WEBVTT 00:00:01.919 --> 00:00:05.040 We are in Ezra chapter 4 this morning. 00:00:05.360 --> 00:00:12.000 This is a unique passage of scripture because it's it kind of chops up the narrative a little bit. 00:00:12.240 --> 00:00:17.199 So I'm going to read through it kind of in chunks as we go, but it is about opposition. 00:00:17.679 --> 00:00:26.879 And in chapter 4, we'll find three different times or three different scenarios where there are people opposing God's people. 00:00:27.760 --> 00:00:29.280 I don't know about your life. 00:00:29.440 --> 00:00:36.399 If you face a lot of opposition, we would know that we're not living in this day and age. 00:00:36.479 --> 00:00:38.479 We're not exiles from Babylon. 00:00:38.640 --> 00:00:48.079 And to be honest, most of us have not faced the kind of opposition that we're going to read about this morning from governments, from rulers, from kings. 00:00:49.039 --> 00:00:53.280 But yet we do face opposition as followers of Jesus Christ. 00:00:53.439 --> 00:00:59.200 And it's good to know because the world is following the way of the enemy. 00:00:59.439 --> 00:01:04.159 First John says that all the world is under the sway of the evil one. 00:01:04.319 --> 00:01:10.959 And so they are under the sway of the one who is against God and against his people. 00:01:11.920 --> 00:01:16.480 So we'll see about this opposition facing those who come out of exile. 00:01:16.879 --> 00:01:26.239 We'll see that there's obedience to God and why we as believers are to be obedient to God in the midst of opposition. 00:01:28.000 --> 00:01:32.159 We learn that there's opposition coming from different areas. 00:01:32.400 --> 00:01:37.760 Some of it's near, some of it's far, some of it's kind of a long-term opposition. 00:01:38.480 --> 00:01:45.599 Next week in chapter 5, we'll learn about opposition that comes from within, but in chapter 4, it's from without. 00:02:11.759 --> 00:02:13.759 Adversaries in this life. 00:02:14.080 --> 00:02:15.439 We're promised that. 00:02:15.759 --> 00:02:16.719 Difficulties. 00:02:17.039 --> 00:02:26.080 Now the difficulties facing Zerubbabel and Jeshua in chapter 4, chapter 3 and 4, again, they're not the same ones we're facing. 00:02:26.319 --> 00:02:29.039 But we must learn from God's word. 00:02:29.439 --> 00:02:32.960 As we open God's word, what is it that it's going to teach us? 00:02:33.120 --> 00:02:37.919 What is it trying to show us about God and how we are to follow Him? 00:02:38.960 --> 00:02:44.400 The first thing we learn about the sources of opposition, the sources of opposition. 00:02:44.560 --> 00:02:48.639 Look at me in verses 1 through 5. 00:02:51.919 --> 00:03:14.319 Now when the adver when the adversaries of Judah and Benjamin heard that they returned, that the returned exiles were building a temple to the Lord, the God of Israel, they approached Zerubbabel and the heads of the fathers' houses, and said to them, Let us build with you, for we worship your God as you do. 00:03:14.479 --> 00:03:22.240 And we have been sacrificing to him ever since the days of Ezarodon, King of Assyria, who brought us here. 00:03:22.639 --> 00:03:37.439 But Zerubbabel and Jeshua and the rest of the heads of the fathers' houses in Israel said to them, You have nothing to do with us in building a house to our God, but we alone will build to the Lord, the God of Israel, the king of Syria. 00:03:38.240 --> 00:03:42.479 Excuse me, as King Cyrus, the king of Persia, has commanded us. 00:03:43.759 --> 00:04:00.159 Then the people of the land discouraged the people of Judah and made them afraid to build, and bribed counselors against them to frustrate their purposes all the days of King Cyrus, King of Persia, even until the reign of Darius, King of Persia. 00:04:00.400 --> 00:04:04.560 So that's the first, this is the first glimpse of opposition. 00:04:05.199 --> 00:04:07.439 Coming right off the heels of chapter 3. 00:04:07.599 --> 00:04:08.960 Remember, they built the altar. 00:04:09.039 --> 00:04:14.000 This is two years after they returned, they built the altar and they set the cornerstone for the temple. 