Rebuilding through the Word

About 500 years before the Savior of the world was born into a Jewish family of Mary and Joseph,

the nation of Israel was still in exile under a foreign ruler.

The city God had provided for His people to live in is in terrible condition.

So God raised leaders to rebuild the city of Jerusalem

and provide a place and a community where the Savior would be born.

He's again working in His world to ensure the redemptive story continues.

That is the context behind the book of Nehemiah that we have been looking into during this season.

Chapter 1 to 7 tell us about the external physical rebuilding of the wall.

Chapter 8 onward to the end of the book is a spiritual inward rebuilding

of the community of the people of God.

Today, we have come to the junctions between these two buildings,

these two rebuildings.

With the completion of the building on the physical wall,

their attentions turn to building up the people of God.

Their biological heritage is evidenced in the long list of names in Chapter 7,

described their lineage to Abraham.

Their spiritual heritage emerges as they are taught God's Word from Chapter 8 onward.

The focus of Nehemiah and the hope of the Bible is not on the people or the world that God created,

but on the Creator, God, our Heavenly Father Himself.

God is behind every word written in the 66 Old and New Testament books that forms the Bible.

God is the author and creator.

He intervenes in human history to ensure His plans come to fruition.

God is always preparing for Himself a people of His own.

He rebuilds them through His Word to be a light in the world to show His brilliance and grace.

We will look at the preparation and the rebuilding through God's Word today.

Even though the book of Nehemiah is certainly about God preparing for Himself a community of His people,

there is something very unique about this book,

because there's not a record of God speaking directly to any of the characters in the book.

It's only at the very beginning there's a short revelation of God's speech.

When we read the book of Nehemiah, we should remember that God is the main character,

even though He's not speaking directly.

He is the one that set everything into motion.

We can see one example of how God works within people to achieve His goal in verse 4 to 5 of chapter 7.

Nehemiah recorded,

Now the city was large and spacious, but there were few people in it.

And the house had not yet been rebuilt.

So my God put it into my heart to assemble the nobles, the officials, and the common people

for registering by families.

God put into Nehemiah's heart to assemble the people.

People's heart is God's working field.

It's a heart ready for God's work.

God works in the heart of people like Nehemiah and Ezra.

In the Old Testament, today He's working in our hearts through His word too.

God's word is living and active and penetrates our hearts and is influential in building His people.

From chapter 8 onward, we will see the centrality of God's word among His pilgrim people,

bringing about necessary changes to prepare them.

When we read parts of the Bible that do not record God speaking directly like Nehemiah,

we should pay extra attention to avoid missing some fundamental principle to how God prepares for His work.

One of the principles I will draw your attention to will make me very unpopular in the common day and age.

What I'm referring to is there must be a distinction between who is and who is not part of God's family.

There needs to be a sense of exclusivity before we can have a real sense of belonging within a true community of God's people.

Knowing who truly belongs and who is just an attendee is very important to community formation.

There must be a clear commitment for God's people and community to impact where God has placed them.

For them is Jerusalem.

For us is Chesterwood in the city of Willoughby.

In chapter 7, there's a long list of names of those that can legitimately claim their places within a community of God's people.

However, a group in the list cannot show their family descended from Israel.

Some names should not surprise us because of what they did up to this point in the book.

If you look into verse 61 of chapter 7,

The following come from the tribe of Talmala, Talhasha, Kareb, Abdon, and Imah.

But they could not show their family were descended from Israel, the descendants of De'alaha, Tobiah, and Nekodah.

Tobiah is one of the troublemakers that applied many times during the rebuilding work.

During last week's sermon, Steve pointed out that even Tobiah, even his name means God is good.

Tobiah did not believe the meaning of his name and set out to discredit God and oppose his works.

Verse 46 says,

These searchers for their family records, but they could not find them, and so were excluded from the priesthood as unclean.

The governor therefore ordered them not to eat any of the most sacred food until there should be a priest ministering with a umar and sermon.

We can all agree that not allowing those who do not genuinely have the good of the people in their hearts to hold leadership position is crucial.

There are many examples of how things have gone badly in the Bible and human history because the exclusion was not applied.

You only need to look into your workplace or your friends and families and relatives to see the damage a self-centered, self-praising person would make.

They are alone where the dead person is leading.

And so they are excluded from the priesthood, the position of spiritual leaders, and from enjoying the privilege entitled.

But it must be clear that they are not excluded from the community, but are banned from holding leadership position until God provides a suitable way to identify them adequately.

God is rebuilding a community that will represent Him to the world, and only those ready to represent His reign are qualified to serve and lead His people spiritually.

God's people need to be identifiable, stand up to be counted, and are committed to God and His work in Nehemiah's time, even more so for us today.

God is the only way.

God is the only way.

How can we be sure we are growing in our faith as a disciple of God?

Jesus said to the Jews who believe in Him in John 8, 31,

If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciple.

Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.

One of the essential measurements we can use is God's Word, His teaching and His truth.

