(I started with "Building Up What Was Broken Down" Sermon shared by Chris Medina. A good deal of his form and a version of his points remain. The Body of this sermon is totally different. A bit more contemporary.
TITLE: God Is Up To Something Good In My Life! 08-05-2013
TEXT: Ezra 3:1-13In early autumn, when the Israelites had settled in their towns, all the people assembled in Jerusalem with a unified purpose. 2 Then Jeshua son of Jehozadak joined his fellow priests and Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel with his family in rebuilding the altar of the God of Israel. They wanted to sacrifice burnt offerings on it, as instructed in the Law of Moses, the man of God. 3 Even though the people were afraid of the local residents, they rebuilt the altar at its old site. Then they began to sacrifice burnt offerings on the altar to the LORD each morning and evening. 4 They celebrated the Festival of Shelters as prescribed in the Law, sacrificing the number of burnt offerings specified for each day of the festival. 5 They also offered the regular burnt offerings and the offerings required for the new moon celebrations and the annual festivals as prescribed by the LORD. The people also gave voluntary offerings to the LORD. 6 Fifteen days before the Festival of Shelters began the priests had begun to sacrifice burnt offerings to the LORD. This was even before they had started to lay the foundation of the LORD’s Temple. 7 Then the people hired masons and carpenters and bought cedar logs from the people of Tyre and Sidon, paying them with food, wine, and olive oil. The logs were brought down from the Lebanon mountains and floated along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea to Joppa, for King Cyrus had given permission for this. 8 The construction of the Temple of God began in midspring, during the second year after they arrived in Jerusalem. The work force was made up of everyone who had returned from exile, including Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, Jeshua son of Jehozadak and his fellow priests, and all the Levites. The Levites who were twenty years old or older were put in charge of rebuilding the LORD’s Temple. 9 The workers at the Temple of God were supervised by Jeshua with his sons and relatives, and Kadmiel and his sons, all descendants of Hodaviah. They were helped in this task by the Levites of the family of Henadad. 10 When the builders completed the foundation of the LORD’s Temple, the priests put on their robes and took their places to blow their trumpets. And the Levites, descendants of Asaph, clashed their cymbals to praise the LORD, just as King David had His faithful love for Israel endures forever!” Then all the people gave a great shout, praising the LORD because the foundation of the LORD’s Temple had been laid. 12 But many of the older priests, Levites, and other leaders who had seen the first Temple wept aloud when they saw the new Temple’s foundation. The others, however, were shouting for joy. 13 The joyful shouting and weeping mingled together in a loud noise that could be heard far in the distance.
I. IT LOOKED BAD. BUT GOD IS ALWAYS UP TO SOMETHING GOOD
ILL. Letter home from a W VA farm kid enduring Marine Basic Training on Paris Island. Dear Ma and Pa, I am well. Hope you are. Tell Brother Walt and Brother Elmer the Marine Corps beats working for old man Minch by a mile. Tell them to join up quick before all of the places are filled. // I was restless at first because you get to stay in bed till nearly 6 a.m. But I am getting so I like to sleep late. Tell Walt and Elmer all you do before breakfast is smooth your cot, and shine some things. No hogs to slop, feed to pitch, mash to mix, wood to split, fire to lay. Practically nothing. // Men got to shave but it is not so bad, there's warm water. // Breakfast is strong on trimmings like fruit juice, cereal, eggs, bacon, etc., but kind of weak on chops, potatoes, ham, steak, fried eggplant, pie and other regular food, but tell Walt and Elmer you can always sit by the two city boys that live on coffee. Their food, plus yours, holds you until noon when you get fed again. It's no wonder these city boys can't walk much. //We go on 'route marches,' which the platoon sergeant says are long walks to harden us. If he thinks so, it's not my place to tell him different. A 'route march' is about as far as to our mailbox at home. Then the city guys get sore feet and we all ride back in trucks. // The sergeant is like a school teacher. He nags a lot. The Captain is like the school board. Majors and colonels just ride around and frown. They don't bother you none. // This next will kill Walt and Elmer with laughing. I keep getting medals for shooting. I don't know why. The bulls-eye is near as big as a chipmunk head and don't move, and it ain't shooting at you like the Higgett boys at home. All you got to do is lie there all comfortable and hit it. You don't even load your own cartridges. They come in boxes. // Then we have what they call hand-to-hand combat training. You get to wrestle with them city boys. I have to be real careful though, they break real easy. It ain't like fighting with that ole bull at home. I'm about the best they got in this except for that Tug Jordan from over in Silver Lake. I only beat him once. He joined up the same time as me, but I'm only 5'6' and 130 pounds and he's 6'8' and near 300 pounds dry. // Be sure to tell Walt and Elmer to hurry and join before other fellers get onto this setup and come stampeding in. // Your loving daughter, //Alice
A. We All know the purpose of basic training in the military is to break a person down so that the person can be built back up again properly, stronger than they were before.
