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日期 : 07/26/09

經文 : 約翰福音 6:66-69

題目 : 為何我要這樣做

主旨 : 我們要以耶穌基督的榜樣作為信仰歷程的推動力。

 

引言 :

 

經濟學者說經濟下跌的狀況可能連續有兩三年的時間,我們生活在這種的處境裡,我們都能瞭解生命的確好艱難。在我們小小的世界裡又如何呢?有時我們會感到精疲力盡,我們會為周圍的事件、人感覺到困擾,有時我們會感覺,為什麼我周圍的人都是一些不理解 的人?這些人也包括我們的配偶、上司、同事、或家中的一個成員。這一個人也可能是在我們團契、小組的一個成員,當我們面對這樣的處境 我們很容易就會發洩心裡的情緒,我們可能有忿怒、怨恨、甚至我們繼續結成苦毒 在這種情況下,人就忘記愛神、愛人的這個命令。向一個試探降服是一件非常容易的事—隨波逐流,容易過逆流而上,如果你要逆流而上,你要下決心、努力,好吃力啊?又是一種的壓力、是嗎?就隨波逐流的去,想做就做、不想做就不做!高興就高興,不高興就發洩出來,是好容易的事,一點緊張也沒有。有時候,當我自感到壓力、或在事奉裡面感到灰心時,當然第一個知道的往往是我的太太,她有時會問:「要不要一起禱告!」我往往說:「不!」我不想禱告。不想禱告比要禱告容易的多,是不是?有時候我會這樣,我不想禱告、我現在不要禱告,等心情好些才禱告,我想您也有這樣的遭遇。然後我們在這些壓力下、不如意的處境裡,我們怎麼樣可以維持、堅定下去?在這些情況裡,我們怎麼樣繼續愛神愛人呢?

耶穌基督又如何呢?當您看到祂的人生充滿了各樣的困難、試煉,經常被人誤會被人錯待,經常處在這些宗教領袖挑剔的眼光之下,被人誣告,最後導致要死在十字架上,但是祂一直沒有放棄,一直的堅忍下來,但在這後面祂生命的推動力是什麼?在祂的生命裡,有什麼原則在推動祂,使祂可以堅持下去呢 ?

I •  我們無可選擇

 

今天早上我們一起來看一下,在耶穌的生命裡,有那些推動力?使我們也可效法的,早期耶穌出來服事的時候,在約翰福音說,我的食物就是遵行差我來者旨意,並且完成祂的工作。這是三位一體的父神!就是三位一體的父神差遣了三位一體的第二位耶穌祂的兒子來到世上,為的是要完成祂救贖人的工作。所以耶穌來到世上,祂的使命就是要完成神的工作。祂是為這一個的目的而降生在這世上。您有沒有想過,因為是這個目的而降生,所以祂沒有什麼選擇的,祂來就是要實行天父的旨意,這是無可選擇!

我們又如何?我們有沒有一個選擇?我們可以中途放棄嗎?可以不愛神和愛人嗎?我想答案也是一樣的!不!或者要瞭解這一點,我們一定要回到基督教非常基本的一些觀念。在過去的一段時間裡,我久不久會提到我們基督徒在神裡面所要鞠的躬,今天我想再一次溫習一下,六零年代的 Francis Schaffer 教導我們,在神的面前要鞠三個躬,希望大家好好的記住。第一個躬:承認有一位神的存在!神是存在的,我是按祂的形像所造的,這是第一個躬。我要鞠的第二個躬是:這一位神!是我道德、生活的主!意思說,我要聽祂、我要順服祂!不是單單在宗教的事上,不是單單在救恩的事上我要順服,乃是在我整的生命裡面我要順服祂!祂要來控制、管理我與人如何來往,這是第二個躬。我要鞠的第三個躬:有一個有客觀、絕對真理的存在,因為這位神說了話,是用人能明白的話對我們說,雖然我們在聖經中知道神的心意,聖經裡並沒有將所有有關神的事情告訴我們,但是聖經所講的是真的,是客觀的真理、 可靠的。我們要鞠這三個躬,第一個是神的存在!第二個躬,祂是我們道德的主,我們不單在信仰和救恩上以祂為主,並在我們道德生活上也以祂為主。第三個躬是客觀、真理的主存在!因為祂說了這話,所以我們能知道什麼是對、什麼是錯。這是我們每一個人要鞠的三個躬。

