The Bible tells us,
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"In the beginning was the Word,
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and the Word was with
God, and the Word was God."
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It says, "To
receive with meekness
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the implanted Word,
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which is able
to save your souls.
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And to be diligent
to present yourself
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approved to God,
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rightly dividing
the Word of truth."
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Join us now for the
3ABN Sabbath School Panel.
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Our study today
is Ezra and Nehemiah.
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Hello, and welcome once again
to 3ABN Sabbath School Panel.
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What a delight, what a privilege
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to be able to
come into your home,
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wherever it might be
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that we can spend this
hour together in study.
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We're always
excited about the thought
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that people are
taking the Word of God,
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they're opening it up,
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they're reading
it along with us,
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and we hear about it.
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And that's to me,
that's just exciting to know
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that God's given
opportunities in probation,
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people are finding
Jesus in a very special way.
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And so I think
that's great to do it.
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And I just hope
that you're having
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that just a
wonderful day right now.
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And I'll tell you this,
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if you will stay
with us this hour,
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I can almost guarantee you
that this day will be better
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and it will go better for you.
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I'm Kenny Shelton.
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We've been studying about
Ezra and Nehemiah this quarter.
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Might be honest, you know,
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I wonder where
some meat was gonna be.
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And, boy, there's
a lot of meat in it.
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Yes, yes.
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You know, it's like, you know,
we've time we look at something
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we say, "Well, let's
not, you know, this."
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It's been how much
you wanna dig into it,
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how much you wanna,
you know, spend time in it.
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So it's been very,
very fruitful, very meaty,
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and praise God for that.
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So again, anyway, we're
glad that you're with us.
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We're gonna be on
lesson number six.
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And it's about Reading the Word.
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I think that's what's
kind of getting me going here
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Reading the Word
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and what it really
means to be Reading the Word
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because we're looking at it.
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In this lesson, we're looking
at something very important
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if how have Israel now
have they come to the point
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that they want to serve God?
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So what are some of the things
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that we can do to maintain
a relationship with God?
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And I think some of these things
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will be brought out in this.
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Again, if you
wanna follow along,
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and we know that you
are and there's many others
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who may like to
notify your friends
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and so on, you can do that,
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you can download
these study guides,
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I think so very
important to have these guides.
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And I'm a stickler on it.
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Personally, I
like to have guides,
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I like to have
something I can scribble in,
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and color, and so on so forth.
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You can do that.
You can download them.
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You can go to
ABSG.Adventist.org.
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That's ABSG.Adventist.org.
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And if you do that
and download these,
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you're gonna get
the study guides.
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They're free, aren't
they? I mean, they're just free.
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That's right.
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You know, almost every
time I hear somebody say,
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"Free, it's not
really free owned,"
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but it's free.
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This is good.
Can I say free again?
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It's free. Just download them.
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That's all you have to do.
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You have to put before the laver
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if you wanna be blessed.
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Anyway, we're glad you're here.
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We're gonna discover Israel
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and how it's
determined to serve God.
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And we got
wonderful panel which do that.
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To my left is
Sister Shelley Quinn.
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Bless you.
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We're glad you're
here always a treat.
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Oh, you know what I
love about the Sabbath Panel
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is it does force
us to study deeper,
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and I'm always so
blessed by my study
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and in the study of others.
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Amen. Good.
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And you have
beside you on your left,
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Pastor John Lomacang.
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Good to be here, Pastor Kenny.
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Oh, it's always
nice. It's always good.
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We can always expect
a word in due season.
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Going below the surface.
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Ooh, glory.
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All right, beside
you Sister Jill Morikone.
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Always a
pleasure, always a treat,
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always a smile,
going through, you know,
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everything goes through
get smiles on her faces.
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I like that because
we're happy in the Lord.
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Thank you so much, Pastor Kenny,
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privilege to be here.
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Yes, you have
Sister Mollie Steenson
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on your left.
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And always glad to
have Sister Mollie.
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Well, I'm
always glad to be here.
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Yeah. Thank you.
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Yeah, yeah.
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And you put in
more, you say sometimes
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I put in my two cents, you
put in more than two cents.
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Well. You know.
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Thank you. So it's a blessing.
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Yeah, absolutely is good.
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Okay, let's go, real
quickly we're gonna have prayer.
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And then we're gonna get
right into just a short synopsis
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on the Saturday and then Sunday
and just cover what we can.
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And who'd like to
have prayer with it?
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We have Pastor John,
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would you like to
do that for us today?
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Sure. Good.
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Father, we submit our minds
to Your Holy Spirit's molding.
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We submit our voices
to your Holy Spirit's...
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Yes.
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May all the glory go to
You, we ask in Christ's name.
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Amen.
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Amen. Amen.
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Our memory text quickly is found
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in the Book of Nehemiah 8:8.
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You have your, you
know, your study guide,
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you can read along if not,
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maybe you can look
at that some somehow.
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Nehemiah 8:8,
and it's very short.
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So I'll just read it quickly.
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"So they," notice,
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"they read
directly from the book,
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in the Law of God,
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and they gave the sense,
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and helped them to understand."
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How wonderful that was.
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I like that word
distinctly from the book.
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That means, they
dispersed from the book,
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they declared from
the book those things
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that maybe were little
difficult to understand
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but those who
were there to help them
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to understand what the truth.
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And I think that's beautiful.
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Jerusalem the
walls now where they not,
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they were
finished we realized that.
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The gates were all installed,
they felt secure, they felt...
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Oh, this is, we're doing well,
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we've done what
God has asked us to do.
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Israel you could say it
had completed a large task
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and those who
watched the construction,
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I think there
were some personally
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that were changed.
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I think their lives
changed for the positive
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because they've
seen the impossibility
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become possible through God.
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And so they
marvel at it, they said,
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"It's got to be,
man couldn't do this
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because too many
things against them.
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Only God could do it."
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So then Nehemiah said,
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"Look, okay, let's
appoint a governor.
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Let's get this
place set up right.
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We're gonna have some people
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be able to be
accountable to others."
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And I love this.
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I don't know
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if we're getting further or not,
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it doesn't make any difference
because I love this part.
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The part of it is
and this is different
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than we do it today we will know
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when you go to elect
a governor as it were,
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or an elder maybe in
the church or deacon.
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Let's get little closer to home.
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How do we
sometime base our decision
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on who we elect?
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You know,
there's a lot of things
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that could be thrown
out there and you did
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but you notice we
look at Nehemiah here.
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It says, where he elected,
it was not on genealogy,
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in other words...
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Hey, well, Joe,
you're next on the list.
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You're next...
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He didn't do that.
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But sometime that's kind
of the way that it took place
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whether they
were qualified or not.
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So Nehemiah said
those who gonna be qualified
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wanted to be governor
will be one that loves Jesus
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is gonna be based
on his love for Jesus
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and certainly his truthfulness.
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And how much that
he was willing to do
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for the cause of Christ.
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In other words, His
character was out there.
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And I think
that's so wonderful...
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He said, "You
will be the governor."
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And I don't know
about somebody else
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but I know there's
people have been elected office
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just sometimes
shouldn't no more be there
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than the man in the moon.
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Now you guys go through that.
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I just, you
know, they're elected
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because and it is the truth.
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I've been around long enough
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to know that sometime we do it
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because someone
we think should be
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or because someone
should have that position
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or because they are such
and such to somebody else.
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When we look
around like Nehemiah did
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from the Word of God and say,
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"They love Jesus
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so just put them
in that position,
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they'll do a good job."
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People gathered together
to read the Word, didn't they?
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In Monday's...
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Sunday's lesson, Nehemiah 8:1-2,
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we got five minutes or so.
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It says here,
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it tells the importance
of reading the Word of God.
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I like that,
very, very important.
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I mean, how many
times you're gonna hear this
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before maybe the Lord
comes or where we passed away,
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but it'll never get
old and always be truthful.
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You know, I love it
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because the
people's attitude toward it.
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A lot of times when you say,
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"Oh, kids, it's ready
for, you know, sundown worship
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or it's time to go
read the Word of God."
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You get long faces
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and people begin to
squirm a little bit,
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we got things to do and
we're trying to wrap it up.
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Here the people
had come to the point
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through all that
they had been through
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that said, you know,
reading the Word of God
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their attitude was let's do it.
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Let's get together.
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And I said,
"Man, how I love to be
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in a place like that
all the time, wouldn't you?"
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And I think a lot of time we are
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but, you know, there's times
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that everybody would
just say we are loving it,
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the place is
jam-packed, standing room only
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because they'd love
to hear someone read
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the Word of God
and learn from that.
00:08:37.85\00:08:40.72
And the Bible says
there in Nehemiah 8:1-2
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and it says, "All."
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And I just take it for
granted all, how about you?
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And all, they all came
together themselves together
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as one man, not
men, into the street.
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Sounds kind of
like they came together.
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Listen, Acts
Chapter 2, does it not?
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It sounds kind of like
the outpouring of the spirit
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where they came together
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and when you come
together in unity of heart,
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and mind, and
soul, what happens?
00:09:05.47\00:09:07.64
The Spirit of the
Living God comes in
00:09:07.68\00:09:09.88
and changes the heart and life.
00:09:09.91\00:09:11.68
Then Paul brings it to the point
00:09:11.71\00:09:13.38
he said that things
used to didn't like do,
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man, I love to do.
00:09:15.28\00:09:16.62
You didn't like to read,
man, you love to read now.
00:09:16.65\00:09:18.12
You didn't wanna
pray, now you wanna...
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Now you wanna spend
some time in prayer.
00:09:20.12\00:09:22.32
So that's where
the spirit came in
00:09:22.36\00:09:23.69
because the unity there
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and the people
begin to work together.
00:09:25.29\00:09:27.13
What a powerful church could be.
00:09:27.13\00:09:30.37
I wrote a little book years ago
00:09:30.40\00:09:31.73
and never did finish it
and that's 25 years ago,
00:09:31.77\00:09:34.70
it is entitled, The
Church Will Rise If.
00:09:34.74\00:09:39.34
It had a folder on it
and had a church on it,
00:09:39.37\00:09:42.04
and it is in the
clouds, the church will rise if.
00:09:42.08\00:09:45.15
And certainly, the if would
be in lot of different areas,
00:09:45.18\00:09:46.95
but a church would
rise if we would do
00:09:47.02\00:09:50.02
what God has said to do
and how to do it in His Word.
00:09:50.09\00:09:52.59
It'd be very simple,
00:09:52.62\00:09:53.99
rather than to
deviate from that.
00:09:54.06\00:09:56.36
So we see and we
won't spend much time
00:09:56.39\00:09:58.43
I think it will be
more going down that,
00:09:58.46\00:10:00.60
but the people
were coming together
00:10:00.63\00:10:02.10
and they wanted to
hear the Word of God
00:10:02.13\00:10:04.03
because they were
gonna celebrate the feast
00:10:04.07\00:10:07.04
in remember of
the seventh month.
00:10:07.10\00:10:08.70
Man, there were three dandies,
00:10:08.74\00:10:10.31
I mean, I love those three
00:10:10.37\00:10:11.71
what they stand
for, if you don't mind me
00:10:11.74\00:10:13.07
going in just a
little bit on this.
