The Pastor’s Struggle

Title: A Pastor’s Struggle

Text: Colossians 1.24-2.5

CPT: Paul rejoices to see the Colossians (and the Laodiceans) walking with the spiritual maturity that comes through knowledge and understanding of this wonderful mystery, which is Christ in you, the Hope of Glory.

CPS: A Pastor’s struggle is faced with joy when he knows his people are walking in the full assurance of faith and spiritual maturity that comes through wisdom and knowledge.

Introduction: Canadian Pastor James Coates was jailed in March for violating Canada’s 15% capacity rule. His crime as the leader was that he refused to turn anyone away, allowing his congregation to exceed the mandated 15% capacity of their worship facilities.

This past year, John MacArthur faced difficult and tested threats from the leadership of California for pretty much the same thing. I think with Dr. MacArthur’s situation, he just continued to show up and when people noticed on video that he was preaching from his pulpit, they just started coming and sitting in the worship center. Pretty soon, the worship center was filled – which of course violated the state’s mandate for social distancing. All sorts of threats were issued, but I don’t think any were really carried out.

I believe we’re on the cusp of religious persecution against churches and Christians in general. I believe it has already started and will only grow as the moral revolution ramps up pressure to conform.

Robert Hoogland’s daughter was 11 years old when she told someone at school that she identified as a boy. Over the course of a few years, the rights of her parents were taken away and the government stepped in to help her transition to a boy.

The father protested, declaring the surgery, the hormone therapy and other treatments would hurt her physically and damage her. He refused to give consent. But the court took away his rights and declared that his consent wasn’t needed. Instead, they pursued their agenda by using the girl as an example for their own political purposes. Furthermore, Robert and his wife were ordered in court to affirm their daughter’s gender identity. And, added to that, if they refused to do so, they would be guilty of ‘family violence’. This included using the proper pronouns.

As I understand it, immediately after the court’s decision, Robert agreed to an interview with the Federalist (a conservative new source). In the interview, he used the pronouns ‘she’ and ‘her’ to reference his daughter. He also called her his daughter, and not his son. The judge was furious. Local authorities were ordered to arrest Robert immediately if he referred to his daughter with feminine pronouns. He was soon thereafter arrested and incarcerated for family violence. From what I understand, he has been denied bail and remanded to prison until his court hearing scheduled for Monday, April 12^th. He’s been incarcerated for about a month now.

Paul understood this. As he writes this letter, he is in prison for preaching the gospel. Turn to 4.3; ³ At the same time, pray also for us, that God may open to us a door for the word, to declare the mystery of Christ, on account of which I am in prison—

As we open this section of the letter, we’re reminded that Paul’s ministry – preaching the Word of God – has put him in prison. Rd 1.24; ²⁴ Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church… Now, your first thought might be questioning just what Paul means. First, let us just take note that Paul is suffering. We know he is in prison, but his suffering seems to go beyond simple incarceration. He appears to be suffering bodily harm. You see that with his phrase, ‘in my flesh’ and ‘afflictions’.

Instead of noting his situation, most folks run to the theological dilemma of his statement, “I am filling up what is lacking for the sake of his body,” Many begin to wonder: did Christ’s suffering not fulfill it’s purpose. What was lacking in his sacrifice? The answer: nothing.

I’m convinced that Paul was a genius. His writings contain incredible, indepth structure. Two items I notice here.

1. Look at 1.22f; Paul points out two facts about the body of Christ. 1^st, in these verses Paul is referring to Christ’s physical body (cf.: 1.20 – His blood);
2. Our passage is referring to the church, who is the body of Christ. rd 1.24c; for the sake of his body, that is, the church…

Paul’s suffering isn’t enhancing what was lacking in Christ’s sacrifice for sins. The suffering, death, burial and resurrection of our Lord is perfectly sufficient and effective in atoning for our sins – indeed, for the sins of the whole world. That’s Paul’s point in 1.19-22; Sufficiency and Efficacy. Paul’s suffering in these verses is in reference to the suffering the church has been called to endure. Evidently, Paul was enduring more than his fair share. And you see what he says about this suffering? He rejoices! If you somehow missed it, he’ll repeat it down in 2.5 (top & tail).

While I’m on the topic of his genius, I’d like to point out something special in his literary structure: another chiasm. I mentioned this form of teaching two weeks ago. Look at the chiastic structure Paul employees in these two paragraphs:

 a) Rejoice (1.24)

            b) in my flesh (body) – (1.24)

                        c) mystery: Christ (1.27)

                                    d) spiritual maturity (1.28)

                                                e) struggle (1.29; 2.1)

                                    d) spiritual maturity (2.2)

                        c) mystery: Christ (2.2)

            b) in my flesh (body); (2.5)

 a) Rejoice (2.5)

You see here, the top and the tail, there is this rejoicing that takes place Inspite of his suffering. So here is my opening statement: Paul rejoices… and he rejoices in his struggle. But why? Well, in this short couple of paragraphs, Paul helps us identify three reasons for his joy: His Ministry, His message, and the change he sees in those who believe that message. So let’s begin with the first reason.

Paul rejoices in the struggle because of… (24; 29-2.1; 5).

I. The Ministry – called, equipped (v25)

exp.: he identifies his calling at the beginning of v 25; rd v 25a; of which I became a minister; this word ‘minister’ is the Gk word for which we get our word ‘deacon’; Acts 6 and the dilemma of the Greek Widows being overlooked in the daily distribution of food; they selected deacons – same word here; but it then says, “Therefore, brothers, pick out from among you seven men of good repute, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we will appoint to this duty. ⁴ But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry (to the deaconing) of the word.” This word deacon simply means someone who serves. Paul is saying that he is a servant.

ill.: it bothers me that this word deacon has come to mean something so negative. It doesn’t really take much; you can have 9 great deacons in a church who are good, godly men, but let one bad deacon have too much power and man, you’ve got a mess on your hands. But since I’m on this subject, let me just say that deacons have a bad rap for a couple of reasons: 1) men were selected to serve who weren’t qualified and 2) the deacons didn’t serve (wait tables), but rather ruled – and that isn’t their function.

Church, when the time comes to select men and women to serve at Tarpley, make sure you pick servants and make sure their responsibility is service. That would be Biblical. So, Paul says he became a ‘servant’ (minister); 2^nd…

rd v 25b; according to the stewardship; This word (stewardship) is a word that describes Joseph when he was a house manager for Potipher; So he’s a servant and a house manager, serving the people of God. This is another great word for deacon or servant – a steward, a house manager;

ill.: instead of a definition, let me show you a picture; image key ring;

Now look at this 3^rd section of 1.25; rd 1.25c; to make the word of God fully known; he’s a servant & a steward to the church and 3^rd, he’s a preacher and a teacher;

t.s.: which brings us to our 2^nd reason for his joy: 1) His Ministry and 2) his…

II. The Message – the mystery revealed (v25c-6f)

exp.: and just what is his message? The Mystery; rd 1.25c-26; Within the Word of God is this mystery; we spoke some of it last week at Easter – God has come in the flesh and made his dwelling among us – God with us; His coming as Messiah can be truly labeled as a Mystery; the full details hidden in the past; rd 1.27; Christ in you, the Hope of Glory!

app.: it is an amazing thought that Christ would come to dwell in us; it is mysterious, but truly wonderful. This mystery is Christ – Him we proclaim! It reads in 1.28;

t.s.: So, we’ve seen Paul’s joy in the struggle because of His Ministry, His Message,

III. The Maturity it brings to peoples lives

exp.: rd 1.28c-2.2; Paul’s toil, his struggle is for them; that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love (their relationships), to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding (maturity) and the knowledge of God’s mystery, which is Christ. rd 2.3-5; we see this in two respects:

1. Salvation to the lost (v28)
2. Maturity to the faithful (1.29-2.3)
   1. Helping them to avoid following false teachers and teaching (2.4)

ill.: When I was younger, I found it odd that the Gospel, preached and proclaimed, accomplished these two tasks – salvation to the lost and spiritual maturity to the believers. The first one I got – that one makes sense, but that 2^nd one stumped me. Now, decades later, I see that the Gospel proclaimed and possessed brings about spiritual maturity. It’s something I’ve experienced and witnessed in countless Christians.

Can I add that I can also see how a lack of the Gospel has left many an older believer spiritually immature? This can be heartbreaking – to see someone who aged with decades of life, but is still a baby, a toddler when it comes to the faith. What a waste of a life – never attaining to the maturity Paul describes here.

Conclusion: Oh, but for those who do grow – what a blessing! He says, I rejoice to see your good order and the firmness of your faith in Christ.

Why? Because there are those out there who wish to delude you with plausible arguments. They wish to lead you astray. This false teaching has already infiltrated the church of God. We have denominations who’ve embraced the LGBTQ movement – not just to admit them into church membership, but to select them into leadership!

As subtle as it was, these leaders have seduced the church! The next movement is afoot! For those who will not conform willingly, they will be forced to conform or face persecution. We’re already seeing it!

Recently, former vice-president, Joe Biden nominated Dr. Rachel Levine to be Assistant Health Secretary. Dr. Levine is a man who thinks he is a woman. He ‘transitioned’ from male to female in 2011. He now goes by the name of Rachel Levine. A couple of concerns cross my mind as I’m sharing this information with you.

1. With someone like this in our leadership – how long will it take before what has happened in Canada begins happening in the US?
2. I understand that my statement above violates all sorts of politically correct protocol. I’m supposed to refer to Dr. Levine as a woman and use female pronouns. My problem is that, although I understand the delusion, I’m just not willing to enter into the delusion myself. That’s why I say he is a man who thinks of himself (that’s the delusional part) as a woman.

I’m not trying to offend anyone. I’m really not. I’m just saying that it is a reality before us as Christians – reality, that’s the word I think the liberal portion of our society is ignoring – the reality is before us that the values we hold to as Christians, the values we get from this book, the very Word of God, inspired, inerrant, and infallible, … the values, and mores, and ethics, and standards we hold to from the Word of God are under attack. So, let me encourage to stand boldly against those who would lead us astray! That is why it rejoices my heart to see you grow in the faith.

So, what do we do when persecution comes? Aaron Armstrong and Brian Dembowczyk offer four responses:

Pray for deliverance.

Pray for endurance. (physical)

Pray for Faithfulness. (spiritual)

Pray for those who persecute you.

Nehemiah 6-7

Title: The Call to Perseverance

Text: Nehemiah 6.1-7.73

CIT: The author wants the people to be encouraged in the promises of God, in spite of the strong opposition our enemy brings, and to remember that God is the one true promise keeper.

CIS: We are called to persevere through the attacks of the enemy because there is something grander beyond this moment.

Introduction: Fear doesn’t always cause Fight or Flight responses. Sometimes it just causes a breakdown. It can be crippling. Paralyzing, even. Fear isolates people and causes them to go into hiding. It can arrest a community, a people – stop them dead in their tracks. And, it can come from anywhere…at anytime…from anyone – even from those you would not expect.

Today we’re going to study a man who was attacked again and again. The tactic was to strike fear in this man and halt his work. The goal was to intimidate him to the point that he would stop the work of God and give in to their demands. The enemies of God and His people wanted to bring an end to this rebuilding of their wall and the strengthening of their community.

But, Nehemiah was prepared. He had set it in his heart to accomplish this work because God had called him to this work. Besides, he had faith that the One who had called him to this work, would see it through to completion. He would bring it to completion because Nehemiah knew the bigger picture. Nehemiah was called to persevere through the attacks of the enemy because he was certain that there was something much grander beyond this moment in which he was serving and living.

Let me ask you this morning to think about fear. What do you fear? Of what are you afraid? Do you ever get scared? What scares you? I ain’t scairt!

I’ve outlined the passage like this:

The Call is to Perseverance when the enemy attacks:

1. Privately
2. Publicly
3. Persistently
4. Because God is at work – there is a bigger picture.

Transition: let’s begin in the 1^st section of chapter 6, The Call is to Perseverance when the enemy attacks:

I.     Privately (6.1-4)

exp.: for Nehemiah, it was with letters of invitation: come, let us meet together. Where? Hakkephirim; we don’t honestly know where this is, but he gives us a little more detail: in the plain of Ono.” I don’t know about you but I don’t think that sounds too encouraging: Oh, No! In Neh.11.35, it is called the valley of craftsmen – but that doesn’t help us much either. Honestly, it doesn’t really matter where this place was. What matters for us is what Nehemiah knew. He knew where it was and he knew it was only a ploy to make him stop working. Here’s a great place to make our first application of the morning.

app.: Don’t go there! Too often we’re invited into danger or trouble that will stop the work of God. Don’t go there. Lisa says: Don’t borrow trouble! Leave it where it is. You keep working on the task at hand. Do you need some help with this? Look at how Nehemiah handles it (Nehemiah’s response): Rd v 3: ³ And I sent messengers to them, saying, “I am doing a great work and I cannot come down. Why should the work stop while I leave it and come down to you?”

t.s.: the enemy attacks privately, but when that doesn’t work – he’ll up the ante and attack you

II.    Publicly (6.5-9)

exp.: in our passage, they do it with accusations of embarrassment; rd v 6-7 – ⁶ In it was written, “It is reported among the nations, and Geshem also says it, that you and the Jews intend to rebel; that is why you are building the wall. And according to these reports you wish to become their king. ⁷ And you have also set up prophets to proclaim concerning you in Jerusalem, ‘There is a king in Judah.’ And now the king will hear of these reports. So now come and let us take counsel together.” “Look, we’re just trying to save you from yourselves.” The request to fix this looks simple enough. It is for all intents and purposes the same request as before. You see it there in v 7: let us take counsel together. There is a pattern here is found in v4:

• The Request from the enemies
• The Response from Nehemiah, and it is after this 2^nd rotation, that Nehemiah tells us of his insight into this matter. You see the request in v 7; the response in v 8; and the purpose of the enemy revealed in v 9;
• The Reason: They wanted to frighten us into quitting! The purpose is to instill fear.

ill.: why fear? Listen to this – Why do the enemies of God want you to be afraid? Why scare tactics? You ready for this? Because it is really all they’ve got. In our story: Sanballat, Tobiah, Geshem and the people who follow them have no physical power to stop the work. They’ve taunted them, laughed at them, said that if a fox climbed up on the wall it would simply topple over. They’ve made fun of them and threatened them. But when it all came down to it – they were just a bunch of noise.

app.: Consider your work now – your calling to complete the work God has called you to do. Is God limited in accomplishing his work through you? He is where you focus should be. Scare tactics are used to divert your attention away from your Master and His Work. Scare tactics are meant to get you to look away from God and see the enemy.

t.s.: We will see this pattern again in the next set of verses, 15-19 as the enemy ups the ante and doesn’t relent of its attacks – they are private, they are public and they are, 3^rd, persistent.

III.   Persistently (6.10-19)

exp.: The enemy has been straight forward and that didn’t work. So, they change things up a little: they then attack through his passion for the things of God – the temple, and prophets. In v 10 it tells us he is invited to the house of Shemaiah. Let us meet together in the house of God. Sounds harmless. Rd v 10;

ill.: There are two possibilities here on what this means:

First, This ‘man of God’ is warning Nehemiah of a death threat and that he can run into the rebuilt Temple and find sanctuary. There, he’ll be safe. He can run to the altar and hold on to the horn of the altar and be safe.

2ndly, he could be telling him to go into the deepest part of the Temple, the holy of holies or the holiest place. The enemies of God can’t follow him in there.

Answer: Nehemiah’s response is appropriate in either case. He says: “Should such a man as I run away? And what man such as I could go into the temple and live?

Either one, Nehemiah knows that if he runs into the holy of holies he’ll die.

