Great Is the Reward
The sermon emphasizes the importance of being prompt in well-doing and submitting ourselves to God's will in order to receive His reward.
Clement of Rome emphasizes the importance of being diligent and not lazy in doing good works, as the Lord will reward each person according to their deeds. He encourages believers to have confidence in God, submit to His will, and boast in Him alone. Clement reminds the audience of the countless angels ready to fulfill God's commands and praises being offered to Him continually. He urges unity among believers in earnest prayer to partake in God's magnificent promises, beyond what human eyes or ears can comprehend.
Text
The good servant receives the bread of his labour with confidence; the lazy and slothful cannot look his employer in the face. It is requisite, therefore, that we be prompt in the practice of well-doing; for of Him are all things. And thus He forewarns us: "Behold, the Lord [cometh], and His reward is before His face, to render to every man according to his work."
He exhorts us, therefore, with our whole heart to attend to this, that we be not lazy or slothful in any good work. Let our boasting and our confidence be in Him. Let us submit ourselves to His will. Let us consider the whole multitude of His angels, how they stand ever ready to minister to His will. For the Scripture says, "Ten thousand times ten thousand stood around Him, and thousands of thousands ministered to Him, and cried, Holy, holy, holy, the Lord of Sabaoth; the whole creation is full of His glory."
And let us therefore, conscientiously gathering together in harmony, cry to Him earnestly, as with one mouth, that we may be made partakers of His great and glorious promises. For [the Scripture] says, "Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, neither has it entered into the heart of man, the things which He has prepared for those who wait for Him."
Sermon Outline
- The Reward of God
- The importance of being prompt in well-doing
- Our boasting and confidence should be in God
- We should submit ourselves to God's will
- We should consider God's angels and their ministry
Key Quotes
“Behold, the Lord [cometh], and His reward is before His face, to render to every man according to his work.” — Clement of Rome
“Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, neither has it entered into the heart of man, the things which He has prepared for those who wait for Him.” — Clement of Rome
Application Points
- We should strive to be prompt in well-doing and attend to good works with our whole heart.
- Our boasting and confidence should be in God, not in ourselves or our own abilities.
- We should submit ourselves to God's will and seek to receive His reward.