Nehemiah 10-12 Nehemiah Survey
The
book of Nehemiah is the follow up to Ezra
A)Ezra we saw a man named
Zerubbabel who led a group of Israelites back to
B)They started the work in
the middle 15yr delay
1)Ezra led a 2nd
group finished the work reestablished worship
C)Problem walls were still
broken down city was destitute moral was down
1)Job seemed insurmountable
D)God placed a burden on a
man name Nehemiah
1)Living Susha
Nehemiah
comes to rebuild the walls that have been broken down now for 141yrs
A)Even in the mist of much
opposition Nehemiah & the pp miraculously completed the wall in 52 days
B)At that point Nehemiah
sort of steps aside He has done his role Builder / Motivator / Leader
C)Passing the Baton to Ezra
the Priest / Pastor the pp gather to hear the word
1)For a good month they
gather daily to worship and pray / confess / hear the word 6hrs a day
They
reinstitute the feast of tabernacles
A)We saw last time in ch.9
there is a retracing of their history/ of Gods hand / His judgment as well as
His Provision.
B)Ch.9 ends with the pp
promising to make yet another Covenant to the Lord
1)Their hearts are in the
right place Not vain promises they sincerely
want to do this
Bb) Like being at a retreat
emotions are high the Spirit is moving Your heart is sincere you pledge
1)Sometimes you find back
off the MT top or back in the daily grind it is a little hard to carry out
C)Ch.10
gives us the details of this Covenant
1)V.1-27 Give us the names
of the people who signed this Covenant. They went public with their
commitment!
2.) V. 28-39 give
us the specifics of the Covenant
D)4 Promises are made to the Lord
1) Those 4 promises reveal 4 Principles for us to learn from !
That is what we want to consider tonight.
RD V. 28-30
1st
Promise: They promise to be separate from the world and walk in the ways of the
Lord.
A)This is a good promise
something that the Lord consistently warned His people of.
B)Call to be separate from
the World
1)NT
C)Always been the place and
purpose of Gods pp to be lights in the world
1)But at the same time to
remain separate distinct
D)What is meant by that is
not adopting the Values and goals and mindset of the world.
A)Today: Attach on truth Postmodernism truth cant be
defined it is subjective
B)And Yet Jesus contradicted
that I am the way the truth and the Life
.
1)He who knows the truth
shall be set free
C)So we have to be careful
that we dont start adopting the worlds mindset morality
1)Priorities / ideas about
truth
D)Be separate that is what
they are promising here
And
with that they also promise to not let our kids marry unbelievers.
A)They are making a stand
against being unequally yoked.
B)Why is that so important?
Paul answers that question in
1)What
fellowship has light with darkness
What does God and
the devil have in common
C)Answer is nothing Listen
young pp
When
a person gets involved in that kind of relationship here is what they are doing
A)They are taking a created
person and elevating them to a place of glory in their life.
B)More important to me than
honoring Jesus and following Jesus is pleasing myself and this person
C)When the romance wears off
when the emotions settle down
D)When you get into the
daily grind of marriage
1)Here is what you find
That which is most important to me is not important to him/her at all
E)Miserable way to live!
God wants to save you from that.
1)Parents
make a stand: Under your roof not dating an unbeliever!
Note: They
collectively make this Promise
Principle #1 :
We will protect our convictions with faithful
friends !
A)
When you make a commitment and then surround yourself with people who have made
that same commitment your chances of keeping it are greater
B)
Example: Every year in Jan Gym membership rises People make their new Years
resolutions Get in Shape
1)
Problem by Feb or early March That commitment has gone out the window
What
is true concerning Physical fitness is equally true of Spiritual fitness we
need the encouragement of each other.
A)
B) Flee youthful lust and
pursue God but not alone w/ those who call on the
Lord out of a pure heart.
C) You are going to have a
better chance of staying pure when you surround yourself with Partners who
are Committed to staying Pure
2nd
Promise: V
31 if the peoples of the land brought wares or any grain to sell on the Sabbath
day, we would not buy it from them on the Sabbath, or on a holy day; and we
would forego the seventh year's produce and the exacting of every debt.
A)So they Promise to not do
business on the Sabbath
B) The Sabbath was a day
that the Lord asked his people to set aside for Worship, renewal & Reflection
1) Not a day for Business
and work
C) God promised that if they
would keep the Sabbath days and years
1)
He would bless them He would cause them to Prosper.
D)But if they failed to keep the Sabbath day and
the Sabbath year they would be punished
1)Recall their 70 yrs of
captivity was measured out by the fact that for 490yrs they had not kept the
Sabbath year they owed God 70
Principle
#2 Godly Priorities are important!
A) It is a good
Principle Here is the idea If you
want to keep your commitments it is going to require you to set up boundaries for
your Business
B)
for your walk with the Lord / and for your family!
Now
we are not required to keep THE SABBATH But the concept of keeping a Sabbath
is still one that is wise!
A) A day set aside to seek
the Lord a day set aside to relax and reflect with my family.
B) Times that are set aside
where we make a decision nothing is going to impede this.
