Have you every asked yourself, what is the driving force behind what we do? Why do we go to worship God? Why do we pray? Why do we do missions? Why do we start churches? Why do we serve in churches? Who do we listen to people problems? Why do we deal with stubborn ignorant people? Why do we keep getting up when we get knocked down?
There has to be a driving force behind every single thing that we do. We don't just randomly do these things. Something, or better yet someone, gives us the ability to keep on.
14 For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. 15 And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again. (2 Co 5:14-15., NIV)
The word "compel" has a double meaning here. One is it talks about Christ's love drives us, but also means holds together. It's interesting to think about all that the love of Christ does. It enables us to see people the way He sees them, it also enables us to be held together when we need it the most. His love is what sends us forward, but also His love is what glues us together. His love, an unconditional love, a love that knows no boundaries, and a love that is unselfish in every single way. His love teaches us HOW to be unselfish. Jesus NEVER thought about himself. Which it goes on in this verse to tell us.
The example of Jesus was to not live for yourself. The verse tells us that once we understand the concept of His love and the extent in which He was, and is willing to go, it should motivate us differently. We live in a society that is "all about me and my interests". What normally motivates us is to "self-serve". Could you even imagine a society, a world, or a church that was no longer living for themselves, but living for Christ. It's hard to fathom. We say that we do live for Christ, but if we are honest and examine ourselves and our churches we are NOT. In fact we are not even close. If we looked at our ministries and activities they all revolve around keeping those within the walls happy and not the one who died for us.
Jesus was revolutionary in everything that he did. So revolutionary that it made the religious people quite angry in his day. If we took the approach that Jesus took to be revolutionary in our thoughts and actions, if we put His love on the forefront of all we did what would it even look like. What if we sat down with the "sinners", "prostitutes", and "tax collectors" of our day. Think about it, most of our church people would be quite angry. I say most, but not all. We have revolutionists in our churches. We have people that are willing to put others first, and they are waiting for you and I as leaders to, well lead.
So our challenge is to dig down deep, remember what compels us and drives us, put Him first and try to Keep Jesus there. Let's let His love and sacrifice hold us together and move forward.
Chris
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