The Village Church
The Need to Renew - Audio
and he's giving it to us right here so will you please stand for the reading of his word knee in my chapter eight beginning in verse one and all the people gathered as one man into the square before the Watergate and they told Ezra the tribe to bring the book of the law of Moses that the Lord had commanded Israel so the Ezra the priest brought the law before the assembly both men and women and all who could understand what they heard on the first day of the seventh month and he read from it facing the square before the Watergate from early morning until midday in the presence of them in president of men and women and all those who could understand and all the ears of all the all the and the ears of all the people were attended for the book of the law and Ezra the strive stood on the wooden platform that was made for the purpose and beside him stood Medithaya, streamer, Hania, Uraya, Hukayah, Meysia and on his left to Epidiah, Michelle, Makajah, Hisham, Hijbada, Nyan, Zachariah and Minshelam on his left and Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people but he was above all the people and he opened it and he opened it as he opened and all the people stood and Ezra blessed the Lord the great God and all the people answered Amen, Amen, lifting up their hands and their bow their heads in verse with the God for their faces to the ground. Let us pray. This is your holy word father this isn't just this is no fairy tale book this is truth your truth your very word from your mouth father and we have it before us and it is elevated above all of our lives father it speaks to us it covers us and we need your spirit the Holy Spirit to come into apply this truth to the hearts of me my heart to the hearts of your people for we desperately need a word from you we live in the world of uncertainty we live in a world of brokenness broken governments broken schools broken societies and your truth father your truth can shine into those broken areas and speak light brain light the first Lord it has to be light to your people those who claim to know you then we can take it out first but it has to be our light before we can give it to others so we need it father not those out there but everyone in here needs your truth and crashing my prayer whenever you are sometimes we talk to folks about the gospel or church or Christianity no you hear phrases like sometimes like I rededicated my life to Christ some years ago sometimes your heartfelt say that also opposed to say well I'm just a regular Christian you know I'm not like so-and-so who's really so loud for Jesus you know I'm just a regular Christian I just go to church on Sunday and I'm just regular that's just who I am or you're here I'm not a big fan of church you know but I read my Bible every night and so but that's good enough for me I just read my Bible I don't really have an interest in going to church I'm not a church fan yes Alex yeah I grew up in a church but but I've backslid so and so I'm doing things I shouldn't do now but once I get my life together once I get everything lined up then I'm gonna go back to church then I'm gonna go back then I will when I get my life together you know whenever I hear comments or statements like that it reminds me that we as Christians we constantly need to be renewed constantly need to be renewed within the church David said in Psalms 51 creating me a clean heart oh God renew a right spirit within me cast me not away from your presence take not your Holy Spirit for me restore to me the joy of your salvation we're stored within me enemy the joy of your salvation uphold me with the will and spirit you see it's our joy in the Lord that needs a constant renewing it needs to be filled up it needs to be gassed up because as we know this vehicle calls life runs that joy on empty and some day you come in church you got nothing some days I'm in the pulpit and I got nothing I'm on e because of life and all that life throws at us the next couple next two weeks we're gonna spend talking about ways that the Lord renews our joy and he does it through Russia he does it through his word and he does it through repentance his word worship repentance and and then and then chapter eight on the Amaya deals with that renewal or the congregation you see the book of Nehemiah is divided into two sections chapter one and six it deals with the restoration and the resurrection of the wall and chapter seven through thirteen it deals with the renewal of the people themselves the people last week if you were here last week we saw that people needed some renewing because there was spiritual brokenness in the community spirit the leaders were broken the spiritual leaders were broken so you should know what was going on with the people chapter 7 it begins this process of renewal it renews the community in Jerusalem and through and in chapter 7 Nehemiah he sets up the worship officials he he put godly leadership in place and the rest of the chapter 7 deals with him repopulating the city of Jerusalem because no one lived there yet so chapter 7 was the renewal of the community and in chapter 8 which is our focus this morning it begins the renewal of the people's joy in the Lord chapter 7 verse 73 B says when the seventh month had come the people Israel were in their own towns you see I'm gonna flesh out what the importance of that but the people's joy in the Lord was renewed first through worship and in verse 7 3 it tells us that the people