Introduction: What the man who we know the scriptures calls the smartest man in the Bible is saying here is this: “Let’s not talk about the good days.” People are always talking about the good old days. I heard people say countless times that they wish that they could go back to the good old days. Let me see here. Do you mean a clothes line instead of a dryer? Or do you mean an old pot bellied stove instead of a thermostat? Do you mean canning your vegetables you have grown instead of going to the supermarket? I like many of the modern conveniences. I like air conditioning. I like a computer over the old typewriters. (For one thing, spell check is a botton instead of digging out a dictionary) I like electric razors. I never learned to use a straight razor. What I am saying is this there are many things about living in this point and time that I really like.
You could say in some ways, I am a student of history. I enjoy reading books about history. One of my favorite channels on television is the History Channel. For the past 10 years, I have been a study of church history, especially in the area of revival. I read last year of the revival off the coast of Scotland in which a preacher by the name of Duncan Campbell came to that little island to preach a revival meeting. He arrived on Saturday night. When he got off the ferry, he was met by the pastor who asked him if he would go by the church to meet a few folks. When he got to the church, it was full and running over. He was asked to say a few words and pray. When he had finishing praying, one after another began to pray, begging God for forgiveness and revival. They left after 2 AM. The next day, people can from all over the island to get saved. Men were getting saved at the jail. Folks were stopping in the middle of the road and asking the Lord for salvation. (A part many people do not know about is this: there were two bedridden women who wanted revival for their island had been praying for years for this.) This happened in the late 1940s. A missionary went to island 50 years later. He asked the cab driver if he knew anyone who was saved during the revival. The cab driver told him that he and his whole family had been saved and still serving the Lord. In fact, he took him to scores of people who were saved that week. The island’s businesses are required by their laws to be closed on Sunday to observe the Lord’s day. (The younger generation wanted to change this law but have been unable to do so yet.) This is a classic example of what a true Holy Ghost, heaven sent revival truly is. This revival affect this entire island.
I like living in this present time. But I would like to see the church go back to the former days of her glory. I talking about she was doing her great work of winning souls to Christ and revival was seen on the national level.
If you want to study revival in the Bible, you will have to go the Old Testament. From the time of Christ’s birth until John penned the words in Rev. 22:21- “The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.”, you will find only 90 years. But there is almost 4,000 years of history in the Old Testament. You will find really a correct picture of revival there. You find Israel sinning against the Lord. God judges this nation by allowing countries to oppress her. The nation of Israel would repent of their sin and cry aloud to the One who could and would be able to deliver them. They would come back to Him. For a while, they would follow His commandments. To illustrate this point, I want you to turn to Psa. 107:8-15.
“Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men! For he satisfieth the longing soul, and filleth the hungry soul with goodness. Such as sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, being bound in affliction and iron; Because they rebelled against the words of God, and contemned the counsel of the most High: Therefore he brought down their heart with labour; they fell down, and there was none to help. Then they cried unto the LORD in their trouble, and he saved them out of their distresses. He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death, and brake their bands in sunder. Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!”
In verse 8, we see the challenge of this Psalm. You will find this phrase in vs. 15, 21 and 31.
In verse 9-10, we see the commitment of the Saviour.
In verse 11, we see the corruption of sin.
In verse 12, we see the consequences of sin.
In verse 13-14, we see the cleansing from sin.
As you read the Old Testament, you will see this pattern over and over again. What is the greatest shame is this was the chosen nation from whom the world would be blessed.
As I said earlier, you would not really see revival in the New Testament. There was only one generation past Pentecost. A generation is about 60 years. Let’s see what the Lord says about the church one generation past Pentecost. Rev. 2:4 “Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.” Rev. 2:14 “But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam” Rev. 3:1 “I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead.”
If the Holy Spirit inspired this to be written about these churches only one generation from Pentecost, what would He inspired to be written about our church. That is why I was burdened to preach this message today. I would like to go back to the old days of the church.
Let me give you six main thoughts along this line. The old days of the church was better because:
I. THE CHURCH WAS RESPECTED IN THE DAYS OF OLD.
Why? Because the church had
A. a testimony.
1. preaching
2. praying
3. praising
B. a torch. The torch of the Word of God.
The beacon to those around it who did not know Christ as Saviour.
