A Time to Build.docx

8/9/2019 A Time to Build.docx

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A Time to Build: Lessons from Nehemiah

Nehemiah 10:1-10:39

Making Investments That LastI heard a out this man !ho ought a "arrot# It !as a eautiful "arrot ut he had areall$ ad mouth# %e &ould s!ear for 've minutes straight !ithout re"eatinghimself# The man !as em arrassed e&ause the ird !as driving him &ra($ in frontof "eo"le#

%e tried to a""eal to the ird $ asking him to &lean u" his language# The "arrot"romised to &hange ut nothing ha""ened# In fa&t) his s!earing in&reased in othvolume and fre*uen&$#

It 'nall$ got to e too mu&h) so the gu$ gra ed the ird $ the throat and startedshaking him and $elled) +,uit it . But this /ust made the "arrot angr$ and he s!ore

more than ever#

Then the gu$ got reall$ mad and lo&ked him in a kit&hen &a inet# That reall$aggravated the ird and he started &la!ing and s&rat&hing and making all kinds ofra&ket# hen the gu$ 'nall$ let him out) the "arrot let loose !ith a stream of s!ear!ords that made the man lush#

At that "oint) the gu$ !as so ti&ked o that he thre! him into the free(er# 2or the'rst fe! se&onds the ird s*ua!ked and s&reamed and thrashed around# And thenthere !as silen&e#

At 'rst the gu$ /ust !aited) ut then he started to !onder if the ird !as hurt# Aftera &ou"le minutes of not hearing an$thing) he !as so !orried that he o"ened thefree(er door# The ird &alml$ &lim ed onto the man s outstret&hed arm and said)+I m reall$ sorr$ a out all the trou le I ve een giving $ou# I make a solemn "romiseand vo! to &lean u" m$ language from no! on#.

The man !as astounded# %e &ouldn t elieve the transformation that had &ome overthe "arrot as a result of eing in the free(er for onl$ a &ou"le minutes# The "arrotthen turned to the man and said) +I /ust have one *uestion4!hat did the &hi&kendo5.

6o! Making This morning !e re going to learn a out 7 vo!s) or "romises) that the "eo"le of 8odmade in Nehemiah 10# e ll ta&kle these in art of the message a little later on#

hile 8od s "eo"le !eren t thro!n in the free(er) the$ did feel the sting of 8od ss"oken ord in &ha"ters ; and 9# After hearing !hat 8od !anted from them) and


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o!ning their o!n "ersistent re ellion) verse 3; of &ha"ter 9 sa$s that the "eo"lemade a + inding agreement. to follo! the Lord !holeheartedl$# The$ "ut it in!riting and sealed it# utting a seal on a do&ument is a serious matter e&ause itmeant taking a solemn oath efore the Lord# Those !ho agreed to this &ovenant arelisted in 10:1-


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hile it ma$ e hel"ful to make a vo! or an oath to 8od toda$) remem er this: edon t su&&eed as Dhristians e&ause !e make "romises to 8od) ut e&ause !e

elieve the "romises of 8od and a&t u"on them#

%aving said that) man$ of us never &ome to the "oint of getting serious in our !alk

!ith 8od sim"l$ e&ause !e never get s"e&i'& !ith %im# e hear sermons andsense the @"irit s tug at our heart) ut until !e de&ide to e &om"letel$ &ommittedto %im) !e !on t e# As !e &ele rate &ommunion this morning) I invite $ou to usethis time to think through an$ de&isions the Lord !ants $ou to make# erha"s $ou ve

een &hallenged or &onvi&ted $ the Lord during this series# Listen to %im andde&ide right no! to "ut into "ra&ti&e !hat $ou kno! $ou need to do# If $ou ve

roken some "romises !ith %im or !ith others) &onfess it right no!# 1 Dorinthians11: ; tells us to e amine ourselves efore !e eat the read and drink the &u" of&ommunion#

6o! G1: @u mission to 8od s ordAs a result of hearing 8od s ord) the Israelites made four de&isions# The 'rst one isfound in 10: 9: +All these no! /oin their rothers the no les) and ind themselves!ith a &urse and an oath to follo! the La! of 8od given through Moses the servantof 8od and to o e$ &arefull$ all the &ommands) regulations and de&rees of the Lordour 8od#.

