Participants: Pr. Dwight K. Nelson
Series Code: NP
Program Code: NP100210
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00:28 King of all days, oh, so highly exalted
00:34 Glorious in heaven above 00:41 Humbly You came to the earth You created 00:47 All for love's sake became poor 00:55 Here I am to worship, here I am to bow down 01:01 Here I am to say that You're my God 01:07 You're all together lovely, all together worthy 01:14 All together wonderful to me 01:21 I'll never know how much it cost 01:27 To see my sin upon that cross 01:34 I'll never know how much it cost 01:40 To see my sin 01:43 Upon that cross 01:49 Here I am to worship, here I am to bow down 01:55 Here I am to say that You're my God 02:02 You're all together lovely, all together worthy 02:09 All together 02:11 Wonderful to me 02:18 We fall down 02:22 We lay our crowns 02:25 At the feet of Jesus 02:32 The greatness of His mercy and love 02:39 At the feet of Jesus 02:45 We cry holy, holy, holy 02:52 We cry holy, holy, holy 02:58 We cry holy, holy 03:03 Holy is the Lamb 03:14 We fall down 03:17 We lay our crowns 03:20 At the feet of Jesus 03:27 The greatness of His mercy and love 03:34 At the feet of Jesus 03:39 We cry holy, holy, holy 03:47 We cry holy, holy, holy 03:53 We cry holy, holy 03:58 Holy is the Lamb 04:07 We cry holy, holy, holy 04:13 We cry holy, holy, holy 04:20 We cry holy, holy 04:25 Holy is the Lamb 04:36 I have no wit 04:38 No words, no tears 04:46 My heart within me 04:49 Like a stone is numb'd 04:55 Too much for hopes or fears 05:00 Look right, look left, 05:05 I dwell alone 05:11 I lift mine eyes, but dimm'd with grief 05:17 No everlasting hills 05:22 I see 05:32 My life is in the falling leaf 05:43 O, Jesus, 05:45 Quicken me 05:53 My life is like a faded leaf 06:00 My harvest dwindled to a husk 06:06 Truly my life is void and brief 06:13 And tedious 06:16 In barren dusk 06:22 My life is like a frozen thing 06:29 No bud nor greenness 06:32 Can I see 06:43 Yet, it shall rise, the sap of spring 06:50 O, Jesus, rise in me 07:05 O, Jesus, rise in me 07:19 My life is like 07:22 A broken bowl 07:27 A broken bowl that cannot hold 07:33 One drop of water for my soul 07:39 Or cordial 07:41 In the searching 07:44 Cold 07:49 Cast in the fire the perish'd thing 07:56 Melt and remold it 08:00 For my King 08:07 O, Jesus, drink of me 08:15 O, Jesus, 08:17 Drink of me 08:27 O, Jesus, 08:29 Drink of me 09:17 Let's pray together. 09:21 Oh, Jesus, quicken me, 09:28 drink from me, rise in me. 09:33 Oh, Jesus, quicken us, drink from us, rise in us. 09:41 It's time, it is high time, 09:45 dear Christ, we pray, amen. 09:53 There is no sadder funeral to conduct, 09:56 you can trust me on this one, 10:02 than the funeral for a child, particularly an only child. 10:12 The young man is hardly a boy, grown-up and he's dead. 10:18 Cause of death, cardiac arrest. 10:27 Was it the result of a tragic accident? 10:31 We don't know. 10:33 Was it the terminus of a dreadful illness? 10:35 We don't know. 10:39 All we know is that like far too many funeral processions 10:45 in this little village wending 10:48 our way to Rose Hill Cemetery, 10:54 it happened in his hometown as well. 10:58 The funeral cortege in that little village is gathered. 11:05 The mournful procession begins. 11:10 They have hoisted high above their heads, 11:14 the body of the deceased in an open coffin. 11:19 And the grieving crowd 11:24 trails its tear strewn way behind. 11:30 Truth be known, the tears, 11:34 their tears are not for the young man, 11:37 because when you're dead and gone, you're dead and gone. 11:42 Beyond the veil of pain and misery, 11:46 beyond the consciousness of ascension life, 11:49 you are utterly asleep 11:51 in the embrace of non-existence. 11:55 Existing now only in the memories of those 11:59 who loved you 12:01 and in the memory of the God who gave you to them. 12:06 So their tears and their pain are more 12:08 for the young man's survivor than for him. 12:12 Perhaps, this story ought to be entitled 12:14 "A tale of two crowds," because as fate would have it, 12:21 as that funeral procession is spilling out of the village 12:23 toward the nearby hillside cemetery, 12:26 another crowd comes boisterously 12:28 up the wending hillside road. 12:32 The sounds of jubilant laughter, 12:36 the excitement and joy, 12:40 it's as if they have in the center of that crowd 12:44 a celebrity unlike any rockstar they have known. 12:49 Everybody pushing as hard as they can 12:51 to the center of that moving mass, 12:53 holding up their iPhone, snapping just a picture of him 12:59 as the crowd flows up that road. 13:04 The jubilant crowd runs headlong 13:06 into the funeral cortege 13:09 and the contrast could not be more embarrassing and stark. 13:16 One crowd embarrassed for their unbridled joy 13:19 and such-- in the presence of such obvious grief, 13:22 the other crowd annoyed that anyone could possibly find 13:26 reason for laughter on a day of such broken-heartedness. 13:29 Silence settles over both crowds. 13:33 Nobody speaks. 13:37 The silence broken only by the muffled sobs 13:42 of the young man's mother. 13:44 No consoling arm around her shoulders, 13:47 not from her husband, 13:49 for he has preceded his son in death. 13:54 She's a widow. 13:56 And the boy was her only child. 14:00 Both crowds fall silent, say for the sobbing mother. 14:06 And then it was, maybe we ought to say and then it is, 14:11 the man who was the hero of the boisterous crowd 14:13 pushes His way through His people 14:17 until He at last is standing by the slumped shoulders 14:24 of the grieving mother. 