Today on the verdict with Pastor John Monroe. What am I saying today? Eternal judgment is coming on those who reject Christ. And there will be degrees of punishment. The greater the privilege, the greater the judgment.
You are privileged. today. to hear the gospel. Welcome to the Verdict with Pastor John Monroe. Senior Pastor of Calvary Church in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Most people like the idea of heaven. but struggle at the mention of judgment or hell. How can a loving God send people to such a horrible place? Today, we're looking at the teaching of Jesus on this important question. and we'll also learn some wonderful things about heaven.
Now, here's Pastor John Monroe to introduce his message. Judgment is coming. That's the title of today's message as we continue looking at Matthew chapter 11. John Lennon wrote, Imagine there's no heaven. It's easy if you try.
No hell below us, above us, only sky.
Well, we can imagine all we like. But that does not deny the reality. that it is appointed for man to die once. And after that, comes judgment. That's from the Bible.
You may be surprised to learn that no one in the Bible spoke about future judgment as much as the Lord Jesus.
So, We must take this subject very seriously. But how can a loving God send people to hell? Do listen to the whole message. As I address this common question and conclude with four statements about Evan. Do you realize that?
that your sin Is an act of rebellion and wickedness against God. that you have deliberately Trespassed. You've deliberately gone over the line. God has said, don't do this, and you have stepped over it. Isn't that right?
Anyone here claim to be perfect? Of course not. That would be utterly deluded. If I said I was perfect, my wife would stand up and say, in the interest of honesty, I've got to say this. The people I worked with would say, wait a minute, John.
You're not perfect. And they don't know my heart. They don't know all I've done. But the people who know us, we are far from perfect. That's why the Bible says we all fall short of the glory of God.
And our sin is serious, not just because it hurts other people. Your sin does hurt other people. Your sin hurts yourself. But the biggest problem with sin is that it's against God. It's against the holy God.
And the Bible says, all be like sheep. Have gone astray. We've turned everyone to his own way. Notice, our own way. I did it my way.
That's good. I did it my way. No, it's wrong. You should do it God's way. You should be on God's path.
And we sin against a God who's infinitely holy, therefore, sin against God deserves an infinite punishment. And the severity of the punishment is in accordance with the person against whom the offence is committed. It's wanting if I offend you. More than one. But I've offended God.
And my sin. The sin, the wages of sin. It's death. Think also of this. that before anyone is confined to hell, God has revealed and showed his mercy.
and his patience and his grace To that individual. That's Paul's wonderful argument in Romans chapter 2. As Paul is brilliantly setting up the case that all of us have sinned, all of us are under the judgment of God, and then he's going to present the magnificent of being justified by faith through trusting in Christ. But notice what he says in Romans 2, verse 4. Do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience?
Not knowing. that God's kindness is meant to lead you to repentance. Repentance. Paul's argument is that that kindness of God. That grace of God in your life should lead you not to be proud.
But to humble yourself. to be repentant and not to take God for granted, and realize. That this God is a god. that you must get right. with you.
If you choose not to Those who choose their own way will be reaffirmed in their decision for all of eternity. C.S. Lewis puts it this way: there are only two kinds of people in the end. Those who say to God, Thy will be done. That's the Christian, isn't it?
We repent. Your will be done, and those to whom God says in the end, your will be done. Yeah. Done. You refuse God.
You deserve it. You go your own way. God says, all right. Go your own way. Continue in the darkness, but now you're in the darkness.
Forever. Those in hell. will experience Eternal. Punishment. I can hardly get my mind r my mind round that.
But it's true. Eternal. Do you understand this? You see, in hell There's no exit. The punishment is eternal.
The verdict of God The Creator It's final. And it's irrevocable. There's no appeal. You can't appeal against God. He's the highest authority.
There's no Supreme Court over God, He is the Supreme Court of all. Supreme Courts. And John in Revelation 20, in the final verses, paints the scene of the unbelievers coming before the great white throne, and God is there. And John writes. And if anyone's name was not written In the book of life.
he was thrown into the lake of fire. You say, I'm not sure if I believe that. That doesn't alter it. You may not believe in God, you may not believe in hell, you may not believe in Jesus Christ. That does not affect the reality.
That if you do not repent, If your name is not written in the book of life, you will be thrown into the lake of fire.
Well no second chance. We read that the lake of fire was prepared for the devil and his angels. No. God didn't prepare hell for you, for me. He prepared it for the devil and his angels, but those who don't repent.
those who were part of Chorazin and Capernaum. And Bethesda, they see the mighty works of God, but for some inexplicable reason, they do not repent. Will not find their names written in the Book of Life, and so will be thrown into the lake. What's the lake of fire? It's the eternal destiny.
of the unsaved. It's the final place. It's hell. You've heard of hell. It's the unquenchable fire.
It's the outer darkness, it's the eternal punishment, it's the bottomless pit, it's the second death, it's eternal destruction, it's the blackness of darkness forever. Scriptures use different figures, different metaphors, different figures of speech to explain. The utter horror and the finality of eternity outside of the kingdom of God, apart from Jesus Christ. Do you understand what Matthew is saying in his gospel? That here comes into time and space.
