Turning the World Right-Side Up: When Judgment Day Comes

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Sign up at harvest.org. One day every person on earth will meet Jesus Christ, and if you don't meet him as Savior, you will meet him as judge. A day of reckoning is coming, and Pastor Greg Laurie points out today, people will be judged on whether they know Jesus as their Savior.

World leaders, movie stars, billionaires, unknown people, everyone will stand before God. And know this, the road to hell is paved with excuses. At most restaurants, we order when we're hungry, but we pay when we've eaten and aren't hungry anymore. That big meal seemed less expensive when we couldn't wait to taste it. But afterward, when we have to settle up, we wonder if the experience was worth the cost. Well, spiritually speaking, some will have a similar experience on Judgment Day.

Was the experience worth the cost? Today on A New Beginning, Pastor Greg Laurie points out how we can make the right choices right now. We're in the book of Revelation.

In fact, we're in the last leg of this amazing book. So I'd like you to grab your Bibles and turn to Revelation chapter 20. Now we move from the millennium on earth to the great white throne judgment in heaven. Last time I talked to you about the judgment seat of Christ, also called the bima seat of Christ, which is where the Lord is giving out rewards to his faithful servants.

This is different. This is that ominous great white throne judgment. Revelation 20 verse 11. Then John writes, And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away.

And there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. You might underline that word books.

Notice it's plural. And another book, singular, was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged according to their works by the things that were written in the books. And this he gave up the dead that were in it. And death and Hades delivered up the dead that were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works. Then death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And anyone not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

Wow. What an ominous scene. This is probably the most serious and sobering passage in all of the Bible. And Dante's poem Inferno are the famous words, Over the gates of hell, abandon hope, all you who enter here.

End quote. So here's this great white throne. Why is it white?

Because it's pure. And God is going to judge from this pure throne. And if a person ends up with this judgment, it's too late. There's going to be no debate over guilt or innocence. There's going to be a prosecutor but no defense attorney. There'll be an accuser but no advocate. There'll be an indictment but no defense mounted by the accused. The convicting evidence will be presented with no rebuttal or cross-examination. There is no jury. There is simply a judge. And that holy judgment will be final and binding for all eternity. Some people say, well, I stand before God. I'll make my case.

No, it's too late. There are thousands of chances before death. But if you end up at the great white throne judgment, it's too late. Who will be at this judgment? Well, number one, they'll just be out and out sinners. By out and out sinners, I mean people who acknowledge they're a sinner.

They own it. They don't make excuses. They make excuses for it. They kind of like being a sinner. These are people that have no interest in God. Maybe they even go out of their way to mock God and make fun of people who believe in Jesus Christ.

Yeah, they'll be there at this great white throne judgment. But there's some other people that will be there as well like self-righteous people. Now, they're different from the outright sinner because a self-righteous person feels because of things they've done or the good life they've led, they'll be admitted into heaven. They don't think they need God. They don't need Jesus. They don't need forgiveness. They'll be there as well because they ignored the passage that said it's not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy, He saved us. Procrastinators will be there as well. Now, these people are different from your average sinner or even your self-righteous person.

The procrastinator is a person you tell about Jesus and they'll say something along the lines of, well, you know what? I really am interested in that. I'm going to look into that. And yeah, I'll go to church with you sometime or I'll watch Harvest at Home maybe someday.

And I think it's good that you seem to have found something that has helped you. And I'm open to this, but I'm busy and I don't have time right now. They'll be there too because they procrastinated for too long. Guess who else will be there? Unsaved church members. Just because you go to church, it doesn't necessarily mean you're a Christian. And there are people that attend churches. There are people that have their name on the membership role of a church, but they are not followers of Jesus.

They're living a double life because they're not really Christians at all. They'll be there at the great white throne judgment. Everything is going to be known. Look at verse 12. I saw the dead small and great, stunning before God, and the books were open.

Now here's a question. Why is someone at the great white throne judgment? In other words, if they've lived this wicked life and rejected God's offer of forgiveness, why doesn't the Lord just send them to judgment?

Answer. Because He wants to reveal to them why this is happening. The final confrontation between God and man is there to demonstrate why this is happening. Jesus explains it in John 3 18. He that believes in me is not condemned, but he who does not believe in me is condemned already because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten son.