00:04:14.240 --> 00:04:20.399 This is God's people coming back to their land to worship the God, their God. 00:04:20.560 --> 00:04:24.720 They're coming back to worship him as he has commanded them. 00:04:25.040 --> 00:04:34.240 He's provided for them, he's sustained them, he's brought them out of exile, which remember, this was the Lord disciplining them when he took them into exile. 00:04:34.480 --> 00:04:35.839 He's brought them back. 00:04:36.639 --> 00:04:43.519 He's working to, he's faithful to renew their faith and to restore their faith. 00:04:44.079 --> 00:04:46.319 And then this opposition comes. 00:04:46.560 --> 00:04:47.680 People of the land. 00:04:47.839 --> 00:04:53.759 Now these were people who were from the area who were Hebrew descendants, some of them. 00:04:54.000 --> 00:04:58.000 Some of them would have come from the 12 tribes of Israel. 00:04:58.240 --> 00:05:00.000 But they did not get carried off. 00:05:00.240 --> 00:05:14.160 They were had lived there, and then at the same time the Persian kingdom's bringing in all these other captives, and they're kind of intermingling, and they're starting to lay the foundation, and they come to them and say, hey, you know, we we can we can help with this. 00:05:14.319 --> 00:05:15.040 Let us help. 00:05:15.199 --> 00:05:17.439 Well, we worship your God as well. 00:05:17.920 --> 00:05:22.160 To which the leaders say, no, thank you. 00:05:22.399 --> 00:05:23.199 No, thank you. 00:05:23.360 --> 00:05:29.199 They claim to worship God, but quickly it was proven that they did not worship the Lord. 00:05:30.079 --> 00:05:36.560 Now we see this a lot in our lives when we're interacting with people, and they're like, Yeah, that's a great thing. 00:05:36.959 --> 00:05:38.160 Let's do that together. 00:05:38.399 --> 00:05:39.680 I'm a Christian. 00:05:39.920 --> 00:05:43.600 I'm a yeah, I've Jesus, I'm there with Jesus. 00:05:44.160 --> 00:05:44.480 Really? 00:05:44.639 --> 00:05:46.800 Okay, who is Jesus to you? 00:05:47.439 --> 00:05:50.160 Oh, well, Jesus, he's a great teacher. 00:05:50.399 --> 00:05:54.720 You know, he he lived a great life, he did a lot of good things, and we're so grateful for his teachings. 00:05:54.800 --> 00:05:57.360 And man, what a guy, what a guy. 00:05:58.000 --> 00:06:00.560 It's not it's not the Jesus of the Bible. 00:06:01.759 --> 00:06:06.160 You talk to some people, and they're like, yeah, yeah, you know, I'm I'm I grew up in a Christian home. 00:06:06.319 --> 00:06:11.279 I'm I've lived a good life, and and I want to help kind of you guys seem like you're doing a good thing here. 00:06:11.439 --> 00:06:13.759 Let us let's do this together. 00:06:14.240 --> 00:06:18.240 But does their heart desire to worship the Lord? 00:06:19.439 --> 00:06:21.439 The God of the Bible? 00:06:21.839 --> 00:06:25.839 Well, it's quickly revealed because the response is, hey, no, thank you. 00:06:26.079 --> 00:06:32.720 We're gonna do this because God has commanded us to do this, and the king of Persia has told us to do this as well, so we appreciate it. 00:06:33.279 --> 00:06:36.720 And what they do, they begin to turn on them. 00:06:37.279 --> 00:06:42.000 They claim to worship God, but they showed by their actions that they did not worship him. 00:06:42.240 --> 00:06:45.360 Because they they start frustrating their efforts. 00:06:46.480 --> 00:06:50.959 Now, now, how quickly these people go from kind of friend to enemy. 00:06:51.680 --> 00:06:59.279 Now, as Ezra is writing this, he you know, he's writing this from a gap of many decades, so he kind of knows how the story goes. 00:06:59.600 --> 00:07:07.519 But oftentimes in our life, opposition comes from places that we did not expect it. 00:07:08.639 --> 00:07:10.240 Now we want to be careful here. 00:07:10.480 --> 00:07:15.600 What scripture is talking about is the opposition of believers and unbelievers. 00:07:16.879 --> 00:07:29.519 But if you're a follower of Jesus Christ and you go through your life, there's often times when you interact with family or friends, people around you, and they're just kind of opposed to what you're doing. 