God's Reward Program

Sermon Text: Rev 22:12 - 12 “Look, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to each person according to what they have done. 1 Cor. 3:14 -
Sermon Title: God’s Reward Program
Point 1: Partnership with God – Luke 2:49KJV 49And he said unto them, How is it that ye sought me? wist ye not that I must be about my Father's business?
Luke 5:7, 10 - 7 So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them, and they came and filled both boats so full that they began to sink. 10 and so were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, Simon’s partners. Then Jesus said to Simon, “Don’t be afraid; from now on you will fish for people.”
Luke makes it pretty clear we are in business with God.
You earn points everyday you partners with God. Look at the rewards of your giving because you partnered with God. Your money became a weapon that advanced the kingdom and changed lives. What a reward.
Point 2: Earthly points System – Deut 28:1-10 -
What I found out when we started registering for my points is that I had certain things I needed to do to accumulate them. If I did one thing I could double my point. If I did another thing I could triple my points. If I fail to do something else I could deplete my points. I could even delete my points. I must pay attention to the restrictions.
1 If you fully obey the LORD your God and carefully follow all his commands I give you today, the LORD your God will set you high above all the nations on earth. 2 All these blessings will come on you and accompany you if you obey the LORD your God: 3 You will be blessed in the city and blessed in the country.
4 The fruit of your womb will be blessed, and the crops of your land and the young of your livestock—the calves of your herds and the lambs of your flocks.
5 Your basket and your kneading trough will be blessed.
6 You will be blessed when you come in and blessed when you go out.
7 The LORD will grant that the enemies who rise up against you will be defeated before you. They will come at you from one direction but flee from you in seven.
8 The LORD will send a blessing on your barns and on everything you put your hand to. The LORD your God will bless you in the land he is giving you.
9 The LORD will establish you as his holy people, as he promised you on oath, if you keep the commands of the LORD your God and walk in obedience to him. 10 Then all the peoples on earth will see that you are called by the name of the LORD, and they will fear you. 11 The LORD will grant you abundant prosperity—in the fruit of your womb, the young of your livestock and the crops of your ground—in the land he swore to your ancestors to give you.
12 The LORD will open the heavens, the storehouse of his bounty, to send rain on your land in season and to bless all the work of your hands. You will lend to many nations but will borrow from none. 13 The LORD will make you the head, not the tail. If you pay attention to the commands of the LORD your God that I give you this day and carefully follow them, you will always be at the top, never at the bottom. 14 Do not turn aside from any of the commands I give you today, to the right or to the left, following other gods and serving them.
Restrictions: the same is true when it comes for me to get some earthly reward for living right and giving right.
a) Wait: In addition to restrictions on receiving my points I have to wait.
a. Moses had to wait 40 years before he could redeem his points
b. David had to wait 12 years or more before he could redeem his points
c. Joseph had to wait in a prison before he could redeem his points
d. Ezra and Nehemiah had to wait years before they could convince Darius the king to help rebuild the Temple and city walls
e. Joshua had to wait 80 plus years before he could redeem his points.
POINT 3: Heavenly Rewards – Rev. 22:12 “Look, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to each person according to what they have done.
1 Cor. 3:14-15 - 14 If what has been built survives, the builder will receive a reward. 15 If it is burned up, the builder will suffer loss but yet will be saved—even though only as one escaping through the flames.
In Corinthians Paul says rewards await me based on my works. If my works of living and giving does not add up or buried away, I still will be saved. In other words, not only do I get rewards on earth I am rewarded in heaven.