Sermon Title: The Birthplace of Behavior: Desire
Sermon Text: Matthew 6:19-24
Instruments in the Redeemer’s Hands Chapter 5
“You and I always desire. Desires precede, determine, and characterize everything you do. Desires get you up in the morning and put you to bed at night. Desires make you work with discipline to get one thing done, and run as hard are you can to avoid another. Desires are the lenses through which you examine every situation. At the foundation of all worship, whether true or false, is a heart full of desire” (Paul Tripp).
Situations, circumstances, and people DO NOT force us to be angry:
- “You made me feel”
- “I am sorry I raised my voice, but when you…”
- “The traffic on the way to work ruined my day”
Paul Tripp uses the example of traffic. Brent A. uses the example of snow. The talkative person who “gets on your nerves” might be quite interesting to the person next to you.
The Problem
God changes us not by just teaching us to do different things, but by recapturing our hearts to serve him alone. The deepest issues of the human struggle are issues of desire and treasure (James 4; Matthew 6:19-24). Everyone seeks some kind of treasure. Your treasure will control your heart. What controls your heart will control your behavior. People do what they do because they want what they want; people want what they want due to the condition of their heart.
Pray: Fight the battle of prayer to win geographical control over your heart.
“If a war is being fought between nations, it is fought for geographical and political control. Control is the purpose of war” (Paul Tripp). “Pray then like this: ‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven” (Matthew 6:9-10).
Pray with Galatians 5:24 in mind, “And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.”
- Example of Circumcision
- Example of Salvation and the Cross (Colossians 2:6-7)
- Example of Sacrifice (Romans 12)
- Example of the Tree and Branches (John 15)
Fast: Listen for the difference between “I want” and “I must.”
“It is not wrong to desire relaxation at the end of a long day. It is wrong to be ruled by relaxation in such a way that I am irritated with anyone who gets in the way. It is not wrong to desire the tender attention of your husband. It is wrong to be so ruled by it that your days are filled with bitterness because of its absence and your nights are filled with manipulative attempts to get it” (Paul Tripp).
There is always a direct relationship between expectation and disappointment. Do you dehumanize people and treat them like vehicles or obstacles?
Desire (“I Want”) à Demand (“I Need”) à Expectation (“I Deserve or Will Get”) à Disappointment (“Because of You I Didn’t”) à Punishment (“You’ll Pay”) or Reward (“I Will Reinforce Your Behavior So You Will Continue to Meet My Expectations”)
“I am no longer motivated by a love for God and people so that I use the things in my life to express that love. Instead I love things and use people – and even the LORD – to get them” (Paul Tripp).
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