To the artist, He is Altogether Lovely.

To the astronomer, He is the Sun of Righteousness
and the Bright and Morning Star.

To the baker, He is the Living Bread.

To the biologist, He is the Life.

To the builder, He is the Sure Foundation.

To the carpenter, He is the Door.

To the doctor, He is the great Physician.

To the editor, He is the Good Tidings of Great Joy.

To the educator, He is the Great Teacher.

To the engineer, He is the New and Living Way.

To the farmer, He is the Sower, the True Vine, and the Lord of Harvest.

To the florist, He is the Rose of Sharon and the Lily of the Valley.

To the geologist, He is the Rock of Ages.

To the hopeless, He is our Hope.

To the juror, He is the Faithful and True Witness.

To the jeweler, He is the Pearl of Great price.

To the lawyer, He is the Counselor, the Lawgiver,
the Righteous Judge, and the Advocate.

To the philosopher, He is the Wisdom of God.

To the proud, He is the Rebuker.

To the sculptor, He is the Living Stone.

To the straying sheep, He is the Good Shepherd.

To those who suffer, He is the Comforter.

To the thirsty pilgrim, He is the Water of Life.

To the troubled soul, He is the Pacifier.

To the sinner, He is the Savior.

To the Christian, He is the All in All.

“Whom do men say that I the Son of man am?” Matthew 16:13

A Chinese convert once said: “We want men with red-hot hearts to tell us of the love of Christ.” This man was talking about enthusiasm. If anything separates the active Christian from the indifferent Christian, it must be enthusiasm. Charles Schwab has said: “A man can succeed at almost anything for which he has unlimited enthusiasm.” What is true of business in this regard is also true of the church? Enthusiasm for Christ is the great need of the hour!

Webster says that “enthusiasm” is an “eager and intense interest; an ardent zeal or fervor.” By definition one can obviously see the great value of enthusiasm in the service of Christ. In Isaiah 2:3, we see that enthusiasm was prophesied to be one of the characteristics of those in the church: “And many people shall go and say: Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths…” The prophet said the day was coming when God’s kingdom would be established. He said that people all over the world would be filled with enthusiasm to learn about the Lord and to walk in his ways. Today, that glorious kingdom has been established. But what about the enthusiasm? Can it be said that we are enthusiastic for Christ?

In order for enthusiasm to be of value it must have the proper motivation and guidance. Motivation is important. Something has to stir us to have the eager and intense interest in serving Christ. Once upon a time, there was a frog who fell into a very deep pothole on a very busy street. His friends tried to pull him out, but each time they tried they failed. Finally, the situation was hopeless. His friends gave up and left him to his fate. But the next day they saw the frog jumping around just fine. His friend begged him to tell them how he managed to escape the pothole. The frog responded, “Well, there I was. I couldn’t jump out; but then a truck came along and I had to.” Now that is what you call motivation our of a sense of fear or duty, but out of love and gratitude directed toward him. What motivates you to serve Christ?

And then, enthusiasm needs proper guidance. It is possible for our enthusiasm to be excessive and unreasonable. Paul, in speaking of the Jews, said: “I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge” (Rom. 10:2). The zeal of some Jews was actually working against the Lord. They had enthusiasm, but it was not properly guided. Someone has well said that “religious zeal without knowledge is like speed to a man in the dark.” Enthusiasm without proper guidance can be a very dangerous thing.

Faith provides the motivation and the guidance for the right kind of enthusiasm. Our enthusiasm for Christ must be grounded and settled in the knowledge of God’s Word. Saul of Tarsus is an excellent example of the wrong kind of enthusiasm turning into the right kind of enthusiasm through faith in Christ (Galatians 1:13,14). We need this wonderful spirit of enthusiasm in the church. Not a bubbling, showy, emotional enthusiasm — that kind cannot last. But there is such a thing as a sustained and rational enthusiasm. This kind lives in truth. We need this enthusiasm in all areas: in our worship, in our family situations, in our daily relationships, in our evangelistic work, and in our benevolence!

Realize that enthusiasm is a choice! Isn’t Christ worthy of your zeal and interest? He is indeed! MAKE THAT CHOICE! DECIDE TO BE ENTHUSIASTIC IN THE SERVICE OF CHRIST!

Copied from South Florida Avenue’s Bulletin