SUMMARY

Are you afraid of commitment?  It is more and more common today for people to have commitment issues.  People are afraid that if they make a commitment, they’ll be stuck for life, and they will grow to resent it.  However, not committing isn’t the problem; it’s a symptom of something else.  The real root problem of lack of commitment is lack of submission to Jesus Christ as Lord. 

Lack of commitment results in a guilty, shallow, passionless, joylessness life

But Romans 12:1-2 present your bodies as a living sacrifice to God 

Make A Promise to God 9:38-10:27

Nehemiah asked the people to make a covenant with God.

Obedience brings blessing, but disobedience brings disaster. 

A covenant is similar to a contract, treaty, or a will.

בְּרִית bĕriyth “covenant” is from the root word “to cut.”

Covenants were made by shedding an animal’s blood.

A covenant was meant to be enforced until death. 

A “sure” covenant.  is from the Hebrew word “amen!” 

Amen means, “so be it, or we firmly agree.” 

86 leaders put their seal on the document. 

Promises are important, especially to God. Ecclesiastes 5:4–5

In the NT, our commitment to Christ is called “the New Covenant!” 

Decisions we make for Jesus bind us deeply to God. Romans 12:1-2

We must strive to be faithful to God and commit our way to Jesus.

Make Extraordinary Resolutions for God 29-39

The people signed a covenant as a promise to do the following eight things:

1.  They would observe the Law 29

2.  They would not allow mixed marriages 30

3.  They would observe the Sabbath Day 31

4.  They would observe the Sabbatical Year  31

5.  They instituted the ½ shekel Temple Tax 32-33

6.  They committed to burn the sacrifices 34

7.  They promised to observe the law of firstfruits and tithes 35-37

8.  They made provisions to honor the House of God 38-39

These Principles are Worth Standing On 28

The people who resolved to follow God had two extraordinary traits. 

1. They separated themselves from the pagan culture.  2 Corinthians 6:17

2. They had spiritual knowledge and understanding. 

In the OT they lived under law, and were cursed if they disobeyed. 

In the NT we live under grace, and are blessed to walk in the Spirit.

If you are spiritually wise you know that we need each other.  That’s why we need commitment.  Great commitment results in changed lives!  Anything worth doing takes great effort.  Half hearted commitment just won’t do.  If you want to reap the benefits, you must be willing to pay the price.  Giving yourself to Jesus will change your life!  God is worth this. 

MESSAGE

Are you afraid of commitment?

Just let me ask you to do something here at church, and we’ll find out.  Whether it’s a job or a relationship, or church, it’s more and more common today for people to have commitment issues. 

For many, this fear may stem from personal issues such as fear of rejection, fear of failure, or feelings of inadequacy.  For others, commitment is a dirty word. Obligation is even worse. We are incredibly busy and more than that we value our comfort and our free time a little too much.

People are afraid that if they make a commitment, they’ll be stuck for life, and that their aspirations of serving and making a difference will turn into years of duty and drudgery, and they will grow to resent it. 

At Pine Grove, we’ve had good success at commitment.  People here have been unswerving and faithful to serving the Lord.  But we do have a growing need.  We cannot operate our Awana, nor outreach, nor children’s ministries unless more of you will step up and serve.  This is a serious need.  It’s almost a crisis.

There are consequences for lack of commitment.  One of those is guilt.  Oh, here comes the pastor, I hope he doesn’t ask me!  And deep inside we feel guilty for not stepping up and serving Jesus.  Another consequence is shallowness.  If you are not willing to become a servant you cannot grow and your spiritual life will be superficial.  You may wonder why you and Jesus are not close, or why the Holy Spirit seems far away, and this may be the reason.  Another problem is lack of passion.  If you are not serving, the flame that once burned bright for Jesus may have faded to a dull, lukewarm apathy.  And you just don’t feel like doing anything anywhere anymore, at all.  Another problem is joylessness. The joy that once characterized your life may have slipped from your heart, and you have fallen into listlessness or sadness.  These are some of the very real consequences for lack of commitment.

However, not committing isn’t the problem; it’s a symptom of something else.  You may avoid commitment because you have anxiety issues.  You may have different priorities, or you fear you will face power struggles, or you may have had a bad experience in the past, and fear you will get hurt again.  You may fear that you will have to sacrifice your freedom.

But the real root problem of lack of commitment is lack of submission to Jesus Christ as Lord of your life.  Romans 12:1-2 puts it this way:

“I beseech you therefore brothers, because of the mercies of God, that you present your bodies as a living sacrifice to God, holy and acceptable, which is your reasonable service.  And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is the perfect and acceptable will of God.” 

This is a sermon about commitment.  Let commitment roll down like a river and righteousness like a mighty stream.  The days of half hearted service are over.  We are entering an age where you will need to go all in with both feet, or you will soon cave the pressures and persecutions of the world.  

If you want to rebuild your broken world, it will take great commitment, like you’ve never given before!  Go big, or go home.  Our goal is to learn from the example of Nehemiah, and then to step up to great commitment to Jesus.

Commitment starts by making an agreement with God to serve him.  It starts with…

A Promise to God 9:38-10:27

As we finished the last verse of the last chapter, last week, the Levites who were preaching to the people asked them to make a covenant with God.

9:38 And because of all this, we make a sure covenant and write it; Our leaders, our Levites, and our priests seal it.”

Last week we reviewed 10 historical events, from Creation to Abraham, to Moses to Nehemiah.  Each of them taught that obedience brings blessing, but disobedience brings disaster.  And because of that truth, says verse 38, because of the distress that we are in, we make a sure covenant with God to obey him so that these disasters will no longer come upon us!

Just what is a covenant? 

A covenant in the ancient world was similar to what we would call a contract, treaty, or a will. Each covenant established the basis of a relationship and consequences if those conditions were unmet.  There is no firmer guarantee of personal loyalty than the covenant. 

The Hebrew term בְּרִית bĕriyth or “covenant” is from the root word “cutting”, because pacts or covenants were made by passing between cut pieces of flesh of an animal sacrifice.  To cut a covenant meant that just as the animal’s blood was shed by cutting, so we pledge to follow the covenant until death. 

In verse 38 this is called a “sure” covenant.  The word sure is from the root Hebrew word “amen!”  We usually close prayers with the word Amen!  It is a word rich in meaning.  It means, “so be it, or let it be so, or we firmly agree, or we stand in support of it.”  It is a trusty word.  And in fact, it is a word used by the Hebrews to indicate their financial support of something. 

We might say it this way, If you say amen, you better put your money where your mouth is.  If a man’s word is not good, the man is no good. 

