
issue awards after the Grecian Games. If the
runners at these Grecian Games run a race, the
judge would then sit at the end of the race when
the results were announced. The judge would sit
at the Bema seat and say, congratulations, here's
the crown. Or here's the wreath, right? The laurel
wreath for first place. Here's the crown or the
wreath for second place. So this is the bema
seat. This judgment seat is not guilt or innocence.
Rather, it's a judge who would issue awards for
those who had won races. The bema seat to which
Paul refers was a podium. For awarding prizes
to competitors in an athletic competition. The
way you guys might think of the Olympic Games,
right? And now we have people get up on the medal
stand. Okay? That's what BEMA means. Okay? That
type of judgment. It is for judgment for the
life you have lived for Christ. And the awards
you receive will be things that you've done for
others. Because all judgment... For your salvation
has already been paid for. Right? Paid in full
by the blood of Jesus Christ. Now, how will we
be rewarded? We're not sure. When we as humans
try to grasp awards in the earthly realm, we're
going to miss the mark to some degree, right?
Because our finite brains have a hard time fully
grasping infinite. But my theory might be that
there are dozens, hundreds, maybe even thousands
of crowns or other various types of awards. We
know for sure, according to Scripture, though,
that there are at least five different crowns.
And let me show you. So there are these crowns,
these awards that you receive for your life in
heaven. I have found five examples. that I think
are pretty hard to argue that that's what's being
said. Each one, I'm not going to read the corresponding
verse, but if you'd like in your notes there,
each one of these has the corresponding verse
in which it's referenced. The first one is the
incorruptible crown, and that's for those who
have run a faithful race, right? Those who were
devoted to Christ and righteous living. There's
the crown of rejoicing for those who share their
faith. If you invite your friend to church or
your... Maybe God's light in the office. Or maybe
you're God's light in your family. And you're
a witness to others. They're a crown for those
who share the faith. There's also the crown of
righteousness for those who long for Christ's
returning. Remember last week how the first century
Christians longed so much for Christ's return
that they believed it so much that it was going
to happen in their lifetime that they actually
grabbed each other by the hand and said, Maranatha,
the Lord is coming. Or Maranatha, Lord, come
now. They looked forward. to his return. For
those, the crown of righteousness. There's also
the crown of glory, and that's for faithful pastors.
Amen and amen, right? And finally, there's the
crown of life. If you've ever suffered on Christ's
behalf, for those who were martyred, for those
who had to endure great hardships for their Christian
faith, there's actually a crown given to those
who suffer for the glory of Christ, the crown
of life. Now, if you think, Right. If you think
I'm saying, hey, I'm going to heaven and Jesus
is going to give me a crown. And man, am I going
to strut my stuff all over heaven? Check out
the size of my crown. Look at your little puny
crown. Right. I bet you wish your crown was as
big as my crown. You will not be doing that.
Not not because your pastor told you not to.
be in heaven because you'll be judging people
anyway well you will be in heaven but your nature
has changed right you don't think that way anymore
you're an eternal being you're a heavenly being
now you will not be pulling around a wagon filled
up with your crowns and say look at mine right
and you've only got one crown you little booger
of a christian you should be glad you're here
right you won't do any of that and i'll explain
they're backed up in scripture Revelation 4,
when the 24 elders, these are beings that have,
these are Christian beings at this time. The
number 24 is significant, scholars believe, because
the 24 elders here indicates the 12 tribes of
Israel in Hebrew scripture and then the 12 apostles.
Not necessarily that those are the people that
are the 24 elders, but perhaps maybe that they
are. The 12 apostles and the 12 leaders of the
tribe of Israel make up these 24 elders. Revelation
4. What happens when they receive their crown?
These are rewards. Do you know what they did?
They actually kneeled down before Jesus and they
take their crowns off and they placed those crowns
at the feet of Jesus. Because if you could only
imagine Jesus with his scar, Nail scarred hands.
