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What is the Lord's Work? · Stornoway Free Church of Scotland - Sermons

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Let's begin our worship at this time, singing to God's praise. We're singing in Psalm 34 in the Sing Psalms version.
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It's on page 40 of the psalm books, Psalm 34, verse 1 to 9. The tune is Jackson.
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At all times I will bless the Lord, I'll praise him with my voice, because I glory in the Lord, let troubled souls rejoice.
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Together, let us praise the Lord, exalt his name with me. I sought the Lord, his answer came from fears, he set me free.
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We'll sing from verse 1 to 9 to God's praise.
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At all times I will bless the Lord, I'll praise him with my voice.
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Because I glory in the Lord, let troubled souls rejoice.
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Together, let us praise the Lord, exalt his name with me.
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I sought the Lord, his answer came from fears, he set me free.
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They look to him and shine with joy.
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They are not put to shame.
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This suffering man, cry to the Lord, from him deliverance stream.
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The angel of the Lord, his answer comes from fear.
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The angel of the Lord surrounds, and guards for to glory.
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Of those who fear and honor him, he sets his people free.
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Come, take and see the Lord, his good, who trust in heaven's land.
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O fear and honor him, he sets his people free.
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You will not be oppressed.
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You will not be oppressed.
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As united hearts together in prayer, let us pray.
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Our Father in heaven, we come before you as our Lord and as our God.
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We come looking to you, seeking your blessing on us as a people, upon our time together, upon our worship as we offer it up to you in every way.
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That we would come, Lord, humbly before you, exalting your name, and that we would come offering up all our praise to you.
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And that we would do so together, even as the psalm has described for us.
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And at all times, Lord, we may bless you.
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We thank you for that, that we do not need to be gathered as we are here.
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But we thank you for the special times we have to be gathered together.
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We thank you for, as we've been hearing over these last number of weeks, the gathered church and every aspect of it.
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And that we are indeed a people on a journey through this world.
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But we thank you that we can set at all times the Lord before us.
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That we look to our Lord Jesus Christ, the one who guides us, the one who helps us, the one who shows us every path to take, shows us every choice to make.
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But we acknowledge, Lord, that there are times when we are not wise in our decisions.
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There are times when we make the wrong choices in life.
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But we thank you for the wonder of your grace and your love and your mercy to us.
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That you are a God of great grace and forgiveness.
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With you there is so much forgiveness.
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And we thank you for that, Lord, that you are able to pardon us for all our sin, for the times we do go astray.
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But that you are the one who calls us back, who calls us to yourself, even as we feel the burdens of sin and guilt.
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Even as we feel the burdens of this world and the life that we live at times, Lord.
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We know that there are so many burdens that we carry and maybe try to carry by ourselves.
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But we thank you for the gospel and for the great invitation that we find in it.
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That you are the one who calls your people to yourself.
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We thank you for those precious words of our Lord Jesus as he called to his people to come.
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Come to me all who labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest.
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And we pray, Lord, to know that rest.
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We pray to know our burdens lifted.
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And especially the burden of our guilt and sin.
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And we thank you that you are the only one who is able to take it from us.
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And we pray, Lord, that as we come to you and as we find our rest in you, that you will give us that freedom and liberty to serve you as we should.
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That as a people, as a church, we would seek to honor you in all that we do.
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To seek to glorify your name and to proclaim it far and wide.
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Through the preaching of your word and the ministry of your people in many different ways.
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We thank you that you use your people, your church, to build your kingdom.
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And we thank you that your kingdom is being built.
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That your kingdom comes in power day by day.
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That you are at all times calling people to yourself.
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And that even today, Lord, we pray and even this evening we pray that there will be rejoicing in heaven over one sinner saved.
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It sounds such an insignificant number.
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Just one sinner in the midst of the billions in this world.
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But yet we thank you that everyone is precious to you.
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Every name is known to you.
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And that there is no one who is hidden from you.
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We thank you that everyone is personal to you.
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And that you are the one who calls us each by name.
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So, Lord, may we have ears to hear what you are saying to us.
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And may you humble us before you in terms of how we live and how we move and have our being in this world.
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For we thank you, Lord, that every good and perfect gift comes from you.
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We have so much to be thankful for.
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Even as we look around ourselves this evening, we thank you for one another.
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We thank you for all who are here in every home and family represented.
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We thank you for all who tune in online as well, who join us through that means in our own community and far and wide as well.
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We thank you for the way that your gospel goes into homes and families and even different parts of this world.
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We marvel at these things, Lord, just seeing how you are able to use these things for good and for your glory.
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And so we pray that as your word goes out today and as you hear our prayers together and as you, Lord, receive our praise and thanks,
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that you will do us good, Lord, that you will build us up, that you will encourage us in our faith,
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that you will draw near to us, each one of us, as we seek to draw near to you.
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May you bless your word to us this evening as we read it and open it up together again as we come to see the wonder of the work that goes on in your name.
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We thank you, Lord, that you are a God who gives focus and direction in every way.
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And may you help us to understand.
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May you help us to hear.
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May you help us to apply your word to our lives.
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All that we have heard this day, that we will be able to go into the week ahead with your word even echoing in our ears and ministering to us and helping us in the different challenges that we will face day after day.
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That we will remember the security that we have in Christ and we remember who we serve in this world and that we will do all for his glory.
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We pray your blessing on our evening together, Lord, and the fellowship afterwards.
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We thank you for Gordon coming to be with us this evening.
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We thank you for his role in our presbytery that's developed over these last few years,
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from focusing on the youth and the discipleship work among them to being more involved now in discipleship and development for each and every congregation throughout our presbytery.
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And we thank you for the opportunity he's had and for his opportunity here this evening to share with us and that we would get to know him better and the work that he's involved in and how he can support and encourage us as a congregation here.
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We ask your blessing on him, his family, and indeed his own congregation in Harris as well.
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We thank you for the encouragements that they have had even recently over the communion season.
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And pray your blessing on David and Matthew and elders, deacons, and the members and adherents there together, Lord, that they will know your good hand upon them.
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As we pray that for all our congregations throughout our presbytery here and throughout our denomination.
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We thank you for the proclamation of your word and how it goes out into so many different corners of our nation.
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And we pray that in cities, towns, villages where your people gather this day, that your name be praised and your people built up and your kingdom extended to all ends of the earth.
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We thank you for the ministry here throughout our congregation through the week as we see even a busy week ahead in the week ahead just now, Lord.
