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 --> 00:00:19.679 We're delighted to share this sermon with you. 00:00:19.679 --> 00:00:22.480 Well, let's get started everyone. 00:00:22.480 --> 00:00:24.600 Well, good morning everyone. 00:00:24.600 --> 00:00:26.960 It is great to be with you as we're 00:00:26.960 --> 00:00:29.600 continuing our sermon series 00:00:29.600 --> 00:00:32.000 through the book of Ezra. 00:00:32.000 --> 00:00:33.800 We're in Ezra chapter two. 00:00:33.800 --> 00:00:36.000 If you want to go ahead and turn your bibles there, 00:00:36.000 --> 00:00:39.800 it's going to be on page 458. 00:00:41.039 --> 00:00:44.800 And you know, it's really great when we're able to go 00:00:44.800 --> 00:00:47.680 through the Old Testament and see the context 00:00:47.680 --> 00:00:50.200 and the connections, the fulfillment of the prophecies, 00:00:50.200 --> 00:00:52.880 and all of these things that are happening. 00:00:52.880 --> 00:00:54.920 But what's also really great for us to know 00:00:54.920 --> 00:00:58.359 is that God continues to work in and through his people, 00:00:58.359 --> 00:01:00.839 through us Christians today. 00:01:00.839 --> 00:01:03.920 This last week we learned about how the Holy Spirit 00:01:03.920 --> 00:01:07.959 stirred the spirit of Cyrus and the people of God 00:01:07.959 --> 00:01:12.959 to rise up and to return from exile in Babylon to Jerusalem. 00:01:14.200 --> 00:01:16.760 We learned about how Cyrus, the Gentile King, 00:01:16.760 --> 00:01:20.960 is a representation, it is a foretelling of Jesus Christ 00:01:20.960 --> 00:01:25.960 by returning the stolen vessels to their rightful place. 00:01:26.400 --> 00:01:28.039 And what a great representation 00:01:28.040 --> 00:01:30.200 we find a lot of spiritual truths, right? 00:01:30.200 --> 00:01:33.600 Much like how we find many different parables 00:01:33.600 --> 00:01:35.719 and different aspects in scripture 00:01:35.719 --> 00:01:39.520 that are very applicable for us today. 00:01:39.520 --> 00:01:41.000 That when we become Christian, 00:01:41.000 --> 00:01:44.120 we're transferred from the domain of darkness 00:01:44.120 --> 00:01:45.520 into the kingdom of light 00:01:45.520 --> 00:01:48.200 and it's just a powerful connection. 00:01:48.200 --> 00:01:51.120 We also learned about how the community came together, right? 00:01:51.120 --> 00:01:53.400 And they contributed their time, their talent, 00:01:53.400 --> 00:01:56.719 and their treasure towards the rebuilding of the temple. 00:01:56.719 --> 00:01:59.560 Taking this journey and later rebuilding the altar 00:01:59.560 --> 00:02:01.200 and the temple, it would not be easy 00:02:01.200 --> 00:02:05.599 and it would require contribution from others. 00:02:05.599 --> 00:02:08.360 And it makes me think about Christians today, 00:02:08.360 --> 00:02:12.159 that it is so important for us to take inventory 00:02:12.159 --> 00:02:15.319 of our time and our talent and treasure. 00:02:15.319 --> 00:02:18.520 Just as the community came together and contributed, 00:02:18.520 --> 00:02:22.840 we too should do the same for the building of the church, 00:02:22.840 --> 00:02:25.159 the local body, the assembly. 00:02:25.159 --> 00:02:28.120 And all of these are of great importance. 00:02:28.120 --> 00:02:30.719 And what we're gonna see here in Ezra chapter two 00:02:30.719 --> 00:02:35.359 is a list of long lots and lots of names. 00:02:35.359 --> 00:02:37.240 I want you to briefly look real quick here. 00:02:37.240 --> 00:02:39.400 You're gonna see in verse three, 00:02:39.400 --> 00:02:43.000 you're gonna see names, the sons of, 00:02:43.000 --> 00:02:45.199 who are all of these people? 00:02:45.199 --> 00:02:47.519 You're gonna see numbers that are assigned with it, 00:02:47.519 --> 00:02:50.479 the amount of people that are going on. 00:02:50.479 --> 00:02:52.120 And what I want you to keep in mind, 00:02:52.120 --> 00:02:54.240 we're gonna pray and we're gonna go ahead and continue, 00:02:54.240 --> 00:02:57.280 is that there is an account here. 00:02:57.280 --> 00:03:00.840 There is a record of all of these families, 00:03:00.840 --> 00:03:05.840 all of these people who, you're talking well over 40,000 00:03:06.159 --> 00:03:10.159 people who are going on a 500 plus mile journey 00:03:10.159 --> 00:03:14.320 across the desert, carrying over 4,000, 00:03:14.320 --> 00:03:17.560 or excuse me, over 5,000 vessels. 00:03:17.560 --> 00:03:20.800 And that's not everything on this journey. 00:03:20.800 --> 00:03:25.240 And it's showing, it's to encourage us and to inspire us 00:03:25.240 --> 00:03:28.000 of how our God has moved in the past 00:03:28.000 --> 00:03:31.800 and how God continues to move in our lives today. 00:03:31.800 --> 00:03:34.320 That is why we should pray for revival. 00:03:34.320 --> 00:03:38.040 That is why we should pray that God will restore the broken 00:03:38.040 --> 00:03:40.760 and renew our spirits in our hearts. 00:03:40.760 --> 00:03:43.480 So let's pray and we'll go into Ezra two. 00:03:43.480 --> 00:03:47.840 Gracious Father, we come before you hungry for your word. 00:03:47.840 --> 00:03:50.560 We're continuing through this amazing book of Ezra. 00:03:50.560 --> 00:03:52.360 We pray that truth is spoken here 00:03:52.360 --> 00:03:54.599 and that lives will be transformed. 00:03:54.599 --> 00:03:58.479 Father, you call for us to enter into a relationship with you, 00:03:58.479 --> 00:04:01.039 to grow in faith through discipleship 00:04:01.039 --> 00:04:04.800 and learning what it means to read and study scripture, 00:04:04.800 --> 00:04:08.099 but also to follow in the footsteps of Christ. 00:04:08.099 --> 00:04:10.480 And you move us, Father, you move us to do good 00:04:10.480 --> 00:04:13.879 in your holy name by being an ambassador for Christ. 00:04:13.879 --> 00:04:16.199 As we go through Ezra two and we're learning 00:04:16.199 --> 00:04:19.279 about all of these names, we don't know everybody in here, 00:04:19.279 --> 00:04:20.919 but we know that they are important 00:04:20.919 --> 00:04:23.159 because they have been written and recorded. 00:04:24.039 --> 00:04:27.719 In a similar manner, may we recognize 00:04:27.719 --> 00:04:29.799 that we are on a spiritual journey 00:04:29.799 --> 00:04:32.399 when we believe in your son, Jesus Christ 00:04:32.399 --> 00:04:37.279 and are on a path of going towards you. 00:04:37.279 --> 00:04:40.199 We pray that we have you as the firm foundation, 00:04:40.199 --> 00:04:45.199 that we grow and that we're molded into who you want us to be. 00:04:45.359 --> 00:04:47.899 We say all of this in the name of Jesus Christ, 00:04:47.899 --> 00:04:51.479 the savior of the world, we say together, amen. 00:04:51.479 --> 00:04:54.919 So let us turn, so page 458 in your Bibles, 00:04:54.919 --> 00:04:57.159 we're gonna read the beginning of Ezra. 00:04:57.159 --> 00:04:59.319 It's also gonna be on your screen. 00:04:59.319 --> 00:05:02.000 Feel free to use mobile device, pew Bible 00:05:02.000 --> 00:05:05.519 or just read up on the screen here. 00:05:05.519 --> 00:05:08.839 So it says here that, now these were the people 00:05:08.839 --> 00:05:11.679 of the province who came up out of the captivity 00:05:11.679 --> 00:05:14.159 of those exiles whom Nebuchadnezzar, 00:05:14.159 --> 00:05:17.699 the king of Babylon had carried captive to Babylonia, right? 