had to actually travel to Jerusalem during the seventh month and the seventh month came they were there but eventually they eventually dreamt to Jerusalem and we see us in chapter 8 verses 1 through 3 that the people were actually in Jerusalem on the first day of the seventh month they gathered together in the square of the water game the seventh month that would be September October according to our calendar and for the Israelites something historically is significant about the seventh month if you know anything about Israelite history Old Testament history you know there are three festivals trellis celebrated in the seventh month three festivals the feistless trumpets the day of atonement in the feast of booths the usual has actually has seven festivals that it's celebrated and all these festivals were considered worship savage some rest corporate worship to the Lord and three times a year the people were actually traveled to Jerusalem from their towns for this worship they were also sing songs if they go went to Jerusalem one of those Psalms and seen them Psalm 122 it says I was glad when they said to me let us go to the house of the Lord our feet have been standing within the gate so Jerusalem what do you what what it's they had great joy of the Lord they were excited about worship as one author says that these feasts there would be great singing and dancing enjoying time together but it was also a time of giving thanks to God fulfilling duties renewing spiritual commitments in short it was worship with celebration or worship the cost of celebration that's what those festivals were and the people loved it but we know that was Jerusalem's past right before the exile time is long ago as we would say the good old days right the good old days because when Nehemiah chopped the eight and on this first of the seventh month was not like the ones and generations long long ago because Jerusalem present tense was not what Jerusalem used to be before the exile to shadow of what it used to be because we know what happened in the exile everything was destroyed the city was destroyed the temple was destroyed the wall was destroyed and even though the temple has been rebuilt and even though now the wall has been restored Jerusalem was still not what it used to be but here in chapter 8 we see the present Israelites connecting with the past they made a pilgrim's journey to Jerusalem they were in their towns in the seventh month but eventually they journeyed to Jerusalem see none of us here have ever been taken into exile at least I don't think but but all of us know what it feels like to have our joy and the Lord just sucked out of us or is it just me business hurts betrayals sin disappointments and even the good things in life can do it when life and other things start to drain your joy it usually shows up and how quickly you can elect and take for granted worship I don't feel like going to worship the day you know what I really don't like organized religion it's personal it's just me and Jesus I don't need the church I've been hurt by the church long ago and I'm never stepping foot inside another one again well Alex I just don't have the right clothes to wear so that's why I don't go to worship I don't see the value in going to worship pastor Alex I got my 55 hTV so I can watch worship them TV that should be good enough I watch a preacher every week at 10 30 but my popcorn and I worship now I know some people are not able to go to worship I know that for various reasons but for the rest of us who are able to go we sometimes undervalue the importance of worshiping with God's people don't see how important it is don't don't don't have great value for it there is something special about worship with God's people it is something happens that that renews you strengthen you encourages you I can't realize fine about know it's real think about the times you you force yourself to come to church on Sundays when you don't want to really don't want to be there but once you got there something came over you something minister to you and you're like man I'm glad I got I needed that word I needed to hear that song I needed to hear that prayer what has happened to you something is ministering to you inside of you that's the spirit that's the word all of us have had that type of experience and so we need worship with God's people don't abandon it don't take it for granted make it a priority and here's the thing you can worship him in the midst of crisis and difficulties none of us have our life together none of us feel like coming here every week but we come because we know we need it of course we know we need it don't forget that the people here near Maya they were dealing with generational difficulties they will they were in the city that was not what it used to be they had a temple that was not it was not what it used to be and they had a community that was not what it used to be and yet the text says they gathered together as one man they got up and made a journey to worship even though life was not what it you want used to be even though it was hard they still made it a priority together as the body worship the Lord God first one says all the people gather as one man the men the women in Jerusalem they are referred to as an assembly a congregation which highlights the purpose of worship and this is the first time in Israel near Maya that it talks about the people Israel gathering to for corporate worship in great detail the first time in both of those books