The Apostle Paul served Christ faithfully as he took the gospel to various places where Christ had never been named. And as he took the gospel faithfully and served the Lord in this way, both establishing churches and then shepherding, leading the churches that were established, Paul faced much persecution. We know of how he was stoned, how he was shipwrecked, how he was beaten. imprisoned and suffered these various persecutions that were non-ending. From town to town, he would preach the gospel and again and again he would be persecuted. Now, Paul did so with the hope that the Lord would one day reward him. He writes in 1 Corinthians 3.14, if the work that anyone has built on the foundation of Jesus Christ survives, he will receive a reward. He had hoped that the Lord would give him a reward for the service that he was giving to Jesus Christ. Yet we have no record of Paul receiving a reward from God. In fact, he sometimes avoided making a living from his ministry. In First Corinthians nine, he talks about how he didn't even want to receive financial remuneration from the congregation for the sake of the gospel and the reputation of the gospel. Will Paul and other faithful servants of Christ indeed be rewarded? Think about the church at Smyrna. The church at Smyrna suffered persecution. Some, Jesus says, would be thrown in prison. Some would be martyred. Will those who persecuted the Christians in Smyrna and those who have persecuted other Christians throughout the ages, will they be punished for what they have done in persecuting the Church of Christ? The majority of the church at Sardis that we just read about this morning was spiritually dead. Will those people who profess the name of Christ but were spiritually dead, who died in their sins, will they be called to account for their unbelief? Well, Jesus tells a parable. Jesus says that there was a landowner, and the landowner had three servants that he entrusted his affairs to while the landowner went away on a long journey. The landowner entrusted five talents. Now, talent was a unit of money in that day. It was a large amount of money. He entrusted five talents to one of these servants and told him to be faithful in carrying on the affairs of the landowner until he would return. There's a second servant that was given two talents and told to be faithful with that. And then there was a third servant that was given one talent. Now, after many days, the landowner returned and he he called for his three servants to come before him and give an account of what they had done with the talents that had been entrusted to them, with the business that had been entrusted to them. The first man said, well, with these five talents that you entrusted to me, I have invested them and I have earned five more for you. And the master said to him, well done, good and faithful servant. You've been faithful with little. I will entrust much to you. And the same thing happens with the second one. He shows that he's been faithful because he has earned two more talents with what was entrusted to him. He also has doubled what the resources that were given to him. And so the master tells him, good job. You've been faithful with little, you will be entrusted with much." But then we have the third one, and he had done nothing with that one talent except bury it in the ground out of fear. The master said, you are a disobedient, wicked servant. You have not been faithful with what I entrusted to you. And he says, you will be cast out into the outer darkness where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth. Now, this parable was meant to communicate to us what will happen at the final judgment. That those who are servants of Jesus Christ will be rewarded at the final judgment. While the wicked. Are going to be punished. at the final judgment. And so now we must prepare for that final day, which we do not know when it will occur. Now, the one who spoke this parable about the final judgment. Tells us again about the final judgment in our text, in Revelation, chapter 22, Verse 10, this is the same one who spoke the parable. This is Jesus Christ. Look at verse 10. And he said to me, do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this book for the time is near. Let the evil doers still do evil and the filthy still be filthy and the righteous still do right and the holy still be holy. Behold, I am coming soon, bringing my recompense with me to repay everyone for what he has done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end. This is God's holy word. The main idea of these four verses is the final judgment. If you look at closely at verse 12, These are the words of Jesus. They may be spoken by an angel, but they are the words of Jesus. Behold, I am coming soon, bringing my recompense with me to repay everyone for what he has done. I am coming soon. That repeats words that Jesus has spoken earlier in this book. Again and again, Jesus has said, I am coming soon. This indeed is the main event of the book of Revelation, the second coming of Jesus Christ. And he says, I am bringing my recompense with me to repay everyone for what he has done. That's the final judgment. And everything else in this passage is connected to the final judgment and the judge who will stand in the final judgment. This morning, I want to organize our time, first of all, around three truths that you must believe about the final