C. trust.
1. Church doors were not locked so people could go in day or night to pray or do business with God.
2. Why did people get under conviction more in those days? A man would go to church and heard the Word of God. He would go home and turn off the lamp, go to bed. He would be lay there and hear the sounds of the cows, owls and other animals. God would speak to his heart. Today, a man can hear a good salvation message and be under conviction during the service. He would leave lost, go home and turn on the television and listen to Jay Leno and let Jay put him to sleep. No wonder people are no longer under conviction.
D. a touch on it.
The first church prayed for ten days, preached ten minutes and saw 3,000 saved in one service. Today we preach for ten days, pray ten minutes and wonder if anyone would get saved. That touch was God.
II. THE CHURCH WAS RIGHT.
A. Its doctrine was right.
1. The church believed the Book. Of course, I am talking of the King James Bible. Too many churches are using other versions because they say that they want a Bible they can understand. My dear saintly Grandmother had a third grade education. The only Bible she read was the King James. She read the entire Bible about twenty times and her New Testament about 40 times. Some have accused us that used the King James only are worshipping the Book. No, I am worshipping the God of the Book.
2. The church believed the Blood.
Rom. 5:8-10
“But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.”
3. The church believed the Blessed Hope.
Titus 2:14
“Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ”
B. Its direction was right.
The main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing. What is the main thing? Preaching the Gospel. 1 Cor. 1:18
“For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.”
1. Music and singing are not the main thing.
2. Church activities are not the main thing.
C. Its desire was right. Loving God is the right desire.
III. THE CHURCH WAS REAL.
2 Tim 3:5
“Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.”
The church has been reduced to a social club like the Lions Club and etc. Whose fault is it? The church!!!!
A. Preachers were real. They really cared for the souls of men instead just caring just for a pulpit, parsonage, pay check, and pension. When he would come to the hardware store, people would stop their cussing and telling dirty jokes because they this was the man of God. Today they want to get the preacher to join in with their dirty jokes.
We do not have any real prophets in the nation today. No Lester Roloffs, or Oliver Greens or Billy Sundays. One lady at work told me that she got saved when she was 14 years old at an Oliver Green tent meeting and made a commitment never to take a drink of liquor. She said that she has been true to that commitment to this day.
B. People were real.
1. Their tongue matched their religion.
2. Their business dealings matched their religion.
3. Their families matched their religion.
Children did not see how far they could get from their families’ beliefs.
C. Power of God was real. They did not have to fake or put on a show that the power of God was there. You could almost feel the presence of God. One man who was saved in this church thirty some years ago, said that he could not shake the power of God and the feeling that he was going to hell on the night he got saved.
D. Prayer life was real. When someone told you that they were going to pray for you, you could bank on it. When I was seventeen years old, Bro. John Winstead told me that he was going to pray for me as I going to Bible school. Some 17 years later, I asked him once again to pray for me. He told he had not stopped in 17 years and why should he stop now.
Many of our prayers are hazy, lazy or crazy. May we return to the place that when we pray we get an answer from God.
E. Professions were real. When a person made an profession of faith, you did not have to beg him or her to come to church. Now someone says he/she gets saved and nothing changes. No desire for God, no disturbance over sin in their live and no time for God.
When a mother gives birth to a baby, you don’t have to teach that baby to love milk. The baby does it naturally. When I got saved no one had to talk me into coming to church. I wanted to be there. I could not wait to get there. Today Baptist folk hope that their preacher will hurry up so they can get to the Steak House and get to the salad bar before the other churches got there and messed up the salad bar.
Let me give you two verses that I feel will shed light on this thought.
Heb. 10:25
“Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.”
Rom. 2:11
“For there is no respect of persons with God.”
If the Lord placed in my heart to be in church, is possible that He would require others to do so also? If not, that would make Him a respecter of persons.
F. Praises were real. Psa. 150:6
“Let every thing that hath breath praise the LORD. Praise ye the LORD.”
When was the last time that the Lord got so good that you could not hold it in until you had to tell someone or you fell on your knees and told Him those things that He loves to hear from us- those praises that He so richly deserves.
