Getting the Great White Throne Judgment Right

Revelation 20 says that all human beings, including Christians, will be judged by their works on the Day when Christ returns. How can that be? Is Herman Hoeksema right when he teaches that every sin ever committed, including the sins of Christians, will be displayed in full ugly clarity for all to see?

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Call to Worship

Sunday School

Watchfulness
by Martyn Lloyd-Jones
A Sermon on Ephesians 6:10-13
10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm.

Sunday Service

Pastoral Reading

Psalm 103

Bless the Lord, O my soul,
and all that is within me,
bless his holy name!
2 Bless the Lord, O my soul,
and forget not all his benefits,
3 who forgives all your iniquity,
who heals all your diseases,
4 who redeems your life from the pit,
who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy,
5 who satisfies you with good
so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.
6 The Lord works righteousness
and justice for all who are oppressed.
7 He made known his ways to Moses,
his acts to the people of Israel.
8 The Lord is merciful and gracious,
slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.
9 He will not always chide,
nor will he keep his anger forever.
10 He does not deal with us according to our sins,
nor repay us according to our iniquities.
11 For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him;
12 as far as the east is from the west,
so far does he remove our transgressions from us.
13 As a father shows compassion to his children,
so the Lord shows compassion to those who fear him.
14 For he knows our frame;
he remembers that we are dust.
15 As for man, his days are like grass;
he flourishes like a flower of the field;
16 for the wind passes over it, and it is gone,
and its place knows it no more.
17 But the steadfast love of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear him,
and his righteousness to children’s children,
18 to those who keep his covenant
and remember to do his commandments.
19 The Lord has established his throne in the heavens,
and his kingdom rules over all.
20 Bless the Lord, O you his angels,
you mighty ones who do his word,
obeying the voice of his word!
21 Bless the Lord, all his hosts,
his ministers, who do his will!
22 Bless the Lord, all his works,
in all places of his dominion.
Bless the Lord, O my soul!

Opening Song

Only a Holy God (CRC #35)

Verse 1

Who else commands all the hosts of heaven
Who else could make every king bow down
Who else can whisper and darkness trembles
Only a Holy God

Verse 2

What other beauty demands such praises
What other splendour outshines the sun
What other majesty rules with justice
Only a Holy God

Chorus

Come and behold Him
The One and the Only
Cry out sing holy
Forever a Holy God
Come and worship the Holy God

Verse 3

What other glory consumes like fire
What other power can raise the dead
What other name remains undefeated
Only a Holy God

Verse 4

Who else could rescue me from my failing
Who else would offer His only Son
Who else invites me to call Him Father
Only a Holy God
Only my Holy God

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Prayer

Focus this week: Mike Audette, Victoria BC

Song

All My Boast is in Jesus (CRC #43)

Verse 1
What wonder of wonders what love is this that Christ would die for me
His goodness His merit His righteousness this sinner’s only plea.
O foolish pride be crucified, the work is finished.
 Chorus 1
All my boast is in Jesus, all my hope is His love
And I will glory forever, in what the cross has done
 Verse 2
Now fully forgiven my life is filled with graces undeserved
For mercy that flowed down that sacred hill, let praises now return
Rise up my soul and bless the Lord, who else is worthy?
 Bridge
O praise the One forever blessed, Him alone my heart adores
And I will boast in nothing less than the love of Christ my Lord.
 Verse 3
I boast not in riches in strength or might, but in the grace of God
I glory in weakness to live is Christ, in plenty or in want.
That I may know that all may see, His pow’r within me.
 Chorus 2
Now I stand in His freedom, ransomed clean in His sight,
And I cannot be ashamed for my boast is Jesus Christ
My boast is Jesus Christ, forever my boast is Jesus Christ

Bryan Fowler | Keith Getty | Matt Boswell | Matt Papa
© 2023 Getty Music Hymns and Songs; Getty Music Publishing; Love Your Enemies Publishing; Messenger Hymns; Be Essential Songs; bryanfowlersongs
For use solely with the SongSelect® Terms of Use. All rights reserved. www.ccli.com CCLI License # 108183

Offering Song

He Will Hold Me Fast (CRC #15)

Verse 1
When I fear my faith will fail
Christ will hold me fast
When the tempter would prevail
He will hold me fast
I could never keep my hold
Through life’s fearful path
For my love is often cold
He must hold me fast

Chorus

He will hold me fast
He will hold me fast
For my Savior loves me so
He will hold me fast

Verse 2

Those He saves are His delight
Christ will hold me fast
Precious in His holy sight
He will hold me fast
He’ll not let my soul be lost
His Promises shall last
Bought by Him at such a cost
He will hold me fast

Verse 3

For my life He bled and died
Christ will hold me fast
Justice has been satisfied
He will hold me fast
Raised with Him to endless life
He will hold me fast
Till our faith is turned to sight
When He comes at last

Ada Ruth Habershon/Matthew Merke
2013 Getty Music Pulishing/Matthew Merker Music
CCLI 108183

Scripture Reading

Matthew 20:1-16
“For the kingdom of heaven is like a master of a house who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. After agreeing with the laborers for a denarius[a] a day, he sent them into his vineyard. And going out about the third hour he saw others standing idle in the marketplace, and to them he said, ‘You go into the vineyard too, and whatever is right I will give you.’ So they went. Going out again about the sixth hour and the ninth hour, he did the same.And about the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing. And he said to them, ‘Why do you stand here idle all day?’ They said to him, ‘Because no one has hired us.’ He said to them, ‘You go into the vineyard too.’ And when evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman, ‘Call the laborers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last, up to the first.’ And when those hired about the eleventh hour came, each of them received a denarius.10 Now when those hired first came, they thought they would receive more, but each of them also received a denarius. 11 And on receiving it they grumbled at the master of the house, 12 saying, ‘These last worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the day and the scorching heat.’ 13 But he replied to one of them, ‘Friend, I am doing you no wrong. Did you not agree with me for a denarius? 14 Take what belongs to you and go. I choose to give to this last worker as I give to you. 15 Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or do you begrudge my generosity?’ 16 So the last will be first, and the first last.”

Preaching the Word

Getting the Great White Throne Judgment Right

Revelation 20:11-15
Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. From his presence earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them. 12 And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done.13 And the sea gave up the dead who were in it, Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them, and they were judged, each one of them, according to what they had done. 14 Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. 15 And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.

Closing Song

Face to Face With Christ My Savior (CRC #72b)

V1 Face to face with Christ, my Savior,
Face to face—what will it be,
When with rapture I behold Him,
Jesus Christ who died for me?

Chorus

Face to face I shall behold Him,
Far beyond the starry sky;
Face to face in all His glory,
I shall see Him by and by!

V2 Only faintly now, I see Him,
With the darkling veil between,
But a blessed day is coming,
When His glory shall be seen.

V3 What rejoicing in His presence,
When are banished grief and pain;
When the crooked ways are straightened,
And the dark things shall be plain.

V4 Face to face! O blissful moment!
Face to face—to see and know;
Face to face with my Redeemer,
Jesus Christ who loves me so.