First Baptist Church of Hoquiam
Sunday Worship, April 26, 2026

      • Psalm 119ESV

  • When things aren’t right.

    This week I want to slow down and focus on two verses that we touched on last week. These verses highlight the situation the returned exiles were in and what they planned to do. Many of us struggle in our lives and that can bring difficult and even terrible consequences. It is crucial that we recognize that faith in God is what carries us through.
    Nehemiah 2:17 ESV
    17 Then I said to them, “You see the trouble we are in, how Jerusalem lies in ruins with its gates burned. Come, let us build the wall of Jerusalem, that we may no longer suffer derision.”
    What does it look like to face derision and how does the hand of God lift us out?

    What happened to the Jews and Jerusalem?

    They were torn from the land and the walls, the gates, the streets, the homes, and even the temple were destroyed under the judgment of God. Listen to this summary statement found in 2 Chronicles.
    2 Chronicles 36:15–23 ESV
    15 The Lord, the God of their fathers, sent persistently to them by his messengers, because he had compassion on his people and on his dwelling place. 16 But they kept mocking the messengers of God, despising his words and scoffing at his prophets, until the wrath of the Lord rose against his people, until there was no remedy. 17 Therefore he brought up against them the king of the Chaldeans, who killed their young men with the sword in the house of their sanctuary and had no compassion on young man or virgin, old man or aged. He gave them all into his hand. 18 And all the vessels of the house of God, great and small, and the treasures of the house of the Lord, and the treasures of the king and of his princes, all these he brought to Babylon. 19 And they burned the house of God and broke down the wall of Jerusalem and burned all its palaces with fire and destroyed all its precious vessels. 20 He took into exile in Babylon those who had escaped from the sword, and they became servants to him and to his sons until the establishment of the kingdom of Persia, 21 to fulfill the word of the Lord by the mouth of Jeremiah, until the land had enjoyed its Sabbaths. All the days that it lay desolate it kept Sabbath, to fulfill seventy years. 22 Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the Lord by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, the Lord stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, so that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom and also put it in writing: 23 “Thus says Cyrus king of Persia, ‘The Lord, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth, and he has charged me to build him a house at Jerusalem, which is in Judah. Whoever is among you of all his people, may the Lord his God be with him. Let him go up.’ ”
    God chose Israel and blessed Israel
    Israel sinned against God
    God warned Israel of the consequences
    God brought disciplined Israel
    God brought His promised restoration to Israel
    This cycle should make us pause. On one hand, we are excited to have God work in our lives. But sin can make that difficult and scary. We don’t want to take God lightly as the Israelites did and face judgment or discipline. But how do we stand firm in our walk. I thought this morning we would use the example of the Israelites to just pause and take stock of our own lives.

    What is the condition of your life?

    How are the walls, the gates, the streets, the homes, and the temple in your life?

    How are the walls of your salvation?

    If you are a believer, you know that God chose you.

    2 Thessalonians 2:13 ESV
    13 But we ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers beloved by the Lord, because God chose you as the firstfruits to be saved, through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth.

    If you are chosen, you are blessed.

    Ephesians 1:3–4 ESV
    3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, 4 even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love

    How are the gates of your belief?

    God warns against those who falsely believe the know Him.

    Luke 6:46–49 ESV
    46 “Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do what I tell you? 47 Everyone who comes to me and hears my words and does them, I will show you what he is like: 48 he is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when a flood arose, the stream broke against that house and could not shake it, because it had been well built. 49 But the one who hears and does not do them is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. When the stream broke against it, immediately it fell, and the ruin of that house was great.”
    Matthew 7:21–23 ESV
    21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ 23 And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’

    God warns that He disciplines those whom He loves.

    Hebrews 12:1–11 ESV
    1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted. 4 In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. 5 And have you forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons? “My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor be weary when reproved by him. 6 For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives.” 7 It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline? 8 If you are left without discipline, in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. 9 Besides this, we have had earthly fathers who disciplined us and we respected them. Shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits and live? 10 For they disciplined us for a short time as it seemed best to them, but he disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness. 11 For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.
    This indicates that we will require discipline. Don’t fool yourself into believing you have arrived. In this life you and I are a work in progress. We are being sanctified . . . made holy. When we get to heaven He will finish the job.
    The question is not, are you perfect enough to avoid discipline? But, the question is, does the perfect God know you and love you as His own so he disciplines you when you need it?

