Will Be the Mark of the Normal Christian Life.
Andrew Murray calls for a revival that will bring about a deeper understanding of God's will and a true following of Christ's example.
Andrew Murray emphasizes that many believers have been complacent in their Christian walk, merely playing at missions while failing to fully commit to the life God desires for them. He calls for a revival that awakens believers to the true essence of following Christ, which involves a wholehearted dedication to God's glory and the salvation of souls. This revival should inspire a collective enthusiasm within the church, leading to a life marked by selflessness and a genuine imitation of Christ's love for humanity. Murray believes that such a transformation is essential for the church to fulfill its mission effectively.
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More than one person has said: We have been playing at missions. And yet how we congratulate ourselves on all the wakened missionary interest. And all the while the number of believers who really follow in the footsteps of Christ, and count it their joy to give their whole heart and strength, to live and die, whether it be in prayer or work, for the glory of God in the salvation of souls, is so small.
Nothing can effect a change in this but a revival of a type we have not yet known. A revival that will, by the divine power of the Holy Spirit, open the eyes of believers to see how very wrong and low their conceptions have been of the life that God actually wants them to live. A revival that will make the last command of Christ live in the heart of every true disciple. A revival that will shake and lift our churches, and separate to an unselfish and unworldly life all who are willing to live wholly for God. A revival that will bind together the whole church in an enthusiasm for Christ and his kingdom. A revival in which the true following and imitation of Christ, in his living exclusively to bring the love to God to perishing men, will be the mark of the normal Christian life.
(Excerpted from The Coming Revival, by Andrew Murray , pg. 60)
Sermon Outline
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I
- The Current State of Christianity
- A Call to Revival
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II
- The Need for a Deeper Understanding of God's Will
- The Importance of Following Christ's Example
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III
- The Characteristics of a True Revival
- The Role of the Holy Spirit in Revival
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IV
- The Impact of Revival on the Church
- The Mark of the Normal Christian Life
Key Quotes
“A revival that will make the last command of Christ live in the heart of every true disciple.” — Andrew Murray
“A revival that will shake and lift our churches, and separate to an unselfish and unworldly life all who are willing to live wholly for God.” — Andrew Murray
Application Points
- We must be willing to live wholly for God, separate from the world and its influences.
- A true revival requires a deeper understanding of God's will and a commitment to following Christ's example.
- The mark of the normal Christian life is living exclusively to bring love to God to perishing men.