1. Title: Investing Where It Counts
2. Text: II Chronicles 17:3-19
3. Audience: Villa Heights Christian Church, AM crowd, May 21,2006, first in the series “The Kings and I”
4. Objectives:
-for the people to understand the relationship between God’s blessing and Jehoshaphat’s faithfulness
-for the people to feel confident that investing themselves in the Kingdom of God is a worthwhile use of what they have
-for the people to make commitments of their resources to honor God
5. When I finish my sermon I want my audience to do some “life inventory” and determine that their lives are going to be spent on godly pursuits
6. Type: expository / textual / biographical
7. Dominant Thought: A life invested in godliness is never wasted
8. Outline:
Intro: If I might be transparent – my greatest fear in life – I guess it’s a midlife crisis – is that I would somehow arrive at the end of my life and discover that the things to which I gave my energy and time and efforts were mostly wasted. – NISI DOMINUS FRUSTRA
Psalm 127:1-2 - (of Solomon) Unless the LORD builds the house, its builders labor in vain. Unless the LORD watches over the city, the watchmen stand guard in vain. In vain you rise early and stay up late, toiling for food to eat-- for he grants sleep to those he loves.
That’s it – at the end of the day, I don’t want to find out that all my hard work was in vain. I don’t want to get up early, stay up late, work hard, and then learn it was pointless. There’s another part of us that simply wants our hard work to matter. This morning, I want to talk about some ways to make sure that happens.
I’m introducing a new series this morning: The Kings and I. Most people have heard of and remember Saul, David, and Solomon. Those 3 kings each served Israel, until about 931 BC when the kingdom of Israel split in 2. The 10 tribes of the north became known as Israel, and the 2 tribes of the South became Judah. Each of the 2 kingdoms had 19 kings from 931-596 BC. Israel didn’t have one good king. Judah had some good and some bad. I have placed some charts of these kings in the foyers if you’re interested in some further study on them or the books of Kings and Chronicles.
The first king we’re looking at this morning is Jehoshaphat. It’s a mouthful, but it means “Jehovah is Judge.” I’d like to look upon him as an investor this morning, take a look at what he accomplished, and consider what we ought to learn form his life.
I. Investments You Can’t Keep
If you were to consult with a financial advisor, one of the lists he might give you would be of investments to avoid. There are some investments that just don’t do well. Think about this – if there were an investment that I could guarantee you would turn out to be an absolute flop, would you put any money into it? If you were going on a new diet, and I convinced you that you not only were not going to lose weight, but that it would make you gain weight, would you go ahead with it? Reasonable people don’t invest in things that give a bad return… or do they?
Everyone of us can look back at something and say, “If I had that to do over, I’d do it differently.” Even a good king like Jehoshaphat can serve as an example of what not to do. So, let’s start there. Investments you can’t keep:
Alliances with evil people
This actually comes nearer to the end of his life:
2 Chronicles 20:35-37
Later, Jehoshaphat king of Judah made an alliance with Ahaziah king of Israel, who was guilty of wickedness. He agreed with him to construct a fleet of trading ships. After these were built at Ezion Geber, Eliezer son of Dodavahu of Mareshah prophesied against Jehoshaphat, saying, "Because you have made an alliance with Ahaziah, the LORD will destroy what you have made." The ships were wrecked and were not able to set sail to trade.
This is one of the few negatives we’re told about Jehoshaphat.
The problem goes back to a relationship – an alliance with the wrong person. Too many people get the idea that in order to fit in or be acceptable, they need to strike up a friendship with the right person. No matter what you think you’re gaining from a relationship with someone who drags you down spiritually, it’s an investment you won’t be able to keep. I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve heard the same story about someone who’s life has ended up a mess: “He was a good kid, but then he started hanging around with the wrong crowd.”
1 Corinthians 15:33-34
Do not be misled: "Bad company corrupts good character." Come back to your senses as you ought, and stop sinning; for there are some who are ignorant of God--I say this to your shame.
In the end, alliances with evil people will cost you dearly.
