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Nehemiah 8:1-18 · Providence Baptist Church - Sermons

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Turn to the Old Testament book of Nehemiah chapter 8.
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I bless my heart to hear everybody singing in that way.
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! If that's all that God had for me this morning, I would be content.
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And I hope and pray He has much more for us.
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Nehemiah chapter 8.
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We're going to read the chapter together, beginning in verse 1.
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And all the people gathered as one man into the square before the water gate.
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And they told Ezra the scribe to bring the book of the law of Moses that the Lord had commanded Israel.
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So Ezra the priest brought the law before the assembly, both men and women,
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and all who could understand what they heard.
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And on the first day of the seven month.
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And he read from it facing the square before the water gate from early morning until midday,
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in the presence of the men and the women and those who could understand.
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And the ears of all the people were attentive to the book of the law.
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And Ezra the scribe stood at a wooden platform that they had made for the purpose.
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And beside him stood, we'll say six men to his right without reading all those names,
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and seven men to his left.
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Verse 5.
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And Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people, for he was above all the people.
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And as he opened it, all the people stood.
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And Ezra blessed the Lord, the great God.
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And all the people answered, Amen, Amen.
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Lifting up their hands.
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And they bowed their heads and worshipped the Lord with their faces to the ground.
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Also, thirteen other men that were Levites helped the people to understand the law while the people remained in their places.
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This is verse 8 now.
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They read from the book from the law of God clearly, and they gave the sense so that the people understood the reading.
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And Nehemiah, who was the governor, and Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who taught the people,
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said to all the people,
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This day is holy to the Lord your God.
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Do not mourn or weep.
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For all the people wept as they heard the words of the law.
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Then he said to them,
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Go your way, eat the fat and drink sweet wine,
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and send portions to anyone who has nothing ready.
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For this day is holy to our Lord.
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And do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.
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So the Levites calmed all the people, saying,
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Be quiet, for this day is holy.
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Do not be grieved.
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And all the people went their way to eat and drink,
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and to send portions, and to make great rejoicing,
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because they had understood the words that were declared to them.
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On the second day, the heads of fathers' houses of all the people,
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with the priests and the Levites,
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came together to Ezra the scribe,
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in order to study the words of the law.
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And they found it written in the law,
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that the Lord had commanded by Moses,
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that the people of Israel should dwell in booths,
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or tabernacles, during the feast of the seven months.
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And that they should proclaim it,
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and publish it in all their towns, and in Jerusalem.
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Go out to the hills, and bring branches of olive,
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wild olive, myrtle, palm, and other leafy trees,
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to make booths, as it is written.
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So the people went out, and brought them,
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and made booths for themselves, each on his roof.
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And in their courts, and in the courts of the house of God,
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and in the square at the water gate,
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and in the square at the gate of Ephraim.
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And all the assembly of those who had returned from the captivity,
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made booths, and lived in the booths.
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For from the days of Jeshua, the son of Nun,
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to that day the people of Israel had not done so.
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And there was very great rejoicing.
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And day by day, from the first to the last day,
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he read from the book of God.
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They kept the feast seven days,
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and on the eighth day, there was a solemn assembly,
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according to the rule.
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Let's pray together.
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Father God, we praise you again for Christ,
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and we thank you that he was the word of God,
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a physical manifestation,
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a thing that we could tangibly touch,
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and see of who you are.
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And we thank you also that your word is the same.
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The very words, that it was both written by men,
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but inspired by you.
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So we could say,
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who wrote the book of Nehemiah?
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Probably Ezra.
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With a bit of Nehemiah's input.
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But we could also say,
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who wrote the book of Nehemiah?
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God wrote the book of Nehemiah.
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So I pray, Father, this day that by your spirit,
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you will speak to us from your word.
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That we will approach it with expectation,
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in trembling,
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because we get to meet with our God.
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We pray this in Christ's name.
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Amen.
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So to catch some of you up,
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which by the way, it's very good to see.
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Many of your faces I haven't seen in a while.
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It's always hard sometimes to preach,
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and catch people's faces I haven't seen in a long time,
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because I really want to stop and go,
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oh hey!
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I'm going to try not to do that this morning.
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But to catch you up,
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the book of Nehemiah, where we've been,
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we've seen that God has brought news to Nehemiah,
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who was wintering in Susa,
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as cupbearer to the king,
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Artaxerxes, the king of Persia.
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And he brings news of the state of God's people.
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And God's people are in a bit of a shambles
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back in Jerusalem.
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The wall has yet to be rebuilt.
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They've been back from exile now for some 90 years.
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And they're still in a poor state.
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And the issue for Nehemiah is not that the city is not rebuilt,
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but that the condition of the people
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are not in good repair.
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And in this day, the way that God was glorified,
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the way that people saw who God was,
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was by how his people were doing.
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The same is true today of the church.
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This is the way people gaze upon the glory of God,
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see the redemptive work of Christ,
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is in the state of his people.
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Not in the building of cities and grand walls to protect ourselves,
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not in massive amounts of trade,
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but we have a new set of standards,
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a new way by which we live.
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And that's this holy calling that we've been called to.
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To be holy and to bring about holiness in the life of others.
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So, Nehemiah's heart is moved by this report.
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God moves in him and grieves him
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and moves him to prayer in chapter 1.
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We see Nehemiah sovereignly placed in this unique position
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as cupbearer to the king.
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Certainly, to be able to bring influence,
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to be a trusted friend of the king
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as the one who tasted his wine.
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We've seen him request of the king,
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and the king, for no good apparent reason
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other than God's work in his heart,
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gave permission to Nehemiah
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to go back and rebuild the wall,
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which was to go against an edict
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that he had issued some years earlier
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to stop the building of the wall.
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Not only that, but King Artaxerxes gives a blank check.
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He gives him his own credit
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to go and get the materials he needs
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for the building of the wall.
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It's recorded here in Nehemiah chapter 1, verse 8.
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Nehemiah's words,
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For the good hand of God was upon me.
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We see this work, this sovereign work.
