Good afternoon everyone:
Are you a multi-tasker? Are your eyes barely open in the morning before your feet hit the floor running? Do the hours fly by because you have so much to do?….But do you ever pause to think about why you’re doing all those things?
You go to school, do your chores around the house, and spend the evening on homework for the next day. You spend a minimum of eight hours at work, another hour for the commute, and then there are emails to answer. You make beds, do the laundry, prepare meals, drop the kids off at school, and stay in touch with out of town family.
Why? Does “why” even matter, as long as things get done? It does matter. Motives are important. “Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart” (1 Sam. 16:7). Do you find yourself doing things because “otherwise I’ll feel guilty”? Guilt can be a powerful motivator. We don’t want to disappoint others. We don’t want to get in trouble. We don’t want to make God angry. But guilt wears a person down and takes the joy out of life. How can you be content and happy with guilt on your heart?
You don’t have to live with guilt. There is a better way. We don’t even have to get rid of it ourselves. We couldn’t, regardless of how hard we tried. It was because of our guilt that Jesus came into the world. The Father has such an intense love for all of us that He was willing to send His Son and to punish Him for our guilt. “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Rom. 8:1). Guilt is gone, and in its place the Holy Spirit fills us with the peace and joy of faith. And that is the best motivator of all for all the things you do! Let’s live today by grace, not guilt.
In tomorrow’s sermon text (Matt. 5:13-20) from the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus encourages us to live in gratitude as the people He has made us.
The Lord’s Supper will be celebrated in both services.
In Christ,
Pastor
