2 Chronicles 30 Sermon

[Othon Sdcd]

EnterMicaiah. Hear the words of the summons: "Let you word be like the word of one of them, and speak favorably." Feel the pressure? Do you know this pressure? 400 to 1. Two rulers of nations. Micaiah's heart must have been beating through his chest. And what is his response to this summons by a messenger? "But Micaiah said, 'As the Lord lives, what my God says, that I will speak'" (18:13). Selah. Pause. Think about it. As the Lord lives, I will speak what he says. Forever faithful to the Scriptures. Or, as Luther said it, captive to the word of God.

There is a reason why Jonathan Edward's sermon Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God is despised among many, many Christians. We don't see or hear the "whole counsel of God" (Acts 20:27). How many sermons have you heard on Psalm 5, or the chapter where angels fear to tread of Romans 9? We shrink back from Edwards because Psalm 5:5 isn't on a greeting card. Does this mean we must, like Micaiah, speak that "the Lord has declared disaster concerning you" each time we preach (18:22)? No, but what it does mean is you follow the text. Preach the love of God of John 3:16 alongside the wrath of God in John 3:18. Faithful preaching isn't smuggling into a text; faithful preaching flows from the text. No matter the commands, the judgments, or the depth of the text that is in front of you and your congregation, they need to hear it.

The Puritans offer their readers a comprehensive, gospel-centered view of the Christian life where all of Christ matters for all of life. In recent years, Banner of Truth has published a 49-volume set called the Puritan Paperbacks where Christians today can glean from the Puritans of the past.

A Southern Baptist pastor for almost 35 years, I currently serve as Senior Pastor of the First Baptist Church of Angleton, Texas, and post my weekly sermons on this site, as well as a brief overview for Sunday School teachers of the weekly Lifeway "Explore the Bible" lesson.

In his sermon introduction, Pastor Peter stated that it has been said that death and taxes are the only certainties in life. He then offered the congregation an alternative to this statement for those on a Christian journey: The only things we can be certain of in the journey of faith are trials and tribulations.

In light of this, we must learn how to handle challenges effectively, whether they arise from family problems, financial hardships, marital difficulties, children, employment issues, or any other kind of challenge. Irrespective of our current situation, if we are going through a struggle and we feel worn out, tossed around, battle-worn, hopeless, depressed, angry, feeling alone or isolated, then it is imperative that we master the skill of fighting spiritual warfare, otherwise, we will never achieve victory.

A crisis or trial generally overwhelms us; otherwise, it would not qualify as such. In times of turbulence, whether in the personal, professional, or family spheres, we often feel powerless and helpless.

The prophecy that was spoken to Jehoshaphat was also spoken to all of Israel. It is important to note that all individual Christians, families, churches, as well as all pastors and leaders are included in this inclusive promise. It was not directed merely at one individual. Jahaziel was addressing a whole nation that was gathered in the presence of God.

We must, first and foremost, wear the helmet of salvation, since our mind constitutes the primary battleground. It is within our minds and thoughts that the devil targets us. When we fail to prepare and do not equip ourselves with the headgear of salvation, he will always defeat us.

The third thing we ought to do is fasten our belt of truth. Paul uses the example of a Roman soldier. Due to its role in holding the sword, the belt is one of the most important parts of the uniform. It attaches to the breastplate and holds up our pants. If we are not walking in truth, the rest of our uniform is useless.

Lastly, we put on the shoes of the gospel which symbolizes our readiness to serve God; a readiness to preach, speak or share the Word of God wherever and whenever He gives us the privilege and opportunity to do so. Only when we are properly clothed and equipped with the full armour of God, will we be able to withstand and endure the evil day.

The Lord will support those who stand against the enemy. The most challenging aspect of a crisis is remaining still. We are not to take matters into our own hands. Although the concept of self-reliance may seem conceivable, it is the exact opposite of what God desires of us. In other words, it is not about doing nothing: it is about doing the right thing.

This is the collection of Stephen Davey's full-length sermons. You can listen, or download the manuscript, for every lesson in Stephen's Bible teaching archive. We believe the Bible is God's Word, and that it speaks with authority to our lives. These messages are faithful to the meaning of of the Bible and will help you understand God's message to you.

3a8082e126