We, the people of Ireland, have had our say.
Local councillors and members of the European Parliament
have been elected.
A few more to go, but certainly some have already got their seats.
What can we expect?
What difference do you think they're going to make?
Well, if they keep their promises,
we are going to see greater local investment,
more jobs, better facilities,
new markets for trade and exports,
renewable energy,
protection of our sovereignty and neutrality,
parents first, children first,
equality and diversity.
Sounds good, doesn't it?
Well, at the risk of sounding pessimistic,
I don't think they're going to make much difference at all.
Now, don't get me wrong.
I voted, and I'm encouraged that we should vote,
and I think they will do good work.
But will they make much difference?
You see, in another few years,
we're going to be complaining that we need new leaders
who will deliver.
And there will be many who will offer to take their place.
And in a year's time,
there will be the same problems and new problems.
Well, I wonder if that sounds familiar to you.
Well, 1 Kings is a history of old kings being replaced by new kings.
From David to Solomon,
Rehoboam to Jeroboam,
Abijah and Bashar and Nadab and Ahab.
With every new king that has come,
the anticipation and the expectation has been
that things will get better.
There's a longing for something that is different.
Someone who can deliver on their promises.
Well, two big things we're going to see from our text this morning.
Here's the first.
New kings, same story.
The sad history of 1 Kings is that things get worse
rather than get better.
The once united kingdom is divided.
Instead of peace, there's war.
Instead of prosperity, there's a decline.
Not only do the kings repeat the same mistakes,
they begin to make new ones.
And we see all of this in our text.
First, let's look at Jehoshaphat,
king of Judah, king of the southern kingdom.
Verses 41 to 50 are a summary of his life.
Now, there's lots of good things that we see in his life.
Let's pick it up in verse 41.
Jehoshaphat, son of Asa,
became king of Judah in the fourth year of Ahab, king of Israel.
Jehoshaphat was 35 years old when he became king,
and he reigned in Jerusalem for 25 years.
So he certainly brought stability to the nation.
His mother's name was Azuba, daughter of Shili.
In everything he followed the ways of his father Asa,
and did not stray from them.
He did what was right in the eyes of the Lord.
I wonder if you remember his father, king Asa.
In chapter 15, we're told that Asa's heart was fully committed to the Lord all his life.
Asa was a good king.
And now Jehoshaphat, his son, is following in the father's ways.
In fact, his royal record proves it.
Look at verse 45.
As for all the other events of Jehoshaphat's reign,
the things he achieved, his military exploits,
are they not written in the book of the annals of the king of Judah?
He won lots of battles.
He did good things.
And he's concerned that people love God and worship God.
In verse 46, he rid the land of the rest of the male shrine prostitutes
who remained there even after the reign of his father Asa.
So these were shrines where prostitutes would have been,
and part of all that carried on was in some ways to enhance
or to bring fertility to the land for the rains to come and so forth.
But his father had left some of them behind.
And it's like, well, Jehoshaphat has done one better than his father.
He's got rid of them.
Loyalty, obedience, and a desire to keep the covenant
was a deep concern for him.
He's a good king.
But he's not good enough.
You see, Jehoshaphat overlooks sin in his life.
Let's pick it up again in verse 43.
Just the end of verse 43.
Asa did not stray from them.
He did what was right in the eyes of the Lord.
The high places, however, were not removed.
And the people continued to offer sacrifices and burn incense there.
The high places were pagan sites of worship.
It's not what God wants.
But the thinking was, well, at least it's not Baal worship.
It could have been worse.
And maybe it could have been worse.
But they still should have been removed.
Jerry Bridges, you will know him as an author,
wrote a book called Respectable Sins.
It highlights the sins that we think are acceptable.
The ones that we think are not too serious.
Things like anxiety and frustration.
Impatience and irritability.
Judgmentalism and unthankfulness.
Do you recognize any of those?
We put up with things like that, don't we?