this was a special moment for them because worship was taking place within Jerusalem that now had his walls restored now had the walls restored it's time to celebrate it's time to thank God can you imagine the people's excitement that the joy that they were having at that moment of coming together within the walls of Jerusalem to worship even though it was a shadow what it used to be it was still a sign of God's faithfulness that he was still at work still cared about us verse 8 says the people bowed their heads and worship the Lord with their faces to the ground the focus of their worship was the Lord no one else the or the worship was not aimed toward any other being it was focused and directed toward the right source and that was the Lord God and the people was before him in humility there were before him with respect and dependency with the heads bow their faces to the ground our primary purpose each week each Sunday is worship toward God not to us not to me not to songs it's to Jesus every week it's directed toward him he is our focus in worship in this life and we come before him we're attitude of humility with one of respect and one of the penance just like the Israelites here I said earlier that the people of Israel had three festivals that they celebrated during the seventh month of the calendar it was to feast the trumpets was to celebrate on the first day of the seventh month the second one was the day of atonement it was on the 10th day of the seventh month the day of atonement was a time for the people to humble themselves to rest to worship and it was a time for them to be cleansed from their sins and finally was to feast the booths and it was a week-long feast that began on the 15th day of the seventh month and that feast celebrated the people's salvation from Egypt you see the fact that the people gathered on the first day of the seventh month it should point us to the feast of trumpets which is historically was celebrated on the first day of the seventh month and the feast of trumpets was a day of rest too it was one of worship it was a time of spiritual preparation it also marked the beginning and ending of one agricultural year for the people so in reality it was their new year new year before the Lord worship in the Lord of beginning of the year it was also a memorial proclaimed with a glass of trumpets they're supposed to blow trumpets at this feast a celebration a glass of trumpets numbers ten the Lord told Moses to make two silver trumpets and these trumpets were were used to sum in the congregation together and it was also used for them to break camp when they were still in the desert and I want to read something from numbers ten about those the role and the purpose of those trumpets you don't have to turn them or read it in verse eight of numbers ten it says and the sons are Aaron the priest shall blow the trumpets the trumpets shall be for you a perpetual statue through all your generations and when you go to war and land against your adversary who oppresses you you shall you shall sound and along with the trumpets that you may be remembered before the Lord your God and you shall be saved from your enemies on the day of your gladness also at your opponent feasts and at the beginnings of your months you shall blow the trumpets over your burnt offerings and over the sacrifices of your peace offerings they shall be a reminder of you before your God I am the Lord your God these trumpets were supposed to be a everlasting statute throughout the generations of the people and yet they're not mentioned here I want to why not why doesn't why why are they not mentioned here I believe something else was serving after summoning call to the people something else was functioning as a trumpet call for the people something else was going to remind the people of their Lord God and we see it clearly stated here it's the word his word his word if you ever visit old churches around Huntsville or any town in the south churches have been around for generations you know you will if you go into the sanctuary or you will notice they got pulled places highly elevated pulpits within those old churches this man is high up in the in the in the preacher when he when they he entered those that pulpit he spoke out toward the people and the people will look up like the preacher preaching a word and the purpose of those elevated pulpits was this to show the elevation of the word above all things and the word goes out and it covers the people of God so all those cultures like first Presbyterian downtown has one Bush just told me this morning I'm glad you told me I can put it in my sermon so when you see that though that sir for the purpose of the shoulder people at God's word is elevated above you above everything above the building it's the word the word goes out and covers his people and here in the M.I.A. this is what we have the word of God summoned the people the word of God calling the people the verse the verse two says the congregation told Israel to bring the book of the law Moses the Lord had commanded Israel so he brought the law before the people first time again that the the book of the law is it is it's shown up to the forefront like this and all the books and all the whole chapter in the whole book in the M.I. it's the first time that the word of God is with a forefront like this what's the point the point is that people need more than just a restored wall for security and even more than just a restored wall but the word of God