Living For God!
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Living For God
Living For God
1 Now those that sealed were, Nehemiah, the Tirshatha, the son of Hachaliah, and Zidkijah,
Big idea - living for God !
* You can have great talent ... little talent ... accomplish great things ... small things ... but it is all wasted effort unless you have a set of core values that act as an unchanging standard to guide what you do.
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INTRO:
* You can have great talent ... little talent ... accomplish great things ... small things ... but it is all wasted effort unless you have a set of core values that act as an unchanging standard to guide what you do.
... Otherwise, you could be spinning your wheels ... wasting your time... stealing from yourself.
Nehemiah ... used by God to do the impossible ... rebuilt the walls of Jerusalem in 52 days! ... a great accomplishment.
1- But Nehemiah knew that that was not all that needed to be built! ... If it ended there ... it would be wasted effort.
A passion for God needed to be rebuilt in the people ...
-- Nehemiah led them to hold a revival meeting (Getting Excited About God Again).
A fellowship with God also needed to be rebuilt in the people ...
-- Nehemiah led them in remembering how faithful God had been to them even though they had forgotten Him and forsaken their fellowship with Him (Getting Close to God Again).
But that's not all!
To complete the spiritual rebuilding of the people ...
Nehemiah knew they had to put passion for God and fellowship with God into their daily lives!
... They had to live it -- not just talk about it.
For the rebuilding to be complete -- they had to make a commitment to start –
LIVING FOR GOD AGAIN ().
That is what Nehemiah Chapter 10 is all about!
It often takes a crisis ... to cause us to see the value in living for God -- every day.
* You don't really have a passion for God .... you don't really have fellowship with God ... until you're iving for God!
* Everything else is just empty chatter! ... wasted effort ... stealing from yourself!
* How can you tell whether or not you're living for God?
If you are truly living for God -- and you're not faking it -- then five areas of your life are being affected!
I. A FIXED COMMITMENT 1-27
I. A FIXED COMMITMENT 1-27
(A) Ch. 9 -- in order that the people might restore their fellowship with the Lord ... they renewed their covenant with the Lord!
3 And they stood up in their place, and read in the book of the law of the Lord their God one fourth part of the day; and another fourth part they confessed, and worshipped the Lord their God.
V. 1 "seal" [chatham] ... that which is secured; closed up; settled; fixed!
V. 1 "seal" [chatham] ... that which is secured; closed up; settled; fixed!
1- These people made a fixed commitment to the Lord!
2- No wavering ... no room for backing down!
3- Settled their commitment by making it publicly ... listed their names ...
* They are serious ... centuries later -- there are their names -- for you, me, everyone to see!
* Publicly acknowledging -- we are going to live for God.
ladies and gentlemen if we are going to live for God we must stand up publically!
Notice the first name on the list -- "Nehemiah" ... their leader!
* This fixed commitment must begin with us who lead -- whether you lead the church (pastor), a ministry (staff), an Sunday School class (teacher), a home, a work place!
* You must publicly display a commitment to live for the Lord!
* This is why we have a public invitation -- your way of saying -- "You can put my name on the list" -- This is a fixed commitment.
* But it doesn't end there!
* You must also put your commitment to live for the Lord on public display ... If you aren't doing that -- then you're not living for Jesus!
Leonardo da Vinci had started work on a large canvas in his studio. For a while he worked at it -- choosing the subject, planning the perspective, sketching the outline, aping the colors, with his own inimitable genius. Then suddenly he ceased, the painting still unfinished, and, summoning one of his students, invited him to complete the work. The student protested that he was unworthy and unable to complete the great painting which his master had begun. But da Vinci silenced him, "Will not what I have done inspire you to do your best?"
* Jesus ... 2,000 years ago ... made a fixed commitment to you.
... He left heaven ... publicly identified the fact that He had come from the Father to live His truth ... to put that truth on public display.
* Then He publicly identified with you when He took your sin and the judgment for that sin on the cross.
* But what the Master began ... the public display of God's truth must continue with us ... what our Master had done should inspire us to do our best.
* He has left us to finish the picture of God's truth and grace.
