here come the judge - bubba garner

Here Comes The Judge

by Bubba Garner
Southside Church of Christ
Pasadena, Texas

The Scriptures speak of it in many different ways—the day of the Lord, the day of God, the second coming of Christ, the day of wrath, the day of eternal glory. What all those descriptions, as well as over 300 reference in the New Testament alone, have in common is the fact that “it is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment” (Heb. 9:27). It is inescapable. It is appointed.

In light of the certainty of His arrival, one that will be unannounced and for some, unexpected, how ought we to live? What can we do to make sure that we’re ready for the moment when the trumpet of God sounds and the Lord Himself descends from heaven?

Wake up. “But you, brethren, are not in darkness, that the day would overtake you like a thief… so then let us not sleep as others do, but let us be alert” (1 Thess. 5:4-6). We need to be reminded of the reality of the judgment and that we must be ready at all times to meet the Lord. To be alert means to be watchful, to be on guard. Otherwise, we are liable to shirk our duty and end up being surprised by something we were supposed to be looking for. To those who are fully awake and aware, it shouldn’t matter whether He comes today, tomorrow, or next year. “For we do not sleep as others do.”

Get serious. Paul says not only to be alert but to be “sober” (1 Thess. 5:6,8). Those are the same two words Peter puts together when he talks about our battles with the devil (1 Pet. 5:8). You can’t be watchful without being sober. If you’re sober, that means you’re free from distractions, exercising self-control, constantly arming yourself for battle. The sober-minded person never loses sight of the truth that works of the world will be burned up and what really matters is the treasures that are laid up in heaven. That’s serious business.

Stay focused. The devil’s going to try to get you off track. Mockers are going to come with their mockings. But none of that changes the promise of God that “the day of the Lord will come” (1 Thess. 5:2). And Paul doesn’t use that as a scare tactic but as a source of encouragement (1 Thess. 4:18, 1 Thess. 5:11). This is good news. The Lord Himself is coming to deliver His people from this sin-sick world and take them home to glory. We should be able to pray with confidence, “Lord Jesus, come quickly.” If we can’t, we’re too focused on fear.

What would you like for Jesus to find you doing when He returns? Whatever it is, I suggest you start doing it right now.