269 - Called From The Womb Series

ILL: A sobbing little girl stood near a small church from which she had been turned away because it "was too crowded." "I can’t go to Sunday School, "she sobbed to the pastor as he walked by. Seeing her shabby, unkempt appearance, the pastor guessed the reason and, taking her by the hand, took her inside and found a place for her in the Sunday School class. The child was so touched that she went to bed that night thinking of the children who have no place to worship Jesus.

Some two years later, this child lay dead in one of the poor tenement buildings and the parents called for the kind hearted pastor, who had befriended their daughter, to handle the final arrangements. As her poor little body was being moved, a worn and crumpled purse was found which seemed to have been rummaged from some trash dump. Inside was found 57 cents and a note scribbled in childish handwriting which read, "This is to help build the little church bigger so more children can go to Sunday school. For two years she had saved for this offering of love. When the pastor tearfully read that note, he knew instantly what he would do. Carrying this note and the cracked, red pocketbook to the pulpit, he told the story of her unselfish love and devotion. He challenged his deacons to get busy and raise enough money for the larger building.

But the story does not end there! A newspaper learned of the story and published it. It was read by a Realtor who offered them a parcel of land worth many thousands. When told that the church could not pay so much, he offered it for 57 cents. Church members made large donations. Checks came from far and wide. Within five years the little girl’s gift had increased to $250,000.00 a huge sum for that time (near the turn of the century). Her unselfish love had paid large dividends.

When you are in the city of Philadelphia, look up Temple Baptist Church, with a seating capacity of 3,300 and Temple University, where hundreds of students are trained. Have a look, too, at the Good Samaritan Hospital and at a Sunday School building which houses hundreds of Sunday scholars, so that no child in the area will ever need to be left outside during Sunday school time. In one of the rooms of this building may be seen the picture of the sweet face of the little girl whose 57 cents, so sacrificially saved, made such remarkable history. Alongside of it is a portrait of her kind pastor, Dr. Russel H. Conwell, author of the book, "acres of Diamonds"---a true story. Goes to show WHAT GOD CAN DO WITH 57 cents. Please forward this on to all your friends, perhaps someone will be touched by this true story as I was.

Sermon Study # 269 - CALLED FROM THE WOMB

Facts of Josiah - King of Judah

~ Lived from 648 B.C. to 609 B.C. died at 39 years of age.

~ Became King when he was only 8 years old (ruled for 31 years).

~ His grandfather was a wicked king Mannasseh (ruled 55 years).

~ His father was a wicked king Amon (ruled 2 years).

~ His sons became wicked kings Jehoahaz, Jehoiakim, Zedekiah.

~ Generations to follow became wicked kings.

~ Josiah is noted as a great king in the middle of wicked rulers.

2 Ki 23:25 Neither before nor after Josiah was there a king like him who turned to the LORD as he did--with all his heart and with all his soul and with all his strength, in accordance with all the Law of Moses.

~ Josiah is a great, great, great¡K. grandfather to Jesus and great, great, great¡K grandson to King David.

~ Age 16 Josiah began to seek God.

~ Age 20 he destroyed the false idols & high places.

~ Age 26 he began to rebuild the Temple of God.

~ Age 26 he began drastic reform after the ¡§WORD¡¨ (most likely, book of Deuteronomy) was revealed to him.

~ A prophet (not named) predicted (290 years before his birth) that Josiah would be born and bring reform to Judah (1 Kings 13:2).

1 Ki 13:2 He cried out against the altar by the word of the LORD: "O altar, altar! This is what the LORD says: ’A son named Josiah will be born to the house of David (fulfilled 290 years later). On you he will sacrifice the priests of the high places who now make offerings here, and human bones will be burned on you.’"

There are many details of Josiah’s reign that merits elaboration. However, for the sake of this sermon... I would like to explain one factor in Josiah¡¦s life that we all can relate to. Josiah was destined for God and named before he was born.