Sermon: What can we learn from the Moravian Revival?

[George]

During the Catholic inquisitions, as millions of Christians we're being killed by the
Catholic Jesuit Priests for apostasy, Christians were fleeing all throughout Europe. In
Bohemia alone, there was an estimated 4,000,000 Christians before the Jesuit
inquisition, and 10 years later only 800,000 people remained in Bohemia – all of
whom were Catholic.

As a young man, Count Zinzendorf opened his estate to allow believers escaping the
persecution to settle. There was different fragmented groups, Bohemian Brethren,
Moravian Christians, Reformed Christians and unsatisfied Catholics. After a few years,
the village of Herrnhut – 300 or so individuals, came into total disarray!

One of the village founders, named Christian David, got so caught up in apocalyptic
fanaticism, so deep in fact that he actually referred to Zinzendorf as the “Beast of the
Apocalypse”. While the estate manager of the village, Johan Andreas Rothe,
Christian David termed as the “False Prophet”.

Obviously the enemy had entered into the community in such a way it seemed that
the village was destined for failure!

At this time, Count Zinzendorf devoted himself to the full-time reconciliation of the
conflict, visiting each home for prayer, and finally calling all the men of the village for
an intense study of the Scriptures. The question they came to focus on was how the
Scriptures described Christian life in community. These studies, combined with intense
prayer, convinced many of the community that they were called to live together in
love, and that the disunity and conflict they had experienced was contrary to the clear
calling of Scripture.

Zinzendorf’s dream was to see the differences of Herrnhut’s many traditions become
secondary to a corporate unity in love.

In the history of the Moravian revival, we read that:

“Zinzendorf was not aiming at organizational unity and uniformity among Christians
and did not desire the dissolution of particular traditions, but rather their binding
together in fraternal charity, mutual respect, communication and communion within a
sort of loose federation.”

As the community, they learned to “agree to disagree” on certain subjects – the one
thing they agreed on was the need for community in love – and this was necessary in
order to fulfill the “great commission”.

On August 13, 1727, he little community of Herrnhut would experience a tremendous
outpouring of the Holy Spirit, likened to that of Acts 2, that would transform these
factioned settlers into a unified missionary endeavor committed to reaching the
unsaved around the world. It led to the “Moravian Revival” that established a prayer
meeting that would last around the clock for over 100 years!

That day, members of the community left church and described it as "hardly knowing
whether they belonged to earth or had already gone to Heaven”.

And I quote,

"We saw the hand of God and his wonders, and we were all under the cloud of our
fathers baptized with their Spirit. The Holy Ghost came upon us and in those days
great signs and wonders took place in our midst. From that time scarcely did we
beheld His almighty workings amongst us. A great hunger after the Word of God took
possession of us so that we had to have three services every day. Everyone desired
above everything else that the Holy Spirit might have full control. Self-love and selfwill
as well as disobedience disappeared and an overwhelming flood of grace swept us
all out into the great ocean of Divine Love."

Years later, Zinzendorf spoke of the event, and said,

"We needed to come to the communion with a sense of the loving nearness of the
Savior. This was the great comfort which has made this day a generation ago to be a
festival, because on this day twenty-seven years ago the Congregation of Herrnhut,
assembled for communion (at the Berthelsdorf church) were all dissatisfied with
themselves. They had quit judging each other because they had become convinced,
each one, of his lack of worth in the sight of God and each felt himself at this
communion to be in view of the noble countenance of the Savior.

What changed this community was a introspection of their lives in the light of
Almighty God – a devotion to each other in spite of their differences – and a passion
for the commission that God gave them!

The Herrnhut revival was accompanied by such a marked demonstration of power
and unity that it is referred to as a repetition of the biblical Pentecost. John
Greenfield, a Moravian historian, explains,

“the spiritual experience of the Moravian Brethren bear a striking resemblance to the
Pentecostal power and results in the days of the Apostles. The company of believers
both at Jerusalem and Herrnhut numbered less than three hundred souls. Both
congregations were humanly speaking totally devoid of worldly influence, wisdom,
power and wealth. On both of these small and weak congregations God poured out
His Holy Spirit and endued them with power from on high. At once these believers,
naturally timid and fearful, were transformed into flaming evangelists. Supernatural
knowledge and power seemed to possess them.”

It wasn't a huge number of people that led the movement – it was a people
determined to seek God!  They came away with the slogan -- IN ESSENTIALS UNITY,
IN NON-ESSENTIALS - LIBERTY, BUT IN ALL THINGS -- LOVE!