00:07:29.839 --> 00:07:31.360 Slight comments. 00:07:32.560 --> 00:07:36.319 Little little comments about your faith, or do you really believe that? 00:07:37.040 --> 00:07:38.160 They're opposing you. 00:07:38.319 --> 00:07:44.959 Now they're not coming trying to cease your existence and take your life and take your livelihood. 00:07:45.199 --> 00:07:48.639 But there's opposition we face that is that is near us. 00:07:49.040 --> 00:07:52.240 People in the same community, people like us. 00:07:53.360 --> 00:07:56.160 We just assume you're like me, you know, you're from this area. 00:07:56.319 --> 00:07:58.399 Surely we have a lot in common. 00:07:58.879 --> 00:08:16.480 I heard a pastor say one time that as Christians, we should have more in common with people who live 4,000 years, 4,000 miles away or 10,000 miles away, have never spoken our language, have never eaten our food, but they're followers of Jesus Christ. 00:08:16.800 --> 00:08:22.959 More in common with them than with our neighbor who does not know Jesus Christ. 00:08:23.199 --> 00:08:27.839 Now that's a bit of a big statement because we're all shaped by the culture around us. 00:08:28.000 --> 00:08:35.120 But what he's getting at is the thing that makes us believers is the most important thing about us. 00:08:36.000 --> 00:08:44.559 And if we're gonna follow the Lord faithfully, there are gonna be people in our lives who are opposed to that. 00:08:45.039 --> 00:08:47.759 Sometimes their opposition is just indifference. 00:08:48.000 --> 00:08:49.679 Hey, that's what you're doing, fine. 00:08:49.759 --> 00:08:53.440 Just don't drag me along and kind of just let me be. 00:08:53.600 --> 00:08:56.159 They kind of sever relationship with you. 00:08:56.399 --> 00:09:00.320 There are people who are near who oppose us actively. 00:09:00.559 --> 00:09:06.639 They're trying to convince us out of what we're saying or shaming us to believe other things. 00:09:07.600 --> 00:09:10.480 The opposition is often near. 00:09:11.279 --> 00:09:12.559 It's difficult. 00:09:12.879 --> 00:09:15.519 It's hard to navigate that with our heart. 00:09:15.759 --> 00:09:20.399 It's hard to keep those relationships going with people who are opposed. 00:09:21.360 --> 00:09:25.440 And then there's opposition over long periods of time. 00:09:25.759 --> 00:09:27.919 Look with me in verse 6. 00:09:31.200 --> 00:09:39.840 In the reign of Hazarus, in the beginning of his reign, they wrote an accusation against the inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem. 00:09:40.159 --> 00:09:47.279 Now, so this is the second accusation, the second kind of situation of opposition. 00:09:47.919 --> 00:09:51.120 So the first one, they antagonized them. 00:09:51.519 --> 00:09:56.399 They kind of begin to defeat them and discourage them. 00:09:56.799 --> 00:09:59.120 And here we have another picture, years later. 00:09:59.279 --> 00:10:02.240 So I just want to kind of put a little bit of timeline here. 00:10:03.200 --> 00:10:08.799 At the end of verse five, the people stopped rebuilding the temple. 00:10:10.080 --> 00:10:12.399 And it takes them years to finish the temple. 00:10:12.480 --> 00:10:15.200 It takes them almost 16 years. 00:10:15.679 --> 00:10:21.360 Now we're going to talk about that in chapter 5, about why it took them so long, why they stopped the work. 00:10:21.600 --> 00:10:24.559 But here in verse 6, the temple is done. 00:10:24.720 --> 00:10:30.080 That's been several years ago, at least 30. 00:10:30.639 --> 00:10:32.159 And there's opposition again. 00:10:32.320 --> 00:10:34.639 They write to the to the new king. 00:10:35.200 --> 00:10:36.879 This is Xerxes as well. 00:10:36.960 --> 00:10:40.320 This is the king who was king during Esther. 00:10:41.519 --> 00:10:46.399 And the adversaries are writing to oppose the work of God. 00:10:47.039 --> 00:10:53.039 And so we see this long period of opposition for God's people. 00:10:53.279 --> 00:10:57.279 I mean, they've been in captivity for 70 years. 