From His Heart

Speaker 1

In the Bible, do you know the greatest question that could ever be asked? Here's Pastor Jeff Shreve.

Speaker 2

The greatest question ever asked in the Bible was a question from the lips of a guy who's going to be at the Great White Throne Judgment. A guy who's going to end up in hell forever and ever and ever.

Pontius Pilate asked the crowd that Good Friday morning, "Then what shall I do with Jesus? Who is called the Christ?"

The song by A.B. Simpson says this: "What will you do with Jesus?"

Speaker 1

Neutral.

Speaker 2

You cannot be. One day your soul will be asking, what will he do with me? Listen, what you do with Jesus in this life determines what he does with you in the next. There is tremendous truth.

Speaker 2

There is hope that you always bring love. He can heal every scars.

Speaker 1

Today you'll be challenged to answer that question. What will you do with Jesus? The Bible says it's a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

This is from his heart with Pastor Jeff Shreve. Thank you for joining us today as we're going to hear part two of the Message from Savior. It's from Pastor Jeff's four lesson series, Forever and Ever: the reality of eternal Heaven and eternal hell.

Pastor Jeff is about to help us discover what takes place at the Great White Throne Judgment. Open your Bible to Revelation, chapter 20, and let's learn how Jesus was our Savior and is also now our Judge.

Speaker 2

John says this, and I saw a Great White throne and him who sat upon it, from whose presence earth and heaven fled away. And no place was found for them. And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne. And books were opened and another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged from the things which were written in the books according to their deeds. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it. And death and Hades gave up the dead which were in them. And they were judged, every one of them, according to their deeds. And death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the Lake of Fire. And if anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.

Paul said there will certainly be a resurrection of the wicked. The resurrection of the wicked takes place right here at the Great White Throne Judgment. I want to share with you, since there is certainly going to be a resurrection of the wicked, three certainties that we see from the Great White Throne Judgment.

**Certainty Number One:** The judge will sit on his Great White Throne. Sometimes you'll have people, and they get things confused. They'll be praying—these are Christian people—and say, "Lord, I can't wait to meet you at the Great White Throne." You don't want to meet the Lord at the Great White Throne. That's a judgment of all unbelievers. And I saw a Great White Throne and him who sat upon it, from whose presence earth and heaven fled away, and no place was found for them. The judge sits on the throne, and this judge is terrifying in holiness. The judge is none other than the Lord Jesus Christ himself. So the judge will sit on his Great White Throne.

**Second Certainty:** The judged will be raised to stand trial before him. There’s a reuniting of the soul and the body. God gives every wicked person a new body, so to speak—a body that can last forever. A body that will experience the horrors of hell forever and ever and ever. It's not a glorified body like believers get, but it is a body that will last forever. Jesus said, "Don't fear those who are able to kill the body but are unable to kill the soul. But here's who you need to fear: the one who is able to kill both the body and the soul." In hell, the judged will be raised to stand trial. The great and the small will be there, and the great aren't going to be able to finagle their way out of it.

But not only do you have the great and the small, you have the rejectors and the neglectors. They're going to be there. You say, "What is that?" Well, that's two ends of the spectrum. The rejectors are those who are out and out against the Lord. But now on the other end of the spectrum, what do you have? You have the neglector. This is just the person that says, "Yeah, I believe the song from the Doobie Brothers. Jesus is just all right with me, but I'm going to go do my own thing. I'm not mad at him. I don't hate him. I'm just not really going to follow him. I'm going to follow what I want to do." The neglectors.

And then you have the riotous and the religious. They're going to be there—two ends of the spectrum. The riotous. What does it mean to be riotous? That means you're wild and have uncontrolled behavior. Lots of people who lived a riotous life will be there. But then you have the other side of the spectrum, the religious. Those who are religious with Judaism and Christianity will be there. Caiaphas, who was high priest and presided over the trial of Jesus, will be there at the Great White Throne. His father-in-law, Annas, will be there at the Great White Throne. All those guys that were part of the religious muckety muck in Jerusalem and in Israel in the first century that rejected Christ, they'll be there. False cultists will be there—the Jim Joneses and the David Koreshes, the Marshall Applegates, the false prophets and false Christs—they'll be there.

