Zerubbabel: Confusion to Conviction

back about 20 25 years or so to to my high school days. This is before social media was around, before reels and direct messaging. I mean, even text messaging was still kind of early on, like I think you had to pay per text message um to be able to send those things out. But before all of that, um there was this one common place that most 15, 16, 17 year olds would find themselves on a Friday and Saturday night, uh which was the glory of Rivergate Mall. Um, and so if you've never been to Rivergate Mall, you would have no reason to go to Rivergate Mall. But any kind of northern suburb or rural area, um, on the north side of Nashville, Rivergate Mall was like the central place that everybody would flock and come to.

Um, I mean, it was between the restaurants and the food court that were there to all the different sporting stores that were there. I mean, they had indoor glow-in-the-dark putt putt. I mean, it was all kinds of stuff in this mall. It was a blast. Arcade. I mean, we loved it.

And you could do a ton of things with the $10 that your parents gave you um going to this place. But we loved it. This last week, a friend of mine on Facebook posted a video of a walkth through of Rivergate Mall. And so, as soon as they like as soon as I saw the entrance, I mean, just the nostalgia just took me straight back to like, oh man, like I can like smell the cologne. And I can smell like, you know, all the which was probably more like axe spray and whatnot. But anyways, um you could just it all came flooding back.

But as they entered into it, 80% of the stores boarded up. No restaurants in the food court. I mean, literally maybe two or three stores left fighting for dear life, you know, trying to hold on. Rivergate Mall is a ruin of its former glory. It's a ruin of its former glory. And this was the world Nehemiah stepped into.

When the Babylonians conquered Jerusalem and they destroyed Solomon's temple around 586 BC, God's people were plundered and they were scattered into exile for more than 50 years. And it was Zerubbabel who would lead a remnant of God's people back to Jerusalem. Now, you might think for a second, I thought we were talking about Nehemiah. Who's Zerubbabel? Well, we'll get to that, but you got to first begin with this man named Zerubbabel. After decades in exile and captivity by the Babylonians, the Babylonian Empire actually fell and was conquered by the Persians.

And with a spirit of charity, King Cyrus of Persia gave a decree allowing the remnant of God's people to return to Jerusalem and begin rebuilding. not only Jerusalem but ultimately rebuild the temple. And so that's where I want to enter into the story of Nehemiah is actually the leaders that predate him. And so we're going to be spending three weeks talking about this, but we're highlighting the three leaders, Zerubbabel, Ezra, and Nehemiah. And so turn with me to Ezra chapter 1. And if you're like again, why did you title this Nehemiah?

If we're turning to the book of Ezra, actually many theologians believe that before our Bible was sort of organized, this was actually a singular book, Ezra, Nehemiah. We just have it separated. And it doesn't take away anything from the story, but it actually originally was considered to be one singular book. And so Ezra 1:es 1-4, this is going to orient us into the story of what's actually going on and what God is doing. So starting in verse one, 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. If you underline or highlight or anything along that line, I want you to do that.

All right, I want you to underline that right there. 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. Here's the reason why I wanted you to underline that because I want to pause for a moment and highlight what God is doing here. Because I want this to increase your faith. All right?

When we see how God moves and how God works, it increases our faith, our trust and belief in what he is doing and what he is capable of. This is what's going on. Cyrus, the king of Persia, is not one of God's people. That's important to understand. He's not a descendant of David. He's not an offspring of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

He's not waking up early every morning for a quiet time devotional with the Lord. He's not memorizing the Torah, which is their law, the first five books of the Old Testament. He's not praying to God, asking for wisdom to rule like Solomon did. He's not this super hyperspiritual follower of God who's coming saying, "I feel like the Lord has placed a word on my heart for you guys. I think you need to go back to Jerusalem." like he's not overly spiritual in this sense and actually providing that.

