Sermons
January 16th, 2022 by Pastor Solley011622AM Walk
Sub. Walk
Theme: Walking with the Lord.
Text: 2 Chron 7:17-22
“Walk” 2 Chron 7:11-22
Introduction
I want to speak to you this morning about a walk, a walk through this world, a walk with the Lord, about a spiritual walk, about a walk that matters to the Lord and one that should matter to the child of God. I hear from people from time to time that it doesn’t so much matter to God how we live or how we walk in this world as long as one is born again. To be born again is of upmost importance of course, but does it matter to God how we walk in this world?
I. In 2 Cor 7 God pleads with Solomon to walk with Him: 2 Chron 7:17-22 About ten years before this God appeared to Solomon and gave the young king leave to ask for anything he wanted. – 2 Chron 1:7-12 – The request of Solomon so pleased the Lord that Solomon was blessed beyond anything he could even have imagined to ask for.
A. About ten years later we find God again calling out to Solomon in the night: 2 Chron 7:12 But this time God has something to ask of Solomon. – 2 Chron 7:17 The first time God was concerned about Solomon’s intentions, this time God is concerned with Solomon’s walk or actions.
1. Solomon had as good a beginning as one could ask for: His intentions were good, his prayer was for wisdom so he could serve the Lord in sincerity and in truth. And Solomon had been doing just that and was well on the way to surpassing David as king.
2. But a change began to take place in Solomon: And his actions were not matching his intentions. So God speaks to Solomon again.
3. Now God is concerned with Solomon’s walk: 2 Chron 7:17-22 So concerned was God that not only was a plea set before king Solomon but a warning was issued as well. That because God knew what was going to take place in the life of Solomon.
4. God knew that Solomon was going to turn away from walking with the Lord, walking with God:
B. I wonder in my mind if when Solomon returned to a walk with the Lord at the end of his life, after so many wasted years, so many empty years according to his own testimony, I wonder if he thought of these words? 2 Chron 7:17 “Walk before me”.
II. I want to speak today of a walk with God, a walk with the Lord: Is God concerned with our walk?
A. God certainly knows and is concerned with our intentions: Just as concerned as God was with the intentions of Solomon and just as pleased with us as God was with Solomon when our intentions are what they should be, God is pleased with us.
B. God is also concerned with our walk: Just as concerned with our walk before Him today as God was concerned with the walk of Solomon. Moving past our intentions this morning, what of our walk?
PROP: God is concerned with our walk and with that in mind I would like to look at several ways we ought to walk with God as found in the Bible. TS. Does our walk match our intentions?
Body
I. The walk that is before God: 2 Chron 7:17 This is not walking in front of God, not going before God as in leading God as the language may seem to suggest. This is a walk of Divine inspection, a walk that opens our life to inspection of God. It is a walk of examination. – 2 Chron 7:17
A. It is interesting that God holds David up as an example to Solomon: 2 Chron 7:17 Anyone who studies the life of David knows that David was not a perfect man. God never says of David what God said of Job. There are some in the Bible of which there is nothing negative said about them at all, David is not one of them. David had many faults, many times when he stumbled and fell in his walk with the Lord. But God holds David up as an example to Solomon in his walk. – 2 Chron 7:17 – Why?
1. Because David was willing to open his life up to Divine inspection: Ps 139:23-24 Other than a prayer of salvation this is perhaps the most important prayer in the life of David. – Ps 139:23-24 – David was willing to open his life up to Divine inspection.
2. David never remained in sin for a long time: We could look this morning at the times David sinned and the times he stumbled and fell in his walk with the Lord and there are many. But David never remained in sin for a long time.
a. David was not like King Saul who because of sin damaged his life beyond repair and that sin destroyed him.
b. David was not like Samson who because of sin damaged his life beyond repair and that sin destroyed him.
c. David never remained in sin for a long time. David was chastened by God, paid a price for sin, but did not remain in sin.
3. I see this as a constant prayer in the life of David: Ps 139:23-24 David was willing to open his life up to Divine inspection.
4. As God revealed sin in the life of David, David reacted in the right way: Ps 51:1-10 David didn’t ignore sin, didn’t claim that sin did not matter to God, did not continue in sin. When God showed David his walk was not right David reacted in the right way.
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a. David pleaded for the mercy of God. – Ps 51:1
b. David confessed his sin. – Ps 51:3-4
c. David asked for forgiveness and cleansing. – Ps 51:7-10
d. And David was restored. – Ps 51:11-12
5. God now pleads for Solomon to be like David: 2 Chron 7:17 And as for thee, if thou wilt walk before me, as David thy father walked, and do according to all that I have commanded thee, and shalt observe my statues and my judgments;
B. So does God want the believer in Christ today to walk before Him: Consider these verses about our walk before God found in the New Testament. – Rom 6:4 ; Rom 13:13-14 ; Gal 5:16 ; Eph 4:1 ; Eph 5:15-16 ; Col 1:10 ; 1 Thess 2:12 The word walk is found 65 times in the New Testament, we limited ourselves to just seven this morning. Would you say God is concerned with our walk?
