Eternal Reward

Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw— each one’s work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done. If the work that anyone has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward.

We will have to give an account for what we did with what was given us

parable of the talents

Matthew 25:14–25 (ESV)

“For it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted to them his property. To one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away. He who had received the five talents went at once and traded with them, and he made five talents more. So also he who had the two talents made two talents more. But he who had received the one talent went and dug in the ground and hid his master’s money. Now after a long time the master of those servants came and settled accounts with them. And he who had received the five talents came forward, bringing five talents more, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me five talents; here, I have made five talents more.’ His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’ And he also who had the two talents came forward, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me two talents; here, I have made two talents more.’ His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’ He also who had received the one talent came forward, saying, ‘Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you scattered no seed, so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here, you have what is yours.’

Invest what has been given you

Time

1st class dedication to 3rd class causes

Pursue God

Your life should look different after serving God than it did before. and if you’ve been serving him it should look different now than it did 5 years ago

Seeking after God

Hebrews 11:6 ESV

And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.

Going deeper in your relationship with God

Pursue the things that matter to God

Great commandment

Matthew 22:37–40 ESV

And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.”

Great Commission

Matthew 28:19–20 ESV

Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

Discipling others

Starts with getting them to know christ…

Inviting to church

Leading a small group

Feed yourself first

Talents

Using your God-given skills/talents for the Kingdom, through the local church

The local church in the NT is how God grows His kingdom

Romans 12:4–8 NLT

Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function, so it is with Christ’s body. We are many parts of one body, and we all belong to each other. In his grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well. So if God has given you the ability to prophesy, speak out with as much faith as God has given you. If your gift is serving others, serve them well. If you are a teacher, teach well. If your gift is to encourage others, be encouraging. If it is giving, give generously. If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly.

Examples

Tues - Tech and Construction

Small Group Leaders

Online Chat hosts & Prayer Teams

Givers (seguey)

Treasure

this parable is about money…large sums of money

my giving journey

Why the devil likes to go after our wallets

Motive Matters

It’s not about you, but about Jesus!

* This word [reward] refers to a reward that is given as an appropriate compensation for a particular action. The Pharisees, who give, pray, and fast in public, will receive their reward (misthos; Matt 6:2, 5, 16). This reward is viewed as a negative compensation for the religious hypocrites. However, righteous actions receive good rewards (misthos; Matt 10:41; 2 John 8; Rev 11:18).1

1 Joshua A. Crutchfield, “Reward,” ed. Douglas Mangum et al., Lexham Theological Wordbook, Lexham Bible Reference Series (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2014).

Related Media

Related Sermons