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This sermon outline serves to illustrate, by Ezra’s example, how every child of God should see to walk with God as well as to help others do the same. Spiritual leaders must be prepared to show others the way forward. They must always remember that they cannot lead someone any farther than they have gone themselves. With this in mind, hopefully this outline will help prepare folks for narrow way!

Title: “Ezra: A Prepared Man!”

Text: Ezra 7:1-10

(Ezra 7:1-10) “Now after these things, in the reign of Artaxerxes king of Persia, Ezra the son of Seraiah, the son of Azariah, the son of Hilkiah, The son of Shallum, the son of Zadok, the son of Ahitub, The son of Amariah, the son of Azariah, the son of Meraioth, The son of Zerahiah, the son of Uzzi, the son of Bukki, The son of Abishua, the son of Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the chief priest: This Ezra went up from Babylon; and he was a ready scribe in the law of Moses, which the LORD God of Israel had given: and the king granted him all his request, according to the hand of the LORD his God upon him. And there went up some of the children of Israel, and of the priests, and the Levites, and the singers, and the porters, and the Nethinims, unto Jerusalem, in the seventh year of Artaxerxes the king. And he came to Jerusalem in the fifth month, which was in the seventh year of the king. For upon the first day of the first month began he to go up from Babylon, and on the first day of the fifth month came he to Jerusalem, according to the good hand of his God upon him. For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the law of the LORD, and to do it, and to teach in Israel statutes and judgments.” (KJV)

Introduction:

• God used this Scribe, I believe, for one reason and one reason only!
• It was because he had prepared his heart!
• Ezra was not preparing for retirement, nor was he preparing to amass the world’s material possessions!
• Ezra was concerned and possibly consumed with being right with God!
• It was under his leadership that the law and ritual of worship was restored after the captivity!
• Such a daunting task was accomplished because a man yielded himself to God and prepared his heart!
• Could it be that such a man is here in our midst tonight! Would there be a person here that God will use mightily, if only they would surrender their souls to God!

Proposition: There are three things I want to mention about the preparations Ezra made!

I. Ezra Prepared To Seek God’s Law!

A. One must be committed to God’s Word enough to be seeking it in every facet!

B. Just as one would hold a gem to the light and admiringly seek out all of its illustrious reflections, so we must with God’s Holy Word!

C. Scripture must be sought out early, while the day is still young if one is to be effective in their walk during the course of the day!

D. Every used servant of God is characterized by this preparation!

II. Ezra Prepared To Do God’s Law!

A. It is one thing to seek out God’s law. It is entirely different to practice what is found!

B. One would be considered foolish to spend absorbent amounts of time preparing for a trip and never take the journey!

C. It would be unwise to fill the gas tank and never start the car!

D. One must be committed to follow God’s Word in whatever it says prior to reading it!

E. This should be viewed as a one way trip of no return!

III. Ezra Prepared To Teach Others God’s Law!

A. Many are just self-centered, and never consider that each one of us is commissioned to disciple others!

(Matthew 28:18-20) “And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.” (KJV)

B. Jesus is very concerned about us seeking and following Him, but we must also be involved in training others!

C. Ezra had prepared his heart for this!

D. With all of the inconveniences this involves, he was still prepared for discipleship!

Conclusion:

To The Sinner:

• Are you prepared for death?
• Are you willing to repent and be saved?

To The Christian:

• Are you prepared for service in our Lord’s work!

Image by sonson via Flickr

Human nature can take some strange turns along this road called life. One of the side roads many pastors end up on is the Pastor Preeminent Parkway. No true man of God starts out with this in mind. It just seems to happen. Unlike the picture to the left, wrong turns are not okay… especially that of seeking preeminence!

People Can Spot You…

One of the biggest complaints I hear about pastors is that many of them seem to carry themselves as preeminent in everything “church”. This idolatrous behavior is not confined to any one denomination. In fact, these prima donnas seem to find a “tap root” in the well of any “kind” of church.

(Colossians 1:18) “And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.”  (KJV)

It’s All About HIM!

Jesus Christ is preeminent… period. It is all about Him and less about us. The ministry is bigger than any single entity. The pulpit is not in place for ego maniacs who are out of control. Though modern television is a hot bed for painted up, effeminate, jewelry wearing, money grabbers, true men of God will not only acknowledge Christ as the head of the church, but will also take their proper seat.

(John 3:30) “He must increase, but I must decrease.”  (KJV)

Are You A Diotrephes?

(3 John 1:9) “I wrote unto the church: but Diotrephes, who loveth to have the preeminence among them, receiveth us not.”  (KJV)

A great church leader in the first century was a man named Paul. Not one time do you find this gentleman exalting himself. Rather, you find him constantly abasing himself. Prima donna pastors were a thorn in his side then just as they are in our side today. The Apostle Paul called out Diotrephes in Scripture! How awful it must be to ever be associated with encroachment upon the deity of Christ.

Conclusion…

Dear pastor friend of mine… dear christian… please do not seek preeminence in any forum. If you find yourself constantly critical of people around you, then you are well on your way to being a person of preeminence.  If you have to always be right, or always have to have it your way, then you are being preeminent. Deal with your insecurities in a godly way, not through putting Christ off of His rightful throne.  

The Working Pastor is delighted to introduce a fine veteran missionary named Tom Meador. Brother Meador and his wife Cheryl are a blessing to my family in a personal way. Brother Tom was saved in 1974 and left for Greece as a missionary in July of 1985. They are members of and sent out of Gospel Light Baptist Church of Walkertown, North Carolina where Dr. Bobby Roberson is the pastor.

There are many people who have left the ministry due to health reasons, and rightly so in many cases. However, the Meador family, in spite of Cheryl’s illness, and car accident, have managed to keep on the firing line!!! This family has been Stateside since November of 2004, but has been sharing the gospel with Greeks WORLDWIDE through his printing of Gospel Tracts and his publication. Praise The Lord! God has a way of working through seeming misfortunes beyond our comprehension!

An Excerpt From His Testimony…

“I did not want to move back to America, but the Lord kept speaking to my heart about it and convinced me through prayer…  I believe the most important issue for any Christian is the WILL OF GOD!  The Lord brought us back in November, 2004 and our ministry has expanded ever since!  I send out our publications, ΕΥΑΓΓΕΛΙΟ-ΦΩΣ & EVANGELIO-FOS, all across Greece to Australia, Canada, and to Greeks in every state in the U.S.A.  I also publish Gospel tracts and booklets in both languages and send them freely in bulk to Greek Gospel workers all around the world.  Just the other day, a Greek woman wrote to me from Sydney Australia who was saved after reading our paper.  I contacted a Greek Baptist pastor there by email. Another precious soul just on the outskirts of Athens also….  It’s amazing how the Lord has a way of working things out.  I’m thankful God allowed us to go to Greece for almost 20 years and yet brought us back, increasing our Gospel outreach from a place where we can be near these great doctors for my wife.” Bro. Tom Meador

Below is a list of important links that every pastor should investigate about Tom Meador. 

Brother Tom’s Testimony

August 2010 Prayer Letter

Booklets That Tom Publishes

Recent Publication

Contact Missionary Tom Meador Via Email: [email protected]

The Best of Tozer – Volumes 1 & 2 By Compiled by Warren Wiersbe / Wingspread Publishers Feast on the spiritual insight, encouragement, and guidance that are the hallmark of Tozer’s writings with these excerpts from The Pursuit of God, That Incredible Christian, and many more. Softcovers.