Paul's Motivation

TEXT: 2 Cor. 4:1-12

INTRODUCTION:

A. PAUL'S LIFE ONE OF SACRIFICE AND SUFFERING( 2 Cor. 4:11-12 ).

B. SOMETHING KEPT HIM GOING. WE NEED TO KNOW WHAT IT WAS?

I. "I BELIEVED, AND THEREFORE DID I SPEAK"( 4:13-14 ).

A. PAUL'S DISCUSSION OF FAITH AS A MOTIVATOR.

1. Something is more important than the temporal( 4:16-18 ).

2. There is a longing for home( 5:1-8 ).

3. Peter speaks of the "love of faith"( 1 Pet. 1:8 ).

4. Abraham as an example( Heb. 11:9-10 ).

B. WHENCE COMETH FAITH?

1. Paul saw( 1 Cor. 15:5-8 ).

2. Paul preached( 1 Cor. 15:11; John 20:30-31; Rom. 10:17 )

C. FAITH MOTIVATES.

1. Consider the reward( 2 Tim. 2:6-8; 2 Cor. 5:1 ).

2. Look to Jesus( Heb. 12:1-2 ).

3. 2 Cor. 5:7.

II. "KNOWING THEREFORE THE FEAR OF THE LORD"( 5:11 ).

A. JUDGMENT IS CERTAIN( Acts 17:30-31 ).

1. Oour stewardship will be considered( Matt. 25:14-30 ).

2. We will be punished if we don't fulfill( Matt. 25:30 ).

3. The branch that bears not fruit... ( John 15:2 ).

B. WHAT IS OUR RESPONSIBILITY? ( Matt. 28:19-20; Mark 16:15-16 ).

1. God's plan( 2 Tim. 2:2 ).

2. What if we fail?( Rom. 10:13-14 ).

3. We must obey in all things( 2 Thess. 1:7-9 ).

C. FEAR OF GOD MOTIVATES IN ALL THINGS( 1 Pet.1:17; 3:15; Heb.10:31 ).

III. "THE LOVE OF CHRIST CONSTRAINETH US"( 5:14-15 ).

A. HOW WAS HIS LOVE MANIFESTED?

1. All sin and deserve death( Rom 3:23; 6:23 ).

2. Jesus bore our punishment( 1 Pet. 2:24 ) satisfied justice( Rom. 3:23-26 ).

3. I am not dead, yet I have died in his dying( 2 Cor. 5:141; Rom. 6:4, 7 ).

4. All have access( 1 Cor. 5:15 ).

B. HIS SACRIFICE DEMANDS SOMETHING - "CONSTRAINS."

1. He appeals to our judgment - do we understand( vs. 14 ).

2. His death places obligation upon us( vs. 15 ).

3. Other passages( Rom. 12:1; Gal. 2:20; Rom. 1:14 ).

C. APPRECIATION LEADS TO A LIFE OF SERVICE( Rom. 2:4 ).

D. DO WE APPRECIATE?

CONCLUSION:

A. PAUL WAS MOTIVATED TO PREACH BY:

1. Faith in God to reward as promised.

2. Knowledge of great responsibility and judgment.

3. An appreciation of the great sacrifice of Christ's love.

B. WE SHOULD BE SO MOTIVATED.

12 Corinthians 5:14 PP3 - [One died for all]. This is the central tenet in Paul's theology and Christology: [Huper] (grk 5228) (over) here is used in the sense of substitution as in <John 11:50; Gal. 3:13>, death in behalf so that the rest will not have to die. This use of [huper] (grk 5228) is common in the papyri (Robertson, Grammar, p. 631). In fact, [huper] (grk 5228) in this sense is more usual in Greek than [anti] (grk 473), [pro] (grk 4253) or any other preposition. (from Robertson's Word Pictures in the New Testament - See also Dana and Mantey )

John 11:50 PP5 - [For the people] [Huper] (grk 5228) simply means over, but can be in behalf of as often, and in proper context the resultant idea is "instead of" as the succeeding clause shows and as is clearly so in <Gal. 3:13> of the death of Christ and naturally so in <2 Cor. 5:14f; Rom. 5:6>. In the papyri [huper] (grk 5228) is the usual preposition used of one who writes a letter for one unable to write. (from Robertson's Word Pictures in the New Testament)