What Motivates Us To Please God?

Preached at Northwest Christian Church                    Sunday Morning, October 30, 2011

David P. Kautt

            1 Peter 1:13-2:12, “Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance; but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, because it is written, “Be holy, for I am holy.”  And if you call on the Father, who without partiality judges according to each one’s work, conduct yourselves throughout the time of your stay here in fear; knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot. He indeed was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you who through Him believe in God, who raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.   Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart, having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever, because

      “ All flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of the grass.  The grass withers,
      and its flower falls away, but the word of the LORD endures forever.”
 

Now this is the word which by the gospel was preached to you.  Therefore, laying aside all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all evil speaking, as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby, if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious.  Coming to Him as to a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God and precious, you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. Therefore it is also contained in the Scripture,

      “ Behold, I lay in Zion a chief cornerstone, elect, precious,

               and he who believes on Him will by no means be put to shame.”

Therefore, to you who believe, He is precious; but to those who are disobedient,

      “ The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone,”

  and

      “ A stone of stumbling and a rock of offense.”

They stumble, being disobedient to the word, to which they also were appointed.  But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy.  Beloved, I beg you as sojourners and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul, having your conduct honorable among the Gentiles, that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may, by your good works which they observe, glorify God in the day of visitation.”

I appreciate your attentive response to the reading of that rather lengthy portion of Scripture.  It’s a passage that I would like to peruse with you this morning as we learn more about what it means to bring joy to our Father in Heaven. To refresh your memory from our study a couple of weeks ago, let’s return to a lingering question that a study like this brings into our minds.  That question is: what is it about God, what’s so great, so special about Him, that would prompt us to want to please Him and bring joy to Him?  I mean, fathers like I am, we have imperfections, don’t we, girls?  And, fathers like I am, we also have our glaring deficiencies!  But, listen – remember?  Not our Father in heaven!  No!  Praise God!  He is an impartial Father, a Father who doesn’t play favorites, a Father, as 1 Peter 1:17 puts it, who judges according to each one’s work with a judgment that is without partiality or prejudice! 

We have an impartial Father, and that is an incredible blessing because some of us have been the child who wasn’t favored, the son who wasn’t ‘Momma’s Boy’, the daughter who wasn’t ‘Daddy’s Girl’.  We have an impartial Father – what a blessing!  But also, remember?  What a sobering reminder that is, too!  Our heavenly Father, evaluates us, judges our lives, not on the basis of superficial externals, but on the basis of the real you and me!  He sees and knows what no earthly father sees and knows about us.  He is an impartial Father.

But, then, let’s also be reminded that our Father in heaven is a faithful Father.  A Father we can always depend on, a father who always keeps His word. 

1 Peter 1:22-25 – Take a look there one more time, will you?  Earthly Father, you want to know why they are imperfect?  Why they have all those glaring deficiencies?  It’s because they are corruptible, perishable, subject to death and decay!  It’s because they are like withering grass and fading, faltering flowers.  But not our Father in Heaven!  We are challenged to bring joy to Him – why?  Because He is faithful!  Because His Word, His promises endure forever! 

Thirdly, let’s not forget the fact that our Father in heaven, we are inspired, yes, even incited, to want to bring joy to His heart – why?  Because He is a gracious Father.  He is an utterly gracious and patient Father!  1 Peter 2:1-3, take a look again.  New born babes, that’s who we are, mess makers, who could bring out the grouch in God!  But listen, my fellow mess-makers!  God’s middle name isn’t ‘Oscar’.  There is no GROUCH in Him, only grace!  Only grace – that is – and holiness.  1 Peter 1:13-16, our Father in heaven, unlike any and every earthly father, is holy, separate, set apart!  There truly is no One else like Him!  No one else who wants to set us apart for the incredibly lofty purpose and mission of bringing Him pleasure!  Why would anyone, why would you and I want to bring joy to our Father in heaven? 

First reason, first answer to that question is simply this: because of what kind of Father He is!  His holiness, His impartiality, His faithfulness, and yes, His grace, all these unique qualities of our Father in heaven draws us to Him, spurs us toward pleasing Him! 

But, then, there’s a second reason why you and I are – or, ought to be – invited and even incited to bring God joy, and that is, because of what He has done for us, and what He has made of us.  I’m talking here, now, not just about the nature and character of God, but also about the nature and character of salvation.  Salvation: we talk a lot about that subject as Christians, don’t we?  But do we always understand what we’re saying?  Allow me to suggest to you two simple truths to keep in mind whenever the subject of salvation comes up.  Number one, when you and I are discussing the eternally important topic of salvation, first of all, we can’t help but discuss and describe the Giver of that gift, our Holy, Impartial, Gracious and Faithful Father.  He is the giver of that infinitely rich gift. 

But, then there is a second fact, a second simple truth pertaining to salvation that we also must learn about and understand.  You know what it is, don’t you?  Second simple truth about salvation: it is a gift: 2 Corinthians 9:15, it is our Heavenly Father’s indescribable and unspeakable gift to unworthy, undeserving sinners like you and me! 

The reason, the compelling reason for us to bring God pleasure, is just that!  He, our perfect, holy, faithful, impartial and, yes, unbelievably gracious Father, has given us a gift!   The gift.  Look at what the apostle Peter has to tell us about that gift.  It has everything to do with what God, our Father in heaven, has DONE for us, in Jesus Christ. 

