LGC - Hunger Gains Part 2

Hunger Gains (Part 2)

Rhordan Wicks

INTRODUCTION

What is revival? Generally speaking, spiritual revival is when people experience a renewed interest in following God, often marked by widespread repentance and salvation. Timothy Keller defines this: “Real revival is the intensification of the ordinary operations of the Holy Spirit.” What are the ordinary operations of the Holy Spirit? His primary roles in our lives are to bring conviction, conversion, assurance, and sanctification.

In revival, we first see sleepy Christians wake up, leading to nominal Christians being converted and non-Christians being saved. Whether or not a revival occurs is entirely up to God. However, we also know that God enters when the door is opened.

How do we open the door to Jesus, who Revelation 30:20 tells us is waiting to be admitted? Let’s examine the Biblical communities of Nazareth and Bethany to help us understand the two attitudes towards Christ and what it looks like to open the door to Him.

DISCUSSION

We see the doors opened to Jesus at Bethany, as exemplified by Mary and Martha. Read Luke 10:38-42; John 11:17-37; John 12:1-8.

a. From Luke 10:38-42, what is the better thing that Mary chose? How does this story challenge or encourage you?

b. From John 11:28-33, how did Mary respond to the news of Jesus’s arrival while mourning her brother?

c. From John 12:1-8. What do you learn from Mary’s actions, and how did Jesus respond to Judas’s criticism of her?

d. The choice to sit at Jesus’ feet is not in the past or some time in the future, ‘when we have the time.’ It is now, as you have gathered, as the baby is crying, as the work is mounting, or as you are mourning.

(i) Discuss where and when you can be more deliberate about sitting at Jesus’ feet.

(ii) What is the perfume you have been keeping? How can you anoint Jesus with it?
In contrast, we view the village of Nazareth as a negative example of our heart attitudes.

a. Read Matthew 13:53-58. Despite being amazed by Jesus’ wisdom and miracles, why did the people take offence at him? What was Jesus amazed by?

b. The people had put Jesus in a box: they were unable to see Jesus beyond being a carpenter’s son. We are equally susceptible to doing the same. Perhaps we have limited Jesus to being the God of our youth, or God at church but not work, God of our family but not our friends. Is there an area of your life where you have put God in a box?

c. Have you had a critical spirit about something or someone recently? Would you take a moment to examine the attitude of your heart behind the criticism?

WHAT WILL YOU DO

After discussing the two different attitudes towards Jesus, which attitude do you feel more accurately reflects your current state?

Would you continue to pray: “Do it again, Lord. And would you do it with me.” Open the door of your heart – deliberately, consistently, and with the expectation that the Lord will enter and fellowship with you. Ask Him for spiritual eyes to see what He’s doing in your life and the lives around you and for His Spirit to convict you of sin that you need to repent.

MEMORY VERSE

Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me. – Revelation 3:20 NIV

AN E1R1 REFLECTION

Matthew 3:1-12

Up to this point in history, John the Baptist was described by Jesus as the greatest of any person born to a woman (Matthew 11:11). The great prophecy over John’s life was that he would foretell the arrival of Jesus – “A voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him.’ ” (Matthew 3:3 NIV)

This prophecy was already at work even before John was born when he was still in his mother Elizabeth’s womb: “When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit” (Luke 1:41 NIV). The calling over John the Baptist’s life is also a calling that we have inherited: to prepare the way of the Lord, to call sinners to repent, and to testify about Jesus.