WEBVTT - Chad Roberts - Oct 10 - 8:30 pm 0:00:18.880 --> 0:00:21.890 Welcome to Awaken to Grace. I'm Chad Roberts, and today 0:00:21.950 --> 0:00:24.790 we begin a new journey together. We begin a new 0:00:24.870 --> 0:00:30.730 series called Eternal Rewards. Should Christians desire rewards in heaven? 0:00:31.930 --> 0:00:36.220 Is it a wrong motive to desire what God says 0:00:36.300 --> 0:00:39.940 you and I can have in eternity? Many Christians have 0:00:39.960 --> 0:00:43.839 the wrong perspective when it comes to eternal rewards. And 0:00:44.040 --> 0:00:46.560 in this series, we are going to attempt to take 0:00:46.620 --> 0:00:50.290 God's Word and and give us the right perspective and 0:00:50.310 --> 0:00:54.440 to give us the right motivation for what God desires 0:00:54.520 --> 0:00:58.139 you to have in His kingdom. Well, today we're going 0:00:58.160 --> 0:01:01.760 to begin. We're calling this the foundation of eternal rewards. 0:01:02.000 --> 0:01:04.779 We're going to be in 1 Corinthians 3, where Paul 0:01:04.840 --> 0:01:09.190 says that each person, we are building our lives out 0:01:09.250 --> 0:01:13.050 of one of two materials. Either we're building out of 0:01:13.150 --> 0:01:17.610 gold and silver and precious stone, or we're building out 0:01:17.690 --> 0:01:22.850 of material that is cheap, things like just wood and hay, 0:01:23.170 --> 0:01:27.000 that when God tests our lives with fire, it's either 0:01:27.040 --> 0:01:29.500 going to purify, it's going to strengthen, it's going to 0:01:29.520 --> 0:01:32.920 have greater value in heaven, or it's going to burn up, 0:01:32.980 --> 0:01:36.260 and Scripture says we'll suffer loss. We're going to explain 0:01:36.300 --> 0:01:39.670 what all of this means in this sermon that is 0:01:39.709 --> 0:01:43.550 called The Foundation of of eternal rewards. I hope that 0:01:43.569 --> 0:01:46.929 you'll plan to be with me through each step of 0:01:47.010 --> 0:01:51.010 this series as we explain the crowns that the scriptures 0:01:51.230 --> 0:01:55.529 identify and how one day we will cast our crowns 0:01:56.110 --> 0:01:58.390 at the feet of Christ. I hope you'll be with 0:01:58.450 --> 0:02:01.530 me through this entire series. Well, let's go to God's 0:02:01.570 --> 0:02:06.940 Word today, 1 Corinthians chapter 3, the foundation of eternal 0:02:07.000 --> 0:02:22.880 rewards on this edition of Awakened to Grace. Today I 0:02:22.919 --> 0:02:29.799 want to launch a new series called Eternal Rewards. I 0:02:29.840 --> 0:02:32.400 want to talk about over the next six weeks or 0:02:32.460 --> 0:02:38.690 so what it means to have an eternal perspective. How 0:02:38.960 --> 0:02:42.440 do we not live for the temporary? How do we 0:02:42.500 --> 0:02:46.900 not live only for this life? For how many years 0:02:47.040 --> 0:02:51.100 or however many decades that the Lord gives us in 0:02:51.200 --> 0:02:55.800 this world? How do we live for eternity? Because what 0:02:55.860 --> 0:02:59.750 the Bible teaches... is that we currently live in this 0:03:00.150 --> 0:03:04.220 present evil age. Well, my friends, if there is a 0:03:04.310 --> 0:03:08.320 present age, then that means there is an age to come. 0:03:09.580 --> 0:03:13.739 So you have to understand, when God formed Adam out 0:03:13.800 --> 0:03:18.520 of the dust of the ground, all he was was 0:03:18.639 --> 0:03:24.580 dust turned into flesh. It was not until God breathed 0:03:25.100 --> 0:03:30.489 life into Adam that he became a what? A living soul. 0:03:31.389 --> 0:03:37.830 Making mankind unique from all of God's creation. We are 0:03:37.870 --> 0:03:44.870 different than the ranks of angels. We are different... from 0:03:44.970 --> 0:03:49.930 even animals and other things of God's creation. What makes 0:03:50.030 --> 0:03:55.180 mankind so different? We bear the image of God in 0:03:55.220 --> 0:03:57.580 the fact that you and I are a living soul. 0:03:57.600 --> 0:04:01.640 And what does that mean? That means that when this 0:04:01.780 --> 0:04:05.220 flesh dies, and just as we came from the dust 0:04:05.280 --> 0:04:08.240 of the earth, so we shall return to the dust 0:04:08.300 --> 0:04:12.300 of the earth. But what happens to our living souls? 