Jump Start # 1305

1 Kings 15:12-13 “He also put away the male cult prostitutes from the land and removed all the idols which his father had made. He also removed Maacah his mother from being queen mother, because she had made a horrid image as an Asherah; and Asa cut down her horrid image and burned it at the brook Kidron. 

  Our last Jump Start focused upon the first good king of Judah, Asa. Near the end of his life he did not seek the Lord as he should have. There is another great lesson from Asa that we must mention. Our two verses today illustrate the courageous faith that it often takes to stand up to your own family.

The father and grandfather of Asa were not men of God. They worshipped idols and built them throughout the land. Asa was cut from a different cloth than they were. Instead of just continuing what they had done, he took the nation back to God. He was different. He took a stand for God and did two nationally identified things. He removed the idols his father had established.

This was not something that was secret or down only in the king’s palace. Throughout the land the idols were everywhere. The nation was engaged in praising these pagan gods. Then one day they are gone. All of them. People would have noticed. “What happened to the idols?” would have been the breaking news of the day. Then he removed his mother from being the queen. That took a lot of courage. It’s one thing if one of your kids were acting up, or even your sister, but your Mom. He destroyed the horrid image that she had made, took her crown and her position.

Asa demonstrates to us that sometimes even within our families, we must make a stand for God. This is something so few can do. It is hard to see that dad is wrong spiritually. I doubt that Asa mom went down easy. There must have been some harsh discussions and I wonder if Asa came with soldiers and literally removed her. And after that, I expect mamma wasn’t much in the mood to talk to Asa any more. It may have killed what relationship they had.

Asa wasn’t the only person to go through this difficult situation. The many Jews in the first century, some of them priests, others officials in the synagogues, came to realize that Jesus was the Christ. They became believers. They worshipped on Sunday, and not Saturday as their families had done. How difficult that must have been for them. Jesus warned that when the persecution arose, parents would turn their children in to authorities because the children were disciples.

Asa shows us the importance of having our own faith and not just going along because our family has always done this. Today, it means looking in your Bible and following the truth wherever it takes you. That journey may open your eyes that your parents did not follow the Bible. It may make you see that your mom wasn’t right with God. It’s then that you must decide what you will do.

Some don’t have the faith nor the courage as Asa did. They find a way in their confused minds to continue doing what dad did. They come up with an excuse. They continue the family tradition of being wrong.

Some don’t want to know. So they don’t. They stay on the superficial, surface level of faith and are content to think everyone has to do what is right for them.

Some become like Asa. They not only recognize that mom and dad were wrong, they try to undo the wrong that they did. Down go the idols. Off comes the queen’s crown.

Many of us, myself included, have grown up with families that studied the Bible and tried to worship God the right way. Even in that they may be some things that we do not see eye to eye on, but nothing like what Asa went through. It’s hard for us to appreciate, understand or know what others have gone through.

I have some dear friends who left the faith of their parents because it wasn’t Biblical. Their leaving caused a lot of tension in the family. Harsh things were said by the parents and other family members. They were regarded as rebels and viewed as insulting the family. Family get togethers were often stressful. For some, they were not even invited. Years have past, and still the subject cannot be discussed because some in the family just do not what to hear it. God bless those, who like Asa, had to do the right things. The faith of their parents did not keep them from following God.

Today, the lessons of Asa are lived out every day. Do I stand with God or with family and friends? Do I tear down what my father did or do I go along with what he did? Each of us must have our own faith. Each of us must take our own stance with God. It is difficult for the young person. A young man or a young lady starts dating a Christian. Often, they haven’t thought too much about God or the Bible. They believe but not too much. They start attending services with their date. They see things and hear things and conversations take place. The Christian wants her boyfriend to become a believer. Now, for the first time, he thinks about things. He realizes his parents do things much differently. They are a bit looser with things. The Bibles are opened. He reads. He thinks. He sees what the Bible says. Then he stands at the crossroads with Asa. Do I do what is right or do I simply stay the way I have been? His parents start fussing at him. Now will he be able to stand up and do what is right?

Be patient. Pray. Study. Show. Illustrate. Those are all the necessary things to getting someone to open their eyes. Trusting Jesus. In some families, the choice to follow Jesus meant moving out of the house. They were no longer welcome at home. For others, it was the first step to leading their parents into the truth.

God bless those who stand where Asa did. May you trust the Lord and do the right thing. It may be hard, but with God’s help you can do it. Don’t just accept things. Know why. Ask for proof from the Bible. Think for yourself. Be a disciple of Jesus.

Roger