Jesus was a man of enthusiasm

JESUS WAS A MAN OF ENTHUSIASM
EDITED BY GLENN PEASE
The Enthusiasm of Jesus
John baptized with water. Jesus baptizes with fire. As PastorCharles Edward
Jeffersonshows, the PerfectMan is a man on fire for the Father.
Coming with powerand speed, passionand zeal
“The New Testamentis the most enthusiastic of all books, and Jesus is the
most enthusiastic of all men. . . . Jesus burns with fervent heat. His very words
are sparks which kindle conflagrations. . . . When we see some men hurrahing
and adoring and other men gnashing their teeth and cursing, some boiling
with love, others seething with hate, it is evident we are in the presence of a
man whose heart glows like a furnace and whose soul radiates heat.”
“Evenwhen a boy he used a word which expressedthe intensity of his feeling,
‘Do you not know that I must be about my Father’s business?’He never
ceasedto use that word ‘must.’ They wantedhim to stayin Capernaum, but
he could not do it. ‘I must preachthe gospel of the kingdom of Godto the
other cities also.’They wanted him to stay awayfrom Jerusalem, knowing
that it was dangerous there, but he said: ‘I must go to Jerusalem. I have a
baptism to be baptized with’. . . . He kept saying, ‘I must work the works of
Him that sent me while it is day: the night cometh when no man canwork.'”
“Again and againwe catchexpressions in which we feel his greatheart
beating: ‘I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel,’‘O woman, greatis
thy faith!’ ‘I thank thee, O Father!’ ‘O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, how often!’ All
are out of the throat of an enthusiast, a man surchargedwith feeling. . . . Our
heart leaps when we listen to them. The rains of the centuries have not put out
their fire.”

Enthusiastic Praying, Enthusiastic Working
“How intense his life was we can see in what is told us of his habit of praying.
He was always praying. He arose earlyin the morning in order to find more
time to pray, he stayed up late at night in order to increase the hours in which
he might speak to God. Sometimes he did not go to bed at all, remaining all
night long upon some hilltop under the stars pouring out his soul to God.”
“He was enthusiastic in prayer, and therefore he was zealous in work. Men
were astounded by the magnitude of his labors. Sometimes he did not take
time to eat. Even when he went awayfor a seasonof relaxationhe gave
himself up to the crowds which pursued him. . . . Mark frankly tells us that
there was a time in Jesus’life when his labor was so excessive thathis friends
said, ‘He is beside himself!’ . . . Such burning earnestnessin the work of doing
goodhad never been seenin Palestine.”
“This was the judgment of his friends. His enemies did not hesitate to say
boldly, ‘He has a devil, he is mad.’ Jesus made this impression not once, but
often. Such zeal for righteousness, suchenthusiasmfor helping men seemedto
the cold-bloodedscribes the fury of a maniac. It was when Paul was burning
with the same kind of heat that Festus cried, ‘Paul, thou art mad!’ Nothing
seems so crazy as enthusiasm to a man incapable of feeling it.”
Three Roots
“If you ask for the cause ofthis enthusiasm, you will find it has three roots.
First, Jesus had a sensitive nature. . . . There is a vastdifference in the
makeup of men. Some men are coarse, stolid, heavy. They have sensations but
not intense ones. They have the emotions of vegetables. There are other men
who are as delicatelyadjusted as an aeolianharp. Every breeze that blows
over them causes them to vibrate and woos from them music. Such a man was
Jesus.”
“Along with this nature capable of burning there existed a vision of Godand a
vision of man which setthe nation on fire. Jesus saw that the makerof the
universe is a Father, that at the center of things there beats a Father’s heart,
that over all there extends a Father’s care, and that to all there flows a

Father’s love. Other men have seenthis dimly, as it were through a glass
darkly, but Jesus saw it as it had never been seenbefore and as it has never
been seensince. It was to him the one clearand luminous fact of the universe
and everything else was seenin the glory of this stupendous truth.”
“Since Godis the all-Father, then all men are His children. He createdthem
all, He loves them all, He desires to save them all. No matter who they are or
what they are or where they are, they are His children, and they cannot drift
beyond His love and care. Men everywhere are brothers, and for one brother
to help another, this is the supreme joy in living. Other men see this dimly, but
to Jesus it was all clearas the sun at noon.”
“Out of such a nature heated hot by such a vision there came forth a purpose.
. . . To the cleareye of Jesus a mighty battle was raging on the earth. There
was a terrific conflict betweenright and wrong, light and darkness, goodand
evil, God and the Devil. There was nothing to do at such a crisis but to throw
himself wholeheartedlyinto the contest, fighting indomitably for the glory of
the Fatherand the welfare of his brethren. Put these three things together—
a sensitive and inflammable nature, a clear and glorious vision, and a fiery
and indomitable purpose — and you have the ingredients which go to produce
the divine flame which is knownas enthusiasm.”
The Highest of All Enthusiasms
“What a beautiful thing it is, enthusiasm! Moses turned aside to see a burning
bush, everybody turns aside to see a burning man. Glance across the centuries
and you will note that every time the race has turned aside from the beaten
path it has been to see a man who was burning.”
“Enthusiasmis of different kinds. . . . But higher than all enthusiasms is the
fire that burns in souls in love with God. To know Him, to serve Him, to
glorify Him, this is the highestambition of which the soul is capable, and the
soul when possessedwith this ambition burns with a fire that cannot be
quenched. This was the enthusiasm of Jesus. In him the highest of the
enthusiasms reachedits climax. He lived and moved and had his being in the
presence ofthe Eternal. From the beginning to the end he saw the majesty of
righteousness, lovedthe beauty of holiness, and lived for the glory of God.”

On Fire, or Lukewarm?
“It is not to be wonderedat, then, that the religion of Jesus likes the word
‘fire.’ John the Baptist declaredthat he could baptize only with water but that
one was coming who would baptize with fire. From John’s hands men came
dripping, from Jesus’hands they came blazing. St. Luke tells us that on the
Day of Pentecostthere seemedto be a flame on every forehead, fit emblem of
the new religion’s heart. John on the isle of Patmos thinking of Jesus . . . hears
him talking to the Laodiceans, and this is what he says:‘I would thou wert
cold or hot. Because thouart lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spew
you out of my mouth’. . . . The beloved disciple does not hesitate to represent
Jesus saying, ‘LukewarmChristians are nauseating to me!'”
“And alas!how many lukewarm Christians there are, men who are
indifferent, neutral, neither hot nor cold. . . . What is the matter with
Christians that they are so lacking in enthusiasm? The answeris that the
nature is saturated, soakedby the chilling drizzle of worldliness, and along
with this . . . comes a diminishing of the vision of the Fatherhoodof God and
the Brotherhoodof man, and because there is a shadowedvision, the glowing
purpose is also lacking, and the soul does not catchfire. What, then, shall we
do? Let us go back to Him who is a zealous God, so eagerand ardent in His
love that He gave His only begottenSon. If we are not ablaze in the presence
of such a gospel, it is because we have a heart of stone; but He who knows our
frame and who remembers that we are dust has promised . . . to give us a
heart of flesh.”
Excerpts from The Characterof Jesus by Charles EdwardJefferson(Thomas
Y. Crowell& Co., 1908)
Charles Edward Jefferson
THE ENTHUSIASM OF JESUS

"I came to castfire upon the earth."
— Luke xii : 49.
Strange to say, the word " enthusiasm " does not
occurin our English New Testament, nor is it to
be found in the Greek Testament; and yet the New
Testamentis the most enthusiastic of all books, and
Jesus b the most enthusiastic of all men. The word
"enthusiasm" is avoided, and for a reason. In the
first centiuy it had unsavory associations. Enthu-
siasmin the Paganworld was an ecstasy, ordivine
possession. An enthusiastwas one who was in-
spired or possessedby a god. Often the enthusiast
was a fanatic, sometimes he was a madman. The
evangelists and apostles did not like the word, and
so they kept it out of their writings. In the speech
of to-day, enthusiasm is a noble word. It is fervor
of mind, ardency of spirit, exaltation of soul. It is
passion, heat, fire. Though the word is absent, the
thing itself is present. Jesus bums with fervent
heat. His very words are sparks which kindle
conflagrations.

When a boy he visited Jerusalemwith his parents,
and slipping one day into the Temple to hear the
229
230 CHARACTER OF JESUS
scholars discussing the greatproblems of religion,
he lost himself. He forgotwhat day of the week
it was, and what hour of the day it was. His father
and mother and brothers and sisters and friends
all passedcompletely from his mind. He plunged
headlong into the discussionof the doctors, gave
himself up completely to the subjectof the hour,
allowedhimself to be swept along on the tide of
thought and discussion, until all at once his mother's
face appearedat the door and he was reminded of
the place he had left vacant in the caravanwhich
had startedtoward Galilee. In this temple expe-
rience we see a natiure sensitive and impressionable,

capable of being heated to high temperatures.
When as a yoimg man of thirty he next appears
before us we see him at the river Jordan being bap-
tized by the mighty preacherJohn. Immediately
after the baptism, St. Mark tells us he was "driven"
by the Spirit into the wilderness. The word
" driven'* has in it a significance which is revealing.
Jesus is so full of feeling after the experience which
came to him in his baptism that he cannot linger
near the homes of men, but must at once rush away
into unfrequented and desert places where he can
meditate upon the strange thing that has happened
to him, and ponder the steps which he must next
take. From this time on we have a man before us
who is being driven. Even when a boy he used a
word which expressedthe intensity of his feeling,
" Do you not know that I must be about my Father's
HIS ENTHUSIASM 23 1

business?" He never ceasedto use that word
"must." They wantedhim to stay in Capernaum,
but he could not do it. "I must preach the gospel
of the kingdom of God to the other cities also."
They wanted him to stay awayfrom Jerusalem,
knowing that it was dangerous there, but he said :
"I must go to Jerusalem. I have a baptism to be
baptized with, and how am I straiteneduntil it be
accomplished?" He fdt that his life would be short
and so he kept sa)dng, "I must work the works of
Him that sent me while it is day : the night cometb
when no man canwork."
How intense his life was we can see in what is told
us of his habit of praying. He was always praying.
He arose early in the morning in order to find more
time to pray, he stayed up late at night in order to
increase the hours in which he might speak to God.
Sometimes he did not go to bed at all, remaining all
night long upon some hilltop imder the stars pouring
out his soul to God. He was enthusiastic in prayer,
and therefore he was zealous in work. Men were
astounded by the magnitude of his labors. Some-

