Honoring God’s Word, 10 November 2019
Honoring God’s Word
Series—Links in the Chain (Discipleship)
Nehemiah 8:1-18
Series Big Idea: The Great Commission is all about becoming like Jesus…and helping others become like Christ.
Big Idea: Read—and obey—God’s Word.
When the seventh month came and the Israelites had settled in their towns, (Nehemiah 7:73)
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. (Nehemiah 8:1)
So on the first day of the seventh month Ezra the priest brought the Law before the assembly, which was made up of men and women and all who were able to understand. He read it aloud from daybreak till noon as he faced the square before the Water Gate in the presence of the men, women and others who could understand. And all the people listened attentively to the Book of the Law. (Nehemiah 8:2-3)
What a scene! Can you imagine all the people of a nation gathering together in one place…to listen to the reading of a book?
In our nation’s history, the Gettysburg address was legendary. We’ve been riveted by speeches delivered by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and JFK. The television and phone offer us portals through which to view historic events and receive vital messages.
But the scene in the book of Nehemiah is extraordinary. This is not a ten-minute speech or even an hour-long sermon like today (!). A book is read from daybreak until noon…and all the people listened attentively. What book? The Hebrew Bible.
I must confess I struggle to read a book—any book—for more than an hour. If a podcast goes longer than an hour—and I usually listen to them at double speed—I sometimes begin to tune out. I have found my attention span declining—no doubt due to technology—even in viewing a movie for more than two hours.
All the people listened attentively to the reading of the Bible from daybreak till noon. Wow! I can’t think of any other book which would be so captivating, so life-giving, so riveting. Today we continue our series on discipleship entitled Links in the Chain. The Church is always one generation away from extinction. We have a great inheritance of faith from those who have gone before us, and we must pass it on to future generations.
Let’s continue in the eighth chapter of Nehemiah. To appreciate the story, you must understand the context. Babylon took over the Kingdom of Judah in 586 B.C. The temple was destroyed. The people were exiled.
A generation later, King Cyrus of Persia allows the people to return to Jerusalem and rebuild the temple. These people didn’t know the Law of the LORD, much less follow it. You might say their Bible had been lost. Now God’s Word is presented to the people…in their own language! They were eager to learn about God in order to know and obey God.
Ezra the teacher of the Law stood on a high wooden platform built for the occasion. Beside him on his right stood Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Uriah, Hilkiah and Maaseiah; and on his left were Pedaiah, Mishael, Malkijah, Hashum, Hashbaddanah, Zechariah and Meshullam. (Nehemiah 8:4)
Ezra opened the book. All the people could see him because he was standing above them; and as he opened it, the people all stood up. Ezra praised the LORD, the great God; and all the people lifted their hands and responded, “Amen! Amen!” Then they bowed down and worshiped the LORD with their faces to the ground. (Nehemiah 8:5-6)
There are many physical descriptions in these verses. Some people see following Jesus as nothing more than a spiritual endeavor, but Jesus said,
Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ (Mark 12:30)
Did he forget anything?!
God has given us incredible bodies…and they are to used for God’s glory. We are to love God with our bodies, with our strength. That doesn’t simply mean we should all be weight lifters for Jesus! Rather, we treat our bodies as the holy temples of God they are, not worshipping our bodies, but using our bodies in worship.
Note first the physicality of the scene. Ezra is above the people so he can be seen. He’s also elevated to show the book to the people. They stood in reverence to the sacred scriptures, much like we stand as the scripture is being read on Sunday mornings. Standing doesn’t change the Bible, but it changes us. It shows respect. It communicates honor. We can use our bodies to declare something—or someone—is special. We stand for the National Anthem or the Pledge of Allegiance.
As Ezra praised God, the people stood there with their hands in their pockets. No! They lifted their hands. They bowed down and worshiped the LORD with their faces to the ground.
Your posture matters. Your body matters. The scriptures are filled with worship instructions: sing, stand, shout, clap, kneel, bow…I don’t think it ever says to sit!
