October 8, 2023 - "Giving Thanks With Mixed Feelings"

Scripture Passage:  Ezra 3:10-14

Slide 1

Slide 2

Thanksgiving
Mixed Emotions
Sharing Stories

Slide 3

Ezra-Nehemiah
3 restorations: temple, law, wall
Mixed/disappointing results

Slide 4

Early success
10 When the builders laid the foundation of the temple of the Lord,

Slide 5

Official Regal Celebration
the priests in their vestments and with trumpets, and the Levites (the sons of Asaph) with cymbals, took their places to praise the Lord, as prescribed by David king of Israel.

Slide 6

Do you recognize this refrain?
11 With praise and thanksgiving they sang to the Lord:
“He is good;
    his love toward Israel endures forever.”

Slide 7

Psalm 136
1 Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good.
His love endures forever.

Slide 8

Also Psalm 106, 107, 117, 118
Jeremiah 33
1 Chronicles 16, 2 Chronicles 5,7

Slide 9

But did you see the difference?
Ezra:   His love toward Israel endures forever.
All others:  His love endures forever.

 Slide 10

Antiphonal Action
And all the people gave a great shout of praise to the Lord, because the foundation of the house of the Lord was laid.

Slide 11

That mix of emotions
12 But many of the older priests and Levites and family heads, who had seen the former temple, wept aloud when they saw the foundation of this temple being laid, while many others shouted for joy.

Slide 12

Our mixed thanksgiving

Slide 13

Cacophany
 13 No one could distinguish the sound of the shouts of joy from the sound of weeping, because the people made so much noise. And the sound was heard far away.