Jesus said this, 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.
So God's not playing around with judgment, which is kind of... Not irritating towards him, but towards people who say, I'm a Christian, and they hear about the judgments of God. They hear about people blaspheming God in Jesus' name, and they don't want you to point it out. They have a problem with God. This is Cross Reference Radio with our pastor and teacher, Rick Gaston.
Rick is the senior pastor of Calvary Chapel, Mechanicsville. Rick is currently teaching through the book of Revelation. Please stay with us after today's message to hear more information about Cross-Reference Radio, specifically how you can get a free copy of this teaching. Luke chapter 22 is where Pastor Rick will begin today. He'll then continue into Revelation chapter 20 on this edition of Cross-Reference Radio.
How else could John pack all of this into writing? That you can't do it. The volumes of books we have just to. Comment on the New Testament. One of my first.
collections was the pulpit commentary. 25 volumes, each of them thick as a phone book, almost. Most of them are. And this is just, you know, there's so much information available. How do you package it in such a way people can, everybody can understand it in every language?
It ends up being in fragments. A puzzle. And you have to put it together. That's what should occupy the saints. But that does not mean we can't follow along sufficiently.
We might not agree on every single thing, and that's where I counsel you to listen to me.
So these are believers, and I saw thrones and they that sat on them. And judgment was committed to them.
So we think about the judgment of God just being God-judging, but that's not what the Bible teaches. That is ultimately it, of course. Under his authority. Luke 22, Jesus said, I bestow upon you a kingdom. Just as my Father bestowed one upon me, that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
Well, at that time, the concept of the New Testament church didn't exist amongst the Jews. Only Christ knew where this was all going. And it was a fight, a knockdown, drag out fight, to get the Jewish people to understand the Gentiles will be part of this new body of Christ. That's why Paul was persecuted so severely by the Jews. And so, when Christ makes this statement, he talks about the 12 tribes.
Later, Paul will come along. and elaborate. And say we're judging the angels too. We would judge the world. And that's what John is telling us here in the fourth verse.
I saw thrones, plural.
Well, who's going to sit on those? People are that have been, of course. Lived, born in this life, and died, and gone to heaven. They will be the ones because they're alive. Believers that have died are alive.
And they're not nosy. They're not peeking from heaven to seeing what you're up to so they can get you. Yeah. They're enjoying whatever is going on up there. And it's been locked away from us, most of it.
We get to see things in Revelation, but not a lot. Anyway, They will be the ones to enforce the will of God. in the courts. Daniel is very helpful here, Daniel 7, Revelation 3, this is mentioned also, 1 Corinthians 6, verses 2 through 4. If I took the time to read all of these verses, we wouldn't get out of here.
But this is the strength behind the statements that I'm making, and I'm giving you these coordinates so you can look them up yourself. If you doubt but why would you doubt me? I can see you doubting other pastors, but I can't figure it out. I know, if you're visiting, it's just how I am. I don't mean it.
Well, I say I don't mean it. I don't. Anyway.
So They're not angels on these thrones. These are sinners saved by grace, as I've been saying, Old Testament. New Testament, Great Tribulation, Saints. converts who did not come to Christ When the church, the true church, was still active. Because Antichrist will outlaw the true church.
If you don't put your pinch of incense to him, then you're going to be shut down.
So the apostate church will still function. And in that time, there will be genuine converts away from apostate church, away from Antichrist, to Jesus Christ. The 144,000 Jews, one of their main purposes, they're evangelists, they're witnesses of Christ. leading people to Christ. And those people will lead other people to Christ.
So there's going to be a lot of converts in that seven-year period of the Great Tribulation. But that's conversion the hard way.
So there are five great judgments I want to mention in our New Testament. I mentioned already: the unbeliever's death. I pointed to the parable of Jesus in Luke 16. Where we see that the rich man is on the other side, separated from Abraham and the righteous on that side. When Jesus died on the cross, He First descended to to Sheol, not hell, not the Gehanna.
to Sheoah where the righteous were, and set the captives free. He brought people into heaven.
Now all of the details are not given to us, but we have this picture to understand, okay, where do people go? Where did they go when did Isaiah go when he died? Where did Moses go? They went to righteous Sheol.
Well, when did they get to go to paradise? Like the thief on the cross.
Well, in Christ. paid the price for sinners. And then they were set free to go into heaven, and there they are. Right now. But we have some questions that come up.
