Sermon June 5. 2005, Heritage Day

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1. James Madison Smith was born in Fayette City, Kentucky in 1819 and died in Cad Junction, Missouri in 1907. When Elder Smith moved to Shelby County, Indiana in October 1827 he describes life in this manner:

1. "The family settled down on the land that father had bought of the government, in the green woods of Shelby County, Indiana. It was a very new country, heavily timbered, thinly settled, very few neighbors, no schools at that time, or churches. I being the oldest child of the family, here was a big work for me."

2. "Soon after we settled there, six families came from North Carolina and settled in the neighborhood. So the country began to settle. So, we became very wicked; we all grew up without religious instructions; hardly ever heard a sermon preached for several years after we moved there; hardly any praying people in the whole community. So it be-came a very wicked neighborhood. Almost all of the old and young people in the entire community formed very evil and bad habits, such as card playing, horse racing, gambling of most all kinds, swearing, dancing, and most of all drinking to great excess. It was a general thing with most all in a large community to make their own whiskey. There was at least, at different times, over twenty still-houses where they made whiskey to drink and to sell."

3. James Smith recalls going to church, to which he was not accustomed, when a missionary in the person of old Uncle Nat Richmond came to the Little Blue River Baptist Church.

1. "The next night, Saturday night, I went again, and the revival work still going on with interest. I was still under deep conviction, and at the close of the sermon he asked all who desired to be Christians to pray for them to come forward and give him their hand. I think some, went forward. It was said I started but did not go, but I was wonderfully distressed because I did not go. As I went home I thought I had denied my Lord, but I recollect that I was so distressed while going home that I resolved that I never would stay back again, and decided that I would go back to the meeting early next morning and tell the minister that I was so sorry that I did not go forward last night, and that I did want them to pray for me, so I was seriously distressed the most of that night. I thought I would, and it was nearly meeting time when I got there, a large congregation had gathered. A good many had been converted and joined the church, and I had been glad to see it, but I was still out of Christ and desirous of salvation."

4. That day Brother Carrier preached from the text: "Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?" and he showed how the people persecuted Christ, making sport of religion, and making light of Christians; they were persecuting Christ. I paid strict attention to it, and felt all the time it was me; that I had been a persecutor all my life, and when he closed the sermon he came out of the stand, and said all who desire the prayers of the church and desiring to seek Christ to come forward while they sang and gave him their hand; so I went willingly and immediately, and as I gave my hand to him I said out that I will never persecute Christ anymore and we knelt down to pray; and just while we were there I found relief to my mind, and rose up from my knees feeling a change in me. I felt cheerful and pleasant, and Brother Carrier asked me, if I would rise up and talk some. Yes, I said, I would, and I so did, before a large congregation of my neighbors and associates. I was not embarrassed at all. I recollect I said I thought ft was time that we should all come out on the Lord's side, and spoke freely and encouragingly about the cause. When the meeting was closed Christians came around me to give me their hand and expressing their joy that I was out in the cause with them. I felt pleasant and different to what I ever felt, so I went home praising God. Every step I took it was in my mind to praise God."

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2. Camp-meeting: "the milling crowds of hardened farmers, tobacco-chewing, tough-spoken, notoriously profane, famous for their alcoholic thirst; their scarcely demure wives and large broods of children; the rough clearing, the rows of wagons and crude improvised tents with horses staked out behind; the gesticulating speaker on a rude platform, or perhaps a simple preacher holding forth from a fallen tree. At night, when the forest's edge was lined with flickering light of many campfires, the effect of apparent miracles was heightened. For men and women accustomed to retiring and rising with the birds, these turbulent nights must have been especially awe-inspiring. And underlaying every other conditioning circumstance was the immense loneliness of the frontier farmer's normal life and the exhilaration of participating in so large a social occasion."

3. Of the Cane Ridge meeting it was written: "Many things transpired there, which were so much like miracles, that if they were not, they had the same effects as miracles on infidels and unbelievers; for many of them by these were convinced that Jesus was the Christ and bowed in submission to him." (by Charles Wallis)

4. Elder James Smith preached about Primitive Revivals: "Revival means a renewal of life or activity; so when we speak or write of a revival of religion R means a renewal of spiritual life among Christians, and as generally understood, the conversion of sinners and additions to the church such as shall be saved. and a new interest in the cause of God.

5. So in all ages, revivals have been experienced in the church and have been carried on in all parts of the world. In like manner the churches and people of God in our own modern times have had revivals similar to those Christ and the apostles had in their time.

1. Is there any doubt that we are in need of a revival?

2. What does it take?

3. 12 For our struggle is not against enemies of blood and flesh, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.

1. Against all that entices one to compromise relationship with God.

2. Against all that exists within that leads to weakness of will.

6. 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, so that you may be able to withstand on that evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm.

1. The belt of truth.

1. Whose truth?

2. My truth; your truth?

3. The government's truth?

4. The media's truth?

5. The truth of creeds and statements of faith?

2. Jesus said, "I am the way the truth and the life. No one comes to the father but through me!"

3. You shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free.

1. David knew a truth that allowed him to stand before a giant.

2. The giant fell because there was a chink in his armor.

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2. We need the rest of the armor of God.

1. put on the breastplate of righteousness.

1. Doing right by God

2. Doing right for the neighbor

3. Doing right for yourself.

2. 15 As shoes for your feet put on whatever will make you ready to proclaim the gospel of peace.

1. Rejecting the use of force to get your own way.

2. Embracing the use of love to create peace.

3. 16 With all of these, take the shield of faith, with which you will be able to quench all the flaming arrows of the evil one.

1. Faith is more than believing, although believing is important.

2. Faith is accepting what God offers.

3. Faith is doing what God asks of us.

4. 17 Take the helmet of salvation,

5. the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

6. 18 Pray in the Spirit at all times in every prayer and supplication.

7. To that end keep alert and always persevere in supplication for all the saints.

3. That's what our foremothers and fathers learned about themselves and God.

1. And it came in the most unexpected places.

2. We don't have an alter call.

3. We will not ask you to walk the sawdust trail.

4. We don't have a mourner's bench.

5. In your minds and hearts you can confess your own sins and seek forgiveness.

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2. In you own experience you can receive anew Jesus Christ, or your God, and express a willingness to be led and healed, and guided, and reformed.

Marcus Barth, as told by Dr. Fred Craddock.

The fraternities at the University of Texas, Austin were having a contest to see who could come up with the best skit.

One decided to put on an old fashioned revival service.

They had the preacher

The choir

The Amen Chorus: Hallelujah, Amen, Praise the Lord, Right on brother.

Congregation

They had been rehearsing and now everything was coming together.

One last dress rehearsal.

The service was flowing with everyone doing their part.

Standing in the back of the room was a janitor leaning on his broom, just waiting for the session to be over so he could go home.

As the service progressed, he stood upright and began to pay more personal attention to what was being said.

When the time came for the alter call, he began to make his way towards the alter.

He knelt and began confessing his sins and seeking forgiveness.

There was utter confusion.

The young people tried to explain to him what was happening.

The preacher tried to say that he was only play acting

He finally said that he was not serious and left.

The students gathered up their props and also left.

Left kneeling alone in the large room was the janitor whose life had been transformed by his experience.

The man was converted.

Saved by a fool

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