Understanding the Judgment to Come
Acts 17:24-31

INTRO:
Good morning. Dr. Ian Paisley, the fiery Irish cleric and politician was reported to have been preaching one Sunday on the End Times - and in particular on the Day of Judgment. As he reached the climax of his address he said that on the Day of Judgment “there would be wailing and gnashing of teeth”. At which point an elderly woman put up her hand and said “Dr. Paisley, I have no teeth” Paisley immediately replied “Madam, teeth will be provided” (Source Unknown).

I think the point we can take is that no amount of imagination or unbelief is going to spare us from facing God’s judgment.

Though the word “evangelize” has started to have a negative connotation attached to it by the worldly media, it simply means – to spread the good news of Jesus. I hope that we are all encouraged to speak to our neighbor, friend, or even loved one about eternal salvation.

When we do, there is an event that we cannot leave out of the discussion. We MUST tell others about this day. In fact, this day is WHY we must spread the good news, and do it now.

I. He has appointed a day... When the apostle Paul arrived in Athens, Greece, his spirit was stirred within him when he saw the numerous idols and elements of idol worship. Paul did not find here a city with Jewish Synagogues but a city of pagan idols. There were people there who had never heard of the God of Israel and had little or no knowledge of OT scriptures. In Acts 17:16 scripture tells us that “...his spirit was provoked within him when he saw that the city was given over to idols.” This was certainly a place for the gospel message and Paul presented to them, the gospel of Jesus Christ. We can look around us today and see the same thing. A nation that is becoming more and more like pagan Athens in that many people do not even know who God is or have a faith in God at all. There are many today that have little or no understanding of Old Testament scripture or even the Bible.
A. Let’s look at the reference for our thoughts this morning, we are going to use; Acts 17:24-31 – “24. "God, who made the world and everything in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands. 25. "Nor is He worshiped with men's hands, as though He needed anything, since He gives to all life, breath, and all things. 26. "And He has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined their preappointed times and the boundaries of their habitation, 27. "so that they should seek the Lord, in the hope that they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us; 28. "for in Him we live and move and have our being, as also some of your own poets have said, 'For we are also His offspring.' 29. "Therefore, since we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Divine Nature is like gold or silver or stone, something shaped by art and man's devising. 30. "Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent, 31. "because He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained. He has given assurance of this to all by raising Him from the dead.''”. You might notice that Paul referenced two specific events as essential elements of the gospel message. These two events are essential to the understanding of the concept of redemption among mankind.
1. Day of creation – God made the world and all things.... (v. 24)
2. Day of judgment – Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world (v. 31). Paul uses the word “because” as the connecting word that looks back to what has already been said in verse 30. This gives us the reason why. Why should we go back to God? Why should we try to find out who He is? Why should we have a desire to serve Him or please Him? Paul says “because He has appointed a day in which He will judge the world”.
B. The good news of the gospel is based on the FACT of the coming judgment of God. There are those in religion who deny the coming judgment of God, such as the preterists (pray-ter-ists), or those who advocate the 70 AD doctrine, those who say it has all taken place, it is all over, there is no future judgment of God. I would suggest by promoting that type of doctrine, what they do is rob the gospel of its urgent purpose; they rob the gospel of its subsequent joy. The whole propose of the gospel, the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus is the forgiveness of our sins and a return to being in harmony with God, looking forward to our reward for righteousness and recognizing the punishment that is in store for those who refuse to repent. There will be a balancing of the scales and you and I, with all of creation will face God in judgment on a day that HE has “FIXED” (KJV)
C. Peter says there are those who will scoff at the second coming. 2 Peter 3:3-7 – “...that scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts, 4. and saying, "Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation.'' 5. For this they willfully forget: that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of water and in the water, 6. by which the world that then existed perished, being flooded with water. 7. But the heavens and the earth which now exist are kept in store by the same word, reserved for fire until the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.”
II. There are some things I would like to direct our attention to this morning from the standpoint of the Judgment that is to come. Things we can know for certain from what the Bible tells us about the day that is coming when God will judge the world.
III. The Judgment to Come is Unpredictable: The judgment is coming and it is certain, but it is also unpredictable. Someone breaks into your house and steals your fishing poles, new camera, your wife’s jewelry and the good silverware. You call the police. When they arrive, they look around and take notes then the officer says, “You know this could have all been prevented if you had just called us before they broke in. Why didn’t you call us before all this happened?” What is your response? You say; “Wait a minute officer I had no idea they were coming. I could not have possibly called you before because I did not know a thief was going to break into my home last night.” Why not? Because thieves come unannounced. They don’t tell you ahead of time.
