AM - ABC's to Thrive in 2025 - THE PREACHING of the WORD OF GOD - part C

Turn with me in your Bibles to Nehemiah 8.

I WILL GIVE YOU A MOMENT TO FIND YOUR PLACE IN THE WORD OF GOD AND THEN WE WILL PRAY!

I will be doing things just a little bit differently this morning - than what we customarily do!

No need to worry, we WILL open the Word of God!

We WILL read from the Word of God!

We WILL have the MESSAGE from Almighty God - this morning!

It will simply be formatted just a BIT DIFFERENTLY to start out!

LET’s PRAY!

And we will commence God’s Message, “THE PREACHING OF THE WORD OF GOD!”

We started a couple of months ago, looking into this familiar passage - from days gone by, when we worked our way thru the Book of Nehemiah.

From the beginning of the chapter, we began observing some principles as to the INTEGRITY & the IMPORTANCE of the PREACHING from the Word of God!

We will not be re-hashing ALL the history that has led up to this point - I think we are ALL up-to-date historically!

The fact STILL remains - there IS an INTEGRITY TO (“or quality of being honest and having strong moral principles that you refuse to change”)

There HAD BETTER be GREAT INTEGRITY TO & GREAT IMPORTANCE FOR the PREACHING OF THE WORD OF GOD! - Ezekiel 3:17 - “Son of man, I have made thee a watchman unto the house of Israel: therefore hear the word at my mouth, and give them warning from me.”

In THE INTRODUCTION to God’s MESSAGE, this morning - take note of 3 Things:

#1 - The Preaching IS God’s Message Unto the People!

1 Corinthians 1:18 - “For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.”

Romans 10:14 - “How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?”

2 Timothy 4:2 - “Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.”

Matthew 10:27 - “What I tell you in darkness, that speak ye in light: and what ye hear in the ear, that preach ye upon the housetops.”

Ezekiel 2:7 - “And thou shalt speak my words unto them, whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear: for they are most rebellious.”

Thus - the preacher HAD BETTER get it right BEFORE he steps behind God’s Sacred Desk!

Every preacher called of God WILL STAND BEFORE GOD & give an account to his stewardship of delivering the Word of God to God’s People! - Heb. 13:17; 2 Cor. 5:10.

God’s Message, through prayer & time spent with the LORD -

Should NOT be meddled with -

Should NOT be diminished -

Should NOT be embellished -

BUT SHOULD BE GIVEN AS ALMIGHTY GOD LEADS WITHOUT FEAR OR RETRIBUTION - IT IS GOD’s MESSAGE!

So, when you come to God’s House - it is to hear THROUGH God’s Servant - THE MESSAGE FROM GOD, ALONE!

It is NOT the time to check Facebook, social-media, or any other website!

It is NOT the time to check email, check your TO-DO Lists, or navigate on your phone!

It is NOT the time to go over your grocery lists, the choices of eateries when you leave here, or what to do at home!

It is NOT the time to sleep, count sheep, count light bulbs, or count how many are in attendance!

IT IS THE TIME, TO LISTEN WITH YOUR EARS & YOUR EYES -

For - IT IS THE TIME WHEN GOD’S MESSAGE TO YOU IS BEING GIVEN!

Because God’s Servant Has Invested MUCH Time Preparing to Give God’s Message -

God’s People OUGHT to be Respectful to Listen and to Heed God’s Message!

#1 - The Preaching is God’s Message Unto the People!

#2 - The Preaching of God’s Message Comes Directly From the Written Word of God!

Romans 10:17 - “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”

Isaiah 55:11 - “So shall MY WORD be that goeth forth out of my mouth: It shall not return unto me void, But it shall accomplish that which I please, And it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.”

1 Timothy 4:5–6 - “For it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer. If thou put the brethren in remembrance of these things, thou shalt be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished up in the words of faith and of good doctrine, whereunto thou hast attained.”

When you come to God’s House, you should EXPECT to be given God’s Message -

Not from -

The Reader’s Digest

The Pastor’s Opinion Column

The Modern Day Cults of this World

The Idealogies of Philosophers

The TV FALSE Preachers

When you come to God’s House, you should EXPECT to be given God’s Message - FROM THE WRITTEN WORD OF GOD!

