A Time to Reset
Notes
Transcript
"You know that feeling when you come home from a long, exhausting road trip or vacation? You pull into the driveway, unload forty-two bags from the trunk, and you’re just happy to be back in your own house.
You survived the traffic, you survived the gas station snacks, you’re finally home!
But then you realize: you still have to unpack the suitcases, do six loads of laundry, restock the fridge that only has a jar of pickles and expired milk, and reset your sleeping schedule before work tomorrow morning. Crossing the finish line and getting back home is great, but it requires a immediate reset to actually start living normal life again.
Today in Nehemiah 6 through 10, the Israelites just got their city back. The walls are up, the gates are locked... and now it’s time for the ultimate spiritual reset."
Recap:
We have been looking at Nehemiah who went back to Jerusalem after the Babylonian captivity to rebuild the walls that were destroyed
We looked at how many of the people were helping to rebuild the wall and the importance of being united!
Last week we looked at some of the opposition of their enemies and how our enemy is still using some of the same tactics against us
We ended by discussing the importance of being united and fighting together, not against each other!
This week we are going to wrap up our series Nehemiah by looking at chapters 7-10 and what happened after the walls were rebuilt
Let’s start this morning back in chapter 6
15 So the wall was completed on the twenty-fifth of Elul, in fifty-two days.
So, after 52 days, the walls have been rebuilt
I imagine this was such a relief!
Their city was now protected and re-established!
So, now that they have physical safety, we are going to look at some internal restructuring in chapter 7
1 After the wall had been rebuilt and I had set the doors in place, the gatekeepers, the musicians and the Levites were appointed. 2 I put in charge of Jerusalem my brother Hanani, along with Hananiah the commander of the citadel, because he was a man of integrity and feared God more than most people do. 3 I said to them, “The gates of Jerusalem are not to be opened until the sun is hot. While the gatekeepers are still on duty, have them shut the doors and bar them. Also appoint residents of Jerusalem as guards, some at their posts and some near their own houses.”
We have Nehemiah restructuring the people the putting things back into place!
The threats from the enemy didn’t stop once the wall was rebuilt
Sometimes in our lives when we are fighting battle and we start to get things back on track, we need to put things into place that help protect us from the attacks of the enemy
In 1948 when Billy Graham was 30 years old, he had only been preaching full time for about 5 years.
When he was in Modesto California, he and 3 of his traveling associates recognized how easily traveling evangelists were attacked and feel and so these 4 people spent an hour praying and then came together focusing on 4 areas where the enemy seemed to attack
They came up with what is commonly called the “Modesto Manifesto”
Billy Graham writes in his autobiography “Just As I am”
"On an hour-by-hour basis, we made a covenant among ourselves to uphold four specific resolutions..." - Billy Graham, “Just As I Am”
1. Money
"First, we resolved to do all we could to avoid financial abuse."
Instead of taking a percentage of the offering at revival crusades (a practice common among itinerant evangelists that invited greed), the team established fixed, modest salaries paid by a non-profit organization. All crusade funds were collected and audited by local lay committees composed of business and community leaders.
2. Immorality
"Second, we resolved to avoid even the appearance of sexual immorality."
The team pledged never to be alone in a room, vehicle, or restaurant with a woman other than their wives. This safeguard was meant to protect against temptation and false accusations. It later became widely known in American political and religious culture as the "Billy Graham Rule" (or the "Pence Rule").
3. Publicity (Exaggeration)
"Third, we resolved to avoid anti-clericalism and false publicity."
Evangelists were often accused of inflating attendance numbers and decision counts for media hype. The team committed to relying strictly on official counts provided by police, fire marshals, or venue managers—never overstating numbers to build an image.
4. Critical Spirit
"Fourth, we resolved to avoid criticizing fellow ministers or local churches."
Rather than attacking local pastors or taking sides in local theological or political disputes, the team resolved to work alongside local churches of any Christian denomination willing to sponsor the crusade.
Billy Graham and his team was wise enough to know certain tactics of the enemy and so they set up boundaries within the ministry that would protect them enemy attacks
Do you think he every took criticism for these things in place?
You better believe it, especially his stance in number 2 and meeting alone with women.
To which he responded that these are not universal rules and should be applied with wisdom
His conviction came from:
22 Abstain from all appearance of evil.
To which I would add, the conviction in
19 For the report of your obedience has reached to all; therefore I am rejoicing over you, but I want you to be wise in what is good and innocent in what is evil.
Though he took some criticism, the results speak for themselves. In over 6 decades, 60 years of public ministry, Graham’s ministry never faced allegations of financial or sexual scandals
There is such wisdom into putting things into place that protect you from the attacks of the enemy!
In todays culture, people like to say that it is considered weakness, but in truth, it’s wisdom!
And yes, we are weak…we are still in this fleshly body and our fleshy desires sometimes like to take over!
I am aware of this! And I know, that any moment, I can fail.
Someone once asked Andy Stanley how his dad, Charles Stanley can have such a huge platform and still maintain humility
To which Andy said, because his dad understood that God put him on that platform and at any moment can remove him from it!
Charles walked in a life of humility.
And that is what we are doing when we put things into place to guard our hearts!
Putting things into place to protect us is not the only thing that happens when we need a reset
As we get into Chapter 8, the people gather together and Ezra reads the law
1 all the people came together as one in the square before the Water Gate. They told Ezra the teacher of the Law to bring out the Book of the Law of Moses, which the Lord had commanded for Israel. 2 So on the first day of the seventh month Ezra the priest brought the Law before the assembly, which was made up of men and women and all who were able to understand.