A. In 2 Peter 3:10 Peter wrote...But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night. Jesus typified the time of His return this way; Matthew 24:43-44 – “43. "But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into. 44. "Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour when you do not expect Him.”
B. It will not be announced ahead of time when Jesus will return. What that indicates to us is we do not have as humans, the ability to predict when Jesus will return. It would be something that many people would desire of course.
1. It is something that many would want to know. You are being told you will be held accountable and someone is coming to judge you and you need to prepare for that. If someone tells me I need to prepare for something I naturally want to know when I need to be prepared.
2. God does not provide that information. Why because He is trying to hold back on us? No, the whole aspect of discipleship is a continual readiness. A person’s life is not to be characterized by a few moments or a few days before they die that they would turn around and try to do things to secure their salvation. Rather it is for us to develop a life of discipleship, a life of commitment to the Lord, a life whose whole attitude is of love for God and man. That is the aspect of good stewardship.
C. Many in religion have not heeded the clear teaching of the scriptures and have attempted to do what cannot be done – predict when Jesus will return. Almost every generation since the time of Christ has witnessed these predictions. In recent times the Adventist William Miller (in 1843 then again in 1844 and again in 1845); to Charles Russell (Jehovah’s Witnesses) set 1914; 1925; 1975; very recently Harold Camping predicting that in May of 2011 Jesus would return.
D. It is obvious that all those predictions failed yet people continually try to put together information in their own minds in attempts to do what God has said can not be done; to know for a certainty when the Lord will return. In Matthew 24:35-36 – Jesus says; “35. "Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away. 36. "But of that day and hour no one knows, no, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only.” Later on in verse 44 of the same chapter “"Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour when you do not expect Him.” That is the way Jesus presented this and it is the way the apostles presented it in the first century. The return of Jesus was absolutely certain and judgment was coming, but the call to preparation was a continual call to commitment and obedience to God. It is the height of folly to think that we have more knowledge then they. Jesus is coming to judge. Who is He coming to judge some might ask.
IV. The Judgment to Come will be Comprehensive: The Judgment Shall Include Everyone. Of course, being from northeastern Ohio I am a fan of baseball players like Bob Feller who I saw playing in the 1950’s. His career spanned 570 games and posted a win-loss record of 266-162 and a 3.25 earned run average. Yet I have, and probably always will have a warm spot in my heart for Pete Rose as a baseball player. On the field probably one of greatest players of all time. I was disappointed by his baseball demise.
A. I remember one question that was often asked when he was being accused of betting on baseball games, and maybe still is being asked; How could someone who knew so much about baseball, after all he was also a manager, he knew all the rules, how could he do this when he knew the severity of the punishment?
1. Why would you do that when you knew that when you got caught you would get kicked out of baseball? The answer always comes back to “He did not think he would get caught”. He was, after all, Pete Rose. Everybody loved him! Even if someone tried to hold him accountable who would believe them?
2. It is very prevalent for us to think that we are the exception. We for some reason feel that we will not be held accountable for what we do and that somehow we will be exempt from all of that. Or that it will go unnoticed, lost in the vastness of minutia in time. However what God tells us about our sins is much different. Everything that God says established accountability from the very beginning. All of us will face the judgment of God.
B. Hebrews 4:12-13 – “For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. What the writer is saying is that the word of God pierces through to the very spiritual part of a person and God sees even the intents of the heart. His goes on; 13. And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.” What the Hebrew writer is saying is that everybody must give an account to God and nothing... nothing is hidden from God or over looked by God.
C. Romans 14:10-12 Here Paul in a discussion about how brothers are treated by brothers and not judging one another hypocritically or harshly and he says; “10. But why do you judge your brother? Or why do you show contempt for your brother? For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. 11. For it is written: "As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to Me, and every tongue shall confess to God.'' 12. So then each of us shall give account of himself to God.” Paul quotes from Isaiah 45 where the prophet was talking about all the nations and their relationship to God. Isaiah tells God’s people “you are not unique in the sense that you are accountable to God, every nation is accountable to God.”
1. Paul is affirming for us in the New Testament language that this aspect of universal accountability continues to be. Paul affirmed that same fact in his epistle to the Corinthian disciples; II Corinthians 5:10 – “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.” That’s pretty simple isn’t it? All of us, young or old, whatever culture, whatever nation we come from, however long we have lived, we will all stand before God.