00:05:17.699 --> 00:05:20.199 They returned to Jerusalem and Judah, 00:05:20.199 --> 00:05:21.319 each to his own town. 00:05:21.319 --> 00:05:24.000 That is the main idea of what's happening here. 00:05:24.000 --> 00:05:26.000 That's the main thing that we need to understand. 00:05:26.000 --> 00:05:29.759 That's the focal point of what's happening in Ezra too. 00:05:29.759 --> 00:05:32.199 Then you go further down, right? 00:05:32.199 --> 00:05:34.839 You have all of these names that are happening. 00:05:34.839 --> 00:05:39.839 Then we continue on Ezra chapter two, verse 64 to 68. 00:05:41.259 --> 00:05:45.839 The whole assembly together was 42,360 00:05:45.839 --> 00:05:48.839 besides their male and female servants of whom they were. 00:05:48.839 --> 00:05:49.679 So it goes on, right? 00:05:49.679 --> 00:05:53.959 7,337, 200 male and this is very specific, 00:05:53.959 --> 00:05:55.159 male and female singers. 00:05:55.159 --> 00:05:57.119 I thought that was very interesting in there, right? 00:05:57.119 --> 00:06:01.000 And their horses were 736, mules 245, right? 00:06:01.000 --> 00:06:02.519 It talks about their camels 00:06:02.519 --> 00:06:07.519 and overwhelming amount of donkeys, 6,720. 00:06:08.399 --> 00:06:09.959 Some of the heads of the families 00:06:09.959 --> 00:06:11.399 when they came to the house of the Lord 00:06:11.399 --> 00:06:14.779 that is in Jerusalem, check this part out, right? 00:06:14.779 --> 00:06:16.919 It says that they made free will offerings 00:06:16.919 --> 00:06:19.759 for the house of God to erect on its site, right? 00:06:19.759 --> 00:06:23.639 So there's this continued contribution to building 00:06:23.639 --> 00:06:25.799 or rebuilding in this case. 00:06:25.799 --> 00:06:27.639 It goes on then saying, 00:06:27.639 --> 00:06:30.079 they gave according to their ability, right? 00:06:30.079 --> 00:06:32.000 They gave to the treasury of the work 00:06:32.000 --> 00:06:36.319 61,000 derricks of gold, 00:06:36.319 --> 00:06:41.159 5,000 minas of silver and 100 priests garments. 00:06:41.159 --> 00:06:43.279 Now the priests, the Levites, some of the people, 00:06:43.279 --> 00:06:46.039 the singers, the gatekeepers and the temple servants 00:06:46.039 --> 00:06:49.039 lived in their towns and all the rest of Israel 00:06:49.039 --> 00:06:50.399 in their towns. 00:06:50.399 --> 00:06:55.079 That is showing the amount of people, right? 00:06:55.079 --> 00:06:57.359 The families that are represented 00:06:57.359 --> 00:06:59.759 and the amount of funds that were raised 00:06:59.759 --> 00:07:02.000 in order for this project to happen. 00:07:02.000 --> 00:07:05.199 And so let's go to that next slide here. 00:07:06.279 --> 00:07:08.279 So what are the observations that we can see? 00:07:08.279 --> 00:07:09.979 We have over 40,000 men. 00:07:09.979 --> 00:07:12.479 If you notice in your Bibles where it says 00:07:12.480 --> 00:07:14.840 the number of the men of the people of Israel, 00:07:14.840 --> 00:07:16.240 the sons of Parish, right? 00:07:16.240 --> 00:07:19.879 Erot, Elam, it keeps going on, Zatu, right? 00:07:19.879 --> 00:07:22.080 Over 40,000 men which is representing 00:07:22.080 --> 00:07:25.640 about 120,000 to 200,000 people. 00:07:25.640 --> 00:07:30.360 That's assuming a family of about three to five, okay? 00:07:30.360 --> 00:07:33.600 So back in biblical times, obviously, 00:07:33.600 --> 00:07:36.000 it was more of a patriarchal society 00:07:36.000 --> 00:07:38.720 and it was more common to count the males. 00:07:38.720 --> 00:07:41.680 And so we'll just stick with over 40,000 00:07:41.680 --> 00:07:44.800 but it's very interesting to think that there's probably 00:07:44.800 --> 00:07:46.879 a lot more people who are on this journey. 00:07:46.879 --> 00:07:49.199 So over 40,000, right? 00:07:49.199 --> 00:07:52.840 Journey of more than 500 miles from Babylonia to Jerusalem 00:07:52.840 --> 00:07:57.579 to rebuild the temple and they brought 5,400 vessels. 00:07:57.579 --> 00:07:59.560 Now in the bulk of chapter two, 00:07:59.560 --> 00:08:01.680 you'll find there's this list of names. 00:08:01.680 --> 00:08:03.879 Now what's very interesting in here 00:08:03.879 --> 00:08:07.280 is what you find in Ezra chapter two. 00:08:07.280 --> 00:08:08.840 I want us to do this real quick. 00:08:08.839 --> 00:08:13.839 Let's turn our Bibles to Nehemiah chapter seven. 00:08:14.159 --> 00:08:16.959 It's gonna be on page 473. 00:08:16.959 --> 00:08:21.959 You'll see in here, sometimes I can be a nerd or a geek, 00:08:23.000 --> 00:08:25.319 I love knowledge and connections here 00:08:25.319 --> 00:08:28.039 but I didn't wanna overwhelm you with having the charts 00:08:28.039 --> 00:08:30.599 of the connections with Nehemiah and Ezra. 00:08:30.599 --> 00:08:33.959 But just look in here in Nehemiah, 00:08:33.959 --> 00:08:37.519 you'll see in here in chapter seven, 00:08:37.519 --> 00:08:40.399 there's part of that list again. 00:08:40.399 --> 00:08:41.240 Do you see it? 00:08:41.240 --> 00:08:46.079 It's gonna be Nehemiah chapter seven verse six. 00:08:46.079 --> 00:08:47.240 It goes on. 00:08:48.519 --> 00:08:49.360 Do you see? 00:08:49.360 --> 00:08:51.299 There's like a very similar connection. 00:08:52.480 --> 00:08:55.740 It's that same, pretty much respectively, that same list. 00:08:55.740 --> 00:08:58.360 There's a couple numeric discrepancies 00:08:58.360 --> 00:09:01.939 but you see the point that it's still this record 00:09:01.939 --> 00:09:04.000 of these people and I only mentioned this 00:09:04.000 --> 00:09:07.199 to let you know that these families are mentioned 00:09:07.200 --> 00:09:09.240 only a couple times in scripture. 00:09:09.240 --> 00:09:11.360 And it kind of makes you wonder the question 00:09:11.360 --> 00:09:13.480 of why that is, right? 00:09:13.480 --> 00:09:14.640 We have to think first of all, 00:09:14.640 --> 00:09:17.879 the logistics of such a travel, right? 00:09:17.879 --> 00:09:20.600 A journey across the desert is not an easy one. 00:09:20.600 --> 00:09:23.400 I'm sure many of us, if you haven't been on a road trip 00:09:23.400 --> 00:09:25.360 before, you need to go on one, right? 00:09:25.360 --> 00:09:27.560 How many of us have been on a road trip? 00:09:27.560 --> 00:09:29.400 Or Matt, I know earlier, 00:09:29.400 --> 00:09:31.040 you've said you've flown across the country. 00:09:31.040 --> 00:09:33.120 You know the logistics that have to happen 00:09:33.120 --> 00:09:36.940 when you're traveling from point A to point B. 00:09:36.940 --> 00:09:39.240 I can tell you a little bit of humor here 00:09:39.240 --> 00:09:42.560 is that when I travel for a few hours, 00:09:42.560 --> 00:09:46.000 when I go into Boise or I go into Turner, Oregon, 00:09:46.000 --> 00:09:51.000 the amount of stops when you have seven people in a van, 00:09:52.920 --> 00:09:55.400 you have to stop quite a few times. 