FIRST QUARTER 2023
SABBATH SCHOOL INSIGHT #12
MARCH 25, 2023
“REWARDS OF FAITHFULNESS”

 

In the first sentence of the opening paragraph of our lesson this week, the lesson states that, “The Bible uses the hope of reward as a motivation for faithful living.”

A spiritual mentor of many, Elder Donald Short, author of two tremendous books, “Then Shall the Sanctuary be Cleansed”, and “Made Like His Brethren”, used to frequently ask the question, “if there were no heaven to gain, or eternal life to obtain, would you still be a Christian?”

It’s a sobering question, and that question is at the center of our lesson this week, the center of our thoughts on stewardship for the quarter, and ultimately, at the center of our Christian experience. If there were no “rewards” of eternal life and heavenly mansions, would you still be a follower of Christ?

Why are you a faithful steward? Would you still be a faithful tither and Sabbath keeper if you only had your 70-90 years of life here on earth? Notice in the following passages the motivational paradigm of the disciples:

 

1.  (James and John) said to (Jesus), “Grant us that we may sit, one on Your right hand and the other on Your left, in Your glory.” (Mark 10:37, NKJV).
    
2. Then Peter answered and said to (Jesus), “See, we have left all and followed You. Therefore, what shall we have?” (Matthew 19:27)

 

Christ’s closest disciples, at this late stage in their walk with Jesus, were operating from a motivational paradigm where, as the lesson states, “hope of reward” was the “motivation for faithful living.” I’m sure on some level they had an affection for Jesus, and an appreciation for the beauty of His character. Yet, they were still blindly wrapped in the principles of national and personal exaltation. They wanted Jesus to be the Messiah so their nation could be “on top,” and so they personally could be “on top” of the “on top” nation.

Jesus responds very gently to Peter, and basically says, “yes, there is a wonderful future planned for the faithful, but my kingdom is not what you think it is.”

“So, Jesus said to them, 'Assuredly I say to you, that in the regeneration, when the Son of Man sits on the throne of His glory, you who have followed Me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My name’s sake, shall receive a hundredfold, and inherit eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and the last first’” (Matthew 19:28-30, emphasis supplied).

Jesus explains to Peter and the disciples that yes, there is a reward for the faithful, but “the faithful” are those who cherish being last so others can be first. The faithful are those whose reward is seeing others go into the kingdom ahead of them – or even instead of them – if that were possible.

Notice how Paul makes this point, “For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Is it not even you in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at His coming?” (1 Thessalonians 2:19, emphasis supplied). What is Paul’s “crown”? It’s seeing you – us – at the second coming. Paul’s concern is not his reward. Paul’s concern is us.

This is Paul’s concern even for those who were persecuting him. “I could wish that I myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren” (Romans 9:3). What was Paul’s hoped for reward for all his labors? Seeing those who opposed him saved in Christ’s kingdom – even if it cost Paul his salvation.

In the parable of the prodigal son Jesus gently opens up to those of us active in organized religion the possibility that we may be His followers for the wrong reasons. The prodigal son clearly cared about his father for only one thing – the inheritance that he would receive. But, sadly, the prodigal’s older brother was also serving his father from a love, not for his father, but a love for his father’s money.

“So, he (the prodigal’s older brother) answered and said to his father, ‘Lo, these many years I have been serving you; I never transgressed your commandment at any time; and yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might make merry with my friends’” (Luke 15:29).

The older brother was serving, but it was no pleasure or blessing to work for and with his father. It was with his eyes on the prize – his inheritance.

What do you view as the reward for “faithfulness,” for “Christian living,” for being a devout tithe paying vegetarian active Seventh-day Adventist Christian?

Notice what God told Abraham his reward would be! “The word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision, saying, ‘Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your exceedingly great reward’” (Genesis 15:1, emphasis supplied). Abraham’s reward was not first and foremost land, or an inheritance, or even a son! Abraham’s primary reward was God – fellowship and communion and friendship with God.

Sadly, in Abram’s response in the next verse, he brushes off God’s offer of this divine reward and keeps his eyes focused on earthly things, “But Abram said, “Lord GOD, what will You give me, seeing I go childless.”

How often does God offer Himself to us as our reward, and our eyes are fixed on things here on earth instead of things above – even God Himself as our reward?

Yes, there are tremendous blessings and privileges and “rewards” in store for the saved. But the greatest reward is eternity in the presence of God and Jesus. The mansions and “street of gold” are certainly promised blessings to the redeemed, but may they not be our motivation for following Jesus and making Him our friend.

The 1888 message was on a fundamental level meant to shift our individual and corporate motivational paradigm from “reward for me,” to reward for the Father and the Son. In the beautiful truths of the 1888 message are pictures of the character and sacrifice of God that were to move us beyond concern for our personal salvation, and into a concern that God and Jesus receive their rewards, and that their suffering is brought to an end. May these 1888 truths, as we study them more deeply, not lead us merely to greater information, but to a motivational transformation. The “matchless charms of Christ,” as Ellen White called the 1888 message, caused “every fiber of my heart to say Amen.” May it do the same for us.

As Elder Short asked, “if there were no heaven to gain, would you still be a Christian?”, we can answer YES! Because Jesus is that attractive that 80 years with Him here on earth is worth more than eternal life without Him.

“It is not the fear of punishment, or the hope of everlasting reward, that leads the disciples of Christ to follow Him. They behold the Saviour's matchless love, revealed throughout His pilgrimage on earth, from the manger of Bethlehem to Calvary's cross, and the sight of Him attracts, it softens and subdues the soul. Love awakens in the heart of the beholders. They hear His voice, and they follow Him.” — Ellen G. White, The Desire of Ages, p. 480, emphasis supplied.

 

~Bob Hunsaker