Eagerly Anticipating Judgement Day
John 5:25-29
It is interesting to me the way in which Jesus began our text this morning by saying that a time is coming and has now come when the dead will hear his voice. What does Jesus mean by this? Who are the dead that Jesus is talking about and how can there be two times? One that is now and one that is coming. In the present tense, there are those who are alive but dead. There are people in our midst who are very much like the walking dead, alive physically but dead spiritually. Before we were baptized into Christ and made alive through faith in Him, we ourselves were like the walking dead. Here’s an example. Maybe some of you remember Dead Fred. He has made an appearance here at his home in a time or two, but his example is worth repeating. Fred has a problem. Fred’s biggest problem isn’t figuring out what he’s going to have for dinner tonight. Fred’s biggest problem isn’t figuring out where he’s going to sleep tonight. Fred’s biggest problem is that he is dead. On his own, there is nothing that Fred can do to bring himself back to life. That is the end of the story for Fred, unless God brings him back from death to life. Fred’s problem was very much like our problem. Used to be we were dead in our sins and transgressions, and there was nothing we could do about it on our own. In our text, Jesus says that the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God and live. For every believer that the Holy Spirit has led to faith, now they have life through faith in Jesus. God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit have life in themselves, and so too do those who trust in Jesus as their Savior. They too have life. So the time that is now that Jesus referred to in our text is when those who hear the word of God and listen to it so that the Holy Spirit can plant the seed of faith in their hearts. That time is now. It is the present reality for all believers who believe in Jesus. We have life through Jesus who gives us that life. But there is a time that is coming for the believer and the unbeliever alike. When all people dead or alive will hear Jesus’ voice, how does that make you feel when you hear those words? Does it bring joy to your heart, or does it make you feel fearful? Sadly for many people, thinking about Judgment Day is something that they dread. It is a day they really don’t like to think about, and that is for good reason. For the unbeliever, Judgment Day is scary. They wonder to themselves, what is going to happen on that dreadful day? But the reason they fear Judgment Day is because deep down they already have a sense. They know that something good is not going to happen to them on that day. Deep down they know that during their lives they despise preaching and its word. They know that they heard the gospel many times and many times found ways to reject the gospel. They know that they allowed their consciences to be hardened and that they repeatedly and willingly sinned against God. Deep down they know that there are consequences to the sinful way in which they live their life. Because Jesus is the Son of God, he has the right and the power to judge the hearts and actions of every single human being that has ever lived or will ever live. And to be clear, Jesus wants to be merciful to all people. He desires that all people be saved from their sins because after all Jesus died for those sins. But what happens to the unbeliever? What happens to those who because of their unbelief have rejected the justification that Jesus has freely won for them? It is sad to think about, but it is the truth. Those who have done evil will rise to be condemned. Now to be clear, we are all sinners, the believer and the unbeliever alike. So what does Jesus mean by those who have done evil? He is talking about the person that we just referenced, the ones who refused to hear the message and turn their backs on the message. The ones who knowingly and willingly continue to live in sin. For those people, Judgment Day will be a day of condemnation. They will rise, but only to live condemned and held for eternity. Again, this is sad because likely we all know someone who fits into this category and as Christians, we don’t want anyone to go to hell. Now I’ve spent a lot of time this morning talking about Judgment Day from the eyes of the unbeliever, but what does the believer think about Judgment Day? I’m sure a lot of us have had those moments when we have tried to measure ourselves against God’s righteous law. Those moments when we have feared and dreaded Judgment Day just the same as an unbeliever would. We have to remember our dead friend, Fred. On our own, he could do nothing to bring about his salvation. That’s why we at times too fear Judgment Day even as Christians because we know we can’t do anything on our own to bring ourselves back to life. But we are forgetting something. We are not on our own. Jesus has done everything for us. He measured up perfectly to the law and gave us the credit as if his righteousness was our righteousness. And through faith in him, he has declared us not guilty. So even though the old Adam daily tries to get us to fear Judgment Day, the reality is that the Christian has nothing to fear. We know that those who do good, those who believe in Jesus as their savior will rise to life, body and soul, and live with Jesus for eternity. So the Christian looks differently on Judgment Day. When the believer thinks about Judgment Day, it brings joy to the heart of every Christian. While the unbeliever dreads Judgment Day, the believer looks forward to that day with eager anticipation. The Christian can’t wait until that day comes. Now as I mentioned earlier, and it’s probably true for all of us, we all know someone who falls into the camp of unbelievers, those who fear Judgment Day and dread its outcome. As Christians, we can’t sit idly by and watch them drive down the road that only leads to condemnation. We can’t have the attitude of, “Oh well, thankfully that is not me.” No, brothers and sisters, we love the unbeliever with the same love that Jesus has loved us with, the same love that saved us. So let us pray that the Holy Spirit continues to strengthen our faith and also that he works faith in the heart of the unbeliever so that we can all look forward to that glorious day, that is Judgment Day, when God will say to all believers, “Well done, good and faithful servant.” Amen.
