1820. Prone to Wander

And I hope that as we spend Mondays together in chapel in the book of Nehemiah, that you will find not just another book of the Bible or not just a narrative story or not just a historical piece. I hope you won't just find some guy's journal with how he managed his time period and the problems that he faced. I hope that you will find primarily a source of God's wisdom for living.

I hope that there you will find a friend. That as Nehemiah has presented to us through kind of the memoirs that we read, that you will find that you're resonating with this man's heart. I hope that you will find there some practical advice in contemplating, okay, Nehemiah, why did you do things the way that you did? Why did you take the time that you took? Or why did you have that conversation the way you had it?

Why did you position people in building the way that you did? I hope you'll find some really, really practical advice that you can apply to your life. But more than that, I hope that God will shape our hearts around the big priorities that as we read this book become very obvious in the life of Nehemiah. This is very much, if you will, in our language, a personal diary. It is a journal.

It is a set of memoirs. But what I hope you'll see is beyond all of that, that this is literature that is inspired by God as part of our Bible that he intends to impact our lives. And so as we study this book together, we are going to be uncovering the working of God in the heart of his servant as he is used by God to make a difference in people's lives, both individually and corporately. And from that we can draw applications about how we can live effectively for God in our own setting.

Let's enjoy studying Nehemiah together. Welcome to The Daily Platform, a radio program featuring chapel messages from Bob Jones University in Greenville, South Carolina. Today's sermon is the final message of the series. And today's sermon is titled, Prone to Wander. I hope God has worked in a number of ways, but I hope in very practical ways in your life through the study of the book of Nehemiah.

That has been my purpose from the beginning. There's all kinds of directions you can go when preaching through a book. Nehemiah in its own way is rich in theology, is particularly rich in history. There's no book that actually gives us this detailed look into the life of what is happening in Jerusalem and in the nation of Israel at this time, like this book.

But I've intended that it be very practical and that we talk about life on mission. And I hope that God by his Spirit through his word has impacted you in really practical ways. Nehemiah, I believe as we look at the book, would want us to think that way about him. His theology was very practical. It wasn't in any way mystical to him or disconnected from how he lived.

It affected every area of his life. We see 12 of his prayers recorded throughout this book and they're very practical and reveal that he was a man that not just wanted God's will, he actually wanted to walk with God. You see that his faith was very practical. He believed the God of heaven is the one who will give us success. He said that in chapter 2 and verse 20. And I believe it impacted the way he lived and the decisions that he made.

In chapter 4 and verse 20, our God will fight for us. I believe this is a man whose faith was very practical. It affected the decisions that he made and it affected his confidence in living for God.

His actual practice of religion was incredibly practical. He looked for the law of God. You see that with regard to the steps that he took the nation toward in reinstituting their practice at the Sabbath and resupplying the house of God or the temple. He didn't just set religion aside or religious practices aside, but he actually made sure that they were a part of what he was doing. He didn't think he was good because he kept the law.

He loved God so he kept God's law. Because of that, I think we see that his life was very practical. He lived life on mission. He's a man of action. He got things done. He knew what questions to ask.

He knew what supplies were needed. And because of that, God uses him to rebuild walls that laid in ruins for some 120 years in 52 days by convincing people that God was on their side. And I hope that your life is impacted in some of these ways. As we looked last time we were here in the book together at chapter 8, we actually saw an approach to the word of God. Ezra returns and they build a platform for them to carry out the practice of reading the word in an elevated and respected way. And God was working in the hearts of the people and they respond because they are now hearing God's word and realizing that they have violated it.

But in chapter 8, an amazing thing happens. And that is that they discover in the law that they were to reinstitute the Feast of Booths. There was supposed to be a celebration. There was supposed to be a time of rejoicing because of the goodness of God. Can I tell you, I think as believers we often miss out on that. You'll see as we come to the end of chapter 8 that there's a solemn assembly and I think there's a place for that. I think there's a place for us with great gravity and solemnity to stop and think about the grave matters of life and whether or not I'm walking with God. But I also think that in our worship there's a side for celebration and rejoicing that elevates who God is and what God does in our thinking.