times he did not take time to eat. Even when he
went awayfor a seasonof relaxationhe gave himself
up to the crowds which pursued him. His words
have in them an energywhich btims. Again and
againwe catchexpressions in which we can feel
his greatheart beating : "I have not found so great
faith, no, not in Israel," "O woman, greatis
thy faith!" "I thank thee, O Father!" "O
Jerusalem, Jerusalem, how often!" All these are
out of the throat of an enthusiast, a man surcharged
with feeling. At the distance of nineteen himdred
years from the day on which they were spokenour
heart leaps when we listen to them. The rains
of the centiuies have not put out their fire.
But it is not simply what Jesus says, but also what
those who touched him saywhich lets us look into the
molten centre of his glowing heart. Mark frankly

tells us that there was a time in Jesus'life when his
labor was so excessive thathis friends said, "He is
beside himself." Expressive, indeed, is the phrase.
A man is beside himself when he is a little "off."
He is not "awayoff," for then he is out of his head,
or insane. But when a man has swung just a litde
from his balance he b beside himself. He is in the
borderland which is betweensanity and insanity.
Such binning earnestnessin the work of doing good
had never been seenin Palestine. No wondermen
said, "He is beside himself!" But this was the
judgment of his friends. His enemies did not hesi-
tate to say boldly, "He has a devil, he b mad."
Jesus made thb impression not once, but often.
Such zeal for righteousness, suchenthusiasm for
helping men seemedto the cold-blooded scribes the
fury of a maniac It was when Paul was burning
with the same kind of heat that Festus cried, "Paul,
thou art mad I" Nothing seems so crazy as enthu-
siasmto a man incapable of feeling it.
The crowds also bearwitness to the fire which thb

HIS ENTHUSIASM 233
man had in him. He stirred men up whereverhe
went. They crowdedhim off the land upon the
water. They pushed him off the plain up the hillside.
They crowdedthe houses in which he tarried, they
pressedround him as he walkedthrough the streets.
Again and againthe excitement rose to fever heat,
and Jesus slipped awayand hid himself. Nearthe
close ofhis careerthe crowds went wild in their
tumultuous joy, shouting, singing, casting their
clothing in the dust that the animal which Jesus
rode might have a carpet for its hoofs like imto that
furnished for triumphal processions ofkings. No
man can seta crowd blazing unless his own soul is
ablaze. When we see some men hurrahing and
adoring and other men gnashing their teeth and
cursing, some boiling with love, others seething with
hate, it is evident we are in the presence of a man
whose heart glows like a furnace and whose soul
radiates heat whereverhe goes.

A still finer evidence of this is foimd in the charac-
ter of the men whom Jesus attractedto him as his
intimate friends. The apostles were all men of fire.
Do not believe the pictures when they paint the twelve
as limp and pallid men. They were full-blooded,
virile, mighty men, full of fire and passion, drawn
to Jesus because in him they saw a man who satisfied
them. Peterhad a seething soul, his words roll out
of him like molten lava. John and James were
calledSons of Thunder. The disciple whom Jesus
loved was so passionate that he wanted to bum up
a whole town which had insulted his Master. One
of the disciples was a zealot^ a member of the most
radical political party in Palestine. Menof this
party could scarcelysleep, so intense was their hatred
of Rome, and no man among the zealots couldever
have been attractedby a cold-blooded, limp-handed

man. It was because Jesus hadin him the fire
which the zealots loved that Simon enrolled himself
among the apostles. Judas also was a man made
of inflammable stu£F. EQs remorse sets him on fire
and there is nothing more thrilling in history than
his shriek:^'I have sinned! I have sinned!" If
there was a lethargic temperament in the apostolic
company, it was that of Thomas;but even he was
so devoted to Jesus that at a crisis in his life he said
to his comrades, "Come, letus go and die with him."
That was the feeling of them all. They loved Jesus
with such an intensity of devotion, such a passionate
self-abandon, that they were ready at any moment
to lay down their lives for him. No man can win and
hold the ardent devotion of strong men imless he
has a soul which is hot. Jesus from first to lastwas
surrounded by enthusiasts because he himself was
enthusiastic.
If you ask for the cause ofthis enthusiasm, you
will find that it has three roots. In the first place,
Jesus had a sensitive natiure. He was finely or-
ganized, his nerves were delicatelystrung. There

is a vast difference in the make-up of men. Some
men are coarse, stolid, heavy. They have sensations
H/S ENTHUSIASM 235
but not intense ones. They have the emotions of
vegetables. There are othermen who are as deli-
catelyadjusted as an aeolianharp. Every breeze
that blows over them causes them to vibrate and
wooes fromthem music. Such a man was Jesus.
No finer claywas ever organized around a soul
than that which formed his body, and this body was
never coarsenedorcallousedby sin. On the Mount
of Transfiguration his soul so shone through his
body that his disciples were awedand overwhelmed.
In the Garden of Gethsemane his agonywas so
greatthat the perspiration on his brow lookedin
the moonlight like huge drops of blood. When his
soul at one time came into his face men fell backward
to the ground.

Along with this nature capable of burning there
existed a vision of God and a vision of man which
setthe nation on fire. Jesus saw that the makerof
the universe is a Father, that at the centre of things
there beats a Father's heart, that over all there ex-
tends a Father's care, and that to all there flows
a Father's love. Other men have seenthis dimly,
as it were through a glass darkly, but Jesus saw it as
it had never been seenbefore and as it has never been
seensince. It was to him the one dear and lumi-
nous fact of the universe and everything else was
seenin the glory of thb stupendous truth. Since
God is the all-Father, then all men are His children.
He createdthem all, He loves them all. He desires
to save them all. No matter who they are or what
they are or where they are, they are His children,
and they cannotdrift beyond His love and care.
Men everywhere are brothers, and for one brother

to help another, this is the supreme joy in living.
Other men see this dimly, but to Jesus it was all
clearas the sim at noon. With such a vision of God
and such a vision of man is it to be wondered at that
his soulburned like a star? Out of such a nature
heated hot by such a vision there came forth a pur-
pose, steadfastand full of passion. To the dear
eye of Jesus a mighty battle was raging on the earth.
There was a terrific conflict betweenright and wrong,
light and darkness, goodand evil, God and the Devil.
There was nothing to do at such a crisis but to throw
himself whole-heartedlyinto the contest, fighting
indomitably for the glory of the Father and the wel-
fare of his brethren. Put these three things together
— a sensitive and inflammable nature, a clearand
glorious vision, and a fiery and indomitable purpose
— and you have the ingredients which go to produce
the divine flame which is knownas enthusiasm.
What a beautiful thing it is, enthusiasm I Moses
turned aside to see a burning bush, everybody turns
aside to see a burning man. Glance acrossthe
centuries and you will note that every time the race

has turned aside from the beaten path it has been
to see a man who was burning. Enthusiasm is of
diflferent kinds, but every kind is fascinating. There
is what we may callphysical enthusiasm, the enthusi-
asm of the nerves and the blood. It is this enthu-
HIS ENTHUSIASM 237
siasmwhich was kindled at the greatathletic contests
in Greece, andwhich blazes at our modem foot-
ball contests. To be one of forty thousand people
watching a few strong men engagedin a strenuous
game stirs the nerves and sets the corpuscles in the
blood to hurrahing. It is not a high form of enthu-
siasm, but it is glorious, and men will go miles to
experience the thrill. Much higher than this is
intellectual enthusiasm, the fervor which men feel
in the pursuit of truth. This is the enthusiasm of
explorers and discoverers and inventors and scholars
— men who devote their lives to the sublime work of
snatching a new kingdom from the clutch of the

unknown. Men count not their lives dear in the
pursuit of knowledge. Whenwe read of an explorer
dying in a wild and desert land, or of a physician
giving up his life in the laboratoryin searchofa
secretwhich will diminish pain or lengthen life, we
are awedinto silence. The heart knows that it
stands in the presence of something divine. Above
this is the aesthetic enthusiasm, fiery zeal in the
pursuit of beauty. There are men and women in
whose eyes there is a hunger after beauty which we
who do not have it cannot imderstand. The man
with the artistic eye is seeking everywhere forbeauty.
When his eyelids fall, his soul still sees forms, colors,
lights, shadows, scenes ofloveliness and perfection.
What a history it is, the history of art. What a line
of heroes and martyrs have travelled the steepand
thorny road.
Many a man has painted day by day until his

eyes beganto fail, and then he has painted on and
on amid the deepening shadows, neverfaltering,
never siurendering imtil the £inal darkness falls.
Others have in their ears a hunger after harmony.
All through life they thirst for fuller measures of
lovely tones. There is no temple for them but the
vast and glorious temple of music, and melodies
and divine sequences ofordered tones flow in a con-
stant tide through the soul. What biographies they
are, the biographies of musicians. For many of
them it has been a life of labor, privation, sacrifice,
disappointment, poverty ; but all things precious have
been coimted dross by souls in pursuit of higher
strains of the heavenly anthem. Before all such
mart3rrs the soul takes oflfits shoes, knowing that the
ground is holy. But higher than all enthusiasms is
the fire that bums in souls in love with God. To
know Him, to serve Him, to glorify Him, this is the
highest ambition of which the soul is capable, and
the soulwhen possessedwith this ambition bums
with a fire that cannot be quenched. This was the
enthusiasm of Jesus. In him the highest of the
enthusiasms reachedits climax. He lived and moved

and had his being in the presence of the Etemal.
From the beginning to the end he saw the majesty
of righteousness, lovedthe beauty of holiness, and
lived for the glory of God.
It is not to be wondered at, then, that the religion
of Jesus likes the word " fire." John the Baptistde-
H/S ENTHUSIASM 239
dared that he could baptize only with water but that
one was coming who would baptize with fire. From
John's hands men came dripping, from Jesus'hands
they came blazing. St. Luke tells us that on the Day
of Pentecostthere seemedto be a flame on every
forehead, fit emblem of the new religion's heart.
John on the isle of Patmos thinking of Jesus sees
him with eyes like flames of fire and feetof bur-
nished brass. He hears him talking to the Laodice-
ans, and this is what he says: ''I would thou wert
cold or hot. Because thouart lukewarm, and neither

