Building on God's Faithfulness
Building on God’s Faithfulness Through Spiritual Reformation
Ezra 9-10
1. For spiritual reformation to take place, God’s covenant community must confront the problem of sin (vs. 1-4)
a. At stake in Ezra 9 is not racial purity but spiritual purity; the covenant community’s faithfulness to the One True God.
- “Holy race” is more accurately translated “holy seed”. The “seed” is the covenant lineage of faith of the covenant community that endures through right and proper relationship with the living God, finding its fulfillment in Christ.
b. For better or for worse, leaders influence the people under them.
- Top-down crisis = There is a clear contrast between the faithless leadership of some of the Levites, other officials, and chief men compared to Ezra’s faithful leadership. (vs. 3)
Application Challenge: Do you PAUSE as part of confrontation with sin and conflict resolution? When we PAUSE, we afford ourselves the time and opportunity to make right assessments and gain a clear view of who we really are in light of the perfect, good, and holy nature of God.
2. For spiritual reformation to take place, there must be self-including confession of sin (vs. 5-15)
a. In all humility, Ezra threw himself at the mercy of God and prayed confessionally because in light of who God is, and in light of who we are, we are all as guilty as the next guy.
- An acknowledgement of our own failure is the very approach of humility that all of us need to bring to the table when approaching God.
Application Challenge: After having received such a great salvation, are we going to turn right around and slight God by continuing to commit the same sins that put us under the condemnation of God in the first place? Confess and live as a slave to the righteousness of Christ. (cf. Romans 6)
3. For spiritual reformation to take place, God’s covenant community must do whatever it takes to clear out the problem of sin (10:1-44)
a. Shecaniah is emboldening Ezra to follow through on the counsel that Ezra has already presented. The time for action is now! (vs. 2-4)
- Just confessing with words – “sorry” - is not enough. Christians who truly repent know they MUST do the HARD but RIGHT thing!
b. We must have a clear and sobering view of sin and deal with it ferociously and thoroughly.
Application Challenge: What people, places, or things MUST you separate yourself from due to a tolerance of unholy practices? Is there anything you’ve allowed to go unchecked? Anything you’re letting in and allowing to compete for your affections and devotion? Surrender it all to Christ Jesus!
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