TITLE: “The Great White Throne” sermon, by Pastor Shane Skelton, CALVARY BAPTIST Church (Lakeland, Florida, USA), 10-21-2019
YouTube “time-stamp”: Monday, 21 October 2019
Apparent sermon date: Sunday, 20 October 2019
Taken originally from https://www.YouTube.com/watch?v=GZJsC3YASqA
Courtesy of YouTube user: “Blessed1611,” and taken originally from:
https://www.YouTube.com/watch?v=GZJsC3YASqA
Channel description: “Jesus is Lord Hazel Green, Alabama https://rumble.com/user/Blessed1611”
Channel URL: https://www.YouTube.com/channel/UCTebD-Dt7MVUvdry_AvMPqw/about
This short video is used under “Fair Use” video, for news reporting, commentary, scholarship, criticism, and academic research, under U.S. Code TITLE 17, chapter 1: https://www.Law.Cornell.edu/uscode/text/17/107
Taken originally from: https://www.YouTube.com/watch?v=GZJsC3YASqA
Archived: https://YouTu.be/nveHfcLZjBg
Archived:
https://Facebook.com/GordonWayneWatts/videos/1270026233490964/?notif_id=1645594569208177
Archived: https://Facebook.com/GordonWayneWatts/posts/10221636835695112
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https://Web.Archive.org/web/20220221000045/https://www.YouTube.com/watch?v=GZJsC3YASqA
Archived:https://GordonWatts.com/theology/TheGreatWhiteThrone_ShaneSkelton_10-21-2019_MP4.mp4
Archived:https://GordonWayneWatts.com/theology/TheGreatWhiteThrone_ShaneSkelton_10-21-2019_MP4.mp4
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Specifically, I claim “Fair Use” because this qualifies under ongoing academic research, commentary, & reporting of the Infant Soteriology matter, refuting “Infant Universalism” aka “Baby Universalism.” See, specifically, 03:57 to 05:46 for relevant discussion of the end fate of babies who die before the age of accountability, and whom we believe probably enter into the 1,000-Year Millennium Reign of Sovereign King Jesus and get an opportunity to exercise Free Will (i.e., are not forced to accept Christ, but, like angels and humans alike, are given volition, e.g., Free Will of choice). This pastor's analyses support my own research as shown in my own book, “When Babies Die: Where do they go?,” ISBN-13: 978-1478210146, LINK:
https://www.Amazon.com/When-Babies-Die-Where-Full-color-ebook/dp/B008J8RTOK
Gordon Wayne Watts
Automatic “voice-to-text” transcription by Facebook, with minor manual corrections:
[[00:00]] Wonderful. Thank you, Nathan. If you would follow me please now to Revelation chapter twenty. Pretty easy to get to. Go to the back of your Bible and go back to the left a couple of pages there and you'll run into it. Revelation chapter twenty. If you are joining us for the first time, we've been in a series of the last eight or nine weeks on the subject of what's next and this is the next events on the calendar of god that you and I will either know about or be part of. And just to recap briefly to get you up to speed where we are, we look first of all at the rapture of the church. This is the very next thing on god's calendar. This is what we're waiting on right now. It's when the lord himself will return in the clouds to call his church out of the world. The Bible said the dead in Christ are going to rise first and then we which are alive and remain together with them will be called up to meet the lord in the air. Immediately after the Rapture of the church that will begin what is called the tribulation period on earth and this is where god will be judging and purging the nation of Israel but it will involve the entire world. We also went from Earth to heaven and looked at at the same time that the tribulation is going on on earth for those of us who are saved in the heavenlies. There's what's called the judgment seat of Christ. Now, this is not a for our salvation. This is a judgement of our stewardship while we have served him on this Earth. How we lived, how we acted, how we use the gifts and the talents and abilities that god has given us for his kingdom. That's what we'll give an account of our stewardship. Then, immediately after that, there's what is called the merit supper of the lamb. This is when we as the bride of Christ will be presented to Christ as a glorious church. The Bible said, Paul said, having no spa or having no wrinkle after that there is what is called the second coming of the lord not to be confused with the rapture the second coming of the lord is the second advent what we mean by that is this is when god will actually come and set foot upon the earth now when he comes in the rapture he's coming in the clouds but when he comes in the second coming or the second advent he's literally going to set foot on the Mount of Olives there he will defeat the anti Christ and his armies that will gather against him there we learn last Week about the next event known as the Millennium Reign of Christ. Now, when we talk about the Millennium Reign of Christ, we're talking about after the lord defeats the armies and the antichrist there in the valley of Armageddon that will usher in what is called the Millennium Reign which is a thousand-year period in which Jesus Christ will rule on the throne of David there in Jerusalem. He'll rule with the rod of iron and we God's children will rule and reign him. [[03:20]] Now, I want you to put your eye there in chapter number twenty just for a moment. I want to point out something that I did not point out last week. In verse number seven down to verse number ten, it tells us that at the end of the millennial reign, Satan