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We pray for all the meetings to take place, the worship services, the times of prayer with Muriel and meetings to be had for the young folks and the work that goes on among them.
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We pray, Lord, that your blessing will be on all that we do, that we would see your hand upon us for good, that you would remind us, Lord, why we do it and for whom we are doing it.
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That we are to do it in good cheer and in a good spirit and a prayerful spirit.
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We pray, Lord, that above all your name would be praised in all things.
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Remember our homes and our families, Lord, as we commit again all our people to you, especially again we remember those who have lost loved ones even in this past week.
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And we thank you that you are a God of all comfort, a God of all grace.
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And we pray that those who grieve this night would know such a large measure of that comfort as they have already experienced it, that they would continue to know it day by day.
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Remember those who are unwell in our midst as well and throughout our communities.
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Lord, we pray your help and your grace and your mercy towards all the different needs around us.
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We commit them to you as well.
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We ask now, Lord, that you will bless us in our time and in our worship.
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And all that we do, Lord, we would do it to the Lord and for his glory.
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Hear us in our prayers and pardon us for all our sin as we ask all of these things in his precious name.
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Amen.
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We'll again sing to God's praise, this time in Psalm 37.
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The Scottish Psalter version on page 252.
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Psalm 37, page 252.
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We'll sing from verse 1 to verse 6.
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The tune is Amazing Grace.
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Psalm 37 at verse 1.
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For evildoers, fret thou not thyself unquietly.
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Nor do thou envy, bear to those that work iniquity.
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For even like unto the grass soon be cut down shall they.
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And like the green and tender herb they wither shall away.
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Then we have this great reminder in verse 3.
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Set thou thy trust upon the Lord and be thou doing good.
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And so thou in the land shalt dwell and verily have food.
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We'll sing from verse 1 to verse 6 to God's praise.
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Amen.
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Amen.
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Amen.
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Amen.
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Amen.
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Amen.
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Amen.
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Amen.
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Amen.
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Amen.
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Amen.
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Amen.
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Amen.
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Amen.
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Amen.
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Amen.
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Amen.
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Amen.
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Amen.
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And so thou in the land shall dwell, and there thee have food.
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Delight thyself in what you give, thy heart desire to thee.
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Thy reign to God, O men to God, every reign to pass shall he.
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And like unto the light ye shall thy righteousness slay.
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And ye thy judgment shall live forth, like who died of the day.
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Amen.
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Nehemiah chapter 5, reading from the beginning of the chapter.
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Now there arose a great outcry of the people and of their wives against their Jewish brothers.
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For there were those who said, with our sons and our daughters, we are many.
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So let us get grain that we may eat and keep alive.
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There were those who said, we are mortgaging our fields, our vineyards, and our houses to get grain
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because of the famine.
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And there were those who said, we have borrowed money for the king's tax on our fields and our vineyards.
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Now our flesh is as the flesh of our brothers, our children as their children.
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Yet we are forcing our sons and our daughters to be slaves.
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And some of our daughters have already been enslaved.
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But it is not in our power to help it.
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For other men have our fields and our vineyards.
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I was very angry when I heard their outcry and these words.
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I took counsel with myself and I brought charges against the nobles and the officials.
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I said to them, you are exacting interest, each from his brother.
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And I held a great assembly against them and said to them, we, as far as we are able, have bought back our Jewish brothers who have been sold to the nations.
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But you even sell your brothers that they may be sold to us.
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They were silent and could not find a word to say.
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So I said, the thing that you are doing is not good.
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Ought you not to walk in the fear of our God to prevent the taunts of the nations, our enemies?
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Moreover, I and my brothers and my servants are lending them money and grain.
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Let us abandon this exacting of interest.
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Return to them this very day their fields, their vineyards, their olive orchards, and their houses and the percentage of money, grain, wine, and oil that you have been exacting from them.
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Then they said, we will restore these and require nothing from them.
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We will do as you say.
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And I called the priests and made them swear to do as they had promised.
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I also shook out the fold of my garment and said, so may God shake out every man from his house and from his labor who does not keep this promise.
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So may he be shaken out and emptied.
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And all the assembly said, Amen.
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And praised the Lord.
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And the people did as they had promised.
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Moreover, from that time that I was appointed to be their governor in the land of Judah,
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from the 20th year to the 32nd year of Artaxerxes the king, 12 years,
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neither I nor my brothers ate the food allowance of the governor.
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The former governors who were before me laid heavy burdens on the people and took from them for their daily ration 40 shekels of silver.
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Even their servants lorded it over the people.
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But I did not do so because of the fear of God.
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I also persevered in the work on this wall and we acquired no land and all my servants were gathered there for the work.
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Moreover, there were at my table 150 men, Jews and officials, besides those who came to us from the nations that were around us.
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Now what was prepared at my expense for each day was one ox and six choice sheep and birds.
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And every 10 days all kinds of wine in abundance.
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Yet for all this, I did not demand the food allowance of the governor because the service was too heavy on this people.
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Remember for my good, O my God, all that I have done for this people.
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Amen.
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And may God bless that reading from his word.
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When we turn back to look at this passage, we'll sing again to God's praise.
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This time in Psalm 15, in the Sing Psalms version.
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It's on page 16.
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We sing the whole of this psalm.
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The tune is Grafenberg, Psalm 15, a psalm that reminds us how we are to look out for others and honor the Lord in all that we do.
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Lord, who may stay within your tent, your sacred dwelling place, and who upon your holy hill may live before your face.
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Whoever walks a blameless path, who acts in righteousness, and who will always from the heart sincerely truth express.
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We'll sing the whole of this psalm to God's praise.
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Lord, who may stay within your tent, your sacred dwelling place, and who upon your holy hill may live before your face.
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Lord, who may be speaking to your holy hill may live before your face.
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Who have one walks a blameless path, who acts in righteousness, and who will always from the heart sincerely truth express.
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He cast no slug on anyone, or does his neighbor run.
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He has no spine within his heart, or stand upon his tongue.
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He honors those who fear the Lord, the worthless he'll despise.
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He gives the oath which he hath sworn, however I love Christ.
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He lends his money at no charge, nor I can he endure.
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Those who behave in life like this will always stand secure.
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Let's turn back to our reading in Nehemiah chapter 5.
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We're going to look at the whole of this chapter together.
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We see at the beginning of the chapter where it says,
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Now there arose a great outcry of the people, and of their wives against their Jewish brothers.
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For there were those who said, With our sons and our daughters we are many.
