LIFE BUILDING
Ezra
10/4/09
Have you ever built something?
Most of you have
-some of you have had your own house built - you built a new house
-or added onto - or remodeled
-& even though, you might not have pounded the nails yourself
-you had it built
-it was your building project
-that’s quite the project having something like that built
-& if you’ve been at this church for a time
-we’ve together gone through some building projects
-maybe, you built a camp or cabin, or built up a landscaped yard or field
-or you built a boat, or canoe, or picnic table or dog house, or wedding cake
-life is full of building projects
Today I’m starting a new series on building
#1
We’re not looking at a new building anytime real soon for our church
-but, we are all in the process of building our lives
& together building this church of people for the Lord
So, I want you to think of your own life as being in a building project
-where you’re building your life
-& sometimes, we should think in terms of the need to re-build our lives
-a remodeling project
-off with the old & on with the new life in Christ
-there maybe aspects of physical rebuilding
-maybe we need to workout & get in shape
-or emotional rebuilding
-maybe we need some counseling, or we need to work on some issues
-or, relationship rebuilding
-maybe we have some conflicts within our family or with our friends
-or, in particular, we should think about what it takes for spiritual rebuilding
What do we need to do to build up our lives spiritually?
This series all came about some time ago - as I studied Ezra,
-Ezra is a book in our Old Testament Bible that’s about building
#2 -in this case - rebuilding the temple in Jerusalem
As we look at how the people rebuilt the temple - we can look at how we need to be rebuilding our lives
-which in the NT - our lives are considered the “Temple of God”
So, let’s rebuild the Temple! Our lives!
-but before we look at the actual rebuilding
-we should look at why the temple needed to be rebuilt
What happened to the temple?
Why was it all broken down?
-e.g. - Recently, I went out to our cabin, to find the railings
-on the front & back porches - were ripped off! Vandals? No, a bear!
-it got rotten & there were bugs in the logs - now, we have to rebuild
Let’s look at some of the history of what happened
-starting with a prophecy through Jeremiah
Jeremiah 25:1-3
The word came to Jeremiah concerning all the people of Judah in the fourth year of Jehoiakim son of Josiah king of Judah, which was the first year of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon. 2 So Jeremiah the prophet said to all the people of Judah and to all those living in Jerusalem: 3 For twenty-three years — from the thirteenth year of Josiah son of Amon king of Judah until this very day — the word of the Lord has come to me and I have spoken to you again and again, but you have not listened.
Put this in perspective of history
-Israel was a nation that formed while in Egypt
-after the nation of Israel was built up
-God delivered them from slavery there
& brought them to the promised land - the land of Israel
-for a time they had leaders called Judges
-then they chose a king - the second king being David & the nation was built up
-then King Solomon - & the nation became powerful & more built up
-& Solomon built a great & magnificent temple in Jerusalem
-however, after Solomon, there was a major split in the nation
& the nation was divided
-the northern tribes became known as Israel with their capital centered in Samaria
-& the southern tribes were known as Judah - with their capital centered in Jerusalem
The nation was strong in devotion to the Lord & spiritual
-in the days of David & Solomon
-but after that, they went through cycles - cycles of falling away from the Lord
-& following false gods
& therefore during these times they missed out on the blessings of God
-when the people fell away from God - God rightly brought hard times
-& as the kings of Israel & Judah got so corrupt,
-God threatened defeat by foreign nations
-so, around 722 BC the northern tribes, Israel, were defeated by Assyria
-later, in the early 500 BCs Judah was being threatened by judgment from God
-because they weren’t listening & following God
Jeremiah 25:3 the word of the Lord has come to me and I have spoken to you again and again, but you have not listened.
Jeremiah 25:4-6
And though the Lord has sent all his servants the prophets to you again and again, you have not listened or paid any attention. 5 They said, "Turn now, each of you, from your evil ways and your evil practices, and you can stay in the land the Lord gave to you and your fathers for ever and ever. 6 Do not follow other gods to serve and worship them; do not provoke me to anger with what your hands have made. Then I will not harm you."
