Searching for Truth: The Great Bar

Judgment

When you deny judgment to a transcendant God at the end of history, final judgment is sought under the kingdom of man.

Sermon Notes:

1. When men deny God’s judgment, then man becomes judge. Judgment must be pronounced now and enforced now in order for man’s idea of utopian history to emerge.
2. There are about 600 laws in Christianity, which are summarized into ten (Ex. 20:1-17), which are again summarized into one (Deut. 6:5; Matt. 22:37).
3. In our contemporary humanistic culture however, there are millions of laws.
4. If men will not be governed by the Ten Commandments, they shall be governed by the ten thousand commandments. – G.K. Chesterton
5. The wroth of man is cruel, and his judgment is perverse.
6. Judgment is an inescapable fact of reality. You are either at the mercy of God, or the mercy of man.
7. In Luke 12:16-21, God’s judgment does not factor into the wealthy farmer’s thinking. He is a fool, having no treasure in the kingdom of God, being rich only towards himself.
8. Foolish barn-building is seen in every stripe today. But naked as you entered the world, naked you will leave it.
9. “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matt. 6:21).  If you want to know where your heart is, examine your life.
10. When we give our lives to God, God blesses us, in both this life and the next.
11. The parable of the talents (Matt. 25:14-30): To everyone who has, more will be given; but from him who is unfaithful, what he has will be taken away.
12. Jesus likens Himself to that king. The servants represent us. The silver represents the truth or knowledge of God.
13. All of us have been given something of the truth of God. If we fail to invest our lives, time, and energy into living and applying this truth, and instead do nothing with it, we are like the third servant. There will be weeping and gnashing.
14. There is reward and retribution for the different responses to the Word of God.
15. Man’s conscience will condemn him on the Day of Judgment. But our faithful High Priest has sprinkled our hearts clean from an evil conscience (Hebrews 10:22).
16. If we consistently suppress the voice of God, our conscience can become so seared that we cease to respond to the reality of our sin and guilt.
17. Approach God with a true heart in faith. Unless you are converted, and become as a little child (humble, trusting), you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.
18. Repent of your sin and admit your need of salvation. You cannot be cleansed of guilt while you are still in rebellion.
19. Covenant with God is not a 50-50 deal. The terms are stipulated by God. We are offered pardon on the basis of repentance and faith.
20. We can never wear out the covenant of grace. His love has no limit, His grace has no measure, His power has no boundary known to man.
21. The free gift of God is eternal life in Jesus Christ. But unending life is merely a consequence of faith. The gift is God Himself.
22. The purpose of heaven is not to float around on clouds playing harps. It is to be totally satisfied with God, enjoying Him forever. God is the source of every satisfaction.
23. Rest and repose are fleeting in this life, but joy and peace never pass in the kingdom of God.
24. In hell, by contrast, enmity and hatred of God grows ever more intense. The harvest of hell is hatred, resentment, despair, bitterness, fear.
25. The fruit of the kingdom of God is delight, joy unspeakable and full of glory, peace which passes knowledge.
26. In our lives now, either the kingdom of heaven or the bitterness of hell is growing in us.
27. John Newton. Glorious things of thee are spoken, Zion, city of our God; He whose word cannot be broken, formed thee for His own abode; ….Fading is the worldling’s pleasure, all his boasted pomp and show; solid joys and lasting treasures, none but Zion’s children know.

Application Questions

1. What have been the consequences of our society’s denial of God and His judgment?
2. What does it mean to be “rich towards God”? (See Luke 12:16-21).
3. In what ways can we ‘invest’ the truth of God that has been entrusted to us?
4. How can our hearts be cleansed of an evil conscience?
5. Compare and contrast heaven and hell. Provide as many scripture references as you can.
6. Where is your treasure? Where is your heart?

Sermon Notes