The Church's Condition At Christ's Return (part 2)

Intro

Text - Acts 3.19-21

Acts 3:19–21 NKJV

19 Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, 20 and that He may send Jesus Christ, who was preached to you before, 21 whom heaven must receive until the times of restoration of all things, which God has spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the world began.

Title - The Church’s Condition At Christ’s Return

Series - Part 2 in the series

Review of Part 1

Repentance precedes all revivals

The time of “revivals” (18th-19th centuries) corrsponds to the times of refreshing

The events of the 20th-21st centuries correpond to the times of restoration of all things

The time of Christ’s return will be at the times of restoration of all things

Christ will come when the church has experienced her restoration

restoration of the gifts and power of the Holy Spirit - apostolic experience

restoration to the true doctrines of the Bible - apostolic doctrines

restoration to apostolic leadership - apostolic ministry (five-fold ministry)

The time of Revivals - Refreshing - is past

WMB stated this fact in his day

   61-0210 - Abraham's Covenant Confirmed

17 Now, that’s just the way it is. There’s been so many things to this American revival has happened, till it’s become so common to you, until you don’t realize what it really is. And them people who has never seen it or heard it, my, their—their hearts are just built and ready and gone. See? That’s what it… It becomes common to us.

And, brother, sister, that’s why you hear me cutting it as hard as I can, “The American revival is over.” It ended about four years ago. So it’s—it’s over. And there’s no more revival in America; we’re only gleaning in the fields that’s been already reaped and burnt over. You pick up a stalk once in a while, but very few. Now, we don’t only find it here in Los Angeles or in Long Beach; we find it all over the nation, the same way, everywhere.

18 And the—the meetings now, the big revivals is in the overseas, over in the—in the other lands, out of here. And that’s… it’s… I was talking to one of your missionaries right from the church, a boy setting here tonight, met his wife back there, a lovely brother, just come back from the Gold Coast. And, oh, my, I said, “What do you think?”

5 The Church, perhaps the Bride is done chosen. It’s, get Her ready now. The getting Her…

6 The revival is over. We know that. There’s no more revival spirit. Two hours of service, everybody is complaining. In a revival, it’s day and night, all the time, never breaks. The revival is done. And so we are just gleaning.    62-0706 - Jehovah-Jireh #2

23 And when you see a servant of God get so sincere till he is on his face with his hands in the air, a praying to God, and blushing because the iniquity of the people, then you’re going to see a revival start. A man cannot lay in the Presence of God, a church cannot stay in the Presence of God, under repentance, unless the Holy Spirit comes down and gives unction and power to start a move of God in there among those people. Just got to be!

24 Show me a man. Show me another Calvin, Knox, Finney, Sankey, or any of those who feels the burden of the people, that’ll lay on their face and cry and pray before God. Send us a John Smith of the Baptist church again, who prayed all night for the iniquity of the people, until his eyes would be swelled shut the next morning, from weeping, till his wife would lead him to the table and feed him his breakfast out of a spoon. Show me a John Wesley again, a fire brand snatched from the fire, I’ll show you a revival.

25 What they’re doing today, we’re patting it on the back. We are calling it this and that, and a revival, when there’s no revival to it. That’s right. There’s a stirring of emotion of religion among the people, but no revival.    56-1125E - A Blushing Prophet

We are living in the times of restoration of all things

The 20th and 21st centuries are the days of “restoration of all things”

1906 Azusa Street - the gifts of the Holy Spirit were restored back to the church

Pentecostal movement

the churches focused on the spiritual gifts in the church

1930s-1960s - apostolic doctrines were restored back to the church

end-time message movement

the churches focused on the ministry of the Star-Messenger to Laodicean Age

1966-beyond - this is the time of the 5-fold ministry; God is restoration true and apostolic leadership in the church

before this time, everyone looked to the ministry of ONE MAN - WMB

the churches’ focus SHOULD BE on the work and leadership of the 5 gifts of Christ to the Church

Apostles

Prophets

Evangelists

Pastors

Teachers

The Church needs restoration

In WMB’s words

And before this Vine of the Lord, the Grapevine…He’s the Vine; we’re the branches. And before we can ever find out, or the Church can stand in its former and original power, we’ll have to go back and find out what the insects eat. And that Church will have to be restored back to that, or it will never stand in its power and glory of its first standing.    59-0823 - Palmerworm, Locust, Cankerworm, Caterpillar

The Marks of the Restored Church

The Church has been restored when these marks are visible in her life -

Apostolic experience - the spiritual gifts and power of the Holy Spirit

WMB’s words

6 It is to my humble belief, that we’re living near the end time. Or may I make it a little more personal than that, saying: we’re living in the end time. And if… I believe it’s time for restoration of the church that was promised that God would send in the last day.