judgment. And then we will see one truth that you must believe about the judge. What is the first truth about the final judgment? The first truth about the final judgment concerns the revelation of the final judgment. We see that the final judgment has been revealed to you. Look closely at verse 10. And he said to me, do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this book. For the time is near. What would it mean to seal up the words of the prophecy of this book? John's told not to do so. But what would that mean to seal up the words of this book? Well, the context enables us to understand. If you look back at chapter 10, earlier, John was told to seal up some words. Chapter 10, I'm going to start reading in verse three. Verse three, an angel called out with a loud voice like a lion roaring. When he called out the seven thunders sounded and when the seven thunders had sounded, I was about to write, but I heard a voice from heaven saying seal up what the seven thunders have said and do not write it down. So we see here to seal up some words means to keep them secret. In chapter 10, there were some words that John heard that he was told to seal up. So we don't know what they were because they were kept secret. But we have the opposite now in chapter 22, verse 10, when John is told, do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this book for the time is near. What are the words of the prophecy of this book? Well, that's that's the book of Revelation from chapter one to chapter 22. All of the book of Revelation is what he's referring to here, because what we are reading here is the conclusion to the book. What is John to do in light of the fact that he's just now, by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, received this book? He's not to keep it secret. He is actually to make it known to others. The reason for not sealing up the words of the prophecy of this book is given. The reason is the time is near. In other words, the events that are prophesied in the book of Revelation could happen at any time. And we need to understand this book and prepare accordingly for the events that are foretold in this book. And what is the main event that's prophesied? We said earlier, the main event prophesied in this book is the second coming of Jesus Christ. And verse 12 indicates to us that the second coming will involve the final judgment. You need to know that the final judgment has been revealed to you. God has not kept that secret. When the final judgment was prophesied to John, he was told, do not seal up the words of the prophecy. God has revealed the final judgment in this book to every generation from John's generation all the way to the generation that will be alive at Christ's return. It's been revealed to us. It's been given to us. God is not keeping these things secret. Just think about the title of this book. It is called The Revelation of Jesus Christ. It comes from the very first words in this book. The book was given as a revelation. Truth is being made known to us that we need to know and shape our lives around. What have you done with God's revelation of the final judgment? God's been very gracious to bring it to you. He's even had the revelation of it translated into the languages that you speak. He's even, in his providence, seen fit to have it distributed and copied so that you probably have multiple copies of this book in your home. If you don't own a copy, there are copies for you on the resource table back there. Take one as our gift to you. God is making this known to you. You need to read it and know it. What have you done with God's revelation of the final judgment in this book? You need to read what revelation says about the final judgment. You need to study what revelation says about the final judgment. You need to meditate on it. You need to pray about it. You need to prepare for the final judgment. As Jesus said, you also must be ready for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect. You see, the final judgment will occur whether you believe in it or not. And when it occurs, you will not be able to say to Jesus Christ, I didn't know that this was coming, because right now God is bringing you face to face with his revelation of the final judgment. The first truth that we need to see about the final judgment is that it has been revealed to you. The second truth that we need to see in our text and believe about the final judgment concerns the permanence of the final judgment. It's permanence. We see in our text the final judgment will reveal both permanent hardening and permanent salvation. Look with me at verse 11. Let the evildoer still do evil. And the filthy still be filthy. And the righteous still do right. And the holy still be holy. Now these words precede Jesus' words in verse 12, Behold, I am coming soon. The words about let the evildoers still do evil, let the righteous still do right, they tell us something about the final judgment. These are authoritative words spoken by the one who is coming, spoken by Jesus himself. Think about what happened when God the Father said, let there be light. When he said let there be light, his command created the light. And here, Jesus, who has the same authority as God the Father, is telling us something about the final judgment. Let the evil doer still do evil. Let the righteous still do right. When the incarnate Word says these words, we know His Word