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 --> 00:00:09.339 Located in Ontario, 00:00:09.339 --> 00:00:11.279 Oregon, Pastor Patrick Daly 00:00:11.279 --> 00:00:13.800 preaches 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 --> 00:00:19.559 We're delighted to share this sermon with you. 00:00:19.559 --> 00:00:21.640 Well, good morning, everyone. 00:00:21.640 --> 00:00:24.480 It is great to be with you as we are 00:00:24.480 --> 00:00:29.960 continuing through our biblical exposition of the book of Ezra. 00:00:29.960 --> 00:00:32.880 We have been going through verse by verse, 00:00:32.880 --> 00:00:37.560 line by line through this wonderful book in the Old Testament, 00:00:37.560 --> 00:00:41.640 where we've been talking about the rebuilding of the altar, 00:00:41.640 --> 00:00:43.760 the rebuilding of the temple. 00:00:43.760 --> 00:00:48.079 Let us be reminded about how the people of God, 00:00:48.079 --> 00:00:52.719 they were in Babylonia for 70 years and they returned with 00:00:52.719 --> 00:00:55.560 some 40,000 families. 00:00:55.560 --> 00:00:59.359 This was done by the inner working of the Holy Spirit. 00:00:59.359 --> 00:01:02.960 This last week, we learned about how the people of God, 00:01:02.960 --> 00:01:04.359 they were coming together, 00:01:04.359 --> 00:01:10.959 united as one in love and in unity to rebuild the altar first. 00:01:10.959 --> 00:01:17.359 They did this because they were dedicated to praising the living God. 00:01:17.359 --> 00:01:23.159 They wanted to praise God continuously before they continued with anything else. 00:01:23.159 --> 00:01:28.560 That's just like building a sanctuary before you're building the rest of the church. 00:01:28.560 --> 00:01:31.680 They wanted to go with praising the Lord, 00:01:31.680 --> 00:01:34.439 offering their burnt sacrifices. 00:01:34.439 --> 00:01:36.079 They wanted to do all of that, 00:01:36.079 --> 00:01:39.359 get in the rhythm of attending once again. 00:01:39.359 --> 00:01:42.240 This is so important for us. 00:01:42.240 --> 00:01:49.640 We learn about this building of this altar and they praise God first and it's an echo. 00:01:49.640 --> 00:01:57.159 This is an echo of how we see in scripture that we're to seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness. 00:01:57.159 --> 00:02:00.759 And that all of these things will be added unto us. 00:02:00.759 --> 00:02:06.159 This leads us to today where we are finishing chapter 3 in the book of Ezra. 00:02:06.159 --> 00:02:14.159 We will see that at this moment in time, the foundation of the temple is being laid. 00:02:14.159 --> 00:02:16.960 And there's some spiritual truths that we can see. 00:02:16.960 --> 00:02:23.560 We'll see that as the foundation is being laid, there is progress that is being made. 00:02:23.560 --> 00:02:29.960 There's cause for celebration with the progress of the foundation of the temple being laid. 00:02:29.960 --> 00:02:33.759 Worship, praising the living God and thanksgiving. 00:02:33.759 --> 00:02:39.360 And yet amidst all of this, there's something that's very important for us to note. 00:02:39.360 --> 00:02:46.159 And that is that there were some people that rejoiced and there were some people that wept. 00:02:46.159 --> 00:02:51.360 And that's very important for us to see, well, why is this in scripture? 00:02:51.360 --> 00:03:01.560 And so just as the foundation was laid for the second temple, let us remember there was the destruction of the first temple, Solomon's temple. 00:03:01.560 --> 00:03:08.560 Here in Ezra, we're seeing the rebuilding of the second temple, which is known as Zerubbabel's temple. 00:03:08.560 --> 00:03:16.960 And then of course for us as Christians, the scripture mentions the promise of the third future temple, which you'll find all of that in your notes. 00:03:16.960 --> 00:03:25.760 We see this parallel between the three temples, just like how we're going to learn today, how people reacted to the foundation. 00:03:25.760 --> 00:03:32.560 The significance for us as a church, building a lasting legacy and pouring into people today. 00:03:32.560 --> 00:03:39.760 And just as Jesus Christ calls all of us to enter in a relationship with Him through faith and salvation, 00:03:39.760 --> 00:03:42.760 we are to go out and do good in the name of Christ. 00:03:42.759 --> 00:03:49.959 We are to pour out into people just as the Holy Spirit had poured into so many others. 00:03:49.959 --> 00:03:53.359 Jesus Christ loves us and we are to love others. 00:03:53.359 --> 00:03:57.359 So before we go any further, let's open in a word of prayer. 00:03:57.359 --> 00:04:06.759 Let's ask the Holy Spirit to stir our hearts for revival, for restoration and renewal, not just in our own lives, 00:04:06.759 --> 00:04:12.159 but also in the lives of our friends, our families and our church. 00:04:12.159 --> 00:04:18.159 Let us continue, let that stirring continue out in our church and in our community. 00:04:18.159 --> 00:04:19.360 Let's pray together. 00:04:19.360 --> 00:04:24.959 Father, we thank you for this time and this opportunity for us to gather together as the body of Christ. 00:04:24.959 --> 00:04:33.560 We ask that the Holy Spirit will stir our hearts and will encourage us, yes, encourage us to come to know who you are, 00:04:33.560 --> 00:04:37.360 to believe in you, to grow in faith and to spiritual maturity, 00:04:37.360 --> 00:04:46.360 and to be moved to be ambassadors for Christ, doing good in your name, not only in this church, but also as a beacon of hope in the community. 00:04:46.360 --> 00:04:56.160 We ask Father today that the word that is spoken, what is preached, what is taught, that it will be easy to understand, 00:04:56.160 --> 00:05:01.160 that we as the people of God, we can understand what's happening in Scripture. 00:05:01.160 --> 00:05:08.360 We can learn these lessons and most importantly, well equally important, is that we apply this to our own lives. 00:05:08.360 --> 00:05:14.760 May we be reminded that upon faith in you, we are to go out and do good in the name of Christ, 00:05:14.760 --> 00:05:17.760 being a doer of the word and not just a hearer. 