What motivates you to do things for other people?
A couple of months ago, Alyssa had gone away for the weekend.
She'd taken Micah and I was left with the two big kids, Isaac and Tamara.
And I spent hours cleaning the house.
And so when Alyssa got home, I was like, look at me.
Look at this house.
Look at all this cleaning I've done.
I know, and look, these kids are still alive.
They've been fed.
Even had a play with some other friends.
The house was cleaner than it had ever been.
Husbands, have you ever tried to pull this thing off?
Maybe not.
And the response I was looking for, what I was hoping Alyssa would say was,
Oh, James, you are just the best husband ever.
Thank you so much for doing this.
You know, you could have just been watching movies with the kids, eating donuts.
But you didn't.
And I am so indebted to you.
Actually, you know, you should take some time off.
You're doing a weekend of being a single dad.
That's been hard for you.
So, you know, here's a pat on the head like a puppy.
Does anyone think I got that response from Alyssa?
I'm not sure if she's in the room to defend herself.
No, she didn't say that.
It was probably much shorter.
But what motivates you to do things for other people?
Is it to be praised like me?
Is it so that people owe you?
Maybe you want people to butter you up so that, you know, you want people to think more of you than they really do.
Does being a Christian motivate you to love other people?
To serve them and to help them?
Or is your motive to try and win God's praise?
You know, does God, do you want God to say, oh, you know, you've worked so hard.
Let me bless you more.
Is your motive of loving other people to try and make God forget your sin?
Are you motivated to help people so that God thinks higher of you than he does currently?
Today, we're continuing in our series looking at the book of 1 Thessalonians as we think about standing firm.
And last week, we saw how Paul and Silas started this church in Thessalonica before they were driven out.
And so Paul sent Timothy and then this letter to care for this new little church.
And today, we're looking at the second chapter.
And we're going to see what motivated Paul to go to this area, to start this church.
What motivated him to love and to serve these people and to send this letter?
So I'm going to pray as we look at God's word for us.
Heavenly Father, as we come before your word today,
Lord, I ask that you would help us to have minds that are open,
hearts that are ready to be challenged,
that we would consider our motives,
that we would think well,
that we would think through your eyes about why we do things, Lord.
We ask that we would do this for your glory.
Amen.
And so at the beginning of chapter 2,
Paul reminds the church of how he came to them.
They had suffered,
Paul had suffered greatly in Philippi because they'd been sharing the good news.
And they had come to Thessalonica.
And Paul writes this big list of how they came,
but also how they did not come to them.
So please have a look at me,
with me at chapter 2, verse 3.
And if you don't have a Bible open,
we can get you one,
but it will also be on the screen.
For the appeal we make does not spring from error or impure motives,
nor are we trying to trick you.
On the contrary,
we speak as those approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel.
We are not trying to please people,
but God who tests our hearts.
You know we never used flattery,
nor did we put on a mask to cover up greed.
God is our witness.
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.
Paul says,
we didn't come with error or impure motive.
It's not a trick.
We're not trying to please people.
We're trying to please God.
We didn't use flattery.
We didn't use greed.
We're not looking for praise and fame,
which we could have as apostles.
But we came like children.
Why is Paul saying this?
He's gone to great lengths here.
He's taken up a fair chunk of this short book
to defend himself.
And the way this church started.
Is there people outside the church
or even inside the church
trying to discredit Paul,
saying,
oh, that guy,
he came with tricks,
he came with sleight of hand
to try and steal your money
and fool you into believing Jesus?
Are people saying that he was a thief
going door to door,
selling the gospel,
setting up churches
to steal people's money?
Well, it's most likely
that Paul was trying
to distance himself
from other types of people
that went around
from town to town
speaking.
During this time
of the first century,
there were no movie stars
or TV stars,
obviously.
There were no reality TV stars.
There was no singing celebrities
like we have
in the same way.
The celebrities
that they had
were philosophers.
So think of
Aristotle
and Plato.
They're from a couple
of hundred years beforehand.
But philosophers
were these professional speakers
who would go
from town to town
and they would present
new ideas
and new thoughts.
They would speak
and use rhetorical tricks
and they would
try and keep people
interested and engaged
in order to make people
agree with what they said.
They would enter cities
with great pomp
and ceremony.
They would have
these giant audiences.
They would try
and get disciples
to follow their teaching.
And ancient sources
tell us
that the thing
that motivated
these philosophers
was money.
