April 30: The People Rebuilt the Temple
Bible Passage: Ezra 2-6
Christ Connection: God’s people rebuilt the temple so they would have a place to worship God. Years later, God sent His Son, Jesus, to be with His people on earth.
Bottom Line: I get to worship God with my whole life.
Context:
Imagine this for a moment: It’s late Saturday night, and you’ve been out of the house all day. You’ve gone from place to place, striving to complete more than seemed possible from your calendar to-do list. You’ve just returned home and sat down for dinner. Suddenly, you remember that tomorrow is Sunday. You quickly recall that you are scheduled to serve with preschoolers tomorrow morning, your small group is having lunch together after church, and you have yet to plan out this upcoming week. The thought crosses your mind, What if I just sat this one out tomorrow? Does this scenario hit close to home? In Ezra 3, as the work had begun to rebuild the temple, there was an eager desire among God’s people, leading them to anticipate what that place would afford them upon its completion. As the people worked and waited, even in the midst of their exhaustion, they made time to worship. Read Ezra 3:6. Not only was the temple incomplete, but the first stage of the build was not yet done. Still, the laborers did not forget or fail to keep the purpose at the forefront of their minds. The goal was not the temple; it was the Lord. We often find ourselves in scenarios like the one above, ready to make excuses to not do the things that matter most because we’ve misplaced our priorities—or at least lost sight of them in the whirlwind of life. Our decisions reflect what has the seat of greatest importance in our lives. Hebrews 10:24-25 says, “And let us consider one another in order to provoke love and good works, not neglecting to gather together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging each other, and all the more as you see the day approaching.” Understanding Christ to be our greatest purpose and prize ought to direct our paths toward prioritizing our lives around Christ and His church. Not only will this be good for us, but it will be good for the rest of God’s children as well. When we are eager to be with the Lord and His people, not only will we be productive, but we will be truly satisfied.
Takeaways
- God’s people rebuilt the temple so they would have a place to worship God.
- When Jesus came, God gave something better than the Temple. He gave us a Savior.
- Now, we worship God, wherever we are and whatever we are doing.
- Because we have a relationship with Jesus, God is always with us and wherever we are or whatever we’re doing we can choose to love God with all of our hearts. That’s worship.
- Bottom Line: I get to worship God with my whole life.
Discussion Questions
- When was a time you had to trust God and His Word even when it was hard? Answers will vary. Lead kids to consider how God never promised that we would not face hard times, but that He did promise to be with us and help us during hard times. Encourage kids to remember that God can always be trusted.
- Why were the people so committed to rebuilding the temple? They wanted to have a place where they could meet with God, worship, and learn from Him.
- Where do we go to worship God today? Kids will quickly say they go to church to worship, but help them see that church isn’t the only place they can worship because God is with us no matter where we are. We don’t have to go to the church to worship because the Spirit of God lives in us.
- What can you do to worship Jesus in these places: home, school, or on the playing field? Lead kids to see that worshiping isn’t limited to singing and praying, but worshiping is living a God honoring life so they can do that anywhere they are and no matter what they are doing. At home, they can worship by obeying their parents. At school, they can worship by doing their best and being respectful. On the sports field, they can worship by thinking and saying the right things. There are many ways for us to worship the Lord. Help the kids to see how they can do it.