That's not what's happening here. According to history, Cyrus was actually devoted to Zerostianism, which is the worship of a false god, Ahura Mazda, which emphasized the battle between good and evil. Yes. But had all sorts of pagan practices, including sacrifices and offerings to false gods. Other sources even say that whatever lands Cyrus conquered under Persian rule, he would make offerings to their gods and goddesses, emphasizing a polytheistic approach. In other words, Cyrus didn't know who to worship and therefore he worshiped everyone and everything that was deified.

This is the man whose heart is being stirred up by God. Historically, yes, he did a bunch of great things, but also historically not a God-fearer. And yet God stirred up the spirit of Cyrus, which doesn't necessarily mean that Cyrus became a believer in the coming Messiah. But it does reveal to the world watching that God always gets his way. God always gets his way. Nothing can be thwarted.

Nothing can be stopped. Nothing God wants done will be early or late, but always on time according to his means. Here, God is using Cyrus as a pawn in his plan to bring his people home. To bring his people home. God often uses people, places, and even plunder in order to advance his mission. Here's what I mean by that.

For example, Moses built the tabernacle with the plundered wealth of the Egyptians. Solomon built the first temple with the wealth David plundered from the Gentiles that he conquered. In keeping with this theme, God uses the wealth of pagan kings Cyrus and Darius in order to rebuild the temple in Jerusalem. In other words, God repeatedly builds his dwelling place, his kingdom with enemy plunder. And that is a necessary theme for you to remember as we walk through this. And it's so good that I'm actually just going to go ahead and spoil it for you and give it to you right now.

After Jesus is resurrected, the Bible tells us that we no longer worship God through a temple made of hands, but rather through a holy spiritual temple called the church, the body of Christ, where his spirit dwells. How does God build this church? through the plunder of the world, aka you. You. Because who possesses us? Satan, the enemy, the world, the prince of the air, sin.

We are held captive and in bondage to the domain of darkness. And what Jesus does is he's he enters into enemy territory and plunders it to in order to remove a people for his possession for his church for his bride and that's how he builds the church. So everything that we see in the Old Testament, the same strategy that God has been using to take from the enemy in order to create for himself a place to dwell where his presence can be enjoyed by those who come in is the exact same way that Jesus is doing it not only 2,000 years ago when he was resurrected, but today he's inviting us in. He's transferring us from the domain of darkness into the kingdom of the beloved son. He is building a new temple, a spiritual house with Jesus as the cornerstone. And every soul who believes and follows Jesus another stone set in place.

God does that. God does that. God takes from the world in order to establish his plans and purposes for our good and for his glory. That's what God does. And that's what God is stirring up in this pagan king Cyrus. Now, what did God actually stir up in him?

Look at verse two. Look at the text. Thus says Cyrus, king of Persia. The Lord, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth, and he has charged me to build him a house at Jerusalem. If you underline things, underline that. Which is in Judah.

Verse three. Whoever is among you of all his people, may his God be with him, and let him go up to Jerusalem, underline that as well, which is in Judah, and rebuild the house of the Lord, the God of Israel. He is the God who is in Jerusalem. Verse four, and let each survivor in whatever place he sojourns, be assisted by the men of his place with silver and gold, with goods and with beasts. beside free besides free will offerings for the house of God that is in Jerusalem. Underline that as well because what he's doing there is he's giving three statements of what God has stirred up in his heart.

Number one, the building or the temple needs to be rebuilt and I am commissioning that to be done. God is telling me to tell you to go back to your home and build it. Number two, he's telling the people of God, hey, you are also commissioned to go back home. So, your temp temple needs to be rebuilt and you need to be the ones to go back home and rebuild it. And then number three, um, in case you're wondering, I'm going to fund the whole thing. So, make sure wherever you're at, the people who are basically um keeping you in exile and captivity, they are going to provide for you because the Lord has told me to tell you this.

They're going to provide for you silver and gold and all the means necessary in order for you to be able to go back home and accomplish all this. This is what's going on. There would be no greater news for God's people to hear than this. Than this. Why? Because for over for decades now, over 50 years, they've been in captivity.

