Coming Youth Revival 6.
Introduction
I first began writing about a youth revival in 2003. Now, returning from a global Christian assembly (800 delegates from 92 nations) focussed on intergenerational discipleship, this theme has been reignited. How might the Spirit unite younger and older followers of Jesus to work together in a great end-time harvest. This teaching is based on The Great Commission, “And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to obey all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (Matt 28:18-20) The key to fulfilling Christ’s command lies in sharing his unique authority.
The Authority of a Son
Since the God who is “over all” is a Father (Eph 4:6) the only legitimate delegated authority in the universe is sonship. Only a faithful son can mediate Paternal authority. This was the foundation laid when Adam was created as “the son of God” (Luke 3:38). Satan, originally an angelic son of God (Job 1:6; 2:1), attacked Eve and Adam through a corruption of this authority. Instead of being a submissive son he put himself forward as an exalter of humanity, but he was a false “father of lies” and a murderer (John 8:44). The loss of glory of God sin brought (Rom 3:23) was much deeper than a mental inability to understand spiritual things; it brought depravity to the most basic element of the image of God, it hardened our hearts (Gen 6:5; Jer 17:9). For the restoration of the authority of sonship people need nothing less than a “new heart…of flesh” (Ezek 36:26). This comes only through the heart of the one truly submitted Son, Jesus.
Pure Authority
Jesus claimed that the sole ground of his authority was his relationship with the Father (John 5:43). This was most pronounced in relation to his death and resurrection, “No one can take my life from me. I sacrifice it voluntarily. For I have the authority to lay it down when I want to and also to take it up again. For this is what my Father has commanded.” (John 10:18). The depth of the sacrifice of the cross is revealed in the dreadful cry, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Mark 15:34). Here, the purest form of Christ’s obedience as Son is manifested when our sin-bearer is stripped of his authority to call God, “Father!”. In supreme weakness he is impotent to utter, “Abba!” (Mark 14:36). This is a sign to his mockers he is no true Son of God (Matt 27:43). The essential truth of Jesus’ identity is however disclosed in his resurrection, “declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead” (Rom 1:4). It is the heart-authority of Christ’s sonship that the Spirit shares with all Christians. “And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” (Gal 4:6). The heart submission of sons is the true obedience of disciples to the cthe Great Commission. As Paul testifies, “you became obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed” (Rom 6:17). It is this type of obedience and hence authority which is severely challenged today.
Authority Diminished
The technological revolution is a disaster for heart-understanding. In the space of a few decades we are witnessing a transformation in human information processing as great as what took the last 500 years. Since spiritual intimacy is a heart matter (Prov 4:23), the generations of “digital natives” are in a relational blizzard, a white out of blinded perception as to the depths of personhood. Those who “live on their phones” can hardly be said to “live” at all, for true life is fellowship with the trinitarian communion of Father, Son and Spirit (2 Cor 13:14). Abiding in God requires a singular centring of the heart (1 John 4:16) utterly incompatible with the chronic multi-tasking of our youngsters. God however has a plan.
Plagues of Growth
In “The Rise of Christianity” sociologist Rodney Stark notes that church growth accelerated immediately after three waves of plague that devastated the Roman Empire. When the pagans abandoned their sick and fled the cities Christians stayed behind and cared for all without discrimination. Thousands recovered and turned to the Lord. Today a plague of relational impotence is afflicting those from 13-25. Those most connected in human history, information wise, are the least connected at the level of the heart. The “internet of things” is breaking upon us progressively dehumanising all culture ungrounded in the deep things of the heart (1 Cor 2:10-11). The communications revolution cannot alter the brute fact that humans are not things, but persons created in the image of God to share in the life of Christ (Col 1:16). Deep down lots of young people know there has to be more to life than touching screens, taste buds or bodies. An hour of opportunity is opening up for a mature Church to reach out to those in the terrible pain of relational deprivation.
One Heart One Voice
In a world where anyone over 40 is being fossilised, God the Father has a mighty plan to raise up an all-inclusive community of love. A true community where all ages will “love one another earnestly from a pure heart” (1 Pet 1:22). Such intimate heart to heart communication in Christ is incomparably more glorious than anything that the electronic wonders of this world can ever provide. A time is coming when across the generations we will “live in such harmony with one another…6 that together with one voice (we will) glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Rom 15:5-6). This amazing vision flies in the face of all sociological predictions. So? It draws its power from the death and resurrection of the Son.
Conclusion
Those who know the Father possess the Spirit of adoption and an authority to impart intimacy with God in Christ to all who would listen from their hearts. This Elijah calling can open up the way for the return of the Lord (Mal 4:5-6; Luke 1:17). This all-age bonding in love awaits an age indiscriminate re-immersion of the Church in the outpouring of the Spirit on “all flesh…sons…daughters…young …old” (Acts 2:17). Only a “new Pentecost” of unlimited love can fulfil the Great Commission. May the Spirit of the Lord sovereignly speak to the hearts of young people about the inexhaustible riches of Christ that can dwell in their hearts by faith (Eph 3:17), and may he raise up a cohort of older believers possessed of an assured authority as adopted sons filled with the Spirit to impart such treasures. Glory to God alone!