如果這就 屬靈的一個旅程的話,我們也沒有什麼選擇?我們就是要聽祂、就是要愛神、愛人!無可選擇的。 6:67 ,當耶穌看周圍的人,因著祂所講的道,慢慢的就一個一個的離開了祂。所以祂就問門徒說,你們也想離開嗎?你們也要像他們一樣要走嗎?然後彼得說:「主啊!你有永生之道,我們還跟誰呢?」彼得說:「主啊!我們沒有別的選擇。」如果我們要有永生的話,我們就要來跟隨。那我們信徒是不是也要一樣。如果我們在跟隨耶穌,我們也別無選擇,我們就要來聽祂、順服祂、愛神、愛人!這是第一個的推動力,這是無可選擇的。

II  •  我們要有敬畏神的心

 

第二個推動力,約翰福音第二章十六節:耶穌到聖殿去,看見一些做生意的人,在聖殿裡做買賣,而且這些的買賣原來是為敬拜神的人的方便,但是現在卻變成一個賺錢的機會,特別是對那些貧窮的人、從外地來的人,是一個非常不公平的交易,所以耶穌就說,將這些東西都搬出去,不要把我父的殿當做的市場。但耶穌的心裡面,祂為了神的殿、神的居所祂有一個火熱的心,不希望父的殿被污染。然後在約翰福音 8 : 49 那裡又說:“我不是被鬼附的,我尊敬我的父,”我們看見耶穌把神高舉起來,尊敬神!祂將神放在很高的位置上。耶穌對神有一份敬畏神的心。這位神是高高在上的,您千萬不可以輕易的來對待祂!這一個對神的敬畏,在聖經裡從頭到末了是重複出現的一個主題,那今天對我們來說有什麼意義?

曾經有一位弟兄借我一本書,是講到這個宇宙、它的奧秘、偉大,當您站在這個宇宙面前,又當您知道這個宇宙後面有這一位創造者,大概在座的每一位心裡都會產生一種敬畏的心,而這個敬畏的心,也包括了我在這位神的國度裡,我知道在我整個的生命裡,神有權柄與權威!我的事業,將來、家庭、一切都是祂給的,祂有那絕對的能力和權威。我在這些事上要完全的依靠祂,因我一離開了祂,什麼都不能做,這是對神的一種敬畏!是這樣的敬畏來推動我要順服祂,要聽祂的話,也要愛神、愛人。但是這一個敬畏還有另外一面。中文這個「敬畏」二個字用的相當的好,一部份是尊敬、另一個還有害怕的意思。

害怕某些一些後果,如果您不聽祂的話、如果我不去愛神、愛人的話會有一些後果,那是我要怕的。當您看耶穌的教導,對使徒的教導很清楚的看見。對信徒來說,將要有一個審判,這個審判跟我們的救恩是沒關係的,但那一個審判,會按我們在世上所行、所說的來判斷。當我有一天在神的面前要向祂交待我的行為的話,我的心會有一種害怕是嗎?這一個害怕會推動我要愛神、愛人。但是今天我們很少聽到對神的害怕這個道理,因為我們時常說神是我們的好朋友,所以我們不需要怕!因為我們不怕祂,所以做什麼都無所謂。而且,另一個原因是今天我們的信仰是人為為本的,我們所強調的是神能為我做什麼?祂就是我生命中的那位魔術師,我要這個祂就要給我、我要另外那個祂就要給我,如果這真是我的信仰的話,那祂就應該怕我才對是嗎?因為祂要來聽我說話,因為我們有這樣的觀念,所以我們今天缺少了那種對神的害怕。

