WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:02.899 Welcome to Ontario Community Church, 00:00:02.899 --> 00:00:04.799 where we're dedicated to encouraging, 00:00:04.799 --> 00:00:07.799 equipping, and engaging lives for Christ. 00:00:07.799 --> 00:00:10.000 Located in Ontario, Oregon, 00:00:10.000 --> 00:00:11.720 Pastor Patrick Daly preaches 00:00:11.720 --> 00:00:13.800 insightful sermons from the Word of God, 00:00:13.800 --> 00:00:16.760 offering practical applications for modern living. 00:00:16.760 --> 00:00:19.600 We're delighted to share this sermon with you. 00:00:19.600 --> 00:00:21.160 Well, good morning, everyone. 00:00:21.160 --> 00:00:24.080 It is great to be here with you as we are 00:00:24.080 --> 00:00:27.240 continuing our sermon series through the Book of Ezra. 00:00:27.239 --> 00:00:30.239 We are now at Ezra Chapter 8. 00:00:30.239 --> 00:00:32.560 The title of the sermon for today is 00:00:32.560 --> 00:00:36.280 Vessels of God, Instruments of Change. 00:00:36.280 --> 00:00:40.399 You see here the image of a vessel, right? 00:00:40.399 --> 00:00:43.560 Of something here and we'll see today why that is 00:00:43.560 --> 00:00:47.439 so important found in the Word of God. 00:00:47.439 --> 00:00:52.159 Let's pray together and let's ask God to be with us as we 00:00:52.159 --> 00:00:55.320 go through this wonderful chapter, 00:00:55.320 --> 00:00:57.880 Chapter 8 of Ezra. 00:00:57.880 --> 00:01:00.399 Dear Lord and Heavenly Father, 00:01:00.399 --> 00:01:02.840 the Creator of the heavens and the earth, 00:01:02.840 --> 00:01:06.480 we are grateful that we are here today, 00:01:06.480 --> 00:01:09.239 that we have the time and the opportunity to open 00:01:09.239 --> 00:01:11.560 your Word, to read it, 00:01:11.560 --> 00:01:14.640 and let your Word speak to us today. 00:01:14.640 --> 00:01:19.560 Father, we pray that we may be in your presence today. 00:01:19.560 --> 00:01:22.039 Your Scripture says that where two or three are 00:01:22.039 --> 00:01:23.680 gathered in your name, 00:01:23.680 --> 00:01:25.600 there you are with us. 00:01:25.600 --> 00:01:29.520 We pray that today truth will be spoken here and 00:01:29.520 --> 00:01:33.160 that lives will be transformed to know you, 00:01:33.160 --> 00:01:36.760 to grow in you, to be filled with the Holy Spirit, 00:01:36.760 --> 00:01:38.400 and to be moved to do good in 00:01:38.400 --> 00:01:41.600 your holy and awesome and incredible name. 00:01:41.600 --> 00:01:45.960 Father, we just pray that the message today will be 00:01:45.960 --> 00:01:47.920 clear that it will be 00:01:47.920 --> 00:01:53.040 understandable regardless of age or education or background. 00:01:53.040 --> 00:01:57.680 Your Word is truth and your Word is life. 00:01:57.680 --> 00:02:01.880 We are so grateful we have with us the Bible, 00:02:01.880 --> 00:02:04.560 your living and inspired and 00:02:04.560 --> 00:02:07.560 just awesome Word that you've given to us. 00:02:07.560 --> 00:02:11.040 We pray, Father, that you are with us, 00:02:11.040 --> 00:02:14.680 leading and guiding us as you always have. 00:02:14.680 --> 00:02:16.759 Be with us today. 00:02:16.759 --> 00:02:19.920 If there's any comfort that is needed, 00:02:19.920 --> 00:02:20.840 let there be comfort. 00:02:20.840 --> 00:02:24.000 If there's any healing that's needed, let there be healing. 00:02:24.000 --> 00:02:26.719 We say this in the name of Jesus Christ, 00:02:26.719 --> 00:02:28.360 and we all say together, amen. 00:02:28.360 --> 00:02:31.439 Amen. So turn your Bibles to Ezra Chapter 8. 00:02:31.439 --> 00:02:35.080 It's going to be on page 464. 00:02:35.080 --> 00:02:38.319 So the first thing that we are doing here is, 00:02:38.319 --> 00:02:39.599 we're going to look at the text. 00:02:39.599 --> 00:02:42.840 There are 36 verses in Ezra Chapter 8. 00:02:42.840 --> 00:02:44.759 There's going to be a lot of names in here. 00:02:44.759 --> 00:02:47.199 In the first 14 verses, 00:02:47.199 --> 00:02:51.799 these are the recorded names. 00:02:51.799 --> 00:02:54.560 It'll say in your ESVP Bible, 00:02:54.560 --> 00:03:00.199 it's page 464 or whatever Bible of choice for Ezra Chapter 8. 00:03:00.599 --> 00:03:05.919 These are the recorded names of those who returned. 00:03:05.919 --> 00:03:07.839 What we're doing here is, 00:03:07.839 --> 00:03:12.399 we are seeing what can we see in the text. 00:03:12.399 --> 00:03:14.239 You'll see here it says, 00:03:14.239 --> 00:03:16.359 these are the heads of the fathers of the houses, 00:03:16.360 --> 00:03:19.800 the genealogies of those who went up with me from Babylonia 00:03:19.800 --> 00:03:21.920 and the reign of Artaxerxes the king. 00:03:21.920 --> 00:03:24.760 Then look from verse 2 through 14, 00:03:24.760 --> 00:03:28.120 there is a number of names here. 00:03:28.120 --> 00:03:30.760 So you got Phineas and Gershom, Daniel, 00:03:30.760 --> 00:03:34.440 David, Hattush, Shchakonaiah, 00:03:34.440 --> 00:03:37.760 Perosh, Zachariah, 150 men with that. 00:03:37.760 --> 00:03:40.200 It just goes on with there. 00:03:40.200 --> 00:03:43.920 For many of us when we are reading and we look at this, 00:03:43.919 --> 00:03:46.919 it may be very strange to see, okay, 00:03:46.919 --> 00:03:50.359 so what? There's a lot of names that are written in here. 00:03:50.359 --> 00:03:54.679 We might have some debate on how to pronounce some of these names here. 00:03:54.679 --> 00:03:58.919 But what's very important here is that these recorded names 00:03:58.919 --> 00:04:01.239 are important in the eyes of God. 00:04:01.239 --> 00:04:05.000 So much so that they are recorded here in the Word, 00:04:05.000 --> 00:04:08.239 and for God knew who they were. 00:04:08.239 --> 00:04:13.000 We can see right off the bat here how important it is 00:04:13.000 --> 00:04:14.319 for records. 