Key Passage
"But I tell you, on the day of judgment it will be worse for you than for Tyre and Sidon. And you, Capernaum, will you be lifted up to heaven? No! You will be thrown down to the place of death. I did many miracles in you. If those same miracles had happened in Sodom, {the people of} Sodom {would have stopped sinning and it} would still be a city today. But I tell you it will be worse for you in the day of judgment than for Sodom."
— Matthew 11:22-24 ERV (Read Full Text)
Key Thought
In today's society, we don't like to talk about judgment, especially religious judgment. Most churches tone it down. Many who profess faith in Christ are ashamed about those passages.Most people today are not even aware that the Gospel that talks about not being judgmental of others also is the Gospel that most strongly emphasizes that Jesus will judge based upon our response and obedience to him. Matthew's Gospel clearly demonstrates again and again that our decisions about Jesus, his identity and his lordship, and our obedience to his word all have eternal consequences. To reject Immanuel, God with us, brings judgment. To reject God's clearest example of his grace is to bring judgment. Jesus leaves us no neutral ground. We either decide for him or face judgment without him.
Prayer
Holy God, please help me to be firm in my commitments to you and faithful in my service to your children so that I will not fall under your judgment. Give me a greater sense of urgency and a greater effectiveness in communicating your love, grace and salvation in Jesus. Be with me and speak through me as I try to share the story of Jesus with my friends and family. In Jesus' saving and precious name I pray. Amen.
Related Scriptures
"Not every person that says that I am his Lord will enter the kingdom of heaven. The only people that will enter the kingdom of heaven are those people that do the things that my Father in heaven wants. On the last day many people will say to me, 'You are our Lord! We spoke for you. And for you we forced out demons and did many miracles. ' Then I will tell those people clearly, 'Go away from me, you people that do wrong. I never knew you.'
— Matthew 7:21-23
"The weeds are pulled up and burned in the fire. It will be the same at the end of the world. The Son of Man will send his angels, and his angels will find the people that cause sin and all people that do evil. The angels will take those people out of his kingdom. The angels will throw those people into the place of fire. In that place the people will be crying and grinding their teeth {with pain}. Then the good people will shine like the sun. They will be in the kingdom of their Father. You people that hear me, listen!
— Matthew 13:40-43
"It will be bad for you teachers of the law and Pharisees. You are hypocrites. You build tombs for the prophets. And you show honor to the graves of people that lived good lives. And you say, 'If we had lived during the time of our fathers, we would not have helped them kill these prophets.' You give proof that you are children (descendants) of those people that killed the prophets. And you will finish the sin that your fathers started! "You are snakes! You are from a family of poisonous snakes! You will not escape God. You will all be judged guilty and go to hell!
— Matthew 23:29-33
Devotional provided by Heartlight®
© 1996-2017. All rights reserved.
View the full article
"But I tell you, on the day of judgment it will be worse for you than for Tyre and Sidon. And you, Capernaum, will you be lifted up to heaven? No! You will be thrown down to the place of death. I did many miracles in you. If those same miracles had happened in Sodom, {the people of} Sodom {would have stopped sinning and it} would still be a city today. But I tell you it will be worse for you in the day of judgment than for Sodom."
— Matthew 11:22-24 ERV (Read Full Text)
Key Thought
In today's society, we don't like to talk about judgment, especially religious judgment. Most churches tone it down. Many who profess faith in Christ are ashamed about those passages.Most people today are not even aware that the Gospel that talks about not being judgmental of others also is the Gospel that most strongly emphasizes that Jesus will judge based upon our response and obedience to him. Matthew's Gospel clearly demonstrates again and again that our decisions about Jesus, his identity and his lordship, and our obedience to his word all have eternal consequences. To reject Immanuel, God with us, brings judgment. To reject God's clearest example of his grace is to bring judgment. Jesus leaves us no neutral ground. We either decide for him or face judgment without him.
Prayer
Holy God, please help me to be firm in my commitments to you and faithful in my service to your children so that I will not fall under your judgment. Give me a greater sense of urgency and a greater effectiveness in communicating your love, grace and salvation in Jesus. Be with me and speak through me as I try to share the story of Jesus with my friends and family. In Jesus' saving and precious name I pray. Amen.
Related Scriptures
"Not every person that says that I am his Lord will enter the kingdom of heaven. The only people that will enter the kingdom of heaven are those people that do the things that my Father in heaven wants. On the last day many people will say to me, 'You are our Lord! We spoke for you. And for you we forced out demons and did many miracles. ' Then I will tell those people clearly, 'Go away from me, you people that do wrong. I never knew you.'
— Matthew 7:21-23
"The weeds are pulled up and burned in the fire. It will be the same at the end of the world. The Son of Man will send his angels, and his angels will find the people that cause sin and all people that do evil. The angels will take those people out of his kingdom. The angels will throw those people into the place of fire. In that place the people will be crying and grinding their teeth {with pain}. Then the good people will shine like the sun. They will be in the kingdom of their Father. You people that hear me, listen!
— Matthew 13:40-43
"It will be bad for you teachers of the law and Pharisees. You are hypocrites. You build tombs for the prophets. And you show honor to the graves of people that lived good lives. And you say, 'If we had lived during the time of our fathers, we would not have helped them kill these prophets.' You give proof that you are children (descendants) of those people that killed the prophets. And you will finish the sin that your fathers started! "You are snakes! You are from a family of poisonous snakes! You will not escape God. You will all be judged guilty and go to hell!
— Matthew 23:29-33
Devotional provided by Heartlight®
© 1996-2017. All rights reserved.
