WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:05.139 Nehemiah 8 is a wonderful chapter within the book, wonderful chapter within the whole Bible, 00:00:05.139 --> 00:00:06.000 ! 00:00:30.000 --> 00:00:37.399 Whether we're looking to discover what is God's will for my life, as we want to be faithful 00:00:37.399 --> 00:00:44.659 to His mission and calling, our same need is to encounter the living God in His living 00:00:44.659 --> 00:00:45.179 Word. 00:00:46.200 --> 00:00:54.820 Ten years ago, ten marathons ago, we came to Bucleus, and the text that was given on the 00:00:54.820 --> 00:00:58.019 Saturday before was 1 Timothy 4, 13. 00:00:58.020 --> 00:01:05.859 14, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to preaching, and to teaching. 00:01:06.700 --> 00:01:14.500 Ten years on, the church has changed, but that foundation reality is the same. 00:01:15.980 --> 00:01:22.280 Our need will always be God's Word read, heard, preached, taught. 00:01:22.280 --> 00:01:30.760 My anniversary gift was to go to the General Assembly this week, and over and over again, 00:01:30.799 --> 00:01:36.299 as I was just praying, to hear encouragement that across the world and across our country, 00:01:36.400 --> 00:01:38.840 the Word of God is still changing lives. 00:01:39.540 --> 00:01:45.340 That people are hungry to find God's truth, to learn who is Jesus and what's He all about? 00:01:45.340 --> 00:01:46.760 Where do we discover the truth? 00:01:46.760 --> 00:01:48.540 In the Word of God. 00:01:48.640 --> 00:01:54.840 So, Nehemiah 8 is a wonderful chapter, as it reminds us that God's Word is the foundation 00:01:54.840 --> 00:01:56.159 for God's people. 00:01:56.420 --> 00:02:03.920 As we think about spiritual renewal and reformation in our life, in our church, key to that is always 00:02:03.920 --> 00:02:06.980 going to be hearing and preaching the Word of God. 00:02:06.980 --> 00:02:12.480 And so, what we see in Nehemiah chapter 8, so just to say where we've been, city walls have 00:02:12.480 --> 00:02:17.659 been crumbling ruins, Nehemiah comes back, leads the people to build the walls, those walls 00:02:17.659 --> 00:02:18.659 are now complete. 00:02:19.039 --> 00:02:24.500 It's the time for a religious festival, and we see it's a time for the people to get back 00:02:24.500 --> 00:02:25.360 into their Bibles. 00:02:26.939 --> 00:02:31.620 Now, I've loved reading this chapter this week, so I want this to be a really encouraging 00:02:31.620 --> 00:02:37.140 and helpful morning for us, so that you and I would love what we see in Nehemiah 8, that 00:02:37.140 --> 00:02:44.560 we'd love to hear God's Word, that we'd love and want to believe God's Word, and we would 00:02:44.560 --> 00:02:52.540 do God's Word, so that God gets the glory as our lives, as our church is transformed, that 00:02:52.540 --> 00:02:57.200 all of us, we'd be discovering and rediscovering the wonder of God's Word. 00:02:57.700 --> 00:02:59.099 So, it's all here in our text. 00:02:59.099 --> 00:03:01.620 Let's begin with hearing God's Word. 00:03:01.699 --> 00:03:04.060 It's here in verses 1 to 8. 00:03:04.759 --> 00:03:10.759 And this little picture that we get in verses 1 to 8 is a dream for a preacher, and it's 00:03:10.759 --> 00:03:16.000 a wonderful vision for a church, because what you have is a worshiping community where the 00:03:16.000 --> 00:03:21.120 people are gathering eagerly to hear God's Word, where it's being faithfully read and 00:03:21.120 --> 00:03:26.240 preached so that all God's people together are giving Him praise for His glory and His grace. 00:03:26.240 --> 00:03:28.700 Look at the people, first of all. 00:03:29.140 --> 00:03:30.800 Verse 1 is where it begins. 00:03:31.480 --> 00:03:34.040 All the people come together, and what do they do? 00:03:34.300 --> 00:03:37.240 They tell Ezra, the teacher of law, to bring out the book. 00:03:38.219 --> 00:03:41.200 They are asking eagerly, Ezra, teach us the Bible. 00:03:42.320 --> 00:03:44.640 It's a great grassroots movement. 00:03:44.639 --> 00:03:51.839 The physical rebuilding of the walls is now matched by a desire for spiritual rebuilding. 00:03:52.779 --> 00:03:56.279 And so, with one voice, they're saying to Ezra, Ezra, teach us the Bible. 00:03:57.259 --> 00:03:58.899 And look at verses 2 and 3. 00:03:59.019 --> 00:04:02.959 We find here is Ezra, and there's a great crowd before him. 00:04:03.039 --> 00:04:05.539 There's men, there's women, there's all who are able to understand. 00:04:06.519 --> 00:04:07.560 And he reads it. 00:04:08.019 --> 00:04:09.139 And look at the end of verse 3. 00:04:09.239 --> 00:04:10.879 All the people listened attentively. 