WEBVTT 00:00:00.059 --> 00:00:01.082 Prepare for the sermon. 00:00:01.082 --> 00:00:10.691 If there are any children here who would like to go downstairs and join them in our children's church, you're welcome to leave now and go down there and enjoy a nice Bible lesson. 00:00:10.691 --> 00:00:31.083 It should come as no surprise that today we will continue our sermon series in the Acts of the Apostles, acts chapter 8,. 00:00:31.083 --> 00:00:38.551 If you brought a Bible and want to follow along today, and if you'd like a sermon outline or borrow a Bible, please raise your hand. 00:00:38.551 --> 00:00:40.642 Our ushers would be happy to help you. 00:00:58.820 --> 00:01:07.474 One Sunday a pastor was preaching on spiritual growth and he was using the analogy of plant growth to illustrate his point of how do we grow spiritually? 00:01:07.474 --> 00:01:17.640 And he says you know, god knows which of us grows best in the direct sunlight and which of us grow best in the shade. 00:01:17.640 --> 00:01:29.801 For example, he said roses must be planted in the sun, but fuchsias must be planted in the shade, where they thrive Well. 00:01:29.801 --> 00:01:34.227 After the service a woman came up to the pastor and her face was just beaming. 00:01:34.227 --> 00:01:42.174 She said your sermon this morning did so much good for me, pastor, thank you. 00:01:42.174 --> 00:01:46.129 I always wondered what was wrong with my fuchsias. 00:01:46.129 --> 00:01:54.972 Now I hope my sermon will help somebody here as well today. 00:01:58.301 --> 00:01:59.903 It's funny what we remember, isn't it? 00:01:59.903 --> 00:02:09.105 Last time, in Acts, chapter 8, we saw that, because of the severe persecution of Christians in Jerusalem, they were scattered throughout the region. 00:02:09.105 --> 00:02:21.213 They left and we followed the story of Philip, a disciple of Jesus, who fled Jerusalem and went north into the cities of Samaria, and he proclaimed Jesus and he preached the gospel. 00:02:21.213 --> 00:02:31.532 Today, we're going to take a second look at this passage, where we'll focus on what happened to Simon the magician In Acts, chapter 8, beginning in verse 4,. 00:02:31.532 --> 00:02:41.006 Therefore, those who had been scattered went about preaching the word, and Philip went down to the city of Samaria and began proclaiming Christ to them. 00:02:41.006 --> 00:03:00.454 And the multitudes, with one accord, were giving attention to what was said by Philip, as they heard and saw the signs which he was performing, for, in the case of many who had unclean spirits, they were coming out of them shouting with a loud voice, and many who had been paralyzed and lame were healed, and there was much rejoicing in the city. 00:03:00.454 --> 00:03:25.592 Now there was a certain man named Simon, who formerly practiced magic in the city and astonished the people of Samaria, claiming to be someone great, and they all, from the smallest to the greatest, were giving attention to him, saying this man is what is called the great power of God, and they were giving him attention because he had for a long time astonished them with his magic arts. 00:03:25.592 --> 00:03:38.008 But when they believed Philip preaching the good news about the kingdom of God in the name of Jesus Christ, they were being baptized men, women alike, and even Simon himself believed. 00:03:38.008 --> 00:03:47.924 And after being baptized he continued on with Philip and as he observed signs and great miracles taking place, he was constantly amazed. 00:03:48.724 --> 00:04:04.128 Now, when the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent them Peter and John, who came down and prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit, for he had not yet fallen upon any of them. 00:04:04.128 --> 00:04:08.336 They had simply been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 00:04:08.336 --> 00:04:14.486 Then they began laying their hands on them and they were receiving the Holy Spirit. 