Comments on: The Ultimate Reward

By: Alan Knox

Alan Knox — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 15:52:41 +0000

Hutch,

I agree with Javetta… I enjoyed your summary of Abram’s life. Interestingly, Abram also had the negative influence of his father to deal with.

Javetta,

Agreed… it should be a no-brainer.

-Alan

By: Javetta

Javetta — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 14:34:01 +0000

LIONEL WOODS!!! Don’t do me like that! You had me thinking I was misleading the people…

Hutch and Jeff-Thanks for the encouragement! And I love your oh-so-cool summary of the life of Abraham Hutch. Classic

Alan-What you say is true…but it’s worth commenting that Jesus expected us to see Him so gloriously that the decision would be a no brainer. Let us all pray for the grace to make it so.

By: Jeff Mercadel

Jeff Mercadel — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 13:42:27 +0000

Vetta good post reminding us (me) to be focused on the rewards that come only come from the Father Himself. This is the part that was most convicting to me, which makes me ask myself:What reward am I most concerned with. “Jesus speaks of rewards that have absolutely NO earthly value. In fact, the one who receives the rewards must suffer greatly according to earthly standards of “blessedness” and receive their reward in heaven. Among the rewarded are the mourners, the poor in spirit, and those persecuted for righteousness sake. THESE are the ones who will be called the sons of God, who will be comforted, who will inherit the kingdom of heaven, who will receive mercy, who will see God (etc.)—who will receive the GREAT reward of Matthew 5:12.”

By: Hutch

Hutch — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 12:27:12 +0000

I love the life/narrative about Abraham an uncircumcised idolator called out of paganism to leave his old life behind and follow the one true God wherever He leads, who is justified by faith in and belief in that one true God before being circumcised, and who lived as an alien and stranger looking for his true home a city built without hands. The prototype believer who did not live under the Mosaic law who is the father of both the circumcised and uncircumcised who are saved by grace through faith!

Javetta-

Thank you for the very convicting and challenging application.

Alan-

Good point. I sometimes wonder how we can be so motivated by such a crappy reward, “to be seen by men”-but all too often we are.

By: Alan Knox

Alan Knox — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 03:56:56 +0000

Later in the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus will say that if we do or say things in order to get rewards in this life, then that will be our reward. However, if we do or say things for God, then God himself will be our reward. I guess we have to decide which reward we want most… which is not always an easy decision to make.

-Alan

By: Lionel Woods

Lionel Woods — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 03:15:41 +0000

I understood the first time Sis

By: Javetta Mercadel

Javetta Mercadel — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 00:01:37 +0000

Lionel-
I’m not saying that one cannot be excited about earthly rewards. Every good gift comes from the Father. One would be a fool to not believe that our earthly rewards are nothing short of the gift of His grace. My concerns/admonishments deal with those who TREASURE the earthly reward over the ultimate heavenly reward. I am also concerned for my brothers and sisters whose allegiance to their earthly reward prevent them from seeing the Saviour clearly. That’s what I was hoping to communicate. I hope this comment clears that up.

By: Lionel Woods

Lionel Woods — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 23:03:34 +0000

Something was wrong. No one could comment Vetta. So I will be the first (I had to go in and edit it).

I am struggling with your post and admonishment. I am very excited about my heavenly reward but sometimes I am very excited about my earthly one. I remember in Hebrews, that in spite of all Abraham had the writer says:

8 By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. 9 By faith he went to live in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, heirs with him of the same promise. 10 For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God. 11 By faith Sarah herself received power to conceive, even when she was past the age, since she considered him faithful who had promised. 12 Therefore from one man, and him as good as dead, were born descendants as many as the stars of heaven and as many as the innumerable grains of sand by the seashore.