will be loosed to deceive many people into following him. Now, there are two reasons for this: Number one, remember that the sin nature is not totally eradicated for those that are not part of the bride of Christ at this time, and, then, secondly, there will be many people that are born during this millennial reign, people that are part of the nations that have been ushered into the kingdom. There will be many folks born. There's going to be lots of folks come about during that time, and even though we live -- will live -- in an environment of righteousness, may I say those born during those time -- they're still going to have to have that chance to either follow Christ or not follow Him. Everybody has to have that opportunity to trust Christ as their personal Saviour. No one gets into heaven through a backdoor. There is no other way under heaven except we consciously choose to accept Christ or reject Him. That's it. Now, that doesn't matter what dispensation you live in. So, there's going to be many folks that will come up during the millennial reign that will have to, at the end of that millennial reign, they're going to have to make a conscience choice to accept Christ or reject Him. Now, I also believe that those children that are born even now during this time -- that maybe die before they reach the age of accountability -- or as we saw this morning, many of them are aborted. When will they have the opportunity to accept Christ? Right then, in that same period. So, we're talking about multitudes and multitudes of people in which will follow the devil at that time. Now, I don't, in no way, shape, form, or fashion claim to understand why they will, but I do know this: I do know that say Satan is a master deceiver -- master deceiver, and if he can deceive Adam and Eve in a perfect environment, in the Garden of Eden to follow him, then I think he can do the same during the end of the millennial reign of Christ, at this point in time. Remember, the old saying that the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence, and for those people who have grew up in that, or have grown up in that environment of righteousness, he'll paint a picture for them that they will desire that will maybe look better or offer them something that maybe they feel they cannot have, and they will follow him. Many will not; many will, but in verse number seven, it tells us that those that do follow the devil -- they will gather themselves as an army and surround the city of Jerusalem. And at that moment in time, God, the Bible said, will call down fire from heaven and will devour them. [[06:30]] Now, verse number ten is probably one of my is the one of my favorite phrases in all of the book of Revelation. Look in the latter part. The Bible He's going to take Satan and cast him in the lake of fire and shall be tormented day and night forever and ever. You see now, Satan is -- he's doing his best to torment people on earth he's come to steal to kill and destroy, but at this moment in time, he will forever be cast into the lake of fire; that's the end of him permanently, for all of eternity. (Church member responds: “Amen.”) [[07:05]] that's a wonderful phrase and then after that the Bible teach us here. There's one more event on god's calendar and that's the event of the great white throne judgment. Go with me please now to verse number eleven and I saw a great white throne and him that sat on it and whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. There was found no place for them and I saw the dead small and great stand before god and the books were open and another book was open which is the book of life and the dead were judged out of those things which are written in the books according to their works and the sea gave up the dead which were in it and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them and they were judged Every man according to their works and death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death and whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire. The famous phrase from the opening paragraph of Charles Dickens novel, The Tale of Two Cities goes like this, it was the best of times, it was the worst of times. And when I think about this text here, I think about that phrase. It's the best of times. It's the worst of times. It's the worst of times because you see the fate of all of those who have been enemies of Christ. All of those who have rejected the lord Jesus as savior. We finally see their fate. They're cast in the lake of fire. That's the worst of times but then it's the best of time because you consider that finally at last, the enemies of Christ are put down and Jesus is the undisputed king of kings and lord of lords for all of eternity. There are many things about the future. I have to admit there are very thrilling when I read them but there's also things that are also terrifying when I read them. There are many things about the future that are glorious and there are many things about the future that are grievous and when I look at this text about the Great White Throne, I see the best of times and I see the worst of times but I want to take a moment now and learn more about the event I want you to jot down first of all the site depicted here at the throne look at verse number one notice that John saw a great white throne great white throne now if you go through the book of Revelation in Mark the times that the word throne is mentioned