00:04:10.879 --> 00:04:13.280 So, their attention is being given. 00:04:13.620 --> 00:04:17.399 The whole covenant community is being taught God's Word. 00:04:17.659 --> 00:04:26.219 They are literally sitting under the Word of God, not just for 30 minutes, but for 5 to 6 hours. 00:04:26.339 --> 00:04:28.519 It is being read, and it's being explained. 00:04:28.680 --> 00:04:34.379 So, if we're here till tonight, we're following Nehemiah's part, but we won't be. 00:04:34.699 --> 00:04:37.379 But this has happened in Scotland before. 00:04:37.379 --> 00:04:43.180 As revival and renewal came, one of the things that happened is that people always wanted to hear God's Word. 00:04:43.620 --> 00:04:51.300 1842, a preacher by the name of William Burns was up in Perthshire, Blair Athol, in the Blair Athol church grounds. 00:04:51.459 --> 00:04:56.000 And he preached to a crowd of over 2,000 people for over 5 hours. 00:04:57.659 --> 00:04:59.500 It's a wonderful vision to pray for. 00:04:59.500 --> 00:05:05.300 It's a beautiful picture that we have in the book of Nehemiah of young and old gathered together. 00:05:05.620 --> 00:05:07.100 Eyes and hearts are open. 00:05:07.579 --> 00:05:08.699 Pens are at the ready. 00:05:09.120 --> 00:05:10.079 Minds are engaged. 00:05:10.379 --> 00:05:13.120 Hearts are ready to receive God's Word. 00:05:14.220 --> 00:05:14.959 What does it mean? 00:05:15.040 --> 00:05:16.160 How does it apply to me? 00:05:16.740 --> 00:05:17.720 Here's the truth. 00:05:17.779 --> 00:05:19.040 I want to live by it. 00:05:20.420 --> 00:05:25.980 At the General Assembly, our church planting director was giving a short talk, and he had a wonderful image. 00:05:26.079 --> 00:05:28.180 He had the image of a church being like a well. 00:05:28.180 --> 00:05:32.400 You know, in communities where people don't have, you know, taps and they need wells. 00:05:33.400 --> 00:05:37.319 And he said our business as the church is to keep those wells open. 00:05:37.540 --> 00:05:43.460 So for us, Bucleus is a well, and we want to keep it open so that people can come and hear about Jesus. 00:05:43.620 --> 00:05:45.280 And why do we plant churches? 00:05:45.420 --> 00:05:47.160 So it's like drilling new wells. 00:05:48.160 --> 00:05:49.500 Galashios would be a new well. 00:05:49.579 --> 00:05:54.759 Because there is nothing better, nothing more important than for people to come thirsty 00:05:54.759 --> 00:06:00.719 and to find a place where they can discover the living water, which is the Word of God, which is all about Jesus. 00:06:01.639 --> 00:06:04.899 And that's what we've got from the people here in Nehemiah chapter 8. 00:06:05.620 --> 00:06:07.560 Well, what then about the preachers? 00:06:08.099 --> 00:06:11.560 So we meet this chap, Ezra, Ezra the priest. 00:06:12.159 --> 00:06:14.959 Ezra has his own book, Ezra, Nehemiah. 00:06:14.959 --> 00:06:24.180 In Ezra chapter 7, we discover that about 15 years before this moment, Ezra had also been sent back to Jerusalem. 00:06:24.680 --> 00:06:30.079 Now, Ezra was a man who devoted himself to God's Word to study it and to teach it. 00:06:30.620 --> 00:06:37.000 And he has been patiently teaching the Bible week after week, year after year. 00:06:37.120 --> 00:06:40.879 And so now he becomes the automatic, here's the guy we need to go to. 00:06:40.879 --> 00:06:43.300 He's the one who brings us the truth. 00:06:43.779 --> 00:06:46.000 And so they ask him to come and preach. 00:06:46.180 --> 00:06:48.560 And so we've got this great scene, verse 4. 00:06:49.040 --> 00:06:52.839 Ezra, the teacher of the law, stood on a high wooden platform. 00:06:53.000 --> 00:06:55.659 He's got guys on his right, he's got guys on his left. 00:06:56.240 --> 00:07:00.680 Ezra opened the book and he begins to read it and teach it. 00:07:01.000 --> 00:07:05.759 And as he's doing that, at the same time as he's reading God's Word, as it's being preached, 00:07:06.240 --> 00:07:08.579 there's also the Levites in verse 7. 00:07:08.579 --> 00:07:10.240 And do you notice what they're doing? 00:07:10.920 --> 00:07:14.120 They instructed the people in the law while the people were standing there. 00:07:14.420 --> 00:07:19.800 They read from the book, making it clear and giving the meaning so the people understood what was being read. 00:07:20.160 --> 00:07:23.500 So there's another, so it's a massive crowd, tens of thousands of people. 00:07:23.620 --> 00:07:26.720 And so people are being divided into little groups and there's Levites, 00:07:26.800 --> 00:07:29.240 they're coming over here and they're reading the Bible and they're asking, 00:07:29.519 --> 00:07:31.079 do you understand what's being read? 00:07:31.139 --> 00:07:32.240 Do you have any questions? 