REBUILT & RENEWED

Nehemiah 7:73–8:1 CSB

The priests, Levites, gatekeepers, temple singers, some of the people, temple servants, and all Israel settled in their towns. When the seventh month came and the Israelites had settled in their towns, all the people gathered together at the square in front of the Water Gate. They asked the scribe Ezra to bring the book of the law of Moses that the Lord had given Israel.

INTRO—

The Reformation…The Great Awakening…The Welsh Revival…The Laymen’s Prayer Revival…The Jesus People Movement…[Asbury University?]

(Maybe you’ve been blessed to be a part of a church who experienced revival in your life…)

The Setting…

Nehemiah 7.73b-8.2 “The priests, Levites, gatekeepers, temple singers, some of the people, temple servants, and all Israel settled in their towns. When the seventh month came and the Israelites had settled in their towns, all the people gathered together at the square in front of the Water Gate. They asked the scribe Ezra to bring the book of the law of Moses that the Lord had given Israel. On the first day of the seventh month, the priest Ezra brought the law before the assembly of men, women, and all who could listen with understanding.”

A CALL TO COME TOGETHER [Nehemiah 8.2-8]

“The People” (8.1, 3, 5-12; 13x)

“The men, the women, and those who could understand” (8.2-3)

“The book of the law of God”

Nehemiah 8.8 “They read out of the book of the law of God, translating and giving the meaning so that the people could understand what was read.”

“Levites explained the law to the people as they stood in their places…translating and giving the meaning so that the people understood what was read.”

RESPONSE & (RE) REFOCUS [Nehemiah 8.9-12]

“For all the people were weeping as they heard the words of the law.”

Repentance.

Nehemiah 8.10 “Then he said to them, “Go and eat what is rich, drink what is sweet, and send portions to those who have nothing prepared, since today is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, because the joy of the Lord is your strength.””

The Seventh Month & First Day = Feast of Trumpets (celebration)…

…& hearing God’s word, understanding it, repenting in light of it is cause for REJOICING!

…& a day (time) for caring for others [ “send portions to those who have nothing prepared” ]

RECLAIM A HEALTHY HABIT FOR YOUR SPIRITUAL FOCUS (& STRENGTH) [Nehemiah 8.13-18]

No…we’re not going to build Booths (or Shelters or Tabernacles) and spend a week here at the church or outside at our houses. :-)

Nehemiah 8.14-15 “They found written in the law how the Lord had commanded through Moses that the Israelites should dwell in shelters during the festival of the seventh month. So they proclaimed and spread this news throughout their towns and in Jerusalem, saying, “Go out to the hill country and bring back branches of olive, wild olive, myrtle, palm, and other leafy trees to make shelters, just as it is written.””

I DO encourage each of us to find either a spiritual habit (discipline; which we have recently talked about) or a section of Scripture (especially a biblical event/story) which encourages you, go over and over and over it—learning from it, be encouraged by it, be challenged by it…and then share it with others (a fellow believer & a lost friend).

CONCL—

In light of the passage we’ve considered today, I am excited to present to us a multifaceted opportunity, specifically related to our weekly worship gatherings:

Starting next week (03/12) through Easter Sunday (04/09) we will be involved in a special focus asking the question—WHO IS JESUS?

A ‘simple-enough’ question…with a ‘massive-enough’ answer(s) that I pray will be awe-inspiring & opportunity-opening for us (as we look through the lenses of the Four Gospels for the answer)…

To open the door of revival.

To open the door of conversation with a lost friend/family member. (Invite a lost friend to join you for church as we consider (investigate) this most important of questions.)

THE LEGACY OF CHRISTIAN HISTORY (Revivals, et al.) SHOWS US THAT WE ARE TO BE ALWAYS ‘REFORMING’…changing (growing in our faith [sanctification]; so often in need of refocus, revitalization, renewal, revival)…

Because—as the song says: “Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it. Prone to leave the God I love.”

[ “Here’s my heart, Lord. Take and seal it. Seal it for Thy courts above.” ]

Nehemiah 8:18 CSB

Ezra read out of the book of the law of God every day, from the first day to the last. The Israelites celebrated the festival for seven days, and on the eighth day there was a solemn assembly, according to the ordinance.