SERMON: STANDING IN THE GAP

 

17 November 2012

I. Introduction
-- turn in Bibles to Ezekiel 22:30

Ezekiel 22:30 (NIV)
30 "I looked for a man among them who would build up the wall and stand before me in the gap on behalf of the land so I would not have to destroy it, but I found none.

-- most of you here know who Billy Graham is, but some of you are young enough that you may not have heard of him -- without a doubt, Billy Graham was our country's greatest evangelist -- he's retired now, but throughout the course of his ministry, God used him to reach hundreds of thousands of people -- not only in our country -- but across the world
-- Early in his career, Graham had started preaching at evangelistic crusades across the country -- but these were relatively small events -- about the same as any other tent meeting being held around the country -- but things were about to change
-- in 1949, he scheduled a crusade for Los Angeles that was to last for three weeks, but from the start, it appeared that the crusade was destined for failure
-- Graham had been invited there by several local businessmen, but the churches in the area were split, with most not wanting him to come -- also, they didn't have enough money for the event -- they needed almost four times what they had available.
-- So Graham met with the businessmen and agreed to come, but only if several conditions were met -- first, they had to recognize that they had serious problems, financially and logistically -- second, they had to turn the problems over to God -- and finally, they had to expect God to work to unite the churches in the city and to increase the attendance
-- to show God that they expected Him to work -- in a demonstration of their faith -- Graham told them they had to buy a bigger tent -- it was unusual at that time for more than 2,000 people to come to such an event, and it was considered highly successful if they had 50 people come forward at the invitation -- but Graham said they were limiting God -- he felt like God wanted to do something amazing in Los Angeles
-- the first few nights of the event surpassed anyone's expectations -- Graham had crowds of three to four thousand showing up nightly to hear him preach, but Graham said that he sensed something was building -- he sensed God was working in the event
-- and to make a long story short, the crusade did not end in three weeks as scheduled because something extraordinary happened -- God showed up
-- the crusade went on for eight weeks, with over 11,000 people attending the last meeting -- in that eight week period, Graham had preached to hundreds of thousands of people, and thousands of people had accepted Christ as their Lord and Savior -- God sent revival and refreshing in a manner that hadn't been seen since the Great Awakening at the turn of the 19th century
-- after the crusade was over, everyone asked the same question -- why was this crusade so successful? -- why did God show up and His Spirit move in such an amazing way at this event when He hasn't done so at other similar events?
-- here's what Graham thinks -- after he got back to Minneapolis, two little girls ran up to him and said, "Uncle Billy, we prayed for you." -- and Graham concludes the story in his autobiography, "Just As I Am," by saying it was the prayers of these two little girls and his own daughters and all the others around the country that made the difference -- knowing that he had people praying for him every night put it all in perspective -- "That was the whole secret of everything that had happened: God had answered prayer."

-- this morning, we are continuing in our series on revival -- focusing on our role and our responsibility as Christians to bring revival and restoration to our country -- I hope by now you are really starting to understand that the problems in America today are not the result of the policies of Washington, but the failure of God's people to do what God has called them to do
-- just as Lot failed in his responsibility to reach out to the people of Sodom, Christians in America have failed in our responsibility to turn this nation upside-down for Christ and to make disciples of all those around us
-- in the book of Ezekiel, God told the prophet Ezekiel that His judgment is about to fall on the nation of Israel because they have turned from Him -- because they have chased after other gods and disobeyed God's commands -- but God tells Ezekiel that He doesn't want to pour out His wrath and judgment on the nation -- He doesn't want to see the nation destroyed -- He wants the people to turn back to Him -- to return to Him with all their hearts -- and, if they do so, He will hold back His wrath and judgment from the nation
-- so in the verse we opened with, God asks Ezekiel -- "Who will stand in the gap? -- Who will stand up for the nation and defend them and lead them back to Me?"

-- I believe that God is asking that same question of us -- are we willing to stand in the gap to defend this nation and lead the people back to God? -- are we willing to turn to God on behalf of America and ask for His hand to move across this nation once again? -- are we willing to be the catalyst for true and lasting change in this land?

