Sermon Outline

Countdown to Judgment, Part 2
The Judge and the Judgment

Charles F. Stanley

Scripture: John 5:22-24

I. Introduction: The Bible teaches that one day, every believer will stand before the Lord and give an account of his or her works. If our deeds are found worthy, we will be rewarded. If they are deemed worthless, we will experience regret and sorrow for the years wasted. Will you be ready to stand before the King of Kings on the day of judgment?                        

II. Message:

A. Who Is This Judge?

1. Jesus will judge the world. John 5:23 says, “The Father . . . has given all judgment to the Son” (see also Matt. 28:18). Christ will examine, purify, and reward believers.
    
2. As Christians, we will all stand before our Lord to be recompensed for our deeds (2 Cor. 5:10). God will reward us for our good works and ask us to give an account of those He finds worthless. There is no condemnation for those who are in Jesus (John 5:24; Rom. 8:1).
   
   
3. The judgment seat of Christ must be distinguished from the great white throne of judgment, where the lost will be judged based on their works.

B. The Character of the Judge

1. Jesus will be a righteous, just judge. Our Lord knows all things and is completely fair (John 2:24-25). He will judge us on the basis of three things:
   
   
   • How much truth we heard and understood
   • Which gifts, talents, skills, and opportunities we possessed
   • What we did with the opportunities given us
     
     
2. Christ will also be an impartial, perfect judge (1 Peter 1:17).
   
   
   • Jesus has compassion for our human weaknesses because He walked the earth as a man (Heb. 4:15).
   • His judgment is flawless. We will agree with His assessment of our life and character. 

C. Misconceptions About the Judgment

1. The judgment seat of Christ is not a time for public condemnation or discipline. It involves only the individual and God.
   
   
2. Many people think they will simply explain to God why they didn’t choose to please Him. But we won’t have an opportunity to make excuses, or the desire to defend our sinful choices.

D. The Purposes of the Judgment Seat of Christ

1. To reveal the true nature of our heart and life. The Lord will honor those who faithfully served Him. God’s wrath is reserved for those who never accepted the gift of salvation (1 Cor. 4:5).
   
   
2. To cleanse us of unconfessed sin. At this judgment, Christ will reveal our sins to us and cleanse us from the ones we have harbored. Once we understand how much we needed God’s grace, we will love Him even more.
   
   
3. To evaluate the quality of our service to God while on earth. The Lord is more concerned about the quality of good deeds we have accomplished than the quantity. This aspect of the judgment may cause us to feel sorrow about our wasted talents and opportunities.
    
4. To reward us for good works. God will not forget any good deed (Heb. 6:10). Christians will be honored for the time they invested in the lives of others and the work they performed as unto the Lord (Col. 3:23).
   
   
5. To determine our place of service in His kingdom. We will serve God and reign with Him (Rev. 22:5). Our heavenly responsibilities will be determined by how we spent our time on earth (Matt. 25:23). This life is a school through which we learn how to bless our family, friends, and community.

III. Conclusion:  At the judgment seat of Christ, our works will be evaluated with absolute fairness. Even if you feel that you have wasted your life to this point, determine to serve the Lord wholeheartedly with your remaining days. The righteous Judge will reward your obedience more generously than you can imagine.