Intro.: As a teacher, I have developed a whole set of ways to fairly evaluate students.
Of course, like most faculty members, I can write super questions – true/false questions are the easiest, then there are multiple choice questions. A bit harder to write are short answer questions. And then there is the feared essay question.
But I am a professional educator – and that means I have come up with some very sophisticated methods of evaluating students.
I mean, every teacher has their bag of tricks. For example, one of the things I can do when time is short and I have a big stack of papers is flip a coin – Heads, its a pass. Tails, its a redo.
If I need a bit more variability in the grades I assign, I use a lessor known technique – the staircase method. I stand at the top of a stairway and let the papers fall. Those at the top are given higher grades. Or, to mix it up, those at the bottom are given higher grades.
As you can see, I have come up with some very creative ways to finish each semesters work. Of course I don't tell students what I am doing – it would be like giving a copy of my final exam to students, it just is not done.
In spite of my reputation around here, I am not nearly as bad as this might suggest.
Read: Revelations 20:11-14
Pray
Trans:God also has his ways of handling judgement – today I want to look at two principles that help us understand our role in judgement.
Judgement is not our job.
Jesus makes this clear when he reminds us, “Judge not, that you be not judged.” (Matt 7:1)
We do have opportunities to judge. For example, last night as we arrived, we heard all kinds of stories.
(Ill.) One father came late. He told us that for the first time in his life he pulled his car over because the snow was so bad. He had to judge the weather, his car, and his own ability.
But the difference was that he was not judging others.
It is an easy trap to fall into
We each know how everybody else should behave
“he should have...”
“why didn't they...”
“I wish she would...”
These are all examples of holding someone responsible for something we wanted from them – something they may not even have known you (or I) wanted.
But it does get worse – we do it to ourselves as well
How many times have you said to yourself, “I should have...”
So whether it is others or it be ourselves, Jesus' words come back - “Judge not, that you be not judged.”
Judgement is God's job
Really two parts
The first is illustrated by Jesus in Matthew 25:31-45 where Jesus separates the Sheep and the goats.
The first is based on what we do
How do we help others
How we love others
How we care for others
How we give to others
But you know what
We can never do enough
We can never love enough
We can never care enough
We can never give enough
(Ill.) Think for a minute of the best person you know
maybe a relative
Billy Graham
Mother Theresa
some political leader
You know what – they, like us, are not good enough. They fall short of God's expectations for them. Romans 3:23 reminds us that “For all fall short of the glory of God.”
But there is another standard
That standard is found in Revelation 20:11-14
It is the time of the final resurrection
Everyone will be judged
They will be judged by what they have done
But it was not what they have done that made the difference
What made the difference was that their names were written in the Book of Life.
(Ill.) You can write a check. You fill in the amount, the payee can be named. And the date can be entered. You can even give the check to the payee – but unless you have signed that check, the check is no good.
In the same way, unless your name is in the Book of Life, you will find yourself on the wrong side of judgement.
Let me accept a three step process for insuring that you are in the Book of Life:
A – Acknowledge that you are sinful – you do fall short of what God expects of you.
B – Believe in Jesus as your Savior, the one who took your penalty for sin
C – Confess that Jesus is your Lord
Three simple steps that you will spend eternity in with Jesus. Have you taken those steps
Pray
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