00:07:32.560 --> 00:07:35.319 They're wanting to clarify so that everybody gets it. 00:07:35.319 --> 00:07:38.939 They understand what's being said and the significance of it. 00:07:38.939 --> 00:07:44.379 And this is where, so in Becclew, we practice a thing called expository preaching, 00:07:44.560 --> 00:07:52.220 which is a fancy word that says our goal is to take any section of the Bible and to look to explain it, 00:07:52.560 --> 00:07:58.519 to unpack it, to apply its teaching and to point ourselves towards Jesus. 00:07:58.519 --> 00:08:01.699 And it's a principle that we see here in Nehemiah chapter 8. 00:08:02.699 --> 00:08:09.099 The aim for Ezra and those Levites is, let me give the sense of the passage 00:08:09.099 --> 00:08:13.539 and let's see the significance of the passage. 00:08:13.540 --> 00:08:16.600 We're always wanting to do that. 00:08:16.640 --> 00:08:18.480 Let's see the significance of this passage. 00:08:18.560 --> 00:08:20.500 What does it tell us about salvation? 00:08:21.480 --> 00:08:24.000 How does a person come to know God through Jesus? 00:08:24.080 --> 00:08:30.160 Or for sanctification, how does a person take this word and grow to be more like Jesus, 00:08:30.259 --> 00:08:30.980 to grow in holiness? 00:08:31.620 --> 00:08:33.180 So we've got this wonderful picture. 00:08:33.279 --> 00:08:35.120 We've got the people and they're listening attentively. 00:08:35.440 --> 00:08:36.879 And we've got preachers are preaching. 00:08:36.879 --> 00:08:40.080 And then together we see the praise. 00:08:41.179 --> 00:08:45.559 Now look at verse 4 and recognize that the architecture here matters. 00:08:46.480 --> 00:08:51.179 So Ezra is standing on a high wooden platform built for the occasion. 00:08:52.580 --> 00:08:53.620 Now why is that? 00:08:53.659 --> 00:08:55.899 Well, we could say practically, well, it's a massive crowd, 00:08:56.000 --> 00:08:58.439 so the higher up you are, it's easier to be heard. 00:08:59.460 --> 00:09:00.860 But it's more than that. 00:09:01.399 --> 00:09:06.279 It's about showing this is a people that have a high view of God's word. 00:09:06.879 --> 00:09:10.000 And we know that because look at the posture they adopt. 00:09:10.480 --> 00:09:14.659 As Ezra opens the book in verse 5, all the people stood up. 00:09:15.320 --> 00:09:16.399 Why did they stand up? 00:09:17.419 --> 00:09:21.019 Standing up was a sign of honor in the Old Testament. 00:09:21.899 --> 00:09:25.200 So they're standing up, but they're also sitting under. 00:09:25.399 --> 00:09:28.360 They're submitting to the word of God in their lives. 00:09:29.539 --> 00:09:31.059 And it's a great pattern. 00:09:31.159 --> 00:09:33.480 We want to honor the word of God. 00:09:33.480 --> 00:09:36.779 We want to submit to its teaching. 00:09:37.659 --> 00:09:41.740 And in verse 6, we get a great picture of a church united in worship. 00:09:41.939 --> 00:09:43.779 Ezra praised the Lord, the great God. 00:09:44.039 --> 00:09:46.679 And all the people lifted their hands and responded, 00:09:47.320 --> 00:09:48.439 Amen, Amen. 00:09:48.519 --> 00:09:49.980 Then they bow and they worship. 00:09:50.080 --> 00:09:52.519 It's a very physical set of actions. 00:09:52.639 --> 00:09:58.759 But what we see is that preacher and hearer together are praising God. 00:09:59.639 --> 00:10:01.860 They are hearing His voice together. 00:10:01.860 --> 00:10:04.860 They are glorifying God together. 00:10:05.600 --> 00:10:08.220 And all of it because they're listening to the Bible. 00:10:08.899 --> 00:10:10.860 Why do we love the Bible as a church? 00:10:10.940 --> 00:10:14.899 We love it because it tells us of our God and of our Savior. 00:10:14.899 --> 00:10:19.039 We get the message about God's uniqueness. 00:10:19.480 --> 00:10:22.220 We get to hear about His character, His promises. 00:10:22.980 --> 00:10:26.220 We get to hear about His covenant love and His faithfulness. 00:10:26.480 --> 00:10:27.840 And we get to hear about Jesus. 00:10:28.899 --> 00:10:32.759 Jesus' unique love, His unique wisdom and power. 00:10:33.480 --> 00:10:34.340 His miracles. 00:10:35.340 --> 00:10:36.639 His unique death. 00:10:36.639 --> 00:10:43.000 He dies for us, taking our place, bearing our sin and its punishment. 00:10:44.360 --> 00:10:47.699 We love it because we hear about His victory through the resurrection. 00:10:48.860 --> 00:10:53.600 Reminds us that He has exalted the King in heaven for us who will one day come back 00:10:53.600 --> 00:10:56.519 to renew this world and to live with His people forever. 