The Righteousness of Life!
2 Kings 23
Scripture Introduction:
Please turn to 2 Kings 23. Have you ever seen a teenager or some young person (bus kid) come out of a home full of evil (sin) and goes on to be something for God? This is what is happening in this passage. A bright and shiny star (Josiah) emerges out of a wicked household and nation full of darkness which is totally immersed in idolatry and apostate worship; from God’s perspective he goes on to be one of the greatest kings in Judah (23:25). We can learn from Josiah, “how we can help establish righteousness in our land”.
Introduction:
Have you ever been to the Alamo in San Antonio, Texas? During the war for Texas independence, in March, 1836 about 150 Texas soldiers under the command of Colonel William Barret Travis held the fort against 5,000 Mexican troops led by General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna. Refusing to surrender, even when their ammunition was exhausted, the Texas patriots fought the enemy in hand-to-hand combat, using their empty muskets as clubs. Finally, all of them were killed, including the famous border heroes James Bowie and Davy Crockett.
Out of the drama of that historical battle came the legend of a last-hour conference within the Alamo before the final Mexican assault. Travis told his men they had no ammunition and no chance of surviving Santa Anna's next attack. Drawing his sword, the colonel drew a line in the dirt floor of the mission. He said, "I have promised we will never surrender, so if you wish to remain and fight to the death, step across this line. Those who do not may escape under cover of darkness tonight." One by one, each courageous soldier stepped across the line with Travis. There was even one fighter who was wounded and asked that his cot be carried across the line to be on the side of those heroic martyrs. The motto for the War of Independence became "Remember the Alamo!"
People are stirred by heroism, and we honor those who refuse to retreat or give in. It seems the
very idea of surrendering to a stronger force is abhorrent to us. Maybe that's why some people
rebel at the idea of surrendering to God. They wince at the thought of becoming a "slave of God."
Darkness rules the planet earth under the sovereign control of God. Just as the soldiers in the Alamo would not surrender to the enemy, even so we must not surrender to our enemy (a life of living for ourselves) but rather must stand in a position of living the righteousness of life. May our motto be, “Remember to live righteousness!”
PROPOSITION: Because Christ is the new covenant, you must surrender to Him and walk with Him in order to live the ‘righteousness of life”.
Pattern in Scripture: Pro 14:34 Righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people.
Joshua leadership – great blessing as God gives them the Promised Land!
Judges – (13) people went whoring after other gods (corruption from within lead to oppression from without) -- lack of leadership “everyone did what was right in his own eyes” (Judges 21:25). So, God sent judges (charismatic military leaders) whose chief function was to deliver the nation from its enemies.
Saul – (an bad choice) -- Israel wants a King like the rest of the nations to fight for them.
David – a man after God’s own heart is given the covenant (promise of a dynasty which will be ‘forever’) -- His descendants would reign
Solomon – great blessing but sows seeds of evil through his idolatrous wives
His son, King Jeroboam and the ‘Division of Israel’
Story of 10 northern tribes – 200 years of apostate worship and the eventual captivity to Assyria
God promises never revoked
The remaining kingdom of the south – Judah (Kings/Chronicles)
8 Kings did right – God merciful because of David
Manessah—55 year reign was the worst King in the south (2 Kings 21:11)
Amorites evil was so bad – God drove them out but Manessah, “hath done wickedly above all that the Amorites did”… The Israelites were to be “light” in a dark place but lived like the people around them.
Josiah, Manessah’s grandson -- comes to the throne at the age of eight..
In 2 Kings 22-23 we see the influence of a godly leader (22:2).
2Ch 34:3 For in the eighth year of his reign, while he was yet young, he began to seek after the God of David his father: and in the twelfth year he began to purge Judah and Jerusalem from the high places, and the groves, and the carved images, and the molten images.
“who turned to the Lord with all his heart, and with all his soul, and with all his might…” 2 Ki 22:11
Josiah decides to refurbish the temple of God.
Why did the Bible get lost?
It did not sit comfortably with the prevailing trend of the culture.
People knew what happen to the prophets of the north under the reign of Ahab – Jezebel had put them to death such that the Word tells us in 1 Kings 18:22 “I, even I only, remain a prophet of the Lord...”
Manessah, King of Judah did the same thing… If the prophets followed the Bible they would have been required by God to challenge the idolatrous worship such as Manasseh’s burning of children to Molech. It was an unpopular message as today … speaking out against the gross moral sins of our day … like homosexuality or idolatrous worship of community churches … would bring great ridicule.
