What's Your Motivation?

We're going to begin our worship by singing to God's praise. We're going to sing in Psalm 27,

the Sing Psalms Version, page 32 of the psalm books. Psalm 27, the Sing Psalms Version, page 32.

We're going to sing from verse 7 down to the end of the psalm and the tune is Belmont.

Lord, hear me when I call to you, be merciful and speak. Come seek my face, you told my heart.

Your face, Lord, I will seek. We'll sing from verse 7 down to the end of the psalm to God's praise.

Come seek my face, you told my heart. Your face, Lord, I will seek.

Oh, do not hide your face from me.

Don't do not turn aside.

Your servant in your righteous wrath.

Oh, God, my Savior, leave me not.

Do not reject my plea.

My parents may forsake me, Lord,

But you will welcome me.

Teach me, O Lord, how I should live,

And lead me in your way.

Make straight my path, because my foes

Oppress me every day.

Give me not over to the will of the evil and enemy.

For liars' price to slander me,

And without cruel deeds.

Yet I am sure that in this life,

What goodness I will see.

Wait for the Lord, be strong, take heart.

For him wait patiently.

Let's join together in prayer.

Let us pray.

O Lord, our gracious God, as we come to worship you today, we thank you to be able to come in the great invitation that you have given us.

The invitation that we have sung from your word here, come and seek my face you have told us.

And so we come, O Lord, seeking your blessing on our time together, on your word to us, and on all that we do.

May it be for your glory.

We thank you for your day.

We thank you for your day.

We thank you that you have given us a day in the week to use for this very purpose, to come, to gather together as your people, to gather together, young and old alike, to come and give up our praise to you, offer our prayers to you, and to hear your word and what it says to us.

And we thank you for every opportunity we have.

We thank you for the freedom that we have and the peace that we have to enjoy these things.

We thank you that at this time of year we enjoy a time of holiday, and we thank you for the school holidays just now.

We pray for our children and the teachers.

We pray for everyone who hasn't had a busy year that they would enjoy a break now.

We thank you for the Sunday school and for all that was done in the last year as well with the prize giving last week.

We thank you for all the children who have attended so regularly.

And we pray that they will still come to church over the summer holidays to come and continue to hear your word.

We pray, Lord, that you will refresh both the schoolteachers and Sunday schoolteachers alike over the summer months, that you will be with them and watch over families who come and go on holiday times.

And who do different things over these summer weeks.

We pray, Lord, that you will protect us and keep us.

We pray above all, Lord, that we will know that you are with us, that no matter what day it is or what time it is or what time of year it is, that you have promised that you will be with us always.

And so we thank you for that.

And may we know it.

And may it continue to help us to live our lives day by day for you.

So continue with us in our worship now.

Guide us and keep us.

And pardon all our sins for Jesus' sake.

Amen.

It's good to see some of the young ones here today.

I know a lot will be away on holiday just now as well.

And I hope you do have a great summer holiday.

But I wonder if in the last few weeks anyone was at the circus.

I saw a headline in a paper, the Gazette, saying that the circus came to tongue.

And I know a lot of young people went along to the circus.

And I wonder what you saw at the circus.

Maybe you saw clowns.

Maybe you saw acts taking place that were quite funny and lots of different things.

But very often in a circus, when we think back, circuses often had animals that would come along as well.

So I don't know if there was any animals at the circus in tongue.

Tongue itself is full of enough wild animals without the circus bringing even more.

But I know in the past they used to take animals to circus.

And it reminds me of a story I heard about a minister who once took his child to the circus.

And during the circus they had the same kind of acts with clowns coming in and doing funny things.

But this circus also had animals that they brought in.

And one of the animals was an elephant.

A big elephant.

And as one of the clowns, the last act that was on, when he was doing his funny stuff,

he had this big hat on, on his head.

He was a wee clown but he had a really big hat on his head.

And at the end of his part, when he was finished his act, he bowed in front of the crowd.

And as he bowed, his hat fell off.

And what happened to the hat?

The elephant sat on his hat.

And it wouldn't move.

So he tried all kinds of different things to try and get his hat back.

He started making arm movements at the elephant to get up.

The elephant never budged.

He started shouting at the elephant to get up.

And it never budged.

And then what he did was he went round the back of the elephant and tried to kick it to see if it would move.