0:04:13.490 --> 0:04:18.260 That will go on for eternity. Why? Because we are 0:04:18.339 --> 0:04:23.640 created in the image of God. C.S. Lewis said it 0:04:23.660 --> 0:04:27.080 better than anyone that I've ever heard articulate it. C.S. 0:04:27.160 --> 0:04:31.490 Lewis said most people believe that we are a body 0:04:31.730 --> 0:04:36.589 that has a soul. No. We are a soul that 0:04:37.970 --> 0:04:41.490 happens to have a body for a short while. Who 0:04:41.550 --> 0:04:47.360 you truly are, who I truly am, is a living 0:04:47.820 --> 0:04:51.159 soul created in the image of God. And our soul 0:04:51.700 --> 0:04:58.080 will live forever. The question is where? Will we live 0:04:58.120 --> 0:05:04.120 in heaven? Or will we live in eternity in hell? Well, 0:05:04.140 --> 0:05:07.299 why was hell created? Did you know hell was never 0:05:07.420 --> 0:05:14.290 created for mankind? When God created humanity, he did not 0:05:14.930 --> 0:05:20.140 create hell for man. Hell was created, the Bible says. 0:05:20.220 --> 0:05:22.580 The scriptures tell us it was for the devil and 0:05:22.620 --> 0:05:28.460 his angels. Why? Because of their ultimate act of rebellion. Rebellion. Now, 0:05:28.720 --> 0:05:30.500 I want you to note that for those of you 0:05:30.560 --> 0:05:33.159 who are note takers, because where I'm going to begin 0:05:33.200 --> 0:05:36.950 today is the ultimate act of rebellion. And where I'm 0:05:36.990 --> 0:05:41.250 going to end today at the conclusion is our ultimate 0:05:41.529 --> 0:05:44.469 act of worship. And I'm going to try to thread 0:05:44.610 --> 0:05:50.219 the two together. The reason that hell exists is because 0:05:50.360 --> 0:05:55.580 Satan and his demons rebelled against God Almighty. And do 0:05:55.640 --> 0:06:00.630 you know what happened when man rebelled against God? We 0:06:01.110 --> 0:06:06.710 joined the rebellion of Satan. So why does man now 0:06:06.810 --> 0:06:10.489 go to hell, those who are apart from Christ? Because 0:06:10.529 --> 0:06:16.580 we are part of his rebellion. But Christ came. The 0:06:16.640 --> 0:06:19.550 second Adam. What the first Adam could not do, the 0:06:19.630 --> 0:06:24.690 second Adam did. Christ came to ransom us. Christ came 0:06:24.930 --> 0:06:28.610 to die for us. Christ came to be the Lamb 0:06:28.650 --> 0:06:31.390 of God that could take away forever the sin of 0:06:31.430 --> 0:06:41.180 the world. So, now, we must understand that the years, 0:06:41.900 --> 0:06:45.020 the decades, the time that God gives us on this 0:06:45.220 --> 0:06:50.040 earth We will give an account for how we've lived. Now, 0:06:50.400 --> 0:06:53.260 the great separation between those who are saved and those 0:06:53.310 --> 0:06:57.729 who are lost, the Bible is expansive in its teaching. 0:06:58.529 --> 0:07:01.729 The Bible says that just as one would separate sheeps 0:07:01.830 --> 0:07:05.180 from the goats, one day Christ will separate the saved 0:07:05.260 --> 0:07:11.210 from the lost. What a frightful thing. The Bible teaches 0:07:11.250 --> 0:07:13.970 that those who are born again will one day give 0:07:13.990 --> 0:07:16.250 an account for their life, and what that is called 0:07:16.310 --> 0:07:20.900 is the judgment seat of Christ, the bema, judgment seat 0:07:21.060 --> 0:07:25.500 of Christ. And those who are without Christ and still 0:07:25.640 --> 0:07:28.480 in their sin, and they bear the weight of their sin, 0:07:28.500 --> 0:07:31.040 they will stand before what the Bible calls the great 0:07:31.540 --> 0:07:38.260 white throne judgment. Those who are in Christ will never 0:07:38.380 --> 0:07:41.310 stand before the great white throne judgment. And those who 0:07:41.550 --> 0:07:45.870 are without Christ will never have the experience of the 0:07:45.910 --> 