Almost every major invention, work of art, musical composition, or professional accomplishment has been achieved because someone was intensely passionate about getting it done. Passion is an integral part of what drives people in sports, recreation, politics, movies, careers and a myriad of other things. And, if you want to visibly see passion, tune in to your favorite sporting event and watch the fans, and listen to them cheer for their team. Admittedly, some of their exuberance may be over the top, but it all serves to illustrate what passion looks like in real life.
Passion is what you talk about, think about, and dream about on a regular basis. It’s what you sacrifice to achieve without complaint. It’s where you find your identity and you feel like you belong. Actually, there’s nothing wrong with living life passionately, but Christians must keep in mind that their greatest passion must be for the things of God. And, His church certainly fits in that category.
This year our church is focusing on a biblical truth that comes out of the life of Jesus and is summarized in the phrase, “I Love My Church.” This is first and foremost a description of how Christ feels about His church. The Apostle Paul, writing in Ephesians says, “Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her...” (5:25). There could be no greater display of God’s passion for His church than on that hillside outside the ancient walled city of Jerusalem. Jesus didn’t just paint His body, memorize team statistics, buy a ticket to the big game, and join other fans to yell cheers at the top of His lungs. He “gave Himself up” for her, meaning He died for His church. It seems that if God loves His church that much...we should love it, too.
Each quarter this year we will be focusing on a different aspect of our passion for His church. The first quarter of 2011 we are looking at our “passionate commitment” to His church. This certainly is one of the greatest ways for us to demonstrate our love for God. Someone that is passionate about something will inevitably make a commitment to it. He’ll purchase a ticket to the big game, schedule to be in front of the TV (if he can’t attend), spend money on team gear, endure harsh conditions to be in the stands, and show up hours early before it starts. When we translate that kind of passion into the spiritual realm we find that it leads to a deeper commitment to be a part of and participate in Christ's church. If we are passionate about the things of God we will prioritize the church so that all secondary concerns flow around, not over, our commitment. The passionate followers of Jesus will never question what they will be doing on Sunday. Their passion for God and His church causes everything else to “flow around” their primary commitment to be with the Lord’s people on the Lord’s Day.
Pastor/Author Joshua Harris posed a poignant question in a conference where he was speaking about commitment to the church. He asked the congregation, “Are you married to God’s church or are you just dating the church?” Obviously, one of the major differences between marriage and dating is the level of commitment possessed by those involved. And yet, commitment to the church is one of the greatest “blind-spots” in many Christians’ lives. John Stott said it well: “If the church is central to God's purpose as seen in both history and the gospel, it must surely also be central to our lives. How can we take lightly what God takes so seriously?"
Join us each Sunday as we discover a renewed passion for the things of Christ and His church. Over the four quarters of this year we will be considering matters such as commitment, community, care, and celebration in His church. These are all part of being a passionate follower of Jesus. Truth be told, I pray that everyone of us will be able to say with Christ, “I love my church.”
Passion is what you talk about, think about, and dream about on a regular basis. It’s what you sacrifice to achieve without complaint. It’s where you find your identity and you feel like you belong. Actually, there’s nothing wrong with living life passionately, but Christians must keep in mind that their greatest passion must be for the things of God. And, His church certainly fits in that category.
This year our church is focusing on a biblical truth that comes out of the life of Jesus and is summarized in the phrase, “I Love My Church.” This is first and foremost a description of how Christ feels about His church. The Apostle Paul, writing in Ephesians says, “Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her...” (5:25). There could be no greater display of God’s passion for His church than on that hillside outside the ancient walled city of Jerusalem. Jesus didn’t just paint His body, memorize team statistics, buy a ticket to the big game, and join other fans to yell cheers at the top of His lungs. He “gave Himself up” for her, meaning He died for His church. It seems that if God loves His church that much...we should love it, too.
Each quarter this year we will be focusing on a different aspect of our passion for His church. The first quarter of 2011 we are looking at our “passionate commitment” to His church. This certainly is one of the greatest ways for us to demonstrate our love for God. Someone that is passionate about something will inevitably make a commitment to it. He’ll purchase a ticket to the big game, schedule to be in front of the TV (if he can’t attend), spend money on team gear, endure harsh conditions to be in the stands, and show up hours early before it starts. When we translate that kind of passion into the spiritual realm we find that it leads to a deeper commitment to be a part of and participate in Christ's church. If we are passionate about the things of God we will prioritize the church so that all secondary concerns flow around, not over, our commitment. The passionate followers of Jesus will never question what they will be doing on Sunday. Their passion for God and His church causes everything else to “flow around” their primary commitment to be with the Lord’s people on the Lord’s Day.
Pastor/Author Joshua Harris posed a poignant question in a conference where he was speaking about commitment to the church. He asked the congregation, “Are you married to God’s church or are you just dating the church?” Obviously, one of the major differences between marriage and dating is the level of commitment possessed by those involved. And yet, commitment to the church is one of the greatest “blind-spots” in many Christians’ lives. John Stott said it well: “If the church is central to God's purpose as seen in both history and the gospel, it must surely also be central to our lives. How can we take lightly what God takes so seriously?"
Join us each Sunday as we discover a renewed passion for the things of Christ and His church. Over the four quarters of this year we will be considering matters such as commitment, community, care, and celebration in His church. These are all part of being a passionate follower of Jesus. Truth be told, I pray that everyone of us will be able to say with Christ, “I love my church.”
