01/13/13 REVIVAL - Act as if it has Already Happened! ... Quit it!
Text: John 1:35-42 (NKJV)
35 Again, the next day, John stood with two of his
disciples. 36 And looking at Jesus as He walked, he said, "Behold the Lamb
of God!" 37 The two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus. 38
Then Jesus turned, and seeing them following, said to them, "What do you
seek?" They said to Him, "Rabbi" (which is to say, when
translated, Teacher), "where are You staying?" 39 He said to them, "Come
and see." They came and saw where He was staying, and remained with Him
that day (now it was about the tenth hour). 40 One of the two who heard John speak,
and followed Him, was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother. 41 He first found his own
brother Simon, and said to him, "We have found the Messiah" (which is
translated, the Christ). 42 And he brought him to Jesus. Now when Jesus looked
at him, He said, "You are Simon the son of Jonah. You shall be called
Cephas" (which is translated, A Stone).”
“If My people who are called by
My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their
wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal
their land.” 2 Chronicles 7:14 (NKJV)
Intro: The Meaning of Discipleship.
For
the last couple of weeks I have been talking about discipleship, receiving and
acting on the call to follow Christ, to be a fisher of men. This is the first
message for the revival were having here and before the week is finished there
will be three other men, men of Ocean View Baptist Church that will also
present a message and a challenge for all of us to be disciples and teach
others how also to become a follower, and to act as if it has already happened!
What does it mean to be a disciple of Christ? The word "disciple" is
defined as one who receives instruction - a learner. One who follows the
teachings, examples, and precepts of another. John 8:31 “Then Jesus said to
those Jews who believed Him, "If you abide in My word, you are My
disciples indeed.” Jesus made "love one for another" a mark of
discipleship... The scriptures also reminds us: “And the disciples were first
called Christians in Antioch.” Acts 11:26
The disciples were called Christians
because they were: Inspired by a Personal Experience with God, they possessed a
strong religious conviction and behaved with Christ like Manners. Illustration:
Quit It!
Sam Jones was a popular evangelist in the South years ago. During the
course of a revival meeting, he would designate a “Quitter’s Night.” Persons
were asked to bring symbols, or pictures, of their sins: cards, dice, whiskey
bottles, pictures of other men’s wives, and so forth. As the fiery evangelist
exhorted the brethren to come forward and leave evidence of their sins, one of
the saints of the church responded. The preacher was surprised and asked, “Aunt
Sarah, what are you repenting of?” She replied, “I ain’t done nothing, and I’m
gonna quit it!”
Application: Quit doing nothing! And act as if it has already
happened.
There are five steps to discipleship.
1. RECOGNITION OF CHRIST: vs.
36 “And looking at Jesus as He walked, he said, "Behold the Lamb of
God!"
These early disciples recognized the Lamb of God which “taketh” away
the sin of the world. Do you realize what He takes away? And quit it if you
don’t realize!
Have you and are you recognizing who Jesus Christ is? He is able
to save any and everyone who is willing to receive by faith and believe in
Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. If not it is time! These men forsook all,
gave it all up to follow and trust this sacrificial Lamb who loves us!
John recognized
Him and bore testimony that He was the Son of God. He is God... If He is God to
you what are you doing and are you baring witness to this? It’s time we act as
if it is already happening (He is the Lamb of God!) Quit it! Quit avoiding this
Lamb.
2. AN ACT OF FAITH: vs. 37 “The two disciples heard him speak, and they
followed Jesus.”
Throughout the Book of John the premise for this book is belief.
By faith we must believe in Christ to have our sins forgiven and eternal life. The
early disciples they heard and they believed. To believe is one thing - to
follow is another. It takes action, action is the evidence of faith. “But be
doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. 23 For if anyone
is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural
face in a mirror; 24 for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately
forgets what kind of man he was. 25 But he who looks into the perfect law of
liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the
work, this one will be blessed in what he does. James 1:22-25 (NKJV)
"Faith
cometh by hearing and hearing by the Word of God".
