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♪ theme music ♪
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(Derek) Welcome to Hope Sabbath School,
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an in-depth, interactive study
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of the Word of God.
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I'm so glad you joined us today.
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This has been a great series
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on Life, Death, Resurrection,
and Eternal Life.
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The topic today, The Judging Process,
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could make some nervous,
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but actually we'll discover,
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for those who belong to Jesus,
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the judgment's good news.
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It means we're almost home,
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and you'll be encouraged
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as you study with us today,
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so welcome to Hope Sabbath School
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and welcome to the team.
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Good to see you all again.
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And, by the way, Travis,
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I'm looking forward to the study,
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and I'm thankful you'll be leading us
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in the study today.
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We also want to welcome
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our team members joining us.
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Tigist, good to have you back with us,
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from Minnesota, glad you're with us today.
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And, Enoch, good to see you
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from Maryland, glad you're part
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of our team again today.
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We appreciate our remote team members
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who expand our group.
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But just take a moment and look
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at each other in the group.
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Would you notice
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we don't all look the same?
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We represent the world, right,
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different nations, kindreds,
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tongues and peoples.
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And it's so encouraging to know
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that we have Hope Sabbath School members
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around the world, stunning to think
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that our app is used
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in more than 200 countries.
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That's an encouragement.
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By the way, the Hope Channel app,
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which has Hope Sabbath School
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and many other life-changing programs,
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you can download from your App Store
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and it's free, and it can be a blessing.
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You can share that with others, too.
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Talking of free, we have a gift
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for you, don't we, The Story of Jesus.
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A digital copy of that book,
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The Story of Jesus, is yours
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during this series, absolutely free.
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You just need to go to our website.
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We're talking about life,
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death and resurrection,
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here in this book about Jesus,
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and His gift of eternal life.
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Go to hopetv.org/hopess,
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just click on the Free Gift tab,
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a free digital copy
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of that wonderful resource,
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The Story of Jesus.
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Don't forget to write to us.
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We love to hear from you:
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sshope@hopetv.org.
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This is an encouraging email
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from Vincent in France.
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He says, "I'm a faithful follower
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of Hope Sabbath School,
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and it's a great blessing
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for my church here in France.
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I thank God for your ministry.
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I am currently an aircraft pilot
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with the French Air Force,
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and after my military career,
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I wish to study theology
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and become a pastor."
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Praise God, and he's part
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of our Hope Sabbath School team
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right now there in France.
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"Maybe we will be able
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to meet some day in person;
God bless you."
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Well, God bless you, too, Vincent.
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What an encouraging testimony,
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flying there in the French Air Force
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but [he's] given his heart to Jesus
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and wanting to become a pastor
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and share the Word of God.
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Thank you for writing to us.
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Here's a note from Boniface in Cameroon.
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Cameroon, is that anywhere close
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to where you lived,
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where you were born, Lilica?
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(Lilica) Not really close.
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(Derek) Not really, but it's
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on the same African continent, right?
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You're from Guinea-Bissau.
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Cameroon, Boniface writes,
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"Hello people of the Most High God."
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He got the wave.
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By the way, isn't that an amazing thing
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that we can be people
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of the Most High God?
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(Team) Amen.
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(Derek) Praise God for that.
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"I've been watching
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the program since 2018.
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I just thank all of the team
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for the great work.
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May the Lord continually bless you
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until the coming of our Savior
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Jesus Christ. Amen."
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(Team) Amen.
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(Derek) Well, I don't know,
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I'm always amazed;
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I don't know if you are.
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I mean, we just think
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some people are watching the program,
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but we're talking, all around the world
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people are studying the Word of God,
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and we're glad, wherever you are,
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you're part of our family.
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Well, here's a hand-written note
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from a donor, and the donor
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writes from Nevada.
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That's in the Western part
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of the United States.
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"Your programming has been
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such an inspiration,
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especially during the last year."
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The donor writes, "I'm 81 years young.
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Thank you, Hope Channel,
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and God bless you,"
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and a gift of 100 dollars.
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Now, when you're 81 years old,
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that's a gift, isn't it?
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You know, you're not earning
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a massive salary every month.
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I want to thank you
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for being part of the miracle.
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Thanks for writing to us
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and for your partnership.
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We are a donor-supported ministry,
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The answer is, you could be part
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Just go to hopetv.org/hopess,
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click on the Donate button,
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Thank you for your support.
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One last note, from Cynthia in Texas
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in the United States of America.
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She writes, "Greetings to you all
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in the mighty name of Jesus Christ
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our Lord of lords and King of kings."
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That's quite a welcome.
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"I thank you so much for teaching
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the Bible so beautifully every week.
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Thank you for all you do.
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Keep up the good work,
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and let us all be faithful to the end!
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Jesus will soon come.
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Let's keep on loving, giving, working,
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trusting and obeying in His name."
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She says, "By the way,
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I've just had my ninety-fourth birthday
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to the glory of God."
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(Team) Amen.
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(Derek) Well, thank you
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for writing to us, Cynthia from Texas.
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And I felt like a little sermon
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was coming on right there.
