Sermon: Think Soberly (Part Two)

Our Reasonable Service
#1785
Mark Schindler
Given 05-Oct-24; 61 minutes 2024-10-05

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Last week, on the Sabbath preceding the Feast of Trumpets, we spent most of the sermon considering Romans 12:1-3, specifically God’s warning to us through the apostle Paul in verse 3, “not to think of ourselves more highly than we ought to think.”

I used as an example an email we recently received from someone purported to be in the greater churches of God, who presumptuously claimed to be one of the Two Witnesses. But his witness was to another man, and not our Great God (to whom the authentic Two Witnesses who will have been clearly named by God, shall appoint to testifying to His holiness as the standard of morality).

As a bit of additional food for thought: As you have studied God’s Word, how many faithful servants of God have named themselves to a position? Consider John the Baptist who Jesus Christ declared to be the Elijah to come, a position John refused to assign to himself.

The point of that sermon was how easy thinking too highly of ourselves can become a trap for all of us, because we all are contending with the stumbling blocks of carnal minded thinking. But, as we will hopefully see through the rest of this sermon, it is only a symptom of what develops when we fail to carefully keep our focus on our God-given work in service to the Body. Our calling and placing within the Body (as individual mansions empowered by the indwelling of the Father and Son) is so we can do our work in service to the whole Body from where we have been placed for the glory of God.

Brethren, none of us are immune to this. It is something that we need to guard against. Because, as John Reid’s CGG Weekly noted this last week, the biggest trap we face can surely come from within our own deceitful hearts, so we must constantly be on guard duty with the same vigilance as disciplined soldiers posted on the front lines of battle!

I believe one of the reasons Mr. Armstrong focused so intensely on Adam and Eve and the Two Trees in the years before his death was this initial sin. Under Satan’s influence they turned away from their responsibilities in pride as it manifested itself in their presumptuous action to take to themselves the knowledge of good and evil. Satan got them to take their focus off the reason why they were created, and the work they had been given the wonderful privilege to do in faithfully maintaining and enhancing the beauty of the Creation, hand in hand with God for their own growth into His image according to His likeness.

Although the email I used was clearly an example of an over-the-top self-aggrandizing presumption, the author did bring up several other points that we could consider (as those whom God has set apart for a very specific purpose as lights in a dark world). So today, we are going to consider how much God expects from us (now in the vanguard of His elect that must be the focus of our lives with the same dedication as the front-line soldiers), in a dedicated and thoughtful effort to stay the course following the only path forward in this spiritual war. We must not get distracted and head off in the wrong direction, thoughtlessly wandering away from the battlefield and the victorious battle plan that has been set before us by our commander-in-chief! We will eventually see an example of this in physical Israel, because God set a principle before us as expressed in I Corinthians 10:11-13. Because of the reciprocal work of God that Paul describes in Romans 11 between physical and spiritual Israel, we can find examples and lessons in physical Israel, good or bad, lest we fall. So we will take a minute to see this in context because it is going to be important relative to the sacrificial offering of Christ.

Please turn to I Corinthians 10 where Paul uses the example of Israel being delivered from Egypt through the Red Sea:

I Corinthians 10:1-6 Moreover, brethren, I do not want you to be unaware that all our fathers were under the cloud, all passed through the sea, all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, all ate the same spiritual food, and all drank the same spiritual drink, for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ. But with most of them God was not well pleased, for their bodies were scattered in the wilderness. Now these things became our examples, to the intent that we should not lust after evil things as they also lusted.

I Corinthians 10:11-13 Now all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages have come. Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall. No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man. . .

I Corinthians 10:14-17 Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry. I speak as to wise men; judge for yourselves what I say. The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ? For we, though many, are one bread and one body; for we all partake of that one bread.

Paul hinges physical Israel and what they did, to spiritual Israel and what we must do, as he clearly ties the sacrificial work of Jesus Christ into all this sacrificial work that is our reasonable service, as Paul called it in Romans 12:1.

Of course this is typically considered in conjunction with Passover, but hopefully we will see how clearly Paul ties Christ’s sacrifice into everything we do, every minute of every day.

These very important end time holy day rehearsals need to be kept with great joy, looking forward to all the Father and Son are accomplishing. But they also should be a time for greater personal effort to do our small part in the Body as God has given us the ability to do for His glory. We must be sure all stays in line with the truth of His Word, while not slipping back into the deadly ways of this world, which is enmity against God. We have been set apart from this world that keeps moving farther away from God every minute of every day. We cannot be moving that way with it.

