When the Books Are Opened

Reading from God’s Word:

Revelation 20:11–15 CSB

11 Then I saw a great white throne and one seated on it. Earth and heaven fled from his presence, and no place was found for them. 12 I also saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life, and the dead were judged according to their works by what was written in the books. 13 Then the sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them; each one was judged according to their works. 14 Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. 15 And anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire.

Introduction

If you could open the record of your life right now — every thought, every word, every choice — what would you see?

That day is coming.

Revelation 20:12 should get our attention.

There will be a great white throne, and before it will stand every soul that has ever lived.

“And the books were opened.”

Those books are the record of our lives. Nothing will be hidden. Every secret will be revealed. Every motive will be made plain.

It’s sobering to think about.

But for God’s people, it’s not meant to terrify — it’s meant to purify.

It reminds us that life is short and eternity is sure.

All year long, we’ve been talking about what it means to seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness.

We’ve talked about what the Kingdom is, how it changes the way we live, and how we share it with others.

Now, as we reach the final month of our vision plan, we come to the moment when the Kingdom reaches its fulfillment — the moment when faith becomes sight.

That’s what this last series is about: When the Books Are Opened.

One of the most convicting things about that picture in Revelation is how personal it is.

There won’t be crowds or committees. There won’t be time for explanations or excuses.

It will be you and God.

But this scene also tells us something beautiful:

there’s another book in His hand — the Book of Life.

In that book are the names of those who belong to Jesus Christ.

And that’s the reason this message isn’t one of dread — it’s one of hope.

Because if your name is in that book, the verdict has already been rendered. The blood of Jesus has spoken for you.

So today we are not talking about judgment as much as we are talking about assurance.

This is not about fear, but faith.

We’re talking about living every day ready to meet the King, because when the books are opened, the record of your life will tell one of two stories — either of self-rule or of surrender.

And that’s where we begin.

The Throne Is Set — God’s Justice Is Certain

Revelation 20:11 CSB

11 Then I saw a great white throne and one seated on it. Earth and heaven fled from his presence, and no place was found for them.

When John saw the final judgment, the first thing that caught his eye wasn’t the people — it was the throne.

Before there’s a word spoken or a name called, the scene is set with majesty and awe. The Judge is already seated. The King has taken His place.

The throne is great, because it belongs to the Sovereign of the universe.

It is white, because it is pure — no prejudice, no partiality, no mistake in its verdicts.

And it is final, because there is no appeal beyond it.

When the books are opened, this throne will be at the center of everything.

Every knee will bow before it — believers and unbelievers alike.

Romans 14:10 CSB

10 For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God.

That includes kings and commoners, rich and poor, famous and forgotten.

It includes preachers and elders, teachers and parents, every man, woman, and child.

No one will be able to hide. “Earth and heaven fled from His presence.”

All creation stands silent before the throne of its Maker.

Verse 11 reminds us that God’s justice isn’t delayed — it’s simply waiting for its appointed hour.

We live in a world that often confuses mercy with indifference.

We see evil prosper, lies rewarded, the wicked celebrated.

But don’t be deceived: the Judge has not abdicated His throne. He’s just patient.

2 Peter 3:9 CSB

9 The Lord does not delay his promise, as some understand delay, but is patient with you, not wanting any to perish but all to come to repentance.

When the throne is revealed, there will be no more delay.

The patience of God will give way to the justice of God. A

nd on that day, the only thing that will matter is whether you were ready to meet Him.

The vision of the great white throne isn’t just a vision to scare the lost, it’s a message to stir the faithful.

The King we serve now will be the Judge we face then.

And if we have truly sought His Kingdom and His righteousness, we’ll have nothing to fear.

The Books Are Opened — Our Lives Are Revealed

Revelation 20:12 CSB

12 I also saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life, and the dead were judged according to their works by what was written in the books.

John says “the dead, great and small.”

That covers everyone.

It doesn’t matter who you were, what you owned, or where you stood in this life.

Death is the great equalizer. Everyone stands before God on level ground.

And then — the books are opened.

These are the record of every life.

Every thought, word, motive, and deed is written there.

Ecclesiastes 12:14 CSB

14 For God will bring every act to judgment, including every hidden thing, whether good or evil.

Matthew 12:36 CSB

36 I tell you that on the day of judgment people will have to account for every careless word they speak.

That’s humbling.

We spend our lives hiding things from each other.

We can fool people. We can even fool ourselves.

But we can’t fool God.

When the books are opened, there will be no pretending.

We will see our lives for what they really were — not as we meant them to be, but as they were.

The good and the bad.

The public and the private.

And what’s written there will tell the truth about who we really served.

But before we let that thought paralyze us, remember this: judgment isn’t just about exposing sin — it’s about revealing faithfulness.

Those same books will show the prayers you prayed in secret,

the sacrifices no one saw,

the quiet moments when you chose to obey when it was hard.

They’ll show the cup of cold water given in His name,

the forgiveness you offered when you were wronged,

the faith you kept when life broke your heart.

Nothing done in faith is ever lost.

Hebrews 6:10 CSB

10 For God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you demonstrated for his name by serving the saints—and by continuing to serve them.

