This week's Bible Study - February 3, 2008
The Motive
 Background Scripture:
Luke 15:1-2,11-24
Quote of the Week:
“However brilliant an action, it should not be esteemed great unless the result of a great motive”
-- François de la Rochefoucauld
How many times have you done the right thing for the wrong reason? My guess is it probably much more than you or I realize. I think we all can think of times when we've done something good and we looked forward to the accolades we received. There is nothing wrong about being recognized for doing a good job, but if the only reason we do something is to be recognized - that becomes wrong.
A few years ago, I memorized a lot of scripture - even entire books in the New Testament. Since then, I can't remember them all word for word, but many of the passages still come to light. One of them that I often think of as I drive to work is from Ephesians, chapter 6, verses 5-6 - in relation to how we do our jobs. "Be obedient to those who are your masters, according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in the sincerity of your heart, as to Christ, not by way of eyeservice, as men-pleasers, but as slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart.". I guess over the course of my career, I've learned to really concentrate on the important things in the job and making things work, less than trying to please a manager. But, I'm sure I'm as guilty as the next guy of doing things for recognition sometime.
When Jesus walked the earth, you would never figure that he would have the impact on the world based on the people he hung around - at least from a human perspective. We tend to view success as spending the time with the right people - the movers and the shakers, the rich, powerful and successful. However, this was not how Jesus spent his time. He spent a lot of time with the tax collectors and "sinners'.
They gathered around to hear him, realizing that there was something different about him. Perhaps he didn't sit in judgment of them and he showed legitimate concern for them. This was something they didn't get from the church or the religious leaders. Is this true today? Do our churches reach out to those who are in need of a Savior, or are we more built around those who have 'arrived' (as if any of us have arrived!)? I'm sure that the "sinners" felt very low in the presence of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law. Why would they want to be around them?
I think we often push people further away from the gospel, because we spend too much time talking about our goodness or how everything should be - which is what most people aren't. What is it about Jesus that caused these people to seek him out and want to spend time with them? I believe that Jesus had a presence about him and he showed that he really cared. This would lead me to believe that Jesus was very compassionate for others - he probably laughed a lot and was someone people enjoyed being around. He drew a crowd, but it wasn't all about fun and games. He spoke to these people and they listened and learned. He was able to change lives in a way that the 'church' couldn't. The religious leaders and Pharisees saw this and rather than seeing that Jesus had an impact on people that they couldn't reach, they saw that he was welcoming sinners and eating with them - something that they would NEVER do!
It just keeps coming back to me that sometimes we as a church are doing something wrong, in regards to reaching people. There is this implied assumption that they need to get their act right, before they should darken the door of the church, where all the 'perfect' people meet. I've talked to people who are now believers, but not until they were adults. The numbers of times that they went past church after church, thinking it was for 'those' people is somewhat astounding. Who passes by our churches and what would it take to get them there - or maybe to get us where they are? If you think about what Jesus would do - would he teach a class in the warm confines of the church or would he be reaching out?
Jesus gave a parable to explain a major lesson to his followers. We know this parable as the Prodigal Son. I'm sure most of those reading this are familiar with it. There was a man that had two sons. One of them was younger and, obviously, the other was older. You probably realize that in most cases, the older son was to be the primary recipient of what the father had, upon his passing.
The younger son became anxious and decided he wanted his share now. This probably just didn't occur to him one day. He probably started thinking about what he could do and then eventually he asked for his. Certainly this doesn't sound like any of us, does it? No, it sounds like most of us! Maybe not throughout your life, but I'm sure you can relate to a time when you would rather not wait until the appointed time to receive something. We, like the younger son, seem to want what's coming now - at least at some point! There is another thing to think about here, as well. The younger son thought this over for quite a while. When our minds get stuck on something - it is more or less like an incubator - and after a period of time, the thought becomes a deed. This should make us consider about the things we spend time thinking about. Is it just an innocent thought or might it take us somewhere we didn't really intend?
