Thoughts on 2 Chronicles 29-32.
In these four chapters of the Bible, we are told of the reform of King Hezekiah. Hezekiah was one of only a few good kings in Judah's history, and Hezekiah rises to power in approximately 715 BC, just seven short years after the northern kingdom of Israel had fallen to Assyria. His father, King Ahaz, was one of the worst kings Judah ever saw. Look at these pieces from 2 Chron. 28:1-4, 22-25: "[Ahaz] did not do right in the sight of the Lord...he...made molten images for the Baals. Moreover, he burned incense in the valley of Benhinnom and burned his sons in fire...He sacrificed and burned incense on the high places, on the hills and under every green tree. // Now in the time of his distress this same King Ahaz became yet more unfaithful to the Lord. For he sacrificed to the gods of Damascus which had defeated him...Moreover, when Ahaz gathered the utensils of the house of God, he cut the utensils of the house of God in pieces; and he closed the doors of the house of the Lord and made altars for himself in every corner of Jerusalem. In every city of Judah he made high places to burn incense to other gods, and provoked the Lord, the God of his fathers, to anger." Obviously, Ahaz was not a good role model for anyone wanting to be king and be blessed.
In stark contrast to his father, Hezekiah comes on the scene and immediately begins the difficult task of reforming the nation of Judah. He has seen, in the Assyrian invasion of Israel, what happens when a people called by the one true God reject Him. He saw his fathers apostasy and syncretistic religion. Chapter 29:2 shows such a stark difference as it says, "He did right in the sight of the Lord, according to all that his father David had done." In the 2 Kings account of Hezekiah's life, we read these words, "He trusted in the Lord, the God of Israel; so that after him there was none like him among all the kings of Judah, nor among those who were before him. For he clung to the Lord; he did not depart from following Him, but kept His commandments, which the Lord had commanded Moses. And the Lord was with him; wherever he went he prospered" (2 Kings 18:5-7). God, His Word, and His presence were going to be essential and central in Hezekiah's personal life and reign as king of Judah.
So, what does he do to reform this nation? He focuses first on leadership and the temple (2 Chron. 29:5-19). He compels the priests and Levites to consecrate themselves for the service of the Lord and the physical structure of the temple for the worship of God. Reform always begins here...at the top...in leadership. Apart from godly leadership, the people of God flounder around like a fish out of water. Christ is the head of His church, but He has instituted elders/overseers/pastors to shepherd the flock entrusted to them. If there is no consecration in the pulpit and in the godly leadership of the church, then there will be none (or very little) in the pew. There are some godly, rock-solid believers who stay steady through the great tempests of church life, but generally, we need people to look at, emulate, and follow. Paul instructed the Corinthians believers, "Be imitators of me, just as I also am of Christ" (1 Cor. 11:1).
We said it included the temple. What possible application could this have for today's church? There are so many different designs for corporate worship spaces. Some fan out, some are long and narrow, some are in elementary school auditoriums, some are in living rooms, etc. How do we apply the consecration of a physical space in today's church? Well, I think the long and short of it could be that anything detracting from the worship of God, taking away from biblical, corporate worship should be removed.
The next area of reform came in worship (29:20-30:27). Here, the sin of the people of Judah was first dealt with, then the singing and more offerings commenced, and finally, individuals came to worship by giving offerings. After all this, the Passover is reinstituted. It is interesting that in focusing on worship, sin is the first priority, then corporate singing, then individual worship. I have often heard people speak of their eagerness to get to corporate worship because they want to "do business with God." I am all for the repentance that accompanies Spirit-empowered preaching. However, why not repent now? Do business with God now? Turn from sin now? What greater way to prepare to enter the presence of God than to spend time confessing known sin and asking God to search your heart for all that is unknown to your conscious mind! Then, we are enabled to come into the presence of the Lord with thanksgiving in our hearts (Psalm 95:2). Then our singing is transformed as we celebrate the God of forgiveness and grace.