And you know who else will be there? The person that came to church Sunday after Sunday after Sunday. A person in a church just like this came to church. "Hey, I walked down an aisle, I joined the church, I got baptized." You did a bunch of checking the boxes, but you never got saved. You just know about Jesus in your head. You check boxes in your head about Jesus, but you never got saved. Hey, the riotous and the religious, they'll be there. The great and the small. The judged will be raised to stand trial before him.

**Certainty Number Three:** The judgment will be righteously and fairly delivered. And I saw the dead, he says in verse 12, the great and the small standing before the throne. And books were opened and another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged from the things which were written in the books according to their deeds.

Speaker 2

The sea gave up the dead which were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead which were in them. And they were judged, every one of them, according to their deeds. How does God judge? He judges righteously. He judges fairly. Because as it says in the book of Genesis, shall not the judge of all the earth deal justly?

So the judgment, the scripture says, will be based on deeds. They're judged. Every one of them says it twice. According to their deeds, according to their deeds. Now God has books. Books were opened, and they're judged from the things which are written in the books. You say, what does that mean? It means that God is writing down everything that we do. He knows everything we say, everything we do, everything we think. Every impure thought, every impure motive. God knows it all.

David said before, "There's a word on my tongue. Behold, O Lord, you know it all." And God records all that. And here is the lost person, and he's raised up in the resurrection of the wicked. He stands before the Lord Jesus Christ, from savior to judge, and he hears the record of his life.

You know what's so ironic about this? See, when you ask the average person, "Hey, if you were to die, do you think you'd go to heaven?"

Speaker 1

Probably.

Speaker 2

You know, it's less than 1/2 of 1% think they're going to hell. So probably go to heaven, maybe go to purgatory. News flash. Purgatory doesn't exist. Purgatory is made up. There is no purgatory in the Bible. There is eternal Heaven or eternal Hell. That's what there is.

So this person says, well, you know, I guess I'd go to heaven. I feel, you know, not super confident, but pretty confident. Say, well, what would you say to God if he's to say to you, why should I let you into heaven? What would you say?

Well, I mean, lord, I'm a pretty good person. Lord, I do some good things, as one man told me. He said, I've had six kids.

Speaker 2

Okay.

Speaker 2

Thumbs up for you guy. But that doesn't get you into heaven. I asked one guy that question one time. He said, well, my brother's a priest. Well, good for your brother. What does that mean for you?

Speaker 2

We always think in terms of, well, I did this good thing and I did that good thing, and one day I put five bucks in the offering plate. And so we have these lists of things that we do. We have it all twisted. How does God judge you if you go to the Great White Throne? What is the judgment based on? Your deeds. He's got a book of all your sins. He's going to read them off, all your sins, and you're going to be horrified.

If you don't know Christ, and you end up at this judgment, you're going to be horrified with your mouth gaped open at all the sins that you have committed, because they're all going to come to light in the light of his holiness. Can you imagine standing before the thrice holy God of the Universe at the Great White Throne judgment, and all of a sudden, you, who thought you were pretty good, you stand before the Lord and all of this just comes out, and you see all the filth in your life? It will be horrifying. So much sin, so much punishment. The judgment will be based on deeds.

Secondly, the judgment will be based on light rejected. Light rejected. How does God judge? Well, he takes into account how much witness you have. See, hell is not the same for every single person. Heaven is not the same for every single person either. There are those who get rewarded greatly, as we're going to talk about next week at the Bema Judgment at the judgment seat of Christ, and those that are saved yet so as through fire they miss out on.

Speaker 2

And in hell you have some people, the Hitlers will go back to him. He's going to have to account for lots and lots and lots of sins and atrocities. And some others will have much, much less. This is what Jesus said in Luke chapter 12.

And that slave who knew his master's will and did not get ready or act in accord with his will shall receive many lashes. But the one who did not know it and committed deeds worthy of a flogging will receive but few. And from everyone who has been given much, shall much be required. And to whom they entrusted much of him, they will ask all the more.

You know what that says to you and me? You know what is a dangerous place to be?

Speaker 1

Church.

