Every Saturday, Pastor Mike and Sherry write our congregation a letter of encouragement as well an introduction for the sermon topic he will preach the following morning. Below you will find the letter from August 24th, 2024. To watch this sermon, follow this link: Before the Judgement Seat, a sermon on Romans 14:12 which tells us that both the saved and unsaved alike will give an account to God. What does this mean, and what should we do BEFORE we stand Before the Judgement Seat...?
Week of August 25, 2024
What goes through your mind when you think about standing before the judgment seat of Christ—fear or dread? In the apostle John’s first letter he seeks to encourage us by saying, “abide in him, so that when he appears we may have confidence and not shrink from him in shame at his coming” (1 John 2:28). The reason is that we belong to Jesus, who went to the cross to bear our sins and take the penalty we deserved.
Our future judgment has nothing to do with determining our eternal destiny; that has already been settled. Instead, this judgment is Christ’s evaluation of our deeds—to evaluate, according to 2 Corinthians 5:10, “whether [they are] good or bad.” The word bad refers not to evil acts but to those that are of zero value eternally. 1 Corinthians 3:10-15 likens Christ’s judgment to a fire that consumes every worthless deed but leaves untouched those worthy of eternal reward. Although our life may look impressive by worldly standards, God alone knows the heart’s motives and which deeds are truly good. You see we can fool the people around us, we can even at times fool ourselves, BUT, one true and eternal fact is that we can never fool God and He judges even the hidden thought and true motives of our hearts.
In God’s eyes, sin is sin, no matter what the person has done. If it is against His commands, the law condemns us as sinners. Therefore, we are all in need of God’s grace through his Son, Jesus – the true atonement for our sins. Without Christ, we all fall short of God’s standard of holiness. However, by trusting in Jesus as our Savior, we can be transformed through the power of the Holy Spirit to live in obedience, faith and love.
When we live by faith, we see that God has taken care of everything and that we need not worry about other people’s sin but rather should focus on how to deal with our own. Confronting our sins brings us into closer relationship with God and empowers us to abide in God’s word. We have been crucified with Christ, and because of that, he lives in us forever.
Our actions don’t determine whether we spend eternity with God, but He is gracious to consider them for the purpose of reward. Together, let’s seek to live for Him and His glory each day. And let us also rest, knowing that His righteousness makes us worthy of heaven.
Well, I’ll close this for now and get it sent. As I do I want to encourage you to pray for those Bible Study leaders that teach so faithfully each week and seek to minister to those they teach. I want also to say thank you to our Deacons who are there to be my right and left arm in ministry to this wonderful body of believers. Also, I want to encourage you to continue to pray for our “Search Committee” as their task is great, and I am certain they each feel the weighty responsibility of their task. God has just the right person. Let us be willing to wait upon the Lord and trust Him to raise up the one He has set aside.
I hope to see many on you in service. I so do look forward to our fellowship time. If you are with us through the broadcast, I pray that God will be able to draw you into a deepening worship.
May God bless each of you.
In Christ,
Mike and Sherry
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