that. Take your Bibles and turn with me to Ezra chapter number 5. Ezra chapter number 5. It's been a little while since we've been here, but just to remind you, in chapter 4 we got to the place of the enemy coming and going against the work of God as the enemy will often do and try to prohibit some things. The accusations were being slung and Aggravation was taking place to the people of God and the enemy ought to aggravate us. We ought not be at home with the enemy or buddy-buddy with them. It's an aggravation like no other when you're trying to do things for God and people just constantly are aggressive towards that. But the aim we found in chapter 4 in the last verse was that the work would be ceased. that they would cease the work of the house of God, which is at Jerusalem. And so it ceased into the second year of the reign of Darius king of Persia." And that's forever the aim of the enemy, is to cease the work of God. Anything that you want to try to do for God, living for God, raising your family for God, building a church for God, the enemy would love nothing more than to stop and cease all that. The fact that you would read and pray, the enemy wants to cease that because he knows how powerful you reading and praying is in your own life and in the life of a church, what that could do for a church when individually we come together and we've prepped, right? We're ready for whatever God would have to happen, we're just Itching like like trigger finger happy the Lord just do it and I'm ready. You know, that's that's kind of there That's the church focus. I believe that we ought to have is oh Boy, just point point Jimmy and I'll shoot, you know, just have that aggressiveness about the just what God can do it and it's just Man, all right. Let's read I'll get messed up. Here we go. Chapter number five It says, then the prophets Haggai, the prophet, and Zechariah, the son of Edo, prophesied unto the Jews that were in Judah and Jerusalem in the name of the God of Israel, even unto them. Then rose up Zerubbabel, the son of Shaltiel, and Jeshua, the son of Josedach, and began to build the house of God, which is at Jerusalem, and with them were the prophets of God helping them. At the same time came to them Tatnai, governor on this side of the river, and Shethar-bozai, their companions, and said thus unto them, Who hath commanded you to build the house, and to make up this wall? Then said we unto them after this manner, What are the names of the men that make this building? But the eye of their God was upon the elders of the Jews, that they could not cause them to cease till the matter came to Darius. And then they returned answer by letter concerning the matter. the copy of the letter to Tat and I governor this side of the river and River and she thought our bows and I and his companions the apartheid which were on this side of the river sent unto Darius the king they sent a letter unto him where it was written thus unto Darius the king all peace be it known unto the king that we are went into the province of Judea to the house of the great God which is builded with great stones and timber is laid in the walls and this work goeth fast on and prosper in their hands then asked we those elders and said unto them thus who commanded you to build this house and to make up these walls we asked their names also to certify thee, that we might write the names of the men that were the chief of them. And thus they returned us an answer, saying, we are the servants of the God of heaven and earth, and build the house that was built these many years ago, which a great king of Israel built it and set up. But after that, our fathers had provoked the God of heaven unto wrath. And he gave them to the hand of Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, the Chaldean, who destroyed this house and carried the people away into Babylon. But in the first year of Cyrus, king of Babylon, the same king Cyrus made a decree to build this house of God. And the vessels also of gold and silver in the house of God, which Nebuchadnezzar took out of the temple that was in Jerusalem, and brought them into the temple of Babylon. Those did Cyrus the king take out of the temple of Babylon, and they were delivered unto one, whose name was Shebazar, and whom he had made governor. And he said unto him, take these vessels, go, carry them into the temple that is in Jerusalem, and let the house of God be builded, his place then came the same says Bazar and and and laid the foundation of the house of God which is in Jerusalem and since that time even until now have it been in building and yet it is not finished now therefore if it seemed good to the king let there be search made in the king's treasure house, which is there at Babylon, whether it be so that a decree was made of Cyrus the king to build this house of God at Jerusalem and let the king send his pleasure to us concerning this matter." We find in this chapter that a new beginning is needed. And I praise God for that, that God gives us opportunities no matter when we fail, how we fail, that you can start afresh and start anew within the kingdom of God. And how they do this is by walking in truth. You have no other path to go but truth. You have no other course to travel but the truth of God's Word. That is where we operate from. That is our marching ground. That is the only level of confidence that we have. He is our refuge. How do we know that? The truth of God's Word says it. How do we articulate that and live that out? The Word of God shows us. And so, if we're on the phrase of things and our mind is breaking down because of circumstances and culture, we need only to go back to the truth and walk therein and what God has left us and so this new beginning that's needed that's what