The one who was crowned with a crown of thorns
putting a crown of gold on your head. It would
be the most humbling moment of your existence
and the moment when you as an earthly being will
realize I don't deserve anything and he deserves
everything and put that crown at the feet of
the one who is due all of our worship, all of
our honor and all of our praise. That is what's
going to be going through your mind as a heavenly
being. Okay? Now, let's take a step back. Now
that we got to that point, let me just give you
a suggested timeline. Here is a suggested timeline
of how this all goes down. Say suggested. Suggested.
Suggested. Okay. If anybody tries to tell you,
this is how the world ends. I've done all the
research. I know for sure. You go to a website
and says, This is how it all goes down, guaranteed.
You go, because nobody knows for sure, right?
That's the dead giveaway. When millennialists
say, I know for sure, dead giveaway. Jesus specifically
said, oh, yes, no one will actually know the
end of time except for Joseph Jones, who's going
to start this splinter group of Seventh -day
Adventists in Waco, Texas. What? Right? I mean,
no one knows. Jesus says no one knows, no one
knows. So, suggested timeline, not 100 % accurate,
right? But we watched last week when Christ returns.
Now, sometime in the future, don't know when,
Christ returns, right? The dead in Christ would
rise. That means the Christians will be raptured.
Some believe this take place. Remember last week,
I believe that it takes place before the tribulation.
Because of that term when Jesus talks about snatching
up as if to rescue. That's why I happen to be
pre -tribulationist. But again, we'll find out,
right? Believers may be rewarded very early in
this process, according to Luke 14, 14. Then
will come the seven -year tribulation, right?
The second three and a half years during this
time period being far worse than the first, and
this is the time when the Antichrist will rise
during this time. Then there'll be the battle
of Armageddon, evil virtues, righteousness. And
in this battle, our God defeats Satan, throws
Satan into a bottomless pit where he's bound
in that pit for a thousand years, only to be
released for a short period of time before God
does away with Satan forever. I cannot speak
to the particulars of that because I don't understand
the particulars of that, but I believe that there's
going to be some spiritual war, some eventual
war between the agents of good, God's heavenly
beings, and in the agents of evil, okay? During
that thousand -year period where Satan is bound,
Christ actually returns for what's known as the
millennial reign, right? Okay. What? It's very
easy. The first time Jesus comes back, he comes
back for you. To snatch you up, right? His church,
he came back for us. The second time, the millennium,
the second time he comes back with us. The church
to rule and reign for a thousand years on earth.
Then at the end of this time comes the resurrection
of the dead. And this is where we'll start to
see this great white throne thing come into.
Remember last week, two resurrections. The first
resurrection judgment seat are for those who
are in Christ. The second is for non -Christians,
right? And that's known as the resurrection of
the dead who will be judged, the great white
throne judgment, before God does what God has
wanted to do and establishes the new heaven and
the new earth. Now, a lot of people ask, what
will heaven be like? I don't know, right? It
also is kind of fun to think like, will we ever
be bored in heaven? Right? I mean, after this
massive spiritual battle at Armageddon that I'm
talking about here, right? After that, after
evil is finally done away with, is it all we
have to do is just hang out with God in paradise
forever? Right? Aren't we going to be bored?
Right? Are we just going to sit around watching
fat, naked baby angels playing on harps, right,
for all of eternity? Well, I think you guys get
where we all kind of agree that sounds pretty
good as a Christian. Let me tell you John's vision,
John while in exile on Patmos. John the Revelator
says this in the 21st chapter of his Apocalypse.
In verse 1 through 4, three specific descriptions
of what John, illustrates heaven to be like.
The first thing we're going to see is that God
will establish a new heaven and a new earth.
Verse 1, Revelation 21, John says, I saw a new
heaven and a new earth. For the first heaven
and the first earth had passed away. What happens?
God establishes, creates a brand new earth without
the curse of sin and a new heaven. That's why
these biblical scholars whom I tend to agree
with, right? That whatever you enjoy on earth
in the first earth now, you'll enjoy on the new
earth and the new heaven. The only difference
is we will not be under the curse of sin. Okay?
It'll be like the Garden of Eden where Adam and
Eve walked with God in the cool of the day. Paradise.
What we're talking about here as erythral beings.
is uninterrupted fellowship with God in paradise.
