Hello and welcome
to 3ABN Worship Hour.
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I'm Jill Morikone.
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And we're so glad that
you have tuned in today,
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as we open up the Word of God
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and we study together.
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Today's message is
titled "Restorative Repentance."
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That might be an
interesting title.
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But hopefully by the time we get
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to the end of the message,
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you understand the
restoration that takes place
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when we come
before God and repent.
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What is repentance?
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Someone once
said that an apology
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with no change in
behavior is simply manipulation?
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Have you ever felt
like you were manipulated?
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Have you ever experienced it?
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Has someone ever
maybe apologized to you,
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but there was no
corresponding change
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in their behavior?
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Or maybe you've done that
through the Lord Jesus Christ.
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I asked a few people,
friends, what is repentance?
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And what does
repentance mean to you?
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And here is some
of their definitions.
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Repentance is a sorrow
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and turning away from something.
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Here's another.
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Repentance is turning
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and walking away from something.
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Those are both very similar.
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That person later said
repentance starts with a heart.
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It's not just
sorrow and turning away,
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but it begins
initially with a heart.
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Another definition.
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Sincerely saying you were wrong
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with a commitment
and desire to change,
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recognizing your
need for forgiveness,
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going to the Lord
with a sincere heart,
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to ask Him to
forgive you of your sins,
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and give you
strength to turn away from it.
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Here's another one I like.
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Sorrow and regret so deep,
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brought about by
a full understanding
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of the hurt I have caused,
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that drives me to
beg God to change me,
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since I'm
powerless to change myself.
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Another one.
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Change of mind
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that results in a
180 degree turnaround,
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actions and attitude
headed in one direction.
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And then
repentance turns you around,
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headed toward God,
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repentance
being a gift from God.
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Here's another one.
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To think and act differently
after your mind is changed.
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There's some common
elements and themes in here.
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There's a turning
away or 180 degree turn.
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There's something
that happens in the heart,
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something that happens in
the mind and the attitude.
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We're going to talk today
about restorative repentance.
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Now we could do a
complete Bible study on that
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and give many scriptures,
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but we're going to look at
it from the Book of Nehemiah.
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Nehemiah Chapter 9.
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Repentance involves change, yes,
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but repentance also
involves restoration.
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A previous message
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when I shared on
the Worship Hour,
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we talked about
how grace is a gift.
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Ephesians 2:8,
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"We are saved by
grace through faith."
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Faith is a gift.
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Salvation is a gift.
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The works that you and I do,
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the good works
that we were created
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in Christ Jesus to do.
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Those are gifts as well.
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I'm here to tell you
today that repentance is a gift.
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And restorative
repentance is truly a gift.
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Our opening
scripture is not Nehemiah 9,
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although we will be
turning there shortly.
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It's actually in Proverbs.
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So if you want to
turn there, Proverbs 28:13.
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Proverbs 28:13,
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"He who covers his
sins will not prosper,
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but whoever confesses
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and forsakes
them will have mercy."
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Let's pray.
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Holy Father, we come
before You in the name of Jesus,
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thanking You for
the gifts of grace,
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the gifts of Your
Spirit and Your Word.
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And right now would You
open up our hearts and minds
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to receive what You have for us.
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And we thank You
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in the precious
and holy name of Jesus.
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Amen.
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I was two years old and
my sister Lynn was four.
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I do not remember this story.
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I probably can't
remember anything
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before the age of four or five.
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But my mom has told
it to me many times.
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When I was two,
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I was playing with my sister
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and I don't know
if I got mad at her
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or I decided I was going to play
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a practical joke, I'm not sure.
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But I decided
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I was going to
lock her in a closet.
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So, now remember, I'm
two and my sister's four.
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So I have no idea how I
succeeded in doing that.
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But I opened up the door,
pushed my sister in the closet.
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Now this was not
like a clothes closet.
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This was like a linen closet,
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you know, the
kind with the shelves,
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you have a low shelf
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and then a medium
shelf, higher shelves going up.
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So I pushed my sister
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underneath the
bottom shelf in the closet,
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and I shut the door.
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My mom says that I toddled
off to find her in the kitchen
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because she had no
idea what was going on.
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And I told my mom, "I
locked sissy in the closet."
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So, of course,
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I have a feeling
I got a spanking,
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I just kind of don't
remember that portion.
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And she never really
told me that portion.
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But my sister
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obviously could
not have gotten out
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if my mom had not gone
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and opened up the
door and let her out.
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You know, as we grow
up, we begin to hide sin,
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we begin to cover sin.
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Or on the flip side,
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we begin to harden our heart
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against the
prompting of the Holy Spirit.
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You see, when we're older,
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we don't necessarily go
running up to God and say,
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guess what?
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I just did such and such.
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We might not even necessarily go
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to a friend or a neighbor
and tell them, guess what?
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I messed up and I'm
coming to apologize.
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We begin to keep secrets.
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We don't want
people to know our sins.
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So we begin to hide
that from maybe other people
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or hide that from God.
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Or sometimes
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we just harden
our hearts and say,
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"I don't want to
hear from you, God.
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I don't want to
hear from Your Word.
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I don't want to open up my heart
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to what You have for me, "
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and we harden our hearts.
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This passage Nehemiah 9,
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you can turn
with me to Nehemiah 9.
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Nehemiah 9 might be
a hard book to find,
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Ezra, Nehemiah,
Esther, Job, Psalms.
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So it's a little bit
before the Book of Psalms.
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Nehemiah Chapter 9.
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I believe there's many passages
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in the Word of
God on repentance.
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But Nehemiah 9
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is one of three great passages
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in the Old
Testament of intercession
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for not only their own sins,
but the sins of the people.
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We see Nehemiah 9, Ezra 9,
and Daniel 9, all Chapter 9,
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all dealing with
intercession for the sins,
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not only their sins
but the sins of the people.
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Before we read it in Nehemiah 9,
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of course we know in
Daniel 9 and Daniel 8
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there had been the vision
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and Daniel's concerned
and fasting and praying
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and seeking understanding.
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And then in Daniel 9,
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he mourns with
fasting in sackcloth,
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ashes, prayer,
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confession of
sin and repentance.
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And he identifies
with the sins of the people
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who are in bondage.
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At that time the
Israelites were in bondage
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in Babylonian
captivity for those 70 years.
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And during that time,
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he was identifying
with the sins of the people
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that had caused them
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to be carried away
captive in the first place.
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And Ezra 9, we won't turn there,
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but in Ezra 9,
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Ezra discovers
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that the
Israelites had intermingled
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and
intermarried with the pagans.
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Now they were not
supposed to do that.
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And Ezra tore his garment
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and pulled out
his hair and beard,
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and he sat down astonished,
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and he mourned and
repented with prayer,
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confession of sin
and repentance and again,
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identification with
the sins of the people.
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Now we're in Nehemiah Chapter 9.
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Now just context, remember,
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the Israelites
went into captivity.
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Daniel and his
friends went as young men,
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remember the long march
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across the desert
into Babylonian captivity,
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and many of the
children of Israel,
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Judah, from Jerusalem
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were taken captive
into the land of Babylon.
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And then after the 70 years,
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after the time was accomplished,
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then they were allowed,
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the Lord
miraculously opened up the doors
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for them to return.
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We have the first
return under Zerubbabel,
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many people
returned to Jerusalem.
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We have the
second return under Ezra.
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Now we're at the third return.
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That's the context
for the Book of Nehemiah.
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The third return
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and they are there
rebuilding the walls.
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We're in Nehemiah Chapter 9.
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I see in Nehemiah 9,
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six lessons for repentance
really found in this chapter.
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Lesson number one.
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True repentance
acknowledges sin.
00:10:05.23\00:10:09.64
True repentance
acknowledges sin.
00:10:09.67\00:10:12.01
We are all prone to sin.
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Nehemiah 9 and we will
read it in just a moment.
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It recounts the sins
of God's chosen people
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starting from
the very beginning.
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They went out of Egypt,
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remember Moses led them out
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and they had the
golden calf experience
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and time after time after time,
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you see this turning away
from God following other idols,
00:10:28.29\00:10:33.09
turning their
back on God and saying,
00:10:33.13\00:10:35.36
I want to do things my own way.
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You see, they were
not just any people,
00:10:38.80\00:10:41.54
they were God's chosen people.
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He had made a
covenant with them.
00:10:44.91\00:10:48.58
He didn't just choose them
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and then let
them go on their way.
00:10:49.98\00:10:52.15
He loved them.
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And as we will
see in Nehemiah 9,
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the mercy and faithfulness
and forgiveness of our God
00:10:56.42\00:11:03.36
is astounding to me.
00:11:03.39\00:11:05.46
But instead of
acknowledging sin,
00:11:05.49\00:11:09.90
often we compare
ourselves with other people.
00:11:09.93\00:11:13.40
Have you ever done that?
00:11:13.44\00:11:14.77
Oh, I don't think my
sins is bad and so and so.
00:11:14.80\00:11:17.31
Well, maybe I told a
little lie or maybe I gossiped.
00:11:17.34\00:11:20.94
But truly, I didn't
go out and kill someone.
00:11:20.98\00:11:25.01
Maybe I'm
harboring hatred in my heart,
00:11:25.05\00:11:27.12
but I didn't pull the trigger
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or I didn't go
sleep with my neighbor,
00:11:29.35\00:11:31.69
we justify ourselves.
00:11:31.72\00:11:35.22
2 Corinthians 10,
Paul talks about this.
00:11:35.26\00:11:37.43
2 Corinthians 10:12-13,
00:11:37.46\00:11:40.90
"For we dare not class ourselves
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or compare ourselves
00:11:43.63\00:11:45.47
with those who
commend themselves.
00:11:45.50\00:11:48.80
But they, measuring
themselves by themselves,
00:11:48.84\00:11:51.27
and comparing
themselves among themselves,
00:11:51.31\00:11:54.14
are not wise."