God begged His people to listen & follow Him
-God wants to bless His people
-but, there come times, where He has to let them loose
& experience the consequences of being on their own
-& furthermore, at times, God allows His people
-to experience the consequences of His judgment
-they had not listened to God
-they followed idols & false gods rather than the true God
Jeremiah 25:7-11
"But you did not listen to me," declares the Lord, "and you have provoked me with what your hands have made, and you have brought harm to yourselves."
8 Therefore the Lord Almighty says this: "Because you have not listened to my words, 9 I will summon all the peoples of the north and my servant Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon," declares the Lord, "and I will bring them against this land and its inhabitants and against all the surrounding nations. I will completely destroy them and make them an object of horror and scorn, and an everlasting ruin. 10 I will banish from them the sounds of joy and gladness, the voices of bride and bridegroom, the sound of millstones and the light of the lamp. 11 This whole country will become a desolate wasteland, and these nations will serve the king of Babylon seventy years.
That was the pronouncement of judgment
-the people had plenty of warning & encouragement to repent
-& probably even here, had they listened & turned back to God
-God being so gracious, would probably have delayed this judgment
-but no, instead of turning back to God - they continued to rebel against Him
& followed false gods
-so, as warned here through Jeremiah - God was going to send Nebuchadnezzar
-king of Babylon to punish Judah
-& that’s exactly what happened in 586 BC
-& the Babylonians really destroyed the city of Jerusalem
& completely tore down the temple
-they took all the sacred items used in worship back to Babylon as treasure
-& carted off a large portion of the people as slaves
-it was probably one of the worse times for the history of the Jewish nation
-I’m thinking it was probably worse than the Holocaust
-of our recent generations
-so, simply put - these people were broken - all torn down
-their lives had collapsed
-& the broken down temple represented the broken down nation
-& it was a result of their sin - because of their rebellion against God
-they had their lives essentially disintegrate
Now think about it - there are times where our lives seem to be falling apart
-you can probably think of times like that in your life
-& it’s very likely, many of us here this a.m.,
-are going through some difficult time
-where things are falling apart
-it’s like we’ve been invaded - we don’t have much structure left
-we’ve been torn down - robbed of value
-we’re enslaved to something
As I mentioned at the onset:
-sometimes, we’re physically falling apart - & this will happen to us all
-many of us are just out of shape
& we haven’t done enough to have any stamina
-sometimes we have just left our health & fitness fall apart
-but there are those times where we take a precipitous fall
-a heart attack, cancer, a bad accident
-or, we’re just aging
-so, sometimes in life, due to illness or accident, we feel physically broken
-sometimes we’re emotionally broken
-depression, anxiety, grief, fear, start to get the worst of us
-maybe, we haven’t come to a “nervous breakdown” - though some of us will
-but we need to make some progress & get built up emotionally
-sometimes, & this happens a lot
-we’re all broken down in regard to our relationships
-or, a relationship
-with a spouse - leading to divorce
-in a family - leading to estrangement - & ongoing conflict
-with friends
-sometimes, we’re spiritually crumbled & drained
-we’ve lost our first love & ambition to follow the Lord
-our zeal to serve the Lord has worn out
So, in one way, fashion or form, & maybe in multiple ways, our lives crumble
-sometimes, we’re to the point where we’re essentially broken
& in need of a re-building
-like with the temple, city & walls of Jerusalem
-we need a rebuilding
-as we go through this book of Ezra
-let’s consider how the Lord wants to help rebuild our lives
-so to begin with, look at the potential causes for why our lives have crumbled
-Jerusalem is broken down due to sin - & therefore, God’s judgment
Why are we/you broken down?
Now, when things go bad for us - it’s not always a direct result of us sinning
-though, sometimes it is
-& we need to be careful here, that we don’t too easily dismiss sin in our lives
-as the direct cause for our problems
-when the question comes up, “WHY?” “Why am I going through this?”
-we’re quick & we want to say,
“Well, it’s nothing you did - these things just happen!”