So the first is the unbelievers, their death, of course, they will go to unrighteous Sheol. They are still there and they are not set free. They will rise for the great white throne judgment that comes later. The believers have already mentioned them, and you can reference Luke 23:43. Then there's the believer's reward.
That's a judgment, but not unto condemnation. That's a judgment to commendation, I guess you could say. You know, Daniel, I want to see what Daniel gets. I want to see what Paul gets. I don't know what I get.
I don't want you to see it. And you say, well, is there going to be jealousies there? No, there's no more sorrow, no more tears. And we see a little bit of that. For instance, if you're in the military, When I was in the military, I had some instructors that were highly decorated combat veterans.
I had admiration for them. I didn't have jealousy for them. And when they spoke about combat tactics, I listened to them. Not that I didn't listen to the others, but you. you know, they had been through it.
So you know that's a A small example.
Well, in heaven, My point is, if I see Daniel get all the ribbons I'm not gonna Be jealous? I'm going to admire God's system. And that that is what it's about. It is about God. all of this and and not our Bible heroes, and they'll be the first to tell you that.
Anyway, after the believers are rewarded, likely at the rapture. when the banquet takes place during that seven-year tribulation on earth. There is also going to be a judgment of the tribulation survivors when Jesus comes back. And many of those will be eliminated. They will not go through the thousand years on earth.
They'll be taken out, they're too much trouble. This will include the judgment of Israel. Because all Israel, as a nation, as a people, in the end, they see that Christ is their Messiah. Zechariah is very clear about that. And so Ezekiel 20, verses 33 to 38, tell us that Israel will be judged before the Lord too in the last days.
Then there is the great white throne judgment. And that judgment Is for the wicked. They have no shot of salvation at that point, but their measurement of punishment will be doled out. And that happens after the thousand year Period, the kingdom age. Jesus said this, 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.
So God's not playing around with judgment, which is kind of... Not irritating towards him, but towards people who say, I'm a Christian, and they hear about the judgments of God. They hear about people blaspheming God in Jesus' name, and they don't want you to point it out. They have pro problem with God. And it's perplexing, it's irritating, it's troubling, it's a lot of things.
And they need to be held accountable. I think we as Christians, if you hear a Christian, So advocating For sin. Yeah, I'd be called out on that. I said, what are you doing? What team are you on?
You you can't wear that team's colors and still play over here. But that's what they do, and they do it a lot. And I fear that many of us are too timid. You need the power of the Holy Spirit. That can brutally slant, no, not brutally, I was kidding.
Give a love, you do, you do want to have love, but you also don't want them walking away thinking that they were only loved. You want them to understand That they are trespassing. And that there's a very real Satan. That's messing with them. and the consequences can be severe.
This is not a game. I mean someone who is sinning And you confront them and they say, so what? Oh, that's a big problem. And then you get another one that says, I know, I'm working on this. I hate it.
I can't stop. I just love pickles so much I ate the whole jar. Uh you know, he's Compassion. I knew a lady when I was in New York, and her dad was terminally ill, and he wasn't supposed to smoke any more cigarettes, which to me was kind of perplexing. He couldn't help it.
He'd be smoking a cigarette crying at the same time.
So this is the power of sin. But that does not mean that that person was evil. Or against God. It's a weakness of the flesh.
So coming back is hard because you don't want to make a comfortable person comfortable in their sin. That would be lawlessness. And then you don't want to shoot them when they're down. That would be legalism.
So Paul writes, You who are spiritual, if any brother is overtaken in some trespass, Galatians 6:1, you who are spiritual, restore such a one. Look for a solution. And he plays us out and Corinthians 1 Corinthians chapters 5 and 6. He says, There's somebody in that church doing something. I don't even have to be there to tell you this is wrong.
Deal with that guy. And they dealt with him in love. And they won him. back to Christ. All right, we need those reminders.
Because Christians love mercy, but they don't always love giving it up. And we talked about the gifts of the Spirit. This past Wednesday, and mercy is one of them. There are some Christians that excel in this area. And when you find a Christian that is able to balance law and grace Pay attention to that person because you can learn something from them.
And many of them, they can't. They're at one extreme or the other. Anyway, then I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded.
Well, this is during the likely he's he doesn't restrict it to that, but the assumption that I'm making on this is those during the Great Tribulation period. but other Christians have been beheaded for their faith. And worse. Barbaric civilized Christ haters exist. But here the martyrs get to confront their killers in the spiritual realm, ultimately.
