ZEAL – Part 2 – Cultivating Zeal
- we defined Zeal by – Wholehearted surrender and fierce devotion to God rooted in the gospel.
- So I think the question for us – is how do we cultivate zeal in our life so that when the difficult situations come up – when our emotions don’t line up with our experience – we are able to maintain our zeal – to keep Christ as the highest priority in our life
And I think the answer to that question – is that in order for us to maintain our zeal as we go through life – is that we have to learn how to rest in the gospel –
Rest in the Gospel:
In order to begin to cultivate zeal in our life – we have to start at the place where zeal comes from – the finished work of Christ and our new identity in him
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth. (Eph. 1:3-10)
There’s a lot we could talk about with this passage – but I think the most striking thing about it – is how LITTLE we had to do with our own salvation. Paul says that – Christ has blessed us with every spiritual blessing – HE has chosen us before the world was even made – HE has made us holy and blameless – HE made us sons and daughters and adopted us into his family – HE redeemed us through his blood – He is the one who covered us in forgiveness – and mercy and grace –
Zeal is ultimately a response to what Christ has done for us on our behalf!
If anyone else thinks he has reason for confidence in the flesh, I have more: circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless. But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith— that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead. Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. (Philippians 3:4-12)
Abide With Jesus daily:
“Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches, whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.” (John 15:4-5)
- To abide with Christ is ultimately to seek him – with everything we have –
The first way that we can abide with Christ is by seeking him through His word
the other way that we abide with Christ is through prayer.
Assemble into Biblical community:
“Let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another all the more as the Day draws near.”
Scripture assumes that we spur each other on. That when our zeal is low – that we encourage one another to keep moving.