Then I said, “I will not make mention of Him, Nor speak anymore in His name.” But His word was in my heart like a burning fire shut up in my bones; I was weary of holding it back, And I could not.” –Jer 20:9 NKJV
When you read this verse in context with the rest of this passage in Jeremiah 20 you will see that Jeremiah is speaking this as a complaint before God; however, I also want you to this verse in another way. I believe that this verse more than any other statement made in Scripture summarizes who Jeremiah was. Even in the midst of the most ardent ridicule and persecution Jeremiah could not stop preaching God’s word. He couldn’t stop preaching because his heart was a blazing bonfire of passion that compelled him to share. He was a bonfire for God.
I have been thinking about this passage for the last couple of weeks and have asked God how a heart can be set ablaze for Him. In seeking out this answer, I have examined the lives of Jeremiah and Paul--two men whose hearts were set ablaze for God. From Scripture I have discovered seven qualities of bonfire believers.
I. One quality of bonfire believers is that they have completely surrendered everything to God. Surrender may start with salvation, but certainly doesn’t end there. Surrender only starts to become complete when we embrace the cross and fulfill the calling God has for us. Consider what Jeremiah experienced when he first received his calling from God in Jeremiah 1:4-9.
Then the word of the Lord came to me, saying:“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; Before you were born I sanctified you; I ordained you a prophet to the nations.”
Then said I: “Ah, Lord God! Behold, I cannot speak, for I am a youth.”
But the Lord said to me: Do not say, “I am a youth,” For you shall go to whom all I send you, And whatever I command you, you shall speak.
Do not be afraid of their faces, For I am with you to deliver you,” says the Lord.
Then the Lord put forth His hand and touched my mouth, and the Lord said to me: Behold, I have put My words in your mouth.
The word of the LORD also came to me, saying, 2"You shall not take a wife, nor shall you have sons or daughters in this place." – Jeremiah 16:1-2 New King James Version (NKJV)
Then He said to them all, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily,[1] and follow Me. – Luke 9:23 NKJV
When Jeremiah answered God’s call, he surrendered everything! Though the prophet lived hundreds of years before Christ, he certainly knew what it meant to carry the cross! How God calls us to sacrifice is different for each person. Consider the testimony of Dietrich Bonhoeffer. He was a well-known German theologian teaching in New York in the 1930s when God called him to return to Nazi Germany to make a stance for the gospel there. He did return to Nazi Germany and his opposition to Hitler eventually cost him his life. In the words of Bonhoeffer, "When Christ calls a man, he bids him come and die.”
Consider the testimony of Jim Elliot who felt called to be a missionary to the Auca Indians of Ecuador. One of his first visits to these Indians resulted in his death. Was his effort a waste? Consider what Jim Elliot himself wrote: “He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.”
Many people are eager to embrace the salvation aspect of the cross, but balk at the discipleship end of it. To embrace the cross means that we will sometimes have to inconvenience ourselves to answer the call, but if we didn’t then it wouldn’t be a cross.
Sometimes we balk at Christian service because we don’t feel that we are gifted enough to serve Him. But God doesn’t care about our abilities! He only cares about our availability! He only cares if the fire is burning inside us! You see you can’t get fired up by only dressing for the game, you gotta get off the bench and play! If you feel like the spiritual fire in your life has gone down then ask yourself if there is any sin in your life. Then ask yourself if you have done anything for the Lord lately!
II. The bonfire believer is consumed with the word.
Then the Lord put forth His hand and touched my mouth, and the Lord said to me: Behold, I have put My words in your mouth.—Jer 1:9 NKJV
This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.—Josh 1:8 NKJV
For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.--Hebrews 4:12
New International Version (NIV)
Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.--Ephesians 6:17
New International Version (NIV)
The law of his God is in his heart; his feet do not slip.--Psalm 37:31
It speaks of the word of God being like a sword. You know I am fascinated with medieval warfare. In the middle ages knights battled it out with long swords. You see you needed a long sword to do effective battle in the middle ages.
Consider this: How much time you spend in the word determines how long your sword is. For some believers their sword is only a nail file. For other believers their sword is only a pocket knife. For others their sword is a dagger. Remember that your enemy has a long sword. Remember that you are daily in a spiritual battle. Remember that you need to arm yourself daily in order to do effective battle. Arming yourself with the word keeps you sharp! It keeps you on fire!
III. The bonfire believer is broken for the lost.
O my soul, my soul! I am pained in my very heart! My heart makes a noise in me; I cannot hold my peace, Because you have heard, O my soul, The sound of the trumpet, the alarm of war.—Jer 4:19
The most anointed ministry is one through brokenness. Being broken for the lost means being vulnerable. This involves evangelism, servanthood, and intercession. We see from the beginning of this verse that Jeremiah is brokenhearted for the lost people of his generation. Are you willing to be brokenhearted for the lost people you know?
