How serious is our cavalier attitude toward sin? How pervasive are our assaults on God? We scarcely even know. Consider this verse.

“Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance?”

Romans 2:4 (ESV)

Romans 2:4 appears in a larger passage in which Paul is highlighting the universal need for God’s salvation. His question points to the mistaken idea that a person can continue willfully in sin and escape God’s judgment. More specifically, he addresses the person who claims to have received God’s mercy for salvation and then continues living disobediently under the presumption that this limitless mercy will expand along with his sin.

For a believer to continue in willful defiance of God’s standard reflects an unbelievable assumption about His kindness at best and a blatant contempt for it at worst. In other words, an assumption that God’s patience is rich enough to cover my continued, willful sin reveals a staggering misinterpretation of the text.

God’s longsuffering generosity toward sinful mankind is an instrument of repentance not continued rebellion. The person who genuinely experiences God’s mercy in the forgiveness of sin is compelled FROM sin not led TOWARD it.

And yet, even more is at stake. To continue in open rebellion to God reflects an arrogant disregard for His patience. In effect, a person shows a disdain for the reality of God’s kindness as he swaps it for a license to sin.

So, let’s take a moment to consider our attitude toward God’s kindness. Do I really like God’s kindness for what it really is? Or maybe we should ask the question differently. Have I looked to God’s mercy to ease my conscience regarding sin or do I look to God’s kindness as a means of carving sin from my life?

On July 9, I presented part one of this series in which I wrote…

“The Bible and church history bear witness to the fact that particular people in particular places have experienced extraordinary movements of God.”

and

“Because I long to see this type of abnormal movement, I want to draw attention to one such season from the Old Testament and invite you to join me in pleading with God to bless us in this way.”

I return to this subject today to highlight another characteristic present during the season of extraordinary revival recorded in Nehemiah 8-10.

The people were moved by overwhelming grief over of their sin.

Twice in a little more than 3 weeks, the crowd gathered, listened to the reading of the Law, and responded with weeping and mourning because of their sin. On the first day of this extraordinary movement, Nehemiah interrupts their weeping to call them to celebrate a great festival. Yet the contrast of their disobedience and God’s holiness had immediately moved them to extreme sorrow and repentance.

On the 24^th day of the month, the people gathered again, heard from God’s Word, and once again began to weep, mourn, and confess their sin. Again, the contrast of their sin and God’s perfection overwhelmed them.

In an age when sin is commonly referred to as a “shortcoming” or a “mistake,” their reaction seems strangely foreign. Perhaps the reason we fail to see an extraordinary movement of God is our ordinary view of sin.

God, we ask You to penetrate our hearts with the gravity and severity of our sin. And we plead for You to give us an accurate view of our sin that will usher in an extraordinary renewal and rebirth.

Many Christians seem overwhelmingly distracted by a great longing to “moralize” our neighbors. It will simply never be done, at least not while it is our aim. Morality makes a lousy target.

Yet we pursue a revival of morality in America. Stop abortion. Defend the definition of marriage. Provide balanced science curriculum in schools. Eradicate pornography. Stop injustice. End war. Care for the environment. Don’t misunderstand, this morality has a place in the believer’s life. It is a terrific result. It just makes a terrible goal.

Society at large will never live-up to the biblical standard of morality because we have a bigger problem.

“For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things.”

Romans 1:21-23 (ESV)

Society’s biggest ill is not the loss of a moral center; our biggest problem is idolatry. We exchange the truth about God for a lie. We ignore what we know to be true about Him. We exalt the mortal things (namely ourselves and our desires) above God. We worship the earthly, perishable, mortal things instead of the immortal God.

The problem is idolatry and the result of our problem is immorality.

“Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity…”

Romans 1:24a (ESV)

Therefore – as a result – our morality fades because our idolatry grows. Immorality is the result, the symptom. Morality is no more a cure for society’s ills than cough medicine is a cure for pneumonia. It may hide a symptom, but the illness is much deeper, much more serious.

We must not ignore morality. I’m not advocating for a withdrawal from society or apathy toward any of the aforementioned issues. But let’s remember, Jesus never instructed His disciples to fix society. He called them to worship God because He knew the real problem was idolatry, not immorality.

