(Neh 9:16-17) How do we respond to Immeasurable Power and Grace?

INTRODUCTION:

One of the most common false belief’s about people is that we are generally good.

In our culture, and probably, in every culture that has ever existed - we are proudly good people.

>>>This is why we are so quick to take offense when someone questions our goodness.

We exclaim that we really aren’t that bad of person - after all

- And then we list out all of are good deeds.

- And then we list out all of the “Really Bad” sins that we don’t do.

But what we neglect to mention,

Is those private moments of wickedness and sin that no one knows about.

The thoughts we don’t worry about, because no one can read them.

The sin that people are too polite to remind us of.

The dirt that we have buried from our past.

If the homes of American’s could speak - what would they confess?

The Anger, bitterness, slander, wickedness, covetousness, selfishness, … And the guilt that we so cleverly hiding.

And the guilt that we so cleverly hide.

All that wickedness that we neglect to mention when we talk about our goodness.

The Famous Preacher, Charles Spurgeon - remarked once:

“When the true light comes, it reveals our bareness of all merit or excuse, and shows there is nothing in human nature, but that which provokes the Lord.

Our human nature is bent towards sin and rebellion against God.

but also bent towards rebellion against God.

>>> It is not good.

TRANSITION TO THE TEXT:

If we were truly honest - we would have to admit we are not really good people.

Our text this morning,

will challenge us about whether we are really people who follow God.

And if we truly honest - that sin points to the reality we are haters of God.

Our text recount the rebellion of Israel

Nehemiah 9:16–17 ESV

“But they and our fathers acted presumptuously and stiffened their neck and did not obey your commandments. They refused to obey and were not mindful of the wonders that you performed among them, but they stiffened their neck and appointed a leader to return to their slavery in Egypt. But you are a God ready to forgive, gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, and did not forsake them.

but how ready our God is to forgive us.

As we consider this passage,

Everybody say Amen to that.

Our text recount the rebellion of Israel, but then points us to the vast mercy of God.

Nehemiah 9:16–17 ESV

“But they and our fathers acted presumptuously and stiffened their neck and did not obey your commandments. They refused to obey and were not mindful of the wonders that you performed among them, but they stiffened their neck and appointed a leader to return to their slavery in Egypt. But you are a God ready to forgive, gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, and did not forsake them.

As we consider this passage,

let me challenge us to live by faith.

- we are haters of God.

We reject the purity and authority of God.

This is why - often witnessing to people about Christ can be so emotional.

Because there is more going on then an intellectual set of ideas. There’s hate.

This is why as a Christian - we struggle so much with sin.

Because we reject the authority of God.

This is why often a conversation about

EXHORTATION:

Now I know as I began here - many of you have heard a message like this many times.

But let me challenge you

- not only has God not glorified you yet (that is - made you perfect)

- but this particularly passage is going challenge us in ways we haven’t thought about.

>>>If there ever was a nation who we would expect to live as a Godly nation - it would have been Israel.

This passage teaches us as much about living for Christ, as the obvious need the unbeliever has for Christ.

This passage has as much to say about a Christians walk as it does about someone who is not a believer.

>>>If there ever was a nation who we would expect to live as a Godly nation - it would have been Israel.

This passage is about a nation who we expect to be followers of God, but turn out to be a people who rebel against God.

This passage teaches us as much about living for Christ, as the obvious need the unbeliever to turn to Christ.

Consider how Ezra praises God for his blessings to Israel in .

Nehemiah 9:9–16 ESV

“And you saw the affliction of our fathers in Egypt and heard their cry at the Red Sea, and performed signs and wonders against Pharaoh and all his servants and all the people of his land, for you knew that they acted arrogantly against our fathers. And you made a name for yourself, as it is to this day. And you divided the sea before them, so that they went through the midst of the sea on dry land, and you cast their pursuers into the depths, as a stone into mighty waters. By a pillar of cloud you led them in the day, and by a pillar of fire in the night to light for them the way in which they should go. You came down on Mount Sinai and spoke with them from heaven and gave them right rules and true laws, good statutes and commandments, and you made known to them your holy Sabbath and commanded them commandments and statutes and a law by Moses your servant. You gave them bread from heaven for their hunger and brought water for them out of the rock for their thirst, and you told them to go in to possess the land that you had sworn to give them. “But they and our fathers acted presumptuously and stiffened their neck and did not obey your commandments.