00:10:57.919 --> 00:11:02.080 All this time they've been working and preparing to come back to the promised land. 00:11:02.159 --> 00:11:08.559 And they come back and they're excited and they want to worship the Lord and they made it and they start and then there's opposition. 00:11:08.720 --> 00:11:10.799 It's like they can't catch a break. 00:11:10.960 --> 00:11:16.480 Like, when does God gonna kind of let up and just let it be successful for once? 00:11:17.279 --> 00:11:20.000 How discouraged do you think they felt? 00:11:20.240 --> 00:11:23.360 Years and years of opposition. 00:11:26.080 --> 00:11:29.039 Opposition can take a very long time. 00:11:30.159 --> 00:11:43.200 As believers and followers of Christ, we, again, in our culture here in America, we're not facing a lot of opposition from the government or outside authorities. 00:11:43.600 --> 00:11:54.080 We're getting more and more opposition from just pop culture, the the world around us, what people are wanting is becoming more and more polarized from us as Christians. 00:11:55.600 --> 00:11:57.759 The void is widening. 00:11:58.639 --> 00:12:09.039 But we are to be a patient people, knowing that as opposition comes, it can be around for a long period of time. 00:12:11.039 --> 00:12:12.480 A long period of time. 00:12:13.200 --> 00:12:20.000 The next chunk of scripture is in another 20 to 30 years. 00:12:20.240 --> 00:12:26.240 And they write to a different king, Artaxerxes, who was the son of Xerxes. 00:12:26.799 --> 00:12:28.080 And this is what they say. 00:12:28.320 --> 00:12:29.919 This is a long chunk. 00:12:31.039 --> 00:12:40.879 In the days of Artaxerxes, Bishlam and Methridath and Tabil and the rest of their associates wrote to Artaxerxes, king of Persia. 00:12:41.120 --> 00:12:43.759 The letter was written in Aramaic and translated. 00:12:44.000 --> 00:12:52.000 Rehum the commander and Shem Shai the scribe wrote against the Jerusalem wrote against Jerusalem to Artaxerxes the king as follows. 00:12:52.320 --> 00:13:15.840 Rehum the commander and Shemshai the scribe and the rest of their associates, the judges, the governors, the officials, the Persians, the men of Erik, and the Babylonians, the men of Susa, that is, the Imalites, and the rest of the nations whom the great and noble Osnaper deported and settled in the cities of Samaria, and in the rest of the province beyond the river. 00:13:16.080 --> 00:13:18.080 This is a copy of the letter they sent. 00:13:18.240 --> 00:13:19.919 They're just now getting to the letter. 00:13:20.799 --> 00:13:27.200 To Arta Xerxes the king, your servants, the men of the province beyond the river, send greeting. 00:13:27.360 --> 00:13:34.080 And now be it known to the king that the Jews who came up from you, from you to us have gone to Jerusalem. 00:13:34.240 --> 00:13:36.879 They are rebuilding that rebellious and wicked city. 00:13:37.039 --> 00:13:40.399 They are finishing the walls and repairing the foundations. 00:13:41.039 --> 00:13:52.240 Now be it known to the king that if this city is rebuilt and the walls finished, they will not pay tribute, custom, or toll, and the royal revenue will be impaired. 00:13:52.480 --> 00:14:07.200 Now, because we eat the salt of the palace, and it is not fitting for us to witness the king's dishonor, therefore we send and inform the king, in order that search may be made in the book of the records of your fathers. 00:14:07.360 --> 00:14:21.440 And you will find in the book of the records and learn that this city is a rebellious city, hurtful, and to kings and provinces and sanctions, and it was stirred, and sedition was stirred up in it from of old. 00:14:21.679 --> 00:14:24.879 That was why this city was laid waste. 00:14:25.679 --> 00:14:33.840 We made known to the king that if this city is rebuilt and its walls finished, you will have no possession in the province beyond the river. 00:14:34.240 --> 00:14:38.720 So here there's another letter, an extensive letter, written to the king. 00:14:39.200 --> 00:14:40.399 And it's ironic. 00:14:40.480 --> 00:14:43.679 They're just telling the king, they're not like, hey, king, we have some thoughts. 