What did you do this past week? Make a list in your mind of five or six things you did this past week.
Now, think about why you did those things.
What was behind the things that you did that made you do those things?
Most people think that they are in control of their life, when in actuality; someone or something else is controlling their life.
It may be a job.
It may be education/college.
It may be shopping for groceries.
It may be a hobby.
It may be health issues.
It may be just about anything you can think of. And behind every activity is some power. Much of what we do is because we are made to do it.
When we think of Jesus, particularly his triumphal entry into Jerusalem, we must also think of what it was that made him do it.
Luke 9:51 – “And it came to pass, when the time was come that he should be received up, he stedfastly set his face to go to Jerusalem.”
There was something behind directing Jesus at this particular time to Jerusalem. I think it is safe to say that his passion at this point was to go to Jerusalem. Now, why?
Hebrews 12:2 – “Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.”
What was that joy that was leading him to Jerusalem, where he knew exactly what was in store for him?
What were some of the things that were before him?
1. Judas Iscariot would betray him.
2. Peter would deny him.
Both of these men were part of the inner circle of Jesus’ disciples.
3. The hatred of the Pharisees and High Priest who would turn the people against him.
4. But even more than that, he was facing the cross and he knew exactly what that was all about.
Beyond the Cross was you and me… We were his joy.
Why would anybody deliberately and of his own accord do what Jesus did?
I think we take for granted this whole story, especially his triumphal entry into Jerusalem. We call it a “triumphal entry,” but it was nothing of the kind. He was going to his death. The same people that were hailing him as “King,” would in a short while cry, “Crucify him, crucify him.”
There has to be something behind him, driving him in that direction. Now, what was it.
What were the influences Jesus was dealing with?
What happens here illustrates for us the influences that drive us one way or the other. What you did this week was a result of certain influences in your life. Many of those influences you did not have control over. In fact, most people do not realize that they are being influenced one way or the other. But our culture is built upon this kind of thing.
Now how is this illustrated in the triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem?
There are basically two influences in all of our lives. You are doing what you are doing because of one or the other of these influences. The two influences are Righteousness and Religion. I want to show you how these two influences direct your life.
I. Righteousness Motivates
Romans 3:22 – “Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:”
Righteousness is simply right behavior.
Now, what is the right behavior? It is simply rooted in the character and nature of God. Only he is right in everything he does and out of his actions comes righteousness.
Then when we think of Jesus, we need to understand that the motivating factor behind everything he did was righteousness.
Healing the sick.
Raising the dead.
Feeding the poor.
Teaching the people.
Standing against the corrupt religious leaders.
Jesus was motivated by righteousness to bring into the lives of the people around him a true sense of God.
Look at Luke 19:41 – “And when he was come near, he beheld the city, and wept over it.”
The righteousness of Jesus came in conflict with the unrighteousness of the people around him and motivated him to do something about it.
His righteousness, which was rooted in the character and nature of God, motivated him to do everything he was doing.
That motivation drove him to the cross.
This requires a commitment. It is easy for us to see that Jesus was completely committed to the righteousness of God, which in turn motivated him to do everything he was doing and lead him to the cross.
How much of our life is really being motivated by righteousness?
We say we are followers of Jesus, but are we being motivated as Jesus was motivated and are we doing what we are doing because of the righteousness of God, which is the core of our life? For example, does what agitated Jesus agitate us today?
This kind of motivation is a result of a personal commitment to God. The unsaved cannot be motivated along this line.
There is another influence and this is the biggest influence in the world today. It is the influence of religion.
II. Religion Manipulates
I first need to define what I mean about religion. It could have a spiritual, religious connotation such as the Pharisees.
But religion is simply an organization of rituals, rites, rules, regulations and ruled by a hierarchy.
It can be sports, politics, career, music, hobbies and even churches.
The power behind this “religion” is its ability to manipulate people to do what it wants done. A list of do’s and don’ts.
I know many people who say that they are not religious, and they are religiously committed to being nonreligious. What they really mean is that they do not really believe in church or in God or anything along that line.
But religion is manipulating every aspect of their life and they do not know it.
We are in what’s called a “religious holiday.” It has to do with the crucifixion of Christ. The great majority, who are not “religious” the remainder of the year except maybe for Christmas, are now being held and controlled by a spiritual holiday. Just go to the mall this week you will know exactly what I mean.
Manipulation takes you in a direction that you really do not know you are going.
Just like a con artist who can con you into believing that he has your best interest in mind. Whereas, he has your best interest in his mind and pocketbook.
The thing that put Jesus on the cross was religion, which manipulated the Pharisees as well as the Roman government. All of them were being manipulated by religion, and they did not realize it at the time. They crucified an innocent person declared innocent by the Roman government.
When a person is being manipulated, he is not really in control of his life. Somebody on the outside is manipulating him to do or not to do certain things.
Our culture has had this for so long that we do not realize we are being manipulated. And there are all kinds of examples and illustrations here.
The dangerous thing about religious manipulation is, it always leads away from God’s righteousness. The decisions that are made are not based upon the righteousness of God, but rather being manipulated by some kind of a religious organization.
Manipulation really requires no commitment. You simply fall in line with the leading religious power at the time. You “go along in order to get along.”
The difference between manipulation and motivation is quite striking.
Manipulation is outward forces molding us and pushing us in a certain direction.
Motivation is an inward force leading us to God likeness.
The apostle Paul points this out in Romans 12:2 – “And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”
“Conformed” is a result of manipulation. And the purpose of this is to conform us to “this world,” a dangerous position to be in.
John clarifies this in 1 John 2:15-17 – “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.”
Our motivation is being, “transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”
This is an inward work of the Holy Spirit that creates a passion that leads us in the way of righteousness.
Religion manipulated the Pharisees to do what they did.
Luke 19:47 – “And he taught daily in the temple. But the chief priests and the scribes and the chief of the people sought to destroy him.”
These leaders did not know that they were being manipulated by their religion and the force behind this manipulation was none other than Satan himself.
The devil cannot motivate you, but he can manipulate you and that is exactly what he did with these religious leaders.
Conclusion…
So the question I pose to all of us today is, are we being motivated or manipulated?
If you refuse to accept the fact that you are being manipulated, then you are being manipulated more severely than you know.
Once I know that I can be manipulated I can bring this all to the Lord Jesus Christ and surrender to him.
My surrender to the Lord simply means that my life is now a platform for him to do what he desires to do. My motivation is to allow God to be God in my life and in my situation.
I know there are areas of my life where I am being manipulated. And I am trying to bring this to a bare minimum. I do not want aspects of my life to be vulnerable to Satan’s manipulation, as he manipulated those religious leaders in Jesus’ day.
The obvious indication that we are being manipulated is “exhaustion.” We all have been and some of us still are.
I invite you during this “Easter” season as we celebrate the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ to examine your life very carefully and begin to note where you are being motivated and where you are being manipulated. Then, seek to be free from the manipulation of the world and focus on those areas where you are being motivated.
By committing my life to Jesus Christ, not just once in the past, but every day, I am putting this manipulation at a minimum.
Some manipulation you cannot get away from. It is part of everyday life. Strive, with God’s help to know which is which and then allow the righteousness of God to motivate you in all you do.
