Episode 197: Passionate Jesus! | Steve Henderson

Introduction

Good morning. Good morning. Happy Sunday to you. Would you pray with me, please? Father, we are so grateful to be in your presence. You are a good, good Father. That's who you are. And we love you and we thank you for your great love for us. Thank you for your passion toward us. Thank you, God, for the blood of Jesus. Thank you for allowing us to hear your word now. Would you speak to us by your Spirit? For you have declared that it's not by might, that it's not by power, but it is by my Spirit, saith the Lord. You've also declared that your word shall not return to you void, that it shall accomplish what you have sent forth to do. So speak to us today. Speak to our hearts. Allow us, God, to hear from you, and then apply your word to our lives. We love you and we thank you in Jesus' name. Amen.

What Moves Us to Passion?

What moves you to passion? Would it be food? Crab legs? What about your favorite person? What about your favorite TV show? We like Andy Griffith a lot. What about sports? You know what, I'm not saying anything about golf, but this is the first time I've watched more than ten minutes of golf. I even recorded the Masters. Linda looked on the little register and said, you recorded the Masters? I'm like, yeah, I did. And I actually watched a few minutes of it. I really did. I really did.

But I have a passion for sports. I used to be an athlete, and I always say this, I wish I still had my trophies and ribbons and medals to brag with, but I have nothing. My wife always tells me, I say I was fast. She says, yeah, sure. So I have nothing to show that I was passionate about sports.

What are you passionate about? Passion causes us, and I just want to share with you three things that passion does for us. Passion causes you to act or it causes you to take action. Passion causes you to press toward a goal. Sometimes you might see me reach over my neck to the goal line. Wish I had pictures, man. Passion drives your heart to victory.

We are preparing for vacation in about three to four weeks. In my house, the eleventh commandment is to clean up your house before you go on vacation. That's Linda's. That is not mine. I thank you for the clarification, that is not my eleventh commandment, but it is Linda's. We are going to clean up the house before we go on vacation because she declares that when we get back from vacation, we won't have to clean. Makes sense. I wish I could tell you some of the issues that I have with that, but I cannot. You do not have time today. She told me to tell you that, and both of us have passion for this: ice cream.

Definitely, we have a passion for ice cream — Dove ice cream specifically, thank you. Dove ice cream that comes in the little pints that they do not sell anymore. We've been everywhere, out of town, going into convenience stores, looking to see if maybe they sell Dove ice cream here in Hilton Head, or maybe in Maryland, and everywhere we go, we're looking for Dove ice cream because we have a passion for it.

But passion drives us to do some things. We see that in the scriptures that were read to you earlier in chapter two of Philippians. We see Jesus, who was God, who was with God, that everything was made by him and for him. His passion moved him to think about us first. His passion moved him to take on flesh and blood because of us. God in a man’s suit just blows me away. God in a man’s suit.

Jesus’ Passion Moved Him to Action

Point number one I want you to consider: passion moved Jesus to action. Passion drove Jesus to make a change in his life that he might make a change in my life. Passion drove Jesus to make a change in his life so that he might make a change in my life.

Would you repeat after me? Passion drove Jesus to make a change in his life so that he might make a change in my life. Say it again. Put it in your spirit. Passion drove Jesus to make a change in his life that he might make a change in my life. I hope you've got a changed life because of Jesus. I certainly do.

But that’s what he did. Look at this verse seven in Philippians chapter two:

But he emptied himself by taking the form of a servant, being the likeness of men. — Philippians 2:7

Jesus emptied himself. It doesn't mean that he was less than God, but it does mean these two things: that he became obedient to do the Father's will and he submitted to the Father.

John chapter six, verse 38 says:

For I have come down from heaven not to do my own will, but the will of him who sent me. — John 6:38

Jesus' passion drove him to submission and obedience. How are you doing with that? How are you doing with obedience and submission? Not too good. Don't get me wrong, I love the Lord. But sometimes he tells me to do some things that I question. Lord, is that for me? And I don't do it when he says do it.

Let me just tell you, just as simple as the things. I ain't telling you, he said jump off this and all this stuff, but there's a time — one time, example — I was in Kroger, back in the store, waiting to pay for my stuff, minding my own business, and he says, ask them if they know me. I'm like, Lord, really right now? Ask them if they know me? And I waited, and I waited, and I missed it. Another time, he told me to do something, and I waited and I missed it. In the simplest of things, he asks us to be obedient.

Now there are some other times I did pretty well. I love him, I don't want to do what he says, when he says it, how he says it, where he says it. Let me give the definitions of obedience and submission: obedience is following orders, commands, and instructions. Submission is yielding to power and authority. In submission, a person has love and respect for the one in authority.

I struggle there. I hope you don't. If you do, let that be your prayer: Lord, I want to obey you. I want to do what you say, and I want to submit to your will.

