Zeal for Pure Worship - John 2:13-17

0:45The whole harvest. It's around here somewhere. There it is. I really wanted a rich, yes, clap, please. Spaghetti squash. I love spaghetti squash. I wanted an abundance of spaghetti squash, and so we planted this. We did the whole routine. We plowed, we planted, we watered, we even weeded, we even employed some Venus fly traps to eat some of the worms that pretty much decimated everything. But one thing I had to tell when I came in, you know, Thanksgiving, it's all about rejoicing in the harvest. So I bring this. In and my youngest daughter, who I'll call my caboose, I looked at this and I said, Look, look, she was so excited. Yes, Dad, way to go, you did it. And I said, and next year we can buy a bigger tractor, we can plant more feet, we can plow more ground, put in more irrigation, and maybe next year we can get two of these. And she says, yes.

1:51I said, I don't think you're getting the sarcasm in that. But I've thought long and hard about my garden operation. For those of you who kind of follow my blog, even though I don't have one, you know what happens out there, that my garden is characterized by these bursts of inspiration, followed by long periods of neglect and loss of enthusiasm. All right, that's my garden. It's a picture of neglect. There's a real lack of zeal, or at least sustained zeal, in my garden. In fact, as a pastor, you really don't want, this is my salvation in all this, is that as, or my comfort, I should say, is that as a pastor, you don't really want a master gardener because that would mean I'm spending too much time in the garden. So that's my excuse, right? Because I'm about ministry. I'm about other things. But if you look at my garden and it's history, I have this garden. Dilemma. How am I going to make this fruitful? Well, it's going to take something, it's going to take a missing ingredient, something that's been missing in all my years of gardening. And that is, well, I'll let you find out what it is as we work through this passage. But in many ways, my garden is a picture of our churches. All right. There's many of our churches. In fact, my garden is really a picture of many of our spiritual lives, right?

3:33Punctuated bursts of inspiration followed by long periods of neglect. And that is what has taken our church into a lukewarm, dry, and barren, and largely fruitless institution. In fact, many of our spiritual lives are just that. My question to you this morning is: as we continue in our study of John chapter 2, and we're looking at the person of Christ, John brings the person of Christ before us. He tells us who he is, and he shows us these glimpses, these images, these portraits, these pictures, these illustrations of who Christ is, these snapshots, so that we may be transformed, so that we might know who he is, that we might believe in him and worship him. My question as we're going. Going through this is what are you zealous about? What is it that drives you? What do you get excited about?

4:39Where is your zeal? Whatever affects your zeal, whatever you are zealous about, will affect the fruit of your life. And so let's look at John chapter 2. Remember, last time we looked at verses 1 through 12, and this was the miracle that took place at the wedding in Cana. Jesus transformed the water into wine, he transformed something common and made it something special. And he put his power on display for his disciples to see. They've already acknowledged him as Christ, as Messiah, Son of God. And he takes them to a wedding and he puts his power on display. And really, to cover the humiliation of this nondescript, non-identified bridegroom and his family for not having enough wife, he covered their public humiliation. But there he puts his passion on display.

5:52I mean, there he put his power on display. And in our passage this morning, he's going to put his passion on display. He's already in the First few verses put his power on display. So now, in verses 13 through 17, he puts his passion on display. And let me just read that to you. The Passover of the Jews was near, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem, and he found in the temple those who were selling oxen and sheep and doves, and the money changers seated at their tables. And he made a scourge of cords and drove them all out of the temple with the sheep and the oxen. And he poured out the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables. And to those who were selling the doves, he said, Take these things away. Stop making my father's house a place of business. His disciples remembered that it was written, Zeal for your house will consume me. Zeal for your house will consume me. So far, John has ascribed several titles to Jesus. Jesus is the Son of God. He's the Son of Man. He is the Messiah. He is the Lamb of God. He is the King of Israel. And all of these describe his unique role before God and his unique role to humanity. And all of these involve the temple at Jerusalem. Son of God, he's going to be worshipped in the temple. He's the Lamb of God. All this, the Messiah, and certainly as a high priest. Jesus comes to that temple, to that center point. Of Jewish political life, social life, and religious life. And that's where he comes. He comes to the center, to the core of our beings.

