Refining Boldness for Revival Updated

Refining Boldness for Revival

By: Ben Malone

April 4, 2023

Good morning, Tennessee Valley Community Church family. My name is Ben Malone and I have the honor and privilege to teach you today about how God works in your life even when you do not realize it. First off, I would like to thank Steve for trusting in me and giving me this opportunity to speak to you today. So just a quick intro of who I am: I have been living in Paris for 8 years now. God has blessed me with a beautiful loving wife that has supported me and been with me through every wild and crazy idea that I have conjured up. We have two wonderful children, or most of the time anyway, that are sitting below us right now in our top-notch children’s ministry. Can we all give Tracy and the staff down stairs a hand for the excellent job they do in teaching our children. They are the future of not only our church but the world. Most importantly I am a man who spent 30 years lost in the world, but by God’s Grace and His consistent pursuit of me was found and I am now a follower and servant of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. So enough about me, lets dig into God’s word this morning and see what we all can learn together.

Let us begin our time this morning before the Lord in Prayer: Father, I thank you for this day and I thank you for this time to be able to teach and grow closer to you. I Pray that your Spirit will come into this place this morning and take hold of all our hearts. That you will use me and guide my thoughts and actions today so that everyone will not see me, but see your everlasting Love and Grace. Be with us this morning as we open your living word. In your Son’s powerful name of Jesus Christ, we pray and God’s people said, Amen.

So, for as long as I can remember I have been one who loves my own disciplines, order, procedures, and a sucker for a great To-Do list. That’s why one of the hardest things for me to do as I continue to grow in Christ is to let Him guide me in making decisions and more importantly growing from my failures. Because these two actions are what allows us to become stronger believers and also a people that strive to be on fire with spreading the Gospel to ALL.

Today that’s exactly what we are all going to be learning about. Is that through all of our lives we are continually taught by disciplines, trials, failures, and victories. Now the ratio of good too bad on that list is pretty one sided. I know we all want to go straight to the victory part and bypass those first three, but there is no “Get out of Jail Free” card in life. But what makes a strong believer is the trials that Jesus has used to shape us into someone He can faithfully use in his kingdom. I want to teach you today how disciplines, trials, and failures shaped one man into being the spark that started revival in the Church. And how one man’s boldness can generate thousands of changed lives.

One of the things I love the most is getting up early and sitting at our kitchen table to simply be alone with God. Alone at that table is where I built a relationship with my Father through his scriptures. The same table my family and friends gather around to break bread and fellowship together. The same table that my son helped me build in our garage. Also, the same table that if every stain, scratch, or pieces food that are caked into the seams could tell a story they would go on for hours. This is where the disciplines that God teaches me for the coming day begin, and it begins through time spent with God at that table.

One morning a few months ago as I was reading for some reason, I felt like I had a chip on my shoulder, and I went before God and asked him some serious questions. I began to press into God and ask Him ‘Why’? Why can other churches and schools be on fire with Revival and the presence of God but ‘We’ don’t seem to be? Why do other people seem to have it all figured out but ‘We’ don’t? When will ‘We’ experience this? Why can’t TVCC make the news for a lasting revival? And then the worse one was ‘Why can’t everyone know and love you Lord like I do? This one was the real problem; it was a pride full and personal statement that sounded like I was the only one that could know God and talk to him. Pride is a very ugly trait.

After my pity party with God was over with, it was like he just sighed real heavy rolled his eyes and told me to sit down, shut up, and listen son. The next hour or so sitting at that kitchen table it was like the Holy Spirit just picked me up and wrung me out like a dish rag. He began to slowly break my pride down and began to humble me in a way that I have never been. Pride is a very ugly trait that I personally have a problem with controlling. God began to lead me to the question of where did true Revival begin? This led me to begin reading where I felt like the “Revival” that I asked him about began. And that was in the book of Acts at the beginning of the “Church.”

What I quickly realized as I began to read is that a “Church” on fire for God did not begin with a congregation. It did not begin with a mega church with a sprawling campus that was built on laws, structure, summer programs, sermon series, children services, budget boards, deacons, class programs, or a swanky coffee bar. A Church on fire with Revival began with one man who was refined, tested, and disciplined by Jesus and Jesus alone. That one man’s name was Peter son of Jonah.