00:05:17.760 --> 00:05:24.360 Father, we ask for healing, we ask for restoration, we ask for renewal, 00:05:24.360 --> 00:05:29.960 but we also ask for spiritual transformation to occur in our own lives. 00:05:29.959 --> 00:05:36.560 We say all of this in the name of Jesus Christ, our saving King, and together we say, can I get an amen? 00:05:36.560 --> 00:05:37.759 Amen. 00:05:37.759 --> 00:05:40.560 So let's start off with observation, right? 00:05:40.560 --> 00:05:44.759 What is happening in this first set of verses? 00:05:44.759 --> 00:05:55.560 If you turn your Bibles to page 460, you will see here, we left off in verse 7, where the people of God, 00:05:55.560 --> 00:06:01.759 they started putting money into these specialists, right? It says in their carpenters, right? 00:06:01.759 --> 00:06:07.759 They gave the money to the masons and the carpenter, food, drink and oil to the Sidonians and the Tyrians, 00:06:07.759 --> 00:06:15.160 to bring cedar trees from Lebanon to the sea to Jopah, according to the grant that they had from Cyrus, King of Persia. 00:06:15.160 --> 00:06:20.560 And I always, I love reading that because it's like how there were grants back then, there are grants now. 00:06:20.560 --> 00:06:30.360 But we go into verse 8 here, where it says in here, it states that now in the second year after they're coming to the house of God at Jerusalem, 00:06:30.360 --> 00:06:35.160 in the second month, Zerubbabel, and then it goes on Jeshua, right? 00:06:35.160 --> 00:06:41.560 It goes on together with the rest of their kinsmen, the priests and the Levites and all who had come to Jerusalem from captivity. 00:06:41.560 --> 00:06:48.560 They appointed the Levites from 20 years old and upward to supervise the work of the house of the Lord, right? 00:06:48.560 --> 00:06:55.560 So it had been two years since the exiles returned from Babylon to Jerusalem and during this time they attended services. 00:06:55.560 --> 00:06:59.560 They offered burnt offerings and they celebrated festivals. 00:06:59.560 --> 00:07:04.560 The text is mentioning that Zerubbabel, Jeshua and others were present with them. 00:07:04.560 --> 00:07:08.160 The scripture says, and this is something that's very fascinating, right? 00:07:08.160 --> 00:07:12.560 It says they appointed the Levites from 20 years old and upward, right? 00:07:12.560 --> 00:07:16.160 To supervise the work of the house of the Lord. 00:07:16.160 --> 00:07:32.160 Verse 9 then it says that in Jeshua with his son and his brothers and Kadmeel and his sons, the sons of Junah, together they supervised the workmen in the house of God along with the sons of Henedad and the Levites and their sons and brothers. 00:07:32.160 --> 00:07:34.560 So you have a lot of people who are coming together. 00:07:34.560 --> 00:07:42.560 We see here what we can observe is that there are generations that are working side by side in the laying of the foundation of the temple. 00:07:42.560 --> 00:07:47.959 These verses show the importance of generations working together. 00:07:47.959 --> 00:07:55.160 The older generation, some of them might have been alive during the time of the first temple, right? 00:07:55.160 --> 00:07:58.560 They might have remembered Solomon's temple and they appointed younger people. 00:07:58.560 --> 00:08:04.959 They were focused on the next generation to contribute to the construction of the temple. 00:08:04.959 --> 00:08:09.160 They were laying the foundation and look, that's not an easy task to do. 00:08:09.160 --> 00:08:20.160 In fact, the laying of the foundation is the most important thing that has to happen because if you don't have a good foundation, well, the rest of the structure is not... 00:08:20.160 --> 00:08:23.760 You're not going to have a foundation to build your temple on. 00:08:23.760 --> 00:08:25.560 And it requires a lot of hands. 00:08:25.560 --> 00:08:27.560 It requires collaboration. 00:08:27.560 --> 00:08:33.560 What an amazing sight that we're seeing that you have the older generation working with the younger generation. 00:08:33.559 --> 00:08:40.759 That's something that as Christians today we should consider when we're thinking about the younger generation. 00:08:40.759 --> 00:08:42.559 Let's read what happens next. 00:08:42.559 --> 00:08:56.759 When the builders laid the foundation of the temple of the Lord, the priests in their vestments, they came forward with trumpets and the Levites, the son of Asvath, with symbols to praise the Lord according to the directions of David, king of Israel. 00:08:56.759 --> 00:09:00.359 And what did they do? 00:09:00.359 --> 00:09:01.159 They sang, right? 00:09:01.159 --> 00:09:02.159 They sang responsively. 00:09:02.159 --> 00:09:04.159 They were praising and giving thanks to the Lord. 00:09:04.159 --> 00:09:11.159 And they said together, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever towards Israel. 00:09:11.159 --> 00:09:11.159 Right? 00:09:11.159 --> 00:09:12.159 It goes on with there. 00:09:12.159 --> 00:09:13.159 Let's see. 00:09:13.159 --> 00:09:15.159 We have verse 11 there. 00:09:15.159 --> 00:09:15.759 It goes on. 00:09:15.759 --> 00:09:16.759 Verse 12. 00:09:16.759 --> 00:09:17.759 Many of the priests and Levites. 00:09:17.759 --> 00:09:19.759 Now, this is important for us. 00:09:19.759 --> 00:09:26.759 Many of the priests and Levites and head of Father's houses, old men who had seen the first house, what did they do? 00:09:26.759 --> 00:09:28.159 They wept. 00:09:28.159 --> 00:09:35.159 They wept with a loud voice when they saw the foundation of this house being laid, though many shouted aloud for joy. 00:09:35.159 --> 00:09:37.159 So what an interesting scene we're seeing here. 00:09:37.159 --> 00:09:42.159 We're seeing that people, there are some people who are weeping and some people that are celebrating. 00:09:42.159 --> 00:09:43.159 They're shouting for joy. 00:09:43.159 --> 00:09:44.159 Verse 13. 00:09:44.159 --> 00:09:47.159 So that people could not distinguish the loud sound. 00:09:47.159 --> 00:09:49.159 This is very loud, right? 