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DIFFERENT MOTIVATIONS FOR PREACHING

Boyce Mouton · 9 pages · 4,799 words

DIFFERENT MOTIVATIONS FOR PREACHING “It is true that some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry, but others out of goodwill. The latter do so out of love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel. The former preach Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing that they can stir up trouble for me while I am in chains. But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice.” (Phil. 1:15-18)

God allowed Paul to be put in prison “for the defense of the gospel.”
Paul wrote four letters from this prison – Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, and Philemon.
In prison he realized not everyone was preaching Christ for the same reason.
Some preached Christ, not sincerely, but out of envy and rivalry.
Others preached out of love and goodwill.
Some were not sincere and preached out of selfish ambition hoping to stir up trouble for Paul.
Even as a prisoner, however, Paul preached and taught boldly about the kingdom of God and about the Lord Jesus Christ (Acts 28:30)
Yet Paul still rejoiced that Christ was preached.
If Christ is preached it doesn’t matter to the hearer whether your motives are false or true.
A seed will grow regardless of who plants it, or why it is planted!

GOD IS MOTIVATED BY LOVE

Nothing could be more clear! Please consider:

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.” (John 3:16-17)

“Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.” (1 John 4:7-12)

“This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters.” (1 John 3:16)

“For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:38- 39)

PAUL’S MOTIVATION

Paul was also motived by love. He said: “Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.” (1 Cor. 11:1)

“I speak the truth in Christ—I am not lying, my conscience confirms it through the Holy Spirit—I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. For I could wish that I myself were cursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my people, those of my own race, the people of Israel. Theirs is the adoption to sonship; theirs the divine glory, the covenants, the receiving of the law, the temple worship and the promises.” (Romans 9:1-4)

“Though I am free and belong to no one, I have made myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible. To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law. To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God’s law but am under Christ’s law), so as to win those not having the law. To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some. I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings.” (1 Cor. 9:19-23)

Paul was motivated by love while others were not! “Those people are zealous to win you over, but for no good. What they want is to alienate you from us, so that you may have zeal for them. It is fine to be zealous, provided the purpose is good, and to be so always, not just when I am with you. My dear children, for whom I am again in the pains of childbirth until Christ is formed in you” (Galatians 4:17-19).

“We were not looking for praise from people, not from you or anyone else, even though as apostles of Christ we could have asserted our authority. Instead, we were like young children among you. Just as a nursing mother cares for her children, so we cared for you. Because we loved you so much, we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well. Surely you remember, brothers and sisters, our toil and hardship; we worked night and day in order not to be a burden to anyone while we preached the gospel of God to you. You are witnesses, and so is God, of how holy, righteous and blameless we were among you who believed. For you know that we dealt with each of you as a father deals with his own children, encouraging, comforting and urging you to live lives worthy of God, who calls you into his kingdom and glory.” (1 Thess. 1:6-12)

SOME ARE MOTIVATED BY GREED

Those who work for Christ have a right to receive money to provide for their daily needs. Money, however, is not a proper motive for preaching! Paul explained: “Who serves as a soldier at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard and does not eat its grapes? Who tends a flock and does not drink the milk? Do I say this merely on human authority? Doesn’t the Law say the same

thing. For it is written in the Law of Moses: “Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain.” Is it about oxen that God is concerned? Surely he says this for us, doesn’t he? Yes, this was written for us, because whoever plows and threshes should be able to do so in the hope of sharing in the harvest. If we have sown spiritual seed among you, is it too much if we reap a material harvest from you? If others have this right of support from you, shouldn’t we have it all the more?” (1 Cor. 9:7-12)

There is nothing wrong with receiving support while you are preaching! For example, a group of women helped support Jesus and his apostles: “After this, Jesus traveled about from one town and village to another, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of God. The Twelve were with him, and also some women who had been cured of evil spirits and diseases: Mary (called Magdalene) from whom seven demons had come out; Joanna the wife of Chuza, the manager of Herod’s household; Susanna; and many others. These women were helping to support them out of their own means.” (Lk. 8:1-3)

Jesus was not greedy and he lived a very humble and austere life. When a teacher of the law wanted to follow Him, “Jesus replied, ‘Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of man has no place to lay his head.’” (Matt. 8:20) Money is not a proper motive for following Jesus!