00:04:14.486 --> 00:04:28.324 Now, when Simon saw that the Spirit was bestowed by the laying on of hands, he offered them money, saying Give this authority to me as well, so that everyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit. 00:04:28.324 --> 00:04:38.089 But Peter said to him May your silver perish with you, because you thought you could obtain the gift of God with money. 00:04:38.089 --> 00:04:44.369 You have no part or portion in this matter, for your heart is not right before God. 00:04:44.369 --> 00:04:49.026 Therefore, repent of this wickedness of yours and pray the Lord if possible. 00:04:49.026 --> 00:04:56.855 The intention of your heart may be forgiven you, for I see that you are in the gall of bitterness and in the bondage of iniquity. 00:04:56.855 --> 00:05:03.348 But Simon answered and said pray to the Lord for me, yourselves, so that nothing of what you have said may come upon me. 00:05:05.250 --> 00:05:12.709 As a result of Philip's ministry, many Samaritans believed in Jesus and were baptized, including Simon the magician, the former magician. 00:05:12.709 --> 00:05:22.528 But as we learned last time, if you were here, simon believed and was baptized, but was not really born again or converted. 00:05:22.528 --> 00:05:27.071 So I want to follow up on that and we'll take a closer look this morning. 00:05:27.071 --> 00:05:34.752 Today we're going to look at two things Understanding the gospel message and second, the recipe for spiritual revival. 00:05:34.752 --> 00:05:54.293 First, when the apostles in Jerusalem heard that many Samaritans had received the word of God, believed and baptized, they sent Peter and John to confirm it that the gospel had in fact crossed the racial and cultural barrier from Jews to Samaritans. 00:05:54.293 --> 00:05:57.425 How would they know that? 00:05:57.425 --> 00:06:00.389 By the confirming witness of the Holy Spirit. 00:06:00.389 --> 00:06:15.225 It was confirmed when Peter started laying his hands on the Samaritan who believed, and they received the Holy Spirit and began speaking in tongues, just like the Holy Spirit did at Pentecost in Acts 2 with the Jews. 00:06:15.225 --> 00:06:25.793 So Simon could tell right away okay, this is legit, it's confirmed, you are true believers in Jesus and you have received the Holy Spirit. 00:06:25.793 --> 00:06:33.512 When that happened, I believe it set this platform for us to understand. 00:06:33.512 --> 00:06:43.744 From that time on, anybody anywhere who believes in Jesus will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit, understanding God's grace. 00:06:43.744 --> 00:06:52.588 That salvation is a free gift to everyone who believes in Jesus is the key to receiving the Holy Spirit and being born again. 00:06:52.588 --> 00:06:55.473 I can't emphasize that enough. 00:06:55.473 --> 00:06:58.605 Don't miss this Understanding. 00:06:58.605 --> 00:06:59.687 Don't miss this. 00:06:59.687 --> 00:07:03.781 Understanding it, grasping it, understanding it, grasping it. 00:07:03.802 --> 00:07:08.507 The Apostle Paul spilled considerable ink over this, this truth. 00:07:08.507 --> 00:07:12.391 Listen to what he said to the Colossians in chapter 1, 3-6. 00:07:12.391 --> 00:07:21.870 He says we always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, because we've heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and the love you have for all God's people. 00:07:21.870 --> 00:07:25.500 The faith and the love that spring from the hope stored up for you in heaven and about which you have for all God's people. 