Sermon Tone Analysis

Dear Congregation of our Lord Jesus Christ,

Do you remember the point of this book, really Ezra-Nehemiah journals of two leaders.

Re-building of a physical city, temple earlier, then walls; but more imoprtantly the rebuilding of a people, a community of grace, a kingdom of God.

And in this chapter we reach the climax of both Ezra spiritual leader Nehemiah empowered for rebuidlingo f the poeople, and Nehemiah as the poltical leader of physical and every day side of life.

Now this is a curious thing that tells us what God is after!

Could have ended with celebration worship - very ioprtant walls done, trun to go, get on with life, but you remember that worship and teaching of God’s torah continues - set time to come back.

And you recall what happens when God starts pressing his word, no longer famine - story from Genesis in the first fall into sin, all the way to the very end until Christ returns.

The work of the Lord now in this borken world, begins, like his work in Creation, His Word brings forth light out of darkness, and order out of chaos, and life out of death!

That Word is no sooner spoken and explained than people start - comiong under conviction - work of God awaken a sinner - conviction of sin.

Jesus said Holy Spirit especially tasked with doing this through the word:

ISn’t that how it worked between God and Adam?

There was his sin, alienation from God, but God comes to Him God calls to Him, Adam after his excuses bubmling confession - acknowledges that sin before a holy God.

Terrifying moment not because of who God is - merciful and just and will forgive us our sins on account of Christ - but because of who we are - so humbling ;

God shows how forgiving is - in Christ see it so clearly - how willing he is to forgive -

It was the same at Mt Sinai - it wasn’t anything Israel did that won the grace of livngin God’s presence, God showed himself forgivngn God - willing to confess in that whole incidient of Godldyen Calf, - picture of Jesus intercedeing through Moses - need to see even experience God in his mercy if really going to turn and confess!

Even within a community of believers understood to be a bssic role after we are saved and come under the disciopine of God or even just the gerneal sufferng of a broken world, in our need and borkenness and sinfulness - recognizing all curse in one way or another what sin has done to us - we turn to God in humble confession.

I challenged us - like Martin Bucer - only do that with someone you trust some safe, give an opporutnity to draw near to God not as peferct people arend an entrance, but as sinners before a God, who nonetheless through Christ receive us - then you can confess sin - don’t have pretend or preform any more!

I hope you can make a beginning at doing that, in marriage, parent child, what about friend to friend seen that here too..

But see when you do, you need more than repentnance, your confess, hating, and then turning from sin - needs more than saying no to sin, it needs saying yes - put on put off… As Jesus put it so colourfully

Jesus speaks of how He as the Victor, must enter the house of our souls, and bind the strong-man, and he must now take residence there.

The NT letter’s show how that must progressively work in our lives - put off the old nature and for each sin and vice you must put off, you must put on the new nature the new virute in Christ.

If drinking to excess is the porblem, do you see the sin under the sin - that lack of self-cotnrol - that desire to escape responsbility - that valuing of a buzz over the joy and peace of the LORD ; you put that off, and you put on self-control that Has Christ , find a recreeation that does’t damage helps glorify God, instead of escape find ways to engage God in His creatio, service of his peole, in friendshi with others.

The sin is gossip, or insult, you figure out the opposite of how to become an encourager to speak the truth in love, to not only say what is benefitial for your neighbour, but to stopo thinking your better than others, in humility to count others.

Well as I preached about confession, I know I had some of your ears perked up.

As I described the surfacey fellowship we have only as saints, but not as sinners before God, that quotation from Bonhoeffer - I sensed a longing to relate to God and to each other in that kind of fellowship honest about and make real progress in battle against sin, and opportunity to be the people of God in truth and in grace!

Well someone asked me, how can we actually start to do that here.

And that is what brings us to the climax of this book in God’s Holy Word.

Covenant.

Of course a theme through out whole Scripture.

God’s covenant with Adama and Eve, descrbied as covenant of life in Hosea; God’s covenant of with Adam’s seed - Seth, Noah, Shem, Abraham.