you'll find it over 30 times 30 times there's a throne that is mentioned in the book of the Revelation but this throne right here it's a distinctive and unique throne it's from all the other thrones. You see, we're actually as god's people depicted as sitting on thrones but this throne is different than the one we're sitting on. Now, we know that a throne is a symbol of authority. The throne is a symbol of power but John saw this throne as a symbol of prestige. I want you to look at our text. Notice how the Bible said he saw a great white throne. Circle the word great there. That means it's the highest of thrones. It's the highest. It's the most prestigious throne of all. Now, notice how the Bible said it's not only the highest throne but it's the purest. The Bible said that I saw a great white throne. The word white there speaks of purity speaks of righteousness. So, this throne is a throne of absolute justice, absolute holiness. All verdicts and judgments issuing from this throne are true and they are righteous but also we read in verse number eleven that John saw him that sat on the throne. Saw him that sat on the throne. You see, this throne is prestigious. This throne is pure. This throne is righteous because of who is sitting on it. Who is it that is sitting on it? None other than the lord Jesus Christ himself. John 522, the Bible said, for the father judges
no man but hath commit all judgement to the son. Now, notice verse number thirteen. You have the lord Jesus sitting on this throne but the Bible tells us that death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them. Now, if you go and read from verse number eleven down to verse number fifteen, what John saw must have been a very difficult thing to watch. Every human being that has ever died and went to hell, that has rejected Jesus Christ and went to hell will be resurrected and brought before the great white throne. Those Standing before that throne. From the beginning of time to the end of time that have rejected Jesus Christ as their savior will be before this throne. Nobody that is saved. Nobody that is born again will be before this throne. Only lost. That's all that'll be there. Verse number twelve said the dead small and great stood before the lord. That means every lost person from every walk of life in every class in life. I think about the king and the popper. The the foot soldier, the master, the slave, the borrower, and the lender will all stand before god. Nobody will escape. Nobody will hide. The drug addict, the the drunks, the pimps, the pushers, the grandmas, the grandpas, the teenagers, the moms, and the dads will all stand before this throne and face their judgement. There'll be no escape and there'll be no exceptions. Can you imagine John having to see what he saw? Now, I want you just for a moment. The Bible said that John saw both small and great stand before the lord. Now, let me ask you a question. Did John see you? Did John see you? Oh, he saw Hitler and Mussolini and all the wicked pedophiles and the rapist and the foreign. He saw all of them but did he pick you out of the crowd? He saw those small and great stand before the lord. The question we need to ask ourselves, did John see us? Did John see you? I know he didn't see me but I wonder if he saw you. That's the sight but notice the sentence displayed number two. Look at verse number twelve. The dead were judged under underscore that phrase. Now, verse number thirteen, they were judged. The word judge there speaks of a sentencing being passed, a judgement being rendered. Go to verse number eleven and I saw a great white throne and him that sat on it and from who's face the earth and the heaven fled away and there was found no place for them. Now, imagine the scene in your mind. One by one, they come up before the throne. One by one, they come before god and fear grips their heart to such a degree that they're going to try to run away. They're going to Try to escape and flee from the presence of the lord but there is no place for them to run and hide. Can you imagine that? Trying to get away but nowhere to go. Now, the Bible said that when they get there before the lord, they're going to try to run away but they're going to have to stand there and the Bible said that when god faces them and they face him, he will open up some books and he will read from these books. The question is, what's the books that John's talking about here in verse number twelve? There are at least two sets of books. Now, I don't know there's probably more but there's at least two sets that we'll look at to kind of give you an understanding how this works. First of all, there's one set of books that is the record of life. Again, notice our text. The books were opened and the dead were judged out of those things which are written in the books according to their works. Now, go to verse number thirteen, underscore the phrase according to their works. So, John is saying that everything that you have ever done is recorded in a book of works. Dl Moody said years ago, if a man could ever invent a camera that could take the photograph of the human heart, he would soon die for the to see that his heart reveals the wickedness of his sin will cause too much grief to bear. I think he's right. Friend 1 day god will expose the human heart. On that day, god's going to open up the books of works, the books of deeds, and every lost person will have to face every sin that they've