Untitled Sermon (4)

Getting More out of God’s Word

Good evening. Tonight, if you have your Bibles, we will be in Nehemiah chapter 8. Tonight, we will be talking about getting more out of God’s word. This sermon kind of stemmed down from a book that Brother Chris gave me a couple of years ago, which unfortunately I have not finished yet, called reading God’s word for all it’s worth. This is a book talks about how to go about reading God’s word properly, and how to understand it. This understanding is important. Have you ever had a time where you didn’t understand something in God’s word? Have you ever had a time where you thought something in God’s word meant something else from what you originally thought? Misunderstanding God’s word or taking it out of context is very common. In fact, it seems almost every week I walk around campus somebody wants to try to disprove the Bible or tell me something about Christianity from this verse that they read that they took out of context. Sometimes you even find it within the church. People thinking that Jermiah 29:11 is about God calling them to prosper. What you realize when you get more out of God’s word is that 1) that verse is not even about them and 2) when you read it it’s actually about the Israelites going into exile. It is important for us as Christians to get more out of God’s word because quite simply it’s about how we live our lives. Our lives our guided by the teaching and principles in God’s word. You’ll notice that when you don’t understand God’s word, your life is hard to live for Christ when you don’t know who he is. Tonight we’ll talk about simple ways that we can get more out of the word of God.

“And all the people gathered as one man into the square before the Water Gate. And they told Ezra the scribe to bring the Book of the Law of Moses that the LORD had commanded Israel. 2 So Ezra the priest brought the Law before the assembly, both men and women and all who could understand what they heard, on the first day of the seventh month. 3 And he read from it facing the square before the Water Gate from early morning until midday, in the presence of the men and the women and those who could understand. And the ears of all the people were attentive to the Book of the Law. 4 And Ezra the scribe stood on a wooden platform that they had made for the purpose. And beside him stood Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Uriah, Hilkiah, and Maaseiah on his right hand, and Pedaiah, Mishael, Malchijah, Hashum, Hashbaddanah, Zechariah, and Meshullam on his left hand. 5 And Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people, for he was above all the people, and as he opened it all the people stood. 6 And Ezra blessed the LORD, the great God, and all the people answered, “Amen, Amen,” lifting up their hands. And they bowed their heads and worshiped the LORD with their faces to the ground. 7 Also Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, the Levites, helped the people to understand the Law, while the people remained in their places. 8 They read from the book, from the Law of God, clearly, and they gave the sense, so that the people understood the reading.” Nh 8:1-8

The book of Nehemiah is believed to have been written by the same author of Ezra which unfortunately is unknown. Some parts are believed to be written by him as some accounts are in first person. The book is generally about the return of some of the exiles of the Jews from Persia to the promise land. They go about rebuilding the temple in Jerusalem and the walls of Jerusalem. In doing so we come to this account which is recorded in both Ezra and Nehemiah in different ways about the reading of the Law of Moses. They go about this period remembering all the stuff that was commanded for them to do like sacrifices and feasts. The thing they do in this chapter is to seek and read the word of God and the Law of God. This covenant renewal is what it has been called. They have realized their sin and the reason for their fathers’ exile and it is because of there lack of keeping the covenant which came from a lack of understanding God’s word given to them by Moses. This is so great because for the past few months we have been discussing this same law through the book of Exodus. We have been studying the many specific things that they need to do to be God’s people. The idea of being holy, which means to be set apart. In order to do this, we need to understand God who is holy more and in order to do that we need to understand what he has revealed in his word more. So first, we need to understand what the word of God is.

Understand what the word is

What is the word of God?

The question on what the word of God is has been debated over the many centuries by people even in the church. You’ll notice that some people have more books in the Bible than you do. You’ll also know people understanding different things in the Bible than we do. This all stems down from our understanding of what the Bible or word of God is. When we look at the Bible the first misconception is that it is one book. The Bible is a collection of 66 books in one binding. These books have around 40 authors. The Bible is one of the most historically accurate books in history having over 5500 manuscripts to this date most of which being found within 100 years of being written for the New Testament. This is in great contrast to things we know about Ceasar which is around 10 manuscripts within a 1000 years. The crazy thing is that most people believe in the stories of Caesar more than the Bible. All of this is very surface level in understanding what the word of God is. First) the word of God is described as Jesus. John 1:1 says, “in the beginning was the word and the word was with God and the word was God”. The Greek word there is Logos. This is the Greek word for word. This Word is described as the thing that upholds the universe. This is exactly what Jesus is described as doing. Hebrews 1:3 says, “He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power”. In the Doctrine of the trinity you have God the father, which is described as the head; God the son, which is described as the word of God; and God the Holy spirit, which is described as the breath of God. Jesus is the word of God that was made manifest to us. Second) the very words of God as in speech. When we read God’s word specifically in Genisis chapter one we can understand that God’s word is God’s powerful decree. When we read the creation account it says that God spoke and the world was made. Third) God’s word can be spoken through human lips. When reading through the Old Testament you can see many instances where someone will say, “Thus says the LORD”. This is usually out of the mouth of prophets. They are declaring or speaking the word of God. The immediate application of this is when we hear someone say this phrase without the quotation of scripture you should be weary. The Bible says that nothing should be added or taken away from this book. Fourth) the word of God is also God’s words in written form. We believe that the Bible is God’s word revealed to us through human authors. It is human authorship with divine inspiration. With this understanding the what the word of God is the next thing we can do to get more out of God’s word is quite simply to read God’s word.

