11-MOTIVES MATTER

6 Minutes

The houses built on rock and sand look the same. When we do what we do for God, living our lives for Him, we have built on rock.  When we live for ourselves or to please others, we have built on sand.

 

  1. ROCK OR SAND

a.  READING THE BIBLE

b.  PRAYER AND ACTS OF SERVICE

c.  PERFORMING THOSE DISCIPLINES FOR THE LORD

  1. THE SIN THAT MANY DO NOT KNOW ABOUT

a.  Withholding Love

b.  Not Serving

c.  Poor use of time

  1. SUMMARY

 

 

ROCK OR SAND

If we are putting into practice that it’s all about God, not about us, we’ll naturally be building on the rock. Jesus' illustration about building on the rock of sand teaches us the importance of putting God's word into practice. Jesus challenged the religious leaders of the time for their hypocrisy and attempts at following the letter of the law while ignoring the spirit of the law. There is no indication in this parable that the houses had differences in quality of construction. This section helps us to look at areas of our lives that can look the same from the outside but have different motivations, different foundations.

 

   "Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.

 

The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash."

Matt 7:24-27

Building on the rock or sand falls into two main categories.

  1. Tasks that we chose to do unto the Lord

  2. Tasks that we do not chose to do unto the Lord

The only sub category that only fits one of these is sin. It always falls into #2. There are a lot of things we do that can fall into either category and our purpose, makes all the difference.

 

 

READING THE BIBLE

One would think that reading or even memorizing the Bible would always be done as to the Lord. However, Jesus made this clear in His reply to the Saducees who studied God’s word at length. 

 

Jesus replied, ""You are in error because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God.

Matt 22:29  

He also silenced the Pharisees.  He said to them, "How is it then that David, speaking by the Spirit, calls him 'Lord'? For he says, "'The Lord said to my Lord: "Sit at my right hand until I put your enemies under your feet."' If then David calls him 'Lord,' how can he be his son?"

Matt 22:43-45

 

If you are reading out of a desire to please God or get to know Him better, you are doing right. If it is to for example boast to others about how many chapters you read, or even to feel good about yourself how much you read, it’s building on sand. 

We should read God’s Word with the purpose of getting to know Him better.  We could read only one verse in a day, meditate on it and let it become real to us and it is worth more than reading two or three books daily without understanding. We understand the Word of God by the power of the Holy Spirit.

 

   To build on the rock when it comes  to reading our Bibles is to read purposefully

 to seek to better know God and what He expects from us.

 

PRAYER AND ACTS OF SERVICE

 

Matthew 6 expresses how even what may be considered godly activities aren’t necessarily so.

  • Prayer. 

    But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

    Matt 6:6 

  • Giving and service to others

 

   "Be careful not to do your 'acts of righteousness' before men, to be seen by them.

 

If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven. "So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full.”

Mt 6:1-2

 

PERFORMING THOSE DISCIPLINES FOR THE LORD

 

So how can we build on the rock when even good activities like reading, praying and giving to others can be done without reward or purpose?  The answer is found in  Col 3:17

 

“ And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”

 

When we serve, we do it as unto the Lord. What does that look like? It’s so simple and yet so foreign to so many. In our minds, we need to think,

 

   “The service I’m providing to this or that person is for the Lord, to please Him.” 

 

That’s it!

“For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. If any man builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, his work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each man's work. If what he has built survives, he will receive his reward. If it is burned up, he will suffer loss; he himself will be saved, but only as one escaping through the flames.” 

I Cor 3:11-15

 

Two people can be doing the exact same thing and one is building on sand and one on rock. One can be serving to feel better about themselves, to please someone else, in hopes of getting recognized, or in hopes of getting rewarded by someone. The other serves to please God and none of what the prior person hopes for matters.

There are certain activities that most people wouldn’t see as sin. Stop reading here if you don’t wish to be convicted. 

 

THE SIN THAT MANY DO NOT KNOW ABOUT

 

Withholding Love

 

Scripture says

 

   “Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn't do it, sins”.  

James 4:17

 

Wow, that includes a lot. For example,

 

   it includes withholding love,

 

Agape love which can be defined as choosing to do what’s best for others no matter the cost. Jesus summed up the law commanding us to love God and love others. We might be upset with someone and justify not being vengeful if we’re not doing anything to hurt them. But, if we withhold the love that we normally would be showing, we are withholding the good we know we ought to do and that is revenge which belongs to the Lord.  Now,

 

   this is hard stuff, to keep giving when we are treated poorly.

 

However, if that service is what is best for the other person at that time, and we wish to be obedient to James 4:17, we need to continue to serve in spite of the other person's behavior. 

 

Not Serving

If we live with others, we typically have ample opportunity to serve. For those who live alone and are able, there are plenty of people who would benefit from a phone call of encouragement, a visit, or some help. If anyone is at a loss of what good they could do, a call to the church secretary may quickly fill in the blanks. If you are physically unable to help and do not see yourself as one who could encourage others, you can do what may be the most important.

 

   You can spend significant time praying for others.

 

All this that we do, we do for the Lord.

 

Poor use of time

There are countless activities we engage in. In themselves, many aren’t sin. But when out of balance, or when there is a good that we are ignoring so we can watch TV or surf the internet, it becomes sin. Using our time for God is covered in detail in the section, It’s not about us, it’s about God.

 

“Be very careful, then, how you live--not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.”

Eph 5:15-16

 

SUMMARY

There are many “good” things that we may do during the day.  Examples are reading the Bible, praying, taking care of our bodies and finances, housework, yard work, and our jobs.

 

   By having an attitude that we are doing it for God and God only, we build on the rock.