I have enjoyed viewing the posts of many friends who are parents and have just celebrated the graduation of a son or daughter from kindergarten, high school, college or graduate school. It’s a big deal! Pictures are taken of the graduate surrounded by parents, grandparents, siblings and other family and friends. Usually the graduate is in the center are are proudly displaying their diploma declaring they are a graduate having completed the full course requirements for their diploma, degree or program. It declares they are ready to proceed to the next steps of their preparation or vocational work. We have a daughter who is completing her courses, graduate exams, and intern requirements to receive a Master’s Degree in Counseling from the University of Texas at Tyler. It seem like just a few months ago we were attending her graduation from Dallas Baptist University with a Bachelors of Science in Psychology and a few years her graduation from Christian Heritage School. All of these graduations got me to thinking about how many graduation services I have participated in or attended since high school. A quick count says I have participated in five graduation services and attended at least 15, just for family members. These services have ranged from reverent to rowdy, indoors to outdoors, somber to celebratory. A fellow pastor just celebrated the graduation of twins from high school. He lamented that it was very disorderly and irreverent.
As I have thought of graduation services, I have always appreciated and valued the somber and weightiness of the title, “Commencement Service for the Graduating Class of (school and year)”. The word graduation seems to focus more on the past, the work, the achievement, the awards given and received.
Definition of graduation
1: a mark on an instrument or vessel indicating degrees or quantityalso: these marks2a: the award or acceptance of an academic degree or diplomab: COMMENCEMENT3: arrangement in degrees or ranks
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/graduation
The word “Commencement”, looks forward with anticipation of the reward, the possibilities, the next steps that the graduate is now qualified to enter into, to participate, to be hired or employed. Commencement is not a period, but simply a dash linking past work, efforts, accomplishment with future opportunities, possibilities and dreams.
Definition of commence
: to enter upon : BEGINcommence proceedings
1: to have or make a beginning : START
2chiefly British : to take a degree at a university
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/commence
We as believers have a commencement day to look forward to, to work towards, to prepare for. What is it? It is the Judgement Seat of Christ described in God’s Word.
1 Corinthians 3:10–15 (ESV): 10 According to the grace of God given to me, like a skilled master builder I laid a foundation, and someone else is building upon it. Let each one take care how he builds upon it. 11 For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12 Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw— 13 each one’s work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done. 14 If the work that anyone has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward. 15 If anyone’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire.
2 Corinthians 5:6–10 (ESV): 6 So we are always of good courage. We know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord, 7 for we walk by faith, not by sight. 8 Yes, we are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord. 9 So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please him. 10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.
As a young follower of Jesus, these verses put the fear of God in me! I read them and imagined me standing before God with everyone who ever knew me looking on and God starting a video of my life and playing for Him and everyone to see all the things I had done in my life. And as a new believer all I could think about was all the secret sin I had struggled with and how embarrassed I would be when God and everyone who ever knew me saw the ugliness, uncleanness, mess that I was in my mind, thoughts, when no one was around. I was horrified!
Thankfully through further discipleship, teaching and personal study of God’s Word, I came to understand my view of this event was severely skewed. This was not at all what these verses were teaching. The Judgment Seat of Christ was never intended to produce dread but instead anticipation. This future event that every believer will participate is not for judgement but for reward. It is not for fear but for motivation. How? I’m glad you asked.
First, our sins have already been judged through Jesus’ shed blood and death on the Cross! Paul wrote in Ephesians 1:7, “In Him (Jesus) we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sin.” He proclaims, “And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God” (1 Corinthians 6:11). Praise the Lord we will not stand before God at the White Throne Judgment (Rev. 20:11-15) where all who have not been justified in Christ Jesus, will stand alone in the presence of God and will be judged for their sins.
Second, this is not a public even where people will be looking on with their own judgement or commendation. Both 1 Corinthians 3 and 2 Corinthians 5 seem to imply that this is a very intimate and personal moment with our Creator and Savior where the focus in not judgment but rather ridding us of anything that is worthless and recognizing anything that is worthwhile as we enter into His eternal glory and presence. Notice the phrase, “each one”(1 Cor. 3:10,13; 2 Cor. 5:10b).
Third, the focus of this event is reward, recognition, commendation not condemnation, judgment or punishment. The word used for “Judgement” in 2 Corinthians 5:10, is the Greek word, βῆμα bēma. This is the same word used in the Roman world for the raised platform that athletes who had competed in the Roman games (Olympics) took their place to receive their garland necklace recognizing their achievement in the race, the event they had prepared, trained and competed.
The term “judgment seat” comes from the Greek word bema, which was the platform in Greek towns where orations were made or decisions handed down by rulers (see Matt. 27:19; Acts 12:21; 18:12). It was also the place where the awards were given out to the winners in the annual Olympic Games. This “judgment seat” must not be confused with the Great White Throne from which Christ will judge the wicked (Rev. 20:11–15). Because of the gracious work of Christ on the cross, believers will not face their sins (John 5:24; Rom. 8:1); but we will have to give an account of our works and service for the Lord.
https://app.logos.com/books/LLS:29.3.5/offsets/2846527
Fourth, the Judgment Seat of Christ, is an event to motivate us, to anticipate as we would a graduation or commencement ceremony. Paul in anticipation of the end of his earthly life and the beginning of heavenly, forever life with Jesus writes, “So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please Him” 2 Corinthians 5:9. Wow! We are sure of our eternal destination and standing in Jesus life, death, burial and resurrection as we have become those who trust in Him and follow Him. So then, we are now free to serve Him with the greatest freedom and confidence, love and motivation, because we have the capacity in Jesus to live in a way that pleases him. Yes our daily activities, choices, motivations and thoughts can bring a smile to his face that will have earthly value and eternal value as we enter heaven.
Fifth, we have a choice to make on a daily basis. Will I live and work and act today in a way that produces lasting results, things that are truly worthwhile, lasting and eternally valuable or will I spend my life in and on activities and things that are ultimately worthless and of no lasting, eternal value? How do I make this choice every day?
- Choose the surrendered and yielded life of allegiance and obedience to your Lord and Savior, Jesus, every morning. For more on this read Romans 6:13, 16; 12:1). I often write in my journal even before reading God’s word, “Yes! Lord, whatever you show me, whatever you lead me to, ask me to, I just want to say in advance, Yes, I will obey you.”
- Spend time with Jesus, abiding in Him through His word and in the Holy Spirit and opening your heart, mind and soul to Jesus, His word, the Holy Spirit to abide, take up residence, be at home in you, all of you, all that you have and want. Read His Word, His love letter to you and pray with a open and curious mind. Yielded and still. Listen with the desire, the intention to understand and respond in complete, unrestrained obedience.
- Stay available, sensitive and yielded to the leadership of the Holy Spirit throughout the day. (Ephesians 5:18). The issue isn’t how much of the Holy Spirit we have living in us. We have all of Him. The issue is how much of us is open and available for the Holy Spirit to dwell in and control. How much of our mind, time, desires, motives, talents, resources, gifts and money has been given, yielded to the control of the Holy Spirit?
This past Monday, Ricky Ruiz led the Mobberly staff to sing an old but beautiful him, “Take My Life and Let it Be.” Read or even risk to sing this hymn to Jesus today.
RESTORING HOPE 