There are those who walk around saying, “I sure wish that I knew what God expected out of me.”

There are those who walk around frantically, “I sure wish that God would speak to me.”

There are those who walk around into other venues searching for answers, “Hoping to hear the voice of Almighty God!”

MY FRIEND - THE ONLY WAY TO HEAR, & TO KNOW THE MESSAGE OF GOD IS - TO OPEN FOR YOURSELF & READ THE WORD OF GOD!

FURTHERMORE - AS DR. SCOTT PAULEY SAYS, “IF YOU WANT TO HEAR OUTLOUD WHAT GOD HAS TO SAY, THEN READ THE WORD OF GOD, OUTLOUD!”

Hebrews 11:6 - “But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.”

Romans 10:17 - “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”

#1 - The Preaching IS God’s Message to The People!

#2 - The Preaching of God’s Message Comes From the Written Word of God!

#3 - The Preaching of God’s Message DEMANDS Results!

Hebrews 4:12 - “For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.”

1 Corinthians 1:21 - “For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.”

Matthew 13:23 - “But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.”

James 1:22 - “But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.”

Joshua 1:8 “This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.”

Far too many times, we want to substitute our MERE PRESENCE to Church services, in exchange for SOME OBVIOUS RESULTS in our eyes and life!

That is NOT how God works in our lives!

YES! - God expects His Own to be in His House When the Doors Are Open (Heb. 10:25) - and for most folks, I UNDERSTAND, that is a sacrifice!

We ALL have busy schedules!

We ALL have things that NEED our attention!

We ALL have places that we would LIKE to go to!

We ALL have people that expect our time and attention!

And sometimes the call to be in God’s House can be a sacrifice to make on our parts!

BUT GOD IS NOT AS MUCH CONCERNED FOR YOUR SACRIFICE — (LISTEN) AS HE IS IN YOUR OBEDIENCE!

1 Samuel 15:22 - “And Samuel said, Hath the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, As in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, And to hearken than the fat of rams.”

You See Your Obedience to God’s Messages Found in the Word of God IS What Has the Ability to Change You, To Transform You, & To Make You MORE Into the Image of His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ!

Acts 20:32 - “And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which IS ABLE to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified.”

You see IT IS THE WORD OF HIS GRACE WHICH IS ABLE (WHICH HAS THE EXPLOSIVE POWER - dunameno)

Which is ALL POWERFUL - “For the word of God IS quick and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword”!

IT IS THE WORD OF HIS GRACE WHICH IS ABLE TO BREAK THE HARDEST OF HEARTS & MELT THE HEART OF STONE!

Jeremiah 23:29 “Is not my word like as a fire? saith the Lord; and like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces?”

MY FRIEND - IT IS THE WORD OF HIS GRACE THAT HAS THE POWER TO SAVE, TO KEEP, TO CLEANSE & IT WILL!

You See - IT IS the Word of His Grace That Has the Power to Accomplish a GREAT WORK IN YOU

Philippians 1:6 “Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:”

That is WHY it is so dire IMPORTANT for you to be present for the PREACHING OF THE WORD of God - God’s Message WILL Produces Results - ONLY, IF YOU RECEIVE IT & OBEY IT!

There MIGHT be one sitting here thinking - “Well....I just don’t see it to be THAT IMPORTANT, or see any signs.”

Isaiah 55:11 - “So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: It shall not return unto me void, But it shall accomplish that which I please, And it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.”

As we said Wednesday Night - “When God’s Message has been Given, and there are NO RESULTS - then someone messed up, and it is NOT GOD!”

Isaiah 55:7 - “Let the wicked forsake his way, And the unrighteous man his thoughts: And let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him; And to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.”

THAT’S JUST THE INTRODUCTION TO THE MESSAGE - LET’S MOVE INTO THE MESSAGE, ITSELF!

From Nehemiah 8 - we have seen, so far -

The IMPORTANCE to The Communication of The Word of God!

Therefore - Your Understanding Is Paramount to the Preaching!

Consequently - Consider A UNIFIED DESIRE for the Preaching!

Seen In the DESIRE TO The Word of God, FROM the People.

Seen in the DEVOTION TO The Word of God - FROM the Pastor.

We Saw Ezra BROUGHT the Law to Read - (Neh. 8:2).