There were the two sons - the younger who wanted his now and the older who was content to wait. This seems to describe many Christians now. Some seem to think there is something better out there, and the others who seem to just grin and bear it. The older seems more mature, but later in this chapter, you see that he wasn't at all happy - he was just grinning and bearing it - again, like many who sit in pews each week.
The father probably didn't really want to do this, but he decided to go ahead and split his estate and divide the property between his sons. Is this something that we should learn and take to heart? His child wanted something - he knew it would be bad for his son, but he let him have it. We spend so much of our times trying to protect our children and following after them, cleaning up the issues, etc. As we will see in this story, the son experiences a lot of things the father would rather have not seen happen. However, through this, the son will learn much that would never be learned in any other way. God is much like that father. He wants so much to give us true life, but he is willing to let us go out on our own. You have a better way than God's? He's giving you the freedom to go for it.
Not long after he got his share, the younger son decided that he had enough of working for his dad. It was hard work - it wasn't fun - and there was much more out there that was waiting for him. So, he took off for a distant country and squandered everything he had in wild living. I could name one of several childhood celebrities that have wrecked their life in the way that they choose to live. Many have spent time in jail - lost their families, lost their dignity, lost their fame and have experienced many other problems as well.
Everything was okay for a while. You can imagine he had money, he fulfilled passions, he had many friends - until it ran out. I worked with a guy several years ago, who had received a large medical settlement due to a accident while on travel for business. It had impacted him greatly - I don't think he was ever really quite with it after he recovered. But, he would take his money and buy drinks for everyone in the bar. He was a hit, I'm sure - until the money ran out. Sounds like the man in this story.
Then, a severe famine hit the country he was in, and he began to feel the need. Perhaps he had the means to exist until everything became more difficult with the famine. He was in need. So, he went out and hired himself out to a farmer who sent him to feed pigs. Why do you think he had to resort to feeding pigs? Do you think he was highly skilled in this area, or do you think that perhaps he was not highly skilled in any area? Whatever he had done for his father - I feel sure it was much better than feeding pigs. Think of the Jewish culture - what worse job could there be than to feed the pigs? He got worse off over time and he didn't even have what he needed to survive.
Did God send the famine? Perhaps, or perhaps the famine was used to help bring this young son back to his senses. God is active in our circumstances - he lets us go so far, but he is always at work, to bring us back to him. For some, when they stray from God's presence, they have no desire to return - but if they truly are God's child, God will place in them a desire to seek him - it may come at some cost - or it may come when they finally realize that the life of glitz and glamour isn't all it was cracked up to be - or when life seems to fall apart for them.
Why didn't the son go back before the pig incident? Maybe he was rationalizing where he was or maybe his mind was too occupied on himself. Poor me. He didn't want to admit a mistake. This has all the makings of a bad country song. If only… I could get these things (jobs, things, relationships) and if only … I could get rid of these things (jobs, things, relationships). Happiness and joy is not in any of those things. It may seem that way for a short time, but those things are fleeting.
Finally, the son came to his senses. He couldn't provide for himself and even doing what he was doing wasn't giving him the sustenance he needed. He began to think of his father. Even the hired men that work for his father have plenty of food. And, here he was, working for someone else - who didn't care if he starved to death. Life on his own had become life alone. He couldn't get rid of his thoughts of home and what he had left behind. Everything he had was from his father - the money, clothes and possessions.
Although it would be hard to admit a mistake, he would go back to his father and tell him that he had sinned against him. He knew his father wouldn't accept him as a son, but maybe he could be like one of the hired men. He thought about it and left for home. If you have ever moved from your hometown, what is it like when you go back? You may be able to understand a bit of what this guy was going to experience. When you have been away for a long time - it's just not quite the same. The people are different - even if the place seems the same. Things change. I'm sure he was wondering about how things were going to be different when he returned.
One of the key verses in this whole passage is verse 20 - so he got up and went to his father. Not only did he think things through and figure out what to say, but he followed through. How many times have we thought the things that help us see the error of our ways, but we never followed through? On the other hand, what would have happened if he just got up and went back, but never had considered the error of his ways? If we don't learn the lesson while we are in the trenches, we are bound to experience some serious consequences in the future.