In chapter 10:1, the leaders of the people were required to place their seal on the document.  It may have been a stamp or wax seal, or it could have simply been their signature.  86 names were listed on this document.  Nehemiah the Governor.  22 priests.  17 Levites.  And 44 leaders of the people.  

Should Christians make a covenant with God to serve him?  There is nothing inherently wrong or sinful about making a covenant or a promise. In fact, the Bible records a great number of promises God Himself has made. 

Our promises are important, especially when we make a promise to God. Ecclesiastes 5:4–5 “When you make a vow to God, do not delay to fulfill it. He has no pleasure in fools; fulfill your vow. It is better not to make a vow than to make one and not fulfill it. Do not let your mouth lead you into sin” 

In the New Testament, our commitment to Christ is called “the New Covenant!”  It is an agreement with God where he writes his laws in our hearts.  Every decision we make for Jesus is meant to bind us more deeply and passionately in a covenant relationship with the Holy Spirit.  Here are some examples of New Testament Covenants:

Romans 12:1-2 is about sacrificial commitment to God

Galatians 5:24 Uses sacrificial langue to talk about our commitment to God

Ephesians 4:1 Our calling is a covenant.  We are called to be holy

Matthew 6:33 we are commanded to seek first the kingdom

Matthew 22:37 charges us to Love the Lord with all our hearts

We must be careful about promises because they can easily turn into sin and be broken.  Every on of us should strive to be faithful to God and commit our way to Jesus.

Commitment to God is an Extraordinary Resolution 29-39

29 these joined with their brethren, their nobles, and entered into a curse and an oath to walk in God’s Law, which was given by Moses the servant of God, and to observe and do all the commandments of the Lord our Lord, and His ordinances and His statutes:

Because of their desire to follow God they agreed to follow the Old Testament law of Moses.  The signed a covenant to do the following eight things:

1.  They would observe the Law

29 these joined with their brethren, their nobles, and entered into a curse and an oath to walk in God’s Law,

2.  They would not allow mixed marriages

30 We would not give our daughters as wives to the peoples of the land, nor take their daughters for our sons;

3.  They would observe the Sabbath Day

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

4.  They would observe the Sabbatical Year

we would forego the seventh year’s produce and the exacting of every debt.

5.  They instituted the ½ shekel Temple Tax

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.

6.  They committed to burn the sacrifices

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.

7.  They promised to observe the law of firstfruits and tithes

35 And we made ordinances to bring the firstfruits of our ground and the firstfruits of all fruit of all trees, year by year, to the house of the Lord; 36 to bring the firstborn of our sons and our cattle, as it is written in the Law, and the firstborn of our herds and our flocks, to the house of our God, to the priests who minister in the house of our God; 37 to bring the firstfruits of our dough, our offerings, the fruit from all kinds of trees, the new wine and oil, to the priests, to the storerooms of the house of our God; and to bring the tithes of our land to the Levites, for the Levites should receive the tithes in all our farming communities.

8.  They made provisions to honor the House of God

38 And the priest, the descendant of Aaron, shall be with the Levites when the Levites receive tithes; and the Levites shall bring up a tenth of the tithes to the house of our God, to the rooms of the storehouse.  39 For the children of Israel and the children of Levi shall bring the offering of the grain, of the new wine and the oil, to the storerooms where the articles of the sanctuary are, where the priests who minister and the gatekeepers and the singers are; and we will not neglect the house of our God.

One last point:  It is a few observations about the commitments that Nehemiah’s people made.  The principles that God has given us are worth standing on, and it is well worth living our lives by these principles.

Principles Worth Standing On 28

28 Now the rest of the people—the priests, the Levites, the gatekeepers, the singers, the Nethinim, and all those who had separated themselves from the peoples of the lands to the Law of God, their wives, their sons, and their daughters, everyone who had knowledge and understanding

Verse 28 says that the people who resolved to follow God had two extraordinary traits.  The first is this: They separated themselves from the pagan culture surrounding them.  Today more than ever there is the danger of Christians going along with the culture and becoming worldly.  2 Corinthians 6:17 commands: 17 “Come out from among them And be separate, says the Lord.”

The second trait they had was that they hand spiritual knowledge and understanding.  Any of you who determine to follow God have extraordinary spiritual understanding.  That spiritual understanding is available to even the least intelligent among us.  

In the Old Testament, they lived under law, and were obligated to follow these commandments.  Under the New Testament, we live under grace, and we are obligated to walk in the Spirit, exhibit the fruits of the spirit, and live our lives according to the spirit and not the flesh.  We are to follow Jesus and commune with the Holy Spirit.  

If you can live by the Spirit, you are and extraordinary person, possessing great spiritual wisdom and understanding. 

And one other thing they promised.  The last 9 words of verse 29:  we will not neglect the house of our God.

That gives new meaning to the command in Hebrews 10:24 Do not forsake the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching”

If you are spiritually wise you know that we need each other.  We will need each other even more the closer that we get to the day of His return.  We will need encouragement, we will need each other’s assistance, and we will need each other’s comfort. 

That’s why we need commitment.  That’s why we need each other.  Great commitment results in changed lives!  Anything worth doing takes great effort.  Nothing in the world that is worth doing unless it takes effort, pain, or difficulty.  If you want to reap the benefits, you must be willing to pay the price. 

Giving yourself to Jesus will change your life!  Half hearted commitment just won’t do.  God is worth this.  Jesus calls you to it!  Go big or go home:  that is the cost of Christianity.  The key to rebuilding your broken world in one word is commitment.  Let commitment roll down like a river and righteousness like a mighty stream. 

SUMMARY

Who cares about history?  Whether you’ve given it any thought or not, all of us are living histories.  You care deeply about your past, and therefore you care about history.  Why on earth does it matter what happened long ago? Those fail to obey God are doomed to a life of sorrow and trouble, but those who faithfully serve God are destined to be blessed.  That’s our lesson from the past.

History lets us know if the past has guidance for us.

The past teaches us about the present and shapes the future. 

1. Creation 6

Creation teaches us that we trace our history back to the Creator. 

The creator is worthy of worship.    

2. Abraham 7-8

Abraham’s history teaches us that faithfulness is rewarded. 

God always keeps his covenant and promises. 

3. The Exodus 9-12

The Exodus shows that God is all powerful.

God takes care of his own people! 

4. The Law of Moses 13-15

We learn from the giving of the Law that God has expectations of us. 

Obedience to God brings blessing, but disobedience brings disaster.    

5. Disobedience in the Wilderness 16-21

We learn that those God loves he also disciplines.

Even though we stray, Jesus will leave us nor forsake us. 

