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Good morning, everybody.
Welcome to Verity Baptist Church.
Take out your bulletin here today.
Our verse of the week is Matthew 24, verse 31.
The Bible reads,
And he shall send his angels with the great sound of a trumpet,
and they shall gather together as elect from the four winds,
from one end of heaven to the other.
That's a great verse, so we'll tie into our second sermon.
We are a family integrated church.
Many children and infants are welcome during the services.
We do have a mother-baby room back there for your convenience,
as well as the ladies restroom.
The men's restroom is up here in front.
Remember, no eating during the service.
Maintain a professional atmosphere,
and keep the children from running and making noise
during the church service.
On the next page are service times listed.
First service is at 10 a.m.
Second service, 11.15.
For today's sermons, the first sermon is going to be shorter
because I wanted to save room for a longer sermon
on the second one.
We're going to try to start the second service at 11
because the second sermon is going to be longer.
But in general, we have basically a 10-minute break.
Our second service usually starts around 11.15.
Wednesday evening Bible study at 7 p.m.
Soul winning time is listed.
4 p.m. on Wednesdays.
Meeting here on Saturdays, 10 to 12
in case I'm on moral circle, and also 2 to 4.
And then, of course, we do have soul winning this afternoon
around 1.45.
Salvations and baptisms are listed there
for the year to date.
And also we have our birthdays and anniversaries as well.
Next page, our Bible memorization challenge.
And so if you're able to complete the challenge,
then you will get a prize.
Up to 10 a.m.
Upcoming activities.
Next week is our monthly prayer meeting.
And, of course, right now the big thing in January
is we are in the New Testament Bible reading challenge.
So hopefully you're keeping up with that.
And if so, you're probably around the book of Acts
or Romans somewhere in there depending on which schedule
that you're doing.
And it's a good challenge because some days you wake up
and you're tired, you don't feel like reading.
It's like, okay, I got to read.
I can't get behind.
And at nighttime you don't want to get behind
so you spend that time reading.
And so the first verse attached, Deuteronomy 17, verse 19.
And it shall be with him and he shall read therein
all the days of his life that he may learn
to fear the Lord his God, to keep all the words
of this law and these statutes to do them.
And so current and upcoming series,
we are in the book of Ezra.
We'll be in Ezra chapter 7 here today.
The alphabet of Bible doctrines
and not a single person,
not a single person
guessed correctly in either church, right?
Out of like 50 people guessed.
The sermon is about the elect.
Okay, I know my first guess
would be eternal security also.
So I get if you said eternal security,
that's like the most obvious thing.
We're not necessarily going with all the most obvious ones.
Some doctrines I haven't necessarily talked on as much.
But I'll talk about who the elect are
according to the Bible.
And anyways, in the back there's a place for notes
for the sermons here today.
I believe that's it for announcements.
We'll have Brother Marlon Lees.
And for our next song,
it's starting to him number 11,
he died for me.
In number 11,
sing the song, he died for me.
I saw one hanging on a tree
and hanging out on the furs.
I saw one hanging on a tree
with faculty and love.
He fixed his hand with eyes on me.
Past year, he's lost eyes too.
Oh, can it be upon a tree,
the Savior died for me.
My soul is filled, my heart is filled,
to be, he died for me.
Never tell my latest words,
and I will never know.
It seemed to change the way he spoke,
though not a word he spoke.
Oh, can it be upon a tree,
the Savior died for me.
My soul is filled, my heart is filled,
to be, he died for me.
My conscience proud and old to him,
had launched me in his fear.
And so my seed is plowed and stripped,
and proud to live here.
Oh, can it be upon a tree,
the Savior died for me.
My soul is filled, my heart is filled,
to be, he died for me.
Not last, I knew not by this,
and now my tears are me.
Oh, can it be upon a tree,
the Savior died for me.
My soul is filled, my heart is filled,
to be, he died for me.
Not last, I knew not by this,
and now my tears are me.
Oh, can it be upon a tree,
the Savior died for me.
Oh, can it be upon a tree,
the Savior died for me.
My soul is filled, my heart is filled,
to be, he died for me.
Let's get our offing.
Our Bible reading, let us go to Ezra, chapter 7.
The book of Ezra, chapter 7.
We are going to read the whole chapter.
Ezra 7, please say amen when you're there.
Ezra 7.
