For more information about our teaching and preaching ministry, you can find us online at cornerstoneorlando.org. The following sermon has been brought to you by Cornerstone Orlando, making disciples for the glory of God. The title of our sermon this afternoon is The Time of the Harvest, Revelation 14, verses 14 through 20. And in our text today, as we consider or continue to work through Revelation, We're gonna be discussing the return of Christ and judgment. Christ comes on the clouds of heaven, as it were, to execute judgment, to harvest the earth. And we're going to, in looking at that subject through this text, we're gonna tie together several chapters, several passages in the Bible that deal with judgment and deal with the work of Jesus Christ and his return. As you know, by way of reminder, we're in the fourth now, the fourth of seven parallel literary cycles in the book of Revelation, parallel literary progressive cycles in the book of Revelation. The fourth is one of seven recapitulating cycles, a cycle that portrays a perspective of these last days, the days in which we currently live. And it's a cycle that runs from chapter 12 to the beginning of chapter 15. This fourth cycle in the book is comprised of seven visions or seven scenes now that depict, in particular during this fourth cycle, they depict the activity and operation of Satan during this age in his persecution of the church. In other words, these scenes, these visions, depict the outworking of that enmity that originated in the curse of Genesis chapter 3 at the fall of Adam in the garden. An enmity that was placed between the seed of the serpent and the seed of the woman, and an enmity that is still profoundly experienced by the Church in our own day. So this afternoon, we're going to consider the sixth vision, the sixth scene in this fourth cycle of the book. And it's a vision that takes us to the very end of the age and gives us a description of a complex of events involving the return of Jesus Christ, the in-gathering of God's elect, and the final judgment upon the wicked. If you remember, in the first of these visions or scenes, The first of these visions depicted Satan in chapter 12, waiting to devour the male child as soon as he was born. And then when he was cast to the earth, he was cast down with great wrath, knowing that he has but a short time. And there he pursues and persecutes the woman. In the second and third scenes of this fourth literary cycle, we saw, or we were introduced to Satan's earthly agents, the beast that arises from the sea and the beast that arises from the earth, respectively. One representing corrupt civil authority, the other representing corrupt false religion. And then in the fourth scene, we were given a depiction of the church in her victory, standing on Mount Zion with the lamb and singing victory songs. Then in the fifth scene, we heard the judicial proclamation of God's angelic messengers to those who dwell on the earth. The hour of their judgment has finally come. As we move through each one of these, parallel recapitulating literary cycles in the book of Revelation, as we progress through the book, we find that Revelation increasingly emphasizes the time of the end. Revelation increasingly, as we work through those cycles, it increasingly emphasizes the culmination of redemptive history and the end of the age. And that's exactly what we see in this fourth cycle and in its component scenes. There is an increasing weight given or an increasing attention given to those, to describing those events or emphasizing those events that are associated with the very end of the age. And we see that clearly in these final scenes, the fifth scene proclaiming judgment to those who dwell upon the earth. Now that we come to the sixth scene, we see that judgment actually carried out. Now, again, As these cycles and visions are presented to us, they're also presented to us in symbolic terms that are going to be found familiar to those who read and study their Bibles. They're communicated in symbolic terms that are derived from the text of Scripture. The symbolism that we find in Revelation is used to convey spiritual realities, In particular here, it communicates to a spiritual realities that are associated with these last days. And these symbols, these word pictures, these images are drawn from types and shadows that have been introduced to us before. And if a picture is worth a thousand words, then these word pictures speak volumes. They're worth thousands of books. These word pictures are very helpful in understanding what God is communicating through this letter to his church. They represent a culmination, if you will, by relying on images or pictures from the Old Testament, types and shadows from the Old Testament revelation that in using those images to communicate spiritual realities to us, these images, these pictures represent a culmination, if you will, of thousands of years of redemptive history, thousands of years of redemptive revelation. those types and shadows, thousands of years of redemptive revelation, finding their apex, their culmination or consummation in this book. And it's why many refer to Revelation as the capstone of the canon. It's the apex, the climax of the canon, if you will. So now in this sixth scene, in this cycle that includes seven scenes, this sixth scene describes, again, those events that characterize the very end of the age, the return of Jesus Christ, the gathering together of his elect, and the judgment of the