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Introduction
In a certain church, there was a man who always ended his prayers with, “And, Lord, clean the cobwebs out of my life!
Clean the cobwebs out of my life!”
The story may be apocryphal, but it illustrates the point that this chapter makes.
In a certain church, there was a man who always ended his prayers with, “And, Lord, clean the cobwebs out of my life!
Clean the cobwebs out of my life!”
One of the members of the church became weary of hearing this same insincere request week after week, because he saw no change in the petitioner’s life.
So, the next time he heard the man pray, “Lord, clean the cobwebs out of my life!” he interrupted with, “And while you’re at it, Lord, kill the spider!”
This man was passionate about confession, but no so keen on obedience.
He saw what needed to change, but was unwilling to make changes.
In chapters 8-9 we have seen the people of God convicted by God’s Word.
In chapter 8 we saw that they were convicted by God’s Word, insomuch that they built booths in observing the Feast of the Tabernacles, which had been neglected since the days of Joshua.
Then in chapter 9 we saw once again the remorse over their sin.
The right disposition in their attitude, and then a prayer of recognition in understanding who God was, how they had failed Him, and how faithful He was.
But the question is this, “What happens after they say Amen?” What happens after this prayer of confession?
What happens after they recognize their failure and faltering?
Sadly, there is a great disconnect that often occurs between knowing what’s right, acknowledging what is right, and then actually doing what is right.
Just because you are confessing what is wrong does not mean you are obeying in what is right.
These Israelites made a great confession.
They knew that things needed to change.
After “amen” was said, they did something about it.
Right off the bat, I want to challenge us this morning with what this entire chapter is about.
It is all about making commitments to the Lord.
We’re coming off a great revival week, where if you attended any service, the Lord no doubt spoke to your heart.
Maybe God convicted you of things that needed to change.
Maybe some failures were pointed out in your life.
Maybe some things you’ve been doing wrong that have needed to change are still a part of your life.
Can I challenge you to make a covenant with God today?
To truly display a heart dedicated to God.
This morning we will see Three Evidences of someone who truly means business with the Lord where confession leads to covenant.
SLIDE
It’s one thing to offer the Lord a passionate prayer of confession, such as we have in chapter 9, and quite something else to live an obedient life after we say “Amen.”
But the people in the assembly were serious about their praying and were determined, by God’s grace, to make a new beginning and live to please the Lord.
A Covenant Declared (9:38)
In this chapter we have seen God’s people respond to the Word of God.
A Submission to God’s Word
In verse 38 of chapter 9, we find that the people act upon the prayer they give to the Lord:
Because of all of this, the fact that God was faithful when they were not.
The fact that God had worked through their people even when they turned their back on Him.
The fact that God was gracious and merciful when they least deserved it.
Nehemiah 9:39
These were all reasons why they were making a sure covenant.
Let me just say that there is great reason for you and I to be committed to the Lord and His Word this morning.
There is great reason that we should submit to and obey God.
SLIDE
Romans 12:2
The commitment that these people were being called to was not unreasonable.
Did you see why? Look at how good God had been to them.
Look at His faithfulness and His love.
Because of all of this, they would make a covenant.
A lot of people think, “Well, this is my life and I’ll do whatever I want.
I don’t want to be nailed down by rules.
I don’t want to be too extreme in following Jesus.
As long as it’s convenient for me, I’ll obey the commitment.”
I’d remind you this morning that if you’ve been bought with the precious blood of Jesus Christ, that you should not live for yourself.
That life should not be all about what pleases you.
Rather you should live unto God.
And obey Him.
The Apostle Paul gives us motive in realizing why it is our reasonable service to submit to God and His Word:
SLIDE
If you are saved, the love of Christ should constrain you, or compel you to live for Him.
When you truly get a hold of the salvation that God has given to you, you start to understand that this life is not about what you want.
It’s not about fulfilling your selfish desires.
It’s not about getting your way.
It’s about letting God’s love constrain you in every area of your life!
When you let the love of Christ be your motivator in serving God, making commitments and keeping covenants, will not be a burden.
Let me just say, if you are here today without Jesus Christ, understand that He loves you.
His love was displayed on the cross of Calvary.
There Jesus bore your sin, my sin, and the sins of the world so that through His sacrifice, and later His resurrection, we can be saved.
If you will recognize that you have sinned against God.
Recognize the fact that you deserve His judgment upon you because of that sin, but then in turn realize that when He died, He died for you.
And put your faith in His goodness and not your own, the Bible says, “whosoever believeth in Him, should not perish, but have everlasting life.”
Because of all this, a covenant was made.
Now, before we go too deep into the sermon, a good question would be this, “What is a covenant?”
The term in Hebrew for making a covenant is ‘to cut a covenant’.
The corpse of an animal is cut in half and both parties making the covenant would pass through the two halves of the carcass.
Each of them having a hand in it.
of an animal is cut in half and both parties making the covenant would pass through the two halves of the carcass.
Each of them having a hand in it.
SLIDE
Thus a covenant relationship is not merely a mutual acquaintance but a commitment to responsibility and action.
A key word in Scripture to describe that commitment is “faithfulness,” acted out in a context of abiding friendship.
So here it is, the covenant on the people’s part, meant that they were now going to commit to doing what was right.
They were going to make some changes immediately in their nation.
And in turn, they were going to be faithful to God, instead of living by their own standard.
In essence they were declaring that they would reciprocate faithfulness on their part to the Lord.
So the bulk of chapter 10 is a list of names of people who sign their names in black and white, to this covenant, starting with the leader Nehemiah.
So in verses 1-27 we have specific names of people who signed the document.
While for some of them, the names mentioned are rarely, if ever again, mentioned in God’s Word, they were known for at least one thing, they were willing to answer the call of commitment.
Then in verse 28 in the first part we have a “catch all” verse that mentioned that the rest of people made this covenant as well.
I would direct your attention, though as to why this covenant is being made in the first place.
What caused these people to see the necessity of entering into this covenant to begin with?
What causes us to see the importance of making commitments to the Lord in our own lives?
It all has to do with a submission to God’s Word.
In chapter 8 we see that they observed the Feast of Tabernacles.
During that feast, it was custom that the priest read the book of Deuteronomy.
As they listened to the history of their people, how God had been good to them, and how they had been unfaithful to Him.
The Israelites in chapter 9 saw their own shortcomings.
So they weep.
They pray.
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