Nehemiah 9:9–15 ESV

“And you saw the affliction of our fathers in Egypt and heard their cry at the Red Sea, and performed signs and wonders against Pharaoh and all his servants and all the people of his land, for you knew that they acted arrogantly against our fathers. And you made a name for yourself, as it is to this day. And you divided the sea before them, so that they went through the midst of the sea on dry land, and you cast their pursuers into the depths, as a stone into mighty waters. By a pillar of cloud you led them in the day, and by a pillar of fire in the night to light for them the way in which they should go. You came down on Mount Sinai and spoke with them from heaven and gave them right rules and true laws, good statutes and commandments, and you made known to them your holy Sabbath and commanded them commandments and statutes and a law by Moses your servant. You gave them bread from heaven for their hunger and brought water for them out of the rock for their thirst, and you told them to go in to possess the land that you had sworn to give them.

Let’s be honest - Though the Gospel is so much better,

have you ever wished you could have God bless you in the same way he blessed Israel in the Exodus.

I mean - Wow! What a demonstration of the power and majesty of God.

What a demonstration of the power and majesty of God.

And you probably thought, if God did that in my life - I would never struggle with doubt again.

But does seeing great miracles from God make you no longer doubt God?

The reason that God showed the mighty wonders of the 12 plagues and the crossing of the Red Sea - was to teach the world that the LORD was a mighty and gracious God.

> It had an apologetic purpose showing how incomparable wood and stone idols are to the real living God.

Exodus 15:11–12 ESV

“Who is like you, O Lord, among the gods? Who is like you, majestic in holiness, awesome in glorious deeds, doing wonders? You stretched out your right hand; the earth swallowed them.

Also,

> It was meant to show God as an incredibly gracious God.

Exodus 15:13 ESV

“You have led in your steadfast love the people whom you have redeemed; you have guided them by your strength to your holy abode.

And further,

> It was meant to be a rallying point for following God unconditionally.

They were to have no doubts about trusting God because his might power in the Exodus.

Deuteronomy 7:17–19 ESV

“If you say in your heart, ‘These nations are greater than I. How can I dispossess them?’ you shall not be afraid of them but you shall remember what the Lord your God did to Pharaoh and to all Egypt, the great trials that your eyes saw, the signs, the wonders, the mighty hand, and the outstretched arm, by which the Lord your God brought you out. So will the Lord your God do to all the peoples of whom you are afraid.

But did seeing the greatest miracles of God bring faith?

At least in the case of Israel,

- seeing the power of God didn’t make their doubts go away.

- Seeing the power of God didn’t make them worship God more.

Miracles alone don’t make people better followers of God

- because they always have a rebellious sin nature inside them.

This is why you need the Gospel

- you need something more than miracles to make you trust God

- you need the New life found in Christ.

Look at the life of Israel

- They saw great miracles, but still doubted God.

- They saw great miracles and yet still commited great idolatry.

Our passage summarizes Israel’s response to God - throughout their many generations.

In terms of faith, the miracles

Nehemiah 9:16–17 ESV

“But they and our fathers acted presumptuously and stiffened their neck and did not obey your commandments. They refused to obey and were not mindful of the wonders that you performed among them, but they stiffened their neck and appointed a leader to return to their slavery in Egypt. But you are a God ready to forgive, gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, and did not forsake them.

Neh 9:

So some of the greatest miracles we find in Scripture brought one of the worst examples of faith in human history.

But why?

What lead them to to doubt and question God after seeing such mighty miracles.

This morning we will examine 4 ways we often fail to live by faith,

that if we were to submit God would dramatically change our walk with God.

Israel was:

1 Peter 5:5–6 ESV

Likewise, you who are younger, be subject to the elders. Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you,

James 4:6 ESV

But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”

James 4:6–7 ESV

But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

Isreal did the opposite of humbling themselves - or text says:

“But they and our fathers acted presumptuously”

ESV translates this presumptuous.