Right? Just as it was in the beginning before
the serpent ruined everything with the temptation
that followed a curse. So whatever you love on
earth, your favorite moment on earth, heaven
will be indescribably better than your greatest
moment on earth. Why? Because you're going to
be living on an earth that no longer is cursed
by sin. Right? Scripture says, no eye has seen,
no ear has heard what our God has prepared for
those who love him. But God will establish a
new heaven and a new earth. The second thing
in your notes there is that you will never suffer
again. Here's what Scripture says. The promise
of God, friends. John, in his Apocalypse 21,
4 and 5, he, meaning God. will wipe away every
tear from their eyes. There will be no more death
or mourning or crying or pain. Praise God, right?
For the old order of things has passed away.
He who was seated on the throne said, I am making
everything new. God will wipe away every tear
from your eye. There will be no more death, no
more mourning, no more crying and pain. For those
of you that hurt right now, you need to know
in the new heaven and the earth, there will be
no more pain. There will be no more suffering.
If your body's wracked with pain, never again,
right? No more cancer, diabetes, no more AIDS,
no more famine, no more sickness, no starvation,
no more wars. It's done away with forever and
forever. The world is no curse. And you can walk
with God. That's what the new heaven and the
new earth will be like. Right? Number three,
you'll live with God forever. This is the way
it's described. John says verse three. And this
is the 20th time this phrase is used. 20th time
at this point this phrase is used and written
in Revelation. And it's the final time that this
phrase is written in the Revelation. 20 times
this phrase is uttered in the Revelation. And
I heard a loud voice from the throne. One commentary
I read said it's because this is the last time.
This is the most important. The major announcement
from God in all of Revelation. Right? And the
final time. From the throne there is the voice
of God. Now, God says, the dwelling of God is
where? Is with men and with women. And where
will he live? He will live with them. And they
will be his people. And God himself will be with
them. And he will be their God. That's what God
has wanted from page one of the book. Right?
Now this is the point here of complete return
to restoration. This is ultimately what God desires.
And this is the final declaration from the throne.
As if God is saying, finally it's done. It's
restored. It's back to the way I created it.
It's the way that I wanted it. And the reason,
right? The reason why we're not cheering and
clapping is probably because I told you to be
quiet, right? But again, it's because our finite
minds can't actually comprehend what I just said.
When God, in God's presence, we understand, we
hear with our spiritual body, however we want
to. Finally, it's done. Finally, God says, creation
is restored. It's back to the way I created it.
That will be worthy of praise for thousands of
years. That's the way I wanted it. Why? Because
God doesn't just love us, but love us who He
is. He created us as the object of His love.
So He is satisfied. God is finally fulfilled.
His plan is finally complete when His children
are with Him. Those of you that have been lucky
enough to be parents, right? You probably have
some idea. Or if you're just a member of a family,
right? It feels good to have all of your family
together under one roof, right? Everybody's together.
There's a feeling that goes with that. Imagine
that feeling, being the creator with his created.
So we talked about the first judgment, the judgment
seat of Christ. That's where Christians go to
be rewarded. The second judgment, in your notes,
is known as the great white throne judgment.
Christians will not be here. This is how the
great white throne judgment is described in Scripture.
John, exiled to the island of Patmos, says in
his Revelation 20, verse 11, had this vision.
I saw a great white throne and he who was seated
on it. Earth and sky fled from his presence and
there was no place for them. And I saw the dead,
great and small. In other words, those who were
significant, those who might have been seemingly
insignificant, all throughout the history of
the world were there standing before the throne.
and the books were opened. Another book was opened,
which is the book of life. The dead were judged
according to what they had done as recorded in
the books. And here's the important part. If
anyone's name was not found written in the book
of life, he or she was thrown into the lake of
fire. So, because of a lack of faith in Christ,
if anyone's sins were not covered, right? Through
faith in Christ, if anyone who had not called
on the grace of God to remove the blot of their
stain, if anyone was judged by their works alone
and not by the perfect works of Jesus, their
name was not found in the book of life. And he
or she was thrown into the lake of fire. Let's
pause. Because you might be thinking, right,
if you're not a church person, if you're not
a Christian, if you're kind of maybe skeptical,
you're probably thinking the same thing I would
think. Hang on a minute. That's not fair. Right?
