2 CHRONICLES 7 v 14

For the past two years, in consideration of the pandemic, the Christian Church adopted a variety of means to continue worshipping services, using in many cases technology, which reached people who appreciated hearing that of which they had not previously heard.  Many ordinary people,for whom Church attendance had not been a part of their lives, were now touched by the message that God loved all people and was searching for those lost in  way of life which was unworthy, and which they knew was wrong, but did not know that God was ready to forgive all past sins and welcome them into his family. 

This had been made possible because Jesus came into our world, sent by God, and would die on the Cross and by that death He would make it possible for all our past sins to be forgotten and forgiven, if we accepted that death as making us righteous before God.  If we are prepared to believe in faith that Christ was our Saviour, dying for each of us personally, our past would be wiped clean.

Jesus had stated in his last words to His Apostles that they should go into all the world and make disciples- teaching them all I have commanded. He was telling those twelve men who had been with Jesus for three years, to go and preach all He had taught them, so that more people would turn to God and  receive eternal salvation, if they became followers of His teaching.  The Apostles obeyed Jesus and travelled widely, causing many people to become Christian believers. Those Apostles did not have all the technology we have, no radio or  newspapers, yet they made the Church grow.

An interesting question arises, how did they succeed so well, yet we with every modern aid are losing not gaining people. There is a simple answer; they preached just what Jesus had commanded, a united undisputed message, and God blessed and answered their ministry. 

It is therefore of paramount importance, now restrictions have been removed, to present a united message based on the teaching of the Apostles, as passed down by our Lord Himself, and for God’s sake (literally) stop all the liberal nonsense that has been preached, and has poisoned the true gospel.

We all see and hear the evil in the world, and the situation only gets worse. In every part of the world there is little peace, goodness or Christian teaching.  I have suggested ways in which the Church should respond, but the Church in the main denominations just gets further away from God and His teaching.

A great blow was struck when the Methodist Church, once a strong Church in the evangelical tradition, chose to allow same sex ‘marriages’(a contradiction in terms) to be performed in its Churches. They failed two years ago, so this time members were not given the chance to vote, so ensuring the motion passed.

In addition, a tragic incident resulted in it being revealed the Church of England was baptising (illegal) immigrants to give them the name of Christian, so enabling them avoid deportation. This particularly referred to Liverpool Cathedral, who seem to consider it as satisfactory, despite contravening State law, and allowing one ‘convert’ trying to blow up a Women’s Maternity Hospital with a self- made bomb.

To anyone with a minimum of intelligence, it is patently obvious that if the Christian message is all some of us believe it to be, all Churches of every denomination should be preaching the same message, the same doctrine.  It may be presented in different forms, from charismatic to Catholic formula, which is understandable, God didn't make all flowers like the English rose, but He made them all to blossom and grow in the same way.

God must weep with sadness when He sees Hi glorious Church being demolished by clergy giving false teaching. We do face enormous attacks from non-believing activists, but face even greater attacks from within the Church. The Bible states a Kingdom divided among itself will fall, and we are witnessing this clearly now. There is simply no universal agreement in teaching.

Which ever denomination you look at, leaders are teaching directly against the Bible, God's own stated Word. Abandon the Bible on marriage, lest it upsets who disagree. Don't attend meetings of world class Bible teachers because they speak hatefully saying marriage is between a man and a woman. Don't  tell children they don;t have to believe in unrestricted sexuality.  This is not in the remotest way in line with 'all Jesus commanded'.

If the Church operated in a truly business manner, and remember we are working for the Lord's business, there would be mass dismissals of staff who teach false doctrine; starting at the top.   

 Turn with me to 2 Chronicles Chapter 7, verse 14.

if my people who are called by my name humble themselves, pray, seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.

 Here is a God given chance for there to be a renewal where the lost will be found, and the weak would be made strong.  Here is God promising us He will respond, if we will answer and fulfil His invitation.  This is such a profound offer we cannot afford to reject.