3 He read it aloud from daybreak till noon as he faced the square before the Water Gate in the presence of the men, women and others who could understand. And all the people listened attentively to the Book of the Law. 4 Ezra the teacher of the Law stood on a high wooden platform built for the occasion. Beside him on his right stood Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Uriah, Hilkiah and Maaseiah; and on his left were Pedaiah, Mishael, Malkijah, Hashum, Hashbaddanah, Zechariah and Meshullam.
5 Ezra opened the book. All the people could see him because he was standing above them; and as he opened it, the people all stood up. 6 Ezra praised the Lord, the great God; and all the people lifted their hands and responded, “Amen! Amen!” Then they bowed down and worshiped the Lord with their faces to the ground.
7 The Levites—Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan and Pelaiah—instructed the people in the Law while the people were standing there. 8 They read from the Book of the Law of God, making it clear and giving the meaning so that the people understood what was being read. 9 Then Nehemiah the governor, Ezra the priest and teacher of the Law, and the Levites who were instructing the people said to them all, “This day is holy to the Lord your God. Do not mourn or weep.” For all the people had been weeping as they listened to the words of the Law.
Ezra starts reading the law and the people are moved and start grieving and mourning as they are listening to the law
10 Nehemiah said, “Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.” 11 The Levites calmed all the people, saying, “Be still, for this is a holy day. Do not grieve.”
The people have been in exile and returned to Jerusalem, Ezra rebuilt the temple and now the walls have been rebuilt
Things are being restructured and the law is read and they begin to weep
Nehemiah says: now is not the time for weeping, it is the time for joy! Look at what God has done!
So, they go and celebrate and then come back two days later
1 On the twenty-fourth day of the same month, the Israelites gathered together, fasting and wearing sackcloth and putting dust on their heads. 2 Those of Israelite descent had separated themselves from all foreigners. They stood in their places and confessed their sins and the sins of their ancestors.
As the law was read, it began to develop an internal change in them! They are cut to the heart and they fast and then begin confessing their sins
You see, as they reset and as we reset, we need to allow the Word of God to pierce our hearts!
They walked away from the law of God and that led to their captivity, now as they have returned and are resetting, they start with restructuring, and getting back to the word
They start confessing their sins and turning from them!
3 They stood where they were and read from the Book of the Law of the Lord their God for a quarter of the day, and spent another quarter in confession and in worshiping the Lord their God.
So for roughly 3 hours they are reading the law and then confessing for 3 more hours and worshipping God!
After rallying together and remembering what had happened
38 “In view of all this, we are making a binding agreement, putting it in writing, and our leaders, our Levites and our priests are affixing their seals to it.”
They are coming together and getting back on track!
They make an agreement to follow the law and to get back to the basics, including giving back to the house of God
32 “We assume the responsibility for carrying out the commands to give a third of a shekel each year for the service of the house of our God: 33 for the bread set out on the table; for the regular grain offerings and burnt offerings; for the offerings on the Sabbaths, at the New Moon feasts and at the appointed festivals; for the holy offerings; for sin offerings to make atonement for Israel; and for all the duties of the house of our God.
34 “We—the priests, the Levites and the people—have cast lots to determine when each of our families is to bring to the house of our God at set times each year a contribution of wood to burn on the altar of the Lord our God, as it is written in the Law. 35 “We also assume responsibility for bringing to the house of the Lord each year the firstfruits of our crops and of every fruit tree. 36 “As it is also written in the Law, we will bring the firstborn of our sons and of our cattle, of our herds and of our flocks to the house of our God, to the priests ministering there.
37 “Moreover, we will bring to the storerooms of the house of our God, to the priests, the first of our ground meal, of our grain offerings, of the fruit of all our trees and of our new wine and olive oil. And we will bring a tithe of our crops to the Levites, for it is the Levites who collect the tithes in all the towns where we work. 38 A priest descended from Aaron is to accompany the Levites when they receive the tithes, and the Levites are to bring a tenth of the tithes up to the house of our God, to the storerooms of the treasury. 39 The people of Israel, including the Levites, are to bring their contributions of grain, new wine and olive oil to the storerooms, where the articles for the sanctuary and for the ministering priests, the gatekeepers and the musicians are also kept. “We will not neglect the house of our God.”
They end with, we will not neglect God’s house!
There is an outward action that now happens!
An internal change should always lead to an outward action
Let’s give a quick overview of the story today
Quick Overview:
They rebuild the wall
They restructure the people and their lives
The read the law and are pierced to the heart
They confess and repent
An outward action
Notice the priorities:
Getting the physical structure in place
Restructuring of putting things back the way they should be
Returning to the word of God
Being changed on the inside
Demonstrating that change outwardly
So, this morning, are there things in your life that need to follow this pattern?
Maybe you need to put some things into place - put a stake in the ground, as for me and my house we will serve God
Maybe you need to put things into place to protect your from the enemy
Maybe you need to continually hear the word of God and let it change you
Maybe you need to make some outward commitments
For the Israelites, it was putting the house of God first!
What is the center of your life?
Is it the word of God? Is it the house of God?
Next week we are going to talk more about the blessings from God when we give to Him!
This week, would you pray about how God wants to refocus your life!
Questions:
What commitments do you need to make to restructure your life?
What commitments do you need to make hearing and knowing the word of God?
What internal change needs to happen?
What external action needs to happen?
