Adversaries & Opposition

ADVERSARIES & OPPOSITION
Christ Proclamation Church
Sunday, 11/10/2019
Ezra 4:1-24

Sermon Theme: Adversaries and opposition to the people of God and the work of God should not be a surprise, but expected. Jesus said, “If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you.” Therefore, let us look to Christ, the One who overcame death and the devil and empowers us to be more than conquerors!

I. IN THE DAYS OF CYRUS (Ezra 4:1-5, 24)
    A. Enemies Strive to Help Build the Temple (vv. 1-3)
        1. "The Adversaries of Judah and Benjamin" (v. 1)
        2. "The king of Assyria brought us here" (v. 3)
    B. Enemies Seek to Frighten and Discourage (vv. 4-5)
    C. Enemies Stop the Building of the Temple (v. 24)

II. IN THE DAYS OF FUTURE KINGS (Ezra 4:6-23)
    A. Enemies in the Days of Xerxes (v. 6)
    B. Enemies in the Days of Artaxerxes (vv. 7-23)
        1. Letter from Rehum to Artaxerxes (vv. 7-16)
        2. Letter from Artaxerxes to Rehum (vv. 17-23)

III. IN THE DAYS OF OUR LIFE (John 16:33)
    A. Have a Wartime Mentality (2 Timothy 2:3-4)
    B. Have Our Eyes Fixed on Jesus (Hebrews 12:1-2)
    C. Have an Eternal Perspective (Romans 8:35-39)