We were at a friend’s house on Christmas Day, and I was soaking in the scene. There was a table full of food, Christmas décor, discussions and laughter between friends and family, and a brightly burning fire in a beautiful and ornate fireplace set in a cabin in the snow. Except… we were in San Jose, and it wasn’t even raining, let alone snowing! Yes, the fireplace was on a giant video screen, complete with crackling sounds. It was cheery and festive, but it lacked something…
This Sunday we’re going to have all the elements of a holiday celebration. Friends and family will gather. Together we’ll participate in the Lord’s supper and enter into the New Year with a fresh appreciation for the work of Christ on the cross on our behalf.
But what about the fire? Our text for this Sunday is Hebrews 12:28 and 29 and instructs us to “…worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our God is a “consuming fire.” God’s plan for us is to live our entire lives in such a way that it reflects the glory of the Lord. It’s not something that you record and put on a loop. It’s not something you do once a week on Sunday morning from 10:45 to 11:15. It’s meant to be constant, organic, authentic, and personal. It’s meant to flow from the reality of our lives during good times, bad times, and even in ugly times.
My title this Sunday is “How to Ignite the Fire of your Life in 2025.” On a scale of 1 to 10, how hot is your fire burning? Are you willing to examine the reasons why it’s smoking a lot but not really burning very well? Are you willing to admit it’s an artificial display but in reality, your heart is cold?
When Jim Elliot was a 19-year-old student at Wheaton College, he wrote these words, “God, I pray Thee, light these idle sticks of my life and may I burn for Thee. Consume my life, my God, for it is Thine.” No matter where you are, my prayer is that we’ll all be burning brighter after God feeds us with His Word and His Spirit.
In Christ,
Kurt