00:10:56.659 --> 00:10:59.019 And so we love to hear the Bible. 00:10:59.019 --> 00:11:05.460 Two points of application for your life and for us as a church as we think about hearing 00:11:05.460 --> 00:11:06.059 God's Word. 00:11:06.159 --> 00:11:11.419 One, and we see it in our text, let God's Word be our highest authority. 00:11:12.740 --> 00:11:18.500 Now that's not a given because we are, all of us, individually and collectively bombarded 00:11:18.500 --> 00:11:26.539 by messaging and alternative claims to the truth and surrounded by the skepticism of secular 00:11:26.539 --> 00:11:27.139 culture. 00:11:28.139 --> 00:11:34.159 And what we must do is ground ourselves in the Word of God. 00:11:35.259 --> 00:11:37.059 To submit to it. 00:11:37.399 --> 00:11:38.419 To hear it. 00:11:38.480 --> 00:11:45.240 To understand and to trust that God's Word has explanatory power for the whole universe. 00:11:45.679 --> 00:11:50.360 It explains everything that we see and it has explanatory power for our lives as well. 00:11:50.779 --> 00:11:53.799 It makes sense of who we are and what we are here for. 00:11:53.919 --> 00:11:56.099 We are here made by God and to know God. 00:11:56.539 --> 00:12:00.599 And so very practically, it's really important that we be here. 00:12:01.159 --> 00:12:04.719 Or if you don't belong to this church, you be at your local church. 00:12:05.500 --> 00:12:07.679 As God's Word is read, make it a priority. 00:12:08.779 --> 00:12:14.099 And we go on Wednesdays as the church gathers in different homes, community groups in our 00:12:14.099 --> 00:12:14.299 case. 00:12:15.099 --> 00:12:21.259 We want God's Word to be our highest authority and so we listen to it day by day, week by 00:12:21.259 --> 00:12:21.579 week. 00:12:21.580 --> 00:12:24.320 Come with a Samuel spirit. 00:12:24.660 --> 00:12:25.420 Remember Samuel? 00:12:25.800 --> 00:12:26.520 Speak, Lord. 00:12:26.639 --> 00:12:27.879 Your servant is listening. 00:12:28.040 --> 00:12:34.160 God's Word is to be our highest authority and we must let God's Word be our highest priority. 00:12:35.420 --> 00:12:36.280 So it's great. 00:12:36.420 --> 00:12:41.020 Of all the things that we could be doing, God has put it in our hearts to be here. 00:12:41.019 --> 00:12:47.000 Of all the hassle that it was to get here on Marathon Sunday, we have chosen to be here. 00:12:47.039 --> 00:12:51.159 And that's wonderful because what's happening right now is that God is speaking. 00:12:52.199 --> 00:12:55.819 Jesus is here with us and He is speaking with us. 00:12:55.819 --> 00:12:56.679 That's wonderful, isn't it? 00:12:57.819 --> 00:13:00.299 And think about what the Bible says about itself. 00:13:00.299 --> 00:13:05.399 The Word of God is described as light in contrast with darkness. 00:13:06.259 --> 00:13:10.079 The Word of God brings life in the place of death. 00:13:10.759 --> 00:13:13.740 The Word of God is bread for hungry souls. 00:13:14.139 --> 00:13:16.639 It is water for our thirst. 00:13:17.459 --> 00:13:18.859 So it's good to be here. 00:13:18.860 --> 00:13:39.259 And it's vital and necessary for us to be here and to commit to listening to God's Word, to make it our priority, to put in the effort to read, to seek, to understand, and to apply its truth to us individually and to us all collectively. 00:13:40.300 --> 00:13:41.919 So that's the hearing of God's Word. 00:13:41.919 --> 00:13:45.340 Now let's think, secondly, about believing God's Word. 00:13:45.399 --> 00:13:47.600 And that's really here in verses 9 to 12. 00:13:48.860 --> 00:13:52.980 It's wonderful sometimes to get asked questions like this. 00:13:53.080 --> 00:13:57.180 You know, how can I read the Bible for myself and how can I understand it? 00:13:57.940 --> 00:14:00.800 Sometimes people will ask, what's the Bible all about? 00:14:00.919 --> 00:14:05.159 Or people just want to know, how can I hear God speak to me today? 00:14:06.220 --> 00:14:07.440 Those are amazing questions. 00:14:08.300 --> 00:14:15.039 And I hope that we'll be a people who talk more about the Bible together and how God is speaking to us together. 00:14:15.039 --> 00:14:19.039 But it can be difficult to read the Bible with understanding. 00:14:20.039 --> 00:14:21.419 And so we're going to think about that together. 00:14:21.740 --> 00:14:28.059 I've been trying to learn French badly as I do every summer after coming back from any given holiday. 