Sermon Notes - Revelation 20:10-15 - Judgement is coming - Littleby Baptist Church - February 20, 2022

 

1.     Christ has returned as the Triumphant King!

2.     His reigns for a millennium.  

a.      A literal thousand years that Jesus will reign on earth.

b.     A kingdom that will run its course before the final judgement.

3.     Then Satan is released from the abyss and starts a revolt.

a.      Sadly, a vast number join Satan.

b.     They surround our Lord and those who are with Him.

c.      Then fire comes from heaven, and they are gone.

4.     Revelation 20:10

a.      Satan is done, just like the antichrist and false prophet.

b.     They are thrown into the lake of fire, but they do not die.

c.      Their punishment, like our reward, is eternal.

5.     As the thousand years come to an end, as Satan is judged once and for all…

a.      Everyone will stand before God and be judged.

b.     Some will receive the fruit of the amazing gift they have been given.

c.      Others will be cast into the lake of fire to suffer for all of eternity.

                                                    i.     The coming judgement makes it clear, there is no shade of grey, it is black or white.

                                                  ii.     Lamb or Goat, Choose Jesus or follow Satan.

                                                iii.     There is no middle ground.

6.     Revelation 20:11

a.      One seated on the great white throne… who is it?

                                                    i.     John 5:22 The father judges no one… The father is not the judge.

                                                  ii.     2 Corinthians 5:10 The great white throne is the judgment seat of Christ that we all must stand before.

                                                iii.     There should be no doubt, all will stand before Jesus and be judged.

                                                iv.     Those who were saved by faith and those who were not.

b.     Earth and heaven fled?

                                                    i.     2 Peter 3:10-13

                                                  ii.     As Jesus sits on His throne in all His magnificent splendor, the old creation disappears.

                                                iii.     All of it, all of creation the air we breathe, the land we walk on, the water we fish in, the universe we are part of. All of it… gone.

c.      The old flees and makes way for the new… The new is our focus for next week.

7.     Revelation 20:12-13

a.      Everyone who has ever lived will stand before the Great White Throne of Jesus. 

b.     It will not matter who you are, what you did, or even what you believed.

c.      As we see in verse 13, it will not matter what shape your body is in.

d.     Those who have been dead for thousands of years, as well as those who have been dead for a matter of seconds will stand before Jesus.

e.      John 5:28-29 – All will be resurrected to stand before the white throne of Jesus.

f.      Even death and hades will give up the dead… meaning the wicked who went to sheol and hades will be released to be judged.

g.     Everyone will stand before Jesus.

8.     Books plural…

a.      The obvious one is listed as the book of life… The Lamb’s book of life in which all of the followers of Jesus are listed.

                                                    i.     Those who have been saved by their faith in Jesus Christ who has redeemed us of our sins.

b.     The other books contained the works of every person who walked this earth.

                                                    i.     John is not saying we will be judged by the works we complete in this life.

                                                  ii.     Our salvation comes by faith in Jesus, but that faith is seen in how we live the lives we are given.

c.      Think of it this way… Righteous character, the righteousness we get from the work of Jesus and the Holy Spirit, is seen in righteous deeds.

d.     Our faith is seen in how we live.

9.     We are looking at the Revelation of Jesus, but Jesus taught about this in Matthew 25.

a.      Matthew 25:31-33

                                                    i.     As we have been talking about Jesus will return and sit on His throne.

                                                  ii.     All will be gathered, and the sorting will begin.

b.     Matthew 25:34-36

                                                    i.     Those on the right… those who are called sheep are told they will be blessed.

                                                  ii.     The sheep are those who are saved by faith.

                                                iii.     But Jesus is talking about actions.

                                                iv.     Scripture is clear, we are saved by our faith not by what we do.

1.     We cannot earn it.

                                                  v.     But faith in Jesus, submission to Him, changes who we are.

1.     Which is seen in how we go about this life.

2.     It is seen by how we treat others.

c.      Matthew 25:37-40

                                                    i.     As the Holy Spirit works in us, He molds us and shapes us.

                                                  ii.     As we grow in our faith, our lives change and our actions impact others.

                                                iii.     As we live our faith, we carry out the Lord’s will.

10.  There were two sets of books in Revelation 20:12.

a.      One listing those who have been saved by faith.

b.     The other listing the faith that has been put into practice.

c.      Righteous character developed by faith in Christ results in righteous behavior in this fallen world.

11.  Matthew 25:41-45

a.      The goats, those whose names are not listed in the Lamb’s book of life.

b.     They likewise did not understand, but they did not have faith Jesus and were not saved.

c.      They did not have God given righteousness resulting in righteous actions.

d.     Does not mean they are not good people, but there is a difference between being good and living righteously with Jesus.  

12.  Matthew 25:46

a.      Jesus taught about exactly what we are studying in Revelation.

b.     Those without faith face ‘eternal’ punishment.

c.      Those with faith receive that gift of ‘eternal’ life.

d.     Saved by faith and written in the Lamb’s book of life and the actions of all are recorded in the other books.

13.  Revelation 20:14-15

a.      In the end, all who are not recorded in the Lamb’s book of life will be cast into the lake of fire.

b.     Scripture is clear, the choice is simple.

c.      Spend forever with the King of kings or spend forever in the lake of fire with Satan.

d.     There is no middle ground.

e.      Either repent and be saved by faith or end up in the lake of fire.

14.  When Jesus sits on His Great White Throne and judges all who have ever lived, sin will be dealt with once and for all.

15.  There is no wiggle room, no grey area.

16.  There can be no sin in the new heavens and earth.

17.  John 5:24

a.      Faith in Jesus means you will be on the right side.

b.     You will be a sheep come judgement day.

c.      You will hear the words ‘well done my good and faithful servant.’

18.  Outside these 4 walls, in the USA.

a.      Christianity is growing slower than other religion.

b.     Christianity is only growing at 0.27% in the USA.

c.      4 out of 5 non-Christians surveyed state they do not know a Christian.

                                                    i.     I wonder how many are hiding their faith and people don’t see it?

d.     2.2 billion people, more than 25% of the world’s population have never heard of Jesus.

e.      Heart breaking numbers.

19.  If the choice is between an eternal blessing or eternal torment a lot of people are in trouble.

20.  If you have not trusted in Jesus, I would love to talk to you.

21.  If you have that amazing saving faith, let it change who you are.

a.      Pray for God to mold you.

b.     Pray for Him to show you how you can make a difference.

c.      Pray for the courage and boldness to completely follow Him.

d.     Pray that the eyes of those who are headed to an eternity of agony are opened.

e.      Pray that lives are changed before it is too late.