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We're thankful that you're encouraging us
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and praying for us on our journey.
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Right now, we're going
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to sing our theme song.
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You've learned it during this series,
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the words of Jesus from Revelation 1,
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verses 17, 18 and verse 8,
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"Do not be afraid," He says;
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"I am the First and the Last."
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You know the story now.
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Let's sing it together.
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♪ music ♪
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(Derek) Well, I love that song.
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It's the word of Jesus Himself,
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and, Travis, as you lead us
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in the study today,
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we're going to see that Jesus our Savior
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is also our Judge and soon-coming King.
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(Travis) Amen.
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(Team) Amen.
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(Travis) Let us pray.
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Father in Heaven, we want
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to thank You again for this time
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to open up Your Scriptures.
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You said that Your Word
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is a lamp to our feet
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and a light to our path.
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Lord, we need some light
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as we study the judging process.
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And I pray that by the end of this study
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that everyone watching will come to know
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that judgment is good news
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for those who have surrendered to Jesus.
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That's my prayer; in Jesus' name. Amen.
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(Derek, Team) Amen.
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(Travis) Well, I'm sure many of you
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have heard or maybe even have said
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to someone, "Don't judge me," right?
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And you know, when you think of judgment,
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it normally comes across
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as something negative,
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certainly not in a positive light.
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But I pray, by the end of today's study,
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that we're going to find out
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that judgment is not only a good thing,
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it's a great thing, and we see
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the immeasurable and unfailing love
through the study.
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Nicole, would you start off our study
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this morning by reading 2 Corinthians,
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chapter 5, verse 10?
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(Nicole) I'll be reading
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from the New International Version:
it says:
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(Travis) So, the Bible says we must all
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appear at the judgment seat of Christ.
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Stephanie, why do we all have to appear
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before the judgment seat of Christ?
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(Stephanie) So that our works
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can be judged, whether our life
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was in alignment with our confession
for Jesus.
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(Derek) But that could make a person
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very nervous if they don't know the gospel
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because the Bible says, "All have sinned
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and fallen short of the glory of God."
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So, actually, I think what happens
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in the judgment, Travis,
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is it reveals the most important choice,
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which is which side we choose to stand on.
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Do we say, "Jesus, save me"?
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Now, we know transformation will happen,
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but if I'm just going
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to have all of my sin,
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I don't know how many perfect people
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there are on the team today, you know,
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we will stand condemned,
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which is why, as you said,
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the judgment is great news for those
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who have accepted Jesus as Savior.
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(Travis) Well, Derek, I'm glad
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we have more verses,
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because we're going to read
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some words from Jesus, and I think
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we're going to find out
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it is good news. Yes, Pedro.
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(Pedro) I think of judgment
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and remember the work I used to do
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being a process server;
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I used to deliver documents for the court.
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And sometimes I was asked by an attorney
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to go into the court records
to make copies,
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and sometimes a copy of a case
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would be a hefty amount of paper.
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But I always loved when the clerk
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would say, "This case has been purged."
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It means it's been destroyed.
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So, I have to go back and say,
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"We have no records anymore
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because it has been so many years."
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And I'm looking forward
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for my record to be purged,
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and the records of Jesus
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to be put in place of mine.
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(Derek, Travis) Amen!
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(Travis) When I first thought of judgment,
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I thought of all the things
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that I have done in my life, whew.
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I didn't feel very good.
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But then I thought,
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as I've studied the Scriptures
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and come to a greater knowledge
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of the immeasurable and unfailing love
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of Jesus and judgment,
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I thought, when Satan
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brings those accusations to Jesus,
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He's going to open up the book,
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and all those sins are going
to be covered.
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And He's going to say, "He is redeemed."
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(Derek) Praise God.
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(Travis) And I can't wait for that day,
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because I don't deserve eternal life,
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but that gift is a free gift
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that Jesus has given
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each and every one of us.
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And we're going to dig
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into some Scriptures, and we're going
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to see what this judgment is all about.
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Tigist, if you don't mind taking us
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to John, chapter 5:22-30,
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we're going to read some words of Jesus
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and see what He has to say
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about the judgment.
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John, chapter 5:22-30,
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would you read that for us, Tigist?
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(Tigist) And I'll be reading
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from the New King James Version.
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This is John 5:22-30, and it says:
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(Travis) Well, even if we had
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just that verse, it would be enough,
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but we may even read that the wrong way.
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Because those who have done good,
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to the resurrection of good,
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and those who have done evil,
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to the resurrection of condemnation,
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and we're thinking, we've all
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read Romans 3; maybe some of us haven't,
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"There is none [who does] good,
no, not one."
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But when we stand
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under the banner of Jesus, right,
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clothed in His righteousness,
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He covers our sins,
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we, if we die before Jesus comes,
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can be in the resurrection of the just
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because the things we've done wrong
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have been covered by the blood
of Jesus. Amen?
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And then, one of the other things to come,
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He says we won't come into judgment,
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and I thought, "But all of us
will be judged."
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But there's a difference
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between coming into judgment
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and being judged, right?
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When we say, "You can keep
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Your own righteousness, Jesus;
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I have my own," well, that's when we
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can fall into judgment, right?