00:10:13.11\00:10:15.74
Ezra probably had
been doing this before,
00:10:15.78\00:10:17.65
certainly at 13 years,
00:10:17.68\00:10:19.38
but people were accustomed to it
00:10:19.41\00:10:21.22
and they wanted
to come together.
00:10:21.25\00:10:22.72
Three great feast of that month
00:10:22.75\00:10:25.69
where we realized
the blowing of what?
00:10:25.72\00:10:27.89
The blowing of the
trumpets and that was just what?
00:10:27.92\00:10:31.99
Really meant preparation
for the judgment, right?
00:10:32.03\00:10:34.13
Judgment's
coming, get ready for it.
00:10:34.20\00:10:36.60
That was the first
day of the seventh month.
00:10:36.63\00:10:39.80
So they were getting ready,
says that was a big occasion.
00:10:39.83\00:10:42.70
See, you couldn't be,
you knew this was coming up.
00:10:42.74\00:10:45.57
You need to be preparing for it.
00:10:45.61\00:10:47.41
We know...
00:10:47.44\00:10:48.78
Oh, boy, I always get
off, you know, like this.
00:10:48.81\00:10:52.15
You know, Pastor, when
there's communion, right?
00:10:52.18\00:10:55.25
When there's communion, a
lot of times people forget,
00:10:55.28\00:10:57.82
you tell them the week before,
not trying to scolding by,
00:10:57.85\00:11:00.59
I'm just thinking about
00:11:00.66\00:11:01.99
because you are
to prepare for that.
00:11:02.02\00:11:04.03
Yeah.
00:11:04.06\00:11:05.39
You're not to come
in, things are that need
00:11:05.43\00:11:06.80
to be taking care
of ours is that true?
00:11:06.83\00:11:08.96
Taking care of ours is not true,
00:11:09.00\00:11:10.33
we can talk about it.
00:11:10.37\00:11:12.00
It's good outside
and then when we come in,
00:11:12.03\00:11:14.44
it should be peace and unity
00:11:14.47\00:11:16.10
and the Spirit
of God can be there.
00:11:16.14\00:11:18.54
So here the same
thing that we should do,
00:11:18.57\00:11:20.74
there was a unity that
should be coming together.
00:11:20.78\00:11:23.95
And then you had on the
twelfth day of the month,
00:11:24.01\00:11:26.92
the atonement, it
was on the tenth day
00:11:26.98\00:11:28.75
of the seventh month.
00:11:28.78\00:11:30.15
And that was the
judgment, wasn't it?
00:11:30.19\00:11:31.75
You know, praise
God, you know, for that.
00:11:31.79\00:11:34.02
Then you had the feast of what?
00:11:34.06\00:11:35.86
Feast of tabernacle.
00:11:35.89\00:11:37.86
So that was just a remembering
God's deliverance from Egypt.
00:11:37.89\00:11:42.10
So there were
three big occasions
00:11:42.13\00:11:44.20
that God told them, right?
00:11:44.23\00:11:46.00
To be sure and to celebrate,
00:11:46.03\00:11:47.70
all three of those
would be a ceremonial Sabbath,
00:11:47.74\00:11:50.84
would they not be?
00:11:50.87\00:11:52.21
And so they were high days
and they were special days.
00:11:52.24\00:11:55.74
That God will say,
00:11:55.78\00:11:57.11
"Now look, remember
this, when we come together
00:11:57.18\00:11:58.75
and all the people come
00:11:58.78\00:12:00.22
we are going to be open the Word
00:12:00.25\00:12:02.12
and we are going to read it".
00:12:02.15\00:12:04.22
I think that's good.
00:12:04.29\00:12:05.62
People came
asking for instruction.
00:12:05.65\00:12:07.49
How long has it
been since somebody
00:12:07.56\00:12:09.39
has come and
asked for instructions?
00:12:09.42\00:12:12.06
Could you tell
me what this means?
00:12:12.09\00:12:14.73
Would you read this to me?
00:12:14.73\00:12:16.06
I read this, here's
what it meant to me.
00:12:16.10\00:12:18.00
I liked that personally.
00:12:18.03\00:12:19.37
People say, you know,
honestly that I read it
00:12:19.40\00:12:21.14
and I thought it meant
this, what do you think?
00:12:21.17\00:12:23.97
The people were
saying, "Come on, let's come,
00:12:24.01\00:12:25.67
lest we're
asking for instruction."
00:12:25.71\00:12:27.68
We desire to
hear the Word of God.
00:12:27.71\00:12:31.65
We desire to have a
better relationship with God.
00:12:31.68\00:12:35.52
To me, that's
just all rings true
00:12:35.55\00:12:37.72
as you do the
work that we do here.
00:12:37.75\00:12:39.65
This is what you want to hear.
00:12:39.69\00:12:41.62
This is what you would drive in.
00:12:41.66\00:12:43.39
This is what you would
be excited about every day
00:12:43.43\00:12:46.03
that there was actually
people who would really say,
00:12:46.06\00:12:49.26
"I desire to know
more from God's Word.
00:12:49.30\00:12:51.77
I desire to pray.
00:12:51.80\00:12:53.13
Oh, how can I
study the Word of God."
00:12:53.17\00:12:54.74
To me that just
that means something.
00:12:54.77\00:12:57.74
And this is the way that
was here at this point in time
00:12:57.77\00:13:01.11
and the children
of Israel saying,
00:13:01.14\00:13:02.48
"Hey, you know,
we want to do this."
00:13:02.51\00:13:05.18
We want to do it.
00:13:05.21\00:13:07.02
And I tell you,
00:13:07.05\00:13:08.75
there was unity
there at that time
00:13:08.78\00:13:12.12
that we need in
the church today.
00:13:12.15\00:13:14.99
If we have that unity,
watch what God will do.
00:13:15.02\00:13:17.76
You think He's
doing great things now?
00:13:17.79\00:13:20.00
Absolutely.
Right? We're still here.
00:13:20.03\00:13:22.70
But He's doing great things.
00:13:22.73\00:13:24.07
He will do greater
things as we unify more
00:13:24.13\00:13:27.30
as we get off all
these little side things
00:13:27.34\00:13:29.20
and get on the side of Christ.
00:13:29.24\00:13:31.47
Amen. Amen.
00:13:31.51\00:13:32.84
Thank you for that
foundation, Pastor.
00:13:32.87\00:13:35.38
Well, I have Monday's,
Reading and Hearing the Law.
00:13:35.41\00:13:40.28
And, boy, I've got so
much that I'd like to share
00:13:40.32\00:13:44.09
'cause this is one
of my favorite studies
00:13:44.15\00:13:46.45
on the law of God.
00:13:46.49\00:13:47.82
And what I wanna do is
00:13:47.86\00:13:49.56
give you just a
little background
00:13:49.59\00:13:51.39
because I grew up
00:13:51.43\00:13:52.96
not
understanding the term the law.
00:13:52.99\00:13:56.60
When we see the
law in scripture,
00:13:56.63\00:13:58.53
we really have to
read carefully in context
00:13:58.57\00:14:01.47
to understand what law
is the Bible referring to?
00:14:01.50\00:14:06.34
It can refer to
the moral law of God,
00:14:06.37\00:14:09.38
which is the Ten Commandments.
00:14:09.41\00:14:10.75
It can be referring
to the book of the law,
00:14:10.78\00:14:14.12
which is the
Book of Deuteronomy,
00:14:14.15\00:14:15.88
which is what
most scholars believe
00:14:15.92\00:14:19.15
because Deuteronomy
means the second law.
00:14:19.19\00:14:21.66
It could be the Law of Moses,
00:14:21.69\00:14:24.16
which is the Torah,
the first five books,
00:14:24.23\00:14:27.60
Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus,
Numbers, and Deuteronomy,
00:14:27.66\00:14:30.63
or if it says the
law and the prophets,
00:14:30.67\00:14:33.40
it's referring to
the entire Old Testament.
00:14:33.44\00:14:36.50
So let's just consider this
for a minute, the moral law,
00:14:36.54\00:14:39.77
the Decalogue ten words
written in future tense.
00:14:39.81\00:14:43.71
These were promises of God.
00:14:43.75\00:14:46.21
They were given to Israel
00:14:46.25\00:14:48.65
as the Bill of
Rights of the covenant.
00:14:48.68\00:14:52.22
And we see in the first four,
00:14:52.25\00:14:54.36
it's the rights
of our covenant Lord,
00:14:54.39\00:14:56.62
in the last six,
it's the rights of the...
00:14:56.69\00:14:59.49
Covenant rights of
brother to brother,
00:14:59.53\00:15:02.06
written by God on stone,
00:15:02.10\00:15:03.50
put in the most
holy place inside the ark
00:15:03.57\00:15:07.04
because that
means it was permanent.
00:15:07.07\00:15:10.74
Then interestingly,
00:15:10.81\00:15:12.44
when we talk
about the Old Covenant,
00:15:12.47\00:15:15.41
we find the Old
Covenant was written
00:15:15.44\00:15:18.18
in something called
the Book of the Covenant.
00:15:18.21\00:15:21.98
After God spoke
the Ten Commandments,
00:15:22.02\00:15:24.55
Moses goes up the mountain,
00:15:24.59\00:15:26.69
God gives him as it
were the constitution
00:15:26.76\00:15:30.76
for the new nation of Israel.
00:15:30.83\00:15:33.13
Moses comes back down.
00:15:33.16\00:15:35.56
And this is the Old Covenant.
00:15:35.60\00:15:37.33
It says in
Exodus 24:7-8, you know,
00:15:37.37\00:15:42.07
Moses spoke that God had spoken
the Ten Commandments already,
00:15:42.10\00:15:48.18
but now Moses comes down
00:15:48.21\00:15:49.84
and speaks the other
words that God told him,
00:15:49.88\00:15:52.85
and it says, "Then he
took, he writes them in a book,
00:15:52.88\00:15:56.05
and then he reads to him.
00:15:56.08\00:15:57.45
And he said, "He took
the Book of the Covenant,"
00:15:57.49\00:15:59.62
that's what I'm trying to show,
00:15:59.65\00:16:01.16
"read it in the
hearin of the people.
00:16:01.19\00:16:02.92
And they said,
00:16:02.96\00:16:04.29
'All that the Lord has said
we will do, and be obedient.'
00:16:04.36\00:16:06.63
And Moses took the blood,
he sprinkled it on the people."
00:16:06.66\00:16:10.30
And Hebrew said, "He
sprinkled it on the book.
00:16:10.37\00:16:12.33
And he said, 'This is
the blood of the covenant
00:16:12.37\00:16:16.07
which the Lord has made with you
00:16:16.10\00:16:17.77
according to all these words.'"
00:16:17.81\00:16:19.51
So he ratified what was written
in the Book of the Covenant.
00:16:19.54\00:16:23.85
And that was a summary of
the fundamental principles
00:16:23.88\00:16:28.38
of how God's
people were to live.
00:16:28.42\00:16:30.79
And it wasn't a
comprehensive book of laws,
00:16:30.82\00:16:34.62
but the book of the law,
00:16:34.66\00:16:36.83
it had a high standard
of right doing in purity
00:16:36.86\00:16:40.53
and relationships, etcetera.
