Ezra 9-10 Godly
Reaction to Sin and Genuine Repentance.
Tonight
we come to the Close of the book of Ezra
A)Quick review Two returns 1st Zerubb
Rebuild the temple took 21 yrs 15 yr gap
B)At the completion there is a mini revival that breaks out Worship again
1)Yrs go by and the pp begin to get comfortable in the land both Physically and Spiritually
C)We noted there is a 57 year gap between ch. 6-7
1)57 yrs go
by Ezra is in
D)PP are growing complacent
spiritually neglecting the Privilege of temple worship
1)Leads a new contingency
back to revive the pp
When
Ezra arrives in
A)This is such a sad
commentary here is Ezra this man rich in the word Synagogues
B)He is from the priestly
line He has the this passage to get back to
1)Kings backing Provision
traveled 900 miles over 3 months 5000 pp
C)When he arrives he finds
that the pp in
D)Taken
Wives: implication is they took pagan wives and were incorporating pagan ways
and worship
1)V.1
with respect to the abominations Rahab/Ruth
E)They are heading back in
the direction of the very thing that was the REASON
for their captivity.
And
it is not just the pp it is some of the leaders and some of the priest.
A)Not just an issue of
compromise:
B)V.2 Phrase Holy seed implication
here is because of this mixture they were in danger of losing the Messianic
line!
RD v.3
Wow!
Quite a response.
A)Ezra sees this and is
grieved. He is shocked
B)Does sin shock you anymore?
Never surprised but I still am Shocked
C)I fear that in our decadent society that many in the Church have
grown so used to sin that it doesnt shock them anymore
D)What at one time shocked them becomes commonplace and routine.
1)We minimize it, justify it, or ignore it
and go on our way unaffected by it.
E)Ezra mourns - RD
V.5-6
Takes ownership
A)Like
Nehemiah / Daniel Ezra includes himself
Taking
ownership not making excuses
B)Ezras identification with the
people, in spite of his own innocence in this sin, shows that he knew the
potential for evil that lurked in his own Heart
C)That is such
a good thing to remember Accept for the grace of God there go I.
D)In His
response Ezra doesnt come across self righteous.
1)Which I
believe is a reason the pp respond to Him
V.7 He lays out the results of not having Separation.
Since
the days of our fathers to this day we have been very guilty, and for our
iniquities we, our kings, and our priests have been delivered into the hand of
the kings of the lands, to the sword, to captivity, to plunder, and to
humiliation, as it is this day.
Delivered into
the hands of Kings! Ruled over by sin
Delivered to
the sword sin cuts, wounds, hurts
Delivered into
captivity - results in bondage.
Plunders You
can lose everything that you hold dear to you because of sin.
Brings
Humiliation: Leave you scorned, saddened and degraded.
Satan seeks to kill
rob and Destroy
Mathematics of
sin is always the same:
Add to your
sorrow / Subtract your Joy
Multiply your
problems / Divide your heart
8 And now for a
little while grace has been shown from the LORD our God, to leave us a remnant
to escape, and to give us a peg in His holy place, that our God may enlighten
our eyes and give us a measure of revival in our bondage.
A)A peg in His holy place.
B)Even to this day when the Bedoiums are setting up camp drive this large wooden tent
pegs into the dirt
1)Symbolic of the fact
that they are claiming that land as their place of residence
C)This statement was an
indication of the fact that God had given this remnant a holy habitation
D)Same is true for us God
has given us a holy place as a residence Fellowship
1)We can squander that
He
gave us a measure of revival in our bondage
A)Even though they were in
bondage in
B)Revival often starts in
our times of difficulty
1)We cry out to God something
starts in the heart
Ezra
reminds them of Gods mercy V.9
For we were
slaves. Yet our God did not forsake us in our bondage; but He extended mercy to
us in the sight of the kings of Persia, to revive us, to repair the
house of our God, to rebuild its ruins, and to give us a wall in Judah and
Jerusalem.
Treated well in
Revival in their hearts to
come back rebuild
Stirring in their hearts to
return
God had done so much
The Problem with what was happening was it was in direct
defiance to what God had said in his word about intermarrying
B)God
summarizes the reason for the prohibition in this way:
For they will turn their sons away from following me to serve other gods.
