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From Creation to Redemption

In the beginning, God's Word went forth: "Let there be light" (Gen 1:3). The Spirit of God hovering over the face of the deep joined Himself to that Word with explosive, creative effect. And the universe was born.  As it was with creation, so it is now with redemption--God's new creation in Christ (2 Cor 4:6). God's Word is preached and, when it is accompanied by the power of His Spirit, man is born again. Sinners are saved and saints are strengthened, all by His grace and all for His glory (cf. Gal 3:1-6; Act 20:32). May God be pleased to use these sermons in your life to this end!

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“We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on You.”

Date:9/5/10

Series: Summer 2010

Passage: 2 Chronicles 20:1-19

Speaker: Steve Fuller

“We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on You.”
2 Chronicles 20:1-19 

This morning we’re going to do something a little different.  Here’s the background:

In the New Testament, church is not just meetings you attend.  It’s being part of a group of people who live in Christ-centered, loving community, and who join together to help people come to know Jesus.  And at Mercy Hill, the way we pursue that kind of church life is in our home groups.

Last spring we saw that our home group leaders needed to be strengthened in how to help people come to know Jesus, and in how to lead a group that works together to help people come to know Jesus.   So we’ve taken the summer to work on this.  And this summer has gone very, very well.

So now we’re ready to start up our home groups again.  The next two Sundays I’ll be talking about some of the things we’ve learned and experienced this summer, and what that will mean for our home groups.  Our home groups will continue to be communities of Christ-centered love, where we pray for each other and bear each other’s burdens and rejoice together and weep together.  But they will also be a place where you can learn how to help people come to know Jesus – at your own pace, in a way that fits your own schedule and personality and lifestyle. 

But as we head into this Fall, I know that it’s not going to be easy.  This will involve change.  We’ve got new home group leaders rising up, and some of our past home group leaders are taking a sabbatical.  So this means change.  And I’m sure some of you are concerned about what this is all going to mean for you.  But let me encourage you.  Jesus has worked so powerfully this summer, and has so strongly confirmed that we are heading in the right direction, that I am confident that this is His doing.  So He’s going to work this all out.

And what I want us to do this morning is take time to pray for this whole process.  I had a great time Friday working on the next passage in James.  But yesterday morning as some of us were at Almaden Lake Park praying, I felt that Jesus wanted us to do something different this morning, and devote a chunk of time to praying together for the Fall home groups – especially that Jesus will give wisdom as to who He’s calling to lead each group, where each group is to be located geographically, and what will be the missional focus of each group.

He’s already made some of this clear, but it’s not all in place yet. And I think Jesus wants us to pray about this together this morning.  But first I want to bring you some teaching from God’s Word, both to strengthen you in your own life, and also to prepare us to pray together.  So let’s turn to 2 Chronicles 20.  If you need a Bible, go ahead and raise your hand and we’ll bring one to you.  2 Chronicles 2 is on page 372 in the Bibles we are passing out.

What do you do at those times when you face a problem, and don’t know what to do?  Are any of you in that situation this morning?  Maybe it’s a financial problem, or a health problem, or a child-raising problem.  And as I said, Jesus has been giving us home group leaders some wisdom, but I still feel like in some areas we don’t know what do to.  So what should we do at those times?  2 Chronicles 20 is a beautiful passage on that topic.

To see what’s going on look at vv.1-2 –

1              After this the Moabites and Ammonites, and with them some of the Meunites, came against Jehoshaphat for battle.

2              Some men came and told Jehoshaphat, "A great multitude is coming against you from Edom, from beyond the sea; and, behold, they are in Hazazon-tamar" (that is, Engedi).

So Jehoshaphat and the nation of Israel faced a terrible problem.  You can see it more clearly on this map.  The Ammonites, Moabites, Edomites and Meunites had banded together to destroy them.  This is a massive force; Israel’s armies are no match for them.

So look at how Jehoshaphat responded, in vv.3-4 --

3              Then Jehoshaphat was afraid and set his face to seek the LORD, and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah.

4              And Judah assembled to seek help from the LORD; from all the cities of Judah they came to seek the LORD.

So Jehoshaphat was afraid.  And he set his face to seek the Lord, proclaiming a fast throughout all Judah, and all Judah gathered together to seek the Lord.

Then in vv.5-12 Jehoshaphat leads the people in prayer.  And this is a great model for how to pray when you face a terrible problem.  Let’s read it – vv.5-12 –

5              And Jehoshaphat stood in the assembly of Judah and Jerusalem, in the house of the LORD, before the new court,

6              and said, "O LORD, God of our fathers, are you not God in heaven? You rule over all the kingdoms of the nations. In your hand are power and might, so that none is able to withstand you.