Speaker 2

If you're not going to give your heart to Christ, church is a dangerous place to be. Why? Cause you're hearing truth and you've been given much. And to whom much is given shall much also be required?

Speaker 2

When you hear truth and you don't respond to truth, to whom much has been given shall much also be required? The judgment will be based on light rejected. And people say, well, what about the person who's never heard? Romans, chapter one says, the person who has never heard, he has the witness of conscience and the witness of creation, and he is without excuse. Shall not the judge of all the earth deal justly? God will not do anything that won't be just and fair and right and equitable.

And remember this too, about God. He knows the end from the beginning. God knows everything that you do and anything and everything that you would do given the opportunity, because he can see all that played out. And so God doesn't have to necessarily see what you do with a given situation and say, well, I'm judging you based on that. He can judge you based on your heart. He can judge you based on, well, I know if you had been given these opportunities, this is how you would have responded. And it will be true and it will be right, and it will be just.

So the judgment is based on deeds, based on light rejected. And the judgment will be eternal hell. It says, they were judged, every one of them, according to their deeds. Verse 14 states, "And death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire." And if anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire. That's how the Bible describes hell. It's a lake that burns with fire and brimstone.

Now, is hell literal fire? I don't know. That's how it's described; it may be different from that, but that's how the Bible describes it. That's the way what the rich man said: "I am in agony in this flame." There are different ways that Jesus described hell. He said it's the unquenchable fire. He said it's a place of outer darkness. He said it's a place of weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth. It's a horrible place beyond anything your mind can fathom—an eternity of people weeping and wailing and gnashing their teeth.

You say, what does it mean to gnash your teeth? That is what they did when they stoned Stephen when he was preaching. He said, "You stiff-necked Jews always resist the Holy Spirit." And they got so angry, they were cut to the heart and they grabbed their ears and they gnashed their teeth at him. That is what an animal will do when he gets angry. You know, what do you see a dog do when a dog's getting ready to attack? They growl and they gnash their teeth. That's what's going on in hell. People are angry at God; they're blaming God.

Speaker 2

**Situation.** They never get out of hell because all they do in hell is sin. As they foment hatred toward God. In the book of the Revelation, when the Lord sends hailstones down upon men hundred pounds in weight, the plague is extremely severe. And it says they gnash their teeth and they gnaw their tongues in pain during the plagues of the Revelation. And they did not repent so as to give him glory.

You know, it's kind of like when you were a kid, maybe you had this happen. I had this happen. Two older brothers, you know, they would pin you down, they'd put your arm behind your back and you had to say, uncle. You know, how much before you say uncle? How much before you tap out? Well, my brother Greg's five years older than me. My brother Larry is nine years older than me. I'm like, I'll tap out now. Let's just save you the time, Uncle. But these are people that don't say uncle. They just gnash their teeth in anger and in pain.

The Judgment will be eternal. Hell and the Judgment. This is what's so amazing; it could have been avoided. Cause it says books were opened and another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. Now no one there at the Great White Throne Judgment has his name, her name in the Book of Life. But the Book of Life is open. Why would God open the Book of Life to all these people whose names are not in the Book of Life? And it is for this one reason, I believe, this one reason, to show them your name could have been in here. I died on the cross for your sins.

Speaker 2

First John, chapter two, verse one. I'm writing these things to you so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ, the righteous. And He Himself is the propitiator for our sins. And not for ours only, but also for those of the whole world. He died for everyone.

And the Book of Life is open. And the Lord shows everyone and says, "Your name could have been in here. I had a place for you. I shed my blood for you. But you said no to me. And now all that's left for you is eternal hell." And if any man's name was not found written in the Book of Life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.

And I believe the Lord says to every person before he is thrown into the lake of fire, "Not my will, but yours be done." See, Jesus really doesn't send anybody to hell. You send yourself to hell. Because you reject his love, you reject his grace, you reject the cross, you reject, you neglect, you bypass. You just think, "I don't need that."

Speaker 2

But he's the way, the truth, and the life. And no man comes to the Father but through Him.

