He stood only
five-feet-four inches tall,
00:00:32.19\00:00:36.42
and he always wore a
carnation on his lapel.
00:00:36.45\00:00:39.44
He was the
Mayor of New York City
00:00:39.47\00:00:41.02
during the great depression
00:00:41.05\00:00:43.31
and during the World
War II days of course.
00:00:43.34\00:00:45.78
Well, the
people in New York City
00:00:45.81\00:00:47.74
they adored him, they
affectionately called him
00:00:47.77\00:00:51.59
"The Little Flower."
00:00:51.62\00:00:54.00
But His real name
was Fiorello LaGuardia.
00:00:54.03\00:00:57.71
The people of New
York City loved him
00:00:57.74\00:00:58.99
because of his compassion,
and his caring for people.
00:00:59.02\00:01:02.40
In fact, he often
rode with the firemen
00:01:02.43\00:01:04.50
as they raced to fires,
00:01:04.53\00:01:06.24
he went with the police
as they raided the nightclubs
00:01:06.27\00:01:08.77
where booze and drugs were sold.
00:01:08.80\00:01:11.25
But he particularly loved kids
00:01:11.28\00:01:12.84
like this whole
row of young people
00:01:12.87\00:01:14.56
that just came in here.
00:01:14.59\00:01:16.80
And he would even
take whole orphanages
00:01:16.83\00:01:19.71
to Yankee Stadium
to the baseball games.
00:01:19.74\00:01:22.57
Well, one-day Mayor LaGuardia
showed up at night court
00:01:22.60\00:01:26.69
at one of the
poorest wards of New York.
00:01:26.72\00:01:29.62
LaGuardia being mayor
00:01:29.65\00:01:31.74
had the right to
do anything he wanted
00:01:31.77\00:01:33.06
so he dismissed the judge
for that night and he took over.
00:01:33.09\00:01:37.41
Well, within minutes
tattered little old lady
00:01:37.44\00:01:40.35
was brought in
before him to answer charges
00:01:40.38\00:01:42.28
that she had stolen
the 50 cent loaf of bread.
00:01:42.31\00:01:45.48
Remember this is
back in the depression
00:01:45.51\00:01:47.34
a lot of money.
00:01:47.37\00:01:48.72
And this little old
lady said your honor,
00:01:48.75\00:01:51.62
"I stole the bread
00:01:51.65\00:01:52.71
because my
daughter's husband deserted her
00:01:52.74\00:01:55.73
and she's got two children.
00:01:55.76\00:01:57.10
She's sick and the
children have no food.
00:01:57.13\00:02:00.08
What am I gonna do?
00:02:00.11\00:02:01.48
I have no money I took the bread
00:02:01.51\00:02:03.76
to feed two starving children."
00:02:03.79\00:02:07.30
Well, Mayor
LaGuardia sighed and he said,
00:02:07.33\00:02:10.31
ma'am, I'm so sorry
I have to punish you,
00:02:10.34\00:02:12.91
the law makes no exception
00:02:12.94\00:02:14.53
and the fine is
$10 or 10 days in jail.
00:02:14.56\00:02:19.55
Well as he spoke though
he reached into his pocket
00:02:19.58\00:02:23.24
pulled out $10 and he said
00:02:23.27\00:02:24.90
here ma'am is
the $10 for the fine
00:02:24.93\00:02:27.76
and furthermore I'm gonna fine
00:02:27.79\00:02:30.33
everyone in this courtroom
50 cents for living in a town
00:02:30.36\00:02:33.69
where a person
has to steal bread
00:02:33.72\00:02:35.49
so that her
grandchildren can eat.
00:02:35.52\00:02:37.33
Mr. Bailiff, collect the fines
00:02:37.36\00:02:39.25
and give them to the defendant.
00:02:39.28\00:02:42.61
Well, the following
day the newspapers reported
00:02:42.64\00:02:45.02
that a total of $47.50
00:02:45.05\00:02:47.81
was turned over
to the grandmother
00:02:47.84\00:02:49.70
to help her with her problem.
00:02:49.73\00:02:51.15
Fifty cents of that amount
00:02:51.18\00:02:53.02
was given by the
red-faced bakery owner
00:02:53.05\00:02:55.81
who had brought the charge
against her in the first place.
00:02:55.84\00:02:59.53
But the mayor well, he
was giving a standing ovation.
00:02:59.56\00:03:04.29
You know, how fortunate
for this little old grandmother
00:03:04.32\00:03:07.94
to have such a kind,
gracious, and wise judge.
00:03:07.97\00:03:12.84
Isn't that the kind of
judge you would like to have,
00:03:12.87\00:03:14.98
as you stand before God
in the great final judgment?
00:03:15.01\00:03:18.25
Amen.
00:03:18.28\00:03:19.37
You know what, the
Bible says you can.
00:03:19.40\00:03:24.06
Because ladies and
gentlemen, tonight I bring
00:03:24.09\00:03:26.09
to each and every one
of you a court summons
00:03:26.12\00:03:29.07
you have been "legally
invited" to the big trial,
00:03:29.10\00:03:34.44
the tribunal of the
King of the Universe.
00:03:34.47\00:03:37.91
Six billion strong, the
human race is approaching
00:03:37.94\00:03:41.56
God's great final court session.
00:03:41.59\00:03:44.30
Modern youth with
their spiked hair,
00:03:44.33\00:03:48.11
pierced ears,
bewildered and obsessed
00:03:48.14\00:03:50.74
with drugs and
tattoos and sin and sex.
00:03:50.77\00:03:53.11
The youth are
rollerblading to the judgment.
00:03:53.14\00:03:56.43
The aged from their
senior citizens home
00:03:56.46\00:03:58.84
and rest havens
00:03:58.87\00:04:00.08
they are tottering
toward the judgment.
00:04:00.11\00:04:02.19
The rich, well in their
Rolls Royce's and Cadillac's
00:04:02.22\00:04:05.53
they are
driving to the judgment,
00:04:05.56\00:04:07.65
saints and sinners alike.
00:04:07.68\00:04:09.29
Listen, everyone,
hear what Paul says
00:04:09.32\00:04:12.21
about that great
appointment in court
00:04:12.24\00:04:14.56
that the whole
world must keep with God.
00:04:14.59\00:04:16.44
In Acts 17:31 he says
"He has appointed a day
00:04:16.47\00:04:20.77
in which He
will judge the world"
00:04:20.80\00:04:23.59
and no one will be excused.
00:04:23.62\00:04:25.57
No one can escape the summons.
00:04:25.60\00:04:27.55
In fact, Paul tells
us in 2 Corinthians 5:10
00:04:27.58\00:04:30.59
"For we must all appear
00:04:30.62\00:04:32.25
before the
judgment seat of Christ."
00:04:32.28\00:04:34.66
Whether we believe it or
not, whether we like it or not,
00:04:34.69\00:04:38.56
what you profess to
be Christians or not,
00:04:38.59\00:04:40.75
whether we're rich or poor,
00:04:40.78\00:04:42.36
black, white,
we must all appear.
00:04:42.39\00:04:45.27
God has no favorites. Amen.
00:04:45.30\00:04:49.21
Hollywood actresses
and lying presidents.
00:04:49.24\00:04:53.09
From Monica
Lewinsky to Judas Iscariot,
00:04:53.12\00:04:56.87
the Bible says
when we were summoned
00:04:56.90\00:04:59.44
we must all appear.
00:04:59.47\00:05:03.86
And my question is to night why?
00:05:03.89\00:05:07.14
What is God looking for in
the Investigative Judgment?
00:05:07.17\00:05:11.88
May I respectfully
submit three things
00:05:11.91\00:05:15.06
that the judgment is not?
00:05:15.09\00:05:18.43
Number one the judgment
is not a "weeding ceremony"
00:05:18.46\00:05:23.25
for God to weed
out disloyal followers.
00:05:23.28\00:05:27.01
He already knows the end
from the beginning, right.
00:05:27.04\00:05:30.60
Secondly it is
not for human beings
00:05:30.63\00:05:34.41
to know whether not
they're not they saved
00:05:34.44\00:05:35.90
because He knows
that already too.
00:05:35.93\00:05:38.84
And third it's
not even necessarily
00:05:38.87\00:05:41.46
for the unfallen
beings of the universe
00:05:41.49\00:05:44.06
because they've seen
our lives throughout history
00:05:44.09\00:05:46.39
and they already
know each life too.
00:05:46.42\00:05:50.05
Well, then perhaps someone ask
00:05:50.08\00:05:51.40
what is the purpose
then at the judgment.
00:05:51.43\00:05:55.19
There are bigger
issues much bigger issues,
00:05:55.22\00:05:58.79
the final destiny and
security of the entire universe.
00:05:58.82\00:06:05.05
The focal point of
the Great Controversy,
00:06:05.08\00:06:07.35
the whole question you see,
00:06:07.38\00:06:08.91
that Satan raised way back there
00:06:08.94\00:06:11.63
at the beginning
before the universe was.
00:06:11.66\00:06:14.69
Well, "Does God deserve
to be judge and to be God?"
00:06:14.72\00:06:21.34
Now it wasn't a
question about God's power,
00:06:21.37\00:06:24.23
but it was question
about God's character.
00:06:24.26\00:06:28.19
Is He the kind of person
that deserves our allegiance?
