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Big Apple Chapel is a New Testament based church in New York City, modeled after the pattern of the early church, with a strong emphasis on following Christ as a community of His disciples.

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  • Sunday - 10:30 am
  • 520 8th Ave, 16th floor
    New York, NY
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BAC Sermons

Rewards and Judgments - Part 2

2012-10-28

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(see Rewarding Verses Pt 1)
Context determines which meaning of a word the author intended, and consequently, our understanding. Frequently misunderstood words:
Salvation: reversal of the effects of the Fall: in justification/forgiveness, sanctification/holiness, glorification/restoration to glory.
Soul (life): the complex of mind/will/emotions, which we must lose to save Lk 9:24 Life & Death; Dominion-rulership & loss of dominion-rule.
Aion/Age (world/eternal) Classically used of a definite period of time (exception Plato 2x); most frequently the Messianic Age. Rm 16:25
Apollumi (destruction); Lost sheep Spilt wine;  Unquenchable, not capable of being overcome. How are OT Jews “saved”?
What's the issue in the lives of the NT audience (forgiveness/justification=Day of Atonement)? What and why is the parallel between OT/NT (see 1Cor 10)

 

1. Judgment in Matthew Mt 3:7 wrath to come? 8 Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance 10 even now the ax is laid to the root of the trees. Therefore every tree which does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 11 I indeed baptize you with water eis repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. 12 His winnowing fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clean out His threshing floor, and gather His wheat into the barn; but He will burn up the chaff (Ps 1) with unquenchable fire." (Isa 30:33; 66:15-24; Mt 13:42 1Cor 3:11-15; Rev 14:9-13)

 

2. Sermon on Rewards in the Kingdom Mt 5:22 But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment. And whoever says to his brother, 'Raca!' shall be in danger of the council. But whoever says, 'You fool!' shall be in danger of hell/Gehenna fire. 29 If your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into Gehenna. 30 And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into Gehenna.
Mt 7:13 "Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. 14 Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it. 21 "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. 22 Many will say to Me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?' 23 And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!'

 

3. Weep & Gnash Mt 8:12 the sons of the kingdom will be cast out into outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth."
Mt 13:42&50 And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. (lawless vs shining righteous)
Mt 22:13 Then the king said to the servants, 'Bind him hand and foot, take him away, and cast him into outer darkness (22:13; 25:30); there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.' 14 "For many are called/invited, but few are chosen/choice/select."
Mt 24:44 be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect. 46 Blessed is that servant whom his master, when he comes, will find so doing. 48 But if that evil servant says in his heart, 'My master is delaying his coming,' 49 and begins to beat his fellow servants, and to eat and drink with the drunkards 51 and will cut him off and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth .dailytruthbase.blogspot.com/2012/05/matthew-23-25-end-time-parables.html
Mt 25:23 His lord said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.' 26 "But his lord answered and said to him, 'You wicked and lazy servant...28 So take the talent from him, and give it to him who has ten talents. 29 'For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away. 30 And cast the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.' (Mt 25:32 sheep-goats=how respond to Israel during the Tribulation)
Lk 13:23 Then one said to Him, "Lord, are there few who are saved?" And He said to them, 24 "Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I say to you, will seek to enter and will not be able. 25 When once the Master of the house has risen up and shut the door, and you begin to stand outside and knock at the door, saying, 'Lord, Lord, open for us,' and He will answer and say to you, 'I do not know you, where you are from,' 26 then you will begin to say, 'We ate and drank in Your presence, and You taught in our streets.'
27 But He will say, 'I tell you I do not know you, where you are from. Depart from Me, all you workers of iniquity.' 28 There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, and yourselves thrust out.

 

4. Servant Faithful Lk 12:40 Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect." 41 Then Peter said to Him, "Lord, do You speak this parable only to us, or to all people?" 42 And the Lord said, "Who then is that faithful and wise steward, whom his master will make ruler over his household, to give them their portion of food in due season? 43 Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes. 44 Truly, I say to you that he will make him ruler over all that he has.
Same Servant Unfaithful 45 But if that servant says in his heart, 'My master is delaying his coming,' and begins to beat the male and female servants, and to eat and drink and be drunk, 46 the master of that servant will come on a day when he is not looking for him, and at an hour when he is not aware, and will cut him off and appoint him his portion with the unfaithful. 47 And that servant who knew his master's will, and did not prepare himself or do according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes. 48 But he who did not know, yet committed things deserving of stripes, shall be beaten with few. For everyone to whom much is given, from him much will be required; and to whom much has been committed, of him they will ask the more

 

5. Revelation Sequence
A. Wedding of the Lamb 19:1 After this I heard...5 Then a voice came from the throne, saying: “Praise our God, all you his servants, you who fear him, both great and small!” 6“Hallelujah! For our Lord God Almighty reigns. 7 For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready. 8 Fine linen, bright and clean,  was given her to wear.” (Fine linen stands for the righteous acts of God’s holy people.) 9 Then the angel said to me, “Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb!” And he added, “These are the true words of God.”

