Nehemiah 10 | Make a Commitment

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INTRODUCTION: Commitment time. Engagement story, getting in a fight to throw her off.

TENSION: If you really love her, you will want to be commited. You can’t say you love someone and not be commited. Yet, many will say they love God but don’t want to fully commit. But that attitude leads to heartbreak as we have seen in Israel over and over again.

How awful would it be if Beth and I were still just dating.

CONTEXT: They are building up a people of God. They have just confessed their sin which led them to determine, we will not fall into that trap again.

Nehemiah 9:38 ESV

38 “Because of all this we make a firm covenant in writing; on the sealed document are the names of our princes, our Levites, and our priests.

They are going to write their name on a list and say we will follow after God.

You better believe that I am not going to read all 88 names. But I want you to look for the 4 groups.

Nehemiah 10:1–27 ESV

1 “On the seals are the names of Nehemiah the governor, the son of Hacaliah, Zedekiah, 2 Seraiah, Azariah, Jeremiah, 3 Pashhur, Amariah, Malchijah, 4 Hattush, Shebaniah, Malluch, 5 Harim, Meremoth, Obadiah, 6 Daniel, Ginnethon, Baruch, 7 Meshullam, Abijah, Mijamin, 8 Maaziah, Bilgai, Shemaiah; these are the priests. 9 And the Levites: Jeshua the son of Azaniah, Binnui of the sons of Henadad, Kadmiel; 10 and their brothers, Shebaniah, Hodiah, Kelita, Pelaiah, Hanan, 11 Mica, Rehob, Hashabiah, 12 Zaccur, Sherebiah, Shebaniah, 13 Hodiah, Bani, Beninu. 14 The chiefs of the people: Parosh, Pahath-moab, Elam, Zattu, Bani, 15 Bunni, Azgad, Bebai, 16 Adonijah, Bigvai, Adin, 17 Ater, Hezekiah, Azzur, 18 Hodiah, Hashum, Bezai, 19 Hariph, Anathoth, Nebai, 20 Magpiash, Meshullam, Hezir, 21 Meshezabel, Zadok, Jaddua, 22 Pelatiah, Hanan, Anaiah, 23 Hoshea, Hananiah, Hasshub, 24 Hallohesh, Pilha, Shobek, 25 Rehum, Hashabnah, Maaseiah, 26 Ahiah, Hanan, Anan, 27 Malluch, Harim, Baanah.

2 leaders, 21 Priests, 17 Levites, AND 44 regular men. Last section is last names.

Make A Commitment

They are making a contract, they put their names on it. And for the rest of time they are remembered as the men who made this commitment.

Scary putting your name down: haha make Devin sign documents. Actually Brandon.

God cares less about you putting your name on paper and more about you putting his law your heart.

We all have to choose, will you serve God in every area of your life or not. You can’t just do it when coventieant.

You are treating God like a boyfriend who won’t commit.You have all the rules and none of the good parts.

But what about all of us non-leaders:

Nehemiah 10:28–29 ESV

28 “The rest of the people, the priests, the Levites, the gatekeepers, the singers, the temple servants, and all who have separated themselves from the peoples of the lands to the Law of God, their wives, their sons, their daughters, all who have knowledge and understanding, 29 join with their brothers, their nobles, and enter into a curse and an oath to walk in God’s Law that was given by Moses the servant of God, and to observe and do all the commandments of the Lord our Lord and his rules and his statutes.

The rest of the people - those who were following after God as well said we will enter the covenant as well. haha good pier pressure.

separated themselves - They were living differently than the world.

enter into a curse - cross my heart and hope to die. Saying curse us if we break it.

Was given by Moses …observe and do - the reason why we don’t talk about the Nehemiah covenant was they were just recommitting themselves to Moses’ covenant. Many of us don’t need to try something new, we just need to start obeying what God already told us.

So, what specifically did they commit to? 3 things that are directly related to us today.

