March 7, 2010
God is Jealous 
Pastor John Sprecher

GOD IS JEALOUS
Text: II Corinthians 11:1-4

Introduction: Jealousy can be a negative or positive emotion.  In the negative sense it is envy of what someone else has and will destroy another to get what it wants.  On the positive side, it protects, loves and cherishes what is rightfully the object of affection.

1. JEALOUSY AND ABUSE
1. Domestic abuse
1. Most dangerous police calls
2. Intense emotions
3. Anger and rage over real or imagined infidelity
4. Lack of trust and accountability
2. Partner or property?
1. Spouse is given to complete us (I Cor. 7:1-14)
2. Fear and love can both motivate us
1. Fear will bring resentment
2. Love will bring loyalty
3. Husbands are to dwell with wives according to knowledge (I Peter 3:7)
1. To honor
2. Recognize physical advantage is not to be abused
3. So that prayers are not hindered
4. Protect or possess
1. Let there be security in the relationship, not fear
2. Honor the choice made by the spouse to live with you
3. Compassion or competition
1. Rights and privileges vs. responsibility
1. Authority is given by God
2. Love is responsive to the needs of the other person
2. JESUS AS OUR EXAMPLE (Eph. 5:22-33)
1. Christ demonstrates the role of submission in His earthly life
1. Came to do the will of the Father (John 12:49-50)
2. Served the disciples as an example to us (John 13:1-17)
2. Christ demonstrates the role of sacrifice in His death
1. Was obedient even to death (Phil. 2:8)
2. Not His will, but the Father’s (Matthew 26:39)
3. No greater love than to die for another (John 15:12-15)
3. We all need the cross
1. Women have a desire for control that needs to die
2. Men have to deal with pride and selfishness
3. GOD’S JEALOUSY OVER US
1. He will not share the affection that is rightfully His with lesser gods (Ex. 34:14)
1. To worship Him alone
2. He takes as one of His names, Jealous
1. Really implies to be zealous for another
2. God longs for a pure and holy relationship with us
2. Paul shares a godly jealousy
1. Desires a pure response of heart and purpose
2. His part in the lives of the Corinthians
1. He had shared the gospel with them
2. He had betrothed them to one husband
1. The picture of the servant who had responsibility for the bride that she would be pure when she came to her husband
2. Paul desired that there would not be any unfaithfulness of heart before they met the Lord
3. The fear of deception
1. Eve deceived by the crafty serpent
2. He had appealed to her pride (Gen. 3:1-7)
1. You can be like God
2. God is just trying to keep you in servitude
4. It’s not all that complicated
1. We always want to figure everything out
2. The gospel is simple enough for a child to understand
1. God loves His creation
2. We rebelled against God and are separated from Him by sin which brings the penalty of physical and spiritual death
3. God sent Jesus to be born without sin so He could die in our place
4. The resurrection of Jesus destroyed the penalty of sin and gives us hope of eternal life
5. We receive salvation by accepting what Jesus did on the cross for us and are born from above by the Spirit
6. We maintain our relationship as we honor our betrothal to one who is rightfully jealous of what was redeemed with the blood of Jesus