14:26 It was William Blake, who once wrote, 14:29 "Till our grief is fled and gone, 14:32 He doth sit by us and moan." 14:37 There is a touch of that moaning compassion 14:41 in the voice of the stranger 14:45 and He speaks, "Do not weep." 14:54 Her face bowed beneath her black veil slowly raises, 14:57 eyes bloodshot with tears 15:00 search the features of this man. 15:05 Repeats Himself, "Do not weep." 15:11 And what happened next, though it happened so quickly, 15:15 none was able to sufficiently observe the details. 15:17 What happened next would become forever enshrined 15:21 in the chronicles of that little mountain village. 15:25 As the stranger pivoted on His heel, 15:29 stepping away from the sobbing mother, 15:32 two strides 15:34 and He stands beside the uplifted open coffin, 15:39 He puts his hand on that coffin 15:43 and then He speaks 15:46 as if the blue-tinged corpse can hear His voice. 15:52 "Young man, I say to you, arise." 16:06 And then that corpse sat up in his coffin 16:14 and he spoke. 16:15 Nobody remembered to capture the words, 16:20 but I've been a pastor just long enough on a campus 16:22 filled with young men and for me 16:23 it isn't hard to imagine his first words. 16:26 "Yo, what's up with this?" 16:32 But he answers his own question. 16:35 For in that moment he looks down and unraveling, 16:38 loosening around him is that burial shroud 16:44 and the moment he sees a burial shroud, he knows, 16:47 because the last time he saw one like that 16:50 his father was wearing it as they buried him. 16:56 And he instantly realizes, 16:58 he's been dead and they were about to bury him. 17:04 The hero of the boisterous crowd, 17:05 who now is the hero of both crowds, 17:07 reaches down into that open casket 17:10 and hoists the young man up 17:14 into the outstretched arms of his nearly fainting mother. 17:20 What a story. Huh? 17:24 What a Savior. What a Savior. 17:29 A Savior, who in just one story has precisely what this 17:34 homecoming congregation desperately needs today, 17:41 one story and our needs, all of our needs are met. 17:47 I want you to read that story. 17:48 Some of you are a bit skeptical 17:50 that it really happened that way. 17:51 Open your Bible with me, please, to the gospel of Luke. 17:55 And while you're pulling your Bible out, 17:57 I want to put the title slide for this, 18:02 these few moments you and I have together, 18:04 put it on the screen for you. 18:05 This is a part of our series, "The Gift." 18:07 This is part four. 18:10 We'll go ahead entitle this "A tale of two crowds," 18:13 because that's really what it is, 18:15 in both stories you're about to hear. 18:19 The tale of two crowds and if you, as an alumnus, 18:22 would like to plug into what's happening back at your home 18:25 church on the campus of Andrews University, 18:27 you can go to that website www.pmchurch.tv 18:31 anytime, night or day and you can plug in 18:34 to what is happening here, Sabbath after Sabbath. 18:40 Luke Chapter 7. 18:42 So if you didn't bring a-- you didn't bring your Bible, 18:44 grab the pew Bible in the front of you. 18:45 You got to read the story, just read it for yourself. 18:47 Don't take my word for it. 18:48 Luke Chapter 7, 18:49 in the pew Bible it would be page 695. 18:54 Luke chapter 7, by the way, I need to say this, 18:55 I'm opening up my new Andrew Study Bible. 18:59 You probably haven't heard of this Bible yet. 19:02 Have you heard of it? 19:04 Let me just say a word about this Bible. 19:05 This is some Bible. 19:06 I can't imagine an alumnus, 19:08 an alumnus anywhere on this planet 19:10 not possessing the brand new Andrew Study Bible. 19:15 I have good news for you. 19:16 They're going to keep the bookstore open late 19:18 for you tomorrow or the ABC across the town. 19:20 I hope you go and buy yourself this, 19:22 not just because most of the scholars 19:25 who did the annotations at the bottom of the pages 19:27 and the whole book is worth the price of those annotations, 19:30 not just because most of them are personal friends of mine, 19:34 but because your heart will be stirred. 19:38 The first in history, 19:40 legacy of leadership Andrews University, 19:43 you go, Andrews, 19:44 for being the first to put out a study Bible 19:46 in this community of faith that for 150 years 19:49 has borne the name as we learned just a moment ago. 19:52 So get the Bible for yourself, buy it for a friend. 19:55 You'd be happy to know the faculty provided 19:56 this Bible for every incoming freshman this year. 19:59 They gave them money so that every freshman would have this. 20:02 We start with this class. 20:04 But in 4 years every class will have it, 20:06 every member, student on this campus. 20:08 All right, enough of that, last time I'm ever gonna say 20:11 a word about the study Bible. 20:13 I have paid my dues. 20:17 All right, Luke Chapter 7, let's go, verse 11. 20:19 This is the New King James Version. 20:21 Luke chapter 7:11, "Now it happened, 20:23 the day after, that He, Jesus, went into a city called Nain," 20:27 that's really a little mountain village, 20:29 "and many of His disciples went with Him, 20:31 and a large crowd." 20:32 It's a huge crowd. The celebrity is in the midst. 20:36 "And when He came near the gate of that little city, behold, 20:40 a dead man was being carried out, 20:42 the only son of his mother, and she was a widow 20:46 and a large crowd from the city was with her." 20:50 A tale of two crowds, here it is, verse 13, 20:54 "And when the Lord saw her, He had compassion on her 20:56 and He said to her, 'Do not weep.' 20:59 " Imagine, do not weep. 21:04 Then in verse 14, "He came 21:05 and He touched the open coffin." 