Opposition to the rebuilding of the temple was confronting the people. It worked too, For 15 years work ceased on it reconstruction. Discouragement had set in. Discouragement and negative outlooks can paralyze progress. It spread among the people.
It is not hard to see why discouragement could come. There were only 50,000 who returned from the exile. The work was enormous. They had to first clear away debris from the first temple which was like a mountain. It has become a place of garbage dumping by the few who live in Jerusalem. Now they are there to rebuild the temple. They repair the altar and begin worshipping. The work of rebuilding the temple is great and now discouragement has set in.
Jesus said, I will build my Church and the gates of hell will not prevail against it.
We take comfort in that verse but part of can bring you to your knees. The gate of hell, the devil and his angels, hell itself are going to oppose the church and attempt to snuff it out.
We are in a spiritual battle today. It has been increasing as Satan sees his time growing short.
Any work of God will meet with opposition. I have seen that over and over again. The opposition can be discouraging. We are urged not to lose heart, not to become weary in doing good. That is one of the reasons we need the fellowship of other believers.
I have found that each time discouragement comes the LORD also shows up with blessings. Sometimes they come from the most unexpected places.
God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our consciences, but shouts in our pain. C.S. Lewis
When Pastor Jm and Carol Cymbala became Pastor and wife of the Brooklyn Tabernacle in 1972 there were 15-20 people attending and the church was on the verge of closing. Today 6,000 will attend the 3 services they have, a 240 voice choir will sing that has sold over 3 million records and sung at Innauguration of Presidents! But the secret is not the choir. It is their Tuesday night prayer meeting. Carol Cymbala vision.
When Art Alexander, our DS, came to Valley Stream in 1973 they were down to 12 people. He called for a baord meeting and the whole church stayed. That was it. Today th Bridge Church in Malverne will have over 500 people attend its three services, along with a Spanish Church that shares it facility. I remember when Art came to the curch I pastored in upstate NY and asked me why I wasnt on Long Island. That was in 1983, a year before I came.
Two weeks ago a new church began here n Bay Shore. They merged with Abundant Life, which Pastor Dennis, who spoke here when I was in Haiti last month started. They are different than us but they are bringing people to Christ, people we are not reaching. Kevin and I went over there for their eary service. 500 people attnded that day and 15 came to Christ! Brian MacMillian whipsered to me, Did you ever in your wildest dreams imagine anything like this when we met last December.
Today in Bellevue Haiti, there is a church being rebuilt. Its building was nearly wiped off the map when the earhtquake hit on January 10, 2010. Up in New Hampshire this morning my nephew Stephen shared about the mission trip in his church. Last week Barbara Brennan shared in Patchogue about it. A few weeks ago another member of our team shared at a Mens breakfast. I wa in the Peter Pan Diner and Angela, Peters wife spoke to me this week... and on it goes.
It is marvelous to see these things where God is at work!
God came to the aid of His people here in Ezra. He saw they were discouraged. He came to help.
1. He sent them Prophets. v.1
To rebuke them.
Haggai 1:3-4 Then the word of the Lord came through the prophet Haggai: “Is it a time for you yourselves to be living in your paneled houses, while this house remains a ruin?”
To speak to them:
There are some wonder filled words of encouragement in Haggai and Zechariah.
Haggai 1:13 Then Haggai, the Lord’s messenger, gave this message of the Lord to the people: “I am with you,” declares the Lord.
Haggai 2:4 But now be strong, Zerubbabel,’ declares the Lord. ‘Be strong, Joshua son of Jozadak, the high priest. Be strong, all you people of the land,’ declares the Lord, ‘and work. For I am with you,’ declares the Lord Almighty.
Haggai 2:8-9 ‘The silver is mine and the gold is mine,’ declares the Lord Almighty. ‘The glory of this present house will be greater than the glory of the former house,’ says the Lord Almighty. ‘And in this place I will grant peace,’ declares the Lord Almighty.”
Zechariah 4:6-9 So he said to me, “This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: ‘Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,’ says the Lord Almighty. “What are you, mighty mountain? Before Zerubbabel you will become level ground. Then he will bring out the capstone to shouts of ‘God bless it! God bless it!’” Then the word of the Lord came to me: “The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this temple; his hands will also complete it. Then you will know that the Lord Almighty has sent me to you.
To challenge them
To support them
Ezra 5:2 Then Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel and Joshua son of Jozadak set to work to rebuild the house of God in Jerusalem. And the prophets of God were with them, supporting them.
Support= sustain, help, strengthen
Matthew 4:4 Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”
We need to listen to the words of prophecy, with a discerning heart.
1 Thessalonians 5:20-21 Do not treat prophecies with contempt but test them all; hold on to what is good,
2. He provided strong leadership for the nation. v.2
Zerrubabel (heir to the throne)
Joshua
The real strength in leadership is always spiritual. If it is not it is going to fail and do more damage than good.
3. His eye was upon them. v.5
His eye is on the sparrow.
Matthew 10:29-31 Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.
His eye is on His people.
2 Chronicles 16:9 For the eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him.
Psalm 121
He is watching over all the earth.
He never sleeps or slumbers.
He is our watchman.
C.S Lewis said You cannot remain a good egg very long, either you have to hatch or you will go rotten. We have a good group. But we need to hatch into what God has for us next. Changes are on their way one way or another. We need to move with what God has for us today. He is not done with us as He was not done with Jerusalem.
So they completed the work on the temple. We will read about it this week.
When a people obey the LORD they at once ensure His cooperation for the accomplishment of their purposes. There is a new day dawning in Bay Shore, on Long Island... there is a place for us. We need to look to the fields that are ripe for harvest. We need to pray for the LORD of the Harvest to send forth workers into His harvest field, here in the United States... here in this community... and He is...
No comments:
Post a Comment