hot nor cold, I will spew you out of my mouth." One
can drink cold waterwith a relish. He canalso
drink water heatedto a certain temperature. But
againsttepid waterthe stomachrebels. The be-
loved disciple does not hesitate to representJesus
sa}dng, '' Lukewarm Christians are nauseating to
me!"
And alas I how many lukewarmChristians there
are, men who are indifferent, neutral, neither hot nor
cold. They do not oppose, they approve, but appro-
bation cannotset the world on fire. Approbation
is a nod of one comerof the intellect, enthusiasm
is the smile of the soul. What is the matter with
Christians that they are so lacking in enthusiasm?
The answeris that the nature is satiurated, soakedby
the chilling drizzle of worldliness, and along with
this deteriorationof natiure comes a diminishing of
the vision of the Fatherhoodof God and the Brother-
hood of man, and because there is a shadowedvision

the glowing purpose is also lacking, and the soul
does not catchfire. What, then, diall we do? Let
us go back to Him who is a zealous God, so eager
and ardent in His love that He gave His only begotten
Son. If we are not ablaze in the presence ofsuch
a gospel, it is because we have a heart of stone ; but
He who knows our frame and who remembers that
we are dust has promised to remove the heart of
stone and to give us a heart of flesh.
THE ENTHUSIASM OF JESUS
I. The word “enthusiasm” does not occurin the New Testament, nor is it
found in the Greek Testament.
- Yet, the New Testamentis the most enthusiastic of all books, and Jesus is the
most enthusiastic of all men.
- The reasonthe word “enthusiasm” is avoided is because the connotations of
this word in the first century were unsavory.
- Enthusiasm in the Paganworld was “anecstasy, ordemon possession.”An
enthusiast was “one who was inspired or possessedby spirit.” Mostfanatics
or madmen were consideredenthusiast’s.
- The Apostles and Evangelists did not like the word, so they kept it out of
their writings.

- In today’s vocabulary, “enthusiasm” is a noble word. NoahWebster’s 1828
Dictionary defines “enthusiasm” this way: “Heatof imagination; violent
passionor excitement of the mind, in pursuit of some object, inspiring
extravaganthope and confidence of success.”
- Though this word is absentin the New Testamentthe evidence of it is seen
the life of Jesus. Luke 12:49-50 states,“Ihave come to castfire upon the
earth; and how I wish it were already kindled!”
A. Jesus was a man driven by enthusiasm for the will of God.
1. Luke 2:46-47 - As a boy He was so enthusiastic for the knowledge ofGod
that it causedHim stay behind as His parents left for home.
2. Mark 1:12 tells us that after being baptized by John and receiving the Holy
Spirit that “Immediately the Spirit drove Him into the wilderness.” NKJV
a. The word “driven” is the Greek word“ekballoo;” which means, “to cast
out; to drive out; to send out, with the included notion of more or less
violence.”
- Matthew 11:12 states, “And from the days of John the Baptist until now the
kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and violent men take it by force.”
b. Jesus is so full of passionfor God, that He cannot linger near the homes of
men. He is driven to getalone with God.
c. We see this dynamic also is the life of Paul, another man who was driven by
His Zeal for God. Galatians 1:11-17.
3. Jesus was driven by the urgency of God’s will. He never ceasedto use the
word “must.” The Greek word is “dei” which means, “necessityestablished
by the counseland decree ofGod.”
- Matthew 16:21 - “From that time forth beganJesus to shew unto his
disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the
elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the
third day.” KJV

- Luke 2:49 - “And he said unto them, How is it that ye sought me? wist ye not
that I must be about my Father's business?” KJV
- Luke 4:43 - “And he said unto them, I must preach the kingdom of God to
other cities also:for therefore am I sent.” KJV
- Luke 19:5 - “Zacchaeus, make haste, andcome down; for to day I must
abide at thy house.” KJV
- John 4:4 - “And he must needs go through Samaria.” KJV
- John 9:4 - “I must work the works ofhim that sent me, while it is day: the
night cometh, when no man can work.” KJV
B. Prayerwas the source ofHis enthusiasm.
1. Jesus was always praying.
a. He arose earlyin the morning in order to find more time to pray.
Mark 1:35 - “And in the early morning, while it was still dark, He arose and
went out and departed to a lonely place, and was praying there.”
b. He stayed up late at night in order to increase the hours in which he might
pray.
Matthew 14:23-26 - “And after He had sent the multitudes away, He went up
to the mountain by Himself to pray; and when it was evening, He was there
alone. But the boat was already many stadia away from the land, battered by
the waves;for the wind was contrary. And in the fourth watch of the night He
came to them, walking on the sea.”
c. Sometimes He did not go to bed at all.
Luke 6:12-13 - “And it was at this time that He went off to the mountain to
pray, and He spent the whole night in prayer to God.”
2. BecauseHe was enthusiastic in prayer, He was zealous in His work.
a. Men were astoundedby the magnitude of His labors.

Matthew15:30-31- “And greatmultitudes came to Him, bringing with them
those who were lame, crippled, blind, dumb, and many others, and they laid
them down at His feet; and He healed them, so that the multitude marveled
as they saw the dumb speaking, the crippled restored, and the lame walking,
and the blind seeing;and they glorified the Godof Israel.” KJV
b. Sometimes He did not take time to eat - John 4:31 - “In the meanwhile the
disciples were requesting Him, saying, "Rabbi, eat.”
c. Even when He went awayfor a seasonofrelaxation, He gave Himself to the
crowds that pursued Him.
Matthew 14:13-15 - “Now when Jesus heardit, He withdrew from there in a
boat, to a lonely place by Himself; and when the multitudes heard of this, they
followedHim on foot from the cities. And when He went ashore, He saw a
greatmultitude, and felt compassionforthem, and healedtheir sick.”
d. This zealousnesswas mistakenfordemon-possession.
Mark 3:20-22 - “When Jesus returned to the house where he was staying, the
crowds beganto gather again, and soonhe and his disciples couldn't even find
time to eat. When his family heard what was happening, they tried to take
him home with them. "He's out of his mind," they said. But the teachers of
religious law who had arrived from Jerusalemsaid, "He's possessedby Satan,
the prince of demons. That's where he gets the power to castout demons.”
NLT
3. The crowds also bear witness to the fire which this man had in Him.
Luke 12:1 - “In the mean time, when there were gathered togetheran
innumerable multitude of people, insomuch that they trode one upon
another.” KJV
Mark 3:9 - “He told His disciples that a boat should stand ready for Him
because ofthe multitude, in order that they might not crowd Him.”
a. Nearthe end of His life the crowds went wild in their enthusiasm of His
presence.

Matthew 21:10 - “The entire city of Jerusalemwas stirred as he entered.”
NLT
b. No man can seta crowd blazing unless his ownsoul is ablaze.
c. BecauseofHis prayer life, Jesus was a man whose heart glowedlike a
furnace and whose soulradiated heat whereverHe went.
C. Enthusiasm is what attracts strong men.
1. Jesus attractedto Him strong men who became His intimate friends.
a. Do not believe the pictures that paint the Apostles as limp and pallid men.
b. There were full-blooded, virile, mighty men, full of fire and passion.
2. They were drawn to Jesus becausein Him they saw a man who fulfilled
them.
a. Peterhad a seething soul; which causedhim to step out and take chances.
b. James and John were called“sons of thunder.”
3. They loved Jesus with such an intensity of devotion, they were ready and
willing to lay down there lives for Him.
- Matthew suffered martyrdom by being slain with a swordat a distant city of
Ethiopia. - Mark expired at Alexandria, after being cruelly draggedthrough
the streets ofthat city. - Luke was hangedupon an olive tree in the classic land
of Greece. -John was put in a caldron of boiling oil, but escapeddeathin a
miraculous manner, and was afterward branded at Patmos. - Peterwas
crucified at Rome with his head downward. - James, the Greater, was
beheadedat Jerusalem. - James, the Less, was thrown from a lofty pinnacle of
the temple, and then beatento death with a fuller's club. - Bartholomew was
flayed alive. - Andrew was bound to a cross, whencehe preached to his
persecutors until he died. - Thomas was run through the body with a lance at
Coromandelin the EastIndies. - Jude was shot to death with arrows. -
Matthias was first stonedand then beheaded. - Barnabas of the Gentiles was
stoned to death at Salonica. - Paul, after various tortures and persecutions,
was at length beheaded at Rome.

4. Jesus from the first to the last was surrounded by enthusiasts because He
Himself was enthusiastic.
http://www.outwardfocused.org/PDFs/theenthusiasmofjesus.pdf
The PassionofJesus
QUESTION:The passionof Jesus - What does passionmean?
ANSWER:
I'm sure many people have askedthemselves this very question regarding the
passionof Jesus. MelGibson's movie "The Passionof Christ" has raised a lot
of controversy. Since then the word passionhas been spokenin most
households and has been on the minds of millions of people. What does the
passionof Jesus mean?
Passionstems from the Latin work pati, meaning "to suffer." The stem pass
comes from the word passive meaning "capable of suffering." Pass was coined
in the early 16th century to denote "the suffering of Christ on the cross."
English also acquired the word through the Old French word passion
meaning "strength of feeling." This has been transferred in our modern times
to denote sexualattraction and anger. Websterstates the word passion"is a
strong feeling, especiallyofanger, love or desire." It says that passion"is an
emotion, an intense, driving, or overmastering feeling or conviction." It also
says that passion"is the sufferings of Christ betweenthe night of the last
supper and His death." Interestingly enough one version states, "itis also the
state or capacityof being actedon by external agents or forces."What
strongerforce is there then God? Wasn'tit God who wanted "The passionof
Jesus" to be a reality?

The gospels ofMatthew, Mark, Luke, and John tell us a lot about the passion
of Jesus. These writers tell us that Jesus knew whatwas going to happen and
that He was to suffer for man. Luke 9:22 says, "'ForI, the Son of Man, must
suffer many terrible things,' he said. 'I will be rejectedby the leaders, the
leading priests, and the teachers of religious law. I will be killed, but three
days later I will be raisedfrom the dead'" (NLT).
Christ suffered for us physically, but He also suffered in worse ways. He was
scornedand hated by those He came to save. How painful that must have
been. Having His unconditional love not only denied, but thrown back at Him
with such hatred. It must have been more painful then the horrendous
physical suffering He endured. In Luke, it states that the King Herod tried to
save Jesus but the people screamedfor his death. Luke 23:15 says, "Herod
came to the same conclusionand senthim back to us. Nothing this man has
done calls for the death penalty." Luke 23:16 says, "So I will have him
flogged, but then I will release him." But then the most horrible sin of man
occurs. In Luke 23:18 it states, "Thena mighty roar rose from the crowd, and
with one voice they shouted, Kill him, and release Barabbas to us!"
We have all heard that Jesus loves us. What does suffering have to do with
love? John 3:16 says, "ForGod so loved the world that he gave his only Son,
so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternallife."
What greaterlove is there then this? I adore this verse because it makes me
feel more loved then I have ever felt before. Some of the synonyms for passion
are fervor, ardor, enthusiasm, and zeal. I feel these emotions when I think of
what Jesus wentthrough for me. How could Jesus willingly experience this
torture and pain for us? What human being could do what Jesus did? Could
we have the passionof Jesus? Who would be able to look forward to suffering
with these emotions?