The revival created such an urgency for evangelism that German historian of
Protestant missions, Gustav Warneck testified, “This small Church in twenty years
called into being more missions than the whole Evangelical Church has done in two
centuries.”

That's what happens when the people of God – seek the power of God!
I want to introduce another Pentecost moment, that took place 12 years after the
initial outpouring in Germany.

60 Moravians, along with seven Oxford Methodists – which included John and Charles
Wesley, the great revivalist George Whitfield, along with several ministers of the
Church of England gathered together on New Years' day in 1739. They gathered at a
place called “Fetter Lane” for an event called “The Moravian Love Feast”. That night
the power of God fell!

As they prayed in the New Year, John Wesley wrote, “About three in the morning, as
we were continuing instant in prayer, the power of God came mightily upon us,
insomuch that many cried for exceeding joy, and many fell to the ground. As soon as
we were recovered a little from that awe and amazement at the presence of His
Majesty, we broke out with one voice "We praise Thee, O God; we acknowledge
Thee to be the Lord!”

We know of the Wesleyan revivals and the revivals of George Whitfield. It was
connected to a group of men – of different denominations – gathering together in
love – despite their differences – and the power of God fell!

D.L. Moody in one of his last sermons in Boston, his spiritual birthplace, spoke thus of
the Holy Spirit:

"See how He came on the day of Pentecost! It is not carnal to pray that He may
come again and that the place may be shaken. I believe Pentecost was but a specimen
day. I think the Church has made this woeful mistake that Pentecost was a miracle
never to be repeated. I have thought too that Pentecost was a miracle that is not to be
repeated. I believe now if we looked on Pentecost as a specimen day and began to
pray, we should have the old Pentecostal fire here in Boston."

It's not such a strange thing that the outpouring of the Spirit at Shavuout that took
place 2000 years ago should happen again and again and again. There is nothing in the
Brit Hadasha to indicate that this was to be the one and only fulfillment of this
promise. On the contrary we read in the book of Acts of many outpourings of the
Holy Spirit, as in Samaria (8:14-17) as in Ephesus (19:1-7) and even in the case of the
Gentiles (10:44-46).

The baptism of fire consumed them – and it was for a purpose – to fulfill the great
commission in POWER!

As we read in the days of Elijah, I believe it gives us a blueprint of how to see the fire
of God is to be poured out!

In 1 Kings 18, how Ahab and Jezebel hunted down the prophets of God, and killed
them. This led to a serious confrontation between Elijah and Ahab. We read in 1
Kings 18:17-18
17 Then it happened, when Ahab saw Elijah, that Ahab said to him, "Is that you, O
troubler of Israel?"
18 And he answered, "I have not troubled Israel, but you and your father's house
have, in that you have forsaken the commandments of the Lord and have followed
the Baals.

The first thing that Elijah does is confront the sin of Ahab! If we truly want to lead a
life of revival, we too, must confront our own sins!

Next we read,
19 Now therefore, send and gather all Israel to me on Mount Carmel, the four
hundred and fifty prophets of Baal, and the four hundred prophets of Asherah, who
eat at Jezebel's table."
20 So Ahab sent for all the children of Israel, and gathered the prophets together on
Mount Carmel.
21 And Elijah came to all the people, and said, "How long will you falter between two
opinions? If the Lord is God, follow Him; but if Baal, follow him." But the people
answered him not a word.

Now Elijah confronts the children of Israel and forces them to make a commitment!
If we choose the false gods of this world – revival will never come! God demanded
pure worship! Pure commitment to his purposes! And we have to ask ourselves what
is the true purpose of God? It's the redemption of mankind! That's the reason His
Son came – and we too must come to a place – to a place where our commitment
are to fulfill His purposes!

As you know the story, the prophets of baal pleaded with their false god, cutting
themselves, as blood is gushing out of their bodies, Elijah mocks their false god!
37 Hear me, O Lord, hear me, that this people may know that You are the Lord God,
and that You have turned their hearts back to You again."
38 Then the fire of the Lord fell and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood and
the stones and the dust, and it licked up the water that was in the trench.
39 Now when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces; and they said, "The Lord,
He is God! The Lord, He is God!"

Now the fire of God comes down in such a way, it turns the hearts of the people back
to God! May the fire of God fall upon us so heavily that the hearts of Israel turn back
to Him! Oh we need the fire of God in our lives!

We read about another time when the fire of God is poured out, in 2 Chronicles 7 as
Solomon dedicated the temple.
1 When Solomon had finished praying, fire came down from heaven and consumed
the burnt offering and the sacrifices; and the glory of the Lord filled the temple.
2 And the priests could not enter the house of the Lord, because the glory of the
Lord had filled the Lord's house.
The fire of God fell so heavily – the priests couldn't even enter the Temple!
3 When all the children of Israel saw how the fire came down, and the glory of the
Lord on the temple, they bowed their faces to the ground on the pavement, and
worshiped and praised the Lord, saying: "For He is good, For His mercy endures
forever."

