First Christian Church - El Centro
Faith and Fervency
2020 Sermon Series - FACING THE FUTURE WITH FAITH (Living through Rebellion, Riots, Revolution and Revival)
Locations & Times
First Christian Church - El Centro, CA
450 S Waterman Ave, El Centro, CA 92243, USA
Sunday 10:00 AM
“Having or showing a very intense and enthusiastic feeling”
I. HAVING PASSIONATE FAITH IN PRAISING GOD
1. Exodus 20:5 “You shall not bow down to false gods or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God.”
- The Hebrew word used for jealous is QANNA. It can be translated PASSION...It means passion in the sense of standing strong for something or having zeal.
- Translating the word QANNA to mean jealousy, can leave us with an unflattering view of God.
- In the context of this commandment, it means that the Lord will have no rivals and has no tolerance for us to betray him.
- His passion/jealousy is based on his righteous and holy love.
2. Since God is passionate in his love for us as his creation....
3. Hebrews 11:6 “Without faith it is impossible to please God because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.”
4. II Chronicles 16:9 “The eyes of the Lord look throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him.”
5. II Timothy 1:7 “For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.” We are not called to passivity and weakness.
6. If we can be enthusiastic about sports and wear our team colors and clap and cheer for them, why can’t we be passionate for Christ, who gave up everything in order to save us from eternal damnation.
7. There is no reason to hide who you are; a child of God and a disciple of Christ. That’s why we sing praises to him in our worship services. But we need to start living for him outside of the church.
8. A passionate Christian will, stand up for Jesus, love God and others, serve the Lord by serving others, and share the good news of salvation.
I. HAVING PASSIONATE FAITH IN PRAISING GOD
1. Exodus 20:5 “You shall not bow down to false gods or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God.”
- The Hebrew word used for jealous is QANNA. It can be translated PASSION...It means passion in the sense of standing strong for something or having zeal.
- Translating the word QANNA to mean jealousy, can leave us with an unflattering view of God.
- In the context of this commandment, it means that the Lord will have no rivals and has no tolerance for us to betray him.
- His passion/jealousy is based on his righteous and holy love.
2. Since God is passionate in his love for us as his creation....
3. Hebrews 11:6 “Without faith it is impossible to please God because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.”
4. II Chronicles 16:9 “The eyes of the Lord look throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him.”
5. II Timothy 1:7 “For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.” We are not called to passivity and weakness.
6. If we can be enthusiastic about sports and wear our team colors and clap and cheer for them, why can’t we be passionate for Christ, who gave up everything in order to save us from eternal damnation.
7. There is no reason to hide who you are; a child of God and a disciple of Christ. That’s why we sing praises to him in our worship services. But we need to start living for him outside of the church.
8. A passionate Christian will, stand up for Jesus, love God and others, serve the Lord by serving others, and share the good news of salvation.
II. HAVING PASSIONATE FAITH DURING PERSECUTION
1. Matthew 10:28 Jesus taught, “Do not fear the one who can kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell.”
2. We are living in the age of Laodicea. Laodicea was a city in Asia Minor which had a prominent church in the first century. The Lord wrote seven letters to seven churches that were recorded in Revelation 2 & 3. This letter was the last one found in Revelation 3:14-21.
3. The letter contains admonitions and warnings to the churches.
Rev 3:15-16 “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.”
4. The majority of churches in America fit that profile. America has gone from being a dynamic Christian nation to one of spiritual apathy? Countries in Africa and South America who received thousands of American missionaries for a hundred years are now sending their own pastors as missionaries to America to try and save her and revive the church.
5. The church will not die and completely disappear from America, but the church will not have influence in the culture until she becomes alive and passionate in her mission again. We have already been deemed as nonessential in California during the COVID crisis.
6. Too many churches have traded in evangelism for new buildings. They have bought into a false narrative that a new building replaces personal witnessing. With the right facility, you can now reach the lost. They will come to you because of your building. They may come but will they stay?