I want to help help us with hopefully tonight let's pray father again we are so grateful to be here tonight thank you again as others have prayed is I would like to pray as well for this morning and how you met with us, God, how your presence was felt. Lord, for the blessed visitors that came our way, we certainly don't take them for granted. And we pray, God, again, that they would be able to dwell on the service and be blessed by it. And Lord, if it's your will, they would return again. and be here to experience your presence that we get to experience every service God's a blessing to know you that we feel you here that it's not something that's a show or put on but God we know you're real and you answer prayer and you help your children here and Lord as we look at the word tonight I know there's some heavy things going on and within our congregation there's folks in the hospital there's folks that have come home there's folks are recovering from various things there's folks that are dealing with death Lord we just we thank you for the relief that this place gives and that we're able to cast away those things but for a moment to hear from you and so Lord may nothing distract our hearts tonight may nothing help hinder our minds from being freed up in the Word of God to get the truth in us so that we could better walk with you and we thank you for the example that we have in Ezra of these people of God, this remnant, that are walking in truth, that Lord, are just going forward with what you would have done. And Father, I thank you that you have new beginnings for all of us, and it's needed at times, and I pray that you would help us to see that tonight. So God, have your will and way in the service. We'll certainly give you the praise and the glory and the honor for it. If there's one here, Lord, that doesn't know you, tonight is the night for that to take place. Lord, if there's one here that is discouraged, tonight's the night for encouragement. So Father, you help us, you bless us, and we trust you to do so. Your word doesn't return void, and we'll certainly give you that glory so you so richly deserve, and it's in Christ's name that we pray. Amen. And so, I don't know about your life, but the Christian life, typically, sometimes, most times, is a series of New beginnings, right? In fact, the Word of God says that every day is new, right? It's fresh, His mercies are new. Every morning, Lamentations 3 talks about. And so, I'm thankful that if you go to bed having failed God and not read or not prayed or not done what you're supposed to, you wake up and it's a fresh opportunity, right? The clock is reset. Might have had bad dreams all night, but I'm thankful that I can wake up and it's a new day. You could fail every day this week. Praise God. Whatever the next day is rolls around. It's a new day. And it's just a powerful thing that God has that we have to go to sleep. I don't like it. So much time is wasted when I'm sleeping. But I have to sleep or else I'd be baddier than I am now. And so we sleep and you get that reset where the brain maybe after a cup of coffee or something, everything's reset and you get recharged and you're able to go about your day. It's a series. Every day can be a new beginning. But the book of Ezra opens up with a new beginning, a new beginning for the Jews. It was not long before those same people here, they needed a reset button. They needed to press the button. The work on the temple continued steadily for four years and the Bible tells us in in chapter 4 and in verse number 24 again that it that it ceased right that it is suddenly stopped the work was far from being done the work was far from being finished the workmen we find went home and for ten years the temple sitting there incomplete sitting there empty, and God's Word tells us in verses 1 and 2 of our text here, that the prophets showed up. They showed up, we're in Judah, Jerusalem, they showed up in the name of the God of Israel, even unto them. And it says in verse number 2, and began to build the house of God, which is at Jerusalem, and with them were the prophets of God doing what? Helping them. Alright, and so the prophets arrived preaching the Word of God. The preaching of the Word of God here, their preaching, initiated a new beginning of obedience. And isn't that what preaching calls for? that we be obedient to the things that we hear if it's in the Word of God, if it's something that is a hobby horse or is outside of the Word of God, God will not hold you accountable to any man's opinions or thoughts or flavors or preferences, but if it's between Genesis and Revelation, you will be held accountable for what thus saith the Lord. And so, you say, well, I've never heard it preached, but have you read it, all right? And so, if we've read it, then we're accountable to it, but certainly, If a preacher has came and preached the text, you cannot just toss it to the trash. If it was unbiblical preaching, obviously toss that to the trash. But if in his best efforts he was in the lanes of operation that God has given him, then by all means the ears of the Spirit should be listening and we should desire to want to apply whatever we've heard here. And so the preachers showed up here, and if we have neglected God's assignment in any way, in whatever God has called us to do, and we know the basics, there's some things you don't have to pray about, you just do them, but if we neglected God's assignment in any way, then you need a new beginning. You need to begin walking in truth that you've cast aside, that maybe you don't see that you're doing anymore what you ought to be doing. Preaching reminds you of that. Reading the Word of God reminds you of the things that you're to be busy about. So the gospel has not lost its