1. But am I willing, as David was, to open up my life to Divine inspection and walk before God? How many or how few born again believers today are willing to pray as David did? – Ps 139:23-24 Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: 24 And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.
2. Then how many or how few will react the way David did? Ps 51:4 Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest.
3. How many or how few are willing to turn the search light of the Word of God upon their lives in order to walk before God? The reason that many are not willing to open up their lives to Divine inspection is that we don’t want to make changes that will demand.
a. David made changes as the search light of God was turned upon his life and God was pleased.
b. Sadly Solomon would not.
C. It seems in our day that the changes professing Christians make move them farther away from a walk before God: When met with conviction instead of reacting like David they react like Solomon and move farther away from God, do not want to walk before God.
1. They don’t like the way that church does things so they go someplace else: Do they go to the pastor, ask if they can pray with the pastor, ask why this practice? No, they just move away from a walk before God.
2. They get upset at preaching: Do they go to the pastor, ask if they can pray with the pastor, ask why this preaching? No, they just move away from a walk before God.
3. Most like the path of Solomon, do things their way, than the path of David:
D. The walk that is before God: 2 Chron 7:17 This is a walk of Divine inspection, a walk that opens our life to inspection of God. It is a walk of examination. – 2 Chron 7:17
II. The walk with God: Gen 5:22-24 This is a walk of Divine companionship and fellowship, a walk with God. – Gen 5:22-24
A. Enoch is one of those in the Bible of whom there is nothing negative said about him: One could say that is because there is not a great deal said about Enoch and that is true. But what is said about Enoch speaks volumes. He walked with God. – Gen 5:24
1. Enoch walked with God in a day when few others would: He has a great grandson that most are familiar with, Noah.
2. Enoch served God in a day when few others would: According to Jude 14 Enoch was a prophet preaching the Word of God.
3. Enoch lived a life pleasing to God when few others would: According to Heb 11:5 Enoch pleased God.
4. Enoch not only walked before God, Enoch walked with God as well: This speaks to me of the sincerity of Enoch and his walk.
a. Enoch did not make changes in his life because he had to, or was obligated to.
b. Enoch made changes in his life so he could be closer to God, so he could have fellowship and companionship with God.
5. Enoch lived a New Testament truth in an Old Testament age: 1 John 1:3-7 Enoch walk in companionship and fellowship with God at a time when few others, very few others did.
B. A walk with God in true fellowship with God has become a rare thing in our day and age: Almost as rare as it was in Enoch’s day. The word fellowship in the Bible is mostly a New Testament word. The word fellowship is found only two times in the Old Testament and fifteen times in the New Testament so it is mostly a New Testament word.
1. I know fellowship is important to God and brings joy to the Christian: 1 John 1:3-4 Why then would a walk with God, a walk in companionship with God, a walk in fellowship with God be a rare thing?
2. It is because of what a walk with God, a walk in companionship and fellowship demands: The Bible says in Heb 11:5 that Enoch pleased God. Enoch did not please friends, did not please family, did not please co-workers, Enoch pleased God. A walk that pleases God will demand some things.
a. If I choose to walk in fellowship with God I must please Jesus first. – 1 Cor 1:9
b. If I chose to walk in fellowship with God I must separate from sin and the world. – 1 Cor 10:20-21 ; 2 Cor 6:14
c. If I chose to walk in fellowship with God I must put others before myself and serve Jesus. – 2 Cor 8:4
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d. If I chose to walk in fellowship with God I may have to submit to suffering with Christ. – Phil 3:10
e. If I chose to walk in fellowship with God I am going to have to walk in the light. – 1 John 1:6-7
3. A walk with God, a walk in companionship and fellowship with God will cost something: That is why it is such a rare thing. A walk with God was rare in Enoch’s day and it is a rare thing in our day.
4. But a walk with God is a walk that brings a fulness of joy: 1 John 1:4
C. The walk with God: Gen 5:22-24 This is a walk of Divine companionship and fellowship, a walk with God. – Gen 5:22-24
III. The walk after God: 2 John 6 This is a walk of Divine leadership, a walk after God. God’s command for Israel was that they walk after God, walk after Divine leadership. – Deut 13:4 Ye shall walk after the Lord your God, and fear him, and keep his commandments, and obey his voice, and ye shall serve him, and cleave unto him. – Now I find the same command for Christians. – 2 John 6
A. Study the history of God’s people in the Old Testament and you find that when they walked after God all was well and when they did not all things were anything but well: Follow God, walk after God and all was well. Turn away from God and nothing went well.