1. Some of us need this “basic training” experience in our walk with God. there is a story which illustrates this point from the pages of the 1st part of the interesting book of Ezra
2. Ezra describes the first return of the Jews from captivity in Babylon. This is the 2nd captivity experience in national history of the Jews. Remember the 1st was in the land of Egypt.
3. 50,000 Jews made the made the trek 500 miles as the crow flies, about 900-1000 as the man walks back to Jerusalem.
4. We hear described the passion and the generosity of these people, recently freed from captivity, now with the lofty goal of returning to Jerusalem to rebuild the Temple. Out of their lack they contribute 1,100 pounds of gold and 3 tons of silver
5. While in captivity, they still followed God to a certain degree challenged by men like Daniel and the 3 Hebrew boys.
6. It was during this time the concept of the synagogue developed. Since they had no temple, they needed a place to gather, to read the Torah, to encourage each other and to pray.
7. We don’t like to think about it, but discipline is a big part of love. Love is Grand Ma cookies and milk. but it is also getting a spanking and being sent to your room and having extra chores piled on when you have misbehaved.
8. Since God loved His kids more than we can fathom. Babylon was an act of discipline. God’s love makes His people better people, much like Basic Training makes Marines out of Momma’s boys.
9. When they were coming back to Jerusalem, they saw themselves coming back not so much to a geographic location, but they were returning to a right relationship with God.
10. We could get caught up like a contractor considering the details of the description of how things were being rebuilt. But the important things is what was going on inside the hearts of those who were building and giving –those making huge sacrifices in this effort.
--they were doing everything they knew to do in order to reestablish their proper connection and relationship with God.
11. God was the one who had inspired this desire. He did not want the same attitudes to prevail among His people which had led to the destruction of Solomon’s Temple.
12. Remember, the whole reason for this mess –the captivity, the discipline was the people neglected their spiritual lives with sin and disobedience.
--An interesting side note. There preachers in that day who were most popular, in favor, the ones who had the book out everybody was reading were preaching very spiritual sounding stuff, very positive stuff, very feel-good stuff, with big smiles and all warm and fuzzy.
--Then, there were a few preachers preaching the truth, the way to save the nation from destruction. Their message was a hard message. they were not very popular. Their followers were few. They were labeled crack-pots. The political powers hated them.
--But had the nation listened to the crack-pots, they wouldn’t have had to be carted off to Babylon.
13. Friend, If you are now, or if you have ever experienced a time of discipline in your life, and you know it has obviously come from the hand of God, just know, He is always about His work of redemption. He wants to buy you back. He wants to bring you back. He wants you back in a right and proper relationship with Him above all else. In other words, no matter how it may feel at the time, God is always up to something good in your life.
--God loves you more than you can fathom!
I. I LOVE THE WAY GOD RESTORES!
A. How does God go about restoring us? #1 God restores us when we decide to unite working together to promote God’s Kingdom first. V1 In early autumn, when the Israelites had settled in their towns, all the people assembled in Jerusalem with a unified purpose. –The purpose was rebuilding the temple.
ILL. Chuck Swindoll describes unity this way: Union has an affiliation with others but no common bond that makes them one in heart. Uniformity has everyone looking and thinking alike. Unanimity is complete agreement across the board. Unity, however, refers to a oneness of heart, a similar purpose, and an agreement on the essentials of faith.
