Motivation

Introduction

Recap: We’ve been in a series on the sermon on the mount. We’ve been talking about and discussing this idea - that God is trying to set up an alternative community. A group of people who live differently than the rest of the world. That’s really what this sermon is about. Jesus begins it with the Beatitudes - By telling us what type of people are in this community. In other words, he starts by talking about who you should be. He then moves on to talk about practical application of that.

Opening Story/Illustration: Show Sprite Commercial, then begin. Back in the 90’s this commercial was super popular. In fact, it became kind of a buzz phrase - “Excuse me, excuse me, What’s my motivation?” The commercial was funny, it showed a bunch of actors trying to be hip and cool to sell you something.

Transition to the text: Tonight’s passage in the Sermon on the mount covers a lot of ground. In fact, we will probably come back and hit each section within this in more detail over the coming weeks, but tonight I want to take the view from above and see the big picture. This is a passage that begs us to ask the question, “Excuse me, excuse me, what’s my motivation?”

Text:

Matthew 6:1–18 NLT

1 “Watch out! Don’t do your good deeds publicly, to be admired by others, for you will lose the reward from your Father in heaven. 2 When you give to someone in need, don’t do as the hypocrites do—blowing trumpets in the synagogues and streets to call attention to their acts of charity! I tell you the truth, they have received all the reward they will ever get. 3 But when you give to someone in need, don’t let your left hand know what your right hand is doing. 4 Give your gifts in private, and your Father, who sees everything, will reward you. 5 “When you pray, don’t be like the hypocrites who love to pray publicly on street corners and in the synagogues where everyone can see them. I tell you the truth, that is all the reward they will ever get. 6 But when you pray, go away by yourself, shut the door behind you, and pray to your Father in private. Then your Father, who sees everything, will reward you. 7 “When you pray, don’t babble on and on as the Gentiles do. They think their prayers are answered merely by repeating their words again and again. 8 Don’t be like them, for your Father knows exactly what you need even before you ask him! 9 Pray like this: Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy. 10 May your Kingdom come soon. May your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. 11 Give us today the food we need, 12 and forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us. 13 And don’t let us yield to temptation, but rescue us from the evil one. 14 “If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you. 15 But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins. 16 “And when you fast, don’t make it obvious, as the hypocrites do, for they try to look miserable and disheveled so people will admire them for their fasting. I tell you the truth, that is the only reward they will ever get. 17 But when you fast, comb your hair and wash your face. 18 Then no one will notice that you are fasting, except your Father, who knows what you do in private. And your Father, who sees everything, will reward you.

Transition to points: Jesus hits on three areas here - Giving, Fasting, and Praying.

In his commentary on The Sermon on the Mount, Scot McKnight lays out how Jesus sets up each of these topics.

Giving

We get an Observance (When you give, when you pray, when you fast)

Fasting

We get a prohibition (A way not to do it - Do not announce it, don’t pray in public, don’t make it look like you’re fasting)

Praying

We get the intent (To be seen by others)

We get the result of our intention (You recieved your reward..)

We get God’s alternative (Give in secret, pray in private, fast when no is watching)

We get the Father’s reward

Let’s dive in for a moment and look at this tonight

Points

Watch Out!

Jesus begins the conversation by telling us to “Watch Out!”

You tell someone to watch out when they are close to something that could be harmful.

Illustration: If you were on the side of a cliff we would say - “Watch out.” If you’ve ever trip over like a step you didn’t see or you’re like me and you are clumsy - people have to say “watch out for that step” a lot. What they mean is this - There’s something here that could harm you. Be careful.

Jesus here is warning us to Be careful to watch our step.

What’s he telling us to watch?

Jesus say be careful not to do the right thing for the wrong reason.

In other words, Jesus is asking - What’s your motivation?

Why do you pray? Why do you fast? Why do you give?

What’s the motivation Jesus teaches against here?

Why do you think it’s so easy for us to get caught up in doing things to impress people?

Because we get a reward - and we can see it.

Sometimes we don’t see God’s reward here and now.

How do you think social media plays into our “impress others” mindset? How do you guard against this?

What’s the correct motivation?

Take a look back in the Sermon -

Matthew 5:15–16 ESV

15 Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.

Do these passages contradict each other?

Jesus isn’t anti public prayer, fasting, or giving. He’s anti doing it to impress others. Again, the question is - “What’s my motivation?”

Some of you grew up and you did all the right things to impress your parents or to make them look good.

In what area of your life might you be tempted to do things simply to impress others?

Share about a time you tried to impress others and it went really bad.

Hypocrites

Jesus says that the people who have the wrong motivation are hypocrites.

How would you define a hypocrite?

Do you think it goes deeper than that?

The worst hypocrisy is self deceit. Not only is there a difference between ones inner and outer world, but the difference isn’t even noticed. In other words, we can even fool ourselves. We have hte wrong motivation and we don’t even realize it.

It would be easy to be critical of everyone else - To call out others hypocrisy.

But what Jesus is asking is that we be self-aware and understand our own motivation!

Long term or short term?

In some ways the difference in motivation comes down to taking the short view or the long view.

As people who belong to the kingdom of God, we are called to live with eternity in view.

This means we take the long view - Not what gives me pleasure or reward or what I want right now - But glorifies God and will be best for eternity?

Jesus says here - A reward is coming. You may not always see it right now, but one day, God who sees everything and knows every heart, will reward justly.

Conclusion

So what’s your motivation?

It’s time we take a deep look at ourselves and ask ourselves - Am I really living my life to please and honor God? Or is there something else at work? Does something else drive me?

If something else drives you, it will eventually fail.

You will eventually wear out and fall down.

Closing - These last couple weeks the twitter theology world has been rocked - Two well-known and famous Christians - one a worship leader and one a pastor - both basically renounced their faith. And there’s all this speculation as to why and what happened - I have no idea what actually happened, but what I do know is this - probably, deep down, somewhere - Even unknown to them - The motivation was a bit off. It’s important to regularly check our hearts and make sure we are doing the right things for the right reasons.