must be central must have its place must have its role within the worship within our lives it cannot just be physical security you need God's word as well it has to be central because like worship the word of God can renew us it does see it is the measuring stick for every believer this is your measuring stick this nothing else no other book it sets the standard for your life the standard for your theology the standard for your ministries the standard for worship this does nothing else our measuring stick and we have to surrender to it and Ezra brought this measuring stick before the people why because man does not live on bread alone did you believe that but on every word that comes from the mouth of God man does not live on bread alone it break you can substitute bread for anything you want to put their money fame security things that we run to water drink things that we need and necessities of life clothing transportation house we need God's word as well not just those things the word of God as well it says he he read from the law on the wooden platform who would have thought they had a pulpit this early in the church man on the wooden platform was made for what purpose reading the word man and only that this says he was high above the people well he had an elevated pulpit way back in Old Testament history what's the purpose again the centrality of the word it's central to the community it covers the community it covers everything we do verse 5 says Ezra opened the book and instead of all the people but he was above the people and he opened it to all the and as he opened it the people stood and Ezra blessed the Lord a great God and all the people answered amen amen the word is highly elevated this shows us that the centrality the Moses mosaic law was once again given this proper place within the community of Israel it was highly important and this shows they bringing it back to that does the word of God have this kind of importance in your life in your marriage in your career in your job in your child wearing and parenting skills whatever it is it's the word of God the measuring state for what you do and how you live what is it it has to be we like to do we like to divide things up between the secular and the sacred God doesn't do that if you if the word of God has to be the word of God for you Monday through Saturday that's not 10 30 on Sunday it has to be the word of God every day of the week not just here once a week it has to be covered you cover me and everything I do because it gives us direction people it gives us guidance it helps us with our decision-making and do we listen do we understand well I got the papers out of order well okay now I'm back do you listen to it do we read do we understand it that's the thing do you listen to it do you spend time in it and do you understand what you reading see the people here and in my eight they listen they read they heard it they listen to it and they also understood what was being talked to them verse seven eight says the Levites help the people understand they lock the law they read from it clearly and they gave the sense meaning they gave the interpretation of it so that people could understand the reading see the congregation allowed their leaders to speak truth into their lives to apply their truth to their lives the Levites help them to understand see the word of God is powerful man it's powerful people who says for the word of God is living and active sharper than any two-edged sword piercing to the vision of soul and spirit of joints and marrow discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart that's the word of God sharper than a two-edged sword meaning if it's going out it's gonna minister it's gonna cut us sometimes it's gonna wound us sometimes but it can heal as well Isaiah 55 10 through 11 says for as the rain and snow come down from heaven and do not return there but water to earth making it bring forth and sprout giving seed to the sword and bread to the either so shall my word that goes out for my mouth the class of the Lord it will not return to me empty but it should accomplish the purpose for which it was sent God's word would do that and what does his word tells us it reveals us about him it shows us about teaches about salvation it teaches us about grace it shows us how to know him better his word reveals who he is and it has accomplished that the question is all we listening all we listening to are we just going through the motions man for all we listening to the word it shows it teaches us about his faithfulness his love his kindness and also shows us about ourselves too this region is history the fall and how man fell from God the word of God gives us wisdom it renews us at conferences and it impacts us that men because in verses 9 9 through 12 we see that the word of God produces a response in the people it says on the second day the head near my and the governor as of the priests describing the Levites who taught the people said to them all this day is holding to the lawyer God do not mourn and weep for all the people wept as they heard the words of the law they wept I mean it's like they just heard it for the first time some of them it could have been the first time it's touching them impacting them changing them so the word of God when it comes into us I think it produces conviction in us for our sins and I think it can produce and renew our joy because it reminds us of God's faithfulness to speak that you're not alone think about it when