The Arvada enterprise., 1922-08-17

O:l.
PRIMARY ToPIC-Exra's Prayer for
Help.
JUNIOR ToPIC-Ezra's Prayer for
Help on \ Journey.
INTERMEDIATE AND sENIOR TOPIC
Ezra: Teacher and Leader.
YOUNG PEOPLE AND ADULT TOPIC
-RelIGi0us Teachers: A Need and an OPP
portunity.
!. The lsader-Exra (7:1-1O).
1. Who he was (vv. 1-8. (D A
priest wv. 1.5). The leader Of the first
company was Zerubbabel, sort Of
military governor. The great need Tow
was for religious leader, for the
people had gone far from God, as we
see from the noble reforms which
Ezra effected. (2) A ready scribe
". 81. He was teacher Of the law
Of God.
2. His high ambition w. 7-l0).
(1) "He set his heart to seek the law
of the Lord" ". 1O). He definitely set
out with the noble purpose to know
Gods Word. To be successful In any.
thing one must set out with 4 purpose.
Daniel was success because he ''pur-
posed In his heart" Ministers and
Sunday-school teachers should have
this set purpose. (2) He set his neart
to obey the Lord ". 10Y. He was not
only concerned with knowing Gods
Word. but to obey 1t. Gods Word can.
not fully be known by the intellect:
It must be experienced. The essential
qualification for teacher of the Bible,
. preacher or Sunday-schOol teacher,
II obedience to Gods Word (3) He
set his heart to teach Israel Gods
statutes and Judgments Cv. 10Y. He not
only had q love for Gods Word, but
desire to implant 1t In the hearts Of
others. When one has an experiential
knowledge OF Gods Word lie longs to
teach II to others.
3. His commission (7:l1-26). The
king Artaxerxes gave him copy OF
the decree authorizing him to lead
company buck to Jerusalem. He was
15. 18); (2) to levy tribute wv. n,
22); (S) to appoint magistrates and
judges ". 25); az to execute pen.
alties ". 26). So great was the kings
confidence In Ezra that he gave all
these powers into his hand. For this
great honor Ezra lifted his heart to
God In thanksgiving. He was mainly
to beautify the Lords house and
acknowledge that God had put this
purpose into the kings heart.
+ u. the Company (S:1.2O).
The company was small-Only LISA
males, but including women. children
and servants. there were perhaps 5000
to 1000 people In this caravan.
~. ezra's Prayer and Fasting
Is :2l.23).
The first thing he did was to seek
Gods guidance. Not only Gods lesd-
ers. hut all Christians should seek
divine guidance and help In every un-
tiertakinE-every new journey, every
piece Of new work, every business ad.
venture. every relationship. That
which we cannot invoke Gods bless
Ing upon should not be undertaken.
Further. success can only be realised
when Coils blessing In upon us. He
dir not minimize the dangers attend.
Ing such n journey. but he had told
the king that the hand of the Lord
would ie upon all for good who sought
him. and now he wis ashamed 10 ask
the king for n military escort to pro-
tect them from the narnuling Arabs.
w. The Successful Journey (8::4-
a2).
God heard their prayer. Tie treas
ure entrusted to them WAS great. Per.
haps the entire value Of ail the money,
ETC.. was &5WAI.MO. For weak cara.
van to 90 On n journey requiring four
months through n country infested by
thexe rubber bands. carrying such IN
amount of money was most I,erilOus:
but Ezra knew that God was able and
would protect them. Note:
l. The cure and honesty (vv. o4.3O).
The money wus weighed unto them ut
the start and was to bc weighed when
turned over to the authorities st
Jerusalem. The AOcentive to honesty
and strict accounting Of the trust was
that they were holy men und were en-.
trusted with that which WAS holy b.
cause 1t belonged to God. Most exact.
Ing cure should be exercised In han.
ding the Lords money. We should
xuartl xncrslly our trust.
.. Their smfe arrival (vv. 81, FL,
Some four and Ome.half months were
required to make the journey. God
proved himself to be faithful. having
protected them md brought them
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