Repentance with Action

Rebuilding by Faith

Ezra 10^[1]

As preached at Rolling Hills Church on Sunday, November 11^th, 2012

This book is about Rebuilding by Faith. Rebuilding the foundation of faith, obedience, and worship that God's people had torn down at great cost! Rebuilding by hearing God, trusting Him, and obeying Him. Here's what we've seen so far…

You can't rebuild until you go back. So they were sent, by God through Cyrus, home.

You can't rebuild when you fear local officials more than God. Work had ceased; but they heard the prophets, got back to work and finished the temple.

You can't rebuild when you forget what God has done for you. So they celebrated the Passover for the first time in over a century.

You can't rebuild rightly when you don't know law. So Ezra went to teach it.

Last week in chapter nine we saw that you can't rebuild when you're hiding this nasty secret – and it's sin. So they were confronted with it, and that's where we come to today. Let's read chapter 10 of Ezra, the final chapter of this book (EZRA 10 from pulpit bible).

1-15 Repentance with Attitude

1-5 Confession with a Covenant

6-8 Call with Consequences

9-15 Conditions Concurred With – Mostly

16-44 Repentance with Action

16-19 Unbelievers put away, offerings offered

20-44 Names named

You know you're broken over sin when…

You initiate change and encourage your leaders to lead it.

You're public in your acknowledgement and merciless in your obedience.

·      Public tears. Public naming of sin. V 2, v 10 'Broken faith with our God', v 10, 19 'guilt'

·      Public call for a covenant with God.

·      Public gathering to purge the sin from God's people.

·      Public officials legislating the end of marriages, public list of names.

No more hiding, vagueness, bartering over consequences, justifying, etc.

You're diligent in your action. It isn't just started, it's finished. Remember Zaccheus in the New Testament? Luke 19:8 "And Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, "Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor. And if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I restore it fourfold." Repentance intended is one thing; carried out is another, a better thing.

You're thorough in your obedience.

You suffer the consequences - Marriages broken, lives ruined – the costs were high – in full confidence that God's mercy will prevail even in these actions. The cost is easier than God's wrath.

What are the benefits of such humility, brokenness, and repentance with action?

Rebuilding by faith requires obedience, even at great cost.

Joy of repentance is gained for God's people.  Long ago a teacher in a school for the deaf and mute asked his students: "Which is the most delightful emotion?" Eventually as they turned their slates to him, he read, "joy", "hope", "gratitude", "love", and then surprisingly, "repentance".  The girl who had written that had such a peace on her countenance! He asked her why it was the most delightful, and she signed back, "It is so delightful to be humbled before God!"[2]

Families are families of faith. The deepest part of their beings – the spiritual, eternal parts – were now in unity! There was no more religious discord in the homes.

 Now let's go back to one verse here, v 19. They pledge themselves to put away their wives, and their guilt offering was a ram of the flock for their guilt. What is the difference between what they had to do and what we have to do?

Much is the same. Brokenness over sin, confession, repentance, humility, action. But when it comes to offering sacrifices to appease God's wrath – that's where the difference is.

You see, God sent His Son to the cross. There, my burdened soul found liberty.

Finally. Let's consider, church family, that we are to engage in HOLY MATRIMONY. Along with other words I said last week that we've lost, this is a phrase we do well to revive. Holy Matrimony. Marriage is from God, and we are set apart to God as holy people, so we should only engage in holy marriage to holy people. Easier to do obey than to have to repent and untangle such a mess as they had, don't you agree?

 

Repentance. Repentance with Action. Let's pray. 

---

[1] All Scriptures, unless otherwise noted, are taken from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version, (via E-Sword Software) © 2001 Crossway Publishing. All Rights Reserved. I paste them in red for distinction.

[2] Foster, Elon. 6000 Sermon Illustrations. Grand Rapids, Baker Book House, 1992, pg 554.