6. The Promised Land 22-25

We learn that if God is for us, who can be against us? 

We will one day enjoy all good things in our eternal state!

7. Resistance to the Prophets 26-27

We learn from the Prophets that many people don’t like the message! 

If we stray we too will face God’s discipline.

8.  Disobedience to the judges 28–31

Sadly, some will stray from the Lord. 

God is gracious and merciful, and will take us back. 

9. Disobedience of the Kings 32-35

As promised God sent the nation into captivity. 

If we stray from God, we need to turn to him asap! 

10.  Present day lessons 36-38

The people returned to the land as servants and serfs. 

They were in need of great commitment.

What had they learned from the lessons of history?  They learned that if the past taught them anything, it taught them that they must obey God.  They learned that sin brings great distress, but obedience brings great joy.  Those who fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it, but let us not be among those people.  Let us be those who follow Jesus with all our heart, soul mind and strength. 

MESSAGE

Who cares about history?  You do.  You probably do.   Let me put it this way; what’s your personal history?  Whether you’ve given it any thought or not, all of us are living histories.  You care deeply about your past, and therefore you care about history. 

And in fact, Americans have become obsessed with their histories and their genealogies.  Everybody knows somebody in their family who is an expert at tracing their family tree.  A lot of us want to know where we came from and who we are related to.  It’s such a big deal that a few years ago Ancestory.com was acquired for a hefty 4.7 billion dollars. 

But what exactly fuels our desire to look backward? What are we are looking for, and what do we do with what we find?  Why on earth does it matter what happened long ago?

We look because human beings are curious and because we are natural born storytellers, and we want to know how our “once upon a time” fits into the narratives of our lives. We want to know if we are related to princes. Pirates, royalty or slaves.  We look because genealogy has a way of making abstract history real, and we want to know if the past has guidance for us.

And as you look to see how your future will shape up, you need to understand the past.  That’s our Graduation message today.  The past Teaches us About the Present and shapes the future. 

Someone once said, “Those who fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it.”  You either run from the past or you can learn from it.  Today we are going to learn from it. 

In Nehemiah 9, we get to hear a sermon about a sermon that the Levites preached to the children of Israel 2,500 years ago.  There are 10 points to this sermon, and the lesson that we are supposed to learn from this recitation of history is that those fail to obey God are doomed to a life of sorrow and trouble, but those who faithfully serve God are destined to be blessed.  That’s our lesson from the past.

Before we get into the 10 point sermon, let’s get a feel for what’s going on.  Thousands of Jews have gathered in the public square by the Water Gate in Jerusalem.   A large platform has been built for them to stand on. 

All morning long, the scriptures were read and people confessed their sins.  Following that, two groups of 8 different Levites spoke to the people.  They spoke from elevated “stairs,” or platforms.  Because there was such a large crowd, these platforms were probably spread out among the crowd and placed strategically in different places in the public square, so that everyone could hear the message.  That’s how you do sound when you don’t have sound amplification equipment. 

And it is likely that each of these Levites had a script from which to read, so that they all read the same message to their little group.  Here is the beginning of that message:

The first group of 8 prayed a passionate prayer to God.  Verse 4:  Then Jeshua, Bani, Kadmiel, Shebaniah, Bunni, Sherebiah, Bani, and Chenani stood on the stairs of the Levites and cried out with a loud voice to the Lord their God.

This is how the Jews prayed… loudly and passionately. 

The second group of 8 recited the sermon and let the people in worship.  Verse 5.  And the Levites, Jeshua, Kadmiel, Bani, Hashabniah, Sherebiah, Hodijah, Shebaniah, and Pethahiah, said:  “Stand up and bless the Lord your God Forever and ever!  “Blessed be Your glorious name, Which is exalted above all blessing and praise!

The people may have been kneeling, or prostrate in prayer, but now they were told to stand in praise.  We do something similar when we have you stand to sing.  We want you to rise up and bless the Lord! 

Now comes the recitation of the ten point sermon.

1. Creation

6 You alone are the Lord; You have made heaven, The heaven of heavens, with all their host, The earth and everything on it, The seas and all that is in them, And You preserve them all. The host of heaven worships You.

What does creation teach us?  It teaches us that we trace our history back to the Creator.  God mad it all, and he is still holding it all together.  We also learn this important truth.  The creator is worthy of worship.  If the angels worship God, so should we. 

2. Abraham

7 “You are the Lord God, Who chose Abram, And brought him out of Ur of the Chaldeans, And gave him the name Abraham; 8 You found his heart faithful before You, And made a covenant with him To give the land of the Canaanites, The Hittites, the Amorites, The Perizzites, the Jebusites, And the Girgashites— To give it to his descendants. You have performed Your words, For You are righteous.

What does Abraham’s history teach us?  It teaches us that faithfulness is rewarded.  Abraham was faithful, and God made him the father of many nations.  It teaches us that God always keeps his covenant and promises.  It also teaches us that the Jews have a divine right to the land of Canaan, because God himself gave the land to them. 

3. The Exodus

9 “You saw the affliction of our fathers in Egypt, And heard their cry by the Red Sea. 10 You showed signs and wonders against Pharaoh, against all his servants, aAnd against all the people of his land. For You knew that they acted proudly against them. So You made a name for Yourself, as it is this day. 11 And You divided the sea before them, So that they went through the midst of the sea on the dry land; And their persecutors You threw into the deep, As a stone into the mighty waters. 12 Moreover You led them by day with a cloudy pillar, And by night with a pillar of fire, To give them light on the road Which they should travel.

What do we learn from the Exodus?  We learn that God is all powerful, and that with a mighty hand he delivered a rag tag group of slaves from Egypt and brought them to the Promised Land.  And the fact that Israel exists today is a testimony to the fact that their history is genuine.  The Jews should not exist, because they are just a minor group of people, yet against all odds, they have not only survived, but thrived in the land.  We learn that God takes care of his own people! 

4. The Law of Moses

13 “You came down also on Mount Sinai, And spoke with them from heaven, And gave them just ordinances and true laws, Good statutes and commandments. 14 You made known to them Your holy Sabbath, And commanded them precepts, statutes and laws, By the hand of Moses Your servant. 15 You gave them bread from heaven for their hunger, And brought them water out of the rock for their thirst, And told them to go in to possess the land Which You had sworn to give them.

What do we learn from the giving of the Law?  We learn that God has certain expectations of us.  And we learn that obedience to God brings blessing, but disobedience brings disaster.  When you obey God, he gives you your daily bread and living water and a land to possess. 

