PHILIPPIANS 3:20May 6, 2012FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH, JACKSON, MISSISSIPPI

Sunday School Lesson!Commentaries Consulted:

The MacArthur New Testament Commentary, Copyright © Moody Press and John MacArthur, Jr., 1983-2007

Philippians 3:20-2120 “For our citizenship is in Heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ; 21 Who will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory, by the exertion of the power that He has even to subject all things to Himself.” Philippians 3:20-21

Just after Jesus comes for us and we have received our glorified bodies, we all will experience the the Judgement Seat of Christ (the Bema Seat).

The order of events will be: (a) the Rapture which includes our glorification - resurrection bodies, (b) exaltation into the heavens with the Lord,(c) examination before the Bema, and (d) compensation or rewards at the Bema Seat.

1 Timothy 4:7b-8 NIV7b “train yourself to be godly. 8 For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come.”

1 Timothy 4:7b-8 NIV

2 Peter 1:33 His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of Him Who called us by His own glory and goodness.” 2 Peter 1:3

Matthew Henry said:“It ought to be the business of every day to prepare for your last day.”

Only two dates on our calendars:1) today2) that day

Hebrews 11:66 And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him. Hebrews 11:6

God created us to be motivated by: love, gratitude, fear, praise and rewards.

God is keeping track of every cup of cold water we give in His name. He promises He will reward us in Heaven because we helped the poor and needy who couldn’t pay us back.

Our faith determines our final destination, but our behavior determines our eternal rewards.

Jesus did not say, “store up for Me treasures in Heaven” but He said, “store up for yourselves treasures in Heaven”.

Matthew 19:2929 “And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or fields for My sake will receive 100 times as much and will inherit eternal life.” Matthew 19:29

100X = 10,000%

The only two certain things in this life are death and taxes. There are tax evaders but there are no death evaders.

Hebrews 9:27-28 27 ”And inasmuch as it is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgement, 28 so Christ also, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time for salvation without reference to sin, to those who eagerly await Him.” Hebrews 9:27-28

Romans 14:10“For we will all stand before the judgment seat of Christ.”

Romans 14:10

2 Corinthians 5:1010 “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.” 2 Corinthians 5:10

Jeremiah 17:10 10 “I, the Lord, search the heart, I test the mind, Even to give to each man according to his ways, According to the results of his deeds.” Jeremiah 17:10

Ecclesiastes 12:1414 “For God will bring every act to judgment, everything which is hidden, whether it is good or evil.” Ecclesiastes 12:14

1 Corinthians 4b-5 4b “The One Who examines us is the Lord. 5 Therefore do not go on passing judgment before the time, but wait until the Lord comes Who will both bring to light the things hidden in the darkness and disclose the motives of men’s hearts; and then each man’s praise will come to him from God.” 1 Corinthians 4b-5

Degrees of HellMatthew 11:24b 24b “it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment, than for you.” Matthew 11:24b

Luke 20:46-4746 “Beware of the scribes, who like to walk around in long robes, and love respectful greetings in the market places, and chief seats in the synagogues and places of honor at banquets, 47 who devour widows’ houses, and for appearance’s sake offer long prayers. These will receive greater condemnation.” Luke 20:46-47

Every vessel in Heaven will be full but not every vessel will have the same capacity.

Luke 19:11-27 Well done!(5 cities, 10 cities)22 “He said to him, ‘By your own words I will judge you, you worthless slave.’”

1 John 2:2828 “Now, little children, abide in Him, so that when He appears, we may have confidence and not shrink away from Him in shame at His coming.” 1 John 2:28

2 Timothy 2:1515 Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth.” 2 Timothy 2:15

Some will reign with Christ!2 Timothy 2:12 12 “If we endure, we will also reign with Him; If we deny Him, He also will deny us;”

2 Timothy 2:12

Revelation 3:2121 “He who overcomes, I will grant to him to sit down with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.” Revelation 3:21

Revelation 22:55 “And there will no longer be any night; and they will not have need of the light of a lamp nor the light of the sun, because the Lord God will illumine them; and they will reign forever and ever.” Revelation 22:5

1 Corinthians 6:2-32 “Or do you not know that the saints will judge the world? If the world is judged by you, are you not competent to constitute the smallest law courts? 3 Do you not know that we will judge angels? How much more matters of this life?” 1 Corinthians 6:2-3

Earth has no sorrow that Heaven cannot heal! Heaven will certainly be a reunion with our loved ones. The longer the separation, the sweeter the reunion.

Colossians 3:1-2 1 “Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth.” Colossians 3:1-2

Allow Heaven to fill your thoughts.

Proverbs 24:1212 “If you say, ‘See, we did not know this,’Does He not consider it Who weighs the hearts? And does He not know it Who keeps your soul? And will He not render to man according to his work?” Proverbs 24:12

Romans 1:20 20 “For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—His eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.” Romans 1:20

Revelation 2 & 3 reveal that Christ is watching how we live and He is keeping score and we will be given a grade.

Revelation 2:23b23b “Then all the churches will know that I am He Who searches hearts and minds, and I will repay each of you according to your deeds.” Revelation 2:23b

Our works are what we have done with our resources: time, energy, $, talents and possessions. The incendiary gaze of God’s Son is the fire that tests our works.

Colossians 3:23-25 23 “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, 24 since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving. 25 Anyone who does wrong will be repaid for his wrong, and there is no favoritism.” Colossians 3:23-25

Either we are wrong about this rewards thing or God is wrong.

2 Peter 1:33 “His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and goodness.” 2 Peter 1:3

You don’t have to wait until you die to know how you should have lived. God’s Word and His Holy Spirit show us now!

Matthew 7:24-2724 “Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them, may be compared to a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and yet it did not fall, for it had been founded on the rock. 26 Everyone who hears these words of Mine and does not act on them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. 27 The rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and it fell—and great was its fall.” Matthew 7:24-27

Instead of calling this man righteous, Jesus called him “wise”. Instead of referring to the other man as unrighteous, Jesus called him “foolish”.

When we suffer loss at the Bema Seat, we will be considered foolish, not unrighteous.

When we receive a reward, we will be considered wise.

Revelation 14:13 13 “And I heard a voice from heaven, saying, “Write, ‘Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on!’” “Yes,” says the Spirit, “so that they may rest from their labors, for their deeds follow with them.” Revelation 14:13

Works is not a dirty word! However, works done to impress others or to earn salvation are dirty.

Revelation 19:7-8 7 “Let us rejoice and be glad and give the glory to Him, for the marriage of the Lamb has come and His bride has made herself ready. 8 It was given to her to clothe herself in fine linen, bright and clean; for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints.”

Revelation 19:7-8

Ephesians 2:8-108 “For by grace you have been saved through faith; and and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; 9 not as a results of works, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.” Ephesians 2:8-10