(The audio recording of this sermon will be uploaded here after the Sunday service.)
Today, I would like to talk about “The God Who Rewards Us. Let me begin by asking a question. When was the last time you received a reward?
When I was a young boy, I wanted to be an artist. I remember that I received many art awards in elementary school. I felt proud when I got them. It made me happy. When I was praised and recognized, I wanted to draw even more. During Christmas, I made handmade Christmas cards and gave them to my friends.
I started going to church when I was in the 4th grade. In the summer, we had “Vacation Bible School.” In the 80s, the Korean church was growing very fast. They experienced a revival. Especially in Sunday school, there were so many children. During that week, the church building was full. A church that could hold about 200 people would have more than 500 children.
During Vacation Bible School, children also received awards. Kids who memorized many Bible verses received a Bible memory award. Those who answered Bible questions well received a quiz award. Those who brought many friends received an evangelism award. Those who attended every day received a perfect attendance award. We also had a singing contest, and some children received awards for dancing well. There were games too, like eating watermelon quickly or collecting watermelon seeds. Did any of you go to church when you were young? Do you remember Vacation Bible School?
In society, we also receive rewards sometimes. What kind of rewards are there? If you do well in sales or complete a project successfully, you may receive a bonus or an incentive. This is called performance pay, not your regular salary. Sometimes people receive stock options or shares as rewards. If the company grows, that becomes a big benefit. Without rewards, people usually do not work as hard. They just do enough to match their salary.
But the life of faith is different. We don’t work hard for the kingdom of God just to receive His praise. Rather, we serve God out of gratitude, because He has already given us grace and blessings we did not deserve.
That is why new believers often work very hard for the kingdom of God. They passionately share the gospel and serve others because they want to respond to God’s grace. They want to give back to God. In fact, the joy of salvation motivates them to win souls.
However, after about six months or a year, the passion for saving souls often begins to fade. The love for the church can slowly grow cold, and as a result, our faith can become neither hot nor cold, but lukewarm.
Some Christians say, “I’ve done everything—street evangelism, short-term mission trips, reading the whole Bible, choir, and volunteering. Nothing feels new anymore.”
In Revelation 3:15-16, it says, “I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth.”
These verses give a very strong warning about lukewarm faith. This message was spoken to the Laodicean Church.
Laodicea did not have its own water. They brought hot water and cold water from other places, but by the time it arrived, it became lukewarm. It was not good to drink. Jesus used this picture to describe their faith.
He said, “Be either cold or hot.” This is not just about passion. It is about being clear. Being hot means fully committed to God. Being cold means clearly rejecting Him. But lukewarm faith tries to hold on to both God and the world. The problem is that people in this state think they are fine.
The Laodicean church was like this. They thought they had everything, but in God’s eyes, they were spiritually poor and empty. So Jesus said, “I will spit you out of my mouth. ”This shows how strongly God rejects this kind of faith.
Brothers and sisters, there is no middle ground in faith. God does not want a half-hearted life. He wants all of us. So we must not stay lukewarm. We must move forward with clear and wholehearted faith in God.
Then how can we keep going forward without stopping or shrinking back? How can we keep our faith burning hot? Of course, we need God’s grace. We need power from heaven, because we need strength to keep running. And there is one more thing we need. What is it? It is a reward. A reward shows us which direction to run and gives us a reason to keep running.
Thankfully, God has promised to reward us. God has given us a strong reason to keep going. In 1 Corinthians 9:24–27, Paul tells us to run in order to receive the prize. Hebrews 11:6 also says that God rewards those who seek Him. This means that God never forgets our efforts and will reward them.
Some Christians think it is not right to seek rewards. But the Bible teaches the opposite. Genuine faith is believing that God is real and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him. Wanting rewards from God is not wrong—it is part of faith. God understands our weakness and gives us hope. Just like athletes train hard for a medal, we are called to run for an eternal reward.
The Apostle Paul understood this. That is why he never stopped. He gave up earthly rewards and fixed his eyes on the heavenly one. We may still need things in this life, but our eyes should remain on God’s eternal reward.
Now, let us look at the rewards we can receive in heaven. Today, we will talk about five kinds of rewards. There may be more, but we will briefly go over these five.
First, the reward we will receive in heaven is the Crown of Life.
Let’s read James 1:12:
“Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial, because having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him.”
Here, “trial” does not just mean difficulties in life. It means any situation that tries to shake our faith. “Persevering” means not giving up, but holding on to our faith until the end. This crown is given to those who keep their faith through trials and even persecution.
Second, the reward is the Crown of Righteousness.
Let’s read 2 Timothy 4:8:
“Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day.”
The Crown of Righteousness is given to those who remain faithful and finish their race well. It is one of the greatest rewards in heaven. This promise is not only for Paul, but for all believers who long for Jesus’ return and remain faithful. The Christian life is not just about being saved—it is about finishing the race. God promises to reward those who finish it.
Third, the reward is the Imperishable Crown.
Let’s read 1 Corinthians 9:24–25:
“Run in such a way as to get the prize… They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever.”
The Bible compares the Christian life to a race. All believers are running a race of faith. I am running my race, and you are running yours as well. We are not competitors. Each of us has our own track. You cannot run someone else’s race, because God has given each of us a different calling.
God asks us to do one thing: keep running toward the goal. Many people are running, but only those who finish well receive the prize. That is why Paul says, “Run to get the prize.”
What matters most in this race is clear: self-control and faithfulness. Just like athletes train hard for a temporary prize, we must discipline ourselves for an eternal reward.
Fourth, the reward is the Crown of Glory.
Let’s read 1 Peter 5:2–4:
“Be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care, watching over them—not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not pursuing dishonest gain, but eager to serve; not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock. And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away.”
This crown is given especially to those who care for God’s people.
Church leaders, such as pastors, must serve willingly—not for money or power, but with a sincere and willing heart. One day, all leaders will stand before Jesus. Those who have been faithful in their service will receive the Crown of Glory.
Finally, the reward is the Crown of Rejoicing.
Let’s read 1 Thessalonians 2:19–20:
“For what is our hope, our joy, or the crown in which we will glory in the presence of our Lord Jesus when he comes? Is it not you? Indeed, you are our glory and joy.”
This is a very special reward. It is not made of gold or jewels, but of people. Paul says that the believers themselves are his crown. This reward will be fully revealed when Jesus returns. On that day, Paul will be able to say, “These are the people I served.”
For Paul, people were not just the results of his ministry—they were his joy and his glory. This crown is given to those who lead others to salvation and help them grow in their faith. It is for those who share the gospel and make disciples.
Brothers and sisters, these crowns are rewards based on our faithfulness. They are different from salvation. A saved person may still not receive a crown if they are unfaithful or lazy. Some may receive many crowns. God gives rewards according to each person’s faithfulness.
Let me close by reading Philippians 3:13-14.
“Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: forgetting what is behind and reaching forward to what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” Let us pray.
日本語