The Books of Ezra: Rebuilding the Temple and Reforming the People - A Survey of the Bible
The Books of Ezra: Rebuilding the Temple & Reforming the People
A Survey of the Bible
Ezra Chart - Wilson
Chronology of the Post-Exilic Period - Wilson
Context: Who, When, Where, and Why?
• Who composed Ezra?
• When did he write?
• Where were he and his audience?
• Why was he writing?
Content: How and What?
• How is Ezra (Nehemiah) organized?
Ezra-Nehemiah:
A Zerubbabel’s return and list of returnees (Ezra 1-2)
B. Building of the temple and opposition (Ezra 3-6)
C. Return of Ezra (Ezra 7-8)
D. Purification of the people (Ezra 9-10)
C. Return of Nehemiah (Nehemiah 1-2)
B. Building of the walls and opposition (Neh. 3:1 to Neh. 7:3)
A. Zerubbabel’s return and list of returnees; final reforms (Neh. 7:4 to Neh. 13:31)
Ezra:
• First Return (2:1-2:70)
• Reconstruction of the Temple (3:1-6:22)
• Second Return (7:1-8:36)
• Reconstruction of the Community (9:1-10:44)
• What is the message of Ezra?
Conviction: So What?
• What should we believe?
- The Lord can be trusted to forgive and restore.
- Worship must be central to all we do.
- True worship results in obedient living.
- Confession and repentance are normal parts of the Christian Life.
• How should we behave?
- Rest in the grace and goodness of the Lord.
- Examine your life for inconsistencies in your walk with God
- Make confession, repentance, and worship a central part of your life.
• Where does this fit?
- A continuation of the story of God’s faithfulness after His people’s failure.
- A narrative that acknowledges the reality of opposition to God’s work and plan for our lives.
- An example of the central place of timely confession and acknowledgment of sin.
Next Steps
• Examine your life for inconsistencies in your walk and confess them.
• Repent and commit to following Christ closely in community.
This Week’s Growth Guide
God’s Word is both central and critical to your spiritual growth. We invite you to utilize the Growth Guide during the week to further your application of the Truth from the message.
•. Monday - Ezra 3
•. Tuesday - Ezra 4
•. Wednesday - Ezra 7
•. Thursday - Ezra 9
•. Friday - Ezra 10
Home Church
Our Home Churches meet weekly to facilitate quicker relational depth, study the same passage taught
Sunday to help apply Scripture in the context of community, and pray with one another. Home Church helps our body seek God’s best for one another.
Home Church Questions
• Read Ezra 7:8-10 and Ezra 9:5-15.
• Was there anything new or insightful in this message?
• Was there anything you know you can or should immediately apply?
• What did you struggle with in this message? What did not make sense or caused you to evaluate your own life more deeply?
• How would your life personally, or the life of your family be different if you fully live out the truths in this message?
• Why was the Altar of Burnt Offering the first thing to be built (3:1-3)?
• The book of Ezra covers many more years (about 80 years - 538-457) than we might first think in such a short book. What lessons might be learned from this?
• There are no big ”miracles” in this book. What can we learn from this? How have you seen this in your life?
• We find opposition on every hand in this book. What can we learn from this? How has this been true for you? How did you handle it?
• In what way is it orienting to know that Haggai and Zechariah prophesied during the time of Zerubbabal and Ezra?
• Why was rebuilding the Temple so important?
• There is a lot of confession going on with Ezra. Why was this so important?
• In what way might corporate confession be appropriate in our day and age?
Finances
Weekly Budget 31,390
Giving For 02/19 20,057
Giving For 02/26 29,775
YTD Budget 1,098,641
YTD Giving 1,141,710
OVER/(UNDER) 43,069
Get Connected in a Home Church - Fellowship’s desire is for everyone to be relationally connected.
The primary way we do this is in Home Churches – small groups that meet in living rooms to apply God’s Word, pray, and to serve together. Go to fellowshipconway.org/home church for more information.
New to Fellowship?
We are so glad that you joined the Fellowship Family to worship this morning. If you are joining us for the first time or have been checking us out for a few weeks, we are excited you are here and would love to meet you. Please fill out the “Connect Card” and bring it to the Connection Center in the Atrium, we would love to say “hi” and give you a gift.
Men’s Muster
Men, April 21-23 is the date for this year’s Men’s Muster, at Shepherd of the Ozarks. We encourage those in a Home Church to use Muster as an opportunity to deepen their community by taking the weekend together. Those in Home Church together will be placed in small groups to foster more depth in existing
relationships and meet some new faces. Whether you are in a Home Church or not, Muster is a great place to meet others and connect at Fellowship. For pricing and registration go to fellowshipconway.org/register.
Downline Preview
You’re invited to attend a live Downline Institute class session, with an opportunity to hear from Downline staff and alumni, as well as get your questions answered. Two Preview Nights to choose from: Thursday, March 9, with Tim Lundy (Romans) or Monday, March 13, with Renaut van der Riet (Ephesians). Register at DownlineConway2023.eventbrite.com.
Prayer During Service
Our prayer team will have people under the “Hope” and “Love” signs ready to pray for you after the message. We love to pray for one another. Please feel free to walk up to them for prayer or encouragement during the first worship song after the message.
Spring Forward March 12
Set all your clocks, remember to “spring forward” next week, and join us for worship Sunday services at 9:00 and 10:54 a.m. We will have the coffee ready for you!
Fellowship 101
We invite you to join us Sunday, April 16, at 9:00 a.m. to learn more about Fellowship. This is a great opportunity to learn about our mission, values, and ministries. If you’re new to Fellowship, join us in the conference room (first floor) to hear what God is doing and where He is taking us. You will meet some of our ministry leaders and ask questions. Register at fellowshipconway.org/register.