It is good to keep a picture in our minds that many ministers have shared over the years. All of us are familiar with graphs that plot trends of various things. Plotted on the graph are two lines, both of which began at same spot, but abruptly split at a spot. And now they both are moving to the right as plotted on the graph—the upper line stays straight moving or even moving upward, while the bottom line begins moving downward. We must continue increasing to make a gap between these two lines. If we are apt to staying the same between the two lines, the one of the world and our line, we will both be go down together. This is a very vivid picture that we need to maintain.

With this in mind, please turn with me again to Romans 12:1-3, where we will again spend a bit of time parsing these words from Paul’s instructions as the hinging verses between physical Israel, and the spirit-born Israel of God.

Romans 12:1-3 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith.

Please remember what was discussed in the last sermon: Romans 12:1-3 is the linchpin coupling God’s purposeful work with physical Israel to His work with spiritual Israel. He therefore begins chapter 12 with a plea (and this needs to be very personal to each of us) to be clearly aware of God’s merciful work that will be ultimately expanded to all men (His judgments and ways past finding out).

As Paul noted in Romans 11:33, God set apart both physical Israel and spiritual Israel to be His. Both were sanctified from this world to be part of His cultivated olive tree. But because of unbelief, most of physical Israel were severed from the tree for a time and are heading with the rest of the world in the wrong direction, away from God.

However, Paul warns that we cannot get puffed up because of this, because in God’s incredible plan their blindness and unbelief was a part of God’s unsearchable plan in accord with His mercy.

Please turn back to Romans 11:

Romans 11:23-25 And they also, if they do not continue in unbelief, will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again. For if you were cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature, and were grafted contrary to nature into a cultivated olive tree, how much more will these, who are natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree? For I do not desire, brethren, that you should be ignorant of this mystery, lest you should be wise in your own opinion, that blindness in part has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in.

Romans 11:29-33 For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. For as you were once disobedient to God, yet have now obtained mercy through their disobedience, even so these also have now been disobedient, that through the mercy shown you they also may obtain mercy. For God has committed them all to disobedience, that He might have mercy on all. Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out!

Therefore, Paul begs us to keep in mind our responsibilities that only we have because of the mercies of God to accomplish His purpose. Physical Israel is moving in the same direction as the rest of the world with that bottom line, but this is all part of God’s plan in His mercy eventually toward all men.

In Romans 12:1 the word “mercies” is oiktirmós (oyk-tir-mos'): from Strong's #3627; pity; mercy.

Oiktirmós is the pity or compassion which one shows for the sufferings of others. It is used in reference to God as the Father of mercies (II Corinthians 1:3) showing His character.

Let us look at this in context. Please turn to II Corinthians 1:

II Corinthians 1:3-7 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also abounds through Christ. Now if we are afflicted, it is for your consolation and salvation, which is effective for enduring the same sufferings which we also suffer. Or if we are comforted, it is for your consolation and salvation. And our hope for you is steadfast, because we know that as you are partakers of the sufferings, so also you will partake of the consolation.

Compassion and mercy are an intrinsic part of the character of God and He expects us to be learning the same in the things that we suffer as living sacrifices.

As Paul showed here, this is the circle of growth that expands from Christ through all called to Him by the Father. This is an awesome plan that God is perfectly working out. Presenting ourselves as living sacrifices is another important piece that Paul has given here in God’s carefully woven plan.

Please turn to Hebrews 10.

Hebrews 10:1 For the law, having a shadow of the good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with these same sacrifices, which they offer continually year by year, make those who approach perfect.

Hebrews 10:4-7 For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and goats could take away sins. Therefore, when He came into the world, He said: "Sacrifice and offering You did not desire, but a body You have prepared for Me. In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin You had no pleasure. Then I said, 'Behold, I have come—in the volume of the book it is written of Me—to do Your will, O God.'"

Hebrews 10:10-12 By that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. And every priest stands ministering daily and offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. But this Man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God.

Hebrews 10:14 For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified.

Hebrews 10:19-27 Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh, and having a High Priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching. For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and fiery indignation which will devour the adversaries.