-- Jesus: "If you confess Me before men, I'll confess you before God."
-- It also goes deeper ... not just a fixed commitment made publicly!
SF being christian will cost something
II. A FAITHFUL COMMITMENT V. 28-29
II. A FAITHFUL COMMITMENT V. 28-29
neh 10
28 And the rest of the people, the priests, the Levites, the porters, the singers, the Nethinims, and all they that had separated themselves from the people of the lands unto the law of God, their wives, their sons, and their daughters, every one having knowledge, and having understanding; 29 They clave to their brethren, their nobles, and entered into a curse, and into an oath, to walk in God’s law, which was given by Moses the servant of God, and to observe and do all the commandments of the Lord our Lord, and his judgments and his statutes;
-- made internally!
-- Read V. 28 ... "all those who had separated themselves from the peoples of the lands to the law of God ..."
-- "separated ... FROM the peoples of the lands" -- They refused to adopt the standard of the society in which they lived -- they were living for God.
illustration here - we must not back down from Biblical positions!
Homosexuality is a sin
Sex outside of marriage is a sin
-- "separated ... TO the law (Word) of God." -- They had made a decision to be faithful to the Word of God ... to prove that they were living for God by living His Word ... separated FROM the culture ... TO the Lord!
-- Their faithfulness to God was reflected in their choices about two things: everyone who had knowledge and understanding: of God's Word will see that these two choices provide a reliable indicator about your level of faithfulness:
(A) YOUR COMPANIONS Read V. 29a V. 28-29a
1- "separated ... from the people of the land" (V. 29) and they "joined with their brethren, their nobles" (V. 29a).
a- They were careful about their friends/their companions.
b- "clave" [chazaq] = to be strong ... used 34 times in Nehemiah in regard to repairing ... making strong.
* You don't make close friends, enter into business partnerships, date, or become intimate friends with those who don't know the Lord!
* You reserve those closest of relationships for fellow Christians ...
* Remain strong in your relationship to your brothers in Christ ... doing whatever is necessary to keep your relationship with your Christian family in good repair.
3- Are you comfortable around those who aren't living for the Lord?
-- If your closest friends are not living for God -- then you aren't either.
-- Bible calls that an unequal yoke ... 2 oxen in a yoke ... had to be the same size so they could work in harmony ... If they weren't the same ... the yoke would be unequal ... No work could be done ... no progress made ... one would always hold the other back ... impossible for the larger to lift the other to his level.
-- The story is told of a group of soldiers released from a prison camp at the end of WWII. Each soldier had their own duffle bag containing their personal items. Because there was a limited number of ships to transport the men and weather was threatening to close the port ... the soldiers were divided into 2 groups .... 1 group would leave immediately -- the other would have to wait for future transportation.
-- 2 particular men ... strong Christians and close friends ... had been with each other throughout the war ... They had helped each other make it through the difficult days of the prison camp -- sharing everything from their food to Scripture.
-- When one was selected to go with the 1st group and the other put in the 2nd group to wait ... the first man simply turned over his duffle bag spilling out his few personal possessions onto the ground and told his friend to step into the bag.
-- Then he carefully lifted his friend and carried him on board the ship.
* We all need friends who lift us ... not who drag us down.
... The faithfulness of your commitment is also reflected in choices about:
(B) YOUR CONDUCT V. 29b
1- They made a faithful commitment "to observe and do" what the Word of God told them to do! ... to obey God's Word ... to allow it to have an impact on their conduct.
2- A commitment to live for God by accommodating their lives to God's Word -- rather than accommodating God's Word to their lives.
3- They were making the right choices in conduct!
This is what we are teaching the teens right now!
Understanding and adhering to the doctrines of the bible.
* Are you?
* Are you living for God by accepting His Word as truth for your life? ... His Truth must shape your values which shape your actions!
* Do you dismiss God's Word saying this doesn't really matter?
* God's Word does matter if you're going to live for God -- Choose not to obey -- don't say you're living for God.
4- They "entered into a curse and an oath" ... a willingness to accept the consequences ... for our obedience or our disobedience.
