682 WINGS AS EAGLES

405 TAKE MY LIFE

Opening Prayer/Announcements

405 TAKE MY LIFE

Presentation

Scripture Reading

627 WHAT A DAY THAT WILL BE

Sermon: Zeal for the Lord - Pastor Mark Sage

Invitation: 481 JUST AS I AM

A Zealot for Violins

Centuries ago, there lived in Italy a maker of violins, Antonio Stradivari. When he became able to have a workshop of his own he made it a rule that no violin should ever leave the shop until it was as near perfection as human care and skill could make it. He said, "God needs violins to send his music into the world, and if my violins are defective, God's music will be spoiled."

Bending over his workbench in Cremona, Antonio Stradivari, who died December 18, 1737, issued a vow that, though more than 200 years, has remained valid.

Native American on Zeal

A Native American having heard from a white settler some complaints on being to zealous, replied, "I don't know about having too much zeal; but I think it is better the pot should boil over than not boil at all."—Selected

Characteristic of a Zealous Man

Source unknown

A zealous man in religion is pre-eminently a man of one thing. It is not enough to say that he is earnest, hearty, uncompromising, thorough-going, whole-hearted, fervent in spirit. He only sees one thing, he cares for one thing, he lives for one thing, he is swallowed up in one thing; and that one thing is to please God.

Whether he lives, or whether he die;

whether he has health, or whether he has sickness;

whether he is rich, or whether he is poor;

whether he pleases man, or whether he gives offense;

whether he is thought wise, or whether he is thought foolish;

whether he gets blame, or whether he gets praise;

whether he get honor, or whether he gets shame; for all this the zealous man cares nothing at all. 

He burns for one thing; and that one thing is to please God, and to advance God's glory. If he is consumed in the very burning, he cares not for it-he is content. He feels that, like a lamp, he is made to burn; and if consumed in burning, he has but done the work for which God appointed him. Such a one will always find a sphere for his zeal. If he cannot preach, work, and give money, he will cry, and sigh, and pray...If he cannot fight in the valley with Joshua, he will do the work of Moses, Aaron, and Hur, on the hill (Exodus 17:9-13). If he is cut off from working himself, he will give the Lord no rest till help is raised up from another quarter, and the work is done. This is what I mean when I speak; zeal' in religion.