purpose. power, but it seems that many people have stopped proclaiming it, many people have stopped living it, many people have stopped zealously pressing forward for the Lord, thrusting forward for the Lord. They've let up what seems to be in our country like these workers in Jerusalem that have stopped building the temple. Things have let up. Listen, with God's economy, we can't let up. There's no time, right? We get a brief vapor of a life. There's no time. Haven, as young as you are, Noel and Lydia, as young as you are, you have no time to let up. The time is of the essence, all right? It's ticking away for all of us, and so there's such an urgency as you read the Bible. I don't know if you feel that when you read it, but man, there's stuff we'd like to do, right? There's stuff we'd like to see God do here in this church, and it just feels so urgent, like you And I don't even have to drink coffee for that heart rate to go up on the urgency of it. It just amplifies it and pushes it forward even further. But you feel that God wants something to happen. I felt it the first time I got let into this building. When the intern thing was taking place and they wanted to meet with me and show me around, I could just feel it, Joe. I could just feel it. I can't explain it, but I think we came in here first, walked in here, and I stepped foot through that door, and I was just blown away at the thoughts of what God could do here. I mean overwhelmed, and I was just like, wow, there's some epic stuff that could happen here, and if God wills, I'll get to be part of it, and I shortly met all of you after that, and I was like, look what we could do! Do y'all see it? Right? I'm a terrible drawer, so I can't draw it for you. It'd be some crooked stick men. It would probably offend you, but I felt it and I still feel it to this day of what God can do here. And so, in our text, we find the preachers arrived here preaching the Word of God. Christians ought to do... what, yeah, thank you, Joe, appreciate that. What was I saying? Christians ought to do what Christians ought to do, right? There's a reasonable expectation that when the preachers would show up on the scene in the Old Testament, prophets were gonna do what prophets do. And so I find that Christians ought to do what Christians ought to do. There's an expectation there. When you identify with Christ, Christ's likeness, right? That we are in the family of God, that I'm set apart and I'll live in such a way as pleasing unto my Father. There's an expectation there. There's a difference from what the culture is doing. We're never to be the same as culture. We're never to be the same as those around us that are in sin, the Hollywood, the celebrities, just the culture in general. We're to be different, separated, holy. Modest and pure and joyful and peaceful and loving and forgiving. Christians ought to do what Christians ought to do. That's a reasonable expectation in the Word of God that He has of us. And preachers came here to do what preachers do. Preach. And so never underestimate the power of preaching when it's the right kind of preaching, when it's Holy Spirit preaching, when it's Bible preaching. 1 Corinthians 1 and 18, I might as well go there, I said it, so let me look at it. 1 Corinthians chapter 1, and I'll just read it just for the sake of having it in our minds. 1 Corinthians 1 and in verse number 18, For the preaching of the cross is then the parish foolishness, but what you say is the power of God. For it is written, I would assure the wisdom of the wise and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent. Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this world? Hath not God made foolish? the wisdom of this world for after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe for the Jews required a sign and the Greeks seek after wisdom but we preach Christ crucified and the Jews a stumbling block but unto the Greeks foolishness but unto them which are called to both Jews and Greeks, Christ, the power of God and the wisdom of God because the foolishness of God is wiser than men and the weakness of God is stronger than men. You get another taste of that in 2 Timothy 4, but the The truths of Christ's death on the cross is foolish to those around us, but to us it is our power. It is our ability to operate. It is the truth on which we walk, and the world around us, they need that truth. Don't take for granted that everybody in America, just because in the South there's a church on every corner, that they know the gospel. that they are clear on the terms, that they are clear on the requirements. You can take a look at the school system, you can take a look at the abortion clinic in this county, you can take a look at the stuff they're trying to push, you can go to downtown Greensboro where they have weekly drag queen events you can see the depravity on display and in spite of the number of churches don't tell me every church is biblical every church is preaching the gospel they can't be if that is what we have in our culture in our environment in our backyard it'd be quite different if every church was right and biblical and preached the Word of God and so preaching cranks the engine, all right? Hearing God's Word here should stir... it stirred their hearts and it should certainly stir our hearts. If it's not, then we got issues either with the preacher or with you, but we got to figure those things out because God does not intend for His people to be neutral about anything. We're wide open for the glory of God for a reason. Souls are at stake. and preaching here brings the new beginning they needed. Preaching brings the new beginning maybe we need to restore what we maybe have tossed to the side and forgotten that was important. but biblical