Sermons

If you’re trying to achieve something, there are many obstacles.

It might be a business, a community project, a building, a sports team.

Many obstacles.

Including being discouraged at the small scale, and little progress.

Including complacency from those you look to for support.

Including opposition from those who don’t want to see your project succeed.

The same applies if what you’re building is the kingdom of God.

If you were here two weeks ago when we last looked at the book of Ezra, we ended on a slightly scary and somewhat sombre note. As we seek to live for Jesus Christ and to build his kingdom, there is real opposition. We will be opposed. And sometimes that opposition will succeed. We looked together at the tactics that the devil will use to oppose us. We concluded that we must not write this off as scaremongering. They had to stop rebuilding the temple for 16 years, which was a very long time.

Let me ask you two questions.

Number 1: What makes you celebrate? What absolutely thrills you, has your phoning your mum or your best friend with excitement, is cause for a celebratory drink or meal, puts a smile on your face for a week?

I’d reckon the safe arrival of a healthy baby in a family is one of them. New job. The all clear at the hospital. She said “yes”. What else?

Many people find this list of names dull. But in other contexts we find lists fascinating. It all depends on whether you have a connection or not.

Some of you will remember listening to the day’s football scores on the radio, before the days of ready internet news. Manchester City, 2; Crystal Palace, nil, expertly read by James Alexander Gordon. People would listen, fascinated, to the whole thing, every week.