God's New Thing
David Legge passionately urges believers to embrace God's new work today rather than cling nostalgically to past revivals, highlighting the necessity of discerning and welcoming God's fresh move in the Spirit.
This sermon emphasizes the concept of God doing a new thing throughout history, challenging believers to be open to God's fresh work and not limit Him to past experiences. It discusses the importance of discerning genuine moves of God, highlighting the need to focus on Christ, oppose sin, respect Scripture, awaken to judgment, and produce fruit in line with God's truth.
Sermon Outline
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I. Introduction and Burden
- God's Spirit is active and one in the body
- The message is a heavy burden to preach
- Call to hear what the Spirit says to the church
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II. The New Thing in Isaiah 43
- God promises to do a new thing beyond past miracles
- Do not be bound by former things but look forward
- The new thing is unmistakable but often missed
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III. Lessons from Past Revivals and Legalism
- Revival involves rediscovery but not identical repetition
- Legalism confines God and leads to rejection of new works
- Pharisees as a revival movement that missed Christ
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IV. Application for Today’s Church
- God is working now in new and unexpected ways
- Beware of nostalgia that hinders recognizing God’s new work
- Discernment is essential to perceive God’s fresh move
Key Quotes
“Do not remember the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I will do a new thing.” — David Legge
“Legalism is manifest in self-righteousness, an over obsession with tradition, and a very overt and acute judgmentalism.” — David Legge
“Evangelicals have all the answers, but they make the wrong conclusions. Evangelicals have all the facts, but they make the wrong conclusions.” — David Legge
Application Points
- Be willing to let go of nostalgic expectations and embrace God's new work in your life and church.
- Guard against legalism by seeking the Spirit's leading rather than relying solely on tradition or past experiences.
- Cultivate spiritual discernment to recognize and respond to God's fresh moves in the present day.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does 'God's new thing' mean?
It refers to God's fresh and original work in the present and future, distinct from past revivals or miracles, calling believers to recognize and embrace His current activity.
Why should we not expect revival to repeat exactly as before?
Because the context and challenges of each generation differ, and God is the God of originality who brings unique features to each revival.
How can legalism hinder revival?
Legalism confines God to human expectations and traditions, causing believers to reject new works of the Spirit that do not fit their preconceived ideas.
What biblical example illustrates missing God's new work?
The Pharisees missed Jesus as the Messiah because He did not meet their expectations, despite their deep knowledge of Scripture.
How can we discern God's new work today?
By maintaining spiritual openness, humility, and reliance on the Holy Spirit rather than rigidly holding to past patterns or human traditions.