And I believe that this is the day that when the Word has been preached so much, and the day’s getting so dark and so evil, till according to God’s Word, He was to restore all that the caterpillar had eaten, the palmerworm had eaten, will be restored back again. And this is the day of the restoration of the spiritual gifts given into the church.    53-0215 - Jesus Christ The Same Yesterday, Today, And Forever

21 Let’s go back to the real first light, the old Pentecostal blessing and the power of the Holy Ghost back in the church. They put it all on the preacher today. It ain’t the preacher. The Holy Ghost is just as much to the laity as it is to the preacher. He ain’t got all the religion.

They got it out there, and I’m one today that believes that we ought to get the Spirit of God back in the church, where we can have the gifts of the Spirit operating with unction and power…    60-1127M - It Wasn't So From The Beginning

47 ...The Gentile Church has come into existence. It’s had two thousand years of churches, and revivals, and so forth. And it’s been wonderful. Forty years ago when Mrs. McPherson, and lots of the great saints that lived in that day, when the Holy Spirit was poured out upon the church, and great gifts begin to be restored, such as the unknown tongues and the interpretation, great healing services, and angels singing in the temples, and so forth. It was great.    59-0404 - What Is The Works Of God?

So why is the Church not enjoying the gifts today?

We are taught wrong -

that gifts are for babies

the Message is all we need

that gifts can be misused - partly true

What does the Bible say?

gifts edify - especially when used properly!

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday today and forever!

gifts can help bring the church to maturity

What’s the point?

THE RESTORED CHURCH IS ONE WHO DOES NOT LACK THE GIFTS OF THE SPIRIT IN HER MIDST

CHRIST WILL NOT RETURN TO A CHURCH WHO DOES NOT BELIEVE IN THE GIFTS

NOTE - THE IMPORTANCE OF THE GIFTS

the spiritual gifts reflect the character of the Giver - Christ!

the spiritual gifts remind the believer that there is MORE in Christ!

Rebekah received gifts from Isaac, through Elezar

to receive the gifts is to ACKNOWLEDGE the Giver!

the spiritual gifts demonstrate the power of the living Christ!

Apostolic Doctrine - the true doctrines of the apostles

In WMB’s words -

167 God promised this church a Scriptural sign. He said the resurrection would be reproduced, Jesus Christ and His Church would become so they would be one, in the last days. He promised it. Now we know that it’s true.

168 Now, He also promised that there would be a restoring of the Faith. We read over in Jude, that said in Jude, “Earnestly contend for the Faith that was once delivered to the saints.” Now we are promised, in Malachi 4, by the same system He always did, that we would be restored back to the original Faith.

.... Back to the original Seed, back to the Seed like it begin on the Day of Pentecost, back to the same Doctrine, Word by Word, power by power, Spirit, by the same thing just exactly like it was back in the beginning, through signs and wonders of the living Presence of Jesus Christ. After two thousand years, He is still alive. And He is the same yesterday, today, and forever.    63-0731 - There Is Only One Way Provided By God For Anything

96 Uniting time for the Church! Oh, my! Uniting every Word that’s been scattered all abroad by these organizations: ever since at Nicaea, Rome, when they organized the first church, and they’ve organized Luther, they organized Wesley, they organized all the rest of the churches. And doing that, they had to adopt a creed, and then when God sent something else, they could not receive It.

Therefore, it was not possible until now. And God promised, in the last days, that “the Faith of the fathers would be restored back to the Bride again,” that it would be this way, and it couldn’t be no other time but this time...    63-0818 - The Uniting Time And Sign

15 And Jesus told those worshippers of that day, that they was worshipping Him in vain, “teaching for doctrine the commandments of men.” What am I trying to say? You’ve got to go back to the Word of God to get back. You’ve got to go back.

The church will never be able to move forward any farther, until it gets to the Word and move on the Word. We’ve got to come to the Word. No matter what the sensation is, what it looks like, how big the church is, how mighty the people are; you’ve got to come back to the Word of God. That’s God’s Eternal Word, and we have to come to It.    60-0306 - It Wasn't So From The Beginning

So why are the Message churches not going back to the Word?

