This Week's Sunday School Lesson, "God's Treasure", 7/28/2013

GOD'S TREASURES

 

Ezra 8:24-30

 

V:24.  "Then I set apart twelve of the leading priests, Sherebiah, Hashabiah, and with them ten of their brothers."

 A. During the Biblical time of this text, the Priest and the Levites were responsible for

      the Temple and it's treasures.

    1. We now have one great High Priest, Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior.

    2. God has a treasure within us, the Holy Spirit.

    3. The Church, the body of Christ is God's treasure.

    4. We have been presented with the Word of God, another of His great treasures.

 B. The priest and their brothers were set apart and made responsible for God's

      treasure.

    1. We have been called out of the world and set apart for God's use

    2. We are God's priest.

    3. We are responsible for the treasures that God has place within  us.  2 Cor 4:27

 

V:25. " And I weighed out to them the silver, the gold and the utensils, the offering for the house of our God which the king and his counselors and his princes and all Israel present there had offered."

 A. We have the responsibility  to keep an accounting of God's treasures.

      1. There is a time when we need to consider the treasures that God has given us.

      2. We have this great treasure of "Salvation" given to us through the shed blood of

          Jesus.

      3. We have the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.

      4. We have Jesus joy.

      5. We have Jesus peace.

      6. Our families are treasures from God.

      7. All of our assets are treasures from God.

  B. God has given us treasures from the outside world.

      1. Our houses, jobs, cars are treasures God made available to us through the world.

      2. God expects us to give offering into His treasure.

      3. We are His treasure.  Rom 12:1-2

      4. We have to keep in mind that we belong to God.

      5. We were purchased by the sacrifice of the life of the Son of God.

 

V:26. "Thus I weighed into their hands 650 talents of silver, and silver utensils worth 100 talents, and 100 gold talents."

 A. All of God's treasures are precious.

     1. The young, the middle aged and the old all are of equal value to the Father.

     2. When we present ourselves to Lord in service we become precious to Him.

 B. Peter and John were and headed into the temple and were confronted by a beggar

      looking for a hand out.

     1. Peter and John responded, " silver and gold we do not have."

        a . What we do offer is life in Jesus Christ.

        b. The beggar came to the temple lame, but He left whole and full of Joy.

  

V:27. " And 20 gold bowls worth 1,000 darics, and two utensils of fine shiny bronze, precious as gold. "

 A. The priest counted out the large pieces and the small pieces that were part of the

      the offering.

    1. All of us are precious to the Lord.

    2. We are all counted equal.

        a. The Lord keeps count of His people.

        b. Jesus said that those who the Father gave Him would not be lost.

    3. The big and the small are the same to the Lord. 

 B. Our service and dedication is what matters most to the Lord.

    1. Money is just a medium of exchange that God has given us.

    2. We exchange our money for goods and services.

    3. The temple needs the medium of exchange to operate in this world.

 C. God gives us this medium that we might blessed the temple and that others

      be drawn to God's temple. 1 Tim 6: 18-19

   1. Jesus will not return until the last of His precious sheep are counted in the fold.     

       1 Thes 4:16-17

 

V:28. " Then I said to them, "You are holy to the Lord, and the utensils are holy; and the silver and the gold are a freewill offering to the Lord God of your fathers. "

 A. We are holy to the Lord.

     1. We have been sanctified, justified and clean up through the blood of Jesus for

         the Lord.

     2. We are God utensils.

        a. God uses us as His vessels of service.

        b. It is through us that Word of God is spread to the ends of the earth.

     3. It is through us that world learns to honor the Lord.

     4. It is through us the world learns to praise and to worship the Lord.

 B. Our freewill offering to the Lord is one of the ways we honor the Lord.

     1. What we offer to the Lord is Holy in His hands.

     2. It is our honor and our duty to continue to give an offering to the Lord.

     3. Our offering is a show of gratitude to the Lord.

     4. God loves a cheerful giver.

 

V:29. "Watch and keep them until you weigh them before the leading priests, the Levites and the heads of the fathers' households of Israel at Jerusalem, in the chambers of the house of the Lord." "

 A. We should set aside an offering to the Lord and keep it separate from our

      other activities.