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Well, let's take a look at another verse,
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Matthew 12:35-36; Lilica,
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would you read that for us?
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Matthew 12:35-36, again, words of Jesus.
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Let's see what He says about judgment.
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(Lilica) I'll be reading
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from the New King James Version,
Matthew 12:35-36:
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(Travis) I'm so happy for a Savior,
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because records are being kept.
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We just mentioned in a previous study,
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you know, cell phones,
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we can talk on them,
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or we can look at things,
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and we think nobody's watching.
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But Somebody's watching, right?
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Angels are taking account of everything
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that's happening, and God knows.
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But that's actually one
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of the greatest things about God
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is He knows, but He still loves us
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and wants to redeem us.
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We don't even have to try
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to hide anything from Him.
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(Derek) Whatever idle words we've spoken -
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I thought of the words
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of that tax collector or publican
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that Jesus saw, you remember?
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He cried out, "God, be merciful
to me, a sinner."
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And those are the words
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that will affect our eternal destiny.
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(Travis) Amen! We'll be judged
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on our response to God's love. Amen?
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We'll be judged on a response
to God's love.
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We could say, "No, we
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don't want to be loved;
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we don't want to be happy,"
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which is a foolish thing
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to choose, by the way,
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or we can choose our own destiny that way.
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Let's read from another text again.
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Luke 11:31, 32, Livinia,
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would you read that for us?
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And again, similar words of Jesus.
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(Livinia) I'll be reading
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from the 21st Century King James Version:
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(Travis) Well, we know that the Queen
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of Sheba came to visit Solomon.
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Of course, this was prior to him gaining
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all his wives and him falling.
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Of course, we know
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that he also repented, right,
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at the end of his life.
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Praise God for a loving Savior, right?
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Whew, I mean, to be redeemed
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is a great feeling, right?
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So, what do you think, Livinia, it means
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that the Queen of Sheba
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and those who listened to Jonah,
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what do you think it means
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that they would judge them?
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(Livinia) I think here the Lord is saying
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that, for instance, in the case
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of the people of Nineveh,
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this was an audience that wasn't expected
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to respond to the words of God
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and the love of God, but they did!
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And, you know, for those
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who maybe know a little more,
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who have been exposed
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to a little more about God,
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that ideally we would be more receptive
to the response.
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Likewise, the Queen of Sheba,
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a stranger from a foreign nation,
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she was, I don't want to say enamored,
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but she was very receptive.
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(Travis) Could we say, even the people
of Nineveh, do you think they saw
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the immeasurable, unfailing love of Jesus?
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(Derek) Absolutely.
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(Travis) They certainly did!
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And he was preaching
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of a Christ to come, I'm sure;
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he was a preacher.
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And now here Jesus
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is right in front of them,
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and they're not accepting Him.
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(Derek) So, I think the bottom line,
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Travis, is God loves us so much,
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we will be without excuse.
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He will have shown so much mercy and grace
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and evidence, whether through Solomon
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or through Jonah, or He says,
"Now, I'm here."
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God so loved the world
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He sent His own Son into humanity.
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He is not trying to keep us
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out of eternal life with Him.
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He's trying to save us.
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(Travis) I was impressed, Derek,
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by the Scriptures that Livinia just read
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because I thought, there was
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judgment already passed on Nineveh,
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and what he saw was a loving God
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who actually, what?
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Who forgave them all, right?
-
And he goes on to even say
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the animals and all the other things
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that were there, God is a God of love,
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and He didn't want that town
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to come into judgment,
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but He'd rather that they would repent.
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That's what He wants
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for each and every one of us.
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Well, what is the clear message
that we hear
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from Jesus about the judgment?
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What is the clear message
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from these verses? Yes, Jason.
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(Jason) That there is a lot of opportunity
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and we get to make the choice
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which side we want to be on.
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(Travis) Anybody else?
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(Stephanie) Judgment is real,
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and it will happen.
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And it is by a just and righteous judgment
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that is placed - righteous.
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(Travis) Thank you for adding that,
Stephanie.
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It is a righteous judgment.
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Can you imagine if we all faced a judge
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who was biased maybe one way or the other?
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Maybe he liked one skin color
over the other.
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Can you imagine if that was the judge?
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But the fact is, He loves us all
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with an immeasurable and unfailing love,
-
and He will judge righteously.
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Of course, when we think
-
of the word righteousness,
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we know that our own righteousness
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is as filthy rags, so He's judging us
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according to His righteousness.
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And when we've covered ourselves,
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clothed ourselves in His righteousness,
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we stand vindicated.
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(Derek) Praise God.
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(Travis) Where else in the Scriptures
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do we find references
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to this final judgment?
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I'm going to have Richard,
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if you would read Daniel 7:9-10.
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We see a courtroom scene here.
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Daniel 7:9-10, would you
-
read that for us, Richard?
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(Richard) Sure, Daniel 7, verses 9 and 10,
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reading from the New King James Version:
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(Travis) Well, here we get a picture,
-
at the end of time, of a courtroom scene.