>Presumptuous in English is the idea of not seeing your limits. (Webster)

Presumptuous in English is the idea of not seeing your limits. (Webster)

NASB translates this arrogant.

NKJV, KJV translates proud.

And I think all 3 are accurate translations of this word.

>>>In other words, there is an overlapping meaning in this context that includes the idea of pride, arrogance, and presumption.

At the heart of Israel’s problem is that they had pride problem.

They were too concerned about their “I wants” to consider God.

And they thought to highly of themselves - thinking they could rebuke God’s leaders, Moses and Aaron.

Psalm 10:4 ESV

In the pride of his face the wicked does not seek him; all his thoughts are, “There is no God.”

This Psalm is not talking about a literal atheism.

It is not that they did not think there was a God,

but their pride caused them to only think about themselves.

It had an apologetic purpose showing how incomparable wood and stone idols are to the real living God.

Now there it is not saying that there is no God, but there thinking and choices have nothing to do with God.

Exodus 15:11–12 ESV

“Who is like you, O Lord, among the gods? Who is like you, majestic in holiness, awesome in glorious deeds, doing wonders? You stretched out your right hand; the earth swallowed them.

In terms of everyday living,

It was meant to be a rallying for following God unconditionally.

Deuteronomy 7:17–19 ESV

“If you say in your heart, ‘These nations are greater than I. How can I dispossess them?’ you shall not be afraid of them but you shall remember what the Lord your God did to Pharaoh and to all Egypt, the great trials that your eyes saw, the signs, the wonders, the mighty hand, and the outstretched arm, by which the Lord your God brought you out. So will the Lord your God do to all the peoples of whom you are afraid.

Israel was entirely dependent upon God.

Deut

For

deliverance

food and water

guidance

protection

and to take possession of the promised land.

It was meant to show God as an incredibly gracious God.

- to be delivered out of Egypt,

Exodus 15:13 ESV

“You have led in your steadfast love the people whom you have redeemed; you have guided them by your strength to your holy abode.

And It was meant to be a rallying for following God unconditionally.

But instead of trusting in the hand of God,

like they should have

>>>>- they continued to live by their own wisdom and strength.

[[[Understand how selfishness and presumption is at the center of pride}}}

They were prideful, arrogant, presumptuous.

NT APPLICATION:

As Christians, we are not immune to pride.

In fact, Pride often holds Christians captive from truly living for God.

Pride allows Christians to think they have it all together - and thus stunt their Spiritual growth.

Pride allows Christians to be arrogant and haughty, rather than to help the immature grow in Christ.

Pride is the seed bed for most if not all conflicts among Christians.

But that is not the example Christ left us -

Philippians 2:4–11 ESV

Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

I challenge you to consider your pride today, and instead walk in humility.

Proverbs 3:7 ESV

Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord, and turn away from evil.

But just like all sins....pride always takes us farther then we imagine

They were to have no doubts about trusting God because his might power in the Exodus.

Daniel 7:20 ESV

and about the ten horns that were on its head, and the other horn that came up and before which three of them fell, the horn that had eyes and a mouth that spoke great things, and that seemed greater than its companions.

Pride is one of those sins that always carries past presumption and arrogance - and into total foolishness and destruction.

Deuteronomy 7:17–19 ESV

“If you say in your heart, ‘These nations are greater than I. How can I dispossess them?’ you shall not be afraid of them but you shall remember what the Lord your God did to Pharaoh and to all Egypt, the great trials that your eyes saw, the signs, the wonders, the mighty hand, and the outstretched arm, by which the Lord your God brought you out. So will the Lord your God do to all the peoples of whom you are afraid.

Psalm 21:4 ESV

He asked life of you; you gave it to him, length of days forever and ever.

Proverbs 21:4 ESV

Haughty eyes and a proud heart, the lamp of the wicked, are sin.

Proverbs 16:18 ESV

Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.

Ps 16:18

Pride always takes us farther than we should go.

And Israel’s history shows that.

Out of a prideful heart, Israel became rebellious.

We should be -

Our texts says - “they stiffened their neck.”