1) Nothing is going to pull me away from this
!{Mondays
C) Why is it important to
set up such boundaries ?
1)
I think it is easy to get overwhelmed by work you see there is always
something to do { Always behind!
3rd
Promise They promise to give support to the work of God. V.32-34
32 Also we made
ordinances for ourselves, to exact from ourselves yearly one-third of a shekel
for the service of the house of our God:33 for the showbread, for the regular
grain offering, for the regular burnt offering of the Sabbaths, the New Moons,
and the set feasts; for the holy things, for the sin offerings to make
atonement for Israel, and all the work of the house of our God.34 We cast lots
among the priests, the Levites, and the people, for bringing the wood offering
into the house of our God, according to our fathers' houses, at the appointed
times year by year, to burn on the altar of the LORD our God as it is written
in the Law.
Principle
#3 The things that you believe in you will invest in.
A) This is true anything
that you truly believe in you will invest in.
B)
They believed in the ministry of the temple and for that reason they were
committing themselves to give to support the Ministry.
1)
And to take care of the up keep of the Building itself !
C)
Now the word of God encourages us who are Christians to make similar
commitments - to invest in spiritual things
1)
Because Something happens to us when we do !
"Do not lay up for yourselves
treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and
steal;20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor
rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.21 For where your
treasure is, there your heart will be also.
Note
The bible doesnt say where your heart is your treasure will also be !
A) No it says that where your treasure is your heart is going to
follow
B) Your heart is going to be
in that thing that you have made your treasure
C) We can track your
treasure to know where your heart is at
1) In other words one can watch
how you spend your money and see where your heart is at.
2)
What are you most passionate about!
Promise
#4 Give their
Principle #4 The things that you are serious about you will
Sacrifice for.
A)
Their Sacrifice was called in the OT their First fruits
B)
What does that mean well a farmer would plant a seed the seed goes into the
soil
1)
the farmer spends yrs cultivating watering pulling weeds
C)
That seed starts to grow and after another couple of yrs it turns into a tree
after another year or so it finally brings forth fruit
D) Heres what they would do they would take that first patch of
fruit from that tree
1)
the first harvest of their field and give it to the Lord
E)
What ? After all that time & hard work waiting to reap the benefits of
their hard work instead of enjoying the fruit they gave it to the Lord
F)
That is what the Lord asked for This is the reason why
In giving God the first fruits they were saying two things
#1 Lord we realize that what
we have is from you. Your blessing on my life / family
A)
So first of all they were communicating to the Lord this fact this blessing is from you.
B) #2 They were saying: Lord I am going
to trust you to provide for us in the future.
1)
Giving you the first fruits / first crop trusting that you are going to
provide what we lack
C)
TEMPTATION: I will give God the left overs
What does that look like for us today?
A)Time best part of our
day{ Morning
B)Resources tithing
1)Talents
C)Dont give God the
leftovers
So
they made these promises to the Lord that unfortunately they would not keep!
A)Again the blessing of the
NC The NC is not based on the promises we make to God but on the Promises
He has made to us.
B)1 Corinthians 1:20 All the Promises of God are yes and amen in Christ
Ch.11 RD V.1-2 Now the leaders of the people
dwelt at Jerusalem; the rest of the people cast lots to bring one out of ten to
dwell in Jerusalem, the holy city, and nine-tenths were to dwell in other
cities.2 And the people blessed all the men who willingly offered themselves to
dwell at Jerusalem.
A) What we see here is that
they are re-populating the city Draft of those who would live there in
1)
1 out of every 10 families was randomly chosen
B) People preferred the
country grow their own food more peaceful
1)
but they needed people in the city so this Draft was
Initiated
.
C)
But it is here that we are introduced to our first group
1)
V.2 Those who came willingly chose to dwell there / Volunteers
D)
Yes there was a draft but in the mist of the draft there were those who said
we want to be there
E) Those who just were
willing to show up be a part of what was going on.
1) Those people
are special to God !
From V.3-Ch.12 V.26 we
essentially have a list of those pp and the 822 Priest who worked in the
temple.
Ch.12 V.27 Now
at the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem they sought out the Levites in all
their places, to bring them to Jerusalem to celebrate the dedication with
gladness, both with thanksgivings and singing, with cymbals and stringed instruments
and harps.
Dedication
service it is time to dedicate the wall
Love
this: These people are into Celebrations
Our Lord is into
Celebrations 1st Miracle Wedding
Feast
D) First activity after Rapture is going to be a
wedding celebration { Not a Funeral
Picture
a wedding reception: Party music / dancing / food / fun / fellowship whole atmosphere
is festive
A) I think that Church
should resemble that to a certain degree CELEBRATION
B) Been in Some Churches
where they never clap during worship no Joy
1)Singing durges in His
memory instead of Praises in His honor!
C)The Scriptures declare
Psalm 47:1-2 Oh, clap your hands, all you peoples!
Shout
to God with the voice of triumph!
