WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:03.680 Would you open your Bible, please, to Romans 00:00:03.680 --> 00:00:09.480 chapter 14 and then to 2 Corinthians chapter 00:00:09.480 --> 00:00:18.760 5. Romans chapter 14 and then we'll look at 2 00:00:18.760 --> 00:00:24.280 Corinthians chapter 5. First we'll read verses 00:00:24.280 --> 00:00:30.679 10 through 12 of Romans 14. But you, why do you 00:00:30.679 --> 00:00:34.619 judge your brother? Or, you again, why do you 00:00:34.619 --> 00:00:39.020 regard your brother with contempt? For we shall 00:00:39.020 --> 00:00:43.799 all stand before the judgment seat of God. For 00:00:43.799 --> 00:00:47.520 it is written, As I live, says the Lord, every 00:00:47.520 --> 00:00:50.500 knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall 00:00:50.500 --> 00:00:55.119 give praise to God. So then each one of us shall 00:00:55.119 --> 00:01:00.500 give account of himself to God. That word account 00:01:00.500 --> 00:01:06.439 is the term of an accountant, a bookkeeper. And 00:01:06.439 --> 00:01:08.640 what it says essentially is that God is going 00:01:08.640 --> 00:01:14.060 to audit our lives. Now turn over to 2 Corinthians 00:01:14.060 --> 00:01:21.439 chapter 5 where the Apostle is speaking regarding 00:01:21.439 --> 00:01:27.780 our anticipation of our heavenly body. He tells 00:01:27.780 --> 00:01:33.480 us that to be absent from our body now means 00:01:33.480 --> 00:01:37.620 to be present with the Lord. Over these last 00:01:37.620 --> 00:01:40.459 weeks, there are certain phrases that God has 00:01:40.459 --> 00:01:43.379 written afresh in my heart that have become exceedingly 00:01:43.379 --> 00:01:46.819 precious, and this is one of them, present with 00:01:46.819 --> 00:01:51.739 the Lord or at home with the Lord. Another one 00:01:51.739 --> 00:01:54.969 is in Philippians chapter 1. where the apostle 00:01:54.969 --> 00:01:58.030 says that he desires to depart and to be with 00:01:58.030 --> 00:02:03.430 Christ, which he says is very far better. I like 00:02:03.430 --> 00:02:05.150 those three words. I'm not sure all that they 00:02:05.150 --> 00:02:11.270 mean, but it's very far better to be there. And 00:02:11.270 --> 00:02:14.310 then he says in verse 9, Therefore also we have 00:02:14.310 --> 00:02:20.270 as our ambition, whether at home or absent, to 00:02:20.270 --> 00:02:25.560 be pleasing to him. For, we must all appear before 00:02:25.560 --> 00:02:29.900 the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may 00:02:29.900 --> 00:02:33.659 be recompensed for his deeds in the body according 00:02:33.659 --> 00:02:37.419 to what he has done, whether good or bad. Therefore, 00:02:37.539 --> 00:02:42.199 knowing the fear of the Lord, we persuade men, 00:02:42.599 --> 00:02:46.900 but we are made manifest to God. Let's pray together. 00:02:51.500 --> 00:02:56.719 bow before you, humbly seeking that the Spirit 00:02:56.719 --> 00:03:00.000 of God would open these texts to us this evening 00:03:00.000 --> 00:03:03.659 as we think about the judgment seat of Christ. 00:03:05.159 --> 00:03:07.560 And I pray that you will have the freedom to 00:03:07.560 --> 00:03:10.539 say everything you want to say to each one of 00:03:10.539 --> 00:03:16.280 us. Give our ears the ability to hear your voice 00:03:16.280 --> 00:03:23.340 and our wills. a readiness to respond. In Jesus' 00:03:23.900 --> 00:03:30.639 name, amen. Accountability is built into life. 00:03:31.740 --> 00:03:34.039 That is true in nearly every realm that you can 00:03:34.039 --> 00:03:37.960 think about. Two weeks ago tonight, for some 00:03:37.960 --> 00:03:42.819 reason, a Northwest airliner taking off from 00:03:42.819 --> 00:03:46.800 Detroit, Michigan was claimed by the law of gravity. 00:03:49.129 --> 00:03:52.490 Whatever the reason, and I suppose ultimately 00:03:52.490 --> 00:03:58.530 we shall find out, the law of gravity claimed 00:03:58.530 --> 00:04:02.689 the lives of those people. They were held accountable 00:04:02.689 --> 00:04:06.889 because that airliner did not attain airworthiness. 00:04:07.490 --> 00:04:13.710 It was unable to attain its takeoff. Accountability 00:04:13.710 --> 00:04:19.399 is written into life. I was working with one 00:04:19.399 --> 00:04:22.459 of the men in our church a few weeks ago installing 00:04:22.459 --> 00:04:27.079 a house fan. And as we were doing that we had 00:04:27.079 --> 00:04:31.319 to wire it. I have a healthy respect for electricity. 00:04:31.600 --> 00:04:34.459 I have learned it the good old -fashioned way. 00:04:36.319 --> 00:04:39.939 And I was amazed as he was able to work so deftly 00:04:39.939 --> 00:04:42.819 with the electrical system in our house and wire 00:04:42.819 --> 00:04:46.829 that fan without fear. with a healthy respect 00:04:46.829 --> 00:04:49.509 but without fear because he knew how to use the 00:04:49.509 --> 00:04:53.569 laws of electricity. But if you abuse those laws, 00:04:53.730 --> 00:04:56.610 if you break those laws, you will be held accountable. 