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So, Nehemiah's now returned.
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He's surveyed the wall.
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He's rallied the Israelites to rebuild.
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They've rebuilt the wall.
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52 days this work was completed.
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And yet the work to be done in Israel
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has yet to really begin in its entirety.
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And here we see the beginning of that.
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The bringing about of revival amongst the people.
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Now, let's say to you,
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we see it recorded here in chapter 8.
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Kind of what seems to be the official beginning of that.
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And many commentators would say
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that we had a physical work taking place
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up until this point.
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And now here is when the spiritual work begins.
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But I say to you that spiritual work
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has been going on already.
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We see that God has been working
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and moving amongst the people.
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The fact that they even rose up to build
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was a mighty work of God.
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The evidences of what God was doing in their heart
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is in the building.
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And now we see it ramp up
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to a whole new level.
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This revival that comes about.
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But before we move on,
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we have a bit of a problem.
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I think a problem of definition.
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definition.
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Because when I say the word revival,
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lots of different things may spring up in your mind.
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I hope to show you over the next few weeks
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what ought to be springing up in your mind
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when we see this.
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The word revival or to revive
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appears throughout the scriptures.
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It is used on occasion to speak of those
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who have been sick or even dead
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and were brought back to life.
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But more often it is used to speak
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of the bringing about
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of a new burning,
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a new desire for God
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in the hearts of men.
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We see revivals happen throughout the scriptures
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no less than ten times
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in corporate ways.
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This being one of them.
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Revival in the scriptures
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has affected whole nations.
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People groups.
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We see that to be true
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throughout history today,
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throughout the history of the church.
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our own country experienced a revival
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known as the Great Awakening
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led by men like George Whitefield
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and Jonathan Edwards.
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This is the revival
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that we are talking about.
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A couple of quick quotes for me.
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One from Andrew Murray says,
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A true revival
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means nothing less than a revolution.
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Casting out the spirit of worldliness,
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making God's love triumph
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in the heart.
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J.I. Packer said,
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Revival is God's quickening visitation
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of His people,
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touching their hearts
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and deepening His work of grace
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in their lives.
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This is something we should long for.
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Revival is when God comes close to earth
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and God's people respond appropriately.
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Now that's not to say
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when we're not in a time of revival
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that God's not at work,
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that God isn't working amongst His church.
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But it seems,
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if we look at history,
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that God visits in special ways
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at particular times the church.
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And I think,
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this is just Nathan's opinion,
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but I think that the American church
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is poised for a revival right now.
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As we see it on the continual decline,
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both in number and in fervency,
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I believe it's time
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for a new close swinging of God
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to bring about repentance
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and a return to Him.
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In fact,
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for the past four or five years,
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it's been one of my major prayers
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to pray that revival would come
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and that God would use our church
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to help catalyze such a thing.
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So this is what we mean by revival.
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A revival is not something
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that can be put on a calendar.
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All of this sounds good,
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and some of you
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with the wrong understanding of revival
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might say,
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well good,
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get the church calendar out.
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We can make a sign.
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That is not revival.
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I went to a conference
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and the little introduction
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to the pamphlet of the conference
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stated that we were about to have
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a good old-fashioned Holy Spirit revival.
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Great.
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I'm glad you have the power
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to bring such a thing about.
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But we don't.
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We have no ability of our own
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to bring about revival.
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Revival is the sovereign work
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of the Spirit of God.
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So hear that.
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Revival is the sovereign work
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of the Spirit of God.
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However,
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I want to show you four evidences
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of God-sent revival.
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I want to show you four things
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from chapter 8,
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chapter 9,
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and chapter 10
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in the coming weeks
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that are evidences
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of God-sent revival.
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And certainly,
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if this is what the people of God do
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when God comes close,
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visits them in a special way,
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ignites their hearts,
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ought we also endeavor
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to live in this way?
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We should, right?
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We should want to do these things.
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Let me give you all four of them
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and then we're going to address
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the first two today.
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If revival is God-sent,
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God's people will be praying.
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That's number one.
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If revival is God-sent,
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God's people will reestablish
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the Word of God
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as the ultimate authority
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in their lives.
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Number three,
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if revival is God-sent,
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God's people will recognize
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their defiance of God
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and view His chastisement
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as just.
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And number four,
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if revival is God-sent,
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God's people will turn
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from their defiance
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to obedience.
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These are things
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that we are all commanded
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to press into anyway, right?
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But hear me carefully, right?
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This is not a set of presuppositions
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that if we do these things,
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then revival will come.
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These are just the evidences
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of the God-sent revival.
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So let's look at the first two together.
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Just kind of a precursor, number one.
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If revival is God-sent,
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God's people will be praying.
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We see evidence here
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of Nehemiah's prayers.
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I'll tell you, in fact,
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when I set out to preach
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through the book of Nehemiah,
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I thought it was very timely
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for our church
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in a kind of a growing
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transitioning stage
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to talk about the work
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and the effort
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that needed to go into things.
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I honestly,
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as many times as I had read
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through Nehemiah,
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we had done a study together,
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the men did,
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a couple of years ago
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through the book of Nehemiah,
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I never saw
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how prevalent prayer was
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throughout the book.
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That God starts
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by moving Nehemiah to pray
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on behalf of his people.
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So we have Nehemiah's prayers.
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I believe there are
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ten recorded prayers
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in the fourteen chapters.
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Nehemiah's prayers,
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chapter one,
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verse five through eleven,
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chapter two,
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verse four,
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chapter six,
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verse nine,
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and again in verse fourteen.
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We see the Israelites' prayers,
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chapter four,
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verse nine,
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and then here in our text,
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chapter eight,
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verse six,
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we see a prayer led by Ezra,
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and I have to tell you honestly
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as I studied all this
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the past couple of weeks,
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I wish we had more details.
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I wish I had a record
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of the prayer that is prayed.
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It simply just says,
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and Ezra,
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bless the Lord,
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the great God.
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And here's the response
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of the people
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as they joined in.
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And all the people answered.