00:14:28.699 --> 00:14:31.360 And one thing that I've discovered is you need a plan. 00:14:32.419 --> 00:14:38.679 So I went online and asked the question, how do people learn a language when they're old and they don't have much time? 00:14:38.679 --> 00:14:44.899 And you discover, well, it's quite good to use the little green owl that lots of us use. 00:14:45.339 --> 00:14:51.179 And maybe you want to try speaking some sentences in a mirror to go through the awkwardness and build some confidence. 00:14:51.539 --> 00:14:53.339 Maybe you want to watch some French TV. 00:14:53.479 --> 00:14:57.379 So I've been doing all that and making not much progress. 00:14:57.379 --> 00:15:05.899 But if you feel like you want to grow in your understanding of the Bible, you don't know where to start. 00:15:06.620 --> 00:15:09.100 Or you're not getting much out of your Bible reading. 00:15:09.919 --> 00:15:12.879 You know, it's a habit, but there's not much joy in it. 00:15:12.960 --> 00:15:15.419 Or you think, this is a habit I want to start. 00:15:16.620 --> 00:15:20.120 Let's use Nehemiah 8 to give us some guidelines. 00:15:20.120 --> 00:15:22.000 Because we can find some things here. 00:15:22.080 --> 00:15:27.720 Because what we want is to be receiving and believing God's Word, to move from our head to our heart, 00:15:28.179 --> 00:15:30.960 to move from information to transformation. 00:15:31.360 --> 00:15:38.360 So I'm going to give us three questions that I hope will help us anytime we come to a passage of God's Word. 00:15:38.440 --> 00:15:40.860 There are others we could ask, but there's three that are in here. 00:15:41.600 --> 00:15:44.899 Verse 9 and 10, here's one question to ask of any Bible text. 00:15:45.100 --> 00:15:46.600 How does it show me my sin? 00:15:46.600 --> 00:15:54.080 And I say that because we find Nehemiah, Ezra, and the Levites in verse 9 instructing the people saying, 00:15:54.680 --> 00:15:56.320 This day is holy to the Lord your God. 00:15:56.399 --> 00:15:57.980 Do not mourn or weep. 00:15:58.000 --> 00:16:00.300 Because they've been weeping as they listened to the words of the law. 00:16:00.720 --> 00:16:02.659 So they're having to be given this strange command. 00:16:02.820 --> 00:16:05.500 You need to stop mourning because it's a time for joy. 00:16:06.460 --> 00:16:09.500 It's not the time right now to fast over wrongdoing. 00:16:09.659 --> 00:16:11.540 It's the time to celebrate the feast. 00:16:12.379 --> 00:16:14.060 But why do they need to give that command? 00:16:14.139 --> 00:16:14.940 What's been happening? 00:16:14.940 --> 00:16:19.740 Well, clearly what's been happening is that they are listening to God's Word. 00:16:20.520 --> 00:16:22.520 They've been exposed to its truth. 00:16:23.740 --> 00:16:28.300 And they've become aware of how far short they are falling from God's standards. 00:16:29.160 --> 00:16:34.500 And so they weep as the gap between God's holiness and their imperfection is exposed. 00:16:36.260 --> 00:16:41.060 Reminds me of another huge gathering, Acts chapter 2, Day of Pentecost. 00:16:41.059 --> 00:16:44.339 There is Peter preaching to a huge crowd. 00:16:44.500 --> 00:16:48.979 And he says, in effect, look, God sent his son, Jesus, promised Savior. 00:16:49.399 --> 00:16:50.500 And you rejected him. 00:16:50.859 --> 00:16:52.919 And you organized to have him crucified. 00:16:52.919 --> 00:16:59.379 That was God's plan for salvation. 00:16:59.379 --> 00:17:01.139 But you were in the wrong. 00:17:02.299 --> 00:17:04.139 And God raised him and glorified him. 00:17:04.500 --> 00:17:09.579 And as they listened to that message, it says in Acts 2 that they were cut to the heart. 00:17:10.720 --> 00:17:13.700 The hearing of God's Word exposed their sin. 00:17:13.700 --> 00:17:16.220 And they turned and repented and believed. 00:17:16.940 --> 00:17:19.019 God's Word is light. 00:17:19.019 --> 00:17:22.799 And it exposes the darkness and the stain. 00:17:23.639 --> 00:17:29.420 You wash your windows and the sun shines and you see the smear and the dirt that you've left behind. 00:17:29.940 --> 00:17:32.139 The light of God's Word. 00:17:33.420 --> 00:17:40.559 God's Spirit takes that Word and applies it into all the dark corners of our lives. 00:17:40.559 --> 00:17:45.000 It shines the spotlight on our disobedience. 00:17:45.579 --> 00:17:50.720 Where we cross over God's line into forbidden territory. 00:17:51.440 --> 00:17:55.539 It exposes our pride, our self-reliance, our self-righteousness. 00:17:56.539 --> 00:18:02.339 And as God's Word shines the spotlight on our hearts, 00:18:02.960 --> 00:18:09.319 the most important thing for us to do is to confess our sin and not cover up our sin. 00:18:09.319 --> 00:18:12.019 That's the message from David of Psalm 32. 00:18:13.220 --> 00:18:19.379 To understand that repentance, turning away from sin and towards God, is a gift of God's grace. 