"Building a Church Through Outreach"
Replacing the Altar
10/14/07
Text: 2 Kings 16:10-16
In our text we see a symptom that affects many people in the church today. It is a serious problem that faces the church because we have fallen into the society of feel good and emotionalism. You are very aware that the church has become more focused on self than on Christ. Have we lost our first love? Have we allowed our personal needs and our selfish ambitions to destroy our relationship with Jesus Christ? Tonight, I want to look at this symptom of selfishness in detail through King Ahaz. Ahaz began his rule over Judah when he was 20 years old. The bible says that Ahaz did not do what was pleasing in God’s eyes. In other words, Ahaz was ungodly and unrighteous. He was self absorbed. He was controlled by the desire of the flesh instead of the spirit. He has some form of religion, but no form of Godliness. Maybe I should say this way…
2 Tim. 3:1
1This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.
2 Tim. 3:2
2For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,
2 Tim. 3:3
3Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,
2 Tim. 3:4
4Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;
2 Tim. 3:5
5Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.
King Ahaz fits the description that Paul wrote to Timothy. This is also how I know that this same symptom has the ability to take over the church. Because we know that people in the last days are going to become more in love with them-selves than with God. If we are not careful we will end up having a form of godliness, but no power. We will come to church with a hymn book, but sing without anointing. We wave our hands in the air, but without praise. We dance, but without the spirit. Beware soon you will be replacing the altar!
King Ahaz takes a trip to Damascus and while on the trip he sees a very unusual altar. He loves the look of it and he decides he wants one for his sanctuary. So he takes the blue-print and has Uriah the priest to build an altar just like the one he saw in Damascus.
** Let me point out that it is not always good to copy someone else’s altar. Just because Sister Lou-Lou has a different looking altar it doesn’t make it right for you. Different and unusual is not always what you’re looking for. In this day and age you have to be careful who you imitate. This bible has my blue-print for worship and for praise. It also gives me the guidelines for prayer. I don’t need to copy the latest trends and the hottest fades. I think that I will stick to the word of God.
John 4:23
23But 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.
John 4:24
24God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.
The best thing for you to do is to worship God out of your heart and through your experiences. I praise God tonight because I know what I have been through. I can worship God tonight because I know that he has been faithful to me. He has been closer than a brother. He has never left me nor forsook me. I don’t need to copy Sister Lou-Lou because I have my own praise! I have been delivered from the hand of the enemy. God is on my side. I will offer my sacrifices to him in the form that delights the Lord.
Let the people of Damascus have their "new" altar, but as for me I’ll stay with God’s plan. But this new altar will cause your church to grow. It will bring in new people. It will not offend the unrighteous. That is the problem with the church. We have tip-toed around so many people that we feel like we can’t present the gospel. I have an Idea…. Instead of replacing the altar, give them the old fashioned word of God and let the spirit do his work. If the spirit offends, then they need to be offended. It’s time we stop replacing the altar to make people happy. I have a news flash… There is a lost a dying world that is looking for something real. They are searching for the real power and the real deliverance. Those people that you are trying to please by replacing the altar will soon see through your phony, lack of power presentation and they will move on.
Let us give them Jesus Christ: the one born of a virgin, the one who lived a sinless life and the one that was crucified on the cross of Calvary for my sins. And the same one who rose from the grave three days later and is today sitting on the right hand of God making intercession for the saints and most importantly it is this same Christ that is coming again for a spotless, righteous church with the real, original altar!
(Verse 12-14)
King Ahaz and his new altar didn’t take over the sanctuary all at once. He inspected it, admired it, and then began to present sacrifices. At first the original altar was still in place. At first, his "new" altar was over to the side, but as he got use to his altar he realized that he no longer needed God’s altar.
Isn’t that how we do? We don’t start off back-sliding on the bar stole or in the in the bedroom of the wrong woman. We start black-sliding in the church, offering sacrifices on the altar of self. We start off trying to satisfy our needs by going a different direction than God’s plan. Then we end up moving God’s altar out of the way and moving our altar into the center position. If we aren’t careful we too will end up replacing the altar and rearranging the furniture in the sanctuary. We too will not follow God’s standards and God system and we will replace the altar.
Let me give you some encouragement tonight. Return to the altar of God and grab hold to the horns of the altar. Deny yourself and take up the cross of Christ and follow him. It doesn’t always have to be about you. The plans of the Lord are perfect for your life. You don’t have to do it your way. Go back to the altar of the Lord and allow him to touch your life. Destroy the new altar that you are trying to replace the old one with and start again.
Ezek. 18:30
30Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, every one according to his ways, saith the Lord GOD. Repent, and turn yourselves from all your transgressions; so iniquity shall not be your ruin.
Ezek. 18:31
31Cast away from you all your transgressions, whereby ye have transgressed; and make you a new heart and a new spirit: for why will ye die, O house of Israel?
Mark 1:15
15And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.
Mark 1:16
16Now as he walked by the sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew his brother casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers.
Mark 1:17
17And Jesus said unto them, Come ye after me, and I will make you to become fishers of men.
Rev. 2:5
5Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.
Stop replacing the altar. You will not be successful with your life with your own altar. Tear down the altar of the pagans and return to Jehovah. Call on his name and bless his name.
Psa. 55:16
16 As for me, I will call upon God; and the LORD shall save me.
Psa. 55:17
17 Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray, and cry aloud: and he shall hear my voice.
Psa. 55:18
18 He hath delivered my soul in peace from the battle that was against me: for there were many with me.
Psa. 118:24
24 This is the day which the LORD hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.
Psa. 118:25
25 Save now, I beseech thee, O LORD: O LORD, I beseech thee, send now prosperity.
Psa. 118:26
26 Blessed be he that cometh in the name of the LORD: we have blessed you out of the house of the LORD.
Psa. 118:27
27 God is the LORD, which hath showed us light: bind the sacrifice with cords, even unto the horns of the altar.
Psa. 118:28
28 Thou art my God, and I will praise thee: thou art my God, I will exalt thee.
Psa. 118:29
29 O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.