This is vo! G1: @u mission to 8od s ord# The$ !ere totall$ serious in their desireto devote themselves to ever$thing that is s"elled out in the Bi le# This !eek I !ent

a&k and re-read m$ ver$ 'rst sermon here at BD# This is !hat I said then) and itears re"eating toda$:

+ ho does 8od use to make an im"a&t5 @u"er saints5 %eroes5 ious religious"eo"le5 No#

Listen to the !ords of 1 Dhroni&les 1H:9) +2or the e$es of the Lord range throughoutthe earth to strengthen those !hose hearts are full$ &ommitted to %im#. The ke$ isdevotion# e need to remem er that the de"th of our devotion determines ourim"a&t# 8od is not looking all over the earth for strong "eo"le) for great "eo"le) for"erfe&t "eo"le) or even for religious "eo"le# This morning) as %e s&ans the&ongregation at BD) %e s looking for devoted dis&i"les) for men and !omen) and

o$s and girls !ho are full$ &ommitted to %im# %e s looking for a regular "erson!ho %e &an "our %is strength out on# In order for that to ha""en) !e need to e&om"letel$ &ommitted and dangerousl$ devoted#.

illiam Booth) the founder of the @alvation Arm$ !as on&e asked !hat his se&ret!as to his in&redi le ministr$# This is !hat he said) +8od has had all that there !asof me# There have een men !ith greater rains than I4 ut from the da$ I got the


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"oor of London on m$ heart and &aught a vision of !hat esus Dhrist &ould do !ithme and them) on that da$ I made u" m$ mind that 8od should have all of illiamBooth that there !as#.

In Nehemiah 10) the "eo"le are sa$ing that the$ are so seriousl$ su mitted to 8od

and %is ord that the$ are !illing for the &urses of 8od to fall on them if the$ do not&arefull$ o e$ !hat %e sa$s# I !onder if !e have that same su mission anddangerous devotion toda$5 oes 8od have all of $ou5

6o! G : @e"aration 2rom the orldAfter su mitting themselves to 8od and %is ord) the elievers make a se&ond vo!to e se"arate from the !orld in verses ; and 30: + e "romise to not give ourdaughters in marriage to the "eo"les around us or to take their daughters for oursons#. hen $ou think a out it) se"aration is sim"l$ total devotion to 8od) nomatter !hat the &ost# hen a man and !oman get married) the$ se"aratethemselves from all other "ossi le mates and give themselves &om"letel$ to ea&hother# e se"arate from others to the one !ho is our life mate# The Israelitesse"arated from the "eo"les around them and to 8od and %is ord#

This !as not a out ethni& "ride or a sense that the Israelite gene "ool !as su"eriorto that of other "eo"les# Jather it had to do !ith ho! the$ !orshi""ed 8od andhonored %im# rong relationshi"s &an nullif$ a eliever s distin&tive !itness# 8od!anted his follo!ers to e a missionar$ "eo"le and so it !as vital that theirmessage not e &orru"ted# In de&laring this "rohi ition) the Lord !as &on&erneda out oth the "urit$ of their faith and the holiness of their lives# The$ had eenentrusted !ith the most !onderful message in the !orld and nothing !as to eallo!ed to &orru"t it#

There !ere at least t!o reasons !h$ marriages !ith "agan "eo"le !ere disastrous#

2irst) there !ere &lear i li&al !arnings# hen t!o "eo"le in the an&ient !orld madea marriage agreement) the$ normall$ &on'rmed their &ommitment in the "resen&eof their gods and gave ea&h other s idols a "rominent "la&e in their ne! home#

oshua 3:13 sa$s that heathen s"ouses !ould e&ome +snares and tra"s for $ou)!hi"s on $our a&ks and thorns in $our e$es4.

