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"Through the Bible" Week 32

"Through the Bible" Week 32. Hard Teachings by Old and New Testament Scribes. The remarkable story of one of the Bible's great heroes, Ezra. 587 BC. Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, carried out of Jerusalem a large number of Jews. 539 BC.

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"Through the Bible" Week 32

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  1. "Through the Bible" Week 32 • Hard Teachings by Old and New Testament Scribes

  2. The remarkable story of one of the Bible's great heroes, Ezra.

  3. 587 BC • Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, carried out of Jerusalem a large number of Jews.

  4. 539 BC • Cyrus, the king of Persia conquered the Babylonian empire.

  5. 538 BC • 50,000 exiles return under the leadership of Zerubbabel.

  6. "All their neighbors assisted them with articles of silver and gold, with goods and livestock, and with valuable gifts, in addition to all the freewill offerings."

  7. 522 BC • Darius becomes king of Persia - temple rebuilding resumes, completed and dedicated four years later.

  8. 458 BC • Ezra arrives in Jerusalem, along with a second group of 1,700 returning captives.

  9. Since the first large wave of exiles had returned to Israel, many had fallen into the practice of mingling with the idolatrous people around them, and even marrying wives from these pagan peoples, a practice forbidden by Moses in Deuteronomy 7.

  10. I Corinthians 5 • An individual in the Christian church of Corinth is condemned by Paul because this church leader had been involved in sexual immorality.

  11. Corinth, like America today, was characterized by sexual immorality, greed, idolatry, slander, drunkenness and swindling. (I Corinthians 5:11) Paul taught that these things must not be allowed to persist in the church.

  12. Christian Theology says, "Yes, we have been cleansed by the Blood of Jesus, our Paschal Lamb. But we must go on living the life of separation from the evil that is all around us in the pagan, ungodly world in which we live."

  13. "[Paul] is concerned about those who persist in the very activities from which they have been freed through the sacrifice of the Paschal Lamb." • Gordon Fee

  14. Paul is saying that if those who call themselves Christian persist in sinful behaviors, they should be confronted and corrected. If they do not heed the warning, then they should be excluded from the fellowship.

  15. "You are still trying to figure out the purpose of your life." 36% of Born Again Christians agreed compared to 47% of Non-Christians. • "I feel completely or very successful in life," where 58% of Born Again Christians agreed compared with 49% of Non-Christians. • "I am satisfied with my life these days" with 69% of Born Again Christians and 68% of Non-Christians agreeing with this statement.

  16. "Donated money to a nonprofit organization, in past month." • 47% of Born Again Christians and 48% of Non-Christians • Almost as many Born Again Christians as Non-Christians "Bought a lottery ticket, in the past week." (23% and 27% respectively) • More Born Again Christians (27%) than Non-Christians (23%) have been divorced.

  17. "Gave money to a homeless person or poor person, in the past year," 34% of Non-Christians had compared to only 24% of Born Again Christians. • "Watched an X-rated movie in the past 3 months.“ Non-Christians (16%) than Born Again Christians (9%) • "It is impossible to get ahead because of your financial debt." • Born Again Christians - 33%; Non-Christians - 39% • "Your personal financial situation is getting better," 27% of Born Again Christians and 28%

  18. Barna polls: • "most American Christians are deriving twenty times more input from media and culture than from their own churches."

  19. In both of the Bible stories, the end result is that some person or persons are put outside of the circle of believers. This has become unacceptable to the American church - we want more members, not less.

  20. "Pastor, haven't you noticed that our church attendance is low? Now the numbers are sure to go down even further. You've just got to accept the reality, we're no different than the world outside."

  21. There is still a remnant in the church, the true disciples of Jesus who cry out the words of the Psalmist, "Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts." (Psalms 139:23)

  22. Malachi 3:3 • "He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver; he will purify the Levites and refine them like gold and silver. Then the LORD will have men who will bring offerings in righteousness."

  23. II Corinthians 7:1 • "Since we have these promises, dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God."

  24. Titus 2:11-14 • For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. It teaches us to say "No" to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present • age, while we wait • for the blessed hope--

  25. In the days of both Ezra and Paul, the people of God were clearly told that they must free themselves form influences which would ultimately bring them down and separate them from God. Now is no different.

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