* When you conduct your life in accordance with God's Word -- you are being shaped ... molded ... more like Jesus!
* When you decide not to live with God's Word as your standard -- you become disfigured ... you bear no resemblance to the Lord!
* You're not living for the Lord ... you must live with the curse of your consequences -- you bear no resemblance to the Lord.
Sarah said people my age must take responsibility for their decisions
(Break Point, May 1992, p. 2)
* Only when your conduct is governed by His Word -- do you bear a resemblance to Him.
III. A FAMILY COMMITMENT V. 30
III. A FAMILY COMMITMENT V. 30
30 And that we would not give our daughters unto the people of the land, nor take their daughters for our sons:
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1- If living for God does not affect your conduct at home, you are not living for God.
(B) If you are truly going to live for God -- you have to make some definite decisions about your marriage and family!
1- If living for God does not affect your conduct at home, you are not living for God.
2- What you are at home, with those who know you best, is what you really are!
(C) These people made a public commitment that they were going to live for God at home ... in their marriages ... in their date life...
1- They decided to not allow their children to marry unsaved people.
2- They were living for God at home in marriage.
-- The family belongs to God ....He created it ... designed it ... and gave it its purpose.
-- You may choose to cooperate with God's purpose -- but the home you establish is His home. "Unless the Lord build the house, those who build it labor in vain."
1 Except the Lord build the house, they labour in vain that build it: Except the Lord keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.
6 God setteth the solitary in families: He bringeth out those which are bound with chains: But the rebellious dwell in a dry land.
ps 68.66
-- It is not your marriage, but His .... not your home, but His ... not your children, but His .... not your family, but His.
-- Sounds pious ... but it is very practical.
If you are truly living for God in your family -- it will influence everything from the way you decorate your house to the way you spend your summer vacation.
(D) Are you living for God in your family? Or is that a low priority for you?
They became deeply concerned about their souls and, weeks later, accepted Christ as their Savior and were baptized. They shared with Dr. Meigs the burden they had for their parents and families who had never even heard about Christ, and, of course, were not saved. How could they be told and how could they be convinced that the Christian God was the God, and that only through Christ could their sins be forgiven? One of them was not on the Communist black list so he would write a letter to his father, to tell him what had happened, and beg permission to fly home and talk to all of them about his newly-found happiness. He wrote the letter, never his friend. The answer was short and heart-breaking:
"We do not know you. Your name has been erased from our family record. Never write us again. Newer come home again. You are disinherited. You're dead."
On reading that letter, Dr. Meigs asked, "Does that mean you cannot finish college? How will you support yourself?" Then he commented, "What a pity!" After a long silence, the other student said, "You don't understand, Doctor. That is not the problem. Our concern is that they are lost and he can never talk to them about Christ. But they don't know about me, so I'm going home to try to lead both my family and his to be Christians."
"But you are on the Communist black list. They will kill you." He answered, "Yes, I know, but they won't do anything to me for a few months. First they will be all smiles, until they find they can't brainwash me. Then they will stand me up against a wall and let the firing squad shoot me. But I'll have those few months to try to lead my father and mother and my family to Christ. And I'm going to try to lead my friend's parents to accept my Savior. We want you to pray for me. We believe God will answer our prayers."
* You may not be called on to martyred for your family ... But are you willing to lay down your life everyday for them?
* Some of you need to start living for God today -- for the sake of your family.
* Sometimes people lose their children to the world -- and they blame the church ... It is not the church's responsibility to raise your children ... It is yours!
* You had better make a commitment that you are going to live for God in your family ... your marriage!
IV. A FINANCIAL COMMITMENT V. 31-39a
IV. A FINANCIAL COMMITMENT V. 31-39a
-- Living for God also involves a financial commitment that impacts two areas of your life:
(A) HOW YOU CONDUCT YOUR OCCUPATION V. 31
1- V. 31 ... "peoples of the land" -- pagans ... Those who did not know God.
a- When they showed up on the Sabbath to do business with God's people ... they found a sign on the door: "Closed for God's Day."
