Heavenly Rewards
Notes
Transcript
As Jesus did many works during His time on earth, He never failed to take advantage of a teachable moment with His disciples. Such a moment presented itself when the young ruler came to Jesus with a vital question: What did I need to do to have eternal life?
He didn’t like the answer he got, and Peter and his fellow disciples received another vital piece of their education of, “What’s in it for me?
Worldly Riches
Worldly Riches
one of the strongest tools in Satan’s arsenal has always been the temptation to pursue material wealth . Of course, we need money to take care of our physical needs and meet our responsibilities. We are commanded to take care of our families and pay our bills. Money and possessions are not wrong in themselves, but they are not to be our main pursuit in life.
Money is a good servant but a horrible Master.
But godliness with contentment is great gain.
For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.
And having food and raiment let us be therewith content.
But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition.
For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.
While riches can be a hindrance in the Christian life, they can also be a blessing. Solomon way a very rich man; in fact, he was be far the riches man of his day. He gained his wealth by keeping his priorities right. As he sought after wisdom, God blessed him with possessions: we see this in 2 Chronicles 1:7-12.
Solomon asked God for wisdom, and God answered by giving him both wisdom and riches. When Solomon’s priorities and desires were right, God blessed him with great wealth. When we have our priorities in place as well, we can experience great joy and contentment in the Christian life.
So when it comes to finances, we must thank God for His blessings, but also guard our hearts against the wrong spirit that an unhealthy pursuit of money can bring.
Self- righteous
Self- righteous
“to get eternal life, I need to keep the commandments? but I have kept them, all my life,” I can imagine the young man proudly saying to Jesus. In his own eyes, he was a righteous man.
Many of our problems are rooted in a similar self-righteous attitude. We probably would not stand in church and publicly proclaim our own goodness, but just the same we sometimes compare ourselves to others and feel good about ourselves.
For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves: but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise.
Paul, who wrote the words above to the church at Corinth, said this about himself:
Though I might also have confidence in the flesh. If any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh, I more:
Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee;
Concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless.
In a fleshly sense, he had several good reasons to be self-righteous. but he went on to say:
But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ.
Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ,
And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:
That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;
One of Satan’s biggest lies involves convincing people that they are just fine… in fact, they are doing great. The moment that we feel self-righteousness creeping into our lives, we must ask God to remind us that in our flesh dwells no good thing
For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.
Guard yourself against this realizing that a self-righteous attitude is the opposite of a humble and contrite heart.
D.L. Moody said, “you can always tell when a man is a great way from God- he is always talking about himself, how good he is. But the moment he sees God by the eye of faith, he is down on his knees, and like Job he cries, “Behold I am vile.”
The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: A broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.
Selfish
Selfish
Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me.
The response of Jesus to the statements of this rich man is really remarkable. Mark’s account states, “then Jesus beholding him loved him.” The young man had just finished telling Jesus how good he was, but Jesus reacted with love and not with anger or rejection. Jesus responded by saying , “one thing thou lackest.” and told him that he needed to go beyond keeping the commandments, being willing to sell his possessions and give them to the poor. He was attempting to demonstrate to this man that his heart needed to be focused on others.
For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
if i live for myself, I can only make a difference for one person. If I live for others, I can make a difference in the lives of millions.”
Selfish people find that here is no end to what they want, and happiness is always just a little out of reach. Solomon understood that.
Hell and destruction are never full; So the eyes of man are never satisfied.
Sorrowful
Sorrowful
And he was sad at that saying, and went away grieved: for he had great possessions.
When challenged to give up his riches for the sake of true righteousness, the young man made his decision, but not without some emotional turmoil. Matthew says he was sorrowful. Mark describes him as sad and grieved. Luke says very sorrowful. one could also call him short-sighted. He literally gave up an eternity in Heaven with the Lord for his great possessions in this life.
Later in his life, Solomon also found himself a sorrowful man, as he indulged his every desire and found it useless.
Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity.
Those who dedicate themselves to pursuing the ambitions and riches for this life find little bu sorrow. but those who pursue the presence of God, will find true happiness, as did the Psalmist David:
Thou wilt shew me the path of life: In thy presence is fulness of joy; At thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.
Heavenly Hope
Heavenly Hope
In the book eternity in Their Hearts by Don Richardson, the author states that every civilization he has been able to study is concerned about putting away treasures for the future. The Egyptian pyramids in Giza, for instance, have deep inside them where the buried Pharaohs were entombed with gold, silver, wine, and grain to take on to the next life.
Although they may live as if it were otherwise, people understand there is a future to consider. As with every other matter, God gives us clear guidance.
Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:
But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:
For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
If our finances are all about this world, our heart will be in the world. if it be invested in the things of God, we will undoubtedly be more heavenly minded.
What will we give?
What will we give?
Peter states in our text that the disciples had left all to follow Christ. The Lord makes it clear that He understood what the disciple had walked away from. He knew they had left their homes, families, land, livelihoods. Sometimes we may be tempted to look around us and become discouraged at what we may have missed out on because we’ve chosen to follow the Lord. But we must never forget that an omniscient God is keenly aware of everything that we have ever done for Christ.
Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.
For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have shewed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister.
What will we gain?
What will we gain?
After the Lord had talked about what the disciples had sacrificed to follow Him, He makes it clear that they were sacrificing something extremely minimal and modest by comparison, and that what they gave would be replaced by something that would be beyond their wildest imagination.
And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
Christ told them that those who followed Him would literally sit upon thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel. This is an incredible illustration of the first being last and the last being first.
So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be called, but few chosen.
To go from being itinerant, homeless followers of the rejected Messiah to being rulers over the tribes of Israel perfectly illustrates what it means to sacrifice now and to be blessed in the future.
But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.
For since the beginning of the world men have not heard, nor perceived by the ear, Neither hath the eye seen, O God, beside thee, What he hath prepared for him that waiteth for him.
As we look at our lives, we must admit that God has already been good and generous far above what any of us deserved. After all, if God gave us what we really deserved, what we have and where would we be, and would we like it?
we are encouraged to give, because God gave first and because it is the way for us to receive
Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.