The Marks of Genuine Spiritual Revival

June 8, 2014 Preacher: Craig Baxter Series: Miscellaneous

Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 1:1–10

Transcript

The Marks of Genuine Spiritual Revival

Thessalonians 1:1-10 & Acts 17:1-9
Sunday, June 8, 2014
Pastor Craig Baxter


The title for this morning's message is, The Marks of Genuine Spiritual Revival. I have four reasons for bringing this message to you this morning. Firstly, as I begin to consider the appropriate method by which to run the ministries of evangelism and missions I would like to understand what Scripture says first. Viewing the topic of revival will aid in this. The second reason is to evaluate the growth we at Grace have experienced over the last number of years in light of Scripture. Thirdly, to call God's people to remember our true nature and purpose and encourage us to press on in this. And fourthly, is to call those who have not received Christ as their Savior to do so.

So, what exactly is revival? J. I. Packer provides this meaning, revival is "God's quickening visitation of his people, touching their hearts and deepening his work of grace in their lives." Duncan Campbell states, it is a "community saturated with God. Robert Baird says, it is an "extra-ordinary season of religious interest" and Stephen Olford describes it thus, "the sovereign act of God, in which He restores His own backsliding people to repentance, faith and obedience." Lastly, another commentator further comments, it is "a time when sinners are converted."

There are many accounts of revivals throughout history, where sinners have come under repentance and turned to Christ. There are examples of revivals in both the Old and New Testaments. But the focus this morning is on a revival that took place in the city of Thessalonica and spread to impact much of the surrounding area. This is perhaps the Apostle Paul's greatest missionary success story.

1. The Gospel comes in word (Acts 17:1-9)

The first mark of a genuine Spiritual revival is that "The gospel comes in word." It is proclaimed. Before we look at Acts 17 we find in Acts 15 that Paul and Silas leave for Paul's second missionary journey to visit and encourage the churches established on Paul's first missionary journey. In Acts 16 we find Paul and Silas are trackingnorth-west through Cappadocia and Galatia. They make it to the city of Lystra where they find a young, Godly man name Timothy and Timothy joins this little missionary party.

Paul, Silas and Timothy continue to track West, they desire to go down into Asia and speak the Word but is "forbidden by the Holy Spirit" (Acts 16:6). Therefore, since their way was hindered in traveling south, they turn north into Bithynia, and no doubt loop back east and finally south to go home, "But the Spirit of Jesus did not permit them" (Acts 16:7). They find they cannot go north, they cannot go south, and they don't want to retreat and, therefore, end up in a city called Troas, on the Aegean Sea. They no doubt thought, what am I doing here? What is God doing?

Perhaps you have been in that place: you cannot go north, you cannot go west, you cannot go south,you cannot retreat. And you say, "What am I to do?"

Well, they end up in this city, and look what happens the night, perhaps, they arrive. Acts 16:9, "A vision appeared to Paul in the night: a man of Macedonia was standing and appealing to him, and saying, "Come over to Macedonia and help us." Notice what Paul did and what he concluded. Paul immediately sought to go into Macedonia. But he concluded this, "that God had called us to preach the gospel to them".

As I pondered this I thought it was rather fascinating because the man had simply appealed for help. But Paul's conclusion is that God has opened the door for him, Silas and Timothy to go to Macedonia and preach the gospel. Now it is not that fascinating since Paul's desire was to preach the gospel. That is what he was doing. He knew that a man might request physical help but the greatest help that this man needs is help for his soul. And so Paul says, "I have got the gospel to give." That doesn't mean that he won't help physically. But he will first and foremost provide what will ultimately help their soul.

You may be here and saying, "Craig, what are you talking about? What is this gospel that you are speaking of? What is this wonderful this that Paul was going to tell these people in Macedonia?" So what is the gospel? The gospel is this: The Bible says that all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. That means everyone. That means you and I have sinned and we fall short of God's glory, His perfect holiness. So unfortunately, we cannot stand before a holy God. Since He is a just judge He must judge you sin right. And that sin will be condemnation. God says that the sinner will be condemned in a place called Hell. But God doesn't want it that way. He desires all to come to Him for He loves all. Therefore, God sent Jesus, who took your punishment upon Him on the cross. Now Jesus says, "If you come to me, and believe that I am the Son of God, and repent. Then you will be saved." That is the gospel.

Jesus has assured us of salvation because He died for sins as the perfect sacrifice. And the wonderful thing is that He rose again from the dead. This rising again showed that God accepted the sacrifice. And that just as Christ conquered death so will we. When we who believe, close our eyes in this world, we will open them up in the next. We will behold our Lord face to face.

