Worship - Sunday at 10:30AM
Bible Study - Wednesday at 6:30PM
2007-03-25 Communion Dedication - Baldwin Christian Church
PREPARED OR NOT, COME
When Hezekiah became king of Judah, he inherited a horrible mess from his father, king Ahaz. Ahaz had practiced every kind of idolatry, forsaking the God of his fathers, committing every sort of trespass against God. God smote the people because of Ahaz. The Syrians took them captive, and the kingdom of Israel killed great numbers of the people of Judah. This should have been enough to turn Ahaz and the people back to God, but it wasn't. Ahaz further transgressed by destroying the vessels of the house of God, shutting the doors, and building altars to other gods all over Jerusalem.
It was a real mess, but when Hezekiah came into power, he determined right away to clean up the house of God and return the people to worshipping the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. He rushed the proceedings a little bit, but the LORD looked at Hezekiah's heart.
2 Chronicles 30:13-22
13. And there assembled at Jerusalem much people to keep the feast of unleavened bread in the second month, a very great congregation.
14. And they arose and took away the altars that were in Jerusalem, and all the altars for incense took they away, and cast them into the brook Kidron.
15. Then they killed the passover on the fourteenth day of the second month: and the priests and the Levites were ashamed, and sanctified themselves, and brought in the burnt offerings into the house of the LORD.
16. And they stood in their place after their manner, according to the law of Moses the man of God: the priests sprinkled the blood, which they received of the hand of the Levites.
17. For there were many in the congregation that were not sanctified: therefore the Levites had the charge of the killing of the passovers for every one that was not clean, to sanctify them unto the LORD.
18. For a multitude of the people, even many of Ephraim, and Manasseh, Issachar, and Zebulun, had not cleansed themselves, yet did they eat the passover otherwise than it was written. But Hezekiah prayed for them, saying, The good LORD pardon every one
19. That prepareth his heart to seek God, the LORD God of his fathers, though he be not cleansed according to the purification of the sanctuary.
20. And the LORD hearkened to Hezekiah, and healed the people.
21. And the children of Israel that were present at Jerusalem kept the feast of unleavened bread seven days with great gladness: and the Levites and the priests praised the LORD day by day, singing with loud instruments unto the LORD.
22. And Hezekiah spake comfortably unto all the Levites that taught the good knowledge of the LORD: and they did eat throughout the feast seven days, offering peace offerings, and making confession to the LORD God of their fathers.
May the good LORD pardon every one here that prepares his or her heart to seek God. We don't have to go through ceremonial purification to sit at this table, for our righteousness and cleanness comes through Jesus.
2 Corinthians 5:21 For he (God) hath made him (His Son) to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.
We have no excuse for being unprepared; we have no excuse for placing a higher importance on other things; we have no excuse to be unthankful or unhappy, and we have no excuse for being quiet about what our God has done through the obedience of His Son.