The Wonder of the Word

Dr. Patrick Mead

Nehemiah • Sermon • Submitted 3 years ago

Nehemiah 8:1–18

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The Importance of the Word

Nehemiah 8:1-18

When it comes to the subject of church growth, you will find a plethora of books and experts. Some experts will suggest that dressing casual will grow a church. Others will advise a sleek marketing campaign. Many will tell you to preach short, relevant messages with lots of videos and illustrations. Unfortunately, some of these suggestions may grow a church, but does it grow a church God's way!

About twelve years ago, while pastoring my first church, I received some of the most biblically soundadvice on growing a church God's way. It did not come from a church growth expert; instead it came from faithful deacon. I will never forget the man. His name was N.E. Zachary. I met him while pastoring my first church in Athens, Texas. He was originally from Memphis, Tennessee, and ended up in Texas on account of getting closer to family. Interestingly, Mr. Zachary was a legend in Memphis. He was the lead homicide investigator for the Martin Luther King Jr.'s shooting.

After a couple of weeks on the field, Mr. Zachary pulled me to the side and said, "Pastor, you just preach the word, and God will take care of the rest. If you will preach the word, God will grow his church." His words came true. We saw significant growth spiritually, numerically, and financially.

What Mr. Zachary told me that day was not new to me. In fact, since God called me to be a pastor, I have always had the conviction that true expository preaching is whatthe church needs to grow today.

My belief in the word of God growing the church comes from the New Testament. It is biblical. Let me give you a few examples. The first is found in 1 Peter 1:23, "For you have been born again not of seed, which is perishable but imperishable, that is through the living and enduring word of God." Peter states that salvation comes through the word of God. Thus, the word of God is needed for church growth.

The next examples are found in the book of Acts. Luke, the author of Acts, states three times throughout his work, "The word of God kept on spreading; and the number of the disciples continued to increase greatly" (6:7), "The word of the Lord continued to grow and to be multiplied" (12:24), and "So the word of the Lord was growing mightily and prevailing" (19:20). Luke attributes the growth of the church to the growth of God's word, that is, God's word being believed, received, and lived out by the church.

The word of God is important to the church’s growth. Not only are people saved through the preaching of the word of God. The church is also built up through the preaching and teaching of the word of God.

As a church, we have determined that one of our core values is Biblical truth. We value the Bible, therefore, our church is built upon the foundation of the gospel and the inerrant, infallible, and inspired word of God.

In the eighth chapter of Nehemiah, we come to understand the importance of the word of God in the life of God’s people. In a day where Biblical knowledge and exposition is devalued, this chapter is refreshing. It is refreshing because it reveals that when God is at work in his people they will have an intense hunger for the word of God. What does this say about our modern church today? Many don’t want biblical sermons, but instead want their ears tickled. What we need today are ears willing to hear what God says through his word.

As we study this eighth chapter and the importance of the word of God, we learn what it takes to have the word of God growing mightily and prevailing at First Southern. First, we must believe it.

1. Believe it!

Notice what the text reveals in verse one, “And all the people gathered as one man at the square which is in front of the Water Gate, and they asked Ezra the scribe to bring the book of the law of Moses which the Lord had given to Moses.”

First, we notice that the people of God assembled together for worship. It is significant to point out that the people, after rebuilding the wall, returned to their homes. Therefore, this meeting that is taking place in verse one was planned before hand. They decided that they were going to meet as a corporately to worship the Lord, and to hear from the Lord.

They were unified in their purpose, and that purpose was to gather together to hear the word of God. It says that they “asked Ezra to bring the book of the law of Moses.” In other words, the people wanted to hear from God. They understood that God speaks through his word, so they asked Ezra to bring out the word and to expound upon it. What we are witnessing in these people is a hunger for God’s word, which is a great indicator that God is at work in them.

They wanted to hear from God, and therefore, they would need ears to hear what God wanted so say to them through his word. Notice how their belief in the word of God is revealed. First, we see that they believed it enthusiastically.

a. Enthusiastically

In verse one, my translation says that the people “asked Ezra the scribe to bring the book of the law of Moses which the Lord had given to Israel.” The Hebrew word is more forceful than “asked.” They “told” or “commanded” Ezra to bring out the word of God. They wanted to hear from God!

Clearly this hunger and desire revealed in the people for the word of God was a gift from God. God was working in them, and his work produced an enthusiasm for the truth of God’s word.

Every Sunday we gather we should be enthusiastic about what God is going to say through his word; not only during the worship service, but also in our Bible studies. Furthermore, as individuals, we should be enthusiastic about getting in God’s word on a daily basis so that we can hear from him. Those who have ears to hear are hungry for the truth of God’s word. Do you believe it enthusiastically? Next, we notice that they believed it attentively.

b. Attentively

Notice what verse three says, “He read from it before the square which was in front of the Water Gate from early morning until midday, in the presence of men, women, those who could understand; and all the people were attentive to the book of the law.” This verse is a summary verse, and the subsequent verses reveal the details.

The people were not only enthusiastic about hearing from God, but they were also attentive in hearing from God. Why were they attentive? They enthusiastically expected God to speak through the exposition of the word. Next, they believed it reverently.

c. Reverently

Notice what the first part of verse four says, “Ezra the scribe stood at a wooden podium which they had made for the purpose.” Then we are told in verse five, “Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people for he was standing above all the people; and when he opened it, all the people stood up.”

