Andrew C. Leong December 28, 2003 Covenant of Grace OPC, Albuquerque NM Repentance and the Word of God. 2 Kings 22 23: 1-3

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1 Andrew C. Leong December 28, 2003 Covenant of Grace OPC, Albuquerque NM Repentance and the Word of God 2 Kings 22 23: 1-3 Read 2 Kings 22 23: 1-3 The last time we examined the Scriptures together we looked at the all essential ingredient of true religion repentance Psalm 34: 14 declares, Turn away from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it 17 th Century Puritan definition of repentance A grace of God s Spirit whereby a sinner is inwardly humbled and visible reformed Specifically we focused on two particular characteristics of repentance turning away from evil fleeing from sin and doing good flight to God As I mentioned in September, we can not simply confine repentance to these two attributes alone although they are fundamental, but we need to first recognize and understand that God alone is the source and enabler of repentance This morning I want to expand on the theme of repentance and examine the role of the Word of God in repentance the word of God is not only the source and sustenance of our lives, it is the foundation and catalyst to repentance o We will examine two guiding roles the Word of God serves in repentance Repentant heart seeks the word of God For the Christian, the Word of God while radically exposing sin for what it truly is and to whom we have sinned against is the desire of the heart and the craving of the soul The Word of God directs the repentant heart 1

2 Word of God directs because it reveals sin and its effect in oneself and others God s word heals because it sends it sends the repentant to the fountain head of life, the Lord Jesus Christ Point I The repentant heart seeks the Word of God King Josiah perhaps one of the most Godly kings in a long and undistinguished lineage of many men who we repeatedly read And he did what was evil in the sight of the Lord o Of Josiah we read, And he did what was right in the eyes of the Lord and walked in all the way of David his father, and he did not turn aside to the right or to the left (2 Ki 22: 2) o Josiah is well known as the great reformer who called the people of Judah to abolish the despicable practices of their forefathers and serve the living God o His reign follows the wicked leadership of his grandfather Manasseh and his father, Amon Importance of God s effectual call to life Amon did as his father did Assume that Josiah would follow suit But repentant life, everlasting life is a product of God John 1: 12, 13 But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor the will of man, but of God o Josiah s reformation was not a result of repentance it was an integral part of Josiah s repentance o A repentance that was born in the Word of God and sought the Word of God o Let s consider Josiah: Consider Josiah s age 2 Chr 34 (parallel account) vs 3 And in the eighth year of his reign, while he was yet a boy(16 yrs old **What are 16 yrs old doing now***), he began to seek 2

3 the God of David, his father; and he did not turn aside to the right hand or to the left Notice language God of David, his father no mention of his biological father Amon The focus is on the lineage of faith not of blood nor the will of man, but those born of God Josiah was 8 years old when he began to reign (Mannaseh was 12) Age of Accountability myth lay to rest God commands all men everywhere to repent We believe our covenantal children are afforded the blessings and attendant privileges of God given to believing families but there is indeed a stricter judgment should they later reject the God of the covenant The point here is obedience to God is not something that magically comes into effect at a certain age and up to a certain point there is no responsibility or offense taken into account This denies Scripture and many heinous arguments could certainly be propagated from such a false notion Have you considered why it is that infants die? Sin Prov 20:11, Even a child makes himself known by his acts, by whether his conduct is pure and upright 2 Kings 2: (Elisha) went up from there to Bethel, and while he was going up on the way, some small boys came out of the city and jeered at him, saying Go up you baldhead! Go up you baldhead! And he turned around and when he saw them, he cursed them in the name of the LORD. And two she-bears came out of the woods and tore forty-two of the boys God indeed commands and demands obedience in each of us; children and grown ups alike are so called 3

