International Gospel Hour

Guest (Male): Are you ready for your journey into eternity? Oh, to see Jesus in eternity! So let's search the scriptures today and prepare for that day, starting right now from the International Gospel Hour.

J. Webb: It's time for our broadcast from the International Gospel Hour. I'm J. Webb, and welcome to our study today as we embrace God's word to help us meet the challenges of today. Let's open our Bibles and open our hearts for this time of Bible study with our speaker, Jeff Archey, of International Gospel Hour, a broadcast of the churches of Christ. Here's Jeff.

Jeff Archey: Well, thank you always to our J. Webb for his kind words. Greetings and hello to all of you for your kind hearts to tune in and listen to our studies here from the International Gospel Hour. Psalm 119:105 says, "Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path." And how grateful we are to follow the word of God. Thank you once again for joining me today.

Let's go to John chapter 12 and focus on verses 25 and 26. "He that loves his life shall lose it. He that hates his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal." Sounds like a priority, does it not, friends? Verse 26: "If any man serve me, let him follow me. And where I am, there shall also my servant be. If any man serve me, him will my Father honor."

This is believed to be words of the last public discourse of Jesus Christ. Friends, I'm not being morbid, just realistic here. This may be the last public discourse concerning Christ that you'll hear. Let's be serious for a moment. Hating one's life in this world really means this world is not all it is. It's not what it's all cut out to be. Should we not be individuals longing for heaven and to spend eternity with Christ? There is a choice in heaven and hell, and Jesus is going to be in only one place. And I believe we know where that place is. Will we be with him?

The day of judgment is coming. We are getting closer each day. We know not when it will be, but we know we need to be ready. And the question is: Are we ready to see Jesus in eternity? Hebrews 9:27 says, "And it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment." In Ecclesiastes 12:13 and 14, "Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is man's all. For God will bring every work into judgment, including every secret thing, whether good or evil."

In Acts 10:42, "And he commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that it is he who was ordained by God to be judge of the living and the dead." And in Acts 17:31, "Because he has appointed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by the man whom he hath ordained. He has given assurance of this to all by raising him from the dead." Indeed, friends, we want to see Jesus in eternity. "We Would See Jesus in Eternity" is our study today, and how we see him in eternity is determined by how he sees us on that day of judgment. Let's continue these thoughts in a moment, but first, a few words from our J. Webb.

J. Webb: IGH, the International Gospel Hour, has been heard over the radio since 1934 and is one of the longest-running weekly religious programs in the history of American radio. You'll never hear us asking for money from you, our listeners. Our study material is free, always has been, always will be. We are thankful for the blessed giving of congregations of churches of Christ, faithful Christians, and devoted friends. Thanks always for listening.

Jeff Archey: Folks, we would see Jesus with the greatest crowd ever assembled. Listen to 2 Corinthians 5:10: "For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad." With this known, let's see what is the before and the after here with verse 10. Verse 9 says, "Therefore, we make it our aim, whether present or absent, to be well-pleasing to him."

So knowing we will assemble before him in the greatest crowd ever assembled, let's remember what our aim should be, whether living or when we die, whether present or absent: to be well-pleasing to the Lord. And then we see the judgment seat in verse 10. And verse 11: "Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men." Those of all mankind will be before him, the prepared and the unprepared. The question: Will you and I be ready because we will see Jesus?

Let's see Jesus as the greatest judge that will ever preside. 2 Timothy 4:8: "Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will give to me on that day. And not to me only, but unto all who have loved his appearing." In John 12:48, the word will judge him in the last day. Many things influence human court decisions, but on the day of judgment, that will not be the case. One will stand on his own merit and his own record as he stands before the greatest judge ever. We would see Jesus.

We would see Jesus and all the greatest books ever opened. Revelation 20:12 tells us the books were opened, and another book was opened, which is the Book of Life, and from these, we are judged. We know among these are the words of Christ, as we noted moments ago in John 12:48, and his words will never pass away, Matthew 24:35. Knowing among the books being the word of God, the scriptures, have we obeyed such passages as faith that is pleasing unto God, Hebrews 11:6?