00:09:49.159 --> 00:09:55.159 They couldn't distinguish the sound of the joyful shout from the sound of the people weeping. 00:09:55.159 --> 00:09:57.159 So number one, that's very loud. 00:09:57.159 --> 00:09:59.159 You have a lot of people coming together, right? 00:09:59.159 --> 00:10:01.159 And you can't even distinguish the difference. 00:10:01.159 --> 00:10:10.159 I mean, for some of us, we might have heard a very loud penetrating sound, but it's almost like you're getting drowned out by the differences of the weeping, right? 00:10:10.159 --> 00:10:12.159 And the joyful shout. 00:10:12.159 --> 00:10:14.159 The people shouted with a great joy. 00:10:14.159 --> 00:10:16.159 The people shouted with weeping. 00:10:16.159 --> 00:10:19.159 And I love that ending of that verse. 00:10:19.159 --> 00:10:20.159 What's it say? 00:10:20.159 --> 00:10:22.159 The sound was heard far away. 00:10:22.159 --> 00:10:23.159 So it was so loud. 00:10:23.159 --> 00:10:27.159 I can imagine if you're maybe a traveler going, what is that sound? 00:10:27.159 --> 00:10:28.159 Is that weeping? 00:10:28.159 --> 00:10:29.159 Is that a joyful shout? 00:10:29.159 --> 00:10:35.159 I don't know, but it's just showing how loud these voices are. 00:10:35.159 --> 00:10:39.159 And so here we see that the foundation of the temple is laid. 00:10:39.159 --> 00:10:41.159 The people of God are celebrating. 00:10:41.159 --> 00:10:46.159 What's so interesting about these verses, right, is the two types of reactions. 00:10:46.159 --> 00:10:49.159 One hand you have people celebrating, right? 00:10:49.159 --> 00:10:57.159 You also have those celebrating with a joyful shout and those that are weeping for the foundation being complete. 00:10:57.159 --> 00:11:00.159 And this kind of reaction is natural. 00:11:00.159 --> 00:11:07.159 It's something that we can think about today because there will be moments of celebration when changes happen in our own lives. 00:11:07.159 --> 00:11:18.159 There may be changes that happen in our lives, in our church, and in the community, but there will also be moments of sorrow, moments of remembrance for what once was. 00:11:18.159 --> 00:11:24.159 And it's important to acknowledge both of these emotions and to offer them before the Lord, right? 00:11:24.159 --> 00:11:33.159 Trusting that God is in control, that God is sovereign over both the past, the present, and the future. 00:11:33.159 --> 00:11:39.159 And with this in mind, in your notes, you'll see that there's this chart that has the three temples. 00:11:39.159 --> 00:11:41.159 I'm not going to put this on the screen. 00:11:41.159 --> 00:11:44.159 I mean, you will see the kind of the condensed version here. 00:11:44.159 --> 00:11:46.159 You have the first, second, and the third temple. 00:11:46.159 --> 00:11:53.159 And these are kind of representations at this moment, at least, of the past, the present, and the future. 00:11:53.159 --> 00:11:56.159 You have Solomon's temple, which is the first temple. 00:11:56.159 --> 00:11:59.159 That is a representation of the past. 00:11:59.159 --> 00:12:04.159 You have Zerubbabel's temple, which is being rebuilt after the exile. 00:12:04.159 --> 00:12:10.159 That is a representation of what's happening in this moment today with the people of God. 00:12:10.159 --> 00:12:16.159 And then we also have, in your notes, you'll see there are verses that speak of the third temple. 00:12:16.159 --> 00:12:22.159 This is known as, it's found in Ezekiel's vision, if you want to look on your notes. 00:12:22.159 --> 00:12:24.159 You can check those verses out. 00:12:24.159 --> 00:12:31.159 But you see also that in the future, and one of the things that we can look at when we're observing here, 00:12:31.159 --> 00:12:36.159 is that there is an importance of a temple being built for God's people. 00:12:36.159 --> 00:12:41.159 That's one thing, but also that, you see how God is consistent? 00:12:41.159 --> 00:12:45.159 You see the beginning, the middle almost, and then the end. 00:12:45.159 --> 00:12:48.159 And so that's just something to keep in mind. 00:12:48.159 --> 00:12:54.159 The temple is being built at this moment, and I mentioned that it's a representation. 00:12:54.159 --> 00:12:58.159 Solomon's temple, again, it represents the past. 00:12:58.159 --> 00:13:02.159 Zerubbabel represents the present, and the third temple representing the future. 00:13:02.159 --> 00:13:07.159 And this is just a symbolic representation of a biblical truth here. 00:13:07.159 --> 00:13:12.159 Now, with all of this in mind, what can we learn here? 00:13:12.159 --> 00:13:18.159 So the first thing that comes to mind is passing the torch to the next generation. 00:13:18.159 --> 00:13:21.159 How many of us are watching the Olympics? 00:13:21.159 --> 00:13:25.159 Some of us might have, some of us might not have them in either case. 00:13:25.159 --> 00:13:31.159 Some of you may know the sport where there are people that are running and they are carrying the torch. 00:13:31.159 --> 00:13:34.159 Or you can think of that as symbolism. 00:13:34.159 --> 00:13:40.159 Someone that is carrying the torch and they're running and they're going to pass the torch as it were to the next person. 00:13:40.159 --> 00:13:43.159 And this is a great concept that we can think about, right? 00:13:43.159 --> 00:13:52.159 Because you have in Ezra here the people of God, they are working with the younger generation in building of the foundation of the temple. 00:13:52.159 --> 00:13:57.159 And in the same way that this is happening in Ezra, this should be encouragement for us to do the same. 00:13:57.159 --> 00:14:03.159 The first lesson, right? It's the importance of passing the torch to the next generation. 00:14:03.159 --> 00:14:05.159 It's a fitting analogy, right? 00:14:05.159 --> 00:14:10.159 In Psalm 145, verse 4, this is a verse that really sticks out where it says, 00:14:10.159 --> 00:14:16.159 One generation shall commend your works to another and shall declare your mighty acts. 00:14:16.159 --> 00:14:19.159 This is showing the passing of the torch. 