This message of the gospel was the focus of Paul's mission. Paul said in 1 Cor 2:2, "For I determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified!" It wasn't that Paul knew nothing but the gospel, but that the gospel was the primary focus of Paul's life. Further Paul states, "For I am under compulsion (I am under obligation); for woe is me if I do not preach the gospel." Woe is me if I have such wonderful news and I hide it! To the church at Rome, he states, "I am eager to preach the gospel to you also who are in Rome."

So we find they go across to Macedonia and arrive at a city called Philippi. There normal custom is to go into the city and find a synagogue from which to preach. But there was no synagogue in Philippi. This meant, that there were probably not enough Jews to establish a synagogue. So they move out of the city and find a group of prayerful women.There the Holy Spirit lite up the heart of Lydia. This became Paul's first convert in Europe.

After this event Paul casts out a demon from a young girl. This resulted in Paul and Silas being beaten and thrown into jail. While they were in jail singing praises to the Lord, the foundations of the jail shock, their chains fell off and they were free. The jailer, upon seeing this, cried out, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" Paul declares, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ." The jailer, along with his wholehouse hold believe and are saved.

After this Paul, Silas and Timothy leave Philippi and travel south one hundred miles, bruised and battered, to the city of Thessalonica. This brings us now to chapter 17 of Acts. Since the gospel comes by word they visit the local synagogue and look what Paul does. It says, "And according to Paul's custom, he went to them, and for three Sabbaths reasoned with them from the Scriptures, explaining and giving evidence that the Christ had to suffer and rise again from the dead, and saying, "This Jesus whom I am proclaiming to you is the Christ" (Acts 17:2-3).

This word "reason" does not mean that Paul stood there and preached. Rather it means that he got with them, on his level, and dialogued with them. "Listen", he said, "there was a man named Jesus who recently died in Jerusalem. Well, he was actually the Son of God. He died for your sins." Paul is reasoning with them. He is engaging their mind. He is explaining. He is giving evidence. Christianity comes in the gospel being spoken. It is not a case of divorcing the mind from your heart. A Christianity thatby-passes the mind is a dangerous Christianity.

This is why our focus, here at Grace Bible Church, is to preach the whole council of God from His written Word. We do not want to disengage anyone's mind. But rather engage them. This is where you will receive the truth, as the Holy Spirit illuminates your mind to the truth.

There were two responses to Paul's message. There was the positive response, stated in verse 4, it says, "some were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, along with a large number of the God-fearing Greeks and a number of leading women." However, there was a negative response, some Jews were jealous and set the city in an uproar against them saying, (V6) "These men who have upset the world have come here also!"

This should not surprise us. Didn't Jesus Himself say, "Do not think that I came to bring peace on the earth; I did not come to bring peace, but a sword." But … but, I thought Jesus did come to bring peace, didn't He? Well yes He did. He came to bring peace betweenus … and our Creator! And once we have peace betweenus and our Creator we will have peace between our fellow man.

But the problem is that while we live in a fallen world there is a conflict. Those who have come to Christ now have a new master. You have become citizens of His Kingdom. You used to follow your own desires but now you follow Christ's desires. This will ultimately bring you in direct conflict with nonbelievers. This is because we cannot watch what you used to watch, you cannot say what you used to say, you cannot go where you used to go! Perhaps we cannot hang around the people we used to hang around with. The influence is too great, and we want to honor Christ with everything we are. Also, just be the shear fact of holding a standard will conflict with others.

So here, the crowd was divided. Some said Jesus was the Christ and others said he wasn't. This is the question you will need to answer, "Who was Jesus? Was He the Christ?" If He was then you need to take clear note of what He says. The answer to this question will impact us for eternity.

The first mark of genuine Spiritual revival is that the gospel comes in word and is clearly proclaimed. So, in love and care for souls we call people to a decision! There is no silent proclamation of the gospel, except through the Lord's supper. Just as God spoke everything into existence, Christ is the Word and uses words to reveal Himself to us. I take it that you did not come to Christ through some dream or something. No! You came to Christ because the gospel was preached to you, and the Holy Spirit opened your heart up to its truth. So we must use words to impart this same revelation, calling people to faith and repentance.

2. The Gospel comes with power (1 Thes. 1:1-5)

The second mark of a genuine Spiritual revival is that the gospel comes with power! Turn over to 1 Thessalonians chapter 1. When Paul visited Thessalonica, in Acts 17, a church was established. After this, Paul left, having spent some time with them to set up a church. But Paul was burdened to understand how the church was going. So a matter of months or a year later, Paul sends Timothy back to find out how the church was going.Timothy, comes back and reports that they are doing really well. They are going on with Christ. This letter then is Paul's response to Timothy's news.

