Will There Be Revival In America Before Christ Returns?

Ephesus Baptist Church’s Mission Statement: “Giving our all (Like 9:23) to love God (Matthew 22: 37), love people (Matthew 22: 38), proclaim Jesus (Acts 1: 8), and make disciples (Matthew 28: 18-20).”

Matthew 10:1–42 ESV

1 And he called to him his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every disease and every affliction. 2 The names of the twelve apostles are these: first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother; 3 Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; 4 Simon the Zealot, and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him. 5 These twelve Jesus sent out, instructing them, “Go nowhere among the Gentiles and enter no town of the Samaritans, 6 but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. 7 And proclaim as you go, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ 8 Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, cast out demons. You received without paying; give without pay. 9 Acquire no gold or silver or copper for your belts, 10 no bag for your journey, or two tunics or sandals or a staff, for the laborer deserves his food. 11 And whatever town or village you enter, find out who is worthy in it and stay there until you depart. 12 As you enter the house, greet it. 13 And if the house is worthy, let your peace come upon it, but if it is not worthy, let your peace return to you. 14 And if anyone will not receive you or listen to your words, shake off the dust from your feet when you leave that house or town. 15 Truly, I say to you, it will be more bearable on the day of judgment for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah than for that town. 16 “Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves. 17 Beware of men, for they will deliver you over to courts and flog you in their synagogues, 18 and you will be dragged before governors and kings for my sake, to bear witness before them and the Gentiles. 19 When they deliver you over, do not be anxious how you are to speak or what you are to say, for what you are to say will be given to you in that hour. 20 For it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you. 21 Brother will deliver brother over to death, and the father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death, 22 and you will be hated by all for my name’s sake. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. 23 When they persecute you in one town, flee to the next, for truly, I say to you, you will not have gone through all the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes. 24 “A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master. 25 It is enough for the disciple to be like his teacher, and the servant like his master. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebul, how much more will they malign those of his household. 26 “So have no fear of them, for nothing is covered that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known. 27 What I tell you in the dark, say in the light, and what you hear whispered, proclaim on the housetops. 28 And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell. 29 Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. 30 But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. 31 Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows. 32 So everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven, 33 but whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven. 34 “Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. 35 For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. 36 And a person’s enemies will be those of his own household. 37 Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. 38 And whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. 39 Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. 40 “Whoever receives you receives me, and whoever receives me receives him who sent me. 41 The one who receives a prophet because he is a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward, and the one who receives a righteous person because he is a righteous person will receive a righteous person’s reward. 42 And whoever gives one of these little ones even a cup of cold water because he is a disciple, truly, I say to you, he will by no means lose his reward.”

Acts 1:6–8 ESV

6 So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” 7 He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority. 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

Will there be revival in the United States before Christ returns?

Henry Blackaby states, “There will be revival in North America before Christ returns -- but it will NOT come through the church.”

There is the absolute necessity for fervent prayer in the church if there is going to be revival. For there is power in prayer!

Will Ephesus Baptist Church be transformational or powerless?

Are you the strongest or weakest link?

Jesus said…”I will build my church and the Gates of Hell shall not prevail against it…..”

THE church is assured a future…

Jesus DOES qualify His promise…

For any church to survive, Christ must be both the architect and the builder

The only churches that are promised survival are those that surrender to the master architect and builder…..

I believe every church that survives will not be content with survival. They desire to thrive…….

If there is NOT prayer, there is no vision, and where there is no vision there can be no revitalization

There MUST be a commitment for God’s people to PRAY….

Church members must fully understand and COMMIT to living out the church’s mission statement

EVERY group, event, program of the church must be a clear picture of the church “living out it’s mission.”

EVERY Christ-follower should be committed to being personally engaged in evangelism, missions, ministry, discipleship

When we are not engaged in ministry (including evangelism), then we are NOT “in sync” with Christ…..

What does it say if we have never shared our faith story with one lost person?

Jesus said, “HOW can you call me LORD and obey NOT m y commands…”

It is IMPOSSIBLE to truly study His Word and not be stirred into action and disturbed when we are not…..

The early church BELIEVED and acted in obedient faith……

They did not “say” their prayers ==THEY PRAYED

They healed the sick----cast out demons

They weren’t learned/trained men----BUT THEY WERE OPEN TO GOD!

God has COMMANDED that we BE FAITHFUL in proclaiming the Gospel

And the LORD was ADDING TO THE CHURCH DAILY…..

WHY WAS THE LORD ADDING TO THE CHURCH? They were striving daily to become His church….

They were studying daily the words He taught – to know them well enough to live them each day

COULD IT BE?????

They were praying daily –in the temple courts from house to house

They were proclaiming the Gospel, and God was adding to the church daily

Why is this NOT happening in America today?

“Every Dead Frog Must Wiggle……”

📷 The 5 functions of the church….

📷 Evangelism----Discipleship-----Fellowship-----Ministry-----Worship

📷 EVERY group in in the church MUST be engaged

📷 If they are engaged in these things, then it is becoming NATURAL as they grow in the Lord to be faithful in proclaiming the Gospel

What did you expect to receive out of your attendance in worship today?

You should expect a sense of God’s presence

You should expect to be convicted of the sin that is unconfessed and repent

Upon your repentance you should expect to experience the fullness of His JOY because you have been forgiven of your sin

You should expect to grow in your desire and willingness to serve the Lord with gladness in your heart

When someone comes to church, they should be able to have an encounter with the Living God that produces real change in our lives! Major research studies have shown that when a church is seeing regular, sustained, consistent transformation in the lives of people that make up those churches, more than 75% of them agreed that they see evidence of God changing lives as a direct result of their worship services/worship experiences.

IF we belong to Christ---have come into His church to worship----THEN our desire as we leave is to be faithful in our witness----

If we are NOT, then we are not wholly obedient to the commands of Christ.

And if we are NOT WHOLLY OBEDIENT, then we will not be a part of revival in His church…..

Churches that neglect genuine, biblical fellowship can lead to “failure to thrive syndrome.” Fellowship is essential---it builds….

JOY

UNITY

MEETS NEEDS

BUILDS THE KINGDOM

LEADS TO PERSONAL ENGAGEMENT IN MINISTRY AND PERSONAL EVANGELISM

Evangelism IS a natural byproduct of what we have received/experienced from Christ….It is simply passing on the good news to one that needs to hear the good news…..it is “one beggar telling another beggar where they can find bread…..”

The invitation today is simple----Surrender all ---to love God---love people----proclaim Jesus---make disciples---and experience the fullness of His abiding Joy!