0:07:51.250 Bema judgment seat of Christ. They are two completely different 0:07:51.410 --> 0:07:57.180 events for sheep and goats. Now I want you to 0:07:57.210 --> 0:08:02.000 go to 1 Corinthians 3 with me. I want over 0:08:02.060 --> 0:08:05.600 the next several weeks to give us a clearer understanding 0:08:06.140 --> 0:08:11.510 understanding of eternity and what we can expect because the 0:08:11.570 --> 0:08:18.010 Bible tells us. What is the wonderful news for those 0:08:18.050 --> 0:08:21.050 who put their trust in Christ is that we will 0:08:21.110 --> 0:08:24.740 never bear the weight of our sin in judgment. Do 0:08:24.760 --> 0:08:29.540 you know why? Because Jesus did that for us. Christ 0:08:29.920 --> 0:08:35.020 absorbed all of the wrath of God on our behalf. 0:08:36.220 --> 0:08:40.030 Now those who stand at the judgment seat of Christ, 0:08:40.470 --> 0:08:45.410 those are believers. Those are sheep. Those are sons and 0:08:45.450 --> 0:08:49.720 daughters of God. And we will never bear the weight 0:08:50.380 --> 0:08:53.300 of judgment of sin because Christ did that for us. 0:08:53.640 --> 0:08:56.020 So what's the purpose of the judgment seat? I'm going 0:08:56.040 --> 0:08:59.309 to explain that today. But those who don't know the Lord, 0:08:59.370 --> 0:09:03.429 those who are left to bear the weight of their sin, 0:09:03.490 --> 0:09:07.650 they will give account before the great white throne judgment. 0:09:08.090 --> 0:09:11.330 And what will be the sentencing of that day? The 0:09:11.370 --> 0:09:14.750 Bible says they will be thrown into the lake of fire. 0:09:15.470 --> 0:09:19.010 You say, oh, but Chad, that's not fair. Oh, but see, 0:09:20.270 --> 0:09:23.370 we are on the wrong side. We are in the 0:09:23.429 --> 0:09:28.270 rebellion against God. That's why man will go where Satan 0:09:28.309 --> 0:09:31.050 and his angels will go because we are part of 0:09:31.110 --> 0:09:35.110 the same rebellion until we have put our full faith 0:09:35.830 --> 0:09:39.469 and we have put our full trust in salvation by 0:09:39.550 --> 0:09:43.179 Jesus Christ. He is the door to heaven and there 0:09:43.260 --> 0:09:47.260 is no other way. Amen. Now what's the judgment seat 0:09:47.300 --> 0:09:51.880 of Christ? The judgment seat is where Christians will give 0:09:54.710 --> 0:09:59.010 Christ will do an assessment of our lives. We will 0:09:59.050 --> 0:10:02.030 not be judged for sin. sin, but we will be 0:10:02.110 --> 0:10:05.270 judged for the opportunities. We will be judged for the 0:10:05.360 --> 0:10:07.790 motives that we did. If you want to learn much 0:10:07.880 --> 0:10:11.040 more about the Bema Judgment Seat, you can go on 0:10:11.740 --> 0:10:16.500 our website, awakentograce.com. You can go on our free mobile app, 0:10:17.000 --> 0:10:21.310 Awakened to Grace. When you go to our sermons there, 0:10:21.830 --> 0:10:26.470 there is a folder there, a series called Eternity, What 0:10:26.570 --> 0:10:30.250 Are You Living For? In that sermon, in part one, 0:10:30.890 --> 0:10:34.840 I went to 2 Corinthians 5, and I break down 0:10:36.059 --> 0:10:39.380 everything I know about the judgment seat of Christ. It's 0:10:39.420 --> 0:10:41.800 not everything to know, but I assure you it's everything 0:10:41.920 --> 0:10:45.560 I know. And we talk in part one, the judgment 0:10:45.580 --> 0:10:47.560 seat of Christ, part two, the great white throne. You 0:10:47.580 --> 0:10:50.150 can look at that on your own, and you can 0:10:50.210 --> 0:10:54.550 go back and see the teaching there. Today, I am 0:10:54.610 --> 0:10:58.910 doing a foundation talk on what we are going to 0:10:58.990 --> 0:11:04.810 study for the next six weeks. The Bible identifies five 0:11:05.170 --> 0:11:09.860 crowns of Scripture that you and I can win. Five crowns. 0:11:11.230 --> 0:11:15.199 And beginning next Sunday, we're going to break each of 0:11:15.260 --> 0:11:17.540 those five down, and I will try to go in 0:11:17.620 --> 0:11:21.500 depth explaining the meaning and the purpose behind each crown. 