What is Revival: The Essential Marks of God’s Spirit at Work

QUOTES FOR REFLECTION

“Revival is the manifestation of the glory, power, and blessing of the Son of God among His people…. Revival is ultimately Christ Himself, seen, felt, heard, living, active, moving in and through His body on earth.”

~Stephen Olford (1918-2004), Zambian-born pastor in Manhattan

“We can have no power from Christ unless we live in a persuasion that we have none of our own.”

~John Owen (1616-1683), English church leader, theologian, and academic

“The Lord can do in day what takes us years.”

~Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones (1899-1981), Welsh minister

“…we must not suppose that even if we succeeded in making everyone nice we should have saved their souls. A world of nice people, content in their own niceness, looking no further, turned away from God, would be just as desperately in need of salvation as a miserable world – and might even be more difficult to save….”

~C.S. Lewis (1898-1963) in his book Mere Christianity

“…true Christians consider themselves as not satisfying some rigorous creditor, but as discharging a debt of gratitude. Accordingly, theirs is not the stinted return of a constrained obedience, but the large and liberal measure of voluntary service…. This animating principle…inspires [the Christian’s] devotion and causes him to delight in the worship of God. This fills him with consolation, peace and gladness, and sometimes even enables him to rejoice with joy unspeakable.”

~William Wilberforce (1759-1833), social reformer, in A Practical View of Real Christianity

“The reason the apostles preached the message of Jesus Christ was not for individual conversion alone. The apostles did not preach so that there simply would be a new me, but so that there would be a new we.”

~Thabiti M. Anyabwile, pastor and author

“Living according to the truth is the most authentic way to live because it’s what we were made for.”

 ~Alisa Childers, singer, songwriter, and author

SERMON PASSAGE

Acts 2 (ESV)

John 15

26 “But when the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will bear witness about me. 27 And you also will bear witness….

John 16

7 Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you. 8 And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment…. 14 He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you. 15 All that the Father has is mine; therefore I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you.

Acts 2

1 When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. 2 And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting….

5 Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven. 6 And at this sound the multitude came together, and they were bewildered, because each one was hearing them speak in his own language. 7 And they were amazed and astonished, saying, “…we hear them telling in our own tongues the mighty works of God.”

14 But Peter, standing with the eleven, lifted up his voice and addressed them…

22  “Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders and signs that God did through him in your midst, as you yourselves know— 23 this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men. 24 God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it…. 33 Being therefore exalted at the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he has poured out this that you yourselves are seeing and hearing….

36 Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.”

37 Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” 38 And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit…. 41 So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls.

42 And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. 43 And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. 44 And all who believed were together and had all things in common. 45 And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. 46 And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, 47 praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.