Revival – 3 – Evan Roberts – The Welsh Revival
Subject: Keep Showing Up
by Rick Welborne
John 20:19-29 (NLT)
19 That Sunday evening the disciples were meeting behind locked doors because they were afraid of the Jewish leaders. Suddenly, Jesus was standing there among them! “Peace be with you,” he said.
20 As he spoke, he showed them the wounds in his hands and his side. They were filled with joy when they saw the Lord!
21 Again he said, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I am sending you.”
22 Then he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit.
23 If you forgive anyone’s sins, they are forgiven. If you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.”
24 One of the disciples, Thomas (nicknamed the Twin), was not with the others when Jesus came.
25 They told him, “We have seen the Lord!” But he replied, “I won’t believe it unless I see the nail wounds in his hands, put my fingers into them, and place my hand into the wound in his side.”
26 Eight days later the disciples were together again, and this time Thomas was with them. The doors were locked; but suddenly, as before, Jesus was standing among them. “Peace be with you,” he said.
27 Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and look at my hands. Put your hand into the wound in my side. Don’t be faithless any longer. Believe!”
28 “My Lord and my God!” Thomas exclaimed.
29 Then Jesus told him, “You believe because you have seen me. Blessed are those who believe without seeing me.”
19 That Sunday evening the disciples were meeting behind locked doors because they were afraid of the Jewish leaders. Suddenly, Jesus was standing there among them! “Peace be with you,” he said.
20 As he spoke, he showed them the wounds in his hands and his side. They were filled with joy when they saw the Lord!
21 Again he said, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I am sending you.”
22 Then he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit.
23 If you forgive anyone’s sins, they are forgiven. If you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.”
24 One of the disciples, Thomas (nicknamed the Twin), was not with the others when Jesus came.
25 They told him, “We have seen the Lord!” But he replied, “I won’t believe it unless I see the nail wounds in his hands, put my fingers into them, and place my hand into the wound in his side.”
26 Eight days later the disciples were together again, and this time Thomas was with them. The doors were locked; but suddenly, as before, Jesus was standing among them. “Peace be with you,” he said.
27 Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and look at my hands. Put your hand into the wound in my side. Don’t be faithless any longer. Believe!”
28 “My Lord and my God!” Thomas exclaimed.
29 Then Jesus told him, “You believe because you have seen me. Blessed are those who believe without seeing me.”
--This portion of scripture was so impactful on Evan Roberts and because he could never quite get passed these verses, they ended up leading him into a great revival.
--Evan was not your ordinary young man…he came from a very dedicated Christian family…I just wonder how much the percentages go up for young people to experience revival when their parents are dedicated to God.
--He owed much to his family because you would rarely see him without his Bible and was often found doing very in depth studies of God’s Word. Felt he would someday be a preacher.
--He felt it was reasonable service to attend the means of grace…to always be faithful to church.
Hebrews 10:24-25 (NKJV)
24 And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works,
25 not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.
24 And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works,
25 not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.
--He was working in a coal mine when an explosion took place…He escaped but when they found his Bible they found it opened to the verses about revival:
2 Chronicles 6:37-41 (NKJV)
37 yet when they come to themselves in the land where they were carried captive, and repent, and make supplication to You in the land of their captivity, saying, 'We have sinned, we have done wrong, and have committed wickedness';
37 yet when they come to themselves in the land where they were carried captive, and repent, and make supplication to You in the land of their captivity, saying, 'We have sinned, we have done wrong, and have committed wickedness';
38 and when they return to You with all their heart and with all their soul in the land of their captivity, where they have been carried captive, and pray toward their land which You gave to their fathers, the city which You have chosen, and toward the temple which I have built for Your name:
39 then hear from heaven Your dwelling place their prayer and their supplications, and maintain their cause, and forgive Your people who have sinned against You.
40 Now, my God, I pray, let Your eyes be open and let Your ears be attentive to the prayer made in this place.
41 "Now therefore, Arise, O LORD God, to Your resting place, You and the ark of Your strength. Let Your priests, O LORD God, be clothed with salvation, And let Your saints rejoice in goodness.
--Many believe that the dream Evan kept circling in prayer was revival for Wales. From our text a verse that he could never shake from his heart and mind was this:
John 20:24 (NKJV)
24 Now Thomas, called the Twin, one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came.
24 Now Thomas, called the Twin, one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came.
--He wanted to make sure he was in the right place when Jesus showed up and that in no way was he going to miss God’s visitation when it came. How many are apathetic and careless about God’s presence.
Luke 19:41-44 (NKJV)
41 Now as He drew near, He saw the city and wept over it,
42 saying, "If you had known, even you, especially in this your day, the things that make for your peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes.
43 For days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment around you, surround you and close you in on every side,
44 and level you, and your children within you, to the ground; and they will not leave in you one stone upon another, because you did not know the time of your visitation."
41 Now as He drew near, He saw the city and wept over it,
42 saying, "If you had known, even you, especially in this your day, the things that make for your peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes.
43 For days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment around you, surround you and close you in on every side,
44 and level you, and your children within you, to the ground; and they will not leave in you one stone upon another, because you did not know the time of your visitation."
--Let’s look at the reasons why Thomas wasn’t there when Jesus showed up.
1. Thomas did not show up because he did not believe Jesus was alive.
--Sadly Thomas was labeled “doubting Thomas”. He had to see for himself…did not trust others testimonies.
It does not matter what you say…I must see.
John 20:24-25 (NLT)
24 One of the disciples, Thomas (nicknamed the Twin), was not with the others when Jesus came.
25 They told him, “We have seen the Lord!” But he replied, “I won’t believe it unless I see the nail wounds in his hands, put my fingers into them, and place my hand into the wound in his side.”
