etc.usf.edu
etc.usf.edu
THE COURTROOM
If tonight you stood
in Heaven's court to seek eternal favor,
Would you face Jesus Christ as your Judge, Or would you face him
as your Savior?
There are many who
don't quite know for sure what that verdict would be if ever;
So let's imagine for a moment you're standing dead center in the
Courtroom of Forever .
Sitting before you
is a structure, massive and intense.
It's here your fate will be determined before this Judge's bench.
Then a voice booms,
"This court's now in session", and your adrenaline
starts to rush.
Peering down, with eyes that see through your soul, is God the
Father, your Judge.
Then off to your
left-- across the room-- is the virtual silhouette-of-sin.
Stepping out of the shadows of condemnation, your worst nightmare
walks in.
On his face is the
smirk of evil incarnate. His mind-- fixed on your destruction in
hell.
You've been introduced to your prosecuting attorney: none other
than Satan himself.
The Bible says he's
the accuser of the brethren. So guess what he's gonna do.
He's gonna accuse you of your sins-- and he knows them all-- both
the old ones and the new.
He's prepared his
case for years; Now the golden moment is his.
So in arrogance he presents his case to the Judge, and it comes
out sounding something like this:
"God, You see
this worthless piece of trash over here? This one is a sinner to
the core.
This one has committed adultery, cursed his neighbor, stolen
money, been into drugs, alcohol and even more."
"This hopeless
wretch has even slandered friends...
and by that guilty face this whole courtroom can tell
That to a moral certainty, and beyond any reasonable doubt,
this one deserves eternal judgment in hell"
The words of
accusation still echo. Your every sin thrown up in your face.
Then God opens the book where every deed is recorded and reviews
your records of disgrace.
God says, "The
book says you did this, this and this... and everything you were
accused of today.
Now, before I sentence you to hell forever, are there any last
words you have to say?"
Now, if it's true
you're standing there in the Courtroom of Eternity,
With God to your front, and Satan the Prosecutor to your left,
There's one remaining eternal truth-- one that's crucial to
remember
One that you should never, ever, ever forget...
That on the other
side of the courtroom, I said, on the other
side of the courtroom
( You ain't hearing me tonight) I said, on the OTHER SIDE of the
courtroom
Is the one and only
Son of God, revealed in time and space.
And He's your Defense Attorney, who has never lost a case.
It's not Buddha,
Mohammed or Krishna, or any others who've succumbed to death;
Ladies and gentlemen, on the other side of the courtroom, is Jesus
Christ of Nazareth !
Then Jesus jumps up
n'says: "Wait a minute Judge, now I've got something to say.
May I remind you that on a cross 2,000 years ago I washed his
sins away"
"I was
crucified, I died, they put Me in a tomb;But long about the
midnight hour,
The power of God hit Me, and I walked out of that grave alive and
well with resurrection power".
Then the devil said,
"It's in the book, it's written in the book . Check the
book." And God said, "OK".
Then He takes the book out, lays it open and says, "Now,
we'll see what this book has to say".
He turns to the
first page, the second page, the third; By the fourth the devil
seemed shook.
God closes it and says, "The blood of Jesus must have worked 'Cause there is absolutely
nothing in this book"
The devil says,
"Now, wait a minute, check that book again. All his sins are
written down, they're all right there".
God said, "Devil maybe you're mistaken all together. Maybe
it's this Other book
down here"
The devil cries,
"NO! Not that book, not that one". God said,"Devil
why you so uptight?"
God sets the book down, the dust flies and on the cover it says: The
Lamb's Book Of Life.
Is your name in that
book? Is your name in that book? Is your name in that book for
sure?
If you've been forgiven and your name is written, then lift your
hands, praise the Lord.
Yes, my name's in that book. Yes, my name's in that book. Yes, my
name's in that book tonight.
I've been forgiven, and I know my name is written in The
Lamb's Book Of Life, in the Lamb's Book Of
Life!
This court is
adjourned."
___________________________________________________________________________________
"If we confess our
sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and
to cleanse us from all unrighteousness" 1 John 1: 9
Our sins are forgiven when
we confess them to the
Lord with heartfelt repentance Psalm 51.
True repentenance and sorrow for sin causes us to change
our behavior.
"Bring forth therefore fruits
worthy of repentence" Luke 3:8
When we ask the Lord for forgiveness in sincerity, He covers our
sins over with His blood.
If we remain in fellowship with Him, trusting in His blood for
daily deliverance,
we are written into The Lamb's Book of Life".
Psalm 32
You can find this song on CARMAN's
CD: "MISSION 3:16