    1. God expects an offering from us and He honors our offering.

    2. God commands us to store up treasures in heaven.

       a. God promises that our offering will provide blessing from heaven.

          Mal 3:10-11

 

V:30. " So the priests and the Levites accepted the weighed out silver and gold and the utensils, to bring them to Jerusalem to the house of our God."

 A. It is our responsibility to keep watch over God's treasures.

     1. It is our responsibility to bring God's treasures in to his sanctuary and

         offer them up in praise and worship.  

     2. God keeps track of what we give in the offering. Luke 21:2-4

     3. God values what we give.

     4. God accepts what we give sacrificially.  Luke 21:2-4

 B. God is good all the time.

    1. We should do our best to be obedient to His commands.

    2. God devoted His Son to us.

    3. We should devote ourselves to God.

    4. We are God's treasure in earthen vessels.

 

 

This Week's Sunday School Lesson, "God Is On My Side", 7/21/13

GOD IS ON MY SIDE

 

Ezra 8:21-23, 31,32

 

 

CONDITIONED FOR PRAYER

V:21. " Then I proclaimed a fast there, at the river of Ahava, that we might afflict ourselves before our God, to seek of him a right way for us, and for our little ones, and for all our substance."

 A. We are on a journey through life.

      1. We will face dangers along the way.

      2. We have no idea what is ahead of us, but God does.

      3. We cannot know who lies in wait to destroy us or bring us down.

 B. We serve a God who knows the right way.

     1. We should take time to dedicate ourselves to the Lord.

     2. Everyday we should find a place and set a time for prayer.

     3. We should go humbly before the Lord totally submitting ourselves to His will.

 C. We should seek the Lord for guidance and direction.

     1. God knows the way.

         a. We must take confidence in the fact that God will order our steps.

         b. We must take confidence in the fact that God's plan for us concludes in

             success.

     2. We should humbly seek His way according to His commands.

     3. We should have a lifestyle of holiness.

        a. We must consider the Lord's ways in all our thoughts.

        b. We must present our bodies as a living sacrifice to Him.

 D. We should trust the Lord for our protection.

     1.We should pray for our families and our households.

     2. God knows the enemy and his whereabouts.

     3. God knows when the enemy will strike and will protect us in the mist of trouble.

     4. God can cause the enemy not to think or plan any harm to us.

 E. We should pray to the Lord for our provisions needed to make this journey through

      life.

     1. In all our ways, we should trust the Lord and fear not man.

     2. God has not given us the spirit of fear, but love, power and sound mind.

     3. We must remember with God on our side, He is more than the whole world

         against us.

     4. Nothing can happen to us that God does not allow.

         a. Everything that does happen to us will be for our good.

.    5. We should seek God before we make any plans.

 

TRUST GOD FOR ALL

 V:22."  For I was ashamed to require of the king a band of soldiers and horsemen to help us against the enemy in the way: because we had spoken unto the king, saying, The hand of our God is upon all them for good that seek him; but his power and his wrath is against all them that forsake him."

 A. If we rely on man for our protection, does that say we do not trust God?

     1. We can purchase any number of firearms, security systems and security gates

         and not be secure from the enemy.

     2. While we sleep, the enemy is active.

     3. While we are awake, the enemy is busy planning our demise.

     4. The best defense against the enemy is our trust in God.

     5. The Father instructs us to put on His full armor.

 B. God is on the side of those who trust and rely on Him.

     1. God delights Himself in those who walk according to His ways.

     2. The enemy against us is God's opportunity to be glorified.

 C. God is against those who reject Him and follow the path of the world.

     1. We don't have to worry about what the world will do to us because God is

         our present help.

     2. God may allow trouble in our lives to test and strengthen our faith.

     3. Anyone who comes against God's people will eventually face the wrath of God.

        a. God says vengeance is mind.

        b. We are never told to fight the enemy, but stand on His Word.