00:06:28.22\00:06:33.70
You see, this may be new to you
00:06:33.73\00:06:35.71
but the primary
concern of the judgment is God.
00:06:35.74\00:06:41.55
He's on trial.
00:06:41.58\00:06:43.78
Revelation 14:7 says, "The
hour of His judgment is come."
00:06:43.81\00:06:50.50
His attributes are at
stake. His record is at stake.
00:06:50.53\00:06:54.30
Not the
performance of human beings."
00:06:54.33\00:06:57.18
We know what that is.
00:06:57.21\00:06:59.23
The question the judgment is,
00:06:59.26\00:07:01.00
"What has God
done for His people?
00:07:01.03\00:07:04.64
Did God do everything He could
00:07:04.67\00:07:07.01
to rescue His
people, to rescue Lonnie.
00:07:07.04\00:07:10.77
Can God be trusted to be God?"
00:07:10.80\00:07:13.85
You see, so often people
are afraid of the judgment.
00:07:13.88\00:07:16.37
May be God's
going to kind zap us out
00:07:16.40\00:07:18.77
if He finds one
little sin unconfessed.
00:07:18.80\00:07:21.36
Friend, listen He's
up there fighting for us.
00:07:21.39\00:07:25.42
We don't have anything to fear.
00:07:25.45\00:07:27.35
The judgment you see
shows how God has acted
00:07:27.38\00:07:30.99
that He is on our side
and that He can be trusted.
00:07:31.02\00:07:35.66
Oh, but now Satan stands there
00:07:35.69\00:07:37.49
and he's
threatening, he's accusing,
00:07:37.52\00:07:39.57
he's condemning God
and he's making claims
00:07:39.60\00:07:41.90
and counter-claims in
the judgment back and forth
00:07:41.93\00:07:44.24
in the presence of the universe.
00:07:44.27\00:07:46.48
In fact, as you
look at the scriptures,
00:07:46.51\00:07:48.44
you get the picture of
God arguing in our behalf.
00:07:48.47\00:07:55.35
So what I'd like
to suggest tonight
00:07:55.38\00:07:56.71
is that any
notion of God up there
00:07:56.74\00:07:59.35
who's weeding out
all the bad people folks,
00:07:59.38\00:08:03.66
that is foreign to scripture.
00:08:03.69\00:08:07.11
Let me illustrate
what I'm trying to say
00:08:07.14\00:08:08.53
from the recent
Columbia space shuttle tragedy.
00:08:08.56\00:08:12.06
The day after that happened
00:08:12.09\00:08:13.36
I well remember it
was a Saturday morning.
00:08:13.39\00:08:15.79
On Sunday Reuters News Agency
00:08:15.82\00:08:19.30
from Johnson Space
Center there in Texas reported,
00:08:19.33\00:08:22.77
that NASA had
vowed on that Sunday
00:08:22.80\00:08:25.90
right after the
space shuttle crashed
00:08:25.93\00:08:28.21
they vowed to leave
absolutely no stone unturned
00:08:28.24\00:08:31.13
in an exhaustive investigation
00:08:31.16\00:08:33.43
into why the space shuttle
Columbia suddenly broke up upon
00:08:33.46\00:08:37.01
reentry into Earth's atmosphere
00:08:37.04\00:08:39.31
killing all seven of
the astronauts onboard
00:08:39.34\00:08:41.31
in that fiery, fire explosion.
00:08:41.34\00:08:44.05
Well, I see the
investigative judgment
00:08:44.08\00:08:47.76
as a parallel to NASA.
00:08:47.79\00:08:51.51
You see it's not for our sake
00:08:51.54\00:08:53.58
over the astronauts
onboard this suicide planet ours
00:08:53.61\00:08:57.24
or for the universe or
the angels or other beings
00:08:57.27\00:09:00.09
but God has resolved
00:09:00.12\00:09:02.58
He's gonna leave nothing
to chance in the judgment.
00:09:02.61\00:09:06.68
He's gonna look
at every single bit
00:09:06.71\00:09:08.99
and piece of evidence
00:09:09.02\00:09:10.40
so that He can cinch the record,
00:09:10.43\00:09:12.52
He can put final end to sin,
00:09:12.55\00:09:14.54
and Nahum1:9 promises
that sin will not arise
00:09:14.57\00:09:17.85
the second time as a
result of that judgment.
00:09:17.88\00:09:20.49
Can you say, amen? Amen.
00:09:20.52\00:09:22.14
So the question
tonight is then well
00:09:22.17\00:09:24.09
how does this judgment work?
00:09:24.12\00:09:27.36
Well, Paul gives an interesting
answer in Romans 14:12.
00:09:27.39\00:09:31.60
He says "So then each
of us shall give account
00:09:31.63\00:09:35.59
of himself to God"
for the way we've lived.
00:09:35.62\00:09:40.93
And the verdict
you see forever seals
00:09:40.96\00:09:43.75
eternal destiny and security.
00:09:43.78\00:09:47.07
And the decision
will be irreversible.
00:09:47.10\00:09:48.99
There is no
higher court of appeal.
00:09:49.02\00:09:51.48
But before the trial
verdict passes sentence,
00:09:51.51\00:09:54.43
first there is got to a
trial or an investigation.
00:09:54.46\00:09:59.28
You see, I have a little
surprise for you tonight.
00:09:59.31\00:10:02.23
The real question up
there in the judgment
00:10:02.26\00:10:04.89
isn't, "Was Lonnie
Melashenko a sinner?"
00:10:04.92\00:10:09.24
You know, what, we
would all perish, right.
00:10:09.27\00:10:15.36
But the real
question the only question
00:10:15.39\00:10:17.85
on the witness stand is this,
00:10:17.88\00:10:20.53
"Did God give
Lonnie adequate chances
00:10:20.56\00:10:25.15
to accept Jesus' solution?"
00:10:25.18\00:10:29.45
Let's turn to the
Bible and notice the picture
00:10:29.48\00:10:31.57
of this tribunal
record session in heaven.
00:10:31.60\00:10:34.69
In North America here
I know you're watching
00:10:34.72\00:10:36.72
from Australia and South America
00:10:36.75\00:10:38.30
and Canada the
place but in North America
00:10:38.33\00:10:40.32
from the Circuit Courts
to the U.S. Supreme Court,
00:10:40.35\00:10:43.14
they all
consists of three phases.
00:10:43.17\00:10:47.02
You first of all
have what we call
00:10:47.05\00:10:48.39
the investigative hearing
or the trial we call them.
00:10:48.42\00:10:53.95
Then after the trial has brought
00:10:53.98\00:10:55.31
all the evidence
and all the witnesses
00:10:55.34\00:10:57.43
you finally have a verdict
00:10:57.46\00:10:59.60
when the jury or
the judge comes in
00:10:59.63\00:11:01.82
and renders a
decision, second phase.
00:11:01.85\00:11:05.00
Finally there is the execution.
00:11:05.03\00:11:07.98
You either unlock
the cell let him go
00:11:08.01\00:11:10.05
or else it goes into the prison
forever that the sentencing.
00:11:10.08\00:11:13.74
I want you to watch
the incredible scene
00:11:13.77\00:11:15.81
of the trial phase as
the prophet describe it
00:11:15.84\00:11:19.69
in Daniel 7:9, 10 Daniel says.
00:11:19.72\00:11:24.57
"I watched till
thrones were put in place,
00:11:24.60\00:11:28.20
and the Ancient
of Days was seated,
00:11:28.23\00:11:30.71
His garment was white as snow,
00:11:30.74\00:11:32.51
and the hair of His
head was like pure wool.
00:11:32.54\00:11:34.85
His throne was like fiery flame,
00:11:34.88\00:11:37.31
its wheels a burning fire,
00:11:37.34\00:11:39.36
a fiery stream issued and
came forth from before Him.
00:11:39.39\00:11:42.29
And a thousand
thousands ministered to Him,
00:11:42.32\00:11:45.46
and ten thousand times
ten thousand stood before Him.
00:11:45.49\00:11:48.13
The court was seated,
and the books were opened."
00:11:48.16\00:11:54.01
Here Daniel
pictures God, the Father,
00:11:54.04\00:11:56.75
the Ancient of Days
seated on His eternal throne
00:11:56.78\00:11:59.81
countless of angels seated
in awesome silence out there.
00:11:59.84\00:12:03.62
God's trial begins.
00:12:03.65\00:12:07.70
Notice what Daniel
saw next Daniel 7:13.
00:12:07.73\00:12:11.86
"I was watching
in the night visions,
00:12:11.89\00:12:14.16
and behold, One
like the Son of Man,
00:12:14.19\00:12:17.10
coming with the
clouds of heaven!
00:12:17.13\00:12:18.88
He came to the Ancient of Days,
00:12:18.91\00:12:20.93
and they brought
Him near before Him."
00:12:20.96\00:12:24.24
Who's that?
00:12:24.27\00:12:26.11
Jesus, here Jesus is pictured.
00:12:26.14\00:12:28.21
Standing in the trial
before the Ancient of Days.
00:12:28.24\00:12:31.99
Kind of a carbon copy isn't it,
of a courtroom trial on Earth.
00:12:32.02\00:12:36.10
There's the presiding
Judge, the Ancient of Days.
