A Time for Judgement

You know, one of the deepest longings in the human heart is for justice.

You may not have thought about one of the deepest longings of your heart is for justice.

But I'm going to say that it is.

And it started when you were a child.

It starts when all of us are children.

When we utter these words, that's not fair.

That's not fair.

How young are we when we first say that?

How young are our children and grandchildren when we first hear from their lips?

But it's not fair.

We've all said these words as children.

The truth is, if we've not said them as adults, we've thought them, haven't we?

Every adult in this room, you have already figured out, no matter how young you are, you've already figured out.

This thing about life being unfair doesn't stop at childhood.

It continues on, doesn't it?

We know from experience that this thing about fairness or unfairness, it only gets worse.

I guess one way to say it is just make it real clear.

Life is not fair.

And you are denying reality if you think life is going to be fair everywhere you turn in this world.

You're in for great disappointment.

But here's the good news.

Life in this world is not all there is.

God is going to bring this world as we know it to an end one day.

And then He is going to create a new heaven and a new earth, the Scripture tells us.

And in this new heaven and new earth, everything will be perfect.

There will only be fairness or justice.

Everything will be right.

And you'll know it's right in eternity.

But before He makes all things new, God is going to bring this world to a point of judgment.

A point of judgment.

We saw last week in the book of Ecclesiastes, the first part of chapter 3, there's a time for everything under heaven.

There's a time to be born, a time to die, a time to do everything under the heavens.

Well, this morning we're going to look specifically, there is a time for judgment at the end of our lives.

Or we could call it a time for justice.

I want you to read with me this morning just three verses.

Chapter 3, verses 16 and 17.

And then chapter 4, verse 1.

Let's read it together.

Moreover, I saw under the sun that in the place of justice, even there was wickedness.

And in the place of righteousness, even there was wickedness.

I said in my heart, God will judge the righteous and the wicked.

There is a time for every matter and for every work.

Look now in chapter 4, verse 1.

Again, I saw all the oppressions that are done under the sun.

And behold, the tears of the oppressed.

And they had no one to comfort them.

On the side of their oppressors, there was power.

And there was no one to comfort them.

These verses tell us why we need a time of judgment.

First, a time of judgment is needed because of the widespread wickedness in this world.

That's what he's talking about with the word injustice in chapter 3, verse 16.

And the word oppression in chapter 4, verse 1.

Look at, if you would, at how the preacher, as the writer of Ecclesiastes refers to himself.

How he describes this particular form of injustice.

Verse 16.

In the place of justice, before a judge.

In the court system.

That's what he's talking about.

In the place of justice, even there was wickedness.

And in the place of righteousness.

In the place before the judge, before the court.

We expect things to be done rightly.

We expect right to take place.

And in the place of righteousness, even there was wickedness.

He's talking about an unjust judge.

An unjust court system.

The very place that we expect the right thing to be done.

Fairness to prevail.

The very place we expect and most need to experience justice.

He's telling us, sometimes it turns out to be a place of unfairness.

This is not merely a frustrating experience, although it would be.

He's talking about a demoralizing situation.

Look at how Martin Luther, the reformer, described this.

He said that the preacher is not complaining because there is wickedness in the place of justice,

but because the wickedness in the place of justice cannot be corrected.

I want you to think about it.

If you can't find justice when you go to court.

If you can't find it when you stand before a judge.

You're not going to be able to find it.

It's not going to be a possibility.

The judge who is supposed to be fair and impartial.

If he's not, there's no hope that we'll be treated fairly.

That's the picture he's painting here.

Injustice is everywhere.

He does not imply that every court's that way, every judge is that way,

every person you know is that way.

He's talking about what we all know, generally speaking, life is not fair.

Now the problem with oppression in chapter 4, verse 1, is equally hopeless.

The oppressors, it says, were the people in power.

The people who were suffering, people who were being oppressed,

taken advantage of, mistreated, they had no power.

It's the ones who were oppressing them, mistreating them, taking advantage of them.

They were the power brokers.

And as such, what could people do?

It's hopeless.

You know, we live in a world filled with people in this same kind of situation.

Let's just think for a moment, away from our country, right this very moment.

There are tens of thousands of Christians who live in fear

because they are a minority, a persecuted minority where they live.

There are Christians this morning who have no home to go to

because they've been put out by their family who is of another faith,

and they consider their child, even as an adult,

who has professed faith in Jesus.

They consider that child to have become a pagan.

They consider that they no longer live, even, in some of them's sight.

