Nehemiah 8:1-12
LET'S HAVE CHURCH!
A pastor was being patronized by a millionaire. "I never go to
church, pastor," the millionaire said, "Perhaps you've noticed?"
"Yes, I have noticed it," said the pastor gravely.
"Well, the reason I don't go to church is that there are so many
hypocrites there."
"Oh, don't let that keep you away," said the pastor, smiling,
"There's always room for one more, you know." Anthology of Anecdotes p. 170 http://elbourne.org/sermons/index.mv?illustration+106
In one parish, the pastor, apparently fed up with all the excuses given over
the years as to why people don't go to church, included "Ten Reasons Why I
Never Wash" in the Sunday bulletin:
1. I was forced to as a child.
2. People who wash are hypocrites - they think they are cleaner than everybody
else
3. There are so many different kinds of soap, I can't decide which one is best.
4. I used to wash, but I got bored and stopped.
5. I wash only on special occasions, like Christmas and Easter.
6. None of my friends wash.
7. I'll start washing when I get older and dirtier.
8. I can't spare the time.
9. The bathroom is never warm enough in winter or cool enough in summer.
10. People who make soap are only after your money. Exact Source Unknown
On a more serious note From The Blessing by Gary Smalley and John Trent:
If this is not a place where
tears are understood,
then where shall I go to cry?
And if this is not a place where my spirit can take wings,
then where shall I go to fly?
I don't need another place
for trying to impress you
with just how good and virtuous I am. No! No! No!
I don't need another place for always being on top of things;
everybody knows that it's a sham, it's a sham.
I don't need another place
for always wearing smiles,
even when its not the way I feel.
I don't need another place, to mouth the same old platitudes;
everybody knows that it's not real.
So if this is not a place
where tears are understood,
where shall I go,
where shall I go to fly?
I'm glad you're here this morning!
You're in church!
You belong here. This is where you should be! You have done something right simply by being here!
We use the term "church" in various ways.
Sometimes when we refer to the "church" we mean all of those who put their faith in Christ.
We use the term "church" to refer to a local body of believers such as the Mt. Union Bible Church.
And sometimes we use the term "church" to refer to the service itself. The title of this morning's message is "Let's Have Church!"
We are referring to the service itself.
The Scripture passage that we just read talks about a gathering of the Jewish people in Jerusalem for the purpose of listening to the Word of God. Although they didn't know the term, you might say they were having church!
The exciting thing about this passage is that it gives us some good principles for you and I to follow as we have our services.
This is an encouraging passage for us that says "Let's have church!"
This is the last in a brief series that I've done in the evenings on the Book of Nehemiah. The people of Judah, the Southern part of Israel, had been conquered and taken into captivity. The same thing had happened to the Northern part of Israel years before.
After 70 years the people were allowed back into the land. In the course of time the temple was rebuilt. Then came Nehemiah and led in the reconstruction of the walls. It is after the reconstruction of the walls that this gathering takes place.
The first day of the seventh month, when this meeting held was the beginning of the civil calendar, a new year so to speak.
It was also the day for the "Feast of Trumpets".
Leviticus 23:24-25 - Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, In the seventh month, in the first day of the month, shall ye have a sabbath, a memorial of blowing of trumpets, an holy convocation. Ye shall do no servile work therein: but ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD.
The exact meaning of the Feast of Trumpets does not appear to be clear.
A proclamation often follows the blowing of trumpets. People will sound the trumpet in order to get people's attention to announce something.
When this holiday was held, the solemn Day of Atonement for the Jewish people was only ten days away. Perhaps this holiday was preparing people for that great day.
Another thought is that the trumpet is also used as a call to worship. People were being encouraged to worship the Lord that day.
Whatever the meaning of the Feast of Trumpets, this gathering teaches us about some of the principles involved in having church.
This morning we want to see:
PEOPLE
PRAISE
PROCLAMATION
POWER
SO, LET'S HAVE CHURCH
TO HAVE CHURCH WE NEED:
PEOPLE
What people were gathered together?
The people of God were gathered together!
When we gather together for church, it is primarily a gathering of God's people.
Most of the people know the Lord as Savior.
Most of the people have already made a commitment to God.
Church is primarily a gathering of the saints!
We gather together to worship, to learn and to encourage each other, something we all need.
I want you to see three things about the people here in this passage.
· THEY WERE ATTENDEES
Vss. 1-2 - Read
Notice Vs. 1. It says they were all gathered.
Vs. 2 tells us that men, women and children who could understand were all present.
I want you to encourage you to be a church attender.
"But Pastor, I'm sitting right in front of you. I'm here!"
I can see that. But I mean a faithful church attendee.
One who finds very little excuse for missing church
Someone who is as consistent in getting to church as he is getting to work
Someone who is as consistent in getting his children to church as he is getting them to school or a baseball game
Let's face it what the children hear in Sunday School, church, Good News Club and youth group are, for the most part, more important than anything else they'll hear anywhere else!
Saints are expected to be regular attendee at church.
Hebrews 10:22-25 - Read and Comment
The people in Nehemiah's day were attendee.
· THEY WERE ALLIES
In Vs. 1 it says they were "gathered together as one man."
They were unified in their desire to be there.
They were unified in their desire to hear the word of God presented. They called for Ezra the priest to bring out the Word of God and read it!
If you are a child of God, you should have a desire to be with the people of God.