Today, in Africa, in the Congo, I believe it is, just this past month, and this month too, we have these anti-Christian savages beheading Christians. Getting to them in churches and attacking them. The hatred of Satan is a very real thing and is very active. We're somewhat shielded from it here. where we live, but there are other places in the world that have no defense.
They can't just go down to the gun shop and load up on ammo and firearms. They're stuck. And we Must remember those who are in chains, those who are being persecuted in our prayers. You know, we talk about the gifts of the Spirit.
Well, if all you want to do is spend your life on yourself, why should God gift you? An attribute That needs to be shared, that needs to flow through you so others can benefit from it also. If you have a gift of teaching, for example, then it's good to be around those who need that knowledge. I can go on, but we have to finish this. Coming back to this, for the witness of Jesus and for the word of God.
That's why they were beheaded. They glorified God. Through obedience unto martyrdom, to death. They clung to Christ, and when they were told, renounce him and live. They defied Satan to his face.
So Satan chopped their heads off. And now they're in heaven. And the choppers, if they have not repented, they will go to that lake of fire.
So he says, who had not worshipped the beast or his image? They lived in defiance to the government of Antichrist. and had not received his mark on their foreheads. Or on their hands. If you think this is science fiction and you haven't been paying attention to the lawmakers in Europe.
And many of them who who are trying to make laws in America to stop us. Several years ago back in the s in the The seventies or the eighties. There's a church in California, I'm not going to mention the name. The pastor preached on sin.
Someone in the congregation went and ended their lives because of that. The lawsuit was brought against them. And in that lawsuit, they wanted to outlaw Preaching on sin. And of course, the psychological community was really pushing this forward. It went to the California Supreme Court, and the California Supreme Court sided with the church.
Nope, they can preach that kind of stuff. Nobody's forcing anybody, that's what they believe.
Well, then it went to the Supreme Court, and thank God. It was the California court's decision, it was upheld.
So don't say these things are far-fetched, that they're not going to happen. Satan has people, he always has. Ready to shed blood to kill Christians and their children. Don't think that there are going to be these merciful characters coming against the church in the Congo where they're killing Christians. There's no mercy there.
Evil is very real. And we invest ourselves in establishing a church. that is trustworthy so people can hear the truth of God.
So that no matter what happens to them in this life, Those churches can be part of the process to get people into heaven in the next life.
Well, they'll never be beheaded again. And it says here, and had not received his mark on their foreheads or on their hands. This defiance of Satan. During the Great Tribulation period, the Holy Spirit will be filling souls with love for Jesus and other people. Unto eternal life.
rather than self-preservation unto eternal condemnation. Christianity Well at that point Be about Jesus. We won't be discussing What do you think of tongues? What do you think of Calvinism, Arminianism? Not that these things are, they have their place right now.
But in those days, It's going to be who do you say Christ is? Because your life will hinge on that. Revelation 14: If anyone worships the beast and his image and receives his mark, on his forehead or on his hand, he himself shall also drink the wine of the wrath of God. which is poured out. Full strength.
into the cup of his indignation. He shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb. In other words, there's not going to be shame in heaven over their judgment. They'll stand by it.
So, God is telling man, don't do this, this will happen to you. And during the tribulation period, there are going to be those that say, I don't believe it, I'm going to do it, I don't care. And dead. They were f self-fulfilling prophecy. And they lived in and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.
Not those who I just read about from Revelation 14, but these who had not received the mark. They're saved. Satan, when he is released, he won't be able to touch them. No temptation will be formed against them at all. It will not be.
And the tribula and it Kingdom Age. a patched up version of Christianity today. God is not going to reform society. He's going to blow it out. He will not leave those things that need to go away.
And as The end of the age approaches. No amount of education, or psychology. politics or culture or religious activism. They won't cleanse society. It is only the second coming of Christ.
Paganism, false Christianity, anti-Christian activism will grow worse and worse. 1 Timothy 4:1, 2 Timothy 3:1. Just one stop to make If you want to see what the Bible says about in the end times. Things will grow worse and worse. Verse 5: Then the rest of the dead did not live again until the thousand years are finished.
This is the first resurrection. parenthetical statement. Those who are dead before the thousand-year period will remain. In Sheol dead. Whereas believers will be Of course, resurrected and their bodies glorified.
But at the end of it all, When Satan is finally cast into the lake of fire, Then all the dead who were not saved will be summoned. To the throne of God, and we know it as the great white throne judgment. We'll get that licks. Session. John chapter 5, Jesus speaking, Do not marvel at this, for the hour is coming in which.