when you're going through hard times you go through you go to the Psalms right and what are the Psalms remind you of man God is with me in the battle Psalm 23 my shepherd in the midst of the darkness what does that do to you it renews you it strengthens you versus like you have been a struggle the palms of my hands I dance over you it shouts of joy when you read those verses it strengthens you man it conflicts you that's what I'm talking about the world what it does to us it impacts us and can you tell me something special about verse 9 there's one phrase in that special the first time the phrases used in the am I as well this is the day this day's holy to the Lord your God what's special about the phrase Lord your God in Old Testament history Elohim y'all way Elohim is God's covenant name what is that pointing to that he's a covenant keeping God you're not a long people y'all way Elohim is still your daddy y'all way Elohim has never not forsaken you y'all way Elohim has your back y'all way Elohim is here y'all way Elohim is working on your behalf y'all way Elohim is not going to forsake you y'all way Elohim works in the midst of brokenness this is the day it's holy for the Lord your God has made it holy so they want the people to rejoice in it because I'm still here people I have not left the building and ever going to leave the building the people are being reminded of faithfulness for the joy of the Lord is their strength that's what he tells them our joy in the Lord is our strength why because he's a covenant keeping God despite your failures despite how much you mess up he keeps the covenant in our lives on behalf of his people so the word of God reminds of all those things you come to worship to be reminded of that to be encouraged in that the word of God is elevated and worship is elevated in our lives we should read it we should study it and finally we should apply it and live it out in our lives that's what the last verses verse 13 through 19 are talking about because in those verses the people read about the feast of booths and in the word says they need to keep that festival so they keep it and why they keep it because they read it in the word and that's how we should apply the scriptures the scriptures shows me something in my life is not right then maybe I need a change the word of God has to allow to I have to allow the word of God to direct my life to convict me to cut me when I need to be cut to convict me and to change me because what it goes out and it fulfills the purpose for which it was sent and so if I'm a believer and if I hardly ever read the scriptures can they am I being really built up I'm gonna talk about more than just coming on Sunday morning if all I did was write sermons of all the time I wrote in the Bible to write a sermon then I'm dying spiritually I'm I'm dying if all I do is write sermons to give to you then I'm dying as a minister I have to make it a priority that I read and feed myself outside of sermon preparation because it's easy to just write sermons and that'd be the end of my devotion life but I'm dying I'm building on sand as Mark would say so we got to feed ourselves the word people this is food your milk your meat some of us will stop some of us are dying I don't want you to start I got I want you to be your beast on the word that's what I want you to be over where are you so yeah be that for the word do it and it builds you up people it builds you up I know there are times when it's hard times when it's difficult that's my one of my friends to say that's one seminary professor said thank God for the man who never gives up having family devotions who never gives up I think I've shed it with you before he said praise God for the man who never gives up having family devotions because you know there can be times when you don't do it it's gonna be a struggle and praise God for people who never gives up reading the structure that even if you go a month or weeks and you have an opening you always go back and a good news is that you can go back because he's faithful at the beginning of the service what he said he knows what does Jesus knows every week or something Jesus knows there's gonna be times in your life when you struggle to read the word he knows that but yet he loves us and accept us anyway father God I do thank you that you use worship to renew us I know that's times when and I'm dying when I come up here because I'm tired and that gives the room for the spirit to move and I praise you that we can come before you and our brokenness and our shame and our hurts and our pains and we need to be here doing those times because we need to be ministered to so I thank you father for our body here we all have issues we all know that and so I praise it go you'll help us to keep short accounts to come to love one another serve one another and I thank you father that you have been faithful Lord beyond measure and when we look at where we are as a congregation all we can say is thank you Jesus thank you thank you Jesus all of us to build a church and they give us ministries everything everything is going on here it's a testimony to your faithfulness and what you are doing so as your people Lord remind us of your faithfulness show us all the ways you have been faithful to us Lord and let that renew us renew our joy renew our excitement in you and again let your Word have a top priority in our life let it be the mission and state the standard for what we do as a people of God and craft in my brain