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Thirty to fifty thousand people,
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scholars say,
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were the Israelites' numbers
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at this time.
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And all the people answered,
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Amen,
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Amen,
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or let it be,
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so may it be.
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And they say it twice
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to give emphasis
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to that type of thing.
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And so here even
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at the very beginning,
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when the book of the law
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is open to be read,
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it begins in prayer.
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Jesus prayed.
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Well,
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I'll take an example from him,
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shouldn't we?
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Just look at one example
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of Jesus' prayer.
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Luke 6,
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12.
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In these days,
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he being Jesus,
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went out to the mountain
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to pray.
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And all night,
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he continued in prayer
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to God.
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When was the last time
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you devoted yourself
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to prayer in that way?
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Paul instructed
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the Philippian church
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to pray.
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Philippians chapter 4,
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last half of 5 and 6,
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The Lord is at hand.
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Do not be anxious
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about anything,
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but in everything,
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by prayer and supplication,
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with thanksgiving,
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let your requests
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be made known
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to God.
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We do not have
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because we do not ask.
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A.T. Pearson,
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a wonderful pastor
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and biographer,
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wrote my favorite biography
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of George Mueller,
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which my father handed to me
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at an early age.
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He said,
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From the day of Pentecost,
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there has not been
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one great spiritual waking
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in any land
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which has not begun
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in a union
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of prayer.
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He also wrote,
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Wherever the church
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is aroused
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and the world's wickedness
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arrested,
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somebody has been praying.
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Charles Haddon Spurgeon
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said,
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Whether we like it or not,
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asking is the rule
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of the kingdom.
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If you may have everything
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by asking in His name,
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and nothing without asking,
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I beg you to see
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how absolutely vital
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prayer is.
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Jonathan Edwards,
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one of the great pastors
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of the Great Awakening,
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who was a man
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who wasn't very entertaining
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in his delivery.
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We talked a bit about that
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last week,
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and I may address it
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more today.
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His preaching
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was steeped
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in prayer.
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Content-driven
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and steeped
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in prayer.
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In fact,
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often he stood
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at the very back
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of their meeting places
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and read very dryly
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a manuscript.
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But it was said
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that people would cling
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to the pillars
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and the backs
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of the pews
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in the church
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in fear
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that the floor
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would open up
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and they'd be swallowed
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into hell
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because of the great
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high view
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they had of God's
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holiness.
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He wrote,
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Matthew Henry,
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the great commentator,
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said,
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when God intends
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great mercy
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for his people,
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the first thing
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he does
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is set them
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a praying.
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You probably can
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remember that one,
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I hope.
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When God intends
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great mercy
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for his people,
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the first thing
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he does
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is set them
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a praying.
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Prayer is vital
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for our Christian living.
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Certainly,
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if we want to see
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revival come
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on this land.
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So if revival
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is God sent,
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God's people
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will be
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praying.
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If revival
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is God sent,
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God's people
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will reestablish
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the word of God
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as the ultimate
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authority
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in their lives.
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Beloved,
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we neglect
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the very
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word
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of God
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to us.
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We have
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it in abundance.
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And maybe the fact
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that we have it
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in abundance
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is one of our
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problems.
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that we have
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so many
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different versions
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of it.
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So many
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different study
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Bibles.
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So many
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different bindings
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even on our
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Bibles themselves.
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You may have
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your favorite
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that you carry
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around,
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but you probably
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have a shelf
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of them
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at home.
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In places
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in the world
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where the Bible
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is scarce,
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where the word
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of God
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there aren't
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copies that
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exist,
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I am told
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that people
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are desperate
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to hear it.
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We'll walk
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for days.
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We'll ride
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bicycles.
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will sit
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for hours
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and hours
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and hours
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to hear the
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preaching of it.
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We'll weep
18:48
and rejoice
18:48
that they get
18:49
to hear
18:50
words from
18:51
the Almighty
18:52
God.
18:53
And yet
18:54
many of us
18:54
struggle to
18:55
sit and open
18:56
it once a day
18:57
and read
18:58
from it
18:59
for 15
18:59
minutes.
19:02
We neglect
19:03
this precious
19:04
gift
19:05
that was given
19:06
to us.
19:08
Paul wrote
19:08
in 1 Thessalonians
19:09
2.13
19:09
And we also
19:10
thank God
19:11
constantly for this.
19:12
that when you
19:13
received the
19:14
word of God
19:14
which you
19:15
heard from
19:15
us,
19:16
you accepted
19:16
it,
19:17
not as the
19:17
word of men,
19:18
but as what
19:19
it really
19:20
is,
19:20
the word
19:21
of God,
19:22
which is at
19:23
work in you,
19:24
believers.
19:26
Paul's
19:27
thanksgiving
19:28
was overflowing
19:29
in his writing
19:30
that they
19:30
accepted that
19:31
this was in
19:32
fact the
19:33
word of God.
19:35
Hebrews 4.12
19:36
I hope you're
19:37
familiar with,
19:38
says,
19:38
for the word
19:38
of God
19:39
is living
19:39
and active.
19:40
It's sharper
19:41
than any
19:42
two-edged
19:42
sword,
19:43
piercing to
19:43
the division
19:44
of soul
19:45
and of spirit,
19:46
of joints
19:46
and of marrow,
19:47
and discerning
19:48
the thoughts
19:49
and intentions
19:50
of the heart.
19:52
The word
19:53
of God
19:54
is the
19:54
spirit's
19:55
instrument.
19:56
It is the
19:57
tool that
19:57
he uses
19:58
to bring
19:59
correction
19:59
and direction
20:00
in our
20:01
lives.
20:02
The spirit
20:03
of God
20:03
begins working
20:04
in the hearts
20:05
of men
20:05
by first
20:06
drawing
20:07
his sword
20:08
from its
20:09
scabbard.
20:10
That is
20:10
the word
20:11
of God.
20:12
It is the
20:13
supreme rule
20:14
and authority
20:15
for our
20:15
lives.