21:07 Contrary to Levitical law that says you are unclean 21:09 the moment you touch what a dead person is lying on. 21:12 To the Lord of life there are no strictures 21:14 that prevent Him from stepping into death. 21:16 He touches that open coffin. 21:20 "And He came and He touched the open coffin 21:22 and those who carry him stood still 21:24 and He said, 'Young man, I say to you, arise.' 21:28 So he who was dead sat up and began to speak," 21:31 but they forgot to write it down. 21:36 "And He," Jesus, "presented him to his mother." 21:39 Verse 16, "Then fear came upon all and they glorified," 21:42 the Greek reads doxologized. 21:44 They sang a doxology to God saying, 21:46 "A great prophet has risen among us." 21:49 We're doing a series right now called "The Gift," 21:51 it's about prophets and prophecy. 21:53 That's why we're in this text. 21:55 "A great prophet," the greatest prophet of all, 21:58 "has risen up among us, and God his visited His people. 22:02 And this report about Jesus went throughout all Judea 22:06 and all the surrounding region." 22:08 The end. So here's the question. 22:10 Could this story be a story about you and me? 22:14 Do you suppose that inside of us, 22:17 all the while carried along in our frenetic lives 22:20 ever since we left Andrews University 22:22 or ever since we arrived at Andrews University, 22:24 carried along by the crowd of circumstances, 22:27 but inside of us we are hiding a heart grown cold, 22:32 a heart that has turned pulseless? 22:34 Could this be a story about us? Yes, true. 22:38 Once we were alive in Christ. 22:41 Once, God and His righteousness meant something to us, 22:45 but over the passing of the days 22:47 and the months and the years, the flickering hope and faith 22:54 that was once ours has been snuffed 22:58 and is extinguished. 23:01 Could it be that this is a tale about you and me, 23:05 our passion for things eternal gone cold and dead? 23:08 I'll tell you what, if it's a story about you, 23:10 my friend, and if it's a story about me, 23:12 then it is very clear from this story 23:14 we need to meet the same Jesus on the way 23:17 we're traveling, whatever that way is. 23:22 We need to meet Him before our hopes are buried 23:24 and our faith finally is laid to rest. 23:26 We need to the crucified and risen One to put His nail 23:29 scarred hand on the coffin of our innocence 23:32 before it's buried and say, "Young man, boy, young woman, 23:37 old man, old woman, I say to you it's time. 23:41 You need a resurrection. It's time to rise up again. 23:45 I say to you arise." Maybe this is our story. 23:49 Could it be? 23:52 Could it be the story of Andrews University 23:56 in need of a resurrection all over again? 24:00 Before I tell you another story I want to remind you 24:07 that when you talk about revival 24:08 you're actually talking about resurrection. 24:11 I appreciate what Michael said a moment ago, 24:15 that the pastor prayed. 24:16 We're talking about resurrection 24:17 because the Latin word for revival is "revivere". 24:22 "Re" means again, repeat, redo, recount. 24:26 Revivere, the "vere" means to live. 24:29 Revivere, to live again. 24:31 That is precisely the definition 24:33 of a resurrection, isn't it? 24:34 To live again. 24:35 Something was dead, I once was dead, 24:38 but now I live. 24:40 Revival, coming back to life. 24:44 Could it be we need a revival again at Andrews University? 24:51 This may surprise you, but this next week, 24:54 exactly 40 years ago this next week, precisely, 25:01 something happened at Andrews University 25:03 that would be enshrined in the chronicles 25:05 of this little campus for the rest of its existence. 25:09 A revival broke out. 25:13 Some of you were there, some of you were here. 25:14 40 years ago you were, autumn 1970, 25:20 after reading Beatrice Neal's 25:21 detailed recitation of that hallowed autumn at Andrews, 25:25 I could wish we all had been here. 25:28 You know, Martin Kim that you just met on the big screen 25:30 a moment ago, Martin Kim's the one who sent us this story. 25:34 B. Neil wrote a history, 25:35 it's called "When heaven came down." 25:39 And I want to read just a selected line or two, 25:42 two stories today. 25:44 Just a selected line or two 25:47 from her history of that revival. 25:49 Listen to this, "It was the worst of times. 25:52 The whole country was in ferment of rebellion." 25:54 This is 1970. 25:55 "The whole country was in ferment of rebellion, 25:57 especially over the war in Vietnam, law and order, 26:00 authority, marriage, haircuts, work, study were out. 26:03 Demonstrations, riots, LSD, acid-rock orgies, 26:07 window smashing, burnings, violence were in." 26:10 Some of you remember those days. 26:12 "But it was also the best of times. 26:14 In the middle of the chaos myriads of young people 26:16 felt a hunger for God and for meaning to life. 26:19 They looked up to heaven for help and God came down." 26:22 Listen to the story 26:23 and it happened with the Methodists first. 26:26 Here we go. 26:27 "On February 3, 1970 at Asbury Methodist College 26:31 in a little town of Wilmore, Kentucky, 26:33 students hurried to the 10 o'clock 26:34 in the morning chapel service 26:35 in the stately Hughes auditorium. 26:37 The Dean gave a moving personal testimony. 26:40 Then he invited others to join in, 26:43 in answer to the prayers of a small group of students 26:46 who had been praying for revival." 