00:11:54.18\00:11:56.75
Let's look at Luke Chapter 18.
00:11:56.78\00:11:58.61
Luke Chapter 18,
00:11:58.65\00:12:00.02
we'll look at
verses 11 through 13.
00:12:00.05\00:12:02.15
This is the parable,
of course, of the Pharisee
00:12:02.18\00:12:04.62
and the Publican.
00:12:04.65\00:12:06.45
And as you read
the parables of Jesus,
00:12:06.49\00:12:08.72
as exhibited in the gospels,
00:12:08.76\00:12:10.73
we find many times that
these parables are given.
00:12:10.76\00:12:14.33
Jesus gave them
to answer a question
00:12:14.36\00:12:16.50
and to deal
00:12:16.53\00:12:17.87
with some sort of
unrighteous attitude.
00:12:17.90\00:12:21.04
And you can see
that over and over again.
00:12:21.07\00:12:23.64
But in Luke Chapter 18,
00:12:23.67\00:12:26.24
this parable was
specifically given
00:12:26.27\00:12:28.88
for those who had a
self righteous attitude.
00:12:28.91\00:12:32.81
For those who
were filled with pride,
00:12:32.85\00:12:34.92
for those who thought,
00:12:34.95\00:12:36.28
I got this, I'm
trusting in myself
00:12:36.32\00:12:38.89
and I can do this on my own.
00:12:38.92\00:12:41.52
So Luke 18:11,
00:12:41.56\00:12:44.29
"The Pharisee stood and
prayed thus with himself,
00:12:44.33\00:12:47.33
'God, I thank You that
I am not like other men,
00:12:47.36\00:12:52.70
extortioners,
unjust, adulterers,
00:12:52.73\00:12:56.10
or even as this tax collector.
00:12:56.14\00:12:59.37
I fast twice a week,
00:12:59.41\00:13:01.48
I give tithes of
all that I possess.'"
00:13:01.51\00:13:04.35
Have you ever
met anyone like that?
00:13:04.38\00:13:06.01
God, I just, I'm so grateful.
00:13:06.05\00:13:07.62
And they might not
even be saying it to God,
00:13:07.65\00:13:09.22
they might be saying it to you.
00:13:09.25\00:13:10.79
So grateful that my
gifts are so extraordinary.
00:13:10.82\00:13:14.36
And you know, I
really give tithe in,
00:13:14.39\00:13:16.29
you know, I eat right,
00:13:16.32\00:13:17.66
and I dress right
and I do things right.
00:13:17.69\00:13:21.70
I'm not saying
any of that is wrong.
00:13:21.73\00:13:24.47
But if the heart comes at it
00:13:24.50\00:13:27.34
from a motive of self righteous,
00:13:27.37\00:13:30.81
it's still sin,
00:13:30.84\00:13:32.31
even if we're engaging in
even proper or good behavior
00:13:32.34\00:13:35.61
or good works,
00:13:35.64\00:13:36.98
it's sin if the
heart's motive is wrong.
00:13:37.01\00:13:41.05
By contrast, we
see the tax collector
00:13:41.08\00:13:44.59
and what did he say in verse 13?
00:13:44.62\00:13:46.55
He couldn't even lift
up his eyes to heaven,
00:13:46.59\00:13:49.52
but he be on his
chest and he said,
00:13:49.56\00:13:52.39
"God, be
merciful to me, a sinner."
00:13:52.43\00:13:57.90
That is repentance.
00:13:57.93\00:14:00.60
True repentance
acknowledges sin.
00:14:00.64\00:14:05.94
It's difficult sometimes,
I don't know about for you.
00:14:05.97\00:14:08.44
But for me,
sometimes it's difficult
00:14:08.48\00:14:10.15
to acknowledge that.
00:14:10.18\00:14:11.81
I remember I was in
a meeting discussion
00:14:11.85\00:14:14.48
with someone and we engaged,
00:14:14.52\00:14:19.32
we will call it a discussion.
00:14:19.35\00:14:20.76
We engaged in this discussion.
00:14:20.79\00:14:22.26
I'm saying things,
they're saying things,
00:14:22.29\00:14:24.19
I'm saying things.
00:14:24.23\00:14:25.56
But I knew in my heart
that my spirit was not right.
00:14:25.59\00:14:29.06
You ever been there?
00:14:29.10\00:14:30.43
Maybe the word
said might be accurate.
00:14:30.47\00:14:33.27
Maybe the principle
you're trying to portray
00:14:33.30\00:14:36.00
or the thing
you're trying to achieve
00:14:36.04\00:14:37.77
might be right.
00:14:37.81\00:14:39.37
But you know in your own heart
that the spirit is not right.
00:14:39.41\00:14:43.75
And I knew this,
00:14:43.78\00:14:45.11
and I left that
meeting just sick.
00:14:45.15\00:14:48.05
My heart, my spirit,
00:14:48.08\00:14:50.19
knowing that I had
disappointed Jesus,
00:14:50.22\00:14:52.45
knowing that I
wanted to represent Him.
00:14:52.49\00:14:55.66
I wanted to follow Him
and yet I had messed up,
00:14:55.69\00:15:00.00
and I remember going
home, and God's saying,
00:15:00.03\00:15:02.46
"Jill, you could come to Me
and just ask for forgiveness."
00:15:02.50\00:15:07.30
You know, repentance is a gift,
and we will get to this later.
00:15:07.34\00:15:10.81
But Romans 2:4 says,
00:15:10.84\00:15:12.67
"It's the goodness of God
that leads us to repentance."
00:15:12.71\00:15:17.45
It's not me trying or thinking.
00:15:17.48\00:15:19.75
No, if you even
desire to repent,
00:15:19.78\00:15:22.28
that is the goodness of God.
00:15:22.32\00:15:23.79
It is the gift of God.
00:15:23.82\00:15:25.39
It's the drawing
power of the Holy Spirit.
00:15:25.42\00:15:27.69
And that's what the
Holy Spirit was doing on me
00:15:27.72\00:15:30.16
and in me that night.
00:15:30.19\00:15:32.13
As He brought
conviction to my heart,
00:15:32.16\00:15:34.13
Jill, you have sinned,
00:15:34.16\00:15:36.43
not in what you said,
00:15:36.46\00:15:38.30
but in the spirit and the heart,
00:15:38.33\00:15:41.04
what you felt,
00:15:41.07\00:15:42.77
and probably even in
the way the words came out
00:15:42.80\00:15:45.11
the manner that
they were conveyed.
00:15:45.14\00:15:47.58
So I asked God
for His forgiveness.
00:15:47.61\00:15:50.41
And the next day I went back
in and I went to this person
00:15:50.45\00:15:54.02
and I said,
"Would you forgive me?"
00:15:54.05\00:15:57.12
And they said, "What for?"
00:15:57.15\00:15:59.02
And I said, "My spirit
and my heart were not right.
00:15:59.05\00:16:03.69
And the way I dealt with you.
00:16:03.73\00:16:05.83
And I am so sorry,
would you forgive me?"
00:16:05.86\00:16:08.86
True repentance
acknowledges sin.
00:16:08.90\00:16:10.77
Number two.
00:16:10.80\00:16:12.13
True repentance
springs from the Word of God.
00:16:12.17\00:16:17.01
Now, in Nehemiah 8,
00:16:17.04\00:16:18.87
there is some
measure of repentance.
00:16:18.91\00:16:20.78
If you read that chapter,
there is some repentance.
00:16:20.81\00:16:23.21
Nehemiah 8:10, it says,
00:16:23.24\00:16:24.68
"The joy of the
Lord is your strength."
00:16:24.71\00:16:26.85
Joy always follows repentance.
00:16:26.88\00:16:29.52
And then, of course,
00:16:29.55\00:16:30.89
they celebrate the
Feast of Tabernacles.
00:16:30.92\00:16:32.52
There is great
rejoicing and joy.
00:16:32.55\00:16:35.06
Then a few days after
the Feast of Tabernacles,
00:16:35.09\00:16:38.19
we see what happens
here in Nehemiah Chapter 9.
00:16:38.23\00:16:42.10
Nehemiah 9.
00:16:42.13\00:16:43.47
Let's pick it up in verse 1.
00:16:43.50\00:16:45.27
"Now on the
twenty-fourth day of this month
00:16:45.30\00:16:47.34
the children of
Israel were assembled
00:16:47.37\00:16:48.70
with fasting, in sackcloth,
and with dust on their heads.
00:16:48.74\00:16:52.91
Then those of Israelite lineage
00:16:52.94\00:16:55.44
separated themselves
from all foreigners."
00:16:55.48\00:16:57.95
Now you might
say, why in the world
00:16:57.98\00:16:59.31
were they separating themselves?
00:16:59.35\00:17:00.92
Because these
other nations and groups
00:17:00.95\00:17:03.52
were not responsible
for the sins of Israel
00:17:03.55\00:17:05.82
that had caused them to
be carried away captive,
00:17:05.85\00:17:08.02
and now they're
coming back to their land.
00:17:08.06\00:17:10.09
They were not
responsible for that.
00:17:10.13\00:17:11.59
But the Israelites knew
that the sins of their fathers,
00:17:11.63\00:17:14.40
their grandpas,
00:17:14.43\00:17:15.76
their great grandpas
00:17:15.80\00:17:17.30
had caused this
Babylonian captivity.
00:17:17.33\00:17:21.24
And so in a special way,
00:17:21.27\00:17:22.80
they were
repenting before the Lord.
00:17:22.84\00:17:26.24
They stood and they
confessed their sins,
00:17:26.27\00:17:28.58
and the
iniquities of their fathers.