Listen, I know this isn't popular. I know this will offend someone, but I'm going to say it because it's in the Bible. There is only one way to come into a relationship with God the Father, and that is through Jesus Christ.

Jesus said, I am the way, the truth, and the life, and no man comes to the Father but by me. So if you reject that, if you say no to Christ who suffered and died in your place on the cross and say, I don't want your forgiveness, I don't care about your sacrifice, you'll end up in this judgment because there's only one way to get to heaven, and it's by having Christ come and live inside of you. As I've said many times, heaven is not for good people. Heaven is for forgiven people. Have you been forgiven of your sin? If not, I'll tell you how to be in a few moments, and I'll tell you how you can be sure your name is written in the book of life.

So stay with me because I'm almost done. Isn't it interesting how we read here that books are open, plural, and a book is open, singular, which is the book of life. So what is written in these books?

Well I don't think I can say with certainty, but I think I can offer an educated guess based on other passages of the Bible. I think one of these books may be the book of God's law. The book of God's law. By that I mean it's the Ten Commandments. The Bible tells us in Romans 3 19, the commandments were given that every mouth may be stopped and all the world would be guilty before God. The Ten Commandments opened my eyes and they shut my mouth because I might say, well I lived a good life and I was a good person. Okay, really?

Here's the Ten Commandments. Remember the story of that guy that we called the rich young ruler? He cruised up to Jesus and his lowered super cool BMW chariot drinking a latte.

Not really. But he was a wealthy guy. He came up to Jesus. He says, good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life? Jesus says, you know the commandments. And Jesus quotes a bunch of the commandments to the rich young ruler.

And then that young man said, all of these I have kept from my youth up. And then we read Jesus looked at him and loved him. It would have made more sense if we read and Jesus looked at him and smacked him.

Like what are you talking about? You've broken all these commandments son. But the point is Jesus quoted the commandments to show that young man he had broken them. And that's why he needed Jesus.

But that young guy missed the memo. Every one of us have broken these commandments. Let me ask you a question. Have you ever lied? Have you ever stolen? Have you ever taken the Lord's name in vain?

Have you ever coveted something that belonged to someone else? You say, well of course. Ok. Then you have broken a commandment. And the Bible says if you offend in one point of the law you are guilty of all of it. So we might say, well I am good.

I lived a good life. And God will say, open up this book. And it is a book of the law showing that I have broken these commandments. Perhaps another book would be a record of everything I have said and done. Everything I have said and done. Ecclesiastes 12.14 says, God will judge us for everything we do including every hidden thing good or bad.

Think about that. Everything you have done is recorded in heaven. Every word you spoke. Every thought you had.

Every text you sent. Everything is recorded in heaven. And Matthew 12.36 says every idle word a man speaks he will have to give an account of on the day of judgment. Pastor Greg Laurie will have the second half of his message in just a moment. You know sometimes we can't always make it to church but here is the good news. Church is coming to you.

It is coming to you on your TV screen or on your tablet or your computer or even your phone. We do it every weekend and it is called Harvest at Home. We have worship. We have a message from the word of God.

If you want to find out more just go to harvest.org and join us this weekend for Harvest at Home. Well we are learning that books will be opened on that great day of judgment. A heavenly record of our earthly actions.

Pastor Greg continues his message now called Turning the World Right Side Up. Maybe another one of these books would show that you didn't even live up to your own standards. Because sometimes people will say well I am not into organized religion. I have my own beliefs that I live by. Really when you say you are not into organized religion can I be so bold as to suggest what you are really saying is I don't want to hear about Jesus Christ or the Bible. Because what is organized religion? Is that what you call it?

I call it a relationship with Jesus Christ. But anyway I have my own rules that I live by. I suggest you don't even live up to your own standards.

You will set a standard. This is wrong and I will never do this thing. Then you do that thing. Well maybe it is not as wrong as I thought.

This other thing is bad. I will never do that. Then you do that. Well you keep adjusting it according to bad choices you make. The Bible says in Romans 2 14 even when nonbelievers who don't have God's law instinctively follow what the law says. Because in their hearts they know right from wrong. They demonstrate God's law is written in them because their own conscience will accuse them or tell them what they are doing is right. The day will come when God through Christ will judge everyone's secret life.

