Being Rewarded By God

Introduction:

* Other than God Himself who is ALL self-sufficient, every created being loves and needs to be rewarded.

* God in His grace has promised a reward to every believer according to his obedience so that we can all share in His glory and abundance.

* Without an ultimate reward, there is nothing to provoke us to obedience, or a keenness to know and serve God.

* Yet, the doctrine of reward has been much played down since the 20th century.

* <Ro 2:9-10>: There will be trouble and distress for every human being who does evil: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile; but glory, honor and peace for everyone who does good: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile.

* Probable reasons for the weak teachings on the doctrine of reward:

(1) Rise of liberalism in the 20th century.

(2) Rise of human altruism in the 19th century.

Read <Lk 19:11-27>

11 While they were listening to this, he went on to tell them a parable, because he was near Jerusalem and the people thought that the kingdom of God was going to appear at once. 12 He said: “A man of noble birth went to a distant country to have himself appointed king and then to return. 13 So he called ten of his servants and gave them ten minas.[a] ‘Put this money to work,’ he said, ‘until I come back.’

14 “But his subjects hated him and sent a delegation after him to say, ‘We don’t want this man to be our king.’

15 “He was made king, however, and returned home. Then he sent for the servants to whom he had given the money, in order to find out what they had gained with it.

16 “The first one came and said, ‘Sir, your mina has earned ten more.’

17 “‘Well done, my good servant!’ his master replied. ‘Because you have been trustworthy in a very small matter, take charge of ten cities.’

18 “The second came and said, ‘Sir, your mina has earned five more.’

19 “His master answered, ‘You take charge of five cities.’

20 “Then another servant came and said, ‘Sir, here is your mina; I have kept it laid away in a piece of cloth. 21 I was afraid of you, because you are a hard man. You take out what you did not put in and reap what you did not sow.’

22 “His master replied, ‘I will judge you by your own words, you wicked servant! You knew, did you, that I am a hard man, taking out what I did not put in, and reaping what I did not sow? 23 Why then didn’t you put my money on deposit, so that when I came back, I could have collected it with interest?’

24 “Then he said to those standing by, ‘Take his mina away from him and give it to the one who has ten minas.’

25 “‘Sir,’ they said, ‘he already has ten!’

26 “He replied, ‘I tell you that to everyone who has, more will be given, but as for the one who has nothing, even what they have will be taken away. 27 But those enemies of mine who did not want me to be king over them—bring them here and kill them in front of me.’”

Representation of each character in the Parable

* The Master = Christ the Lord.

* The 3 servants = 3 different kind of Christians who are rewarded differently.

* Rebellious subjects = Non-believers (The condemned ones).

The 3 servants and the reward given them

1) The servants were all given one mina each (i.e. A worker’s 3 months wages)

** Note: Parables of Talents (Mt 25:14-30) Vs Parable of Minas (Lk 19:11-27) **

① Talent = Gifts, Talents, Resources, Opportunity… (Given in different measure)

② Mina = Spiritual Potential in Christ (Given in same measure)

2) Final verdict on rewards

① To have authority over cities (To reign over)

<1 Cor 4:8> says: Already you have all you want! Already you have become rich! Without us you have become kings!

② Minas ⟹ Cities (Great disparity)

③ Difference in reward between he who earned 10 minas and 5 minas

“Well done, my servant” ⟹ Great sense of approval, sharing God’s heartbeat, closest to Christ on earth and in heaven.

* Like Moses, he is faithful as a servant in all God’s house <Heb 3:5>.

④ The servant who earns nothing receives none.

* “He will be like as one escaping through the flames” <1 Cor 3:15>.

* … tempted and dragged away by his own evil desire and enticed. <James 1:14>.

E.g. Lot (helpless and regretful life in this world)

Any jealousy and war because of great disparity in reward in heaven?

Where is God’s grace if reward is given because of man’s merits?

* Saint Augustine – It is only by the grace of God that we ever do anything even approximating a good work, and none of our works are good enough to demand that God reward them. The fact that God has decided to grant rewards on the basis of obedience is actually God crowning his own works within us.

* God, in crowning our merits, is actually crowns his own gifts.

* <Eph 2:10>: For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

* <Ro 11:36>: For from him and through him and for him are all things. To him be the glory forever! Amen.