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Sermon Notes

Get In The Game!
Part 4
“Good Works Will Be Rewarded”

1 Cor. 3: 9-15 “9 For we are both God’s workers. And you are God’s field. You are God’s building. 10 Because of God’s grace to me, I have laid the foundation like an expert builder. Now others are building on it. But whoever is building on this foundation must be very careful.11 For no one can lay any foundation other than the one we already have-Jesus Christ. 12 Anyone who builds on that foundation may use a variety of materials-gold, silver, jewels, wood, hay, or straw. 13 But on the judgment day, fire will reveal what kind of work each builder has done. The fire will show if a person’s work has any value. 14 If the work survives, that builder will receive a reward. 15 But if the work is burned up, the builder will suffer great loss. The builder will be saved, but like someone barely escaping through a wall of flames.”
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Now, in this “Get in the Game” series on good works, we’ve seen that:
Every born again Christian is created for good works God had planned for us long ago.
We’re not saved BY good works, but FOR good works.
Good works are good deeds done by faith, in Jesus name, in obedience to Him, for the glory of God and not our own.
Good works strengthen our faith, contribute to our spiritual growth, and bring glory to God.
Good works are a natural outgrowth of genuine faith.

This time I want to talk about the REWARDS God gives for good works done in his name.
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The verses we read teach that every believer’s work will be tested by fire at Christ’s return.

True believers will not be judged for SIN, for that has been forgiven and washed away by Christ’s shed blood.

But our WORKS will be judged.

And it’s not just the quantity, but the quality of our works that will be scrutinized.

Paul compares good works to gold, silver, and precious stones—things that can survive great heat.

And he compares superficial or self-serving works to wood, hay, and stubble—things that are easily burned up.

The wrong kind of works will be burned up, but genuine, Spirit-led works will be rewarded.

—So there is coming a time when all the works of all believers will be tested by the fire of God’s scrutinizing judgment to determine whether they are worthy of reward!

Three things will be tested.

First,

I. Our motive for the works

1 Cor 4:5 “So be careful not to jump to conclusions before the Lord returns as to whether someone is a good servant or not. When the Lord comes, he will turn on the light so that everyone…will know why we have been doing the Lord’s work. At that time God will give to each one whatever praise is coming to him.”

The operative word there is ‘why’, the WHY we do the good works.
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Saved people can do good works for the right reasons.

Saved people can do good works for the wrong reasons.

Lost people can do good works for all the wrong reasons.

For instance, Paul told the Philippians about some people that were out there “…preaching out of jealousy and rivalry.”–Phil 1:16

There was a group of professing Christians that were going around preaching that you had to obey Moses in order to be saved—you must mix good works with faith in order to be saved.

They were called Judaizers, and they were jealous of Paul’s huge success in preaching,

salvation by faith alone,
through grace alone,
in Christ alone!

So Paul says their entire motive was to goad him with their own success, “intending to make my chains more painful to me.”–vs. 16

When Paul was thrown into prison they decided it was a great time to gain mileage with their false message, and to vex him while at it!
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Second, there are the good works done out of:

II. Selfish ambition
Paul writes that others “preached Christ from selfish ambition.”–vs 16

They were involved in the work of the Lord for their own gain–to satisfy self-centered ambitions that had not been put there by God.

They did the good works with an eye to advancement of some kind–to take another step up the ladder toward what they’re really after!

James warned, “For wherever there is jealousy and selfish ambition, there you will find disorder and evil of every kind.”–3:16

Those works, too, will one day burn up!
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Third, are the good works done for:

III. Gain or fame

There are those that get involved in the work of the Lord to gain material wealth or a level of fame.
Peter wrote, “In their greed they (false teachers) will make up clever lies to get hold of your money. But God condemned them long ago, and their destruction will not be delayed.”–2 Pet 2:3

I hardly need to elaborate on what we have all witnessed over and over–people involved in the work of the Lord to gain wealth.

They live in the lap of luxury off of the work of the Lord.
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And not just money, but some do good works for FAME!

Paul warns, “Never act from motives of…self glory,”–Phil 2:3

There are people that view ministry or doing good works as a way to,

promote themselves,
to gain the admiration of others,
to experience their 15 minutes of fame.

So their motive for good works is to feed an ego need that has never been brought to the Cross.

One paraphrase puts Phil 2:3 like this:

“Don’t push your way to the front; don’t sweet-talk your way to the top. Put yourself aside, and help others get ahead. Don’t be obsessed with getting your own advantage.”

The Pharisees in Jesus’s day were masters of this!

Jesus saw straight through it:

“When you give a gift to a beggar, don’t shout about it as the hypocrites do-blowing trumpets in the synagogues and streets to call attention to their acts of charity! I tell you in all earnestness, they have received all the reward they will ever get.”–Matt 6:2
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After singling out all the wrong motives for doing good works, Paul turns to the right one:

“But others preach about Christ with pure motives.”–Phil 1:15

They do good works with pure motives!

Their hearts are right, they want to glorify God and not themselves, and do what they do out of love for the Lord.

They don’t do it for recognition, praise, or personal gain.

They do it “as unto the Lord and not unto men…24 Remembering that you will get your reward from the Lord.”–Col 3:23-24
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Now lastly—the Bible teaches that good works done with the right motive will be rewarded,
both in the here and now and in the hereafter!

God promises to personally reward each person for their deeds!

Matt 6:3-4 “But when you do a charitable deed, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4 that your charitable deed may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will Himself reward you openly.”
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You say, What are the rewards going to be?
Aside from all kinds of blessings like
-joy from giving,
-fulfillment in doing God’s work,
-the doors that doing good works can open,
The Bible says God will reward us with Crowns!
In the Bible, “Crowns” are symbolic rewards God promises to faithful believers.

I see five of them!

First, there is:

a. An incorruptible crown
*This is for those who are faithful to Scripture, obedient, and self-sacrificing.
b. The crown of righteousness
*For those who are faithful till Jesus comes.
c. The crown of rejoicing.
*For those who win souls.
d. The crown of glory.
*For faithful pastors.
1 Peter 5:4 “And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away.”
e. The crown of life.
*For those who love Jesus sacrificially.
James 1:12 “Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him.”
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Now, I close with this exciting word from the Lord:

Revelation 22:12 – “Behold, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, to give to each according to what he has done.”

Our works will be judged
Our motive for doing them decides their reward worthiness
Crowns will be given for works well done!