You don't even live up to your own standards much less God's standards. See all these books are open to show you really brought this on yourself. Maybe another book is a record of every time you heard the gospel and rejected it.

Because someone might say well wait wait. No one ever told me about Jesus. No one ever told me he died on the cross for my sin. No. Hold it.

Check this out. And maybe there is a film reel with highlights of your life. All the times you heard the gospel. Here you are as a little kid in Sunday school and a teacher is telling you Jesus loves you and you are cutting off the pigtail of the girl sitting in front of you. Here you are as a young man and someone engages you on the street and talks about Christ and you push them away. Here you are flipping the channels or you are on YouTube just looking at different things and you hear some bald guy telling you you need Jesus and you say I don't want to watch that right now.

I want to go watch a cat video instead. See you heard the gospel and you are held responsible to what you have heard. You know more than you think you know.

Knowledge brings responsibility. The question will be is your name written in the book of life. One day every person on earth will meet Jesus Christ. He is inescapable and he is unavoidable. And if you don't meet him as Savior you will one day meet him as judge.

Let me say that again. One day everyone is going to meet Jesus Christ. And if you don't meet him as Savior you will meet him as judge. Because Philippians 2 says at the name of Jesus Christ every knee will bow of those in heaven and those on the earth and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is the Lord to the glory of God the Father. Every person, world leaders, presidents, presidents, prime ministers, kings, queens, movie stars, rock stars, billionaires, unknown people, everyone will stand before God.

And know this. The road to hell is paved with excuses. If you end up in hell you have no one to blame but yourself. Hell is a prison in which the doors are first locked from the inside by us and then are locked from the outside by God.

The last thing God wants is for any man or woman made in his image to spend eternity separated from him in this place called hell. And this is why Jesus Christ died on the cross for you and for me. Because we have all sinned. We have all broken God's commandments. We have all fallen short.

We have all messed up. But Christ died for us and he rose again from the dead and now he stands at the door of our life and he knocks and he says if you will hear his voice and open the door he will come in. I mentioned earlier that passage that described this time of judgment as the second death.

Listen to this. If you are born once you will die twice. If you are born twice you will die once.

What does that mean? If you are born once you will die twice. What this simply means is you are born physically but then you will die physically and you will face the second death which is the judgment of God. But if you are born twice you will die once.

Let me explain. Born twice you are born physically but then you are born again. Jesus said in John 3, unless you are born again you will not enter the kingdom of God. By the way Jesus said that to a religious dude named Nicodemus. A man who was pretty self-righteous. A man who was known to be a spiritual person but a man who was searching for God and was honest enough to come to Jesus and look for help. Jesus said I will just cut to the chase. We didn't say that but it is implied.

I am just going to cut to the chase with you buddy. Nick listen. You need to be born again. What does that mean? It means you are born from above.

It means you ask Christ to come and live inside of you and He forgives you of all of your sin. Remember I told you earlier God is into restoration. Have you made a mess of your life? Have you made decisions you wish you had not made? Have you done things you wish you had not done? Have you said things you wish you had not said but you can't turn the clock back.

Right? Well listen. God can make all things new.

The Bible says if any man be in Christ he is an altogether different kind of person. Old things have passed away and behold everything becomes fresh in you. I love it when it rains don't you?

For starters people with dirty cars get their car washed if they want to or not. The sun comes out. The birds start singing again. And this is what can happen to you if you believe in Jesus. The sun can come out in your life again. You can find purpose again. I am talking to somebody right now that is really depressed. I am talking to somebody right now that is so despondent you have contemplated suicide.

Maybe even someone who has attempted it. Listen I want you to know there is a God in heaven who loves you and He has a plan for your life. Don't give up hope. This is your moment for your life to change. When I was just a young kid 17 years old I heard the gospel in a way I understood. And I put my faith in Jesus and I have never looked back with regret on that decision.

Right now you can have your life change because Jesus is ready to forgive you and come into your life. Would you like to be forgiven of your sin? Would you like to go to heaven when you die? Or would you rather go to hell and face the great white throne judgment? The choice is yours.

Listen. You decide in this life where you will spend the afterlife. Where do you want to go? I think you want to go to heaven.

I know I do. So in a moment I am going to pray a prayer and I am going to ask you to pray this prayer with me. This is a prayer where you would ask Christ to come and live in your heart. You would ask Him to forgive you of your sin and you are making the decision to follow Jesus.