In 960BC Israel was in moral and spiritual decline, with people failing to worship God.  Solomon pleaded with God to forgive the nation of their sins, and God answered that if they humbled themselves, prayed, sought His face, and turned from their wicked ways, He would heal their land.

We are faced with a like situation as Solomon then faced, but when he prayed to God he was given an answer, which is still as valid to- day, as it was all those years ago.

All around us storm clouds are falling on a world so different from what many of us knew. The foundations on which we were raised have largely been destroyed, to such an extent that there are now no moral absolutes, all is relative and one does one’s own thing. Our children are being brainwashed into ways of life which would never have been mentioned in the most liberal places.

What hope does the Bible give us?  Listen to God.

IF MY PEOPLE WHO ARE CALLED BY MY NAME

This verse is directed to particular people, limited to those who know the Lord. God’s people are those who worship Him, who  He has called to accept Jesus as Lord and Saviour, who profess Christ and own up to doing so.  They are people who regularly attend Church to worship Him week by week, not only those who have a nodding acquaintance with Him at Christmas time. Remember, Jesus said ‘I am the only way to God, NO one comes to the Father except through me’

In all our Churches in this country, there are people who devotedly come week by week to join in worship. They will try to live according to the way God has spelled out that, all the Scriptures are profitable for training in righteousness that the man/woman of God may be equipped for good work.

The majority of people will tell you they believe in God, but it is a tenuous belief which has no credibility. No matter what kind of life a person has led, at the funeral service it is firmly believed the person is going to heaven. God is seen as a benevolent old man, always ready to unconditionally receive us and answer all we ask for. 

When you go to visit another country, you need a passport to prove your worthiness as a law abiding person, a health certificate to show you are a fit person, and a booking to confirm a reservation.  In the minds of most people, you have no need to prove anything about yourself, God would never send anyone to hell, the only alternative to heaven, and that is right, God never would consign anyone to hell, He lets the person make the choice for him(her)self here on earth. Jesus said to unworthy people, ‘get away from me I never knew you. get away from me you who broke God’s laws’

IF THEY WILL HUMBLE THEMSELVES

 Both individually and as a Church there is need for repentance.  There are far too many people who consider themselves as being Christians, attending Churches on Sundays where they sing praise to God, listen to His Word being read, and often preached upon, but not always, and confessing sins they have pre-determined are not going to relinquish. 

A person is (relatively) free to live as they wish in a free country, they can excess in alcohol, gaming and sexual relationships, but they do not have the same right to call themselves as Christians. Sin can be defined as any activity which has been condemned in Scripture; this relates not only to sexual activity, but to theft, adultery, jealousy, envy, malice, hatred, and deceit by telling lies.       

 IF MY PEOPLE WILL PRAY 

Jesus told us to pray without ceasing and gave examples of desperate prayer. In one story a family had gone to bed when they were disturbed by a neighbour pounding on their door. The homeowner looked out and was asked for some bread by the neighbour to feed his guest. The homeowner refused, but the neighbour kept on knocking until the homeowner gave what he wanted. The moral of the story was perseverance, it was desperation which won the day. Jesus said, ‘keep on asking and you will receive. Keep on seeking and you will find, keep on knocking and the door will be opened up to you.’ If we want revival we must pray in desperation.

You may well ask, ‘how can we a small suburban church with not a huge congregation, many of whom are perhaps older in years, do very much?’ Hudson Taylor who founded the China Inland Mission was once asked why God had chosen him. Taylor replied `because God wanted someone small.' When God acts it is not in big cathedrals, it is in the lives of ordinary Christian people. Consider who God chose to be the mother of His Son, a humble young Jewish village girl, now treasured in the history of the Church, and adored in honour of motherhood.

An American Christian programme, following the September 11th attack on its country, asked all its listeners to pray for fifteen minutes a day for fifty days for a revival, and to phone in and say where they were from. A coloured pin was then placed on a wall map of the United States at their location. Within days the map was covered as people responded. Most of them were small churches, perhaps even smaller than yours,  but they reported new life and new people.

