Sermon Cloud

Intro:  Today: revival=> healing, for a price resulting in a self-absorbed “Christianity.”

Big Idea: Jesus creates a distinctive, obedient people in the City.

Context: Nehemiah has comforted God’s people and honored God’s name by rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem.  New safety and ministry resulted in revival, which continues in this chapter.

Explanation: Renewed obedience is a sign of revival.

-         A whole-hearted return to God => renewed obedience, modeled by leaders (cool names).

-         The people engage in a covenant renewal ceremony (Deut. 29, Josh. 24).

-         “Follow”- lit. to walk, fig. a manner of life.  God shapes our conduct thru Law.

-         Obedience was to set them apart from the nations- evidence of redemption (Ex. 20).

-         “Obey”- to do or accomplish.  They wanted to accomplish all God told them to do.

-         “Curse”- disobedience violates the relationship, met by the curses of the covenant.

-         They specified areas in which they had repeatedly gone astray.

-         Interfaith marriage- led them into syncretism (religion stew) & apostasy (exchange).

-         Breaking of the Sabbath- consumers 7 days a week.

-         Neglect of Temple, the Priests and Worship.  Held onto their money.  Ill. Hard times

Q. 87. What is repentance unto life?
A. Repentance unto life is a saving grace, whereby a sinner, out of a true sense of his sin, and apprehension of the mercy of God in Christ, does, with grief and hatred of his sin, turn from it unto God, with full purpose of, and endeavor after, new obedience.  (WSC)

Transition: Revival restores God’s people to the “normal” spiritual desire to obey God.

Doctrine: Jesus works in us & thru us to produce an obedient community.

-         Don’t apply this with “obey”- understand it thru all God did in Jesus or feed the Pharisee.

-         Gospel (grace)-oriented ministry focuses on Christ’s work for, in & thru us.

-         Jesus followed the Law, perfectly obeying in our place.  Faith receives His perfect record.

-         Jesus endured the curse that was due our disobedience (Gal. 3:13; Rom. 8:1).

-         Jesus works in us to follow & fulfill the Law (Ez. 36 => Gal. 5; Rom. 8; Eph. 4:1).

-         Redemption => Trust + Love (John 14:23) => Obedience  Ill. Kids avoiding a discipline

-         Love for God is the motive for God-delighting obedience (1^st commandment).

-         Obedience prompted by self-interest or self-righteousness is deadly.  Ill. tithing

-         Separate & Set Apart => † => Sent (Jn. 17) & Set Apart: obedience brings God honor.

-         House of God => † => Living Temple (Jesus & People- Eph. 2:21-22; 1 Peter 2:5-6).

-         Jesus works thru loving, delighted, obedience to build His House: ministry & mission.

¹⁶ They are not of the world, even as I am not of it.  ¹⁷ Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth.  ¹⁸ As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world.  ¹⁹ For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified.  John 17 (NIV)

“See what conversion is; it is separating ourselves from the course and custom of this world, and devoting ourselves to the conduce of the word of God.”  Matthew Henry

Transition: God provides all we need thru Jesus to be a distinctive, obedient, joyful community.

Application: Evidence the gospel’s power with a God-honoring lifestyle.

-         Be specific: Identify ways in which we follow the world rather than God.

-         Relationships- Do they further the gospel or our interests?  Ill. Church planter

-         Time- Work, worship, relationships, rest.  How you spend it reveals what you love.

-         Money- spend in submission to God?  Whose interests do you further?  Ill. Hinn

-         Identify the reason: uncover the workings of your heart that drive you.

-         Life is made up of relationships, time & money- but not found in them.

-         Be accountable: permit people to examine your life & speak into it.  Ill. Driscoll

Conclusion:  Self-indulgence can motivate either rejection of God’s law, or obedience to God’s law.  In both cases, love for God is absent and its an attempt to build a satisfying life apart from Jesus.  True revival, returning to God with all our heart, produces a love for God that results in a delight in Jesus and a heart for obedience.  It obeys for Him, and the City, that Jesus might reshape the City into a holy City.