00:18:20.019 --> 00:18:25.839 And for a Christian, it is to be the daily rhythm of our lives as we sit under God's Word 00:18:25.839 --> 00:18:27.460 and we let it show us our sin. 00:18:27.980 --> 00:18:30.839 So that's one question that we can ask of any text in the Bible. 00:18:30.960 --> 00:18:32.000 Here's the second question. 00:18:33.299 --> 00:18:35.960 How does it help me remember redemption? 00:18:36.500 --> 00:18:38.240 Or how does it show me salvation? 00:18:38.240 --> 00:18:40.120 Or how does it show me Jesus? 00:18:42.700 --> 00:18:45.259 Let's read verse 10 and 11. 00:18:46.359 --> 00:18:50.099 Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks and send some to those who have nothing prepared. 00:18:50.599 --> 00:18:52.839 This day is holy to our Lord. 00:18:53.200 --> 00:18:56.740 Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength. 00:18:57.220 --> 00:18:58.779 The Levites calmed all the people, saying, 00:18:58.900 --> 00:19:00.640 Be still, for this is a holy day. 00:19:01.000 --> 00:19:01.819 Do not grieve. 00:19:01.819 --> 00:19:05.859 In verses 9 to 11, three times the people are told this is a holy day. 00:19:06.460 --> 00:19:10.919 And two times they are reminded of the Lord. 00:19:11.099 --> 00:19:12.799 L-O-R-D, all in capitals. 00:19:13.379 --> 00:19:14.379 And what's going on there? 00:19:14.439 --> 00:19:15.299 The idea of holiness. 00:19:16.179 --> 00:19:18.759 This is a day that's set apart for God's purpose. 00:19:18.759 --> 00:19:24.980 And His purpose in this festival was to remind them that He is their Redeemer. 00:19:25.720 --> 00:19:27.440 That He is the Lord. 00:19:28.379 --> 00:19:34.400 That Lord, when you see it in capitals, speaks to us of the personal covenant name of God. 00:19:34.400 --> 00:19:41.900 God, this is the God who is committed in love to saving Himself for, save a people for Himself. 00:19:43.759 --> 00:19:49.100 And so they are to remember, this day is set apart to remember the Lord who is their strength. 00:19:49.240 --> 00:19:50.960 That's the point of this festival. 00:19:52.380 --> 00:19:57.300 That's the point of our worship, to remember God in His love and mercy has given us a Redeemer. 00:19:57.660 --> 00:19:59.160 That's why it was a day for joy. 00:19:59.620 --> 00:20:02.160 The joy of the Lord is your strength. 00:20:02.160 --> 00:20:07.720 And this Lord that they're being reminded about, well, He's the God, and they've just heard it in God's Word, 00:20:07.940 --> 00:20:09.040 He created everything. 00:20:10.040 --> 00:20:12.860 And this God in love, He has chosen them. 00:20:13.540 --> 00:20:15.680 And He has redeemed them from slavery. 00:20:15.920 --> 00:20:19.640 And He has now restored them from being far away in exile. 00:20:19.759 --> 00:20:20.560 Now they're home. 00:20:21.360 --> 00:20:25.660 And He has protected them in all their rebuilding work from all their enemies. 00:20:25.660 --> 00:20:32.440 And so it's a time for joy because they're invited to remember the God of love who saves. 00:20:34.600 --> 00:20:38.320 I think this reminds us that we always need to hear God's Word in stereo. 00:20:39.600 --> 00:20:42.720 There are those two inputs that we hear. 00:20:42.820 --> 00:20:44.920 We hear God's law. 00:20:45.840 --> 00:20:47.759 And God's law convicts us. 00:20:47.800 --> 00:20:50.440 And God's law shows that we can't keep the law. 00:20:50.440 --> 00:20:53.680 And God's law reminds us why we need Jesus as a Savior. 00:20:54.100 --> 00:20:57.500 But we also hear the good news of the gospel. 00:20:58.140 --> 00:20:59.240 The good news of Jesus. 00:21:00.000 --> 00:21:04.120 The message that God gave His Son to be a Savior for His people. 00:21:04.820 --> 00:21:10.580 That the Creator of the universe has entered into history to bring people back to God. 00:21:10.860 --> 00:21:12.299 He took on human nature. 00:21:12.620 --> 00:21:14.539 He took on our sin and our guilt. 00:21:14.539 --> 00:21:19.420 He paid the price and He bore the wrath to rescue us from Satan's sin and death. 00:21:19.519 --> 00:21:24.220 So we could be brought back to God knowing the joy of the Lord is our strength too. 00:21:27.099 --> 00:21:29.659 One lesson from Nehemiah 8 is certainly this. 00:21:29.720 --> 00:21:33.720 As Christians we need to hear God's Word in stereo. 00:21:33.879 --> 00:21:36.339 They were only listening to the minor key notes. 00:21:37.119 --> 00:21:37.879 And they were weeping. 00:21:37.980 --> 00:21:41.799 But they needed to hear the major key of God's joy and God's grace. 