7:44And that's where he comes. Jesus is particularly interested in the worship centers of our lives and the worship center of our corporation, of our church, of our nation, and so on. He is, you can be sure that when Christ comes to you, he's going to come to that core part of who you are. And he comes and he's very jealous for one thing. He's zealous for one thing: pure worship. That worship in your life, worship in our nation's life, worship in our church's life would be pure. And certainly that's what we see as he comes and he visits the ancient people of Israel. So I want you to see Jesus' zeal for pure worship so that you will know how to respond appropriately. So, what I'm going to do this morning, very simple. I'm just going to walk through this verse, walk through this section verse by verse, and I want to make some observations of what Christ-like zeal looks like, and then I want to provide some thoughts on how we're able to respond to. To Christ's zeal that's exhibited in this text. So, first of all, let's just walk through the narrative. First of all, in verse 13, I want you to see where Jesus went and really when and where Jesus went. Look at verse 13. The Passover of the Jews was near, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. He went to Jerusalem and particularly went into the temple, the center of worship. Passover was celebrated on the 14th day of Nisan. It's somewhere around the full moon at the end of March, at the beginning of April. You can think of Passover in many ways kind of like a combination of our 4th of July and our Thanksgiving. You know, our time when the Israelites were brought out of the bondage of Egypt. So it was a beginning point for their nation, a freedom, a freeing time for them as a nation. And it was also a time of thanksgiving for what God had done. Because it was through God's judgment upon the firstborn that broke Egypt's will to hold Israel in bondage. And the only difference, the only reason that Israel didn't suffer the same fate at the hands of the death angel is because there was the blood of a lamb that made a distinction between them, between Israel and between Egypt. So it was Israel's deliverance came through judgment and through the blood of a lamb. And so it was a time of thanksgiving. It was a time of remembrance. In fact, if you just remember what Passover, what would happen the evening of that high Passover celebration event, first of all, a prayer of thanksgiving would be offered up by the head of the household, and he would start drinking the first cup, and the other cups would be drunk.

11:06They would drink those the rest throughout the evening. And then there was the eating of the bitter herbs to remember, to call their attention to back what it was like to be in slavery and to be under bondage. And so the Passover was meant to give thanks and to also a time of remembering of the bitter bondage. And then there was the son's inquiry, why is this night distinguished from all the other nights? And the father would explain why this night is different. It's to remember. And then there was the singing of the first part of the halal, the verse Psalm 113 and Psalm 114 were read. As Eric read one of the halal psalms, Psalm 115, this would have been sung on Passover night. And then there would have been the carving and the eating of the lamb with the unleavened bread to. To indicate the haste in which they had to come out. A haste. There's a hastiness, the blood of the lamb, and the haste in which they had to go. And then there would have been the continuation of the meal, and then there would have been the final singing of the last Psalms: 115, 116, 117, and 118.

