Illus: A man in Columbia, S. C., has spent a small fortune collecting antique car replicas. You cannot help noticing how each detail of each model is exactly in scale to the original cars they represent. In every detail they look just like the original cars.
You may wonder, what does that have to do with our text? Well, it has a great deal to do with our text. When God was pouring out His Spirit upon the church at Pentecost, revival broke out and the church experienced its greatest revival!
We have many good denominational churches stating that the church today is experiencing the greatest revival that the church has ever experienced!
They point at what they call “revival” today, that is sweeping the land, and they say the same thing Peter said -- “This is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel.” However, when we compare what happened on Pentecost to what we have today we can only conclude, THIS IS NOT THAT!
Illus: That great old preacher, Vance Havner, who has gone to be with the Lord, said, “On the day of Pentecost, when the multitudes saw the early church filled with the Spirit, they asked, ‘What does this mean?’ Peter replied, ‘This is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel.’ After his sermon the listeners asked, ‘What shall we do?’ We have tried to reverse the order today. We expect men to ask, ‘What does this mean?’ In our desperation, we have staged religious excitements and simulated religious ecstasies, but the multitude is not crying, ‘What shall we do?....Is this revival? Is this an outpouring of the Holy Spirit? Is this ‘That?’ The question is its own answer. The very fact that we ask implies doubts and uncertainty. If genuine revival ever comes, WE WILL KNOW IT! A true work of God is always self-authenticating. It bears its own credentials and needs no conference of experts to identify it.”
When God sent Pentecost, the disciples were so Spirit-filled that two notable things were accomplished:
(1) They turned the world upside down for Christ with their doctrine.
(2) They drove back the forces of darkness.
One example is clear in the book of Acts. Paul went into towns and God sent such a revival, that it put people like Alexander the coppersmith, who made shrines of brass to the goddess Diana, out of business.
Whereas the men and women of the New Testament church turned the world upside down with the doctrine of Christ, even dying for their faith, most would concur today that it is the churches that are turned upside down! Many are certainly not having much success at all in driving back the forces of evil.
Until the church can see the same results as the New Testament church had, we need to be careful about pointing at what we call revival and claiming that “...this is that...” If God was going to write about the church today, we all probably would agree that God would hardly describe it as a church that was turning the world upside down.
As we compare the awakening of our age to the New Testament Revival we find that “THIS IS NOT THAT!”
IF THIS IS THAT, then why is it that sin is not going out of business instead of growing at an unbelievable rate.
We have liquor in almost every restaurant, grocery store, and convenience store in the land.
• Pornography is one of the most lucrative businesses in the land.
• We have so many criminals that we cannot build jails fast enough to house them.
• We have more social diseases than ever before.
• We have more worldly minded Christians in the church than we ever had.
• We have more corruption on our television sets than we have ever had.
• We have more corrupted role models in our society than we have ever had.
• We have more crooked politicians than we have ever had.
• We have more churches compromising the Word of God than ever before.
• We have people in our churches today who are living such immoral lives that years ago would not have been allowed to join a church. Now they are allowed to hold very prominent positions in churches.
We are being told today that if we hope to reach the masses we have to be willing to compromise our Bible-based convictions. All across this great land, that God has blessed us with, many are appealing to mankind’s intellect, emotions, and curiosity, and when we get them all inside we count heads and call this “revival.”
Illus: In April of 1996, with a snicker in their voices, CNN news reporters broadcast some disturbing news about a Baptist University. What they did NOT say was, like all religious universities this one wanted to attract as many students as they could, but they had a problem secular universities do not have. THEY HAVE BIBLE STANDARDS. The university they reported on was built by Christians who wanted to provide a place for young Christian men and women to receive an education and become what God wanted them to become. However, they found it hard to attract students because fewer and fewer young people were left who were dedicated to the Lord enough to agree with the Bible standards that this university adhered to.
Finally the day came when men came into leadership positions who no longer had BIBLE STANDARDS. They decided that the standards were not as important as having a LARGE ENROLLMENT. Soon the high standards went out the windows.
• Drinking was permitted on campus.
• Dances, first called “Foot Functions” were permitted.
The snickers became more obvious in the voices of the reporters as they told how those in charge decided to do away with “Foot Functions” and just let them be called what they were, dances.
If you go to that university today, you will find that the school, that was first built by God’s people to honor God, has now become just like any other secular university.
We need to ask ourselves, “If this is that, why are we loosing the war with sin? If we are truly having revival across this land the way New Testament churches had revival, why are we loosing these spiritual skirmishes in every city and neighborhood in America?”
“If this is that, like Vance Havner asked, why are lost men not asking, “What shall we do?” Why are they not asking, “What must I do to get gloriously saved from sin?” Why is it that one of the best ways to thin out a congregation is to preach that God saves us BY HIS GRACE and saves us FROM SIN! Too many want to hear that God will save them and let them still live in sin.
