(Transcript of a message preached at Bible Believers' Baptist Church, Madison, AL; May 5, 2015.)
Editor's note: My apologies in advance of any formatting inconsistencies hereafter. I cut and paste my Word notes into the blog template, and sometimes the formatting translates better than others. Thank you for your patience.
Text: Acts 18:24-28
INTRODUCTION
Our text is the first place that the word fervent
or fervently
appears in scripture. These words only
appear in the NT canon, in a total of seven books.
· Now that certainly doesn’t mean that people in
the OT weren’t fervent. One of the NT
references is actually to a prominent OT figure, Elijah, as we’ll see.
· But since the word is only used in the NT, it
behooves us, to whom much of the NT is addressed, to note what the scriptures
say about fervency.
·
Personally, I tune in on any word used in a
Pauline context, since he’s our apostle and pattern (2 Tim. 1:13). There are
three such references, plus six others in Jewish contexts, and we’ll look at
all nine references in this study.
·
Before we begin looking at these references, let’s
do two things:
a.
First, let’s see how the scripture defines
fervency. I think that 2 Pt. 3:10-12
supplies us with this. Remember the AV’s built-in dictionary, folks. You don’t
need to know the original languages nor even own a Webster’s 1828. Comparing
scripture with scripture will give you the most precise definition above any
help you may consult. Now look at 2 Pt. 3:10-12 and I’ll show you how this
works. In vv. 10, 12 we see “fervent heat,” but “fervent” is an
adjective, so it’s not just “heated.” Now look at v. 12 again for further help:
by parallel construct, “fervent heat”
matches “being on fire.” So
fervent heat is a fiery heat, and personal fervency is having a fiery or
burning spirit about something (“fervent
in [the] spirit”). It’s interesting that all of references to fervency
except this one in 2 Pt. deal with spiritual fervency vs. physical.
b.
I’d like to refer you to 2 Cor. 8:7 for the
spirit of my message. 2 Cor. 8:7, “…see that this grace [giving] abound
in you also.” It’s our duty to see that all
of the graces abound in us, not just some, and there’s something we can and
should do to foster each of them.
· So we need to study the graces to learn these things. Bear in mind that all
scripture is not only given for doctrine but also for practical matters (2 Tim.
3:16-17). Bro. James Knox did a series years ago on the fruit of the Spirit,
and he prefaced it with a reproof of Bible students who are always chasing “divers and strange doctrines” (Heb.
13:9) instead of studying graces. Now you need to be able to handle the meat of
the word, which is the context of Heb. 13:9 (“meats”), but pay close attention to the establishment of your
heart in grace as well. Paul said, “Knowledge
puffeth up, but charity edifieth” (1 Cor. 8:1b), so if you’re going to grow
in knowledge, as you should, make sure that you’re using that knowledge to help
others; as Paul says elsewhere, “speaking
the truth in love” (Eph. 4:15), and not to make yourself look good.
· To summarize the nine verses dealing with
fervency, I find six things that believers in general, through the ages, should
be fervent about.
1.
Truth (Acts 18:24-28)
2.
Service (Rom. 12:11)
3.
Leadership (2 Cor. 7:7)
4.
Prayer (Col. 4:12; Jas. 5:16)
5.
Brethren (1 Pt. 1:22, 4:8)
6.
Holiness (2 Pet. 3:10-12);
REFERENCES
1. Truth (Acts 18:24-28)
I think that it’s appropriate to start
here. Why would you want to be fervent about something that’s not even true?
Yet the sad truth is that millions of people in this world are. One could even
argue that many worldlings, even hereticks, are more fervent about their false
beliefs than Christians are.
But
it’s clear from scripture that we need to be fervent about the truth. In Jer.
5:3, we that God’s eyes are “upon the truth,” and he laments that the Jews “are
not valiant for the truth upon the earth” (Jer. 9:3). Remember the character from Part II of Pilgrim’s Progress, Mr. Valiant-for-Truth?
He’s a holy warrior with a sword en route
to the Celestial City. We need to be fervent for truth from the beginning of
our divine life until the end. Apollos was “fervent
in the spirit” even before he received Christ, and I think that showed that
his heart was prepared for further light, since he was obeying and applying the
light that he already had.
