Burn Baby Burn

Burn baby burn

Super Excited

LORD, your hand is lifted high, but they do not see it. Let them see your zeal for your people and be put to shame; (Isa. 26:11 NIV)

His disciples remembered that it is written: "Zeal for your house will consume me." (Jn. 2:17 NIV)

Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. (Rom. 12:11 NIV)

I. Billy Graham tells of a time, during the early years of his preaching ministry, when he was due to lead a crusade meeting in a town in South Carolina, and he needed to mail a letter. He asked a little boy in the main street how he could get to the post office. After the boy had given him directions, Billy said, "If you come to the central Baptist church tonight, I'll tell you how to get to heaven." The boy replied, "No thanks, you don't even know how to get to the post office!"

A. John Wesley, the founder not only of the Methodist Church but also the spiritual father of the entire holiness movement said about the future of the church he started.

I am not afraid that the people called Methodists should ever cease to exist either in Europe or America. But I am afraid lest they should only exist as a dead sect, having the form of religion without the power. And this undoubtedly will be the case, unless they hold fast both the doctrine, spirit, and discipline with which they first set out.

B. John Wesley lived at a time of spiritual decline in the Church of England of which his father was a pastor.

C. There was a lackadaisical attitude from the pulpit that reflected a culture that had lost its zeal for the Lord.

D. A nation that no longer takes pride in its history and in its culture tends to become lazy and indifferent and is a sign of a nation in decline.

E. Similar things were happening in France in the late 1700’s which would ultimately lead to the bloody French revolution.

F. Would England follow a similar course? It appeared so.

G. But there would be something different in England that would prevent such a bloody war.

H. The difference stemmed from the fact that there were Godly Men and Women who would awaken their nation to the need of Divine guidance and a Christian spirit of love toward all.

I. This men and women would seek God’s guidance and then like the Scripture in Romans 12:11 they did not lack in zeal (enthusiasm and kept the spiritual fervor in serving their Lord.

J. John Wesley of course establishing the Methodists and holiness Movement

K. People like William and Catherine Booth who started The Salvation Army in London's East End in 1865. It is a worldwide Christian organization that cares for both the physical and spiritual needs of the nations.

L. Men like George Williams and 11 of his friends that started the YMCA (young men’s Christian associated that promoted "evangelical Christianity in weekday and Sunday services, while promoting good sportsmanship in athletic contests in gyms.

M. Men like Robert Baden-Powell who started the Boy Scouts on January 24, 1908 in England and William Boyce who when stranded in a fog was helped by a boy scout who would accept no money for his efforts. This organization which would spawn the girl scouts and cub scouts was closely associated with Protestant Christianity.

N. And we could talk about so many more organizations, but what was the common thread that was fundamental in all these organizations?

O. A fulfillment in their lives of Roman 12:11 in that they never lacked the zeal, the enthusiasm for their own spirituality and they kept their spiritual fervor in serving the Lord, even when all of society seemed to be headed downhill because of a lack of zeal, lack of energy for the Lord.

P. And they made a difference. Just like their Savior Jesus Christ the zeal for the Lord and for his house consumed them.

II. The tragic events of the past few years in America: the virus, the riots, the burning of our cities has placed our nation in peril not seen since the Civil War.

A. Our country has faced other trials: Civil War

1. Revolutionary war Thomas Paine wrote the American Crises in Dec. 1776---These are the times that try men’s souls

2. Stated that unlimited power belongs only to God.

B. The gates of Hell have been swung open and legions of demons released upon our land.

C. There is a constant pouring of fear from various sources for both our physical and spiritual lives

D. A spiritual malaise has invaded so many of our churches and our people

1. We seem lost. We can’t find God in any of this