Luke 22:44 talks about the pain Jesus went through in the Garden of
Gethsemane. It says in Luke 22:44 that "He prayed more fervently, and he
was in such agonyof spirit that his sweatfell to the ground like greatdrops of
blood." Only Jesus (with God as His Father) could follow through like He did,
knowing the pain and torture He would experience. But the outcome was the
goal;our forgiveness ofour sins was the end product. Jesus knew His Father
wanted Him to die on the cross and He knew the outcome. Thatis the
fantastic part of the passionof Jesus;that He died for our sins. It makes the
word passionall the more passionate. It brings to my mind a wonderful
feeling of love, with such a strong emotion of passionthat it makes me want to
screamfrom the hilltops, GOD LOVES ME.
After watching the movie "Passionofthe Christ," I wanted to know more and
wanted verification that the Bible said what the movie portrayed. I ran home
and read the story of His crucifixion in all of the four gospels ofMathew,
Mark, Luke, and John again. The passionthat Jesus must have experienced
could only have come from His Father. How else could He do such a
wonderful thing for all of us? If you haven't read the accountin the gospels,
please readit. It will instill greatemotion in you and strong feelings of
passion. To understand Jesus and truly feel what His death on the cross
means for our salvation, is an experience of passionitself.
I pray today that I have passion, passionfor Jesus. Passionin the sense that I
will have ardor, enthusiasm, and zeal for living eachday as Jesus wouldhave.
Passionin that I will listen for Jesus'voice inside of me. We are so fortunate
that Jesus died on the cross for our sins. God doesn'twas us to suffer like
Jesus did, but He does want us to live as Jesus would have, loving one another
and sharing our love with those who don't know the "passionof Jesus."
https://www.allaboutjesuschrist.org/the-passion-of-jesus-faq.htm

“Enthusiasmis of different kinds. . . . But higher than all enthusiasms is the
fire that burns in souls in love with God. To know Him, to serve Him, to
glorify Him, this is the highestambition of which the soul is capable, and the
soul when possessedwith this ambition burns with a fire that cannot be
quenched. This was the enthusiasm of Jesus.
Enthusiasm is Contagious
Whateverdads getexcited about, the children get excited about too. If a
father is enthusiastic about football then his sons will develop a love for the
sport. But if the father canbe enthusiastic about spending time togetheras a
family and about sharing times togetherin God’s Word, then his enthusiasm
will reap eternalresults.
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This entry was postedin Enthusiasm, Virtue on June 29, 2013.
Quotations Relatedto Enthusiasm
Nothing greatwas ever achievedwithout enthusiasm. — Ralph Waldo
Emerson
Never, never, never give up! — Winston Churchill
Enthusiasm is faith set on fire. — George Adams
It takes 72 muscles to frown – only 14 to smile!

Triumph is just umph added to try.
When I was a young man I observed that nine out of ten things I did were
failures. I didn’t want to be a failure, so I did ten times more work. — George
Bernard Shaw
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This entry was postedin Enthusiasm on June 29, 2013.
Two Frogs In Cream
Two frogs fell into a can of cream,
Or so I’ve’ heard it told:
The sides of the canwere shiny and steep,
The creamwas deep and cold.
“O, what’s the use?” croakedNumber 1,
“Tis fate; no help’s around.
Good-bye, my friends. Good-bye, sad world”
And weeping still, he drowned.
But Number 2, of sternerstuff,
Dog-paddledin surprise.
The while he wiped his creamy face
And dried his creamyeyes.
“I’ll swim awhile, at least,” he said –
Or so I’ve heard he said:

“It really wouldn’t help the world
If one more frog were dead.”
An hour or two he kickedand swam,
Not once he stopped to mutter;
But kickedand kickedand swam and kicked.
Then hopped out, via butter
-Unknown
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This entry was postedin Determination, Endurance, Enthusiasm, Initiative,
Resourcefulness onJune 29, 2013.
The Lighted Face ofJudson
Many years ago whenthe greatmissionary Adoniram Judsonwas home on
furlough, he passedthrough the city of Stonington, Connecticut. A young boy
playing about the wharves at the time of Judson’s arrival was struck by the
man’s appearance. Neverbefore had he seensuch a light on any human face.
He ran up the streetto a minister to ask if he knew who the strangerwas. The
minister hurried back with him, but became so absorbed in conversationwith
Judson that he forgotall about the impatient youngster standing near him.
Many years afterwardthat boy – who could never get awayfrom the influence
of that wonderful face – became the famous preacherHenry Clay Trumbull.
In a book of memoirs he penned a chapter entitled: What a Boy Saw in the
Face ofAdoniram Judson. That lighted countenance had changedhis life.
Even as flowers thrive when they bend to the light, so shining, radiant faces
come to those who constantly turn toward Christ.
Encyclopaedia of7,700 Illustrations

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The Enthusiasm of the Humpback Whale
Contrary to its name, the humpback whale has no hump on its back. Its sleek
body enable it to swim swiftly through the oceanas it makes its annual trek
across 4,000miles of open sea, playfully enjoying itself along the way.
Breeching on Enthusiasm
Various kinds of whales demonstrate playful behaviors, but the consistent
enthusiasm of the humpback is notable among them.
Splashing, diving, slapping, fluking, and leaping twenty or more feet into the
air are among the humpback’s frequent sports. An energetic humpback may
lift its entire 50-footlong, 40-ton body from the water, hanging motionlessly
suspended in midair for a moment before crashing gloriouslyinto the sea in
what is called breaching.
It is unknown exactlywhy the whale engagesin these amazing leaps. Some
scientists believe that humpbacks surge out of the waters in an attempt to
dislodge parasites. Others have proposedthat it is something like a yawn—a
greatgaspof air.
Without any way of confirming these or other speculations, many researchers
refer to the humpback’s energetic leapwith the highly scientific designation
joie de vivre (French for “joy in life”).
Sharing Enthusiasm
Humpback whales sing the longestsong in the animal world. Somewhatlike
the repeatedsongs ofmany birds, the humpback sings a theme of chirps,
moans, cries, snores, yups, and oooos, anywhere from 6-20 minutes long. This

theme is repeatedover and over for hours, reverberating a hundred miles or
more through the sea.
Although still shrouded with mystery, the meaning of the whale’s song must
be some sort of community-shared expression. Whales living with in the same
oceanic regionsing the same song amongstthemselves.
Throughout a single seasonprior to migrating, the whales’song will vary
slightly. Each whale within the region picks up on the variations and
incorporates them into its song. When the whales return after migration, they
pick up the song where they last left off.
Exactly how the humpbacks produce the sounds is not fully understood. They
have no vocal cords, yet the sounds they produce covera wider frequency
range than that of any other whale.
Researchershave observedthat humpbacks in different oceans ordifferent
regions of large oceans sing different songs.
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ENTHUSIASM – A One-Minute Announcement
I once knew a woman who had the ability and desire to express joy in every
task she was ever given. Her enthusiasm for life and living it to the fullest was
so refreshing and quite contagious. Once youcaught her enthusiasm, it was
difficult not to look at things differently… with a new and fresh outlook. Her
smile and love for life was so overflowing that you found that you too were
then spreading this enthusiasm to all the other people that you had the
opportunity to be with. This enthusiasm was contagious.
The First Ladies of our Nation have known the value of enthusiasm. Martha
Washington, was quoted as saying, “The greatestpart of our happiness or
misery depends on our dispositions, and not our circumstances.”

And Abigail Adams said, “True greatness has its seatin the heart… it must be
elevatedby aspiring to greatthings and by daring to think yourselfcapable of
them.”
We are all capable of jumping out of bed in the morning and greeting the
world with a smile. Think of how you’ll affectothers as you give your
enthusiastic smile to every one you see that morning, especiallyyour family.
Then continue on to your job or to schoolor to your work at home and with
this enthusiastic attitude, give your best effort to every task you perform that
day.
I am confident that the joy you’ll feel when the day is over will be quite
rewarding. You will have done everything to your very best ability and with
enthusiasm… and this enthusiasm is contagious
The Faith Committee of the CharacterCouncilof GreaterCincinnati and
Northern Kentucky. Reproductionand Adaptation is encouraged.
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Three Types of People
As we rejoice in the Lord and seek not to quench the Spirit we will be
enthusiastic. What exactly does it mean to be enthusiastic? There are three
types of people in the world, energy-givers, energy-wasters, andenergy-
takers. Godnot only loves cheerful "givers" ofour finances but also our
energy.
Energy-Giver
Helps others
Says kind words
Smiles

Shares with others
Stands for what is right
Tells the truth, even when difficult
Energy-Waster
Helps if convenient
Says nothing
Does not smile
Keeps things for self
Stands for nothing
Tells the truth most of the time
Energy-Taker
Helps self
Says unkind words
Frowns
Takes fromothers
Stands for wrong
Lies when it is convenient
Enthusiasm is being an "Energy-Giver" in every area of life.
The CharacterCouncilof GreaterCincinnati and Northern Kentucky
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This entry was postedin Diligence, Enthusiasm, Generosity, Hospitality,
Initiative, Joyfulness, Love on June 29, 2013.
Enthusiasm has specialmeaning for the Christian
Enthusiasm is a word derived from the Greek, meaning “to have God inside”.
BecauseGodis a God of power and energy, the term is often associatedwith
fervor and zeal.
Enthusiasm has specialmeaning for the Christian. When a person enters into
a saving relationship with Jesus Christ, and thereby becomes a Christian, God
the Holy Spirit (and Spirit of Jesus Christ)immediately comes to indwell (take
up residence in) that person’s heart (1 Corinthians 3:16). With God comes all
of His characteristicsofinfinite love, power, knowledge, truth, holiness, etc.
But the Holy Spirit of God desires not merely to “dwell” in my house, but also
wants to become “headof the household” – to be in control of my “rooms” –
my thoughts, words, actions, motives, hobbies, work, etc. For then He can
release His power, joy, knowledge,etc. unbridled in me and through me,
which will result in bountiful love and blessing for Him, me and others. Thus
He commands me to be “filled with the Spirit” (Ephesians 5:18), to turn over
to Him control of every “room and closetofmy house”, to let Him fill every
facetof my “house” as “headof the household”. With the powerof the Holy
Spirit controlling my life, I will then be able to exhibit the characterquality of
Enthusiasm with His great, divine energy.
Being continuously filled with the Holy Spirit is a simple process:
(1) I must desire to be filled – to turn controlover to Christ. He will not force
it. (John 7:37-39)
(2) I confess my sins and repent. (See steps above)
(3) I yield myself totally to Him as the Lord (managing director) of my life.
(Romans 12:1`)
(4) I receive the filling of the Holy Spirit by faith. (Ephesians 5:18, 1 John
5:14-15)

