What Think Ye Of Christ?

"Ordained into the Church of England ministry in 1842, he (Reverend William Haslam) served conscientiously in a parish of North Cornwall. He was a Tractarian clergyman with a hearty dislike for dissenters, and an authority in things antiquarian and architectural. But he was not satisfied, having no spring of living water within him. Then in 1851, nine years after his ordination, while preaching the gospel of the day on the text, 'What think ye of Christ?', the Holy Spirit (in answer no doubt to many prayers) opened his eyes to see the Christ of whom he was speaking, and his heart to believe in him. The change which came over him was so obvious that a local preacher, who happened to be in church, jumped up and shouted, 'The parson is converted! Hallelujah!', at which hi svoice was drowned by the praises of 300 or 400 of the congregation. As for Haslam himself, he 'joined in the outburst of praise, and, to make it more orderly... gave out the Doxology... and the people sang it with heart and voice, over and over again.' The news spread like wildfire 'that the parson was converted, and that by his own sermon, in his own pulpit!' His conversion was the beginning of a great revival in his parish, which lasted for nearly three years, with a vivid sense of God's presence, and conversions almost daily, while in later years God called him into the most unusual ministry of leading many of his fellow clergy to a personal knowledge of Jesus Christ." (Stott Between Two Worlds pg 263)

Thought this was an interesting story of how the Holy Spirit can work in spite of the preacher... the exception rather than the rule, but interesting nonetheless.

Charles Spurgeon Quote From a sermon entitled "The Bible"

Can you imagine preaching like this today?

"Ah! you know more about your ledgers than your Bible; you know more about your day-books than what God has written; many of you will read a novel from beginning to end, and what have you got? A mouthful of froth when you have done. But you cannot read the Bible; that solid, lasting, substantial, and satisfying food goes uneaten, locked up in the cupboard of neglect; while anything that man writes, a catch of the day, is greedily devoured. "I have written to him the great things of my law, but they were counted as a strange thing." [Hosea 8:12]

Ye have never read it. I bring the broad charge against you. Perhaps, ye say, I ought not to charge you with any such thing. I always think it better to have a worse opinion of you than too good an one[italics mine]. I charge you with this: you do not read your Bibles. Some of you have never read it through. I know I speak what your heart must say is honest truth. You are not Bible readers. You say you have the Bible in your houses; do I think you are such heathens as not to have a Bible? But when did you read it last? How do you know that your spectacles, which you have lost, have not been there for the last three years? Many people have not turned over its pages for a long time, and God might say unto them, "I have written unto you the great things of my law, but they have been accounted unto you a strange thing."

Rejoicing Over What God Has Prepared

sermon manuscript from 7/19/09

From Darkness to Light:

There is nothing more devastating than an overwhelming sense of hopelessness. It is a sad human condition to feel lost and tossed to and fro. To have the flood of pointlessness and purposelessness destroy your desire to function morning after morning after morning. It comes like a slow tide, like a dark cloud pressing in on us from every side.

We feel it as individuals. We wake up one day and realize that we don't love our spouse, we don't enjoy our children, and we really hate the dog. We begin to dread the monotony of a job where we serve to do nothing more than earn money, so we can pay the bills, so we can keep the things that somebody else will claim when we die. Hopelessness invades us on every side like a heavy darkness, so heavy that we feel squashed under its pressure.

We feel it as a nation. The honey moon is over and we now realize that we have our problems just like every other nation that has ever existed. Darkness crowds in around us as we lose our jobs, our income, our houses. Our national security is not impenetrable, we see that we can be attacked. Other nations are catching up and even surpassing us in technology. People are finally beginning to realize that America will not be around forever. Hopelessness begins to set in as the darkness swirls over our heads.

But we feel it as the church as well. Pastors are sleeping with their secretaries and we're not surprised. Churches are backing down on the exclusivity of Jesus as the only way to eternal life. Churches are realizing that we have relied on budgets and people for far too long. People are leaving our churches to try and find what they're looking for somewhere else. The church looks more like Wal-Mart or Golden Corral than the people of God. We find ourselves wondering where we can go to “hear the word of the Lord?” The church seems to practice a form of godliness without the power. It feels mundane, hopeless, almost as if there is a great darkness settling in on us that would keep us from rejoicing in who God is and what He has done.

Let me tell you something from God's word that will revolutionize the way you experience the darkness. If darkness and hopelessness has settled in, it is because God is preparing to shine His light and eradicate that darkness. When we're encroached by darkness we fail to see what God is preparing. And what God is always preparing is a sudden burst of light that pierces the darkness.