我們經常犯的毛病,包括我自己在內,我們很擔心那個人不喜歡我,而沒有擔心神可能會不喜悅。我們很擔心人不贊同我所做的,勝過神不喜歡我所做的,而沒有擔心神不喜悅。

III  •  我們要有愛神與感恩的心

我們來看第三個推動力:約翰福音十四章,這些事是要人知道我愛父,並且知道父怎樣吩咐我怎麼做。什麼是耶穌能堅持到底呢?這裡是讓我們看到祂對神的愛。愛和服從是分不開的,如果我愛神的話!我一定會聽祂的命令!在這裡也看到耶穌對神愛之前,先有父神對祂的愛。當耶穌一出來服事的時候,祂受了洗,天上有聲音說:「這是我的愛子,我所喜悅的。」然而在約翰福音十七章裡說,父啊!因為在創立世界之前,禰已經先愛了我!我們從這一些的經文,我們可以很小心的做一個結論,這一位父神愛了這一位子!而這一位子也愛這一位父神!祂愛,因為神先愛了祂!使徒約翰所寫的說,“不是我們愛神,乃是神先愛了我們!差遣祂的兒子為我們的罪作挽回祭,這就是愛了!“我們愛因為神先愛了我們。”聖經清楚的告訴我們,神對我們的愛是遠先過我們愛祂的愛,我們為什麼我們要繼續的愛神、愛人呢?是因為祂先愛了我們。

我們經常需要做一些檢討,溫習一下,神是如何的愛我們?在歌羅西書 1 : 21 說,“雖然你們從前是和神隔絕的,心思與祂為敵,行為邪惡。”大家熟悉的羅馬書第 5 : 8 說,“唯有基督在我們還作罪人的時候為我們死,神對我們的愛就在此顯明瞭。神就是這樣愛了我,神也這樣的愛了您!在約翰‧牛頓墓碑上有這樣的話 , “約翰‧牛頓,我曾是不信放蕩之人,曾在非洲作黑奴之僕。因著主耶穌基督的憐憫、恩典,得蒙拯救,罪得赦免;並被主呼召從事福音事工。」約翰‧牛頓深深的體會到神如何伸出祂的手來拯救他,他為了回應這樣的愛,他寫了很有名的「奇異恩典」這首詩歌。也因為是神的愛,在那推動了許多的人寫了許多的詩歌來表達他們對神的愛,如我們的詩歌 359 首,「我願愛主基督比前更深,懇求隨主,真心誠意傾訴,我願愛主更深,愛主更深,愛主更深!我前貪念奢華快樂安逸,今專心求主獻上最好,主前誠心禱告,我願愛主更深,愛主更深,愛主更深!」 我們愛因為祂先愛了我們,當我越深體會祂是如何的愛了我,我也會願意更加的去愛祂!更加的愛祂、愛人!

在我們的生命裡,有兩個問題也經常要問:我是不是愛神?比我愛祂所賜給我的福和禮物更多呢?我有沒有尋求祂的榮耀,高舉祂勝過我自己的榮耀呢?如果我們的答案不能說「是」的話,我們就需要再一次來到我們主耶穌面前,告訴祂,這是我們的心願。從我們的心中說:主啊!我願意更加的愛你!我們如何在一個艱難的處境堅定的下去、維持下去呢?