All who are in the graves will hear his voice and come forth. Those who have done good to the resurrection of life. and those who have done evil to the resurrection of condemnation.
So Jesus has it condensed, and John has opened it up and saying these are two separate judgments. They're separated by a thousand years. No more. I've already covered that The only parable Jesus used with names gives us insight that that parable was real. It was a real situation.
He says this is the first resurrection. This is the resurrection of the believers. When we receive our glorified bodies, God's complete removal of sin out of our heart. There'll be nothing attractive about any sin. at all.
1 Corinthians 15, we shall not all sleep. Why not?
So here's a euphemism for die. Why will not all Christians die? Because some will be raptured. They'll be transformed in the twinkling of an eye and the snap of a finger. He says, we shall not all sleep, but we shall be changed.
He's talking about our nature. as well as our bodies. Our bodies will have to be fit for heaven. At the rapture, the final glorified body is received. And so it will be for the already dead saints.
prior to the marriage feast of the Lamb.
However, There is an in intermediate state. And we saw this in Moses and Elijah. on the Mount of Transfiguration. They weren't in their glorified bodies, but they weren't disembodied spirits either. These are lessons.
The Bible's telling us these things. Say, listen, I want you, I know you've got these questions, but here's one of the answers. The Outlaw on the Cross. He entered paradise. But not in his glorified, not in his final state.
Yeah, sin was gone. But what what will he be? What will he look like? Through all eternity.
Well, that's finalized at the glorification of the body Which happens in phases. Second Corinthians five, we are confident yet. Yes, well pleased, rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord.
So when Paul died, when he was believed to be beheaded, And he goes to heaven, to paradise, like the outlaw on the cross. He's not a disembodied spirit. He's not sleeping in some comatose state. He's a functioning, saved soul. But there's more coming.
And it will come at the marriage feast of the Lamb, which begins at the rapture. Philippians 1, he writes, For I am hard pressed betwixt two, between two. Having a desire to depart and be with Christ. which is far better. He said, I don't know what to do, to stay here and serve you.
or to go to heaven. I'd like to go to heaven, but that's what he says. I'm hard pressed. This is a tough decision. But he says to be with Christ is far better than anything here.
It doesn't say to be around Christ. To be sleeping in the barracks up there, because there's those that teach soul sleep. The Bible does not back that up at all. I have quite the opposite. Verse 6: Blessed.
And holy is he who has Apart in the first resurrection. Stop there for a moment. The first resurrection. is the saved. When after we die and we receive our glorified bodies, believed to be, as I read from Corinthians, So we shall be changed.
at the rapture. You say, well, I don't think it's, I think it's two hours into the rap. I'm like, who's going to argue that? over the second death has no power.
So when Satan cannot then steal your salvation after all of this. But they shall be priests of God and Christ and shall reign with Him a thousand years.
So we've been saying this through the Revelation. During the thousand-year period, there'll be no corruption. politicians. There will be people who are saved. And glorified and serving God throughout the planet.
In positions of authority. as clergy and as civil rulers. Christ is not going to go through this again. It reaches everything, then it comes to an end. When David said, Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever, he didn't mean, and then Satan will be let loose a thousand years, and I'll mess it all up.
He did not mean that. These things are supposed to edify us and inspire us. to keep going forward in Christ to endure.
So I close with this verse.
Well, two verses. Revelation 3: in the church age that we're now in, this addresses this time period. To him who overcomes, I will grant to sit with me on my throne.
Well, we've just read about when that's going to happen. But then Paul writes to the Ephesians, he says, unto him. Christ. Be glory in the church. by Christ Jesus throughout all ages.
World without end. Amen. God is telling us, I know, I know you got these problems down here, and they're terrible. But it ain't gonna stay that way. I'm going to deal with it all.
And I'm giving you a glimpse into how it's going to happen. Uh This has been Cross Reference Radio with Pastor Rick Gaston. This program is a radio outreach of Calvary Chapel, Mechanicsville, in Mechanicsville, Virginia. Pastor Rick has been teaching through the book of Revelation, but if you're interested in learning about a different book of the Bible, we have hundreds of past episodes available to listen to on demand. Just visit us online at crossreference radio.com and you'll find an archive of Pastor Rick's past teachings.
While you're there, you can also find links to follow our program on your favorite podcast app, as well as links to get connected with us on Facebook and YouTube. There's also an interviews tab where you can learn more about Pastor Rick's heart for ministry.
Well, we hope you'll join us next time here on Cross Reference Radio. Yeah. I didn't run up to the bottom of the city.
