Joy of God's Character- Part 2
Notes
Transcript
Joy of God's Character- Part 2
Nehemiah 9:32-37
INTRODUCTION
ILL- Being accused with cousins of stealing hats from Walmart.
32 “Now, therefore, our God, the great, the mighty, and the awesome God, who keeps covenant and steadfast love, let not all the hardship seem little to you that has come upon us, upon our kings, our princes, our priests, our prophets, our fathers, and all your people, since the time of the kings of Assyria until this day.
33 Yet you have been righteous in all that has come upon us, for you have dealt faithfully and we have acted wickedly.
34 Our kings, our princes, our priests, and our fathers have not kept your law or paid attention to your commandments and your warnings that you gave them.
35 Even in their own kingdom, and amid your great goodness that you gave them, and in the large and rich land that you set before them, they did not serve you or turn from their wicked works.
36 Behold, we are slaves this day; in the land that you gave to our fathers to enjoy its fruit and its good gifts, behold, we are slaves.
37 And its rich yield goes to the kings whom you have set over us because of our sins. They rule over our bodies and over our livestock as they please, and we are in great distress.
32- Because God's Character Anchors Us... we know his discipline will lead us to Him.
5 For his anger is but for a moment, and his favor is for a lifetime. Weeping may tarry for the night, but joy comes with the morning.
Last Time- 5 Characteristics of God (he is our anchor)
1-God is Great
1-God is Great
= Strength
2- God is Mighty
2- God is Mighty
= Hero who saves
3- God is Awesome
3- God is Awesome
= worthy of fear
4- God is Faithful
4- God is Faithful
= He keeps his promises.
5- God is Righteous (33)
5- God is Righteous (33)
33 Yet you have been righteous in all that has come upon us, for you have dealt faithfully and we have acted wickedly.
He is right in his actions. Innocent of wrong. Just.
This is in relation to how the Jews have been treated by God. He is innocent because they deserve it.
It is a just punishment.
ILL-- What if I told you there was a man who was bound, thrown into a small, dark room where he seldom got to come out, and seldom saw the sun and after eleven years he was electrocuted to death.
What if I told you there was more to the story? This man was Ted Bundy and he was convicted in the court of law of killing 30 young women and that after eleven years of appeal he died in an electric chair.
These actions can seem wrong unless you understand that these actions are just.
God is righteous in how he deals with sin. Hell seems unloving, unless you understand that because of our sin, it is just.
“Faithfully”= done exactly what he said he would do.
2 Reasons We Deserve Discipline
We are Wicked (33)
We are Wicked (33)
33 Yet you have been righteous in all that has come upon us, for you have dealt faithfully and we have acted wickedly.
They call their sin the worst of sin.= wicked.
Wicked is the opposite of Righteous.
“Wicked”
Wicked Witch of the West= very evil.
We don’t usually think of ourselves as wicked.
That’s because we don’t see our sin the way God does.
10 as it is written: “None is righteous, no, not one;
11 no one understands; no one seeks for God.
We Follow the Disobedient (34-35)
We Follow the Disobedient (34-35)
34 Our kings, our princes, our priests, and our fathers have not kept your law or paid attention to your commandments and your warnings that you gave them.
35 Even in their own kingdom, and amid your great goodness that you gave them, and in the large and rich land that you set before them, they did not serve you or turn from their wicked works.
“all my friends are doing it.” is not an excuse.
Reference to corporate sin.
Their nation is being judged because of its leaders.
2 Results of Discipline
We are Slaves (36)
We are Slaves (36)
36 Behold, we are slaves this day; in the land that you gave to our fathers to enjoy its fruit and its good gifts, behold, we are slaves.
Slaves in the land of Promise.
Slaves to the Persians.
They were their subjects. Paid them taxes. Could only do what the Persians permitted.
34 Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who practices sin is a slave to sin.
16 Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness?
We Need Help (37)
We Need Help (37)
37 And its rich yield goes to the kings whom you have set over us because of our sins. They rule over our bodies and over our livestock as they please, and we are in great distress.
“We are in great distress”
ILL- Princess Leia has R2D2 record a message. “Help me Obi Wan Kenobi. You’re my only hope.”
The people of Nehemiah’s day knew that their only hope was from God. They cried out for help.
1 I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come?
2 My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.
16 Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness?
17 But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed,
18 and, having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness.
34 Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who practices sin is a slave to sin.
35 The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son remains forever.
36 So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.
37 I know that you are offspring of Abraham; yet you seek to kill me because my word finds no place in you.
38 I speak of what I have seen with my Father, and you do what you have heard from your father.”
CONCLUSION
5 For his anger is but for a moment, and his favor is for a lifetime. Weeping may tarry for the night, but joy comes with the morning.
Joy comes from discipline when discipline results in repentance.
The people of Israel repented of their sin.
3 No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.
23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
How are you responding to the conviction of the Holy Spirit in your life?
How are you responding to the conviction of the Holy Spirit in your life?