00:16:40.60\00:16:43.20
So what happens
is 39 years later,
00:16:43.23\00:16:47.40
Moses and the people are
now on the plains of Dura,
00:16:47.44\00:16:51.84
he repeats and reinforces
the Book of the Covenant.
00:16:51.87\00:16:57.51
And he records
it in what is called
00:16:57.55\00:17:00.25
the Book of the Law.
00:17:00.28\00:17:01.62
Deuteronomy means second law.
00:17:01.65\00:17:05.15
So Deuteronomy 31:26 says,
00:17:05.19\00:17:10.16
"Take this Book of the Law,
00:17:10.19\00:17:12.83
and put it beside
the Ark of the Covenant,
00:17:12.86\00:17:16.30
that it may be there
as a witness against you."
00:17:16.33\00:17:20.77
Because it contained
00:17:20.84\00:17:22.94
not only the
blessings of the covenant,
00:17:22.97\00:17:25.04
but the curses of the covenant.
00:17:25.07\00:17:28.41
And since the repair of
the temple in 2 Kings 22
00:17:28.44\00:17:33.52
that was the eighteenth
year to Josiah's reign.
00:17:33.55\00:17:37.72
The Deuteronomy has
been identified by scholars
00:17:37.75\00:17:42.19
and the early church
fathers as the Book of the Law.
00:17:42.22\00:17:48.23
So many people
confuse these laws
00:17:48.26\00:17:52.20
and in Galatians...
00:17:52.23\00:17:54.57
When Paul says
in Galatians 5:18,
00:17:54.60\00:17:56.97
he talks about
the law being a tutor
00:17:57.01\00:17:59.67
to bring us to Christ.
00:17:59.71\00:18:01.38
And he says in Galatians 5:18,
00:18:01.41\00:18:03.78
"If you're led by the spirit,
you're not under the law."
00:18:03.81\00:18:08.25
Well, what does he mean?
00:18:08.28\00:18:09.62
Is he referring to
the moral law of God?
00:18:09.65\00:18:11.82
Heavenly days, no.
00:18:11.85\00:18:14.56
He says in Galatians...
00:18:14.59\00:18:16.26
If you wanna know
what Paul's talking about
00:18:16.29\00:18:18.33
in Galatians 5,
00:18:18.36\00:18:19.96
you've got to look,
always look in the context.
00:18:20.03\00:18:23.30
And in Galatians 3:10 Paul says,
00:18:23.37\00:18:26.74
"As many as are of
the works of the law
00:18:26.77\00:18:30.74
are under a curse,
00:18:30.81\00:18:32.21
for it is written,
'Cursed is everyone
00:18:32.24\00:18:33.88
who does not
continue in all the things
00:18:33.91\00:18:36.51
which are written
in the Book of the Law,
00:18:36.54\00:18:39.25
to do them.
00:18:39.28\00:18:40.62
That's a direct quote
from Deuteronomy 27:26.
00:18:40.65\00:18:44.22
This was the
ceremonial laws, the festivals,
00:18:44.29\00:18:47.76
the annual Sabbath days,
00:18:47.79\00:18:49.62
the food and drink offerings,
everything that pointed...
00:18:49.66\00:18:55.90
It was a tutor to
lead them to Christ.
00:18:55.93\00:18:57.93
It pointed them
to Jesus as Savior.
00:18:57.97\00:19:01.50
So when we're reading in Ezra,
00:19:01.54\00:19:04.51
I'm a little confused
and I'll tell you why.
00:19:04.54\00:19:07.41
We know the Law of
Moses is the first five books.
00:19:07.44\00:19:10.68
The Book of the Law usually
is the Book of Deuteronomy
00:19:10.71\00:19:13.65
is what is referring to,
00:19:13.68\00:19:15.42
but in Ezra 8:1,
it starts off saying,
00:19:15.45\00:19:18.45
"All the people
gathered together
00:19:18.49\00:19:20.09
as one man in the open square
00:19:20.12\00:19:21.86
that was in
front of Water Gate."
00:19:21.89\00:19:23.22
You're in Nehemiah.
I'm sorry, Nehemiah.
00:19:23.26\00:19:25.03
What did I say?
00:19:25.06\00:19:26.39
Ezra. Yeah. Nehemiah.
00:19:26.43\00:19:27.76
Thank you. Okay, got it.
00:19:27.76\00:19:29.13
Isn't that, it's Ezra
reading but it is Nehemiah 8:1.
00:19:29.16\00:19:35.54
"All the people
gathered together
00:19:35.57\00:19:37.14
as one man in the open square
00:19:37.21\00:19:38.54
that was in front
of the Water Gate,
00:19:38.57\00:19:40.48
they told Ezra the scribe
00:19:40.51\00:19:43.35
to bring the Book
of the Law of Moses,
00:19:43.38\00:19:48.18
which the Lord
had commanded Israel."
00:19:48.22\00:19:51.62
This could be either
the entire Pentateuch
00:19:51.65\00:19:56.06
or the first five
books of the Bible.
00:19:56.09\00:20:00.80
Or the Book of the
Law could be Deuteronomy.
00:20:00.83\00:20:04.23
So, you know,
Ezra had been reading
00:20:04.27\00:20:05.97
the Word of God to these
people for 13 years so and so.
00:20:06.00\00:20:10.71
And the word became real to them
00:20:10.77\00:20:13.11
and they had a
deeper yearning for God.
00:20:13.14\00:20:16.71
So on this occasion,
00:20:16.75\00:20:18.91
the people are
attentive, they're reverent,
00:20:18.95\00:20:21.42
they're eager
to hear God's Word.
00:20:21.45\00:20:24.05
Now in verses 2,
7, 9, 13, and 14,
00:20:24.09\00:20:27.92
it's just called the law.
00:20:27.96\00:20:30.13
Then in Nehemiah 8:3 he says,
00:20:30.19\00:20:32.86
"He read from it
in the open square
00:20:32.89\00:20:35.80
that was in the
front of the Water Gate,"
00:20:35.83\00:20:38.13
this is from
the Book of the Law,
00:20:38.17\00:20:39.77
"morning until midday,
00:20:39.80\00:20:41.34
before the men and women
00:20:41.37\00:20:42.70
and those who could understand,
00:20:42.74\00:20:44.71
and the ears of all
the people were attentive
00:20:44.74\00:20:48.71
to the Book of the Law."
00:20:48.74\00:20:51.71
That could very
well be Deuteronomy
00:20:51.75\00:20:55.22
because that is
he's reestablishing
00:20:55.25\00:20:59.59
the covenant community.
00:20:59.62\00:21:01.32
This was the Old Covenant.
00:21:01.36\00:21:05.26
Verse 8 calls it the Law of God,
00:21:05.29\00:21:07.66
verse 18, the Book of
the Law of God, 9 and 3,
00:21:07.73\00:21:11.93
the Book of the Law
of the Lord their God.
00:21:11.97\00:21:14.54
I don't know if he
was reading to them
00:21:14.57\00:21:16.60
from morning to midday
00:21:16.67\00:21:18.11
from Deuteronomy
and their covenant terms
00:21:18.14\00:21:21.24
or if he was
reading from the Torah,
00:21:21.28\00:21:22.74
I cannot tell you.
00:21:22.78\00:21:24.21
But he does say
in verse 10:29 that,
00:21:24.25\00:21:28.32
"These joined
with their brethren,
00:21:28.35\00:21:29.68
their nobles, and
entered into a curse
00:21:29.72\00:21:32.49
and an oath to
walk in God's Law,
00:21:32.52\00:21:35.22
which was given by
Moses the servant of God,
00:21:35.26\00:21:38.06
to observe and do
all the commandments
00:21:38.09\00:21:40.00
of the Lord, and His
ordinances and His statutes."
00:21:40.06\00:21:44.47
So what did he read?
00:21:44.50\00:21:46.17
Could have been the Torah?
00:21:46.20\00:21:48.44
But in my mind, I believe,
and this is a personal opinion.
00:21:48.47\00:21:52.94
I believe he was reading
00:21:52.97\00:21:54.71
the temporary covenant
of the nation as they are,
00:21:54.74\00:21:58.01
you know, reinstituting things.
00:21:58.05\00:22:00.45
He's reviewing
the covenant terms,
00:22:00.52\00:22:02.75
but it's important for us
00:22:02.78\00:22:06.32
to look at their attention
00:22:06.35\00:22:10.83
and look at how they
interacted with the Word of God.
00:22:10.86\00:22:14.40
It says in verse 3,
00:22:14.46\00:22:16.67
they sat there
from morning to midday.
00:22:16.73\00:22:20.50
And they were attentive
to the Book of the Law.
00:22:20.54\00:22:24.94
Deuteronomy 4:1, I
love this scripture, says.
00:22:24.97\00:22:30.71
And this is from
the Book of the Law.
00:22:30.75\00:22:33.05
"Now, O Israel,
00:22:33.08\00:22:34.82
listen to the
statutes and the judgments
00:22:34.85\00:22:37.19
which I teach you to observe,
00:22:37.25\00:22:39.05
that you may live, and
go in and possess the land
00:22:39.09\00:22:41.76
which the Lord God of
your fathers is giving you."
00:22:41.79\00:22:45.89
So he said, "Listen, and learn."
00:22:45.93\00:22:48.46
And that's what
we need to do today,
00:22:48.50\00:22:50.20
not to the Old Covenant,
00:22:50.23\00:22:51.63
I'm not saying that,
00:22:51.67\00:22:53.00
but to the New
Covenant principles,
00:22:53.03\00:22:55.44
which I have to say this,
00:22:55.47\00:22:57.97
the Ten Commandments
00:22:58.01\00:22:59.77
were at the heart
of the Old Covenant.
00:22:59.81\00:23:02.41
And then it had civil
laws and ceremonial laws.
00:23:02.44\00:23:06.11
But the Ten Commandments
00:23:06.15\00:23:07.72
are also at the
heart of the New Covenant.
00:23:07.75\00:23:11.22
When we look at Hebrews 8:8-10,
00:23:11.25\00:23:13.56
God says, I'm gonna write
the commandments on your heart.
00:23:13.59\00:23:18.13
So the law is important.
00:23:18.16\00:23:21.10
God's moral law is eternal.
00:23:21.13\00:23:24.27
And we see as we go
through Scripture that,
00:23:24.30\00:23:29.14
you know, we're to
delight in the Law of God,
00:23:29.17\00:23:32.61
receive it and be
wise, and the law...
00:23:32.64\00:23:36.58
Remember, when
Ezekiel talks about
00:23:36.61\00:23:40.28
breeding spiritual
life into dry bones,
00:23:40.32\00:23:43.65
it's by hearing
the Word of the Lord.
00:23:43.69\00:23:46.52
So if you're going
through spiritual dryness today,
00:23:46.55\00:23:50.23
get into God's Word,
and He will revive you.
00:23:50.29\00:23:54.63
Amen. Praise the Lord.
00:23:54.66\00:23:56.20
And, you know,
that's wonderful lesson.
00:23:56.23\00:23:57.63
That starts getting deep,
and I'm glad it's getting deep
00:23:57.67\00:24:00.64
because I'm agreeing with
you kind of it's very important
00:24:00.67\00:24:03.07
but then in there
that the Deuteronomic Law,
00:24:03.10\00:24:05.31
and also a special
laws, and also the Torah.