5. Disobedience in the Wilderness

16 “But they and our fathers acted proudly, Hardened their necks, And did not heed Your commandments. 17 They refused to obey, And they were not mindful of Your wonders That You did among them. But they hardened their necks, and in their rebellion They appointed a leader To return to their bondage. But You are God, Ready to pardon, Gracious and merciful, Slow to anger, Abundant in kindness, And did not forsake them.

18 “Even when they made a molded calf for themselves, and said, ‘This is your god That brought you up out of Egypt,’ And worked great provocations, 19 Yet in Your manifold mercies You did not forsake them in the wilderness. The pillar of the cloud did not depart from them by day, to lead them on the road; Nor the pillar of fire by night, To show them light, And the way they should go. 20 You also gave Your good Spirit to instruct them, And did not withhold Your manna from their mouth, And gave them water for their thirst. 21 Forty years You sustained them in the wilderness; They lacked nothing; Their clothes did not wear out And their feet did not swell.

So what do we learn from the rebellion in the wilderness?  We learn that whom God loves he also disciplines… but even thought we stray, Jesus will leave us nor forsake us.  Even when they were being punished, God still provided for them.  What mercy and grace to be a child of God!

6. The Promised Land

22 “Moreover You gave them kingdoms and nations, And divided them into districts. So they took possession of the land of Sihon, The land of the king of Heshbon, And the land of Og king of Bashan. 23 You also multiplied their children as the stars of heaven, And brought them into the land Which You had told their fathers To go in and possess. 24 So the people went in and possessed the land; You subdued before them the inhabitants of the land, The Canaanites, And gave them into their hands, With their kings And the people of the land, That they might do with them as they wished. 25 And they took strong cities and a rich land, and possessed houses full of goods, Cisterns already dug, vineyards, olive groves, And fruit trees in abundance. So they ate and were filled and grew fat, And delighted themselves in Your great goodness. 

What do we learn from the conquering of the Promised Land?  That if God is for us, who can be against us?  That one day God will defeat all those who rise up against us and bring us into the promised land of eternal joy, to live with Him forever!  We will one day enjoy all good things and have everything we could possibly delight in.  That is why you need do become one of God’s children!

7. Resistance to the Prophets

26 “Nevertheless they were disobedient And rebelled against You, Cast Your law behind their backs And killed Your prophets, who testified against them To turn them to Yourself; And they worked great provocations. 27 Therefore You delivered them into the hand of their enemies, Who oppressed them; And in the time of their trouble, When they cried to You, You heard from heaven; And according to Your abundant mercies You gave them deliverers who saved them From the hand of their enemies. 

What do we learn from the Prophets?  As it was then, so it is now.  America is becoming inhospitable to the message of the Gospel.  We are rebelling against it.  Just the other day there was a huge outcry against the Gideons for passing out Bibles to children.  It seems that people in America are OK with Drag Queens teaching sex education to children, but put a bible on the desk of a child and they scream bloody murder.  The lesson is this that if we stray, we do will be delivered into the hands of those who will persecute and oppress us.  Even then, God will not forsake us! 

8.  Disobedience to the judges

28 “But after they had rest, They again did evil before You. Therefore You left them in the hand of their enemies, So that they had dominion over them; Yet when they returned and cried out to You, You heard from heaven; And many times You delivered them according to Your mercies, 29 And testified against them, That You might bring them back to Your law. Yet they acted proudly, And did not heed Your commandments, But sinned against Your judgments, ‘Which if a man does, he shall live by them.’ And they shrugged their shoulders, Stiffened their necks, And would not hear. 30 Yet for many years You had patience with them, And testified against them by Your Spirit in Your prophets. Yet they would not listen; Therefore You gave them into the hand of the peoples of the lands. 31 Nevertheless in Your great mercy You did not utterly consume them nor forsake them; For You are God, gracious and merciful. 

Sadly, some of you will stray from the Lord.  Some of you will stray again and again.  You will wonder if God will ever take you back, because you know that you wouldn’t.  But here is the message we learn from history.  God is gracious and merciful, and every time you return to him, he takes you back. 

9. Disobedience of The Kings

32 “Now therefore, our God, The great, the mighty, and awesome God, Who keeps covenant and mercy: Do not let all the trouble seem small before You That has come upon us, Our kings and our princes, Our priests and our prophets, Our fathers and on all Your people, From the days of the kings of Assyria until this day. 33 However You are just in all that has befallen us; For You have dealt faithfully, But we have done wickedly. 34 Neither our kings nor our princes, Our priests nor our fathers, Have kept Your law, Nor heeded Your commandments and Your testimonies, With which You testified against them. 35 For they have not served You in their kingdom, Or in the many good things that You gave them, Or in the large and rich land which You set before them; Nor did they turn from their wicked works. 

The history of the kings and princes and priests is one of corruption and sin.  Finally, as promised God sent the nation into captivity.  Under Ezra and Nehemiah the people had returned.  This sermon, taken from the pages of history was meant to drive home one important point.  If you stray from God it is your own fault.  Don’t blame God for all the problems that we bring upon ourselves.  We are the guilty party, and it is we who need to turn from our wicked ways. 

10.  Present day lessons

36 “Here we are, servants today! And the land that You gave to our fathers, To eat its fruit and its bounty, Here we are, servants in it! 37 And it yields much increase to the kings You have set over us, Because of our sins; Also they have dominion over our bodies and our cattle At their pleasure; And we are in great distress.  38 “And because of all this, We make a sure covenant and write it; Our leaders, our Levites, and our priests seal it.”

The people in Judah and Jerusalem had returned to the land, but they returned as servants and serfs.  They had to pay taxes to a foreign king and live under his rule and authority.  We in America are also living during a time of trial and occupation.  We too are in great distress.

What had they learned from the lessons of history?  They learned that if the past taught them anything, it taught them that they must obey God.  They learned that sin brings great distress, but obedience brings great joy. 

They sought to remedy the problem of disobedience by signing a covenant of obedience to God.  This sermon was aimed at moving all the people to a great decision:  It is the same decision that Joshua asked the people to make.  “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord!

Those who fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it, but we are not among those people.  We will follow Jesus with all our heart, soul mind and strength.  We will listen to the 8 Levites who preached a message about history so that we can avoid the sins of our fathers. 

SUMMARY:

What’s the current state of your spirit? Do you need revival?  The reality is this:  we humans go though spiritual life cycles.  There will always be ups and downs in your life.  There will always be a need for you to get back your first love, to renew the freshness of the presence of God, and to find rest and refreshment.  In the book of Nehemiah 8:1, the people were gathered the open square in front of the Water Gate.  It was here, by the water gate, that they experienced revival.  Today we are going to look at three key truths to spiritual awakening in your life.

