October 12, 2003
Title: Great White Throne Judgment
Text: Rev. 20:11-15
Introduction
1. True stories...
A woman who was being interviewed to be a prospective juror in a Dallas District Court was surprised by the definition of voluntary manslaughter given to the panel: which read, "an intentional killing that occurs while the defendant is under the immediate influence of sudden passion arising from an adequate cause, such as when a spouse’s mate is found in a ’compromising position.’" She told the court, "See, I have a problem with that passion business,During my first marriage, I came in and found my husband in bed with my neighbor. All I did was divorce him. I had no idea that I could have shot him." She wasn’t selected for the jury.
Actual exerpt, from an actual court case: Defense counsel: The truth of the matter is that you are not an unbiased, objective witness, isn’t it? You too were shot in the fracas? Witness: No, sir. I was shot midway between the fracas and the naval.
Counsel: What device do you have in your laboratory to test alcohol content? Witness: I have a dual column gas chromatograph, Hewlett-Packard 5710A with flame analyzation detectors. The Court: Can you get that with mag wheels? Witness: Only on the floor models.
A man on trial in the Fourth Judicial district of Tennessee had previously pleaded "not guilty." However, once the jury, eight women and four men, had been seated and the trial was under way, the defendant switched his plea. "Why did you change?" asked the judge, "Were you improperly persuaded to plead ’guilty’?" "No Sir," the man replied, "When I pleaded ’not guilty’, I didn’t know women would be on the jury. I can’t fool one woman, so I know I can’t fool eight of them."
In Pittsburgh in March of 1994, Donita Jo Artis, 24, told prosecutors and the judge, after being denied custody of her 3-year-old son and sentenced to prison for beating him until he was blind, deaf, and unable to walk, "You guys are so unfair."
Title this one, "The Lord Giveth, The Feds Taketh Away Associated Press - When William H. Irvin III received a government check for $836,939.19 in June, 1992, he considered it a gift from God since he had recently prayed for self-sufficiency. A federal court jury in Kansas City, Mo., was unmoved: it was a computer error, they said, not God, which boosted his $183.69 check to the higher amount. Convicted of knowingly spending government money, filing a false tax return and money laundering, he faces 43 years in prison and a $1.25 million fine.
Prosecutor: Did you kill the victim? Defendant: No, I did not. Prosecutor: Do you know what the penalties are for perjury? Defendant: Yes, I do. And they’re a lot better than the penalty for murder.
The following is a courtroom exchange between a defense attorney and a farmer with a bodily injury claim. It came from a Houston, Texas insurance agent. Attorney: At the scene of the accident, did you tell the constable you had never felt better in your life? Farmer: That’s right. Attorney: Well, then, how is it that you are now claiming you were seriously injured when my client’s auto hit your wagon? Farmer: When the constable arrived, he went over to my horse, who had a broken leg, and shot him. Then he went over to Rover, my dog, who was all banged up, and shot him. When he asked me how I felt, I just thought under the circumstances, it was a wise choice of words to say I’ve never felt better in my life.
Q. Now, Mrs. Johnson, how was your first marriage terminated? A. By death. Q. And by whose death was it terminated?
Q. Doctor, did you say he was shot in the woods? A. No, I said he was shot in the lumbar region-not lumber region.
Q. What is your name? A. Ernestine McDowell. Q. And what is your marital status? A. Fair.
Q. Doctor, how many autopsies have you performed on dead people? A. All my autopsies have been performed on dead people.
Q. What happened then? A. He told me, he says, "I have to kill you because you can identify me." Q. Did he kill you? A. No.
Q. And lastly, Gary, all your responses must be oral. Okay? What school do you go to? A. Oral. Q. How old are you? A. Oral.
(from http://www.funy.net/lists/courtroom-list.htm)
2. We love our courtroom dramas...
Think of Raymond Burr in all those Perry Mason movies...
Andy Griffith in Matlock...
In more recent times, we have The Practice
and Judging Amy.
There are many movies that include Courtroom scenes
"12 Angry Men" is a classic.
In fact, now there is a cable channel that is called Court TV...
all court...all the time...
And of course, OJ Simpson and the trial of the Century.
3. But there is coming a courtroom drama that will put all other courtroom dramas to shame...
THIS courtroom drama will be no laughing matter.
It has been referred to as "The Great White Throne Judgment"
Let’s read about it in our text: Rev 20:11-15
Body
1. First of all, I want you to see the certainty of the coming judgment.
A. Society recognizes the importance of accountability...
and taking responsibility for our actions...
if people aren’t held accountable...
if they aren’t held responsible for the decisions that they make...
well, that is a prescription for societal chaos....
Granted, our court system isn’t perfect...
and we can all think of judial abuses...
and people who were guilty; but they got off on a technicality.
B. But, there is coming an ultimate judgment...
It is certain...
EVERYONE will be held accountable for their actions...
EVERYONE will be held accountable for the things that they have said and done...
or the things they SHOULD have said...
and SHOULD have done...
but DIDN’T.
No one will be getting off on a technicality...
no one will be wrongly accused of guilt...
and then freed later on proof of DNA evidence...