0:11:22.500 --> 0:11:26.520 I think there are many, many more that Christians can obtain. 0:11:26.960 --> 0:11:30.250 I think Scripture, when it gives us the five, it 0:11:30.309 --> 0:11:33.610 is not an exhaustive list by no means, I do 0:11:33.650 --> 0:11:36.109 not believe. I think it gives us a taste. It 0:11:36.150 --> 0:11:41.280 gives us a glimpse of into what we can earn. 0:11:41.300 --> 0:11:44.059 What did Paul say? We see through a glass dimly 0:11:44.120 --> 0:11:47.420 on this side of eternity, on the side we're on now. 0:11:48.240 --> 0:11:52.380 So today is going to be a foundation of where 0:11:52.420 --> 0:11:56.140 we're going. I want you to understand why we give 0:11:56.160 --> 0:11:59.920 an account for our lives, where we give an account 0:11:59.960 --> 0:12:02.800 for our lives, and when we give an account for 0:12:02.860 --> 0:12:05.819 our lives. And then the next five weeks, we will 0:12:05.860 --> 0:12:10.850 break down the five crowns of Scripture. Look with me 0:12:10.910 --> 0:12:16.390 now in chapter 3 of 1 Corinthians. If you notice 0:12:16.530 --> 0:12:20.729 verses 9 to 11, Paul is going to make an 0:12:20.970 --> 0:12:25.040 argument that there is only one true foundation in life, 0:12:25.360 --> 0:12:29.180 and that foundation is Jesus Christ. If you are building 0:12:29.220 --> 0:12:32.000 your life on any other foundation, you are in a 0:12:32.040 --> 0:12:35.720 world of trouble. People who purchase a home and they 0:12:35.760 --> 0:12:38.760 don't understand or realize that the foundation has been cracked, 0:12:38.900 --> 0:12:42.630 they're in trouble. The scriptures teach, Jesus taught, that there 0:12:42.670 --> 0:12:46.069 are two foundations, the sinking sand and the solid rock. 0:12:46.330 --> 0:12:49.150 And friends, if you're building on sinking sand, let me 0:12:49.380 --> 0:12:54.580 assure you, you are in trouble. And when you look 0:12:54.780 --> 0:12:57.990 at that teaching in Matthew 7 through the lens of eternity, 0:12:58.270 --> 0:13:03.620 you really understand what Jesus is teaching. So understand Paul 0:13:03.760 --> 0:13:07.589 is going to reinforce this idea in 1 Corinthians 3 0:13:07.590 --> 0:13:10.610 by saying there isn't but one foundation and that is 0:13:10.710 --> 0:13:13.510 Jesus Christ. And what he's saying in verses 9 through 0:13:13.510 --> 0:13:17.510 11 is that each person needs to be careful how 0:13:17.590 --> 0:13:23.329 we are building. Are we building rightly throughout our lives 0:13:23.790 --> 0:13:26.170 so that one day when we stand before God and 0:13:26.210 --> 0:13:29.750 we give an account for the precious life he has 0:13:29.790 --> 0:13:32.600 given us, for the decades he has given us, for 0:13:32.620 --> 0:13:35.280 the family he has given us, for the calls to 0:13:35.460 --> 0:13:39.120 serve and the opportunities we've been given, will we have 0:13:39.160 --> 0:13:44.959 been found faithful? That's the question. And Paul says, I 0:13:45.000 --> 0:13:47.660 want you to note it with me, in verse number 12, 0:13:47.660 --> 0:13:51.850 Paul teaches there are various types of building materials that 0:13:51.880 --> 0:13:56.650 you and I can choose. He puts it like this. 0:13:57.470 --> 0:14:05.569 There is gold, silver, and costly stones, precious jewels. Okay? 0:14:05.590 --> 0:14:11.070 Or someone perhaps might choose to build out of wood, hay, 0:14:11.290 --> 0:14:17.530 and stubble. In other words, they may with their life 0:14:17.770 --> 0:14:22.080 show great quality. They may with their life do things 0:14:22.120 --> 0:14:26.000 that are of great sacrifice. Or the alternative is they'll 0:14:26.020 --> 0:14:29.940 take the easy way out. They'll go the cheap way. 0:14:30.840 --> 0:14:35.070 They'll go the convenient way. They'll bypass what is hard 0:14:35.310 --> 0:14:38.210 and what is difficult and what is costly. And they'll 0:14:38.230 --> 0:14:42.500 take what is convenient and what is easy. And so 0:14:42.560 --> 0:14:46.180 