Title: Zeal for God
Text: Multi-texted-Topical
Introduction: Have you ever gotten tired of a concept or idea or maybe even a word.
‒ T.V. commercials remind me of this.
‒ How many of us really like the 3 minute long Sports Illustrated commercials any more?
‒ How many of us are sick of the little pink bunny?
‒ How many times in your life have your heard, "For your free information call 1-800...?
‒ I think concepts in the Lord’s church can do the same thing.
‒ We hear so much about certain subjects that we tire of listening to them.
‒ When they come up in Bible class we tune them out.
‒ I’ve even seen people roll their eyes.
‒ How do we deal with that?
‒ Is it right for us to lose our interest in God’s concepts.
‒ We are human.
‒ We need to renew ourselves often so that we do not become lazy.
READ Romans 12:11 NCV) “Do not be lazy but work hard, serving the Lord with all your heart.
(The word for “serving the Lord with all your heart” is the same Greek word for "zeal.")
**Giving up and becoming lazy is easy, but it takes enthusiasm and fervor and zeal to remain interested and faithful.
1. We need zeal again in the Lord’s church.
A. What is zeal?
‒ Webster says it is "eagerness in the pursuit of something."
‒ That indicates action in the word "pursuit."
‒ The Greek word means, "to have strong feelings for."
‒ he word carries the idea of even being jealous for something.
‒ Having strong feelings motivates us toward good for Jesus.
‒ Being zealous for God is more than being enthusiastic for him.
‒ Revelation 2:10 says, "Be faithful even if it gets you killed and I will give you a crown of righteousness."
‒ Being zealous is being willing to die for the cause of Jesus Christ.
‒ It is being willing to live for the cause of Jesus Christ.
**There are some areas we need to work. Where do we need zeal in our lives?
2. We need more zeal for Christ in the pursuit of our own spiritual growth.
A. The Hebrew people we read about in Hebrew 5:12-6:1 where not growing up spiritually. They had lost that zealous fervor.
‒ (Hebrews 5:12-14 NCV) By now you should be teachers, but you need someone to teach you again the first lessons of God’s message. You still need the teaching that is like milk. You are not ready for solid food. {13} Anyone who lives on milk is still a baby and knows nothing about right teaching. {14} But solid food is for those who are grown up. They have practiced in order to know the difference between good and evil. (6:1) So let us go on to grown-up teaching. Let us not go back over the beginning lessons we learned about Christ. We should not again start teaching about faith in God and about turning away from those acts that lead to death.
‒ "...By now you should be teachers,...." 5:12
‒ "...those who are grown up. They have practiced in order to know the difference between good and evil....." 5:14
‒ "...let us go on to grown-up teaching....." 6:1
‒ Growing takes work.
‒ It takes a conscious effort.
‒ Growing pains hurt because it gets us out of our comfort zones.
‒ Growing spiritually causes us to change and change hurts us so bad.
B. In pursuing that spiritual growth, we need to be jealous of our time we spend on our relationship with God.
‒ The marriage relationship is one of the most sacred and intimate relationships in our lives. Yet, it does not take priority over God.
‒ 1 Corinthians 7:5 says of sexuality in marriage, "Do not deprive one another, except by consent for a time of prayer...."
‒ Though marriage is an intimate relationship it is still not as important as our spiritual relationship with God.
‒ Though family is so important, Jesus said, "If you love father, mother, son or daughter more than me, you are not worthy of me."
‒ Those are strong words, but they tell how important Jesus wants to be in our lives.
**In short, nothing is as important in our lives as growing spiritually.
**NOT ONLY DO WE NEED MORE ZEAL FOR OUR OWN SPIRITUAL GROWTH....
3. We need more zeal for Christ and the church in the Home. How much time do we spend teaching our children about the Way of Jesus? What about the Bible? Moral values?
A. Dads need more zeal, When are we going to wake up to the fact the we are more responsible for our kids spiritual well-being than for their physical well-being.
