Today is the last Sunday in the Old Testament on our journey through ?The Story? and the first day of Lent. Today is the conclusion of how the prophets and priests continued to advocate to God for the people and today is also the time in the church year where we begin the journey of Jesus? life, death, and resurrection. As we begin this journey together, I invite you to pray with me over the sermon titled ?Rebuilding the Walls.?
For me, Lent is a time of the year I truly enjoy. It is a time when we are encouraged to do more self-reflection, intentional discipleship and devotion, clearing out the busy and replacing all that busy with more time for God, and when we are encouraged to give back to charities. It is a time when we almost get to start over where we focus our energy, and get our focus back on God. Where we are reminded who we should be in relationship with first and how we should let everything else flow out of that relationship with God. Now, does everyone do these type of things during Lent? No, not everyone does. But for people who spend more time in giving, praying, and fasting from food or the conveniences of life, they are strengthened in their relationship with God and reminded of the power and presence of God every day. A journey well worth it.
You might wonder what all of this connects are with the scripture hearing for today?so here is the quick wrap up summary from the past few weeks. Haggai and Zechariah led the people to their return back to Jerusalem. With this return, King Cyrus gave them the blessing and building materials needed to return back to Jerusalem and rebuild the temple. Cyrus even offered edicts that protected them from enemies. Then we met Esther and her uncle Mordecai. They were Jews who decided to stay in Susa instead of returning during the reign of King Cyrus. In staying in Susa, Esther was able to protect the Jewish people, realizing she had been put in that place for ?such a time as this.?
And today, we meet kings who recognize the power of God, even though they do not worship the same god as the Jews. We also meet Ezra, the priest, and Nehemiah, a prophet and governor. In these stories of the bible, the following episodes happen: exilic return and reconstruction of the temple under Zerubbabel (Ezra 1:5-6:22) is completed; exilic return and reconstruction of the community under Ezra (Ezra 7-10) where people grow in their understanding of Gods word again through the reading of God?s Law; and the exilic return and reconstruction of the walls under Nehemiah (Nehemiah 1:1-7:3a) so the people are protected with a physical wall from their enemies. Return and reconstruction are the major themes and these themes are surrounded by hard work, coupled with praying, mourning, and fasting, and an unshakable faith in God as the one who provides successful problem solving for the people. As one reads through these passages in scripture, it is truly a journey through the stories of priests and prophets who desire for the Jewish people to put God first in everything they would do. These prophets, priests, and rulers knew the importance of having God on their side and moving forward with God in everything they did.
So what can we learn through these stories for our lives today and for the days to come? The first thing is the importance of being grounded in God?s word. As Christian?s-we are followers of God and God?s Word. Living our lives out of accordance to God?s Word, is vital to being authentic in our faith. Living out our faith comes through being in God?s Word on a daily basis. Ezra is chosen as a priest and leader because of how the importance he placed in God?s Word.
?This Ezra came up from Babylon. He was a teacher well versed in the Law of Moses, which the Lord, the God of Israel, had given. The king had granted him everything he asked, for the hand of the Lord his God was on him (Ezra 7:6).
Later on in the book of Nehemiah, Ezra and Nehemiah wanted to people to live their lives in accordance with God?s Word. The people also wanted this. ?They told Ezra the teacher of the Law to bring out the Book of the Law of Moses, which the Lord had commanded for Israel. So on the first day of the seventh month Ezra the priest brought the Law before the assembly, which was made up of men and women and all who were able to understand. He read it aloud from daybreak till noon as he faced the square before the Water Gate in the presence of the men, women and others who could understand. And all the people listened attentively to the Book of the Law (Nehemiah 8:1-3).?
Secondly, it is important for us to go before God when we have sinned, when we have fallen short Being people who repent and acknowledge how we have not always lived up to God?s expectations. Ezra and Nehemiah went to God on behalf of the people for their sins. It is important to ask for God?s mercy and show true remorse for the ways we have not lived out our faith. Nehemiah heard about the condition of the city of Jerusalem and how the wall was not in place. He mourned and fasted and prayed to God regarding these things.
?Lord, the God of heaven, the great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love with those who love him and keep his commandments, let your ear be attentive and your eyes open to hear the prayer your servant is praying before you day and night for your servants, the people of Israel. I confess the sins we Israelites, including myself and my father?s family, have committed against you. We have acted very wickedly toward you. We have not obeyed the commands, decrees and laws you gave your servant Moses. ?Remember the instruction you gave your servant Moses, saying, ?If you are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the nations, but if you return to me and obey my commands, then even if your exiled people are at the farthest horizon, I will gather them from there and bring them to the place I have chosen as a dwelling for my Name.? ?They are your servants and your people, whom you redeemed by your great strength and your mighty hand. Lord, let your ear be attentive to the prayer of this your servant and to the prayer of your servants who delight in revering your name (Nehemiah 1:4-11).?
And finally, praising God for all God has done in our lives is essential. After the people hear the Word of God, confessing their sins in acts of mourning and grief, they offered praise and thanksgiving, being reminded by Nehemiah ?This day is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength (Nehemiah 8:10)?Then all the people went away to eat and drink, to send portions of food and to celebrate with great joy, because they now understood the words that had been made known to them (Nehemiah 8:12).?
Reading, hearing, and studying God?s Word, confessing our sins, and offering praise and thanksgiving to God are key elements we can carry with us on our Lenten journey. As we begin this journey to the cross, it is my prayer that we all spend time in reflection of our lives with God and in the world. Moving in a direction where God is at the center of our lives and in everything we do. It was out of rebuilding the temple, the community, and the wall that the real reconstruction started to happen. The people of God were rebuilt through focusing their lives on God again and living it out through their work. Today, we might not be building a wall, but we are building a community. Rebuilding a community starts within each of us individually, then it is carried out of these doors.