— Welcome everyone to 2024,

— We have a lot to do here at First Baptist this year.

— The theme through these two Old Testament books, Ezra & Nehemiah is “Restore, Rebuild and Renew.”

== This will be our theme in 2024.

— This is not a “me and I” but a “us and we” perspective.

— Our focus and our Mission statement will re-invest in us as in our church, in our community and in our world.

== Here is that scripture

Acts 2:42 (ESV)

42 And they DEVOTED themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.

== “they devoted themselves,”

== They “sold themselves out”

== This was not a once a month passive attendance at a Sunday service.

== This was not a walk into a building, continually being fed and fed and not passing it along to a sick and dying world.

== These people where 100% sold out to the Gospel.

Question… Are you 100% “devoted” to the Gospel and to Jesus?

== Not just in your head… But in your heart and in your hands.

== That word “devoted” is an action word… you can say “your devoted” but can you show me that you are “devoted?”

What were we instructed to be “devoted to?”

== The Apostle’s teaching!! How do we know what the Apostle taught, It’s in the Bible…

== In that regard… beginning next Sunday Morning Adult Education will begin at 830AM.

== We are going to be looking at this Book… “Know What You Believe”

== I or one of our teachers or other Elders will be leading a discussion each week, about the varies foundational Apostolic teaching.

== Men’s Bible Study will begin with a Saturday morning breakfast. This education and fellowship ministry will be lead by Joe Merry and Jim Slinker, two of our Elders candidates for next year.

== Our Children’s Church is lead by, Cis Kennard and her team. Cis is also a Elder Candidate.

== If you are looking for a place to serve please contact Cis.

== Our next command concerns “Fellowship”

Acts 2:42 (ESV)

42 And they DEVOTED themselves to the apostles’ teaching and THE FELLOWSHIP, to the BREAKING OF BREAD and the PRAYERS.

== The First century Christians were under constant pressure

== The feared Rome, the pharisee’s, the saduccees, those people who condemned and doubted them

== In spite of all of that…

They “devoted” themselves to be in “Fellowship”

== Why would we want or care about fellowship with each other?

== In fellowship, we build each other up.

== We offer protection to each other

== We offer wisdom, advice, and perspective to brothers and sisters

== There are NO Lone Ranger Christians… We need good, solid relationships and fellowship.

== Fellowship with others offers us protection and separation from the world, allowing us to Return, Restore and Renew

Are you committed to “Fellowship”with other believers?

== Here are some opportunities for 2024

== Each Wednesday at 10AM we will meet at “Holy Pies” here in Sunnyside.

== For Java, or Juice and always Jesus

== For those who cannot attend during the morning, we will have an evening meal together at a local restaurant or if someone would like to host a night, on the 3rd Thursday night at 6PM.

== On Communion Sundays we will forgo our “greeting time” during the service and instead have a time of Fellowship and a snack or two right after church.

They devoted themselves to the “breaking of bread.”

== A couple of meanings here

== The “breaking of bread” Is Celebrating communion!

== The other is just hanging out and eating together.

THE MOST IMPORTANT “ask” is placed last… “Prayers”

Acts 2:42 (ESV)42 And they DEVOTED themselves to the apostles’ teaching and THE FELLOWSHIP, to the BREAKING OF BREAD and the PRAYERS.

== When was the last time that you asked for prayer for a specific situation?

== When was the last time to specifically prayed for a situation, person, or a specific need?

== Your Elder candidates for next year… Joe Merry, Jim Slinker, Nora McBride and Cis Kennard have committed as a part of their responsibilities to pray 2-3 times per week for needs of the church body.

== We will return to meeting for all church prayer… Tuesdays at 11AM. and the 2nd Thursday night of each month at 7PM.

This is snapshot of our “Return, Restore & Renew” opportunities for next year.

== First and foremost… this is an opportunity to “Return, Restore, and Renew our, your relationship with the Lord…

== Letting Him into your life, your pain, your suffering, your victories, your dreams, your wants and needs

== Encouraging Fellowship and developing long term relationships with Christ as the center.

== Myself, along with our Elders for next year are deeply committed to continually review and measure successes and adjust ministry throughout 2024 and beyond.

Our “Return, Restore and Renewal” Foundations

— We are ALL in need of a re-do… everyone of us.

== Over the next couple of months my challenge to you is this… Read these books, Ezra and Nehemiah, question what you are reading, engage others in the places where you are lacking in understanding.

Ezra & Nehemiah - “Return, Restore & Renew”

== Our message today is an introduction to the next 9-10 weeks..

== We can learn a great deal from those that have went this path before.

== An open question If you will… Are we just listening to the words or are we taking a step back, asking ourselves some difficult questions?

