I’m tired this morning, my back hurts, and I feel old!  It’s all because it’s Monday, and I fully understand why many pastors take Mondays off.  I’ve never done that and don’t plan to begin now.  In fact, I’m leaving for Pigeon Forge at noon to be with some of our senior adults at an overnight retreat.  But fatigue is usually more mental than physical, and nothing rests and relaxes the mind like Bible study.  So I’m going to fetch a fresh cup of coffee and devote the morning to studying Isaiah 53, one of the great chapters of the Bible. 

This passage is the text for my Palm Sunday sermon on April 5.  But preaching is overflow; and one studies the Bible first for personal nourishment and only afterward does it become public ministry.  Whenever a person studies the Bible to find sermon material, it diminishes the quality of the preached Word.  The best plan is to study the Bible for personal spiritual nutrition, and out of that experience may later come a sermon or lesson. 

Only if a biblical passage is smoldering in the furnace of our own hearts does it have a decent chance of catching fire in the pulpit.

PS – There’s a moving account in the news today of the widow of the slain Illinois pastor who spoke yesterday from her late husband’s pulpit.  Cindy Winters said, “I refuse to let Satan win….  He’s not going to steal my joy….  He’s not going to steal my desire to spread God’s Word.  I’m not going to hate.”  The article at Baptist Press is here. 

Yesterday I came across a story I’m sure I’ll use soon in a sermon, for it illustrates how the Lord orchestrates even the smallest matters of life, like flat tires or broken carriages, to accomplish His purposes.

In the early 1600s, several ladies of high rank were traveling in Scotland.  These women were grieved over the fact that Gospel preachers were being excluded from Scottish pulpits.  As they traveled through the town of Shotts, their carriage broke down.  The local minister, a Mr. Hance, saw what was happening and helped the women.  He made sure a repairman was doing the needed work and he let the women stay in his manse until the repairs were finished.

It was all from the Lord.  The women were sad over the dilapidated state of the house, which was in far worse shape than their carriage, and they later returned the minister’s kindness by seeing to it that the manse was replaced with a new one.

Mr. Hance made a trip to thank them for their kindness and he asked if there was anything he could do to express his gratitude. 

Yes, they said.  He could let one of the evangelical preachers—the powerful John Livingstone—preach in his church.  Hance agreed, and the date was set for June 20, 1630.  Great crowds attended and there was such excitement they decided to extend the meeting another day.  Many formed themselves into little groups that prayed all night.  A large crowd showed up the next day, June 21, and services were moved to the churchyard.  Livingstone preached with great power for an hour and a half from Ezekiel 36:25-26 on the power of the blood of Christ to cleanse from sin.  The result:  “Five hundred men and women, some from the high ranks of society, some poor wastrels and beggars, were converted where they stood, and lived from that day as those who had received a new heart and a new spirit.”  The incident sparked a revival that swept over Scotland.

All because of a broken carriage and a bit of hospitality.

PS – This account is given by John Shearer in his book Old Time Revivals:  How the Fire of God Spread in Days Not Past and Gone, a 1927 book republished by Christian Heritage Publishing.

I want to introduce you to a “new” hymn that you can sing at your church Sunday.  It’s not so new; the words by Horatius Bonar go back to 1866.   And the music is REGENT SQUARE by the London organist, Henry Smart, whose death on July 6, 1879, is commemorated on a broken tombstone in London’s Hampstead Cemetery. 

The thing is, you already know the exuberant melody.  It’s the same as the Christmas carol “Angels from the Realms of Glory.”  Now see how wonderfully Boner’s high-spirited words of Trinitarian praise fits this tune and lifts our hearts in praise.

Glory be to God the Father,
Glory be to God the Son,
Glory be to God the Spirit,
Great Jehovah, Three in One!
Glory, glory, glory, glory,
While eternal ages run!

Glory be to Him Who loved us,
Washed us from each spot and stain!
Glory be to Him Who bought us,
Made us kings with Him to reign!
Glory, glory, glory, glory,
To the Lamb that once was slain!

 “Glory, blessing, praise eternal!”
Thus the choir of angels sings;
“Honor, riches, power, dominion!”
Thus its praise creation brings;
Glory, glory, glory, glory,
Glory to the King of kings!

Earlier this week, the Christian Science Monitor carried a disturbing piece called “The Coming Evangelical Collapse,” written by Michael Spencer.  It said, in part:

“We are on the verge – within 10 years – of a major collapse of evangelical Christianity. This breakdown will follow the deterioration of the mainline Protestant world and it will fundamentally alter the religious and cultural environment in the West.  Within two generations, evangelicalism will be a house deserted of half its occupants. (Between 25 and 35 percent of Americans today are Evangelicals.) In the “Protestant” 20th century, Evangelicals flourished. But they will soon be living in a very secular and religiously antagonistic 21st century.  This collapse will herald the arrival of an anti-Christian chapter of the post-Christian West. Intolerance of Christianity will rise to levels many of us have not believed possible in our lifetimes, and public policy will become hostile toward evangelical Christianity, seeing it as the opponent of the common good.  Millions of Evangelicals will quit. Thousands of ministries will end. Christian media will be reduced, if not eliminated. Many Christian schools will go into rapid decline. I’m convinced the grace and mission of God will reach to the ends of the earth. But the end of evangelicalism as we know it is close.”