00:04:14.319 --> 00:04:18.560 I mean, for many of us, we might have gone to a wedding before, 00:04:18.560 --> 00:04:22.160 or you might have gone to a museum and written your name before. 00:04:22.160 --> 00:04:25.120 When we're born, we have our name written on it 00:04:25.120 --> 00:04:26.839 and the names of our parents. 00:04:26.839 --> 00:04:30.920 And we can think of how there are records in everyday life, 00:04:30.920 --> 00:04:33.439 in documents that we sign and everything. 00:04:33.439 --> 00:04:36.959 And those records are human records. 00:04:36.959 --> 00:04:42.600 But here we are seeing what God says 00:04:42.600 --> 00:04:44.320 is important. 00:04:44.320 --> 00:04:46.040 And that's something that's very different here. 00:04:46.040 --> 00:04:48.640 So it's going on. 00:04:48.640 --> 00:04:52.200 In verse 15 then, we see that... 00:04:52.200 --> 00:04:55.360 I'm not going to read all these names here, all right? 00:04:55.360 --> 00:04:58.360 You have to forgive me here, right? 00:04:58.360 --> 00:05:01.720 But you see here that it's much like how we would see 00:05:01.720 --> 00:05:04.960 any sort of recorded document, like a flight manifest, right? 00:05:04.960 --> 00:05:10.360 Or a visitation for people who are visiting a museum 00:05:10.360 --> 00:05:12.280 or those kind of things. 00:05:12.279 --> 00:05:16.519 It also makes me think of how so much in Scripture, 00:05:16.519 --> 00:05:21.719 every single name that is in the Word is important, 00:05:21.719 --> 00:05:24.839 so much so that we have it today. 00:05:24.839 --> 00:05:28.439 And it reminds me then we'll go further on in this, 00:05:28.439 --> 00:05:32.119 that our names will be recorded in such a way. 00:05:32.119 --> 00:05:36.719 Our names will be recorded in the Book of Life. 00:05:36.720 --> 00:05:42.400 And how much of an honor it must be to know the Lord 00:05:42.400 --> 00:05:44.800 and that He knows you by name 00:05:44.800 --> 00:05:48.840 and that He records your name in the Book of Life. 00:05:48.840 --> 00:05:51.520 We go then into verse 15, right? 00:05:51.520 --> 00:05:54.120 The search for the Levites. 00:05:54.120 --> 00:05:58.160 I gathered them to the river that runs to Ahava. 00:05:58.160 --> 00:06:01.040 And there camped three days as I reviewed the people 00:06:01.040 --> 00:06:02.280 and the priests. 00:06:02.280 --> 00:06:06.120 I found there were none of the sons of Levi. 00:06:06.120 --> 00:06:07.519 So in other words, 00:06:07.519 --> 00:06:09.519 if all these people who are traveling 00:06:09.519 --> 00:06:11.280 and there's no Levites, 00:06:11.280 --> 00:06:13.560 now when you read that you're like, okay. 00:06:13.560 --> 00:06:16.360 But what's very interesting and very important here 00:06:16.360 --> 00:06:19.120 is the Levites had specialized roles, right? 00:06:19.120 --> 00:06:21.560 They were called by God for the temple 00:06:21.560 --> 00:06:23.680 and for the people of God. 00:06:23.680 --> 00:06:26.560 So that's something that's very important, right? 00:06:26.560 --> 00:06:29.959 The Levites, they would offer sacrifice, 00:06:29.959 --> 00:06:31.959 they would teach the law 00:06:31.959 --> 00:06:34.280 and they would protect the congregation. 00:06:34.279 --> 00:06:37.319 So let's go on further, right? 00:06:37.319 --> 00:06:40.919 So then I sent for Eliza, Ariel, Shemaiah, 00:06:40.919 --> 00:06:45.759 El Nathan, Jerob, El Nathan, Nathan, Zachariah, right? 00:06:45.759 --> 00:06:47.119 You see all these names. 00:06:47.119 --> 00:06:50.039 Verse 17, and sent them to Edo. 00:06:50.039 --> 00:06:53.119 The leading man at the place, Cassaphia, 00:06:53.119 --> 00:06:56.919 telling them what to say to Edo and his brothers 00:06:56.919 --> 00:06:59.439 and temple servants at the place, Cassaphia, 00:06:59.439 --> 00:07:03.159 namely to send us ministers for the house of our God. 00:07:03.160 --> 00:07:04.640 So there's the search that's happening 00:07:04.640 --> 00:07:07.000 and then from 18 to 20, 00:07:07.000 --> 00:07:09.000 by the hand of our God on us, 00:07:09.000 --> 00:07:11.920 they brought us a man of discretion, 00:07:11.920 --> 00:07:16.320 of the sons of Mali, the son of Levi, son of Israel, 00:07:16.320 --> 00:07:19.640 namely, Sherabiah with his sons and kinsmen. 00:07:19.640 --> 00:07:21.920 So it goes on in those two verses, 00:07:21.920 --> 00:07:24.120 there's basically a total of 38 Levites 00:07:24.120 --> 00:07:27.200 and 220 servants who were sent with them. 00:07:27.200 --> 00:07:32.240 And so there was the search where the people had to go out 00:07:32.240 --> 00:07:35.720 and bring forth the Levites. 00:07:35.720 --> 00:07:40.879 Now the Levites are very much like how we have pastors today 00:07:40.879 --> 00:07:42.759 who shepherd the congregation, right? 00:07:42.759 --> 00:07:46.639 We have pastors who preach and teach the word of God 00:07:46.639 --> 00:07:49.000 and they care and they oversee. 00:07:49.000 --> 00:07:52.720 So it's a very similar, very nice parallel with there. 00:07:52.720 --> 00:07:55.000 From there in verse 21, 00:07:55.000 --> 00:07:57.920 there's the time of fasting and prayer. 00:07:57.920 --> 00:08:00.480 I proclaimed a fast there at the river 00:08:00.480 --> 00:08:03.560 that we might humble ourselves before our God to seek Him, 00:08:03.560 --> 00:08:06.240 a safe journey for ourselves, our children, right? 