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The Ancient of Days, that's the Father God
-
in Heaven, seated; the books are opened,
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and a judgment is going to be made.
-
I would like Nancy to read Psalm 9:7, 8,
-
and I want to focus on verse 8;
-
something in verse 8
-
that just caught my attention
-
as I was preparing this study.
-
Psalm 9:7-8, would you
-
read that for us, Nancy?
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(Nancy) Yes, I'm reading
-
from the New King James Version:
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(Travis) A righteous Judge.
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He's our Lawyer, and He's our Judge.
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It seems like things are tipped
-
in our favor slightly.
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(Derek) If we choose
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to stand under His banner.
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(Travis) Under His banner.
-
We certainly aren't getting
what we deserve.
-
Did you have a comment, Pedro?
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(Pedro) I see the beautiful aspect here
-
of this judgment is the favor of God.
-
I have watched a video one time
-
about this judge who gave the opportunity
-
to the person to choose:
-
Should you be guilty,
-
or should you be innocent?
-
And the person says, "Well, I
-
have done the wrong thing,
-
but would you give me a break this time?"
-
And the he says, "I looked
-
at your records; they are good records.
-
I will give you this break."
-
Now, when we look into the Bible,
-
we see Jesus saying here,
-
whosoever believes in Him
-
shall not perish but have
everlasting life.
-
And Jesus is saying, "Just believe in Me,
-
and I'll give you a break."
-
And that's God's grace.
-
That's His righteousness saying,
-
"I'm taking your place
-
if you just believe in Me.
-
I can scrap your sins
-
by your having a relationship with Me."
-
(Derek) It's a little different, though,
-
isn't it, because any earthly,
-
maybe even an unrighteous judge,
-
could give a break to someone.
-
But here we've got a righteous Judge.
-
He's just, and so there is something
-
that happens in order for Him to say,
-
as Pedro said, "We're going to blot out
-
all of that record
-
of your past transgression."
-
So, someone might be watching
-
and saying, "I'll just hope for the best,
-
and maybe the Judge
-
will give me a break."
-
But there is actually a provision
-
so that we can face
-
the judgment without fear.
-
(Travis) And for those who don't even,
-
God is transparent in that,
-
well, we're going to learn later
-
in our study that He's transparent enough
to even know
-
or for us to see how He judged them.
-
I just wanted to mention,
-
I remember a pastor saying
-
to me about the judgment, he said,
-
"The judgment is totally unfair
-
because it's heavily skewed in our favor."
-
Jason, and then we'll move on.
-
(Jason) And I think it's heavily skewed
-
because there is a penalty.
-
There is a punishment that did
-
have to happen for a violation of the Law.
-
And there is Someone who took
-
that penalty for us,
-
if we make that choice,
-
and that was Jesus, our Judge, our Lawyer.
-
He suffered the punishment for us,
-
so there was a penalty to happen,
-
but we don't have to go through it
-
because He did it for us.
-
(Travis) That's right.
-
And so, I have a question:
-
If we're saved by grace alone
-
through faith alone, in Jesus alone,
-
then why is there a judgment?
-
Why does there have to be a judgment
-
if we're saved by grace through faith.
-
(Nancy) I think it's the benefit
-
of the entire universe
-
to see that God is actually just.
-
We're going to spend a thousand years
-
judging the angels and also those who are
-
going to rise in the second resurrection,
-
the resurrection of the lost.
-
And so, that's the reason
-
there has to be a judgment.
-
(Travis) Okay. Pedro and then Lilica.
-
(Pedro) When we look in the Bible
-
we see that God is love,
-
but also the Bible tells us
-
that God is justice,
-
and God is a God of due process.
-
And He wants to make sure
-
that things happen and things are clear.
-
There is nothing put under the rug,
-
but there is transparency
-
in His Kingdom because He says,
-
"Trust Me, but don't trust Me blindly.
-
Trust Me because I will
-
show you My righteousness."
-
(Travis) Amen. Thank you. Lilica.
-
(Lilica) I think that everybody
wants judgment.
-
Even if the person is not a Christian,
-
the person wants judgment,
-
because, if you were wronged,
-
you want justice to be made.
-
So, when we are looking
-
to us being judged, we fear judgment,
-
but I thank God for going to the Bible
-
and seeing the picture
-
that is favored to us;
-
we should not fear it.
-
But, to those who wronged us,
-
we want judgment to be made,
-
and our God won't be quiet
-
about all the evil.
-
(Derek) But the good news is,
-
even the person that wronged us
-
can be showed mercy.
-
(Travis, Team) Amen!
-
(Travis) That's the love of God.
-
(Derek) When we get to the Kingdom,
-
we'll say, "What are you doing here?"
-
and they'll say, "I got here
-
the same way you did,
-
by the grace of God."
-
(Travis) I was thinking
-
as I was preparing the lesson, I thought,
-
what if there wasn't a judgment?
-
I mean, in our condition, without a judge
-
to judge in our favor, how do we stand?
-
(Derek) Lost.
-
(Travis) We stand lost.
-
So, actually, if we set ourselves
-
under the banner of Christ,
-
we want a judgment because we want Jesus,
-
our righteous Judge,
-
to judge in our favor.