00:09:55.400 --> 00:09:57.560 And I think one of the most frustrating things 00:09:57.560 --> 00:10:01.280 is when my son's like, I need to go shishi, 00:10:01.280 --> 00:10:02.840 I need to go to the bathroom. 00:10:02.840 --> 00:10:05.960 And then they go and then you drive another 20 minutes. 00:10:05.960 --> 00:10:07.560 Well, I need to go to the bathroom too. 00:10:07.560 --> 00:10:10.320 And you're like, come on, we have somewhere to go. 00:10:10.320 --> 00:10:12.320 And that's just for a family of seven. 00:10:12.320 --> 00:10:15.000 I can't imagine the magnitude and the logistics 00:10:15.000 --> 00:10:16.400 of people going to the bathroom 00:10:16.400 --> 00:10:19.040 and people needing a snack or whatever it is. 00:10:19.040 --> 00:10:20.160 It's just remarkable. 00:10:20.160 --> 00:10:21.680 Now, it doesn't necessarily, 00:10:21.680 --> 00:10:23.920 and I kind of wish I knew how long it took for them 00:10:23.920 --> 00:10:25.000 to travel this journey, 00:10:25.000 --> 00:10:27.080 but we don't necessarily know that. 00:10:27.080 --> 00:10:30.879 I just think that it's the logistics of that, right? 00:10:30.879 --> 00:10:34.639 The amount of bathroom breaks and snacks and all that 00:10:34.639 --> 00:10:39.639 had to be, maybe that's why we had the 6,720 donkeys on there. 00:10:40.360 --> 00:10:43.600 Maybe they were the ones carrying the snacks kind of thing. 00:10:43.600 --> 00:10:45.340 But with all of this here, 00:10:45.340 --> 00:10:47.080 there's a few things that we can take away 00:10:47.080 --> 00:10:48.240 from the observation. 00:10:48.240 --> 00:10:50.240 Let's go to that next one. 00:10:50.240 --> 00:10:52.039 What can we learn from this chapter here? 00:10:52.039 --> 00:10:55.120 We see that God's faithfulness, right? 00:10:55.120 --> 00:10:58.639 It's this first lesson that God is faithful, right? 00:10:58.639 --> 00:11:00.960 We can see from this entire sermon series 00:11:00.960 --> 00:11:04.720 that on Ezra, right, we had the 70 years of exile, 00:11:04.720 --> 00:11:09.259 but God kept his promise to restore his people, right? 00:11:09.259 --> 00:11:11.639 Because God gives us an opportunity 00:11:11.639 --> 00:11:14.879 at each and every single day here on this earth 00:11:14.879 --> 00:11:18.080 to have an opportunity to come to know Jesus Christ, right? 00:11:18.080 --> 00:11:20.160 To be saved, to believe in the Lord, 00:11:20.160 --> 00:11:22.360 and to have that, receive that salvation, 00:11:22.360 --> 00:11:24.560 to grow in faith. 00:11:24.560 --> 00:11:26.860 And then finally, to be moved to do good 00:11:26.860 --> 00:11:28.759 in the name of Jesus Christ. 00:11:28.759 --> 00:11:30.480 We can see in the word of God 00:11:30.480 --> 00:11:33.879 that God is faithful to his people, right? 00:11:33.879 --> 00:11:35.840 Just as we were talking about the setting up 00:11:35.840 --> 00:11:38.800 of the scene of Ezra, there was moral decline 00:11:38.800 --> 00:11:39.920 that was happening. 00:11:39.920 --> 00:11:42.680 There was, I mentioned, I think it was in Second Chronicles, 00:11:42.680 --> 00:11:44.960 that there was people who were polluting the temple. 00:11:44.960 --> 00:11:47.440 Well, they're not talking about smoking in the temple, 00:11:47.440 --> 00:11:49.680 it's talking about the pollution of sin 00:11:49.680 --> 00:11:52.600 that was happening in that time period, right? 00:11:52.600 --> 00:11:56.279 And so despite the moral decline, despite destruction, 00:11:56.279 --> 00:11:59.159 there is still hope that is found in God, 00:11:59.159 --> 00:12:01.480 God's faithfulness, right? 00:12:01.480 --> 00:12:03.679 The prophecy being fulfilled about Cyrus, 00:12:03.679 --> 00:12:05.679 the return of God's people, 00:12:05.679 --> 00:12:08.919 even the coming of Jesus Christ being foretold 00:12:08.919 --> 00:12:12.519 that Jesus Christ, right, that he was born in a manger, 00:12:12.519 --> 00:12:14.120 the miracles that he performed. 00:12:14.120 --> 00:12:16.480 I always found it fascinating how, 00:12:16.480 --> 00:12:18.319 when you think of Jesus Christ, 00:12:19.240 --> 00:12:21.959 did you know, there's a fun fact here, 00:12:21.959 --> 00:12:23.959 when Christ was on the cross and he said, 00:12:23.959 --> 00:12:25.959 my God, my God, why have you abandoned me? 00:12:25.959 --> 00:12:27.000 Why have you forsaken me? 00:12:27.000 --> 00:12:28.879 He's quoting Psalm 20. 00:12:28.879 --> 00:12:31.799 And in some translations, right at the end, 00:12:31.799 --> 00:12:33.720 where Christ says it is finished, 00:12:33.720 --> 00:12:36.279 it's right at the end of Psalm 22. 00:12:36.279 --> 00:12:41.279 So the implication is that he was going to recite Psalm 22. 00:12:42.639 --> 00:12:44.600 Very interesting, that's a very fascinating thing, 00:12:44.600 --> 00:12:48.759 all of that to say, this shows God's faithfulness, 00:12:48.759 --> 00:12:51.519 God's consistency in his word, right? 00:12:51.519 --> 00:12:54.559 It proves, it provides us a case in his word 00:12:54.559 --> 00:12:56.600 that God is not a liar, 00:12:56.600 --> 00:12:59.080 that God is the provider of light, life and truth, 00:12:59.080 --> 00:13:00.680 and he gives us everlasting life 00:13:00.680 --> 00:13:02.800 to all who believe in Jesus Christ. 00:13:02.800 --> 00:13:04.360 Let's go to that next slide. 00:13:04.360 --> 00:13:07.080 The power of family and community, right? 00:13:07.080 --> 00:13:10.320 This second lesson is about the power of family 00:13:10.320 --> 00:13:11.159 and community, right? 00:13:11.159 --> 00:13:13.639 40,000 men, but I like to think of it 00:13:13.639 --> 00:13:16.680 as 40,000 family units here, right? 00:13:16.680 --> 00:13:18.600 All of the people that were involved 00:13:18.600 --> 00:13:20.240 in the returning to Jerusalem, 00:13:20.240 --> 00:13:24.000 it shows that, look, it wasn't just one person returning, 00:13:24.000 --> 00:13:28.559 right, it was many people that were on this journey, right? 00:13:28.559 --> 00:13:31.120 It's the community, families coming together 00:13:31.120 --> 00:13:33.279 and going on this journey together 00:13:33.279 --> 00:13:35.879 to where they were supposed to belong. 00:13:35.879 --> 00:13:38.440 And all of these people, remember, 00:13:38.440 --> 00:13:42.080 when we went back into Ezra chapter one, right? 00:13:42.080 --> 00:13:45.000 You had verse one, the spirit of Cyrus, 00:13:45.000 --> 00:13:46.399 it was stirred, right? 00:13:46.399 --> 00:13:48.440 The moving of the Holy Spirit, 00:13:48.440 --> 00:13:52.240 and then later in verse five, the stirring of the people, right? 00:13:52.240 --> 00:13:54.680 There was a movement that was happening 00:13:54.680 --> 00:13:57.639 of people to go on this journey together. 00:13:57.639 --> 00:13:59.200 And we have to think that when we, 00:13:59.200 --> 00:14:02.000 as the body of Christ, we are a spiritual family, 00:14:02.000 --> 00:14:05.159 even as we can also think of family units, right? 00:14:05.159 --> 00:14:07.120 You know, mom, dad, brother and sister, 00:14:07.120 --> 00:14:09.680 or uncle, Steve, or whatever it is, right? 00:14:09.680 --> 00:14:12.519 That when we come together, 00:14:12.519 --> 00:14:15.560 when we come together for the cause of Christ, 00:14:15.560 --> 00:14:19.779 just think of the amount of transformation that can occur. 