1. So over and over God warns them not to follow false prophets, not to follow after other gods, not to follow the way of the heathen: Over and over God warns them.
2. But they turned away from God and are still paying a price for not following, not walking after God:
B. There are many ways for the Christian to follow today: 2 John 6-7 So many deceivers today giving another path to follow. They are described in the book of Jude as well. – Jude 16-18 – And many of those ways sound good.
1. They have great swelling words: Jude 16 Words that are sweet, words that sound good to itching ears, words that never offend.
2. And they lift up men: Jude 16 This man is lifted up and that man is lifted up.
3. But they are not walking after God: Jude 18
4. These ones have made a mockery of the church and those that follow the new wave are being deceived:
C. God wants us to be found following Him: 2 John 6 In our lives and in our church God wants us following Him, God wants a Divine leadership established.
ILL. Not all that we do here is the way it was done in the Bible. For example, in the early church they met everyday of the week, the Bible says they met daily…In the early church the services were long…In the early church they publicly called out sinners…Not all we do is like they did it in the Bible but all we do needs to be Bible based and after Divine leadership…
1. So we will not change Bibles as long as this verse is true: Prov 30:5 Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him.
2. We will not change the singing as long as this verse is true: Eph 5:19 Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord;
3. We will not change from the Bible until the Bible is no longer true:
4. And in my life I need to be following Divine leadership: Ps 32:8-9 People wonder at times how to follow after God.
a. Follow the Bible. Every area of life is covered in the Bible. Physical life, spiritual life, family life, social life, financial life, recreation life, all covered in the Bible.
b. Our lives would be much better off if we just quit following the deceivers and followed God.
D. The walk after God: 2 John 6 This is a walk of Divine leadership, a walk after God. God’s command for Israel was that they walk after God, walk after Divine leadership.
IV. A walk in God: Col 2:6-7 This is a walk of Divine indwelling. Now we know that the Holy Spirit of God indwells every born again child of God at the moment of salvation. According to Ephesians one we have a Divine indwelling. There is no second blessings we must wait for or pray for. The very moment we are born again the Holy Spirit indwells us, takes up residence in us.
A. But this Divine indwelling is one that can be felt and seen: Col 2:6 That we are walking in Christ to the point that we can feel His presence and others can see that presence in us. Is that possible? Yes.
1. How is it that Ruth caught the eye of Boaz? I know that is Old Testament, but what stood out about Ruth?
a. She was not the only female gleaner in that field. Most were females who were gleaning the fields of Boaz.
b. It wasn’t her beauty. She would have been dusty, dirty and sweaty just like all the others.
c. It wasn’t the sweet sound of her voice. Boaz never talked with her.
d. It was her walk in the Lord that made Ruth stand out.
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2. What was it that made Peter and John stand out to the council: What did they take note of?
a. It wasn’t their soothing voices.
b. It wasn’t a message of love that offended no one.
c. It was their walk in the Lord that made them stand out.
B. The world needs to see our walk in the Lord, it is their only hope of salvation: Col 1:26-27 When we are walking in the Lord His presence in us will be felt as well as seen by others.
1. Our faces may not glow as did the face of Moses when he came down from the mount:
2. We may not always feel like we are on the mountain top as it seems with Elisha:
3. We may not always feel like singing at midnight as Paul did:
4. But we will be able to feel the presence of God and others will take note that there is something different about us: Col 1:27
a. If you profess to be saved this morning but never feel the presence of God in your life there is most likely a problem.
b. If you profess to be saved and others see no difference in you there most likely is a problem.
5. A walk in God is one where His presence can be seen: Col 1:26-27
C. A walk in God: Col 2:6-7 This is a walk of Divine indwelling.
Conclusion
We have looked at four different walks this morning and will end with this question. How is your walk today?
I. The walk that is before God: 2 Chron 7:17 This is not walking in front of God, not going before God as in leading God as the language may seem to suggest. This is a walk of Divine inspection, a walk that opens our life to inspection of God. It is a walk of examination. – 2 Chron 7:17
II. The walk with God: Gen 5:22-24 This is a walk of Divine companionship and fellowship, a walk with God. – Gen 5:22-24
III. The walk after God: 2 John 6 This is a walk of Divine leadership, a walk after God. God’s command for Israel was that they walk after God, walk after Divine leadership. – Deut 13:4 Ye shall walk after the Lord your God, and fear him, and keep his commandments, and obey his voice, and ye shall serve him, and cleave unto him. – Now I find the same command for Christians. – 2 John 6
IV. A walk in God: Col 2:6-7 This is a walk of Divine indwelling. Not we know that the Holy Spirit of God indwells every born again child of God at the moment of salvation. According to Ephesians one we have a Divine indwelling. There is no second blessings we must wait for or pray for. The very moment we are born again the Holy Spirit indwells us, takes up residence in us.