TIMES OF REFRESHING
Acts 3:19-20
INTRODUCTION
A. HUMOR
1. There are a lot of people who need revival!
2. One lady, Vickie, called a lawyer’s office. She made an appointment with their Family Law department.
3. "How can I help you, ma’am?" asks the lawyer. "Is it true," asks Vickie, "that if I get divorced, I'm entitled to 50% of all of my husband's possessions?"
4. "Well," the lawyer replies, "the law firm would get their fee, of course, but after that, it’s usually the case that the woman ends up receiving at least 50% of her husband’s entire assets. So, are you ready to file for your divorce?"
5. "Oh no," replied Vickie, "I need to find a husband first."
B. BIBLE MEANING: REFRESH
1. EVERYBODY LIKES THINGS TO BE FRESH! Like fresh FOOD, fresh COFFEE, fresh FLOWERS, new innovations. We like new EXPERIENCES, we don’t want things that are STALE or WORN, we like them JUST MADE or JUST BEGUN!
2. We’re talking about getting ‘re-freshed’ today. This word is used in the Bible about what God’s Word (Ps. 19:7) does for us; it’s what God’s Presence (Ps. 23:3) does, and what Christian fellowship (Rom. 15:32; Phim. 1:7) does for us. Refreshes us!
C. TEXT: Acts 3:19-20
1. After healing the crippled beggar it the temple, the apostle Peter urged the crowd to embrace “the refreshing” made possible by Christ.
2. “Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times [‘seasons,’ ASV] of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that He may send Jesus Christ, who was preached to you before” Acts 3:19-20.
3. So tonight we’re looking at what the Holy Spirit meant in Acts 3 when He invited us to “Times of Refreshing.”
I. REQUIREMENTS TO GET THE REFRESHING
“Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out...” Acts 3:19a
A. REPENT. WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO REPENT?
1. To review one's actions &
2. feel REGRET for past wrongs.
3. to commitment to PERSONAL CHANGE and resolving to live a more responsible life.
4. It usually refers to CONFESSION to God or admission of guilt to the one wronged.
5. It typically includes a promise or resolve not to repeat the offense and/or an attempt to make RESTITUTION for the wrong where possible.
6. BIBLICAL TERMS FOR REPENTANCE. In Biblical Hebrew is ??? shuv (to return) and ??? nicham (to feel sorrow). In the N. T. is the Greek word µet????a (metanoia), “change of thinking.” But many Christians have a wrong concept about repentance.
7. In his book, I Surrender, Patrick Morley writes that the church's integrity problem is in the misconception "that we can add Christ to our lives, but not subtract sin. It is a change in belief without a change in behavior." He goes on to say, "It is revival without reformation, without repentance." [Quoted by C. Swindoll, John The Baptizer, Bible Study Guide, p. 16.]
8. Biblical repentance starts with a U-Turn. And a Christian can’t continue to grow without regular repentance. Repentance KEEPS us right (1 Jn. 1:9). Regular repentance is hard because we’re busy, we’re prideful, and we’re often overlook holiness.
9. There are 3 ELEMENTS of genuine repentance:
a. First, there is CONVICTION. This is when the Spirit of God and our conscience tell us, “You’re on the wrong road!” Conviction is God waving a red flag of warning.
b. The second element of true repentance is CONTRITION or “godly sorrow,” as it is called in 2 Cor. 7:10. It’s sincere regret over past sins and an earnest desire to walk in a new path of righteousness.
c. Third, repentance carries with it the idea of CHANGE–changing your mind, your attitude, and your ways. If we’re truly repentant, we’ll make a reversal of direction.
B. ILLUS.: Changed Character (Converted)
1. An old legend tells us about two brothers who were convicted of stealing sheep in an Old World country. For their punishment, they each were branded on the forehead with the letters ST, for "sheep thief."
2. One brother, bitter to the core, ran away to another land to build a new life. Even there, people continually asked him about the strange letters on his forehead. He was agitated so much by the stigma, that he became a recluse.
3. The other brother thought his predicament out. "I can't run away from the fact that I stole sheep,” he said, "But I will stay here and win back the respect of my neighbors and myself."
4. As the years went by, he earned a sterling reputation of honesty, respect, and love. One day a stranger saw the old man with the letters branded on his forehead. He asked a citizen of the town what the letters stood for.
5. The townsman replied, "It happened a great while ago. I've forgotten the details, but I think the letters are an abbreviation for SAINT!" [author unknown]
II. THERE ARE SEASONS OF REFRESHING
“that times [‘seasons,’ ASV] of refreshing may come”
A. WHAT IS A “SEASON” OF REFRESHING?
1. The Greek term KAIROS used here describes a “season” of time for getting something done. The thing to be done may not be able to be done in any other “season.”
2. We’re familiar with seasons: winter, spring, summer, fall. The opportunity to plant is usually only found in the early spring because of the rain and warmth, before the extreme heat and drought of summer.
3. So there’s a brief window to plant and harvest; if the farmer doesn’t do it then, he may not get a crop until another year passes!