00:04:57.250 --> 00:04:59.310 And I suppose all of us have to some degree at 00:04:59.310 --> 00:05:02.250 some point in our lives. Accountability is written 00:05:02.250 --> 00:05:06.170 into life. That is what is said to us here regarding 00:05:06.170 --> 00:05:10.550 the totality of life. The Apostle says we must 00:05:10.550 --> 00:05:17.829 all appear. It says, every one of us shall give 00:05:17.829 --> 00:05:23.069 account of himself. He is speaking regarding 00:05:23.069 --> 00:05:26.930 what is called the Bema seat of Christ, the judgment 00:05:26.930 --> 00:05:31.370 seat of Christ. I'd like for us to think about 00:05:31.370 --> 00:05:34.589 this judgment that is in the future with respect 00:05:34.589 --> 00:05:37.149 to several things. First of all, the one who 00:05:37.149 --> 00:05:40.730 will judge. Who is the one who will be on the 00:05:40.730 --> 00:05:45.420 judgment seat on that day of the Bema? The answer 00:05:45.420 --> 00:05:48.399 is that the Lord Jesus Christ will be the one 00:05:48.399 --> 00:05:50.800 who will be seated on that throne of judgment. 00:05:51.600 --> 00:05:54.339 Now we know that because it is called the judgment 00:05:54.339 --> 00:05:57.660 seat of Christ here in 2 Corinthians 5, even 00:05:57.660 --> 00:06:00.220 as it is called the judgment seat of God by the 00:06:00.220 --> 00:06:03.279 best readings in Romans chapter 14. There is 00:06:03.279 --> 00:06:05.959 no contradiction there whatsoever for Jesus Christ 00:06:05.959 --> 00:06:10.500 is God. It is His judgment seat. But we know 00:06:10.500 --> 00:06:12.639 further that he will be the one on the throne 00:06:12.639 --> 00:06:15.300 because of what is said in John chapter 5, and 00:06:15.300 --> 00:06:17.819 I'd like for you to refer to that with me for 00:06:17.819 --> 00:06:22.180 just a moment. In John chapter 5, in verses 22 00:06:22.180 --> 00:06:28.779 and 23, our Savior has these words, For not even 00:06:28.779 --> 00:06:32.920 the Father judges anyone, but he has given all 00:06:32.920 --> 00:06:36.860 judgment to the Son. "...in order that all may 00:06:36.860 --> 00:06:39.639 honor the Son, even as they honor the Father. 00:06:40.379 --> 00:06:43.560 He who does not honor the Son does not honor 00:06:43.560 --> 00:06:47.339 the Father who sent him." And then skip down 00:06:47.339 --> 00:06:51.079 to verse 27 where it says, "...and he the Father 00:06:51.079 --> 00:06:55.259 gave him the Son, authority to execute judgment, 00:06:55.819 --> 00:07:01.879 because he is the Son of man." Our Savior is 00:07:01.879 --> 00:07:06.199 the God -Man. He is fully God, but He is also 00:07:06.199 --> 00:07:13.480 fully man. And as man, He is able to sit in judgment 00:07:13.480 --> 00:07:18.339 perfectly over all men. And so God the Father 00:07:18.339 --> 00:07:22.199 has committed to His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, 00:07:22.339 --> 00:07:28.060 God the Son incarnate, all judgment. And that 00:07:28.060 --> 00:07:30.759 includes this which is called the judgment seat 00:07:30.759 --> 00:07:35.379 of Christ. Because he is the son of man, he is 00:07:35.379 --> 00:07:41.699 perfectly qualified in every respect to be our 00:07:41.699 --> 00:07:45.720 judge. It is good to keep in mind that in the 00:07:45.720 --> 00:07:51.000 future there are two general periods of judgment. 00:07:52.040 --> 00:07:55.480 One period will be before the millennial reign 00:07:55.480 --> 00:07:59.439 of the Lord Jesus Christ. when the judgment of 00:07:59.439 --> 00:08:03.319 all of the righteous will take place. Now that 00:08:03.319 --> 00:08:06.160 must be so because the righteous will enter into 00:08:06.160 --> 00:08:10.980 that kingdom with varying degrees of responsibility. 00:08:12.360 --> 00:08:15.279 The responsibility in the kingdom will be determined 00:08:15.279 --> 00:08:20.019 at the judgment. So all of the righteous will 00:08:20.019 --> 00:08:24.360 be judged prior to the beginning of the millennial 00:08:24.360 --> 00:08:28.660 or the 1 ,000 year reign. of the Lord Jesus Christ. 00:08:30.079 --> 00:08:32.340 There is a second general period of judgment 00:08:32.340 --> 00:08:36.580 and that follows the Millennium when all of the 00:08:36.580 --> 00:08:40.879 wicked will be judged. At that time there will 00:08:40.879 --> 00:08:44.159 be established the great white throne judgment 00:08:44.159 --> 00:08:47.240 that is mentioned to us in the book of the Revelation. 00:08:48.220 --> 00:08:52.139 That is a judgment not of believers at all but 00:08:52.139 --> 00:08:55.679 of those whose names have not been written in 00:08:55.679 --> 00:08:58.980 the Lamb's book of life, that is, those who are 00:08:58.980 --> 00:09:03.960 unsaved. It is certain that you and I will stand 00:09:03.960 --> 00:09:09.740 at some judgment. There is no question regarding 00:09:09.740 --> 00:09:14.100 that. At some judgment, every person who has 00:09:14.100 --> 00:09:18.159 ever been born into the world will stand before 00:09:18.159 --> 00:09:23.730 Jesus Christ for an accounting. And on that occasion, 00:09:24.049 --> 00:09:28.309 the all -seeing, piercing eyes of our Savior, 00:09:29.850 --> 00:09:33.950 His loving, compassionate eyes, yet described 00:09:33.950 --> 00:09:38.769 as eyes like flaming fire, those eyes will peer 00:09:38.769 --> 00:09:43.269 into ours and through our eyes into our hearts 00:09:43.269 --> 00:09:50.500 and every hidden area of life. is possible to 00:09:50.500 --> 00:09:53.899 be exposed will be exposed at that judgment. 00:09:54.139 --> 00:09:56.759 And I say that will happen to every one of us. 00:09:57.019 --> 00:09:59.720 Whether Christian or non -Christian, saved or 00:09:59.720 --> 00:10:03.919 lost, we shall all stand before some judgment. 00:10:04.879 --> 00:10:07.320 And Jesus Christ will be the one on the throne. 