00:14:19.779 --> 00:14:22.319 Just think of the greater impact that can happen 00:14:22.319 --> 00:14:23.600 in the community. 00:14:23.600 --> 00:14:26.240 And I pray, and I hope that you do as well, 00:14:26.240 --> 00:14:31.240 that God will restore the brokenness in our lives, right? 00:14:31.240 --> 00:14:35.439 Let us ask God for healing in our own lives. 00:14:35.439 --> 00:14:38.159 Let us ask God for renewal, right? 00:14:38.159 --> 00:14:41.799 That we have a renewed mind and a renewed spirit. 00:14:41.799 --> 00:14:43.279 That's the power of our God. 00:14:43.279 --> 00:14:46.879 And of course, you know, we pray that 00:14:46.879 --> 00:14:50.320 there will be revival in this land. 00:14:50.320 --> 00:14:52.399 I don't like turning on the news anymore. 00:14:52.399 --> 00:14:55.080 I think there's no point in me having, you know, 00:14:55.080 --> 00:14:58.200 streaming service, or at least live TV anymore 00:14:58.200 --> 00:15:01.600 because of all of the bad things that are happening. 00:15:01.600 --> 00:15:04.259 But when you read about all of the bad things 00:15:04.259 --> 00:15:06.000 that are happening in the media, 00:15:06.000 --> 00:15:10.399 or any event for that matter, 00:15:10.399 --> 00:15:15.399 think of it as this is why we ask God for healing 00:15:15.399 --> 00:15:20.399 and restoration and for revival to happen in this land. 00:15:20.840 --> 00:15:24.159 Because this world needs not just love, 00:15:24.159 --> 00:15:25.840 but the love of Christ. 00:15:25.840 --> 00:15:28.399 And when we come together as the body of Christ, 00:15:28.399 --> 00:15:31.720 as brothers and sisters in Christ, when we work together, 00:15:31.720 --> 00:15:34.519 when we're focusing on the things that bring us together, 00:15:34.519 --> 00:15:36.519 not the things that divide us, 00:15:36.519 --> 00:15:39.120 just think of the great things we can do 00:15:39.120 --> 00:15:42.000 by the leading and the guiding of the Holy Spirit, 00:15:42.000 --> 00:15:45.480 that we can do great things together in the name of Christ. 00:15:45.480 --> 00:15:48.840 And I want you to consider how you can be a beacon of hope 00:15:48.840 --> 00:15:52.919 for your friends, for your family, and those around you, right? 00:15:52.919 --> 00:15:55.519 So when we talk about family, the power of family, 00:15:55.519 --> 00:16:00.000 it can be your family unit, but also your spiritual family. 00:16:00.000 --> 00:16:02.879 So consider how you can be a beacon of hope. 00:16:02.879 --> 00:16:05.519 And as Christians, we are to be filled 00:16:05.519 --> 00:16:08.000 with the Holy Spirit as a good vessel. 00:16:08.000 --> 00:16:10.720 Isn't it interesting that Cyrus was mentioned 00:16:10.720 --> 00:16:14.320 as an instrument for God? 00:16:14.320 --> 00:16:17.519 And in a similar way, we are to be vessels 00:16:17.519 --> 00:16:20.000 filled with the Holy Spirit, right? 00:16:20.000 --> 00:16:22.440 There's such parallels and such connections 00:16:22.440 --> 00:16:26.080 with these physical objects. 00:16:26.080 --> 00:16:28.560 Let's go to that next one, the importance of record keeping, 00:16:28.560 --> 00:16:30.000 detailed records and scripture. 00:16:30.000 --> 00:16:35.000 They showcase the significance of each individual to God. 00:16:35.399 --> 00:16:37.320 You have this list of families 00:16:37.320 --> 00:16:39.560 and it's meant to give us encouragement 00:16:39.559 --> 00:16:42.319 and inspiration on how God moved in the Old Testament. 00:16:42.319 --> 00:16:45.919 And like I said earlier, God continues to speak. 00:16:45.919 --> 00:16:48.119 God continues to work. 00:16:48.119 --> 00:16:49.719 We don't believe in a dead God. 00:16:49.719 --> 00:16:52.199 We believe in the living God. 00:16:52.199 --> 00:16:56.439 We believe that the Holy Spirit can move in our hearts 00:16:56.439 --> 00:16:58.479 and in our very lives. 00:16:58.479 --> 00:17:00.479 For many of us, we may know someone 00:17:00.479 --> 00:17:03.319 who the Holy Spirit has worked in and through their life. 00:17:03.319 --> 00:17:07.200 You may know someone whose heart was hardened 00:17:07.200 --> 00:17:08.799 before they knew the Lord. 00:17:08.799 --> 00:17:13.399 And how God transformed their lives to love the Lord 00:17:13.399 --> 00:17:15.159 and to love other people. 00:17:15.159 --> 00:17:19.359 Maybe you know someone that was living a very sin filled life 00:17:19.359 --> 00:17:23.159 but they lived a spirit filled life, 00:17:23.159 --> 00:17:25.399 focusing on the things that are higher, 00:17:25.399 --> 00:17:26.839 the things that are of God. 00:17:26.839 --> 00:17:30.399 So all of these names that are written here in chapter two, 00:17:31.599 --> 00:17:35.000 they are all of significance in the eyes of God. 00:17:35.000 --> 00:17:38.240 And just think of the fact that how Eswa was written, 00:17:38.240 --> 00:17:40.279 many, many years ago. 00:17:40.279 --> 00:17:42.880 How many people have read Ezra 00:17:42.880 --> 00:17:44.039 and wondered the same thing? 00:17:44.039 --> 00:17:45.599 Who are these people? 00:17:45.599 --> 00:17:46.720 What were they like? 00:17:46.720 --> 00:17:48.440 What was it like going on this journey 00:17:48.440 --> 00:17:50.319 with over 40,000 or 100,000, 00:17:50.319 --> 00:17:52.920 however many people there were on this journey? 00:17:52.920 --> 00:17:55.720 That must have been an incredible thing to see. 00:17:55.720 --> 00:17:59.160 I mean, for some of us, it's like, I'm not going anywhere. 00:17:59.160 --> 00:18:01.440 But when you're having the moving of the Holy Spirit, 00:18:01.440 --> 00:18:03.960 let alone this mass amount of people 00:18:03.960 --> 00:18:06.279 that are journeying together, 00:18:06.279 --> 00:18:08.440 that's an incredible sight, 00:18:08.440 --> 00:18:09.879 something to see and experience, 00:18:09.879 --> 00:18:13.720 but also something for us to read. 00:18:13.720 --> 00:18:15.639 So I want you to think for a moment 00:18:15.639 --> 00:18:18.639 that just as these names were written in God's book, 00:18:18.639 --> 00:18:22.519 for us believers, there's a book that we want to be written in 00:18:22.519 --> 00:18:26.000 and that is the book of life in a similar way. 00:18:26.000 --> 00:18:27.240 And we'll go further into that, 00:18:27.240 --> 00:18:28.960 but I want you to think about that, right? 00:18:28.960 --> 00:18:31.160 We must make a decision to believe in the Lord 00:18:31.160 --> 00:18:32.759 and to be saved. 00:18:32.759 --> 00:18:35.680 Let our name, we want to have our name 00:18:35.680 --> 00:18:36.799 placed in the book of life. 00:18:36.799 --> 00:18:39.880 Let's go to that next one, responding to God's call. 00:18:39.880 --> 00:18:42.360 The next lesson is about how important it is 00:18:42.360 --> 00:18:46.080 for us to respond to God's call, right? 00:18:46.080 --> 00:18:50.840 God is the God of restoration, renewal and revival. 00:18:50.840 --> 00:18:53.279 God transforms our very lives, right? 00:18:53.279 --> 00:18:55.560 We have to trust in the Lord with all of our heart 00:18:55.560 --> 00:18:57.600 and lean not on our own understanding. 