(Re)Build: Stronger - Ezra 9-10

When a fault is found in the foundation of a building project, work is immediately stopped and the problem is removed. When sin appears in our lives we tend to not do the same thing. We go on living, trying our best to pretend that nothing has happened. If this goes on too long we lose our hatred of sin, we cease to be aware of its damaging effects and we wonder what could have caused the problems in our lives. When the Israelites returned from exile to rebuild the Temple, they knew they had to get rid of the sin in their midst that had been plaguing them for generations. If we are to rebuild our relationships with God, we must rid ourselves of the sin that has weakened that relationship in the past. It is not enough just to rebuild, we must ReBuild Stronger than before.

• Confront
• Contrite - Isaiah 66:2b
  
• Appalled at our sin - Ezra 9:3-4
  
• Bothered by its impact - 9:7
  
• Concerned for a future with sin - 9:14
  
• Confess - 1 John 1:9
  
• Admit we did wrong - 10:2
  
• Blame only ourselves -
  
• Call on God for Forgiveness
  
• Control - Hebrews 10:22
  
• Actions - 10:3
  
• Conscience
• Bow to God as Lord
  

(Re)Build: Despite the Opposition - Ezra 4-6

There is something sad about an unfinished building. So much promise and hard work that will never reach its full potential. Does God feel the same way looking at our lives? What gets in the way of our efforts to build a relationship with God? What can we do to overcome these obstacles? And why are they there in the first place?

• Opposition
• Comes looking for us - Ezra 4:1-4
• Can hinder us, but not stop us - Ezra 4:5, 24
• Building Despite Opposition
• God's Word and God's People - Ezra 5:1-2
• Always Do the Right Thing - Ezra 5:8-10
• Opposition Becomes Opportunity - Ezra 6:8-10
• James 1:2 - Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds...
  

(Re)Build: From the Ground Up - Ezra 3

Did you ever feel like you work and work, but never get anywhere? You do the right things, but the person doing the wrong things is the one who prospers. You try to pray, but it seems useless. If you've felt this way, you aren't alone. This is something that happens in the lives of many (all) Christians. It happens when we neglect our foundation. Over time, our Biblical, God-centered basis can develop cracks where sin pushes its way in and deteriorates what God has built. Patching this isn't the solution. We need to rebuild, from the ground up - putting God first and obeying Him, despite the cost.

• Recognize what is broken - Haggai 1:6 ...You earn wages, only to put them in a purse with holes in it...
  
• Restructure your foundation
• Worship First - Ezra 3:2 ...began to build the altar and sacrifice offerings on it...
  
• Build Despite Fear - Ezra 3:3 ...despite their fear of the peoples around them, they built...
  
• Rejoice in what God is Beginning - Ezra 3:11 ...with praise and thanksgiving they sang...
  
• God Only Upgrades! - Ezra 3:12 ...many who had seen the former temple wept...
  

The Rest of the Story - Hebrews 11

We all fall. We all fail. We all sin. We all hate to recognize it, talk about it, admit it. We feel a strong need to be perfect, even though its not possible. We want to be perfect and we try to make the heroes of our stories perfect as well. We talk about their successes and victories, but never learn from their struggles. When we move from Sunday School stories to Biblical events, we see a more complete picture of the faithful men who did great things for God. We see men who followed God despite the same kinds of failures that we experience. Despite their failures, these men were defined by their faith, so are we.

• Noah - Everybody Fails
• Genesis 9:20-21
  
• Abraham - Failure Follows a Pattern
• Genesis 12:10-20, 20:1-3
  
• Moses - Failure has Consequences
• Numbers 20:9-12
  
• Hebrews 11 -
  
• Failure Does Not Define Us - Faith Defines Us!
  

