Introduction

Good morning, beloved family of God. We are gathered here today, not as mere spectators, but as active participants in the divine dance of faith. We are here, not as isolated individuals, but as a community, a body, a family, united by the love of Christ and the fellowship of the Spirit. We are here to soak in the wisdom of the Word, to be molded by its truths, and to be moved by its power.

Charles Spurgeon once said, "A Bible that’s falling apart usually belongs to someone who isn’t." This reflects the profound importance of the Word of God in our lives. It is not merely a book to be read, but a life to be led. It is not merely a text to be studied, but a truth to be lived. It is the very breath of God, the very heart of God, the very voice of God speaking to us, shaping us, and sustaining us.

Today, we will be focusing on the life and ministry of Ezra, a man who was deeply committed to the Word of God, and how his dedication to Scripture brought about transformation and renewal among God's people. Our Scripture passage for today is from Ezra 7:6-10 and Nehemiah 8:1-8.

Ezra came up from Babylon. He was a teacher well versed in the Law of Moses, which the Lord, the God of Israel, had given. The king had granted him everything he asked, for the hand of the Lord his God was on him. Some of the Israelites, including priests, Levites, musicians, gatekeepers and temple servants, also came up to Jerusalem in the seventh year of King Artaxerxes. Ezra arrived in Jerusalem in the fifth month of the seventh year of the king. He had begun his journey from Babylon on the first day of the first month, and he arrived in Jerusalem on the first day of the fifth month, for the gracious hand of his God was on him. For Ezra had devoted himself to the study and observance of the Law of the Lord, and to teaching its decrees and laws in Israel.

Dedication of Ezra to the Divine Word

Ezra was a man of exceptional dedication. His commitment was not to a cause, a career, or a craft, but to the Divine Word. The Scriptures tell us that he was a teacher well versed in the Law of Moses. He was not just familiar with the Law, he was well versed in it. He had immersed himself in it, soaked in it, lived in it. His life was a testament to the power and the primacy of the Word of God.

The Scriptures also tell us that Ezra had devoted himself to the study and observance of the Law of the Lord. He was not just a student of the Word, he was a practitioner of it. He did not just learn the Law, he lived it. He did not just read the Word, he obeyed it. His dedication to the Word was not just intellectual, it was practical. It was not just theoretical, it was experiential. He was not just a hearer of the Word, he was a doer of it.

Ezra's dedication to the Word was also communal. He was not just a private student of the Word, he was a public teacher of it. He did not just study the Law, he taught it. He did not just observe the Word, he shared it. His dedication to the Word was not just personal, it was communal. It was not just private, it was public. He was not just a learner of the Word, he was a leader in it.

Ezra's dedication to the Word brought about transformation and renewal among God's people. When he brought out the Book of the Law and read it aloud to the people, they listened attentively. They were moved by the Word. They were changed by it. They were renewed by it. Ezra's dedication to the Word was not just transformative, it was renewing. It was not just life-changing, it was life-giving. He was not just a teacher of the Word, he was a transformer through it.

Discovery of Transformation through Scripture

The first thing we notice is the communal reading of the Law ... View this full PRO sermon free with PRO