God Himself, the Messiah, the Christ, the Son of David, the Son of Abraham. The perfect man. And he comes. And he's given this matchless name of Jesus, for he'll save his people from their sins. If you're not saved from your sins, you go to hell.
But the Savior comes on a rescue mission to save us. And people say, well, you know, you don't want to frighten people into heaven. I'm not frightening anyone, I'm just giving the scriptures. I trust there is some fear. Is it?
A healthy fear. I feared not to fall into the hands of the living God. Hell is a place of torment. A place of isolation, a place of darkness. a place from which there is no Escape.
Is it eternal? Yes, it's eternal. Hell is eternal. As sin is eternal in its consequences. It is.
unending anguish. Listen to Jude. Little book of Jude, only one chapter, second last book in the New Testament. Jude writes in verse 7. He says, just as Sodom and Gomorrah And the surrounding cities, which likewise indulged in sexual immorality and pursued unnatural desire.
Serve as an example by undergoing a punishment of eternal fire. There's the example from scripture. You all heard about Sodom and Gomorrah. God's judgment came on them because of their immorality, because of their unnatural desire, the scripture says. And it's an example of God's judgment.
It's a warning to us that the wrath of God is coming and we must flee to Jesus Christ. He's the only Savior, He's the only place. of eternal security. Verse thirteen of Jude, wild waves of the sea. Casting up the foam of their own shame, wandering stars.
from whom the gloom of utter darkness has been reserved forever. Think of that. The gloom of utter darkness. has been reserved for Ever. I was brought up in the King James Version that translates it.
It talks here in Jude thirteen about the blackness. of darkness Forever. That's hell. See, as long as a righteous God exists. All of eternity.
The wicked. must be separated from him. In hell. What am I saying today? Eternal judgment is coming on those who reject Christ.
And there will be degrees of punishment. The punishment will be more tolerable for some than others. The greater the privilege, the greater the judgment. You are privileged. Today.
to hear the gospel. Your privilege to hear that you must believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. And today I plead with you, all of you. I plead with you to enter the narrow gate. I plead with you.
to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. I can't imagine. How tragic. That someone could hear the message, could hear the warning. And continue to live as they live and so end up in hell.
Wouldn't that be utterly tragic? And so is your pastor. I've got to challenge all of you. You may be sitting in this pew for the first time. You may have come here for 30 years.
You may On live stream, I've heard the gospel many times. Perhaps you're hearing it for the first time in some faraway country, far away from our perspective. Do you hear me? Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. and you'll be saved.
If you don't believe, The wrath of God will abide on you forever.
Now before I close And it is a f uh Four things about heaven. I thought we can't end with hell, can we? I'm not going there. I praise God that my name is written in the book of life. Four things about heaven.
First, Heaven is the very presence of God. Revelation. People at funerals and other times ask me. John Uh what's heaven like?
Well, I've never been there. I know I'm going. That's my final stop. That's what I'm gonna be. Um and the Bible doesn't say a lot about it, does it?
But It says many things and here's four. First, It's the presence of God. Verse 3.
Well, verse 1, I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth have passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And they heard a loud voice from the throne saying, Listen to this. Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God.
It's the very presence of God. God. is going to dwell with us. You say, well, God is with us now. That's true, but I can see God.
It's a different dimension. Different for us to understand. But God is going to dwell with us. As Jesus was about to leave his disciples, he said to them in John chapter 14, as they were very, very troubled, he said, now, I don't want you to worry. I don't want you to be troubled.
I'm going. To my father's house, and in my father's house, there are many mansions. If it weren't the case, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you, and if I go, I will come again and receive you unto myself, that where I am, there you may be also. Where's Jesus?
He's in heaven. He's going to come for us. Where is he going to take us? He's going to take us to heaven. And so shall we ever be with the Lord, Paul says in 1 Thessalonians 4.
God will dwell with his people. This is his house. Heaven is is God's house. And we're going to be there forever. You know, uh I love, love you.
I'm looking out. Doesn't think I've got any reservations in that. Not really. I can say I love you. And I live in a very nice house.
that my wife keeps very nice and I'm grateful for that. Um and as much as I love you. I'm not going to ask you to stay in my house forever. I really couldn't take some of you living with me forever. I mean, let's face it.
Right? You say I wouldn't want to elevate your house, Monroe.
Okay. But for someone to live in your house, you've really gotta like them, don't you? God. It says, I'm going to be your God. And you're going to live in my house forever.
The very presence of God. Secondly, heaven is the removal of all evil. Verse 4. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes. And death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, or crying, or pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.
All of the effects of the fall are gone. Tears, sin, fear, pain, anxiety, disease, and death itself are all gone. How wonderful. Never again to stand round an open grave of a loved one, never to mourn. Never again to hear the doctor saying, There's something wrong with you.
Never to wake up in the middle of the night with anxiety, with worry. Never again to weep with sadness or pain is all gone. And it's gone forever. Yeah. It's the removal of all evil.