 

SEEK GOD FOR GUIDANCE AND PROTECTION

V:23. "So we fasted and besought our God for this: and he was intreated of us."

 A. The Israelites refrained from  eating certain foods for a period of time while they

      prayed to the Lord for traveling mercies.

    1. It is a good thing to deny ourselves some physical pleasures, while we seek

       the Lord's help in important issues concerning our families and ourselves.

   2. Prayer is our way of communicating with Lord. 

   3. Prayer is a way of seeking God's will for our lives.

   4. We are instructed to pray without ceasing.

 B. Corporate prayer is recommended because the Church is a mission of God.

   1. God hears and honors our prayers when we come together in unity.

   2. God is in  the mist of our prayers.

       a. Jesus said that where two are more or gathered in His name that He would

           be in the mist.

      b. To summon Jesus, all we got to do is pray together.

 C. God is on the side of those who submit themselves to Him.

 

EXPECT GOD TO TRAVEL WITH YOU

V:31. " Then we departed from the river of Ahava on the twelfth day of the first month, to go unto Jerusalem: and the hand of our God was upon us, and he delivered us from the hand of the enemy, and of such as lay in wait by the way."

A. Before any trip, God should be in our traveling plans.

    1. Our focus should always be on the Lord when we travel.

    2. We should consider ourselves traveling to the Lord's House.

    3. For the Christian, life is a journey to the Lord's place in heaven.

B. As long as our focus is on the Lord, His hand is upon us.

   1. God has destinations planned for us in this journey in life.

   2. God protect us from the enemy to ensure our safe travels.

   3. It is the Lord that delivered us from the enemy while we slept.

   4. It is the Lord that protects us form the enemy through out the day.

C. The hands of the enemy maybe everywhere, but they are controlled by the Lord.

   1. The Lord can cause the enemy to be our help along the way.

   2. The plans of the enemy can easily be turn to ones of protection for us.

 

REST IN THE LORD'S HOUSE

 V:32. " And we came to Jerusalem, and abode there three days."

  A. There is a time to travel.

        1. There is a time to labor for the Lord.

        2. The Lord wants us busy traveling toward the destination of righteousness.

  B. There is a time to rest.

       1. God gives us peaceful rest.

       2. Our rest is necessary to rejuvenate us for the next step of the journey. 

  C. Our journey in this life never ends until we take our last breath.

      1. In health and in sickness, we can be a blessing to those around us.

      2. We are blessed to be on this blessed journey to heaven.

GOD ORDERS THINGS IN OUR FAVOR

GIVE HIM PRAISE !!

Ezra 6:13-22

 

V:13. "Then Tatnai, governor on this side the river, Shethar-boznai, and their companions, according to that which Darius the king had sent, so they did speedily."

 A. Before you start a project, check with God first.

     1. In the Word of God, are instructions to follow in all our daily activities.

     2. Anytime we start a project for the Lord, there will be someone who will try to

         stop the progress.

     3. If we proceed according to the will of God all opposition will be moved aside.

 B. God initiated the order to rebuild the temple in Jerusalem through His Word given

      to Cyrus (536BC)  the King of Babylon.

    1.  God reconfirmed His order with a Word given to Darius the King of Babylon

         (520 BC).  

    2. A governor and others who worked for the King opposed the work of God.

    3. Working for God brings opposition from the world.

        a. We should not panic or get upset because of the opposition.

        b. God is in charge.

        c. God is more than the whole world against you.

   C. God uses the world to bless his people.

       1. God can change the hearts those up and down the chain of command to

           accomplish His will.

       2. Problems along the way are there to test and strengthen our faith.

       3. When God gets into the opposition, it will move His way in hurry.

 

V:14. "And the elders of the Jews builded, and they prospered through the prophesying of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah the son of Iddo. And they builded, and finished it, according to the commandment of the God of Israel, and according to the commandment of Cyrus, and Darius, and Artaxerxes king of Persia."

 A. We should always go through the proper channels to get God's work done.

      1.We should start at the top. God is the top.

