Not Just Another Tent Meeting

Big Idea: Modern church culture has diluted revival to a multi-evening tent meeting with spitting preachers and spontaneous baptisms. Real, authentic revival comes only from God breaking the hearts of proud people to show them the depth of their sin, coupled with the even greater depth of His grace. D.A Carson said this about revival: “It is closer to the more historic sense of a special movement of God’s Spirit that brings with it deep conviction of sin, fresh contrition and fresh holiness, and concomitant zeal for God’s Word and God’s glory—a special movement that may be as short as a few hours or as long as many years, and may result in thousands being renewed, and more thousands being converted.” Revival will not come to this community until… Add notes I. We Recognize Our Sinfulness (vs. 1-3) Knowing the history of this psalm makes a difference. Psalm 85 was written by the “sons of Korah.” Korah was charged by the Lord with leading a rebellion during the exodus. He was punished, but the Lord spared some of his children as a show of His grace. They spent the rest of their lives serving around the tabernacle and were effusive of their appreciation of the Lord’s grace on them. Psalm 85 is a cry from these sons, after the Israelites exile to Babylon and return to Jerusalem. They’re begging God to send revival amongst their people. Check out the verbiage in this Psalm. Feel the passion as the Psalmist(s) and the people cry out to God for revival. “Restore us again, O Lord.” “Will you be angry with us forever?” “Will you not revive us again, so that your people may rejoice in you?” “Show us your unfailing Love, O Lord, and grant us your salvation.” Add notes II. We Receive God’s Graciousness (vs. 4-6) Revival ALWAYS begins with God. “You must let the gospel argue with you. You must let the gospel sink down deeply until it changes your views and the structures of your motivation. You must be trained and discipled by the gospel. The gospel, if it is truly believed, helps us out of the extreme neediness that is natural to the human heart.” - Tim Keller Secondly in this text we find that it is the prayers and cries of the Psalmist and God’s people who catches the ear of God. Do you want God to hear you, then cry out. Do we want God to hear us then cry out, Do we want God to heal our families, then cry out. Do we want God to heal our land then cry out! Yes, “Let the church cry out on behalf of this nation. Lord revive us again.” During this pandemic I would have thought that more people would be joining us on Thursdays for the one-hour prayer line, but not yet. v. 5- The Sons of Korah cry out to God in fear, but also in confidence. And God hears them. Church, when we cry out to God, and we have no ulterior motive than the exaltation of God, He hears us! And, He offers us grace. ZECHARIAH 13:9 - gold purification process REVELATION 21:21 - the end result of true purity. Transparent. God shows us grace, in that he begins a work in us that will end in transparency…nothing to hide. Add notes III. We Recline Into God’s Fellowship (v. 7) v. 7 - “steadfast love” - never changing, a closeness. JOHN 13:23 - Last Supper by Leonardo da Vinci When we commune with the Lord we’re invited into close fellowship with him. We get to recline into Him. This was a Persian method of eating meals the Israelites picked up during the Babylonian Captivity.