Finally, the reform touched the personal lives of the people (2 Chron. 31:1-19). Idols were destroyed, high places were pulled down, and altars were destroyed. Also, the people were now spiritually freed to give as they should, and tithing of crops and all that people had was revived. You see, the reformation of the leadership, the temple, and corporate worship led to the personal reformation of households.
The one question I have is...was Hezekiah successful? We are a success-driven society and church. We are not so much purpose-driven as we are success-driven. So, was Hezekiah successful? After all, the people of Judah would turn away from the Lord again after Hezekiah dies and Manasseh takes over. The Babylonians are still going to invade in a few decades and utterly destroy Judah, taking them into captivity.
Did Hezekiah fail? Nothing stuck. The generations that follow "de-reformed". It was the deflation of all Hezekiah had worked to achieve. Did he fail? Will I fail if nothing sticks? Will I be a failure if the reformation I am praying and preaching for does not last? The answer, I think, lies in something we have already read and something we have yet to read.
(1) 2 Kings 18:5-7 - "He trusted in the Lord, the God of Israel; so that after him there was none like him among all the kings of Judah, nor among those who were before him. For he clung to the Lord; he did not depart from following Him, but kept His commandments, which the Lord had commanded Moses. And the Lord was with him; wherever he went he prospered." Does that sound like a failure? No.
(2) 2 Chronicles 31:20-21 - "Thus Hezekiah did throughout all Judah; and he did what was good, right and true before the Lord his God. Every work which he began in the service of the house of God in law and in commandment, seeking his God, he did with all his heart and prospered." Does that sound like a failure? No.
Can I substitute my name in there? Can you? Try, and you ask the Lord if it's true or not. Thus [name] did this work in [church name]; and he did what was good, right and true before the Lord his God. Every work which [name] began in the service of the house of God...seeking his God... [name] did with all his heart.
What is the primary goal in reform? Personal faithfulness. Faithfulness to the task at hand, depending on the Lord and His strength, resting in His faithfulness on my behalf, and doing every work with all my heart. It is a high bar, but it is the bar for any who would lead the reform of God's people.
Monday, May 21, 2007
Wednesday, May 16, 2007
What to Watch and Listen for on Sunday
A "new" application of an "old" document
In 1645, the Scottish parliament adopted what is called A Directory for the Public Worship of God. The goal of this document was to help churches in their local congregations by giving guidelines by which they could operate. In this directory, there are several important areas covered. Here are a few of these areas:
In 1645, the Scottish parliament adopted what is called A Directory for the Public Worship of God. The goal of this document was to help churches in their local congregations by giving guidelines by which they could operate. In this directory, there are several important areas covered. Here are a few of these areas:
- Public reading of Scripture
- Public prayer before the sermon
- Baptism
- The Lord's Supper
- Sanctification of the Lord's Day
- Singing of Psalms
- Visitation of the Sick
- And more...
Now, admittedly, I have not read this entire document, but I was recently introduced to one section, namely "On the Preaching of the Word". I know that not all those who read this blog are preachers, but as believers in the Lord Jesus Christ, you will be in a local church this Sunday listening to a preacher...listening to God's glorious Word proclaimed.
The questions I lay before you today are these: how do you evaluate and take in what you hear? Do you sit and listen as a sponge, taking in every word of the preacher as is? Do you cynically sit back and reject everything said from the pulpit because it is not in a style or manner you prefer? Do you judge the quality of the sermon by the number of great stories told, the amazing rhymes or alliterations used in the outline, the short- or long-windedness of the preacher, the temperature of the room, the number of laughs produced, the visual response of the congregation during a time of invitation? Do you listen carefully, examining the Scriptures as you go, insuring that all you hear and accept is biblical truth?
These are good and important questions. How is one to listen to and evaluate the preaching of God's Word? This is what the "Westminster Divines", as they were called, were trying to express in the Directory for the Public Worship of God. Their words have proven helpful to me in the last few weeks, and I hope they will help you as well.
