What’s Your Motivation :: The Way

10/21/20

Matthew 6:1-24

Matthew 6:1 Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven.

What comprises of your most utilized motive for doing things: 

• finances?

• self-preservation?

• acknowledgement from others?

• stay busy?

• gain?

• right thing to do?

• truth?

There are those who suggest that, in general terms, we are motivated to maximize pleasure and minimize pain. (https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/science-choice/201904/the-10-most-common-sources-motivations)

We have probably seen all of those motives spill over into our journey with Jesus!

The one motive that Jesus addresses strongly in his sermon (Matt 5-7) involves doing things in our faith journey from the motive of being honored by others — making an impression — deemed as important – in order to be seen by them.

Why does Jesus focus on this motive and not highlight the plethora of other motives? 

Perhaps because the motive to make ourselves the center of all things is the strongest of all motives (just ask the first two – Genesis 3:6).

Jesus knows the best center for ourselves is not ourselves. Jesus knows the best center for maximized pleasure and hope-filled pain is a relationship with God our Creator.

So Jesus teaches that in our giving, in our praying, in our treasures, in our focus and in our finances — God is to be our center; God is to be our focus. 

It is the right thing to do!

Psalm 115:1 Not to us, O Lord, not to us, but to your name give glory, for the sake of your steadfast love and your faithfulness!

Pastor Brad Mann

What’s Your Motivation?

THE WAY: exploring the sermon on the mount