Standing up at the reading of the word of God was an outward expression of an inward reverence. They understood that hearing the word of God meant hearing the voice of God; therefore, they show their reverence by standing up. Synagogues and some churches continue this practice today. Why? They do it as an outward expression of an inward reverence.

They further revealed their reverence to God’s word in verse six, “Then Ezra blessed the Lord the great God. And all the people answered, Amen, Amen!” Ezra acknowledged God’s authority of God’s word by blessing God, and the people affirmed and committed themselves to the authority by saying amen! They believed the word enthusiastically, attentively, and reverently. Yet, this would mean nothing if they did not believe it submissively.

d. Submissively

Notice what they did in the last half of verse six, “then they bowed low and worshiped the Lord with their faces to the ground.” This kneeling posture is an outward expression of an inward submissiveness to God’s world. They were declaring their total dependence and humility before God.

We need to understand they were not worshiping the book, but the God who wrote the book. They submitted themselves to the scriptures because they understood that God is the source of the scriptures.

People who are submissive to God’s word are also teachable. They understood that the truths of God’s word are applicable to every generation, and therefore they applied the scriptures to their lives.

In verses seven and eight we see explanation and application taking place. In the last part of verses seven and eight it says, “the Levites explained the law to the people while the people remained in their place. They read from the book, from the law of God, translating to give the sense so that they understood the reading.”

I love these two verses because it reveals the need for small group Bible studies. Yes, we need the worship service to have the preaching and teaching of God’s word, but we also need small groups to help explain and apply the word of God to our daily living.

For the word of God to grow mightily and prevail in our church, we must believe it. We must believe that God speaks through his word. We should gather together each week enthusiastically expecting God to speak, with attentive ears ready to submit ourselves God word. And if we really truly submit ourselves to God word, then we will receive it. We must believe it! We must receive it!

2. Receive it!

The sure sign that one has truly submitted to the word of God is that they receive it. It is interesting that the apostle James speaks about this same topic in the first chapter of his epistle. In it he writes about not only listening to the word of God, but receiving it. The people of God in chapter eight of Nehemiah are receiving and applying the word of God to their lives. In verses nine through twelve we see the power of God’s word to transform lives when it is received. First we see the word of God has the power to purify.

a. The power to purify

Notice what the text says in verse nine, “Then Nehemiah, who was the governor, and Ezra the priest an scribe, and the Levites who taught the people said to all the people, ‘This day is holy to the Lord your God; do not mourn or weep.’ For all the people were weeping when they heard the words of the law.”

You know God’s Spirit and word are at work when the people are grieving about their failures and sins. The word of God is powerful in exposing sin, and that is why the people are weeping. They are hearing the words of the law and realize that the reason that the Jerusalem was destroyed along with the temple and walls previously was the disobedience of the people of God.

The word of God is a mirror for our souls. It exposes and convicts us of our sins. God’s people must receive the word of God and remove the sins that it so powerfully reveals. We need to receive the power of God’s word to purify our lives before a holy God. Next, we must also receive the promise of provision found in the word of god.

b. The promise of provision

Verse ten we see God’s provision for their grief, “Then he said to them, ‘Go, eat of the fat, drink of the sweet, and send portions to him who has nothing prepared; for this day is holy to our Lord. Do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”

What comforting words in the midst of conviction. These people are grieving over their sins, and Nehemiah reminds them of God’s provision. Even though God word powerfully exposes our sins; it also points us to the grace and mercy of God that forgives and covers our sins.

God powerfully convicts us, but he also graciously forgives us! God provides the forgiveness, security, and peace we need to stand before a holy God. The result is a joy that comes from the Lord. That is why Nehemiah says, “The Joy of the Lord is our strength.” The joy of the Lord is a joy that can only be experienced by those who are in a saving relationship with the Lord.

As believes we need to receive God’s word, when he powerfully exposes our sins, and when he also graciously provides for our sins. For God’s word to mightily grow and prevail we must believe it; we must receive it, and we must live it.

3. Live it!

In verses thirteen through eighteen we see what the people did on the second day. While they gathered to study the word of God on the second day, the realized that they were suppose to be observing the Feast of Booths, or the Feast of Tabernacles during the seventh month. So in obedience to the word the people complied.

Notice verse fifteen, “So they proclaimed and circulated a proclamation in all their cities and in Jerusalem saying, ‘Go out to the hills, and bring olive branches and wild olive branches, myrtle branches, palm branches and branches of other leafy trees, to make branches, as it is written.’”

Once they made their booths, the people would then live in those booths for a week. In other words, they were not only to believe the word, and receive. They needed to live it out. They needed to be doers of the word.

The act of obedience with the booths revealed their indebtedness to God for his past provision. It also was recognition that this world is not their home. They were looking for the city built for God.

Also, this act of obedience was a witness to the people around them. As they lived out the word of God in their daily lives, the lost nations around them would see that they are different. By living it out, the people of God were proclaiming and circulating the truth of God to the people around them.

When the word of God is growing mightily and prevailing, you will see a people who believe it, a people who receive it, and a people who live it.

I believe the great problem with true church growth today for the American church is that the message we preach doesn’t match up with the lives we live.

One person has said, “Every time we open the Bible in a spirit of eager communion with our loving Father, He wants to open our eyes to the vitality of his inspired truth.”

We must believe it, receive it, and live it if we want to see God’s word grow mightily and prevail!

Some need to believe in Christ Jesus today as your Lord and Savior. Will you trust Jesus today? Some need to commit themselves to God’s word! Will you believe it? Will your receive it? Will you live it?