We see the greatest example of submission when we see Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane. And we see him already knowing what he's got to go through. We see him already knowing he's got to take on spikes in his wrists and in his feet. He knows he's going to be separated from the Father. He already knows he's got to take this bitter cup of sin for the whole world. He already knows, and he says, with sweat of blood dropping from his forehead, Father, is there any way this cup can pass? Is there any way I can save these people? And he says, and he knew there was no other way except for he drink the cup, except for he go through what he had to go through for us. And he says, nevertheless, not my will, but your will be done.

Do you have a nevertheless in your spirit? Is there a nevertheless, Lord, whatever you want me to do, I'm going to do it? Jesus was moved to action because of his passion for us. He made a change in his life so that he might what? Make a change in my life.

Tweet that. Tweet that. Jesus made a change in his life so that he might make a change in my life. Text that. Email that. Jesus made a change in his life that he might make a change in my life. I don't know about you, but when he found me, he had some changing to do. Oh, my wife said a big amen for that.

The Goal of Jesus’ Passion

Point number two: Jesus' passion for us was his goal. His goal was to restore the relationship that was broken and to bring us back to the Father. In Philippians chapter two, verse eight, in the message Bible:

Having become human, he stayed human. It was an incredibly humbling process. He didn't claim special privileges. Instead, he lived a selfless, obedient life and died a selfless, obedient death. And the worst kind of death — a crucifixion. — Philippians 2:8

Jesus took off his glory that he might achieve his goal, and his goal was you. His primary goal was you. Jesus, you didn’t get that. His primary goal was you. Continue to get it: Jesus’ primary goal was you. Amen. Hallelujah, you're getting it. Jesus’ primary goal was you. Hallelujah. That deserves a hallelujah.

If somebody, not somebody, God, if God would leave heaven, leave everything, take off his glory, and make you his passion — is that not amazing? Does that not deserve a thank you, Lord? Does that not deserve a praise you, Lord? His passion, his goal is you. You're always on his mind.

It would be something — can I talk to y'all for a minute? It would be something if when we woke up in the mornings, we saw Jesus sitting in the chair by our bedside. Every morning, if we saw him sitting there, he says, I've been waiting on you. I've been watching over you. You're in good hands. Would that make you passionate for him? And then he said, you know what, wherever you go today, I'mma walk with you. Whatever storm you go through, I'm gonna be there. Whatever trial you face, I'mma be there. When you go to the hospital, I'm gonna be there. Would that make you passionate for him? Through your struggles, he says, I'mma be there. And he is.

You are his primary goal, and he has passion for you that you might have a sweet relationship with him. When I came to Jesus, I was baptized at 11 years old, and I went to church whenever Mama said we were going to church because I didn’t have a say-so in the matter. Probably around age 15, when I started experimenting with drugs, I got big enough and bad enough to tell Mama I wasn't going anymore, and I didn't. I strayed and I lived a crazy life. Smoke much weed, snorted a lot of cocaine, and went to a lot of riotous places.

But I knew about God. I was baptized at 11. I was saved from what I thought was fire insurance because I didn't want to go to hell and burn. I was saved. He was my Savior, but I didn't want him to be my Lord. I knew about him, but I didn’t know him. I didn't have a passion for him.

God’s Word began to speak to me. It reads us. Scripture says that this is a living Word, sharper than any two-edged sword, that cuts going in and going out, all the way down to the bone and marrow. It makes a difference in your life if you read it and let it speak to you. It began to speak to me and tell me who I was and who he is and how much he loved me.

Let me tell you: I am a work in progress, in process. There was a time I was in a room, Linda in another, and I was getting high. See, hear my high stories — midday. I could get high from the beginning of the day to the end. Professional at it. I would even go to work high. You'd never know it.

One weekend, I got up, got high. Midday, I thought, let me go out and get the mail. Went out to the mailbox. There was a man in our neighborhood named George. George was a faithful, godly man. We always recognized him, but never had big conversations. This day, I get the mail, turn around, George was standing there. He said, I see a cross behind you. George got my attention. Mind you, I was high as a kite.

George said, I see a cross behind you. He said, you’re going to preach. It scared me. I’d love to tell you I went back in the house, grabbed my Bible, started praying, but I got my bong and packed it with reefer, and I got cocaine, and I didn't think about that anymore until later, when I started going back to church. I started reading the Word. It drove my heart to see the passion Jesus had for me and the relationship he wanted with me.

Listen to what God tells us in the book of Deuteronomy, because he desires and deserves our love. In Deuteronomy 6, verses 4–7:

Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your might. And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. — Deuteronomy 6:4-7

Did you hear the word that he says: I command you? Isn't it something that God has to command us to love him? But he tells us to teach these words diligently to your children, and then he says: love me with your whole heart, with your whole mind, with your spirit. Do you ever think about him? Is he on your mind? I hope he is. But if he's not, make that your prayer: Lord, I want to think about you so I won't do some stupid stuff. Lord, I want to think about you. I want you to be on my mind and my heart so I follow your will when you speak to me.

