THE VALUE OF PRAISE: REJOICE OR WEEP?

Sermon Notes, July 21, 2013

Pastor Jan Sinozich

 

            Pastor Jan’s sermon, titled “The Value of Praise: Rejoice or Weep?” was based on Ezra 3:1-13.  It could be summarized ‘It is better to rejoice over what you have than to weep over what you used to have.’

            The people of Israel have been in captivity in Babylon for 50 years.  Everything in Jerusalem has been destroyed; everything of value taken by the enemy, including the ‘best and brightest’ of the youth.  The people of God are close to obliteration.  Now, thanks to the Medes and Persians conquering Babylon, they are being allowed to return to Jerusalem.  Israel is safe—for now.  Her identity is being recovered.

            In verses 1-6 the people gather in Jerusalem to rebuild the altar, in order to offer burnt offerings morning and evening, and celebrate festivals, ceremonies and special offerings.  In verses 7-9, the masons and carpenters re-lay the foundation of the temple, building on the ruins of Solomon’s temple. In verses 10-13 they rejoiced in praise.  Many who had seen the temple before its destruction wept.  Their joy and weeping were mixed: the young folks cheered because the temple was being rebuilt, and the old folks remembered the glory of the previous temple and wept.  They were disappointed.

            If our expectations and assumptions are not met, we are disappointed. Wrong expectations lead to disappointment, and disappointment leads to despair.  If we are ever to overcome this sort of disappointment and despair, we must do what the nation of Israel did in Ezra 3.  

Rebuild the altar—get a new focus.  The people wanted to worship before they had a temple in which to worship.  Worship comes first: out of the rubble of their disobedience their first move was to make sure they were good with God.  To overcome disappointment we need to re-establish our relationship with Him.

Re-lay the foundation—a new obedience.  They committed to follow the Lord in the details Moses left in the law; they went back to the basics.  They re-laid the foundation in spite of the enemies all around them.  It takes courage to stand against a hostile world.  To overcome disappointment we need to get to work and STAND against hostility.

Rejoice—a new praise.  Once the foundation was laid, they stopped to give thanks to God: united, public praise.  They didn’t wait until it was finished, they praised NOW.  To overcome disappointment, we need to praise God.

Praise is a choice.  It is not dependent on feelings or circumstances.  We need to praise in good times and in bad times.  There are no shortcuts to spiritual maturity.  It is better to rejoice over what you have than to weep over what you used to have.