4 What was King Josiah s work he was about the LORDs work 2 Chr 34 Since he was a boy he chops down the altars of the Baals, purges Judah and Jeruselem of their high places, and carved metal images Repairs the temple: o He commanded Hilkiah, the high priest to go up and count the money that has been brought into the house of the LORD which the keepers of the threshold have collected from the people o To be given to the workmen who have oversight in the house of the LORD o For what purpose so he could fund a new palace? o No, that it might be used for buying timber and quarried stone to repair the house (God s house) And it is during this process that Hilkiah stumbles across, the Book of the Law God s instruction, His Word. o Does this not initially strike you as sad o The God who had given them His Word, His promise of the land, and all His blessings and the duty that he required of them to heed his commandments, to Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. (Dt 6: 5-6) o His Word had been neglected and beloved when the word of God is neglected, God s word is forgotten! o But this is not the case with Josiah o Read **2 Kings 22: 11-22** o What does King Josiah do o Josiah tore his clothes outward sign of an inward humility Josiah repented, he saw his sin, he saw the sin of his people and that of his forefathers o He not only saw the offense, but he saw whom he had offended but he doesn t wallow in the misery of the moment 4

5 He doesn t continue to eat the pigs food, but he arises and goes to the Father o In His repentance he diligently seeks the Word of God o I was touched last Sunday with Bill Bomers prayer for our military as he prayed he asked that God would grant that the military leaders would make decisions that would not be motivated for personal gain or selfish reasons, but rather out of a genuine welfare of those men entrusted to their care. o And what did King Josiah command his servants, Go inquire of the LORD for me, and for the people, and for all Judah, concerning the words of this book that has been found. (2 Ki 22:13) He recognized not only His own personal need for the Lord, but the welfare of his people was completely dependent on the Lord as well And what is it that Josiah sought after? God s Word Well, if your thinking your likely asking ok Andy, why is he seeking God s Word when he has Gods Word? Valid question let me try and answer it this way God s word had been neglected for many many years the practice of Israel was pagan idolatry, divination, cult prostitution, God s word had become so polluted, twisted, so maligned it was as if it was foreign this is what sin does He did not understand it we need to remember the cannon at this point is not complete, it is not closed here. They do not have the benefit of the new covenant and the fully realized light that we have 5

6 Josiah seeks to understand it and not simply on some superficial level but rather God s word calls him to the Word of God not the book of Mormon or the watch tower I need to be cautious here, but I believe what we are really seeing here is the reflection of a cardinal principle of Biblical interpretation that we call the analogy of faith scripture interprets scripture or the Word of God interprets/reveals the Word of God Paul s exhortation to Timothy to be a good soldier of Christ Jesus, 2 Tim 2: 7 Think over what I say, for the Lord will give you understanding in everything Josiah had a hunger motivated by the Word of God to the Word of God I want to briefly draw your attention to who Hilkiah and the other servants seek to find the word of God o Isn t it curious that the High Priest the one who is charged by God to represent the people to Him and Him before the people goes to another to find the Word o His duty was so distorted without God s word that he and others had no understanding what it was God required of them we are no different without God s word Apart from God s Word we are lost, ignorant and confused Westminister Shorter Catechism question #3: What do the Scriptures principally teach? The Scriptures principally teach what man is to believe concerning God, and what duty God requires of man o But they had enough light to see one of God s chosen vessels Huldah the prophetess, the wife of Shallum 6

7 Ladies may this be of great encouragement to you maybe you are married to a non-believer, or married to a believing husband, a single mom, unmarried, a widow regardless, God calls and powerfully uses women We read of Lois and Eunice in 2 Tim as Paul writes, I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, dwells in you as well. (2 Tim 1: 5) God powerfully used these two Godly women in Timothy s life a young man who by God s grace would build God s church in Asia minor in the midst of many trials and tribulations God too used the Godly woman, Huldah to influence affect Israel to repentance God takes note of the Godly woman and uses her powerfully to build and prosper his kingdom Remember and know this: o When the dishes and clothes pile up like Mt Everest o When the dirty diapers seem to have no end o When you struggle to submit to that imperfect husband who is far from being the Lord Jesus Christ o When the floodgates of trials seem to flow unabated o Know that our Lord Jesus takes note of the Godly woman and uses her powerfully to build his kingdom Beloved, the repentant heart seeks the word of God, let me ask you do you seek the word of God? (Put on steel toed combat boots) o Jesus says, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God (Mat 4:4) o Do we really believe this? o Test question Treat it like an appetizer or side dish 7