This is certainly a possibility; but it excludes the prospects for revival.  It’s always a mistake to assume Christianity is dead and buried.  As we saw on Easter Sunday, the “corpse” has a way of resurrecting and outliving its critics.  Elijah thought he was the only one left, but his calculations were off by 7000 percent.

It’s helpful to remember that when George Washington assumed the presidency in 1789, the spiritual life of America was at low ebb.  The writings of the French skeptics had swept the land, and the United States was on the verge of being totally secular and irreligious.  The influence of the Great Awakening had waned, and the presence of Christians on college campuses was virtually non-existent.
 
At Hampden-Sydney College, however, there was one student who made a decision to follow Christ.  His name was Cary Allen. 

Shortly afterward, another student, William Hill, acquired an evangelistic book that he hid in his trunk and read secretly.  One Saturday Hill locked himself in his room to read the book when someone knocked on the door.  Putting the book on his bed, he opened the door.  It was another student, James Blythe, who walked over to the bed, picked up the book, and instantly started sobbing, saying he had locked his Bible in the bottom of his truck and had turned his back on God.
 
Hill and Blythe gave their lives to Christ, and, together with Cary Allen, began holding secret prayer meetings.  When word leaked out, a mob of students ridiculed, threatened, and harassed them.  But a revival broke out on that campus, resulting in half the students at Hampden-Sydney coming to Christ.  Spreading to other schools and churches, it paved the way for the Great Revival of 1800 that, in many ways, laid the spiritual foundation for America.
 
There’s no telling what will happen when a small band of committed souls enter a covenant to seek the Lord with all their heart.

Most revivals start on college campuses.  Yesterday morning, I had breakfast at a popular eatery near Vanderbilt University.  As I waited in line to pay my bill, I noticed the young man in front of me.  He was a university student with athletic features and a warm smile.  In his hand was a large leather Bible that he laid openly on the counter as he handed his credit card to the cashier.  I didn’t have time to talk with him, but I took it as a sign…

…of the coming evangelical revival.

This week’s newspapers are full of disturbing news about the state of Christianity in America.  A new report from The Program on Public Values at Trinity College in Hartford surveyed over 54,000 adults last year and discovered.

• The percentage of Christians in American has declined significantly in recent years.
• The number of people who claim to have no religion is increasing – from about 8 percent of the population in 1990, to about 14 percent in 2001, and today it’s 15 percent.
• Northern New England has surpassed the Pacific Northwest as the least religious region of the country.
• The state of Vermont reports the highest share of people claiming no religion—34 percent.
• The percentage of Americans who say they have no religion has increased in every single state in the union.
• The number of Americans who claim to be Christians has decreased from 86 percent in 1990, to 77 percent in 2001, and to 76 percent now. 
• Evangelical or born-again Americans made up 34 percent of all American adults.
• The survey found traditional organized religion playing less of a role in many lives.  Thirty percent of married couples did not have a religious wedding ceremony, and 27 percent say they do not want a religious funeral.

Another survey, this one by the Barna Group, found that less than one percent (1.0 %) of young adults hold to a biblical world view.

Perhaps the most dire report was an editorial in the Christian Science Monitor, entitled “The Coming Evangelical Collapse.”  The article said, “We are on the verge – within ten years – of a major collapse of evangelical Christianity.”  More about this tomorrow.

For now, a few thoughts:

First, it’s fair to say that the future doesn’t seem bright for Christians in America.  We have to be prepared to live for Christ an anti-Christian culture.  We have to be intentional about preparing our young people to live in a post-Christian society.

Second, we have to pray for revival!  But even if revival doesn’t occur, we’ll be faithful to the end.  Things are no worse than they were in the first century when the early Christians were dragged through the streets and thrown to the lions.  Persecution against Christians is at fever pitch in much of the world today, and our job isn’t to avoid it at all costs, but to be faithful against all foes. 

Third, it’s always a mistake to assume Christianity is dead and buried.  As we saw on Easter Sunday, the “corpse” has a way of resurrecting and outliving the critics.

Because of Katrina’s MS, I’m the chief cook and bottle-washer in the family, and there are two or three chef bloggers I follow.  One is Dorie Greenspan, and yesterday she had a cheap, healthy, and quick recipe she developed for readers of Parade Magazine.  We tried it for supper (I halved the recipe), and it was great, so I’m passing it on to you.