And he only hurt his foot.

The elephant still wouldn't move.

And so the clown came back round and just started shouting and bawling for the elephant to get up.

But the elephant just wouldn't move.

So the clown gave up.

He went to the side and he sat down.

And then he started to eat some peanuts.

And all of a sudden, the elephant got up and started walking towards the clown

because the elephant wanted some of his peanuts.

And the elephant sat in front of him and started making a movement to show that he wanted some peanuts.

And then it dawned on the clown and realized,

all I had to do was offer the elephant some peanuts and he would have got up.

But the minister who was there with his child realized there was a powerful lesson there for him as well.

When we are thinking about people all around us and we think about how we motivate people to do things,

how do we get people to do things?

Do we just shout and scream or kick out in anger at them?

That's not what's going to work.

The minister realized that we have something to offer people to make them realize the greatest gift of all

and to come and seek this gift themselves.

He realized our greatest motivation for others to come and know and enjoy what we have is to show them,

not shouting and bawling and screaming at them, but to show them love, to show them compassion,

to show them what we have to offer them.

This clown offered the elephant a peanut and he got up off his hat and he got his hat back.

And I think when we show that same love to people, when we show that same compassion to people,

when we show them the love of Christ and the wonder of the gospel that we have,

that is what will stir people up to come and put their trust in the Lord Jesus.

So, the clown learned a lesson, the minister learned a lesson,

and let us all learn a lesson too, that we would show a love for the people around us,

to make them interested in and long for the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Well, may God bless these thoughts to us.

We're going to say the Lord's Prayer together now.

We'll say the Lord's Prayer.

Our Father, which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name.

Thy kingdom come.

Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread,

and forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors.

And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.

For thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory forever.

Amen.

Well, let's again sing to God's praise this time in Psalm 85 in the Singed Psalms.

Psalm 85.

We'll find this on page 113.

We're going to sing from verse 1 to verse 9 on the tune of Ebenezer.

In times past, Lord, you showed favour to your own beloved land,

the prosperity of Jacob, you restored by your strong hand.

We'll sing from verse 1 to 9 to God's praise.

Amen.

In times past, Lord, you showed favour to your own beloved land,

the prosperity of Jacob, you restored by your strong hand.

In times past, Lord, you showed favour to your own beloved land,

the prosperity of Jacob, you restored by your strong hand.

You restored by your strong hand.

You restored by your strong hand.

You forgive your people's trespass,

you were pleased their sins to hide.

You were pleased their sins to hide.

You withdrew all your displeasure,

from your wrath you turned aside.

God our Saviour, now restore us.

From us turn away your rage.

Will your anger burn against us?

Will it last from age to age?

Will you not again revive us,

that we may rejoice in you?

Show us, Lord, your covenant mercy,

your salvation grant anew.

I will hear what God the Lord says,

to his saints he offers peace.

But his people must not wander,

and return to foolishness.

Surely for all those who fear him,

his salvation is at hand,

so that once again his glory,

may be seen within our hands.

Lord, your God, your God, your God, your God, your God.

We'll turn to read in God's word in the New Testament,

in 1 Thessalonians.

1 Thessalonians, reading in chapter 2.

We'll read from verse 1 down to verse 16.

1 Thessalonians chapter 2.

1 Thessalonians 2 · chapter mention

1 Thessalonians chapter 2.

1 Thessalonians 2 · chapter mention

1 Thessalonians chapter 2.

1 Thessalonians 2 · chapter mention

1 Thessalonians chapter 3.

1 Thessalonians 3 · chapter mention

1 Thessalonians chapter 3.

1 Thessalonians 3 · chapter mention

1 Thessalonians chapter 3.

1 Thessalonians 3 · chapter mention

2 Thessalonians chapter 3.

2 Thessalonians 3 · chapter mention

2 Thessalonians chapter 5.

3 Thessalonians chapter 4.

3 Thessalonians chapter 5.

4 Thessalonians chapter 5.

5 Thessalonians chapter 5.

5 Thessalonians chapter 5.

we were ready to share with you not only the gospel of God,

but also our own selves, because you had become very dear to us.

For you remember, brothers, our labor and toil.

We worked night and day that we might not be a burden to any of you,

while we proclaimed to you the gospel of God.

You are witnesses, and God also.

