Ready to Rebuild
Ezra, Nehemiah, and the Second Temple
Sermon Series Beginning June 22, 2025
It is no secret that the American religious landscape has changed. For over a decade now, Pew Research has highlighted the increase of the number of individuals that claim “None” as their religious affiliation. While there may be some disagreement as to what that really means, there is no disagreement that church membership decline reflects those findings. This turn has, unfortunately, led to a completely new category of people known as the “de-churched” – a phenomenon that the American church has never dealt with and is struggling to understand. How can the Church respond? It’s tempting to think that it needs to be something new and novel. However, we all know that there is nothing new under the sun. Case in point, already in the 6th century B.C., Ezra and Nehemiah tackled this very problem.
At the time of Ezra and then Nehemiah, the people were entirely biblically illiterate and the land of their inheritance was literally in ruins. Moreover, the “new natives,” the “Nones,” were adamantly opposed to the Israelite resettlement. When faced with the reality of the decline, Ezra and Nehemiah did something shocking. Instead of turning to anything novel, they understood the key to their survival was to put God back in the center of the people’s lives. This, of course, was no easy task because it was dangerous physically, spiritually, and politically. Just as it is today. In this environment, Ezra had to reorient the people back to God so that they might see His deliverance. This began by recognizing that they were all sinners. They had taken on so many of the “native” habits that they had become virtually indistinguishable from the “new natives.” Then, the people had to put in the hard work of rebuilding what was lost against all odds.
It’s rather uncanny, but this is where we are today: poised to rebuild on the firm foundation that is Christ the Cornerstone (Isa. 28:16; 1 Peter 2:4-12). The time is right. People, especially the young people, are tired of all the spin and constantly being manipulated. They are looking for substance and durability. They are looking for the Word made flesh. So, let us get to rebuilding on Christ.
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Ready to Rebuild
Ezra, Nehemiah, and the Second Temple
Sermon Series Beginning June 22, 2025
It is no secret that the American religious landscape has changed. For over a decade now, Pew Research has highlighted the increase of the number of individuals that claim “None” as their religious affiliation. While there may be some disagreement as to what that really means, there is no disagreement that church membership decline reflects those findings. This turn has, unfortunately, led to a completely new category of people known as the “de-churched” – a phenomenon that the American church has never dealt with and is struggling to understand. How can the Church respond? It’s tempting to think that it needs to be something new and novel. However, we all know that there is nothing new under the sun. Case in point, already in the 6th century B.C., Ezra and Nehemiah tackled this very problem.
At the time of Ezra and then Nehemiah, the people were entirely biblically illiterate and the land of their inheritance was literally in ruins. Moreover, the “new natives,” the “Nones,” were adamantly opposed to the Israelite resettlement. When faced with the reality of the decline, Ezra and Nehemiah did something shocking. Instead of turning to anything novel, they understood the key to their survival was to put God back in the center of the people’s lives. This, of course, was no easy task because it was dangerous physically, spiritually, and politically. Just as it is today. In this environment, Ezra had to reorient the people back to God so that they might see His deliverance. This began by recognizing that they were all sinners. They had taken on so many of the “native” habits that they had become virtually indistinguishable from the “new natives.” Then, the people had to put in the hard work of rebuilding what was lost against all odds.
It’s rather uncanny, but this is where we are today: poised to rebuild on the firm foundation that is Christ the Cornerstone (Isa. 28:16; 1 Peter 2:4-12). The time is right. People, especially the young people, are tired of all the spin and constantly being manipulated. They are looking for substance and durability. They are looking for the Word made flesh. So, let us get to rebuilding on Christ.