00:17:28.61\00:17:30.48
Verse 3,
00:17:30.51\00:17:31.85
"And they stood
up in their place
00:17:31.88\00:17:33.21
and read from the Book
00:17:33.25\00:17:34.58
of the Law of the Lord their God
00:17:34.62\00:17:35.95
for one-fourth of the day."
00:17:35.98\00:17:38.49
That's a long time.
How many hours in a day?
00:17:38.52\00:17:40.56
Twenty four.
00:17:40.59\00:17:41.92
Four times six is 24,
00:17:41.96\00:17:43.29
six hours, one
fourth of the day.
00:17:43.32\00:17:46.36
And for another fourth,
00:17:46.39\00:17:47.73
they confessed and
worshiped the Lord their God.
00:17:47.76\00:17:52.00
True repentance
springs from the Word of God.
00:17:52.03\00:17:57.71
I believe their
reading of the Word of God.
00:17:57.74\00:18:01.44
The Holy Spirit used
that to convict their heart
00:18:01.48\00:18:05.15
and to bring
about this repentance
00:18:05.18\00:18:08.08
that we would
discover in Nehemiah Chapter 9.
00:18:08.12\00:18:11.52
The Word of God,
Hebrews 4:12, is what?
00:18:11.55\00:18:14.72
Quick and powerful or living.
00:18:14.76\00:18:17.63
The Word of God is
alive, living and powerful,
00:18:17.66\00:18:20.53
sharper than
any two-edged sword,
00:18:20.56\00:18:23.40
piercing even to
the dividing asunder
00:18:23.43\00:18:26.17
of soul and spirit,
00:18:26.20\00:18:28.24
joints and marrow
00:18:28.27\00:18:29.60
and is a
discerner of the thoughts
00:18:29.64\00:18:31.44
and intents of the heart.
00:18:31.47\00:18:34.04
The Word of God
shows us our heart.
00:18:34.08\00:18:37.91
James 1:25 says,
00:18:37.95\00:18:39.28
"He who looks into
the perfect law of liberty
00:18:39.31\00:18:41.75
and continues in it,
00:18:41.78\00:18:43.12
is not a forgetful
hearer but a doer of the work.
00:18:43.15\00:18:47.32
This one shall be
blessed in what he does."
00:18:47.36\00:18:51.26
I was at a board meeting,
this was several years ago.
00:18:51.29\00:18:55.16
It was a school board meeting.
00:18:55.20\00:18:56.90
And when I used to
teach over at the school,
00:18:56.93\00:18:59.77
I had the privilege of
sitting on the board there
00:18:59.80\00:19:01.70
for several years.
00:19:01.74\00:19:04.04
And I sat through an entire,
it was a two hour meeting,
00:19:04.07\00:19:07.34
and there's many
people around the table.
00:19:07.38\00:19:10.18
We had this whole
discussion and I was talking,
00:19:10.21\00:19:13.35
not a great deal, but
some, smiling at people.
00:19:13.38\00:19:16.89
I went to the restroom
00:19:16.92\00:19:18.29
at the end of the board meeting
00:19:18.32\00:19:19.65
before we were going
home, and I walked in,
00:19:19.69\00:19:23.73
and when I went
to wash my hands,
00:19:23.76\00:19:26.03
I looked in the mirror,
00:19:26.06\00:19:27.40
and I had broccoli
stuck right in my front teeth.
00:19:27.43\00:19:31.13
And I thought you're kidding.
00:19:31.17\00:19:32.93
I spent two hours
00:19:32.97\00:19:34.80
with a whole group of
people talking, smiling,
00:19:34.84\00:19:38.87
and they saw the broccoli,
00:19:38.91\00:19:40.84
and I did not know about it
till I looked in the mirror.
00:19:40.88\00:19:46.18
The Word of God
reveals to you and I,
00:19:46.21\00:19:49.98
the broccoli that's
going on in our heart.
00:19:50.02\00:19:52.12
It reveals those sins
00:19:52.15\00:19:54.76
and even in the
hidden places of our hearts.
00:19:54.79\00:19:58.49
The word of true
repentance acknowledges sin.
00:19:58.53\00:20:01.80
True repentance
springs from the Word of God.
00:20:01.83\00:20:05.07
Number three.
00:20:05.10\00:20:06.43
True repentance
recognizes our need of a Savior.
00:20:06.47\00:20:11.81
We are always in
need of a Savior.
00:20:11.84\00:20:15.38
Nehemiah 9 is not
really as we read it.
00:20:15.41\00:20:18.71
It's not a mirror to
someone else's heart.
00:20:18.75\00:20:22.08
It's a mirror to my own heart.
00:20:22.12\00:20:25.59
God brought Israel out of much.
00:20:25.62\00:20:28.82
And we'll see that as
we read Nehemiah Chapter 9,
00:20:28.86\00:20:31.66
out of slavery.
00:20:31.69\00:20:33.29
As soon as they hit a
trial, what happened to them?
00:20:33.33\00:20:35.63
They murmured and
complained and wished,
00:20:35.66\00:20:38.57
God, please,
00:20:38.60\00:20:39.93
would you let us
go back to Egypt?
00:20:39.97\00:20:42.60
Let us go back to bondage.
00:20:42.64\00:20:44.41
Let us go back to slavery.
00:20:44.44\00:20:47.01
We're not happy in
this desert wilderness
00:20:47.04\00:20:50.68
You brought us to.
00:20:50.71\00:20:52.05
We're not happy
00:20:52.08\00:20:53.55
with the manna
You provided for us.
00:20:53.58\00:20:55.78
We're not happy.
00:20:55.82\00:20:57.72
God, let us go back to Egypt.
00:20:57.75\00:20:59.92
And for many years,
00:20:59.95\00:21:01.59
when I would read
those passages of scripture,
00:21:01.62\00:21:04.03
I would think
what is wrong, God,
00:21:04.06\00:21:05.86
with the Israelites?
00:21:05.89\00:21:07.23
Clearly, if I had
lived in that time,
00:21:07.26\00:21:11.30
I wouldn't have done that.
00:21:11.33\00:21:12.87
I would have
been true and faithful
00:21:12.90\00:21:14.80
and I would have
recognized Your blessings.
00:21:14.84\00:21:16.91
What I have,
00:21:16.94\00:21:18.47
I'm sure I would not have
00:21:18.51\00:21:21.38
because how many times
do I want to follow Jesus
00:21:21.41\00:21:25.55
and I encounter
some sort of trouble,
00:21:25.58\00:21:28.88
some sort of trial,
not maybe not manna,
00:21:28.92\00:21:32.55
or leaving Egypt, but
some modern day trial.
00:21:32.59\00:21:36.36
And what happens?
00:21:36.39\00:21:37.73
I begin to moan.
00:21:37.76\00:21:39.36
And I question why.
00:21:39.39\00:21:41.93
God gave abundant
blessings to His people.
00:21:41.96\00:21:45.93
And yet they became stiff necked
00:21:45.97\00:21:48.00
and they walked away from Him.
00:21:48.04\00:21:50.41
God gave them
over to their enemies.
00:21:50.44\00:21:53.24
Yet when they cried out to Him,
00:21:53.27\00:21:56.51
He heard them and
He delivered them.
00:21:56.54\00:22:00.35
And yet, I'm no different.
00:22:00.38\00:22:02.78
In spite of God's
abundant blessings,
00:22:02.82\00:22:06.25
sometimes I too turn my back
00:22:06.29\00:22:09.32
and choose to
walk away from God.
00:22:09.36\00:22:13.03
You know, Paul,
00:22:13.06\00:22:14.90
this is written,
this is 1 Timothy.
00:22:14.93\00:22:18.20
At the end of his life,
of course, prison epistles,
00:22:18.23\00:22:20.94
1 and 2 Timothy,
00:22:20.97\00:22:22.30
he's writing to his
son in the faith, Timothy,
00:22:22.34\00:22:25.44
right at the end of his life.
00:22:25.47\00:22:27.34
He's walked with
Jesus his Messiah for years.
00:22:27.38\00:22:33.38
1 Timothy 1:15, Paul writes,
00:22:33.42\00:22:36.15
"Christ came into
the world to save sinners
00:22:36.18\00:22:38.99
of whom I am chief."
00:22:39.02\00:22:41.32
Now if I were writing it,
00:22:41.36\00:22:42.69
I might have written
00:22:42.72\00:22:44.06
of whom I used
to be chief, right?
00:22:44.09\00:22:46.23
Years ago, he killed people.
00:22:46.26\00:22:48.00
He was a murderer.
00:22:48.03\00:22:49.36
Years ago, he oppressed
00:22:49.40\00:22:51.07
the early Christians years ago,
00:22:51.10\00:22:53.70
but yet he had been converted.
00:22:53.74\00:22:55.74
He had been changed.
00:22:55.77\00:22:57.51
He had met Jesus
00:22:57.54\00:22:59.14
on the Damascus Road experience.
00:22:59.17\00:23:01.71
He had given his life
00:23:01.74\00:23:03.68
to the
proclamation of the gospel,
00:23:03.71\00:23:06.51
and yet at the end of
his life, what does he say?
00:23:06.55\00:23:10.49
Not Christ came into
the world to save sinners
00:23:10.52\00:23:13.36
of whom I used to be chief.
00:23:13.39\00:23:15.59
He says, of whom I am chief.
00:23:15.62\00:23:19.83
You see, we are
always in need of a Savior.
00:23:19.86\00:23:24.83
The closer you and I
come to the Lord Jesus,
00:23:24.87\00:23:28.44
the more clearly we discern
the beauty of His character,
00:23:28.47\00:23:33.74
the more we will feel,
wow, I have a lot of sin.
00:23:33.78\00:23:39.31
My righteousness is nothing.
00:23:39.35\00:23:41.28
God, would You change my heart
00:23:41.32\00:23:43.52
the more we will
realize our need of a Savior.
00:23:43.55\00:23:47.89
Number four.
00:23:47.92\00:23:49.26
True repentance is activated
by the goodness of God.