The fire of God created a reaction! – it created an atmosphere of revival – as they
fell on their faces and worshiped and praised God!

4Then the king and all the people offered sacrifices before the Lord.
5 King Solomon offered a sacrifice of twenty-two thousand bulls and one hundred and
twenty thousand sheep. So the king and all the people dedicated the house of God.
The blood sacrifice was critical to the worship! Without the blood – there was no
sacrifice! We're not talking about some small sacrifice – but 22,000 bulls and 120,000
sheep! That's a lot of blood! And to think – we're covered by the blood of Yeshua!

6 And the priests attended to their services; the Levites also with instruments of the
music of the Lord, which King David had made to praise the Lord, saying, "For His
mercy endures forever," whenever David offered praise by their ministry. The priests
sounded trumpets opposite them, while all Israel stood.
7 Furthermore Solomon consecrated the middle of the court that was in front of the
house of the Lord; for there he offered burnt offerings and the fat of the peace
offerings, because the bronze altar which Solomon had made was not able to receive
the burnt offerings, the grain offerings, and the fat.

In connection with the fire of God – was the worship of God!

Hebrews 13:
11 For the bodies of those animals, whose blood is brought into the sanctuary by the
high priest for sin, are burned outside the camp.
12 Therefore Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people with His own blood,
suffered outside the gate.
13Therefore let us go forth to Him, outside the camp, bearing His reproach.
14 For here we have no continuing city, but we seek the one to come.
15 Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the
fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name.
16 But do not forget to do good and to share, for with such sacrifices God is well
pleased.

Now God knew that His Spirit would not always stay with men – for God knows the
heart of men! So He gave Solomon a formula for revival!

12 Then the Lord appeared to Solomon by night, and said to him: "I have heard your
prayer, and have chosen this place for Myself as a house of sacrifice.
13 When I shut up heaven and there is no rain, or command the locusts to devour the
land, or send pestilence among My people,
14 if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and
seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will
forgive their sin and heal their land.

It's an if – then statement! It's connected to their economy! The economy of Israel
was based on farming! So he talks about a RAIN – LOCUSTS – PESTILENCES – all
of which are afflictions!

The commandment is for God's people! To qualify, you need to be a child of God!
It begins with humbling themselves – a crying out to God on their knees! Secondly it
begins with pray and seeking God's face! We're only as close to God as we want to
be! Thirdly, it's a call to repentance – not judging ourselves in the light of others –
but comparing ourselves to a holy and awesome God – and in doing so – we'll come
to the radical conclusion of how desperately we need Him! How desperately we need
Yeshua – and his cleaning blood!

When we fall on our faces – crying out to God – praying and pleading with God –
seeking His holiness – repenting and turning to Him wholeheartly – Then God will
answer our pleas! He will answer from heaven – he will forgive our sin! He will heal!

This same Hebrew word is used in Psalm 107:19-22
19 Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble, And He saved them out of their
distresses.
20 He sent His word and healed them, And delivered them from their destructions.
21 Oh, that men would give thanks to the Lord for His goodness, And for His
wonderful works to the children of men!
22Let them sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving, And declare His works with
rejoicing 

Why is this so important for us today? If you continue reading the passage in 2
Chronicles,

15 Now My eyes will be open and My ears attentive to prayer made in this place.
16 For now I have chosen and sanctified this house, that My name may be there
forever; and My eyes and My heart will be there perpetually.
17 As for you, if you walk before Me as your father David walked, and do according
to all that I have commanded you, and if you keep My statutes and My judgments,
18 then I will establish the throne of your kingdom, as I covenanted with David your
father, saying, 'You shall not fail to have a man as ruler in Israel.'
19 "But if you turn away and forsake My statutes and My commandments which I
have set before you, and go and serve other gods, and worship them,
20 then I will uproot them from My land which I have given them; and this house
which I have sanctified for My name I will cast out of My sight, and will make it a
proverb and a byword among all peoples.
21 And as for this house, which is exalted, everyone who passes by it will be
astonished and say, 'Why has the Lord done thus to this land and this house?'
22 Then they will answer, 'Because they forsook the Lord God of their fathers, who
brought them out of the land of Egypt, and embraced other gods, and worshiped
them and served them; therefore He has brought all this calamity on them.' "

Notice what happens – when the KING rejects God – and rejects His ways? I will
“uproot them” from the land! I will make a people a “proverb and a byword”
amongst all people! And people will pass by and be “astonished” and say, “Why has
the Lord done this?” Because the KING led the people forsaking the God of their
fathers – and for this reason God has brought calamity on the people!

