WEBVTT

00:00:01.000 --> 00:00:07.000
 Cyclone Tracy hit Darwin on Christmas Eve 1974.

00:00:08.240 --> 00:00:13.980
 It destroyed about 80% of the houses in Darwin.

00:00:14.380 --> 00:00:22.719
 And it required the evacuation of over 30,000 of the then 47,000 inhabitants.

00:00:22.719 --> 00:00:31.019
 One thing that I didn't realise until I first went to Darwin and spoke to someone who actually went through Cyclone Tracy,

00:00:32.200 --> 00:00:37.879
 said to me that the vast majority who were evacuated never ever came back.

00:00:39.099 --> 00:00:40.159
 They never came back.

00:00:41.379 --> 00:00:48.280
 Of the 30,000 evacuated, less than 8,000 actually returned to Darwin and rebuilt again.

00:00:48.280 --> 00:00:52.060
 And those who did had a massive task in front of them.

00:00:52.719 --> 00:01:00.179
 And one of the things that I was told was that as Darwin was rebuilt, they had learnt their lesson.

00:01:00.920 --> 00:01:06.340
 It was rebuilt from that moment on to withstand Cyclones.

00:01:07.319 --> 00:01:09.120
 With unique architecture.

00:01:10.500 --> 00:01:18.060
 Now the book of Nehemiah is a time in history when the Israelites are seeking to rebuild the city of Jerusalem

00:01:18.060 --> 00:01:21.239
 after a catastrophic event that wiped out the city.

00:01:21.239 --> 00:01:26.299
 It was God judging his people for their consistent idolatry.

00:01:27.939 --> 00:01:32.119
 They loved other things more than they loved their God.

00:01:33.459 --> 00:01:36.919
 And so this whole book is about the rebuilding of Jerusalem.

00:01:37.780 --> 00:01:43.560
 But fundamentally, it's about God rebuilding his people as he rebuilds his city.

00:01:43.560 --> 00:01:50.640
 If you've got the St. Paul's app in front of you, you've got three points in there and it might be easier for you to follow along.

00:01:51.019 --> 00:01:54.700
 The first one is a flawed people.

00:01:56.460 --> 00:01:58.680
 In chapter 1, Nehemiah was born and raised.

00:01:58.740 --> 00:02:01.939
 What we're going to do now, because we're getting to the end of chapter Nehemiah 13,

00:02:02.620 --> 00:02:04.219
 I'm going to retell the story for you.

00:02:04.219 --> 00:02:06.659
 Quickly.

00:02:07.760 --> 00:02:11.240
 In chapter 1, Nehemiah was born and raised as a Jew in exile.

00:02:11.979 --> 00:02:17.579
 He had, however, risen to the position of cupbearer to King Artaxerxes.

00:02:17.879 --> 00:02:24.400
 It was there that he had received the shocking reports of the state of his fellow Jews who had returned to Jerusalem.

00:02:24.400 --> 00:02:35.580
 This led to long periods of praying where he laid before God the failure of his people and his own failure and his wish for God to keep his covenant promises.

00:02:36.280 --> 00:02:45.800
 In chapter 2, he was sent to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem by King Artaxerxes with a diplomatic passport, the government checkbook and some security guards.

00:02:45.800 --> 00:02:57.340
 In chapter 3, the disorganised and apathetic people of God came together under Nehemiah's leadership and worked extraordinarily hard to rebuild a wall.

00:02:57.960 --> 00:03:00.780
 They faced tough opposition from surrounding enemies.

00:03:00.920 --> 00:03:05.180
 In chapter 4, internal conflicts and exploitation by their own people.

00:03:05.380 --> 00:03:13.100
 In chapters 5 and 6, the walls are finally built at the end of chapter 6 in remarkable time.

00:03:13.099 --> 00:03:22.019
 Into chapter 7, we start to see in a very real way the rebuilding of the people of God as leadership is installed.

00:03:22.159 --> 00:03:23.159
 The people are organised.

00:03:23.299 --> 00:03:24.299
 The city is secured.

00:03:25.219 --> 00:03:33.500
 And now the main work of re-establishing the covenant community of God's people comes into full swing in chapters 8, 9 and 10.

00:03:34.659 --> 00:03:39.659
 There was constant reading and re-reading and explanation of God's word.

00:03:39.659 --> 00:03:47.060
 The word of God is obeyed as the feasts of God are now re-instituted and they are celebrated with joy.

00:03:47.460 --> 00:03:51.300
 This in turn leads to confession and repentance and covenant renewal.

00:03:52.340 --> 00:04:02.039
 In chapter 10, all the work of the reformation of the people of God comes to this high point in chapters 11 and 12

00:04:02.039 --> 00:04:07.239
 as the city of God is once again repopulated.

00:04:08.359 --> 00:04:15.939
 And as the city and on its walls are filled with praise and worship to God.

00:04:17.539 --> 00:04:20.339
 And so you get to the end of chapter 12 and you say,

00:04:20.740 --> 00:04:24.980
 the rebuilding work of the people of God is a triumph.

00:04:24.980 --> 00:04:30.400
 And if it was written by Hollywood, that would be it.

00:04:31.740 --> 00:04:34.280
 Chapter 12 would be the end of the story.

00:04:36.580 --> 00:04:38.660
 There is, however, chapter 13.

00:04:42.259 --> 00:04:47.939
 And right from the very first verse, we see a slide.

00:04:47.939 --> 00:04:53.480
 On that day, the book of Moses was read aloud in the hearing of the people

00:04:53.480 --> 00:05:00.519
 and there was found written that no Ammonite or Moabite should ever be admitted into the assembly of God

00:05:00.519 --> 00:05:03.720
 because they had not met the Israelites with food and water,

00:05:03.860 --> 00:05:07.180
 but had hired Balaam to call a curse down on them.

00:05:07.939 --> 00:05:10.339
 Our God, however, turned the curse into a blessing.

00:05:10.339 --> 00:05:16.639
 And when the people heard this, they excluded from Israel all who were of foreign descent.

00:05:17.939 --> 00:05:23.500
 Now, on the surface, that seems like they're keen to obey God's word.