We live in a different age than that of our forefathers in many ways. For example...
Illus: In 1966, one well-known Christian author wrote a book titled, “Why Our Churches Do Not Win Souls.” He solicited what he considered to be, at that time, some of the most outstanding pastors in the land to write on this topic. If you read the book you will be informed again of the basics. They listed the reasons the reasons as they saw them back then. They said the reason they were not winning souls was because the church...
• Was not burdened for lost souls.
• Was not praying for lost souls.
• Was not preaching to lost souls.
• Was not singing to lost souls.
• Was being taken over by formalism.
• Was not gearing Sunday Schools toward reaching sinners.
• Lacked Spirit filled Christians.
Then, in 1990, another well-known Christian author wrote a book called, “Ten of Today’s Most Innovative Churches.” He solicited ten pastors to contribute to this book by writing on how we can reach the masses for the Lord. He got quite interesting information.
Most of them stressed that the “Baby Boomers” are here and they cannot take preaching. They have been raised in a pampered, have it your way, society. To reach them the church has to be willing to DO IT THEIR WAY. And just what is THEIR WAY?
• Cut the Sunday and evening and Wednesday evening services out.
• Preach about 15 to 20 minutes in an up-beat pep rally style.
• Never mention the “H” word. Never break a sweat!
• Redefine worship. One of the pastors said that in his opinion “redefining” meant that worship must be more than the adoration of God; it also should include intimacy between the worshippers and God.
We mention these two books and their content to illustrate that WE HAVE COME A LONG WAY, BUT ACCORDING TO THE SCRIPTURES WE HAVE COME IN THE WRONG DIRECTION! We are loosing the battle against sin in the areas of EDUCATION, POLITICS, and in the CHURCH!
When God-sent revival comes sin will be rolled back. There will be no doubt or controversy about when it has arrived. We will all be able to do as Peter did, point at it and say, “...this is that!” We need to look at THREE CHARACTERISTICS that can be found in REAL REVIVAL.
I. REAL REVIVAL IS EXTRAORDINARY.
God is glorified in real revival. Before the church can ever experience REAL REVIVAL we have to be de-programmed because many have the wrong idea of what REAL REVIVAL is. Some have the idea that REAL REVIVAL is:
• A series of meetings. (Revival may begin, or continue, during meetings but never is confined to a series of meetings.)
• Emotional religious extravaganza. (Though stirred emotion is often a result of REAL REVIVAL.)
• Loud music.
• Or, whatever it takes to draw a crowd, such as featuring Karate experts who break blocks with their bare hands, or having clowns to do cartwheels on the platform. (In REAL REVIVAL people are drawn by the Holy Spirit.)
As long as we keep thinking these things are equal to REAL REVIVAL we will never be able to have REAL REVIVAL because we will never see the need for it.
Illus: Suppose you went to Sears and told the clerk you would like a bicycle for your son. Suppose you explained that you had never seen a bicycle, but you heard it was a great thing and you wanted him to have one. Since you had never seen a bicycle you had no idea what you would be getting. Suppose the store clerk brought out a tricycle and sold that to you instead of a bicycle. You took it home. Your son enjoyed for years, but when he grows up and becomes a dad he decided he wants to get a bicycle for his son. So he goes to a clerk and asks for a bicycle. The clerk brings out a bicycle. Your son says, “I do not want that. I want a bicycle.” The store clerk is confused. Your son starts to describe what he wants -- that it has three wheels, etc. The store clerk then says, “Oh, you do not want a bicycle. You want a tricycle.”
You see. This is the problem churches are having today. We are calling some of what is happening the same as what happened when Peter said, “...this is that...” and this IS NOT THAT!
First, if we desire REAL REVIVAL, we must recognize that REAL REVIVAL IS EXTRAORDINARY. It is not a meeting that has been organized by a committee to draw out a large crowd that caused people to walk away saying,
• ”What talent!”
• ”What singing!”
• ”What a great preacher!”
In real revival God is glorified, not people!
Some of the greatest revivals were the ones in which some of the most unlikely men yielded themselves to God and God used them.
Illus: D. L. Moody was a converted shoe salesman. We are told that he had a terrible time with grammar. However, God used him and sent revival into many towns. He preached in spite of bad grammar. He preached with the power of God and God used him.
Preacher, are you saying that one reason revival is not here today is because we have too many educated, talented men preaching God’s Word?
REAL REVIVAL IS EXTRAORDINARY!
II. REAL REVIVAL IS EXCLUSIONARY.
What do you mean preacher, “REAL REVIVAL IS EXCLUSIONARY?” Only God can bring it. When people think they can create a REAL REVIVAL by using their own talents, planning, and money, they ARE MISTAKEN in the worst kind of way. Those who try this may appeal to people’s curiosity, intellect, or emotions and draw a large crowd but that is MAN-MADE REVIVAL.
