24th Sunday after Pentecost - Lightning Out of the East
"As lightning cometh out of the east, so shall the coming of the Son of man be."
If you were asked, "What makes going to school unpleasant?" you would answer, "Exams. Without them going to school would be fun." but there is an exam at the end of the world which we must all pass and that is the judgment. "It is appointed unto men one to die and after death the judgment."
On judgment day Christ will speak terrible words to sinners. "Depart from Me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire which was prepared for the devil and his angels." Who must depart? From whom? Why? Where to? For how long? The answers to all these questions are in the words of Christ.
Who must depart? Ye cursed. What a terrible thing to be cursed by Christ, dried up and shriveled, just like the barren fig tree. You who should have loved Me most. My little ones. Ye cursed. Of you I said, "Suffer them to come to Me." Ye cursed.
From whom must they depart? From the loving Christ. David wept at the death of his son Absalom. How is must grieve the heart of Christ to see one of His little ones among the lost.
A king once traveling in disguise through His own country knocked on the door of a house and asked for shelter. The man, not knowing who he was, refused him, struck him, kicked him, and sent him on his way. The next day the king put on his royal robes, gathered his court around him, and sent for the man. "Do you know me now? I am he whom you abused." On judgment day Christ will say, "I am He Whom you sinned against."
Why must they depart? Our own consciences will tell us why.
Do you remember the story of the brothers of Joseph? They envied him because he was the favorite of his father who gave him a coat of many colors. They sold him into slavery and sprinkled goat's blood on the coat to make their father think that he was dead. And Joseph rose from slavery to be the ruler of Egypt. His brothers were brought before him many years later and did not know him, until he said, "I am Joseph whom you sold into Egypt." Then their consciences filled them with shame. So it will be when Christ says, "I am He Whom you sinned against."
Where must they go? Into everlasting fire, which was prepared for the devil and his angels. Not to heaven prepared for the good angels of God.
For how long? For all eternity. Some of us are so impatient we cannot wait five minutes for lunch. But think: Eternity is for ever and ever!
The judgment is a terrible thing, but we have no need to be afraid if we have loved Christ in this life. He is the Good Shepherd. He knows His sheep and they know Him. If we have loved Him we will be happy with Him forever. Keep the judgment in mind and you will never sin. "Remember thy last end and thou shalt never sin."
~ Sunday Morning Storyland, Imprimatur 1945 ~
If you were asked, "What makes going to school unpleasant?" you would answer, "Exams. Without them going to school would be fun." but there is an exam at the end of the world which we must all pass and that is the judgment. "It is appointed unto men one to die and after death the judgment."
On judgment day Christ will speak terrible words to sinners. "Depart from Me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire which was prepared for the devil and his angels." Who must depart? From whom? Why? Where to? For how long? The answers to all these questions are in the words of Christ.
Who must depart? Ye cursed. What a terrible thing to be cursed by Christ, dried up and shriveled, just like the barren fig tree. You who should have loved Me most. My little ones. Ye cursed. Of you I said, "Suffer them to come to Me." Ye cursed.
From whom must they depart? From the loving Christ. David wept at the death of his son Absalom. How is must grieve the heart of Christ to see one of His little ones among the lost.
A king once traveling in disguise through His own country knocked on the door of a house and asked for shelter. The man, not knowing who he was, refused him, struck him, kicked him, and sent him on his way. The next day the king put on his royal robes, gathered his court around him, and sent for the man. "Do you know me now? I am he whom you abused." On judgment day Christ will say, "I am He Whom you sinned against."
Why must they depart? Our own consciences will tell us why.
Do you remember the story of the brothers of Joseph? They envied him because he was the favorite of his father who gave him a coat of many colors. They sold him into slavery and sprinkled goat's blood on the coat to make their father think that he was dead. And Joseph rose from slavery to be the ruler of Egypt. His brothers were brought before him many years later and did not know him, until he said, "I am Joseph whom you sold into Egypt." Then their consciences filled them with shame. So it will be when Christ says, "I am He Whom you sinned against."
Where must they go? Into everlasting fire, which was prepared for the devil and his angels. Not to heaven prepared for the good angels of God.
For how long? For all eternity. Some of us are so impatient we cannot wait five minutes for lunch. But think: Eternity is for ever and ever!
The judgment is a terrible thing, but we have no need to be afraid if we have loved Christ in this life. He is the Good Shepherd. He knows His sheep and they know Him. If we have loved Him we will be happy with Him forever. Keep the judgment in mind and you will never sin. "Remember thy last end and thou shalt never sin."
~ Sunday Morning Storyland, Imprimatur 1945 ~