2. How extensive is the judgment of Christ? To Timothy, Paul declared that the Lord is the judge of both the living and the dead (1 Timothy 4:1). Paul tells Timothy God spans the generations. He is Lord and Judge of those who have died in the past and those who will die in the future. Those who have passed from this life will be included in the judgment as well as those who are still alive in that day.
3. In Matthew 25:31-32 when Jesus foretold of that day, he said, “31. "When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory. 32. "All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats.” Jesus tells us that the Judgment to come is comprehensive.
V. The Judgment to Come Will Be Compassionate: In the sense that the judgment will be done by one who is qualified to judge. During his earthly ministry, Jesus informed us that the Father has committed all judgment unto the Son. John 5:22 – “22 For the Father judges no one, but has committed all judgment to the Son”, and then later on in that same chapter John 5:27 – “and has given Him authority to execute judgment also, because He is the Son of Man.”
A. Jesus says Himself that the judgment has been put into My hands because I am the Son of Man. That is the reason why He is qualified to execute judgment – because He is the Son of man. There are a lot of things we can say about the term “Son of Man” and the Old Testament references pointing to the Messiah but the element here we need to notice is the connection to humanity. Jesus was not only the Son of God, not only divine in nature but also fully human, He was the Son of Man and so He has the right to judge on that basis.
1. The Hebrew writer connects this thought to the High Priesthood of Jesus in Hebrews 4:14-16 – “14. Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. 15. For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. 16. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” Jesus has experienced the human dilemma.
2. Having lived as a man and having been “in all points tempted like as we are” (vs. 15), we can be confident that Jesus will have compassion and mercy in his judgment upon us. Having been “tempted like as we are yet without sin” makes him the perfect one to stand in judgment against sinful man.
3. Every person is personally responsible to Jesus alone. Jesus is the one who will execute judgment. It is foolishness to be overly concerned about what man thinks of us. We are not responsible to the thoughts of men. We are not responsible to the writings of men in religion. We are not responsible for decisions the assembly might make about us. We are responsible to Jesus alone. He is the one who will execute the judgment. We would do well to remember the words of the apostle Paul, 1 Corinthians 4:4 – “For I know nothing against myself, yet I am not justified by this; but He who judges me is the Lord.” I don’t know anything I’ve done wrong, but that is not the point.
VI. The Judgment to Come Shall Be Done in Righteousness: Go back again to Acts 17:30-31. In verse 31 Paul assures us that Jesus will judge the world in righteousness. What he is saying is that the final outcome of the judgment will be right; it will be the way it ought to be.
A. Not all judges are alike. When you go before a judge you hope that he will execute justice. Some judge with partiality some can be bought with money. Some do not understand or care about the circumstances of the event they are judging or the motives of the person they are judging. Jesus is not like those judges. Justice Gray of the Supreme Court once told of a man who had appeared before him in one of the lower courts and had escaped conviction by some technicality. Judge Gray said to him; "I know that you are guilty and you know it, and I wish you to remember that one day you will stand before a better and wiser Judge, and that there you will be dealt with according to justice and not according to the law."
B. What kind of Judge is Jesus?
1. Psalm 9:7-10 – “7. But the Lord shall endure forever; He has prepared His throne for judgment. 8. He shall judge the world in righteousness, And He shall administer judgment for the peoples in uprightness. 9. The Lord also will be a refuge for the oppressed, A refuge in times of trouble. 10. And those who know Your name will put their trust in You; For You, Lord, have not forsaken those who seek You.” The Psalmist says you can count on God, He’s always been there for those who are oppressed, and He does everything right.
2. Romans 2:2 – “But we know that the judgment of God is according to truth against those who practice such things.” God’s mind does not change. That which is immoral and wrong and has been judged by God as unrighteous in days past will continue to be judged by God as unrighteous. Even though men may say it is ok, we don’t mind that.
3. 2 Timothy 4:8 – “Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing.” The righteous judge will give us a righteous reward.
C. We can be sure that the judgment will be done correctly. God will not make any mistakes.
1. All of God’s judgments are righteous. It would violate His very character to give judgment that wasn’t righteous.
2. He is no respecter of persons. He doesn’t pick one person over another.
3. Nothing is hidden from the Lord, God sees everything.
4. In Romans 2:16 Paul says: “in the day when God will judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ, according to my gospel.” The day when God will judge the SECRETS of men.
D. We live in a society today when people can fool people. We think that they’re good, that they’re righteous, that they respect other people, but then something comes out and we see it is not that way at all.
1. These days’ people are accused of doing this or doing that and we don’t know what to think because... we don’t know. On the outside they look like good people. We don’t have all the evidence so how can we judge?