wicked. As we continue through the book, we're gonna find that much of our time is spent on that complex of events that characterizes the end, including the return of Christ, the ingathering of his elect, and the judgment of the wicked. Now he communicates these things to us, again, using rich biblical symbolism, wherein in our text, John draws upon the imagery of the harvest, the metaphor of the harvest. In the last scene, God's angelic messengers announce the impending judgment of God. In this sixth scene, that final judgment is now executed. There is in our scene, those who reap and those who gather. One, we see Jesus Christ the righteous. Jesus Christ comes again in the clouds of heaven to judge the living and the dead at his appearing and reaps the earth. Also, we see with him angels, one in particular who has power over fire. We see angels as the reapers as well, executing judgment on the last day. This judgment day harvest involves a separation and a sentence. In one sense, the judgment day harvest involves a separation of the sheep from the goats, the righteous from the unrighteous, the good fish from the bad fish to borrow from the parable of the dragnet, the wheat from the chaff, those who bear good fruit from those who bear bad fruit, where final eschatological consummative judgment is described in terms of a harvest. Look at verse 14. Then I looked, and behold, a white cloud. And on the cloud sat one like the Son of Man, having on his head a golden crown, and in his hand a sharp sickle. A sickle was, if you remember that picture of a sickle, long curved blade with a short wooden handle used for cutting grain crops, used for cutting away grain. It was an agricultural tool used to cut vines from branches or branches from vines, used to harvest grain like wheat. So the long curved blade on a short wooden handle. This one, the son of man came having a sharp sickle in his hand, verse 15. And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to him who sat on the cloud, thrust in your sickle and reap, therizo, it's to glean or to harvest. For the time has come for you to reap because the harvest of the earth is ripe. So in verse 16, he who sat on the cloud thrust in his sickle on the earth and the earth was reaped. Again, in all of these terms, we see the metaphor, the imagery of a harvest. agricultural terms associated with the harvest. And again, the word for reap there literally refers to reaping a harvest from what has been sown. And here we see in verse 14 through 16, the son of man is reaping what has been sown and like wheat, that which is reaped is gathered to him. And the language of harvest then continues in verse 17, but rather than wheat that is harvested, an angel gathers grapes that are thrown into a wine press of God's wrath and crushed. And you see, rather than that grape juice, you know, pouring out from beneath the wine pressed, those crushed grapes pour forth blood from beneath the wine press of God's wrath. Verse 17, Then another angel came out of the temple, which is in heaven, he also having a sharp sickle, it's an instrument of judgment. And another angel came out from the altar who had power over fire and he cried with a loud cry to him who had the sharp sickle saying, thrust in your sharp sickle and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth for her grapes are fully ripe. There are some who said that the word sickle used seven times in this passage and may refer to the completion of God's judgment here at the end of the age, right? And number seven, again, being symbolic. Verse 19, so the angel thrust his sickle into the earth and gathered the vine of the earth and threw it into the great winepress of the wrath of God. And the winepress was trampled outside the city and blood came out of the winepress up to the horse's bridles for 1,600 furlongs. So those who belong to Jesus Christ are gathered as wheat, verses 14 to 16, and the wicked are harvested to judgment in verses 17 through 20. Once again, John is relying upon symbols, images, or word pictures that we find all over the Bible, but particularly word pictures that we often find in the Old Testament. For that, turn with me to Joel chapter three. Joel chapter three. In Joel chapter three, Hosea Joel, Joel chapter three is a text wherein God declares his impending judgment upon the nations. Look at Joel chapter three, beginning in verse nine. The Lord says, proclaim this among the nations, prepare for war, wake up the mighty men, let the men of war draw near, let them come up, beat your plowshares into swords, and your pruning hooks into spears. Let the weak say, I'm strong. Assemble and come, all you nations. Gather together all around. Cause your mighty ones to go down there, O Lord. Let the nations be wakened and come up to the Valley of Jehoshaphat. Valley of Jehoshaphat, later in the text, will be referred to as the Valley of Decision. It's the Valley of Judgment. It's often used unbiblically by those who would say that it's a time for God's time for someone, a person to make a decision about whether to follow Jesus Christ or not. So if you're familiar with easy beliefs in churches or churches that teach a, you know, that unbiblical methodology of Jesus in your heart, the time has come for you to make a decision. They'll refer to the valley of decision or the valley of Jehoshaphat for that. This is a valley of God's decision. This is a valley where we're in. God executes judgment. It's often associated with the Kidron Valley to the Eastern