Principles Of Motivation

Text: II Timothy 1:1-5

Place Preached - (Mississauga International Baptist Church)

Date Preached - (01/28/01)

Introduction:   

The Theme of the first two chapters of II Timothy is Perseverance in Present Testings.

How are we Motivated for Christ even in the midst of difficulty, opposition, and trial?

Last week we saw the primary motivation of the servant of God is the character of the God he serves (from I Tim 6:13-16).

Tonight we will consider how the Lord uses His servants to motivate one another.  Eg. Paul encouraging Timothy.

Paul was in his final Roman imprisonment by this time.  You would the think the reverse should apply and that Paul would need to receive encouragement from Timothy.

Being a fundamentalist and an encourager are not mutually exclusive.  Perhaps Paul had learned something here from Barnabas (the son of consolation) a comforting encouraging brother.

Often the encourager ends up being the encouraged!!

Hebrews 10:24-25  And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works:

25  Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.

Let us consider Six Principles of Motivation

I. Authority vs.1-2A

“Paul, an apostle”

Authority and Intimacy are not mutually exclusive.

ILLUS: Both are essential in the family.

Love w/o authority will result in ruin.

Authority in the absence of love will result in rebellion.

Paul is not offering brotherly counsel but declaring divine truth with firm authority.

Paul’s authority gave Timothy a strong incentive for obedience.

That identical authority no longer exists, however there is a similar authority vested in the local NT church an authority based on God’s Word.

1 Timothy 3:15  But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.

Church discipline rests upon this authority.

1 Timothy 5:20  Them that sin rebuke before all, that others also may fear.

It is important to see from Scripture, the spirit, purpose, and nature of church discipline.

Galatians 6:1  Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.

Hymenaeus and Alexander  (they are singled out for our learning and instruction) (II Tim 2:17)

1 Timothy 1:20  Of whom is Hymenaeus and Alexander; whom I have delivered unto Satan, that they may learn not to blaspheme.

The peril of shipwreck – (Delivered unto Satan – I Cor.5:4-5)

1. Removal from the protection of the church

(Church discipline)

Eg. Ananias and Sapphira (Acts 5 :1-11)

2. Restricted to physical destruction

3. Remedial in it’s purpose

II. Altruism vs.2B

“Grace, mercy, and peace, from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.”

This is an expression of Paul’s heartfelt desire for Timothy’s spiritual advancement.

He wanted God’s Best for Timothy!

Definition: Consideration for others without any thought of self as a principle of conduct.

Paul had a genuine, loving, and unqualified concern for Timothy’s full spiritual blessing.

This included…..

Grace – Divine, saving, keeping Grace, as well grace for living and serving and for dying when necessary.

Mercy – The deliverance from the misery created and deserved by our sin.

Peace – Inner tranquility of mind and heart.

Isaiah 26:3  Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.

To truly motivate one another, we must have genuine, loving, unqualified concern for their full spiritual blessing.

Love without reservation!

III. Appreciation vs.3A

“I thank God” For YOU

For what God has done for you, and for what God has done through you, for me.

Paul was a blessing to Timothy and Timothy was a blessing to Paul.

Romans 1:11-12  For I long to see you, that I may impart unto you some spiritual gift, to the end ye may be established;

12  That is, that I may be comforted together with you by the mutual faith both of you and me.

To be appreciated and encouraged is a great motivation for young people serving the Lord.

Paul’s appreciation sprang from a pure conscience not a desire to flatter.

We may not know our own heart with a complete certainty.

But every Christian can have a clear conscience.

As Paul before Felix….

Acts 24:16  And herein do I exercise myself, to have always a conscience void of offence toward God, and toward men.

IV. Appeal vs.3B

“without ceasing I have remembrance of thee in my prayers night and day”

Timothy was continually held up in prayer before the Lord by Paul.

WITHOUT CEASING – continually, constant, without interruption.

1 Thessalonians 5:17  Pray without ceasing.

Pray for God’s servants and tell them of it.

This will encourage their faithfulness, and reinforce their accountability to the Lord.

LOOK UP & READ Ephesians 1:15-19

LOOK UP & READ Colossians 1:9-11

V. Affection vs.4

We must love one another and express affection genuinely through word and deed.

Paul’s affection for Timothy is expressed in three ways.

A. Expressed through his longing to be with Timothy

“Greatly desiring to see thee”

DESIRING – intense yearning.

2 Timothy 4:9  Do thy diligence to come shortly unto me:

B. Expressed by identification with Timothy’s grief.

“being mindful of thy tears”

Perhaps referring to their last parting.

Similar to the account of Acts 20:36-38

Both Timothy and Paul realized they might never see one another again.

C. Expressed in terms of Paul’s joy.

“that I may be filled with joy”

Even the remote prospect of a reunion with Timothy filled Paul’s heart with Joy, and he expressed this openly to His son in the faith.

VI. Affirmation vs.5

“When I call to remembrance the unfeigned faith that is in thee”

UNFEIGNED – completely genuine, unhypocritical, without pretense or deceit.

“I am persuaded that in thee also.”

Paul expressed confidence in Timothy’s sincere faith on account of his godly heritage and the spiritual influence of his mother and grandmother.

Here are two powerful forces in our own spiritual development

Heritage & Influence

These can be detrimental or beneficial factors.

In Timothy’s experience it was a positive reinforcement of the faith of his mother and grandmother.

In others it might be as…

1 Peter 1:18  Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers;

Now where it is a detrimental influence, it may be overcome, and where it is a beneficial influence it can and should be affirmed as Paul did with Timothy.

Philippians 1:6  Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:

Where that Good work is begun by God let us be careful to encourage and affirm it.

Conclusion:     (Review)