Weekend, May 27, 2024
The Great Tragedy
For we must all stand before Christ to be judged. We will each receive whatever we deserve for the good or evil we have done in this earthly body. (2 Corinthians 5:10 NLT)
Imagine for a moment that someone approached you and said, “I want to make a deal with you. I will give you $1,440 every day on one condition: you must spend it wisely. If you do so, I will have another $1,440 for you tomorrow. The money will keep coming, as long as you spend it wisely.”
Would you take them up on the offer?
God has given us something more precious than $1,440 per day. He has given us 1,440 minutes every day that we can use for Him. We are not to squander this time. Rather, we are to wisely invest it in His kingdom.
As part of the first resurrection, there will be a judgment for Christians called the judgment seat of Christ. We will stand before God. But understand, this judgment isn’t about whether we will get into Heaven. This judgment will take place in Heaven.
Speaking of this event, the apostle Paul wrote, “For we must all stand before Christ to be judged. We will each receive whatever we deserve for the good or evil we have done in this earthly body” (2 Corinthians 5:10 NLT).
According to this and other passages, this judgment won’t be about how much we have done. Rather, it will be about why we did it.
The judgment seat of Christ is a time when we will receive awards, or the lack thereof, for our faithfulness. As Paul pointed out in Romans 14:10, “Remember, we will all stand before the judgment seat of God” (NLT).
Think of an awards ceremony like the Grammys or the Oscars. These awards go to people who have achieved something. The winners walk up and receive their awards, and they thank their family, their agent, and sometimes God. And on it goes.
In the same way, there will be an awards ceremony in Heaven.
However, God will not hold you accountable for what He has called someone else to do. Rather, He will hold you accountable for what He has called you to do. God has a plan for life. You have a sphere of influence, people whom God wants you to touch.
God has given to every Christian the sacred trust of preaching the gospel. He hasn’t given this only to evangelists or pastors or missionaries. He has given the sacred trust of the proclamation of the gospel to every person who has made a commitment to follow Christ.
The Lord will want to know how faithful we have been in getting that message out. He also will want to know how faithful we have been with the tasks He has put before us. Did we do what He called us to do?
The fact is that a lot of people wander through life without giving a passing thought about God’s plan for them. They never think about what they will do with the blessings and responsibilities that God has given them. As a result, they throw their lives away. That is a great tragedy. Don’t let it happen to you.
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