Restoring the Temple aka Temple Restored
Ezra 3:8-13
International Sunday School Lesson
July 7, 2013
Commentary
By
Jed Greenough
I wonder how many of you that read today’s simple scripture came up with the same thought as I that drew parallels with the church of today?
In this scripture the people are following order by choosing men of a certain age and of a certain tribe in the Levites to do the work. We see that joyously the people are praising God and doing what all want in rebuilding the temple.
But…there is weeping by some because they remember the old temple. We aren’t told if they are weeping because the new won’t measure up to the old, because of lost time since the temple was destroyed or because they just fear change or for some other reason.
The parallel I draw with today are the changes that occur in our churches today when they change. All involved with a growing church can be joyous if the church is Biblical in its offices. All involved can be joyous when God is being praised and all can be joyous when the church is being built up.
But amongst all of that there can be “weeping” and like in today’s scripture no one notices for all the joy of everyone else. I have a problem with that.
I have heard those who weep over the change being criticized from the pulpit for not getting on board wholeheartedly with regard to these changes and that is about as much consideration as they receive.
Of course that isn’t consideration at all is it?
These people who weep over change should be considered with love and given help to feel that the church is still their church. Do you understand why that is important? They may have been among the group that built the church, nurtured it and kept it alive to bring it to this point of change. I feel that they deserve in fact special consideration and the older they are the more consideration that should be.
All too often we seek out the way of youth in how we can build something in the church to appeal to them but we forget that someone older shared their faith either directly or in a chain of witnessing that led to our faith. Like the temple had to be built we didn’t spontaneously turn in to Christians someone laid a foundation let’s remember that.
In praising God as we grow as a church let’s not forget our neighbor.
“Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”
Matthew 22:36-40
For Discussion
1. Discuss why you think there was weeping
2. Discuss 20 year olds then versus now
3. Discuss why it took so long after their arrival to begin the work
4. Discuss how age changes us in all ways
5. Discuss not being aware of weeping in our midst
6. Discuss the differences that we are aware of between the temples
Upcoming Lessons
7-14-13: Dedicating the Temple aka Dedication of the Temple Ezra 6:13-22
7-21-13: Fasting and Praying Ezra 7:6-10; 8:21-23 or 8:21-23
7-28-13: Giving Gifts for the Temple aka Gifts for the Temple Ezra 8:24-35 or 8:24-30
8-4-13: Feast of Tabernacles aka Festival of Booths Nehemiah 8:2, 3, 13-18 or 8:13-18
Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 Biblica. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved
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