It was fame.
It was glory.
It's not really
that different
to what motivates
people to try
and become big.
It's fame.
It's money.
It's glory.
And it makes
most sense
that Paul is saying
he didn't come
like one of these philosophers.
He didn't come
to get fame
and glory.
He didn't come
with impure motive
but with
the help of God.
He did not come
with tricks
like a motivational speaker
or a TED talk
designed to
emotionally influence people
but he came
with the good news
of Jesus.
He didn't come
flattering people
so that they would
like him more.
He didn't come
with the purpose
of gaining money.
They didn't come
to be praised.
He didn't come
so that at the end
of him speaking
there would be
thunderous applause.
Make sure you don't
do that this morning.
I know you weren't
going to anyway
just to check.
They didn't come
to get fame
and glory
but as apostles
Paul had met
Jesus himself
and there is
no higher claim
than to say
that he had met
God.
Instead
they came
like children
and so instead
of coming
to get fame
and glory
the end of the chapter
verse 20 says
you are our glory
and our joy.
That word glory
it's not the usual
word glory
in reference
to God.
The word glory
here is more
like fame.
So Paul and Silas
didn't come to
Thessalonica
to get fame
and glory
for themselves.
They came
to get
the Thessalonians.
They are the fame
and the glory
they wanted.
Paul didn't come
with impure motives.
He didn't come
influenced by pride
or greed
or a desire
for praise.
I wonder
do these things
influence
our motives?
Even when it comes
to serving people
at church
or loving others
during the week.
What are our motives
influenced by?
We as a church
value radical generosity
and we want to also
have a local impact.
Imagine if
Toys and Tucker
is coming up
towards the end
of the year.
Is anybody aware
of Toys and Tucker?
Yes?
Good.
Some of you?
If not,
let me tell you
what Toys and Tucker
is.
It's where we
give to others
out of what God
has given us.
So in particular
toys and food,
tin food,
other food
to share
with other people.
And because we
want to have
the biggest impact,
imagine that we
as a church
devised a little
competition.
Imagine that we
said,
okay,
we wanted to
fill the stage
with food
and so what
we're going
to do is
we're going
to compete
with our
services.
We're going
to see which
congregation can
bring the most
food.
So we're going
to compare
9.30 and
4 o'clock.
Now,
who do you
think is going
to win?
I heard someone
say 9.30.
Shame on you
for saying that.
But imagine
that we say this
because we want
to have a big
impact.
We want to have
a big local
impact.
We want to care
for people.
We want to be
radically generous.
And so we
compete with
each other.
You know,
9.30's got to
beat 4 o'clock.
You know,
9.30 we're
going to say,
come on,
let's beat
them.
We don't want
to let those
young people
at 4 o'clock
beat us.
And they're
going to be
saying,
oh,
we don't want
to let those
families and
old people and
other people.
We don't want
to let those
people beat us.
And so we all
have to go and
spend lots of
money and bring
it in.
It's a little
bit extra
motivation to be
generous.
It's a bit
extra motivation
to show love.
But we're all
sinful.
And there's some
of us that are
highly competitive.
And so,
you know,
there's,
I'll pick on
Nick.
There's Nick,
and he's down
at Woolies,
filling up trolley
after trolley,
because,
do you know
what,
he really wants
9.30 to win,
because,
you know,
his kids are
encouraging him
to.
And so,
what has gone
from being
generous,
it's now pride
and arrogance.
And,
you know,
there's people
at 4 o'clock,
well,
they don't want
to let these
kids beat him,
and so,
they're filling
up trolley,
they're buying
toys after toys.
And all of a
sudden,
what was initially
about serving
and being
generous and
showing the
love that God
has shown us,
we're stuck
with a motivation
of pride
and a desire
for fame
and glory.
That's what
happens when we
don't stand
firm in faith,
hope,
and love.
Are we
guilty of
the same
thing?
It's a
question of
motivation.
Why are we
nice to
people?
Why do
people serve
morning tea?
Why do I
lead a community
group?
Why are you
wearing a
snazzy red
vest this
morning?
Why were
those people
wearing those
wonderful
high-vis
vests out
in the rain
this morning?
Maybe that
one's not
about the
glory,
maybe they
are just
serving in
the rain.
Why do
we do
what we
do?
One of
the core
values of
our church
is servant
leadership,
that the
heart of
the church
is the
service of
God and
others,
selfishly
nourishing
others,
pastoring and
equipping and
loving others.
