REASONS EVEN BELIEVERS NEED THE SAVIOUR

2 KINGS 12
Pastor Rick Jackson

I. THERE IS THE MATTER OF FALLING SHORT [Rm. 3:23]
For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.

1. Eyes are Not Lifted High Enough [v. 1-2, Psalm 121:1-2, Heb. 12:2]
- I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth.
- WHEREFORE seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

2. Worship is Not Pure Enough [v. 3, Jn. 4:20-24]
Our fathers worshipped in this mountain; and ye say, that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship. Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father. Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews. But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

3. Misuse of Worldly Goods [v. 4-8, Proverbs 3:9] Honour the LORD with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase:

II. THERE IS THE MATTER OF FAITH BEING SHALLOW [Luke 17:5]
And the apostles said unto the Lord, Increase our faith.

1. Implementation of a Careful Collection [v. 9-10, 1 Cor. 16:2]
Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come.

2. Implementation of an Organized Oversight [v. 11-12, 1 Cor. 14:40]
Let all things be done decently and in order.

3. Implementation of the Deliberate Division [v. 13-16, 2 Chr. 24:14]
And when they had finished it, they brought the rest of the money before the king and Jehoiada, whereof were made vessels for the house of the Lord, even vessels to minister, and to offer withal, and spoons, and vessels of gold and silver. And they offered burnt offerings in the house of the Lord continually all the days of Jehoiada.

III. THERE IS THE MATTER OF FAILURE BEING SURE

1. Buying Off the Enemy [v. 17-18, 2 Chr. 24:15-18]
But Jehoiada waxed old, and was full of days when he died; an hundred and thirty years old was he when he died. And they buried him in the city of David among the kings, because he had done good in Israel, both toward God, and toward his house. Now after the death of Jehoiada came the princes of Judah, and made obeisance to the king. Then the king hearkened unto them. And they left the house of the Lord God of their fathers, and served groves and idols: and wrath came upon Judah and Jerusalem for this their trespass.

2. Forsaking the Lord [v. 19, 2 Chr. 24:19-22]
-Yet he sent prophets to them, to bring them again unto the Lord; and they testified against them: but they would not give ear. And the Spirit of God came upon Zechariah the son of Jehoiada the priest, which stood above the people, and said unto them, Thus saith God, Why transgress ye the commandments of the Lord, that ye cannot prosper? because ye have forsaken the Lord, he hath also forsaken you. And they conspired against him, and stoned him with stones at the commandment of the king in the court of the house of the Lord. Thus Joash the king remembered not the kindness which Jehoiada his father had done to him, but slew his son. And when he died, he said, The Lord look upon it, and require it.

3. Reaping What Has Been Sown [v. 20-21, 2 Chr. 24:23-27, Galatians 6:7]
-And it came to pass at the end of the year, that the host of Syria came up against him: and they came to Judah and Jerusalem, and destroyed all the princes of the people from among the people, and sent all the spoil of them unto the king of Damascus. For the army of the Syrians came with a small company of men, and the Lord delivered a very great host into their hand, because they had forsaken the Lord God of their fathers. So they executed judgment against Joash. And when they were departed from him, (for they left him in great diseases,) his own servants conspired against him for the blood of the sons of Jehoiada the priest, and slew him on his bed, and he died: and they buried him in the city of David, but they buried him not in the sepulchres of the kings. And these are they that conspired against him; Zabad the son of Shimeath an Ammonitess, and Jehozabad the son of Shimrith a Moabitess. Now concerning his sons, and the greatness of the burdens laid upon him, and the repairing of the house of God, behold, they are written in the story of the book of the kings. And Amaziah his son reigned in his stead.
- Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.