“What’s wrong with my children? Why don’t they praise Me? Am I not the King of KINGS? Am I not the Lord of LORDS? What’s wrong with my children? Why don’t they praise Me? I’ve given them everything and they have no joy?”
IV. THE CHURCH WAS READY.
A. ready to work John 9:4
“I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work.”
B. ready to witness Acts 1:8
“But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.”
C. ready to worship 1 Chronicles 16:29 “Give unto the LORD the glory [due] unto his name: bring an offering, and come before him: worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness.”
D. ready for warfare 2 Tim 2:3-4
“Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.”
There is a battle out there. What happened in Colorado is just a symptom of the problem ahead of us. I don’t blame the children. I don’t blame the parents even. I don’t blame television. I blame the church for no having an influence on this wicked world. But I blame preachers of the gospel most of all. We are not preaching against sin as we ought. (Isaiah 58:1 “Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and shew my people their transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins.”) This same incident this week could happen right here.
V. THE CHURCH WAS REAPING.
Gal. 6:7-9
“Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting. And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.”
You can not reap anything you have not sowed.
The church was reaping because she had
A. compassion Jude 22
“And of some have compassion, making a difference”
1. compassion for the drunks
2. compassion for the drug addicts
3. compassion for the dirty children
4. compassion for the different races
5. compassion for the dregs of society
* What have I really got to brag about before I was saved? What have I to brag about now?
1 Cor. 15:10a
“But by the grace of God I am what I am”
B. convictions
1. about music
2. about dress
3. about where and where not to go.
* The world has become churchy and the church has become worldly.
C. converts.
If you and I want this church to grow for the glory of God, then we will have to win some who will win some who will win some. Nothing excites the church and the devil like new converts who are fire for God.
VI. THE CHURCH HAD REVIVAL.
2 Chron. 7:14-15
“If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land. Now mine eyes shall be open, and mine ears attent unto the prayer that is made in this place.”
* Revival in the Bible always connected with a nation. We are the only generation in the history of the church who has not seen a national revival that has affected our whole nation.
I asked a few of the past generation about revivals of yesterday. They told me about tent meetings and church revivals that literally changes countless lives. There are two things that causes Americans to fall on their knees. They are seeing our young men coming home in body bags and economical depression or recession. Both these two are on the horizon. I am not building up one president over another or I am not promoting Billy Graham. But before President Bush gave the order for our troops to commence war on Iraq, he and Mr. Graham spent all night praying and asking for guidance in regards to that war.
Conclusion: In Ezra chapter 3, the people were rebuilding the Temple. Ezra 3:11-13 says “And they sang together by course in praising and giving thanks unto the LORD; because he is good, for his mercy endureth for ever toward Israel. And all the people shouted with a great shout, when they praised the LORD, because the foundation of the house of the LORD was laid. But many of the priests and Levites and chief of the fathers, who were ancient men, that had seen the first house, when the foundation of this house was laid before their eyes, wept with a loud voice; and many shouted aloud for joy: So that the people could not discern the noise of the shout of joy from the noise of the weeping of the people: for the people shouted with a loud shout, and the noise was heard afar off.”
Why were the old men weeping as the young people rejoiced? The old men knew the glory of Solomon’s temple and that it could never be duplicated. Many times, I have heard some of older saints talk about the older days of glory. I have seen them with tears in their eyes wanting it to return. It can. God is able but will we allow ourselves to be used of God to reach this generation from going to hell. One preacher said this one time: We may not be able to prevent this generation from going to hell but we need to make it awful hard for them.
One of the greatest challenges for pastors today is getting God’s people to return to Him. Why, preacher, we have not went away from God. We pay our tithes, we are in church, and we pray. The Lord is the final authority on this subject. Let’s see what He says. Isaiah 29:13 “Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw near [me] with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men”
Let’s look within ourselves and really ask God if it is true about us also. Today, let’s determine to go with Him all the way. I want to give one final passage of scripture. Yes, this is written to Israel but can pertain to us today. Jeremiah 4:1 “If thou wilt return, O Israel, saith the LORD, return unto me: and if thou wilt put away thine abominations out of my sight, then shalt thou not remove.”
