INTRO: A stranger was walking down a residential street and noticed a man struggling with a washing machine at the doorway of his house. When the newcomer volunteered to help, the homeowner was overjoyed, and the two men together began to work and struggle with the bulky appliance. After several minutes of fruitless effort the two stopped and just stared at each other in frustration. They looked as if they were on the verge of total exhaustion.
Finally, when they had caught their breath, the first man said to the homeowner, “We’ll never get this washing machine in there!” to which the homeowner replied, “In? I’m trying to move it out of here!”
-There are times we feel this in our life with the Lord. We’re pulling this way and the Lord pushing that way and there is no progress. We’re putting in tremendous amounts of energy only to find ourselves exhausted at the end of the day.
-We wake up the next day only to start the battle all over again. On and on it goes and at the end of the day still there is no progress.
Thought: It is a day wasted if we don’t make progress in our relationship with the Lord.
TITLE: Are You Making Progress?
TEXT: 2 Chronicles 26:5
I. Background. The nation of Israel has split into the two kingdoms, the Northern and Southern Kingdoms.
A. King Uzziah became king at the ripe old age of 16 years.
1. His given name was Azariah which literally means “Jehovah has helped.” But when he became king he took the throne name Uzziah which means “Jehovah is strength.”
2. Uzziah was a good king. The Bible says he did right in the eyes of the Lord just as his father had done. He started well but finished poorly.
B. He followed his father. Some characteristics of his dad (Amaziah):
-Came to the throne at a relatively early age.
-He did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, but not wholeheartedly. He followed the Lord partly.
-He did some great things for God.
-He stumbled and worshiped some foreign gods.
-Judgment came on him from God.
-Became arrogant and proud after great victory.
-He finished poorly, he turned away from the Lord.
C. Uzziah followed in his father’s footsteps.
1. He came to the throne at an early age. The Lord blessed him. He did right in the eyes of the Lord.
-As long as he sought the Lord, the Lord gave him success.
2. The Lord gave him victory over his enemies; he gained some of the enemies’ territory. He became very powerful and popular. As a result Uzziah became very proud and arrogant.
-The Bible says his pride led to his downfall. He was unfaithful to the Lord.
3. He was so proud that he wanted to change God’s order of doing things. He wanted to burn incense on the altar. This was the priest’s job but he barged in and wanted to do it himself. As a result of not following God’s order, judgment came and he was stricken with leprosy for the rest of his life.
4. Living in isolation the rest of your life because of disobedience.
II. When you think about progress – there is nothing worse than battling year after year to make some progress and then wake up one day to find you lost it all, or even worse you’re farther back than when you started.
-Keys to continue our progress with the Lord.
A. To seek him. As long as he sought the Lord, God gave him success.
1. Sought means to inquire of or yearn for. If I want success in my life I need to “inquire” of the Lord, to search into his ways.
a. There are many reasons why we don’t search into the ways of God (lazy, not interested, but I personally believe it comes down to - I really don’t want to know because if I don’t know I don’t have to obey).
Example. Like telling your child to take out the trash - oh I didn’t hear you when you confront them later on why they didn’t take it out. It’s an amazing thing though when they want to go out and you talked about it last week, they will remember every last detail and nuance of the discussion. It’s called selective hearing. I hear what I want to hear from God.
b. In his best-selling book, Say It With Love, Dr. Howard Hendricks tells of an 83-year old woman whom he and two other conference leaders happened to meet during a Sunday School convention at Moody Church in Chicago.
In the course of their conversation, they discovered that she was a teacher of thirteen junior high boys in a Sunday School of fifty-five attendees. She was asked why she was attending the convention.
“I’m on a pension. My husband died a number of years ago,” she replied. “And, frankly, this is the first time a convention has come close enough to my home so I could afford to attend. I bought a bus ticket and rode all night to get here this morning and attend two workshops. I want to learn something that will make me a better teacher.”
