It's Time To Renovate The Church - Part 2

It Is Time To Renovate The Church

Part II

II Chronicles 29:6-12

This morning we began to examine the fact that “It Is Time To Renovate The Church”. Tonight we will continue that thought.

We looked at the honorable actions of Hezekiah who ascended to the throne in Judah at the age of 25. He inherited the throne from his father Ahaz. Ahaz was a wicked king who had practiced, established and promoted idol worship. As a result of the nation’s idolatry, the fury of the Lord was ignited and the people were suffering. Hezekiah took the proper steps to help the nation turn back to the Lord. We read that Hezekiah was a man that “did what was pleasing in the Lord’s sight” ...“In first month of the first year of his reign, Hezekiah repaired the doors of the Temple” - Then he “reopened those doors” that had long been closed. He “called the Priests and Levites together” and commanded that they “Purify themselves and purify the temple” They began the process of removing the defiled things from the temple.

While looking at the story of Hezekiah we also examined some of the similarities between the story in scripture and the modern day Christian Church. I believe that it is apparent that what Hezekiah did in Judah is what is needed in many churches today. If we are going to renovate the church we must

i. Repair What Is Broken

ii. Remove What Doesn’t Belong

Those are the two points we considered this morning, but as we continue we will see that we must also:

iii. Realize What Is Neglected

iv. Recognize What Is Happening

v. Restore What Is Missing

There are countless plans, programs and models that are being implemented in churches all over the world in order to “revitalize” the church.. I get articles in the mail all the time advertising the next big gimmick to bring “revival” to the church. But I believe with all that is in me that what we need is not some new program, but to RETURN to the things of the Lord! And in doing so we will find that:

I. We Must Realize What Is Neglected - v6 {Hezekiah said} For our fathers have trespassed, and done that which was evil in the eyes of the LORD our God, and have forsaken him, and have turned away their faces from the habitation of the LORD, and turned their backs.7 Also they have shut up the doors of the porch, and put out the lamps, and have not burned incense nor offered burnt offerings in the holy place unto the God of Israel.

As he addresses the Priests & Levites, Hezekiah explained that “their ancestors were unfaithful and did what was evil in the sight of the Lord:

“They turned their backs on the Lord”

“They abandoned His temple”

“They shut the doors to the Temple’s entry room”

“They snuffed out the lamps”

“They stopped burning incense”

“And they ceased presenting burnt offerings at the sanctuary”

I like ol Hezekiah’s mindset… He didn’t hire a consultant to tell him what needed to be done. He didn’t gather the Priests & Levites together and develop a long term strategy to make things better. He didn’t model his plan after the actions of some other kingdom He didn’t look at the gravity of the situation and throw his hands up and quit. What did he do??? HE REALIZED WHAT WAS NEGLECTED!! He looked at what God had ordained and saw how far the people had strayed from the LORD’S WAY! He observed the pitiful shape of the temple. He observed the pathetic condition of the people. And instead of trying something new, HE WENT BACK TO WHAT WORKED IN THE PAST!!! He turned things back over TO THE LORD!

Understand this…“restoration” is not about filling up this building. We can compromise and change everything we do… we can become “seeker friendly” and seek to please the people.I can give you a positive thinking, feel good speech once a week. We can have tons of activities and events to get people’s attention. We can grow to the point we have to bulldoze this building and build a multi-million dollar campus and it would have ZERO impact for the Kingdom!!! (In fact, I wouldn’t mind losing a few if it would have a positive impact on the Kingdom of God)

In John chapter 6, Jesus preached some hard truths and there was a great crowd that ceased to follow Him - John 6:66 From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him.

Obviously I would like to bulldoze this building and build a bigger one, but not at the expense of the Gospel. There are no man made methods of revival that will help restore the church. The word “restore” means “to return something to previous condition” We don’t need to find something new… we must REALIZE WHAT IS NEGLECTED and return to those things!