For most, however, “truth is fallen in the street” (Is. 59:14), but it doesn’t have to
be you! I remember Bro. Ruckman telling
a group of his students that their lifelong task was to find and disseminate truth. Solomon said to “Buy the truth [acquire it, literally if necessary], and sell it not” (Prov. 23:23). Are
you fervent about the truth? You should be. In describing “the whole armour of God” in Eph. 6, Paul mentions “having your loins girt about with truth”
first (Eph. 6:14). You cannot prevail in spiritual warfare without truth,
folks, so it’s quite fitting to be fervent about it, amen?
2.
Service
(Rom. 12:11)
In
Rom. 12, Paul expounds the practical applications of the doctrinal truth in
Rom. 1-11 [not just 1-8; note that 12:1 (“the
mercies of God”) refers back to 11:30-32, where God’s mercy is mentioned
three times). Part of godly living in this age is fervency of spirit, not
apathy or indifference. Notice the integrity of v. 11. “Not slothful [lazy] in business (any business)”—a negative
command. What’s the answer? Being
“fervent in spirit”! Paul always give you a positive alternative to a negative
command. Of course he does. The positive
alternative is an expression of Christ’s life instead of the Adamic life. Both
are already in you, and it’s your choice which you will feed and follow. You
have fervency in you; you don’t have to beg God for it. But you do need to feed
that fervency with the fiery word of God.
Every Christian should be a “fire-eater” in this sense: he should have a
regular diet of the fiery word of God if he wants to be fervent in spirit.
Let’s look at an OT example: Jeremiah again. In Jer. 15:16
he talks about eating the word of God.
Note the effect it has on him, when he considers not preaching, in Jer.
20:9b; “But his word was in mine heart
as a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I was weary with forbearing, and I
could not stay.” Do you see the connection? Doesn’t this explain why so
many believers are lukewarm, if not cold? It’s simple, they don’t have a steady
diet of the fiery word of God. Truth is, if you take that book it, believe it,
and allow it to work in you, do you know what it will do? It will work its way
OUT, praise the Lord. Jeremiah said “I could not stay,” and so does every
believer who takes in the word like they should. Remember Elihu in the book of
Job? He sat through 29 chapters of argument between four older men, but after
that, he couldn’t contain himself and had to speak (Job 32:18-20). You should
feel the same way, if you’re reading “the
words of the wise” (Prov. 22:17), namely the scriptures, like you
should.
3.
Leadership
(2 Cor. 7:7)
Here’s
one that you may not have expected. In this passage, Paul mentions the
Corinthians’ “fervent mind toward [him],” their spiritual leader. We need to be fervent toward our spiritual leaders as well. Let’s look at 1
Thes. 5:12-13. Here Paul beseeches the Thessalonians “to know them which labour among you, and are over you in the Lord, and
admonish you; And to esteem them very highly in love [there’s some fire] for their work’s sake.” Here’s where
many of God’s people have failed over the years. I remember A.W. Tozer, who
preached in the mid-1900’s, how the typical minister of his day (evangelical, I
suppose) was underpaid, though they normally had large families. Folks, that’s
a shame! Paul tells us, “Let him that is
taught in the word communicate unto him that teacheth in all good things” (Gal.
6:6). You are in debt to those who teach you the word of God. You owe them
carnal things for the spiritual things they minister to you. If not, you’re
defrauding them and don’t expect to prosper.
Nobody likes a mooch, folks, esp. a “spiritual mooch.” Your
spiritual leaders put in long hours with the scriptures, and you owe them the
necessities of life. Paul said to the Philippians in Phil. 4:16, “ye sent once and again to my necessity.”
Excellent; but look at v. 15b, “no
church communicated with me as concerning giving and receiving but ye only.”
How sad! Here was the man that brought them the gospel that saved their souls,
and they won’t even give him an offering! If that makes you mad (and it
should), how do you think God feels about it? Let’s see; please turn to 1 Thes.
4:6, an oft-overlooked verse that’s terrifying in its implications (maybe
that’s why it’s ignored): “That no go
beyond and defraud his brother [so the context is believers] in any matter [intimacy in context,
but anything else as well]: because that
the Lord is the avenger of all such, as we also have forewarned you and
testified.”
So if you deprive other
believers of their due, including ministers, don’t expect good results. Now I know that Paul said that we’re
not to give “grudgingly, or of
necessity” (2 Cor. 9:7), but he also said, “Render therefore to all their dues” (Rom. 13:7), and if you don’t
give other believers their due, why should you expect good things from God?