side of the city of Jerusalem. where God decides against the nations, where God decides against the wicked or against the unrighteous, and God sits in judgment. Because it says, verse 12, for there, God says, I will sit to judge all the surrounding nations. And it's a picture, if you will, for example, of Matthew 25, a text we'll look at in a few moments, where the Lord sits in judgment, separating the sheep from the goats. All the nations are seen as coming before him, and he separates them as one who would separate the sheep from the goats. It says in verse 13, here's where we get the language in our text, put in the sickle for the harvest is ripe. The time has come for harvest. Come go down for the wine press is full. The vats overflow for their wickedness is great. It was said of Israel that she spent 430 years in the fiery furnace of Egypt because the wickedness of the Amorites had not yet reached its full measure. Now there is a sense in which at the given time, at an appropriate time, at a time determined by God, sin among the wicked will reach its full measure and the time will come for harvest. And we find the same language, that same language of judgment all over the New Testament. For example, turn with me to Matthew 13. Matthew 13, we're gonna look at several texts this afternoon. In Matthew 13, you'll find the Lord's parable of the wheat and the tares are just tremendous, wonderful parables throughout the gospels, dealing with the kingdom, dealing with the return of Jesus Christ, dealing with judgment. Here we find the parable of the wheat and the tares in Matthew 13, look at verse 24. Here, another parable, he put forth to them saying, the kingdom of heaven, is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. Notice the agricultural metaphors, we're gonna see the language of the harvest. But while men slept, verse 25, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat and went his way. At the end of the age of the harvest, there's going to be a reaping of what has been sown. Here, there's an enemy in the field, which is God's creation, An enemy has sown tares. But, verse 26, when the grain had sprouted and produced a crop, produced fruit, then the tares also appeared. Two different types of plants, two different types of fruits. Verse 27, so the servants of the owner came to him and said, sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have tares? And he said to them, an enemy has done this. The servant said to him, do you want us then to go and gather them up? But he said, no, lest while you gather up the tares, you also uproot the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest. And at the time of the harvest, I will say to the reapers, first gather together the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them, but gather the wheat into my barn. He dropped down to verse 36. The Lord gives then an explanation of this parable. Verse 36, And Jesus sent the multitude away, went into the house, and his disciples came to him, saying, Explain to us the parable of the tares of the field. He answered and said to them, He who sows the good seed is the son of man. The field is the world. The good seeds are the sons of the kingdom, but the tares are the sons of the wicked one." We see the two different types of people, the two different types of seed, if you will, two different types of fruit. The enemy who sowed those wicked seeds is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are the angels." When we get to Revelation chapter 14, we see this harvest that takes place at the end of the age at the return of Jesus Christ. Also in our text, you see accompanying the Lord Jesus Christ, these angels or reapers. Therefore, verse 40, as the tares are gathered and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of this age. The Son of Man will send out his angels. They will gather out of his kingdom all things that offend and those who practice lawlessness. There will be a separation followed by a sentence. And the sentence, verse 42, he will cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous will shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their father. He who has ears to hear, let him hear. So there will be a harvest at the end of the age, not a literal harvest of wheat or grapes, but a harvest of men. harvest of souls, if you will, to the judgment of that great day. That judgment is symbolized by the sharp sickle in the hands of the reapers. That judgment is determined by what is produced, whether it produces wheat or whether it produces tares. That judgment is determined by whether it produces good fruit or bad fruit, whether they are good or bad, righteous or unrighteous. The Lord says, and speaking of this very fact from Scripture, the Lord says, by their fruits you will know them. He asks in Matthew 7, do men gather grapes from thorn bushes or figs from thistles? Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Notice again, a separation in a sentence. In this great harvest at the end of the age, there is a distinction made between them. And what is true of the tree is clearly manifest by its fruit. And good is separated from bad. Righteous is separated from unrighteous. Good fruit separated from bad fruit. That separation then, that differentiation, that distinction is followed by a sentence. The wheat, those bearing good fruit, are gathered into the barn. The tares, those bearing bad fruit, are gathered into the fire. So the Bible then is replete with images of this harvest. And it's harvest, this metaphor being used in reference to a singular and final day of judgment, wherein fruit is expected by the Lord. It's a day again, that involves both a separation and a sentence, a distinction, and then a final destination. And that destination is appropriate to the distinction. If bad fruit is produced, it's gathered up, they're thrown into the fire. Good fruit is gathered into the barn. Wheat gathered into the barn, tears to the fire. Branches that produce good grapes, gathered up to the Lord. Branches that are barren, tangled up, bundled up and cast into the fire. In other words, there is reward to the righteous and retributive wrath to the wicked. And again, in this metaphor of the harvest, fruit is described as the distinguishing factor. And again, this uses images drawn from agriculture. The only way to produce good fruit is by being a branch vitally connected to the vine. Turn with me to John 15. Let's look at that briefly. John 15. The only way to produce good fruit is by being a branch vitally connected to the vine. The Lord explains this in John 15, beginning in verse one. Jesus says, I am the true vine, and my father is the vine dresser. Every branch in me, every branch in me that does not bear fruit, He takes away, and every branch that bears fruit, he prunes that it may bear more fruit. You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you, saying this to his disciples on their way to Gethsemane. The Lord says in verse four, abide in me and I in you, as the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you bear fruit of yourself unless you abide in me. The Lord says in verse five, I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in me and I in him bears much fruit for without me, you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered and they gather them and throw them into the fire and they are burned. Now, why is that? It's because those branches are fruitless. Those are fruitless branches. Again, it points to the Lord's words. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. The Lord says in verse seven, if you abide in me, if you are vitally, if you are in a vital union with me, you abide in me, you abide in my words, and my words abide in you, verse seven, you will ask what you desire and it shall be done for you. By this, my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit, and so you will prove to be my disciples. The Lord is not, in these statements, in this context, the Lord is not referring to fruit as the basis on which someone is justified. Fruit is not the basis on which someone is eternally saved. You're not saved because you produced good fruit. You're not saved because you have performed good works, so to speak. You are saved on another basis altogether. The Bible is exceedingly clear. that we are justified, declared righteous in His sight, we are saved, so to speak, by grace alone, through faith alone, apart from works of our own, faith alone in Christ alone. However, Fruit in the Bible, this metaphor of fruit, this metaphor of the harvest, is a beautiful way of expressing the outward manifestation of a true, healthy, thriving, living, connected branch. Good fruit is the inevitable result of the Spirit's work in someone who has been united to Jesus Christ divine through faith. James says, I'll show you my faith by my works or by my fruit. James would say that faith without works or faith without fruit is dead. In other words, the fruit says something about the root, right? The fruit says something about the essential nature of the tree, the essential nature of the branch. A branch that produces no fruit, that fruitlessness says something about the branch, right? The fruit says something about the essential nature of the tree. In the metaphor, it's a good tree that bears good fruit. It's a bad tree that bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit and a bad tree cannot bear bad fruit or cannot bear good fruit. You will know them by their fruits. Every tree, the Lord says, which does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. So we asked the question then, what makes one tree to differ from another? And what makes one tree to differ from another? Who causes the essential nature of the wheat to differ from the essential nature of a tare? The answer to that question is God is the one who causes one to differ from another. God himself, by a work of his spirit through the gospel of his son, causes one tree to differ from another tree. Is it the fruit that determines the root? Or is it the other way around? Is it the fruit that bears evidence of a good root? The tree is good because God has made it so. The person is righteous because God has provided a righteousness. The tree is good because God has determined that it would be so and has provided for that tree to become good, so to speak. God imparts a new nature when he causes us to be born again. God is the one who gives a new heart. God is the one who establishes a new principle within us. He is the one who indwells us with his spirit. He is the author and the finisher of our faith. And it's through the means of faith and trust alone in Jesus Christ alone that we are forgiven of our sin. It's through faith that we receive as a gift from God, an imputed or accredited righteousness, a righteousness that is not inherent to us. It's a righteousness that is not our own. It's a righteousness that we received by the grace of God from another, from the Lord Jesus Christ himself. We receive as