Sermonof The Week
Motivated ByLove We're Committed To Serve
Delivered by PastorAl Ebanks
From Galatians 5:13: For you, brethren,have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunityfor the flesh, but through love serve one another. 14 For allthe law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: "You shalllove your neighbor as yourself." 15 But if you bite and devourone another, beware lest you be consumed by one another!
Neither love nor service can be consideredan option for a Christian, for both love and service are our obligation,lived out in loving communion with our Lord and by service toHis people.
It is therefore an honor for those of uswho call Agape home to have you all with us today as we seek toboth convey the love of Christ and communicate His Kingdom inword and action. Three years ago when BOND or "Bless OurNeighbor Day" first became a reality, our motivation as apeople was clear, we love our community and we are attemptingto demonstrate that love by service. This remains our commitment.
First, we can be motivated by love. We allneed a strong compelling force to move us through life. Withoutthis force and proper motivation we become stagnant. We can bedriven by many different motives-wealth, power, prestige, fear,anger, greed, love, care, concern and compassion.
For instance, the apostle Paul's compulsionwas an intense awareness of Christ's atoning love for humanityand the responsibility he felt to share this truth with others.The apostle was so gripped by Christ that he counted his own lifeas nothing in the light of that love (Acts 20:24). Paul abandonedall personal ambitions as he sought to be a worthy follower andproclaimer of God's divine love. Who can do anything other thanlove Christ after personally experiencing His divine transformingand life-giving love?
Our love relationship with Christ will thereforebe demonstrated by our obedience to Him and the doing of His willfor our lives (John 15:10). This obedience is not motivated bya desire for reward or a fear of punishment. It is motivated bya responsive love for all that our Lord has done for us and forwhat He means in our daily lives. The motive for Christian livingis not that we might gain something we don't already have butthat we might live up to what we already have attained in Christ.
We must also admit that while our motivesare often fine, our methods are sometimes questionable and appearto others to be hypocritical. It is therefore the responsibilityof each of us to examine our own hearts and motives in regardto all we undertake to do. We must ask ourselves, "What motivatesme? What motivates you?"
In speaking of love we must also examineour motivation of love. What kind of love motivates us? Numeroustypes of love are identified for us in the scripture, Phileo love between friends; Eros- a sensual or sexual love and Agape-as the highest and noblest form of love, it is a love that isunmerited or undeserved. Many people today make no distinctionbetween these words used to define and describe love and thereforewe have little to no understanding of what people's intentionsare when they say they love us. Is it Agape, Eros or Phileo lovethey are describing?
We must be committed to God. I have no shameto proclaim I am a servant of the Lord Jesus Christ, thereforeI am obliged to serve Him at all times. Where, when and how weserve him is all at His bidding. This is why I stated earlierthat "Neither love nor service can be considered an optionfor a Christian, for both love and service are our obligation,lived out in loving communion with our Lord and service to Hispeople." Our love for and of God can only truly best be demonstratedby our love for our fellow human beings.
1 John 4:20 _If someone says, "_I loveGod,_" and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who doesnot love his brother whom he has seen, _how can he love God _y_whomhe has not seen? _21_ And _z_this commandment we have from Him:that he who loves God must love his brother also.
The question is, how do I show love formy fellow citizens? We show our love through service. True Biblicalleadership is distinguished not by Lordship but by service.
Matthew 20:20 Then the mother of Zebedee'ssons came to Him with her sons, kneeling down and asking somethingfrom Him. 21 And He said to her, "What do you wish?"She said to Him, "Grant that these two sons of mine may sit,one on Your right hand and the other on the left, in Your kingdom."22 But Jesus answered and said, "You do not know what youask. Are you able to drink the cup that I am about to drink, andbe baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?" Theysaid to Him, "We are able." 23 So He said to them, "Youwill indeed drink My cup, and be baptized with the baptism thatI am baptized with; but to sit on My right hand and on My leftis not Mine to give, but it is for those for whom it is preparedby My Father." 24 And when the ten heard it, they were greatlydispleased with the two brothers. 25 But Jesus called them toHimself and said, "You know that the rulers of the Gentileslord it over them, and those who are great exercise authorityover them. 26 Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desiresto become great among you, let him be your servant. 27 And whoeverdesires to be first among you, let him be your slave- 28 justas the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, andto give His life a ransom for many."
This passage of scripture really hits thenail on the head for most of us. Many people's motives of heartare exposed by the light of Christ's truth and word and our methodswhen ungodly, are revealed. This mother's motives and that ofthe other disciples were revealed as they all jockeyed to getnearer to Christ. Their motives may have been right, in that theymay have wanted to be close to Him, rather than simply thinkingabout the power or influence they would have gained by being insuch lofty positions, but their methods were underhanded. It isnot left to us to promote or propel ourselves into places of prominence,but when you become a true servant of the Lord, He will causedoors to open that no one can close, He will cause our enemiesto be at peace with us and even when we walk through the valleyof the shadow of death we will fear no evil for God is with us.His rod and staff comfort us.
We must become a community who demands lessand serves more. Our greatness has always been in our giving,and once you stop giving you cut off your harvest to get. Therewas a time in our history where our families had so little andyet they lacked nothing, now today we have almost everything andwe lack so much.
What has changed? I believe it is our attitudeand actions. We have stopped serving and are demanding to be served.I challenge each person to find a way to serve with joy and gladnessthe people of our community and watch and see the difference itwill make for both you and me and the generations of Caymaniansto come.
Albert Einstein believed in three basicRules of Work: Out of clutter, find Simplicity. From discord,find Harmony. In the middle of difficulty lies Opportunity.
The social, political and spiritual changesthat are necessary in our community will not take place untiland unless we ourselves are motivated by love and committed toserve.
I encourage each of us to make a commitmentto make a positive difference in the Cayman Islands-to be a partof the solution. Together we can do it.
Rose Kennedy once said, "Life isn'ta matter of milestones, but of moments."
Lets seize this moment today and pledgeindeed to make a difference. Remember the words of our Lord JesusChrist, Matt 20: 28: Just as the Son of Man did not come to beserved, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.
May the love of Jesus Christ be our motivationand His service our commitment.