00:10:08.840 --> 00:10:11.320 Now let's ask a second question. Who are those 00:10:11.320 --> 00:10:15.779 who will be judged at the Bema? That is the judgment 00:10:15.779 --> 00:10:21.210 seat of Christ. The answer is believers. And 00:10:21.210 --> 00:10:24.850 more specifically than that, it seems only the 00:10:24.850 --> 00:10:29.169 believers during this age, those who are a part 00:10:29.169 --> 00:10:33.470 of the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ, those 00:10:33.470 --> 00:10:37.250 who will be caught up in the glorious rapture 00:10:37.250 --> 00:10:40.110 of which we have sung this evening and heard 00:10:40.110 --> 00:10:44.679 sung. It is we who are a part of this elect body 00:10:44.679 --> 00:10:48.259 being composed in this age from all of the nations 00:10:48.259 --> 00:10:51.600 of the world. It is we who shall stand before 00:10:51.600 --> 00:10:54.919 the Savior at this particular judgment of the 00:10:54.919 --> 00:10:58.620 righteous, which is called the Bema seat judgment. 00:11:00.419 --> 00:11:03.700 We who are believers in the Lord Jesus Christ 00:11:03.700 --> 00:11:07.840 have basically three judgments that we face. 00:11:08.429 --> 00:11:12.269 The first one is the past judgment when we were 00:11:12.269 --> 00:11:18.429 sinners. That is a judgment that we faced at 00:11:18.429 --> 00:11:21.769 the cross of our Savior when we came to Christ. 00:11:22.250 --> 00:11:25.149 It was a judgment upon our sin at that moment 00:11:25.149 --> 00:11:29.470 when we saw our sinfulness and we saw the cross 00:11:29.470 --> 00:11:32.269 of the Lord and we understood His work there 00:11:32.269 --> 00:11:35.850 on our behalf, His shed blood for the remission 00:11:35.850 --> 00:11:39.820 of our sins. At that moment our sins were dealt 00:11:39.820 --> 00:11:45.360 with. That is the past judgment. That's why it 00:11:45.360 --> 00:11:48.960 says in Romans 8 -1, there is therefore now no 00:11:48.960 --> 00:11:53.100 condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus 00:11:53.100 --> 00:11:56.580 because the judgment of sins is in the past. 00:11:57.399 --> 00:12:01.639 It's over. There will not be a judgment of sin 00:12:01.639 --> 00:12:06.740 in the future for us. That's a blessed truth. 00:12:07.629 --> 00:12:12.450 We have already passed from death to life. The 00:12:12.450 --> 00:12:16.669 sin question is settled once and for all at the 00:12:16.669 --> 00:12:20.710 cross. When we bow there, we bow our hearts and 00:12:20.710 --> 00:12:24.070 receive Jesus Christ. Then there is a present 00:12:24.070 --> 00:12:27.450 judgment when we are judged not as sinners but 00:12:27.450 --> 00:12:31.549 as sons. This is a judgment that is described 00:12:31.549 --> 00:12:35.440 in Hebrews chapter 12 as chastisement. It is 00:12:35.440 --> 00:12:38.419 the work of our Lord bringing into our lives 00:12:38.419 --> 00:12:43.299 His discipline to cleanse us, to teach us, to 00:12:43.299 --> 00:12:47.100 instruct us in the ways of the Lord. It is a 00:12:47.100 --> 00:12:50.360 type of judgment now, and in fact it is a kind 00:12:50.360 --> 00:12:53.419 of judgment of which we share by self -examination 00:12:53.419 --> 00:12:56.399 as we talked about this morning. 1 Corinthians 00:12:56.399 --> 00:13:01.259 11 commands us to examine ourselves before we 00:13:01.259 --> 00:13:04.299 partake of the Lord's table. That, too, is a 00:13:04.299 --> 00:13:08.840 part of this present judgment process. We are 00:13:08.840 --> 00:13:11.879 judged as the sons of God. We are chastened by 00:13:11.879 --> 00:13:16.519 Him as those whom He loves. And then there is 00:13:16.519 --> 00:13:19.740 the future judgment when we will be judged not 00:13:19.740 --> 00:13:23.879 as sinners or as sons, but rather as servants. 00:13:24.980 --> 00:13:28.620 For at this future judgment of the Lord, we will 00:13:28.620 --> 00:13:31.559 stand before Him to give account for our service. 00:13:31.850 --> 00:13:40.049 This is the Bema Seat judgment of Christ. Now 00:13:40.049 --> 00:13:42.889 let's think regarding the nature of this judgment 00:13:42.889 --> 00:13:47.529 on that day at the Bema Seat. I want to re -emphasize, 00:13:47.529 --> 00:13:50.590 because there are some who worry about this, 00:13:51.409 --> 00:13:54.730 that this is not a judgment to determine salvation. 00:13:57.090 --> 00:13:59.990 The judgment seat of Christ is not a time to 00:14:00.159 --> 00:14:04.580 determine punishment for sins because the Lord 00:14:04.580 --> 00:14:09.559 Jesus has paid for sins. Those will not be held 00:14:09.559 --> 00:14:14.039 to our account any longer because of His payment 00:14:14.039 --> 00:14:18.899 on our behalf as our substitute. The judgment 00:14:18.899 --> 00:14:22.639 seat of Christ does not deal with our eternal 00:14:22.639 --> 00:14:27.980 destiny, but it does deal with our earthly deeds. 