Revival Reflections Pt. 3

Bro. Keith brought our revival meetings to a fitting conclusion by reminding us that God loves sinners. The final message came from Jonah 4:5-11. In this passage we see a prophet whose priorities are all out of whack. He was angry with God for showing mercy to sinners, and sat down outside the city hoping God would destroy it anyway. Yet, God shows mercy to the prophet, just as he had the people of Nineveh.

The message challenged us to examine our priorities. Jonah should have rejoiced, like God, at the repentance of Nineveh. He should have been grateful, but instead he was angry. When God is the top priority in our life, his attitude shapes our attitude; the things that bring him joy, bring us joy; and the things that sicken him, sicken us. Jonah's anger with God shows that Jonah was only concerned with himself.

When our priorities are in order, God is first. It means that we walk in the Spirit, in the name of the Son, to the glory of the Father. It means that our life takes on a radical Christ-centeredness. For in Christ, we live and breath and have our being. Our next priority is others. When we are walking in the steps of Jesus we live as he lived. Jesus said, "The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve and give his life as a ransom for many" (see Mark 10:45). Christ served others for the glory of God, and we must also.

God's great love for sinners is demonstrated by his gracious response to their repentance. It is even demonstrated in his response to Jonah. However, it is most clearly demonstrated in his sending his Son into the world to die in the place of sinners. The overarching lesson of Jonah's tale is that God loves sinners. As a ruin sinner reclaimed by Christ's sacrificial atoning death, this truth renews my heart. Thank you, Lord for the Word you have sent our way. Thank you, Keith for obediently preaching it.

Revival Reflections Pt. 2

Bro. Keith's message opened up Jonah 4:1-4 tonight. In this passage, Jonah express great anger over the great graciousness of God. To be frank, this passage haunts me. Jonah is not in a moment of personal lose and grief when he becomes angry with God. Jonah is not witnessing some atrocious crime being perpetrated against one of God's people. The source of his anger is God's gracious character. He states, "That is why I made haste to flee to Tarshish; for I knew that you are a gracious God and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, and relenting from disaster" (Jonah 4:2).

Jonah, in essence, despised God for his mercy. Jonah would rather die than live in a world where God redeemed unworthy sinners. Anger against God is sin, as Bro. Keith pointed out tonight. But anger over his graciousness is incomprehensible. When we worship the God who reveals himself in the Word, then we cannot justify anger against him. How can someone be angry with One who is righteous, holy, just, good, and perfect? God, as he reveals himself in Scripture, is incapable of evil or wrongdoing, so therefore, how can we be angry with him?

To press the question farther, how can we possibly be angry with God for his grace? But there are those who despise God for his grace. They can handle his sovereignty (so they think). They can handle his omnipotence (so they think). Then can handle that he knows everything (so they think). But the thought of God showing grace to those they deem unworthy is unthinkable to them.

Let's get personal. Are we angry with God, because he has shown grace to someone or some group we despise? Are we like Jonah, angry and pouting, because God has been kind to someone we hate? Are we offended by grace? Is that why we bristle when we hear the word election (the bible doctrine not the political kind)? Is it because we can't see merit in someone, so we assume God couldn't either?

The plain truth is that it's absurd to hate grace, because we all need it. We have all sinned and fallen short of God's glory (Rom. 3:23). We must not forget, as Jonah apparently did, how far down the Lord stooped to rescue us. I keep searching my heart to see if I am harboring any anger toward God, particularly toward his grace. I am praying that the Lord would show me if it is there.

Keith presented the biblical solution to overcoming our anger against God. We must wholeheartedly trust in the God who has revealed himself in Scripture. The more we know of the true God, the easier it is to trust him and the harder it becomes to be angry with him. When we see God as he truly is, there is no room for anger. Next, we must realize who we are. God is infinite in perfection. We are finite and imperfect. He sees all of eternity at once, we see a small slice of time as it is occurring. We can remember the past (partially), but we cannot glimpse the future at all. Ultimately, we must come to rest in his wisdom, and when we lack the wisdom to do so, all we have to do is ask him to give it.

Revival Reflections

I'm still thinking about tonight's sermon. Bro. Keith made two statements that continue to run through my mind. First, he stated that God always wins. Second, he stated that God is determined to save sinners. These two truths are connected. In fact, the cross teaches us both.

At first glance, the crucifixion of Christ might seem like defeat. If the narratives only gave us the account of his arrest, trials, beatings, and death, it would most certainly be a story of defeat. That is most certainly what the audience of Christ's crucifixion thought. "He saved others," they scoffed, "let him save himself." They chided, "Come down from that cross, and we'll believe you are the Christ." All looks lost. Yet, we know, God always wins. The empty tomb turns the bloody cross into a message of victory.

Paul states, "And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven all our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to an open shame, by triumphing over them in him" (Col. 2:13-15). In other words, what the world (and Satan) saw as defeat was actually the picture of Christ "triumphing over them." Elsewhere, Paul expresses that had these "rulers" understood what was truly happening in the crucifixion of Christ, they would not have participated. He states, "None of these rulers of this age understood this, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory" (1 Cor. 3:6).

