The Final Judgment

Sermon Overview

Scripture Passage: Revelation 20:11-15

The Book of Revelation prophecies that at the end of the Great Tribulation, Jesus will come with His saints in power and great glory to rule and reign and judge the sins of the world.

Revelation 20 sets the scene of the final judgment, when God settles the score and judges the sins of those who are not in Christ Jesus.

“Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away…And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened…” (Revelation 20:11-12).

Whether we believe in Him or not, we will all meet Jesus Christ. He is unavoidable; He cannot be deceived, disputed, or discredited.

Adrian Rogers says, “If you don’t meet Him as Savior, you will meet Him as Judge.”

This passage also describes those who are called to the judgment:

The out and out sinner who hates God

The self-righteous who thinks he is too good for judgment

The procrastinator who intended to be saved but never confirmed his salvation

The unsaved church member who has religion, but not the Lord

The one who has never heard the Gospel of Jesus Christ

Not one sin has escaped God’s knowledge; every sin will be accounted for—secrets that have been repressed will be revealed.

“And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books” (Revelation 20:12).

Like any earthly courtroom, the evidence and the defense will be presented, and then the verdict will be handed down. And what waits at the end of a Christless life is a sure and severe eternity in Hell.

But Romans 8:1 says, “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus…”

Adrian Rogers says, “I’m not going to stand before the great white throne, and I’ll tell you why: I settled out of court. I have given my heart to Jesus Christ and, on that cross, He took my sin and my judgment.”

Through the blood of Jesus, our sins can be buried in the grave of God’s forgetfulness, never to be brought up against us again.

Apply it to your life

Have you settled out of court? Choose to follow Him today, lest you stand before the throne of God in judgment.