00:24:05.34\00:24:08.41
As those words
are translated Torah
00:24:08.44\00:24:10.78
in the book and in
Hebrews at Chapter 8 there.
00:24:10.85\00:24:14.02
So it covers also
how wonderful it is,
00:24:14.05\00:24:16.89
right that we can
go with the Word of God
00:24:16.92\00:24:18.25
and it certainly
comes back to us as truth
00:24:18.29\00:24:20.96
and we need that truth.
00:24:20.99\00:24:22.32
We're gonna take a short
break, we'll be right back.
00:24:22.36\00:24:24.83
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Welcome back. We're
glad you stayed with us.
00:25:02.50\00:25:04.80
We're gonna go to
Tuesday's lesson right now
00:25:04.83\00:25:07.14
with Pastor John Lomacang.
00:25:07.17\00:25:08.94
Talking about Reading
00:25:08.97\00:25:10.31
and
Interpreting the Word of God.
00:25:10.34\00:25:12.67
Amen. Thank you.
00:25:12.71\00:25:14.08
Nehemiah brings to the forefront
00:25:14.11\00:25:16.85
something that's
an issue still today.
00:25:16.88\00:25:19.25
reading and
interpreting the Word, you know,
00:25:19.28\00:25:22.02
you wouldn't think of it
but in 2 Timothy Chapter 4,
00:25:22.05\00:25:27.06
the Apostle Paul,
00:25:27.09\00:25:28.42
I wanna begin by looking at that
00:25:28.46\00:25:29.79
the Apostle Paul emphasizes
to his younger understudy,
00:25:29.82\00:25:34.30
the importance of reading
and interpreting the Word.
00:25:34.30\00:25:39.33
You wouldn't think that
this would have been an issue,
00:25:39.37\00:25:42.07
but what happened in
their day was a precursor
00:25:42.10\00:25:46.14
to what's taking
place in our day.
00:25:46.17\00:25:48.18
Let me get there.
00:25:48.21\00:25:49.54
Here it is, 2 Timothy Chapter 4.
00:25:49.58\00:25:54.18
And here's what we are told.
00:25:54.22\00:25:56.89
And I'm gonna
start with verse 1.
00:25:56.95\00:26:00.39
"I charge you
therefore before God
00:26:00.42\00:26:03.56
and the Lord Jesus Christ,"
00:26:03.59\00:26:04.93
so this is surely a
commission and a charge,
00:26:04.96\00:26:07.86
"who will judge
the living and the dead
00:26:07.86\00:26:10.27
at His appearing
and His kingdom."
00:26:10.30\00:26:12.57
Notice what it says.
00:26:12.60\00:26:13.94
"Preach the word!"
00:26:13.97\00:26:15.30
Yes.
00:26:15.34\00:26:16.71
"Be ready."
00:26:16.74\00:26:18.07
I like the word
instant in King James instant.
00:26:18.11\00:26:20.71
"Be ready, be instant,
in season, out of season."
00:26:20.78\00:26:24.38
You know what is being said
by the Apostle Paul to Timothy,
00:26:24.41\00:26:27.22
he says that word instant,
00:26:27.25\00:26:28.92
I like instant instead of ready
00:26:28.95\00:26:30.89
because you know we
live in this Instant age.
00:26:30.92\00:26:33.19
Somebody wants to if
we put instant coffee
00:26:33.22\00:26:35.16
in a microwave,
will you go back in time?
00:26:35.19\00:26:38.09
Think about that, Shelley.
00:26:38.13\00:26:39.93
Instant that means
you're always ready.
00:26:40.00\00:26:43.43
It's like a fire hose
that's just under pressure.
00:26:43.47\00:26:46.53
The moment you slightly release
that nozzle, it's coming out.
00:26:46.57\00:26:49.64
And we should be
as servants of God
00:26:49.67\00:26:51.77
be ready to give an answer
for the hope that is within us.
00:26:51.81\00:26:54.81
Be instant, I was
talking to some young men
00:26:54.84\00:26:57.71
in Nakuru,
Africa some young men,
00:26:57.75\00:27:00.75
they're still taking
theology at school and I said,
00:27:00.78\00:27:03.72
"Pastor, we haven't come in up
00:27:03.75\00:27:06.09
and let them us an overview
00:27:06.12\00:27:08.49
what they're gonna
talk about tomorrow
00:27:08.52\00:27:10.96
not to give any seminars,
00:27:10.99\00:27:12.33
just tell us what
you're gonna present tomorrow."
00:27:12.36\00:27:15.00
And the first thing
this young guy said,
00:27:15.03\00:27:16.36
when he came before,
"I wasn't ready to share
00:27:16.40\00:27:19.07
what I was gonna
talk about tomorrow."
00:27:19.10\00:27:20.84
And I said to him afterward,
00:27:20.87\00:27:22.20
"Don't ever say
you're not ready.
00:27:22.24\00:27:23.94
You are a servant of the Lord.
00:27:24.01\00:27:25.47
There's never a
time you're not ready.
00:27:25.51\00:27:27.51
You must be ready in
season, out of season."
00:27:27.58\00:27:29.44
Amen. Yeah.
00:27:29.48\00:27:30.85
Said what you'll learn
as the servant of the Lord,
00:27:30.88\00:27:32.71
we should be ready to
give an answer at any time.
00:27:32.75\00:27:35.68
And so Paul is saying
the importance of reading
00:27:35.72\00:27:38.82
and interpreting
the Word is here.
00:27:38.85\00:27:42.09
This is the reason
why, "Preach the word!
00:27:42.12\00:27:44.56
Be ready in
season, out of season.
00:27:44.59\00:27:46.29
Convince, rebuke, exhort,
00:27:46.33\00:27:48.06
with all longsuffering
and doctrine or teaching."
00:27:48.10\00:27:50.73
And here's the reason,
this happened in his day.
00:27:50.77\00:27:53.80
This was also an issue
00:27:53.84\00:27:55.17
in Nehemiah's
day, in Ezra's day.
00:27:55.20\00:27:58.21
"For the time will come
00:27:58.24\00:27:59.57
when they will not
endure sound doctrine,
00:27:59.61\00:28:01.84
but according to
their own desires,
00:28:01.88\00:28:03.51
or according to their own lusts,
00:28:03.58\00:28:06.25
because they have itching ears,
00:28:06.28\00:28:09.88
they will heap up
for themselves teachers,
00:28:09.92\00:28:12.75
and they will turn their
ears away from the truth,
00:28:12.79\00:28:15.12
and be turned aside fables.
00:28:15.16\00:28:17.66
But you be
watchful in all things,
00:28:17.69\00:28:19.59
endure affliction,
00:28:19.63\00:28:20.96
and do the work
of an evangelist,
00:28:20.96\00:28:22.30
fulfill or make full
proof of your ministry."
00:28:22.33\00:28:24.33
Now why this is so
vitally important is
00:28:24.37\00:28:26.33
we have come down to an age.
00:28:26.37\00:28:28.30
And I'll bring back
into the context in a moment.
00:28:28.34\00:28:30.41
We have arrived at the age
00:28:30.44\00:28:32.24
where people,
Christians, pastors,
00:28:32.27\00:28:37.05
people that you
would expect more from
00:28:37.08\00:28:39.18
would look at a
simple text like,
00:28:39.21\00:28:41.05
"If you love Me,
keep My commandments."
00:28:41.08\00:28:42.95
And they'll say,
"That's your interpretation."
00:28:42.98\00:28:46.42
And I think to
myself, am I reading a book
00:28:46.45\00:28:50.06
or am I just
reading maybe nine...
00:28:50.13\00:28:52.36
If you love Me,
keep My commandments,
00:28:52.39\00:28:55.20
eight words, and
somebody will say,
00:28:55.23\00:28:57.43
"Well, that's
your interpretation."
00:28:57.47\00:28:59.30
I had a pastor send me
a letter once and said,
00:28:59.33\00:29:01.70
"I have my scriptures
to back up what I believe,
00:29:01.74\00:29:03.47
you have your scriptures
to back up what you believe."
00:29:03.54\00:29:05.57
And I said my brother,
00:29:05.61\00:29:06.94
"I don't have any
scriptures and neither do you
00:29:07.01\00:29:08.34
and God's Word does not
support two opposing views."
00:29:08.38\00:29:11.15
But we have arrived at an age
00:29:11.18\00:29:12.51
where people are
complete Christians.
00:29:12.55\00:29:15.42
This is the thing the
irony of it Christians.
00:29:15.45\00:29:19.65
Avowed
Christians are comfortable
00:29:19.69\00:29:22.86
to settle on issues
00:29:22.89\00:29:25.13
that are not
scripturally supported
00:29:25.16\00:29:27.66
and say, "God knows my heart."
00:29:27.66\00:29:30.20
And I have heard excuse
after excuse after excuse.
00:29:30.27\00:29:34.17
Well, that's what
your church teaches.
00:29:34.24\00:29:35.70
Well, that's what you believe.
00:29:35.74\00:29:37.71
When I say let the Word of
God be the guide of my mind
00:29:37.74\00:29:41.84
because we will not be judge
by opinions or ecclesiastical,
00:29:41.88\00:29:46.55
I got to say this in
honor of CA, obiter dictum,
00:29:46.58\00:29:50.29
but we will be judged
by a thus saith the Lord.
00:29:50.32\00:29:53.76
And that was the issue
in Nehemiah's day and so,
00:29:53.79\00:29:56.39
when you look at the
setting of Nehemiah's day,
00:29:56.42\00:29:58.26
they didn't have
just one person reading,
00:29:58.29\00:30:00.50
they went for confluence
00:30:00.53\00:30:01.83
and
consistencies and continuity.
00:30:01.86\00:30:04.13
That's why when you
look at Nehemiah 8:4-8,
00:30:04.17\00:30:07.34
I am by now means
00:30:07.40\00:30:09.44
going to spend
time on all those names.
00:30:09.47\00:30:11.27
I think you all
know who they are.
00:30:11.31\00:30:13.34
You haven't met
any of these guys,
00:30:13.38\00:30:14.81
I recommend you do so.
00:30:14.84\00:30:17.11
But I'm gonna
start with the verse 4.
00:30:17.15\00:30:18.88
"So Ezra the scribe
stood on a platform of wood
00:30:18.91\00:30:22.92
which they had
made for the purpose,
00:30:22.95\00:30:25.82
and beside him,
at his right hand,
00:30:25.85\00:30:28.29
stood thirteen other people."
00:30:28.32\00:30:30.73
In verse 5, but
actually the end of verse 4,
00:30:30.79\00:30:32.93
"And Ezra opened the book
in the sight of all the people,
00:30:32.96\00:30:36.90
for he was
standing above the people,
00:30:36.93\00:30:39.40
and when he opened it, all
the people," are like this?
00:30:39.43\00:30:42.47
Stood up. "Stood up."
00:30:42.50\00:30:43.84
That sometimes, sometimes
00:30:43.87\00:30:45.21
it's good to have
Scripture reading and say,
00:30:45.24\00:30:46.61
stand with me as we
do Scripture reading.
00:30:46.64\00:30:47.98
It's a good reset
that people stood up.
00:30:48.01\00:30:50.41
And Ezra blessed
the Lord, the great God.
