January 23: What about heavenly rewards?

Steve Smartt is pastor of Moultrie Baptist Church in St. Augustine.

It is a sincere love for Christ and an awareness of grace that leads us to accomplish great things for the Kingdom of God. The rewards for our Kingdom work, however, should not be ignored as we look forward to receiving them in heaven. While it is certainly virtuous to be diligent in our efforts simply to bring honor and glory to Christ, there is no shame in longing for the final blessings to be granted as a result of our labors. There will be rewards in heaven for faithful service just as there are rewards here today that lead to further opportunities to serve.

In Luke 19, Jesus provides an illustration of this promise in the parable of the ten minas. Realizing that the people were expecting God’s Kingdom to come at once, Jesus spoke of a nobleman who left his servants to become king, but with instructions that they should expect his return. While he was away, the man expressed his command that his wealth should be used properly through their faithfulness (19:12-14).

Though the nobleman’s kingship was met with opposition, he was made king. Upon his return home, the servants who had been entrusted with his riches were called to give account of how they had handled his wealth. As they came forward, the first and second servants reported their success in meeting his expectations, and they were joyfully rewarded. Herein is the incredible reality of heavenly rewards.

Arthur T. Pierson once quoted, “… in the matter of salvation works are altogether excluded; yet that so far as the rewards of grace are concerned, in the world to come, there is an intimate connection between the life of the Christian here and the enjoyment and the glory in the day of Christ’s appearing.”

Jesus is that nobleman and we are His servants. He has entrusted us with the wealth of the Gospel and expects us to invest it generously to allow its bountiful return. As wise stewards of the Truth, imagine the excitement of the response, “Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!” (Matt. 25:21). Thus, our faithfulness will be rewarded, not only in eternity, but also now through opportunities for service granting additional opportunities for even greater rewards.

However, just as faithfulness pleases our King, unfaithfulness brings His disappointment. The parable continues with one servant’s unfaithfulness and we see here that when we are unfaithful and refuse to seize opportunities of service we displease our Lord. The reality of this will be witnessed in eternity, the weight of which Martin Luther understood when he said, “I shall on the Last Day, after the sentence has been pronounced, not only gladly have suffered ordinary temptations, insults, and imprisonment, but I shall also say: ‘O, that I did not throw myself under the feet of all the godless for the sake of the great glory which I now see revealed and which has come to me through the merit of Christ!’”

Who then would have an answer to the devastating question, “Why didn’t you …?” This being the question from the one who did not consider His own life when laying it down for our salvation!

Just as the unfaithful servant lost his reward to the faithful, so we lose our rewards each day as we fail to honor Christ in our lives through service to His Kingdom. Judgment awaits those who reject Him, but loss confronts unfaithful Christians each day. Let us, therefore, be found faithful in our Kingdom work that God may be glorified, and we might receive His bountiful reward today and for eternity.