How holy and righteous and blameless was our conduct towards you believers.

For you know how, like a father with his children,

we exhorted each one of you and encouraged you,

and charged you to walk in a manner worthy of God,

who calls you into his own kingdom and glory.

We also thank God constantly for this,

that when you received the word of God, which you heard from us,

you accepted it not as the word of men,

but as what it really is, the word of God,

which is at work in you believers.

For you, brothers, became imitators of the churches of God in Christ Jesus

that are in Judea.

For you suffered the same things from your own countrymen,

as they did from the Jews,

who killed both the Lord Jesus and the prophets,

and drove us out,

and displeased God and opposed all mankind,

by hindering us from speaking to the Gentiles,

that they might be saved.

So as always, to fill up the measure of their sins.

But God's wrath has come upon them at last.

And so on.

And may God bless that reading from his word.

We'll again come to God in prayer.

Let's bow our heads in a word of prayer.

Amen.

O Lord, our God, as we continue to seek your face,

we thank you for your word which speaks to us.

We thank you for what we have read,

and as we come to open it up together,

may you prepare our hearts to receive it.

May you prepare our hearts to understand it

and to be changed by it.

For we know that we can often outwardly hear the word,

and outwardly we can seek to do so many things for you.

But unless that comes from a sincere and a pure heart,

then we are lacking in so much.

And we thank you that you are the God

who is so able to transform us,

that we read in your word how you are the God

who is there to save his people.

And we thank you that you are the same God today

as always and ever will be,

the one who is able to save

and to save all who will come to you.

And we thank you that your word is a word

that continues to go out to people,

that the gospel, the good news of Jesus Christ

is heard far and wide.

We may not see it received by all people,

but we thank you that it does go out

and that it has power, for it is your word,

and you are the power behind it.

And so we pray that even today,

as your word is proclaimed around the world,

that it will be heard and received

and received with great gladness.

We thank you that your word tells us

that in heaven there is rejoicing

over one sinner who repents.

And we pray that there be much rejoicing

in heaven today,

not just for one sinner, but for many,

many who would turn from their ways

and turn to Christ

and know that great joy of salvation.

And so we pray, Lord,

that your word, as it goes out today,

as it's preached, as it's received,

even here in our own midst,

that you would be behind it all,

that your spirit would be with us

to work in us and through us.

We thank you for one another, Lord.

We thank you for the words that we have read

that remind us of the great blessing

and privilege there is

in being gathered together as your church,

as your people.

We thank you that these are

such wonderful opportunities for us,

that they are opportunities

that we are to take with great joy

and gladness that we can come,

come together and worship you.

And we thank you for all

who are here in the building.

We pray your blessing on us, each one.

We thank you for all who tune in online

as well, those unable to come out

to be with us.

We pray, Lord, your blessing on them,

that they will know that they are part

of the body of Christ.

We pray for those who will maybe hear this

at some point in the future,

maybe even in all corners of the world

as we think of the way

that the internet has enabled us

to reach out with the gospel

in ways that we never imagined before.

We thank you, Lord, for these opportunities.

And we pray for people far and wide

in very different circumstances.

We come in here in peace,

but we know that throughout the world

there is much heartache and trouble and pain.

There is persecution that is rife

in so many parts of the world.

And yet we thank you

that the gospel still goes out.

And we pray, Lord, for your people far and wide,

those who suffer so much

at the hand of cruel rulers

or oppressors of different kinds.

We pray, Lord, that you will surround your people,

that you will hold them in their suffering,

that you will be near to them and remind them,

even as Paul and Silas,

who we have read of here,

as they were beaten for their faith,

yet they knew that God was with them

and they knew the gospel hope.

We pray that that might be the case

for your people far and wide today,

that they would know the God of all grace

and mercy with them.

We do thank you, Lord,

for every endeavor of our church

to reach out with the gospel.

We pray even for this week ahead

and for the summer season,

as we think of all the activities

that are going on.

We thank you that there is the free church camps

that have started already

and going on over the summer months.

We pray your blessing on them

upon all who gather there,

who travel for them,

who lead them,

and who attend them.

Give them safety.

Give them your presence.

Give them to know that you are with them,

that you will surround them at all times.

We pray for the camp

that we have been linked with,

the Kin Craig camp,

starting next Saturday.

