Nehemiah 9&10
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Confession
Confession
CHAPTER 9 OF THE BOOK OF NEHEMIAH
TODAY WE BEGIN WITH THE GATHERING OF GODS PEOPLE TO REVIEW THIER STORY AND REMEMBER GODS FAITHFULNESS TO THEM
IN THIS CHAPTER WE SEE THE LONGEST PRAYER IN THE BIBLE - THE STORY OF THE PEOPLE OF ISREAL SO FAR
THIS BOOK CHRONOLOGICALLY IS THE LAST BOOK OF THE HISTORY OF ISREAL SO IT IS VERY TIMELY FOR THE ISREALITES TO LOOK BACK AND SEE THE GOODNES OF GOD.
I WANT YOU TO IMAGINE IF THIS WAS YOUR HISTORY YOU WERE READING - HOW WOULD IT READ? DO YOU JOURNAL OR MAKE NOTES IN YOUR BIBLE ON WHEN GOD HAS BEEN FAITHFUL AND GOOD TO YOU - EVEN WHEN YOU HAVE CHOSEN NOT TO WALK WITH HIM.
THE ISRAELITES WERE:
ENGAGING IN THE WORD OF GOD
PARTICIPATION
UNDERSTANDING
RESPONSE - THEY WEPT
GODS WORD WAS CENTRAL IT WAS PRIORITY TO THEM
SCRIPTURE WAS THE HUB
THEY WERE SPENDING A LOT OF TIME IN THE BIBLE AND IT APPEARS THE TRUTH WAS STARTING TO SINK IN
IN CHAPTER 8 WE SAW THAT THE BIBLE WAS BIENG READ FOR 6 HOURS A DAY AND THEY CONTINUED THAT EVERY DAY FOR THE WHOLE WEEK.
THIS WAS NOT JUST A HISTORY LESSON, THIS WAS THE STORY OF THE PEOPLE HEARING GODS WORD.
SO WHAT WAS HAPPENING IS BECAUSE THEY PARTICIPATED AND UNDERSTOOD THERE WAS A RESPONSE.
CHAPTER 8 ENDS WITH A CELEBRATION
HERE IN CHAPTER 9 A COUPLE MORE WEEKS HAD PASSED BY THEY GATHER AGAIN
NEH 9:1
On October 31 the people assembled again, and this time they fasted and dressed in burlap and sprinkled dust on their heads.
BEGINS WITH A VERY GLOOMY PICTURE
THE ISREALITES ARE MOURNING
WEARING SACKCLOTH AND PUTTING DUST ON THIER HEADS WERE A PUBLIC SIGN OF SORROW AND REPENTANCE.
THE HEBREWS PRACTICED OPEN CONFESSION.
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They remained standing in place for three hours while the Book of the Law of the Lord their God was read aloud to them. Then for three more hours they confessed their sins and worshiped the Lord their God.
FASTING, REPENTANCE
THE CONTINUATION OF RESPONSE IS CONFESSION:
CONFESSION IS A BRUTAL AND BEAUTIFUL MIX OF HONESTY, RESPONSIBILITY AND A FEAR OF THE LORD
AS WE READ WE SEE THAT THE CONFESSION FOR THE PEOPLE BEGAN WITH ACKNOWLEDGING WHO GOD IS.
ACKNOWLEDGE GOD AND HE WILL DIRECT YOUR PATHS....
V6 CONFESSION BEGINS WITH WHO GOD IS, ACKNOWLEDGEING GOD PUTS EVERYTHING ELSE IN PERSPECTIVE.
As the word of God was read and explained, it brought about a change in the people.
b) Revival took place in Jerusalem.
c) Because, the word of God got into in the hearts of the people.
SLIDE CONVICT
CONVICTON
(1) Hebr 4:12 (NKJV) For the word of God [is] living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
(a) In other words, the word of God is able to lay us open like a skillful surgeon exposing the cancerous killers in our lives.
(b) And when we re-act to the Word of God the way He intended for us to, revival is the result!!!
SLIDE CONFESS
CONFESS
SO THIS IS WHERE I PICK UP ONCE AGAIN ON THAT LAST WORD - RESPOND
AT THIS STAGE THE PEOPLE HAD BEEN AT IT FOR A MONTH ALREADY
THERE IS A REVIVAL IN THE HEARTS OF THE PEOPLE HAPPENING HERE.
Revival is not evangelism!
a) Evangelism is winning the unsaved for Christ.
b) Revival has to do with the Christian.
c) Evangelism is the permanent, continuing work of the church.
d) Revival is a gracious outpouring of the Holy Spirit.
HOW DOES THIS REVIVAL BEGIN IN CHAPTER 9?
STEP #1 = ACKNOWLEDGING THE GOODNESS AND MERCY OF GOD
THE PEOPLE CONFESS WHO GOD IS:
They praise Him for what He is!
They praise Him for whom He is!
They praise Him for His covenant with them!
They praise Him for His deliverance!