Jehoshaphat starts by declaring who God is – all-powerful, sovereign over everything.  Then he recounts what God has done.

7              Did you not, our God, drive out the inhabitants of this land before your people Israel, and give it forever to the descendants of Abraham your friend?

8              And they have lived in it and have built for you in it a sanctuary for your name, saying,

9              'If disaster comes upon us, the sword, judgment, or pestilence, or famine, we will stand before this house and before you--for your name is in this house--and cry out to you in our affliction, and you will hear and save.'

Then he goes into detail about the problem they face, in vv.10-11 --

10            And now behold, the men of Ammon and Moab and Mount Seir, whom you would not let Israel invade when they came from the land of Egypt, and whom they avoided and did not destroy—

11            behold, they reward us by coming to drive us out of your possession, which you have given us to inherit.

And finally he asks God to work:

12            O our God, will you not execute judgment on them? For we are powerless against this great horde that is coming against us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you."

Now don’t miss the drama of this moment.  Israel faces armies from four nations – armies which are way more powerful than Israel.  And all Israel has gathered together: men, women, and children.  And Jehoshaphat has just prayed – declaring God’s infinite power, God’s mighty acts, the problem they face – and then he has said – “we don’t know what to do, but we are looking to You.”

So what does God do?  Read vv.13-14 –

13            Meanwhile all Judah stood before the LORD, with their little ones, their wives, and their children.

14            And the Spirit of the LORD came upon Jahaziel the son of Zechariah, son of Benaiah, son of Jeiel, son of Mattaniah, a Levite of the sons of Asaph, in the midst of the assembly.

So God speaks to them through one of the prophets. 

And look at what he says, in vv.15-19 –

15            And he said, "Listen, all Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem and King Jehoshaphat: Thus says the LORD to you, 'Do not be afraid and do not be dismayed at this great horde, for the battle is not yours but God's.

16            Tomorrow go down against them. Behold, they will come up by the ascent of Ziz. You will find them at the end of the valley, east of the wilderness of Jeruel.

17            You will not need to fight in this battle. Stand firm, hold your position, and see the salvation of the LORD on your behalf, O Judah and Jerusalem.' Do not be afraid and do not be dismayed. Tomorrow go out against them, and the LORD will be with you."

And that’s exactly what happened.  The next day, they went out, and watched as God Himself destroyed them.

But the lesson we need to learn from this is that when we face impossible problems, problems which seem impossible to us, if we will seek the Lord, ask Him for help, He will meet us.  Every time.

And that’s what I want us to do this morning.  Like I said, we have been praying and asking Jesus to put together the leaders and locations for our home groups.  And he’s been answering lots of those prayers, but there are still some questions.  And I think Jesus wants us to take the rest of our time this morning and pray and ask God to answer the remaining questions.

So in a moment I’m going to ask you to stand up and put your chairs into circles.  Briefly introduce yourselves to each other.  And then pray together.  No one has to pray.  If you’re not comfortable praying out loud, you can listen and pray quietly.  Others will pray out loud.

And I’ve put on your notes some of the ways you can pray. 

Pray for Jesus to clearly call those He wants to lead home groups.

Pray for Jesus to give wisdom about where each home group should meet.

Pray for Jesus to give wisdom about where each home group should focus its mission.

Pray for Jesus to give all of us wisdom about which group he has for us.

I also put some passages of Scripture on your notes.  Here’s why.  How do you pray persistently for the same thing – like these three requests I’ve mentioned?  After you mention it once, what do you do next?  Many godly men and women throughout history have benefited by praying Scripture.  Using passages that give different words for the same request.

So here’s some Scriptures to use:

ESV James 1:5 -- If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.

ESV Psalm 25:4 -- Make me to know your ways, O LORD; teach me your paths. 5 Lead me in your truth and teach me, for you are the God of my salvation; for you I wait all the day long.

ESV Psalm 143:8 -- Let me hear in the morning of your steadfast love, for in you I trust. Make me know the way I should go, for to you I lift up my soul.

ESV Psalm 16:11 -- You make known to me the path of life.

ESV Acts 13:2 -- While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, "Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them."

ESV Psalm 50:15 And call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify me."

ESV Matthew 7:7-8 -- "Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.  For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened.

So pray for these requests, using these Scriptures.  Now if during the prayer time someone senses that the Holy Spirit is giving you a spiritual gift to share with the whole – just like Jahaziel did in v. 14 -- raise your hand and we’ll bring a microphone to you.  Then you can share that gift.

So let’s pray.