will create what it commands. In the final judgment, Christ will make an authoritative, permanent pronouncement. In our verse, we first see a pronouncement concerning the wicked, that is, the unredeemed. He says, let the evil doers still do evil and the filthy still be filthy. He's talking about the filthy, he's talking about those who are morally filthy, who have been polluted by their sin, by the rebellion against God. And what's being communicated to us here is that at the final judgment, The wicked will be permanently hardened in their wickedness. When Jesus speaks to the wicked at the judgment, he's not going to say repent. He's not going to say change your ways. He's going to say. You are wicked, may you remain wicked. And he will look at the righteous and say, may you remain righteous. It will be a permanent pronouncement, a permanent declaration, a permanent command. The wicked will be permanently handed over to their wicked way. In verse 15, we read outside that outside of the New Jerusalem are the dogs and sorcerers and the sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters and everyone who loves and practices falsehood. What we're told about that time after the final judgment, the time of the new Jerusalem, which is for the saved, for the redeemed, after the final judgment, is that outside is not everyone who past tense loved and practiced falsehood, but everyone is outside present tense who loves and practices falsehood. Though the wicked, will have already been judged and they will be excluded from the New Jerusalem. They will not repent. They will continue in their wickedness. They will continue to practice falsehood. They will continue to love falsehood. There will be no repentance, no change of mind. They will be permanently hardened in their rebellion against God. Romans 9 18 says God has mercy on whomever he wills and he hardens whomever he wills. This hardening begins on this side of eternity and it will be completed at the final judgment. Because it's not been completed and we don't know who is being hardened for judgment, we proclaim the gospel to everyone, call upon all to repent. But once the hardening is completed, the gospel will never again go to the wicked and there will be no change in their hearts. Permanently hardened. The hardening itself will be part of God's judgment. That's why right now the non-elect are being hardened. It's a punishment for their sin. And when the fullness of the hardening occurs at the final judgment, the hardening itself will be part of God's judgment upon them. So in verse 11, let the evil doer still do evil and the filthy still be filthy. But this isn't the only pronouncements. The second pronouncement in verse 11 concerns the redeemed. The second pronouncement is Let the righteous still do right, and the holy still be holy. He talks about the holy. The holy are those who are set apart from sin unto God for his service. Let the holy still be holy. Let them continue for all eternity, being set apart from sin unto God for his service. Let them forever serve God with all their heart, all their soul, all their strength, and all their minds. You see, at the final judgment, the redeemed will be permanently saved from the practice and the presence of sin. Right now, the redeemed are perfectly safe from the penalty of sin. But at the final judgment, we will be perfectly delivered and redeemed from the practice and the presence of sin. Look with me in chapter 21 at verse 9 to see the permanence communicated. Chapter 21, verse 9. Then came one of the seven angels who had the seven bulls full of the seven last plagues and spoke to me saying, Come. I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb." So this is a scene that happened after the final judgment. Verse 10, And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great high mountain. And he showed me the holy city, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, having the glory of God, its radiance like a most rare jewel, like a Jasper, clear as crystal. That's a picture of the redeemed. That's a picture of those who are saved from sin. And the picture is that of a holy spotless bride, a people of God that perfectly reflect the glory of God. And that will be permanent, because if you look down at verse 27, but nothing unclean will ever enter it, nor anyone who does what is attestable or false, but only those who are written in the Lamb's Book of Life. Nothing unclean will ever enter the city. The holiness will be permanent. Reflecting the glory of God will be permanent. There will be no citizen of the New Jerusalem that will ever fall into sin and be cast out of that city. Jesus says in our text. Let the holy still be holy, let the righteous still do right. A pronouncement of eternal, permanent salvation that will be issued at the final judgment. So in chapter 22, verse three, we read no longer will there be anything accursed, but the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it and his servants will worship him. They will see his face and his name will be on their foreheads and night will be no more. They will need no light of lamp or sun for the Lord. God will be the light and they will reign forever and ever. Permanence has been communicated. There will be no second fall. permanent salvation from the practice and presence of sin. Save the sin no more. Save to permanently do what is right in God's sight. We know