Covenant Renewal

2 Chronicles 34:29-33

Introduction -

A New Year’s assessment of the state of things

A downward year in the world, and divisions in the church

Fracture in the UMC - as churches become more like the world

Can we turn the trend around? How can we find renewal?

Understanding 2 Chronicles 34:19-33…

The corruption of Judah over the years

More and more kings who did not walk with the Lord, and as the king went, so went the people

The Book of God’s Covenant was lost - they did not have, nor were they looking for God’s Word

They lost the instructions, or had rejected them so thoroughly that they forgot they ever existed

Idolatry - syncretism - blending their faith with the religions of the world around them - profaning the temple with idols to foreign gods, Baal and Ashera

Immoral, ungodly, and undisciplined living

Josiah’s reign

Came to the throne at the age of 8 years old.

2 Chron 34:2 - He did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, and walked in the ways of David his father…

Wicked Manasseh was his grandfather, and Amon was his father, but as is the case in Kings and Chronicles, the godly kings are listed as the sons of David.

Josiah was 8 when he began to seek the Lord, and he was 12 when he began to bring reform to the kingdom, purging the idols and high places.

He reigned for 31 years, and was the last good king before Babylon conquers Judah.

2 Chron 34:8ff - In the 18th year of his reign, he began to restore the temple, in the process, they found the book of the covenant. It had been lost to them, and when it was read to Josiah, he tore his clothes - a sign of repentance, he humbled himself before God.

Josiah’s reforms

Began with the Word - he called all the people together and had the book of the covenant read to the people

Likely all of the book of Deuteronomy, retelling God’s deliverance and his covenant with the people.

Deut 7:6-11 - You are a people holy to the Lord… He has chosen you… not because you were more in number, but it is because the Lord loves you and is keeping the oath that he swore to your fathers… You shall therefore be careful to do the commandment and the statues and rules…

Josiah gathered all the men, elders, priests, levites - great and small. Renewal began with the men of Judah, the men of the church.

Josiah made, or cut the covenant. “Cutting the covenant” - involved a sacrifice - a sign that said, if the covenant is broken, may I suffer the same fate as the sacrifice

He pledged to walk after the Lord and keep his commandments with all his heart - sincerely.

Josiah called all the people to join him.

Resulted in tearing down the idols (abominations), and committing themselves to serve the Lord only

Why We Renew the Covenant -

We, like Josiah stand today at a crossroads. We see the decadence of the world around us, the creeping worldliness in many of the churches today, and the struggle in our own congregation.

To recognize God’s Covenant Faithfulness

An eternal promise - I will be your God, you will be my people

Given first to Abraham, Gen 17:7, renewed to Moses in Exodus 6:7; the sustained promised through the prophets

Hebrews 13:20, “Now may the God of people who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant, equip you with everything good that you may do his will.

Implied deliverance, redemption, restoration, and blessing -

God’s Covenant is established in Christ

He is the one “cut” to create the covenant

Christ did all that was necessary

Christ claimed that his own blood would seal and ratify this greater covenant. This New Covenant would be accomplished by his mediating work on the cross and by his continuing intercession.

He took the curse of the covenant of works - which Adam failed to keep, and brought the grace of the second covenant

Lived out in us - We have covenant responsibilities

Louis Berkhof - The covenant of grace is not a covenant of works; it requires no work with a view to merit. However, it does contain requirements and imposes obligations on man. By meeting the demands of the covenant man earns nothing, but merely puts himself in the way in which God will communicate to him the promised blessings. We should also remember God gives man all that He requires of him. The two things which He demands of those who stand in covenant relationship to Him are:

Faith - that they accept the covenant and the covenant promises by faith, and thus enter upon the life of the covenant

Obedience - in the new life born within them, they consecrate themselves to God in obedience.

Jesus says that if we love him, we will keep his commandments. If we do not do as Jesus says, we may not call him Lord.

To acknowledge how we have been unfaithful

Look at the state of our lives, of our church, and of the world around us - the idolatry, the lack of faith and trust, our wandering from the word of God.

Matthew Henry - Diligent self-examination and watchfulness will convince us of the deceitfulness and wickedness of our own hearts, and the sinfulness of our lives.

To recommit ourselves

We cannot “renew the covenant” because it is eternal - but we can renew ourselves and our commitment to live according to the covenant

Neither are we to double down on works -

When we make covenant in our own strength, we will always fail in it. Instead, we give ourselves up to God;, being strong, not in ourselves, but “in the Lord, and in the power of his might.”

How To Be Renewed in the Covenant

Repent and Believe -

Turn from the world and to God,

Trust in Him, know Him

Live in Him - living differently from the world

Attend to God’s Word - Remembering God's covenant involves keeping it by obeying His Word out of gratitude for His salvation of us in Jesus Christ

Seek him in prayer - Presenting your needs, your heart’s desires, before the Lord, humbly seeking His provision and care.

Worship faithfully - Regular worship is a covenant renewal ceremony. Weekly, we gather with God’s people on the Lord’s Day to hear the blessings and curses of God’s Word - curses for those who fail to turn to Christ and blessings for those who believe. And we commit ourselves again to Christ as our Lord, trusting Him for eternal life.

Practical

Men & Women - step up, grow, lead, serve

If you want to grow strong in the Lord, get busy serving in the Lord. If you want to deepen your knowledge of the Lord, teach sit under the teaching of the word, and prepare to teach the word to others. If you want to know the Lord leading you, offer to lead others in service.

Mothers and Fathers, lead your family, feed them in the word -

We focus on their academic, athletic, financial health - are you investing in their spiritual development.

Every parent, should study to advance the eternal interest of those, who by the providence of God are committed to their care.

Nor should any be deterred by the degeneracy of the times; for the state of religion cannot well be reduced to a lower ebb that it was in the days of Josiah; and if it were, that would only be a reason for our more earnest service in the cause of God.

Children - Listen to those who would teach you the ways of the Lord, honor those in authority over you.

Continue to grow in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man