Opportunity for Abraham to renew that covenant cut in , with his children together - that they knowing the righteousness that is by faith, - having sign and seal of it - that Abhraam’s children like Abhrama himself was instructd might now walk before God in obedience and trust - Not all would some on ly outwardly memebers of that covenant - but the tool God uses to keep pepole walking him is covenant.

Seems like no different with JOb - wroreid about his kids, prays and ssacrfices and intercedes for them.

He himself made a coveant with His eyes with the Lord not to look at a young woman lustfully!

No different with MOses and the children of Israel at Sinaai withthe godlen calf, regive the 10 commandments, re-new the covenat, with next generation Moses gives that law again.

And JOshua leads them in the Jordan River Valley in ceremmony of covenantla renewal.

Not only aware of their neglect and sin sins of their fathers - hadn’t even circumcised???

But now renew.

NO different with Israel greatest King’s after David advances new adminstation of the cveannt of Grace, Israel falls away - and how does renewal work, Josiah rediscovers the Word of God - dusts it off has it read - conviction - we’re not doing this - but oh the word’s of prise right beside the words of curse on sin, they trust God - they covenant again!

Hezekiah same thing - he as head of the oepoel withthe people join ing in covenanted with the Lord!

And that’s what we have a model of here, that even in the New Covenant, after Christ has brought Covenant of Grace to Fuflfllment, we have a model for how we are to not only live by confessing sin and turning tot hte Lord but by covenanting together to walk in his ways!

Covenant renewal - as response to God’s goodness and mercy, not as earning.

9:38–10:39 A pledge to keep the law

In this chapter, the community enters into a binding agreement (1) to observe various aspects of the law, mostly, though not entirely, related to the support of the temple and its services (29–38).

In its present setting as part of the climax of the combined work of Ezra and Nehemiah.

These people listed here earnest to live a life worthy of those who have experienced the restoring grace of God.

It is a response to what God has achieved on their behalf, not a condition of restoration in the first place.

In a sense, it what we did this morning, and how we should see the covenant-action of coming in faith to the Lord’s table, examination of our lives and our faith, say, No known unconfessed sin - no relationship aor area of my life - not seeking Your Will - Commiting a new to live by your forgivenss your grace, to seek after your kingdom and your holiness.

Formally we are renewing the covenant at this table, formally with theose vows in prfessinon of faith, completing bpatismal covenant - in Reformation some said it was parents or God-parents that stood in their place - but whole process of teaching them all Christ commanded, orf explainging the pormises in their baptism - the vows of profession of faith - vows personalized and accepted from baptism!

But what about more informally - you confess sin, you ong for greater devotoin, consecration of our life after season of back sliding, we become aware of area neglected - more informally this covenantning nature of God’s people, often what brought forth great progress in God’s people lives.

Our nation, belonging to the common-welath of British empire - at one time, enter into Sleomn League and Coveantn - recognize King Jesus as head of nation, Word of God - spearatio nof churchin state but freedom of Christ’s church and the repsonsiblity of the stae protect that freedom.

- Covenant that not only parliament but many families signed.

John Wesley on New Years had whole donemointion each congregation, renew their membership vows how covenant to live.

Johnathan Edwards - Resulotuions, JOhnathan Brainaidrd.

And here in Nehemiah’s day - most basic general covenant promise: that they make together - not every Israelite, but those going through renewal and reformation seeking that together, - hold me accoutnable help me

H. G. M. Williamson, “Ezra and Nehemiah,” in New Bible Commentary: 21st Century Edition, ed.

D. A. Carson et al., 4th ed.

(Leicester, England; Downers Grove, IL: Inter-Varsity Press, 1994), 439.

A. The Context of our Covenanting is Grace Not Works

Historical Prologue in prayer of confession - can’t recall enough the mighty acts of God - what’s empahsized is how - sent proephets again and aaagine

Warned them by your Spirit through the prophets… YET we would not give ear, but listen:

What is stressed here is God’s generosity.

