key to revival
Excerpts taken from The way of the Master by Kirk Cameron and Ray Comfort
According to numerous reports, all is not well in the contemporary Church. There are millions who insinuate that they belong to Jesus Christ, but whose lives don’t match their claims. Equally disheartening are results of America’s evangelism efforts. Alarm bells should go off when we see statistics like this:
In one year a major U.S. denomination claimed to have obtained 294,784 decisions for Christ. Unfortunately, they could find only 14,337 in fellowship.
A mass crusade reported 18,000 decisions, yet tragically, 94 percent failed to ever become incorporated into a local church.
Less than five percent of those who responded to an altar call during a public crusade are living a Christian life one year later.
Here is the dilemma: Up to 95 percent of the evangelistic crop is failing, both in mass crusades and in local churches. It withers and dies as soon as the sunlight of tribulation, persecution, and temptation shines on it. And those who do occupy our churches often fail to grow into vibrant witnesses for Jesus Christ. This tragic problem has come about simply because we have lost the precious key to revival. Jesus wasn't afraid to shake people up. He spoke openly of their sinful nature and the righteousness of God. Not the philosophy that God loves them and has a wonderful plan for their life or the rest of the four spiritual laws. Jesus forced people to confront their sin head-on, and He brought them face-to-face with their need for salvation; because He loved them! He confronted their sin by reminding people of the ten commandments. In John 4, the woman at the well, she committed committed adultery the seventh commandment, In Matthew 19, Jesus confront the young rich ruler about his coveting his wealth the tenth commandment. John 8:4-11 and said to Jesus, "Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?" They were using this question as a trap, in order to have a basis for accusing him. But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger. When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, "If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her." Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground."
Question, What did Jesus write on the ground? If any one of you is without sin" is key to answering this. Jesus was writing the ten commandments. Jesus probably wrote, the first time, where is the man who was also caught in the act of adultery. Perhaps it was her accuser, perhaps it was a prominent figure, perhaps it was a religious Pharisee. The second time of writing on the ground He probably wrote out the 10 commandments. Slowly all of the accusers departed. Therefore Jesus confronted sin with God's commandments. We should likewise utilize the commandments in witnessing the Good News of the Cross.
According to numerous reports, all is not well in the contemporary Church. There are millions who insinuate that they belong to Jesus Christ, but whose lives don’t match their claims. Equally disheartening are results of America’s evangelism efforts. Alarm bells should go off when we see statistics like this:
In one year a major U.S. denomination claimed to have obtained 294,784 decisions for Christ. Unfortunately, they could find only 14,337 in fellowship.
A mass crusade reported 18,000 decisions, yet tragically, 94 percent failed to ever become incorporated into a local church.
Less than five percent of those who responded to an altar call during a public crusade are living a Christian life one year later.
Here is the dilemma: Up to 95 percent of the evangelistic crop is failing, both in mass crusades and in local churches. It withers and dies as soon as the sunlight of tribulation, persecution, and temptation shines on it. And those who do occupy our churches often fail to grow into vibrant witnesses for Jesus Christ. This tragic problem has come about simply because we have lost the precious key to revival. Jesus wasn't afraid to shake people up. He spoke openly of their sinful nature and the righteousness of God. Not the philosophy that God loves them and has a wonderful plan for their life or the rest of the four spiritual laws. Jesus forced people to confront their sin head-on, and He brought them face-to-face with their need for salvation; because He loved them! He confronted their sin by reminding people of the ten commandments. In John 4, the woman at the well, she committed committed adultery the seventh commandment, In Matthew 19, Jesus confront the young rich ruler about his coveting his wealth the tenth commandment. John 8:4-11 and said to Jesus, "Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?" They were using this question as a trap, in order to have a basis for accusing him. But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger. When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, "If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her." Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground."
Question, What did Jesus write on the ground? If any one of you is without sin" is key to answering this. Jesus was writing the ten commandments. Jesus probably wrote, the first time, where is the man who was also caught in the act of adultery. Perhaps it was her accuser, perhaps it was a prominent figure, perhaps it was a religious Pharisee. The second time of writing on the ground He probably wrote out the 10 commandments. Slowly all of the accusers departed. Therefore Jesus confronted sin with God's commandments. We should likewise utilize the commandments in witnessing the Good News of the Cross.
posted by Kodiak at 7/08/2005 12:01:00 AM
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