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So let us get grain that we may eat and keep alive.
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And so on.
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One of the most common questions we can get asked in life is,
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What do you do?
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What work do you do?
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And I'm sure even this evening as we look around here,
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there'd be a variety of different answers that we would give to that question.
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Some would say maybe I'm a teacher.
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Others may say I'm involved in working in a trade.
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Others may say I'm involved in postal work.
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I'm involved in the health service.
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I'm involved in admin.
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There'll be a whole host of answers given to that question.
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For others, maybe the question will be a little different.
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Maybe they say, Well, I'm not actually working now.
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I'm retired.
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Or maybe I'm unemployed at the moment.
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Or some people may say I'm too young to work yet.
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There'll be a whole host of answers.
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But the focus when we think of that question is so often on paid work.
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Paid employment.
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So often that's the work that we define ourselves by.
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And yet there's another question behind that.
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What work do you do when there's much more that we do in life than just work in paid employment?
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And especially as you've been thinking and looking through the book of Nehemiah,
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we see that there's a very different kind of work that we should all be involved in.
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None of us are retired from it.
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None of us are too young for it.
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Maybe some of us maybe feel we're too busy for it at times.
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But even that should challenge us to think, Well, I need to give more of my time to this kind of work.
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And it is the Lord's work.
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Together we come this evening as we sang together.
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Let us praise the Lord.
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We come together to worship God, to offer up our praise to him.
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But even as we leave here this evening, we should go with that sense of togetherness as well,
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that we are involved in the work of God's kingdom.
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And that this work entails a variety of different kinds of aspects.
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Just a quick glance of the notice sheet today will show you the variety of different works that the congregation is involved in.
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And that's just looking at things here.
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But we have to look further beyond that as well and think how much of the work of the Lord are we involved in.
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And what a variety there is to the work of the Lord.
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As we return to Nehemiah and chapter 5 here, we find a situation where the wall of Jerusalem is being rebuilt.
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And we're going to see, again, just the variety of this work and the focus that is required in this work.
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The wall of Jerusalem, as we've seen for Nehemiah, was so important.
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It's this great burden that the Lord had placed on him when he was so far away from Jerusalem and he'd never even been there.
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He had this burden because his brothers, his sisters, they were his people, they were suffering because the wall was broken down.
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And so in this great burden he had, he came to Jerusalem with this vision of seeing this wall restored.
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It was needed for the security and the safety of the people.
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It was needed for the glory of God and the worship of God.
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It's the wall, the wall, the wall.
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But as we will see this evening, it wasn't to be the wall at all costs or to the detriment of the people in other ways.
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And when we think of our work for the Lord here, we could ask ourselves, you know, what is the priority of the work?
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We think of the preaching of the word, how central that is.
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But as we heard even this morning, again, it was preaching is so important.
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But what about our evangelism?
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What about our outreach?
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What about using our gifts and our talents?
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There's no point if we're preaching and there's no one to hear.
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The gospel is to go out.
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We are to invite to say, come with me and come with us.
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We will do you good as we heard this morning.
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So the work of the Lord, there is a whole variety to it.
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Every aspect of it is important.
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Sometimes we see some people's role as more important.
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But if you think of it in the way that the scriptures describe the church, the people of God as a body, a body working together.
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We think of the body and if one part of the body is weak or suffering and not right, the rest is suffering too.
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So every aspect of the work is essential.
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It goes together and for the congregation to be healthy and a congregation to be honoring God and serving God and working aright for God.
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It needs to have this healthy body.
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Nehemiah had this vision for the wall.
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But even Nehemiah needed reminding at times that our vision has to go far and wide.
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It's not just one priority, but looking at everything together.
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The vision for ministry today is to be just like that too.
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Not just looking at our own individual needs and priorities, but looking beyond ourselves.
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And seeing that the work of the Lord is in every aspect of what we do as a people and how we live our lives.
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Colossians chapter 3 as Paul writes to the church there in Colossae.
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He speaks to them in chapter 3 about how they are to be as workers.
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And he's saying not to work as people pleasers, but with sincerity of heart.
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Fearing the Lord.
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Whatever you do, he says, work heartily as for the Lord and not for men.
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Knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward.
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You are serving the Lord Christ.
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And is that how we see our work here?
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Is that how we feel our work is?
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Are we doing it heartily as to the Lord, not just to please men?
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Knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward.
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You are serving the Lord Christ.
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All of us together are to serve the Lord Christ.
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And as we look at Nehemiah here, there are lessons that we can learn.
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As to how we are to serve the Lord Christ.
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Because you see here as Nehemiah is focused on the wall, there are other concerns.
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And concerns from others about injustice and suffering.
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And what this leads to is Nehemiah's vision broadening and developing.
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And we see it develop here in a way that keeps impacting his life as it goes on day after day.
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There have been problems and challenges already to the work as we've seen.
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There have been many different problems.
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In chapter 4 we were looking at the opposition to the work.
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But we see the work resumed at the end of chapter 4.
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The wall was being built.
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But like we say, the danger was it would become all about the wall.
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When we hear terms like corporate greed, the mortgage crisis, government intervention, high lending fees.
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They all sound like things that are in our day today.
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And they are.
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We see it in the headlines all the time.
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But actually when you read through chapter 5 of Nehemiah, you see it's a summary of that chapter.
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You have all these issues arising throughout this chapter.
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Greed.
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Money being charged that shouldn't be.
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Government intervention.
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You see all of these things happening in chapter 5.
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And there are many lessons that Nehemiah learns here.
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And there are many lessons for ourselves to learn too.
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But there's three things I want us to take from this chapter together this evening.
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First of all, it's all relating to what kind of people we are to be.
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First of all, we are to be a listening people.
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A listening people.
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Secondly, we are to be a loving people.
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And then thirdly, we are to be a living people.
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So a listening people, a loving people, and a living people.
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Nehemiah, in order to be a good leader, and anyone who wants to be a good leader,
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one of the key qualities is to be able to listen.
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And that's what we see first of all here.
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To be a listening people.
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It's good to be focused in whatever we are doing.
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It's good to have a vision and a clear focus of what we are trying to achieve in life and in the work we're involved in.
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Whether it's secular or whether it's church work.
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Whatever we are doing, it's good to have a focus.
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But there's also a danger in that as well.
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And we see at the end of chapter 4, there was a real focus on the work.
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Between verse 21 and the end of the chapter there,
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We labored at the work, and half of them held the spears from the break of dawn until the stars came out.