Pciture yourself guilty and standing evfore but you know that person is good - confess and wait on their goodness - safe place beofer the Lord for sinner at the altar of the Cross,

We are to have a historical recital at Lord’s Suppper recalling saving merciaful work and our unworthiness, in our daily life - recount our story… in hope … Covenanting not to earn this grace but in repsonse t o it - to be people God empowers us to be in Christ.

Recall the curses - completely absorbed by Christ for us - now in Him blessings, oath to pursue those (Like Abrhaam with goat, only God passed through… After that appears and says: b

That’s context of God’s grace.

And the response is formal commitment to obeice to God’s law, to a be a people not given to idolatories of own ideas of divinidty, but devoted toWord of God: Nehemiah 1:29

B. We must Personally Commit with Others in Covenant

B. Personally Commit with Others in Covenant

Can you imagine what it meant to sign that paper have your name ed signed on it.

Like Magna Carta - King John with barons- how I’m going to live with Parliament - but how I’ll live with God, how I’ll do business with run my farm, how I’ll support ministry in this place, how my family life run.

Notice that heads of tribes, households signing for their clan, and Levites as representatives of people.

But who are the rest of the people - gate keepers, singers, temple servants who want to follow LORD in renewed way.

But look at the middle of

Not just Jew who want to comit to the law of the Lord, but Gentiles in

Proselytes.

Not enough to have recent converts declare saved and forgiven, going to worship with us, but covenant to live according to God’s ways in all of life - need to accountability,need covenanting to live life together.

God’s law not just ethnic thing, for all people!

Personally, means care enough to like in Pilgrims Progress the Interpretters house - set my name down.

C. Committed covenanted life can’t be done in general, only specifically and practically.

Though there declaration started broadly enough “accepting the full obligations of God’s law” - the firm decision they make together in God’s presence with God's people - are in the specifics of how those principles play out in their specific time and place and struggles in their lives.

It is so important not to gloss over these 5 specific promises and just say - well that’s the sampling of T law, old fashion ancient agrarian culture with theonomy - doens’t apply to us, just keep it gerneal.

No in these 5 laws highlighted for keeping covenant, you need to know though those piricnioles in God’s perfect law delievered in context of Mt Sinai and republished in Deuteronoomy ofr people hwo take the land, none of them are just word for word parroting of the OT law from the Penteeuch.

Notice that instead of just when a census is taken is a financial offering given for the house of the LORD, but now a 100 yers later, a yearly offerng of a third of shekel, is given.

Notice, that the OT law completley silent about any wood offering (May remember in Joshuea Gibeonite sneak in, became wood cutters for temple.

But here it is comitted to as a covenant stiulation that every day commoers like you and me contribute by gathering wood for temple.

Notice that the OT law had nothing to say about the first fruits of fruit trees, and indeed DOUGH, only thse fields of grain and wheat.

But here it is now fruit.

Notice that OT law only forbade marriage of Midianite Moabites… here much more borad peoples of any land.

Notice that God’s law only forbade work with your vocation, and only later selling, it was silent about buying from foreigners.

Notice that fields lay fallow on seventh year a the same time as debts canceled - combining of timig of two different laws in to one.

What is going on?

Careful student of Scripture will realize some laws have been done away with and abrogated in NT - ceremonial laws, and civil laws.

There is some change for us, can’t just apply those in NT times.

But even in the moral law, what you have through out the OT - a moral principle - enduring and in a sense timeless - but attached to it are applications and interpretations for specific times and circumstances.

And so like Jesus did in 1st paelstine, not abolishing the moral law, but looking underneath layers of rabiis man made writings - applicatino,s to deep inner meaning, restore that - apply to life of his day.

So too in , though the OT 5th BC ancient wold application may be different, the principle not that different for us to today.

Take them in order v.30 Marriage -

i .

The Way of the Lord can be lost in Mixed-Faith Marriages!

Nehemiah realized that like in Israel’s past, for example with Solomn marrying foreign wives, setting up shrines for their worship in theland, that botht he ideas and the practices from other religions corrupt true wayo f the lOrd in Israel.