that we are not experiencing that yet. We're in the process of sanctification. We are struggling against sin and temptation. We yield to temptation probably every day. But we are awaiting the final judgment. When, as the redeemed, the pronouncement will be made, let the righteous still be righteous. Let the holy still be holy, a command that will create what it is commanding for all of eternity. This is what is pronounced in verse 11. O believer, take courage from chapter 22, verse 11, to persevere in faith amidst your struggles with sin. Right now, we struggle. Right now, we fight. And the victory is secured. We know how the struggle will end. We know how the fight against sin will end if the blood of Jesus has washed away the penalty of your sins. We struggle now. But we are assured that the salvation will be completed and we will sin no more. We will forever do what is holy and righteous in God's sight. Oh, friend, if you have not been converted, be afraid of the final judgment. Permanent hardening. Repent today. The point of this being revealed for the unbeliever is that they would repent today. In verse 14 of chapter 22, he says, Blessed are those who wash their robes so they may have the right to the tree of life and they may enter the city by the gates. We are warned of the final judgment so that the unbeliever will turn to Christ and receive this washing away of his sins by the blood of Jesus. Also, in verse 17, the spirit and the bride say come and let the one who hears say come and let the one who is thirsty come. Let the one who desires take the water of life without price. If you don't know Jesus as your Lord and Savior, if your sins have not been forgiven, repent today, turn to Jesus today as your Lord and Savior. Well, so far we have seen the revelation of the final judgment. We have seen the permanence of the final judgment. But what must you and I believe about the nature of the final judgment? What exactly is the final judgment about? Well, the third truth I want you to see in our text about the final judgment concerns the nature of the final judgment. We see that the final judgment will recompense everyone. I use that word recompense because that's the word the English Standard Version has used here. If you look at verse 12, Behold, I am coming soon, bringing my recompense with me to repay everyone for what he has done. The word recompense translates a Greek word that means what is due. Jesus is saying, I am coming soon, bringing what is due with me to repay everyone for what he has done. This word recompense is usually translated in other contexts in the New Testament by either the word reward or the word wages. You see, in God's economy, every word that we speak, every act that we commit has its just due. If what we say and what we do is in accordance with God's holy law, it is due a reward. Otherwise, if it is not in accordance with God's holy law, it is due a punishment. The final judgment will be a day of recompense for everyone who has ever lived. Notice that word everyone in verse 12. I'm coming soon, bringing my recompense with me to repay everyone for what he has done. Everyone will be recompensed for what he has done. One of God's perfections is his justice. That means that God does not overlook anything. In Revelation, chapter two, verse twenty three, Jesus said, I am he who searches mind and heart and I will give to each of you according to your works. Jesus does not overlook any thought that we've ever had. He does not overlook anything that has gone on in our heart, any motive that we have had, any attitude that we have had. He overlooks none of it because he is a he's perfect in his justice. He's all knowing. He doesn't overlook anything. And God, as one who is perfectly just, gives to every person what they justly deserve without partiality. We see partiality in today's justice systems in some cases, but that never occurs with God. God never, ever shows partiality. In the final judgment, Jesus Christ will repay everyone for what he has done. This was spoken of back in chapter 11. If you look with me at chapter 11, verse 18. Eleven, 18, we read. The nations raged, but your wrath came in the time for the dead to be judged and for rewarding your servants, the prophets and saints and those who fear your name. So we see here that on the day of judgment, God's wrath will fall upon many. While rewards will be given to God's servants, rewards will be given to the prophets and saints, rewards will be given to those who fear the name of the Lord. There will be a judgment. Wrath will be received by some, rewards by others. Now, to think correctly about the experience of the believer in the final judgment. You have to keep in mind what the rest of Scripture says. You will become engrossed in heresy if you develop a whole theology based on this one text we're studying this morning. You have to correlate this with everything else God has revealed. If you are a believer today in Jesus Christ, you can know that all of your sins, past, present and future, have already been judged. Look with me at Romans chapter eight, verse one, where we see that for the believer, all of our sins have already been judged. Romans eight, verse one. There is therefore now no condemnation in the original, the emphasis is on that word, no, there is no condemnation whatsoever for those who are in Christ Jesus. Then you go on to verse three, for God has