Sermon, 3/23/03 pm

Jim Huskey, Mis-directed Zeal

Over in the book of Romans, chapter 10, the apostle Paul wrote, "Brethren,

my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be

saved. For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not

according to knowledge. For they being ignorant of God's righteousness,

and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted

themselves unto the righteousness of God." Rom. 10:1-3.

There are an awful lot of people in the religious world who have a

zealous affection for God. There are an awful lot of people in an

awful lot of situations who have a great deal of zeal for what they're

doing. Zeal CAN be a very good thing. The apostle Paul, in Galatians

4:18 said "But it is good to be zealously ffected always in a good

thing, and not only when I am present with you." There is one great

danger, however. A lot of folks mistake zeal for knowledge. A lot of

folks think just because somebody is doing something with a lot of

fervor and with a lot of enthusiasm that it's got to be right. But,

"ain't always the case".

Yes, zeal is important. Far too often our brethren don't have enough of

it. It is sad to see a lot of other folks with mis-directed zeal, and

those who have the truth showing very little zeal. But I want you to

notice what Paul said. "Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God

for Israel is, that they might be saved." Paul was a Jew; he calls

himself a Hebrew of Hebrews. He was brought up at the feet of Gamaliel,

one of the renowned teachers of the Jews. But more importantly to Paul,

he was brought up a Pharisee, of the strictest sect of the Jews. When

Paul took pen in hand and wrote to his Jewish brethren and says,

"Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they

might be saved", you know he had a compassion for them, because they are

his brethren according to the flesh. He had profited in that religion

himself. Therefore, when he said "For I bear them record that they have

a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge", he knew whereof he

spoke. You see, he had been there and done that!!! He knew exactly

where so many of them "were coming from". Zeal - without knowledge, it

can create all sorts of problems. The apostle Paul would know that very

well. He would know it from his own personal experience of his own

life because he would later say, in making his defense before King

Agrippa, "I verily thought with myself, that I ought to do many things

contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth. Which thing I also did in

Jerusalem; and many of the saints did I shut up in prison, having

received authority from the chief priests; and when they were put to

death, I gave my voice against them." Acts 26:9,10. This was not too

long after he had made his statement before the Sanhedrin when he said,

"...Men and brethren, I have lived in all good conscience before God

until this day." Acts 23:1. He would go on as he talked not only to

Agrippa, but as he talked to Felix and Festus, and he told them how he

persecuted christians, that he would seek them out in foreign cities,

that he would consent to them being put to death, that he would go and

commit them to prison. Acts 26. I guess you would have to say Paul

had a zeal, wouldn't you. He wouldn't do all those things he did

without having zeal, because that took a lot of effort. He travelled

a lot of miles, and remember, he wasn't flying on an air-conditioned

jet. He wasn't wasn't riding in an air-conditioned car. He was making

those journeys either on foot or mule back, or maybe camel. He wasn't

flying, by any mens. He did it because he had a zeal for God, but his

zeal was mis-directed. His zeal was mis-directed because it was not

according to knowledge. When he learned what was right, that zeal was

re-channeled, thus he would become the apostle who would perhaps do

more for the cause of Christ than any other person, except Jesus,

himself.

So Paul said, "..My heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is that

they might be saved. For I bear them record that they have a zeal of

God, but not according to knowledge." But you know, a lot of times

people exhibit zeal and don't even know what they're really doing.

Remember over in Acts 19, in the city of Ephesus? There was a

silversmith over there by the name of Demetrius and Paul, because he

was teaching them that the God of heaven is not like gods made of

silver, brass and things of that nature, turning the people away from

idolatry, was getting into the pocketbooks of Demetrius and the other

silversmiths. So they began to stir up the people. The record says

half of them didn't know why they were there in the mob-like assembly,

but they were all stirred up about something. They just didn't know

for sure what that something was. Finally the townclerk had to come in

and tell them, 'we stand to be called in question about this uproar

this day; you sure can't justify it if you don't know why you're here.'

Half yelling one thing, half yelling something else!! The record says

the greater part didn't even know why they were there. They had gotten

caught up in the motion of the moment. They were exhibiting their zeal

but it wasn't according to knowledge. We have to know what we're doing

when it's according to knowledge, we have to know "why we're there".

