Our Future Rewards
A.W. Tozer emphasizes the importance of serving God for His nature while recognizing the promise of future rewards for faithful believers.
A.W. Tozer emphasizes that our motives in the Christian life should be genuine and rooted in love for God, rather than solely for the rewards He offers. He reassures believers that while we should serve God for who He is, we should also remember the glorious future promises He has made, which include eternal rewards for those who walk in faith, love, and obedience. Tozer expresses confidence that God's faithful servants today may shine as brightly as the heroes of faith mentioned in Hebrews, suggesting that the legacy of faith continues beyond the past.
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Our motives in the Christian life should be both right and genuine. God is the Faithful One. We are to love Him and serve Him because He is God-not because of the gracious things He does for us or for the rewards He promises us! However, it should be said that God does not expect us to forget or ignore the gracious future promises He has made to us. It is a glorious truth that if we believe God and honor His Word, if we walk by faith in love and obedience, there will be eternal rewards for each of us in that great coming day. The rewards will differ. Wisdom and knowledge and love reside in Him who is our God.
He will make the right judgments for His people.
I for one will not be surprised if some of God's faithful people serving Him today should rise as high and shine as brightly as the heroes of faith listed in the book of Hebrews. I say that in all truthfulness because I do not think that all of the heroes of faith are dead and gone!
Sermon Outline
- I points: - Understanding our motives in the Christian life - The nature of God's faithfulness - Serving God for who He is, not for rewards
- II points: - The importance of remembering God's promises - Eternal rewards for faithfulness - Differentiation of rewards among believers
- III points: - The role of wisdom, knowledge, and love in God's judgments - The potential for unexpected rewards - The ongoing legacy of faithful believers
Key Quotes
“God does not expect us to forget or ignore the gracious future promises He has made to us.” — A.W. Tozer
“If we believe God and honor His Word, there will be eternal rewards for each of us in that great coming day.” — A.W. Tozer
“I do not think that all of the heroes of faith are dead and gone!” — A.W. Tozer
Application Points
- Reflect on your motives for serving God and ensure they align with loving Him for who He is.
- Remember and hold onto the promises of eternal rewards as motivation for your faithfulness.
- Acknowledge that God's judgments will be fair and that rewards may be surprising in their distribution.