Physical Israel was only able to offer sacrifice that was at the best incomplete. That gave them a very limited ability to draw closer to God from outside the Holy of Holies. However, they were still a set-apart piece of God’s carefully designed plan that would bring us into the binding relationship with God through Jesus Christ, which has become a reality within the temporary dwellings of our flesh, so that we can boldly enter the presence of God while in the unity of the Body of Christ.

Physical Israel was for our benefit, just as we must be for theirs in God’s awesome plan. But the difference is that if we fall short because we have counted the blood of the covenant under which we have been sanctified a common thing, we will be guilty of trampling on the blood of Christ. That is why Paul’s plea here is so intense. God has given us in the Body of Christ the vital piece that was never available to most of those who God set apart in the physical. Jesus Christ has made it possible that we not only should, but must, live as He lives now!

One more thing I would like us to consider here in Hebrews 10 before going back to Romans 12.

Hebrews 10:24-25 And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.

These verses gives us a duty (which we very correctly have considered as our duty) to attend Sabbath services, and services on the holy days. As John Reid wrote in a 1997 article entitled, “Contend Earnestly”:

We obediently honor God in coming before Him at services. Each Sabbath is to be a holy convocation (Leviticus 23:3), meaning we are called together to worship Him. In a way, it is like a weekly Family reunion to pay homage to our Father, and in turn, He instructs us further in His way of life.

In addition, we partially fulfill some of the elements discussed in Hebrews 10:22-24. The Sabbath allows us to draw near to God and strengthen our faith. It helps us to hold fast our belief in doctrine through the messages we hear. And through fellowship with the brethren, assembling on the Sabbath enables us to know and consider others' needs, showing us how we may aid them.

Brethren, this is certainly a reminder of our command to assemble on the Sabbath, and during the days God has set apart as holy throughout the year. But, within its context and within the context of these two sermons, I think we can extend the principle beyond this.

Extending this beyond the Sabbath, and considering our responsibilities within the carefully determined places for service within the Body, I would like us to more closely consider that phrase “Assembling ourselves together.” It is a combination of two words in the Greek: episunagōgē (ep-ee-soon-ag-o-gay') and heautou (heh-ow-too').

Strong’s notes the following:

episunagōgē: from G1996; a complete collection; specifically a Christian meeting (for worship); assembling (gathering) together.

heautou: a reflexive pronoun referring back to the subject of the sentence; consideration of one another; ourselves.

A word study of episunagōgē adds a bit for us to consider in the context of this sermon and in expanding this phrase beyond only Sabbath services. The act of gathering or assembling together only appears here and in II Thessalonians 2:1 (when Christ returns and gathers together all those who are His from all over the world).

Jesus Christ gathers. In Hebrews 10:25 He also gathers. But we have been given our part in it, the privileged opportunity to have a significant part in the unifying work of Jesus Christ from our places within the Body of Christ. At His return He will gather all the elect together in one place. But right now, He is gathering together His elect in unity of the Spirit, even though we are scattered around the world. As we unite with Him in our work as living sacrifices, we unite with each other as one committed, faithful, body of believers. It is our job to gather ourselves together through Jesus Christ as continuous living sacrifices. Although assembling ourselves together for formal worship before Him is distinctly indicated in Hebrews 10:25, we need to extend this beyond the assembling for corporate worship for more than a solitary or occasional act, but as customary conduct in using our positions.

This particular word study goes on to suggest that the prefix epí means “to,” which appears at the beginning of the word episunagōgē.

It must refer to Christ Himself as the one to whom this assembly was attached. Thus, it would have the meaning of not betraying one's attachment to Jesus Christ and other believers, and not avoiding one's own personal responsibility as part of the body of Christ.

Brethren, I cannot claim to have anything more than the tiniest of rudimentary knowledge of the Greek language. But this is very interesting within the context of both Hebrews 10 and this sermon, as I hope to show.

We all have been placed within the Body of Christ (as God sees fit for sacrificial service to the Body firmly attached to Jesus Christ). And as each of us attaches to Him we are attached to one another.

So, at this point turn with me back again to Roman 12 and we will look into the last two words of verse 1 as we try to dig a bit more out of this.

Romans 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.

Let us look at reasonable service. I looked at a number of translations, but I did not find one that I thought really addressed the point Paul was trying to make that very clearly connected it to verse 2. Most of them translated this variously as, “reasonable service,” “sensible way to worship,” or “logical and intelligent way to worship.” These are not bad translations, but I truly think they all are only partially correct and may be missing the essence of what Paul intended.

