The Law of Rewards Part 8

Rewards:

Our missing motivation

The 7th Law:

Desiring rewards is a proper motivation for serving Christ.

1. Moses“By faith Moses, when he had

grown up, refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh's daughter. He chose to be mistreated along with the people of God rather than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a short time...

He regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt,

because he was looking ahead to his reward.” Hebrews 11:24-26

Moses chose to give up worldly:

• Position – which speaks to the issue of – Security

• Power - Freedom

• Pleasures - Fun

• Possessions - Success

Moses gave it all up in order to have to receive a far greater reward in heaven.

If Moses was willing to walk away from all of the “treasures of Egypt,” why am I so unwilling to left go of mine for the sake of God’s kingdom?

The “pleasure” of sin will:

• Corrupt me “...a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil

fruit.” Matthew 7:17

• Control me

“For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing.” Romans 7:19

• Change me

“And now they sin more and more....” Hosea 13:2

• Conform me

“And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed” Romans 12:2

• Consume me

“Having eyes full of adultery, and that cannot cease from sin.”

2 Peter 2:14

• Carry me - farther than I wanted to go

2. Paul

The prospect of eternal reward, from his Master’s hand, was Paul’s consuming motivation throughout his life:

“Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize.

  Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever…

Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air. No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.” 1 Corinthians 9:24-27

1. Proceed – Get Started. “All the runners run”

2. Pursue – Keep Moving. “Run in such a way as to get the prize. This race isn’t over until we cross the finish line.

3. Prepare – Get Ready. “And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things.

4. Perceive – Get Focused. Where is your finish line?

5. Purpose – Get Energized. Why run in a race you cannot win?

6. Produce – Get Fruitful. “Do not fight like a man beating the air.”

7. Persist – Never Quit

“But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified.” 1 Cor 9:27

3. Jesus

Certainly Christ was motivated by his love but it is also interesting to note that he was also motivated by another factor – a reward.

“Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”

Hebrews 12:2