There are communities today where a person who's become a Christian,

he can't work.

They won't let him have a job.

They won't let him make a living for his family.

There are people right now, in this world, this moment,

breathing the same air we are.

They're suffering all because of their faith in Jesus,

and they're suffering unjustly at the hands of their family members,

their community, their government.

Some of them are in prison right now.

Here's what's so sad.

There's not one thing they can do about it.

There's nowhere on earth for them to turn.

There's no one who can really help them, make things right for them.

Let's look closer to home now.

In this country, think about how many women suffer abuse

at the hands of wicked and cowardly men

who threaten to kill them if they tell anyone

or if they call the police.

They're afraid because of the power being exerted over them,

they're afraid to do anything.

Children are horribly abused by their own wicked parents

or by a wicked parent's boyfriend or girlfriend.

We read about it all the time.

Whether you get your news from the newspaper,

online, on TV,

mugshots every day, new ones nearly every day,

of people in upstate South Carolina

who are beating, some even killing their spouse or girlfriend.

Parents not just beating but torturing their children.

That is happening here in the upstate,

here in Pickens County.

And many of these children are either too young to know what to do,

too young to tell,

or they're too afraid to say anything.

But when an abused woman or child does tell,

when they do muster up the courage,

they take the risk,

it doesn't automatically mean they're going to be rescued.

The courts and social agencies,

they have more cases than they have people to work.

There's a backlog.

And then sometimes,

some of those severe cases,

when they do get dealt with,

there are situations where the abuser's dealt with too leniently.

And the court does nothing.

The social agency won't remove the child.

And so the abuser continues.

And there's no protection for the victim.

There's no hope.

One of the most frustrating examples of injustice in this country

is the way our United States Supreme Court

allows the execution of innocent babies

in their mother's womb by abortion.

Now the Supreme Court justifies themselves.

They say it is a mother's choice,

and that's the end of it.

But the voice of truth and justice clearly said,

it's a baby's life.

Now you think about it.

In this country,

one of the greatest examples of wickedness in power

is the United States Supreme Court's rulings like this.

It's all about the woman's choice.

And that little baby with a heart beating,

fully human, living individual

has no one to speak for them.

And so at the whim of a mother,

at the scalpel of a doctor,

their lives are taken, destroyed.

The world is filled with people

who oppress the weak,

care nothing about people being treated fairly or justly.

But the Bible is clear that God takes a strong stand

against such people.

I want you to hear me.

God takes a strong stand against all abusers,

whether they break the law or not.

God hates a lack of justice.

He hates those who oppress,

take advantage of people because they can.

God opposes all who abuse their power and privilege

by mistreating people.

The Old Testament prophets are filled

with all kinds of warnings about such.

The book of Zechariah lists the kinds of people

who are most likely to be oppressed.

I want you to look at the list here.

Widows, orphans, foreigners,

actually aliens living in the land,

and the poor.

You need to understand,

God has a special place in His heart

for the widow, for the orphan,

for the alien living in His land,

and for the poor.

And if God has a special place in His heart for them,

so should we as God's children.

Look back in chapter 3, verses 16 and 17.

The preacher wants us to know

that while we live in a world

of much injustice and oppression,

it's not always going to be that way.

The day of judgment will come.

Look at verse 17 again.

God will judge the righteous and the wicked,

for there is a time for every matter

and for every work.

We need to take comfort in that statement

if we're believers.

That should encourage us.

God will one day make everything right.

We can trust Him to do that.

He said He would and He will.

That does not mean that we should give up on the idea

of trying to do what we can

to make things just,

to try to help people become treated fairly.

We need to do whatever we can

to oppose oppression and injustice

in this world, in this community.

Everywhere.

You know, we ought to do more

as people of the community,

voters,

people who are able to run for office,

we ought to do more

to try to create situations

where the court has to act quicker than they do.

Where social agencies are forced

to get involved in these crisis situations

where children and women's lives

are on the line.

We need to support Christian organizations

that are trying to help victims of abuse,

women who've been abused,

children and the poor.

We need to help these agencies.

We need to be a part of them.

And we can and must take responsibility

to make sure our home

and our church are safe places

where injustice and abuse are not tolerated.

You know, we're trying to do what we can

here at the church,

making every effort on this church campus

to provide a safe environment.

A lot of things are taking place.

Not just physically,

but emotionally.

You know, if you ever want to work

with children or youth,

or you're a part of that,

you're asked to do background checks.

And we're being asked to do that

every year now,

I believe the situation is.

And you think,

that's a pain.

