Pastor Bobby Pope Jr. - Great Reward

The difference between being related and having a relationship starts the whole thing. A person can know stories about God, be saved, and still be at a loss when it is time to pray, because no real time has been spent with Him. Relationship changes by the amount and quality of time spent together. Jesus is available, but the accuser tries to whisper that people have no right to come close. That is a lie. Jesus gives access.

Psalm 19 says the heavens declare the glory of God, and creation keeps putting it out there day and night. The world waking up before daylight, the birds, the beauty, all of it points to the handiwork of God. The Word then becomes precious because it warns, converts, makes wise, rejoices the heart, enlightens the eyes, and leads people away from stuff that will tear them up.

The fence becomes a picture of people trying to live as close to the boundary as possible. The heart has to ask why. Some stand near the fence because they still want what is on the other side without the consequences. Others get close because somebody they love is tangled up there and needs help. Ministry can get hands dirty, but love does not leave people caught in the thorns. Love gets them loose and points them away from the boundary, because Satan owns the fence.

Secret faults and presumptuous sins reveal the need for God’s Word and the Spirit’s correction. Secret sin is not as secret as people think, and the enemy wants shame to make believers ineffective. Presumptuous sin often looks like excuses, acting as if a no-go zone is no big deal. The Holy Spirit taps people on the shoulder, and wisdom says, “I’m out of here.”

The great reward of God includes more than a vague, boring picture of heaven. First Corinthians says God has prepared things beyond what the eye has seen, yet the Spirit reveals the deep things of God to those who seek Him. Scripture gives real clues: Jesus promised His disciples would eat and drink at His table, Isaiah spoke of a feast, Revelation speaks of the tree of life and the marriage supper of the Lamb, and the risen Jesus ate with His disciples. Heaven is not less real than life now. Heaven is better.

The resurrected body points forward to the best days, not the good old days behind. Christ died knowing what His people would become. Thankfulness for what God has already done opens eyes to His goodness, while hope fixes the heart on the presence of God forever. Jesus calls every believer to be more than a part-time Christian. His people are ambassadors everywhere they go.

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Key Takeaways

• 1. Relationship requires more than being related Relationship with God does not grow by family history, church attendance, or knowing Bible stories. Time with Him changes how a person hears His voice, carries another person’s burden, and comes boldly in prayer. Jesus does not have grandchildren through somebody else’s faith. He calls sons and daughters to know Him personally. [25:35]
• 2. Stay away from the fence The boundary is not a place to camp out and see how close somebody can get without falling over. The heart must ask whether it loves what is beyond the line or whether it is trying to pull somebody back from it. Love may require getting scratched up in somebody else’s rescue, but it never points them back toward bondage. [33:52]
• 3. God’s Word exposes hidden compromises Secret faults thrive where people refuse to let the Word search them. Presumptuous sin often hides behind little excuses that make disobedience sound harmless. The Holy Spirit does not expose sin to crush a person, but to keep sin from having dominion over them. [37:06]
• 4. Heaven is a real, joyful future God has not prepared an empty, dull eternity for His children. The risen Christ ate and drank with His disciples, giving a glimpse that resurrection life is personal, embodied, and full of fellowship. The greatest gift remains God’s presence, but His presence does not erase the goodness of celebration, laughter, feasting, and being known. [63:38]
• 5. The best days are still ahead A resurrected body means pain, weakness, and loss do not get the final word. Christ saw the finished work He intended even while His people were still sinners. Thankfulness in the present and hope for eternity help people quit living like the best has already passed them by.
  
