Twelve Tweets – I believe Jesus Christ will come to judge the living and the dead
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Preaching notes
I believe in Jesus Christ, God’s only Son, our Lord, … that he will come to judge the living and the dead.
This tells us two things about the Jesus after he returned to glory – firstly that he will return and secondly that he will judge.
When I was a child I was introduced to the apostle’s creed at an Anglican church we visited.
- The version of the creed that was being used then read like this “I believe in Jesus Christ, God’s only Son … who will return to judge the quick and the dead”
- The trouble is, I thought that counted me out because I wasn’t dead if you’d ever seen my performance on the athletic track you’d realise I wasn’t quick!
- So if judgement was only for the quick and the dead, that counted me out!
This morning I want to answer two questions – firstly what does the Bible say about the second coming and secondly, how does this impact the way we live today. (because we can’t know one without living the other!)
This phrase in the creed tells me two things about Jesus Christ.
It is just my impression or is it the case that we don’t talk very much about the second coming of Christ these days?
- It seems to me that this is the Cinderella statement of the apostle’s creed – ignored because it’s a bit too inconvenient to our way of thinking.
- But there is no question that it’s a major aspect of the Bible’s understanding of who Jesus is and why he came in the first place.
Some of us have a difficulty with both of these statements
The first seems unlikely because almost 2000 years have passed and he hasn’t returned yet
- However – I often get you to observe how the prophecies and predictions of the Old Testament times were fulfilled in the New
- If the prophecies in the New testament are fulfilled with anywhere near the accuracy of those in the old then this world is coming to a cataclysmic end – a climax that is brought into play by God himself that starts with the second coming of Jesus Christ. A second advent.
And if ‘he will come’ seems unlikely, then ‘he will judge’ seems draconian.
- Surely if God is a God of love, he’s not going to come in with all guns blazing to pronounce the death penalty on unsuspecting human beings and sweep millions of them into hell fire and damnation at the drop of a gavel!
Let’s address these misconceptions from the Bible and look at each phrase in turn
He will come
- Matthew
pictures Jesus Christ as like a bridegroom coming to receive his bride. - Mark
likens Jesus to a householder who decides to go on a long journey and will one day return – and in the mean time he puts his household affairs in the hands of his servants - Luke
pictures a manager going on a business trip and leaving his assets with his servants so they can trade with them and grow his business with them before he returns (that’s you and me growing the church) - John
records Jesus saying “I am going to prepare a place for you and if I go to prepare this place for you I will come again and receive you to myself so that where I am, you may be also.” - In Acts
when Jesus ascended (last week’s teaching) the two men who came to accompany him from this word said to the astounded disciples “This Jesus will come back in the same way as you have seen him go” - in 1 Corinthians Paul talks about the Lord’s coming that will awaken and raise the dead
- in 2 Corinthians Paul talks about us having a new body, when Christ returns
- 1 Thessalonians talks about a wonderful meeting with Christ on his second coming – and that we are to encourage each other with this thought.
- James tells his readers to be patient “until the coming of the Lord”
- and so on
and in Revelation
The bible uses dramatic, cataclysmic, apocalyptic images (but we can imagine it)
Mark 13:24-27 “But in those days, following that distress, “‘the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from the sky, and the heavenly bodies will be shaken.’ “At that time men will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory. And he will send his angels and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of the heavens.
This sound a lot like a prophecy in the Old Testament when Daniel saw
Dan 7:13-14 … “one like a son of man, coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into his presence. He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all peoples, nations and men of every language worshipped him.
It seems that whenever writers try to describe what they’ve seen prophetically of the second coming they run out of words, but the Bible gives us enough to go on and to use our imagination to see the vast scale and cataclysmic impact the second coming of Jesus will have
It will come as a surprise (but we know what to look for)
In 1 Thessalonians Paul talks about Jesus returning ‘as a thief in the night’ and Jesus himself said he’d come suddenly and there will be signs to look out for. (1 Thess 5:1-11)
The signs of his coming (technically we call it the parousia, the coming) will be wars, rumours of wars, pestilence, natural disasters and intense persecution of the church.
All these signs have have been fulfilled at many stages of the church’s history, but they will presumably be intensified before the coming of the Lord.
And if we’re looking for a period of more intense natural disasters, more wars and more rumours or reporting of wars – that’s exactly what we have today.
