Below are notes to a sermon preached Sunday evening, May 28, 2000, at Gospel Light Baptist Church, Albany, Georgia. 

ARE YOU READY FOR GRADUATION?

By Michael D. O’Neal                 Pastor, Gospel Light Baptist Church                 Albany, Georgia

Scripture Reading: Hebrews 9:22-28

Text: Hebrews 9:27

Hebrews 9:27 And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:

Introduction: Tonight we are going to graduate from Gospel Light Academy Sylvia Monkus, daughter of one of our two assistant pastors, Morris Monkus, and his wife, Annette. As you probably know, Gospel Light Academy is a tuition-free Christian day school ministry of our church, open to the children of our members. EVERY Christian parent should give his child a Christian education. Moreover, a member of a Bible-believing, fundamental, independent Baptist church should educate his child in a Bible-believing, fundamental, independent Baptist atmosphere.

Before we recognize Sister Sylia’s work, I want you to think with me on the subject of graduation. High school students look at graduation as a completion of a long journey. Sometimes they might compare it to crossing the finish line of a race. Sometimes they might even compare it to getting out of jail after having served a sentence.

Actually, however, graduation is NOT the end. It is the beginning. It is not over when you graduate from high school. Life is just “getting on.”

Likewise, if we live long enough, we are all going to die. 🙂 The only exception to that will be the fact that those who are saved and living when Jesus comes will be caught up to heaven WITHOUT dying. You have heard of Generation X? These people are of Generation J – JESUS. You have heard of the “baby boomers.” These are the “cloud busters” and “star climbers.”

Otherise, you are going to die some day. It may be in the far off future, or you may die tonight. How will your graduation be? I’m talking about your departure from this life. Are you ready? Some students don’t complete their requirements for graduation and miss it. Other students are disqualified to participate in their class graduation due to misbehavior.

I want you to think with me about a REAL graduation that you will face in the future. Death is not the end. It is the beginning.

Hebrews 9:27 And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:

I have only two points to my message tonight. There are only two types of people — saved and lost. There are those who graduate and those who don’t.

I. ALL OF THE LORD’S PEOPLE WILL GRADUATE FROM THE SCHOOL OF LIFE

Philippians 1:23 For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better:

2 Corinthians 5:6-8 Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord: 7 (For we walk by faith, not by sight) 8 We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.

A. We will rejoice in salvation

• The only true qualification for heaven today is the new birth. “Ye must be born again” (John 3:7).
• We rejoice now that our names are written in heaven.
• When we get to heaven we will rejoice that Christ died for us and that we trusted him.

B. We will rest in the Savior

• No one is saved today by his works, but people ARE saved to DO good works. Every Christian should be baptized, should be a part of a Bible-believing church, and should actively be serving Jesus.
• We have a cross to bear, and a burden to bear, until we leave this old world.

C. We will be rewarded for service

• Salvation is not a reward; it is a GIFT (Rom. 6:23).
• However, rewards are going to be given to God’s people, based on how they lived for him here (Col. 3:24; 1 Cor. 3:8,14).
• Some saints will not receive a full reward (2 Jn. 1:8), and it appears that some people may have no rewards at all (Rev. 3:11).

II. ALL LOST PEOPLE WILL NOT GRADUATE FROM THE SCHOOL OF LIFE

Revelation 20:11-15 And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. 12 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. 13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. 14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. 15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

They will be condemned to everlasting fire

A. Due to the arguments that they will give

• Romans 3:19 Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.
• It appears that men may have their chance at the judgment to defend themselves.
• Their own words will condemn them, though,because every man is a hypocrite.

B. Due to the accounting that will be held

• Revelation 20:12 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. 13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.
• Men who do not trust Christ as Savior often think that God will judge them on the basis of their works. They think that if their GOOD works outweigh their BAD works, then they will go to heaven.
• God is going to show by the works of men that:
  1. Every man at his BEST state is altogether vanity.
  2. All have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.
  3. There is not a just man upon earth that doeth good and sinneth not.
  4. There is none righteous, no not one.
  5. There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God.
  6. They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.

C. Due to the absence of their names

• Revelation 20:15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.
• You dare not trifle with Jesus’ command to be born again. You won’t get away with it.