-- we've been using as our source text for this series the verse from 2 Chronicles 7:14 -- anyone know it by now? -- anyone want to recite it this morning?
-- "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 will I hear from heaven and forgive their sins and will heal their land."
-- as we've been saying, in this verse God told the nation of Israel the steps they had to follow to bring revival and restoration to their nation -- the same four steps we must follow if we are to be the watchmen who stand in the gap for America
-- last week, we talked about what it means to be humble -- to humble ourselves before God on behalf of our nation
-- this week, we are going to talk about prayer -- not just everyday prayer -- not just prayer before a meal or in our quiet times -- but intercessory prayer -- prayer that stands in the gap and asks God to move in our land again

II. Standing in the Gap (Daniel 9:1-19)
-- in 1 Timothy 2:1-3 Paul wrote, "I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone -- for kings and all those in authority -- that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. -- This is good, and pleases God our Savior"
-- God wants us to intercede for our nation and those around us -- to stand before Him on behalf of this country and to pray for those in authority above us

-- Daniel did the same thing for the nation of Israel when he was in captivity in Babylon -- and we can learn a lot about standing in the gap through prayer from his example -- if you would, turn over to Daniel 9 and let's look at Daniel's prayer of intercession

-- verse 1-2

1 In the first year of Darius son of Xerxes (a Mede by descent), who was made ruler over the Babylonian kingdom--
2 in the first year of his reign, I, Daniel, understood from the Scriptures, according to the word of the LORD given to Jeremiah the prophet, that the desolation of Jerusalem would last seventy years.

-- as you probably remember, Daniel was one of the young men who had been taken into captivity into Babylon when Nebuchadnezzer conquered Jerusalem -- this happened because the people had been unfaithful -- they had turned away from God and put their faith in their own strength and in the strength of the nations around them -- they had forgotten that God was the One who had brought them into the land -- they had forgotten the miracles God had done on their behalf -- so God used Nebuchadnezzer and the nation of Babylon as an instrument of His wrath
-- by this time, Babylon has fallen and the Medes and Persians have taken over as the world's second great empire -- Daniel is still in Babylon serving the royal throne, although now he serves Darius instead of Nebuchadnezzer
-- here's the important thing to get out of these two verses -- it says Daniel "understood from the Scriptures, according to the word of the Lord"
-- that tells us, first, that Daniel spent time with the Lord in His word -- God speaks to us in various ways, but the primary way that He speaks to us is through His word -- if we are not spending time with God in His word, then we are not going to be hearing from Him on a regular basis -- we need to make it point to spend time in the Bible each and every day
-- secondly, Daniel "understood" what the word said -- he wasn't just reading the Bible to get through it in a year -- he wasn't just reading it to say that he had done so -- he read with a purpose -- he read with open ears -- he read listening for God's voice and then spent time asking God what it meant so he would understand what God was saying
-- every time we open the Bible, we need to ask God to speak to us and to reveal to us His presence and His word and His ways and ask Him what He wants us to do with what we have read -- we need to do more than just read -- we need to read with comprehension and understanding and then act on what God tells us to do -- just like Daniel

-- verse 3-4a

3 So I turned to the Lord God and pleaded with him in prayer and petition, in fasting, and in sackcloth and ashes.
4 I prayed to the LORD my God and confessed:

-- when Daniel understood the need, he turned to the Source of Hope
-- Daniel didn't turn to the Darius -- he didn't go to the government -- he knew that all the king's horses and all the king's men could not put his country back together again
-- he knew that Israel's only hope was in God
-- where do we turn for help? -- when we have a problem in our lives? -- when we see a need in our country -- where do we go for help?
-- do we look to Washington or to Heaven?