Of repentance that is commanded in Luke 13:3. Of confession with the mouth that is made unto salvation, Romans 10:10. Of baptism upon our faith, baptism that is based upon repentance, Acts 2:38, and to wash our sins away, Acts 22:16, that we are saved when we're baptized based upon our faith, Mark 16:16. And friends, are we individuals that, according to Hebrews 10:25 and 26, to not forsake the assembling of ourselves together? We must think on these things because when we see Jesus and we see the greatest books ever opened, the Bible, we need to know and obey it, for it will judge us.

We would see Jesus and the greatest separation ever made. The judgment scene of Matthew 25:31 through 46. Sheep on the right hand, goats on the left. Where will you be, dear friend? How tragic there will be a father on one side and a mother on the other, a brother on one side and a sister on the other, a husband on one side and a wife on the other, and such a horrible separation for all eternity. But now, all can obey together and be saved. One can obey the gospel and make certain that we would see Jesus on that day of judgment, of the greatest crowd ever assembled, the greatest separation that's ever been made, the greatest scene that has ever come forth.

Then we will also hear the greatest verdicts ever announced. Jesus in Matthew 25:46 speaks of those that did not live for God, who did not obey the gospel. "These will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life." The righteous, where he would say in Matthew 25:34, "Come, ye blessed of my Father." But to those who were against him in Matthew 25:41, "Depart from me, you cursed."

Someone says, "Well, my Lord is a Lord of grace." Yes, he is. The grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, Titus 2:11. But also that grace teaches us to deny ungodliness and worldly lust, and how we should live soberly, righteously, and godly before him, Titus 2:11 through 14. Dear friends, when we think about Jesus and his teaching, it may surprise you he taught more about hell than he did heaven.

We would see Jesus in eternity. On that day of judgment, we're going to be amongst the greatest crowd ever assembled. We will see the greatest judge ever presiding. We will see the greatest books ever opened, the greatest separation ever made, and the greatest verdicts ever announced. Dear friends, we would see Jesus in eternity. Imagine spending eternity without seeing Jesus. What a sad and horrific thought.

There's nothing more important in life than for you and I to make certain that our lives are walking each day toward eternity. We need to think on these things. We are blessed to share a great amount of study material with you. Things that we talk about on our program may prompt you to search further, to look at your life, and we will help you anyway possible with free material or suggestions of churches of Christ in your area who can work with you even further. We strive to help you, our listener. I'm going to pause for our J. Webb. He has another free study booklet for you today, one we've just recently added to our list, and we hope that you'll enjoy it. Here is our J. Webb.

J. Webb: Our free gift today is From My Heart to Yours, a wonderful booklet that speaks of such topics as God, Christ, sin, salvation, and the church we read of in scripture. You may call 855-444-6988 and leave your name, address, and just say "heart book." You may also go to our website at internationalgospelhour.com, click on the contact tab, and leave us the same information: name, address, and type "heart book" in the message box. Reach out for your free study booklet today.

Jeff Archey: Friends, we would love to send you that booklet, From My Heart to Yours. We also have a number of other Bible study materials. Free Bible courses by mail, God and Man, and How to Be Saved from Sin are other studies that we offer. We offer a lot of online studies. Anything that we can do to help you, we will.

As mentioned moments ago, if we can help you to find a church of Christ in your area, we'll be glad to do so. I'm also indebted to the late brother W.A. Bradfield for the sermon today and grateful for his lesson, The Great Judgment. We'll continue these studies together at another time, but for now, thank you for joining me on the International Gospel Hour. I'm Jeff Archey, and friends, keep listening.

J. Webb: Thank you for listening today. To God be the glory, and we hope that our study today will draw you closer to his word to walk in his way. Feel free to listen to our other programs at our website at internationalgospelhour.com and join us next time. God be with you till we meet again.