Propelled by Passion
Mark 12:28-34
June 1999
Introduction
I. W.E. Sangster
A. Interviewing ministerial candidates
1. Interview process: Group of individuals interviewed ministry applicants, Sangster was a part of this group, this was a large task in the Methodist church
2. One specific pastoral candidate: One applicant admitted that he shy and quite, he stated that he would probably never set the Thames on fire, meaning to turn a community upside down
B. Sangster’s response: “I’m not interested to know if you can set the Thames on fire. What I want to know is this: If I picked you up by the scruff of the neck and dropped you into the Thames, would it sizzle?”
Q – If someone threw a bucket of water on you would you sizzle with passion for God?
II. What is passion?
A. Isn’t passion a bad thing?
1. Nature of emotions: Passion is neutral but the things we pursue are not, passion can be a good or bad, the choice is ours in what we pursue
2. Jean de le Fontaine: “Man is so made that whenever anything fires his soul, impossibilities vanish.”
B. Biblical examples of passion
1. Negative: Samson and David – Passion led them to lust and sexual immorality, Balam – Passion for money, Pharisees – Passion for religion, Peter – passion for vengence
2. Positive: Moses – Passion for the people of Israel, Nehemiah – Passion to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem, Paul – Passion to plant new church
C. Definitions of passion
1. Webster
a.) Intense driving, or overmastering feeling or conviction
b.) Intense emotion compelling action
c.) Strong desire or devotion to some object, activity or concept
2. True passion is Christian passion: Being centered in and driven by Christ in such a way that we are moved to action
Main Body – Mark 12:28-34
I. The need for passion – Why do we need passion?
A. Passion is absolutely needed in life
1. A Christian without passion is like a river without water
2. Passion energizes the Christian life
a.) Passion gives us additional focus in life
b.) Without the passion of God in our lives we will lead dull and draining existence
3. Passion is one of the ways that God empowers our lives
B. True passion begins with God
1. We need a fresh filling of God’s love
a.) Passion starts with God’s love for us
b.) Life is draining and we need to be continually recharging our passion batteries with God’s love
2. True passion empowers our lives and moves us to action
a.) God gives us the ability to love Him completely
b.) God gives us the ability to love others
1.) Not every person is easy to love – yes there are some difficult people out there
2.) In our own strength and ability we cannot do it, so God gives us His love to pass on
C. Passion will take us beyond ourselves
1. Society is just self centered
a.) The attitude of American society is to look out for “Number 1”
b.) We have built a monument to I, me, my, mine and myself
c.) There is a complete “I don’t care” attitude in our nation
2. Christians are called to follow Christ
a.) Our focus in life must be Christ – This is the first key to gaining passion
b.) We must be interested in the needs of others
1.) Physical
2.) Emotional
3.) Spiritual
II. The impact of passion
A. Passion creates change in us
1. Passion makes it possible for us to truly live life
a.) No reserve, no retreat and no regrets – Bill Bordon: Missionary to China
b.) Only when we have passion will we find the abundant life that Jesus promised us
2. Passion allows us to become what God has planned for us to become
a.) Passion helps us to reach the potential that God instilled in our lives
b.) Passion propels us toward greatness in life
B. Passion creates change in others
1. Passion makes change in us
a.) The world around us ought to see a difference in us
b.) Passion should make us stand out in the crowd
1.) Passion changes our attitude
2.) Passion changes our behavior
3.) Passion changes our relationships
2. Passion is contagious
a.) Passion is caught by other people it cannot be taught
b.) Passion reveals the living witness of Jesus christ in our lives
c.) Passion works like a magnet – some people will be drawn to you and others will be pushed away
III. The results of passion
A. True passion leads us to heaven
1. True passion is being centered in and driven by Christ in such a way that we are moved to action
2. True passion leads us in our walk with Jesus
3. True passion allows us to keep our focus in life
B. True passion leads others to heaven
1. Our passion for God has direct implications on others
a.) Our love for God must be our #1 priority in life
b.) Our love for God should spill over into our love for others
2. Our passion for others allows us to share the gospel
a.) Passion gives us a boldness and a courage every day in life
b.) Passion writes the good news of Jesus on our hearts and in our minds
IV. What happens when passion is lost? – Revelation 2:1-7
A. Service is not the same as passion
1. It is possible to serve God without passion
a.) Serving God out of a sense of duty is draining
b.) Living for God out of legalism will sap the passion out of your life
c.) Service alone will not produce passion
2. Serving out of love
a.) Serving and living for God out of love will create passion in you
b.) Passion starts and ends with love
c.) Where there is no love there will be no passion
B. When passion is absent God will not move
1. The church of Ephesus
a.) They were busy serving God - They were doing the right things
b.) Ephesus seems to have lost their passion
2. Forgetting their first love
a.) The church had lost their first love
1.) They were too busy being servants instead of being Christians
2.) The passion of their faith was gone
b.) Results of a loss of passion
1.) God held this loss of passion against them
2.) Repent or lose the status as a lampstand
3.) The terrible loss of the tree of life
C. Where are we with God?
1. Does this church have the passion level God desires?
a.) Are we at the passion level that God desires?
b.) Is this church a place truly passionate about what God wants to do in this community?
2. Do you have the passion level God desires for your life?
a.) Are you at the passion level God wants for your life?
b.) Are you truly passionate about what God wants to do with your life?
c.) Do you need a new filling of the love of God?