ever committed There will be those in Matthew was in Matthew chapter 20 or 23, where they talk about or chapter seven where they talk about, hey, lord, have we not done wonderful works in your name? Have we not cast out devils in your name? They're going to plead their case. Lord, we've done this. I was good to my neighbor. I was good to to my friend or I was good to my spouse and I I I gave to missions one time, lord. They're going to plead their case. But god, is going to open up the books and he's going to say, yeah, what about that thought? What about this word? What about this deed? What about this action here that nobody knows about? They're not under the blood. They're not forgiven. And they will be judged according to their works and then the Bible said there at the end of that in Matthew seven, he'll say, depart from me you workers of iniquity. Oh, they'll plead their case but god's going to open up the books and they'll and the books will have evidence against them So, I've done great things. It's not good enough but then there's a second book that will be introduced to the Great White Throne. This is the book of a record of eternal life. Now, notice verse twelve again says and I saw the dead small and great stand before god and the books were open and another book was open which is the book of life. Now, go with me to verse fifteen and whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire. Jump back with me chapter seventeen. It should only be maybe one possibly two turns to the left. Look at verse Number eight, the beast that thou sawest was and is not and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit and go into perdition and they that dwell on the earth shall wonder whose names are not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world. Now, go back to chapter twenty-one. One more verse here. This is the last chapter or the last chapter twenty-one here. Go to verse go to verse twenty-seven, last verse. And there shall in no wise enter into it anything that defileth. Neither whatsoever worketh abomination or make it alive but which are written in the lamb's book of life. Now, here's the theory. The theory is that the book of life and the lamb's book of life often are used interchangeably that phrase but they are two distinct books. The book of life, many believe that this is a book contains every name of every person ever been born, ever lived. Every name of every person is written in that book of life but then there's also another book called the Lamb's Book of Life. And this is a book that has only the names of those who have been born again. Now, you can believe that. You don't believe that really doesn't matter. The Bible said there's more than one book so obviously there are books. So, being Two distinctively two books but yet sometimes used interchangeably that would make a lot of sense of other verses in the Old Testament and some verses here in the book of the Revelation where the Bible said he'll blot names out of the book. So, it could make a lot of sense being that there are two distinctive books but yet in this particular text. In this particular account here, this is a reference to the lamb's book of life. The phrase book of life, Lamb's Book of Life is used interchangeably here and this contains this book contains every person has ever been saved. So, a book will be open that has a book of works that they will have to give an account of. Every work they've ever had, every deed, everything they've ever done, they'll have to face it in the book of deeds but then god is going to open up another book which will be the book of life and god will scroll down and see if your name is in the lamb's book of life and if it is not found there, then a Lake of Fire is the destiny. In Luke chapter number ten verse number twenty, Jesus is talking to his disciples that come back after a great campaign of healing and and ministering to people and they were rejoicing because of all the miracles that god had worked through them and performed but Jesus didn't listen. It's good to rejoice about that but there's something greater that you ought to rejoice about. And that is that your name is written, the Bible said, in heaven. Amen. Rejoice because your name is written down in heaven. Paul echoed that thought in Philippians chapter four verse number three. Here's what Paul said. Paul said, we are to rejoice because our names are in the book of life. Dear friend, the moment that you trusted Christ as your savior, your name was recorded in the book of life, the lamb's book of life. You have eternal life because your name is written in that book. Amen. I rejoice because on October the twentieth 1992, god took that quill and dipped it in blood and wrote my name in that blessed book. The Bible said there there'll be those that will stand there that day and they'll give an account of their deeds done. Books will be opened but then the book of life will be opened and god will say, SSS hole we got done. I don't know how to do it but I'd imagine we get down to the S's. Oh yeah. It's not there. I wonder, this morning if your name is in the lamb's book of life. If not, that leads us to the third thing here in our text that the Bible teaches us and that is the second death. Warren Wearsby said the Great White Throne judgement will be nothing like the modern court cases. At the Great White Throne, there there's a judge but there is no jury. A prosecution but no defense, a sentence but no appeal. Go with me to verse fourteen. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. Now, the reason it's called the second death is because men who die now, they go to a place reserved for them called hell. It's a place where they go at this moment in time but at the