00:07:25.500 --> 00:07:31.365 The faith and the love that spring from the hope stored up for you in heaven and about which you've already heard, in the true message of the gospel that has come to you. 00:07:31.365 --> 00:07:45.446 In the same way, the gospel is bearing fruit, growing through the whole world, just as it's been doing among you since the day listen to me, since the day you first heard it and truly understood it. 00:07:45.446 --> 00:07:57.610 There it is, there it is, he says to Ephesians 2, verses 8 and 9, for by grace you have been saved, through faith, and that's not of yourselves. 00:07:57.610 --> 00:08:04.911 It is the gift of God, not as a result of works, so that no one may boast of works. 00:08:04.911 --> 00:08:07.079 So that no one may boast. 00:08:07.079 --> 00:08:21.595 I'm going to emphasize the fact that we must understand the true gospel of grace before the transaction can be made of receiving the Holy Spirit, understanding it more than just in our heads. 00:08:21.595 --> 00:08:22.728 Christ died. 00:08:22.728 --> 00:08:23.670 He rose again. 00:08:23.670 --> 00:08:28.293 No, no, no, we'll talk about that today. 00:08:28.444 --> 00:08:34.413 Peter was confirming the genuine faith of those who believed in Jesus by laying his hands on them to receive the Holy Spirit. 00:08:34.413 --> 00:08:42.629 Simon, the former magician, believed in Jesus when he was baptized, but he had not yet received the Holy Spirit, and there's a reason for that. 00:08:42.629 --> 00:08:43.874 We're going to see. 00:08:43.874 --> 00:08:48.556 That means he was not yet born again. 00:08:48.556 --> 00:08:53.591 You can't be born again without the regeneration of the Holy Spirit in our hearts. 00:08:53.591 --> 00:08:58.073 You cannot, no matter what your head, knowledge is telling you. 00:08:58.073 --> 00:09:01.830 It's a function. 00:09:01.830 --> 00:09:07.636 Being born again is a function of the Holy Spirit actually in our lives. 00:09:07.636 --> 00:09:16.214 Simon was watching Peter in awe and he saw it laying his hands on people and they received the Holy Spirit, whoa. 00:09:16.214 --> 00:09:24.813 And he offered Peter to pay for that power to do that so people would be more amazed at him. 00:09:24.813 --> 00:09:40.578 And when Peter heard that, he knew that Simon did not understand understand the gospel of grace, but went through the motions like he did. 00:09:42.005 --> 00:09:59.177 Luke includes Simon's account I believe this is my opinion as a kind of wake-up call, warning to those who profess to believe the gospel of Jesus and are baptized but they may not truly be born again and converted by the Holy Spirit in them. 00:09:59.177 --> 00:10:12.979 The Apostle Paul stated only those who understand the gospel, believe in Jesus and receive the Holy Spirit are truly born again and regenerated Ephesians 1, 13 and 14. 00:10:12.979 --> 00:10:43.091 In him Paul says you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation, having also believed you, the gospel is the first step towards a genuine, real spiritual revival, of spiritual conversion. 00:10:43.091 --> 00:10:55.187 Spiritual revival breaks out when Christians finally understand the grace, the grace of the gospel in Jesus, from the depths of their heart, not just their heads. 00:10:55.187 --> 00:10:58.652 They've experienced it, they got it. 00:10:58.652 --> 00:11:05.120 When the gospel of grace is understood, it leads to things. 00:11:05.120 --> 00:11:09.215 It leads to repentance of sin, surrender to the Lord. 00:11:09.215 --> 00:11:10.037 Jesus Christ. 00:11:10.037 --> 00:11:14.676 We'll see, as Peter continues with Simon. 00:11:15.865 --> 00:11:40.375 Historically, revivals like the Great Awakening in America 1734 to 1743 in New England with Jonathan Edwards, begin when hearts of Christians and non-Christians are deeply impacted by understanding the gospel as a gift, a gift of grace In Jonathan Edwards' church. 00:11:40.375 --> 00:12:05.508 When they began to understand that they were beneficiaries In Jonathan Edwards' church, when they began to understand that they were beneficiaries, not earners, beneficiaries of grace so profound and undeserved, based on Jesus' great love for them, they were converted, they received the Holy Spirit and their lives were dramatically changed. 