Introduction

One thing is clear from these verses: the fire on the altar had to be continuously burning, never weakening or extinguishing. It had to be constant and unwavering. Three times in these short verses, God says, "Keep the fire burning. Never let it go out."

I. The Fire on the Altar

1. The presence of God: Let's use the image of the fire on the altar to challenge ourselves to maintain our passion for Jesus Christ. The fire on the altar represents two things for us. First and foremost, it symbolizes the presence of God. Throughout the Bible, fire often represents His presence. For example, God spoke to Moses through the burning bush. The nation of Israel was led in the desert by a cloud during the day and a pillar of fire at night. Elijah's sacrifice on Mount Carmel was consumed by fire from heaven. John the Baptist said that someone would come after him who would baptize with fire. And on the day of Pentecost, tongues of fire appeared above the believers when the church was born. Fire represents the presence of God.

Hebrews 12:28-29 says, "Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our 'God is a consuming fire.'"

In Matthew 24:12, Jesus speaks about the last days and says, "Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold." Can we read this verse again? "Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold." It's highly possible that I am speaking to many who once had hearts burning with passion for Jesus Christ but have now grown cold, with their fire for Christ on the verge of extinguishing. You used to hunger for the word of God, you used to have zeal for holiness, you used to prevail in prayer, but the fire on the altar of your heart has grown cold. And God is telling you today, "Keep the fire burning. Don't let it go out."

II. Ignite the Fire of God's Gift

The second point of my message today is that we need to ignite the fire of God's gift. In 2 Timothy, Paul writes to his young disciple and friend, Timothy. Timothy was just like many of you. He was raised in a Christian home, had a godly mother and grandmother, and had been taught by the apostle Paul himself. He was involved in Christian ministry. Paul had a concern for Timothy, his son in the faith, that the fire in his heart would start to fade, that his passion for Jesus Christ would begin to die down.

In 2 Timothy 1:6, Paul writes, "For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands."

If the passion for Jesus Christ in your life, the fire on the altar of your heart, has started to cool down, then ignite the fire. Blow on the embers on the altar of your heart.

This morning, I want to share five tips for keeping your passion for Jesus Christ alive.

1. Don't forget God's grace: The word "gospel" means good news. One reason we fail to keep the fire burning in our hearts is that we forget our previous condition. In Ephesians 2, Paul writes to the Ephesian Christians and paints a picture of what their lives were like before knowing Christ. In Ephesians 2:1, he writes, "As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins." Our situation was truly dire. But in verse 4, Paul says, "But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved." Those are good news. Don't forget them. Good news is only good when you understand how bad the bad news is.

2. Live with God's resources: Most of the things God has taught me, I've learned through failure. Have you tried to live the Christian life in your own strength, with your own resources? I have. What I've found is frustration and defeat. Jesus says, "Apart from me, you can do nothing." His resources are more than sufficient. And if we want to keep the fire of passion for Christ burning in our hearts, we must learn to live with God's resources.

3. Don't settle for substitutes: In Revelation 2, Jesus confronts the church in Ephesus. Ephesus was a good church; you would have liked it. They were active, intolerant of evil, had endured trials, and worked hard. But Jesus tells them in verses 4-5, "Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken the love you had at first. Consider how far you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first." They had fallen into the same trap we are susceptible to today. They had replaced intimacy with activism. They elevated rituals above personal relationship. They substituted form for fellowship. If we want to maintain the fire of passion for Christ in our hearts, we cannot accept any substitute for communion with Him.

Brothers and sisters, do not settle for substitutes for your communion with Jesus. That way, the fire on the altar of your heart will be preserved.

4. Preserve your testimony: In 2 Corinthians 3:3, Paul writes, "You show that you are a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts." What a powerful thought. You are a letter from Christ read by all people. When you are in public places, when people see you at the market, at school, what does the letter of your life say?

5. Practice spiritual discipline: The idea of discipline has a negative connotation for many people today. But let me remind you that Hebrews 12 says discipline produces endurance in the believer. What value is there in spending daily time in the presence of the Lord? What value is there in maintaining a spiritual discipline in our lives? In Luke 24, we read the story of two disciples walking to Emmaus. Their lives had taken an unexpected turn. They were depressed, discouraged, and defeated. All their dreams and hopes had been nailed to the cross of Calvary. Their lives were at their lowest point. Have you ever felt that way? Then the resurrected Christ appeared among them, walked and talked with them, revealed Himself to them, and then vanished.

But notice what they say in verse 32: "...Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?" What keeps the fire burning in our hearts, dear brothers and sisters? It is the Word of God and the time we spend in the presence of the Lord.

Conclusion

Ignite the fire, blow on the embers on the altar of your heart.

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