Illus: Dr. R. A. Torrey was a master at using the tool of curiosity to draw people in to hear the Word. For example, once he advertised in front of his church an invitation for everyone to attend the next Sunday because he was going to announce, from the pulpit, who the Mayor of the town was having an affair with. Sunday came and the church was packed. As he promised, he got up that Sunday morning and told the whole congregation that the woman the mayor was having a love affair with was -- HIS WIFE!
Torrey used curiosity as a tool. He never claimed anything more than that. However, if that were to happen in some churches today some pastors would claim the reason the house was packed out was because of REVIVAL!
We live in a very EMOTIONAL society. Some churches have decided the best way to have REVIVAL is to appeal to mankind’s emotions.
Illus: Some churches will call in the best singers money can afford. Then they will call in some evangelist that can make people CRY and make them LAUGH. The time for the meeting to begin and they have a packed-out church building. Sure enough the singers start to sing and the tears start flowing. The preacher starts to preach and they are laughing and crying. Everyone leaves with emotions high and they all go home thinking they have been REVIVED when in reality they have not come close to having REAL REVIVAL. How do we know?
Because when those who were CRYING and LAUGHING at the singing and preaching are at work the next day they are cursing, backbiting, cheating, etc. They go right back to doing the same ungodly things they always have done. A week after the meeting is over it would take the FBI to find them. At least, you sure will not find them in church. Why? They got their emotions turned on but they did not let God do a work in their hearts! They did not repent of their sins!
Illus: The nationally known chalk artist, Ding Teuling, said that people will often ask him, “How many were converted last week in the revival meeting?” He replies, “I do not know at present. Wait until next year when I go back and I can tell you how many got converted.”
The same thing goes for REAL REVIVAL. REAL REVIVAL IS NOT SOMETHING LIKE THE TWENTY-FOUR HOUR FLU THAT STRIKES A CONGREGATION AND THEN IS GONE! REAL REVIVAL is something EXTRAORDINARY that God does in a man’s heart. IT IS EXCLUSIONARY FROM THE STAND POINT THAT only God can do it!
Illus: Richard O. Roberts said, “Mass evangelism is work men do for Christ. Revival is work Christ does for men.”
REAL REVIVAL IS EXTRAORDINARY and it is EXCLUSIONARY. Also...
III. REAL REVIVAL IS EMPOWERING.
When REAL REVIVAL COMES we will be able to say, “This is that!” All the proof that we need of God having visited His people will be there. Lives will change! People will stop sinning!
In Jeremiah 6:16, Jeremiah reminded the people of God that they had deviated from the “OLD PATHS” THEY ONCE HAD TRAVELED.
As we look at this country we see where this nation has definitely deviated from the paths of righteousness.
Illus: Someone wrote, “I Liked The Old Paths...When.” It goes like this:
• Moms were at home, dads were at work, brothers, were in the army, and sisters got married before having children.
• Crime did not pay...Hard work did and people knew the difference.
• Husbands were loving; wives were submissive, children were polite!
• Women wore the jewelry; men wore the pants, harlots wore the paint and children wore the stripes!
• Hymns sounded Godly; sermons sounded helpful; shouting sounded normal and crying sounded often!
• Cursing was wicked; drinking was evil; divorce was unbelievable and God was welcome!
• Going to Church was a blessing; going to school was an education and going to a gas station that sold beer was a disgrace!
• To be called an American was worth dying for; to be called a Christian was worth living for and to be called a traitor was worth fighting for.
• Cowards were shot; deserters were hung and criminals were sent to prison, not to WASHINGTON!
• Sex was a dirty word; Homo was an unheard of word and abortion was an illegal word.
• Preachers preached because they had a message; singers sung because they had a song; Christians shouted because they had the victory and sinners were convicted.
• A New Birth meant a new life; salvation meant a change; joining the church meant you attended!
• Being a preacher meant you were called of God; being a deacon meant you would serve the church; being a Christian meant you would live for Jesus and being a sinner meant somebody was praying for you.
• Churches wanted to reach every creature with the gospel more than building new buildings and paving parking lots!
• God was worshipped. Christ was exalted and the Holy Ghost was followed!
• The Bible was believed, not corrected; sinners got saved, converts were converted, and the gospel was preached not shared.
(Anonymous.)
As we look at the ”Old paths” we can certainly see where mankind has deviated from them. It is going to take real revival to get this sinful world back on to the “Old paths”!
Conclusion:
As we see the need for REAL REVIVAL we must pray it will come. We must recognize...
I. REAL REVIVAL IS EXTRAORDINARY
II. REAL REVIVAL IS EXCLUSIONARY
III. REAL REVIVAL IS EMPOWERING