This realization led me to the title of our message today, “Refining Boldness for Revival.” As I continued into Acts I came to Chapter 4 verse 13. The verse reads “When they observed the boldness of Peter and John and realized they were uneducated and untrained men, they were amazed and recognized that they had been with Jesus.” That verse absolutely wrecked me that morning as I sat alone. When I first read that verse the word boldness just jumped off the page and slapped me across the face. It was like a big flashing sign on the interstate (Ya know it’s like seeing a Buc- ees sign saying next exit ahead). Which honestly who needs a Jerky bar or 100 gas pumps on the side of 65 south? Any way before I get some shade cast my way for talking about the beaver let’s get back to Peter. So, as I re-read, re-read, and re-read that verse over and over again I realized there was so much more there to unpack.

There were so many questions running through my head. Who is they? How did they observe boldness? How did Peter and John become bold? Why were Peter and John perceived as uneducated and untrained? What amazed them? How did they recognize that they had been with Jesus? But most importantly how does this all result in Revival?

These questions all led me to our 3 main questions that I am going to be answering today. The first of these being: How was Peter Refined? How do we replace Fear with Boldness? What Does Revival Look Like?

As we look at Peter’s life, I am sure that we all have a different picture or thought about who Peter was. We all do know that Peter was one of Jesus’s closest and most trusted disciples. But the fact is that even as one of Jesus’s most loved disciples Peter still denied Jesus in that courtyard. So, the question is ‘How did the same Peter who denied Jesus in the courtyard become the same Peter we just read about in Acts?’ Being recognized as ‘Being with Jesus’. How do you Deny, but then are recognized? Really though, how did Peter go from one to the other?

The answer is Love. Jesus’s love towards Peter is the only reason for the change. However, there are many forms of love and different seasons of love. There is the type of love we all think about with our spouses, children, and family. Or most family any way. Can I get an Amen on that? But there is also the type of love that for example involves learning through disciplines and failures. Just as I was describing earlier about my father and grandfather disciplining me. I never understood why they were so hard on me, but now that they are both gone, I know exactly why they were. Because they knew there would come a day when the crutch, we lean on will be taken away from us and we are required to stand on our own.

The first question is: How was Peter Refined?

Just as my father disciplined me out of love, so did Jesus towards Peter. Jesus continually refined Peter through 3 different ways:

The First of these coming in the form of obedience. The very first time the Gospel writers introduce Peter to us is in the form of obedience. (Read Matthew 4:18-20) 18 As he was walking along the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon (who is called Peter), and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the sea—for they were fishermen. 19 “Follow me,” he told them, “and I will make you fish for people.” 20 Immediately they left their nets and followed him.[1]When we read this, we realize the importance of “Follow Me”. But for Peter and Andrew this was just a normal day of fishing and providing for their family. No different than a normal Tuesday at the office for all of us. They were just going through their day-to-day stresses like anyone else. Then Jesus comes by and simply says “Follow Me”. However, this was not a simple ‘Hey come follow me to another fishing hole because I have found the honey hole’. This was a “Follow Me” by leaving all that you once knew and leaving your livelihood and now live your life by giving your life to me.

So, before Jesus will ever teach us and guide us, we first must be obedient and follow Him and know him as Lord. Then once we are obedient the real fun of being tested begins.

The second way Peter was refined was throughTesting. Peter was tested by Jesus more than any of the other disciples.

There are two main tests that I would like to point out that forever shaped Peter. The first coming that stormy night in a boat out on the Sea of Galilee. The disciples had just witnessed the day before Jesus feeding the 5,000 with no more than just 5 loaves of bread and 2 fish. So moral amongst them is pretty high. As they are sailing across, they see Jesus walking on the water by them. Jesus tests Peter by saying “Come”. Peter steps out and walks, but then he begins to sink. Even though Peter failed scripture tells us that Jesus immediately reached out and caught hold of Peter and said to him “You of little faith, why did you doubt?”. Now myself and I am sure most of you have always read that and thought he took his eyes off Jesus and noticed the wind and waves and began to sink. But don’t you remember how I described Peter’s first interaction with Jesus? He was fishing on the very Sea that this event is taking place. So, Peter was more than accustomed to big wind and waves as that was his career. Could it be that Peter sank because he realized the magnitude of what Jesus was calling and training him to be? Peter knew that by walking on that water he was being called to a greater task than simply fishing for fish, but that he truly was going to be tested and disciplined by Jesus to be a fisher of men. (Matthew 14:22-33)

The next test came while they were heading to Caesarea Philippi. Jesus asks the disciples “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” Peter is tested once again and this time he passes with flying colors. Saying that ‘You are the Messiah, the Son of the Living God.’ Jesus then goes onto to bless Peter and tell him that “on this rock I will build my church,”. Which that “Rock” will be Peter’s very confession of Jesus being the Messiah. Peter’s confession is the rock in which the church will be built upon. (Matthew 16:13-20)

These are just two of the many tests that Jesus put Peter through to help grow his faith.