What does that mean?

This is an phrase that means to describe resisting authority.

In an agricultural society - this would have pictured an animal who stiffens his neck and refuses to obey his master.

What does that neck signify - you can’t make me.

Children are this way, often stiffening their neck when you lovingly correct them.

But children and animals are not only one’s stiffed neck.

People stiffen their neck, and many times they stiffen their neck even against God.

Israel stiffened their neck - refusing to obey God.

Likewise we are more than sufficient at refusing to follow God.

James 4:1–4 ESV

What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you? You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have, because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions. You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.

James

Being a Christian - that is trusting Christ to earn your way to heaven.

Doesn’t exempt us from rebellion.

Israel’s entire history shows rebellion, but teaches us that we can be just as rebellious.

Doesn’t mean we are going to lose our salvation, .

But does mean we can stiff neck ourselves against God’s will in our lives.

And if is any comparison - Christians stiff neck themselves by allowing ourselves to give full vent to our passions.

Our passions control our private moments.

Our passions control our relationships.

Our passions control what we are willing to do for God.

I think that one of the hardest parts of being a Pastor is trying to help people do the will of God, when they have stiff necked themselves against God.

They have been consumed by their passions - and thus stiff necked themselves against God.

Have you stiff necked yourself against God?

Notice,

there is a nice flow in the logic of this text.

Pride leads to rebellion, and rebellion leads to - disobedience.

We ought to be:

Nehemiah 9:16 ESV

“But they and our fathers acted presumptuously and stiffened their neck and did not obey your commandments.

Was the Law a harsh, oppressing, curse to Israel?

Not according -

Nehemiah 9:13–14 ESV

You came down on Mount Sinai and spoke with them from heaven and gave them right rules and true laws, good statutes and commandments, and you made known to them your holy Sabbath and commanded them commandments and statutes and a law by Moses your servant.

But It is a curse - if you out of pride, stiffen your neck against God.

Galatians 3:10 ESV

For all who rely on works of the law are under a curse; for it is written, “Cursed be everyone who does not abide by all things written in the Book of the Law, and do them.”

Understand how pride lead to rebellion, and rebellion lead to disobedience.

>>>At a later time we will recount the many ways that his prayer describes Israel as breaking the Law they swore to.

But for this week, consider generally that Israel broke the law.

EXHORTATION:

Understand -

Scripture regulates how we should live.

Scripture gives us wisdom to live Godly lives.

- Certainly the Law did that for Israel.

- The NT and the Gospel regulates how we should live.

But when I get filled with pride and rebellion - it is never stops as an angry, prideful heart.

>>>>>It so often leads to disobeying God’s commands.

It so often leads to disobeying God’s commands.

Understand how this happens. Similar to .

When pride puffs me up, I get rebellious, and I turn to sin to solve my problems.

Covetousness, theft, Anger, hatred, gossip, bitterness…all are sins that come out of solving my problems in my pride.

>>>>Rather then looking towards the Wisdom and Grace of God.

Covetousness, theft, Anger, hatred, gossip, bitterness…all are sins that come out of solving my problems in my pride.

We need to consider how Pride and a stiff neck lead us into a multitude of sins.

But Let’s consider why Israel struggled so much.

Why was Israel prideful?

Why did that pride turn into rebellion?

and why did that rebellion turn into outright disobedience?

Because they were indifferent to the wonders of God.

Indifference is often considered an acceptable sin.

That is - we tolerate it among us.

We act as though it is not a big deal.

That is - we tolerate it among us.

If we had obvious sins … like drugs, adultery, domestic violence, thievery, or marriage problems - we would be quick to come alongside and encourage that person.

>>>>But how many Churches are filled with people who indifferent to the truths of God - and we tolerate it.

But how many Churches are filled with people who indifferent to the truths of God - and we tolerate it.

But Scripture teaches indifference to God as a sin equal with pride, rebellion, and disobedience.

Indifference does just mean you don’t praise God enough.

Nehemiah 9:17 ESV

They refused to obey and were not mindful of the wonders that you performed among them, but they stiffened their neck and appointed a leader to return to their slavery in Egypt. But you are a God ready to forgive, gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, and did not forsake them.