12:24But that's where Jesus comes. He comes to the center of Jewish life. And what should he have found at this Passover celebration? What should he have found? Well, he should have found pure worship. He should have found a time of solemn remembrance, a time of joyful thanksgiving, and a time of undistracted prayer. That's what he should have found. That was what the Passover was given for: to remember and to recall, and that by remembering, they would be renewed to their God. But this is not what Jesus found. What did he find? Well, look in verse 14. Look at what Jesus found. Look at where he went. Now, let's look at what he found. Verse 14. And he found in the temple those who were selling oxen and sheep and doves and the money changers seated at their tables. He found these. They were the ones selling oxen. It's a real, John gives us this scene in very descriptive terms. He comes into the temple and he. Found those selling ones, those selling. So, you get this picture of a lot of selling and transactions going with a lot of livestock going on, almost probably what you'd expect, like an auction house, maybe, but maybe not so loud. But there was certainly a bleeding of the sheep and noise of the animals and the commotion. And then there were those who were selling doves, and then there were those money changers sitting at their tables. So, you get this picture of this, a lot of this activity going on in the temple, and it's in the temple. I mean, that's the problem here. I think to a large degree, the selling of ox and sheep and dove was a legitimate service. In fact, a lot of people would come from a long way away, and it was too far for them to bring an animal for sacrifice. And by the time they got there anyway, it had to be a perfect sacrifice, and you'd hate to bring your sheep or an ox all this way and then have them trip along the way and then not be acceptable for sacrifice. So, there was this service that was built around the temple worship, and it was legitimate. People needed to purchase these animals. And also, even the money changing was a legitimate business. People would come from all around, and they'd have to change their currency into the local currency or to pay the temple tax. Which specifically had to be paid by a Turanian silver coin. So that was legitimate. But these things were happening in the temple, really in the court of the Gentiles. This was the only place that the Gentiles could go, and it was happening there.

15:18But the main thing to point out here is that though the selling was necessary, though the money changing was necessary, this was not worship. They've been necessary for worship, but it was not worship. And so, what the issue really is, it's about maybe a legitimate service in an illegitimate place. So, he should have found worship, but he didn't. And that was the problem with the nation: worship. Worship. This is the problem with the nation. This is the problem with our nation. This is the problem with the church. This is the problem with us. Worship. When God looks for worship and it's not there, because everything else will be affected. And so Jesus goes to the core, to the central, to the heart of the matter. So that's what Jesus found. Now, look at what Jesus did in verse 15. And he made a scourge of cords and drove them all out of the temple with the sheep and with the oxen. And he poured out the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables.

16:31Very graphic. He goes in and he drove out. Literally, he ejected by force. That's the term. I mean, he made this whip out of cords or ropes or maybe rushes, but the idea is a whip that he would use to drive out the sheep and the oxen. It's interesting that the picture here is not what you'd really, you see, in a lot of the Hollywood graphics, portrayals of this, because what happens is he makes this whip. And really, if you're reading it in the Greek, he makes a whip and he drives out all from the temple, the sheep and the oxen. He's not beating people. He's whipping. And he's driving out the sheep, driving out the oxen. And you can expect that their owners were probably chasing after them. He's not whipping the people. He's whipping the herds, and they're traveling out and going after them. So that's what he does to those selling the sheep and the oxen. And then he pours out the coins of the money chain. Literally, he poured out, very graphic term. He poured out their money, and later they're going to pour out his blood. That's going. To a common term there. He pours out their money and he takes their tables and he overturns them. So you can imagine the atmosphere changed pretty quickly. He comes to the center of the worship life of Israel and he makes some adjustments, some pretty radical ones. And the atmosphere would have been very different after he got through. And we can expect that's what he does. He comes to the center of our worship, he comes to the core of humanity, and he deals with those worship practices that are out of order.

18:45But look, look at what he said then. So we looked at where he went, what he found, what he did. And now look at what he said. Look at verse 16. And to those who were selling the doves. So he's talking to those who have doves, in these cages, take these things away. Stop making my father's house a place of business. So he doesn't just throw the doves over. He doesn't just open up and let all the dove fly away. He simply goes up to them and he says, get these things out of here. Get from here. Take them from here.

19:19And very, very strong force. Take these things away. Get them out of here. And stop making my father's house a house of merchandise or a place of business. So, again, it was not that there was illegitimate activity taking place. It was where it was taking place, and it was insensitive, it was a distraction, and it profaned God's name among the Gentiles and would be a distraction to true worship. You were to come into the temple, it was to be an atmosphere of thanksgiving, and celebration, and joy, and thankfulness, and contemplative meditation. It was not to be a marketplace. That was a distraction. And Jesus is very, his words are: How dare you do such a thing?