a gift of grace, the imputed righteousness of Jesus Christ, whereby we become a good tree. and whereby we produce the fruit that abounds in the glory of God. God makes of us a new creation. So then, 2 Corinthians 5, verse 10, Paul says, Paul explains in 2 Corinthians 5, verse 10, that we will all appear, phanareo, the word means we'll all be exposed. We will all be revealed before the judgment seat of Christ. We will all be revealed at the great harvest of the earth, and you'll be revealed as a sheep or as a goat. You'll be revealed there as a good tree or as a bad tree. You'll be revealed there, exposed there as a good fish or as a bad fish. You'll be revealed there as the head of wheat or as a tear sown by the enemy, as a fruit bearing branch, vitally connected to the vine or as a barren branch, good for nothing, but to be burned in the fire. There, Paul says at that great revealing, Each one will receive the things done in the body. It's another way, or another way in which fruit depicts our works. Fruit depicts, manifests the root. Each one will receive the things done in the body according to what he has done. Our judgment is according to works. according to fruit, whether good or bad, Paul says. So what Paul describes in 2 Corinthians chapter five, verse 10, 11 following is retributive justice, reward or punishment. Turn with me to Romans chapter two. This is a text that we studied in our exposition Romans on Sunday mornings. Paul makes the same point in Romans chapter two, beginning there in verse five, where Paul says in verse five, But in accordance with your hardness and your impenitent heart, you are treasuring up for yourself wrath in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God." Now, how are they doing that? They're doing that by their unrighteous works. In accordance with their hard and impenitent hearts, they continue in their sin. They continue unrepentantly, stubbornly, obstinately in their sin. And by continuing in their sin with a hard and impenitent heart, they are treasuring up for themselves wrath. And that wrath will come at the revelation of the righteous judgment of God. It will come at the last day at the harvest of the earth, at the day of judgment. And God there in verse six, will render to each one according to his deeds. Eternal life to those who by patient continuance in doing good. You see how works play into this assessment at the end of the age. Eternal life to those who by patient continuance in doing good, seek for glory, honor, and immortality, but to those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but rather obey unrighteousness to them, indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguish on every soul of man who does evil. Who does evil, do you see? of the Jew first and also of the Greek. But glory, honor, and peace to everyone who works what is good to the Jew first and also to the Greek, for there is no partiality with God. Those who have been born again by the Spirit of God, who put their faith and trust in Jesus Christ, manifest a healthy, thriving, living faith through good works, by good fruit. And it's that good fruit that will bear evidence in the last day that they belong to Him. Those who are not born again, those who continue with a hard and impenitent heart, also bear evidence of a corrupt root. They bear evidence of a corrupt tree, if you will. They bear bad fruit, and it's on the basis of that fruit. Again, that fruit will bear evidence of them in the last day when they are revealed or exposed at the seat of Jesus Christ. That will expose a bad tree. They'll receive retributive justice in return. Therefore, Paul says, back in 2 Corinthians 5, we make it our aim to be well-pleasing to Him. In other words, we make it our aim to pursue good fruit. Therefore, knowing the terror of the Lord, we persuade men. So again, with this metaphor of the harvest, This agricultural images being pulled from the New Testament for the Old Testament, we see in Revelation 14, one harvest at the end of the age, one judgment, two types of trees bearing two types of fruit, two types of people, two ways to live, two eternal destinations. There is at the harvest of the earth, a separation, that separation is followed by a sentence. And it begs the question, where will you go? Where will you go? What will be said of you when you stand before the judgment seat of Christ at the end of the age? What will be said of you when you are revealed or exposed where the tree, the essential nature of the tree, the root is exposed? What will it be said of you? Will it be determined? that you have a good principle placed there by God himself at work within you. Born again, a new creation in Jesus Christ, indwelt by God's spirit, producing fruit for the glory of God, or will that day reveal that you are a tear sown by the enemy? How do you know? How do you know? Lord Jesus Christ says, you'll know them by their fruit. the people of God and dwelt by the Spirit, those whom God, Ezekiel 36, causes to walk into statutes and judgments and to keep them, those who are born again of His Spirit will inevitably produce good fruit. A bad tree cannot produce good fruit and a good tree cannot produce bad fruit. What kind of fruit are you producing? The only hope you have apart from Jesus Christ in that day is that you are living a life of absolute moral perfection, which is to say the only hope you have is Jesus Christ. The next in Revelation 14, regarding this harvest metaphor then, there are two aspects of this