00:05:26.259 --> 00:05:30.379
 But the decree regarding the Ammonites and the Moabites,

00:05:30.480 --> 00:05:34.399
 prohibiting them from joining the assembly to the 10th generation,

00:05:34.899 --> 00:05:39.480
 was peculiar to the Ammonites and the Moabites.

00:05:41.060 --> 00:05:47.040
 There is not a single bit in the Old Testament that extends that to every person.

00:05:47.939 --> 00:05:48.939
 of foreign descent.

00:05:51.680 --> 00:05:56.699
 However, what is done here is every person of foreign descent is kicked out.

00:05:58.399 --> 00:06:01.240
 It's fundamentally against God's purposes.

00:06:02.420 --> 00:06:06.600
 The term foreign descent is used in Exodus 12, verse 38,

00:06:07.139 --> 00:06:12.959
 referring to the non-Israelites who joined the Israelites and left Egypt.

00:06:12.959 --> 00:06:19.139
 And the law made provision for non-Israelites to become Israelites.

00:06:19.799 --> 00:06:21.779
 Think of Ruth, for instance.

00:06:24.719 --> 00:06:30.719
 And so what we have here at the beginning of chapter 13 is a drift towards legalism

00:06:30.719 --> 00:06:38.219
 and a lack of concern for the nations that Jerusalem was meant to bless.

00:06:38.220 --> 00:06:43.300
 Jerusalem was to be the place where God dwelt with his people in harmony.

00:06:43.420 --> 00:06:46.240
 And from there, the world was to be blessed.

00:06:47.160 --> 00:06:47.980
 All peoples.

00:06:50.140 --> 00:06:54.880
 Of course, verse 3 there is not the only problem.

00:06:54.879 --> 00:07:00.959
 I think the central issue of this chapter is in verses 4 to 9,

00:07:01.240 --> 00:07:05.819
 where we read that the very rooms where all the provisions for the temple worship

00:07:05.819 --> 00:07:10.159
 are supposed to be stored, a motel room has been set up for Tobiah.

00:07:11.540 --> 00:07:13.740
 He's from the goon squad in chapter 4.

00:07:14.560 --> 00:07:19.300
 He's an enemy of God's people, and now he has a suite in the temple.

00:07:19.300 --> 00:07:25.139
 He's been brought right into the very centre of God's people

00:07:25.139 --> 00:07:29.040
 and their community life and their life with God.

00:07:30.879 --> 00:07:35.540
 Tobiah's presence in the centre of their life is akin to them putting an idol

00:07:35.540 --> 00:07:36.759
 in the middle of the temple.

00:07:38.500 --> 00:07:43.439
 It's like Tobiah has become their new leader, their new God, their new saviour.

00:07:43.439 --> 00:07:48.879
 And so Nehemiah takes the right action in verse 8.

00:07:49.319 --> 00:07:54.019
 He threw Tobiah's fridge and clothes and mattresses and DVDs and CPAP machine and everything

00:07:54.019 --> 00:07:55.959
 out onto the footpath.

00:07:56.480 --> 00:07:58.139
 He kicked him out of the temple.

00:08:00.040 --> 00:08:02.699
 And what you see as you go through chapter 13,

00:08:03.040 --> 00:08:06.600
 the failure of this reformation is right there.

00:08:06.860 --> 00:08:10.439
 Verses 10 to 14, they neglect the tithes for the temple and the Levites.

00:08:10.439 --> 00:08:13.899
 Verses 15 to 22, they break the Sabbath regulations.

00:08:14.480 --> 00:08:19.420
 We see mixed marriages in 23 to 28 with the next generation,

00:08:20.019 --> 00:08:24.860
 the key here, the next generation are not even able to speak the language of Scripture

00:08:24.860 --> 00:08:27.439
 and therefore unable to know their God.

00:08:28.939 --> 00:08:35.879
 And this is all in the shadow of the magnificent covenant renewal and commitments of chapter 10.

00:08:35.879 --> 00:08:44.279
 It's sin, rebellion, faithfulness, faithlessness on repeat once again.

00:08:45.080 --> 00:08:45.519
 Again.

00:08:48.779 --> 00:08:53.480
 At the centre of it all is the perversion of the temple.

00:08:53.480 --> 00:08:57.539
 This was the house of God.

00:08:58.259 --> 00:09:04.100
 The one place where sinners could come and offer sacrifices and enjoy fellowship with God

00:09:04.100 --> 00:09:08.440
 and reassurance of his favour and his grace towards them.

00:09:08.440 --> 00:09:16.240
 You also get a sense as you read chapter 13 that

00:09:16.240 --> 00:09:20.580
 as great a leader as Nehemiah was,

00:09:21.600 --> 00:09:25.180
 he is frustrated with the failure of God's people once again.

00:09:26.680 --> 00:09:29.720
 He pulls out some hair, he bashes a few people around.

00:09:29.720 --> 00:09:34.580
 The text makes no comment about that at all.

00:09:36.720 --> 00:09:39.940
 The focus is on the faithlessness of God's people.

00:09:41.040 --> 00:09:47.399
 It's almost as if his response is exactly the right response to sin.

00:09:51.879 --> 00:09:54.560
 And what do we make of the last line of Nehemiah?

00:09:56.060 --> 00:09:58.460
 Remember me with favour, oh my God.

00:09:59.720 --> 00:10:06.379
 That refrain, remember me, pops up three times in the last chapter.

00:10:08.040 --> 00:10:11.500
 It only occurs once previously in Nehemiah,

00:10:11.540 --> 00:10:16.720
 and that's in chapter 5 when he mentions his example of sacrificial leadership.

00:10:18.220 --> 00:10:20.639
 But three times in this last chapter,

00:10:21.160 --> 00:10:24.720
 Nehemiah sounds like a man who is weary,

00:10:25.279 --> 00:10:29.560
 who is frustrated, who's getting old, tired and cranky.

00:10:29.720 --> 00:10:33.460
 The wall has been built,

00:10:34.040 --> 00:10:41.879
 but he cannot effect real change in the hearts of God's people.

00:10:41.879 --> 00:10:47.820
 The final summary of Nehemiah's mission is in verse 30.

00:10:48.200 --> 00:10:51.860
 So I purified the priests and the Levites of everything foreign.

00:10:52.580 --> 00:10:55.419
 I assigned them duties, each to his own task.