00:23:49.29\00:23:55.33
Our God is rich in mercy.
00:23:55.36\00:23:59.50
Now's when we really
jump into Nehemiah 9.
00:23:59.53\00:24:02.50
This is the prayer.
00:24:02.54\00:24:03.87
We already talked about,
00:24:03.91\00:24:05.24
they separated
themselves from the foreigners.
00:24:05.27\00:24:07.58
They were repenting
with confession of sin
00:24:07.61\00:24:10.75
in sackcloth and ashes.
00:24:10.78\00:24:12.81
They read the Word of
God for hours during the day.
00:24:12.85\00:24:18.79
Now we see this
amazing prayer break forth.
00:24:18.82\00:24:23.43
So let's pick it
up. We're in Nehemiah 9.
00:24:23.46\00:24:26.26
The first section of the
prayer deals with praise,
00:24:26.29\00:24:29.13
and let's see what
they praise God for.
00:24:29.16\00:24:31.57
Let's pick it up in verse 6.
00:24:31.60\00:24:35.20
"You alone are the
Lord, You have made heavens,
00:24:35.24\00:24:40.08
the heaven of heavens,
with all of their host,
00:24:40.11\00:24:42.44
the earth and everything on it,
00:24:42.48\00:24:44.78
the seas and all
that is in them."
00:24:44.81\00:24:47.52
What are they saying?
00:24:47.55\00:24:48.88
God, You are our creator.
00:24:48.92\00:24:52.85
You see, we're not
here because of a big bang.
00:24:52.89\00:24:54.29
We're not here
00:24:54.32\00:24:55.66
because of some
evolutionary theory.
00:24:55.69\00:24:58.46
We're not here by random chance.
00:24:58.49\00:25:01.16
You and I are here by design,
00:25:01.20\00:25:03.30
because we have a
God that loves us.
00:25:03.33\00:25:06.20
And that made us,
00:25:06.23\00:25:08.44
created the
world, created you and I,
00:25:08.47\00:25:11.74
and we have a
God that redeems us.
00:25:11.77\00:25:13.48
But this passage,
00:25:13.51\00:25:14.84
they begin this
beautiful prayer with God,
00:25:14.88\00:25:18.41
You are our creator.
00:25:18.45\00:25:22.05
Second, verse 7,
00:25:22.08\00:25:25.09
"And you preserve them all.
00:25:25.12\00:25:28.02
The host of heaven..."
00:25:28.06\00:25:29.39
We're still in 6, I'm sorry,
00:25:29.42\00:25:30.86
the end of verse 6,
00:25:30.89\00:25:32.33
"You preserve them all.
00:25:32.36\00:25:33.70
The host of
heaven worships you."
00:25:33.73\00:25:35.53
Not only is God our creator,
00:25:35.56\00:25:38.47
some people believe
that He created this world,
00:25:38.50\00:25:41.40
and He let it spin
out there in the galaxies.
00:25:41.44\00:25:45.64
And you and I
are just on our own.
00:25:45.67\00:25:48.61
But that's not what
the Word of God teaches.
00:25:48.64\00:25:50.61
He is our creator.
00:25:50.65\00:25:52.61
He is our preserver.
00:25:52.65\00:25:55.25
He's the one who
keeps the world going,
00:25:55.28\00:25:57.39
and spinning, and life and air
00:25:57.42\00:26:00.19
and everything we have,
00:26:00.22\00:26:02.72
everything we are,
God is our preserver.
00:26:02.76\00:26:06.56
Now we're in verse 7,
00:26:06.59\00:26:08.10
"You are the Lord
God, Who chose Abram,
00:26:08.13\00:26:11.47
and brought him out
of Ur of the Chaldeans."
00:26:11.50\00:26:13.70
So now they're
beginning to share
00:26:13.74\00:26:15.80
a bit of the history
of the children of Israel,
00:26:15.84\00:26:18.97
of course,
beginning with Abraham.
00:26:19.01\00:26:21.61
"And gave him the name Abraham,
00:26:21.64\00:26:24.05
You found his heart
faithful before You,
00:26:24.08\00:26:27.72
and made a covenant with him."
00:26:27.75\00:26:29.82
God is our covenant keeper.
00:26:29.85\00:26:32.95
He made that covenant
with the children of Israel.
00:26:32.99\00:26:35.56
And as we go
00:26:35.59\00:26:36.93
throughout this
chapter of Nehemiah 9,
00:26:36.96\00:26:39.19
we will see that he
kept his end of the bargain.
00:26:39.23\00:26:43.23
And he even kept
his end of the covenant
00:26:43.26\00:26:45.93
when the people broke
theirs, He kept his end.
00:26:45.97\00:26:51.24
God is our covenant keeper.
00:26:51.27\00:26:54.04
And there's a
whole bunch of names
00:26:54.08\00:26:55.41
we won't read,
00:26:55.44\00:26:56.78
but the land was
given to the descendants.
00:26:56.81\00:26:58.85
"You have performed your
words, for you are righteous."
00:26:58.88\00:27:04.22
God is our covenant keeper.
00:27:04.25\00:27:06.49
He keeps His promise.
00:27:06.52\00:27:08.99
Have you ever met someone
who did not keep their promise?
00:27:09.02\00:27:12.96
It makes you
00:27:12.99\00:27:14.33
not want to trust
them in the future.
00:27:14.36\00:27:15.93
Would that be true?
00:27:15.96\00:27:17.30
Maybe you talked with
someone and shared something,
00:27:17.33\00:27:20.34
and maybe all of a sudden,
they didn't keep their end.
00:27:20.37\00:27:23.81
You were supposed to
meet them for dinner,
00:27:23.84\00:27:25.27
and they never showed up,
00:27:25.31\00:27:26.64
and they never
called and apologized.
00:27:26.68\00:27:28.24
Maybe they said, "Oh,
yes, I'll never tell anybody."
00:27:28.28\00:27:31.08
And then they
told the whole world.
00:27:31.11\00:27:32.55
Whatever it is,
00:27:32.58\00:27:34.12
if a person somehow
breaks their promise to you,
00:27:34.15\00:27:37.69
what happens?
00:27:37.72\00:27:39.05
You begin to lose
trust in that person.
00:27:39.09\00:27:43.06
But God is not like that.
00:27:43.09\00:27:44.49
He always follows through.
00:27:44.53\00:27:47.63
He never goes back on a
promise that He has made.
00:27:47.66\00:27:53.17
Now let's go through quickly,
00:27:53.20\00:27:54.60
we're going to go
through verses 9 through 25.
00:27:54.64\00:27:57.21
Not reading them all in depth.
00:27:57.24\00:27:59.47
But this is history
of the children of Israel
00:27:59.51\00:28:03.58
and God's workings.
00:28:03.61\00:28:05.45
And what I want to see
is pick out those words
00:28:05.48\00:28:08.75
that describe God
00:28:08.78\00:28:10.12
and what He was to
the children of Israel,
00:28:10.15\00:28:13.25
and what He is
to you and I today.
00:28:13.29\00:28:16.42
Verse 9, "You saw the affliction
00:28:16.46\00:28:17.99
of our fathers in Egypt,
00:28:18.03\00:28:19.49
and heard their
cry by the Red Sea.
00:28:19.53\00:28:22.86
You showed signs and
wonders against Pharaoh
00:28:22.90\00:28:25.30
and the servants and the people.
00:28:25.33\00:28:26.97
For You knew they
acted proudly against him.
00:28:27.00\00:28:30.64
So You made a name for Yourself,
00:28:30.67\00:28:32.11
as it is this day.
00:28:32.14\00:28:33.51
You divided the
sea before them."
00:28:33.54\00:28:35.88
So God is our...
00:28:35.91\00:28:37.51
We already said
He's our creator.
00:28:37.55\00:28:39.05
He's our preserver.
He's our covenant keeper.
00:28:39.08\00:28:41.45
God is our deliverer.
00:28:41.48\00:28:43.99
Did you catch that?
00:28:44.02\00:28:45.35
They were in bondage in Egypt,
00:28:45.39\00:28:48.06
and God heard their affliction.
00:28:48.09\00:28:52.36
He saw them and
He heard their cry,
00:28:52.39\00:28:56.20
saw their affliction.
00:28:56.23\00:28:58.17
And He delivered
them out of Egypt.
00:28:58.20\00:29:00.24
And then He divided the Red Sea,
00:29:00.27\00:29:02.20
so that they could
cross on dry ground.
00:29:02.24\00:29:04.81
The persecutors,
00:29:04.84\00:29:06.17
they were just
thrown into the deep.
00:29:06.21\00:29:08.51
"Moreover," verse 12,
00:29:08.54\00:29:09.88
"You lead them by
day with a cloudy pillar,
00:29:09.91\00:29:12.41
and by night with
a pillar of fire."
00:29:12.45\00:29:14.48
God is our guide.
00:29:14.52\00:29:17.02
He leads and guides us.
00:29:17.05\00:29:19.15
Verse 13,
00:29:19.19\00:29:20.52
"You came down
also on Mount Sinai,
00:29:20.56\00:29:22.89
and spoke with them from heaven,
00:29:22.92\00:29:24.33
and gave them just
ordinances and true laws.
00:29:24.36\00:29:27.70
God is our law giver.
00:29:27.73\00:29:31.33
"You made known to
them Your holy Sabbath,
00:29:31.37\00:29:34.40
and commanded them precepts,
00:29:34.44\00:29:35.90
statutes and laws
00:29:35.94\00:29:37.27
by the hand of
Moses, your servant.
00:29:37.31\00:29:39.14
You gave them bread
from heaven for their hunger,
00:29:39.17\00:29:42.91
and brought them water
00:29:42.94\00:29:44.28
out of the rock
for their thirst."
00:29:44.31\00:29:45.71
God is our provider.