It's character
over skills.
We need to
answer the
why of what
we're doing
before we
can answer
the what
question.
We're to
serve God
with all
of our
life,
and there
are many
ways to
serve one
another,
particularly
here at
church.
And some
of them
do need
to be
aware of
getting more
fame than
others.
I'll pick
on Nick
again,
musicians on
stage.
It's very
easy to
say,
oh,
Nick
Freestone,
your voice
is like
that of
an angel.
No?
Okay,
sorry,
mate.
To say,
who was
playing guitar
this morning?
Nick,
your guitar
skills bring
tears to
my eyes.
hearts.
How do
we do
this kind
of thing
all the
time?
How does
Nick
respond?
How does
other Nick
respond when
we say
these kinds
of things?
Do they
say,
yes,
I do
sound like
an angel,
don't I?
Or would
they be
saying something
like,
yes,
God has
gifted me
and I'm
so
pleased I
can serve
you and
the church?
We need
to continue
to check
our heart
and our
motives to
make sure
there isn't
praise creep,
to make sure
that fame
isn't creeping
into our
motivations.
What may
have started
out years
ago with
the best
of intentions
may have
become an
idol,
our God
that brings
us pleasure
and joy
and happiness.
How bad
would it be
to realize
in years
time that
instead of
serving at
church for
God's glory
to build
his kingdom,
we've been
building our
own kingdom,
getting praise
for us,
which is
fickle and
will all
come tumbling
down.
So Paul
has showed
us how
he came
and how
he did
not come.
He didn't
come with
impure
motives.
And he
shows us
now a bit
more about
how he
did come
to Thessalonica.
Have a
look at
verse 7,
the second
half of
verse 7
with me.
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
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.
One of the
things I've
really loved
about spending
time in
1 Thessalonians
is seeing
how much
Paul really
loves these
people.
He uses
the most
intimate
language.
He refers
to himself
as a
nursing
mother,
caring
for her
own
children.
This was
a time
where the
people that
had financial
resources,
they would
have a
nursing
mother.
They would
get a
wet nurse
so they
wouldn't
have to
feed their
own
child.
So they
would get
a wet
nurse to
look after
their baby.
But Paul
hasn't come
like a
wet nurse
to look
after someone
else's
baby.
He's like
a wet
nurse
looking after
his own
child.
It's not
a financial
transaction.
It's not
something that
Paul had
to do
just because
God had
sent him
there.
Paul and
Silas loved
these people
so much
and they
were delighted
to share
their lives
with them.
Paul didn't
just come
and get up
and preach
on the
Sabbath,
maybe visit
a couple
people during
the week
and have
tea.
He shared
with them
the gospel
but his
life.
Again,
Paul didn't
come like
the professional
speakers,
coming and
staying in
five-star
hotels,
maybe coming
down and seeing
the people to
sign a few
autographs.
He gave
the message
but his
life as
well to
the church.
Paul came
like a
father,
encouraging,
comforting and
urging the
people to
live lives
worthy of
God.
And as we
saw last
week and
again today,
Paul and
Silas came
and shared
the gospel
in the midst
of intense
persecution,
this persecution
that eventually
led them to
be run out
of town.
Paul continues
this intimate
family language,
verse 14.
For you,
brothers and
sisters,
became imitators
of God's
churches in
Judea,
which are in
Christ Jesus.
You suffered
from your own
people the same
things those
churches suffered
from the Jews.
Brothers and
sisters, you
suffered the same
thing as
everyone else.
They suffered
persecution just
like the Jews
who'd become
Christians.
He doesn't
explicitly state
it, but it's
likely that
some people
were persecuted
by their
families,
possibly even
kicked out
by their
families.
And when
people are
forced to
leave a
family,
Christianity
has the
unique gift
of being able
to welcome
them into
a new
family,
one that
has close
relationships,
brothers and
sisters from
every tribe,
every race,
every tongue.
It's one of
the things
we've been
celebrating
here today,
that we
are
transcultural,
that this
family comes
from all
places.
And it's
so important
that this
new family
starts.
And it's
not just
cousins,
but it's
intimate
relationships
that Paul
is celebrating
here with
the church.
There was a
Lifeline study
done a couple
of years ago
that said
that 80%
of people
thought that
loneliness
was increasing.
We are
increasingly
connected
through technology,
but we are
also increasingly
disconnected
from the people
around us.
