Motivated

TEXTJosh. 24:15

INTRODUCTION:

A.  WHY DO SOME CHOOSE NOT TO SERVE GOD?

          1.  Ignorance?  (Eph. 4:17-18Gal. 4:8).

          2.  A lack of motivation? (Rom. 2:4).

B.  DO WE NEED MORE TEACHING OR MOTIVATION?

C.  WHY DO YOU SERVE?

I.  SOME SERVE TO PLEASE OTHER PEOPLE (Gal. 1:10).

A.  CHILDREN PLEASING THEIR PARENTS IS GOOD (2 Tim. 3:14-15Eph. 6:1).

B.  WE MUST NOT OFFEND IN THE MATTER OF LIBERTIES (Rom. 15:1-3).

C.  BUT WHAT IS OUR PURPOSE? (1 Thess. 2:3-4).

D.  DOING RIGHT WILL NOT MAKE US POPULAR (Luke 6:26John 15:18-20).

E.  PLEASING MEN WILL TURN US FROM THE TRUTH (Gal. 1:10).

II.  SOME SERVE FOR MATERIAL GAIN.

A.  THERE IS MONEY TO BE MADE (1 Tim. 6:3-5).

B.  THERE ARE LUSTS TO FULFILL (2 Tim. 3:5-72 Pet. 2:1-2).

C.  THERE IS POWER TO BE HAD (3 John 9-11Matt. 23:2-4).

D.  BUT TRUTH IS SACRIFICED (Rom. 16:17-18).

E.  SO MUCH MORE CAN BE OURS (Matt. 6:19-21Act 3:5-6).

III.  MOTIVATIONS USED IN THE BIBLE.

A.  FEAR.

          1.  Healthy respect (Acts 13:16Acts 10:2, 35).

          2.  Afraid (Heb. 10:31Matt. 10:282 Cor. 5:11).

          3.  Extreme care in what we do (1 Pet. 1:17).

          4.  Like a Father and child (Heb. 12:9-10).

          5.  Fear overshadowed by love (1 John 4:18).

B.  REWARD.

          1.  The NT speaks of Great Reward (Matt. 5:12Mark 10:29-30).

          2.  Spoken of in different terms (1 Thess. 4:17Rom. 8:17-18).

          3.  We are encouraged to look for this reward (2 Cor. 4:18Col. 3:1-2).

C.  DUTY (Luke 17:10)..

          1.  BEHOVE,  opheilo  "to owe," is once rendered "behove," Heb 2:17; it indicates a

                   necessity, owing to the nature of the matter under consideration See BOUND,

                   DEBT, DUE, DUTY, INDEBTED, MUST, NEED, OUGHT, OWE. (Vine)

          2.  What man is (Ecc. 12:13-14).

          3.  The sense of what is right is appealed to (Rom. 2:4Rom. 12:1Gal. 2:20).

                   Just, righteous, one who is such as he ought to be (Thayer).

          4.  Our desire (Luke 18:13-14).

          5.  A sense of honor and duty are proper motivation.

E.  MOTIVATION MUST BE COMPLETE (2 Cor. 5:17)..

          1.  It involves a new perspective (Col. 3:1-2)

          2.  It involves a new striving (Phil. 1:27).

          3.  It involves a sacrifice of self (Luke 14:26-27, 332 Cor. 8:5).

          4.  How much are we loved?

                   a.  John 3:16Rom. 5:8-10.

                   b.  John 15:13-14.

          5.  That love demands something of us (2 Cor. 5:14-15).

                   a.  1 John 4:9-10, 19.

                   b.  Matt. 22:37.

CONCLUSION:

A.  TWO THINGS I DESIRE:

          1.  In this life (Psa. 27:4).

          2.  When this life is over (Luke 18:14).

B.  THEY CAN BE OURS IF WE DO WHAT GOD WANTS.