Some call it restoration

Some call it reform

Some call it revival

But whatever we call it when God reveals Himself in the midst of darkness, despair, and downright hopelessness, we need to Rejoice in what God is preparing. And then when He suddenly shows up, we need to rejoice over what He has prepared. Just consider some examples of God's mighty work in the midst of darkness.

When Abraham and Sarah were 100 and 90 years old and did not have the child yet that God had promised them, Sarah conceived and gave birth to the promised baby boy.

When the nation of Israel had been in captivity for 430 years in Egypt, slaves buried deep under the bondage of darkness, God suddenly swooped down and brought them out of bondage.

When Israel was massively outnumbered in the promised land, God went before them and wiped out their enemies.

When Israel was pinned down by the Philistines and a giant named Goliath, God stirred up a young man named David to march out there and slay the giant with one sling of a stone.

When Elijah prayed for rain, it rained.

When Hezekiah prayed for healing, he received it.

When Daniel was in the lion's den, God rescued him.

When the whole world was lost in sin, Jesus came down to this earth to die on a cross for us.

When there had never been a darker day than the day Jesus died, then three days later, at the crack of dawn, He was alive.

In the darkest hours, God is preparing to reveal to us His marvelous light. So are you in hopelessness this morning? Church, are we burdened under the weight of this dark hour? Then let us examine just one of the infinite examples of how God brings about revival during the times when it seems the darkest. Turn with me to II Chronicles 29.

The Darkness of the Reign of Ahaz:

Read II Chronicles 29:1-11. What incredible darkness and hopelessness Hezekiah sees oppressing God's people! And if you were to go back only a chapter, you would quickly discover that this darkness of despair had been brought about by his own father, Ahaz. See what Ahaz had done. Read 28:1-4; 22-27. For 16 years he sacrificed children, worshiped idols, sold pieces of God's Temple. He shut the doors of the temple in Jerusalem, symbolic of the fact that God's presence was shut off from the nation. For 16 years, the nation of Judah existed under the darkness of the sin of Ahaz. It was into this darkness that Hezekiah assumed the throne at the age of 25. What a burden to have placed on your shoulders.

But God raises up this young king to bring about revival among God's people. With the priests and levites gathered together, Hezekiah describes the hopeless state of the nation. He speaks of the sins of their fathers, the death and destruction of their families, the uncleanness of the temple. It is literally dark, as he says that the lamps have been put it out, but it is also spiritually dark as the people have turned their backs on God. But all during this darkness of the reign of Ahaz, God has been working to prepare something great among His people.

This is how God works. He is like a great baker, constantly stirring and adding and agitating. He is always at work to bring about the desired result. Like the baker who spends hours preparing the ingredients and tweaking the recipe, God can spend months, years, and even generations preparing His work. And when baking the baker takes the prepared eggs and flour and chocolate and vanilla and places it into the oven to sit. God takes the work He is preparing, the perceived darkness in our lives and He lets us sit under the pressure of our own sin and folly. But when just enough time has passed, not too much and not too little, the baker takes out the perfectly prepared cake for the customers to enjoy. And when God, in His providence and wisdom, deems the time right, He will bring about something so great, that the people will rejoice in what He has done. But the cake doesn't come without preparation and revival doesn't happen without darkness.

Now, don't be mistaken here. Just because God is at work in our darkest hours, we are not relieved of all responsibility. Like Hezekiah, we need to recognize the hopeless state of our lives, nation, and churches for what is really happening. When darkness and hopelessness set in, it is not just some arbitrary pain that we are going through. Sin is crouching behind that darkness. Ahaz was overcome by unfaithfulness and sin, so the nation was engulfed in unfaithfulness and sin. Hezekiah knew that the people needed to repent. And this is what he called them to.

Repentance of Hezekiah:

Look at 29:15-19. It was time to clean house! The temple in Jerusalem stood as an example of what was going on in the whole nation. God's presence was shadowed by the uncleanness of their hearts. So for 16 days, one day for each year of darkness, the priests and levites set out to remove all the filth from before God's presence. This is the work of repentance!

When darkness and sin entangle us, our tendency is to place blame. If our marriage is failing, we want to find a scapegoat. If we enter into an adulterous relationship, we blame it on our circumstances. If our church is in disarray, we blame it on others. Sin likes to remain hidden behind our own maneuverings. Sin finds a way to keep us shooting at one another, while we avoid the real issue. Hezekiah would have nothing to do with this. It was time to get into the temple and get things back to the way they were meant to be.