20:17
Many people
20:17
give lip
20:18
service
20:18
to the
20:19
sufficiency
20:19
and efficacy
20:20
of the
20:21
Bible,
20:22
but yet
20:23
do not
20:24
read it.
20:26
In their
20:26
very actions
20:27
they deny
20:27
what they
20:28
say with
20:29
their lips.
20:31
Many
20:32
people,
20:33
as they
20:33
look for
20:34
direction
20:34
in this
20:35
world,
20:36
will take
20:36
small bits
20:37
of biblical
20:38
wisdom
20:38
and add
20:39
to it
20:39
a bit
20:39
of pop
20:40
psychology
20:41
to arrive
20:41
at their
20:42
decisions.
20:43
Some will
20:44
take small
20:44
bits of
20:44
biblical
20:45
instruction
20:45
and add
20:46
to it
20:47
some
20:47
business
20:47
methodology.
20:50
Some will
20:50
take small
20:51
bits of
20:51
biblical
20:52
guidance
20:52
and add
20:53
to it
20:53
the opinions
20:54
of a
20:55
friend.
20:57
Beloved,
20:57
the Bible
20:57
is to be
20:58
the guide
20:59
and rule
21:00
of our
21:01
lives.
21:02
We need
21:03
to re-establish
21:04
it as the
21:05
ultimate
21:05
authority.
21:07
Proverbs
21:08
8,
21:09
32-34,
21:10
the Lord
21:11
speaks here
21:11
and says,
21:12
And now,
21:12
O sons,
21:13
listen to
21:14
me.
21:15
Blessed are
21:15
those who
21:15
keep my
21:16
ways.
21:17
Hear
21:17
instruction
21:18
and be
21:18
wise,
21:19
and do
21:19
not
21:19
neglect
21:20
it.
21:20
Blessed
21:21
is the
21:21
one who
21:21
listens
21:22
to me,
21:23
watching
21:23
daily at
21:23
my gates,
21:24
waiting
21:25
beside my
21:26
doors.
21:27
In Luke
21:28
11,
21:28
28,
21:29
Jesus
21:29
says,
21:29
Blessed
21:30
are those
21:30
who hear
21:31
the word
21:31
of God
21:32
and keep
21:33
it.
21:34
God's
21:35
God's
21:36
people
21:38
will
21:39
recognize
21:40
this.
21:40
They
21:40
will
21:40
treat
21:41
the
21:41
word
21:41
of
21:41
God
21:42
as
21:42
the
21:42
ultimate
21:42
authority.
21:43
And there
21:44
will be
21:44
no
21:44
revival
21:45
amongst
21:46
people
21:46
who do
21:46
not
21:47
love
21:47
and read
21:48
and hear
21:49
and proclaim
21:49
the words
21:51
of the
21:52
living
21:52
God.
21:53
We see
21:54
that to
21:54
be the
21:54
case.
21:54
This
21:55
work
21:55
that's
21:55
happening
21:56
by the
21:56
Spirit
21:57
is moving
21:58
in the
21:58
Israelites,
21:59
this
21:59
mass
22:00
number
22:00
of
22:01
people
22:01
to
22:01
reestablish
22:02
it
22:02
in
22:03
this
22:03
way.
22:03
And I
22:04
want to
22:04
show you
22:05
from the
22:05
text
22:05
today
22:06
four
22:07
observations
22:07
in this
22:08
regard.
22:10
Firstly,
22:11
take a
22:12
look at
22:12
their
22:12
eagerness.
22:14
Take a
22:15
look at
22:15
their
22:16
eagerness
22:16
to see
22:17
from the
22:18
word
22:19
of God.
22:19
The law
22:20
we're told
22:20
here,
22:21
the books
22:21
of Moses,
22:23
Genesis,
22:23
Exodus,
22:24
Leviticus,
22:24
Numbers,
22:25
Deuteronomy.
22:26
That's what's
22:28
being read
22:28
at this
22:29
time.
22:30
Notice
22:30
at the
22:31
beginning
22:31
of chapter
22:32
8,
22:34
all of
22:35
the
22:35
alls,
22:36
I've
22:38
got them
22:38
underlined
22:39
here.
22:40
Verse
22:40
1,
22:41
all the
22:42
people
22:42
gathered.
22:44
Verse
22:44
2,
22:45
both men
22:46
and women
22:46
and all
22:47
who could
22:47
understand,
22:48
which I
22:49
take to
22:49
mean
22:49
children,
22:50
he's adding
22:51
this detail
22:52
for us,
22:52
that even
22:52
the children
22:53
were there,
22:54
those who
22:54
could hear
22:55
what was
22:55
being said
22:56
and understand,
22:57
and I
22:57
would take
22:57
that a
22:58
step further
22:58
to say,
22:59
if all
22:59
the people
23:00
were there,
23:00
he doesn't
23:02
make a caveat
23:02
for nursery
23:03
workers.
23:05
So it probably
23:05
means that the
23:06
infants were
23:06
there as well
23:07
because all
23:08
the people
23:08
were there
23:08
being able
23:09
to hear the
23:10
instruction.
23:10
They weren't
23:11
stuck off
23:11
in some
23:12
room or
23:13
a building
23:13
someplace else
23:14
at a different
23:15
gate in the
23:16
city,
23:16
but they were
23:17
all gathered
23:18
together so
23:18
that all
23:19
could hear
23:19
the instruction.
23:22
Look at
23:22
verse 3,
23:23
all the
23:24
people
23:24
were
23:25
attentive,
23:26
eager to
23:27
hear what
23:28
God may
23:29
say.
23:29
Verse 5,
23:30
all the
23:31
people,
23:32
for he
23:32
was above
23:32
all the
23:33
people.
23:34
The prayer,
23:35
all the
23:36
people
23:36
answered.
23:37
It goes
23:38
on in
23:38
this way.
23:40
The people
23:41
of God
23:42
were eager
23:42
to hear
23:43
the words
23:44
of God.