We live in amazing times, and we'll see with our own eyes the collapse of superpowers
in the hands of an angry God if it continues down the path its chosen for itself.

We all see the need for revival across the world! However, I believe our revival in this
land – will bring a blessing – across the world! As the Jewish people see their
Messiah – the fresh blessing is poured out.

As Peter says in Acts 3:12 So when Peter saw it, he responded to the people: "Men of
Israel, why do you marvel at this? Or why look so intently at us, as though by our
own power or godliness we had made this man walk?
13 The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God of our fathers, glorified His
Servant Jesus, whom you delivered up and denied in the presence of Pilate, when he
was determined to let Him go.
18 But those things which God foretold by the mouth of all His prophets, that the
Christ would suffer, He has thus fulfilled.
19 Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that
times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord,
20 and that He may send Jesus Christ, who was preached to you before,
21 whom heaven must receive until the times of restoration of all things, which God
has spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the world began.

The times of refreshing – in Greek – FRESH BREATH – or a fresh outpouring of His
Ruach – is connected to the times of the RESTORATION OF ALL THINGS! The
restoration of mankind to Himself! The restoration of this nation to Himself! All
these things are connected – and we're in the middle of it all!

Let's learn a lesson from the Moravians! Let's learn to “agree to disagree” in love –
knowing there's a deeper purpose! My wife and I disagree on a great many things!
Soon I believe that she'll realize that I'm right – but until then – we agree to disagree
on things. We love each other – and we're joined for a united purpose! The enemy
loves to infiltrate and bring division – even using the very Word of God to bring
division. Remember how the enemy had so infiltrated the small community that they
started calling leaders the “beast of the apocalypse” and the “false prophet”.

Amazing when you think about it! But something happened! They unified – realizing
there's a bigger purpose – and realizing what it truly means to live together in love!

Amazing how the Scriptures say that Love covers a multitude of sins!

The Moravian revival took place nearly 300 years ago – and we're still talking about it!
Perhaps the saints of God will retell of our stories hundreds of years later. Perhaps
they'll tell the stories of how a few saints of God gathered on this Forum board --
– where they learned to put aside their differences – for one united purpose – to see the Son of
God – the Messiah of Israel glorified that transformed the nation back to God!

Perhaps they write the stories how the saints – Despite the persecutions –
despite the obstacles – they persevered – they unified for a purpose – they learned to
overcome by the “blood of the Lamb” and they loved not their lives unto the death!

They learned to overcome all things by LOVE!

May we fulfill our calling in these days – to do something greater than we ever
thought was possible!

[Hands On]

I often wonder what does Christ in God think, when He sees all these wars and faction fights, abuse under the shroud or flag of His "Holy name".Well, we are left in no doubt what God thinks and says "20 Wherever they went, they brought disgrace on my holy name because people would say, 'These are the people of the Lord, but they had to leave his land.'21 That made me concerned for my holy name since the Israelites brought disgrace on it everywhere they went.22.Now then ,give the Israelites the message that I, the Sovereign Lord, have for them:What I am going to do is not for the sake of you Israelites,but for the sake of my holy name,which you have disgraced in every country where you have gone23 When I demonstrate to the nations the holiness of my great name-the name you disgraced among them-then they will know that I am the Lord..I, the Sovereign Lord, have spoken."(Good News Bible...Eze 20-23)

I have every reason to believe that this is also applicable under the New Covenant due to the Blood of Christ and that these generally "follow the money" ventures under His Holy Name will not go unnoticed. One only thinks of the scramble to "civilize" Africa, and all the other Continents at the Berlin Conference in the Late 19TH Century. Not only Roman Catholics but so-called "Reformed" Christians as well, where we still sit with "hatred" not "Love" between believers of different color and cultures in conflict with Christ's prayer, "21I pray that they may all be one. Father! May they be in us, just as you are in me and I am in you...23 ...so that they may be completely one, in order that the world may know that you sent me and that you love them as you love me"(Jn. 17: 21;23)I also as believe that this  "love" it seems; will be only  standard,  not how civilized or wealthy any Empire might have been,but how did us brothers and sisters in Christ love each other in terms of one Christ's final prayer request to the Father (above)?

Edited December 15, 2018 by Tony Hyman
Grammar check

[Uber Genius]

A great historical perspective of Zinzendorf and the Moravians. A welcome edition to much-abused topic where  Evangelicals have Strangefire conferences to attack strawmen Charsmatics. As a former Vineyard Christian Fellowship member, I'm pleasantly surprised to find an accurate portrayal of the impact the Moravians had. Thanks. 

