Take and Read

Order of Service

• Call to Worship — Psalm 138:4-8
• Hymn — Psalm 138B: With Grateful Heart My Thanks I Bring
• Prayer of Invocation
• Heidelberg Catechism — Lord's Day 46, Questions 120–121
• Hymn — Psalm 91B: Who with God Most High Finds Shelter (#91B)
• Prayer
• Scripture Reading — 2 Kings 22:3-13
• Scripture Reading — 2 Kings 23:24-25
• Scripture Reading — John 16:13-14
• Sermon
• Hymn — Speak, O Lord (#172)
• Benediction — Numbers 6:24-26

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Sermon Title: Take and Read

Scripture: 2 Kings 22:3-13, 2 Kings 23:24-25, John 16:13-14

I. Introduction: The Word as the Chief Means of Grace

A. This sermon begins a series on the ordinary means of grace — the Word, the sacraments, and prayer (Westminster Shorter Catechism, Q. 88) B. The Word is the chief means — the heart and soul of all the means of grace C. WSC Q. 89: The Spirit of God makes the reading, but especially the preaching of the Word, an effectual means of salvation D. Moses provides the pattern: he took the book of the covenant and read it before the people (Exodus 24) E. Two points: Read God's Word (1) believingly and (2) spiritually

II. Read God's Word Believingly

A. The narrative of King Josiah (2 Kings 22:3-13)

1. Josiah becomes king at age eight; his grandfather Manasseh was among the most wicked kings of Judah
2. Josiah is one of only three kings after David said to walk in all the ways of David
3. In the 18th year of his reign, a routine temple repair project leads to the discovery of the Book of the Law

B. The book is found and read aloud to King Josiah

1. When Josiah hears the words of the Book of the Law, he tears his robes — a sign of grief and being cut to the heart (v. 11)
2. No exposition is added; just the Word read — and Josiah believes it is God's Word
3. He believes God is holy, righteous, and just; that he and his people are guilty before God
4. He inquires of the Lord, acknowledging the wrath of God is kindled because the covenant has been broken

C. The result of Josiah's belief (2 Kings 23:24-25)

1. Josiah leads the people in covenant renewal and sweeping religious reform across Judah
2. Deuteronomy 17 required the king to make and keep a personal copy of the Word — kings for generations had neglected this duty
3. God works his grace for Josiah — and preserves a remnant in Judah — through the means of the Word read

D. Augustine's conversion in the garden (Confessions)

1. Distressed and wrestling with his love of sin, Augustine hears a child's voice saying "Take it and read"
2. He opens the Scripture to Romans 13:13-14 and reads of putting on the Lord Jesus Christ
3. "In an instant, as I came to the end of the sentence, it was as though the light of confidence flooded into my heart and all the darkness of doubt was dispelled"
4. The reading of the Word proved a means of God's grace for Augustine

E. Application: How do you read the Scriptures?

1. Do you read believing they are the very Word of God — convicting of sin, announcing God's greatness, directing life to his glory?
2. The Word is living and active, sharper than any sword — let us believe its power

III. Read God's Word Spiritually

A. The question raised by Josiah's response: how can reading a dusty book produce such evident heart reformation?

1. Many people read the words of Scripture — some devote entire academic careers to it — yet remain unchanged
2. Two people can sit together reading the same Bible; one walks away untouched, the other is utterly transformed
3. The difference lies in the work of the Spirit of God

B. The Spirit works through the Word as it is read (John 16:13-14)

1. Jesus' upper room discourse (John 14–16) repeatedly announces the coming of the Holy Spirit — the Helper, Counselor, Spirit of truth
2. The Spirit will guide Christ's people into all truth (v. 13) — truth found only in the Word of Christ
3. The Spirit's work is to glorify Christ: "He will take what is mine and declare it to you" (v. 14)
4. The Spirit's ministry is a Word ministry — to reveal Christ by the Word, especially in preaching but also in reading

C. Caution: the means do not work automatically

1. Some traditions teach that the means work by the mere performance of them (ex opere operato)
2. Apart from the Spirit of God, the Word has no light and no heat — it is God's chosen instrument, but a tool must be wielded
3. Isaiah 55:11: "It shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose" — this is the Spirit's work

D. The Spirit as tour guide and field guide

1. As tour guide: the Spirit takes you room by room through all the truth of Christ, opening blind eyes to see him (1 Corinthians 2)
2. As field guide: the Spirit is the one whose badge grants access to the field — to all the benefits Christ has won for his people
3. The Spirit does not merely show you Christ; he leads you into Christ, who is the truth, working faith as the Word is read

E. Application: Come to the Word with humility

1. The Word is not like a TV remote — we do not tell it what to do; we are at the mercy of the Spirit of God
2. Pray Psalm 119:18 before reading: "Open my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of your law"
3. J. C. Ryle: "Our God is a God who works by means, and he will never bless the soul of that man who pretends to be so high and spiritual that he can get on without them"
4. Go to the Word with urgency and expectation; put it in the hands of your children, pleading with God to use it in their lives
5. The river cut off from its source will dry up — the person cut off from the means of the Word will run spiritually dry