Preschool
Keep thy heart with all diligence (Proverbs 4:23).
A Full Reward
Memory Verses
Primary
Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life (Proverbs 4:23).
Junior
Keep thy heart with all diligence: for out of it are the issues of life (Proverbs 4:23).
Background Scripture: 2 John; 3 John
Lesson Scripture: 2 John 4-11; Revelation 3:2, 8-12
Introduction
We often think of the justice of God in the sense of his judgment on sin and unrighteousness. However, there is another side to the justice of God. It is true that every sin shall be judged, but shall not every righteous work receive a just reward? Shall not every tear be wiped away and every sorrow be healed? Even the smallest deed done out of love for Christ will not be forgotten.
“For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have shewed toward his name” (Heb. 6:10). This lesson is not to console the half-hearted who vainly hope to have the best of both worlds. Rather, it is to encourage the sincere and the faithful. God has a full reward for the fully committed. We often say of our ancestors, “They have passed on to their reward.” Someday we, too, will pass on to our reward. What will it be?
Key Verse
The wicked worketh a deceitful work: but to him that soweth righteousness shall be a sure reward (Prov. 11:18).
Lesson Scripture
2 John 4 I rejoiced greatly that I found of thy children walking in truth, as we have received a commandment from the Father.
5 And now I beseech thee, lady, not as though I wrote a new commandment unto thee, but that which we had from the beginning, that we love one another.
6 And this is love, that we walk after his commandments. This is the commandment, That, as ye have heard from the beginning, ye should walk in it.
7 For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist.
8 Look to yourselves, that we lose not those things which we have wrought, but that we receive a full reward.
9 Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son.
10 If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed:
11 For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds.
Revelation 3:2 Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die: for I have not found thy works perfect before God.
8 I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name.
9 Behold, I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, which say they are Jews, and are not, but do lie; behold, I will make them to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee.
10 Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.
11 Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown.
12 Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name.
Studying the Lesson
Who was the “elect lady” John addressed his letter to? While it is not clear, some think John was using a figure of speech to describe the church. What is clear is that she was chosen of God, and her children were walking in truth. Could there be any higher commendation?
Jesus coming in the flesh and dying for our sins is the foundational truth on which our faith stands. Jesus was both God and man, divine and human, yet without sin. Gnosticism, a heretical philosophy attacking the early church, held that Jesus did not have a real physical body. As a result, they did not believe He actually died. John warns against the error of denying the incarnation and thus the humanity of Christ. On the other hand are those who deny the divinity of Christ. They mistakenly believe that Jesus was merely a good man or a great moral teacher. Having a proper knowledge and understanding of the divinity and humanity of Christ and grasping in faith what his coming to this earth really means for us is foundational. This is the true saving faith of the ages.
John wrote to encourage faithfulness in the face of test. He warns against deception and emphasizes truth, love, and obedience. These three do not exist separately, but together they form the interrelated core of Christian living. The message is sober and yet encouraging to Christians of all ages. Be faithful! Hold fast! Heaven awaits the faithful, but we need to be alert.
Practical Truths for Today
God-fearing people have always believed that truth exists. Today, many people believe truth is whatever they want it to be. How foolish! God is the revealer of truth, and we must not be willingly ignorant. “For we can do nothing against the truth, but for the truth” (2 Cor. 13:8). This means that truth exists as an objective reality that we must conform to. We are not searching for some new discovery of truth but a revelation of the timeless truth of God, that which has been “from the beginning.”
The truth is the firm foundation upon which love can grow. Love is more than a feeling and will result in sacrificial action. There is a direct connection between love and obedience. Genuine love walks faithfully in the commandments of Jesus and is the “faith which worketh by love” (Gal. 5:6). With faith centered on Jesus, the fruit that we bear is a result of our connection to Him.
Instead of the open assault used in ages past, the evil one is hard at work today to undermine the true essence of what it means to follow Christ. The deceptive voices spreading his poison are often propagated through other people and are more accessible than ever thanks to the internet and social media. The devil’s appeal to our selfish nature is the promise of an easier way. Foundational scriptural principles come into question. Is it really necessary to be separate from the world? Is obedience required? If we are not on guard, we will accept a watered-down version of Christianity that has a form of godliness but lacks power over sin. Our flesh enjoys the social aspects of the faith but shies away from cross bearing. This is the battle we are in. “Let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us . . . looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith” (Heb. 12:1-2). Through Christ we can be victorious Christians.
“Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful” (1 Cor. 4:2). Faithfulness is not defined by a flawless performance, nor is it a pinnacle of perfection only a few can reach. The truth is, we can all be found faithful. Being faithful begins with having genuine belief in God. This faith is not dead but a living connection with Christ. It bears the fruit of wholehearted obedience to the commandments of the Father. We will not do this in perfection, but faithfulness is indicated by the humility to admit wrong and ask for forgiveness. No one whose heart is set on God and who follows in obedience will miss the mark.
What will heaven be like? Though it lies beyond our sight, we may dream of its glory. Think of seeing Jesus face to face, of hearing his voice say to us, “Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world” (Matt. 25:34). Envision the scene of God wiping the tears from our eyes. What will that be like? Imagine meeting Bible characters and our martyr brethren. Listen in for a moment to the conversations and the singing. Feel the life and vitality flowing through that heavenly country, energizing our immortal bodies now free from all disease and pain. Our minds are simply not capable of fully comprehending the “eternal weight of glory” (2 Cor. 4:17), but God in his goodness gives us glimpses into the world to come. These glimpses fill us with anticipation.
In our thoughts of heaven, let us not lose sight of Jesus. The words of the song “Oh, I Love to Talk with Jesus” are especially meaningful, and they speak to the deep yearning found only in sincere believers.
“And the more I come to know Him, and His wondrous grace explore,
How my longing groweth stronger still to know Him more and more.” 1
The psalmist captured this longing well when he prayed, “As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness: I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness” (Ps. 17:15).
Questions
- Should we think more about heaven? Is there a danger of thinking about it too much?
- How do we hold fast to the time-honored principles of the Bible in a fast-changing, post-truth society?
- We all have dreams and goals. How much does God intend for us to enjoy this life?
- 1 “Oh, I Love to Talk with Jesus,” Christian Hymnal
Source: COGICM Daily Bible Readings (Daily Bible Readings, PO Box 124, Glenn, CA 95943).