Reveal Your Zeal

Rise and Shine for Jesus! \O/

By Pam Iannello (my late mother)

"Reveal Your Zeal"

Zeal is passionate ardor in the pursuit of anything. As a Christian, how do you reveal your zeal for God? As a church body, how do we reveal our zeal for God? How do we prove to a lost and dying world what the source of power in our life really is? Why should people listen to what you have to say as a child of God, why should they visit your church?? As believers, this world challenges our spiritual passion. It demands a sign of Christians and the world has a right to test any new body of believers who appears on the scene. Yes, the world demands evidence of our zeal for God before they will ever listen to what we have to say. In light of this fact, what sign does GOD say we ought to give as proof that we are passionate in our pursuit of a proper relationship with Him? Turn with me to John 2:12-22, and let's see if we can't uncover the answers with the help and direction of the Holy Spirit…

After this he went down to Capernaum, he, and his mother, and his brethren, and his disciples: and they continued there not many days. And the Jews' passover was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem, And found in the temple those that sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the changers of money sitting: And when he had made a scourge of small cords, he drove them all out of the temple, and the sheep, and the oxen; and poured out the changers' money, and overthrew the tables; And said unto them that sold doves, Take these things hence; make not my Father's house an house of merchandise. And his disciples remembered that it was written, The zeal of thine house hath eaten me up. Then answered the Jews and said unto him, What sign shewest thou unto us, seeing that thou doest these things? Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up. Then said the Jews, Forty and six years was this temple in building, and wilt thou rear it up in three days? But he spake of the temple of his body. When therefore he was risen from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this unto them; and they believed the scripture, and the word which Jesus had said.

First of all, we should look to Jesus Christ, the Son of God, and how He revealed His zeal for the Lord, and then pattern ourselves after our Savior. More often than not, man has the idea that when we as Christians or as a church body establish ourselves in the community it ought to be “impressive”, polished and professional in flavor, thereby offering something to which society would be drawn. Yet, here in this portion of scripture we discover that Jesus first public work was a bit more abrasive than most Christian's and even traditional Baptist churches would endorse! Nevertheless, by CLEANSING THE TEMPLE, Christ revealed his zeal for God. Have you been busy cleaning your temple?

2 Cor. 7:1 (KJV)

Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.

The priests had been given the sole responsibility by God to cleanse the people of their sins by sacrifice. Thus, what God calls man to do is what He expects to find man doing when He comes! The Passover being near, Christ went to Jerusalem where He found the priests had established a lucrative business of buying and selling oxen, sheep, and doves in the temple. It was a mockery to God’s plan and they were capitalizing on religious sentiment! Throughout the Bible, oxen are representative of pastors, sheep are representative individual believers, and the dove is representative of the Holy Spirit. Each hold an important place in the temple of God - but they cannot be bought apart from the blood of Christ…

Acts 20:28 (KJV)

Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.

There are various ways we attempt to use the church to our own advantage. Rather than being devoted to preaching against sin and provoking the Christian to cleanse their temple and keep the church of God clean, the priests were covetous of growth and popularity, using "new and improved", purpose driven methods to buy more sheep and sell the community on their church! So it is with pastors today where the ministry of the Holy Spirit has been cashed in, or rather exchanged for man's ideas and programs for church growth. The glory of God has departed from the temple and lost souls are at stake!

Matthew 21:13 (KJV)

And said unto them, It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves.

Ladies, is there a "money changer's" attitude present in your heart today, or possibly in your church today?? Is there talk going on of new and improved ideas of how to gain members and build the temple? If so, the Lord is not going to put up with it, He will suddenly come and overturn the work and destroy it - and He has the authority to do so! God will cleanse the temple of all worldly “stuff”, scatter the oxen and the sheep, and then start from scratch building another temple to His glory and honor! The world has no right to a place at God’s table or in His temple. Jesus Christ was upset with this kind of activity going on in His Father's house and we should be too! Far too many of God's people are putting up with religious leaders polluting God's house with numbers oriented enterprises!

Psalm 119:139 (KJV)

My zeal hath consumed me, because mine enemies have forgotten thy words.

Probably the priests and their religious “clientele” were all pretty pleased with the religious arrangement they came up with. No doubt the set-up was quite convenient for all in attendance, as is the case in many churches today. But just because the program satisfies the people does not mean that the Lord is pleased! And He wasn’t…. Regardless of the fact that folks might be taken aback by this side of the Savior, Jesus made a scourge of small cords – an instrument used for severe corporal punishment involving whipping and beating - and drove them out with it! Christ believes that temple oriented affairs warrant strict regulation. “Take these things hence.” says the Son of God. And he poured out the money and overthrew the tables of merchandise. Ladies, people should meet in God's house for the sole purpose of hearing the truth preached, not to be exploited and enticed with an array of premeditated goods. How would you react if Christ visited your church and severely reduced any and all progress and overthrew all human agenda and programs? What would you have left? Would there be any truth in the temple?? Yes, Jesus zeal for God did eat Him up, and His holy passion devoured that which the devil tried to establish as well!

1 Cor. 3:17 (KJV)

If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.

When we are zealous about cleansing the temple - our personal lives and our churches - we declare war on the devil's devices to change the truth of God into a counterfeit! Do not underestimate Satan’s tactics; do not blindly embrace every new idea or conveniently run program as good and right and of God! Jesus Christ was not popular in the community after this particular public appearance; in fact, it ultimately led to His death! Neither will you be popular for keeping what belongs to God clean and clear. You may even find that other Christians will consider your approach to proving your zeal for God a bit abrasive, but God's work must be done God's way - minus all the merchandise! The disciples witnessed Christ's courage in taking a public stand when necessary and you can provoke others to stand for righteousness as well. Sad to say, many places of worship today are being run as lucrative businesses, not churches where the simple truth is preached from the Bible. They carry “non-offensive” labels such as “centers”, “fellowships”, “outreach”, “ministry” - anything but CHURCH. Once that label gone, so too goes the doctrine… Today, the state of affairs relating to the church is a vivid indication of the spiritual state of the believer and the nation as a whole, and we’re in a filthy mess! It’s time we revealed our zeal and cleansed the temple God’s way and put things back in order!

God Bless,

Pam

Isaiah 60:1&2

Copyright 2000 Pamela A. Iannello

Revised 2004