Or two, he is saying: I’m not that kind of man – I’m not the kind of man who would abandon his people. Sure, for anyone who is threatened with death, he can flee those seeking his life and find asylum in the Temple. But, that also means the work on the wall will stop. And, his people will be left out there without their leader.

app.: Nehemiah knows the full counsel of God. He knows this person is perverting the Word of God. Either way, Nehemiah is fully aware of the result that either of these two options would bring – the work on the wall would stop. And that – as far as he is concerned – is no option. He knows what they’re really trying to do is scare him.

So the enemies are persistent by attacking him in using the things of God. Next, the enemies will use the people of God.

1. The Things of God.
2. The People of God.

Look at v 14; We expect this from Sanballet and Tobiah. But from the prophets of God? Skip down to v 17: rd 17-19; Man, These guys are relentless. You’d think that Nehemiah would become paranoid! Now, he’ll use his own people against him;

App.: Well, in spite of all this we read in v 15; the wall is done – it is finished; in just over 7 weeks. Their goal was to intimidate and strike fear into the hearts of God’s people – so that they would abandon their work. But look at what really happens. Rd v 16; Look what God has done! Do you see the irony in this – they’ve been hoping to strike fear in Nehemiah and Israel; But it backfires!

t.s.: Why does Nehemiah keep up the fight? Why does he keep going? I propose to you that his persistence is born out of a knowledge of greater things. That is: he sees the bigger picture. And that’s our last section this morning: The Call is to Perseverance when the enemy attacks:

IV.    Because God is at work. There is a bigger picture. (7.1-73)

exp.: rd 1-4; he posts an even larger guard within the city. Rd v 5; God puts it in his heart to put the people of God in the City of God. This is genius at work. The goal was never just the wall. The goal was never just the Temple. There is a bigger picture that Nehemiah understood. He assembles the people of God through their genealogy. Rd v 66-67; rd v 73-8.1.

app.: At this point in Salvation History – God has been true to his people. He had promised to return a remnant – and here they are. The story of God has come full circle. But, you know there is more to come: there is a Messiah who has been promised – and all of this is just one small part of the Bigger picture.

t.s.: So, how does this apply to you?

Application:

1. The author wants the people of God to be encouraged in the promises of God, in spite of the strong opposition our enemy brings, and to remember that God is the one true promise keeper.
2. You can read this and see how attacks come and know how to recognize them. Basically, attacks come in the form of fear tactics and the purpose is to get you to stop the work of the ministry.
3. The promises of God are still with us this morning.
   1. Lo, I am with you always – even to the end of the age.
   2. ³ His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, ⁴ by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire.
   3. I go to prepare a place for you? ³ And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.
   4. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him; ¹²as far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us.
   5. ²⁷ For as the lightning comes from the east and shines as far as the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.
   6. Three times in Revelation 22 Jesus says: I am coming soon. That’s a promise.
4. In v 17 of Revelation 22 it says: ¹⁷ The Spirit and the Bride say, “Come.” And let the one who hears say, “Come.” And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price.

Why? Because the price has already been paid.

Ezra 4

Title: In this life you will have trouble.

Text: Ezra 4

CIT: Ezra moves through time, covering a period of about 100 years showing the persecution of the Jews who’ve come out of the Exile.

CIS: To identify the long struggle of the Jewish people in the post-exilic period and understand that God accomplished his work through His strength demonstrated in a weak people. That way, he recieves all the glory!

Introduction: Our goal this morning is to understand the passage of Ezra chapter 4 in 2 settings:

1. Historical
2. Literary

Let me begin with the literary setting:

Ezra and Nehemiah are about the rebuilding of the Temple and the Rebuilding of the wall around Jerusalem – respectively. Ezra, the book we’re in now, is two divided into two parts – two accounts, if you will, of the rebuilding of the Temple: 1-6 and 7-10. We’re currently in chapters 1-6 – more specifically, chapter 4. Chapter four deals with the persecution of Jews in their return from Exile over a period of 80-100 years. Chapters 5 and 6 return to the time period of Chapters 1-3. It is almost like chapter 4 is out of place. But not really, not when you understand what Ezra is trying to do. Let me repeat that for those of you who were sleeping already!