23:46
Note 2
23:47
in verse
23:47
1,
23:49
that it's
23:49
not that
23:49
Nehemiah
23:50
and Ezra
23:51
got together
23:52
and made
23:52
a plan
23:53
to have
23:54
a big
23:55
rally.
23:56
They wanted
23:56
a conference
23:57
to take
23:57
place,
23:58
so they
23:58
put together
23:58
this massive
23:59
conference
23:59
that they
24:00
built the
24:01
stage that
24:01
he was
24:01
going to
24:01
stand upon
24:02
so that
24:03
everybody
24:03
could hear
24:03
the reading
24:04
of the
24:04
law.
24:05
But the
24:05
people
24:06
did it.
24:07
Verse 1,
24:08
and they
24:08
told Ezra
24:09
the scribe
24:10
to bring
24:10
the book
24:10
of the
24:11
law of
24:11
Moses
24:11
the Lord
24:11
had
24:12
commanded
24:12
Israel.
24:13
They told
24:14
him to
24:14
bring it.
24:15
They said
24:15
we have
24:16
this event
24:16
that's going
24:17
to happen
24:17
at the
24:17
water gate
24:18
and we
24:18
want you
24:19
to come
24:19
and bring
24:20
the copy
24:21
of God's
24:22
word that
24:22
you have
24:23
and read
24:23
it to
24:24
us.
24:25
They built
24:26
a platform.
24:26
There was
24:27
some planning
24:27
that went
24:27
into this
24:28
thing.
24:28
It wasn't
24:28
a spontaneous
24:29
gathering
24:29
of all
24:30
the people
24:30
of Israel.
24:31
Word had
24:32
gone out.
24:34
There had
24:34
been a
24:35
seeking,
24:35
a gathering.
24:35
Can you
24:36
just imagine
24:36
from Ezra's
24:37
perspective
24:38
what a
24:38
wonderful
24:38
thing
24:39
this would
24:39
have been?
24:40
Because
24:40
remember
24:41
that Ezra
24:41
has been
24:42
back in
24:42
the land
24:43
now for
24:43
14 years
24:44
faithfully
24:45
carrying out
24:45
the duty
24:46
of a priest.
24:46
He had
24:47
been teaching
24:47
the word
24:48
of God
24:48
for 14
24:49
years.
24:51
This is an
24:52
encouragement
24:52
to me.
24:53
I'm going
24:53
to continue
24:54
to plot
24:55
on and
24:55
teach the
24:56
word of
24:56
God to
24:57
people in
24:58
the hopes
24:58
that something
24:59
like this
24:59
happens one
25:00
day.
25:01
What an
25:01
amazing thing.
25:02
He receives
25:02
an invitation.
25:03
Please come
25:04
read the
25:05
word of the
25:05
law to us.
25:06
All of us.
25:06
We're all
25:07
going to be
25:07
there.
25:08
We built
25:08
you a big
25:09
stage that
25:09
you can
25:09
stand way
25:10
up on
25:10
because we
25:10
want everybody
25:11
to hear
25:12
the words
25:12
of God.
25:13
We know
25:14
you've been
25:14
plotting on
25:15
and teaching
25:15
these things
25:16
and pushing
25:17
forward.
25:18
And in
25:18
fact,
25:20
that they
25:20
even knew
25:21
that they
25:21
ought to
25:21
gather
25:22
was a
25:23
work of
25:23
Ezra.
25:25
Notice that
25:26
it was a
25:26
very particular
25:27
day.
25:27
We get the
25:28
record here.
25:28
It's not
25:28
just for our
25:29
dating,
25:30
but it's the
25:30
first day
25:31
of the
25:32
seventh month.
25:35
And the
25:35
Israelites
25:35
knew,
25:36
I would argue,
25:37
because of
25:37
Ezra's teaching
25:38
to them,
25:39
that there
25:40
was a
25:40
prescribed
25:41
feast that
25:41
was to
25:42
happen on
25:42
this day.
25:43
It's called
25:43
the Feast
25:44
of Trumpets,
25:45
or if you
25:46
prefer in
25:46
Hebrew,
25:47
Rosh Hashanah.
25:49
You guys
25:49
heard that
25:49
term before,
25:50
I'm sure.
25:51
The Feast
25:51
of Trumpets.
25:53
And it
25:53
was a
25:53
day that
25:54
the Israelites
25:54
were meant
25:55
to rejoice.
25:56
They were
25:56
supposed to
25:56
play trumpets
25:57
all over
25:58
Israel.
25:59
It was
25:59
meant to
25:59
be going
26:00
on.
26:00
It was
26:00
supposed to
26:00
be a
26:00
big thing
26:01
because
26:02
nine days
26:03
later was
26:04
the Day
26:04
of Atonement.
26:05
The day
26:06
when the
26:06
high priest
26:07
would take
26:07
sacrifice
26:08
into the
26:08
Holy of
26:09
Holies
26:09
and make
26:10
sacrifice
26:11
for the
26:11
people of
26:12
Israel.
26:12
this
26:13
symbol,
26:14
this action
26:15
that took
26:16
place,
26:16
which told
26:17
us of
26:18
the coming
26:18
great
26:19
sacrifice.
26:20
That is,
26:21
Jesus Christ,
26:21
the Lamb of
26:22
God,
26:22
the one that
26:23
could fully
26:23
and finally
26:24
take away
26:25
the sins
26:25
of his
26:26
people.
26:27
This was
26:27
the day
26:27
that they
26:28
were coming
26:28
together
26:29
to celebrate,
26:30
built a
26:30
stage for it,
26:31
and said,
26:31
come and
26:32
read the
26:33
Word of
26:34
God to
26:34
us.
26:36
Notice
26:37
in verse
26:37
three,
26:38
the time
26:39
frame that
26:39
this happened
26:40
in.
26:40
First,
26:42
that it
26:42
happened
26:43
from early
26:44
morning.
26:46
We start
26:47
meeting at
26:47
1030,
26:48
and sometimes
26:48
that is a
26:49
real struggle.
26:50
They had
26:50
the whole
26:51
family up
26:52
and ready
26:53
to go.