00:10:56.200 --> 00:10:59.639
 I also made provision for contributions of wood

00:10:59.639 --> 00:11:04.539
 at designated times and for the firstfruits.

00:11:04.539 --> 00:11:11.659
 It's like this whole reformation work ends with a whimper.

00:11:13.099 --> 00:11:15.459
 And let's just put restart again.

00:11:17.059 --> 00:11:18.659
 Have another go once more.

00:11:19.699 --> 00:11:20.559
 The walls are built,

00:11:21.360 --> 00:11:23.139
 but the people continue to crumble.

00:11:23.139 --> 00:11:27.759
 In other words, you get to the end of Nehemiah 13,

00:11:28.179 --> 00:11:30.939
 and it's not a Hollywood ending in any way whatsoever.

00:11:33.000 --> 00:11:34.199
 It's a letdown.

00:11:35.699 --> 00:11:39.519
 But then again, so is the end of Deuteronomy,

00:11:40.519 --> 00:11:44.580
 and Judges, and Chronicles, and Two Kings,

00:11:45.179 --> 00:11:48.259
 and so many other books of the Bible.

00:11:48.259 --> 00:11:50.419
 So it is.

00:11:51.100 --> 00:11:53.779
 And the issue is sin in the human heart.

00:11:53.919 --> 00:11:55.059
 Deep inside of us,

00:11:55.480 --> 00:11:59.519
 we cannot live up to our own standards,

00:11:59.639 --> 00:12:01.639
 let alone covenant commitments to God.

00:12:04.220 --> 00:12:07.679
 You see, what the narrative of Nehemiah should really get to us

00:12:07.679 --> 00:12:09.120
 as we get to this last chapter,

00:12:09.500 --> 00:12:12.720
 it should drive us to look elsewhere.

00:12:13.819 --> 00:12:18.240
 It should drive us to look for the flawless Israelite.

00:12:18.259 --> 00:12:22.480
 to a flawless leader and saviour.

00:12:24.539 --> 00:12:26.779
 Nehemiah ultimately points us to Jesus.

00:12:27.819 --> 00:12:32.620
 The birth narratives of Jesus tell us that even as a boy,

00:12:33.000 --> 00:12:37.559
 he is totally committed to the work of his father at the temple.

00:12:38.439 --> 00:12:40.299
 He's about his father's business.

00:12:40.299 --> 00:12:45.740
 The temple, even as a young boy,

00:12:45.819 --> 00:12:49.620
 was central to him in such a way that he stayed there

00:12:49.620 --> 00:12:52.159
 when his parents headed back home.

00:12:53.839 --> 00:12:55.879
 Jesus, throughout his life,

00:12:55.959 --> 00:12:59.500
 fulfilled every single covenant requirement in his perfect life.

00:13:00.000 --> 00:13:01.240
 During his own time,

00:13:01.519 --> 00:13:04.459
 people marvelled at the perfection of his life.

00:13:04.579 --> 00:13:07.019
 He had an integrity which was just unmatched.

00:13:07.019 --> 00:13:11.860
 A flawless man committed to the father.

00:13:12.419 --> 00:13:15.679
 He is the true Israelite in whom there is nothing false.

00:13:17.539 --> 00:13:19.919
 But John 1 tells us that he's not just,

00:13:20.279 --> 00:13:22.139
 not just a man,

00:13:22.240 --> 00:13:24.480
 but he is God himself coming into this world.

00:13:24.579 --> 00:13:28.179
 He is the lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.

00:13:28.299 --> 00:13:29.919
 He is full of grace and truth.

00:13:29.919 --> 00:13:32.039
 And so when God,

00:13:32.599 --> 00:13:33.279
 in the person,

00:13:33.399 --> 00:13:34.000
 God the Son,

00:13:34.120 --> 00:13:34.719
 Jesus Christ,

00:13:34.860 --> 00:13:37.259
 turns up into this world,

00:13:38.199 --> 00:13:40.339
 he does not flex his muscle

00:13:40.339 --> 00:13:42.339
 and go to the palace in Jerusalem.

00:13:43.679 --> 00:13:46.399
 He heads to the temple in Jerusalem instead.

00:13:47.860 --> 00:13:51.479
 And what we see when he arrives at the temple in Jerusalem

00:13:51.479 --> 00:13:53.959
 is another Nehemiah.

00:13:55.959 --> 00:13:57.360
 He clears it out.

00:13:57.360 --> 00:13:57.399
 He clears it out.

00:13:57.399 --> 00:14:04.139
 He sits and makes a whip.

00:14:08.019 --> 00:14:11.659
 And he clears the temple of those who are trading in the courts,

00:14:12.059 --> 00:14:14.399
 who have taken up residency in the temple.

00:14:15.699 --> 00:14:21.899
 These people are selling the free gift of relationship with God for a price.

00:14:21.899 --> 00:14:26.259
 And like Tobiah in the temple,

00:14:26.740 --> 00:14:29.379
 they are a roadblock of getting to God,

00:14:29.539 --> 00:14:30.980
 of relating to God,

00:14:31.019 --> 00:14:33.559
 and receiving assurance and compassion from God.

00:14:34.480 --> 00:14:37.039
 They're a roadblock to free gift of grace.

00:14:40.259 --> 00:14:42.899
 And it makes Jesus angry.

00:14:42.899 --> 00:14:49.539
 He declares that he will tear down this temple,

00:14:49.860 --> 00:14:51.959
 and he will rebuild it in three days.

00:14:52.059 --> 00:14:55.819
 He will fulfill the role it was meant to play.

00:14:57.899 --> 00:15:00.840
 He will be the place where we will come to meet with God

00:15:00.840 --> 00:15:02.840
 and find forgiveness and assurance and compassion.

00:15:02.840 --> 00:15:07.820
 And he does that by dying on the cross for our sin,

00:15:08.180 --> 00:15:09.200
 for our failure,

00:15:09.580 --> 00:15:13.660
 for our inability to obey God's covenant requirements.

00:15:14.060 --> 00:15:17.980
 And he will rise again for our justification and eternal life in his presence.

00:15:17.980 --> 00:15:25.779
 Romans 5 says of Jesus that those who put their trust in him,

00:15:26.659 --> 00:15:29.580
 with your blood you purchased men for God

00:15:29.580 --> 00:15:32.100
 from every tribe and language and people and nation.