00:21:41.799 --> 00:21:44.579 To believe that yes my sins are many. 00:21:44.940 --> 00:21:47.319 And yes His mercy is more. 00:21:49.339 --> 00:21:50.519 So we're listening in. 00:21:50.659 --> 00:21:52.299 And they're being reminded about sin. 00:21:52.359 --> 00:21:54.059 And they're being reminded about salvation. 00:21:54.180 --> 00:21:56.619 But here's a third question that we can ask. 00:21:57.319 --> 00:22:00.440 And we should ask whenever we're reading the Bible. 00:22:01.700 --> 00:22:06.519 How does this text help me to give glory to God? 00:22:06.779 --> 00:22:08.440 How does it show me the glory of God? 00:22:08.440 --> 00:22:11.480 And how can I give glory to God in response? 00:22:11.779 --> 00:22:13.180 And that's the beauty of verse 12. 00:22:14.259 --> 00:22:16.019 All the people went away to eat and drink. 00:22:16.720 --> 00:22:19.279 To send portions of food and to celebrate with great joy. 00:22:20.100 --> 00:22:22.759 Because they now understood the words that had been made known to them. 00:22:23.700 --> 00:22:25.000 So now their hearts are still. 00:22:26.400 --> 00:22:28.799 Because they know God is for them, not against them. 00:22:28.880 --> 00:22:32.799 Their hearts are full of joy because they're reminded that God has rescued them. 00:22:32.799 --> 00:22:34.819 And now they go to feast. 00:22:35.279 --> 00:22:39.339 Because they understand and they have believed God's good news. 00:22:39.440 --> 00:22:41.539 They have received it for themselves. 00:22:42.220 --> 00:22:44.339 The pattern for their lives. 00:22:45.139 --> 00:22:48.819 Well it follows the pattern set out for them in God's Word. 00:22:50.919 --> 00:22:54.279 And just as we think about that by way of application for ourselves. 00:22:54.279 --> 00:23:00.099 Let's make every effort to let God's Word form us. 00:23:00.839 --> 00:23:04.960 We all have many shaping influence in our lives. 00:23:05.039 --> 00:23:06.819 Our parents, teachers, friends. 00:23:07.819 --> 00:23:09.359 Maybe social media feed. 00:23:10.720 --> 00:23:16.779 Let me encourage each one of us to make sure that we are being formed by the Word of God. 00:23:17.180 --> 00:23:18.359 To hear His voice. 00:23:18.460 --> 00:23:20.839 To don't let it be drowned out by all the other voices. 00:23:20.839 --> 00:23:27.879 To give the Bible space and time in our weeks and in our lives. 00:23:28.000 --> 00:23:29.459 For the sake of our hearts. 00:23:31.079 --> 00:23:35.299 You know like the Old Testament believers described in Deuteronomy 6. 00:23:36.139 --> 00:23:36.959 Talk about it. 00:23:37.039 --> 00:23:37.879 Talk about it on the road. 00:23:38.019 --> 00:23:38.859 Talk about it in our homes. 00:23:38.980 --> 00:23:40.500 Talk about it when we're sitting down with people. 00:23:40.659 --> 00:23:42.859 Talk about it when we're sharing coffee after church. 00:23:42.859 --> 00:23:49.719 And to understand that to know the joy of the Lord as our strength. 00:23:49.919 --> 00:23:50.959 As it's described here. 00:23:51.359 --> 00:23:55.559 We need to hear and we need to believe over and over again. 00:23:56.019 --> 00:23:58.919 That while we were still powerless and helpless. 00:23:59.240 --> 00:24:00.939 Lost in sin and shame. 00:24:01.519 --> 00:24:03.779 Christ Jesus died for us. 00:24:05.619 --> 00:24:08.199 That takes us to the third and final thing briefly. 00:24:08.419 --> 00:24:10.399 And that's about doing God's Word. 00:24:10.500 --> 00:24:11.979 Verses 13 to 18. 00:24:11.980 --> 00:24:17.579 Now, we read earlier the book of James, and the book of James has lots of picture language, 00:24:17.720 --> 00:24:23.799 and one of those pictures there has, I guess for us, imagined the scene where you are getting ready 00:24:23.799 --> 00:24:30.140 for a wedding or some important occasion, and you're rushing out the door, and you take a look 00:24:30.140 --> 00:24:36.500 in the mirror, and what you see is maybe your hair is sticking up, and you've got bits in your teeth, 00:24:36.500 --> 00:24:45.119 and your collar is undone, but you're in such a rush that you instantly forget, and you go to the 00:24:45.119 --> 00:24:53.400 wedding as a mess, and the photos are ruined. It's a disaster. James 1, 22, do not merely listen to the 00:24:53.400 --> 00:25:01.920 word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Jesus' words at the end of the Sermon on the Mount, 00:25:01.920 --> 00:25:10.779 and everyone who hears my words and obeys them, puts them into practice, they are the ones who 00:25:10.779 --> 00:25:18.519 are built on the rock-solid foundation. Now, we see it in Nehemiah 8, because in verses 13 to 18, 00:25:18.580 --> 00:25:23.100 what's been happening is that they've been listening. Here's God's Word being taught, and now 00:25:23.100 --> 00:25:31.220 they discover. They discover they're at a festival that God has given, but they've forgotten a festival 00:25:31.220 --> 00:25:38.480 practice. It had been set down by God that this was a time where they were supposed to build temporary 00:25:38.480 --> 00:25:44.559 huts made out of branches, and to live in them, so that they could remember that God rescued them 00:25:44.559 --> 00:25:49.839 from Egypt, that they could remember God had cared for them while they were in the wilderness. 