City On A Hill
Join us as we continue our series Under The Influence!
Religious “Nones”
60% do not pray
22% pray daily
Phase 1: Zerubbabel rebuilds the Temple
Phase 2: Ezra re-establishes the Law
Phase 3: Nehemiah rebuilds the wall and the people
Neh. 8:3 – “From early morning to midday… And all the people listened attentively to the Book of the Law.”
Neh. 8:9 – “All the people wept as they heard the words of the Law.”
Feast of Tabernacles/Booths = 40 Years in the Wilderness
Neh. 8:10 – “Go your way. Eat the fat and drink sweet wine and send portions to anyone who has nothing ready, for this day is holy to our Lord. And do not be grieved, for the joy of the LORD is your strength.”
Neh. 9 :1 – “Fasting and in sackcloth.”
Neh. 9:2 - And the Israelites separated themselves from all foreigners and stood and confessed their sins and the iniquities of their fathers.”
Hebrews 4:12 – “For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.”
I. LOOK UP IN PRAISE AND WORSHIP (vs.5-6)
v.5 – “Blessed be your glorious name, which is exalted above all blessing and praise.”
v.6 – “You are the LORD, You alone. You have made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their host, the earth and all that is on it, the seas and all that is in them; and you preserve all of them; and the host of heaven worships you.”
Matthew 6:9 – “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Thy Name”
a. I need to know who God is
b. I need to know what my idols are
II. LOOK BACK IN REFLECTION (vs.7-31)
a. They reflect upon the faithfulness of God
v.8b – “And you have kept your promise, for you are righteous.”
b. They confess their unfaithfulness to God
v.16 – “But they and our fathers acted presumptuously and stiffened their neck and did not obey your commandments.”
v.26 – “Nevertheless, they were disobedient and rebelled against you and cast your law behind their back and killed your prophets, who had warned them in order to turn them back to you, and they committed great blasphemies.”
c. They give thanks for God’s forgiveness
Why look back?
1. It provides a constant reminder of my need for confession
2. It gives me confidence in God’s grace when I confess
III. LOOK AT THE PRESENT IN PETITION (v.32)
v.32 – “Do not let all the hardship seem insignificant before You.”
Psalm 55:22 – “Cast your burden on the LORD and he will sustain you.”
1 Peter 5:6-7 – “Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.”
IV. LOOK AHEAD IN COMMITMENT (v.38)
v.38 – “Because of all this we make a firm covenant in writing; on the sealed document are the names of our princes, our Levites, and our priests