7. Psalm 127:1 “Unless the Lord builds the house, its builders labor in vain.” The Lord builds the house through Spiritual power and fills it with people who are passionately in love with him. “This is the word of the Lord, ‘Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the Lord Almighty.” (Zech. 4:6)
8. The longer we embrace spiritual apathy (lukewarmness) the more we will be persecuted in America, the more we will listen to those outside of Christ. Being politically correct has consequences. “For they love the glory that comes from man, more than the glory that comes from God.” (John 12:43)
1. Matthew 10:28 Jesus taught, “Do not fear the one who can kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell.”
2. We are living in the age of Laodicea. Laodicea was a city in Asia Minor which had a prominent church in the first century. The Lord wrote seven letters to seven churches that were recorded in Revelation 2 & 3. This letter was the last one found in Revelation 3:14-21.
3. The letter contains admonitions and warnings to the churches.
Rev 3:15-16 “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.”
4. The majority of churches in America fit that profile. America has gone from being a dynamic Christian nation to one of spiritual apathy? Countries in Africa and South America who received thousands of American missionaries for a hundred years are now sending their own pastors as missionaries to America to try and save her and revive the church.
5. The church will not die and completely disappear from America, but the church will not have influence in the culture until she becomes alive and passionate in her mission again. We have already been deemed as nonessential in California during the COVID crisis.
6. Too many churches have traded in evangelism for new buildings. They have bought into a false narrative that a new building replaces personal witnessing. With the right facility, you can now reach the lost. They will come to you because of your building. They may come but will they stay?
7. Psalm 127:1 “Unless the Lord builds the house, its builders labor in vain.” The Lord builds the house through Spiritual power and fills it with people who are passionately in love with him. “This is the word of the Lord, ‘Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the Lord Almighty.” (Zech. 4:6)
8. The longer we embrace spiritual apathy (lukewarmness) the more we will be persecuted in America, the more we will listen to those outside of Christ. Being politically correct has consequences. “For they love the glory that comes from man, more than the glory that comes from God.” (John 12:43)
III. HAVING PASSIONATE FAITH DURING PROBLEMS
1. I Peter 5:6-7 “Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety (cares) on him because he cares for you.”
2. A passionate faith is a connecting faith. It does not keep us distant from God, it helps us to embrace him. We must learn to trust him, not just with our salvation, but with our circumstances, good and bad.
3. Turn toward Christ, not away from him. “Seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” (Mt 6:33-34)
4. Worry is nothing more than fear. Fear and trust are opposites. Trusting God is the antidote to fear and worry. When you put your problems in God’s hands then he can put peace in your heart!
WAYS TO OVERCOME OUR PROBLEMS
- Replace Fear with Faith in God’s Love for You
- Focus on God’s Power not the Size of the Problem
- Trust in God’s Plan for your life and his Glory
- Surround yourself with Strong Christians
- Read and study the Bible (Hebrews 4:12)
- Pray Consistently until the problem is resolved
- Don’t give up, Be Obedient to what God asks you to do
Jeremiah 32:27 “The word of the Lord came to Jeremiah: I am the Lord, the God of all mankind. Is anything too hard for me?”
Isaiah 9:6-7 "...the zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this.”
Once again we see the Hebrew word “Qanna” used for zeal. Zeal or passion is not used as an emotion in scripture. It is used as “An energetic, intense pursuit of an aim, cause, or goal.”
1. I Peter 5:6-7 “Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety (cares) on him because he cares for you.”
2. A passionate faith is a connecting faith. It does not keep us distant from God, it helps us to embrace him. We must learn to trust him, not just with our salvation, but with our circumstances, good and bad.
3. Turn toward Christ, not away from him. “Seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” (Mt 6:33-34)
4. Worry is nothing more than fear. Fear and trust are opposites. Trusting God is the antidote to fear and worry. When you put your problems in God’s hands then he can put peace in your heart!
WAYS TO OVERCOME OUR PROBLEMS
- Replace Fear with Faith in God’s Love for You
- Focus on God’s Power not the Size of the Problem
- Trust in God’s Plan for your life and his Glory
- Surround yourself with Strong Christians
- Read and study the Bible (Hebrews 4:12)
- Pray Consistently until the problem is resolved
- Don’t give up, Be Obedient to what God asks you to do
Jeremiah 32:27 “The word of the Lord came to Jeremiah: I am the Lord, the God of all mankind. Is anything too hard for me?”
Isaiah 9:6-7 "...the zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this.”
Once again we see the Hebrew word “Qanna” used for zeal. Zeal or passion is not used as an emotion in scripture. It is used as “An energetic, intense pursuit of an aim, cause, or goal.”
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