00:14:19.159 --> 00:14:25.159 It speaks to the greatness of our God and passing on from one generation to the next. 00:14:25.159 --> 00:14:33.159 And in today's church, it is important for us to pour into the next generation, but also the current generation. 00:14:33.159 --> 00:14:38.159 We have young people in the church that we have got to pour into, right? 00:14:38.159 --> 00:14:45.159 We think of the next generation, yes, they're going to grow, they're going to know the word, and they're going to lead as well. 00:14:45.159 --> 00:14:53.159 And that's an encouragement for us that we have got to focus on the current generation as well as the next generation. 00:14:53.159 --> 00:14:59.159 That's why here at our own church, we have so many people who are helping with the children. 00:14:59.159 --> 00:15:06.159 I mean, do you realize if we had a full house, we'd have about 10 to 15 kids for our church, and that's praise God for that. 00:15:06.159 --> 00:15:13.159 It goes to show how important generations are, how important younger people are. 00:15:13.159 --> 00:15:19.159 As you are growing and you're getting older and you're knowing the things of God and the deeper things of God, 00:15:19.159 --> 00:15:27.159 you'll learn that there is an importance to pass the torch on to the next generation. 00:15:27.159 --> 00:15:29.159 And so ask yourself this question. 00:15:29.159 --> 00:15:39.159 Who is a younger person you know, someone from another generation that you can pour into with your wisdom, your experience in your stories of faith, 00:15:39.159 --> 00:15:42.159 someone you can take under your wing. 00:15:42.159 --> 00:15:49.159 Deuteronomy chapter 6 verses 6 through 7 also instructs us to diligently teach God's commandments to our children. 00:15:49.159 --> 00:15:51.159 It doesn't stop with us. 00:15:51.159 --> 00:15:53.159 It continues to flow, right? 00:15:53.159 --> 00:15:56.159 It's just like the love that God has for us. 00:15:56.159 --> 00:16:00.159 It is available for all who believe the grace of God. 00:16:00.159 --> 00:16:04.159 That's why we share in the gospel with other people to everyone. 00:16:04.159 --> 00:16:10.159 And so in Ezra, we see that the people of God, they focused intentionally on those. 00:16:10.159 --> 00:16:12.159 I love what it says in the verse. 00:16:12.159 --> 00:16:18.159 If you guys have your Bibles open, it says, the, where'd it go? 00:16:18.159 --> 00:16:21.159 They appointed the Levites from 20 years old and upward. 00:16:21.159 --> 00:16:25.159 Well, we're not going to take this literally, that we only need to focus on people in their 20s and upward. 00:16:25.159 --> 00:16:33.159 This is going to be, the lesson for us is that we focus on younger people as well, from children to teenagers to young adults, right? 00:16:33.159 --> 00:16:37.159 That we invite them, that we develop them, that we empower them, right? 00:16:37.159 --> 00:16:43.159 It's not specific to a age group, but in the context of what you're finding in Ezra, yes. 00:16:43.159 --> 00:16:54.159 And I have to tell you, there are many young men and young women who desire to be mentored, to grow and to have an opportunity to serve in the church. 00:16:54.159 --> 00:17:01.159 It's always disheartening when we hear about churches that are in decline or they're closing their doors, 00:17:01.159 --> 00:17:12.159 because unfortunately, sometimes what happens, and I can't account for all churches, but there are sometimes where there wasn't a pouring or a focus on the next generation of people. 00:17:12.159 --> 00:17:14.159 And that's a very unfortunate thing. 00:17:14.159 --> 00:17:17.159 That is why we continue the momentum. 00:17:17.159 --> 00:17:20.159 This should encourage us and not discourage us. 00:17:20.159 --> 00:17:25.159 This should motivate us to pray, to find young people that we can pour into. 00:17:25.160 --> 00:17:32.160 And we are to be a church that does the work of Christ and lay the foundation for future generations. 00:17:32.160 --> 00:17:45.160 Just as the elders in Ezra appointed young people to come alongside and rebuilding the temple, we too, we too, my friends, must be intentional about involving and mentoring the younger generations. 00:17:45.160 --> 00:17:53.160 We must be a church that is actively engaging with empowering the younger generations to carry the torch of faith as it were forward. 00:17:53.160 --> 00:18:00.160 And this is how we build a legacy that honors God and continues to impact the world for Christ. 00:18:00.160 --> 00:18:02.160 Let's go to that next slide. 00:18:02.160 --> 00:18:05.160 So we see celebrate milestones in our faith. 00:18:05.160 --> 00:18:12.160 And we see, it says on that slide, once the foundation was laid, the people celebrated the progress. 00:18:12.160 --> 00:18:17.160 As people and as the church grows, we should celebrate progress together. 00:18:17.160 --> 00:18:22.160 And you'll see there, there's personal and then church, the community, right? 00:18:22.160 --> 00:18:27.160 You see faith in Christ, baptism and growth, new families, marriages, right? 00:18:27.160 --> 00:18:30.160 And this is, that's not the only things, right? 00:18:30.160 --> 00:18:32.160 There are other things that just examples here. 00:18:32.160 --> 00:18:35.160 But this is a lesson that we can learn, right? 00:18:35.160 --> 00:18:37.160 Celebrating the milestones of faith. 00:18:37.160 --> 00:18:39.160 Isn't it interesting? 00:18:39.160 --> 00:18:40.160 I mean, think about it. 00:18:40.160 --> 00:18:42.160 You have the people of God. 00:18:42.160 --> 00:18:48.160 They are laying the foundation, the importance of putting the foundation before the construction of a temple. 00:18:48.160 --> 00:18:54.160 Right? How important that is to lay a firm foundation as it were in order to build a temple. 00:18:54.160 --> 00:18:59.160 What a wonderful parallel and a connection that we can think of our own walk with the Lord. 00:18:59.160 --> 00:19:04.160 How important it is for us to have a foundation that exists in Jesus Christ. 00:19:04.160 --> 00:19:06.160 Do you see what I'm saying here? 00:19:06.160 --> 00:19:09.160 There's a connection here that we can see, right? 