00:18:57.600 --> 00:18:58.880 I always love saying this. 00:18:58.880 --> 00:19:01.160 Many of you know that Bible verse, 00:19:01.160 --> 00:19:02.960 trust in the Lord with all your heart 00:19:02.960 --> 00:19:05.000 and lean not on your own understanding. 00:19:05.000 --> 00:19:07.519 The implication of that verse has to do 00:19:07.519 --> 00:19:10.319 with leaning on a wall, right? 00:19:10.319 --> 00:19:12.680 And when you're leaning on your own understanding, 00:19:12.680 --> 00:19:15.279 you're leaning on a wall that could tip over. 00:19:16.220 --> 00:19:18.759 But when we are trusting in the Lord, 00:19:18.759 --> 00:19:21.519 we're trusting in the firm foundation 00:19:21.519 --> 00:19:24.839 rather than leaning on a wall kind of thing. 00:19:24.839 --> 00:19:27.200 We need to trust and obey the Lord. 00:19:27.200 --> 00:19:30.519 And I want to remind all of you that it's not just about 00:19:30.519 --> 00:19:34.240 following this continued list of things that we have to do. 00:19:34.240 --> 00:19:37.039 We must place our faith and trust in the Lord first 00:19:37.039 --> 00:19:39.519 and upon that salvation, right? 00:19:39.519 --> 00:19:42.279 Upon believing in the Lord and being saved, 00:19:42.279 --> 00:19:46.140 we are called to grow and to do good in the name of Christ. 00:19:46.140 --> 00:19:48.799 Let us take to heart that God continues 00:19:48.799 --> 00:19:50.200 to speak to us today. 00:19:50.200 --> 00:19:52.400 Ask yourself the question. 00:19:52.400 --> 00:19:54.160 Have you answered God's call 00:19:54.160 --> 00:19:55.920 to enter in a relationship with you? 00:19:55.920 --> 00:19:58.799 Have you answered God's call to open the word of God 00:19:58.799 --> 00:20:00.039 and to pray? 00:20:00.039 --> 00:20:03.319 Or maybe there's a specific calling that God has for you, 00:20:03.319 --> 00:20:05.240 a specific plan for your life. 00:20:05.240 --> 00:20:06.559 Let's go to that next slide. 00:20:06.559 --> 00:20:11.559 It is the power of community generosity. 00:20:12.079 --> 00:20:14.919 And the thing that we have to keep in mind is that 00:20:19.240 --> 00:20:21.159 it says here to give generously 00:20:21.159 --> 00:20:24.639 according to your ability, right? 00:20:24.639 --> 00:20:27.240 There is so much that we can do in the name of Christ 00:20:27.240 --> 00:20:29.599 when we are generous together, right? 00:20:29.599 --> 00:20:33.279 This generosity is not just about finances, right? 00:20:33.279 --> 00:20:37.599 It's about giving our time and our talent and our treasure. 00:20:37.599 --> 00:20:41.519 If you go to Ezra chapter two, verse 69, 00:20:43.079 --> 00:20:44.799 if you wanna go there real quick, 00:20:46.440 --> 00:20:51.440 it says in here, it's verse 68 to 69, right? 00:20:52.279 --> 00:20:53.519 Some of the heads of the family, 00:20:53.519 --> 00:20:54.960 when they came to the house of the Lord 00:20:54.960 --> 00:20:57.879 that is in Jerusalem, they made free will offerings 00:20:57.879 --> 00:21:02.879 to erect on its site according to their ability, right? 00:21:02.880 --> 00:21:06.000 So it's talking about the free will offerings 00:21:06.000 --> 00:21:07.240 to rebuild the temple. 00:21:07.240 --> 00:21:10.440 They contributed what they could, right? 00:21:10.440 --> 00:21:14.640 They were focused on the cause that is greater to themselves. 00:21:14.640 --> 00:21:16.520 And so this is an encouragement for us 00:21:16.520 --> 00:21:19.280 that when we contribute of our time and our talent 00:21:19.280 --> 00:21:22.920 and our treasure, we can have a greater impact for Christ. 00:21:22.920 --> 00:21:24.600 I always like to think about that story 00:21:24.600 --> 00:21:26.720 when the woman gave, what was it, 00:21:26.720 --> 00:21:28.680 like the two pennies, right? 00:21:28.680 --> 00:21:30.400 That was all that she could give. 00:21:30.400 --> 00:21:32.800 Was that more money than someone who could give 00:21:32.799 --> 00:21:34.559 you know, a million dollar check? 00:21:34.559 --> 00:21:37.960 Well, it was giving according to their ability. 00:21:38.799 --> 00:21:41.599 And so we can have a greater impact for Christ 00:21:41.599 --> 00:21:43.960 when we come together and we work together. 00:21:43.960 --> 00:21:48.799 And unfortunately, we don't know who gave what, 00:21:48.799 --> 00:21:51.159 how much they gave, and that's okay. 00:21:51.159 --> 00:21:54.720 All we know is that they were on a journey together, 00:21:54.720 --> 00:21:58.440 they contributed together, and they were able to do such 00:21:58.440 --> 00:22:00.279 good in the rebuilding of the temple. 00:22:00.279 --> 00:22:02.599 And so in all of this, 00:22:02.599 --> 00:22:05.319 you might ask yourself the question now, all right. 00:22:05.319 --> 00:22:06.839 So you explained to me, Pastor, 00:22:06.839 --> 00:22:09.039 that there were 40,000 families here 00:22:09.039 --> 00:22:12.480 that traveled 500 miles with 5,400 vessels 00:22:12.480 --> 00:22:14.519 and all of these donkeys and things. 00:22:14.519 --> 00:22:16.000 They were able to raise a lot of money. 00:22:16.000 --> 00:22:18.639 So it comes up with the next question, 00:22:18.639 --> 00:22:20.159 what can I do with this information? 00:22:20.159 --> 00:22:21.759 What action steps can I take? 00:22:21.759 --> 00:22:24.000 So we provided the lessons here, right? 00:22:24.000 --> 00:22:26.159 The lessons from Ezra chapter two. 00:22:26.159 --> 00:22:28.839 These are wonderful questions to ask. 00:22:28.839 --> 00:22:30.839 Because when we're reading the word of God, 00:22:30.839 --> 00:22:34.359 sometimes we may think, well, okay, it's just a list here, 00:22:34.359 --> 00:22:36.720 but it's more than just a list, right? 00:22:36.720 --> 00:22:39.359 There are things that we can do, 00:22:40.480 --> 00:22:42.559 things actionable steps that we can take. 00:22:42.559 --> 00:22:47.000 And the first one here is to trust in God's faithfulness. 00:22:47.000 --> 00:22:49.480 As God was faithful to his people, 00:22:49.480 --> 00:22:51.480 he is faithful to believers. 00:22:51.480 --> 00:22:52.639 It's not like God's like, all right, 00:22:52.639 --> 00:22:55.480 I'm only faithful to only a few people and that's it. 00:22:55.480 --> 00:22:57.039 All done, we'll move on. 00:22:57.039 --> 00:22:59.919 God is still faithful. 00:22:59.920 --> 00:23:02.519 The faithfulness of God, right? 00:23:02.519 --> 00:23:04.800 And I want you to think about that. 00:23:04.800 --> 00:23:07.039 The consistency of who our God is, 00:23:07.039 --> 00:23:09.759 and that's why we focus so much on the context 00:23:09.759 --> 00:23:12.200 and the connections of scripture, right? 00:23:12.200 --> 00:23:14.800 It goes to show that God is constant, 00:23:14.800 --> 00:23:18.340 God is faithful and he never fails. 00:23:18.340 --> 00:23:20.039 Are you trusting in the Lord? 00:23:20.039 --> 00:23:22.840 Perhaps this is a time for you to trust 00:23:22.840 --> 00:23:24.160 in the faithfulness of God 00:23:24.160 --> 00:23:26.279 and begin in your spiritual journey. 00:23:26.279 --> 00:23:29.080 Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and be saved. 