Nehemiah could discern the scheme of his opposition because he knows God's Word.

He leaves his reference towards God and a healthy sense of fear because he knows God's Word.

And he often stopped and pondered on God's Word.

Some other helpful question would be,

Who are you living for or serving with your life?

Who or what is the treasure of your life?

Are you treasuring Jesus and adoring Him together with other disciples?

Or is something else getting most of your attention?

Do you worship God corporately in gatherings and personally in devotional reading of His Word?

Or are you a part of a community that builds disciples' relationship and serves others with their life?

God is rebuilding a community of His own people.

It is vital to distinguish who truly belongs to Him

to ensure that His name and His brilliant works of salvation reveal to all nations.

As preparation, we need to note those not wholeheartedly contributing to the rebuilding work of God

to ensure that bad influence will not hinder other people's growth.

The majestic God reveals all necessary for life and salvation in His Word.

It is how He builds His people and church.

Our hearts are where God is at work every day.

So your attitude towards God's Word is a good indicator of what's going on and happening within you.

The people in Nehemiah's time demonstrated an eagerness to hear God's Word in chapter 8, verse 1-2.

After they have settled into the city,

all the people came together as one in the square before the water gate.

They told Ezra, the teacher of the law, to bring out the book of the law of Moses,

which the Lord had commanded for Israel.

So on the first day of the seventh month,

Ezra, the priest, brought out the law before the assembly,

which was made up of men and women and all who were able to understand.

On that day,

all the people listened attentively

to the book of the law from daybreak till noon.

Teenagers,

younger kids too,

all who can understand.

They listened with reference.

They built a wooden platform to excel God's Word.

Verse 5-6 say,

the people praise and worship God at the opening of God's Word.

Reading the Bible,

the Word of the Great God,

is a form of worship.

Sadly,

many people,

or many of us,

only worship God on Sunday in a building

and do not worship by reading into God's Word.

Reading the Bible

has become something

they must do

to ensure God is pleased with them.

They will try very hard to do it every day,

often at the end of the day,

just before they went to sleep.

The attitude of the people

gathered at Nehemiah's time

is not like that.

They want to understand what is being read,

so they break into small groups

to read God's Word,

allowing the leaders

to make the clear to them in verse 7-8.

Referent,

awe,

and worship

flowed

throughout the assembly

as they read

and got to understand God's Word.

Is that what you are experiencing

with God's Word

while reading on your own

during the week

or sitting at church on Sunday?

What feeling

do you usually have

towards the Word of God?

What weight

does the Word

bring to bear on you?

I think the end of verse 9

is not far from reality

as our typical responses

to the Word of God.

It says,

for all the people

have been weeping

as they listen to the words of the Lord.

They can be tears of joy

as we realize

the death of God's love for us,

but they are often tears of conviction

as we recognize

the distance between

our way of living

and our commitment to God's Word.

The people in Nehemiah's time

weep and grieve

because they were convicted.

In the New Testament,

just after Jesus' resurrection

and ascension,

the people of God

gathered

and heard Peter

preach about Jesus' life,

death, and resurrection.

They were also convicted.

And when the people heard this,

they were cut to their heart

and said to Peter

and the other apostles,

Brother,

what should we do?

The people in Acts

responded better

because their conviction

makes them willing

to take action.

However,

Nehemiah and the leaders

say to people

in verse 9 to 11,

This day is holy

to the Lord your God.

Do not mourn or weep.

Go and enjoy

choice food

and sweet drinks

and send some to those

who have nothing prepared.

This day is holy

to our Lord.

Do not grieve

for the joy of the Lord

is your strength.

Be still

for this is a holy day.

Do not grieve.

They repeat it three times,

This day is holy.

Which time side

they are telling them

to have a holiday?

How would they be

appropriate

when someone

is convicted

of their sin?

It is

because this day

is holy

to the Lord.

God wants us

to be convicted

of our sin

but does not want us

to stay

in our sin.

They should grieve

no more

because the joy

of the Lord

is their strength.

If you can go back

one slide, please.

In other words,

don't let your tears

be your strength.

Don't let your grief

be your strength.

The joy of the Lord

is your strength

which means

being satisfied

in the Lord.

Then,

verse 12,

all the people

went away

to eat and drink

to send

a portion of food

and to celebrate

with great joy

because they now

understood the word

that had been

made known to them.

People have

incredible joy

and deep satisfaction

because of the words

that have been

made known to them.

God's word

has sunk in

and taken root

in their hearts

and now

they understood them.

They understood

that if God

could rebuild

the wall

in 52 days,

they could transform

them

and cleanse

them from all sins.

They understood

that God

already forgives

them.

Because they know

they are forgiven,

they can worship

and have satisfaction

in the living King

their Lord.

The opposite

would be true

if God's word

only grieves you.

If listening

to God's word

only causes

further worry

that you cannot

fulfill God's

requirement.

If you have

a heavy heart

and feel that

all being said

from the Bible

is easier

than done,

a sense

of self-pity,

you have not

fully understood

his words

because you have

not become

sorrowful

as God

intended

and you were

driven further

away from God

by your conviction.

Paul comforted

the Corinthians

church

after his

very strong

letter

and in his

second letter,

2 Corinthians 7-10,

he said,

Godly sorrow

brings repentance

that leads

to salvation

and leaves

no regret.

When God

convicts you

of your sin,

he wants you

to focus

on repentance

and as you

repent

of your sins,

you will have

a deep sense

of satisfaction

knowing God

is working

to transform

and save you.

This is the

same essence

of the teaching

of James

in James 1-25.

Do not merely

listen to the

word and so

anyone who

listens to the

word but

does not do

what it says

is like someone

who looks at

his face

in a mirror

and after

looking at it

goes away

and immediately

forget what

he looks.

But whoever

looks intending

into the

perfect law

that gives

freedom

and continuing

not forgetting

what he has

heard but doing

it,

they will be

blessed in

what they do.

Make the

necessary change

you have learned

from God's word

and you will

experience the

same death

of joy as

those people

in Nehemiah

as God

rebuilds your

life through

his word.

You will

experience the

blessed freedom

that Jesus'

gospel promised

a deep

satisfaction.

A couple

days ago

it was the

11th day

of the 11th

month.

Historically

and traditionally

in the West

is a date

of remembrance.

The hostility

of World War

I formally

ended at

the 11th

hour of

the 11th

day of

the 11th

month of

1918.

But that

was 104

years ago.

Most people

impacted

directly by

the war,

by this

World War

have not

passed.

And sadly

the events

that replaced

this momentous

day tells

a lot about

the failure

our city

and our

society

holds.

In China,

with the

day having

so many

ones,

it has

been

commercialized

to represent

a single

state.

Beying the

hope that

single people

will find

their other

half to

complete the

life.

The concept

that someone

needs to get

married and

have children

to represent

a blessed

life is worth

another sermon.

In Australia,

when November

comes, we're

reminded of the

race that

stopped the

nation.

Once that

is done,

we are

bombarded

with

advertisement

that feeds

our FOMO,

our fear

of missing

out.

Regarding

an online

shopping

event,

that will

stop the

nation once

again a week

after the

race.

We live

in an

environment

with information

overload that

fights for

our attention.

we often

end up

remembering

or being

reminded of

things that

are not

important.

But remembering

the essential

is vital for

our existence.

Remembering

the right

thing was

also vital

for the

people in

Nehemiah's

time.

And they

have been

reminded of

something that

they have

neglected.

They have

not celebrated

the festival of

the booth,

or the

festival of

the

tabernacle,

as stipulated

by God

since God

settled them

into the

promised land.

In chapter

8,

verse 17,

towards the

end,

it says,

from the

days of

Joshua,

son of

Nun,

until that

day,

that Israel

had not

celebrated

it like

this.

So why

is the

festival

vital to

their

existence?

What is

the meaning

behind this

festival for

them?

And is

this relevant

to us?

We're told

in brief

what they

need to

do in

chapter 8,

verse 13

to 16.

If you

go to

Numbers 29,

12 to

40,

and Leviticus

23,

33 to

43,

there's a

much more

detail of

the meaning

of the

festival.

But I'll

try to

summarize for

you.

After the

harvest,

each year,

the people

of God,

Israel,

are to

live in

booths,

temporary

tents,

for eight

days,

to remember

that God

has led

them through

the wilderness

after he

redeems them

out of

Egypt.

The idea

was to

point back

to when

Israel

experienced

God's

faithfulness.

It reminds

them of

all the

sins and

grumbling

that God

had put

up with

over that

time and

how gracious

God had

been to

them even

so by

providing

harvest in

due time.

They were

to remember

how God

has saved

them every

year so

they will

remain grateful

and faithful

to the

creator that

provided

everything.

They were

also to

remember that

God chose

them to be

the light

of the

world to

point people

back to

him.

The

people in

Nehemiah's

time got

into all

sort of

troubles and

grief because

they did not

remember who

God was and

who they

were.

And they

were restless

and insecure.

The

festival is

God's way of

saying remember

me.

Remember where

you come from

and who has

been looking

after you all

your life.

God is

their ultimate

security and

rest.

He is also

our ultimate

security and

rest.

In our

day and

age when

we are

also restless

and tempted

to forget

God's

goodness we

need to

remember that

God is the

origin and

source of

our life.

Only when

we remember

God has

always been

looking after

us and

get back to

a relationship

with God

can we

truly say

we are

living out

the ultimate

purpose of

human existence.

You will

only find

true freedom

and deep

joy for

your life

in remembrance

and reference

of God.

If you are

not yet a

worshiper of

the great

God and

want to

find out

more,

please let

me know.

I would

love to

help you

to become

part of

God's

rebuilding

community.

community.

If you

consider

yourself

part of

God's

community,

let's

join

together.

In

rejoicing that

you have

God's

work to

build our

life on

and God

is always

working in

our hearts

to transform

us.

through

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brought

into

in

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