      2. We start with prayer.

      3. God will lead us to the right authorities to get His work done.

      4. The governor and His buddies didn't have the authority to stop the building

          program.

      5. Don't waste your time dealing with folk who can't help you.

 B. When God gives the approval, don't waste time,  get the job done.

     1. God started at the top of His government with King Cyrus and enlisted

         also the King of Persia  to get the Job done.

     2. Prayer should be continuous through out the project.

     3. God's leaders should lead the prayers.

     4. God's leaders should oversee the building of God's temple.

 C. Success is in Worship and dedication to God.

V:15. "And this house was finished on the third day of the month Adar, which was in the sixth year of the reign of Darius the king." A. God has a plan for the completion of His work.

     1. God knows the day, the month and the year when His work will be complete.

     2. God knows who will be in charge when the work is complete.

 B. No one has authority over God's plan but God.

    1. God will see to the success of His plan.

    2. Whatever we come up with to do for God, is already in His plan.

 

V:16. "And the children of Israel, the priests, and the Levites, and the rest of the children of the captivity, kept the dedication of this house of God with joy."

 A.  God's house is a dedicated place.

      1. God's House should be dedicated by all the redeemed of God regardless of their

          position in the Church.

      2. God's house is a place of assembly for the saints of God.

      3. God's house is a place of worship.

 B. We should enter into God's house with joy.

      1. We should keep ourselves dedicated to God at all times,

      2. Our dedication to God, insures His pleasure in us.

 

V:17. "And offered at the dedication of this house of God an hundred bullocks, two hundred rams, four hundred lambs; and for a sin offering for all Israel, twelve he goats, according to the number of the tribes of Israel."

 A. Jesus is our sin offering.

    1. His death on the cross atoned for our sins.

 B. The Israelites were generous in the offering to the Lord.

    1. They had been freed from captivity.

    2. They had given them another chance to worship Him in His house.

    3. No amount of offering can pay for our freedom from hell.

 C. God was generous with His sin offering; the death of His Son.

    1. We ought to be generous in our offering to the Lord.

    2. What we are willing to sacrifice for God is an indication of our gratefulness.

 D. Everybody ought to be represented in the offering.

    1. No one is exempt from the offering.

    2. There is no age limit in our dedication to God.

    3. The young and the old should make an offering to God.

 

V:18. "And they set the priests in their divisions, and the Levites in their courses, for the service of God, which is at Jerusalem; as it is written in the book of Moses."

 A. Everybody has a place in the worship of God in His house.

     1. God's worship team begins with the leaders of the Church.

     2. God has given us pastors, deacons and teachers.

         a. They ought to be first in the worship of God.

         b. Leaders should be committed to follow God's plan in all that they do.

         c. We must remember that we are all role models for Lord.

 B. Knowledge of God comes with responsibility.

     1. We have a duty to hold regular worship services to exhaust the Father.

     2. We have a duty to hold regular worship services to draw others to Christ.

     3. We have a duty to worship God according to His Word. 

 

V:19. "And the children of the captivity kept the passover upon the fourteenth day of the first month."

 A. The passover had it's beginning when Israel was released from captivity in Egypt.

     1. The last straw for the Pharaoh was the death of every first born male Egyptian.

     2. The death angel passed over the house of Israel.

 B. The eternal death angel has passed over all the redeemed of God.

    1. Everyday for a Christian is a day to celebrate the passover.

    2. Jesus is our passover lamb.

 

V:20. "For the priests and the Levites were purified together, all of them were pure, and killed the passover for all the children of the captivity, and for their brethren the priests, and for themselves."

 A. God commands us to present ourselves as a living sacrifice.

     1. To purify ourselves we must clean up our thoughts.

     2. To purify ourselves we must refrain from ungodly activities.

 B. Once purified, we can offer God an acceptable sacrifice.

     1. We have to prepare our hearts to seek God.

         a. Ask for forgiveness.

         b. Repent of our sins.

         c. Seek God with a humble spirit.

         d. Commit ourselves to the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

         e. Make ourselves available to serve.

