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B. Motives for Seeking Revival
a. First motive: for God’s sake
7. Meditate on the Cross
The cross of Jesus is a very high motive for praying for Revival. The Son of God incarnate went through that unimaginable pain for every human being and yet most of them ignore it. And some of those who do believe Jesus died for them live in a way which shows they don’t take it seriously enough. If we love him we will feel very strongly that his great sacrifice must be acknowledged and responded to. We will yearn for more and more people to respond in gratitude and faith to his pain. We will pray for Revival.
Jesus “the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being” “through whom also he made the universe” who is “sustaining all things by his powerful word” came to be humiliated and to suffer.
He was:
- Terribly distressed in Gethsemane
- Betrayed by a ‘disciple’
- Deserted by his disciples
- Spat upon repeatedly
- Punched whilst blindfolded
- Slapped in the face
- Falsely accused
- Rejected by the crowd he loved
- Flogged (with a flogging which was so brutal that victims sometimes died).
- Mocked
- Insulted
- Stripped
- Repeatedly hit on the head with a staff
- Crowned with thorns
- Crucified
Then he was mocked on the cross (“Those who passed by hurled insults at him, shaking their heads and saying, ‘You who are going to destroy the temple and build it in three days, save yourself! Come down from the cross, if you are the Son of God!’ In the same way the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the elders mocked him. ‘He saved others,’ they said, ‘but he can’t save himself! He’s the king of Israel! Let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him. He trusts in God. Let God rescue him now if he wants him, for he said, “I am the Son of God.”’ In the same way the rebels who were crucified with him also heaped insults on him – Matt 27:39-44).
Then the worst happened when he cried: “MyGod, myGod, why have you forsaken me?” So he experienced the horrors of Hell. He chose to experience the worst that humans can experience – separation from God. The High and Lofty One who inhabits eternity chose through the incarnation to experience the lowest depth of human experience.
Yet most human beings ignore the cross and some Christians and churches don’t take it seriously enough in their behaviour. How tragic – yes, for the human beings who ignore it. But how grieving it must be for God. So we should pray “Father, honour the blood of Jesus. Send Revival.”
Surely God wants to bring revival so that as many as possible will be saved, that those who are unlikely to be reached by the church’s evangelism will come to faith and honour the sacrifice of Jesus.
God’s name is dishonoured. The blood of Jesus is spurned. The Lord is grieved at both of those facts but also with the fact that most people are on the broad way which leads to destruction. We must share his grief.
A MEDITATION ON THE CROSS
The cross is ignored. Yet you, our awesome God, chose through incarnation to experience the worst humans could do: rejection, slander, mocking, beating, spitting, betrayal, crucifixion and Hell for humanity’s salvation. You were showing your infinite, perfect love through the most awesome act of self-sacrifice. You, our infinite, awe-inspiring, omnipotent, omnipresent Creator God were humbled and sacrificed yourself beyond our imagination. I bow in thanksgiving.
A PRAYER
Lord Jesus, you were terribly distressed in the Garden of Gethsemane. You were betrayed. You were deserted by your disciples. You were spat upon repeatedly, punched whilst blindfolded, slapped in the face. You were falsely accused, rejected by the crowd you loved. You were flogged, mocked, insulted, stripped. You were repeatedly hit on the head with a staff. You were crowned with thorns. You were crucified. You were mocked on the cross. You were Godforsaken.
Bring Revival so that many, many more people will come to acknowledge your great sacrifice and commit their lives to you. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
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