Everything We Need to Have Church
Nehemiah 8,9
Nov 18, 2018 AM
Pastor Craig Ledbetter
Bible Baptist Church, Ballincollig, Cork, Ireland
I. Introduction (Hebrews 4:12; Matthew 4:4)
A. I love these two chapters in Nehemiah (chapters 8 & 9)
1. It describes what Church ought to be like even today in the 21st Century
2. Without the entertainment factor, and without the stage or all the manipulation of people’s emotions through the music and the stories
3. But just with the people gathered together to hear what God thought – to learn how God sees things, and discover the right way to live – all from the Bible alone!
B. You see, Church has always been about the Bible (John 6:63)
1. John 6:63 It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.
2. It is NOT about the building where we meet
3. Or the way we feel
4. Or about the miracles that we hope for
5. But about what this Book says for every man woman and child to do
C. When you Read These Chapters, you find everything we need to have Church
1. A Crowd of People Gathered Together “as one man”
2. A Man Preaching from a Special Book from on top of a raised Pulpit
3. Teachers Teaching the Bible so that everyone understood it
4. Absolute Respect for the Word of God
5. True Worship
6. Sorrow and Repentance – THE most important part of Church
7. Joy and Rejoicing
8. Hungry for More
9. Decisions that Lasted
II. Message
A. A Crowd of People Gathered Together “as one man” (Neh 8:1)
1. Can be just 2 or 3 (Mt 18:20)
2. But nice when everyone that names the name of Christ gathers together as a Church
a. There ARE more than just a few “believers”
b. Do you ever wonder where they all are? Thgey are “out there”
c. But MOST are “busy”, or struggling with bad attitudes, or lazy, or in sin
d. But NOT this crowd – EVERYONE was present!
3. They were Called Together
a. Called out is the meaning of the word ‘Church’
b. Called out of their schedules and homes and workplaces
c. Called to come to the same place together
d. Called to hear the preaching of the word of God
e. Called to be changed – transformed by the renewing of your mind
4. Assembled – in their place – like members of a body
5. Everyone doing their ministry (7:1, Singers, Porters [door keepers], Teachers…)
6. A great church is one where no matter HOW many PEOPLE gather together, they gather and assemble themselves as one person!
7. And then gladly serves one another as a body!
B. A Man Preaching from a Special Book from on top of a raised Pulpit (Neh 8:2-5)
1. The focus of attention was on THE BOOK…
a. Is not on the singers, or the decorum, or the atmosphere
b. All the focus of all the people was on that pulpit and WHAT was being read from on it
2. This was the method of Jesus (Luke 4:16-22)
3. As the Bible was read out-loud, people gave it EXTRA attention – unlike any other book ever read
a. They stood to hear it
b. They quieted down to hear it
c. They hungered to hear it
4. What were they hearing? Just words from an old book?
5. No! The words in that Book were…
a. The words of almighty God, the Creator
1) The God most people no longer believe in
2) Whether you believe in Him or not, HE created everything that there is (9:6) ALL evidence points to a CREATOR, not to an accident!
b. Man’s redemption being found ONLY in the Lamb, from the Garden of Eden on!
c. God’s grace on old Noah and his family
d. He called out a people to follow Him by FAITH alone (9:7,8)
e. He Freed an entire nation of Jewish slaves from Egypt’s grip without a fight
f. And brought them miraculously through the Red Sea, drowning the entire Egyptian army behind them
g. Lit the way with a cloud by day and a fire all night – for 40 years
h. Fed them for all those 40 years with bread from heaven every morning
i. Spoke from heaven at Mt Sinai, giving the commandments and all the perfect Laws that defined them as a good nation amongst all the wicked pagan nations that surrounded them
j. And this Book records all of Mankind’s stubborn wickedness at every turn of history
6. Ezra Held Back Nothing (Acts 20:27) – read and preached it ALL, from Genesis 1:1 all the way through to Deuteronomy 34:12
a. Never criticized what he read
b. Never corrected the Bible
c. Taught people EVERY WORD (Mt 4:4)!
7. The reason the Bible commands respect is…
a. NOT because it never offends people
b. And NOT because everyone is always so blessed and made happy when they read it
c. But Because this BOOK is not human thoughts or man’s wisdom, or people’s best guesses like Confucius had, and like Hindu Gurus claim – but instead is “thus saith the Lord”
d. This Book is settled – finished (Psalm 119:89) “For ever, O LORD, thy word is settled in heaven.”
