Session 1: The God of Fire
What comes to mind when you think about God and fire?
How God is going to cast the beast and the false prophet into the lake of fire.
* The gates of hell
* The fire breathing dragon – Satan who lives in a lake of fire.
* The lake of fire.
* How people will be tormented in a burning fire.
* Suffering in the lake of fire.
* Destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah.
*The end of the world.
Is that the whole story? Let’s take a closer look!
The Creation of the Sun – Then God said, Let there be lights in the sky to separate the day from the night. (Genesis 1:14)
The Angels Guarding the Garden with a Flaming Sword – God placed angels and a flaming sword that turned in all directions east of the Garden of Eden. (Genesis 3:24)
The Covenant God Made With Abraham – A smoking firepot and flaming torch moved between the split carcasses and GOD made a covenant with Abram. (Gen 15:17)
The Burning Bush – The Messenger of the LORD appeared to him there as flames of fire coming out of a bush. (Exodus 3:2)
The Glory of God on Mount Sinai - The sight of the glory of the LORD was like a consuming fire on the top of the mountain. (Exodus 24:17)
The Tabernacle in the Wilderness - Have them make a holy place for me, and I will live among them. (Exodus 25:8)
The Column of Smoke at the Tabernacle - When the people saw the column of smoke at the entrance to the tent, they would bow down. (Exodus 33:10)– four of the items in the tabernacle involved fire: the brazen altar, the golden lampstand, the altar of incense and the shekinah glory burning above the ark of the covenant.
The Fire in the Smoke at Night - So the LORD'S column stayed over the tent during the day, and there was fire in the smoke at night. (Exodus 40:38)
The Shekinah Glory Over the Mercy Seat - I will meet with you and give you all my commands for the Israelites. (Exodus 25:22)
Video: The Ten Commandments
Nabad and Abihu and Their Offering of Strange Fire - And Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, took either of them his censer, and put fire therein, and put incense thereon, and offered strange fire before the Lord, which he commanded them not. And there went out fire from the Lord, and devoured them, and they died before the Lord. (Leviticus 10:1-2)
The LORD your God is a raging fire, a God who does not tolerate rivals. (Deuteronomy 4:24)
The Pillar of Fire - By day you led them with a pillar of cloud, and by night with a pillar of fire. (Numbers 9:12)
The Fire From Heaven on Mount Carmel - Then the fire of the LORD fell and burned up the sacrifice. (1 Kings 18:38)
The Fiery Chariot that Took Elijah to Heaven - A fiery chariot with fiery horses separated the two of them and Elijah went to heaven in a windstorm. (2 Kings 2:11)
The Fire at the Dedication of the Temple– When Solomon finished praying, fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offerings and the other sacrifices, and the LORD'S filled the temple. The priests couldn't go into the LORD'S temple because the LORD'S had filled the LORD'S temple. When all the Israelites saw the fire come down and the LORD'S on the temple, they knelt down with their faces on the pavement. They worshiped and praised the LORD, by saying, "He is good; his mercy endures forever.“ (2Chronicles 7:1-3)
The Coal from the Seraph and Isaiah - Then one of the angels flew to me. In his hand was a burning coal that he had taken from the altar with tongs. (Isaiah 6:6)
God, the light of Israel, will become a fire. Israel’s holy God will become a flame. (Isaiah 10:17)
Who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire? Who among us shall dwell with everlasting burnings? He who walks righteously and speaks uprightly, he who despises the gain of oppressions, who stops his ears from hearing of bloodshed, and shuts his eyes from seeing evil. Your eyes will see the King in His beauty.(Isaiah 33:13-17)
The LORD will come with fire and with his chariots like a thunderstorm. (Isaiah 66:15)
Ezekiel’s Vision of God - On the throne was a figure that looked like a human, like glowing bronze with fire all around. (Ezekiel 1:26-28)
The LORD your God is like a flaming fire. (Daniel 4:24)
Daniel’s Vision of God: The Throne - The Ancient One sat down. His throne was fiery flames and its wheels were burning fire. (Daniel 7:9)
Daniel’s Vision of God - His face was like a flash of lightning, his eyes blazed like fire, his arms and legs shone like polished bronze. (Daniel 10:6)
He is like a purifying fire. He will purify Levi's sons and refine them like gold and silver. (Malachi 3:2-3)
The Appearance to the Shepherds -An angel from the Lord suddenly appeared to them. The glory of the Lord filled the area with light. (Luke 2:9)
The Transfiguration of Jesus - His face became as bright as the sun and his clothes as white as light. (Matthew 17:1)
The Day of Pentecost - They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. (Acts 2:3)
Peter’s Input - Acts 2 and Romans 12
Paul’s Vision of Jesus on the Road to Damascus - I saw a light that was brighter than the sun, it came from the sky and shined around me.(Acts 26:13)
Our God is a consuming fire. (Hebrews 12:29)
John’s Vision of Jesus - His eyes were like flames of fire. His feet were like glowing bronze refined in a furnace. (Revelation 1:13-15)
The Vision of the Throne in Heaven - From the throne came flashes of lightning, rumblings and peals of thunder. (Revelation 4:10)
The Vision of the Returning Jesus - There was a white horse, with integrity he judges and wages war. His eyes are flames of fire. (Revelation 19:11-12)
What have we learnt so far about the God of Fire from our survey of the Bible?