Before I quote selected passages from this section on preaching, please know that pressing too much on one particular point of any statement on preaching can make us unbalanced and cynical. If you already have a critical heart toward your pastor or his preaching, maybe you should stop reading now...there's no sense in finding new things to complain about. Otherwise, read with care...encourage your pastor where you see faithfulness and obedience...pray for him in areas of needed growth...pray that he will be filled with the Spirit this Sunday as he preaches...pray the promise God gives in Isaiah 55:10-11, that his word will not return void.
That being said, here are some words echoing through the halls of history.
"Preaching of the word, being the power of God unto salvation, and one of the greatest and most excellent works belonging to the ministry of the gospel, should be so performed that the workman need not be ashamed, but may save himself, and those that hear him...
Ordinarily, the subject of his sermon is to be some text of scripture...Let the introduction to his text be brief and perspicuous, drawn from the text itself, or context, or some parallel place, or general sentence of scripture...
In raising doctrines from his text, his care ought to be, First, that the matter be the truth of God. Secondly, that it be a truth contained in or grounded on that text, that the hearers may discern how God teacheth it from thence. Thirdly, that he chiefly insist upon those doctrines which are principally intended, and make most for the edification of the hearers. // The doctrine is to be expressed in plain terms; or, if any thing in it need [explanation], it is to be opened...
...the servant of Christ, whatever his method be, is to perform his whole ministry:
- Painfully, not doing the work of the Lord negligently.
- Plainly, that the [man of lowest intelligence] may understand; delivering the truth not in the enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect...
- Faithfully, looking at the honour of Christ, the conversion, edification, and salvation of the people, not at his own gain or glory...
- Wisely, framing all doctrines, exhortations, and especially reproofs, in such a manner as may be most likely to prevail...and not mixing [in] his own passion or bitterness.
- Gravely, as becometh the Word of God; shunning all such gestures, voice, and expressions, as may occasion the corruption of men to despise him and his ministry.
- With loving affection, that the people may see all coming from his godly zeal, and hearty desire to do them good. And,
- As taught of God, and persuaded in his own heart, that all he teacheth is the truth of Christ; and walking before his flock, as an example to them in it..."
I know that's a lot, and you may need to read it again if you're not used to 17th century language, but the message of these excerpts is essentially fourfold:
- Preachers must work hard at the preparation and preaching of sermons.
- The sermon must come from the text, not independently developed and then texts found to support the preacher's ideas. The reason for this is so the people of God will not believe themselves to be helpless when it comes to Bible study. Preachers extracting truth from the text should be a model for those who study at home.
- Sermons ought to be plainly spoken and easily understandable...not using $5 words for the sake of eloquence, but using normal words.
- The manner in which this plain, biblically-driven sermon is conveyed is of utmost importance...it must be a sermon and not a soap box, and the pastor's heart must be compassionately with his congregation and not in attack mode.
Personally, I am thankful for words like these. The Westminster Divines are sharpening me as a preacher from 360 years away through these words. Amazingly enough, pastors today are not regularly challenged in their preaching ministry, but they are bombarded with ideas involving programs, events, and leadership development. These are not necessarily unimportant things, but the place where we must stay sharpest is in the pulpit. Books on church methodology and trends are published every day, but far fewer are keeping us focused on the main task of the preacher and of the Church...the proclamation of the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ found in the Word of God.
It is unfortunate that a church might tolerate a nice guy, great programmer, and good leader with self-help books as his preaching text and no desire to learn or grow toward greater faithfulness. However, that same church might not tolerate leadership flaws in a man who studies hard and preaches faithfully, always seeking to grow and be more effective. Pastors should grow in their competencies for all ministry, but if something is going to take the forefront...it must be preaching.
After all, what is a pastor's primary place in the church, if not to be the ambassador of God, stepping into the pulpit week after week with the message of God for the people of God to the glory of God and the salvation and edification of the congregation? Prepare your heart for this coming Sunday, my friends. Expect God's Word to speak to your heart and build your faith. Pray for your pastor, and encourage him to preach the Word in season and out of season.
