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Sun. 23/8/2015

Quarter’s Theme: DIVINE DISPLAY OF THE WORD OF KNOWLEDGE

Unit 3 – The Joy Of Endurance (Lesson 12)

 

LESSON 12                                           23/8/2015

REWARDS FOR THE OVERCOMERS

Suggested Hymns: G.H.B. 185, 190

Devotional Reading: HEB. 4:1-11

Topic For Adults

IT PAYS TO PERSEVERE

Topic For Youths

BE LOYAL

Topic For Adults

THERE IS CROWN FOR THE OVERCOMERS

Scripture Lesson

REV. 2:7,17,26-29; 3:5,12,21

Memory Verse:   “To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My father on His throne”. ” (Rev. 3:21) KJV

DAILY DEVOTIONAL READING

Sun. 23/8/2015

Sitting With Jesus On The Throne

Rev. 3:20-22

The Laodicean church professes Christ but is in spiritually wretched state. Christ requested them to repent because of the judgment coming against spiritual lukewarmness. Those who overcome in the midst of this spiritual condition are promised: Christ will sup (eat) with them and be granted to sit with Jesus and the Father. What an amazing offer? What keeps you from hearing Christ’s knock at your heart today will prevent you from getting these offers. Could it be sin, many distractions, worldliness etc whatever it is, ask God to help you get rid of them today.

Point of Emphasis:         Whatsoever separates you from embracing the love of Christ will exclude you from His eternal packages.

Prayer Point:                  God, I open my heart to You as You knock, help me to gain Your eternal rewards in the name of Jesus

BACKGROUND

The reward for those who are saved and have won the victory over the world is
eternally secured in Christ Jesus. Once you are able to persevere to the end, you can never lose it, trade it, sell it or give it away. This week’s lesson explicitly discusses the eternal promise made to overcoming believers. He who has promised is faithful, the onus rests on us to keep to the terms which will help us to partake in these rewards.

NOTES ON THE LESSON

(1)   REWARD FOR THOSE WHO ADHERE TO BIBLE STANDARDS (REV. 2:7,17)

Overcomers are surrounded by opposition and ungodliness but they constantly keep to the Biblical standard. They refuse to conform to the lukewarm attitude and worldly ways of doing things. Their focus and song everyday is “eternal life, I want to live eternal life, Lord save my soul…” As a result of keeping to Biblical standard of faith, they are rewarded eternally thus;

After the call to attention: He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the church”. In verse 7b, Christ pronounced His promises to the overcomers. First, there is a promise of great mercy to eat of the tree of life which is in the midst of the paradise of God. Second, they shall have the perfection of holiness. Christians who engage in the warfare and pursue it victoriously to the end without yielding to their spiritual enemies but fight the good fight of faith will have the fulfilment of the promise. Third, they shall eat of the hidden manna, and have the new name and the white stone which no man knoweth. The hidden manner can safely be the influences and comforts of the Spirit coming from Christ (Heaven) to the soul. In the Old Testament, it was in the holy of holies which is in the ark of the convenant. The white stone denote the absolution from the guilt of sin. It alludes the ancient custom of giving a white stone to those acquitted on trial. The new name is the name of adoption. Those who overcome shall have both the evidence of Sonship and the inheritance.

If anyone fails to overcome sin in the world and have zero tolerance for immorality, then such will lose God’s favor and presence of the Holy Spirit and in the end become the enemy of God.

(2)     REWARD FOR THOSE WHO PERSEVERED (REV. 2:26-29)

It is worth of note to heed to Christ’s words in verses 25 and 26 “But hold fast what you have till I come. “And he who overcomes, and keeps my works until the end, to him I will give power over the nations”. They makes it clear that His messages, warnings and promises to the seven churches apply also to all churches till the end of the age.

The reward is in two parts – they are promised authority over the nations: they are given great power and dominion over the nations of the world. There is a school of thought which prostulates that this period is a time when eminent Christian leaders rule the world (e.g Emperor Constantine) Another school of thought considered that it will be a period when believers shall sit down with Christ on His throne of judgment, judging the enemies of Christ.