00:15:32.920 --> 00:15:37.659
 You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God.

00:15:41.899 --> 00:15:45.000
 He shed his blood so that we might have forgiveness of sins

00:15:45.000 --> 00:15:51.659
 and that we might have his perfect record of covenant obedience

00:15:51.659 --> 00:15:54.539
 accredited to our account despite our failure.

00:15:55.960 --> 00:16:00.360
 That is the great triumph of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

00:16:01.740 --> 00:16:06.639
 And that means, friends, as I said right at the beginning of this Nehemiah series,

00:16:07.620 --> 00:16:10.960
 God's disposition towards you as his children,

00:16:11.120 --> 00:16:12.220
 if you are Christian,

00:16:12.220 --> 00:16:15.379
 is constant delight

00:16:15.379 --> 00:16:17.139
 because of Jesus.

00:16:18.680 --> 00:16:21.240
 The illustration I gave you back then was

00:16:21.240 --> 00:16:23.639
 when I first became a father

00:16:23.639 --> 00:16:24.540
 and I held Isabel

00:16:24.540 --> 00:16:28.000
 for the very first time.

00:16:29.620 --> 00:16:30.920
 First experience of the father.

00:16:31.740 --> 00:16:35.320
 And Dad had to go off and have surgery

00:16:35.320 --> 00:16:38.720
 and I had Isabel lone parenting

00:16:38.720 --> 00:16:41.379
 for two hours when she was first born

00:16:41.379 --> 00:16:44.720
 and the kid did not stop screaming.

00:16:45.680 --> 00:16:46.860
 For two hours.

00:16:47.400 --> 00:16:48.620
 I got nothing for you, kid.

00:16:50.000 --> 00:16:53.480
 But I remember holding her in my arms for two hours

00:16:53.480 --> 00:16:56.460
 and she screamed and she screamed and she screamed.

00:16:56.460 --> 00:17:03.139
 And the midwives, at least on two occasions that I recall,

00:17:03.300 --> 00:17:04.700
 came into the room and said,

00:17:04.799 --> 00:17:05.960
 are you okay, Dad?

00:17:06.660 --> 00:17:08.600
 Because that's not stopping.

00:17:10.100 --> 00:17:11.799
 And I said to them,

00:17:12.039 --> 00:17:13.900
 I'm loving every minute of it.

00:17:13.900 --> 00:17:18.600
 I was so delighted in being a father.

00:17:19.740 --> 00:17:20.540
 So delighted.

00:17:24.060 --> 00:17:28.940
 That was before 15 years of this experience of parenting.

00:17:30.759 --> 00:17:34.360
 And so my tendency is to look to God in the same way

00:17:34.360 --> 00:17:35.440
 that when I fail,

00:17:35.800 --> 00:17:38.140
 he looks upon me as I do with my children

00:17:38.140 --> 00:17:39.600
 and feel a sense of disappointment.

00:17:39.599 --> 00:17:44.500
 But that's not how he looks to you in Jesus.

00:17:45.319 --> 00:17:47.459
 He looks to you as I did in that moment

00:17:47.459 --> 00:17:49.740
 because my love is flawed.

00:17:49.859 --> 00:17:50.619
 His is not.

00:17:50.919 --> 00:17:53.659
 He has constant delight in his children

00:17:53.659 --> 00:17:55.099
 because of Christ.

00:17:56.279 --> 00:17:59.379
 Delight in you.

00:18:01.959 --> 00:18:03.039
 Thank you, Jesus.

00:18:05.199 --> 00:18:08.619
 And even now, he's interceding for you.

00:18:08.619 --> 00:18:11.859
 Jesus, the man in heaven, interceding,

00:18:11.919 --> 00:18:12.939
 he is your advocate.

00:18:13.099 --> 00:18:16.379
 His pleasure in you is not based on your obedience

00:18:16.379 --> 00:18:18.139
 or your faithfulness,

00:18:18.199 --> 00:18:20.219
 but on the finished work of Christ.

00:18:20.599 --> 00:18:23.379
 And in Christ, you have every spiritual blessing,

00:18:23.639 --> 00:18:26.500
 loved by God, forgiven, empowered for new life.

00:18:28.319 --> 00:18:30.659
 And yet that may not be your current experience.

00:18:32.939 --> 00:18:35.359
 You may feel a sense of your sin

00:18:35.359 --> 00:18:36.859
 and you should.

00:18:36.859 --> 00:18:40.099
 You may feel overwhelmed

00:18:40.099 --> 00:18:42.319
 and conscious of your failure.

00:18:42.599 --> 00:18:45.919
 That is normal discipleship.

00:18:48.039 --> 00:18:49.779
 And that's because we're still waiting

00:18:49.779 --> 00:18:51.919
 for the final triumph of the gospel.

00:18:53.879 --> 00:18:56.740
 You see, Jesus has saved us for the new Jerusalem

00:18:56.740 --> 00:18:59.599
 where there will be no temple,

00:19:00.599 --> 00:19:03.519
 but where we will be with him in his presence

00:19:03.519 --> 00:19:05.599
 with great joy.

00:19:06.299 --> 00:19:07.480
 You see, the goal of the Christian,

00:19:07.579 --> 00:19:09.079
 the final triumph of the gospel

00:19:09.079 --> 00:19:11.799
 and the end of all things is Revelation 21.

00:19:12.319 --> 00:19:14.379
 I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem,

00:19:14.960 --> 00:19:17.299
 coming down out of heaven for God,

00:19:17.440 --> 00:19:18.379
 prepared as a bride,

00:19:18.480 --> 00:19:19.660
 beautifully dressed for her husband.

00:19:19.859 --> 00:19:22.059
 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying,

00:19:22.200 --> 00:19:25.500
 look, God's dwelling place is now among the people

00:19:25.500 --> 00:19:26.799
 and he will dwell with them

00:19:26.799 --> 00:19:28.639
 and they will be his people

00:19:28.640 --> 00:19:30.080
 and God himself will be with them

00:19:30.080 --> 00:19:30.880
 and be their God.

00:19:30.880 --> 00:19:33.100
 He will wipe away every tear from their eye.

00:19:33.380 --> 00:19:35.020
 There will be no more death or mourning

00:19:35.020 --> 00:19:35.920
 or crying or pain

00:19:35.920 --> 00:19:38.320
 for the old order of things has passed away.