00:14:29.360 --> 00:14:34.080 It does not deal with our salvation, but it does 00:14:34.080 --> 00:14:39.340 deal with our service. As I suggested when we 00:14:39.340 --> 00:14:42.820 read the scripture in Romans chapter 14, we will 00:14:42.820 --> 00:14:45.279 give an accounting to God. That is a term that 00:14:45.279 --> 00:14:48.000 should be very meaningful to those of you who 00:14:48.000 --> 00:14:53.419 have studied accounting or who are CPAs. It means 00:14:53.419 --> 00:14:57.740 that the ledger books will be opened and that 00:14:57.740 --> 00:15:02.230 our Lord will then Do an accounting process of 00:15:02.230 --> 00:15:07.009 our lives at the judgment seat of Christ. You 00:15:07.009 --> 00:15:12.190 say, well, what about our sins? Well, I am thanking 00:15:12.190 --> 00:15:15.049 God tonight as surely you are that all of our 00:15:15.049 --> 00:15:18.289 sins, past, present, and future are under the 00:15:18.289 --> 00:15:21.850 blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. Our sins will 00:15:21.850 --> 00:15:25.710 not specifically be brought before us there at 00:15:25.710 --> 00:15:30.110 the judgment seat of Christ. Now, if we are living 00:15:30.110 --> 00:15:34.610 in sin, it means that we are wasting time. And 00:15:34.610 --> 00:15:38.049 as our lives are examined, as the books are opened 00:15:38.049 --> 00:15:41.509 on that occasion, it may be that there will be 00:15:41.509 --> 00:15:46.169 blank pages because we have not been living for 00:15:46.169 --> 00:15:48.830 Christ. You see, the sins themselves may not 00:15:48.830 --> 00:15:51.830 be there. They're paid for. But the sad fact 00:15:51.830 --> 00:15:54.990 on that day is that we may not have anything 00:15:54.990 --> 00:16:00.600 in the book. I believe that's why the Apostle 00:16:00.600 --> 00:16:04.600 Paul says as he does in 2 Corinthians 5 and verse 00:16:04.600 --> 00:16:09.500 11, knowing the fear of the Lord. The Apostle 00:16:09.500 --> 00:16:13.759 said as he himself pondered that day that there 00:16:13.759 --> 00:16:20.840 was an awe about it to him. The word here is 00:16:20.840 --> 00:16:25.759 our English word phobia. Here is a healthy phobia. 00:16:26.080 --> 00:16:30.600 It's the beam of phobia. Paul said, as I think 00:16:30.600 --> 00:16:33.919 about the Bema seed of Christ and the fact that 00:16:33.919 --> 00:16:39.379 I must be exposed before the Lord and will give 00:16:39.379 --> 00:16:43.960 an accounting of myself, there is an awe in my 00:16:43.960 --> 00:16:47.980 heart of that day. There is a healthy fear of 00:16:47.980 --> 00:16:53.740 that day. And so he says, we persuade men and 00:16:53.740 --> 00:16:56.200 are made manifest to God. He says we live an 00:16:56.200 --> 00:17:01.409 open book all the time. We allow our hearts to 00:17:01.409 --> 00:17:04.970 be made known to God. We are manifest to God 00:17:04.970 --> 00:17:09.130 and we persuade men because someday we will stand 00:17:09.130 --> 00:17:13.789 before him for judgment. The BEMA, B -E -M -A, 00:17:13.910 --> 00:17:19.710 what is that? The BEMA was a platform, a raised 00:17:19.710 --> 00:17:24.690 platform and a seat for the judge of athletic 00:17:24.690 --> 00:17:28.799 contests in those days. If any of you have ever 00:17:28.799 --> 00:17:32.279 traveled to Greece and have gone down to Corinth, 00:17:32.359 --> 00:17:37.680 you see the Bema that is there, which the Corinthians 00:17:37.680 --> 00:17:40.799 certainly had in mind as Paul wrote these words 00:17:40.799 --> 00:17:45.460 to them. It is still there today in ruins, the 00:17:45.460 --> 00:17:51.640 Bema, where the judge would stand to decide cases 00:17:51.640 --> 00:17:55.319 or in the case of athletic games where he would 00:17:55.319 --> 00:17:57.880 pass out the awards and that seems to be the 00:17:57.880 --> 00:18:02.619 primary thrust of Paul's words. Now in those 00:18:02.619 --> 00:18:06.460 days the one who would pass out the awards would 00:18:06.460 --> 00:18:10.759 give out a garland of some kind of greenery that 00:18:10.759 --> 00:18:13.700 would go on the head of the athlete and of course 00:18:13.700 --> 00:18:15.680 it would quickly pass away but the honor was 00:18:15.680 --> 00:18:19.339 bestowed you see at the Beamer. Now what he says 00:18:19.339 --> 00:18:22.680 to us is that there is a Bema that God has established 00:18:22.680 --> 00:18:27.079 for us when we will come before him and how we 00:18:27.079 --> 00:18:32.380 have run our race will matter because we will 00:18:32.380 --> 00:18:37.880 then be awarded our prize by the Lord Himself. 00:18:39.180 --> 00:18:42.380 He tells us that there will be an uncovering, 00:18:42.839 --> 00:18:47.170 a laying bare. a revealing of the total fruit, 00:18:47.349 --> 00:18:52.630 the total worth of each believer's life. Now 00:18:52.630 --> 00:18:55.829 from the negative standpoint, it means that we 00:18:55.829 --> 00:19:01.150 will not be judged by what we want to do and 00:19:01.150 --> 00:19:06.750 can, but what we ought to do and don't. But from 00:19:06.750 --> 00:19:09.650 the positive standpoint, it means that everything 00:19:09.650 --> 00:19:13.140 that we have done in our lives in the name of 00:19:13.140 --> 00:19:18.059 the Lord Jesus Christ with pure motives that 00:19:18.059 --> 00:19:21.759 God is going to examine that on that day and 00:19:21.759 --> 00:19:26.059 pass judgment on it and we will be rewarded accordingly. 00:19:28.299 --> 00:19:31.460 There have been times perhaps when you have served 00:19:31.460 --> 00:19:36.079 the Lord sincerely and in the power of the Holy 00:19:36.079 --> 00:19:39.890 Spirit. And you have received no acclaim for 00:19:39.890 --> 00:19:43.670 that. No one has awarded you anything. You have 00:19:43.670 --> 00:19:47.170 no plaque on your wall. Indeed, maybe something 00:19:47.170 --> 00:19:53.150 has been so small as we count things that no 00:19:53.150 --> 00:19:54.930 one would ever give you an award for it. Let 00:19:54.930 --> 00:19:57.049 me tell you, there's not a cup of cold water 00:19:57.049 --> 00:20:00.210 given in the name of Christ. But that shall not 00:20:00.210 --> 00:20:03.759 be exposed on this day. There's a wonderful word 00:20:03.759 --> 00:20:05.940 in 1st Corinthians 4 or 5. In fact, it's worth 00:20:05.940 --> 00:20:08.700 going back to look at in your own Bible. 