WHAT DRIVES YOU?

I. Motivation, Drive
A. Defined as "the vigor, energy or impelling force that makes something go." Thorndike & Barnhart Dictionary
B. See "drives" in everything
1) Cars: Bigger the engine, the faster it goes
2) Computers: processors gave way to bigger, better ones Pentium - 75 to 166 Mhz & getting faster!
C. There are drives in people too.
1) Actors sometimes ask "What's my motivation?" (To get the scene shot by lunchtime!)
D. It comes in many ways & types
1) Ambition - (yuppies) career, self-fulfillment
2) Greed
3) Love

We want to look at what drives the Christian, so we look at what drove the One Whom we try to be like.

II. What motivated Jesus
A. 1st understand that He had mission to fulfill.
1) Entire O.T. alludes to it: History, Law, Prophets, Psalms
2) He is in every book of the OT, looking closely, we can find Jesus on every page.
3) He lived with it every day John 9:4 "We must work the works of Him who sent Me, as long as it is day; night is coming when no man can work."
4) He lived under the shadow of the cross everyday John 12:27 (read) Words spoken just days before His death.
B. Jesus was driven in His life by zeal for the Father
1) John 2:13-17 (read)
2) This zeal gave Him the courage to speak out against the most respected religious leaders of the time. (Matt.23)
3) Zeal for doing God's will (instead of men's) John 6:38 "For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will, but the will of Him who sent Me."

4. Not only the desire, but the very doing of God's will was His food
a. John 4:31-34 (read)
C. At the root of it all is love
1) John 3:16
a. So often quoted, yet consider the meaning of "so"
b. Means "in this way" or "by manner of" sending His Son, God showed His love for us.
c. Rom.5:8 "But God demontrates (commendeth KJV: Shows, Exhibits) His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us."

D. Not just the love of God, but the love of Jesus.
1) My T-shirt shows 3 bloody nails with words: "DRIVEN - NOT BY NAILS, BY HIS LOVE" It references John 15:13 "Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends."
2) So often & with little real emotion, we hear "It's to die for!"
3. Jesus thought enough of us to say the same thing & MEAN it!

E. In this passage, we are faced with a challenge. What will be OUR drive?

III. WHAT MOTIVATES US (or should)
A. As Jesus was driven by zeal, so should we be.
1) Rom.10:1-4 Paul's desire for His fellow Jews.
2) We 1st need to know what we are zealous about.
3) 1 Cor.2:12-13 "Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things freely given to us by God, which things we also speak, not in words taught by human wisdom, but in those taught by the Spirit, combining spiritual thoughts with spiritual words."
a. The Spirit teaches us what we need to know " all things pertaining to life and godliness." 2 Peter 1:3
4) Armed with knowledge, then we can truly be on fire for the Lord.
a. We can be "a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds ." Titus 2:14
B. This is God's will for us, that we live according to His purpose.
1) Rom.12:1-2 (read)
a. Our zeal for God's way will reflect in our way of life
b. "Christianity is a way of life."
c. This is what true worship is all about: giving of our very selves.
d. We no longer live to please ourselves, but the Lord.
C. In pleasing Him, we too like Jesus, have a mission to fulfill.
1) 2 Cor.5:18-20 (read)
a. We too have been given a "great commission" (Matt.28)
b. We must accomplish it on a personal level, not expecting the preacher or church as a whole to do all the evangelizing.
c. One plants, another waters, eventually by God, there's growth.

D. What will drive us to accomplish this mission?
1) Love for Jesus
a. 2Cor. 5:14-15 (read)
b. Considering His work for us will guide & direct us to show it to others.
c. We sing "Others", let's mean it like Jesus did!
2) Love for each other (the brethren)
a. John 15:12-17 (read)
b. Jesus talks of bearing fruit; it's all tied to loving each other.
c. The world will know our love for Jesus if we show it to each other first. "By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another." John 13:35

IV. It is Jesus Himself who drives us, Who provides our energy, fuel.
A. John 6:53-58 (read)
1) Not some weird cannibalism, but taking Jesus deep down inside
2) Letting Him be as INDISPENSABLE and SUSTAINING to us as food itself.
3) Letting what HE is all about become what WE are all about!
B. What drives you now?
1) "Nothing" you say. Apathy is driven by despair, no hope.
2) Once apathetic, I realized that God has a purpose even for me.
2) What drives you determines your destination.
a. Bad fuel means a car destined for ruin
b. Let Jesus be your fuel, your drive , your motivation.

By Zeke Flores

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