Maybe you are familiar with the book
by Simon Sinek titled Start with Why. In it he explores the power of
purpose-driven leadership, emphasizing that successful individuals and
organizations inspire action by clearly communicating their "why" –
their core beliefs and purpose – before discussing the "how" and
"what" of their actions. Let’s
take that basic structure and add one critical element to it.
1 Thessalonians 1:3 - We remember before our God and
Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by
love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.
Things to think about:
·
What we do, how we do it and why we do it are all
key elements of this passage
·
One “what” we find here is our work.
o
James 2:18 - But someone will say, “You have faith;
I have deeds.” Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my
faith by my deeds.
o
Why do we do our Christian work? – because of our
faith
·
Related to our
work is our labor
o
What’s the
difference between work and labor you might wonder.
§
I’d offer that
work is the final product, labor is the effort it took to produce it.
o
And that labor
is prompted by love
§
Love is the
ultimate WHY
·
John 3:16 - For
God so loved the world
·
1 Cor. 13:1-3 -
If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am
only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of
prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if
I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am
nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to
hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.
·
Another “what”
is “your endurance”
o
It is not enough to to start well, we must finish the
race before us. And what allows us to
keep going?
§
The Why is it
is inspired by hope
§
The word
inspire is interesting – its root is related to breathing. Hope is the very breath we need to persevere.
o
However, hope that is not rooted in someone or
something is merely wishing.
§
our faith is beyond
having a Why, it is because we have a Who - our Lord Jesus Christ!
·
So what do we take away from today’s lesson?
o
We have hope because Jesus loved us so much that He died
on the cross and rose from the dead and is alive at the right hand of God
constantly interceding for us
o
That love prompts us to “work out our salvation” by
loving God and loving others
o
And our labor will produce a good crop that reflects
back on God and brings Him glory and honor – amen!
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