"Well Done"

Soon, we will all be treated to a seemingly endless parade of award shows that will fight for our attention: the entertainment industry's yearly effort to pat themselves on the back for the work they have done in the past year. The Golden Globes and The Oscars will supposedly award the best of the big screen movies, the Grammys will supposedly award the best of the music industry, and I am sure other so-called award shows [MTV, People's Choice, Emmys, etc., etc.] will be following these in the coming months. But they all have one thing in common: the awards are decided by mere men. Some are nothing more than people in certain businesses who are awarding themselves for "a job well done." And, for some reason, people flock to watch these shows so they can see the stars bestow honors on their peers and try to convince us how much they deserve the title "celebrity."

Paul said, "For not he who commends himself is approved, but whom the Lord commends." (2 Cor. 10:18) The wise writer adds, "Let another man praise you, and not your own mouth; A stranger, and not your own lips" (Prov. 27:2), and, "If you have been foolish in exalting yourself, or if you have devised evil, put your hand on your mouth" (30:32). Finally, Paul speaks of some who falsely claimed to be apostles: "For we dare not class ourselves or compare ourselves with those who commend themselves. But they, measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise." (2 Cor. 10:12). The plain truth is, it is foolish to praise yourself, and not any wiser to have mere men praise you. The only praise that matters, in the end, is the commendation that comes from God (1 Cor. 4:5).

The praise of men will not get us into heaven!But such presumptuous and foolish behavior is not limited to the entertainment industry. No, this self-aggrandizing practice spreads into many other realms, and even the religious world is not exempt. There have been - and some now exist -
prominent figures among the world's various religions who make such ambitious claims as to declare that unless other men have their approval they cannot enter into heaven! Listen to what Brigham Young of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints [Mormons] says: "No man or woman in this dispensation will ever enter into the celestial kingdom of God without the consent of Joseph Smith…every man and woman must have the certificate of Joseph Smith…as a passport to their entrance into the mansion where God and Christ are…" [Young, Journal of Discourses, Vol. 7, p. 46.]

In the Qur'an, we are told:
"The only true faith in God's sight is Islam." [3:20] and"He that chooses a religion other than Islam, it will not be accepted from him and in the world to come he will surely be among the losers." [3:86] and "God will bring to nothing the deeds of those who disbelieve and debar others from His path. As for the faithful who do good works and believe in what is revealed to Muhammad - which is the truth from their Lord - He will forgive them their sins and ennoble their state." [47:1]

Such is utter foolishness. It is the words of Jesus alone that will be the determining factor in the final Judgment, for Jesus Himself said so (John 12:47, 48). The words of Joseph Smith, some man who calls himself 'pope,' or even those from a self-proclaimed 'prophet' named Muhammad will mean absolutely nothing in the final Judgment, for God has not given them the right to judge. That alone has been given to His Son, and assured it by raising Him from the dead (Acts 17:31). Those who follow the words of Joseph Smith and who gain his approval have only that as their reward; Jesus will say, "I never knew you;depart from me, you who practice lawlessness." (Matt. 7:23) It will be no different for those who seek the approval of the pope or from the so-called prophet Muhammad.

That said, what is it that will bring the praise of God and Christ? If that is what we honestly, sincerely, and diligently seek, we must know what brings such praise from God! To know the answer, we must go to His Word.

There we find what brings us praise is:

Suffering Wrongs Patiently. (1 Pet. 2:19, 20) When Peter wrote to the Christians of the first century, he addressed those who were servants and admonished them to serve their masters - even those who were harsh (v. 18). To further the point, he then said, "For this is commendable, if because of conscience toward God one endures grief, suffering wrongfully. For what credit is it if, when you are beaten for your faults, you take it patiently? But when you do good and suffer, if you take it patiently, this is commendable before God." If we are in error, we should expect punishment, but true praise comes from God when we have done no wrong and we accept what comes our way without complaint. It is in these times, we should answer as Job: "Shall we indeed accept good from God, and shall we not accept adversity?" (Job 2:10)

Serving God is not all candy and sweetness, for Paul said, "Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution." (2 Tim. 3:12) Peter again says, "But let none of you suffer as a murderer, a thief, an evildoer, or as a busybody in other people's matters. Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in this matter." (1 Pet. 4:15, 16) The true servant will not even be seeking praise, but simply say, "We are unprofitable servants. We have done what was our duty to do." (Luke 17:10) Humble and patient submission is what brings praise (1 Pet. 5:6).

Faithfulness. (Matt. 25:14-23) In the parable of the talents, Jesus told of two men who received talents from their master and did business with the talents while he was away, receiving a good return for their efforts. When they were called before the master upon his return, and when the master saw what they had done, to these faithful ones he said, "Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord." (vv. 21, 23) If you are familiar with this parable, you know the condemnation of the third - lazy - servant. We will reserve further comment on him for another day.

Faithfulness is expected of us, as servants of the Lord - to say the least. Paul said, "Moreover it is required in stewards that one be found faithful." (1 Cor. 4:2) In the immediate context, Paul was speaking of his personal responsibility to preach the gospel, but the words are applicable to any and all servants of the Lord: we must be found faithful in the end. Anything less than faithfulness renders us unfaithful and such will prevent us from entering into the final rest (Heb. 4:11) and it is certain we will not gain the praise of God (10:38). Faithfulness is a matter of constantly doing the work of our Master while He is away, knowing He will return (Luke 12:42, 43). We cannot expect a reward if we do nothing, any more than a servant could expect wages for doing no work.

All of us have probably met such men as we have described here today, though they be few and far between. The problem many of us has is that we do not accept wrongs patiently; we want revenge or at least an opportunity to put our "two cents' worth" in on the matter. Many of us complain about the smallest of ills or the slightest inconveniences and we think nothing of putting our egos and everyday matters ahead of the Lord. Many of us forego our service and duty to the
Lord and our brethren because of things so small they would be laughable if it did not have to do with our eternal salvation.

This past week, we lost one of the Lord's faithful from this congregation. He has gone on to his final reward and rest, and left behind an example of what a servant of the Lord should be. I cannot presume to know what the Lord says of him, but I think I know.
 

"Well done." - Steven Harper
Truth - is as old as God -
His Twin identity
And will endure as long as He