IV. The bonfire believer is sometimes persecuted.
“O Lord, you induced me, and I was persuaded; You are stronger than I, and have prevailed. I am in derision daily; Everyone mocks me.
“For when I spoke, I cried out; I shouted, “Violence and plunder!” Because the word of the Lord was made to me a reproach and a derision daily.
“Then I said, ‘I will not make mention of Him, Nor speak anymore in His name.” But His word was in my heart like a burning fire shut up in my bones; I was weary of holding it back, And I could not.” – Jer 20:7-9 NKJ
So they took Jeremiah and cast him into the dungeon of Malchiah the king’s son, which was in the court of the prison, and they let Jeremiah down with ropes. And in the dungeon there was no water, but mire. So Jeremiah sank in the mire. –Jer 38:6 NKJV
"We must form our estimate of men less from their achievements and failures and more from their sufferings." Dietrich Bonhoeffer
"No pain, no palm; no thorns, no throne; no gall, no glory; no cross, no crown." William Penn
I believe the most passionate believers in the world are not to be found in America, but rather in places where they are persecuted. You can hear even today inspiring stories from Voice of the Martyrs of believers who suffer for their faith on a daily basis. You can look at church history and find many examples of believers whose testimonies blazed even during the most brutal persecution. Consider the testimony of Thomas Hauker.
This account is taken from the book, Jesus Freaks.
During the reign of Mary Tudor in England many Protestants were burned for their faith. This was at the time when the Great Reformation was blazing across Europe. During the reign of Henry VIII, seeds of the Reformation had been allowed to take root shortly after the king had broken from the Catholic church. However, when his daughter Mary Tudor assumed the throne she wanted to reestablish Catholicism as the religion of the land. Many Protestant preachers were burned for their faith. One of them was Thomas Hauker.
Shortly before Thomas Hauker was to be burned at the stake, one of his friends asked him a favor. His friend said: “I need to know if what the others say about the grace of God is true. Tomorrow, when they burn you at the stake, if the pain is tolerable and your mind still at peace, lift your hands above your head. Do it right before you die. Thomas, I have to know.”
Thomas Hauker whispered to his friend, “I will.”
The next morning, Hauker was bound to the stake and the fire was lit. For a long time Hauker was engulfed in flames, but remained motionless. His fingers were eventually burnt to a crisp and then his fingers were gone. Everyone watching supposed he was dead. Suddenly, miraculously, Hauker lifted his hands in an act of worship towards God. He reached them up and with great rejoicing began clapped them three times in celebration.
The people watching were so moved that they broke into shouts of praise and applause!
Often times when we hear stories such as these we don’t think that we have it in us to under endure persecution. Consider this story concerning Corrie Ten Boom, a woman who was sent to a concentration camp in World War II for hiding Jews.
When she was a little girl, Corrie worried that she would never be strong enough to suffer for Jesus. Her father, a very wise man, told her to think about all the times she had taken a train trip.
"When do I give you the money for the trip? Three weeks before?" he asked. Corrie answered that he gave her the money just before they got on the train. Mr. ten Boom told Corrie that our wise Father in heaven knows when we are going to need things, too.
"Today you do not need the strength to be a martyr," he said. But as soon as you are called upon for the honor of suffering for Jesus, He will supply the strength you need-just in time."
V. The bonfire believer is an intercessor.
For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of His Son, that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers – Rom 1:9 NKJV
"I looked for a man among them who would build up the wall and stand before me in the gap on behalf of the land so I would not have to destroy it, but I found none.--Ezekiel 22:30
VI. The bonfire believer perseveres when the going gets tough! See 2 Corinthians 4:8-16:
"We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed and broken. We are perplexed, but we don’t give up and quit.
"We are hunted down, but God never abandons us. We get knocked down, but we get up again and keep going.
"Through suffering, these bodies of ours constantly share in the death of Jesus so that the life of Jesus may also be seen in our bodies.
"Yes, we live under constant danger of death because we serve Jesus, so that the life of Jesus will be obvious in our dying bodies.
"So we live in the face of death, but it has resulted in eternal life for you.
"But we continue to preach because we have the same kind of faith the psalmist had when he said, “I believed in God, and so I speak.”
"We know that the same God who raised our Lord Jesus will also raise us with Jesus and present us to himself along with you.
"All of these things are for your benefit. And as God’s grace brings more and more people to Christ, there will be great thanksgiving, and God will receive more and more glory.
"That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day."
We can learn much about perseverence from some famous missionaries from the 19th century.
It was seven years before William Carey baptized his first convert in India.
It was seven years before Judson won his first disciple in Burma.
Morrison toiled seven years before the first Chinaman was brought to Christ.
Consider this story:
John Stephen Akhwari represented the country of Tanzania in the 1968 Olympic marathon race in Mexico City. He finished last -- 57th out of 57, 19 minutes behind number 56. Early on he had fallen and was injured. He pushed on. When he entered the stadium, his leg was bandaged and he ran with obvious pain at every step. After he hobbled across the finish line, he was asked why he endured the pain when he had no chance of winning. He simply said, "My country did not send me to Mexico City to start the race. They sent me to finish the race."