26:49 That's how it always starts, a small group of students 26:53 on a campus begins praying for revival. 26:57 In answer to the prayers of that small group, 26:59 the Spirit of the Lord came down in mighty power, 27:02 a rebellious senior shocked the audience by saying, 27:05 "I can't believe I'm actually standing here 27:07 telling you what God has done for me. 27:08 I've wasted my time in college up to now, 27:10 but Christ has met me and I'm different. 27:13 Now for the first time ever 27:14 I'm excited about being a Christian. 27:16 I wouldn't go back to the emptiness 27:17 of yesterday for anything. 27:19 A long line of students came forward to pray 27:21 and give their testimonies. 27:22 With tears they acknowledged cheating, 27:24 theft, prejudice and jealousy. 27:27 Some went to individuals in the congregation 27:29 to ask for forgiveness and make restitution. 27:32 Old enmities were melted with a fervent love of God. 27:35 Some shook hands, others embraced 27:37 or they expressed their feelings with a hymn, 27:39 with the rest joining in. 27:40 The cafeteria was nearly empty 27:42 as the service continued on into the afternoon. 27:45 Classes were suspended for the rest of the day. 27:49 As some left for supper, others joined in to take their place. 27:52 An all-night prayer vigilant ensues." 27:54 And then, just like our campus, 27:56 they have a seminary on their campus. 27:58 The undergrad students the next day go to the seminary 28:01 and share their testimony and the revival 28:03 that began in chapel spreads to the seminary. 28:07 Amazing. Asbury College. 28:10 "News of the revival spread to the outside world. 28:13 Students from Asbury were invited to other campuses 28:15 to testify and the revival spread 28:16 through Christian colleges across the nation. 28:19 Billy Graham hears about the revival 28:21 and in his hour of decision broadcast 28:23 March 15 expressed the wish 28:26 that the revival which started at Asbury College in Kentucky, 28:29 would sweep from campus to campus 28:30 and from city to city. 28:32 It did. 28:33 By fall it reached Andrews University." 28:38 Now you need to hear what the year behind 28:40 Andrews was like. 28:42 "The 1969-70 school year at Andrews University was rough. 28:46 The campus was plagued by student rebellion, 28:48 wide-scale drug use 28:50 and polarization among faculty and student groups. 28:54 The student movement at Andrews campus, 28:55 paper dealt with issues such as declining enrollment, 28:58 students' desire for separate church services, 29:00 the university's ultraconservative 29:02 dress standards, racism, the generation gap, 29:04 tensions between the Student Association 29:07 and Administration." 29:08 That's the school year, last year, 29:10 the kids come back to campus, the fall of 1970. 29:14 Now listen to this. 29:15 "When the fall quarter started school chaplain, 29:17 Gordon Paxton had planned for a campus concern retreat 29:20 at camp Michiana," right off campus here, 29:24 "October 8 through 11." 29:27 40 years ago next week. Thursday through Sunday. 29:31 "The beloved youth revivalist pastor E. L Minchin 29:34 had been invited, Mike Stevenson, 31-years-old, 29:36 General Conference youth leader, HMS Richards, 29:38 Jr. Minchin became seriously ill few weeks 29:41 before the scheduled date, canceled the appointment. 29:43 But when the students arrived at camp Michiana, 29:45 there was pastor Minchin plainly 29:47 showing the effects of his illness, 29:48 but willing to take risk of a high order 29:50 to lend his influence for Christ 29:52 for his denomination's university. 29:55 In the early morning worships, 29:56 he taught how to pray effectively. 29:58 Students joined him in singing his theme song." 30:00 Here is the theme song. 30:01 "I want, dear Lord, a heart that's true and clean, 30:05 a sunlit heart, with not a cloud between, 30:08 a heart like Thine, a heart divine, 30:10 a heart as white as snow. 30:12 On me, dear Lord, a heart like this bestow." 30:18 "Off-campus, attendance at the meetings 30:19 vary between a 100 to as high as a 180, 30:22 Friday evening they're sitting 30:23 around a campfire, 2 hours of singing, 30:25 testifying, weeping and praising God." 30:28 Here's one eyewitness report. 30:29 "A hundred assorted saints and sinners 30:32 ask God to open them up, clean them out 30:35 and fill them with His Holy Spirit. 30:37 He answered our plea, He poured out his Spirit without measure, 30:40 beyond our greatest expectations. 30:42 All glory to God." 30:43 Something was happening off-campus. 30:48 Sunday morning, while the pancake breakfast 30:51 is delayed an hour and a half, 30:53 the students are wrestling and praying, 30:55 "What should we do when we come back to campus?" 30:58 Could it happen at Andrews University? 31:01 "Back on campus," here we go now, 31:02 "the students were on fire for God. 31:03 Gordon Paxton," listen to this, the chaplain, 31:06 "scheduled to speak in Tuesday's chapel," 31:08 right here, right here, 31:10 "scheduled to speak felt impressed to give the time 31:12 over to the students. 31:13 Some faculty cautioned against so bold and initiative 31:15 in view of the climate on campus, 31:17 but he felt constrained to proceed." 31:19 Now listen, "Tom Umeck, 31:21 a leading athlete on campus at the time, 31:24 led out in the service. 31:25 Students from the retreat fill the platform 31:27 and witness to what God had done for them." 31:29 Three Wednesday nights ago in our house 31:30 of prayer service here we were doing testimonies. 31:33 Two hands shot up and said, "Guess what, we were there, 31:36 the two of us were on that platform that day 31:39 when revival broke at Andrews." 