I believe Jesus is coming – and coming soon.
it is being delayed (but we can accelerate it)
Jesus told a story of a business man who went on a trip and left all his assets in the hands of his servants
Matt 25:19-21 “After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them. The man who had received the five thousand brought the other five he’s made through his trading. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with five thousand. See, I have gained five more.’
21 “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’
This picture of the second coming being delayed comes out elsewhere in the NT too.
God doesn’t want anyone to perish, but for everyone to come to repentance and so he is hanging on till the right moment before Jesus comes again.
So by living for Christ, and especially by helping others to becoe Christ-followers, we can accelerate the moment when Jesus comes back.
When I was praying about this sermon I said tot the Lord “Lord, I want your second coming to happen just a bit quicker because I’ve preached faithfully and because we, here at Victoria have taken your word to heart today.
We can be prepared (but we need to live that way)
Think of the last exam you took. What did you feel like in the days immediately before it? Nervous? Apprehensive?
Because the second coming of Jesus brings with it his judgement on our lives it’s inevitable that we may feel nervous about it.
When I took exams as a teenager my dad would try to encourage me and say “Ian, you’ll be OK, you’ve put the work in (I’ve seen you do it), you’re prepared, Just do your best and I don’t expect any more of you!”
IN the same way, knowing that Jesus is returning in the future means that we need to live for him in the present.
To keep short accounts with him >>>
James 5:8-9 You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near. Don’t grumble against each other, brothers, or you will be judged. The Judge is standing at the door!
it will be the climax of the age (so don’t give up)
Phil 2:10 … at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
But look at what follows …
12 Therefore, my dear friends, … continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling,
13 for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose.
He will judge.
We don’t much like the idea of judgement
- Surely if God is a God of love he must accept everyone.
- But that can’t be the case. We call this idea ‘Universalism’ – the concept that eventually everyone will reach the heaven God has created for us
But when we pause to think about it, hardly any of us would be comfortable with the Universalist’s God
- because we all (even people who are not Christians) have a deep sense of fairness;
- we want things both to be fair and be seen to be fair.
Here are just a few of the scriptures which assure us of God’s justice and fairness:
Ps 11:7 For the LORD is righteous, he loves justice; upright men will see his face.
Ps 33:5 The LORD loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of his unfailing love.
Ps 36:6 Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains, your justice like the great deep. O LORD,
… and there are many more.
God may love all every member of creation but that doesn’t mean everyone he’s created will reach pass his scrutiny at the final judgement. And actually, we wouldn’t want that to happen.
- A God who allows a Colonel Gaddafi, a Saddam Hussein or an Adolf Hitler to slip through his net would not be a fair God.
- If he allowed that he would be unjust in the extreme.
So on what basis will final judgement be made?
The Bible’s message on this is uncomfortable. Romans 2 (2:6) is typical where Paul said,
“God will render to everyone according to his deeds,” Everyone – not just unbelievers. It is crystal clear that Paul believes there is a lifestyle that excludes some people from the kingdom of God (yes, people who profess the name of Christ but don’t live according to that profession). For example, in Galatians 5:19–21 it is Christians he warns against the deeds of the flesh like strife, jealousy, dispute, factiousness, envy, drunkenness, etc., because “those who practice such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God” And there are many other places where the Bible gives us the same uncomfortable message (e.g. 1 Corinthians 6:9, 10; Ephesians 5:5). So final judgement will take our deeds into account But, you may say to me, how does that square with being saved by Grace? In fact Jesus himself was even stronger in stressing that you cannot finally pass muster at the judgement day if your life has not been changed in keeping with his commandments. Here’s what he said in Matthew
So the question for us today is, Do we live for Christ?
- Have we done, performed, lived out, Jesus’ words?
- Are we each filled with His Spirit so we can live out the lifestyle he longs that we enjoy?
- Because our deeds are evidence of our faith. (c.f. Series of teaching on James)
But let’s be careful about the way we use the term ‘judge’
When we think of the word ‘judge’ we tend to cunjour up in our minds a robed and wigged man who has the power to punish and condemn
The huge difference between that human judge on the bench and God (our judge in the heavens) is the character of our heavenly judge.
- The Bible describes God as the judge who is never judgemental!
- He loves you and wants the ultimate best for each of his children who follow him in obedience.
- This is the judge who has already paid the ultimate penalty for us so he can generously give forgiveness when we plead for it!
The judge has already paid your debt Why do I almost always give us a time to get right with God at communion? I believe that the Christian’s prayer ‘your kingdom come’ is one day going to be answered! Even so come, Lord Jesus!