1. The God of Fire Destroys Wickedness.
2. The God of Fire Creates Purity
3. The God of Fire Produces Passion
The God of Fire appears to people and how we experience Him depends on how we are relating to him – See God will arise. His enemies will be scattered. Those who hate him will flee from him. Blow them away like smoke. Let wicked people melt in God's presence like wax next to a fire. But let righteous people rejoice. Let them celebrate in God's presence. Let them overflow with joy. (Psalm 68:1-3)
The same Fire of God can bring death or life.
Fire Sets Twigs Ablaze AND Causes Water to Boil – Two different uses of fire. Oh, that you would rend the heavens and come down, that the mountains would tremble before you! As when fire sets twigs ablaze and causes water to boil come down to make your name known to your enemies and cause the nations to quake before you! (Isaiah 64:1-2)
What Would Jesus Burn With in our life and ministry? Up in our life and ministry? This is our theme for this weekend. We will look at each aspect in the four sessions we have together.
We are also going to have time in PODS – small groups of People Openly Discussing Spirituality
Session 2: What Would Jesus Burn With In Our Ministry?
Video: The Castaway – Making Fire
What Would Jesus Burn With In Our Ministry?
The Passions of Jesus.Small Group Exercise: Divide delegates into small groups that can study a chapter of a gospel to discover Jesus’ ministry passions – have them identify the passion in the small group and report back to the large group (Make a master list of his passions).
The Passions of the Early Church
The Passions of the Early Church: Acts 2 - They committed themselves to the teaching of the apostles, the life together, the common meal, and the prayers. Everyone around was in awe - all those wonders and signs done through the apostles! And all the believers lived in a wonderful harmony, holding everything in common. They sold whatever they owned and pooled their resources so that each person's need was met. They followed a daily discipline of worship in the Temple followed by meals at home, every meal a celebration, exuberant and joyful, as they praised God. People in general liked what they saw. Every day their number grew as God added those who were saved. (Acts 2:42-47)
The Passions of the Early Church: Acts 4 - The whole congregation of believers was united as one - one heart, one mind! They didn't even claim ownership of their own possessions. No one said, "That's mine; you can't have it." They shared everything. The apostles gave powerful witness to the resurrection of the Master Jesus, and grace was on all of them. And so it turned out that not a person among them was needy. Those who owned fields or houses sold them and brought the price of the sale to the apostles and made an offering of it. The apostles then distributed it according to each person's need. (Acts 4:32-36)
The Passions of Paul: Quinton to Share.
The Passions of igniteYOUTH.
We are passionate about helping teens encounter Jesus as Saviour.
We are passionate about helping teens connect with other believers.
We are passionate about helping teens grow to maturity in Jesus.
We are passionate about helping teens reach their friends for Jesus.
We are passionate about helping teens influence their world for Jesus.
“They devoted themselves to the apostles teaching, fellowship, breaking of bread and prayer.” (Acts 2)
What will your ministry be devoted to?
Small Group Exercise: Have delegates reflect on their ministries to create a list of priorities and an action item or two for each one. The goal is to identify 6 to 8 focus areas for our ministry and create an action plan to implement those passions/priorities in our ministries (Create a worksheet delegates can use)
The Result of Passionate Ministry: (Acts 2) They were in awe o fthe Lord (43); They saw miraculous signs (43); They shared all they had (44-45); They had a common purpose (46); They were joyful and humble (46); They had favour with people (47); They grew numerically (47).
Session 3: What Would Jesus Burn With In Our Life?
The Cave People Drama
What Would Jesus Burn With In Our Life?
Video: What do you burn for?
William Wallace - The famous speech on the battlefield.
Barak Obama – His Inspiring Speech
Video: The Great Debaters
Jim Elliot- The man who wrote: “He is no fool who gives that which he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose” also wrote: “God, I pray Thee, light these idle sticks of my life and may I burn for Thee. Consume my life, my God, for it is Thine. I seek not a long life, but a full one, like you, LORD Jesus.” Jim Elliot
William Booth - While women weep, as they do now, I'll fight; while children go hungry, as they do now I'll fight; while men go to prison, in and out, in and out, as they do now, I'll fight; while there is a drunkard left, while there is a poor lost girl upon the streets, while there remains one dark soul without the light of God, I'll fight, I'll fight to the very end! William Booth
David Brainerd the earliest missionary to the American Indians of New England. He wrote in his journal, "I cared not where or how I lived, or what hardships I endured so that I could but gain souls for Christ. While I was asleep I dreamt of such things and when I woke the first thing I thought of was winning souls to Christ." He also had the desire: Oh, that I might be a flaming fire in the service of the Lord.
