Passion For God

PASSION FOR GOD

Mk. 12:28-34

INTRODUCTION

A. HUMOR: HOW TO SURVIVE 50 YEARS OF MARRIAGE

1. A Pastor was having a discussion on, ‘How to stay happily married for a 50 Years’ and invited church members who’ve been married for 50 years or more to give the reasons for their success.

2. One member who turned up was Cyril; he’d been married for almost 60 years. The Pastor invites Cyril to give the audience an insight into how he’s been able to survive 50 years with the same woman.

3. Cyril stood up and said to the audience, "Well, it’s simple really. I treated my Betty with respect, gave her whatever she asked for, and took all her flack with a smile on my face." "Is that ALL you did?" asked the Pastor.

4. "No, not all," replied Cyril, "on special occasions, I sometimes took Betty to far-away places."

5. "So tell us, Cyril," asked the Pastor, "where’d you take Betty on your 50th wedding anniversary?" "I took Betty to Beijing in China," replied Cyril.

6. "Wow!" said the Pastor. "If only all Christian husbands would follow your example. But before you sit down, Cyril, can you tell us what you're planning to do on your 60th anniversary?"

7. Cyril replied, "I'm going to go back to Beijing and bring Betty back."

B. VIDEO

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gez-NEqM944 (only show the first 41 seconds, please....)

C. THESIS

1. What are you passionate about? I don’t believe LOVE just means “doing right” or “keeping God’s commands” or even “being patient and kind.” That’s what love looks like when it walks & talks. BUT LOVE…IS…PASSION!

2. Q -- DO YOU HAVE PASSION -- FOR GOD? If someone looked at your life, would they say YOU HAVE PASSION?

NOT for missions, NOT for ministry, NOT for evangelism – BUT FOR GOD!!!

3. I can’t stand it when Christians tell lost people, “You’ve got it all – a good job, great spouse, good kids, money, house, car – all you need to add is Jesus.”

4. NO! YOUR LIFE IS WORTHLESS APART FROM JESUS CHRIST!

5. Someone told me, “I have a new relationship with the

Lord.” Really? Do you have a new relationship with SIN? Because if you don’t have a new relationship with sin, then you don’t have a new relationship with the Lord!

6. Heaven’s going to be a wonderful place – a place without sin. Many say they want to go there, but they really don’t. I can prove it to you – because they don’t want heaven NOW!

7. We’re looking this morning at having “Passion for God.”

I. GOD’S CALL TO BE PASSIONATE

A. GREATEST COMMAND? BE PASSIONATE!

1. One day a man happened to walk up to Jesus. Listen in.

28 “One of the scribes came and heard them arguing, and recognizing that He had answered them well, asked Him, “What commandment is the foremost of all?” 29 Jesus answered, “The foremost is, ‘Hear, O Israel! The Lord our God is one Lord; 30 and you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ 31 The second is this, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” 32 The scribe said to Him, “Right, Teacher; You have truly stated that He is One, and there is no one else besides Him; 33 and to love Him with all the heart and with all the understanding and with all the strength, and to love one’s neighbor as himself, is much more than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.” 34 When Jesus saw that he had answered intelligently [wisely], He said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” After that, no one would venture to ask Him any more questions.” Mk. 12:28-34, NASB.

2. To say something is foremost means that NOTHING else matters more. It’s the #1 thing in life. God wants us to love Him passionately. God doesn’t want you to love Him half-heartedly, but with ALL your heart and ALL your soul.

3. Today in America, it’s OK to be passionate about everything – except God! Most Americans think of themselves as good Christians, but they’re not.

4. God says: “These people claim to worship me, but their words are meaningless, and their hearts are somewhere else. Their religion is nothing but human rules and traditions…” Isa. 29:13, GNT. (Good News Testament)

5. God wants RELATIONSHIP with you! He doesn’t want just a nod on Sunday, but to be in your thoughts and on your hearts all week long.

6. Paul said, “For my determined purpose is] that I may know Him [that I may progressively become more deeply and intimately acquainted with Him, perceiving and recognizing and understanding the wonders of His Person more strongly and more clearly], and that I may in that same way come to know the power outflowing from His resurrection [which it exerts over believers], and that I may so share His sufferings” Phip 3:10, AMP. Ver.