What have we learned about rewards?

We are commanded to pursue rewards We are accountable for the way we live To get rewards we need to live a rewardable life Our Judge is just, but also merciful Those who show mercy will receive mercy We will be judged on how much we achieve our God-given potential Faithful believers will rule with Christ forever

Everyone will be evaluated before God You decide which judgment you will face We must decide if we are ready to face the Lord Good works clothe us for the Kingdom celebration Our treatment of others in the church will result in great loss or great reward Greatness in eternity requires humility now.

The Goal: Sharing the rule of Christ in the Kingdom! The means: Persevering in faith today! ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; ‘You were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your Lord.’

The saved are being saved to be saved! ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; ‘You were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your Lord.’

The Kingdom and Victory Over Enemies (Victory over enemies) Obey? Salvation! (Victory over enemies) Kingdom Delayed Kingdom Realized Eternal State Israel (Church Age) Tribulation OT NT 7 Years 1,000 Years

Persevering faith results in unending reward. The greatest offer a Christian can receive: Persevering faith results in unending reward.

Blessings of the Covenant: Ultimately The Kingdom The Obedient Israel: Physical, present orientation Kingdom Curses of the Covenant: Ruin The Disobedient

Church: Spiritual, future orientation Future reign with Christ The Obedient Church: Spiritual, future orientation Kingdom

The idea behind the word “saved”:

The idea of the word “save” is not fixed and technical; it does not always mean the same thing. Most common use in the Bible, “to be delivered from one’s enemies”, a.k.a. “victory”. That word and idea dominates the OT and is often with reference to the Messiah and His reign – Ps. 2; 18:50; 20:6; 21; 45; 110; 2 Sam. 22:3-4; Lk. 1:69-71 Usage Saved!

“Salvation” Is future (1:14) where it is linked to Jesus’ rule 1:13 Is by works 5:8-9 Is unlike Jesus first coming 9:28 Has nothing to do with sin 9:28 Is for believers 9:28 Is for faithful believers 9:28… Hebrews Saved!

Saved! “Salvation” Yet, is called “salvation” 9:28 Is linked to Jesus coming to rule 9:28 And, the subject of the book of Hebrews seems to be “the world to come”, the Kingdom 2:5 And, that is a time in which humanity, led by a Human, will rule 2:6-9; Ps. 8 Hebrews Saved!

The whole of Hebrews involves a present life of faith to gain a future reward in the Kingdom. 12:25-29 Hebrews invites us to share in the salvation, the victory, of the Son of Man in His Kingdom. Hebrews: Focus on Rewards Saved!

By persevering faith, we can have partnership with God’s King/Priest Son! Hebrews: Focus on Rewards Saved!

Faith is the basis of all spiritual living. Hebrews 11 Faith is the basis of all spiritual living. 11:4-16: God honors and rewards faith 11:17-40: The many different experiences of faith Hebrews 11:6: God rewards faith! Saved!

Saved! Hebrews 11: God rewards faith! Abel Death does not stop our testimony! Faith allows us to outlive our lives! Enoch Contrast with Abel; our lives could be either! But, both outcomes = victory A life of fellowship pleases God A life of faith pleases God whether people see what we do or not; God does! Like Enoch, we may never see death Hebrews 11: God rewards faith! Saved!

Saved! Hebrews 11:6 God rewards Pleasing God leads to reward! faith! Satan: 1) “There is no God”; 2) “You can’t know anything about Him” Bible: 1) You must believe God exists 2) If sought, He can be found! Pleasing God leads to reward! Hebrews 11:6 God rewards faith! Saved!

Saved! Hebrews 11: God rewards faith! Noah When we live by faith, it can impact those we love the most, like family Noah and his family inherited a new world by faith and so can we! (2:5) Our faith not only leads us to victory but condemns others who will not believe Hebrews 11: God rewards faith! Saved!

Saved! Hebrews 11: God rewards faith! Abraham Like Abraham, we should look forward to another land to come Abraham won’t experience the promise of the land until the Kingdom Like him, we should live as strangers Like him, we should realize this is not our home Like him, we should also look for the New Jerusalem Difficulties have a way of making you want to be home Hebrews 11: God rewards faith! Saved!

Saved! Hebrews 11: God rewards faith! Sarah The only woman to appear, yet does not take a “back seat” in her faith Her ability to conceive is tied to her faith Isaac would never have been born if Sarah had not believed She regarded the One who promised her reliable By trusting the promise, she realized it, yet not in her lifetime God wants us to have that kind of faith Hebrews 11: God rewards faith! Saved!

We can still be living by faith when we die! Summary We can still be living by faith when we die! That’s true even if we haven’t yet received what was promised (Joseph!). They “saw” the promised realities and lived as strangers here, refusing to go back to what they knew before. Hebrews 11: God rewards faith! Saved!

Saved! Hebrews 11: God rewards faith! Summary We also need to realize where home is and not get drawn into living a life here as though this is where we belong. We need to live for a better home. Those who do are honored by God. When we live by faith, God is proud of us! Hebrews 11: God rewards faith! Saved!

The many different experiences of faith 11:17-40: The many different experiences of faith From here until the end, the author gives many examples of people who have different experiences of faith. For example… Hebrews 11: God rewards faith! Saved!

11:24-26 By faith Moses, when he became of age, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin, esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt; for he looked to the reward. Hebrews 11: God rewards faith! Saved!

11:39-40 And all these, having obtained a good testimony through faith, did not receive the promise, God having provided something better for us, that they should not be made perfect apart from us. Throughout the chapter, the future and reward are the endgame. …just as it was with Jesus! Hebrews 11: God rewards faith! Saved!

Looking unto Jesus…who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear. For our God is a consuming fire. Hebrews 12:28-29

And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he that comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. Hebrews 11:6

Persevering faith results in unending reward. The greatest offer a Christian can receive: Persevering faith results in unending reward.