-- verse 4

4 I prayed to the LORD my God and confessed "O Lord, the great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love with all who love him and obey his commands,

-- Daniel knew God -- he had a relationship with God -- he knew God's heart -- he knew that God kept His covenant of love with those who loved Him -- with those who obeyed His commands
-- Daniel acknowledged the greatness and overwhelming faithfulness of God -- if the people would just turn back to God -- if they would love Him again -- if they would obey His commands again -- then God would be faithful to His covenant and would pour out His blessings on the nation once again
-- remember why the nations of Israel and Judah were exiled in the first place -- it wasn't because God turned His back on them -- it was because they turned their back on Him
-- Daniel praises God for His faithfulness and His love and stands on the promise that God is waiting for Israel and Judah to return to Him with their whole hearts

-- verse 5

5 we have sinned and done wrong. We have been wicked and have rebelled; we have turned away from your commands and laws.
6 We have not listened to your servants the prophets, who spoke in your name to our kings, our princes and our fathers, and to all the people of the land.
7 "Lord, you are righteous, but this day we are covered with shame--the men of Judah and people of Jerusalem and all Israel, both near and far, in all the countries where you have scattered us because of our unfaithfulness to you.
8 O LORD, we and our kings, our princes and our fathers are covered with shame because we have sinned against you.
9 The Lord our God is merciful and forgiving, even though we have rebelled against him;
10 we have not obeyed the LORD our God or kept the laws he gave us through his servants the prophets.
11 All Israel has transgressed your law and turned away, refusing to obey you.

-- I can sum up these verses in just five words -- Daniel stood in the gap
-- Daniel falls to his knees and confesses the ways that the nations of Israel and Judah have sinned against God -- he admits that the people were at fault -- it wasn't God who sent them to Babylon -- it was the sins of the people that sent them into exile -- it was their rebellious and disobedient hearts that landed them in captivity
-- notice the way Daniel prays here -- starting in verse 5 he says, "We" have sinned and done wrong -- "We" have been wicked and rebelled -- "We" have turned away from your commands and laws -- "We" have not listened to your servants the prophets
-- we, we, we
-- now, hold your place here and turn over to Daniel 6:1-5

Daniel 6:1-5 (NIV)
1 It pleased Darius to appoint 120 satraps to rule throughout the kingdom,
2 with three administrators over them, one of whom was Daniel. The satraps were made accountable to them so that the king might not suffer loss.
3 Now Daniel so distinguished himself among the administrators and the satraps by his exceptional qualities that the king planned to set him over the whole kingdom.
4 At this, the administrators and the satraps tried to find grounds for charges against Daniel in his conduct of government affairs, but they were unable to do so. They could find no corruption in him, because he was trustworthy and neither corrupt nor negligent.
5 Finally these men said, "We will never find any basis for charges against this man Daniel unless it has something to do with the law of his God."

-- Daniel was so righteous and honest and faithful to God that his enemies could not find any grounds to bring charges against him -- they could find no corruption -- no dishonesty -- no sins that would keep him from serving the king
-- now look back at Daniel 9 again -- even though Daniel remained faithful to God -- even though Daniel was upright and righteous in God's sight -- even though Daniel had a vibrant and real relationship with God -- he still prayed, "We have sinned..."
-- Daniel stood with Israel -- he identified with their sin and accepted his responsibility in the sins of the nation -- we must do the same
-- even though we may not have committed the sins our nation are guilty of -- even though we may not have disobeyed and turned away from God -- we need to stand in the gap for America and confess our national sins and ask God to move on our behalf again
-- we have been placed in America for such a time as this -- we are here to stand up for America and ask God to bring her back to a saving faith again -- we are here to seek revival and restoration and healing for our country
-- and that means standing for her as Daniel stood for Israel and confessing to God, "We have sinned..."

-- look at the second part of verse 11-14

11 All Israel has transgressed your law and turned away, refusing to obey you.
"Therefore the curses and sworn judgments written in the Law of Moses, the servant of God, have been poured out on us, because we have sinned against you.
12 You have fulfilled the words spoken against us and against our rulers by bringing upon us great disaster. Under the whole heaven nothing has ever been done like what has been done to Jerusalem.
13 Just as it is written in the Law of Moses, all this disaster has come upon us, yet we have not sought the favor of the LORD our God by turning from our sins and giving attention to your truth.
14 The LORD did not hesitate to bring the disaster upon us, for the LORD our God is righteous in everything he does; yet we have not obeyed him.

