Sermon Tone Analysis

Illustration:

The mom crept into the room of her daughter who had recently returned from completing her bachelor’s degree at college.

She probably could have stormed her way in and had the same results, for her daughter was zonked out in her bed.

She tapped her daughter on the arm and whispered “it’s time to get up.”

With one eye cracked open, the daughter peered around the room as though she was looking for something and then said...

What?

What was she looking around the room for, what do you think she said?

Last week we concluded with the temple builders giving up on their task due to the opposition from those around them.

This resulted in the onset of a lethargic condition that lasted about 16 years.

There was a hustle with the ordinary things of life, but the matter of God dwelling with them had dwindled in importance.

This scene captures what God’s people still wrestle with today: moral drowsiness.

This lethargic state is a perplexing problem because the call to awake can barely be heard much less be responded to by the sleepy one.

What can awaken us out of our morally drowsy condition?

Moral drowsiness can only be awakened by God

How is it awakened?

He uses His Word to bring about His complete work in you

Illustration of an assessor, contractor, and realitor

He perfectly assesses the situation and then calls for repentance

He knows are shortsightedness and points us to grand realities way beyond today.

He knows our tendency to outwardly conform and calls for inward obedience

He knows our weakness and provides His Spirit and a Rescuer

He gives an interpretive lens as to what is taking place around you

He gives insight into whose in charge

Illustration of sports announcer giving a slanted/limited report about who is going to win a game

After the death of Cambyses, he hurried to Media and had a king whom he called an imposter killed.

One source says that Darius fought 19 battles in one of the first years of his reign in order to put down rebellions

He records His victories on the side of a mountain in what came to be known as the Bihtsun Inscription

Darius comes to the throne and gives credit to the false god that he had conquered his enemies

He established 20 governing provinces in order to collect taxes.

When one of the governors hears about the restart of the rebuilding of the temple he comes over to inquire who told them to build and asked for the names of those involved.

The narrator of what God is doing declares in Ezra 5:5

He gives insight into His mercy

Tattenai’s report back to Susa records:

The diligent work of the Israelite people.

(v. 8)

In spite of all the foreign gods, they consider that they are doing the work of the supreme God (V.11)

The Israelite people tell Tattenai their connection with the great King David.

(v.

11)

The also recognize their departure from the land was due to their sin against God (v.

12)

They acknowledge the command of Cyrus to rebuild the temple

Transition: The people keep building while, the report travels to Susa, Darius orders a search for the former proclamation of the deceased King Cyrus, the proclamation is reviewed, and Darius sends his own proclamation back to the local governor Tattenai.

This is what the proclamation said:

Transition: God’s people often feel the weight of need which often leads us to forget that:

He manages everything to provide for you

The events of the first part of Ezra 6 occupy three and a half years, from September 21, 520 B.C. (Hag.

1:1), to March 12, 516 B.C. (Ezra 6:15).

Thomas, Derek W. H.. Ezra & Nehemiah (Reformed Expository Commentary) (p.

83).

P&R Publishing.

Kindle Edition.

This is the conclusion of that building time:

Transition: We come down to the end of the first half of the book which records the first wave of exiles returning from Babylon and focuses on the work of the temple, and here is the conclusion:

Transition: We get a glimpse of the awakened condition God is about producing in His people.

He works to create His joy in you

So what do you think the daughter was scanning the room to see?

It was actually two things: One was a countdown calendar.

Next to it were several piece of paper that had been torn off.

The last one on the calendar read: Wedding Day.

To make sure she was seeing things right, she looked over in the other corner of the room to see the beautiful wedding dress neatly pressed and hanging up.

What do you think she said?

Can God through the work of Christ keep us in an awakened condition?

Application:

Where are you morally drowsy?

Consider the content of what comes into your soul, it is have a theme of immorality and self-centeredness

Is your life full of things that are consumed with your own interest?

Ask God to awaken you from the drowsiness that you know of and don’t know of.

Surround yourself with the provision that keeps you awake