Sermon: THE CHALLENGE OF REAL REVIVAL Scripture: Scripture: Psalms 85:1-7 “LORD, thou hast been favorable unto thy land: thou hast brought back the captivity of Jacob. Thou hast forgiven the iniquity of thy people, thou hast covered all their sin. Selah. Thou hast taken away all thy wrath: thou hast turned thyself from the fierceness of thine anger. Turn us, O God of our salvation, and cause thine anger toward us to cease. Wilt thou be angry with us forever? wilt thou draw out thine anger to all generations? Wilt thou not revive us again: that thy people may rejoice in thee? Shew us thy mercy, O LORD, and grant us thy salvation.”
The Psalmist does not blame God for their condition. He knows unrepentant sin and wayward living is the culprit. He also knows the tendency of the people to sin. He desires a revival that is powerful enough put away sin from among the people and that will rebuke and restrain their enemy. “LORD, thou hast been favorable unto thy land: thou hast brought back the captivity of Jacob. Thou hast forgiven the iniquity of thy people, thou hast covered all their sin. Selah. Thou hast taken away all thy wrath: thou hast turned thyself from the fierceness of thine anger. Turn us, O God of our salvation, and cause thine anger toward us to cease. Wilt thou be angry with us forever? wilt thou draw out thine anger to all generations? Wilt thou not revive us again: that thy people may rejoice in thee? Shew us thy mercy, O LORD, and grant us thy salvation.”
INTRODUCTION: The Psalm selected tonight is a plea for revival. This is one of the few texts of Scripture in which someone has properly assessed their condition and cries out to God in prayer. Throughout the Scriptures, there are hundreds of times when God sent his messengers to inform the nation of their needy condition. Most were blind to their condition. Even the seven churches of the book of Revelations did not know their condition. The Church of Ephesus had lost their first love. The Church of Smyrna thought they were poor, but God said they were rich. The church of Pergamos were holding on to God, but they had erred in their doctrine. The church of Thyatira had not denied the faith, but they had allowed Jezebel to set up a stronghold in the church. The church of Sardis had a name that they were alive, but they were dead. The church of Philadelphia seemed to be the best church among them. Finally, the church of the Laodicea had become lukewarm and ineffective without the presence of Christ but were not aware of it.
The Psalmist of our text understands that his people had experienced revival. First, God had brought them out of captivity. Secondly, He had brought them back to their homeland and given them the rest. His prayer for revival is that God will complete the good work He has started. The Psalmist does not blame God for their condition. He knows unrepentant sin and wayward living is the culprit. He also knows the tendency of the people to sin. He desires a revival that is powerful enough put away sin from among the people and that will rebuke and restrain their enemy. God had given Israel victory many times. Notice the psalmist uses the phrase “revive us again.” The people of God are sometimes prone to turn to “folly” the Bible calls it. The definition of folly is the state of being foolish or the lack of good sense. He prays for God to turn us! Only God can turn us. Only God can send revival. You see, True Revival is renewing our Walk, renewing our Worship, and renewing our Work. It's effective but also elusive. At one time Israel had the refreshing of His presence, the realness of His power and the reassurance of His promises. But now they turned to folly! David knew from personal experience what it was to walk in the refreshing presence of God, to experience the realness of his power, and to receive the assurance of His promises, but he also knew rebuke and reproof of God, the remorse of sin and separation. He knew the joys of restoration.
What is the challenge of revival today? Why is revival so elusive? Why is there no lasting revival? Why does the church seem on fire one Sunday and lukewarm the next?
Revival is a challenge because:
1. People Desire Movement Without Repentance. Real revival begins with repentance that will change us. Revival is not something that will work only inside the Church. It transforms the church from being a reservoir into being a river. A reservoir holds everything for our personal use while a river allows us to bless others. Real revival breaks up the Dead Sea mentality. Revival is a challenge because many want the benefits of His blessings without repentance. Repentance changes our hearts and moves us from wanting a blessing to being a blessing to others. Without repentance there is no charitable spirit, no giving of ourselves. First, Revival is a challenge because many want a move of God without repentance. We want shouting and singing with joy bells ringing without personal repentance and personal involvement: We are satisfied being spectators not partakers.
2. People Desire Inspiration Without Obedience. People desire to be inspired by the singing and preaching without a heart to obey what God says.
In Luke 6:46, Jesus asks a question, “And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?” That is still the question. People want to hear good preaching, hear sound doctrine, but do not obey what they hear. They seem to want the word to be told like it is, but they live like it isn't. They want to know about Salvation but live like the unsaved. They understand living different from the world, but they choose to live like the world. Revival is a challenge because people want a move of God without repentance, inspiration without obedience. Jesus said, If you love me, keep my commandments.
3. People desire Celebration Without Confrontation. In other words, people want to feel good about the message but not be challenged by the message. Don’t challenge us to live holy! Don’t challenge us to give any more of our time, talent or resources. Don’t challenge us to grow in our commitment to God, in our service at the House of God, and our service to others. Don’t challenge us to go and search for the lost, invite others, witness to others, or to warn others to flee from the wrath to come, or to win the lost. Don’t challenge us to fast, pray and seek God’s face. Preach anything you want that does not cause us to give, grow, or go. Many want a word they can enjoy without being confronted to take action. The word of God is always preached for a response.
4. People desire Grace without Truth. John 1:14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.”
The book of John has 22 references to truth and only 3 references to grace. John 1:17 For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.
Notice grace and truth are together and must be kept together. The early church walked in the fear of the Lord and the comfort of the Holy Spirit.
Acts 9:31 Then had the churches rest throughout all Judaea and Galilee and Samaria, and were edified; and walking in the fear of the Lord, and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost, were multiplied.
Many want blessings without responsibility. God’s amazing grace must always be accompanied by abiding truth. The amazing grace of God teaches to love ourselves, our blessing, our favor, but the truth of God causes us to love our neighbor as we love ourselves. The amazing Grace of God lifts us while the truth of God humbles us. The amazing Grace of God sometimes leads to selfishness my breakthrough, my stuff, my inheritance, but the Truth of God keeps us selfless.
5. People Desire Fulfilment Without Commitment. Luke 4:18 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,”
Then Acts 10:38, reads, “How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him.”
The Spirit of God comes upon us for purpose and requires a commitment. Jesus said, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me because….God anointed Jesus …with power, who went about doing. Our society in general wants fulfillment without commitment. This may be the reason many are so transient in their membership, in relationships, and the like. The result of true revival will be more than an emotional high or spiritual celebration. It will result in Committed Hands to Work in the Vineyard, Committed Hearts to Worship in Victory, and Committed lives living the Way of Christ in the home, church and community. “Wilt thou not revive us again: that thy people may rejoice in thee? Shew us thy mercy, O LORD, and grant us thy salvation.”
CONCLUSION: The Psalmist prays for revival to the only source of revival. He expresses a willingness to be turned to God and to turn from folly. He understands the lasting joy comes from lasting Revival. He understands that we can only see what God shows us and we can only receive what God gives us. Let’s join him in praying, “Wilt thou not revive us again: that thy people may rejoice in thee? Shew us thy mercy, O LORD, and grant us thy salvation.” Amen