-
Without that, we stand condemned, right?
-
So, the judgment is good news.
-
Well, we have to keep moving on.
-
We're going to talk
-
about the phases of judgment.
-
There are three different phases
of judgment.
-
I would say the last phase
-
is more an execution of the second phase
-
of the judgment, but let's talk
-
about the pre-advent judgment.
-
Let's turn to Revelation 14:6, 7,
-
and, Jason, do you mind
-
reading that for us?
-
We're going to look for some evidence
-
in Scripture of judgment
-
prior to the return of Jesus,
-
the pre-advent judgment.
-
Would you read that for us, Jason?
-
(Jason) The New King James Version says,
-
in Revelation, chapter 14, verses 6 and 7:
-
(Travis) Well, we know this theme
-
is consistent through Scripture.
-
Jesus hasn't returned yet, right, Jason?
-
And the hour of His judgment has come.
-
We're going to read later on in our study
-
that there's a day in which God
-
has appointed to judge the world.
-
And even in the book of Hebrews,
-
it's mentioned that at the end of age,
-
the judgment would come.
-
So, here we see that the judgment
-
is prior or after Jesus comes?
-
(Derek) Well, the message is before.
-
If you read Revelation, it's before.
-
(Travis) It's before Jesus comes.
-
As a matter of fact, it's one
-
of the last pleas to the world,
to get ready,
-
the hour of judgment is come,
-
prepare yourself, hide yourself
-
under the banner of Jesus
-
so that He will judge in your favor.
-
Stephanie, would you mind reading
-
Daniel 7:9-14 for me?
-
Daniel 7:9-14, again, we're looking
-
at some evidence that the judgment
-
would be prior, the pre-advent judgment,
-
prior to the coming of Jesus, go ahead.
-
(Stephanie) And I'll be reading
-
from the New King James Version,
Daniel 7:9-14:
-
(Travis) I'm getting excited, Stephanie,
-
because I want to be part of that Kingdom.
-
And by the way, how many are invited
-
to be a part of the Kingdom?
-
(Derek, Team) All who believe.
-
(Travis) Anyone who calls on the name
of the Lord...will be saved.
-
(Travis) Stephanie, is this
-
before Jesus returns,
-
or, according to the text,
-
is it after Jesus returns?
-
(Stephanie) Judgment is before.
-
(Travis) Judgment is before,
-
the pre-advent judgment.
-
When did this judgment begin?
-
Pedro, when did that judgment begin?
-
(Pedro) Well, according to Daniel,
-
if we continue reading,
-
in the next chapter we find that it's
-
after the 2300 days were finished.
-
(Travis) You're talking about Daniel,
-
chapter 8, verse 14, right?
-
Would you mind reading that for us,
-
because here we see a prophecy
-
about the sanctuary, which we know
-
to be the judgment, right?
-
It was the Day of Atonement, right?
-
And this pointed forward
-
to the Day of Atonement when Jesus,
-
in the heavenly sanctuary, would move
-
into the judgment phase
-
of His ministry, go ahead.
-
(Pedro) I'll be reading
-
from the New King James Version,
-
Daniel 8, verse 14:
-
(Travis) So, the cleansing
-
of the sanctuary was a final removal
-
of all the blood, right?
-
All the sins had come into the sanctuary
-
for 359 days a year, and this cleansing,
-
the last day, the three-hundred-
-
and-sixtieth day of the year,
-
it would be cleaned out, right?
-
The sins would be gone from the sanctuary.
-
Of course, you say, "How do
-
we know that it's 1844?"
-
Well, we're not going to be able
-
to cover that in today's study,
-
but we're given a clue
-
in Daniel, chapter 9:25,
-
that the beginning to restore
-
and rebuild Jerusalem,
-
that's the time prophecy, the beginning,
-
and that brings us to 1844,
-
and we know that this
-
was what Revelation 14:6
was talking about,
-
and 7, "The hour of His judgment
has come."
-
Good news for those who have
-
set themselves on the side of Jesus.
-
Well, why is this pre-advent judgment
-
good news for those who have accepted
-
the gift by grace through faith?
-
Well, we have some exciting verses
-
that we're going to read.
-
Nancy, would you read for us
-
Daniel, chapter 7:21, 22?
-
And then, Enoch, I'm going
-
to have you read John, chapter 5:24
-
for us after that.
-
(Nancy) Yes, I'm reading
-
from the New King James Version:
-
(Travis) So, judgment is made, what?
-
(Team) In favor...
-
(Travis) In favor of the saints
-
of the Most High.
-
Is judgment good news or bad news?
-
(Derek) Well, it depends if you're
-
saints of the Most High,
-
which is a choice you make
-
to stand under His banner, right?
-
Because the rest of the prophecy
-
there in Daniel talks
-
about this little horn power
-
persecuting the saints of the Most High.
-
So, the judgment results in a resolution
-
of all of that persecution and conflict.
-
(Travis) Accepting the righteousness
-
of Christ instead of our own
-
is just a choice that we can make, right?
-
"There is none [who does] good,
-
no, not one," but we stand
-
under the banner of Jesus, vindicated.
