Not that I think I am this great preacher, but I thought I would post some of my Sunday sermons here. In the past I written out the text and preached from that. Yesterday however, I took the chance and preached from the hip! I did have a text all worked out but while I was getting ready for liturgy the Holy Spirit put a new idea in my head. It actually began Saturday night when I flipped on Turner Classic Movie Network and my all time favorite move was on The Nun’s Story. Okay before you start to ridicule me, have you seen the movie?
Anyway it struck me that the movie is all about motivation. What motivates us to do what we do. Sister Luke, Audrey Hepburns character in the movie was not motivated to be a nun, but to be a nurse in the Congo. Not a bad motivation but she needed to be a nun first. Okay so where am I going with this… I don’t know.
So I took that into church with me and talked about our motivation for doing the things we do. When we give to the church, what is the motivation? When we come to church what is the motivation? All sin begins with the motivation.
I just finished teaching an ethics class and all ethics boils down to the motivation for doing something. If our motivation is pure than more than likely our ethics will be pure. Same thing in the church. If our motivation is pure than we cannot go wrong.
Okay this needs more work, but it is a place to start…
I’ve seen that movie twice. Excellent flick!
Interesting thought re: motivation. I would ask though, from whence does the motivation come? Is it “self” motivated or “God motivated?” That can have a bearing on direction.
i beleave over thought of something is not always a good thing it freezes us into not acting. God gives us all a spirit and a knowledge of right and wrong most times we know if what we are about to do is correct even if we haven’t yet figured out that its the right thing to do. we understand pride and self glorification we understand if what we are doing is self motivating and ego building.that sick feeling you get in the pit of your stomach is a clear indicator that what your about to do is maybe not the correct choice to make.
Where the motivation comes from is essential to the direction. If it is from God, then thats one thing, if it is self directed, that is another. I will refrain from saying good or bad, but that is another story.