Pursuits of wealth
1 Kings 22:48 Now Jehoshaphat built a fleet of trading ships to go to Ophir for gold, but they never set sail--they were wrecked at Ezion Geber.
It’s here that we learn the reason for this fleet of ships. We’re not told if the reason for the whole project was greed, but it seems reasonable that it may be involved. Paul told Timothy that those who want to get rich fall into a snare and a trap; that the love of money is the root of all sorts of evil. In other words, investing yourself in a shallow bid to be rich is ultimately a bad investment.
Proverbs 23:5
Cast but a glance at riches, and they are gone, for they will surely sprout wings and fly off to the sky like an eagle.
Really, all things that are about this earth are a poor investment. Paul said:
2 Corinthians 4:18
So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.
Joke - You can’t take it with you. There was a man who tried to disprove that. As he lay on his deathbed, he spoke with his 3 best friends, a doctor, a professor, and a preacher. He said, “I’m going to prove them wrong. I’m going to take it with me. I’m giving you each $100,000 in an envelope. After I die, before they close my casket, I want you each to put the money in with me. Sure enough, he died, and at his funeral the 3 friends each stopped by the open casket and put in an envelope. Later that day, they were talking about their friend and his unusual request. Then, the doctor spoke up and said, “Guys, I need to get this off my chest. We all know that money wasn’t going to do any good in the ground. The hospital is completing a new children’s wing. I took $50,000 of that cash and gave it to that cause.” “Well, as long as we confessing,” said the professor, “You’re right – there really was no reason to put that money in the ground. I donated $70,000 of it to the university library.” They both looked expectantly at the preacher. He said, “I’m ashamed of both of you. Our friend trusted us. Why, I put in a check for the whole $100,000.”
Nothing earthly will last. So, what do you do with your substance? Where can you place your work, your money, your creativity, your emotions now where they won’t go to waste?
II. Investments You Can’t Lose
Investments take work. You don’t get something for nothing. That’s the work part of the deal. On the other hand, the more you invest well, the better the returns.
Jehoshaphat messed up. But the summary of his life is that he did a good job. And no one could take away from him the good things he accomplished. I want to spend the bulk of our time looking at those and see what we might glean from them.
Carry on a godly heritage
There were a few dynasties in the nation of Israel, but through Judah, there was only one: the dynasty of David. God had said that There would always be someone from the tribe of Judah, from David’s family, on the throne. That’s why Matthew starts his gospel by showing us that Jesus was descendent of King David. David was a good king. So we read…
2 Chronicles 17:3-4
The LORD was with Jehoshaphat because in his early years he walked in the ways his father David had followed. He did not consult the Baals but sought the God of his father and followed his commands rather than the practices of Israel.
2 Chronicles 17:6
His heart was devoted to the ways of the LORD; furthermore, he removed the high places and the Asherah poles from Judah.
2 Chronicles 17:5
The LORD established the kingdom under his control; and all Judah brought gifts to Jehoshaphat, so that he had great wealth and honor.
It shouldn’t surprise us to read that someone would have a good family background and end up also being a good person. Sometimes we expect that, and we expect the inverse too.
This morning, many of you have the great blessing, like me, of having a godly heritage – of having godly parents who did a good job of teaching you to love the Lord early on. They invested that into you, and your job is to carry on such a heritage. And if that’s just not where you came from in your past, then make it your job to start a godly heritage that your own children can now pass on. Invest into that, and no one will be able to make it go away.
Sought God’s word
2 Chronicles 18:3-4,6
Ahab king of Israel asked Jehoshaphat king of Judah, "Will you go with me against Ramoth Gilead?" Jehoshaphat replied, "I am as you are, and my people as your people; we will join you in the war." But Jehoshaphat also said to the king of Israel, "First seek the counsel of the LORD.”…Jehoshaphat asked, "Is there not a prophet of the LORD here whom we can inquire of?"
Once again, King Jehoshaphat found himself at war, with 2 other kings alongside him. And, once again, he’s the one who seeks a word from God:
2 Kings 3:11a
But Jehoshaphat asked, "Is there no prophet of the LORD here, that we may inquire of the LORD through him?"