And repentance is thorough. It took them 8 days just to get to the porch! They left nothing unturned and made sure to restore every utensil, the altar, and the table of showbread. There is no doubt that many of us want to see spiritual awakening in our lives. But how thorough are we willing to be in repentance? This is the breaking point of the revival that God is bringing about. He is pushing us towards holiness. God's presence was removed from the people because sin had overtaken their lives. Darkness and despair set in where ever we have allowed it to creep.

If we read on in verses 20-24 we would see that not only did they cleanse the temple, but they offered sin offerings for the people. The stirring that God was doing in Hezekiah's heart had repentance at its root. This is how God works. He stirs us to repentance, to obedience to His word. If you want to see a great revival in your life or in this nation or in the church, then stop passing the buck. Take a stand against sin in your life. You can be assured that God is always calling us to that.

There is this bad habit of not taking responsibility for our own sin. We say things like, "I am a good husband, I wash the cars, do the dishes, give back rubs." But what about when she makes you really angry? What are you like in your darkest moments? It is then that your heart is truly revealed. What do you do at night when you are at your weakest? This will reveal to you your darkest secrets. Oh, when the church friends are over, hide the alcohol. But after they leave and I am all alone, it is time to drink away my sorrows. True repentance happens when God reveals those sins that few if anyone knows about. What is it for you? Where is God shining His light of truth on your dark heart?

Don't shut the doors of your heart in shame and guilt, like Ahaz shut the doors of the temple. Repent! Turn towards God. Start cleaning out the temple. We must work our way through the unclean thoughts, the dirty deeds, the overwhelming baggage. As each one of us begins our journey to the presence of God, we will see the glorious sight of God raising up a people ready to worship Him.

Temple Worship Is Restored:

Over the last months we have spent a lot of time talking about worship. We have defined worship as a lifestyle of loving God because of who He is and what He has done. But what happens when people are gathered together who have that lifestyle? How do they respond to the glory of God? Well we see very clearly in II Chronicles 29. Read verses 25-31.

Do you ever feel like you're forcing it when we gather together? Like its just a lot of work to put on the smile, sing songs, and act like every thing's ok? Maybe because we come expecting to see something that's not already happening in our lives. But look at the response of the people. They are moved to sing and to offer up sacrifices to God. They are bowing before God and worshiping Him as King. How powerful it would be to be there! But why must we relegate revival to stories in the Bible? Why must we pretend as if this is a nice fairy tale that happens elsewhere?

We do it because we do not have a big enough faith. If our faith was large enough, we would have no problem believing that God could really move us and shake us. Remember what these people had just experienced 16 years of. Children being sacrificed, the temple being closed, invasions from other countries, pure destruction on every side. They had no reason to trust in God. But because Hezekiah had big enough faith that repentance and obedience would be enough, you see a city set on fire for God.

Do you believe it? Then do it! Come worshiping, leave worshiping. When we sing, sing loud. Not because it's what we do, but because we're singing to the King. Don't hesitate to raise your hands in worship or bow before the King. Oh but we don't do that here! Well these people sure didn't hesitate to fall on their faces before God. What would you do if so moved by the Holy Spirit? What sacrifice are you going to bring today? Offer something up to Him, not because you have to but because He's so worthy. These people brought so many sacrifices, that the priests couldn't keep up. Oh to be in a church where the people were serving and giving so much that the leadership couldn't keep them all organized. What a wonderful problem to have! Get moved by God's Spirit.

Frank and Zarine Estelle, members from our church, felt led by God to go to the Apache people of the White River tribe. They didn't wait to make that decision, they were going no matter what. They didn't wait for my approval or the church's approval, they were going. Why? Out of obedience and worship.

Rob and Brooke have been with our church for a long time. They have been involved in youth ministry, children's ministry, and led the creative arts ministry. But not until recently did God move them towards something. They feel like they are being led by God to get involved with the poverty stricken families of the Appalachian mountains. They didn't wait for my approval or Dan's or the churches. God moved them and they are going. Brooke will be enrolling in Bible college in NC this fall and preparing to use her artistic ability and teaching skills. Rob has been blessed by God with the gift of craftsmanship. Together they are following after God in faith and trusting His leading.

How will God move you to serve, to give, to sacrifice? Is it taking in a child who needs a home? Is it becoming a mother who shares God's word with her children daily? Is it selling your possessions to be able to give more? Is it giving to those who do not have? Is it abandoning your comfort to get involved in another families life so that they can see the love of Jesus? How will you surrender yourself to God and worship Him? Get on with it! When we are worshiping, God will show up! Our singing will not be forced, our posture will change, our giving will not be fruitless. Does the hour seem dark in your life, our nation, and the church? Become a full throttle worshiper of God. Then you will see what God has prepared.