The Third way Peter was refined and the one I believe is one of the biggest ways we are refined is through failure. None of us in here enjoy failing at anything. We want to always be the one standing on the podium receiving the medal. But, can we learn if we never fail? The bigger the failure the more we learn from it though. Peter was no exception to this. During Jesus’s ministry I would say that Peter’s failures outweighed the victories by far.

On the eve of Jesus’s crucifixion Peter proclaims “I will never fall away” and “I will never deny you.” Then not hours later Peter is asleep in the garden, and even after Jesus asks Peter the second time to stay awake and pray Peter falls asleep again. This was a failure and an example of how weak we are in our own flesh. The fact is that not hours before his cat nap in the garden Peter was 10 foot tall and bullet proof. Once again, another example of how our pride can and will affect our relationship with God.

Then the final failure and the one that was the turning point for Peter happened in the early morning hours at the courtyard at Caiaphas house where Jesus was being held before his crucifixion. It was here around that fire where Peter would deny Jesus and deny that he was ever with Jesus. As Peter stood beside that fire and denied Jesus that third and final time and hearing that rooster crow, he knew. He knew that as he locked eyes with a beaten and bloody Savior that not hours before he had professed as being the Messiah that he had failed.

The second question is: “How do we Replace that Fear with Boldness?”

For Peter to be able to make a complete 180 from where he was in that courtyard denying Jesus to where we read about him being so bold that others know he has been with Jesus had to take something only God can do. Even though Peter who just like us was tested and failed many times God’s love is still there. Fear can only be replaced when we have the utmost Faith in that Jesus’s love for us is greater than any fear.

That Love Jesus gave Peter to make that 180 began well before that early morning in the courtyard. At the last supper Jesus tells Peter that Satan has asked to sift him like wheat. But Jesus says that he has prayed for Peter so that his faith may not fail and that when he (Peter) has turned back he will strengthen his brothers. (Luke 22: 31-34) This meaning that even though Jesus knew that Peter would fail him, he also knew that through his prayers Peter would be strengthened.

That same love and restoration was shown to Peter around another fire, but this fire was on the banks of the Sea of Galilee. This one being weeks after Jesus’s death and resurrection. The conversation around this fire was much different. A resurrected Christ asking Peter “Do you Love Me?”, and then a second time “Do you Love Me?”, and then a third time “Do You Love Me?” Peter was beyond grieved at this moment and you know that all those feelings of failure he has had over the past weeks all weighed on him like a truck. But Jesus never leaves us where we are as broken useless creations. Peter cries out to his Lord saying “You know I love you!” and Jesus simply tells him to “Feed and Shepherd My Sheep”. After this whole interaction Jesus looks at Peter and tells him the same thing that he told them on that very shore years prior “Follow Me”.

It was at this moment where Peter was able to replace that fear with a boldness that only Jesus knew he was capable of.

The moment Peter stood up at Pentecost to preach and profess Jesus as Lord and as the Messiah that they had all been looking for that fear was gone. That one-day Peter did exactly what Jesus had refined him and disciplined to do and that was to “Feed his Sheep” and he led 3,000 people to know Jesus as the Messiah. Now I have been to Jerusalem and stood at both the Southern Steps of the Temple mount where it is believed that Peter preached this message and I have stood at Caiaphas house and because of the lay of the land you can see Caiaphas’s home from the Southern Steps. I think it’s possible that as Peter preached of Jesus being the Messiah, he could see the exact location of where 50 days before he had denied Jesus. Don’t we serve a great Savior who does not hold our failures against us. There are no barter systems or like other religions that hope on that final day their ‘Goods’ outweigh their ‘bads’. We serve a God who does not revolve around ‘hope’ we get to serve a God who faithful and true. God gave Peter that strength on those Southern Steps. Amen

Peter was not done here at Pentecost though. He kept speaking boldly to people even after the powers at be scolded them and threatened them from proclaiming Jesus. Peter and John even healed a lame man as they were walking into the temple one day. The temple police eventually had Peter arrested, but the damage had already been done. The scripture tells us that those who heard their message believed and 5,000 more people came to Christ once they were arrested. (Acts 4:4) Just think about that for a moment. Peter preaches at Pentecost and 3,000 people are saved and come to Christ, and then Peter is proclaiming Jesus as Lord, heals a lame man, and then is arrested. And after his arrest 5,000 more people come to know Christ because of Peter’s boldness. This making 8,001 people saved because of his boldness in proclaiming Jesus as Lord. That one lame man is the 8,000 and 1. I think it’s funny that Peter was arrested for the healing of 1 lame man, but not for the 8,000 others that were “healed.”

