Readings
Mark 13:24-37Isaiah 64:1-9
Introduction
As I understand it, Conference has placed two alternatives before each and every chapel: we are to plan either for growth or for end of life. That's quite a stark choice! But I can understand why it's been done.From the very brief encounters I've had with some of you at circuit meetings, I believe you are a chapel that's concerned to grow. I wonder what your plan will be like? I think I heard someone say at a circuit meeting that you've modernised your building in the hope that it would attract people in but you're still waiting to see the benefit of that.
We've done a similar thing at my home chapel with our 'Room to Grow' project. We have lovely facilities and a very welcoming building, but so far we haven't seen a great deal in the way of growth. It seems much easier to change buildings than it is to change communities…
We need something more! And as we look forward to Christmas and recall Christ's first coming, we remember that he came as one of us so that he could save us from our sins. He did that by dying on a Roman cross, bearing the sins of all of us, and rising from the dead to bring new, vibrant and abundant life to those who through faith take up God's offer of pardon and salvation.
He sent the Holy Spirit to dwell in his people, and the early church exploded powerfully into human society. God's kingdom grew and spread throughout the world. Surely Christ didn't do all that to establish a church that would fizzle out and die! But that seems to be where we find ourselves…
We need to recover something that we've lost! We need revival, renewal, call it what you like. We need a fresh outpouring of the Holy Spirit!
What would that look like? It just so happens that the November edition of the Christianity magazine has an article entitled, “Whatever Happened to the Promised Revival,” and this includes some interesting quotes from people who have experienced revival. Here are some of them.
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Duncan Campbell
John Wesley
George Whitfield
The same article lists five features that have been present in past revivals:
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5 features of classic revivals
How do we recover that experience of God from where we are?
The first thing to realise is that we are entirely dependent on Christ if we are to achieve anything of lasting value in the Tyne valley. As Jesus said, “Apart from [him], [we] can do nothing.” We need to align ourselves with God if we are ever to see and experience an outpouring of the Holy Spirit.
Unsurprisingly, the process of change begins with us, and it begins in prayer. But this is much more than religiously saying our prayers. The first of the five features listed suggests a real commitment to prayer for God to work, and sticking at it fervently until he does. As James tells, if we draw near to God, he will draw near to us. But we need to be prepared for the change his drawing near will bring in us first before the move of the Spirit goes outside our doors. Some of that change will be uncomfortable as the Spirit refines and renews us. But listen! It will be worth it!
A Model for Intercession
So how should we pray? Well, the passage from Isaiah gives us a model for intercession. Our reading breaks in half way through the prophet's prayer, so let's go back and look how it starts.1.The prophet begins by bringing to mind the kindness and compassion of God for his people, his hope for what they would be and his commitment to them as Saviour.
We, of course, think of Christ's coming to us, bringing God's peace and favour to us; his total commitment—even to the point of death—to becoming our Saviour; the good news of the gospel going throughout the world so that we could hear it, find peace with God and learn to walk with him in restored relationship. How kind and compassionate God has been to us!
2. Then he recalls the rebellion of God's people, recognising how they have grieved the Holy Spirit, putting themselves in the wrong place with God, making him their enemy.
Methodist membership peaked at nearly 900,000 just before the first world war. Since then, we've dwindled to around 200,000 and almost 140,000 of us are over 65 years old. It's not just the Methodist church, of course. It's easy to blame social change for our demise but other churches are growing! Have we grieved the Holy Spirit in some way? Have we become more concerned with public opinion and fitting in than with the glory of God and the truth of the gospel?
3. The prophet tells how the people brought to mind what things were like in the past, and to wonder at what they've lost. Perhaps he's heard them asking each other, where is God now?
I'm sure we have wondered the same. I've touched on some stories of old, in times when God was at work in a powerful way. Why is it not happening now? Perhaps some of you have known better times when chapels were full of worshippers? Where have we gone wrong? Have we wandered from God's ways?
4. Then the prophet does an interesting thing; he effectively reminds God of his relationship with the people: he is their Father, their Redeemer. He wonders why God leaves them in their sorry state. In verse 19, there's almost the idea that leaving his people like this puts his own reputation at stake! Perhaps a better way of understanding it is that the prophet is seriously concerned for his God's reputation.
