Choosing Eternal Blessings Over Earthly Rewards in Ministry
Luke 14:12 Then said he also to him that bade him, When thou makest a dinner or a supper, call not thy friends, nor thy brethren, neither thy kinsmen, nor thy rich neighbours; lest they also bid thee again, and a recompense be made thee.
At first, when I read this verse, I thought, “What would be wrong with receiving a returned favor?” Then, it occurred to me; Jesus is warning us that if the only people we minister to are those whom we know will repay us for what we have done, then we have received our temporal reward. However, He goes on to teach in verses 13-14 that if we will minister to those whom we know will not be able to repay us, then and only then are we truly blessed!
Jesus said, “And thou shalt be blessed.” The word blessed literally means supremely blessed, fortunate, well off, and happy. In other words, when we do this, the blessing we will receive is from God and not from man, and therefore eternal and not temporal. He clarifies by saying, “…for thou shalt be recompensed at the resurrection of the just.” (see verse 14). To put it simply, you can get a temporary, man-bestowed blessing, or you can get an eternal, God-bestowed blessing, depending upon your motive in service, and depending upon whom you are willing to serve.
Jesus knew the temptations that we as humans would face when serving others. He knew that we would be tempted to provide for others with strings attached. Therefore, He teaches us to serve in places where that will not be an option. This will then discipline us to rely totally upon the Lord to bless us and reward us in His good timing! Also, do not mistake His temporal provisions for His eternal rewards. I’m not saying that He does not reward us in the here and now; however, I am saying that the real reward is what shall await us in Heaven.
The preacher is told in 1 Peter 5:4, “And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.” Let us then be satisfied to wait for our reward in Heaven. If all we do is pat each other on the back, then what have we really gained? May God give us the types of ministries that will reach those who cannot boost our egos or promote our agendas! Let us minister not where men take note, but where God takes note.
~ Pastor Gary Caudill
At first, when I read this verse, I thought, “What would be wrong with receiving a returned favor?” Then, it occurred to me; Jesus is warning us that if the only people we minister to are those whom we know will repay us for what we have done, then we have received our temporal reward. However, He goes on to teach in verses 13-14 that if we will minister to those whom we know will not be able to repay us, then and only then are we truly blessed!
Jesus said, “And thou shalt be blessed.” The word blessed literally means supremely blessed, fortunate, well off, and happy. In other words, when we do this, the blessing we will receive is from God and not from man, and therefore eternal and not temporal. He clarifies by saying, “…for thou shalt be recompensed at the resurrection of the just.” (see verse 14). To put it simply, you can get a temporary, man-bestowed blessing, or you can get an eternal, God-bestowed blessing, depending upon your motive in service, and depending upon whom you are willing to serve.
Jesus knew the temptations that we as humans would face when serving others. He knew that we would be tempted to provide for others with strings attached. Therefore, He teaches us to serve in places where that will not be an option. This will then discipline us to rely totally upon the Lord to bless us and reward us in His good timing! Also, do not mistake His temporal provisions for His eternal rewards. I’m not saying that He does not reward us in the here and now; however, I am saying that the real reward is what shall await us in Heaven.
The preacher is told in 1 Peter 5:4, “And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.” Let us then be satisfied to wait for our reward in Heaven. If all we do is pat each other on the back, then what have we really gained? May God give us the types of ministries that will reach those who cannot boost our egos or promote our agendas! Let us minister not where men take note, but where God takes note.
~ Pastor Gary Caudill