They've been in exile. They've not been home. They've been like, this is like if you were to just have someone come in, take your house from you, you jump in the car, you leave without any of your stuff, and you're gone for decades. And then all of the sudden, the Lord enters back in and says, "It's time for you to come home." And you open up your phone and you read a headline that says, "Proclamation from Persia, King Cyrus to allow the release of all God's people to return to Jerusalem and begin rebuilding the house of God." Like, just so you know, what the king did here is not normal in ancient history.

You don't just let the people you've conquered go away freely or without a fight. Ask Pharaoh. But this is what God desires. Here's the main idea for us this morning. God's heart is to transform us from sojourers to settlers. From sojourers to settlers.

To bring us out of exile and into the house of God. to transform us from sinners to saints, to transform us from the domain of darkness to the kingdom of the beloved son. And the only thing that made this possible was that God did it. God stirred up the heart of a pagan king and told him to send his people home. That's the kind of God we serve. And not only that, God told that paying keen to even pay for their salary, benefits, and the rebuilding of their city and temple.

Like that's amazing. I think sometimes we forget that it's God who builds his church. I think sometimes we spend too much time focusing on our responsibility and forget that our God is the one who provides for us the manpower, the energy, the resources, and the spirit in order for the church to grow to be a vibrant presence in the community. So church, let your faith right now be increased by learning that God stirred the heart of an unbeliever to grant favor for God's people, release them, provide for them, and even fund the rebuilding of Jerusalem and their temple. As my people in Tennessee say, you don't see that every day. You don't see that every day.

So, where's Nehemiah at in all of this? Well, we still can't go there yet. All we have so far is a decree for the people to return to Jerusalem. But how are they going to get there? What happens next? I actually want you to flip over because during this time, we're just getting the players involved here.

We have Cyrus, the king of Persia, but we also have Cyrus, the king of Persia later, is no longer king of Persia. And then there's some political strife. There's a couple of things that happen. And eventually we get another king named Darius. Darius becomes the king. And during the time of Cyrus and Darius and during the time of Zerubbabel, there's also a prophet Haggi.

And I want you to turn to Haggi chapter 1. It's towards the end of your Old Testament. And this is the message that he is providing from the Lord for the people during this time of sojouring as they are making their way back to Jerusalem. So Hagi chapter 1 look at verse one. In the second year of Darius the king, in the sixth month, on the first day of the month, the word of the Lord came by hand of Haggi the prophet, to Zerubbabel, the son of Sheiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua, the son of Jehosedac, the high priest. This is just again helping you kind of know who's involved here.

So, there's Darius, who's now the king of Per Persia. There's Zerubbabel, who is the governor of Judah. Haggi, one of the prophets of God, and Joshua is the high priest of God's people. And they've received a decree from again Cyrus. But some time has passed since then. The people of God have taken the mail.

God has provided for them and they've essentially put it in a pile on the counter. I know y'all know what I'm talking about. And here's what it says. Number two, verse two. Thus says the Lord of hosts. These people say, "The time has not yet come to rebuild the house of the Lord."

Underline that. Then the word of the Lord came by the hand of Haggi the prophet. Is it time for you yourselves to dwell in your panled houses while this house lies in ruins? Let me translate this for you. God told them to rebuild the temple and they instead are too busy and concerned about their own homes. To put that in modern terms, we'll start participating more in the mission of the church once we get our house and lives in order.

That's what's going on right now with these people. And let me just tell you that never works. That never works. Look at the text. Verse five. Now therefore, thus says the Lord of hosts, "Consider your ways."

Bolden that circle it. Consider your ways. You have sown much and harvested little. You eat, but you never have enough. You drink, but you never have your fill. You clothe yourselves, but no one is warm.

And he who earns wages does so to put them into a bag with holes. The point is this. Those who put themselves first before God and functionally put their lives first before putting the mission of the church first will spend their lives working extra hard and never reaping any benefit. Never satisfied, always needing more. In Matthew chapter 6, it doesn't say, "Seek first what you shall eat and what you shall drink and what you shall wear, and then the kingdom of God and his righteousness shall be added to you." No.