    One is Pride, the other is humility.

    James 4:1–10 ESV
    1 What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you? 2 You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have, because you do not ask. 3 You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions. 4 You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. 5 Or do you suppose it is to no purpose that the Scripture says, “He yearns jealously over the spirit that he has made to dwell in us”? 6 But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” 7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. 9 Be wretched and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. 10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.

    With this comes a promise to those who believe

    1 John 1:9 ESV
    9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

    How are the streets of your witness?

    Matthew 28:18–20 ESV
    18 And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
    Romans 1:16–17 ESV
    16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. 17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.”

    How is the home of your faithfulness?

    Are you resolute in your faith?

    Joshua 24:15 ESV
    15 And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”

    Do you live by faith?

    Hebrews 10:36–39 ESV
    36 For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God you may receive what is promised. 37 For, “Yet a little while, and the coming one will come and will not delay; 38 but my righteous one shall live by faith, and if he shrinks back, my soul has no pleasure in him.” 39 But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who have faith and preserve their souls.

    How is the Temple of your worship?

    God has placed great value on you.

    1 Corinthians 3:16–17 ESV
    16 Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you? 17 If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him. For God’s temple is holy, and you are that temple.

    Do not disgrace God by profaning the Temple His Spirit dwells in.

    1 Corinthians 6:17–20 ESV
    17 But he who is joined to the Lord becomes one spirit with him. 18 Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin a person commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person sins against his own body. 19 Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, 20 for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.

    Fill your Temple with righteous worship.

    Philippians 4:8–9 ESV
    8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. 9 What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.
    Now that we have checked for anything that we need to work on, how do we respond if things aren’t where they should be?
    Nehemiah 2:18 ESV
    18 And I told them of the hand of my God that had been upon me for good, and also of the words that the king had spoken to me. And they said, “Let us rise up and build.” So they strengthened their hands for the good work.
    So we trust in God’s promises. Then we rise up to do what we know He has called us to do.

    Rise up!

    If you aren’t right with God, how do you rise up?

    If you are not a believer, repent of your sin and turn to God for salvation.

    Acts 3:19 ESV
    19 Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out,
    Romans 10:8–10 ESV
    8 But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith that we proclaim); 9 because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.

    If you are a believer, repent of your sin and turn to God for forgiveness.

    1 John 1:9 ESV
    9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
    Revelation 3:19
    Revelation 3:19 ESV
    19 Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent.

    If you aren’t right with another person, how do you rise up?

    Go to the person and make things right.

    Matthew 5:23–24 ESV
    23 So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, 24 leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.

    Forgive as you have been forgiven.

    Ephesians 4:32 ESV
    32 Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.

    Confess sin to one another

    James 5:16 ESV
    16 Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.

    If you aren’t doing something that God has told you to do, how do you rise up?

    Be obedient to the Bible.

    James 1:22 ESV
    22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.

    God calls us to do the work of the kingdom, not sit idle in our knowledge.

    James 2:17 ESV
    17 So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.

    Obedience is an assurance of our salvation.

    1 John 2:3–4 ESV
    3 And by this we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments. 4 Whoever says “I know him” but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him,

    How do we rise up?

    Romans 12:1 ESV
    1 I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.

      • Nehemiah 2:17ESV

      • 2 Chronicles 36:15–23ESV

      • 2 Thessalonians 2:13ESV

      • Ephesians 1:3–4ESV

      • Luke 6:46–49ESV

      • Matthew 7:21–23ESV

      • Hebrews 12:1–11ESV

      • James 4:1–10ESV

      • 1 John 1:9ESV

      • Matthew 28:18–20ESV

      • Romans 1:16–17ESV

      • Joshua 24:15ESV

      • Hebrews 10:36–39ESV

      • 1 Corinthians 3:16–17ESV

      • 1 Corinthians 6:17–20ESV

      • Philippians 4:8–9ESV

      • Nehemiah 2:18ESV

      • Acts 3:19ESV

      • Romans 10:8–10ESV

      • 1 John 1:9ESV

      • Revelation 3:19ESV

      • Matthew 5:23–24ESV

      • Ephesians 4:32ESV

      • James 5:16ESV

      • James 1:22ESV

      • James 2:17ESV

      • 1 John 2:3–4ESV

      • Romans 12:1ESV

First Baptist Church of Hoquiam
fbchoquiam@outlook.com
3605324887
http://fbchoquiam.com
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