Difficult for us to take that in, isn't it? Third, Heaven reveals the glory and the beauty of God. Verse 10 of Revelation 20, He carried me away in the Spirit to a great high mountain, showed me the holy city of Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God, having the glory of God, its radiance like a most rare jewel, like a jasper, clear as crystal. Think of the glory. And the beauty.
of the new Jerusalem. But think of the glory and beauty of God. Did you Think how wonderful our world looked today. Our world is beautiful, isn't it? And it's a fallen world.
I don't know how many sunsets I've watched during my life, but I'm always fascinated by them as you are. Different colours.
Sometimes absolutely magnificent, other times less spectacular. But think of even of that, the beauty of a sunset. And God made the sun. And God is more beautiful than a sunset. You think of the glory and the beauty of God Himself.
You and I have been As we've traveled, we've looked at different scenes and we've been overcome by the majesty and the beauty of God, whether it's the ocean or the mountains or a sunset or holding a little baby in our arms, and we think, what a magnificent God is this. Can you imagine the glorious beauty of the new heavens and the new earth? Could you think to that? Heaven. It's where the glory of God shines in brilliant.
And blazing fullness forever. The writer is struggling with these jewels to try and explain. But heaven Reveals the glory and the beauty of God. Finally, in heaven, We shall see his face. Revelation 22, verse 3.
No longer will there be anything accursed, for the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it. His servants will worship him, they will see his face. And his name will be on their foreheads. And night will be no more. There will They will need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign forever and ever.
No sun, no lamps in heaven. The Lamb is the light and shines with the amazing, incredible light of God forever. But in heaven, we shall see His face. Peter says of Jesus, whom having not seen, we love. You've never seen Jesus, have you?
I haven't. I read about him. We deal with his moral qualities. But in heaven, We shall see his face. We shall see and know God.
Now we look through a glass dimly, as it were. Or we catch glimpses, we study the scriptures and we try to understand it. But John says, then we shall be like him. For we shall see him as he is. We shall see him as he is.
Here's Phase. What amazing grace is this. Do you understand what God does when he saves you? All your sins gone. Eternal life, all of his grace, amazing grace.
But think of it as grace upon grace upon grace. Not only does he forgive you, Not only does he give you eternal life, He brings you into his family that you are a son, you're a daughter of God. And more than that, That when we die or when Christ comes, we shall be forever with God. We shall be in his house, in the Father's house. My heavenly Father has a house prepared for all those who love him.
And we will see his beauty, the glory of God manifested in all amazing ways in this new universe that God will create. The new Jerusalem and the new heavens and the new earth for us to explore, as it were, as the people of God. But most of all, We'll be with God. Yes, we'll be with our loved ones, but we'll be. With God.
What grace that he takes us. to heaven itself, and we will see his face. What's your response? You're ready to meet God. Do you want to participate in this glorious future?
that we have. To have your name written in the book of life. Don't trust. In yourself. Make sure that you have truly come.
To saving faith in Jesus Christ. I plead with you. Today. Here again. The gospel.
But God So loved the world. But he gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in him should not perish but have everlasting life. Life. Open your heart to Christ. Call upon him.
And he will save you. Thomas Watson, the great English Puritan. Brilliantly writes, he says, eternity. to the godly is a day that has no sunset. Eternity to the wicked.
is a night that has no sunrise. The blackness. of darkness. One day Jesus said to his disciples, Rejoice. that your names are written In heaven.
This is the verdict featuring the Bible teaching of Pastor John Monroe. There's still more to hear when John returns in just a moment, so stay with us. From matters of truth and identity, to the subjects of love and grace, our world seems more confused than ever. but to find truth and certainty about who we are and find peace, we must turn our attention away from the world and look to the Word of God. To help you do that, John wrote a booklet titled Eternal Security, Finding Certainty in a Chaotic World.
Through this special resource, John shares his personal testimony, along with a careful examination of Scripture, to offer us clarity on matters of eternity. Get your copy today by visiting our website at theverdict.org. While you're there, consider making an investment in this Bible teaching ministry. Whether it's $5, $50, or more, your gift today helps cover the cost of sharing these gospel messages to listeners around the world. And if you haven't already, be sure to subscribe to the Verdict Podcast, featuring John's weekly podcast exclusive called Avizandam.
It's available wherever you get your podcasts, or simply go to our website. Again, that's theverdict.org. The verdict is a ministry of Calvary Church in South Charlotte. We're located on the corner of Highway 51 and Ray Road. If you've been looking for a church home or a community to help you grow in your walk with Christ, We invite you to join us for our Sunday services.
For more details about Calvary and our service times, visit theverdict.org.
Now, here's Pastor John Monroe.
Well, what's your verdict? Do you now understand that the love of God is not inconsistent with the eternal punishment of the wicked? We all need to understand that God is not only loving and merciful, but also just. and righteous He cannot ignore those who reject him. I'm praying.
that you'll know the Lord Jesus who gives you eternal life. And this is the only way to the Father And to heaven. Make sure your trust is in the Lord Jesus. And you can then look forward to the indescribable blessings of heaven. Thanks for joining us today on The Verdict.
I'm Michelle Davies. Today's program with Pastor John Monroe was produced and sponsored by Calvary Church in Charlotte, North Carolina.