faith is what they were after in Ezra 5, restoring biblical faith, restoring God in His rightful place. Haggai boldly declared that it was time for the house of God to be built. We won't go there for the sake of time, but that's chapter 1 of Haggai, verses one and two. He's preaching that it's to be built. The prophet Zechariah, in Zechariah 1, 1 through 3, he's telling the people what God has revealed to him, what needs to take place, and so we should be challenged what we read here in the Bible to go do something with it. That it's not just to put in my pocket that I'm a higher learning here, but we're challenged from the Bible to go and preach the gospel to every creature. We're challenged to go and witness to every creature. We're challenged to go and share with all that all would come to repentance and faith and to have that expectation that our witness can make a difference because it's not us that we're witnessing in our fantastic personalities, but it is the gospel of Jesus Christ in which we share with people that we know can change them and help them in the greatest way possible. And so the challenge is to go, the preachers have shown up here They're tuning in the people with the will of God, they're yielding, hey, yield yourself, do what God would have you do, it's the very same thing we want to do here, yield yourself to the Holy Spirit, be sure you're in tune with what God would have you to do, and we have every reason to expect God to come through on His promises, just like His door knocking. We have every reason to expect God to bless that, us giving out the Word, us advertising about His bride, us telling people about the Lord, we have every reason, a reasonable expectation that God would bless from that, that God would help us to continue to do that. So we Vision without obedience is atheism. It's no better than atheism. To have a vision and don't be obedient to it, you might as well be an atheist. Do you believe this God? Do you know this God and what He has said? Well, preaching, reading the Word helps you to know that. But without obedience, nothing gets done, does it? It's just all just theory. Oh, we had a good time talking about some ideas, but if there's no obedience, what good is it? What good is it? Empty. So look at, again, verse one and two, the prophets will administer the nourishment of God's word, the very presence of the prophets that bring the word of God brings nourishment to them. It reminds them of God, and it says here that in the name of God, that they're coming in that right stance, that right name. that they are still His people, that they are still called by His name, that they are still His very possession, that He still loves them, He blesses them, He guards them, He gives them His peace, He helps them in all of their needs, they're preaching to remind the people of God that Because when you're reminded of the promises, doesn't that help you? That my father still loves me and cares for me? Oh, I'm reminded of that? Let me do what I can for him. Let me do all that I can for him. And I wanna try to go into their minds a little bit. In Numbers chapter number six and in verse number 24, Very familiar, I think, but it says, the Lord bless thee and keep thee, the Lord make his face shine upon thee, be gracious unto thee, the Lord lift up his countenance upon thee and give thee peace and they shall put my name upon the children of Israel and I will bless them. It was a reminder of who God was and what he does in the name of the Lord and they began to build the house of God. And with them were the prophets of God helping them. Listen, preachers are here to help you. We want you to get it. It is in our greatest depths of our prayers that the people of God under us would fall in love deeply with this God and be moved every time the book is open to obedience, to praise, to joy, to peace, to glory. We know the world's beating us all up, but we want you to just dive headfirst in with no backup plan and let the Word of God stir you and tear you up if it needs to and do all the beautiful things that it can do because it's real and it can really help you if you apply it rightly. And so the preaching We find that preachers arrive doing what preachers do. Christians ought to do what Christians ought to do. But number two, I think about this preaching, that it was met with opposition. Boy, it always is met with opposition. Most times, if you preach the Bible, you got some opposition somewhere, linging around, looking to where he can slap you in the face, looking to where he can punch you, just do that sucker punch right in the gut. But notice in verse three, Verse 5, through verse 5, we've got the governor, alright? The governor shows up, the companions of the governor, who's commanded you, right? When God's people went back to work, the enemies, the governor, showed up. The enemies came back, they thought, 10 years this thing was licked, ain't gotta worry about them Christians anymore. I'm sure there's some people in this area think that Philadelphia's licked, ain't gotta worry about them Christians anymore, but they ain't gotta worry about us, they need to worry about God and what He wants to do. The preaching will be met with opposition. They were asking two questions. Who gave you permission, right? They say that, and then who are you? We're in a spiritual battle. Whatever we do, we're in a spiritual battle. Man's not our enemy. The darkness of the powers of the air, Satan is our enemy, we know that, but enemies will come. The devil will empower certain people. Governor here coming on the scene, and the posse, who are you, who told you you could do this, and who are you? Listen, the devil don't go to sleep when God is working. The devil don't take a night off when God starts