20:29You see a picture of Christ here? Stop treating my father's house lightly. You are stewarding holy things. Steward them properly. Do you not understand what is going on here? Wow. You know, the church is where he bears his name, right? You know that. Christ is the same today and always. You see, when you substitute anything for worship, you destroy the relationship between God and man. Worship leaders have a huge responsibility, don't we? Don't treat his things, his father's house, lightly.

21:22Very strong, passionate. We've seen his power. Now he's showing us his passion. So we've seen where Jesus went, we see what Jesus found, we see what Jesus did, we see what Jesus said. Now I want you to see why Jesus said and did these things. Look at verse 17. His disciples remembered that it was written, zeal for your house will consume me. They remembered that it was written, zeal, that is, active enthusiasm. The word for zeal implies a deep affection, a driving passion, driving interest, intense desire, zeal will consume me, will devour me. That's the idea. He quotes Psalm 69, 9. We'll talk a little bit about that next week and how it was being used. But basically, the idea is that David was getting persecuted for his zeal for the house of God.

22:28And here, Jesus will be persecuted. As well, on this basis, but we'll look at that next time. But just significant to look at this language. You know what has eaten him up? And it's the same language as a fire that consumes. You know what has consumed Christ? You know what consumed Jesus? Was zeal for pure worship in God's people. That's what ate him up. It's like almost a very graphic ulcer eating a person up. And it will, it does consume him. In fact, he throws his whole life into this, into pure establishing pure worship in the earth. And it's going to completely consume him. This is what he's going to give his life for. This is why he goes to the cross, is to purify his people. This is why he comes out of the grave to live. This is why he ascends into heaven. This is why he is now our great high priest that prays on our behalf. It's the same zeal that hasn't changed. He is zealous for pure worship in his people.

23:46But this should not surprise us as God is revealed in flesh and he comes to his temple and he is overcome by this display of. Or he displays his zeal. Throughout the Bible, we see God's zeal for pure worship. Remember the first two commandments in Exodus 20, right? What is the first thing that God says as he describes these tablets and gives them to Israel? He says, I am the Lord your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt. You shall have no other gods before me. You shall not make yourselves an idol or anything likeness of what is in heaven or above, on earth, beneath. You shall not worship them or serve them. Why? Because I, your God, am a jealous God. Same concept. I am zealous. I am your God. There isn't another one. Therefore, it is right for you to worship me. Not just because I'm some egocentric God, but it is right for your sake.

24:56It is right because that is the honor given that is due to me. But it is right for your sake. I am jealous for you. I am zealous. And even just a few chapters later, you see that whole in Exodus 32, you see that golden calf incident. And then God's anger is poured out. Well, you see, in Jesus' zeal in our text this morning, in verse 17, is similar to God's anger at Sinai, where the people plagued the. Harlot, and their worship was out of order. But you keep going through the Old Testament, you come to Numbers 25, and you meet this guy named Phineas. And Israel again had gone after strange gods and sacrificing to gods who were not gods and joined themselves. And so God's anger burned against them. And then Phineas took his spear and he goes and he kills two idolaters who were openly defying God's commandments. And he drives a spear to them through them. Wow. And then listen what God says. You're kind of like, man, that's kind of harsh, right?

26:13Listen what God says. Numbers 25, 10, he says, Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, Phineas, the son of Elazar, the son of Aaron the priest, has turned away my wrath from the sons of Israel in that he was jealous with my jealousy among them, so that I did not destroy the sons of Israel in my jealousy. Therefore, say, Behold, listen to his reward. I give him my covenant of peace, and it shall be for him and his descendants after him, a covenant of a perpetual priesthood, because he was jealous or zealous for his God with a pure zeal. A perpetual priesthood. You know, in the final analysis, this is going to be the priesthood when all is right with the temple. And I believe in the millennium, when all is right, there is going to be a priesthood in the lineage of Phineas. But that's the kind of priesthood he wants: priests that are zealous for him. So, if the priesthood is to be zealous, how much more will you expect the Son of God to be zealous when he shows up?