Paul said in the last days…
2Ti 4:2-4 Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. 3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; 4 And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.
Now we live in a generation of Scripture illiteracy… a generation of young people (possibly like Josiah) are longing for truth…none found in their home so they go to church and don’t find it there either. Any of you experience this? Josiah sought God but didn’t know how to find Him!
How can you help establish righteousness in our land?
I. Embrace righteousness through the Word of God! 2 Kings 22:10-13
A. Josiah wanted to know the truth. 22:13
2Ch 34:3 For in the eighth year of his reign, while he was yet young, he began to seek after the God of David his father…
2Ki 22:13 Go ye, enquire of the LORD for me, and for the people, and for all Judah, concerning the words of this book that is found…
1. He is given a revelation from God (15-20).
2. He is then a carrier of the message to others (23:1-2).
B. Josiah wanted to practice the truth. 23:3
…and in the twelfth year he began to purge Judah and Jerusalem from the high places, and the groves, and the carved images, and the molten images.
ILLUSTRATION
An evangelist in England said to D.L.Moody, “The world is yet to see what God will do with a man who is wholeheartedly given to Him.” Moody said, “By the grace of God, I will be that man.”
1. He made a commitment to practice the truth.
Jas 1:22-24 But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. 23 For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: 24 For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was.
2. He made his people commit to practice the truth.
2Ch 34:32 And he caused all that were present in Jerusalem and Benjamin to stand to it. And the inhabitants of Jerusalem did according to the covenant of God, the God of their fathers.
Gen 18:19 For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the LORD, to do justice and judgment; that the LORD may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him.
3. The Christian’s faith is known by what he does!
Mat 7:16-18 Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? 17 Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. 19 Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. 20 Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.
ILLUSTRATION
Ultimate evidence – bears fruit -- Josiah shows us a model…he does it…
Just as Josiah did something after he was made aware of the truth, even so you must do something when you hear the word…that is obey it!
Application:
So what? Many people today are regular church goers but their lives are not a testimony as evidence of a new birth.
Why? Jesus exhorted the multitudes during the Sermon on the Mount that there are evidences of a new birth. Their character reflects: poor in Spirit, mourn, meek, hunger and thirst after righteousness, merciful, pure in heart, peacemakers, persecuted for righteousness’ sake, etc.
Now what? Josiah wanted to know truth and practice truth…is that your testimony? Is church just a formal activity that you perform to sooth your conscious? Is God’s will important to you…living “righteousness of life?”
Plan a specific way you can love your neighbor as yourself this week:
Go over to their home and introduce yourself…showing yourself friendly.
Plan a cookout and invite two or three of your neighbors.
If you notice their lawn is getting long…cut their grass for them.
Take them a couple dozen freshly baked cookies.
How? Grace
How can you help establish righteousness in our land?
II. Embody righteousness through the person of Christ! Rom 10:4
Rom 3:22 Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:
Rom 10:4 For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.
1Co 1:30 But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption:
A. How are the hearts of people changed?
Eze 36:26 A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.
1. Through the new covenant in Christ.
Luk 22:20 Likewise also the cup after supper, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you.
Rom 10:9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
Rom 10:10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
2. Through the implantation of a new heart.
2Co 3:3 Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart.
Heb_10:1. The sacrifices of the old covenant are but prefigurations of the true atoning-offering of Christ, by which the sins of the whole world are atoned for and blotted out.
B. How are the lives of people changed?
27 And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them. 28 And ye shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers; and ye shall be my people, and I will be your God.
1. Through the ministry of the Word.
2. Through the ministry of the Holy Spirit!
Conclusion:
How can you help establish righteousness in our land?
First, embrace righteousness through the Word of God;
secondly, embody righteousness through the person of Jesus Christ;
thirdly, emanate righteousness from the spring of a new heart.
The GOOD NEWS of the Gospel, everyone can experience during their journey on earth the “righteousness of life”.
Some say, "Remember the Alamo!" God says, “Remember to live righteousness!”
Jesus said
Mat 5:6 Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.
Mat 5:10-12 Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Will you join me this morning and say by the grace of God, I will not surrender to our enemy (a life full of self, with only a little room for the will of God). But rather “I will stand in a position of living the righteousness of life for the glory of God even when persecution rises against me.