The point is these people were excited about God and His word. They didn’t have it in the pockets as we do on our smart phones. They didn’t even have a paper copy in their homes!
The Levites—Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan and Pelaiah—instructed the people in the Law while the people were standing there. They read from the Book of the Law of God, making it clear and giving the meaning so that the people understood what was being read. (Nehemiah 8:7-8)
These Levites had studied the Law and helped Ezra interpret and teach it. One of my goals when I preach is to make the Bible clear, to make it meaningful, and to help you understand it…even the difficult parts. Always remember the Bible is our authority, not necessarily the teaching of the Bible. There have always been false teachers who use the Bible for their own gain. It is a sobering thing to teach the Bible and I take the responsibility seriously. You don’t have to be a scholar to study the Bible, but you do have to be a diligent student.
Then Nehemiah the governor, Ezra the priest and teacher of the Law, and the Levites who were instructing the people said to them all, “This day is holy to the LORD your God. Do not mourn or weep.” For all the people had been weeping as they listened to the words of the Law. (Nehemiah 8:9)
These people are really excited about the Law! They can’t contain their emotion! They mourned when they realized how they had disobeyed God. They also wept for joy because they heard God’s Word. What an emotional day it must have been.
It kind of reminds of a video I saw about a decade ago of the Kimyal community in West Papua, Indonesia when they received the first copies of the New Testament in their language. Today, about 1.5 billion people don’t have access to the Bible in their first language.
Nehemiah said, “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.” (Nehemiah 8:10)
Many of you have quoted that last phrase, but do you see how context matters? It’s stated in the midst of celebration. The Jews knew how to celebrate. They still do to this day!
The Levites calmed all the people, saying, “Be still, for this is a holy day. Do not grieve.” (Nehemiah 8:11)
Then all the people went away to eat and drink, to send portions of food and to celebrate with great joy, because they now understood the words that had been made known to them. (Nehemiah 8:12)
The Word of the LORD had brought about transformation. They heard from God! They were no longer unsure of God’s plans, provisions, and purposes.
On the second day of the month, the heads of all the families, along with the priests and the Levites, gathered around Ezra the teacher to give attention to the words of the Law. They found written in the Law, which the LORD had commanded through Moses, that the Israelites were to live in temporary shelters during the festival of the seventh month and that they should proclaim this word and spread it throughout their towns and in Jerusalem: “Go out into the hill country and bring back branches from olive and wild olive trees, and from myrtles, palms and shade trees, to make temporary shelters”—as it is written. (Nehemiah 8:13-15)
So the people went out and brought back branches and built themselves temporary shelters on their own roofs, in their courtyards, in the courts of the house of God and in the square by the Water Gate and the one by the Gate of Ephraim. The whole company that had returned from exile built temporary shelters and lived in them. From the days of Joshua son of Nun until that day, the Israelites had not celebrated it like this. And their joy was very great. (Nehemiah 8:16-17)
The “links in the chain” had been broken. The baton of faith had been dropped. People had no idea what God desired…until they heard it read. This included not only issues of right and wrong, but also mandated celebrations such as the festival of booths, dating back to Moses. This celebration also known as the Feast of Tabernacles or Sukkot in Hebrew, was the last of the fall festivals, held at harvest time. It commemorates the forty years God provided for the Jews as they wandered in the wilderness. Sukkot is still remembered today, held this year October 13-20.
Day after day, from the first day to the last, Ezra read from the Book of the Law of God. They celebrated the festival for seven days, and on the eighth day, in accordance with the regulation, there was an assembly. (Nehemiah 8:18)
They read the Law for a week! What have you ever done for a week? When is the last time you had a seven-day celebration for anything?!
So What?
Discipleship is the process of becoming like someone. In our context, that someone is Jesus. How do we know about Jesus? How do we know Jesus? The primary tool we have for knowing God and His will and plan for our lives is the Bible. Contrary to popular belief, it’s not a big book of rules forbidding fun! Nor Is it a book of hate.
