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Transcript: Welcome to “5 Minutes with Pastor Lutzer.” I’m so glad that you joined us again today. This actually is part of a larger series, entitled “The King Is Coming” and if you’ve been with us in some previous episodes, you know that now we are on the subject of the judgment seat of Jesus Christ and there’s something that I should have clarified even at the beginning and that is that this is a judgment only for believers. When you get to the Book of Revelation you have the description of a terrifying judgment. It’s a judgment for unbelievers. And eventually we will talk about it as we work our way through this series on prophecy. But the judgment seat of Jesus Christ is for those who belong to Jesus Christ. And if you missed any of the previous episodes, I hope that you go back because this is part of a continuum as we study this.
It’s important for us to emphasize that in the judgment seat of Jesus Christ we are eventually going to be slotted in different responsibilities in His kingdom. Now I take the point of view that not everyone is going to be rewarded the same. Everyone in heaven is happy, everyone like a chandelier, every bulb giving glory to God, but some shine more brightly than others. Now there are those who say no there are no distinctions because of the righteousness of Christ. But I find it interesting that so often in the Bible, ruling with Christ is connected with suffering with Christ or for Him. And the apostle Paul says, shockingly almost, in 2 Timothy 2, he says “If we suffer with Him, we shall reign with Him; if we deny Him, He will deny us.” He’s talking to believers. Temporarily, at least, Christ will deny us if we are unfaithful. That’s why I’m not sure that everyone is going to reign. Jesus said this to the disciples, “You who have stayed with me in my trials, I assign to you, as my Father assigned to me, a kingdom, that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.” You’ve been with me in my trials.
I’m not dogmatic about this. I think that eventually everyone will rule but there’s no doubt that in the kingdom some will have more responsibility. And you know that verse that we quote so often from Revelation 5, where it talks about the fact that there are going to be people from every nation and tongue and so forth and it says “And they shall reign on the earth.” Amazing. “He who overcomes, to him I shall grant to sit with me on my throne, even as I overcame and sat on the throne of my Father,” Jesus said to the churches of Revelation. I’m suggesting to you that not everyone is going to do well at the judgment seat of Jesus Christ. Again I’m in a minority about this but I am not sure every believer will hear “Well done, good and faithful servant.” Sobering. Makes you think.
You know, there is a story that comes to us from India. The story goes like this and, of course, it is a parable we could say. A man is riding along, a wealthy Raja in his chariot. There’s a beggar, and this beggar is standing alongside of the road and he holds out his bowl of rice and thinks to himself, “I wonder if the Raja would actually get off of his beautiful chariot and give me something.” Well, to his shock, the Raja does get off of his chariot, goes over to the beggar and says, “Beggar give me some of your rice.” The beggar is angry. “I mean, here’s this wealthy man, he’s asking for my rice.” So gingerly, the beggar does however give him one grain of rice, and the Raja says “Beggar, give me more of your rice.” Well, by now, the beggar is absolutely furious but he does take another grain of rice and gives it to the Raja. The Raja says, “Beggar give me more of your rice.” By now, the beggar was in an angry fury. He gave him one more grain of rice and left. The Raja got on his chariot and went down the road. Later on, the beggar looked into his bowl and he noticed that something glittered. It was a grain of gold the size of a grain of rice. He looked more carefully and found only two more. And the beggar began to weep. He began to cry, “Oh if I had only known, I would have given the Raja all of my rice.” My friend today, Jesus is generous. He wants to give us gold in exchange for our rice. Go for the gold. Give Him everything.
No wonder there are going to be tears in heaven of all things. When we consider the way in which we lived in comparison to the opportunities that we were given, there will be tears. Now God is going to wipe them away, but let’s remember as believers we shall all stand before the judgment of Christ. Now I have to tell you next time we’re going to be speaking about something that is going to be absolutely glorious. Be sure to tell your friends and subscribe to “5 Minutes with Pastor Lutzer.” Because your friends need to hear this teaching from God’s word. But as for today, you know, go for the gold, and as I frequently say, just go with God.