It sure is.

It's just plain aggravating.

And it costs us money

to do a background check

on everybody every year.

But I want to tell you something.

Children are worth it.

Because we want to ferret out

any possible child,

abuser, or molester.

And there'll be no tolerance.

This will be a no tolerance zone

when it comes to the safety

and well-being of our children.

No tolerance zone

here for the welfare of our children.

But there ought to be that in your home.

Think about it.

You need to make sure

that your home

is a safe place emotionally

as well as physically.

And one of the best ways to do that

is for you as parents

and as children

to make sure that Jesus Christ

really is the Lord of your home.

To make sure it is He

who is building your home.

Because the psalmist tells us

if He's not the one building

those who labor,

labor in vain.

We have a responsibility

as individual Christians,

as a church,

as a community,

to do anything that we can

to promote justice.

That which is right

for people

and especially people

who cannot do it for themselves.

But the sad truth is

no matter how hard we try,

as long as we live

in this fallen world,

there is going to be

oppression

and injustice.

Women and children

are going to continue

to be abused.

Police officers

are going to continue

to do their best

to fight crime.

Some of them

are going to be killed

in the line of duty

as they are trying

to enforce the laws

and bring about justice

for everyone.

This is sad to say,

but there is always

going to be corruption

in government and business.

There is always

going to be corruption

where people are.

Because we are sinners

at heart.

Now,

while we don't have

the power or wisdom

to end all injustice

and oppression,

God does.

And He promises

to do so

one day.

Look next.

A time of judgment

is coming

that will confirm

that the universe

God created

is ultimately

just

or fair.

Here in Ecclesiastes,

the preacher makes it clear

throughout his book,

life's going to end

for everybody one day.

Face the reality.

No matter what you do,

no matter what you build,

no matter what you acquire,

you're going to lose it all

one day because you're

going to die

and you can't take it

with you.

And when death comes,

we will all stand

before God

and give an account

of how we've lived.

There's going to be

a day of judgment,

He says,

for the righteous

and the unrighteous.

But it is also

strategically repeated.

This same statement

about judgment

is strategically repeated

as the very last sentence

of the book

of Ecclesiastes.

Look,

in chapter 12,

verse 14,

for God will bring

every deed

into judgment

with every secret thing

for the good or evil.

See,

the writer of Ecclesiastes,

Solomon,

he wants us

to be clear.

In the end,

it matters

how we live

because we're going

to stand before God

and give an account

of how we've lived.

Now,

one of the things

that we need

to understand,

God's judgment

is good.

It has many

good purposes.

One is,

it reveals God,

that God is concerned.

He does care about

justice or fairness

in this world.

When Paul tells,

think for a moment,

God cares

about things

being right,

people being treated

properly.

God's no respecter

of persons.

The apostle Paul

helps us

understand how God

wants things to be,

intends for things

to be,

and will make things

one day.

Look at what Paul said

to slaves

who were being mistreated

by their masters.

They couldn't rebel,

they couldn't do anything.

He tells them

to be submissive

to their masters,

and he assures them

that God will one day

make all things right.

Look at it.

For the wrongdoer

will be paid back

for the wrong

he has done,

and there is

no partiality.

He's saying,

you can't help

what's going on,

and you can't do

anything about it

as a lowly slave

in the Roman Empire.

But God,

he is not partial

to the slave owner.

That person

who's abused you

will be paid back

for the wrong

he has done.

The word of God says.

Paul found comfort

in that idea himself.

He demonstrated

that he was trusting God

to take care

of his own enemies.

Here's a good example.

In his letter to Timothy,

look at what he said.

He's writing to Timothy

for like his son

in the faith,

Alexander the coppersmith

did me great harm.

The Lord will repay him

according to his deeds.

Alexander the coppersmith

did me great harm.

Paul didn't say,

but I'm just going to let it go.

He was concerned

because the great harm

was Alexander

was opposing Paul's ministry,

opposing the gospel,

opposing the word of God.

Look at it,

what he goes on to say.

Now,

beware of him yourself

for he strongly opposed

our message.

One way to say this,

Paul is saying,

he'll reap what he's sown.

He has harmed me,

but the Lord will pay him,

repay him

according to his deeds.

He's going to reap

what he's sown.

God is just.

He's going to make

everything right.

You know,

you may be sitting there

thinking to yourself,

I have suffered unjustly

in the past.

And you're still having

a hard time dealing with it.

In fact,

you may be sitting here

and the truth is

you're plotting your revenge.

You've been plotting

your revenge for years.