We get to this part in the Bible and we want
to go, that's not fair. I don't like this part
of the story. I don't like to hear about God
throwing people in the lake of fire. It's not
fair, God sending people to hell. And that was
my first thought until I actually thought about
this logically. Let's talk about what's really
actually not fair. Because those actions on behalf
of God are absolutely and completely fair. How
many of you have ever known somebody who hurt
somebody else so severely and they were never
held accountable for their actions? How many
of you know that? What happens? You look on and
you say, that's not fair. They should have to
pay. Have you ever known someone who did some
horrible injustice to someone else and they got
away with it and there was no consequence? What
happens? You look on and say, that's not fair.
Somebody needs to pay for this. And that's exactly
what happens at the great white throne of judgment.
God takes all of the judgment, all of the sin,
all of the history, and it says, at this moment
there will be payment for the sins that were
not covered by Christ. Because you don't have
his righteousness. And because you don't have
his righteousness, you are guilty. Here's the
punishment for sin. And friends, not only is
that fair, that's what we call justice. If you
want to play the not fair game, there are those
of us who are Christians who should really, really
get excited. Because what's not fair is that
the one who was crowned with thorns Gives us
a crown. We deserve the lake of fire. Right?
But the only reason that we're there in heaven
is because Jesus took the punishment for our
sins upon Him. He was innocent. We were guilty.
That's not fair. It's not fair that I'm rewarded.
It's not fair that I'm there. It's not fair that
Jesus' grace covers my sins. I did nothing. To
deserve it. And that's why it's called the gospel.
That's why that's the good news. And that's why
when Jesus is trying to put a crown on my head,
I want to follow his feet and put it back, give
it back to him, begging to worship him for the
next 10 ,000 years. Because my Savior is that
good. And God is just. But because we as Christians
are not treated as our sins deserve, Right? We
thank God in that case that God's not fair. If
we got what was fair, we would not be thanking
God. I promise you. Right? And that's why I think
we should want to live lives on earth that are
worthy of rewards in heaven, however that might
play out. Here's the good news. The good news
is that when God does punish sin that is fair,
God does not always treat us as our sins deserve.
There is grace and there is justice. If we call
on Jesus who is without sin, the Lamb of God
slain for the sins of the world, raised from
the dead, so that everyone who calls on the name
of Jesus might be saved, forgiven, and transformed.
And that's why many of you are here. When you
turn... from your sins and you turn toward Jesus,
no matter what you've done, friends, remember,
he will forgive you of every sin. He will make
you new. Your name will be written in the book
of life and it could be never blotted out. And
many of you, that's why you're here today and
you know it. Because today is the day of your
salvation. Any questions? You know, as I listen
back to tonight's episode, I still can't help
but go back to the question that I posed at the
end of the first segment of this mini -series.
Like, that's last week's episode. Go back and
check that out. But the question that I pose
that I still want to wrestle, I want us all to
wrestle with is, we don't know when the end of
our life comes. But if somehow we were fortunate
enough to find out that information, how would
our lives be different? Knowing now that what
we do on this earth, the good works that we perform,
has nothing to do with our salvation. Whenever
we find ourselves before the Bema Seat, we're
already saved. But how we lived our lives on
earth, Well, be rewarded in heaven. If we knew
that our lives were coming to an end, how would
we live our lives different? I think that's my
ultimate question through all three parts. Because
as a Christian and as a pastor, I'm just so worried
that often we focus so much on the eternal salvation
of Jesus. that is promised and earned through
His blood, that we forget that we still have
a responsibility to do what we can to bring God's
justice into the world. And so often we miss
the mark, but whenever we get it right and we
get it for God's glory, there's reward for us
in heaven. Not so that we can flaunt our eternal
wealth, that we can return those crowns of gold
back to the Savior that made it all possible
for us. Again, that's something to think about.
Next week, we're diving into the apocalypse.
We'll be looking at the revelation brought to
us by John on exile in Patmos. I hope that until
then, you are well, and I will see you next week.
Thank you for listening to the Semi -Seminarian.