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Andrew Murray
Andrew Murray (1828 - 1917). South African pastor, author, and revivalist born in Graaff-Reinet, Cape Colony, to Dutch Reformed missionary parents. Sent to Scotland at 10, he studied at Aberdeen University and Utrecht, Netherlands, returning ordained in 1848. He pastored in Bloemfontein and Worcester, later moderating the Dutch Reformed Church’s Cape Synod. In 1860, he sparked a revival in the Orange Free State, preaching to thousands across racial lines despite apartheid’s rise. Murray wrote over 240 books, including Abide in Christ (1882) and With Christ in the School of Prayer, translated into dozens of languages. His emphasis on holiness, prayer, and divine healing influenced global Pentecostalism. Married to Emma Rutherford in 1856, they had eight children, four becoming missionaries. He founded theological seminaries and the Huguenot College for women. Despite chronic illness, he traveled to Europe and America, speaking at Keswick Conventions. His devotional works remain widely read, shaping Christian spirituality across denominations.
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Sermon Summary
Andrew Murray emphasizes that the preaching of the cross and the work of missions can be rendered ineffective by human wisdom, which undermines the power of God. He calls for a deep understanding of the true state of the church, urging intercessors to recognize and confess the sins that hinder revival. Murray stresses the importance of honoring the Holy Spirit in teaching, as neglecting this leads to the commands of God being powerless. He challenges believers to prepare their hearts and remove obstacles to invite God's Spirit for true revival. The sermon highlights the necessity of aligning faith with divine power rather than human intellect.
"… Made Void by Man’s wisdom."
Of all preaching of the cross, of missions, of the entire consecration to God and his work that is in the power of the Holy Spirit, Christ has said: “made void by man’s wisdom.” The faith which comes by such speaking stands with wisdom of men, and not in the power of God. And the fruit is according to the root. What a work opens up before us as we speak of prayer for revival. God asks those who intercede to take knowledge of what the real state of his church is. If they are to feel the burden, to confess the sin, to point out the evil to others, to prepare the way of the Lord in doing their part to show God’s people what they must ask God’s Spirit to do, what they must be ready to part with and put away before he comes, they need a deep clear conviction that here indeed is one of the great hindrances of blessing. Because the Holy Spirit is not honored in his teaching, the clearest commands of God’s Word fall powerless, and God is robbed of his due. (Excerpted from The Coming Revival, by Andrew Murray , pg. 24)
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Andrew Murray (1828 - 1917). South African pastor, author, and revivalist born in Graaff-Reinet, Cape Colony, to Dutch Reformed missionary parents. Sent to Scotland at 10, he studied at Aberdeen University and Utrecht, Netherlands, returning ordained in 1848. He pastored in Bloemfontein and Worcester, later moderating the Dutch Reformed Church’s Cape Synod. In 1860, he sparked a revival in the Orange Free State, preaching to thousands across racial lines despite apartheid’s rise. Murray wrote over 240 books, including Abide in Christ (1882) and With Christ in the School of Prayer, translated into dozens of languages. His emphasis on holiness, prayer, and divine healing influenced global Pentecostalism. Married to Emma Rutherford in 1856, they had eight children, four becoming missionaries. He founded theological seminaries and the Huguenot College for women. Despite chronic illness, he traveled to Europe and America, speaking at Keswick Conventions. His devotional works remain widely read, shaping Christian spirituality across denominations.