Helps Ministry Part 3

Lesson 1

The Rewards Of A Kingdom Laborer

After these things the word of the LORD came unto Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward. – Genesis 15:1

First, and foremost, we serve God because we love Him, but we must also realize there are great rewards for those who labor in God’s Kingdom. Just as there are rewards promised for the wicked (2 Samuel 3:39; Psalms 54:5, 91:8; Isaiah 3:11), there are also rewards for the righteous who serve God. This lesson will focus on many of those rewards and promises.

Reward (misthos)—dues paid for work, wages, hire, of the rewards which God bestows

REWARDS ARE CONDITIONAL

For God is not unjust so as to forget your work and the love (labor of love) which you have shown toward His name, in having ministered and in still ministering to the saints. And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence so as to realize the full assurance of hope until the end, so that you will not be sluggish (lazy), but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises. – Hebrews 6:10-12 NASB

These verses are the ultimate verses for describing the ministry of helps, its responsibilities, and its rewards. Consider everything these verses say about helps:

1. Helps is work.

2. Helps is a labor of love. This is different than a work.

3. Helps is done as unto the Lord Jesus Christ.

4. Helps is ministry to the saints.

5. Helps is perpetual. It doesn’t end. Are you still ministering to the saints?

6. Helps requires diligence. Serving isn’t always easy. Fatigue can set in. Be diligent.

7. Helps is not for the lazy.

8. Helps can be imitated.

9. Helps requires faith and patience.

10. Helps inherits the promises!

REWARDS ARE PROMISED TO THE LABORER

God is our greatest reward. Just knowing Him is a tremendous honor. The wicked don’t get to know Him. But there are yet still more rewards for the righteous who serve Him.

The wicked worketh a deceitful work: but to him that soweth righteousness shall be a sure reward. – Proverbs 11:18
For the scripture saith, Thou shalt not muzzle the ox that treadeth out the corn. And, The labourer is worthy of his reward. – 1 Timothy 5:18

If you’re a laborer in the Kingdom, God promises to reward you!

REWARDS NOW AND IN ETERNITY

Praise God the reward system we participate in isn’t entirely in heaven, and it isn’t entirely in the earth. We can serve God, labor for Him, and receive some rewards now and some rewards in heaven.

Behold, the Lord GOD will come with might, with His arm ruling for Him. Behold, His reward is with Him and His recompense before Him. – Isaiah 40:10 NASB95

There are some rewards the Lord will bring “with Him.”

Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is. If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. – 1 Corinthians 3:12-14

Some rewards are received upon judgment day when our works will be judged. In this passage, God likens our Gospel labor to “building upon” the foundation of Jesus. God sees our Gospel labors in different categories depending upon our heart, attitude, and motive behind them. Those categories range from gold down to stubble. How many rewards will you have left after the fires of judgment? Will you even have anything to burn?

. . . a faithful ambassador is health. – Proverbs 13:17b
His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord. – Matthew 25:21
For they that have used the office of a deacon (diakoneo) well purchase to themselves a good degree [step up, promotion], and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus. – 1 Timothy 3:13

There are also many rewards that follow us in this life; among them are health, promotion, joy, a step up, and great boldness in the faith.

REWARDS ARE BASED UPON HEART CONDITION

God is looking for more than just raw obedience out of His children. heart, coupled with the act of obedience.

And thou, Solomon my son, know thou the God of thy father, and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind: for the LORD searcheth all hearts, and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts: if thou seek him, he will be found of thee; but if thou forsake him, he will cast thee off for ever. – 1 Chronicles 28:9

David exhorted Solomon to not just serve God, but to do so with a willing mind. The reward for this willing attitude in serving God is revealed in verse 20 of the same chapter: God will be with you. He will not fail you nor forsake you until thou hast finished all the work given you.

If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land: But if ye refuse and rebel, ye shall be devoured with the sword: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it. – Isaiah 1:19-20

God is looking for a willing heart and attitude, not just an obedient heart. obedient heart is rewarded by the best of the land.

For if I do this thing willingly, I have a reward: but if against my will, a dispensation (a stewardship) of the gospel is committed to me. – 1 Corinthians 9:17

Paul recognized that there was only a reward for his labor if his attitude was proper and pleasing to God. But even if his attitude wasn’t right, it still didn’t change the fact that he had already been entrusted with a Kingdom responsibility. How is your attitude toward your God-assigned responsibility?

REWARDS ARE BASED UPON HEART CONDITION

If you don’t labor, you can’t be rewarded. The Kingdom is not like a football team where even the bench-warmer gets a championship ring if his team wins. In the Kingdom, if you don’t play, you don’t get a ring.

Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour. – 1 Corinthians 3:8

Here we see a soul-winning duo. They are on the same team doing two different jobs, but if their team wins, they are rewarded differently. If they labor big, they are rewarded big. If they labor small, they are rewarded small.

Labor for God because you love Him. Labor for God because it is your calling, but never forget that He is faithful to reward those who labor for Him. Expect the reward!!! (Hebrews 11:26 NASB95)

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Helps Ministry Part 3

Lesson 1

The Rewards Of A Kingdom Laborer

After these things the word of the LORD came unto Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward. – Genesis 15:1

Reward (misthos)—dues paid for work, wages, hire, of the rewards which God bestows

REWARDS ARE CONDITIONAL

These verses are the ultimate verses for describing the ministry of helps, its responsibilities, and its rewards. Consider everything these verses say about helps:

1. Helps is work.

2. Helps is a labor of love. This is different than a work.

3. Helps is done as unto the Lord Jesus Christ.

4. Helps is ministry to the saints.

5. Helps is perpetual. It doesn’t end. Are you still ministering to the saints?

6. Helps requires diligence. Serving isn’t always easy. Fatigue can set in. Be diligent.

7. Helps is not for the lazy.

8. Helps can be imitated.

9. Helps requires faith and patience.

10. Helps inherits the promises!

REWARDS ARE PROMISED TO THE LABORER

God is our greatest reward. Just knowing Him is a tremendous honor. The wicked don’t get to know Him. But there are yet still more rewards for the righteous who serve Him.

The wicked worketh a deceitful work: but to him that soweth righteousness shall be a sure reward. – Proverbs 11:18

For the scripture saith, Thou shalt not muzzle the ox that treadeth out the corn. And, The labourer is worthy of his reward. – 1 Timothy 5:18

If you’re a laborer in the Kingdom, God promises to reward you!

REWARDS NOW AND IN ETERNITY

Praise God the reward system we participate in isn’t entirely in heaven, and it isn’t entirely in the earth. We can serve God, labor for Him, and receive some rewards now and some rewards in heaven.

Behold, the Lord GOD will come with might, with His arm ruling for Him. Behold, His reward is with Him and His recompense before Him. – Isaiah 40:10 NASB95

There are some rewards the Lord will bring “with Him.”

. . . a faithful ambassador is health. – Proverbs 13:17b

His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord. – Matthew 25:21

For they that have used the office of a deacon (diakoneo) well purchase to themselves a good degree [step up, promotion], and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus. – 1 Timothy 3:13

There are also many rewards that follow us in this life; among them are health, promotion, joy, a step up, and great boldness in the faith.

REWARDS ARE BASED UPON HEART CONDITION

God is looking for more than just raw obedience out of His children. heart, coupled with the act of obedience.

David exhorted Solomon to not just serve God, but to do so with a willing mind. The reward for this willing attitude in serving God is revealed in verse 20 of the same chapter: God will be with you. He will not fail you nor forsake you until thou hast finished all the work given you.

If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land: But if ye refuse and rebel, ye shall be devoured with the sword: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it. – Isaiah 1:19-20

God is looking for a willing heart and attitude, not just an obedient heart. obedient heart is rewarded by the best of the land.

For if I do this thing willingly, I have a reward: but if against my will, a dispensation (a stewardship) of the gospel is committed to me. – 1 Corinthians 9:17

REWARDS ARE BASED UPON HEART CONDITION

If you don’t labor, you can’t be rewarded. The Kingdom is not like a football team where even the bench-warmer gets a championship ring if his team wins. In the Kingdom, if you don’t play, you don’t get a ring.

Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour. – 1 Corinthians 3:8

Here we see a soul-winning duo. They are on the same team doing two different jobs, but if their team wins, they are rewarded differently. If they labor big, they are rewarded big. If they labor small, they are rewarded small.

Labor for God because you love Him. Labor for God because it is your calling, but never forget that He is faithful to reward those who labor for Him. Expect the reward!!! (Hebrews 11:26 NASB95)

Listen Along: