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3/23/2025

Pastor Dwayne Smith
Immerse: Chronicles - Week 3


LENT is the 40 day period (excluding Sundays) prior to Easter where we prepare our hearts for Easter – the celebration of the resurrection of Jesus

Background on Ezra

1. King Nebuchadnezzar’s Strategy - Deconversion of Faith.

2. King Nebuchadnezzar’s Tactic:
   a. Isolation (Daniel 1:3),
   b. Indoctrination (Daniel 1:4).
   c. Assimilation (Daniel 1:5)
   d. Confusion (Daniel 1:6-7).

   • In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the Lord by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, the Lord stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, so that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom and also put it in writing:
     Ezra 1:2-3, “Thus says Cyrus king of Persia: The Lord, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth, and he has charged me to build him a house at Jerusalem, which is in Judah. 3 Whoever is among you of all his people, may his God be with him, and let him go up to Jerusalem, which is in Judah, and rebuild the house of the Lord, the God of Israel—he is the God who is in Jerusalem.”
     

Rebuilding: Great Opportunities include Great Challenges

• Opposistion! Every great work of God will face opposition
• Ephesians 6:12, “For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.”
  

Rebuilding Begins with Worship

• Ezra 3:1-3, “In early autumn, when the Israelites had settled in their towns, all the people assembled in Jerusalem with a unified purpose. 2 Then Jeshua son of Jehozadak joined his fellow priests and Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel with his family in rebuilding the altar of the God of Israel. They wanted to sacrifice burnt offerings on it, as instructed in the Law of Moses, the man of God. 3 Even though the people were afraid of the local residents, they rebuilt the altar at its old site. Then they began to sacrifice burnt offerings on the altar to the Lord each morning and evening.”
• Worship tells you who is in charge!
• Worship (shachah): Complete surrender, to bow before
• Whatever we choose to worship is the most important decision that we will ever make. It is this choice that shapes who we are and who we will become. We become whatever we worship (Psalms 115 and 135).
• Dr. Whaley - “Theology (What you think about God) = Philosophy (What you believe) = Methodology (what you do!).”
  

Worship was the Focus of Opposition

• Attack often comes from 2 places – externally and internally

Internal Opposition

1. Ezra 3:10-13, “When the builders completed the foundation of the Lord’s Temple, the priests put on their robes and took their places to blow their trumpets. And the Levites, descendants of Asaph, clashed their cymbals to praise the Lord, just as King David had prescribed. 11 With praise and thanks, they sang this song to the Lord: “He is so good! His faithful love for Israel endures forever!” Then all the people gave a great shout, praising the Lord because the foundation of the Lord’s Temple had been laid.12 But many of the older priests, Levites, and other leaders who had seen the first Temple wept aloud when they saw the new Temple’s Foundation. The others, however, were shouting for joy. 13 The joyful shouting and weeping mingled together in a loud noise that could be heard far in the distance.”
   
   • 2 Chronicles 7:1-3, “When Solomon finished praying, fire flashed down from heaven and burned up the burnt offerings and sacrifices, and the glorious presence of the Lord filled the Temple. 2 The priests could not enter the Temple of the Lord because the glorious presence of the Lord filled it. 3 When all the people of Israel saw the fire coming down and the glorious presence of the Lord filling the Temple, they fell face down on the ground and worshiped and praised the Lord, saying, “He is good! His faithful love endures forever!”
   • Here is the sad part: from the outside, those looking in, their worship was all lost to them. It was nothing but noise – Ezra 3:13, “The joyful shouting and weeping mingled together in a loud noise that could be heard far in the distance.”
     

External opposition

1. Ezra 4:1-5, “The enemies of Judah and Benjamin heard that the exiles were rebuilding a Temple to the Lord, the God of Israel.2 So they approached Zerubbabel and the other leaders and said, “Let us build with you, for we worship your God just as you do. We have sacrificed to him ever since King Esarhaddon of Assyria brought us here.” 3 But Zerubbabel, Jeshua, and the other leaders of Israel replied, “You may have no part in this work. We alone will build the Temple for the Lord, the God of Israel, just as King Cyrus of Persia commanded us.” 4 Then the local residents tried to discourage and frighten the people of Judah to keep them from their work. 5 They bribed agents to work against them and to frustrate their plans. This went on during the entire reign of King Cyrus of Persia and lasted until King Darius of Persia took the throne.”

   • Who were the Samaritans?
   • This is the delicate balance of life: Connected but not Compromised
   • Love, Acceptance, Forgiveness and Belonging

   • We can become so relevant to others that we become irrelevant – we cease to reflect the love of Christ in our lives
     

   • John 15:18-19, “If the world hates you, remember that it hated me first. 19 The world would love you as one of its own if you belonged to it, but you are no longer part of the world. I chose you to come out of the world, so it hates you.”

   • Obedience = Success
   • “The world has yet to see what God can do with and for and through and in someone who is fully and wholly consecrated and committed to Him!” - D.L. Moody

Reflection Questions:

• Is there an area of my life where I am being attacked right now?
• Where am I being tempted to compromise or give up?
• What is my next step? Surrender, confession, starting a conversation, taking action in an area of my life…

Next step – Giving your life to Christ Believe + Receive = Become

Benediction

Numbers 6:24-26 (NIV)

24 The LORD bless you and keep you;
25 The LORD make his face shine on you and be gracious to you;
26 The LORD turn his face toward you and give you peace.

Go and Live for Jesus!