Building a People of Worship: People of Service (2)

Introduction

Ezra was about to undertake a dangerous journey to Jerusalem. I couldn’t imagine all that was running through His mind in preparation for this trip. Nerves had to be running high. The king permitted him to return and take others with him. He had heard reports from Jerusalem that the work had stalled and that worship in the Temple had stagnated and become polluted. So he calls for those who are willing to return with him. 

It had become clear that the first exodus of exiles, as large as it was, didn’t include all the exiles. Many stayed. Families likely split on who should go and stay. Why? Life in Babylon had become comfortable. They had jobs, friends, and extended family in the area. Strangely, their homeland felt like a foreign land. It was a sacrifice to go to Jerusalem and to uproot. Remember, by the time of Ezra, it had been almost 140 years since the first exiles were taken to Babylon. None of the original exiles were left. Even though the Jews were from Judah, the Persian Empire had become their home. 

This world is our Babylon. Every nation on earth is foreign to us. Home is a place we have never been, but deeply know. As a people of worship, we belong to the Kingdom of God, though we have never seen it. We know our King through His presence and faith. One day, our faith will become sight. We will meet our King face to face. So what do we do here in “Babylon?” We will see from this chapter that we are to gather, prepare, and go. God’s hand empowers His people to bring Him glory by serving Him, seeking Him, and savoring Him. This is what it means to be a people of worship.

Set the Scene

Many might wonder why the first 14 verses of this chapter are a genealogy. Do we need this? Well, before we brush past it, let us notice something amazing. This genealogy has a descendant of David in it. Why is that important? This was a reminder to all who read this that God is still fulfilling His plan to restore the throne of David. The line of David has not vanished due to defeat, exile, or disobedience. God had and would continue to preserve that line until the King promised to David in 2 Samuel.* 

The other names are regular. They are not descendants of priests or kings. They are ordinary citizens. They are you and me. God is not building a people with only the superstars. He is building a people of worship that includes every member. And every member is important. It is easy to think, “Why do I matter to the church?” You matter greatly. All of us do. The church is the people of God. We, together, are a people of worship. God uses everyone to bring Him worship and glory. You are a part of God’s Kingdom, and there are no insignificant parts. 

Serve God

In verse 15, Ezra, who is leading the exodus, gathers the people. He wanted to make sure he had all the people he needed to make the trip. This was a dangerous and life-changing journey.  How many of you have left the house to go to 7-11 only to forget your wallet and money? I have. It is cumbersome to walk back in the heat. Imagine if you had to walk back 1,000 miles. This was a one-way trip for Ezra and the people. So he takes stock of who is with him. 

It is here that we are introduced to the problem. There are no Levites. Two things we must know: 1. The Levites served the priests in the Temple. 2. They needed Levites to run the daily function of the Temple, which was where everyone worshipped God. This was a major problem. Without Levites, the priests would be hindered in their ministry to the people and God. It also shows a deeper issue. 

Why were there no Levites? We are not explicitly told, but we can infer that the Levites who had been raised in Babylon did not wish to leave their house and job to go to Jerusalem and work in the Temple. Their job was difficult, regimented, and unnoticed by the people. Life in Babylon had become comfortable and perhaps preferable. None of them wanted to leave and serve God. 

That is not just a practical problem for Ezra. That is a spiritual one. A problem we struggle with today. What if God calls us to leave our comfort zone to serve Him? How many times are we more likely to stay put and be comfortable? But remember, Babylon is not your home. As a people of worship, we are being built into the people of God for the Kingdom of God. That may mean giving up some comforts in this life. 

I left my family in America to come and serve God in Taiwan. Why? That is what He called me to do. Was it easy? No. I like Taiwan, but learning the language is challenging, and the pace of life is different. I am away from my family. That is hard. But God is worth it. Worshipping God alongside you is worth it. We live for another Kingdom, an eternal one. Let us serve God as we worship Him. 

Ezra searched for Levites. To do this, he gathered leading men and men of insight. It wasn’t just a search. Ezra sought wise, godly men and the favor of God. There is wisdom to this. He wanted the right people to lead the search. It matters how we serve God. He wanted the right men to find the Levites. The Levites needed to come out of a heart of service and worship. 

The search is successful. Over 200 Levites come to the group gathered by the river, ready to go to Jerusalem. We don’t know why they changed their minds or what the leaders said, but God brought back men of insight and understanding. Ezra had the people he needed to go and restart proper Temple worship. Did Ezra give credit to himself for such a plan? No, he gave credit to God. It was God’s hand and strength that went before the leaders and churned the hearts of the Levites. 

Beloved, may God’s hand churn our hearts to worship Him and serve Him rightly. We don’t serve in a Temple, but we serve in a church. That could be the worship team, setting up the chairs, translating, running the PowerPoint, sound, cleaning the church, and the list could go on. Each of these jobs is vitally important to the function of the church as we worship God together through serving together. It is my great joy to serve beside you each Sunday. 

