Revival Service

John 11:1–5 (CSB)

1 Now a man was sick—Lazarus from Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. 2 Mary was the one who anointed the Lord with perfume and wiped his feet with her hair, and it was her brother Lazarus who was sick. 3 So the sisters sent a message to him: “Lord, the one you love is sick.”

4 When Jesus heard it, he said, “This sickness will not end in death but is for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it.” 5 Now Jesus loved Martha, her sister, and Lazarus.

Brother Kamal has come to my aid several times in the past, preaching in my stead, when I traveled at times.

But this is the first time we have ever ministered together.

I am having a great time so far, how about you all?

During these past couple of days ministering for the first time with Brother Kamal, have noticed an unintended dichotomy.

I have often said, God comes to you one of either two ways, Through the heart, and through the mind.

I have noticed brother Kamal has an anointing when he preaches, and I have seen and felt it engage your hearts.

Tomorrow he will be preaching on the Lord’d healing, so we encourage all who are sick, or otherwise afflicted to come back tomorrow evening for that healing service.

My messages to you these past days are intended to engage your minds.

To awaken your thought life as well as your heart for Jesus.

I am always encouraged to see God move in our events such as this, because it proves He is here working in us and through us all,

Even those who are serving in our coffee bar, or serving as Ushers at the doors,

Or even those who collect the gift offerings.

We are all being used by God in His service,

Here, in the pulpit, he has produced two ministers, each serving in his assigned role given to us by our creator. Amen

God is so amazing, Amen?

I am reminded of a movie scene,

Where a certain character was close to death,

When he realized he was dead, he wanted to live again.

In his heart, he was thoroughly convinced, he was going to die right there.

When he was given a peek at death. When he felt the cold touch of death. When he smelt the stench of death he wanted nothing more but to live

I thought when I saw this there is some truth to that.

(Evidence of minds changed at last minutes) Tire marks, etc…

- When people are faced with death

When most people are faced with death they want life.

Once after I had the privilege of seeing a young man I prayed for receive the Lord.

I received a call from his sister thanking me for helping her brother receive life in Christ.

I didn’t do anything, I told her it was the example her and her sister showed this young man.

It was because of them, he smelled the fragrance of life in them.

2 Corinthians 2:16 (CSB)

To some we are an aroma of death leading to death, but to others, an aroma of life leading to life. Who is adequate for these things?

He could simply tell that he smelled different than they did and he wanted to live Amen

Explain that anyone who was facing death, would rediscover the simple pleasures in life, like the smell of flowers, in a field, one would have a new appreciation for life,

It’s true, isn’t it?

If I convinced you, you were going to die, then I gave you life, you’d be ecstatic.

That’s how Jesus wants you to live everyday, “Ecstatic.”

Knowing that you were dead in your sins, but now through Him, You Live!

I knew a pastor who confided in me

He had hepatitis C.

So, he had made all his plans to die early. After being healed by Holy Spirit, he told me

“Lupé now I have to make plans for my future.”

Praise God.

So, what’s this got to do with us Pastor?

Well, we were all dead in here. But, now we are alive in Christ Jesus, so let’s start making plans for our future.

Not only us in here but our city, state, and country as well,

We are all in need of a revival of our faith.

In Christian circles, we have all heard this word thrown around a time or two. “Revival”

-What is a Revival

What is a Revival, if not to revive something that has died or stagnated is someway?

Its like defibrillator.

When a heart stops, they give it a jolt of electricity to start it up again.

So, you may hear some shocking things tonight designed to shock you back into life Amen!

If not, they wouldn’t call these events Revivals.

-Why Do we need a Revival?

Why Do we need a Revival?

Because, we have forgotten the one who formed us from the dust of the ground, and from His nostrils breathed into us, Our first breath of life!

Now, in the past we have heard the gospel from many fine pastors and men of God pleading with those who haven’t yet received Jesus.

But, Tonight, I am talking to YOU, the “believers,” As well as anyone here who has not yet been washed by His blood.

Every one of you here tonight are believers because someone, somewhere prayed for you.

You didn’t do this on your own. It’s not yours to glory over. This life belongs to Jesus Amen!

This life is not your own but was bought with a price

1 Corinthians 6:19–20 (CSB)

19 Don’t you know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, 20 for you were bought at a price. So glorify God with your body.

-We not only need to Revive our hearts

We not only need to Revive our hearts, but Re-ignite the fire in us that naturally wants burn for Jesus

-What do we do Pastor, Where do we start?