我們對神的愛與感恩是分不開的!在耶穌使拉撒路復活的故事裡,耶穌的禱告說,“父啊!我感謝你!因為你垂聽了我。”耶穌從來沒有將任何的事情習以為常,我知道父聽了祂的禱告,就對父神說我感謝你!然後保羅在帖撒羅尼迦前書 5 : 18 也說,“要凡事謝恩!這就是神在耶穌基督裡給您們的旨意。”保羅說,在一切的處境裡,要感謝!在好的處境裡要感謝神!在壞的處境裡也要感謝神!您不是為著在惡劣的事情來感謝神!在撞車時,神啊!我真的謝謝你!不!生病時,不能夠說:神啊!我感謝你我生了重病,這不是合乎神的教導。但是在困境的處境裡,您可以對神說:“神啊!我謝謝你!在這困難裡面,我知道你與我同在,神啊!我感謝你!我知道在這惡劣的環境裡,在這極端的病痛裡,你仍然在我生命裡工作,你在那裡塑造我,使我能夠更加像你!因祂在我們生命裡的工作,我們要在一切的事上感謝!我們要感謝神供應的食、衣、住、行。在我困難的當中、試煉當中,我可以感謝祂!因為祂在當中工作,祂在那裡與我同在,叫我越來越成長成熟。我們可以在那裡感謝祂如何愛了像我這樣的一個罪人!這一個感謝,是一個成熟的標誌。

那我們如何培養這樣的一個感恩的心 ? 我時常與大家分享,也許有人已經聽厭了,但是我還要講一次,如果不是在七零年時代,神透過 Francis Schaffer 幫助我明白信仰的真理的話,我大概是一個無知論的一個人,我很難想像我的生命會怎麼樣?但是都是因為神的恩典,在我身上的工作,透過了一個傳道人,在那裡提醒了我,當我越想我可以成為一個怎麼樣的人?我心中充滿了感恩!這都是神的恩典!如果您經常做一些反省,如果不是神的恩典在您生命裡,您現在會是一個怎麼樣的人?您會成為一個怎麼樣的人?這會使到我們對神有一個感恩的心!我們看到了幾個的推動力,一個是無可選擇、一個對神的敬畏、一個對神的愛和對祂的感激。

IV  •  我們要確信將來的獎賞是真實的。

 

第四個的推動是獎賞。希伯來書 12 : 2 ,“專一注視耶穌,就是我們信心的創始者和完成者。他因為那擺在面前的喜樂,就忍受了十字架,輕看了羞辱,現在就坐在神寶座的右邊。”是什麼叫耶穌輕看十字架痛苦、羞辱,因為在前面的喜樂。然後保羅在腓立比書 2 : 9-11 說,“以至神把祂升為至高,並且賜給祂超過萬國萬民之上的名,使天上、地上、地底下的一切,都因著耶穌的名都要屈膝,並且口裡承認耶穌基督為主,將一切榮耀都歸給父神!”這裡也講到一個獎賞,講到耶穌如何的謙卑,神又將祂升高,坐在神的右邊,天上、地上、地底下一切都要向祂跪拜,承認祂是主!這是一個獎賞。祂看見前面的獎賞、喜樂,所以祂可以堅忍下去!祂就能愛祂的人,祂可以愛那屬於祂的人就愛他們到底。

我也曾經跟您們分享過,在我的生命旅程裡面,有段時間我很不喜歡講到獎賞,我覺得基督徒的生活,我們的推動力要靠獎賞的話就太過低級了,我們要有一個崇高的理念,推動我們信徒的生活,所以我不喜歡講獎賞,但是當在我看到這些有關獎賞的經文時,我心中總是會有很多的緊張,不知道怎麼講,很多時候就想避免去講、也不多講,但是最近這些年日來,我越來越體會到,聖經的確在教導將來的確是有獎賞的,獎賞是我們屬靈生命的一個推動力。

在聖經的啟示錄裡,我們知道將來對那還沒有信耶穌的人有一個審判,是在最終的大審判,聖經是教導我們將來有一個最後的審判,如果您不信耶穌的話,您就會被丟在火湖裡,那裡就是地獄,我們知道不喜歡講這個字,不是我們受過高深學問的人,我們覺得地獄這二個字太可怕了,太過落後了,所以很多時候基督徒被人笑,說你們又在那裡講天堂地獄,我們被人講得也不敢再講了。但是聖經的確是提到的,是有地獄,如果您不信耶穌的話,您的永恆就是在地獄裡,您與神永遠的隔離,這是聖經的真理,這是我剛才對您說的您要對神有三個鞠躬是不是?如果您有這三個鞠躬的話,地獄就不是一個問題了!