Now, as we close out, I want you to think about the greatest question ever asked in the Bible. The greatest question ever asked in the Bible was a question from the lips of an unbeliever. It was a question from the lips of a guy who's going to be at the Great White Throne Judgment, a guy who's going to end up in Hell forever and ever and ever. And this was his: "Then what shall I do with Jesus, who is called the Christ?"

Pontius Pilate asked the crowd that day, that Good Friday morning, "Then what shall I do with Jesus, who is called the Christ?" And they said, "Let him be crucified." "Shall I crucify your king?" they replied, "We have no king but Caesar."

I want you to think about that question, because it's the question of all questions. What then shall you do with Jesus? The song by A.B. Simpson says this: "What will you do with Jesus?"

Speaker 1

Neutral.

Speaker 2

You cannot be. One day your soul will be asking, what will he do with me? Listen, what you do with Jesus in this life determines what he does with you in the next. And it's not an accident that you are here today. God orchestrated this to speak to your heart.

As I began this message and I prayed, I thought of two groups of people that need to hear this: those who have never trusted Christ. Today needs to be the day for you to surrender your heart to Jesus because you don't have the promise of tomorrow. All you have is today. Today, if you hear his voice, harden not your heart. Behold, now is the day of salvation. You have today to get right with God.

And for us as believers, we have friends, we have neighbors, we have loved ones, and they're one heartbeat from hell. And we're not broken over that. We're not burdened over that. They're getting ready to step into a Christless eternity in hell, where there's outer darkness, where there's weeping, wailing, and gnashing of teeth, where there's the eternal fire which will never be quenched. We need to pray, and we need to witness.

Speaker 2

John Hagee. He said one time, he said, well, people, you can't be a bold witness like that because you're going to scare people off. He said, where are you going to scare them off? To hell?

Number two, if they're on the highway to hell, you want to do anything and everything you can so that they wouldn't go there. Because love says, I don't want you to go there. Come with me. Receive Christ and salvation. It's open to anyone who will repent and believe.

But you got to admit it. You got to admit I'm a sinner and I can't save myself and I need Jesus and I don't want to stand on my own two big feet at the great white throne judgment and stand condemned. You put your faith where God put your sins on the cross, Jesus Christ, and say in my hand no price I bring, but simply to your cross I cling, oh Lord, save me.

And I want to tell you on the authority of this book that Jesus Christ will save anybody who comes to him in repentance and faith.

Speaker 1

If you have never repented and sincerely surrendered your heart and life to Christ, God is giving you another chance to say, yes, Lord. Yes. I receive you now, Lord. I accept you as my Lord and savior and judge. I thank you for offering me forgiveness for my sins and I want to be free to live for you. If you'll say those things to the Lord and really mean it from the deepest parts of your heart, he will come in and he'll make you a child of God and you will be free. Free indeed.

As we've learned today, when you accept the free gift and he comes to live in you because of your repentant heart, you will be changed. We encourage you to go to fromhisheart.org and click the "Why Jesus" link, where you can find numerous resources from Pastor Jeff to explain what a life in Christ is awaiting you and other helps to get you connected to the people of God who are your additional support system. God bless you.

Speaking of support, when you give a year-end gift to From His Heart this month, we want to thank you by sending you the brand new 365-day devotional book called "The Heart Is God's Home." It's a high-quality keepsake devotional book written by 39 pastors, including Pastor Jeff. You'll be blessed each day, growing your heart closer to the Lord. It's available for your gift today to From His Heart of any amount, and it'll be a calendar year-end gift that we would really appreciate.

Because of the generosity of people like you, we normally will receive about 25% of our annual budget that keeps us going and growing. Pastor Jeff is a volunteer for this ministry. Would you make your gift today for the book "The Heart Is God's Home"? Just call 866-40-BIBLE (866-40-24253) or go online to fromhisheart.org. Thank you so very much for your support this month, and thank you for whatever you can do today.

Thanks for joining us, and we surely hope that you'll be right back here next time when Pastor Jeff will present the third message in the Forever and Ever series, when we'll open up God's Word and share real truth, real love, and real hope from His Heart.

Speaker 1

From His Heart is the listener supported Broadcast Ministry of Dr. Jeff Shreve speaking the truth in love to a lost and a hurting world. Remember, no matter what, God loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life. Find out more@fromisheart.org.