2. Being put in the position to judge is difficult, isn’t it? We set up systems where justice can be dispensed, but even in that, where you are judged by people like yourself, by more than one person, sometimes it can fail to bring out real justice.
3. People may be punished for things they’ve never done or those people who have actually done things can be let go and never be held accountable in this life.
4. With God that’s different. In the judgment that will come, in that day God will judge the secrets of men.
VII. The Judgment to Come Shall Be Executed According to the Word of God: If you and I are going to be held accountable, (God says we are) don’t we want to be sure about the standard? How can I know? Didn’t you hate it when the teacher pulled a surprise test and nothing on the test was anything you studied? If I am to prepare, then I need to know the standard by which I will be judged. We shall not be judged by what we “think” or what we “feel”. We will not be judged according to what our parents believed. We will not be judged by other Christian friends, nor by our enemies
A. That’s exactly what John tells us in John 12:48 – here Jesus says; “"He who rejects Me, and does not receive My words, has that which judges him, the word that I have spoken will judge him in the last day.” Jesus said to those who were His enemies and those who did not believe in Him: It’s not just about me. I’m speaking the words of God. Though I will be there to judge you in the last day—He takes it further and lets them know that the equitable standard by which they will be judged are the things that He’s actually said. They are His words so we have before us the words of God. We have before us the standard by which we will be judged.
B. God’s word is fair; and equitable judgment will be executed because God’s word treats everyone alike. Whether a person is a king or a slave he is treated the same. He presents to us in a historical form the sins of the greatest righteous men and the repentance of the most horrible sinners. All portrayed for us in the word of God.
C. In the book of Revelation chapter 20 is one of the great scenes of John’s visions....
1. Revelation 20:10-15 – “10. And the devil, who deceived them, was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and the false prophet are. And they will be tormented day and night forever and ever. 11. Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. And there was found no place for them. 12. And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books. 13. The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works. 14. Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. 15. And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.”
2. The scriptures go on to talk about the redeemed—those who have been bought by the blood of Jesus Christ, who survived the judgment of God and are brought into the blessings of the city of God. What is presented to us in the very last pages of God’s word is the scene of the judgment that is to come. The essence of it is the universal accountability of individuals and the execution of that judgment based on the righteousness of God.
D. That day is coming. Will we have boldness in that day?
VIII. In the Judgment to Come the Christian Can Have Boldness: The Bible depicts the Christian as one who stands in the judgment of God with confidence. One of the sweetest thoughts the faithful Christian can have is that he does not have to fear the coming of the Lord. They can anticipate the coming of the Lord with gladness and with confidence. Even though that day is certainly a day of judgment and a condemnation of evil, the Christian can have confidence and boldness. Do you have that confidence?
A. Two important elements of this that are forever linked together – both can be seen in the writings of 1 John.
B. Through faith (trust) in the power of Jesus’ atonement (blood). 1 John 2:1-2 – “1. My little children, these things I write to you, that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. 2. And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world.” He goes on to say in 1 John 5:12- “He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life.”
1. What John is telling us is that we can have boldness when facing the throne of God because of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. If I have to stand on my own good, if I have to stand there with nothing else to show except what I have done or haven’t done then that day is a dreadful day because I have failed miserably. We all have. I have no basis on which to stand and survive the judgment of God in terms of my own morality.
2. It takes the blood of Jesus Christ. John says we have an advocate. Even though we sin we have an advocate, one who speaks for us. He is the propitiation; He is the satisfaction, of the guilt of my own sins.
3. We spent some time just a few minutes ago reflecting on the body and the blood of Jesus Christ, a sacrifice that was given on our behalf remembering it - because it is the basis of our ability to survive the judgment of God and be forgiven of our sins. The primary element of my ability to survive the judgment of God and be comforted by Him is that fact that Jesus died on the cross. I put my trust in that, I put my faith in that.
4. There is also a way to know if I’m being obedient to the word of God.
C. John touches on that as well in 1 John 2:3-5 – “3. Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. 4. He who says, "I know Him,'' and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. 5. But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him.”
1. By this we...know...that we are in Him if we keep His commandments.
2. You mean I can know? That’s exactly what John is saying. You can follow God’s will and you can be obedient to His will and thereby you can know that you are right before Him. What that implies to us is that if you are not willing to be obedient to God, if you are rebellious to His will or if you ignore your accountability towards Him, you have no hope. You have no confidence. And when the day of judgment comes there will be no boldness.

