Doing What Is Right (2 Chronicles 34:2)
Sermon Summary
Pastor David Yan
5 January 2020
Doing what is right is not easy, especially when doing so will prove costly.
King Josiah is a good example of someone who did what was right.
He is a forerunner of Jesus Christ who is the perfect example of someone who always did what was right.
How do you do what is right?
It is good to start young. Josiah was 8 years old when he became King. In his youth and young adulthood he did what was right. Jesus also did what was right. As a 12 year old boy he was in the Jewish temple interacting with religious leaders over the things of God. Let us learn from childhood to do what is right. Let us teach our children to do what is right.
Let us do what is right even though we live in an evil age. Josiah lived in evil times. His father and grandfather were wayward men. But Josiah still did what was right even though surrounded by bad examples. Jesus likewise went about doing good even though surrounded by fallen humanity.
Be aware that our lives are lived before an all-seeing God. Josiah did what was right in the sight of God. People would be considerably sobered if they realised that the Lord watches them. How precious is the testimony of Jesus of whom the heavenly Father could say “This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased.”
Learn to follow good examples. Josiah walked in the ways of David and although David was not perfect he was nevertheless a man after God's own heart. Josiah emulated David. We should emulate the greater Son of David who is Jesus.
Do not divert from doing what is right. Josiah did not turn aside to the right hand or to the left. Jesus was not diverted from obeying the Father. He set his face like a flint to go to Jerusalem to die.
Doing what is right means action. Josiah instituted religious reform all over the land. This was the right thing to do.
How do we know what is right? Three things to help us.
Follow the Bible. The Ten Commandments are a start to know what is right. It is dangerous to stop teaching the Ten Commandments to our young people. How will they distinguish right from wrong if they have no standard to go by?
Have the mind of Christ in you. Believers have Christ living in their hearts. His mind is in us (Philippians 2:6). If Christ rules our hearts we will be able to do what is right.
Listen to conscience. Conscience is given by God to everyone. When faced with difficult situations the conscience is a good means of judging what is right. May the Lord help us to always do what is right.