Even sitting
in a crowd
of people
like here
at church
today or
at a party,
we can feel
profoundly
alone,
whether married
or single,
whether you
have many
friends or
not.
And Paul
gives us
an antidote
to loneliness.
He delighted
to share
his life
with people.
He delighted
to share
his life.
Is church
just the place
that you
visit on a
Sunday?
Is it
just where
you come
to,
to spend
some time
with God
and then
leave?
I love
doing church
with all of
you on a
Sunday,
but that's
only part
of what
church is.
It has
to go
beyond
Sunday.
It has
to even
go beyond
community
groups or
Bible studies
as we
meet in
the week.
Maybe
you're
thinking to
yourself,
well,
yeah,
I can only
come on
Sundays.
I can't
even make
community
groups.
I'm
really
busy.
There's
too many
things going
on in
my life
right now.
I don't
have the
energy
for it.
Paul was
trained as
a Pharisee,
and yet he
also had a
trade as a
tent maker.
And so he
took this
trade around
with him.
He had a
job that
he worked
around the
church, the
people, his
dearly loved
family that he
delighted in.
His job
worked around
what he was
doing in the
church.
How often do
we chase our
job, our
career, our
future, the
future of our
kids, based
on what we
want?
And then we
fit church
around that.
For
Alyssa and
I, we
were faced
with a
tough decision
in January
of this
year.
We had an
opportunity to
take up a
job with a
really great
church, with
a great
team, and
a great
boss and
mentor as
well.
It's you
guys, I'm
talking about
you guys, if
you didn't
know.
Sorry, I was
being a little
bit too subtle
there.
But there
was a cost.
There was a
cost to our
family to
come back
and rejoin
this church
family that
we loved from
the year we'd
spent here in
2014.
A cost would
be that we
would have to
leave our
church family
at St.
Aidan's, but
we would also
have to move
a lot further
away from
our families.
Our families
live in
Wollongong.
Most of them
live there.
And so moving
here is twice
the distance.
Depending on a
day with
traffic and
weather, we
are a long
way away from
our family.
We are not
the only ones
that have
made ministry
decisions to
be further
away from
family.
But moving
here would
mean that we
were further
away from our
family, that we
wouldn't get to
see them as
much as we
wanted to, that
our kids
wouldn't get to
see their
grandparents and
cousins as
much.
And it was
painful for us.
things.
But it's also
a joy that we
could rejoin our
family here at
St. Paul's.
It was a decision
to move away from
our personal
family, but to
rejoin this church
family that we
loved and missed
and longed to be
with again.
And so we don't
just want this to
be a Sunday
thing.
We could have
commuted from an
hour away if it
was just a Sunday
thing.
We don't want
to just see you
once or twice a
week.
We want to
delight in sharing
our lives with
you, our kids'
lives as we
share the gospel.
Was it painful
leaving our church
and moving away
from family?
Yes, it was.
But we have
family here too.
At least there
is a group of
people that could
be a family
together.
The Apostle
Paul has
bared his
soul as he
delighted to
share his
entire life
and gospel
with the church.
He defended
the way that he
came and
shared the gospel
and served
them.
Paul was
motivated by
Jesus'
model.
Jesus didn't
come for fame
or to gain
glory or
fortune, but
he valued us
over his own
life.
And so Paul
imitates Jesus
valuing
what God
values,
valuing other
people.
So let me
encourage you,
know that other
people are made
in the image of
God.
They are worth
loving and
serving.
You shouldn't
need a motivation
of pride and
glory to love
and serve other
people.
It is who we
are to be.
Be challenged
to share your
life with people
so that you can
say with Paul
that people are
your delight.
And when you
serve, watch
out for that
praise creep,
that fame creep,
that just ever
so gently
creeps into
the way we
serve and love
other people.
Serve people
and God out
of love, but
not for profit.
Let me pray.
Dear Heavenly
Father, you
have loved us
so much.
Your Son,
Jesus, served
us so much
that he valued
us above
his own life.
Heavenly
Father, help
us to be
motivated by
the same
thing.
Lord, help
us to be
radically
generous.
Lord, help
us desire to
have an impact
here with
your gospel.
help us
desire to
share our
lives with
people as
Paul did,
not for our
glory, but
for yours,
Lord.
Father, we
long to be
motivated not
for ourselves,
but to see
your kingdom
grow.
Help us to
check our
hearts and
change our
hearts, Lord,
so that we
can grow more
like your
Son every
day.