The Plowman

Kindness, Conviction and Rempentance [ 35:41 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (39)

Kindness, Conviction and Repentance: Nehemiah #14

This is an exposition of Nehemiah 13:1-31. This message by Pastor Rod Harris was delivered at Trinity Baptist Church on Sunday evening, March 6, 2016.

Intro:

How do you perceive the Christian life?  As you think about what it means to be Christian, what things come to your mind?  Forgiveness, happiness, grace, mercy, heaven, peace?  These are all good answers.  Each certainly has a prominent place in the Christian life but what about confrontation, discipline, conviction and repentance?  Each of these is to have a prominent place but we tend to shun such notions.  We’ve seemed to embrace a form of Christianity whose motto is, “Live and let live.”  Such a motto is foreign to biblical thinking.  We are accountable to and for one another.  To enter into church membership is to enter into covenant.  It is to enter into an agreement whereby we spur one another on to love and good deeds.  We commit to our brothers and sisters to aid their growth and development in the faith.  Such a commitment is a commitment to love.  To confront inconsistency between profession and performance is an act of love.  To point out sin for the purpose of growth in godliness is to work for our brother’s good.  Of course so much of this depends on the spirit and attitude of such confrontation.  Loving confrontation demands firmness but also understanding.  It demands truth and grace.  Its aim is to heal and not harm.  It is the attitude prescribed in Galatians 6:1-2, Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted.  Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.  The call of the Christian life is a call to holiness and that holiness is a communal effort.  It is something we accomplish together.

Loving confrontation is part of the work on God in us.  Listen to Hebrews 12:5-6, And have you forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons?  My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor be weary when reproved by him.  For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives.  Or the words of the apostle Paul in Romans 2:3-4, Do you suppose, O man—you who judge those who do such things and yet do them yourself—that you will escape the judgment of God?  Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance?  Kindness, confrontation and repentance are to be common place in the Church of the Lord Jesus.  That is the focus of our text this evening found in the 13th chapter of Nehemiah.

Text: Nehemiah 13:1-31

Nehemiah, burdened by the disgrace of his fellow country asked permission from king Artexerxes to go to Jerusalem and rebuild the walls.  By God’s grace and in God’s providence Nehemiah journeyed to Jerusalem and in 52 days rebuilt the walls and set the gates in place.  A remarkable accomplishment.  Then came the difficult task of rebuilding the nation.  Nehemiah removed his hard hat and moved from acting as construction foreman to being governor.  A solemn assembly is called, the Word of God is read and revival comes to the nation.  There is genuine repentance followed by real change.  As a part of the change the people commit to walk in obedience before God.  Included in their formal commitment to change is that they will no longer permit intermarriage with the pagan peoples around them.  They will remember the Sabbath and keep it holy and they will maintain the temple and ensure its continual operation.

So far, so good.  But the story does not end there.  We now learn in Nehemiah 13 that Nehemiah has been away for some time and has now returned for another stint as governor.  Look at 13:6.

While this was taking place, I was not in Jerusalem, for in the thirty-second year of Artaxerxes king of Babylon I went to the king. And after some time I asked leave of the king…

13:7, …and came to Jerusalem, and I then discovered the evil that Eliashib had done for Tobiah, preparing for him a chamber in the courts of the house of God.

1st term as governor – 12 years (5:14 – 20th-32nd year of king Artaxerxes)
This is his second.
How long has it been?
We don’t know – the description is too vague however the context would indicate several years.
12-15 years?

We can figure that Nehemiah was around 65 or so when he returned.
What did he find?
The same old problems – involving the same old enemies.

As we work our way through this closing chapter of Nehemiah I want us to pull out some principles for lovingly one another as we discover that…

Thesis: Biblical faithfulness demands that we lovingly confront sin in the lives of the people of God.

4 principles related to this loving confrontation.

1. The loving grace of God patiently yet consistently confronts persistent sin.  (13:1-3)
2. The loving grace of God deals decisively with corruption and compromise in the worship and service of God.  (13:4-14)
3. The loving grace of God establishes boundaries protecting His people and safeguarding the sacred.  (13:15-22)
4. The loving grace of God uncompromisingly maintains a biblical focus.  (13:23-29)

We are acceptable to and for one another therefore…

Biblical faithfulness demands that we lovingly confront sin in the lives of the people of God.

Advancing the Kingdom Agenda [ 29:08 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (43)

Advancing the Kingdom Agenda: Nehemiah #13

This is an exposition of Nehemiah 11:1-12:47. This message by Pastor Rod Harris was delivered at Trinity Baptist Church on Sunday evening, February 28, 2016.

Intro:

No doubt his mind often drifted back to his days in Susa in the palace of the king.  It was an impressive, imposing sight.  36’ tall columns lining the great hall each topped with a pair of intricately carved horned bulls.  The bulls kneel atop a seven-foot tall, carved capital.  The whole display was both massive and stunning.  Persia was the dominate power of the day.  Not only was the palace opulent but everything that mattered was happening there.  The city was bustling with activity as people from around the world gathered and Nehemiah had been there in the center of it all.  Nehemiah had left that to come to a broken down city than didn’t even have walls.  The rubble was so thick he could not even pass through when he tried to inspect (Nehemiah 2:14).  Then there were those petty leaders who tried to stop his work.  Half the time he was fighting his own people to get the job done.  Yet in just 52 days they did what others had not managed to do in decades.  Yet we are told, after the walls were completed, “The city was large and spacious, but there were few people in it, and no houses had been built yet.”  Nehemiah was stuck in an outpost of the empire with few people and little to no worldly significance.