Great White Throne Judgment. It's as if death is repeated. The Bible said that death and hell itself. God will will pull death and all those that are in in hell, he'll pull them out as they stand before god one by one, they will be bound hand and foot and cast into the lake of fire. I can I can think of 101 terrible things that could happen to a person. But the worst is to die lost without god and one day be cast into the lake of fire. Amen. I have family members. They're not saved and I often imagine myself having to be a witness of this account. When I shall see my loved ones bound hand in foot, and then taken by force and cast cast into the lake of fire. No wonder all tears are not wiped away until we enter into the eternity of glory because on that day, I promise you there'll be tears from my eyes. Friends and families that I known that I have to watch It is the best of times. It is the worst of times. I read recently about a young foreign exchange student. He came over here to go to the University of Michigan and he flunked out. It's hard to believe being at the University of Michigan by the way. I mean, an extension of high school but anyway, I'm just kidding. So, he decided in shame. He said, I'm going to disappear. So, for the next four years, he hid in an attic of a church there in Ann Arbor. Hidden the attic and he took great pains to conceal himself. He quietly prowled around only at night. He lived off of the food that was left in the kitchen in the weekend, you know, and the drinks that were left in the refrigerator. He never left. He never spoke to his soul and noone ever suspected that he lived there but then one night he made a slight mistake and accidentally this recluse made some noise that disturbed the people downstairs so they called the police and when the police came they walked up in the attic and they found this man had been living there for four years Now, ladies and gentlemen, hearing that, I respond with this, how foolish? How foolish is this young man to try to hide from his failure? It's going to catch up to him. How long does he think he can run? How long does he think he can hide? He can't run forever. It'll catch up to him. But yet, he's not as foolish as the person who seeks to hide from god. Look at verse number fifteen and who serve was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire. If a person does not want to be part of this heart wrenching and heart terrifying scene, then it is vitally important this morning that you know that your name is written in the lamb's book of life. The question is, how does your name get written there? And the answer is simple, by coming to Jesus and accepting him as your savior. Amen. Believe upon the name of the lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved. It's a simple turning from your sin, turning to Jesus. By faith, trusting in what Jesus has done for us at Calvary. Oh, listen. He now, at this moment, this time, this morning, he can be your savior but if you reject him, This day, he'll be your sentencer. So the chance to be saved is now because tomorrow maybe too late It was the best of days. It was the worst of days. It's the worst in the fact that we see the sinner's fate cast into the lake of fire. Forever and ever and ever. But it's the best of days because there is no more sin. There's no more sorrow, no more sickness, no more crying, no more heartache, no more dual nature to contend with. Jesus Christ will never have another enemy to rise up against him. He will be the undisputed king of all kings and lord of lords and forever will live with him. It was the best of times. It was the worst of times. Let's make our prayer. The lord in heaven, I thank you this morning that we can know you right now at this moment, this time as the savior of the world. We can know you in the free pardon of sin. We can be part of your family, part of the bride of Christ. That's been made possible through Jesus Christ at Calvary. But lord if we spurn that time. If we spurn this moment and we cast it away and reject it or we put it off. Then tomorrow, it could be too late. My prayer is for those that are here today that's not saved that the spirit of god will draw them to a place of repentance and faith. May they see their need of a savior. My prayer lord is that they would turn to you by faith and trust the finished work of Jesus Christ at Calvary. All their They're missing out on so much by not being saved. Help them to realize that. My prayer also lord is for the child of god. May we get a burden and and a vision of that day that will be pressed into our heart, pressed upon our conscience so that lord when we interact with sinners that lord there is this urgency on us to tell them about you. Lord, I pray that we would be fulfilling the great commission while we're here. Thank you for your word. Thank you for its power. Thank you for its life-changing message, and thank you Lord for giving it to us today and this is our prayer. We make it in the wonderful, lovely, and holy name of Jesus. Amen, and amen. Let's stand together. The savior...[[32:02]]
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Gordon Wayne Watts