00:29:45.75\00:29:48.18
Do you need provision?
00:29:48.22\00:29:49.58
Are you in a
place where you say,
00:29:49.62\00:29:51.35
"God, I don't know
what I'm going to eat.
00:29:51.39\00:29:53.86
I don't know
what my next meal is.
00:29:53.89\00:29:55.52
I don't know how I
can provide for my family.
00:29:55.56\00:29:57.86
God, I need you."
00:29:57.89\00:29:59.49
God is your provider.
00:29:59.53\00:30:03.37
Verse 16, "But they,"
00:30:03.40\00:30:06.60
this is still
recounting the history,
00:30:06.63\00:30:08.24
this is back just
coming out of the Egypt.
00:30:08.27\00:30:11.57
They're in the wilderness.
00:30:11.61\00:30:12.94
"They and our
fathers acted proudly,
00:30:12.97\00:30:15.64
hardened their necks
00:30:15.68\00:30:17.88
and did not heed
Your commandments.
00:30:17.91\00:30:20.95
They refused to obey.
00:30:20.98\00:30:23.85
They were not
mindful of Your wonders
00:30:23.89\00:30:25.79
that You did among them.
00:30:25.82\00:30:27.16
They hardened their
necks in their rebellion.
00:30:27.19\00:30:28.96
They appointed a leader
to return to their bondage."
00:30:28.99\00:30:30.83
Now, of course,
00:30:30.86\00:30:32.19
this is the
golden calf experience,
00:30:32.23\00:30:33.56
which it
explains in just a moment,
00:30:33.60\00:30:35.50
where they appointed
Aaron, Moses is up on the mount.
00:30:35.53\00:30:38.10
They said, "Truly,
Moses has forgotten us.
00:30:38.13\00:30:41.10
God has forgotten us.
00:30:41.14\00:30:42.90
And so we're going to
have Aaron make him our leader,
00:30:42.94\00:30:46.47
and the golden calf experience
00:30:46.51\00:30:48.24
and we want to
go back to Egypt."
00:30:48.28\00:30:50.81
But You are God.
00:30:50.85\00:30:52.41
I love that word but.
00:30:52.45\00:30:53.88
What does but mean?
00:30:53.92\00:30:55.25
It means that there
was something before
00:30:55.28\00:30:56.79
and now something what?
00:30:56.82\00:30:58.82
Opposite is going to take place.
00:30:58.85\00:31:04.33
They stiffened their
necks, they were hardhearted,
00:31:04.36\00:31:07.63
they rebelled against God,
00:31:07.66\00:31:09.53
but You are
God, ready to pardon,
00:31:09.56\00:31:14.67
gracious and
merciful, slow to anger,
00:31:14.70\00:31:18.27
abundant in kindness
and did not forsake them.
00:31:18.31\00:31:22.74
God is our
forgiver, God is our restorer.
00:31:22.78\00:31:27.65
God is our Savior.
00:31:27.68\00:31:30.45
Verse 18
00:31:30.49\00:31:31.82
talks about the
golden calf they made.
00:31:31.85\00:31:33.19
Verse 19, "Yet in
Your manifold mercies
00:31:33.22\00:31:36.52
You did not forsake
them in the wilderness.
00:31:36.56\00:31:39.53
The pillar of the cloud
00:31:39.56\00:31:40.90
did not depart from them by day,
00:31:40.93\00:31:42.26
to lead them on the road,
00:31:42.30\00:31:43.70
nor the pillar of fire by night,
00:31:43.73\00:31:45.33
to show them the light,
and the way they should go."
00:31:45.37\00:31:47.70
Again,
reiterating, God is our guide.
00:31:47.74\00:31:52.61
Verse 20, "You
also gave Your Spirit
00:31:52.64\00:31:54.51
to instruct them,
00:31:54.54\00:31:55.88
did not withhold
manna from their mouth,
00:31:55.91\00:31:58.11
and gave them water.
00:31:58.15\00:31:59.48
For 40 years You sustained
them in the wilderness."
00:31:59.51\00:32:02.72
God is our sustainer.
00:32:02.75\00:32:06.39
They lacked nothing.
00:32:06.42\00:32:08.16
Their clothes did not wear
out, their feet did not swell.
00:32:08.19\00:32:12.53
And then it goes on
about God dividing the kingdoms
00:32:12.56\00:32:15.03
and the nations
00:32:15.06\00:32:16.40
and then taking possession
of the land of Canaan.
00:32:16.43\00:32:19.03
This is after the
40 years of wandering,
00:32:19.07\00:32:20.84
when they actually made
it to the Promised Land.
00:32:20.87\00:32:23.54
Verse 23,
00:32:23.57\00:32:24.91
"God multiplied their children
as the stars of heaven."
00:32:24.94\00:32:27.38
Remember the promise
that God had given Abraham,
00:32:27.41\00:32:31.71
way back in the
beginning in Genesis and said,
00:32:31.75\00:32:34.75
"Look up at the
heavens and see the stars
00:32:34.78\00:32:36.99
and your
descendants are going to be
00:32:37.02\00:32:40.76
as vast as that."
00:32:40.79\00:32:42.26
And God is our promise keeper.
00:32:42.29\00:32:46.03
He kept His word
and His covenant.
00:32:46.06\00:32:49.56
"So the people," verse 24,
00:32:49.60\00:32:50.93
"went in and possessed the land
00:32:50.97\00:32:52.37
and You subdued."
00:32:52.40\00:32:53.74
God subdued it before them.
00:32:53.77\00:32:55.60
God is our defender.
00:32:55.64\00:33:00.21
Verse 25, "They
took strong cities
00:33:00.24\00:33:02.34
and a rich land
and possessed houses
00:33:02.38\00:33:04.68
full of good
cisterns, dug vineyards,
00:33:04.71\00:33:07.08
olive groves,
trees in abundance."
00:33:07.12\00:33:09.68
God is our benefactor.
00:33:09.72\00:33:13.12
"So they ate and
were filled and grew fat,
00:33:13.15\00:33:19.46
and delighted themselves
in Your great goodness."
00:33:19.49\00:33:21.83
What we see here
00:33:21.86\00:33:23.20
is when they began
to take for granted,
00:33:23.23\00:33:26.84
the goodness of God,
00:33:26.87\00:33:28.94
the grace of God,
the deliverance of God,
00:33:28.97\00:33:33.21
the provision of God,
the sustenance of God,
00:33:33.24\00:33:37.55
when they began
to take for granted
00:33:37.58\00:33:40.45
the things that He
had done in their lives,
00:33:40.48\00:33:44.72
we see
disobedience begin to crop up.
00:33:44.75\00:33:49.42
Now of the entire chapter,
00:33:49.46\00:33:50.93
this next section
is my favorite part.
00:33:50.96\00:33:54.63
This is what I term
restorative redemption.
00:33:54.66\00:33:59.73
What we're going to look at here
00:33:59.77\00:34:01.10
is a picture of sin,
00:34:01.14\00:34:04.11
but a picture of
grace, mercy, and restoration.
00:34:04.14\00:34:11.05
So there's five parts here,
and it happens three times.
00:34:11.08\00:34:15.28
Hopefully, this
does not confuse you.
00:34:15.32\00:34:17.12
But there's a five step cycle
00:34:17.15\00:34:19.79
that takes place with
the children of Israel.
00:34:19.82\00:34:22.32
And I think
often it can take place
00:34:22.36\00:34:25.26
in my life, in our lives today.
00:34:25.29\00:34:27.86
So the first
step is disobedience.
00:34:27.90\00:34:30.00
We'll put it over here.
00:34:30.03\00:34:31.37
Disobedience is the first step.
00:34:31.40\00:34:33.40
The next one, judgment.
00:34:33.44\00:34:35.64
Now there might be a long
time from the disobedience
00:34:35.67\00:34:37.97
to the judgment,
00:34:38.01\00:34:39.34
but we will, as we will
see, God brought judgment.
00:34:39.37\00:34:42.44
This is a corrective judgment,
00:34:42.48\00:34:45.78
to bring about step
three which is repentance.
00:34:45.81\00:34:49.05
So they started,
they were disobedient,
00:34:49.08\00:34:51.89
then, God brought judgment.
00:34:51.92\00:34:55.56
They repented.
00:34:55.59\00:34:59.26
God extended mercy.
00:34:59.29\00:35:02.60
And then finally He
brought deliverance.
00:35:02.63\00:35:05.73
Now did you get that five steps?
00:35:05.77\00:35:07.27
We start over here,
we have disobedience,
00:35:07.30\00:35:10.01
then we have judgment
from God, we have repentance,
00:35:10.04\00:35:14.14
which truly is a
gift from God too.
00:35:14.18\00:35:16.78
We have God extending
mercy to His disobedient people.
00:35:16.81\00:35:21.98
And we have the
deliverance that God brought.
00:35:22.02\00:35:25.99
So let's take a look at
that that happens three times.
00:35:26.02\00:35:28.69
The first time is in verse 26.
00:35:28.72\00:35:30.63
Nevertheless,
00:35:30.66\00:35:31.99
remember that just
said they had sat down
00:35:32.03\00:35:33.40
and gotten fat
00:35:33.43\00:35:34.76
because they had
delighted themselves
00:35:34.80\00:35:36.73
in God's goodness.
00:35:36.77\00:35:38.10
They had maybe become
spiritually complacent.
00:35:38.13\00:35:44.27
So we're here at number
one, we see the disobedience.
00:35:44.31\00:35:46.74
Verse 26,
00:35:46.78\00:35:48.11
"Nevertheless
they were disobedient
00:35:48.14\00:35:51.55
and rebelled against You,
00:35:51.58\00:35:54.52
cast Your law behind their backs
00:35:54.55\00:35:57.55
and killed Your prophets,
00:35:57.59\00:35:59.99
who testified against
them to turn them to Yourself,
00:36:00.02\00:36:03.09
and they worked
great provocations."