Neither is age a relevance. When the Israelites were attacked by the Amalekites, Moses and Aaron were too old to fight, but as the younger men fought, they prayed, and every time they did so, the Israelites advanced. Older people can play a vital role in revival.

.  IF PEOPLE WILL SEEK MY FACE

God wants us to enter into a relationship with Him. Not to see Him, as someone to go to when we want something, but as sons and daughters who want to respect and love their own father.

 The Bible tells us that God communed with the man and woman. He who made man in the Garden of Eden, communes with us now through His Word, the Bible. Unfortunately so many people at all levels within the Church want to pick out those parts which suit their preference. The Church of England Articles stress the authority of Scripture as that to which we should pay heed.

   The Church, rather than speaking and standing firm on the teaching of God, has colluded with activists who wish to see a form of immorality accepted, and bishops are sympathetic rather than conform to the Bible teaching, as it may offend those having  different view(who never even attend Church). No seeking of God’s face there.

 But make no mistake, there will be a price to be paid. No one gets away with violating God and His Word. There are rules for life which God has laid down, but too often they become merely a basis for negotiation.

IF MY PEOPLE TURN FROM THEIR WICKED WAY

There is a need for examination of our lives to root out those ways which are not worthy of us as Christians. Things which the Bible clearly defines as wrong, yet which are still practised by people who call themselves Christians. The church as God's voice has failed to speak out in condemnation of such ways, for fear of upsetting the liberal tendency and being branded narrow, often preferring to align itself with society's standards. 'If you can't beat them join them' mentality. Can you imagine how little the Christian Church would have progressed if Paul had been so timid? Scripture alone should be our guide.

 Sometimes we have real unpleasantness in our churches. This is because some people see them as places to exercise a power they could not do so elsewhere. They become argumentative, rebellious, self-centred, and enjoy causing disruption.

I was talking to a lady who told me how her Vicar made same slight changes to try and introduce new people to the church. She said the congregation became so divided it was like war. What sort of Christianity is that? Certainly not the kind Jesus had in mind when He said, ‘love one another.’

We are told the disciples were all of one mind at Pentecost, and look what happened

   I WILL HEAR FROM HEAVEN AND HEAL THEIR LAND

God has promised to respond by healing our land.  God loves all people, and wants all to be saved.  But He is a righteous God who hates sin, and He will not deal with people who neglect, disobey and do not honour Him. However unpleasant to admit, the Church in this country has acted shamefully, it has disregarded the teaching God laid down in His Word, and which Jesus commanded to be followed.  Individually, Christians have not always been worthy of Him. But God has stated He will heal, and whilst people may not be relied on to keep a promise, God will.

If this promise of God was truly and sincerely followed by His Church, we would soon see a change, and there would be a foundation for us to build on.                                         

 In this sermon I have used the word IF numerous times. This is a very big word. There are churches which would dread any revival, preferring to keep things nice and quiet in a holy huddle. If a stranger should enter they say 'what is she doing here.' Some older people take a philosophical line, and think ‘I won't be here in a number of years.’ So they don't let things concern them.

We need all of us to have a passion for revival, and we are poor Christians if we don't feel a concern for the future of the Church. We must forget ourselves and our own desires for the sake of the Lord's Church. If we really believe Christianity is the only hope and answer for a fallen world, then let us earnestly pray and work for revival and make sure we, are living as God intended.  Revival begins with Gods people, but the power of God is so strong it soon spreads to all society

   God acted when a Minister went to the small island of Lewis in the  Hebrides, and the people there prayed that God would bless them. Evan Roberts a Minister in South Wales prayed and started the Welsh Revival. There are many examples of answered prayer for revival.

After Jesus had risen from the dead, he told his disciples to wait in Jerusalem, until they were endued with power from on high. Although their lives were in danger, they gathered in that Upper Room and waited patiently for the promise of the Father. Then when the day finally came, they were filled with the Holy Spirit, and were converted to faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. The same God who visited His people in Jerusalem is ready to visit His Church in England. He has promised to hear His people and answer from heaven.

Let us seek His blessing for own parishes