Here is where we need to be reminded, “We live by faith and not by sight.”

By all appearances Susa was the place of action and importance but we know, from Scripture, God was at work in that broken down dump known as Jerusalem.  It was in Jerusalem God was at work advancing His kingdom.

Things are not always as they seem.
Have you noticed how excited people get in a stadium watching a football game?
Do you notice the excitement that builds with “March Madness?”
Better yet, note the passion generated by a presidential election.
By comparison the church seems pretty tame.
What we do seems insignificant and fewer and fewer take note.

Yet we know that God is at work in His church advancing the kingdom.  As surprising as it may seem God intends to accomplish His purpose through the church.  Churches made up of seemingly insignificant people who have normal lives and normal problems.  People, well, like us!

Nehemiah Nehemiah 11 and 12 are not very exciting.  In fact coming into the week I was thinking I had 2 or 3 messages left in our current study.  As I started reading over Nehemiah 11 then into Nehemiah 12 my initial reaction was, “Well, I guess I finished up last week!”

Not exciting stuff.
Names and tedious details.
Yawn.

But this is another case of stop staring at the trees and notice the forest.  Back off from the detail to the larger picture.  I think there is something worthwhile in our text.  Important principles for the task assigned to us.

Text: Nehemiah 11:1-12:47

Context:
The walls have been rebuilt – security
The gates have been installed – justice is restored
Now it is time to rebuild the nation.

• It began with a solemn assembly
• The word of God was read and the people were convicted
• The Feast of Booths was reestablished
• Then came revival
• That revival brought repentance and a commitment to real change

Nehemiah 11 and 12 take that another step.

Thesis: Advancing the Kingdom agenda demands submission to the will of God in all things, dedication to the glory of God above all things, and sacrificial commitment to the on-going work of God.

Our text naturally divide into 3 sections.
11:1-12:26
12:27-43
12:44-47

In these sections we find 3 demands for advancing the kingdom agenda through kingdom living.

1. Kingdom living demands submission to the will of God in all things.  (11:1-12:26)
2. Kingdom living demands dedication to the glory of God above all things.  (12:27-43)
3. Kingdom living demands sacrificial commitment to the on-going work of God.  (12:44-47)

Conclusion:

God has always been pleased to choose the weak things of the world to confound the strong.

• He chose Abram, a man without children, to bless the world through his descendants.
• When Abraham’s descendants multiplied they were slaves in Egypt.
• God chose them as His people.
• There were led by Moses who had spent the last 40 years as a shepherd on the backside of the desert.
• He chose, David, Jesse’s youngest son to be the great king.He chooses people like you and me and churches like ours to manifest His glory and advance His kingdom on the earth.

  Advancing the Kingdom agenda demands submission to the will of God in all things, dedication to the glory of God above all things, and sacrificial commitment to the on-going work of God.

  Will you be part of what God is doing in the earth today?

The Demands of Real Change [ 34:32 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (44)

The Demands of Real Change: Nehemiah #12

This is an exposition of Nehemiah 9:38-10:39. This message by Pastor Rod Harris was delivered at Trinity Baptist Church on Sunday evening, February 21, 2016.

Intro:

“What a wonderful change in my life has been wrought since Jesus came into my heart.”  That is the issue isn’t it?  Change.  Transformation.  When a man, woman, boy or girl comes to Christ there is a change.  They are not the same, old things have passed away and all things become new.  That’s what happens when God moves in.  I said last week that when God comes in revival there will be change.  Not a minor adjustment or a simple rearrangement but a radical, fundamental change.  This is why, when we talk of revival, it is not enough to talk about sorrow over sin or even confession of sin.  It is not enough that there is weeping and regret there must be a change of direction.  A renewed commitment.  A determination to live differently.  That is the focus of our text this evening found in the 10th chapter of Nehemiah.

Text: Nehemiah 9:38-10:39

Recap:
The walls are up and the gates are in.
Security and justice have been restored.
Now it is time to rebuild the nation.
That rebuilding begins with the calling of a sacred assembly.
The people gathered and the Law of God was read.
The people came under great conviction.
They mourned and wept over their sin.
They acknowledged that they had neglected and set aside the commands of God.
Nehemiah and Ezra told them to stop weeping and start rejoicing.
This was a time for celebrating the grace of God by observing the Feast of Booths.
After feasting came fasting.
There was a time of extended confession of individual and corporate sin.

In Nehemiah 9 we found 3 signs of genuine revival:

1. Great sorrow over sin followed by the fruit of repentance.
2. A profound sense of the greatness of God.
3. Resting wholly in the grace and mercy of God.

All of this is tied directly to the word of God.
Now, from Nehemiah 10 we add a fourth essential component:

Thesis: Sorrow over sin and expressions of remorse mean very little apart from a genuine commitment to real change.

Repentance is always from something to something.
Actually from something (sin) to someone Christ.
It, of necessity, means a change of direction.
Repentance is not a feeling or an emotion it is an action.

From our text I want to point out three (3) demands of real change.

1. Real change demands a clear public stance.  (9:38-10:27)
2. Real change demands a distinct separation from the world.  (10:28-29)
3. Real change demands consistent application of biblical principles.  (10:30-39)
   – Faithfulness to the Scripture
   – Faithfulness to the family
   – Faithfulness to the work of God

Conclusion:
Real change demands a public stance in which you determine to be different and distinct from the world around you by ordering your life according the Word of God.