00:14:43.759 --> 00:14:46.080 They're just like, listen, this is manipulation. 00:14:46.320 --> 00:14:49.600 You know, if you don't take care of this, you're gonna suffer. 00:14:49.759 --> 00:14:52.159 If you don't take care of this, sedition is coming. 00:14:52.240 --> 00:14:54.240 And you're never gonna see a dime from these people. 00:14:54.480 --> 00:14:55.600 I've worked with these people before. 00:14:56.000 --> 00:14:57.840 You take my word, this is what you need to do. 00:14:58.000 --> 00:15:04.960 You need to go get the records, you need to read up, do your homework, and then you can do the right thing, because the right thing is to stop all this. 00:15:06.000 --> 00:15:13.279 And this is the opposition, again, years, years, years later, that God's people are facing. 00:15:14.080 --> 00:15:15.679 They're struggling. 00:15:16.000 --> 00:15:17.759 Lord, did you bring us here? 00:15:18.240 --> 00:15:24.879 Lord, did you did you bring us here to obey you or to suffer under more opposition? 00:15:26.480 --> 00:15:27.279 Think about this. 00:15:27.440 --> 00:15:35.200 Remember the end of chapter 3 when half the congregation is excited and they've laid the cornerstone and then half of them are weeping? 00:15:37.759 --> 00:15:39.039 This is Jerusalem. 00:15:39.200 --> 00:15:40.879 This is the city of Solomon. 00:15:41.039 --> 00:15:49.360 This is a glorious place for God's people, laid waste, and they're coming back just to rebuild their city. 00:15:49.759 --> 00:15:58.960 They're not conquering nations, they're not attacking the Philistines, they're not extending their province, they're like not even flexing their muscles at all. 00:15:59.600 --> 00:16:01.120 And there's oppression. 00:16:01.440 --> 00:16:08.240 The humility, the humbling that is continuing on for God's people. 00:16:09.759 --> 00:16:17.840 So, likewise, as we talked, we began this story of Ezra, how God restores and he renews. 00:16:18.080 --> 00:16:21.600 And we have one little view of our life. 00:16:21.759 --> 00:16:22.559 It's like this. 00:16:22.799 --> 00:16:25.039 And God, He sees it all. 00:16:25.279 --> 00:16:29.200 He sees the things He's using for our good, the blessings, everything in our life. 00:16:29.440 --> 00:16:30.240 He sees. 00:16:30.399 --> 00:16:33.039 And we just get this little perspective. 00:16:33.360 --> 00:16:34.720 God, what are you doing? 00:16:34.960 --> 00:16:35.919 Where are you? 00:16:36.080 --> 00:16:37.679 How is this your plan? 00:16:38.720 --> 00:16:41.120 When will this suffering end? 00:16:42.399 --> 00:16:44.799 The Lord sustains his people. 00:16:45.279 --> 00:16:51.759 There's opposition from those who are near, there's opposition for a long time, and there's opposition from those who are far away. 00:16:51.919 --> 00:16:54.000 This is the king's response. 00:16:54.080 --> 00:16:59.679 Arnold Xerxes responds to the to the letter in verse 17. 00:17:00.159 --> 00:17:09.839 The king sent an answer to Rehum the commander and Shemshe the scribe and the rest of their associates who live in Samaria and in the rest of the province beyond the river, greeting. 00:17:10.000 --> 00:17:14.400 And now the letter that you sent has been plainly read before me. 00:17:14.720 --> 00:17:33.519 And I made a decree, and search has been made, and it has been found that this city from of old has risen against kings, and that rebellion and sedition have been made in it, and mighty kings have been over Jerusalem, who ruled over the whole province beyond the river, to whom tribute and custom and toll were paid. 00:17:34.319 --> 00:17:43.359 Therefore make a decree that these men be made to cease, and that the city be not rebuilt, until a decree is made by me. 00:17:43.599 --> 00:17:46.240 And take care not to be slack in this matter. 00:17:46.400 --> 00:17:50.400 Why should damage grow to the hurt of the king? 00:17:50.720 --> 00:18:06.720 Then when the cup when the copy of King Artaxerxes' letters was read before Rehum and Shemsai the scribe and their associates, they went in haste to the Jews at Jerusalem, and by force and power made them cease. 