     2. What are we willing to give up for God?

         a. The Israelites sacrificed an unblemished animal for the atonement of their sins.

         b. Since Christ is our passover, we must be willing to give sacrificially to the

             Lord.

     3. What we sacrifice for God, benefits others to the glory of God.

 

V:21. "And the children of Israel, which were come again out of captivity, and all such as had separated themselves unto them from the filthiness of the heathen of the land, to seek the LORD God of Israel, did eat."

 A. The world is all around us.

      1. We live in a sinful environment.

 B. God has called us out of the world to serve Him.

     1. We must separate ourselves from the ungodly.

     2. We are surrounded by those in the dark and those who refuse to see the light.

         a. We must not fellowship with evil doers.

         b. Our job is to be a role model for the lost to follow.

V:22. "And kept the feast of unleavened bread seven days with joy: for the LORD had made them joyful, and turned the heart of the king of Assyria unto them, to strengthen their hands in the work of the house of God, the God of Israel."

A. Everyday for a Christian is a day of celebration

    1. Everyday for a Christian is day of Jesus joy.

    2. Everyday is a day to give thanks to God for His goodness to us.

B. It is the Lord who changes the heart of the enemy to become a blessing to you.

    1. Your enemies are under God's control.

    2. God can cause your enemies to work on your behalf.

    3. God will give your enemies what they need to bless you.

C. We must keep in mind that all things work for the good of those called by the Lord.

    1. We have every reason to give God the praise.

    2. Since we have breath, we are commanded to praise the Lord.

 

 

 

 

  

        

 

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This Week's Sunday School Lesson, "I Will Praise The Lord With Joy', 7/7/2013

 

I WILL PRAISE THE LORD WITH JOY

Ezra 3:8-13

 

V:8. "Now in the second year of their coming unto the house of God at Jerusalem, in the second month, began Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and the remnant of their brethren the priests and the Levites, and all they that were come out of the captivity unto Jerusalem; and appointed the Levites, from twenty years old and upward, to set forward the work of the house of the LORD."

 A. God knows your name.

      1. God knows your history.

      2. God knows your ancestry.

 B. God has work for you to do.

     1. Each believer is a priest for the Lord.

     2. Faith in Jesus comes with responsibility.

     3. Each of us have been equipped and commissioned to serve the Lord.

 C. Each of us have been freed from the world of sin.

     1. To keep from falling into temptation, we must willingly serve the Lord.

     2. We must occupy ourselves with work of the Lord to keep from being

         occupied by the world.

  D. There is work in the house of God and work outside of the walls of the temple.

      1. Since we are the temple, we should always be at work for the Lord.

      2. We are the temple that the world should see.

 

V:9. "Then stood Jeshua with his sons and his brethren, Kadmiel and his sons, the sons of Judah, together, to set forward the workmen in the house of God: the sons of Henadad, with their sons and their brethren the Levites."

 A. Each of us have skills that are useful in the House of the Lord.

     1. We must standup for the Lord and commit ourselves to the work of the Lord.

     2. Fathers should lead their families to the work of the Lord.

 B. Each of us have a responsibility to take the initiative to work for God.

     1. If we see something that need to be done, it is our duty to get it done.

     2. There is enough work in the Church for everyone to be involved.

 

V:10. "And when the builders laid the foundation of the temple of the LORD, they set the priests in their apparel with trumpets, and the Levites the sons of Asaph with cymbals, to praise the LORD, after the ordinance of David king of Israel.

 A. The Church should always be in the building mode.

    1. The Word of God is the foundation of the Church.

    2. Jesus is the master builder and the cornerstone of the Church.

    3. The lost come to know Jesus because of your foundation.

 B. We have reason to praise the Lord for the foundation that Jesus laid.

    1. Praising the Lord is a formal occasion.

    2. We ought to dress up our minds with the Word of God.

    3. We ought to put on our priestly robe; the robe of holiness.

 C. Worship is a celebration of the goodness of the Lord.

     1.We ought to gather together to make some music for the Lord.