Second, Christ promised to give victorious Christians the morning star “And I will give him the morning star” (v. 28). David Yonggi Cho positioned in his book “vision of our ultimate victory in Christ – Revelation” that the morning star signifies the second coming of Jesus Christ. Anyone that stands firm on the word with pure faith will have the privilege of taking part in the second coming of Christ. Pastor Enoch Adejare Adeboye in his book ‘the last days (A study of the book of Revelation) says “the new name of Jesus is “the bright morning star”. This means that if you overcome, He will give you Himself. No other reward can be greater than this.

Christ will definitely give His people the perfection of light and wisdom which is required of the state of dignity and dominion in the morning of resurrection.

Eternal watchfulness and perseverance is the sacrifice you must pay to make it to the end, therefore don’t be slothful.

 

(3)      REWARD FOR THOSE WHO CONQUERED (REV. 3:5,12,21)

Glory is the perfection of grace. The ability received through grace to live a pure life will be compensated with perfect purity of glory. In addition to this is “I will confess his name before my father and before His Angels”. It can be deduced here that Christ keeps the register of those who will make eternal life. The names of those who have kept life of power of godliness in evil times will not be blotted out of the book of life. Christ will produce this book of life, present and confess the names of the conquering Christians before God and His Angels. He will also lead them triumphantly to Heaven (Rev. 3:5)

Prior to verse 12 in Chapter 3, there are some favors which God had promised to His people. Coupled with this is that if they kept doing the missions work with patience, He would keep them from the hour of temptation when God will judge all mankinds who had lived on the Earth.

He went further in verse 12 to make a glorious reward to the victorious believers. He will make them a monumental pillar with honorable inscription – the name of God, city of God, church of God, the new Jerusalem which will come down from Heaven. The service done in the church of God by believers shall be recorded there. Also, the new name of Christ, the mediator, the Redeemer, the captain of our salvation (Rev. 3:12)

Christ is so gracious to extend His reward to those who will change from lukewarmness and self confidence. Their former sins will be forgiven and they will be paid with great reward. Jesus will allow everyone who yielded to His voice in verses 19 and 20 and won victory over lukewarmness and self confidence to sit down with His Father as He had done in His throne.

CONCLUSION

The condition of sinners is never hopeless if they should embrace the gracious pleas, calls and counsels as demonstrated in Christ’s words. Also, those who are faithful in God’s vineyard by living a life of purity, righteousness and holiness, though you may be facing opposition, trial and persecution, please persevere because Christ had made unparalleled rewards for your faithfulness.

QUESTIONS

(1)   Who is an overcomer? Can you be called an overcomer? Think about this if yes, what gives you this impression? If no, what can you do to become one?

(2)   Explain the focus and song of an overcomer.

(3)   Enumerate the reward of believers who adhere to Bible standard.

(4)   Who are the victorious Christians? What are their rewards?

(5)   Why should you conquer?

French

DIMANCHE 23/08/2015

S’ASSEOIR AVEC JESUS SUR LE TRONE

APO. 3 :20-22

L’église de Laodicée professe Christ mais se trouve spirituellement dans un état malheureux. Christ leur a demandé de se repentir à cause du jugement qui vient sur la tiédeur spirituelle. Il est promis à ceux qui vaincront au milieu de cette condition spirituelle que Christ soupera (mangera) avec eux et qu’il leur sera permis de s’asseoir avec Jésus et le Père. Quelles offres sensationnelles ? Ce qui te garde d’écouter les frappes de Jésus à ton cœur aujourd’hui t’empêchera d’obtenir ces offres. Ça peut être le péché, de nombreuses distractions, la mondanité, etc. Quoi qu’il en soit, demande à Dieu de t’aider à t’en débarrasser aujourd’hui.

Point essentiel : Quoi qui te sépare d’embrasser l’amour de Christ t’exclura de ses paquets éternels.

Axe de prière : Dieu, je t’ouvre mon cœur comme tu frappes, aide-moi à gagner tes récompenses éternelles au nom de Jésus.