The NEED For Revival 1 – The LATENESS of the Hour

The Problem = Time is running out

salvation nearer

Romans 13:11–12 NLT

11 This is all the more urgent, for you know how late it is; time is running out. Wake up, for our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. 12 The night is almost gone; the day of salvation will soon be here. So remove your dark deeds like dirty clothes, and put on the shining armor of right living.

Days of Noah – time ran out - then judgment

God’s Spirit will not strive with man forever. Deadline set.

· End of all flesh is at hand

Eating drinking = wasting time!

Luke 17:26–29 NLT

26 “When the Son of Man returns, it will be like it was in Noah’s day. 27 In those days, the people enjoyed banquets and parties and weddings right up to the time Noah entered his boat and the flood came and destroyed them all. 28 “And the world will be as it was in the days of Lot. People went about their daily business—eating and drinking, buying and selling, farming and building— 29 until the morning Lot left Sodom. Then fire and burning sulfur rained down from heaven and destroyed them all.

The Church is running late

Gospel preached. THEN the End comes – God is waiting on US!!

Matthew 24:14 NLT

14 And the Good News about the Kingdom will be preached throughout the whole world, so that all nations will hear it; and then the end will come.

Jesus’ return is delayed - great commission not finished.

Mankind is on Borrowed time!

· Prophecy points to a 7,000 lifespan of the earth

· 1,000 years are reserved for the Millennium

· 6000 years have already gone!

· Last days at Pentecost- really late now – started God’s prophetic time clock

· Last days

The End Time signs are all around us!

scoffers of promise

2 Peter 3:3–5 NLT

3 Most importantly, I want to remind you that in the last days scoffers will come, mocking the truth and following their own desires. 4 They will say, “What happened to the promise that Jesus is coming again? From before the times of our ancestors, everything has remained the same since the world was first created.” 5 They deliberately forget that God made the heavens long ago by the word of his command, and he brought the earth out from the water and surrounded it with water.

Matt 24:42 - hour unknown

Matthew 24:42 NLT

42 “So you, too, must keep watch! For you don’t know what day your Lord is coming.

“Nones” – church is losing ground!

· 30% of Americans in the 21st century no longer identify as having ANY religious affiliation, the highest ever.

· Despite a church on every corner and 24/7 teaching via livestream and media

Answer: Live with Urgency!

During His earthly ministry, Jesus did not have time to waste. The urgency of time compelled Him to answer the root of people’s questions – sometimes sounding off subject – such as when He told Nicodemus that he must be born again!

The King is Coming!

· Make way for the King

· Last thing the OT prophets preached - John Baptist

· First thing Jesus preached

· Will be the last thing the churches preach

· End of the Bible

Redeem the lost time

Redeem time / days are evil

Ephesians 5:16 NLT

16 Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days.

Judgement day is coming

· The final sentence on all mankind will soon be passed – with no possible change for all of eternity!

Acts 17:31 NLT

31 For he has set a day for judging the world with justice by the man he has appointed, and he proved to everyone who this is by raising him from the dead.”

Fields are already white!

John 4:35 NLT

35 You know the saying, ‘Four months between planting and harvest.’ But I say, wake up and look around. The fields are already ripe for harvest.

We are still not saved

Jeremiah 8:20 NLT

20 “The harvest is finished, and the summer is gone,” the people cry, “yet we are not saved!”

Pray for laborers

Luke 10:2 NLT

2 These were his instructions to them: “The harvest is great, but the workers are few. So pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest; ask him to send more workers into his fields.

Wake up

work late

Nehemiah 4:21 NLT

21 We worked early and late, from sunrise to sunset. And half the men were always on guard.

Esteem the end time

John 9:4–5 NLT

4 We must quickly carry out the tasks assigned us by the one who sent us. The night is coming, and then no one can work. 5 But while I am here in the world, I am the light of the world.”

Closing: Obey God NOW