Instead, Matthew 6 says, "Therefore, do not be anxious, saying, "What shall we eat or what shall we drink or what shall we wear? For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. There's a priority in line. God knows exactly what we need in order to survive, in order to thrive, in order to be vibrant, in order to be his people, in order to be effective in our community, in order to be able to advance the gospel, in order to be able to worship him and have life and have it abundant. He knows what we need.

Yet, when you think about your life, when you consider your ways, what gets the most of our attention, what gets the most of our calendar, what gets the most of our scheduling and how we steward our time, it's thinking about these things. It's not seeking the Lord. That's why Haggi the prophet is telling the people to consider their ways. Think about your life. Think about how you were living, what you were doing, what you were thinking, how you were spending your time, what you're filling your schedules with. Is it building God's kingdom or is it building your own kingdom?

What are we doing? Because only one of those will bring you the satisfaction and gratification you are searching for. You're searching for. Look at the text again. Verse 7. Thus says the Lord of hosts, "Consider your ways."

If you didn't highlight it before, highlight that one. Circle that one. Consider your ways. Go up to the hills and bring wood and build the house that I may take pleasure in it, and that I may be glorified, says the Lord. But you looked for much, and behold, it came to little. And when you brought it home, I blew it away.

Why? Declares the Lord of Hosts. Because of my house that lies in ruins. while each of you busies himself with his own house. Therefore, the heavens above you have withheld the dew, and the earth has withheld its produce. And I have called for a drought on the land and the hills, on the grain, the new wine, the oil, on what the ground brings forth, on man and beast, and on all their labors.

Here's a sobering reality. We reap what we sow. We reap what we sow. If the people are going to be disobedient and ignore God's word to build the temple so that they have a place to come and dwell with God and enjoy him forever, then God is going to take from them any ounce of happiness they think they have on this earth. That's what he's going to do. And you might say, "Well, that seems mean."

Does it not? My question is, does it? Is it mean when you discipline your child in order to protect them from their own ignorance and disobedience? Is it mean? Is that being a bad parent or is that a parent who uses discipline to restore their children to a place of maturity and joy? Well, it worked for these children.

Look at verse 12. Then Zerubbabel, the son of Shei, I'll just I'm just going to shorten it because y'all know I struggle saying that one. And Joshua the son of Jay the high priest with all the remnants of the people obeyed the voice of the Lord their God. Thank you. Finally they're getting it. They obeyed the voice of the Lord their God.

And the words of Haggi the prophet as the Lord their God had sent him. And the people feared the Lord. Here's the thing. When we disobey God, he has every right to give us death and remain good, holy, and just. He does. But the fact that God uses discipline when we are disobedient is an act of grace and mercy towards us in order to bring us back into relationship to restore us to renew us so that we have a place to enjoy him once again.

Again, thank God for discipline. Thank God for discipline. Thank God that when we spend our lives not considering our ways and investing in all the things that God said don't worry about. Thank God that he actually brings drought so that we might wake up and see that this is not working and then turn back to him in order to receive the gratification and satis satisfaction that we are actually searching for in these things over here. God uses this in order to bring us back and that's a good thing for us. Look at verse 13.

Then Haggi, the messenger of the Lord, spoke to the people with the Lord's message. I am with you, declares the Lord. And the Lord, watch this. The Lord then stirred up the spirit of Zerubbabel, governor of Judah, and the spirit of Joshua, the high priest, and the spirit of all the remnant of the people. And they came, and they worked on the house of the Lord of Hosts, their God, on the 24th day of the month, the sixth month, in the second year of Darius the king. Don't miss this, church.

Just as God stirred up the heart of a pagan king in order to bring the people home, he is also stirring up the heart of their leader. He's also stirring up the heart of the people um the priest as well in order for them to come and be obedient to what God has rec requested of them. Why kick this story or this series off with Zerubbabel? Because his name literally means born in Babylon. Born in Babylon, which if you know anything about Babylon, the capital there is Babel. If you know anything about Babel, that's where again, what did we do as a people?