00:12:36.13\00:12:38.79
There are all the witnesses,
all of the holy angels
00:12:38.82\00:12:41.52
who have seen and
recorded everything.
00:12:41.55\00:12:43.32
And standing before the
throne is Jesus man's advocate
00:12:43.35\00:12:48.52
or lawyer as John
wrote in 1 John 2:1
00:12:48.55\00:12:53.24
"We have an
advocate with the Father,
00:12:53.27\00:12:55.76
Jesus Christ the righteous."
00:12:55.79\00:12:57.50
Amen.
00:12:57.53\00:12:58.57
You see, ladies and gentlemen,
00:12:58.60\00:12:59.63
we are not actually
there in person, but Jesus is.
00:12:59.66\00:13:04.60
The Bible says here
again in Daniel 7:10.
00:13:04.63\00:13:07.27
"The court was seated,
and the books were opened."
00:13:07.30\00:13:12.09
Books, unimpeachable
evidence, flawless records,
00:13:12.12\00:13:17.08
impeccably kept, of every
deed, every action of God,
00:13:17.11\00:13:23.89
and for every person to
as evidence in His trial.
00:13:23.92\00:13:29.31
Solomon wrote in
Ecclesiastes 12:14
00:13:29.34\00:13:33.17
"For God will bring
every work into judgment,
00:13:33.20\00:13:36.25
including every secret
thing, whether good or evil."
00:13:36.28\00:13:40.42
And Malachi adds
too in Malachi 3:16
00:13:40.45\00:13:44.25
"Then those who feared
the Lord spoke to one another,
00:13:44.28\00:13:47.46
and the Lord
listened and heard them,
00:13:47.49\00:13:49.44
so a book of remembrance
was written before Him
00:13:49.47\00:13:53.88
for those who fear the Lord
and who meditate on His name."
00:13:53.91\00:13:57.81
Even King David knew
about records in Psalm 56:8.
00:13:57.84\00:14:02.63
"Put my tears into Your bottle,
are they not in Your book?"
00:14:02.66\00:14:09.09
So you see we are
not actually there
00:14:09.12\00:14:10.99
at this Great White
Throne judgment, God is.
00:14:11.02\00:14:15.23
And His evidence on
our behalf is our lives.
00:14:15.26\00:14:21.50
And He's got it all
written down in the books
00:14:21.53\00:14:23.72
as it says in Psalm 139:1, 3, 16
00:14:23.75\00:14:27.20
"O Lord, You have
searched me and You know me.
00:14:27.23\00:14:30.53
You are familiar
with all my ways.
00:14:30.56\00:14:32.06
All the days ordained for
me were written in your book."
00:14:32.09\00:14:37.67
In other words we would
say today in God's computers
00:14:37.70\00:14:40.52
or may be virtual videos got.
00:14:40.55\00:14:42.78
He know all about us.
He's got the goods on us.
00:14:42.81\00:14:46.61
Everything's on record.
00:14:46.64\00:14:48.20
Remember not so
much for His benefit
00:14:48.23\00:14:50.88
He already knows the
whole kit and caboodle.
00:14:50.91\00:14:53.15
But the records are kept
00:14:53.18\00:14:54.33
for the benefit of the
entire watching universe
00:14:54.36\00:14:56.86
because in a very real sense
He is on trial in this judgment
00:14:56.89\00:15:01.77
and the books
provide clear evidence
00:15:01.80\00:15:03.78
that God to Judge is fair.
00:15:03.81\00:15:06.45
He is loving and He is
just in every single case.
00:15:06.48\00:15:13.38
And in this trial
there be no cover-ups.
00:15:13.41\00:15:15.80
No Nixon
Watergate missing tapes.
00:15:15.83\00:15:18.10
No Clinton memory lapses.
00:15:18.13\00:15:20.93
You see, people may be
able to fool their friends
00:15:20.96\00:15:23.88
even their families,
but no one can fool God.
00:15:23.91\00:15:26.51
Amen.
00:15:26.54\00:15:27.58
He reads the
secrets of the heart.
00:15:27.61\00:15:32.03
Now unfortunately
there's somebody else up there
00:15:32.06\00:15:35.19
at least represented
a prosecution attorney.
00:15:35.22\00:15:39.47
We sometimes picture
Him with a little pitchfork
00:15:39.50\00:15:42.04
maybe a tale
that's not how He looks
00:15:42.07\00:15:43.90
but He's not only gonna show
00:15:43.93\00:15:46.54
in that record
event sins of commission,
00:15:46.57\00:15:50.76
He's gonna dig up
the ones of omission.
00:15:50.79\00:15:54.01
Things we never
got a chance to do.
00:15:54.04\00:15:56.06
When we thought thoughts
but we didn't get to do them
00:15:56.09\00:15:58.89
or we had a
chance to do a good deed,
00:15:58.92\00:16:01.28
but we didn't do that.
00:16:01.31\00:16:02.49
Satan's point is he's
gonna try to make sure
00:16:02.52\00:16:04.65
that everybody fails
the judgment bar big time.
00:16:04.68\00:16:09.19
No human being on their
own steam can pass that bar.
00:16:09.22\00:16:12.79
When judgment day comes,
00:16:12.82\00:16:14.45
you see we're gonna
find ourselves folks,
00:16:14.48\00:16:16.79
in one of two positions.
00:16:16.82\00:16:18.98
Either our entire
record of our past sins
00:16:19.01\00:16:22.94
and our failures will have been
covered by the blood of Jesus
00:16:22.97\00:16:26.06
erased, forgiven, blotted out
00:16:26.09\00:16:28.55
or our record will
stand to condemn us.
00:16:28.58\00:16:32.55
We're history
because Isaiah 64:6 says
00:16:32.58\00:16:35.32
"But we are all
like an unclean thing,
00:16:35.35\00:16:38.47
and all our
righteousness are like" what?
00:16:38.50\00:16:40.57
Filthy rags. "Filthy rags."
00:16:40.60\00:16:42.49
What's more we
are told very clearly
00:16:42.52\00:16:45.09
that when Jesus comes
He said in Matthew 16:27
00:16:45.12\00:16:48.05
"He will reward each
according to his" what?
00:16:48.08\00:16:51.16
"Works."
00:16:51.19\00:16:52.75
Oh, but someone protests,
Lonnie, now just a minute.
00:16:52.78\00:16:57.44
"If we are saved
by grace, how come,
00:16:57.47\00:17:02.07
why are we judged
then by our works?"
00:17:02.10\00:17:06.42
That's a good question.
00:17:06.45\00:17:08.52
I like how Dr.
Sakae Kubo puts it
00:17:08.55\00:17:11.18
that gonna quote from his book.
00:17:11.21\00:17:13.58
He says "Let us
consider what it would mean
00:17:13.61\00:17:16.59
if the judgment
were not based on works.
00:17:16.62\00:17:19.84
By what would God
judge us, our skin, our race,
00:17:19.87\00:17:23.74
our social class,
our education, our looks,
00:17:23.77\00:17:26.39
our talents, our strength,
our membership in the church,
00:17:26.42\00:17:30.48
or our mere
profession of Christ?"
00:17:30.51\00:17:34.15
He says "God can judge us only
00:17:34.18\00:17:37.14
by our works, good or bad."
00:17:37.17\00:17:43.15
I will say it, is this
some sort of double talk
00:17:43.18\00:17:45.95
based on we talk
about last night?
00:17:45.98\00:17:48.32
No.
00:17:48.35\00:17:50.02
Friends, listen carefully
00:17:50.05\00:17:51.97
good works are
obviously not done
00:17:52.00\00:17:54.88
by the true
Christian to ever earn merit
00:17:54.91\00:17:57.34
or some how bribe God.
00:17:57.37\00:17:59.75
But listen carefully.
00:17:59.78\00:18:01.62
Good works aren't
a means of salvation,
00:18:01.65\00:18:05.10
but good works are an
evidence of salvation,
00:18:05.13\00:18:10.31
the spontaneous
result of a heart
00:18:10.34\00:18:12.26
full of love for God and man
00:18:12.29\00:18:14.29
and that's what God is
looking for in the judgment.
00:18:14.32\00:18:16.63
Evidence you see
that exonerates Him.
00:18:16.66\00:18:20.99
Not the works.
00:18:21.02\00:18:23.15
I mean, sinners
can do good works, too.
00:18:23.18\00:18:25.35
Good ones.
00:18:25.38\00:18:26.59
But the question is "Was it in
a love relationship with Jesus
00:18:26.62\00:18:30.68
that motivated this
person to do those good works?"
00:18:30.71\00:18:33.84
Back summing up in
the Book of Ecclesiastes,
00:18:33.87\00:18:36.14
Solomon said in
Ecclesiastes 12:13, 14
00:18:36.17\00:18:41.19
he says "Let us
hear the conclusion
00:18:41.22\00:18:43.02
of the whole matter.
00:18:43.05\00:18:44.55
Fear God and
keep His commandments,
00:18:44.58\00:18:47.62
for this is the
whole duty of man.
00:18:47.65\00:18:49.46
For God shall bring
every work into judgment."
00:18:49.49\00:18:54.65
Now since my
relationship to Christ
00:18:54.68\00:18:58.80
is going to be
judged by my conduct.
00:18:58.83\00:19:03.71
What do you
think there's got to be
00:19:03.74\00:19:04.79
some sort of
clear standard or law
00:19:04.82\00:19:07.65
by which to
measure that conduct.