So yes, the books will reveal our failures — but they’ll also reveal our faith.

And that’s what separates the lost from the saved.

For those who belong to Christ, the record of sin is covered by the blood of the Lamb.

If the book of your life were opened today, what would it show?

Would it show a heart that sought first the Kingdom — or one that chased the world?

Would it reveal faith in Christ — or faith in self?

When we stand before God, it won’t be our reputation that matters. It will be our relationship.

The Book of Life — Grace Still Speaks Louder Than Guilt

Revelation 20:12 CSB

12 Another book was opened, which is the book of life, …

Revelation 20:15 CSB

15 And anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire.

So far, we’ve been looking at some heavy things.

The throne, the books, the judgment — it’s almost too much to take in.

But then John says, “Another book was opened.”

And suddenly, hope enters the scene.

This book is different. It’s not the record of what we’ve done.

It’s the record of who we belong to.

t’s called the Book of Life — and in it are written the names of all who have been redeemed by the blood of Jesus.

The contrast couldn’t be sharper.

One set of books reveals our works.

The other reveals God’s grace.

And that’s the gospel in one moment:

we are not saved by what’s written in the record of our deeds, but by whether our name is found in the Lamb’s Book of Life.

When you obeyed the gospel — when you confessed His name, repented of sin, and were buried with Christ in baptism — your name was written there.

Jesus said:

Luke 10:20 CSB

20 … rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”

That means your story isn’t defined by the sins in your book — it’s defined by the Savior who wrote your name in His.

Think about this:

If you belong to Jesus, your record no longer stands against you.

Colossians 2:14 CSB

14 He erased the certificate of debt, with its obligations, that was against us and opposed to us, and has taken it away by nailing it to the cross.

So when the Judge opens that final book, He will see your name, not your shame.

He will see His own righteousness covering your weakness.

He will see a child of the King who trusted in His mercy.

This is why Paul could say what he did:

Romans 8:1 CSB

1 Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus,

When God looks at the record of a forgiven person, it’s like reading a page washed clean.

The ink may have once bled with guilt, but grace has blotted it out.

This is what gives us peace.

The judgment day is not a threat to those who walk in the light — it’s the moment our faith is vindicated.

So when we think about the books being opened, remember this: For those in Christ, the book of life will speak louder than the book of works.

Grace will speak louder than guilt.

Mercy will speak louder than memory.

Here’s Point 4 of your November 2 sermon — the final section before the conclusion.

The Call — Live in Light of That Day

2 Peter 3:11–12 CSB

11 Since all these things are to be dissolved in this way, it is clear what sort of people you should be in holy conduct and godliness 12 as you wait for the day of God and hasten its coming. Because of that day, the heavens will be dissolved with fire and the elements will melt with heat.

The judgment scene in Revelation isn’t just written to inform us.

It’s written to transform us. God shows us the end so we’ll live differently now.

Peter asks the question that ties all of this together: “What kind of people should we be?”

That’s the real point of “When the Books Are Opened.”

It’s not curiosity about the future — it’s conviction about the present.

We should be people who live holy lives.

We should be people who live ready.

We should be people who live grateful for grace.

When you know a day is coming when everything will be laid bare before God, you stop wasting time on what doesn’t matter.

You stop clinging to grudges, chasing pleasure, and pretending this world is home.

You start caring more about what’s eternal — souls, truth, and love.

Living in light of that day changes everything about today.

It changes how we worship.

It changes how we work.

It changes how we treat each other.

So,

Keep short accounts with God — confess sin quickly.

Make peace with others — forgive before it’s too late.

Serve faithfully — even when no one notices.

Give generously — because you can’t take it with you.

Love deeply — because love is what lasts.

When the books are opened, the Lord won’t ask how much we owned,

how many arguments we won,

or how many people admired us.

He’ll look for evidence that we sought His kingdom and His righteousness above everything else.

That’s why Paul wrote

2 Corinthians 5:9 CSB

9 Therefore, whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to be pleasing to him.

That’s the call — to live every day as if it were the day our book would be opened.

Not out of fear, but out of love for the One who saved us.

As We Close

One day, the books will be opened.

Every name will be read. Every life will be revealed.

For some, that day will be a day of terror — because they lived only for themselves.

But for those whose names are written in the Book of Life, it will be a day of triumph.

The same Jesus who died for you will be the One who welcomes you.

The Judge on the throne will be the Savior who carried your cross.

The hands that open the book will be the same hands that were nailed for your redemption.

That’s why we live ready.

That’s why we live righteous.

That’s why we seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness.

When that day comes, all the things we thought mattered won’t matter anymore.

But the one thing that will matter — the only thing — is whether our name is in His book.

Dee Bowman used to say, “If we miss heaven, we’ve missed all there is.” He was right.

So the question today is simple:

If the books were opened this afternoon, would your name be there? Would the story of your life point to your love for the King?

Today, you can make sure. You can obey the gospel. You can return to faithfulness. You can know that your name is written in heaven.

Because when that day comes — and it will — the only record that matters is the one written in the blood of the Lamb.