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
beginning of wisdom. (Wisdom is to hate evil.)
a) Planning overthrow - Grandmother and her wicked ways are going to come to an end.
Guards were stationed at critical points in case of trouble.
b) Brought Joash in - Proclaimed him king and all the people got excited.
B. Judgment Day - v. 13-16 (READ)
1. Evil deeds have found her out, treachery, murder, evil ways have come home.
2. Interesting - v. 14 - “Treason, treason.”
-Her own treason is not thought of- she only sees the treason in her enemies!
a. Treason is an act to overthrow a constituted government and is generally held to be punished by
death.
A government which is itself born and bred of treason has no moral justification for punishing treason in
others.
ex “criminal whines the loudest mentality”
C. Punishment swift - grandmother was put to death (deserved).
D. Followers punished - because they followed her (afraid, didn’t know any better).
-Young people hang around wrong crowd, you may get punished along with your friends, even though you were not doing anything!
ex Baseball - being called out at first.
III. Our Environment
A. Role models today: Magic Johnson - AIDS - whose talking about safe sex (lifestyle was so immoral
that it caused him to contract AIDS).
Madonna - who has different relations with both men and women, singing and promoting her views.
President - says he is for the underprivileged and wife for the rights of the children, yet are proposing federally-funded abortions (your tax dollars).
Rock groups - promoting suicide, razor blades, drugs, sex, etc.
1. TV shows: 5Ostothe9Os
-Leave It To Beaver - compare to cartoon of The Simpsons
-The Waltons - compared to Married With Children
- -Little House On The Prairie - compared to MTV
B. Enemy Destroying Generation
I Peter 5:8 - “Be self controlled and alert. Your enemy, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.”
1. Picture lion - big cat, sneaking around and by the time it roars, its prey is caught. Well, the lion is
roaring and its prey is America and we’re about to be caught. It’s only God that can save
America now.
a. Violence in America
-Gang violence, public schools need metal detectors.
-Violent crimes: murder, rape, armed robbery on the increase, seen so many mass murders.
-Prisons overflowing to the point where dangerous criminals are going to boot camp rather than
prison.
-Innocent being destroyed (abortion), RU 486 (dramatically increase deaths).
-Assisted suicides (Jack Kevorkian) Holland example, Third Reich.
b. Future hold
-No need for social security (Eskimo’s used to do).
-Government permission to have children.
-Abortion federally funded.
-True Christians will be painted as fanatics (Waco), persecuted.
I see America collapsing from within (moral, ethical fabric destroyed), unless God’s children stand up and fight for our beliefs!
C. Young people can make a difference.
1. Twelve turned the world upside down in the hands of God!
2. Willing to pay the price (are we willing to pay the price)?
3. Listen to God and not man.
-Man’s excuses: - You’re not old enough (Joash).
-What can you do or who are you.
a. Young people are our greatest asset we have. We need to teach them the ways of the Lord and we
need to be positive role models.
IN CONCLUSION: Environment we live in is our choice. Circumstances don’t control our walk with God. He is the one who gives us our joy and peace. It’s not things or situations.
I. Negative Environment II. Positive Environment III. Our Environment
a. Joash’s Home Life a. Hidden house of Lord a. Role models
b. Wicked Heritage b. Judgment Day b. Enemy destroying generation
c. Joash’s Salvation 1. swift c. Young people make a difference
c. Followers punished