So, as we look at chapter 4 today, we can’t look at it in a chronological setting. You’ll get lost if you do.

Next, let us now move from the literary setting to the historical setting with a clear delineation of the events marked out in history for us in the following passage:

1. There are 4 Persian kings mentioned in verses 5, 6 and 7 (See Diagram). You see them there: Cyrus, Darius, Ahasuerus (Xerxes) and Artaxerxes. All 4 kings reigned over the Persian Empire in different years (see the chart). Let me give you the grand picture of this historically.
   1. Assyrians conquer the Northern Kingdom of Israel – the 10 tribes are dispersed and disappear through remarriage. These are the people we’ll look at who are persecuting the Jews in this passage.
   2. The Babylonians conquer the Assyrians and then the Southern Kingdom of Judah and send them into exile for the next 50 years. 586 – 538 BC
   3. The Persians conquer the Babylonians in 539 and release the Jews from captivity and allow them to return to their land and rebuild their Temple. If they want to. Many do.
      1. Cyrus, is the King who releases them and we read about him in Chapter 1.
      2. The list of the Exiles who chose to return is in Chapter 2.
2. In Chapter 3 we observed the rebuilding of the altar and the restoration of certain religious celebrations by the Jews.
3. In Chapter 4 we will read about the persecution of the Jews by the people in the land.
4. The last verse (4.24) brings us back to King Darius rd v 24 – And, chapters 5-6 deal with this issue of the Temple and it’s being rebuilt.
5. So, let verses (4.4-5) give you the thesis statement of the chapter. And, mark as bookends to this passage. rd v 4-5
6. This leads us to a very important question: why in the world did Ezra leave the time period of chapters 1-3 and 5-6 and give us v. 6-23 of chapter 4.

Here is the answer and the sum of my message today: in this life you will have trouble – but take heart, Jesus says, I have overcome the world!

I think that is why Ezra leaves the time period of chapter 3 and expounds on the historical struggles the Exiles endured. The weak exiles couldn’t power their way to defeating the people of the land – the Samaritans. BTW: this is the same battle going on in Israel today: the people of the land don’t want them there and are doing everything they can to kill them off.

So, with this information in hand, let’s look at these verses a little closer.

I’ve outlined chapter 4 like this:

1. The Request of the People in the Land (1-2)
2. The Rejection of the People in the Land (3)
3. The Response by the people in the Land. (4-5)
4. An Historical Look at their continued Response (6-23)
   1. The Letter Writing Begins
   2. The King’s Answer
   3. The Work Stops!

I.     Their Request: Let us Build with You! (1-2)

exp.: rd v 1-2; Reasons:

1. We worship your God as you do. Sounds nice, right? Let me pause here and give you an simple application to this verse. Not everyone who calls Jesus by name is a Christian. There are many religions and faiths (as we call them) of whom Jesus says – you call me Lord, Lord, but I don’t know you.
2. We have been Sacrificing to him since 722 BC – for 200 years!

Transition: A simple request with intentions that seem to be reasonable. But are they? Well, No. Here’s part 2…

II.    Their Rejection: No (3)

exp.: their reasons: rd v 3;

1. “You have nothing to do with us in building a house to our God; but we alone will build to the Lord, the God of Israel,
   4. Our God: isn’t your God. We’re not sure what you’re doing – what religion you’re practicing, but it ain’t the same as ours. We see this in the NT. I’ll refer you to John 4. (You worship here on this mountain what you do not know). I think this is the same for us today. There are many preachers/religions that tag the name of Jesus to it, but – they don’t believe the Bible. They don’t practice his commands. Don’t confuse them with us.
2. as King Cyrus the king of Persia has commanded us.” We would have to go back to chapter 1 to see this, but King Cyrus has been moved of God to accomplish this. He’s not given the people of the land this task, but rather these men and these people – the Jews!

ill.: I had a similar experience with the ‘ministerial association’ here in Smith County. We were invited to build houses for habitat for humanity along side Muslims and Jews. That’s a nice gesture. I don’t really see any problem with building a home for the poor. Here is where I had a problem: I wasn’t allowed to tell anyone how they could be saved. Now listen, I’m not for slamming my gospel down the throat of people who aren’t interested.

But this is the gospel and it’s offensive. You and I are sinners. Period. God is perfect in holiness. We’re stained. The Bible teaches us that our sin condemns us. We cannot stand in the presence of His holiness if there is any sin present – because no sin can be in the presence of God. So what do we do? God says that our sin has to be dealt with. The penalty for our sin is death. Period. Now here’s the catch. God has provided a way for our sin to be dealt with and that is through allowing someone else to die and pay that penalty for us. Jesus is the one who did that. He died on a cross and paid the penalty of death by shedding his blood for our sin. All of our sin, through faith in him, was atoned for in the death. Moreover, through faith, all of his perfection, his sinlessness is place on us at the same moment – allowing us to be in God’s presence. By faith, we’re pronounced clean. The question is: do you trust God to do what he says he will do? If the answer is yes, you can be saved. It takes faith.

Now, what you do with that, is no longer live life your way – which leads to death, but rather, turn your life over to him and make him Lord of your life.

Transition: People don’t want to hear that. They didn’t like the message of these men either. So what do they do?

III.   Their Response: whaaa (4-6)

exp.: rd 4-6;

⁴ Then the people of the land discouraged the people of Judah and made them afraid to build ⁵ and bribed counselors against them to frustrate their purpose, all the days of Cyrus king of Persia, even until the reign of Darius king of Persia. ⁶ And in the reign of Ahasuerus, in the beginning of his reign, they wrote an accusation against the inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem.

Let’s outline their response:

1. Discouragement
2. Fear
3. Bribery
4. Frustration
5. False Accusations

Listen, when you stand up for what God has outline, it’s offensive. People don’t want to hear that they are sinners. They don’t want to hear that the punishment of sin is death. They want to take a little bit of this and a little bit of that and create a syncretistic form of religion. They create some form of amalgamation of religions and cultures and forms of thought that makes everyone happy!

But God says: All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, ¹⁷ that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work. You don’t need anything more and you can’t have anything less.

Transition: Here’s the point: if someone doesn’t believe God’s Word to be just what it says, then their following their own made up form of religion. And like these Jews, we have to say no to their joining us in our work.

IV.   A Historical Look at the Continued Response

     1.  The Letter Writing Begins (6-16)

exp.: rd v 6; ⁶ And in the reign of Ahasuerus, in the beginning of his reign, they wrote an accusation against the inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem. The Diagram…

1. Letter #1: The Accusation Letter (We don’t have this letter);
   1. To: Ahasuerus
   2. From the adversaries in v 1; they in v 2; the people of the land in v 4
2. Letter #2: The Aramaic Letter (We don’t have this letter either); rd v 7
   1. To: Artaxerxes
   2. From: Bishlam and Mithredath and Tabeel and the rest of their associates
3. Letter #3: The Against Jerusalem Letter – rd v 8
   1. To: Artaxerxes
   2. From: Rehum the commander and Shimshai the scribe; rd v9-10; here is the letter; rd 11-16

¹¹ (This is a copy of the letter that they sent.) “To Artaxerxes the king: Your servants, the men of the province Beyond the River, send greeting. And now ¹² be it known to the king that the Jews who came up from you to us have gone to Jerusalem. They are rebuilding that rebellious and wicked city. They are finishing the walls and repairing the foundations. ¹³ Now be it known to the king that if this city is rebuilt and the walls finished, they will not pay tribute, custom, or toll, and the royal revenue will be impaired. ¹⁴ Now because we eat the salt of the palace and it is not fitting for us to witness the king’s dishonor, therefore we send and inform the king, ¹⁵ in order that search may be made in the book of the records of your fathers. You will find in the book of the records and learn that this city is a rebellious city, hurtful to kings and provinces, and that sedition was stirred up in it from of old. That was why this city was laid waste. ¹⁶ We make known to the king that if this city is rebuilt and its walls finished, you will then have no possession in the province Beyond the River.”

