Revival: Starting Over With Broken Pieces

Introduction: Understanding Revival

This week, I have been reading on revival. This included reading the prophets Isaiah and Jeremiah to understand their view of what revival looks like. I have also been reading some of the old puritan and first awakening literature to understand what were the common patterns of revival throughout history.

As I was praying about what to teach tonight, the topic “Starting Over With Broken Pieces” came to me. I began to search the Scriptures to see what this could mean and what it might lead to. Tonight will be the a discussion around this pursuit.

What we are going to discuss tonight is speaking to that part in us that feels like church is useless and this walk with Christ is pointless. There’s an audience of people in this world, particularly in this country, that have been so badly bruised by the church that they are no longer willing to entertain an intentional relationship with Christ. There are some who are at the brink of giving up and maybe have lost their passion due to their negative experiences.

This study is going to encourage you and share with you the goodness of pursuing Christ, aside from the negative experiences you may have endured.

However, there is one point I want to begin with.

Point 1: Sometimes, starting over [both spiritually and physically] requires building with [and upon] what didn’t work before.

Point 1a: Some of us are at a pivotal point in our lives—spiritually and physically. And one would assume starting over means getting rid of what was before in order to engage what is next. However, we are going to see that God often uses what fragments of what didn’t work in the past to propel you into your future.

Defining revival:

a process of renewal or resurgence.

a reawakening of faith or a renewed commitment to spiritual matters

Quote:

...few of us living in the West today have ever seen one. Many of those who think they have seen a revival may have in mind events that would not pass the biblical or historical standard. Perhaps their church holds regular “revival” meetings on certain nights of the week or during a summer month. But manipulative appeals to renew your vows to Christ do not constitute revival. During genuine revival, the Holy Spirit contends and convicts, but he does not manipulate as he grants Christians a new experience of God’s presence and power.

Hansen, C., & Woodbridge, J. (2010). A God-Sized Vision: Revival Stories that Stretch and Stir (p. 11). Zondervan.

I have reached the following conclusions:

Revival should always be desired.

Revival may be prayed for by man, but is determined by God.

Revival is for the church, not the world.

My Definition: Revival is when God takes broken parts of His community and build something new and refreshing.

Jeremiah 18:1–6 NLT

1 The Lord gave another message to Jeremiah. He said, 2 “Go down to the potter’s shop, and I will speak to you there.” 3 So I did as he told me and found the potter working at his wheel. 4 But the jar he was making did not turn out as he had hoped, so he crushed it into a lump of clay again and started over. 5 Then the Lord gave me this message: 6 “O Israel, can I not do to you as this potter has done to his clay? As the clay is in the potter’s hand, so are you in my hand.

Ezekiel 37:1–10 NLT

1 The Lord took hold of me, and I was carried away by the Spirit of the Lord to a valley filled with bones. 2 He led me all around among the bones that covered the valley floor. They were scattered everywhere across the ground and were completely dried out. 3 Then he asked me, “Son of man, can these bones become living people again?” “O Sovereign Lord,” I replied, “you alone know the answer to that.” 4 Then he said to me, “Speak a prophetic message to these bones and say, ‘Dry bones, listen to the word of the Lord! 5 This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Look! I am going to put breath into you and make you live again! 6 I will put flesh and muscles on you and cover you with skin. I will put breath into you, and you will come to life. Then you will know that I am the Lord.’ ” 7 So I spoke this message, just as he told me. Suddenly as I spoke, there was a rattling noise all across the valley. The bones of each body came together and attached themselves as complete skeletons. 8 Then as I watched, muscles and flesh formed over the bones. Then skin formed to cover their bodies, but they still had no breath in them. 9 Then he said to me, “Speak a prophetic message to the winds, son of man. Speak a prophetic message and say, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Come, O breath, from the four winds! Breathe into these dead bodies so they may live again.’ ” 10 So I spoke the message as he commanded me, and breath came into their bodies. They all came to life and stood up on their feet—a great army.

The prophet’s idea of revival was that God would take a remnant of Israel and perform His good plan for them.

Isaiah 10:20–22 “20 In that day the remnant left in Israel, the survivors in the house of Jacob, will no longer depend on allies who seek to destroy them. But they will faithfully trust the Lord, the Holy One of Israel. 21 A remnant will return; yes, the remnant of Jacob will return to the Mighty God. 22 But though the people of Israel are as numerous as the sand of the seashore, only a remnant of them will return. The Lord has rightly decided to destroy his people.”

Isaiah 11:11–12 “11 In that day the Lord will reach out his hand a second time to bring back the remnant of his people— those who remain in Assyria and northern Egypt; in southern Egypt, Ethiopia, and Elam; in Babylonia, Hamath, and all the distant coastlands. 12 He will raise a flag among the nations and assemble the exiles of Israel. He will gather the scattered people of Judah from the ends of the earth.”