JESUS IS NOT A HIRELING! HE WAS DEFINITELY NOT MOTIVATED BY MONEY! JESUS WAS GOING TO PREACH WHETHER HE WAS PAID, OR WHETHER HE WAS PERSECUTED.

Listen to Jesus! “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. The hired hand is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep.” (John 10:11-13)

BEWARE OF THOSE WHO ARE MOTIVED BY MONEY

Balaam, the son of Beor, was a prophet who loved the wages of wickedness (2 Pet. 2:15) Money was more important to him than it should have been. (See Numbers chapters 22-24) Balaam, who practiced divination, died by the sword (Joshua 13:22).
A Levite from Bethlehem in Judah was hired to be a prophet and priest in the house of Micah for 10 shekels of silver and year plus his clothing and food (Judges 17:9-10). He was glad, however, to leave the family of Micah when he got a chance to be a father and a priest to the entire tribe (Judges 18:19-20). Beware of preachers who always feel “called” to bigger churches and higher salaries.
The prophet Micah lamented: “Her leaders judge for a bribe, her priests teach for a price and her prophets tell fortunes for money.” (Micah 3:11)
Paul had a right to be supported by the churches where he preached, but he chose not to use this right. Money was not his god! “Don’t you know that those who serve in the temple get their food from the temple, and that those who serve at the altar share in what is offered on the altar? In the same way, the Lord has commanded that those who preach the gospel should receive their living from the gospel. But I have not used any of these rights.” (1 Cor. 9:13-15)
Paul warned the Philippians that those whose minds were on earthly things were enemies of the cross: “Join together in following my example, brothers and sisters, and just as you have us as a model, keep your eyes on those who live as we do. For, as I have often told you before and now tell you again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is set on earthly things. But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.” (Phil. 3:17-21)
Paul warned Timothy about “Men of corrupt mind who have been robbed of the truth and who think that godliness is a means’s to financial gain. But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that.” (1 Tim. 6:5-8)
Paul, and the other apostles, lived lives of austerity: “For it seems to me that God has put us apostles on display at the end of the procession, like those condemned to die in the arena. We have been made a spectacle to the whole universe, to angels as well as to human beings. We are fools for Christ, but you are so wise in Christ! We are weak, but you are strong! You are honored, we are dishonored! To this very hour we go hungry and thirsty, we are in rags, we are brutally treated, we are homeless. We work hard with our own hands. When we are cursed, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure it; when we are slandered, we answer kindly. We have become the scum of the earth, the garbage of the world—right up to this moment.” (1 Cor. 4:9-13)
It is better, as you know, to have treasures in heaven than on the earth. “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (Matt. 6:19-21)
King Tut’s royal tomb was discovered in Egypt by archaeologists on Nov. 4, 1922. He was buried in a golden coffin surrounded by 5,000 priceless treasures. These treasures are insured for $26 million dollars. King Tut died around 1324 B.C. and all of his treasures have not helped anybody for over 3,000 years. Had he only given them away to help others his treasures would have been in heaven waiting for him!

SOME ARE MOTIVATED BY SECTARIANISM

The Jews were divided into a number of different “sects” or “denominations”. Two of the most prominent were Pharisees and Sadducees. They both read the same Bible but differed in understanding what it meant. One major difference is explained by Luke in Acts 23:8 - “The Sadducees say there is no resurrection and that there are neither angels nor spirits, but the Pharisees acknowledge them all.” These differences were hotly debated by the Pharisees and the Sadducees.

When Paul was on trial before the Sanhedrin he used their differences to his own advantage. “Then Paul, knowing that some of them were Sadducees and the others Pharisees, called out in the Sanhedrin, “My brothers, I am a Pharisee, descended from Pharisees. I stand on trial because of the hope of the resurrection of the dead.” When he said this, a dispute broke out between the

Pharisees and the Sadducees, and the assembly was divided. (The Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, and that there are neither angels nor spirits, but the Pharisees believe all these things.) There was a great uproar, and some of the teachers of the law who were Pharisees stood up and argued vigorously. “We find nothing wrong with this man,” they said. “What if a spirit or an angel has spoken to him?” The dispute became so violent that the commander was afraid Paul would be torn to pieces by them. He ordered the troops to go down and take him away from them by force and bring him into the barracks.” (Acts 23:6-10)

