Knox, Port Carling & Zion, Torrance Presbyterian Charge

Sunday June 21, 2020

Message: Jesus, Re builder of Walls

Reverend Glynis Faith

Ezra 3:10-13  (New International Version)

10 When the builders laid the foundation of the temple of the LORD, the priests in their vestments and with trumpets, and the Levites (the sons of Asaph) with cymbals, took their places to praise the LORD, as prescribed by David king of Israel. 11 With praise and thanksgiving they sang to the LORD:

“He is good; his love toward Israel endures forever.”

And all the people gave a great shout of praise to the LORD, because the foundation of the house of the LORD was laid. 12 But many of the older priests and Levites and family heads, who had seen the former temple, wept aloud when they saw the foundation of this temple being laid, while many others shouted for joy. 13 No one could distinguish the sound of the shouts of joy from the sound of weeping, because the people made so much noise. And the sound was heard far away.

MESSAGE

Many people shouted for joy when the foundation of the new Temple was completed, but those who remembered the way it used to be wept aloud.

When the people returned from captivity the Temple lay in ruins. Completing the foundation was not easy feat. They did not have lifts and cranes and backhoes. The people cut and shaped and lifted and secured every single brick. Compared to what it had been when they arrived, this new foundation was something to shout for joy about.

But those who had seen the Temple in its glory days longed for what had been, which blinded them to what was to come. The completion of the foundation was the first step in moving forward – to once again entering the house of God and worshipping in community.

Now I must confess, this passage felt familiar this past week as the Sessions met to discuss reopening Knox and Zion for worship.

We are all excited about the day when we can join together in fellowship, and the Sessions are preparing a reopening plan to begin working towards that goal.

We realized, however, that worship is not going to look the same as it did in April and there is always a bit of sorrow associated with change.

That being said, I wonder what wonderful new direction God is preparing for us. What will worship look like in two months – six months – a year from now! I wonder what joyful new ways we will find to sing God’s praise and worship our risen Saviour and King. How will we welcome the Holy Spirit into our fellowship of believers and how will we serve one another in the ‘new normal.’

We don’t know! We can only imagine! One thing we do know, however, is that whatever seems fallen or broken right now, Christ will rebuild. That is what Christ does – He rebuilds – restores – gives new life to that which is broken.

Like Ezra, Jesus is the rebuilder of broken walls (and broken lives).

Here is a quick history lesson leading up to Ezra’s story and the passage we have just read:

During the reigns of kings Saul, David and Solomon the nation of Israel was united. Following Solomon’s reign, the kingdoms divided into Israel in the North and Judah in the South.

Over time the people drifted away from their covenant with God and they lived by their own set of laws. The further they drifted from their relationship with God, the further they drifted from His protective care.

Israel in the north was defeated and taken captive by the Assyrians. Later, Judah in the south was defeated and taken into captivity by the Babylonians. When Judah was defeated the Babylonian army destroyed the city of Jerusalem and left the Temple of God in ruins.

After a generation in captivity, the people of Judah are given permission to return to their homeland and rebuild the Temple.

Ezra led the people out of Babylon and back to Jerusalem. It is hard to imagine what it looked like, or how it felt to come to a place in ruin and call it home.

A generation had passed since the Temple was destroyed, so most of the people who returned would never have known the Temple of God king Solomon had built. I can imagine there were some who gave serious thought to turning around and going back to Babylon.

Somehow Ezra motivated the people. He reintroduced them to the Books of Moses and he called for a strict observance of the Laws. On more than one occasion Ezra and the people faced opposition and challenges to rebuilding, but Ezra was faithful and trusted God, and despite the challenges they faced, the Temple was rebuilt and the people could once again come together as the children of God to worship and serve together.

We here at Knox and Zion look forward to the day when we can gather together in community to worship, but for now, we have been provided opportunities to worship in this new way.

There will be changes when we gather again – no hymn books or bulletins, no congregational singing – no sharing the peace – and no passing of collection plates - - - at least, not for now.

It is hard to imagine what worship is going to look like. It is going to be different, and I am sure we will miss the things we have grown comfortable with. It will also be wonderful as we find new ways to praise and honour God. There will be both tears and  shouts of joy, as the Holy Spirit shapes us and how we worship.

Friends, Jesus has a plan for us and He is already building us up and preparing us for whatever lies ahead.

Whatever is broken, Jesus will rebuild. Jesus rebuilt the lives of the 10 lepers by restoring their flesh. He gave the blind sight and to the deaf He gave hearing. To the woman caught in adultery He gave dignity and to the woman at the well He gave hope. Jesus took 12 average men and built the early church, He took a Cross and built it into a bridge to return sinners back to God.

It may seem like what we have been left to worship with pales in comparison to what we had, but I have every confidence that Jesus will take our faithfulness and build it into new and wonderful ways of worshipping.

To God be the Glory, forever. AMEN