Isaiah 37:31–32 “31 And you who are left in Judah, who have escaped the ravages of the siege, will put roots down in your own soil and grow up and flourish. 32 For a remnant of my people will spread out from Jerusalem, a group of survivors from Mount Zion. The passionate commitment of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies will make this happen!”

A remnant refers to a group of people who remain after a catastrophic event or judgment, often serving as a sign of God's faithfulness and as a nucleus for renewal[1][2]. In biblical context, the concept of a remnant is rooted in Deuteronomy and developed by prophets, applying to those who survive calamities or remain faithful during times of widespread apostasy[1][3]. The remnant's purpose is multifaceted: it demonstrates God's continued covenant relationship with His people despite judgment, serves as a witness calling for repentance, and forms the basis for future restoration[1][3]. Importantly, the existence of a remnant is attributed to God's grace and faithfulness rather than human merit[3]. This concept extends beyond Israel to include God's broader salvific purposes, suggesting hope for reconciliation on a larger scale[3][4]. In Seventh-day Adventist theology, the remnant is seen as those through whom God fulfills His eternal purpose and covenant promises, playing a crucial role in the cosmic conflict between good and evil[5].

[1] Youngblood, R. F., Bruce, F. F., & Harrison, R. K., Thomas Nelson Publishers, eds. (1995). In Nelson’s new illustrated Bible dictionary. Thomas Nelson, Inc. [2] Patzia, A. G., & Petrotta, A. J. (2002). Pocket dictionary of biblical studies (pp. 100–101). InterVarsity Press. [3] Rae, M. (2003). A Remnant People: The Ecclesia as Sign of Reconciliation. In C. E. Gunton (Ed.), The theology of reconciliation (p. 99). T&T Clark. [4] Witmer, J. A. (2000). Remnant. In C. R. Swindoll & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Theological Wordbook (p. 295). Word Publishing, Inc. [5] Rodríguez, Á. M. (2009). The Remnant People of God in the Writings of Ellen G. White. In Á. Manuel Rodríguez (Ed.), Toward a Theology of the Remnant: An Adventist Ecclesiological Perspective (Vol. 1, p. 182). Biblical Research Institute.

Two things lead to revival: prayer and repentance.

Matthew 4:17 “17 From then on Jesus began to preach, “Repent of your sins and turn to God, for the Kingdom of Heaven is near.””

Revival in the New Testament

So here’s the point: When God’s people are found in rebellion and idolatry, the answer is not to throw away the bunch and start something else. God’s mercy and holiness leads Him to take what’s left of what was and start something better.

Principle: When Jesus beheld the collapse of the nation of Israel [and His world] solution was [not His coming nor the end of the world], but His church and His kingdom.

Matthew 16:13–19 “When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?”* “Well,” they replied, “some say John the Baptist, some say Elijah, and others say Jeremiah or one of the other prophets.” Then he asked them, “But who do you say I am?” Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah,* the Son of the living God.” Jesus replied, “You are blessed, Simon son of John,* because my Father in heaven has revealed this to you. You did not learn this from any human being. Now I say to you that you are Peter (which means ‘rock’),* and upon this rock I will build my church, and all the powers of hell* will not conquer it. And I will give you the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven. Whatever you forbid* on earth will be forbidden in heaven, and whatever you permit* on earth will be permitted in heaven.””

Matthew 21:43 “43 I tell you, the Kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a nation that will produce the proper fruit.”

Matthew 5:5–13 “5 God blesses those who are humble, for they will inherit the whole earth. 6 God blesses those who hunger and thirst for justice, for they will be satisfied. 7 God blesses those who are merciful, for they will be shown mercy. 8 God blesses those whose hearts are pure, for they will see God. 9 God blesses those who work for peace, for they will be called the children of God. 10 God blesses those who are persecuted for doing right, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs. 11 “God blesses you when people mock you and persecute you and lie about you and say all sorts of evil things against you because you are my followers. 12 Be happy about it! Be very glad! For a great reward awaits you in heaven. And remember, the ancient prophets were persecuted in the same way. 13 “You are the salt of the earth. But what good is salt if it has lost its flavor? Can you make it salty again? It will be thrown out and trampled underfoot as worthless.”

The Third and Most Important Variable That Constitutes Revival: Holy/ Righteous Confrontation

I told you earlier there are two things that constitute revival. However, there is a third.

The first two were prayer and repentance. The last is holy/ righteous confrontation (which leads to judgment).