00:12:05.508 --> 00:12:38.080 In describing what happened in Jonathan Edwards', northampton, massachusetts church in 1734, observers said at the time it pleased God to display his free and sovereign mercy in the conversion of a great multitude of souls in a short space of time, turning them from a formal, cold, careless profession of Christianity to the lively exercise of every Christian grace and the powerful practice of a holy religion. 00:12:38.080 --> 00:12:55.384 They saw it when they finally what this is so beautiful and undeserved and magnificent and he's giving it to us for believing in his son Jesus. 00:12:55.384 --> 00:13:03.072 What can we do but respond in this kind of repentance and giving our lives to him? 00:13:03.072 --> 00:13:05.432 One church historian wrote about this. 00:13:05.432 --> 00:13:16.515 He said during a spiritual revival, god supernaturally transforms believers and non-believers in a church region, nation or world. 00:13:16.515 --> 00:13:26.375 Through sudden, intense realization of the gospel, people sense the presence of God powerfully. 00:13:26.375 --> 00:13:30.056 Conviction, contrition, repentance and prayer come easily. 00:13:30.056 --> 00:13:33.673 People thirst for God's word. 00:13:33.673 --> 00:13:39.253 Many authentic conversions occur and backsliders are renewed. 00:13:54.073 --> 00:13:56.664 Peter, I believe, is trying to help Simon experience a spiritual revival. 00:13:56.664 --> 00:14:03.517 Move, understand the truth of the gospel from your head to your heart and experience the love of God you've never maybe touched before. 00:14:03.517 --> 00:14:08.530 That's how much he loves you. 00:14:08.530 --> 00:14:15.587 Spiritual revival happens when the magnitude of God's grace toward us, as Paul said in Colossians, is fully understood. 00:14:15.587 --> 00:14:18.331 That's where it begins. 00:14:18.331 --> 00:14:21.154 Peter said to him May your silver perish with you. 00:14:21.154 --> 00:14:21.596 Simon. 00:14:21.596 --> 00:14:25.660 You thought you could obtain the gift of God with money. 00:14:25.660 --> 00:14:29.211 You don't get it. 00:14:29.211 --> 00:14:34.433 Maybe you understood who Jesus is and what he. 00:14:34.433 --> 00:14:41.715 You don't have the Holy Spirit, receiving the Holy Spirit, is a gift of grace. 00:14:41.715 --> 00:14:46.157 It's not bought, earned, obtained by anything we deserve. 00:14:46.157 --> 00:14:50.091 When we begin thinking we deserve God's favor. 00:14:50.091 --> 00:14:53.477 We don't understand grace. 00:14:55.826 --> 00:15:08.235 One reason I think many Christians lose the love and fire of their salvation is because we tend to draw back to our old thinking that our relationship with God is all works-based. 00:15:08.235 --> 00:15:15.716 He's pleased with us when we follow his commandments, which is true, but we lose sight of grace. 00:15:15.716 --> 00:15:18.133 We don't deserve this, we're unworthy. 00:15:18.133 --> 00:15:29.048 And when we do that, when we move to a works-based thinking about how God receives us, that results? 00:15:29.048 --> 00:15:37.211 It will result in a lack of joy, because we can never live up. 00:15:37.211 --> 00:15:42.374 We'll always be discouraged by our progress. 00:15:42.374 --> 00:15:55.571 When you forget grace, it results in a lack of joy and for some, we become judgmental and critical, pharisaical spirits. 00:15:55.571 --> 00:16:05.173 Judging others and thinking we're better than others is a dead dead giveaway. 00:16:05.173 --> 00:16:11.014 We have lost sight of God's grace personally. 00:16:11.014 --> 00:16:24.114 Dead giveaway Looking down on anyone else thinking we're more righteous than they are, which unfortunately we do. 00:16:24.114 --> 00:16:26.592 I catch myself doing it. 00:16:26.592 --> 00:16:29.027 Woo. 00:16:29.027 --> 00:16:36.535 We're slipping away from grace that has this profound effect and allowing us to experience the fullness of the Spirit. 