What is revival? 

“It is to renew or to restore freshness, life, or vitality.”

Revival refers to a spiritual reawakening. 

It is a love for God, passion for His Word, joy in worship & conviction of sin.

Heed the Word 8:1-12

God’s Word is powerful and life transforming. 

Are you broken?  God’s Word can mend your broken life. 

They read the Word from dawn until noon.  1-6

The Levites preached, and helped the people understand the Word.  7-8

The people themselves applied the word.  9- 12

Engage in Genuine Worship 13-18

In the OT, the Jews annually observed the feast of booths.

The feast of booths is called Tabernacles or Sukkot. 

Booths is the seventh festival on the biblical calendar.  Leviticus 23.

Each family was to build & live in a small building out of branches for 7 days.

The Feast was a reminder of their deliverance from Egypt. (Lev 23:42-43)

Booths foreshadowed the coming Messiah and our final deliverance. 

Gentiles are invited by Israel to celebrate the feast of Tabernacles!

When the people genuinely worship, it results in the restoration of joy!  17

The second key to renewal is to worship in spirit and truth!

Confess Wrongdoing 9:1-3

8:1-12 they read the word and explained it for half the day.

8:13-22 they read the word and worshipped for half the day

9:1-3, they read the word and confessed their sins for half the day. 

In each of these cases, the WORD is our guide to revival. 

Humble confession of sins and shortcomings to God is critical for revival. 

We could easily spend the day confessing our failure to obey NT commands! 

Godly sorrow produces repentance that is life changing!  1 Cor 7:10

There can be no genuine spiritual renewal without confession of sin.  Unless you are honest about your faults, they can never be corrected, nor will never be able to adequately repent, nor experience the joy of the refreshing work of the Holy Spirit. So the question you must answer today is do you want to get your passion back?  Do you want revival?  Do you want to fill your life with a joy that overflows and a vital life of happiness! 

MESSAGE:

Do you need revival?

What’s the current state of your spirit?

Great (your relationship with Jesus is doing excellent)

Good (you’re doing well)

Fair (you’re doing okay)

Poor (you’re in a slump and your spirit could use some awakening)

Do you need revival? 

Just what is revival? 

A dictionary definition of revival would be “to renew or to restore freshness, life, or vitality.” Revival refers to a spiritual reawakening.  It is a resurfacing of love for God, a passion for His Word, joy in worship and a conviction of sin.

How to you keep a state of continual revival?  The reality is this:  we humans go though spiritual life cycles.  There will always be ups and downs in your life.  There will always be a need for you to get back your first love, to renew the freshness of the presence of God, and to find rest and refreshment.

Let me show you another chart that may help you understand where you are in your spiritual state.  Revival begins with enthusiasm, joy, commitment, and service.  What often happens is that time passes and we drift into routine, performance, and duty.  Even worse, trials may come, relationships may sour, or sin may strike and we may descend into dissatisfaction, indifference and dryness. 

So the question we hope to answer today is how do we get our passion back?  What brings revival?  Simply put There needs to be a thirst that can ONLY be quenched by the Holy Spirit of God.  Every so often, Your life needs a reset.  You can rest assured that the renewing of our spirit is one of God’s highest priorities.

In the book of Nehemiah 8:1, the people were gathered the open square in front of the Water Gate.  It was here, by the water gate, that they experienced revival.  How does revival happen?  We are going to look at three key truths.  The first key to a fresh awakening of God in your life is

Heed the Word 8:1-12

In our last message, we talked about how powerful, and life transforming God’s Word is.  God’s written word is so powerful that it brings eternal life, it sets the sinner free!  It changes the heart and enables the Spirit filled life.  It is no wonder that today we preach the Word.  It’s no wonder that we read the Word.  And it is no wonder that we memorize the Word.  Make no mistake about it, we do these things with intention because we know that God’s Word can mend your Broken life. 

Are you broken?  Read the Word!  Are you struggling?  Pray the Word!  Are you needy? Memorize the Word!  There is enough transforming power in God’s Word for every spiritual need. 

So, in verses 1-6, we watched while the people of Nehemiah’s day read the Word in a Bible Reading marathon, day after day, from dawn until noon. 

Following that, in verse 7-8 we saw how the Levites preached, and helped the people understand the Word. 

And in verses 9- 12 the people themselves applied the word to their lives which resulted in weeping for some and rejoicing for others. 

This is the first key to a freshness and renewal in your own life.  Read the Word faithfully, Listen to the word taught regularly, and apply the word to your life daily.  This is how revival comes. 

That was followed by a second key truth:

Engage in Genuine Worship 13-18

13 Now on the second day the heads of the fathers’ houses of all the people, with the priests and Levites, were gathered to Ezra the scribe, in order to understand the words of the Law. 14 And they found written in the Law, which the Lord had commanded by Moses, that the children of Israel should dwell in booths during the feast of the seventh month, 15 and that they should announce and proclaim in all their cities and in Jerusalem, saying, “Go out to the mountain, and bring olive branches, branches of oil trees, myrtle branches, palm branches, and branches of leafy trees, to make booths, as it is written.”

16 Then the people went out and brought them and made themselves booths, each one on the roof of his house, or in their courtyards or the courts of the house of God, and in the open square of the Water Gate and in the open square of the Gate of Ephraim. 17 So the whole assembly of those who had returned from the captivity made booths and sat under the booths; for since the days of Joshua the son of Nun until that day the children of Israel had not done so in this manner. And there was very great gladness. 18 Also day by day, from the first day until the last day, he read from the Book of the Law of God. And they kept the feast seven days; and on the eighth day there was a sacred assembly, according to the prescribed manner.

In the Old Testament, the Jews were supposed to observe the feast of booths, otherwise called the feast of tabernacles, known as Sukkot to the Jews.  It typically occurs in Late September or October.  It is the seventh and last festival on the biblical calendar, as recorded in Leviticus 23.

The feast lasts 7 days.  Each Jewish family builds a small outdoor building known as a sukkah.  Observant Jews will eat their meals in this structure and sleep in it overnight.  During the feast, most work is barred. 

The Feast of Tabernacles was instituted as a way of reminding Israelites of their deliverance by God from Egypt. (Leviticus 23:42-43) But it also foreshadowed the coming Messiah.  all native Israelites were “to dwell in booths” to remind them that God delivered them out of the “land of Egypt” and to look forward to the coming Messiah, Jesus Christ, who would deliver His people from the bondage of sin and  establish His earthly kingdom.