We pray, Lord,

your blessing on it

upon all the leaders

and the campers who attend.

Surround them with your love

and with your grace.

We thank you too, Lord,

for the holiday club

that we look forward to,

God willing,

in the end of the month

and into August.

We pray for all the preparation

being made for that,

that you will be with

everyone who is helping with it

in all different kinds of ways.

And above all, Lord,

as we pray for it,

we pray to know your blessing on it,

to know the blessing

upon our young people

as they gather for it.

We pray too, Lord,

for the weekly activities,

the meetings for prayer.

Remember Muriel,

as we'll be able to meet with her on Tuesday.

We pray for her,

continue to remember her

and the work that she is involved in in Cambodia.

We commit her to your care

and to your keeping.

Remember the meetings for prayer

and worship throughout the week

and the Friday at the freeze

and all the different activities going on.

Help us to surround them all with prayer

and praise.

Much thanksgiving to you

for these opportunities

and these times

when we are able to serve you

in so many different ways.

We pray, Lord,

your encouragement in it

to see people coming,

not just to see a building here

or to see the people,

but to experience the wonder of God,

to experience a meeting with Jesus Christ,

to experience the Holy Spirit

and the power that there is with him.

So we pray, Lord,

that in all things

we will seek your face,

even as we have been instructed to,

asking your blessing on it.

Remember us in our homes

and in our families too.

We remember those

who have lost loved ones

even in this past week.

We continue to commit them

to your care

and to your keeping.

The families of Ian McKenzie

and Ian McFarlane

and Mary MacArthur,

we commit them to you, O Lord,

asking you to surround them,

to be near to them,

to uphold them at all times,

that they would know your grace

and your help

in times of need.

Remember those

who are unwell

as well in hospital,

in homes or at home.

We pray, Lord,

that you will help them

to know your hand

upon them for good.

Remember us, Lord,

we pray

as we commit ourselves

into your hands.

Lord, we thank you

that we can come

any time of day or night

knowing that you hear us,

knowing that you are there for us,

that you are with us.

So, Lord,

hear our prayers,

continue with us

as we commit

all these things to you,

asking in all things

forgiveness for all our sins

and shortcomings,

thankful for the forgiveness

that is found in Christ Jesus.

And may we know

what it is to seek him

and to know his blessing

and his peace with us.

For we ask all things

in Jesus' precious name,

for his sake and glory.

Amen.

We're going to sing again

to God's praise

in Psalm 122,

the Scottish Psalter version,

Psalm 122.

Find this on page 416

of the psalm books.

We'll sing from verse 1

to verse 6

in the tune of Jackson.

I joyed when to the house of God

go up,

they said to me,

Jerusalem within thy gates

our feet

shall standing be.

We'll sing from verse 1

to 6

to God's praise.

Amen.

I joyed when to the house of God

go up,

Jerusalem within thy gates

our feet shall standing be.

Jerusalem,

as a city is,

compactly built together,

unto that place

the tribes go up,

the tribes of God,

God with unless

to fall.

Jesus

To Israel,

can単 sin in to God

oıyor before,

there to God's name

thanks to pay.

For thrones of judgment

in the thrones of day,

of David's eyes

dare stay.

Pray that

Jerusalem

may have

peace and

felicity.

Let them

that love

thee and

thy peace

have still

prosperity.

Well we can

turn back to our passage

we read in 1 Thessalonians chapter

1 Thessalonians 2 · chapter mention

2. Our focus

is going to be on verse 1 to verse 8.

We can read again at verse

3.

But our appeal does not spring

from error or impurity or any

attempt to deceive.

But just as we have been approved

by God to be entrusted with

the gospel, so we speak

not to please man, but to

please God who

tests our hearts.

Our lives are

full of routines

of all the things that we do.

So much of our lives is full of

different routines.

But how often do we stop

and ask ourselves

why am I doing this?

What is the reason

behind what I am doing?

What is my motivation

in doing what I am doing?

Very often we can just

go on in life as it were

on automatic pilot.

Just going through all the different

routines without

without actually pausing for a moment

and asking ourselves

why am I doing this?

Just think of some of the things

that you do

on a regular basis.

Going to school.

Why do you do that?

I'm sure many of the young people

ask that question

every morning.

Why am I bothering

going to school?

What's the point?