harvest. There is the harvest of the good, there is a reaping or a harvest of the bad. There is the harvest of the righteous. There is the gathering up of the unrighteous. And we see the harvest of the righteous by the son of man in verses 14 to 16. We see the harvest of the unrighteous by the reapers in verses 17 through 20. Look with me at the harvest of the righteous by the son of man in verses 14 through 16. Verse 14, John says, then I looked and behold a white cloud and on the cloud sat one like the son of man having on his head a golden crown and in his hand a sharp sickle. And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to him who sat on the cloud, thrust in your sickle and reap for the time has come for you to reap for the harvest of the earth is ripe. So he who sat on the cloud thrust in his sickle on the earth and the earth was reaped. Now first notice with me, the one who is involved in the reaping, the one who is reaping. John looks in verse 14 and sees one like the son of man. That is a Danielic reference to the Lord Jesus Christ. That's a reference from Daniel, the coming Messiah, right? The promised Messiah. He has, in verse 14, on his head, a golden crown. That crown is emblematic of his reign, of his rule as king over his kingdom. It's a reference to his rule. Incidentally, brothers and sisters, The saints are said to rule and reign with him, and the saints themselves will be given golden crowns. He is seen here wearing a golden crown that is indicative of his rule and reign as king. As king, he has in his hand a sharp sickle, which is the instrument of his judgment. So as he comes, he comes with a sickle in his hand. When Jesus Christ returns, Jesus Christ will return in judgment. Jesus Christ returns, verse 14, on the clouds, just as he ascended. If you remember from Acts chapter one, you can turn there with me if you like, I'm gonna read it to you briefly. Acts chapter one in verse, in verse 11, Or verse 9, Now when he had spoken these things, and they watched, he was taken up, and a cloud received him out of their sight. And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel, who also said, Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw him go into heaven. As Jesus Christ was taken up into heaven upon the clouds, so to speak, the Lord Jesus Christ will return from heaven on the clouds. Lord said as much to Pilate, didn't he? You'll see the son of man or to Caiaphas, the high priest in his trial, you'll see the son of man coming on the clouds of heaven. And that imagery of the Lord Jesus Christ coming on the clouds is also drawn from the Old Testament. The Old Testament prophecy of Daniel. Look back at Daniel with me. Daniel chapter seven. These prophecies in Daniel, very instructive for our understanding of revelation. Revelation in many ways is interpreting Daniel's prophecy. In Daniel 7, verse 13, Daniel says, Again, that's a reference to the Lord Jesus Christ. One like the son of man coming with the clouds of heaven. And notice in Daniel seven, he's coming into heaven. He's coming into heaven on the clouds. The ancient of days has been seated and the Lord Jesus Christ now is coming in the clouds of heaven into heaven. And he came, verse 13, to the ancient of days and they brought him near before him. Then to him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom that all people's nations and languages should serve him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion. It's a global dominion. In other words, all authority in heaven and on earth is given to him. When did this take place? This took place at the ascension, at the exaltation, and at the enthronement of the Lord Jesus Christ. So in Acts 1, verse 11, when the disciples are standing there and they're watching Jesus Christ ascend on the clouds, he's ascending into heaven on the clouds. Presenting himself before the ancient of days as the acceptable victor the lamb who was slain and he's there to be enthroned He's there to receive the kingdom He came to the ancient of days They brought him near before him verse 14 then to him was given this dominion a global dominion all authority in heaven on earth and it's a dominion verse 14 which shall not pass away and his kingdom the one which shall not be destroyed and This is the inauguration of the kingdom of the Lord Jesus Christ. And in the New Testament, remember Daniel chapter seven, we find similar imagery in Matthew 24, the Olivet Discourse. Turn to Matthew 24 with me. These images are being drawn from all over the Old Testament, the New Testament. They're being brought to culminating revelation, if you will, in the book of Revelation, the capstone of the canon. Again, in Matthew 24, the Olivet Discourse, this is regarding the Lord's return to the earth. As those in, the angel said in Acts 1.11, that as you saw him go, he will come again in like manner. We see him here come again in like manner. Matthew 24, verse 29. Immediately after the tribulation of those days, the sun will be darkened, the moon will not give its light, the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Then the sign of the son of man will appear in heaven. Then all the tribes of the earth will mourn. They will see the son of man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And he will send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet. They will gather together his elect from the four winds from one end of heaven to the other. Notice again, those picture of the Lord Jesus Christ coming in the