God Moves People And Goods

I. EXORDIUM:

Are you moved by GOD?

II. AUDIENCE PROFILE:

Believers

III. OBJECTIVES:

To show that GOD moves both you and your belongings.

IV. TEXT:

Ezra 1:6 (New Living Translation, Second Edition)

And all their neighbors assisted by giving them articles of silver and gold, supplies for the journey, and livestock. They gave them many valuable gifts in addition to all the voluntary offerings.

V. THESIS:

GOD moves both you and your belongings for He first moved 2000 years ago.

VI. TITLE:

GOD moves people and goods

VII. EXPLICATION:

A. Author: unknown. Ezra might have been the compiler

B. Date written: 450 B.C.

C. Purpose: To document GOD's faithfulness, keeping His promises, sovereignly protecting His People and returned them to their own land.

D. To whom written: Jerusalem's restored remnant and future generations.

E. Main theme: Return of the Jews from Babylonian captivity

F. Keywords: Word of GOD, Power of the Word of GOD in human life, Word of the LORD

G. Key verses:

Ezra 1:3 (New Living Translation, Second Edition)

Any of you who are his people may go to Jerusalem in Judah to rebuild this Temple of the Lord, the God of Israel, who lives in Jerusalem. And may your God be with you!

Ezra 7:10 (New Living Translation, Second Edition)

This was because Ezra had determined to study and obey the Law of the Lord and to teach those decrees and regulations to the people of Israel.

VIII. MAIN BODY:

A. All their neighbors assisted

"And all their neighbors assisted"

1. GOD moves the hearts of people

Luke 21:1-4 (New Living Translation, Second Edition)

While Jesus was in the Temple, he watched the rich people dropping their gifts in the collection box.

Then a poor widow came by and dropped in two small coins.

“I tell you the truth,” Jesus said, “this poor widow has given more than all the rest of them.

For they have given a tiny part of their surplus, but she, poor as she is, has given everything she has.”

1 Chronicles 29:3-4 (New Living Translation, Second Edition)

“And now, because of my devotion to the Temple of my God, I am giving all of my own private treasures of gold and silver to help in the construction. This is in addition to the building materials I have already collected for his holy Temple.

I am donating more than 112 tons of gold from Ophir and 262 tons of refined silver to be used for overlaying the walls of the buildings

Exodus 35:22 (New Living Translation, Second Edition)

Both men and women came, all whose hearts were willing. They brought to the Lord their offerings of gold—brooches, earrings, rings from their fingers, and necklaces. They presented gold objects of every kind as a special offering to the Lord.

Proverbs 21:1 (New Living Translation, Second Edition)

The king’s heart is like a stream of water directed by the Lord; he guides it wherever he pleases.

To move a person, you need to influence or touch his heart. His whole being follows his heart. GOD knows our hearts, so He knows exactly how to move and influence us and He makes use of our hearts. People like their money, if you're able to move their hearts, you can easily have their wallets.

They first gave themselves to the LORD, then their money.

2 Corinthians 8:5 (New King James Version)

And not only as we had hoped, but they first gave themselves to the Lord, and then to us by the will of God.

B. All of them gave them something

"giving them articles of silver and gold, supplies for the journey, and livestock. They gave them many valuable gifts in addition to all the voluntary offerings."

1. Evil people or children of this world characteristics - they use their own house to store riches and wealth so that the accumulated wealth and money can be used only for themselves.

Luke 12:18 (New Living Translation, Second Edition)

Then he said, ‘I know! I’ll tear down my barns and build bigger ones. Then I’ll have room enough to store all my wheat and other goods.

Luke 15:12 (New Living Translation, Second Edition)

The younger son told his father, ‘I want my share of your estate now before you die.’ So his father agreed to divide his wealth between his sons.

2. Believers use their churches as storehouse. - It's a great difference, we are told to accumulate wealth so that we can give it away because GOD will provide for us not us providing for ourselves. Our worship and obedience of GOD and joy in Him provides for us.

Malachi 3:10 (New Living Translation, Second Edition)

Bring all the tithes into the storehouse so there will be enough food in my Temple. If you do,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, “I will open the windows of heaven for you. I will pour out a blessing so great you won’t have enough room to take it in! Try it! Put me to the test!