1 Corinthians 16:22 (KJV) If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be Anathema Maranatha.

Revivals Are For The Church, The Saved

It is such a joy to be invited to preach to you tonight. When invited, I told my brother “Do you know who you’re inviting? I’m nobody. I’m nothing, and happy to be nothing.” I pray that God use this unworthy servant for His glory, and for your growth.

Beloved, “Revival” is not primarily about saving souls. I pray souls are saved, but “Revival” means “an improvement in the condition or strength of something, to make something important again”.

A lost person doesn’t need revival. A lost person is dead in their trespasses and sins. You do not REVIVE a dead thing – it must be QUICKENED. A lost person must be born again. A lost person needs to be found of Jesus. A lost person needs to be found of the Holy Spirit. Like Lazarus, Christ must call them, and they must come! You MUST be born again before you can be revived!

One of the favorite verses of Scripture – one we al learned in Vacation Bible School – is John 3:16

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

Those wonderful words are said by our Lord Jesus Christ to a man named Nicodemus. Nicodemus was a Pharisee, an important Pharisee, a “ruler of the Jews”.

– Nicodemus came to Jesus by night. That’s one of the signs you need to be “born again”. You’re interested by Jesus, interested in Jesus, but ashamed to be seen of Him in public. If people around you don’t know you’re a Christian, a Child of God, then you may not be saved.

– Nicodemus came to Jesus and bragged on Jesus – PRIVATELY. “Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him.” (John 3:2). Jesus didn’t want a spiritually dead man bragging on Him. Jesus told Nicodemus:

John 3:3 (KJV) … Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he CANNOT see the kingdom of God.

Lost people are blind – blind to their sin. They think they’re GOOD. They’re blind to Who Jesus is.

Nicodemus is standing before the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords. Nicodemus is in the Presence of the One that Colossians 1:16-17 tells us “by Him all things were made”. Nicodemus is spiritually dead. He sees Jesus as the lost world sees Jesus. Jesus is just a great Teacher, a miracle worker. Jesus is more than a miracle worker. He is CREATIVE GOD. He is the only hope for salvation. He is the Only Savior of mankind.

Jesus told Nicodemus “you cannot see the Kingdom of God”. Those who are saved, are saved by the love of God. “We love Him, because He first loved us” (1 John 4:19).

– Lost people believe they can be saved, then live their lives without regard to God or man – live their lives selfishly – then will die and go to Heaven. Beloved, when we are saved, we are saved into God’s Kingdom. We are saved into a Kingdom run by Jesus. Jesus doesn’t just save you to get you to Heaven. He saves you to get Heaven into you. Jesus said,

John 10:27-28 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: 28 And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.

When Jesus told Nicodemus “You MUST be born again”, Nicodemus asked Jesus, “How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born?” (John 3:4). That is so silly – but ..

– Lost people cannot understand the things of God, for they do not have the Spirit of God.

1 Corinthians 2:14 (KJV) … the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are FOOLISHNESS unto him: NEITHER can he know them, because they are SPIRITUALLY DISCERNED.

Jesus told Nicodemus:

John 3:5-7 (KJV) Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.

What must a lost person know? What can they know?

First, the lost person must know they are lost. You cannot be found until you know you’re lost. When Jesus preached, He preached:

Matthew 4:17 (KJV) REPENT ye, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand …

Mark 1:15 (KJV) The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: REPENT ye, and believe the gospel.

The first thing the lost person must do is REPENT. That means to “agree with God on what God says”. What does God say about us humans? He says:

Romans 3:10-11 (KJV) … There is NONE righteous, no, not one: 12 They are ALL gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.

People are fond of judging themselves against other people. Hitler is BAD, but compared to him, I’m GOOD. But Jesus told us “There are none good but One, that is God” (Matthew 19:17).

Compared to God, we are all bad. God is pure, holy – holy – holy. He is the only One without sin.

Born into this world as sinners, we must all be born again. We must realize our first birth made us human, but we need a SECOND BIRTH TO MAKE US HOLY. How can we be holy? Can we follow a Law, and live it perfectly to be holy? No! Jesus told Nicodemus, “You must be born again of the Spirit”. How can a person be born again?