We just say, well, that's just my personality.
It's the way I function.
And rather than deal with them and remove them,
we keep them.
Okay, it's not what God wants in my life,
but at least it's not Baal worship.
My life could be a whole lot worse.
At least I'm not getting drunk and having an affair.
Like Jehoshaphat.
We overlook our respectable sins.
And we point at the more serious ones and say,
well, at least I'm not like that.
Rather than remove them,
we hang on to them.
Well, he didn't just overlook sin.
He entertained sin.
Verse 44.
Jehoshaphat was also at peace with the king of Israel.
Sounds good, doesn't it?
Building bridges with your neighbour,
keeping in with those who are close by.
But not all is as it seems.
Look down at verse 48.
Now, Jehoshaphat built a fleet of trading ships
to go to Ophir for gold.
Ophir was way down south,
right down to the Red Sea,
and there was a port,
and there he got his fleet of ships
ready to sail across the Red Sea
to go looking for gold.
But they never set sail.
They were wrecked at the port of Ezion-Geber.
At the time,
Ahaziah, son of Ahab,
said to Jehoshaphat,
let my men sail with yours.
But Jehoshaphat refused.
What's all that about?
A bit of a strange kind of detail there
about building ships
that all got smashed up in a port.
Well, it seems Jehoshaphat
should not have been palling up
with the king of Israel
who had no time for God.
If you keep your finger there
in One Kings and just go forwards
past 2 Kings, 1 Chronicles
to 2 Chronicles chapter 20.
So keep going, 2 Kings,
1 Chronicles, 2 Chronicles chapter 20
and verse 35.
We are given a little bit of detail
that helps us understand
what was going on.
2 Chronicles chapter 20
verse 35.
Later, Jehoshaphat, king of Judah,
made an alliance with Ahaziah,
king of Israel,
whose ways were wicked.
He agreed with him
to construct a fleet of trading ships.
After these were built
at Ezion-Geber,
Eliezer, son of Dodavahu,
of Merahesha,
prophesied against Jehoshaphat,
saying,
Because you have made an alliance
with Ahaziah,
the Lord will destroy
what you have made.
The ships were wrecked
and were not able
to set sail to trade.
back to 1 Kings.
You see,
he shouldn't have been
piling up
with a wicked king.
Not only was he
overlooking sin
in his own life,
he was beginning
to entertain it
and absorb it
into his own life.
Not only ignoring it,
but intentionally
desiring it.
Now,
isn't that a picture
of our life?
We choose
to do things
and watch things
and say things
that we know are wrong.
We know what God's word says,
but because we like it,
we indulge our desires.
Or am I the only one
like that?
Well,
maybe Jehoshaphat's son
would learn from his father.
Jehoshaphat was good,
but not good enough.
Maybe his son,
verse 50,
would do a little bit better.
1 Kings 22,
verse 50,
Then Jehoshaphat
rested with his ancestors
and was buried with them
in the city of David,
his father.
And Jehoram,
his son,
succeeded him as king.
Surely he's going to do better.
A change in leadership
is always good,
isn't it?
Well,
just have a flick
through to
2 Kings 8,
verse 18.
2 Kings 8,
verse 18,
we give
a little insight
into Jehoram.
2 Kings 8,
verse 18,
He,
that's Jehoram,
followed the ways
of the kings of Israel
as the house of Ahab
had done,
for he married
a daughter of Ahab.
He did evil
in the eyes
of the Lord.
new king,
same old story.
Well,
let's look now
at Ahaziah,
king of Israel,
in the northern kingdom.
Let's see what he was like.
back to 1 Kings 22,
verse 51.
Ahaziah,
son of Ahab,
became king of Israel
in Samaria
in the 17th year
of Jehoshaphat,
king of Judah,
and he reigned
over Israel
for
two years.
Ahab,
he did evil
in the eyes
of the Lord.