The liturgy of the feast includes a prayer asking that the Gentiles would also come to Jerusalem to celebrate the feast. And for years, Christians from various countries have decided to confirm their solidarity with Israel by going to Jerusalem for the Feast of Tabernacles. In 1980, the year in which Jerusalem was reinstated as capital of Israel, 1 000 Christians from 20 countries participated in the feast. They were warmly welcomed by religious leaders in Israel. These leaders declared that to them it was further proof that the coming of the Messiah was near.[i]

We Christians don’t typically celebrate Old Testament Feasts.  It isn’t that we are prohibited from it, it is that it is an Old Covenant practice, and we are in the New Covenant.  However, we can learn from these feasts, and what we learn from the book of Nehemiah, is that when the people celebrated the feast as it was meant to be celebrated for the first time in hundreds of years, that it resulted in the restoration of joy! 

17 So the whole assembly of those who had returned from the captivity made booths and sat under the booths; for since the days of Joshua the son of Nun until that day the children of Israel had not done so in this manner. And there was very great gladness.

When the people set aside an extended time to genuinely worship as God specified, revival broke out!  Joy was restored!  Spiritual renewal swept through the nation! 

This is the second key to a freshness and renewal in your own life.  Worship in spirit and truth! This is how revival comes. 

That was followed by a third key truth:

Confess any Wrongdoing 9:1-3

Now on the twenty-fourth day of this month the children of Israel were assembled with fasting, in sackcloth, and with dust on their heads. 2 Then those of Israelite lineage separated themselves from all foreigners; and they stood and confessed their sins and the iniquities of their fathers. 3 And they stood up in their place and read from the Book of the Law of the Lord their God for one-fourth of the day; and for another fourth they confessed and worshiped the Lord their God.

In Chapter 8:1-12 they read the word and explained it for half the day.

In Chapter 8:13-22 they read the word and worshipped for half the day

In Chapter 9:1-3, they read the word and confessed their sins for half the day. 

In each of these cases, the WORD is prominent.  The Word is our guide to understanding;  the word is our guide to worship; and the Word is our guide to confession. 

Humble confession of your  sins and shortcomings to God is critical for revival.  There can be no genuine spiritual renewal without it.  Unless you are honest about your faults, they can never be corrected, nor forgiven.  Unless you are humble about your faults, you will never be able to adequately repent, nor experience the joy of the refreshing work of the Holy Spirit.

Now why in the world did they spend ¼ of their day confessing their sins to God?  How many faults could they possibly have had to confess?  Was it really necessary to spend so much time in introspection and confession?  Only if you want revival, renewal and refreshment. 

Let me ask you a few introspective questions:

Do you Love the Lord with all your heart-Matthew 22:37-38

Are you following Jesus the way you know you should?-Matthew 4:19 (confess it to God)

Are there issues between you and a brother in the Lord you need to make right (confess it)-Mat 18:15; 5:24-25

Have you forgiven one another -Matthew 18:21-22

Have you failed to keep your word to someone? -Matthew 5:37

Are you seeking God’s kingdom first?-Matthew 6:33

Are Earthly interests are more important to us than eternal ones? -Mat 6:19-21

Re you treating people as you want to be treated-Matthew 7:12

Do you watch profane or questionable TV and movies that contain lust and immorality?  Matthew 5:29-30

Are you honoring your parents? -Matthew 15:4

Are you humbly living like one of God’s servants? -Matthew 20:26-28

Do you pray persistently and passionately? Luke 18:1

Are you generous to the Poor-Luke 14:12-14

Are you paying your taxes honestly -Matthew 22:19-21

Have you made promises you are not keeping? Matt 5:27-30

Do you show Love to Your Enemies-Matthew 5:44

When was the last time you shared your faith?  Are you making an effort to witness? Mark 16:15

Have you been baptized?  Matthew 28:20

Do you read your Bible regularly? 

Are you living a life of joy and rejoicing -Matthew 5:12

Is church a priority to you, or do you make excuses or find it easy to miss?  Heb 10:25

Does the Word of God bring conviction to your heart? 

Is your singing half-hearted or is your worship lifeless.  John 4:24

Are you willingly and joyfully serving the Lord. 1 Pet 4:10

Are you giving joyfully and sacrificially to God’s work?  (confess it) 2 Cor 9:7

And these are only 25 of the over 300 commands of the New Testament!  We are just getting started!  We could easily spend ¼ of the day confessing our sins, and the sins of our churches and of our country! 

And what value does confession and repentance have?  1 Cor 7:10 says, that godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to regret! 

What we will discover in the next few messages is that the Word, Worship and Confession of Wrongdoing let to spiritual renewal and revival!  The people were joyful and passionate!  Their community was changed, as were their lives! 

So the question you must answer today is do you want to get your passion back?  Do you want  revival?  Do you want to leave behind the joyless, insipid life of business as usual leading to emptiness and dissatisfaction?  Do you want God to fill your life with an enthusiasm for Jesus, a joy that overflows and a vital life of happiness! 

If so, you need a reset.  You need extended time in the Word.  You need a passionate heart of worship.  You need to spend time in introspection and confession. 

In Isaiah, the prophet promises God’s people that “those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint” (Isaiah 40:31). Whenever we begin to tire spiritually, we should seek the Lord to strengthen and renew us, for it is His Spirit who will equip us to live for Him.

Revival is the restoration of God’s presence in His people.  Revival is the restoration of the spiritual life of God’s people and a return to the abundant life God intended for His followers. When God revives us, we can expect authentic change and real spiritual power. 

Do you want revival?

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[i] chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://www.bibleguidance.co.za/Engbooks/Seven%20Feasts/FeastsofIsrael.pdf

How many of us have actually taken the time to ponder the six lettered word “female.”  What does it mean? If you haven’t ever thought about it, maybe you should. Ladies, being a woman is one of the most wonderful and significant aspects of your identity. Your identity is an essential and powerful tool in life.  Once a woman understands who she is, and how God made her, she is free to become a wonderful, peaceful, godly woman! 

Today there is an all out assault on biblical womanhood. 

The Bible teaches that there is a created order of things. 

When we rebel against God’s created order it only produces grief.

Embrace Your Design – 27

God created women in His own image!

Women can have as meaningful a relationship with God as men. 

In the kingdom of God there are no second class citizens. 

Women are neither inferior nor superior to men.

We are designed purposefully different. 

“I am fearfully and wonderfully made.” Psalm 139:13-16

“You are all one in Christ Jesus.” Galatians 3:28

Do what you were created to do and reflect God’s image! 

Let God’s image show by expressing womanhood!  1 Peter 3:4

Embrace Your Differences – 27

“God created them male and female.”