VII. The on-fire believer is compelled by the love of Christ!
“For the love of Christ compels us….” –2 Cor 5:14 NIV
Think of time when you were in love. What was it like? What were you compelled to do that you normally didn’t do?
Did you suddenly find yourself talking on the phone for hours?
Were your conversations with your friends completely consumed with the topic of your beloved? Were you excited about any opportunity to share about him or her?
Did you find yourself reading love letters you received over and over again?
Was it easy to spend money in order to bless your beloved?
What would happen if we as believers fell head over heals in love with God? What if we chose to make 2 Corinthians 5:14 a cornerstone of our lives?
If every Christian did this, we would likely shake the world! Indeed love makes do some amazing things. Several years ago, the Scottish band, The Proclaimers, released a popular song, “I’m Gonna Be.” In it they sang:
But I would walk 500 miles
And I would walk 500 more
Just to be the man who walked 1,000 miles
To fall down at your door
Illustration: Love truly does compel us to go the distance for the object of our affection. Mel Gibson, playing cab driver Jerry Fletcher in “Conspiracy Theory,” said this to someone riding in his cab:
“Love gives you wings! It makes you fly. I don’t even call it love—I call it Geronimo. You see when you are in love, you’ll jump from the top of the Empire State and you won’t care—screaming Geronimo all the way down!”
“Then you’ll die,” objects the passenger. “You’ll squash yourself.”
“Love gives you wings.”
For some people, certain things are like jumping off the Empire State Building. Someone passionate about Jesus might be afraid of public speaking, but when Jesus fills their heart, they may find themselves preaching to hundreds! Someone might be afraid to witness, but when Jesus captures their heart, they will find themselves telling everyone about what God is doing in their life. A passion for Christ truly does gives us wings to go a great distance in the Kingdom of God!
Here is a truth: What you love the most is what fills your life the most! It is also what stands out the most in your life! Jesus said: “For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks.” (Matt 12:34b) For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. (Matt 6:21) What is coming out of the overflow of your heart? Where is your treasure?
When you are in love with God, witnessing is no longer an obligation, but like talking about someone you love!
The Bible is no longer a textbook, but a love letter!
Prayer is no longer a chore, but a daily phone conversation with someone you are in love with!
Giving to God is no longer like paying taxes, but like buying a gift for your beloved!
In avoiding sin, we are no longer motivated by fear of consequences, but fear of breaking God’s heart!
If there was a man who walked more than a thousand miles for God it was the Apostle Paul. If there were one verse that would sum up all of what he was about it would be 2 Corinthians 5:14!
Consider the following passages:
“Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea. I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my own countrymen, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false brothers. I have labored and toiled and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked.”—2 Corinthians 11:24-26
“For to me to live is Christ and to die is gain.”—Philippians 1:21
“I want to Christ and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of death in His sufferings, becoming like Him in His death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead.”—Philippians 3:10-11
It was love that compelled Paul to travel hundreds of miles and continually put himself in peril. He was so in love with Jesus he couldn’t help but suffer in Jesus. Paul’s love for Christ was so great that it took chains to keep him from going out, but even those chains didn’t stop him from ministering! Peter also felt this way. Consider what he said to the Sanhedrin:
Acts 4
19But Peter and John replied, "Judge for yourselves whether it is right in God’s sight to obey you rather than God. 20For we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard."
We must remember merely having talent isn’t enough when it comes to doing ministry. Your life has to be fueled and filled by a love for Jesus. What controls your life? What guides your decisions? In 2 Corinthians 4:8-9, Paul writes about how he and those working with him are able to persevere through trials. Ultimately, it was the love of Christ that empowered them!
When we become passionate, people will notice and ask about the hope in us! (1 Peter 3:15)
People will be drawn to us because of our love for Christ!
We become beacons of light in the darkness!
We become radiant with His presence!
Psalm 34
5 Those who look to him are radiant; their faces are never covered with shame.
"My lover is radiant and ruddy, outstanding among ten thousand."--Song of Solomon 5:10
Although Song of Solomon 5:10 pertains to Solomon and his lover, the principle behind this verse can apply to believers who are passionate about God! They are a rarity even among believers!
When we become excited about Christ, many lost will then become excited about Him!
Those in the darkness are seeking someone with light that will guide them to the ultimate Light! Are you willing to be that light? Will your life be one ignited by a burning passion for Jesus? Are you willing to let your passion shine for all to see?
Conclusion:
Shortly after Hudson Taylor was converted he was given a church membership card. On it was written Ezekiel 36:26: “A new heart also I will give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you a heart of flesh.”
“Dear Lord,” Hudson pleaded, “please take away my heart of stone and give me a heart of flesh! Help me believe the promises of your Word! My heart longs for this perfect holiness.” If this is your prayer, I want to invite you to come forward this morning.