Love The Lord Jesus Christ, or be ANATHEMA

Sometimes preachers “chase rabbits”, lose their point, and run in circles. I’m not “chasing rabbits”. Everything I told you ties into this verse:

1 Corinthians 16:22 (KJV) If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be Anathema Maranatha.

What makes a person a believer, saved in the eyes of God. It is that you love His Son, Jesus Christ. If you love Jesus, then you are “BELOVED”, because Jesus is God’s Beloved Son (Matthew 3:17; 17:5). But if you do not love Jesus, “let him be Anathema”. What does that word mean?

Our Bible was originally written – not in English – but in ancient languages. The Old Testament is translated into English from Hebrew and Chaldean, the New Testament from Greek and Aramaic. The two words we see are not translated here, but are the original Greek words.

Word Study: Anathema means to be “bound under a great curse”. The word is usually translated in our Bibles, but here it’s not. The word Anathema is translated in Acts 23:14. The Chief Priests and elders said…

Acts 23:14 We have bound ourselves under a great curse {Anathema}, we will eat nothing until we have slain Paul.

They took a terrible curse upon themselves, and said that they would starve to death until they killed the Apostle Paul. It was a terrible curse, and a foolish curse, because Paul would not be slain until the Lord Jesus was done with him. Paul would stand in front of Caesar and fulfill the commission Jesus Christ called him to do,

Acts 9:15 … to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel

The word Anathema is translated in the Book of Galatians, where the Bible says:

Galatians 1:8-9 But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be ACCURSED. 9 As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be ACCURSED.

The word “ACCURSED” is the translation of the word Anathema. If anyone preaches a Gospel that departs from that which the Apostles preached, the “Gospel of the Kingdom” (Matthew 4:23; 9:35; 24:14; Mark 1:14), then that person is ANATHEMA, condemned, cast out. There’s a lot of this preaching going on today, dear ones. The beginning of the Gospel is

REPENT!

Someone says, “I can be homosexual, and be a Christian”. This is an ACCURSED, ANATHEMA – a false Gospel. Homosexual behavior is sinful, evil (1 Corinthians 6:9). It is unrighteous, just as it is to live in sexual union with another to whom you are not married. Homosexuality and adultery, along with bestiality, were CAPITAL offenses in ancient Israel.

Another says, “I can be a Christian, and carry hatred in my heart toward another person”. Brother, you have been sold ANATHEMA.

Yet another says, “I can be a Christian, and live to please myself above all else”. Sister, you have a “made in China, fake gospel”. “Ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s” (1 Corinthians 6:20).

We come to Jesus broken, and Jesus heals us. We are saved by Grace:

Ephesians 2:8-9 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the GIFT of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.

But once saved, you are brought into the Kingdom of Christ. Once saved, we are told,

Ephesians 2:10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

We are not saved BY works, but BY faith in Christ. But once saved, we are born again. Once saved, God changes us. We do not become perfect, but meeting Jesus

“the blind see,
the lame walk,
the lepers are cleansed,
the deaf hear,
the dead are raised,
to the poor the gospel is preached”
(Luke 7:22)

The ACCURSED false gospel says that if you send money to a preacher on television that God will give you much more back. Beloved, God does not promise you earthly riches. Your riches are with Jesus! “You cannot serve God and mammon, God and money/ riches” (Matthew 6:24).

The ACCURSED false gospel says that God’s Word is not true, not for today, but what God said in His Bible applied only to then, not to now. Beloved, our God is sovereign. He wrote His Book through men submitted to Him. God is timeless, and His Book is timeless.

The ACCURSED false gospel says that Jesus saves you to go to Heaven, but you can walk like a child of Hell on this earth.

That’s a lie. If you are saved, you follow Jesus, you love Jesus. I already quoted this – but let’s say it again:

John 10:27-28 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: 28 And I give unto them eternal life…

If you belong to Jesus, you live for Jesus. Church, Jesus expects you to love Him, to SHINE for Him. Jesus said:

Matthew 5:16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

If You Do Not Love Jesus, ANATHEMA!

1 Corinthians 16:22 (KJV) If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be Anathema

Do you know why the Church in America is having so little effect on the sin and darkness in America? It is because many Churches have committed the sin of Achan.

God told Israel that when they went into the Land, do not take the ACCURSED thing, the idolatrous THING, the evil of the world into their homes. God tells us in the New Testament:

1 Peter 1:13-19 Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; [14] As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance: [15] But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; [16] Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy. [17] And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man’s work, pass the time of your sojourning [here] in fear: [18] Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, [as] silver and gold, from your vain conversation [received] by tradition from your fathers; [19] But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot …

When Israel went to battle, Achan (Joshua 7:1) brought the ACCURSED THING into his home. He buried it in the floor of his house. No one knew BUT GOD. But God knew. ANATHEMA!