00:08:06.240 --> 00:08:08.879 And what's interesting in verse 22, 00:08:08.879 --> 00:08:11.520 I was ashamed to ask the King for a band of soldiers 00:08:11.520 --> 00:08:14.520 and horsemen to protect us against the enemy on our way, 00:08:14.520 --> 00:08:16.640 since we had told the King, 00:08:16.640 --> 00:08:19.600 the hand of our God is for good on all who seek Him 00:08:19.600 --> 00:08:23.319 and the power of His wrath against all who forsake Him. 00:08:23.319 --> 00:08:24.840 So we fasted and implored God. 00:08:24.840 --> 00:08:27.720 So it's really funny when you're reading this, right? 00:08:27.720 --> 00:08:30.920 They were afraid and it was very easy for them 00:08:30.920 --> 00:08:34.920 to just call upon the King and to get the King's resources, 00:08:34.920 --> 00:08:36.160 but yet they said to the King, 00:08:36.160 --> 00:08:38.320 well, we're gonna place our trust in God 00:08:38.320 --> 00:08:40.440 and so they have to continue with that. 00:08:40.440 --> 00:08:42.519 So that's pretty interesting, right? 00:08:42.519 --> 00:08:44.560 Relying on God and not man. 00:08:44.560 --> 00:08:46.360 And we can see this right away 00:08:46.360 --> 00:08:49.440 that the importance of fasting and prayer, 00:08:49.440 --> 00:08:53.279 especially in time where you're asking for God for protection 00:08:53.279 --> 00:08:58.279 or in vulnerable moments or in critical times, right? 00:08:58.399 --> 00:09:02.360 Especially in times of trial or tribulation as well. 00:09:02.360 --> 00:09:05.439 We then go to verse 24 to 36, 00:09:05.439 --> 00:09:10.360 where it's the protection of the vessels and the offerings. 00:09:10.360 --> 00:09:14.439 So you have here in verse 24, how many priests? 00:09:16.120 --> 00:09:17.199 12, right? 00:09:17.199 --> 00:09:19.159 I said a part 12 of the leading priests, 00:09:19.159 --> 00:09:21.519 so it has verse 25, 00:09:21.519 --> 00:09:24.079 I weighed out them, the silver and the gold and the vessels, 00:09:24.079 --> 00:09:26.279 the offering of the house of our God, 00:09:26.279 --> 00:09:29.240 that the King and his counselors and lords and all Israel, 00:09:29.240 --> 00:09:30.679 their presence had offered, right? 00:09:30.679 --> 00:09:33.799 So there's the weighing of 650 talents of silver, 00:09:33.799 --> 00:09:37.519 200 talents of silver vessels, 100 talents of gold. 00:09:37.519 --> 00:09:39.439 It's a lot of vessels right there. 00:09:40.319 --> 00:09:42.919 And then it goes on in verse 28, I said to them, 00:09:42.919 --> 00:09:45.639 you are holy to the Lord and the vessels are holy 00:09:45.639 --> 00:09:48.559 and the silver and gold are a free will offering 00:09:48.559 --> 00:09:51.279 to the Lord, the God, your fathers. 00:09:51.279 --> 00:09:53.839 Verse 29 is very important then, guard them 00:09:53.839 --> 00:09:57.519 and keep them until you weigh them before the chief priests. 00:09:57.519 --> 00:09:58.959 It's going on in verse 30, 00:09:58.959 --> 00:10:00.959 the priests and the Levites took over the weight 00:10:00.959 --> 00:10:04.159 of the silver and gold to bring them to Jerusalem, 00:10:04.159 --> 00:10:05.679 to the house of our God. 00:10:05.679 --> 00:10:07.399 Do you see a parallel here? 00:10:07.399 --> 00:10:09.799 For those of us who were here at the beginning 00:10:09.799 --> 00:10:12.639 of our exposition of Ezra, 00:10:12.639 --> 00:10:14.519 there was the transporting of the vessels 00:10:14.519 --> 00:10:15.959 from Babylonia to Jerusalem. 00:10:15.959 --> 00:10:18.720 And it's a very similar thing that we're seeing here, right? 00:10:18.720 --> 00:10:20.000 So there's the continued, 00:10:20.000 --> 00:10:21.600 the transporting of the vessels. 00:10:21.600 --> 00:10:24.559 And I want you to take note of that. 00:10:24.559 --> 00:10:28.919 You're gonna see, okay, these 12 priests 00:10:28.919 --> 00:10:33.279 are helping to transport vessels to their rightful place. 00:10:33.279 --> 00:10:35.759 And you'll see why as we go forth. 00:10:35.759 --> 00:10:37.559 So then we departed from the river, 00:10:37.559 --> 00:10:39.080 the hand of our God was upon us. 00:10:39.080 --> 00:10:41.279 He delivered us by the hand of the enemy 00:10:41.279 --> 00:10:43.720 from the ambushes, by the way. 00:10:43.720 --> 00:10:44.720 That's important. 00:10:44.720 --> 00:10:46.840 God protects us on our journey, 00:10:46.840 --> 00:10:50.240 just as God had protected his people, 00:10:50.240 --> 00:10:54.920 the Levites and all the people traveling. 00:10:54.920 --> 00:10:56.920 So on the fourth day within the house of God, 00:10:56.920 --> 00:11:00.360 so verse 33, you see that there's the hands 00:11:00.360 --> 00:11:02.200 of all the priests. 00:11:02.200 --> 00:11:04.160 Verse 35, and that time, 00:11:04.160 --> 00:11:06.040 those who had come to captivity, 00:11:06.040 --> 00:11:07.399 the returned exiles, 00:11:07.399 --> 00:11:09.600 offered burnt offerings to the God of Israel, 00:11:09.600 --> 00:11:13.240 12 bowls for all of Israel, 96 rams. 00:11:13.240 --> 00:11:15.480 There's a lot of offerings that are happening. 00:11:15.480 --> 00:11:19.240 Verse 36, they also delivered the king's commissions 00:11:19.240 --> 00:11:21.680 to the king's satrups and to the governors 00:11:21.680 --> 00:11:23.200 of the province beyond the river, 00:11:23.200 --> 00:11:26.360 and they aided the people and the house of God. 00:11:27.360 --> 00:11:28.920 And so in all of this, right, 00:11:28.920 --> 00:11:32.440 we see here there's the record of people who traveled. 00:11:32.440 --> 00:11:34.120 There is the search for the Levites, 00:11:34.120 --> 00:11:36.039 the finding of the Levites. 00:11:36.039 --> 00:11:39.240 There's the time where there's fasting and prayer, right? 00:11:39.240 --> 00:11:41.759 And then there's the traveling back to Jerusalem, right? 00:11:41.759 --> 00:11:45.639 There's this protection of the vessels and offerings. 