It could be that you're just

unwilling to forgive that person.

It may be that you're just,

you've let it make you bitter.

And vengeful.

You won't even consider

the idea of forgiveness.

It could be that you're just,

you're not going to do

anything yourself,

but you're watching

and waiting

and maybe even praying

that that person

who's hurt you,

that they will suffer

some kind of tragedy

and you'll get to see

them suffer

just as they made you suffer.

Well, as Christians,

we know that such attitudes

are wrong,

but let's be honest,

they're understandable.

Such attitudes

are understandable,

but before God

they are unacceptable.

Scripture is clear.

Look at this

from Romans chapter 12.

Romans 12 · chapter mention

Paul says,

do not repay anyone

evil for evil.

Be careful to do

what is right,

just,

in the eyes of everyone.

As we live in this world

as Christians

and people wrong us,

it is not pleasing to God

for us to just wrong them back.

As Christians,

we have a responsibility.

No matter what happens to us,

we need to do what's right.

Now, to do what's right

doesn't mean that you

become a doormat

to the world.

Doesn't mean you have,

you cannot defend yourself

or your family.

But this idea of

always getting revenge,

always giving back

what somebody gave you

or worse,

that's not,

that's not how

God calls us to live.

We are responsible

not for what people

do to us,

but what we do to people.

And just,

that's a good way

to say it.

Be careful to do

what's right.

You do what's right.

You do what's honorable,

the ESV says.

Do what's right

in honorable eyes

of everyone.

The Bible clearly tells us

not to seek revenge,

but

it does not say,

well, just forget about

the injustice

that has

happened to you.

it does not say,

forget about

how you were

mistreated.

No.

It tells us to trust God

to avenge us.

There is going to be

payback

for those who have

wronged us.

There is going to be

payback for the wicked

people in this world

who have abused

and oppressed

people that

they had power over.

But God's going to do it.

Look at chapter 12

of Romans again,

verse 19.

He says,

Beloved,

never avenge yourselves,

but leave it to the

wrath of God,

for it is written,

vengeance is mine,

I will repay,

says the Lord.

God is not

just letting

everything go

in this life

and just sort of,

God's not just

giving up

and said,

the world's unjust,

just forget about it.

God's keeping records.

God settles scores.

I want you to look

at a lengthier statement,

one of the strongest

statements along this line

in the New Testament.

It's found in

2 Thessalonians

2 Thessalonians 1 · chapter mention

chapter 1.

Paul is writing

to Christians

who have experienced

a lot of persecution.

They've suffered

for their faith.

Look at what he says.

God is just.

He will pay back

trouble to those

who trouble you

and give relief

to you who are

troubled

and to us as well.

This will happen

when the Lord Jesus

is revealed

from heaven

in blazing fire

with his powerful angels.

At the second

coming of Christ,

that's when

the Lord's going to

wind everything up

in this world.

That's when there'll be

a day of judgment.

And after that,

there will be

the new heaven

and new earth.

Look at what else

he says.

He will punish

those who do not

know God

and do not obey

the gospel

of our Lord Jesus.

But he will not

punish

those who do

know God

and those who

have believed

the gospel

of the Lord Jesus.

See, as Christians,

when it comes

to our eternal

destiny,

if our faith

and trust

is truly in Jesus,

then the penalty

for our sins

has been paid

by him.

And his

righteous,

perfect life

has been credited

to us

through faith

in him.

We do not

have to worry

about that

kind of judgment,

a punitive judgment.

But let's read on.

those who do not

believe the good

news about Jesus,

those who do not

know God,

look at the next

sentence,

they will be punished

with everlasting

destruction

and shut out

from the presence

of the Lord

and from the glory

of his might

on the day he comes

to be glorified

in his holy people

and to be marveled

at among all

those who have

believed.

This includes you

because you

believed our

testimony to you.

God will make

everything right.

He promises

his people

to wait on him

and to count

on him.

The world we live

in is filled

with injustice

and oppression.

If we can do

something about it,

it's our duty

to act.

If we can do

something,

we should do

something.

We can't right

every wrong.

And we cannot

make life

in this world

fair.

But as God's

people,

we can be

confident

that God

will.

He will

right every wrong.

He will,

as Paul says,

pay back trouble

to those who've

troubled you.

He'll wipe away

every tear.

tear.

He'll wipe away

every tear

that's been

shed as a

result of

abuse,

of oppression,

and injustice.

One day,

God's going to

make everything

right.

He's going to

make everything

peaceful.