This can happen for you right here right now. So if you want Jesus to come into your life, if you want to go to heaven when you die, if you want your sin forgiven I want you to just stop what you are doing and I want you to pray a prayer with me. You can pray it out loud if you like. You can pray it quietly. But say this to God and mean it.

Let's all pray. Pray these words if you would. Lord Jesus I know that I am a sinner but I know you are the Savior who died on the cross for my sin and rose again from the dead. I am sorry for my sin Lord and I choose to follow you from this moment forward. Be my Savior and my Lord.

Be my God and my friend. Thank you for hearing this prayer and answering this prayer. In Jesus name I pray.

Amen. Pastor Greg Laurie with an important prayer leading those who are making a decision for the Lord today. If you prayed that prayer just now we want to help you get started in your new relationship with God. Let us send you our New Believers Growth Packet. It's a resource collection Pastor Greg has assembled to help you get started off right in your walk of faith. And we'll send it your way without any charge. Just write us at A New Beginning Box 4000 Riverside, CA 92514 or call 1-800-821-3300.

We can take your call anytime 24-7. Again dial 1-800-821-3300 or go online to harvest.org and click the words Know God. Well Pastor Greg I'm sure our listeners are enjoying this new series in the book of Revelation. And they'll enjoy your new book on Revelation that takes this insight even further as well. But I've got to think that the first time a pastor decides to teach from the book of Revelation is a little sobering, a little intimidating. Do you remember the first time you dove in?

Yes it is all the above. It's an overwhelming book. It's a book that's filled with imagery.

It's a book that's filled with statements that are not always easily understood. But I think as you begin to piece it together and understand that studying the book of Daniel is a great help and understanding the book of Revelation, understanding the format of it, understanding the purpose of it, it suddenly comes into focus for you. You know just take the word Revelation. By the way it's Revelation singular not revelations plural. I bring this up because people often say I've been reading revelations. Well look it's revelation. But revelation means to unveil. So God's not trying to hide things from us.

He's trying to unveil, reveal things to us. You know it's interesting Jesus in Matthew 24 in what we call the Olivet Discourse says when you see the abomination of desolation happen then we read let the reader understand. So Jesus is talking about end times events and there's that little detail let the reader understand. So why would Jesus say that if he didn't want us to understand Bible prophecy and how it applies to us today?

I believe we're living in the last days. I believe Jesus could come back at any moment and I believe we need to be ready and the book of Revelation will help us to live a life that is prepared for the return of Christ and we are not only teaching on it here on A New Beginning but we have a brand new book that we have just completed and I'm so excited about this because this is going to help you understand this great book of Revelation and how Bible prophecy applies to you. The title of the book is simply Revelation subtitled A Book of Promises. So I hope you'll order this book that we will send to you for your gift of any size and whatever you send we will use to enable us to continue to teach the word of God here on our radio broadcast A New Beginning and also to proclaim the gospel and call people to Jesus Christ. So order your copy of this brand new book Revelation A Book of Promises and we'll send it to you for your gift of any size. Yeah that's right it's such a rich book.

In fact it even promises a special blessing. No other book of the Bible does that and we'll send you this new resource to thank you for your donation right now. Hey Dave let me jump in really quick and not only are we offering this new book Revelation A Book of Promises but we have this really cool graphic bookmark that we have put together that gives you a timeline of end times event. So you probably wondered okay I know I've heard about the rapture and the tribulation period and the anti-christ and the second coming what happens when? Well this very beautiful little visual bookmark sort of lays it out for you that's included in the book you're talking about right now. Yeah that's right it comes automatically. So get in touch with your donation today and we'll thank you with a copy of Revelation A Book of Promises.

You can write us at A New Beginning Box 4000 Riverside California 92514 or call 1-800-821-3300 that's a 24 7 phone number 1-800-821-3300 or go online to harvest.org. Well next time Pastor Greg brings us some detail on how heaven actually comes down to earth. The two become one.

Fascinating information. Join us here on A New Beginning with pastor and Bible teacher Greg Laurie. Thanks for listening to A New Beginning with Greg Laurie, a podcast made possible by Harvest Partners, helping people everywhere know God. Sign up for daily devotions and learn how to become a Harvest Partner at harvest.org.