C)Rather than
influencing their mates God knew the tendency of our fallen hearts would be
to gravitate in the other direction toward sin
This is called
Syncretism the
attempted reconciliation or union of different or opposing principles,
practices,
And it has
always been a major problem for Gods people.
Syncretism is not blatantly denying Christianity, it is rather adding to our faith beliefs and practices of the world,
so that in a short time we are virtually indistinguishable from the world in
our thinking and in the way that we live.
A)Syncretism starts with little compromises and then
rationalizing behavior that goes against Gods word
B)Often when
dealing with sin and compromise pp will respond with thoughts like
1)How can it be wrong when it feels so right?
C)Yet are
feelings and emotions are not the basis for determining right and wrong
1)The word is
our basis
D) PP Divorce w/
no biblical basis saying I prayed and have a peace
1)When in
reality the peace they feel is really the
relief of escaping from a difficult relationship
and not the peace of God.
Notice
that Phrase V.12 never seek their peace and their prosperity
A)This is the problem that
we so often face we think the world has something to offer us.
B)The world portrays a pseudo peace beer commercials
everyone having a great time
1)Doesnt show the next day
C)
It Presents a pseudo wealth if you were just driving this with her by your
side
D)Our problem is we believe
the lie we start pursuing their definition of peace / their def or Prosperity
E)When that doesnt satisfy
Satan Props up another
1) Dog at the Beach
Chasing birds suddenly Crash - under water
We
pursue those things thinking they are going to bring peace and prosperity
make us stronger
A)Instead they make us
weaker
B)The Lord says dont seek
their peace / their prosperity that you may be strong
1)Eat the good of the land
2) Leave an inheritance
C)Here is the truth of the
matter: Separation results in Strength
1)Syncretism results in
weakness
Listen we have a peace and a prosperity in Jesus that
the world cannot touch MC Hammer cant
touch this
A)It doesnt compare
B)Peace that surpassing
understanding
C)Wealth
that sees value in the right things
1)Family / friends /
eternity / righteousness
D)Being right with God
E)Riches are not of this
world!
That
is what we pass on to our kids The value of living with eternity in view!
A)Store up treasure in
heaven
B)Our kids need to see us
living passionately for Christ
C)Christianity is more
caught than taught
1)Teaching is important but
they are going to watches more than anything
D)Gayle Irwin tried to
teach my boys table manners but they eat just like me
When are kids see us
pursuing the Lord passionately seeking to be rich in God not the world - His peace not the worlds peace More
likely to catch that
If stray come back ! That
is the legacy that we want to leave!
RD V.13-15
So
Ezra sets forth a very honest confession of their sin?
A)Even admitting we are on
thin ice
B)We deserve all of your
fierce anger for doing this YET AGAIN!
That type of
Honesty and realness sets the stage for what happens next Ch.10:1
Now
while Ezra was praying, and while he was confessing, weeping, and bowing down
before the house of God, a very large assembly of men, women, and children
gathered to him from Israel; for the people wept very bitterly.
People are attracted to honesty and humility.
A)Had Ezra
been standing on the street corner yelling and pointing his finger pp would
have been running from him not to him
B)Lesson in
Humility: Ezra was saying we have sinned we need forgiveness
1)Lord we need
to repent
C) He was
broken over the sins of the pp.
When we mourn
when we are broken over sin
A)Instead of
assuming that posture of can you believe what they did!
B)Accept for the grace of God there go I
1)Such
compassion for our young pp right now see so many struggling
C)Drifting
being enticed I remember what that was like
1)You can have Love and compassion without
tolerance
D)Understanding
of hey I know it is hard the temptations are great let me help you
1)Let me stand
with you.
E)So the Pp
respond to Ezras heart here!
RD
v.2-4
In v.2-4 we see some marks of genuine repentance:
1.)It
recognizes sin as first and foremost against God.
Shecaniah admits, We have
been unfaithful to our God (10:2). It was with God that they made this
covenant because they trembled at His commandment (10:3).
