Eternity is in Our Heart: Session 4 – Jesus is Coming Soon and He’s Bringing Something with Him

Notes:

 Jesus is Coming Soon and He’s Bringing Something with Him    See Session Slides Here

  • At the Rapture Jesus is bringing something with Him. ‘And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work’ (Rev.22:12).
  • All believers will appear at the Judgment Seat of Christ. ‘But why do you judge your brother? Or why do you show contempt for your brother? For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ’ (Rom.14:10). ‘For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad’ (2 Cor.5:10).
  • ‘Appear’ means to be made manifest or revealed. ‘… judge nothing before the time, until the Lord comes, who will both bring to light the hidden things of darkness and reveal the counsels of the hearts’ (1 Cor.4:5)
  • This is not judgment for sins. These have been judged at the cross. This is not about salvation, but reward.

 

There is a big difference between being saved by grace and rewarded according to works, 1 Cor.3:8,10,13-15

  • ‘reward’ (misthos) means wages, or pay for service ‘Now he who plants and he who waters are one, and each one will receive his own reward according to his own labor’ (1 Cor.3:8). See also Matt. 5:12.
  • Another Greek word for ‘reward’, antapodosis, appears in Col.3:24 and means to recompense, give back in return. ‘…whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men,knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ’. See also Luke 6:35-38.
  • God is not unjust to forget your work…Matt 6:19-21;  1 Tim. 6:19
  • Works will be tested. Those not of God will be burned. Those remaining = the Bride’s adorning,Rev.19:7-8

 

Responsible people are required to administer the kingdom. So God has deliberately allowed a prolonged period between the two advents so that Jesus might test His servants in His absence. This is illustrated by:

  • The parable of the talents ‘For the kingdom of heaven is like a man traveling to a far country, who called his own servants and delivered his goods to them’ (Matt.25:14).
  • The parable of the Nobleman ‘He spoke another parable, because He was near Jerusalem and because they thought the kingdom of God would appear immediately.Therefore He said: “A certain nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom and to return. So he called ten of his servants, delivered to them ten minas, and said to them, ‘Do business till I come’”’ (Lk.19:11-13).
  • ‘Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his master made ruler over his household, to give them food in due season? Blessed is that servant whom his master, when he comes, will find so doing. Assuredly, I say to you that he will make him ruler over all his goods.  But if that evil servant says in his heart, ‘My master is delaying his coming,’ and begins to beat his fellow servants, and to eat and drink with the drunkards, the master of that servant will come on a day when he is not looking for him and at an hour that he is not aware of, and will cut him in two and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth’ (Matt. 24:45-51).

 

Rulership is according to faithfulness ‘If we endure, we shall also reign with Him’ (2 Tim.2:12). ‘And he who overcomes, and keeps My works until the end, to him I will give power over the nations’ (Rev.2:26). ‘Behold, I am coming quickly! Hold fast what you have, that no one may take your crown’ (Rev.3:11). ‘To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne’ (Rev.3:21). Loss of salvation is not possible, but disinheritance is: ‘Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God’ (1 Cor.6:9-10). ‘Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God’ (Gal.5:19-21). ‘For this you know that no fornicator, unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience’ (Eph.5:5-6).