Chik-fl-a - statement they will not be open on Sunday
b- What a testimony ...
c- Even took it one step further: "forego the seventh year's produce, and the exacting (or cancellation) of every debt."
2- This was how God's Word said to conduct business: Shut down on the Sabbath -- every seventh year forgive all debts owed to you... and let the land rest.
* The point: the people committed themselves to conducting business God's way ... to living for God in their business.
* God doesn't call us to forgive every debt every seven years today ... He had specific reasons for doing it then but He does call us to conduct our businesses in a way that will honor Him.
-- Do you keep God's day for Him? ... for His church? ... for worship?
chik-a fla - highest margins in food industry
-- But are you truly living for the Lord if you don't honor Him on His day with your business?
-- Are you honest? Are you vocal about your faith in your business?
-- If you're living for God you will be!
.... The second area of your finances that are affected by your commitment to live for God:
(B) HOW YOU CONTRIBUTE YOUR OFFERING V. 32-39a
-- If you are truly living for God -- your offerings to God will be marked by:
1- SACRIFICE V. 32-33
a- Read V. 32 ... given the poverty of the people -- this commitment meant a sacrifice on their part.
(1) V. 33 ... the sacrifice was made by the people for the sake of worship ... "for all the work of the house of our God." ....
(2) Part of their commitment to live for God involved their financial sacrifice.
* Do you tithe? How can you say you're living for God if He doesn't control your finances?
b- What is tithing? ... Giving 10% of your income to the Lord through His church ...
* "But I can't afford to do that!" ... You'd be surprised --
* Let God control your finances -- He'll do more with the 90% that is left than you can do with the 100%.
c- These people committed themselves to give 1/3 shekel ... giving their offering beyond their tithe ... it was their sacrifice ...
d- Why? ... Because they were committed enough to sacrifice so that they could live for God!
* You can't say you're living for God if you're not allowing Him to control your finances by tithing!
* There must be a sacrifice on our part!
Living for God has to be intentional and on purpose!
a- Vs. 34 ... The people not only sacrificed financially as proof of their commitment to live for God ... they took turns bringing wood to God's house so the ministry of God's house could be carried out.
A Public Commitment
* Serving God through His house.
A Faithful Commitment - honoring His Word and living by His word.
b- Their giving ... not out of obligation -- but out of a heart to serve!
A family Commitment - faithful to raing your family in God’s Word.
* Do you grit your teeth when you give an offering? ... perform a ministry? ... keep a child in the nursery?
* If you refuse to serve God through His church ... or if you serve God with a sense of obligation rather than joy -- then you're not living for God!
A financial commitment
3- SURRENDER V. 35-37
a- V. 35-37 ... read about them bringing their firstborn ... their firstlings ... their firstfruits ...
b- This first fruit offering -- their way of surrendering all to the Lord.
c- The firstfruit was given to represent the total ... harvest ... flock.
... Children brought to temple and dedicated ...
... Saying, "It all belongs to God."
* Be honest -- have you reached that point, yet?
* Can you say that everything you own has been surrendered to God?
-- If you can't, then you're not living for God!
4- SUBMISSION V. 38-39a
a- V. 38-39a ... The priest was present when the Levite received the tithe and offerings ... Why?
b- To make sure it was properly handled ... I.E. -- they had a set procedure to follow to ensure that God's offerings were properly handled!
c- They submitted to the agenda which God established for the handling of their offerings!
* Occasionally -- encounter someone who will say: "I'll withhold my offering -- I don't like this decision by the church or the way the money was spent there."
* The attitude of someone who is not living for God -- no sense of submission to God's agenda or will ... just what they think is best! ... called selfishness not submission!
* If you're truly living for God -- no problem giving His finances to His church!
* Procedures in this church ... given to us by God ... to ensure that we cautiously and carefully seek His will in properly handling the finances.
* God holds us accountable to properly administer the offerings you give to Him ... Those who are truly living for God willingly submit to those procedures established so that we can be good stewards.
-- Jesus had more to say about a man's relationship to his finances and material possessions than about heaven or hell!