While sin
always hurts other people and we need to ask their forgiveness
A)Sin is first and foremost against God
Himself.
B)That is why David, after committing
adultery with Bathsheba and having her husband murdered, said, I have sinned against the Lord (2 Sam. 12:13).
He wrote (Ps. 51:4), Against You, You only, I have
sinned and done what is evil in Your sight.
Certainly
David had sinned against Bathsheba and even more so against her husband, Uriah.
A)But those sins were nothing in
comparison with Davids offense against the holy God.
B)When a believer sins gives an
occasion for the enemies of God to Blaspheme
1)Unbelievers mock God especially when the sin is public
2) Genuine repentance accepts the responsibility for what we
have done.
A)No excuse making going on here! no
rationalizing their sin
3) Genuine repentance
feels deeply the wrong of our sins.
A)Paul
declared
B)Both Ezra
and those who gathered around him were weeping over this.
1)Trembling
4)Genuine repentance takes prompt action to correct our
sins.
A)True
repentance requires not only admitting our wrong to God and others, but also
taking practical steps of obedience to correct our wrongs.
V.4 Your
responsibility!
Ok Ezra we
will put away our pagan wives and kids you just tell us how
RD
V 5-11
V.11 3 Steps in coming back to the Lord.
#1 Make confession Homolego Say the same as
Be honest He
is faithful to forgive
#2 Do His will KJV His pleasure
A)You and I
were created for His Pleasure / His will
B)You who are
married thought getting married for your pleasure really Gods pleasure
C)You mean
that life isnt all about my personal happiness?
1)The Glory of
God the Pleasure of God.
What is his pleasure? If we understand this this idea is
not offensive to us
A)His
pleasure: What is that about think before the fall. What was the relationship
B)Man was made
placed in a beautiful garden for what fellowship with God
1)That is what
brought God pleasure man walking with him in the cool of the day
The whole sacrificial system was created to restore
fellowship The Cross is about restoring fellowship
A)Dont miss
this we often think that the main reason was to save you from going to
hell.
B)But it is
way more than that { Purpose is fellowship relationship
1)Eternal life
walking with Him NOW
C) God is not
waiting until you die Now we can have fellowship no purpose was restore
that
1)God takes
pleasure in being with you. He enjoys your company
What else was the purpose of the garden God wanted man to
enjoy it. Eat play enjoy
A)God takes
pleasure when we enjoy and appreciate his creation He takes pleasure in that
B)See you
excited over a sunny day/ a beautiful sunset He takes pleasure in that
1)Smile to His
face
What else brings Him pleasure?
A)Seeing you
fulfill your purpose
B)His
workmanship created uniquely purpose
1)Seasons
Eric Liddel feel his pleasure when I run
C) I feel his
pleasure when I preach
D)I understand this as a dad!
1)Nothing better
seeing my kids use their gifts
E)Aaron
Started own business
1)Graphic
design stoked excited
F)Helping with
Jr. High stoked excited
1)Amy / Amanda
playing ball
God is the same way:
A)He watches
some of you as mom and Dad with your kids and it brings him pleasure.
B)Because you
are seeking to honor him in your home
C)He watches
some of your shine at work
1)Help pp
compassionate He is blessed
D)He watches
some of you serve here in the ministry
1)It brings
him pleasure
#1 Confess
#2 Do his will
His pleasure
#3 Separate
yourselves
When #2 is my goal His pleasure / His glory
A)It is then
easy and makes all the sense in the world to separate myself from things that
will be counter productive to that.
RD
V.12-44
Now when you look at this list of names it is only 111 men many
leaders but only 111 men
A)That is only
.4% of the entire population of men who returned in the first wave
B)Is Ezra
making a MT out of a Molehill
C)Paul said to
the
1)A little
leaven leavens the whole lump
D)So true in
the Church A little bit of sin spreads
Now let me
just say this that this OT story doesnt give us now in the NT the basis to
run home and divorce an unbelieving wife or husband
App for us!
Deal with sin
even when it is hard and uncomfortable
Ezra one man
who comes in humility and brokenness restores a nation lets learn from that
example