Oakbrook Evangelical Free Church

Introduction:
We don’t often connect the dots between this life and the next. What is the relationship? Is there a relationship?  This morning we are going to connect some of the dots between this life and the next.

I approach this with a great deal of humility. Please don’t be overwhelmed. I might share more than you
wanted to know or are able to take in.

Context:
1. God’s treasure in Jars of clay, 4:7

2. Life is difficult but we are not defeated!

3. Our focus is on unseen realities! The Christian sees differently

4. When our earthy body wears out we will not be found naked.
When we die we get an intermediate body!
We’ve been given the engagement ring of the Holy Spirit

5. Either here or there – no in between!
We all experience a physical dismantling. There is another reality we do not see. Our earthly existence will be swallowed up by life! Overwhelmed not by circumstances or pain or suffering. Overwhelmed by life! Swallowed up by life. For the Christian, death begins a new phase of living that will be far superior to what we experience now. 5:6-8

Paul’s tone is one of confidence!
How? = Faith
Hebrews 11:1 “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” NASB95

One thing is clear: believers go directly into the presence of Christ at death.
We will see Christ face to face.

1 Corinthians 13:12 “For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face; now I know in part, but then I will know fully just as I also have been fully known.” NASB95
“At home with the Lord”
Not just spatial proximity to Christ.
But in dynamic, interpersonal communion with him.
A once-for-all turn of events! “At home with the Lord”
There are no other alternatives for the believer.
1. Either at home in the body or
2. At home with the Lord
We will go immediately into the Lord’s presence!

We need never despair!
We will worship Jesus as the Almighty God
We will bow down and worship Him in reverence.

I. A Comforting Promise
Romans 7:24-25 “What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God—through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God’s law, but in the sinful nature a slave to the law of sin.” NIV

John 5:24 ““I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life.” NIV

Romans 8:1 “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus,” NIV
Jesus said to the thief on the cross, “Today you will be with me in paradise”

II. The Supreme Motivation: Someone worth living for!
Who Are You Trying to Please?
All those tests…Job performances…Triathlons…Competition
Grades: what is the objective?  Good grades whatever the cost?  Learning?

Only place in Scripture where it says that our goal ought to be to be to please Christ.
1 Kings 11:4, 6, 9 “As Solomon grew old, his wives turned his heart after other gods, and his heart was not fully devoted to the Lord his God, as the heart of David his father had been…So Solomon did evil in the eyes of the Lord; he did not follow the Lord completely, as David his father had done….The Lord became angry with Solomon because his heart had turned away from the Lord, the God of Israel, who had appeared to him twice.” NIV

III. The Unavoidable Reality
A. We will all be there
2 Corinthians 5:9-10 “So we make it our goal to please him, whether we are at home in the body or away from it. For 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.”
Romans 14:10-12 “You, then, why do you judge your brother? Or why do you look down on your brother? For 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.”
We will all be there.
We will be there as participants – not was spectators / or witnesses

B. An important distinction: Bema seat vs Great White Throne

Two Separate Future Judgments
Not all men will be judged at the same time and place.
1. The Judgment Seat of Christ. The first of these will be the judgment of the believer’s works, called “The Judgment Seat of Christ.” It is this judgment to which we shall give consideration in this chapter. But first, we shall outline the four future judgments that will follow the judgment of the believer’s works.

2. The Judgment of the Unbelieving Dead. This is called the Great White Throne Judgment. After the casting of Satan into Hell, the wicked dead will be raised to receive the final sentence of condemnation (Revelation 20:12-15). No believer will be judged at that day as the final judgment is reserved for all who rejected the Lord Jesus Christ on earth.

Bema = raised platform where Roman magistrate made decisions
Matthew 27:19 / John 19:13
Used by Paul to refer to the raised platform on which athletes received award medals.
It appears in classical Greek to identify the judge’s seat in the arena of the Olympic games. The bema was the seat whereon the judge sat, not to punish contestants, but to present awards to the victors. When Christians stand before the bema of Christ, it will be for the express purpose of being rewarded according to their works. There is no idea of inflicting punishment.
Not the Great White Throne of Judgment in Revelation 20:11-15

C. Christ is the Judge.
Our Lord Himself said: “The Father judges noone, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son” (John 5:22).   Since Christ is the Judge, and a time and place have been set for the judgment of believers, we are warned against any attempt at judging each other in this life. “Why do you judge your brother? …for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ” (Romans 14:10).

We are not judges. Therefore we have no right to judge or to despise our brother. It is not possible for any of us to judge righteously and justly because we do not know the hearts of each other. Jesus warned His disciples:

We must exercise a careful discrimination in all matters, but our attitude is to be without condemnation or a censoring attitude!.

The Bible is silent about the location of the place of judgment.
The Bible gives no time for the judgment.

It would be mere silliness to question the possibility of standing room for countless millions of saints or an endlessly drawn out pronouncement of judgment.

D. The Christian’s works will be tested
1 Corinthians 3:9-15 “For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, God’s building. By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as an expert builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should be careful how he builds. For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. If any man builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, his work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each man’s work. If what he has built survives, he will receive his reward. If it is burned up, he will suffer loss; he himself will be saved, but only as one escaping through the flames.” NIV
Interesting and instructive parables:

The Laborers in the Vineyard – Matthew 10:1-16,
The Talents Luke 18:11-27; Matthew 25:14-30).