Yes! The Pharisees and Sadducees had many disputes and each denomination developed arguments to silence the other. The Sadducees used one of their favorite arguments on Jesus, but as you will see, it didn’t work! “That same day the Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to him with a question. “Teacher,” they said, “Moses told us that if a man dies without having children, his brother must marry the widow and raise up offspring for him. Now there were seven brothers among us. The first one married and died, and since he had no children, he left his wife to his brother. The same thing happened to the second and third brother, right on down to the seventh. Finally, the woman died. Now then, at the resurrection, whose wife will she be of the seven, since all of them were married to her?” Jesus replied, “You are in error because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God. At the resurrection people will neither marry nor be given in marriage; they will be like the angels in heaven. But about the resurrection of the dead— have you not read what God said to you, ‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’ He is not the God of the dead but of the living.’ When the crowds heard this, they were astonished at his teaching.” (Matt. 22:23-33)

The devil can obviously use our denominational differences against us! Jesus prayed that all believers would be “one” just as He and the Father are “one” (John 17:20-21). Those who create divisions in the Body of Christ are disobeying Jesus and do not have the Spirit (Jude 19).

CONTENTION IS A WORK OF THE FLESH

The Greek word for “contention” is “eris”. Eris was the Greek goddess of contention, discord, and strife. The word “eris” is used 9 times in the Bible and is listed as a work of the flesh in Galatians 5:20. It is used in 1 Corinthians 1:11 and 3:3 to describe contentions in the church at Corinth. Other uses of the word are found in 2 Corinthians 12:20; Philippians 1:15; Titus 3:9; Romans 1:29, 13:13; and 1 Timothy 6:4. The Holy Spirit does not cause us to be contentious!

Solomon said: “Only by pride cometh contention” (Prov. 13:9-10) The Hebrew word for “contention” is “matstsah” and means “contention, strife, debate.” Solomon reveals that “contentions” come from “pride.” Pride is present every time someone is contentious.

Pride, as you know, was the reason Satan was cast out of heaven! (Ez. 28:14-17) God hates pride (Prov. 8:13). Pride goes before destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall (Prov. 16:18). When YOU get in an argument to prove that YOU are right, then your pride is causing you to be “contentious”.

The apostle Paul was not “contentious” but he did have “discussions.” You can have have a “discussion”without being “contentious”. The Greek word used to describe Paul’s discussions is “dialegomai” from which we get our word “dialogue”. It is used in Acts 17:2; 17:17; 18:4, 19; 19:8,9, etc. to describe the Christ like way that Paul had a dialogue with those he was teaching.

Dialogue – yes! Contention – no!

NUTRITION OR AMMUNITION

The word of God is essential to our salvation and spiritual growth. It is important, however, to study the word of God for the right reason! “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.” (2 Tim. 2:15). We need to study the Bible to understand the will of God but not to prove that we are right! We need to study the Bible for “nutrition” and not “ammunition.”

First, please consider that the word of God is essential to our salvation:

“He chose to give us birth through the word of truth that we might be a kind of first fruits of all he created.” (James 1:18)
“For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, trough the living and eternal word of God.” (1 Peter 1:23)
“Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind. Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good.” (1 Peter 2:1-3)
When the devil tempted Jesus to turn stones into bread, Jesus replied: “It is written: ‘Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.” (Matt. 4:4)
The word of God is eternal: Jesus said: “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.” (Matt. 24:35)
Every believer needs to study the word of God diligently and handle the word of God correctly: “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of God.” (2 Tim. 2:15)

Second, beware of studying the Scriptures merely to get ammunition rather than nutrition!

The Bible was not written to provide “ammunition” for proud people who want to prove that they are right!
God is right and we are sinners seeking to love him with all of our heart, mind, soul, and spirit! “So you also, when you have done everything you were told to do, should say, ‘We are unworthy servants; we have only done our duty.’” (Lk. 17:10)
Paul warned against those who peddle the word of God for profit (2 Cor. 2:17).
Paul also testified: “We have renounced secret and shameful ways; we do not use deception, nor do we distort the word of God.” (2 Cor. 4:2)
Peter agreed with Paul and wrote: “So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him. Bear in mind that our Lord’s patience means salvation, just as our dear brother Paul also wrote you with the wisdom that God gave him. He writes the same way in all his letters, speaking in them of these matters. His letters contain some things that are hard to understand, which ignorant and unstable people distort, as they do the other Scriptures, to their own destruction. Therefore, dear friends, since you have been forewarned, be on your guard so that you may not be carried away by the error of the lawless and fall from

your secure position. But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen.” (2 Peter 3:14-18)