00:25:50.740 --> 00:25:55.740 So, they were missing that really important connection that the God who saves His people 00:25:55.740 --> 00:26:02.420 is the God who sustains His people, and that was supposed to be part of their praise. It's always 00:26:02.420 --> 00:26:08.359 an important part of our praise, too. But see what's different now, verses 16 through 18. 00:26:09.299 --> 00:26:14.539 There go the people. They went out and brought back branches, and they built themselves temporary 00:26:14.539 --> 00:26:21.720 shelters. And look at the end of verse 17, from the days of Joshua until that day, the Israelites 00:26:21.720 --> 00:26:30.579 had not celebrated like this, and their joy was very great. They hear God's Word, they believe God's Word, 00:26:30.720 --> 00:26:38.400 and they do God's Word, and it gives them great joy. And then we leave them in verse 18, day after day, 00:26:38.740 --> 00:26:44.319 during these eight days of festival, and they're listening to Ezra teaching the Bible, and they want 00:26:44.319 --> 00:26:49.740 to be responsive to it. They want to apply it to their lives, and they want it to lead them into worship. 00:26:49.740 --> 00:26:56.799 It's a wonderful pattern. I wonder if you've ever had that kind of experience. Sometimes you're reading 00:26:56.799 --> 00:27:02.740 the Bible, or sometimes you're sitting in church, and it's as if God speaks through His megaphone of 00:27:02.740 --> 00:27:11.960 His Word, and you become instantly aware, right now, there is something I need to do. Maybe you need to 00:27:11.960 --> 00:27:18.380 repent of a sin. Maybe it's you need to pick up the phone and talk to somebody, and you've been putting it off. 00:27:18.380 --> 00:27:25.160 Maybe you feel that compelling urge to share Jesus with that person that God has put in your heart. 00:27:25.720 --> 00:27:32.340 Maybe it's time to leave and to go. God's Word is doing that. God's Word is living and active. 00:27:33.420 --> 00:27:42.240 Jesus speaks as the Bible is read and preached, and He looks for us as listeners to actively respond 00:27:42.240 --> 00:27:45.839 in repentance, in repentance, in faith, in obedience. 00:27:48.079 --> 00:27:56.240 Just as Jesus did when He was on earth, so He continues to speak and call us to response today. 00:27:56.240 --> 00:28:08.059 So, as we close, maybe today, Jesus is speaking to some of us. We need to hear, we need to believe, 00:28:08.140 --> 00:28:13.799 and to do. Maybe it's a message that this one from Jesus, man shall not live by bread alone, 00:28:14.680 --> 00:28:20.839 but by every word that comes from the mouth of God. And you know you've not really been listening or 00:28:20.839 --> 00:28:28.119 submitting. It's time to hear, believe, and do. But maybe it's a message like this from Jesus, 00:28:28.359 --> 00:28:35.359 come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Maybe you're full of 00:28:35.359 --> 00:28:41.639 trouble and anxiety, and you need to believe and do this Word and invite Jesus to give you rest. 00:28:41.640 --> 00:28:49.259 Maybe it's the commission where Jesus would look at the harvest field and say, well, the harvest is 00:28:49.259 --> 00:29:00.100 plentiful, but the workers are few. And you think, am I playing my part with my gifts in building God's 00:29:00.100 --> 00:29:07.820 church? It's time to hear and believe and do. But maybe it's the message that Jesus brought as He 00:29:07.819 --> 00:29:16.539 began His ministry. Repent and believe, for the kingdom of God is at hand. To trust and believe 00:29:16.539 --> 00:29:22.319 that Jesus is God's promised King. He is the one who brings salvation, that we would believe that 00:29:22.319 --> 00:29:32.279 truth and respond with repentance and faith. God's Word doesn't change. The foundation for God's church 00:29:32.279 --> 00:29:43.200 doesn't change. We must be devoted to reading, to preaching, to hearing the Word of God, to hear it, 00:29:43.700 --> 00:29:51.660 to believe it, and to do it. Let's pray together. Lord our God, we thank You for Your Word. We thank You 00:29:51.660 --> 00:29:55.119 that it is living and active. We thank You that it…