And that sometimes there is a place for thanksgiving to actually stimulate us more to further living for God. What you'll see then in chapter 9 is there's a response. There's about two weeks that come, if my math is correct, with regard to the days that are mentioned in these two chapters. Solemn assembly on day 8 at the end of the keeping of the Feast of Tabernacles or Booths or in-gathering. And then we see at the beginning of chapter 9, if you'll read along now, in the 20th and 4th day of this month, 16 days if I'm doing math correctly, the children of Israel were assembled with fasting and with sackcloth and earth upon them. And the seed of Israel separated themselves from all strangers and stood and confessed their sins and the iniquities of their fathers. And they stood up in their place and read in the book of the law of the Lord their God one fourth part of the day. And another fourth part they confessed and worshiped the Lord their God. Then stood up upon the stairs of the Levites, Jeshua, and Benai, and Cadmiel, and Shebaniah, Bunai, Sarabiah, Bani, and Cheniah. And cried with a loud voice unto the Lord their God. I want you to look at verse 5.

After the listing of the names I want you to hear what they begin to say. The end of verse 5 says this, stand up and bless the Lord your God forever and ever. And blessed be thy glorious name which is exalted above all blessing and praise. And there begins what I believe and other scholars have said is the longest recorded prayer in all of the scriptures.

And that is setting aside the fact that I think many of the Psalms are actually prayers that aren't presented in that way. But this is a prayer that's incredibly significant because I want you to go to the end of chapter 9. And at the end of this prayer that is recounting their history, these are the words that come in verse 38. And because of all this we make a sure covenant and write it.

And our princes, Levites, and priests seal unto it. Chapter 10 will have some of those covenant conditions. And the people too will affirm that this is something they want as a committed relationship to God. And I think you're going to see this dialogue, if you will, in chapters 8 and 9 between the reading of the word of God, responding to the word of God as we talked about last time, and then rightly praying. And what we see in chapter 9 is the people of God returning back to the sentiment they had in their heart when they first heard the word.

And then there comes the Feast of Tabernacles. And then now as we come to chapter 9, you see them returning in their spirit, if you will, to a heart that is marked by repentance. And I want us simply to see two things in this chapter that I hope will challenge us in our walk with God. And that is that first of all, simply, we see here a people that have a heart that longs to be right with God.

They're wanting to do the things to express their brokenness and their sorrow over their sin, their contrition, and be made right with God again. And here I think they demonstrate some things that actually are necessary for anybody that realizes that they have sinned and want to be right with God. And so the first thing is, notice, they're marked by humility. You know, a heart that longs to be right with God is going to be a heart that is marked by humility. Not inclined to make excuses, not inclined to argue with God about how unrealistic his expectations are.

So you see them here in fasting and sackcloths and earth upon them. These are all markers in the Old Testament tradition of the humility of one that has sinned who is now coming and demonstrating in tangible ways their brokenness before God. Friend, you will never be right with God without true humility. Without realizing that you're the one that has sinned against Him. Remember David when he sinned? Yes, he had sinned against all kinds of people. But when it came to the point of getting right with God over his sin, he said these words, against you and you only have I sinned.

You see in this humility there's a recognition that I could blame life circumstances or I could blame people. And not everything that has happened to me in my responses is necessarily sinful. But at some point I must come to the place where I realize if it is my sin that I must get right with God. That I must walk with God. That I must lay aside my pride. And I must come in contrition before Him and ask for forgiveness.

Knowing this, that if we confess our sins He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Notice secondly then there was this dynamic of separation. It says they separated themselves from all strangers.

Why is that important? It wasn't that they just got by themselves again. This was in keeping with God's law. They realized where their error was. They realized where their brokenness was.

They actually realized that they had shifted dependence to trying to work things out in their own circumstances. To guard themselves, protect themselves and provide for themselves rather than trusting God. This was the area that they had sinned against God. And so now they take steps to get right with God. There must be a decision if you're going to be right with God that you are going to stop doing what is wrong.

It sounds so simple doesn't it? But there are many people who feel sorrow over their sin. They feel broken over their sin. And yet they continue in their sin as though there's no escaping or there's no alternative.