00:11:45.639 --> 00:11:47.360 When we read this, we might think, okay, 00:11:47.360 --> 00:11:50.519 well, what are the lessons here that I can learn 00:11:50.519 --> 00:11:53.919 as a Christian today here in 2024? 00:11:53.919 --> 00:11:56.000 And the first thing that we can see here, 00:11:56.000 --> 00:11:58.879 this is the question of what can we learn 00:11:58.879 --> 00:12:00.240 and interpret from these verses? 00:12:00.240 --> 00:12:02.399 So that's the next slide then. 00:12:02.399 --> 00:12:07.399 And it says here that your name is written 00:12:07.399 --> 00:12:11.799 in the book of life through faith in Jesus Christ. 00:12:11.799 --> 00:12:13.480 And I'm gonna say that again. 00:12:13.480 --> 00:12:17.159 Your name is written in the book of life 00:12:17.159 --> 00:12:19.319 through faith in Jesus Christ. 00:12:19.319 --> 00:12:23.399 Some of you may know the verse right off the bat here 00:12:23.399 --> 00:12:28.399 that about the book of life in Philippians 4-3, 00:12:29.000 --> 00:12:34.000 talking about those who were with him, right? 00:12:34.159 --> 00:12:35.960 Names are written in the book of life. 00:12:35.960 --> 00:12:38.120 We also see that in Revelation. 00:12:38.120 --> 00:12:42.080 Those who are believers, those who know Jesus Christ. 00:12:42.080 --> 00:12:44.600 In the same way that we see that there are these names 00:12:44.600 --> 00:12:46.240 that are recorded throughout Ezra 00:12:46.240 --> 00:12:48.340 and throughout all of Scripture, 00:12:48.340 --> 00:12:51.920 we have to think that we will be remembered by God 00:12:51.920 --> 00:12:56.280 by placing our faith and our trust in Jesus Christ. 00:12:56.280 --> 00:12:57.800 That's something that's very important 00:12:57.800 --> 00:13:01.600 and something that we can see that direct connection, right? 00:13:01.600 --> 00:13:04.400 We may not know who all of these people are 00:13:04.399 --> 00:13:07.480 when we read Ezra or anybody from, 00:13:07.480 --> 00:13:09.159 we may not know their personality 00:13:09.159 --> 00:13:12.240 or what kind of food they liked 00:13:12.240 --> 00:13:16.919 or did they have long or short hair or any of those things. 00:13:16.919 --> 00:13:20.919 But in this we see that our name is going to be written 00:13:20.919 --> 00:13:21.759 in the book of life. 00:13:21.759 --> 00:13:25.840 Revelation, Revelation 21, 27, 00:13:25.840 --> 00:13:28.340 nothing unclean will enter it, 00:13:28.340 --> 00:13:31.919 nor does anyone who does what is detestable or false, 00:13:31.919 --> 00:13:36.399 but only those who are written in the Lamb's book of life. 00:13:36.399 --> 00:13:39.159 And so there's a lot of references here 00:13:39.159 --> 00:13:41.279 to be remembered, to be known by God 00:13:41.279 --> 00:13:43.879 and to be written in the book of life. 00:13:43.879 --> 00:13:46.079 It's very different than if you're an author 00:13:46.079 --> 00:13:49.360 and you have your name written on a book. 00:13:49.360 --> 00:13:54.360 We're talking about being recognized by our Father, 00:13:54.479 --> 00:13:56.959 by our God, the Creator. 00:13:56.959 --> 00:13:59.079 And that's something that is just remarkable 00:13:59.079 --> 00:14:00.339 for us to think about. 00:14:00.340 --> 00:14:02.740 The second thing is then, 00:14:04.240 --> 00:14:09.240 is that God calls and equips us for service. 00:14:10.740 --> 00:14:13.420 God calls each and every one of us 00:14:13.420 --> 00:14:16.460 to enter into a relationship with Him. 00:14:16.460 --> 00:14:18.259 There's this invitation, 00:14:18.259 --> 00:14:20.660 much as there is the invitation for the Levites 00:14:20.660 --> 00:14:23.540 to come help with the people of God. 00:14:23.540 --> 00:14:27.740 God extends an invitation like a letter, right? 00:14:27.740 --> 00:14:29.340 Or when you get a text message, right? 00:14:29.340 --> 00:14:30.740 But it's something far more greater 00:14:30.740 --> 00:14:32.780 than a text message or a letter. 00:14:32.780 --> 00:14:36.060 God extends the invitation for you to believe in Him, 00:14:36.060 --> 00:14:39.019 to believe in the death, burial, and resurrection. 00:14:40.460 --> 00:14:43.259 To enter in that relationship is the greatest decision 00:14:43.259 --> 00:14:45.340 that you can ever make for your life. 00:14:45.340 --> 00:14:48.580 And from that, God not only calls us 00:14:48.580 --> 00:14:50.060 into relationship with Him, 00:14:50.060 --> 00:14:53.420 He calls for us to be filled with the Holy Spirit. 00:14:53.420 --> 00:14:57.300 He calls for us to be on a path of spiritual maturity, 00:14:57.299 --> 00:14:59.859 to go from spiritual children 00:14:59.859 --> 00:15:02.259 to more mature in the faith, right? 00:15:02.259 --> 00:15:04.659 You don't wanna be a baby for all of your life, right? 00:15:04.659 --> 00:15:08.740 You want to grow, much like when we think of our own children. 00:15:08.740 --> 00:15:10.500 They are going to physically grow, 00:15:10.500 --> 00:15:13.339 much like how we are going to spiritually grow. 00:15:15.059 --> 00:15:17.659 And when we have God mold us, right? 00:15:17.659 --> 00:15:20.740 God being the great potter and us being the clay, 00:15:20.740 --> 00:15:22.899 the work of His hands, 00:15:22.899 --> 00:15:24.219 we have to think for a moment 00:15:24.219 --> 00:15:26.099 that God is going to teach us so much 00:15:26.100 --> 00:15:27.500 and we are going to grow. 00:15:27.500 --> 00:15:31.779 We are going to be equipped for service. 00:15:31.779 --> 00:15:35.060 I'm talking about your time, your talent, and your treasure. 00:15:35.060 --> 00:15:37.700 I'm talking about spiritual giftings. 00:15:37.700 --> 00:15:40.420 I'm talking about the fruit of the Spirit. 