While everyone else was saying, “OK, OK, let’s go! C’mon. We’ve got our plans! Let’s go!” Jehoshaphat was the one person who said, “OK, but first, what about God’s plans?”
When was the last time you were in a group and found yourself saying to everyone else, “Hey, what does God have to say on this issue? We all know what we think, but what about what God thinks?” The person who’s investing where it counts is the one who will stand out with that question. What does God want here? What does God have to say to us?
If you were in the military, and you knew that there was information available to you that might save your life before you entered into battle, wouldn’t you try to get it?
Well, every day, you’re headed out to war. We fight with a different set of weapons, and our enemy is a different sort of enemy, but we’re headed out to war none-the-less. And there’s information available to you that may well mean the difference between spiritual life and death for you. There’s information about the enemy’s location, his strengths, and his strategy. There’s information about your own strengths, your resources, your allies. We don’t have to jump into life uninformed. Invest some time into seeking what God has said.
Over 100 people of our congregation committed to reading through the Bible this year. I hope you’re sticking with that, and not giving up if you’re behind. When you invest yourself into that, no one can take it away from you.
Mary sat at the feet of Jesus, listening to Him teach. Martha wanted her up and working. Jesus told her,
Luke 10:41-42
"Martha, Martha, you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her."
Jehoshaphat not only was the one person we find seeking God’s word. He also invested his royal abilities and…
Taught God’s word
2 Chronicles 17:7-9
In the third year of his reign he sent his officials Ben-Hail, Obadiah, Zechariah, Nethanel and Micaiah to teach in the towns of Judah. With them were certain Levites--Shemaiah, Nethaniah, Zebadiah, Asahel, Shemiramoth, Jehonathan, Adonijah, Tobijah and Tob-Adonijah--and the priests Elishama and Jehoram. They taught throughout Judah, taking with them the Book of the Law of the LORD; they went around to all the towns of Judah and taught the people.
I love hearing stories about John Wycliffe, who translated the Bible into English so that people other than just church officials could have it. The corrupt church leaders weren’t pleased: "By this translation, the Scriptures have become vulgar, and they are more available to lay, and even to women who can read, than they were to learned scholars, who have a high intelligence. So the pearl of the gospel is scattered and trodden underfoot by swine."
I’d love for us to be involved in some more of that translating today. There are thousands of languages, thousands of people groups, still waiting for a Bible in their own language. It’s an opportunity for ministry, and it’s part of what is happening right now in many different areas of the world.
The work of these men, sent out by Jehoshaphat, was to go around and teach the people in the towns of Judah. The basis for their teaching was God’s word. It’s that simple. We need to be taking God’s word into peoples’ lives and helping them see that’s where it belongs.
Sought Others’ obedience
2 Chronicles 19:4-7
Jehoshaphat lived in Jerusalem, and he went out again among the people from Beersheba to the hill country of Ephraim and turned them back to the LORD, the God of their fathers. He appointed judges in the land, in each of the fortified cities of Judah. He told them, "Consider carefully what you do, because you are not judging for man but for the LORD, who is with you whenever you give a verdict. Now let the fear of the LORD be upon you. Judge carefully, for with the LORD our God there is no injustice or partiality or bribery."
Jehoshaphat’s leadership extended beyond just doing what he had to. Someone could have looked at his personal behavior and said, “Now here’s a godly man.” Someone could have looked at his work to strengthen the army and protect the innocent and said, “Now here’s a good leader.” But there was more to his obedience than just having the Lord’s favor in his life. He cared enough to invite others along with him. He went around to the spiritual runaways in Judah and “turned them back to the Lord.” He appointed judges and ordered them to be just. He obviously wanted more than just his own obedience. He wanted others along with Him in his quest to obey God.
God’s word commands us:
Proverbs 24:11
Rescue those being led away to death; hold back those staggering toward slaughter.
Jude 1:22-23
Be merciful to those who doubt; snatch others from the fire and save them; to others show mercy, mixed with fear--hating even the clothing stained by corrupted flesh.
