Motivation for Your Ministry - Part 1

 

 

Once upon a time, there lived a man who spoke about motivation. Under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, he wrote to us about his motivation for doing what he did, for being who he was and for serving Who he served. The motivations for his actions were so far above anything this world had ever known, that they defied all of common man's needs. In fact, his motivation for what he did was so strong that as he pursued them he denied his physiological needs as he often went without food and shelter, he denied his own safety needs, often being beaten and imprisoned, in the pursuit of that to which He was called, he became a social pariah and abandoned all recognition by those who the world around him deemed as important. His self-actualization was found, not in finding himself, but in losing himself to Jesus.

His inspiration was not the simple observation of his fellow humans; He was inspired to write what he wrote and to become what he became, by the Spirit of God. We know him as the Apostle Paul, and in 2 Corinthians 5:11-19 he writes to us about his motivation for ministry.

Here in this passage Paul gives us five things that motivated him to the ministry God had given Him - five things that should motivate every Christian in their service to God. We will look at these "motivators" over the next few Motivational Mondays to kick-start 2015 on the right foot. I'm so excited to begin studying true motivation for ministry with you! Please let me know your thoughts on the series and your personal motivators for ministry in the comments.

I. Motivated by the fear of the Lord

I do what I do because of WHO I serve.

Therefore takes us back to verses 9 and 10. In verse 9 Paul notes that he wants to be pleasing to the Lord, and why? Because in verse 10 he says we must all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. This is the place where Christians will stand. It will be a place of:

A. Reward and recognition

1 Corinthians 3:14 tells us we will we will receive the rewards of our service here on earth – depending upon what it was built of, things eternal or things perishable (gold and silver or wood, hay and stubble.)

B. A place of revelation

First Corinthians 3:13 tells us that all of our works will become evident on that day, the truth of our lives, our motives our ministry will be revealed.

Rejoicing – As we give glory to God for all He did for us and for the joys that await us.

C. A place of reckoning

as we give account for our ministries. Romans 14:12 says, "so then each one of us shall give account of himself to God." It will be a place of Reckoning, where we have to tell our Lord, how we lived the life He gave us, how we used the resources, the time, the knowledge, the education, everything we have received from His hand, we will have to give an account for.

Paul had studied the scriptures; he knew what God had told the Prophet Ezekiel applied to him as well.

God told Ezekiel in 3:17-19 "Son of man, I have made you a watchman over the house of Israel; when you hear a word from my mouth; give them a warning fro me. If I say to the wicked person: you will surely die, but you do not warn him – you don't speak out to warn him about his wicked ways to save his life – that wicked person will die for his iniquity. Yet I will hold you responsible for his blood. But if you wan a wicked person and he does not turn from his wickedness or his wicked way, he will die for his iniquity, but you have saved your life." (HCSB)

Paul was living each day in light of that day. He had met Jesus on the road to Damascus and he knew the terror of being in the presence of the living God.

It would do us well to recapture a sense of the amazement, the awe, the wonder and reverential fear of God's presence.

Psalm 33:8 "Let the whole earth tremble before the Lord; let all inhabitants of the world stand in awe of Him.."

Everyone in the scripture, who experienced the presence of God, knew this wonder, this sense of awe and fear. Moses had to take off his shoes, because he was on holy ground. Isaiah said, "Woe is me, for I am undone" when he came into the holy presence of God.

What a motivation for ministry, knowing that someday you and I will have to stand and give account to a God who is not a respecter of persons, a God who is a totally righteous God, who will not award us according to our intentions, but will adjudicate according to our actions.

Made manifest… Paul was motivated by the reality that our works are known to God, and we will someday be held accountable for them.

The Old spiritual song says, "are you ready? Are you ready? Are you ready for the coming of the Lord? Are you ready? Are you ready? Are you ready for the judgment day?"

Paul says, I do what I do, because I know who there is coming a day of reckoning. I know the terror of the Lord. I am motivated by the fear of the Lord.

But it was not only the fear of the Lord that motivated Paul. It is also the knowledge of what Jesus has done for him, it is the Love of Christ that motivates him.

 

What is motivating you to continue in your spiritual journey today?

 

 

Have a great week!