但是聖經裡還講到另外一個審判,在哥林多後書 5 : 10-11 所講的這個審判是為著信徒所講,這與救恩是沒有關係的,但是這個審判,按著我們在世上如何的生活,這一個審判,不是按著您在世上有多少才幹、財富,這些都不是審判的標準,這個審判是您在世上時,您如何使用神給您的才幹、恩賜和禮物?聖經沒有清楚告訴我們這個獎賞是什麼!但卻清楚告訴我們是有獎賞的。

•  我們要有渴望神的心

最後的動力是要有渴望神的心。在耶穌的生命裡,馬可記載說 1 : 35 , 6 : 46 ,“翌日淩晨,天還沒有亮,耶穌起身出 去, 來到曠野的地方在那裡禱告。”馬可又記載,“祂離開了他們就上山去禱告,” 在這些經文裡,我們看見了一個圖案,耶穌固定用時間來和神禱告,祂用時間離開祂的群眾 祂單單的與神會面,祂在那裡渴望神,渴望與神在一起。如保羅在腓立比書 1:23b 說,“我情願離與基督同在,因為那是好的無比的。” 這是一個最深的渴望,要與神一起, 是屬靈生命的一個推動力。

這一個對神的渴慕,在聖經裡是一個重複的主題,特別在詩篇四十二篇,“神哪!我渴慕你,好像鹿渴慕溪水,我的心渴慕你,講神是永活的神!我什麼時候可以朝見神的面呢?”這裡講到詩人如何渴慕去見神!耶穌也教導祂的門徒要飢渴慕義。在教會歷史的早期,有信徒們為了渴慕 神,要與神同在,他們放棄了世界上的物質,到礦野裡去居住,他們生命的推動力就是 要去遇見神!渴望神!靠近祂!是這樣的 渴望的心推動他們順服神!去愛神和愛人。

今天對我們有什麼意義?我們要渴望神!這是我要的渴慕,我要到神的面前。但我每天很忙,我要找時間要停一下,來跟祂說話,不是單單我跟祂說,也聆聽祂在聖經裡要對我說的話,我對神的渴望,不單單在每一天的生活裡,我們也要盼望有一天我在永恆裡也要與祂在一起。很多時候,我們在世界上過的太樂了,不想與神同在,我們是否要調整我們的價值觀,要像保羅一樣,與基督在一起,是好得無比。

您這個的願望有多強呢?還是想要得到這、得到那?是不是您與我都要好好禱告,使我們對祂有一個強烈渴慕祂的心,當您有一個渴慕的心時,我就不需要為您擔心了。我們時常聽人說為我禱告,怎麼禱告?為我靈修、讀經生活禱告、幾個月後,怎麼樣為您禱告,同樣是讀經、靈修、禱告生活禱告。我跟一位同工說,如果下次有人向你這樣的為他禱告時,您就這麼說,你不想禱告、讀經、靈修嗎?,您就不要勉強去做,為什麼要每天讀經、靈修、禱告來掙紮呢?有壓力是嗎?那您不想讀經就不讀好了,如果您真的要我為您禱告,可不可以換一換,請您為我禱告求神賜我有一個更加渴望神的心。如果您沒有渴望的心,您再多人為您禱告,大概您也不能進入那個果效。渴望神!是我們屬靈裡一個推動力。

 

結論:

在西元一百五十年教父泊力卡夫,被帶到一個審判官面前,審判官要他羞辱神,拒絕神,但泊力卡夫堅絕拒絕他,我已經服事了祂八十六年,祂從來沒有一次愧待我,我如何能羞辱這一位拯救我的君王呢?他堅持到底,他為主殉道而死,什麼的推動力使他堅持到底呢?是他對神的愛和對神的 恩典 感動。什麼使耶穌堅持到底呢?祂對神的愛和對我們的愛。我想這個教會裡也包括其他教會裡,有許多弟兄姊妹忠心的服事。有想起 位弟兄,忠心的那裡每一禮拜教兒童主日學,不知教了多少年,有些人忠心的帶領他們團契的事工、關心別人,那個推動是什麼?是不是又回到神那裡呢?