DO - Matthew 25:31-46

While Christians know that they are justified by faith, Jesus still taught that men are judged by works. Parables in Matthew 7 and Matthew 25 give examples of this. Matthew 7 teaches that there will be those who do great things, but Jesus will say that he never knew them. Matthew 25 teaches that basic acts done for "the least of these" have a much greater importance than we realize.

DO:

• Simple Things
• For the Right Reasons
• Good Deeds are the Fruit, not the Root
• For All People
• "Preach the Gospel at all times, and when necessary use words." - St. Francis of Assisi
  

A Fresh Start - Colossians 3:1-4

Every life is precious. The Christian life is a special gift from God, given at Baptism. Baptism is one of the most misunderstood, controversial practices in Christianity. This Biblical look not only describes Baptism, but talks about what it means for the Christian and how it impacts them for eternity.

Baptism is:

• For Everyone - Ephesians 4:4-6
  ...one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all...
  
• For the End - Romans 6:2b-3
  Or don't you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?
  
• For a Beginning - Colossians 2:9-12
  ...you have been given fullness in Christ...
  
• For the Heart - Colossians 3:1
  ...set your hearts on things above...
  
• For the Mind - Colossians 3:2
  ...set your mind on things above...
  
• For Eternity - Colossians 3:3-4
  ...you will also appear with Him in glory.
  

Family Dinner - 1 Corinthians 11:17-29

Food is an essential part of life, but it is more than that. It is the central part of many of the social customs and practices that fill our lives. It only makes sense that God would take such a simple, important part of our life and use it to remind us of what is most important. When Jesus met with the disciples for the "Last Supper" he instituted a memorial service that can apply to every meal we eat, but relates specifically to the weekly meetings of the Family of God.

• Dinner for One - “Therefore, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord. A man ought to examine himself before he eats of the bread and drinks of the cup." - 11:27-28
  
• Dinner for Two - “For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.” - 11:26
• A Family Dinner - "So then, my brothers, when you come together to eat, wait for each other." - 11:33
  
  

Bumped

Into every life a little rain must fall. When that happens, do we look for rainbows and silver linings or do we slosh through puddles with faces that match our umbrellas? Jesus said, "Out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks." What are we filling our hearts with? Are we filling them until they overflow? What will spill out when we get "bumped"?

Filling our hearts

• "Let the light of your face shine on us, O LORD.
  You have filled my heart with greater joy..." - Psalm 4:6-7

Overflow

• "Out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks." - Luke 6:45

Getting Bumped

• "If someone strikes you on one cheek, turn to him the other also." - Luke 6:28

Join the Resistance - John 13:35

Jesus' resurrection is the defining event in the history of mankind. It was the moment in which God created a bridge between heaven and earth, making it possible for people to gain eternal life. It was also the moment in which Jesus resisted the power of evil most directly. He stood up to death , and he did it with nothing but love. In the same way we are called to resist evil with love as well. In our daily lives when we face fear, evil and death we are called to, "Join the resistance, fall in love."

Resist Fear

• There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear. - 1 John 4:18
  

Resist Evil

• If you love me, you will obey what I command. - John 14:15
  

Resist Death

• For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. - John 3:16
  

Past, Present, Future - Luke 19

Jesus' Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem, which we celebrate on Palm Sunday, is unique in that it is the only time in Jesus' time on Earth when he was treated the way that he deserved to be treated. Instead of doubt, disbelief, beating and berating he was greeted with a parade and shouts of victory. But this victory parade came before the victory was won. In fact, it came before the battle was engaged. The timing doesn't make sense. When we look at God's timing from our limited human point of view it often doesn't make sense. We can't see the big picture. Luckily, it isn't up to us to see the big picture or understand it - all we have to do is trust in God to handle it. All of time is in God's hands.
Through Jesus, God:

• Purifies our Past
  Matthew 21:4 - This took place to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet
  
• Provides for our Present
  Luke 19:40 - "I tell you, if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out."
  
• Prepares our Future
  Luke 19:42 - "If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace - but now it is hidden from your eyes."