24 One of the disciples, Thomas (nicknamed the Twin), was not with the others when Jesus came.
25 They told him, “We have seen the Lord!” But he replied, “I won’t believe it unless I see the nail wounds in his hands, put my fingers into them, and place my hand into the wound in his side.”
--Show me a miracle or a manifestation of the Lord or I will not believe.
John 4:48 (NKJV)
48 Then Jesus said to him, "Unless you people see signs and wonders, you will by no means believe."
48 Then Jesus said to him, "Unless you people see signs and wonders, you will by no means believe."
--Pastor, we have heard you say and even heard you pray for God’s manifest presence to show up…Yes, I have not because I do not believe but because I do, He can show up.
--If we believe in the resurrection power of Jesus, let’s believe that power can show up and change us and make us alive. Save the lost, heal the sick, and set the captives free. Listen to Paul defend the resurrection:
1 Corinthians 15:12-22 (NIV)
12 But if it is preached that Christ has been raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead?
13 If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised.
14 And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith.
15 More than that, we are then found to be false witnesses about God, for we have testified about God that he raised Christ from the dead. But he did not raise him if in fact the dead are not raised.
16 For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised either.
17 And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins.
18 Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost.
19 If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men.
20 But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.
21 For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man.
22 For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive.
12 But if it is preached that Christ has been raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead?
13 If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised.
14 And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith.
15 More than that, we are then found to be false witnesses about God, for we have testified about God that he raised Christ from the dead. But he did not raise him if in fact the dead are not raised.
16 For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised either.
17 And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins.
18 Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost.
19 If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men.
20 But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.
21 For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man.
22 For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive.
2. Thomas did not show up because he did not value the fellowship of other believers.
--If you truly do not believe Jesus is going to show up, it makes it uncomfortable to meet with others who believe He is going to be there…why are they so excited.
--We even judge people who can seem to have an extra-ordinary hunger and desire for Jesus to show up. We often have a lady who dances in our services…I used to wonder why she did that so often. With such zeal.
--I decided one day to ask…her answer may surprise you…it did me. She said I dance because I expect God to heal me. Heal you of what? I have severe rheumatoid arthritis all thru my body and I believe God will heal me!
--Doesn’t it hurt you to dance…She said it hurts me to stand or walk but faith tells me to keep dancing until He heals me. Maybe before we judge people we might should find out what is going on in their lives.
--If we will value fellowship with other brothers and sisters we may want to walk a mile in their shoes instead of looking down our religious noses at them…Ouch or amen!
--If we are gathering in His Name we have a biblical right to believe He is going to show up:
Matthew 18:20 (NKJV)
20 For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them."
20 For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them."
--Jesus is very much pleased when we want to meet together and wait on His Presence to come. Learn to run to God’s House when there is adversity, not away from it.
3. Thomas did not show up because He did not understand what Jesus wanted to do for them.
John 20:19 (NLT)
19 That Sunday evening the disciples were meeting behind locked doors because they were afraid of the Jewish leaders. Suddenly, Jesus was standing there among them! “Peace be with you,” he said.
19 That Sunday evening the disciples were meeting behind locked doors because they were afraid of the Jewish leaders. Suddenly, Jesus was standing there among them! “Peace be with you,” he said.
--First of all Jesus wanted to show up and fill them with peace…they were afraid of the Jews…who or what are you afraid of in your life?
--Next, He wanted them to know for sure Who He was…the risen Son of God…feel My hands and My side. Third, He wanted them to know what God’s will for them was…As the Father sent Me…I am sending you!
--Fourth, He wanted them to receive Holy Spirit into their lives…He breathed on them and said receive the Holy Spirit…the Ruach…the Breath of God!
--Fifth, He gave them power to see people’s sins forgiven.
--Evan Roberts kept showing up day after day at church until a preacher (Seth Joshua) came to preach. Seth Joshua found it unusually hard to preach at that meeting because he felt such resistance and hardness of heart.
--At the conclusion of the service Joshua began to cry out over and over again…Bend us, bend us, bend us, O Lord! Bend us, bend us, bend us, O Lord! Bend us, bend us, bend us, O Lord!
--Many believe that these were the words that God used to start the Welsh Revival or at least, it was a marker for those who believed revival came at that time.
--A young lady who was in that service (Maggie Evans) stood and cried out in agony of soul begging God to forgive her as she repented. This is surely a sign of revival.
--A young man by the name of Evan Roberts rolled off of his pew into the aisle and lay there unconscious for a long time…when he awakened He was baptized in the Holy Spirit and was infused with power.
--He went to his principal of the school (Mr. Phillips) where he was attending and asked permission for a school meeting where he could share what happened to him.
--Mr. Phillips thinking that it was only a passing fad granted young Evan his request…the rest is history…a revival broke out that shook a nation.
--All this happened because a young man was determined to be so hungry for God that he was going to keep showing up.
--What about us…but pastor, others are not showing up…it is not about the number who show up as much as it has to do with the hearts of those who do!
The 1904–1905 Welsh Revival was the largest Christian revival in Wales during the 20th century. While by no means the best known of revivals, it was one of the most dramatic in terms of its effect on the population, and triggered revivals in several other countries. "The movement kept the churches of Wales filled for many years to come, seats being placed in the aisles in Mount Pleasant Baptist Church in Swansea for twenty years or so, for example. Meanwhile, the Awakening swept the rest of Britain, Scandinavia, parts of Europe, North America, the mission fields of India and the Orient, Africa and Latin America."
--Lord, do it again!
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