done what the law weakened by the flesh could not do. By sending his own son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, whose flesh? Jesus's flesh. If you believe in Jesus, your sins were laid on Jesus. And Jesus was condemned in his body for all the sins that you've committed in the past and all the sins that you will commit in the future. They've been condemned. They've been judged in the Lord Jesus Christ. He has suffered the full judgment for all of our sins. Now, our God is a just God, and being a just God, he will not judge the believer's sins a second time. That would be unjust. The just God of this universe has judged the believer's sins once and for all in Jesus Christ. He was our sin bearer, our guilt bearer, our penalty bearer, our condemnation bearer, our judgment bearer. And he's borne all of it on our behalf. So John heard in heaven Jesus being praised in Revelation five, verse nine, in this way, you were slain and by your blood You ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation. The believer has been ransomed. Christ has paid the penalty and purchased us for himself. So it is said of the redeemed in Revelation 714 that they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. The guilt of our sins, once and for all, washed away by the blood of Jesus. So that now God looks at us as absolutely pure and holy in his sight. So a blessing is then pronounced upon the redeemed in chapter 22, verse 14. Blessed are those who wash their robes. We already know what the robes are washed in, in the blood of Jesus. Blessed are those who wash their robes, that they may have the right to the tree of life and that they may enter the city by the gates. Those who have their guilt removed by the blood of Jesus, they're the ones who enter the new Jerusalem. If all of your sins have already been judged in the Lord Jesus Christ, then you can know that at the final judgment where God will judge in your life will only be the good works that you have resulted from the Holy Spirit's work of regenerating you. That's all that's going to be left to be judged. The sin has already been judged. What will remain to be judged at the final judgment for the believer? It's the good works that we can't really take credit for. It's the good works that have issued forth in the fruit of the regenerating work of the Holy Spirit in our life. That is what will come before Christ, and that is what we will be judged for. The fruit of salvation in our life. Let's think of that as we read, as we reread chapter 22, verse 12. Behold, I am coming soon. bringing my recompense with me to repay everyone for what he has done. Some of the Apostle Paul's last words that he wrote before he died are recorded for us in Second Timothy, chapter four, where he says, I'm already being poured out as a drink offering and the time of my departure has come. I have fought the good fight. I have finished the race. I have kept the faith. Henceforth, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award me on that day. And not only to me, but also to all who have loved his appearing. Paul understood the final judgment. He wrote in his epistles about the final judgment, and he anticipated the final judgment with hope, with a confident, eager expectation. Now, why did Paul faced just before his death the final judgment with hope when he was, as he wrote in the first letter to Timothy, the chief of sinners. Here is one who, according to the book of Acts, approved of Stephen's execution. Here is one who, according to Acts 8, verse 3, ravaged the church, entering house after house. He dragged off men and women and committed them to prison. How is it that when you have a murderer who is still very well aware of the fact that he is the chief of sinners, very well aware of the fact that he committed these murders of Jesus' disciples, How is it that when he's about to die, he's not afraid? How is it that he's filled with confident, eager expectation, hope? How is it that he's looking forward to seeing Jesus as his judge? It's because he knew the things he pens in Romans 8. That Jesus was condemned in the flesh on Paul's behalf. All the judgment for those murders that Paul committed had already been executed upon our substitute at the cross. He knew that all that was going to come into judgment on the final day, all that was left to be judged was any fruit that resulted from salvation. And so he expected to be rewarded a crown, a crown of righteousness. He expected to receive the reward of a crown. Not because he had earned salvation. No, he did not earn salvation. But he understands the final judgment. He understands by God's grace, the fruit of salvation will be rewarded. And so he had great hope for that day. If you are a believer, then on the final day of judgment, All your good works will testify to God's saving work in your life. And all your good works will be rewarded by Christ, not rewarded with eternal life. Eternal life was secured for us with Jesus death on the cross and the act of God justifying us at our conversion. 