Naming Your Passions:Jesus
Naming Your Passions: Family
Naming Your Passions: Discipleship
1. I am passionate about encountering Jesus as Saviour.
2. I am passionate about connecting with other believers.
3. I am passionate about growing to maturity in Jesus.
4. I am passionate about reaching my friends for Jesus.
Video: Penn – the Gift of a Bible. An atheist affirms a man who treated him with respect and gave him a Bible to try to proselytise him (that means to tell someone about your beliefs to influence them to accept them).
Video: Drowning Friend
Our Mission is Pulling People Out Of the Darkness into the Light
5. I am passionate about influencing my world for Jesus.
Video: The Startfish Story
Some Passions to Live By: Souls, relationships, family, disciplemaking, holiness or Christlikeness, unity, wisdom, courage, honesty, simplicity, fruit of the Spirit, humility, pleasing God.
Personal Reflection: What do you talk about the most? What do you day dream about the most? What activities leave you energised not drained? What activities cause time to pass quickly?
Catch yourself on fire and people will come to see you burn. John Wesley
Catch Yourself on Fire: (1) Fan your flame into a raging fire – keep stoking the fire by reading, praying, etc.It comes from prayerful immersion in Scripture. In Luke 24:32 the disciples who had talked with Jesus on the Emmaus road said, “Did not our hears burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the Scriptures?” The fire of zeal for the Lord comes from the opening of Scripture in conversation with Jesus (=prayer).
Catch Yourself on Fire: (2) Stay close to other burning coals – people who share your passion. “Let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together.” (Hebrews 10:24-25)
Catch Yourself on Fire: (3) Use the heat generated by the fire - Serve God’s purpose in your generation (Acts 13:36) – Do whatever you do with all your heart and for the Lord (Colossians 3:23).
Session 4: What Would Jesus Burn Up In Our Life?
My Heart Christ’s Home
The Door: Christ arrives with fire in his hands at the door of my life – inviting Him in as Saviour AND Lord.
Jesus said to his disciples, "If a man loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make out home with him." (Jn 14:23). When we give our lives to Jesus he enters our heart, settles down and makes him home there. I will never forget the evening I invited him into my heart. What an entrance he made! It was not a spectacular, emotional thing, but very real, occurring at the very center of my soul. He came into the darkness of my heart and turned on the light. He built a fire in the fire place and banished the chill. He started music where there had been stillness and harmony where there had been discord. He filled the emptiness with his own loving fellowship. I have never regretted opening the door to Christ and I never will. This is the first step in making the heart Christ's home. He has said, "Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if any one hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to eat with him, and he with me" (Rev 3:20). If you want to know the reality of God and the personal presence of Jesus Christ simply open wide the door and ask him to come in and be your Savior and Lord.After Christ entered my heart, in the joy of that newfound relationship I said to him, "Lord, I want this heart of mine to be yours. I want you to settle down here and be fully at home. I want you to use it as your own. Let me show you around and make you comfortable. I want you to enjoy our time together."
The Study: The Mind – Jesus burns bad images, ideas, books, pics and movies.
The first room we looked at together was the study the library. It is the study of the mind. It is an important room because it is the control room of the house. He entered with me and looked around at the books in the bookcase, the magazines on the table, the pictures on the walls. As I followed his gaze, I became uncomfortable. Strangely enough, I had not felt badly about this room before, but now that he was there with me looking at these things, I was embarrassed. There were some books on the shelves his eyes were too pure to look at. On the table were a few magazines a Christian has no business reading. As for the pictures on the walls - some of these were shameful. Redfaced I turned to him and said, "Master, I know this room really needs to be cleaned up and made over. Will you help me shape it up and change it to the way it ought to be?” “Certainly," he replied. "I'm glad to help you! I've come to handle things like this! First of all, take all the material you are reading and viewing which are not true, good, pure and helpful, and throw them out! Now put on the empty shelves the books of the Bible. Fill the library with the Scriptures and meditate on them day and night. As for the pictures on the walls, you will have difficulty controlling these images, but I have something that will help." He gave me a fullsized portrait of himself. "Hang this centrally," he said, "on the wall of the mind." I did, and I have discovered through the years that when my thoughts focus on Christ, the awareness of his presence, purity and power causes wrong and impure thoughts to flee. So he has helped me to bring my thoughts under his control, but the struggle remains. If you have difficulty with this little room of the mind, let me encourage you to bring Christ there. Pack it full with the Word of God, study it, meditate on it and keep clearly before you the presence of the Lord Jesus.