1st 00:20:08.700 --> 00:20:14.619 Corinthians chapter 4. You remember the Corinthians 00:20:14.619 --> 00:20:20.500 were judging Paul. They were evaluating Paul 00:20:20.500 --> 00:20:23.980 and Apollos and Peter and dividing up sides and 00:20:23.980 --> 00:20:25.700 saying, well, this guy's a better preacher than 00:20:25.700 --> 00:20:27.940 that one and this one is better than the other 00:20:27.940 --> 00:20:31.650 one. And Paul says to them in verse 5 of chapter 00:20:31.650 --> 00:20:35.329 4, Therefore do not go on passing judgment before 00:20:35.329 --> 00:20:40.349 the time, but wait until the Lord comes, who 00:20:40.349 --> 00:20:43.170 will both bring to light the things hidden in 00:20:43.170 --> 00:20:47.089 darkness and disclose the motives of men's hearts. 00:20:47.549 --> 00:20:51.210 And then each man's praise will come to him from 00:20:51.210 --> 00:20:55.970 God. Paul is saying to the Corinthians, your 00:20:55.970 --> 00:21:02.910 praise of me or your judgment of me does not 00:21:02.910 --> 00:21:05.690 matter. He says, I don't care for it. The important 00:21:05.690 --> 00:21:08.690 thing is there's a time coming when the Lord 00:21:08.690 --> 00:21:12.470 will examine me and each one of us will have 00:21:12.470 --> 00:21:16.970 praise not from men, but from God. I'm encouraged 00:21:16.970 --> 00:21:19.289 by that fact that it seems that the Lord is going 00:21:19.289 --> 00:21:22.529 to find something at least in all of us on that 00:21:22.529 --> 00:21:26.990 day for which to give praise and to reward us. 00:21:29.519 --> 00:21:33.279 Why, you may say, does it need to wait that long? 00:21:33.380 --> 00:21:36.819 Why aren't we rewarded now? Wouldn't that be 00:21:36.819 --> 00:21:39.440 a greater incentive as we go along to know the 00:21:39.440 --> 00:21:41.960 Lord's rewards? Well, in one sense, maybe it 00:21:41.960 --> 00:21:45.720 would. But you see, our Lord wishes to wait until 00:21:45.720 --> 00:21:51.779 that time so that the totality of our lives can 00:21:51.779 --> 00:21:56.640 be determined. That all the worth of them All 00:21:56.640 --> 00:21:59.500 of the good that you have set into motion can 00:21:59.500 --> 00:22:03.380 then be adequately measured. He does not want 00:22:03.380 --> 00:22:06.900 to shortchange you. He is waiting until that 00:22:06.900 --> 00:22:11.539 future time after the rapture of the church so 00:22:11.539 --> 00:22:14.660 that all of the good that you have done in His 00:22:14.660 --> 00:22:18.880 name may at that time then be adequately and 00:22:18.880 --> 00:22:22.059 fully praised and rewarded at the judgment seat 00:22:22.059 --> 00:22:24.240 of Christ. What are the crowns that will be given 00:22:24.240 --> 00:22:27.809 on that day? Well, there are certain crowns named 00:22:27.809 --> 00:22:30.829 in the Bible. I don't know that these are the 00:22:30.829 --> 00:22:33.690 only crowns to be given, but there is mention, 00:22:33.730 --> 00:22:36.789 for example, in 1 Corinthians 9, verses 24 to 00:22:36.789 --> 00:22:41.029 27, the incorruptible crown, which is said there 00:22:41.029 --> 00:22:43.809 will be given to those who practice self -control. 00:22:47.049 --> 00:22:50.990 In 1 Thessalonians 2, verses 19 and 20, there 00:22:50.990 --> 00:22:54.599 is suggested the soul -winner's crown. for those 00:22:54.599 --> 00:22:59.500 who are faithful and witnessing for Christ. In 00:22:59.500 --> 00:23:03.720 2 Timothy 4, verses 5 through 8, the crown of 00:23:03.720 --> 00:23:06.740 righteousness, says Paul, will be given to all 00:23:06.740 --> 00:23:09.519 of those who love and look for the appearing 00:23:09.519 --> 00:23:14.579 of Christ. In James 2, 12, and again in Revelation 00:23:14.579 --> 00:23:19.079 2, 10, the crown of life will be given to those 00:23:19.079 --> 00:23:22.759 who endure trial. because of their love for the 00:23:22.759 --> 00:23:26.559 Lord Jesus and their faithfulness to him. And 00:23:26.559 --> 00:23:30.079 then in 1 Peter 5 verses 1 through 4, the shepherd's 00:23:30.079 --> 00:23:34.519 crown to be given to elders who faithfully feed 00:23:34.519 --> 00:23:38.440 the flock of God and live exemplary lives before 00:23:38.440 --> 00:23:42.079 them. Now these are the specific crowns that 00:23:42.079 --> 00:23:44.819 are mentioned in the New Testament, but surely 00:23:44.819 --> 00:23:48.700 these will not be the only ones. For our Lord 00:23:48.700 --> 00:23:52.359 knows perfectly how to reward us on that day, 00:23:52.880 --> 00:23:57.319 so that we will sense the excitement and the 00:23:57.319 --> 00:24:01.200 fulfillment of having served Him faithfully in 00:24:01.200 --> 00:24:06.500 this world. The wise Christian therefore will 00:24:06.500 --> 00:24:10.480 judge life's issues with this prospect in view. 00:24:11.440 --> 00:24:14.799 As we run the race, sometimes the track seems 00:24:14.799 --> 00:24:19.319 pretty long, doesn't it? And we wonder, will 00:24:19.319 --> 00:24:22.740 there ever be a finish line? Is there ever a 00:24:22.740 --> 00:24:24.859 time when rewards are given out? And the answer 00:24:24.859 --> 00:24:28.759 is absolutely yes, there is. You and I may not 00:24:28.759 --> 00:24:32.539 be able to see the finish line, but we see the 00:24:32.539 --> 00:24:35.480 one who stands at the finish line, our Christ, 00:24:36.700 --> 00:24:39.339 and he stands there waiting for us to arrive 00:24:39.339 --> 00:24:43.279 at this occasion, and then will give us appropriately 00:24:43.279 --> 00:24:47.079 what we have earned. by our service for Him. 00:24:49.559 --> 00:24:52.799 Moses lived this way. Don't lose 1 Corinthians 00:24:52.799 --> 00:24:55.759 3 because I want to come back there, but turn 00:24:55.759 --> 00:24:58.539 over to Hebrews chapter 11 for just a moment. 