Rebuilding the Temple!Ezr 3:11-12 And they sang responsively, praising and giving thanks to the LORD: "For He is good,

For His mercy endures forever toward Israel." Then all the people shouted with a great shout,

when they praised the LORD, because the foundation of the house of the LORD was laid. But many of the priests and Levites and heads of the fathers' houses, old men who had seen

the first temple, wept with a loud voice when the foundation of this temple was laid before their

eyes. Yet many shouted aloud for joy.

Restoring the Broken Bonds of Fellowship!

Mal 3:6-7 "For I am the LORD, I do not change; Therefore you are not

consumed, O sons of Jacob. Yet from the days of your fathers you have gone away from My ordinances And have not kept them. Return to Me, and I will return

to you," Says the LORD of hosts. "But you said, 'In what way shall we return?'

How many of us here have ever restored something before?

▪Now how many of us have destroyed something before? ▸We are much better at demolition than

reconstruction! ▸Give me a hammer and I can destroy just

about anything, but it take time and still to rebuild!

▪In our lesson today we want to focus on “rebuilding the broken bonds of fellowship!”

A lesson on “reconciliation!”Reconciliation = involves a change in the

relationship between God and man or man and man. It assumes there has been a breakdown in the relationship, but now there has been a

change from a state of enmity and fragmentation to one of harmony and

fellowship. (Baker’s Bible Dict.)▪With God this involves “recreation!”▸2 Cor. 5:17▪With man this involves “restoration!”

I. Fellowship Between the Master!Godly fellowship begins vertically and extends

horizontally▪1 Jn 1:3, 6-7 that which we have seen and

heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ. If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.

What breaks fellowship between the Master?

Is 59:1-2 Behold, the LORD'S hand is not shortened, That it cannot save; Nor His ear

heavy, That it cannot hear. But your iniquities have separated you from your God; And your

sins have hidden His face from you, So that He will not hear.

▪Our number one enemy is Satan, number one weapon is temptation, the result is sin!▪Satan has been playing this game a

long time and men have always given in to him!

The Devil & death have been defeated, our debt has been paid!Rom 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the

gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.▪The good new is that God has built us a

bridge back to Him, He has make a way for us to again enter into His fellowship!▸1 Cor 15:55-57 "O Death, where is your

sting? O Hades, where is your victory?" The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

With God it is “more” than restoration, it is recreation!

▪Ps 51:10 Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.

▪2 Cor 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.

▪Complete transformation! From a sinner to a saint!▸Rom 12:2 And do not be conformed to this

world, but be transformed...

II. Fellowship Between Men!When you have people, you have problems

because none of us are perfect!▪This can often be much harder for us,

because with God we are always the “only ones” at fault!▪When it comes to our relationships with

others, often we are both at fault! ▸This can be in our words or works!▸When we are wronged, we often then

respond wrongly! Two wrongs don't make a right!

Ought against my brother!

▪Mt 5:23-24 Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee; Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.

▪Mt 18:15-16 "Moreover if your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he hears you, you have gained your brother. "But if he will not hear, take with you one or two more, that 'by the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.'

We cannot be right with God and wrong with others!

▪My relationship to God is based on God, me and others! We are in this together!▸1 Jn 4:11-12 Beloved, if God so loved us, we

ought also to love one another. No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and His love is perfected in us.▸1Jn 4:20 If a man say, I love God, and h ateth

his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?

Forgiving = forgiven!▪Mt 6:14-15 For if you forgive men their

trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

▪Eph 4:32 And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God in Christ forgave you.

▪Mr 11:25 And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses.

Conclusion:▪Right relationships are the key to finding

true happiness in life!▪When the bonds of fellowship are

broken, there is a pressing need for “reconciliation!”▸With God = recreation!▸With man = restoration!▪Where are you at this morning with your

relationship with God? Where are you at with your relationship with others?