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OUR ADVOCATE AND JUDGE I. TEXTUAL THOUGHTS 1. Psalm 98:1-9 - The Lord comes to judge the world in righteousness. 2. John 12:47-48 - Jesus did not come initially to judge, but to save. 3. 2 Timothy 4:1,8 - Jesus will judge all people at his second coming. 4. 1 John 2:1 - Jesus is our lawyer who serves to defend us.
II. MAIN THEME - Since the creation, there is evidence that there will be judgment for this world. The Lord of Creation will be the Judge, but he will also be the Christian's advocate, in a sense, defending him/her from God's justice. In this legal illustration, Jesus is the defense lawyer, the judge, and the jury - filling many roles in our judgment. 1. There is strong evidence that there will be a final judgment. a. God's plan for minor judgments is evidence - b. The eager expectation of creation for revealing purpose - Rom. 8:18-25 c. The resurrection of Jesus proves a final judgment - Acts 17:30-31 2. Jesus' earthly purpose was to save the lost. a. He did not come to condemn or judge - John 3:16-18; 12:47-48 b. He came in order to save - Luke 19:10; John 1:10-14 3. Yet, Jesus will be our final judge in the final judgment. a. His words will be the standard that all will be judged by - John 12:47-48 b. Jesus, himself, will act as the judge - 2 Tim. 4:1,8; Acts 10:39-43 c. He will reveal the destiny of mankind - Revelation 5 4. Jesus will also act as defense attorney during the judgment. a. He will defend the justice of God - Rom. 3:21-26 b. He will also defend the believer in the presence of the Father, so that the sins of the believer are not held against him - 1 John 2:1-2; 1:7,9 c. He will intercede as a mediator on our behalf - 1 Tim. 2:5; Heb. 7:25 III. APPLICATION 1. Jesus is qualified to judge the people of this earth. a. Because of his temptations as a human - Heb. 2:14-18; 4:14-16 b. Because of his sufferings in the flesh - Heb. 5:7-10 c. Because of his willing obedience - Phil. 2:5-11 2. God's method of judgment is very simple, yet it is also complex. a. We will be judged by the things we have done - 2 Cor. 5:10; Rom. 2:6 b. Though we have sinned, in Christ, our obedient faith will be credited as righteousness and we will escape condemnation - Rom. 4:6-8, 20-25 c. In Christ, there is no condemnation - Rom. 8:1 3. When thinking of God as a Judge, we must remember that He wants all men to be saved, so He is always seeking our good - 1 Tim. 2:4; 2 Pet. 3:9 IV. MEMORY VERSE: 2 Timothy 4:8 |