1. Have you ever noticed how negativity often hides beneath the cloak of individualism. There is almost no argument to dissuade the negative person from their position, or method to pull back those they have gathered to their little cause.
2. False accusations, twisted logic, a few claims of intimate knowledge, when it is all stirred together in a toxic brew somehow it makes perfect sense. So many times, this poisonous elixir is all which is needed to tear down an important work ordained of God.
3. Here’s the point: Unity is crucial in building up the Church of Jesus Christ and to progress of growth in our personal relationship with God.
4. God restores us as we gather together believing there is something more important than me to which we are setting our hand.
B. #2 God restores us when we engage in worship and other spiritual pursuits like the Bible prescribes. (2 Then Jeshua son of Jehozadak joined his fellow priests and Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel with his family in rebuilding the altar of the God of Israel. They wanted to sacrifice burnt offerings on it, as instructed in the Law of Moses, the man of God. 3 Even though the people were afraid of the local residents, they rebuilt the altar at its old site. Then they began to sacrifice burnt offerings on the altar to the LORD each morning and evening.
1. Two men, Jeshua and Zerubbabel led the nation, under threat of conflict, to rebuild the altar of burnt offering upon the foundation of the old altar. Why is this significant? Why not avoid conflict with the neighbors who wanted them to put it somewhere else?
2. They did it for a simple reason –the Bible told them so. In Exodus 27:8 ...as it was shown to you in the mountain, so they shall make it.
3. Do you remember different times in your Christian life when felt closer to God? --had more spiritual energy? More passion for ministry? As you recollect, the Holy Spirit probably also brings to mind the spiritual activities in which you were involved at that time.
4. Remember the words of Jesus to the Ephesian church Revelation 2:4,5 ...You don’t love me or each other as you did at first! 5 Look how far you have fallen! Turn back to me and do the works you did at first.
5. The next thing Israel did was 4 They celebrated the Festival of Shelters as prescribed in the Law ... So their spiritual pursuits didn’t stop. They continued to do the things prescribed in the Bible. But these ancient things breathed into their spirit new life.
6. That’s exactly what I need. I need their Holy Spirit to breathe His new life into my spirit. Anybody with me?
--The Bible is not dead letter, it is alive and active.... It is God breathed (neuma=wind or spirit or Spirit) It is the Holy Spirit breathing the life of God back into me.
C. #3 God restores us when we construct our life’s foundation upon Jesus and Him only. 8 The construction of the Temple of God began in midspring, during the second year after they arrived in Jerusalem. The work force was made up of everyone who had returned from exile, including Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, Jeshua son of Jehozadak and his fellow priests, and all the Levites. The Levites who were twenty years old or older were put in charge of rebuilding the LORD’s Temple. 9 The workers at the Temple of God were supervised by Jeshua with his sons and relatives, and Kadmiel and his sons, all descendants of Hodaviah. They were helped in this task by the Levites of the family of Henadad.
1. Seven months after rebuilding the altar, they began building the Temple. Nobody petered out. Everyone was in the workforce –amazing!
2. The Levites/Priest supervised the people from the pages of the Bible concerning the proper reconstruction of the Temple –There was strong emphasis placed upon following God’s plan.
3. Now the temple was a big building. Can you see me supervising guys who know stuff like Clyde, Rick and others when I only half way know how to read a blue print on a project like that?
4. Good thing we are not really talking about building a big stone building. We are talking about rebuilding a solid relationship with God.
5. Now I know a thing or two about that. 1st I know the Bible. I don’t want to brag, but I would guess I am the resident expert here on this subject. 2nd I know about being a Christian and a screw-up. I know about the conviction of the Holy Spirit. I know about God’s grace. I know how bad God wants His kids back home.
6. God puts Pastors like me in your life for a reason (so you can blame Him). There’s an old song (1995) I’ve put on my thumb drive by Brent Bourgeois (Used to cut secular stuff as “Bourgeois Tag”) “One Love” “Oh I love you Lord with all my heart, all my soul, all my might.... a loose translation of Jesus Great Commandment “...One, One, One, One Love. There is only one love worthy of...” There is only love, one passion worthy of my life --my energy, my call, my money, my time, my anything, my everything.