Read God’s Word More

How much are you reading God’s word?

If the answer is not a lot, this is quite obviously the first step to getting more out of God’s word. It says in verse 3, “And he read from it facing the square before the Water Gate from early morning until midday”. From the early morning till midday the Israelites spent outside learning and hearing the word of God. Deuteronomy 6:6-9 says, “And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. 7 You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. 8 You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. 9 You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.” This was Moses telling the Israelites about the Law. He expressed how much they needed to read and learn the word of God. We can see the importance of this when we realize the state that the current Israelites were in was because the didn’t know and understand the word of God. It is understood that the Israelites would memorize the Pentateuch or the first 5 books of the Bible in their early childhood. As the people of God, doesn’t it seem right to do the same? When I want to get better at golf I tend to watch more golf. The same when I want to get better at trumpet. The best way to get a better understanding of the trumpet is to listen to people who play it well. You can put your sport or activity that you like there and the concept is the same. How much more as Christians to the one we call Lord just read his word. At least daily. However, we should not only read, but study God’s word.

Not only read but study

How much are you studying God’s word?

The first reason why we should study God’s word more is that first and foremost is because it illuminates our life. Psalms 119:105 says, “your word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path.” We live in a very dark and confusing world and the illumination that we need to get through it is right in God’s word. For it is by knowing God’s word that we can test the spirits that John talks about in his first epistle. You won’t be carried off by every wind of doctrine if the word of God is illuminating your life. Second) not only does God’s word illuminate our life, but it also guides our life. 2ndTimothy 3:16-17 says, “all scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.” We get the proper tone for our life when we understand and study scripture like it’s supposed to be. We can get the correction we need and the reproof we need to stay on the right path for our lives. Jesus before he started his ministry was fasting in the wilderness, when the tempter, Satan, came to tempt him. Jesus said to him, “man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God” Jesus tells the devil tempting him with bread that man should not live by bread alone. He quotes Deuteronomy 8:3 by saying this and reminding us that we should live on the word of God. We must understand that the word of God is life. For it was God’s word that creation was spoken into existence, and it is by God’s word that it is being held together. Therefore, it is by God’s word that we should live. Third) we should study God’s word because it is a defense against the enemy. We notice from this same passage in Mathew chapter 4. What does Jesus do? He quotes scripture. He refutes every temptation and attack from the devil with the word of God. A side note is that while Christ quoted scripture the devil used scripture as well. We must make sure that we know and study scripture enough that we don’t use it for our personal gain or prideful understanding, but for the use and context that it is in. Christ imparts this understanding and wisdom to us that we can use to fight the temptations and attacks from the devil in our life. Finally) we study scripture so that we will not sin against God. While we the word of God is our weapon against the enemy it is also for ourselves. The devil doesn’t force anyone to sin. However, in our free will, we choose to sin. Let us be like the psalmist when he said, “I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.” in Psalm 119:11. You probably recognize these verses from the pledge to the Bible which says the same thing. It should be a pledge in our lives that we are attentive when we study God’s word. Finally, we should not do this alone. We should study God’s word with other people.

Study with other People

Who are you studying God’s word with?

In order for us to get more out of God’s word we need to study with other people. Verse 8, “They read from the book, from the law of God, clearly, and they gave sense, so that the people understood the reading”. We are not meant to learn the Bible alone. I preached a while ago about accountability partners. About how people need people, specifically people in the church to study the word of God with and to live out his commands. The accountability of studying God’s word is one powerful command from scripture. What we read before from Deuteronomy 6 was a command to teach and study the law of God with your kids. You can also read in Psalm 78 the consequences of not teaching and studying God’s word with your kids or with others. Which quite simply lead to complete and utter rebellion against God. When it talks about the other people in this specific passage, it is talking about the Levites. The Levites were charged with knowing and teaching the Law of God. They helped with giving understanding to the people. This is what the elders and pastors of the church are for. To be well versed in scripture to give knowledge and understanding to the youth. 1st Timothy 3:9, “They must hold the mystery of the faith with a clear conscious”. In simpler terms they must be able to understand the precepts of the faith in order to live by them and teach them. I’ve been doing a study with a couple of guys through 1st John. Where we learn about just this: A proper knowledge of Christianity through the lens of proper doctrine, obedience, and a life of devotion. When you study with the help of people that truly understand the word you won’t be pushed away by false doctrine. You will be encouraged to obedience, like the Israelites were. You will also be encouraged to live a life of devotion.

As we close today, do you know what God’s word is? Are you reading it and studying it every day? Are you studying it with other people? Just a small group of three people genuinely studying God’s word will do more than any one left on their own. It’s also just more fun cause you get to hang out more. And your parents are ok with it because it’s Bible study. In all seriousness, if you don’t know God. And you don’t know the truths about his word. Know this tonight. That in his words is the wonderful story of salvation. We were lost in darkness from our sin in rebellion against God and really his word. While we were yet rebellious, he sent his son to die for us. To be the ultimate sacrifice and payment for our sin. He rose again to be the mediator and perfector of our faith, that if we believe in him, we can be free of our slavery to sin and be alive in Christ. If you haven’t accepted Jesus into your heart, you can talk to brother Josh about what it means to be saved in Christ. For those that do believe and are already saved, consider starting a Bible study with someone. You need it, we all need it. Let’s get more out of God’s word. Let us know God’s word, but not just know it, but live it out.