Don't Let Your Environment Control You!

INTRO: A teenager had decided to quit high school, saying he was just fed up with it all. His &ther was trying to convince him to stay with it. “Son”, he said, “You just can’t quit. All the people who are remembered in history didn’t quit. Abe Lincoln, he didn’t quit. Douglas MacArthur, he didn’t quit. Thomas Edison, he didn’t quit. Elmo McCringle.”

“Who?’ the son burst in. “Who’s Elmo McCringle?” “See”, the father replied, “You don’t remember him. He quit.”

Today look at a man who didn’t quit. He didn’t let his environment aftèct him - Joash - he stood for God!

TITLE: Don’t Let Your Environment Control You!

TEXT: 2 Kings ll:1

I. Negative Environment

II. Positive Environment

Ill. Our Environment

I. Negative Environment (READ v. 1-2)

A. Joash’s home life - was not a loving and caring environment. I picture unhealthy, evil, blood-thirsty, uncaring situation.

1. Family members - Adams Family

I. Jezebel brought Baal Ashtoreth into Israel (sexual cult twisted in with worshipping idols) like Charles Manson cult.

-Athaliah brought this into Judah (SIC), each brought this abomination into their adopted country. Follows in mom’s footsteps.

-Both of them are antagonists of Jehovah. Jezebel tried killing God’s prophets while Athaliah stops temple worship and brings in her pagan idols.

-Both had an appetite for power. Jezebel (great-grandmother to Joash) controlled Ahab. Athaliah (grandmother to Joash) controls Jehoram who is husband.

2. Jehoram - grandfather - was a bad king because he followed in the ways of Athaliah, his wife (pagan worship).

3. Joash’s father - was also controlled by Athaliah because she was his counselor.

Joash’s grandmother was an extremely wicked lady who led not only her husband into pagan worship but also her son which she learned from her mother, Jezebel.

B. Hereditary wickedness - passing their values, morals, wicked ways down to their offspring. Mom’s and dad’s traits pass on to the children.

1. Physical traits of parents - look like mom and dad (eyes, nose, hair, height).

2. Mental attitudes - mom and dad positive, children likewise. If parents are negative the children will

pick up those traits: cynical, steal, lie, etc.

Generally true - parents, your children do have your traits. I don’t believe its genetics. Rather, it’s learned behavior from watching mom and dad.

ex Mom and dad - the way you handle problems is probably the way your children will handle

problems: booze, avoid the problem.

Eph 5:1 - “Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children.”

-Paul is picking up on the concept of how children will copy their parents in their actions and

ways.

a. Great responsibility - parents, teach the proper ways of God to your children or grandchildren.

Q: Parents, what are you teaching your children?

Q: Grandparents, what are you teaching your grandchildren?

*Are we teaching them the ways of the Lord or the ways of the world?

ex Mike, ex-wife, two children, prostitution ring run by the mother.

Point: The moral qualities in parents may become physical tendencies in their children.

C. Joash’s salvation (v. 2)

-Grandmother saw that her son was dead, so she decided to eliminate the whole royal family. She was going to lose her control. She no longer would be queen mother, so she was going to eliminate anyone who stood in her way.

1. Saved by aunt - didn’t agree with the royal slaughter. Took Joash, who was around a year old and hid

him along with the nurse in the temple of God.

a. Aunt’s husband was high priest of God who took care of Joash for six years.

1. Radical courage - they risked their own lives to save the child.

-America needs some radical Christians to take a stand against the atrocities that are going on in today’s society.

ex Operation Rescue (abortion) 30 million deaths, 4,500 a day!

Need Christians like Jehosheba (aunt) and Jehoiada (high priest) who, in my book, are examples

of radical Christians.

II. Positive Environment - v. 3 (READ)

A. Hidden in house of the Lord - life was rescued from certain doom.

1. Lord’s always working - even when things look hopeless, as in the case of Joash’s family getting

Slaughtered.

ex Al Palmquist - story of prostitute.

2. Training - raised in Lord’s house, teaching of God and His laws. They trained the young king in the

ways of God. Good role models (risked their lives for justice).

a. Joash goes down as a good king even though he stumbled a bit. He repaired the house of the

Lord and reigned forty years.

Look for a moment: Jehoiada (high priest) - work two-fold.

1) Preserving the life of the royal family, one thy to become king.

2) Destroying evil - destroying the works of the enemy.

Prov. 8:13 - “To fear the Lord is to hate evil”, Proverbs also says - Fear of the Lord is the