26:53
We don't
26:53
know exactly
26:54
what early
26:55
morning means,
26:56
but we do
26:57
know that
26:58
this event
26:58
took place
26:59
from early
26:59
morning until
27:00
midday,
27:01
which meant
27:02
literally noon.
27:03
So five
27:04
to seven
27:05
hours this
27:07
took place.
27:08
I try
27:09
really hard
27:10
to keep
27:10
these
27:10
sermons
27:11
at 45
27:11
minutes
27:12
for you
27:12
guys.
27:14
We may
27:15
need to
27:16
devote
27:16
ourselves
27:17
in a
27:17
higher
27:18
degree
27:18
to
27:19
God's
27:19
Word.
27:20
We may
27:21
be a
27:22
little bit
27:22
numb to
27:23
it,
27:23
and not
27:24
desire it,
27:25
and not
27:25
be eager
27:25
enough to
27:27
come and
27:27
hear its
27:28
teaching.
27:30
And then
27:31
notice in
27:31
verse 13
27:32
that this
27:34
didn't end
27:34
here.
27:35
It wasn't
27:35
just this
27:36
day,
27:36
just this
27:37
five to
27:37
seven hours,
27:37
but on
27:38
the second
27:39
day,
27:40
something else
27:41
happens.
27:42
And this
27:42
time,
27:43
all the
27:43
heads of
27:43
the father's
27:44
houses,
27:44
they come
27:45
together,
27:45
and they
27:46
said,
27:47
I'm postulating
27:48
to Ezra,
27:48
we can't keep
27:49
getting everybody
27:49
together every
27:50
single day.
27:50
It's just not
27:51
going to work.
27:52
There's no way
27:52
that you can
27:53
read in this
27:54
way all of
27:55
these days.
27:55
So we're
27:56
going to come
27:56
together and
27:57
let you crash
27:57
course us on
27:58
the law,
27:59
and we'll
27:59
take it back
28:00
to our
28:01
houses.
28:01
So notice
28:02
that there
28:02
in verse
28:03
13,
28:04
and we
28:05
see that
28:05
they discover
28:06
some things
28:06
along the
28:07
way.
28:08
There was
28:08
a great
28:09
eagerness
28:10
amongst the
28:11
people to
28:12
hear and
28:13
to learn,
28:14
to love,
28:15
to proclaim
28:15
the word
28:17
of God.
28:19
Notice
28:19
secondly,
28:20
their reverence.
28:22
Verse
28:23
five,
28:24
Nehemiah
28:25
ascends the
28:26
stage,
28:27
he opens
28:28
up the
28:30
book that
28:30
he has
28:31
with him,
28:31
and all
28:33
the people
28:33
stood.
28:34
That's the
28:35
record.
28:36
As he
28:36
opened it,
28:37
all the
28:37
people
28:38
stood.
28:40
Now,
28:40
I'm not
28:40
suggesting that
28:41
that's something
28:41
that we
28:42
ought to do,
28:43
that we
28:43
have to
28:44
stand for
28:44
the reading
28:45
of God's
28:45
word.
28:47
Many people
28:47
do practice
28:48
it in this
28:48
way.
28:49
Many
28:49
denominations,
28:49
that is a
28:50
normative
28:50
thing.
28:51
When the
28:51
word of
28:51
God is
28:52
read,
28:53
everybody
28:53
stands.
28:54
It's the
28:54
practice
28:55
done that
28:56
way.
28:56
What I
28:57
care about
28:58
is the
28:58
heart of
28:59
what's
28:59
going on
29:00
when the
29:00
word of
29:00
God
29:01
is being
29:02
read.
29:04
I don't
29:04
really expect
29:05
you to
29:05
tune in to
29:06
every single
29:06
thing that
29:07
I say.
29:08
The words
29:08
that come
29:09
out of my
29:09
mouth are
29:10
the words
29:10
of Nathan.
29:11
My hope
29:12
is,
29:12
and my
29:12
great desire
29:13
throughout the
29:13
week is
29:14
that I'm
29:14
simply
29:15
explaining to
29:16
you the
29:16
same way
29:16
men did
29:17
here,
29:18
the words
29:19
of God.
29:21
But how
29:22
many of you
29:22
just zone
29:23
out when
29:25
the word
29:25
of God
29:26
is being
29:27
read?
29:27
I labor
29:29
to read
29:30
well in
29:31
the hopes
29:31
that you'll
29:32
hear the
29:33
things that
29:34
are happening
29:34
in the
29:35
word of
29:36
God.
29:37
How many
29:38
of you do
29:38
other
29:39
activities
29:39
during a
29:41
sermon?
29:42
Fill in
29:43
all the
29:43
little
29:43
O's
29:44
in the
29:45
text.
29:46
You see
29:46
somebody's
29:47
Bible
29:47
that's
29:47
like that?
29:49
Some
29:49
people doodle,
29:50
it helps
29:50
them listen.
29:51
My wife's
29:51
one of
29:52
those.
29:52
You ever
29:52
see my
29:52
wife doodling?
29:53
She's paying
29:53
attention.
29:54
That's a
29:54
good thing.
29:56
How many
29:57
of you
29:58
get
29:58
extremely
29:59
distracted
30:00
and you
30:00
have no
30:01
reverence
30:02
for the
30:02
very
30:02
words
30:03
of God?
30:06
Notice
30:06
that the
30:06
reverence
30:07
goes beyond
30:07
just the
30:08
standing
30:08
and the
30:08
listening.
30:09
We don't
30:09
know if
30:10
they stood
30:11
up for
30:12
this entire
30:12
period of
30:13
time.
30:13
I would
30:14
guess not.
30:15
That would
30:15
be a
30:15
challenging
30:16
thing to
30:16
do.
30:18
However,
30:19
what's
30:19
probably
30:20
happening
30:20
here,
30:20
and again,
30:21
I wish
30:21
I had
30:21
all the
30:22
details,
30:23
but you
30:23
notice that
30:23
he had
30:24
six men
30:24
on his
30:25
left and
30:25
six on
30:26
his right.