Don’t be a “spiritual freeloader.” Generously repay those who minister the word
to you, no matter who they are. And don’t just “pay” them; pray for them,
submit to their authority (the word of God and their example), and be fervent
about your relationship with them, like the Corinthians were toward Paul.
4.
Prayer
(Col. 4:12; Jas. 5:16-18)
In these passages we
read about two ministers, one an OT prophet, the other an evangelist in the
body of Christ, but they have this in common: they both pray fervently. Real
prayer springs from spiritual fire. Years ago, James Montgomery, an Englishman,
wrote these words, “Prayer is the soul’s sincere desire, uttered or
unexpress’d; the motion of a hidden fire, that trembles in the breast.” Elijah
and Epaphras were concerned about the things they were praying about, not just
saying prayers like millions of devotees around the world. Real prayer is an
outpouring of the heart; cf. Ps. 62:8, “Trust
in him at all times; ye people, pour out your heart before him: God is a refuge
for us. Selah.”
I know what you’re thinking. What if I
don’t feel anything? There’s that phantom again: feel is real right? Wrong! How
many mornings do you really feel like going to work? Never, right? Well, you
can follow those feelings all the way to poverty. “Love not sleep, lest thou come to poverty; open thine eyes, and thou
shalt be satisfied with bread” (Prov. 20:13). We don’t live by feelings,
folks. We live by our wills. Feelings follow decisions; they don’t dictate
them. I didn’t say that feelings may notinfluence decisions; Christ himself can
“be touched with the feelings of [men’s]
infirmities” (Heb. 4:15). If you don’t have feelings, there’s something
wrong with you. I’m just saying that
feelings, or lack thereof, should not stop you from doing your duty. “You can
do anything you ought to do,” said Bob Jones, Sr., including pray when you lack
deep feeling. Fénelon put it this way (read quote from Joy and Strength, p.
126)…
Amen! Wachovia’s slogan used to be,
“Let’s get started,” and that’s how you need to approach prayer. The fervency
will come, but I think that it’s foundation, besides the word of God, of
course, is desire and commitment. “Prayer is the soul’s sincere desire…” You’ve
got to have a desire and act on it, no matter how you feel. I think that lack
of understanding about feelings has caused great confusion among believers;
don’t let them get in the way of a powerful, fervent prayer life. You can have
one too, not just Elijah and Epaphras. The same Spirit that was in them is in
you (Elijah wasn’t in Christ, but he did have the Spirit, per 1 Pt. 1:11), and
he will bring you to experience fervent prayer, if you sow to him (Gal. 6:8)
and yield to him.
5. Brethren (1 Pt. 1:22; 4:8)
Here I’d like to make an obvious spiritual application,
since I believe that Heb.-Rev. are primarily aimed at saints in the early Acts
period, historically, and the great tribulation, doctrinally. If you study this
last portion of the NT canon closely, you’ll notice numerous references to
brotherly love. It’s legal evidence of salvation in the great tribulation; in
other words, during that time, if you don’t love the brethren, it’s because
you’re not saved. In this age, however, it’s also evidence of salvation, but
lack thereof doesn’t mean you’re lost; it just means that you’re carnal (1 Cor.
3:1-3). Ever since Paul received his gospel, three heresies concerning good
works have troubled the church: (1) works are needed to obtain salvation; (2) works are needed to retain salvation; and (3) works are needed to prove salvation. None of these, including the last one, is true.
Now, Eph. 2:10 says regarding good works that “God hath before ordained that we should walk in them” not
that we must, beloved, “otherwise “grace
is no more grace” (Rom. 11:6), or that we even will. That’s entirely up to us, just like receiving Christ was. I read
about a man in 1 Cor. 3:15 whose works were burned up, “but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.”
Most people cannot handle this,
since we’re by nature legalistic and self-righteous and think that we must have
something to do with our salvation.
You only deceive yourself if you believe that. God is so gracious that he’ll
save you with the foreknowledge of a carnal life afterward. That to me
magnifies his grace, though it’s not the response he’s looking for. He’s really
looking for grateful obedience, including fervent love for other believers,
like we read about in Peter’s letter. Spiritually applied, obeying the truth
should lead any saint, in any dispensation, to love other believers.