00:30:50.48\00:30:54.25
Then all the people
answered, 'Amen, Amen!'
00:30:54.28\00:30:57.52
while lifting up their hands.
00:30:57.55\00:31:00.06
And they bowed their
heads and worshiped the Lord
00:31:00.09\00:31:02.59
with their faces to the ground.
00:31:02.62\00:31:04.76
And also the other 13,"
00:31:04.79\00:31:06.70
I'm not gonna
read all their names,
00:31:06.73\00:31:08.70
"and the people
stood in their place."
00:31:08.73\00:31:10.73
Verse 8,
00:31:10.77\00:31:12.10
"So they read
distinctly from the book,
00:31:12.13\00:31:14.44
in the law of God,
and they gave the sense,
00:31:14.47\00:31:19.11
and help them to
understand the reading."
00:31:19.14\00:31:21.74
Understanding is everything.
00:31:21.78\00:31:24.78
Revelation 1:1-3
starts with these very words.
00:31:24.81\00:31:29.02
Revelation, "The
Revelation of Jesus Christ,
00:31:29.05\00:31:31.02
which God gave Him
to show His servants,
00:31:31.05\00:31:34.46
things which must
shortly take place.
00:31:34.49\00:31:37.73
And He sent and
signified it," that is symbols,
00:31:37.76\00:31:41.36
"by His angel to
his servant John,
00:31:41.40\00:31:44.47
who bore witness
of the Word of God,
00:31:44.50\00:31:46.47
and to the
testimony of Jesus Christ,
00:31:46.50\00:31:49.40
to all things that he saw."
00:31:49.44\00:31:51.37
What did he say?
00:31:51.41\00:31:52.74
Verse 3,
"Blessed is he who reads
00:31:52.77\00:31:55.41
and those who hear the
words of this prophecy,
00:31:55.44\00:31:58.01
and keep those things
which are written in it,
00:31:58.05\00:32:00.75
for the time is at hand."
00:32:00.82\00:32:02.15
The blessing was
first on the reader
00:32:02.18\00:32:04.29
because they
didn't have many trans...
00:32:04.32\00:32:05.65
They didn't have...
00:32:05.69\00:32:07.06
Well, open your Bible with me.
00:32:07.09\00:32:08.42
No, it was a
scroll being unfolded
00:32:08.46\00:32:09.79
or tablet or parchment,
00:32:09.82\00:32:12.13
and the one who
stood have had that honor.
00:32:12.16\00:32:14.36
And so even
Jesus is talked about
00:32:14.40\00:32:17.33
when He went into the temple,
00:32:17.37\00:32:18.70
He stood up to
read on the Sabbath day.
00:32:18.73\00:32:20.70
The honor was to stand
00:32:20.74\00:32:22.07
before the Word of God and read.
00:32:22.10\00:32:23.97
And because it was so
scarce and so hard to find,
00:32:24.01\00:32:28.24
and there were
not many copies of it.
00:32:28.28\00:32:30.81
The one who was reading
00:32:30.85\00:32:32.75
got all the
attention of the listeners,
00:32:32.78\00:32:35.18
they peeled their ears to listen
00:32:35.22\00:32:38.19
to every word of God
00:32:38.22\00:32:40.02
because the blessing was
not just reading and hearing,
00:32:40.06\00:32:43.79
but keeping those things
that are written in there.
00:32:43.83\00:32:47.76
And that's why we
find this track also
00:32:47.76\00:32:49.86
in the New Testament,
Paul and Silas to the Bereans.
00:32:49.90\00:32:52.93
Acts 17:10-11.
00:32:52.97\00:32:56.14
And this is a consistency,
when you're studying it,
00:32:56.17\00:32:59.17
when your desire is
not to just hear God's Word
00:32:59.21\00:33:01.44
but to understand God's Word.
00:33:01.48\00:33:03.45
That's where the blessing comes.
00:33:03.48\00:33:04.95
And don't get stuck
on denominational jargon
00:33:04.98\00:33:08.25
because the Lord
is not gonna ask you
00:33:08.28\00:33:09.75
what your denomination taught.
00:33:09.78\00:33:11.12
He's going to say,
"What did My Word say?"
00:33:11.15\00:33:12.49
That's right.
00:33:12.52\00:33:13.86
And don't check your
pastor's intellect based on you.
00:33:13.89\00:33:15.76
Don't put your salvation
on your pastor's intellect.
00:33:15.79\00:33:17.89
If he disagrees with God's Word,
00:33:17.93\00:33:19.73
follow God's Word.
00:33:19.76\00:33:21.83
Then Acts 17:10,
00:33:21.86\00:33:24.93
"Then the
brethren immediately sent
00:33:24.97\00:33:26.63
Paul and Silas
away by night to Berea.
00:33:26.70\00:33:29.04
When they arrived,
00:33:29.07\00:33:30.41
they went into the
synagogue of the Jews.
00:33:30.47\00:33:32.54
These were more
fair-minded or more noble
00:33:32.57\00:33:35.78
than those in Thessalonica,
00:33:35.81\00:33:37.21
in that they
received the word with, what?
00:33:37.25\00:33:40.38
"All readiness, and
searched the scriptures daily
00:33:40.42\00:33:43.75
to find out whether
these things were so."
00:33:43.79\00:33:47.12
If that would happen today,
00:33:47.16\00:33:48.99
there will be less deception
and more enlightenment.
00:33:49.02\00:33:52.13
Yeah.
00:33:52.16\00:33:53.50
Search the scriptures.
00:33:53.56\00:33:54.86
I've had people say,
"Well, let me ask my pastor."
00:33:54.93\00:33:57.03
I said, "Ask him."
00:33:57.10\00:33:58.47
And so what I've done,
I've cut to the chase, I said,
00:33:58.50\00:34:00.94
I'll be glad to sit
down with your pastor.
00:34:00.97\00:34:03.44
You ask him
questions, you ask me questions,
00:34:03.51\00:34:05.31
we'll both answer
you from the Word.
00:34:05.34\00:34:07.08
And you decide
who's telling the truth.
00:34:07.11\00:34:09.08
I've challenged
pastors in denominations
00:34:09.11\00:34:10.88
and no one has
accepted the challenge
00:34:10.95\00:34:13.25
because the Word of God
00:34:13.28\00:34:14.62
does not back up opposing views.
00:34:14.65\00:34:16.69
Here's another example.
00:34:16.72\00:34:18.42
Acts 11:25-26,
00:34:18.45\00:34:20.69
"Then Barnabas departed
for Tarsus to seek Saul.
00:34:20.76\00:34:24.69
And when he had found
him, he brought him to Antioch.
00:34:24.73\00:34:27.60
So it was that for a whole year
00:34:27.60\00:34:31.10
the people
assembled with the church
00:34:31.13\00:34:33.34
and taught a great many people.
00:34:33.40\00:34:36.67
And the disciples were first
called Christians in Antioch."
00:34:36.71\00:34:41.68
They were
teaching, they were teaching,
00:34:41.71\00:34:43.81
and the other example
00:34:43.85\00:34:45.18
quickly the
Ethiopian eunuch in Acts 8:30.
00:34:45.21\00:34:49.78
"So Philip ran to him,
00:34:49.82\00:34:51.15
and heard him
reading the prophet Isaiah,
00:34:51.19\00:34:52.75
and said, 'Do you understand
what you are reading?'
00:34:52.79\00:34:55.22
And he said, 'How can I,
unless someone guides me?'"
00:34:55.26\00:34:58.13
And we know the end of
the story, he guided him,
00:34:58.16\00:35:00.73
and the Ethiopian
eunuch was baptized.
00:35:00.76\00:35:02.56
Understanding is the key
00:35:02.60\00:35:05.00
to your
relationship with Christ.
00:35:05.03\00:35:06.37
Amen.
00:35:06.40\00:35:07.74
Thank you so much, Pastor John.
00:35:07.77\00:35:09.10
Are you grateful
for the Word of God?
00:35:09.14\00:35:11.61
Are you thankful for
teachers and preachers
00:35:11.64\00:35:15.78
who will stand up and
share the Word of God?
00:35:15.81\00:35:19.18
For those 13 who
stood by to help interpret.
00:35:19.21\00:35:22.75
I'm so grateful.
00:35:22.78\00:35:24.92
I have the People's
Response Wednesday's lesson,
00:35:24.95\00:35:28.26
Nehemiah 8:9-12,
which we'll read here.
00:35:28.29\00:35:33.80
How were the
people responded already?
00:35:33.83\00:35:35.66
You already
referenced it in that
00:35:35.70\00:35:37.67
when Ezra opened
up the Word of God
00:35:37.70\00:35:39.90
when he started,
the people stood,
00:35:39.93\00:35:42.14
I love that
reverence for the Word of God.
00:35:42.17\00:35:46.68
After he read the
people said, "Amen."
00:35:46.74\00:35:48.78
You talked about that
00:35:48.81\00:35:50.15
while lifting up
their hands to heaven.
00:35:50.21\00:35:52.51
And then they bowed their heads
00:35:52.55\00:35:53.88
and worshiped with
their faces to the ground.
00:35:53.92\00:35:55.42
Now we pick it up in verse 9,
00:35:55.45\00:35:57.39
"And Nehemiah,
who was the governor,
00:35:57.45\00:35:59.62
Ezra the priest and scribe,"
00:35:59.65\00:36:01.62
incidentally, this
puts Ezra and Nehemiah
00:36:01.66\00:36:04.39
in the same
place at the same time.
00:36:04.43\00:36:06.36
You know, we know that Ezra
had come to 13 years before,
00:36:06.39\00:36:09.03
but this puts
them there together,
00:36:09.06\00:36:10.97
leading the people.
00:36:11.00\00:36:13.27
"And the Levites
who taught the people
00:36:13.34\00:36:14.70
said to all the people,
00:36:14.74\00:36:16.07
'This day is holy
to the Lord your God,
00:36:16.10\00:36:18.97
do not mourn or weep.'"
00:36:19.01\00:36:23.08
That's our first
indication that there's tears,
00:36:23.11\00:36:25.25
that there's
crying going on right now.
00:36:25.28\00:36:27.68
It says, "For
all the people wept,
00:36:27.72\00:36:29.85
when they heard
the words of the law."
00:36:29.88\00:36:33.76
Why did the people weep?
00:36:33.79\00:36:35.89
You know, I
remember, this is not meant,
00:36:35.92\00:36:39.53
it's not a good
and the best analogy,
00:36:39.56\00:36:41.90
but I remember going
to a school board meeting.
00:36:41.93\00:36:45.67
This was years ago,
00:36:45.70\00:36:47.10
and I sat for two hours
at the school board meeting.
00:36:47.14\00:36:49.97
And when we
were done, I thought,
00:36:50.01\00:36:51.34
I'm gonna use the restroom
before I go home, Pastor John,
00:36:51.37\00:36:53.74
so I went in the restroom
00:36:53.78\00:36:55.11
and walked in
front of the mirror
00:36:55.14\00:36:56.48
and there was something
green stuck in my teeth.
00:36:56.51\00:36:58.81
And I thought you mean,
00:36:58.85\00:37:00.65
I sat through a
two-hour board meeting
00:37:00.68\00:37:03.82
and all those people
at the table around me,
00:37:03.85\00:37:07.29
nobody said anything.
