God Sees Every Good Thing
Category: Sermons
Text: Hebrews 6: 9-12
Introduction:
A. Even though this is stern stuff, it is the affectionate admonishing of a loving Father.
1. You only admonish those you love. If you hate someone, you let them go their way into troubling circumstances.
2. Sometimes, a father appears to be chewing on you for something you didn’t do, but is actually reinforcing in you what is right.
B. It is good to be secure enough in a relationship to be able to speak frankly to one another.
1. It shows trust.
2. It proves sincerity to be honest with a friend, and to allow friends to be hones with you.
C. The relationship between members of a church is one of confidence in the things that come with salvation.
Proposition:
God sees every good thing that you do, and rewards you fairly.
Interrogative:
What does God reward?
Transition:
This passage tells us the basic three things that get God’s attention.
I. God notices the good work that you do.
A. That is, the useful things that you do in order to build God’s kingdom.
1. What you accomplish.
2. The things that fulfill the holy ambitions that you acquire after coming to know the Lord.
B. A holy ambition is the desire to bring God’s will to pass, and it is a good thing.
1. Paul spoke of his desire to go and preach where the Gospel had never been preached.
2. Apollos desired to go to help the believers refute the opposition in Achai.
C. There are plenty of things that can be done to build God’s kingdom. God wants people saved and taught to follow Him, whatever accomplishes that gets God’s attention and favor.
Transition:
Your work is good, but your concern for the holy dreams of others is also good.
II. God notices the help you give to other believers.
A. The act of serving the believers is the act of showing love to the Father.
1. It is basically unselfish.
2. It allows others to fulfill the holy ambitions that they have.
B. The service to the believers binds the church together in trusting interdependence.
1. Apollos was taught by the best so he could go.
2. Barnabas went looking for Saul.
3. Joshua and Elisha were servants before taking the mantle of leadership.
C. Examples: Nursery, teacher helpers, camp…
Transition:
God notices not only the acts you do, but rewards those who have done it faithfully for a long time.
III. God rewards faithfulness.
A. He gives assurance of salvation to those who remain diligent.
1. “Make your hope sure” means that you are confident that you are saved and that what you do is advancing the kingdom of God.
2. Experience brings insight, and serenity about what your future holds, and that the world is moving along as God has planned it.
B. God rewards those who are earnest, even if they have to pretend to be for awhile.
1. For instance, I am not patient by nature. I am not always sure if I am doing the right thing, going in the right direction. I am not patient, but I get the rewards of being patient by imitating those who are.
2. Patient people follow God’s instructions after searching scripture. They do their duties faithfully every day without having to measure progress and searching for signs of success. They simply work, day in and day out, knowing that what God has said is true. They are successful in their efforts.
Transition:
God notices these things, and He rewards these things.
Conclusion:
A. Continue to pursue God’s will, invite the lost to come to Christ, invite them to participate in the life of the church.
B. Find a place of ministry that either invites people to Christ, or teaches them the foundations of serving Christ. Even if it doesn’t float your boat right now. Even if it is just as an assistant. God knows your heart, and will notice your sacrifice and reward you accordingly.
C. In everything, do it well. Prepare well. Be reliable. Be at your best. God’s work is even more important than the work you do for a living.
