“Solomon had a vineyard at Baalhamon; he let out the vineyard to keepers; every one for the fruit thereof was to bring a thousand pieces of silver. My vineyard, which is mine, is before me: you, O Solomon, must have a thousand, and those that keep the fruit thereof two hundred.” (So 8:11-12)
There is reward, if we do God’s will. He doesn’t teach us to serve Him in vain. Instead, if we believe, then we shall be saved. If we repent, there is the FORGIVENESS of sins. And, if we do God’s will, then there is reward for the righteous.
1. Do not be ashamed of rewards, and know that this encourages us to serve God. We must GET a payback for what we do for God, for it isn’t in vain - “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be you steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as you know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord“ (1 Cor 15:58).
2. The Lord, by the “thousand”, reveals that He gets all glory and praise (Song 8:11). He is the reason that we’re saved, and He saves us from many a fall. He saves us from the flesh that is constantly ungodly, and He produces the good that’s in us. He is gracious, kind, and delights in mercy. He forgives redundant sin, and He gives SINNERS eternal life. His saints are sinners too. We are “black, but comely”, and He blesses us NOW, even though NOW there is devilry in us, a nature constantly opposed to God (Song 1:5).
On the basis of pure merit, we can’t stand one second in His presence. But, on the basis of grace, faith, righteousness imputed, and the new man being seen by God, we are blessed to serve Him now - “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service“ (Rom 12:1). If I can preach, it’s a gift of grace, and it is not I, but Christ and grace is doing it for me (1 Cor 15:10).
Yet, this doesn’t stop the reward system. Give Christ ALL glory, and you’ll get the honor of giving Christ praise, even if the world hates you. Live for Christ’s honor, and you’ll get the glory of salvation, wisdom, and righteousness. You’ll be rewarded by the God who sees you.
3. Remember, your pastor only gets “two hundred”. He is exalted of God to preach to you, but he is not the God who does the exalting. He is human, fallible, and wrong.
Every pastor is WRONG right now in something that they do and teach, “For there is not a just man upon earth, that does good, and sins not“ (Eccl 7:20). Yet, he is worthy of his reward, and he will get it from God. Don Fortner writes, “Let none of God’s saints ever look with scorn upon any man who preaches the gospel of God’s free grace in Christ. He who faithfully preaches the gospel to two or three of the Lord’s sheep is just as important in his place, doing what God has called him to do, as the man who preaches to hundreds. He is to be heard, respected, honored, supported and prayed for just as the preachers whose names are widely known.” But, while men may or may not respect him… men may or may not be saved by his God-honoring message… he “must” get his reward from God who cannot lie - “If you be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are you; for the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you: on their part he is blasphemed, but on your part he is glorified” (1 Pet 4:14).
4. What are you living for? When it is said and done, and you look back on your life, will you be wise or foolish? Many think that I’m foolish for “wasting” my life on God, wasting my talent, my opportunities, etc.
Yet, these things are GIVEN to me by God, and I’m WISE to pay Him back with love and reverence. I’m thankful that I’ve obtained mercy, so it is RIGHT that I should be merciful, serving Him.
Give Christ ALL the glory, and give every person who serves Him their due. But, God will, whether you and I notice it or not. He is already rewarding the righteous with love, joy, and peace. He already conquers and pardons us in our sins. He already gives GRACE to obey the gospel. He already smiles upon us inwardly and fellowships with us (John 14:23). We have riches the world cannot see, and then we go to heaven, when mankind is burning in the lake of fire.
5. It is WORTH it to serve Christ. Do it unashamedly. Don’t look for rewards from men. Don’t say, “I must hold back because I will lose this friend”. Say, “Serving Christ, right now, and giving Him glory, is going to come back to me. I cannot honor Christ and not get what God’s promised to give those that do”, both now and forever.
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