Payday Will Come Someday

September 7, 2025

In this week’s sermon at Old New Hope, in 1 Kings 21, we are introduced to a man named Naboth who owns a beautiful vineyard. Naboth’s vineyard just so happens to be right next door to the palace of King Ahab. One day, King Ahab approaches Naboth and offers to buy Naboth’s vineyard. Naboth refuses the king’s offer, which makes Ahab mad. I suppose mad isn’t the right word to describe Ahab’s reaction because after Naboth refuses his offer, Ahab went home, lay down on his bed, turned toward the wall, and pouted like a petulant child. His wife, Jezebel, told him to quit pouting because he was the king after all. To make a long story short, she concocted a plan that got Naboth murdered and got Ahab the vineyard. On the surface, it looks like Ahab and Jezebel got the best of Naboth. It seems Naboth is the loser in all of this. After all, he lost both his vineyard and his life. But everything is not always what it seems. In Luke 12, Jesus warns His disciples, “Do not be afraid of those who kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do…Fear Him who after He has killed has power to cast into hell; yes, I say to you, fear Him” (Luke 12:4-5). Naboth might have lost his vineyard and even his life, but what happened to Naboth next? He went to be with the Lord for eternity, that’s what! On the other hand, Ahab and Jezebel wound up with the vineyard, but that’s not the end of the story. You see, Ahab and Jezebel had a payday coming. One of pastor R.G. Lee’s most well-known sermons talked about Naboth, Ahab, and Jezebel and was titled “Payday Someday.” In this sermon, Dr. Lee reminds us that the payday we receive here on earth pales in comparison with the payday someday we will all receive when we stand before God in judgment. That is the same message Jesus taught in Luke 12. Perhaps this is why, when you read through the New Testament, you never see God’s people praying for safety. In the face of terrible persecution, instead of praying for their safety, Christ followers prayed for the boldness needed to be a witness for Jesus. In a world that is becoming more and more chaotic and violent, let’s pray that same prayer for boldness. Let’s be lights for Jesus in a dark world, and let’s remember there is a coming payday someday. For the faithful Christian, that payday will trump whatever happens to us on this side of eternity.

Be blessed and go be a blessing . . . Bro. Andy