     2. Some of us have been gifted with musical talents.

     3. Some of us have been gifted with beautiful voices.

     4. Some of us have been gifted with an enthusiasm for praise.

     5. We should use all that we have to praise the Lord.

 D. King David was gifted in writing praises to the Lord.

     1. King David was gifted with musical talents.

     2. King David was not ashamed to dance for the Lord.

         a. When the Israelites brought the Ark of God to Jerusalem, King David

              danced out of His clothes.

  E. Like King David, we ought use everything we have to praise the Lord.

     1. King David has given us an example of how to praise the Lord openly

         for everybody to see.

     2. King David was not worried about formality and tradition.

         a. When he got happy, he was happy in the Lord.

         b. God brought King David through the trials of life and he knew

             the value of praise.

     3. No one should have to prompt you to praise the Lord.

         a. Praise ought to be natural and from the heart.

         b. You ought to praise Him because He has been good to you.

V:11. "And they sang together by course in praising and giving thanks unto the LORD; because he is good, for his mercy endureth for ever 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."

 A. Jesus is your foundation and it has been laid in your heart.

     1. We have been elected to be in the body of Christ.

     2. We have been elected for a heavenly home.

     3. We have been created new in Jesus Christ.

 B. Everything that has breath ought to praise the Lord.

    1. All the saints of God ought to come together and sing praises to His name.

        a. Because He is Good.

        b. Because His mercy endures forever.

        c. Because His mercy flows fresh on us.

    2. Everything that has breath ought to shout with a great shout.

        a. We ought to make some noise when we praise the Lord.

        b. We ought to praise Him because we have Jesus as our savior.

        c. We ought to praise Him because we have Jesus as our Lord.

        d. We ought to praise Him because He blesses us with life every moment.

    3. We ought to praise the Lord because we have a foundation that was not laid with

         human hands.

        a. We ought to praise Him because we got a foundation that is kept by the Lord.

        b. We ought to praise the Lord because we are built on a foundation that cannot

            be shaken by the world.

        c. We ought to praise Him because our foundation is forever.

 

V:12. "But many of the priests and Levites and chief of the fathers, who were ancient men, that had seen the first house, when the foundation of this house was laid before their eyes, wept with a loud voice; and many shouted aloud for joy."

 A. No matter how excited you are about the Lord, there is always somebody who want

     

     to kill your joy.

    1. You can see the positive in the work of the Lord and somebody will see the

        negative.

    2. There is always some Christian living in the past, who can't see the future.

 B The past is the past and you have to let it go.

    1. No matter how much you think about the past you can't change it.

    2. Holding on to the past want allow you to enjoy the presence of God's goodness  

        before you.

 C. The present goodness of the Lord ought to out weigh any past events or

      circumstances.

     1. While some were rejoicing over the new foundation, others were weeping over

          past foundation.

     2. Some experienced Church folk make it their business to hold on to past glories.

         a. Some experienced Church folk are experts at "joy killing".

         b. There are some good Christians who hold on to the good old days and can't

             enjoy the good new days before them.

         c. I don't have to have all I had in the past to enjoy what I have today.

  D. Those who love the Lord should shout louder and praise longer to put down

       negative folk.

      1. Don't dwell on the negative, but dwell on the goodness of the Lord.

      2. The goodness of the Lord, don't stop because of negative folk.

 

V:13. "So that the people could not discern the noise of the shout of joy from the noise of the weeping of the people: for the people shouted with a loud shout, and the noise was heard afar off."

 A. If you shout loud enough, no one will know that there are any negative folk in the

       house.

     1. It is possible to mistake the weeping of other for the joy of the Lord.

     2. If we shout long enough and loud enough, the weeping of others may change to

         tears of joy.

  B. Praise is contagious.

     1. When people see you rejoicing in the Lord. they will want your excitement.

     2. Some people may be encouraged by your praise and worship.

     3. The Lord is in the praise of His people. Ps 9:11. 26:8