And friends that's exactly what Satan would want you to think. There's no way out. I'm broken God. I'm so sorry.

Get me out of this. But you never take any steps to do anything differently. Repentance is marked by a decision to stop doing that which actually is contrary to what God has said. Thirdly, notice they confess their sins.

People told God what they were like. This is an acknowledgement if you will. They're acknowledging their sin. God this is wrong. And I would encourage you as much as you can because you'll see the next thing that they read in the book of the law. Get in God's Word and allow God to speak to you as to why it is wrong. And you speak God's truth to him.

God this is wrong and here is why. And understand and embrace God's why for why your sin is not acceptable. Because if you will work through it in your own heart and mind you will implant the truth in your heart that might just keep you from doing it the next time. And that led them to a place there when then it's this interesting expression that a fourth part of the day they worship the Lord their God. And I want you to see that this is actually what is at the heart of the book of Nehemiah and is actually at the heart of their repentance. They don't want out of their problems. They don't want to escape their circumstances.

They don't want to relieve the pressure. They actually are confessing, they actually are separating, they actually are repenting because of what they think about God. And you're going to see that in this lengthy prayer. So I ask you this question. You who are this morning sitting here and you know in your heart you're walking at a guilty distance from God.

There's something between you and him and you know it. It could be your pride or it could be a more overt sin. And you know it. What do you think of your God? Because friends in the end that is the only thing that will actually lead you to repentance that will change your life. Many of you will wallow in the mire of what you will call besetting sin going through frustrating cycles of feeling guilt and shame and trying to get right. And returning back to your sin and walking further and further from God because frustration now enters your relationship.

Or deciding that you're going to be some kind of a second class Christian because this is now just an issue that is in your life forever. And friends if that is true then our God isn't who he says he is because he says he's faithful and he's just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. There's no such thing as a second class Christian who has to live bound up in sin. Jesus said that he was come that you might be free and be free indeed. Paul said that it is a ridiculous thought that we should return again to sin and live it continually as slaves though we're sons that is nowhere in the Bible. And so the question is will you pursue being right with God for God's sake because of what he's worth in your life? Will you accept his reasoning for why your sin is wrong and implanted in your heart as a safeguard against sinning again? You see they were marked by a heart I believe that truly loved God and that is then what drove them to become right with him. Then I want you to see not just a heart that longs to be right with God but a heart that truly loves God. As you look through this chapter I'm going to move quickly but I want to encourage you.

You go back and find these things for yourself. From verse 5 on down through verse 38 this is a prayer that identifies with incredible clarity who God is. And so I ask you who is your God?

Do you know him? So I want you to see as you look at this you'll see laid out I think his office is who he is. You'll see in chapter 6 the first part he is creator. The second part he is preserver. He is an omnipotent God who created, animated everything. He made all things both animate and inanimate. He upholds them all so they matter to him. He has put in place every property, every law, every power that is necessary for all of creation to work in a way that you and I look at it and assume it all happens by chance. What kind of a God is that?

And all of the things that we look at and somehow assume that they happen by chance are inactive. There is a God who is active. Do you know what that looks like? That looks like the next beat of your heart. He is active.

Why? Because he tells me that he doesn't just know the number of your days. He knows the number of your hairs. This is your God. That God then notice 7 he is Lord or ruler. At the end of 7 the beginning of 8 he is a covenant maker.

At the end of verse 8 he is a covenant keeper. In 9 through 12 he is a deliverer. In 13 and 14 he is a law maker. In 15 he is a provider. In 19 and 20 he is an instructor.

In 21 he is a sustainer. And in 27 he is a judge. And you know what that tells me? That there is not an area in all of creation including every area of your life that your God doesn't know you. And he has a role there. These are his offices. He is a judge in your life. He is a law maker in your life. He is a covenant maker with you. He is a covenant keeper with you. He will deliver you when you are lost or when you are bound. He will provide when you are hungry or you are needy. He will sustain you when you are failing. This is your God. This is the God that wants you to be right with him and this is the God that wants you to love him.

From those offices how has he displayed himself? It's one thing to have those offices and be this great big God that you are omnipotent. You are all powerful. You are omnipresent everywhere. All the time the same. You are omniscient. You know everything. All the time the same. Never learning. But so many men throughout all of history thought of a God like that as being capricious.