00:23:29.079 --> 00:23:31.000 Let's go to the next one here. 00:23:31.000 --> 00:23:33.079 Become a part of a spiritual community. 00:23:33.079 --> 00:23:35.759 It's talking about joining the local church, right? 00:23:35.759 --> 00:23:38.619 A spiritual community, a family. 00:23:38.619 --> 00:23:41.759 To journey together in faith. 00:23:41.759 --> 00:23:43.359 When we read Ezra chapter two, 00:23:43.359 --> 00:23:45.399 these families were all journeying together. 00:23:45.399 --> 00:23:47.799 They were a community as it were. 00:23:47.799 --> 00:23:50.639 And this is a call for us to invite our friends 00:23:50.639 --> 00:23:53.240 and to invite our family to be a part of something 00:23:53.240 --> 00:23:55.359 that is bigger than themselves. 00:23:55.359 --> 00:23:57.079 And I wanna ask yourself the question. 00:23:57.079 --> 00:23:59.039 It's a very interesting thought. 00:23:59.039 --> 00:24:01.000 And these people are traveling with their families. 00:24:01.000 --> 00:24:02.839 They weren't traveling alone. 00:24:02.839 --> 00:24:05.920 They were traveling with their, literally their families, 00:24:05.920 --> 00:24:10.240 but also with others whose spirit was stirred. 00:24:10.240 --> 00:24:12.039 So who are you traveling with 00:24:12.039 --> 00:24:14.720 on your spiritual journey in Christ, right? 00:24:14.720 --> 00:24:17.359 Who are you joining with in your walk with Christ? 00:24:17.359 --> 00:24:20.720 It's something to really reflect on and think about. 00:24:20.720 --> 00:24:25.539 As the body of Christ, we are called to love one another, 00:24:25.539 --> 00:24:28.559 to encourage one another and to lift up each other 00:24:28.559 --> 00:24:29.720 during good times and bad. 00:24:29.720 --> 00:24:31.480 I cannot emphasize this enough. 00:24:31.480 --> 00:24:33.519 That is what is one of the beautiful things 00:24:33.519 --> 00:24:38.519 about the church is that we celebrate the birth of a child. 00:24:39.079 --> 00:24:40.599 When someone knows to come, 00:24:40.599 --> 00:24:42.359 when someone believes in Christ, 00:24:42.359 --> 00:24:43.919 when someone gets baptized, 00:24:43.919 --> 00:24:47.119 that is a time for us to celebrate. 00:24:47.119 --> 00:24:51.799 And then also when times of crisis happens, 00:24:51.799 --> 00:24:54.000 when we need help and assistance, 00:24:54.960 --> 00:24:57.200 that's something that we can all come together 00:24:57.200 --> 00:24:59.920 and help one another just as the scripture says, 00:24:59.920 --> 00:25:03.440 to bear up one another, bear one another's burdens. 00:25:03.440 --> 00:25:05.960 It's so important for us. 00:25:05.960 --> 00:25:09.200 And I always think about, I think about this church. 00:25:09.200 --> 00:25:11.840 I think about how we are a church 00:25:11.840 --> 00:25:16.039 that we're focusing on loving the Lord and loving others. 00:25:16.039 --> 00:25:18.559 That's something that's so critical and important. 00:25:18.559 --> 00:25:20.580 I can't imagine being a part of a church 00:25:20.580 --> 00:25:24.759 that doesn't love the Lord or doesn't love other people. 00:25:24.759 --> 00:25:26.960 But let us be a church that is faithful to God, 00:25:26.960 --> 00:25:28.200 and to his words. 00:25:28.200 --> 00:25:30.640 Let us love God and love other people. 00:25:30.640 --> 00:25:33.840 Let's go to that next one is realizing your value to God. 00:25:33.840 --> 00:25:37.360 And listen, you are valuable to God. 00:25:37.360 --> 00:25:39.039 You are made in his image. 00:25:39.039 --> 00:25:40.920 You are loved by Jesus Christ. 00:25:40.920 --> 00:25:45.519 And think about how God knew you before you were born. 00:25:45.519 --> 00:25:46.559 And in knowing this, 00:25:46.559 --> 00:25:49.519 I want you to know that Jesus loves you. 00:25:49.519 --> 00:25:53.180 And he calls for you to have a relationship with him. 00:25:53.180 --> 00:25:57.299 Believe in Jesus Christ, 00:25:57.299 --> 00:26:00.420 believe in his death, burial and resurrection. 00:26:00.420 --> 00:26:01.740 Begin on this journey. 00:26:01.740 --> 00:26:04.980 And God is calling for all of us. 00:26:04.980 --> 00:26:07.460 Will you respond to that call? 00:26:08.539 --> 00:26:11.940 You see, just as all of these names were recorded, 00:26:11.940 --> 00:26:15.660 not only in Ezra and Nehemiah, 00:26:15.660 --> 00:26:17.740 we have to think that God knew every single one 00:26:17.740 --> 00:26:20.539 of those people, but it's just like how God knows 00:26:20.539 --> 00:26:23.579 every single one of us and calls for all of us 00:26:23.579 --> 00:26:26.259 to be written in the book as it were. 00:26:26.259 --> 00:26:29.819 Your name is known to the Lord and you matter to God. 00:26:29.819 --> 00:26:32.740 And I encourage you to take time this week 00:26:32.740 --> 00:26:35.339 and even today to thank God. 00:26:35.339 --> 00:26:39.180 Maybe write a list of the things that you are thankful for. 00:26:39.180 --> 00:26:42.019 For God desires for you to believe in him. 00:26:42.019 --> 00:26:43.779 Just as Cyrus, right? 00:26:43.779 --> 00:26:44.779 He made the decree. 00:26:44.779 --> 00:26:47.700 He made a call for people to respond, to rise up 00:26:47.700 --> 00:26:49.420 and return to Jerusalem. 00:26:49.420 --> 00:26:51.900 Jesus Christ calls for us, right? 00:26:51.900 --> 00:26:55.700 Jesus Christ as wisdom, as the bread of life, 00:26:55.700 --> 00:26:57.420 as life, as the living word, 00:26:57.420 --> 00:27:02.140 he calls for us to place our faith and our trust in him. 00:27:02.140 --> 00:27:06.779 Perhaps God is calling for you to believe in him. 00:27:06.779 --> 00:27:11.620 Maybe it's to step up and to, or step out boldly into faith. 00:27:11.620 --> 00:27:13.620 Ask yourself if you are responding 00:27:13.620 --> 00:27:14.920 to God's call for your life. 00:27:14.920 --> 00:27:18.240 Let's move to that next one is practice generosity, right? 00:27:18.240 --> 00:27:21.620 Give according to your ability of your time, 00:27:21.620 --> 00:27:23.859 your talent and treasure, right? 00:27:23.859 --> 00:27:26.299 This is something that we are seeing in Ezra 00:27:26.299 --> 00:27:28.460 and something that we see throughout scripture. 00:27:28.460 --> 00:27:31.180 Just as I mentioned earlier in Ezra 269 00:27:31.180 --> 00:27:34.120 that they gave according to their ability. 00:27:34.120 --> 00:27:36.339 Be encouraged that, you know, 00:27:36.339 --> 00:27:38.500 sometimes we get so caught up in, 00:27:38.500 --> 00:27:41.259 I can't give a lot of my time 00:27:41.259 --> 00:27:45.500 or I can't give a lot of my talent or my treasure. 00:27:45.500 --> 00:27:46.700 You give what you can, 00:27:46.700 --> 00:27:50.900 that's between you and the Lord, right? 00:27:50.900 --> 00:27:54.180 How you answer that, it goes from person to person. 00:27:54.180 --> 00:27:57.460 And in knowing this, we can all give to God, 00:27:57.460 --> 00:27:58.500 that's the encouragement here, 00:27:58.500 --> 00:28:02.340 we can all give to God in some capacity. 00:28:02.340 --> 00:28:03.920 It varies from person to person. 