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I also said to the people at that time,
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Let every man and his servant pass the night within Jerusalem,
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That they may be a guard for us by night and may labor by day.
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So neither I nor my brothers nor my servants nor the men of the guard who followed me,
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None of us took off our clothes.
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Each kept his weapon at his right hand.
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There was this, just the work on the wall was all that mattered.
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There was everything revolved around this.
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There was a focus, and you think to yourself,
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This is a great focus.
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This is wonderful that they're seeing the walls being rebuilt,
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That they're involved in this day and night.
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It's going to be achieved.
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It's going to be accomplished.
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But when you come into chapter 5,
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What you find is there's a great outcry.
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Now there arose a great outcry of the people,
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It says in verse 1 of chapter 5.
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Why?
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Well, it's because this focus on the wall has led to suffering in other different ways.
37:09
It's led to a crisis in the community.
37:12
We see that there was a famine.
37:15
And in the midst of this famine, there was greed.
37:19
And there was loss of land.
37:21
And family members, sons and daughters were being sold into slavery.
37:27
They were trying to make ends meet.
37:29
And it was a serious situation.
37:32
And in the midst of this, there arose a great outcry.
37:40
The people spoke.
37:42
But what's interesting is when you see who spoke,
37:46
When you look at verse 1, it says,
37:48
Now there arose a great outcry of the people and of their wives.
37:53
We have here a reminder that there are many voices that are to be listened to and heard in the work of the Lord.
38:04
Men and women will see things differently.
38:09
Young and old will see things differently.
38:14
And they'll all have their own voice.
38:18
But the question here is, are we listening?
38:22
Are we listening to these voices?
38:25
Men will see problems and needs in a different way.
38:31
You think even of our Kirk session here.
38:34
It's made up of men.
38:36
Men of different backgrounds.
38:38
Different gifts.
38:39
And when we discuss things, we'll have all these gifts that are able to be used
38:43
to look at whatever's in front of us and discuss it through.
38:47
And everyone will bring something to the table.
38:50
We'll see things differently.
38:52
But we hope that together we'll be able to go on in the work of the Lord.
38:57
And that's what you find here.
38:59
As the wall was being built, it was mainly the men who were involved in it.
39:04
And they were working on the wall.
39:06
Defending or building or using their different gifts in it.
39:11
But in the background, there was something else happened.
39:13
There was another problem.
39:15
There arose this need.
39:18
This poverty among the people.
39:20
And this is where other voices come in and need to be listened to.
39:26
The outcry of the people and of their wives.
39:30
There was more than just the voices of the men being heard here.
39:35
And that's, again, a reminder to us that men and women will see things differently.
39:41
The issues that we see as men, women maybe don't even see them as issues.
39:47
But they'll raise other issues that need to be addressed.
39:51
Practical, physical, spiritual needs.
39:54
When you read here, there are people who are going hungry.
39:58
There are people who are losing their homes and their fields.
40:02
There are people who are losing their families.
40:04
And unbeknown to Nehemiah and those working on the wall, this is going on.
40:11
And it's only when this outcry comes and Nehemiah hears that we see in verse 6 that he was very angry.
40:19
And so it's important for us to think here.
40:24
What does this say to ourselves today?
40:27
Nehemiah hears and he listens and that leads to change.
40:33
Well, it's saying to ourselves today that there are important lessons for us.
40:38
That if we think of ourselves as a congregation, we have to listen to each other.
40:46
To listen to every voice that speaks up, that has concerns when it comes to the work of the Lord.
40:53
That every voice is to be listened to.
40:57
And so there are two things really we could highlight here as particular lessons.
41:02
We need to give people a voice.
41:04
A place to bring their concerns.
41:08
Even as it was here, a great outcry arose from the people and their wives.
41:14
So it is that we have to give opportunity to speak.
41:18
But if people are speaking, the second thing is we need to listen.
41:22
We need to hear what these concerns are.
41:25
And if anything needs to be done.
41:28
And especially when the concerns are based on the word of God.
41:32
And that's what these concerns are all based on.
41:37
That are brought before Nehemiah and the people here.
41:40
They're all concerns based on God's word being disobeyed.
41:45
And not adhered to.
41:47
And so if scripture is saying, as Nehemiah says later on in verse 9.
41:53
What you are doing is not good.
41:55
We have to listen.
41:58
And so a healthy church is one that works together as a body all united.
42:03
And that is seen that everyone has a part to play.
42:08
We heard this morning again about Hobab and the gift that Moses wanted him to use.
42:15
Everyone has a gift to use.
42:17
But are we allowing people to use their gifts?
42:24
Are we giving opportunities for gifts to be used?
42:29
Here's a challenge from a pastor called Stuart Briscoe.
42:35
He said this.
42:37
As a pastor, a husband, and a father, I have a dread of burying someone else's talents.
42:44
Particularly, he says, those bestowed on women.
42:49
Accordingly, I have tried to scrutinize my views, the place of tradition, the thrust of theology, and the force of my prejudice.
42:58
Repeatedly, I have come back to this fact.
43:00
If the Lord has given gifts, I had better be careful about denying freedom for their exercise.
43:08
More than that, I need to ensure the women in my life have every encouragement from me
43:13
to be what he called and gifted them to be.
43:19
A talent is a terrible thing to waste.
43:24
And he speaks about having to stand before the Lord and give account not just for what he has done himself,
43:33
but what he has allowed or not allowed others to do.
43:38
Something like this being said can lead to a sense of fear in our hearts.
43:45
But we shouldn't be afraid.
43:47
As a congregation, as a denomination, we are complementarian.
43:52
What does that mean and how do we apply that in our lives as a church?
43:58
Do we know what it means?
44:01
Complimentarianism is about serving together, using our different gifts, hearing one another, working for God in that way.
44:25
Are we doing that?
44:30
A feeling of not being listened to is a great frustration.
44:35
And given the many talented men and women, boys and girls here in our congregation,
44:41
how important, how vital is it that we listen to one another,
44:46
that we hear one another,
44:49
that we give opportunity to raise issues,
44:51
that we listen,
44:54
and that our focus remains right,
44:57
that together we may praise the Lord.
45:02
We need to be a listening people.
45:05
Had Nehemiah not listened,
45:08
the people would have suffered.
45:11
Many would have died as a result.
45:15
And so for ourselves,
45:17
let's listen to one another.