As he was going back, what do you think was going through his mind? He knew he had wronged his father, and I'm sure he was thinking about what if he got what he deserved. He knew he had to ask forgiveness and that is always a risky thing to do. We've all wrong at least one other - how does it feel when you approach the one that you have wrong and are preparing to ask forgiveness?
While he was still a distance away, his father saw him and was filled with compassion. He didn't start with "well, lookie here…. Here comes that lowlife son of mine who drained me of half of my stuff and now he's coming back for me." He had compassion - and ran to his son and threw his arms around him and kissed him. I think the forgiveness question was answered before anything was said. Think of how the two approached. The son, out of fear and trepidation - as much as crawling, worried about what would happen. The father, out of compassion, ran and met him - hugged him and kissed him. I'm sure this was unexpected by the son. An interesting lesson - forgiveness runs to another - repentance crawls.
Traveling as much as I have had to travel for work, I am in a lot of airports around the country. It is heart warming to see the welcome that some people get when they show up in an airport. Service men and women who are returning from a tour of duty may be greeted with signs - by family and friends. Others may be returning to their families or to friends and loved ones and they are greeted. It was a great thing to see.
The father assured his son that he was his son - asking his servants to get the best robe and put it on his son - and to put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Have a party - my son has returned! It was quite a celebration.
Although not in these verses, it is interesting to think of the reaction of the older brother. Here he was, doing his time - being faithful to his father - while this derelict brother of his squandered his wealth. It is noteworthy that the brother is not in this passage on the return to home. Truthfully, he wanted no part of his brother because of what he had done. Have you seen the movie critics who give thumbs up/ down for movies? Many Christians seem to be like that - and when someone has made a mistake, they choose - thumbs up or thumbs down. If we still lived in a time where Christians were thrown to the lions, I'm sure that many who have made mistakes would be let go. How sad is that?
Christianity is a personal relationship that each of us have with Christ. Fortunate or unfortunate, we often grow the most in our spiritual lives when we have experienced failure. Events that have happened in your life or in the lives of others may be what is needed for God to really get their attention and help them to grow closer to Christ. Why should we accept those who have fallen? The main reason I can think is - God accepted you and I. Others may not know our areas of sin and things we struggle with, but we certainly do. To be accepted by God is something that is truly amazing.
Closing
As humans, we have a human nature. And, whether we like it or not, the human nature is prone to sin. It is our natural tendency. We are capable of doing things that we would never want to admit to. Watch out for the first hint of rebellion. The younger brother thought about what he wanted for a long time and it ended up coming to pass. Where are your thoughts and how much trouble are you in if what you are thinking comes to pass?
Are your habits and attitudes towards others under control? We need to do a periodic assessment of where we are. It can be a couple of extremes at this point. You may become a future prodigal son - falling off the deep end, if you allow yourself to go there. Or, you may be like the brother - considering yourself better than others who have fallen and unwilling to forgive. God accepts each of us where we are. The rest of our lives are spent as God molds into the people that we are to become. It is a gradual process. You watch the potter that works with the clay. It is a gradual process and at times, he or she will start over - but as long as the clay is in the potter's hand, there is the potential of something good to come out of it.
Jesus deserves to be not only our Savior, but also our Lord. We can all find ourselves paying lip service to Christ, but he is called us to be in the game - not on the sidelines. Have you given your life to Christ, or are you waiting for something else to convince you? There is more than enough to help anyone understand who Christ is and why we should believe. See this - http://www.crosstowncreations.com/Akers/WhyBelieve.html However, it doesn't matter what others can show you, but what you truly believe. Are you a believer that is now figuratively feeding pigs? What is God trying to show you and what does he want you to do?
Each of us should seek God with all that we have, and when we have fallen, we need to get up and move again. When others around us have fallen, we need to help them up and let us help one another to be the men and women that God has called us to be.
|