What's our motivation

in doing it?

Is there a purpose

in it or is it just

because I have to do it?

I'm told

I have to do it.

But then it can be the same

when it comes to work.

When we're doing work

and going to work

we ask ourselves

what's the purpose

in my going?

Is there a purpose

behind it

or am I doing it

just because

I have to do it?

Then there's other activities

that we're involved in

maybe throughout

the week

different things we do.

Some are for pleasure

some are because

we have to as well

but what's our motivation

in it?

if we're working on sheep

if we're going fishing

if we're cooking a meal

if we're decorating the house

all these different things

the list goes on.

Why are we doing it?

What's our motivation?

Or what about

coming to church

or serving in the church?

Why are we doing it?

What's the purpose in it?

Is it more that

we see a purpose in it

that's a motivation for us

or is it more

that we just feel

that we have to do it?

What can make

all the difference

in all of these situations?

Our day-to-day lives

our worship of God

our serving God

what can make

all the difference

in these things?

a love

for what we are doing

and why we are doing it.

And as we turn

to the scriptures

we find

so often

throughout God's word

God's people

going through

different times

and experiences

where

their motivation

is maybe lost

and where they have to

again ask themselves

why are we doing

the things

that we are doing?

There are other times

in the scriptures

where you clearly see

the motivation

in doing what they are doing

is because of a love

for God

and it's that latter

experience

that we want to have

at all times.

If you were just

to go back

to the Old Testament

to the book of Malachi

there

in that book

you see God's people

who have

become stuck

in a rut

in so many ways.

their lives

and their worship

has become

a sense of just

going through

the motions

doing it

because

they have to

doing it

out

of a sense

of duty.

But if in all

that we are doing

we are just doing it

out of a sense

of duty

all we end up doing

is giving

the bare minimum.

But if we do it

out of a sense

of devotion

if we do it

in a sense

of delight

then that will

move us

from giving

the bare minimum

to giving

our all.

Doing all

as

to the Lord.

And here

in the book

of Thessalonians

as Paul

is writing

these letters

to the church

at Thessalonica

this first letter

he was writing

to them

to encourage them

to strengthen them

and to help them

go on in life

and serving

the Lord

not out of a sense

of duty

and the purpose

being well I've just

got to do this

but an encouragement

for them to carry on

and go on doing this

in delight.

Delighting

in knowing

what they are doing

why they are doing it

and who

they are doing it for.

Knowing that they are

doing it

for the Lord Jesus

who has done

all for them.

and so

he comes

to encourage them

to encourage the people

to live

as examples.

It's a letter

of encouragement

and he says

in chapter 1

as he is

introducing them

in chapter 1

he is saying

their faith

is a great example

to others.

He says in verse 7

of chapter 1

so that you became

an example

to all the believers

in Macedonia

and in Achaia

for not only

has the word

of the Lord

sounded forth

from you

in Macedonia

and Achaia

but your faith

in God

has gone forth

everywhere

so that we need

not say anything.

They don't even

have to tell others

around this area

about their faith

because their example

how they have lived

has already gone

before them.

They are known

for their love

of God

and that is

a wonderful

example to us

as to what we

should aim

to be as well.

