2014 - a year for zeal (part 4)

2014

A Year For Zeal

I Am a Church Member

“I noted in my

research that church

conflict was

increasing. Over

one-half of the

conflict issues dealt

with church

members arguing

over their personal

preferences.”

The attitude

that makes

the difference.


1. I will be a functioning church

member.

2. I will be a unifying church member.

3. I will not let my church be about my

preferences and desires.

4. I will pray for my church leaders.

5. I will lead my family to be healthy

church members.

6. I will treasure church membership as

a gift.

Zeal Is More!

• Galatians 4:18

– It is fine to be zealous, provided

the purpose is good, and to be so

always, not just when I am with

you. (NIV)

– If someone is eager to do good

things for you, that's all right; but

let them do it all the time, not just

when I'm with you. (NLT)

A Church With Zeal

• Acts 2:42-47 1. A learning church

2. A fellowshipping church

3. A praying church

4. A reverent church

5. A happening church

6. A sharing church

7. A worshipping church

8. A happy church

9. A popular church

10. A growing church

Where Zeal Is Applied

1. Personal

2. Home

3. FRANs

4. Church

The Church With Zeal

• NOT like a restaurant where you

get to choose from a menu but a

family where you eat the meal set

before you.


• NOT like a store where you

wander the aisles deciding what

to buy but like a theatre backstage

experience where you learn your

role.


• NOT like a diversion where you

engage based on whims or

immediate needs but a place of

commitment where you

demonstrate the Lord’s work

comes before all other possible

uses of time, talent and treasure.


• NOT like a dysfunctional family

where people live in silence and

don’t share and work out their

differences but a healthy family

where everyone respects the

others and submits to them.


• NOT like a charity where you

decide to support based on the

personal appeal of a cause but a

covenant group where you join

with others and support the

family.


• NOT like a workplace where

everyone has a better idea than

the boss but a spiritual team

where everyone sets their

personal ideas and preferences

into the framework of the greater

cause.

Why?

• “The church is the indispensible

filling station where zeal is

replenished.”

Zeal Zappers

Serious Danger!

Serious Danger?

Spiritual Danger

1. Satan is real.

Spiritual Danger

1. Satan is real.

2. Satan is nasty.

Spiritual Danger

1. Satan is real.

2. Satan is nasty.

3. People are vulnerable.

Spiritual Danger

1. Satan is real.

2. Satan is nasty.


4. God is infinitely greater.

Spiritual Danger

1. Satan is real.

2. Satan is nasty.



5. God gives victory.

Spiritual Danger

1. Satan is real.

2. Satan is nasty.



5. God gives victory.

6. Christians are vulnerable.

Spiritual Danger

• Galatians 1:3-5

• Grace and peace to you from

God our Father and the Lord

Jesus Christ, who gave himself

for our sins to rescue us from

the present evil age, according

to the will of our God and

Father, to whom be glory for

ever and ever. Amen.

Spiritual Danger

• Colossians 1:13

• For he has rescued us from the

dominion of darkness and

brought us into the kingdom of

the Son he loves.

Spiritual Danger

• 2 Corinthians 4:4

• The god of this age has blinded

the minds of unbelievers, so

that they cannot see the light of

the gospel that displays the

glory of Christ, who is the

image of God.

Spiritual Danger

• Ephesians 4:25-27

• Therefore each of you must put

off falsehood and speak

truthfully to your neighbor, for

we are all members of one body.

“In your anger do not sin”: Do

not let the sun go down while

you are still angry, and do not

give the devil a foothold.

Spiritual Danger

• 1 John 3:7-8

• Dear children, do not let anyone

lead you astray. The one who

does what is right is righteous,

just as he is righteous. The one

who does what is sinful is of the

devil, because the devil has

been sinning from the

beginning.

Spiritual Conflict ~ Expect It!

1. The Problem of Fallen Life

1. Toil

– Genesis 3:16-19 • “pains in childbearing”

• “Cursed is the ground because of

you; ...through painful toil ... all the

days of your life. ... By the sweat of

your brow”



2. Trouble

– Job 5:7 • “Yet man is born to trouble as

surely as sparks fly upward.”



3. Torment

– 2 Corinthians 12:7 • “... in order to keep me from

becoming conceited, I was given a

thorn in my flesh, a messenger of

Satan, to torment me.”


2. The Perniciousness of Sin

– Romans 7:14-20 • “... For I know that good itself does

not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful

nature. For I have the desire to do

what is good, but I cannot carry it

out. ...”


3. The Persuasiveness of the

World System

– 1 John 2:15-16 • “ Do not love the world or anything

in the world. If anyone loves the

world, love for the Father is not in

them. For everything in the world—

the lust of the flesh, the lust of the

eyes, and the pride of life—comes

not from the Father but from the

world.”


4. The Power of Satanic

Opposition

1. Erosion

– Revelation 3:14-20 • “I know your deeds, that you are

neither cold nor hot. I wish you

were either one or the other! So,

because you are lukewarm—neither

hot nor cold—I am about to spit you

out of my mouth.”



Opposition

2. Ruts

– Exodus 20:5-6 • “... punishing the children for the

sin of the parents to the third and

fourth generation of those who hate

me, but showing love to a thousand

generations of those who love me

and keep my commandments.”



Opposition

3. Walls

– 1 Thessalonians 2:18 • “For we wanted to come to you—

certainly I, Paul, did, again and

again—but Satan blocked our way.”



Opposition

4. Blinders

– 2 Corinthians 11:3 • “… But I am afraid that just as Eve

was deceived by the serpent’s

cunning, your minds may somehow

be led astray from your sincere and

pure devotion to Christ.”

Spiritual Victory ~ Live It!

• 1 John 4:4

• You, dear children, are from

God and have overcome them,

because the one who is in you is

greater than the one who is in

the world.

Spiritual Victory ~ Live It!

• Expose the Darkness – Ephesians 5:11

• “But everything exposed by the light

becomes visible ...”

• Resist the Devil – Ephesians 6:10-18

• “... Put on the full armor of God, so that

you can take your stand against the

devil’s schemes.”

• Overcome the Delusion – 1 John 2:12-14

• “…because you have overcome the evil

one”

Spiritual Leaders ~ Attacked!

• Zechariah 13:7, Mark 14:27

– Strike the shepherd, and the sheep

will be scattered.

• Ephesians 6:12

– For our struggle is not against flesh

and blood, but against the rulers,

against the authorities, against the

powers of this dark world and

against the spiritual forces of evil in

the heavenly realms.


1. I will be a functioning church

member.

2. I will be a unifying church member.

3. I will not let my church be about my

preferences and desires.

4. I will pray for my church leaders.

5. I will lead my family to be healthy

church members.

6. I will treasure church membership as

a gift.