00:36:03.12\00:36:07.06
Did you catch that?
00:36:07.10\00:36:08.43
The disobedience.
00:36:08.46\00:36:10.77
They were disobedient.
00:36:10.80\00:36:12.13
They rebelled against God.
00:36:12.17\00:36:13.60
They cast His law
behind their backs,
00:36:13.64\00:36:15.20
meaning they said,
00:36:15.24\00:36:16.57
God, we won't
listen to what You tell us.
00:36:16.60\00:36:19.11
We don't want to walk in
the way You want us to walk.
00:36:19.14\00:36:23.68
And not only that,
00:36:23.71\00:36:25.05
they killed the
prophets that God sent to them,
00:36:25.08\00:36:29.22
to warn them of their sin.
00:36:29.25\00:36:31.49
So we're talking
years of disobedience,
00:36:31.52\00:36:35.09
years of turning
their back against God.
00:36:35.12\00:36:38.66
And here comes the
judgment of verse 27.
00:36:38.69\00:36:41.86
"Therefore You, that's God,
00:36:41.90\00:36:44.47
delivered them into
the hand of their enemies,
00:36:44.50\00:36:47.64
who oppressed them."
00:36:47.67\00:36:51.37
I always like to say,
00:36:51.41\00:36:52.81
God uses the gentlest
00:36:52.84\00:36:55.11
means possible to
get our attention.
00:36:55.14\00:36:59.71
What does that mean?
00:36:59.75\00:37:01.08
He is rich in mercy and love.
00:37:01.12\00:37:03.45
And if all it takes
is a tap on the shoulder,
00:37:03.49\00:37:05.79
okay, Jill, turn this
way just a little bit.
00:37:05.82\00:37:08.76
You're starting to
walk into something
00:37:08.79\00:37:10.39
I don't want you to walk in.
00:37:10.43\00:37:12.39
If I turn and say,
00:37:12.43\00:37:13.76
"Yes, God, I want to follow You.
00:37:13.80\00:37:15.23
Guess what happens?
00:37:15.26\00:37:16.60
That's the only judgment
or correction necessary.
00:37:16.63\00:37:19.27
But if I turn my back
00:37:19.30\00:37:20.97
like the children of Israel did,
00:37:21.00\00:37:23.24
and they rebelled for years,
00:37:23.27\00:37:25.61
and they cast His
law aside for years,
00:37:25.64\00:37:29.74
and they killed the prophets,
00:37:29.78\00:37:31.11
who had been sent to
them, to warn them of danger,
00:37:31.15\00:37:36.62
to warn them
00:37:36.65\00:37:37.99
that they had turned
their back against God.
00:37:38.02\00:37:40.36
Then God brought
a stronger judgment.
00:37:40.39\00:37:43.22
And He delivered them
into the hand of their enemies
00:37:43.26\00:37:45.49
who oppressed them.
00:37:45.53\00:37:47.03
Now we see repentance,
this is number three,
00:37:47.06\00:37:49.83
repentance spring forth.
00:37:49.86\00:37:52.43
"And in a time of their
trouble when they cry to you."
00:37:52.47\00:37:56.60
So they cried out to God,
00:37:56.64\00:37:58.14
they're in
distress, they're in trouble.
00:37:58.17\00:38:00.18
God, please, where
are You, God, help us.
00:38:00.21\00:38:03.14
God save us.
00:38:03.18\00:38:04.98
Here's where we see mercy.
00:38:05.01\00:38:07.68
"You heard from heaven,
00:38:07.72\00:38:10.25
and according to
your abundant mercies,
00:38:10.29\00:38:13.86
You gave them deliverers
00:38:13.89\00:38:15.72
who saved them from
the hand of their enemies."
00:38:15.76\00:38:18.86
So you see, they
were disobedient.
00:38:18.89\00:38:20.43
They cast God's law aside.
00:38:20.46\00:38:23.30
They did their own
thing. They killed the prophets.
00:38:23.33\00:38:25.57
God sent judgment
for them against them.
00:38:25.60\00:38:30.01
This was a corrective judgment
to lead them to repentance
00:38:30.04\00:38:33.14
and it did,
00:38:33.17\00:38:34.51
because they cried out to God,
00:38:34.54\00:38:36.71
and He heard from heaven,
and according to His mercies,
00:38:36.75\00:38:40.98
there we see that word mercy.
00:38:41.02\00:38:42.65
Hang on to that word,
we're going to come back to it.
00:38:42.68\00:38:44.52
According to the
mercies, He delivered them.
00:38:44.55\00:38:48.62
Now we're in verse 26.
00:38:48.66\00:38:50.13
We go all the way
back to disobedience again.
00:38:50.16\00:38:54.16
"But after they had rest,
00:38:54.20\00:38:57.27
they again did evil before You."
00:38:57.30\00:39:01.94
Do you catch that?
00:39:01.97\00:39:03.30
God had just delivered them.
00:39:03.34\00:39:04.67
Do you hear that?
00:39:04.71\00:39:06.04
According to His
abundant mercies,
00:39:06.07\00:39:07.64
He had compassion on them
00:39:07.68\00:39:09.04
and He sent them deliverers
00:39:09.08\00:39:10.68
who brought them
out from the oppression
00:39:10.71\00:39:13.25
and the bondage and
what they had gone through.
00:39:13.28\00:39:15.95
But after they had rest,
00:39:15.98\00:39:18.25
after they sat down
00:39:18.29\00:39:20.46
and became
complacent again, what happened?
00:39:20.49\00:39:23.26
They again did evil before God.
00:39:23.29\00:39:26.66
What step number two
after disobedience is judgment?
00:39:26.70\00:39:29.66
"Therefore you left them
in the hand of their enemies,
00:39:29.70\00:39:33.47
so that they had
dominion over them."
00:39:33.50\00:39:36.50
Now we see repentance.
00:39:36.54\00:39:39.87
"Yet when they returned,
00:39:39.91\00:39:43.28
repentance and cry to You,
00:39:43.31\00:39:47.05
You heard from heaven."
00:39:47.08\00:39:49.62
Here is mercy and deliverance.
00:39:49.65\00:39:51.92
And many times, many times,
00:39:51.95\00:39:54.76
You delivered them
according to Your mercies.
00:39:54.79\00:40:00.10
Not once, not
twice, not three times,
00:40:00.13\00:40:04.17
but many times
they were delivered
00:40:04.20\00:40:07.60
according to His mercies.
00:40:07.64\00:40:10.27
Hang on to that word mercies.
00:40:10.31\00:40:11.71
We're going to come
back to it in a moment.
00:40:11.74\00:40:16.08
Yet, couple lines into verse 29.
00:40:16.11\00:40:21.95
We go all the way back
here to disobedience again.
00:40:21.98\00:40:25.92
"Yet they acted proudly,
00:40:25.95\00:40:28.92
and did not heed
Your commandments,
00:40:28.96\00:40:32.33
but sinned
against Your judgments,
00:40:32.36\00:40:35.56
'Which if a man does,
00:40:35.60\00:40:36.93
he shall live by them.'
00:40:36.97\00:40:38.30
And they
shrugged their shoulders
00:40:38.33\00:40:39.97
and stiffened their
necks, and would not hear."
00:40:40.00\00:40:46.17
Did you catch that?
00:40:46.21\00:40:47.91
They were disobedient.
00:40:47.94\00:40:49.38
For years
00:40:49.41\00:40:50.75
the prophets had
appealed to them.
00:40:50.78\00:40:53.38
God brought judgment.
00:40:53.42\00:40:55.28
They reacted with repentance.
00:40:55.32\00:40:58.05
God showed mercy
and delivered them
00:40:58.09\00:41:00.19
and yet after some time of rest,
00:41:00.22\00:41:01.89
they went right
back and did it again.
00:41:01.92\00:41:04.33
God brought judgment again.
00:41:04.36\00:41:06.83
There was repentance,
00:41:06.86\00:41:08.96
and God
delivered them many times,
00:41:09.00\00:41:11.83
according to His
abundant mercies.
00:41:11.87\00:41:15.00
And yet the third time
that it talks about here,
00:41:15.04\00:41:19.57
they shrugged their shoulders
and stiffened their necks
00:41:19.61\00:41:21.74
and would not hear.
00:41:21.78\00:41:23.11
Verse 30.
00:41:23.14\00:41:24.58
"Yet for many years,
00:41:24.61\00:41:27.85
You had patience with them,
00:41:27.88\00:41:30.29
and testified against them
00:41:30.32\00:41:32.15
by Your Spirit in Your prophets,
00:41:32.19\00:41:35.42
yet they would not listen."
00:41:35.46\00:41:39.39
That's heavy to me.
00:41:42.96\00:41:45.80
Yet they would not listen.
00:41:45.83\00:41:50.84
For years, God had patience.
00:41:50.87\00:41:52.97
For years, He
called to their hearts.
00:41:53.01\00:41:55.31
For years He said,
00:41:55.34\00:41:57.31
"Come, I want to redeem you.
00:41:57.35\00:41:59.85
I want to restore
00:41:59.88\00:42:02.18
your broken
relationship with Me.
00:42:02.22\00:42:05.39
Bring you back into
unity and right relationship."
00:42:05.42\00:42:10.29
Yet they would not listen.
00:42:10.33\00:42:14.43
"Therefore,"
here's the judgment,
00:42:14.46\00:42:16.13
"You gave them into the hand
of the peoples of the lands,
00:42:16.16\00:42:19.53
nevertheless in
Your great mercy."
00:42:19.57\00:42:22.17
Now, did you catch that?
00:42:22.20\00:42:23.54
There's no
repentance mentioned there.
00:42:23.57\00:42:25.14
All the other times
there's the same concept.
