TOPIC:"Finding the Book of God"
"I have found the Book of the Law in the Temple of the Lord" (II Kings 22:8, NIV)
There is a widespread condition which exists in modern America today and that is the neglect of God's Word - the Holy Scriptures. In many homes the Bible remains on the shelve unopened and unread. Millions of people across this country believe that what is printed on those sacred pages is irrelevant for living life in the 21st century. That is to their detriment!
That same neglectful attitude has now come into our churches. On any given Sunday in these United States thousands of ministers open the Bible only to read a text, then close it and never open it again for the rest of the service. Not only that, but we are living at a time when many churches no longer require or encourage their people to bring a personal copy of their Bible with them to church. The church now projects it on an overhead screen.
Now whether we realize it or not, or whether we are willing to admit it, the truth of the matter is we need a rediscovery of this blessed Book. May I encourage those of you here today to have your own individual Bible and to make it your personal companion. A Bible that will live with you, travel with you, speak to you, and serve you as you rely upon it. On this Sunday I would say to you that this neglect of the Holy Bible is hurting our nation and harming our churches where we can least afford it. Like Judah of past years we have lost the Book of God. We must start immediately to rediscover it. Let's begin our search.
Consider, to begin with, the DISTURBING DISAPPEARANCE of the Book. Let me read again the words of verse 8: "I have found the Book of the Law in the Temple of the Lord." Now in order for something to be found it must first of all be lost. There seems to be some question as to how the sacred Book got lost in the first place. We can only guess, but I believe we could have the answer in a verse tucked away in II Chronicles chapter 28 verse 24 where we read these words about King Ahaz of Judah: "Ahaz gathered the furnishings from the Temple of God and took them away. He shut the doors of the Lord's Temple and set up altars at every street corner in Jerusalem." . . .