Lessons From Azusa Street - Part 2 Series

Lessons From Azusa Street (Part 2)

Wednesday, April 26, 2006

This month we celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Azusa Street Revival. And though there were a few earlier expressions of the Pentecostal revival here in the U.S., this was by far the most influential and far reaching. It literally changed the landscape of the Christian faith.

The first outpouring of the Holy Spirit took place in Jerusalem in 33 AD. We find this account in the second chapter of the book of Acts. Here, Luke – a student of the Apostle Paul, is writing a documentary of beginnings of the church…under the inspiration of the God’s Spirit. Look at this with me.

Acts 2:1-21

1When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. 2Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. 4All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.

5Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. 6When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard them speaking in his own language. 7Utterly amazed, they asked: "Are not all these men who are speaking Galileans? 8Then how is it that each of us hears them in his own native language? 9Parthians, Medes and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, 10Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome 11(both Jews and converts to Judaism Cretans and Arabs—we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!" 12Amazed and perplexed, they asked one another, "What does this mean?"

13Some, however, made fun of them and said, "They have had too much wine."

14Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice and addressed the crowd: "Fellow Jews and all of you who live in Jerusalem, let me explain this to you; listen carefully to what I say. 15These men are not drunk, as you suppose. It’s only nine in the morning! 16No, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel:

17" ’In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams. 18Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy. 19I will show wonders in the heaven above and signs on the earth below, blood and fire and billows of smoke. 20The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord. 21And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’

Now let me share with you the roots of Pentecost here in the U.S. (Azusa Street History – 1906 and beyond)

Again you may be asking, “Why the history lesson?”

Because, I believe that the spirit of God is again preparing His people for a mighty end time revival! And I want to help you and me get ready, or prepare for this great move!

It is a little like preparing to surf. When I was in middle school I spent the summer with my grandmother who lived in California. While there I spent considerable time with my cousins at Pismo Beach. I had a great time and learned to surf…not real well, but I learned never-the-less. Here is what I have discovered. Surfing and Revival are very similar elements.

Because, there are three basic thoughts that you must master if you are ever going to surf well.

1. Determine which wave you are going to catch – because you can’t catch them all.

2. Position yourself to catch the wave as it crashes into the water.

3. Begin moving in the direction of the wave. Where it is going. So when it comes you are ready to ride it out.

Revival is much the same.

In the Acts account of Pentecost, Peter quotes the Prophet Joel and reminds those of his day that what they saw was just a fulfillment of the prophetic words of old. God had come through on His promise that in the last days, “(He) would pour out (His) Spirit on All people!”