7. This verse which is the Great Commandment has to become the foundation stone we build our lives upon. Matthew 22:37 “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ With the understanding Jesus is my Lord.
--And we must also understand, there is no way on God green Earth Jesus can be our Lord unless the Holy spirit has complete control of our lives.
8. The foundation of your life must be Jesus and Jesus alone.
D. #4 God restores us when we anticipate and welcome all the new things He has planned for our life and ministry. 10 When the builders completed the foundation of the LORD’s Temple, the priests put on their robes and took their places to blow their trumpets. And the Levites, descendants of Asaph, clashed their cymbals to praise the LORD, just as King David had His faithful love for Israel endures forever!” Then all the people gave a great shout, praising the LORD because the foundation of the LORD’s Temple had been laid. 12 But many of the older priests, Levites, and other leaders who had seen the first Temple wept aloud when they saw the new Temple’s foundation. The others, however, were shouting for joy. 13 The joyful shouting and weeping mingled together in a loud noise that could be heard far in the distance.
1. Tears and cheers. It was a mixed bag. Some were stuck mourning the glory days. What might have been, what should have been. While others were joyfully jumping, praising, anticipating the fantastic things God was going to do next. If He could do all this... Now you gotta know for them to stand there on that day the people with praise on their lips and joy in their hearts were counting the miracles which brought them to that place, asking for grace for the dozens which were slipping their minds.
2. The dreary sad sacks couldn’t remember miracle one. They just remember the “good-ole-days”. You know, the ones which brought them to such a place of slothfulness and sinfulness that God finally said, “Enough!” and He dialed-up old Nebuchadnezzar to come to a very hard job.
--Doesn’t sound like the “good-ole-days” were really all that good.
3. Remember the passage I’ve quoted from many times recently. Isaiah 43:18, 19 But forget all that— it is nothing compared to what I am going to do. 19 For I am about to do something new. See, I have already begun! Do you not see it? I will make a pathway through the wilderness. I will create rivers in the dry wasteland.
4. God wants to do a new thing in you and a new thing in me and a new thing in our church.
5. The natural response is to cry over the missed opportunities and all the spilled milk. The way we wished things would have worked out but didn’t. The string of bad luck you been experiencing isn’t going to break by its self. God’s probably forgotten about you. He may even have chosen another people to bless by now.
6. God isn’t interested in sitting in the mud with you joining in a chorus of commiseration over your painful past.
--As the man at Bethesda’s Pool Jesus didn’t dredge up the past. He asked a simple question, “Do you want do get well.”
8. Just as He touched old Bartimaeus, He wants your eyes open to the wonderful future which can be yours if you can get this one thing right. One, One, One, One Love. There is only one love worthy of...”
Chorus
“Oh I love you Lord with all my heart, all my soul, all my might.
I Dedicate my life to You, do anything You want me to.
The only price is sacrifice the sun comes shining into my life.
Cause no one else can comfort me Oh the way that You do
Come on near me Lord
Verse
Another morning on my knees
Do with me Lord as you please
Your will Not my own today
Place in me the words to say
Remove my fear remove my doubt
Turn my thinking inside out
Wrap me in a blanket of never ending love
When I’m feeling guilty of being worthy of Your love
I call upon Your miracle to sanctify me...
Oh Heavenly Father, we want You to do that renewing, restoring work which is so desperately needed in our relationship with You. The funny thing is, You want it worse than we do. Move upon us by Your Holy Spirit as we submit our fickle hearts before You. We’ve made these big bold declarations, “I’ve made a commitment the Lord Jesus Christ!” But today we see, what has actually kept us from going over the edge is Your faithful commitment to us. Your commitment to us is everything. Thank You.
For Jesus sake, forgive us. Bring us back to a renewed relationship and a place of strong family ties with You. Help us Holy Spirit. Keep us close and engaged in the activities which will keep us close to the people of God and Father God Himself. Thank You Jesus for being our friend Who sticks closer than a brother. We pray in Your name and we stand before God’s throne in Your righteousness.
