October: 200 Hundred Years
Some of the best stories we tell are done so through the lens of reflection. When we celebrate a cause or anniversary, it is a moment uniquely stamped in a particular time and place. Of course, anniversaries occur annually for all sorts of reasons, but we only experience them within the context of those moments. October of 2024 brings with it a unique point in time for Mt. Sharon Cumberland Presbyterian Church - a bicentennial celebration. For two-hundred years our congregation has gathered for worship, meals, baptisms, and service to our God. Throughout that time the focus has been on supporting the community around Mt. Sharon and unashamedly bringing the Gospel message to those in need. As we gaze to the future, we must assess the past.
Such a time came for God’s people during the reign of king Josiah. While trying to make sense of the culture around them, they had seemingly forgotten what it was to follow God‘s law. However, when Hilkiah the priest discovered the Book of Law it became the catalyst for revival:
2 Kings 22:8-23
8 Hilkiah the high priest said to Shaphan the court secretary, “I have found the Book of the Law in the Lord’s Temple!” Then Hilkiah gave the scroll to Shaphan, and he read it.
9 Shaphan went to the king and reported, “Your officials have turned over the money collected at the Temple of the Lord to the workers and supervisors at the Temple.” 10 Shaphan also told the king, “Hilkiah the priest has given me a scroll.” So, Shaphan read it to the king.
11 When the king heard what was written in the Book of the Law, he tore his clothes in despair. 12 Then he gave these orders to Hilkiah the priest, Ahikam son of Shaphan, Acbor son of Micaiah, Shaphan the court secretary, and Asaiah the king’s personal adviser: 13 “Go to the Temple and speak to the Lord for me and for the people and for all Judah. Inquire about the words written in this scroll that has been found. For the Lord’s great anger is burning against us because our ancestors have not obeyed the words in this scroll. We have not been doing everything it says we must do.”
The story doesn’t end there. Josiah initiated reforms which changed the landscape of his kingdom. Josiah had everything removed from the temple which wasn’t used to worship God; images of Baal and Asherah were thrown out, priests who assisted with idol worship were stripped of their power. The shrines, just outside the city gates, dedicated to false gods were destroyed. Judah had found their revival. The author of 2 Kings writes this about the Passover Celebration that year:
2 Kings 23:22-23
22 There had not been a Passover celebration like that since the time when the judges ruled in Israel, nor throughout all the years of the kings of Israel and Judah. 23 But in the eighteenth year of King Josiah’s reign, this Passover was celebrated to the Lord in Jerusalem.
Oh, to have been a witness to Passover during Josiah’s reign! It must have been quite the celebration for the people of God on that day. As Mt. Sharon prepares to celebrate two-hundred years as a congregation. I have prayed for a celebration as memorable as the Passover described in 2 Kings. One where reflection nudges us into a glorious realization of God’s favor. Let our realization be rooted in the understanding of the tomorrow we are chasing. We only get but a second to celebrate two-hundred years of history, then it’s part of the past which will be written about years from now. We won’t always know what events are worthy to be written about. It’s only those present who can share the story, tell the tales of the watershed moments which define purpose. Two-hundred years as a congregation will remain an important signpost in the annals of our denomination’s history. Let us celebrate that day with a quiet confidence and holy pride, which has never been witnessed. May we find revival in longevity. May we remain faithful through God’s favor.
