The theme, “Fanning the flame, Renewing the passion” is recorded in Leviticus 6:13 as we read, “A fire shall always be burning on the altar; it shall never go out”. This admonition is as relevant for us today as it was back then. We must Get the Fire and Guard the Flame at any cost.
FANNING THE FLAME:
The fire is a necessary ingredient to consummate a complete sacrifice. It was so on Mount Carmel when it descended on Elijah’s altar. It fell upon the altar of Solomon’s newly dedicated temple. Throughout the Scriptures, fire is a symbol of Divine purification. It symbolizes the holiness and justice of God as is recorded in numerous instances in His Word such as: Exodus 3:2, 19:18; Deuteronomy 4:24; Isaiah 6:4; Ezekiel 1:4; Daniel 7:10. In Malachi 3:2-3 the writer describes the coming and work of Christ by the symbol of fire. “Who may abide the day of His coming? And who shall stand when He appeareth? For He is like a refiner’s fire and like fullers’ soap: and He shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and He shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness.”
When John the Baptist came preaching repentance and baptizing with water he distinguished his baptism from the baptism that Christ would provide. “I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but He that cometh after me is mightier than I , whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: He shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire (or, as by fire)…” (John’s baptism was external, on the skin, and ceremonial but Jesus’ baptism is internal, in the spirit, and experiential.)
This fire that John the Baptist spoke of occurred in the upper room in Jerusalem on that Inaugural Day of Pentecost. “There appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them” Acts 2:3.
All that pardon can do is to remove the guilt and condemnation of sinful acts committed. It requires the purifying fires of Pentecost to purge our affections, our dispositions, our motives, and the finer sensibilities of the inner self. It is a privilege and a necessity for all of God’s children today.
It is a flame of holy love that has a two-fold purpose:
a. Incinerate all that God condemns. Matthew 3:12
b. Illuminate all that God cleanses. I John 1:7
RENEWING THE PASSION:
Passion is holy love with a vision. Jesus exemplified this passion in the sacrificial giving of Himself on the cross for fallen man. He showed us that the love that is pure cannot give more but must not give less than the gift of itself. In Hebrews 12:4 when the writer reminded those early Christians that “they had not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin,” he was simply stating that God will be satisfied with nothing less than devotion unto death. When His love is ignited by His holy flame one will never asks, how much MUST I sacrifice but rather how much CAN I sacrifice. Our giving is both the manifestation and motive of our love.
Love may stir us to action but unless we have a vision, our efforts, no matter how legitimate, may be wasted along unprofitable lines. The vision that Christ had is made clear in Hebrews 12:2, “for the joy that was set before Him (that’s the vision), endured the cross, despising the shame…” What was the joy that was set before Him?
a. That He had faithfully completed the work His Father gave Him to do.
b. That He knew that salvation would come to multitudes because of the sacrifice that He made on the Cross of Calvary.
It is the same holy passion that not only enlightens us but also energizes and engages us in doing His will even as He was impassioned to do the will of His Father. His interests becomes our interest, His attitude in hating sin and loving Biblical holiness will be our attitude. We will be impassioned and engaged in the same mission that He was impassioned in, that of winning the lost to Christ. We want to live in such a manner, as it was with Peter and John, the world will take note of us that we have been with Jesus. Everyone who is constrained by His love will also be controlled by His leadings.
My prayer is that the same fire that fell upon the early church of the first century will fall upon us today.
LET US GET THE FIRE AND GUARD THE FLAME!
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