Psalm 51:1-13
“Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me. Against you, you alone, have I sinned, and done what is evil in your sight, so that you are justified in your sentence and blameless when you pass judgment. Indeed, I was born guilty, a sinner when my mother conceived me. You desire truth in the inward being; therefore teach me wisdom in my secret heart. Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones that you have crushed rejoice. Hide your face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities. Create in me a clean heart, O God, and put a new and right spirit within me. Do not cast me away from your presence, and do not take your holy spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and sustain in me a willing spirit. Then I will teach transgressors your ways, and sinners will return to you”.
The word “Revival” has been with me all week. A couple of weeks ago I found some info on a message “Revival of Holiness”. This past week down in Humphrey they had their yearly community spring revival. It has been a few years since I’ve preached a revival.
Revival is TAKING SPIRITUAL INVENTORY…inventory of ME…not my family but ME. You see I want to be of use to God. Kind of like Lent….doing a SELF-EXAMINATION!!!
REVIVAL: “Return to LIFE, Return to USE, An emotional religious meeting.
REVIVE: “Return to Conscientiousness, Return to EFFECTIVENESS”.
Are we EFFECTIVE today? (We had a singing group several years ago from Texas that we had not heard before, I didn’t know anything about them. The leader got in the pulpit and he did not introduce his group, he did not tell us where they were from, he did not attempt to sell bumper stickers, tapes, cd’s or even t-shirts, what he said has stuck with me EVERYDAY. HE SAID INSTEAD OF BUILDING THE CHURCH AND TRYING TO FILL THE CHURCH: WE NEED FIRST…TO BE THE CHURCH!!)
WOW!!!! The church needs to BE THE CHURCH!!!
God had done GREAT things thru David. David should have been out with his troops however, he was at home. He got up late one day & saw Bathsheba bathing, he then committed adultery in his heart. Then he had Bathsheba brought to him & he committed adultery physically. We know the story, David continued to cover his sin with sin….
It’s as though he veered away from God and was spending all of his time & his energy covering his sin. (Satan does everything he can to lure us away from God)
I PERSONALLY want to be EFFECTIVE, USEFUL for doing God’s work. David needed revival! In our text this morning, David cries out to God for help. REVIVAL IS THE OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE SPIRITUAL INVENTORY of ourselves!!!
Revival does several things for us. I mean TRUE Heaven sent revival.
I. WE CAN RETURN TO LIFE:
Because of Sin, folks are “Dead” Spiritually. They are of no USE to God and His work. David was of no USE to God while he was so busy trying to cover his sin.
Romans 6:23 23For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
It always hurts my heart to hear someone I pastored at one time has gone back into the world….they have quit the church. It is so sad. Sin is a prayer killer. Sin AFFECTS our RELATIONSHIP with God….
II. WE CAN RETURN TO USE:
We can return to being an EFFECTIVE Christian, an EFFECTIVE church. I believe there was a time when the church influenced the world. (people didn’t cut their grass on Sunday, people that were living together were ashamed & told they were married-Sheriff in Sevier county years ago)
The world has not only influenced but AFFECTED/INFECTED the CHURCH. We need revival. God needs the church to be EFFECTIVE. (He can raise up rocks to serve Him, He can call legions of angels down from Heaven) but He has always used His people.
III. REVIVAL WILL RENEW OUR INTEREST:
What a sad day it is today that so many folks have lost interest in the things of God. We have to have revivals, Sunday School drives in order to get folks re-interested in God!! When we fail God then who are we failing?
(I am so glad someone in 1983 was interested enough in God to pray for my soul & have a revival so I could be saved) When we fall short in our work for God someone else gets the short end. (Me in high school football slack in pushing 7 man sled when I was tired)
IV. REVIVAL WAKES US UP:
Years ago I preached a message about the church being asleep & I said if someone were to ask me personally what I thought was wrong with our world?? I would tell them I believe the CHURCH HAS BEEN ASLEEP!!
When we are asleep we are not aware what is going on around us. THE CHURCH HAS BECOME A SLEEPING GIANT!!!
As the church has slept immorality has crept into our society…. We need revived so we can put our foot down & stand firm for God.
David had gotten away from God… He needed revival. People have to know they need help (somebody once said “before you get a man saved- you gotta get him lost”)
V. REVIVAL IS AN EMOTIONAL RELIGIOUS MEETING:
Emotions run high during a revival, folks are praying more, seeking God more not just for the church but in the community. We need to SEEK revival.
(Verses 12-13) 12Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit. 13Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto thee.
David wanted to get back to where he had been with God… Do we want this today?
(Psalm 80:7) 7Turn us again, O God of hosts, and cause thy face to shine; and we shall be saved.
If we wait too long it could be too late. I sat in a pew in 1983 when the Lord “pricked” my heart, I’ve often wondered what might have happened had I stayed seated instead of making my way to the altar….
(Psalm 85:6) 6Wilt thou not revive us again: that thy people may rejoice in thee?
The CHURCH needs to get back to being the CHURCH…. What do I need to do for this to happen because I am the church… You are the church!! We want to make sure that we are doing what God would have us to be doing. Today we need to FOCUS on being the church.
