Transition
Sermon Recording
Sermon Outline
Speaker: Rev. Scott Strickman
Ezra 3:8-13 (ESV)
8 Now in the second year after their coming to the house of God at Jerusalem, in the second month, Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel and Jeshua the son of Jozadak made a beginning, together with the rest of their kinsmen, the priests and the Levites and all who had come to Jerusalem from the captivity. They appointed the Levites, from twenty years old and upward, to supervise the work of the house of the Lord. 9 And Jeshua with his sons and his brothers, and Kadmiel and his sons, the sons of Judah, together supervised the workmen in the house of God, along with the sons of Henadad and the Levites, their sons and brothers.
10 And when the builders laid the foundation of the temple of the Lord, the priests in their vestments came forward with trumpets, and the Levites, the sons of Asaph, with cymbals, to praise the Lord, according to the directions of David king of Israel. 11 And they sang responsively, praising and giving thanks to the Lord,
“For he is good,
for his steadfast love endures forever toward Israel.”
And all the people shouted with a great shout when they praised the Lord, because the foundation of the house of the Lord was laid. 12 But many of the priests and Levites and heads of fathers' houses, old men who had seen the first house, wept with a loud voice when they saw the foundation of this house being laid, though many shouted aloud for joy, 13 so that the people could not distinguish the sound of the joyful shout from the sound of the people's weeping, for the people shouted with a great shout, and the sound was heard far away.
Sermon Outline
Reflecting on the significant event of the foundation for the temple being laid (v10) will help ground our transition back to in-person worship in the goodness and steadfast love of God.
1. Where we were
v8 “…made a beginning, together with… all who had come to Jerusalem from the captivity.”
2. Where we are
vv11-13 “And all the people shouted… because the foundation of the house of the Lord was laid. But many… old men who had seen the first house, wept with a loud voice… people could not distinguish the sound of the joyful shout from the sound of the people’s weeping.”
3. Where we are going
vv10-11“they sang responsively, praising and giving thanks to the Lord, ‘For he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever toward Israel.’”
Prayer of Confession
We give thanks to you Lord, because you are good, and your steadfast love endures forever. However, we have not rested in your love as we should. We have not been steadfast. We admit that this year we have been exposed to new ways we fall short. Our actions and attitudes are not thoroughly upright. We have failed to take hold of what is already ours in Christ, and have grumbled about what is not yet. We need forgiveness and help, so we appeal to you, today, for them. We praise you, who have given us new life in Christ, and we pray that we would see and experience your steadfast love and goodness as we move forward in this difficult time in our world. Amen.
Questions for Reflection
What have you learned this past year? What has the unique situation presented by Covid revealed to you? How have you tried to see and understand these things with God’s guidance and perspective? Did you?
What sustained and helped you most this past year? What will you need to be sustained as you anticipate this next season?
How can a church help one another as we deal with the difficult effects of what individuals experienced this past year? What role do you imagine you can play in helping the community? What will you need and how will you seek it out?
Assuming confidence in the goodness of God is a necessary foundation, what challenges your confidence? How can you remain with God during periods of fear, confusion, disappointment, etc.?
Why is the steadfast love of a God a help to people who face an unknown future? How can it help you when you don’t feel like you will be able to control your future?
Jesus has made it possible for us to enter his kingdom now, even if the “fulness” is still future. What can you “already” experience and benefit from? What do you “not yet” have and need to patiently endure without?
How can the discipline of praise to God be a more regular and deeper part of your life? Why is rejoicing in God an important practice?