Abdu Murray speaks at universities across the country and said one of the top three questions he is asked by young people is, “Isn’t the Bible sexist, homophobic, racist?” In a word, no! It has been manipulated for the self-serving purposes of people who act nothing like Jesus, but the Bible is a book of freedom and liberation. It contains songs, poems, and the most riveting stories ever written. It overflows with timeless wisdom showing us how to experience the most exciting, satisfying, and meaningful life imaginable…both now and beyond the grave. The Bible is no ordinary book! Actually, it’s a collection of 66 life-transforming books.
For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. (Hebrews 4:12)
What’s your attitude toward the Bible? Maybe you read it daily…out of obligation or ritual. Perhaps you only experience it on Sunday mornings, choosing social media, television, magazines, and other reading materials to the best-selling book of all time. My point is not to shame you or make you feel guilty, but rather to encourage you and offer some next-steps for your spiritual journey.
Billions of people do not own a Bible. It’s banned in many countries. It’s unavailable in certain languages. In our land, so many sit buried under a pile of dust…and we wonder why despite information overload, we lack wisdom, common sense, decency, or hope.
We are so blessed to not only have the Holy Bible in our own language, it’s available in a multitude of translations and forms. There are even videos of much of the Bible if you prefer to watch it!
…the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ. (Revelation 1:2b)
That’s what we’re all about!
We don’t worship the Bible, but we worship the God of the Bible. The psalmist wrote,
How sweet your words taste to me; they are sweeter than honey. Your commandments give me understanding; no wonder I hate every false way of life.
Your word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path. (Psalms 119:103-105, NLT)
One more thing…
Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. (James 1:22)
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
Series—Links in the Chain (Discipleship)
Nehemiah 8:1-18
Series Big Idea: The Great Commission is all about becoming like Jesus…and helping others become like Christ.
Big Idea: Read—and obey—God’s Word.
When the seventh month came and the Israelites had settled in their towns, (Nehemiah 7:73)
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. (Nehemiah 8:1)
So on the first day of the seventh month Ezra the priest brought the Law before the assembly, which was made up of men and women and all who were able to understand. He read it aloud from daybreak till noon as he faced the square before the Water Gate in the presence of the men, women and others who could understand. And all the people listened attentively to the Book of the Law. (Nehemiah 8:2-3)
What a scene! Can you imagine all the people of a nation gathering together in one place…to listen to the reading of a book?
In our nation’s history, the Gettysburg address was legendary. We’ve been riveted by speeches delivered by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and JFK. The television and phone offer us portals through which to view historic events and receive vital messages.
But the scene in the book of Nehemiah is extraordinary. This is not a ten-minute speech or even an hour-long sermon like today (!). A book is read from daybreak until noon…and all the people listened attentively. What book? The Hebrew Bible.
I must confess I struggle to read a book—any book—for more than an hour. If a podcast goes longer than an hour—and I usually listen to them at double speed—I sometimes begin to tune out. I have found my attention span declining—no doubt due to technology—even in viewing a movie for more than two hours.
All the people listened attentively to the reading of the Bible from daybreak till noon. Wow! I can’t think of any other book which would be so captivating, so life-giving, so riveting. Today we continue our series on discipleship entitled Links in the Chain. The Church is always one generation away from extinction. We have a great inheritance of faith from those who have gone before us, and we must pass it on to future generations.
Let’s continue in the eighth chapter of Nehemiah. To appreciate the story, you must understand the context. Babylon took over the Kingdom of Judah in 586 B.C. The temple was destroyed. The people were exiled.
A generation later, King Cyrus of Persia allows the people to return to Jerusalem and rebuild the temple. These people didn’t know the Law of the LORD, much less follow it. You might say their Bible had been lost. Now God’s Word is presented to the people…in their own language! They were eager to learn about God in order to know and obey God.
