HOW’S YOUR ZEAL?

Rick Jackson

GAL 3:1-9, 4:16-18

Is there anything you are zealous about? Do you have any zeal? “Zeal” according to the dictionary is: “eager interest and enthusiasm; ardent endeavor; fervor”. According to the Bible God has zeal. One can have the right kind of zeal but one can also be zealous for the wrong things, and have a wrong kind of zeal. The Bible speaks of both.

I. THE BIBLE SPEAKS OF GOD’S ZEAL

1. God has zeal for His people (II K. 19:30-31; Is. 37:32)

2. God has zeal for His House (Ps. 69:9; Jn. 2:13-17)

3. God has zeal for His Word (Is. 9:6-7, 59:15-21)

II. THE BIBLE SPEAKS OF GOOD ZEAL

1. Zeal for the Lord and His Word (Num. 25:10-13ff; II K. 9:1-7, 10:16; Ps. 119:137-144; II Co. 7:11; Rev. 3:19)

2. Zeal for the Lord’s people (II Cor. 9:1-2; Col. 4:13)

3. Zeal for the Lord’s will [good works] (Titus 2:14)

III. THE BIBLE SPEAKS OF A MISGUIDED ZEAL

1. Doing wrong in patriotic fervor (II Sam. 21:1-2, Japanese internment camps)

2. Doing wrong in religious fervor (Phil. 3:6-9)

3. Doing wrong in religious ignorance (Rm. 10:1-2; I C0. 14:12; Ga. 1:11-14, 4:16-18)

WHAT KIND OF ZEAL DO YOU HAVE?