Notice THIS MORNING- Ezra OPENED the Book. - Nehemiah 8:5 - “And Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people; (for he was above all the people;) and when he opened it, all the people stood up:”

What A Sign of Reverence TO The Word of God! (GOD SAID IT, THAT SETTLES IT, WHETHER I BELIEVE IT OR NOT - & THE PEOPLE REVERENCED GOD’s WORD OVER THEIR OWN COMFORT!)

As Ezra, the scribe AND the priest, unrolled the parchment scrolls - probably from the security of the Temple -

Something EXTRAORDINARY occurred in the midst of the people! - turn to (Psa. 138)

ILL.: It’s like when we hear our NATIONAL ANTHEM being played at any given venue - it is reverential & USED TO BE customary for RED-BLOODED AMERICANS in the venue, TO STAND!

Our standing shows respect, it shows honour for what our country stands for, and represents!

The same thing SHOULD hold true when God’s people come together, when hearing the formal reading of the Word of God in our presence, we should SHOW OUR RESPECT & REVERENCE - BY STANDING, if physically able to!

There IS something to be said for the show of reverence, from God’s People, to the -

PROMISES -

COMMANDS -

STATUTES -

EXPECTATIONS -

RESPONSIBILITIES -

CORRECTION -

EXHORTATIONS, FOUND IN THE WRITTEN WORD OF GOD!

“Why Is That Pastor?”

Psalm 138:2 “I will worship toward thy holy temple, And praise thy name for thy lovingkindness and for thy truth: (JOHN 17:17 - “SANCTIFY THEM THROUGH THEY TRUTH: THY WORD IS TRUTH:) For thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name.”

In Nehemiah 8, here we see - Ezra was STANDING BEFORE THE PEOPLE - NOT giving his own opinions and thoughts!

Being a SCRIBE & a PRIEST, surely allowed for the accumulation of knowledge, and the humility to service - which COULD HAVE PROMPTED THE PRIDE in the Preacher!

BEWARE - When you see or hear a preacher begin to toot his own horn in worship services instead of pointing others to Jesus!

When they start recounting the numbers -

Of the success of THEIR work!

Of the numbers of people THEY have pastored over~!

Of the years THEY have been a pastor, missionary, or evangelist!

Of the amount of money THEY have saved others in the church!

Of the number of souls THEY have won to the LORD!

Of the number of baptisms THEY have participated in!

And then sneak the Word of God in, accompanied by a poor excuse of a sermon - NOT GOD’S MESSAGE -

It is QUITE APPARENT, IT IS ALL ABOUT THEM & NOT ABOUT GOD, NOR HIS WORD, TO HIS PEOPLE!

Ezra simply opened the Word of God, available at THAT time - & the people had such respect for the reading of the Word of God - THEY STOOD!

Something EXTRAORDINARY Occurred in the Midst of the People.

Something ENGAGING Was Heard From the People. - Nehemiah 8:6 “And Ezra blessed the Lord, the great God. And all the people answered, Amen, Amen, with lifting up their hands”.

Maybe you have NEVER heard this before, but allow me to try and teach you something HELPFUL this morning!

Anytime that a preacher of THE WORD OF GOD stands a heralds a GREAT TRUTH FROM GOD’S WORD -

It IS perfectly acceptable to sound out - with an “AMEN”!

The simple meaning of that word is - “So Be It.”

Therefore, it is perfectly fine, to show that you agree with the preaching FROM the Word of God!

It is NOT for a show, or to gain recognition for the volume produced!

Furthermore, if your life does NOT show it, then don’t prove yourself hypocritical to others that know you!

I tell you that - out of a heart of love!

Furthermore - coming from a preacher of the WHOLE COUNSEL OF GOD -

When you are behind God’s sacred desk -

When you are pouring your heart & soul into the MESSAGE that God has given for His people -

When you hear a great Truth ring out & let out a respectable “AMEN”

IT DOES SOMETHING TO GOD’S SERVANT!

IT IS LIKE THROWING GASOLINE ON A FIRE!

IT SHOWS THAT YOU UNDERSTAND, AND APPRECIATE WHAT IS BEING SAID!

Ladies & Gentlemen - there is NOTHING wrong with showing a little bit of emotion in a service!

When you go to a sporting event, or a political rally - everyone present shows some emotion - SOME MORE THAN OTHERS!