We're going to take things into our own hands. We're going to build a massive tower. We're going to work our way to heaven. We don't need God to bring bring us there. We'll get there on our own. And what he did was again discipline created this mass confusion of languages amongst the people so that they could no longer work together anymore.

He kept them from themselves. That's what he did. It's like when when when you see a child running towards a street and you see oncoming traffic and he run you run and you grab them. Yeah. It might bruise their arm, but you protected them from something way uh way worse. This is discipline.

And it's in this confusion as they are scattered and in exile that Zerubbabel was born. And the beauty of what this is doing is that you can see this this trajectory of God bringing his people out of confusion of living life for themselves and into Nehemiah which actually stands for comfort. Comfort. That's the heart of God is bringing his people out of confusion and into comfort. A place where his spirit dwells, where his presence resides, and where he is our Lord, our God, and we are his people. Why were the people more concerned about themselves than their God?

Because they become confused regarding the meaning and the purpose of their life. Again, you're not here to see how much money you can make in a lifetime. That's not why you exist. You're not here to see how many businesses you can start and be successful in. You're not here to see the Cowboys win another Super Bowl. Although, I mean, I do.

Hey, easy now. I would love to at least see one more in my lifetime, Lord. If we are living life however we decide to live it or think we know how to live it. Graduating college, starting a career, getting married, starting a family, making wise investments, getting out of debt, going on some vacations with the end goal of retiring with enough money to do a bit of travel. If that's what we are living for, then we are living in Babylon. We're confused.

We're confused. Nehemiah on the other hand means comfort. God's bringing us out of the confusion into the comfort of living life for him where we receive the most satisfaction and gratification in our lives through the leadership of Zerubbabel, Ezra, and Nehemiah. God is bringing us out of exile home. home out of exile under pagan gods into the house of God to worship the one true God. And that's what we're walking through over these next three weeks are these three imperfect leaders.

God's going to help us confused folk have clarity about how not to just rebuild but reorient our lives so that we are seeking first the kingdom of God and then knowing and trusting that everything else we need will be provided for us through the story of God's people rebuilding the temple. God lets us in on a little secret. Building a temple and securing its borders is one thing. That's the story of Nehemiah. But filling it with God's presence and the people devoted to him in worship. That's another thing.

That's another thing. You see, this story is actually never about just rebuilding a temple made with hands. It was about the people of God in the presence of God. That's what it's about. Look at Haggi chapter 2. You thought we were going to go through Nehemiah, but I'm literally preaching the whole book of Haggi today.

Verse one. In the seven months, on the 21st day of the month, the word of the Lord came by the hand of Haggi the prophet. Speak now to Zerubbabel, governor of Judah, to Joshua the high priest, and to all the remnant of the people, and say, "Who is left among you who saw this house in its former glory?" They're talking about Solomon's temple. "How do you see it now? Is it not as nothing in your eyes?

Yet now be strong, O Zerubbabel, declares the Lord. Be strong, O Joshua the high priest. Be strong, all you people of the land, declares the Lord. Work, for I am with you, declares the Lord of hosts. According to the covenant that I made with you when you came out of Egypt, my spirit remains in your midst. Fear not, for thus says the Lord of hosts, yet once more in a little while, I will shake the heavens and the earth and the sea and the dry land, and I will shake all nations, so that the treasures of all nations shall come in, and I will fill this house with glory, says the Lord of hosts.

The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, declares the Lord of Hosts. The latter glory of this house shall be greater than the former, says the Lord of Hosts. And in this place I will give peace, declares the Lord of Hosts. Here's something that you haven't seen yet, but I'm going to tease it a little bit. When we get to Nehemiah, the temple is rebuilt and yet the presence of the Lord and the glory of the Lord is not there. And they get frustrated.

They're like, "What are we doing? We're building this thing. He's already told us that the latter is going to be greater than the first." And from what we know in history, Solomon simple was pretty amazing. Why the frustration? Because the prophecy here is not about the second temple.