Service is Strong’s #2999 latreia (la-tri'-ah); from #3000; ministration of God, that is, worship; divine service. It occurs five times in the New Testament. This was a reference to the order of service of the priests and Levites as God commanded an orderly fashion and faithful execution of their duties. In the Septuagint the same Greek word translated from the Hebrew is used in many of the sacrificial services of the Levites, their work of service for worship before God.

Let us look at this word as Paul uses it in Romans 9 in lamenting physical Israel (to whom God gave the privileged responsibilities of service before Him).

Romans 9:1-5 I tell the truth in Christ, I am not lying, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Spirit, that I have great sorrow and continual grief in my heart. For I could wish that I myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my countrymen according to the flesh, who are Israelites, to whom pertain the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the service of God, and the promises; of whom are the fathers and from whom, according to the flesh, Christ came, who is over all, the eternally blessed God. Amen.

Worship and service to the true God was among the blessings God had given as part of His sanctification of physical Israel to stand as His separate people.

Now to Hebrews 9:1-6 where we will find this again as written by the author of Hebrews, possibly Paul.

Hebrews 9:1-6 Then indeed, even the first covenant had ordinances of divine service and the earthly sanctuary. For a tabernacle was prepared: the first part, in which was the lampstand, the table, and the showbread, which is called the sanctuary; and behind the second veil, the part of the tabernacle which is called the Holiest of All, which had the golden censer and the ark of the covenant overlaid on all sides with gold, in which were the golden pot that had the manna, Aaron's rod that budded, and the tablets of the covenant; and above it were the cherubim of glory overshadowing the mercy seat. Of these things we cannot now speak in detail. Now when these things had been thus prepared, the priests always went into the first part of the tabernacle, performing the services.

It was the joint effort of the Levites and the priests to prepare and maintain the service of worship before the true God.

Now the word “reasonable” (Romans 12:1)

Here is the Greek word logikos (lo-gi-kos'), which is only used here and in I Peter 2 (where we will be headed in a minute). This word is the adjective (the descriptor of the noun it precedes) derived from the Greek word logos, which we all know from John 1:1 is the reference to the One sent from the Father to become the man Jesus Christ.

But as the adjective describing “service,” all the translations seem to have tied it more tightly into the English word “logical,” which, according to my Webster’s Encyclopedic Dictionary, is defined as: Capable of, or reflecting the capability for, correct and valid reasoning; a logical mind; science that deals with the principles and criteria of validity of inference and demonstration; the science of the formal principles of reasoning.

The service here, then, seems to be service built on the formal principles of reasoning. This is not a bad way to look at it. But I believe it really misses the deeper dive into something incredible that God is giving to us here.

If we look more carefully, I think we will find the more direct connection Paul is making to verse 2, and the way this separation from the world and its ways must be maintained to grow to the stature and fullness of Christ together with Him and each other.

As noted, this word logikos is only used twice, here in Romans 12:1 and again in I Peter 2:2. So now please turn with me to I Peter. We will be starting in I Peter 1:22 and go on to 2:9.

I Peter 1:22-25 Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart, having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever, because, "All flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of the grass. The grass withers, and its flower falls away, but the word of the LORD endures forever." Now this is the word which by the gospel was preached to you.

I Peter 2:1-9 Therefore, laying aside all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all evil speaking, as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby, if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious. Coming to Him as to a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God and precious, you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. Therefore it is also contained in the Scripture, "Behold, I lay in Zion a chief cornerstone, elect, precious, and he who believes on Him will by no means be put to shame."

Therefore, to you who believe, He is precious; but to those who are disobedient, "The stone which the builders rejected Has become the chief cornerstone," and "A stone of stumbling and a rock of offense." They stumble, being disobedient to the word, to which they also were appointed. But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.

Please note the word “pure.” In I Peter 2:2 that word “pure” preceding logikos can also be translated as “unadulterated.” One of the word studies I looked into said the following:

In I Peter 2:2, the phrase logikón gála, literally "logical milk," refers to the spiritual nourishment found in the Word of God. Lógos, from which logikós is derived, means “reason,” and is often used to describe God's intelligence expressed in human speech or form (John 1:1, 14). Some reach this interpretation merely from the context of the passage, as a spiritual explanation of the words. Others reach this interpretation by recognizing that it is not only true, but that it is reasonable that the Word of God is our nourishment.