working. The people replied here, they said, have you heard of the law? Have you heard of, you know, go check your records. You'll find that Cyrus the King has written something. You'll find he wrote us a letter. He said that we could do this. And so the enemies, like good enemies do, they're gonna go look and see if they can find the loophole and try to put you in a corner. And so they did that. We find in chapter six, In verse number one through five, we won't read it for the sake of time, but the Bible tells us here what they found, all right? When the king's response was delivered here to the enemies, it did not say that the people could continue, right? It did not only say that the people could continue, but the king here, where's it at? We might just have to read it. Darius the king made a decree, search was made in the house of the rolls, the treasure lay in Babylon, it was found in the palace, the province of Amidas, a roll, and there was a record thus written. And so it was written out that King Darius commanded their adversaries to provide protection. commanded that their adversaries, the enemies, provide supplies. You get that in chapter 6, verses 6 through 12. We'll cover that next time. But you find that he had commanded protection, supplies from the enemies, reminding the governor and his posse of what's going on here. Beautiful, man, when God makes a way, it's epically beautiful in how he does it. So John 20, 21, our Lord Jesus said, as my father has sent me, even so I send you. God has told us what we're to do. He is sending us, we're the ambassadors of Christ. He is sending us, and we have to be ready to face whatever comes. So when our negative Nellies in the no soliciting camps, when they come in our face, liberal art teachers want to get in our face about a church sign that is too offensive and what you have said when people are coming against us and they don't like what we're doing around here they don't like that God is moving here we will face opposition church but let me encourage you anchor yourself down and watch God work. We start tiptoeing back, we start saying that, oh, well, maybe we ought to rethink this thing. Maybe I should put something more pleasant, lovey-dovey. All right, maybe I should put something to cater to this crowd or this crowd. No, let's just stick with truth. Let's walk in truth. And so the preaching, the work here met with opposition just like we will be, but also we see that the people returned here to their motive, what they had to do, what the charge was, the obedience, all right? The reset button had been hit. They had faced opposition here. They had to remind themselves why they were doing what they were doing. You've got to remind yourself sometimes what we are doing around here and why we're doing it. What's your why? That's a popular thing in motivational circles. What is your why? Sometimes as a Christian, you gotta remind yourself, because you can be duped, you can be deceived, you can buy into the American way and be led down a path of deflection, and before you know it, you've wasted some time in your life, but God calls us always back to truth. And if you're not being called back to the word of God, you've been led astray. You're being called back to this thing. You're being called back to the work that God has us and so they told their enemies in verse number 11 I love this highlight this it says and thus they were returned turned us an answer saying we are the servants of the God of heaven and earth amen to that I say We're the servants of God, of heaven and earth, the real, true, and living God. God's people were not finishing God's work because only Cyrus said so. God's people were finishing God's work, why? Because God had said so. It's not necessarily that the preachers had came and that's what must be done, and he's just convincing them as a motivational speaker. No, God has said what is to be done, and for us, that should be something that is of great importance, God has said it and I got to do it. God has said it and I get to be in on the plan here." And so they recognized a higher authority. They recognized, they returned to work the work God had given them because the preaching that they had heard and the the strengthening of our hearts that the preaching had accomplished, because that's what it's all to do. It strengthens them, it helps them, it encourages them. The work of winning souls is God's work, but God includes us in on the plan that we get to do it because we are His servants. So who are we? What truths do we find here that we need to walk in? In this text, does it want to drive into us? Well, before all else, church, listen, just like verse 11 says, we are servants of the God of heaven and earth. We're called to love God over the fear of man. We're called to love him supremely with heart, mind, soul, strength, every being that we are, all that we are. In comparison to your family, it's to look like you hate your family because you love God so much. Who said that? Jesus said that. We're to be so consumed with God our Father that when people look on, they would say, man, that guy really hates his family because he loves God so much. And only can a Christian understand that and rationalize that. The world don't get that. But God's people are working here. and we're servants. The elders encourage us to bind ourselves to the worship of God, that we be reverent to restore that, the God who has made all things. They got a choice just like we got a choice here. We're gonna lean to the world or we're gonna lean unto God? We're gonna go with the world's flow or we're gonna go with God's flow? What is our stance? What are we keeping in commandment of Deuteronomy 6, 5, and thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, thy soul, thy might. Chapter 11, verse 1 of Deuteronomy, therefore thou shalt love the Lord thy God and keep this charge and his statutes and his judgments and his commandments always. God's people today were called to live as free servants. If any man being free in Christ, he is free indeed. You're freed up from the lesser things to love the greatest things. You're freed up from the fear of man to the fear of God, which is He loves you supremely, that He would send His Son. You are freed up. 1 Peter puts it like this in chapter 2, verse 13. Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake, whether it be the king as supreme or unto governors as unto them that are sent. by him for the punishment of evildoers and for the praise of them that do well for so is the will of God that with well-doing you may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men." You want to know how you put to silence the ignorance of foolish men? You love God supremely. You put them to silence. they can't deal with it as free he says he goes on to say as free and not using your liberty for a cloak of maliciousness but as the servants of God using your freedom as the servants of God the gospel does not permit us right to to to to go against human governments unless the government is making a law against God. We abide as best we can. We won't talk about the speed limit. There's no need to bring that up. But for the most part, we abide by other laws. We abide by what has been set over us. But if they make laws against God, like in COVID, if they say we can't meet, we meet. Right? Because God has said to meet. God has said to assemble. And that's just one of many areas. But we do what the book says. And that's walking in truth. That's what Ezra's pushing in chapter 5 to get the work going. And so, this tree here. As free, that he talks about in 1 Peter, Christians are free from all people. But in another sense, you read that, Christians are bound to serve. Yeah, we're free from the expectation, from the fear, man, but we're also bound to serve. We owe people. that they would hear the gospel, that they would know Jesus. We owe that our lives would not be a stumbling block. We owe that the work would continue, and the greatest way we serve is by sharing the gospel, is by sharing a testimony, is by sharing this love that has been given to us, this cloak of maliciousness, talking about a cover-up for evil. We don't cover up anything. We let all the chips fall out because we deal in truth and people need truth. And so the servants here would often have a pass that is shameful in the Word of God. You think about David's preparations and the resulting temple being built and finished by Solomon, his son. It was glorious, but it collapsed. under God's anger. Why? He was angry at Israel. He had anger against their sin. We too find ourselves have rebelled against the Holy God. Rebellion, the Bible names as worthy of death. Rebellion against God our King is worthy of death. We're called to walk in the truth for a reason. But just as the Israelites' sin was not the end of their story, neither is your story over. Neither is it the end of you when you sin and you have to confess that and get it right. Neither is that the end of you. God has a way for you, reset button for you. We're the servants of God. We're deserving of His wrath, but we're met with something greater his loving kindness. And we find in Ezra 5, grace is pronounced in verses 12 and 13, where it says, verse 12, but after, but after, what a word. I'm glad when God is in the butting in business. Notice it says, but after that our fathers had provoked the God of heaven unto wrath. The but after of God's anger meets the but in of Cyrus's decree here. A decree that had come because of God's initiation way back in chapter 1 in verse 1. This is beautiful, all right, but after verse 12, and we get the wrath, right, but verse 13, but in the first year Cyrus, all right, same Cyrus made the decree to build the house of God, chapter one, verse one, God butted in, using a king, using a decree, and would use God's enemies to supply and provide protection. All they had to do was walk in truth. Just do it! Right? It's fantastic! This mercy, His mercy here, this future now that would exist for those that return, the remnant for the temple that's going to be rebuilt, the lands repopulated, what He desired. God's mercy means that the Failures here of the past is not going to put an end to what God intends for the future. So it matters not tonight how you have failed. It matters not where you have gone astray. It can be under the blood. It can be forgiven. You can walk that path that God would have for you. It's equally true today, just like it was for them. You can have a fruitful service for your king that is worthy. It is the devil's lie that you can't do nothing for God. in your limitations, in your failures, in your past. That is the lie of the devil. The word of God tells us that he can take the messiest of messes and do something with it. He is faithful in all areas. Those that would repent, those that would believe the good news of Christ, those failures of the past, praise God, they're swallowed up and they're remembered no more. Fruitful service can happen. the mercies of God at play in your life because you decide tonight to walk in truth. What a reset to see that God enables a people that after 10 years They walked away, he sent the preachers, he enabled them to remind them that no, you can serve me faithfully, you can serve me fruitfully, and he does the very same thing for all of us tonight. You have a place in the kingdom of God. You have a place here at this church to operate and see God bless you, your home, your situation, your job, all funneled through what God is doing