Three convention speakers slithered across the ground back to the convention after that encounter. I couldn’t help thinking about all the frauds across America who would be breaking their arms patting themselves on the back if they had thirteen boys in a Sunday School of fifty-five. “Who, me, go to a Sunday School convention? Man, I can tell them how to do it!” Not this woman.
Here’s the rest of the story. According to Dr. Hendricks, “There are eighty-four young men in, or moving toward, the Christian ministry as a result of this woman’s influence. We have some in our seminary.
“I asked two of them, “What do you remember most about her?” They said, “She is the most unforgettable person we’ve ever met. She’s still going hard; fills her car with kids and brings them to church.”
This dear saint made a difference – not only in the lives of boys whom she taught every week. She made a difference in those teenagers’ families, too. And think of the individuals those young men are influencing today!
We’re never too old to make a difference in others’ lives – if we’re willing!
Point: The Lord will make you fruitful at any age, all you have to do is be willing and yearn for the Lord.
-Far too many saints lose progress because they think they are too old.
TS: Another key that will help us continue our progress with the Lord.
B. Godly influences. Notice the text this morning. He (Uzziah) sought God during the days of Zechariah who instructed him in the fear of God.
1. This mentor who was very close to Uzziah instructed him in the ways of the Lord. During the time this man was alive Uzziah sought the Lord.
2. This shows us a few things.
a. How important a godly mentor is. This man taught Uzziah about the fear of the Lord.
-The opposite is also true. 1 Corinthians 15:33, “Do not be misled, bad company corrupts good character.”
Point: Mom and dad, take a look at your children and see their influences. Are they good or bad? They will influence.
-I’ve heard it said, you show me your friends and I’ll show you your future. The good news is, if my children’s friends are good kids (godly) then they will be influenced toward good.
-Also see what influences their lives, maybe something they spend a lot of time doing.
Example. Watching TV (realize the values being portrayed in what they’re watching). It influences them.
Warning: A godly mentor does not guarantee success. Look at the text. It says he sought God during the days of Zechariah. When Zechariah died Uzziah drifted.
i. One day the godly mentor won’t be around. They will have to stand on their own. A godly mentor does not guarantee success but it helps.
TS: There’s something more important than a godly mentor. It’s godly parents.
b. Parents are the greatest teachers to their children.
-Your children will follow your example. I’ve never met a parent who does not want the best for their children. (Amen.) Things we want for our children.
i. I hope my child has a good marriage. Well mom and dad, do you show them how to have a good marriage by your example? Show them what it means to love one another, how to handle conflict, how to say I’m sorry.
ii. I hope my child has financial freedom. Well, teach them how to be free. Teach them what it means to be a good steward. Teach them about God’s principles, tithing and offering, so they are not under a curse from God.
-True financial freedom is not how much you own, it’s how much can you live without and still be happy and content.
Example. I’ve known people who have millions of dollars of worth who are not satisfied that they have enough. They are a slave to their money. I’ve known people whose net worth is almost zero who are content and happy.
iii. I want my child to live a blessed life.
-Moms and dads, are you teaching them how to live a blessed life? There is only one who can bless, that is God.
-The text this morning says as long as Uzziah sought the Lord, the Lord gave him success.
Question: Are you teaching your children to seek the Lord, to inquire of him, to yearn for him? Is there a desperation, a hunger to do the things of God? If not, show them by your actions.
In Conclusion:
Uzziah was a good king who brought about many reforms and pushed back the enemies of Israel but he didn’t finish well because of pride and arrogance. But I believe there also was another reason that played into this:
-2 Chronicles 25:2. Speaking about Uzziah’s dad, what was he like? “He did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, but not wholeheartedly.”
-Uzziah’s dad followed the Lord, did some great things for God, brought godly reforms to the land but he left the high places (2Kings 14:1-4).
-These were pagan places of worship. The king would go and conquer a people and then take their idols home to worship. This half-heartedness of serving God was passed on to his son Uzziah.
