We end our series “We His People” at a sobering crossroads: the intersection of God’s holiness and our future. The Bible’s promise of judgment isn’t a threat from an angry God, but an urgent caution from a merciful one. It’s the necessary counterpart to His grace. Today, we ask: Who is this God? Who are …
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Sermon Notes
BIBLE REFERENCE: 2 Corinthians 5:20 – “Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us.”
INTRODUCTION:
We end our series “We His People” at a sobering crossroads: the intersection of God’s holiness and our future. The Bible’s promise of judgment isn’t a threat from an angry God, but an urgent caution from a merciful one. It’s the necessary counterpart to His grace. Today, we ask: Who is this God? Who are we in light of this? And how do we live?
I. WHO IS GOD? The Sovereign Architect.
You cannot understand the judge without understanding his character.
- The Eternal Creator: No beginning, no end. The source of all life, morality, and truth. He created it all, so He owns it all. (Genesis 1:1, Revelation 4:11)
- The King of Kings: His authority is absolute. Every power exists under His sovereign rule. (1 Timothy 6:15, Daniel 4:35)
- A Consuming Fire: His holiness is a purifying, all-consuming reality. Sin cannot stand in His presence. This isn’t malice; it’s the nature of perfect goodness. (Hebrews 12:29, Isaiah 6:3)
This is the God who doesn’t just rule creation, but redeems a people for Himself.
II. HIS PEOPLE: The Responsible Redeemed.
We are “His People” not by title, but by transaction and transformation.
- The Redeemed: We are the rescued, the sheep of His pasture (Psalm 100:3), the ecclesia—the “called-out ones.” (1 Peter 2:9, Acts 11:26)
- The Responsible: Redemption comes with accountability. We are stewards.
- Of Blessing: Our gifts and resources are for His kingdom, not our comfort. (Matthew 25:14-30)
- Of Ourselves: We are to offer our bodies, souls, and spirits as a living sacrifice. (Romans 12:1)
- The warnings in Isaiah 1 and 5 are for God’s people who forgot this. They enjoyed the blessings but ignored the Blesser.
Because God values this relationship so deeply, His judgment is a reality we must face.
III. IMMINENT JUDGMENT: The Certain Reset
Iminent judgment is the certain, approaching divine assessment for sin. It’s not a scare tactic; it’s a gracious reset.
1.It is Certain: “It is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment.” (Hebrews 9:27). Revelation 20 confirms a final accounting.
2.It is a Catalyst: For the believer, it’s not about punishment (borne by Christ) but evaluation of our faithfulness (2 Corinthians 5:10). For the world, it is a consequence. Its imminence is a gift to awaken us from complacency. Now is the day of salvation. (2 Corinthians 6:2)
So how do we, His people, live in the light of that day?
IV. How to Shine: Living in the Light of That Day
1.Cultivate the Inner Life: Let the Fruit of the Spirit—love, joy, peace, patience—be your authentic character, not a forced performance (Galatians 5:22-23). Let your life be so evidently good that it silences slander (1 Peter 2:12).
2.Pursue Relational Holiness: “Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy” (Hebrews 12:14). Be an agent of reconciliation, but never at the expense of your purity.
3.Engage with Wise Innocence: Be “wise as snakes and as harmless as doves” (Matthew 10:16). Engage the world with heavenly wisdom, but with Christlike character. Be effective without being corrupt.
CONCLUSION: The Final Line
We end at the final page: Revelation 20:15. “Anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire.”
For “We His People,” this is our motivation and our hope. Our names are written there by grace, not works. The impending judgment is a storm we don’t fear because we are hidden in Christ, the Rock.
So we live.
We live with urgency, telling of the Savior who writes names in the Book.
We live with holiness, reflecting our King.
We live with hope, looking not for the storm, but for the Son of Man coming in glory.
We are His people. Redeemed. Responsible. Ready.
Let’s pray.
Heavenly Father, our Creator and Judge, we thank you for your holiness and for your grace. The reality of judgment shakes us from our slumber. For those of us in Christ, we ask for strength to live responsibly, shining as lights in the world. For anyone here who has never truly surrendered to Christ, may this be their moment. May they turn to the one who took their judgment upon Himself. We live for your glory, until the day we see you face to face. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