Paul says that each of us are building our lives 0:14:46.720 --> 0:14:50.520 out of one or two sets of building materials. And 0:14:50.620 --> 0:14:55.500 either we are choosing solid things, valuable things, such as gold, silver, 0:14:55.620 --> 0:14:59.060 and precious stones, or hay, wood, and stubble. Now follow 0:14:59.100 --> 0:15:03.790 his logic. In verse number 13, notice what he says. 0:15:04.970 --> 0:15:09.050 Each one's work is going to be manifested. Oh, that 0:15:09.130 --> 0:15:13.450 is a heavy phrase right there. Each one's work is 0:15:13.490 --> 0:15:18.730 going to be manifested. Now let's understand. Let's dig around 0:15:18.810 --> 0:15:23.120 a little bit right here. I think a good word 0:15:23.200 --> 0:15:26.960 picture to understand this when he says manifested is that 0:15:27.060 --> 0:15:29.280 we are not going to be able to hide any 0:15:29.400 --> 0:15:33.700 motive from the Lord Jesus Christ. See, right now as 0:15:33.800 --> 0:15:37.140 I preach this sermon today, you realize the way God 0:15:37.380 --> 0:15:41.350 is evaluating me. When I stand and I give an 0:15:41.410 --> 0:15:45.600 account for this day and this work, this service that 0:15:45.720 --> 0:15:48.120 I am doing for the Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord 0:15:48.180 --> 0:15:51.570 is not going to evaluate me based on how polished 0:15:51.870 --> 0:15:56.750 my speaking is. He's not going to evaluate how effective 0:15:56.810 --> 0:15:59.850 of a communicator I was. He's not going to evaluate 0:15:59.870 --> 0:16:02.790 me on how well my memory was or if I 0:16:02.850 --> 0:16:05.830 could get across all my points or how good of 0:16:05.890 --> 0:16:08.490 a teacher perhaps I was. No. Do you know what 0:16:08.510 --> 0:16:12.710 God is going to evaluate? My motive. In other words, 0:16:12.990 --> 0:16:15.750 I can love to preach or I can love the 0:16:15.790 --> 0:16:19.320 people that I'm preaching to. I can do it just 0:16:19.360 --> 0:16:21.740 to hear my own voice or I can do it 0:16:22.570 --> 0:16:25.310 out of obedience and service and worship to the Lord 0:16:25.370 --> 0:16:29.530 Jesus Christ. It's my motive that's going to be evaluated 0:16:29.570 --> 0:16:33.880 with God. Same with you. Whatever you do for the 0:16:33.930 --> 0:16:39.420 Lord Jesus, what's your motive? He says that each one's 0:16:39.800 --> 0:16:43.000 work is going to be manifested. I think about just 0:16:43.080 --> 0:16:45.880 even this morning, those who are serving in our parking 0:16:45.940 --> 0:16:48.080 lot team. Would you want to serve on a cold, 0:16:48.120 --> 0:16:53.020 rainy morning like this? I think about those who get 0:16:53.060 --> 0:16:56.760 here early and begin brewing coffee for our congregation so 0:16:56.800 --> 0:16:59.470 that people can enjoy that. I think about people that 0:16:59.530 --> 0:17:06.030 are in kids' church and those who give up Sundays 0:17:06.109 --> 0:17:09.560 and they give up teaching times. People who have worked 0:17:10.200 --> 0:17:14.480 all week long and yet they've given up their Sunday 0:17:14.520 --> 0:17:19.500 to serve back there. God bless them. Amen. I think 0:17:19.540 --> 0:17:23.160 about people who serve in many different capacities in our church. 0:17:23.220 --> 0:17:26.219 I think about the care team and those who are 0:17:26.290 --> 0:17:29.430 small group leaders and shepherd people. I think about those 0:17:29.490 --> 0:17:33.590 who work in all the technology and all of the worship. 0:17:33.650 --> 0:17:36.709 I think about those who serve in prayer ministry. What 0:17:36.750 --> 0:17:43.159 a vital thing that is. All over, people are serving. 