And they praise Him for His tender guidance throughout their history
III. STEP #2 = RECOGNITION OF OUR SINFULNESS
God intended them to live in freedom but, Nehe 9:36 (NKJV) "Here we [are], servants today! And the land that You gave to our fathers, To eat its fruit and its bounty, Here we [are], servants in it!
a) Although the walls were up and they were back in Jerusalem, they were still under the dominion of Persia.
2. The Lord intends for every Christian to live and walk in freedom
a) But, though the walls of salvation through Jesus Christ are up and we are free within those walls, we are living in a world under the dominion of another king!
b) Inside the parameters that God has set, we are free, outside of those parameters we become slaves!
c) That is why we are told in Gala 5:1 (NKJV) Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage.
(1) Sin entangles and enslaves. It is outside the walls. It is outside the will of God for our lives!
(2) But, unfortunately, even as Christians we occasionally go outside the walls of safety and freedom.
(a) That is why within the lives of some Christians there are varying degrees of slavery!
(b) With some, it is major - like drugs, alcohol, or adultery.
(c) But often, the subtle enslavements are even more dangerous!
(i) Things like envy, jealousy, greed, gossip and wanting what God has not provided MAKE US SLAVES OF THE FLESH!
STEP #3 = BROKEN HEARTEDNESS
A. Nehe 9:1-2 (NKJV) Now on the twenty-fourth day of this month the children of Israel were assembled with fasting, in sackcloth, and with dust on their heads. 2 Then those of Israelite lineage separated themselves from all foreigners; and they stood and confessed their sins and the iniquities of their fathers.
1. Without a broken heart over our sin, there is no repentance.
a) Acknowledging the sin in our lives is absolutely necessary, but, without a broken heart there will be no change!
2. Notice in Nehemiah 9:1 their broken-heartedness compelled them not only to confess their sin but also to separate themselves from the source of that sin.
a) Psal 51:17 (NKJV) The sacrifices of God [are] a broken spirit, A broken and a contrite heart--These, O God, You will not despise.
b) "God only plants the seed of His Life in a soil that has been broken up by repentance." REDPATH
c) If we do not allow our hearts to be broken over our sinful condition we become hardhearted, cold and indifferent!
3. The 3rd step for revival is a broken heart over sin!
WE SEE THE THEY BECOME A WE AS THEIR SIN WAS ACKNOWLEDGS
COMMIT--- SLIDE CHAPTER 10
SLIDE
CHAPTER 10
THIS IS A FRESH START
HAVE YOU HEARD A MESSAGE THAT HAS COMPELLED YOU TO WANT TO MAKE A COMMITMENT.
CHAPTER 9 ENDS WITH THEM SAYING THEY ARE GOING TO MAKE A BINDING AGREEMENT.
FOR 27 VERSES WE SEE A LIST OF NAMES
THE FACT THAT THE NAMES ARE HERE IS BECAUSE THESE PEOPLE WERE SEARIOUS ABOUT THIS COMMITMENT. IT WAS NOT JUST A RAIING OF A HAND OR A NODDING OF A HEAD.
THEY SAID LETS WRITE IT DOWN AND PUT OUR SEAL ON IT. THIS WAS A BIG DEAL TO PUT YOUR SEAL ON THINGS.
In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit,
“The rest of the people, the priests, the Levites, the gatekeepers, the singers, the temple servants, and all who have separated themselves from the peoples of the lands to the Law of God, their wives, their sons, their daughters, all who have knowledge and understanding,
join with their brothers, their nobles, and enter into a curse and an oath to walk in God’s Law that was given by Moses the servant of God, and to observe and do all the commandments of the Lord our Lord and his rules and his statutes.
. STEP #4 = THE RENEWAL OF OUR OBEDIENCE
Nehemiah spends a great deal of time emphasizing 2 areas of obedience in Chapter 10. Faithfulness in stewardship and faithfulness in worship!
It is very important for us to understand, revival is not just an emotional commitment or acknowledgment.. it is an action!!!
1. Nehe 10:29 (NKJV) these joined with their brethren, their nobles, and entered into a curse and 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 ordinances and His statutes:
a) They restored their family altar as well as their social life!
b) They committed themselves to knowing, understanding, and doing the will of God in their homes and outside their homes.
WE ARE NOT BOUND BY THE OLD TESTEMENT LAWS WE DONT WRITE THINGS DOWN AND WAX AND SEAL IT
JESUS SAID LET YOUR YES BE YES AND YOUR NO BE NO
COMMIT TO MAKING A CHANGE IN YOUR LIFE AND KEEP IT.
HAVE A NEW COVENENANT FORGED IN THE PRECIOUS BLOOD OF CHRIST
CONCLUSION
A. For genuine revival to take place in our hearts, our church, or city or our country - these 4 steps MUST take place!
1. ACKNOWLEDGING THE GOODNESS AND MERCY OF GOD
a) Even when we don't deserve it!
2. RECOGNITION OF OUR SINFULNESS
a) How much we need a Savior!
3. BROKEN HEARTEDNESS
a) A truly repentant heart!
4. THE RENEWAL OF OUR OBEDIENCE
a) A fresh new commitment to be faithful and obedient!
b) A commitment to stay within the walls of His provision and out of the grip of slavery!
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