Shepherd of the Springs
Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod

The Second Last Sunday before the End of the Church Year
"The Verdict is In!"

"The verdict is in! The verdict is in!" When you hear those words, whether in a courtroom where you have a stake in the outcome – or whether you hear those words on TV or in a theater – you know that this is a time of tension. "Which way have the jurors decided this case?" The jurors, the judgers of facts, know now, before you hear the product of their work as jurors, and the tension is off for them. But you don’t know, I don’t know, and we await their official word, and we await that word with baited breath – whatever that is! "The verdict is in!"

I.

So it is in daily life. So you think. But it is not so in real life concerning the most important verdict in all history – the verdict of Christ, our God and our Judge on the Last Day. "The Father judges no one, but has given all judgment to the Son, that all may honor the Son, just as they honor the Father. Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him. 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. [John 5.22-24]

And Jesus continues to explain h0w it is that the verdict of the Final Judgment, which Jesus will render as God the Son, with all authority from God the Father, is already in! Now, not just then! "Truly, truly I say to you, an hour is coming, and now is hear, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live. For as the Father has life in Himself, so He has granted the Son also to have life in Himself. And He has given Him authority to judgment, because He is the Son of Man." [John 5.25-27]

You see, the verdict is already in! Christ renders the verdict to sinners – dead men and dead women, walking around, but spiritually dead – and then, though dead, they hear the voice of the Gospel, and they are converted – old men, little babies – and sinners of every size and age: They hear the Gospel and the Holy Ghost creates and sustains faith in them, and they are brought from spiritual death to spiritual life. The verdict is in for them, for you, for me: "You have passed from death to life!"

II.

But Jesus goes on – there IS a Final Judgment Day, and He distinguishes between being brought to life by the Word of the Gospel, as you have been brought to life, and the final day when all human life, all sinners, whether saved or lost, are brought to life for judgment:

Do not marvel at this, for an hour is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear His voice and come out, those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment." [John 5.25-27]

That resurrection is not to judge mankind on a person by person basis. That has already been done. Christ Jesus says this, too: "For God sent not His son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through Him might be saved. He that believeth on Him is not condemned: but He that believeth not is condemned already, because He hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God."

[John 3.17-18]

So, the Day of Final Judgment is verdict-announcing day. The record of the judgment is already finished. Already, "The Verdict is In." And on the Day of Total Resurrection – the good, the evil; the buried, the cremated, the drowned, the burned, the whole lot of us. And just as, through daily life, God is raising the walking dead from spiritual death to spiritual life, so on the Last Day God is raising the physically departed – departed by any means – and the Judgment, already decided, is first evidenced by dividing all humanity into two groups: the Righteous and the Unrighteous; the Sheep and the Goats.

Those who are on the Right Hand of God the Judge – the Sheep; the Righteous – these are the Righteous by faith; the Righteous-by-saving-faith-in-Jesus, for there is no other righteous person on earth than these, the Righteous by faith. The best of humanity that might be nominated by righteous by mankind, if they are not previously and already Righteous-by-Faith, are in the second group, on the lift hand, goats and unrighteous before God. And the verdict is read to each group – the Righteous by faith, judged Not Guilty get eternal life; the Others – goats; left-hand of God folk – the righteous in their own imagination – these are judged Guilty and they get eternal punishment.

You can be sure that this sort of division of mankind and this sort of verdict burns the short nose-hairs of secular people. They don’t like the smell of it at all. But it is the Word of God. It is what He has declared. Let them deal with Him about it. You need rather to hear and to cling to what God teaches you, for it is the Gospel.

III.

Now, the question often comes up – How is it that the Verdict is already in? How is it that judgment comes before the rest of my life is even lived? The answer is found way back in the Old Testament, in the Old Testament of the Day from the prophet Day. His prophesy: I saw in the night visions, and behold, with the clouds of heaven there came one like a son of man, and He came to the Ancient of Days and was presented before Him. And to Him was given and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve Him; His dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and His kingdom one that shall not be destroyed. [Daniel 7.13-14]

This vision speaks of Christ, the Son of Man, coming before God the Father, the Ancient of Days, at the earth-measured time of His glorious ascension to the Father’s right hand. He – Christ Jesus – God the Son – is given the one and only everlasting kingdom and dominion. And He is given judgment as to who it is that inherits this kingdom with Him. So the judgment is a finished product at the time of Christ’s ascension. It is definitely know by God right now, and it is knowable by you, today. The verdict is in: You are among right-handers, the sheep, the righteous, the inheritors of everlasting life. How do you know? You know because this is exactly how God has revealed it in His Word. He has spoken, and you have been given ears to hear.

But what if I shut my ears, what then? Now, why would I want to do a thing like that? Because I’d rather not have things this way? Because I’d give up going to heaven, if only I know for sure that I’m not going to hell? Why would you shut your ears to the voice of God, the redemption of Christ, the work of the Spirit? It is because you know you are guilty. Well, know, dear right-hander, dear sheep, dear righteous one, God knows you’re guilty. Christ paid for that very guilt. You are forever forgiven. Therefore, beloved … be diligent that you may be found in Him – trust Him to do with you what He promises to you, to find you in Him – in peace, without spot, and blameless!