WHAT DOES OUR NATION NEED? (Outline)
November 15, 2020 - End Time 2 / Saints Triumphant - 2 KINGS 23:1-3
INTRO.: Our question / theme for today: What does our nation need? Or what does any nation need? Truth: Every person needs what every nation needs. Today’s verses are from an important part of history. It is important to pay attention to history. Learn from history. Too many today are trying erase history. Just as some have tried to dismiss the Bible. God’s Word is still here. Will always be here. “Indeed, whatever was written in the past was written for our instruction, so that, through patient endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures, we would have hope” (ROMANS 15:4). God’s history encourages us to have hope. History is really HIS Story. WHAT DOES OUR NATION NEED? I. Hearers of God’s Word. II. Followers of God’s Word.
I. OUR NATION NEEDS HEARERS OF GOD’S WORD
A. Verse 1. “Then the king summoned all the elders of Judah and Jerusalem.” Josiah was the king.
1. Josiah was the last good king of Judah (southern kingdom). He had the temple repaired.
2. Josiah calls all the people of the kingdom to gather for an important assembly.
3. Israel (northern kingdom) and Judah had 40 kings. None good in Israel. 2 great in Judah.
B. Verse 2a. King Josiah went to house of the Lord. People of Judah followed.
1. The nation was rebelling against God. They still listened to king’s authority.
2. “In their hearing he read all the words of the Book of the Covenant…” Heard God’s Word.
C. Verse 2b. “…he read all…the Book of the Covenant, which had been found in the House of the Lord.”
1. During the repair of the temple the Book of the Covenant was found. It had been lost.
2. God’s word was lost in God’s house. None were worshiping. None hearing the word.
3. Josiah tore his clothes and wept when God’s word was read to him. All needed to hear.
D. How wicked God’s people had become. The word of God was lost in God’s house. At the end of the period of Judges it was written: “…and every man did whatever was right in his own eyes” (JUDGES 21:25b). Then the period of kings began. God’s chosen people were in a spiritual decline. This is the natural condition of humans. We are not born good. We are sinners from conception. We live in sin our entire lives. Our sinful nature does not desire to hear God’s word. Much less listen to the Lord. We are not exempt from the sins pointed out in history. "Son of man, you are living in the middle of a rebellious house. They have eyes to see, but they do not see, and they have ears to hear, but they do not hear, because they are a rebellious house” (EZEKIEL 12:2). We need to be people who hear God’s Word.
E. We face challenges today to pay attention to what the Lord declares. All too often our ears are tuned in to the events of this world. It is good to be informed. Sometimes the events of this world overwhelm us. There is just so much happening. We are consumed by the unending flow of in-formation. What do we really need? We need to concentrate on the comfort of God’s Word. Listen to this warning from the Lord. “Look, the days are coming, declares the LORD God, when I will send a famine into the land—not a famine of bread nor a thirst for water, but rather a famine of hearing the words of the LORD” (AMOS 8:11). There is a famine in today’s churches of proclaiming Biblical truth.
F. Dear children of God it takes a conscious effort to hear God’s Word. We all know how Satan fools us into thinking that the Bible is not as important as everything else. The world tries to keep us too busy to read God’s Word. Our sinful nature makes all kinds of excuses. Keep reading. Hearing. Studying. "Your words came to me, and I devoured them. Your words became my joy, the delight of my heart, because I bear your name, O LORD God of Armies” (JEREMIAH 15:16). We need this.
WHAT DOES OUR NATION NEED? Hearers of God’s Word is what our nation (and we) need.
II. OUR NATION NEEDS FOLLOWERS OF GOD’S WORD
A. Verse 3a. “Then the king stood before the pillar and made a covenant…to follow the LORD”.
1. King Josiah, in the presence of the Lord, promised to follow the Lord.
2. This commitment was important to Josiah. Important for God’s people to see and hear.
B. Verse 3b. Follow: to keep his commandments, his testimony, and his statutes with all his heart…”
1. King Josiah wanted to follow Lord’s laws. Testimony – promises. Statutes – laws.
2. Josiah listened to the Lord’s word. Promised to follow with all his heart. Committed.
C. Verse 3c. “…with all his heart, and with all his soul to uphold the words of the covenant…in this book.”
1. King Josiah committed himself (and the nation) to follow and to keep God’s Word.
2. “Then all the people affirmed this covenant.” God’s people heard. Agreed to follow the Lord.
D. Faith comes by hearing. Hearing the word of God is vitally important for our souls. For our lives. For our eternity. The more we hear God’s Word the more we grow in our Christian faith. Our faith grows stronger and stronger. We discover God’s will for our lives here on earth. For our perfect life in heaven forever. Hearing is just a beginning. “And the seeds in the good ground are the ones who hear the word with an honest and good heart, hold on to it tightly, and produce fruit as they patient-ly endure" (LUKE 8:15). We need to hold on tightly to God’s Word. The devil and the world are always trying to tear God’s Word away from his followers. Hold on tightly. We can endure patiently.
E. Our nation desperately needs hearers of God’s Word. AND followers of God’s Word. The Word of God does not change. Our loving, heavenly Father has shown the way to eternity. Jesus is the Way. And the Truth. And the Life. We can and do learn this saving truth from the Bible. We are truly blessed as believers to know right from wrong. Good from evil. That simple distinction is missing in today’s world. Every person does as his or her heart desires. Our faith directs us to love God above all things. Love our neighbor as ourselves. “But the one who looks carefully into the perfect law, the law of freedom, and continues to do so—since he does not hear and forget but actually does what it says—that person will be blessed in what he does" (JAMES 1:25). Doing what is right in God’s sight is a blessing. Continually walking in wickedness brings disaster. Hear God’s Word. Follow his will.
F. Our world is often the distraction that steals our joy. Robs contentment. The news of this day is generally not good. Our media presents alarms. Dangers – real or perceived. All too easily we get caught up in the disaster of the day. How will we survive the election? Infection? Economy? The list never quits. On top of it all we seek out the earthly things that we think will satisfy our needs. In the end worldly treasures are not very satisfying. Godliness with contentment is great gain. "The world and its desires pass away, but the one who does the will of God remains forever" (1 JOHN 2:17).
CONC.: What our nation needs is exactly what we need. We need to hear, read, and study God’s Word. Doing that we will know God’s Word. We will be able to follow God’s will. Good, pleasing, and perfect. Back to Josiah. The people did repent. Sadly Jehoiakim, Josiah’s son, became king. God’s word was read to him. Piece by piece he burned the scroll in the fire to heat his room. God told Jeremiah to go to his room and write down all the words Jehoiakim destroyed. Disaster for those who do not hear God’s Word. Not hearing means not following Truth. “I wait for the LORD. My soul waits, and in his word I have put my hope. My soul waits for the Lord more than watchmen wait for the morning, more than watchmen wait for the morning" (PSALM 103:5, 6). God give us the strong desire to hear God’s Word. To follow God’s Word. This is what we need. THIS IS WHAT OUR NATION NEEDS. Amen. Pastor Timm O. Meyer
END TIME 3 / SAINTS TRIUMPHANT readings: ISAIAH 52:1-6; 1 THESSALONIANS 4:13-18; MATTHEW 25:14-30; (PSALM 84) redeemernorton.org & trinitymccook.com
SERVICES: 8:00am @ McCook (SUN) / 10:30am @ Redeemer (SUN) Bible studies follow worship services
