Dear Christian friends:

Today we will install the new officers of our church. They have agreed to accept these responsibilities and do this service. Not only our new officers but each one of us must serve God and our neighbor everyday.

Now we must not only serve and do our duty, but also have the right heart and spirit in doing that work. We call that motive. The word "motive" comes from "motor."

We all know what a motor does in a car. The motors pulls the car ahead. Like a car, we have motors in our heart that pull us to do things. Anger is one motor. If we become angry we do wrong and bad things often. Anger is not a good motor.

Pride is another motor. Because we are proud and want praise and honor we do many things. Pride is not a very good motor.

Because we are afraid we often obey and serve and do. Fear is not a very good motor. Love is another motor. I do not mean selfish love, but true love. True love is the best motor.

In our text St. Paul tells us about the motor that should pull us to serve God:


Paul says, "Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. (Romans 12:1)

Mercy means love that we do not deserve. Often people think God owes them many blessings because they are sometimes good. But before God not one of us is good. One day a man asked Jesus a question He said, "Good teacher, what must I do to be saved?" Jesus said to him, "Why do you call Me good? There is none good except God." (Mark 10:17-18)

Another verse in the Bible says, "There is not a righteous man upon earth that doeth good and sinneth not." (Ecclesiastes 7:20) Still God loves us and forgives us. That is mercy. He gave His only Son to die and pay for our sins.

Now because God loved us we love Him. Love which comes to us by faith in Jesus Christ. That is the motor that should pull us to serve God. But we often forget this and do like the unbelieving people in the world. They often do good and serve sometimes they appear to do more and better works than believers. But their motor is not love of Jesus Christ. Their motor is pride.

They want all the people to praise them and honor them and thank them. Paul says don't do like the people in this world. The wrong motors pull them. Although they do good they have the wrong heart and spirit. "But be changed through making new your mind" Paul adds here. (Romans 12:2) Let the love of God by the Holy Spirit be the motor that pulls you to serve God in 1964.

Now if we have that love-motor pulling us in service we will show that by our actions with one another. Paul says we will be humble before others not thinking we are better than someone else in the church. We will think of our church as a body. (Romans 12:4-5) (Show how more important members of the body need the lesser members if the body is to function sharply.) So, also here in the church. We need a janitor the same as we need a president etc.

We are one body in Christ and He is our Head. Let us each one think our job is an officer in the church and very important for the body of Christ and let us do our office faithfully and with humility.

Let us also think the other members as very important and necessary for the whole body of Christ. And we will do this more and more if the motor that pulls us is love for God by faith in Jesus Christ, our Savior.

Amen.