00:25:02.579 --> 00:25:05.259 And look in verse 24 of this great chapter of 00:25:05.259 --> 00:25:09.200 faith where it says, By faith Moses, when he 00:25:09.200 --> 00:25:12.180 had grown up, refused to be called the son of 00:25:12.180 --> 00:25:16.279 Pharaoh's daughter. Choosing, rather, to endure 00:25:16.279 --> 00:25:19.339 ill treatment with the people of God than to 00:25:19.339 --> 00:25:24.940 enjoy the passing pleasures of sin. Considering 00:25:24.940 --> 00:25:28.220 the reproach of Christ greater riches than the 00:25:28.220 --> 00:25:32.960 treasures of Egypt, for He was looking to the 00:25:32.960 --> 00:25:37.019 reward. By faith He left Egypt, not fearing the 00:25:37.019 --> 00:25:40.880 wrath of the king, for He endured as seeing Him 00:25:40.880 --> 00:25:45.470 who is unseen. Someone has said Moses chose the 00:25:45.470 --> 00:25:48.029 imperishable, saw the invisible, and did the 00:25:48.029 --> 00:25:51.009 impossible because he was a man who lived by 00:25:51.009 --> 00:25:56.170 faith. Now why did Moses do what he did? Because 00:25:56.170 --> 00:25:59.509 he looked beyond the temporal power he might 00:25:59.509 --> 00:26:02.390 have had as the son of Pharaoh's daughter, the 00:26:02.390 --> 00:26:06.750 next Pharaoh. He looked beyond the passing pleasures 00:26:06.750 --> 00:26:12.250 of sin. He looked beyond the rewards he might 00:26:12.250 --> 00:26:16.900 have... have experienced the possessions. And 00:26:16.900 --> 00:26:20.819 he saw him who was invisible and he looked to 00:26:20.819 --> 00:26:25.720 that reward. What reward is that? Well, in the 00:26:25.720 --> 00:26:29.660 context of Hebrews 11, it seems to be the fulfillment 00:26:29.660 --> 00:26:33.779 of all the promises of God in that city whose 00:26:33.779 --> 00:26:37.180 builder and maker is God, that place that Abraham 00:26:37.180 --> 00:26:40.440 looked for in Isaac and Jacob and all the faithful 00:26:40.440 --> 00:26:44.420 through the ages. Moses looked ahead and he saw 00:26:44.420 --> 00:26:46.960 that reward coming. He said, anything in this 00:26:46.960 --> 00:26:49.440 life that would detract me from that is not worth 00:26:49.440 --> 00:26:53.240 it. It's nothing in comparison to the eternal. 00:26:53.980 --> 00:26:58.200 And so he pressed on. Beloved, as we think about 00:26:58.200 --> 00:27:01.660 the judgment seat of Jesus Christ, while it certainly 00:27:01.660 --> 00:27:08.539 does create awe in our hearts as we ponder that 00:27:08.539 --> 00:27:14.490 day of our exposure. our auditing. Let it also 00:27:14.490 --> 00:27:19.750 stimulate us now. Let it spur us on to serve 00:27:19.750 --> 00:27:23.950 the Lord with eternity's values in view and be 00:27:23.950 --> 00:27:29.190 wise and full of faith as was Moses. The rewards 00:27:29.190 --> 00:27:32.470 will be given according to 1 Corinthians chapter 00:27:32.470 --> 00:27:39.190 3, going back there now, as much on the quality 00:27:40.580 --> 00:27:45.539 of our work and our service as anything else. 00:27:47.500 --> 00:27:49.559 Notice what it says, and we have here another 00:27:49.559 --> 00:27:52.799 key text in the New Testament regarding this 00:27:52.799 --> 00:27:56.859 judgment seat of Christ. Paul is here writing 00:27:56.859 --> 00:28:00.500 about his own work for the Lord and the foundation 00:28:00.500 --> 00:28:03.759 upon which he has built Christ Jesus, verse 11. 00:28:04.240 --> 00:28:06.940 And now he says in verse 12, if any man builds 00:28:06.940 --> 00:28:10.519 upon the foundation with gold, silver, precious 00:28:10.519 --> 00:28:16.339 stones, that's one set of possibilities. Wood, 00:28:16.339 --> 00:28:20.339 hay, straw, that's another set of possibilities. 00:28:21.220 --> 00:28:24.700 He says each man's work will become evident. 00:28:25.240 --> 00:28:29.079 That is manifested. For the day, what day? The 00:28:29.079 --> 00:28:32.539 day of the judgment seat will show it, will make 00:28:32.539 --> 00:28:36.799 it plain and visible. because it is to be revealed 00:28:36.799 --> 00:28:41.279 with fire. And so now he enters into a certain 00:28:41.279 --> 00:28:44.279 picture of that judgment. We're not to think 00:28:44.279 --> 00:28:48.140 of this as some kind of a purgatory experience. 00:28:48.200 --> 00:28:51.779 It is not that. But Paul says that that judgment 00:28:51.779 --> 00:28:55.500 will be as it were by fire. And he says the fire 00:28:55.500 --> 00:29:00.460 itself will test the quality of each man's work. 00:29:00.539 --> 00:29:03.960 Now that's interesting. The fire will test what 00:29:03.960 --> 00:29:10.759 sort or what kind of work each one has done. 00:29:12.440 --> 00:29:17.779 It may be possible to have a huge pile of materials 00:29:17.779 --> 00:29:21.180 there on that day, to have a massive structure, 00:29:22.180 --> 00:29:27.180 but for the fire to consume it all. So you see, 00:29:27.259 --> 00:29:32.599 on the one hand, it's not how much we do. But 00:29:32.599 --> 00:29:40.799 it's of what quality we do what we do. It's possible 00:29:40.799 --> 00:29:44.680 for us to serve the Lord in such a way that we 00:29:44.680 --> 00:29:49.400 