Belonging to the Family (Nehemiah 7:61-73)

Introduction

Go ahead and turn to Nehemiah 7. We will be in verses 61 through 73 this morning as we conclude this chapter. We all should be ready to roll, we had an extra hour of sleep! Just a reminder for you, we have a big day today at Old River Baptist Church. First, we celebrated baptism earlier (in first service). Our first session of the New Members Class starts during the Bible Study hour (started in the Bible Study hour). Tonight, we have a special called family members’ meeting at 5:45pm to vote on the purchase of property adjacent to the church. Finally, we have Deacon Ordination tonight at 6pm. We will ordaining five men to role of servant and adding one who has been ordained at another church. Come tonight. It is an official action of the church and will be a blessing to you! You will also hear from Pastor Tony Wolfe of the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention.

As I just mentioned, Old River Baptist Church has a New Members’ Class.

What are the reasons we have a New Members’ Class at Old River Baptist Church?

The reasons we have the class include to (1) Biblically educate those who are unsure it means to be church member (2) allow those interested in joining to learn about the statements, structure, and strategy of ORBC, (3) allow anyone to ask questions about the beliefs and bylaws of ORBC, and (4) explain what our church has committed to in covenant with one another.

Why do we have a New Members’ Class?

Educate about being a Biblical church member

Educate about our local church’s statements, structure, and strategy

Answer questions

Explain why we are a covenant community

SO why talk about this? Because church is becoming less effective and complacency is becoming more prominent.

A Gallup poll from the spring of 2019 demonstrates this.

This first graphic shows generational connection to religion. Born 1945 and before (the bottom line) or traditionalists, 89% identified with a religion while only 9% did not. As you can see on the chart, of boomers, 84% to 14%, GenX 79% to 18% and Millennials 68% to 29%.

The second chart shows the percentages of each generation’s actual attachment to the local church.

The decline can been attributed to many different factors (college years, social issues, hypocritical) but two factors stand out. These were the unimportance of the church (non-attenders and lack of education) and the lack commitment to stated beliefs. (sinful living, traditions trumping)

We have been too consumed with little leagues, schools, scholarship dreams, team colors, greek letters, and earthly success rather than the eternal truth, Biblical conviction, spiritual disciplines, and obedience.

This world is educating our children about ways of the world. It is up to us to train them up in the way of the Lord.

We pick a university for various reasons, most of which are faulty. We can’t expect to send our kids to institutions that deny basic human value, have distain for the church, are built on the philosophy of men, and stand for humanism and expect our children to be ok, especially if we are handling their spiritual well-being haphazardly.

Sadly, we direct our children concisely in sports, band, drama, relationships with high expectations and regiment.

Maybe we should pick leagues based on their respect of the Bible and the church. Maybe a university should be picked due to a local church we know our children can find a home while in the first years of chaos. Maybe, just maybe.

Our team color is blood red. Our membership is the church. Our teacher is the Holy Spirit.

Nehemiah 7 has shown us God’s plan for His people.

Nehemiah’s vision was to build a people of God in the city of God under the direction of God to serve God for the glory of God.

This chapter has pointed us to the truth about God’s people both in then and there and in the here and now.

The local church has a specific purpose for specific people in a specific area for the glory of God!

AS we close out chapter seven, lets look at the what determined who actually was children of God and what they did as part of the family.

Please stand with me as we read from God’s Word. We stand in honor of the Bible because it is the holy, inerrant and infallible Word of God. It is completely true and trustworthy and useful for the life of the believer to live a life of Godliness. In it, we find everything we need.

Nehemiah 7:61-73 reads:

61 The following were those who came up from Tel-melah, Tel-harsha, Cherub, Addon, and Immer, but they could not prove their fathers’ houses nor their descent, whether they belonged to Israel: 62 the sons of Delaiah, the sons of Tobiah, the sons of Nekoda, 642. 63 Also, of the priests: the sons of Hobaiah, the sons of Hakkoz, the sons of Barzillai (who had taken a wife of the daughters of Barzillai the Gileadite and was called by their name). 64 These sought their registration among those enrolled in the genealogies, but it was not found there, so they were excluded from the priesthood as unclean. 65 The governor told them that they were not to partake of the most holy food until a priest with Urim and Thummim should arise.

66 The whole assembly together was 42,360, 67 besides their male and female servants, of whom there were 7,337. And they had 245 singers, male and female. 68 Their horses were 736, their mules 245, 69 their camels 435, and their donkeys 6,720.

70 Now some of the heads of fathers’ houses gave to the work. The governor gave to the treasury 1,000 darics of gold, 50 basins, 30 priests’ garments and 500 minas of silver. 71 And some of the heads of fathers’ houses gave into the treasury of the work 20,000 darics of gold and 2,200 minas of silver. 72 And what the rest of the people gave was 20,000 darics of gold, 2,000 minas of silver, and 67 priests’ garments.

73 So the priests, the Levites, the gatekeepers, the singers, some of the people, the temple servants, and all Israel, lived in their towns.

And when the seventh month had come, the people of Israel were in their towns.

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), Ne 7:61–73.

Children of God are believers. (v.61-69)

Nehemiah and the people of God were set apart as God’s people. As many consider this a nationality issue, the real issue was the heritage and family line. Nehemiah was interested in those who had a relationship with God through the Abrahamic covenant found in Genesis 12. The lineage was to designate who God called His own and were in relationship with Him.

A covenant was set up along with a sacrifice. The one making the promise would sacrifice an animal and cut it into two pieces. He would then make his promise and walk between the two halves of the animal symbolizing a commitment even to their own demise. Often, the lesser party would choose to walk through the animals as well as a choice.

What a beautiful picture of salvation! Jesus made a promise to us and fulfilled it on the cross holding up His will and promise to us! He now offers for us to walk through the commitment as well, but it is your choice. He has upheld His promise, will you trust in His promise?

The Bible tells us about our need for salvation from and relationship with Him! 1 Peter 1:16 and 1 Samuel 2:2 tells of God’s holiness and He alone is holy. Man is fallen and separated from God. Our sin offends God. Isaiah 59:2 (our iniquities have separated us), James 4:17 (he who knows what is right and does not do it, to him it is sin), Romans 3:10-12 (For we have already charged that all, both Jews and Greeks, are under sin, 10 as it is written: “None is righteous, no, not one; 11  no one understands; no one seeks for God. 12  All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one.), Romans 3:20. BUT… Jesus came to save us! Romans 5:8 (but God showed His love…), Romans 6:23 (for the wages…), 1 Peter 2:24 He bore our sin on the tree… we are healed by his wounds). BUt, this is a personal choice. John 3:16, John 14:6, John 6:35 (I am the bread of life, whoever comes to me). It has eternal consequences. Romans 6:23, John 3:16, Hebrews 3:19 (they were unable to enter in due to unbelief. This choice leads to a Lifetime of change. There is limited time. 2 Corinthians 6:2 (today is the day of salvation), John 9:4 (we must do the work of Him who sent Me), Hebrews 9:27 (it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment)

Children of God are givers. (v. 70-72)

The people were sacrificial in the midst of turmoil, suffering, and difficulty. God’s people are always marked by a generous heart as it demonstrates surrender to a generous God. Surrender! That is where sacrificial love comes from!

You do not have to be the most success, you just have to be surrendered.

Children of God are servants. (v. 73)