Therefore, it is perfectly normal, customary, & traditional to let out an “AMEN,” raise a hand, or wave a hanky in the air!

Many times, I think that we have become WAY TOO FORMAL in our church services-

And are scared that we may slip over into being Pentecostal, with some genuine HEART-FELT EMOTIONS!

Psalm 107:2 - “Let the redeemed of the Lord say so”.

ILL:

I will never forget an elderly saint of the Lord, Mrs. Yoh - when I was growing up at Bible Baptist Church in NC.

Mrs. Yoh grew up OLD SCHOOL - where the ladies did NOT speak out in the services!

Or, you might be able to make out her lips quietly uttering - “Praise the Lord, Bless His Holy Name!”

Furthermore, she would humbly show her emotions - by waving daintily a white hanky about head-high

And it was generally accompanied by tears that were flowing down her cheeks!

What was she doing by that gesture - she was not seeking attention from others, she was engaging WITH ONE - in the services!

That is what you are doing, by giving an “AMEN”, or a raising of the hand - you are engaging with ONE in HIS services!

You are evidencing that you are in agreement with what is being said, FROM THE WORD OF GOD & HIS MESSAGE!

BUT THAT IS NOT ALL THAT WAS GOING ON - DURING THE MESSAGE!

Something EXTRAORDINARY Occurred IN the Midst of the People.

Something ENGAGING Was Heard FROM the People.

Something EXPRESSIVE Was Seen THROUGH the People. Nehemiah 8:6 - “And Ezra blessed the Lord, the great God. And all the people answered, Amen, Amen, with lifting up their hands: and they bowed their heads, and worshipped the Lord with their faces to the ground.”

For these Returned Captive Jews, They Were Expressing SINCERE WORSHIP Unto Almighty GOD!

They had been in captivity, and had NOW returned!

Their hearts had been tenderized by the Judging Hand of Almighty God!

And the BEST WAY for them to express their sincerest form of worship was to BOW DOWN BEFORE ALMIGHTY GOD!

There was NOTHING obviously wrong with this type of adoration before THE ONE TRUE GOD!

They had witnessed first hand, just how powerful that He was!

They had just heard the reading of God’s Word from God’s Servant!

Obviously, their hearts were tender & receptive to God’s Message!

And NOTHING would hinder them from expressing their sincerest form of worship than on their face before God!

They were NOT concerned with what others thought about them - EVERYONE WAS MOVED & SHOWED IT!

You see - their TURNING FROM PREVIOUS LIFESTYLES evidenced TRUE REVIVAL in their hearts!

Hence, they were NOT afraid of what OTHERS thought about them!

God Showed Up, in Nehemiah 8 - & that was ALL that it took for TRUE WORSHIP FROM GOD’S PEOPLE!

For God’s People Today, We Do NOT Typically Bow Before Him on our Face DURING the Preaching - (ALTHOUGH I HAVE BEEN PRIVY TO BE IN SOME SERVICES WHERE GOD MOVED, & SO DID THE PEOPLE - TO GET RIGHT BEFORE THE INVITATION!)

Respectively, It is CUSTOMARY to Bow Before Him During the INVITATION & DURING PRAYER!

The humility that was shown, by God’s people situated in Nehemiah 8 or in 2025, is THEREFORE an OUTWARD EXPRESSION of one’s TRUE INNER HEART FOR SINCERE WORSHIP TO GOD!

Evidencing humility by kneeling before God during a service IS NOT outward signs of “PUTTING ON A SHOW!”

What happens more times than not - is the presence of our own pride, that keeps us from evidencing TRUE WORSHIP!

When we are more concerned for what people think about us, rather than what is beautiful & pleasing before God -

Then we are NOT truly subjected UNTO HIM!

F.B. Meyer said - “Surely this was the first public Bible-reading! When will the people be again as hungry for the Word of God as these Jews who stood in the open space from early dawn til the scorching noon! What reverence for the WORD!”

Something EXTRAORDINARY Occurred IN the Midst of the People.

Something ENGAGING Was Heard FROM the People.

Something EXPRESSIVE Was Seen THROUGH the People

IT WAS THE OBVIOUS RESULTS OF A UNIFIED DESIRE FOR THE PREACHING OF THE WORD OF GOD!