00:19:38.800 --> 00:19:41.640
 Those who are victorious

00:19:41.640 --> 00:19:44.380
 will inherit all of this

00:19:44.380 --> 00:19:46.700
 and I will be their God

00:19:46.700 --> 00:19:47.740
 and they will be my children.

00:19:49.500 --> 00:19:51.680
 Jesus guarantees that final chapter

00:19:51.680 --> 00:19:54.620
 for those who trust in him and overcome.

00:19:54.619 --> 00:20:00.399
 But we must remember that Jesus is perfect.

00:20:01.279 --> 00:20:03.379
 He is the flawless savior.

00:20:03.879 --> 00:20:05.599
 He is not like you and me.

00:20:06.939 --> 00:20:08.699
 You see, our sense of justice,

00:20:08.919 --> 00:20:10.379
 our sense of right and wrong

00:20:10.379 --> 00:20:12.579
 have been ruined by sin.

00:20:14.519 --> 00:20:17.039
 And frankly, we read Nehemiah 13

00:20:17.039 --> 00:20:18.839
 and we see Nehemiah acting,

00:20:19.619 --> 00:20:20.839
 pulling beards and beating up

00:20:20.839 --> 00:20:22.559
 and we go, well, that's just wrong.

00:20:24.619 --> 00:20:35.019
 We not only sinfully overreact to injustice,

00:20:35.579 --> 00:20:40.159
 we also sinfully underreact to injustice as well.

00:20:42.959 --> 00:20:45.799
 Even our strongest emotions of compassion

00:20:45.799 --> 00:20:49.099
 are but a tepid compassion compared to Jesus.

00:20:49.099 --> 00:20:54.119
 And because of that,

00:20:54.299 --> 00:20:56.719
 we struggle to grasp the depths of his grace

00:20:56.719 --> 00:20:59.139
 but also his judgment.

00:21:02.599 --> 00:21:04.899
 Jesus' compassion and delight in his followers

00:21:04.899 --> 00:21:07.599
 is unfiltered, perfect compassion.

00:21:10.259 --> 00:21:13.000
 Everyone who has not been looking to him for hope

00:21:13.000 --> 00:21:15.579
 will in the end experience

00:21:15.579 --> 00:21:18.939
 his perfect unfiltered anger.

00:21:21.039 --> 00:21:24.000
 You see, when you read on in Revelation 21,

00:21:24.240 --> 00:21:25.980
 straight after the promise of inheritance

00:21:25.980 --> 00:21:27.139
 in Jesus forever,

00:21:27.599 --> 00:21:28.179
 we read,

00:21:28.319 --> 00:21:30.019
 but the cowardly, the unbelieving,

00:21:30.139 --> 00:21:31.240
 the vile, the murderers,

00:21:31.299 --> 00:21:32.039
 the sexually immoral,

00:21:32.159 --> 00:21:33.740
 those who practice magical arts,

00:21:34.079 --> 00:21:35.659
 the idolaters and all liars,

00:21:36.299 --> 00:21:38.119
 they will be consigned to the fiery lake

00:21:38.119 --> 00:21:38.879
 of burning sulfur.

00:21:39.039 --> 00:21:40.119
 This is the second death.

00:21:40.119 --> 00:21:44.819
 As the only flawless one,

00:21:44.939 --> 00:21:46.559
 his anger and his compassion

00:21:46.559 --> 00:21:48.939
 rise and fall together.

00:21:50.019 --> 00:21:52.179
 They rise and fall together

00:21:52.179 --> 00:21:53.619
 because of his perfection.

00:21:56.599 --> 00:21:58.379
 Like they did with Nehemiah.

00:22:02.619 --> 00:22:03.779
 Righteously committed

00:22:03.779 --> 00:22:07.259
 to covenant commitments

00:22:07.259 --> 00:22:09.799
 and angry when he didn't see them.

00:22:10.119 --> 00:22:17.779
 Access to God

00:22:17.779 --> 00:22:18.899
 and relationship with God

00:22:18.899 --> 00:22:19.819
 had been perverted.

00:22:21.019 --> 00:22:21.859
 He was angry

00:22:21.859 --> 00:22:24.059
 and it's more so with Jesus.

00:22:26.899 --> 00:22:29.119
 Whether it be eternal life in his kingdom

00:22:29.119 --> 00:22:31.279
 or eternal death cast away from it,

00:22:31.379 --> 00:22:32.379
 Jesus is not weary

00:22:32.379 --> 00:22:33.839
 or frustrated with either.

00:22:35.579 --> 00:22:37.139
 And if you're not a Christian,

00:22:37.140 --> 00:22:39.640
 you've got to know

00:22:39.640 --> 00:22:40.660
 this is coming from

00:22:40.660 --> 00:22:41.880
 a heart of sensitivity.

00:22:43.300 --> 00:22:44.840
 Know that Jesus offers you

00:22:44.840 --> 00:22:45.900
 life, hope,

00:22:46.060 --> 00:22:46.500
 perfection,

00:22:46.860 --> 00:22:47.700
 joy forever.

00:22:48.759 --> 00:22:49.960
 That's what he offers you.

00:22:50.700 --> 00:22:52.400
 Not based on any of your performance,

00:22:52.500 --> 00:22:53.420
 but based on his.

00:22:54.620 --> 00:22:55.540
 You will not find

00:22:55.540 --> 00:22:56.360
 a greater offer

00:22:56.360 --> 00:22:57.020
 than the gospel

00:22:57.020 --> 00:22:58.380
 of the Lord Jesus Christ

00:22:58.380 --> 00:22:59.380
 and the door

00:22:59.380 --> 00:23:00.860
 is still open to you.

00:23:00.859 --> 00:23:04.439
 But know that it will close.

00:23:07.839 --> 00:23:09.099
 And when it closes

00:23:09.099 --> 00:23:10.519
 without receiving it,

00:23:11.519 --> 00:23:13.119
 you will receive

00:23:13.119 --> 00:23:14.979
 the perfect anger

00:23:14.979 --> 00:23:15.839
 of Christ

00:23:15.839 --> 00:23:17.779
 forever.