Ahab,
whom we've been
looking at
recently,
was infamous
for holding
the title
of being
the most evil king,
and he wore
that title
proudly.
Chapter 16
tells us
that there was
never anyone
like Ahab
who sold himself
to do evil
in the eyes
of the Lord,
urged on
by his wife
Jezebel.
But it seems
now that his son
Ahaziah
wants the title
for himself.
Let's read
verse 52 again.
He did evil
in the eyes
of the Lord
because
he followed
the ways
of his father
Ahab
and his mother
Jezebel
and of Jeroboam,
son of Nebat,
who had caused
Israel
to sin.
This is evil
tripled.
It's the evil
of Ahab
who had
encouraged
Baal worship,
added to that
the evil
of Jezebel
who killed
prophets
for a hobby,
and it's the evil
of Jeroboam
who had split
the kingdom
in the first place
and introduced
idolatry
to the nation.
You see,
when we think
that evil
has reached
its climax
in the case
of Ahab,
well,
it's only
just the beginning.
Things
only get
worse.
A few years
ago,
we went
to Dachau.
It was the
first concentration
camp set up
by the Nazis.
It was to
become a model
for others
like Auschwitz
and Belsen.
And in the
main courtyard,
as we walked
around,
is this memorial
to those
who were murdered
in the camps.
It's a large
bronze sculpture
of skeleton-like
figures
who are caught
up in barbed
wire.
And at one
end of the
memorial is a
plaque
with just
two words
written in
Hebrew,
French,
German,
Russian,
and English.
And the
two words
simply say
this,
never
again.
Never
again
will there
be such
evil
done by
man.
The problem
is,
it continues
to happen
again
all the
time.
Since the
liberation of
those concentration
camps,
Pol Pot
saw the
slaughter of
1.7
million
Cambodians,
Pakistan
has overseen
the murder
of over a
million in
Bangladesh,
raping close
to half a
million women
on the
way.
In Rwanda,
in just
100 days,
Hutu and
Tutsi tribes
bludgeoned and
slashed each
other to
death,
1 million
dead in
100 days.
and there
is the
hundreds and
thousands who
are bombed to
bloody pieces
in Bosnia,
East Timor,
Darfur,
Iraq,
and in
Yemen.
Never
again we
say,
never
again.
When we
think evil
has reached
its climax,
it's only
just the
beginning.
And so
today,
our wonderful
country,
Ireland,
boasts one
of the most
liberal abortion
laws that
has ever
come into
being.
Things are
only getting
worse.
Yes,
justice will
be done.
Verse 53,
we're told
that Ahaziah
served and
worshipped
Baal,
and because of
that he aroused
the anger
of the
Lord,
the God
of Israel,
just as
his father
had done.
God's
righteous,
controlled
anger at
such horrible
evil will
mean justice
will be
done.
Judgment
will fall.
fall.
But in
the meantime,
evil only
increases.
You see,
whether it's
Ahaziah or
Jehoshaphat,
both are
failed kings.
It doesn't
matter if it's
outright rebellion
or just
passive rejection.
New king,
it's the
same old
story.
And let's
not forget,
this is
our story.
You and
I are
really no
better.
We might
point the
finger at
all the
evil in
the world,
but the
problem is,
we are
simply not
good enough.
Each new
generation
adds to
the decline.
Left to
ourselves,
we spiral
out of
control.
And let's
not kid
ourselves and
think that,
well,
if I were
king,
then things
would be
different.
That's what
Adam and
Eve said.
If I'm
king,
then this
world would
be different.
The history
of mankind
is a
catalogue
of terrible
failure.
So,
new
kings,
same
story.
The second
big thing
we want
to look
at is
new
king,
different
story.
First
kings may
be history,
but it
is history
with a
purpose.
You see,
the kings
may fail,
but God
remains
faithful.
The
consistent
message
throughout
the book
is that
God
will not
fail.
He will
see to it
that his
promises
are fulfilled.