Now after these things, in the reign of Ataxaxax,
king of Persia,
Ezra, son of Zediah, the son of Azariah,
the son of Lickiah, the son of Shalom,
the son of Zadok, the son of Hritu,
the son of Amadiah, the son of Azariah,
the son of Merioth, the son of Zediah,
the son of Uzi, the son of Bukhi,
the son of Bishuah, the son of Pinyas,
the son of Eliaza, the son of Adon,
the chief priest.
This Ezra went out from Babylon,
and he was a ready scribe in the law of Moses,
which the Lord God of Israel had given.
And the king granted him all his request
according to the hand of the Lord,
his God upon him.
And they went up some of the children of Israel,
and of the priests, and of the Levites,
and the singers, and the porters,
and the Nithinim,
unto Jerusalem in the seventh year of Ataxaxax,
the king.
And he came to Jerusalem in the fifth month,
which was in the seventh year of the king.
For upon the first day of the first month
began he to go up from Babylon,
and on the first day of the fifth month
came to Jerusalem according to the good hand
of his God upon him.
For Ezra had prepared his heart
to seek the law of the Lord,
and to do it,
and to teach in Israel's statutes and judgments.
Now this is the copy of the letter
that King Ataxaxax gave to Ezra the priest
to describe even a scribe of the words
of the commandments of the Lord,
and of his statutes to Israel.
Ataxaxax, king of kings,
unto Ezra the priest,
a scribe of the law of the God of heaven,
perfect peace in such and such time.
I make a decree that all they of the people of Israel
and of his priests and divides in my will,
which are minded of their own free will,
to go up to Jerusalem, go with thee.
For as much as thou art sent of the king
and of his seven counselors
to inquire concerning Judah and Jerusalem
according to the law of thy God,
which is in one hand,
and to carry the silver and gold
which the king and his counselors
have freely offered unto the God of Israel
whose avitation is in Jerusalem.
And all the silver and gold that thou canst find
in the province of Babylon
with the free will offering of the people
and of the priest's offering willingly
for the house of the God which is in Jerusalem,
that thou mayst buy speedily
with this mighty bullock, rams, lambs,
with their meat offerings and their drink offerings,
and offer them up on the altar
of the house of your God which is in Jerusalem.
And whatsoever shall seem good to thee
and to thy brethren to do
with the rest of the silver and the gold
that do after the will of your God.
The vessels also that are given thee
for the service of the house of thy God,
those deliver though before the God of Jerusalem.
And whatsoever more shall be needful
for the house of thy God
which thou shall have occasion to bestow, bestow it
out of the king's treasure's house.
And I, even I have searched the king
to make a decree to all the treasurers
which are beyond the river
that whatsoever Ezra the priest,
the scribe of the law of the God of heaven
shall require few, it be done speedily,
unto a hundred talents of silver,
and unto a hundred measures of wheat,
and unto a hundred baths of wine,
and unto a hundred baths of oil,
and saw it without describing how much.
Whatsoever is commanded by the God of heaven,
let it be diligently done
for the house of the God of heaven.
For why should there be wrath
against the realm of the king and his sons?
Also we certify you that touching any
of the priests and Levites, singers,
courtiers, nathinim, or ministers of this house of God,
it shall not be lawful to impose
toil, tribute, or custom upon them.
And though Ezra, after the wisdom of thy God
that is in thine hand,
set maggest ways and judges
which may judge all the people
that are beyond the river,
all such as know the laws of thy God
and teach them that know them not.
And whosoever will not do the law of thy God
and the law of the king,
let judgment be executed speedily upon him,
whether it be unto death, or to banishment,
or to confiscation of goods, or to imprisonment.
Blessed be the Lord, God of our fathers,
which has put such things as this in the king's heart
to beautify the house of the Lord,
which is in the Jerusalem,
and has extended mercy unto me before the king
and his counselors,
and before all the king's mighty princes.
And I was strengthened as the hand of the Lord,
my God was upon me,
and I gather together out of Israel chief men
to go up with me.
Let us pray.
Thank your father for your word, for the Bible.
Thank everyone who's here.
We ask to bless that service.
We ask you to give us understanding,
open our hearts, we need to understand
and to get the meaning of the preaching
and also give boldness to the preacher.
We pray in Jesus' name, amen.
All right, we're here in Ezra chapter 7.