-- God's judgment against Israel and Judah was just and righteous -- the people had sinned -- the people had disobeyed -- the people had rebelled -- and, even though God had warned them through His prophets, they refused to return -- so God's judgment fell on the nation
-- once again, don't miss why God allowed this to happen -- down in verse 13, Daniel points out that all this disaster came upon them because they did not seek the favor of God -- because they turned away from Him and refused to listen to the truth and repent of their sins
-- God allows us to suffer the consequences of our sin -- not as a punishment -- but as a discipline -- to chasten us and lead us back to Him and to keep us from straying again -- that is the reason the people of Israel were in captivity in Babylon -- that is the reason the Israelites wandered in the desert for 40 years before they came into the promised land -- the people had to experience God's chastening hand in order to see the depth of their sin and turn back to God in true repentance
-- God disciplines to lead us back to Him

-- verse 15-19

15 "Now, O Lord our God, who brought your people out of Egypt with a mighty hand and who made for yourself a name that endures to this day, we have sinned, we have done wrong.
16 O Lord, in keeping with all your righteous acts, turn away your anger and your wrath from Jerusalem, your city, your holy hill. Our sins and the iniquities of our fathers have made Jerusalem and your people an object of scorn to all those around us.
17 "Now, our God, hear the prayers and petitions of your servant. For your sake, O Lord, look with favor on your desolate sanctuary.
18 Give ear, O God, and hear; open your eyes and see the desolation of the city that bears your Name. We do not make requests of you because we are righteous, but because of your great mercy.
19 O Lord, listen! O Lord, forgive! O Lord, hear and act! For your sake, O my God, do not delay, because your city and your people bear your Name."

-- having confessed his sin and the sins of the nation, Daniel appeals to God for restoration and healing -- not because the people were righteous -- they were far from righteous, just as we are far from righteousness on our own
-- Daniel appealed to God because of who He was -- because of His great mercy -- and because of His glory
-- to bring healing and restoration to Israel -- to bring the people back to the Promised Land -- would bring glory to God's name as a watching world saw the way He was faithful and loving to the people who were called by His name
-- we need to ask God to revive America -- not for America's sake -- but because it will bring glory to His name
-- I have no doubt that God's hand was in the founding of America -- for over 200 years, America was a shining light -- a city set on a hill -- an example of the greatness of a Christian nation
-- and, if God were to restore this fallen nation -- if God were to bring our country back to its former greatness -- if the world was to see how God blesses America -- it would bring glory to His holy name
-- remember, this is not our story -- it is not our land -- it's not about us -- it's all about Him -- and that needs to be the focus of our prayers and our hopes and our dreams


III. Closing
-- John Wesley once said, "Give me 100 preachers who fear nothing but sin and desire nothing but God, and I care not a straw whether they be clergy or laymen, such alone will shake the gates of hell and set up the kingdom of Heaven on earth. God does nothing but in answer to prayer."

-- as we close this morning, I want to leave you with these final thoughts on interceding for our nation to bring about healing and restoration as God promises in 2 Chronicles 7:14
-- how can we stand in the gap for our country? -- what should we pray?
-- we begin by humbling ourselves and confessing our sins, just as Daniel did -- we admit to God that we have sinned -- that we have failed to be an obedient church -- that we have failed to be an obedient people
-- and then we ask God to begin to change the hearts of the people -- from the politicians in Washington and Atlanta all the way down to the people in the pews on Sunday morning
-- pray that they would know God's will for their lives and this country -- pray that they would do God's will
-- pray that their eyes and ears would be opened so they could see the truth -- so they could see how their lives and their behaviors and their practices fail to line up with God's word -- and pray that they would adjust their lives to God
-- pray for America to be productive -- not just economically -- but spiritually -- at one point our country sent out more missionaries to the world than any other country -- now, we receive more missionaries than any other country -- pray that this would be turned upside-down
-- pray for our leaders to be humble in all their ways -- pray that God's power would be made known in their lives and the policies they promote would be kingdom-based and not party-based
-- and pray that all in this country would come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ
[Partially modified from John Maxwell, Partners in Prayer]

-- these are things that we can do to stand in the gap -- these are things we must do if we truly want to see our country restored to greatness
-- as I close, I pray that all of you would be modern-day Daniels -- standing in the gap for America
-- let us pray