30:27
I can't
30:28
imagine what
30:28
it's like
30:29
to try to
30:30
read to
30:30
a group
30:31
of 30,000
30:31
to 50,000
30:32
people.
30:33
What kind
30:34
of energy
30:34
it must
30:35
take to
30:36
read out
30:36
loud with
30:37
no PA
30:38
system and
30:38
simply just
30:39
trying to
30:39
project yourself
30:40
as best you
30:41
can over a
30:42
group like
30:43
that.
30:43
I'm sure
30:44
that it was
30:44
exhausting.
30:45
I love
30:46
my Sunday
30:47
afternoon naps.
30:48
I am tired
30:49
after I get
30:49
up and do
30:50
this.
30:50
I want to
30:51
go rest.
30:52
And here
30:52
they are for
30:53
an entire
30:53
morning doing
30:54
this.
30:55
And so I
30:55
think what's
30:56
happening,
30:57
my best
30:58
guess,
30:59
is that they're
30:59
taking turns
31:00
doing this.
31:01
That there's a
31:02
process by which
31:03
the word of
31:03
God is being
31:04
read.
31:05
And Ezra is not
31:06
the only one
31:07
reading, but he
31:07
steps aside and
31:08
somebody else
31:09
reads.
31:09
And in fact,
31:10
you saw that
31:10
there were 13
31:11
other Levites.
31:12
And we see that
31:12
they have this
31:13
process they go
31:14
about that they
31:15
read from the
31:17
book, from the
31:17
law of God
31:18
clearly, and they
31:19
gave the sense
31:19
that the people
31:20
understood the
31:21
reading.
31:21
That's verse
31:22
8.
31:22
And so what's
31:23
more than likely
31:24
happening is there's
31:24
a process happening
31:25
that one of these
31:26
men on the stage
31:27
gets up, reads
31:28
from the word of
31:29
God, takes a
31:29
break.
31:30
So maybe everybody
31:31
stood, heard from
31:33
the reading,
31:34
everybody sat down,
31:35
and then these 13
31:36
Levites would go
31:37
amongst the
31:37
people and help
31:39
them more clearly
31:40
understand.
31:41
Just expound
31:43
upon.
31:43
That's what
31:43
preaching really
31:44
should be.
31:46
That's the issue
31:46
at hand when we
31:47
talk about what is
31:48
expositional
31:49
preaching.
31:50
It's simply that,
31:50
just telling people
31:51
what the word of
31:52
God says, right?
31:53
Not piecing it
31:54
together to
31:54
reinforce what we
31:55
want to say, but
31:56
simply looking at a
31:57
text and saying,
31:58
this is what the
31:58
word of God has to
31:59
say for you.
32:00
This is what we're
32:01
supposed to be doing
32:03
with the word of
32:03
God.
32:04
This is what God
32:05
means with what God
32:06
said, and that's the
32:07
process that's taking
32:09
place here.
32:10
But notice that beyond
32:11
the standing, right,
32:12
however that was, if
32:13
they stood the whole
32:13
time or stood and
32:14
sat, whatever may
32:15
have happened, they
32:16
worship in other ways
32:18
as well.
32:19
And it would seem
32:20
that it would have
32:20
been foreign to
32:21
them and probably
32:22
foreign to anybody
32:23
who's experiencing
32:24
revival that they
32:24
would hold back
32:25
anything from God.
32:27
And I am guilty
32:28
amongst you of this.
32:30
Right?
32:31
When I am moved
32:32
inside, I tend to
32:34
keep my arms down.
32:35
Right?
32:35
We're a pretty boring
32:36
group of people.
32:37
And I don't mean that
32:38
as an offense to you
32:39
at all.
32:40
Right?
32:40
It may be just
32:40
perfectly fine that
32:41
we're that way.
32:42
But notice the people
32:43
here, they lifted up
32:44
their hands, they bowed
32:46
their heads, and they
32:47
worshiped with their
32:48
faces to the ground.
32:50
Right?
32:50
Which was a position
32:52
that gave reverence to,
32:54
that communicates that
32:55
we are not worthy to be
32:57
in the presence of the
32:58
Holy God.
32:59
They gave all of
33:01
themselves in their
33:02
reverence to the Word
33:04
of God being read.
33:08
Notice also their
33:09
responsiveness.
33:10
So their eagerness,
33:11
their reverence, and
33:14
their responsiveness.
33:14
Notice.
33:16
Look now further on,
33:17
down to verse 9.
33:21
The second part there
33:22
says,
33:24
For all the people
33:25
wept as they heard
33:26
the words of the law.
33:30
All the people
33:31
wept.
33:33
It wasn't a little
33:33
group, first couple
33:34
of rows, that really
33:35
were being affected
33:36
by this.
33:37
You know, the
33:37
50,000th man in the
33:40
very back wasn't
33:41
twiddling his thumbs
33:42
waiting to get a meal.
33:44
Right?
33:45
All the people were
33:46
being affected by this
33:47
reading of the Word.
33:49
And as Ezra and
33:50
possibly other men
33:51
read, they were
33:53
seeing and beholding
33:54
the holiness of God.
33:56
And they were seeing
33:56
how very, very, very
33:58
short they fell of
34:00
this objective.
34:01
They're seeing their
34:02
own condition.
34:03
The way that they
34:04
had offended God.
34:05
As the Word of God
34:06
was being read, an
34:07
ever-widening chasm
34:09
was opening up.
34:10
As if they're standing
34:10
or you're still on a
34:11
bank that's giving
34:12
way and it starts to
34:13
crumble and you take a
34:14
couple steps back and
34:14
it just keeps crumbling,
34:15
it just kept crumbling
34:16
and crumbling and
34:17
crumbling.
34:18
The expanse between
34:19
them and God got
34:20
bigger and bigger and
34:21
bigger and they
34:22
wept.
34:25
They responded to the
34:27
Word of God.
34:29
They saw it as a
34:30
communication.
34:31
God was speaking to
34:32
them and they
34:32
responded.
