The Right Motivation

On a dreary late autumn Sunday morning Pastor Brad warmly welcomed us, as is his custom. Today he would be presenting the fourth and last message in this current series on his theme "living for the sake of the call." What is the motivation that keeps us in the game?

Darlene transitioned us into worship with a beautiful introit. The Scripture reading after worship and an offering was Matthew 22:34-46. Brad led us in a time of prayer and then began his message.

The Right Motivation

Why is it that the life expectancy for women is so much longer than for men? Brad told a few amusing stories about risky things he's observed men do and got a laugh by answering with the statement, "Because men are dumber."

After the anticipated laugh we moved into the real question he wanted to ponder. Why do some servants in the family of God have a longer service life than others? Some become intensely motivated very quickly but in a year their passion for service has cooled significantly. Why do some remain faithful over time and others lose their drive?

The key is being motivated by the right fuel, God's mercy.

Brad shared a story to illustrate how love is a strong motivation than doing the right thing "because dad told me to." When we're kids that may work for a while, but not for a lifetime. Only one motivation is sufficient for the full distance of a lifetime: the Cross.

Paul sets this out in Romans 12:1 where he notes that in light of what God has done for us, our only sensible and appropriate response is to consecrate our lives to God.

Hebrews 13:16 contains another secret of the enduring life of service. "And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased." Doing nice things that other people do not expect, this pleases God. People who are in it for the long haul do it for God's approval. If you do things in the hopes of being stroked in return there will be two ways you can lose. First, if people are indifferent you'll be disappointed. The other response is equally troublesome, when we use our gifts to get attention and become addicted to the praise.

Are we serving for the applause of others? Do you serve to meet a need or to get some kind of praise in return? The smile of God should be our only aim. Use your gifts without the need to draw attention to yourself.

At this point we have learned that the fuel for a long life of service is the right motivation, and living for an audience of One.

In Matthew 19:27-29 Jesus addresses another matter relating to our motivations.

27 Peter answered him, “We have left everything to follow you! What then will there be for us?”

28 Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, at the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. 29 And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life.

Peter's question has undoubtedly been voice by many of us in one form or another as we've sought to follow Jesus. Why have we sacrificed so much? Jesus affirms that whatever sacrifices we've made, it will be worth it in the end. Knowing this and believing it are a strong support through the hard times.

Brad told a story about playing basketball without a hoop. It can be fun, but it's not long before you know that you really do need a goal. And the more inviting the goal, the more we're willing to sacrifice to get there.

Who applause are you serving for?

There are many martyrs in the New Testament, and millions more throughout church history.

Responding To Jesus

Today we celebrated Palm Sunday at New Life Covenant Church. Pastor Brad welcomed us and reminded us that it was no ordinary Sunday. Today ushers in the events of Holy Week. Two thousand years ago Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey, showing the world that His was a different kind of kingdom. Other kings might be carried in or ride in on chariots. The character of His kingdom was in stark contrast to these others.

Announcements began with a reminder that the Good Friday worship service will be at 7:00 p.m. On Easter there will be no Sunday school, and we will instead have a breakfast from 9-10 followed by an Easter Egg Hunt for the young.

If you are still interested in having a "Secret Sister" contact Joanne Winship.

And there is still a need for five more volunteers to donate blood in April.

Susie brought some of the bowls to show what some of you in our church family made in her studio for the Empty Bowl Project, which raises money for the hungry in Duluth.

Before entering into a time of worship we enjoyed a skit about the meaning of Hosanna, which people were shouting during the Lord's entry into Jerusalem. The skit was a perfect lead in to the reading of this passage from Luke 19 beginning at verse 28, the commencement of what has come to be known as Holy Week.

Responding To Jesus

Two thousand years ago this day began in a very extraordinary way. No one would have guessed that but a few days later it would end at a tomb. Numerous themes crowd around the events of Holy Week. One that Pastor Brad noted today was that our busy lives are not altogether dissimilar from the chaotic crush of crowds in Jerusalem at that time. And in the midst of all this activity, it is possible for us to miss the significant moments just as the Lord's disciples did at that time.

Today's message was striking in its both its simplicity and its brevity. Brad asked, "Will we recognize Him and crown Him King?"

It's hard to imagine the excitement of that first Holy Week beginning with what is now known as Palm Sunday. Two million people jammed the city of Jerusalem for the Passover. And only a few days earlier Jesus raised a man named Lazarus from the dead. Word was spreading that this Jesus was coming to town. When Jesus appeared riding on the back of a donkey, Zechariah's prophesy came readily to mind of a Messiah who would deliver His people arriving in this manner.

The emotional crescendo as He came to the road that went down the Mount of Olives must have been remarkable as the crowd of disciples praised God in loud voices for all the miracles they had seen. This was a scene like nothing that anyone had ever seen before. Something extraordinary was about to happen.

Yet, even in the midst of all this, the disciples were distracted by their own inward issues and self-absorbed lives. You can see this, Brad said, in the way that they came to Jesus asking him about details like, "uhm, Jesus, where do you want us to go prepare the Passover supper?" It would seem they were more preoccupied with details and were missing the significance of the moment.

Just the day before Jesus told them He was going to be handed over to the authorities, mocked, flogged and crucified. Still, the disciples failed to grasp this. Jesus was fully conscious that these were the men to whom he would be handing over the baton of leadership. These were His final hours. Jesus not only knew He was going to die, but how he was going to die. He knew He would endure not only the physical suffering, butu would bear the sins of the world and experience a separation from the Father.

"Excuse me, Jesus, like, have you made plans for the Passover yet?" Jesus could have been annoyed that these, his closest friends, were so clueless and distracted by trivialities.

Brad turned this around to us. "Are you so distracted by life's business that you miss the significant moments?"

During that first Holy Week the disciples were distracted, but Jesus still invited them to be with Him. Jesus wants to spend time with you, too.

Brad concluded by encouraging us not to miss these moments. Read your Bible this week and acknowledge what Jesus has done for you. We worship a living Savior and a living Lord. God is inviting distracted people to be with Him on this extraordinary week.

At this we turned to celebrate the sacrament of the Lord's Supper.