00:42:25.17\00:42:28.28
We have disobedience,
judgment from God, repentance,
00:42:28.31\00:42:34.45
deliverance, and
because of God's mercies,
00:42:34.48\00:42:37.09
but in this case,
00:42:37.12\00:42:39.09
there's no
mention of repentance,
00:42:39.12\00:42:41.76
this judgment, this third time,
00:42:41.79\00:42:43.59
the judgment that God brought
00:42:43.63\00:42:45.29
against the children of Israel
was the Babylonian captivity.
00:42:45.33\00:42:49.06
That's the 70 years
of captivity in Babylon.
00:42:49.10\00:42:53.60
That's where it says,
00:42:53.64\00:42:54.97
You gave them
00:42:55.00\00:42:56.34
into the hand of the
peoples of the lands.
00:42:56.37\00:42:58.11
31, "Nevertheless,
in Your great mercy,
00:42:58.14\00:43:00.44
You did not
utterly consume them,
00:43:00.48\00:43:03.24
nor forsake them,
00:43:03.28\00:43:04.75
for You are God,
00:43:04.78\00:43:06.68
gracious and merciful."
00:43:06.72\00:43:08.52
And we see the repentance
comes in just a moment.
00:43:08.55\00:43:11.82
And they asked
forgiveness corporately
00:43:11.85\00:43:15.59
for the sins of
Israel that caused them
00:43:15.62\00:43:18.16
to be carried away
captive into Babylon.
00:43:18.19\00:43:21.26
That word mercy.
00:43:21.30\00:43:22.63
It occurs so many
times in this chapter.
00:43:22.66\00:43:25.03
According to the mercies of God,
00:43:25.07\00:43:26.80
He brought deliverance,
00:43:26.84\00:43:28.34
according to His mercies.
00:43:28.37\00:43:30.04
That word mercy
means compassion,
00:43:30.07\00:43:32.47
tender love, by
extension, the womb.
00:43:32.51\00:43:37.55
So it's literally
the love the compassion
00:43:37.58\00:43:41.92
that a mamma would
have for her child.
00:43:41.95\00:43:45.79
It reminds me of Isaiah 49.
00:43:45.82\00:43:47.39
And the fact
that same Hebrew word
00:43:47.42\00:43:49.02
is used here too.
00:43:49.06\00:43:50.39
Isaiah 49:14 and 15,
00:43:50.43\00:43:52.36
"Zion said, 'The
Lord has forsaken me,
00:43:52.39\00:43:54.33
and my God has forgotten me."
00:43:54.36\00:43:56.90
And then he reminds his people.
00:43:56.93\00:43:59.37
"Can a woman
forget her nursing child
00:43:59.40\00:44:01.87
and not have compassion, "
00:44:01.90\00:44:03.97
There's that word mercies,
"on the son of her womb?
00:44:04.01\00:44:07.68
Surely they might forget.
00:44:07.71\00:44:09.64
Yet I will not forget you.
00:44:09.68\00:44:12.58
See, I have inscribed
you on the palms of My hands.
00:44:12.61\00:44:16.18
Your walls are
continually before me."
00:44:16.22\00:44:19.15
So we see here if we
jump down in Nehemiah 9:33.
00:44:19.19\00:44:23.86
It says, "You are just"
00:44:23.89\00:44:25.26
meaning God is just and
all that has befallen us,
00:44:25.29\00:44:28.50
"for You have dealt faithfully,
00:44:28.53\00:44:31.20
but we have done wickedly."
00:44:31.23\00:44:34.97
There we see that
repentance taking place.
00:44:35.00\00:44:39.47
True repentance is activated
by the goodness of God.
00:44:39.51\00:44:43.18
Our God is our
creator, and our preserver,
00:44:43.21\00:44:46.48
and our covenant keeper.
00:44:46.51\00:44:48.55
He is our
deliverer and law giver,
00:44:48.58\00:44:51.15
provider for givers,
sustainers, Savior God.
00:44:51.19\00:44:55.66
He is our promise keeper
and defender, benefactor,
00:44:55.69\00:44:59.76
judge and deliverer.
00:44:59.79\00:45:01.66
He is our covenant keeper.
00:45:01.70\00:45:04.90
God demonstrated
Romans 5, I love this passage.
00:45:04.93\00:45:08.14
God demonstrated
His own love toward us
00:45:08.17\00:45:10.54
and that while we were yet,
00:45:10.57\00:45:13.48
even now, still stuck in the sin
00:45:13.51\00:45:17.25
and the mire of my own junk,
00:45:17.28\00:45:20.32
He gave His Son
Jesus to die for me,
00:45:20.35\00:45:23.32
so that I could be restored
00:45:23.35\00:45:27.72
to rightful
relationship with Him.
00:45:27.76\00:45:30.76
You ever noticed
that love begets love
00:45:30.79\00:45:33.96
if you love someone natural.
00:45:34.00\00:45:35.93
Not all the time,
00:45:35.96\00:45:37.30
but they would
love you in return.
00:45:37.33\00:45:38.83
You ever noticed that?
00:45:38.87\00:45:40.20
Mercy begets
repentance or sorrow for sin,
00:45:40.24\00:45:44.11
that compassion
brings compassion,
00:45:44.14\00:45:47.04
forgiveness brings forgiveness,
but on the flip side, anger,
00:45:47.08\00:45:52.61
it can bring hatred.
00:45:52.65\00:45:54.02
Selfishness
brings out selfishness.
00:45:54.05\00:45:57.55
Arrogance breeds arrogance.
00:45:57.59\00:45:59.99
Unforgiveness and
bitterness brings unforgiveness
00:46:00.02\00:46:03.59
and bitterness back.
00:46:03.63\00:46:05.29
Selfishness brings selfishness.
00:46:05.33\00:46:08.53
Ecclesiastes 11.
00:46:08.56\00:46:09.90
You know that
verse, Ecclesiastes 11:1,
00:46:09.93\00:46:12.27
"Cast your bread upon the water,
00:46:12.30\00:46:13.67
and you'll find
it after many days."
00:46:13.70\00:46:15.80
Now we always refer to
that as the Word of God.
00:46:15.84\00:46:18.61
When we cast
the Word of God out,
00:46:18.64\00:46:20.28
what happens?
00:46:20.31\00:46:21.64
People come to find Jesus
and a knowledge of His Word.
00:46:21.68\00:46:24.78
And that is definitely true.
00:46:24.81\00:46:26.65
But I think what we
cast out as in my attitude,
00:46:26.68\00:46:31.29
my heart, my behavior
00:46:31.32\00:46:35.36
that will come back many fold
00:46:35.39\00:46:38.59
to either bite me or bless me.
00:46:38.63\00:46:42.33
Jesus said, "Give
00:46:42.36\00:46:43.70
and it shall be
given to you good measure,
00:46:43.73\00:46:45.07
pressed together,
00:46:45.10\00:46:46.43
shaken together
and running over."
00:46:46.47\00:46:49.17
Now, we think of
that in terms of finances,
00:46:49.20\00:46:51.07
and that's probably true.
00:46:51.11\00:46:52.67
But what if it
were in terms of the way
00:46:52.71\00:46:54.61
I treated other people?
00:46:54.64\00:46:56.54
If I give something into
the life of someone else,
00:46:56.58\00:46:59.61
will it then be
poured back into my life?
00:46:59.65\00:47:04.09
Galatians 6:8,
00:47:04.12\00:47:05.45
"He who sows to the flesh
00:47:05.49\00:47:06.99
will of the
flesh reap corruption,
00:47:07.02\00:47:08.92
but he who sows to the Spirit
00:47:08.96\00:47:11.49
shall of the Spirit
reap life everlasting."
00:47:11.53\00:47:15.03
I need to move along here.
00:47:15.06\00:47:16.43
Number five.
00:47:16.46\00:47:17.80
True repentance
involves corporate confession
00:47:17.83\00:47:21.40
and intercession.
00:47:21.44\00:47:24.77
They mourn and confess.
00:47:24.81\00:47:26.37
Did you catch that
when we read Nehemiah 9?
00:47:26.41\00:47:28.88
The sins of their
parents, and grandparents,
00:47:28.91\00:47:31.85
and great grandparents.
00:47:31.88\00:47:33.72
Today, often we only mentioned
00:47:33.75\00:47:35.22
the sins of our
parents to excuse us.
00:47:35.25\00:47:37.35
Oh, that's why I act this way
00:47:37.39\00:47:38.79
or the pain they inflicted
00:47:38.82\00:47:40.19
from my
childhood the damage I had.
00:47:40.22\00:47:42.86
This causes me to
behave the way I do.
00:47:42.89\00:47:47.00
But they identified
with the sins of the people
00:47:47.03\00:47:49.40
and said we have done wickedly.
00:47:49.43\00:47:53.90
Finally, number six.
00:47:53.94\00:47:55.77
True repentance
accepts responsibility for sin.
00:47:55.80\00:48:00.64
And it does not blame God.
00:48:00.68\00:48:04.38
They said in Nehemiah 9:33,
00:48:04.41\00:48:06.21
"You are just in all
that has befallen us,
00:48:06.25\00:48:10.55
for you have dealt faithfully.
00:48:10.59\00:48:14.62
True repentance
acknowledges my sin.
00:48:14.66\00:48:17.63
It springs from the Word of God.
00:48:17.66\00:48:19.53
It recognizes my
need for a Savior.
00:48:19.56\00:48:22.60
It is activated by the
goodness and love of God,
00:48:22.63\00:48:26.50
and evolves corporate confession
00:48:26.53\00:48:28.87
and intercession.
00:48:28.90\00:48:30.34
And it accepts
responsibility for sin
00:48:30.37\00:48:32.44
and does not blame God
for what was my own issue.
00:48:32.47\00:48:38.71
It was one of
those really hot days
00:48:38.75\00:48:40.48
and I stepped
out into the garage
00:48:40.52\00:48:41.92
and the heat just
hit me in the face.
