Sermon Tone Analysis

“Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves.”

We are called to examine ourselves (take inventory) regularly

There are some testament examples of God calling his people to look at themselves honestly

Hezekiah’s Revival 13th King from Solomon

2 Chronicles 28 starts the story

Hezekiah opened the temple door that had been shut

Restored the priesthood and offerings & passover

Destroyed the idols in the land

The two kings following Hezekiah turned away Manasseh & Amon

Josiah’s renewal takes place (Josiah 16 years old when he did this)

2 Chronicles

34:1 Josiah was eight years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem thirty-one years. 2 He did what was right in the eyes of the Lord and followed the ways of his father David, not turning aside to the right or to the left.

3 In the eighth year of his reign (16 years old), while he was still young, he began to seek the God of his father David.

In his twelfth year he began to purge Judah and Jerusalem of high places, Asherah poles and idols.

After Hezekiah’s tremendous renewal

It only took 76 years for it to completely dissolve

2 Chronicles

34:8 8 In the eighteenth year of Josiah’s reign( 26 years old), to purify the land and the temple, he sent Shaphan son of Azaliah and Maaseiah the ruler of the city, with Joah son of Joahaz, the recorder, to repair the temple of the Lord his God.

goes on to say in verse 11

11 They also gave money to the carpenters and builders to purchase dressed stone, and timber for joists and beams for the buildings that the kings of Judah had allowed to fall into ruin.

The kings after Hezekiah (Manasseh & Amon) had slowly allowed old ways to creep in (leaders failed)

We over time can allow things to creep back into our faith

In just 76 years their fervor for God had dwindled

They returned to old ways and not trusting God to take care of them and started trusting other beliefs and lifestyles.

Ezra Repentance

Exiles return from Babylon to rebuild temple 537 BC

They finally rebuild the temple and dedicate it 22 years later 515 BC

57 years after this, Ezra arrives to beautify the temple, over a million dollars in Gold and jewels and silver

This is what he finds

In 57 years the passionate dedication to living for God was permeated with their own ideas and behaviors

The 4th step of the 12 Steps agrees with what God did throughout the centuries

It calls us to:

Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves.

For those who do not know Jesus

Peter was telling a large group about who Jesus was and is and how he came to save us…and they were convicted by their lifestyle

Acts 2:

36 “So let everyone in Israel know for certain that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, to be both Lord and Messiah!”

37 Peter’s words pierced their hearts, and they said to him and to the other apostles, “Brothers, what should we do?”

38 Peter replied, “Each of you must repent of your sins and turn to God, and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins.

Then you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

PERSONAL SPIRITUAL INVENTORY