同樣在我們屬靈的旅程裡,我們要經常檢討我們自己與神的關係,我對神的三個鞠躬,我有沒有鞠三個鞠躬,我要開始的話一定要鞠那三個鞠躬, 對祂的敬畏、愛、感恩,我們期望得到那個獎賞,也怕得不到那個獎賞,我們要渴望與祂相見,這要成為我們屬靈旅程的推動力。因這推動力使我們在一切處境裡能愛祂、順服祂、愛 、愛人!就算外面的風暴有多大,我還是繼續的愛神、愛

 

 

 


Date:   07/26/09

Text:   John 6:66-69

Title:   Why We do What We Do

 

Theme: Since Jesus has demonstrated his steadfastness in life, we are to remain faithful in our spiritual journey.   

 

Introduction:

  Recently in a conversation with a person about his job, he made the comment: well, life is cruel. This week’s newspaper headline read Continental will lay off about 1740 employees. Since last year, MD Anderson had put on a hiring freeze. Many economist had stated that this economic down turn will last two to three years, or even longer. In such times, we can certainly understand that life is difficult.

How about our immediate and the much smaller world around us? We are often stressed out, frustrated by situations and people around us. There are times when we seem to be surrounded by difficult and unreasonable people. They could be our spouse, supervisor, colleague or a member of the family. The person could even be a person in your small group or fellowship. In dealing with these difficult situations and people, it is so easy to just release our anger and become bitter and resentful. It is easy to give up and forget about loving and obeying God. It is easy to yield to the temptations. Trying to resist is stressful and painful. There are times, or many times, when I am under stress or discouraged with ministry, Cynthia asked, you want to pray? I would say, no, I don’t feel like. You see, it is easy to give up, but to remain steadfast is difficult. How can we continue to love God and men in such moments?

How about Jesus? His entire life was full of trials and difficulties of one kind or other. He was constantly misunderstood and mistreated, living under the cynical and critical eyes of the religious leaders of the day. He was wrongfully accused and sentenced to death. Yet he never gave in, why? What motivated him and what kept him going and be patient and enduring?

This morning we want to take a look at what some of the motivators are in Jesus life that we can learn from.

  I  •  Any Choice?

Early on in Jesus’ public ministry, he said, John 4:34, “ 34 My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish his work.” God the father sent Jesus to the world to accomplish His redemptive work. Jesus was here to carry out the task God has given him. He was born for this purpose, and there was no other option for him.

How about us? D o we have the option not to love and obey God? The answer is no. To understand this, we need to go back to some of the basics in Christian faith. In the past I have shared with you about bows before God. In the 60’s Francis Schaeffer taught that we each need to bow 3 times before God. The first bow is to acknowledge that there is a God. He does exist and I am created in His image. The second bow is that this God is to be the Lord over my moral life. This means I would listen to Him not only on matter of faith and salvation, but in all areas of life. He is to govern how I relate to others. The third bow is that there is objective truth. Since this God has spoken to us in language man can understand, we can know his will in the scriptures. The Bible does not tell me everything about God, but what it does tell me is true.

If this is what Christian journey is about, we don’t really have much choice but to love and obey him. Seeing people are leaving him, Jesus asked his disciples, John 6:67, “ Do you want to go away as well?”" 68 Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life, 69 and we have believed, and have come to know, that you are the Holy One of God.” Peter is saying, we have no other option but to follow you. Likewise, we don’t have any option but to love and obey.

  II  •  Fear of God.