00:37:07.32\00:37:09.56
Nobody held up a mirror
00:37:09.59\00:37:13.03
and said Jill, this is really
what's going on in your teeth.
00:37:13.06\00:37:15.96
This is what's going on inside.
00:37:16.00\00:37:17.80
The Law of God is a mirror.
00:37:17.83\00:37:21.54
When we read the Word of God,
00:37:21.57\00:37:25.44
the Holy Spirit uses it
to bring conviction of sin.
00:37:25.47\00:37:30.55
And I think that's why
the people were weeping.
00:37:30.58\00:37:33.45
Sorrow for sin,
realization of their own sins,
00:37:33.52\00:37:37.92
their own weakness.
00:37:37.95\00:37:40.26
2 Corinthians 7:8-10,
00:37:40.29\00:37:43.73
talks about the sorrow
for even if Paul's writing,
00:37:43.76\00:37:46.90
"Even if I made you
sorry with my letter,
00:37:46.93\00:37:49.93
I don't regret it,
though I did regret it.
00:37:49.96\00:37:52.83
For I perceive that the
same epistle may do sorry,
00:37:52.87\00:37:56.10
though only for a while.
00:37:56.14\00:37:57.87
Now I rejoice, not
that you were made sorry,
00:37:57.91\00:38:02.08
but that your
sorrow led to repentance."
00:38:02.11\00:38:06.08
And this is
what needed to happen
00:38:06.11\00:38:07.55
with the people here
in Nehemiah Chapter 8.
00:38:07.58\00:38:09.98
"For you were made
sorry in a godly manner,
00:38:10.02\00:38:11.99
that you might suffer
loss from us and nothing.
00:38:12.02\00:38:15.26
For godly sorrow
produces repentance
00:38:15.29\00:38:17.76
leading to
salvation, not to be regretted,
00:38:17.79\00:38:21.40
but the sorrow of the
world produces death."
00:38:21.43\00:38:24.17
Now it's very interesting
00:38:24.20\00:38:25.53
when you read
that, that indicates
00:38:25.57\00:38:27.80
that there's two types
of sorrow, Miss Mollie,
00:38:27.84\00:38:29.84
there's a godly sorrow,
which leads to repentance.
00:38:29.87\00:38:33.07
And then
there's a worldly sorrow
00:38:33.11\00:38:34.78
or a different type of
sorrow that leads to death.
00:38:34.81\00:38:38.31
So I wanna pause just
a moment before we go on.
00:38:38.35\00:38:41.12
Talk about five reasons
for godly sorrow or five things
00:38:41.15\00:38:45.85
that godly sorrow
achieves in our life.
00:38:45.89\00:38:50.26
Think about Luke
Chapter 7, we won't turn there,
00:38:50.33\00:38:52.79
but this is the story
of Jesus at the feast,
00:38:52.83\00:38:55.40
the banquet at Simon's house,
00:38:55.43\00:38:57.87
the Pharisee Simon's house,
00:38:57.90\00:38:59.23
and remember, Mary came in
00:38:59.27\00:39:00.87
and washed His
feet with her tears
00:39:00.90\00:39:03.54
and dry them with
her hair, remember,
00:39:03.57\00:39:06.21
and then anointed his feet
with that expensive ointment.
00:39:06.24\00:39:10.81
That was godly sorrow.
00:39:10.88\00:39:13.55
Godly sorrow number
one draws me to Jesus.
00:39:13.58\00:39:17.89
We know that it's
the goodness of God
00:39:17.92\00:39:19.65
that leads us to repentance.
00:39:19.69\00:39:21.02
We can't even repent
without Jesus, without Him,
00:39:21.06\00:39:24.16
His Holy Spirit draw in us.
00:39:24.19\00:39:27.03
But godly sorrow
draws me to Jesus.
00:39:27.03\00:39:29.43
It doesn't push
me away from Him.
00:39:29.46\00:39:31.27
So if you're feeling sorry,
and you feel far from Jesus,
00:39:31.30\00:39:33.87
that's not a godly sorrow
00:39:33.94\00:39:35.37
'cause godly
sorrow brings us to Jesus.
00:39:35.40\00:39:39.47
Number two, godly
sorrow is driven by faith.
00:39:39.51\00:39:43.78
Sorrow doesn't save us.
00:39:43.85\00:39:45.61
Our own efforts don't save us.
00:39:45.65\00:39:47.52
But faith does.
00:39:47.55\00:39:49.25
Godly sorrow is driven by faith.
00:39:49.28\00:39:51.19
Number three, godly sorrow
expresses itself externally.
00:39:51.22\00:39:56.02
In other words,
genuine repentance
00:39:56.06\00:39:57.69
is always evident
in someone's life.
00:39:57.73\00:40:00.60
It doesn't just stay inside
00:40:00.63\00:40:01.93
and all blocked up there inside,
00:40:01.96\00:40:03.63
genuine repentance
comes out, spills out,
00:40:03.67\00:40:07.60
it's always evident
externally in someone's life.
00:40:07.64\00:40:11.44
Number four, godly sorrow
increases my love for Christ.
00:40:11.47\00:40:16.95
And you might
say, "Why is that?"
00:40:17.01\00:40:18.45
How does biblical repentance
deepen my love for Jesus?
00:40:18.48\00:40:23.15
'Cause I realize
what I did and my sin
00:40:23.18\00:40:28.19
and how it cost
the life of my Savior,
00:40:28.22\00:40:32.13
and His love for me,
00:40:32.16\00:40:33.60
godly sorrow
increases my love for Christ.
00:40:33.66\00:40:36.70
And finally, number five,
00:40:36.73\00:40:38.27
godly sorrow produces
the assurance of forgiveness.
00:40:38.30\00:40:42.44
We see this in Luke 7:48.
00:40:42.47\00:40:44.37
This is after the
woman had wiped Jesus' feet
00:40:44.41\00:40:48.14
and had anointed
them and "He said to her,
00:40:48.18\00:40:50.28
'Your sins are forgiven.'"
00:40:50.31\00:40:53.68
And then in verse 50,
00:40:53.75\00:40:55.08
"He said to the woman,
'Your faith has saved you.
00:40:55.12\00:40:57.02
Go in peace.'"
00:40:57.05\00:40:59.45
Godly sorrow produces
the assurance of forgiveness.
00:40:59.49\00:41:01.99
So let's see what
happens next, Nehemiah 8:10.
00:41:02.02\00:41:05.36
The people were weeping
because of their sorrow.
00:41:05.39\00:41:08.70
They saw the mirror,
00:41:08.73\00:41:10.23
the law had been held up
00:41:10.27\00:41:11.60
against their own
unworthiness and their own sin
00:41:11.63\00:41:15.50
and they had realized
that and what happens next?
00:41:15.54\00:41:18.51
Nehemiah 8:10,
00:41:18.54\00:41:19.87
"Then he said, 'Go your way,
eat the fat, drink the sweet,
00:41:19.91\00:41:23.91
and send portions to those
for whom nothing is prepared,
00:41:23.95\00:41:27.95
for this day is
holy to our Lord.
00:41:27.98\00:41:30.95
Do not sorrow for the joy
of the Lord is your strength.'"
00:41:30.99\00:41:36.19
So we do not
live in godly sorrow.
00:41:36.22\00:41:37.83
We do not live, we do repent,
00:41:37.86\00:41:40.66
but then we are to go forward
00:41:40.70\00:41:42.70
in the joy of forgiveness.
00:41:42.73\00:41:45.70
That's right.
00:41:45.73\00:41:47.07
Why do we
rejoice? Why is He great?
00:41:47.10\00:41:48.94
Because He forgives
us, because He restores us,
00:41:48.97\00:41:51.71
because He leads us
00:41:51.74\00:41:53.07
into repentance
in the first place,
00:41:53.11\00:41:54.64
because He encourages us,
00:41:54.68\00:41:56.78
because He is not
just the law giver,
00:41:56.81\00:42:00.12
He is my Savior.
00:42:00.15\00:42:02.15
He is your Savior at home.
00:42:02.18\00:42:05.52
This joy is meant to be shared.
00:42:05.55\00:42:07.56
They were to eat
and drink together.
00:42:07.59\00:42:10.23
They were to rejoice
together in the forgiveness
00:42:10.26\00:42:13.40
and what God had
done in their life.
00:42:13.43\00:42:15.66
And what do we share?
00:42:15.70\00:42:17.03
We share what
He has done for us.
00:42:17.07\00:42:18.70
I wanna spend the balance
of my time the rest of it,
00:42:18.73\00:42:21.10
talking about
the power of praise.
00:42:21.14\00:42:24.71
Praise is incredible in
the life of a Christian.
00:42:24.74\00:42:30.21
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18,
00:42:30.25\00:42:32.41
Paul says, rejoice
always, pray without ceasing.
00:42:32.45\00:42:37.15
In everything give thanks,
00:42:37.19\00:42:39.22
for this is the will of God
00:42:39.25\00:42:40.62
in Christ Jesus, concerning you.
00:42:40.66\00:42:43.32
Giving thanks isn't
for God, it's for me.
00:42:43.39\00:42:46.13
And what does giving thanks?
00:42:46.16\00:42:47.76
What does praise affect
in the life of a Christian?
00:42:47.83\00:42:51.60
Number one, it
takes the focus off of me,
00:42:51.63\00:42:54.17
and it turns it
outward on to God.
00:42:54.20\00:42:57.54
Psalm 35:28,
00:42:57.57\00:42:58.97
"My tongue shall
speak of Your righteousness
00:42:59.01\00:43:01.21
and of your
praise all the day long."
00:43:01.24\00:43:04.15
If I'm focused on God
and praising Him all day,
00:43:04.18\00:43:07.42
I have much less time
to think about myself.
00:43:07.45\00:43:10.09
So praise takes
the focus off of me
00:43:10.12\00:43:11.75
and it turns outward to God.
00:43:11.79\00:43:13.49
Number two, praise
makes the enemy flee.
00:43:13.56\00:43:16.09
Think about Jehoshaphat,
2 Chronicles Chapter 20.
00:43:16.12\00:43:20.10
The Moabites and the Ammonites
00:43:20.13\00:43:21.86
are coming against
the children of Israel,
00:43:21.90\00:43:24.50
and they are so terrified,
00:43:24.53\00:43:26.80
and they're no
match for the enemy.
00:43:26.84\00:43:28.70
And what happened?
00:43:28.74\00:43:30.07
Verse 22, "When they
began to sing and to praise,
00:43:30.11\00:43:33.84
the Lord set ambushes
00:43:33.88\00:43:35.88
against them, and deliver them,"
00:43:35.91\00:43:37.41
and how did that
deliverance come about?
00:43:37.45\00:43:39.41
Because they praised.
00:43:39.45\00:43:41.88
Number three, Miss Mollie.
00:43:41.92\00:43:43.25
Praise especially,
00:43:43.28\00:43:44.62
united praise
invites God's presence.
00:43:44.65\00:43:48.56
2 Chronicles 5:13-14,
00:43:48.59\00:43:51.46
"Indeed it came to pass,
00:43:51.49\00:43:52.83
when the trumpeters
and singers were as one."
