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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.

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Chris Mangrum Is Baptized

As we study Nehemiah we will see what sets us apart as God’s people.

- Holy = to be set apart; different.
- The people read from the Book of the Law and confessed their sins. They did not rush through it. It took half the day.
- Exodus 19:5-6 If you obey me fully… you will be my treasured possession… a holy nation = set apart.
- What set them apart? What sets us apart?

1) Love for God and the time we spend with God.
- How can you claim to love God if you don’t spend time with Him?
- Nehemiah 9:5 You can glimpse their love for God through their prayer.
- Nehemiah 9:8 “You found his heart faithful to you and you made a covenant…”
- Nehemiah 9 :11 God made a name for himself by rescuing them. We need to pray to God and thank him for all the times he’s rescued us.
- Nehemiah 9:13-15 We don’t have pillars of fire and cloud… we have the Bible.
- Nehemiah 9:16-18 People become arrogant, refuse to listen, fail to remember the miracles.

2) Confession of sin sets us apart.
- Nehemiah 9:18 “…even when…” God forgives. Do you forgive “even when” you have the right to hold a grudge?
- Nehemiah 9:38 They ask God to be merciful, “even when.” They put their intentions in writing and seal it.
- Nehemiah 10:28 All those that were set apart and able to understand bind themselves with a curse and an oath. A momentous time.

3) Repentance of sin sets us apart.
- Nehemiah 10:30-39 Specific things they will repent of: no intermarriage with foreigners, money issues.
- Malachi 3:6-18 Verse 16, They again, put their devotion in writing. Verse 18 “…see the distinction between the righteous and the wicked.”

- Acts 2:42 “They devoted themselves…” They were set apart. We need to be too!

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Amana Is Baptized!

This sermon answers fundamental questions about the essential role of Christian preaching; aspects of who, what, where, when, why, and how are addressed.

Nehemiah chapter 8: Proclaiming the Law of God

- Nehemiah 8:5 All of the people stood out of respect while the Word was read.
- Nehemiah 8:9 It had been a long time since the Book of the Law had been read. Now it was taught to them so they could understand it.
- Nehemiah 8:14-18 They celebrated the feast the way it was meant to be celebrated.

Who? Nehemiah 8:2 “all who were able to understand”

What? Nehemiah 8:2 The Word of God.
- 2 Timothy 3:14-17 The Law of God is meant to be obeyed. It’s not a collection of opinions and suggestions. Do you take it personally?

Where? Nehemiah 8:1 The Watergate.
- I Timothy 4:11-13 In public.
- Acts 5:40-42 Temple courts= public. House to house= private. Anywhere and everywhere!

When? Acts 13:36 Like David, as long as we are alive.

Why? Matthew 24:9-13 So everyone will not grow cold.
- 2 Corinthians 7:8-11 Paul’s letter to the Corinthians, he speaks to the increase of wickedness.

How? So the people can understand.
- Colossians 4:2-4 “clearly”
- Matthew 28:18-20 Teaching them to obey. Teach with an expectation of obedience.
- Ephesians 6:19-20 “fearlessly”
- Nehemiah 8 “as one man”
- John 17:20-21 “Brought to unity”

- Hebrews 13:1 “strangers” you entertain could be angels

- 2 Timothy 4:1-2 “I give you this charge: Preach the Word”

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Bria Henderson Is Baptized!

Ka sella Matiere Is Baptized!

Nehemiah Chapter 6
- Nehemiah left the security of the citadel of Susa to go where there was no citadel, no protection, for the sake of God’s work.
- Nehemiah 5:19 He says, “Remember me…” Nehemiah 6:14 He says, “Remember my enemies…” Both bold requests.
- Proverbs 20:11 Even a child is known by his actions.
- Nehemiah 6:1-9 Threat comes from the outside to get him discouraged so he would quit. People tell lies about him. Question his motives. Nehemiah does not fall for their schemes. Why? He knows his work is great and cannot be stopped. ‘Don’t go to Ono!’
- Nehemiah 6:10 A friendly face, but a strange message. Numbers 18:7, 2 Chronicles 26:16-21. Nehemiah knew God’s Word, so he knew better than to go into the temple. He knew not to follow this opinion which would discredit him.
- Nehemiah 6:15 Whether the threat is from outside or inside, let us not be the ones to fear.
- 2 Corinthians 5:10 We will all answer to God.
- 1 Thessalonians 1:3 “Work produced by faith…” If there are no deeds, is there faith?
- Nehemiah 6:17 The nobles of Judah are corresponding with the enemy! An ongoing threat comes through the in-laws!
- Nehemiah 7:1 How do you deal with ongoing drama? You appoint leaders that fear God more than most men do. When you are about God’s work, there will always be threats.
- In 52 days they rebuilt a wall that had laid in ruins for over a century. Nehemiah isn’t the only one who could do it; but he is the only one who chose to do it.

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Dara Teamer Is Baptized!

Nehemiah Chapter 5
- During the rebuilding, a famine is going on, there is opposition, and the people are in debt.
- The trumpet signal to stop building and regroup sounds, not because of an outside threat, but an inside threat.
- 5:1-5 The people are raising an outcry against their own brothers. Some of their own countrymen are charging them usury. The debts are growing so great they are having to offer their own children as collateral.
- 5:6-13 Nehemiah’s response is one of anger against the nobles and officials for their actions.
- 5:12-13 The result is that the offenders promise to right their wrong and repent.
- 5:14-18 Out of reverence for God, Nehemiah models just government. He acts different than the preceding governors.

- Social responsibility in the Bible
- Exodus 22:25-27, Leviticus 25:35-40 Deuteronomy 23:19-20 all talk about not charging interest of your brothers and countrymen. Rely on God to bless you.
- Galatians 6:7 You reap what you sow.
- Had they followed these instructions, there would have been no outcry and the wall would have gotten built faster.
- Are we going to the Bible for direction? Are we obeying it?

- Nehemiah 5:19 “Remember me with favor, O my God, for all I have done for these people.” Can we say that?

- Hebrews 6:7-12 Will you mature or fall away? The rain is the Word of God. Will you listen to it and change?

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Crystal Williams is Baptized

Nehemiah Chapters 3 & 4 will be covered in this series on rebuilding by God’s way.

Nehemiah 3:1-25
- Who is rebuilding? Everyone! Even the High Priest. Even the women and daughters! (vs 12). Even goldsmiths and perfumers. Everyone learned how to do “doors and bars and bolts, oh my!”
- “Reach them, Teach them, Baptize them…” It’s our version of “doors and bars and bolts.”
- Everyone, except, the nobles of Tekoa. Consequently, the men of Tekoa did double work.
- Why? Everything is in ruins! It’s a national emergency!
- Even priests from another region come to help (vs 22-25) People build by their houses too.
- They build from dawn until the stars came out.

- Nehemiah 4:1-3 People ridicule what they’re doing. As a movement grows and starts to intimidate others, more ridicule comes your way. How to handle it?
- Nehemiah 4:4-9 Prayer. The people prayed with all their heart.
- They also took action and posted a guard.
- Nehemiah 4:10-12 The people are getting tired and afraid. Don’t trust your emotions when you’re tired.
- Since they are tired, he posts them by family. He tells them to remember the Lord and fight for their families.
- When you are tired and things look bad, ask yourself: “Is this horrible or an opportunity to stand up?”
- Nehemiah 4:15-23 Everyone goes about their work. We need to do the same.