We're here today because we are God's people. He has called us by his name. He gave his one and only Son for us. What impression of God do we give our community by the way we live and express our faith? How concerned are we for the reputation of his name?
5. Then the prophet implores God to act powerfully on behalf of his people as he did before. 'Oh, that you would rend the heavens and come down.' There is no god like their God who acts on behalf of faithful people. But he is angry with them because of their continued waywardness. If their Redeemer is angry with them, there's no one else to go to. How can they be saved?
Where will we go if our God does not act? Our situation isn't something we can fix by ourselves. We can't heal the sick, raise the dead, convince people of their need of God and their need to repent. No other God has sent his Son to redeem people. No other God has given his people the Holy Spirit to be a spring of life, welling up within them. We need an outpouring of the Holy Spirit. 'Oh, that [he] would rend the heavens and come down.'
6. In an act of confession, the prophet then identifies with the people: 'All of us have become unclean…' He's saying, “We're like lepers and even our good works are like the filthy clothes that lepers wear. We've forgotten God, and our plight is our own fault.”
Someone once said, and has been quoted many times since as saying, “All that is necessary for evil men to triumph is for good men to do nothing.” We can't distance ourselves from the problems in our communities, our nation, our world and even our denomination. We are in the mix. To intercede is to stand as a representative of those we pray for, putting ourselves between them and God.
There's a sentence here that resonated with me when I read it: 'No-one calls on your name or strives to lay hold of you.' This is what the prophet thought people should be doing. I believe it's what God longs for too. He wants people to make him their focus, their centre, the most important thing in their lives, not just an after-thought, or an adjunct to life. Think of the Wesley quote from earlier. Their break-through came at 3 o'clock in the morning! That is seriously striving to lay hold of God.
7. The prophet pleads for mercy, reminding God of his previous investment in his people, and that it's in God's power to do something for them.
There's another sentence here that resonated with me: 'We are the clay, you are the potter; we are all the work of your hands.' The Jews of old were who they were because God brought them into being as a nation. God can rework the clay and re-form them.
We too are who we are because God brought us into being as his redeemed children. He is the potter, we are the clay; we can be reworked too!
8. There's no indication of how long the prophet had to wait to get his response from God, or how long he had to strive in prayer, but in the chapter that follows our reading, God answers the prophet. He sets out his case for judgement—the rebellion and sin of the people—but he promises restoration of a remnant; his investment will not be lost. God's purpose in raising a people for himself will not be thwarted.
It may well be that our land is going through a time of judgement, but God still wants people to be saved. For their sake, as well as our own, we need to call on God's name.
Throughout the world, God's kingdom is still growing. In our land, churches are still growing. Christ will build his church and the gates of hell will not prevail against it.
If our Methodist movement is to continue as a strong force for the kingdom of God, we need to strive to lay hold of him again.
Summary
The passage gives us lots to reflect on for our present circumstances, but also some idea of how to pray about it: a model for intercession.1. Recall the kindness and compassion of God.
2. Reflect on what we have lost by remembering what has gone before.
3. Recognise that our failings have grieved the Holy Spirit.
4. Identify with the problem and acknowledge our part in it.
5. Remember that we still belong to God and represent his Name.
6. Plead with God for him to act for us and for his Name's sake, as only he can.
7. Continue waiting on God, listening for his response and being prepared to change.
Now, this is not a recipe for success. It's just a helpful way of gaining perspective and for putting ourselves in the right frame of mind when coming before God in prayer.
It helps us avoid rushing into his presence with a shopping list and rushing away again. Rather, it helps us to spend time communicating with God, growing our relationship with him.
Are you a congregation that wants to grow? I believe you are.
Whatever plans you may draw up, make sure prayer is on the agenda. All revivals have started with prayer, and have been rooted in prayer. Prayer that calls on his name, prayer that strives to lay hold of God. Intercede fervently for yourselves, your community, our circuit, our Methodist movement, for the kingdom of God in Tynedale. Pray for God's clear guidance as you formulate your plans, so that his will, not ours can be done.
Whatever plans you make, keep on praying and act with faith in the God who has done great things before and who can do great things again. We need a powerful move of the Holy Spirit, such as John Wesley, George Whitfield and Duncan Campbell experienced.
Whatever plans you make, recognise that growth begins first with us: with me, with the person sitting next to you, and with the person sitting right now in your seat.
Growth brings challenge, growth brings change – but always for the better.
