07/30/2026
WHY DOES JESUS PROMISE US REWARDS?
"And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him." — Hebrews 11:6
Earlier today my wife appeared at my office door with a bottle of water. It was her simple way of saying, "I'm thinking about you."
Surprisingly, Jesus notices small acts of love like that. He says, "Truly I tell you, anyone who gives you a cup of water in my name...will certainly not lose their reward" (Mark 9:41). I couldn't help but wonder what reward my wife might receive simply for making sure I stayed hydrated today.
How seriously should we take Jesus' words? We commonly think about the judgment to come, yet we rarely think about Christ personally rewarding His people. And when we do, we often feel almost embarrassed by the idea, as though it were somehow wrong to anticipate receiving a reward from the hand of God.
Yet Jesus Himself speaks about rewards more than thirty times in the Gospels. Clearly, this is no minor theme. Our Lord delights in rewarding simple acts of faith, quiet obedience, and humble kindness done in His name.
The pure in heart are promised that they will "see God" (Matthew 5:8). Those who are persecuted for following Christ are told that their "reward in heaven is great" (Matthew 5:12). Jesus also says, "When you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father... Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you" (Matthew 6:6).
What might that reward look like? History gives us a beautiful example.
In 1857 a businessman named Jeremiah Lanphier invited a few people to join him for a lunchtime prayer meeting in New York City. For the first thirty minutes, no one came. Finally, six men quietly gathered to pray. It would have been easy to conclude that the effort had failed, but Lanphier kept praying.
Within months, New York City was bowing its head in prayer by the thousands, and the humble beginning of six men showing up to pray became the spark for the great Prayer Revival of 1857. An estimated 20,000 people each week came to faith in Christ during 1857 and 1858, and historians estimate that by 1859 more than one million people had been converted across America.
That, my beloved church family, is what God can do through one seemingly insignificant act of faithful obedience.
Most of us dream of changing the world like Jeremiah Lanphier. Yet most of our lives are made up of ordinary conversations, unseen prayers, quiet acts of kindness, and simple faithfulness that almost no one notices. But Scripture reminds us, "Do not despise these small beginnings, for the Lord rejoices to see the work begin" (Zechariah 4:10).
So why does Jesus promise rewards?
Because believing His promises is itself an act of faith. Hebrews tells us that we must believe not only that God exists, but also that "he rewards those who earnestly seek him." Trusting that promise means trusting the goodness of His heart and the generosity of His character. He is a Father who delights in honoring the faithfulness of His children.
Of course, we seek the Giver more than His gifts. Our greatest reward will always be Christ Himself.
Yet we should never hesitate to believe every promise He has made. Let us faithfully offer our "cups of cold water," pray our quiet prayers, and serve Him in the unnoticed places of life, confident that not one act of love done in Jesus' name will ever be forgotten by the One who promises, "Your Father... will reward you."
Let us believe our Lord’s words about reward together,
Pastor Mark
