What’s Your Motive?
In Luke 4 Jesus was tempted of the devil in the wilderness. The devil took him up to a high mountain and showed him all of the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. He said to Jesus, all this will I give you if you will bow down and worship me, for it was delivered to me and I will give it to whomsoever I will.
Adam had transferred the power and dominion over the world to the devil when he committed the original sin. Jesus responded to the devil’s offer, Thou shall worship the Lord thy God and him only shalt thou serve.
Jesus made it clear that we must worship and serve God. The question is whom do you serve? Why are you doing what you’re doing? What is the motive behind your action?
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God will humble us to teach us to learn humility and to serve him from a heart of love. This is a hard lesson to learn. Jesus said, whoever humbles himself as a child will be the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. In Mark 9 and Mark 12, Jesus said, whoever wishes to be great among you must be servant of all. Then In Luke 9 Jesus said, the son of man must suffer many things… if anyone wishes to save his life shall lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake shall save it…. In the Upper Room Jesus said to the twelve disciples after he had washed the disciples’ feet, if I’ve washed your feet you shall also wash one anthers’ feet…
After Peter had denied Jesus three times, he went back to his fishing business. Then after his resurrection, Jesus went to the shore of the Sea of Galilee where the disciples had returned to fishing. They didn’t recognize him. Jesus called out, have you caught any fish? They answered, No. Then he said, cast your net on the other side of the boat. They did this and caught so many fish that they couldn’t haul the net full of fish aboard the boat. They dragged the net toward the shore. John recognized Jesus and said to Simon Peter, It’s the Lord. Peter jumped into the water and swam to shore to meet Jesus. Jesus was roasting fish on hot coals for breakfast.
Jesus asked Peter, do you love me with agape love of God more than these? He pointed to the fish they had just caught, his fishing boats and his fishing crew. Peter said, I love you like a brother…. Jesus said, feed my little lambs. Then Jesus asked Peter again, Peter do you love me with the Love of God? Again Peter said, you know that I love you like a brother. Jesus said, feed my sheep. Jesus asked a third time, Peter do you love me with brotherly love? Peter was grieved because Jesus kept asking him if he loved him. Peter answered, Lord, you know all things…. You know that I love you the only way I know how…. I love you like a brother. Jesus said, feed my sheep.
Jesus taught Peter that if you’re serving without the love of God, you will not endure. You will burn out if you serve for any other reason. Jesus knew what was in the heart of man. Jesus himself said, I came to give my life as a ransom for many. For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have ever lasting life. Jesus came not to condemn the world but that the world through him might be saved.
The question is, whom do you serve? The world teaches us to serve ourselves… to look out for number one. However Jesus said, whoever wants to be my disciple must deny himself, take up his cross daily, and follow me.
The kingdom of self is heavily defended territory. However, Jesus said, you need to die to self in order to live to serve me. According to Galatians 2:20, For I was crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live, yet not I but Christ liveth in me and the live that I now live I live by faith in the son of God who loved me and gave himself for me.
Without loving God above all, we cannot serve faithfully…. For believing faith works in love…. The love of God activates believing faith that sustains the energy that appropriates the power of the Holy Spirit to accomplish His purpose.
The world creates works-based systems to get people to follow worldly leaders. The church prioritizes attending, spending, and sending…. These are works based priorities. In other words, attend regularly, give generously, and serve diligently. It’s one thing to work… as long as the work. Is motivated by the love of God. However if the work is the purpose, it will profit me nothing…. This is the theme of 1 Corinthians 13: Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.
And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.
And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity (The Love of God,) it profiteth me nothing.
There are two great commandments upon which “hang all the law and the prophets”: Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, with all thy soul, and with all thy mind… and thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.
Why did God say to love him above all? CS Lewis asked this question. Is God so egotistical that he demands our worship, praise, love, honor and glorification?
Serving God is the nature of the spirit of life in Christ, not the sin nature of our flesh… my fallen nature is to serve myself The world indoctrinates us to ask, what’s in it for me? This “WIFM” paradigm doesn’t miss anything except the boat. Jesus said to his disciples, get on board with me and we’ll go over to the other side. To serve the Lord is to obey his word from a heart of love.
Serving the Lord is believing faith that works in love. The greatest blessing is not in seeking the blessings but in seeking to bless the Blessor. In loving God above all…. For what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God.
…..Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him only shalt thou serve from a heart of love,
That we may live to the praise of the glory of His grace,
Your bother in Christ,
Michael
