Nehemiah 8:1-16

Last week, Anson started to talk to us about everyday discipleship. A disciple is one who follows the teachings and life of another. We are disciples of Christ. Today, we are really going to focus in on your role in this. The goal of the Christian life is to glorify God by becoming more like Christ. You can do that by reading, studying, and obey God’s word!

Turn your handout over to the back and we are going to do a little exercise. Turn to the person next to you and y’all come up with as many bible verses as you can from memory. Even though you may know many truths in God’s word, practicing them takes it to a whole nother level. So, what does it really mean to know God’s word?

Turn in your Bibles to .

Around 600 BC the kingdom of Judah was conquered by the Babylonians. The tempe was destroyed and those who were still alive after the war were taken captive. 70 years later, the Lord moves in King Cyrus’s heart and he makes a decree allowing the Jews to return to Jerusalem and rebuild the Temple. Now, there was a new generation seeking God. records a powerful experience God’s people had when they heard and understood the word of God.

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I. God’s Word Should Be Respected and Read ()

This is a really cool scene. IT makes me think of an ideal church service today. You have a guys standing on a platform with the Bible on a pulpit, and a congregation of people ready to hear a word form the Lord.

Ok, Now notice this: after many many years of not following God’s word and losing the Temple, we see a great shift - this generation has never experienced this before and they desired to return to the Lord and his word.

Ezra glorifies God by praising God and reading God’s word.

Ezra walks up onto this platform and reads the Word form early morning to midday (verse 3)! Bam thats a church service. I am kidding, but what a wonderful way to spend time together.

After he reads, we are told that he blesses the Lord, the great God! This is probably an exclamation of praise and a prayer of thanksgiving.

The people glorify God by respecting God’s word.

When Ezra starts to read, they stand to their feet. I am not saying we have to do this, some churches do, but this was a sign of respect and reverence. This book is different. This book is holy. these are the very words of God.

They also show great respect for the word by responding the way they do. When Ezra praises God, they join in with him saying ‘Amen Amen’, lifting up their hands, and bowing their heads before the Lord.

We don’t see a lot of this respect for the Bible today. Why do you think that is? What are some things that contribute to some loss of respect for the Word?

Remember that possessing God’s word is a privilege. We are even blessed to have these great translations that we have today! Christians should read it each day and respect it for what it is!

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II. God’s Word Should be Taught and Studied (, )

Verse 7 lists all the people who helped breakdown the Word that Ezra read. These Jewish people needed some help understanding the word of God. They were new at this thing and did not have the benefit of godly family teaching them. God’s spirit helps us understand his word, but God also uses teachers and other helps to give us clearer understanding.

The Levites glorified God by knowing the Word and clearly teaching it to others.

Verse 8 tells us that they read the word clearly and then ‘gave the sense’ so that the people could understand. It does us no good if we do not understand the word.

Good Bible teachers and good Bible preacher are a gift!

Back then, they did not have the access that we have today. Today we can study it for ourselves, and we have access to helps.

We can glorify God by studying our Bibles and using the tools available to gain a better understanding of its teaching.

Use a good study Bible - I highly recommend the ESV Study Bible!

How often do you hear the Word of God taught? How often do you read it for yourself?

Be thankful for all of the pastors and teachers in your life that teach you the Bile and on top of that, learn to study it for yourself.

*IMPORTANT - if you think you may be gifted to teach, get training. Maybe formal Bible college. Maybe just meeting with a pastor to train you one on one. Don’t neglect the gift of the Spirit*

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III. God’s Word Should be Obeyed and Celebrated ()

In verse 9-12 we see the people sorrowful over past sin and grieving over their families who had rebelled for so long against the Lord. Their leaders said, ‘That is enough. Go your way, shar with your brothers and sisters, and know that the joy of the Lord is your strength.’ Then, the people wen their way celebrating, because they had understood God’s word.

God’s people glorify Him by celebrating his word.

Have you ever seen a video of those Chinese people celebrating when they receive their first Bibles. That honors God!

Then, in verse 13-18, we see immediate obedience to God’s word. The fathers of the houses continued to meet with the leaders, and they became aware of some festivals and holy days they were to observe. So, what did they do, they immediately went out and obeyed the word, and there was very great rejoicing!

God’s people glorify Him by immediately obeying His word.

Back to all of our memory verses. it is good to know them and be able to recite them, but as a very wise man once told me - ‘The highest result of a truth realized is not to be recited but to be lived out in one’s life.’

As you are taught the Word and as you study the Word for yourself, celebrate what you understand and put it into practice!

When you do this, don’t become a pharisee, and when you don’t do this, don’t fall into despair! Our salvation does not depend on our reading of the Bible or anything that we do, our salvation depends on what Jesus did. He read, respected, studied, taught, obeyed, and celebrated God’s word perfectly! That perfection is credited to us when we trust in him! BUT out of love for him, we should try to know His word. This where we learn about this great exchange - my sin for his perfection!