00:19:07.68\00:19:11.35
If I get hauled into court
00:19:11.38\00:19:12.64
in State of
California, where I live.
00:19:12.67\00:19:15.16
Those courts only have authority
00:19:15.19\00:19:17.11
to deal with crime as
defined by the laws of the land.
00:19:17.14\00:19:20.69
I mean, I can't be found guilty
00:19:20.72\00:19:22.17
unless I've
broken some sort of law
00:19:22.20\00:19:24.09
or a standard, a
gauge, a measurement device.
00:19:24.12\00:19:29.28
I happen to have four brothers
grew up in a home of five boys.
00:19:29.31\00:19:33.00
Five little holy terrors.
00:19:33.03\00:19:35.94
You know, we're
all one year apart.
00:19:35.97\00:19:39.33
Imagine the picnic
that my parents had
00:19:39.36\00:19:41.21
when I being the
eldest was just four
00:19:41.24\00:19:44.30
and I had four
brothers none of us were twins.
00:19:44.33\00:19:47.51
That's how close we were.
00:19:47.54\00:19:48.69
They had to carry
four babies around.
00:19:48.72\00:19:51.90
I had to learn to
walk very young in life.
00:19:51.93\00:19:55.36
But I remember
we kids used to get
00:19:55.39\00:19:56.51
a kick out of getting
measured as we grew up.
00:19:56.54\00:19:59.24
The folks had a
little measuring tape
00:19:59.27\00:20:00.83
and they'd put
a mark on the wall
00:20:00.86\00:20:02.15
to see who was tallest.
00:20:02.18\00:20:04.30
And we could see from
month to month year to year
00:20:04.33\00:20:06.30
how much we'd
outgrow those marks.
00:20:06.33\00:20:07.98
And we five kids well, we
all grew our clothes like mad.
00:20:08.01\00:20:12.43
But I can still remember
being measured on the wall
00:20:12.46\00:20:15.00
those marks with measuring tape.
00:20:15.03\00:20:16.28
Now God, too,
says He has a standard
00:20:16.31\00:20:19.91
of measuring our moral lives.
00:20:19.94\00:20:23.50
In God's judgment there is
a basis of judgment, a law,
00:20:23.53\00:20:26.72
and in fact James
makes it very clear
00:20:26.75\00:20:30.09
which standard will be upheld.
00:20:30.12\00:20:31.97
James 2:12 "So speak and so do
00:20:32.00\00:20:36.30
as those who will be
judged by the law of liberty."
00:20:36.33\00:20:40.52
You look around in the context
00:20:40.55\00:20:42.18
of that chapter there
in the previous verses.
00:20:42.21\00:20:44.28
James is talking about the
law of the Ten Commandments.
00:20:44.31\00:20:47.98
In fact even quotes two of them.
00:20:48.01\00:20:49.78
James 2:11 he
says "For He that said,
00:20:49.81\00:20:52.22
'Do not commit adultery,'
said also 'Do not kill.'"
00:20:52.25\00:20:56.72
So God's Ten Commandment
law called the "Law of Liberty"
00:20:56.75\00:21:00.68
is the perfect
standard by which the lives
00:21:00.71\00:21:03.28
of men and women will be judged.
00:21:03.31\00:21:06.86
That could terrify me
00:21:06.89\00:21:09.89
especially if I
didn't have Jesus.
00:21:09.92\00:21:12.60
But that's would makes
00:21:12.63\00:21:13.69
all the
difference in the judgment.
00:21:13.72\00:21:16.09
You see the
judgment simply determines
00:21:16.12\00:21:17.86
on which side we stand.
00:21:17.89\00:21:20.85
Are we with
Christ? Has He changed us?
00:21:20.88\00:21:23.75
Has He empowered us,
so that we love to do
00:21:23.78\00:21:26.51
His will as expressed
in the Ten Commandments?
00:21:26.54\00:21:28.94
Has He written
His law on our hearts?
00:21:28.97\00:21:33.51
Tell you a little bit
about my family background.
00:21:33.54\00:21:35.22
My grandparents
from the Soviet Union
00:21:35.25\00:21:38.54
immigrated to Canada
before the Bolshevik Revolution.
00:21:38.57\00:21:42.42
When they
applied for citizenship
00:21:42.45\00:21:45.04
they were required
to pledge allegiance
00:21:45.07\00:21:47.28
to their brand new country,
00:21:47.31\00:21:48.48
promising to be loyal citizens
00:21:48.51\00:21:50.27
and uphold the land,
the laws of the land.
00:21:50.30\00:21:53.88
I would tell you
that my grandparents
00:21:53.91\00:21:55.63
gladly switched allegiance.
00:21:55.66\00:21:59.11
No more Lenin, no more Stalin,
00:21:59.14\00:22:01.43
no more
Atheism, no more Marxism,
00:22:01.46\00:22:03.62
no more socialism and
communism they wanted freedom,
00:22:03.65\00:22:08.56
in North America
brand new way of life.
00:22:08.59\00:22:12.63
Well it's the same
thing with Christians.
00:22:12.66\00:22:15.19
We live on this ball
of mud in a foreign land,
00:22:15.22\00:22:20.13
the spiritual kingdom
of hell and the devil.
00:22:20.16\00:22:23.02
When we accept Jesus
Christ and His kingdom,
00:22:23.05\00:22:25.98
God simply asks us to
pledge allegiance to Him,
00:22:26.01\00:22:29.34
uphold the laws
of His government.
00:22:29.37\00:22:32.28
And you know what He helps us
00:22:32.31\00:22:34.60
by His grace and by
His power to do just that.
00:22:34.63\00:22:38.88
However, you know, and I know
00:22:38.91\00:22:41.85
that not all
immigrants out there
00:22:41.88\00:22:44.50
remain faithful
to their solemn vows
00:22:44.53\00:22:46.71
when they swear allegiance.
00:22:46.74\00:22:48.49
In fact, some
Americans in high offices
00:22:48.52\00:22:51.57
in the Pentagon in the C.I.A.
00:22:51.60\00:22:55.08
they outwardly seem to be
loyal citizens of the land,
00:22:55.11\00:22:57.95
but later unfortunately
00:22:57.98\00:22:59.05
so tragically even recent months
00:22:59.08\00:23:01.30
some of have been
found to be subversive
00:23:01.33\00:23:03.90
and when this is proved,
00:23:03.93\00:23:05.51
the citizenship of that person
is revoked and he's deported.
00:23:05.54\00:23:11.12
So in the
judgment it's not enough
00:23:11.15\00:23:13.23
for Christians to just,
00:23:13.26\00:23:14.45
well, I profess that I'm
a follower of Jesus Christ.
00:23:14.48\00:23:17.89
No, the Bible says
we must be born again.
00:23:17.92\00:23:21.66
We must allow
Jesus' perfect life
00:23:21.69\00:23:23.84
of obedience and faithfulness
00:23:23.87\00:23:25.28
to be lived out in us
to change us, make us new.
00:23:25.31\00:23:29.96
And that evidence is
important in God's judgment.
00:23:29.99\00:23:35.73
Jesus said, in Matthew 7:21
00:23:35.76\00:23:38.76
"Not everyone who says to Me,
00:23:38.79\00:23:40.53
'Lord, Lord,' shall
enter the kingdom of heaven,
00:23:40.56\00:23:43.52
but he who does the
will of My Father in heaven."
00:23:43.55\00:23:48.57
Hold on to your seats
00:23:48.60\00:23:50.76
because now the
Voice of Prophecy speaks,
00:23:50.79\00:23:55.69
with a most astounding
fact little known by Christians.
00:23:55.72\00:23:58.48
Are you ready for it?
00:23:58.51\00:24:00.58
The judgment in heaven
00:24:00.61\00:24:03.29
is already now
in session, tonight.
00:24:03.32\00:24:09.71
We read it earlier
tonight in Daniel Chapter 7,
00:24:09.74\00:24:12.27
where Daniel says
00:24:12.30\00:24:13.56
that he saw the Ancient of Days
00:24:13.59\00:24:15.26
coming on the clouds of
heaven sitting in court.
00:24:15.29\00:24:19.05
Well, scripture reveals
00:24:19.08\00:24:20.37
that the investigative
phase of God's judgment
00:24:20.40\00:24:23.99
the trial began in
heaven hundreds of years ago.
00:24:24.02\00:24:29.12
So God's trial is
already on, tonight.
00:24:29.15\00:24:34.45
In fact, that's why
00:24:34.48\00:24:35.51
in the closing chapters
of the Book of Revelation,
00:24:35.54\00:24:38.16
when John outlines the
very last warning final messages
00:24:38.19\00:24:42.21
to this world, this planet
00:24:42.24\00:24:43.47
and Christ final invitation
in the Three Angel's Messages,
00:24:43.50\00:24:46.82
He says, in Revelation 14:6, 7
00:24:46.85\00:24:49.61
"Then I saw another angel
fly in the midst of heaven,
00:24:49.64\00:24:52.28
having the everlasting
gospel to preach to those
00:24:52.31\00:24:54.71
who dwell on the earth to
every nation, and kindred,
00:24:54.74\00:24:56.97
tongue, and people
saying with the loud voice,
00:24:57.00\00:24:59.66
'Fear God give glory to Him,
00:24:59.69\00:25:02.32
for the hour of
His judgment has come,
00:25:02.35\00:25:07.42
worship Him who
made heaven and earth,
00:25:07.45\00:25:08.98
the sea and springs of water.'"
