Your Final Destiny
In the book, Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, Steven Covey gives a very important principles for a successful life. Principle #2 is "Begin with the End in Mind."
That’s very good advice for Christians who desire to please the Lord. We will one day give an account of our lives to the Lord.
What is the Final Destiny for the Christian? Heaven?
Heaven is not an eternal rest home where we sit on clouds and sing Praise songs.
God created us to have dominion over the earth.
"God blessed them and said to them, "Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground."" (Genesis 1:28, NIV84)
The KINGDOM of Christ will be an earthly kingdom. "Rejoice greatly, O Daughter of Zion! Shout, Daughter of Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and having salvation, gentle and riding on a donkey, ...He will proclaim peace to the nations. His rule will extend from sea to sea and from the River to the ends of the earth." (Zechariah 9:9–10, NIV84)
ETERNITY will be on earth.
"I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven (Revelation 21:2, NIV84)
"And he carried me away in the Spirit to a mountain great and high, and showed me the Holy City, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God." (Revelation 21:10, NIV84)
The ultimate end for the Christian is to receive the authority intended at creation as a redeemed person and to share rule over the world as a servant of King Jesus.
In our chronological study of Biblical prophecy, the NEXT MAJOR PROPHETIC event that we come to in scripture is the Olivet Discourse
The Theme of this sermon by Christ was Preparation for Christ’s Kingdom.
Matt 24:1-3 the Disciples ask, "When will these things take place?"
Matt 25:1 Parable of the Ten Virgins, waiting for the Bridegroom
Matt 25:14 Parable of the Talents - what will you do with the resources God has given
TO THE FAITHFUL, Jesus promises that they will receive an Inheritance. "Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world." (Matthew 25:34, NIV84)
PREVIOUS PROMISES for the BELIEVER’S REWARD
Daniel 7: 18, 22, 27. "But the saints of the Most High will receive the kingdom and will possess it forever—yes, for ever and ever.’" (Daniel 7:18, NIV84) "until the Ancient of Days came and pronounced judgment in favor of the saints of the Most High, and the time came when they possessed the kingdom." (Daniel 7:22, NIV84) "Then the sovereignty, power and greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven will be handed over to the saints, the people of the Most High. His kingdom will be an everlasting kingdom, and all rulers will worship and obey him.’" (Daniel 7:27, NIV84)
"Do you not know that the saints will judge the world? (1 Corinthians 6:2, NIV84)
"Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they too may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus, with eternal glory." (2 Timothy 2:10, NIV84)
"if we endure, we will also reign with him. If we disown him, he will also disown us;" (2 Timothy 2:12, NIV84)
"To him who overcomes and does my will to the end, I will give authority over the nations—" (Revelation 2:26, NIV84)
"He who overcomes will, like them, be dressed in white. I will never blot out his name from the book of life, but will acknowledge his name before my Father and his angels." (Revelation 3:5, NIV84)
"To him who overcomes, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I overcame and sat down with my Father on his throne." (Revelation 3:21, NIV84)
Blessed and holy are those who have part in the first resurrection. The second death has no power over them, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with him for a thousand years." (Revelation 20:6, NIV84)
Faith IN Christ secures your PLACE in heaven.
Faithfulness TO Christ secures your REWARD in heaven.
What Right do We have to RULE???
We are PARTAKERS. "We have come to share in Christ if we hold firmly till the end the confidence we had at first." (Hebrews 3:14, NIV84)
Share is NOT koinonea.
Share is Metachoi - partakers. Used in LUKE 5:7. Partners! "So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them, and they came and filled both boats so full that they began to sink."
In Christ, all SONS are SONS, but not all SONS are PARTNERS
HOW Can I INHERIT CHRIST’S REWARD
My Motive should NOT be possession or gain. Illus - a child’s father is on a journey. The child completes his chores to please his father.
Faithfulness on earth determines reward in heaven.
"Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’" (Matthew 25:21, NIV84)
Luke 19:11-26. Parable of the Ten Minas.
What are these Rewards? Our Christian work will be judged at the The BEMA Seat, and rewards distributed.
2 Cor 5:10 "For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad."
1 Corinthians 3:11–15
The NT describes at least FIVE of the potential rewards that Christians will receive .These rewards as also known as the Believers CROWNS
Crown of Rejoicing. 1 Thess 2:19. For those who bring people to Christ.
Crown of Glory. 1 Peter 5:1-4. Faithful shepherds.
Crown of Righteousness. 1 Tim 4:6-8. Those ready and longing for the Lord’s return.
Crown of Life. James 1:12. Perseverance in trials.
Victors Crown. SPIRITUAL DISCIPLINE. "Discipleship Crown." "Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever." (1 Corinthians 9:25, NIV84)
A WARNING: Rewards can be LOST
Illustration of ESAU. Heb 12:15-17.
Esau was always a son of Jacob, but Esau forfeited his inheritance.
"Even though we cannot forfeit eternal life, we can forfeit our firstborn rights" Jody Dillow, The Reign of the Servant Kings, 85
Warning #1: being denied. "Here is a trustworthy saying: If we died with him, we will also live with him; if we endure, we will also reign with him. If we disown him, he will also disown us; if we are faithless, he will remain faithful, for he cannot disown himself." (2 Timothy 2:11–13)
Warning #2. Being Disqualified."No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize." (1 Corinthians 9:27, NIV84)
Warning #3, being ASHAMED. "And now, dear children, continue in him, so that when he appears we may be confident and unashamed before him at his coming." (1 John 2:28, NIV84)
Are you living with End in Mind?
Story is related by Jody Dillow, Reign, 61
Kay Bothwell, HS Junior. Given an assignment in English literature, State how you would spend your time if you knew this would be the last week of your life."
Day One: Weep
See all of my loved and assure them I loved them.
EVENING. Ask God to give me the strength to walk through this week pleasing him.
Day Two. Wake early. Watch the Sunrise. Visit family and friends telling them "I love you. Thank you for the part you’ve played in my life."
Day Three. Travel alone into the woods, seeing God’s creation and speaking to Him.
Day Four. Prepare my will. Give away all of my earthly possessions to family and friends. Spend the rest of the day with my mother and assure her of my deep gratitude.
Friday. Speak with my pastor, talk about my relationship with the Lord. Spend the rest of the day visiting those who were ill and suffering.
Saturday. Spend my time with a special friend who is going through a difficult time with her broken family and seek to comfort her. Visit my grandparents and elderly friends seeking their wisdom and love. On Saturday night, I would stay awake in prayer knowing that God was by my side and that I would soon see him in heaven.
Sunday. Take my Bible and go to church, worshiping with God’s people, seeking to die gracefully and with the hope that my life had influence upon others for His glorious name. The last hour would not be spent in agony but the perfect harmony of my relationship with Jesus Christ.
Almost one week to the day after handing in this essay, HS Junior, Kay Bothwell of Marion Indiana was ushered into eternity when she was killed in an automobile accident.
She was living with the end in mind.
Christian, are you living to receive the reward of Christ?
Are you preparing to rule and reign with him forever?