00:16:36.535 --> 00:16:40.524 We're viewing ourselves more righteous than others. 00:16:40.524 --> 00:16:42.011 We're justifying ourselves. 00:16:42.125 --> 00:16:51.990 What Jesus told us is the exact opposite of the gospel Opposite, luke 18, 10 to 14,. 00:16:51.990 --> 00:16:58.865 Jesus says two men went up to the temple to pray One a Pharisee, other a tax collector. 00:16:58.865 --> 00:17:07.099 Tax collectors were lower, thought of terribly in the Jewish culture at that time. 00:17:07.099 --> 00:17:11.849 The Pharisee stood and was praying this to himself oh God, I thank you. 00:17:11.849 --> 00:17:19.057 I'm not like other people, swindlers and unjust adulterers, even like that tax collector over there. 00:17:20.446 --> 00:17:22.554 I fast twice a week. 00:17:22.554 --> 00:17:23.409 I have my quiet time. 00:17:23.409 --> 00:17:23.750 I come to church. 00:17:23.750 --> 00:17:24.394 See, I fast twice a week. 00:17:24.394 --> 00:17:24.999 I have my quiet time. 00:17:24.999 --> 00:17:25.983 I come to church. 00:17:25.983 --> 00:17:27.990 I fast twice a week. 00:17:27.990 --> 00:17:29.413 I pay tithes of all that I get. 00:17:29.413 --> 00:17:40.229 But the tax collector standing some distance away was even unwilling to lift his eyes to heaven, was beating his breast. 00:17:40.229 --> 00:17:42.296 God, please be merciful to me. 00:17:42.296 --> 00:17:47.438 A sinner was beating his breast. 00:17:47.438 --> 00:17:49.424 God, please be merciful to me, a sinner. 00:17:49.424 --> 00:17:52.355 He doesn't deserve grace. 00:17:52.355 --> 00:17:52.718 He knows it. 00:17:52.718 --> 00:17:58.210 And Jesus said I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other. 00:17:58.210 --> 00:18:01.718 For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled. 00:18:01.718 --> 00:18:04.105 He who humbles himself will be exalted. 00:18:04.646 --> 00:18:15.175 When we lose sight of God's grace toward us in Christ, our thinking about God shrinks back to our performance worthiness rather than Christ's worthiness. 00:18:15.175 --> 00:18:16.590 Can't lose that. 00:18:16.590 --> 00:18:20.309 I try to remind myself. 00:18:20.309 --> 00:18:26.612 I say to the Lord I am unworthy, I can't believe you saved me. 00:18:26.612 --> 00:18:28.436 I can't. 00:18:28.436 --> 00:18:32.270 There's nothing in me. 00:18:32.270 --> 00:18:36.391 I remind myself that every day when I start praying. 00:18:36.391 --> 00:18:39.577 Why? 00:18:39.577 --> 00:18:45.993 Because of our tendency to think, hey, I'm not doing too bad now, I'm pretty good, I do all these things. 00:18:49.526 --> 00:19:03.577 Understanding God's grace in the gospel is the key, is the key to experiencing joy in the Holy Spirit and a host of other unbelievable experiences the Spirit can give us. 00:19:03.577 --> 00:19:23.538 So first, we must understand the gospel of grace, not just our head, but actually experiencing our unworthiness, our complete undeservedness and the magnificent, beautiful gift he's given us in Christ. 00:19:23.538 --> 00:19:27.294 It just has to impact our heart. 00:19:27.294 --> 00:19:36.031 Second, peter helps him by saying you want to experience spiritual revival? 00:19:36.031 --> 00:19:39.564 Here's what you must do Understand it's a gift. 00:19:40.066 --> 00:19:51.356 We must also repent of any bitterness or iniquity we're hanging on to in our heart that's just crowding out the Spirit's work period. 00:19:51.356 --> 00:20:10.137 If our heart is bitter, like Simon, we must understand our heart is not right with God, the most important person we are related to in the universe. 00:20:10.137 --> 00:20:19.175 It's not right and we will not experience the fullness of God's life. 00:20:19.175 --> 00:20:21.147 In the Spirit, acts 8.23,. 00:20:21.147 --> 00:20:26.592 Your heart's not right before God, simon, I see, I can see it. 00:20:26.592 --> 00:20:31.196 You are in the gall of bitterness and in bondage to iniquity. 