The people of God

who are examples

to others

all around us

that people

would speak

of our love

for Christ

and so that

in all the ways

that we serve God

we would do it

not just out of

a sense of duty

or to please

somebody else

but out of

devotion

for the Lord

and in a congregation

that can become

so busy

in different things

and as we think

of all the activities

going on

and that are

to go on

even over the

summer months

what we do

we do out of

devotion

and delight

and that would

make all

the difference

that people

would then speak

of the faith

and love

of the people

in this place

that they would

speak of Christ

who we are sharing

with others

that they would

see us

as an example

to be for others

and that is why

Paul was writing

to the Thessalonians

to encourage them

and in chapter 2

what he does

is he shows

his own

motivations

in what he has done

that it might

motivate them

and he says

in verse 1

that their coming

to them

was not in vain

for you yourselves

know brothers

that are coming

to you

was not

in vain

but

and so he goes on

and he explains

why it was not

in vain

and he explains

the kind of

motivations

that are behind

everything that he

is doing

and everything

that's behind

what they should

the motivations

that should be behind

what they are doing

as well

and even for ourselves

what our own

motivations

are

so there are

three motivations

here that Paul

outlines

three motivations

to take for ourselves

as well

the first one

is this

the gospel

motivates

the gospel

motivates

in verse 2

but though we had

already suffered

and been shamefully

treated at Philippi

as you know

we had boldness

in our God

to declare to you

the gospel

of God

the gospel

is the great

motivation

here

it is for Paul

it is for the church

of Thessalonica

it is for ourselves

the gospel

is the great

motivation

the gospel

of God

the gospel

of good news

the gospel

that comes

even in the midst

of great conflict

as Paul

says here

how do you

picture

Paul

and Silas

arriving

in Thessalonica

when you read

of the missionary

journeys

of Paul

in the gospels

how do you

picture him

what do you

see of him

we speak

about church

planters

today

those who are

starting new

churches

in different

parts

of our nation

in many ways

Paul

and Silas

and others

with them

they were the

church planters

of their day

they were going

out with the gospel

reaching across

new boundaries

going into

new places

and always taking

the gospel

with them

how do you

imagine

church planters

today

perhaps we can

often

think of

church planters

today as maybe

having it easy

in many ways

sitting in coffee

shops and just

meeting up with

people from

time to time

they're having

quite comfortable

lives

being at

peace

finding the

way

maybe easy

going

it's far

from it

far from

it

all you have

to do is

listen to

some of the

church planters

who are involved

in these works

and you hear

the reality of

it is so

different

how hard

it is

I was speaking

to a church

planter once

and he said

in the first

three years

of his ministry

he moved

home four

times

each

Lord's day

as we were

gathering to

worship

sometimes

they didn't

know where

they were

going to

be gathering

because

they didn't

have a

permanent

place to

meet

they had

to move

around

so that

maybe even

on a

Friday

they still

didn't know

where they

were going

to meet

on the

Sunday

they would

meet with

opposition

they would

meet with

people who

were against

them using

buildings

or even

coming into

their community

they would

face

opposition

and people

speaking out

against them

it is not

easy

the same as

it isn't

for ourselves

but what

was it

that motivates

what is it

that motivates

it's a

devotion

for God

a devotion

for the

gospel

a longing

that people

would hear

the gospel

and as you

look at Paul

and Silas

and how they

came into

places

especially maybe

Thessalonica

how did they

arrive

well they

arrived

beaten

and bloodied

with their

clothes

torn

we see

that

in the

book of

Acts

Acts 16 · chapter mention

chapter 16

before they

came to

Thessalonica

they had

been

at

Philippi

it says

there

falls in

verse 2

as well

but though

we had

already

suffered

and been

shamefully

treated

at

Philippi

what

had

happened

well if

you go

to Acts

Acts 16:20

16

verse 20

they

they were

in

Philippi

and they

were brought

before the

magistrates

and they

said to

them

these men

are Jews

and they

are disturbing

our city

they advocate

customs

that are not

lawful

for us

as Romans

to accept

or practice

the crowd

joined in

attacking

them

and the

magistrates

tore their

garments

off them

and gave

orders

to beat

them

with rods

and when

they had

inflicted

many blows

upon them

they threw

them into

prison

ordering the

jailer to

keep them

safely

that is what

they experienced

before they

came to

Thessalonica

they were

beaten

with rods

and this is

just a few

days before

they came

to Thessalonica

now what do

we do when

we face

opposition

if we

knock on a

door and

someone says