become famous. It's possible to serve the Lord 00:29:49.400 --> 00:29:55.299 in such a way that what we do becomes big. Now 00:29:55.299 --> 00:29:59.440 if God brings bigness, if God brings fame, to 00:29:59.440 --> 00:30:01.859 any of us because of our service for Christ, 00:30:01.960 --> 00:30:04.720 and that's God's pleasure. But that's not the 00:30:04.720 --> 00:30:09.539 important thing. The important thing is the quality 00:30:09.539 --> 00:30:15.200 that goes into what we're building. Boy, that's 00:30:15.200 --> 00:30:19.039 important. Now he says the fire is going to reveal 00:30:19.039 --> 00:30:21.920 it. If any man's work, which he has built upon 00:30:21.920 --> 00:30:25.400 it, the foundation remains, he shall receive 00:30:25.400 --> 00:30:29.299 a reward. If any man's work is burned up, he 00:30:29.299 --> 00:30:32.960 shall suffer loss." Paul said something very 00:30:32.960 --> 00:30:35.599 similar in the earlier text in 2 Corinthians. 00:30:36.500 --> 00:30:39.180 We don't fully understand what he means by suffering 00:30:39.180 --> 00:30:42.920 loss. It does not mean loss of salvation, but 00:30:42.920 --> 00:30:48.140 perhaps there will be some indication to us of 00:30:48.140 --> 00:30:54.670 that which we might have been awarded. Had we 00:30:54.670 --> 00:30:56.609 done it the way that God would have been pleased 00:30:56.609 --> 00:31:00.490 with and will suffer the loss of what we might 00:31:00.490 --> 00:31:04.490 have had You say well, I thought there are no 00:31:04.490 --> 00:31:06.930 tears in heaven well it it says in Revelation 00:31:06.930 --> 00:31:09.089 and after a certain point there are no tears 00:31:09.089 --> 00:31:12.029 But I believe there may well be tears at the 00:31:12.029 --> 00:31:18.009 judgment seat of Jesus Christ And he says he 00:31:18.009 --> 00:31:21.210 himself shall be saved so there's no question 00:31:21.210 --> 00:31:25.250 here regarding salvation notice that yet so as 00:31:25.250 --> 00:31:29.670 through fire. The idea is as one who dashes through 00:31:29.670 --> 00:31:33.049 the fire and still has the smell of smoke on 00:31:33.049 --> 00:31:39.910 him although he's not burned up. The wood, hay, 00:31:40.049 --> 00:31:44.549 and stubble seems to be, in Paul's thinking here, 00:31:45.190 --> 00:31:53.299 a structural frame building. It seems to be connoting 00:31:53.299 --> 00:31:58.619 brick walls and thatched roofs, which were common 00:31:58.619 --> 00:32:03.700 in that day of ordinary homes. Homes which were 00:32:03.700 --> 00:32:08.059 not lasting. Homes which could be easily destroyed. 00:32:09.859 --> 00:32:14.319 And he says in contrast to that there is a palace. 00:32:15.880 --> 00:32:19.000 The gold, the silver, the precious stones. Precious 00:32:19.000 --> 00:32:22.190 stones seems in Paul's mind here to be that which 00:32:22.190 --> 00:32:25.930 was expensive in that day and still is, granite 00:32:25.930 --> 00:32:29.990 and marble. Not diamonds and rubies and that 00:32:29.990 --> 00:32:31.890 sort of thing, but he's thinking here of building 00:32:31.890 --> 00:32:37.230 materials that last. Materials that compose things 00:32:37.230 --> 00:32:42.910 that are meant to endure. The palaces, the shrines. 00:32:43.950 --> 00:32:47.069 And he says that you and I build one way or the 00:32:47.069 --> 00:32:52.029 other. by the quality of our service for the 00:32:52.029 --> 00:32:56.269 Lord Jesus Christ. It's possible for our life's 00:32:56.269 --> 00:32:59.589 work to be imposing and mammoth as man views 00:32:59.589 --> 00:33:02.869 it from this perspective, but my dearly beloved 00:33:02.869 --> 00:33:05.609 people, the thing that counts is what Jesus Christ 00:33:05.609 --> 00:33:09.769 will see on that day and what is left after the 00:33:09.769 --> 00:33:14.269 fire has tested it. The inner qualities of the 00:33:14.269 --> 00:33:17.470 heart will be exposed, the motives of the heart. 00:33:17.720 --> 00:33:24.579 will be made manifest. You say, well what difference 00:33:24.579 --> 00:33:26.460 does it really make when you come down to it? 00:33:26.480 --> 00:33:30.200 Well, I hope already I've touched on that, but 00:33:30.200 --> 00:33:38.000 it does say here that we can suffer loss. It 00:33:38.000 --> 00:33:44.079 seems as though part of our reward at the judgment 00:33:44.079 --> 00:33:49.789 seat of Christ is a determination as to how we 00:33:49.789 --> 00:33:54.490 will be privileged to serve with the Lord in 00:33:54.490 --> 00:34:01.930 His millennial reign on the earth. Those who 00:34:01.930 --> 00:34:05.970 have served the Lord as wise and faithful stewards 00:34:05.970 --> 00:34:12.309 will be given the privilege of reigning in an 00:34:12.309 --> 00:34:17.190 exalted way with our Lord. Whereas the scriptures 00:34:17.190 --> 00:34:21.690 seem to suggest that it's possible for the unfaithful 00:34:21.690 --> 00:34:26.309 steward to not even share in a meaningful way 00:34:26.309 --> 00:34:31.710 in that millennial reign of Christ. It makes 00:34:31.710 --> 00:34:37.429 a big difference what we do in this world and 00:34:37.429 --> 00:34:41.070 the motives with which we do those things. Because 00:34:41.070 --> 00:34:43.750 it will determine our service for Jesus Christ 00:34:43.750 --> 00:34:49.239 later. It is true that heaven is a place of rest. 00:34:50.380 --> 00:34:52.900 But don't ever get the idea that we'll do nothing 00:34:52.900 --> 00:34:56.239 for eternity to come. Because we're going to 00:34:56.239 --> 00:34:59.880 reign with Jesus Christ. And we will reign with 00:34:59.880 --> 00:35:03.579 Him in proportion to our faithful service for 00:35:03.579 --> 00:35:09.300 Him in this life. It does matter. And so I encourage 00:35:09.300 --> 00:35:11.400 you in your walk with God, I encourage you in 00:35:11.400 --> 00:35:15.110 your service for the Lord. Let us all test our 00:35:15.110 --> 00:35:18.190 motives and be sure they're right. Let's not 00:35:18.190 --> 00:35:22.010 serve the Lord for temporary gain, for personal 00:35:22.010 --> 00:35:24.929 fame in this world. That's hay, wood, and stubble. 