00:28:03.920 --> 00:28:06.180 I know that when I was younger, 00:28:06.180 --> 00:28:08.019 it was very difficult for me, you know, 00:28:08.019 --> 00:28:09.340 when I was a teenager, I'm like, 00:28:09.340 --> 00:28:11.259 and I don't have any money, right? 00:28:11.259 --> 00:28:14.220 But I could still give of my talents, 00:28:14.220 --> 00:28:15.940 I could give of my time. 00:28:15.940 --> 00:28:18.019 And again, how you answer that 00:28:18.019 --> 00:28:20.100 varies from person to person. 00:28:20.100 --> 00:28:22.660 Be encouraged to really reflect 00:28:22.660 --> 00:28:24.779 on how you can give to the Lord. 00:28:24.779 --> 00:28:25.820 Let's go to that next one. 00:28:25.820 --> 00:28:29.100 It says, begin on a spiritual journey in Christ. 00:28:30.420 --> 00:28:32.980 We have to, you hear me say time and time again 00:28:32.980 --> 00:28:34.360 that to be a Christian, right? 00:28:34.360 --> 00:28:35.940 You're saved by grace through faith. 00:28:35.940 --> 00:28:40.500 It is the beginning of your journey in Christ. 00:28:40.500 --> 00:28:44.100 The people of God, they responded to God's call. 00:28:44.099 --> 00:28:47.939 Their spirits were stirred by the Holy Spirit, 00:28:47.939 --> 00:28:49.259 but it did not stop there. 00:28:49.259 --> 00:28:52.139 They went those 500 plus miles 00:28:52.139 --> 00:28:53.859 through the desert of all places. 00:28:53.859 --> 00:28:54.799 It wasn't like, you know, 00:28:54.799 --> 00:28:57.740 they were going through all of the fields, so to speak. 00:28:57.740 --> 00:29:01.159 It wasn't like they were going through hot, you know, 00:29:01.159 --> 00:29:02.419 they were going through hot weather. 00:29:02.419 --> 00:29:05.459 It's not like we know anything about hot weather. 00:29:05.459 --> 00:29:07.859 You imagine journeying 500 miles 00:29:07.859 --> 00:29:10.459 and that kind of hot weather. 00:29:10.459 --> 00:29:13.139 We wouldn't know anything about that, would we? 00:29:13.140 --> 00:29:16.460 But in that, our spiritual journey in Christ 00:29:16.460 --> 00:29:18.520 is a lifelong one. 00:29:18.520 --> 00:29:21.740 We're always encouraged to learn and to grow, 00:29:21.740 --> 00:29:24.460 to never stop growing, right? 00:29:24.460 --> 00:29:26.860 It's very unfortunate when you hear about people, 00:29:26.860 --> 00:29:31.740 they become a Christian and they just stop there, right? 00:29:31.740 --> 00:29:34.840 You are encouraged to grow in the things of God. 00:29:35.860 --> 00:29:38.900 You are encouraged to be molded by the Lord 00:29:38.900 --> 00:29:42.300 into the man or the woman that God wants you to be. 00:29:42.299 --> 00:29:45.220 And you never stop growing, right? 00:29:45.220 --> 00:29:47.859 How many of us, well, you don't have to raise your hand, 00:29:47.859 --> 00:29:50.740 but I hope you all believe 00:29:50.740 --> 00:29:55.379 that we're still a work in progress, right? 00:29:55.379 --> 00:29:57.700 We never stop learning, we never stop growing. 00:29:57.700 --> 00:30:01.339 And that not only is applicable to the Lord 00:30:01.339 --> 00:30:04.339 in our spiritual walk, but us as people. 00:30:04.339 --> 00:30:06.039 We are to continue to grow 00:30:06.039 --> 00:30:09.659 and we continue learning things all of the time. 00:30:09.659 --> 00:30:11.819 And let us be encouraged to continue 00:30:11.819 --> 00:30:13.299 to know the word of God, right? 00:30:13.299 --> 00:30:15.460 To pray and to know the deeper things of God, 00:30:15.460 --> 00:30:17.740 but also to be more like Christ. 00:30:17.740 --> 00:30:21.899 It's that famous balance between grace and truth, right? 00:30:21.899 --> 00:30:23.619 We gotta know the truth of the word of God, 00:30:23.619 --> 00:30:27.819 but we also have to exhibit grace to other people. 00:30:27.819 --> 00:30:29.359 The closer that we get to God, 00:30:29.359 --> 00:30:32.059 the more transformation will happen in our lives. 00:30:32.059 --> 00:30:35.619 And it just keeps radiating out to other people. 00:30:35.619 --> 00:30:38.299 We must trust in the Lord first. 00:30:38.299 --> 00:30:42.619 Then we obey what the word has to say. 00:30:42.619 --> 00:30:45.379 And the next thing here is leave a legacy. 00:30:46.519 --> 00:30:49.779 Leave an everlasting legacy in Christ 00:30:49.779 --> 00:30:52.700 with your name written in the book of life 00:30:52.700 --> 00:30:55.460 through faith in Jesus Christ. 00:30:55.460 --> 00:30:57.940 This is something that is incredible. 00:30:57.940 --> 00:31:01.539 I mean, let's go ahead and let's turn our Bibles real quick. 00:31:01.539 --> 00:31:08.539 Go to Revelation 20 if you can, if you're able to. 00:31:15.700 --> 00:31:17.740 I'm gonna show you a couple of verses in Revelation 00:31:17.740 --> 00:31:20.619 because this is incredible here. 00:31:20.619 --> 00:31:26.899 Revelation 20 verse 12. 00:31:26.899 --> 00:31:31.500 Revelation can be a very complex book, yeah? 00:31:31.500 --> 00:31:33.339 Let's read it here. 00:31:33.339 --> 00:31:37.740 Revelation chapter 20 verse 12. 00:31:37.740 --> 00:31:41.700 It says here, I saw the dead great and small 00:31:41.700 --> 00:31:46.500 standing before the throne and books were opened. 00:31:46.500 --> 00:31:49.859 And another book was opened which is the book of life. 00:31:49.859 --> 00:31:53.180 And the dead were judged according by what was written 00:31:53.180 --> 00:31:56.660 in the books according to what they had done. 00:31:56.660 --> 00:31:58.900 Then go to verse 15. 00:31:58.900 --> 00:32:03.180 If anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, 00:32:03.180 --> 00:32:05.980 he was thrown into the lake of fire. 00:32:05.980 --> 00:32:07.500 And that goes to show you, 00:32:07.500 --> 00:32:10.700 I just wanna show you those two verses. 00:32:10.700 --> 00:32:15.700 The importance of why we want to believe in Jesus Christ. 00:32:16.019 --> 00:32:18.860 We want to have our name written in the book of life. 00:32:18.860 --> 00:32:22.300 I know it gets very overwhelming and it can be very like, 00:32:22.300 --> 00:32:26.780 whoa, that's heavy when we're reading Revelation. 00:32:26.779 --> 00:32:30.539 But it's the encouragement for us to come to 00:32:33.099 --> 00:32:34.660 have our name written in the book, right? 00:32:34.660 --> 00:32:35.980 Isn't it incredible? 00:32:35.980 --> 00:32:41.059 Like I said, Ezra written so many years ago. 00:32:41.059 --> 00:32:45.339 We read Ezra and we see all of these names, right? 00:32:45.339 --> 00:32:47.420 How God worked in their life. 00:32:47.420 --> 00:32:51.460 Just think of the parallel then about how our legacy, 00:32:51.460 --> 00:32:54.500 our lasting legacy will be our name written 00:32:54.500 --> 00:32:55.819 in the book of life. 00:32:55.819 --> 00:32:59.980 I always find it encouraging and just simply amazing 00:32:59.980 --> 00:33:01.980 to see just the simplicity of that. 00:33:02.980 --> 00:33:06.859 For many of us, we may think of legacy as meaning, 00:33:06.859 --> 00:33:09.460 you want to have your name remembered for your children 00:33:09.460 --> 00:33:12.500 and your community and that's absolutely true. 00:33:12.500 --> 00:33:16.419 Be a person who is remembered with your friends, 00:33:16.419 --> 00:33:19.139 your family, the community as well. 00:33:19.139 --> 00:33:21.740 But another type of legacy that we can think about 00:33:21.740 --> 00:33:24.059 is the everlasting legacy, right? 