Sermon

November 6, 2005
End Times - Last Judgment
Matthew 25:31-46
Pastor Ben Berger

Jesus Will Judge Justly

How does God decide who goes to heaven and who goes to hell? Do you remember Jeffrey Dahmer, a serial killer in Milwaukee some years ago? The news reported that he confessed his sin and claimed Jesus as his Savior. Do you think he went to heaven? Would that bother you? Will you be disgusted to see murderers or rapists or terrorists in heaven? Will you be upset to hear that your good, law-abiding, generous, helpful neighbor went to hell? When the Last Day comes, we may all be surprised to see who went to heaven and who went to hell. We might be tempted to cry "unfair", because we see "good people" going to hell and "evil people" going to heaven. But we don't decide; God judges because only God can see hearts. On the Last Day, on Judgment Day, God will show us his judgment of every heart and prove that his judgment is fair, or just. God has appointed Jesus as the Judge and Jesus Will Judge Justly 1) based on faith and 2) according to the evidence.

Picture the scene. Your sitting in the courtroom waiting for the trial to begin. Suddenly you see the Son of Man coming down from heaven riding the clouds. You can hardly stand to look because his clothes and hair are bright white. The trumpet call of God and the voice of the archangel shout, "All rise, now presiding, the Ancient of Days, the Son of Man and the Son of God, the honorable and just Jesus Christ." The King sits on his throne which is flaming with fire all around. Thousands upon thousands of angels surround the King and his throne waiting to serve him.

The Judge orders that the angels gather the assembly. They bring before him every human being that has ever lived. All the dead have been raised and all the living gathered. Every person from every nation, tribe language and race stands before the almighty Judge awaiting sentence. The Judge orders the angels to separate the people into two groups. He puts the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. Which side will you be on?

When Jesus separates the people, he has already made his Judgment. The purpose of the trial on Judgment Day is not to determine who belongs in heaven and who in hell. For most, that judgment has already taken place at the time of death. When we die, we immediately enter heaven or hell. Jesus told the thief on the cross, "Today you will be with me in paradise" (Luke 23:43). When Jesus returns to judge the living and the dead, he will already know the eternal fate of all. The purpose of the trial on Judgment Day is to MAKE PUBLIC who will reside eternally in heaven and who in hell. Jesus will judge justly based on faith. The sheep on Jesus' right represent believers; the goats on the left represent unbelievers.

After the Judgment, Jesus will sentence each side appropriately. Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world (34). Based on faith Jesus acquits the believers on his right, declares them not guilty, holy, righteous and innocent, and invites them to take their inheritance. All believers will inherit a kingdom prepared for them since the creation of the world. Jesus will make them his co-heirs and co-rulers. They will receive every blessing of his Father. How is this possible for a group of sinners? Based on faith. The people on Jesus' right acknowledge their sin. They admit that they don't deserve an inheritance or a kingdom or anything. But in faith they cling to Jesus. They point to his perfect life and innocent death for their sins. They beg the Judge to have mercy. How can the Judge not accept his own payment? He has no choice but to declare these believers innocent and grant them their inherited kingdom.

On the other hand, he will say to those on the left, 'Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels' (41). Based on a lack of faith Jesus condemns the unbelievers on his left, declares them guilty and sends them to hell. This is not what he wanted to do. His Father had only created hell for the devil and his evil angels. He sent his one and only Son to save all people from their sins. He wanted all people to know Jesus and be saved. But the unbelievers left him no choice. Some didn't want his help. They thought that they could earn heaven on their own; they wanted to stand on their own merit and worth. Others refused to believe that he was really God, that he could really help them, that he was really their Savior. Without Jesus they have nothing to cover their sins. They stand naked and filthy before him. He has no choice but to condemn them with their master, the Devil.

Which side will you be on? What about your loved ones? Your friends? Your neighbors? The stranger at the mall, at the gas station, on the other side of the world? By the time Judgment Day comes it will be too late to change sides. By the time death comes it will be too late. Now is the time to take hold of Jesus. Now is the time to urge others to believe in him too.

When Jesus separates the nations into believers and unbelievers, we might be surprised and upset to see who is going to heaven and who to hell. It's important to remember that Jesus makes his just judgment based on faith. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved and whoever does not believe will be condemned (Mark 16:16). Also remember that the purpose of Judgment Day is to MAKE PUBLIC Jesus' just judgment. After Jesus separates the groups into believers and unbelievers, he will show everyone that his judgment is just according to the evidence.

Jesus reveals the believers' faith by pointing to the evidence of what they did in their lives. First, notice that Jesus doesn't mention any sins of the believers. Does that mean they didn't sin? No, all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). He doesn't mention their sins because based on faith he's already forgiven them. Jesus also doesn't mention any big, spectacular or miraculous good works. He only says that the believers did the little things - everyday, ordinary acts of love and kindness. They offered food to the hungry, drink to the thirsty, hospitality to the stranger, clothes to the needy, care to the sick and friendship to the imprisoned. But what the believers did is not as important as why they did it.

They did not live lives of love for their own credit. When Jesus acknowledges all of their good deeds, the believers don't even know what he's talking about. They never thought about what they were doing. Everything they did flowed naturally out of faith. They never asked return favors from others or from God, never asked for brownie points, never even asked for thanks.

Everything the believers' did they did for their Savior. Appreciating the perfect life Jesus lived in their place, the innocent death he died for their sins and the faith he placed in their hearts, the believers just wanted to say thank you. Notice that Jesus said, "I was hungry, I was thirsty, I was a stranger, I was naked, I was sick and I was in prison and you helped me." And Jesus said, I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me (40). Jesus knew and acknowledged that the believers acted in faith. He invites them to heaven based on faith, but their faith is revealed to all according to the evidence of their lives.

Jesus also reveals the unbelievers' lack of faith by pointing to the evidence of what they did not do in their lives. The unbelievers did nothing. Notice again that Jesus doesn't mention any terrible sins like murder, rape or terrorism; he only mentions the little things. The unbelievers never offered him food or drink or hospitality or clothes or care or friendship. Does that mean that they never did anything "good" - never said a kind word, never gave a generous donation, never helped anyone? No, it means that they never did anything based on faith. Faith is what makes an action good.

Yet, the unbelievers still want credit. They complain to the judge that they didn't have the opportunity to serve. They never saw him hungry, thirsty, sick or in prison. It's not their fault.

The fact is that the unbelievers only live for themselves. Because they don't believe in Jesus as their Savior, they don't have any reason to thank him. If they don't care about Jesus, they certainly don't care about his believers. Unbelievers only care about themselves. Most of the time unbelievers do nice things to get something for themselves. They want recognition or a tax break or satisfaction. They want God to tell them how good they are or that they deserve his blessing. Instead, Jesus tells them, I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these (my believers), you did not do for me (45).The unbelievers' lack of love gives evidence of their lack of faith.

So the Judge pounds his gavel. The Judgment is over. He has looked into the hearts of every human and separated the believers from the unbelievers. He has proven to all people that his judgment based on faith is just according to the evidence. The angels immediately escort the unbelievers out of the courtroom into eternal punishment. Though they cannot excuse their guilty, they go kicking and screaming. Unbelievers will fear and dread that day. Believers, however, will jump for joy and enter into eternal life. Do not fear Judgment day; rather look forward to it because you know which side you'll be on.

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