REACH FORWARD – 13 Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead… Philippians 3:13 NKJV
21 “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! Matthew 25:21a NIV
What a way to finish! Everyone likes to hear “well done” at the end of a job. Can you imagine standing before the Lord one day and hearing those words? Wow! That is a prize worth living for! Certainly, as we’ve seen this week, that is the prize Paul was living for!
Today’s verse is found in what is often called “The Parable of the Talents” (Matt. 25:14-30). Jesus is teaching on His second coming. He uses the example of a man who went on a journey and entrusted three of his servants with money. The first two servants invested the money and gained a return on what they’d been given. Those two servants are the ones who heard, “Well done.” The man was not pleased with the third servant because he didn’t do anything with what he had received.
We have certainly been given much! We have wealth, education, freedom to meet together and study the Bible, freedom to share with others what we believe, etc. What are you doing with all that God has given you? Are your purposes, priorities, and pursuits reaching forward for the prize that God has in store?
He is “a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him” (Heb. 11:6 NKJV).
Remember, we do not do good things to earn our salvation. That is a gift from God! However, we will stand before Him one day to give an account of our lives on this earth. He is “a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him” (Heb. 11:6 NKJV). What a prize it will be to know we have given our all and to hear Him say, “Well done.”
APPLICATION
– Spend some time thinking about standing before the Lord one day. Ask Him to help you always remember that we will all give an account for what we’ve been given. Ask Him to help you use all that He has given you for His glory. Thank Him that He rewards those who live for Him.
– Pray that our church family would always remember that we will stand before the Lord one day. Pray that we would be burdened to live for Him while on this earth. Pray that we would use the tools of Connect Groups, a new Ministry Platform, Liberty Anywhere, and our existing campuses to the praise of His glory. May we be faithful with all that God has given us!
– Pray for those who do not know the prize that our God has in store for those who know Him. Commit to doing what you can to take the Gospel to them. There is still one week remaining to serve through Liberty Loves Hampton Roads. Go to www.libertylive.com/llhr to sign up.