Matthew 21:12–17 NLT

12 Jesus entered the Temple and began to drive out all the people buying and selling animals for sacrifice. He knocked over the tables of the money changers and the chairs of those selling doves. 13 He said to them, “The Scriptures declare, ‘My Temple will be called a house of prayer,’ but you have turned it into a den of thieves!” 14 The blind and the lame came to him in the Temple, and he healed them. 15 The leading priests and the teachers of religious law saw these wonderful miracles and heard even the children in the Temple shouting, “Praise God for the Son of David.” But the leaders were indignant. 16 They asked Jesus, “Do you hear what these children are saying?” “Yes,” Jesus replied. “Haven’t you ever read the Scriptures? For they say, ‘You have taught children and infants to give you praise.’” 17 Then he returned to Bethany, where he stayed overnight.

Matthew 23 NLT

1 Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples, 2 “The teachers of religious law and the Pharisees are the official interpreters of the law of Moses. 3 So practice and obey whatever they tell you, but don’t follow their example. For they don’t practice what they teach. 4 They crush people with unbearable religious demands and never lift a finger to ease the burden. 5 “Everything they do is for show. On their arms they wear extra wide prayer boxes with Scripture verses inside, and they wear robes with extra long tassels. 6 And they love to sit at the head table at banquets and in the seats of honor in the synagogues. 7 They love to receive respectful greetings as they walk in the marketplaces, and to be called ‘Rabbi.’ 8 “Don’t let anyone call you ‘Rabbi,’ for you have only one teacher, and all of you are equal as brothers and sisters. 9 And don’t address anyone here on earth as ‘Father,’ for only God in heaven is your Father. 10 And don’t let anyone call you ‘Teacher,’ for you have only one teacher, the Messiah. 11 The greatest among you must be a servant. 12 But those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted. 13 “What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you shut the door of the Kingdom of Heaven in people’s faces. You won’t go in yourselves, and you don’t let others enter either. 15 “What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you cross land and sea to make one convert, and then you turn that person into twice the child of hell you yourselves are! 16 “Blind guides! What sorrow awaits you! For you say that it means nothing to swear ‘by God’s Temple,’ but that it is binding to swear ‘by the gold in the Temple.’ 17 Blind fools! Which is more important—the gold or the Temple that makes the gold sacred? 18 And you say that to swear ‘by the altar’ is not binding, but to swear ‘by the gifts on the altar’ is binding. 19 How blind! For which is more important—the gift on the altar or the altar that makes the gift sacred? 20 When you swear ‘by the altar,’ you are swearing by it and by everything on it. 21 And when you swear ‘by the Temple,’ you are swearing by it and by God, who lives in it. 22 And when you swear ‘by heaven,’ you are swearing by the throne of God and by God, who sits on the throne. 23 “What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you are careful to tithe even the tiniest income from your herb gardens, but you ignore the more important aspects of the law—justice, mercy, and faith. You should tithe, yes, but do not neglect the more important things. 24 Blind guides! You strain your water so you won’t accidentally swallow a gnat, but you swallow a camel! 25 “What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you are so careful to clean the outside of the cup and the dish, but inside you are filthy—full of greed and self-indulgence! 26 You blind Pharisee! First wash the inside of the cup and the dish, and then the outside will become clean, too. 27 “What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs—beautiful on the outside but filled on the inside with dead people’s bones and all sorts of impurity. 28 Outwardly you look like righteous people, but inwardly your hearts are filled with hypocrisy and lawlessness. 29 “What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you build tombs for the prophets your ancestors killed, and you decorate the monuments of the godly people your ancestors destroyed. 30 Then you say, ‘If we had lived in the days of our ancestors, we would never have joined them in killing the prophets.’ 31 “But in saying that, you testify against yourselves that you are indeed the descendants of those who murdered the prophets. 32 Go ahead and finish what your ancestors started. 33 Snakes! Sons of vipers! How will you escape the judgment of hell? 34 “Therefore, I am sending you prophets and wise men and teachers of religious law. But you will kill some by crucifixion, and you will flog others with whips in your synagogues, chasing them from city to city. 35 As a result, you will be held responsible for the murder of all godly people of all time—from the murder of righteous Abel to the murder of Zechariah son of Barachiah, whom you killed in the Temple between the sanctuary and the altar. 36 I tell you the truth, this judgment will fall on this very generation. 37 “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones God’s messengers! How often I have wanted to gather your children together as a hen protects her chicks beneath her wings, but you wouldn’t let me. 38 And now, look, your house is abandoned and desolate. 39 For I tell you this, you will never see me again until you say, ‘Blessings on the one who comes in the name of the Lord!’”

Closing Point: Revival comes when God destroys what in order to create what shall become.

In this circumstances, God seeks a remnant of people who are willing to avoid the status quo and courageously live for Jesus Christ in a world that is hostile against Him.