1 in 5

 "He was seen by Peter, and then by the twelve apostles. After that He was seen by more than 500 of His followers at one time...." I Corinthians 15:5-6....."Do not leave Jerusalem until He sends you what He promised....in just a few days you will be baptized by the Holy Spirit." Acts 1:4-5...."We are often short of "apostles" who have seen the Lord and out of a warm heart, know how to tell others." Vance Havner

If you have any familiarity with Scripture, you likely know something of the day of Pentecost. 120 believers were gathered in one place. They were obeying Christ's command to "tarry" before God and await the promise of the outpouring of His Holy Spirit. For seven weeks they prayed, fasted, and waited upon the Lord. Then the Spirit came upon them. The outflow of His outpouring was wondrous. The believers went out into the streets among the people and proclaimed the risen Christ. So exuberant were they that onlookers thought they were drunk. Over 3000 were converted in a few moments due to what they'd seen and heard, and the Bible tells us that this continued to happen for many days and weeks afterwards. It was a wondrous time. So why have we had so few times like that since that day? God has not changed. Neither has Christ or the Holy Spirit. There have been revivals throughout history that swept nations and regions. The last one of any degree in this nation was in the early 70's when the youth of that time were swept up in what is known as The Jesus Revolution. I was one of them, though it happened as the movement was coming to an end. Why so little since? What is the church missing? The answer is found in what is always missing, has always been missing. It was even missing in the 1st century church.

John Bevere reminds us of something we don't see and consistently miss. We're told that Jesus appeared to over 500 people after His resurrection. We're also told that before He ascended unto His Father, He commanded His followers to remain in Jerusalem in expectation of His pouring out the Holy Spirit upon them. 120 gathered together to do just that, but where were the rest? What of the 380 plus that didn't? Why weren't they there?

Maybe they started out to be but grew impatient with how long it was taking. Maybe, as they tarried, they began to think of all the things they should be doing but were prevented from by this gathering. Maybe the longer they waited, the more foolish it all seemed, even if the Lord had commanded them to do so. In any case, they weren't there. They weren't swept up in the miraculous wonder taking place. Certainly, no one was accusing them of being "drunk." If they were present at all, they looked just like everyone else who hadn't been in that upper room with the 120. This brings me to a question asked by the great preacher G Campell Morgan. "When was the last time anyone charged you with being "drunk" with your Christianity?" When was the last time we were so caught up in our faith and our joy in Him that we looked like "fools" before an unbelieving world? Vance Havner said, "We either become fools God's way or stay fools our way."

There are many who profess to follow Him these days, but we have few "fools for Christ." We have many who have professed to believe upon Him, but few who have truly seen and experienced Him. And of those who have, too many have allowed the distractions of life to divert their hearts from Him. As a result, they've missed His outpouring. An outpouring they need as much as the unbelieving world around them. How many of us are among them? Enough I think that an awakening has yet to really happen. We don't have many who are willing to let all else become secondary so that they may seek Him with all their hearts. So, the awakening tarries because we will not.

1 in 5, for whatever reason, missed what God had for them at Pentecost. 1 in 5 entered into the depth of intimacy and spiritual power that was theirs in Christ. What might that ratio be today in our various fellowships? How many of us know what it is to tarry before Him? How many of us hunger and thirst for His Spirit, for His presence, for His holiness? How many of us are willing to be fools for Him in our life and witness? Havner's quote is chillingly true. We will either be fools His way or remain fools in our way. Which is it for you and me?

Blessings,

Pastor O