Believers will differ in the kingdom.
1 Corinthians 15:41-42 “The sun has one kind of splendor, the moon another and the stars another; and star differs from star in splendor. So will it be with the resurrection of the dead. The body that is sown is perishable, it is raised imperishable;” NIV

The Crowns or Rewards
Revelation 3:11 “I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown.” NIV
Revelation 22:12 ““Behold, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to everyone according to what he has done.” NIV

The Judgment Seat of Christ will be a crowning day for those Christians who will receive rewards for what they’ve done in life. The New Testament teaches that these are called “crowns.” There are five such “crowns” to be given.
1. The Incorruptible Crown.
1 Corinthians 9:25 “Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever.” NIV
Here Paul has in mind the athlete in the Roman arena. Before the contest each participant practiced self-discipline, being temperate in all things. There were doubtless many pleasures and pastimes that the athletes might have entered into and enjoyed, but they denied themselves these things in order to do their best. A crown awaited the victor. The incorruptible crown for the Christian is the victor’s crown for those who keep under the body and bring it into subjection. There are certain pleasures, worldly amusements, manners of dress, and uses of cosmetics that interfere with one’s progress in spreading the Gospel and winning the lost to Christ. If I live victoriously over all things, “making no provision for the flesh to fulfill the lusts thereof,” I shall gain the reward for a victorious life which is the Incorruptible Crown. If an athlete must subject himself to many months of rigid discipline and training to obtain a corruptible crown, how much more should we bring our bodies into subjection for a crown that is incorruptible!

2. The Crown of Rejoicing.
1 Thessalonians 2:19-20 “For what is our hope, our joy, or the crown in which we will glory in the presence of our Lord Jesus when he comes? Is it not you? “Indeed, you are our glory and joy.” NIV
This is the soul-winner’s crown. The first thing that a Christian should pray for and seek to cultivate is the desire, ability, and wisdom to win lost souls to Jesus Christ. Paul was confident that when he would stand before the Judgment Seat of Christ the Thessalonian converts would guarantee a crown for all those who shared in bringing them to Christ. Every time an individual is converted, there is joy in Heaven; but at the day of the giving of rewards the soul-winner will be exceeding joyful when those are presented to God whom he had won to Christ. What is our hope of reward as Christ’s witnesses? The answer is in those who will be in Heaven because of our prayers, gifts, preaching, and personal work.

3. The Crown of Righteousness.
2 Timothy 4:8 “Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.” NIV
Here the character of the reward corresponds to the character of the Giver. Both are said to be righteous. The doctrine of our Lord’s return is regarded very highly by God. In spite of the fact that Jesus said He would come again, there are many people who scoff at the thought of Christ’s appearing. This and kindred truths have brought suffering and hardship, and in some cases death, to those who insisted on preaching and teaching them. But how wonderful to know that God has prepared a special reward for all who look for that blessed hope, who wait for His son from Heaven, and who love His appearing.

4. The Crown of Life.
James 1:12 “Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.” NIV
The Crown of Life is reserved for those who have given all their lives for the sake of the Gospel. Not all of our Lord’s witnesses have been called to suffering and martyrdom. Not all would be willing to pay with their lives to take the message of salvation to the lost. How thoughtful and just our heavenly Father was when He prepared a martyr’s crown for those who suffer persecution for Christ’s sake! Though some of us will not receive the Crown of Life, we will rejoice with those who refused to count the cost and have died proclaiming the Gospel of Christ.

5. The Crown of Glory.
1 Peter 5:2-4 “Be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care, serving as overseers—not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not greedy for money, but eager to serve; “not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock. And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away.”NIV
There are many who have been called and ordained by God to preach and teach His Word. These are the undershepherds who care for the flock of God during the absence of the Chief Shepherd. My brother-minister, let us give ourselves without ostentation to the care of the sheep of His pasture, for the crown of unfading glory awaits us in the day when the Chief Shepherd shall appear.

If there is to be joy and rejoicing for those who receive the crowns, surely there will be disappointment and sorrow for those who will not receive them. God keeps an exact record of the sins and works of His children. The record includes all of our motives and acts, our response to or our rejection of God’s call to faithful stewardship and service. When an unfaithful Christian hears and sees the true record of his unfaithfulness; when he is reminded of the large sum of money he left behind, a portion of which could have been given to the spreading of the Gospel; when he sees how the cause of Christ has suffered because of his neglect and indifference when a Christian who has wronged his brother and never repented of his sin sees that ugly deed dragged out of its hiding place, will that Christian be unmoved by the revealing of his empty and wasted life while on earth? Will there be no regret, no shame, no consternation? Listen once again to God’s immortal declaration: “If a man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer . . .”
1 John 2:28 “And now, dear children, continue in him, so that when he appears we may be confident and unashamed before him at his coming.” NIV
Lost fellowship; God’s discipline; loss of power; lost opportunities; lost desire and motivation for service

A thanksgiving dinner – All satisfied
A bat boy at the world series – thrilled, not jealous of others
A graduate at Commencement – all there and excited
Our rewards will be like our spiritual gifts! – Unique to us
Do not forget!
Romans 8:1 “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus,” NIV