Sermon Tone Analysis

Motives

We started a new series last week entitled “Servanthood”.

I had you help me preach last week.

Last week we made some proclamations.

We said, “God is calling us to a higher level.

God is calling you to a higher level.

God is calling me to a higher level.”

That level is servanthood!

PP- Definition of Biblical Servanthood: Loving acts performed in the power of the Holy Spirit to meet the temporal and spiritual needs of those around us-and leaving the results to God.

Opening: If you had less than a year to live, and you had the opportunity to give advice to a son, a daughter, or other loved ones or friends, I want you to think about what you would you say to them, if you had to condense it into a paragraph or a short speech.

David and Solomon

Towards the end of David’s life, David held a national assembly.

Before all the heads of the tribes of Israel and other stately officials, David shares with them that God told him to make his son Solomon the next King.

David looks at his son in front of everyone and pulls out of his heart wisdom, the resultant of a lifetime of experience.

And he gives Solomon the best advice that he could give to his son in front of the whole nation.

David knew, once he died, that his son, Solomon would be elevated into David's position as king and his son needed advice.

David would filter and then flush out the most important parts and shared them with his son in front of all in the most succinct way.

PP- (NIV)

This man full of wisdom calls his son Solomon into a private room where he could speak his parting maxims into the heart of his son.

(NIV)

(NIV)

9 “And you, my son Solomon, acknowledge the God of your father, and serve him with wholehearted devotion and with a willing mind, for the Lord searches every heart and understands every desire and every thought.

If you seek him, he will be found by you; but if you forsake him, he will reject you forever.

10 Consider now, for the Lord has chosen you to build a house as the sanctuary.

Be strong and do the work.”

PP- (The Message)

9“And you, Solomon my son, get to know well your father’s God; serve him with a whole heart and eager mind, for God examines every heart and sees through every motive.

If you seek him, he’ll make sure you find him, but if you abandon him, he’ll leave you for good.

Notice the advice he gives as it relates to Servant-hood and motives!

PP- Today’s Teaching in the Servanthood series is entitled, “Motives: What are yours?”

Ask the person next to you, “What are yours?”

It’s a rhetorical question.

As Christians, we are called many things, there is no more powerful title for a Christian than SERVANT of Jesus Christ!

Serving is an action, and every action has a motive behind it!

So as we serve, one of the main things we have to check is our motives.

PP- Definition: A motive is the underlying reason for any action.

The sense of need, desire, or fear that prompts an individual to act or begin movement.

“There is nothing wrong with motives, when they are properly aligned with God’s word and a pure heart.

In fact every action we participate in is fueled by motives.

But when motives become misaligned, there are major problems that can occur.”

“There is nothing wrong with motives, when they are properly aligned with God’s word and a pure heart.

In fact every action we participate in is fueled by motives.

But when motives become misaligned, there are major problems that can occur.”

PP- David told Solomon, his faithful, loyal son, that God had decided to elevate him.

(NIV)

5 Of all my sons—and the Lord has given me many—he has chosen my son Solomon to sit on the throne of the kingdom of the Lord over Israel.

6 He said to me: ‘Solomon your son is the one who will build my house and my courts, for I have chosen him to be my son, and I will be his father.

7 I will establish his kingdom forever if he is unswerving in carrying out my commands and laws, as is being done at this time.’

(The Message)

7I will guarantee that his kingdom will last if he continues to be as strong-minded in doing what I command and carrying out my decisions as he is doing now.’

Solomon was chosen by God , elevated because he was SERVING God with strong mindedness!

This meant that he was resolute with pure motives!

(NIV)

But with this elevation comes great responsibility.

It was important to not only serve God, but to serve with pure motives, since God sees your motives!

Since the beginning of time mankind has been intrigued by what motivates a person.

Motivation is the reason why human beings complete tasks.

Motivation is a difficult quality to define as people seem to have many different reasons for doing the things they do.

For hundreds of years, scientists have offered many theories from different perspectives (scientific, psychological, physiological, anthropological and sociological) to offer explanations for where motivation comes from and how to increase it.

But with this elevation comes great responsibility.

It was important to not only serve God, but to serve with pure motives, since God sees your motives!

Since the beginning of time mankind has been intrigued by what motivates a person.

Motivation is the reason why human beings complete tasks.

Motivation is a difficult quality to define as people seem to have many different reasons for doing the things they do.

For hundreds of years, scientists have offered many theories from different perspectives (scientific, psychological, physiological, anthropological and sociological) to offer explanations for where motivation comes from and how to increase it.

Since the beginning of time mankind has been intrigued by what motivates a person.

Motivation is the reason why human beings complete tasks.

Motivation is a difficult quality to define as people seem to have many different reasons for doing the things they do.

For hundreds of years, scientists have offered many theories from different perspectives (scientific, psychological, physiological, anthropological and sociological) to offer explanations for where motivation comes from and how to increase it.

Since the beginning of time mankind has been intrigued by what motivates a person.

Motivation is the reason why human beings complete tasks.

Motivation is a difficult quality to define as people seem to have many different reasons for doing the things they do.

For hundreds of years, scientists have offered many theories from different perspectives (scientific, psychological, physiological, anthropological and sociological) to offer explanations for where motivation comes from and how to increase it.

Motivation is the reason why human beings complete tasks.

Motivation is a difficult quality to define as people seem to have many different reasons for doing the things they do.

For hundreds of years, scientists have offered many theories from different perspectives (scientific, psychological, physiological, anthropological and sociological) to offer explanations for where motivation comes from and how to increase it.

Motivation is the reason why human beings complete tasks.

Motivation is a difficult quality to define as people seem to have many different reasons for doing the things they do.

For hundreds of years, scientists have offered many theories from different perspectives (scientific, psychological, physiological, anthropological and sociological) to offer explanations for where motivation comes from and how to increase it.

Motivation is the reason why human beings complete tasks.

Motivation is a difficult quality to define as people seem to have many different reasons for doing the things they do.

For hundreds of years, scientists have offered many theories from different perspectives (scientific, psychological, physiological, anthropological and sociological) to offer explanations for where motivation comes from and how to increase it.

PP- In Psychology there are 4 Main Theories of Motives:

Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs

Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs

Abraham Maslow's hierarchy of needs proposes that human beings are motivated to do things in a specific order required for survival.

According to this theory, human beings cannot fulfill their needs in a higher category if they are not fulfilled in the lower categories first.

The needs, in order, are: physiological, safety, love and affection, esteem and self-actualization (achievement of personal goals).

The Two-Factor or Dual Factor Theory

The Two-Factor or Dual Factor Theory

The two-factor theory (also known as Herzberg's motivation-hygiene theory and dual-factor theory) states that there are certain factors in the workplace that cause job satisfaction, while a separate set of factors cause dissatisfaction.

It was developed by psychologist Frederick Herzberg, who theorized that job satisfaction and job dissatisfaction act independently of each other.

Expectancy Theory

Need for Achievement

Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs

Abraham Maslow's hierarchy of needs proposes that human beings are motivated to do things in a specific order required for survival.

According to this theory, human beings cannot fulfill their needs in a higher category if they are not fulfilled in the lower categories first.

The needs, in order, are: physiological, safety, love and affection, esteem and self-actualization (achievement of personal goals).

Dual-Factor Theory

Frederick Herzberg's dual-factor theory, or two-factor theory, states that two consistent factors play into motivation, specifically in the workplace: hygiene and motivators.