here as you walk in truth. and we find these names, we find Solomon, Zerubbabel, Jeshua, each of these play within their own context a role of building the temple. Shezbazar established the temple foundations, and it says in verse 16, he laid the foundation of the house of God, which in Jerusalem, and even since that time, even until now hath it been in building, Right? And it says, and yet it is not finished. It is not finished. The shining statement here in this text is right here as you think about our story, as you think about your place in the redemption of your soul. We're servants of the Lord Jesus Christ. He's our great king, he's the heir of David, the high priest, the foundation builder. The Word of God says Christ is the cornerstone that you need to build on, that he's laid the foundations of the church, but yet it's not finished. There's still a work to be done throughout the world, he continues, building it in a spiritual house. Where in the world would I get that? I'd get it from Ephesians 2, and in verse number 19, now therefore you are no more strangers or foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints, with the household of God, and are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief cornerstone, hallelujah, in whom all the building, fitly framed together, groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord." Verse 22, "...in whom ye also are built together for a habitation of God through the Spirit." There's no sweeter place, you're free to argue with me after service, there's no sweeter place than the church. Than the church. You say, that ain't been my experience. We'll talk after the service, now ain't the time. But it is the sweetest place. She is the temple of the living God. She's the dwelling place of His Spirit. Love the church, we're told. Serve the church, we're told. Stop complaining about the church, if you are. Plug in and serve at the church. She is still under construction, and so are her members, and listen, knowing I mean, if we need to wear under construction banners to help us, we can get those made. We'll get a t-shirt! Philadelphia Baptist Chapel under construction, all right? We'll get t-shirts made. We'll be matching. It'll be glorious. Everybody in Greensboro will hear about it. But we're under construction, and that's okay. God is still working on me, right? Ain't that how the song goes, to make me what I ought to be? Something, something, something, something, something, something, right? We'll sing that later. But 1 Corinthians 3, 16, know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? Ye, all right? Ye is plural, the church, corporately. The temple of God, the place where he, dwells, the Spirit dwells, if any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy." Don't mess with God's people. Don't mess with God's house. It's no small thing to trifle with the house of God, just like it's no small thing to trifle with the people of God. And you can walk in that truth and find the greatest confidence in dealing with our culture because this God is not a God to be trifled with. Don't mess with Him. 2nd Corinthians 6 16 and what agreement have the temple of God with idols for ye are the temple of the living God as God have said I will dwell in them and walk in them and I will be their God and they shall be my people the dwelling place if it's the dwelling place of God then preservation of purity of the church is of vital importance. We want this to be a place that he is pleased to dwell. We want this to be a place he is pleased to come to. We don't get to change her garments of the bride. We don't get to give new orders. The king has given orders. And 1 Peter 2, 4 reminds us, to whom coming, unto a living stone disallowed indeed of men but chosen of God and precious ye also as lively stones are built up in a spiritual house a holy priesthood to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable by to God by Jesus Christ wherefore also it is contained in the scripture behold I lay in Sion a chief cornerstone elect precious and he that believe on him shall not be confounded God is calling us to walk in truth, laboring faithfully at His side until this house, Philadelphia Baptist Chapel, until this house fills the whole earth. We got work to do, church. We have work to do, but it is a glorious task, and we are not without strength. We are not without help, and yet it is not finished. He is working still on all of us. Take heart that you're under construction. Construction stinks. Roads are being built, buildings are being built, detours, one-way streets. Who ain't aggravated by a one-way stop sign, man, and you got to stop, and you in a hurry, and you can't go off-road to go around it? Who ain't aggravated? I'm aggravated. These bicycles, don't they aggravate you closing down one lane of traffic? I mean, you may give, you know, if I was wealthy I'd give them a car. What, you don't have a car? Put a motor on that bike. Bikes were meant for motors. Anyway, what I'm saying, I've butchered this sermon now, we are servants of the God of heaven and earth, alright? Our fathers provoked God, but after? Wrath, provoked from the wrath, butt in. Man, God can butt in. We're to walk in truth. every single day and maybe a new beginning is needed for you tonight people got here needed a new beginning the preachers came gave the word new beginning started eyes hearts refocus what it ought to be understanding it's not yet finished but God is doing the work what does it matter tonight what is the label that people need to put upon us what do we need to tell people we are the servants of the God of heaven and earth period and that is sufficient And it ought to be for us as children of God. Let's pray. Father, thank you for this new beginning.