Monday, April 23, 2007
Marathon Ministry
A reflection on Hebrews 12:1-3.
"Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart."
I want to start by stating the very obvious truth that there's "a lot of meat on this bone." This is such a rich passage of Scripture, and we could spend hours thinking about it and uncovering the applications. The reason I chose it today, though, is because of how it applies when we are struggling, feel like giving up in a ministry when it appears that things are falling apart, and wrestle with weariness in doing good. That's where I've been recently, and I have been encouraged afresh this morning by these three verses. Maybe God will use these verses and a couple of my rambling comments to refresh you as well.
The encouragement we are being given is to "run with endurance the race set before us." First, I remember the most recent time I studied this verse that the word "set" indicates that our course has been set...it is immovable...it has been planned. Who is it that set your course before you? Who it is it that has set my course? It is God Himself, for no other can set the course of human history and life as He can. In the race I am running, I run because God has set my path. It is as Jesus told His disciples, "You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to bear fruit that will last" (John 15:16, paraphrase). Jesus set their course...by His call and for His purpose. So, when Jesus told them that they would face tribulation in this world but that His peace would be with them (John 16:33), it was part of their course in life. All who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted (2 Timothy 3:12). Why? Not only because the world hates Christ...not only because of spiritual warfare...but because God has set our path, and it has been granted to us not only to believe in Christ, but to suffer for His sake (Phil. 1:29). What is so encouraging about this reality? The reality is that the gracious, loving Heavenly Father, is conforming us to the image of His Son Jesus Christ. This conforming of our hearts and lives must walk us down the path of suffering and struggle and even wanting to pass on the cup of suffering, even as it did for our Christ. So, He has set our path just as it needs to be, and we are to run it with endurance.
The second thing I notice is that we are to run. I completely believe in dependence on God and that anything done in my own energy will be folly...that apart from Him, I can do nothing (John 15:5). I also see that, in Scripture, we do not simply sit back and do nothing. Some would say that we need not strive and work and run because it indicates that we have no real dependence on God and His work. What, then, do we do with Scripture when it tells us to "work out our own salvation with fear and trembling" (Phil. 2:12)? What about going into the highways and hedges and compelling people to come into the kingdom (Luke 14:23)? What about running in such a way so to win and not simply boxing the air (1 Cor. 9)? You can probably think of others, but surely we should include our Hebrews passage, "run with endurance". Friends, we are to run. We are to run to win...to gain the prize. We do not believe that our running and working and striving are the basis of our prize...Jesus Christ purchased our inheritance on the cross, and no striving or working will do better than our Savior did. However, part of God's kingdom work is men and women running to win in this life, and so we must. We must run, knowing that any strength we have to win comes from our great Savior Jesus Christ. When we are struggling, when we are weary, when we want to give up...we must remember our Christ and run. Not run away, but run the path right through the heart of difficulty with endurance.
The third thing that stands out to me in these verses is the connection made between our life's race as believers and the life of Christ. How does the life of Christ connect to our race? Christ is, first and foremost, the author and finisher of our faith. There is no running, no winning, no victory apart from Him. It is so true that we fight from victory and NOT for victory. Also, Christ endured the cross, despising the shame, for the joy set before Him (v. 2). How did Jesus face His cup of suffering? Despising the shame...the shame of the beatings, the hostility, the mocking, the scourging, the crucifixion...He despised it. "Despise" means "to think little of" something. It wasn't the shame that Jesus focused on, but the glory on the other side. He thought little of what He had to endure but thought much of what He endured it for. I have said a few times in teaching that "there is glory on the other side of adversity," and this is so true of Christ and the cross. The glory of obedience and having a name above every name...the glory of gathering God's people into God's kingdom...the glory of seeing sinners redeemed...glory is on the other side of adversity.
