Preparing for Judgement – By Father Andrew Bahhi

This Sunday is the 4^th Sunday after Easter, and we see today’s reading helps everyone with an opportunity to get closer to God. Become more Christian and faithful to God. John 3:11-21 is very important for that reason.

At the end, at verse 19, there is a very beautiful verse and also a very scary verse. When Jesus said “and this is the condemnation (or judgement).”

Knowing the answer for this word will help every individual to know his life with Jesus, and ask oneself, “Am I with him or not?”

As John 3:19 reads, “And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.”

He is light of the world and came to us, but unfortunately, we like more the darkness. Why? Because men’s deeds are evil.

No matter what, every one of us will be standing in front of the throne and seat of God. And nobody can help you or me. Not your money, your health, your position, what family you came from, what church you belonged to, how healthy you were, how good of a person you were. Nothing can help, except one thing – your faith in Jesus Christ.

In Ephesians, St. Paul says we are saved by grace.

So, let’s go to the judgement day or hour. If you are standing in front of Jesus, what do you expect to hear from him? Are you going to hear “Good person, come to the right side”? Or will you hear “I don’t know you. Go to the eternal death.”

Nothing can save you except faith in Jesus Christ.

Three Ways People Do Not Inherit the Kingdom of God

Who are those people not going to inherit the kingdom of God? I put them in three categories.

Number 1, I call them the unbeliever. In John 3:18, it reads “He who believes in Him is not condemned, but he who does not believe is condemned already.” There is no other way to go to heaven except by Jesus Christ.

These are people Christians only by name. What are really their deeds?

Jonah preached in 30 days the city would be destroyed and was thrown into sea for three days before returning. And this is why Jesus called Jonah the greatest sign of the miracle. There is no way except solid faith in the Savior who died and was resurrected.

Second, are the careless, or lazy people. Unlike the unbeliever, they made a decision to enjoy their life instead of believing. They say, “Later on, I will repent.”

These people put Jesus on the side and use Jesus only when they need him.

The Lord is asking “Why did you not come and work hard to put me in your life?” Believe me the eternal death is way harder than taking the time to believe now, and it is eternal.

The door is still open.

The third group reject Jesus totally. These are the people of Sodom and Gomorrah. COVID was a big call to all of us to come back to God. We are not safe anymore in the world. There is a message the Lord wanted to deliver. “Be ready, very soon I will come.”

You may someday be asked:
Why did you not wake up? Maybe we say “Lord, we did not have a Bible.”
Then the Lord said “Why did you not open Christian media, TV or radio?” And then we respond these preachers were not good people to watch.”
Or the Lord said, “Why did you not go to the church?”

Some people drive every Sunday two hours. Some people come within walking distance. And similarly, you see people very physically close, yet they are very far. And you see those who are very far physically, and they are in the heart of the church.

Some people may think church is boring. Believe me if you cannot handle 1-2 hours here, I don’t know how you will handle the eternal life or eternal death there. And the eternal death will always be painful.

Before it is too late, let’s please wake up. We will all die and go to the judgement day. As it says in the Book of Hebrews, St. Paul says “As it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgement.”

God has an appointed time for all of us to die and face the judgement. It is not going to be the end. So please don’t make the same mistake that you have done before. Don’t delay because you don’t know what will happen in your life seconds from now.

But if you believe in Him, no matter what happens, you know where you are going to end up. In a good place, on the right side of the Savior.

That’s why I pray we all wake up from the wrath. 1 Thessalonians says, “even Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come.”

Before all these things come, before you stand in front of the throne of the Savior, please make that decision to follow Him and be with him. And you will be very happy.

In fact, the good believer cannot wait to be in that position, because they will hear the most beautiful statement: “Very good and faithful servant. You were faithful in a little. I will put you in charge of my kingdom.”

Learn more in Father Andrew’s sermon video here.