EVERYONE will be ultimately held accountable...
and the correct judicial decision will be made.
Our text says that the Judge is seated on a great white throne...
great symbolizing power and authority...
white, of course, is the symbol of purity...
and the throne is the place where the KING sits...
the King is the ultimate authority...
on earth, a King would have authority within certain geographical regions...
if they were a great and powerful King, they would have authority over huge amounts of territory....
But earthly kings will pale in comparison to One who sits on the Great White Throne...
His territory knows no end...
Our text says that "the earth and sky fled from His presence"...
and there was no place for them"
C. Some people talk about the imagery and metaphor in Revelations...
they try to explain away many of the events that are said to take place...
But I’ve learned to stand on the authority of God’s Word...
I’ve learned to depend on it...
I’ve placed my faith in He Who inspired it to be written...
And I believe these events are coming...
and that when we actually experience these events...
they will be more incredible than we could have ever imagined...
our human language can only do so much...
But to those who would try to explain away the book of Revelations...
How about Hebrews? Heb 9:27 it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:
How about Corithians? 2 Corinthians 5:10 "we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.
How about Romans? Romans 14:10-12 says, "we will all stand before God’s judgment seat. It is written: "’As surely as I live,’ says the Lord, ’every knee will bow before me; every tongue will confess to God.’" So then, each of us will give an account of himself to God.
And, for those people who don’t believe any of the Bible?
Well, they will find themselves without a leg to stand on...literally...
because one days, EVERY knew WILL bow....AND EVERY TONGUE WILL CONFESS THAT JESUS CHRIST IS LORD...
Judgment Day IS coming...
It is a CERTAINTY...
and we all need to understand that.
2. Secondly, I want you to see The Judgment of the Righteous
A. Judgment isn’t just for those who did not accept Jesus Christ...
Judgment isn’t just for those who turned away from Him...
God’s Word tells us that we will ALL be judged.
We will ALL give an account...
It will be like the Parable of the Talents...
what have we done with what God has given to us?
Have we hoarded it?
Unwilling to share the Gospel?
Unwilling to spread the Good News?
Have we been a poor steward?
Or have we made good use of God’s resources?
Matthew tells us, "For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father’s glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what he has done" Matt 16:27 (NIV)
And Romans tells us, "God "will give to each person according to what he has done." Romans 2:6 (NIV)
B. And then, after the judgment based upon our works...
God will look into the Lamb’s Book of Life...
and if you have accepted Jesus Christ as your Savior...
if you have allowed the blood of Jesus to pay the penalty for your sin...
then your name will be written down...
and your eternal reward is assured (which we will talk about next week)
3. And, we must also look at the Judgment of the Wicked
A. Let me just paint the picture of how it will be (at least in my mind)
I believe it will be something like a huge screen...(like in a drive in movie theatre)
and the story of our lives will be replayed...
and every careless word of gossip will be heard...
every careless action...
every sinful thought
every hidden sin that we though no one knew about...
it will all be replayed up there on that screen for everyone to see...
so, all that careless gossip...will be seen by that one who you gossiped about...
those sinful thoughts and actions that you thought were hidden...
will be there for the world to see...
but don’t worry, you won’t be so concerned about the whole world seeing your sin...
your greatest concern will be how those thoughts and words and actions are seen by God Himself...
and in the presence of a Holy God...
you will cry out like Isaiah, ""Woe to me!" I cried. "I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the LORD Almighty." Isaiah 6:5 (NIV)
And you will cry out..."O God....please forgive me....
I’m so sorry....
I repent...
I see it now...
Give me one more chance...
O God...please...
And God will say those most horrible words in all of Scripture, "depart from Me...I never knew you"
Because all 2nd chances are over....
there is no repentence on Judgment Day...
B. For those who are saved...their video will look much different...
As our lives before we met Christ begins to come into focus...
suddenly, the blood of Jesus will wash across the screen...
and all those careless thoughs...and words...and actions...
will be covered by the blood....
And all that’s left to see is the white screen of purity...
whiter than snow...yes whiter than snow...
the blood is applied...now I’m whiter than snow
Conclusion
1. I had intended to bring in Amos 4:12 "Prepare to meet your God"...such a powerful passage of Scripture...
but in the time remaining, I can’t really do it justice...
so let me just leave you with those simple words...
"Prepare to meet your God"
2. You WILL meet God face to face...
You WILL face a day of Judgment....
Have you prepared?
If you are a Christian...
How are your works?
Have you been faithful in your service to the Lord?
Or are you too busy doing your own thing?
You WILL be judged according to what you have and have not done.
If you aren’t a Christian...
if you haven’t received Jesus Christ...
or if you have in the past, but you have fallen away...
the preparations you make today...
may well determine where you spend eternity...
Today, you have another opportunity...
tomorrow...there are no guarentees...
If you cannot be convinced to give your life to Christ by looking at the picture of Judgment Day (like we have today)
then I have very grave concerns about your willingness to EVER give your life to Christ...
Prepare to meet your God...
we all will meet Him...
and we all need to prepare