Nehemiah 10:30–31 ESV

30 We will not give our daughters to the peoples of the land or take their daughters for our sons. 31 And if the peoples of the land bring in goods or any grain on the Sabbath day to sell, we will not buy from them on the Sabbath or on a holy day. And we will forego the crops of the seventh year and the exaction of every debt.

Don’t allow you kids to marry losers - ILLUSTRATION: reminds when I asked my father in law for Beth.

This isn’t race, but religion. - Don’t date non- Christians.

In our culture today, commit to honor God sexually: Porn.

v31- Sabbath rest - this was an opportunity to take a day and remember the Lord.

This wasn’t actually command though, commit yourself to God, not just away from sinners.

7th year - rest. Trust God with your finances.

490 years neglected. 70 years exiled.

exaction of every debt - school debt joke. In America you have to go to college to get debts forgiven.

Make A Commitment…To Obey The Lord

ILLUSTRATION: marriage vows, promise to put the toilet seat down and not to not order something only to eat half your fries.

What areas in your life that you aren’t commited to following Jesus in? If you say nothing, then let’s start with your lying problem haha

EXTRA SLIDE! TO CHANGE YOUR LIFE FOR THE BETTER:

1. Determine what part of your life is not aligned to Scripture.

2. Write out a plan: start with the heart then move to actions. What changes and sacrifices are needed to make a change?

3. Show it to a trusted friend.

Then they really start to step on toes.

Nehemiah 10:32–33 ESV

Pastor’s talking bout money again. As much as you don’t like listening to it, I like talking about it even less. BUT, if its in the Bible we talk about it. And if you are upset about that you are the one who needs to hear it most. I don’t know who gives, so I am going to assume everyone in this service gives…its those people in the 8:15 that are the sinners.

ILLUSTRATION: I tithe 1 million dollars a year. My Pastor will find me. ..maybe move lower?

sheckel - a few bucks worth. pay for temple upkeep. But a reminder that God atoned for their sin.

Nehemiah 10:34 ESV

34 We, the priests, the Levites, and the people, have likewise cast lots for the wood offering, to bring it into the house of our God, according to our fathers’ houses, at times appointed, year by year, to burn on the altar of the Lord our God, as it is written in the Law.

They not only gave, they served. This wasn’t something that was mentioned in the OT, but there was a need. So they took turns and served.

cast lots- I figured out a way to get more kids volunteers.

Nehemiah 10:35–36 ESV

35 We obligate ourselves to bring the firstfruits of our ground and the firstfruits of all fruit of every tree, year by year, to the house of the Lord; 36 also to bring to the house of our God, to the priests who minister in the house of our God, the firstborn of our sons and of our cattle, as it is written in the Law, and the firstborn of our herds and of our flocks;

Obligate ourselves - no one was forcing themselves to do. They freely gave themselves.

firstfruits - the best of everything they had. Don’t just give the leftovers, give your best.

Nehemiah 10:37–39 ESV

37 and to bring the first of our dough, and our contributions, the fruit of every tree, the wine and the oil, to the priests, to the chambers of the house of our God; and to bring to the Levites the tithes from our ground, for it is the Levites who collect the tithes in all our towns where we labor. 38 And the priest, the son of Aaron, shall be with the Levites when the Levites receive the tithes. And the Levites shall bring up the tithe of the tithes to the house of our God, to the chambers of the storehouse. 39 For the people of Israel and the sons of Levi shall bring the contribution of grain, wine, and oil to the chambers, where the vessels of the sanctuary are, as well as the priests who minister, and the gatekeepers and the singers. We will not neglect the house of our God.”

Levites didn’t have their own land, but were stationed in cities across the area. You would give your tithe to them.

TITHE - You don’t have to give 10%- they gave closer to 25%. Give as the Lord lays on your heart.

But I can tell you, it’s more than what you think it is.

BUILDING CAMPAIN - You saw if all 800+ that call this place their church home gave we would ahve paid off in no time.