It's about a greater temple that's coming. They don't see it yet. But what's actually going on here is a re-establishing of the Davidic covenant that God had promised that through the seed would become a greater king, one with greater glory, one who will actually bring the presence of God to the people without it having to be confined to a holy of holies in a room that only one man can enter into each year on behalf of all the people. something greater is coming. The whole story is a story about Jesus coming to rescue us from our exile and captivity among pagan gods and sinful ways. And then for Jesus to exercise an authority the world has never seen.

It's pointing to Jesus and the body of Christ, the church, as the temple in which God's presence comes to dwell among his people. Matthew 28:18, Jesus came and said to them, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me." One more interesting caveat about our boy Zerubbabel. He was given what's called the signant ring. The signant ring. You might be thinking, "Well, what in the world is that?"

A signate ring is one of those rings that usually has a symbol or a stamp on them used to seal wax on a decree or letter showing authenticity from its king or ruler. Well, check this out about Zerubbabel. Look at the end of Haggi chapter 2 verse 20. The word of the Lord came a second time to Haggi on the 24th day of the month. speak to Zerubbabel, governor of Judah, saying, "I am about to shake the heavens and the earth, and to overthrow the throne of kingdoms. I am about to destroy the strength of the kingdoms of the nations, and overthrow the chariots and their riders, and the horses, and their riders shall go down, everyone by the sword of his brother.

On that day, declares the Lord of hosts, I will take you, oh Zerubbabel, my servant, the son of she, declares the Lord, and make you like a signant ring, for I have chosen you, declares the Lord of hosts. Again, a signant ring was used by kings to seal decrees, symbolizing authority, symbolizing ownership, symbolizing divine approval. By calling Zerubbabel his signant ring, God is restoring the Davidic lineage, the king that they were longing for. He's bringing the seal, the symbol of the seal back because in all honesty, throughout the exile, the people were fearful that the Davidic throne had been seemingly lost up until this point. But Zerubbabel, who actually is a descendant of David, became the hope of this restoration. And not only that, but Zerubbabel is also an ancestor of who?

Does anyone know Jesus? And here's one of the beauty to enter this into kind of where we are. We are like Zerubbabel. He didn't become a king, but he did play a part from King David to King Jesus. He played a part of helping bring the people back to the promise of a king to come, the promise of a temple that's going to be filled with glory. And he was able to bring them back and lead them to the place where they could be restored and home and comforted by this truth, this promise.

This is why we exist today. We exist for the purpose of hanging on to a promise that we've received 2,000 years ago in the resurrection of Jesus Christ. And now we get to just like Zerubbabel play in this moment where we are also waiting for Jesus to return a second time to be able to come and to restore all people to glory in order for the temple of God, the people of God, the church of God to rule and reign alongside of him for eternity. And what we are doing in this moment right now, just like Zerubbabel, is God is stirring our hearts to let everyone know there's a place for you. There's a place for you in the temple of God. There's a place for you among the people of God.

All because of the authority of one greater than Zerubbabel. the authority of Jesus Christ, who is granting to us life and forgiveness for anyone who believes in Jesus, for anyone who believes in Jesus, understands who they are, that they're a sinner, that we've sinned against a good God, a holy God, a righteous God, that we were in our confusion, sinful people living in Babylon, living in exile, and that now are invited to come and have forgiveness to be restored and in the presence of God. Zerubbabel's story is not just ancient history. It does speak to us today. Again, the people of Israel were busy building their own homes. Yet God's house remained unfinished.

It wasn't that their homes were wrong, but their priorities had shifted away from God's mission. And that's a challenge we may face even now, our time, our energy, our resources. Do they go towards God's kingdom first? Or are we too focused on our own comfort, success, or distractions? God told Israel, "Consider your ways." consider your ways.

That same call goes out to us today. If we long for God's blessing and presence, we must put his house first. That doesn't mean neglecting responsibilities, but it does mean asking some questions. Ask these questions. Where is my heart truly invested? Where is my heart truly invested?