45:19
Let's give opportunity to hear one another,
45:23
that we may see what's missing in our congregation,
45:26
what the needs are around us.
45:29
So much happens or doesn't happen because of ignorance.
45:32
We just don't know.
45:34
And you see that with Nehemiah here.
45:36
There was an ignorance.
45:37
He didn't realize what was going on until he was told.
45:42
So let's listen.
45:44
The second thing we need to be is a loving people.
45:50
Because what does listening lead to here?
45:53
Well, as Nehemiah hears what's going on,
45:57
it leads to action.
45:59
Action that leads to examining himself
46:01
and what's happening around him.
46:05
We see through verse 6 to 13
46:08
that issues, they're not ignored.
46:11
They're not just put away as unimportant
46:13
and saying the wall is what we need to focus on.
46:16
It's almost like saying the wall can go ahead.
46:19
But these cannot be ignored either.
46:22
There are various things that need to go on
46:24
at the same time.
46:26
And these things are addressed
46:28
and it leads to change.
46:30
It leads to renewal.
46:31
As you see in verse 13,
46:33
it needs the people crying out, saying,
46:35
Amen.
46:36
They praised the Lord
46:37
and the people did as they had promised.
46:40
It's vital when we are hearing God's word,
46:45
not just in the sense of coming to listen to the sermon
46:49
and just going away from it
46:52
and giving it no more thought,
46:54
but that we come and ask,
46:57
what does the word say to me?
47:01
What do I have to examine in my own heart?
47:04
Am I living and working for the Lord
47:07
and his people as I should?
47:11
You know, as Nehemiah listens,
47:12
he brings it, first of all, to himself here
47:15
and he reflects on what he hears
47:17
and then he brings it to the leaders.
47:20
And then we see three steps in verse 6 and 7
47:25
as to how Nehemiah responded in this situation.
47:29
First of all, he says,
47:30
I was angry.
47:33
And it's, again, a right anger, if you like,
47:37
because people are suffering.
47:39
It's not right.
47:41
And he was angry.
47:44
But then we see, it says,
47:46
he took counsel with myself, it says.
47:50
I took counsel with myself.
47:54
In your anger is not the right time to respond.
47:57
There needs to be a time of reflection.
48:01
And that's what we see with Nehemiah.
48:03
Here's good advice.
48:05
In order to love and serve the people right,
48:08
we have to be in the right mind.
48:10
I took counsel with myself.
48:12
And then, he says,
48:13
and I brought charges against the nobles
48:15
and the officials.
48:18
I said, you are exacting interest,
48:20
each from his brother.
48:22
And in verse 9, he says,
48:23
what you are doing is not good.
48:27
The love for the people was not there.
48:32
They had lost their focus.
48:36
They were starting to look out for themselves,
48:39
to charge interest,
48:40
to gain fields,
48:42
to gain homes,
48:43
to gain slaves for themselves.
48:45
They were just not doing as God had commanded.
48:51
They weren't loving the Lord.
48:53
They weren't loving their neighbor as they should.
48:55
And chaos and strife had come their way.
49:01
They had lost sight of what they were about.
49:05
Take, for example, what Malachi says
49:07
in chapter 6, verse 8.
49:09
What are we to do for the Lord?
49:13
Malachi says,
49:14
he has told you, O man,
49:15
what is good.
49:16
And what does the Lord require of you
49:18
but to do justice,
49:19
to love kindness,
49:21
and to walk humbly with your God?
49:25
They had lost the fear of God.
49:29
And fear isn't just a sense of dread before God.
49:33
It's a sense of worship and awe before God.
49:37
That we are accountable to Him.
49:40
That we are responsible to Him.
49:42
That it is His work that we are doing.
49:46
The fear of the Lord was gone.
49:50
And when that goes,
49:52
it results in chaos.
49:55
So it's so important
49:56
that we always keep our eyes
49:58
on loving God
50:00
and loving our neighbor
50:02
as ourselves.
50:05
The challenge is there
50:06
in verse 9.
50:08
What you are doing
50:09
is not right.
50:11
We think of this
50:13
on the bigger scale.
50:14
When we look around
50:15
our nation and the world,
50:17
how often in the last year
50:18
have we heard
50:19
the cost of living crisis
50:21
on one hand,
50:23
and yet you hear
50:24
on the other hand
50:25
in the same news program
50:26
or the same page
50:27
or the newspaper
50:28
record profits
50:30
for companies.
50:32
It doesn't seem to add up.
50:34
It doesn't make sense.
50:37
It's because people have lost
50:39
a sense of the fear of the Lord.
50:42
It's all about ourselves.
50:45
Our own gain.
50:49
There's a story
50:50
of the first governor general
50:52
of Australia.
50:54
He was a Scotsman
50:55
who had come to Australia
50:57
and was called
50:58
Lord Hopeton.
50:59
He became governor
51:00
in Australia
51:01
on the 1st of January 1901.
51:05
One of the most cherished
51:06
possessions that he had
51:08
was a 300-year-old ledger.
51:10
That's an account book.
51:13
And it was one
51:14
that had been passed down
51:16
to him
51:16
from his ancestors.
51:20
One of his ancestors
51:21
had owned a business
51:23
in Edinburgh
51:23
and had used this account book
51:27
when they had began
51:28
this business.
51:30
And what caught
51:31
Lord Hopeton's attention
51:32
was an inscription
51:34
at the very first page.
51:37
It said,
51:38
Oh Lord,
51:39
keep me
51:40
and this book
51:41
honest.
51:44
Keep me
51:45
and this book
51:46
honest.
51:47
And for ourselves
51:50
as we live
51:51
our lives,
51:52
how easy it is
51:53
to get caught up
51:54
in things
51:55
where we become
51:56
dishonest.
51:58
Where we think
51:59
of ourselves
51:59
first and foremost.
52:03
When we look
52:03
at the situation here,
52:05
the people working
52:05
on the walls
52:06
were spending most
52:08
if not all
52:08
of their time
52:09
in Jerusalem.
52:11
The wall
52:12
was taking priority
52:13
but others
52:14
were suffering
52:16
as well.
52:18
The work
52:19
on the walls
52:19
was the priority
52:21
but they lost focus.
52:26
What you are doing
52:27
then,
52:28
he says,
52:28
is not good.
52:31
So Nehemiah
52:31
challenges
52:32
and the challenge
52:34
is what brings
52:35
them back
52:36
in order
52:37
to love
52:38
one another.
52:39
In order
52:40
to serve
52:41
one another
52:42
with this
52:42
right attitude.
