Luke 2
1 And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be taxed.
2 (And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.)
3 And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city.
We spoke much about Ceasar Augustus in previous sermons. He was king over the Roman Empire. He ruled virtually the whole known world. He gave the decree that everyone under his domain should be registered or numbered.
Ceasar was a great king and therefore he could pass this law that the whole world had to be registered, but the day is coming when the King of kings will call us all to be numbered and give account of our lives.
God also called Beltshazzar to be numbered and he was found wanting. God numbered all the things in his life and found him too light.
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.
Do you know that you will be judged according to everything you do and say as it is registered in heaven?
Jesus could tell the Samaritan woman exactly how many men she had had.
Maybe you don’t even know how many boyfriends you’ve had, but God has counted each one of them and He knows.
Jesus will judge us according to His Word. Just read the sermon on the mount, Matt 5 – 7. God will put His Word on the one side of the balance and your life in the other to see whether your life match up. Jesus said that “you have heard it being said that you should not commit adultary but I say to you that if you look lustfully at a woman you have already committed adultary in your heart”. You might excuse yourself that you are just a sinner, but God will judge you according to His Word and not your own standard.
Saul the first king of Israel was an amazing person, very talented, brave and even humble at the beginning of his reign. God even gave him a new heart and spirit and anointed him as king. But the day he became great in his own eyes he fell. God removed him from being king and sent an evil spirit to plague him, and He anointed a boy to be king in his place.
God doesn’t look at your height and strength but He looks at your heart. The day of judgement is coming where we will be given according to our deeds. Even those in the book of life are judged according to their works.
Paul said to Timothy, “do not hold back because of your youth but be an example in word and deed”.
The Bible says your life is a letter written for all to read. There are people who cannot read or write, but they can read your life.
The Bible says how a child should live, how a teenager should live and how a married person should live. How do you measure up to that standard?
God also speaks to the older people and He reminds you of your first love. Is that first love still there?