GOD WORKS FOR OUR GOOD AND FOR HIS GLORY.

SCRIPTURE | Ezra 6:6-12,16-22

CENTRAL TRUTH

We often take for granted and treat as ordinary our ability to enter God’s presence, which is possible only because of Jesus’s perfect sacrifice. God is worthy of our preparation. We must still prepare to enter our King’s holy presence by confessing our sin, by asking God to be near, by expressing gratitude for Jesus. Daily preparation to worship God helps us to anticipate His presence.

KEY QUESTION

HOW CAN WE PREPARE TO WORSHIP GOD? WHAT DIFFERENCE COULD THIS MAKE FOR US?

KEEP IN MIND

Maybe parts of your students’ lives feel like ruins and rubble—a relationship with a parent or a friend, their reputation, their grades. What once stood strong fell apart. Maybe their relationship with God needs rebuilding. The relationship was once like a strong building, but over time, the building began to sway; then, it cracked and fell. Maybe they’re at the beginning of their walk with God, trying to figure out how to start building. Whether they’re new believers or not, they’ll likely experience a time when they need to rebuild. The history of God’s people is full of rebuilding periods. In those periods, we see that successfully rebuilding began with repentance and worship. Every time. In the end, the physical structures they rebuilt, like the temple or the city, mattered greatly, but what mattered more was the people returning to the Lord in their hearts. Rebuilding begins internally.

APPLICATION

WHY DID THE PEOPLE’S OBEDIENCE TO GOD’S COMMANDS MATTER GREATLY IN THIS PASSAGE? WHY DOES OURS MATTER TOO?

THE WIN

FOR THE STUDENT: Students often choose an isolated approach when it comes to sin and a relationship with the Lord. Instead, they can consider how their faithful obedience and their unfaithful disobedience affect others. How they live matters greatly, both now and for years to come.

FOR THE LEADER: As leaders, how we live now sets a pattern for our students. When we approach God’s presence casually, when we treat worship lightly, when we obey partially, when we view church and serving God selfishly, we’re helping those around us form a pattern too.