Bishop Kim – Sunday Sermon Summary 06/092024
Scriptures: Romans 14:10-12, 1 Corinthians 3:12-15, 2 Corinthians 5:10
Title: The Lord’s Judgment Seat
The Bible, which is God’s, His Son’s, and the Holy Spirit’s word, is about receiving back what is owed. All of us will one day stand in front of God’s judgment seat. From God the Father, you will receive judgment regarding sin and whether you believed in Jesus or not. In front of God’s authority, your mouth will confess all your sins. You can not lie, nor can you talk according to your will.
Next is the judgment at the throne of Jesus, which the scripture is talking about. On that day, God will test with fire your works and what kind of thoughts you lived with on your basic foundation. If you lived a life revolving around you and thinking about yourself, then it will burn up like wood and grass, but if you lived a life revolving around God, then like jewels, it will not burn up, and it will completely remain. This is the judgment of salvation obtained in fire.
If you are lazy and have no interest in the work of God like the servant with one talent, then everything that is yours will be taken away, and you will be thrown out to outer darkness as a useless servant. One time, when I went to Heaven, a Ugandan greeted me. He was a person that I met when I went on a mission trip to Africa. The Lord said, “Servants that don’t act even though they know. There are many servants that don’t contribute to Africa and missions”. On that day, the Lord will reckon with us for everything that we have done with our body, good or evil, like a businessman. So, someone steps up to a podium and is rewarded, while another is punished. The reasons, purposes, and meanings of our actions will be interpreted and analyzed by God the Father, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit. Everything that was filled with self-centeredness, pride, self-righteousness, envy, and jealousy will be confessed in front of angels and witnesses of faith.
We need to return to the Lord. Even if you are in the Lord, if your heart is deceived, then it is the same as being outside of the Lord. God knows our circumstances. God, who observed Abraham and Sarah’s heart, also observed Hagar’s heart and gave her a well. God refines Abraham accordingly and Hagar accordingly. There are houses in Heaven that don’t have a door plate, and they are the houses of those who failed to enter Heaven in the end. If you even do for the Lord the things that you don’t want to do, then it will become a reward. Let us be truthfully loyal to the end so that we don’t lose our eternal rewards.
The day of reckoning isn’t a rosy day. It is a day when things that were owed are received. It is not a judgment of sin, but it is a day of judgment of the result of what one did for their master. But it is a judgment where if something goes wrong, you may lose everything. Although the servants that received 2 talents and 5 talents pleased their master, the servant with 1 talent made his master angry and lost everything to the one that was loyal to death. This day is also a day where you are embarrassed, and your honor is lost in front of the citizens of God. Not knowing the heart of the Lord is the first judgment, disinterest is the second judgment, and knowing yet not contributing/participating is the third judgment.
The lies of Christians are very unusual. Whatever it is, they say that they couldn’t do it because the Devil blocked them. They lie and say that since they now believe in Jesus and are certain that they received salvation, they can do whatever they want. Let us remember that the servant with one talent was forcefully thrown into hell. Even now, there are many young children and adults who are martyred for not renouncing their faith in the Lord in Islamic countries. But we don’t even tithe, nor do we properly offer, and if we are tired, we skip church. Heaven isn’t a place of accommodation. There isn’t a participation reward, either. Heaven is the place where only those who are loyal to death can enter. No excuse works in Heaven.
The Bible says that in the last days, people will love themselves and love money, and that there will be piety in appearance alone but no power of piety. We must have faith’s power, not faith’s shape. The Lord is looking at our faith right now. I hope that you will overcome this challenge. Gold-like faith overcomes any suffering and refining. If you don’t become discouraged, then the Lord will fulfill everything. Let us all become victorious by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Bishop Yong-Doo Kim