Joke - We’re planning a trip with some guys from here to the mountains of Colorado this summer. Andy has asked me what we will do if we run into a bear. Simple. Run. Now, in a short run, you can’t outrun a bear…but you don’t have to be able to. You just have to be faster than the slowest guy in the group! I’m afraid that’s how too many of us approach life in the Kingdom.
It’s too easy to make our relationship with God all about saving our necks. It’s too easy to ask what must I do to save me? As long as I’m ahead of most of the pack, as long as I can look around and see someone who’s struggling even more than I am; as long as I’m not the slowest, it’ll be OK. At some point, a person has to mature past that attitude and be concerned with other people getting it right too. God wants the investment of godliness to not just be for ourselves, but to also produce growth – to bring others along. There ought to be a constant hope in us that we’ll be able to get others around us to get it right too. When we do, other people will be in heaven forever because of us, and that can’t be taken away.
James 5:19-20 - My brothers, if one of you should wander from the truth and someone should bring him back, 20 remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of his way will save him from death and cover over a multitude of sins.
Jesus said to lay up treasure in heaven where moth and rust don’t destroy and where thieves can’t break in and steal. Have you ever considered that people led to Jesus by you will one day be your treasure in heaven? You have done it, haven’t you?
Prayed
2 Chronicles 20:1-2
After this, the Moabites and Ammonites with some of the Meunites came to make war on Jehoshaphat. Some men came and told Jehoshaphat, "A vast army is coming against you from Edom, from the other side of the Sea. It is already in Hazazon Tamar" (that is, En Gedi).
No king wants to hear that he’s under attack. These armies had one goal – get rid of Judah. Some things don’t change, do they? So, they were a serious threat. Jehoshaphat has already invested in strengthening his forces. But, faced with hopeless odds, how does he prepare?...
2 Chronicles 20:3
Alarmed, Jehoshaphat resolved to inquire of the LORD, and he proclaimed a fast for all Judah.
I can imagine all the reasons that Satan supplied for Jehoshaphat to do something else – go recruit more troops; go give motivational speeches to the army; go home and pack your bags and run. Instead, he invests in something that counts – he prays. He invites the rest of the nation to join him, and they do. It’s a touching scene described in v13:
2 Chronicles 20:13 All the men of Judah, with their wives and children and little ones, stood there before the LORD.
2 Chronicles 20:18 Jehoshaphat bowed with his face to the ground, and all the people of Judah and Jerusalem fell down in worship before the LORD.
So how does it turn out? God tells them to go ahead and take their positions the next day…and to watch. God would do the rest. And when they arrive to the overlook they find all their enemies dead. God had turned them against each other. The armies of Judah just had to go and plunder the camp, and that took them 3 days. So Judah wins a war without firing a shot, so to speak, and they give God the glory.
How often are we certain that prayer is the thing we need to do, but it just doesn’t seem like the best investment of time or thought or energy? In fact, it seems almost like nothing at times. How could that be investing in what matters? Satan will give us every rationalization, every excuse, every doubt we could possibly need to avoid praying, and too often, we listen to them. Wednesday nights? I have other stuff to do. There are other people there to pray. I’m not sure that really accomplishes a whole lot. I once prayed before, and it didn’t work. So, why bother?
I can’t help but wonder, what is it that God’s waiting to do among us? What forces of evil to be turned on themselves, what blessing waiting to be poured out on us, what change in hearts to be accomplished, what impact to be made on the community of Joplin, what souls to meet Jesus and be saved, and the hang-up is just that we haven’t showed up to invest enough in prayer for it yet?
If we knew that the outcome was going to be something great, wouldn’t we tend to invest the most in it we possibly could? If we really believed that something was a sure bet, wouldn’t we throw all we had into it? Let’s be careful, if we say that we believe prayer changes things, to act like we really believe it does. Once a prayer is offered, no body can take that away from you.
Conclusion:
1 Peter 1:3-4
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade--kept in heaven for you.
Go ahead and hide something in your secret place. God ahead and invest conservatively in long-term growth products. The only thing you can keep for sure is what you keep in heaven.
Imagine, an inheritance there that can’t fade away, spoil, or be stolen…