31:42 "Then they invited others to come forward. 31:43 Tom saw a fellow to the right of the platform with whom 31:46 he'd had a brawl every time he got on the football field. 31:50 'I wanted to smash your guts,' 31:51 Tom confessed, 'but now I love you.' 31:53 And he went over and hugged him 31:54 and the two wept on each other's shoulders. 31:56 A spontaneous testimony service started during chapel, 31:59 overflowed into the following hours." 32:01 Listen to this, "at 1:30 there were still 150 people 32:05 lined up to testify, 3 hours later. 32:11 'I thought I'd been a Christian all my life,' 32:13 one young woman confessed, 'but I realize I was mistaken. 32:16 Now I've truly given my heart to Christ, I'm so happy now.' 32:18 Another testified, 'The wall between Jesus and me is gone. 32:21 Now we really communicate.' 32:23 After the service some called 32:24 their parents to ask forgiveness. 32:25 Students shared with others on campus all week. 32:28 They sang praise songs in the cafeteria line 32:30 and stood up and testified during meals." 32:33 That would have to be a revival. 32:36 Hallelujah. "All week long it's happening. 32:41 Halloween night comes and the student ministerial 32:45 club on the campus organizes an all-night prayer vigil 32:48 for Saturday night, October 31. 32:51 By midnight nearly 200 persons crowd at the campus center, 32:54 faculty and students praying together. 32:58 Succeeding issues of the student movement 32:59 are full of accounts of student evangelism 33:01 to Adventist churches throughout Michiana, 33:03 places as far away as Mount Vernon Academy, 33:05 Oakwood College, 33:06 Atlantic Union College, Massachusetts. 33:08 As a result of a student witnessing 33:09 in nearby Benton Harbor," listen to this, 33:11 "Jeff Evans accepts Christ and begins sharing faith 33:14 in the local college he attended." 33:16 Probably the Lake Michigan College, 33:17 but he meets one of our students up at Benton Harbor. 33:20 "A couple filing for divorce accepted Christ, 33:22 opened their place for Jeff's fellowship meetings. 33:24 So many interested kids at his college 33:26 wanted fellowship that Jeff fervently prayed for Bibles. 33:29 The majority of students were from non-Christian homes 33:32 and didn't have Bibles." 33:34 One more paragraph. 33:35 "Sunday evening, November 1, that's the next day. 33:38 Morris Venden, Morris Venden from Mountain View, California, 33:41 came right on campus to conduct a week of prayer. 33:44 He spoke that evening and twice daily for 5 days. 33:47 Students and faculty crowded 33:48 into the Pioneer Memorial Church 33:50 to give quiet and sustained attention. 33:51 His theme, John 15, grapes, 33:53 how to abide in the vine and bear fruit. 33:55 Afterwards Venden commented, 33:57 'I went to Michigan to convert the students, 33:59 but lo, the students have converted me.' 34:03 " Amazing. A handful of students pray. 34:06 It goes on and talks about how revival 34:08 spread from here to CUC, how it went to AUC. 34:11 By the way, listen to this, 34:12 Christmas, that fall's Christmas, 34:15 students from all three campuses 34:16 descend on New York City 34:18 and they were sharing Christ on the sidewalks. 34:21 Christianity Today, the revered evangelical journal, 34:25 hears of what happened in New York City, 34:27 gets a hold of CUC because the Christianity 34:30 Today officers used to be in Washington. 34:32 The college sent students and the Dean, 34:34 they gave the worship at Christianity Today 34:37 and later that winter they carried a story 34:41 of the revival sweeping through Adventist colleges. 34:46 Mercy, revival, resurrection, new life, 34:53 sweeping in to the midst of a school. 35:00 I know this kind of-- this feels a bit of an affront. 35:08 And I don't mean it to be an affront, 35:14 but could it be 35:17 that what Andrews University needs most, 35:18 and I'm talking about myself, 35:22 could it be that what we need most right now 35:26 is another revival, the outpouring 35:30 of the Holy Spirit on this campus? 35:34 I know that it's like Dwight L. Moody 35:37 was preaching one night. 35:39 He was preaching a series of nights 35:40 in the YMCA in Chicago back in 1871 35:43 and two women came through line as he was preaching. 35:45 And after he was through and they said, 35:46 "You know, Mr. Moody, we've been praying for you. 35:49 You need the baptism of the Holy Spirit." 35:50 He's just like next. 35:52 And they kept coming through night after night. 35:53 "We've been praying for you. 35:55 You need the baptism of the Holy Spirit." 35:57 And finally one night his temper threadbare 35:59 when they make the same speech, he just loses it. 36:02 He said, "Why don't you pray for the unsaved? 36:05 You shouldn't be praying for me." 36:07 But they kept coming back night after night. 36:11 And one night, when everybody had left, 36:13 he said, "Listen, I got to talk. 36:15 What is this about the Holy Spirit?" 36:18 And the rest is history. 36:20 Of course, it's an affront. But you know what? 36:24 To say we don't need a revival puts us in the company 36:28 of a little church called Laodicea, 36:29 who says, "I have need of nothing. 36:31 I don't need a revival." 36:35 A hundred years ago, a little woman who picked out 36:39 this piece of Southwestern Michigan farmland 36:41 to become the new address for Battle Creek College, 36:44 she wrote these words. 36:45 I'll put it on the screen for you. 36:47 "A revival of true godliness among us is the greatest 36:53 and most urgent of all our needs." 