@e&ondl$) there !as a undant histori&al eviden&e that une*uall$ $oked marriagesled to a de&line in Israel s s"iritual and moral life# Nehemiah 13: H asks the*uestion) + as it not e&ause of marriages like these that @olomon king of Israelsinned5 Among the man$ nations there !as no king like him# %e !as loved $ %is8od) and 8od made him king over all Israel) ut even he !as led into sin $ foreign!omen#.


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e are more inKuen&ed $ other "eo"le than most of us &are to admit# Mi edmarriages !ere a danger then) and the$ re a danger no!# 8od s &on&ern is that!hen a eliever marries a non- eliever the stage is set for &onKi&t) &om"romise andat times outright &onformit$#

Dorinthians H:17 ver$ &learl$ states: + o not e $oked together !ith un elievers#2or !hat do righteousness and !i&kedness have in &ommon5 Fr !hat fello!shi" &anlight have !ith darkness5.

Let me e &lear# I kno! some of $ou are married to an unsaved s"ouse# I res"e&tand a""laud $our &ommitment to Dhrist and $our determination to live out thetea&hing of 1 eter 3:1-H# The Ne! Living Translation "uts verses and 3 this !a$:+Eour godl$ lives !ill s"eak to them etter than an$ !ords# The$ !ill e !on over $!at&hing $our "ure) godl$ ehavior#.

I !ant to address those of $ou !ho are not married $et# erha"s $ou re datingsomeone !ho is not a eliever# It ma$ seem harmless to date a non-Dhristian)es"e&iall$ if $ou re a teenager) ut !at&h out# 8od &ares a out $our s"iritual lifeand %e &ares a out $our a ilit$ to e a &lear !itness to %im# Fn the authorit$ of8od s ord) don t deli eratel$ diso e$ 8od in this area# The *uestion is not) + illthis relationshi" !ork out5. ut) + ill this relationshi" en/o$ 8od s est lessing andful'll 8od s !ill5. I kno! this is not eas$ for some of $ou to hear ut if $ou are trul$su mitted to 8od and %is ord) $ou !ill honor %im in all $our relationshi"s as !ell#If $ou "ut %im 'rst) don t enter a marriage relationshi" !ith someone !ho does notalso "ut the Lord 'rst#

6o! G3: @a ath for 8od s eo"leAfter "ledging themselves to su mit to the ord of 8od and to live se"arated lives)the elievers rene! the &ovenant !ith a third vo!: the @a ath for 8od s "eo"le inverse 31: + hen the neigh oring "eo"les ring mer&handise or grain to sell on the@a ath) !e !ill not u$ from them on the @a ath or an$ hol$ da$# =ver$ seventh$ear !e !ill forgo !orking the land and !ill &an&el all de ts#. In Nehemiah s time) it!as ne&essar$ for 8od s la! a out the @a ath to e &learl$ understood#

2irst of all) this da$ !as set aside to honor 8od# It !as distin&tive from other da$s

and given to 8od so that the$ might o er their !orshi" to %im !ithout eingdistra&ted $ the demands of ever$da$ life#

@e&ondl$) it !as a da$ of rest# Jela ation is a vital ingredient in e e&tive living# 8odset the "attern for this in = odus 0:11: +%e rested on the seventh da$#. TheIsraelites !orked !ith no reaks in their !eekl$ s&hedule !hen the$ !ere slaves in=g$"t 8od did not ever !ant this re"eated again#


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Fne man &hallenged another to an all-da$ !ood &ho""ing &ontest# The &hallenger!orked ver$ hard) sto""ing onl$ for a rief lun&h reak# The other man ate aleisurel$ lun&h and took several reaks throughout the da$# At the end of the da$)the &hallenger !as sur"rised and anno$ed to 'nd that the other gu$ had &ho""ed alot more !ood than he had# +I don t get it). he said# +=ver$ time I &he&ked) $ou !ere

taking a rest) $et $ou &ho""ed more !ood than I did#. To !hi&h the !inning!oodsman res"onded) + idn t $ou noti&e5 I !as shar"ening m$ a !hen I sat do!nto rest#. If $ou re feeling a it dull toda$) "erha"s $ou need to s&hedule some restinto $our s&hedule so that $ou &an get Cshar" again#