God
will not
be
promised.
Well,
remember
what Solomon
had prayed
to the
Lord.
I have
it here
on the
screen.
It's
back in
chapter
8.
This
is what
Solomon
prayed.
Lord,
the God
of Israel,
there is
no God
like you
in heaven
above or
on earth
below.
You
who keep
your covenant
of love
with your
servants,
who continue
wholeheartedly
in your
way.
Now,
Lord,
the God
of Israel,
keep your
servant
David,
my father,
the promises
you made
to him
when you
said,
you shall
never fail
to have a
successor
to sit
before me
on the
throne of
Israel,
if only
your
descendants
are careful
in all
they do
to walk
before me
faithfully
as you
have done.
And now,
God of
Israel,
let your
word that
you promised
your servant
David,
my father,
come true.
Well,
we've read
and we've
looked at
the story.
The king's
kept failing,
but God
has kept
his promise
that he
would always
have a
king,
and he
would provide
a true
and faithful
king who
creates a
different story
for us
to live.
Matthew records
for us
the coming
of that
king.
I want us
to look
together to
Matthew's
gospel,
chapter 9.
Matthew's
gospel,
chapter 9.
Of course,
Matthew,
chapter 1,
opens by
telling us
the genealogy
of Jesus,
the Messiah,
the son
of David.
He was
God's
chosen
king.
So,
Matthew,
chapter 9,
verse
35.
And as
we look
at these
few verses
together,
there's
three things
that I
want us
to see.
As we
look at
this new
king who
brings a
different
story.
First,
a king
who brings
good news.
Look at
verse 35.
Jesus went
through all
the towns
and villages,
teaching in
their synagogues,
proclaiming
the good
news of
the kingdom
and healing
every disease
and illness.
Jesus came
as God's
promised king,
proclaiming a
message,
announcing,
proclaiming
that I am
God's king,
the one with
absolute power
and supreme
authority.
I am the
one who is
going to
bring about
a glorious
new rule
in people's
lives,
going to
establish a
kingdom
where there
is peace
and where
justice
reigns,
where there
is forgiveness
and where
hope is
offered,
a kingdom
where lives
are renewed
and restored.
I am the
king.
I am the
one who has
come to
establish
God's
promised
kingdom.
What you
are longing
for,
the fresh
start,
the better
future,
is all
fulfilled in
me,
says Jesus.
And Jesus
proved it
all by what
he did.
End of
verse 35,
he went
about healing
every disease
and illness,
restoring
and renewing.
A king
who comes
to bring
good news
because this
world is
desperately
needing
good news.
Second,
the good
news of
a king
who shepherds
his people.
Verse 36,
when Jesus
saw the
crowds,
he had
compassion
on them
because they
were harassed
and helpless
like sheep
without a
shepherd.
You see,
the kings
were also
known as
shepherds.
That was
what God
called them.
He said,
you are to
shepherd my
people.
But the
kings and
every leader
since has
not shepherded
the way God
has called
them to be.
And so
Jesus comes
as the
true shepherd
because sheep
are stupid
animals.
They don't
know the
right way
from the
wrong way.
They don't
even know
when they're
in danger.
They wander
off.
They cannot
even see
where they're
going.
And that's
the picture
that Jesus
paints of
people as
he looked
out on
the crowds
of people.
People just
like you
and me
and saw
them as
harassed
and helpless.
Jesus saw
lives broken
and ruined
by sinful
behaviours
and selfish
choices.
He saw
how helpless
people were
heading towards
hell not
even knowing
the danger
that they
were in.
And just
like sheep
need a
shepherd to
lead and
direct them
and show
them a way
to safety
so we need
a shepherd
king who
will lead
us and
bring us
to safety.
And that's
what the
shepherd Jesus
did.
He had
compassion.
he was
moved in
deep love
and he
did something
about it.
He gave
his life
on the
cross
taking all
our failures.
