Nehemiah 10

Nehemiah 10

Pastor Aaron Jozwiak - April 26, 2015 Red Village Church

Initial scripture reading:

Nehemiah 10:28-31,39b ESV

28 “The rest of the people, the priests, the Levites, the gatekeepers, the singers, the temple servants, and all who have separated themselves from the peoples of the lands to the Law of God, their wives, their sons, their daughters, all who have knowledge and understanding, 29 join with their brothers, their nobles, and enter into a curse and an oath to walk in God's Law that was given by Moses the servant of God, and to observe and do all the commandments of the Lord our Lord and his rules and his statutes. 30 We will not give our daughters to the peoples of the land or take their daughters for our sons. 31 And if the peoples of the land bring in goods or any grain on the Sabbath day to sell, we will not buy from them on the Sabbath or on a holy day. And we will forego the crops of the seventh year and the exaction of every debt."

"...We will not neglect the house of our God.”

Main Points:

1. Be committed.
2. Be Holy.
3. Be generous.

Sermon Notes:

John Piper's book was mentioned, Jesus Demands the World, where people have demands from Jesus, yet Jesus has demands from us that we don't follow through with or even consider.

Christianity is not a works based religion.  We are saved by grace.  However, our works testify our beliefs in only graces.  "Faith without works is dead." from James.  Works is used as a test to see if we're followers of the faith.

1. Be Committed

People in Nehemiah did hard work, made sacrifices, and had great opportunity for failure and quitting.  Decades ago in the U.S., a person would work at the same company throughout their working life.  Now, people are no longer committed to their employer, and employers are no longer committed to their employees.  We have a faith of commitment.  "Let your yes be yes." Matthew.  A non-committal life leads to no impact for the Lord.  Communal nature of Jesus.  Throughout the passage of Nehemiah, we, we, we is used throughout the passage, verses 30-39.  Everyone was committing to the temple, and we must commit to the Church.

2. Be Holy

Be holy as He is holy.  We are to separate ourselves from the world and commit to that which is Godly, verse 29.  Run from sin, and run to Jesus.

3. Be Generous

From the rich young ruler passage, it's easier to thread a camel through a needle that in is for a rich person to enter the kingdom of heaven.  From verses 33+, don't let a lack of generosity to get in the way of following Christ.  We are to at least follow the laws from the Old Testament.  Laws of the Old Testament are magnified, see Matthew 5 & 6.  Therefore, the tithe is greater than 10%.  Give your all to Christ and His Church! Acts 2:45.