330 Idolatrous Samaritans 331 He did that which was right in the eyes of the Lord

Sermon adapted from, Discovering Christ Day by Day, David Fortner

1. Idolatrous Samaritans Sermon adapted from, Discovering Christ Day by Day, David Fortner April 27 Today’s Reading: 2 Kings 15-17

2. 2 Kings 17:24 NIV  The king of Assyria brought people from Babylon, Kuthah , Avva , Hamath and Sepharvaim and settled them in the towns of Samaria to replace the Israelites. They took over Samaria and lived in its towns. 25 When they first lived there, they did not worship the LORD; so he sent lions among them and they killed some of the people.

3. 26 It was reported to the king of Assyria: “My Lord, the people you deported and resettled in the towns of Samaria do not know what the god of that country requires. He has sent lions among them, which are killing them off, because the people do not know what he requires.“ 27 Then the king of Assyria gave this order: "Have one of the priests you took captive from Samaria go back to live there and teach the people what the god of the land requires."

4. 28 So one of the priests who had been exiled from Samaria came to live in Bethel and taught them how to worship the LORD. 29 Nevertheless, each national group made its own gods in the several towns where they settled, and set them up in the shrines the people of Samaria had made at the high places.

5. 30 The people from Babylon made Sukkoth Benoth , those from Kuthah made Nergal, and those from Hamath made Ashima; 31 the Avvites made Nibhaz and Tartak , and the Sepharvites burned their children in the fire as sacrifices to Adrammelek and Anammelek , the gods of Sepharvaim. 32 They worshiped the LORD, but they also appointed all sorts of their own people to officiate for them as priests in the shrines at the high places.

6. 33 They worshiped the LORD, but they also served their own gods in accordance with the customs of the nations from which they had been brought. 34 To this day they persist in their former practices. They neither worship the LORD nor adhere to the decrees and regulations, the laws and commands that the LORD gave the descendants of Jacob, whom he named Israel.

7. These three chapters cover a sad period in the history of Israel and Judah. Ahaz was king in Judah. Hoshea was king in Israel. Two more wicked men are hard to find in all the pages of history. The prophets Hosea and Isaiah were faithful servants of God in those dark, dark days. As in our day, in the days of those faithful prophets, idolatry was practiced everywhere, idolatry practiced in the name of worshipping Jehovah!

8. After settling in the land of Israel, the Samaritans professed faith in the Lord God, but continued to serve their own gods. They learned “the manner” of the Lord, but not the fear of the Lord. Their religion was an insult to God, for they refused to acknowledge He alone is God. Though practiced in the name of God, it was idolatry of the worst kind, for its whole purpose was their own pleasure and satisfaction, not the glory of God.

9. 2 Kings 17 compels a question: Is our religion idolatry? Are we Samaritans, who worship God only in pretense, or are we “Israelites indeed,” who worship God in sincerity and truth? Let each one judge their self. But these things are certain…

10. Our religion is idolatry if we worship God only one day in seven. True believers worship God continually. Their lives are lived for Him.

11. Colossians 3:1 NIV Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. 3 For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.

12. Our religion is idolatry if we sacrifice to God that which costs us nothing. We worship God only when we give Him that which we need, only when we give Him the best, the firstfruits of what we have been given by Him.

13. 2 Samuel 24:24 NIV But the king replied to Araunah , "No, I insist on paying you for it. I will not sacrifice to the LORD my God burnt offerings that cost me nothing." So David bought the threshing floor and the oxen and paid fifty shekels of silver for them.

14. Our religion is idolatry if we are more interested in temporal, material things than we are in the kingdom of God. Matthew 6:33 NIV But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

15. Charles Simeon once observed, “God in Christ is professedly the object of our worship: but the gods whom we really worship, and by choice, are the pleasures, and riches, and honors of this vain world. On them our heart is fixed.

16. To them our time is devoted. And, if we but obtain them to the extent of our desires, we bless ourselves as having gained the objects most worthy of our pursuit.” If that is the case, our professed religion is nothing but idolatry.

17. Our religion is idolatry if we are more concerned for our own name and recognition than we are for the honor and glory of God . Not to us, LORD, not to us but to your name be the glory, because of your love and faithfulness. Psalms 115:1 NIV

18. Jeremiah 45:5 NIV Should you then seek great things for yourself? Do not seek them. For I will bring disaster on all people, declares the LORD, but wherever you go I will let you escape with your life.'" All who walk in the fear of God, in all things seek the glory of God. 1 Corinthians 10:31 NIV So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.

19. Our religion is idolatry if we are more anxious to be happy and comfortable than we are to be a blessing, helpful, and useful to others by the blessing of God.

20. Acts 20:24 NIV However, I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the good news of God's grace. Believers do not live for their own pleasure, but seek to be useful to one another and useful to the cause of Christ.