-& yes, when a person is going through a crisis with grief & acute pain & loss
-it may not be the time to deal with guilt & shame
-but eventually, when it comes to rebuilding our lives
-we need to face the facts, that there maybe some need to change, to repent
-& come back to God
-& let God by His power & love help us move away from sinful behaviors
-which have eroded the foundations of our lives
-which have caused the very walls of our lives to be rotten & weak
& now collapse
e.g. Like with that bear who smelled the bugs in our rotten logs
-the world just preys on the sin in our lives
-it’s like sin in our lives just attracts all kinds of problems & break us apart
Sin is, I suppose indirectly the cause of all our problems
-when Adam & Eve sinned, this interjected troubles into the creation
-& we’ve all sinned since
-now, there’s pain, suffering & death - all a natural experience & part of life
-but sin is not always a direct cause for our problems
-so, that can be a comforting aspect to us when we are going through hard times
-& inclined to wonder, “WHY?”
Luke 13:1-5
Now there were some present at that time who told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices. 2 Jesus answered, "Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans because they suffered this way? 3 I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish. 4 Or those eighteen who died when the tower in Siloam fell on them — do you think they were more guilty than all the others living in Jerusalem? 5 I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish."
Just because things collapse in your life
-it doesn’t mean you’ve been sinning badly
-& you’re being directly punished for your sins
-however, all of us sin
-& anytime something happens in our lives
-or, even around us - when tragedy strikes
-we should be reminded & prompted to turn to God
-in confession & repentance
-this is the first step in rebuilding
-humility - we need to humbly come to God looking to Him to purify us
-to forgive us & to cleanse & change us
1 John 1:8-9
If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.
9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins
and purify us from all unrighteousness.
Troubles in our lives should remind us
-that we need God’s ongoing forgiveness & cleansing
-we need to humbly confess & then go on to repent - to change
-because sometimes, there’re sinful behaviors
-at the very source of our problems
That was the situation in Jerusalem
-the people had sinned & fallen far away from God
-for quite some time
-& God warned them, through Jeremiah & others
-but, they didn’t repent
-they “didn’t listen” to what God was telling them
-warning them - “again & again”
Jeremiah 25:4-9
And though the Lord has sent all his servants the prophets to you again and again, you have not listened or paid any attention. 5 They said, "Turn now, each of you, from your evil ways and your evil practices, and you can stay in the land the Lord gave to you and your fathers for ever and ever. 6 Do not follow other gods to serve and worship them; do not provoke me to anger with what your hands have made. Then I will not harm you."
7 "But you did not listen to me," declares the Lord, "and you have provoked me with what your hands have made, and you have brought harm to yourselves."
8 Therefore the Lord Almighty says this: "Because you have not listened to my words, 9 I will
summon all the peoples of the north and my servant Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon,"
They didn’t listen
-so, God had to do what I don’t think He wanted to do
-bring punishment & judgment
-& therefore, the nation was broken down
-the people’s lives were shattered
When our lives crumble - or, even when we see troubles in those around us
-may it cause us to look to God
-because, & here’s what’s really good,
-though God allows trouble to happen to us
-& sometimes, like here, our sin may cause trouble to happen to us
-He ultimately, wants us to be blessed
-He ultimately wants us to be restored to a close relationship with Him
Jeremiah 25:11-14
This whole country will become a desolate wasteland, and these nations will serve the king of Babylon seventy years.
12 "But when the seventy years are fulfilled, I will punish the king of Babylon and his nation, the land of the Babylonians, for their guilt," declares the Lord, "and will make it desolate forever. 13 I will bring upon that land all the things I have spoken against it, all that are written in this book and prophesied by Jeremiah against all the nations. 14 They themselves will be enslaved by many nations and great kings; I will repay them according to their deeds and the work of their hands."
God had plans for the nation
-even as he pronounced judgment - in the same breath
-here are the plans for their restoration & rebuilding
Jeremiah 29:11
For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.
Be assured, that more than anything, God really wants the best for you
-& when your life is broken down - it’s just a time for rebuilding
-first step - Humbly come to God - seek His forgiveness where needed
-second step - Look to Him for His plan to rebuild your life!
-God will put your life together - as you work with Him
-next week, we’ll look further at God’s offer to rebuild this nation
-& let’s together see God rebuilding our lives - our church - our families
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