52:44
Putting
52:45
others
52:46
before
52:47
ourselves.
52:50
And it's
52:50
amazing
52:50
what that does.
52:53
Putting others
52:53
before
52:55
ourselves.
52:56
There's a story
52:57
told
52:58
from
52:59
the Second
53:00
World War.
53:01
It's a book
53:02
called
53:03
Miracle
53:03
on the River
53:05
Kwai.
53:06
Many of you
53:06
have maybe seen
53:07
the film
53:08
The Bridge
53:09
Across the
53:10
Kwai,
53:10
the River
53:10
Kwai.
53:11
It's a story
53:12
about Scottish
53:13
soldiers
53:14
who were
53:14
forced
53:15
in labour
53:16
camps
53:17
to serve
53:17
their Japanese
53:18
captors,
53:19
building a
53:20
railroad
53:20
through the
53:21
jungles
53:22
of Thailand.
53:24
And during
53:25
these days
53:26
their behaviour
53:27
had disintegrated
53:28
into just
53:29
chaos
53:30
and anger
53:31
towards each
53:32
other,
53:32
not just
53:33
their captors.
53:35
There's a story
53:36
told in the book
53:37
of an incident
53:37
that changed
53:38
everything.
53:40
They were
53:40
marching back
53:41
to camp,
53:42
the soldiers,
53:43
Scottish soldiers,
53:44
the captors
53:45
beside them,
53:46
tired and
53:47
hungry after
53:48
a long day's
53:49
work.
53:50
And they
53:51
came to
53:51
checkpoints
53:52
at different
53:53
points on
53:53
their return
53:54
to camp.
53:55
And at each
53:56
checkpoint they
53:56
would count
53:57
the shovels,
53:59
the shovels,
54:00
the tools that
54:01
they had to
54:02
use that day.
54:04
And this
54:05
time they
54:05
came to a
54:06
checkpoint,
54:06
there was a
54:07
shovel missing.
54:08
And the
54:08
captors had
54:09
no mercy
54:10
for this.
54:11
They wanted
54:11
to know
54:12
who had
54:12
stolen
54:13
the shovel,
54:15
what they
54:15
had done
54:15
with it.
54:17
And they
54:18
were shouting
54:18
and bawling
54:19
at the
54:20
soldiers.
54:20
Someone had
54:21
to own
54:22
up to
54:22
this.
54:24
No one
54:24
was coming
54:25
forward.
54:25
And so
54:26
one of the
54:26
captors
54:27
threatened
54:27
with his
54:28
gun to
54:29
shoot them
54:29
all.
54:30
But one
54:31
man stepped
54:32
forward.
54:34
He took
54:34
responsibility
54:35
for it.
54:37
And that
54:37
man was
54:38
quickly put
54:39
to death
54:40
by the
54:40
captors.
54:42
The
54:42
soldiers
54:43
picked up
54:43
this man's
54:44
body to
54:44
take him
54:45
back to
54:45
the camp
54:46
to bury
54:47
him.
54:48
And as
54:48
they made
54:48
their way
54:49
back,
54:49
they came
54:49
to another
54:50
checkpoint,
54:51
and the
54:51
shovels were
54:52
counted again.
54:54
And they
54:54
realized all
54:55
the shovels
54:56
were there.
54:58
There had
54:58
been a
54:58
miscount at
55:00
the first
55:00
checkpoint.
55:01
But yet
55:02
this man
55:02
had stepped
55:03
forward,
55:05
had taken
55:05
the ultimate
55:07
cost.
55:08
He gave
55:08
his life
55:09
so that
55:09
others would
55:10
live.
55:12
And this
55:12
changed the
55:14
whole atmosphere
55:15
in the camp
55:16
where people,
55:18
soldiers,
55:18
started to
55:19
treat each
55:20
other like
55:21
brothers and
55:22
look out for
55:23
one another.
55:24
It's amazing
55:25
what an act
55:26
of love can
55:27
do.
55:28
But the
55:28
most amazing
55:29
act of love
55:30
we see
55:31
is the
55:32
love of
55:32
Christ for
55:34
his people,
55:35
who lay
55:36
down his
55:37
life at
55:38
the cross.
55:39
In his
55:40
innocence,
55:41
he bore
55:41
our sins.
55:44
Does that
55:44
make us
55:45
love others
55:47
more?
55:49
To live
55:49
for one
55:50
another,
55:52
to praise
55:53
the Lord,
55:55
to realize
55:55
and ask
55:56
ourselves,
55:57
where have
55:58
we gone
55:58
wrong?
55:59
is what
56:00
we are
56:00
doing
56:01
good or
56:02
not?
56:04
And to
56:04
seek renewal,
56:06
to seek to
56:06
honour God,
56:07
to seek as
56:08
an assembly
56:09
of God's
56:10
people,
56:11
to say
56:11
amen and
56:12
praise the
56:13
Lord and
56:14
do as the
56:14
word of
56:15
God has
56:15
promised.
56:17
As we
56:17
read there
56:18
in verse
56:20
13,
56:22
the word
56:22
of God
56:23
challenges
56:24
us in
56:25
our love
56:26
for one
56:26
another,
56:27
inner love
56:28
of God.
56:30
Do we
56:30
love as
56:32
we should?
56:34
Third and
56:34
final thing
56:35
just briefly
56:36
is we
56:37
are to
56:37
be a
56:38
living
56:38
people.
56:40
What you
56:41
notice about
56:42
verse 14
56:43
to the end
56:44
of the
56:44
chapter is
56:45
one of the
56:45
only points
56:46
in Nehemiah's
56:47
writing here
56:48
that we
56:48
actually see
56:49
further down
56:51
the line.
56:52
Twelve years
56:53
he speaks
56:54
of here.
56:56
What an
56:56
impact this
56:57
event has
56:58
had on
56:58
his life.
57:00
For twelve
57:01
years afterwards
57:02
as he served
57:03
as governor
57:04
he sought
57:05
to do
57:06
all for
57:07
the glory
57:07
of God.
57:09
Not just
57:09
for a
57:10
moment,
57:11
not just
57:11
for this
57:12
time,
57:13
but throughout
57:14
his life.
57:15
He sought
57:15
to be
57:16
an example
57:17
to the
57:18
people.
57:20
Mark Twain,
57:21
the American
57:21
author,
57:22
he once
57:23
said,
57:23
few things
57:24
are harder
57:25
to put
57:25
up with
57:25
than the
57:26
annoyance
57:27
of a
57:28
good
57:28
example.