0:17:43.720 --> 0:17:45.080 But do you know what's going to be on display 0:17:45.200 --> 0:17:51.890 one day? Not just what we did. but why we're 0:17:51.930 --> 0:17:57.230 doing it. Our motives. I think about the generosity of 0:17:57.270 --> 0:18:01.010 this church and the way people give and the faithfulness 0:18:01.090 --> 0:18:06.250 that you do. Oh, thank God for you. But see, 0:18:06.350 --> 0:18:11.230 even as I try to be faithful to the Lord 0:18:11.270 --> 0:18:15.140 and I give not unto you and not unto anyone else, 0:18:15.200 --> 0:18:19.080 I give as unto the Lord. See, one day, my 0:18:19.200 --> 0:18:24.060 motive is going to be assessed. More so than the amount, 0:18:25.119 --> 0:18:29.970 the motive. Does that make sense? Someone can give the 0:18:30.650 --> 0:18:34.610 Lord a large sum, but if the motive is wrong, 0:18:36.030 --> 0:18:42.790 that will be assessed. Each one's work will be manifest 0:18:43.130 --> 0:18:46.070 in other words think of it like this you can 0:18:46.130 --> 0:18:49.440 drive through a subdivision and you can see the most 0:18:49.640 --> 0:18:55.100 beautiful home on the outside manicured lawn and all of 0:18:55.140 --> 0:18:58.900 the bells and whistles but inside it be a nasty 0:18:58.980 --> 0:19:03.850 hoarders nest you don't want the judgment seat of christ 0:19:03.869 --> 0:19:08.270 will be like for believers I don't care what you 0:19:08.310 --> 0:19:11.270 look like on the outside on a Sunday morning. It's 0:19:11.330 --> 0:19:16.150 what's on the inside. Amen? And that is what's going 0:19:16.190 --> 0:19:22.899 to be manifest. In 2 Corinthians 5 verse 10, the 0:19:22.940 --> 0:19:27.070 scriptures say we must all appear before the judgment seat 0:19:27.109 --> 0:19:30.710 of Christ. That word appear, the Greek meaning, the original 0:19:30.730 --> 0:19:35.020 meaning is to be turned inside out. We will not 0:19:35.080 --> 0:19:40.490 hide anything from the flaming eyes of fire of Jesus Christ. 0:19:42.430 --> 0:19:44.730 That's why when we struggle with sin, as we all do, 0:19:45.550 --> 0:19:50.770 when we struggle with pride, as we all do, When 0:19:50.790 --> 0:19:53.669 we have shortcomings as we all do. That's why we 0:19:53.730 --> 0:19:57.129 are so wise to pray Psalm 139 with David. And 0:19:57.190 --> 0:20:02.010 say God search me. Try me. See if there be 0:20:02.090 --> 0:20:05.970 any wicked way in me oh God. I would rather 0:20:06.030 --> 0:20:08.429 do it now in this life than to do it 0:20:08.470 --> 0:20:12.080 at the judgment seat of Christ. Because my life will 0:20:12.119 --> 0:20:20.679 be made manifest. How will it be made manifest? Oh. Oh, 0:20:20.800 --> 0:20:24.320 I forgot my phrase. When will it be made manifest? 0:20:24.340 --> 0:20:27.120 Look what it says. Paul says, for the day we'll 0:20:27.140 --> 0:20:30.980 disclose it. That's a capital D, for the day. What 0:20:31.200 --> 0:20:35.949 is the day? Friends, that's judgment day. That is the 0:20:36.109 --> 0:20:40.270 judgment seat of Christ. That is when you and I 0:20:40.350 --> 0:20:45.310 will give full account of our lives. Now, remember, you 0:20:45.369 --> 0:20:47.850 will not give account for sin if you're born again. 0:20:49.810 --> 0:20:54.709 So what will you give account for? Missed opportunities or 0:20:54.869 --> 0:21:01.830 opportunities you've done well with? Motives, whether they were pure 0:21:02.170 --> 0:21:06.590 or whether they were impure. God will assess. Again, it 0:21:06.630 --> 0:21:10.750 says 2 Corinthians 5.10 is one to really link in 0:21:10.770 --> 0:21:15.090 your own personal study with this. We must all appear 0:21:15.109 --> 0:21:16.830 for the judgment seat of Christ to give an account 0:21:17.210 --> 0:21:20.110 for the things done in our bodies, whether good or bad. 0:21:21.190 --> 0:21:23.010 So that means that either you're going to have good 0:21:23.050 --> 0:21:25.930 motives or bad motives. Either you're going to have good 0:21:25.990 --> 0:21:30.459 work or poor work. Either you're going to do the 0:21:30.480 --> 0:21:33.359 hard things in life, the sacrificial things, or you're going 0:21:33.380 --> 0:21:36.220 to do the quick and convenient and easy things of life. 0:21:36.640 --> 0:21:40.070 Either your life is built out of gold, silver, and 0:21:40.119 --> 0:21:43.070 precious stone, or it's built out of hay, wood, and stubble. 