Thirdl$) it !as a da$ to hel" others# Israelite em"lo$ees had a &om"ulsor$ rest da$automati&all$ !ritten into their em"lo$ment &ontra&ts# This hel"ed others en/o$ the

lessings of rest#

2ourthl$) the @a ath !as a da$ to de&lare truth# It !as a silent !itness to 8od ssu"rema&$ and gave the Israelites multi"le !itnessing o""ortunities# To theirun elieving neigh ors it "ro&laimed) in ver$ "ra&ti&al terms) the truth that 8od&omes 'rst#

This is an im"ortant "aradigm or model for us toda$# 2rom the ver$ eginning of the&hur&h) Dhristians made the Lord s a$ their a""ointed da$ for !orshi") rest)servi&e) and !itness# hile avoiding the legalism that the harisees fell into) mostof us &an do a mu&h etter /o of looking for !a$s to kee" @unda$ s"e&ial#

The Israelites also "romised to o serve the +@a ati&al Eear#. =ver$ seventh $ear)the$ !ere to let the land lie idle so that it might restore itself# To o e$ 8od in this!a$) the$ &ertainl$ needed to trust %im !ith their needs during the seventh $ear# Itseems to me that o edien&e to 8od al!a$s involves trust# e &annot al!a$s see!hat s &oming u") ut if !e are doing !hat 8od sa$s) %e !ill never disa""oint us#

Their &ommitment to &ommemorate the @a ati&al Eear !as a great ste" of faithand is a eautiful illustration of Matthe! H:33: +But seek 'rst %is kingdom and %isrighteousness) and all these things !ill e given to $ou as !ell#.

Noti&e that the$ also &an&eled all de ts in verse 31# The$ "romised that ever$seven $ears) the$ !ould live out a rene!ed s&ale of values that "eo"le matter morethan mone$# The kee"ing of the @a ath and @a ati&al Eears !ere !a$s of sa$ing

+no. to a life of ma imum a&*uisition# M$ highest goal is not to make the most I &anand then s"end m$ life tr$ing to kee" ever$thing that I have#

6o! G7: @u""ort 2or 8od s ork That leads to their fourth "ledge: su""ort for 8od s !ork in verses 3 -39# The"hrase +house of our 8od. is used nine times in this se&tion and refers to therestored tem"le# The "eo"le !ere "romising to follo! 8od s "riorities $ su mitting


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to %im) $ se"arating from the !orld) $ kee"ing the @a ath) and $ su""ortingthe !ork of 8od# 6erse 39 sums u" their &ommitment: + e !ill not negle&t thehouse of our 8od#.

The tem"le in erusalem stood at the heart of the &ountr$ s religious) moral and

s"iritual life# In s$m oli& terms it "ro&laimed the "resen&e and "o!er of 8od among%is "eo"le and the &entralit$ of s"iritual matters#

This "assage &overs an im"ressive series of "romises to su""ort 8od s !ork in avariet$ of di erent !a$s and gives us < insights into ho! our giving &an su""ort8od s !ork toda$#

1# It !as res"onsi le giving# Look at verse 3 and verse 3> !here the "eo"le sa$that +the$ assume res"onsi ilit$4. The$ o!ned it and gave !hat the$ o!ned

e&ause the$ sa! it as their "rivilege and their res"onsi ilit$#

# It !as o edient giving# The$ didn t "ra&ti&e +im"ulse giving. ut instead gave asan e "ression of "ra&ti&al o edien&e# Those !ho love %im !ill do !hat %e sa$s#

The$ !ere +&arr$ing out the &ommands to give. 3 ) as it +is !ritten in the La!.37) 3H # 8od had een good to %is "eo"le) and generosit$ !as e "e&ted from

them# There !as nothing remotel$ o"tional a out the su""ort of 8od s !ork#=ver$one !as re*uired to give in one form or another# This !as $et another !a$ todemonstrate that 8od &ame 'rst in their lives#

