Forgotten Teaching Series

Sunday Morning February 21, 2010

Bel Aire Baptist Church

Series: “Royalty” [#8]

FORGOTTEN TEACHINGS

2 Chronicles 26:1-23

Introduction:

What an awesome time we had last week at our anniversary services. We had great crowds at each service. We had lots of singing, shouting, dancing, praising, preaching, etc… What I’ve been wondering about this week was how will we respond to a “normal week”? Let’s be honest, after a week like last week it is easy to have a “let down” week. I know that I’ve been exhausted.

I heard 2 very good sermons, but have I used them? I heard about being a disciple of Christ and that I need to run the Christian race to win. How did I do this week?

In 2 Chronicles 26, we find 16 year old Uzziah being made King of Judah. His father, Amaziah had been a good King for a while, but then started worshipping other gods which led to his death.

2 Chronicles 26:3-5 (NIV)

“Uzziah was sixteen years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem fifty-two years. His mother's name was Jecoliah; she was from Jerusalem. He did what was right in the eyes of the LORD, just as his father Amaziah had done. He sought God during the days of Zechariah, who instructed him in the fear of God. As long as he sought the LORD, God gave him success.”

Who wants success? If we want success, then we are going to need to follow these simple things:

1. Do right in the eyes of the Lord.

In Revelation 2:12-17 we find the 3rd of 7 Churches- Pergamum.

Revelation 2:13 (NIV)

“I know where you live--where Satan has his throne. Yet you remain true to my name. You did not renounce your faith in me, even in the days of Antipas, my faithful witness, who was put to death in your city--where Satan lives.

The church was commended for doing right in the eyes of the Lord.

> They remained true to Jesus’ name. In a religious environment where there was numerous gods, these Christians continued to lift up the name of Jesus.

> They did not renounce their faith in Jesus. Once a year every resident of the Roman Empire was required to burn incense to Caesar and to say, “Caesar is Lord.” If they did not they were killed.” Jesus said to this church- “I commend you because you are not denying the faith.”

2. Seek God.

We are to go after the things of God. It is easy to get comfortable and wait for God to come to us; but we must understand that we are either moving forward or backwards.

3. Be instructed in the fear of God.

Revelation 2:12 (NIV)

"To the angel of the church in Pergamum write: These are the words of him who has the sharp, double-edged sword.”

Jesus presents Himself to this church as the One “who has the sharp, double-edged sword.”

> The sword of His mouth is the Word of God.

> The sword of His mouth tells us about the power and judgment of His Word.

The believers in Pergamum were being persecuted and some were even being martyred for their faith. Some government officials were misusing the power of the sword or execution. They were slaying innocent people, in particular believers who refused to deny Christ. Jesus Christ is proclaiming that the power of His Sword- the power of His Word- is far greater. He holds the power of life and death over all men.

“As long as he sought the LORD, God have him success.”

2 Chronicles 26:16 (NIV)

“But after Uzziah became powerful, his pride led to his downfall. He was unfaithful to the LORD his God, and entered the temple of the LORD to burn incense on the altar of incense.”

It seems so often that after we experience success, we then become prideful. Remember pride goes before the fall. The Church of Pergamum did the same thing. Jesus said, “You have people there who hold to the teaching of Balaam.” We can find the story of Balaam in Numbers 22-25. Balak the king of Moab had heard what the Israelites had done to some of the other nations so in order to protect his kingdom, he sought the services of Balaam, a prophet of Israel, to curse Israel. When the king first approached Balaam, Balaam refused; but he accepted the second offer. Three times Balaam was going to curse Israel, but it always came out as a blessing. Balaam then came up with a plan that would work. He suggested that Moabite girls seduce Israel’s men to intermarry and lead them to worship their gods. That is what the Moabites did and it worked. Balaam tried to stand with one foot in the world and one foot in obedience to God. Balaam’s doctrine was one of worldliness.