OPENING QUESTIONS Discuss with the person in the room, with whom your birthday is closest. What is the greatest reward you have ever received? To what, if any, advantage is in a reward?
Main Idea: Learn to see the eternal perspective, and in doing so find eternal value in every day...
THE FIVE W S WHAT: HOW: WHEN: WHERE: WHO: WHY: A vision to accomplish the Great Commission Making disciple makers Right now Two eternal realities The saints Ministry of Reconciliation
Exchange your life, daily, for things of eternal value.
WARNINGS CONCERNING REWARDS The Bible warns us many times that we are to be carful both to strive for and protect spiritual rewards (Dawson, p.8). Hold Fast Your Rewards I am coming soon. Hold fast what you have, so that no one may seize your crown. - Rev. 3:11 Is it possible that someone could take another s crown away? Yes, or Jesus would not have warned us about it.
WARNINGS CONCERNING REWARDS Stay Alert Let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humility and worshipping of angels, intruding into those things which he hath not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind, Colossians 2:18 (KJV) Is it possible that someone could deceive another of his reward? Yes, or Paul would not have warned us about it. The religiosity of the American church, as in the church at various points in history, is the fleshiness of Christianity, but is not Christendom. Christendom is timeless and transcends culture never conforming to it (Romans 12:2).
WARNINGS CONCERNING REWARDS Be Careful Watch yourselves, so that you may not lose what we have worked for, but may win a full reward. 2 John 1:8 Is it possible that someone could receive less than a full reward? Yes, or John would not have warned us about it. Rewards and Works For the Son of Man is going to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay each person according to what he has done. Matthew 16:27 Here we can see that rewards are clearly the result of our works. Therefore, our reward is not salvation, because we can never earn salvation (Dawson, p. 8).
SOLA FIDE For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. Ephesians 2:8-9 Since salvation is a free gift of God obtained through faith, our reward must be something other than salvation. We do know that it was God s plan for every Christian to give themselves to good works. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. Eph. 2:10 We also know our good works are to be maintained carefully, and their result is profitable. The saying is trustworthy, and I want you to insist on these things, so that those who have believed in God may be careful to devote themselves to good works. These things are excellent and profitable for people. Titus 3:8
If our works cannot save us and our reward is not salvation, to what end are our good works profitable?
THE FIVE CROWNS The Bible mentions five different crowns or rewards which a child of God may win as they pass through this life. 1. Crown of Life 2. Crown Incorruptible 3. Crown of Joy 4. Crown of Glory 5. Crown of Righteousness As we study these, we will particularly take note of three things: 1. How the crowns are won 2. The area of life they refer to 3. God s commands for each of these crowns
CROWN OF LIFE AREA OF LIFE: Personal Discipleship Reward for those who love the Lord Won by loving God as demonstrated by enduring trials and temptations What is the difference between a trial and a temptation? Endurance (gk. hypomonen) The ability to stand on your own two feet facing the storm (Barclay) looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. Hebrews 12:2-3
CROWN INCORRUPTIBLE AREA OF LIFE: Personal Discipleship (Through self-denial) And he said to all, If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. Luke 9:23 Self-denial is at the very heart of personal discipleship for every follower of Jesus Christ. Fasting And he said to them, This kind cannot be driven out by anything but prayer and fasting. Mark 9:29 But then care must be taken, lest out of this freedom [from fasting and abstinence] there grows a lazy indifference about killing the wantonness of the flesh; for the roguish [son of] Adam is exceedingly tricky in looking for permission for himself, and in pleading the ruin of the body or of the mind; so some men jump right in and say it is neither necessary nor commanded to fast (Luther, A Treatise on Good Works, 1520) There is something inexplicably linked between the spiritual discipline of fasting and the manifest power of God in our lives. Eastern European Missionary