John warned about adding to or subtracting from the Scriptures: “I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this scroll: If anyone adds anything to them, God will add to that person the plagues described in this scroll. And if anyone takes words away from this scroll of prophecy, God will take away from that person any share in the tree of life and in the Holy City, which are described in this scroll.” (Rev. 22:18-19)
It is spiritual suicide to distort the Scriptures to try and prove your own ideas!

WE CAN OVERCOME THE DEVIL

“Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say:“Now have come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Messiah. For the accuser of our brothers and sisters, who accuses them before our God day and night, has been hurled down. They triumphed over him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death.” (Rev. 12:10-11)

Note these three that provide victory!

The blood of the Lamb.
The word of their testimony.
They did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death!

The devil is a predator who attacks those who are weak. He is not afraid of lukewarm Christians (Rev. 3:15-17). When you stand firm and resist the devil, however, he will flee from you. When we run from the devil we are vulnerable. So – “Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.” (James 4:7) When we run from the devil we are vulnerable. So – “Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.” (James 4:7) Please remember that the Christian armor does not protect our back. When we resist the devil we are more than conquerors through him who loved us! (Rom. 8:37). “Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it. What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul?” (Matt. 16:24-26)

Please consider these Scriptures:

Ephesians 6:11 "Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil."
Ephesians 6:13 "Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand."
1 Peter 5:9 "But resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being accomplished by your brethren who are in the world."
1 Corinthians 15:58 "Be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord."
Philippians 1:27 "Conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or remain absent, I will hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel."
1 Corinthians 16:13 "Be on the alert, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong."
Philippians 4:1 "Therefore, my beloved brethren whom I long to see, my joy and crown, in this way stand firm in the Lord, my beloved."

IT IS A PRIVILEGE TO PREACH GOOD NEWS

One of the saddest chapters in life of King David was when his son Absalom usurped his throne and tried to kill him. When this happened “David said to all his officials who were with him in Jerusalem, “Come! We must flee, or none of us will escape from Absalom. We must leave immediately, or he will move quickly to overtake us and bring ruin on us and put the city to the sword.” (2 Sam. 15:14)

In the wilderness “David mustered the men who were with him and appointed over them commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds. David sent out his troops, a third under the command of Joab, a third under Joab’s brother Abishai son of Zeruiah, and a third under Ittai the Gittite.” (2 Sam. 18:1-2)

In the battle that ensued David’s army was victorious and Absalom was killed. “Now Ahimaaz son of Zadok said, “Let me run and take the news to the king that the Lord has vindicated him by delivering him from the hand of his enemies.” “You are not the one to take the news today,” Joab told him. “You may take the news another time, but you must not do so today, because the king’s son is dead.” Then Joab said to a Cushite, “Go, tell the king what you have seen.” The Cushite bowed down before Joab and ran off. Ahimaaz son of Zadok again said to Joab, “Come what may, please let me run behind the Cushite.” But Joab replied, “My son, why do you want to go? You don’t have any news that will bring you a reward.” He said, “Come what may, I want to run.” So Joab said, “Run!” Then Ahimaaz ran by way of the plain and outran the Cushite.” (2 Sam. 18:19-23)

The point is that it is a privilege and an honor to bring good news! Ahimaaz begged for the opportunity to carry this good news to the king. When the honor was given to the Cushite, Ahimaaz kept begging until Joab relented! Ahimaaz was so excited that to bring the good news that he outran the Cushite!

This is the way we should think. The world is lost in sin and destined for eternal destruction. Nobody should have to make us take this good news to lost sinners, we should be like Ahimaaz and beg for the privilege!

It isn’t necessary to ascend into heaven and bring Christ down! It isn’t necessary to descend into the deep to bring Christ up from the dead! The Good News is “That if you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be

saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.” (Rom. 10:9-10)

“How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can anyone preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!” (Rom. 10:14-15)

“Do everything in love.” (1 Cor. 16:14)

“Love never fails.” (1 Cor. 13:8)