Preached by Chris Broom, 6/13/2010

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Caren Frolik Gets Baptized!

Ted Gets Baptized!

Nehemiah chapter 13
In chapter 13, we will see how well God’s people did in keeping their promises to not neglect God’s house, keep the Sabbath holy, and not intermarry with foreigners. The Bible speaks plainly and honestly, even about the troubles of its heroes.

We see the ongoing challenges of a covenant relationship and 4 of the extraordinary elements that can damage and heal it: 1) extraordinary stupidity 2) extraordinary neglect 3) extraordinary admonishment 4) extraordinary purification

Nehemiah 13:3 When we hear something in the Word, we need to DO it.

Nehemiah 13:4-8 Tobiah had tried to stop the work a few chapters back. Nehemiah has gone back to Persia when this happens. Nehemiah had dealt with Tobiah the first time around, but Tobiah had ties back in through intermarriage.

1) Promise not to neglect God’s house. Extraordinary stupidity: Priest allows a foreigner to live in the courts of the temple! This leads to extraordinary neglect, which they had promised not to do back in chapter 10!

Nehemiah 13:9 Purification takes place.

Nehemiah 13:12-13 Nehemiah leads, righteous people follow. The priest’s chief sin had been sentimentality. Sentimentality makes us stupid. In every decision we must ask: “What does God think?” Not “What does ____ think?” Today as disciples, we are the temple. Do you need to clear out any Tobiahs?

2) Promise to keep the Sabbath holy. Nehemiah 13:15-19 They had promised to keep the Sabbath holy. They do not. Greed makes us stupid.
Nehemiah 13:19-22 Nehemiah admonishes, takes action and shuts the doors. He orders the Levites to purify themselves.

3) Promise to not intermarry with foreigners. Nehemiah 13:23: They do. Not only do some of their children not know God, they can’t even speak the language of Judah!

Nehemiah 13:25 Nehemiah admonishes them. Even the great wise King Solomon stumbled due to intermarriage. God’s people need conviction.

Nehemiah 13:28-30. Purification takes place. Nehemiah kicks out the grandchild of Tobiah, son-in-law of Sanballat, the trouble-makers. He purifies the priests and Levites.

“Oh, Snap!”
Stupidity
Neglect
Admonishment
Purification

Ephesians 4:17-27 Paul is leading. Nehemiah led. Admonishment leads to purification.

Categories: Ezra-Nehemiah, Sermons
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