(5) I thank Him and believe on the basis of His Word that he now controls me.
(Hebrews 11:6, Romans 1:17)
If I stumble or become aware of an area I have not turned over to Him as
Lord, I “breathe spiritually”, exhaling [step (2)] and inhaling [steps (3) – (5)].
Will you join me?
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Enthusiasm in the Community
As Christians we are saying, “Lord, teach us character.” It is saying we have
decided and are determined to make a difference in our community and in
our world. Developing characterwill conform us into the image of Christ.
Characterwill cause those around us to ask of “the hope” within us.
Characterwill provoke love and goodworks.
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Enthusiasm at Church
Enthusiasm honors the Lord. Allow the songs we sing, the words we sayand
hear to penetrate deep within. The Holy Spirit will use these to alter attitudes
and softenhearts. Show enthusiasm by being on time, greeting everyone, and
giving leadership undivided attention.

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Enthusiasm at Work
Wake up with purpose. In our routine we forgetour presence onthe job
makes a difference. It’s difficult to be enthusiastic if you don’t feel
enthusiastic. When you are around people who are enthusiastic they motivate
you. Purpose to be that person. You can spark enthusiasm at work. We are to
be salt and light. Being enthusiastic is a way we can fulfill this command of
our Lord. Our attitudes make a difference in this world and in our work
place. An enthusiastic workeris valuable. Purpose to be enthusiastic for one
week. See alltasks, conflicts, circumstancesand situations as God sees them.
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Enthusiasm at Home
The most challenging place to show enthusiasm is at home with those who
know us best. Home is the true test of character. Home is the place where
preparation for eachday and life takes place. Godplaces within families every
characteristic andconflict we need, to prepare us for life. If we can’t get along
with our families and show enthusiasm, it is doubtful we will successfullydo
either away from home.

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Enthusiasm in History
Theodore Rooseveltwas knownby his enthusiastic smile. As a child he
enthusiasticallyexercisedto overcome his illness. When he started exercising
he could barely do one push-up. He never gave up. He kept trying until he was
able to run and play outside. He workedand exercisedwith his whole heart.
These times not only strengthenedhis physical body, but also his character.
Theodore Rooseveltwenton to be an adult and leader of American troops
that fought the Spanish on the island of Cuba. He realized his task would not
be easy. He was not afraid to lead even in the face of insurmountable odds. He
led his volunteer troops to Kettle Hill. The men felt encouragedas they
followedtheir bold and courageousleader. Theodore’sexample gave energy
and strength to the tired soldiers. In the face of danger his smile from earto
ear gave them hope that they might possibly see victory. Theodore and his
men continued to pursue the Spanish until they captured not only Kettle Hill,
but also anotherhill as they continued to pursue the retreating enemy. The
Americans won the war againstthe Spanish and the men were able to return
to their homes. Theodore became famous for bravery as “Lieutenant Colonel
of the RoughRiders”. He was not famous because he won but because he did
not quit. He continued in the face of all the odds. He led people to victory
because he was a winner himself.
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Enthusiasm in Nature
Imagine yourself floating on an inner tube off Shell Island. All of a sudden the
wateraround you begins to stir…you feel something beneath you. Justa few
feet away, the waterexplodes as a 50-footlong, 50-ton humpback whale soars
up into the air! When a whale makes a splash, they make a big splash!
Scientistcan’t tell us why whales like to do this. This action is called
“breaching”. Whenthis happens, it can be heart stopping to watch.
Humpback whales have a huge fin at the end of their tail that allows them to
go very fast through the water. At about 20 miles per hour, the whale flips up
its tail, which sends the whale’s body straight up through the water’s surface.
While in the air, they lean backwards and crashinto the water with a big
splash. Not only does the humpback whale make big splashes, it also makes
big bubbles. They catch their food by making a net using bubbles. Taking a
deep breath they dive deep into the waterand blow a steadystream of bubbles
trapping the fish. Whales catchand eatover 1,000 pounds of food at every
meal! Whales not only make a big splash and big bubbles they also sing a big
song. The humpback whale shows enthusiasm. But enthusiasm is not always
doing things big. Enthusiasm is doing the right thing, the right way, with the
right heart, at the right time.We can learn from nature through the example
of the whale. Do what you can, the best you can, in God’s strength.
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“ENTHUSIASM GETS THE JOB DONE”
Outline:
1. The Meaning
2. The Means

3. The Mechanics
The Meaning:
Enthusiasm is a dynamic successquality as well as a very interesting word. It
is actually formed from 2 Greek words:en = in, theos = god. So enthusiasm
literally means “God in”. For the Christian believer, this is a very important
life message. Whatever we do, if we feelthat God is in the effort, how greatan
effort is then possible! In fact, it’s a Scriptural principle: “Whateveryour
hand finds to do, do it with your might…”- enthusiasm (Ecclesiastes9:10).
By what means do you generate enthusiasm?
The Means:
First, since Christians are “indwelt by God”, the first source of energyfor a
task is knowing that God wants you to do it, or knowing that God is in it!
Second, If you are convincedyour cause is just, enthusiasm springs to your
aid. Here, it’s a case of“right makes might”.
Third, If you are convincedthat what you’re doing is needed, enthusiasm
becomes your partner.
Fourth, If you are convincedthat what you are doing will enrich the lives of
others, enthusiasm squeezes your adrenal glands and provides the energy
needed to getthe job done! Thomas Edison knew what the electric light would
for the lamp-lit farms and small towns of America, to say nothing of its
business community. Enthusiasm squeezedhis adrenalsystem and sustained
him through his own long nights of hundreds of failures. He got the job done!
The Mechanics:
A very helpful life maxim is this truth: “The difference betweensuccessand
failure, as often as not, depends on what you do when you feellike quitting.”
If you can keepenthusiasm for your task, your job, your marriage current
and strong, you won’t quit and GOOD THINGS COME TO GOOD PEOPLE
WHO REFUSE TO QUIT DOING GOOD THINGS. Jesus is used as our
example: Hebrews 12:2:

“Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, Who for the joy
(enthusiasm) that was setbefore him (i.e. “bringing many sons to glory” Heb.
3:10) endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right
hand of the throne of God.”
Christ won! HE FINISHED THE JOB! Why? He knew God was in what He
was doing and He did it with –ENTHUSIASM!
For success,then, –getenthusiasm!
How? 1) Know God is in what you’re doing. 2) Be convincedyour cause is
just. 3) Be convinced of the need of what you’re doing. 4) Know that what
you’re doing is helpful to others. If you are convincedof these things, your
heart will respond with enthusiasm, and with ENTHUSIASM, you’ll get the
job done!
Clyde C. Miller, Cincinnati, OH
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Three Probing Questions Relatedto Enthusiasm
Do you make it a habit to cheerfully greet all those you meet?
Do you tend to see a glass as half empty rather than half full?
Do your working attitudes convince people that you are happy in your work?
–CharacterClues Game
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The “I Wills” of Enthusiasm
I will be an energy-giver
Everyone loves and respects an energy-giver. These are the people who never
need to be reminded of their work. They volunteer to do task others would
resist. Energy givers maintain a goodattitude while they work. A giver of
energy gives energy. Energy-takers and energy-wasters,on the other hand,
are the ones who float through life without contributing much to anyone’s
goals but their own. Ask daily, “Am I giving or taking energy?”
I will smile
The most attractive thing you can wearis a smile! A smile is contagious. A
smile comes natural when you see another personsmiling. Smiling improves
health. Experiments were made with actors. Theywere told to use expressions
unrelated to the way they were feeling. During these test, their heart rates rose
and fell according to their expressions. A smile does more than improve health
and make your face attractive. A smile brings beauty from the inside out.
I will treat every job as important
If you enjoy a job, enthusiasm comes naturally. It is difficult to be enthusiastic
if you do not feelenthusiastic. Practicing enthusiasm will give new perspective
to menial tasks. Everything we do has an end result. Keeping the end result in
view will build enthusiasm for those difficult tasks.
I will put my whole heart into what I do
Successfullives require effort. Successrequires going the “secondmile.”
Extra investment pays off in the long run. Giving half our best yields half the
results. The Lord is our example. He went the extra mile for us.
I will not be discouragedby failure
It’s easyto become discouragedwhenmet with discouragement. Enthusiasm
is seeing beyond the failure to the lessons and benefits of the failure.