CONCLUSION:
When was the last time you spoke with someone about the judgment to come?
Have you talked to your friend or your neighbor or maybe even another Christian about the day which is yet to come?

It is fascinating to me and perhaps tragic to consider how big a part that day plays in our lives as Christians and how little we talk about it—even among ourselves.

I believe the first century Christians were conscious of the coming of Jesus on a continual basis, even so much that some say they expected it to be imminent, that Jesus was going to come back in their own lifetime. I don’t discount the idea that maybe they did think that He was coming back in their lifetime, but the real point is that they understood the immediacy of that event because it meant so much to the way they were living.

Does it mean that much to us? The Judgment to come? There is an intriguing record in Acts 24. The apostle Paul had been arrested and taken to Caesarea, to appear before Felix, a Roman procurator. Do you remember how he got to Caesarea? He was taken there by the Roman Guard. He is in the palace and he is to appear before Felix. Felix was an interesting character. Felix was living in adultery with his wife, Drusilla, and Tacitus, a noted Roman historian, asserted that Felix ruled with every kind of cruelty and lust.

Before this sinful Roman official, the apostle Paul was brought to make his defense.
Can you imagine standing before a guilty judge who is to decide whether you are guilty?

In that setting, the Bible says that Paul “reasoned of righteousness, temperance, and judgment to come,” and that Felix trembled (Acts 24:25).
Here’s Paul preaching the gospel—sharing, spreading the word of God in a most difficult circumstance. He is going to talk to this fellow who is an absolute wretch.
What’s he going to talk to him about? It says he reasoned with him of righteousness, (doing what is right), temperance (self-control) and the judgment to come.

He talked to Felix of accountability. The New American Standard Version says that he “discussed” those things and the original Greek implies that they had a dialogue about it. He wasn’t preaching to him he was talking to him about the fact that he was going to face the judgment of God. What would you have talked to Felix about? What did he need to hear?

When I think back I realize that all the things that I talk to neighbors about, that I talk about to those who are lost, to the people that don’t know about Jesus Christ, of all the things we dialogue or discuss together, I do not often talk to them about the thing that they most need to hear. About a date that they will not be able to postpone or put off. About an appointment on that day of judgment that is coming that I’m pretty sure they’re not ready for.

That is the basis of being a bearer of the good news, the judgment of God. As we consider this we realize that the gospel must be preached including the uncomfortable subject of the judgment to come because it is what everyone needs to hear.

Are you ready for the judgment to come? Because Jesus is coming and you are accountable to Him. The apostles were bold. They’re aggressively bold in making it known to individuals they were talking to were sinners. They even accused them of being complicit in the death of Jesus Christ their Lord, of turning away from Him, of a need to repent and change their whole life.
The reason they did that was not to diminish people’s self-esteem or to preach a hard message to vaunt themselves up, but because those apostles knew that people had to be ready for the coming judgment of God. And the first thing you have to know about yourself is that you are not ready now.

If you have not been forgiven of your sins by the blood of Jesus Christ, you’re not ready for the judgment of God. You’re still guilty before Him.
How do I get rid of that guilt? How do I get forgiveness?

The apostles were ready to speak that word over and over again in the most diverse circumstances. You must be willing to repent of your sins,.. confess that Jesus Christ is your Lord.. be baptized in water for the forgiveness of your sins. In Acts chapter two when that message was preached two thousand plus years ago individuals responded. They gladly received the word of God. They were getting ready for the judgment that was to come. Will you do that this morning? Folks, if we can give you assistance in any way this morning, in preparing for that day or in the living of your life for Christ, we want to do that. If we can help you in any way, we invite you to come while we stand and while we sing.

Reference Sermon: Dave Schmidt – 12/10/2017