Let’s address the real problem in our hearts and in the world: idolatry. Let’s worship God and lead others to see, know, and worship Him as well. Then, and only then, can we rejoice as the symptoms of immorality subside.

On July 9, I presented part one of this series in which I wrote…

“The Bible and church history bear witness to the fact that particular people in particular places have experienced extraordinary movements of God.”

and

“Because I long to see this type of abnormal movement, I want to draw attention to one such season from the Old Testament and invite you to join me in pleading with God to bless us in this way.”

I return to this subject today to highlight one characteristic present during the season of extraordinary revival recorded in Nehemiah 8-10.

The public proclamation of God’s Word preceded the season of renewal among the Israelites. As the 50,000 or so people gathered in the city square, a team of men preached from the Book of the Law.

Ezra the priest, with the help of thirteen men from Israel, read from the scrolls containing the first five books of our Old Testament from “daybreak to noon,” and the people stood to listen. Helping them as they read, thirteen other men were scattered throughout the crowd translating these words and explaining them to the people.

This act of reading the Scripture and explaining it to the people is the definition of preaching. More specifically, the twenty-seven member team read God’s Word, made it clear, and gave the meaning so the people could understand and obey it (Nehemiah 8:8). Little wonder God moved. He was exalted as His Word was proclaimed.

To their own detriment, however, many churches have jettisoned biblical preaching in favor of talks on contemporary issues. We should not be surprised that so many churches fail to see God’s extraordinary work. When man’s ingenuity is exalted, we cannot expect to see God’s power.

God, we ask You to lead men all over the world today to take up Your Word, read it, explain it, and apply it to the lives of their listeners. And we plead for to bring a season of extraordinary renewal and rebirth through the faithful preaching of Your Word.

“For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes…” Romans 1:16a

The entry for June 9 entitled Finally, Some Good News articulated the gospel. Once again, that explanation provides a context for the following…

My explanation of the gospel is not new or especially well-written. It contains no secret meaning or fresh perspective. The truths presented are older than time. These truths form a story. The story is the gospel. The story is true. The story is universal. The story is foundational. The story is messy. The story is ugly. The story is beautiful. The story is sad. The story is happy. The story is confusing. The story makes perfect sense. The story is terrifying. The story is surprising. The story is powerful.

So why belabor the point? Because confidence in the gospel’s power is embarrassingly low among the masses of modern Christendom. Few in the church will raise an objection to the gospel. But many don’t believe the gospel is powerful.

Their words and lives and ministries scream: the gospel is weak! I will help it by watering it down or dressing it up or softening its rough edges or strengthening its arguments or sweetening its offer or improving its marketability. I am not confident in this story, but it isn’t bad and I can work with the basic outline.

Just remember, the gospel doesn’t need you, but you desperately need the gospel.

So confidently share this simple story.

The Bible and church history bear witness to the fact that particular people in particular places have experienced extraordinary movements of God. During these exceptional times of ‘revival’ (as they have been commonly called), God’s people were moved to radical, life-changing faith.

Because I long to see this type of abnormal movement, I want to draw attention to one such season from the Old Testament and invite you to join me in pleading with God to bless us in this way.

The details of this ‘revival’ are recorded in Nehemiah chapters 8-10. Approximately 140 years after Jerusalem was destroyed and nearly every Israelite had been exiled, tens of thousands had returned.

The temple and the walls of the city had been rebuilt, but this generation of Israelites had never experienced fellowship with God the way theirs ancestors had. They had not read from the Scripture or sacrificed in the temple or celebrated a commemorative feast. In returning to this once great city, God was calling them to return to Him.

The people – most likely 50,000 or so – gathered in the city to hear God’s Word read and explained in early October 445 BC. Upon hearing the Law read for hours, the people respond with repentance and worship. They weep and mourn because of their sin, but Nehemiah encourages them to celebrate.

During the next 3-plus weeks, the people celebrate a long-ignored feast, assemble regularly to hear God’s Word, fast, mourn, and confess their sin. Finally, led by a group of men, they renew their commitment to God and His Word.

