Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
November 23. 2024: SOAP #5469: Matthew 14-16

SCRIPTURE:  Matthew (NIV) 16:24 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. 25 For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it. 26 What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?
27 For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father’s glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what he has done.

OBSERVATION:   In just over a month, the world will be celebrating the coming of Jesus as a new-born baby lying in a manger.  Without giving up the reality of being God, the Son, he entered the flow of humanity in every way as a man.  He lived as man in every way except without sin.  He was tempted in every way, yet He did not yield to temptation.  He suffered, bled, and died, not for any sins He had committed, but for the sins all the world had committed.  His first coming is something to celebrate!!!  –especially for those whose sins have been forgiven by faith in His sacrifice!!!

But that celebration will become dim in the light of the great celebration that will take place when He returns “in His Father’s glory with his angels!!!”   It is “then he will reward each person according to what he has done.”

APPLICATION:  If we do not get any rewards in this life, it should not be a concern to us.  We should not feel overlooked or unappreciated.  He will reward “each person” at that time. 

“Each person” includes you and me.  We will be rewarded “according to what we have done.”   Is your struggle hard?  Keep faithful.  Be faithful in difficult times.  Be faithful in times of abundance, and in times of lack.  Faithfulness will be greatly rewarded!  

(Note:  I sensed the Holy Spirit nudge me to say that our entrance into heaven is based on our faith in the work of Jesus dying for our sins.  But our rewards in heaven will be based on what we have done in this life.)

PRAYER:  Lord, like my dad used to sing: “Keep me true Lord Jesus, keep me true.  Keep me true Lord Jesus, keep me true.  There’s a race that I must run; there are battles to be won.  Give me power, every hour to be true.”  Amen

Pastor Leon
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