00:19:09.160 --> 00:19:12.160 And people of God laid the foundation. 00:19:12.160 --> 00:19:14.160 They celebrated. 00:19:14.160 --> 00:19:19.160 Don't you think we should celebrate when the foundation is being laid, 00:19:19.160 --> 00:19:26.160 when someone comes to Jesus Christ and they believe in the death and the burial and the resurrection of Jesus Christ? 00:19:26.160 --> 00:19:31.160 Or what about when someone gets baptized or they're growing in their faith and they're changing, 00:19:31.160 --> 00:19:36.160 they're seeing the transformation of God, the Holy Spirit working in and through their life. 00:19:36.160 --> 00:19:43.160 That they're becoming someone that God wants them to be and not what the world has to offer. 00:19:43.160 --> 00:19:46.160 Not being in constant sin. 00:19:46.160 --> 00:19:51.160 And so that is a cause for us to celebrate, right? 00:19:51.160 --> 00:19:55.160 I think of 1 Corinthians chapter 3 verse 11, which says, 00:19:55.160 --> 00:20:01.160 no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid in Jesus Christ. 00:20:01.160 --> 00:20:04.160 And so what a wonderful connection when it comes to that. 00:20:04.160 --> 00:20:05.160 And let's not stop there. 00:20:05.160 --> 00:20:07.160 We have in the slide, right? 00:20:07.160 --> 00:20:12.160 Church, new families, marriages, projects that are happening. 00:20:12.160 --> 00:20:16.160 Just as there was the laying of the foundation that was happening in the temple, 00:20:16.160 --> 00:20:20.160 as our church grows in a healthy manner, 00:20:20.160 --> 00:20:24.160 when we have new families that are coming into the doors of the church, 00:20:24.160 --> 00:20:27.160 when people are getting married, right? 00:20:27.160 --> 00:20:32.160 When lives are being changed and people are walking away from their sin. 00:20:32.160 --> 00:20:34.160 That's a cause for celebration. 00:20:34.160 --> 00:20:41.160 Or when we are taking on a new project, let's say we're doing a new building project or whatever it may be, 00:20:41.160 --> 00:20:46.160 what a cause for us to celebrate progress that happens as it goes along. 00:20:46.160 --> 00:20:50.160 So just a wonderful thing that we can think about, right? 00:20:50.160 --> 00:20:53.160 If our church is growing, which it has been growing, 00:20:53.160 --> 00:20:58.160 we thank God for everything that He is giving us and blessing us. 00:20:58.160 --> 00:21:01.160 The priests, and I love what it says in that verse, 00:21:01.160 --> 00:21:03.160 the priests and their vestments, right? 00:21:03.160 --> 00:21:05.160 They celebrated with the trumpets, right? 00:21:05.160 --> 00:21:10.160 The symbols, they sang together. 00:21:10.160 --> 00:21:13.160 They're saying that God is good, right? 00:21:13.160 --> 00:21:16.160 They're thanking Him for the love that God has, 00:21:16.160 --> 00:21:19.160 because God's love endures forever. 00:21:19.160 --> 00:21:24.160 And all of the people, they shouted with a great shout when they praised the Lord. 00:21:24.160 --> 00:21:28.160 How encouraging is it for us? 00:21:28.160 --> 00:21:31.160 Think of when someone becomes a Christian. 00:21:31.160 --> 00:21:33.160 Do you celebrate that? 00:21:33.160 --> 00:21:35.160 We all should celebrate that. 00:21:35.160 --> 00:21:39.160 It's very significant from what we can realize. 00:21:39.160 --> 00:21:44.160 It's important to recognize that these milestones are about the spirit, 00:21:44.160 --> 00:21:49.160 the new life, the new creation, and the growth of the body of Christ. 00:21:49.160 --> 00:21:52.160 Let's go to the next slide here. 00:21:52.160 --> 00:21:57.160 The third lesson that we can learn is to honor the past and to live in the present. 00:21:57.160 --> 00:22:03.160 When the foundation was laid, some people wept and some people celebrated, right? 00:22:03.160 --> 00:22:06.160 It was so loud, you couldn't tell the difference between the two. 00:22:06.160 --> 00:22:09.160 And this is much like any sort of change, right? 00:22:09.160 --> 00:22:13.160 As the body were to be present with those who celebrate and those who weep. 00:22:13.160 --> 00:22:18.160 When God is doing a new thing in our lives, when we are growing in Him, 00:22:18.160 --> 00:22:24.160 when we are progressing in Him, when we're experiencing the stirring of the Holy Spirit, 00:22:24.160 --> 00:22:30.160 experiencing revival or reconciliation, there may be times where we have mixed emotions. 00:22:30.160 --> 00:22:35.160 There may be times where we might be weeping or we might be celebrating. 00:22:35.160 --> 00:22:38.160 And this is the lesson that we can learn today. 00:22:38.160 --> 00:22:42.160 We embrace progress as it happens in the context of our spiritual journey, 00:22:42.160 --> 00:22:48.160 the context of our spiritual journey together as a church, but to be joyful. 00:22:48.160 --> 00:22:57.160 And when there are times where we weep, that is a moment for us to honor what has happened in the past, right? 00:22:57.160 --> 00:23:00.160 And it's not recognizing that, look, God did an amazing thing, 00:23:00.160 --> 00:23:05.160 because you think of the context of the people who are weeping from the first temple. 00:23:05.160 --> 00:23:09.160 They might have been weeping because of what happened that they remembered that temple, 00:23:09.160 --> 00:23:13.160 that Solomon's temple that was built, that was destroyed. 00:23:13.160 --> 00:23:17.160 They might have been weeping because while they were in exile for 70 years, 00:23:17.160 --> 00:23:19.160 that's something to be sad about. 00:23:19.160 --> 00:23:22.160 I mean, some of us can't even wait a year for something to happen, right? 00:23:22.160 --> 00:23:24.160 But that's the thing. 00:23:24.160 --> 00:23:26.160 They're weeping in that. 00:23:26.160 --> 00:23:33.160 And seeing that now there's a temple that's being laid here, the foundation being laid. 00:23:33.160 --> 00:23:35.160 Just think of it like this. 00:23:35.160 --> 00:23:37.160 I saw the, I saw the old temple. 00:23:37.160 --> 00:23:38.160 I saw Solomon's temple. 