Introduction: Something’s happening ... This last week I began reading a book by James Rutz. James wrote this book to make the Christian church aware that God is moving all across the world. His observations are a wake-up call to the American Christian and churches in America. Listen to some of his thoughts: "Miracles are happening like popcorn starting to pop. That alone is amazing. But they are also attracting global numbers that no movement in history has ever seen. Back in 1970, the world had 71 million core apostolic, born again Christians with a vision to reach out to the world. As of mid-2000, it had 707 million. That comes to 11% of the planet. And it doesn’t even count the more than one billion Christians who are growing too slowly to fall within the fast-growing core. Their ingrown cultures, spiritual inertia, or liberal beliefs have stunted their growth. But surprisingly, it does not include North America and Europe, where the overall growth rate for Christians is zero …
During our holiday in Canada in November this year, I was invited to preach at an Asian church. As soon as we entered the church I could sense a powerful presence of the Holy Spirit in that place. We had an awesome time of worship. During the preaching I saw a number of people already in tears. As soon as the preaching got over and we were transiting into the final response song, the worship service broke out into a revival meeting. We were not expecting this. The Holy Spirit is manifested when least expected. God has His way in everything. He does things in marvelous ways.
God taught me a lot during that worship service. What did I see and observe amongst the people in that congregation? This is what God placed upon my heart as I bring forth His Word to you this evening. Vision 2010!
What will it take on our part to ‘Awaken, Renew and have a Revival’ in Iowa and possibly the US?
1. Humility ~ [Matthew 20: 26]
As a 7-year-old, Richard Bernstein admired Jackie Robinson’s athletic ability and courage as the first African-American man to play Major League baseball in the modern era. A few years later, while working at a small-town golf course, Bernstein was astonished to find himself carrying the bag of his hero, Jackie Robinson. When rain postponed the game, Robinson held an umbrella over the two of them and shared his chocolate bar with the young caddy. Writing in The International Herald Tribune, Bernstein cited that humble act of kindness as a mark of greatness he has never forgotten.
True greatness is shown by humility, not pride. This was powerfully demonstrated and taught by Jesus Christ, who told His ambitious disciples: “Whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant. And whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave - just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many” (Matthew 20: 26 - 28).
When God Himself walked on earth as a man, He washed feet, welcomed children, and willingly gave His life to deliver us from the self-centered tyranny of sin. His example gives credence to His command.
We can do great things for the Lord if we are willing to do little things for others.
2. Open to the Holy Spirit ~ [John 3: 8]
Historian Laurel Ulrich received a Pulitzer Prize for her book The Midwife’s Tale. The book was based on the diary of Martha Ballard, who lived during the American Revolution. Martha was a midwife who traveled by canoe, horse, or sometimes on foot to assist women in delivering their babies. At a time when many women died in childbirth, Martha’s track record was extraordinary. In more than 1,000 deliveries, she never lost a mother in childbirth.
In God’s kingdom, there is a spiritual Helper who produces new life. But His role is to bring about “second birth” (John 3: 5 - 8). The Holy Spirit uses a variety of ways to accomplish this. He convicts the world of sin (John 16: 8), empowers the gospel (1 Thessalonians 1: 5), regenerates us from within (Titus 3: 5), and places believers into eternal union with Christ (1 Corinthians 12: 12 - 13). Though He is invisible, His life-changing activity can be clearly seen.
Jesus said of the Holy Spirit: “The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit” (John 3: 8).
The Spirit desires to use us in sharing the gospel so others can experience that second birth.
The Holy Spirit is the Christian’s source of power.
3. Broken and Contrite Heart (Repentance) ~ [Psalm 51: 17]
All nations have heroes, but Israel may be alone in making epic literature about its greatest hero’s failings (Psalm 51). This eloquent psalm shows that Israel ultimately remembered David more for his devotion to God than for his political achievements.
Step-by-step, the psalm takes the reader through the stages of repentance. It describes the constant mental replays, the gnawing guilt, the shame, and finally the hope of a new beginning that springs from true repentance.
In a remarkable way, Psalm 51 reveals the true nature of sin as a broken relationship with God. David cries out, “Against You, You only, have I sinned” (v. 4). He sees that the sacrifices God wants are “a broken spirit, a broken and a contrite heart” (v. 17). Those, David has.
In his prayer, David looks for possible good that might come out of his tragedy and sees a glimmer of light. Perhaps by reading this story of sin others might avoid the same pitfalls, or by reading his confession they might gain hope in forgiveness. David’s prayer is answered and becomes his greatest legacy as king. The best king of Israel has fallen the farthest. But neither he, nor anyone, can fall beyond the reach of God’s love and forgiveness.
Repentance is the soil in which forgiveness flourishes.
4. Hunger and Thirst for God ~ [Psalm 42: 1, 2; Psalm 73: 25]
Health experts tell us we should drink at least 64 ounces of water each day. It may reduce the risk of heart attack, give our skin a healthy glow, and help us lose weight. We should drink even more water during exercise or if we live in a hot or dry climate. Even if we’re not thirsty, we ought to drink water anyway.
Our thirst for God is even more beneficial. When we’re spiritually dry, we long to hear from Him through His Word, and we search for even a drop of knowledge about Him. When we’re exercising our faith in a new way, we want to be close to Him and receive His strength. Our thirst for God may increase when we see the sinfulness of people around us or when we gain a new awareness of our own sin and need for Him.
Spiritual thirst is a metaphor used throughout Scripture. Asaph thirsted for answers in his questioning psalm. When he saw the wicked prospering, he cried out to God to understand why (Psalm 73: 16). He found the Lord to be his strength and realized that he desired nothing but Him (vs. 25 - 26).