God created us in two distinct genders.

Creation means that we have different roles.

We were created to be uniquely different! 

We were not created to be competitors; we were created to be partners. 

Men should not try to act like a woman because we can never be a woman.

Ladies should stop trying to be like a man!  

Just be you; be the woman God created you to be! 

Embrace God’s Blessing – 28

“Then God blessed them!” 

A man is blessed to be a man!

A woman is blessed to be a woman!

Womanhood is a wonderful gift! It’s not a curse! 

The curse is something that happened after creation. 

The curse is what makes us uncomfortable in our own skin. 

Women do have a problem. But it’s not men. It’s sin. 

A woman’s created femininity is one of the wonderful, unexplainable, ways that is meant to tell you just how much God is in love with you!  He loves you!  He died for you!  He calls you to be his child!  True Womanhood is at the Center of God’s Purpose.  God’s ultimate purpose for the universe and for all of history and for your life is to display the glory of Christ in its highest expression. 

How important is God’s word to you?  How often do you read the Bible?  And what does it matter? It matters a lot, especially if you want to rebuild your broken world.  The Bible is God’s primary tool for life change.  The Bible is the Father’s loving, transforming message to us.  It changes us. 

Psalm 29 God’s voice ____________________________________________

Genesis chapter 1:3 God created the universe with ____________________ 

Hebrews4:12 The word of God is _____________________

Isaiah 55:10-11 The Word will not return _________________

John 6:63 My words are _______________.

John 8:32 The truth shall ________________________

The Reading of the Word 1-6

Every 7 years they were supposed to read the book of the Law.  Dt 31:9-11

It takes about 15 hours to read all five books! 

In many places there is the tradition of standing while the Bible is read. 

Ezra blessed God – Psalm 104, “Bless the Lord, O my soul!”

There is a blessing for those who read the Word.  Revelation 1:3

The Teaching of the Word 7-8

The principle job of the preacher is to help the people ___________ the Word. 

Speaking clearly and distantly has to do with delivery. 

People must be able to understand your words. 

Giving the sense of the passage has to do with the words. 

It may be necessary to go back to the original languages to bring out the sense. 

שׂכל say’-kel, means to give meaning to incomprehensible words. 

Helping them understand has to do with exposition. 

Exposition means to expose the meaning of the passage so it becomes clear. 

It is the job of the preacher to bring truth to light. 

The Application of the Word 9-12

When the Word of God is understood, it may cause weeping. 

One of the primary ministries of the Holy Spirit is to convict. 

Joy occurs when people rightly apply God’s Word to their lives. 

After conviction and sorrow comes the joy of forgiveness! 

Jesus said, “Come unto me all you who are weary and heavily laden, and I will give you rest.”  Jesus wants to restore the joy of your salvation.  Weeping over sin and rejoicing over restoration are two powerful applications of God’s Word!  They are not the only responses, but they are two of the big ones.  Ask yourself, “Have I been applying God’s Word to my life?  Has it caused me weeping or rejoicing?”  If not, isn’t it time?  Isn’t it time for a revival of your soul. 

Is the church in the United States under assault today?  Here in America, and around the world, in the last five years, we have made aggressive strides toward persecution, but persecution is not the only thing we need to safeguard the church from.  We must safeguard our firm reliance on the principles of the Word of God against those who would have us compromise our faith.  There are many in the religious world who are going woke and abandoning God’s Truth.  We must guard against that.  We must safeguard the church and our people against hostile forces so that we can reach the world.

Find Good Leadership 1-3

At this point, the wall is complete, but the work isn’t. 

The first thing that Nehemiah did was to appoint God fearing leaders. 

Nehemiah expected his leaders to keep the adversaries away. 

We must appoint godly men to places of leadership.  Acts 6:3

They should be of good reputation and full of the Holy Spirit.  1 Tim 3

We need leaders who have the best interest of the people at heart. 

Find Good People 4-69

Nearly 43,000 men or 200,000 people returned from captivity.  66-67

Most of them sincerely wanted to live life the way God intended. 

There were some among them with suspect motives.  61, 64

We have to be careful who we let into church membership. 

In the Old Testament you had to prove your genealogical relationship. 

In the New Testament, you need to have a relationship to Christ.

Only those who have placed their faith and trust in Jesus may be members. 

Support a Good Ministry 70-72

The governor gave the equivalent of about 5 million to the work. 

The leaders gave the equivalent of 100 million dollars to the work. 

Together the people themselves gave about 100 million! 

That’s a lot of money!

The ministry takes money! 

God’s work is to move in the hearts of the people to give generously! 

In a lot of ways we’ve got a good thing going on here at Pine Grove.  We have good leaders; thank them for their many efforts.  We have good people; bless them for their commitment to Jesus.  We have generous individuals; God has always taken care of our needs.  And that is how we support and protect the ministry.  That’s how God works through you to reach the world for Jesus Christ! 

Every so often, something happens that makes us reset and take stock of our life; an illness strikes, a loved one passes away, or perhaps a near death experience pulls us out of our stupor.  It is then that realize that our priorities need to change… but to what?  What are you living your life for?  What is the purpose of your life?  Are you living the life you were meant to live?  What is a worthy enough pursuit to capture the attention of the rest of life? 

Every Angel Worships 11-12

The angels understand what is significant! 

Every angel worships Jesus, Lamb of God because He is Worthy!

If the Lamb had not been slain, there would be no hope of heaven. 

Every Creature Worships 13

Please be aware, this is NOT just talking about people! 

Creation is a powerful testimony; the universe did not happen by chance.

Every Elder Worships 14

The living creatures are angels created especially to worship God! 

The Elders are representatives of all believers. 

Twelve of them are probably Apostles!    

The Elders praise him because He is worthy?  8-10

The scroll is the title deed to the universe.

Jesus is the only one worthy enough to own it all! 

#1  Jesus is worthy because he was slain for our sins. 

#2  Jesus is worthy because he redeemed us to God. 

#3 Jesus is worthy because he transformed us slaves into kings and priests! 

If you wondering what life is about, you have found it!  The most worthy thing you can do with your life is to worship.  One day, everyone Will Worship Him saying: “Blessing and honor and glory and power Be to Him who sits on the throne, And to the Lamb, forever and ever!” This resurrection day, let me remind you that Jesus has not forgotten about you.  He is in heaven right now, readying himself to return to take over the universe.  He is coming again.  That profound truth tells us that we ought to ready ourselves to receive him.  The number one thing you can do with your life is to live it for Jesus.  You should worship Him because He is Worthy! 