00:20:31.196 --> 00:20:34.691 There's a lot he says here. 00:20:34.691 --> 00:20:40.198 See, bitterness is a problem if we want to receive the fullness of God's Spirit. 00:20:40.198 --> 00:20:45.691 If we continue to be controlled by our bitterness, we're just living in the flesh. 00:20:45.691 --> 00:20:56.313 We're going to lose the joy, we're going to lose the life of the Spirit God wants to give us in Him he ultimately traced back to. 00:20:56.313 --> 00:20:59.555 We've stopped understanding God's grace. 00:20:59.555 --> 00:21:07.136 We don't deserve Guess what. 00:21:09.567 --> 00:21:22.898 Speaking to believers, the writer of the Hebrews says that bitterness is the result of failing to understand God's grace. 00:21:22.898 --> 00:21:28.310 There you go, hebrews 12, 15,. 00:21:28.310 --> 00:21:29.355 See to it. 00:21:29.355 --> 00:21:33.455 This warning, this is so important. 00:21:33.455 --> 00:21:49.413 See to it that no one comes short of the grace of God, that no root of bitterness springs up and literally causes all kinds of trouble and defile many. 00:21:49.413 --> 00:21:50.931 It's contagious. 00:21:54.165 --> 00:21:59.897 Look, I'm speaking as a recovering bitterness person. 00:21:59.897 --> 00:22:07.257 I'm easily dropped down into that. 00:22:07.257 --> 00:22:17.914 People hurt me, offend me, make me upset, hold it against them, and when I'm doing that I'm thinking you know I'm better than they are. 00:22:17.914 --> 00:22:26.278 Oh, really, we don't understand grace because you're not. 00:22:26.278 --> 00:22:32.327 Being bitter means we're not trusting God to make things right. 00:22:32.327 --> 00:22:40.400 We are deciding to be our own judge and jury, and even executioner for the wrong that's been done. 00:22:40.400 --> 00:22:52.423 That means we don't understand, we don't fully grasp the magnitude of God's grace toward us. 00:22:52.423 --> 00:22:53.896 In Christ Jesus. 00:22:53.896 --> 00:22:56.146 Talked about it Matthew 18,. 00:22:56.146 --> 00:22:57.642 In Christ Jesus. 00:22:57.642 --> 00:23:01.858 Talked about it Matthew 18. 00:23:03.558 --> 00:23:05.709 Forgiving people so important. 00:23:05.709 --> 00:23:15.217 To get his heart right, simon and we must repent of bitterness, forgive and trust God to bring the justice we seek and need. 00:23:15.217 --> 00:23:19.373 Don't live with the poison of bitterness. 00:23:19.373 --> 00:23:30.250 I Literally stops the Holy Spirit from filling us with his life and demonstrating it to others. 00:23:30.250 --> 00:23:31.074 It does. 00:23:31.074 --> 00:23:43.836 Simon must turn this is what repent means Turn from his self-focused bitterness to the love of God for him in Christ, which is grace. 00:23:43.836 --> 00:23:55.476 Can you sense, simon, how much God really loves you, in spite of all your mistakes and sins and problems? 00:23:55.476 --> 00:24:13.431 So, in addition to bitterness, peter adds this if it weren't enough, if our heart is in bondage to iniquity, we must understand we are not going to experience the fullness of God's Spirit. 00:24:13.431 --> 00:24:22.313 Whatever sin we're in bondage to, we're holding it close, we're not giving it over. 00:24:22.313 --> 00:24:37.976 That means our heart is not going to be right with God, and that becomes a huge problem if we're trying to experience the fullness of God's Spirit in our life. 00:24:39.906 --> 00:24:41.532 The sin of iniquity what is that? 00:24:41.532 --> 00:24:55.538 Well, I guess a good way to understand it is the sin, the specific sin of iniquity which he mentions here is a state we're in of being bent away from God. 00:24:55.538 --> 00:25:00.396 That's what it literally means iniquity Bent away, bent away from God. 00:25:00.396 --> 00:25:08.878 Why we're bent away from God so we can do our own thing, that's iniquity. 