Who say’s you can’t teach an old dog new tricks? I don’t believe that. I am an old dog and I learn something new everyday. Let’s learn a lesson here today. In Ezra 3:12, we find this verse.

¹² 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,

Notice that after the foundation of the new temple had been built that some shouted for joy but some wept. Notice the difference. The OLD men wept. They shouted with a cry. Why? The text says that they wept because they had seen the old Temple that Solomon had built. This new Temple was not like the old Temple. It was much less in grandeur. They were heart broken about this. However, the young men cried and shouted with joy. They had never seen the old Temple to have anything to compare the new Temple to. They were so excited to have something to honor and worship God in that they sang and shouted with joy. Oh may this teach us a lesson here today. I am an old man and stuck in my ways but sometimes things can and will change. As long as the method is biblical and it does not take away from the Word of God or cheapen the Gospel of Jesus Christ, may we sing and shout for joy as we celebrate Jesus. This should be a lesson for all old and young alike. The young men did nothing wrong. They were biblical and excited to do something for God and they were overwhelmed with joy. May we find common ground, Jesus, to worship together…

Father, give us a discerning heart to accept the new things that honor You. Grant us wisdom to discern what new things do not honor You that we may provide guidance to the young as they search for You.