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Why Are We Doing This |
Dear Brethren,
With our Christian calling, we have embarked on an
arduous and difficult journey. There are few who follow this Way. "Why are we doing this?" This is the kind of question that addresses and
challenges our deepest reasons and motivations for serving God in the way that we do.
Why do we hold fast to the Sabbath, the Holy Days and God's commands? Why are we trying
so diligently to grow in the fruit of God's Spirit? Why do we refuse to jeopardize
our faith when others are more willing to compromise? Why, when it comes to The Truth,
are we willing to stand against the whole world? Why, in the face of so many
attacks, do we hold fast to the doctrines of Christ that we have believed for so long?
"Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was
needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for
the faith which was once delivered unto the saints." (Jude 1:3)
We know our lives are finite - our days are fading away. We are mortal, weak, and
often helpless. Yet, we have been called by God to be His Children. He has
taught us His Way and has given us His Spirit. Yes, but why are we doing it
? "Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to
continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the
kingdom of God." (Acts 14:22)
Let's reflect on some of the things we experience as Christians: We deny ourselves -
and we enthusiastically bring ourselves into submission. We willingly forsake all
that we have. We are put out of the congregation and suffer reproach for the name
of Jesus Christ. We intensely walk the strait and narrow path to the Kingdom of God.
Yes, but why are we doing it? "And he said to them all,
If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and
follow me." (Luke 9:23)
"Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter
in, and shall not be able." (Luke 13:24)
"So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot
be my disciple." (Luke 14:33)
"And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers
violence, and the violent take it by force." (Matthew 11:12)
"For therefore we both labor and suffer reproach, because we trust in the
living God, who is the Savior of all men, especially of those that believe."
(1Timothy 4:10)
Why do we do it? What is our motivation? What compels us to do
it? We can cite any number of reasons that may help explain our determination to
serve God. Are these the reasons we do it?
- Because God has shown us His way, we know it is the right way.
- God has said that we shall see Him and be like He is.
- We want to become more like God, so that we can be His Children.
- God has promised to bless those who serve Him.
- God has threatened to punish all who disobey Him.
The last reason is interesting because it is precisely the wrong
reason, per se. Indeed, God is just and right in "promising" the lake of fire to all who finally refuse to serve and obey Him, but fear itself will not
produce the kind of behavior God expects to see in us. "Seeking to save our
own skin" - does not grow into Godly love. In fact, obeying God out of
that kind of fear eventually will destroy our faith and cause us to see God wrongly -
in the same way as the faithless servant in Christ's parable of Luke 19. Notice
how the unfaithful servant responds to God.
"For I feared you, because thou art an austere man: thou take up that
thou laid not down, and reap that thou didst not sow." (Luke 19:21)
Because of the servant's misplaced fear of his master, his assessment of his master was
incorrect - and so he became too afraid to serve him properly. We do the same if
our primary reason for serving God is fear that He might destroy us.
Here is another interesting question. Would we love and serve our God - even if there were
no reward? Would we be willing to give honor and glory, respect and obedience to our
creator if we were only like a beautiful flower that gives it's all - only to fade away
forever? Isn't our great God worthy of all glory - without His having to extend the
promise of a reward to us? Perfect love would dictate that we serve Him without the
hope of reward.
Here's the good part! We know
that our God loves us, and He created us in order to share His LIFE with
us forever. For this purpose, He trains us to be His children so that
He might ultimately bless us. God wants us to succeed, and in many
ways, to succeed "big." Of course, "big" by His standards! God sent
Christ as a sacrifice, and Christ came willingly, because They both want
to share eternity with us!
"For it is God who works in you both to will and to do His good pleasure."
(Philippians 2:13)
"I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.
" (John 10:10)
Notice Christ's attitude toward us, His servants, and brothers and sisters! "And
I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out
of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is
able to snatch them out of My Father's hand." (John 10:28-29)
We love God, because He loved us first. (1John 4:19) We serve God because He
first served us. He is our creator and savior. We serve God because we want to
be His Children! We hold fast to the Father's Truth because we want to please Him and
our Lord, Jesus Christ. We want to be counted among the faithful servants of Jesus
Christ when He returns. We love Them because They love us.
We are doing this because we are called now to be a part of that better
resurrection with Jesus Christ - the inestimable privilege of being in God's Family.
"And this is the promise that He has promised us eternal life."
(1 John 2:25)
"Why are we doing this?" We do this because we are the only
people on earth who do know their creator God and who are able to worship Him in sincerity
and truth. As though this were not enough - our Father and Jesus Christ want to share
their eternal life with us.
"For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting
kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ." (2Peter 1:11)
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| Sermon: |
"Favor with God" |
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