0:21:44.250 --> 0:21:49.010 I heard one time a story about a contractor who 0:21:49.030 --> 0:21:53.469 had built many gorgeous homes throughout his years of construction. 0:21:55.930 --> 0:21:59.430 He came upon retirement and he was so excited to retire. 0:21:59.760 --> 0:22:05.100 It's the only thing that he lived for. His boss 0:22:05.180 --> 0:22:09.060 came to him and said, I understand that you're retiring, 0:22:10.020 --> 0:22:12.280 but I have one last project for you. Will you 0:22:12.359 --> 0:22:19.230 please take it on? Reluctantly, very reluctantly, he agreed. And 0:22:19.290 --> 0:22:24.939 so he got into the project, but he lived for retirement. 0:22:25.640 --> 0:22:30.700 He lived to take his ease. So after a lifetime 0:22:30.720 --> 0:22:36.440 of quality work, he began to cut corners. He cut 0:22:36.500 --> 0:22:39.899 corners here and cut corners there and did everything as 0:22:39.920 --> 0:22:44.399 fast as And as easy as possible. Because he kept thinking, 0:22:45.119 --> 0:22:48.460 all I want to do is retire. At the end 0:22:48.480 --> 0:22:52.379 of the project, when his boss came to evaluate the work, 0:22:53.660 --> 0:22:56.650 he handed the builder the keys. And he said, this 0:22:56.730 --> 0:23:02.949 is my gift to you. Enjoy your retirement. And he 0:23:03.010 --> 0:23:08.109 was filled with regret that he didn't do a better job. 0:23:09.369 --> 0:23:14.700 Are we not in the same potential danger, that we 0:23:14.810 --> 0:23:21.630 rush through this life trying to be as comfortable as possible, 0:23:23.030 --> 0:23:28.200 trying to accumulate all that we can, and we're not 0:23:28.340 --> 0:23:35.859 living for eternity. Each one's work will be made manifest when, 0:23:36.619 --> 0:23:40.880 for the day will disclose it. See, I can't see 0:23:40.920 --> 0:23:43.660 your motives and you most certainly cannot see my motives. 0:23:44.580 --> 0:23:47.220 It's going to take the day. It's going to take 0:23:47.260 --> 0:23:51.930 the judgment seat of Christ to truly reveal it. How 0:23:51.990 --> 0:23:54.850 will our motives be revealed? Well, Paul tells us. I'm 0:23:54.869 --> 0:23:59.850 so glad you asked. Look what it says. By fire. 0:24:01.290 --> 0:24:05.530 By fire. I want you to write down a principle. 0:24:08.070 --> 0:24:20.980 Man and fire are inseparable. Humanity and fire are inseparable. See, 0:24:22.460 --> 0:24:30.990 either you are marching through life without Jesus headed toward hellfire, 0:24:32.270 --> 0:24:35.490 or you are marching through life Serving to the glory 0:24:35.530 --> 0:24:38.580 of God. And one day fire will test the motives 0:24:38.660 --> 0:24:41.320 of your life. Either way, you will not escape fire. 0:24:42.760 --> 0:24:47.760 It's inseparable. And watch what happens. Notice the last phrase 0:24:48.580 --> 0:24:52.919 of verse 13. It is the fire that's going to test. 0:24:53.010 --> 0:24:55.810 In other words, it's the fire that's going to reveal 0:24:56.190 --> 0:25:03.320 the value of your life. The qualities. of your service 0:25:03.420 --> 0:25:08.680 to Jesus, the quality of your Christian life. The fire 0:25:08.740 --> 0:25:12.200 is going to reveal the quality. Are we ready for that? 0:25:14.260 --> 0:25:18.880 Do we think about that? The purpose is to get 0:25:18.940 --> 0:25:23.250 us ready. It was Matthew Henry who died in the 0:25:23.450 --> 0:25:28.369 early 1700s. It was Matthew Henry who gave this gem 0:25:28.510 --> 0:25:31.169 to the church. He said it ought to be the 0:25:31.230 --> 0:25:36.540 business of of every day to prepare for your last day. 0:25:39.840 --> 0:25:43.020 It ought to be the business of every day to 0:25:43.080 --> 0:25:47.399 prepare for your last day. What I want to do 0:25:47.420 --> 0:25:50.859 in this series is to give us an eternal perspective. 0:25:51.560 --> 0:25:55.310 It was C.T. Studd, that great preacher, who said, This 0:25:55.410 --> 0:25:58.310 life will soon be past, and what is done for 0:25:58.410 --> 0:26:04.350 Christ is all that will last. Do we live for eternity? 