Motivated by Compassion
Matthew 9:36
NIV – Matthew 9:36
When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.
King James Bible - Matthew 9:36
But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd.
Tonight, I would like to speak a message entitled “Motivated by Compassion…”
What does it mean to be Motivated?
mo·ti·vate
1) To provide with an incentive; move to action; impel.
2) to provide with a motive or motives;
3) give an incentive for action;
There are 2 different types of Motivation...
1 - Extrinsic motivation
Extrinsic Motivated refers to motivation that comes from outside an individual. The motivating factors are external or outside rewards such as money, trophy, certificate or even acknowledgement.
These rewards provide to the individual a satisfaction and joy that the task itself may not provide.
An extrinsically motivated person will work on a task even when they have little interest in it because of the anticipated satisfaction they will get from some reward.
For example, a person who dislikes their job may work hard at their job because of the reward they get getting paid at the end of the month. That is being extrinsically motivated.
2 - Intrinsic motivation
Intrinsic Motivation is a motivation that comes from within, it is a motivation that is interested in doing a task because it is a passion in your heart.
Intrinsic motivation refers to motivation that comes from inside an individual rather than from an external or an outside reward, Such as a trophy, recognition or money.
This type of motivation comes from the joy one gets from the task itself.
For Example: an intrinsically motivated person will work on music, drawing, cars or even cook not for outward rewards, but because it is a passion in the heart.
When you are motivated from an intrinsic motivation or from a passion it doesn’t that a person will not get rewarded, but It just means that such external rewards are not what motivates this person to action.
I look at it like this - You love what you are doing so much, that you are motivated by the passion within your heart.
Somebody say motivation.
Have you ever seen someone who is so excited about what they do?
Have you ever seen someone doing something, but they just don't seem excited?
Have you ever done something that you were not excited about?
The challenge when doing something that we are not passionate about, we begin to be moved by pressure.
When someone is not motivated about what they do, they are moved by pressure from the outside.
You have to keep reminding them to do what they were responsible in doing.
For Example: Don’t forget to do the dishes or don’t forget to clean your room, or don’t forget to do this or don’t forget to do that.
The unfortunate thing is this sometimes happens in ministry.
We must be reminded, or we don’t follow through in our responsibilities in the House of God.
Did you remember to do this, or did you remember to do that, and the person responds with oh I didn’t have the time, or I forgot.
Come on Somebody!!!
Now on the other hand when someone is motivated you don’t have to remind them or beg them, it is a passion.
They get the job done and don't have excuses of oh I forgot or oh I didn't have time.
You don't have to keep reminding them to get the job done. They are a mover and they make it happen because it is a passion within their heart.
I believe Jesus is the best example of Someone who was motivated by compassion.
Over and over again in the Bible we see that before Jesus performed a miracle the Bible says that He was moved with compassion.
Matthew 14:14
When He stepped ashore and saw a large crowd, He had compassion on them and healed their sick.
Mark 6:34 - New International Version
When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So he began teaching them many things.
You and I should be moved by a compassion to see hurting and lost young people reached for the honor and glory of Jesus.
The Bible also says in Luke 19:10 - that Jesus came to seek and to save that which was lost.
What I get from this passage of scripture is that Jesus was motivated by seeing others reached.
He went through all that He did, not for His own benefit, but for the benefit of you and me.
He didn’t go to the cross, so he could get a lot of money, a lot of fame or even a lot of recognition, but Jesus went to the cross for you and me.
We were on His mind.
Some people are motivated by fame and some are motivated by fortune, but Jesus was motivated by compassion.
A compassion to see people reached.
It was not an outward award that Jesus was seeking, but He was seeking that which was lost. Which is you and me.
It was not an outward motivation, but an inward passion.
Whether He got fame or not, He died for you and me.
Today a lot of People are motivated by fame and they are willing to work long hours for that fame.
Movie stars will put in hour after hour to make the movie that they are starring in.
People who are motivated by fortune are willing to go the extra mile in what they do for fortune. They will put in extra time and extra efforts to build up their personal bank account.
See today a lot of people will not do anything unless there is something in it for them.
Especially young people…
Come on Somebody!!!
The type of Motivation that you and I have can determine the type of effort that we put into what we do.
Example - Contact Lens or R1500.00
A teenager lost his contact lens while playing basketball in his driveway. After a fruitless search, he told his mother the contact lens was nowhere to be found.
Undaunted, she went outside and, in a few minutes, returned with the lens in her hand. "I really looked hard for that, Mom," said the youth. "How'd you manage to find it?"
"We weren't looking for the same thing," she replied. "You were looking for a small piece of plastic. I was looking for R1,500."
They both were looking for the same thing, but they had 2 different motivations.
One was looking for a piece of plastic and the other was looking for over R1,000.
We usually like to put our efforts and energy in things that benefit us.
See the world may be motivated by fame, fortune and recognition, but Jesus was not moved by fame or fortune, He was moved with compassion for the lost, to the point where He gave His life.
Just like Jesus was willing to be moved with compassion and give His life. I believe we need some young people in the House of God that are motivated by passion.
Do we have any young people in the House of God that are motivated and moved by passion?
A passion to reach our generation of young people that are hurting.
Do we have some young people in the House of God tonight that are motivated by passion?
Do we have some Young People that are willing to move because we want to see hurting young people reached?
Do we have some Young People that are willing to get involved and use our gifts because we want to see hurting people reached?
Do we have some young People that are willing to give of our finances because we want to see hurting young people reached?
Welllllll….
I know we have some young people in the House of the Lord like that tonight?
Jesus was Motivated by a passion to see hurting people won and saved for the honor and Glory of God.
That is how you and I should be moved…
Whether it is moved to get involved, use our gifts, evangelize or give of your finances.
We should be moved with a passion to see hurting young people reached.
In Closing,
Imagine that Jesus went through all that He went through because He was Motivated by wanting to you and me that were lost, found.
Nothing in it for Himself, but in it for someone else. In it for you and me.
How many know that should be our attitude in why we do what we do?
You and I should do what we do for God not for personal gain or recognition, but for the desire to see someone else get blessed and touched.
Not that we don't desire rewards - but if they come great - but if not, my satisfaction is seeing someone who was lost now be found.
Let me ask you and I a question how are we motivated?
Better yet how are you and I motivated in ministry.
Do people have to keep reminding us about our responsibility?
Don’t forget to do this and don’t forget that or we say we are going to do something and we don’t follow through.
We should be so passionate about what we do for God, that people don’t have to remind us, it is our passion that drives us and we move and get the job done.
You don’t need to be reminded to get involved.
You don’t need to be reminded to follow through.
You don’t need to be reminded to give your G.A.N.G. Club.
But you have such a passion to see hurting young people reached that you move without being begged, told or reminded.
Quote be all you can by Ralph Waldo Emerson.
My chief want in life is someone who shall make me do what I can.
Our passion for souls should bring out the best in us. Not our passion for fame or fortune.
Look at John 17:1 - 5
These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee:
Jesus does not ask for anything for Himself. All He asks is that God will "glorify" Him so that He can "glorify" God.
In fact, the word glory, or glorify, appears four times in these five verses. What does it mean? To glorify someone is to become, as much as you can, a reflection of who they are.
Jesus wanted to bring Glory to God. As a Christian that should be our motivation…