Tuna and White Bean ‘Waldorf Salad’

Two 6-oz. cans chunk tuna, drained and flaked
Two 15-oz. cans cannellini beans, drained, rinsed, and dried
3 stalks celery, sliced
1 red apple, cored and diced
1 small red onion, finely chopped
3 Tbsp chopped cilantro
One 12-oz. pack silken tofu, drained
1/2 cup light mayonnaise
1/4 cup cider vinegar
2 tsp curry powder
Salt and pepper, to taste
Salad greens

Toss the tuna, beans, celery, apple, onion, and cilantro together in a bowl. Puree the remaining ingredients—except the greens—in a blender or food processor.  Mix the tuna salad and dressing together, season with salt and pepper, and spoon over greens.

Serves 6. Per serving: 330 calories, 31g carbs, 27g protein, 11g fat, 30mg cholesterol.

Sometimes after I have prayed earnestly about a certain thing and it has not come to pass, I get discouraged and I say, “God has not answered my prayer.”  But then I go to the Bible and I notice that some of the greatest men and women of the Bible had the same experience, and it wasn’t that God didn’t answer their prayer.  It’s that He knew how to answer wisely.

1. Abraham earnestly prayed that Ishmael would become the Son of Promise and the heir of his legacy, but God said no.  He had something better, a line of descent through the boy Isaac.
2. Moses earnestly prayed to cross the River Jordan with the children of Israel, but God said no.  He had a younger leader named Joshua, and a better Promised Land for the aged Moses.
3. David prayed earnestly for the joy of building a temple to the Lord, but God said no.  He has something better—for David to set the stage and for his son Solomon to do the work.
4. Jonah prayed earnestly that he would die, but God said no. He has something better—for Jonah to learn the lessons of compassion and write it down a book that would thrill the ages.
5. The healed demonic in Mark 5 prayed that he could travel around as a disciple of Jesus of Nazareth, but the Lord said no.  He has something better—that he go home to his friends and tell them what great things the Lord had done for him and had shown him mercy.
6. The apostle Paul prayed earnestly to be healed from his disease, which he described as a thorn in the flesh.  But God said no.  He had something better—for Paul to discover the all-sufficiency of His grace.
7. Jesus prayed earnestly that the cup of suffering would pass from Him, but God said no.  He has something better—that a fountain would be opened for all the world for the forgiveness of sin.

Can you think of other biblical examples?

PS – If you’re looking for a sermon outline or lesson plan, this could be a seven-point message into “unanswered prayer,” using each of the examples as case studies, supplemented perhaps by your own personal examples.  The above-quoted section is an excerpt from my sermon for yesterday morning.  To read the entire message, click here.

Here’s an excerpt from tomorrow morning’s sermon on prayer:

No one on earth fully appreciates the fact that as the sun rises in the east each morning, vast armies of thousands of saints – many of them enfeebled, retired, sidelined soldiers who in their golden years have discovered a new ministry on their knees — rise from bed, go to their tables or desks and spread their prayer lists before the Lord.  Millions of prayers ascend upward each new day.  Millions of names are called.  Millions of problems are addressed before the Throne of Grace.  And millions of answers descend in God’s timing.

Missionaries are strengthened, children return to the fold, financial needs are met, pastors are empowered for their work, churches are unified, hurts are healed, history is altered, and a million cares are committed into the pierced hands of the Savior.

Prayer is approaching God and Asking.

Several weeks ago, I jotted down a request in my prayer notebook for good weather during our week in Florida.  We’re on the way home now and I can say that every day was gorgeous.  Katrina and I enjoyed 80-degree weather in Venice, where I spoke eight times over the weekend.  Then coming to Orlando, the temperature was cooler—the high 60s—but the sun was bright and the sky was blue.  We spent three days at Disneyworld.  The first day was at EPCOT, the second at Animal Kingdom, and the third in the Magic Kingdom.   (It dawned on me that I first visited Disneyland forty-nine year ago, as a boy of 7, in July of 1960).  Now we’re glad to be on our way home, stopping tonight in Macon, GA.  Here are some pictures of our week.

No, not that Venice.  Katrina and I are in Venice, Florida, where I spoke twice last night and four times this morning.  Afterward, we had quiche at a wonderful sidewalk cafe in bright 80-degree sunshine.  I got a little more sunshine by the pool at midafteroon, and then we met our friends, Billy and Darlene Melvin, for supper.  Tomorrow I speak twice, and then we’re checking out of Venice and heading to Orlando for a brief vacation before heading home.

The material for my messages has come from Romans 8:28 and from my book, The Promise.  Have you ever noticed that the Bible does not have a single chapter devoted to the heroes of love or to a listing of miracle workers?  There’s no roll-call in the Bible for the stalwarts of success.  But we do have a chapter (Hebrews 11) devoted to the heroes of FAITH.  God expects us to trust Him, and without faith it is impossible to please Him.  Faith is the ability to keep a good attitude in bad times.  It’s being strong of spirit in adverse circumstances.  Without adversity, faith has no environment in which to flourish.  But as Wesley put it:  “Faith, mighty faith, the promise sees, and trusts in God alone.  /  Laughs at life’s impossibilities and cries, ‘It shall be done!’”