As I mentioned in the announcements,
this sermon is probably going to be shorter
because the second sermon is going to be longer here today.
And we're in Ezra chapter 7,
and the name of the sermon is
The Start of Ezra's Ministry.
Now, notice what it says in verse number 1.
Now after these things,
in the reign of Artaxerxes, king of Persia.
As I talked about last week,
when it says after these things,
you might think it's just a week later
or two weeks later,
but the reason why it makes it a point to say that
is because a lot of time is passing
between chapters 6 and 7.
And one name you're not going to see
in the first six chapters of Ezra is Ezra.
You say, why? He's not around.
Because in between these chapters,
a lot of time actually goes by.
So the question is,
how much time goes by between chapters 6 and 7
of the book of Ezra?
Notice what it says in verse 7.
And there went up some of the children of Israel
and of the priests and the Levites and the singers
and the porters and the Nethanims
onto Jerusalem in the seventh year
of Artaxerxes the king.
So we're looking at the seventh year here
in Ezra chapter 7 verse 7.
Now we don't know for sure if secular history
is right down to the year,
but I would say that it's probably pretty close.
And according to secular history,
Artaxerxes became the king in 465 BC.
So we're looking at around 458 BC
is when this is taking place in Ezra chapter 7.
Probably give or take a couple years on either side.
Now go back to Ezra chapter 6.
Ezra 6 verse 15.
And this house was finished on the third day of the month Adar,
which was in the sixth year
of the reign of Darius the king.
Now according to secular history,
in 522 BC, Darius becomes the king.
So six years later is 516 BC.
So you have 516 BC
and then you have 458 BC.
So that's basically 58 years or going by
between chapters 6 and 7.
Darius was the king for 36 years.
And so looking at six years into his reign,
basically he reigned for another 30 years
after that point.
And then Xerxes, or Ahasuerus,
was the king for 21 years.
And then Artaxerxes was the king for 41 years,
but it's only, what is it,
eight years or seven years into his reign
as it mentions.
Now go back to Ezra chapter 7.
Ezra 7.
Verse number 1.
Now, you know, when you're reading through the Bible
and it gives you all of these names,
let's be honest, it's probably not the most exciting part
of your Bible reading, right?
Those polls we've had on our YouTube
of what book's going to win,
1 Chronicles got like almost no votes.
Ezra didn't get a lot of votes either
because there's a lot of names,
there's the long genealogies,
and of course I get it.
I wouldn't vote for those books
over the other ones either.
But you know what's interesting
is when you look at the Bible,
the Bible is very specific.
It doesn't just say in a long time ago
in a galaxy far, far away.
It gives you specific details in the seventh year.
This was the name of his father.
This was the name.
You say, why?
The truth fears no investigation.
And the Bible is very specific.
Look, if you've ever read the Hadith,
which is kind of a combination
of so-called Muhammad's miracles,
it's just like these random things
where nobody's there,
doesn't tell you when it took place,
it just happened.
Just believe that he turned the moon
into whatever they say in the miracle.
There's no proof of it.
But see, with the Bible it's very specific.
This was the year it took place.
So look, if the Bible could be disproven,
it would have been disproven a long time ago
because it just tells too much about itself
if it weren't actually true.
Okay?
Verse number 6.
This Ezra went up from Babylon
and he was a ready scribe
in the law of Moses,
which the Lord God of Israel had given.
And the Bible says here in verse 6,
Ezra is a ready scribe.
He is prepared.
He knows the Word of God.
He's ready for his job.
And point number 1 is this,
Ezra was set for giving.
Ezra was set or prepared for giving.
Now, when I say set for giving,
what I mean is giving of his life
for the work of God.
Now, in most Baptist churches,
that's not what they mean by set for giving.
It's like, well, it is January, right?
The first fruit's offering.
Isn't that a January thing, right?
First month of the year,
just give it all to the church or whatever.
Like, when I say set for giving,
what you're seeing is
Ezra was ready to give of his life
for the work of the Lord.
Go to Exodus 34.
Exodus 34.
And in Exodus 34,
verse number 1,
And the Lord said unto Moses,
Hew thee two tables of stone,
like unto the first.
And I'll write upon these tables
the words that were in the first tables,
which thou breakest,
and be ready in the morning.
Be prepared, be ready,
be set in the morning.
And come up in the morning unto Mount Sinai
and present thyself there to me.
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