-
Would you read, Enoch, for us,
-
from John, chapter 5:24?
-
(Enoch) Okay, and I'll be reading
-
from the New International Version,
and it reads:
-
Amen.
-
(Travis) Well, how do we
-
miss out on the judgment, I mean,
-
as far as falling into judgment,
-
how do we do that, Pedro?
-
(Pedro) We believe in Jesus,
-
and we are absolved.
-
(Travis) We pass, what, from?
-
(Team) Death to life.
-
(Travis) We pass from death to life.
-
I hope and pray that this
-
is the wish of each and every one of us,
-
or choice, I would rather say,
-
is to stand with Jesus and accept the life
-
that He freely gives. Yes, Pedro.
-
(Pedro) And it's beautiful here.
-
We read in Daniel and now John, that God
-
is preparing judgment for a battle.
-
We learned last week
-
about the Great Controversy.
-
Now, God needs to set judgment
-
before this great battle happens
-
so He can create the environment
-
for us to choose,
-
because He knows Satan is trying
-
to rage against us.
-
He says, "No, let Me protect My people
-
by giving them the choice,
-
and so they can be on My side
-
during this battle."
-
(Travis) Amen. Each and every one
has a choice.
-
(Derek) We know everyone
-
will stand before the judgment,
-
but the outcome of the judgment
-
is already settled for those
-
who belong to Jesus, right?
-
It says you've already passed
-
from death to life.
-
It's like the verdict has already
been passed,
-
because Jesus stands in our place.
-
(Travis) I was just thinking
-
of a verse, Derek, "Therefore, there is
-
no condemnation for those
-
who are in Christ Jesus."
-
I think that's Romans 8, [verse] 1,
isn't it?
-
(Derek) 8, verse 1.
-
(Travis) It's just a beautiful verse.
-
And by the way, Romans
-
finishes out that nothing
-
can separate us from the love
-
that's in Christ Jesus.
-
We're dearly loved by a Savior
-
who has given everything.
-
I know that He's as excited
-
about the Second Coming as we are.
-
Well, there's another phase
-
of this judgment,
-
the millennial judgment.
-
There are a thousand years which pass,
-
and then another judgment.
-
Well, actually, the judgment takes place
-
during that 1,000 years.
-
We're going to read
-
a little bit about that.
-
Livinia, if you wouldn't mind reading
-
from 1 Thessalonians 4:13-17 for us,
-
we're going to see what happens
-
to the righteous dead
-
and the righteous living
-
after the return of Jesus.
-
(Livinia) Reading from the 21st Century
King James Version:
-
(Derek) Amen.
-
(Travis) Amen. Enoch, what do you think
-
about what happens to the righteous living
-
and the righteous dead?
-
What do you think,
-
after reading this verse?
-
(Enoch) I just think it's beautiful,
-
this experience, and it just shows
-
that Christ is willing to give us
-
second chances and opportunities
-
to get closer to Him.
-
So, I think that's what it shows.
-
(Travis) I like how the last part
-
of the verse ended, "So shall we
-
always be with the Lord."
-
Wow, what a promise.
-
We always get to be with the very God,
-
with Jesus, who has redeemed us.
-
(Derek) And I think the key point
-
is that the righteous dead are raised.
-
They're not dead anymore, right?
-
The ones who were dead, righteous,
-
trusting in Jesus the Savior,
they're raised,
-
and the living trusting in Jesus
-
together with them are caught up
-
to meet the Lord in the air.
-
And of course, the question is,
-
where do they go, and is anyone
-
left alive on Earth,
-
because the wicked living are destroyed
-
by the brightness of His coming.
-
(Travis) That's right, and we're going
-
to find this out as we keep studying.
-
So, what will the redeemed,
-
the question is, what will
-
the redeemed be doing
-
during this second phase of judgment,
-
the millennial judgment?
-
Jason, would you read Revelation 20:4-6,
-
and then I'm going to have Tigist
-
read for us from 1 Corinthians 6:2, 3.
-
What are the redeemed doing
-
during this 1,000 years?
-
(Jason) The New King James Version says
-
in Revelation, chapter 20,
-
verses 4 through 6:
-
(Travis) Thank you, Jason.
-
So, if I'm getting the picture correctly,
-
for this 1,000 years, the books
are opened,
-
and it seems that the righteous
-
are now seeing if God has judged -
-
Jesus, our righteous Judge -
-
has judged the wicked fairly.
-
Is that the picture that's beginning
to unfold?
-
Tigist, I'm going to have you take us
-
and read from 1 Corinthians 6:2, 3,
-
just to put some emphasis
-
on what's happening here.
-
(Tigist) And I'll be reading
-
from the New King James Version,
-
and it says, verse 2:
-
(Travis) So, this is really amazing.
-
The love of God, I think,
-
is just magnified here in the fact
-
that He's being transparent.
-
Many of us, I pray that all of us
-
will be in Heaven.
-
We may have a loved one
-
or someone we know that doesn't show up,
-
and we're going to have questions.
-
Would that be something that's plausible?