–CharacterFirst!Education Series 3
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How to Demonstrate Enthusiasm
at Home
Showing excitement about lessons learnedthrough life struggles.
Completing chores in goodtime with a positive attitude motivated by a love
for making things cleanand shiny.
Tackling work with a vision of how it will benefit others.
Showing genuine interest in the games and activities that other family
members enjoy.
Fathers showing excitement about doing things togetheras a family.
at Work/School
Participate in class by asking and answering questions.
Show your enthusiasm for learning by writing a note expressing gratefulness
to your teachers.
at Church
Greetothers with a cheerful smile.
Get involved in the ministry of your localchurch.
Purpose not to complain or talk critically of others.
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CharacterDefinitions of Enthusiasm
Learning what actions and attitudes please Godand becoming excitedabout
doing them. Learning how to motivate others by a spirit of praise and joy.
Seeing value in situations that would normally discourage others. Learning
the difference betweenemotional excitementand a spirit of enthusiasm.
(CharacterClues Game)
Expressing joy in eachtask as I give it my best effort. (CharacterFirst!)
intense and lively interest; passionate zeal;possessionby a god, inspiration or
religious exaltation »Greek enthousiasmos a god-inspired zeal, from
enthousiazein to be inspired by a god, from en in, and theos a god (Chambers
Dictionary)
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Bible Stories Relatedto Enthusiasm
The story of Nehemiah who enthusiasticallyrebuilt the walls of Jerusalem
The story of Caleb in Joshua 14, who at 85 years of age fought with giants.
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Bible Verses Relatedto Enthusiasm

Spend an evening (or several)looking at just one of these verses at a time.
Discuss with your family what eachverse or story teaches aboutthe character
quality; and give vital application of how this quality can be applied to your
family. Choose severalversesto memorize togetheras a family during the
month. Since the English word “enthusiasm” does not appear in the
Authorized Version, we have included a list of verses which relate to this
important characterquality.
Numbers 13:30 And Calebstilled the people before Moses,and said, Let us go
up at once, and possessit; for we are well able to overcome it.
Deuteronomy 6:5 And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart,
and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.
Deuteronomy 4:29 But if from thence thou shalt seek the LORD thy God,
thou shalt find [him], if thou seek him with all thy heart and with all thy soul.
Deuteronomy 10:12 ¶ And now, Israel, what doth the LORD thy God require
of thee, but to fearthe LORD thy God, to walk in all his ways, and to love
him, and to serve the LORD thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul,
Deuteronomy 26:16 ¶ This day the LORD thy God hath commanded thee to
do these statutes and judgments: thou shalt therefore keepand do them with
all thine heart, and with all thy soul.
Deuteronomy 30:2 And shalt return unto the LORD thy God, and shalt obey
his voice according to all that I command thee this day, thou and thy children,
with all thine heart, and with all thy soul;
Deuteronomy 30:6 And the LORD thy God will circumcise thine heart, and
the heart of thy seed, to love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with
all thy soul, that thou mayest live.
1 Chronicles 22:19 Now setyour heart and your soul to seek the LORD your
God; arise therefore, and build ye the sanctuaryof the LORD God, to bring
the ark of the covenantof the LORD, and the holy vessels ofGod, into the
house that is to be built to the name of the LORD.

1 Chronicles 29:2 Now I have prepared with all my might for the house of my
God the gold for [things to be made] of gold, and the silver for [things] of
silver, and the brass for [things] of brass, the iron for [things] of iron, and
woodfor [things] of wood;onyx stones, and [stones]to be set, glistering
stones, and of divers colours, and all manner of precious stones, and marble
stones in abundance.
2 Chronicles 31:21 And in every work that he beganin the service of the house
of God, and in the law, and in the commandments, to seek his God, he did [it]
with all his heart, and prospered.
Psalms 71:15 My mouth shall shew forth thy righteousness [and] thy salvation
all the day; for I know not the numbers [thereof].
Proverbs 3:5 Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine
own understanding.
Ecclesiastes9:10 Whatsoeverthy hand findeth to do, do [it] with thy might;
Jeremiah29:13 And ye shall seek me, and find [me], when ye shall searchfor
me with all your heart.
Matthew 6:33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness;
and all these things shall be added unto you.
Matthew 22:37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all
thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
Mark 12:30 And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with
all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this [is] the first
commandment.
Luke 10:27 And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all
thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy
mind; and thy neighbour as thyself.
John 4:34 Jesus saithunto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me,
and to finish his work.

Acts 8:37 And Philip said, If thou believestwith all thine heart, thou mayest.
And he answeredand said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.
Romans 12:11 Not slothful in business;fervent in spirit; serving the Lord;
1 Corinthians 9:24 ¶ Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but
one receiveththe prize? So run, that ye may obtain.
Colossians 3:23 And whatsoeverye do, do [it] heartily, as to the Lord, and not
unto men;
Share Here:
Hymns and Choruses Relatedto Enthusiasm
By clicking the underlined titles to the following hymns, you will be takento
the CyberHymnal web site which provides a hymn history, the words of the
hymn and – if you have a sound card installed – the opportunity to hear a
midi recording.
All That Thrills My Soul Is Jesus (Thoro Harris, 1931)
I Love to Tell the Story (Catherine Hankey, 1866)
Make Me a Blessing (Ira B. Wilson, 1909)
More About Jesus (Eliza E. Hewitt, 1887)
O For a Thousand Tongues to Sing (Charles Wesley, 1739)
O, How I Love Jesus (Frederick Whitfield, 1855)
Redeemed, How I Love to ProclaimIt (Fanny J. Crosby, 1882)
When We All Getto Heaven(Eliza E. Hewitt, 1898)
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How to Be Sure You’re Going to Heaven!
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PassionateSpirituality
A Sermon Preachedfor St. Mark Presbyterian Church, Boerne, TX
by Rev. Dr. Mark D. Roberts
Copyright © 2008 by Mark D. Roberts
Note:You may download this resource at no cost, for personaluse or for use
in a Christian ministry, as long as you are not publishing it for sale. All I ask
is that you give credit where credit is due. For all other uses, please contactme
at mark@markdroberts.com. Thank you.
Scripture Reading: Galatians 5:16-25
Live by the Spirit, I say, and do not gratify the desires of the flesh. For what
the flesh desires is opposedto the Spirit, and what the Spirit desires is opposed
to the flesh; for these are opposedto eachother, to prevent you from doing
what you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not subject to the law.

Now the works ofthe flesh are obvious: fornication, impurity, licentiousness,
idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, anger, quarrels, dissensions,
factions, envy, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these. I am warning
you, as I warnedyou before: those who do such things will not inherit the
kingdom of God.
By contrast, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness,
generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, andself-control. There is no law against
such things. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh
with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also be guided by
the Spirit.
Introduction
As you know, PastorJohn is in the middle of a series onNatural Church
Development. It's a fine approach to church health and growth, and I'm glad
to be able to preachone of the sermons in this series. The first sermon focused
on "Empowering Leadership." In healthy churches, the leaders encourage
and empowerthe members to be ministers of Jesus Christ. John's next
sermon in the series explored"Gift-Oriented Ministry." In this message last
week, Johnexplained that eachof us receivedthe gift of the Holy Spirit when
we became Christians. The Spirit empowers us to do the ministry of Christ,
not in our ownstrength, but in the powerof God.
Today's sermon is really an extensionof last week's message.It's called
"PassionateSpirituality." A healthy, growing church will be characterizednot
only by "Empowering Leadership" and "Gift-Oriented Ministry," but also by
"PassionateSpirituality."
PassionateSpirituality
What comes to mind when you hear the phrase passionate spirituality?
Perhaps you remember a time in your life when you were excited about being
a Christian. Maybe it was when you were a new believer, when you just
couldn't get overthe fact that God loves you, when you just couldn't get
enough Bible study.

Perhaps passionate spirituality makes you think of people you know who are
still excitedabout their Christian faith. They're always talking about it, even
though they have been believers for years. (Maybe you secretlyfeela little
envious of those people. Or maybe they drive you crazy.)
Perhaps, for you, the phrase passionate spirituality seems like a contradiction
in terms, an oxymoron, to use the technical term. Passionatespirituality may
be like deafening silence, orworking vacation, or jumbo shrimp. Maybe you
think of spirituality as something quiet and mysterious, something peaceful
you'd rarely associatewith excitement. Passion, onthe other hand, is getting
fired up about something. It's expressive and vibrant. It gets your blood
pumping. You might think of passionate sexualitymore than passionate
spirituality. Or, given that we're in Texas, maybe you'd be inclined toward
passionate football, or passionate hunting, or passionate cheering forthe
Spurs. So what are we to do with passionate spirituality?
PassionateSpirituality According to NaturalChurch Development
PastorJohn was goodenoughto give me some of what the Natural Church
Developmentfolks have written about passionate spirituality. What they
mean by this phrase has less to do with strong emotions and more to do with
"the degree to which faith is actually lived out with commitment, passion, and
enthusiasm." When it comes to passionate spirituality, the Natural Church
Developmentpeople ask:"Are the Christians in this church 'on fire?' Do they
live committed lives and practice their faith with joy and enthusiasm?"
It certainly makes sense that if church members are living out their faith with
commitment and passion, their church would be growing. Faithful
discipleship is contagious. ButI wonder why the Natural Church
Developmentfolks callthis sort of thing passionate spirituality? Why not
"daily discipleship" or "active commitment"? Why call enthusiastic living out
of our faith passionate spirituality?
PassionateSpirituality According to Galatians 5
There's a goodanswerto this question. It comes to us from Paul's letter to the
Galatians. In this letter, Paul was fighting a versionof what we call legalism.

The young churches in Galatia – centralTurkey in today's world – had been
hoodwinkedby some theologicallyconfusedChristians who had taught them
that faith in Jesus wasn'tenough. If you really want to experience God, they
said, then you have to keepthe whole Jewishlaw, especiallythe ceremonial
parts. Legalismwas their path to passionate spirituality.
Legalismcontinues to lure many Christians today. It's a trap we easilyfall
into. People come to God through Christ, receiving his grace through faith. So
far, so good. And they realize that God cares about what they do with their
lives. That's right on. But then they're told that if they really want to have a
relationship with God, they have to do all sorts of things to earn God's favor.
The Christian life becomes a long list of things to do, and especiallythings not
to do. Soon, people who begantheir life in Christ with a passionfor him and
his missionbecome weigheddown with endless dos and don'ts, and the life of
Christ gets suckedout of them. That's what was happening with the Galatians
In response, Paulpointed to a new way of living, something he might well
have calledpassionate spirituality. "Live by the Spirit," he wrote in Galatians
5:16, "and do not gratify the desires of the flesh." The NRSV translation here
misses a couple of important nuances in the original Greek ofGalatians 5:16.
First, the imperative "live" (literally, "walk")is actually a present imperative.
It means, not just "live," but "live and keepon living in the Spirit." Paul is
calling the Galatians to an ongoing experience of living in the Spirit of God.
Second, the part of the verse I read as "do not gratify the desires ofthe flesh,"
is not an additional command, but a promise. Paul was saying this to the
Galatians:"Keepon living by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of
the flesh." In other words, if you want to keepaway from sin, don't focus on
the sin you wish to avoid, but on the Spirit of God who helps you to yearn for
what is right and to shun what is wrong. Keeping on living in the Spirit and
the sinful desires of the flesh will lose their grip on you.
Genuine Spirituality
These days, spirituality is in. People want to be spiritual, not religious.
Spirituality means some sortof oozy transcendence,ormystical experience, or
meaningful living. Spirituality can involve Easternmeditation, or happy self-

