Sermon Central
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Ezra
Contributed by Brad Beaman on Mar 23, 2022 (message contributor)
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1. New Beginnings
Contributed on Mar 23, 2022
The rebuilding of the temple is underway because God moves to begin the work. You will find that some of the challenges you face are like what God’s people face in building the second temple. The Lord is in this rebuilding.
Ezra is the story of a great revival. God takes a defeated and exiled people and moves dramatically to send them back to Jerusalem. They rebuild their demolished city. They rebuild the destroyed temple of God. At the end of all this rebuilding they experience revival of true religion. Go back for ...read more
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2. Working Together
Contributed on Jun 25, 2022
The first two chapters of Ezra tells us that the exiled people returned to the promised land. But something even more important is taking place. The Lord’s people are returning to God. Now unity among the remnant group is essential.
Musk oxen are herd animals, and groups of two or three dozen animals are sometimes led by a single female. Herds use cooperation to deal with attacks by arctic wolves. When threatened, they “circle the wagons” and array themselves with their young in the middle and their sharp horns facing outward ...read more
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3. Laying Foundations
Contributed on Mar 24, 2022
Building this Temple foundation was the dawn of a new day. God’s house symbolized so much to them. There was a new vitality, a new hope and a spiritual renewal. The foundation of the Temple was laid.
When you visit a church building what strikes you most? Is it the majestic steeple pointing heavenward toward the God we worship? How about the mosaic of colors from a stained-glass window that portray the life of Christ? It could be you are most struck by the contrast of a solitary cross on a ...read more
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4. Overcoming Opposition
Contributed on Mar 25, 2022
There was a spirit of renewal and revival. Worship was renewed and sacrifices were made. But opposition lurked around the corner. When God’s people are doing God’s work opposition comes.
How do you respond to opposition? What if someone is doing everything they can to sabotage your work for the Lord? When you can face and overcome opposition by depending on God’s strength you will ultimately accomplish great things. Does taking a stand for Christ necessarily mean that you will ...read more
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5. On With God's Work
Contributed on Jun 15, 2022
When we have setbacks we need to hear and cherish the voices that cry out, get on with God’s work. What God’s people need in this situation is the voice of encouragement.
You may remember the dramatic scene from the movie Chariots of Fire. It is when Eric Liddell Falls in a race, gets up and goes on to win the race. Now that is an inspiration. What about us as Christians? Do we stumble? Do we get tripped up and fall down? Of course we do. But we don’t lay there. We ...read more
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6. Support From A King
Contributed on Aug 3, 2022
Those who spend their efforts to destroy God’s work are fighting for a lost cause. God will Triumph. A little faith overcame opposition. Through faith the Israelites overcame apathy. There is so much we can do as Christians with the Holy Spirit through faith.
The noted 18th century French Philosopher Voltaire (1694-1778) was a renowned Atheist. He criticized the Bible and he claimed that “One hundred years from my day, there will not be a Bible in the earth except one that is looked upon by an antiquarian curiosity seeker.” A few decades after ...read more
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7. The Temple Completed
Contributed on Aug 6, 2022
For those of you who value preaching you will love these verses. It was the preaching of these, so called, “minor prophets” Haggai and Zechariah that the work flourished. The whole time, now under their preaching the people were working with diligence.
Solomon’s Temple was a major undertaking to complete. It was a multi-generational task. King David made so many preparations. His son Solomon worked to see the temple built and dedicated to the Lord. The temple, we call Solomon’s Temple, was destroyed and laid in ruin during the seventy-year ...read more