This my friends IS what Revival looks like:

Revival first begins with the restoration to life within yourself. It is through our trials and failures that we learn to trust in Jesus.

Secondly it is an Awakening within the Church. It was not until the people observed the boldness of Peter that they were awakened.

Revival will happen when ordinary men and women begin doing Extraordinary Acts. The high and mighty realized that Peter and John were uneducated and untrained men, but they were amazed and recognized that they had been with Jesus! God always has and always will use those who may seem uneducated and untrained to do mighty things in the name of the Lord.

Lastly, Revival is when you are walking and talking like you have been with Jesus. The high and mighty were amazed and realized that the only way for these events to have taken place was because of Peter not only being with Jesus but willingly giving his life for Jesus. The same Obedience that Peter started with on the banks of the Sea of Galilee will end it. That same principle goes for all of us. An Awakening Revival cannot happen until you yourself have been with Jesus.

Slow down and pause

I want you all to think about how a diamond is formed. A diamond is formed by years and years of pressure and refining. What begins as a lump of coal is then transformed through trials and pressures into the most precious stone we value on earth. Just as a diamond is formed in the deep dark chasms with no value, but when it is brought to the light it is truly appreciated and accepted for its beauty and splendor. It is no coincidence that Jesus disciplined Peter and refined him through trials and pressures, so that at the perfect time he may be brought out to the light for all to see. Peter whose name literally means “Rock” was refined and tested throughout his life so that he may be used in a mighty way by God. And like Peter we to may be used in a mighty way when we profess Jesus as Lord.

So, the question I want you to answer for yourself today is this: When people see you, can they recognize that you have been with Jesus?

That is a powerful question and is for each of us to answer personally in our own lives.

There is an Adrian Rogers quote that I thought was so fitting for this and it says:

“Now, the problem with many of our folks is they’ve been saved, but they don’t have liberty. I mean, they come to Calvary for pardon, but they’ve never been to Pentecost for power. They’ve just kind of bogged down between Calvary and Pentecost.” – Adrian Rogers

Yes we have received salvation, but what have we done with it? What have we done with it besides save ourselves? There is glory in that, but when you learn that the power that is invested in you through Holy Spirit that dwells in all of us who are in Christ. That is the same power that Peter had standing on those steps proclaiming Jesus as Lord.

That is what I want to do today is to let you recognize how big God is, in the fact that months ago when I first read this and began to really work on this and it just broke me. I had no intentions of ever speaking before you today. Most definitely on this day, and that is the beauty of God is that he works all things. We learned that over the last few weeks as we have walked through the book of Romans. And to just think that it was this day? I don’t think so, today is the day of Pentecost. We are 50 days from Easter Sunday. Is that a coincidence? I don’t think so at all. Steve’s surgery, people being out, different Sundays here and there of being out, and it just so happened that I would be standing up here on Pentecost Sunday speaking about Pentecost. I don’t think so and neither does God. He knew exactly what He was going to do and when He was going to do it, but it is from the obedience in this is where we learn to Love God.

So, the question I want to leave you with today is this: When people see you can they recognize that you have been with Jesus?

Pray with me: Father, I thank you for this time today to share your word. I pray that for anyone out there that has not followed in that first act of obedience in following you that they would turn and follow you. If that’s you today then I want you to get out of your boat and walk. Don’t you dare be ashamed of who your God is and that you follow Him now. And, I pray for those that may have followed you long ago, but have since turned from you God and people can no longer recognize that they have been with Jesus. Lord, I pray that we all will look at our own lives through different lenses and realize that all trials are there for a reason and that our failures will never define us. The only thing that can define us is our faith in Jesus. We trust in you Father and know you are God. We love you Lord with all our heart and we come before you this morning as your humble servants. If you decided today to get out of your boat and follow Jesus then do me a favor and fill out that connection card in front of you or better yet get up right now and go to our prayer and care room right out in the hall and one of our amazing team members will meet with you and show you that love your feeling in your heart right now. Accept Jesus, I assure you I have sat right where you are right now and know exactly how you’re feeling right now. Those butterflies and thoughts of ‘I don’t need Jesus’. I assure you that you do need Jesus, and I stand here before you as a man that can tell you ‘YOU DO’. There is nothing more joyful than to know Jesus. Use us today, Father. It’s in your Son’s mighty name of Jesus Christ that we pray. Amen

[1] Christian Standard Bible (Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers, 2020), Mt 4:18–20.