to us

just go

away

I want

nothing to

do with

you

we take

that to

heart

we feel

hurt

perhaps we

don't go

back to

that door

again

it's going

to be

difficult

but here

is a

reminder

to us

to be

bold

for the

gospel

to be

seeing

our

greatest

motivation

is

the

gospel

and the

need that

people have

to hear

the gospel

you see

they were

entrusted

with this

message

in verse

four

but just

as we

have been

approved

by God

to be

entrusted

with the

gospel

so we

speak

not to

please man

but to

please

God

they were

entrusted

with the

gospel

and that

is what

the church

of God

is entrusted

with today

as well

entrusted

with this

gospel

that is

what we

are entrusted

with

that is

our greatest

motivation

in all

that we

do

or it

should

be

it is

the gospel

which is

the good

news

of Jesus

Christ

and they

were entrusted

with it

because they

were convinced

by it

themselves

and so

must

we be

too

in 2nd

Corinthians

chapter 5

verse 14

Paul

there

is

writing

to the

church

there

and what

he says

is

the love

of Christ

controls

us

or

constrains

us

as another

version

says

because

we have

concluded

this

they're

convinced

by this

that

one

has

died

for

all

therefore

all

have

died

and he

died

for

all

that

those

who

live

might

no

longer

live

for

themselves

but

for

him

who

for

their

sake

died

and

was

raised

there

is

the

motivation

there

is

the

heart

of

the

gospel

one

has

died

for

all

Christ

died

for

sinners

that

is

the

gospel

and

that

is

what

motivates

Paul

here

and

the

people

of

Thessalonica

and

that

is

what

should

motivate

ourselves

to

the

love

of

Christ

constrains

us

it

motivates

us

to

go

out

and

tell

others

that

Christ

died

for

their

sins

somebody

once

said

we do

what

we

do

because

we

love

what

we

love

we

do

what

we

do

because

we

love

what

we

love

and

so

it

is

to

be

bold

for

the

gospel

to

love

the

gospel

that

is

what

Paul

has

experienced

in

his

own

life

the

transforming

power

of

Christ

in

his

own

heart

who

brought

him

from

one

who

was

beating

Christians

to

being

beaten

himself

to

be

able

to

say

as

he

says

in

Philippians

for

me

to

live

is

Christ

they

no

longer

live

for

themselves

but

live

for

Christ

and

you

wonder

what

Paul

thought

even

as

he

was

beaten

in

Philippi

that

this

is

what

I

used

to

do

to

Christians

myself

and

I

would

wonder

how

it

is

they

could

accept

these

beatings

but

now

he

knows

because

he's

receiving

these

beatings

himself

convinced

of

God

convinced

of

God

who

is

with

him

no

matter

the

opposition

what

happens

is

boldness

results

when

we are

convinced

by the

gospel

ourselves

when

we are

convinced

by

Jesus

Christ

when

the

gospel

is

our

great

motivation

then

we are

bold

for

Christ

he

loved

the

gospel

he

loved

God

and

he

knew

God

with

him

and

that

is

what

we

should

long

for

and

be

motivated

by

ourselves

too

the

gospel

motivates

the

second

thing

we see

here

is

the

lies

that

motivate

we

see

this

in

verse

3

for

our

appeal

does

not

spring

from

error

or

impurity

or

any

attempt

to

deceive

what's

going

on

here

well

Paul

and

Silas

weren't

the

only

missionaries

in

town

there

were

others

who

had

come

as

well

but

their

motives

and

their

message

was

completely

different

many

came

with

selfish

motivation

and

suffered

nothing

for

telling

lies

but

Paul

and

Silas

they

came

motivated

by

God

to

share

the

gospel

to

tell

the

truth

and

they

suffered

so

much

and

so

why

keep

going

well

what

they

were

seeing

was

those

with

selfish

motives

those

who

were

preaching

a lie

to

those

in

Thessalonica

and other

places

as well

they were

leading

these

people

astray

they

were

leading

them

to

an

eternal

downfall

and

that

is

what

motivated

Paul

and

the

church

they

saw

that

people

needed

to

hear

the

true

gospel

and

that's

what

we

see

here

it

is

such

a

powerful

motivation

and

it

should

be

for

ourselves

as

well

because

even

as

we

look

around

today

we

see

a

people

who

are

being

swept

along

by

the

lies

of

this

world

the

lies

that

this

world

tells

us

will

make

all

the

difference

the

lies

that

are

leading

to

the

broad

road

that

leads

to

destruction

and

that

should

grieve

us

that

should

pain

us

so

our

motivation

is

to

show

what

these

lies

are

and

show

the

truth

in

the

midst

of

them

these

false

teachers

were

there

in

Thessalonica

with

flattery

with

greed

seeking

fame

for

themselves

and

Paul

highlights

just how

wrong

this

is

our

appeal

does

not

spring

from

error

or

impurity

or

any

attempt

to

deceive

but

just

as

we

have

been

approved

by

God

to be

entrusted

with

the

gospel

so

we

speak

not

to

please

man

but

to

please

God

who

tests

our

hearts

and

he

goes

on

to

speak

about

words

of

flattery

of

greed

of

the

lies

of