1 John 5, 13, I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so you may know you have eternal life. Jesus, you have passed out of judgment unto life. Eternal life is a gift from God, a gift of His grace received through faith. As believers, we already possess eternal life. When we are rewarded at the final judgment, we're not rewarded with eternal life. We already possess that by the grace of God. What are we rewarded with? at the final judgment as believers, possibly rewarded with a greater capacity to enjoy God in eternity, definitely will be rewarded with greater responsibility. Jesus made that clear in his teaching. Definitely, the reward will be something delightful. What amazing grace that we sinners, for what we have done, deserve eternal condemnation. and who have done good works that are the fruit of God's work in our life, what amazing grace that those works will be rewarded. Who are we to receive a reward from God? Absolutely amazing. If you haven't been washed by the blood of the Lamb, Then verse 12, where he says, Behold, I am coming soon, bringing my recompense with me to repay everyone for what he has done. This verse should produce terrible dread within you if you have not been washed by the blood of the Lamb. Romans 6, 23 says the wages of sin is death, eternal death, eternal separation from God, eternal judgment in the lake of fire. If you've not been washed by the blood of the Lamb. Be terrified of the final judgment and be moved to repent of your sins and trust in Jesus. The final judgment will recompense everyone, which is good news if Jesus bore your sins and was condemned in your place and is an encouragement to grow in obedience to Jesus Christ, knowing that our obedience now makes a difference in eternity. Not for getting into the kingdom, But makes a difference for the rewards that we will receive from Jesus on that final day. But. If Jesus, if you don't know Jesus as your sin bearer, this should move you to let go of your sin and take hold of Christ as your Lord and Savior. I pray that if this is your case, you will be unsettled by this verse of final judgment until you turn to Christ. The one who will stand as our judge in the final judgment is Jesus Christ, the one who says in our text, I am coming soon. Unlike you and I, Jesus Christ has authority to judge the living and the dead. One truth that you must believe about the judge is also given to us in our text, and this truth concerns the authority of the judge. If you're using the outline provided, correct that last point to the authority of the judge. We see in our text, Jesus is the Alpha and the Omega. Look with me in Revelation 22, verse 13. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end. These words speak of Christ's authority to judge all mankind. Jesus says the same thing three different times for emphasis. First time, I'm the Alpha and the Omega. Again, he says the first and the last. And again, he says the beginning and the end. Now, we saw in our study of Chapter 21, verse six, this this title, the Alpha and the Omega, we saw that it means the sovereign one, the one who began history by creating all things, the one who also determines how history will end, the Alpha and the Omega. Now this title, Alpha and the Omega, The beginning and the end, the first and the last. This title is appropriate only for one who is very God of very God. Back to chapter one, verse eight, is the first occurrence of this title, the Alpha and the Omega. Chapter one, verse eight. Says. I am the Alpha and the Omega, says the Lord God, who is and who was and who is to come the Almighty. The very first chapter is the Lord God saying, I am the Alpha and the Omega. Now, in the last chapter, Jesus Christ is saying, I am the Alpha and the Omega. This title actually originates in the Old Testament. Turn with me back to Isaiah, chapter 44, verse 6. Isaiah 44, verse 6. Thus says the Lord, the King of Israel and his Redeemer, the Lord of hosts. I am the first and I am the last. There's that title we've been been looking at. I'm the first and the last. Besides me, there is no God who is like me. Let him proclaim it. Let him declare and set it before me. Since I appointed an ancient people, let them declare what is to come and what will happen. God says here that he alone is God. There's none like Him. He's the only one who declares what will happen in the future. Part of the meaning of that term, the first and the last. He's saying that He alone is the first and the last. There is no other. Now compare that with chapter 48 of Isaiah, verse 11, where we see something similar. Very important to recognize that only God may receive this title, Alpha and Omega. 48 11 For my own sake for my own sake I do it for how should my name be profaned my glory I will not give to another Listen to me Oh Jacob and Israel whom I called I am he I am the first and I am the last My hand laid the foundation of the earth and my right hand spread out the heavens when I called to them they stand forth together He has that title there again in verse 11 I am the first and I am the last He says in verse 11, I will not give my glory to another. He will not give this glorious title of the first and the last, the Alpha and Omega to anyone outside of the Godhead is reserved for God and for God alone. And now in Revelation 22, verse 13, we have Jesus. saying, I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end. He's ascribing this title that is only due to God to himself. He's proclaiming that he possesses all the authority of God himself. He is one with the Father. He is God. And it is on this authority that he will judge on the final day. No one other than God could stand in the final day as the judge of all mankind. But Jesus, as the Alpha, is our creator, which