Revival Begins With Leadership -- Pt 1 Of 2

Main Idea: Revival will not come to the church until it’s leadership is revived.

Introduction: Tonight, we begin a two part message about the revival that occurred under the leadership of King Hezekiah. This account is the most extensive account of a Biblical revival in the scriptures. And I believe we can learn a lot about revival from this account.

One thing that all revivals in the scripture have in common with each other is this. Everyone of them began with the LEADERSHIP. A REVIVED LEADERSHIP WILL LEAD TO REVIVAL AMONG GOD’S PEOPLE. And, Revival will not come to the church until it’s leadership is revived.

King Hezekiah issued three calls to the leaders of the people that first, lead to their own renewal and refreshing, and then secondly, lead to revival among God’s people. I believe that God wants to issue these same three calls tonight to every MINISTER, DEACON, PROGRAM LEADER, SUNDAY SCHOOL TEACHER AND CHOIR MEMBER in this room tonight.

That doesn’t mean that the rest of you can take a nap. Perhaps tonight, God will challenge you to join these leaders in revival, and in service! I believe some of you may need to consider taking a position of service in this church, or return to a position of service. So pay close attention and let God speak to your hearts.

Give background on previous king (Ahaz)

I. A RENEWED CALL TO PURITY (v. 5)

1. Hezekiah recognized the need for revival among God’s people, BUT more importantly, He recognized HIS OWN NEED, and the need of the LEADERS of God’s people.

(1) Pastor, if revival is going to happen in this church, it must begin in our hearts first – we need to do some business with God first! You and I need to be cut to the heart.

(2) I believe that is why so many of our churches in this association are stagnant. It is because our leaders have been beaten down, they are tired, they need to be refreshed first!

(3) Church, YOU need to pray for your pastor, and encourage him to take time to be refreshed in his own heart! He needs time to purify himself and to be refreshed.

2. Then Hezekiah challenged the priests and the levites to purify the themselves and then purify the temple of the Lord.

(1) Before they could take on the work of cleansing God’s house, they had to be clean!

(2) DEACONS, PROGRAM LEADERS, SUNDAY SCHOOL TEACHERS, CHOIR before you clean up the temple of God, YOU must be clean!!! The responsibility of revival is in your hands! IT BEGINS WITH YOU!

(3) Will you HUMBLE yourselves before God, praying and confessing your sins, seek His face and turn from your sin tonight??? Will you call out to Him?

II. A RENEWED CALL TO WORSHIP (v. 20)

1. After the priests and levites purified themselves and readied the temple for service, Hezekiah called the leadership to a time of worship.

(1) Anytime there was a dullness of religion amongst God’s people, their worship was the first thing to fall by the wayside!

(2) In every revival recorded in the scripture, a renewed call to real worship was major factor in bringing about change! It started with the leaders!

(3) How can you expect to lead others to worship God, If you yourself are not worshipping???

2. Worship is more than just coming to sit in a room to hear a message and sing a few hymns! Worship doesn’t come from the mind, it comes from the heart!

(1) Scriptural worship always involves sacrifice! In our case, the giving of ourselves totally to God!

(2) “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.” Rom. 12:1 (act of worship)

(3) The challenge for you tonight leaders is to come and worship at the footstool of God!

III. A RENEWED CALL TO SERVICE (v. 31)

1. After the dedication ceremony ended, Hezekiah challenged the Leaders to come near and bring sacrifices and thank offerings to the lord.

(1) What we are seeing here is a zealous return to temple service!

(2) After King Ahaz had shut the doors of the temple, apparently the priest and levites had neglected their duties.

(3) Leaders, in all honesty ask yourself, “Have I been negligent in the responsibility that God has given me?”

2. Did you know that you can come to this church Sunday after Sunday and do your “duty” and still be negligent in your responsibility?

(1) If you are not giving your very best in your responsibilities before God, then you are negligent.

(2) Are you serving God to the best of you abilities? Are you giving 110% to the Lord? Or are you just doing enough to get by?

(3) The challenge for you tonight leaders is rededicate yourselves to the Lord and your position of service. Make a genuine change!