[Guest]

On 12/7/2018 at 11:50 AM, George said:

In the history of the Moravian revival, we read that:

“Zinzendorf was not aiming at organizational unity and uniformity among Christians
and did not desire the dissolution of particular traditions, but rather their binding
together in fraternal charity, mutual respect, communication and communion within a
sort of loose federation.”

As the community, they learned to “agree to disagree” on certain subjects – the one
thing they agreed on was the need for community in love – and this was necessary in
order to fulfill the “great commission”.

So the thought here is a little compromising is okay for the sake of unity regarding the essentials of the Christian faith, a position that is not universally determined or accepted by all "believers".

[George]

32 minutes ago, Saved.One.by.Grace said:

So the thought here is a little compromising is okay for the sake of unity regarding the essentials of the Christian faith,

No compromising on ESSENTIALS of the faith at all!  You can't disagree on the fact that the Bible is the Word of God for example.  Or that Jesus is the way the truth and the life!  Our Essentials are basically our Statement of Faith -- in essence salvational issues.   There may be a few items that are non salvational issues in the SoF, but simply its a core fundamental set of beliefs that the body of Messiah realize covers the essentials of the faith.

The compromise or as the Moravians would say -- Liberty -- is given on such doctrines such as -- is it okay to have a glass of wine?  Do you believe in a Pre, Mid, Post, Pre-wrath, no rapture position? 

[frienduff thaylorde]

22 hours ago, George said:

No compromising on ESSENTIALS of the faith at all!  You can't disagree on the fact that the Bible is the Word of God for example.  Or that Jesus is the way the truth and the life!  Our Essentials are basically our Statement of Faith -- in essence salvational issues.   There may be a few items that are non salvational issues in the SoF, but simply its a core fundamental set of beliefs that the body of Messiah realize covers the essentials of the faith.

The compromise or as the Moravians would say -- Liberty -- is given on such doctrines such as -- is it okay to have a glass of wine?  Do you believe in a Pre, Mid, Post, Pre-wrath, no rapture position? 

yes meats drinks and days ,  no need to strive over .  in fact I know its okay to eat all things, well cept blood of course ,  and to have a glass of wine every now and then ,

But if a brother thinks no wine should be drank , or eats only herbs ,   Watch how fast I just do as he does .  cause my liberty will not become a stumbling block .

However ,  Geroge , you seriously need to take the very last thing you said , OFF.

Cause a no rapture postion ,   That is serious error and deadly .   We are supposed to be watching and waiting .    Thus a preterist ,  IS a deadly belief.

As for mid , post or pre trib .    I try and reason this out .  However I don't make war over such issues .  but a no rapture ,  yeah THAT IS SUPER DEADLY TO BELEIVE THAT .

Sorry about the bigcaps .   Not only that , but paul said we should comfort one another with this .    

[George]

If you close your doors to those in any form of error that is not a salvational issue -- then how can you possibly recover them?    Do you know how many times I"ve dealt with Preterist's and after 20 minutes of talking their eyes are really BIG and they GET it!  It's not difficult to do ... you just need to know how to do it! 

[enoob57]

The combination of 

John 4:24

24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.
KJV

John 17:17

17 Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.
KJV

This is our stay in an infinite reality of Our Lord … for me The Word of God and The Holy Spirit keep me from error as both are one and cannot be divided out in any way! When only one or other is being recognized there should be an alarm in one's soul to pray....

[Guest]

On 12/29/2018 at 12:28 AM, George said:

No compromising on ESSENTIALS of the faith at all!  You can't disagree on the fact that the Bible is the Word of God for example.  Or that Jesus is the way the truth and the life!  Our Essentials are basically our Statement of Faith -- in essence salvational issues.   There may be a few items that are non salvational issues in the SoF, but simply its a core fundamental set of beliefs that the body of Messiah realize covers the essentials of the faith.

The compromise or as the Moravians would say -- Liberty -- is given on such doctrines such as -- is it okay to have a glass of wine?  Do you believe in a Pre, Mid, Post, Pre-wrath, no rapture position? 

I agree there can be no compromising on the essentials of the Christian faith.  The problem is not all nominal Christians agree on what the essentials are.  People are always adding to the ESSENTIALS.

Edited January 6, 2019 by Saved.One.by.Grace

[George]

16 hours ago, Saved.One.by.Grace said:

People are always adding to the ESSENTIALS.

Perhaps .. but we just start with our Statement of Faith.