In verse 2 Paul begins with thankfulness toward God for these faithful believers saying, V3, "making mention of you in our prayers: constantly bearing in mind your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ." Paul was thankful to God. I would like to return to v3-4 soon but let's look at v5,

As Paul receives the news from Timothy, and he considers all that happened while he was with them and once he had left, he thinks, "what happened when I preached the gospel? Why the fruit?" V5 gives us the reason. It states, "for our gospel did not come in word only … BUT" … this "but" here is the emphatic "but" in the Greek … "BUT, also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction!" This verse basically sums up perfectly the Protestant position. The Word goes forth, the Holy Spirit anoints the Word in the hearts of the people, and it causes DYNAMITE to go off in the people! This is d??aµ?? in the Greek. I reflect on this. I preached the Word. The Holy Spirit anointed the words and the result was POWER! People were converted! People were changed!

It was the mighty Word of God preached combined with the HS that made that Word real to its hearers. Friends, this is the same power that was used when Jesus called out to a dead man in a tomb! Jesus, "What are you doing? This man smells! He is dead! … "Lazarus came forth!" And what happens? Lazarus comes forth! What happened? The power of Christ made this man alive! When we see what happened here, Paul reflects upon the circumstances, and says, "You were dead and now God has put a power in you through the Holy Spirit, and has changed you, and has made you alive." Paul is overwhelmed.

How encouraging this is to us! When the gospel is declared, in whatever format, whether from a pulpit or over coffee, God is present there. He is working to effect what we are unable to do ourselves. He is making spiritually dead men to become spiritually alive!

The gospel was so preeminent in Paul's thinking. In 1 Cor 2:1-5 he says, "And when I came to you, brethren, I did not come with superiority of speech or of wisdom, proclaiming to you the testimony of God. For I determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified. I was with you in weakness … and in fear … and in much trembling, … and my message and my preaching were not in persuasive words of wisdom, … BUT … in demonstration of the Spirit and of POWER, so that your faith would not rest on the wisdom of men, but on the power of God!"

How we need not our faith to rest on a man. What is the man fails? Paul did not want this. There were orators going around seeking to get a following throughout Corinth. Faith was being rested on a man, and Paul said, "I didn't want any of that! I came so that you would not see me, but that you would see Christ."

Here in V5 it states that the gospel came with power and with the Holy Spirit and also, "with full conviction." This could mean either two things, and it probably means both. This could mean that it convicted the recipients with their sin when faced with the crucified Christ. It could also mean that the message came from Paul with full conviction. He believed what he was saying! I think half the time we do not even believe what we say, "What difference does it make?" And when we finally open our mouth we have no expectation that the Holy Spirit will actually ignite the hearts of our listeners. Charles Spurgeon has something to say about this, to any would be witness of the gospel, he says, "So pray and so preach that, if there are no conversions, you will be astonished, amazed, and broken hearted. Look for the salvation of your hearers as much as the angel who will sound the last trump will look for the waking of the dead! Believe your own doctrine! Believe your own Saviour! Believe in the Holy Ghost who dwells in you! For thus shall you see your heart's desire, and God shall be glorified!" O' that we would expect great things from God! That we would believe the power that comes from a mere giving of the gospel. But if our Lord tarries in answering, let us continue in believing!

Brother, have confidence in God.Have confidence as you go and speak, though timidly,open your mouth. Have confidence that God's going to do something. Sister, though you might be fearful, be encouraged when you speak. Have faith and trust. Believe in the transformation that has happened in your life can happen in the lives of the hearers.

A genuine mark of a revival is that God's power is effectual through the proclamation of the gospel. This brings us immense encouragement.

3. The Gospel reproduces itself (1 Thes. 1:5b-8)

The third point is that the gospel reproduces itself. Look at V5b-6, "Just as you know what kind of men we proved to be among you for your sake." Paul is saying that he was fully convinced of the gospel preached and that he lived the gospel. "You also became imitators of us." Look at what he is saying. "You became imitators of us." To imitate is to mimic. To mimic often means to play act. These Thessalonians were not play-acting. There are many Christians perhaps whoare play acting the Christian life. But these people are notplay acting. They were seeking to be like Paul. When they began to mimic Paul it was because of an inner reality that began to show itself externally. It originated from a changed heart. Paul often calls for the church to imitate him, like in Corinth, Galatia and Philippi. You may ask, "How can he say this Paul? Isn't that a bit proud? Isn't that too bold?" I will tell you why he can say it, because he had patterned his own life after Christ's! Paul sought to be holy like Christ is holy. He sought to love like Christ loves. He sought to be obedient as Christ was obedient. He sought to proclaim the good news like Christ proclaimed the good news. He was willing to suffer like Christ was willing to suffer. So the Thessalonians mimicked Paul in all these things.