Man if I was like that what would I be like? You know that this prayer actually then captures the way this God with those offices relates to us. So listen. In verse 5 he is glorious. In verse 6 he is unique. In verse 8 he is righteous. In verse 17 he is forgiving. In verse 17 he is merciful. In verse 17 he is patient. In verse 17 he is kind. In verse 20 he is good. In verse 20 he is giving. In verse 30 he is persevering.

He is just. In verse 31 he is loving. In verse 32 he is great.

He is mighty and he is terrible and he is faithful. This isn't a self-serving God. This isn't an angry God. This isn't a hateful toying God. This is a covenant keeping steadfast loving God who is looking at Israel and he is looking at you.

And maybe your walls are broken down. That's as mystical as I'll get with the book of Nehemiah. But the place where he has chosen for himself to be worshiped. Here in the book it was Jerusalem. Here in the New Testament it's your life. He wants you to be right with him.

He wants you to love him. And so part of the sentiment of what is happening here is in the midst of recognizing who their God is. There is also a recognition of who they were and what they had done. This prayer is unbelievable in its back and forth. God you were gracious and made a name for yourself and we failed you. Yet you were merciful and did not forsake them but they forsook you. And yet in your great mercy you still didn't forsake them but they forsook you. This is what goes on back and forth throughout this incredible prayer. And so notice things they realized about themselves.

That I think are incredibly important if we are going to know ourselves so that we can be right with our God. You go through this prayer you will see that they rebelled. They disobeyed. They sinned. They committed idolatry. They forsook the law.

They killed the prophets. And in doing those actions almost as though this is who they were. As He lays out who God is here is what their heart was like when they were doing it. They were wicked and they were proud and they were disobedient and they were selfish and they were sinful. And they were idolatrous and they were rebellious and it says they withdrew the shoulder.

They were unremorseful. Can you see how this prayer lays out that they were diametrically the opposite of who God was. Both in what He did and in His heart. Young person if you're here today and there's never been a time in your life. When you realize that you are this kind of sinner and the only hope for you was that God Himself so loved you. That He who knew no sin was made to be sin for you. That you might be made the righteousness of God in Him.

And with a heart that embraces humility and says I could never save myself. But Jesus died in my place. He paid the penalty for my sin. He then was my substitute so that I wouldn't have to bear the wrath of God. And today I realize I need that payment. God would you please forgive me and be my Savior.

If you have never done that stop at this moment. There's nothing more important in all the world. And if God is speaking to your heart today repent and be saved. And Christian young person if you are His and you belong to Him. If He has redeemed you at such a high price and you are walking at guilty distance from Him. And in your heart there wells up these wicked proud disobedient actions that are marked by sinful selfishness.

That looks like idolatry leading to rebellion. And you are unreversable here today that your God longs for you to be right with Him. And He demands of you that you love the Lord your God with all your heart soul mind and strength. And as Israel repented I call you to repent. This is ultimately what the book of Nehemiah is about. These are the moments I believe that Nehemiah was longing to hear of when he asked for a report of what was happening in the city.

He took practical steps so that the people would get to this place and in this moment hear God's word and see their God. And long to be right with them. And say oh God because of these things today we're committing.

We don't want to go back there anymore. We want to be right with you and we want to stay there. This truly is what a Christian life lived on mission looks like.

The rest of it career paths all of those things not unimportant. But they'll only be missional if we as His children choose I want to live loving my God and being right with Him. Let's pray. Father thank you for your truth. Thank you oh God that you are all these things we talked about today and more.

Help us to see you. Help us to love you and to long to be right with you here is worship. And God I pray that you would call us to a ready repentance. That we wouldn't just keep short sin accounts but that we would stay current. Confessing our sin. Finding you faithful and just. Turning from it. Embracing your truth. And walking in your ways. Dismiss us with your blessing in Jesus name we pray. Amen. You've been listening to a sermon preached by Dr. Alan Benson and this concludes our study series called Nehemiah Life on Mission. Thanks for listening and join us again next week as we hear more messages preached from the Bob Jones University Travel Platform.