8 o Do we like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you (we) may grow up to salvation? (1 Pet 2: 1) o We need to honestly and humbly evaluate the answer to this question is there a desire, is the Bible something that if I were to take it off the shelf my family would cry He has found the Book of the Law o I am not saying we instantly have to become Bible scholars but a humble repentant heart desires, hungers, thirsts after its Creator and the source of His revelation if there is no desire I challenge to look into your heart and ask why o The two principle reasons are likely to be unconfessed sin which will serve to drive you further and further from the Lord and harden your heart or perhaps you are not truly a Christian o Litmus Test: (referring to the Lord Jesus Chri) 1 Pet 1:8 Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy inexpressible and filled with glory o Do we love him yes our love is far from perfect and incomplete, but if we love Him, we will like Josiah in repentance seek His word POINT II The word of God directs the repentant heart A verse we are likely familiar with Hebrews 4:11-12 For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and spirit, of joints and marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart Personal pet peeve Bible came alive Oh really, was it ever dead? God s word is living and powerful; not inert it has an effect (not like Helium) The word of God directs (instructs) the repentant heart to God s word and the end/goal of all of God s word His dear Son the Lord Jesus Christ 8

9 Last exhortation in Sept we examined the personal effects of sin This morning I want us to see one of the ways the word of God directs the repentant heart is by revealing not only the personal effects of sin but the effects sin has on others The word of God unequivocally states that mans sin affects others Sin is not something that is merely confined (like Mad Cow disease) you can t say that s my sin (or more likely stated issue ), and it doesn t pertain to you 1 Kings 14: 16 And he will give Israel up because of the sins of Jeroboam, which he sinned and made Israel to sin 1 Kings 15: 34 (Baasha) did what was evil in the sight of the LORD and walked in the way of Jeroboam and in his sin which he made Israel to sin 2 Kings 17: And Jeroboam drove Israel from following the LORD and made them commit great sin. The people of Israel walked in all the sins that Jeroboam did. They did not depart from them, You don t have to confine yourself to Jeroboam and the other wicked Kings of Israel/Judah to see this, just turn to the first few pages of Genesis o Adam Beloved sin has effects and its affects are not confined unless the Lord Jesus Christ has done so in the repentant heart yet even in the repentant there are still consequences Consider Mannaseh, Hezekiah s son and King of Judah who, led Judah and the inhabitants of Jeruselem astray, to do more evil than the nations whom the LORD destroyed before the people of Israel (2 Chr 33: 9) Mannaseh s reign was a time of religious retrogression, illegal altars, child sacrifice, and a multitude of pagan idolatry Read 2 Chr 33: o The Lord spoke to Mannaseh and his people, but they paid no attention 9

10 o Lord used an Assyrian King to bring him to distress in captivity Captured Mannaseh with hooks and chains of bronze And when he was in distress he entreated the favor of the Lord There is no guarantee that if we remain unrepentant and distress strikes that God would grant us such a change or newness of heart We should earnestly and diligently seek the Lord while he may be found and with a humble and repentant heart that when the hour of distress comes, our Lord will be moved and hear our plea Notice latter part of vs. 13: Then Mannaseh knew that the LORD was God We can not know God, until we first by His grace know ourselves Mannaseh didn t sit idly (no pun intended) by, he acted he took away the foreign gods and the idol from the house of the LORD and in Jerusalem among other things But we read in vs 17, Nevertheless the people still sacrificed at the high places, but only to the Lord their God Sin captured the hearts of God s people and when God captured Mannaseh s heart, Mannaseh s legacy clashed --with not only the Kings words but his actions the effect was not fully realized The peoples misdirected sacrifices although done in the name of the one true God equaled worship of a false god We don not see this with King Josiah in fact Josiah s personal repentance was the foundation and catalyst for a national repentance o We all talk about and pray for revival in our land and rightly so but do we understand where that revival begins? o It begins in our hearts yours and mine 10

