1. Overcoming Sin Nehemiah 13:15-31

2. Believers overcome sin by: Knowing and obeying god’s Word Staying away from areas of temptation Confronting the sin in our lives

3. Nehemiah 13:15-31 13:15 – “In those days I saw in Judah people treading wine press on the Sabbath, and bringing in heaps of grain and loading them on donkeys, and also wine, grapes, figs, and all kinds of loads, which they brought into Jerusalem on the Sabbath day. And I warned them on the day when they sold food.” 13:16 – “Tyrians also, who lived in the city, brought in fish and all kinds of goods and sold them on the Sabbath to the people of Judah, in Jerusalem itself! 13:17 – “Then I confronted the nobles of Judah and said to them, “what is this evil thing that you are doing, profaning the Sabbath day?”

4. Nehemiah 13:15-31 13:18 – “Did not our fathers act in this way, and did not our God bring all this disaster on us and on this city? Now you are bringing more wrath on Israel by profaning the Sabbath.” 13:19 – “As soon as it began to grow dark at the gates of Jerusalem before the Sabbath, I commanded that the doors should be shut and gave orders that they should not be opened until after the Sabbath. And I stationed some of my servants at the gates, that no load might be brought in on the Sabbath day.” 13:20 – “Then the merchants and sellers of all kinds of wares lodged outside Jerusalem once or twice.”

5. Nehemiah 13:15-31 13:21 – “But I warned them and said to them, “Why do you lodge outside the wall? If you do so again, I will lay hands on you.” From that time on they did not come on the Sabbath.” 13:22 – “Then I commanded the Levites that they should purify themselves and come and guard the gates, to keep the Sabbath day holy. Remember this also in my favor, o my God, and spare me according to the greatness of your steadfast love.” 13:23 – “In those days I also saw the Jews who had married women of Ashdod, Ammon, and Moab.”

6. Nehemiah 13:15-31 13:24 – “And half of their children spoke the language of Ashdod, and they could not speak the language of Judah, but only the language of each people.” 13:25 – “And I confronted them and cursed them and beat some of them and pulled out their hair. And I made them swear in the name of God, saying, “You shall not give your daughters to their sons, or take their daughters for your sons or for yourselves.”” 13:26 – “Did not Solomon king of Israel sin on account of such women? Among the many nations there was no king like him, and he was beloved by his God, and God made him king over all Israel. Nevertheless, foreign women made even him to sin.”

7. Nehemiah 13:15-31 13:27 – “Shall we then listen to you and do all this great evil and act treacherously against our God by marrying foreign women?” 13:28 – “And one of the sons of Jehoida, the son of Eliashib the high priest, was the son-in-law of Sandballat the Horonite. Therefore I chased him from me.” 13:29 – “Remember them, O my God, because they have desecrated the priesthood and the covenant of the priesthood and the Levites.”

8. Nehemiah 13:15-31 13:30 – “Thus I cleansed them from everything foreign, and I established the duties of the priests and the Levites, each in his work,” 13:31 – ‘and I provided for the wood offering at appointed times, and for the firstfruits. Remember me, O my God, for good.”

9. Believers Overcome Sin in Their Lives By Knowing and Obeying God’s Word Two areas where the Israelites did not obey God’s Word Keeping the Sabbath – verses 15-22 Marrying foreign women – verse 23-31 Exodus 20:8-11 – ‘Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy.” Nehemiah 10:31 – the people had promised 14 years earlier to not buy and sell on the Sabbath

10. Believers Overcome Sin in Their Lives By Knowing and Obeying God’s Word The believer and OT Law OT Law Teaches us God’s standard of holiness OT Law Teaches us our sinfulness OT Law Teaches us our need of a Savior - Cant save ourselves (keep the law) The law cant save us

11. Believers Overcome Sin in Their Lives By Knowing and Obeying God’s Word NT verses teaching the believer is not under the OT Law Romans 6:18 – “For sin shall not have dominion over you, since you are not under Law but under grace. Romans 7:4 – “Likewise my brothers, you also have died to the law through the body of Christ, so that you belong to another, to him who has been raised from the dead, in order that we may bear fruit for God.” Romans 10:14 – “For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness for everyone who believes.” The whole book of Galatians 1 st Timothy 1:8 – “Now we know that the law is good, if one uses it lawfully, understanding this, the law is not laid down for the just, but for the lawless….

12. Believers Overcome Sin in Their Lives By Knowing and Obeying God’s Word The Sabbath was especially given to the Jews to show their separation from other nations. Sabbath is Saturday Sunday became the day of worship and rest for believers at Jesus’ resurrection Christians are to have a day of rest and worship – Biblical principle

13. Believers Overcome Sin in Their Lives By Knowing and Obeying God’s Word Two areas where the Israelites did not obey God’s Word Keeping the Sabbath – verses 15-22 Marrying foreign women – verse 23-31 Exodus 34:12-16 and Deuteronomy 7:1-5 – commands for Israelites not to marry foreign women Nehemiah 10:30 – “We will not give our daughters to the people of the land or take their daughters for our sons.” Know God’s Word Psalm 119:11

14. Believers Overcome Sin in Their Lives By Staying Away from Areas of Temptation The Israelites were tempted materially Verses 15-22 –buying and selling on the Sabbath Verses 17-18 Refers to Jeremiah 17:19-27 Judah didn’t keep the Sabbath and were taken into Babylonian captivity The Israelites were tempted by worldly influences Verses 23-31 - marrying foreign women Power, sex, ungodly teaching Application – Don’t play with fire Know your weaknesses

15. Believers Overcome Sin by Confronting the Sin in Their Lives Confronting sin involves identifying the sin Confronting sin involves facing the sin Confronting sin involves taking action to correct the sin Confronting sin involves taking action to prevent the sin in the future Confronting sin might involves getting help from other believers

16. Overcoming Sin – Conclusion Understand and know God forgives sin Understand God’s desire for you as a believer be conformed to the image of Christ Never sinless, but we do sin less Depend on God’s power and grace to give you the strength to face the sin Know and obey God’s Word Stay away from areas of temptation and sin Confront any known sin in your life

17. Overcoming Sin – Conclusion Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing “O to grace how great a debtor Daily I’m constrained to be! Let Thy goodness, like a fetter, Bind my wandering heart to Thee. Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it, Prone to leave the God I love; Here’s my heart, O take and seal it, Seal it for Thy courts above.”

18. Overcoming Sin – Conclusion Fight the Good Fight