·
Ps. 119:63, “I
am a companion of all them that fear thee, and of them that keep thy precepts.”
·
1 Thes. 4:9,
“But as touching brotherly love ye need not that I write unto you: for ye
yourselves are taught of God to love one another.”
You see how it’s natural for believers to love one another,
and that “birds of a feather flock together.” And I must add that it’s natural
for you to love other believers fervently, even more than your earthly
relations, since it’s a spiritual love that comes from God. Rom. 5:5, “And hope maketh not ashamed; because the
love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto
us.” Such fervent love will be harder and harder to find in these last
days, where iniquity abounds and the love of many, including believers, waxes
cold. But don’t let it be you!
Look at Paul’s
prayer regarding this in 1 Thes. 3:12, “And the Lord make you to increase and
abound in your love one toward another, and toward all men, even as we do
toward you.” Why is this so important? Look at v. 13. If your love for the
brethren is not growing, it shows that you have heart issues that aren’t holy
which will be settled at the judgment seat of Christ if not down here. So you
may not lose your salvation for not fervently loving the brethren in this age,
but you’ll certainly lose rewards if you don’t apply yourself to it.
You say, “The
brethren aren’t very lovable, Bro. David.” Two things: (1) if you mean
likeable, that’s often true, but you choose to love them, i.e. seek the best
for them, whether you like them or not; there are many Christians that I don’t
like, and probably never will, despite Will Rogers, but I love them and hope
that my love for them grows over time; (2) it’s not them you really love
anyway, but the one in them, and the one that they’re in; look at Phile. 6—what
will really make your love for other saints effectual is remembering who is in
them, Christ. I know that their flesh can obscure that, sometimes
overwhelmingly, but if they belong to Christ, you should love them for that
reason. That doesn’t mean you’re intimate with them or, in some cases, even
fellowship with them, but it does mean that you acknowledge their identity in
Christ and seek their welfare as much as possible.
6. Holiness (2 Pt. 3:10-12)
As we saw earlier, the fervent thing here is the heat that
burns up the heavens and the earth, just before the white throne judgment. 2 Pt. 3 is a great passage to show that the
day of the Lord is 1000 years long, since this burning is said to be a part of
the day of the Lord. Now since the heavens and earth don’t burn up at the
second coming, the obvious conclusion is that this event follows the millennial
reign of Christ and matches Rev. 20:9, where Christ burns up Satan and the
rebellious host of nations after Satan is loosed from the bottomless pit.
Now this fervency
is important, but it’s not the only fervency in the passage. Do you see another type of fervency? How
about in v. 11? What’s the proper response to the knowledge of the fervency up
ahead? Fervency in your Christian life right now! Doctrine: dissolution of all
things by fire in the future; practice: burn out for God in the present. After
Henry Martyn read David Brainerd’s journal, he said, “Now to burn out for God,”
and off to the mission field he went.
This passage agrees perfectly with Paul’s exhortation in 2 Cor. 4:17-18
(read). In other words, be fervent about eternal things since everything
temporal will burn up.
CONCLUSION
In conclusion, I’d like to point out
three things about fervency: (1) This isn’t an exhaustive list of things that
believers should be fervent about, but we should pay close attention to the
things connected with fervency in scripture. (2) Nine references total; since nine is connected
with fruitfulness in scripture, could be hint that fervency is connected with
fruitfulness. Most fruitful believers I
know are fervent to some degree, but there’s always room for growth in this
grace. Seven of these references are connected with personal fervency; may be
another clue, since seven is the number of perfection. Personally, I don’t see how a saint could
reach spiritual maturity without being “fervent in spirit.” If you’re not fired up about Bible study,
prayer, and communion with God in general, it’s not likely that you’ll be
spiritually mature. It’s going to take fervency to keep you in the book, on
your knees, and in tune with God. (3) Fervency is not just for the young. You can and
should be fervent when you’re older. A great passage on this, which I include
in a lot of my correspondence with older saints, is Ps. 92:12-15; and a great
example of this used to grace this church, Bro. Melvin Pratt. That man had
tracts in his pocket till his last days. Praise the Lord! Fervent in spirit; on
fire for souls. How about you? Are you fired up about anything spiritually? God
wants you to be; if you’re not talk to him about it. Yield yourself to the fire
that’s already in you, and watch him do wonderful things in your life and the
lives of others.