00:25:09.01\00:25:10.57
I want you to notice
00:25:10.60\00:25:11.70
that this does not
say here in this message
00:25:11.73\00:25:14.17
"that the judgment will come,"
00:25:14.20\00:25:17.20
it says "the hour of
his judgment has come."
00:25:17.23\00:25:20.94
And then right after
these Three Angels' Messages
00:25:20.97\00:25:23.59
right smack in the
middle of God's judgment hour,
00:25:23.62\00:25:26.25
verse 15 says
then Jesus announces
00:25:26.28\00:25:29.46
"And another angel
came out of the temple,
00:25:29.49\00:25:31.46
crying with a loud voice
to Him who sat on the cloud,
00:25:31.49\00:25:34.62
'Thrust in Your sickle and reap,
00:25:34.65\00:25:37.55
for the time has
come for You to reap,
00:25:37.58\00:25:39.61
for the harvest of
the earth is ripe.'"
00:25:39.64\00:25:42.29
Harvest is the end of
the world, Jesus told us.
00:25:42.32\00:25:45.52
Harvest happens
at the second coming.
00:25:45.55\00:25:48.47
But what did verse 7 say,
00:25:48.50\00:25:50.22
just occurs right
before Jesus comes,
00:25:50.25\00:25:53.94
God's judgment hour.
00:25:53.97\00:25:57.16
We then help
vindicate His character
00:25:57.19\00:26:01.35
and His claims
that we're safe to save.
00:26:01.38\00:26:03.85
And then He comes
and He takes with Him.
00:26:03.88\00:26:07.97
Well, perhaps someone says,
00:26:08.00\00:26:09.86
okay Lonnie, "if God's heavenly
investigative court trial
00:26:09.89\00:26:13.05
is already in process tonight
00:26:13.08\00:26:15.29
when did the happen,
when did the judgment begin?"
00:26:15.32\00:26:17.87
The Bible Prophecy indicates
00:26:17.90\00:26:20.80
that for more than
a century-and-a-half
00:26:20.83\00:26:23.08
heaven's court has already
evidently been in session.
00:26:23.11\00:26:26.90
In fact, any person
in this room to night
00:26:26.93\00:26:29.04
has lived all
of your entire life
00:26:29.07\00:26:31.31
in the prophetic time
of God's great judgment day
00:26:31.34\00:26:34.92
what the Bible calls
the Day of Atonement.
00:26:34.95\00:26:39.86
And when God
finishes the judgment
00:26:39.89\00:26:41.77
that could be two
minutes from right now
00:26:41.80\00:26:44.56
that is it the end.
00:26:44.59\00:26:47.95
The moment of truth He
will thrusts in His sickle
00:26:47.98\00:26:50.83
and reap and Jesus
comes for the harvest.
00:26:50.86\00:26:54.70
Well, you say Lonnie,
00:26:54.73\00:26:55.79
how can we
establish the beginning date
00:26:55.82\00:26:58.20
of the heavenly judgment?
00:26:58.23\00:27:00.68
The key is found,
00:27:00.71\00:27:02.06
in a most remarkable
prophecy in the Book of Daniel.
00:27:02.09\00:27:05.32
And those of you who
are here two nights ago
00:27:05.35\00:27:07.49
studied it with us
carefully from Daniel Chapter 7.
00:27:07.52\00:27:10.95
We look at five
dates in prophecy,
00:27:10.98\00:27:13.71
when we look at
technique of God, remember that.
00:27:13.74\00:27:17.06
Each had pin-point accuracy.
00:27:17.09\00:27:20.04
We look back there at 457 B.C.
00:27:20.07\00:27:23.92
starting date of
that 490 year prophecy
00:27:23.95\00:27:27.02
when Artaxerxes built
that were made the decree
00:27:27.05\00:27:29.87
go back to rebuild the temple.
00:27:29.90\00:27:31.63
Then we looked at 408 B.C.
00:27:31.66\00:27:33.13
Artaxerxes Longemanus
and the temple was rebuilt
00:27:33.16\00:27:36.41
49 years later
exactly on schedule.
00:27:36.44\00:27:38.73
We look down to the prophecy
00:27:38.76\00:27:40.26
that predicted
the coming of Jesus
00:27:40.29\00:27:42.09
at His baptism in 27 A.D.
00:27:42.12\00:27:44.38
and we saw that right
to the very month of time
00:27:44.41\00:27:46.84
accurate to a pinpoint.
00:27:46.87\00:27:49.06
And then particular we look down
00:27:49.09\00:27:51.05
at the countdown
to Jesus on the cross
00:27:51.08\00:27:53.84
and we saw that it
not only was to the year,
00:27:53.87\00:27:56.08
month, day, hour, minute
00:27:56.11\00:27:58.72
and very split
second of time 31 A.D.
00:27:58.75\00:28:01.53
Jesus died on Calvary.
00:28:01.56\00:28:03.55
And then of course we saw
there are few more years left
00:28:03.58\00:28:05.45
for the Jewish
nation to get with it
00:28:05.48\00:28:07.24
and that finally ended
00:28:07.27\00:28:08.31
at the Stoning of
Stephen in 34 A.D.
00:28:08.34\00:28:12.25
Five days,
00:28:12.28\00:28:14.29
by the way Voice of Prophecy's
00:28:14.32\00:28:15.56
Discover Bible Lessons out there
00:28:15.59\00:28:17.28
can share all of the
details for everyone of you
00:28:17.31\00:28:19.54
it's free I hope you'll
stop by at the table be sure--
00:28:19.57\00:28:22.15
by the way even
that tape is available,
00:28:22.18\00:28:23.95
video for just $5
I couldn't believe
00:28:23.98\00:28:26.66
when I found that out today.
00:28:26.69\00:28:28.09
A videotape in $5, who
is that preacher on there?
00:28:28.12\00:28:32.34
But let me take you on a
short little excursion here
00:28:32.37\00:28:34.50
about this next event.
00:28:34.53\00:28:36.83
Daniel just a
chapter after in 8:14 says
00:28:36.86\00:28:41.63
in connection with
those five prophecies
00:28:41.66\00:28:44.06
he was also told by the
angel Gabriel listen Daniel
00:28:44.09\00:28:47.00
"Unto two thousand
and three hundred days,
00:28:47.03\00:28:50.98
then shall the
sanctuary be cleansed."
00:28:51.01\00:28:54.19
Oh, now that is talking judgment
00:28:54.22\00:28:57.87
at one meant atonement
putting God's universe right,
00:28:57.90\00:29:03.65
one final last time
getting it all together now.
00:29:03.68\00:29:06.44
By the way this is the longest
time prophecy in the Bible
00:29:06.47\00:29:09.29
and it's one of my favorites.
00:29:09.32\00:29:11.86
You remember that
from two nights ago
00:29:11.89\00:29:13.78
in prophecy we noted
that is very, very clear
00:29:13.81\00:29:17.06
that in computing
apocalyptic prophetic time
00:29:17.09\00:29:21.80
one prophetic day is
equal to one literal year.
00:29:21.83\00:29:25.59
Ezekiel 4:6, Numbers 14:34 says
00:29:25.62\00:29:28.47
"I've appointed thee
each day for a year."
00:29:28.50\00:29:32.46
So this prophecy
actually represents 2,300 years
00:29:32.49\00:29:38.43
till God says the
sanctuary will be cleansed,
00:29:38.46\00:29:41.55
the last judgment begins.
00:29:41.58\00:29:44.87
Now we learned from Ezra 7
00:29:44.90\00:29:46.67
we had several
passages there the other night
00:29:46.70\00:29:48.66
but that this 2,300
year prophetic period
00:29:48.69\00:29:51.51
began at the very same
command of King Artaxerxes
00:29:51.54\00:29:55.01
to restore and
rebuild Jerusalem.
00:29:55.04\00:29:56.91
When was that?
00:29:56.94\00:29:58.91
457 B.C. Historians tell us.
00:29:58.94\00:30:01.98
In the autumn of
the year 457 B.C.,
00:30:02.01\00:30:04.58
remember its autumn
September, October, November.
00:30:04.61\00:30:08.28
The king issued
the long-awaited decree
00:30:08.31\00:30:10.90
2,300 years from
that date terminates
00:30:10.93\00:30:14.79
if you do the
math in October 1844.
00:30:14.82\00:30:21.60
A child to the third
grade can do the arithmetic.
00:30:21.63\00:30:24.87
But that's the
year the Daniel says,
00:30:24.90\00:30:27.15
the court in heaven convenes
00:30:27.18\00:30:29.54
and God begins
to judge the world.
00:30:29.57\00:30:32.75
Scripture calls it
the Day of Atonement.
00:30:32.78\00:30:36.27
Which if you really
want to get specific,
00:30:36.30\00:30:37.73
and look at the Jewish
calendar for Yom Kippur in 1844
00:30:37.76\00:30:41.82
he would actually
place interesting enough
00:30:41.85\00:30:44.45
God's judgment
beginning on October 22
00:30:44.48\00:30:49.61
is that the autumn, 1844.