4. Likewise there are seasons of opportunity where God makes available to us possibilities of spiritual advancement that may not come again for a lengthy time. Paul tells us we must seize these seasons. Col. 4:5 says, “make the most of every opportunity.” (Eph. 5:16).
B. PERIODIC VS. INTENTIONAL REFRESHINGS
1. There are SEASONS OF SPIRITUAL STIRRING. John 5:4 NKJV says, “For an angel went down at a certain time (kairos) into the pool and stirred up the water....” This was a spiritual stirring. Healings took place. This is true of history: God periodically sends spiritual stirrings!
2. YES, thave been periods of time when God sovereignly sent His Spirit, but, as Charles Finney proved, God also sends His Spirit when the conditions for revival are right. That’s what 2 Chron. 7:14 says – if we humble ourselves, pray, seek His face & turn from our wicked ways – He will hear, forgive, and HEAL OUR LAND!
3. So God is ready to send revival – He’s just waiting on us to fulfill the right conditions. THE REAL QUESTION IS: Do we WANT revival? Then let’s do what God said and expect it.
C. WHAT WE NEED: A REFRESHING
1. What God wants to do is to “REFRESH” us. To refresh is to ‘restart’ or “update.” It means to give new strength or energy to; reinvigorate; revitalize, revive, restore, enliven, perk up, stimulate, or reanimate.
2. After Samson killed the 1,000 Philistines with the jawbone of a donkey, he was dying of thirst. "He cried out to the LORD, 'You’ve given your servant this great victory. Must I now die of thirst and fall into the hands of the uncircumcised?' Then God opened up the hollow place in Lehi, and water came out of it. When Samson drank, his spirit returned and he REVIVED." (Judges 15:18, 19). The Greek word in the LXX of this verse is the same root as Acts 3:20. The Holy Spirit revived him!
3. Are YOU thirsty for a refilling of the Spirit? Do you want a refreshing from God?
III. ORIGIN OF THESE REFRESHINGS
“from the presence of the Lord, and that He may send Jesus Christ, who was preached to you before.”
A. FROM THE PRESENCE OF GOD
1. God says, “Sow to yourselves in righteousness, reap in mercy; break up your fallow ground: for [it is] time to seek the LORD, till he come and rain righteousness upon you” Hosea 10:12. So revival must be SOWN in prayer and praise before its reaped in outpourings of the Holy Spirit.
2. God is omniscient, that is, He’s in every place. But His presence doesn’t have the same depth or power. Sometimes it’s more concentrated until it appears to be a cloud and hinders ministry or movement.
3. Sometimes God manifested His presence in individuals, such as Samson or Gideon. Other times God manifested His presence in locations, such as the Tabernacle or Temple.
4. Moses was surprised to find God’s special presence on a burning bush in the desert. This teaches us that God WILL pour out His Spirit on the undeserving.
5. You see, You and I are a lot like that bush. We're pretty worthless in ourselves, but when God puts His presence in us, we become special. "We have this treasure in vessels of clay."
6. It wasn’t that the bush had talents or intrinsic worth; no, but it was available. That’s what God is still looking for today – people who are available for Him to put His sacred fire and anointing into.
7. It was ONLY the Presence of God that made this bush special. It’s His presence today that will make the difference in your life!
B. WE NEED TO BE FILLED
1. EVERYONE IS SUPPOSED TO BE FILLED. "The Apostle Paul commands the Ephesian Christians to “be filled with the Spirit.” Yes, it is a command as well as a privilege. This is not some special blessing which God has reserved for certain of His children only....is this God's norm for every one of his children.” [Reginald Wallis]
2. “Without the Spirit of God, we can do nothing. We are as ships without the wind, branches without sap, and like coals without fire, we are useless.”—Charles Spurgeon
CONCLUSION
A. ILLUSTRATION: SECRET FOR VICTORY?
1. Speaking to a large audience, D.L. Moody held up a glass and asked, “How can I get the air out of this glass?” One man shouted, “Suck it out with a pump!” Moody replied, “That would create a vacuum and shatter the glass.”
2. After numerous other suggestions Moody smiled, picked up a pitcher of water, and filled the glass. “There,” he said, “all the air is now removed.” He then went on to explain that victory in the Christian life is not accomplished by “sucking out a sin here and there,” but by being filled with the Holy Spirit.
B. ALTAR CALL
1. We all know how refreshing the wind can be. When you’re hot, a cool breeze is a wonderful sensation. Today the Spirit of God is present and God is speaking to you;
a. to discouraged folks, His word is “Cheer up!”
b. to dishonest folks, His word is “’fess up;”
c. to sour folks, He says “Sweeten up!”
d. to closed folk, He says “Open up;”
e. to gossipers, His word is “shut up;”
f. to conflicted people, He says “make up;”
g. to sleeping folks, He says “wake up;”
h. to lukewarm people, He commands “fire up;”
i. to dry bones, He says “shake up”; and
j. to pew potatoes, He says “stand up!”
k. But to everyone, Jesus says, “lift Me up!”
2. PRAYER. How many need a refilling? Stand. Prayer for filling.