In John 2:16, when Jesus saw how the merchants were taking advantage of the poor in the temple area, “ 16 And he told those who sold the pigeons, "“Take these things away; do not make my Father’s house a house of trade.” His heart was zealous for God's temple. 8:49, “…. I do not have a demon, but I honor my Father ….” We saw him uplift God the father, he respect and there is the fear of God. Not in the sense of afraid of God, but in awe. He is high above, and not to be treated lightly. This fear of God is a repeated theme in the scriptures.

What does this mean to us? Recently a brother shared with me a book, “the Universe and Beyond”. When we stand before this mind boggling universe, and believe that there is a creator behind it, there will be this fear, right? This fear also means that when I am in God's kingdom, I recognize that he has all the power and authority over my life, profession and future, all are dependent upon him. I can’t do without him. This will create a fear of God in us. This fear will drive me to obey him, loving God and men.

Another aspect of fear has to do with the fear of consequence. If we fail to listen and obey him, there will be consequences. In both Jesus’ and the apostle’s teaching, we are taught that there will be a judgment for the believers. This should create a fear in us. However, w e don’t hear much about this today. Why? You see, very often our faith, is very self centered. We focus on what God can do for me. He is to be that magic genie in my life, catering to my needs. If so, then He should be the one to fear us, right?

The mistake we often made is that we are concerned about pleasing people than God. We are afraid of human disapproval than divine disapproval.

   III •  Love and Gratitude.

The 3 rd motivator. John 14:31, “ 31 "but I do as the Father has commanded me, so that the world may know that I love the Father… ” What kept Jesus going? His love for the father. Love and obedience go hand in hand. If we love God, then we keep his commandments.

Moreover, Jesus love for God the father is preceded by the Father’s love. At the beginning of his public ministry, upon being baptized, there are these words, Matthew 3:17, “ 17 and behold, a voice from heaven said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.” In John 17:24, “ 24 "Father, …… you loved me before the foundation of the world .” We can cautiously draw the conclusion that because God the father loved the son, and Jesus, the 2 nd person in trinity, loved the Father. He Loved because God the father first loved. Later, apostle John wrote, 1 John 4:10, 19, “ 10 In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins… .. 19 We love because he first loved us. ” The bible clearly states that God's love precedes our love. Why do we obey him, love God and men? Because God has first loved us.

From time to time we are to review how God loves us. Colossians 1:21, “ 21 And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, …”, Romans 5:8, “ 8 but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us .” On the Gravestone of John Newton were carved these words, “John Newton, once a infidel and libertine, a servant of slaves in Africa , was by the rich mercy of Lord Jesus Christ, preserved, restored, pardoned and appointed to preach the faith he had long labored to destroy. ” He knew how deep God had stretched his arm to save him. In response to this love, he wrote the Amazing Grace. It’s this love of God, that caused many to write some of the most beautiful hymns in the Christian church. “More love to thee, O Christ, More love to thee! Hear thou the prayer I make on bended knee; this is my earnest plea; more love, O Christ to thee.” We love, because he has first loved us. The more I realize how much he has loved me, the more I want to love God and men.

There are two questions we need to ask ourselves from time to time. First, Do I love God more himself than for his gifts and benefits? Secondly, Am I more motivated to seek his glory and honor than I am to seek my own? What is our answer? If we cannot say yes, then we need to come to the lord and let him know that this is the desire of our heart.

Gratitude usually goes with love hand in hand. In the story of raising Lazarus from the dead, Jesus prayed, John 11:41, “ And Jesus lifted up his eyes and said, "“Father, I thank you that you have heard me."” Jesus did not take anything for granted. He thanked God for listening to his prayers. 1 Thess 5:18, “ 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. ” Apostle Paul reminds us to give thanks, to be thankful in all situations. We are to be thankful for his daily provisions; a place to stay, food to eat. When we are in trials, we thank him for his presence with us and for molding us into his likeness. We thank God for how he had loved a sinner like me. Gratitude is a mark of maturity.