2
For the LORD Most High is awesome;
D)
Did you know that we are encouraged to sing out
116
times in the scriptures
1) Rejoice 195 times
2) Praise 267 times
3) Gladness 48 times / also
shout 48 times
E)They had reason to sing
out and be joyful
1)God was changing lives /
changing hearts / He was doing a mighty work in their city
F)When Gods glory is being
revealed and His greatness is unveiled
1)We have no other response
than to worship
Listen
the Lord likes to see his people celebrating!
A) We saw in
B) Here again in
C)
That is what is happening here in C.12 pick it up in V.28 Read
v.28 47 make some comments
I want
us to note several key ingredients in this worship service !
1st Before they started they purified themselves!
v.30
A)
There was a ritual of purification that would have involved the offering up of
a Sacrifice !
B) They Purified themselves
so that they could worship & rejoice!
C)That is a good practice
a pure heart makes for powerful worship
1)If I come into the
Sanctuary with sin in my life
Know I am not right
D)The last thing I want to
do is worship dont feel right
But here is what
is cool we dont have to offer up a Sacrifice because
Jesus already did
A)Simply search our hearts
confess / repent rejoice
B)We can Worship &
Rejoice because we have been purified
1)Our
Position before God tonight!
C)
It is not by ritual of Sacrifice but by confessing our faults and believing
that God has forgiven them.
1) It
is that simple.
D)Jesus came to live the life that you cannot live He died a death that you should have died He rose
to give you salvation & reconcile you to God
1)That is worth Singing
about
The
2nd aspect of their Celebration is that it was marked by Joy !
A)
In Verse 27, "The Levites were. . .brought to
B)
Note that the emphasis was on joyful praise
on the part of all the people.
1) Singing is mentioned eight times in this chapter, thanksgiving six
times, rejoicing seven times, and musical instruments three
times.
C) One of the primary
elements of true celebration is the expression of joy.
1) A
general attitude of joy ought to characterize all Christians.
2)
But It is amazing to me how many Christians never appear to be joyful.
The German philosopher
Nietzsche said,
"If the Christians expect me to believe in their
Redeemer they have got to look a lot more redeemed!"
C) There are times of sorrow
and sadness, of course,
1) but
Christians ought frequently to exude a sense of joy because we have something
to be joyful about.
D) We have been set free
We are Purified !
1)
They were joyful that the wall of the city had been built
E) We can and should be
joyful that the wall of SEPERATION has been brought down !
The
3rd aspect of their celebration was that they marched on and around
the wall v.31-40
A)Two Choirs one led by Ezra
/ the other by Nehemiah
B)
They split up and go in opposite directions singing on the wall marching
ending up at the
C) By marching on the walls,
the people had an opportunity to see the results of their labors
1)
They had a Chance to see what God had done
Let me suggest another reason for this march
around the walls:
A)It
was a symbolic act by which they stepped out by faith to claim Gods blessing.
B) In that day, to walk on a piece of property
meant to claim it as your own. God said to Abraham, Arise, walk through the land...for I will
give it unto you (Genesis 13:17);
D) He
said to Joshua, Every
place that the sole of your foot shall tread upon, that have I given unto you
(Joshua 1:3).
E) This
joyful march around the walls was their way of saying, We claim from our God all that He has for
us, just as our forebearers claimed this land by faith!
Worship
is a symbolically an act of the same thing! A) In worship
we are saying Lord I trust you I adore you my life belongs to you
B)Life marked by worship
Life that revolves around him
1)Many times we are so far
from that
C.S. Lewis once said, We are halfhearted
creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is
offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum
because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased.
C.S. Lewis The weight of Glory
C)Think about it You
cannot have God and your settling to watch something we shouldnt on the
internet Settle for Video games have
God
Fox news Feb 21 2008
A 5-month-old
was dropped off at his parents house on Feb. 4, strapped into his car seat.
Eight days later, he was found dead in the same position, said
He
died from starvation due to neglect from his parents, who were busy playing
video games
Settle for other
relationships we can have God
C)
In worship we are saying I acknowledge
your greatness and wonder
1) I am saying yes to all
that you are and want to do in my life !!!
D)I worship you because you
are worthy to be worshipped
You log for and desire
worship
So
the People engaged in this great time of Celebration their hearts were filled
with Joy and thanksgiving
A) Thankfulness is always
part of true celebration.
These people were thankful.
This
raises the question: Are we properly thankful?
A) Do we give
thanks every day to God for the blessings we are enjoying at the moment?
B) We
are so trained by the media to grumble and complain, to insist on something we
do not have,
Instead of focusing on all
we do have.
C) One
of the first signs of a growing, maturing spirit in young Christians is that
they begin to give thanks to God for what he has poured into their life;
1) for
the opportunities that are before them; and for the present blessings and
liberties that they do enjoy.
C) Reasons to rejoice !
1)
Purified / Provision / Protection / transformation / Great country / the body
of Christ / Gods Patience !
D)
Sing
Search hearts
Worship in giving thanks
Lord that we can our hearts are linked to your Kingdom Your work
Worship in Song Celebrate
our God Who is worthy
Celebrate our salvation
Celebrate His goodness
Focus on what He has done
Is doing and Has promised to do in our lives!