The second adjective, ádolon, “unadulterated,” agrees with this, meaning that the Word of God, when not mixed with human error, is nourishing.

Brethren, we are to be learning to live by every word of God (as those set apart by Him, in unity with Christ’s sacrifice, and from this world that is soon fading away), set apart to exercise with Christ the responsibilities we have been given in unadulterated sacrificial service before the Father.

The key to all of this is the living Word of God within us. It is Jesus Christ that is the means of our service of worship before the Father. It is only by maintaining that literal connection with Christ in sacrificial service that we become bound to Him and one another.

It is from this point that Paul goes on to remind us how critical it is to our transformation into the very likeness of God doing what is perfect and acceptable to Him.

It is from this point that Paul reminds us to always think soberly that each one of us have very purposefully been provided with a specific responsibility to become, as Peter put it, “Living stones” chosen by God and precious; to be a holy priesthood; to offer up sacrifices acceptable to God as one united Body through Jesus Christ!

At this point I would like us to go back to one of those lessons we need to have in our minds from physical Israel. Going back to that over-the-top presumptuous email we received that claimed the authority of the Two Witnesses, I had said he had made some very truthful comments that could and should be considered, although he made it sound like the only way to hold onto the truth was to hold onto everything that Mr. Armstrong taught with the same reverence we have for God’s Word. We do need to stay tight to the trunk of the tree as Mr. Armstrong taught. But we have certainly noted over the years that some things may be better understood today than they were then.

As an example, we can consider John Ritenbaugh’s Bible study on Amos that was recorded when we were in the Worldwide Church of God in the late 1980s before its horrible apostasy. John gave an example when referring to God’s comment to Israel in Amos 5:21 about hating their feasts and last week [back in the 80s] he mentioned the tent meetings of the Evangelicals.

How many of us missed the whole point of what John was trying to teach us in those Bible studies? He was filling in the details Mr. Armstrong expected the ministry to give the brethren; how important those warnings are for spiritual Israel!

When we were in the Worldwide Church of God, we were convinced that this was God’s church, and those kind of words from God had to be aimed at those who were keeping man-made holidays and Sundays, etc., which was likely true.

But after God blew the church apart, and a remnant scattered into hundreds of different groups, many brethren began appreciating what John Ritenbaugh was trying to teach—the vitally personal need to be with those of Isaiah 66:1-2: “Thus says the Lord. . . But on this one will I look: On him who is poor and of a contrite spirit and trembles at My word!” Hopefully this is how we are right now before God, so we will not find ourselves among those in the Amos 5:21 or Isaiah 58:1-5 who had taken His holy times and changed them into something totally unacceptable to Him! We certainly do not want God saying this about how we take care of the precious work He has given to us, especially in how we keep His weekly and annual Sabbaths pleasing Him, and not what is despicable to Him.

With this in mind, please turn to Ezra:

Ezra 1:1-8 Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, the LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, so that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and also put it in writing, saying, “Thus says Cyrus king of Persia: All the kingdoms of the earth the LORD God of heaven has given me. And He has commanded me to build Him a house at Jerusalem which is in Judah. Who is among you of all His people? May his God be with him, and let him go up to Jerusalem which is in Judah, and build the house of the LORD God of Israel (He is God), which is in Jerusalem. And whoever is left in any place where he dwells, let the men of his place help him with silver and gold, with goods and livestock, besides the freewill offerings for the house of God which is in Jerusalem.”

Then the heads of the fathers' houses of Judah and Benjamin, and the priests and the Levites, with all whose spirits God had moved, arose to go up and build the house of the LORD which is in Jerusalem. And all those who were around them encouraged them with articles of silver and gold, with goods and livestock, and with precious things, besides all that was willingly offered. King Cyrus also brought out the articles of the house of the LORD, which Nebuchadnezzar had taken from Jerusalem and put in the temple of his gods; and Cyrus king of Persia brought them out by the hand of Mithredath the treasurer, and counted them out to Sheshbazzar the prince of Judah.

We started here only to set the scene for the beginning of God’s merciful return of Judah from the Babylonian captivity, as He continued moving things as He wanted them to go. Only a remnant of physical Judah actually returned in three waves that began under the leadership of Zerubbabel in about 536 BC, for the work of rebuilding the Temple and the sacrificial work of the priests. As you go through Ezra and Nehemiah you will see it was under a constant barrage of problems from the world around them.