00:18:07.440 --> 00:18:11.039 Then the work on the house of God that is in Jerusalem stopped. 00:18:11.200 --> 00:18:16.319 And it caused, and it ceased until the second year of the reign of Darius, king of Persia. 00:18:17.200 --> 00:18:21.839 So you have this opposition from this king far, far away. 00:18:22.400 --> 00:18:23.599 Doesn't know the place. 00:18:23.759 --> 00:18:24.799 He's never been there. 00:18:24.960 --> 00:18:26.720 Doesn't even care about these people. 00:18:26.960 --> 00:18:32.960 Now it's interesting, though, he shows a bit of wisdom in that he does not order the temple destroyed. 00:18:33.279 --> 00:18:35.839 He does not order the city destroyed. 00:18:36.319 --> 00:18:40.880 He says to cease working, have it stopped. 00:18:41.039 --> 00:18:49.599 Now we know, as we'll get to in a few chapters later, when Ezra comes, that Artaxerxes pretty much gives him full reign. 00:18:49.759 --> 00:18:52.559 He says, take what you need, have whatever you want. 00:18:52.720 --> 00:18:56.160 If you face opposition, let me know, it'll be taken care of. 00:18:56.880 --> 00:19:01.039 But right now, the work has ceased. 00:19:01.279 --> 00:19:05.599 Again, opposition against God's people. 00:19:08.240 --> 00:19:11.440 Those who do not fear the Lord. 00:19:12.720 --> 00:19:20.319 Those who do not call upon the Lord's name have no regard for his people. 00:19:20.960 --> 00:19:34.720 And so us in this day and age, we shouldn't be surprised when people who do not know God, do not love God, do not obey God, are against God's people and his ways and what he does. 00:19:35.599 --> 00:19:38.240 So these are the sources of opposition. 00:19:38.640 --> 00:19:42.559 And I want to look for a moment at the source of hope. 00:19:42.880 --> 00:19:46.880 Because again, we're not living in Jerusalem, we're not exiles back from Babylon. 00:19:46.960 --> 00:19:49.119 We're not under the old covenant. 00:19:49.359 --> 00:19:50.880 We're living here in Ohio. 00:19:51.119 --> 00:19:52.880 Most of us are Americans. 00:19:53.359 --> 00:19:56.079 We're God's people as Christians. 00:19:56.880 --> 00:20:00.720 And we are in a new covenant. 00:20:01.359 --> 00:20:06.160 Now, this covenant thing, this is not God's, this new covenant is not God's plan B. 00:20:06.480 --> 00:20:06.799 Right? 00:20:06.880 --> 00:20:09.599 He wasn't like, well, I tried the first one, didn't work. 00:20:09.680 --> 00:20:11.440 Let's try another one. 00:20:11.920 --> 00:20:13.440 That's not true at all. 00:20:13.759 --> 00:20:17.599 God has been saving his people from the start. 00:20:18.559 --> 00:20:22.640 His plan for saving his people is Jesus. 00:20:23.599 --> 00:20:24.960 We needed a savior. 00:20:25.279 --> 00:20:27.039 Jesus is that savior. 00:20:27.279 --> 00:20:28.559 We wanted to be in charge. 00:20:28.720 --> 00:20:37.039 We didn't want a king, but what we needed was a king to rule over us, for us to submit to. 00:20:37.599 --> 00:20:41.599 In the old covenant, God revealed the law. 00:20:42.720 --> 00:20:43.039 Sin. 00:20:43.599 --> 00:20:50.079 He revealed our inability to obey the law and thus our need for a savior. 00:20:50.319 --> 00:21:03.200 In the new covenant, Jesus, who is God, became that Savior, obeying the law for us, so that we can live and enjoy God's grace. 00:21:04.079 --> 00:21:05.920 So we can walk in grace. 00:21:06.079 --> 00:21:07.920 So that we're not dead to sin. 00:21:08.079 --> 00:21:14.880 We're not slaves to unrighteousness anymore because God has set us free from those things. 00:21:15.440 --> 00:21:20.400 So that's why we have a source of hope in the midst of opposition. 00:21:20.960 --> 00:21:25.279 Because obedience brings hope. 00:21:25.519 --> 00:21:29.599 So what's our response in the midst of opposition when things aren't going away? 00:21:29.759 --> 00:21:30.640 It's obedience. 00:21:30.799 --> 00:21:33.759 What does God call the people of Israel to? 00:21:34.000 --> 00:21:35.039 Obedience. 00:21:35.359 --> 00:21:38.079 See this in next week or a couple weeks in chapter 6. 