Could you say with Paul, "mimic me". Come with me. Watch how I speak to me children. Watch how I tenderly guide them. Watch how I love my wife. Look how I spiritually develop my family. Watch how I overcome temptation. I am beset with temptation. But look how I fly back to Christ. Look at my Bible reading. Look at my prayer life. Watch how I wake up early in the morning and then go to bed in prayer, committing all to God. Look at the openness of confession amongst my family.Listen, watch what I watch on TV. Come with me to where no one knows. Look at what I look at on theinternet. Look at what I post on my facebook page and how it is edifying to God. Look at how I aim to draw attention to Christ and not stop with me. Can we say with Paul, "Mimic me"? How we need to look at our own lives.

Now they went on from mimicking Paul to mimicking Christ, V6, "and of the Lord". At first they imitated Paul, Silas and Timothy but then they became imitators of the Lord. How did they imitate Christ? They sought to become intimately acquainted with Him. They wanted to know about Him that theymay walk in His steps. So often we say, "It is all about the Gospel", and yes it is about the gospel, but no one is seeking to imitate Christ! Yes, our life is transformed by the gospel, but are you seeking to imitate Christ or are you seeking to be a cheap imitation of the world? Look at how they imitated Christ!

V6, "having received the word in much tribulation." This word "tribulation" is not a mild discomfort. Rather, it is extreme affliction. In the midst of much tribulation they received the word. This is not a big evangelistic meeting where councilors are standing by. In the midst of all hell breaking loose … YOU COME TO CHRIST … YOU LOVE THE LORD!In the midst of parents ripping their clothes and throwing ashes on their head. In the midst of your houses being ransacked.In the midst of you being attack by mobs. In the midst of government officials saying, "You preach this word, you are dead". They were willing to suffer as Christ suffered.

But how did they do this? V6 … "with joy of the Holy Spirit." The wonder of wonders is that in the midst of this tribulation they had joy. There properties have gone, families have rejected them, government officials are saying they must die…and they have joy! How can this be? How do they do this? This is a paradox, how can someone be led as a lamb to the slaughter and have so much joy? I will tell you why, because their perspective has changed. They feared God instead of man, and God, through the empowering of the Holy Spirit, gave them JOY. Look at what Jesus said, "Do not fear those who kill the body but are unable to kill the soul; BUT rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell! (Matt 10:28). The fear of man cripples the Christian, not so here! This is why there testimony spread like wildfire throughout the land. People were talking. These people are counted as the scum of the earth and they are the most joyful people. Look at what happens to the gospel message under this sort of example … IT EXPLODES!

V7, "so that you became an example!" Hang on. I thought thechurch were imitating Paul and Christ? They were! They imitated to such an extent that they became the ones to imitate. "You became an example to all believers in Macedonia," in the North, "and in Achaia" which is in the South. "For the word of the Lord has sounded forth from you." The phrase, "the word of the Lord" is the gospel. It is interchangeable throughout Acts. In other words, "the gospel has sounded forth from you." The evangelized became the evangelizers!

Furthermore, the phrase, "sounded fourth" means it rang out like the ringing of bells violently. It trumpeted forth! Lightfoot puts it this way, "It thundered out from you!" It went further than Macedonia and Achais, for it says, "but also in every place your faith toward God has gone forth, so that (result) we have no need to say anything!" Before Paul could say anything thelife changing gospel had rang out! This was affecting Paul's ministry. His ministry was being promoted by the lives of these people. They were probably saying, "He must be a man of God…look at the effects of Paul's ministry!"

How did this happen? How did they become so influential throughout the whole area? Because they lived it! Because they imitated Jesus! Because they imitated Jesus. So often since we do not imitate Jesus we must do all sorts of other things to get the gospel out. I am not saying that we do not conduct missions programs and evangelistic outreach. But first and foremost we must live the gospel brothers and sisters!

Let's look at the two transformations that sounded forth in V8. Firstly, "the word of the Lord" sounded forth. Remember, this is the gospel being preached. Secondly, "Your faith toward God". This shows two sides of the one coin. The first side is that they are proclaiming the gospel and on the other side your living out the gospel has also gone forth. You cannot have one without the other. There is nothing worse than someone proclaiming the gospel but are not living the gospel. This is called hypocrisy. A genuine spiritual revival will reproduce itself by the hearers imitating what they have heard

4. The Gospel transforms lives (Thes. 1:9-10)

The last point is this, The Gospel transforms lives. There are three ways the church of Thessalonica were transformed.