-
Sure, we're going to have questions,
-
and God has allowed this time
-
for us to open the books and see
-
that not only did He judge fairly,
-
but He judged righteously.
-
And we can see that they
-
actually didn't want to be there.
-
They didn't want to choose life.
-
We have to keep moving on
-
because we're going to look again
-
at where the wicked are
-
during this millennial judgment.
-
And, Pedro, would you read
-
Revelation 20, verse 5, the last part,
-
and then 6:14-17, would you
-
read those verses for us?
-
(Pedro) Yes, I'll be reading
-
from the New King James Version,
-
Revelation 20, verse 5, and it says:
-
Now, Revelation 6:14-17, and it says:
-
(Travis) What's happened to the wicked?
-
(Derek) You know, it's so sad
-
because the righteous have chosen
-
to stand under the banner of Jesus
-
and are saying, "Lo, this is our God;
-
we've waited for Him," and the ones
-
who have not accepted the grace of God
-
see this as a terrible and, what,
-
a frightening event and actually cry
-
for the rocks to fall upon them
-
and are basically destroyed
-
by the brightness of His coming.
-
(Travis) Derek, I agree with that,
-
and something that's always caught me
-
with those verses
-
is that it's "the wrath of the Lamb."
-
Being raised around lambs,
-
I've never...Of course, you know,
-
we've had rams that were
-
a little mean, but lambs?
-
There was nothing hurtful about...
-
And so, we see the character of God
-
even in the description,
-
"the wrath of the Lamb."
-
Of course, we know that Jesus
-
isn't willing that any should perish,
right,
-
but that all should come to repentance.
-
(Derek) But the bottom line
-
is that the wicked die with the glory
-
of the coming of Jesus,
-
when they could, if they had chosen
-
to accept His grace, they could have
-
welcomed Him with joy.
-
And so, during that 1,000 years
-
while the judgment's happening,
-
the wicked...of course,
-
the wicked dead stay dead.
-
They'll all come up
-
in the second resurrection
-
at the end of the 1,000 years.
-
(Travis) And of course, we know
-
from previous studies
-
that they're just sleeping in the graves.
-
They're not in peril and burning,
-
but they're sleeping in the graves
-
for the second resurrection.
-
We're going to move on in our study
-
to the execution of the judgment,
-
the last phase in the judgment,
-
the executive judgment
-
and the second death.
-
Let's read Revelation 20:7-8.
-
Livinia, would you read that for us?
-
Revelation, chapter 20:7-8, what event
-
precipitates the final phase
of the judgment?
-
(Livinia) Reading from the 21st Century
King James Version:
-
(Travis) I have a question, Enoch:
-
Why doesn't Satan just give up?
-
Why doesn't he give up?
-
He's a defeated foe already,
-
but it seems like he's going back out.
-
The wicked are raised, and he's going
-
to deceive the nations once more.
-
Why doesn't he give up?
-
(Enoch) Well, the devil knows his fate,
-
and at any time he's going to try
-
to bring down as many people with him.
-
So, it's just a shame, but when we
-
put our trust in God
-
and we put our faith in Christ,
-
we can be victorious.
-
I mean, we don't have
-
to go down that route,
-
but he's going to be very persistent,
-
but we have to be more persistent
-
and just continue to have
-
that faith and trust in God.
-
(Travis) That's right. Tigist.
-
(Tigist) I feel like this shows us
-
the wrath of sin and the nature of sin,
-
that it doesn't stop
-
until it completely destroys you.
-
And it also dawns upon me,
-
when God lets go and says,
-
"You who are evil, continue doing evil,"
-
at that point, the Holy Spirit
is lifted out.
-
There is nothing that is within you
-
that is inclined to hear what God says.
-
And so, it's the evil in you
-
that overwhelms you
-
until your destruction,
-
and so at that point the devil
-
does not stop until he thinks
-
that he could do this.
-
And that's just the darkness of sin
-
and the nature of sin
-
and the devil at that time.
-
(Travis) Thank you for sharing that point.
-
You reminded me of a pastor one time
-
who said, "Sin is its own enemy."
-
And even Satan himself,
-
deception has deceived him,
-
that he could win this battle, right?
-
It's even deceived himself.
-
So, now we know that he's going out;
-
he's going to deceive
-
the nations once more.
-
So, when does the final execution
of this happen?
-
And I'm going to have Lilica read for us
-
from Revelation 20:11-13,
-
the final judgment,
-
the great white throne judgment.
-
When does it occur?
-
(Lilica) I'll be reading
-
from the New King James Version,
-
Revelation 20, verses 11 to 13:
-
(Travis) So, when does
-
this great white throne judgment occur?
-
(Derek) It appears to occur...
-
Satan's gone out trying to get
-
the confederation of evil,
-
those who have been dead
-
during that millennium period.
-
Of course, those who have been dead
-
throughout all generations
-
all the way back to Cain,
-
to get them to come and attack the city,
-
which has come down from God
-
out of Heaven with the saints.
-
And somehow he convinces them
-
as they go toward the city...
-
Before we talk about fire coming down,
-
there's this judgment,
-
and maybe that's when,
-
as it says in Philippians,
-
every knee will bow.
