Sermon Tone Analysis

Intro: The Four Last things (3)

Advent — means the coming

During this time, we focus on two key events, one in the past, and the other that is coming in the future

One, was the first coming of Jesus Christ The other, the future coming of Christ What comes to might when you think of advent

Hopefully more than advent calendars with chocolates The birth of Christ

Wreath’s and candles as we count down the weeks of You likely think of the following four topics.

Hope, peace, joy, and love

But we are doing something quite different this year for Advent.

Our four weeks of advent are going to cover the last four things.

Very different subjects from what we might normally think of during advent Certainly different from what the world would have you think about during this time of the year.

After death, comes judgment

Hebrews 9:27

27 … it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment,

We confess this every week when we recite The Apostles’ Creed together…

Our text this morning from Matthew 25 describes the final judgment that is to come.

Matt 25:31-33 31 “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne.

32 Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.

33 And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left.

The imagery being described here is that of King Jesus, sitting on his throne to execute justice.

King Solomons throne wad described as such

1 Kings 7:7 7 And he made the Hall of the Throne where he was to pronounce judgment, even the Hall of Judgment.

I. ✅ Prepare for advent by anticipating Christ’s second coming as the Judge (10)

i. ✅ Christ’s judgment is just (3)

Illustrate — Lady justice

Balanced scales — every person will be judged with equity Blindfolded — every person will be judged apart from biases — rather they will be judged according to what they have done Wielding a sword — She is ready to execute justice as it is deserved In a human court of law — this is the ideal, but justice is not always executed perfect Demonstrate in Scripture

The justice that human courts aim for are but a reflection of the perfect justice of God.

Listen to the words of Jehoshaphat, the king of Judah, when the judges of the land;

2 Chronicles 19:6-7 “Consider what you do, for you judge not for man but for the Lord.

He is with you in giving judgment.

7 Now then, let the fear of the Lord be upon you.

Be careful what you do, for there is no injustice with the Lord our God, or partiality or taking bribes.”

Human status isn’t going to sway God’s just judgment

Jew and gentiles

Rom 2:8-11 9 There will be tribulation and distress for every human being who does evil, the Jew first and also the Greek, 10 but glory and honor and peace for everyone who does good, the Jew first and also the Greek.

11 For God shows no partiality.

Masters and slaves alike

Eph 6:9 9 Masters, do the same to them, and stop your threatening, knowing that he who is both their Master and yours is in heaven, and that there is no partiality with him.

Christ’s judgment will be executed with perfect justice

To the Jew and Gentile The rich and the poor Male and female Young and old

ii.

✅ Christ’s judgment is inescapable (5)

You cannot hide from God’s judgment

Universal judgment

Matt 25:32 32 Before him will be gathered all the nations,

You cannot hide from Christ’s judgment, anymore than Adam and Eve could hide from from God when they sinned against him in Eden

You cannot hide your sin Christ’s judgment

Ecc 12:14 14 For God will bring every deed into judgment, with every secret thing, whether good or evil.

You might be able to hide your sins from other people… you might think you’ve gotten away with what you have done.

But every secret sins will be exposed at the final judgment, because God is omniscient — he knows everything and nothing is hidden from him!

It’s not just the secret sins we’ve done with our hands that will be brought into account.

Even the secrets sins of our hearts will be brought to light at the final judgment.

when the Lord comes, he will…

1 Cor 4:5 5 … bring to light the things now hidden in darkness and will disclose the purposes of the heart…

Jn 2:24-25 ….[Jesus] knew all people 25 and needed no one to bear witness about man, for he himself knew what was in man.

Matt 9:3-4 3 And behold, some of the scribes said to themselves, “This man is blaspheming.”

4 But Jesus, knowing their thoughts, said, “Why do you think evil in your hearts?

1 Sam 16:7 …the LORD sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the LORD looks on the heart.

iii.

✅ Christ’s judgment eternal and final (2)

Here in our text, those on the left and on the right are given their due… to the wicked…

Matt 25:46 46 And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”

Plenty more can be said about both heaven and hell… and much of what can be said will have to wait for the next two weeks.

But for now, it’s worth noting the word eternal… and there it is final.

In the human court of law — mistrials can happen.

Because evidence men are so often unjust.

Or because men may not see all the evidence that is needed in order rightly administer justice.

But God is just… and he knows everything… so with this, his judgment is final.

The guilty plead their case… and try to persuade the Judge…

Matt 7:22-23 22 On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ 23 And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’

you can even beg for mercy — but the decisions will stand.

Such was the case for the rich man in Luke 16:19

Lk 16:24-26 24 And he called out, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus to dip the end of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am in anguish in this flame.’

25 But Abraham said, ‘Child, remember that you in your lifetime received your good things, and Lazarus in like manner bad things; but now he is comforted here, and you are in anguish.

26 And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, in order that those who would pass from here to you may not be able, and none may cross from there to us.’

Transition

Just as certain as death is… so too, judgment day is coming.

And Christ’s judgment is just, inescapable, eternal, and final.

In light of this, we ought to examine ourselves and our standing with Christ while we there is still breath in our lungs.

Because Christ is coming soon, and when he does, he judge the living and the dead.

II.

✅ Prepare for advent by examining yourself before you are judged (10)

i. ✅ Only two categories of people that really matter (3)

There are countless ways that we might categorize people.

Jew or Gentile Young or old Male or Female Rich or poor You can even go further by categorizing people by their various Myers-Brigs personality types But at at the final judgment, none of these categories will ultimately matter.

While there will be a great variety of peoples before Christ’s throne on the day of Judgment as every nation is gathered to be judged.

There are only two types of people on the final day of judgment.

Matt 25:32-33 32 Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.

33 And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left.

Most people spend more time thinking about their position in society, but not their position on that last day… but let us make sure that we examine ourselves carefully.

Because at the end of the day, distinction that can be made about you.

Are you a sheep… or are you a goat….

To put it are you in Christ — or not This distinction is of the utmost importance each of us

because the differences distinguishes those who will receive eternal life and blessing in the kingdom of God where Christ is… from those who will be cast out into the eternal punishment with Satan and his demons.

Matt 25:34 34 Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.

Matt 25:41 41 “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.

Jesus’ second advent is surely anticipated by those who are sheep… but for those who are goats, it will be the most dreadful day.

How can we tell what we are?

Listen to the traits of the sheep

Matt 25:33-36 33 And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left.

34 Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.