Firstly, they TURNED to God from idols (v9). They turned from serving the idols of the Greco/Roman world, which dominated the culture, to serving God. V9 states, "For they themselves report about us what kind of a reception we had with you, and how you turned to God from idols". This word "turned" is literally to do a 180. They are living for their idols when they turn as far away as possible and begin living for God.

Notice it states that "they turned to God from their idols" and not "turned from their idols to God." What happened was that through the preaching of the gospel, the majesty of Christ and truth of the message…they said, "Away with the idols!" God tore them away from their idols. They turned from the created and turned to the creator.

Let's not limit idol worship to the Old and New Testaments. We need to seriously consider what idol worship is. Walter Kaiser describes it like this, "It is the act of placing anything, any person or idea, equal with or above God, so as to give ultimate allegiance to that goal, person or idea."

We tend to put our careers, our schooling, our children, our grades, ourselves, and a thousand more things, on an equal plane, or even above God. We care more about our own name than we do about the name of God. We are not prepared when called by God to witness, serve or minister to the needs of others. When we do this we have actually acknowledged higher commitments than our professed allegiance to Jesus Christ. What will we say to the King of glory in the final day? Are we not in need of revival ourselves?

The second transformation that came was that they began to SERVE God. This is seen in v2. Paul hears about their "work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in Jesus Christ." This is a repeated theme throughout Paul's letters - Faith, Hope and Love.

>Work of faith. Wherever there is true faith, it will work. James says, "Show me your faith by your works! If faith has no works it is dead. These are not works of the Law, as if the church sort justification by works. Rather, this is the natural response to true saving faith.

Labor of love. This labor is strenuous, anguish and toil. A labor of love toward God. A labor of love towards others. Genuine faith will show itself in love toward God and others.

Steadfastness of hope. Polycarp describes it this way, "the same endurance Christ showed." As He endured everything. Christ was steadfast to the hope that He would indeed redeem people.

As Paul reflects upon these three transformations he makes a conclusion that can be seen in v4, "knowing, brethren beloved by God, His choice for you." The conclusion was that these people were of the elect because of the wonderful fruit being born in them.

The third transformation is that they WAIT for the return of Christ. V10 states that they, "wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, that is Jesus who rescues us from the wrath to come." They began to live as though Christ would return at any moment. They had an eternal perspective which directed and shaped their lives.

Are you living with this reality in the forefront of your mind every day? I know it is hard, brothers and sisters, when we are in the cut and thrust of life. But are you praying, "God give me an eternal perspective." Is there an urgency in your step? An expectancy in your speech? Jonathon Edwards said this, "Lord, stamp eternity on my eye balls." Let me walk this life with eternity in focus. Are your decisions today valuated with Christ's coming in mind? Or are you living this life for today and leaving the consequences for tomorrow? Are you building bigger barns for yourself? Jesus called this sort of a man a fool.

Friend, if you are here and you are considering what I am saying, I say to you, will you turn from worshipping idols to worshipping the true and living God? If you have not done so, turn to Christ. Give up those cheap substitutes and take Christ. Jesus Christ who bore our sins upon the cross to purchase salvation. The Bible says, "There is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved!" Jesus promises, if you come to him, he will never turn you away. Matt 11:28 Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." Jesus says, get rid of the yoke of sin upon your life. Give it over to me. Take my yoke upon you, I will get in to it with you and we will walk this life together. I will be with you in this. Have you received Him as your Savior and taken His yoke? He waits to take your burden. Turn to Him and live for Him.

I don't like to say it but our texts says, "Jesus … who rescues us from the wrath to come." There is a day coming when all who have not taken refuge in Christ will stand before a Holy God and face His just and judgment alone for sin. If you have not come under the cover of Christ then you will stand, where no one can ever stand and you will be cast into Hell, it says. Therefore I say, if you would only look to Him. If you will only turn to Christ. Then you will be found in Christ, protected by Christ. He says, "Come to me and I will never cast you out."

There have been four points. The gospel comes when the Word is given. The gospel must be proclaimed. Next, when the gospel is given the gospel is empowered by the Holy Spirit. Thirdly, the gospel reproduces itself through the lives of its hearers. Is the gospel being reproduced through you? Or are you a hindrance to the gospel? Lastly, the gospel transforms lives. Have you a transformed life and is that evident for all to see?

The burden is now yours! Let's pray.


More in Miscellaneous

March 3, 2024

The Entrusted Message

February 25, 2024

Affectionate Unity That Leads To Boasting

February 4, 2024

No Holiness Means No Salvation