3# It !as s$stemati There !as nothing ha"ha(ard a out their giving# 6erse 3 sa$sthat the$ !ere to ring a third of a silver shekel ea&h $ear# 6erse 37 states that lots!ere dra!n to determine !hen families !ere to ring a &ontri ution of !ood at settimes ea&h $ear# 6erse 3> tells us that 'rst fruits !ere rought ea&h $ear# There !asan orderliness a out these o erings and a s$stem that !as follo!ed# The "eo"lekne! "re&isel$ !hat !as e "e&ted of them# The Ne! Testament tea&hes s$stemati&giving as !ell in 1 Dorinthians 1H: : +Fn the 'rst da$ of ever$ !eek) ea&h one of$ou should set aside a sum of mone$ in kee"ing !ith his in&ome4.

7# It !as "ro"ortionate# The referen&e to the !ood o ering suggests that man$ "oor"eo"le in Israel had an o""ortunit$ to make a gift to the Lord that !ould demandtime rather than mone$# The tem"le needed a regular su""l$ of 're!ood to kee"

the sa&ri'&ial 'res urning# =ver$one) regardless of in&ome) &ould gather !ood andtake it to the tem"le#

In addition) Israel s sa&ri'&ial s$stem re&ogni(ed that not ever$one &ould make thesame kind of o ering# If someone &ould not a ord the &ost of a $oung ull) a malegoat or lam ) the$ !ere a le instead to o er t!o doves or $oung "igeons# It the$&ould not even a ord that) Leviti&us >:11 allo!ed them to ring some 'ne Kour asan o ering# It is not the amount that is given !hi&h is im"ortant? it is the s"irit in


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!hi&h !e make our o ering# e should give in "ro"ortion to ho! !e ve eenlessed# The Ne! Testament e&hoes this "rin&i"le in 1 Dorinthians 1H and

Dorinthians ;-9#

># It !as sa&ri'&ial# The$ !ere to ring to 8od s house the +'rst fruits. of their &ro"s

+and of ever$ fruit tree#. 3> To o er the 'rst of their &ro"s !as to de&lare that 8od!as the giver of all things) that ever$thing elongs to %im) and that %e is !orth$ ofthe est !e &an o er %im# %ere s a hel"ful "rin&i"le to remem er: !hile notever$one &an give the same amount) ever$one &an make the same sa&ri'&e# Note*ual giving) ut e*ual sa&ri'&e# It !as Mother Teresa !ho said) +If $ou give !hat$ou do not need) it isn t giving#. And) D#@# Le!is "ut it this !a$) +I don t elieve one&an settle ho! mu&h !e ought to give# I m afraid the onl$ safe rule is to give morethan !e &an s"are#.

H# It !as &om"rehensive# The$ !ere to not onl$ ring their &ro"s and their mone$?the$ !ere to also ring their 'rst- orn sons and their animals to the Lord in verse3H# 8od is not /ust interested in our mone$) %e !ants our hearts# A&tuall$) %e !antsever$thing#


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reasons to give 10 or more to the Lord s !ork# A gu$ from the great state ofis&onsin not me "ut these together Brian Oluth) imensions) 6ol# 0) 2all 199# It !ill allo! $ou to e "erien&e 8od s "rovisions in in&redi le !a$s Luke H:3; #

H# It !ill en&ourage $ou to trust in 8od rover s 3:>-H #


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!ants $ou and me to make investments that last $:

Q @u mitting to 8od that ans!ers the *uestion) + ho s the "ilot of $our life5.

Q @e"arating from the !orld that &overs !ho !e s"end time !ith

Q ra&ti&ing a @a ath rest that deals !ith ho! !e s"end our time

Q @u""orting 8od s !ork !hi&h involves ho! !e s"end our mone$

If $ou re su mitted to 8od) and %e has +all of $ou). then $ou re &leared for take-oin $our relationshi"s) !ith $our time) and !ith $our 'nan&es#

%ere s another !a$ to look at it# If $ou &ould look at a "erson s friendshi"s) their&alendar) and their &he&k ook) $ou &ould determine !hether or not the$ are full$su mitted to 8od and &om"letel$ &ommitted to %is &ause#

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