11 THOU ART WORTHY, O LORD, TO RECEIVE GLORY AND

HONOUR AND POWER: FOR THOU HAST CREATED ALL

THINGS, AND FOR THY PLEASURE THEY ARE AND WERE

CREATED. REV 4:11

WRONG FOCUSWRONG MOTIVEWRONG SOURCE

ELIJAH WAS ABOUT HIS MINISTRYMOSES WAS ABOUT HIS LEADERSHIP

JOHN GOT IT RIGHT – HIS LIFE WAS ABOUT GOD

MOTIVATION

NOW THE MULTITUDE OF THOSE WHO BELIEVED WERE OF ONE HEART & ONE SOUL; NEITHER DID ANYONE SAY THAT ANY OF THE THINGS HE POSSESSED WAS HIS OWN, BUT THEY HAD ALL THINGS IN COMMON. AND WITH GREAT POWER THE APOSTLES GAVE WITNESS TO THE RESURRECTION OF THE LORD JESUS. AND GREAT GRACE WAS UPON THEM ALL. NOR WAS THERE ANYONE AMONG THEM WHO LACKED; FOR ALL WHO WERE POSSESSORS OF LANDS OR HOUSES SOLD THEM, AND BROUGHT THE PROCEEDS OF THE THINGS THAT WERE SOLD, AND LAID THEM AT THE APOSTLES’ FEET; AND THEY DISTRIBUTED TO EACH AS ANYONE HAD NEED. ACTS 4:32-35

AUTHENTIC LIFE IN JESUS HAS THREE EFFECTS:

• RELATIONSHIPS• GROWTH• GIVING & SERVING

ONE OF LUKE’S GOSPEL EMPHASIS:

32 “DO NOT FEAR, LITTLE FLOCK, FOR IT IS YOUR FATHER’S GOOD PLEASURE TO GIVE YOU THE KINGDOM. 33 SELL WHAT YOU HAVE AND GIVE ALMS; PROVIDE YOURSELVES MONEY BAGS WHICH DO NOT GROW OLD, A TREASURE IN THE HEAVENS THAT DOES NOT FAIL, WHERE NO THIEF APPROACHES NOR MOTH DESTROYS. LUKE 12:32-33

THE STORY OF ANANIAS & SAPPHIRAACTS 5:1-11

THE STORY OF ANANIAS & SAPPHIRAACTS 5:1-11

4 THE PROPERTY WAS YOURS TO SELL OR NOT SELL, AS YOU WISHED. AND AFTER SELLING IT, THE MONEY WAS ALSO YOURS TO GIVE AWAY. HOW

COULD YOU DO A THING LIKE THIS? YOU WEREN’T LYING TO US BUT TO GOD!”

ACTS 5:4

THE DIFFERENCE: BARNABAS vs. ANANIAS & SAPPHIRA

BARNABAS GIVE/SERVE OUT OF FREEDOM:

THERE WAS JOSEPH, THE ONE THE APOSTLES NICKNAMED BARNABAS (WHICH MEANS “SON OF ENCOURAGEMENT”). HE WAS FROM THE TRIBE OF LEVI AND CAME FROM THE ISLAND OF CYPRUS. 37 HE SOLD A FIELD HE OWNED AND BROUGHT THE MONEY TO THE APOSTLES.ACTS 4:36-37

WHAT WAS ANANIAS & SAPPHIRA’S MOTIVATION?

OUR MOTIVATION IS CRITICAL

“9 THE HEART IS DECEITFUL ABOVE ALL THINGS AND BEYOND CURE. WHO CAN UNDERSTAND IT? 10 "I THE LORD SEARCH THE HEART AND EXAMINE THE MIND" JEREMIAH 17:9-10

WE KNOW WE HAVE WRONG MOTIVATION WHEN:

• ANGRY WHEN WE ARE NOT APPRECIATED• UPSET WHEN OUR MINISTRY IS TAKEN

AWAY• BOAST ON WHAT WE DO IN PRAYER OR TO

OTHERS• EXCITED MORE ON THE PUBLIC SIDE THAN

THE PRIVATE SIDE OF THE MINISTRY

LET EVERY MOTIVATION COMES OUT OF FREEDOM:

IT IS FOR FREEDOM THAT CHRIST HAS SET US FREE. STAND FIRM, THEN, AND DO NOT LET YOURSELVES BE

BURDENED AGAIN BY A YOKE OF SLAVERY. GAL 5:1