We are going to pick it up as Ezra was getting ready to lead the second wave about 78 years later, after the Temple had been rebuilt and the first remnant group had settled into the land. The problem was that by the time Ezra got there they had slid deeply into the world around them, compromising the Word of God and their unique standing before Him.

We are going to pick it up in Ezra 7.

Ezra 7:6-10 This Ezra came up from Babylon; and he was a skilled scribe in the Law of Moses, which the LORD God of Israel had given. The king granted him all his request, according to the hand of the LORD his God upon him. Some of the children of Israel, the priests, the Levites, the singers, the gatekeepers, and the Nethinim came up to Jerusalem in the seventh year of King Artaxerxes. And Ezra came to Jerusalem in the fifth month, which was in the seventh year of the king. On the first day of the first month he began his journey from Babylon, and on the first day of the fifth month he came to Jerusalem, according to the good hand of his God upon him. For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the Law of the LORD, and to do it, and to teach statutes and ordinances in Israel.

Commissioned under God’s direction by Artaxerxes (who was very possibly the husband of Queen Esther), we see through the rest of chapter 7 and into chapter 8, Ezra’s priestly lineage established. We also see this man of faith begin to move the entourage forward, toward Jerusalem (in the midst of the hostile world).

Ezra 8:21-25 Then I proclaimed a fast there at the river of Ahava, that we might humble ourselves before our God, to seek from Him the right way for us and our little ones and all our possessions. For I was ashamed to request of the king an escort of soldiers and horsemen to help us against the enemy on the road, because we had spoken to the king, saying, "The hand of our God is upon all those for good who seek Him, but His power and His wrath are against all those who forsake Him." So we fasted and entreated our God for this, and He answered our prayer. And I separated twelve of the leaders of the priests—Sherebiah, Hashabiah, and ten of their brethren with them—and weighed out to them the silver, the gold, and the articles, the offering for the house of our God which the king and his counselors and his princes, and all Israel who were present, had offered.

Ezra 8:28-31 And I said to them, "You are holy to the LORD; the articles are holy also; and the silver and the gold are a freewill offering to the LORD God of your fathers. Watch and keep them until you weigh them before the leaders of the priests and the Levites and heads of the fathers' houses of Israel in Jerusalem, in the chambers of the house of the LORD." So the priests and the Levites received the silver and the gold and the articles by weight, to bring them to Jerusalem to the house of our God. Then we departed from the river of Ahava on the twelfth day of the first month, to go to Jerusalem. And the hand of our God was upon us, and He delivered us from the hand of the enemy and from ambush along the road.

Now, picking it up after Ezra arrived, delivering the instructions to Artaxerxes’ deputies of the area, we will begin again in chapter 9:

Ezra 9:1-9 When these things were done, the leaders came to me, saying, "The people of Israel and the priests and the Levites have not separated themselves from the peoples of the lands, with respect to the abominations of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Jebusites, the Ammonites, the Moabites, the Egyptians, and the Amorites. For they have taken some of their daughters as wives for themselves and their sons, so that the holy seed is mixed with the peoples of those lands. Indeed, the hand of the leaders and rulers has been foremost in this trespass." So when I heard this thing, I tore my garment and my robe, and plucked out some of the hair of my head and beard, and sat down astonished. Then everyone who trembled at the words of the God of Israel assembled to me, because of the transgression of those who had been carried away captive, and I sat astonished until the evening sacrifice.

At the evening sacrifice I arose from my fasting; and having torn my garment and my robe, I fell on my knees and spread out my hands to the LORD my God. And I said: "O my God, I am too ashamed and humiliated to lift up my face to You, my God; for our iniquities have risen higher than our heads, and our guilt has grown up to the heavens. Since the days of our fathers to this day we have been very guilty, and for our iniquities we, our kings, and our priests have been delivered into the hand of the kings of the lands, to the sword, to captivity, to plunder, and to humiliation, as it is this day. And now for a little while grace has been shown from the LORD our God, to leave us a remnant to escape, and to give us a peg in His holy place, that our God may enlighten our eyes and give us a measure of revival in our bondage. For we were slaves. Yet our God did not forsake us in our bondage; but He extended mercy to us in the sight of the kings of Persia, to revive us, to repair the house of our God, to rebuild its ruins, and to give us a wall in Judah and Jerusalem.”

