Motivation to Do Right

Introduction

Background to Text:

In these last several messages we have seen how having the right perspective is everything. Last week we saw that played out in a practical message on the mind.

We established that what you think about develops your passions. And what you are passionate about leads to how you live.

Peter continues with this thinking of how we are to live by giving us some motivators in why we should do what is right.

READ I PETER 1:17-21

PRAY

10,000 Sermon Illustrations Gator Aid

Have you heard about the “gator aid” that was given to enlisted men in a Florida training camp during World War II? The daily training for those GIs included a run through an obstacle course. On the final stretch of the endurance test, they had to grab a rope and swing across a broad, shallow pool.

Under the blazing southern sun the water looked so inviting to the men that most of them soon developed a habit of making it only halfway across the pond—that is, until an enterprising lieutenant made it the new home for a large alligator. From that day on, the recruits left the ground 15 feet from the water’s edge and fell sprawling in the dust on the other side

The gator aided in motivating the men to not let go of the rope too soon!

Motivation explains why we do what we do. It is key in getting things done. It is important to have in staying on task.

Motivation is found all throughout the Bible as to why we do what we do.

Peter in these verses is going to explain to these suffering Christians the motivation they should have to do what’s right even when things aren’t right.

Transition

This morning I want us to look at Three Motivations as to why we should do what is right in living a life for the Lord.

We Are Motivated to Do Right Because He’s Our Heavenly Father (v. 17)

Peter gives us a reason here as to why we should conduct ourselves in being holy as verse 16 says, because God is our Father. If we call Him Father, then we should live in the fear of God while living on this earth.

This is a great motivation as to why we should live in the fear of God. Now, before we move forward any further, it’s important to define what that word fear means.

Let me tell you what it does not mean. It doesn’t mean you’re scared of God. It doesn’t mean you’re afraid of Him. Or that you serve out of guilt or obligation. Peter links that fear with the fact that He is our Father.

-I was privileged to grow up in a home where my father loved. I understand that may not be the case for everyone in this room. By the way, if you don’t have that testimony of having a loving father growing up, you have a heavenly Father who does love you unconditionally.

-This wasn’t always the case, but I can remember at times getting in trouble for what I did, and the disappointment of my father was greater than the punishment he gave.

-Why is that? I feared him. I respected him. I wanted to honor him. When we fear God, we have this holy respect for who He is. As we have that fear, it changes the way we live.

We ought to fear God because He is our heavenly Father. A father provides for his children. He cares for his children. He nurtures them. He loves them. He protects them. He shelters them.

Why in the world would we live a life that’s contrary to the Bible, when we have a Father that does all of those things and so much more for us?

Think about the love that God has shown toward you. Think of His grace and mercy. And how undeserving we are of that.

Are you just going to go ahead and do whatever you want without thinking about that? Just live your life how you want without considering all that the Father has done for you?

Peter is making an argument here as to why we should live holy. Why we should fear God. And this right here should motivate us to live righteously, knowing He’s our heavenly Father.

We Are Motivated to Do Right Because He Redeemed Us (v. 18-19)

Peter reminds these Christians of how they were saved. What saved them. He tells them first of all what did not save them. They were not saved with corruptible things.

Peter mentions things like silver and gold. Things that, as we look at them, they are precious. They are expensive. They are valued. But Peter says “they’re just perishables.”

There’s something a lot more precious than the highest carat of gold you can find. There’s something more precious than biggest slab of silver you’ll discover. It’s the thing that redeemed us.

It’s the blood of Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ came and bled and died for us. We didn’t deserve that sacrifice. He didn’t deserve that death.

But Jesus took our sin upon Him. He became sin for us who knew no sin that we would be made the righteousness of God through Him. When that blood was spilt that day, it wasn’t any ordinary blood.

It was the blood of the Son of God. Jesus, God in the flesh, Immanuel, God with us. Jesus was our substitute. He died in our place.

