THE FIRE OF GOD
(October 2005 - Bible Fellowship Sunday am)
ILLUSTRATION: Let me begin by telling you a story about a man who was going skydiving for the first time. He had taken all his lessons and it was time for his first solo jump. So he jumped out of the plane, but he panicked and couldn’t remember how to open his parachute. As he was falling rapidly to the earth he suddenly met another guy who was going up. So he seized the opportunity and shouted, "Hey, buddy do you know how to open a parachute?" The guy shouted back, "No! Do you know how to light a propane stove?"
It’s not wise to play with fire! Maybe that’s why God chose fire to be the symbol of His presence. It’s all throughout the Bible:
· Moses met the presence of God as a flame of fire in the midst of a bush (Ex. 3:2).
· The people of Israel confronted the presence of God at Sinai where fire came down from heaven upon the Mountain (Ex. 19:18).
· Solomon dedicated the Temple and fire fell from heaven and the glory of the Lord filled the temple (2 Chron 7:1).
· Daniel’s vision of the Ancient of Days had God’s throne as a fiery flame and a river of fire came out from it (Dan. 7:9-10).
TEXT:
“I came to send fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled!” (Luke 12:49).
· Jesus is a flamethrower! “Our God is a consuming fire!” (Heb. 12:29).
STORY: 1 Kings 18:21-40. Background – nation under wickedness (Ahab & Jezebel)
“21 And Elijah came to all the people, and said, "How long will you falter between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow Him; but if Baal, follow him." But the people answered him not a word. 22 Then Elijah said to the people, "I alone am left a prophet of the Lord; but Baal’s prophets are four hundred and fifty men. 23 Therefore let them give us two bulls; and let them choose one bull for themselves, cut it in pieces, and lay it on the wood, but put no fire under it; and I will prepare the other bull, and lay it on the wood, but put no fire under it. 24 Then you call on the name of your gods, and I will call on the name of the Lord; and the God who answers by fire, He is God." So all the people answered and said, "It is well spoken." (paraphrase rest).
36 And it came to pass, at the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that Elijah the prophet came near and said, "Lord God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, let it be known this day that You are God in Israel and I am Your servant, and that I have done all these things at Your word. 37 Hear me, O Lord, hear me, that this people may know that You are the Lord God, and that You have turned their hearts back to You again." 38 Then the fire of the Lord fell and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood and the stones and the dust, and it licked up the water that was in the trench. 39 Now when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces; and they said, "The Lord, He is God! The Lord, He is God!" 40 And Elijah said to them, "Seize the prophets of Baal! Do not let one of them escape!" So they seized them; and Elijah brought them down to the Brook Kishon and executed them there.”
· Prophetic picture of Canada – we must pray and sacrifice for the fire – for our nation!
1. WE NEED THE REFINER’S FIRE:
“Behold, I send My messenger, And he will prepare the way before Me. And the Lord, whom you seek, Will suddenly come to His temple, Even the Messenger of the covenant, In whom you delight. Behold, He is coming," Says the Lord of hosts. "But who can endure the day of His coming? And who can stand when He appears? For He is like a refiner’s fire and like launderer’s soap. He will sit as a refiner and a purifier of silver; He will purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer to the Lord An offering in righteousness.” (Malachi 3:1-3).
STORY: The Black Death
In 1665 the residents of London were dying by the thousands each day. The bubonic plague was spreading from house to house because of the unsanitary conditions. Rats and fleas spread the germs throughout the city. Almost 30,000 people died, almost a third of London’s population at the time. This plague was so bad experts say the entire population of London would have died if it had not been checked. But on September 2, 1666, the Great Fire of London broke out and burned uncontrollably for five days. Most of the structures in Medieval London were wooden, and almost the entire city was reduced to ashes. But when the fire finally died, the people discovered many of the rats and fleas had been killed in the fire and the epidemic of the Black Death was halted. The fire cleaned the city of the impurity that was killing its people.
· We need the refiner’s fire to come and purify our lives and get rid of the killer sin!
2. WE NEED THE SPIRIT OF ELIJAH:
Malachi said: Behold, I send My messenger, And he will prepare the way before Me.
“In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, and saying, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!" For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah, saying: "The voice of one crying in the wilderness: ’Prepare the way of the Lord; Make His paths straight.” (Matthew 3:1-3).
STORY: There was a fiery old revival preacher named Peter Cartwright who was famous for telling it like it was. He was preaching one time near Washington D.C. and the people of the church heard that Andrew Jackson was coming to visit. So they pulled Mr. Cartwright aside and said, "Listen Peter, the President is going to be here on Sunday and we know that sometimes you can get kind of offensive, so would you tone it down. We don’t want to upset the President." So Peter got up in the pulpit the next Sunday and his first three sentences were these. "I understand that the President of the United States, Andrew Jackson is with us this morning. I have been asked to be guarded in my remarks. Andrew Jackson will go to Hell is he doesn’t repent." The church was appalled, but when worship was over Andrew Jackson grabbed Mr. Cartwright’s hand, shook it and said, "Sir, if I had an army of men like you I could whip the world."
“I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but (Jesus) will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.” (Matthew 3:11).
3. WE NEED THE FIRE OF PENTECOST:
“But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me.” (Acts 1:8).
“When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.” (Acts 2:1-4).
· “Then, like a wildfire, the Holy Spirit spread through their ranks.” (2:3, Message).
STORY: In a little town unknown to many there was a small church. One night smoke and flames consumed this little church. People from all over town stood in the streets and watched the church as it burned. The local preacher drove up and noticed several people that he hadn’t seen in a while. Walking up to one man he asked "Where you been, I haven’t seen you around here in a while". The man responded, "That’s because I’ve never seen this church on fire!”
CHARLES SPURGEON’S ADVICE TO PREACHERS:
· “Set yourself on fire, and people will come from miles around to watch you burn!”
· Are we a church on fire? Not really. We are an extremely warm church, but the warmth of friendship is not the same as the fire of God.
· God doesn’t light churches, He lights individuals, like He did on Pentecost.
· The disciples were set on fire individually, then there was a church on fire!
CLOSING CHALLENGE:
“And the fire on the altar shall be kept burning on it; it shall not be put out. And the priest shall burn wood on it every morning.” (Leviticus 6:12).
WHAT IS THE FUEL FOR THE FIRE? THE S.P.A.R.K.
“If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.” (2 Chron. 7:14).
· S – SUBMISSION - humble ourselves under the authority of God’s Word daily.
· P – PRAYER - pray daily (distractions, family altar, church prayer meetings)
· A – APPROACHING - seek God’s face (intimacy – personal relationship with Jesus).
· R – REPENTANCE - turn from our sins (get rid of offenses, unforgiveness, bitterness)
· K – KNEELING - worshiping our glorious, majestic God who is a consuming fire!
WHEN WE DO THIS, WHAT WILL BE THE RESULT?
· GOD WILL SEND REVIVAL THAT WILL IMPACT OUR NATION!
· “God keep our land, glorious and free. O Canada we stand on guard for thee!”
· It’s not just about US! He will heal our land – and we will see salvations & miracles!
CLOSING PRAYER:
1. Salvation – repentance and forgiveness of sins
2. The Baptism of the Holy Spirit
3. The Refiner’s Fire