11 o Josiah recognized the effects of sin and the importance of heeding Gods direction o God s wrath would certainly be kindled against Israel, disaster would come, but to the King of Judah, who sent you to inquire of the LORD, thus shall you say to him, Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel: Regarding the words that you have heard, because your heart was penitent, and you humbled yourself before the Lord, when you heard how I spoke against this place and against its inhabitants, that they should become a desolation and a curse, and you have torn your clothes and wept before me, I also have heard you declares the LORD. Therefore, behold I will gather you to your fathers, and you shall be gathered to your grave in peace, and your eyes shall not see all the disaster that I will bring upon this place. (2 King ) o Josiah could have said great news, these sins of the people are not my issue to concern myself with God has said I won t see such destruction and wrath o Why does he not say this? o Because he understood the direction of God and the effects of sin o He like David when told that his son by Bathsheeba would die diligently sought the LORD he did not resign himself to apathy When confronted with sin he was inwardly humbled and visibly reformed o In the opening of 2 Kings 23 Josiah calls all the men of Judah and Jerusalem and he read the words of the Book of the Covenant that had been found and covenanted on behalf of the people to God, to keep his commandments and his testimonies and his statutes with all his heart and all his soul, to perform the words of this covenant that were written in this book. And all the people joined in the covenant 11

12 o Chp 23 documents to us Josiah s performance of the words of the covenant his reformation Something I encourage all of us to take time to read/study, perhaps in our private worship today or this week because Josiah s repentance does not end in 2 Kings Chp 22 Beloved, repentance requires the sight of sin, godly sorrow for sin, a recognition of whom we have offended, a turning from evil and unto the Lord Sin deceives, it not only deceives others, it deceives each of us recognize it study how it courts you It operates differently in each of us to some it may be the bottle, to others the adulterous woman, still to others a judgmental spirit, or a bitter angry attitude My secular profession is an intelligence analyst and I call your attention to a precious common truth held in theology and my secular profession it is wise to study the ways of ones adversary Sin courts and then it kills it promises to please us, to satisfy us, then it strikes its victim o It is like Jael who brought Sisera (commander of the army of Jabin, King of Canaan Israel s enemy) milk and butter then she drove a tent peg through his head (Jud 5: 26) Repentance is God s work of grace the source and fountainhead of repentance is our Lord Jesus Christ. Repentance is born of God in the hearts of His people and it equips and sends His people in the Word of God to heal and direct others it is in its most basic form a missionary doctrine o Luke 22:31 (Jesus foretells Peter s denial) Simon, Simon, behold, Satan demanded to have you, that he might sift you like wheat, but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers o Psalm 51: (David s repentance) Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. 12

13 Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit. Then I will teach transgressors your ways, and sinners will return to you. This is why King Josiah s repentance was the foundation and catalyst of Judah s repentance It is Lord Jesus Christ who has delivered us not only from the penalty of sin, but the power of sin and given us the ministry of reconciliation o Yet, I think it is all too common that we go about our lives recognizing/acknowledging His deliverance from the penalty without recognizing our deliverance from sins power o Base Bible Study what it means to be a disciple of Christ one of our memory verses has been 2 Cor 5:17 (a common verse yet profound) Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold the new has come. We are new persons, new creations Breaking with old destructive patterns/habits Cutting old source of depression we are new creatures who will live in the new heavens and the new earth Essential ingredient of doing these things is repentance by God s grace in Christ, turning away from evil and unto holiness o Rom 6: But thanks be to God, that you were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed, and having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness ***Read Col 1: 9-14*** May we like King Josiah have repentant hearts seeking God s word and directed to our glorious Lord and savior Jesus Christ. May God s glorious fruit in our hearts be the seed that ignites the great harvest in others. And this my friends is the glorious grace of the gospel. Amen. 13

Sunday School Curriculum Winter Quarter

Sunday School Curriculum Winter Quarter One Story Ministries SS06W The Lesson Sequence gives the teacher an overview of the entire quarter. The central goal of the Investigating God s Word curriculum is