This season of revival is important for understanding the history of the Hebrew nation and God’s relationship with them. Moreover, studying these events can also be valuable for understanding God’s extraordinary blessings of revival.

Please take time to follow these posts during the next several weeks and join me in praying for an extraordinary work of God.

“So I am eager to preach the gospel to you also who are in Rome.” Romans 1:15 (ESV)

The entry for June 9 entitled Finally, Some Good News articulated the gospel. That explanation provides a context for the following…

Remember the good news? Remember the wonderful story? We call it the gospel. The gospel is a true, universal, foundational, messy, ugly, beautiful, sad, glad, confusing, ordered, terrifying, surprising, amazing, life changing story. This story must be told. Yet too often the story goes untold. Paul’s words in this verse leave at least two challenges.

First, he must have had a list of people with whom he wanted to share. The people in Rome were on this list. The word ‘also’ implies they were in a category with other people.

Second, he was eager to share the gospel. Many adjectives could be used to describe my attitude about sharing the gospel. I’m not sure eager would be very accurate.

Do you have a list like Paul? Is it embarrassingly short? Might you ever use ‘eager’ to describe your desire to share with them?

God give us a burden for our friends who need good news. God make us eager to share this amazing story with them.

Almost 130 years after Jerusalem was destroyed by the Babylonian army and most Israelites were exiled, a man named Ezra returned to the city with a clear objective. His life and ministry provide a powerful example for all who follow Christ, but especially for pastors.

“For Ezra had set his heart to study the Law of the LORD, and to do it and to teach his statutes and rules in Israel.” Ezra 7:10

This single verse is a powerful summary and challenge as three characteristics emerge.

First, he “set his heart to study” God’s word. His life was devoted to knowing and understanding the scriptures.

Second, he set his heart “to do it” or to obey God’s Law. His life was given to living in holiness.

Third, he set his heart on teaching God’s word. His life was committed to communicating the Law and leading people to obey it.

The books of Ezra and Nehemiah recount parts of his tumultuous ministry including his role in leading a great revival in Jerusalem (recorded in Neh 8:1-10:39). This highlight does not erase the years of ministry spent studying and teaching a mostly rebellious and obstinate people. Yet he was not deterred from his objective.

God, grant us a generation of Ezras. Men devoted to knowing God’s word. Men given to personal holiness. Men committed to communicating God’s word. Grant us men who set their hearts on lives and ministries that will lead us into times of great awakening.

If you’re a pastor, follow Ezra. If you’re not, pray for your pastor to follow Ezra.

“Paul… set apart for the gospel of God.” Romans 1:1 (NASB)

According to the New Testament, the gospel (or good news) is…

• All people sin by disobeying or refusing to conform to God’s perfect standard.
• Sin separates a person from God.
• Sin places a person under God’s righteous anger (or wrath).
• Sin results in physical death.
• Every person who dies faces God’s judgment for sin.
• Therefore, all people are under God’s wrath, will die, and will face judgment.
• God offers hope in the form of salvation in Jesus.
• Jesus died in our place.
• Jesus bore God’s wrath for us.
• Jesus paid the penalty for our sin.
• Jesus reconciles us to God.
• Jesus’ work must be received by faith.
• A person must trust in Jesus as the way of salvation.
• By trusting, God reconciles His fellowship with the person.
• God declares him righteous and provides escape from wrath.
• God gives him new life by placing the Holy Spirit in him.
• This salvation is available to all people who will receive it by faith.

These sentences are not new or especially well-written. They contain no secret meaning or fresh perspective. The truths they present are older than time. These truths form a story. The story is the gospel. The story is the good news.

The story is true. The story is universal. The story is foundational. The story is messy. The story is ugly. The story is beautiful. The story is sad. The story is happy. The story is confusing. The story makes perfect sense. The story is terrifying. The story is surprising. The story is powerful. The story is amazing. The story is life changing. The story is the gospel. The story must be told. For the story is the good news.

Good news for me. Good news for you. Good news for all people.

If your life has been changed by this good news, then follow Paul’s lead and live for this good news.