Rewards in Heaven

Serving

Each month at Grace Chapel there are over 35 people who serve on worship, connection, prayer, media/audio, support, Children’s Ministry, the Board, and small group teams. Together these servants help us achieve our Vision –

Growing families who will transform communities for Christ.

Children are learning about Jesus and learning to become strong men and women who will lead healthy families. Adults are learning who they are in Christ and are being encouraged by others in our congregation. Worship, prayer, and the ministry of the Word offer salvation for the lost, discipleship for all, and inspiration. As a church we offer exposure and partnerships with missionaries, both US and World, who are fulfilling the calling of God on their lives. Some we can support financially while others we can support in prayer.

Those are all a part of the serving ministry of the church. Additionally, you are serving your spouses, your children, your parents, your communities, and your workplaces. This is ongoing…each day…each week, and each month. Thank you!

God is Watching

We make a mistake of thinking that nobody notices - God does. The Bible tells us that there will be rewards. I recently saw an interview with Dr. Derek Thomas, a teacher and professor, that dealt with the question, “Will Christians receive rewards in Heaven?” His answer interested me. First, he noted that few future pastors today are aware of the promise of receiving rewards in heaven and that some would be rewarded more than others. Secondly, he wondered when the church began to overlook this Biblical teaching. Apparently, this understanding became neglected in the 20th Century. The Bible teaches that “(we) are not rewarded for (our) justification, but rewarded for their progressive sanctification, for using the gifts that God has given them well. And some are rewarded a hundred times…some are given a hundred cities, some are given ten cities.”

Rewards for servants (believers) of Jesus? That might be hard for us to accept and we are often quick to add, “It is about the motive and the heart”! I agree but let’s also acknowledge that rewards are real. It is Bible!

1 Corinthians 3:7–15 NIV

So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. The one who plants and the one who waters have one purpose, and they will each be rewarded according to their own labor. For we are co-workers in God’s service; you are God’s field, God’s building. By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as a wise builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should build with care. For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. If anyone builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, their work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each person’s work. If what has been built survives, the builder will receive a reward. If it is burned up, the builder will suffer loss but yet will be saved—even though only as one escaping through the flames.

This is from the Apostle Paul. I remember hearing a sermon on this passage when I was in my teens. I think it was Leonard Ravenhill. His emphasis was on the believers whose works were inferior – wood, hay, and straw. These things would all be burnt up. But…on the positive side, there are works that are gold, silver, and costly stones. For these we will be rewarded.

Serving Catches God’s Eye

I suppose the idea of Christians being rewarded may be stretching our minds. Afterall, we have emphasized the heart so much. But, have we neglected the hands and the feet? James said,

James 2:14–18 NIV

What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.” Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds.

James really flips it on its head. The question really becomes “if you believe, why aren’t you serving”. And, if you are serving faithfully, God is pleased and desires to reward you. The common term for reward in both the Septuagint and the nt is μισθός (misthos, “reward”)... reward is to be understood as something earned due to a particular action or attitude.[1]

I believe there are some truths that Paul gives us about the quality of service that is rewarded. Our service ought to be (1) with one purpose, (2) team driven, and (3) visible.

One Purpose

While each servant has various functions—Paul planted (originally brought the gospel message) and Apollos watered (continued in teaching)—each one was a team member with a common goal. Their goal was the same—to bring people into God’s kingdom and to see them mature in their faith.[2]

In 1999 I become a part of a TAREX platoon. Our platoon was attached to a company of interrogators which was a part of a larger Military Intelligence battalion. When we were activated in 2003 our leaders didn’t really know what our area of specialty was, so we gave briefings to our company commander and battalion commanders. We were tasked by a national level intelligence agency to perform intelligence gathering using Human Intelligence methods with an emphasis on Signals Intelligence. We were trying to communicate our purpose to our leaders.

As the weeks and first months progressed, commanders would try to pull us away to other needs (staff positions). Each time, we would remind them of our purpose. This caused some tensions, but we managed to hold to the purpose. Eventually our efforts were rewarded. We would later be rewarded by the Department of Defense for leading the most successful combat deployment of communications technology assets since the Vietnam conflict. That was the reward of being singular focused – one purpose.

As Christians, Jesus gave us our purpose –

Matthew 28:19–20 NIV

Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

The Great Commission - A clear purpose designed to grow the Kingdom of God.

Team Driven

Service that catches God’s eye is not only purpose driven but it is also team driven. I’m looking forward our men’s team’s first BBQ competition this coming week. You’ve tasted on Rodeo Sunday the quality of the briskets Zach, Jimmy, Craig, and Ashley cooked. Now we are working together to see how well we can do against dozens of other teams in the area.

