Wrong Motivations

I. EXORDIUM:

Are you motivated by His Love?

II. AUDIENCE PROFILE:

Believers

III. OBJECTIVES:

To enumerate wrong motivators and identify the correct motivation.

IV. TEXT:

John 6:14-15 (Amplified Bible)

When the people saw the sign (miracle) that Jesus had performed, they began saying, Surely and beyond a doubt this is the Prophet Who is to come into the world!

Then Jesus, knowing that they meant to come and seize Him that they might make Him king, withdrew again to the hillside by Himself alone.

V. THESIS:

Let GOD's Love for us motivate us.

VI. TITLE:

Wrong motivations

VII. EXPLICATION:

A. Author: Apostle John

B. Date written: uncertain. probably late in the first century

C. Purpose: to inspire faith in JESUS CHRIST as the SON of GOD

D. To whom written: seekers of the truth

E. Main theme: encounter with JESUS CHRIST demands a response

F. Keyword: believe

G. Key verse:

John 20:31 (Amplified Bible)

But these are written (recorded) in order that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ (the Anointed One), the Son of God, and that through believing and cleaving to and trusting and relying upon Him you may have life through (in) His name [through Who He is].

VIII. MAIN BODY:

A. Motivated by miracles

"When the people saw the sign (miracle) that Jesus had performed, they began saying"

1 Corinthians 14:22 (Amplified Bible)

Thus [unknown] tongues are meant for a [supernatural] sign, not for believers but for unbelievers [on the point of believing], while prophecy (inspired preaching and teaching, interpreting the divine will and purpose) is not for unbelievers [on the point of believing] but for believers.

Hebrews 11:6 (Amplified Bible)

But without faith it is impossible to please and be satisfactory to Him. For whoever would come near to God must [necessarily] believe that God exists and that He is the rewarder of those who earnestly and diligently seek Him [out].

We are motivated by GOD's love for us not miracles. If this is so, what if miracles stopped? So don't attend anymore because there's no more miracles. Signs, wonders and miracles are for unbelievers not for believers, when the miracle stop or signs, they stop serving the LORD. Remember Gideon, he needed signs to be convinced by the LORD when the word of the angel is already enough, but when the signs stopped, he too worshipped the idol, he first destroyed.

Judges 6:12 (Amplified Bible)

And the Angel of the Lord appeared to him and said to him, The Lord is with you, you mighty man of [fearless] courage.

Judges 6:27-30 (Amplified Bible)

Then Gideon took ten men of his servants and did as the Lord had told him, but because he was too afraid of his father’s household and the men of the city to do it by day, he did it by night.

And when the men of the city arose early in the morning, behold, the altar of Baal was cast down, and the Asherah was cut down that was beside it, and the second bull was offered on the altar which had been built.

And they said to one another, Who has done this thing? And when they searched and asked, they were told, Gideon son of Joash has done this thing.

Then the men of the city commanded Joash, Bring out your son, that he may die, for he has pulled down the altar of Baal and cut down the Asherah beside it.

Judges 6:36-40 (Amplified Bible)

And Gideon said to God, If You will deliver Israel by my hand as You have said,

Behold, I will put a fleece of wool on the threshing floor. If there is dew on the fleece only and it is dry on all the ground, then I shall know that You will deliver Israel by my hand, as You have said.

And it was so. When he rose early next morning and squeezed the dew out of the fleece, he wrung from it a bowlful of water.

And Gideon said to God, Let not your anger be kindled against me, and I will speak but this once. Let me make trial only this once with the fleece, I pray you; let it now be dry only upon the fleece and upon all the ground let there be dew.

And God did so that night, for it was dry on the fleece only, and there was dew on all the ground.

What if there are no fleece anymore? What if there are no more signs anymore? Then Gideon stopped serving the LORD and continued from idolatry where he left off. The LORD GOD even knows up to the extent that Gideon will be so full of himself that he would boast that he have killed GOD's enemies so the LORD GOD only used 300 so Gideon will not be proud of his accomplishment.