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Back to Sermons Index Back to Home Page 1st January 2006 PMMaking a Difference in 2006! Pastor Colin MeadowsNew Year Resolutions: Start of New Year, look to try to do better. That your life might have an impact this year, Local paper gave some suggestions…. Turn off the TV, drive slower (200 die on our roads each year and 2500 seriously injured), eat more dark chocolate, laugh more, go vegetarian twice a week, keep your personal space tidy, get married, sleep more, read to your children, walk more… the list goes on. How do you intend to make this year a significant one as you seek to live for God? Once I was talking with a Jewish man about what makes a person of influence. I asked who he felt was a person of significance amongst the Jews of old. When asked about such leaders, he surprised me by saying that Ezra was one of the most significant. I then started to read more about this man to discover why this might be so. My research was interesting and I will share it with you. We need a little background however to put this man in context. Facing uncertain times: What was the situation in Ezra’s day? The nation of Israel had turned its back on God and thus suffered the consequences. By 587BC most of the people had been sent into exile in Babylon or had fled to other places. The nation was in ruins, and remained that way for some 70 years. Then in 538BC King Cyrus of the Persians had permitted the people to return. As they trudged into the devastated land, their hearts heavy with the enormity of the task that lay in front of them, God was preparing a man to lift their spirits, one who would help them to see the future in the right perspective, one who would remind them of God’s presence and purpose for their lives. Ezra was this man. He came to a people who couldn’t see clearly and helped them to lift up their eyes. He came to people who were discouraged and gave them hope. What enabled him to do that? Let’s unpack the personal life of this man for there is much there that will help us as we lift up our eyes to the New Year. Passionately committed: Ezra was a passionate man. There was nothing half hearted about him. Ezra set his heart in total commitment. He was fully sold out to whatever he chose to do. Ez 7:10 “For Ezra had devoted himself…” Other bibles translate this ‘to establish firmly in his heart’ or to make a firm agreement. This was not just a casual thought. Ezra was putting all his eggs in the one basket. He was fully committed to his course of action. Whatever may come in days ahead, he was not going to waver from his course. Whatever lay ahead would not deviate him from his pathway. What about us? Do we have such resolve in our hearts as we face the New Year? Our vision statement as a church reminds us to be “A growing family of believers passionately devoted to Jesus Christ”. How committed and passionate will we be this year? In the book of Revelation, Jesus had strong words to the church at Laodicea, the last of the seven churches. They had settled down into mediocrity, just taking up space as Christians. Rev 3:15 “I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm – neither hot nor cold – I am about to spit you out of my mouth.” There are incredibly strong words from Jesus. Let us not be people who are just going through the motions of being alive in Christ. Let us ask God for the courage to be people who are passionate about all that we seek to do. Peter Marshall commented “A different world cannot be made by indifferent people.” How engaged are you with this world that God has created? We can at times be living in a bubble, isolated from what is happening around us, asleep at the wheel. Someone commented “Australians are not just laid back. They are horizontal.” Let us be people of passion. But what should be the focus of our passion? Jesus Christ. Keep him as the central focus of your life as you seek to live with passion. Ezra was total in his commitment and passion. Committed to God’s Word: Ezra set his heart to passionately know the law of his God. Ez 7:10 “For Ezra had devoted himself to the study…of the Law of the LORD…” He set aside time to read and meditate on God’s Word. He resolved to be a person of the Book. What about us? We find time to the things we feel are important in our lives. We set aside time to sleep and eat, to go to work, to watch TV, play a bit of sport. Let us intentionally set aside time to read and meditate on God’s Word. Let’s not be like the man who commented “My wife does enough reading of the bible for both of us”. Find appropriate ways to study God’s Word and to take it into your heart. What is the central focus of the Word of God? John 20:31 “But these things are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.” Let us be committed to study the Bible so as to discover more of Christ. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you to learn more of the truth of God’s Word each day. WH Houghton noted “Lay hold of the bible until the bible lays hold of you.” Be totally committed to that! Committed to live God’s Word: Is not enough to have an intellectual awareness of what God’s Word says. Ezra wanted to live out the truth of the Word of God. Ezra 7:10 “For Ezra had devoted himself to the study and observance of the Law of the LORD…” He studied God’s Word and sought to obey what he read. Let us be the same. Psalm 119:9-11 “How can a young man keep his way pure? By living according to you word. I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands. I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.” We study God’s Word so that we can grow to be more like Christ. We want to know more of the life of Christ from the bible so that we can become more like him in our own lives. 1 John 2:6 Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did.” It is tough at times seeking to live in conformity to the Word of God. Only as we ask the Holy Spirit to empower us each day can begin this difficult task. As St Augustine noted “We do the works, but God works in us the doing of the works.” Ezra set his heart to obey the Word of God. Committed to teach others God’s Word: Ezra sought to instruct others in what God’s Word said. Ezra 7:10 “and to teaching its decrees and laws in Israel.” He put considerable effort into His great desire was to see his people grow to know and to love God. That would happen as they heard and responded to the Law of the LORD. We find more of Ezra’s story in the book of Nehemiah. Nehemiah 8:5,8 “Ezra opened the book. All the people could see him because he was standing above them; and as he opened it, the people all stood up…They read from the Book of the Law of God, making it clear and giving the meaning so that the people could understand what was being read.” Ezra and the other leaders read God’s Word to the people and explained what it meant. They applied the Word of God into people’s lives. Week by week in this church we seek to do just that. You too in your life situation can do this as well. With friends and family, gently apply the Word of God to real life situations. Such teaching is very gentle, often given with the minimum of words. We speak gently in the trust that our lives reflect what we are seeking to teach. As the saying goes “In my life I’ve had and ample; Good advice and poor example.” Allow the Word of God to flow out of you life to bless the lives of others! Peter encourages us to do just that. 1 Peter 3:15 “But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect…” Gently share the truth of God’s Word that speaks about the hope that we have in Christ. Making a difference in 2006 We have just started a New Year with all the potential that lies ahead. Let us seek to … Be passionate about Christ Seek to know God’s Word for it points us to Christ Live out God’s Word, and so live like Christ Gently share God’s Word with others Do so in the power of the Holy Spirit
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