Sermon Quotes: "Living This Day For That Day"
“At my ordination I was charged ‘to prepare the dying for their death.’ Although the intention here may have been the narrower one of ministry to those near the point of death, the charge has wider implications. All Christians ought to be engaged in preparing one another for their deaths and for suffering, so that when suffering comes we may be so shaped by God’s Word that we may be able, as it were, to put our hands into the hand of God even in the darkness.” Christopher Ash
“Do you believe in divine judgment? By which I mean, do you believe in a God who acts as our Judge? Many, it seems do not…People who do not actually read the Bible confidently assure us that when we move from the Old Testament to the New, the theme of divine judgment fades into the background. But if we examine the New Testament, even in the most cursory way, we find at once that the Old Testament emphasis on God’s action as Judge, far from being reduced, is actually intensified. The entire New Testament is overshadowed by the certainty of a coming day of universal judgment, and by the problem thence arising: How may we sinners get right with God while there is yet time? The New Testament looks on to ‘the day of judgment,’ ‘the day of wrath,’ ‘the wrath to come,’ and proclaims Jesus, the divine Savior, as the divinely appointed Judge.” J.I. Packer
“In this review all human distinctions are irrelevant. What was claimed, or asserted, or believed concerning any individual during or following his or her earthly life, specifically those comparative assessments whereby one is ‘great’ or ‘greater’ and another ‘small’ or ‘smaller’, these and all other distinguishing considerations have no meaning ‘before the throne.’ Like all things earthly, these human’ judgments have ‘fled away.’ They have actually never had any final validity; now they are seen to have had none. In the presence of the Lord who is the Judge of all, other judgments are simply irrelevant.” Bruce Milne
“The records in the books refer figuratively to God’s own memory which never fails.” Greg Beale
“The necessity of good works for final salvation is a regular theme in the New Testament (e.g., Matt. 7:13-29; Rom. 2:6-11; 1 Cor. 6:9-10; 2 Cor. 5:10; Gal 5:21), and thus it is surprising that some fail to see its importance and that some even claim that the necessity of good works is contrary to the gospel. Revelation 22:12 sums up this theme nicely when Jesus says, ‘Behold, I am coming soon, bringing my recompense with me, to repay each one for what he has done…Revelation teaches that the basis of salvation is the redeeming work of Christ on the cross, but John also emphasizes the moral change, the commitment that marks out those who belong to God. He doesn’t demand perfection, but there is a new direction, a new orientation, a remarkable change in those who belong to God.” Thomas Schreiner
“In the case of those who profess to be Christ’s, review of their actual words and works (Matt. 12:36-37) will have the special point of uncovering the evidence that shows whether their profession is the fruit of an honest regenerate heart (Matt. 12:33-35) or merely the parrot-cry of a hypocritical religiosity (Matt. 7:21-23). Everything about everybody will be exposed on Judgment Day (1 Cor. 4:5), and each will receive from God according to what he or she really is.Those whose professed faith did not express itself in a new life-style marked by a hatred of sin and works of loving service to God and others, will be lost.” J.I. Packer
“What is it about the book of life which spares them? The life granted them in association with the book comes from their identification with the Lamb’s righteous deeds and especially with His death…They do not suffer judgment for their evil deeds because the Lamb has already suffered it for them: He was slain on their behalf. The Lamb acknowledges before God all who are written in the book and who are identified with His righteousness and His death.” Greg Beale
“To speak of hell is to speak of things so overwhelming that it cannot be done with ease.” Sinclair Ferguson
“Give heed to Jesus clear demand to fear the one who can destroy both soul and body in hell. Hear it as a great mercy. What a wonderful thing that Jesus warns us. He does not leave us ignorant of the wrath to come. He not only warns us. He rescues. This is the best effect of fear: it wakens us to our need for help and points us to the all-sufficient Redeemer, Jesus. Let it have this effect on you. Let it lead you to Jesus, who says to everyone who believes in him, ‘Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom’ (Luke 12:32).” John Piper
“The failures and shortcomings of believers…will enter into the picture on the Day of Judgment. But-and this is the important point-the sins and shortcomings of believers will be revealed in the judgment as forgiven sins, whose guilt has been totally covered by the blood of Jesus Christ.” Anthony Hoekema
“A Christian, then, looks at life in light of the destination to which it leads, and sees every person within that framework…Behind everyone we know and meet stands the shadow of judgment. They themselves do not see it; we know they may have spent all their lives denying it or hiding from it. But one day the account will be presented, the verdict will be past, the judgment given. Knowing this, how can we remain silent-cowardly? We can only do so if we ourselves live in the denial of the reality that we know has been revealed in the gospel.” Sinclair Ferguson
“At the end of the day, what hell measures is how much Christ paid for those who escape hell. The measure of his torment (in ways I do not pretend to begin to understand) as the God-man is the measure of torment we deserve and he bore. And if you see that and believe it, you will find it difficult to contemplate the cross for very long without tears.” D.A. Carson
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