Quit it! Quit living
without faith. Act as if God has given you eternal life, for you see He has
given you life: “that whosoever believeth in Him shall not perish!”
3. A HEART-SEARCHING
QUESTION: vs. 38 “Then Jesus turned, and seeing them following, said to them, "What
do you seek?" They said to Him, "Rabbi" (which is to say, when
translated, Teacher), "where are You staying?"
"WHAT SEEK
YE?" Jesus will test the motives of those who call upon Him. What is your
motive? What seek ye? What do you expect out of following Jesus?
Is it worldly honor
and favorite?
Is it material gifts?
Is it Influence for self-exaltation?
Or, do
you seek Christ as Savior and guide? Our Lord makes it very simple with two
words: “I am” "I am the way" - The way to God and righteous living. "I
am the truth" - The truth of sin, righteousness, judgment.
This question
will search our hearts - "What seek ye?” Are we more anxious to be honored
by Christ than to honor Him? If any man follow me, let him deny himself. “Then
Jesus said to His disciples, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him
deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.” Matthew 16:24 (NKJV)
Quit
it, quit running from God and run to Him and act as if it has already happened.
Seek Him while there is day light!
4. A GRACIOUS INVITATION: vs. 38-39 “Then
Jesus turned, and seeing them following, said to them, "What do you
seek?" They said to Him, "Rabbi" (which is to say, when
translated, Teacher), "where are You staying?" 39 He said to them, "Come
and see." They came and saw where He was staying, and remained with Him
that day (now it was about the tenth hour).”
A gracious invitation has been
given, an invitation that was first given thousands of years ago. They said to
Him, "where are You staying?" He said unto them, come and see. They
accepted His invitation and "came and saw where He dwelt, and abode with
Him".
His invitation says: Come, Receive and Follow.
Quit it! Quit finding
excuse’s not to come, receive Him NOW! Follow the Lamb of God who takes away
your sins and frees you from eternal separation.
5. A WILLING SERVICE: vs. 40-42
“One of the two who heard John speak, and followed Him, was Andrew, Simon
Peter's brother. 41 He first found his own brother Simon, and said to him,
"We have found the Messiah" (which is translated, the Christ). 42 And
he brought him to Jesus. Now when Jesus looked at him, He said, "You are
Simon the son of Jonah. You shall be called Cephas" (which is translated,
A Stone).”
Here is the part of the service where most of you in this room today
don’t really want to hear what I am going to say next: “Are You Willing?” and
can you act as if it has already happened. Andrew findeth his own brother,
Simon, and he brought him to Jesus. Look what Andrew did and who he brought to
Jesus. Andrew brought a Peter to Christ, this Peter (Cephas) is translated
stone. Very little is said about Andrew; however because of Andrew's
willingness to serve he brought a man to God who would be instrumental in
laying the foundation of the church. We need some more men and women today that
can continue to lay down the foundation to building a church @ 902 S. Virginia
Dare Trail, in KDH and act as if it has already happened. True disciples of
Christ will be fruit-bearing witnesses. “By this My Father is glorified, that
you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.” John 15:8 (NKJV)
Quit it!
Quit convincing yourself and others that we don’t have the money, time or
resources to build a church.
Conclusion: ARE YOU A FOLLOWER OF CHRIST - A TRUE
DISCIPLE?? Act as if it has already happened. Christ has called every
born-again Christian to be His follower. Have you answered this call? When God
called Isaiah, he said, "Here am I, send me." He made no excuses and
asked no questions. He was willing to follow.
God will give the increase when
we give ourselves to the task. God will give the increase when we surrender
ourselves to Him, ready and willing to be used. We must plant the seed, water,
and cultivate. But Salvation is of the Lord.
The Secret of Revival Then Is:
Giving ourselves to service, Bringing people to Christ and the services, and
God will give the increase... THE FIRST STEP- GIVE YOURSELF.
Quit doing nothing
and start doing something! And act as if it has already happened.
“If My people
who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face,
and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive
their sin and heal their land.”
In : Sermon
Tags: revival
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