What Is God’s Greatest Reward?

Introduction

Turn to Hebrews 11:6

In our American mindset, when we think of gifts, prizes, and awards, we almost always think in monetary terms. That’s just how our culture is. For example…

When you want to give a grandchild a birthday gift but you don’t know what to get them, what do you do? You give them money.

When someone wins a Nascar race or some other big sports competition, what do they often receive? Money. They get a big payday.

Pretty much every transaction between people is conducted using money as a means of exchange or of compensation. That’s what we know. That’s how we tend to think.

However, God exists and thinks outside our American bubble. His thoughts are higher than our thoughts, Isaiah tells us. Which leads me to this question that I want you to meditate on tonight:

What is God’s greatest reward?

Read Hebrews 11:6

This familiar verse contains several unique words. Let’s consider those.

Next slide here:

Cometh: to come to, to approach, to draw near to someone

Next slide here:

Rewarder: a remunerator, one who pays wages

Next slide here:

Diligently seek: to seek out, to search for, to investigate

Only one Greek word is used here, but it carries a strong sense of earnestness. It describes someone who carefully examines and searches for something.

Summary: If you are going to approach God, if you are going to draw near to God, you must believe that He is real, and that He will repay those who carefully search for Him.

How does God repay those who carefully search for him? What is God’s greatest reward that He can give us?

To put this back into our American context for a moment, we know that the answer isn’t just money. God isn’t impressed with American dollars. He doesn’t need our money and His greatest reward isn’t going to be mere money. His reward is much better than that.

To get an answer on this, let’s consider the context. Look at the previous verse.

Read Hebrews 11:5

What was so special about Enoch? What do we remember him for? He walked with God. He was a man of faith.

That’s why he is mentioned in this context. He was an example to us of faith.

God was pleased with Enoch so much that God walked with Enoch on this earth and then simply transferred Enoch from this earth to His presence.

So what was Enoch’s reward? When Enoch believed God, how did God reward him? God rewarded Enoch with His presence - first in this earth and then in Heaven.

Can you think of another example of faith in the Old Testament? The one I’m thinking of predated the Law. Paul points us to his example in Romans. Abraham

Let’s see what God’s reward was for Abraham’s faith.

Turn to Genesis 15:1

After Abraham showed his faith, God spoke to him in verse 1. In your own words, explain what God said was Abraham’s reward for his faith. God himself was Abraham’s reward.

Next slide here:

Enoch and Abraham both show us this reality: When we diligently seek God, the greatest reward that He can give us is Himself.

Hebrews 11:6 KJV 1900

But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

Application:

When you seek God in prayer and personal Bible study…

Believe that God is real. He means exactly what He says.

Believe that He rewards those that diligently search for Him. that’s not a one-time thing that you try out on a whim one day. No, it’s a pattern. It’s repetition. Seeking God must be a way of life.

That’s the only way Enoch got to the point that he walked with God. That’s the only way that Abraham became an example of faith to us.

As you follow those two conditions and as you diligently seek God, you can bank on it: God will reward you. He will give you the greatest reward He can possibly give. It’s not that He will bankroll your dream vacation. It’s not that He will make all your trials and problems go away. No, its far better!

God will give you His greatest reward: He will give you Himself. He will reveal Himself to you. He will show Himself strong on your behalf. He will make Himself known to you through the Scriptures. You will get to know Him in a personal and intimate way. And as you slowly grow in that experience, you will come to realize that truly there is no greater gift, there is no greater reward, than God Himself.

So diligently seek God daily. And in His time, He will repay your diligence with His greatest reward.