In the Book of Acts, chapter 28 is found the account of how the Apostle Paul is standing before King Agrippa defending himself. In verses 16-18, Paul talks about the time when Jesus appeared to him on the Damascus Road and gave him the mission of preaching God’s messages of salvation through the atoning work of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles (non-Jewish people) “so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the dominion of Satan to God, in order that they may receive forgiveness of sins [breaking God’s laws] and an inheritance among those who have been baptized by faith in Me.”( Acts 26:18 NASB)
That vision motivated Paul to preach God’s messages in many countries, in spite of the tremendous difficulties and persecutions that he went through in his ministry. Since he was faithful to that vision, in Acts 28:19 Paul declared that: ”I did not prove disobedient to the heavenly vision.”
Later, as Paul sensed that he was nearing the end of his journey of life, he expanded on that declaration by victoriously proclaiming that: “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith; in the future there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the righteous Judge will award me on that day [when he will stand before God on his judgment day]; and not only to me, but also to all who have loved his appearing.” (2 Timothy 4:7-8)
Just as the vision of the mission that Jesus gave Paul motivated him to work hard to complete that mission; Christians can follow Paul’s example by using the vision or other message that God has given to them motivate them to use their physical talents and the spiritual gifts that God has given them (like those described in 1 Corinthians 12 and Romans 12) to carry out what God has told them to do in the best way they can throughout the rest of their journey of life.
Another vision that could motivate Christians to do those things is to have the vision of having successfully finished their journey of life and be standing in front of God’s judgment. Here they will hear the book of what they have done with their life read (Revelation 20:12). Then, they can explain that they have accepted Jesus Christ as their personal Savior, lived according to God’s principles found in the Bible, and did many great things for God as they working on completing God’s mission for them.
After telling God those many things, and having Jesus standing beside them; Christians will hear Jesus proclaim: “Well done, good and faithful servant . . . enter into the joy of your Master” (Matthew 25:21) as Jesus escorts them into a nice place in Heaven around God’s throne where they will live with Jesus forever.
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