00:30:49.64\00:30:53.29
That's evidently
the day it began.
00:30:53.32\00:30:56.01
In fact, Paul backs
this up in Acts 17:31.
00:30:56.04\00:31:00.56
"God has appointed a day
00:31:00.59\00:31:03.53
in which He will
begin to judge the world."
00:31:03.56\00:31:05.83
There it is.
00:31:05.86\00:31:07.61
And the point is, friend,
00:31:07.64\00:31:10.19
when God's judgment up
there is done, Jesus comes.
00:31:10.22\00:31:16.41
I mean, it's just that simple.
00:31:16.44\00:31:19.49
Now you may ask
00:31:19.52\00:31:20.55
what does the
heavenly Day of Atonement mean
00:31:20.58\00:31:23.40
at one ment?
00:31:23.43\00:31:24.49
Well, remember,
look at this last night.
00:31:24.52\00:31:27.66
God gave ancient
Israel a little miniature,
00:31:27.69\00:31:31.68
a model remember a copy
an illustration of Calvary
00:31:31.71\00:31:36.10
and the last judgment thousands
of years before it happened.
00:31:36.13\00:31:40.49
I'm sorry that most
Christians ignore this
00:31:40.52\00:31:42.92
on Sunday
mornings in their churches.
00:31:42.95\00:31:45.05
But here's how it worked.
00:31:45.08\00:31:46.74
The book of Hebrews
in the New Testament says
00:31:46.77\00:31:48.68
God instructed
the people to erect
00:31:48.71\00:31:51.78
a tent tabernacle on
earth during their long exodus
00:31:51.81\00:31:55.34
from Egypt to the Promised Land.
00:31:55.37\00:31:57.43
Lot of technical stuff
there in the Book of Leviticus,
00:31:57.46\00:32:00.10
Numbers, Deuteronomy
00:32:00.13\00:32:01.37
but was for an
extremely important reason.
00:32:01.40\00:32:04.44
First of all, the
Bible says God was lonely.
00:32:04.47\00:32:08.91
And so He said let
them make Me a tabernacle
00:32:10.35\00:32:12.38
so I can dwell among them.
00:32:12.41\00:32:14.57
That's where He wanted
to meet with His people.
00:32:14.60\00:32:17.38
But secondly that tabernacle
that little tent structure
00:32:17.41\00:32:22.03
was where the people daily
00:32:22.06\00:32:23.75
brought their
sacrifices to the sanctuary.
00:32:23.78\00:32:26.41
They confessed
their sins remember
00:32:26.44\00:32:28.35
and then they took
the life of that lamb
00:32:28.38\00:32:29.91
to show their faith in
the future death of Jesus,
00:32:29.94\00:32:32.22
the Son of God.
00:32:32.25\00:32:34.11
I'm so glad
that today if we sin,
00:32:34.14\00:32:36.10
we can just ask
God to forgive our sins
00:32:36.13\00:32:37.93
because Jesus died in our
place to pay the sin debt.
00:32:37.96\00:32:42.02
However, way back
here before Calvary,
00:32:42.05\00:32:45.27
the people had no Calvary
sacrifice to look back to,
00:32:45.30\00:32:48.15
so by faith they looked
forward instead to the time
00:32:48.18\00:32:52.23
when the Lamb of
God would die for them
00:32:52.26\00:32:54.81
and God accepted their faith.
00:32:54.84\00:32:56.87
So that priest symbolically
transferred their sins
00:32:56.90\00:33:02.46
to the sanctuary by sprinkling
00:33:02.49\00:33:05.17
that sin-laden
blood from the animal
00:33:05.20\00:33:07.92
before the veil of the most
Holy place in the sanctuary.
00:33:07.95\00:33:10.98
And evidently all
of those sins everyday,
00:33:11.01\00:33:13.53
every week,
every month, every year
00:33:13.56\00:33:15.13
all during the year they
just piled up all those sins.
00:33:15.16\00:33:19.26
But then one day each year,
00:33:19.29\00:33:21.12
God instructed
the children of Israel
00:33:21.15\00:33:22.84
to conduct a most
solemn and sacred service
00:33:22.87\00:33:26.23
kind of different
than anything else
00:33:26.26\00:33:27.65
called the Day of Atonement,
00:33:27.68\00:33:32.05
which the people of Israel
viewed as a day of judgment.
00:33:32.08\00:33:34.84
I mean ten days
before the Day of Atonement,
00:33:34.87\00:33:36.76
the trumpets blew
reveille 5:30 every morning
00:33:36.79\00:33:41.88
reminding the
Israelites time to get ready
00:33:41.91\00:33:44.28
take inventory of your lives,
00:33:44.31\00:33:45.71
repent, confess
your sins anybody
00:33:45.74\00:33:47.67
who failed to do so
was banished from the camp.
00:33:47.70\00:33:51.27
Leviticus 16:30 says
00:33:51.30\00:33:54.71
"For on that day the priest
shall make atonement for you,
00:33:54.74\00:33:58.50
to cleanse you,
that you may be clean
00:33:58.53\00:34:00.81
from all your
sins before the Lord."
00:34:00.84\00:34:04.61
Now, here's the point,
00:34:04.64\00:34:07.37
again the New
Testament Book of Hebrews
00:34:07.40\00:34:09.58
makes it plain
that all that ritual
00:34:09.61\00:34:12.38
and that Old
Testament earthly sanctuary
00:34:12.41\00:34:14.75
and its service was
simply a little a copy,
00:34:14.78\00:34:17.79
an illustration of
God's sanctuary up in heaven
00:34:17.82\00:34:22.90
where Christ is
our Great High Priest
00:34:22.93\00:34:26.18
He is up there
for forgiving our sins
00:34:26.21\00:34:28.27
in the last judgment today.
00:34:28.30\00:34:31.94
And He's gonna begin evidently
00:34:31.97\00:34:33.62
a final mopping up campaign
to restore God's universe
00:34:33.65\00:34:37.97
back to its rightful
state get it get rid of sin.
00:34:38.00\00:34:41.28
In fact, Paul says in
this heavenly court room,
00:34:41.31\00:34:44.61
Hebrews 8:1, 2 "We
have such an High Priest,
00:34:44.64\00:34:50.29
who is seated at the
right hand of the throne
00:34:50.32\00:34:52.12
of the Majesty in the heavens,
00:34:52.15\00:34:53.52
a Minister of the sanctuary
and of the true tabernacle
00:34:53.55\00:34:57.21
which the Lord
erected, and not man."
00:34:57.24\00:35:00.72
No more earthly
priests, no bloody sacrifices,
00:35:00.75\00:35:03.82
no more copies,
no more miniatures.
00:35:03.85\00:35:06.02
Hebrews 9:11, 12,
00:35:06.05\00:35:08.50
"But Christ being
come an high priest
00:35:08.53\00:35:11.94
by His own blood entered
in once into the Holy Place,
00:35:11.97\00:35:15.83
having obtained
eternal redemption for us
00:35:15.86\00:35:18.46
for Christ is not entered
00:35:18.49\00:35:19.70
into the holy
places made with hands,
00:35:19.73\00:35:22.58
which are the
figures of the true,
00:35:22.61\00:35:25.05
but into heaven itself,
00:35:25.08\00:35:26.80
now to appear in the
presence of God for us."
00:35:26.83\00:35:31.16
Amen.
00:35:31.19\00:35:33.12
And in that final judgment
going on up there tonight
00:35:33.15\00:35:35.69
Hebrews 7:25
00:35:35.72\00:35:38.02
says this is the
best news of all.
00:35:38.05\00:35:40.40
"He is also able to
save to the uttermost
00:35:40.43\00:35:44.87
those who come
to God through Him,
00:35:44.90\00:35:47.42
since He always lives to
make intercession for them."
00:35:47.45\00:35:50.44
Can you say, amen? Amen.
00:35:50.47\00:35:52.20
The good news
about the judgment,
00:35:52.23\00:35:53.61
Jesus says in Matthew 10:32, 33
00:35:53.64\00:35:56.32
is "Therefore whoever
confesses Me before men,
00:35:56.35\00:36:00.02
him will I also confess before
My Father who is in heaven.
00:36:00.05\00:36:03.62
But whoever
denies Me before men,
00:36:03.65\00:36:05.95
him I will also deny before
My Father who is in heaven."
00:36:05.98\00:36:10.46
You see friend, listen,
00:36:10.49\00:36:12.13
you and I don't stand alone
tonight in heaven's judgment.
00:36:12.16\00:36:16.56
When our name comes up,
00:36:16.59\00:36:17.64
listen, if
we've confessed Jesus,
00:36:17.67\00:36:20.51
and we're daily in
Christ, He's our attorney.
00:36:20.54\00:36:24.97
And He is an attorney
who never loses a case.
00:36:25.00\00:36:29.33
When my name comes up,
00:36:29.36\00:36:31.37
instead of great big huge
encyclopedia of all of my sins
00:36:31.40\00:36:34.33
that I hope no
one ever knows about
00:36:34.36\00:36:36.57
my records can show instead
00:36:36.60\00:36:39.31
Lonnie is covered by His blood."
00:36:39.34\00:36:43.70
Forgiven at Calvary. Cleansed.
00:36:43.73\00:36:46.69
Jesus says Father,
account this person
00:36:46.72\00:36:50.35
as though he's never sinned.