00:35:26.369 --> 00:35:29.230 But as we serve the Lord, let's be building with 00:35:29.230 --> 00:35:34.110 silver and gold and granite and marble, so that 00:35:34.110 --> 00:35:37.889 on that day when our lives and the work of our 00:35:37.889 --> 00:35:42.900 lives are tested, we may receive our praise from 00:35:42.900 --> 00:35:48.480 the Lord and not be ashamed at His coming. Someone 00:35:48.480 --> 00:35:52.340 has written this poem, it's anonymous, but expresses 00:35:52.340 --> 00:35:55.699 something of the thrust of the application of 00:35:55.699 --> 00:35:59.960 this message. It's called His Plan for Me. When 00:35:59.960 --> 00:36:04.099 I stand at the judgment seat of Christ and His 00:36:04.099 --> 00:36:08.860 plan I begin to see, the plan of my life as it 00:36:08.860 --> 00:36:12.539 might have been had He had His way with me, I 00:36:12.539 --> 00:36:16.219 see how I blocked him here and checked him there, 00:36:16.340 --> 00:36:21.320 and I would not yield my will. Will there be 00:36:21.320 --> 00:36:25.539 grief in my Savior's eyes, grief though He loves 00:36:25.539 --> 00:36:30.659 me still? He would have me rich, and I stand 00:36:30.659 --> 00:36:35.039 there poor, stripped of all but His grace, while 00:36:35.039 --> 00:36:38.380 memory runs like a hunted thing down paths that 00:36:38.380 --> 00:36:43.070 I cannot retrace. Then my desolate heart will 00:36:43.070 --> 00:36:47.369 well -nigh break with tears I cannot shed. I 00:36:47.369 --> 00:36:51.789 shall cover my face with empty hands. I shall 00:36:51.789 --> 00:36:58.690 bow my uncrowned head. Lord of the years that 00:36:58.690 --> 00:37:03.329 are left to me, I give them to thy hand. Take 00:37:03.329 --> 00:37:08.250 me and break me, and mold me to fit the pattern 00:37:08.250 --> 00:37:16.829 that thou hast planned. It is an old saying and 00:37:16.829 --> 00:37:22.369 true. Only one life will soon be passed. Only 00:37:22.369 --> 00:37:28.909 what's done for Christ will last. You and I may 00:37:28.909 --> 00:37:32.570 live our lives any way in which we desire. God 00:37:32.570 --> 00:37:37.170 gives us that liberty. But the fact is, we can 00:37:37.170 --> 00:37:43.849 only live them once. And so as we live our lives, 00:37:44.300 --> 00:37:49.400 Let us live as did Moses, with view to the reward, 00:37:51.099 --> 00:37:54.760 so that when we cross that finish line, and we 00:37:54.760 --> 00:37:57.239 stand before Him at the Bema Seat of Christ, 00:37:58.019 --> 00:38:03.079 we can rejoice. And whatever crowns He may see 00:38:03.079 --> 00:38:07.159 fit to award us on that day, we may then cast 00:38:07.159 --> 00:38:19.039 at His feet who is worthy. Let's pray. Lord, 00:38:19.059 --> 00:38:22.780 we would not come to that day when we stand before 00:38:22.780 --> 00:38:27.820 you face to face, empty -handed and ashamed. 00:38:31.139 --> 00:38:35.159 To whatever extent we have failed you in the 00:38:35.159 --> 00:38:41.119 past, whatever regrets may haunt us, perhaps 00:38:41.119 --> 00:38:45.219 at this time, because of past decisions that 00:38:45.219 --> 00:38:50.519 run wise. Whatever time has gone by that we have 00:38:50.519 --> 00:38:56.659 sadly wasted we acknowledge to you But Lord of 00:38:56.659 --> 00:39:01.420 the years that are left to us We pray that you 00:39:01.420 --> 00:39:08.699 will break us and make us and Mold us to fit 00:39:08.699 --> 00:39:14.300 the pattern that you've planned for us. I Pray 00:39:14.300 --> 00:39:19.760 that none of us would weep over the past But 00:39:19.760 --> 00:39:23.579 rather may we look to the future, to the opportunities 00:39:23.579 --> 00:39:28.760 of this day and tomorrow, and live them out fully 00:39:28.760 --> 00:39:34.880 with pure motives, and build on the foundation 00:39:34.880 --> 00:39:38.320 wisely with materials that will persevere through 00:39:38.320 --> 00:39:43.400 the fire of your test, so that on that day we 00:39:43.400 --> 00:39:50.440 may receive the reward. and have something to 00:39:50.440 --> 00:39:58.500 cast at your feet. Lord, you are worthy because 00:39:58.500 --> 00:40:05.000 you were slain for us. We bless you, we adore 00:40:05.000 --> 00:40:10.480 you, and we give ourselves afresh to you this 00:40:10.480 --> 00:40:14.340 night. We do that not only individually, but 00:40:14.340 --> 00:40:19.889 we do it as a church. And as we enter into the 00:40:19.889 --> 00:40:23.570 fall with all of its opportunities, its possibilities, 00:40:25.050 --> 00:40:32.809 I pray that you will enable us to buy those up 00:40:32.809 --> 00:40:38.489 to make the most of our time so that we may reach 00:40:38.489 --> 00:40:43.530 people, we may build up the body of Christ, we 00:40:43.530 --> 00:40:52.070 may see your name glorified. exalted. And we 00:40:52.070 --> 00:40:55.409 pray this in that matchless name. In the name 00:40:55.409 --> 00:40:57.889 of Jesus, amen.