KNOWING JESUS: THE PURPOSE OF REVIVAL
Pastor Ian Johnson Papatoetoe Elim Church May 2004.
Daniel 11:32
32 And such as do wickedly against the covenant shall he corrupt by flatteries: but the people that do know their God shall be strong and do exploits. Kjv
Luke 24:31 And their eyes were opened, and they knew him; and he vanished out of their sight.
The ultimate revival is the Revelation of Jesus Christ in all His fullness. The book of Revelation starts “The Revelation of Jesus Christ” this sums it all up.
The whole purpose of our life is relationship with Jesus Christ to Know Him and to be known. All other things fade into a shadow in the light of eternity.
You say “ Ï Know Him”
We know Him in measure but there are so many ways we don’t yet know Him.
We know Him now.. but we will know Him and Know Him and Know him until we truly Know Him. This is the ultimate revival.
We begin to know Him thus:
1) We know Him as Savior
2) We Know Him as Baptizer in the Holy Ghost
3) We come to know Him as the great Physician (The Healer)
4) We begin to know Him as Jehovah Jireh the great provider
But there is yet much to Know. There is one dimension after another in which to know Him.
The Hebrew word in Daniel for Konw is "Yada" the same word is used when it says and Adam Knew his wife Eve.
John was an old man when He saw Jesus in the Revelation.
If any man knew Jesus it was John.
1) He knew and saw Jesus perform signs & wonders on earth.
2) He had been taught at the master’s feet.
3) He lent against His breast as a friend of Jesus
But even He did not recognize the Lord when He saw Him in all His Glory
Revelation 1:9-18 I am John, your brother. In Jesus we are partners in suffering and in the Kingdom and in patient endurance. I was exiled to the island of Patmos for preaching the word of God and speaking about Jesus. 10 It was the Lord’s Day, and I was worshiping in the Spirit. Suddenly, I heard a loud voice behind me, a voice that sounded like a trumpet blast. 11 It said, “Write down what you see, and send it to the seven churches: Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea.”
12 When I turned to see who was speaking to me, I saw seven gold lampstands. 13 And standing in the middle of the lampstands was the Son of Man. He was wearing a long robe with a gold sash across his chest. 14 His head and his hair were white like wool, as white as snow. And his eyes were bright like flames of fire. 15 His feet were as bright as bronze refined in a furnace, and his voice thundered like mighty ocean waves. 16 He held seven stars in his right hand, and a sharp two-edged sword came from his mouth. And his face was as bright as the sun in all its brilliance.
17 When I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. But he laid his right hand on me and said, “Don’t be afraid! I am the First and the Last. 18 I am the living one who died. Look, I am alive forever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and the grave.
We must move on from knowing the Lord as Savior Baptizer Friend and Provider.
We must move on to Know Him as Lord of all Glory!
Ezekiel saw the Glory of God and tried to explain what He had seen. He couldn’t put it into words.
Ezekiel 1:26-28
26 And above the firmament that was over their heads was the likeness of a throne, as the appearance of a sapphire stone: and upon the likeness of the throne was the likeness as the appearance of a man above upon it. 27 And I saw as the colour of amber, as the appearance of fire round about within it, from the appearance of his loins even upward, and from the appearance of his loins even downward, I saw as it were the appearance of fire, and it had brightness round about. 28 As the appearance of the bow that is in the cloud in the day of rain, so was the appearance of the brightness round about. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD. And when I saw it, I fell upon my face, and I heard a voice of one that spake.
There is so much more to Knowing the Lord than Just being a Christian. We must know Him!
Because Ezekiel had seen the Lord seated on hte Throne. He is still seated on the Throne as eternal King. Kingdoms may come and kingdoms may go but the glory of the Lord endures for ever!
Revival brings a revelation of our bridegroom in all His Glory.
You dont have to be someone special to receive this revival glory
God wants to reveal Himself to all who seek.
But here is the key...SEEK....
Look at how when He was on earth Jesus took time to deal with individuals. His whole ministry revolved around individuals.. not Church or crowds He ministered among them in such places but he also ministered in some very unusual places
Zaceus up a tree.
Woman at a well
In a garden
In a Tavern
In a manger at his birht
And on a cross at His death
In a tomb and out side a tomb
There where always multitudes but He cared about individuals.
He loved
Little people big people Men woman Children the religious people the harlot
All we need to be is available to entertain His approach to us.
Say “Ï will consider you Lord”
Let us determine to Know Him and to be Known from this moment and forever more amen.
