Sermon Summary
Burning Fire
Introduction
As we navigate our spiritual journey, we constantly encounter the mention of ‘fire’ in the Bible. The fire represents the Holy Spirit, God’s Word, and God’s love. It’s an essential element in our Christian walk, and it’s important to understand its significance.
What is fire?
In a spiritual context, fire represents the Holy Spirit and His transformative power (Acts 2). It also represents God’s Word, which illuminates our path (Psalm 119:105), and God’s love, which purifies us (1 Peter 1:7).
Why must we not put out the fire?
The fire represents our zeal, our fervency for God. If the fire goes out, our faith life becomes cold, like a dead body. The fire gives us the ability to move forward, overcome obstacles, and maintain our spiritual vitality (Romans 12:11).
What is the fire we must not put out?
The fire we must not put out is the fire of prayer (Psalm 39:3), the fire of love (1 Peter 4:8), and the fire of fervency for God’s work. These fires kindle our faith and keep our spiritual life vibrant and dynamic.
What is the altar upon which the fire needs to burn?
The fire needs to burn on the altar of our hearts (Luke 12:49), our families, and our church. These are the spiritual spaces where we commune with God and express our faith.
What must we do to prevent the fire from being put out?
To prevent the fire from being put out, we must put new wood every morning, representing fresh dedication (Leviticus 6:12). We must also lay out the burnt offering on it, representing the sacrifice of Jesus (Hebrews 10:25), and offer up the fat portions, representing the Holy Spirit (Leviticus 3:16).
How do we maintain the fire?
To maintain the fire, we must avoid putting different fires on the altar (Leviticus 10:1), which represents our greed, passion, or thinking. We must remove the ash, the remains of our sins and wrong habits, and we must pray and give thanks, which are like the flames of fire and the wind that helps the fire to burn better.
Conclusion
Jesus came to cast fire upon the earth (Luke 12:49), to kindle our hearts with the Holy Spirit, the Word of God, and His love. Let’s pray for the fire of the Lord to burn in our hearts, our families, and our church, so we can spread His fire wherever we go. Let’s be like the prudent virgins who kept their lamps burning, waiting for the bridegroom (Matthew 25). Let the fire of the Lord be our guide and our strength, as we continue our journey of faith.
AMEN.