27:31God is very serious about pure worship. It's his passion, pure worship in the earth, pure worship in your heart. You want to know what Christ comes to do? It's to establish and to maintain and to sanctify pure worship in your life. That's where he's going. That's where he's taking you. You go on through Isaiah 59. I won't read it, but wow, again, I'll read part of it though, just because a picture. God in 59:15, he says, The Lord saw, and it was depleasing, it was displeasing in his sight. There was no justice in the land, and he saw that there was no man and was astonished that there was no one to intercede. So God's looking out, there's no one to even intercede.

28:24Then his own arm brought salvation to him, and his righteousness upheld him. And this is what he looked like. He put on a righteousness like a breastplate, and a helmet of salvation on his head, and his garments of vengeance for clothing, and he wrapped himself with zeal as a mantle. Because God is jealous for true worship. You come to at the end of Malachi, you see this picture of Christ coming to his temple, and he's going to be a refiner's finer and purifying the priesthood because he is zealous for pure worship. And then what do you see? And you come to the New Testament, you see Luke chapter 2, right? And Jesus as a young boy, where is he?

29:14When his family leaves him in Jerusalem and starts heading back, they go back and looking for him. And where do they find him? In the temple. So what are you doing? Why did you do this to us? And he says, this, why is it that you were looking for me? Did you not know that I had to be in my father's house? This is a young boy. You see this gravitation. You see this pull of Christ to the center of pure worship, the center of worship. And that's where he is. And he hasn't changed. He is just as zealous for pure worship in the world as he has ever been. That has never changed. This is the God who we sing to. This is the God. This is the Christ. We worship. He is constantly looking into the hearts of his people. He is constantly looking in us today. And don't be surprised if he doesn't rearrange some of the furniture because he is jealous for pure worship. He is jealous for pure worship on an individual level and on a corporate level. This is the church. This is where he has purposed to make his name known.

30:30So that's just a walkthrough. And I'm going to walk through John. Now, I want to make some observations about Christ's zeal as we step back a little bit. First of all, Christ's zeal is focused on promoting true worship of God in the world. That's his passion. That's who he is. This is his one pursuit. And his zeal is directed at the centers of religious thought and being. He comes to the epicenter of life. So he's focused on true worship, pure worship, and he directs, he comes to us at the epicenter of life. Third, Christ's zeal is based on knowledge. He's not, he knows what's going on. He understands us. He understands God. He's a perfect mediator. He is based on knowledge. Fourth, Christ's zeal is calculated. It's controlled. It's not reckless. He's not an angry hothead. He's not out of control. Such zeal. Is devastating, but Christ's zeal is not out of control, but calculated. Fifth, Christ's zeal is motivated by love for God and for humanity. The very fact that he shows up, the very fact that he gives himself to this enterprise, speaks of his love for humanity. It is good for man, it is good for you to worship God, to have God in his right place in your life. It is good for you, and without that, your life is a mess and will perpetually be a mess and under God's wrath. But sixth, Christ's zeal is relatively gentle. What seems like it may be pretty rambunctious there. You don't see the restraint.

32:23Here is the holy God coming into a very unholy place. It's a wonder that he didn't just level the whole place, right? He is gentle. In fact, he simply cleans out a few things, and they didn't even lose property. I'm sure the money changers picked up their money. The people selling doves just carried them out. And the guys that were selling oxen and sheep got them all back. But the seventh thing about Christ's zeal is that it consumed him. It consumed him. Such is the nature of zeal. Zeal. So then, how do we respond? So, we've walked through the text, made a few observations about Christ's zeal. Now, how do we respond to this? How should we take this text? How do we respond to this? And what is an appropriate response? Well, first of all, I say that we respond to Christ's zeal by welcoming Christ's purifying work in our lives. He's about, this is his zeal, this is his passion to see true worship, pure worship, to be between God and between man. This is what he's all about. This is what he pours himself out for. So, let us respond. Respond to his purifying work.