The Church cannot change the world when it looks like the world. If we love Jesus, we will do as He says. Jesus said:

Luke 6:46 And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?

And

John 14:15 If ye love me, keep my commandments.

Church, do you love Jesus? Christian, do you love Jesus? Those who will not love Jesus will be ANATHEMA, under the curse. Let me tell you a true story.

Several years ago at our Church a fellow told me, “I want to join the Church”. I asked him, “Do you love Jesus. Have you given your life to Jesus?” He said, “Yes, I have”. I told him, “Next Sunday come forward, profess your love for Jesus, and we’ll receive you once you are baptized”. This man – his name too is David – looked at me and said “I don’t want to be baptized”. I told him, “You have to be baptized or you can’t join the Church”. He said, “You preached a few Sundays ago about the man who died next to Jesus on Calvary. That thief said,

Luke 23:42 … Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom.

Jesus told that man,

Luke 23:43 … Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with Me in paradise.

David said, “That man was never baptized”. I told him, “That’s true. But IF he could have gotten off that Cross and been baptized, HE WOULD HAVE DONE IT, because that man loved Jesus more than himself”. David couldn’t understand it. I told him, “Jesus commanded baptism. If you love Him, you KEEP HIS COMMANDMENTS (Matthew 28:19)”.

I came in a Sunday School class, and the teacher came to me. Several men in the class told David that he didn’t have to be baptized to join the Church. I told them all that yes, he did. If you love Jesus, you will be baptized. “If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be ANATHEMA. If any CHURCH love not the Lord Jesus Christ, let it be ANATHEMA, under the dark curse.”

We’re not here to please ourselves, or puff ourselves up, but to love Him that gave His life for us twice.

Jesus gave His life on Calvary as the Lamb of God, and gives His life now sitting on the right hand of the Father, making intercession for US.

About a year later, David walked the aisle at Church. When he came to me, I asked “Will you be baptized?” He said, “Preacher, you’re asking a hard thing.” I told David, “No, I’m not. Jesus is commanding you. Will you be baptized?” He said, “Yes, for Jesus”. When David went under the water, when he came up everyone who witnessed his baptism that night said “he literally glowed when he came up”.

1 Corinthians 16:22 (KJV) If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be Anathema Maranatha.

Let me tell you another true story. Years ago I knew a very rich woman who was a member at our Church in Lexington Tennessee. God had been good to her. She had a nice home, and owned a thousand acres of land. Her husband left her with a full bank account. She had no want for anything.

I was cleaning up the basement of the Church when I came across a broken handled upright vacuum cleaner. It couldn’t be used, so I threw it away. Later that day I was at this lady’s home visiting with her, when I saw she had a brand new, top of the line Electrolux Vacuum Cleaner. I told her, “That’s the kind of vacuum cleaner our Church could use. I found an old broken one at the Church, but it was no good”. She looked at me and said, “All you had to do was get the handle fixed. I dropped that old one – it used to be mine – off at the Church when I bought this one. You had no right to throw it away!”

A few years later, I visited this poor old lady in the Nursing Home. She had lost her home. The Nursing Home took her money, and her lands. She could no longer walk. This lady looked at me, and said,

“Brother David, why does God hate me?”

Beloved, God doesn’t hate you. But His Word stands true.

1 Corinthians 16:22 (KJV) If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be Anathema Maranatha.

As I close, I want to focus on the last word of this text, “Maranatha”. The word “MARANATHA” is two Aramaic words, marana tha. The word means “our Lord has come, and will come”. This word is only found here in the Bible. Marana tha reminds us that our God is returning, that He will “come quickly”. Jesus said,

Revelation 3:11 Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown.

Revelation 22:12 behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.

And our Bible ends with these words,

Revelation 22:20 … Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus.

We do not know when Jesus will return. It could be at any minute. Your last breath can be your next breath. Do you love Jesus? Oh, how I pray you do. We are all frail, all broken – but if we as His sheep follow Him, blessing is coming. But if not, ANATHEMA – you are under a curse.

Do you know Him? Do you love Him? If not, get right TONIGHT. Repent. Come to the King of Kings, Jesus Christ our Lord.

1 Corinthians 16:23-24 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. 24 My love be with you all in Christ Jesus. Amen.

Amen.