21. Our religion is idolatry if we profess to follow Christ but in reality refuse to do so. Matthew 15:8 NIV "'These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. 9 They worship me in vain; their teachings are merely human rules.’” It is the believer’s meat and drink to do the Father’s will.

22. Our religion is idolatry if our religion is man centered rather than Christ centered. In true religion, the will of God, the glory of Christ, and the gospel of God’s grace and glory in Christ are central and dominate.

23. 1 Corinthians 1:17 NIV For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel—not with wisdom and eloquence, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power. 18 For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. 19 For it is written: "I will destroy the wisdom of the wise; the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate."

24. 20 Where is the wise person? Where is the teacher of the law? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? 21 For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe. 22 Jews demand signs and Greeks look for wisdom,

25. 23 but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, 24 but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. 25 For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength. 26 Brothers and sisters, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth.

26. 27 But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. 28 God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, 29 so that no one may boast before him. 30 It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. 31 Therefore, as it is written: "Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord."

27. Dear children, keep yourselves from idols. 1 John 5:21 NIV

28. “He did that which was right in the eyes of the Lord” Sermon adapted from, Discovering Christ Day by Day, David Fortner April 28 Today’s Reading: 2 Kings 18-19

29. 2 Kings 18:1 NIV In the third year of Hoshea son of Elah king of Israel, Hezekiah son of Ahaz king of Judah began to reign. 2 He was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem twenty-nine years. His mother's name was Abijah daughter of Zechariah. 3 He did what was right in the eyes of the LORD, just as his father David had done.

30. I am interested in that. What did this servant of God do which the Holy Spirit declares was right in the Lord eyes”? He was an idol smasher. He not only insisted that the people under his influence worship the Lord God, this man insisted that they worship the Lord God alone, and that they worship Him in the way He prescribed.

31. He removed the high places, smashed the sacred stones and cut down the Asherah poles. He broke into pieces the bronze snake Moses had made, for up to that time the Israelites had been burning incense to it. (It was called Nehushtan .) 2 Kings 18:4 NIV High Places Removed

32. The high places were temples and shrines built on the mountains for the worship of idols. The children of Israel had mingled with and married among the heathen. The result then of such a mixture, as it is now and always must be, was compromise.

33. To keep up their relationships with the ungodly, to maintain their unholy alliances, the children of Israel had to forsake the worship of God, though they convinced themselves that they retained the worship of Jehovah.

34. They were only being pacifying, trying to get along with others. But they had forsaken God. What a price to pay! In order to restore the worship of God in the land, Hezekiah knew idolatry had to be rooted out completely.

35. This godly man, “ smashed the sacred stones and cut down the Asherah poles .” The statues ( sacred stones ) of pagan gods and the idolatrous representations of Jehovah and the wooded areas where men and women had erected altars to their gods, ( Asherah poles ) altars that his own father had built.

36. He broke in pieces the bronze snake Moses had made . The Jews had kept that bronze serpent from the days of Moses, burning incense to it, because they imagined it would aid them in finding favor with God. Perhaps they had only kept it as a relic up to this time. But now they worshipped it! The Bronze Serpent

37. Religious relics always become objects of worship. Therefore, Hezekiah smashed to pieces that revered bronze serpent, calling it “ Nehushtan ,” a worthless piece of brass!

38. Why was this man so bent upon the destruction of idolatry in Israel? God tells us. 2 Kings 18:5 NIV Hezekiah trusted in the LORD, the God of Israel. There was no one like him among all the kings of Judah, either before him or after him. 6 He held fast to the LORD and did not stop following him; he kept the commands the LORD had given Moses. 7ab And the LORD was with him; he was successful in whatever he undertook. Why?

39. What was the result of his faithful service? “ And the Lord was with him; he was successful in whatever he undertook .” Men despised him; but God honored Hezekiah, “the idol smasher.”

40. Heavenly Father, raise up some Hezekiah’s today, men who will dare to preach your gospel boldly, to the destruction of every idol, the glory of your Holy Son, and the salvation of your elect. Give me the grace you gave your servant Hezekiah, and teach me as you taught him to follow you and serve you for Christ’s sake.

41. HAVE YOU HEARD THE GOOD NEWS?

42. Jesus died on the cross for our sins.

43. He was buried and rose on the third day.

44. When He did this He solved 2 problems we all have. He solved our sin problem because He nailed our sins to the cross; & He solved our grave problem when He rose from the dead because it proved we could also rise from the dead.

45. Jesus said, if we want to get in on of all this we must . . . BE BORN AGAIN. FOLLOW HIM; &

46. ISN’T THAT GREAT NEWS? WHO ARE YOU GOING TO SHARE THE GOOD NEWS WITH TODAY?

47. Mark 16:15 NIV  He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. 16 Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. Numbers 6:24 NIV '"The LORD bless you and keep you; 25 the LORD make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; 26 the LORD turn his face toward you and give you peace.“’