33:46Just say a few things about pure worship. Pure worship goes beyond just praising God, singing hymns, or participating in a worship service. It's the essence of a person's whole life. So, worship is a definite act of the soul in relation to God. It is response for his zeal in response to that. Let's welcome his zeal. Worshiping God is the soul bowing down before God, and it involves being absorbed in who he is, respectfully obeying his commands, and rendering joyful service to him. Pure worship. Involves loving God in heart and mind. Pure worship finds God as our source of joy. And as you delight in Him, you worship Him. And pure worship is expressed by a confident trust. And as you trust God, you worship Him.

34:49You trust God even not based on circumstances, but based on who He is. And in so doing, you worship Him. Pure worship is void of insincerity. It's void of pride, void of distraction, void of ignorance. Pure worship renews. It brings power, power for life. You want to know why you might be lagging in power for living? It's because you're lacking in worship. You're lagging in pure worship. As you put God in his right place and you worship him, you will be renewed. And finally, pure worship transforms.

35:34Worshiping God is a call. A call to worship God is a call to know God. And as you know God, as you understand him, it brings likeness. You start looking like him, and you are made like him. So, how do we respond to Christ's zeal? First of all, we respond by welcoming his purifying work. And second, Second, and finally, we respond. How should we respond to Christ's zeal? Is by letting Christ's zeal consume us. Let what consumed him consumed us. As we worship him, we are going to be made more and more into his image. And one of his main characteristics, his passion, what consumes him, is his zeal for pure worship.

36:31May that be us. May that be us. What is passion? Christ-like zeal, it comes from above. It's not from an earthly source. I mean, there's many people that are zealous about many things. You can be zealous for a certain relationship. You can be zealous for certain possessions or certain influence or significance or power or praise of people, right? All kinds of reasons that people are zealous. Even in religion, right? We see Islam and we see many expressions of zeal in religion that may be sincere, but sincerity is not zeal, not Christ-like zeal.

37:14Even the appearance of zeal can be an idol, but it's very different. And earthly zeal can be brutal. Sometimes it can be like a fire out of control. However, fire can be good, too. So, what is Zeal. What is Christ-like zeal? Let me just say it like this, and I'll quote J.C. Ryle: a burning desire to please God. That's what it is. I'll put it up on the screen, my own definition. Zeal is an inward passion to advance the glory of God in one's own life, associations, and world that overpowers every other affection. That's what zeal, as I articulate, an inward passion to advance the glory of God in one's own life, associations and world, that is so consuming or so overpowering that it dwarfs every other affection. J.C. Ryle says it like this: It is a burning desire to please God so strong that it impels him to make any sacrifice, to go through any trouble, to deny himself any amount, to spend himself and to be spent, and even to die if only he can please God and honor Christ. Let me go on and read a little bit more of what he said. A zealous man in religion is preeminently a man of one thing.

38:43It is not enough to say that he is in earnest, hardy, and uncompromising, thoroughgoing, or wholehearted, fervent in spirit. He only sees one thing, he cares for one thing, he lives for one thing, he is swallowed up in one thing, and that one thing is to please God. Whether he lives or whether he dies, whether he has health or whether he has sickness, whether he is rich or whether he is poor, or whether he pleases man or whether he gives offense, whether he is thought wise or whether he is thought foolish, whether he gets blame or whether he gets praise, whether he gets honor or whether he gets shame, for all this the zealous man cares nothing at all. He burns for one thing, and that one thing is to please God and to advance God's glory. If he is consumed in the very burning, he cares not for it. He is content. He feels that, like a lamp, he is made to burn, and if consumed in burning, he has but done the work for which God appointed him. Such a one will always find a sphere for his zeal. If he cannot preach and work and give money, he will cry and sigh and pray. Yes, if he is only a pauper on a perpetual bed of sickness, he will make the wheels of sin around him drive heavily by continually interceding against sin. If he cannot fight in the valley with Joshua, he will do the work of Moses, Aaron, and her on the hill. If he is cut off from working himself, he will give to the Lord no rest till he is raised up from another quarter and the work is done. And on and on. Thus, zeal. Let me share with you a thought here. You remember Queen Mary, bloody Mary, ascended the throne when it was. Against, went, sought to re-establish the Roman Catholic Church. And in doing so, she had Bishop Latimer and Bishop Ridley arrested. They were interrogated. They were questioned: Do you believe that the church is built on Peter? To which they responded, No.