00:43:52.86\00:43:57.00
Then the whole temple
was filled with a cloud,
00:43:57.03\00:44:01.14
the glory of God,
the presence of God,
00:44:01.17\00:44:04.37
and it was so thick
00:44:04.41\00:44:05.74
that they could not
even continue ministering.
00:44:05.77\00:44:08.28
So praise brought
the presence of God.
00:44:08.31\00:44:11.45
Number four,
praise gives us joy.
00:44:11.48\00:44:14.85
Psalm 16:11,
00:44:14.88\00:44:16.22
"You will show
me the path of life,
00:44:16.25\00:44:17.75
in Your presence
is fullness of joy."
00:44:17.79\00:44:20.86
So if praise
invites the presence of God,
00:44:20.89\00:44:24.23
then the presence
of God brings me joy.
00:44:24.26\00:44:27.86
Your right hand are
pleasures forevermore.
00:44:27.86\00:44:29.70
Number four,
praise gives me strength.
00:44:29.73\00:44:32.57
Nehemiah 8:10,
00:44:32.60\00:44:33.94
"The joy of the
Lord is your strength."
00:44:34.00\00:44:37.47
If we have
praise, when we praise,
00:44:37.51\00:44:39.94
we get the presence of God.
00:44:39.97\00:44:41.91
When we have
the presence of God,
00:44:41.94\00:44:43.65
then we have joy and
when we abide in his joy
00:44:43.71\00:44:46.58
that gives us strength.
00:44:46.61\00:44:49.05
So do you want
strength? Do you want joy?
00:44:49.08\00:44:51.15
Do you need a
change in your life?
00:44:51.19\00:44:54.12
Choose to praise.
00:44:54.16\00:44:56.06
Amen and amen.
00:44:56.09\00:44:57.43
Miss Jill, I get to talk
about this joy of the Lord,
00:44:57.49\00:45:01.16
guess what scripture
I was gonna start with?
00:45:01.20\00:45:04.33
Psalm 16:11,
00:45:04.37\00:45:05.93
"In your presence
is fullness of joy."
00:45:05.97\00:45:09.47
And that is what is
so encouraging to me
00:45:09.50\00:45:12.64
that these lessons just take us
00:45:12.67\00:45:14.54
from one level of joy and
encouragement to the next.
00:45:14.58\00:45:19.41
Well, I start
with Nehemiah 8:10.
00:45:19.45\00:45:24.12
Jill, read it.
I'll read it again.
00:45:24.19\00:45:26.32
"Then He said to them,
00:45:26.35\00:45:27.69
'Go your way, eat
the fat, drink the sweet,
00:45:27.72\00:45:30.43
and send portions to those
00:45:30.46\00:45:32.16
for whom nothing is prepared,
00:45:32.19\00:45:33.83
for this day is
holy to our Lord.
00:45:33.90\00:45:36.77
Do not sorrow,
00:45:36.83\00:45:38.17
for the joy of the
Lord is your strength."
00:45:38.20\00:45:41.84
This reminds us that
once we have repented,
00:45:41.87\00:45:46.41
God has heard us
00:45:46.44\00:45:48.31
and now it's
time to rejoice, why?
00:45:48.34\00:45:52.18
Because we are forgiven.
00:45:52.21\00:45:54.08
Jill, I get to
talk about 1 John 1:9.
00:45:54.12\00:45:57.75
Every lesson I think somewhere
00:45:57.79\00:46:00.32
we should talk about 1 John 1:9.
00:46:00.39\00:46:02.62
What does 1 John 1:9 say?
00:46:02.66\00:46:05.53
"If we confess our sins,
00:46:05.56\00:46:08.63
He is faithful and just
to forgive us of our sins,"
00:46:08.66\00:46:12.73
and He goes one step further.
00:46:12.77\00:46:14.74
We're forgiven, but
then He cleanses us.
00:46:14.77\00:46:17.54
Thank God for the forgiveness
and the cleansing of our sins.
00:46:17.61\00:46:21.88
Now, let me ask you this,
it says cleanses us from all,
00:46:21.91\00:46:25.65
of what, Pastor Lomacang?
00:46:25.68\00:46:27.32
Unrighteousness.
00:46:27.35\00:46:28.68
So let me ask you this.
00:46:28.72\00:46:30.69
If you are cleansed
from all unrighteousness,
00:46:30.72\00:46:34.62
you're standing before God.
00:46:34.66\00:46:36.49
You've repented and
you've been cleansed
00:46:36.52\00:46:39.09
from all unrighteousness.
00:46:39.13\00:46:40.70
What does that make you?
00:46:40.73\00:46:42.03
Righteous. Righteous.
00:46:42.06\00:46:43.43
See, that is so
hard, Pastor Kenny,
00:46:43.47\00:46:45.77
for us to accept
that we can be righteous.
00:46:45.80\00:46:49.27
Oh, I know, it's the
righteousness of God.
00:46:49.30\00:46:52.64
But He says, He has made us
the righteousness of God where?
00:46:52.67\00:46:57.01
In Christ Jesus.
00:46:57.05\00:46:58.45
Amen.
00:46:58.48\00:47:00.65
Confessing, now the prerequisite
00:47:00.68\00:47:03.22
to any of this is
confessing before a holy God
00:47:03.25\00:47:07.52
who loves us so much
that what did He do for us?
00:47:07.59\00:47:11.09
Send His only Son to die.
00:47:11.13\00:47:14.86
And I got to...
00:47:14.93\00:47:16.87
I've just, I can
say this I guess,
00:47:16.90\00:47:19.27
I'm always saying stuff
and this is what I want to say,
00:47:19.30\00:47:22.87
don't meddle your mouth
around with your confessions.
00:47:22.90\00:47:26.54
If it's black,
don't try to make it gray
00:47:26.57\00:47:29.44
because God knows anyway.
00:47:29.48\00:47:31.91
And I was just thinking
00:47:31.95\00:47:35.52
that there are areas sometimes
00:47:35.55\00:47:39.32
that we don't want to
just come right out and say,
00:47:39.35\00:47:41.89
"Lord help me with this."
00:47:41.92\00:47:44.33
And I'll give you for instance,
00:47:44.36\00:47:48.70
let's talk
about unholy thoughts.
00:47:48.73\00:47:51.60
Do you know, can people
see your own unholy thoughts?
00:47:51.63\00:47:54.70
Nobody knows those are
unholy thoughts but you.
00:47:54.74\00:47:58.01
That's fantasizing about things
you shouldn't even think about.
00:47:58.04\00:48:02.24
Do you know that we can do that?
00:48:02.28\00:48:05.11
Don't ask God to forgive
you for this little weakness
00:48:05.15\00:48:08.82
that you have repent of the sin.
00:48:08.85\00:48:11.15
Honey, that's a sin.
00:48:11.19\00:48:12.79
If you repent to some
extent, Pastor Lomacang,
00:48:12.82\00:48:15.69
are you safe to some degree?
00:48:15.72\00:48:17.26
No.
00:48:17.29\00:48:18.63
Yeah, that's good.
00:48:18.66\00:48:20.23
No.
00:48:20.26\00:48:21.56
No, it's black or it's white.
00:48:21.60\00:48:23.60
Be honest with God, He
already knows and remember,
00:48:23.67\00:48:27.97
He doesn't just forgive
you, He cleanses you as well.
00:48:28.00\00:48:33.68
And you know the beauty of it.
00:48:33.71\00:48:35.51
This fountain of forgiveness
00:48:35.54\00:48:38.31
it flows freely from God.
00:48:38.35\00:48:41.88
It's not just for today.
00:48:41.92\00:48:44.52
It's not just one time a day.
00:48:44.55\00:48:46.42
How often, Pastor Kenny,
00:48:46.45\00:48:48.02
can you go to that
fountain of forgiveness?
00:48:48.06\00:48:51.06
We can go minute by
minute as often as you need to,
00:48:51.09\00:48:54.86
if we confess our sins,
00:48:54.93\00:48:57.43
then He forgives
us and He cleanses us.
00:48:57.47\00:49:02.44
So we've come before God,
00:49:02.47\00:49:04.37
we're dirty and
we're bathed down,
00:49:04.41\00:49:07.31
and we've confessed our sins.
00:49:07.34\00:49:09.54
He's forgivened us,
and He's cleansed us,
00:49:09.58\00:49:12.48
and He's lifted us up.
00:49:12.51\00:49:14.48
And now we stand
before God, righteous,
00:49:14.52\00:49:18.92
clothed in His righteousness.
00:49:18.95\00:49:21.09
And it's time to rejoice,
00:49:21.12\00:49:23.56
and be filled with
the joy of the Lord.
00:49:23.59\00:49:26.56
And what does the joy
of the Lord do for us?
00:49:26.59\00:49:29.33
It strengthens us.
00:49:29.36\00:49:31.40
The joy of the Lord is our what?
00:49:31.43\00:49:34.14
Our strength.
00:49:34.17\00:49:35.50
It strengthens us for
whatever the day may bring.
00:49:35.54\00:49:40.08
So that's just
encouragement for us.
00:49:40.11\00:49:41.91
But let's go
back to these captives
00:49:41.94\00:49:44.45
that had
returned from Jerusalem.
00:49:44.48\00:49:47.85
Some of them had been in
captivity all their lives.
00:49:47.88\00:49:52.02
Did you know that?
00:49:52.05\00:49:53.99
It was 70 years
but some of them had
00:49:54.06\00:49:57.13
during that time
they've been born.
00:49:57.16\00:49:59.43
Some of this
remnant that returned.
00:49:59.46\00:50:02.26
So they weren't well
versed in the Word of God.
00:50:02.30\00:50:04.90
Ezra's purpose was to
teach them from God's Law.
00:50:04.93\00:50:08.80
Shelley covered the law.
00:50:08.84\00:50:11.07
And they had
been doing, Shelley,
00:50:11.11\00:50:12.67
you share this
with us to for how long?
00:50:12.71\00:50:15.14
Thirteen years, Ezra
had been teaching them.
00:50:15.18\00:50:17.85
Now he didn't just teach
them the word of the law.
00:50:17.88\00:50:22.45
Ezra went to the
very root of the problem.
00:50:22.48\00:50:25.12
Do you know that he gathered
up all the copies of the law
00:50:25.15\00:50:29.09
that he could find,
he had them translated,
00:50:29.12\00:50:32.03
and then he put them in
the hands of the people.
00:50:32.06\00:50:34.76
So not only
were they hearing it,
00:50:34.83\00:50:36.60
they were reading
it for themselves.
00:50:36.63\00:50:39.03
And what does Romans 10:17 say?
00:50:39.07\00:50:41.30
Who can read it?
00:50:41.34\00:50:42.67
Faith comes by hearing...
00:50:42.70\00:50:44.04
"Faith comes by hearing,
00:50:44.07\00:50:45.41
and hearing by the word of God."
00:50:45.44\00:50:46.81
And what did
hearing this word say,
00:50:46.84\00:50:48.74
"Oh, we've
looked at this already."
00:50:48.78\00:50:51.15
When they heard the word
00:50:51.18\00:50:52.81
they went in
mourning and sadness
00:50:52.85\00:50:55.78
because the word
had convicted them
00:50:55.82\00:50:58.62
of their sinfulness
00:50:58.65\00:51:00.06
but in their
mourning and in their sadness,
00:51:00.09\00:51:02.29
what were they doing?