-
That God has shown His character of love,
-
and even the angels of Heaven see
-
the rebellion will never end
-
without a final judgment.
-
(Travis) But even in this,
-
I see the love of God,
-
that He is being transparent enough
-
to let all the righteous
-
go through the books,
-
allows the judgment to take place,
-
so that when the final destruction
-
of the wicked comes,
-
they can see that they are
-
going to live forever
-
with their righteous Judge,
-
not questioning, "I wonder
-
if He didn't do this right?" or, "I wonder
-
if He judged that person unfairly?"
-
We get to live forever with a God
-
who has been completely transparent,
-
and I think that that's just a beautiful
thing. Pedro.
-
(Pedro) I agree with you.
-
When we look at judgment,
-
sometimes we are afraid,
-
but we see His love
-
and His grace in this passage.
-
We have seen here so far that God
-
has compassion for us
-
and obviously for the rest
of the universe;
-
that's why He brings the first judgment,
-
for the universe to know
-
that His work has been accomplished,
-
then for us, the redeemed ones in Heaven.
-
And even He has compassion for those
-
who have been lost here at the end.
-
It says they need to know
-
why they are being lost and show
-
their judgment for their wickedness.
-
(Travis) Thank you
-
for sharing that, Pedro.
-
Nancy, can I have you read
-
Revelation 20:14,15 and 9,10,
-
Well, just read 20:14,15 for us.
-
What happens at the conclusion
-
of the executive judgment?
-
(Nancy) I'm reading
-
from the New King James Version,
and it reads:
-
(Travis) "Death and Hades,"
-
that brings peace to me that death
-
is going into the lake of fire,
and the grave.
-
As a matter of fact, our song
-
that we sang before says
-
that Jesus has the keys,
-
but even death is going
-
to be destroyed once and for all.
-
How does the Bible
-
describe this second death?
-
I want to talk about that quickly.
-
If I could have Nicole, would you read
-
Revelation 20, verse 6, for us?
-
(Nicole) Yes, and I'll be reading
-
from the New International Version,
and it reads:
-
(Travis) Amen. So, how is it
-
that death has no power over us,
the second death?
-
(Derek) Because we've chosen Christ.
-
(Travis) Because we've chosen
to be with Jesus. Amen.
-
So, I have a question: Is there still time
-
to avoid the second death
-
and spend eternity with Jesus?
-
(Team) Yes.
-
(Travis) Is there?
-
(Derek) The answer will be, it depends.
-
If you're still breathing, and you
-
can still hear, and the Holy Spirit
-
is speaking to your heart, there's time.
-
(Travis) Amen. I do want to read...
-
I may not have time to read,
-
but 2 Peter 3:9-13, could someone
-
just give me, Jason, would you
-
talk about that verse for a second for us?
-
(Jason) Sure, so it basically says
-
it's not that God doesn't want to come,
-
but He's merciful, and He wants
-
to give us all a chance to be with Him.
-
But He is coming, and when He comes,
-
there will be a judgment,
-
things will change, there will be
-
a finality for what's happened
on this earth.
-
(Travis) For those of you watching,
-
I just want to tell you
-
that judgment is a good thing,
-
especially if you've given
-
your heart to Jesus,
-
and He has clothed you
-
in His righteousness.
-
Of course, if you haven't,
-
today's the day; choose Jesus,
-
and He will judge in your favor.
-
The judgment is not only a good thing,
-
it's a great thing, because without it,
-
we stand condemned.
-
(Derek) Thank you so much, Travis.
-
And you know, I imagine, as that fire
-
comes down from God out of heaven,
-
as it says in Revelation 20 and verse 9,
-
that there are tears in the eyes
-
of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit,
-
and the angels who see other angels
-
who refused to accept the mercy of God.
-
And there may be tears in our eyes, too,
-
because there will be loved ones
-
outside of the city.
-
But the good news is that the Lord
-
will wipe away all tears from our eyes,
-
and there will be a new heaven
-
and new Earth, 2 Peter 3:13,
-
where righteousness dwells.
-
I'm looking forward to that day, are you?
-
As Travis just mentioned, today's the day
-
to say, "Lord, by Your grace, save me
-
so that I can be part
-
of that eternal Kingdom with you."
-
Let's pray together.
-
Lord, as we think about judgment,
-
we realize there is none
-
that is righteous, no not one.
-
We have nothing to earn your favor
-
except to say thank You for Your grace
-
and Your immeasurable, unfailing love
-
so clearly revealed
-
through Jesus our Savior.
-
And I pray, if there is someone thinking
-
about saying yes to Jesus today,
-
that they would do it now
-
while there's still time, for we are
-
living in the time of the judgment.
-
And may we realize
-
that when we stand in Jesus,
-
that the judgment is good news.
-
In Jesus' name. Amen.
-
(Team) Amen.
-
(Derek) Thanks for joining us
-
for Hope Sabbath School.
-
If you made a decision for Jesus today,
-
write to us, tell us the good news,
-
but don't keep the good news to yourself.
-
Go out and be a blessing
-
to those around you.
-
♪ theme music ♪