July 1, 2012
“Upsetting the Status Quo” Acts 19: 17-27
Intro: This week celebrates the 4th of July, Freedom, the American Revolution. Many today have tried to compare this with the French Revolution or even the Islamic Revolution (Arab Spring) but the fact is, it was very different. One of the greatest differences -- America had the Great Awakening – the Revival of Edwards, Wesley’s, Whitefield, Whole communities had been transformed.
A relationship with Jesus Christ will transform lives and can revolutionize communities. If God sent a revival what would it look like?
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It would result in a healthy fear of God. V 17a
- Seized with a fear – fell on, many kinds of fear, phobias
- Romans 3:8, There is no Fear of God before their eyes
- Christian people do not take God’s name in an empty fashion, Heb 10:26 – 31, Matt 10:28
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Highest View of Jesus Christ V 17b
- Held in highest honor, magnify
- Acts 4:12, Phil 2: 9-11,
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An Honesty regarding Sin, V 18
- Confess our faults one to another James 5:16, 1Chronicles 7:14, Ps 66:18, 1John 1:9
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A Heart Change that is evident to the World V19
- Showed evidence of salvation, is it evident in you? Would a court convict you of being a Christian?
- Willingness to rid lives of ungodly things, major cost following Christ, does it cost us anything?
- Many Christians would rather tell the world what they should change, instead of telling them about Jesus
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It will result in an impact on those around us V23-25
- Caused any waves lately? John 15:19, main motive is not to change by coercion, but change the heart
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Awakenings changed society
- Welsh revival of 1904-1905 decimated the alcohol trade
- Crime rate went down
- Apollos was addressing the lies their lives were built on, V27
What would a God-sent revival look like? The purpose is a genuine relationship with Jesus.
