Stay...ENTHUSIASTIC!

(S1) — …the Apostle Paul labored ENTHUSIASTICALLY for the Lord

Acts 26:24 At this point Festus interrupted Paul’s defense. “You are out of your mind, Paul!” he shouted. “Your great learning is driving you insane.””

The reason for his enthusiasm? The resurrection of Jesus! Yes, but there was more…the reason he encouraged the Christians in Corinth to STAY enthusiastic for the Lord.

58 So, my dear brothers and sisters, be strong and immovable. Always work enthusiastically for the Lord, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless.

How do we Stay Enthusiastic…?

“Like the Corinthians, many of us live mostly for this life and do not take too seriously that God will at some time break through the normal routine of life to judge the earth and set everything aright.” (1)

Paul enthusiastically points them to what all Christians are to believe—the literal return of Jesus to the earth and a literal resurrection of the living and the dead.

(S2)

SERIES—Stay...ENTHUSIASTIC

How would you rate your Spiritual Enthusiasm? Are you passionate about the calling of every believer, to proclaim not only Jesus alive, but what it means? Paul’s words remind us that our lives today are to be conditioned by an eternal hope and so should our enthusiasm for the Lord.

Bibles/Notes/Pray

(S3)

I have always been excited about church!

BOY—SS/CH/Rev. Lakey’s sermons

Went to live with my Dad/High School

YG/ES/Choir/Jenny

It was during that time, that my EXCITEMENT changed to ENTHUSIASM—I met Jesus!

I graduated and moved...

— Disconnected/band/rock n roll— Married/Catholic/Searching/Stayed faithful but…

Then we met some freinds

— St Charles/Bible Study/Pastor asked me to read...Harbin’s

I began to feel again the ENTHUSIASM I had for Jesus…

Enthusiasm—You can have it! You can loose it!

Paul was concerned for some in the church who had become comfortable in their new religion losing the enthusiasm for Jesus...

(S4)

4:8 You think you already have everything you need. You think you are already rich. You have begun to reign in God’s kingdom without us! I wish you really were reigning already, for then we would be reigning with you.

They had taken their eyes off our calling in exchange for comfort. They were excited about their new religion, but no longer enthusiastic about Jesus..

(S5)—When it comes to enthusiasm, there are 2 different types of people

Those who let CIRCUMSTANCES influence their enthusiasm

— those who let whats going on around them influence their mood, attitude, posture and perspective

(S6)

Those who use their ENTHUSIASM to influence their circumstances

— those who let whats inside of them influence the climate/people around them

They were letting their circumstances INFLUENCE their enthusiasm…

Are you spiritually enthusiastic? Focused on God’s calling for your life? Comfortable?

—Excited about church but not enthusiastic about Jesus?

Enthusiasm—You can have it! You can loose it! How do we get it back?

Their circumstances? Listening to some who did not believe in the resurrection of the body, therefore denying that Jesus was raised, and the FRUIT of his resurrection obtainable for all believers through it.

Paul with ENTHUSIASM, encourages them so they could remain FIRM, be IMMOVABLE and work ENTHUSIASTICALLY for the Lord…

How does he do this? Help them get their S.E back?

First, he points them beyond the grave, to the mystery of Christ’ return and what it means for all believers.

(S7)

50 I declare to you, brothers and sisters, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. 51 Listen, I tell you a mystery...

Through our baptism we are born again…by faith we receive God’s undeserving grace given in Jesus....yet mystery of what that fully means in our lives still partially remains…

‘Something partially, but not completely, revealed. He has revealed to his readers many great truths concerning the resurrection. But he does not profess to have explained everything to them. Believing the resurrection is still an item of faith for the believer.” Wesleyan Bible Commentary, Volume 5: Romans–Philemon (D. The Final Triumph of the Resurrection (15:51–58))

Paul doesn't pretend to know it all, or have revealed it all

—The mystery of Christ’ resurrection feeds his enthusiasm

Watching a game—Replays—Knowing who will win takes all the excitement out of it

The MYSTERY of Christ’ return...should feed our enthusiasm for MORE of Jesus

1 Corinthians 13:12 “ For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.”

Then he points them to the mystery of our FINAL transformation

(S8)

51b We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed—52 in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. 53 For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality.

When Christ returns to make all things new…some will be living...Paul’s anticipation is that it would happen in his life…Both the living and the dead will be CHANGED...

