Sermon Tone Analysis

Review- Jarad at job for 15 years.

Enjoyed it, but now faces difficult people, boss with no leadership, and less energy.

How’s work- “Its a job”

Story continues- the company name and boss is totally different.

Conflict is still present but progression is being made

A people of God- “Ambassador, I have a task for you.”

Prioritize worship/ take the next step- God chooses to dwell with me.

I can talk with Him today.

What is one thing I can do to serve someone at work today

Next steps our hard steps/don’t quit- toward his coworker he wants to give him a piece of his mind, but he remember that his family is watching.

He prays together with them

Moral Drowsiness can only be awakened by God- another day; one day closer

God makes provision to dwell at home with him in a foreign land- even if I had a job with upbeat coworkers and engaging boss, it would be small in comparison to being a doorkeeper in God’s house.

Pray

In our limited ability there is a constant tension that exists with God’s action and our responsibility.

The easing of this tension is met with all kinds of metaphors (God sending the boat, and helicopter to help the drowning man) inaccurate teaching (God helps those who help themselves), helpful instruction but no always clarifying (ask God for wisdom)

We wander at times why God could not regularly let us hear conversations like the one Gideon overheard in the tent of the enemy.

What are some of the things that we delay to do because of fear, confusion, or difficulty?

Break from a binging habit

Confessing, making something right, or seeking reconciliation

Talking to a neighbor

Using a spiritual gift

Pulling away from a bad influence

Getting baptized

Giving

Opening your home for others

Seeking for provision or waiting for God to provide

What are we waiting for in these kind of circumstances?

Peace

Time

Things to slow down

Someone to ask me to do it

Enough provision

Clarity

Starting with this tension may be stirring up a variety of emotions within you:

Anxiousness- I have had a history of overbearing people in my life

Annoyance- another sermon on something more I should be doing

Discouragement- I have tried and keep failing

Pride- most of the things listed don’t bother or I have already done them

Here is a question.

To act in any of the areas listed, do you need full explanation, or calming peace?

Does your next action have to be some bold and heroic?

Do you have to get it all right when you start?

Is there a way to be move to action while still having questions, fears, and doubts.

Consider who this character is in Scripture and what moved this character to act

Illustration: What character in the Bible is described in these 4 actions/charades?

I want to see!- standing on tipee toes

Oh Wow!- bowing his head

Right on it Yes!- quickly runs

“I have an important message for you” going around to others

The book of Ezra is true to God’s nature of communicating with us in these unknowns.

In the first part of the book, we have received hopeful insight into God moving the heart of kings and moving the heart of His people Israel to continue His redemptive story.

Last week, we saw the overview of the second return to Jerusalem under the leadership of Ezra.

We saw the purpose of the return, Ezra’s strong resolution with God’s law, the backing of the king’s decree, and the reminder that God’s hand was upon him.

Now the narrative switches to first person and we seem to be reading from what may have been a personal journal of Ezra’s.

It is going to go into some of the details of the four month journey that was summarized in chapter 7. We will see the repeated affirmation of God’s strength and goodness, but we will get needed insight

The voice that calls us to act in these situation is one that affirms God is good, powerful, and on the move.

It does not call us to inaction but rather calls us to

Work because God is at work

How does this work relationship function?

What does it look like

Work with initiative based upon what God has already revealed

What has God revealed?

He has revealed His gracious, forgiving, promise keeping nature.

This was seen in Jeremiah and in the first wave of the exiles.

He has revealed the importance of His dwelling among His people and His people putting Him first and loving Him.

For Ezra’s time this involved attention to the temple.

Ezra grows up in a foreign land hearing about the stories of the first return 80 years earlier.

He knows that He is part of a high priestly lineage.

(Captain of a team that does not formally exist).

What initiating steps does he take

He studies God’s law

He makes a request to the king (imagine this conversation)

He persuades men to follow him to Babylon (imagine this persuasion)

Family heads were the names listed

All the families but one were mentioned in chapter 2

It was noted that the initial wave of exiles were stirred by God.

There is an initiative taking by these families to continue what God had started

God has revealed enough to know and obey Him.

He gives the supply and assures that He will lead bu calls us to act.

Application:

What actions do you need to take without further instruction?

If the answer is “I don’t know” you can ask a brother or sister.

If the answer is “too many,” start with 1.

If the answer is “I have tried already,” remember the nature of the one Who is calling and enabling.

Books like Ezra are meant to instill hope in you

Transition:

Work with sacrifice toward God who rewards you

Of the 43,000 who returned in the first wave, only 74 were Levites.

Ezra sends men of influence and insight in verse 16

He sends them to an unknown place to us (Casiphia).

The best we can discern, it could have been a concentrated dwelling of Levites.

There could have been some kine of synagogue or temple there.

There was one during this time in Egypt (v.

17)

There were only at the river 3 days.

This transaction took place in this time.

258 Levites are persuaded to go.

They are leaving security and possible places of steady jobs to do the menial work of a Levite.

This was quite a feate to which Ezra responded in his journal:

Are all God’s task low-paying and unknown?