TREASURY OF SERMONS
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Christ Judges the Works of Christians and Rewards His Faithful Servants
By Rev (Dr) Timothy Tow
(Preached at Life BPC, 10.30am service, 30 Jan 2000 )
Text: II Cor 5:10 ,11; I Cor 3:10 -15; Rev 19:7-9.
That there is a judgment of works for Christians is taught by the Apostle Paul in II Cor 5:10,11 also in I Cor 3:10-15 and by our Lord in the parables of the pounds and talents (Luke 19 and Matt 25). But we Protestants, stressing salvation is by grace through faith, and not by works as the Catholics do, have blinded our eyes to the doctrine of judgment of works. We take God for granted like unfilial children today.
In II Cor 5:10-12 Paul admonishes us, "For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that done whether it be good or bad. Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men …" This judgment seat of Christ takes place, logically, after the Rapture which was dealt with last week.
In I Cor 3:11,12, our salvation in Jesus Christ is compared to the foundation of a house. Our works are what we build thereon. If our works are good they are like gold, silver, precious stones. If our works are bad they are like wood, hay, stubble. In the day of judgment these works will be tested by fire. If a man's work stands the test, he shall receive a reward. If a man's work shall be burned he will suffer loss. Though he will be saved, he is like one plucked out of the fire. He has absolutely nothing to offer back to the Lord.
Two parables taught by our Lord should show the severity of contrast between good and bad works.
The first is the parable of the pounds according to Lk 19:13-15 "And he called his ten servants, and delivered them ten pounds, and said unto them, Occupy till I come. And it came to pass, that when he was returned, having received the kingdom, then he commanded these servants to be called unto him, to whom he had given the money, that he might know how much every man had gained by trading."
Now we all know the result of the Lord's assignments. The first servant made from his pound ten pounds. He was highly commended for his initiative and given ten cities to rule. The second made five pounds and was likewise rewarded to rule over five cities. But the third returned the pound wrapped in a napkin, and in order to justify himself he said, "Lord, behold, here is thy pound, which I have kept laid up in a napkin: For I feared thee, because thou art an austere man: thou takest up that thou layedst not down, and reapest that thou didst not sow" (Lk 19:20 ,21).
The reply that the Lord gave to this third servant is a heavy reprimand, "Out of thine own mouth will I judge thee, thou wicked servant. Thou knewest that I was an austere man, taking up that I laid not down, and reaping that I did not sow: Wherefore then gavest not thou my money into the bank, that at my coming I might have required mine own with usury?" (Lk 19:22,23). So saying the Lord took away his pound and gave it to him who had made ten pounds. What a sorry plight that the third servant is going through. Is he not like what Paul says of one building with wood, hay and stubble and in the fire-testing he himself is barely saved from the fire itself?
The parable of the talents says practically the same as the parable of the pounds. In this parable the third servant is even cast into outer darkness, also like one saved through the fire. God does not want us to be like Servant No 3.
The judgment of works will find many Christians heavily reprimanded. So, Paul reiterated, "Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men …" (II Cor 5:11 ).
Must I Go, and Empty-Handed?
- Must I go, and empty handed,
Thus my dear Redeemer meet?
Not one day of service give Him;
Lay no trophy at His feet?
Chorus:
Must I go, and empty-handed?
Must I meet my Saviour so?
Not one soul with which to greet Him—
Must I empty handed go?
- Not at death I shrink nor falter,
For my Saviour saves me now;
But to meet Him empty handed,
Thought of that now clouds my brow.
- O the years in sinning wasted!
Could I but recall them now,
I would give them to my Saviour—
To His will I'd gladly bow.
- O ye saints, arouse, be earnest,
Up and work while yet 'tis day;
Ere the night of death o'ertake thee,
Strive for souls while still you may.
We truly are justified by grace through faith, but Paul also stresses the importance of good works. In the three short chapters of Titus he mentioned good works six times. He told Titus to set an example to the Church, "In all things shewing thyself a pattern of good works" (Titus 2:7). He exhorts the Church members "to be ready to every good work" (3:1), "to maintain good works" (3:8), "also learn to maintain good works" (3:14).
The Apostle James puts it even stronger. For an example, he says, "What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him? If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit? Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone" (Jas 2:14 -17). "Remember the poor" is an apostolic injunction which we do well to practise (Gal 2:10 ). As a Church, Lifers have sent Ten Containers filled with surplus clothings and food items costing ten-thousands of dollars to the relief of the poor. Those who have lovingly contributed have followed the pattern of the Apostolic Church sending relief to the poor brethren in Judaea (Acts 11:29 ).
Our missionaries who are labouring in the hardest places among the poor are giving of themselves unto good works. Our lay missionaries who visit the stations time and again are doing the same.
Those who cannot go but support them by prayer and money liberally are surely well acceptable to God.
Those who bring their tithes into the storehouse of the Church that there may be meat in mine house (Mal 3:10 ) are blessed with poured out blessings from windows of heaven.
"He that winneth souls is wise" (Prov 11:30 ). Every soul winner is a lover of both God and men. They also will be blessed. Visiting the sick and the down and out is highly commended. "Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world" (Jas 1:27 ).
But works in ostentation, works of eye service, are to be burnt, like wood, hay, stubble. Works of faith, hope, love are silver, gold and precious stones.
A queue of brothers went to visit a sick brother in hospital. Each one said a long prayer, but the last in line said nothing. He gave him an envelope which contained $100. Whose prayer was most accepted? Good works are also practical and effective. "Learn to maintain good works" (Titus 3:14 ). So "doing something good for Jesus everyday" is one of Life Church 's watchwords.
Coming back to the parables of the pounds and the talents, what good work is taught by our Lord here? As his injunction in both cases is to go trade and gain, we see plainly the need of initiative in the Lord's work against slothfulness, which is condemned by King Solomon. In the parable of the pounds, each of the ten servants receives one pound. The one who has initiative, the faithful and diligent, makes ten pounds. The one who is slothful, faithless and lazy, not only earned nothing but lost interest on the pound which he should have put in the bank. This is a picture of two types of members in a Church. One type will regard a new project of the Church with nonchalance. The other type with faith and vision will develop it to great profit.
Let us be reminded to be good workers for God that we may receive good commendation before the Judgment Seat of Christ. If our works for God are done in faith, in hope and love we will not go unrewarded.
The reward of saints is portrayed in Rev 19:7-9 as the marriage of the Lamb, where the Church, His wife, has made herself ready. This is the Rapture. Dressed in white linen which is the righteousness of saints, she is to enter into the joy of the Lord. Those who receive rewards each finds a seat at the dinner tables. What about those servants who make zero marks in their works, who are like the one-talent servant who buried his talent in the earth? They are also there, yet saved as by fire. In the same picture language of guests enjoying a good meal with the Bridegroom, these reprimanded ones would be the dish washers who do the clean up and eat the leftovers. Will you sit at the table or be a dish washer at the Judgment Seat of Christ? Yes, we are all saved all right. But some will reign with Christ in glory. Some will be assigned menial jobs to do. Where will you be in Christ's Kingdom? —6th Prophetic Message.
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