makes us accountable to Jesus for how we live. Jesus is the Alpha and the Omega. He's sovereign over all of history, which means the commands that he gives to us are authoritative. And as the Omega, Jesus determines how history will end. He determines where we will spend eternity. As the Alpha and the Omega, Jesus has the authority to, as our text says in Revelation 22, repay everyone for what he has done. This is something that Isaiah foretold the Lord Yahweh would do. Isaiah 40, 10, Behold the Lord God. Adonai Yahweh comes with might and his arm rules for him. Behold, his reward is with him and his recompense before him. So the Old Testament is clear. God will have a final judgment and revelation adds some specificity to it. And it tells us which member of the Godhead is going to be the one executing the judgment. It is going to be none other than Jesus Christ, the son of God, the second person of the Trinity. Now, the declaration of Christ's deity in Revelation 22, 13, I am the Alpha and the Omega, this declaration of deity is denied by the Jehovah Witness cult. The leaders of the Jehovah Witnesses know that the title Alpha and Omega is a divine title, and to defend their presupposition about Jesus, that Jesus is less than God, they claim that verse 13 is not the words of Jesus. They say, here we have Jehovah speaking, I am the Alpha and the Omega. But I want you to look back at verse 12. The speaker says, I am coming soon. Revelation makes it clear the one who's coming soon is Jesus. And if you look down at verse 16, I, Jesus, have sent my angel to testify. Clearly, the speaker in verse 13 is Jesus. And we must believe this is a claim to deity. We must believe Jesus is God and that he's not anything less than God. This passage and numerous others in the New Testament teach that Jesus Christ is God. You must not believe what the Jehovah Witnesses teach. Their teaching is damning people to hell. For Jesus said in John 8, 24, unless you believe that I am he meaning the one that I am proclaiming myself to be, unless you believe that I am he, you will die in your sins. We must have a correct theology of Jesus. Otherwise, we're outside the faith. Jesus Christ will hold us accountable for believing the truth revealed in Scripture regarding His identity. And just as He will hold us accountable for following everything else in Scripture. For He, in verse 13, is the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End. So, in summary, the truths that we must believe that are communicated in our text are, first of all, the final judgment has been revealed to you. Second, the final judgment will reveal both permanent hardening and permanent salvation. Thirdly, the final judgment will recompense everyone. And fourthly, Jesus Christ has authority to stand as the judge because he is the Alpha and the Omega. My question to you is what have these truths about the final judgment and the judge produced in your heart while you've been listening? Have these truths been producing dread, or have they been producing joy? If you know Jesus as your Lord and Savior, you can rejoice at the thought of the final judgment. And if you've been under some false teaching before that has told you you can't rejoice at it, be freed by this text, O believer, to rejoice at the thought of the coming judgment. But if you do not know Jesus as your Lord and Savior, you ought to be in dread. You might not be in dread. You might not be taking these things seriously. You might not be believing this is the word of God, but this is the word of God. If you don't know Jesus, you ought to be in dread of these things. In the late 19th century, there was a man who was afraid for his soul named Wilbur Chapman. Wilbur Chapman attended a meeting in which D.L. Moody preached the gospel. Afterwards, Wilbur Chapman, concerned for his soul, wanted to hear more. And to Chapman's great joy, D.L. Moody sat down next to him. Chapman confessed to Moody that he was not quite sure that he was saved. Moody handed Chapman his Bible and asked Chapman to read John 5, 24. which Chapman read, trembling with emotion. Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life. And then he read it twice more. And through this verse, the Holy Spirit assured Chapman that he was accepted by God on the basis of Jesus' sacrifice for him. When you know that you are saved, You can think on the final judgment and sincerely, joyfully seeing the words that Wilbur Chapman later penned regarding his savior. Living, he loved me. Dying, he saved me. Buried, he carried my sins far away. Rising, he justified freely forever. One day he's coming. Oh, glorious day. Heavenly Father, we thank you for the gospel. Your gospel condemns us first as sinners, deserving of eternal judgment, and then, after convicting us by the law, shows us the one who fulfilled the law on our behalf and satisfied the just requirements of the law, of the penalty for all who do not do everything written in the law. We thank you for sending Jesus our sin bearer, our guilt bearer, our judgment bearer, our condemnation bearer. And we thank you for the regenerating work of your Spirit that is to attribute for any good fruit in our life of obedience to Jesus Christ. Lord Jesus, may you come quickly. We pray, Father, that on that day, each one present in this room would be wearing a robe that has been cleansed by the blood of the Lamb. We pray in Jesus' name, Amen.