Introducing Jesus - The "Real" You

God Evaluates Motivations

Motivations- the foundation for decisions - comes down to two options

Motivated by self

Motivated by the Lord

READ: MATTHEW 6 - (focus on assumptions of Jesus)

Jesus has their attention - ready to hear more...

REMINDER: Malachi’s crowd, Jesus’s crowd, this crowd...

The arrogant and their followers, pretenders (the “religious”) and those truly wanting to please God

QUESTIONS ABOUT MOTIVATIONS

1) What/Who is the object of your motivation? Self or God?

Jesus touches on areas that matter- all internal, but can be exhibited externally; “where the rubber meets the road” for a believer- relationship with the Lord is at stake

Prayer - (touch on public vs private, Pharisees, inner room or “closet”)

Lord’s Prayer - template - prefaced by warning to not vainly repeat words

Giving - between you and the Lord - and you KNOW if God is pleased with your giving, you DO - not for show, not for attention, but because you KNOW what God has given you, and you DESIRE to give to Him

Fasting - do you “fast?” (not mean 80 in a 55.....)- very important, and not sure why we’ve gotten away from it - again, not public, not show

These are areas that are personal, private, where REAL Christianity takes place - where true growth occurs - where God sees your true heart

These are areas NOBODY can stop you (prayer, giving, fasting)

2) Your motivation - is it one of immediate or future gratification?

From whom do you want your reward

Man? - stuff

The Lord? - peace

Man can’t give you peace, only stuff

God can’t understand pleasure in stuff, why people won’t seek His peace

Where are your treasures stored?

Garage? Bank?

If earthly, really, what’s the point? (Think of Jesus’ crowd, they didn’t have stuff)

Moth, rust - Matt 6:19

Matthew 6:19 NASB95

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.

Stuff of the earth - thieves want to steal it from you

If heavenly - GOOD, those treasures originate in Heaven to begin with

James 1:17 NASB95

Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow.

Storing up treasures in Heaven, doing the right thing, being a disciple, a follower, it stinks at times - but it’s worth it!

Do you believe it is profitable to serve God? (He does, since we’ll be doing that in eternity)

They thought not, to Malachi, in Malachi 2:14

Malachi 2:14 NASB95

“Yet you say, ‘For what reason?’ Because the Lord has been a witness between you and the wife of your youth, against whom you have dealt treacherously, though she is your companion and your wife by covenant.

Ask God, then prepare for Him to make it clear - YES!

Mark 8:36 NASB95

“For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world, and forfeit his soul?

What’s more important to you? This world or your soul?

Since God evaluates your motivations, how would He answer that?

3) Upon What/Who do you place your reliance?

Do you worry?

Do you seek external pleasures?

Is life only good when you feel good?

What do you eagerly seek? Think on these:

What will you make time for?

Are your priorities restricting your pleasing God?

Is pleasing God shaping your priorities (can you see a change from a year ago?)

Please self -restrict God

Restrict self - please God

“Less self, more Lord”

GREAT ADVICE FROM JESUS

Deal with today today

Salvation, for starters, 2 Cor 6:2 says today is the day of salvation - not tomorrow

Paul quotes Isaiah 49:8

Isaiah 49:8 NASB95

Thus says the Lord, “In a favorable time I have answered You, And in a day of salvation I have helped You; And I will keep You and give You for a covenant of the people, To restore the land, to make them inherit the desolate heritages;

We tend to be so sure of ourselves, without God )lost and saved alike)

DO YOU NEED GOD?

If so, for what?

If not, why not?

Check your heart, your motivation - who do you trust more - YOU or GOD?

CLOSE

How is your relationship with God? You know, the part just between you and Him?

You are who you are when you are....alone.

Giving, praying, fasting - all important enough for Jesus to ASSUME that His followers are motivated to do these

Not forced, compelled! Controlled by the love of Christ - meaning, the love He demonstrated

2 Corinthians 5:14 NASB95

For the love of Christ controls us, having concluded this, that one died for all, therefore all died;

Let God evaluate your motivations, then ask Him, is His love for you the source of your motivation

Or is your love of YOU motivating you?

Less self, more Lord.