Outline for Memorial Day sermon, May 26, 2019

by Jonathan Spurlock
(Holts Summit, MO)

Text: 2 Kings 23

Memorials to Remember, Repair, or Remove

Preface: thanks to all the veterans and their service. We remember and we’re grateful.

Introduction: Israel had any number of memorials during the nation’s history. Some they remembered and were told to remember (Deut. 6-4 and following). Some, like the Temple, had to be repaired from time to time. Other things, which we’ll discuss in the text, were so bad they had to be removed. May the Lord speak to us and show us what we need to do.

I The memorials to REMEMBER

--The Tabernacle, all the miracles on the journey to Canaan, the provision of food and water for so many people for so long!
--God had commanded them to build two altars once they crossed the Jordan (Joshua 3-4)
--Later on, Israel built the Temple to honor God
--All this was to show God’s love for Israel

II The memorials to REPAIR

--Temple needed repairs after periods of neglect or when evil kings ruled and the people forsook the True God and the Temple. People cleaned it out and craftsmen (carpenters, stone masons, etc.) repaired the Temple.
--Example: Elijah on Mt Carmel, l Kings 18: one of the first things he did was repair the altar of God (who built it, and when?) as compared to the altar built for Baal. God would never approve of worship of Him on the altar of Baal!

III The memorials to REMOVE (text: 2 Kings 23)

--Josiah wasted no time in removing the pagan junk that had been placed or installed in the Temple! His own father and grandfather sealed Israel’s fate.
--This started after he had heard the words of the Law of God (2 Kings22). Judgment was soon.
--Began by burning up all the junk in the Temple then dismissed false priests (verses 2-4).
--Removed other aspects of pagan worship. This was Phase 1 of his reforms (through v. 14)
--Destroyed pagan altar of Jeroboam I, built nearly 350 years before. This message was preached in 2019, so 1669 would be 350 years in the past: era of John Locke, King Louis XIV, etc.
--Ironic that the altar was still there even though the nation was not! Northern tribes had been carried away captive 80 or so years before.
--Also defiled the altar when he burned the bones of the priests on it (prophesied just after that altar had been built, see 1 Kings 12-13)
--Other things he did made Phase 2, trying to bring back those who had abandoned God

Lesson for us: remember what God has done for us, repair what needs to be fixed, and remove the junk that just plain needs to go!

Scripture quotations taken from the NASB.