This point doesn't stop here, though glory through adversity is a great truth on which to dwell. The writer goes on to tell us that Jesus endured this hostility so that we would not grow weary and lose heart. One of the things that Jesus' work accomplishes for us is the ability to endure. When we want to throw the white towel to the center of the ring and give up or fly our white flag and surrender to the pressure around us...we must remember our bloody red Savior, whose endurance is our example and our source of strength. We must remember this same blood dried up and flaking off His eyelids as He opened them on the third day, having been raised from the dead, and so securing the truth that "those who endure to the end will be saved" (Matt. 24:13). The very life, death, and resurrection of Christ is our strength and example of how to run the race with endurance.
Finally, I notice that the race is not to be run alone. I am an introvert by nature, and I truly enjoy spending large amounts of time alone. Even in a crowd, I find ways to stay hidden. However, this is not how the race of a Christian is to be run. Every pronoun used in these three verses are plural, and we know that this letter was written to a group of believers. Though we are accountable for our own lives...our own races...we are to run them together. This is part of what happens in a local church...we run the race together. I have only run one race in my life; it was a 5k in college. If I had set out on that race alone, I probably would have given up because I'm not all that interested in running. However, I ran with a couple of friends in the midst of a group of about 200 runners. Because of the challenge in seeing runners who had more endurance than me, hearing the cheers of the crowd, and having my friends who had run before encourage me along the way, I finished. I have many such friends in my Christian life, and I am thankful to God for them. Do you know where I found these friends? Not in coffee shops or bookstores, but in local churches. I pray you have these kinds of friends, who will help remind you of the Pacesetter we have in Christ, the importance of running with endurance, and the fact that giving up is not an option.
So, (1) our course (painful as it is at times) has been set for us by our God, (2) we are to run in complete dependence on God, refusing to believe that doing "nothing" is the most spiritual avenue, (3) Christ is our great example and our strength for the journey, and (4) we should not run alone.
Even as I have written these words, I am renewed for my own journey. I pray that you take encouragement from all this and that you will run the race with endurance because of what is taught here in Hebrews 12. This way, we will close our eyes one last time in this life and say, along with Paul, "I have finished the race."
"Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart."
I want to start by stating the very obvious truth that there's "a lot of meat on this bone." This is such a rich passage of Scripture, and we could spend hours thinking about it and uncovering the applications. The reason I chose it today, though, is because of how it applies when we are struggling, feel like giving up in a ministry when it appears that things are falling apart, and wrestle with weariness in doing good. That's where I've been recently, and I have been encouraged afresh this morning by these three verses. Maybe God will use these verses and a couple of my rambling comments to refresh you as well.
The encouragement we are being given is to "run with endurance the race set before us." First, I remember the most recent time I studied this verse that the word "set" indicates that our course has been set...it is immovable...it has been planned. Who is it that set your course before you? Who it is it that has set my course? It is God Himself, for no other can set the course of human history and life as He can. In the race I am running, I run because God has set my path. It is as Jesus told His disciples, "You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to bear fruit that will last" (John 15:16, paraphrase). Jesus set their course...by His call and for His purpose. So, when Jesus told them that they would face tribulation in this world but that His peace would be with them (John 16:33), it was part of their course in life. All who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted (2 Timothy 3:12). Why? Not only because the world hates Christ...not only because of spiritual warfare...but because God has set our path, and it has been granted to us not only to believe in Christ, but to suffer for His sake (Phil. 1:29). What is so encouraging about this reality? The reality is that the gracious, loving Heavenly Father, is conforming us to the image of His Son Jesus Christ. This conforming of our hearts and lives must walk us down the path of suffering and struggle and even wanting to pass on the cup of suffering, even as it did for our Christ. So, He has set our path just as it needs to be, and we are to run it with endurance.