Ezra then continues his prayer of repentance through the chapter. Now into chapter 10:

Ezra 10:1-4 Now while Ezra was praying, and while he was confessing, weeping, and bowing down before the house of God, a very large assembly of men, women, and children gathered to him from Israel; for the people wept very bitterly. And Shechaniah the son of Jehiel, one of the sons of Elam, spoke up and said to Ezra, "We have trespassed against our God, and have taken pagan wives from the peoples of the land; yet now there is hope in Israel in spite of this. Now therefore, let us make a covenant with our God to put away all these wives and those who have been born to them, according to the advice of my master and of those who tremble at the commandment of our God; and let it be done according to the law. Arise, for this matter is your responsibility. We also are with you. Be of good courage, and do it."

Brethren, I cannot even begin to imagine how difficult it must have been for the remnant that came out with Zerubbabel to do their jobs in rebuilding God’s holy Temple in the hostile world around them for 78 years. But they did it, although they let themselves do something worse. They did not do their work with abiding appreciation for the unadulterated Word of God, and the purity of their calling as His holy people.

They were supposed to think of themselves as holy unto God. But they did not do their job, which led to a great deal of pain when Ezra had the courage to set it right. Just consider how difficult this was for Ezra to judge. God hates divorce! But here was something worse in betraying their responsibilities as a holy people, and it had to be set right.

Brethren, we are not here, either, to think of ourselves more highly than anyone else. We are here to consider that we are God’s called out remnant to do the work, as God has set each of us in the Body for the benefit of all those who will come after us.

How serious are we as God’s remnant not to be conformed to this world, but to the renewing of our minds in unity through our sacrificial service with the Word of God?

In closing I want to read the last number of verses in Romans 12 from the Phillips translation, as we think about how much we need to be attached to the Word of God, so we are prepared to keep God’s holy days in a way that is pleasing to Him in line with what He expects from His faithful remnant.

Romans 12:1-2, 4-16, 21 from the Phillips Translation:

Romans 12:1-2 (Phillips) With eyes wide open to the mercies of God, I beg you, my brothers, as an act of intelligent worship, to give him your bodies, as a living sacrifice, consecrated to Him and acceptable to Him. Don't let the world around you squeeze you into its own mold, but let God remake you so that your whole attitude of mind is changed. Thus, you will prove in practice that the will of God is good, acceptable to him and perfect. . .

Romans 12:4-8 (Phillips) For just as you have many members in one physical body and those members differ in their functions, so we, though many in number, compose one body in Christ and all our members to one another. Through the grace of God, we have different gifts. If our gift is preaching, let us preach to the limit of our vision. If it is serving others let us concentrate on our service. If it is teaching let us give all we have to our teaching. And if our gifts be the stimulating of the faith of others let us set ourselves to it. Let the man who was called to give, give freely. Let the man in authority work with enthusiasm and let the man who feels sympathy for his fellows in distress let them help cheerfully.

I want to stop here for a moment. We have a pastor that has done exactly that! He is working diligently with enthusiasm, wanting to give comfort to those who are in sickness.

Romans 12:9-16 (Phillips) Let us have no imitation Christian love. Let us have a genuine hatred of for evil and a real devotion to good. Let us have a real warm affection for one another as between brothers, and a willingness to let the other man have the credit. Let us not allow slackness to spoil our work and let us keep the fires of the spirit burning, as we do our work for the Lord. Base your happiness on your hope and Christ. When trials come endure them patiently, steadfastly maintain the habit of prayer. Give freely to fellow Christians in want never grudging a meal or a bed to those who need them. And as for those who try to make your life a misery bless them. Don't curse, bless. Share the happiness of those who are happy, and the sorrow of those who are sad. Live in harmony with each other. . .

Romans 12:21 (Phillips) Don't allow yourself to be overpowered by evil take the offensive overpower evil with good.

Brethren, think soberly on these things. This is our spiritual sacrificial service in unity with the living Word of God. We are a remnant of God’s church in a time of great worldwide chaos and division. Unlike the physical remnant who let themselves be squeezed back into the mold of the world around them, we cannot forget that we have been made holy in order to distinctly and humbly live now in the image, according to the likeness of the living Word of God that dwells in us!

Please think soberly on these things so we have a meaningful holy day season that is pleasing to God!

MS/rwu/drm