clouds with the angels, with the reapers to execute judgment, gathering together his elect at the sound of the trumpet. Revelation chapter 1 verse 7, John says, and all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of him, even so, amen. You see this mourning in the text in Matthew 24, even they who pierced him, right? The one, that language is from Zechariah chapter 12, the one whom they pierced, the one whom they pierced will come and they will stand before him in judgment, you see? What does he do when he comes? He comes to judge. He comes to separate. and to sentence. He comes with a sickle in his hands and they will stare before the one whom they've pierced. Flip the page and look at Matthew 25. And again, we see a depiction or an account of this judgment that will take place at the harvest of the earth. Matthew 25, drop down there to verse 31. Verse 31, when the son of man comes in his glory, when he comes on the clouds of heaven, and all the holy angels with him, Then he will sit on the throne of his glory. All the nations will be gathered before him, and then he will separate them one from another as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats. There will be a separation. And he will set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left. Then comes the sentence. And the king will say to those on his right hand, come, you blessed of my father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundations of the world. On what basis we could say, on what basis is this judgment being made? It's being made on the basis of their works. Verse 35, because I was hungry and you gave me food. I was thirsty and you gave me drink. I was a stranger and you took me in. I was naked and you clothed me. I was sick and you visited me. I was a prison and you came to me. So specifically because of these things on the basis of these things were being, We're being saved, we're being delivered. No, these things bear evidence of a vital living faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, who is your righteousness, right? These works give evidence of the root. These works bear witness to the nature, the essential nature of the tree. Verse 37, then the righteous will answer him saying, Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you or thirsty and give you drink? When did we see you a stranger and take you in or naked and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and come to you? And the king will answer and say to them, assuredly, I say to you in as much as you did it to one of the least of these, my brethren, you did it to me. Then he will also say to those on the left, their sentence, depart from me. You cursed into the everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels, again on the basis of works. For I was hungry and you gave me no food. I was thirsty and you gave me no drink. I was a stranger, you did not take me in. Naked, you did not clothe me. Sick and in prison, you did not visit me. Then they also will answer him saying, Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in person and did not minister to you? Then he will answer to them saying, assuredly, I say to you, in as much as you did not do it to the one of the least of these, you did not do it to me. And these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life." Those words there translated in verse 46, everlasting and eternal, it's the same Greek word. both convey the sense of into the ages. You could say as everlasting as the punishment of the wicked is as everlasting the blessedness of the saints, or as eternal the blessedness of the saints is as eternal the punishment of the wicked. Same word, two different destinations, both forever. There's a separation, a separation on the basis of works or fruit. There's a sentence, a reward and a punishment. If you look at Matthew chapter 26, just flip the page, Jesus Christ is standing before the Sanhedrin on the eve of his crucifixion, this kangaroo court, Matthew 26, verse 62. And a high priest arose and said to him, do you answer nothing? What is it these men testify against you? But Jesus kept silent and the high priest answered and said to him, I put you under oath by the living God. Tell us if you are the Christ, the son of God. Jesus said to him, verse 64, it is as you said, nevertheless, I say to you hereafter, you will see the son of man sitting at the right hand of the power and coming on the clouds of heaven. This one comes on the clouds of heaven. He comes in glory and he comes to execute judgment. to separate the past sentence. We see that reflected in Revelation 14. Back in Revelation 14, in verse 15 then, another angel came out of the temple. The word there is naos. And again, that's the most holy place. In the temple complex, there were the outer courts, and then there was the most holy place, that place in which the priest entered once per year, and that was the sacrifice of blood on the day of atonement. This, that is the place, if you will, that was said to be God's presence, where God dwelt between the cherubim. So he comes out of the temple, the naos, the place of God's presence, crying with a loud voice to him who sat on the cloud, verse 15, thrust in your sickle and reap for the time has come for you to reap for the harvest of the earth is ripe. So he sat on the cloud, thrust in his sickle on the earth and the earth was reaped. Just as God determines the time of our earthly harvests when we harvest crops, so too God has determined the time of his spiritual