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Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [19:11] - Prayer and Opening
• [22:44] - A Family Story From the Football Game
• [25:35] - Related to God or Knowing God
• [29:57] - The Heavens Declare God’s Glory
• [33:25] - Why Stay Close to the Fence?
• [36:36] - Secret Faults and Presumptuous Sins
• [41:02] - Great Rewards and the Hope of Heaven
• [47:38] - The Spirit Reveals Deep Things
• [50:23] - Eating and Drinking in God’s Kingdom
• [56:48] - The Tree of Life and Marriage Supper
• [61:50] - Jesus Ate After the Resurrection
• [66:32] - Knowing Jesus Through Time With Him
• [69:15] - The Best Days Are Ahead
• [71:23] - Responding to Jesus Today

Bible Reading

Psalm 19
“The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they reveal knowledge. They have no speech, they use no words; no sound is heard from them. Yet their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world. In the heavens God has pitched a tent for the sun. It is like a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, like a champion rejoicing to run his course. It rises at one end of the heavens and makes its circuit to the other; nothing is deprived of its warmth. The law of the LORD is perfect, refreshing the soul. The statutes of the LORD are trustworthy, making wise the simple. The precepts of the LORD are right, giving joy to the heart. The commands of the LORD are radiant, giving light to the eyes. The fear of the LORD is pure, enduring forever. The decrees of the LORD are firm, and all of them are righteous. They are more precious than gold, than much pure gold; they are sweeter than honey, than honey from the honeycomb. By them your servant is warned; in keeping them there is great reward. But who can discern their own errors? Forgive my hidden faults. Keep your servant also from willful sins; may they not rule over me. Then I will be blameless, innocent of great transgression. May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer.” [29:57]

1 Corinthians 2:9-10
“However, as it is written: 'What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived'— the things God has prepared for those who love him— these are the things God has revealed to us by his Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God.” [47:38]

Luke 22:28-30
“You are those who have stood by me in my trials. And I confer on you a kingdom, just as my Father conferred one on me, so that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom and sit on thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.” [50:23]

Observation questions

1. In Psalm 19, what different ways does God make His glory known through creation and through His Word? [30:33]
2. What results does Psalm 19 connect with God’s Word, such as wisdom, joy, warning, and protection from sin? [32:06]
3. What two different reasons were given for being near “the fence” or a spiritual boundary? [33:52]
4. In 1 Corinthians 2:9–10, what is the connection between what God has prepared and what the Spirit reveals? [47:42]

Interpretation questions

1. Psalm 19 describes creation as continually declaring God’s glory. What does this suggest about a believer’s responsibility to notice, respond to, and seek God in ordinary parts of life?
2. Psalm 19 asks God to cleanse secret faults and keep His servant from presumptuous sins. What is the difference between a hidden weakness and a sin a person keeps excusing or treating as no big deal? [37:38]
3. Why does living close to a spiritual boundary put a person in danger, even when that person insists they have not crossed the line? How does the motive of rescue differ from the motive of wanting what is on the other side? [34:07]
4. First Corinthians 2 says the Spirit reveals the deep things of God. Why is regular time with God more than simply gathering information about Him? [48:06]

Application questions

1. Where might your relationship with God be more about being familiar with church, Scripture, or Christian language than actually spending time with Him? What could help you take one honest step closer this week? [26:15]
2. When you need to pray about something hard, do you tend to come boldly to Jesus or hesitate because you feel unworthy or distant? What lie might be keeping you quiet, and what truth do you need to remember? [28:26]
3. What part of creation helps you slow down and recognize the handiwork of God—morning light, birds, trees, weather, or something else? How could you make room this week to notice God there? [31:03]
4. Is there a “fence” in your life—a habit, relationship, entertainment choice, place, or pattern—where you have been trying to stay as close as possible without facing consequences? What would moving away from that boundary look like in practical terms? [34:10]
5. Is there someone you care about who is tangled up near the fence? How can you offer help with love and truth without joining them in what is pulling them away from God? [35:07]
6. What is one area where you have been saying, “It’s just…” to excuse something the Holy Spirit may be warning you about? What would it look like to listen to that nudge and walk away? [39:38]
7. How would a stronger hope in God’s future—including resurrection, joy, fellowship, and God’s presence—change the way you handle pain, disappointment, or fear today? [01:09:26]