The second thing I notice is that we are to run. I completely believe in dependence on God and that anything done in my own energy will be folly...that apart from Him, I can do nothing (John 15:5). I also see that, in Scripture, we do not simply sit back and do nothing. Some would say that we need not strive and work and run because it indicates that we have no real dependence on God and His work. What, then, do we do with Scripture when it tells us to "work out our own salvation with fear and trembling" (Phil. 2:12)? What about going into the highways and hedges and compelling people to come into the kingdom (Luke 14:23)? What about running in such a way so to win and not simply boxing the air (1 Cor. 9)? You can probably think of others, but surely we should include our Hebrews passage, "run with endurance". Friends, we are to run. We are to run to win...to gain the prize. We do not believe that our running and working and striving are the basis of our prize...Jesus Christ purchased our inheritance on the cross, and no striving or working will do better than our Savior did. However, part of God's kingdom work is men and women running to win in this life, and so we must. We must run, knowing that any strength we have to win comes from our great Savior Jesus Christ. When we are struggling, when we are weary, when we want to give up...we must remember our Christ and run. Not run away, but run the path right through the heart of difficulty with endurance.
The third thing that stands out to me in these verses is the connection made between our life's race as believers and the life of Christ. How does the life of Christ connect to our race? Christ is, first and foremost, the author and finisher of our faith. There is no running, no winning, no victory apart from Him. It is so true that we fight from victory and NOT for victory. Also, Christ endured the cross, despising the shame, for the joy set before Him (v. 2). How did Jesus face His cup of suffering? Despising the shame...the shame of the beatings, the hostility, the mocking, the scourging, the crucifixion...He despised it. "Despise" means "to think little of" something. It wasn't the shame that Jesus focused on, but the glory on the other side. He thought little of what He had to endure but thought much of what He endured it for. I have said a few times in teaching that "there is glory on the other side of adversity," and this is so true of Christ and the cross. The glory of obedience and having a name above every name...the glory of gathering God's people into God's kingdom...the glory of seeing sinners redeemed...glory is on the other side of adversity.
This point doesn't stop here, though glory through adversity is a great truth on which to dwell. The writer goes on to tell us that Jesus endured this hostility so that we would not grow weary and lose heart. One of the things that Jesus' work accomplishes for us is the ability to endure. When we want to throw the white towel to the center of the ring and give up or fly our white flag and surrender to the pressure around us...we must remember our bloody red Savior, whose endurance is our example and our source of strength. We must remember this same blood dried up and flaking off His eyelids as He opened them on the third day, having been raised from the dead, and so securing the truth that "those who endure to the end will be saved" (Matt. 24:13). The very life, death, and resurrection of Christ is our strength and example of how to run the race with endurance.
Finally, I notice that the race is not to be run alone. I am an introvert by nature, and I truly enjoy spending large amounts of time alone. Even in a crowd, I find ways to stay hidden. However, this is not how the race of a Christian is to be run. Every pronoun used in these three verses are plural, and we know that this letter was written to a group of believers. Though we are accountable for our own lives...our own races...we are to run them together. This is part of what happens in a local church...we run the race together. I have only run one race in my life; it was a 5k in college. If I had set out on that race alone, I probably would have given up because I'm not all that interested in running. However, I ran with a couple of friends in the midst of a group of about 200 runners. Because of the challenge in seeing runners who had more endurance than me, hearing the cheers of the crowd, and having my friends who had run before encourage me along the way, I finished. I have many such friends in my Christian life, and I am thankful to God for them. Do you know where I found these friends? Not in coffee shops or bookstores, but in local churches. I pray you have these kinds of friends, who will help remind you of the Pacesetter we have in Christ, the importance of running with endurance, and the fact that giving up is not an option.
So, (1) our course (painful as it is at times) has been set for us by our God, (2) we are to run in complete dependence on God, refusing to believe that doing "nothing" is the most spiritual avenue, (3) Christ is our great example and our strength for the journey, and (4) we should not run alone.
Even as I have written these words, I am renewed for my own journey. I pray that you take encouragement from all this and that you will run the race with endurance because of what is taught here in Hebrews 12. This way, we will close our eyes one last time in this life and say, along with Paul, "I have finished the race."
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