‒ (Ephesians 6:4 NCV) Fathers, do not make your children angry, but raise them with the training and teaching of the Lord.
‒ Bringing them up is our responsibility.
‒ I really don’t think we get it. The scripture mean here that I answer for the way in which my children are brought up.
‒ How many times I have heard Christian ladies say, "I can’t do this myself."
‒ Our wives are frustrated. They are angry. They are embarrassed.
‒ These emotions lead to sadness and can even end in divorce.
‒ We men need a revival!
‒ We need to begin showing and telling Jesus by the lives we live.
‒ We need men of prayer, of Bible study, and leaders in both in the home and in the church.
B. Mom’s need more zeal, There is nothing more precious than a good Christian mother.
‒ How many times my mother must have prayed for me. She is a great blessing.
‒ Moms need to show that Christian zeal in a loving attitude at home.
‒ Challenge is always a part of parenthood that we need continual help.
‒ I challenge us as parents today.
‒ Dads begin right now to show your zeal for God.
‒ Moms, don’t give up. Show your example of Jesus in the home.
C. When need more zeal for the church in our homes.
‒ Having more zeal for the church means God’s word is to be glorified.
‒ Statistically, the average home has three copies of the Bible in their home.
‒ I met a man door knocking one day. I mentioned this statistic to him. His reply, "Yes, but most of the collect dust."
‒ Most of us are above average, in that, we have more.
‒ Translations are ever present for us to understand the Bible in our own language.
‒ Yet we know less about the word than ever in the church.
‒ Why? Because we have stopped being zealous for the word.
‒ How many of us brought a Bible to worship?
‒ It is no longer a priority.
‒ We are too busy.
‒ I did an experiment in a 5th-6th grade class once where I gave homework each week. On average, 3 out of 12 students in that class did the homework. Why?
‒ Parents, What would happen if their school work didn’t get done? We all struggle with this.
‒ We must constantly stay on our guard.
‒ (2 Timothy 2:15 NCV) Make every effort to give yourself to God as the kind of person he will accept. Be a worker who is not ashamed and who uses the true teaching in the right way.
‒ How can I use the right teaching if I do not know the word of truth. We need zeal for the word of God!!
‒ Is the word of God "a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path."
‒ Having more zeal for the church means the people of God ought to be important to us in our homes.
‒ The way we talk about one another reflects how zealous we are for God.
‒ Rom 12:10 says, "Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another."
‒ We need to keep a running list in our mind, on paper, or some way pray for one another?
‒ (James 5:16 NCV) Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so God can heal you. When a believing person prays, great things happen.
‒ Pray that believes in God is makes great things happen.
‒ Having more zeal for the church means the work and activities of the church ought to be first.
‒ The first thing in my budget ought to be giving to God. (2 Corinthians 9:7 NCV) Each one should give as you have decided in your heart to give. You should not be sad when you give, and you should not give because you feel forced to give. God loves the person who gives happily.
‒ My monthly activities should include the work of the church.
‒ The gift and talent that God has blessed you with in the Kingdom should be exercised.
‒ Teaching, Singing, Praying, Evangelism, Preaching, Shepherding, Deaconing, and the list goes on and on.
‒ My loyalty to the kingdom of Christ should be foremost.
Conclusion: There is so much to do in the church. What are you doing for God right now. So many give so much time and effort, but there are many who for years have sat in the wings and let others do the work.
‒ It’s time we get up and go to work for the Lord.
‒ He’s given us motivation.
‒ He died for us.
‒ He has placed us in the kingdom for a purpose.
‒ Why not discover that purpose in your life today?
‒ On June 6, 1995, I had a terrible crash on a motorcycle. It almost cost me my life. When I was ready to leave the hospital the doctor told me something I will never forget. He said that most people die from the kind of injuries you sustained. You didn’t. He said, “I suggest you go out and find what it is that God has planned for you.”
‒ What does God have planned for you?