36:56 Look, if that was-- if that was 200 years ago, 36:59 it is exponentially more true, is it not? 37:03 "A revival of true godliness among us is the greatest 37:05 and most urgent of all our needs. 37:07 To seek this should be our first work." 37:10 First work. 37:14 Revival, she went on, 37:16 "A revival need to be expected only in answer to prayer." 37:21 It won't come any other way. We have to ask. 37:27 That's why today is day 32 of our 40 days of prayer here 37:31 at Andrews University in the Pioneer Memorial Church. 37:34 For 32 days now we've been praying for God to pour out 37:37 His Spirit on us individually, just pour out Your Spirit, God. 37:44 The life giver, the Christ Himself, 37:47 he'd move in our midst with this reviving, 37:50 this resurrecting power. 37:52 For 32 days now 37:53 we've been connecting with a prayer partner 37:55 somewhere on this campus, somewhere in this community, 37:58 reviewing the days reading from this little book 38:00 by Dennis Smith, called "40 Days." 38:02 It's a great book, 38:03 if you can pick up the book before you leave. 38:05 Pick up the book. 38:07 Every day we're on the phone, 38:09 we're connecting, reviewing the reading. 38:11 And you know what we're praying for? 38:13 Holy Spirit, baptize me. Just baptize me. 38:18 Pour out yourself in my life. 38:21 And, yeah, we're praying for this church, 38:22 this congregation. 38:24 We're praying for this campus. 38:26 We're praying that God would open the windows of heaven 38:28 and pour out such a blessing 38:29 that there wouldn't be room enough to receive it. 38:31 We're asking God to do it again 40 years later. 38:34 Only do it deeper, do it wider this time. 38:39 Why not? What have we got to lose? 38:41 Nothing. 38:44 Revival of true God and this is our greatest need. 38:46 It will only come though in answer to prayer. 38:51 And so we're praying and praying 38:53 and praying when the 40 days end, 38:56 10 days in that little prayer room begin, 39:00 I want, dear Lord, a heart that's true and clean. 39:04 I want that heart, Jesus. Resurrect my heart. 39:08 Start over in my life. Give me a new heart. 39:14 Because we want that heart, 39:16 that's why next Friday night right here, right here in this, 39:20 in this pulpit Lee Venden, totally coincidental, 39:24 Lee Venden, the son of Morris Venden, 39:26 will step into our church and onto this campus 39:30 and begin nine nights of revival preaching. 39:34 How come, Dwight? 39:35 Because we need a revival. Revival of what? 39:38 Revival of godliness and what is godliness, 39:40 but God-likeness. 39:42 And what is God-likeness, but Christ likeness. 39:44 And what does it mean to be like Christ? 39:45 It means to be baptized, surely baptized as Jesus was 39:49 every day of His life by the Holy Spirit. 39:51 Take a look at this from the classic 39:53 "Christ's Object Lessons," "Daily He," Christ, 39:55 "received a fresh baptism of the Holy Spirit." 40:00 We don't need warm spiritual fuzzies around here. 40:02 Oh, boy, we're having a revival. 40:04 No, no, no, no. 40:05 We need a rekindling of the power 40:09 of the eternal in our midst, 40:12 that will ignite His passion for a lost world. 40:15 One last time, that's what we need. 40:18 We need His outpouring. Does it happen, that passion? 40:22 Let me end with one last paragraph in this article. 40:25 This is something else, listen to this. 40:27 "The campus bookstore underwent great changes," 40:29 all right, in this history of the revival, 40:31 "the campus bookstore underwent great changes. 40:34 Many of the students gave expression 40:35 to their faith by purchasing Bibles 40:37 and giving them away on streets 40:39 or in house-to-house visitation." 40:41 Listen, let me hit the pause button right here. 40:43 There are three fruits 40:44 a genuine revival will always have. 40:46 If it has only two, it's not genuine. 40:48 It has to have all three. 40:49 Here are the three fruits, the sentence points it out. 40:52 When a genuine-- When the Holy Spirit 40:54 is sweeping over a campus, here are the three fruits 40:57 that immediately begin to grow, intensification of praying. 41:01 People are praying way more than they ever prayed before. 41:03 Intensification of studying Holy Scripture. 41:06 They are into the Word like never before. 41:08 And intensification of witnessing for Christ. 41:12 Those three fruits combined 41:15 define the genuineness of a revival. 41:18 What's going on in this campus? Did you catch that? 41:22 "Many of the students gave expression 41:23 to their faith by purchasing Bibles 41:25 and giving them away on streets 41:27 or in house-to-house visitation. 41:29 The Andrews bookstore managed by Alice Cox," 41:31 some of you remember her, 41:32 "was well stocked for annual sales of about 300 Bibles." 41:36 Every year, they figured, 41:37 we can sell 300 Bibles on this campus. 41:40 Listen to this, "suddenly," she's being quoted here, 41:42 "suddenly, she said, "we couldn't keep reach out." 41:46 That's Ken Taylor's paraphrased Living New Testament, 41:48 "we couldn't keep reach out in stock. 41:51 In 5 weeks time 41:52 she ordered 1,300 copies at Andrews University 41:58 and thousands more were to follow. 42:00 What's going on in Andrews, the publishers wanted to know." 42:05 What's going on at Andrews, heaven wants to know. 42:08 What's going on at Andrews? 42:11 Just moving through our paces, moving through the routine. 42:17 I've only been here 2 months, 42:19 but I'm already into the routine, 42:22 going through the motions. 