talk, or wearing crystals, or burning incense, orwhatever you'd like.
Spirituality is rather like a Burger King Whopper: you canhave it your way.
For the Christian, spirituality is much more specific than this. It is, quite
literally, Spirit-uality. It is life lived in the Holy Spirit. It is living eachday by
the powerof God's Spirit who dwells within us. It is experiencing God, not in
whichever wayyou choose, but in the God's way through God's own Spirit.
Genuine spirituality is fellowship with the Holy Spirit. It happens as you read
the Spirit-inspired Word, or as you join the Spirit-filled gatherifng of God's
people, or as you quiet yourself to hear the still, small voice of the Spirit. True
spirituality is not merely some private, other-worldly experience. It is also a
this-worldly encounter with the Spirit that we share with other believers. It
includes, as PastorJohn taught last week, ministering to others in the power
of the Spirit.
Living in the Spirit is relying upon the Spirit. It is being open to the Spirit's
guidance. It is be available for the Spirit's power. It is offering your whole self
to God, so that you might be transformed by the Spirit into the very image of
Christ. The more you live in the Spirit, the less you will engage in the so-called
works of the flesh, including: "fornication, impurity, licentiousness, idolatry,
sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, anger, quarrels, dissensions, factions, envy,
drunkenness, carousing" (vss. 19-21).
On the contrary, as you live in the Spirit of God, you'll find that your life is
increasinglycharacterizedby what Paul calls the "fruit of the Spirit": "love,
joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness,and self-
control" (vss. 22-23). True spirituality, therefore, isn't something hidden away
in our souls. It impacts how we live in relationship with others: offering love,
seeking peace, treating folks with patience, kindness, generosityand the like.
How Do We Live in the Spirit?
This sounds great, doesn'tit? Which of us wouldn't like to be more loving,
more joyful, more peaceful, more patient, and so forth? This is spirituality we
could be passionate about. So, then, how do we live and keepon living in the
Spirit?

Paul gives us a couple of clues in Galatians 5. In verse 18 we read, "But if you
are led by the Spirit, you are not subject to the law." "If you are led by the
Spirit . . . ." Here we see that the Spirit of God leads us, giving us directions
for living, pointing us in God's way.
In this sense, the Holy Spirit is a little like those newfangledGPS devices that
are becoming so popular. How many of you have a GPS device? Maybe a
Garmin or a Magellanor whatevercame with your new car? When we went
back to California last Christmas, a friend loaned me his car, and it had a
GPS device. What a wonder! I could see exactlywhere I was locatedon a little
map in a screenon the dashboard. If I wanted to go somewhere,I could enter
the address and, voilà, the GPS device would guide me. It would even tell me
in words where to go: "In one-quarter mile, turn right. Go straight for three
miles." I could touch a button and all the gas stations would miraculously
appear on the little screen, orthe McDonalds, orthe Starbucks. (I don't think
they had a button for the Presbyterian churches, however. They have to work
on that.)
I found it quite entertaining to have that GPS device in the car . . . but also
quite dangerous. I kept wanting to watchthe little screenratherthan the
road. And, no matter how sophisticateda GPS device is, it isn't able to say,
"Watchout! You're about to hit that man 50 feetin front of you!" I don't
have my ownGPS device yet, which is probably goodnews for those of you
who live in Boerne.
When we become a Christian, we receive the gift of the Holy Spirit, who is a
little like a GPS device. As we pay attention to the Spirit, we receive divine
guidance for our actions. This happens in many ways. Maybe you read the
Bible and are convictedto forgive somebodyagainstwhom you've held a
grudge. Or you're listening to a sermon on generosityand are led to help out a
friend who's struggling financially. Or perhaps you see somebodyacross the
room at church and sense in your spirit that God wants you to reachout to
that person. Or maybe the Holy Spirit puts a burden on your heart for
starving children in Africa. Or . . . you name it.
Be Guided by the Spirit

Another verse in Galatians 5 gives us further insight into how we can live in
the Spirit eachday. Verse 25 reads, "If we live by the Spirit, let us also be
guided by the Spirit." The phrase "be guided by the Spirit" suggests
something similar to what we've already seenabout being led by the Spirit.
The verb translatedhere as "be guided" is used elsewhere in Paul's letters in
the sense of"walking in the footsteps of" someone (Rom4:12). The picture is
of the Holy Spirit walking ahead of us, and our following close behind,
imitating the Spirit's steps.
Children do this sort of thing on the beach. You'll see a dad walking across
the sand, leaving large footprints as he walks. Then, severalfeetbehind, a
little boy will be following along, stretching his legs in order to put his feetin
the footprints of his daddy. Similarly, we can be led by the Holy Spirit, who
shows us where to step, helping us to walk in God's ways eachday.
If you want to experience this kind of genuine Spirituality, this life in the
Spirit of God, you must begin by putting your faith in Jesus Christ. Trust
Jesus as your Lord and Savior, and His Spirit comes to dwell within you.
Then, with the very Spirit of God resident in your heart, you canlearn to
attend to the Spirit's voice. The Spirit speaks to us primarily through the
Spirit-inspired Scripture. That's why we study the Bible. That's why we use
Scripture as a basis for preaching, for teaching, and for directing our life as a
church. The Spirit also speaks in the community of God's people as we all use
the gifts given to us by the Spirit. (If this is a new idea for you, I'd urge you to
check out PastorJohn's sermon from last week.)The Spirit also speaksin our
hearts: urging, leading, prompting, challenging. Sometimes the Spirit's
guidance comes in the form of a thought. Sometimes it's a powerful emotion,
perhaps compassionfor someone in pain or concernfor a friend who's facing
difficult challenges atwork.
Catching the Wave of the Spirit
So far we've seenthat genuine spirituality is Spirit-uality. It's life in the Holy
Spirit. As Christians we're to live in the Spirit, being transformed by the
Spirit, being guided by the Spirit, and ministering in the Spirit's power. This
is what true spirituality is all about.

But what about the passionate part? How do we experience passionate
spirituality? How can we be enthusiastic about living out our faith in the
world?
This too, comes from the Holy Spirit. Remember, the fruit of the Spirit
includes love and joy. The Holy Spirit moves our hearts, giving us a passion
for that which enflames the heart of God. Similarly, the Spirit reawakens
within us the joy we knew when we first put our faith in Christ.
In my experience, passionatespirituality comes whenI experience the
transforming presence and power of the Spirit. If I cansee the Spirit at work
in my life, I getexcited about God. I remember an Eastermorning a few years
ago. I had just preachedthe secondof four Easterservices, andwas greeting
folks at the door. A womanfrom our church came up to me with tears in her
eyes. "My eighty-five year old mother just became a Christian," she said.
"ThoughI've been bringing her to church every Easterfor years, today
something you said broke through, and she gave her life to Christ. I am so
happy!" And so was I. Thrilled, in fact. When I had some moments to myself,
I thanked the Lord for the sheerprivilege of being used by him. And as I
preachedthose next two Easterservices, Idon't know if I everfelt more
passionate aboutthe gospel.
But this sort of experience is not just for preachers. It's available to eachand
every one of us as we begin to follow the Spirit's lead in our lives. Let the
Spirit guide you. Step out in faith. Reachout with the love of Christ to others,
and you'll find new excitementin your Christian life.
Many of you know exactlywhat I'm talking about. You've experienced the
powerof the Spirit in your life, over and over again. Perhaps it happened
when you were sharing your faith with a friend. She askeda tough question,
and all of a sudden, as if out of nowhere, you had a greatanswer. You realized
the Spirit of God was at work in you. Or maybe you were teaching Sunday
Schooland facing a tricky discipline challenge. In a flash, you knew how to
deal with the situation. That was the powerof the Spirit in you.
Living in the Spirit is a little like bodysurfing. Now you'll have to forgive a
Californian illustration, but I haven't been around here long enoughto pick

up some goodTexas ones. They'llcome in time. Anyway, one of the things I
liked to do in California was go bodysurfing at the beach. Have any of you
every done this? You don't need a surfboard or anything, because your body
becomes the board. Basically, yougo out into the surf, bobbing around as you
wait for just the right wave. When you see it coming, you start swimming
toward the shore as fast as you can. Soon, you feel the wave cresting around
you. If you're lucky and if you've timed everything right, then all of a sudden
you feelthe wave sweeping you along. You stop swimming and get caughtup
in the flow of the wave's power. In the right conditions, you can ride along
effortlesslyfor many yards. When the wave finally dies out, you feel pumped
with excitement, and can't wait to get back out there for the next wave. You
might call that passionate bodysurfing.
And so it is in our Christian life. When we're attentive to the Holy Spirit,
when we're in place that the Spirit wants us, when we're available and ready
to go, we getcaught up in the flow of the Spirit's power. We realize that God
is at work within us, producing the fruit of the Spirit in our lives. And we see
God at work through us, using us to minister to others by the Spirit's power.
Then we feelpumped with excitement, and can't waitto getback out there for
the next wave of the Holy Spirit. And that, sisters and brothers, is called
passionate spirituality.
Amen.
A Spirit of Enthusiasm
by John Garfield | September 8, 2019 | Blog, Courts & Council, Kingly
Mindset
Plastic smiles – We all know the rules, and we all know how to put on a happy
face when the rules getbroken. We also know what our hopes and dreams

look like and we know how to hide the pain of their demise under the same
happy face. The happy face looks about the same even when things go right.
The only problem is future. Mostof our hearts are well trained to expect
mediocrity or worse. We can’t gettoo enthusiastic because that’s not the
reality of our personal history.
Work harder – We’ve also seenourselves and others in the ‘performance’
phase of maintaining that happy face with the sheer force of discipline. It’s
embarrassinglyobvious that it’s an intellectual thing and not from the heart.
The fraudulence is most painful right before the train wreck. It divides us into
periods of self-deceivedeuphoria and private depression.
Only believe – There is another popular new-age theory that enthusiasm, a
positive mental attitude, and positive words work like faith to bring about the
desired end state. We create this alternate reality in our minds, follow-up with
the appropriate decisions and voila – we’re rich, skinny and famous. The spell
of motivational hype lasts until you walk out of the conference andback into
the realworld.
Fruit – Realenthusiasm can start when you see realresults – not too
complicated. Discernmentis simply inspecting the fruit of a life or an
opportunity. The whole ‘screw up your enthusiasm’ to make dreams come
true really does leave people screwed. Taste andsee is a much wiser approach.
Decisions andperspectives come from our hearts, not the wavering winds of
intellectual speculation. The word enthusiasm began with the conceptof en-
theo (in God).
Prov. 4:23 – Above all else, guardyour heart, for it is the wellspring of life.
NIV
Matt. 12:34-36 – For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks. 35 The
goodman brings goodthings out of the good storedup in him, and the evil
man brings evil things out of the evil storedup in him.