00:23:17.779 --> 00:23:23.539
 So that leads me

00:23:23.539 --> 00:23:23.720
 to

00:23:23.720 --> 00:23:26.299
 straight into

00:23:26.299 --> 00:23:27.220
 one more glimpse

00:23:27.220 --> 00:23:27.720
 of Jesus

00:23:27.720 --> 00:23:28.359
 that we get

00:23:28.359 --> 00:23:29.399
 in Nehemiah 13

00:23:29.399 --> 00:23:30.619
 and I've never seen

00:23:30.619 --> 00:23:31.460
 this before.

00:23:33.139 --> 00:23:34.660
 In verses 6 and 7

00:23:34.660 --> 00:23:35.240
 we are told

00:23:35.240 --> 00:23:35.920
 Nehemiah

00:23:35.920 --> 00:23:37.000
 left Jerusalem

00:23:37.000 --> 00:23:37.859
 to return

00:23:37.859 --> 00:23:38.740
 to the throne room

00:23:38.740 --> 00:23:39.599
 of Artaxerxes,

00:23:40.000 --> 00:23:40.940
 the throne room

00:23:40.940 --> 00:23:42.579
 of the world

00:23:42.579 --> 00:23:43.240
 at that time.

00:23:44.240 --> 00:23:45.599
 And then he came back

00:23:45.599 --> 00:23:46.740
 to Jerusalem

00:23:46.740 --> 00:23:48.420
 and it was

00:23:48.420 --> 00:23:48.940
 in that

00:23:48.940 --> 00:23:50.220
 intermediate period

00:23:50.220 --> 00:23:51.579
 that

00:23:51.579 --> 00:23:53.380
 the people of God

00:23:53.380 --> 00:23:53.880
 descended

00:23:53.880 --> 00:23:54.799
 into thin

00:23:54.799 --> 00:23:55.940
 covenant unfaithfulness.

00:23:56.299 --> 00:23:57.019
 It was while

00:23:57.019 --> 00:23:57.819
 he was away.

00:23:59.640 --> 00:24:00.599
 If you jump

00:24:00.599 --> 00:24:01.440
 into the gospels

00:24:01.440 --> 00:24:02.140
 you will notice

00:24:02.140 --> 00:24:02.700
 that Jesus

00:24:02.700 --> 00:24:04.259
 tells many parables

00:24:04.259 --> 00:24:05.920
 that call

00:24:05.920 --> 00:24:07.099
 his disciples

00:24:07.099 --> 00:24:08.039
 to be alert

00:24:08.039 --> 00:24:08.700
 and covenant

00:24:08.700 --> 00:24:09.559
 faithfulness

00:24:09.559 --> 00:24:11.480
 between his departure

00:24:11.480 --> 00:24:12.680
 and when he returns.

00:24:14.720 --> 00:24:15.839
 Matthew 25

00:24:15.839 --> 00:24:16.500
 we just read out

00:24:16.500 --> 00:24:17.039
 one of them.

00:24:17.680 --> 00:24:18.259
 Jesus is the

00:24:18.259 --> 00:24:19.420
 returning bridegroom

00:24:19.420 --> 00:24:21.200
 who will arrive

00:24:21.200 --> 00:24:21.759
 joyfully

00:24:21.759 --> 00:24:22.180
 at the end

00:24:22.180 --> 00:24:22.839
 of the age

00:24:22.839 --> 00:24:23.700
 extend a warm

00:24:23.700 --> 00:24:24.480
 work unto all

00:24:24.480 --> 00:24:24.920
 the guests

00:24:24.920 --> 00:24:25.619
 who have patiently

00:24:25.619 --> 00:24:26.559
 remained waiting

00:24:26.559 --> 00:24:27.079
 for him

00:24:27.079 --> 00:24:28.660
 and are prepared

00:24:28.660 --> 00:24:29.480
 for his arrival.

00:24:31.500 --> 00:24:32.400
 And we are told

00:24:32.400 --> 00:24:32.960
 there that the

00:24:32.960 --> 00:24:34.059
 kingdom is a door

00:24:34.059 --> 00:24:35.680
 that can

00:24:35.680 --> 00:24:36.880
 and does close

00:24:36.880 --> 00:24:38.640
 and at the end

00:24:38.640 --> 00:24:39.579
 Jesus will gather

00:24:39.579 --> 00:24:40.640
 those to himself

00:24:40.640 --> 00:24:42.279
 those who have been

00:24:42.279 --> 00:24:43.299
 waiting for him

00:24:43.299 --> 00:24:44.379
 and he will

00:24:44.379 --> 00:24:45.200
 close the door

00:24:45.200 --> 00:24:46.379
 behind him.

00:24:50.319 --> 00:24:51.079
 If you're a

00:24:51.079 --> 00:24:52.180
 disciple of Jesus

00:24:52.180 --> 00:24:57.339
 the end of Nehemiah

00:24:57.339 --> 00:24:58.180
 drives me to ask

00:24:58.180 --> 00:24:58.859
 this question

00:24:58.859 --> 00:25:01.379
 if he was to return

00:25:01.379 --> 00:25:02.099
 right now

00:25:02.099 --> 00:25:03.180
 how would he find

00:25:03.180 --> 00:25:04.159
 your lamp burning?

00:25:04.160 --> 00:25:11.779
 how are you

00:25:11.779 --> 00:25:12.560
 waiting for him

00:25:12.560 --> 00:25:13.160
 right now?

00:25:16.420 --> 00:25:17.300
 I want to ask

00:25:17.300 --> 00:25:17.960
 whether Jesus

00:25:17.960 --> 00:25:18.620
 is the centre

00:25:18.620 --> 00:25:19.340
 of your life

00:25:19.340 --> 00:25:19.700
 or whether

00:25:19.700 --> 00:25:20.500
 Tobiah is.

00:25:20.500 --> 00:25:24.960
 don't take

00:25:24.960 --> 00:25:25.400
 the grace

00:25:25.400 --> 00:25:25.740
 of God

00:25:25.740 --> 00:25:26.259
 for granted.

