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The Revival That Never Was…
(6/26/2005)

People pouring out of their homes…falling on their knees in godly sorrow for their sins…old and young men, women, and children…the Holy Spirit moving like a rushing wind through the crowd…eternal destinations changed. Just one problem…it never happened. It never happened because I chose not to obey my Lord.

I remember when I was 13 years old I was visiting a friend in Woodbine, Georgia. My friend had told the Pastor of the small local church what a “Jesus freak” I was. Being neighbors with the Pastor, he gave us a ride to his church that Sunday. As we were on our way there (and why is it that most Pastors drive like the Devil was after them...but I digress), the Pastor asked if I’d like to preach that morning. He may have been joking but I had always believed that you should never pass up an opportunity, so I agreed. After Sunday School, I reached into my gym bag (which contained my Bible study notes, lyrics to my favorite Christian songs, my Nave’s Topical Bible, and a Bible study by Campus Crusade for Christ) and started into a sermon based on a section from the latter. I don’t recall what it was about and I don’t know if any decisions were made, but I had been obedient to my Lord. But that was a long time ago.

Recently I have been working with an outreach ministry whose focus is on the local public housing projects. They provide a variety of services including food, clothing, and financial assistance as well as Bible studies in the projects and at a local church for both adults and children. They also hold events in the projects where they provide activities for the kids, music, food, and preaching.

Luke 22:26 "But it is not this way with you, but the one who is the greatest among you must become like the youngest, and the leader like the servant.”

I got involved thinking it would be a great opportunity to actually share the gospel with people as well as helping to meet their physical needs. However, it seemed that most of the times I wound up not sharing the gospel with anyone but simply helping to make the event happen. This most commonly took the form of me being “The Grillmaster” (i.e., cooking dozens of hot dogs and hamburgers on the grill). And that’s OK…I went to each event telling the Lord that I would do whatever He wanted me to do and somebody had to cook the food (Luke 22:26). And the Gospel was preached. But I was always a little disappointed that I didn’t get to share the Gospel. After all, there are many organizations out there (Christian and not) whose agenda is to help the poor. But to meet their physical needs without giving them an opportunity to hear the Gospel is like giving a man a ham sandwich in a burning building…it’s nice but it’s not addressing the main problem.

Matthew 16:26 "For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?”

This last event appeared to be like most of the others. We setup the PA, a couple of “moon walks” for the kids, and the grill in a housing project. A couple of local Christian rap artists did their thing. And I got stuck with the grill again. Again, I was a little disappointed that I probably wouldn’t get a chance to share Christ but I resigned myself to the fact that this was what God wanted me to do at this point. It was hot and the smoke kept stinging my eyes. After spending an hour and a half standing over the grill in the host sun, I was hot and soaked with sweat and too miserable to even eat what I had just cooked. That’s when it happened…

1 Peter 3:15 but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence

The Pastor who was the leader of the ministry came over and told me that his voice was too hoarse from singing at a camp the previous week. “Jim, you want to preach?” I had just told the Pastor the previous week how I felt that God was really calling me to speak and to street ministry. But now instead of jumping at the opportunity, I said “Man, I’d like to but I’m just grilled out…I’m not very coherent right now.” So he asked one of the rappers to preach. And he preached well.

I’m glad that the Gospel was preached but I’m disappointed with myself that I passed up an opportunity to do the very thing that God has called me to. I think there were several reasons I did it…I was afraid that as tired and uncomfortable as I was I would get up there and not make sense. Instead of God speaking through me, I’d sound like an idiot and bring dishonor to God and to myself. Plus, I had been a very vocal witness as a teenager and had later fallen away from the Lord. I think the shame which I felt during the years that I had fallen away still has left some scars on my soul. Looking back, I should have just trusted God.

Mark 13:11 “When they arrest you and hand you over, do not worry beforehand about what you are to say, but say whatever is given you in that hour; for it is not you who speak, but it is the Holy Spirit.”

It was a perfect “God moment.” You know, one of those moments where you KNOW that YOU can’t do it and you find yourself totally reliant on Him. But instead I only looked at the physical instead of the spiritual. May God forgive me.

I don’t know what would have happened if I spoke. Perhaps no one would have responded…or perhaps Pentecost. But we’ll never know and that opportunity is gone forever. But let me state clearly that I know better than to judge the success of any message on how many people do or do not respond (as is clearly stated in the parable of the sower in Matthew 13). The Bible is resplendent with examples of men of God saying and doing exactly what God commanded of them but where their intended audience rejected the message. Our job is to listen closely to God’s leading and preach the Gospel boldly and clearly. The results are irrelevant.

But I think I learned an important lesson that day. When God provides another direct opportunity to preach the Gospel, I will be obedient. As a family man, I must maintain a balance between meeting the needs of my family and my calling to spread the Gospel. However as much as God provides me power and opportunity, I will preach the Gospel whenever I can.

2 Timothy 4:2 Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long suffering and doctrine.