2 Chronicles 28
Ahaz: “In Time of Trouble He Became Even More Unfaithful.” Introduction: Is anyone here in trouble today? Out of work or facing the strong possibility of unemployment? Financial problems? Relationship difficulties? Physical issues? Emotional problems? Temptation, or even addiction? I suspect nearly everyone is in one kind of trouble or another. Trouble, you know, can have various sources. Some is due simply to the fact that we live in a fallen world (West Nile virus, flat tires, crabgrass). Some trouble is due to sin in the lives of others (you…
2 Kings 17
The Ten Lost Tribes: “They refused to listen…. So the Lord removed them from His presence.” Introduction: For the past several months we have been studying the biographies and the resulting epitaphs of a number of the kings and prophets of Israel and Judah. For the most part these kings have been a discouraging lot. Jehoshaphat and Jotham had a heart for God, and a few like Amaziah and Uzziah, had a half-heart for God, but most had no heart for Him at all. And frankly,…
2 Chronicles 29-31
Hezekiah: “He Sought His God and Worked Wholeheartedly. And So He Prospered.” Introduction: Two weeks ago we examined the life of the worst of the kings of Judah. The Bible’s epitaph for Ahaz was, “In his time of trouble King Ahaz became even more unfaithful” (2 Chronicles 28:22). Thankfully the worst was succeeded by the best. Of all the kings of Judah and Israel since David himself, none had a heart for God like Ahaz’ son, Hezekiah. None was as faithful to his calling as a spiritual as well as…
2 Chronicles 33:1-20, 2 Kings 21:1-18
Manasseh: The King with a Nose Ring Introduction: The story of Manasseh, king of Judah, is an incredible story of rebellion, repentance, and restoration. Rarely has anyone fallen as far into sin and depravity as this man fell. Rarely has anyone been rescued and restored as thoroughly as this man. But it is also true that rarely have the lasting consequences of sin been so obvious as in the story of Manasseh, the King with a Nose Ring. We have enjoyed two very encouraging…
2 Chronicles 34, 35, 2 Kings 22, 23
Josiah: “I Have Found the Book of the Law in the Temple!” Introduction: Have you ever thought about the difference one good leader can make? We come today in our series on the kings and prophets of Israel to Josiah, the last good king of Judah. There were only eight kings out of 20 who could be called “good” in any sense of the word, but Josiah was one of the best. He was a remarkable exception to the ungodliness that characterized Judah during…
2 Chronicles 36:1-23, 2 Kings 23:31-25:30
The Nation of Judah: “They Mocked, Despised, and Scoffed Until There Was No Remedy.” Introduction: What happens to a nation whose leaders fail to set a high spiritual standard, and thus it abandons its spiritual foundation, pursues false worship, perverts justice, and practices every conceivable kind of sin? Today we are going to see the answer to that question. This morning we come to the conclusion of a six-month series of sermons that has been an eye-opener to me and to many of…
Ezra 1, 2
The God Who Moves Hearts Introduction: We embark upon a new series this morning that will take us, Lord willing, through the end of the summer. We have just finished a heavily theological book from the NT (Colossians), and we are moving to an historical narrative portion of the OT (Ezra and Nehemiah). In 2 Timothy 3:16 we are told that “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness.” I trust that will become evident as we…
Ezra 3
First Things First: Priorities for God’s People Returning from Exile Date: May 3, 1992 Note: There is no manuscript available for this sermon. Below is the outline, and the audio is available. Introduction: Whenever you return from a long trip there is always a list of things that need to be done–mail that needs to be answered, bills that need to be paid, maintenance that needs to be done on the house, friends that need to be contacted, etc. Well, the Jews have…
Ezra 5, 6
The Lord of History Introduction: The other day I watched a news program which indicated that gambling is the fastest growing industry in the United States. Forty-eight states now have some form of legalized gambling—lotteries, horse racing, dog racing, casinos, etc. Even East St. Louis has finally discovered the golden egg that is supposed to pull it out of poverty—legalized gambling. When you add to that all the legal and illegal gambling that goes on in sports, office pools, card games, church bingo, and…
Ezra 4
The Many Faces of Opposition Introduction: Life can be tough. Just the ordinary responsibilities of making a living, developing family relationships, putting a kid through college, and keeping two cars running can leave you exhausted at the end of the day. And if you have a high‑stress job, a child who’s difficult, high balances on your credit cards, and elderly parents who need lots of attention, you may feel at times that you can hardly cope. But when you add to all that the…
Ezra 7
A Man of the Word Introduction: One of the highest compliments one can receive is for someone to say you are a person of your word—that you will do exactly what you say. Or if you sign a document, you will fulfill the obligations listed in that document. People who can’t write generally have someone else print their name and then they add an “x”. Originally the “X” was an imitation of the cross of Christ, and to make that sign was the same…
Ezra 8
Accompaniments of Revival Introduction: Last Sunday we noted that there are three essential ingredients to experience revival: a renewed commitment to Scripture, earnest prayer, and confession. I think I would like to change that slightly. Prayer and confession really go together, while the third ingredient is better stated as true repentance. We’ve already seen the importance of the Scriptures in the life and ministry of Ezra, and next Lord’s Day we will examine a powerful passage in chapters 9 & 10 on prayer and…