00:51:02.32\00:51:03.66
They were repenting.
00:51:03.73\00:51:06.16
And in that repentance,
00:51:06.19\00:51:08.13
they were in that mourning
and their bad day and state,
00:51:08.16\00:51:13.54
Ezra tells them
don't mourn it, stand up,
00:51:13.60\00:51:16.81
rise up and
rejoice, and being joyful,
00:51:16.87\00:51:20.14
for the joy of the
Lord is your strength.
00:51:20.18\00:51:23.18
Now Ezra continued
reading them the Word.
00:51:23.21\00:51:26.25
And, Pastor Kenny,
00:51:26.28\00:51:27.62
you were talking about
the Feast of Tabernacles.
00:51:27.65\00:51:29.85
And how Ezra mentioned to them
00:51:29.88\00:51:32.09
the importance of keeping
the Feast of Tabernacles.
00:51:32.12\00:51:36.12
And so what was the
Feast of Tabernacles?
00:51:36.16\00:51:39.09
It was that final feast
00:51:39.13\00:51:41.63
where they made tabernacles,
00:51:41.66\00:51:44.53
and they went out into the...
00:51:44.57\00:51:45.97
Went out from the
comforts of their home
00:51:46.00\00:51:50.07
and in
acknowledgement of the Exodus
00:51:50.14\00:51:53.71
and the children of Israel
that camped in the wilderness.
00:51:53.74\00:51:58.55
It was a
reenactment of that for them
00:51:58.58\00:52:01.05
to understand the
hardships that they suffered.
00:52:01.08\00:52:03.62
Now you know what this did?
00:52:03.69\00:52:05.19
This also gave them an identity
with Ezra reading the Word
00:52:05.22\00:52:10.43
and sharing the Word
00:52:10.46\00:52:11.79
and identity with
their forefathers made.
00:52:11.83\00:52:15.16
And do you know
how important it is
00:52:15.20\00:52:17.90
for us to know our
ancestors, to know our roots,
00:52:17.93\00:52:21.57
to know where we came from
00:52:21.60\00:52:23.24
because in the Book of the Law,
00:52:23.27\00:52:25.94
it gave all the history
and that was their history,
00:52:25.97\00:52:30.51
even if they
were born in Babylon.
00:52:30.55\00:52:32.81
It was still their history,
their ancestral history.
00:52:32.85\00:52:36.75
It gave them self
identity is that important?
00:52:36.79\00:52:40.52
That is so vitally important.
00:52:40.56\00:52:43.49
So the children of
Israel had heard what God's Word
00:52:43.53\00:52:47.36
and as Ezra was reading,
00:52:47.40\00:52:50.20
He says, that the children
from the Book of the Law
00:52:50.23\00:52:53.77
that the children of
Israel should dwell in booths,
00:52:53.80\00:52:59.14
during the feast
of the seventh month
00:52:59.17\00:53:01.31
this was and it is written.
00:53:01.34\00:53:05.31
And how did the
children of Israel
00:53:05.35\00:53:07.78
that were hearing this,
00:53:07.82\00:53:09.15
how did they respond
to and it is written,
00:53:09.18\00:53:12.22
this is what they said.
00:53:12.25\00:53:15.29
They said that they're gonna do
00:53:15.32\00:53:18.29
what the Book of
the Law tells them
00:53:18.33\00:53:19.76
that they're gonna do
what this it is written says.
00:53:19.79\00:53:22.83
And it says they did it
with what kind of gladness?
00:53:22.86\00:53:26.94
Great gladness
00:53:27.00\00:53:28.74
they would gonna
do what the Word.
00:53:28.77\00:53:30.87
Oh, isn't it exciting?
00:53:30.91\00:53:32.64
When we get with great gladness,
00:53:32.67\00:53:35.51
we receive God's Word.
00:53:35.54\00:53:37.51
What did being
obedient to God's Word do?
00:53:37.55\00:53:41.18
It brought them great gladness.
00:53:41.22\00:53:43.49
So I kind of wanted
to lose on this point.
00:53:43.55\00:53:47.22
If any of us are feeling
sad, and down, or desponded,
00:53:47.26\00:53:54.13
there's a cure for
all of our calamities.
00:53:54.20\00:53:58.10
There's a cure for that.
00:53:58.13\00:54:00.34
We are to go before
God and confess our sins.
00:54:00.37\00:54:06.24
What happens when
we confess our sins?
00:54:06.27\00:54:09.31
He is faithful and just
to forgive us of our sins,
00:54:09.34\00:54:12.51
to cleanse us from
all unrighteousness.
00:54:12.55\00:54:15.85
And then we can stand before God
00:54:15.88\00:54:19.69
in a righteous state.
00:54:19.72\00:54:22.49
And in that righteous state,
there's no time for mourning.
00:54:22.52\00:54:26.39
That is time for what?
00:54:26.43\00:54:28.13
Time for rejoicing.
00:54:28.16\00:54:31.30
We receive His forgiveness
and His cleansing, we rejoice.
00:54:31.33\00:54:35.97
And then the joy
of the Lord is what?
00:54:36.00\00:54:40.04
The joy of the
Lord is our strength.
00:54:40.08\00:54:41.81
It will strengthen
us to carry out anything
00:54:41.84\00:54:45.75
that the Lord calls us to do.
00:54:45.78\00:54:47.12
It will give us strength
00:54:47.18\00:54:48.82
for every problem
you're gonna face today.
00:54:48.85\00:54:52.62
Amen. Praise the Lord.
00:54:52.65\00:54:54.26
Oh, well, well covered.
00:54:54.29\00:54:56.22
Yeah, what a lesson.
00:54:56.26\00:54:57.59
I'll tell you,
00:54:57.63\00:54:58.96
it's given me encouragement,
hope, and strength.
00:54:58.99\00:55:00.93
And we praise it's
been working in your heart
00:55:00.96\00:55:03.06
and your life too.
00:55:03.10\00:55:04.43
We have a couple of minutes
to be good what we always do,
00:55:04.47\00:55:07.80
a wrap up I think
it's good in case the Lord
00:55:07.84\00:55:10.11
has put something on your heart
00:55:10.14\00:55:12.04
that you want to share,
that could be a blessing.
00:55:12.07\00:55:14.18
You know, Holy
Spirit can do that.
00:55:14.21\00:55:15.54
Somebody out there
suffering with something,
00:55:15.58\00:55:18.05
a word of
clarity they might need.
00:55:18.08\00:55:20.22
The Holy Spirit can impress
your heart and your mind.
00:55:20.25\00:55:22.75
So let's just go
around the table, shall we?
00:55:22.78\00:55:24.92
Just take a few seconds.
00:55:24.95\00:55:27.46
I'm just going to reiterate that
00:55:27.49\00:55:28.89
in Nehemiah Chapter 8,
00:55:28.92\00:55:31.39
when it's talking about
reading from the Book of the Law
00:55:31.43\00:55:34.46
from morning till
evening or midday.
00:55:34.50\00:55:37.73
They were not referring
to the Ten Commandments.
00:55:37.77\00:55:40.34
Remember, when you see the law,
00:55:40.40\00:55:43.37
the Book of the Law,
00:55:43.41\00:55:46.04
or the Law of Moses, they
can mean different things.
00:55:46.07\00:55:49.78
So we always have
to read in context
00:55:49.81\00:55:52.38
and just know that the
law of the Lord is perfect.
00:55:52.41\00:55:55.95
And what brings us great
joy as we obey what Jesus said,
00:55:55.98\00:56:02.89
"If you love Me,
obey My commandments."
00:56:02.92\00:56:05.76
Amen. That's right.
00:56:05.79\00:56:07.66
2 Timothy 2:15, "In
this age of compromise,
00:56:07.73\00:56:10.77
and in this age of
diluted Christianity,
00:56:10.80\00:56:16.40
study to show
yourself approved unto God,
00:56:16.44\00:56:20.01
a workman that
needeth not to be ashamed,
00:56:20.08\00:56:23.65
rightly dividing
the word of truth."
00:56:23.68\00:56:27.22
May your commitment be
between you and your Lord,
00:56:27.25\00:56:30.19
between His word and
your heart, no one else.
00:56:30.22\00:56:32.75
Amen. Amen.
00:56:32.79\00:56:34.16
Maybe you're feeling today,
00:56:34.19\00:56:35.52
like you're
stuck in that sadness,
00:56:35.56\00:56:37.26
and you're struggling with that,
00:56:37.33\00:56:38.96
but know that the Lord
00:56:38.99\00:56:40.33
does not want
you to remain there,
00:56:40.40\00:56:42.86
that He will
forgive, He will cleanse,
00:56:42.90\00:56:45.43
and then you can
go forward in His joy.
00:56:45.47\00:56:49.14
And I just want
to remind all of us
00:56:49.17\00:56:51.64
that God can only
forgive those sins
00:56:51.67\00:56:54.48
that we repent off.
00:56:54.51\00:56:56.44
And so this would be a good time
00:56:56.48\00:56:58.45
maybe for us to ask the Lord,
00:56:58.48\00:57:00.38
search me, O God,
and know my heart,
00:57:00.45\00:57:02.12
try me and know my thoughts.
00:57:02.15\00:57:04.02
See, if there be
any evil way in me
00:57:04.05\00:57:05.95
and leading in the
path that is everlasting.
00:57:05.99\00:57:08.02
God, if there's
anything unlovely
00:57:08.06\00:57:10.56
and unlike you in my heart,
00:57:10.59\00:57:11.93
bring it to the
surface that I can repent of it
00:57:11.96\00:57:14.46
that I can stand
before You pure and clean.
00:57:14.46\00:57:17.73
And then and only then
00:57:17.77\00:57:19.40
will the joy of the
Lord be our strength.
00:57:19.43\00:57:21.40
Amen. That's good.
00:57:21.44\00:57:23.24
Desire of Ages, pages 490 says,
00:57:23.27\00:57:25.34
"Our
condemnation in the judgment
00:57:25.37\00:57:27.78
will not be the
result from the fact
00:57:27.81\00:57:29.48
that we have been in error,
00:57:29.51\00:57:31.88
but from the fact
that we have neglected
00:57:31.91\00:57:35.45
heaven-sent opportunities
for learning what is truth."
00:57:35.48\00:57:40.86
You know, that's
pretty heavy duty
00:57:40.89\00:57:42.32
when you look at
00:57:42.36\00:57:43.73
'cause we usually tilt
at the other direction.
00:57:43.76\00:57:45.39
And don't forget, I
encourage that many,
00:57:45.43\00:57:47.40
don't forget the assembling
of yourselves together
00:57:47.40\00:57:49.46
as you see the day approaching
to hear the Word of God,
00:57:49.50\00:57:52.53
Hebrews 10:25.
00:57:52.57\00:57:54.10
We enjoy spending
this time with you.
00:57:54.14\00:57:55.47
It's been a real delight for us.
00:57:55.50\00:57:57.17
We praise God for
each and every one of you,
00:57:57.21\00:57:58.77
those who are
making decisions right now.
00:57:58.81\00:58:00.41
We love you and
we'll see you next time.
00:58:00.44\00:58:02.61