00:23:38.160 --> 00:23:42.160 And now I'm seeing the progress that's being made in the second temple. 00:23:42.160 --> 00:23:45.160 Wouldn't that bring tears to your eyes? 00:23:45.160 --> 00:23:47.160 That's something to think about, right? 00:23:47.160 --> 00:23:49.160 Mixed emotions, right? 00:23:49.160 --> 00:23:54.160 Many of the older priests, the heads of the family, they'd seen the first temple. 00:23:54.160 --> 00:24:00.160 This scene is powerful as we move forward in our faith journey as, as a church. 00:24:00.160 --> 00:24:06.160 We may feel joy for the things that God is doing in our life, but we may also feel sorrow. 00:24:06.160 --> 00:24:11.160 We may mourn for what happened in the past or things that might have been lost. 00:24:11.160 --> 00:24:17.160 It's important for us to acknowledge and to care for each emotion, to bring them before the Lord, 00:24:17.160 --> 00:24:23.160 offer them to the Lord and trust that God is working in the past as he does in the present 00:24:23.160 --> 00:24:25.160 and as he will in the future. 00:24:25.160 --> 00:24:33.160 We must, in remembering the past, the other thing is a lot of us, we get nostalgic at times. 00:24:33.160 --> 00:24:36.160 We remember things that happened in the past. 00:24:36.160 --> 00:24:40.160 Honor the past, but don't be bound by it, right? 00:24:40.160 --> 00:24:45.160 Because you are in the present moment where God has worked in the past, 00:24:45.160 --> 00:24:50.160 the same God that has worked in the past will work in the present and will work in the future. 00:24:50.160 --> 00:24:58.160 And let's go to the application then at this point is, okay, so how can I apply and live out these verses in my own life? 00:24:58.160 --> 00:25:03.160 Okay, I've seen that, okay, there's the next generation that's being raised up. 00:25:03.160 --> 00:25:09.160 I see that the people are celebrating and I see there's a sound of joy and a sound of weeping. 00:25:09.160 --> 00:25:11.160 So what do I do with this? 00:25:11.160 --> 00:25:15.160 Well, the first thing is that as you learn, you teach. 00:25:15.160 --> 00:25:19.160 As you grow in your walk with Christ, you teach others, right? 00:25:19.160 --> 00:25:21.160 As you learn the Word of God, right? 00:25:21.160 --> 00:25:26.160 It's a call for us to share how God is working in our lives, right? 00:25:26.160 --> 00:25:33.160 The things that you're learning from the Word of God and let this be a call for you to share in the Gospel. 00:25:33.160 --> 00:25:37.160 Second Timothy chapter 2 verse 2 says, 00:25:37.160 --> 00:25:45.160 What you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses and trust to faithful men who will be able to teach others also, right? 00:25:45.160 --> 00:25:51.160 It's the passing of the torch, right, that you're pouring into other people. 00:25:51.160 --> 00:25:59.160 Let us also think of the Great Commission, right, where we are commanded by Christ to go and make disciples of all people, right? 00:25:59.160 --> 00:26:09.160 And to be a disciple is to be a student of Scripture, to be a student of Christ and we're always learning and we're always growing, right? 00:26:09.160 --> 00:26:11.160 That's something we have to think about. 00:26:11.160 --> 00:26:15.160 So teaching others, it's an essential part of our Christian walk. 00:26:15.160 --> 00:26:24.160 It's not just about acquiring knowledge for ourselves, but passing on the knowledge so that others too can grow in their faith and their relationship with Christ. 00:26:24.160 --> 00:26:31.160 There are some people who will even say that you learn more when you teach, which is a wild thing in my humble opinion, right? 00:26:31.160 --> 00:26:42.160 But it's sharing what you have learned in Scripture or sharing in how God has worked in your own life as a testimony to the power of the God that we believe in. 00:26:42.160 --> 00:26:45.160 That's something we must keep in mind. 00:26:45.160 --> 00:26:52.160 Teaching others what we have learned, it's a way to multiply the impact that we can have for the Kingdom of God. 00:26:52.160 --> 00:26:56.160 And as we invest in others, we are equipping them to do the same. 00:26:56.160 --> 00:27:04.160 It creates a ripple effect and this is how we fulfill the Great Commission to make disciples to spread the gospel to the ends of the earth. 00:27:04.160 --> 00:27:08.160 The next slide that we have is to mentor the next generation, right? 00:27:08.160 --> 00:27:20.160 It says just as the elders in Ezra worked alongside with the younger generation, it's an encouragement for our elders, so to speak, those who are older to work with younger people. 00:27:20.160 --> 00:27:28.160 If you are a older Christian or even if you are a younger Christian that you learned a little bit more than you did yesterday, right? 00:27:28.160 --> 00:27:32.160 Let this be a find someone that you can pour into. 00:27:32.160 --> 00:27:35.160 Find a younger person that you can mentor. 00:27:35.160 --> 00:27:40.160 The idea is to engage the younger generations for Christ, right? 00:27:40.160 --> 00:27:46.160 That can be with just a simple invitation that can also be through mentorship, right? 00:27:46.160 --> 00:27:52.160 In Proverbs 22, verse 6, it reminds us, train up a child in the way he should go. 00:27:52.160 --> 00:27:56.160 Even when he is old, he will not depart from it. 00:27:56.160 --> 00:28:00.160 Part of doing good in the name of Christ is mentoring. 00:28:00.160 --> 00:28:09.160 It's pouring into younger people as they grow in Christ and that's something that all of us can do in some capacity. 00:28:09.160 --> 00:28:13.160 Do any of us know someone who's younger? 00:28:13.160 --> 00:28:16.160 You don't have to raise your hand here, right? 00:28:16.160 --> 00:28:17.160 You might have a neighbor. 00:28:17.160 --> 00:28:19.160 You might have a family member. 00:28:19.160 --> 00:28:21.160 You might have a friend, whatever it is. 00:28:21.160 --> 00:28:27.160 And this can be applied broadly to mentoring in the church, whether you're an older man or a woman. 00:28:27.160 --> 00:28:29.160 You have valuable experiences. 