JosiahA Tender Heart

1
JosiahA Tender Heart

• 2 Kings 2219, because your heart was tender,
  and you humbled yourself before the Lord when you
  heard what I spoke against this place and against
  its inhabitantsand you tore your clothes and
  wept before Me, I have also heard you

2
King Josiah

• After the reign of Solomon, Israel divided into
  two kingdoms.
• Over a period of 200 years, Judah was ruled by 12
  kings.
• Four of those kings were good.
• Eight of them were evil.
• King Josiah was one of the good kings of the
  southern kingdom.
• And he did what was right in the sight of the
  Lord, and walked in all the ways of his father
  David he did not turn aside to the right hand or
  to the left (2 Kings 222).

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King Josiah

• Josiah began ruling at age eight after his father
  was murdered (2123-221).
• After eighteen years of rule, Josiahs servants
  found the book of the Law (223-10).
• Sadly, this book had gone unread and unheeded for
  years in Judahs previous reign of evil
  (2211-20).
• After reading, Josiah realizes the wrath of God
  Judah will face for its sins.
• Therefore, Josiah takes it upon himself to obey
  the Book of the Law and cleanse Judahs
  iniquity (23).
• Because of his work, the Scriptures declare of
  him
• Now before him there was no king like him, who
  turned to the Lord wih all his heart, with all
  his soul, and with all his might, according to
  all the Law of Moses nor after him did any arise
  like him (2325).
• For those who hope to fulfill Jesus great
  commandment (Matthew 2237-38) we can learn from
  Josiah

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He Did Not Use His Circumstances as An Excuse

• Notice the characterization of Josiahs father
  and predecessor, Amon, in 2 Kings 2119-24 222,
• Amon was twenty-two years old when he became
  king, and he reigned two years in JerusalemAnd
  he did evil in the sight of the Lord, as his
  father Manasseh had done. So he walked in all
  the ways that his father had walked and he
  served the idols that his father had served, and
  worshipped them. He forsook the Lord God of his
  fathers, and did not walk in the way of the Lord.
  Then the servants of Amon conspired against him,
  and killed the king in his own house. But the
  people of the land executed all those who had
  conspired against King Amon. Then the people of
  the land made his son Josiah king in his
  placeAnd he did what was right in the sight of
  the Lord

5
He Did Not Use His Circumstances as An Excuse

• We live in a culture that uses victimization as
  an excuse to do wrong.
• Josiah was a victim of
• An evil culture.
• A long line of wicked monarchs.
• Personal tragedy within his family.
• Yet, none of this is used as an excuse to
  sininstead his life defies his culture.
• Claiming to be a victim of circumstances will
  not save you from hell on the judgment day.
• God demands the same of all men
  everywhere--repentance (Acts 1730-31).

6
He Applied Gods Word Personally

• 2 Kings 223-4, 8-11,
• Now it came to pass, in the eighteenth year of
  King Josiah, that the king sent Shaphan the
  scribe, the son of Azaliah, the son of Meshullam,
  to the house of the Lord, saying Go up to
  Hilkiah the high priest, that he may count the
  money that has been brought into the house of the
  LordThen Hilkiah the high priest said to Shaphan
  the scribe, I have found the Book of the Law in
  the house of the Lord. And Hilkiah gave the
  book to Shaphan, and he read it. So Shaphan the
  scribe, went to the king, bringing the king
  wordsaying, Hilkiah the priest has given me a
  book. And Shaphan read it before the king. Now
  it happened, when the king heard the words of the
  Book of the Law, he tore his clothes.

7
He Applied Gods Word Personally

• For Josiah, the truth hit him first and foremost.
• Sermons are not just
• For your neighbors.
• For the person down the pew.
• Before you apply the word to anyoneapply it
  first to yourself.
• James 121-25
• Matthew 71-5
• Preaching should feel like it is personal (2
  Timothy 42).

8
He Realized Progress May Mean Going Backwards

• 2 Kings 2212-13,
• Then the king commandedGo, inquire of the Lord
  for me, for the people and for all Judah,
  concerning the words of this book that has been
  found for great is the wrath of the Lord that is
  aroused against us, because our fathers have not
  obeyed the words of this book, to do according to
  all that is written concerning us.
• Josiah had to admit his ancestors had gone astray
  from God somewhere in the past.

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He Realized Progress May Mean Going Backwards

• Being religious was not merely enough for
  Israel.
• Israel needed to see where it had left Gods Word
  behind in favor of their own religious
  traditions.
• If Christians, families and churches are to
  correct their error they may need to go
  backwards.
• Jesus condemned the Jewish habit of teaching as
  doctrines the commandments of men (Matthew
  159).
• John demanded we not go beyond the doctrine of
  Christ (2 John 9-11).
• Real progress will be made towards unity when
  Christians admit where they left Christs
  doctrine.
• Compare your practice to that of the New
  Testament church and ask have we changed?

10
He Exhibited True Repentance

• The inspired account in Kings informs us
• Josiah mourned for his and Israels spiritual
  condition (2 Kings 2211,13).
• He tried to help others see their error (231-2).
• He vowed to obey Gods covenant (233).
• He forcefully ridded Judah of unauthorized
  religious practices and restored proper worship
  in Judah(224-25).

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He Exhibited True Repentance

• Imagine yourself as a 21st-century Josiah.
• You realize your church has gone beyond Gods
  Word.
• You commit yourself to doing only what the New
  Testament authorizes as a Christianno excuses.
• What would you have to change about your church
  in order for it to be restored to New Testament
  Christianity?
• Name (Romans 1616 1 Corinthians 12)?
• Origin (Acts 247)
• Organization (Philippians 11 Acts 1423)?
• Worship (Acts 242 Colossians 316)?
• Work (Acts 1127-30, 131-3 Ephesians 411-16)?
• Doctrine (1 Peter 411 2 John 9-11)?
• Morals (Galatians 519-21)?

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Do you have a heart that is tender to Gods
commands?

• Open your heart to the Lord and obey Him without
  delay (Acts 1613-15).