Lost Message of the Church — E.A. Johnston

Josiah Discovers the Lost Book of the Law

In the book of second Kings and chapter 22 We have the record of King Josiah's rule over Judah and a recorded event That is simply startling to read friends when some repair work was being done on the temple a great discovery was made.

The Book of the Law Is Found in the Temple

We pick up the narrative in verse 8 and following. And Hilkiah the high priest said unto Shapan the scribe I have found the book of the law In the house of the Lord and Hilkiah gave the book to Shapan and he read it.

A Generation That Had Forgotten God's Word

Let me pause here to say friends this book of the law had been missing for several decades because Josiah didn't begin repair work on the temple Until he was in his 18th year of his reign as king. The younger generation Had grown up without it and they didn't miss it because they didn't know about it.

Josiah Responds to the Recovered Law

So here we see a priest and a scribe Excited about this great discovery and they read the book with interest. Let's continue with our text. And Shapan the scribe came to the king and brought the king word again and said The servants have gathered the money that was found in the house and have delivered it Into the hand of them that do the work that have the oversight of the house of the Lord and Shapan the scribe showed the king saying Hilkiah the priest hath delivered me a book and Shapan read it before the king.

And it came to pass When the king heard the words of the book of the law that he rent his clothes and the king commanded Hilkiah the priest and Hicam the son of Shapan and Agbor the son of Micaiah and Shapan the scribe and Isaiah a servant of the king saying Go ye Inquire the Lord for me and for the people and for all of Judah Concerning the words of this book that is found.

For great is the wrath of the Lord that is Candled against us because our fathers have not hearkened unto the words of this book to do According all that was written concerning us. Well, it's obvious friends from the striking passage of scripture that the young king Josiah is burdened by the Recent discovery of this copy of the law that was found in the temple and he calls a holy Convocation to seek God's face and to do something about it.

He realizes that the full counsel of God has been omitted from the religious duties. He realizes the danger of this omission. It's jeopardized the entire safety of the kingdom and it's brought God's anger Against them and this young king Places the blame of this great omission on the preceding generation.

The Church's Omission of Repentance

I believe friends That the church in this country is in the same mess today as those Jews and the days of Josiah. We too have dropped the ball. We preachers have not been fully truthful. Would folks and have preached a different gospel than the one found in my Bible?

We have failed in our duty to preach the full counsel of God. Because we have omitted the doctrine of repentance from the gospel message. We get folks to only believe and then we tell them they're now Christians.

There is no law work anymore in regard to the gospel where man is held up against God's strict and Unbending law and shown he has failed that test and deserves Condemnation because all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.

This law work shows man his duty of repentance if he has any hope of Getting into God's holy heaven. We read in Mark's gospel in chapter 6 and verse 12. What the message of the early church was as far as what the early disciples preached?

The Apostolic Call to Repentance

The mission of the 12 was this and they went out and preached that man should repent. And there was the message friends of the Apostle Paul as well. Who wrote in Acts 17 30. And the times of this ignorance God winked at but now?

Repentance as Necessary for Salvation

Commandeth all men everywhere to Repent. I'm gonna be honest with you today friends unless you repent you will surely go to hell even if you are the chairman of the deacons. We've diluted the modern gospel to make it more palatable to sinful man.

But it won't cut the mustard on judgment day if you've missed repentance. You've missed salvation. You must be born from above and washed in the blood. Let me close this message with a story about a very Important topic that I heard which was Billy Graham's greatest regret.

Billy Graham's Regret About Preaching Repentance

Years ago. I was at a pastor's conference in the South and I met Jim Wilson who was Billy Graham's nephew and he shared with me a Story that I want to share with you today friends. Jim was visiting his uncle Billy a couple of years before Billy Graham died.

They were sitting on the porch of the Graham home in, North Carolina. And Jim Wilson asked Billy Graham a question. He said Uncle Billy if you had to do it all over again What would be the most? Singular thing you would have changed about your ministry.

And he said Billy Graham got a faraway look in his eye and after a long pause He said I would have preached repentance more. And we preachers better buckle down and do the same. We better start warning men and women and boys and girls of their duty of repentance.

The Cross, Resurrection, and Exaltation of Christ

If they want any hope of finding pardon from sin in a blood-stained Savior. Who suffered and died at Calvary who was buried and who rose again? And who ascended back into heaven where it now sits on a throne at the right hand of the Father.

And he earned that right by way of a bloody cross.