00:21:38.160 --> 00:21:39.920 He calls us to obedience. 00:21:40.400 --> 00:21:42.960 This might not be the most encouraging thing in your life. 00:21:43.200 --> 00:21:50.880 If you're facing opposition, things are hard, difficult, work situations, maybe marital situations, this isn't encouraging. 00:21:51.039 --> 00:21:52.960 Well, you need to be obedient. 00:21:53.759 --> 00:21:56.079 But this is what God calls people to do. 00:21:56.240 --> 00:21:59.039 In Luke 10 28, Jesus said. 00:22:00.160 --> 00:22:06.319 Blessed are rather those who hear the word of God and keep it. 00:22:08.559 --> 00:22:14.319 Jesus said again in John 14, 23, if anyone loves me, he will keep my word. 00:22:15.039 --> 00:22:19.920 My father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. 00:22:20.640 --> 00:22:23.119 This is new covenant language. 00:22:23.440 --> 00:22:28.799 Christ honoring us honoring Christ, him redeeming us. 00:22:29.359 --> 00:22:34.960 But even back in Exodus, verses that these exiles would have known in Exodus 23. 00:22:36.000 --> 00:22:46.240 But if you are, if you carefully obey his voice, God, and do all that I say, then I will be an enemy to your enemies. 00:22:46.720 --> 00:22:49.359 An adversary to your adversaries. 00:22:50.559 --> 00:22:54.000 God commands his people to obey his voice. 00:22:54.319 --> 00:22:57.759 So obedience, you're going to feel like the thing we want to do. 00:22:58.000 --> 00:23:03.279 Obedience to God's word, obedience to what he's called us to do, brings hope. 00:23:03.599 --> 00:23:05.039 And this is why. 00:23:05.359 --> 00:23:10.880 Obeying your own desires will not get you anywhere. 00:23:11.200 --> 00:23:24.319 Just following what you want to do isn't gonna bring you hope, it's not gonna bring you encouragement, it's not gonna bring you fortitude, it's not gonna help you persevere, because you know, apart from Christ, our hope is empty. 00:23:24.960 --> 00:23:26.720 Without Christ, what's your hope? 00:23:26.960 --> 00:23:28.240 You're gonna make more money? 00:23:29.119 --> 00:23:34.400 You're gonna be, kids are gonna be well, and no one's gonna die, and there's gonna not be heartache. 00:23:35.039 --> 00:23:37.200 What is your hope without Christ? 00:23:37.839 --> 00:23:46.960 Just kind of things are okay and enough uh resources are there for you, and you you love your spouse enough, or you find some other spouse? 00:23:47.039 --> 00:23:49.839 Like there isn't any hope without Christ. 00:23:50.079 --> 00:23:59.039 And so if Christ is our hope, then obedience to Him is how we follow Him, how we embrace and enjoy that hope. 00:23:59.519 --> 00:24:02.000 Obedience brings hope. 00:24:02.400 --> 00:24:04.720 And hope brings patience. 00:24:04.960 --> 00:24:06.559 This is how we are to endure. 00:24:06.799 --> 00:24:08.559 Hope makes us patient. 00:24:09.839 --> 00:24:14.559 Because we know that the future belongs to God. 00:24:15.119 --> 00:24:21.680 Yes, there might still be weeks and decades of opposition and suffering for us. 00:24:21.920 --> 00:24:24.400 We might suffer for the rest of our life. 00:24:24.640 --> 00:24:34.720 Suffer from the powers outside of us, governmental things, we might have physical suffering, we might have suffering from a marriage or difficulties, all these different things. 00:24:36.000 --> 00:24:38.559 But God holds the future. 00:24:38.960 --> 00:24:45.279 How different is your response to your suffering when you know that your suffering, it's not just gonna end. 00:24:46.960 --> 00:24:54.079 It will end when Jesus Christ comes back, or when you die and you're with Jesus Christ forever. 00:24:54.240 --> 00:25:09.599 When every desire in your heart is fully satisfied, when every wrong that you've ever experienced or witnessed or thought of is erased, and there's no more death, there's no more pain, there's joy, absolute satisfaction. 00:25:10.319 --> 00:25:12.240 That is our hope. 00:25:12.640 --> 00:25:18.240 That's why we're obedient, and that's why we're hopeful as God's people. 00:25:19.920 --> 00:25:22.640 We still live in a fallen world. 