00:15:40.420 --> 00:15:43.500 There's so many things, even when scripture talks about us 00:15:43.500 --> 00:15:47.899 putting on the new self and leaving the former self, 00:15:47.899 --> 00:15:49.659 that there is inner transformation 00:15:49.659 --> 00:15:51.460 that comes from knowing the Lord 00:15:51.460 --> 00:15:55.940 and that God is going to equip us for greater purpose. 00:15:55.940 --> 00:15:57.940 That is something that is remarkable 00:15:57.940 --> 00:15:59.940 about our Lord and our God. 00:15:59.940 --> 00:16:01.940 Knowing that there is peace, 00:16:01.940 --> 00:16:03.940 that surpasses all understanding, 00:16:03.940 --> 00:16:07.940 there is joy that is inexpressible or inexhaustible, 00:16:07.940 --> 00:16:10.940 or there is the love of Jesus Christ. 00:16:10.940 --> 00:16:12.940 I was reading a book the other day 00:16:12.940 --> 00:16:16.940 that was talking about for every person, 00:16:16.940 --> 00:16:19.940 for every one person, it's a pastoral book, 00:16:19.940 --> 00:16:22.940 for every one person that needs correction or rebuking, 00:16:22.940 --> 00:16:26.940 there is about ten people who need the love of Christ, 00:16:26.940 --> 00:16:31.940 who need comfort, who need encouragement. 00:16:31.940 --> 00:16:35.940 That was something that really hit me when I thought about that 00:16:35.940 --> 00:16:37.940 because very often we think about, 00:16:37.940 --> 00:16:39.940 oh, correct theology and correct doctrine, 00:16:39.940 --> 00:16:41.940 but there's got to be the love and the nurturing 00:16:41.940 --> 00:16:43.940 that comes from Jesus Christ as well. 00:16:43.940 --> 00:16:47.940 And that's something that's very remarkable. 00:16:47.940 --> 00:16:51.940 The next thing, the third thing, is that in times of crisis, 00:16:51.940 --> 00:16:58.940 we are to seek God through fasting and prayer. 00:16:58.940 --> 00:17:01.940 And there are moments in our lives where we are, 00:17:01.940 --> 00:17:04.940 we're called by Scripture to pray without ceasing. 00:17:04.940 --> 00:17:09.940 And in those vulnerable moments, we need to seek the Lord. 00:17:09.940 --> 00:17:14.940 But we don't hear so much about fasting as much. 00:17:14.940 --> 00:17:16.940 It's something that we find in Scripture, 00:17:16.940 --> 00:17:21.940 but think of times in your life where you need to seek God 00:17:21.940 --> 00:17:24.940 through prayer and even through fasting. 00:17:24.940 --> 00:17:28.940 That's something that is remarkable. 00:17:28.940 --> 00:17:34.940 The fourth thing then is Christ and the church 00:17:34.940 --> 00:17:37.940 foreshadowed in Ezra. 00:17:37.940 --> 00:17:40.940 In the beginning of Ezra, I had mentioned 00:17:40.940 --> 00:17:44.940 that Cyrus is a representation of Christ, it's a prefiguration. 00:17:44.940 --> 00:17:46.940 The foreshadowing of Jesus Christ. 00:17:46.940 --> 00:17:49.940 And you'll actually see that on your notes, right, 00:17:49.940 --> 00:17:51.940 that Cyrus represents Christ. 00:17:51.940 --> 00:17:55.940 Then you have the vessels, right, these objects 00:17:55.940 --> 00:17:59.940 that are being transported. 00:17:59.940 --> 00:18:01.940 They're being transported from Babylonia 00:18:01.940 --> 00:18:03.940 or the place that they do not belong 00:18:03.940 --> 00:18:05.940 into the place that they do belong. 00:18:05.940 --> 00:18:11.940 And this is actually a spiritual representation of believers. 00:18:11.940 --> 00:18:15.940 Think about it, when you believe in Jesus Christ, 00:18:15.940 --> 00:18:17.940 you are placed from the domain of darkness 00:18:17.940 --> 00:18:21.940 into the kingdom of life, from a spiritual standpoint. 00:18:21.940 --> 00:18:23.940 And then in the physical standpoint, 00:18:23.940 --> 00:18:28.940 you are on a journey in your life to become more like Christ. 00:18:28.940 --> 00:18:30.940 That you are being made new. 00:18:30.940 --> 00:18:32.940 That you are being transformed 00:18:32.940 --> 00:18:34.940 and there's the inner working of the Holy Spirit 00:18:34.940 --> 00:18:39.940 that happens in and through you every single day. 00:18:39.940 --> 00:18:41.940 So that's something that's remarkable. 00:18:41.940 --> 00:18:46.940 Then you have Babylon representing the fallen world, 00:18:46.940 --> 00:18:51.940 representing hell and that separation. 00:18:51.940 --> 00:18:55.940 And then there's Jerusalem, which is representing redemption, 00:18:55.940 --> 00:19:00.940 the restored world or even heaven, as mentioned in Revelation. 00:19:00.940 --> 00:19:04.940 And then there's the journey, right, of being transported. 00:19:04.940 --> 00:19:06.940 And I want you to think of the image of a vessel, 00:19:06.940 --> 00:19:09.940 being transported, right? 00:19:09.940 --> 00:19:11.940 It's just like the journey of our life, 00:19:11.940 --> 00:19:16.940 our walk in Christ, that God continues to work in our life. 00:19:16.940 --> 00:19:20.940 Like I said, every single moment, every single day. 00:19:20.940 --> 00:19:24.940 And then of course you have the temple, Nebuchadnezzar's temple, 00:19:24.940 --> 00:19:27.940 representing the separation from God's presence 00:19:27.940 --> 00:19:30.940 and then being put into Zerubbabel's temple, the correct temple, 00:19:30.940 --> 00:19:33.940 representing God's presence. 00:19:33.940 --> 00:19:37.940 And something that's very interesting that we find in, 00:19:37.940 --> 00:19:45.940 especially the Old Testament, is that the language of being separated from God. 00:19:45.940 --> 00:19:47.940 I don't know about you. 00:19:47.940 --> 00:19:50.940 I want to be in the presence of God. 00:19:50.940 --> 00:19:52.940 I don't want to be in darkness. 00:19:52.940 --> 00:19:54.940 I want to be in light. 00:19:54.940 --> 00:19:58.940 I want to be in the presence of the Lord. 00:19:58.940 --> 00:20:00.940 And that's what we think about the temple. 