Sin remains sin, no matter what humanity thinks about it.

Pride is sin.
Greed is sin.
The love of money is sin.
Lust is sin.
Adultery is sin.
Vindictiveness is sin.
Cruelty is sin.
Bearing false witness is sin.

If this partial list bothers you, take it up with God, he's the one that created it, my job is to simply remind people that these things are not up for debate, nor can they be changed by any act of man.  God has ordained what is right, and what is wrong, based upon his own holiness.  Our willingness to accept this standard, and change our behavior accordingly (by the power of the Holy Spirit) is a necessary beginning of discipleship.

Anyone who continues in sin is not born of God (see 1 John 3:6), anyone who does not produce evidence of the fruit of the Spirit is not a child of God (see Galatians 5:16-26).  This is not negotiable, if anyone connected with a church told you otherwise, they'll have to answer to God for that one day.  Our culture regularly glorifies the sins listed at the beginning of this post; God condemns them.  You choose.

Sermon Video: Hezekiah's Revival, Part 3 (of 4) - 2 Chronicles 31

After having accomplished the emotional high of repairing and reopening the Temple followed by a celebration of the Passover that was better attended and more joyous than any held for centuries, Hezekiah next proceeds to follow up that high point with various administrative reforms.  There isn't anything exciting or glamorous about organization and efficiency, but in order for the people of Judah to worship the LORD effectively, long-term, these reforms were absolutely necessary.  Passover gets everybody's attention, but it is the day to day devotion to the LORD the rest of the year that develops character, and for that, reformation of the priesthood (and their support system) was needed.
The same holds true for the Church.  Large rallies, concerts, and revival meetings may be what gets noticed, and they have their place and purpose, but without week to week devotion to God, the people of God will not make progress in their discipleship.  The Church also needs capable hands running its administrative functions, making the most of the resources given to it by the people, and preventing waste or fraud.  These may be unnoticed tasks with little chance for glory, but they are vital to the continued ability of God's people to do effective ministry in the world.
We all enjoy going to Church on Christmas Eve and Easter, the two services that require the largest amount of preparation and always have the largest turnout of the year, but we cannot allow ourselves to be a people who connect with God only a few times per year, we need to be devoted to God, all year round, from our highs to our lows, from the exciting to the mundane.  If we cannot sustain a high level of commitment to God, how can we expect God to do anything wondrous among us?

To watch the video, click on the link below:

The testing of character: a chance for growth

While preparing my message this week on Hezekiah from 2 Chronicles 32, I came across this thought by 19th Century Methodist theologian Adam Clarke which is insightful enough for me to type it out here...

"Thus God speaks after the manner of men: he either brings, or permits them to be brought, into such circumstances as shall cause them to show their prevailing propensities; and then warns them against the evils to which they are inclined, after having shown them that they are capable of these evils.  To know ourselves, and our own character, is of the utmost importance to our religious growth and perfection.  He who does not know where his weakness lies, is not likely to know where his strength lies.  Many, by not being fully acquainted with their own character, have been unwatchful and unguarded, and so become an easy prey to their enemies.  Know thyself is a lesson which no man can learn but from the Spirit of God."

On this election day, consider this: What has this tumultuous political season revealed about your character, your strengths and weaknesses?  Do not miss an opportunity to grow in discipleship.

Sermon Video: Hezekiah's Revival, Part 2 (of 4) - 2 Chronicles 30

Having cleaned and re-dedicated the temple, and reconsecrated the priests and Levites, Hezekiah and the leadership of the people of Judah next turn to reinstituting the Passover feast.  Along the way, they face a variety of potential set-backs, each of which could have derailed the opportunity to bring the people of God together in order to praise God, but each of which were dealt with by compromise.  Hezekiah chooses to pursue the spirit of the Law, not the letter, making exceptions to the rules in order to bring about a truly national revival of repentance.  When the people show that they have a willing heart, Hezekiah doesn't let their past violations of the Law keep them from returning to the worship of the LORD.  It is for us an important reminder that the heart is more important than the outward appearance, and also that the people of God ought to be willing to stretch themselves in order to welcome lost sinners when they turn to God in repentance.

To watch the video, click on the link below:

Sermon Video: Hezekiah's Revival, Part 1 (of 4) - 2 Chronicles 29

When Hezekiah became king of Judah, he inherited a kingdom in grave crisis.  His father Ahaz had suffered multiple military defeats and left Hezekiah with enemies on all sides, including the aggressive Assyrian Empire to the north which had recently destroyed the northern kingdom of Israel.  How was Hezekiah to respond, where should he even begin?  Hezekiah chose, in the first month of his reign, to focus his energies and attention upon the temple of the LORD in Jerusalem.  Enemies without were not his first concern, for Hezekiah knew that the spiritual corruption and root within Judah would surely destroy his kingdom by bringing down upon them the wrath of God's justice.
With the temple defiled and in disrepair, Hezekiah brought together the priests and Levites, putting them to work on the task of getting the temple ready once more for worship of the LORD.  16 days later, the temple was ready.  The very next day, Hezekiah brought with him the leaders of Jerusalem for a ceremony of re-dedication that contained a significant focus: atonement.  Until the sins of the nation had been atoned for, the wrath of God still hung over the kingdom, Hezekiah knew how serious this situation was, he not only fulfilled what the Law of Moses required to atone for sin, but went beyond it as well.  The resulting ceremony not only featured sacrifices for sin, but vocal and instrumental worship as well, followed by an opportunity for the people to demonstrate their thankfullness to God.
Hezekiah knew his nation desperately needed revival, he began in the only place that will work, with repentance and re-dedication to the worship of the LORD.  If we, as a Church, or as a nation, truly desire revival in our day, we will heed Hezekiah's example and begin with purifying our own hearts and committing ourselves to truly being disciples of Jesus Christ.

To watch the video, click on the link below: