The motivation for mission isn't guilt or shame—it's joy.
What motivates us to be part of God's mission?
Here are some reasons I've heard: - The church needs you to do this - You'll be a bad person if you don't - You aren't pleasing God unless you do - I'd really appreciate it if you would serve - After all we've done for you, can you help out? - Please, please, please help - No one else does it as well as you
Guilt, shame, flattery, and desperation. Christians talk like this, but does God?
Let's consider how Paul talks about motivation in the book of Philippians.
For me, this isn't just any book, but one that I've come back to as my favorite book since high school! Why? Even a casual reading of the letter will show you that Paul emphasizes joy—and I often feel a need for joy in my life!
Here's what I notice in Philippians 3. Paul is rejoicing in the Lord and wants his brothers and sisters in Christ to rejoice in the Lord as well. In doing so, they will be humble and assured of God's love for them. But they'll also have the energy they need to make "every effort" to wholeheartedly participate in God's mission (3:12).
**Joy sustains mission.**
By contrast, Paul is agitated by the presence of "evil workers" who attempt to steal from his congregation their life-giving joy. These people get all twisted up about their credentials, their accomplishments, and their status. From Paul's perspective, that's dung. He has something far better: Jesus.
It's so easy to pat ourselves on the back. "I'm a serious Christian!" "I've studied lots of theology!" "I share my faith!" No, no, no. That's not it.
What's better? The surpassing value of knowing Christ.
In all that we do, we remember that God is God. He is first. He is primary. We are responding to God's initiative. And knowing God gives us joy. For instance, shame is demoralizing. But God has accepted us. We feel insecure. But God has pledged to love us forever. And so on...
But everything that was a gain to me, I have considered to be a loss because of Christ. More than that, I also consider everything to be a loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. Because of him I have suffered the loss of all things and consider them as dung, so that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own from the law, but one that is through faith in Christ—the righteousness from God based on faith. My goal is to know him and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings, being conformed to his death, assuming that I will somehow reach the resurrection from among the dead. Not that I have already reached the goal or am already perfect, but I make every effort to take hold of it because I also have been taken hold of by Christ Jesus. Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and reaching forward to what is ahead, I pursue as my goal the prize promised by God's heavenly call in Christ Jesus.
What has motivated your involvement (or lack of involvement) in God's mission in the past?
How does knowing Christ bring you joy? What aspects of knowing him are most life-giving?
What credentials, accomplishments, or status do you find yourself relying on instead of Christ?
Read Philippians 3 slowly. Circle or highlight every reference to joy. Ask God to fill you with the joy that comes from knowing Christ.
What are you tempted to rely on instead of Christ? Write it down and surrender it to him in prayer.
Get a daily, five-minute Bible study to discuss with a friend.