We are known or discerned by what bubbles up out of our hearts – words and
deeds aren’t things we just put on and off. They flow out of our hearts.
Authentic change comes whenwe change our hearts. Just as an aside, we only
fool ourselves whenwe try to say the right thing when something else is in our
hearts. Everybody can spot the duplicity. It’s just an “act” that is easily
discernedand universally despised.
Authentic Enthusiasm – Genuine optimism flows out of an actualheart
experience – the same taste and see policy premised on results. Where do I get
real juice? En-theo or in God. The experience of ascending into the courts and
council of heaven is a practicalpathway to see what the Fatheris doing and
get a perspective on things to come. He does revealhis purposes and
strategies.Our job as sons is to taste and see them in heavenand bring them
to earth. On earth as it is in heavenis the Kingdom strategyfor reformation –
all the way from me to my business to the nations. My mojo comes from
seeing realresults in heaven before they show up on earth. I’m enthusiastic
from the heart because I have tastedand seenwhat the Father is doing. My
enthusiasm isn’t dampened by setbacksorexalted by success.I’ve seen
something realin heaven, and I’m co-laboring with Father to make it happen
on earth. It didn’t even start with me; I’ve just been invited to share it and
own a piece of it. It’s an assignmentI’m faithful with and a party I’m excited
about.
Through thick and thin – The ideal life of the marketing and motivational
world (skinny, rich and famous) didn’t align with Paul’s persecution, prison,
thorns, blindness, and execution. It may not align with your assignment
either! Enthusiasm comes from a much deeper (higher) place.
This blog came from a court and council sessionof my own. An excerpt is
below. The notes are at this link 2019-09-06 Dancing (Councilsession).
I put my ashes, my morning, my despair, my brokenness and my shamefully
low expectations onthe trading floors. Jesus said, I want to you be the hero
that brings goodnews and sets captives free and heals the brokenheartedby
unveiling their purpose. You are exactlywhere you should be. I have
redeemedyour brokenness for beauty and for purpose.

Isa 61:1-3 – The Spirit of the SovereignLord is on me, because the Lord has
anointed me to preach goodnews to the poor.
He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the
prisoners,
to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor and the day of vengeance ofour God,
to comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve in Zion —
to bestow on them a crown of beauty insteadof ashes, the oil of gladness
instead of mourning,
and a garment of praise insteadof a spirit of despair.
They will be called oaks ofrighteousness,a planting of the Lord for the
display of his splendor. NIV
Enthusiasm
Archdn. Farrar.
Romans 12:11
Not slothful in business;fervent in spirit; serving the Lord;
I. WHAT IS ENTHUSIASM? Enthusiasmos means the fulness of Divine
inspiration, an absorbing, a passionate devotionto some goodcause, the state
of those whom St. Paul here describes as "fervent," literally boiling in spirit,
the spirit of man when transfigured, uplifted, dilated by the Spirit of God.
Without enthusiasm of some noble kind a man is dead, and without
enthusiasts a nation perishes. There are two forms which enthusiasm has

assumed— the enthusiasm for humanity, and the enthusiasm for individual
salvation. When the two have been combined; when the sense of devotion has
been united with the exaltation of charity, it has produced the most glorious
and blessedbenefactors ofthe world. What was Christianity itself but such an
enthusiasm? Learnt from the example, caught from the Spirit of Christ, the
same love for the guilty and the wretched, which brought the Lord of glory
down to the lowestdepths, was kindled by His Spirit in the heart of all His
noblest sons. Forgiven, they have longed with others to share the same
forgiveness, andthey have been ready to do all, and to dare all, for His sake
who died for them. Again and again this Divine fire has died out of the world;
againand againhas it been rekindled by God's chosensons. What would the
world have been without them? Ask what the world would be without the sun.
II. THE ENTHUSIASM OF THE STUDENT, ARTIST, DISCOVERER,
MAN OF SCIENCE — what else could have inspired their infinite patience
and self-sacrifice? Itplunged RogerBaconinto torture and imprisonment; it
made Columbus face the terrors of unknown seas;it causedyears of
persecutionto Galileo, to Kepler, to Newton, to the early geologists,to Charles
Darwin. What supported them was the fervency of spirit which prefers labour
to sloth, and love to selfishness,and truth to falsehood, and God to gold.
III. THE ENTHUSIASM OF THE REFORMER. Think what Italy was fast
becoming when Savonarola thundered againsther corruption and apostacy.
Think how an intolerable sacerdotaltyranny would have crushed the souls of
men had not Wycliffe braved death to give the people of England their Bible.
Think what truths would have been drowned in deep seas ofoblivion if Huss
had not gone calmly to the stake. Think what a sink of abominations the
nominal Church of God might now have been if the voice of Luther had never
shakenthe world. Think how the Church of England might now be settling on
her lees if such men as Wesleyand Whitefield had not driven their fellows
back to the simplicity which is in Christ Jesus.

IV. THE ENTHUSIASM OF THE MISSIONARY. In the first centuries every
Christian lookedon it as a part of his life to be God's missionary, and for
centuries the Church produced men like and Columban. Then for one
thousand years the darkness was only broken by here and there a man like St.
Louis of France, orSt. . It is to Count Zinzendorf and the that we owe the
revival of missionary zeal. In the last century missionaries were regardedas
foolish and rash, and I know not what. When Careyproposed to go as a
missionary to India, he was told that if God wishedto convertthe heathen He
would doubtless do so in His own way. Think of John Eliot, the lion-hearted
"apostle ofthe Indians," and his motto that prayer and painstaking can
accomplisheverything. Think of young and sickly David Brainerd going alone
into the wild forests of America and among their wilder denizens, with the
words "Not from necessitybut from choice, forit seems to me that God's
dealings towards me have fitted me for a life of solitariness andhardship."
Think of Adoniram Judson and the tortures he bore so cheerfully in his
Burmese prison. And we, too, in these days have seenCharles Mackenzie
leave the comforts of Cambridge to die amid the pestilent swamps of the
Zambesi, and Coleridge Patteson, floating, with his palm branch of victory in
his hand, over the blue sea among the CoralIsles. Nordo I know any signs
more hopeful for the nation than these, that our public schools are now
founding missions in the neglectedwastesofLondon, and our young athletes
are going out as poor men to labour in China and Hindustan.
V. THE ENTHUSIASM OF OUR SOCIAL PHILANTHROPISTS. Who can
measure the gooddone by St. when he founded his Sisterhoods of Mercy?
What man has done more for multitudes of souls than John Pounds, the
Plymouth cobbler, who became the founder of raggedschools? Whata light
from heaven was shed on countless wanderers by Robert Raikes, John
Howard, and Elizabeth Fry! Think, too, of the effort of Clarkson,
Wilberforce, Sharp and Garrisonin their efforts to liberate the slave.
Conclusion:There are questions evenmore pressing and vital now than the
slave trade was in the days of our fathers. Shame be on us if we prove
ourselves degeneratesons!There are two particular evils which we must
either conquer or be ruined by them. One is drink, the other is uncleanness.

Are we to be such cowards as to leave these arrows to rankle and gangrene in
the heart of England? If the Parliament of England will not deal with them,
then the people of England must dealwith them.
(Archdn. Farrar.)
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Early Church
Middle Ages
Reformation
Early Modern
Modern
Enthusiasm
E
nthusiasm for John Wesley’s contemporaries was no less than a dread disease.
It was the opposite, even the deadly enemy of rationality, which was for
eighteenth-century man the only healthy state of mind.
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The Greek from which “enthusiasm” was takenmeant possessionby a divine
spirit. For people who found fulfillment in being possessedin this way,
enthusiasm was the most favorable state of existence. Fortheir enemies
enthusiasm was a term of ridicule or worse. So it is today.
Meric Casaubonwrote a treatise againstthe disease ofenthusiasm before
Wesley’s ministry began. This treatise became a handbook of symptoms of the
disease. Othertreatises and pamphlets flooded the presses to warn people
againstenthusiasm.
So when George Whitefieldand John Wesleybegantheir ministry, they were
calledenthusiasts because they preachedthe Holy Spirit. The majority of
people hungered for their appealto non-rational impulses, but ministers of
the Anglican Church, who hated enthusiasm, shut their doors to this renewed
appeal to deep spiritual reserves.
For Wesleyenthusiasmtook many forms, the only acceptable one being the
operationof grace in individuals. Wesleywas very careful to distinguish this
experience from the other kinds of enthusiasm, which were like the forms of
hysteria or possessionby diabolical spirits.
George Whitefieldhad a reputation for appealing to all levels and kinds of
emotions from the pulpit. Wesleysuffered under comparisons to Whitefield.
To make matters worse, some ofWesley’s followers exploitedthe worst kinds

of enthusiasm. Wesleyhimself was criticized by Samuel Johnson, whose
rationality was offended by the powerful effects of a sermondelivered by
Wesley.
The cleareststatementWesleymade on enthusiasm ...
Zeal, Enthusiasm – The Twelve PowersofMan
Chapter 11
ZEAL – ENTHUSIASM
Charles Fillmore
The Twelve Powers ofMan
THE EGO, the free I, the imperishable and unchangeable essenceofSpirit,
which man is, chooseseverystate of consciousnessand every condition in
which it functions. It does not create the basic substances that enter into these
mental structures, for these substances have beenprovided from the
beginning, but it gives form and characterto them in consciousness, as men
build houses of lumber, stone, or whatevermaterial they may choose in the
manifest.
These mental states are all constructedunder the dynamic power of the great
universal impulse that lies back of all action–enthusiasmor zeal. Zeal is the
mighty force that incites the winds, the tides, the storms;it urges the planet on
its course, and spurs the ant to greatexertion. To be without zealis to be
without the zest of living. Zeal and enthusiasm incite to glorious achievement
in every aim and ideal that the mind conceives. Zealis the impulse to go
forward, the urge behind all things. Without zealstagnation, inertia, death
would prevail throughout the universe. The man without zeal is like an engine
without steamor an electric motor without a current. Energy is zeal in
motion, and energy is the forerunner of every effect.

Jesus was a man of enthusiasm

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