Nehemiah: Rise and Build

Sunday, March 17, 2024

Nehemiah 8-10

Introduction

Revival begins with repentance as we love Jesus and His Word

“The Spirit of God working through the Word of God, in the lives of the people of God.” J. Edwin Orr defined revival

“If we want revival, we must revive our reverence for the Word of God.”

Charles Spurgeon

1. The Power of the Word of God (ch.8)
2. The Preaching of God’s Word Sparks Revival
3. (1-3) The people gather and ask Ezra to read God’s word.
4. (4-6) How God’s word was received.
5. (7-8) God’s word is presented so the people may understand.

1. Response to the Power of God’s Word Prompts Revival
2. (9-11) The people respond with weeping
3. (12) The people choose to rejoice
4. (13) The leaders gather for more study of God’s word
5. (14-18) The people keep the Feast of Tabernacles

Matthew 4:1-4 - Jesus response to the Devil when confronted with temptation. “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.”

2 Timothy 3:16 – “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness…”

1. Confession of Sin (ch.9)

The focal point of Nehemiah 9 is not walls, not the enemies of God, not a great leader, not even the people of God. The focal point is God himself.

“…if we are faithless, He remains faithful, for He cannot deny Himself.”

 2 Timothy 2:13

1. A repentant nation gathers
2. (1) An assembly of humble repentance
3. (2) An assembly to separate themselves
4. (3) An assembly to hear God’s word and to worship Him

1. The prayer of repentance
2. (4-5a) Those leading the congregation
3. (5b-6) Praise to the God of all creation
4. (7-8) Praise to the God who chose Abraham and made a covenant with him and his descendants
5. (9-15) Praise to the God who delivered Israel from Egypt and provided for them in the wilderness
6. (16-17a) The sinful response of man to God’s goodness
7. (17b-21) God’s gracious reply to rebellious Israel
8. (22-31) The cycle of Israel’s relationship with God
9. (32-37) A plea to God for intervention
10. (38) Conclusion: a point of decision

• The Promise of Covenant (ch.10)

Covenant – is a binding agreement between two parties. It is a formal relationship with commitments to loyalty.

1. Roster of those who signed the covenant.
2. (1-8) Nehemiah and the priests signed the covenant.
3. (9-13) The Levites who signed the covenant.
4. (14-27) The civic leaders who signed the covenant.

1. The terms of the covenant.
2. (28-29) The making of the covenant with God
3. (30) Their first area of decision: we will be faithful to God when it comes to our romantic relationships
4. (31) Second area of decision: we will be faithful to God when it comes to doing business
5. (32-39) The third area of decision: we will be faithful to God when it comes to supporting God’s work

1. Conclusion

The covenant keeping God of the Old Testament is the covenant keeping God of the New Testament. This is the covenant God who promised a Messiah for a people who were out of fellowship with him.

This promised Messiah is Jesus Christ who came and died on the cross for our sins so that we could be reconciled to him.