Am I Ready to Appear?

When I was in high school I was a well-behaved student. Ok now that I’ve made what sounds like a boastful statement please let me explain it. I certainly was not perfect, just ask my parents…ah, on second thought I would prefer you not do that, if you know what I mean? However, I didn’t like getting in trouble so I avoided it and those who caused it and that plan worked very well for me. I stayed out of trouble.

But unfortunately my high school record is not sparkling clean. Yeah, there happens to be one ugly stain on it; and all because I gave into peer pressure.

My dark moment took place during an all school assembly. I believe it was a pep rally to cheer on our pathetic football team…how exciting! Because assemblies were done during school hours which required the school to shorten and cancel some classes I never minded attending them; except for the one time I’m now sharing with you.

This particular assembly was scheduled during my lunch period…my favourite subject in school! Well, myself along with two friends were in no mood to cheer on our losing team and our taste buds wanted something more than cafeteria food. So even though I resisted for a few minutes one of my friends convinced us that we would have plenty of time to sneak (that’s the key word here) off school property, go to his house, have some pizza, and enjoy some TV. And that’s exactly what we did.

All went well until we arrived back at school and attempted to go back on the grounds unnoticed. Because I had never done anything like this before, I was a nervous wreck. Let me tell ya, my heart was racing and my ears were keenly in tune to every single sound made. My neck was getting sore from intensely looking in every direction for any teachers. But with each passing second of going undetected I began to feel we might actually get away with our disobedient deed.

And that’s when it happened! We turned a corner and there stood; of all people one of my favourite teachers. Boy did I want to crawl under a rock as I asked myself, “why did I have to get caught by her!?” To this day I can still hear her words as she began to write us up, “Well, well what do we have hear?”

That was only the beginning of my anguish though. A couple of days later I was called out of class by the vice principle. In all of my school years I never had to stand before the principle. For a kid who worked so hard at staying out of trouble, the whole ordeal was embarrasing, humiliating, and even tragic as I stood before him and gave an account of my act of disobedience and then received my punishment…three days of detention.

So now that I’ve confessed one of my moral failures allow me to share the spiritual lesson I’m reminded of this evening. It makes think about the judgment seat of Christ. 

You see, I had no choice that day, I had to stand before the vice principle as a guilty offender. No amount of bribery and begging would have been sufficient to obtain an excuse from appearing. Well you know what? One day I must stand before the Lord Jesus Christ at His judgment seat: 2 Corinthians 5:10 “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ…” And on that day no amount of bribery and begging will get me off either.

But wait a minute, as I recall it the vice principle made me look at him and tell him what I had done and why I had chosen to break the school rule. I have absolutely no recollection of what I told him, but I know it was not enjoyable. I think it’s that aspect of the judgment seat I dread the most; giving an account of how I lived my Christian life to Jesus Christ. Romans 14:12 says, “So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.” Whoa! what kind of excuses will I have for my disobedient actions and my selfish ambitions?

And there’s one more thought I have concerning all of this. I stood before the vice principle all alone. Neither one of my friends were allowed to be at my side for moral support. They could not serve as my advocates and try to get me off. It was just me and the vice principle. When I stand before the Lord, I will do so all alone. Romans 14:12 says every man will give an, “account of himself to God.” No lawyers, no counselors, no parents, no friends present just me and Jesus Christ!

You see, just as I knew the vice principle would eventually get to me I know (because the Bible says so) that I will stand before the Lord one day to give an account to Him about my Christian life. I will stand in His court room so-to-speak and though I’m thankful my salvation will never be the topic of consideration knowing that my life and service for Christ will be causes me to ask myself this one simple question; Am I ready to appear? Are you?
 
 

 

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