00:25:08.878 --> 00:25:13.931 To be your own boss hey, I think I got this figured out. 00:25:13.931 --> 00:25:27.244 No, figured out? 00:25:27.244 --> 00:25:27.325 No. 00:25:27.325 --> 00:25:29.528 To do what we want, regardless of what God has said, that's iniquity. 00:25:29.528 --> 00:25:33.991 And if your heart's full of iniquity, if it's in bondage to iniquity, the Holy Spirit is hindered. 00:25:33.991 --> 00:25:43.922 His joy, his love, his fullness to you can't come in and be out. 00:25:43.922 --> 00:25:48.555 To get his heart right here again, simon must repent. 00:25:48.555 --> 00:26:04.402 In a sense, what Peter's doing, I think, is giving Simon a recipe for his own spiritual revival and ours. 00:26:05.826 --> 00:26:16.655 First spiritual revival is the result of understanding the unbelievable magnitude and experiencing the magnitude of God's grace toward us in Christ. 00:26:16.655 --> 00:26:25.594 Listen to this again, this truth of God's grace in the gospel. 00:26:25.594 --> 00:26:33.710 Saying it this way helps me experience it, moving from my head to my heart, so I'll give it to you again. 00:26:33.710 --> 00:27:06.933 God's grace toward us in the gospel is believing the truth that you are so sinful that nothing less than the Son of God himself could ever save you from eternal death, but also that you are so loved by the Son of God that he was glad to die for you so you could be with him. 00:27:06.933 --> 00:27:17.432 Those two is how you begin to grasp, on a deeper level, god's grace. 00:27:17.432 --> 00:27:19.371 We're so sinful. 00:27:19.371 --> 00:27:24.555 Nothing but the Son of God's death could save me. 00:27:24.555 --> 00:27:34.553 The Son of God, and yet he loves us so much he willingly took it for us. 00:27:34.553 --> 00:27:44.345 That's just amazing, amazing. 00:27:44.345 --> 00:27:44.846 How do we say it for us? 00:27:44.846 --> 00:27:45.468 That's just amazing, amazing. 00:27:45.468 --> 00:27:45.909 How do we say grace? 00:27:45.909 --> 00:27:57.375 If you notice, though, repentance is the trigger that puts spiritual revival in motion when we turn from our reliance on ourself and protecting our sin to Christ. 00:27:57.375 --> 00:28:03.201 That's the trigger. 00:28:04.507 --> 00:28:12.317 Listen to what Jesus said to the church, to believers in Jesus, in Laodicea, revelation 3, 17 to 20. 00:28:12.317 --> 00:28:32.861 Jesus says to them Because you say I am rich, I've become wealthy, I have need of nothing, and you don't understand that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked. 00:28:32.861 --> 00:28:34.608 You don't get it. 00:28:34.608 --> 00:28:40.060 You see, I advise you. 00:28:40.060 --> 00:28:41.023 Jesus said to buy from me gold. 00:28:41.023 --> 00:28:41.365 You don't get it. 00:28:41.365 --> 00:28:45.645 You see, I advise you. 00:28:45.645 --> 00:29:04.067 Jesus said to buy from me gold that's been refined by fire so that you may become rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself and that the shame of your nakedness will not be revealed, and salve to anoint your eyes so that you can really see those whom I love. 00:29:04.067 --> 00:29:07.678 I reprove and discipline. 00:29:07.678 --> 00:29:11.855 Therefore, be zealous and repent. 00:29:11.855 --> 00:29:14.951 He's talking to believers. 00:29:14.951 --> 00:29:19.653 Behold, I stand at the door and knock. 00:29:19.653 --> 00:29:25.675 If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I'm going to come in, eat with him and he with me. 00:29:27.346 --> 00:29:43.013 I love the fact that the apostles are constantly encouraging their disciples and each other to don't lose sight of this. 00:29:43.013 --> 00:29:45.691 Don't slip away. 00:29:45.691 --> 00:29:57.557 Let it continually grab you just what God has done for you, so that the Holy Spirit can manifest himself fully in your life. 00:29:57.557 --> 00:30:02.836 Listen to what Paul says to Timothy in 2 Timothy 1, 5-10. 