Ezra the teacher of the Law stood on a high wooden platform built for the occasion. Beside him on his right stood Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Uriah, Hilkiah and Maaseiah; and on his left were Pedaiah, Mishael, Malkijah, Hashum, Hashbaddanah, Zechariah and Meshullam. (Nehemiah 8:4)
Ezra opened the book. All the people could see him because he was standing above them; and as he opened it, the people all stood up. Ezra praised the LORD, the great God; and all the people lifted their hands and responded, “Amen! Amen!” Then they bowed down and worshiped the LORD with their faces to the ground. (Nehemiah 8:5-6)
There are many physical descriptions in these verses. Some people see following Jesus as nothing more than a spiritual endeavor, but Jesus said,
Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ (Mark 12:30)
Did he forget anything?!
God has given us incredible bodies…and they are to used for God’s glory. We are to love God with our bodies, with our strength. That doesn’t simply mean we should all be weight lifters for Jesus! Rather, we treat our bodies as the holy temples of God they are, not worshipping our bodies, but using our bodies in worship.
Note first the physicality of the scene. Ezra is above the people so he can be seen. He’s also elevated to show the book to the people. They stood in reverence to the sacred scriptures, much like we stand as the scripture is being read on Sunday mornings. Standing doesn’t change the Bible, but it changes us. It shows respect. It communicates honor. We can use our bodies to declare something—or someone—is special. We stand for the National Anthem or the Pledge of Allegiance.
As Ezra praised God, the people stood there with their hands in their pockets. No! They lifted their hands. They bowed down and worshiped the LORD with their faces to the ground.
Your posture matters. Your body matters. The scriptures are filled with worship instructions: sing, stand, shout, clap, kneel, bow…I don’t think it ever says to sit!
The point is these people were excited about God and His word. They didn’t have it in the pockets as we do on our smart phones. They didn’t even have a paper copy in their homes!
The Levites—Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan and Pelaiah—instructed the people in the Law while the people were standing there. They read from the Book of the Law of God, making it clear and giving the meaning so that the people understood what was being read. (Nehemiah 8:7-8)
These Levites had studied the Law and helped Ezra interpret and teach it. One of my goals when I preach is to make the Bible clear, to make it meaningful, and to help you understand it…even the difficult parts. Always remember the Bible is our authority, not necessarily the teaching of the Bible. There have always been false teachers who use the Bible for their own gain. It is a sobering thing to teach the Bible and I take the responsibility seriously. You don’t have to be a scholar to study the Bible, but you do have to be a diligent student.
Then Nehemiah the governor, Ezra the priest and teacher of the Law, and the Levites who were instructing the people said to them all, “This day is holy to the LORD your God. Do not mourn or weep.” For all the people had been weeping as they listened to the words of the Law. (Nehemiah 8:9)
These people are really excited about the Law! They can’t contain their emotion! They mourned when they realized how they had disobeyed God. They also wept for joy because they heard God’s Word. What an emotional day it must have been.
It kind of reminds of a video I saw about a decade ago of the Kimyal community in West Papua, Indonesia when they received the first copies of the New Testament in their language. Today, about 1.5 billion people don’t have access to the Bible in their first language.
Nehemiah said, “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.” (Nehemiah 8:10)
Many of you have quoted that last phrase, but do you see how context matters? It’s stated in the midst of celebration. The Jews knew how to celebrate. They still do to this day!
The Levites calmed all the people, saying, “Be still, for this is a holy day. Do not grieve.” (Nehemiah 8:11)
Then all the people went away to eat and drink, to send portions of food and to celebrate with great joy, because they now understood the words that had been made known to them. (Nehemiah 8:12)
The Word of the LORD had brought about transformation. They heard from God! They were no longer unsure of God’s plans, provisions, and purposes.