 

B. War; Beast into Lake of Fire 19:11 Then I saw...16 On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written: king of kings and lord of lords. 17 Then I saw an angel standing in the sun, who cried in a loud voice to all the birds flying in midair, “Come, gather together for the great supper of God, 18 so that you may eat the flesh of kings, generals, and the mighty, of horses and their riders, and the flesh of all people, free and slave, great and small.” 19 Then I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies gathered together to wage war against the rider on the horse and his army. 20 But the beast was captured, and with it the false prophet who had performed the signs on its behalf. With these signs he had deluded those who had received the mark of the beast and worshiped its image.The two of them were thrown alive into the fiery lake of burning sulfur. 21 The rest were killed with the sword coming out of the mouth of the rider on the horse, and all the birds gorged themselves on their flesh.

 

C. Satan Bound Saints Rule 1000 Years 20:1 Then I saw an angel coming down out of heaven, having the key to the Abyss and holding in his hand a great chain. 2 He seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil, or Satan, and bound him for a thousand years. 3 He threw him into the Abyss, and locked and sealed it over him, to keep him from deceiving the nations anymore until the thousand years were ended. After that, he must be set free for a short time. 4 Then I saw thrones on which were seated those who had been given authority to judge. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony about Jesus and because of the word of God.They had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ a thousand years. 5 (The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended.) This is the first resurrection. 6 Blessed and holy are those have a share/portion (21:8; 22:19) in the first resurrection. The second death has no power over them, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with him for a thousand years.

Satan into Fire 20:7 Now when the thousand years are over, Satan will be released from his prison 8 and will go out to deceive the nations 9 They marched across the breadth of the earth and surrounded the camp of God’s people, the city he loves. But fire came down from heaven and devoured them. 10 And the devil, who deceived them, was thrown into the lake of burning sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet had been thrown. They will be tormented day and night for ever and ever.

 

D. Great White Throne Judgment, Works/Book of Life  20:11 Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. The earth and the heavens fled from his presence, and there was no place for them. 12 And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books. 13 The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was judged according to what they had done. 14 Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death.15 Anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire.

 

E. New Heaven and New Earth 21:1 Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,” for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. 2 I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. 4 ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” (cf Isa 25:8; Rev 7:17)

 

F. Free water to thirsty; Overcomers/Unfaithful 21:5 He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!”Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” 6 He said to me: “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To the thirsty I will give water without cost from the spring of the water of life. 7 Those who are overcomers (cf Rev 2-3) will inherit all this, and I will be their God and they will be my children. 8 But the cowardly, the unfaithful, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars—their part/portion will be in the fiery lake of burning sulfur, which is the second death.”

 

G. Nations & New Jerusalem Discrimination 21:9 “Come, I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb.” 10 And he carried me away in the Spirit to a mountain great and high, and showed me the Holy City, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God. 11 It shone with the glory of God...12 It had a great, high wall with twelve gates, and with twelve angels at the gates. On the gates were written the names of the twelve tribes of Israel. 14 The wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb. 22 I did not see a temple in the city, because the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. 23 The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp. 24 The nations (saved-variant) will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their splendor into it.  26 The glory and honor of the nations will be brought into it. 27 Nothing impure will ever enter it, nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life.

 

H. Healing Nations; Servants Serve 22:1 Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb 2 down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. 3 No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him. 4 They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. 5  And they will reign for ever and ever.

 

I. Blessed Obeyers; Lying Outsiders 22:7 “Look, I am coming soon! Blessed is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy written in this scroll.” 12 “Look, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to each person according to what they have done. 13 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End. 14 “Blessed are those who wash their robes, that they may have the right to the tree of life and may go through the gates into the city. 15 Outside are the dogs, those who practice magic arts, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idolaters and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.

 

J. Thirsty Wishers Get Free Drinks; Adders get Plagues; Subtractors lose Portion  22:16 “I, Jesus, have sent my angel to give you this testimony for the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, and the bright Morning Star.” 17 The Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let the one who hears say, “Come!” Let the one who is thirsty come; and let the one who wishes take the free gift of the water of life. 18 I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this scroll: If anyone adds anything to them, God will add to that person the plagues described in this scroll. 19 And if anyone takes words away from this scroll of prophecy, God will take away from that person his share/portion in the tree of life and in the Holy City, which are described in this scroll. 20 “Yes, I am coming soon.”Amen. Come, Lord Jesus. 21 The grace of the Lord Jesus be with God’s people. Amen.

 

Question for Discussion/Reflection/Response: Will you be positively rewarded when your Lord and Savior returns or negatively judged? Why?