Truly I say to you, whoever gives you a cup of water to drink in My name, because you belong to Christ, will not lose his reward.

— Mark 9:41

Christianity is not a spectator sport. Christ does not call us to be “spectator Christians.” There are some people in our churches, however, who, to my knowledge, have never done any work at all. They have merely seen themselves as spectators. They come to watch on Sunday morning, and that is the extent of what they do. They never put their shoulder to the wheel. They never dirty their hands. They never exert themselves in any work.

But Christ says in His letter to the church in Thyatira in Revelation 2:19, “I know you works, love, service, faith, and your patience, and that you last works are more than the first.” Christ had not forgotten their good works.

I am so glad that many Christians are always working and serving the Lord with love and patience. Christ calls us to get into the arena and glorify Him by our good works. Any deed done in Jesus’ name is precious to Him and has its reward, whether in this life or the next.

Question to ponder:
Saved, not by works, but saved unto good works—how do these truths connect?