Understanding our Heavenly Reward

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How do you explain things that are beyond human comprehension, things that we have never even imagined?

Program Transcript

How do you explain things that are beyond human
comprehension, things that we have never even imagined? Well, God does it the
way we would for a child–he uses illustrations.

That’s why Jesus so often described the kingdom of
God with parables. We shouldn’t make the mistake of thinking these stories are
an exact description–they are illustrations to help us understand some aspect
of what is otherwise beyond our comprehension.

For
example, Peter once reminded Jesus that the disciples had given up a lot to
follow him. So Jesus answered “Truly I tell you, “no one who has left
home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me
and the gospel will fail to receive a hundred times as much in
this present age: homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields—along
with persecutions—and in the age to come eternal life.” (Mark 10:29-30 NIV)

What Jesus was giving them is comfort and
encouragement. But we would misunderstand it if we were to take these words in
a literal manner. Jesus did not mean that we would be blessed literally with
100 mothers or 100 new farms. What he meant is that the things we give up for
the gospel aren’t in vain and that we stand to gain more than we gave up.

In several parables, Jesus indicated that the
eternal reward would be like rulership. Once again, this should not be
interpreted as a position of power and prestige. Rather, it refers to receiving
a greater opportunity to serve and to help others. That really is–or at least
should be–the greatest reward for a position of leadership.

These analogies are given to help us understand,
and we should be careful not to miss the real point by interpreting them in
ways Jesus did not intend. Jesus used them because we do not have the ability,
or even the vocabulary, to fully understand, let alone describe, an existence
that we have never experienced. But Jesus wants us to know that our spiritual
blessing will be far better than any physical things that we can have in this
life.

Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 2:9, “What no eye has seen, what no ear has
heard, and what no human mind has conceived,”—the things God has prepared for
those who love him”

All physical things, no matter how beautiful,
enjoyable or valuable, are in comparison like weak shadows of heavenly rewards.
Whatever we value the most is in this physical world cannot compare with God’s
rewards in heaven. As Paul said, we “see
through a glass darkly” as we “declare
God’s wisdom, a mystery that has been hidden and that God destined for our
glory before time began.” (1 Cor 2:7 NIV)

I’m
Joseph Tkach – Speaking of LIFE.

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Program Transcript

How do you explain things that are beyond human
comprehension, things that we have never even imagined? Well, God does it the
way we would for a child–he uses illustrations.

That’s why Jesus so often described the kingdom of
God with parables. We shouldn’t make the mistake of thinking these stories are
an exact description–they are illustrations to help us understand some aspect
of what is otherwise beyond our comprehension.

For
example, Peter once reminded Jesus that the disciples had given up a lot to
follow him. So Jesus answered “Truly I tell you, “no one who has left
home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me
and the gospel will fail to receive a hundred times as much in
this present age: homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields—along
with persecutions—and in the age to come eternal life.” (Mark 10:29-30 NIV)

What Jesus was giving them is comfort and
encouragement. But we would misunderstand it if we were to take these words in
a literal manner. Jesus did not mean that we would be blessed literally with
100 mothers or 100 new farms. What he meant is that the things we give up for
the gospel aren’t in vain and that we stand to gain more than we gave up.

In several parables, Jesus indicated that the
eternal reward would be like rulership. Once again, this should not be
interpreted as a position of power and prestige. Rather, it refers to receiving
a greater opportunity to serve and to help others. That really is–or at least
should be–the greatest reward for a position of leadership.

These analogies are given to help us understand,
and we should be careful not to miss the real point by interpreting them in
ways Jesus did not intend. Jesus used them because we do not have the ability,
or even the vocabulary, to fully understand, let alone describe, an existence
that we have never experienced. But Jesus wants us to know that our spiritual
blessing will be far better than any physical things that we can have in this
life.

Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 2:9, “What no eye has seen, what no ear has
heard, and what no human mind has conceived,”—the things God has prepared for
those who love him”

All physical things, no matter how beautiful,
enjoyable or valuable, are in comparison like weak shadows of heavenly rewards.
Whatever we value the most is in this physical world cannot compare with God’s
rewards in heaven. As Paul said, we “see
through a glass darkly” as we “declare
God’s wisdom, a mystery that has been hidden and that God destined for our
glory before time began.” (1 Cor 2:7 NIV)

I’m
Joseph Tkach – Speaking of LIFE.

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