Judged By The Risen Christ

JUDGED BY THE RISEN CHRIST

Text; Acts 17:31 Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.

Introduction;
Concerning the dead;
Jesus, "Mat 8:22 But Jesus said unto him, Follow me; and let the dead bury their dead."
Paul, "1 Th 4:13 But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope."
While we honor the memories of our departed loved ones, our obligations are to the living. Jesus deserves the highest honor of all; The honor paid to dead heroes and to the living great.
Rom 14:9 For to this end Christ both died, and rose, and revived, that he might be Lord both of the dead and living.

1.The Authority of this Judge.

A. Text says HE [God] will judge the world.

B. God has committed this judgment to His Son.
John 5:22 For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son:
John 5:27 And hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man.
John 5:28 Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice,
John 5:29 And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.
John 5:30 I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me.

C. Authority stems from His righteousness. Men often judge, when they are, themselves, guilty;
Rom 2:1 Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things. Not so with this judge.

II. The Standard of this judgment. The volume of His commands and man's shortcomings will be cited as the authority.
John 12:48 He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day.
John 12:49 For I have not spoken of myself; but the Father which sent me, he gave me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak.

A. The responsibility of the world, as a whole to this law.
Acts 17:22 Then Paul stood in the midst of Mars' hill, and said, Ye men of Athens, I perceive that in all things ye are too superstitious.
Acts 17:23 For as I passed by, and beheld your devotions, I found an altar with this inscription, TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. Whom therefore ye ignorantly worship, him declare I unto you.
Acts 17:24 God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands;
Acts 17:25 Neither is worshipped with men's hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things;
Acts 17:26 And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation;
Acts 17:27 That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us:
Acts 17:28 For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring.
Acts 17:29 Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man's device.
Acts 17:30 And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent:

Forget what the implications are to past generations, the clear command for THIS generation is REPENT!
The ability to discern good from evil makes man responsible to God.

B. The responsibility of the Church as a whole is to discern and and practice Truth. ['religion' is as confusing today as it was in ancient Athens.]
1.We will be judged as to our faithfulness to his Word.
1 Cor 4:2 Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful.
2. How do we stand on moral issues.

C. Responsibility of individual members.
1. Live for Christ each day.
Lu 9:23 And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.
2. Contend for the faith.
Jude 1:3 Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.
3.Separate from sin and sinfulness.
1 Th 4:3 For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication:
1 Th 4:4 That every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honour;
1 Th 4:5 Not in the lust of concupiscence, even as the Gentiles which know not God:
1 Th 4:6 That no man go beyond and defraud his brother in any matter: because that the Lord is the avenger of all such, as we also have forewarned you and testified.
1 Th 4:7 For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness.

D. Responsibility of the individual lost soul
1. Repent. See text.
2. Believe.
John 3:18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
His death saves those who believe, His LIFE condemns those who refuse--