If we’re spiritually thirsty, we can follow Asaph’s example and draw near to God (v. 28). He will satisfy us, yet give us a deeper thirst for Himself. We’ll learn to desire Him above all else.
A thirst for God can be satisfied only by Christ, the Living Water.
5. Personal and Corporate Holiness ~ [Leviticus 19: 2]
All of us who have kids have been guilty of ending an argument about why they should or shouldn’t do something with the conversation stopper: “Because I said so.” The reply is powerful because it has an edge to it. There are times when God is edgy with us. We’d like to stand there and argue with Him, but He keeps saying things like, “Because I said so” or “You be holy, because I am holy.” His call to holiness in our lives has that edgy sound.
In the Old Testament, when God wanted to bring that kind of holy edge to His people, He showed up in a place called the temple. God’s holiness came from another world and engaged with yours and mine. Jesus’ birth was a holy invasion - it came with an edge - from another place, another world, another reality. It cut through pretense by coming as a peasant baby born in a stable surrounded by sheep and goats. It cut into religious and political agendas by displaying genuine humility as a way to power. It sliced through the stuffy, hot air of classicism by first announcing His arrival to lowly shepherds working the third shift outside the city limits. It carved away centuries of religious oppression and hypocrisy by showing the power of quiet innocence. Holiness in God’s terms has an edge.
And it’s not only edgy in its essence; it’s also edgy in its demands. Because we represent Him, we are called to live with a holy edge. To live with a holy edge means to live differently - to make daily choices that square with God’s holiness; to stand for right in a wrong-headed culture; to preserve honesty, justice, and integrity no matter what. It means to replace greed with generosity and to forgive the cruelest offense. To serve others instead of ourselves, and to use our power to bless others instead of using it to advance our own agendas. It’s that kind of edgy living that makes a huge statement about the distinct difference that a holy God makes in our world.
When God first spoke to His people through Moses, He told them to live in and enjoy the land He had promised to them. But they were to live with a holy edge. They were to live differently than their pagan counterparts, uniquely reflecting the Holy difference of the true and living God.
Don’t lose your edge! Holiness sets you wonderfully apart in an increasingly unholy world. It’s no wonder that He said we should be holy because He is holy! By "holiness" he didn’t mean they could be sinless, but blameless.
Our Journey …
• In what ways do the people around you see you as different because of your walk with Christ?
• In what areas of your life do you feel you’ve lost your edge? What can you do to reclaim it?
• Take some time to read through Isaiah 1–6. Isaiah addressed his words to a people who had lost their holy edge. Write down some of the insights you gain from reading these passages.
• Write down a prayer you can use daily, asking the Lord to sharpen any dull edges in your relationship to Him - your words, thoughts, attitudes toward others, and so on.
If you yield to God, you won’t give in to sin.
6. Anointing and Fullness of the Holy Spirit ~ [Acts 8: 20]
Police officers in St. Louis have had at least one easy arrest. It occurred at the back door of the police station when a drunk driver pulled his car right up to the booking window, thinking he was at Burger King. After attempting to place his order at what he thought was a drive-up window, the surprised driver was arrested by the booking officer and charged with drunk driving.
A man named Simon also got the surprise of his life. According to Acts 8, he was a former sorcerer in Samaria before becoming a follower of Christ. His surprise came when he walked up to the apostles and offered them money. He wanted them to give him the power to lay hands on people and impart to them the Holy Spirit. The apostle Peter emphatically refused, and accused him of being under the influence of something worse than alcohol.
Peter wasn’t overreacting. It’s dangerous to think that the power of the Holy Spirit is like a product that can be bought and sold. The Spirit’s work is a gift of God that is freely given on the basis of faith and faith alone. He has given us His Spirit to accomplish His purposes, not ours. The Spirit cannot be bought or bargained for.
We don’t need more of the Spirit; the Spirit needs more of us.
7. Unity in the Body of Christ ~ [Acts 17: 26]
Aristides, a second-century apologist for the Christian faith, wrote this to the Roman emperor Hadrian about believers in his day:
“They love one another. They never fail to help widows; they save orphans from those who would hurt them. If they have something, they give freely to the man who has nothing; if they see a stranger, they take him home, and are happy, as though he were a real brother. They don’t consider themselves brothers in the usual sense, but brothers instead through the Spirit, in God.”
As human beings, we all belong to the same family. Even though we are divided by all sorts of barriers and differences, “under the skin” we’re all the same (Acts 17: 26).
As believers in Jesus Christ, then, whatever our differences - denominations, preferences, worship styles - we are one spiritual body that acknowledges the same heavenly Father (Ephesians 4: 4 - 6). The example of our spiritual forebears can be an instructive challenge to us as disciples of Jesus in the 21st century.
Let’s do all we can to demonstrate our unity in Christ. Unity in our diversity is the most effective witness to this sin-fractured world.
Unity among Christians comes from their union with Christ.
Illustration: Forty different authors writing over a period of 1,600 years penned the 66 books of the Bible. Four hundred silent years separated the 39 books of the Old Testament from the 27 of the New Testament. Yet, from Genesis to Revelation, they tell one unfolding story. Together they give consistent answers to the most important questions we can ask: Why are we here? How can we come to terms with our fears? How can we get along? How can we rise above our circumstances and keep hope alive? How can we make peace with our Maker? The Bible’s consistent answers to these questions show that the Scriptures are not many books but one. What an example of unity in the Godly Body!
Application: In this New Year (2010) will we take the challenge to be humble, open to the Holy Spirit, have a repentant heart, a sincere desire for God, pursue holiness, stay continually anointed and be of one mind and spirit within the body of Christ.
May the Spirit of God challenge us daily for pursuing an awakening, renewal and revival in our community, state and country at large.
May you have a very blessed and memorable 2010!