1 Peter 1:17-19, “And if you call on the Father, who without partiality judges according to each one’s work, conduct yourselves throughout the time of your stay here in fear; knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.”

I looked at the calendar again this morning and noticed – oh, no – I have only 54 more shopping days left until Christmas.  But what’s so special about that day that makes me remember to count down those other 54 days?  The gifts, right?  The gifts.  I’ve got a question for you, folks.  How many of you remember every gift you received last Christmas?  How many of you are still using every one of them?  Why not?  Reality check time, isn’t it?  The reason we don’t remember, the reason we’re not still using those gifts, maybe even returned some of them for a refund, is why?  What does the text say?  Because even when it comes to gifts as seemingly valuable as silver and gold, all of the gifts that we give to each other at Christmas, what are they?  They are corruptible.  1 Peter 1:18 – Peter says that they are perishable!  But not the gift!  Not what God has done for us, given to us, in Jesus Christ! 

“Conduct yourselves throughout the time of your stay here [on earth] in fear.”  1 Peter 1:17 – Live to bring God, your Heavenly Father, pleasure!  Why?  Because of the gift!  In Peter’s day, slaves, owned and overseen by human masters, they were bought and sold using perishable things like gold and silver to complete the transaction.  Oh, but listen.  Which of us has the resources, the bank account, IRA, 401-K, stock portfolio, big enough to purchase someone enslaved to sin?  Praise to the Giver, faithful, holy, impartial, gracious Giver!  And, yes, praise Him, for the gift!  The reason, the motivating reason behind Peter’s command to “conduct ourselves throughout the time of our earthly stay in fear”, the motivating reason behind the call to bring joy to God, is what?  The gift!  “You have not been redeemed by corruptible things like silver and gold”.  But, look!  Praise God, “you have been redeemed with – by means of – the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot…” 

How many shopping days did we say we have left?  54?  I’m not propelled to please God, to bring God joy, because of any of those gifts!  But, I am propelled to do so because of that gift, given on the cross. 

Talking about perishable gifts and precious gifts.  Look again at verses 22 through 2 5 of 1 Peter chapter one. 

1 Peter 1:22-25, “Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart, having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever, because
      “ All flesh is as grass,
      And all the glory of man as the flower of the grass.
      The grass withers,
      And its flower falls away,
       But the word of the LORD endures forever.”

Now this is the word which by the gospel was preached to you.

One of the most joyous things I get to participate in as a minister, with the families of this congregation, is the birth of little ones into your families. What a special occasion that is!  But, you know something?  Equally as special, but infinitely more painful for those very same families, is when I go with them to the cemetery to bury their children!  The paradox between joyful birth and sorrowful death is almost too painful to bear.  Except for two overarching realities.  Look again at the text.  Flesh and blood, we know this fact don’t we?  Flesh and blood, apart from, outside of, Jesus Christ’s gift, flesh and blood was born to die!  The Delivery Room is the first step toward the Embalming Room!  Oh, but listen.  In Jesus Christ, the gift, because of our holy, faithful, gracious Father, the Giver, guess what?  There is a second overarching reality, and that is this: in Jesus Christ, the dying, the dead, who have been born AGAIN, through the living, abiding, eternal Word of God, shall live again! 

The reason I am inspired, propelled to bring God pleasure, it’s the Gift.  Look at what the Giver has done for me!  Redeemed me with His Son’s precious blood.  Given new life, eternal life to me, through His living and abiding Word!  Why wouldn’t I want to bring Him joy?!  But, listen – quickly, because we must close.  Why wouldn’t I want to please God?  I am motivated, driven to bring joy to His heart, not only because of what he Has done for me, what He has given in Christ, but also, because of what He has made of me.

Last time we were together, I mentioned the painful fact that for at least some of us, in our families growing up, we weren’t ‘Daddy’s Girl’ or ‘Momma’s Boy’.  As far as our earthly parents were concerned we were kind of like what Peter describes all of us as being, when we are outside of Jesus Christ.  1 Peter 2:10 – “Once we were not a people…”  To put it in simple terms, before God did for us what He has done for us, in Jesus Christ, we were nobodies, we were ‘zeroes’.  And, as he says in the second half of the verse, we were not the objects, the targets of God’s mercy.  Outside of Christ, that’s what we were.  Outside of Christ, that’s what every lost person is.  But, take a look at the wonderful verse that precedes verse 10, and read it in connection with verse 10. 

1 Peter 2:9-10, “But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy.”

Why would folks like you and me want to live our lives to please God?  Because of what He has done for us, yes!  But, also because of what He has made of us!  The ‘nobodies’ in Jesus Christ, become the chosen ones.  The ‘zeroes’, because of the Giver and the Gift, become a kingdom of priests, a holy nation, God’s own special people, His precious possessions, for what reason?  To accomplish what goal?  1 Peter 2:9: even pleasing God is no the ultimate goal.  What is?  Praising God.  Bringing glory to God.  “That you may proclaim the praises – literally, the excellencies and mighty mercies - of God, the gracious, holy, faithful Giver who called us out of darkness into His marvelous light! 

Bringing joy to the heart of our heavenly Father.  We don’t do it, we don’t pursue that lofty goal in order to be saved, but because we have been saved, because God our gracious, faithful, holy Father in Heaven, has chosen to give all these things to us, in Jesus Christ His Son, His indescribable Gift to us.