42:24 What's going on at Andrews, heaven wants to know. 42:29 And so we're praying and praying and praying, God. 42:35 You define it any way you wish. 42:37 It doesn't have to look like 40 years ago. 42:39 It doesn't have to look like that at all, 42:41 but God pour out Your Spirit 42:45 and resurrect the life of Christ 42:47 in an entire student body and faculty and administration 42:53 and church, resurrect Christ in our lives. 42:59 Why not? What do we have to lose? 43:03 Pray and pray and pray. 43:09 And so let the record show before heaven that as alumni 43:14 and, oh, boy, I wish you'd join us 43:16 in those prayers, please, alumni. 43:18 That may be the biggest gift you can give to us, right, 43:21 just give us that gift of your prayers. 43:25 You go home, you go back to your busy life 43:26 or your retirement, pray for your alma mater, 43:31 pray for us like you've never prayed 43:33 for Andrews University before. 43:35 Why not? The times are right. 43:38 We are living in an utterly, on-the-edge political 43:42 and economic time on this planet. 43:47 God can do what he needs to do just like that with His Spirit 43:54 in possession of your life and my heart. 43:57 Alumni, pray for us, will you? 43:59 We pray for ourselves and we pray for you. 44:03 Oh, God, open up the windows of heaven that there might be 44:06 poured out a blessing like we have never received before. 44:11 It's time for one more revival. 44:14 Do it a second time, God, 44:18 for the Christ who is coming soon, 44:21 for the Christ who alone can save us. 44:40 I'd like to invite you to stand with me right now. 44:45 And in a moment I'd like to sing this little chorus 44:48 that Pastor Minchin taught the students 40 years ago. 44:54 But before we sing that chorus 45:01 I need to make an invitation. 45:03 There's no way we can come to this moment 45:05 and not make an invitation. 45:08 And so I want to invite, if there's a student here 45:16 that would like to be resurrected 45:19 in the power of Christ, revived in your life 45:24 and in your journey, as we sing this chorus 45:28 I'd like to invite you to come forward. 45:31 If there's an alum here, who says, 45:34 "You know what, Dwight, I need that resurrection. 45:39 I want that revival," 45:43 I want to invite you to step over everybody 45:48 and just come here to the front 45:49 and we'll sing this chorus together. 45:56 The leaders on campus, our campus chaplains, 46:00 chaplain Japheth in particular, he's reminded me, 46:03 "You know, Dwight, at the end of this service, 46:05 we'd like to invite the student missionaries 46:07 who were here to come forward in dedication 46:11 to an adventure for Christ 46:14 that they're gonna take one of these months." 46:17 And he said, "Would you also invite, 46:19 please, students who haven't made a decision 46:21 yet to be a student missionary? 46:24 Invite them to come forward." 46:26 We'll meet with them afterwards, 46:27 get their name and address 46:28 and begin the plan with them how her life, 46:34 his life be joined in service. 46:37 I'll tell you this about student missionaries, 46:40 there's nothing that will revive your heart quicker 46:44 than proactive service for Christ. 46:47 Always. 46:49 Service for Christ is a catalyst for revival. 46:54 You want to be revived? 46:56 Be willing to take a year off, maybe half a year? 46:59 Maybe just a spring break? 47:01 But you'd be willing to be sent anywhere on this planet 47:04 and go for Jesus, I want to invite you to come forward, 47:08 as we sing this chorus. 47:10 And I need to make one more invitation. 47:12 I want to make an invitation to the alumni who are here. 47:14 We are delighted to have you as always. 47:17 You know what? 47:19 The university has talked to you about giving to bricks 47:21 and mortar and that's important and we do need those gifts. 47:24 But I'd like to invite you right now to consider 47:26 giving a gift to human lives in the service of Christ. 47:32 In your little pew rack in front of you, 47:34 the students have already put them there, 47:36 they're there for you. 47:37 See this little envelope? 47:39 Alumni, would you please make a sacrificial gift 47:42 to student missions? 47:45 The details are all here. You just fill it out. 47:46 You say, "Dwight, I'm not prepared 47:47 to give anything today." 47:48 That's all right. 47:49 Just turn the envelope in with what you, 47:51 by the grace of God, would like to give. 47:53 It will enable our planning, leadership team to know 47:56 how many students we can bring in to a strategic effort 47:59 to reach this planet for Christ through the young. 48:04 You couldn't give a more important gift 48:07 than what you put in this envelope today. 48:08 We'll have deacon standing at the door, the ushers 48:10 and you may leave your gift right there, your pledge. 48:15 We need-- We need to go for broke for Christ, 48:21 spiritually, professionally, 48:26 academically, financially. 48:33 And so if your heart would like to seize this moment 48:39 and ask Christ in a public way 48:43 to revive your life, to rewrite your future, 48:47 to resurrect what was once there, 48:51 this is not a call for general re-dedication. 48:54 I'd like to invite you to come out 48:55 and I want to pray with you. 48:57 We're all standing. 48:59 Nobody will see you, except the one who calls you. 49:03 If Jesus is speaking to your heart right now, 49:05 there are three stanzas to this, 49:07 I'm not going to interrupt the stanzas. 49:09 God bless you. 49:10 I'm not going to interrupt the stanzas. 49:14 I'm not going to prolong this, 49:15 just three stanzas of this little chorus. 