00:28:29.160 --> 00:28:35.160 You have wisdom that you've learned from the Lord or lessons that you've learned from Scripture. 00:28:35.160 --> 00:28:39.160 Or it's even how God has worked in and through your life. 00:28:39.160 --> 00:28:43.160 I'm telling you, people want to hear that. 00:28:43.160 --> 00:28:49.160 There's a lot of young people out there that want to have mentorship or someone that takes them under their wing. 00:28:49.160 --> 00:28:55.160 I remember when I was a teenager, I had quite a few, I've had quite a few mentors over the years. 00:28:55.160 --> 00:29:01.160 Some of them were good mentors, some of them maybe not so good, but the Lord had provided one way or another. 00:29:01.160 --> 00:29:05.160 And that's so important because think about where you are today. 00:29:05.160 --> 00:29:13.160 And think about the people who have poured into you in the same way we are to do that with those who are younger. 00:29:13.160 --> 00:29:16.160 Your life is a testimony to God's faithfulness. 00:29:16.160 --> 00:29:23.160 And by mentoring the next generation, younger people, you're helping to shape the future of the church. 00:29:23.160 --> 00:29:26.160 And again, it's not just about passing on knowledge. 00:29:26.160 --> 00:29:33.160 It's about building relationships and coming alongside with others in their faith journey. 00:29:33.160 --> 00:29:39.160 It's about encouraging others to grow in their relationship with Christ. 00:29:39.160 --> 00:29:43.160 The next application is honor the past, is to live in the present. 00:29:43.160 --> 00:29:47.160 You learn from the past, you live in the present moment. 00:29:47.160 --> 00:29:52.160 I know for some of us who love reading multiple books, there's many lessons that we can learn. 00:29:52.160 --> 00:29:58.160 If you read biographies or autobiographies or history books, you can learn a lot of things. 00:29:58.160 --> 00:30:02.160 And the same applies, importantly, with Scripture. 00:30:02.160 --> 00:30:05.160 We honor the past because we have a book. 00:30:05.160 --> 00:30:08.160 I'm sorry, how old is the Bible? 00:30:08.160 --> 00:30:10.160 It's an old book. 00:30:10.160 --> 00:30:16.160 Yes, we can get a new Bible, but it's a new packaging for an old book. 00:30:16.160 --> 00:30:18.160 And we learn lessons from that. 00:30:18.160 --> 00:30:20.160 So we honor the past and we live in the present. 00:30:20.160 --> 00:30:22.160 We're called to learn the history of Scripture. 00:30:22.160 --> 00:30:28.160 It's important to learn what the Word of God has to say, opening your Bible, reading and studying it. 00:30:28.160 --> 00:30:35.160 And in all of this, don't let history hold you back from living your new life in Christ. 00:30:35.160 --> 00:30:41.160 We live as a Christian by following in the footsteps of Christ and doing good in the name of Christ. 00:30:41.160 --> 00:30:48.160 We learn from history and we live out our faith in a way that honors and glorifies God. 00:30:48.160 --> 00:30:50.160 That's why you hear me say, do good in the name of Christ. 00:30:50.160 --> 00:30:53.160 Don't you dare do evil in the name of Christ? 00:30:53.160 --> 00:30:57.160 And unfortunately, there have been people that have done evil in the name of Christ. 00:30:57.160 --> 00:31:00.160 We do good in the name of Christ. 00:31:00.160 --> 00:31:02.160 We honor and we glorify the Lord. 00:31:02.160 --> 00:31:05.160 We make a greater impact in the church and within the community. 00:31:05.160 --> 00:31:14.160 Psalm 90 verse 12, it asks God to teach us to number our days so that we may gain a heart of wisdom. 00:31:14.160 --> 00:31:20.160 Philippians 3 verse 13 through 14 says, and this is a hard one, right? 00:31:20.160 --> 00:31:30.160 Forget what lies behind and strain forward to what lies ahead, pressing on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. 00:31:30.160 --> 00:31:33.160 So we're not neglecting the past. 00:31:33.160 --> 00:31:35.160 We're not ignoring it. 00:31:35.160 --> 00:31:39.160 We are learning from it and we are honoring it and we move forward in our life. 00:31:39.160 --> 00:31:44.160 Just like how Christ tells us we're not to worry about tomorrow, right? 00:31:44.160 --> 00:31:52.160 So we're not to be bound up by the past and we're certainly not to be so anxious for tomorrow that it hinders our ability to live today. 00:31:52.160 --> 00:31:55.160 We live in the present moment. 00:31:55.160 --> 00:32:04.160 Must be fully engaged with what God is doing in the here and the now and looking forward to the future hope that God has for us. 00:32:04.160 --> 00:32:07.160 Let's go to that next slide, which is live in the present. 00:32:07.160 --> 00:32:10.160 Trust in the hope for the future. 00:32:10.160 --> 00:32:17.160 You've mentioned honoring the past, right? There's still the call and you're seeing it twice here to live in the present moment. 00:32:17.160 --> 00:32:22.160 And trust in the hope for the future as you live your life in the present moment. 00:32:22.160 --> 00:32:26.160 Know that God has plans and promises for you. 00:32:26.160 --> 00:32:35.160 That's the beautiful thing about studying scripture, coming to church and learning about the Lord is seeing how prophecies were fulfilled by the Lord, 00:32:35.160 --> 00:32:38.160 giving the consistency that God is not a liar. 00:32:38.160 --> 00:32:42.160 We believe in the living God, the truth teller, right? 00:32:42.160 --> 00:32:47.160 Just as Christ says that he is the way, the truth and the life. 00:32:47.160 --> 00:32:53.160 Think about that, that God is light and in him there is no darkness at all. 00:32:53.160 --> 00:32:56.160 So consider the past and the present and the future. 00:32:56.160 --> 00:33:03.160 I cannot emphasize enough that what we can apply to our lives is to live in the present moment. 00:33:03.160 --> 00:33:09.160 Appreciate the legacy, but trust in God knowing that God has a plan for you in the future. 00:33:09.160 --> 00:33:11.160 And there is hope for the future. 