What Satan meant for the toppling of God and the destruction of mankind, God meant for the deliverance of sinful humanity. What Satan saw as defeat, God declared victory. When Satan thought he was delivering the deathblow he was merely bruising the heal. When Satan thought he would be receiving his crown, he actually received a crush skull (see Gen. 3:15). Through his obedience, even to the point of death on the cross, Christ was highly exalted and given a name above every name (see Phil. 2:5-11). Jesus, now ascended on high as King of kings and Lord of lords, rules from his unshakable throne. The cross means God always wins.

The cross also means that God is determined to save sinners. The Scripture is clear, "The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, now wishing that any should perish, but at that all should reach repentance" (2 Pet. 3:9). God desires sinners to come to repentance. The cross guarantees that those who come will find forgiveness. We must, however, keep in mind that the salvation does not come to everyone. We are not universalists, who believe that all people will go to heaven. We believe that only those who turn from their sin and trust in Jesus' person and work will be saved. The appointment by God of individuals to salvation is often called the doctrine of election. Concerning election:

The 1963 Baptist Faith and Message states:

Election is the gracious purpose of God, according to which He regenerates, sanctifies, and glorifies sinners. It is consistent with the free agency of man, and comprehends all the means in connection with the end. It is a glorious display of God's sovereign goodness, and is infinitely wise, holy, and unchangeable. It excludes boasting and promotes humility (Article V. God's Purpose of Grace).

Monticello's Articles of Faith states:

Election is God’s eternal choice of some persons unto everlasting life-not because of foreseen merit in them, but of His mere mercy in Christ-in consequence of which choice they are called, justified and glorified (Constitution Article III. Sec. 1. G).

Monticello's statement of faith declares that we believe God has determined to save sinners. He has chosen, through the death and resurrection of the Son, to bring life to those who repent and believe. And we are confident that God always wins. So let us join with Paul is saying, "For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek" (Rom. 1:16).

Revival Sunday Recap 9-6-09

Morning: Bro Keith brought a message from Jonah 1:1-16. Throughout the message he reminded us that we can't outrun God. Jonah's shameful attempt to avoid the call of God in his life reminds us that disobedience is costly. Jonah came to the place where he thought he would rather die than obey God, yet God was merciful to him. We were also reminded that God used Jonah, in spite of his disobedience, to bring about the conversion of the crew of the ship he was on.

Evening: Bro. Keith's message drew from Jonah 1:17-2:9. The message focused on the great reality spoken of in Jonah 2:9--salvation is from the Lord. The message called us to recognize the Lord's sovereignty, to realize our helplessness, and to be repaired to our God. We reconcile to God through prayer, as we cry out for mercy, and by worship, as we worship the Lord in spirit and truth.

I am looking forward to the rest of the messages, and I am confident that the Lord will continue to speak through the Word he has given his servant. This is shaping up to be an exciting revival.

Be Thou My Vision

With our fall revival approaching, I have been thinking about what revival would look like. Should God be pleased to revive us during these extended services (and I pray he is), what will that "revival" look like? I cannot say with specificity, but I believe a genuine revival brings renewed emphasis on the gospel, a renewed atmosphere of humility and service, a renewed spirit of dependence upon the Lord, and a renewed desire to see Christ exalted through our lives. I heard the hymn, "Be Thou My Vision," today, and I began praying its rich truths for my life. The words are:

Be thou my vision, O Lord of my heart;
Naught be all else to me, save that thou art:
Thou my best thought, by day or by night,
Waking or sleeping, they presence my light.

Be thou my wisdom, and thou my true word;
I ever with thee and thou with me Lord:
Thou my great Father, I thy true son,
Thou in me dwelling, and I with thee one.

Riches I heed not, or man's empty praise;
Thou mine inheritance, now and always:
Thou and thou only, first in my heart,
High King of heaven, my treasure thou art.

High King of heaven, my victory won,
May I reach heaven's joys, O bright heav'n's Sun!
Heart of my own heart, whatever befall,
Still be my vision, O Ruler of all.

Father, be our vision, be our wisdom, and our true word. Grant us the ability to walk in obedience to your Word, and to accomplish the call you have placed on our church's life. To you be the glory.

I pray that in the days ahead the God, through Christ, will become my all consuming vision, that I will seek his glory first and foremost, and that I will walk in humble submission to his Word. Revival services begin at Monticello Baptist Church (Butler County, KY) Sunday, September 6th, 2009 during the 11:00 am service. Services will be held nightly at 7:00 pm through Wednesday, September 9th. A humble servant of the Lord and good friend of mine, Keith McWhorter, will bring the messages. I am anticipating fruit from these meetings in the days, weeks, and months ahead. Please, pray with us that these services would serve as an awakening and a renewal, and that God would be glorified in us.