00:30:02.836 --> 00:30:16.173 He says to him you know, I'm mindful of the sincere faith within you, and it first dwelled in your grandmother, lois, and your mother, eunice, and I'm sure it's in you as well. 00:30:16.173 --> 00:30:36.877 For this reason, I remind you kindle afresh the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands, for God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and love and sound mind. 00:30:36.877 --> 00:30:41.516 Therefore, don't be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord or of me as a prisoner. 00:30:41.516 --> 00:30:45.016 Join with me in suffering for the gospel according to the power of God. 00:30:46.826 --> 00:30:48.031 Why do we do that, timothy? 00:30:48.031 --> 00:30:58.856 Because he saved us, called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace. 00:30:58.856 --> 00:31:15.045 Grace which is granted us in Christ Jesus from all eternity, but now has been revealed by the appearing of our Savior, christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel. 00:31:15.045 --> 00:31:25.375 The gospel Rekindle, light it. 00:31:25.375 --> 00:31:31.608 Light it up, don't let it go out. 00:31:31.608 --> 00:31:32.691 Kindle it afresh. 00:31:32.691 --> 00:31:36.318 How do we revive and rekindle the fire of the Holy Spirit in us? 00:31:38.346 --> 00:31:39.330 Listen to what Paul says. 00:31:39.330 --> 00:31:52.275 He just zeroes in and focuses on the power, the beauty, the magnificent gift of eternal life found experienced in the gospel of grace we've received. 00:31:52.275 --> 00:31:59.477 Don't let it ever escape out of your thinking or your heart. 00:31:59.477 --> 00:32:22.428 I don't know about you, but don't you just long to have the Holy Spirit just absolutely fill your heart, so that whatever's going on it seems minuscule Comparison. 00:32:22.428 --> 00:32:25.412 Don't you just long to have the Holy Spirit fill your heart with joy? 00:32:25.412 --> 00:32:28.155 Set your heart on fire for the Lord? 00:32:28.155 --> 00:32:30.599 Not be afraid to share the gospel. 00:32:30.599 --> 00:32:54.069 It's a life-changing truth Not being indifferent to living a holy life If you're a Christian and the life-changing joy and life of the Holy Spirit is muted in your heart, absent in your life. 00:32:55.066 --> 00:33:02.566 I urge you to come to the Lord, broken, confessing your life. 00:33:02.566 --> 00:33:08.057 I urge you to come to the Lord, broken, confessing your sins, repenting of your self-directed ways and turning your heart to the Lord, jesus Christ alone again. 00:33:08.057 --> 00:33:26.945 And if you're not sure, you're a Christian or born again, the Holy Spirit invites you to receive Jesus as your Savior so that you may be forgiven of your sins and receive the gift of eternal life and the gift of the Holy Spirit. 00:33:26.945 --> 00:33:33.952 By grace, just ask Jesus to save you and fill you. 00:33:33.952 --> 00:33:35.153 He will. 00:33:36.075 --> 00:33:44.469 Let's pray, father, thank you again that you did not leave us alone in our sin. 00:33:44.469 --> 00:33:52.411 You sent your Holy Spirit into our hearts so that we may know you love us and that we belong to you. 00:33:52.411 --> 00:34:01.630 I pray, lord, for those who do not yet know you, that they would turn, they would believe in Jesus, for the forgiveness of their sins and the gift of eternal life. 00:34:01.630 --> 00:34:06.247 And I pray for those of us who do know you, that you revive us. 00:34:06.247 --> 00:34:17.077 O Lord, rekindle the fire of your Holy Spirit in us and help us to live and walk as devoted disciples of Jesus, bearing the fruit of spirit-filled lives. 00:34:17.077 --> 00:34:32.876 I pray also, you would bring a great spiritual awakening in our land, our town, triggered by the conviction brought on by your Holy Spirit that brings about a great repentance and leads to life in Jesus. 00:34:32.876 --> 00:34:35.663 I pray in his name, amen.