Teamwork doesn’t come naturally. To be a team you must recognize strengths and weaknesses. You must be able to take the shot when needed and pass the ball to others at other times. In the Church we are fellow laborers working under God. Good teammates play for the team. A player for the Houston Texans plays ‘for the Texans’ not for himself. Coaches talk about how they performed in all 3 areas – offense, defense, and special teams. They understand that for the individual to win, the team must work cohesively together.

Visible

The context that I use to make this point in the statements in verses 13.

1 Corinthians 3:13 (NIV)

their work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each person’s work.

Our initial reaction might be concern but why? Since I’m using some Army stories today, every soldier knows the hours that we spent cleaning rifles. Sometimes the armorer would put on white gloves to check the chamber or the bolt assembly. The soldier likely knows when it isn’t quite ready for inspection. But there are times when the soldier can stand in the inspection, knowing that he has met the requirements.

Imagine the delight that you will have when the Lord tests the quality of our good works. You know that there is some gold, silver, and costly stones. It is not a matter of pride; it is a matter of stewardship. God sees it!

Jesus Himself spoke of rewards when…

You have been persecuted but remained faithful [3]

Matthew 5:12 NIV

Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

You have acted out of goodness and kindness as your motives [4]

Matthew 6:3–4 NIV

But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

You have helped or even shows hospitality to a Christian brother or sister [5]

Matthew 10:41 NIV

Whoever welcomes a prophet as a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward, and whoever welcomes a righteous person as a righteous person will receive a righteous person’s reward.

You have stewarded well the resources God has given you [6]

Matthew 16:27 NIV

For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father’s glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what they have done.

You have sacrificed for the gospel [7]

Matthew 19:29–30 NIV

And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and many who are last will be first.

I could go on with more, but I think that you are getting the idea.

Jesus Knows How to Reward Each of Us

Each servant is still individually responsible for his or her work—they will be rewarded individually, according to their own hard work.

Kenny Walker, born deaf, felt like an outsider. As Walker matured, however, he compensated for his deafness with physical strength. His large frame, extensive knowledge of football, and intense focus attracted the attention first of his high school football coaches and then of college coaches.

When Walker’s high school coach asked him where he wanted to play college football, he signed N for Nebraska. Nebraska’s coaches immediately recruited him and made arrangements to have an interpreter present at every game.

At Nebraska, Walker made All-American and was named Big Eight Conference “Defensive Player of the Year.” But the crowning moment of his college football career came during his final home game. Traditionally, senior players were introduced alphabetically and ran onto the field, welcomed by a cheering crowd. But because Walker was deaf, the university found a unique way to honor the player. The Omaha World Heraldexplained to fans how to sign an ovation by standing, holding their hands above their heads, spreading their fingers, then waving their hands from side to side.

When Walker stood in the stadium tunnel, he felt the vibration of the cheering crowd as each senior ran out on the field. But when he ran onto the field, he felt no vibrations. Puzzled, he looked around the stadium to see over seventy-five thousand fans standing for him, waving their hands in a way that only a deaf person would recognize as applause.

Likewise, we who know Christ as Savior will be welcomed into glory. As 2 Peter 1:11 reads,

“You will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” —John G. Hubbell, “Kenny Walker Listens with His Heart,” Reader’s Digest (October 1993)[8]

Jesus knows the best way to reward us when we are in Heaven. Serving here and now can be hard, misunderstood, unappreciated, and in obscurity – but Jesus knows. There will be a day.

[1]Joshua A. Crutchfield, “Reward,” ed. Douglas Mangum et al., Lexham Theological Wordbook, Lexham Bible Reference Series (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2014). [2]Bruce B. Barton and Grant R. Osborne, 1 & 2 Corinthians, Life Application Bible Commentary (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House, 1999), 50. [3]Bruce B. Barton, Matthew, Life Application Bible Commentary (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, 1996), 335. [4]Bruce B. Barton, Matthew, Life Application Bible Commentary (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, 1996), 335. [5]Bruce B. Barton, Matthew, Life Application Bible Commentary (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, 1996), 335. [6]Bruce B. Barton, Matthew, Life Application Bible Commentary (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, 1996), 335. [7]Bruce B. Barton, Matthew, Life Application Bible Commentary (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, 1996), 335. [8]Craig Brian Larson and Phyllis Ten Elshof, 1001 Illustrations That Connect (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 2008), 430–431.