0:26:07.400 --> 0:26:14.940 Notice verse 14. If what we have built on, this foundation, 0:26:15.220 --> 0:26:18.180 if any man has built on this foundation, if his 0:26:18.260 --> 0:26:23.870 work survives the fire, then what is promised? He'll be rewarded. 0:26:25.630 --> 0:26:29.210 Verse 15. If it is burned up, you suffer great loss. 0:26:30.960 --> 0:26:34.040 But does that mean that someone will not go to heaven? No, 0:26:34.060 --> 0:26:37.620 because notice what the scriptures say. Even though that believer 0:26:37.660 --> 0:26:42.260 will suffer great loss, he will still be saved. So 0:26:42.340 --> 0:26:47.060 as by fire. The word picture is escaping a burning home, 0:26:47.119 --> 0:26:51.359 getting out in time. You will not be judged for 0:26:51.400 --> 0:26:54.770 your sin. Your sin was judged already by Jesus Christ 0:26:54.830 --> 0:26:58.390 on Calvary. But you will be judged for the life 0:26:58.430 --> 0:27:03.070 you lived. whether or not you were faithful, whether or 0:27:03.130 --> 0:27:06.590 not you were obedient, whether or not you were sacrificial, 0:27:07.250 --> 0:27:11.730 that is what the Lord will judge us by. So, rewarded. 0:27:11.750 --> 0:27:13.689 I want to talk for just a few moments, and 0:27:13.710 --> 0:27:16.800 let me set our series up by talking about rewards. 0:27:17.130 --> 0:27:19.740 First of all, let me say, many Christians have a 0:27:20.100 --> 0:27:24.700 skewed view of rewards. They have a skewed perspective. You know, 0:27:24.840 --> 0:27:29.920 I think that there is something to be said That 0:27:29.980 --> 0:27:35.560 we do not serve Jesus only to be rewarded. But see, 0:27:35.600 --> 0:27:38.340 here's what I want you to understand. What is our 0:27:38.480 --> 0:27:43.020 true reward? Colossians 3, 23, 24, and 25 gives us 0:27:43.060 --> 0:27:47.860 that answer. Colossians 3, 23 teaches that our true reward 0:27:48.020 --> 0:27:52.350 is inheriting the kingdom of God. It's our inheritance. That's 0:27:52.380 --> 0:27:57.200 our reward. So if our true reward is an inheritance 0:27:57.540 --> 0:27:59.960 of the kingdom of God, I want you to understand, 0:28:00.240 --> 0:28:05.639 we do not serve God as an employee serves an employer. No. 0:28:08.480 --> 0:28:14.139 We are not rewarded as an employer rewards an employee. No. 0:28:15.680 --> 0:28:21.090 You and I serve Jesus as sons and daughters of God. 0:28:21.109 --> 0:28:21.199 Amen. 0:28:21.220 --> 0:28:27.030 Amen. We are rewarded as sons and daughters of God. 0:28:27.250 --> 0:28:32.940 The kingdom is ours. Amen. It is our inheritance. So 0:28:32.980 --> 0:28:35.880 what's my motivation to get something out of God? No, 0:28:35.920 --> 0:28:40.810 he's my father. He's my father. I don't have to connive. 0:28:41.370 --> 0:28:44.530 I don't have to manipulate. I don't have to try 0:28:44.570 --> 0:28:46.970 to twist his arm. I don't have to try to 0:28:47.110 --> 0:28:50.750 figure out the combination code. No, all I have to 0:28:50.790 --> 0:28:53.780 do is go to Abba Father. And if the Bible 0:28:53.820 --> 0:28:56.820 says in Romans 8 that if God, not sparing his 0:28:56.960 --> 0:28:59.640 own son, but freely gave him up for us, how 0:28:59.680 --> 0:29:02.880 will he not also with him give us everything else 0:29:02.940 --> 0:29:07.340 we need in this life? 2 Peter 1, verse 3. 0:29:07.340 --> 0:29:10.440 It is His divine power that has granted to us 0:29:10.840 --> 0:29:14.440 all things that pertain to both life and godliness. I 0:29:14.480 --> 0:29:16.510 don't have to twist God's arm to be good to me. 0:29:17.130 --> 0:29:19.150 I don't have to manipulate Him to be good to me. 0:29:19.850 --> 0:29:23.810 He's my Father. I'm His Son. So when we talk 0:29:23.850 --> 0:29:28.430 about rewards, when we talk about living for eternity... It's 0:29:28.540 --> 0:29:33.620 not an employee being paid by an employer. It's a 0:29:33.800 --> 0:29:37.390 son and daughter serving out of a grateful heart to 0:29:37.410 --> 0:29:41.520