Then in Acts 21, Paul had gone to Jerusalem. He met with James and

the brethren. After he told them what God had done by his hands among

the Gentiles, they said 'we know that there are an awful lot of Jews

who are christians, but they've heard about you. The charge that has

been brought about you is that you teach them to not even circumcise

their children. They're gonna' want to hear about you. We want you to

take a vow, purify yourself, we've got some brethren here who have

taken a vow. We want you to purify yourself in the temple with them

then talk to the brethren.' Well, remember, there was Jews who came

down from Asia just before that purification period was over, and they

were in the temple. They say Paul in the temple, also. They had also

seen earlier Paul in the city with Trophimus who was a Greek, he was

from Ephesus. They SUPPOSED that Trophimus was in the temple with

Paul. They caused an uproar, dragged Paul out of the temple, shut the

door of the temple, raised an uproar in the city. That's when the

chief captain came down and took him out of their hands. I guess you

would have to say that mob had a great deal of zeal. But just a few

simple questions can be raised. Was their zeal directed by knowledge or

something else? Now they had seen Paul with Trophimus IN THE CITY.

If Trophimus was in the temple, why didn't they bring Trophimus out.

He would be the one who was not supposed to be in the temple. Why

didn't they bring HIM out. There's no record they ever SAW HIM IN THE

TEMPLE. Surely if they could find a Jew in the temple, they could

locate A GENTILE IN THE TEMPLE. All this was because they SUPPOSED he

was with Paul in the temple. They didn't see him in the temple, they

didn't bring him out of the temple. All that stir that even brought in

the Roman forces was brought about by zeal which as not directed by

knowledge.

Now we see that in the religious world today. We see that in the

politics of the day. We see that in a lot of things that are taking

place in our country today. People don't even know of what they are

talking. I heard someone interviewed the other day who had taken part

in one of the demonstrations in Washington. They said, "we're up here

protesting." "Well what are you protesting?" Now this was an anti-war

demonstration. "Well, we think this money ought to be given to this or

that group of people." "I thought this was an anti-war demonstration."

Why a lot of them were there had nothing to do with being against

the war with Iraq. They were just afraid some money would be spent

and therefore it might limit what they could get as a hand-out. One of

those who took part in that demonstration called in on one of the talk

shows. The host of the talk show was getting a little upset because of

some of the stupid statements. He asked, "Who won the best actor award

last year?" This was a female, about mid 20's. She told him who won.

"Who is your state senator", he asked. "I don't know", she answered.

Then he asked "For whom did you vote in this last election?" Her

answer, "Well, I didn't vote." He said, "You don't have a right to

say anything." Then he cut her off!!!!! Why are these people involved

in a lot of these movements. It's similar to the hippie movements in

the 60's; half the people there didn't know why they were there.

Two-thirds of them were so stoned, they wouldn't have realized it if

they had known.

You see, zeal is one thing; zeal directed by knowledge is something else.

People need to have a zeal for God, but they need to make sure that

zeal is directed by the word of God, and not by what some people refer

to today as feelings. 'I just feel so good.' They'll pound themselves

on the chest. 'I just know in my heart'....and they'll pound

themselves here on the chest. These kids back here know that the

Biblical heart isn't down here in the chest. They know it's up here -

the mind. 'I wouldn't trade what I feel right here (pounding on their

chest) for all the Bibles in the world.' I've heard people make that

statement over and over again. Feelings can be a little misleading,

folks, just like zeal. I know of folks who felt up here in the chest

like they had indigestion, but they were actually having a heart attack.

Bicarbonate of soda isn't going to help that. So feelings are no more

of a safe guide than zeal. They have to be properly educated. That

feeling has to come as a result of the knowledge of having done the

thing God has commanded. That's how you can have a good feeling, if

you please to use that word, and be safe in so doing. God's word

says do this - I've done it. That way you can have the assurance that

the word of God offers, and that God wants us to have. John said,

"These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the

Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life..." I Jno.5:13.

Well, how do we know? If we do the things commanded; that's how we

know. God has said do this - you've done that. Then you know you have

eternal life.

There are an awful lot of folks today about whom Paul would be

concerned. They might not be his brethren in flesh, but like Israel of

old, they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge.

Being ignorant of God's righteousness, they set up their own system

and follow it zealously, then feel good about it. Sadly that zeal is

mis-directed. Awful lot of folks gonna be surprised one day when on

the day of judgment there are no feelings, zeal is not the standard,

but the word of God is. That's what Jesus said a long time ago, and

it hasn't changed. "...the word that I have spoken, the same shall

judge him in the last day." John 12:48.