40:59The church is not built on any man, but on the truth that Peter confessed. That's what it was built upon. They said, Do you believe that Christ is sacrificed in the Mass? No. Christ sacrificed himself one time, and that's it. And for this, they were burned at the stake. And as he was being tied to the stake, Ridley prayed this: O Heavenly Father, I give unto thee most hearty thanks that thou hast called me to be a professor of thee, even unto death. I beseech thee, Lord God, have mercy on this realm of England and deliver it from all her enemies.

41:42Ridley was burned on green wood, and only part of him burned, and he was suffering greatly. Latimer encouraged Ridley and said, This, Be of good comfort, Mr. Ridley, and play the man. We shall this day light you. Such a candle by God's grace in England as I trust shall never be put out. Now that's zeal. But you know, sometimes it's more difficult to live for Christ than it is to die for Him, isn't it? We may not be called to go to a pile of wood and be burned, but Christ-like zeal involves loving others, dying daily.

42:24It's not a bitter zeal that keeps a record of wrongs. It is not a vindictive zeal that seeks to retaliate. Christ-like zeal does not fight with physical weapons. It's a zeal that hates sin, but loves the enslaved sinner. Christ-like zeal hates heresy, but it loves the wayward heretic. Christ-like zeal abhors every form of wickedness, but it is kind to the vilest offender. That's the kind of zeal talking about Christ-like zeal makes us eager for every good work. As Titus 2 says, 11, for the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men, instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires, and to live sensibly, righteously, and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave Himself up to redeem us from every lawless deed. And to purify for himself a people for his own possession, those who are zealous for good works. This is why he poured himself out. He was zealous for you so that you could respond in zeal for him, zealous for good deeds.

43:50So, Christ-like zeal is an inward passion to advance the glory of God in one's own life, associations, and world that overpowers every other affection. Well, as we bring this to a close in John chapter 2, first we see Christ's power is put on display, and then his passion is put on display. And what Christ is about is using his power, his transforming power, to bring about a change in worship. That's his passion. So I'd like to bring this back to where we started. What are you zealous about?

44:31There are many of you who do not know him today. What drives you? I would say, first of all, let value Christ's purifying work on the cross. Respond to him in repentance. Welcome his purifying work in your own life by repenting of your sins and placing your trust in him. Then there are those of you who, and us, who lack zeal for the work of ministry. I mean, some of you, your ministry is a lot like my garden.

45:05Fruitless. Oh, you may abound in throwing wet blankets or objecting to those who are zealous around you, but I encourage you to do not abound in works of criticism. Don't ever put, don't ever quench the spirit. Don't ever. I know passion and zeal needs to be directed. It needs to have knowledge and all that stuff, but be careful of ever putting down someone who's zealous for God. And for you who are zealous, I want to say this, because there are some of you who are zealous in this room who just exhibit a zeal for ministry. I want to say this, and I want to say it as loud and sincere from the heart as I can. Thank you.

45:54Thank you. You are the life of this church. You are the solution to my garden dilemma. A fruitless garden. An abundant garden. Abundant fruit comes out of attention. And those who are zealous with a Christ-like zeal give attention to the things of God. They have a love for the things of God. They expend their effort to the things of God. They infuse the ministry and the work of ministry with an excitement and a joy. And it is this.

46:31That makes the church a special place. So, thank you. Never let your zeal flag or wane. Let this be your one grand pursuit to respond to Christ by imitating His Christ-like zeal. Let's pray. Heavenly Father, thank you. Thank you for everything. Thank you for your zeal for our lives. Father, may we respond in kind as we go from here in Jesus' name, amen.