1) Nothing more needs to be added
2) Unlike the false book of Mormon which was the deluded dreams of a liar in Missouri, USA
3) And unlike the visions and “advanced revelations” of today’s charismatic “prophets” (Benny Hinn, and Paula White and Kenneth Copeland Creflo Dollar, Kenneth Hagin and Joyce Meyer)
e. This Book is TRUE from the very first verse! (Psalm 119:160)
1) It is this Book alone that is true from the very beginning – not mixed with fairy tales and made up stories
2) (Pslam 119:160) “Thy word is true from the beginning: and every one of thy righteous judgments endureth for ever.”
3) Jesus said it in John 17:17 – “Thy word is truth” WHAT A THING TO CLAIM
f. This Book Hurts AND Heals (Heb 4:12) “a sharp TWO-edged sword”
g. This Book commands respect because it never goes OUT of style or fashion… because it NEVER WAS “IN” STYLE – it is TIMELESS!
1) This Bible does not need to be updated, rewritten or revised
2) It need to be re-read
8. It stands alone, atop all other books, and religions and feelings and powers!
9. And you and I would do well to give it our utmost attention both at home and at church
10. Because it alone is what faith is built upon – full stop!
C. You will find, Teachers Teaching the Bible so that Everyone Understood It (Neh 8:7,8)
1. That’s what church is about – teaching and explaining the Scriptures
2. Men specially assigned to…
a. Feed the flock – with God’s truths, not man’s words
b. Teaching people how to think Biblically – carefully, skeptically, logically
c. Explaining the meaning of words, and of laws and expectations
1) Like atonement
2) And redemption
3) Holiness
4) Sin
5) Justification
6) Substitution
7) Salvation
d. That’s discipleship (Matthew 28:19,20)
3. If you wanted to take up a sport or hobby, you would need to learn THEIR lingo – things to learn well so that you can do them well!
a. Like Knitting
1) Bind off
2) Cast on
3) Garter Stitch
4) Moss Stitch
5) Purl
6) Pass Slipped Stitch Over
7) Reverse Shaping
8) Selvage
b. Or Rugby
1) A knock-on results in a scrum with the put-in to the opposition apart from when a knock-on is committed by a player whose team is on their last tackle, when the result is a handover, and apart from if the opposing team gains possession of the ball, which results begins their set of tackles with a zero tackle.
2) Scrum
3) Maul
4) Ruck
5) Lineout
6) Blood replacement
c. Or Wood Working
1) Biscuit joint
2) Blind mortise-and-tenon
3) Bridle joint
4) Butt joint
5) Cope-&-stick joint
6) Doweled joint
7) Ferrule
8) Bevel square
9) Demilune table
10)Diamond paste
11)Festool domino mortiser
12)Low angle block plane
4. Thank God for churches that still take the time to teach CHILDREN and ADULTS what is in this Bible (Act 20:27) “For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God.” No matter how long it takes!
D. Absolute Respect for the Word of God (Neh 8:5,7b)
1. You can’t have a good church without it
2. Too many put all the focus on the people, or on the pastor, or on the building they are meeting in
3. These people, 42,360 of them came together to HEAR the words of LIFE
4. They stood for 3-4 hours a day to hear it
a. Line by line, truth built upon truth – precept upon precept
b. Teaching them and helping them understand (8:12)
c. THAT is the job of every church (Act 20:28) “Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.”
5. They took time to learn it, memorize it, so they could THINK about it for the rest of their lives
6. They paid attention to it and obeyed it – even when it seemed weird, and old fashioned
7. If it Doesn’t Do Much For You, You probably Are NOT His Sheep (John 3:19; 8:47; 10:24-27)
a. Jn 3:19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.
b. Jn 8:47 He that is of God heareth God's words: ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not of God.
c. John 10:24 Then came the Jews round about him, and said unto him, How long dost thou make us to doubt? If thou be the Christ, tell us plainly.
d. John 10:25 Jesus answered them, I told you, and ye believed not: the works that I do in my Father's name, they bear witness of me.
e. John 10:26 But ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep, as I said unto you.
f. John 10:27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:
E. True Worship (8:6)
1. Ezra loudly, publically blessed the Lord!
a. What does it mean to “bless the Lord”?
1) It means, To honour Him, honour His name
2) To make Him feel special
3) To put a smile on His face
b. YOU like it when someone blesses you – makes YOU happy right?
c. So does GOD!
2. And all the people joined in with him
a. And said “Amen and Amen!” “THAT’S TRUE!” “I AGREE!”
b. And they lifted up their hands – in surrender
c. And they bowed their faces to the ground in humility – were not looking around at anyone else!
d. And they simply worshipped their God!
3. That’s True worship
a. NOT crazy and out of control like a football match or disco or party
b. But instead, it is focused on blessing and pleasing God alone!
