How Satan Attacks a Church (8 of 19)
Series: Ezra
Mike Stone
Ezra 4:1-24
Part of the series:
EZRA – Praising the God Who Rebuilds and Restores
Let me say this one more time. At first glance, Ezra appears to be a book about rebuilding Jerusalem and the temple. But it’s more about God rebuilding a people for the ultimate glory of Jesus. As we embark on our own building project, I want to use the book of Ezra to keep us focused on this truth. The work of God is never about building a building. It’s about building a people for the glory of the Lord Jesus.
In our text, the work really began in chapter 3. But in Ezra 4, the enemies of the people of God and of the God of those people begin to attack this move of God. In this lengthy text, we see how Satan attacks a church.
This past week, I celebrated my 23rd anniversary on your church staff. I am grateful to God for the privilege of serving as your pastor. And one of the things I’m most thankful for is our unity.
It hasn’t always been that way. The first half of our church history was filled with short pastorates, divisive deacons’ meetings and church conflict. But the last 30 years have been marked by what the hymn writer called, “Peace, peace, wonderful peace.”
That is not to say that at any given time there haven’t been “fox fires” and opportunities for offense. It just means that we have faithfully weathered those storms.
We have done so with a love for God and a love for each other. We have done so with confidence in the authority of Scripture, trust in our church leadership, and a diligence to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bonds of peace.
But as we embark on what could very well be the most critical days in the history of our church, the placement of this story in the text of Scripture serves as a reminder and a warning.
Emmanuel Baptist Church is about to undergo its most intense Satanic attack in at least 15 years. But it’s not because anything is WRONG. It’s beca ...
Series: Ezra
Mike Stone
Ezra 4:1-24
Part of the series:
EZRA – Praising the God Who Rebuilds and Restores
Let me say this one more time. At first glance, Ezra appears to be a book about rebuilding Jerusalem and the temple. But it’s more about God rebuilding a people for the ultimate glory of Jesus. As we embark on our own building project, I want to use the book of Ezra to keep us focused on this truth. The work of God is never about building a building. It’s about building a people for the glory of the Lord Jesus.
In our text, the work really began in chapter 3. But in Ezra 4, the enemies of the people of God and of the God of those people begin to attack this move of God. In this lengthy text, we see how Satan attacks a church.
This past week, I celebrated my 23rd anniversary on your church staff. I am grateful to God for the privilege of serving as your pastor. And one of the things I’m most thankful for is our unity.
It hasn’t always been that way. The first half of our church history was filled with short pastorates, divisive deacons’ meetings and church conflict. But the last 30 years have been marked by what the hymn writer called, “Peace, peace, wonderful peace.”
That is not to say that at any given time there haven’t been “fox fires” and opportunities for offense. It just means that we have faithfully weathered those storms.
We have done so with a love for God and a love for each other. We have done so with confidence in the authority of Scripture, trust in our church leadership, and a diligence to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bonds of peace.
But as we embark on what could very well be the most critical days in the history of our church, the placement of this story in the text of Scripture serves as a reminder and a warning.
Emmanuel Baptist Church is about to undergo its most intense Satanic attack in at least 15 years. But it’s not because anything is WRONG. It’s beca ...
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