Letters:	Writers:	Kings:	Dates:	Result:
		Cyrus	539-522	Persecution
		Darius	522-486 BC	Persecution
#1	The people of v1 – adversaries, they, the people of the land	Ahasuerus or Xerxes	486-465 BC	Work Delay
#2 #3	Bishlam and Mithredath and Tabeel Rehum the commander & Shimshai the scribe	Artaxerxes	465-424 BC	Work Delay
#4	Artexerxes	Artaxerxes	465-424 BC	Work Delay

This is what the Enemies of God do. When they don’t get their way, they rebel and try to thwart his servants efforts:

1. Lies or Half Truths:
2. rebellious and wicked city
3. they will not pay tribute, custom, or toll
4. the royal revenue will be impaired.
5. the king’s dishonor,
6. a rebellious city, hurtful to kings and provinces,
7. seditious that is, they incite rebellion among the people
8. you will then have no possession in the province Beyond the River King, you’re going to lose this place if you don’t stop these people.

Transition: Can I say, this is how people act in church when they don’t get their way? It can be painful, can’t it? Some of you have lived through this in churches from your past. The best way to stop this is to ensure that you as a church bring in believers like yourselves. Likeminded; mission-minded; evangelistic; discipleship oriented, family focused, Scripture believing.

   2. The King’s Answer (Artaxerxes) (17-22)

exp.: rd v 17-22;

¹⁷ The king sent an answer: “To Rehum the commander and Shimshai the scribe and the rest of their associates who live in Samaria and in the rest of the province Beyond the River, greeting. And now ¹⁸ the letter that you sent to us has been plainly read before me. ¹⁹ And I made a decree, and search has been made, and it has been found that this city from of old has risen against kings, and that rebellion and sedition have been made in it. ²⁰ And mighty kings have been over Jerusalem, who ruled over the whole province Beyond the River, to whom tribute, custom, and toll were paid. ²¹ Therefore make a decree that these men be made to cease, and that this city be not rebuilt, until a decree is made by me. ²² And take care not to be slack in this matter. Why should damage grow to the hurt of the king?”

There is some Truth to your Statements; This is letter #4 on the Diagram

Transition: So what happens…

   3.  The Work Stops! (23-24)

exp.: ²³ Then, when the copy of King Artaxerxes’ letter was read before Rehum and Shimshai the scribe and their associates, they went in haste to the Jews at Jerusalem and by force and power made them cease. ²⁴ Then the work on the house of God that is in Jerusalem stopped, and it ceased until the second year of the reign of Darius king of Persia.

In these two verses, Ezra goes back to Darius to demonstrate that this problem was persistent for the Jews for decades after their return to the Holy Land. See Diagram

What we will see in the next chapter is that a letter was written to Darius, too. And the result was the persecution of the Jews.

Transition: But there is more being demonstrated here. They, in their weakness, were able to rise above those who worked against them and accomplish what God had planned. You’ve covered this with me in a period of 30-40 minutes. They endured this for decades. And yet, they remained strong in their faith – that this is what God was calling them to do.

It’s funny how God doesn’t do things that glorify us. Maybe I should say ironic, not funny. God uses the weak things of the world, to show himself strong. He uses the simple to profound the wise.

So, what does this mean for us?

Observations & Implications:

1. Time is not a factor when it comes to God doing what He has purposed.
2. Size are not factors when it comes to God doing what he has purposed.
3. Strength are not factors when it comes to God doing what he has purposed.
   1. I love to see the response of people when they hear we have our own missionaries overseas.
   2. I love their response when I say a church 120 educates hundreds of children and teenagers and adults in these facilities every week.
   3. I love to tell how we’ve been a part of planting three congregations. (more if you consider our missionaries overseas)
   4. I love it when someone looks at me and says, I don’t get it. What is so special about you that allows you to pastor so many ministries, activities, such discipleship. I say: yeah! There is nothing special. God uses the simple things! – the weak things!
4. Do not be dismayed when others stand against you! I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” Don’t be dismayed, but stand firm in your God and what He has called you to do!