We wonder how Israel could have struggled with so much pride, rebellion, and disobedience to the Law.

But understand,

All those are symptoms of their relationship with God.

>>>>>That is - they were indifferent to God.

First, they were indifferent to the -

It is so easy to become indifferent to the blessings of God.

- We get so caught up in our problems, that we forget how God has blessed us.

- I do this in parenting, in my marriage, as a shepherd, … we do this all the time.

I do this in parenting, in my marriage, as a shepherd, … we do this all the time.

described God blessing -

humanity with life and preservation ()

choosing Abraham and the Abrahamic Promise ()

and Israel through the kept promises of the Exodus ()

And our text gives us an important word, “But” in v. 16.

Which is meant to show how Israel disregarded the blessings of God.

Part of what they are indifferent to is the wonderful blessings of being God’s created and chosen people.

But in particular - our text describes Israel as indifferent to the

(2) Miracles of God.

Nehemiah 9:17 ESV

They refused to obey and were not mindful of the wonders that you performed among them, but they stiffened their neck and appointed a leader to return to their slavery in Egypt. But you are a God ready to forgive, gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, and did not forsake them.

What a sad statement about a people who saw the most incredible Miracles God had ever shown.

They were not “mindful of the wonders” that God performed among them.

I would suggest,

The Pride, Rebellion, and disobedience was a symptom of the greater problem - they were not mindful of God (They were indiffirent to the power and graciousness of God).

All things that Israel was supposed to learn in the Exodus.

APPLICATION:

Often

- we consider indifference the person who denies Christ.

We might add in,

the person who says he is a Christian,

but you never see him read his Bible,

be at church,

or tell others of Christ.

But those are just degrees of indifference.

We can show up at church and still be indifferent to God.

- Our indifference is often show in that we can hear God’s Word,

but never be challenged to greater love and passion for God.

- Our indifference is shown in that our relationships don’t become more filled with grace,

but more bitter and angry with time.

2 Timothy 4:3–4 ESV

For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths.

Does your Christian life have symptoms of indifference?

Certainly, the Exodus was a wonderful display of God’s Power and Grace,

but isn’t the death and resurrection of Christ a greater display of the power and Grace of God?

2. The Good News: (But) God is Ready to Forgive.

That means - God is:

(a) Gracious and Merciful.

(b) Slow to Anger (Patient).

(c) Abounding in Steadfast Love.

(d) Faithful.

CONCLUSION:

God’s work in the life of Israel is certainly astounding.

God certainly displayed his character of power and grace in the Exodus, the wilderness, and the Conquering of the Promised land.

But we are also amazed at the Apostasy of Israel.

Despite God’s power and love,

they continually doubted God and broke his Law.

Rather than living by faith in God,

They were: Presumptuous, Rebellious, Disobedient, and indiffirent.

But before we are

As we consider our relationship to God - do you live by faith?

they continually doubted God and broke his Law.

People who live by faith practice -

1. Humility rather than Pride.

2. Submission rather than Rebellion towards God.

3. Obedient rather than Disobedient to God.

4. Passionate rather than Indifferent to God.

Certainly, the Exodus was a wonderful display of God’s Power and Grace,

but isn’t the death and resurrection of Christ a greater display of the power and Grace of God?

If we can critique Israel for failing to respond properly to the power and grace of God,

how much more will the people who know the Gospel be expected to respond to the power and grace of God.

by living

We ought to live by faith - in response to death and resurrection of Christ

Christ paying for our sins

and buying us a new life in Christ.

May we live as teaches us - By faith in a powerful and gracious God.

(Neh 9:16-17) How do we respond to Immeasurable Power and Grace?

PROP: We Ought To Live by Faith

TRANS: And this text gives us 4 ways we should live by faith.

1. The Bad News: We Have a Rebellious Nature.

Israel was:

We Ought to have:

1. Humility rather than Pride.

2. Submission rather than Rebellion to God.

3. Obedient rather than Disobedient towards God.

4. We ought to be Passionate rather than Indifferent to God.

(a) Blessings of God. ()

(b) Miracles of the Exodus.