He's going to

make everything

and every day

joyful.

He's going to

make everything

perfect for his

faithful people.

and he's going

to do this

for all

eternity.

We can

count on it.

This is how

we'll live

forever.

You know,

we can't,

we can't

often see how.

And it may

never make sense

to us,

but God can

and does use

sin and evil

and failure

and futility

and suffering

for his

eternal good

purpose.

Like I say,

we can't see

how sometimes.

You may be

going through

something right

now or have

gone through

something and

you think,

I don't see

how any good

can ever come

from it.

That's a fact.

But in the

big scheme of

things,

God is working

everything

according to

his good

purpose and

in the end,

he's going to

make everything

right.

And the

ultimate example

of this is

the crucifixion

of Jesus.

The greatest

evil that has

ever taken

place in this

world was the

execution of

the Son of

God on the

cross.

Jesus was a

perfect man,

but he was

killed,

crucified as a

criminal.

That great

act of evil

became the

greatest act

of love and

goodness because

it resulted in

the salvation of

sinners.

Our salvation if

we're trusting in

Jesus.

This helps us

see that God

really is working

out his good

plan in this

evil world.

We just have to

trust him.

And I want to

ask you as a

Christian, living

in this unfair

world, experiencing

various kinds of

injustice, are you

trusting God?

Are you doing what

you know to do?

Are you doing what's

right for yourself

and trusting God

to take care of

your enemies?

Trusting God to do

whatever needs to be

done to make things

right?

Are you just seeking

to be with his

help, with his

spirit's power who

lives in you, are you

seeking to do what

you can do and be

faithful to do what's

right because you're

trusting God to take

care of all that's

wrong, that you have

no power or ability to

do anything about?

Or could it be this

morning that you

need to begin a

relationship with God?

It could be all the

things we're talking

about this morning.

The problem is you

know that you're an

oppressor of some

people.

You may know that you

are an abuser, maybe

not in the way of

breaking the law, but

in other ways of some

other people.

Maybe this morning

what God has done is

shown you that you're

the one who needs to

fear judgment because

you're living for

yourself.

You're living opposed to

God.

And that should scare

you.

Hopefully that will

wake you up.

And the good news is

Jesus Christ came into

this world to save

sinners.

And if you'll admit your

need and humble yourself

and turn from your sin

and trust Jesus, call

upon him to save you

now, he will do that.

He will do that now.

Scripture tells us that

whoever calls on the

name of the Lord will be

saved.

But I want to close with

a word to Christians.

We, we can be guilty.

Maybe at home, maybe at

work, maybe among certain

group of friends or

acquaintances, we can be

oppressors at times.

We can be abusers.

Verbally, emotionally,

psychologically, as well as

physically.

And I want you to hear

that if you're feeling

guilt because that word

abuser, that word

unfairness, that applies

to you a lot of times.

Oppression, taking advantage

of people.

You need to understand

you're not pleasing to

God that way.

You're never going to have

a right relationship with

him or to people.

That's how you're living.

And so it could be that

as a Christian, you know

it's wrong.

And on a good day, when

all is calm, you have no

problems.

But when you get under

stress, things don't go

your way, you just explode

and this stuff comes out of

your mouth.

It's seen in your face.

It's felt by your actions

and attitudes by people

that you really do love

and don't want to hurt.

But if that's the case,

you need to confess your

sin to God.

You need to humble yourself

and seek his forgiveness

and you need to humble

yourself and beg the

forgiveness of those you've

abused or oppressed or

mistreated.

They know it and you know

it and God knows it.

God wants us to right all

the wrongs that we can and

we can be confident that

those we have no power over,

he'll right them one day on

the day of judgment.

Let's pray together.

Dear God, help us to see how

we should respond right now.

Each one of us is an

individual.

It's part of this church,

part of this community.

Father, help us to hate

injustice, oppression,

wherever it's found.

Help us to confess our sin

if it's found in our lives.

Help us to intervene if it's

taking place somewhere where

we know it and we can do

something about it.

But Lord, help us in

situations where we are

powerless.

Help us, dear God, to trust

you and to be confident

that one day, the day of

judgment, if not before,

you will avenge your people.

You will make things right.

Give us that faith and help us

to do what we know to be right

regardless of how people treat us.

In an attitude of prayer,

listen to the Lord and obey him.

Do what he's calling you to do.

He's calling you to trust

Jesus as your Lord and Savior.

Do that now.

If I could pray with you,

I'll be here at the front and

would love to do that during

this time.

Just listen to the Lord and

obey him.