JOYFUL WORSHIP RESTORED

BY THE END OF THE LESSON, WE WILL: 

KNOW that we should celebrate and express thanks to God for His goodness; DESIRE to please God as a response to His goodness; and GIVE PRAISE for the restoring power of the Holy Ghost. 

FOCAL VERSES Ezra 3:1-7

KEEP IN MIND 

"They kept also the feast of tabernacles, as it is written, and offered the daily burnt offerings by number, according to the custom, as the duty of every day required"      (Ezra 3:4)

AT-A- GLANCE

1. Worship Restored (Ezra 3:1-5)

2. The Temple Restored (vv. 6-7)

IN FOCUS

Adam was a faithful church member who led the praise and worship portion of services. He met a woman he liked and began to spend a lot of time with her. He said he would seek God's approval of the relationship, but he felt in his heart that God was not pleased. 

Adam entered his place after work one evening to find his belongings gone with just a search warrant left behind. Adam had been under surveilance because of the women he'd been dating. She'd been identified as a co-conspirator in intricately planned robberies. The warnings of the Lord came back to Adam's mind. Ashamed, Adam stopped going to church and shied away from praising and worshipping God. 

Weeks later, while remembering the praise and worship services, Adam began to sing to the Lord. In tears, he called out to the Lord who again filled his heart as he praised in tongues and worshipped. Afterward, he called his pastor and the praise and worship leader. After meeting with them, he was welcomed back into the fellowship. The next Sunday during worship, Adam felt the anointing as never before. 

Today's lesson is about how we as saints should ask God to help us maintain joyful worship of God, who is worthy to be praised. 

BACKGROUND

Throughout the history of the Children of Israel, we see a pattern where one ruler obeyed God and his successor would disobey and lead the nation into a path of unrightousness. In the historical era prior to our lesson, King Josiah, at 8 years old, sought to cleanse and restore true worship among the people of Israel. He built the temple and led the people in obeying the Law of Moses to follow all the required feasts and sacrifices and the Passover. 

After his death, his brother Jehiaham was placed over the Children of Israel, and he did evil in the sight of the Lord. The people disobeyed God, and the chief priest defiled the temple. The Lord sent prophets to warn them, but the people mocked and misused them. God's wrath against them became unquenched. The king of Chaldees came and slew them unmercifully: young and old, men, and women alike. The king took everything of value in the land and removed everything from the temple before he burned it and destroyed the wall of Jerusalem. Those who remained were taken into captivity for 70 years, the time God appointed. 

SEARCH THE SCRIPTURES

1. What was significant in the observance of the Feast of Tabernacles among the Children of Israel (Ezra 3:4)?

2. Who granted permission to the Children of Israel to rebuild the temple (v. 7)?

DISCUSS THE MEANING 

1. Even when we have the Holy Ghost, there are spiritual practices that help us grow in the knowledge of the Lord and our ability to hear and obey Him. What observances, sacrifices, and practices do we need to reinstitute to either restore or strengthen our relationship with God?

2. In the In Focus story, Adam was young in the Lord and failed to heed His voice. What warning would you have given Adam? What advice would you give him to keep him strong?

LESSON IN OUR SOCIETY

Unbroken fellowship with God is so vital to our existance and peace of mind in today's perilous world. Our praise and worship brings us into God's presence and protection. Our continual disobedience only stirs the wrath of God-the source of our praise, worship, and more important, our joy. 

(Except for The Apostolic Way)

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