Sometimes it seems like our battles never end.  There will always be someone willing to hurt you, put you down, gossip about you, belittle your accomplishments and judge your soul. It is a fact that we all must face.  Sometimes you just want to quit and run away from it all.  Unfortunately that’s just not an option.  However, if God stands beside you, when others cast stones you don’t need to be afraid, and you will never be alone. 

People will Try to Hurt You 1-4

People are cruel because they are sinful, toxic people.

‘They hated Me without a cause.’  John 15:25

What do you do with a man like Sanballat who intends to do harm to you. 

If someone wants to harm you AVOID them. 

If they persecute you in one city, flee to another.  Mat 10:23

People will Slander You 5-9

Sanballat sent an “open letter” to Nehemiah.

His servant opened it and read it in public, in front of everyone.

Slander is the spreading of false information to stir up trouble.

These rumors threatened Nehemiah and the rebuilding of the wall. 

If someone spreads rumors about you in public, deny it in public. 

You may need to issue a letter asking them to cease and desist. 

If the behavior does not stop, you may need to take it to court. 

Nehemiah’s letter said, “None of these things you say are being done.”

Nehemiah also did one more essential thing:  He prayed.

Ask God to strengthen your hand.

People will Ambush You 10-

Sometimes people pretend that they are your friends to mess with you. 

Shemaiah presented himself as a prophet of God. 

He told Nehemiah to hide out in the temple.

He was trying to get Nehemiah to flee in cowardice.

He was also trying to get him to transgress temple law.

When people are disingenuous don’t listen to them.

If your friends give you bad advice, don’t do it. 

Once again Nehemiah prayed, committing the situation to God.

People Will Never Stop Opposing You 17-

Some of the Jews opposed him because they were married to the enemy! 

You may have opponents for life, but you can’t let it derail you

Despite the opposition, Nehemiah finished the wall in record time; 52 days!

You will likely have to live your life while facing heavy opposition not just from enemies, but from family, friends, and neighbors who can’t stand the fact that your wall is being successfully built; that your life is getting on track; that your business is growing; that your family is happy!  You will have to be a David who faces Goliath, a Daniel who must face the Lion’s den, a Paul who must face Caesar, a Christian who must stand alone; but in God’s strength, you can do it!

How generous are you?  If you want to rebuild your broken world, instead of being selfish, you need to become generous.  It turns out having the highest savings account balance may not be the key to happiness.  It also turns out that generous people are happier!  Generosity is a key brick that will rebuild your broken life.  Nehemiah is an example for us to follow about giving generously in times of adversity!

Six different types of givers: 

1.  Survival – I’m just trying to survive, I can’t give.

2.  Supermarket – My giving is like shopping; I do it for me.    

3.  Support –I want to support God’s work when possible. 

4.  Subscription – I believe in God’s work so I make it part of my budget. 

5.  Submission – I want to do what God wants me to do, so I give faithfully.

6.  Sacrifice – I give sacrificially because Jesus gave sacrificially.

Nehemiah was Generous because he Feared God 14-15

Nehemiah was governor for 12 years. 

During that time he never took a pay check!  He served at his own expense! 

His brothers didn’t get paid either! 

The men who served before him collected good wages. 

What kind of man serves the people for free? 

Why was Nehemiah generous?  Because of the fear of God.

The Fear of God: 

For the unbeliever it is the fear of judgment. 

For the believer it is the recognition that we must give an account to God. 

Everything we have belongs to God; we are only managers of his property! 

We are to do good with God’s money!  1 Timothy 6:17-19

Nehemiah was Generous because of the people’s burden 16-19

Nehemiah didn’t have time for distractions like buying and investing.

When you are trying to rebuild your life, you need a focused approach. 

Nehemiah was incredibly generous with his goods.

Nehemiah fed a personal work force of 150 men using his own savings! 

Oxen are sterile male cattle (we call them steers). 

Nehemiah donated the equivalent of 22 million to the cause!

As king’s cup bearer he was well paid! 

He was generous because he was compassionate! 

A little is much if Jesus is in it.  Luke 21:1-4

It is more blessed to give than to receive.  Acts 20:35

God promises to bless us if we are generous. Malachi 3:10-12

Give and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you. I cannot tell you how much you ought to give. I am afraid the only safe rule is to give more than you can spare. Pay it forward and God will bless you.  “Remember me, my God, for good, according to all that I have done for this people.”

There’s just about nothing worse than being flat broke and not knowing how you are going to pay the bills or put food on the table.  Are you trying to rebuild your broken world due to a financial hit?  Today’s message is tailor made for you.  We are going to learn some important principles of money management, and how the body of Christ must step up to take care of our own. 

Their Money Problems

There was a famine in the land and taxes were excessive.

They couldn’t afford to put food on the table! 1-2

Wealthy Jews were exploiting their poorer countrymen. 

Some families had a lot of kids and a lot of mouths to feed. 

They didn’t have enough cash to pay the rent! 3

Some of the people had mortgaged their property in exchange for cash.

The famine meant that that their crops were failing. 

They couldn’t afford to pay their credit card bills! 4

Taxes were high and funds were low, so they borrowed!

They were getting deeper in debt.

They were in financial slavery. 5

Some sold their children as slaves!

That is the ultimate low of poverty.

Your Financial Solution

Help a Brother out! 6-10

Their actions were making them look bad to the surrounding nations! 

First he approached the nobles privately.  It didn’t go well.

Second he called an assembly and held court against them. 

Nehemiah was angry because they were breaking God’s law. 

If you lend, you shall not charge my people interest. Ex 22:25

They had failed to read the instruction book and follow it. 

They put their personal gain ahead of their compassion 

We, as Christians should give to meet people’s needs. James 2:15-16

We should lay down our lives for our brothers. 1 John 3:16-18

Stop paying high interest rates! 10

Usury is charging a “users” fee to one who is borrowing your money. 

If you use a credit card pay it off every month and live within your means.

Become an owner, not a borrower 11-12

Nehemiah made them return property to the owner.

Work hard so you may have a surplus to give to those in need.  Eph 4:28 

#1 Your goal is to own your vehicles free and clear. 

#2 Your goal is to buy a house and eventually pay it off. 

#3 Your goal is to become debt free. 

Pledge to put God first 12-13

They were making a promise to God, not to Nehemiah. 

Seek first the kingdom of God. Mat 6:31-33

We need to realize that money management is a serious thing to God.  The Bible is filled with guidance on how you should manage your money.  If you manage your money God’s way, you are more likely to find success.  If you manage it your way, you are more likely to find sorrow.  God wants us to be rich in good works and seek first the kingdom of God… and he’ll take care of the rest.