00:25:22.960 --> 00:25:26.480 We know that this world will come to an end. 00:25:27.759 --> 00:25:32.079 Romans 12 2 says, rejoice in hope. 00:25:32.960 --> 00:25:38.640 Be patient in tribulation, constant in prayer. 00:25:39.119 --> 00:25:42.000 This is the command from Paul to the church. 00:25:42.319 --> 00:25:47.119 Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, and be constant in prayer. 00:25:47.440 --> 00:25:54.079 You want to know whatever opposition you're going through, it's opposition from outside, from inside, you're you're sick. 00:25:54.240 --> 00:25:55.440 What do you do with these things? 00:25:55.599 --> 00:26:00.079 Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation and be constant in prayer. 00:26:00.799 --> 00:26:02.799 Those are not easy things. 00:26:03.039 --> 00:26:06.640 I'm not here to tell you just do these three things, and life is good. 00:26:07.440 --> 00:26:08.160 It's really easy. 00:26:08.240 --> 00:26:11.759 You just gotta be patient, be hopeful, and pray a lot. 00:26:13.039 --> 00:26:14.799 But that is the call. 00:26:15.359 --> 00:26:16.960 That is the life. 00:26:18.000 --> 00:26:22.480 It's not uh confusing, it's very simple, but it's hard. 00:26:22.880 --> 00:26:25.599 That's why we need the body of Christ. 00:26:26.000 --> 00:26:33.680 That's why Paul's writing this to the church, as the church together do these things. 00:26:36.079 --> 00:26:37.839 And be still before the Lord. 00:26:37.920 --> 00:26:39.519 This is Psalm 37. 00:26:40.160 --> 00:26:41.920 Wait patiently for him. 00:26:42.960 --> 00:26:53.200 Fret not over yourselves, over the one who prospers in his way, over the man who carries out evil uh evil plans. 00:26:53.680 --> 00:26:56.480 Refrain from anger and forsake wrath. 00:26:56.720 --> 00:26:58.400 Fret not yourself. 00:26:58.720 --> 00:27:01.039 It tends only to evil. 00:27:01.359 --> 00:27:09.200 For evildoers shall be cut off, but those who wait for the Lord shall inherit the land. 00:27:09.599 --> 00:27:10.640 Praise God. 00:27:11.839 --> 00:27:18.400 As Christians, we are facing great opposition in the flesh and our sin. 00:27:18.559 --> 00:27:22.480 We're not facing great opposition from the government around us at this point. 00:27:22.799 --> 00:27:31.680 But if the last 2,000 years has taught the church anything, it's that it will face difficulty and hardship. 00:27:31.920 --> 00:27:35.200 We are not exempt from those things. 00:27:36.079 --> 00:27:43.680 But rather we should be praying and asking the Lord to prepare our hearts for when adversity comes. 00:27:45.119 --> 00:27:49.279 We would contend against those things in a way that glorifies him. 00:27:49.599 --> 00:28:02.960 That we wouldn't be content to just kind of keep to ourselves and make our problems as small as possible, because we're not we're not gonna say anything about Jesus, but that we be faithful to his word. 00:28:03.200 --> 00:28:05.759 We'd be faithful to worship him. 00:28:07.599 --> 00:28:08.960 There's a lot of opposition. 00:28:09.039 --> 00:28:15.920 There's sickness, there's death, there's brokenness, there's broken relationships, unexplained tragedies. 00:28:16.160 --> 00:28:20.640 But God has called us to endure, to be obedient, to suffer well. 00:28:21.440 --> 00:28:22.559 To suffer well. 00:28:30.319 --> 00:28:32.640 Why do I have this suffering and they have that suffering? 00:28:32.720 --> 00:28:34.240 I'd rather have their suffering. 00:28:34.559 --> 00:28:36.000 That's not fair. 00:28:36.799 --> 00:28:37.119 No. 00:28:37.920 --> 00:28:41.279 But to remember what Jesus said in John 16. 00:28:43.519 --> 00:28:50.000 I said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. 00:28:51.200 --> 00:29:03.279 Not in other things, not in your spouse, although you're grateful for a spouse, your kids, or your home, or your job, or anything. 00:29:04.559 --> 00:29:07.519 Peace is in Christ. 00:29:08.319 --> 00:29:11.119 In the world, tribulation. 00:29:11.599 --> 00:29:14.000 But take heart, Jesus says. 00:29:14.640 --> 00:29:19.279 God says, For I have overcome the world. 00:29:19.759 --> 00:29:20.960 Let's pray.