57:30
You maybe
57:31
know what
57:31
that's like.
57:32
You see
57:32
someone who's
57:33
had a real
57:34
powerful
57:35
influence on
57:36
you.
57:37
This is a
57:37
good example.
57:40
Everything
57:40
they do,
57:40
they do
57:41
right and
57:41
it's so
57:41
powerful when
57:43
that is a
57:43
Christian.
57:45
And you
57:45
see Christ
57:46
and you
57:46
can't hold
57:47
anything
57:48
against them.
57:49
They're just
57:50
such a
57:50
powerful
57:51
example of
57:52
what it
57:53
is to
57:53
be a
57:53
Christian.
57:55
And it
57:55
leads to
57:56
the question,
57:57
are we
57:57
good examples
57:58
to those
58:00
around us?
58:02
Do we
58:03
come and
58:04
hear God's
58:05
word,
58:07
but do we
58:07
live it
58:08
as we
58:09
go out?
58:10
In
58:11
verse 14
58:12
to verse
58:12
19,
58:14
we find
58:14
Nehemiah
58:15
highlighting this
58:17
for us.
58:18
It was
58:18
life-changing.
58:21
This moment
58:21
of seeing
58:22
the need
58:23
of the
58:23
people,
58:24
the burden
58:24
on the
58:25
people,
58:26
it's not
58:26
just about
58:27
the wall
58:27
he sees.
58:29
It's not
58:29
just about
58:30
this,
58:30
although important
58:31
as it is,
58:32
it's about
58:33
loving those
58:34
around us.
58:35
The wall
58:36
would be
58:36
complete,
58:37
but you
58:38
see,
58:38
years after
58:39
the wall
58:40
was built,
58:40
he's still
58:41
living for
58:42
the people
58:43
as a good
58:43
example,
58:44
for the
58:44
people,
58:45
not wanting
58:46
to burden
58:46
the people
58:47
in anything
58:48
that he
58:48
would do.
58:49
what a
58:50
powerful
58:51
example
58:52
that is
58:53
to us,
58:54
not just
58:54
to be
58:55
hearers of
58:56
the word,
58:56
but doers
58:57
also.
59:00
Nehemiah
59:00
didn't
59:00
preach one
59:01
thing to
59:01
the people
59:02
and behave
59:03
differently.
59:05
He was
59:05
governor and
59:06
he could
59:06
have taken
59:07
so much
59:08
for himself,
59:08
but he
59:09
paid a
59:10
price himself.
59:12
He absorbed
59:12
so much
59:13
himself,
59:14
even though
59:15
he was
59:15
entitled
59:16
to so
59:17
much.
59:18
It wasn't
59:18
right that
59:19
he would
59:20
gain when
59:20
there's
59:21
people
59:21
suffering.
59:23
In
59:23
verse 18
59:25
it says,
59:25
I did
59:25
not demand
59:26
the food
59:27
allowance of
59:27
the governor
59:28
because the
59:29
service was
59:30
too heavy
59:31
on this
59:32
people.
59:33
It wasn't
59:33
right that
59:34
he would
59:35
take.
59:37
And what
59:37
made this
59:38
difference in
59:39
his life?
59:40
Well,
59:41
you see it
59:41
in verse
59:42
15.
59:44
The former
59:44
governors who
59:45
were before
59:46
me laid
59:46
heavy
59:46
burdens
59:47
on the
59:48
people and
59:48
took from
59:49
them for
59:50
their daily
59:50
ration forty
59:51
shekels of
59:52
silver.
59:52
Even their
59:53
servants lorded
59:54
it over
59:55
the people.
59:56
But I
59:56
did not
59:57
do so
59:57
because of
59:59
the fear
59:59
of the
1:00:00
Lord.
1:00:01
The Lord
1:00:02
was important
1:00:04
to him.
1:00:06
First
1:00:06
and foremost,
1:00:09
there was a
1:00:10
sacrificial
1:00:10
serving of
1:00:12
the Lord
1:00:13
here.
1:00:13
And we
1:00:13
may feel
1:00:14
entitled to
1:00:15
many things
1:00:16
in our
1:00:16
life as
1:00:17
well.
1:00:18
But are
1:00:19
we willing
1:00:19
to give
1:00:20
and to
1:00:21
give up
1:00:21
for the
1:00:22
Lord?
1:00:24
So whatever
1:00:24
we do,
1:00:25
we work
1:00:26
heartily as
1:00:27
for the
1:00:27
Lord and
1:00:27
not for
1:00:28
men,
1:00:28
knowing that
1:00:29
from the
1:00:29
Lord you
1:00:30
will receive
1:00:30
the inheritance
1:00:31
as you
1:00:32
reward.
1:00:33
You are
1:00:33
serving the
1:00:34
Lord
1:00:35
Christ.
1:00:38
I'll leave
1:00:39
you with a
1:00:39
story of
1:00:40
David Livingston,
1:00:41
missionary who
1:00:42
went to
1:00:42
Africa.
1:00:43
He said,
1:00:44
people talk
1:00:45
of the
1:00:45
sacrifice I
1:00:46
have made
1:00:46
in spending
1:00:47
so much
1:00:48
of my
1:00:49
life in
1:00:49
Africa.
1:00:51
Can that
1:00:51
be called
1:00:51
a sacrifice
1:00:52
which is
1:00:53
simply
1:00:53
acknowledging
1:00:54
a great
1:00:55
debt we
1:00:56
owe to
1:00:56
our God
1:00:57
which we
1:00:58
can never
1:00:58
repay?
1:01:00
Is that a
1:01:00
sacrifice which
1:01:01
brings its
1:01:02
own reward
1:01:03
in healthful
1:01:04
activity and
1:01:05
consciousness of
1:01:06
doing good,
1:01:07
peace of
1:01:07
mind,
1:01:08
and a
1:01:08
bright hope
1:01:09
of a
1:01:10
glorious
1:01:10
destiny?
1:01:12
It is
1:01:12
emphatically
1:01:13
no sacrifice.
1:01:15
Rather,
1:01:16
it is a
1:01:17
privilege.
1:01:19
Anxiety,
1:01:20
sickness,
1:01:21
suffering,
1:01:21
danger,
1:01:22
foregoing the
1:01:23
common
1:01:23
conveniences of
1:01:24
this life,
1:01:25
these may
1:01:26
make us
1:01:27
pause and
1:01:27
cause the
1:01:28
spirit to
1:01:29
waver and
1:01:29
the soul
1:01:30
to sink,
1:01:32
but let
1:01:32
this only be
1:01:33
for a
1:01:34
moment.