49:19 If God is speaking to your heart 49:22 and He's saying, "Girl, boy, 49:27 it's time for a resurrection," step forward. 49:31 You're an alum, you're not too old for a resurrection. 49:37 If God is tapping at your shoulder and saying, 49:39 "I'm asking you to publicly declare your prayer," 49:45 I invite you to come forward as well. 49:47 These are already coming forward. 49:53 To the back of the balcony, to the overflow, 49:58 if the Spirit is speaking to your heart right now 49:59 join these who have already opened the door. 50:04 You come. 50:07 I want to sing that song with you, 50:09 put the words on the screen. 50:11 It's a beautiful chorus. 50:13 40 years ago they sang it as the Spirit was poured out. 50:18 We sing it today believing it can yet happen again. 50:24 Let's sing together. 50:48 I want, dear Lord, a heart 50:54 That's true and clean 50:58 A sunlit heart 51:03 With not a cloud between 51:10 A heart like Thine, a heart divine 51:15 A heart as white as snow 51:21 On me, dear Lord, 51:27 A heart like this bestow 51:34 I want, dear Lord, 51:40 A love that cares for all 51:45 A deep, strong love 51:51 That answers every call 51:57 A love like Thine, a love divine 52:04 A love to come or go 52:10 On me, dear Lord, 52:15 A love like this bestow 52:23 I want, dear Lord, 52:28 A soul on fire for Thee 52:34 A soul baptized 52:40 with heav'nly energy 52:45 A willing mind, a ready hand 52:52 To do whate'er I know 52:58 To spread Thy light 53:04 Wherever I may go 53:14 Oh, Father, we sing that prayer to you. 53:17 Know that it comes from the depths of our hearts. 53:21 We want what you have. 53:26 We need what you have. Quicken us, Jesus. 53:33 Rise up in our midst, dear Christ. 53:37 Do it again. 53:39 Is the arm of the Lord shortened? 53:42 Have You lost power in the passage of 40 years? 53:48 Or are You even more eager now 53:50 to give good gifts to Your children 53:53 as a parent does to her child? 53:57 Oh, God, we need what You have, 54:02 so we have responded today. 54:05 I thank you for these who have come forward, 54:08 young adults, adults, who are saying, 54:11 "Oh, dear Christ, You've passed by my way. 54:19 I've heard You say, 'Young man, young woman, 54:23 sir, madam, I say to you, arise.' 54:32 " We cannot change ourselves 54:34 anymore than that boy could raise himself, 54:36 oh, God, but in the power of the living Christ, 54:41 by faith we receive His command and we rise up now, 54:48 in our minds and in our hearts before You 54:50 we rise up with new hope and new life. 54:57 Oh, Jesus, for these who've said "Take my life 55:00 and let it be holy, consecrated Lord to Thee," 55:04 and who've come forward for student missionary service 55:09 for the Christ, honor that decision, 55:12 fan the flames now, nothing will revive that life 55:16 like hands-on service somewhere on this planet. 55:20 Prepare her for her higher calling, 55:23 prepare him for the high destiny 55:25 you've always had for him. 55:28 Seal this decision. There'll be obstacles. 55:32 We know there's an enemy. 55:34 He'll try to make it look as tough as possible. 55:36 "Living a resurrected life on this campus? 55:39 Give me a break." 55:41 Holy Christ, You can't have called us to a decision 55:44 that you will not assist with Your mighty Spirit. 55:47 Clear the way for the roommate who doesn't believe, 55:54 for the friend who snickers. 55:57 Oh, God, give that man, give that woman 56:02 your unbridled power in the Spirit of Jesus. 56:06 Win every heart, cold hearts, unbelieving hearts, 56:11 un-resurrected lives, win everyone You can, 56:15 pour out Your Spirit, we humbly pray. 56:19 And we will serve you, Jesus. 56:21 We will serve you till You come, by Your grace. 56:27 We thank you. 56:29 Let all the people say, amen and amen. 56:36 It's been a pleasure to be able to worship with you today. 56:39 I hope that the Spirit of Jesus has blessed your time with us 56:42 right here in the Pioneer Memorial Church 56:44 on the campus of Andrews University. 56:46 Do you know that around the world 56:47 people join us every week for this hour of worship? 56:49 We're always looking as a consequence 56:51 for new ways to bridge, 56:52 somehow to connect with these people 56:54 who come here to worship via the telecast. 56:57 One of the areas that is quickly 56:59 growing for us is our website. 57:01 We had more than a 140,000 visitors last year. 57:05 It's an incredible opportunity 57:07 that God has given us to expand His kingdom. 57:09 If you'd like to help partner with us 57:11 as we seek to spread the everlasting gospel, 57:14 I'd love to have you call our toll-free number. 57:17 We've got very friendly operators standing by. 57:19 Here's the number, 877-His-Will, 877 57:23 and then the two words "His Will." 57:25 One of the operators will be happy to give you the details 57:28 of how you can partner with this global ministry. 57:31 If you prefer, listen, you can do it all online. 57:33 Go to our website, please, www.pmchurch.tv. 57:37 I'd be honored to have the privilege 57:39 of partnering with you 57:40 as we seek to spread the truth about God for this generation. 57:43 We are living in urgent times. 57:47 Now more than ever we've got to go to the world 57:50 with the good news entrusted to us. 57:52 So once again, here's that toll free number, 877-His-Will. 57:56 Thank you in advance for your generosity. 57:59 It blesses me and you grow this ministry. 58:02 I pray that the Spirit of Christ 58:03 will abide with you every step of the way 58:06 and I hope you come back again next time right here 58:09 as we continue our worship journey together. |
Revised 2014-12-17