00:36:50.38\00:36:52.22
I credit his
account, personally,
00:36:52.25\00:36:54.50
with my perfect sinless life.
00:36:54.53\00:36:58.24
So, there's nothing to
fear about Judgment Day
00:36:58.27\00:37:01.02
for those who
love and follow Jesus.
00:37:01.05\00:37:03.38
1 John 1:7 says,
00:37:03.41\00:37:05.12
"The blood of
Jesus Christ His Son
00:37:05.15\00:37:07.46
cleanses us" from how much sin.
00:37:07.49\00:37:09.66
"All sin."
00:37:09.69\00:37:10.90
So the judgment is good news.
00:37:10.93\00:37:13.57
Once your case goes to judgment,
00:37:13.60\00:37:15.65
if we're Christ's
and He's our attorney,
00:37:15.68\00:37:18.30
listen case
closed, courts adjourned.
00:37:18.33\00:37:21.45
He wins every time.
00:37:21.48\00:37:24.38
If we ask Him today to be
our attorney and we win too.
00:37:24.41\00:37:30.35
Now tonight we're
living in Earth's last hours
00:37:30.38\00:37:33.18
according to that
prophecy, the judgment is set,
00:37:33.21\00:37:36.67
the books are opened
evidently back in 1844.
00:37:36.70\00:37:41.04
I can't argue
with other five dates
00:37:41.07\00:37:43.27
to the math must
be right for that day.
00:37:43.30\00:37:45.31
What is simply
telling us that everyone
00:37:45.34\00:37:47.49
that's ever
professed to be a Christian
00:37:47.52\00:37:49.78
is being judged
right now at this time?
00:37:49.81\00:37:53.12
1 Peter 4:17 says,
00:37:53.15\00:37:55.73
"For the time
has come for judgment
00:37:55.76\00:37:58.65
to begin at the house of God."
00:37:58.68\00:38:01.76
Amen.
00:38:01.79\00:38:03.10
In other words, I
think that means the judgment
00:38:03.13\00:38:05.41
started with all
of God's good people,
00:38:05.44\00:38:09.35
saved people, born-again people.
00:38:09.38\00:38:12.61
Well, who would you say
was the very first godly person
00:38:12.64\00:38:15.71
on this planet to ever die?
00:38:15.74\00:38:19.94
Abel. Abel.
00:38:19.97\00:38:22.23
Remember, way back
there in the beginning
00:38:22.26\00:38:25.12
killed by his own brother.
00:38:25.15\00:38:26.59
Can you picture
in your mind's eye
00:38:26.62\00:38:29.02
Abel's day in
court when 1844 started
00:38:29.05\00:38:33.72
as his case is reviewed,
00:38:33.75\00:38:35.45
God sees all of Abel's life.
00:38:35.48\00:38:38.41
There's the record,
evidence in God's favor.
00:38:38.44\00:38:43.15
When Abel showed his life,
his faith in a coming Redeemer,
00:38:43.18\00:38:48.58
the life of Christ was
credited to Abel's account.
00:38:48.61\00:38:51.25
And Jesus says,
"My blood, Father,
00:38:51.28\00:38:53.71
it paid Abel's debt."
00:38:53.74\00:38:55.68
And Can't you just
hear the angels shout, amen!
00:38:55.71\00:38:58.70
Keep Abel's name
in the Book of Life!
00:38:58.73\00:39:00.39
And God wins!
00:39:00.42\00:39:02.79
Christ promised
us in Revelation 3:5
00:39:02.82\00:39:05.14
"He who overcomes shall
be clothed in white garments,
00:39:05.17\00:39:08.72
and I will not blot out his name
00:39:08.75\00:39:10.56
from the Book of Life,
but I will confess his name
00:39:10.59\00:39:12.74
before My Father
and before His angels."
00:39:12.77\00:39:16.13
Well, they continue down
the list Abel had brother
00:39:16.16\00:39:19.47
who's in the same
sacred righteous family
00:39:19.50\00:39:21.72
the first good
home on planet earth.
00:39:21.75\00:39:24.50
We know what detained him
00:39:24.53\00:39:25.96
they come down to Cain's name.
00:39:25.99\00:39:27.86
He killed Abel.
00:39:27.89\00:39:29.79
But he never recorded
to the Bible ever repented.
00:39:29.82\00:39:33.84
And suddenly can
you hear everything
00:39:33.87\00:39:35.08
a very quiet up there in heaven.
00:39:35.11\00:39:37.55
Nobody speaks up for Cain
00:39:37.58\00:39:40.03
and even Jesus
kind of hangs His head.
00:39:40.06\00:39:42.84
Nothing is said as they
quietly strike his name out
00:39:42.87\00:39:46.94
of the Book of Life.
00:39:46.97\00:39:49.09
Down through
Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Isaiah,
00:39:49.12\00:39:53.87
Daniel, Esther, Rahab
all the heroes of faith,
00:39:53.90\00:39:57.11
all of God's spiritual people
00:39:57.14\00:39:59.12
they finally come to
Judas name, that sad record.
00:39:59.15\00:40:05.08
Once a disciple,
the follower, believer,
00:40:05.11\00:40:07.90
he can even do
miracles the Bible says
00:40:07.93\00:40:09.85
but he ended up being a traitor,
00:40:09.88\00:40:11.35
ending up at last doing suicide.
00:40:11.38\00:40:14.03
And Jesus the
Bible says loved Judas.
00:40:14.06\00:40:17.02
He even stooped to wash his feet
00:40:17.05\00:40:19.46
on the night of the Last Supper,
00:40:19.49\00:40:20.87
hoping somehow he can
touch that proud heart.
00:40:20.90\00:40:23.79
He wanted to be
able to stand by Judas
00:40:23.82\00:40:25.87
in the judgment as his advocate
but remember Judas turned away.
00:40:25.90\00:40:30.75
And how sad for Jesus up there
00:40:30.78\00:40:33.43
as He stands
there before the Father
00:40:33.46\00:40:35.02
can you see the tears
trickling down His face
00:40:35.05\00:40:38.12
as He says, "Father, you know,
00:40:38.15\00:40:40.55
I tried my very best for Judas
00:40:40.58\00:40:42.66
I did everything
I pleaded with Him
00:40:42.69\00:40:45.51
right up to the
night before My death
00:40:45.54\00:40:47.16
there was
nothing more I could do.
00:40:47.19\00:40:50.01
He rejected Me as His Savior.
00:40:50.04\00:40:53.89
The name of Judas is for
ever stricken from the records.
00:40:53.92\00:40:58.92
Tell you it's a solemn
time in which we live tonight.
00:40:58.95\00:41:01.81
Amen.
00:41:01.84\00:41:02.91
When judgment ends,
00:41:02.94\00:41:05.16
man's probation closes
and the decree goes forth,
00:41:05.19\00:41:08.51
the final verdict of
heaven's court of law.
00:41:08.54\00:41:12.47
The sentence
phase of the judgment,
00:41:12.50\00:41:14.64
when the Judge
declares and the Bible tells us
00:41:14.67\00:41:16.53
God will finally
say court is over.
00:41:18.46\00:41:21.85
"He who is unjust,
let him be unjust still
00:41:21.88\00:41:24.74
but he who is holy,
let him be holy still."
00:41:24.77\00:41:28.51
You know, the saddest words
00:41:28.54\00:41:29.84
in the human
language will be the words
00:41:29.87\00:41:31.33
of those who put off salvation,
00:41:31.36\00:41:33.75
who have not
accepted Christ as their Lord
00:41:33.78\00:41:36.17
and their attorney
and their advocate.
00:41:36.20\00:41:38.25
They could have been saved.
00:41:38.28\00:41:40.29
Because I personally believe
00:41:40.32\00:41:42.12
God is up there
doing so much for us,
00:41:42.15\00:41:45.51
that a person has to
choose not to be saved.
00:41:45.54\00:41:49.85
Is that good news or what?
00:41:49.88\00:41:52.17
A tragically, that is
precisely why Jeremiah 8:20 says
00:41:52.20\00:41:56.14
the majority on this
planet will wail some day.
00:41:56.17\00:41:59.41
"The harvest is
past, the summer is ended,
00:41:59.44\00:42:03.47
we are not saved!"
00:42:03.50\00:42:06.04
Then the Bible says
Jesus returns to Earth.
00:42:06.07\00:42:09.53
That's the execution
phase of heaven's court.
00:42:09.56\00:42:12.75
"And behold, I
am coming quickly,
00:42:14.55\00:42:18.19
and My reward is with Me,
00:42:18.22\00:42:19.97
to give to every one
according to his work."
00:42:20.00\00:42:23.22
My friends, tonight Jesus longs
00:42:23.25\00:42:25.64
to be your
advocate in the judgment.
00:42:25.67\00:42:27.66
He longs to have you
accept His sacrifice on Calvary.
00:42:27.69\00:42:31.78
He longs to have you
confess your sins to Him
00:42:31.81\00:42:34.10
so He can blot them out.
00:42:34.13\00:42:35.45
He longs to have your name
written in the Book of Life.
00:42:35.48\00:42:38.84
Longs to cover you with His
perfect robe of righteousness.