00:20:00.940 --> 00:20:04.940 And then finally the twelve tribes or the twelve priests 00:20:04.940 --> 00:20:09.940 that are representing the church, protecting and transporting us, 00:20:09.940 --> 00:20:11.940 twelve representing completeness. 00:20:11.940 --> 00:20:14.940 So we're seeing this nice parallel here. 00:20:14.940 --> 00:20:16.940 And I want to show you this image here, right? 00:20:16.940 --> 00:20:18.940 Priests and vessels. 00:20:18.940 --> 00:20:21.940 You see this image, right? 00:20:21.940 --> 00:20:24.940 It's just some drawing, if you will, right? 00:20:24.940 --> 00:20:28.940 Where the priests are transporting these vessels 00:20:28.940 --> 00:20:31.940 from darkness into light. 00:20:31.940 --> 00:20:34.940 But you know what's also remarkable about this? 00:20:34.940 --> 00:20:36.940 If you go to that next slide, 00:20:36.940 --> 00:20:44.940 it also reminds me so much about how there's shepherds and sheep. 00:20:44.940 --> 00:20:48.940 Because throughout the Bible, God is very simple, right? 00:20:48.940 --> 00:20:50.940 When Christ says, come to light. 00:20:50.940 --> 00:20:52.940 Okay, that makes sense. 00:20:52.940 --> 00:20:54.940 I don't want to be in darkness, right? 00:20:54.940 --> 00:20:56.940 Or come to know the truth. 00:20:56.940 --> 00:20:58.940 Be fed lies, right? 00:20:58.940 --> 00:21:00.940 Come to know the way, right? 00:21:00.940 --> 00:21:03.940 Instead of being confused. 00:21:03.940 --> 00:21:07.940 Well here we see a representation then of, right? 00:21:07.940 --> 00:21:11.940 So we had the priests transporting the vessels from Babylon to Jerusalem, 00:21:11.940 --> 00:21:16.940 and Christ leading and guiding his sheep from darkness to light. 00:21:16.940 --> 00:21:19.940 Now what's very interesting, 00:21:19.940 --> 00:21:22.940 the difference between sheep and vessels. 00:21:22.940 --> 00:21:26.940 You have sheep, right, which need to be led by the shepherd, right? 00:21:26.940 --> 00:21:30.940 Led by Christ as the good shepherd. 00:21:30.940 --> 00:21:36.940 Well the difference with vessels has to do with what is being filled. 00:21:36.940 --> 00:21:41.940 Now in some articles and psychology and different things, 00:21:41.940 --> 00:21:43.940 you'll hear the language about, 00:21:43.940 --> 00:21:48.940 how many of you have heard about the bucket being filled with water, right? 00:21:48.940 --> 00:21:52.940 The idea is that when you're filled with love, right, 00:21:52.940 --> 00:21:54.940 you're filled with appreciation, 00:21:54.940 --> 00:22:00.940 your bucket is filled and in turn you are pouring out water to other people. 00:22:00.940 --> 00:22:03.940 Well you don't want to have a hole in your bucket, right? 00:22:03.940 --> 00:22:06.940 You don't want to have no water where you can't give anymore. 00:22:06.940 --> 00:22:09.940 That's where you have burnout and those kind of things. 00:22:09.940 --> 00:22:13.940 Well what an incredible parallel with being filled with the Holy Spirit. 00:22:13.940 --> 00:22:19.940 Being filled with the love of Christ that we as vessels we pour into other people. 00:22:19.940 --> 00:22:22.940 Lord fills us up so to speak 00:22:22.940 --> 00:22:27.940 and that we in turn we continue to exhibit the love, right? 00:22:27.940 --> 00:22:31.940 The light, love and truth of Christ to other people. 00:22:31.940 --> 00:22:34.940 And so what a wonderful parallel. 00:22:34.940 --> 00:22:38.940 And then the third slide here, another representation that we can see, 00:22:38.940 --> 00:22:41.940 has to do with pastors and congregations. 00:22:41.940 --> 00:22:43.940 It's actually very similar. 00:22:43.940 --> 00:22:46.940 That the people are going to church 00:22:46.940 --> 00:22:49.940 and they're going to hear from the Word of God, sing praises. 00:22:49.940 --> 00:22:51.940 It's very similar language. 00:22:51.940 --> 00:22:54.940 It's this wonderful parallel that we see with the real world 00:22:54.940 --> 00:22:56.940 and also throughout scripture. 00:22:56.940 --> 00:23:01.940 So we have, right, the priests protecting and transporting the vessels, 00:23:01.940 --> 00:23:03.940 Christ leading and guiding his sheep, 00:23:03.940 --> 00:23:08.940 and then pastors ideally ministering and shepherding the congregation, right? 00:23:08.940 --> 00:23:15.940 And leading them, right? It's helping them come to know who Jesus Christ is. 00:23:15.940 --> 00:23:20.940 Going from a sin filled life to a spirit filled life. 00:23:20.940 --> 00:23:24.940 What a wonderful spiritual representation that we can find here. 00:23:24.940 --> 00:23:26.940 Something that is connected. 00:23:26.940 --> 00:23:29.940 And I know we don't have time to go through all of it, 00:23:29.940 --> 00:23:33.940 but there's a lot of verses that we can see that support this. 00:23:33.940 --> 00:23:37.940 Praise God for seeing such simple images, right? 00:23:37.940 --> 00:23:44.940 Simple frameworks and ideas here that helps us understand who our God is. 00:23:44.940 --> 00:23:48.940 And so in all of this then, there's the question then, all right, 00:23:48.940 --> 00:23:52.940 you've talked about what is going on, the record of what's happening, 00:23:52.940 --> 00:23:56.940 the search for the Levites, the importance of prayer and fasting, 00:23:56.940 --> 00:23:58.940 and the protection of vessels. 00:23:58.940 --> 00:24:03.940 You've also mentioned, Pastor, about the importance of your name being written in the Book of Life 00:24:03.940 --> 00:24:08.940 that we're all called to enter in a relationship and to serve the Lord. 00:24:08.940 --> 00:24:11.940 So what can I do about that? 00:24:11.940 --> 00:24:16.940 How can I live out the truth that is from Ezra chapter 8? 