Crying out Because We’ve Sinned

Summary: Would we cry out to God to confess that we have sinned and He is just?

Sometimes it is appropriate to cry out as a community for God’s mercy. The Israelite's knew enough to cry out to God for mercy … can’t we?

Crying out because we’ve sinned

- Nehemiah is a great study of leadership; shows faithful obedience to God

- Last week we discussed a great celebration happening in the city

-- The people gather to have the Law read; and they are convicted of their sin

-- However, this is a time of celebration; to rejoice in what God has done

- Following the time of celebration, comes a time of mourning and repentance

-- This will be our focus today; understanding their hearts and minds before God

-- For you and I, this is a tremendous example of humility before a Sovereign Lord

- Pray

∆ Point 1 – A Time of Mourning

I – A Time of Mourning

Nehemiah 8:1–5 KJV 1900

1 And all the people gathered themselves together as one man into the street that was before the water gate; and they spake unto Ezra the scribe to bring the book of the law of Moses, which the Lord had commanded to Israel. 2 And Ezra the priest brought the law before the congregation both of men and women, and all that could hear with understanding, upon the first day of the seventh month. 3 And he read therein before the street that was before the water gate from the morning until midday, before the men and the women, and those that could understand; and the ears of all the people were attentive unto the book of the law. 4 And Ezra the scribe stood upon a pulpit of wood, which they had made for the purpose; and beside him stood Mattithiah, and Shema, and Anaiah, and Urijah, and Hilkiah, and Maaseiah, on his right hand; and on his left hand, Pedaiah, and Mishael, and Malchiah, and Hashum, and Hashbadana, Zechariah, and Meshullam. 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:

The Feast of Tabernacles concluded on the 22nd day of the month (see comments on 8:14). After one day’s interval, the 23rd, the people assembled on the 24th.

They separated from foreigners (cf. 10:28).

Then they confessed their sins, evidenced by fasting (cf. comments on 1:4), wearing sackcloth (cf. ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ), a dark coarse cloth made from goats’ hair, and having dust on their heads (cf. ; ; ; ; ; ; ).

These were signs of mourning and grief.

For about three hours the people again stood (cf. ) while the Law was read. Then for another three hours they confessed their sins and worshiped the Lord. Several Levites, some of whom were mentioned in 8:7, were involved in leading the people in their praise of the eternal God. Five of the eight Levites in 9:4 are listed in the group of eight in verse 5 (Pethahiah is also mentioned in 11:24). These five may have been the same or different men. One group was involved in petition (v. 4) and the other in praise (v. 5). The stairs (lit., “ascent”) may have led to some part of the temple complex or they may refer to the platform mentioned in 8:4.[1]

- Following the worship and celebration, is a time to ensure hearts are in check

- Following the worship and celebration, is a time to ensure hearts are in check

-- Sackcloth was a dark, course material associated with sorrow/mourning (v2)

-- Throwing dust on their head is a sign of humility; not focused on appearance

-- Is a sign of sorrow for wrongs they have committed; their conviction on display

- Today we no longer wear sackcloth and ash, but we can still mourn and repent

-- These citizens stood and read the book of Law for approx. 6 hours (v3)

-- During this time, would’ve have been a great opportunity to repent of sin

- No different than when we experience God in a collective worship

-- Sometimes there are opportunities to shout/praise … others to mourn/repent

-- How do we know the difference? Listening to God’s Spirit as He directs us

- They would’ve taken turns reading the Law, over the course of about 6 hours (v3)

-- Then, they spent another 6 hours in confession and prayer before a Holy God

- Consider this for a moment … 12 hours spent in sorrow/repentance for sin

-- 6 hours spent reading God’s word and contemplating what it means to you

-- 6 hours in prayer before God because you value nothing more than Him

-- APP: It’s a definite challenge for you and me: check our prayer motive

- As the priests read the Law (v5), the people were called to stand and praise God

-- This praise, this outcry of worship, is where we need to focus today

- TRANS: Let’s explore their specific cries and worship of God

II The Cries of Worship

- S: He is Sovereign (v5-6)

Nehemiah 9:5–6 KJV 1900

5 Then the Levites, Jeshua, and Kadmiel, Bani, Hashabniah, Sherebiah, Hodijah, Shebaniah, and Pethahiah, said, Stand up and bless the Lord your God for ever and ever: and blessed be thy glorious name, which is exalted above all blessing and praise. 6 Thou, even thou, art Lord alone; thou hast made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their host, the earth, and all things that are therein, the seas, and all that is therein, and thou preservest them all; and the host of heaven worshippeth thee.

