Rev. David Holwick N (formerly J)
First Baptist Church
Ledgewood, New Jersey
April 18, 1993
2 Chronicles 34:1-4
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I. Why can't things get done?
A. We live in a society paralyzed by inaction.
1) "20-20" report on public bathrooms in New York City.
a) Everyone loved the French-built, self-cleaning bathrooms.
1> Wouldn't cost the city a dime.
2> Only other public bathrooms are in Bus Terminal.
b) But bureaucrats put up barriers. Disabled sued.
c) After four months, bathrooms were removed.
2) Morris County.
a) How many sites for jail in four years?
b) Inaction on Ledgewood Circle.
3) Our world cries out for tasks to be done. Who will do them?
B. Three kinds of people in world:
1) Those who make things happen.
2) Those who watch things happen.
3) Those who wonder what happened.
C. Josiah made things happen.
1) Followed succession of lousy kings.
2) Spiritually turned things around, though only for short time.
3) Did some things no other king had done:
a) Thorough removal of idolatry. 34:3
b) Return to Bible. 34:29-30
c) Celebration of Passover like never before. 35:18
II. Josiah's preparation. [foundation?]
A. He started off on top of the heap.
1) David rose on sheer ability and charisma.
2) Josiah had leadership thrust upon him.
a) His coming was prophesied years before. 1 Kings 13:2
b) "Some people are born great, some choose to be great,
others have greatness thrust upon them."
c) (Joseph P. Kennedy clan and expectations of greatness)
B. Josiah had to rise above his upbringing.
1) Children are influenced by parent's behavior.
a) Cartoon in "Leadership" magazine:
Pastor is showing a new couple around the church.
Coming to a room with a sign that says, "Adult Children
of Perfectly Normal Parents," he pauses.
"This is our newest support group, but by far the
smallest." #2493
b) The problem with parents is that they are sinners.
1> Alcoholic home leads to alcoholic kids.
2> Abused kids become abusers.
2) But Josiah followed example of David, not his parents. 34:2
a) His father and grandfather were corrupt, but Josiah
was good - even the best.
b) We are influenced by our families, but we don't have
to be held back by them.
C. The circumstances of your life do not determine the level of
your achievement.
1) Some blame lack of accomplishment on their circumstances,
but everybody has circumstances.
a) Tough being a single Christian?
b) -Married also have problems.
2) Key to our achievement in life is not our circumstances
but how we respond to those circumstances.
a) Josiah was a success because of how he responded. 34:27
b) He started young and didn't waste time. 34:3
c) He followed God's blueprint (Bible) to the "T".
III. Josiah's motivation.
A. He discovered the Bible, and lived by it. 34:27-30
1) Book was most likely part of Deuteronomy.
a) Probably hidden by priests during Manasseh's reign.
2) Josiah saw the need for immediate repentance and renewal.
a) He made it apply to everyone.
b) He knew the Bible was true and they were in danger.
B. Our society is drifting because of a lack of accepted rules.
Michael Medved is a controversial movie critic.
A devout Jew, he is despised in Hollywood because he asks
questions no one else will.
His biggest gripe is the standards displayed in many
Hollywood movies.
Medved feels Hollywood ignores soul and substance, glorifies
ugliness, assaults the family, and is hostile to religion.
He writes:
One of the symptoms of the corruption and collapse of our
national culture is the insistence that we examine only
the surface of any work of art.
The politically correct, properly liberal notion is that we
would never dig deeper - to consider whether a given work
is true, or good, or spiritually nourishing
- or to evaluate its impact on society at large.
In the visual arts, in literature, in film, in music of
both popular and classical variety, ugliness has been
enshrined as a new standard.
We accept the ability to shock as a replacement for the old
ability to inspire.
Today, the movie business regularly offers us characters who
are smaller than life, who are less decent, less intelligent,
less noble than our own friends and neighbors.
Hollywood portrays a world ... in which ugliness - and emptiness -
emerge as the new standard for our society.
A war against standards leads logically and inevitably to
hostility to religion, because it is religious faith that
provides the ultimate basis for all standards."
#1562
C. What are your standards?
1) Too many Christians let Hollywood set the standards.
2) We bemoan its influence and feel we are too weak to fight it.
3) Reason is, we are not sure about what we believe.
Dr. James Hunter, professor of sociology at the University
of Virginia, has written an acclaimed book called
"Culture Wars."
He says most people operate with a recipe knowledge of
public affairs and of their faith.
They can repeat the slogans but they cannot explain in any
great depth why they take the positions they do.
When they find themselves in an argument over issues like
homosexuality, or abortion, or the death penalty,
they often articulate little more than their personal
feelings, tastes, and preferences.
#2447
D. Privatistic faith vs. world-changing faith.
[Lesslie Newbigin] believes the greatest weakness of the Christian
church is that we have privatized our faith.
We want our individual souls to be saved, but our religion doesn't
apply to anything outside ourselves.
Our faith is so private and quiet it becomes trivial.
The church no longer boldly proclaims Christ as public truth, the
most important fact and value of existence.
Instead, Christianity has been relegated to the same realm as mere
opinion or preference.
Girl in Education Board's ethics class debate:
"I believe in God and what the Bible teaches, but this is just my
opinion. I can't force my views on others."
It is true that we cannot force our views on society.
But we shouldn't let society force its views on us, either.
Christians have just as much right to speak up as anyone else.
Our competitors say we speak from a narrow base, and likes to label
us as "extreme" or "fanatic."
But their base is just as narrow as ours.
There is no longer a level where everyone agrees.
The church does not have to fear being "sectarian" because everyone
belongs to sects of one kind or another.
There is no such thing as a "non-sectarian" base to stand on, it has
only seemed this way because some sects are larger than others.
Therefore the church needs to set forth its truth-claims boldly.
#2469
IV. Josiah's impact.
A. Josiah determined what had to be done, and he did it.
1) He had very little time to do it, since he died young.
a) Josiah didn't let time cheat him.
b) Instead of procrastinating, he jumped right in.
2) He encompassed both negative and positive changes.
B. He destroyed what had to be destroyed.
1) He destroyed the pagan altars and idolatry.
2) The Christian equivalent is "denial."
a) Following Jesus requires rearrangement in our lives.
1> Not everything changes at once, but everything must
change eventually.
2> Without repentance and change there is no real faith.
b) To be a disciple, there are things we have to get rid of.
1> Unhealthy habits.
A> Drugs and alcoholism are obvious.
B> What about rage? Bitterness? Grumbling?
2> Corrupting relationships.
C. He built what had to be built.
1) Josiah restores the temple, the Bible, and the Passover. 34:8
2) We must have a positive foundation in our lives.
V. Christians can have an impact.
A. Can we change our society, before it is too late?
1) Just as the Soviet Union collapsed suddenly because of
economics, many wonder if the U.S. will fall due to morals.
2) It is not enough to complain about how bad things have
become. What will we do to change them?
3) Things will only change if Christians get involved.
a) (Wesleyans in England.)
b) Meeting with Dr. Markowitz on ethics class.
B. Recommitment to truth of the Bible.
1) Not just Bible stories.
2) Understanding of God's perspective on life.
3) Too many Christians operate on gut feelings (Leadership, p. 14)
C. Recommitment to moral integrity.
1) If Christians fall, how will others stand?
a) Many scoff at the Bible due to failings of Christians.
b) Are you a leader? Others are watching you.
2) The best way to influence people is not by protest or
politics, but by positive example and action.
Chuck McIlheny, Presbyterian pastor, has a vocal anti-gay
stance, but also heads an AIDS ministry.
Copyright © 2024 by Rev. David Holwick
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