00:42:38.87\00:42:42.95
John tells us no one is
gonna enter that Holy City
00:42:42.98\00:42:46.03
but only those
who's names are written
00:42:46.06\00:42:48.22
in the Lamb's Book of Life.
00:42:48.25\00:42:50.25
Amen.
00:42:50.28\00:42:51.31
What about your name tonight?
00:42:51.34\00:42:54.16
Heaven has made its move.
00:42:54.19\00:42:58.18
How about you?
00:42:58.21\00:43:00.52
When I lived near
Washington, D.C. as teenager
00:43:00.55\00:43:03.83
I met Jeannie in high school,
we dated Frederick Maryland.
00:43:03.86\00:43:08.66
We went down to the
National Bureau of Standards.
00:43:08.69\00:43:11.47
Most interesting place
I think I've ever visited.
00:43:11.50\00:43:14.44
And in the
National Bureau of Standards
00:43:14.47\00:43:16.58
you find the perfect
pound in the perfect yardstick
00:43:16.61\00:43:19.26
and the perfect
weighing instruments
00:43:19.29\00:43:21.82
but it was that
weighing instrument
00:43:21.85\00:43:23.13
that always
intrigued me the most.
00:43:23.16\00:43:25.68
To illustrate how delicate
00:43:25.71\00:43:27.01
and discriminating
those scales were,
00:43:27.04\00:43:29.51
the guide would place a
simple little piece of paper
00:43:29.54\00:43:32.86
of equal weight on
either side of those scales.
00:43:32.89\00:43:36.27
And very delicate poise
00:43:36.30\00:43:39.51
was always
maintained perfect balance.
00:43:39.54\00:43:43.78
Then the guide would remove
one of the sheets of paper,
00:43:43.81\00:43:47.10
and he would simply
sign his name on it,
00:43:47.13\00:43:50.08
place the paper
back on the scales.
00:43:50.11\00:43:53.20
Just the ink in that
signature tipped the balances
00:43:53.23\00:43:59.86
and weighed the scale down.
00:43:59.89\00:44:02.94
Ladies and
gentlemen, that's exactly
00:44:02.97\00:44:04.53
what it's like of the judgment.
00:44:04.56\00:44:06.78
The name of Jesus
thrown into the balances
00:44:06.81\00:44:10.13
will make all the difference.
00:44:10.16\00:44:12.19
Don't you want
your name written there?
00:44:12.22\00:44:14.31
Do you want Jesus'
name on your record?
00:44:14.34\00:44:17.11
Tonight, how do you
stand in the judgment?
00:44:17.14\00:44:19.38
I want Jesus to stand
there by me, don't you?
00:44:19.41\00:44:23.09
If you're not ready
to face the judgment,
00:44:23.12\00:44:24.74
why not make plans today?
00:44:24.77\00:44:26.86
Your decision for against
Christ will decide the outcome.
00:44:26.89\00:44:30.17
The verdict
isn't Christ's to make.
00:44:30.20\00:44:32.17
It's yours.
00:44:32.20\00:44:33.78
All it takes is
a surrendered heart
00:44:33.81\00:44:37.03
a heart that
has been to Calvary.
00:44:37.06\00:44:39.55
Invite Jesus just now
to come into your life.
00:44:39.58\00:44:42.96
The choice is up to you.
00:44:42.99\00:44:45.39
Listen as Joey sings.
00:44:45.42\00:44:47.90
The Savior is waiting
00:44:50.34\00:44:55.41
To enter your heart
00:44:55.44\00:45:00.02
Why don't you let Him come in
00:45:00.05\00:45:06.24
There's nothing in this world
00:45:06.27\00:45:10.77
To keep you apart
00:45:10.80\00:45:15.32
What is your answer to Him?
00:45:15.35\00:45:23.32
Time after time
00:45:23.35\00:45:27.82
He has waited before
00:45:27.85\00:45:32.93
And now He is waiting again
00:45:32.96\00:45:40.60
To see if you're willing
00:45:40.63\00:45:45.22
To open the door
00:45:45.25\00:45:51.06
Oh, how He wants to come in
00:45:51.09\00:45:59.06
Let us pray together shall we.
00:46:00.74\00:46:02.42
Father, the good
news of the judgment
00:46:02.45\00:46:04.19
is Jesus Christ offers
His graced to cover ever sin.
00:46:04.22\00:46:09.62
And His only fee as
our attorney isn't money
00:46:09.65\00:46:12.36
but He simply asked
friend give me your heart.
00:46:12.39\00:46:16.96
He wants us to say
yes to Him, choose Him.
00:46:16.99\00:46:19.25
He wants our will on His side
00:46:19.28\00:46:21.47
so He can begin to
make powerful changes
00:46:21.50\00:46:24.49
in our lives right here and now.
00:46:24.52\00:46:27.91
Lord, as our
heads bowed in prayer
00:46:27.94\00:46:29.40
I know that they are individuals
00:46:29.43\00:46:30.68
who you would like to say Jesus,
00:46:30.71\00:46:32.17
I accept You as my
Savior, my Attorney.
00:46:32.20\00:46:35.14
May be like to raise
your hand and say God,
00:46:35.17\00:46:37.41
please remember me in
the judgment, be my Attorney.
00:46:37.44\00:46:39.73
Would you do that
right now with me?
00:46:39.76\00:46:42.11
Want you to take
that response card now
00:46:42.14\00:46:44.06
the row captains
are passing those down
00:46:44.09\00:46:46.51
please, take out that response
card and write your commitment,
00:46:46.54\00:46:49.78
your choice of
what you choose to do
00:46:49.81\00:46:53.57
in terms of
Jesus in the judgment.
00:46:53.60\00:46:55.95
Number one, says I believe
the Bible picture of Jesus
00:46:55.98\00:46:59.47
is the only reliable intercessor
00:46:59.50\00:47:01.21
in the heavenly judgment.
00:47:01.24\00:47:02.81
Put a check after number one.
00:47:02.84\00:47:05.41
Number two, you might
want to choose to accept Jesus
00:47:05.44\00:47:07.96
as your personal
Savior invite Him
00:47:07.99\00:47:09.63
to take full
control of your life
00:47:09.66\00:47:11.18
this may be a first time
00:47:11.21\00:47:12.42
that you receive
Jesus put a big cross,
00:47:12.45\00:47:15.58
Calvary's cross
beside number two
00:47:15.61\00:47:17.56
if that's your decision tonight.
00:47:17.59\00:47:19.60
And number three,
00:47:19.63\00:47:20.66
I want to walk in all
the light Jesus reveals to me
00:47:20.69\00:47:23.35
through His Holy Word.
00:47:23.38\00:47:24.52
Check that one
just now as Joey sings.
00:47:24.55\00:47:27.60
If you'll take one step
00:47:30.75\00:47:33.69
Toward the Savior, my friend
00:47:33.72\00:47:39.10
You'll find His arms open wide
00:47:39.13\00:47:46.31
Receive Him
00:47:46.34\00:47:48.32
And all of your
darkness will end
00:47:48.35\00:47:54.32
Within His love He'll abide
00:47:54.35\00:48:02.02
Time after time
00:48:02.05\00:48:05.63
He has waited before
00:48:05.66\00:48:10.46
And now He is waiting again
00:48:10.49\00:48:17.85
To see if you are
willing to open the door
00:48:17.88\00:48:25.85
Oh, how He wants to come
00:48:28.18\00:48:32.73
Oh, how He wants to come
00:48:32.76\00:48:38.44
Why don't you let Him come in?
00:48:38.47\00:48:46.44
While you're marking your cards
00:48:49.93\00:48:51.41
perhaps there is someone
who's not sure tonight you,
00:48:51.44\00:48:53.79
you need help you got
questions, you got problems,
00:48:53.82\00:48:56.14
you say I've got
hang up, I've got habits.
00:48:56.17\00:48:58.85
Would you like to be
included in this closing prayer?
00:48:58.88\00:49:01.77
Lord we know
that to confess Jesus
00:49:01.80\00:49:04.66
is more than a few
words or a hand raised
00:49:04.69\00:49:06.74
but that's beginning,
00:49:06.77\00:49:08.19
so help us in our
lives as we choose You
00:49:08.22\00:49:10.92
to walk in the
light as You show us.
00:49:10.95\00:49:13.97
To be consistent
Christians cleans
00:49:14.00\00:49:16.02
and empowered by the
blood of Jesus Christ
00:49:16.05\00:49:18.75
we thank you for
that in Jesus name.
00:49:18.78\00:49:21.69
Amen. Amen.
00:49:21.72\00:49:24.01
Your downlink locations
00:49:24.04\00:49:25.28
wherever you
located please make sure
00:49:25.31\00:49:27.12
that the row captains
receive your response cards,
00:49:27.15\00:49:29.84
we want to pray for any
prayer requests you have.
00:49:29.87\00:49:32.73
Remember that tomorrow night
our most interesting subject
00:49:32.76\00:49:37.19
is it by chance we're here
00:49:37.22\00:49:40.25
or by desire,
invite your friends.
00:49:40.28\00:49:43.56
Thank you for coming
tonight, ladies and gentlemen.
00:49:43.59\00:49:46.06
Remembers as we say it
at the end of our broadcast
00:49:46.09\00:49:48.64
friend, God
really does love you.
00:49:48.67\00:49:54.98
Amen. Goodnight.
00:49:55.01\00:49:56.98