On the second day of the month, the heads of all the families, along with the priests and the Levites, gathered around Ezra the teacher to give attention to the words of the Law. They found written in the Law, which the LORD had commanded through Moses, that the Israelites were to live in temporary shelters during the festival of the seventh month and that they should proclaim this word and spread it throughout their towns and in Jerusalem: “Go out into the hill country and bring back branches from olive and wild olive trees, and from myrtles, palms and shade trees, to make temporary shelters”—as it is written. (Nehemiah 8:13-15)
So the people went out and brought back branches and built themselves temporary shelters on their own roofs, in their courtyards, in the courts of the house of God and in the square by the Water Gate and the one by the Gate of Ephraim. The whole company that had returned from exile built temporary shelters and lived in them. From the days of Joshua son of Nun until that day, the Israelites had not celebrated it like this. And their joy was very great. (Nehemiah 8:16-17)
The “links in the chain” had been broken. The baton of faith had been dropped. People had no idea what God desired…until they heard it read. This included not only issues of right and wrong, but also mandated celebrations such as the festival of booths, dating back to Moses. This celebration also known as the Feast of Tabernacles or Sukkot in Hebrew, was the last of the fall festivals, held at harvest time. It commemorates the forty years God provided for the Jews as they wandered in the wilderness. Sukkot is still remembered today, held this year October 13-20.
Day after day, from the first day to the last, Ezra read from the Book of the Law of God. They celebrated the festival for seven days, and on the eighth day, in accordance with the regulation, there was an assembly. (Nehemiah 8:18)
They read the Law for a week! What have you ever done for a week? When is the last time you had a seven-day celebration for anything?!
So What?
Discipleship is the process of becoming like someone. In our context, that someone is Jesus. How do we know about Jesus? How do we know Jesus? The primary tool we have for knowing God and His will and plan for our lives is the Bible. Contrary to popular belief, it’s not a big book of rules forbidding fun! Nor Is it a book of hate.
Abdu Murray speaks at universities across the country and said one of the top three questions he is asked by young people is, “Isn’t the Bible sexist, homophobic, racist?” In a word, no! It has been manipulated for the self-serving purposes of people who act nothing like Jesus, but the Bible is a book of freedom and liberation. It contains songs, poems, and the most riveting stories ever written. It overflows with timeless wisdom showing us how to experience the most exciting, satisfying, and meaningful life imaginable…both now and beyond the grave. The Bible is no ordinary book! Actually, it’s a collection of 66 life-transforming books.
For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. (Hebrews 4:12)
What’s your attitude toward the Bible? Maybe you read it daily…out of obligation or ritual. Perhaps you only experience it on Sunday mornings, choosing social media, television, magazines, and other reading materials to the best-selling book of all time. My point is not to shame you or make you feel guilty, but rather to encourage you and offer some next-steps for your spiritual journey.
- 1. Download the free YouVersion app.
- 2. Find a Bible you can understand. My favorite for daily reading is the New Living Translation.
- 3. Better yet, invest in a study Bible. Some of my favorites are The NIV Study Bible and The Life Application Study Bible.
- 4. Read it…or listen to it. Audio Bibles are great, too. Some people read while listening, stimulating two different senses simultaneously.
- 5. Memorize it.
- 6. Engage it with others (small groups, Bible studies, Sunday School).
- 7. Mission119.org
- 8. A daily devotional (YouVersion)
- 9. A daily reading plan (YouVersion)
- 10. Meditate on the Word. Quality and quantity. Don’t rush. Focus on a daily message/verse.
Billions of people do not own a Bible. It’s banned in many countries. It’s unavailable in certain languages. In our land, so many sit buried under a pile of dust…and we wonder why despite information overload, we lack wisdom, common sense, decency, or hope.
We are so blessed to not only have the Holy Bible in our own language, it’s available in a multitude of translations and forms. There are even videos of much of the Bible if you prefer to watch it!
…the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ. (Revelation 1:2b)
That’s what we’re all about!
We don’t worship the Bible, but we worship the God of the Bible. The psalmist wrote,
How sweet your words taste to me; they are sweeter than honey. Your commandments give me understanding; no wonder I hate every false way of life.
Your word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path. (Psalms 119:103-105, NLT)
One more thing…
Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. (James 1:22)