He rose
again from
the grave
defeating
death for
us.
And he
calls us
now and
says follow
me.
Submit
to me.
Surrender
to me.
Come and
live under
my rule
and my
authority.
For I
am good
and what
I give
to you
is only
right and
what is
best for
you.
Jesus
is the
true
shepherd
king who
comes to
bring good
news to
a world
and a
people who
are harassed
and helpless.
A king
that we
can trust
with our
lives.
A king
who will
do what
is right
and best.
But the
story doesn't
finish there
because this
is a king
who sends
out workers.
Verse 37
Then he
said to his
disciples,
the harvest
is plentiful
but the
workers
are few.
Let those
words settle.
he said
to his
disciples,
the harvest
is plentiful
but the
workers
are few.
I wonder
how you
see the
community
of
Carragaline
when you
drive up
and down
the street
you do
your
shopping
or how
you see
the people
of Ireland
people you
work with
people who
live next
door to
you.
Well
Jesus said
they're like
sheep,
they're harassed
and helpless.
They're wandering,
they're in
danger.
But you
see what he
also says?
He says
they're like
a harvest.
A harvest
that is
plentiful.
They are
ripe and
ready for
harvest.
The people
around us
Jesus says
it's not
my perspective
it's his
perspective.
these sheep
that are
wandering
around
following
false
promises
and living
according to
their own
desires
they are
waiting
and longing
for someone
to tell
them a
true
and better
story.
A story
of a shepherd
king
who gives
them life.
A king
who will
not overlook
evil
but will
punish it.
a king
who will
forgive
and welcome
them into
his eternal
kingdom.
That's what
Jesus sees.
But there's
a problem.
The harvest
is plentiful
but the
workers are
few.
Now I
know
that you
serve well.
I know
your stories.
I know
what we do
together as a
church.
Don't get me
wrong this is
not a stick
that I'm
going to
take out
and beat
us with
and say
serve more
do more
work harder.
you do
serve.
But here's
the challenge.
There is a
need I
believe for
more evangelists
more
church
planters
and more
pastors
in the
nation of
Ireland.
Ireland
has the
lowest
number of
believers
in all
the
English
speaking
countries
in the
world.
He is
calling us
to say
I am
looking for
people
who will
make
radical
life
changing
decisions
to work
for me.
Well you
sit there
and you
go well
I'm a
little bit
old and
I can't
really do
that sort
of thing.
yes you
can.
Well I'm
just starting
out in
life and
well I've
got to get
my exams
and I've
got to get
my career.
Well yes
you may
do but
there are
other
paths.
You say
well I'm
not trained
I couldn't
do this
sort of
thing.
I couldn't
be a
church
planter.
I can't
be a
pastor.
Well we
can give
you training.
no problem
there.
Yes it
may mean
that you
have to
move
house.
It may
mean a
little less
secure
income.
It will
mean
hardship
and struggle.
But Jesus
is looking
out on
the nation
of Ireland
and upon
the peoples
of the
world and
he sees
sheep
harassed and
helpless but
he says
they're ripe
they're ready
for the
harvest.
All it
needs is
for people
who will
go and
tell them
the better
story of a
shepherd king
who comes
to give
life.
How is
this going
to happen?
Well look
verse 38
ask the
Lord of
the harvest
therefore
to send
out workers
into his
harvest
field.
We're going
to pray.
We're going
to pray that
prayer right
now.
And I
invite you
where you
are
to pray
that the
Lord would
raise up
people from
within this
church.
Sunday
school's
going on.
Pray for
those children
that some
will become
evangelists,
church
planters,
pastors,
will go to
other nations
where the
gospel is
not known.
It may
mean you
don't see
them as
parents.
It may
mean that
you don't
see them
for many
years.
It may
mean they
even lose
their life.
let's
pray.
Father,
we thank
you
for
people
you sent
to us
to bring
the good
news of
the shepherd
king.
Thank you.