"Even a superficial study of church history reveals that the Spirit of God blows with hurricane force only through those prophets and lovers who have surrendered to the folly of the cross. If there is little power and shallow wisdom in our preaching, teaching, worship, and ministry, I believe it is because the Crucified Christ has been ignored in favor of a lot of ‘burning theological issues,’ most of which are neither burning nor theological."

-- Brennan Manning, The Signature of Jesus
Home Sermon Notes II Kings Sermon Notes II Kings 20

Sundays Sermon Podcast

Calvary Chapel Kampala
  • 1 Peter 1 "Our Living Hope"
    "We all remember Peter, that disciple that opened his mouth too much with Jesus. Peter later, however, because one of the chief pillars of the early church. Peter and Paul were the two major apostles in bringing the gospel to the Jews (Peter) and Gentiles (Paul). The themes are hope, holiness, and suffering. This letter was mainly to bring encouragement and renewed motivation to live in Godliness no matter what the circumstances"
  • Nehemiah 13 "Cleaning House"
    "When you clean your house do you only have to do it once and then it remains clean? No. There is dirt around here and messy people. It takes a continual maintenance and cleaning. When you take a bath do you only have to do it the first time and then you don't have to bathe anymore? No, we get dirty living in this world. We need to keep on cleaning or we stink and become grotesque. The people had made many promises in chapter 10 of what they were going to do for God and how they were going to live. Unfortunately, when Nehemiah went back to report to the King the people had turned quickly back to the sin and impurity that they had said they would not do. Through God's Word, and spiritual leadership, God's people were going to clean house again. This chapter is about cleaning that which was rebuilt. It is a maintenance process to examine your life, family, church, and leadership to make sure they are according to the standard of purity that God has shown us in His Word. "
  • Nehemiah 11-12 "Rebuilding Together"
    "The work of rebuilding is not something we can do alone. We need God obviously, but we also need one another. There are a few lasting lessons that we can take with us about rebuilding our lives. We are given a reminder of those lessons in these final chapters. The people were now right with God, and together they continued in the day-to-day decisions that made this rebuilding last. Let us be reminded that: Rebuilding Together Needs People. Rebuilding Together Needs Praise. Rebuilding Together Needs Provisions."
II Kings 20

2 Kings 20-21 “Hezekiah’s Prayer and Pride”

 

  1. I. Hezekiah’s Prayer (20:1-11)

  1. He was sick and would die (1)
    1. God’s people get sick
  • Getting sick is not a sign that you are weak in faith. It is a result of the fall, and happens to the greatest men and women of God.
    • Phil 2:25-27 “Yet I considered it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother, fellow worker, and fellow soldier, but your messenger and the one who ministered to my need; 26 since he was longing for you all, and was distressed because you had heard that he was sick. 27 For indeed he was sick almost unto death; but God had mercy on him, and not only on him but on me also, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow.”
    • 2 Tim 4:20 “Erastus stayed in Corinth, but Trophimus I have left in Miletus sick.”
    • 2 Kings 13:14 “Elisha had become sick with the illness of which he would die…”
  1. God’s people die—everyone dies!
  • Many die while still young. Hezekiah was only 39.
  • Is your house in order?
    • Heb 9:27-28 “And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment,”
    • Jas 4:13-15 “Come now, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit"; 14 whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away. 15 Instead you ought to say,"If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that."
    • Matt 24:42 “Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour  your Lord is coming”

  1. He prayed a prayer of sincerity (2-3)
    1. Prayer must come from a heart of truth.
  • We know that Hezekiah was sincere before God because he turned his face to the wall (not in front of men) and he cried tears of sincerity.
  • Sincerity in prayer is what God responds to. Simply saying the words or going to the meetings mean nothing if not done in sincerity.
  1. Prayer must come from a life of truth.
  • Your life is the greatest testimony to a heart of truth. Hezekiah was able to say “I have walked before You in truth, with a loyal heart, and have done what was good in Your sight.”
  • God doesn’t hear us based on the merit of our works but on the merit of Christ. But what we do for Him is a good indication of our relationship with Christ.

 

  1. The Lord quickly answered him (4-11)
    1. He heard his prayer and saw his tears
    2. He used medical treatment to heal him
    3. He gave him a sign that it was true
  • God wants to confirm His promises to His people. He knows that we have weak faith and sometimes need  a “push”
  • God has confirmed the truthfulness of His word through fulfilled prophecy.
    • Rev 22:6 “Then he said to me,"These words are faithful and true ." And the Lord God of the holy prophets sent His angel to show His servants the things which must shortly take place.”
  1. The message: Prayer matters!

 

 

  1. II. Hezekiah’s Pride (20:12-21)

  1. The greatest danger for God’s greatest servants is pride (12-13)
    1. We know that after Hezekiah was healed he was lifted up with pride
  • 2 Chron 32:24-26 “In those days Hezekiah was sick and near death, and he prayed to the LORD; and He spoke to him and gave him a sign. 25 But Hezekiah did not repay according to the favor shown him, for his heart was lifted up; therefore wrath was looming over him and over Judah and Jerusalem. 26 Then Hezekiah humbled himself for the pride of his heart, he and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that the wrath of the LORD did not come upon them in the days of Hezekiah.”
  1. Hezekiah wanted to please and impress man. This is a dangerous place.
  • He showed the Babylonians all of his house and his riches and his ointments and armory.
    • Gal 1:10 “For do I now persuade men, or God? Or do I seek to please men ? For if I still pleased men, I would not be a bondservant of Christ.”
  1. “Many men who stand strong against the temptations of failure and weakness fail under the temptations of success and strength.” – D. Guzik
  • 2 Cor 12:7 “And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations , a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure.”

  1. Isaiah’s Rebuking Prophecy (14-21)
    1. Everything that he was proud about would be taken away.
    2. Hezekiah’s response
  • He says it is good. Good because it wouldn’t happen in his day!
  • But he could have said it was good, because he knew that whatever happens, God is good.
    • Job 1:19-22 “and suddenly a great wind came from across the wilderness and struck the four corners of the house, and it fell on the young people, and they are dead; and I alone have escaped to tell you!" 20 Then Job arose, tore his robe, and shaved his head; and he fell to the ground and worshiped. 21 And he said: "Naked I came from my mother's womb, And naked shall I return there. The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; Blessed be the name of the LORD." 22 In all this Job did not sin nor charge God with wrong.”

  1. III. Manasseh and Amon: The Wickedness Continues (Chapter 21)

  1. The victories and righteousness of Hezekiah is replaced with the wickedness of Manasseh. (1-9)
    1. All of the things that Hezekiah had taken away were replaced by his son.
    2. It was all because they didn’t care about the word of the Lord. (8-9)

 

  1. God responds to the wickedness (10-18)
    1. The people of God were acting worse than the people of the world! (11)
    2. Judgment was prophesied.
  • This judgment from God would be terribly severe.
  • This judgment was also completely just because of what the people had done.

 

  1. Amon follows the wickedness of Manasseh (19-26)
    1. Like father, like son! (19-22)
    2. When you walk in wickedness you can expect to your life to end from wicked acts. (23-26)