Future Glory and Rewards
Future Glory and Rewards
INTRODUCTION
1 Corinthians 4:17, "For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory." From study I believe that the rewards to be given at the Bema will consist of crowns and other glorious things.
1 Corinthians 4:17, speaks of the momentary light affliction which is a very descriptive picture of this world of sorrow, pain, tears, problems, etc. The moment that we cross to the other side this moment of affliction will be exchanged for an "exceeding and eternal weight of glory."
What does this strange phrase mean (can you weigh glory on scales?)? Perhaps it is a figure of speech comparing the two opposite words, "light" and "weight."
If the reverse were true then we as believers would be most miserable. 1 Corinthians 15:19.
One of the first blessings is the believer’s death-a death from which the sting has already been removed, John 8:51. 1 Corinthians 15:55.
Death to the believer is just falling asleep in Jesus Christ, John 11:11; 1 Thessalonians 4:14.
Then the person suddenly awakes in the Lord’s presence.
I. THE FUTURE GLORY OF BELIEVERS
To be with Christ. John 14:3, "And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto Myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. "
We are all happy to be in the presence of a great person.
To behold His face. Psalms 17:15, "As for me, I will behold Thy face in righteousness. I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with Thy likeness."
1 Corinthians 4:6, "... the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ." We’ll behold it!
What glory it will be just to be able to gaze on that wonderful face.
Revelation 22:4, "And they shall see His face."
To behold the glory of Christ. John 17:24, "Father, I will that they also, whom Thou hast given Me, be with Me where I am; that they may behold My glory which Thou hast given Me."
Everyone loves to view a beautiful bride! What a far more wonderful sight is this! This would be a pre-incarnation, Matthew 17:2, transfiguration scene. Wonderful!!
To be glorified with Christ. Romans 8:17-18, "And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with Him that we may be also glorified together. For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us."
We don’t know what this means but it surely is going to be marvellously wonderful!
To reign with Christ, 2 Timothy 2:12, "If we suffer, we shall also reign with Him."
In the Matthew 25:20-23 parable of the talents the faithful ones were made rulers over many things. In Luke 19:12-19 the parable of the nobleman and pounds, the man with one pound gained ten more and was given to rule over ten cities.
Another man with one pound gained five more and was granted to rule over five cities.
To inherit all things. Revelation 21:7, "He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be My son."
Acts 26:18, the Christian is one with an inheritance up there in the glory land.
To shine as the stars. Daniel 12:3, "And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever."
CROWNS THAT BELIEVERS MAY WIN
My visit to the Tower of London to see the Crown Jewels in 1951. The Queen’s Imperial State crown contains 3,000 diamonds and 300 other jewels. The Imperial State crown contains 6,000 diamonds and other stones.
Revelation 19:12, "On His head were many crowns." (The head of the Saviour, Jesus Christ.) How many crowns do you expect to win? It is possible for believers to win several.
Crowns for runners. 1 Corinthians 9:24-25, Incorruptible crown, "Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain. And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible. "
Hebrews 12:1, "Let us run with patience the race that is set before us." An incorruptible crown, not one made of paper like the barrio fiesta queen’s, but an eternal one.
Crowns for soul winners. 1 Thessalonians 2:19, The crown of rejoicing, "For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Are not even ye in the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ at His coming?"
Perhaps each convert will be a jewel in that crown. How many jewels will you have in your crown? You ought to have one for each year of your Christian life.
Crowns for anticipators. 2 Timothy 4:8, crown of righteousness, "Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them that love His appearing."
Everyone ought to win this crown. Each one of us ought to be watching and waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Crowns for faithful ones, James 1:12, crown of life, "Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love Him."
There seem to be three conditions to winning this crown:
Enduring temptation, overcoming evil.
Loving Him. This ought to be easy, to love Jesus.
Revelation 2:10, "Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life."
Being faithful unto death, enduring to the end. Not only being faithful to death, the end of life, but "unto death" even to martyrdom.
This is the text of the sermon preached June 14, 1936, the day that I was baptized and joined the Church. The sermon was preached by the Rev. A. C. Leifer.
Crowns for true pastors. 1 Peter 5:4, crown of glory, "And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away."
This is the crown for the elders, the under shepherds, the pastors, missionaries, teachers. To be faithful over the Lord’s heritage and to hear His "well done" and receive this crown, too.
Crowns for all of the redeemed, crowns of gold. Revelation 4:4, "I saw four and twenty elders sitting, clothed in white raiment; and they had on their heads crowns of gold." .
Not only earthly kings and queens to have crowns. These are men redeemed from earth.
CONCLUSION The challenge is to faithfulness. Revelation 3:11, "Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown."
It is possible to earn a crown and then to lose it again. Wouldn’t that be a terrible tragedy? May God grant that it will not happen to us.
John 19:5, a mock coronation when they crowned the Lord Jesus with a cruel crown of thorns. What a demonstration of the depravity of fallen man. In Revelation 4:10-11 the elders take their crowns and give them to Jesus saying, "Thou art worthy, 0 Lord, to receive glory and honour and power. . ."
want to have crowns to lay at His feet at that time. 0 the utter shame of a Christian who does not have at least one crown to lay at His feet.
He wins the crown for us as we yield to Him. The crown is rightly His, for He has won. I desire to be able to lay many crowns at His blessed feet.
REVIEW QUESTIONS
Explain the contrast in 2 Corinthians 4:17.
What is the blessing in 1 Corinthians 15:55, to which the Christian can look forward?
List 7 things that could be included in the future glory of believers.
Which one of the 7 things in question 853 do you consider to be the greatest? Why?
Name 5 different crowns that a believer may wear.
Linking James 1:12 and Revelation 2:10, what are the 3 conditions for winning the crown of life?
What are the conditions for winning the incorruptible crown?
Which one of the crowns do you think will be the easiest to win?
Is it possible to win a crown and then to lose it later?
Explain.
What do you expect to do when Revelation 4:10-11 becomes a reality?