Whose Rewards Are Greater?

1.        It’s not fear!  Matthew 20: 1-16

2.        Is there a difference between salvation and rewards? 

Salvation – a free gift.  John 4:10; Rom 6:23; Eph 2:8-9

 

3.      What is the reward in heaven?

 

Matt 5:1-12

1              And seeing the multitudes, He went up on a mountain, and when He was seated His disciples came to Him.

2              Then He opened His mouth and taught them, saying:

3              "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

4              Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.

5              Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.

6              Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled.

7              Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.

8              Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.

9              Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.

10            Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

11            "Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake.

12            "Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you. (NKJ)

Matt 6:1-21

1              "Take heed that you do not do your charitable deeds before men, to be seen by them. Otherwise you have no reward from your Father in heaven.

2              "Therefore, when you do a charitable deed, do not sound a trumpet before you as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory from men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward.

3              "But when you do a charitable deed, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing,

4              "that your charitable deed may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will Himself reward you openly.

5              "And when you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites. For they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward.

6              "But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.

7              "And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. For they think that they will be heard for their many words.

8              "Therefore do not be like them. For your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him.

9              "In this manner, therefore, pray: our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name.

10            Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

11            Give us this day our daily bread.

12            And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.

13            And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.

14            "For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.

15            "But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

16            "Moreover, when you fast, do not be like the hypocrites, with a sad countenance. For they disfigure their faces that they may appear to men to be fasting. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward.

17            "But you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face,

18            "so that you do not appear to men to be fasting, but to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.

19            "Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal;

20            "but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.

21            "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. (NKJ)

 

4.      Can you do anything to loose this reward?

 

Matt 10:40-42

42            “And whoever gives one of these little ones only a cup of cold water in the name of a disciple, assuredly, I say to you, he shall by no means lose his reward.”

 

II Jn 1:7-9

7              For many deceivers have gone out into the world who do not confess Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist.

8              Look to yourselves, that we do not lose those things we worked for, but that we may receive a full reward.

9              Whoever transgresses and does not abide in the doctrine of Christ does not have God. He who abides in the doctrine of Christ has both the Father and the Son. (NKJ)

 

5.      Are there different degrees of rewards and what are they based on?

 

Matt 16:24-28

24            Then Jesus said to His disciples, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.

25            "For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.

26            "For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?

27            "For the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward each according to his works.

28            "Assuredly, I say to you, there are some standing here who shall not taste death till they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom." (NKJ)

 

Matt 25:14-30

 

Luke 6:20-24

20            Then He lifted up His eyes toward His disciples, and said: "Blessed are you poor, for yours is the kingdom of God.

21            Blessed are you who hunger now, for you shall be filled. Blessed are you who weep now, for you shall laugh.

22            Blessed are you when men hate you, and when they exclude you, and revile you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of Man's sake.

23            Rejoice in that day and leap for joy! For indeed your reward is great in heaven, for in like manner their fathers did to the prophets.

24            "But woe to you who are rich, for you have received your consolation. (NKJ)

 

Luke 6:30-36

30            "Give to everyone who asks of you. And from him who takes away your goods do not ask them back.

31            "And just as you want men to do to you, you also do to them likewise.

32            "But if you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them.

33            "And if you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same.

34            "And if you lend to those from whom you hope to receive back, what credit is that to you? For even sinners lend to sinners to receive as much back.

35            "But love your enemies, do good, and lend, hoping for nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High. For He is kind to the unthankful and evil.

36            "Therefore be merciful, just as your Father also is merciful. (NKJ)

 

Romans 2:1-11

 

1 Cor 3:4-17

4              For when one says, "I am of Paul," and another, "I am of Apollos," are you not carnal?

5              Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers through whom you believed, as the Lord gave to each one?

6              I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase.

7              So then neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase.

8              Now he who plants and he who waters are one, and each one will receive his own reward according to his own labor.

9              For we are God's fellow workers; you are God's field, you are God's building.

10            According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise master builder I have laid the foundation, and another builds on it. But let each one take heed how he builds on it.

11            For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.

12            Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw,

13            each one's work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each           one's work, of what sort it is.

14            If anyone's work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward.

15            If anyone's work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.

16            Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?

17            If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him. For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are. (NKJ)

 

 

6.      When are the rewards given?

 

2 Timothy 4:8

 

Rev 11:15-18

15            Then the seventh angel sounded: And there were loud voices in heaven, saying, "The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!"

16            And the twenty-four elders who sat before God on their thrones fell on their faces and worshiped God,

17            saying: "We give You thanks, O Lord God Almighty, the One who is and who was and who is to come, because You have taken Your great power and reigned.

18            The nations were angry, and Your wrath has come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that You should reward Your servants the prophets and the saints, and those who fear Your name, small and great, and should destroy those who destroy the earth." (NKJ)

 

Rev 22:6-15

6              Then he said to me, "These words are faithful and true." And the Lord God of the holy prophets sent His angel to show His servants the things which must shortly take place.

7              "Behold, I am coming quickly! Blessed is he who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book."

8              Now I, John, saw and heard these things. And when I heard and saw, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel who showed me these things.

9              Then he said to me, "See that you do not do that. For I am your fellow servant, and of your brethren the prophets, and of those who keep the words of this book. Worship God."

10            And he said to me, "Do not seal the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is at hand.

11            "He who is unjust, let him be unjust still; he who is filthy, let him be filthy still; he who is righteous, let him be righteous still; he who is holy, let him be holy still."

12            "And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work.

13            "I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last."

14            Blessed are those who do His commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city.

15            But outside are dogs and sorcerers and sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and whoever loves and practices a lie. (NKJ)