Theme: THE RIGHT MOTIVES OF CHRITIAN BELIEVER
INTRODUCTION:
Marcus Aurelius (The last good Emperor, Roman Empire 160-180 AD)
“What we do now echoes in eternity”
The true test of any action lies in its motive.
The duty of a Christian is to do God's will, in God's way, with the right heart motive.
Somebody might foolishly say, “As long as the job gets done, I don't really care how it was done!”
But that somebody certainly is not the Lord! - God is more concern about the reason of why we are doing things especially for Him.
“Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned. From which some having swerved have turned aside unto vain jangling. Desiring to be teachers of the law, understanding neither what they say nor whereof they affirm” (1 Timothy 1:5–7).
Timothy was surrounded by people who were demanding for the ministry spotlight.
Apparently they were doing a good thing—teaching the very law of God.
But in actuality, they burned with an ambition for positional titles in order to be admired by others.
Their dishonest hearts and their misunderstanding of God's truth caused their words to become little more than meaningless sounds—vain jangling.
Modern ministry is full of tricky types like these. With no real regard for they merchandise the ministry for their own benefit, whether that is money, power, admiration, or a combination of all three.
At all times we must strive to serve God with a pure heart—with no hidden or self-serving motives.
The hardest person to examine is that person you see in the mirror.
Like King David we all seem to see clearly the sin of the hypothetical sheep stealer, and see cloudily the deep and destructive sin plaguing our own lives. In better days David's heart sought the inspection and cleansing of God's Spirit.
“Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me” (Psalm 139:23–24a).
“Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my strength, and my redeemer” (Psalm 19:14).
Emphasize: Improper motives robs us from the joy of serving the Lord.
“Not with eye service, as men pleasers; but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart” (Ephesians 6:6).
DISCUSSION:
Worthy Biblical Motives
LOVE. The highest motive of serving the Lord.
The greatest command in the Bible is;
Matthew 22:37
Si Jesus mitubag, “Higugmaa ang Ginoo sa tibuok mong kasingkasing, sa tibuok mong hunahuna,’ Kini ang labing dako ug labing importanteng sugo. Ang ikaduha nga labing importanteng sugo sama sa una: ‘Higugmaa ang imong isigkatawo sama sa imong kaugalingon.
Surely love is the highest motive for serving God.
Illustration:
A Student may be motivated to study hard by a number of reasons: fear of failure, desire for reward, or sense of duty. But when one person motivated because of love, love for his parents and nothing to gain only to give, only to offer his best.
The point is:
It’s a different thing when we do serving out of love…not because of the command,
NOTE:
But serving out of love reflects, and outshine Gods glory.
Illustration:
We see the beauty of our Moon, its brightness and brilliance. But Moon itself can’t produce his own light. The Bible says, “The heavens declares the glory of God.” Psalm 19:1.
The point is:
That why we will always reminded Gods favor when He impute righteousness.
We love the Lord not because we are loving people but because of God who first loved us. 1Jn.4:19.
We are just recipient of God’s grace.
When Christian does something out of love to glorify God, he is doing something which by definition not with self-centered, but God centered.
Christ says, in John 12: 27-28a NASB
“Now My soul has troubled; and what shall I say, ‘Father, save Me from this hour’? But for this purpose I came to this hour. Father, glorify Your name.”
Emphasize: Christ continued to the cross in order to glorify God.
Note:
Love will result an obedient heart. 1 Thessalonians 4:1-2
Love will also express itself in a desire for Intimacy – knowing God more deeply.
For Apostle Paul to know Jesus Christ more intimately was the driving motivation behind Paul’s forward press t maturity in Philippians 3:10-14
“That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death.”
v.14 “I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.”
Note:
Love then, is the chief motivation for a life of Christian service and good works. Those who love God want to obey his desires, glorify Him, please Him, and know Him better.
GRATITUDE. Second worthy motivation
Christians who realize what God has done for them in Christ may be motivated by deep gratitude to respond in service.
It is difficult to separate gratitude from love.
Those who fully realize how much they have been forgiven will respond in expressions of love and gratitude.
Luke 7:36-50 “When the sinful woman gratefully washed Christ feet with her tear-soaked hair using her alabaster box of anointment. Christ explained that those who are forgiven much love much.
Note:
How much we have been forgiven! Those who fully realize how much they have been forgiven will respond in expressions of love and gratitude.
Gratitude is a result of grace.
ETERNAL SIGNIFICANCE. Desire to fulfill God’s eternal purpose.
This speaks of one’s enjoyment of the eternal purpose for which we were created, redeemed, sanctified and glorified.
Ecclesiastes 3:11 “Also, he has put eternity into man’s heart…”
Jesus taught that the things done in this life affect the significance of one’s rule in the future.
Matthew 5:19 “Whether we are ‘least in the kingdom of heaven’ or ‘great in the kingdom of heaven.”
DUTY
Duty is an action that comes from a sense of commitment to a purpose or a calling.
It springs from personal convictions that are true to a higher purpose.
Commitment of duty is accompanied with love and gratitude.
Emphasize:
Christ himself was motivated by His sense of duty and purpose.
Mark 1:38 “because of this purpose I have come forth.”
At the end of His life, Christ was able to say to His Father, “I have finished the work which You have given Me to do” Jn. 17:4.
Faithfulness is always necessity in our duty, commitment and calling.
2 Tim. 2:15 “Be diligent to present yourself…”
CONCLUSION:
Motives must constantly be evaluated.
We need to learn to align our heart to the proper Godly motives. Why? If we neglect Godly motives it will slowly fade in the believers’ life and it could affect our growth and desire for maturity in the Lord.
Finally, brethren, our lives being part of the body (whether you are a preacher, teacher, leaders, men, women, young people) we should seek to effect change by appealing to the highest motives.
He will be the final Judge of one’s motives.
