“Who do people say the Son of Man is?” They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?” Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by man, but by my Father in heaven. And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it…” Matthew 16:13-18
Jesus was and is the Messiah who brought radical restoration with the coming of his movement! So radical was he that the people to whom he preached thought of him as John the Baptist or Elijah! This man was so intense that Roman soldiers armed with weapons cowered from him after he prayed, John 18:6, haters moved away as he walked through a murderous crowd Luke 4:28-30, he calmly walks on water Matthew 14:25-27, he makes a whip and drives false worshipers out of the temple John 2:13-17 and he rose the dead John 11:11-44! This man truly was a prophet like the prophets of old, come to turn the Jews and the world upside down! Jesus came to set things straight and restore what should have been preached and obeyed all along: a heart in love with God and 100% sold-out as well a love for the lost that overcomes love for self. A restoration was truly needed in his day and is sorely needed in our day! To restore true Christianity in our day, we must learn from Jesus’ movement as He taught: Revival, Radical and Relationship.
Revival- Takes Revolution. Possibly the most fascinating account of Jesus beginning his ministry is found in Luke 4:14-23. Jesus has been in the desert facing Satan. He wins the battle in dramatic fashion and returns “in the power of the Spirit”. Everyone is talking about him and praising him, thinking they had found their political solution- their hero. He goes to the synagogue, as was his custom and decided to read one of the most intense scriptures about revival found in the Old Testament, “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” He then sits down, all are staring at him and he simply states, “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing”. Revival, as defined by dictionary.com is: restoration to life, consciousness, vigor, strength, an awakening in a church or community. This is why Jesus had come and he arrived at a time when the people of Israel had lost their way and were far from God. Their leadership was steeped in sin and the people liked it that way. No one did anything about it except another radical prophet- John the Baptist.
In 2003, so many of our churches had lost their way yet no one moved to fix it. Eventually, a few beaten up and bruised men, who had been humbled by God saw it was time for revival. A revolution began by once again returning to biblical Christianity and restoring what Jesus preached. By trial and error implementation, lots of mistakes but a heart purified by the persecution and years of wandering aimlessly, a revival was brewing. There was a light burning bright in Portland! There was faith, incredible love, fiery preaching, discipleship was taught and obeyed and many, many were saved. In a very short time this small revival was restoring faith to men all over the world and this restoration started a revolution! Almost daily we would receive calls begging for help. We supported them and loved them and the Lord blessed us with “the church we were baptized in” as we began planting churches in cities all over the globe. This restoration of Jesus’ revival literally took revolution! We must restore the revival of Jesus once again in our day in every city where there is a true disciple. Will you be part of the Lord’s revival?
Radical- Takes Restoration. In Luke 4:23-30 Jesus shakes up the crowd with his preaching about the hardness of their hearts. Someone was finally telling them the truth and loving them in a radical fashion and they responded with anger and hatred. Jesus’ intent was that they hear the message and repent yet they heard the message and wanted to kill him. How do you respond when someone you love tells you that lukewarmness and sin has slipped back into your life? Do you fall to your knees and thank God that someone loved you enough to tell you the truth? Jesus had to risk it all here and like throwing cold water on a very comfy group, Jesus shook them up. This is the kind of preaching, love and power it will take to shake men so they turn back to God.
If you are in a lukewarm, dying or dead church that has lost its way where the preaching has faded and the faith is gone- GET OUT! Many men have tried to turn a church without being the main leader and have ruined their faith. It is because you “cannot pour new wine into old wineskins” Luke 5:37-39. Find fellowship with radical hearts and restoration will come!
Relationship- Takes Resurgence. What is it that brings a harmonious unity among disciples? The great equalizer of all men- the Scriptures and obedience to them. The standard is the same for all men Luke 9:23 and Luke 14:25-27, 33. No one can claim to have the “truth on their side” as they must be “on the side of truth”- and agree with the Bible. If everyone is called by Jesus to be totally sold-out for the gospel and to be devoted building his church, then any man on the planet can get unified with Jesus and then unified with other men who hold to his teaching.
The leaders in the Sold-Out movement found each other looking for revival of the biblical church. The unity in the World Sector Leaders Council, for example, is astounding because it is based on conviction first, not on friendship. Once we found each other’s convictions alive and in line with the Bible, then we became friends. There must be a restoration of this kind of godly relationship among men!
Truly, to have a restoration of revival it will take revolution. To have a restoration of radical it will take restoration, and to have a restoration of relationship it will take resurgence of faith based squarely on the Word of God. Pray for us in Orlando as we seek to have a Radical Restoration of Jesus’ church! Pray for revival in the South!
He stoops down to make us great,
Matt Sullivan
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