Cleaning Up for the New Year

1. Read: 2 Chronicles 29:1-5

2. About the Text:

1) Good King Hezekiah became king at twenty-five years old.

2) His father Ahaz was a wicked king who did great evil.

3) He defiled the temple of God with the worship of the false gods of Syria (2 Chro.28:23).

4) He also defiled the temple and closed the doors (2 Chro.28:24).

5) Hezekiah did not allow his past or his family to define him.

6) He allowed the Lord to define him and made great changes.

3. Our new year…

1) The new year is upon us.

2) We should not allow the past to define us.

3) Let’s rededicate ourselves to the Lord following king Hezekiah’s example.

4. Ref. to S, T, P, O, and A.

1. What did Hezekiah do?

1) He opened the doors of the temple and repaired them (v.3).

2) He brought back the priests and Levites to the temple (v.4).

3) He made a covenant with the Lord (v.10).

4) They cleaned out the temple (v.16-17).

5) They made it ready for worship (v.18-19).

2. What do we need to do with our temple?

1) “Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s” (1 Cor.6:19-20).

2) We need to clean out sin that is in our life – “…let it not even be named among you, as is fitting for saints” (Eph.5:3).

3) We need to renew our covenant with the Lord – “But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light” (1 Pet.2:9).

4) We need to open doors to the lives of others – “I know your works. See, I have set before you an open door, and no one can shut it; for you have a little strength, have kept My word, and have not denied My name” (Rev.3:8).

5) We need to prepare for worship.

1. What did Hezekiah and the priests do to clean up their worship?

1) They offered sin offerings (21-22).

2) They restored the worship of singing (30).

3) They brought thank and burnt offerings (31).

2. What can we do to clean up our worship?

1) Confess our sins – “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:8-9).

2) Worship in spirit and in truth — “But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth” (John 4:23-24).

3) Be thankful to the Lord – “Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, [d]giving thanks to His name” (Heb.13:15).

4) Be a living sacrifice – “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God” (Heb.12:1-2).

1. What did Hezekiah and the people do to clean up their participation?

1) Hezekiah invited all the people to the Passover feast (1).

2) Many people gathered and took away the false altars in Jerusalem (13-14).

3) They kept the Passover (21).

4) They kept it an extra week (23).

5) There was great joy in Jerusalem (26).

2. What can we do to clean up our participation?

1) Invite others to come to our assemblies – “Come and see” (John 1:46).

2) Take away all hindrances that prevent us from coming – “not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching” (Hebrews 10:25).

3) Have abundance of participation – “And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers” (Acts 2:42).

4) We too will have great joy if we will give ourselves to our work.

1. What did Hezekiah do to clean up their giving?

1) He commanded the people to contribute support (v.4-5).

2) A great abundance remained (v.10).

3) They appointed men to oversee the distribution (v.14).

4) They used the money to help others (v.18-19).

5) Hezekiah pursued it with all of his heart (v.21).

2. What can we do to clean up our giving?

1) We can give to the work regularly – “On the first day of the week let each one of you lay something aside, storing up as he may prosper, that there be no collections when I come” (1 Cor.16:2).

2) We have men who are overseeing – “Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood” (Acts 20:28).

3) We use this money to help others spiritually and physically.

a. Spiritual – “Even so the Lord has commanded that those who preach the gospel should live from the gospel” (1 Cor.9:14).

b. Physical – “Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith” (Gal.6:10).

4) We must give with all our hearts!

5) Consider the widow who gave the two mites (Luke 21:1-4).

1. At the beginning of this new year we must . . .

1) Clean Up Our Temple

2) Clean Up Our Worship

3) Clean Up Our Participation

4) Clean Up Our Giving

2. Invitation