-- The people begin to praise God for all that He has done

-- They confess His worthiness and proclaim that even His name is magnificent

-- Even more, they leave no doubt for all that He has done (made the …)

-- Their exclamation that God gave life to everything ought to be very encouraging

- S: He is righteous and true (v7-8)

Nehemiah 9:7–8 KJV 1900

7 Thou art the Lord the God, who didst choose Abram, and broughtest him forth out of Ur of the Chaldees, and gavest him the name of Abraham; 8 And foundest his heart faithful before thee, and madest a covenant with him to give the land of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Jebusites, and the Girgashites, to give it, I say, to his seed, and hast performed thy words; for thou art righteous:

-- It is God who initiated the relationship (first with Adam, then Abram, then US)

-- He brought them out of captivity and set them in a place where they could live

-- God provided them with all they need; to restore His people to Himself

-- Because He is righteous, the people can count on His promise to be kept

- S: He is Savior and Deliverer (v9-12)

Nehemiah 9:9–12 KJV 1900

9 And didst see the affliction of our fathers in Egypt, and heardest their cry by the Red sea; 10 And shewedst signs and wonders upon Pharaoh, and on all his servants, and on all the people of his land: for thou knewest that they dealt proudly against them. So didst thou get thee a name, as it is this day. 11 And thou didst divide the sea before them, so that they went through the midst of the sea on the dry land; and their persecutors thou threwest into the deeps, as a stone into the mighty waters. 12 Moreover thou leddest them in the day by a cloudy pillar; and in the night by a pillar of fire, to give them light in the way wherein they should go.

neh 9.

-- God is not an absentee landlord from His creation (many treat him like this)

-- He responded to their slavery by bringing them from captivity; grace filled

-- Even in the wilderness, He led His people to safety (pillar of fire & a cloud)

-- He made a name for Himself; a name that has stood throughout all time

-- Because of His namesake, He is the rescuer that we all require (due to sin)

- S: He is the provider (v13-21)

-- Look at the confession of things that God has done, note who initiates this

-- Not only did God provide for their spiritual needs; but physical needs also

-- What they are confessing is God’s grace; His mercy; His supply; His power

-- God’s compassion is on display (v18) EVEN after they created another “god”

-- He is confessed as being trustworthy and faithful to their needs/desires

- S: They have an inheritance (v22-25)

-- Because of God, they were able to enter a land promised to them

-- Even each victory they experienced was because God had ordained it

-- Throughout 40 years of wandering, even their numbers increased (v23)

-- What they have is because God ordained it; even when they disobeyed

-- Re: Moses did not get to enter the land promised because of disobedience

--- They struck the rock with a horrible, angry attitude instead of speaking to it

-- However, God was still compassionate and supplied for them; always does

- “I love, Bro TJ” Here’s our challenge to consider:

-- Why is it that we fail to praise God for what we have?

-- Has He not provided you even the air in your lungs to sustain your life?

-- How is it that we cannot even spend 10 minutes in prayer to honor Him?

- TRANS: When we see a prayer like this, it ought to cut AND challenge us!

∆ Point 3 – The Cycles of History (26-31)

- The people move from God’s praises, to confessing their own disobedience

• they killed your prophets;

• who had warned them in order to turn them back to you;

• they committed awful blasphemies

-- It is in this confession that we can see our cycle of sin as well

-- We pray for forgiveness; we sin; we pray for forgiveness; we sin; etc.

- IMP: In their confession, they accept responsibility for their punishment

-- God turned them over to their enemies to be infiltrated and/or defeated

- However, even though they sinned again and again; God still loved them

-- They still retained an advocate in Heaven, someone was still for them

-- HUGE: We too retain the same advocate; ours is named Jesus Christ

- But notice, in each layer of the prayer, their sins become worse and worse

-- It’s like they would not learn from the previous time, and sinned harder

-- Re-read verse 28 and 29

- But still, God was patient with them (v30) and again forgave their sins

-- APP: God’s grace becomes more and more abundant even in their sin

-- We also have this today: , “The law was brought in so that the trespass might increase. But where sin increased, grace increased all the more”

- IMP: In their disobedience, in their rebellion, there was still hope for them:

-- v31: “But in your great mercy you did not put an end to them or abandon them, for you are a gracious and merciful God.”

-- Therefore, their plea for this time is very specific …

∆ Big Idea– What is their current prayer (32-37)

- The Israelite's realized who God is: He is merciful and forgiving; keeps covenant

-- Even in the face of all that has happened, God has been consistent (v33)

-- IMP: He is just & faithful, and we are the ones who were wrong in our sin

- APP: Very important note when we want to blame God for His discipline

-- Even their leaders, kings did not follow the Law; and they deserve judgment

- So what they do is all that you and I can do now as well (v36-37)

-- While still under the pressure of their current situation, God is still faithful

-- Yet, because of how we’ve acted, we are in this mess … deservedly so

- The Israelite's were under the oppression of a pagan world; just as we are

-- They are under great distress; just as we could say we are as well

- But, would we be so bold as to confess whose fault it is?

-- Would we cry out to God to confess that we have sinned and He is just?

-- Could we admit that perhaps the issues we have today our own doing?

- Turn to (we’ve already studied this) – read v7-9

-- FACT: We are harvesting (reaping) today what we planted yesterday

-- Want good things tomorrow? Plant better things today than yesterday!

-- RE: It takes a while to undo sin; to harvest good crops (field and life)

- Sometimes it is appropriate to cry out as a community for God’s mercy

-- Notice that the crying out brings them together; it restores their focus

- The Israelite's knew enough to cry out to God for mercy … can’t we?

- Pray