00:48:41.95\00:48:44.35
It was probably 100
degrees in our garage.
00:48:44.39\00:48:49.22
And Greg and I were going
out to visit a church member.
00:48:49.26\00:48:52.33
And just as we were
about ready to get in the car,
00:48:52.36\00:48:56.77
I looked up and there was a bird
00:48:56.80\00:48:58.70
in the rafters of the garage.
00:48:58.73\00:49:00.37
Now if it's 100
down where we were,
00:49:00.40\00:49:02.14
you got to know it's
even hotter up there.
00:49:02.17\00:49:04.37
And it was one of
those little hummingbirds,
00:49:04.41\00:49:07.14
ruby throated,
the little red throat.
00:49:07.18\00:49:10.21
And so we opened
up the garage door
00:49:10.25\00:49:12.25
and I thought
maybe he's gonna fly out.
00:49:12.28\00:49:14.22
Come, well, he didn't
want anything to do with that.
00:49:14.25\00:49:17.45
And so then,
00:49:17.49\00:49:19.89
I got the hummingbird
feeder and it's bright red,
00:49:19.92\00:49:22.22
and I thought maybe the
redness will attract him,
00:49:22.26\00:49:25.29
but he didn't
want anything to do
00:49:25.33\00:49:26.66
with that either.
00:49:26.70\00:49:28.03
So Greg got the ladder out,
put some old work gloves on,
00:49:28.06\00:49:32.57
and he climbed the ladder
00:49:32.60\00:49:34.14
until he was even
with the rafters up there.
00:49:34.17\00:49:36.91
And I kind of held my breath
00:49:36.94\00:49:38.27
as he stepped
from rafter to rafter
00:49:38.31\00:49:41.44
until he was directly
underneath the hummingbird.
00:49:41.48\00:49:46.15
He reached up his
hands, gloved hands,
00:49:46.18\00:49:49.68
grab the hummingbird and
it began to squawk in a way
00:49:49.72\00:49:52.65
that I have never heard
before in a hummingbird.
00:49:52.69\00:49:56.96
And he gingerly
stepped from truss to truss
00:49:56.99\00:50:00.16
and then began to
descent down the ladder.
00:50:00.20\00:50:02.83
We went outside,
00:50:06.43\00:50:07.77
I was holding the
hummingbird feeder.
00:50:07.80\00:50:09.87
And he just opened up his hands
00:50:09.90\00:50:11.87
and the bird had
no strength to fly,
00:50:11.91\00:50:14.84
no strength to fight,
no strength to do anything.
00:50:14.88\00:50:19.78
Just opened up,
it's a little beak.
00:50:19.81\00:50:22.45
And it began to drink.
00:50:22.48\00:50:24.82
And it drank and I
just watched in wonder.
00:50:24.85\00:50:27.32
It's the closest I've
ever been to a hummingbird.
00:50:27.36\00:50:30.03
And I watched in
wonder as it drink
00:50:30.06\00:50:32.13
and then it got enough energy.
00:50:32.16\00:50:34.43
And it lifted
off, and it was gone.
00:50:34.46\00:50:38.97
And I thought of
how often in my own sin,
00:50:39.00\00:50:45.04
in my own refusal, disobedience,
00:50:45.07\00:50:49.04
to do what God
had called me to do,
00:50:49.08\00:50:51.71
I had turned my back on Him.
00:50:51.75\00:50:55.35
And I had gotten
trapped up in the roof,
00:50:55.38\00:50:58.79
with no way out,
00:50:58.82\00:51:00.36
no way of escape,
no way of getting help.
00:51:00.39\00:51:05.39
I'd refused the easy
way home, the open door.
00:51:05.43\00:51:10.87
And yet, how often had my Savior
00:51:10.90\00:51:14.74
climbed the ladder
00:51:14.77\00:51:16.30
of my own
stubbornness and pride,
00:51:16.34\00:51:19.47
reaching out
scarred hands to pick me up,
00:51:19.51\00:51:24.15
exhausted from the struggle
and desperate for a way out.
00:51:24.18\00:51:29.52
How often I had cried
against the very thing
00:51:29.55\00:51:34.26
that was leading me home.
00:51:34.29\00:51:36.16
That was the hands,
the nail scarred hands
00:51:36.19\00:51:39.06
of the Lord Jesus Christ.
00:51:39.09\00:51:41.16
And yet, as soon as
we got out of that pit,
00:51:41.20\00:51:44.77
that spot of danger,
00:51:44.80\00:51:46.84
He had opened up
His hands in mercy,
00:51:46.87\00:51:52.07
in love and said,
Jill, my daughter.
00:51:52.11\00:51:55.14
I'm letting you choose again.
00:51:55.18\00:51:58.58
God is calling us
today to lay aside our sin,
00:51:58.61\00:52:04.49
to lay aside those
things that beset us,
00:52:04.52\00:52:07.76
those addictions
and to come to Him,
00:52:07.79\00:52:11.26
to turn to Him with
a heart of repentance.
00:52:11.29\00:52:16.43
Listen as Ryan sings.
00:52:16.46\00:52:18.60
I regret the hours
00:52:24.81\00:52:28.54
I have wasted
00:52:28.58\00:52:31.85
And the pleasures I have tasted
00:52:31.88\00:52:36.65
That you were never in
00:52:36.69\00:52:43.22
And I confess
00:52:43.26\00:52:45.26
That though your love is in me
00:52:45.29\00:52:49.83
It doesn't always win me
00:52:49.86\00:52:54.30
When competing
00:52:54.34\00:52:55.74
With my sin
00:52:55.77\00:53:01.68
And I repent
00:53:01.71\00:53:06.85
Making no excuses
00:53:06.88\00:53:11.45
I repent
00:53:11.49\00:53:15.59
No one else to blame
00:53:15.62\00:53:19.89
And I return
00:53:19.93\00:53:24.43
To fall in love with Jesus
00:53:24.47\00:53:29.20
I bow down on my knees
00:53:29.24\00:53:34.18
And I repent
00:53:38.61\00:53:44.15
I lament the idols
00:53:49.46\00:53:53.26
I've accepted The commandments
00:53:53.29\00:53:57.00
I've rejected
00:53:57.03\00:54:00.10
To pursue my selfish end
00:54:00.14\00:54:06.54
And I confess
00:54:06.57\00:54:08.44
I need you to revive me
00:54:08.48\00:54:12.98
Put selfishness behind me
00:54:13.01\00:54:17.12
And take up my cross again
00:54:17.15\00:54:24.13
And I repent
00:54:24.16\00:54:28.56
Making no excuses
00:54:28.60\00:54:32.77
I repent
00:54:32.80\00:54:37.01
No one else to blame
00:54:37.04\00:54:40.88
And I return
00:54:40.91\00:54:45.01
To fall in love with Jesus
00:54:45.05\00:54:49.62
I bow down on my knees
00:54:49.65\00:54:56.06
And I return
00:54:56.09\00:55:00.40
To fall in love with Jesus
00:55:00.43\00:55:05.80
I bow down on my knee
00:55:10.61\00:55:17.61
And I repent.
00:55:21.88\00:55:28.89
Thank you, Ryan. Thank you, Tim.
00:55:33.06\00:55:36.26
Do you want to repent today?
00:55:36.30\00:55:38.23
Do you want to come before
Him not making any excuses,
00:55:38.27\00:55:45.01
not having anyone else to blame?
00:55:45.04\00:55:48.31
Being able to fall
in love with Jesus?
00:55:48.34\00:55:53.01
Do you want to
come before His feet,
00:55:53.05\00:55:56.15
the cross of Jesus and say,
00:55:56.18\00:55:57.75
"God, I come before You
right now, and I repent."
00:55:57.79\00:56:02.79
Let's pray.
00:56:02.82\00:56:04.16
Holy Father, we come
before You in the name of Jesus.
00:56:04.19\00:56:08.13
Thank you, God,
00:56:08.16\00:56:09.50
that You are
the one who gives us
00:56:09.53\00:56:11.57
the gift of repentance.
00:56:11.60\00:56:13.74
Thank You that You are
the one who changes us,
00:56:13.77\00:56:18.01
molds us, makes us
into the image of Jesus.
00:56:18.04\00:56:22.71
We cannot restore ourselves.
00:56:22.74\00:56:25.41
We cannot bring ourselves
back into unity and harmony
00:56:25.45\00:56:28.98
with the Father.
00:56:29.02\00:56:30.62
But You have done that
00:56:30.65\00:56:31.99
through the blood
and mercy of Jesus.
00:56:32.02\00:56:37.63
Thank you, God,
that You looked for me.
00:56:37.66\00:56:40.66
Thank You that You found me.
00:56:44.03\00:56:46.57
And I just want
to pray right now
00:56:46.60\00:56:48.20
for my brothers and
sisters who are watching,
00:56:48.24\00:56:51.94
those who might feel
like they are lost and alone.
00:56:51.97\00:56:55.04
Those who feel
00:56:55.08\00:56:56.41
that they don't
know where to turn.
00:56:56.44\00:57:00.45
God, I ask right now
that You would come to them,
00:57:00.48\00:57:03.39
that You would draw
them with Your cords of love,
00:57:03.42\00:57:06.59
that You would reveal Yourself
00:57:06.62\00:57:08.49
and grant them the
gift of repentance.
00:57:08.52\00:57:12.69
Grant me that precious gift.
00:57:12.73\00:57:16.23
Thank you, God.
00:57:16.26\00:57:18.53
Thank You for
what You have done,
00:57:18.57\00:57:21.00
and what You will do
in our lives and hearts.
00:57:21.04\00:57:24.94
And we ask all this
00:57:24.97\00:57:26.31
in the precious and
the holy name of Jesus.
00:57:26.34\00:57:29.81
Amen.
00:57:29.84\00:57:31.18