1:01:35
All these
1:01:35
are nothing
1:01:36
compared with
1:01:37
the glory
1:01:38
which shall
1:01:38
later be
1:01:39
revealed in
1:01:39
and through
1:01:40
us.
1:01:41
I never
1:01:42
made a
1:01:42
sacrifice.
1:01:44
Of this
1:01:44
we ought not
1:01:45
to talk
1:01:46
when we
1:01:47
remember the
1:01:47
great sacrifice
1:01:48
which he
1:01:49
made who
1:01:50
left his
1:01:51
father's
1:01:52
throne on
1:01:52
high and
1:01:54
gave himself
1:01:55
for us.
1:01:58
That that
1:01:58
would be
1:01:59
our spirit,
1:02:01
that that
1:02:01
would be
1:02:02
our attitude,
1:02:04
remembering
1:02:04
the sacrifice
1:02:05
of him
1:02:06
who left
1:02:07
all for
1:02:08
us,
1:02:08
who bore
1:02:10
our sin
1:02:11
on the
1:02:12
cross.
1:02:14
Nehemiah and
1:02:14
the people
1:02:15
here give
1:02:16
us a
1:02:16
reminder and
1:02:17
example to
1:02:18
see the
1:02:19
work of
1:02:19
the Lord
1:02:20
as broad
1:02:21
and all
1:02:22
encompassing,
1:02:24
looking far
1:02:25
and wider,
1:02:26
vision being
1:02:26
not just a
1:02:27
building of
1:02:28
a wall,
1:02:30
but a
1:02:30
loving of
1:02:30
the people
1:02:31
all around
1:02:33
us,
1:02:34
and a work
1:02:35
that needs
1:02:35
to have
1:02:36
an attitude
1:02:36
that listens,
1:02:39
that loves,
1:02:41
and that
1:02:42
lives well.
1:02:44
May the
1:02:44
word of
1:02:45
God go
1:02:46
with us
1:02:47
into this
1:02:48
week ahead.
1:02:48
May it
1:02:49
strengthen us
1:02:50
in our
1:02:51
service for
1:02:52
the Lord.
1:02:53
May we go
1:02:53
on growing
1:02:54
and going
1:02:55
in the
1:02:55
Lord's
1:02:56
strength and
1:02:57
knowing his
1:02:58
blessing on
1:02:59
us through
1:03:01
Christ.
1:03:01
let us
1:03:02
pray.
1:03:04
O Lord,
1:03:05
our gracious
1:03:06
God, we
1:03:06
ask your
1:03:07
blessing on
1:03:08
your word to
1:03:09
us.
1:03:09
May it
1:03:10
minister to
1:03:10
our hearts.
1:03:11
May it
1:03:11
help us to
1:03:12
hear what
1:03:13
you are
1:03:13
saying to
1:03:14
us.
1:03:15
May it
1:03:15
help us to
1:03:16
honour you
1:03:16
and serve
1:03:17
you in
1:03:18
all things
1:03:19
with that
1:03:19
sacrificial
1:03:21
attitude of
1:03:22
doing all
1:03:23
as to the
1:03:24
Lord.
1:03:25
We pray,
1:03:25
Lord, that
1:03:26
you will go
1:03:26
before us,
1:03:27
that you
1:03:27
will continue
1:03:28
with us,
1:03:28
that you
1:03:29
will bless
1:03:29
us in our
1:03:30
fellowship with
1:03:31
each other
1:03:31
as we go
1:03:32
next door
1:03:32
as well and
1:03:33
bless all
1:03:34
the food
1:03:34
that's been
1:03:35
prepared for
1:03:36
us in our
1:03:36
time.
1:03:37
May again
1:03:37
your glory
1:03:38
be with us
1:03:39
now and
1:03:40
in all that
1:03:41
we do as
1:03:41
we ask all
1:03:42
things in
1:03:43
Jesus' name.
1:03:44
Amen.
1:03:48
We're going
1:03:49
to conclude
1:03:50
by singing
1:03:51
to God's
1:03:52
praise in
1:03:52
Psalm 106.
1:03:56
Psalm 106
1:03:57
in the
1:03:58
Scottish
1:03:59
Psalter,
1:03:59
page 382.
1:04:01
Sing from
1:04:02
verse 44
1:04:03
down to
1:04:03
the end
1:04:04
of the
1:04:05
psalm.
1:04:06
Yet their
1:04:06
affliction he
1:04:07
beheld when
1:04:08
he did hear
1:04:09
their cry,
1:04:10
and he for
1:04:11
them his
1:04:11
covenant did
1:04:13
call to
1:04:14
memory.
1:04:14
We'll sing
1:04:15
these verses
1:04:16
to God's
1:04:16
praise,
1:04:17
44 to
1:04:18
48,
1:04:19
and the
1:04:19
tune is
1:04:20
St.
1:04:20
Kilda.
1:04:21
Amen.
1:04:21
Amen.
1:04:21
Amen.
1:04:21
Amen.
1:04:21
Amen.
1:04:21
Amen.
1:04:23
Amen.
1:04:23
Amen.
1:04:23
Amen.
1:04:23
Amen.
1:04:23
Amen.
1:04:24
Amen.
1:04:25
Amen.
1:04:25
Amen.
1:04:26
Amen.
1:04:27
Amen.
1:04:27
Amen.
1:04:27
Amen.
1:04:28
Amen.
1:04:28
Amen.
1:04:29
Amen.
1:04:29
Amen.
1:04:31
And he for
1:04:32
them his
1:04:33
pug've
1:04:59
God's mercy is all tortured in every path unmade.
1:05:12
Let you be with me, O God, those good and good and heavenly.
1:05:29
O Lord, our God, our safe and guard, thy ether from above,
1:05:44
that we thy holy name may praise, and our triumphant song.
1:05:59
Blessed be the people of the heavens, God, to all eternity.
1:06:14
Let all our people say Amen. Praise to the Lord, give me.
1:06:30
Amen.
1:06:32
After the benediction, I'll go to the door to my right.
1:06:35
We'll close the benediction.
1:06:37
Now may grace, mercy, and peace from God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit
1:06:42
rest upon and abide with us all now and forevermore.
1:06:46
Amen.
1:07:00
Amen.