== I have 3 points and some application for God’s message today.

== This is where the outline on the back on the bulletin starts.

== Here are those points and application for today.

“Return, Restore & Renew”

Restore the power in Christ's Redemption.

Return to God's Word Incarnate - Jesus Christ:

‌‌Renew Leadership Modeled after Christ's Example

———-———

Point #1 There is Restoration in Christ's Redemption:

==Ezra and Nehemiah's work in restoring Jerusalem can be viewed as a precursor, as a foreshadowing of the restoration brought about by Christ's redemptive sacrifice.

== There are a couple of scripture passages I want to take a quick look at

Ezra 1:2–4 (ESV)

2 “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 [God] a house [Temple] at Jerusalem, which is in Judah.

3 Whoever is among you of all his people [captives in Babylon] , may his God be with him, and let him go up to Jerusalem, which is in Judah, and rebuild the house [The Temple] of the Lord, the God of Israel—he is the God who is in Jerusalem.

4 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, besides freewill offerings for the house of God that is in Jerusalem.”

——————

== Just a couple of comments

==Cyrus a pagan King, was directed by the Holy Spirit.

== He was acting as a direct agent of God as he was going to equip the Jews to return, restore and renew Jerusalem.

== LET THE PEOPLE RETURN TO JERUSALEM!

== But there were problems in Jerusalem

Nehemiah 2:17–18 (ESV)

17 Then I said to them, “You see the trouble we are in, how Jerusalem lies in ruins with its gates burned. Come, let us build the wall of Jerusalem, that we may no longer suffer derision” [suffer taunting].

18 And I told them of the hand of my God that had been upon me for good, and also of the words that the king had spoken to me. And they said, “Let us rise up and build.” So they strengthened their hands for the good work.

== Nehemiah was able to discern the proper time to present the building project, and he knew how to motivate the leaders and the people.

== He used four incentives:

(1) He identified with the people; he spoke of “the trouble we are in.”

(2) He stressed the seriousness of the situation. A leader must be realistic and honestly assess the facts. People will have confidence in such a leader.

(3) Nehemiah was committed to taking definite action.

(4) He used his personal testimony of God’s grace to assure them of God’s favor on the project.

“A Christian leader must encourage trust in God by leading in faith as well as in action.”

== Application: Just as Ezra and Nehemiah worked to rebuild a city, Christ works to restore and renew our lives through His redemptive love.

== Our hope in restoration is grounded in His ultimate plan for reconciliation among all who call on the Name of the Lord.

Point #2 Return to God's Word Incarnate - Jesus Christ:

==Ezra's emphasis on the importance of God's law finds its fulfillment in Jesus Christ.

== We must acknowledge the living Word of God, Jesus Christ.

== Christ’s words… they should form the basis on which we live and breath

== So we MUST know those “words,” His Word!

== I’m not sure that we have learned it, even after encountering Christ, watching in awe, his power and purpose, knowing his plan, by knowing His word.

Ezra 7:10 ESV

10 For Ezra had set his heart to study the Law of the Lord, and to do it and to teach his statutes and rules in Israel.

== Why was Ezra so committed? God had made him a leader and an agent of return from captivity

== These “words,” His words should drive our collective Return, Restore and Renewal to our lives.

Hebrews 4:12 ESV

12 For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.

Application: As Ezra called the people back to God's law,

== Christ calls us to Himself as the embodiment of God's Word.

== Our lives find true meaning and purpose when centered on Him.

Point #3 Leadership Modeled after Christ's Example:

Nehemiah's leadership qualities, such as perseverance and faith, mirror the example set by Jesus Christ.

== His faith was ROCK SOLID!!

Nehemiah 2:20 ESV

20 Then I replied to them, “The God of heaven will make us prosper, and we his servants will arise and build, but you have no portion or right or claim in Jerusalem.”

Application: Nehemiah's leadership serves as a reminder of Christ's leadership in our lives.

== Just as Nehemiah persevered through challenges,

== Christ provides strength for us to endure, guiding us as the ultimate example of faith and perseverance.

== As a review here are our application points

Application

1 Just as Ezra and Nehemiah worked to rebuild a city, Christ works to restore and renew our lives through His redemptive love.

2 As Ezra called the people back to God's law, Christ calls us to Himself as the embodiment of God's Word. Our lives find true meaning and purpose when centered on Him.

3 Nehemiah's leadership serves as a reminder of Christ's leadership in our lives.

== This is the kick-off our journey to Return, Restore and Renew, ourselves, our church, and our community.

== My hope and prayer is that we do this together.

== That we invest in each other and in our ministry.

Let’s Pray