34:33
There should be an
34:35
appropriate response to
34:36
the teaching of the
34:38
Word.
34:39
Now notice what's said
34:40
to them.
34:41
What the instruction
34:41
that's given to them
34:42
as they're weeping,
34:43
right?
34:44
There's this weeping and
34:45
mourning going on and
34:46
Nehemiah the governor,
34:47
Ezra the priest and
34:48
scribe, and the Levites
34:50
who taught said to the
34:51
people, and we see it in
34:52
three different places,
34:54
chapter 9, excuse me,
34:55
verse 9, verse 10, and
34:57
verse 11.
34:58
This day is holy to the
34:59
Lord your God.
35:00
Do not mourn or weep.
35:02
Verse 10, go your way,
35:04
eat the fat and drink
35:04
sweet wine and send
35:05
portions to anyone who
35:06
has nothing for this day
35:07
is holy to our Lord.
35:08
And do not be grieved for
35:09
the joy of the Lord is
35:11
your strength.
35:12
Verse 11, be quiet for
35:14
the day is holy.
35:15
Do not be grieved.
35:17
The day is holy.
35:18
The day is set apart.
35:20
Don't grieve.
35:20
The day is holy.
35:21
The day is set apart.
35:22
Don't grieve.
35:22
It was probably a great
35:23
surprise to Ezra, to
35:25
Nehemiah, to the
35:26
Levites that when they
35:27
came together on a day,
35:28
remember the day of
35:30
trumpets, a day that was
35:31
supposed to be a day of
35:32
great joy, right?
35:34
That's why it was set
35:35
apart.
35:35
It was prescribed by God
35:37
to be a day of rejoicing
35:39
and celebration.
35:40
Why?
35:41
Because the day of
35:42
atonement was close at
35:43
hand.
35:45
So as they heard the law
35:46
being read to them, and
35:48
as that ever widening
35:49
expanse was open to them,
35:51
what they're saying to
35:51
them is, don't be sad.
35:54
Let the joy of the Lord be
35:55
your strength.
35:56
The fact that in Him we
35:59
have the redemption of
36:00
our souls.
36:02
Yes, the chasm is wide,
36:04
but it has been closed by
36:05
the goodness of our God.
36:07
That's what they're saying
36:08
to them, right?
36:09
This is a day set aside for
36:12
joy.
36:13
Now, that's not to say that
36:14
they're writing off
36:16
repentance, right?
36:17
They're not saying
36:17
contrition is not important.
36:19
We're actually going to see
36:19
in chapter 9 a great deal of
36:22
repentance over their sin.
36:23
But this day was not for
36:25
that.
36:26
This was a day to
36:27
celebrate the person and
36:30
work of Jesus Christ.
36:31
They may not have realized
36:33
that was happening on the
36:35
Day of Atonement, but this
36:36
is what that day was for.
36:41
Fourthly, notice their
36:44
obedience.
36:45
This will be a full point,
36:46
right?
36:47
When God sends revival, we
36:50
will obey the Word of God.
36:51
But let me just point it out
36:52
here as well.
36:54
Note their obedience.
36:56
In verse 14, as they come
36:57
back together on the second
36:59
day and they open the book
37:01
of the law again, they find
37:03
something and they found it
37:04
written in the law that the
37:06
Lord had commanded Moses that
37:07
the people of Israel should
37:08
dwell in booths during the
37:10
feast of the seventh month.
37:11
So this is called the feast of
37:13
booths or sakat.
37:14
It's a time between the feast
37:17
of the trumpets and the day of
37:19
atonement that the people were
37:20
meant to dwell in booths,
37:23
tabernacles, temporary shelters,
37:25
if you will.
37:26
And it was to remind them of
37:28
the sustaining work of God
37:30
after He led them out of
37:32
Israel.
37:33
They were led out into the
37:34
wilderness where they tarried
37:35
for 40 years and God cared for
37:37
them and provided for them in
37:39
that time.
37:40
This was something that they
37:41
were required to do as Old
37:44
Testament Jews.
37:46
And so what did they do?
37:49
We see no record of a debate on
37:51
whether or not it should take
37:52
place.
37:52
They just simply did it.
37:58
One of the single greatest mark
38:00
of Christian maturity is obedience.
38:04
Not what you know, but what you do
38:08
with what you know.
38:11
You understand that the Lord has
38:12
commanded something and you simply
38:14
do it.
38:16
Sometimes, with hesitancy, I teach
38:20
you new things because when I teach
38:21
you something new, you're held
38:22
responsible for the thing that you
38:24
know.
38:24
You now know something to be true
38:25
and therefore you need to be
38:27
obedient to that truth.
38:28
But yet, I love you and I want you
38:30
to be like Christ, so we need to
38:31
keep pressing on together.
38:34
It's a great mark of Christian
38:36
maturity that we are obedient to the
38:39
work, the words of God.
38:41
And notice the result of this,
38:44
verse 17.
38:46
Look at the result of their
38:48
obedience.
38:48
They're told to go away on this
38:50
first day, right?
38:52
To go and to rejoice.
38:53
Something they're intended to go do.
38:56
And then the result of their
38:57
obedience, the record is,
38:59
and there was great rejoicing.
39:03
The people of God set the Word of
39:08
God aside as the ultimate authority
39:11
in their lives.
39:12
There will be great rejoicing.
39:17
We saw that blessed are those who
39:19
hear the Word of God and keep it.
39:21
This word, blessed, that Jesus uses
39:24
doesn't mean abounding in stuff,
39:29
right?
39:29
It means full of a joy that bubbles
39:33
up from inside of us.
39:34
That's not affected by the circumstances
39:36
outside of us, but that is something
39:38
that abides within us.
39:40
This is the type of joy that comes.
39:45
Beloved, are we a joy-filled people?
39:48
Blessed because we hear the Word of God
39:51
and we keep it?
39:52
Have we established for ourselves
39:54
the Word of God as the ultimate
39:57
authority in our lives?
39:59
Let's pray together.