TWIST ENDING: This isn’t the house of God. Who is the house of God? You. This develops something inside of you. That says I will trust Christ.

ILLUSTRATION: Gracie story?

Make A Commitment…To Obey The Lord…and sacrifice to Him.

CONCLUSION: Engagement ring - I spent over 90% of my net worth on it. Still wan’t much. But if I bought a new one, it would never mean as much as the first one does? Why Because it is attached to the heart.

Maybe it’s time to get down on our knees and make a commitment to God.

Similar to breaking the contract. God will punish you if you do that.

illustration: real life marriage vows....

Gives daughters and sons - this is not about race, tis about religion. Today: there are two types of people, don’t marry non christian.

Don’t be uniquely yoked - in any sense. WE need our community. Don’t partner with darkness. Today a good applicaiton of that will also be don’t be defined by the world. IF you speak like the world, watch the same stuff as the world, etc...

Sabbath day - that was a huge difference people. They kept rest. How great is it that God gives a day of rest.

This is a big point of trust for them. Taking a day off is huge. Can you rest in God?

Interesting here, this was not explicitly taught in OT law, but it was enferred and more a logical conclusion of the law.

But this led to pharisees.

That is often the case for Christians, someone will make a rule with good intention but then they we will get more caught up on rules. So we go back

Seventh year - 70 years skipped. 70 years of captivity. 490 years.

Make A Commitment…To Obey The Lord…and sacrifice to Him.

(A sacrifice has to be voluntary).

Nehemiah 10:32–39 ESV

32 “We also take on ourselves the obligation to give yearly a third part of a shekel for the service of the house of our God: 33 for the showbread, the regular grain offering, the regular burnt offering, the Sabbaths, the new moons, the appointed feasts, the holy things, and the sin offerings to make atonement for Israel, and for all the work of the house of our God. 34 We, the priests, the Levites, and the people, have likewise cast lots for the wood offering, to bring it into the house of our God, according to our fathers’ houses, at times appointed, year by year, to burn on the altar of the Lord our God, as it is written in the Law. 35 We obligate ourselves to bring the firstfruits of our ground and the firstfruits of all fruit of every tree, year by year, to the house of the Lord; 36 also to bring to the house of our God, to the priests who minister in the house of our God, the firstborn of our sons and of our cattle, as it is written in the Law, and the firstborn of our herds and of our flocks; 37 and to bring the first of our dough, and our contributions, the fruit of every tree, the wine and the oil, to the priests, to the chambers of the house of our God; and to bring to the Levites the tithes from our ground, for it is the Levites who collect the tithes in all our towns where we labor. 38 And the priest, the son of Aaron, shall be with the Levites when the Levites receive the tithes. And the Levites shall bring up the tithe of the tithes to the house of our God, to the chambers of the storehouse. 39 For the people of Israel and the sons of Levi shall bring the contribution of grain, wine, and oil to the chambers, where the vessels of the sanctuary are, as well as the priests who minister, and the gatekeepers and the singers. We will not neglect the house of our God.”

Take on ourselves the obligation - noramylly obligation comes from somewhere else. But they take it themselves.

Give yearly a third part of a shekel -Hard to say, 100 bucks.

Showbread - the food that the priest had.

v35 - we obligate ourselves - once again, it was not something that was forced upon them. But they freely gave.

Firstfruits - that was typically going to be best . Pre-tax vs Post -tax: IDC, just give.

You don’t give God the leftovers, you give him the first fruit.

Money is the greatest indicator of your maturity in Chirst in America.

Tithe, literally means 10%. They were required to give 10%, but that was only one portion. IT was closer to 25% of giveing and taxes.

Cheerful giver, - joke about little boy who gave 1 quater instead of 2 to be cheeful...

We will not neglect the house of our God. - Here is the twist ending, This building is not our temple. Our new buidling is not the temple. You are the temple.

So we give, to develop something inside us, not to build something outside of us.