1) Loving Him – telling Him they loved Him
2) Yielding to His will
3) Thanking Him for being so kind, and patient and long suffering and good towards them
4) Praising Him for just being who He is
5) THAT’S worship
6) Have you done THAT this morning?
c. Why did YOU come this morning?
1) To get a blessing? To get encouraged? I hope you did!
2) But THESE people came and wanted to bless the Lord!
3) Can happen out in the open, in public, in an open street
4) It is not just for inside the walls of a church!
4. Jesus explained this in John 4:20-24
5. Compare all that with modern “worship”
F. Sorrow and Repentance (8:6-9) – THE most important Part of a Church Service
1. Look at how the people responded to just hearing words on a page…
a. Bowed their heads – didn’t feel proud of themselves, but humbled and broken
b. Raised their hands in surrender to God, not as a show to other people
c. Participating in the service saying AMEN!
d. They didn’t move about like it was nothing to worry about (8:7) - fidgeting
e. They DIDN’T move because of the shame they felt about their own sins
f. They WEPT and mourned – evidently affected by what they heard!
g. They were full of sorrow
h. This was REPENTANCE going on!
2. You are watching grown men and women along with their children getting thoroughly CONVERTED
a. Not by being baptized
b. Or through communion
c. Or by some anointing
d. Or by laying on of hands
3. By HEARING the words of God, and believing them
a. Romans 10:17 Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God
b. Ps 119:93 I will never forget thy precepts: for with them thou hast quickened me.
c. James 1:18 Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.
d. 1Peter 1:23 Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.
e. And allowing those words, to break OUR hearts, and convince us of OUR sins
f. And causes us to have sorrow, GREAT sorrow for our sinfulness against God
4. All of that is the work of the Holy Spirit THROUGH the hearing of the words of God!
a. So many people want a sweet holy Spirit to make them feel good about their lives
b. But the main work of the Holy Spirit is a convicting, cutting work (John 16:7,8) Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you. And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:
5. If you don’t want to hear such words, you are in the wrong place
a. THIS BOOK is kind of rough (Jer 23:29) Is not my word like as a fire? saith the LORD; and like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces?
1) It is considered hate speech today
2) Because it is against us – exposes us – reveals what is deeply wrong
b. It is supposed to cut us to the heart not just dent the head
1) Act 5:30-33 The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew and hanged on a tree. Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins. And we are his witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him. When they heard that, they were cut to the heart, and took counsel to slay them.
2) Act 7:54 When they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed on him with their teeth.
3) Acts 2:37 Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?
4) 1Co 1:18 For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.
c. Any preaching that is ONLY sweet and nice and loving is a lie (see 2Tim 4:1-4)
1) 2Ti 4:1 I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom;
2) 2Ti 4:2 Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.
d. Why?
1) 2Ti 4:3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;
2) 2Ti 4:4 And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.
3) Because it hurts to hear this spoken as truth
6. God in LOVE gave us His LAW so that we could accept His love with the right kind of HEART – not proud, but broken, small, and empty! There is no other way!
G. Joy and Rejoicing (8:9-12,17)
1. This is the right order of things
a. So many people want a great pick me up on a Sunday, when God usually needs to deal with our hearts, our attitudes, and our secret sins
b. This is a supernatural Book that can speak into absolutely every heart and soul and humble everybody no matter that they all may have different issues and sins
c. And once He has been allowed to cut deep and expose what is wrong and sinful in YOU, then He can put joy in your home, and in your heart and in your life!
2. Look at the JOY of these people!
a. They were told they could start breathing now
b. They could start laughing again – great mirth, laughter and merriment
c. They could rejoice and be glad
d. They could eat the best food – “eat the fat” meant “eat the best meats”
e. And have sweet things to eat and drink
f. It was like Christmas!
g. And they should make sure everyone is able to join in – giving to others in need
h. Simply because they understood enough to repent and get back right with their GOD
3. Did you notice it was the “Joy of the LORD” that they had now? – not just their own joy?
a. Jesus promises not just peace, but HIS peace (John 14:27) Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you.
b. Jesus promises HIS presence in our homes
c. Jesus promises HIS power over our weaknesses
d. And HERE He offers us HIS joy
4. So quit fighting God’s WORD as it works in you! It will be worth yielding to!
5. I guarantee you that church is so much better when we all have listened and let this Book cut us and hurt us and humble us first!
