BSFL Sunday School commentary for the week of April 18, 2010

The Right Motivation     2 Corinthians 5

 

Which of the images above best describe your motivation for pleasing God?

In his book "The Shape of Faith to Come" (Broadman, Nashville, 2008), Brad Waggoner reveals that only 37% of adults who attend a Protestant church at least once a month claim to live their lives to please God. What do the other 63% live for? What do you live for?

As believers we have been redeemed by the precious blood of Jesus Christ. His death on the cross satisfied God's righteous judgment upon our sin. Jesus took our place. We no longer need to fear death or being separated from God. We owe Jesus everything! Therefore, we are to make it our aim to be pleasing to Him. God's redemption and blessing are without cost; but He will hold us accountable for how we used our redeemed lives for His purposes. This judgment Paul speaks of in 2 Corinthians 5:10 is for believers only. Our sin has been forever judged at the cross. This judgment is about our stewardship. We will receive reward or be embarrassed before the One who died for us.

The Apostle Paul was convinced that he (and we) would stand before God in judgment, but he was also compelled by the love of God. That God would sacrifice His only Son to die for the sin of others completely astounded Paul. Such a love should be received; and such a love must be proclaimed! The term "compels us" in 2 Corinthians 5:14 is the word used to refer to people suffering with diseases in Matthew 4:24 and Luke 4:38. Paul was literally sick with Christ's love! That is why he made the comment about "being out of our mind". Evidently some accused Paul of being crazy, due to his actions in serving Christ. Indeed, even when later standing before King Agrippa for judgment, Paul tried to convert him and was told, "You are beside yourself! Much learning has made you mad!" (Acts 26:24-29). Paul's love for Christ, and being overwhelmed with Christ's love for him, drove Paul to lose himself in the service of Christ. Do you love Jesus enough to serve Him, no matter what or where?

God's purpose for us all is that we be reconciled to Him through the sacrifice of Jesus, and that we in turn spread the Gospel (Good News) of this reconciliation to everyone. Paul used the word ambassador; we are ambassadors for Christ. We are Christ's representatives here on earth. The only way people will hear of Christ's great love and sacrifice is if we share it with them. God is indeed appealing to the world of humanity through us. We plead with people on God's behalf. Ours is a Gospel of rescue! We need to be more desperate in our efforts to share Christ with the world around us.

Fear, guilt, and manipulation will only motivate for a short period of time. After a while we will no longer fear, stop feeling guilty and grow tired of being manipulated. Such impure motivations only lead to frustration, doubt, anger, and desertion from the cause. We will be judged by God for our service to Him; but we will also be held accountable for our motivations. Do we serve Christ out of love for Him, concern for the lost, and a desire to please Him in all things? Or do we serve for lesser reasons?

BSFL Sunday School commentary for the week of March 28, 2010

Trivialized?   1 Corinthians 11

How did you feel the first time you participated in communion? Do you take it for granted now? How would you react if the usher served you moldy bread at communion? Has communion or other practices of worship such as baptism, music, or preaching become trivialized? Would you serve an important guest a tv dinner? Do you offer Jesus less than your best in worship? This week's lesson is about the attitudes that are essential for meaningful worship. The observance of The Lord's Supper is highlighted due to its malpractice in the Corinthian church. In any corporate worship setting the focus of worshippers should be on Christ, not on others, or the mechanics of worship (music, preaching styles, etc.). The three sections of this lesson provide three guidelines that we all should use every time we participate in corporate worship.

We cannot be truly focused on worship and its only worthy Object when we are at odds with other believers within the church. The Corinthian believers were so focused on themselves that their alleged "love feast" preceding the Lord's Supper observance had turned into a meal of division. Those with means brought much and even became drunk! Those with little or nothing did without and were limited to watching others feast around them. All this in preparation for worship!

I remember homecoming celebrations in a church years ago that were like the Scripture passage above. The church had several families with long histories in the church and all their relatives would come out for homecoming. They would not come in for the service; they would sit outside in the shade and wait for the meal. Our instructions were to place all the food on the long tables outside so that all could share. This rarely happened. Families would keep their food together and eat around the food tables to keep everyone else from sharing what they had prepared. Many new families were left out and ended up eating what they brought in the church fellowship hall. It was painfully evident that they were not welcome.

When believers practice unity it allows the spotlight in worship to be placed upon Jesus. There will be no campaigning for prominence or complaining about who sings or preaches. When we are united in goal and purpose, all that matters is that Jesus is glorified and His gospel is proclaimed. Only He became the willing sacrifice for my sin, dying so that I could live. Jesus Himself was focused on others even on the evening of His betrayal. He instituted the observance of a memorial ritual we call the Lord's Supper; He encouraged His disciples; He even washed their feet, including the feet of His soon-to-be betrayer. Such humility and sacrifice reflected His focus on fulfilling the Father's will and rescuing us from an eternity separated from God. Jesus is worthy of our undivided focus and unadulterated worship! He is more important than who gets his or her own way or who is recognized in the service!

Before each opportunity for corporate worship, pause for self-examination. Are you approaching worship with a clean heart? Are you at odds with another believer? Are you jealous of those who were asked to participate in the service? Are you more focused on the mechanics or methods of worship than Jesus? The Apostle Paul declared to the Corinthians that some of them were suffering God's judgment because of their unworthy actions regarding worship in observing the Lord's Supper. Are you willing to risk God's judgment by viewing worship as something trivial?