00:24:16.940 --> 00:24:22.940 Well, the first thing then is to be remembered by God. 00:24:22.940 --> 00:24:29.940 And that is to, right, you have this picture here, be remembered by God. 00:24:29.940 --> 00:24:31.940 Believe in Christ and be saved. 00:24:31.940 --> 00:24:35.940 It's kind of like when you're ready to receive the free gift of salvation, 00:24:35.940 --> 00:24:37.940 your name is going to be written there. 00:24:37.940 --> 00:24:40.940 And we praise God for that, right? 00:24:40.940 --> 00:24:42.940 So it's an encouragement for us. 00:24:42.940 --> 00:24:49.940 If you don't know Jesus Christ, let this be a call for you to believe in Jesus Christ 00:24:49.940 --> 00:24:52.940 and to be saved by grace through faith. 00:24:52.940 --> 00:24:56.940 Have your name written in the Book of Life. 00:24:56.940 --> 00:25:01.940 And the second thing then is to be on a journey. 00:25:01.940 --> 00:25:04.940 Be on a journey in Christ, right? 00:25:04.940 --> 00:25:09.940 Be that vessel that is filled with the Holy Spirit, right? 00:25:09.940 --> 00:25:12.940 So you see, you begin on a journey, right? 00:25:12.940 --> 00:25:17.940 When you are saved by grace through faith, that is the beginning of your walk, 00:25:17.940 --> 00:25:21.940 of your new journey in Jesus Christ, right? 00:25:21.940 --> 00:25:25.940 And so begin on that path, begin on that journey in Christ, 00:25:25.940 --> 00:25:28.940 being that vessel that is filled with the Holy Spirit 00:25:28.940 --> 00:25:34.940 so that you can pour out love and truth to other people. 00:25:34.940 --> 00:25:40.940 That you can, the power that comes to you through you is from Christ. 00:25:40.940 --> 00:25:43.940 And you're exhibiting that to other people. 00:25:43.940 --> 00:25:45.940 And that's very important. 00:25:45.940 --> 00:25:50.940 The third thing then is to be active in your faith, right? 00:25:50.940 --> 00:25:53.940 Many of us may know the famous verse, right? 00:25:53.940 --> 00:25:57.940 Faith without works is dead and there's a lot of debate on that verse. 00:25:57.940 --> 00:26:01.940 But the main idea is, number one, you have to have faith. 00:26:01.940 --> 00:26:05.940 And number two, you need to have a living and active faith, 00:26:05.940 --> 00:26:08.940 not a dead or stagnant kind of faith. 00:26:08.940 --> 00:26:10.940 Does that make sense? 00:26:10.940 --> 00:26:12.940 You want to be active in your faith. 00:26:12.940 --> 00:26:15.940 It's showing that you are growing in Christ. 00:26:15.940 --> 00:26:17.940 It's showing that you're on a trajectory. 00:26:17.940 --> 00:26:21.940 That you're doing the work that God has set before you, right? 00:26:21.940 --> 00:26:26.940 And so, of course, we have to pray in fast and uncertain times 00:26:26.940 --> 00:26:31.940 and whether that's an own personal event that's happening 00:26:31.940 --> 00:26:34.940 or a season that you're going through. 00:26:34.940 --> 00:26:38.940 Many of us have been through seasons where we need to come to the Lord. 00:26:38.940 --> 00:26:41.940 It is in moments where we are vulnerable. 00:26:41.940 --> 00:26:45.940 It is in moments where we are going through a trial or a tribulation 00:26:45.940 --> 00:26:47.940 that we need to come to the Lord. 00:26:47.940 --> 00:26:51.940 It is in those moments where we seek God so much more. 00:26:51.940 --> 00:26:57.940 Many of us, we think of, oh, I've got a good thing with God when things are good. 00:26:57.940 --> 00:26:59.940 What about when things are bad? 00:26:59.940 --> 00:27:01.940 Are you seeking the Lord? 00:27:01.940 --> 00:27:03.940 Are you praying to Him? 00:27:03.940 --> 00:27:06.940 Sometimes we have those seasons in life. 00:27:06.940 --> 00:27:10.940 And then, of course, fasting in uncertain times 00:27:10.940 --> 00:27:14.940 and, well, we can go on about just all of the crazy things 00:27:14.940 --> 00:27:16.940 that are going on in the world. 00:27:16.940 --> 00:27:21.940 Sometimes the Lord may lead you to pray for things that are happening 00:27:21.940 --> 00:27:24.940 in our own country or in our own world. 00:27:24.940 --> 00:27:29.940 I know I mentioned last week about how it's so important for us 00:27:29.940 --> 00:27:36.940 to pray for those in political office, regardless of what political party they're a part of. 00:27:36.940 --> 00:27:40.940 We should ask God to work in and through them, 00:27:40.940 --> 00:27:44.940 that there will be transformation and repentance, 00:27:44.940 --> 00:27:48.940 that there will be a moving of the Holy Spirit in our leaders. 00:27:48.940 --> 00:27:53.940 Well, one way that we can do that is by praying and through fasting. 00:27:53.940 --> 00:27:57.940 And it's very important for us to know that. 00:27:57.940 --> 00:28:03.940 And the fourth thing, then, is to step up where God wants you to be. 00:28:03.940 --> 00:28:08.940 So you need to answer God's call for your life. 00:28:08.940 --> 00:28:12.940 Just like how there is an invitation for the Levites to come 00:28:12.940 --> 00:28:17.940 and to take care of the congregation of the people of God 00:28:17.940 --> 00:28:21.940 and to participate in the temple. 00:28:21.940 --> 00:28:25.940 God calls for us to enter in that relationship. 00:28:25.940 --> 00:28:27.940 God calls for us to be active. 00:28:27.940 --> 00:28:31.940 And God calls for us to step up. 00:28:31.940 --> 00:28:37.940 Ask yourself the question, what is God asking of you today? 00:28:37.940 --> 00:28:42.940 Where is God calling you or who is God wanting you to speak with? 00:28:42.940 --> 00:28:52.940 It's so important for us as Christians to really focus on hearing the voice of God 00:28:52.940 --> 00:28:56.940 or the leading of the Holy Spirit or even just opening the Word of God 00:28:56.940 --> 00:28:59.940 and letting it speak to you. 00:28:59.940 --> 00:29:04.940 We are all to step up as parts of the body of Christ. 