Sermon Tone Analysis

Intro

Last week I spoke about hell and eternal judgment – not the easiest subject to speak on but one that nevertheless is necessary.

Ezekiel chapters 3 and 33 say that if we do not warn the wicked then we are responsible for their non-response.

And the fact is last week we discovered, for sure, that the majority of those on this planet will end up in the lake of fire.

I think that this subject, though terrifying, is one of those subjects that we needed to get back to...back to the truth of the Bible.

When we rediscover the doctrines of the Bible revival is not far behind.

The doctrine of Hell relates to those who are unbelievers.

Maybe we have thought about what becomes of us.

If unbelievers have to stand before the Great White Throne and give an account what happens to believers?

Today’s sermon is about the Judgment Seat of Christ.

It is bad enough to know that what becomes of unbelievers but 1 Peter makes it clear that we, as Christians, will also experience judgment.

And those who are righteous will barely escape.

Christians do not rely upon their own righteousness for we already know that there is not one who does good, no, not one.

But we rely upon the righteousness given to us in Christ Jesus.

And even though we have His righteousness we are still barely saved.

We have passed from death to life already and so have escaped the condemnation of hell.

This is what I want to talk to you about today.

If we really recognise that one day we will have to give account to Jesus for the way we have lived our Christian lives then what does that do to us?

We sing many songs about looking forward to seeing Him face-to-face and I understand that sentiment for we will be full of praise for our Saviour who has done it all for us.

However, there will be a day when we see Him and we will have to give an account to Him.

This very thought should be enough to change us, move us, cause us to repent, to get rid of those things in our lives that are clearly a distraction.

But that day is going to be more than judgment for the bad in our lives.

The fact is we are already forgiven for all our sin if we have confessed it to God.

That day is not going to be a judgment of our sin – for God has deliberately forgiven and forgotten them – but it will be a day when both sin unconfessed will be exposed and a day when the good we have done will come to light.

It will be a day that the injustices that have been done to us will be revealed and rewards given out as a result.

One of the ways we will see a Christian’s reward grow is through persecution.

And no matter where we live our lives: whether with family, at work, at college, on the internet and so on it is expected that persecution will come to us if we are standing up for Jesus.

Every Christian then should receive a reward from God because all Christians will be persecuted.

Our society today cannot tolerate biblical Christians.

In fact, no society has put up with them but the fact is that perhaps more than ever we are seeing persecution on the rise.

When we take a stand against homosexuality, against gay marriage and so on, when we say hell is a real place that must be avoided at all costs, when we say that men and women are naturally evil we are not welcome in society.

Jesus said that the world

The world today loves Rob Bell for his stand with them saying that homosexual marriage is a move of God.

This man has rejected biblical Christianity and instead made God in His own image.

Compromise is a road easily travelled and can carry many others along.

As time goes on the road will get narrower and narrower as Christians also get duped because they lack foundation in their lives – and be those who will lose their reward when they stand before Jesus.

We are going to be persecuted – and the whole world will turn against us for, as we have read, the world will hate us.

The world will hate us.

We want the world to like us, to love us but the fact is that if we are Christians who seek to do what God wants then we are not going to be liked.

All the acclaim that comes from the world, all its glory will not be given to us.

If we are looking to boost our self image in the world then we can go and get it – but it will be at the expense of our lives in God.

It seems to me to be a waste of time trying to get praise from the world and praise from others because the wages are too small.

Yes, we can get the world’s approval today but soon it will forget you.

We might get a commendation, even a medal from the Queen but what good is that when we die?

Being hated by the world, then, in the end, is not to be avoided at the cost of our godly lives.

The rewards of the world will pale into insignificance compared to the rewards given by the King of Heaven.

The world can give us money, can give us fame, can give us all that we could want but the price is a high one to pay.

We can take our pay now from the world but it will result in low pay in Heaven.

6 The New King James Version.

1982 (Mt 5:11–12).

Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

I do not say that as Christians we can lose our souls however the point is well made – the topsy turvy world of God is not the way of the world.

Lose your life for Him and you find it.

But if you love your life more than Him then you will lose it.

The world hates us but do we hate the world?

James has some very strong words: James 4:4: "Adulterers and adulteresses!

Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.

8” Suddenly we who are friends with the world find ourselves in the opposing camp.

But friendship with God means we do not desire the things of the world: 1 John 2:16: "For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world.

9” We easily get sucked in to what the world has to offer not realising that this makes us unfruitful and unprofitable in God:

Living for the world means that when we stand before Jesus we will gain no reward.

What will that day before the Judgement Seat of Christ bring?

That Day will bring all things to light – all injustices, all hurt, all damages.

Everything will be out in the open – nothing will be hid anymore.

Those who received the acclaim of the world their fruits will be evident to all, that is, there will be little or no fruit and therefore little or no reward but those who went about quietly doing the will of God, who suffered at the hands of others, will receive a reward far surpassing anything on earth and will also be justified before all that their deeds were done in God.

I want us all to receive a great reward from God but I cannot get it for you – we are all responsible for how we get this reward.

Please don’t get to Heaven by the skin of your teeth.

1 Corinthians 3:11–15: "For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.

12 Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, 13 each one’s work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one’s work, of what sort it is.

14 If anyone’s work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward.

15 If anyone’s work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.

11”

And here are the keys for greater rewards:

1.

No self-justification.

God can justify you but it may not happen this side of Heaven.

(Matt 5 as read earlier).

2. No public deeds – but private ones: Matthew 6:1-6,16–21: " “Take heed that you do not do your charitable deeds before men, to be seen by them.

Otherwise you have no reward from your Father in heaven. 2 Therefore, when you do a charitable deed, do not sound a trumpet before you as the hypocrites do

11 The New King James Version.

1982 (1 Co 3:11–15).

Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory from men.

Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward.

3 But when you do a charitable deed, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4 that your charitable deed may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will Himself reward you openly.

5 “And when you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites.

For they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men.

Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward.

6 But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.

16 “Moreover, when you fast, do not be like the hypocrites, with a sad countenance.

For they disfigure their faces that they may appear to men to be fasting.

Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward.

17 But you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, 18 so that you do not appear to men to be fasting, but to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.

19 “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; 20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.

21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

12”

3. Keeping His Word: Psalm 19:8–11: "The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart; The commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes; 9 The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever; The judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether.

10 More to be desired are they than gold, Yea, than much fine gold; Sweeter also than honey and the

12 The New King James Version.

1982 (Mt 6:1–21).

Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

honeycomb.

11 Moreover by them Your servant is warned, And in keeping them there is great reward.