 Hebrews 11:6 And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him.

 1 Corinthians 9: Don’t you realize that in a race everyone runs, but only one person gets the prize? So run to win! 25All athletes are disciplined in their training. They do it to win a prize that will fade away, but we do it for an eternal prize. 26So I run with purpose in every step. I am not just shadowboxing.

Earthly and Heavenly Rewards Run to Win!

I. Earth-Only Rewards  Matthew 6:1-4 ●Doing good to be admired by others ●All the reward they will get ●Lose the reward from Father in heaven  Matthew 6:5-6 ●Praying to impress others ●All the reward they will get ●Pray in secret and Father will reward you  Matthew 6:1-4 ●Doing good to be admired by others ●All the reward they will get ●Lose the reward from Father in heaven  Matthew 6:5-6 ●Praying to impress others ●All the reward they will get ●Pray in secret and Father will reward you

 Matthew 6:16-18 ●Fasting for the admiration of others ●All the reward they will get ●Fast secretly and Father will reward you  Matthew 6:16-18 ●Fasting for the admiration of others ●All the reward they will get ●Fast secretly and Father will reward you

II. Earth and Heavenly Rewards  Mark 10:29-31 ●Given up house or family or property for My sake and for the Good News ●Receive now (NASB – in the present age) 100x – along with persecution ●In the world to come, eternal life ●Great now, least then – least now, great then  Mark 10:29-31 ●Given up house or family or property for My sake and for the Good News ●Receive now (NASB – in the present age) 100x – along with persecution ●In the world to come, eternal life ●Great now, least then – least now, great then

III. Heaven Only Rewards  Philippians 2:5-11 ●Have the same attitude as Jesus ●He was God ●Gave up divine privileges  Philippians 2:5-11 ●Have the same attitude as Jesus ●He was God ●Gave up divine privileges

●Humbled himself in obedience ●Became a man ●Humbled himself in obedience ●Became a man

▪Born in a manger, not a palace ▪Born in poverty, not riches ▪Born in a manger, not a palace ▪Born in poverty, not riches

▪2 Corinthians 8:9 You know the generous grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. Though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that by his poverty he could make you rich.

●Death on the cross

 Jesus’ Rewards ●Therefore God elevated him to the place of highest honor ▪Name above all names ▪Every knee bow, tongue confess Jesus is Lord  Jesus’ Rewards ●Therefore God elevated him to the place of highest honor ▪Name above all names ▪Every knee bow, tongue confess Jesus is Lord

●Motivated by a greater reward  Hebrews 11:2 …because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne. ●Motivated by a greater reward  Hebrews 11:2 …because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne.

 Have the same attitude as Jesus ●1 Peter 5:6 So humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and at the right time he will lift you up in honor. ●Matthew 10:39 If you cling to your life, you will lose it; but if you give up your life for me, you will find it.  Have the same attitude as Jesus ●1 Peter 5:6 So humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and at the right time he will lift you up in honor. ●Matthew 10:39 If you cling to your life, you will lose it; but if you give up your life for me, you will find it.

●Matthew 5: “God blesses you when people mock you and persecute you and lie about you and say all sorts of evil things against you because you are my followers. 12Be happy about it! Be very glad! For a great reward awaits you in heaven. And remember, the ancient prophets were persecuted in the same way.

 Christmas Is Costly ●It cost the shepherds the complacency of their shepherds’ life, with the call to the manger and to tell the good news. ●It cost the wise men a long journey and expensive gifts and changed lives. ●It cost mothers in and around Bethlehem the massacre of their babies by the cruel order of Herod. ●It cost Mary and Joseph the comforts of home during a long period of exile in Egypt to protect the little Babe.  Christmas Is Costly ●It cost the shepherds the complacency of their shepherds’ life, with the call to the manger and to tell the good news. ●It cost the wise men a long journey and expensive gifts and changed lives. ●It cost mothers in and around Bethlehem the massacre of their babies by the cruel order of Herod. ●It cost Mary and Joseph the comforts of home during a long period of exile in Egypt to protect the little Babe.

●It cost the early apostles and the early church persecution and sometimes death. ●It cost missionaries of Christ untold suffering and privation to spread the good news. ●It cost Christian martyrs in all ages their lives for Christ’s sake. ●More than all this, it cost God the Father His own Son—He sent Him to the earth to save men. ●It cost Jesus a life of sacrifice and service, a death cruel and unmatched in history. ●It cost the early apostles and the early church persecution and sometimes death. ●It cost missionaries of Christ untold suffering and privation to spread the good news. ●It cost Christian martyrs in all ages their lives for Christ’s sake. ●More than all this, it cost God the Father His own Son—He sent Him to the earth to save men. ●It cost Jesus a life of sacrifice and service, a death cruel and unmatched in history.

IV.