If you are a child of God, you should have a desire to hear what God has to say!
You should have a desire for the things of this Book!
We, together as one man, as allies, as united in Christ, should have a hunger for the Word of God!
Matthew 5:6 - Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.
1 Peter 2:2 - As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby.
The only way we will be true allies is when each of us has the same desire. I can't speak for you or decide for you. But I must make sure that my true desire is for the things of the Book. And you must decide that your desire will be for the things of the Book. Then we will be true allies!
Why the things of the Book?
Psalm 19:7-11 - Read and comment.
The people were attendee.
The people were allies.
· THE PEOPLE WERE ATTENTIVE
Vs. 3 - "…and the ears of all the people were attentive unto the book of the law."
I checked out other translations of this verse and they all come to the same conclusion - the people paid attention to what was being read.
Well, it's God's Word, why shouldn't we pay attention?
Has it every occurred to you how hard it is to pay attention in church?
There are times when the preacher is boring, at least to you.
There are times when you have so many troubles on your mind.
There are times when you are looking forward to something and you dwell on it.
There are times when your neighbor will distract you, or you'll distract your neighbor by making a comment.
I've been guilty of this, and with God's help I'm not going to do it anymore. It is rude, not only to the person speaking but to God, who is trying to speak through that individual.
It's hard to pay attention in church!
I know from experience.
But, it's vital to pay attention in church!
As we pay attention God can convict us.
As we pay attention God can encourage us.
As we pay attention God can speak to us.
As we pay attention God can help us.
And as we pay attention, we also help God by not distracting others with whom He wants to speak!
The people were attenders.
The people were allies.
The people were attentive.
THE PEOPLE
PRAISE - Vss. 5-6
Ezra and other leaders were standing on the platform.
Who was Ezra? He was a teaching priest, a scribe in the Word of God. Ezra should be a model to all of us who are preachers.
Ezra 7:10 - For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the law of the LORD, and to do it, and to teach in Israel statutes and judgments.
In Vs. 6 Ezra blessed the Lord, and the people agreed, saying "Amen".
They lifted up their hands and they bowed their heads in worship!
Folks, when we have church we should worship.
You will note that worship preceded the reading and preaching of God's Word.
A. W. Tozer - "If we yearned after God even as much as a cow yearns for her calf, we would be the worshiping and effective believers God wants us to be. If we longed for God as a bride looks forward to the return of her husband, we would be a far greater force for God than we are now."
An old Jewish prayer says,
" If my lips could sing as many songs
as there are waves in the sea:
if my tongue could sing as many hymns
as there are ocean billows:
if my mouth
filled the whole firmament with praise:
if my face
shone like the sun and moon together:
if my hands
were to hover in the sky like powerful eagles
and my feet
ran across mountains as swiftly as the deer;
all that would not be enough
to pay you fitting tribute,
O Lord my God."
True worship is the result of allowing the Holy Spirit to control our lives.
Ephesians 5:18-20 - And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit; Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ; Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.
Has it ever occurred to you that how well you listen to a sermon, and how much you get out of your sermon has a lot to do with how well you worship God before you hear the preaching of His Word?
Worshiping sincerely in song and prayer will help you tune in sincerely to the ready and proclamation of God's word. Worship prepares us to listen!
When we have the first part of the service, make sure you sing with your heart in tune to God. Make sure you listen to "specials" with your heart in tune with God. Make sure you pray along silently with the person who prays aloud with your heart in tune with God!
PEOPLE
PRAISE
PROCLAMATION
One of the greatest preachers who ever lived was the Apostle Paul.
Paul had some pointed things to say to his young protegee named Timothy. A couple of challenges he gave to Timothy are appropriate to all preachers. They also tell us what God expects from his spokesmen.
1 Timothy 4:13 - Till I come, give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine - COMMENT
2 Timothy 4:2 - Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. - COMMENT.
In our text what Ezra did was a team effort.
Evidently others assisted him in presenting the Word of God. Perhaps they did it in different areas of the crowd.
Ezra 8:8 - Here is a great summary of what is called expository preaching.
First of all a passage is read.
Secondly, the meaning of the passage is explained.
Thirdly sense is given to it. I believe that application is made to the person's life. When we understand Scripture we know how it applies to us and what we need to do.
When we truly have church, God's Word has been read and proclaimed!
PEOPLE
PRAISE
PROCLAMATION
POWER
There is power in God's Word.
Hebrews 4:12 - For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
Vss. 9-12 - God's word had too distinct effects.
It brought conviction. The people realized that they had sinned and were repentant. They were told not to weep because it was a
day of a joy! They would assemble again and deal with sin in their lives. But that was to be enjoyed.
God's Word also brought joy. The people rejoiced because they understood it!
The reading and preaching of God's Word will do the same today.
It will bring conviction of sin, of things we need to do, and of attitudes we need to change. If you are hear and not sure you are going to Heaven, you need conviction that you a sinner who needs a Savior.
If you know Christ as Savior, you need conviction from the Word of God that motivates you to improve your Christian life-style.
The reading and preaching of God's Word will also bring joy when it is understood.
For when the word of God is understood and obeyed, we are a happy, joyful people!
Happy because of salvation.
Happy when we become obedient.
So, let's have church.
PEOPLE
The people were attendees.
The people were allies.
The people were attentive.
PRAISE
PROCLAMATION
POWER