The God Who Sends

Bible Passage: Ezra 1:1-7

Introduction:

1. The Babylonian exile left God’s people in complete national and spiritual ruin.
2. God reshapes world powers to fulfill His prophetic word.
3. God’s sovereign authority over earthly kingdoms guarantees the absolute restoration of His worship.

I. God Stirs a Ruler: God can move anyone to advance His mission. (vv. 1–2)

1. The stirring is God’s action. (v. 1; Prov. 21:1)
2. Cyrus was a powerful and secular ruler.
3. Cyrus acknowledged the God of Israel in his words: “the LORD, the God of heaven” (v. 2).

II. God Stirs His People: Mission begins inside a person before it shows on the outside. (v. 5)

1. Inward action before outward movement: Their hearts moved first, and then their feet.
2. What do we mean by the mission of God (“Missio Dei”)?

a. The mission of God is the sending activity of God.

III. God sends His people who respond to His initiative. (vv. 3, 5)

1. The language of going up: They were being sent to a specific place for a specific purpose.
2. The chain of sending by God: God is the one who sends.
3. Mission belongs to the Triune God:

a. The Father sent the Son (Gal. 4:4).
b. The Son sends His church into the same mission (John 20:21).
c. The Spirit continues the work of the mission in the world (John 16:7).

IV. God supports His mission through the whole community.

1. Support from those who stayed: Verse 4 shows that those who did not go still had a part in the house of God.
2. Support from the neighbors: Verse 6 says that “all their neighbors” assisted them.
3. Support that keeps going: The work did not stay easy.

V. The Church Is God’s instrument for the world: God did not save us to stay in the pew (Matt. 5:13–16).

1. The mandate is not a suggestion for the enthusiastic few. It is the shape of the church’s life (Matt. 28:18–19).

a. The content of the mandate is the gospel.
b. The honest challenge: Apathy.

Takeaway:

Identify your part in God’s mission this year by asking how I can partner with God in building His Church.