Opening illustration: Funny how getting into God's Word and the life of Jesus brings a person into a personnel relationship with Christ; even in Hollywood. Oscar winning composer Johnny Green came to Christ reading the Bible doing research for an American bicentennial composition. Metropolitan Opera singer Jerome Hines came to Christ reading the gospels in research for an opera on the life of ..
Introduction: Many of us are passionate about something or the other in our life. The important thing is … if we are Christians – Are we passionate about God more than anything else in our lives? When Christ was sent to earth, it was because the Father had unprecedented passion for our souls and the lost. Christ absolutely knew His purpose on earth … do we? He poured out His passion for the purpose He was sent to earth. He had a focused mission and it had to be done or the entire humanity would be lost.
This evening we will look at the final topic for our ‘Good Friday’ service and address the passion Christ had while He walked the earth as a God-Man. He still continues to have passion for the lost. Let us get into God’s Word …
What was Christ Passionate about?
1. Doing the will of the Father (Luke 22: 39-42)
Doing the will of the Father is about obedience. It is about doing what the Father asks of us. It is not about what we think or say but about obeying His will and His commands. But what is it that God asks of us so that we may do his will? Jesus explains what the Father requires of his people when he said, “For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in him should have eternal life.” (John 6: 40) The will of the Father is to believe in Jesus Christ. The Father’s will is not about what we are doing, but being obedient to his word, which is to believe in Jesus and thus receive the free gift of eternal life. That is the will of the Father.
For Jesus it was dying on the cross for the sins of the world so that we would be saved and redeemed. “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself, take up his cross daily, and follow me.” (Luke 9: 23)
2. Exemplifying and expressing love to His creation (John 15: 9)
Christ loves his as his spouse and bride, as his dear children, as members of his body, as branches in him the vine, as believers in him, and followers of him; which he has shown by espousing both their persons and cause, by assuming their nature, by suffering and dying in their room and stead, and making all suitable provision for them, both for time and eternity. And there is a likeness between the Father's love to him, and his love to his disciples and followers: as his Father loved him from everlasting, so did he love them; as his Father loved him with a love of complacency and delight, so did he, and so does he love them; and as his Father loved him with a special and peculiar affection, with an unchangeable, invariable, constant love, which will last forever, in like manner does Christ love his people; and with this he enforces the following exhortation.
The Father Himself manifested that love as it tells us in John 3: 16 “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”
Do we have passionate love for those who are unsaved and lost souls … or we just think about ourselves?
3. Salvation of every soul by dying on the cross for their sins (Romans 5: 8-9)
How does God show His love? Where must we look to see the love of God? People often accuse God of being unloving. "How can a loving God allow millions of people to starve in Asia or in Africa?" "How can a loving God allow an earthquake to take hundreds of lives?" But to see God's love you must look at the right place! The greatest demonstration of the love of God took place on Calvary's cross! When Jesus died on the Cross in payment for our sins, He was displaying the most passionate love that anyone had ever seen. Whatever else the Cross means to you, it should stand as a constant reminder that God loves you. And if God loves you, then whatever comes into your life will be used by Him for your good.
Application: Many years ago, there was found in an African mine the most magnificent diamond in the world's history. It was presented to the king of England to blaze in his crown or state. The king sent it to Amsterdam to be cut. It was put into the hands of an expert lapidary. And what do you suppose he did with it? He took the gem of priceless value, and cut a notch in it. Then he struck a hard blow with his instrument and--lo!--the superb jewel lay in his hand cleft in two. Did he do this out of recklessness, wastefulness, and criminal carelessness? Indeed not! For days and weeks that blow had been studied and planned. Drawings and models had been made of the gem. Its quality, its defects, its lines of cleavage had all been studied with minutest care. The man to whom it was committed was one of the most skillful lapidaries in the world.
Was that blow a mistake? No! It was the climax of the lapidary's skill. When he struck that blow, he did the one thing which would bring that gem to its most perfect shapeliness, radiance, and jeweled splendor. That blow which seemed to ruin the superb precious stone was, in fact, its perfect redemption. From those two halves were wrought two magnificent gems which the skilled eye of the lapidary saw hidden in the rough, uncut stone as it came from the mine.
Sometimes, God lets a stinging blow fall upon your life. The blood spurts; the nerves wince. The soul cries out in agony. The blow seems to you an appalling mistake. But it is not, for you are the most priceless jewel in the world to God. And He is the most skilled lapidary in the universe.
• The passionate Christian life is marked by PURPOSE.
• The passionate Christian life is marked by SERVICE.
• The passionate Christian life is marked by JOY.
• The passionate Christian life is marked by HOLINESS.
• The passionate Christian life is marked by SUFFERING.
For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. Philippians 1: 21