Romans 5:8 KJV 1900

But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

Every time we choose sin instead of doing what’s right, we mock the cross. We don’t consider the blood that was shed for us. When we choose to live our lives for ourselves, we forget that we were purchased by Jesus.

Our life is not our own to live it the way we want!

1 Corinthians 6:19–20 KJV 1900

What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.

What a motivation to live a holy life. What a motivation to live in the fear of God. He redeemed us! He purchased our salvation. Is Christ not worthy of us living our lives for Him?

We have the motivation that He’s our Father. The motivation that He’s redeemed us.

We Are Motivated to Do Right Because Jesus Came (v. 20-21)

The fact that Jesus came to this earth should motivate us to live our lives for Him. Jesus, the self-existent one, was made manifest to us as He came to this earth.

I love how Peter points out here that He was made manifest for you. Jesus came for me, He came for you. Because He came, died for us, and rose from the dead, we have faith and hope in God.

The fact that Christ would come to this earth for the purpose of dying in our place should produce humility in our lives. And in turn it should change the way we live.

It should be a motivation for us to live out the Bible.

Transition

Now, as I was studying this, I kept trying to make the connection between Peter telling them to be holy, and them going through suffering.

These people were suffering persecution. They were going through difficulty. Why was it important for Peter to address their conduct in this first chapter?

As we’ll see in coming weeks, much of this book is written in how these people were to respond to the situations that they were facing. They were struggling with government regulations.

Doesn’t that sound familiar? Many of them were slaves for masters who were unbelievers. Many had spouses who were unbelievers. They were being persecuted. How were they supposed to live?

They were free in Christ, but it seemed like all around them there were restrictions, regulations, and bondage.

In that context of their suffering, Peter tells them “Live in the fear of God.”

What would motivate them to obey government leaders, the oppressive master, or honor their pagan spouse? It sure wasn’t going to be the situation they had found themselves in.

There was a greater purpose and a greater cause than that though. While the situations surrounding them wouldn’t have been great motivation to obey leaders and submit to an unbelieving spouse, Peter gives them a reason to live righteously in an ungodly culture.

This is what I’m getting at this morning. Your surroundings may not be comfortable. Your workplace may not be the ideal place to be a Christian. Your home may be a hard place to live for Christ.

All the regulations that we have on us from the government now, it is uncomfortable and sometimes makes no sense. But we don’t live for the Lord when our surroundings are ideal.

We don’t do right just because it’s easy. We live for God regardless of our situations. Because we have a greater motivation than what’s happening around us. That’s what Peter is telling these people.

You have a heavenly Father, who loves you. He sent His Son to die for your sins. He redeemed you. He purchased you with His own blood. And since Jesus came and died in your place use this as a motivation to serve Him!

2 Corinthians 5:14–15 KJV 1900

For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead: And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again.

Let Christ’s love for you compel you to serve Him!

But also, as these people would live out a holy life among others, they would take notice of their testimony and be pointed to Jesus.

1 Peter 2:12 KJV 1900

Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation.

As these believers would live their lives for the Lord, even though it wasn’t popular and would bring on persecution. There would be those who were unsaved that would take notice and glorify God because of these people’s testimony.

Friends, there are people who need to see what an actual Christian looks like. I can’t tell you how many people I’ve talked to who won’t step foot in a church because people are hypocrites.

I’m not saying their looking for someone perfect, no one’s perfect. Someone who lives right in the workplace. Who has a good testimony in the community. Who submits to authority.

Someone who will be so compelled by Jesus’ love that the skeptics, the critics, and the lost will see their life and be pointed to Christ.

Conclusion

There’s a lot that motivates us. There can be good motivations and bad motivations.

We can serve God out of obligation or guilt. Which will only lead to unfaithfulness and a skewed view of who God is. Or we can serve God, because He’s our Father. Because He’s redeemed us. Because He came.

Because of His love for us. “We love Him because He first loved us.” When we serve God because of His love for us. The surroundings may not be ideal. The situation may be difficult.

But His love motivates us to do what’s right even when things aren’t right.