Heavenly Rewards | Andy Elmes | 25th April 2021
This week Pastor Andy begins a new series called Heavenly Minded. The first message in this series is Heavenly Rewards, as Andy begins to take some time to look at how the Bible teaches us concerning Heavenly things.
We need to be wise with how we spend our time, how we love our families, how we love people around us. We need to be of use to God, understanding there's an eternal life following this temporal life. The Bible reveals to us how our minds will be fully restored; every tear will be wiped away. So we need to understand that things that we do in this life have ramifications in the life that's going to follow – in heaven. Colossians 3, early verses state (NIV) “Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God”.
Are we heavenly minded? Many are not giving any thought to living in the light of eternity. The Bible teaches us that there are heavenly rewards for those that chose to be faithful to God in His kingdom, in this chapter of Life called the here and now. For the believer, we are able to come to the big white throne (Revelation 20: 11-14) knowing we have salvation through our faith in Christ who saves us, but the bible also speaks of another judgement which gives us inspiration to live for our Lord. The judgement seat of Christ is rewards based – 2 Corinthians 5:9-10 (NIV) “So we make it our goal to please him, whether we are at home in the body or away from it. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad”. This isn't a punishment based reward or judgment. It's Jesus settling accounts with those who belong to him for how they lived out their lives on the earth before coming to their true home - eternity in heaven with him.
The Bible reveals to us here that after we are saved, God Is watching how we live our lives. Do we live for others? Or do we live for ourselves? Do we live for the comfort and benefit of others? Or we just making sure we've got enough. Do we live for what matters to God? Or do we live for what matters to us? All of these things have a reward thats in heaven waiting for those who lived correctly.
So our belief on Earth is what positions us in eternity - heaven or hell. But our behaviour on earth, what and who we lived for when we were here, will determine the rewards that we receive in heaven.