-- If you're going to live for God -- you must make a financial commitment that involves: Sacrifice -- Service -- Surrender -- Submission!
V
(A) V. 39b ... "we will not neglect the house of our God" --
... because that is where they met God!
* Do you forsake the church? ...
1- Bible ... Christ loved the church and gave Himself for it.
2- If you claim to love Jesus, but you don't love His church -- then you're not living for God!
* If you love Jesus, you'll love His church!
-- A man who loves fishing: loves rods, reels, bait, boats, and water!
-- Man loves baseball ... loves dirt ... baseball diamond ... bats ... smell of leather gloves ...
-- Man loves hunting ... loves guns ... camouflage ... the woods .... the stories ... all the equipment that goes with hunting.
-- When Saul of Tarsus was persecuting the church, Jesus interrupted him on the road to Damascus and asked him: "Saul, Saul, why do you persecute Me?"
* You love Jesus -- you love the church!
* You persecute the church -- you persecute Jesus!
(B) If you're living for God -- you will not forsake His church!
(C) In fact, if you are truly living for God, it will be evident because you will fulfill your 4-fold responsibility to God's church:
1- You Will Attend
a- "Don't forsake the assembling of ourselves together."
b- Some only come to church 3 times: to be hatched, matched, dispatched.
c- "I'll watch on TV ... get a tape..."
d- You don't attend just to get a message -- but to meet with the family.
e- There is a sense in which the Lord is present when His people gather -- like at no other time!
-- Thomas missed church and missed the appearance of our Resurrected Lord!
2- You Will Defend
a- The church is under attack from a humanistic world ... .a secular press ... television comedy shows.
b- Don't help them -- defend your church.
* Don't take your church for granted ...
3- You Will Extend
a- Bring others in ... share the Gospel -- the message of the church.
b- You will, if you're living for God!
4- You Will Commend
a- Don't criticize it -- love it!
b- Church -- a society of sinners who realized it -- not perfect!
c- If you love Jesus ... you'll love His church and commend it!
* If you're living for God -- you will make a fellowship commitment to His church!
-- Are you living for God? ... If you are, then it is because you have made:
I. A FIXED COMMITMENT
II. A FAITHFUL COMMITMENT
III. A FAMILY COMMITMENT
IV. A FINANCIAL COMMITMENT
V. A FELLOWSHIP COMMITMENT
-- Once you know you are living for God -- you have the benefit of fellowship with Him ... knowing that He is near and that He is using you to make a difference in the lives of others:
-- Adoption
... In 1952 a probation officer in New York City tried to find an organization that would assist in the adoption of a twelve-year-old boy. Although the child had a religious background, none of the major denominations would assist in his adoption. Said the officer later, "His case had been reported to me because he had been truant. I tried for a year to find an agency that would care for this needy youngster. Neither Catholic, Protestant, nor Jewish institutions would take him because he came from a denomination they did not recognize. I could do nothing constructive for him."
... If the principles of Christian love had prevailed in the Bronx in 1952, perhaps a good home could have been found for that young, mixed-up lad. Eventually ... he was shipped off to Dallas, TX to live with family. As a teenager in Dallas -- he was a troublemaker but his family got him in church.
In fact ... at that time -- there were 2 troublemakers ... both teenagers ... in different S.S. classes in the church ... different teachers. One teacher ... faithful ... followed God's plan ... gave attention to his walk with God and his family ... wouldn't give up on one of those trouble-making teenage boys.
... Teacher -- stayed at his place on the wall in Sunday School ... kept living for God! Eventually led this teenager to Jesus -- that boy grew up to be the Director of Evangelism for the State of Florida.
... Other teacher-- not very faithful ... didn't give attention to his walk with God ... just wouldn't stay at his place on the wall. Sunday School teacher -- kicked his troubled teenager out of the class -- didn't want a troublemaker in his class....
... That boy who no one wanted in the Bronx and who this teacher deserted ... grew up and assassinated John F. Kennedy!
* Two boys -- two teachers -- but only one teacher was committed to living for God.
* Are you living for God?
* If you are -- you could change history -- You will definitely change eternity: yours and someone else's!
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