He's blessed us so tremendously. Listen to what he has to tell his people, and he's still talking to us today. In verse 10 of chapter 6 in Deuteronomy, verses 10–15:

And when the Lord your God brings you into the land that he swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give you — with great and good cities that you did not build, and houses full of all kinds of good things that you did not fill, and wells you did not dig, and vineyards and olive trees that you did not plant — and when you eat and are full, then take care lest you forget the Lord. Listen to God saying: I've blessed you with all of these treasures, your home, cars, land, strength to get them — because sometimes we've done it on our own. You know the old saying: You pull yourself up by your own bootstraps. You did not because you don't have strength on your own.

I heard a preacher say that a scientist came to him and said he could make man. He had a conversation with God, and they were going to make man. The scientist reached down to the dirt to make man. God said, Nope, get your own dirt. Listen, God's heart says: I've given you everything, don’t forget me. Don't forget me. God says: I am a jealous God. That's his passion for you, and he loves you so much.

The Passion of Jesus as Our Example

Then in the New Testament, that scripture is repeated in Matthew chapter 22, verse 35–39:

And one of them, a lawyer, asked him a question, testing him: Teacher, which is the great commandment of the law? Jesus said to him: You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. — Matthew 22:35-39

This lawyer came to test Jesus to see if he's still holding to the greatest commandment. And Jesus' answer was: It hasn't changed. My answer today is: it hasn't changed. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind. And I want to give you some freedom: You can shout because he loves you so much. You can be emotional for him because he loves you so much. Love him with your whole mind because he loves you so much.

Jesus’ Victory Over Satan

My third point today: Jesus' passion for us set him up for victory over Satan. Hallelujah. So glad. It set him up for victory over Satan.

In Philippians chapter two, verses nine through eleven, in the Amplified Bible:

For this reason, because he obeyed and so fully humbled himself, God highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name which is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee shall bow in submission, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth; and that every tongue will openly acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. — Philippians 2:9-11

We all remember Adam. I always like to blame Eve, but it was Adam. Adam lost everything for us when he sinned. And I tell you, men, if any of us were Adam in the garden, we probably would have blown it too. But Adam lost everything — our eternal life, our relationship with God, our righteousness. The Bible calls Jesus the last Adam in 1 Corinthians chapter 15, verses 45–47.

You know why? Because our champion got back our eternal life. He gained it back.

We know the familiar scripture, John 3:16:

For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in him should not perish but have everlasting life. — John 3:16

Do you believe that today? Do you know about him, or do you know him? I pray you know him. He gained our eternal life.

Not only did our champion gain eternal life, but he also restored our relationship with God. His passion drove him to victory. He didn't give up. He wasn't distracted. He stayed on point through it all. And our relationship was restored.

In Romans chapter five, verses ten and eleven, in the Living Bible:

For since we were His enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son. And the best of all is, that we can now rejoice in our wonderful new relationship with God — because of what our Lord Jesus Christ has done in dying for us and making friends of us to God. — Romans 5:10-11

I am a friend of God. Isn’t it good to know that we are friends with God and he is friends with us? Not because of what we've done, but because of what he has done. Because his passion drove him to victory, because of us.

Our champion, Jesus, gained back our righteousness. In 2 Corinthians 5:21:

For our sake, He made Him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God. — 2 Corinthians 5:21

Jeremiah calls him Jehovah Sikkēnū — the Lord our Righteousness. Anytime Satan comes at you and says you are not enough, remind him that Jesus is your Jehovah Sikkēnū. He is your righteousness, and you can stand holy before a Holy God.

Application and Conclusion

So I ask you these three questions: Does your passion for Jesus drive you to action? Does it drive you to obey him when he speaks to you? Let me let you know, he is still speaking. We want to train our spirits and ears to hear him. If you haven't heard his voice — not audibly, but if you haven't heard him speak into your spirit — ask him to. Ask him to speak to you. Lord, show me what you want me to do.

Does your passion for Jesus drive you to obey him and submit to his will? Does it cause you to love him with your whole heart, with your whole mind, with your whole soul?

Would you pray with me? Father, I give you thanks. I thank you that you love us. Jesus, I thank you that you love us. Holy Spirit, I thank you that you live in us. We love you and honor you, God. Would you bless my brothers and sisters now? Bless them with a passion for you. Bless them to hear your voice when you speak to them, and bless them to submit to your will and to live for you. We love you and we thank you in Jesus' name. Amen.

We have the rails up front, and we’d love for you to come and pray. The circle rails are for your time speaking to the Lord, and the straight rails — someone will come down and pray with you and for you. Won't you come? God bless you. God loves you.