H. Hungry for More (8:13-15)
1. These people gathered together read and wanted to know more!
a. On day one, the people stood to hear the Bible read for 3-4 hours (8:3)
b. Day two, the people gathered together again and listened for 3-4 more hours
c. Day three – seven, they continued until ALL of the first five Books were read start to finish, and explained, and understood by everyone!
d. Then 2 weeks later, they came back together again and read MORE (9:1-3)
1) Again, Reading for 3 hours first thing
2) They listened for 13 more hours as Joshua and Judges and Ruth and 1 Samuel, 2 Samuel, 1 Kings, 2 Kings, 1 Chronicles and 2 Chronicles were read out-loud
3) Then, Praying and confessing and worshipping for another 3 hours
4) That’s 6 hours in church!!!
2. It was the way people were in the First Century as well (Acts 20:7) And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow; and continued his speech [probably from 6pm] until midnight.
3. You say, what a waste of time… Hmmmm.
a. Your iPad, smartphone, tablet, the internet sucks you into a world that sinners have made and drains your MIND and HEART and TIME of almost everything of value!
b. It deadens discovery, and dumbs down generations, and makes just about everyone lazy and brain dead – only offended, and almost never godly or spiritual!
c. But, Reading your Bible will cause you to seek to discover the world that God made. It has that effect
d. Did you know…
1) The Bible stirs up interest in EVERYTHING
2) It shows that there is ORDER and PURPOSE and DESIGN to everything
3) It explains why things work - design
4) And why things DON’T work – sin
5) The greatest scientists were spurned on to discover the laws of physics and the wonders of the universe simply because they read about how big the universe is and how great is its Creator, all in the Bible
6) Isaac Newton – Bible believer
7) The Wright brothers – who developed the first airplane – believed the Bible
8) Louis Pasture – believed the Bible
9) German astronomer Johannes Kepler discovered how the planets moved around the sun – believed the Bible
10)Francis S. Collins, born in 1950, director of the Human Genome Project – believes the Bible
I. Made Decisions that Lasted (9:36-38) their lives that were changed by a Book!
1. They decided…
a. We turn to YOUR dominion of our lives now
1) Because we are so tired of being under the dominion of our enemies
b. We separate from the sinful things in the culture around us
1) Because we are so tired of living in the pleasures of our sins for only a season and then reaping for a lifetime
c. We have decided to walk and live according to God’s laws and your expectations of us
1) Because we are tired of walking and living according to the laws and the fashions of the world
d. We have decided our children will only marry saved people – “be not unequally yoked together with unbelievers” Paul said in 2Cor 6:14
e. We have decided to not work on the Sabbath but to keep one day a week HOLY to the Lord
f. And there were more decisions made – there always are more decisions to make
2. But just realise this – they were NOT like people are today – just coming and going. No. They came, they heard, and they were changed! BECAUSE they made some decisions
3. Church is all about the decisions we need to make!
4. As a matter of fact, when you just sit there and make no decision, you actually have made the worst decision (Heb 2:3)
III. Invitation
A. You cannot be saved without believing the words of this Bible
1. 1John 5:11-13
2. 1Peter 1:23
3. It is THAT important
B. You will never grow unless this Book becomes your thinking and your way of life
C. And we CAN’T have a Great Church without it! The greatest churches are great simply because of the Bible they preach
1. The Bible will Attract the right kind of crowd
a. A Crowd of People Gathered Together “as one man”
b. Assembled week after week, and sometimes even DAY AFTER DAY
c. Hungry to hear what this Book says
d. Ready to obey whatever it says do
e. THAT is the kind of crowd a church needs every Sunday!
2. The Bible will expect godly MEN to preach it faithfully
3. It is supposed to have Teachers Teaching the Bible so everyone can understand it
4. It Commands Absolute Respect of it as the Word of God and not of men
5. It Fuels True Worship
6. It Causes Sorrow and Repentance
7. As well as Joy and Rejoicing
8. It Will make Us Hungry for More
9. It Calls for Lasting Decisions to be Made
10. And it does MORE
a. God promises it will be well with you if you read it and obey it. Deut 17:19 And it (the Bible) shall be with him, and he shall read therein all the days of his life: that he may learn to fear the LORD his God, to keep all the words of this law and these statutes, to do them.
b. God promises Great peace and comfort comes from just reading through your Bible! Psa 119:165 Great peace have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them.
c. God promises that It can cleanse you on the inside.
1) Ps 119:9 Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word.
2) Dear Christian, the word of God is the only force given by God that can wash you thoroughly as you read it!
d. God promises that thuis Book will keep us free from sin! Psa 119:11 Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.
e. It shows us what way to go, and are the right things to do. Ps 119:105 Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.
f. Doesn’t anyone here want that?
D. What has God been speaking to YOU about?
E. What decisions do you need to make this morning?
1. To come up to me and declare you now believe with all your heart
2. To separate from some secret sins that have you in bondage
3. To read your Bible from start to finish
4. To love church and preaching
5. To not just hear this Book, but become a doer of it