Our Present Sermon Series July-October 2013

Revival for Survival Nehemiah 7:73b-8:18

A Brief Review: What God Has Already Done He has brought back a faithful remnant to live in the land of promise. He has brought back a faithful remnant to live in the land of promise. He has restored the temple through the ministry of Ezra. He has restored the temple through the ministry of Ezra. He has rebuilt the walls of Jerusalem through the leadership of Nehemiah. He has rebuilt the walls of Jerusalem through the leadership of Nehemiah.

More Was Needed The physical infrastructure (the temple and the city wall) was in place for the restoration of God’s people. The physical infrastructure (the temple and the city wall) was in place for the restoration of God’s people. Nevertheless, what had caused exile, persecution, and estrangement from God in the first place was still not adequately resolved. Nevertheless, what had caused exile, persecution, and estrangement from God in the first place was still not adequately resolved.

What Was Needed: Revival for Survival

Hearing the Word of God (73b-8:8): Corporately and Publicly (1-2) Corporately and Publicly (1-2) Men, Women, and Children all came to hear. Men, Women, and Children all came to hear. Ezra reads from the “Law of Moses.” Ezra reads from the “Law of Moses.”

Hearing the Word of God (73b-8:8): Carefully and Humbly (3-6) Carefully and Humbly (3-6) They listened attentively for five straight hours in the Middle Eastern morning sun! They listened attentively for five straight hours in the Middle Eastern morning sun! After the reading, they “bowed down and worshiped the Lord with their faces to the ground.” After the reading, they “bowed down and worshiped the Lord with their faces to the ground.”

Some Food for Thought: When was the last time you had that kind of humility toward and reverence for God and His word? When was the last time you had that kind of humility toward and reverence for God and His word? How might you show more reverence and appreciation for the fact that we have the very word of God at our finger tips? How might you show more reverence and appreciation for the fact that we have the very word of God at our finger tips?

Hearing the Word of God (73b-8:8): Conscientiously and Understandably (7-8) Conscientiously and Understandably (7-8) The Priests and Levites made sure that the people could hear the word of God. The Priests and Levites made sure that the people could hear the word of God. This involved not only proclamation, but also the explaining of God’s word, and perhaps even translation. This involved not only proclamation, but also the explaining of God’s word, and perhaps even translation.

How’s your ancient Hebrew?

My Life in College: I forsook assembling with God’s people. I forsook assembling with God’s people. I stopped listening to God’s word. I stopped listening to God’s word. But God, who is faithful, brought me back into a godly fellowship that proclaimed and helped me understand His word again. But God, who is faithful, brought me back into a godly fellowship that proclaimed and helped me understand His word again. Jon Rittenhouse

Some Food for Thought: Are you regularly meeting together for intentional fellowship with other believers? Are you regularly meeting together for intentional fellowship with other believers? Are you regularly reading and listening to God’s word with a humble heart? Are you regularly reading and listening to God’s word with a humble heart?

Heeding the Word of God (8:9-18): With Spontaneous Sorrow (9) With Spontaneous Sorrow (9)

Some Food for Thought: When was the last time you were overcome with grief and your heart was truly broken by something that you heard or read in God’s word? When was the last time you were overcome with grief and your heart was truly broken by something that you heard or read in God’s word?

Heeding the Word of God (8:9-18): With Sweet Celebration (10-12) With Sweet Celebration (10-12) These holy days were supposed to be holidays! These holy days were supposed to be holidays! The joy of the Lord is our strength! The joy of the Lord is our strength! He is a God of joyous generosity and we are called to be like Him—joyful and generous! He is a God of joyous generosity and we are called to be like Him—joyful and generous!

Heeding the Word of God (8:9-18): With Spirited Submission (13-18) With Spirited Submission (13-18)

James 1:22-24 Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror and after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like.

James 1:25 But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it—he will be blessed in what he does.

With Spirited Submission (13-18) With Spirited Submission (13-18) The Feast of Tabernacles or Booths The Feast of Tabernacles or Booths As a result of their obedience, the people were genuinely revived and excited to serve the Lord without reservation. As a result of their obedience, the people were genuinely revived and excited to serve the Lord without reservation. Heeding the Word of God (8:9-18):

Summary and Conclusion: The Elements of True Revival They assemble together to hear God’s word. They assemble together to hear God’s word. They listen intently, resulting in a sense of conviction, remorse, and repentance leading to obedience. They listen intently, resulting in a sense of conviction, remorse, and repentance leading to obedience.

Summary and Conclusion: The Elements of True Revival Nevertheless, generous rejoicing and celebration over God’s goodness breaks out among the people. Nevertheless, generous rejoicing and celebration over God’s goodness breaks out among the people. They not only emotionally respond to God’s word, they actively respond by joyfully obeying and doing what it says. They not only emotionally respond to God’s word, they actively respond by joyfully obeying and doing what it says. The result is REVIVAL! The result is REVIVAL!

Main Idea: Revival comes when we regularly gather to hear and heed God’s word.

Personal Application: Do you truly desire personal revival as well as revival for this Church? Do you truly desire personal revival as well as revival for this Church? If not, what is keeping you from this? If not, what is keeping you from this? If so, how can you sustain and encourage this passion in others as well as yourself? If so, how can you sustain and encourage this passion in others as well as yourself?

Personal Application: You must come together regularly for fellowship and worship. You must come together regularly for fellowship and worship. You must read and listen intently to God’s word and be heartbroken by the ways we fall short of God’s standards. You must read and listen intently to God’s word and be heartbroken by the ways we fall short of God’s standards. You must obey what God has said. You must obey what God has said.

Adoniram Judson’s Story

Brown University Today

Main Tenets of Deism God exists. God exists. He created the world to be a perfect, independent and self-sufficient entity which, through rational study, perfectly reveals the nature of God and His world. He created the world to be a perfect, independent and self-sufficient entity which, through rational study, perfectly reveals the nature of God and His world. Divine intervention through special revelation and supernatural miracles is not only unnecessary, but inherently irrational and even immoral. Divine intervention through special revelation and supernatural miracles is not only unnecessary, but inherently irrational and even immoral.

On a Dark and Stormy Night....

In the Room Next Door

Andover Theological Seminary

Judson’s Contributions: As a young man, he had cried out, “I will not leave Burma until the cross is planted here forever!” As a young man, he had cried out, “I will not leave Burma until the cross is planted here forever!” He was instrumental in bringing a young Karen man to Christ named, Ko Tha Byu, who became known as the “Apostle to the Karen.” He was instrumental in bringing a young Karen man to Christ named, Ko Tha Byu, who became known as the “Apostle to the Karen.” He translated the Bible into Burmese for the first time ever. He translated the Bible into Burmese for the first time ever. Just thirty years after his death, Burma had 63 Christian churches, 163 missionaries, and over 7,000 baptized converts. Just thirty years after his death, Burma had 63 Christian churches, 163 missionaries, and over 7,000 baptized converts.

Kim and Singpu