00:25:27.339 --> 00:25:28.740
 It is so easy

00:25:28.740 --> 00:25:29.420
 in our

00:25:29.420 --> 00:25:30.579
 day and age

00:25:30.579 --> 00:25:31.400
 to drift

00:25:31.400 --> 00:25:32.279
 towards compromise

00:25:32.279 --> 00:25:33.039
 and call it

00:25:33.039 --> 00:25:33.599
 tolerance

00:25:33.599 --> 00:25:35.420
 drift towards

00:25:35.420 --> 00:25:36.359
 disobedience

00:25:36.359 --> 00:25:36.900
 and call it

00:25:36.900 --> 00:25:37.339
 freedom

00:25:37.339 --> 00:25:38.940
 drift towards

00:25:38.940 --> 00:25:39.680
 superstition

00:25:39.680 --> 00:25:40.180
 and call it

00:25:40.180 --> 00:25:40.680
 faith

00:25:40.680 --> 00:25:42.700
 we cherish

00:25:42.700 --> 00:25:43.940
 the ill

00:25:43.940 --> 00:25:44.500
 discipline

00:25:44.500 --> 00:25:46.099
 of lost

00:25:46.099 --> 00:25:47.119
 self-control

00:25:47.119 --> 00:25:48.380
 and we call

00:25:48.380 --> 00:25:49.019
 it relaxation

00:25:49.019 --> 00:25:51.720
 we slouch

00:25:51.720 --> 00:25:52.259
 towards

00:25:52.259 --> 00:25:53.059
 prayerlessness

00:25:53.059 --> 00:25:54.680
 and deluding

00:25:54.680 --> 00:25:55.359
 ourselves into

00:25:55.359 --> 00:25:55.900
 thinking that

00:25:55.900 --> 00:25:56.339
 we've managed

00:25:56.339 --> 00:25:56.980
 to escape

00:25:56.980 --> 00:25:57.720
 legalism

00:25:57.720 --> 00:25:58.160
 and living

00:25:58.160 --> 00:25:58.839
 by grace

00:25:58.839 --> 00:26:02.559
 we slide

00:26:02.559 --> 00:26:02.940
 towards

00:26:02.940 --> 00:26:03.519
 godlessness

00:26:03.519 --> 00:26:04.259
 and we convince

00:26:04.259 --> 00:26:05.000
 ourselves that

00:26:05.000 --> 00:26:05.339
 we've been

00:26:05.339 --> 00:26:05.859
 liberated

00:26:05.859 --> 00:26:07.559
 and free

00:26:07.559 --> 00:26:11.299
 friends we do

00:26:11.299 --> 00:26:12.319
 not automatically

00:26:12.319 --> 00:26:13.299
 drift towards

00:26:13.299 --> 00:26:13.859
 discipline

00:26:13.859 --> 00:26:15.680
 we do not

00:26:15.680 --> 00:26:16.639
 automatically drift

00:26:16.639 --> 00:26:17.440
 towards following

00:26:17.440 --> 00:26:18.059
 Jesus and

00:26:18.059 --> 00:26:18.799
 discipleship

00:26:18.799 --> 00:26:21.639
 but god

00:26:21.639 --> 00:26:22.599
 has graciously

00:26:22.599 --> 00:26:23.559
 given us

00:26:23.559 --> 00:26:24.440
 the means

00:26:24.440 --> 00:26:25.639
 for his

00:26:25.639 --> 00:26:26.500
 grace coming

00:26:26.500 --> 00:26:27.440
 to us

00:26:27.440 --> 00:26:28.460
 regularly

00:26:28.460 --> 00:26:30.440
 he's given

00:26:30.440 --> 00:26:31.180
 us means

00:26:31.180 --> 00:26:32.440
 they are

00:26:32.440 --> 00:26:32.819
 gifts

00:26:32.819 --> 00:26:34.019
 to keep

00:26:34.019 --> 00:26:35.159
 us striving

00:26:35.159 --> 00:26:35.980
 towards

00:26:35.980 --> 00:26:36.919
 the final

00:26:36.919 --> 00:26:37.680
 triumph of the

00:26:37.680 --> 00:26:38.059
 gospel

00:26:38.059 --> 00:26:38.619
 our heavenly

00:26:38.619 --> 00:26:39.079
 home

00:26:39.079 --> 00:26:40.599
 and here at

00:26:40.599 --> 00:26:41.379
 St. Paul's

00:26:41.379 --> 00:26:42.579
 it is because

00:26:42.579 --> 00:26:43.819
 we treasure

00:26:43.819 --> 00:26:44.759
 Jesus

00:26:44.759 --> 00:26:47.000
 and his

00:26:47.000 --> 00:26:47.859
 grace towards

00:26:47.859 --> 00:26:48.639
 us that we

00:26:48.639 --> 00:26:49.579
 choose to

00:26:49.579 --> 00:26:50.759
 engage in

00:26:50.759 --> 00:26:51.719
 worship every

00:26:51.719 --> 00:26:52.159
 week

00:26:52.159 --> 00:26:54.419
 we choose to

00:26:54.419 --> 00:26:55.059
 worship him

00:26:55.059 --> 00:26:55.979
 privately in

00:26:55.979 --> 00:26:57.039
 devotional life

00:26:57.039 --> 00:26:59.439
 at least four

00:26:59.439 --> 00:27:00.099
 times a week

00:27:00.099 --> 00:27:01.079
 we choose to

00:27:01.079 --> 00:27:01.899
 walk more

00:27:01.899 --> 00:27:02.939
 closely together

00:27:02.939 --> 00:27:04.299
 with each

00:27:04.299 --> 00:27:04.699
 other

00:27:04.699 --> 00:27:05.740
 teaching

00:27:05.740 --> 00:27:06.279
 serving

00:27:06.279 --> 00:27:07.119
 equipping and

00:27:07.119 --> 00:27:07.699
 caring in

00:27:07.699 --> 00:27:08.399
 community groups

00:27:08.400 --> 00:27:09.019
 and we

00:27:09.019 --> 00:27:09.720
 choose to

00:27:09.720 --> 00:27:10.380
 serve the

00:27:10.380 --> 00:27:10.840
 world

00:27:10.840 --> 00:27:13.200
 in ministry

00:27:13.200 --> 00:27:17.300