Am I building my life for my own security or for something eternal? Am I willing to step into God's mission even if it costs me everything? And so, how do we apply this today? Here are three ways. Number one, evaluate your priorities. Evaluate your priorities.

Audit your life. Audit your life. What are you building? Is God's work at the center of your life or is it pushed to the margins? Number two, invest in God's mission. Invest in God's mission.

That can mean serving in ministry, supporting um church initiatives that we have, simply being more engaged in just the disciplehip and evangelism of the people in your life. And number three, take a step of faith. Zerubbabel led the people to act. They put down their personal projects and they got to work on God's house. Maybe God is calling you to step out whether in leadership, generosity, new area of ministry, or honestly maybe right now is taking a step in believing in Jesus for the first time. Because when you really look at considering your life, Jesus said one of the ways that they'll know that they are his disciples is by the way they live their lives.

By the way they love others. By the way that they put his mission first before their comfort of their lives. What's oriented in your life? If it's never been Jesus first and it's always been you first, maybe this is an opportunity for you to take a step of faith and lay your life down because he's already laid his life down for you. And for the first time right now, maybe you're thinking, you know what? You're right.

I've been confused and I'm starting to have clarity. I believe Jesus is calling me. I believe he is restoring me to a relationship with the father. I believe he did live a perfect life that I cannot live. I now see that. I believe that he died the death that I deserved because I could not live a perfect life and I deserve death.

But instead, he substituted himself and he died in my place. And because God's wrath towards him and not you was satisfied, Jesus rose three days later, guaranteeing for each one of us who believe in Jesus that we will also be raised from death to life and get to have it abundant. Maybe it's time for you to take a step of faith and believe what Jesus has done for you. Just as Zerubbabel led a generation to rebuild, we are called to build today. Not just church buildings, but people, communities, and a movement that honors God because we are advancing the gospel, which brings him glory because it brings people home. It brings them home.

I'm going to invite the band up as we come to this time of communion. I want us to do that simple thing. I say simple, it's it's it's hard work, but I want us to consider our ways. Consider your ways. Think about your life. I'd love for you this week to get a journal Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday.

And because it's going to be really hard to just, you know, audit it out minute by minute, hour by hour, I want you to do it in two blocks, morning and evening. And just look at your life and just jot dot jot down a few bullet points of how you spent those those blocks. Start considering your ways. How are we spending our life? Does it reflect seek first the kingdom of God and all these things will be provided for you? Or does it reflect seek first what you will eat and what you will drink and what you will wear and what you will do and what you will play and what you will watch and what you will read and all that stuff.

And then at some point you schedule when you're going to have time with the Lord and hope that all his righteousness comes to us. I want you to audit your life. Consider your ways. Would you go and stand with me as you are considering your ways? As you are thinking about it right now, just just generally thinking about your life in this last week, I just want you to also be encouraged. Again, increasing of faith.

I want you to be encouraged that he disciplines those whom he loves. When we think about our lives, it's going to be easy for us to think that I'm not praying enough. I'm not reading enough. I'm not sharing the gospel enough. I'm not I'm not seeking first the kingdom of God enough. I'm not I'm not I'm not Guys, he loves you.

He loves you. He loves you. And what we represent in this meal is his love for you. While we were still sinners, Christ died for the ungodly, the ungodly, he demonstrates his love for us in this way that while we are unrighteous, he breaks his body and sheds his blood so that we would be forgiven of our sins. And so as you consider your ways, don't let it become a woe is me to the point of despair. But let it be I was confused and Lord I confess that and I bring it to you because you have already paid my penalty for me and you have brought me out of that despair.

You've brought me out of that domain of darkness. You brought me out of that um confusion and you've already transferred me to the kingdom of the beloved son. You already have adopted me and brought me home. You love me. You cherish me. Thank you so much for what you've provided for me.

All because of the work of your son Jesus who broke his body and shed his blood. So rest in that and thank Jesus for that. So let's consider our ways. Let's confess and let's rest in the work of Jesus and all that he has accomplished.