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What Is Needed Today In Religion? Godly Zeal Introduction:
How zealous are you in serving God? A related question is how zealous are we in
our worship and study of God’s word? It seems the easier and easier it has
become for people to worship God the less they do so. Gospel Meetings are seen
as inconveniences or worse yet simply ignored.
Different religious groups are resorting to gimmicks to get people to
come to their services. We want to
see what is and is not needed in religion today. I)
Godliness and
Zeal Goes Together a.
Zeal is undivided
service, having a fervent desire.
i.
God wants our undivided service, He is a jealous God, Ex.
20.5
ii.
Read Exodus 34.12-17 He would
not be numbered among the others gods of this world. b.
It is this type of
zeal God wants us to have, Titus 2.14
i.
A zeal that is built on faith
ii.
A zeal that moves us to action
iii.
A zeal that will not vanish over time II)
Zeal Without
Knowledge is Not Needed In Religion Today, Romans 10.1-3 a.
See this with the
i.
They were united but not in doing God’s will.
ii.
Zeal often gets attention and people are attracted to it. b.
Many religious
groups in the Bible zealous
i.
Prophets of Baal, 1 Kings 18.25-26
ii.
Jews that persecuted Christians.
iii.
Paul was zealous in opposing the Gospel of Christ, Acts 22.3-5 c.
See this with the
Pharisees, Matthew 23.15
i.
They attacked Jesus with zeal, denying His works, accusing Him of breaking
the Sabbath, casting out demons by the power of Satan. d.
Today we see
religious groups that are zealous
i.
Cults such as Mormons,
ii.
Some “Christian groups” stress emotionalism and zeal. Their services
are designed at pleasing themselves and therefore pleasing God. III)
Other Kinds Of
Zeal That Is Not Needed Today a.
Knowledge Without
Zeal Is Not Needed In Religion Today, Revelation 3.14ff
i.
Many mistake knowledge and knowing to do good with actually doing good,
James 4.17
ii.
We know we should worship God and pray but we just don’t do it. b.
Misguided zeal
i.
Zeal for ones traditions, Galatians
1.14
ii.
Zeal for spiritual gifts, 1
Corinthians 14.12 IV)
What Is Needed
Today a.
A true zeal to
please God, exhibited in the following people
i.
Phinehas in Numbers 25.6-8 this
was not a self righteous anger but one against those flaunting sin.
ii.
David as he refused to offer a sacrifice that cost him nothing, 2
Samuel 24.22-25 (Also seen when David met Goliath)
iii.
Jesus in John 2.13-17 as He saw
the perversions in the
iv.
Paul as he went from persecuting Christians to spreading the Gospel of
Christ, Acts 9.26-27 b.
Where will we get
or develop this kind of zeal?
i.
From hearing the Gospel of Christ, Luke
24.32
ii.
From being around others that have a similar zeal, Hebrews 11.24 V)
Areas We Need
To Show This Zeal a.
Willingness to
make sacrifices to serve God
i.
Are we willing to go the extra mile? Or are we trying to do the less we
can and still get to heaven?
ii.
Do we ask what more can I do to spread the word of God or are we excusing
our inactivity?
iii.
Are we thinking of our brethren and our neighbors in how we can help them?
b.
In our worship to
God
i.
Are we doing the best we can in preparing ourselves for worship? Do we
study our lessons before Bible Class, do we make the effort to get here on time?
ii.
Are thinking about the songs we are singing and singing with our hearts,
iii.
Are we praying to God fervently and thinking of His will? c.
In becoming more
and more like Christ as we live each day. Galatians 2.20
i.
Country music song with the line “I may be just a lump of coal but
I’ll be a diamond some day.” Does that describe us.
ii.
Would our neighbors describe us as being
zealous in serving our God?
iii.
Do we place the emphasis on the spiritual or physical? Matthew
5.29-30 Conclusion:
We will not make it to heaven unless we are serving God above all else. |