 when I

00:27:17.300 --> 00:27:18.280
 ask you

00:27:18.280 --> 00:27:19.900
 the question

00:27:19.900 --> 00:27:20.780
 what is your

00:27:20.780 --> 00:27:21.600
 next step

00:27:21.600 --> 00:27:22.560
 that's not a

00:27:22.560 --> 00:27:23.080
 legalistic

00:27:23.080 --> 00:27:23.720
 question

00:27:23.720 --> 00:27:26.420
 that is God's

00:27:26.420 --> 00:27:27.220
 means of

00:27:27.220 --> 00:27:28.220
 grace to

00:27:28.220 --> 00:27:29.620
 you that you

00:27:29.620 --> 00:27:30.580
 might get to

00:27:30.580 --> 00:27:31.060
 the heavenly

00:27:31.060 --> 00:27:31.460
 home

00:27:31.460 --> 00:27:34.059
 the final

00:27:34.059 --> 00:27:34.660
 triumph of

00:27:34.660 --> 00:27:35.200
 the gospel

00:27:35.200 --> 00:27:38.000
 Jesus is

00:27:38.000 --> 00:27:38.500
 yet to

00:27:38.500 --> 00:27:38.980
 return

00:27:38.980 --> 00:27:39.500
 do not

00:27:39.500 --> 00:27:40.059
 let your

00:27:40.059 --> 00:27:40.700
 lamp go

00:27:40.700 --> 00:27:41.079
 dim

00:27:41.079 --> 00:27:43.059
 and the

00:27:43.059 --> 00:27:43.460
 book of

00:27:43.460 --> 00:27:43.980
 Nehemiah

00:27:43.980 --> 00:27:44.840
 should drum

00:27:44.840 --> 00:27:45.660
 into us

00:27:45.660 --> 00:27:46.680
 a holy

00:27:46.680 --> 00:27:47.559
 distrust of

00:27:47.559 --> 00:27:48.100
 ourselves

00:27:48.100 --> 00:27:49.120
 and give

00:27:49.120 --> 00:27:49.860
 us a

00:27:49.860 --> 00:27:50.420
 clear

00:27:50.420 --> 00:27:51.500
 grasp

00:27:51.500 --> 00:27:52.680
 of just

00:27:52.680 --> 00:27:53.720
 how tenuous

00:27:53.720 --> 00:27:54.640
 our devotion

00:27:54.640 --> 00:27:55.100
 to him

00:27:55.100 --> 00:27:55.559
 is

00:27:55.559 --> 00:28:00.059
 press on

00:28:00.059 --> 00:28:00.640
 brothers and

00:28:00.640 --> 00:28:01.059
 sisters

00:28:01.059 --> 00:28:03.940
 do not be

00:28:03.940 --> 00:28:04.700
 overcome by

00:28:04.700 --> 00:28:05.200
 the battle

00:28:05.200 --> 00:28:06.919
 have great

00:28:06.919 --> 00:28:07.679
 confidence in

00:28:07.679 --> 00:28:08.179
 Christ and

00:28:08.179 --> 00:28:08.740
 his gospel

00:28:08.740 --> 00:28:09.460
 we live

00:28:09.460 --> 00:28:10.319
 we serve

00:28:10.319 --> 00:28:11.000
 we sacrifice

00:28:11.000 --> 00:28:12.119
 in the light

00:28:12.119 --> 00:28:12.779
 of the cross

00:28:12.779 --> 00:28:13.379
 and an empty

00:28:13.379 --> 00:28:13.799
 tomb

00:28:13.799 --> 00:28:15.059
 but we also

00:28:15.059 --> 00:28:15.740
 live and

00:28:15.740 --> 00:28:16.139
 serve and

00:28:16.139 --> 00:28:17.019
 sacrifice in

00:28:17.019 --> 00:28:17.619
 the painful

00:28:17.619 --> 00:28:18.579
 knowledge of

00:28:18.579 --> 00:28:19.319
 our failures

00:28:19.319 --> 00:28:19.940
 of our

00:28:19.940 --> 00:28:20.740
 disappointments

00:28:20.740 --> 00:28:21.039
 and our

00:28:21.039 --> 00:28:22.039
 inconsistency

00:28:22.039 --> 00:28:22.980
 and may

00:28:22.980 --> 00:28:24.259
 this tension

00:28:24.259 --> 00:28:25.179
 which has

00:28:25.179 --> 00:28:25.879
 existed

00:28:25.879 --> 00:28:27.200
 for more

00:28:27.200 --> 00:28:28.000
 than 2,000

00:28:28.000 --> 00:28:28.379
 years

00:28:28.379 --> 00:28:28.960
 may that

00:28:28.960 --> 00:28:29.659
 tension

00:28:29.659 --> 00:28:31.039
 cause you

00:28:31.039 --> 00:28:31.460
 as a

00:28:31.460 --> 00:28:31.879
 disciple

00:28:31.879 --> 00:28:32.119
 of

00:28:32.119 --> 00:28:32.399
 Jesus

00:28:32.399 --> 00:28:33.079
 to cry

00:28:33.079 --> 00:28:33.480
 out

00:28:33.480 --> 00:28:34.299
 with the

00:28:34.299 --> 00:28:34.659
 church

00:28:34.659 --> 00:28:35.059
 as it

00:28:35.059 --> 00:28:35.539
 has

00:28:35.539 --> 00:28:36.099
 for

00:28:36.099 --> 00:28:37.019
 generations

00:28:37.019 --> 00:28:38.359
 please

00:28:38.359 --> 00:28:38.839
 come

00:28:38.839 --> 00:28:39.119
 Lord

00:28:39.119 --> 00:28:39.460
 Jesus

00:28:39.460 --> 00:28:39.839
 come

00:28:39.839 --> 00:28:41.220
 bring

00:28:41.220 --> 00:28:41.420
 the

00:28:41.420 --> 00:28:41.920
 final

00:28:41.920 --> 00:28:42.480
 triumph

00:28:42.480 --> 00:28:42.759
 of the

00:28:42.759 --> 00:28:43.139
 gospel

00:28:43.520 --> 00:28:44.720
 shall

00:28:44.720 --> 00:28:45.800
 do

00:28:46.400 --> 00:28:50.100
 you

00:28:50.100 --> 00:28:50.540
 swear

00:28:50.540 --> 00:28:54.720
 Nur

00:28:54.720 --> 00:28:55.500
 don

00:28:55.500 --> 00:28:55.560
 have

00:28:55.560 --> 00:28:59.520
 not