How can we cultivate this spirit of gratitude? I often share that if God did not use Francis Schaeffer to help me to have a grasp of the Christian truth, I probably will be an agnostic today. I can’t imagine what life might have been for me. There are times when I see some old age hippie, or “the left over hippies” from the 60’s, I would say, if not by the grace of God,…… The more we think of what we were, what we might have been or what could be, if not by God's grace, it could be quite terrible, right? Such reflections will cause us to be grateful to God.

   IV •  Rewards.

Hebrews 12:2, “ 2 looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, …” Why was Jesus able to endure the cross and ignore the shame place upon him? for the joy before him. Paul in Philippians wrote, 2:9-11, “ 9 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. This is about reward, isn’t it? There is a reward awaiting him.

There was a time when I feel that in our Christian living, or spiritual journey, we must not think in terms of rewards. It is so low. We should be motivated by high cause, such as pure love for God. So I was troubled with the passages that talk about rewards. In recent years, I begin to understand that the bible does teach reward as a motivation in our spiritual journey.

In the scriptures, we learn that for the non-believers there will be a judgment on that final day. Revelation 20:11-15, “ 11 Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. ……. 15 And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.” The bible teaches that there will be a final judgment. On that judgment day, if you are not a believer of Jesus Christ, you will be condemned to spend eternity in Hell. We don’t like to hear this, but that is the truth.

  However, there is also another judgment. 2 Corinth 5:10-11a, “ 10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil. 11 Therefore, knowing the fear of the Lord, we persuade others. ” There is a judgment for the believers. This judgment has nothing to do with one’s salvation. But it is related to the kind of life we live on earth. It is not base on how many talents or ability we have. Instead, it is based on how faithful we are to use the gifts and talents given to us. We’re not told the nature of the reward, but its existence cannot be denied.

    V •  Longing for God.

Lastly in Jesus life, we read of: Mark 1:35; 6:46, “ 35 And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed. …… 46 And after he had taken leave of them, he went up on the mountain to pray.” We see a pattern of Jesus spending time with God in prayer. Jesus looked forward to go back his father’s side, where he came from. Paul in Philippians 1:23b, “ My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better. ” Longing for God is to be another motivator in life.

Longing for God is a constant theme in the scriptures, especially in the Psalms. We are all familiar with this: Psa. 42:1-2, “ 1 As a deer pants for flowing streams, so pants my soul for you, O God. 2 My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.When shall I come and appear before God? ” Jesus taught his disciples to hunger for God's kingdom and righteousness. The saints in the early church history, in their longing for God, would forsake their material possessions and lived in the wilderness. They were driven by their strong desire to long for God, to be near him. This longing for God motivated these individuals to love and obey him.

What does this mean to us? Longing for God means we have that desire to come near to him. Amid our busy daily schedules, we want to pause, to talk to him, and also listen to what he has to say to us in the scriptures. We long for God, not only on a daily basis, but also longing to spend the eternity with him.

We are to ask ourselves these two questions regularly. How strong is this desire, longing for God, in you? Do we long for Christ more than our longing for material prosperity and success in our career? We want to pray that God will give us this desire to long for Him.

Conclusion:

  In A.D. 155, church father Polycarp was  brought before the judge, and commanded to reject and blaspheme Christ, he decisively answered, "Eighty and six years have I served him, and he never did me wrong, how then can I blaspheme my king who hath saved me?"  What kept him faithful and steadfast to the Lord until the end? His love and gratitude for God. What kept Jesus steadfast and patient till the end? His love for God and us.

Likewise, in our spiritual journey, we are to constantly review our relationship with God. Our bowing to God, our fear of him, our love and gratitude to Him, our desire for reward and fear of loss of reward and longing for him, are the motivators that will help us to be steadfast, patient. They will drive us obey God, loving God and men even in the midst of a cruel and difficult world.




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