What is going on in many message churches?

people are content to just say what WMB said

people believe the prophet but they do not obey his instructions - “go back to the word”

people are more excited to hear what the prophet said, than what the Bible said

We are misled to believe that -

once you believed the prophet you are already restored!

it is better to just say what the prophet said,

the reason the denominations is because they studied the Scripture on their own

the true believer BELIEVES EVERYTHING that the prophet said or spoke!

The Biblical truth is -

believing the prophet nor his sermons DOES NOT automatically mean restoration - YOU HAVE GOT TO ACTUALLY BELIEVE IN THE SCRIPTURE AND LEARN TO LOVE THE WORD OF GOD, AND FEED ON THE WORD OF GOD!

Restoration means UNDERSTANDING, BELIEVING and PRACTICING JUST WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS.

Why? BECAUSE THAT IS NOT WHAT HAPPENED TO US WHEN WE WERE IN THE DENOMINATIONS

IN THE DENOMINATIONS, WE WERE TAUGHT THE DOGMAS OF THE CHURCH AND CREEDS OF MEN.

WMB corrects these wrong ideas -

   56-0223 - God's Covenant With Abraham And His Seed

When I’m eating fried chicken I don’t, when I hit the bone I don’t throw the chicken away, I just throw the bone away. So you do the same thing when I’m teaching, if it’s contrary to your faith, or the Word of God, then just throw that away and take what you think is right. So just… That’ll be fair enough

   62-0129 - Explaining The Ministry

9 And let’s just search back. If that isn’t Scriptural, then leave it alone. If I ever say anything in your presence, as a doctrine or a teaching, that’s not in the Bible, forget it, because it’s not right.

And if the—any angel (I don’t care how real he looks, and how inspired he is), if he speaks contrary to the Word of God, leave him alone. He’s not of God. Galatians 1:8 said, “An angel from heaven preach any other doctrine than this is, what already taught, let him be accursed.” We don’t—We don’t take nothing but just what God…

WHAT’S THE POINT?

If you are stuck with “just say what the tape says”, or “believe everything the prophet said” - YOU ARE NOT YET RESTORED!

Christ will not return to a church that has not be restored back to HIS WORD!

NOTE - how can we know that our understanding of the Scripture is true?

BE GUIDED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT!

THE HOLY SPIRIT IS THE REAL GUIDE - NOT THE MAN!

IT IS NOT THE WORDS OF THE PROPHET THAT COMPLETES THE CHURCH - BUT THE WORD OF GOD!

2 Timothy 3:16–17 NKJV

16 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.

Colossians 2:8–10 NKJV

8 Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ. 9 For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily; 10 and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power.

Colossians 4:12 NKJV

12 Epaphras, who is one of you, a bondservant of Christ, greets you, always laboring fervently for you in prayers, that you may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God.

may you stand perfect and complete in all the will of God

[FOR PART 3]

Apostolic Leadership - the ministry of the 5 ascension gifts

Conclusion

Are you the Restored Church in the last days?

IF YOU ARE -

DON’T EVER THINK THAT THE GIFTS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT ARE NO LONGER NEEDED TODAY!

RECEIVE THE SPIRITUAL GIFTS - USE THEM, ENJOY THEIR BENEFITS, BE STRENGTHENED BY THEM!

IF YOU ARE -

DON’T EVER STICK TO JUST WHAT THE PROPHET SAID!

KNOW THEM FROM THE SCRIPTURES!

KNOW WHERE THEY ARE IN THE SCRIPTURES!

BELIEVE BECAUSE THE BIBLE SAID SO!

219 Oh, we are here, brother, sister. We’re at the time. Let’s let the Holy Spirit influence us to the Word of God. Let’s let God do the influencing in our hearts, and not be influenced by others. See? This ought to put us in action with reverence and humility, the Pillar of Fire vindicated among us again, like it was, bringing the children of Israel. Signs of His Coming is at hand. Oh, my! The Word, by the Word being fulfilled, we see the promise, “The last days, He would pour out His Spirit.”    63-0112 - Influence

SONG - Complete (start with Chorus)

Chorus:

So I lift my eyes to You Lord

In Your strength will I break through Lord

Touch me now

Let Your love fall down on me

I know Your love dispels all my fears

And I will be complete in You

Here I am, Oh God I bring this sacrifice

My open heart I offer up my life

I look to You, Lord Your love that never ends

Restores me again