This transformation begins in our JUSTIFYING moment of grace

2 Corinthians 5:17 “if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!”

I like who I am…but I look forward even more to who I will be...

Alive or in the grave…it will happen in the blink of an eye—the trumpet sound—announcing Christ’ return and our final transformation

Revelation 21:5 “He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.””

The anticipation of our being fully CHANGED...should fuel our enthusiasm for MORE of Jesus

Next, he assures them of deaths defeat

(S9)

54 When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.” 55 “Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?”

When we are fully transformed, given new bodies, death and deaths’ sting (pain and suffering) will be a thing of the past and living forever a way of the present

Revelation 21:4 “‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.””

The END to all suffering and pain...should fuel our enthusiasm for MORE of Jesus

Fourth, he promises final victory over sin

(S10)

56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Sin only has power in our lives apart from Christ—

Romans 5:12 “just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all people, because all sinned—”

Just as sin came into the world it will be removed...

Hebrews 2:14 “Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might break the power of him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil—”

Upon Jesus’ coming satan will fall in final defeat…the serpents head will given its final blow ans sin will have no power anymore

FREEDOM from our human weakness...should fuel our enthusiasm for MORE of Jesus

So what does it mean to be Spiritually enthusiastic/passionate?

(S11) — Contemporary illustration...

Movie ELF

The word ENTHUSIASM

1570–80; from Late Latin enthūsiasmus, from Greek enthousiasmós, “possession by a god” ( énthous) “having a god within.”

En (In)—Theos (God) — to be filled…and born out of intimacy with God

(S12)

Enthusiasm EXPERIENCED will become enthusiasm EXPRESSED!

58 “Always work enthusiastically for the Lord...

(perisseuō ) — “to abound in, to be overflowing in a way as to have abundant AFFLUENCE or supply of something

(S13)

Early Methodists in oxford, were the brunt of critics skepticism for not only their methodical ways…but their overtly exuberant preaching which solicited lively and enthusiastic response by listeners; inlcuding lively singing and emotional expression of faith—labeled ENTHUSIASTS

J.W. Sermon—’The nature of Enthusiasm’ and the problem of it in religion if lacks true enthusiasm for the Lord

Christianity which is generally allowed to be consistent with common sense, --that is, a religion of form, a round of outward duties, performed in a decent, regular manner…and orthodoxy a system of right opinions, yea, and some quantity of heathen morality; and yet not many will pronounce, that "much religion hath made you mad."

But if you aim at the religion of the heart, if you talk of "righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost," then it will not be long before your sentence is passed, "Thou art beside thyself." The Nature of Enthusiasm, J. Wesley

In the contemporary translation of the word, to be filled with God, doesn't go far enough…our enthusiasm comes from not only proclaiming Jesus alive, but what it means?

How will you stand when someone says your mad about Jesus?

(S14)

S.E. is not a product of your environment, but the POSTURE of your heart and life FILLED with hope in Jesus!

Enthusiasm—You can have it! You can loose it! How do we get our S.E back

— The MYSTERY of Christ’ return...should feed our enthusiasm for MORE of Jesus

— The anticipation of our being fully CHANGED...should fuel our enthusiasm for MORE of Jesus

— The END to all suffering and pain...should fuel our enthusiasm for MORE of Jesus

— FREEDOM from our human weakness...should fuel our enthusiasm for MORE of Jesus

Paul’s words remind us that our lives today are to be conditioned by an eternal hope and so should our enthusiasm for the Lord and his coming again...Getting your passion back…begins and ends with Jesus

(S15)

1 My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus' blood and righteousness; I dare not trust the sweetest frame, but wholly lean on Jesus' name.

(S16)

Refrain: On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand: all other ground is sinking sand; all other ground is sinking sand.

(S17)

4 When he shall come with trumpet sound, O may I then in him be found: dressed in his righteousness alone, faultless to stand before the throne.

(S18) — refrain

Do you let your CIRCUMSTANCES influence their enthusiasm or use their ENTHUSIASM to influence your circumstances

(S19)

“58 Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.”

Enthusiasm EXPERIENCED will become enthusiasm EXPRESSED!

resources

1. Kenneth Schenck, 1 & 2 Corinthians: A Commentary for Bible Students (Indianapolis, IN: Wesleyan Publishing House, 2006), 229.