God also calls us to serve Him in our daily lives as well. Will you serve God through the way you talk to people this week? You can serve God through prayer for your friends and family. Serve God by helping people in your community. That can be a big or small task. As we see in this passage, God looks at the heart of the person, not the task being completed. The Levites did the little things that many people never notice, and yet they were infinitely important to God. So Beloved, this week, let us shrug off the comforts of this life to serve God wherever he places you this week. 

Seek God

Interestingly, once Ezra had the Levites needed for Temple worship, he didn’t set off immediately. He knew they were not yet ready to begin their dangerous journey. It wasn’t just about having the right people. As a people of worship, they must understand their deep need for God above all. So Ezra doesn’t just pray, he has the people fast. 

There was a real need. The people were about to walk 1,000 miles carrying tons of gold and silver. There was a real threat from others along the way. Ezra, perhaps with a little regret, had declined the king’s offer of an armed guard. Therefore, they would be a group of about 6,000 people walking alone, unarmed. This seemed foolish. But Ezra had assured the king that God would protect them. Now the glory of God is at stake. So they seek God to deliver them. 

Let me add a little note. There was nothing wrong with the king’s offer. Nehemiah accepted and celebrated this offer years later. This passage isn’t about taking safety measures or not. God was with them whether they had an army or not. God would have delivered them whether they had an army or not. There was nothing more holy about Ezra’s journey without help than Nehemiah’s with help. It is about God’s glory either way. Seek Him no matter the situation. 

Savoring God

In our serving and seeking God, we also want to take time and savor our time with God. Our opportunities to worship should be the greatest joys of our day. But how many times have we made it through another day and neglected to spend time with our Father? Or even think of Him? I have been there. So many times, I rushed through my day and realized I hadn’t thought of God. That is scary to me. So I have to intentionally seek to worship God and relish that time. 

Our returning exiles make it to Jerusalem. They rested for three days after a four-month-long journey. Several things happen here. First, before they left, they weighed out the gold. This was to make sure no one stole the gold during the trip. That would have been tempting for someone who just gave up their home to travel and move to Jerusalem. When they arrive in Jerusalem, they weigh the gold again. It matched. After four months of travel, no one had stolen any of the gold. 

After all, Ezra had said that they were a holy people and the gold was a holy gift to God. So, to steal the gold would have been a great offense, as it would have diminished the gift they were to give. Ezra gave glory to God for protection from their enemies and for the gold not being stolen. Again, God gets all the glory. He is good to His people. 

We then get this scene of the people in verse 35, offering sacrifices to God. This wasn’t just a ritual. It was worship. Even more, it was a symbol. As they enjoyed the presence of God during the sacrifice, an arrow pointed to a future offering. Like their offering, a high priest would perform the sacrifice. But unlike Ezra and the returned exiles, this high priest would also be the sacrifice. Jesus came as the ultimate high priest and the Lamb of God. His sacrifice would wash away the sin and shame of His people, not for a time, but forever. 

Every burnt offering the returned exiles would do pointed to this greater future sacrifice. We look back at this text today and see God’s people seeking and savoring His presence. We get to enjoy that everywhere we go. We are no longer bound to a Temple like the people in Ezra were. We are not bound by the temples that we see every day. Jesus has freed us to worship Him through His offering, everywhere our feet step. We are a people of worship, so enjoy worship, relish in it. Don’t neglect it. And don’t allow the comforts of life to rob us of the wonder of knowing Jesus. 

Take a moment and breathe. Focus on what the Holy Spirit is saying to you. Where is He leading you? Are there people you need to talk to today? Take some time every day to enjoy the worship of God. When you interact with other church members, enjoy God’s presence together. Encourage each other and, in so doing, savor God’s presence through this act of worship. Savor time with the King of Kings today. 

Conclusion

As we consider the journey that Ezra took, let us consider, now, our journey. We, too, are traveling home. We are made holy by the blood of Christ. Will we let the pleasures of this world distract us from serving God? Do we miss opportunities to share the gospel for this reason? Do we neglect to serve each other for the sake of comfort? Let us serve the Lord! Not just on Sunday, but every day through acts of worship and obedience. 

Will we seek God in prayer this week? Our journeys are long and often difficult. Are you going by your strength? Beloved, yield yourself to God. Seek Him in prayer today, this week. Build habits of prayer. It is vital. Watch the hand of God strengthen you. 

Finally, savor time in God’s presence. The blood of Jesus has opened the door to fellowship. We are no longer bound by the chains of sin. So run freely to our King. Linger in His presence in song, prayer, praise, and reading His Word. Enjoy the beauty of our relationship with God together and apart. Beloved, let us continue steadfastly in our journey, just as Ezra did, until we arrive at heaven’s shores. Long for that day and bring as many with you as you do. 

“Father, as we live in Babylon, call us out of our stupor. Let us see you. Let us serve you, seek you, and savor our time with you. We long to praise you. Let us take the ordinary days of our lives and live them extraordinarily for You. Help us to find you as we journey through this life. Strengthen us. Amen.”