21 July 2024 AM – Text: 2 Corinthians 5:9-11 – Topic: Judgment Day
Introduction: It is a fearful time when a person is arrested and is called to stand before a judge. Depending on the accusation, the defendant may be released, fined, imprisoned, or occasionally sentenced to death. However, the Apostle Paul spoke of another coming judgment before God Almighty which is far more dreadful.
Transition: In our text, Paul shares with us three things he was doing (and that we must do) to prepare for Judgment Day.
The 1st thing Paul was doing to prepare for Judgment Day was that
1. He was Striving Ambitiously (v.9).
a. He was motivated by the thought of death.
1) The word “wherefore” means on account of this. It takes us back to the previous verses where Paul spoke of leaving his tent body and receiving an eternal body. As a believer, he knew that to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord (v.8).
2) This motivated him to action. He had one passion, whether he was in the Lord’s presence, or absent while yet in the body. His life was consumed by one main passion.
b. He was labouring to be accepted of God.
1) The word “labour” literally describes one who strives ambitiously to do something. We all have some jobs that we simply do out of duty. It may be changing nappies, washing the car, pulling weeds, or scrubbing the floor. We also do things that we thoroughly enjoy. In your mind, identify your favourite activity. It was such an activity for which Paul was striving ambitiously.
2) He was striving ambitiously to be well-pleasing to God. This is the idea expressed by the word “accepted.” The passion of his life was to please the Lord well in all that he did. How can we be well-pleasing to the Lord?
a) Present your body to the Lord and be transformed to Him by renewing your mind (Romans 12:1-2).
b) Separate from sinful things and live in righteousness and peace (Romans 14:17-18).
c) Test things with the Bible before you speak and do (Ephesians 5:10).
d) Obeying parents pleases the Lord (Colossians 3:20).
3) Can you honestly say that you are striving ambitiously to please the Lord? Does your passion to please the Lord govern your thoughts, your words, your actions, and even your attitudes? That’s what God wants.
4) Many Christians wishfully desire to hear God say, “Well done, thou good and faithful servant.” For Paul, that was not just a wishful desire; he was ambitiously striving to live in such a way that his life might be well-pleasing to the Lord.
The 2nd thing Paul was doing to prepare for Judgment Day was that
2. He was Remembering Judgment Day (v.10).
a. He knew Judgment Day was coming.
1) The Bible speaks of several future judgments.
a) The Tribulation judgments will judge Israel and the world (Rev 4-18).
b) The judgment of the living nations will determine which survivors of the Tribulation will enter the 1,000-year kingdom (Mat. 25).
c) The devil and his fallen angels will be judged (Re 20).
2) Two future judgments focus on individuals.
a) The second will be the Great White Throne Judgment when every unbeliever since Creation will be sentenced to the Lake of fire (Rev 20:11-15). My friend, you do NOT want to face God at that terrible judgment. If you die without repenting of your sin and trusting Christ alone for salvation, you will bow to God on that fateful day with no hope.
b) The other judgment of individuals is the one Paul mentions in verse 10. It is the Judgment Seat of Christ, also called the Bema. In the Greek world, the Bema was the high stand at an athletic stadium where the judge sat. He carefully watched the game, rebuked those who cheated, and rewarded those who won. It is at such a Bema that every true Christian will face the Lord God Almighty.
b. What is the Judgment Seat of Christ?
1) Every Christian will appear before Christ on that day.
2) Every Christian will receive from Christ a rebuke or a reward, according to how he or she had lived their Christian life – whether it was good or bad.
3) The Bema is not a judgment of sin. The sins of all those present were paid in full by the blood of Christ. No one at the Bema will be sent to hell for their sin.
4) However, our selfish, sinful failures will be rebuked; our God-honouring service will be rewarded.
5) In 1 Corinthians 3:11-15, Paul alluding to this same Judgment, said that Christians are building their lives one block at a time with deeds represented by gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, or stubble. Christ will test our lives with fire. We will be rewarded for that which survives the fire of His judgment. Read the passage.
6) Jesus said in (Matthew 12:36) “But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.“
7) The New Testament identifies five crowns that Christians may receive on that day.
a) Crown Incorruptible self-control (1 Cor. 9:24-27)
b) Crown of Rejoicing witnessing (1 Thes. 2:19-20)
c) Crown of Righteousness looking for Christ (2 Tim. 4:5-8)
d) Crown of Life the Martyr’s Crown (Jas 1:12; Re 2:10)
e) Crown of Glory faithful service (1 Peter 5:2-4)
8) Anticipate that Judgment Day and live for God’s glory. None of us will want to receive a rebuke from the Lord who died in our place to rescue us from eternal damnation. No Christian will glibly say, “She’ll be right. As long as I get into heaven, that is all that matters.” Anyone who has that attitude is either grossly ignorant of God’s holiness or they are not truly a Christian.
The 3rd thing Paul was doing to prepare for Judgment Day was that
3. He was Persuading People (v.11).
a. Paul knew the terror of the Lord.
1) The idea of “terror” is dread of displeasure or fearful reverence.
2) Paul knew how dreadful it would be to displease the Lord. He also knew that the Lord deserves our fearful reverence. This motivated Paul to do his best for the Lord.
3) Paul also knew how fearful it will be for careless Christians to stand before the Lord on that day. This also motivated him.
4) Perhaps, his knowledge of the final Great White Throne Judgment of all unbelievers also stirred terror in his heart. He did not want them to suffer eternally in the lake of fire.
b. Motivated by this, he persuaded people.
1) To persuade is to induce by words to do something.
2) It was Paul’s passion, motivated by his terror of the Lord, to persuade, induce, convince, or sway as many people as he could to prepare for Judgment Day.
3) A search of this Greek word in the New Testament reveals that persuading people to turn to Christ was the common practice of this great missionary.
4) One of the best ways you can prepare for Judgment Day is to let the terror of the Lord move you to persuade people to follow the Lord.
Conclusion: Paul was preparing for Judgment Day, are you? He was striving ambitiously to please the Lord with his life, are you? He was remembering that day. It was on his heart and mind. Is that true of you? Knowing the terror of standing in God’s presence moved him to persuade others. How about you?
Judgment day is coming. If you are a Christian, it will be the Bema where you will be rebuked or rewarded for your service to Christ. If you are not a Christian, it will be the Great White Throne where you will be doomed. Now is the time to prepare to meet our God! Do not delay. Tomorrow may be too late.