29:36

Read verse 36. Let me be very clear about two things from this verse. 1st of all, revival does not have to take time. Do not fall into this lie. If we all surrendered ourselves before God this morning, and I mean truly surrendered, He could bring about revival in an instant. The people here rejoiced because for 16 years there had been darkness over the land, but in an instant God had turned their hearts back to Him.

And that leads me to the second part. Revival is prepared by God and we should rejoice while He is preparing it. God is also the recipient of our worship in being revived, therefore we should rejoice over what He has prepared when we are in a season of great renewal. But notice that it begins and ends with God. Revival does not come because we start some new program. It will not come because we hire a worship minister. It will not come because we buy a new bus. Revival only comes because God prepares it in our hearts. It comes through repentance and obedience. And we will know it when we see it and we will rejoice.

Here's what blows me away about this whole scene with Hezekiah and all the people. They just got back to exactly what God had commanded Moses and the people to do! If Israel had never strayed from what God had prepared for them, they wouldn't need revival! It is in this way that the life of the redeemed mirrors this situation.

Are you in darkness this morning? Is our nation feeling despair? Does our church feel hopeless? Then we need the same thing we needed 2000 years ago, 100 years ago, yesterday, and what we'll need tomorrow. We need the death of Jesus Christ to take our darkness, despair, and hopelessness away. Fixing your marriage will not bring revival. Being a more ethical business person will not bring revival. Better programs will not bring revival. A stimulus package will not bring revival. A worship minister or preacher will not bring revival. Only the blood of Jesus Christ will pump life into your cold dead heart. Only the blood of Jesus Christ can save this nation. Only the blood of Jesus Christ can give His church something to hope in.

It was Jesus' death and resurrection that saved you. And it will be that same death and resurrection that will save you tomorrow and for all eternity. So why do we pursue other means to bring about revival to our church? Let me pull this thing into perspective for you. When it is all said and done and this life is over, there will only be two camps. The camp of Ahaz and the camp of Hezekiah. There will be dark, dead, hopelessness and there will be bright, living, worship. The first camp will be full of people who lived this life trying to breathe life into their marriage, their home, their bank account, their experience. The second camp will be full of men and women who fully put their trust in the blood of Jesus. They will be those who rejoiced in what God has prepared. So where will you be on that day? I pray that you will be able to rejoice over what God has prepared.

Disturbed by God

(Picture of Isaiah 6)

So naturally we cherish the hope that through our Bible reading we shall be comforted; we have no wish to be disturbed. Hence we tend to come to it with our minds made up, anxious to hear only the reassuring echoes of our own prejudice... We have to be willing for God himself to lay down the ground rules, and to decide what he wants to say to us, however uncongenial we may find it. (Between Two Worlds by John R.W. Stott)

Have you been disturbed by God's word lately? I felt the punch of this quotation in my own devotional life. Often I have found myself looking for comfort from the scriptures that will support my beliefs. It is a good excuse to read the Bible any way I want, on my terms. I search and search until I find something that comforts me where I am at and then when I have it I say, "Phew! I knew it was in there. Thanks you God for showing me that I was right about this." Ah, Lord God! How many times have I skipped over the passages that upset my equilibrium just to get to the familiar?

This is a plea for us preachers and all believers to stop at the passages that confuse us. Dig there until God reveals something to you. Don't rush to get to the familiar. I have driven I-95 so many times, it almost feels that I am on cruise control just as much as the car is. I fear that we read, preach, and teach God's word the same way. "There goes that billboard I love", "For God so loved the world", "Finally, 'Welcome to North Carolina", "Finally, out of Leviticus", and on and on. How many times do you run to the passages of comfort that you have known for a long time? My guess is that the more you do this, the more you are removed from the truth expressed in them. Dare to be disturbed by the Word. Dare to have your theology rocked. Dare to read Leviticus or to study Romans or to uncover Habbakuk.

When men and women of scripture, like Isaiah, were confronted with truths about God, they were not immediately comforted. They were frightened, discouraged, disturbed. They pronounced their uncleanness or were struck with the horror of their unworthiness. Yet we come to the Word and hope to get a quick pick me up. But the Word reveals God to us. And at the same time it reveals ourselves. And when these two are set against one another, we must feel a sense of being disturbed. Then, like the comforter that He is, the Holy Spirit swoops in and reminds us of Jesus. It is in Jesus that we find our comfort.

So try to get disturbed by the Word today. Go somewhere you have not gone before, or at least in a while. Don't stay in your scriptural comfort zone. Let God lay the ground rules.