00:33:24.059 --> 00:33:29.059 Just as we're finding in Ezra that these names 00:33:29.740 --> 00:33:33.099 were remembered years later, many, many years later 00:33:33.099 --> 00:33:36.139 by many different pastors and many different theologians 00:33:36.139 --> 00:33:38.500 and those studying the word of God, 00:33:38.500 --> 00:33:40.659 that's a legacy right there. 00:33:40.659 --> 00:33:43.779 And in the same way, we are to be encouraged 00:33:43.779 --> 00:33:48.339 to have our name in the book, leaving a lasting legacy. 00:33:49.500 --> 00:33:52.579 And it goes to show that Jesus Christ offers 00:33:52.579 --> 00:33:55.980 everlasting life to those who believe in him. 00:33:55.980 --> 00:33:57.939 This is great encouragement for us 00:33:57.939 --> 00:34:00.819 because when we consider having our name written 00:34:00.819 --> 00:34:03.259 in the book, we have to think that 00:34:03.259 --> 00:34:06.179 of how God provides everlasting life. 00:34:06.179 --> 00:34:08.340 Be encouraged by the names of all the people 00:34:08.340 --> 00:34:12.699 and the legacy that lasted all of those thousands of years. 00:34:12.699 --> 00:34:15.019 Having your name written in the book of life, 00:34:15.019 --> 00:34:18.420 it means, well, it means that you are going to live, 00:34:18.420 --> 00:34:20.860 you're going to have that everlasting life. 00:34:20.860 --> 00:34:24.780 And so in some of those verses in your notes, 00:34:24.780 --> 00:34:29.660 you'll see those verses, those mentions, 00:34:29.660 --> 00:34:32.220 mentionings of the book of life. 00:34:33.300 --> 00:34:35.539 And it goes to show that again, 00:34:35.539 --> 00:34:37.260 if our name is put into the word, 00:34:37.260 --> 00:34:39.280 we will have everlasting life. 00:34:42.660 --> 00:34:45.660 I want us to think, can we put the title slide on real quick? 00:34:45.659 --> 00:34:50.659 Chapter two of Ezra is more than just a list of names 00:34:51.139 --> 00:34:53.779 and it is more than just history. 00:34:53.779 --> 00:34:56.579 It is a call for us to trust in the Lord, 00:34:56.579 --> 00:34:59.619 to believe in him, to be saved, to grow in the faith 00:34:59.619 --> 00:35:01.940 and to respond to his leading 00:35:01.940 --> 00:35:05.619 and for us to focus on what matters. 00:35:05.619 --> 00:35:08.619 And as we close our message today, 00:35:08.619 --> 00:35:10.500 I want us to think of the lessons 00:35:10.500 --> 00:35:13.940 but also the actionable steps and also the history. 00:35:13.940 --> 00:35:18.940 You see, we are all on a spiritual journey in Christ together. 00:35:19.700 --> 00:35:24.780 It's a spiritual representation of historical truth, right? 00:35:24.780 --> 00:35:27.539 You're having these people that are traveling. 00:35:27.539 --> 00:35:31.019 Think of all of the storms they might have faced, 00:35:31.019 --> 00:35:32.420 the heat they might have faced, 00:35:32.420 --> 00:35:34.059 but they were still faithful 00:35:34.059 --> 00:35:38.059 because God had placed in their spirit, right? 00:35:38.059 --> 00:35:42.179 The stirring of their spirit to continue to return home. 00:35:42.179 --> 00:35:44.659 And what a great representation that is for us 00:35:44.659 --> 00:35:46.579 that when we believe in the Lord, 00:35:46.579 --> 00:35:48.980 we're on this journey together. 00:35:48.980 --> 00:35:52.859 We should embark on this journey together in Christ. 00:35:52.859 --> 00:35:56.419 Sometimes the heat will be turned up, right? 00:35:56.419 --> 00:35:58.019 Sometimes it will be treacherous 00:35:58.019 --> 00:36:03.019 but we continue on that path in Christ until we make it home. 00:36:03.779 --> 00:36:06.940 Do you see the wonderful parallel with that? 00:36:06.940 --> 00:36:09.219 It's just something that we should be encouraged by. 00:36:09.219 --> 00:36:13.139 So the next time you look at Ezra chapter two, 00:36:13.139 --> 00:36:16.939 yes, it's a list of names, but it's much more than that. 00:36:16.939 --> 00:36:20.259 Let us all embark on a journey together. 00:36:20.259 --> 00:36:25.259 First, may your journey be coming to know Jesus Christ. 00:36:25.419 --> 00:36:29.459 And from there, be on a journey in Christ 00:36:29.459 --> 00:36:32.019 to our home in heaven. 00:36:32.019 --> 00:36:33.059 Let's pray together. 00:36:34.379 --> 00:36:39.059 Gracious Father, we come before you in awe of who you are 00:36:39.059 --> 00:36:41.340 as we've learned in this chapter two. 00:36:41.340 --> 00:36:43.340 We are reminded of your promises 00:36:43.340 --> 00:36:45.500 and the hope that we have in you. 00:36:45.500 --> 00:36:47.579 Lord, we thank you for these lessons. 00:36:47.579 --> 00:36:52.259 And from your people who journeyed back to Jerusalem, 00:36:52.259 --> 00:36:54.259 we pray Father that in a similar way 00:36:54.259 --> 00:36:58.900 that we may journey together to be more like you. 00:36:58.900 --> 00:37:01.299 May we recognize that in being a Christian, 00:37:01.299 --> 00:37:04.340 there's going to be hills and valleys. 00:37:04.340 --> 00:37:05.900 There's going to be seasons of good 00:37:05.900 --> 00:37:07.739 and even seasons of trial 00:37:07.739 --> 00:37:10.899 or there's even going to be temptations. 00:37:10.899 --> 00:37:13.219 No matter what opposition, Father, 00:37:13.219 --> 00:37:15.419 what adversity or decline in culture 00:37:15.419 --> 00:37:18.359 or anything that is ungodly that's happening in the world, 00:37:18.359 --> 00:37:22.099 may we remain focused on you. 00:37:22.099 --> 00:37:25.099 May we continue our journey towards you. 00:37:26.179 --> 00:37:29.219 May we set our minds on things that are higher 00:37:29.219 --> 00:37:31.899 and the promises that you provide. 00:37:31.899 --> 00:37:36.299 We pray that we can really take that inventory of our time, 00:37:36.300 --> 00:37:38.260 our talent and our treasure. 00:37:38.260 --> 00:37:42.100 May we be generous and give according to our ability. 00:37:42.100 --> 00:37:45.500 We pray Father that our names will be in that book of life 00:37:45.500 --> 00:37:48.900 and we can know this by believing in you. 00:37:49.780 --> 00:37:52.460 The legacy of eternal life. 00:37:52.460 --> 00:37:54.539 May we have that blessed and assurance in you. 00:37:54.539 --> 00:37:59.539 And Father, we ask that we may sing this last song together 00:38:00.539 --> 00:38:05.260 and may we be encouraged to know you, grow in you 00:38:05.260 --> 00:38:06.900 and do good in your holy name. 00:38:06.900 --> 00:38:10.260 We pray all of this in the name that is above all names, 00:38:10.260 --> 00:38:11.780 the name of Jesus Christ. 00:38:11.780 --> 00:38:12.620 Amen. 00:38:12.620 --> 00:38:13.820 Amen. 00:38:13.820 --> 00:38:14.860 Thank you for tuning in 00:38:14.860 --> 00:38:17.860 to the Ontario Community Church sermon podcast. 00:38:17.860 --> 00:38:19.380 For more about our church 00:38:19.380 --> 00:38:22.060 and how you can get involved or support our mission, 00:38:22.060 --> 00:38:25.780 please visit ontariocommunitychurch.org. 00:38:25.780 --> 00:38:35.580 May God's blessings be with you.