harvest. God is the one who's determined that time. Sin at that time will have reached its full measure. The wicked will have attained to the full measure of their guilt and the number of God's elect will be complete. And at that time, when the wicked have attained to the full measure of their guilt and the number of God's elect will be complete, the Lord will return to reap the earth. Wheat will be gathered into his barn. The tares will be gathered up and thrown into the fire. And as the Lord harvests the righteous at the end of the age then, so too will come the reaping of the unrighteous, verse 17. Then another angel came out of the temple, which is in heaven. He also having a sharp sickle, And another angel came out from the altar who had power over fire. And he cried with a loud cry to him who had the sharp sickle saying, thrust in your sharp sickle and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth for her grapes are fully ripe. We see verses 17 to 20, reaping, the gathering together and the crushing of the wicked. It's a text we'll look at in more detail next week at the Lord Wills. Brothers and sisters from this text, we're to be reminded these, these texts are warnings to us. As we discussed last week, these texts are a means. There are means by which a judicial sentence is passed with justice against the wicked that God may be found righteous when he speaks blameless when he judges, but the same pronouncements or proclamations that, uh, that perform a judicial function against those who dwell on the earth, also perform a preserving function for God's people. Those same proclamations that warn the wicked, warn the righteous. And what do they warn the righteous to do? They warn the righteous to cling to the Lord Jesus Christ, who is their life, to cling to the Lord Jesus Christ, who is their righteousness, to persevere in the faith, to endure, to keep going, to press forward, not to turn back, not to turn away, not to step to the right hand or to the left. So these texts are meant to us, brothers and sisters, as a warning to persevere, as a warning to endure. Do not turn back from following after Christ. We must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ. Therefore, Paul says, we make it our aim to be well-pleasing to him. We must all be revealed before the judgment seat of Christ. Therefore, as we walk, this age together, brothers and sisters, our aim should be to pursue good fruit for the sake of our Lord Jesus Christ. Not only because of the fear of judgment, but for the glory of his name. Paul also said, it's the love of Christ that compels me. I should no longer live for myself, but for him who died and rose again. We should live for the Lord Jesus Christ and produce fruit for the glory of his name. And we should be praying that the Lord in graciousness to us. John 15 would prune us that we might bear more fruit. Amen. Pray with me. Father in heaven, we thank you. This is a sober reminder, and it's a helpful reminder, a gracious reminder that we should be all about abiding in you, your word abiding in us, that we might produce fruit for the glory of your name. We know, Lord, that we are not justified on the basis of our works. And we know that we are justified on the basis of the works of the Lord Jesus Christ alone. It is by virtue of His person and His life and His death that we've been forgiven of our sins and imputed with the righteousness that comes from Him, His perfect righteousness. And it's on the basis of that righteousness, on the basis of those works, that we've been declared righteous in your sight. We also know, Lord, that that principle of righteousness you've established within us is the basis on which we now walk then in newness of life. It's by virtue of our union, our vital union with the Lord Jesus Christ that we produce anything that could be considered good. And we're grateful, Lord, that we can perform works that are good and acceptable in your sight, by the power of your spirit, through faith in Jesus Christ. And we're grateful for that. Grateful that you have redeemed us. Grateful that through the person and work of Jesus Christ, the righteous requirements of the law might be fulfilled in those who walk, not according to the flesh, but according to the spirit. We're grateful. for these precious promises and these precious realities. And I pray for the glory of your own name that we might produce fruit that is in keeping with that awesome work of redemption that you have effected in us by your Spirit through the gospel of your Son. And may it bring glory to your name. May it exalt the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. May it be done in the power of your Spirit. We love you and we thank you for these things. Lord, help us to abide. Help us to pursue good fruit. Let's plant that principle deep within our hearts, Lord, and cause us by Your Spirit to remain steadfast, immovable, always abounding, Lord. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen. Hello, and thanks for listening. My name is Mark Brashear, and I have the blessed privilege of serving with the saints at Cornerstone Church near Orlando, Florida. We're so grateful that you've connected with us through the sermon that you've just heard. For more information, visit us at cornerstoneorlando.org, or better yet, come and see us on the Lord's Day at 3370 Snow Hill Road in Oviedo, Florida. We're just east of Orlando and about 15 minutes from the campus at UCF. It would be a joy to have you worship with us.