00:29:04.940 --> 00:29:09.940 We all have different gifts and abilities. 00:29:09.940 --> 00:29:13.940 Like I mentioned before, our time, our talent and our treasure. 00:29:13.940 --> 00:29:17.940 And there are certain gifts that God gives to each and every one of us. 00:29:17.940 --> 00:29:20.940 And that's something that's very encouraging. 00:29:20.940 --> 00:29:24.940 Maybe you have felt like you've been inactive. 00:29:24.940 --> 00:29:28.940 Maybe you felt that kind of push or that tug, if you will, 00:29:28.940 --> 00:29:34.940 from the Lord to step up in the person, the man or the woman that God wants you to be. 00:29:34.940 --> 00:29:36.940 That's something that's between you and the Lord. 00:29:36.940 --> 00:29:41.940 And if you don't know, ask the Lord, God, what do you want me to do for my life? 00:29:41.940 --> 00:29:46.940 Maybe you're leading me in a certain way because here's the thing. 00:29:46.940 --> 00:29:50.940 God calls us for greater things in our life. 00:29:50.940 --> 00:29:55.940 When we are being transformed, when we are being renewed, when we are being restored, 00:29:55.940 --> 00:29:58.940 we're being transformed on a personal note. 00:29:58.940 --> 00:30:06.940 But because of that transformation, we then in turn go out into the world and we declare the name of Jesus Christ. 00:30:06.940 --> 00:30:08.940 That's why we share in our testimony. 00:30:08.940 --> 00:30:16.940 That's why we share in the gospel message saying things like this is how God has worked in my life. 00:30:16.940 --> 00:30:18.940 How has God worked in your life? 00:30:18.940 --> 00:30:23.940 And where is God calling you today in your current season? 00:30:23.940 --> 00:30:26.940 Maybe you're already doing it and that's great. 00:30:26.940 --> 00:30:32.940 But in any case, it's something for us to remember, for us to keep in mind. 00:30:32.940 --> 00:30:44.940 And in all of this, I want to encourage you that it is the same God who called the Levites to minister to the people of God. 00:30:44.940 --> 00:30:53.940 Calls for you to enter in a relationship with Jesus Christ to enter into his presence. 00:30:53.940 --> 00:30:55.940 God calls for us. 00:30:55.940 --> 00:31:00.940 He knows who we are and he calls for you to be written in the book of life. 00:31:00.940 --> 00:31:10.940 The same God who made you as a vessel calls for you out of darkness and sin into restoration and salvation. 00:31:10.940 --> 00:31:26.940 It is much like how I mentioned a couple of times before the idea of Kinsugi art that God takes that which is broken and restores it and makes it more valuable than what it once was before. 00:31:26.940 --> 00:31:40.940 How many of us may identify with being broken or being shattered as it were by the world, but being restored and being more valuable than we once were. 00:31:40.940 --> 00:31:50.940 And the same God who protected the priests, the prophets and the people of God will protect you all the days of your life. 00:31:50.940 --> 00:32:01.940 And so let this be a call for you to be a vessel, to be a vessel of God and to be an instrument of change. 00:32:01.940 --> 00:32:12.940 God calls for you to know him right to be filled with the Holy Spirit to grow in him and to do good in the name of Christ being that instrument of God. 00:32:12.940 --> 00:32:15.940 Let us take that to heart as we close. 00:32:15.940 --> 00:32:18.940 Let's pray together. 00:32:18.940 --> 00:32:27.940 Dear Lord and Heavenly Father, we thank you for giving us this time to go over Ezra chapter 8. 00:32:27.940 --> 00:32:37.940 There's a lot of spiritual truth, a lot of lessons that we can learn, but there's also the things we can observe and the things that we can apply to our own very life. 00:32:37.940 --> 00:32:54.940 Father, I pray that every person here has has already or is going to make a decision for your son Jesus Christ by believing in the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus. 00:32:54.940 --> 00:33:04.940 Father, we pray that we may be remembered by you, that we may be on a journey and becoming more like you. 00:33:04.940 --> 00:33:11.940 Father, we ask that you mold us and that you make us new and that you transform us from the inside out. 00:33:11.940 --> 00:33:20.940 We pray that we may have an act of faith and in those storms of life in the seasons that we may go through the trials and tribulations. 00:33:20.940 --> 00:33:22.940 May we seek you. 00:33:22.940 --> 00:33:26.940 May we fast even in those critical times. 00:33:26.940 --> 00:33:35.940 And Father, you call for us in that relationship to grow in you to be filled with the Holy Spirit and to do good in your Holy Name. 00:33:35.940 --> 00:33:42.940 We pray that this message will be in our minds and in our hearts and in our spirit. 00:33:42.940 --> 00:33:46.940 Be with us all of us today. 00:33:46.940 --> 00:33:56.940 And as we sing this last song, may we lift up a shout of praise for you are Holy, you are strong and you are mighty. 00:33:56.940 --> 00:33:58.940 And Father, you are good. 00:33:58.940 --> 00:34:04.940 May you be the foundation for our lives that can never be shaken. 00:34:04.940 --> 00:34:09.940 It is in Jesus' Name that we pray and we all say together, Amen. 00:34:09.940 --> 00:34:21.940 Thank you for tuning in to the Ontario Community Church sermon podcast. For more about our church and how you can get involved or support our mission, please visit ontariocommunitychurch.org. 00:34:21.940 --> 00:34:40.940 May God's blessings be with you.