What do we do Pastor, Where do we start?

The same way we all got here. You start by praying for someone who is still dead in sin.

We all know people who aren’t saved. Start praying for them.

Invite them to church. Uncles, cousins, brothers sisters Etc. Even your enemies.

Let’s leave the new life part to Jesus. He’ll do the same for them as He did for us.

We find that in John 11:8-10

John 11:8–10 (CSB)

8 “Rabbi,” the disciples told him, “just now the Jews tried to stone you, and you’re going there again?”

9 “Aren’t there twelve hours in a day?” Jesus answered. “If anyone walks during the day, he doesn’t stumble, because he sees the light of this world. 10 But if anyone walks during the night, he does stumble, because the light is not in him.”

We see here that Jesus expects us to go back even for our enemies, or people that have wronged you.

They did you wrong because they are walking in darkness. Invite them to learn from the light.

-We get this lesson from Mary

We get this lesson because of the request Mary made to Jesus to come because her brother was sick and dying.

John 11:35–44 (CSB)

35 Jesus wept.

36 So the Jews said, “See how he loved him!” 37 But some of them said, “Couldn’t he who opened the blind man’s eyes also have kept this man from dying?”

38 Then Jesus, deeply moved again, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone was lying against it. 39 “Remove the stone,” Jesus said.

Martha, the dead man’s sister, told him, “Lord, there is already a stench because he has been dead four days.”

40 Jesus said to her, “Didn’t I tell you that if you believed you would see the glory of God?”

41 So they removed the stone. Then Jesus raised his eyes and said, “Father, I thank you that you heard me. 42 I know that you always hear me, but because of the crowd standing here I said this, so that they may believe you sent me.” 43 After he said this, he shouted with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” 44 The dead man came out bound hand and foot with linen strips and with his face wrapped in a cloth. Jesus said to them, “Unwrap him and let him go.”

But we read earlier that Jesus purposely waited until Lazarus her brother was dead.

Why? Because Jesus wanted to show everyone, including us, that through Him, that which was dead, can live again.

But, when Jesus arrived to the tomb where they had laid Lazarus, dead. We find the shortest verse in the Bible

John 11:35 (CSB)

Jesus wept.

There are several steps I want to point out to you here.

1. Moved with compassion, He wept because Lazarus was without life.

When you pray for people who are dead, Jesus weeps with you for them. He wants them to have life too

He died for them as well

2.

John 11:39 (CSB)

39 “Remove the stone,” Jesus said.

Martha, the dead man’s sister, told him, “Lord, there is already a stench because he has been dead four days.”

Next he said remove the stone,

You see before a person can come out from their tomb, he has to remove the stumbling blocks from before them, so that they can get to Him,

Whatever the stone is that is blocking the path to salvation.

Bad relationship, bad job, etc.

3.

John 11:43 (CSB)

After he said this, he shouted with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!”

It wasn’t until after the removal of the stones of hardness of our hearts had been removed, Jesus Called us out from the grave into life Amen!

He said Lupé, come fourth,

(Point and name people to come out)

You were dead, but now you may live

4.

John 11:44 (CSB)

The dead man came out bound hand and foot with linen strips and with his face wrapped in a cloth. Jesus said to them, “Unwrap him and let him go.”

The dead man had wraps around him like a mummy. Jesus said to the things that bound him in death. LOOSE him and LET HIM GO!

Amen!

These are things today like addictions, pornography, drugs, Jealousy, depression, anxiety, or what ever has you currently bound dead in your Sins

Jesus has loosened this from you. He has set you free

Jesus has given you new life. Jesus has given us new life, AMEN!

So, let’s start planning for our future Right now!

-My challenge to all of you

My challenge to all of you here is

Let's live everyday with that same overwhelming joy and convictions giving Him the Glory for our new life.

For make no mistake

Being good doesn’t get you into heaven

Jesus didn’t come to make bad men good he came dead people may live

You aren’t ineffective due to age or experience, or anything.

You are alive.

If you truly want to smell like life, to those that are dead, start praying for them like Mary did.

Pray for those around you who need the Lord. They are still dead.

Pray that Jesus will come to them as He did for Lazarus.

Invite them to church with you. Bring them yourselves.

Bring them to the one who can pump life back into their dying lives.

Only God can raise the dead back to Life.

So, pray for them, bring them to church.

Invitation to the altar.

Prayer of repentance.