00:33:11.160 --> 00:33:14.160 Every moment that we have here on earth is a gift for God. 00:33:14.160 --> 00:33:19.160 So live your life again in a way that honors and glorifies the Lord. 00:33:19.160 --> 00:33:27.160 Romans chapter 15 verse four reminds us that whatever was written in the former days was written for our instruction. 00:33:27.160 --> 00:33:32.160 That through endurance and encouragement, we might have hope. 00:33:32.160 --> 00:33:33.160 Think about that. 00:33:33.160 --> 00:33:38.160 Right. So it's all connected, the past and the future living in this present moment. 00:33:38.160 --> 00:33:46.160 And even in times of weeping, in times of trials or in tribulations, whatever it is you're going through, 00:33:46.160 --> 00:33:51.160 the good, the bad and the ugly know that the Lord is going to be with you. 00:33:51.160 --> 00:33:58.160 Right. That God provides hope and trust because look, our hope and our trust are in the Lord. 00:33:58.160 --> 00:34:05.160 Second Corinthians chapter four verses 16 through 18, it encourages us not to lose heart. 00:34:05.160 --> 00:34:10.159 And even though it's a very hard verse, our outer self is wasting away. 00:34:10.159 --> 00:34:15.159 Our inner self is being renewed day by day. 00:34:15.159 --> 00:34:22.159 And finally, build a lasting, there's a lot of reference verses there, build a lasting legacy together. 00:34:22.159 --> 00:34:24.159 We are stronger together. 00:34:24.159 --> 00:34:30.159 We can make a greater impact for Christ together and we can make a lasting legacy together. 00:34:30.159 --> 00:34:39.159 The people of God, they laid the foundation of the temple working together across generations for the glory of God and knowing this. 00:34:39.159 --> 00:34:41.159 How do we act on this? 00:34:41.159 --> 00:34:45.159 We are called to build a legacy together. 00:34:45.159 --> 00:34:48.159 You are not here by mistake. 00:34:48.159 --> 00:34:55.159 God knew you before the foundation of the world and you were called with divine purpose and intentionality. 00:34:55.159 --> 00:35:05.159 And that God loves you so much that he gives you the opportunity to choose Christ and to be on a path where you'll be molded into who God wants you to be. 00:35:05.159 --> 00:35:09.159 And here's the thing. We're constantly being molded. Amen. 00:35:09.159 --> 00:35:16.159 Right. God's not done with us. We are a work in progress and we're called to make a difference today. 00:35:16.159 --> 00:35:26.159 Right. I'm reminded of the famous passage from Esther, right, that she was placed in her position for such a time as this. 00:35:26.159 --> 00:35:37.159 God wants you here today to know who he is, right, to know Jesus Christ, to grow in him and to make a difference for him. 00:35:37.159 --> 00:35:44.159 For those of us who are older and more mature, take the encouragement today and the legacy that you have been a part of. 00:35:44.159 --> 00:35:51.159 Many people have poured into you just as Christ has poured into you and the Holy Spirit leads and guides you. 00:35:51.159 --> 00:35:59.159 Pour into the next generation, pour into younger people, invest in the next generation, leaving a lasting legacy. 00:35:59.159 --> 00:36:04.159 Because in everything that we do, we should do it in the name of Christ. 00:36:04.159 --> 00:36:07.159 Everything that we do in Christ matters to God. 00:36:07.159 --> 00:36:12.159 And be reminded in all this, we're talking about things that we have to do. 00:36:12.159 --> 00:36:19.159 Christ always remind us that we are saved by grace through faith, right? 00:36:19.159 --> 00:36:27.159 Upon receiving salvation through faith in Christ, we grow, we do good in the name of Christ. 00:36:27.159 --> 00:36:31.159 We are to store up treasures in heaven with God as our foundation. 00:36:31.159 --> 00:36:34.159 And together, let us build a legacy. 00:36:34.159 --> 00:36:37.159 Let us lay down our foundation in Christ, right? 00:36:37.159 --> 00:36:43.159 Because Christ is the firm foundation and let us pour into the next generation of people. 00:36:43.159 --> 00:36:51.159 Let us honor the past, let us live in today and let us look forward to the promises of tomorrow in Christ. 00:36:51.159 --> 00:36:55.159 With all of that, let's pray together. 00:36:55.159 --> 00:37:03.159 And gracious Father, we thank you for this time and this opportunity to come together as we have just finished this chapter 3 of Ezra. 00:37:03.159 --> 00:37:15.159 We pray that there will be revival in this land, that the Holy Spirit, that your spirit will stir our hearts to know you, to grow in you and to do good in your name. 00:37:15.159 --> 00:37:21.159 We pray that we can be a church that loves you, that honors you and stays true to your word. 00:37:21.159 --> 00:37:28.159 May we, Father God, may we balance grace, the love that comes from you and the truth from your word. 00:37:28.159 --> 00:37:33.159 And may we exhibit the light, love and truth of Christ to others. 00:37:33.159 --> 00:37:36.159 We pray that as we learn, we can teach others. 00:37:36.159 --> 00:37:44.159 We pray that we can live in this present moment honoring the past, but also placing our hope in the future. 00:37:44.159 --> 00:37:50.159 We know that it can be a difficult thing for us to do, but may we strive for that. 00:37:50.159 --> 00:37:58.159 We pray that we can live in today knowing you, growing in you and making a difference for you. 00:37:58.159 --> 00:38:07.159 Be with us as we sing in this last song, knowing that you call us for something greater in this life. 00:38:07.159 --> 00:38:13.159 And may we serve the church and serve our community in everything that we do. 00:38:13.159 --> 00:38:15.159 May we honor and glorify you. 00:38:15.159 --> 00:38:21.159 May we exhibit love, grace, truth in all that we do. 00:38:21.159 --> 00:38:24.159 It is in Jesus' name that we pray and we also pray. 00:38:24.159 --> 00:38:28.159 Thank you for tuning in to the Ontario Community Church sermon podcast. 00:38:28.159 --> 00:38:36.159 For more about our church and how you can get involved or support our mission, please visit ontariocommunitychurch.org. 00:38:36.159 --> 00:38:46.159 May God's blessings be with you.