A Reversed Nation
Sermon • Submitted • Presented • 39:14
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Introduction
Introduction
We are creatures who long for something better.
Thunder game tonight.
Frustration from Thursday’s game because of potential.
This should have been different!
Especially those of us who have watched all season and know what they can do.
We are creatures who long for something better.
As we look around this world - and we sing the old song, “This world is not my home.”
Because we are longing for something better.
A life of discontent and disappointment.
The nation of Israel looking for something more.
Focus leads to action.
Driving a tractor - picking a target.
What Ahaz focused on - rejecting the things of God and imitating the things of the world (v. 4).
Contrast v. 2 & v. 3.
Ahaz’s focusing on the things of the world led to these horrific actions.
What you think about and meditate upon, you will pursue.
Warning of pursuing the things of the world:
Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world.
And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.
Why we are called to meditate upon the things of God.
I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.
Find true hope.
Threatened with a loss and immediately seeks help.
But from whom? No prayer. No seeking God.
“Come up and rescue me” (v. 7)!
And then he uses the wealth of the temple to pay for it!
“I am your servant” (v. 7)!
Here we see an instance of someone trading the spiritual for the physical.
Common pattern in the Bible, but also in our lives.
Two common reactions:
When things get really bad, we turn to God. But then we turn away when things settle down.
When things get really bad, we turn to the things of the world (old sinful patterns). Downward spiral.
True hope comes when we consistently seek the Lord.
He is the only source that won’t fail.
I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come?
My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.
Faith is inconvenient.
Ahaz was impressed by TP and his altar.
Look how powerful TP is! I want power like that!
So, Ahaz has the priest in Jerusalem make one just like it.
V. 14 - the removal of the altar of God from its place of prominence and replaced.
Use this new, fake altar for all the sacrifices!
But, I want to keep the true altar in case of emergencies (v. 15b).
We want a convenient faith.
The little Jesus. That’s often times all that we want.
“Break in case of emergencies.”
Give Jesus consistent priority.
Forgiveness requires confession.
Celebrity “apologies.” I’m sorry that you…
People don’t like to admit they’ve done wrong.
We think about Adam and Eve…
The man said, “The woman whom you gave to be with me, she gave me fruit of the tree, and I ate.”
Ahaz removed the basin, this place where the priests would wash their hands.
Symbolizing their admission of sin and their cleansing from it.
Essentially, by him removing this from its place, he is saying, “I’m not dirty…I haven’t sinned.”
This is the first stop of salvation - confessing your need for salvation.
To confess, “I have sinned.” I have broken God’s laws.
Ahaz saw no wrong, no need to ask for forgiveness.
Led to a total avoidance - “caused to go around the house of the LORD.”
The natural progression - moving further away from God.
Conclusion
Conclusion
I love how these stories end - still hope.
And he did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, according to all that David his father had done.
There was hope because a better king was coming.
This longing for something better.
There is hope for us today because a better king has come.
And we can place our faith in Him and give Him priority.
The promise of a better life.
