The Joy of the Lord - Part 2 of 2

The Baptist Bible Hour now comes to you under the direction of Elder Lacerre Bradley, Jr. O for a thousand tongues to sing, my great Redeemer's praise! The glories of my God and King, the triumphs of his grace! This is Lacerre Bradley, Jr. inviting you to stay tuned for another message of God's sovereign grace. Far away the noise of strife upon my ear is calling.

Then I know the sins of earth be said on every hand. Thou and fear and things of birth in vain to me are calling. None of these shall move me from you, O Lamb. I'm living on the mountain underneath the cloudless sky.

I'm drinking at the fountain that never shall run dry. O yes, I'm feasting on the manna from the bountiful supply, for I am dwelling in you, O Lamb. Far below the storm of doubt upon the world is beating. Sons of men in battle long, the enemy will stand. Say, am I within the castle of God's word retreating?

Nothing there can reach me. Tis new, O Lamb. I'm living on the mountain underneath the cloudless sky. I'm drinking at the fountain that never shall run dry. I'm feasting on the manna from the bountiful supply, for I am dwelling in you, O Lamb. Hearing hear the words of God, I sing in contemplation. Hearing now his blessed voice, I see the way he bled. Welling in the Spirit, here I learn of God's salvation. Gladly will I tarry in you, O Lamb. I'm living on the mountain underneath the cloudless sky.

I'm drinking at the fountain that never shall run dry. I'm feasting on the manna from the bountiful supply, for I am dwelling in you, O Lamb. We continue today with the message entitled, The Joy of the Lord.

The text is Nehemiah chapter 8 verse 10. Then he said unto them, Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared. For this day is holy unto our Lord, neither be ye sorry, for the joy of the Lord is your strength. The joy of the Lord.

And you need to remember the mercies that you've enjoyed in your own life. Jeremiah was in a dark time as recorded in Lamentations chapter 3. He said, If bend his bow, he has set me as a mark for the arrow. Afflictions had come. He reached the point and he said, My hope is perished from the Lord. But just as he got down to the darkest place in the valley, he said, This I recall to mine. It's of the Lord's mercies that were not consumed. I need to remember something. I need to go back and think about the mercies in my own life.

What about you? How often in your days of doubt, fear, and discouragement have you forgotten about the mercies that God has showered upon you in your life? Sometimes I think of it when I go on these preaching trips and I think of the thousands of miles that I've traveled over the last many years to preach the gospel. Think how gracious the Lord has been to give me safety in all those travels. Maybe that you can think about the travels that you've done.

You can think about some difficult places where you have encountered danger. You can think about some sicknesses through which the Lord has brought you that you've been in a very low state but he's brought you up. You can think about some of those times when spiritually you felt to be cold and empty but he came again to your rescue.

Recalling his great mercies brings joy. And then by giving attention to the Word. First of all, you need to read it.

You need to be acquainted with it. You need to know what God has said. Psalm 19 verse 8, the statutes of the Lord are right rejoicing the heart. The commandment of the Lord is pure enlightening the eyes. The Word of God, the commandments of God rejoice the heart.

I know that there are portions of scripture that are convicting but even when we're convicted and therefore driven to the Savior to acknowledge our sin and find forgiveness in him, there is joy even in that. Psalm 112 verse 1, praise ye the Lord. Blessed be the man that feareth the Lord that delighteth greatly in his commandments. His seed shall be mighty upon the earth, the generation of the upright shall be blessed. The man that delights in the commandments of the Lord. To go to God's Word. Find your own experience described. Find the answers to your struggles and your problems.

Find the hope that you so desperately need. They are the source of joy. Psalm 119 verse 162, I rejoice at thy word as one that findeth great spoil.

Something unexpected. I hadn't anticipated this but I found a rich treasure. I found something of special blessing to me.

I rejoice at thy word. And not only should there be the reading of it but attention given to it from our text in Nehemiah chapter 8. The people were assembled, as you will recall, they've been through some challenging times. Nehemiah who was the cup bearer for King Artaxerxes had received news from his brother about the desolation there was in Jerusalem. And after much prayer he journeyed there and undertook to build the walls. Now they faced opposition.

Sanballat and Tobiah had criticized them, had tried to distract them, had tried to discourage them. But the wall was built in record time. And now they come in an assembly to hear the word of the Lord being read. So we look at Nehemiah chapter 8 and the third verse. It says, speaking of Ezra that brought the law before the congregation that he read therein before the street that was before the water gate. From the morning until midday before the men and the women and those that could understand and the ears of all the people were attentive unto the book of the law. Here the servant of God stands before the people and reads the word of God. Verse 5, And Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people for he was above all the people. And when he opened it all the people stood up showing their respect and reverence for the word of God that was to be read to them.

And Ezra blessed the Lord, the great God. And all the people answered, Amen, Amen, with lifting up their hands and they bowed their heads and worshipped the Lord with their faces to the ground. They showed great respect and great joy as they lifted up their hands it was a way of praising God. They rejoiced to hear his word but they felt their own unworthiness and they bowed their faces toward the ground because they knew they were unworthy. They gave attention to the word of God. And then in verse 16 we learn that they not only were attentive but they were also submissive to what was read. So the people went forth and brought them and made themselves booths, everyone upon the roof of his house and in their courts and in the courts of the house of God and in the street of the water gate and the street of the gate of Ephraim. Now as they read the scriptures they come across this place where they were to observe the feast of the tabernacles. They were to dwell in booths for seven days.

They hadn't been doing that. You can imagine somebody saying well let's ask this old brother, he's been around for a while. What about it? Have you ever known of people to dwell in booths?

Not in my lifetime. Well let's ask somebody else. No, nobody's ever done this so they might have come to the conclusion well we don't do it that way here. And I had to say that's the excuse sometimes people make in churches today if it's something that doesn't quite suit their notion that's not the way we do it.

But if the word of God enjoins it, it is to be done. So they ultimately decided that since this is what the word said they would do it. And they made themselves booths on the roof of the house. They had flat roofs on the houses and they put them in the house of the court of God and out in the street and in the cul-de-sac and everywhere you look there were booths. Just trees piled up against each other and they were to dwell under those for seven days. And all the congregation of them that were coming in out of the captivity made booths and sat under the booths. For since the days of Joshua the son of Nun unto that day had not the children of Israel done so and there was very great gladness.

Alright we're talking about joy. Where did they find joy? Doing the things that they were commanded to do.

What about you today? How do you respond to preaching? Paul in writing to the church of Thessalonica said in 1 Thessalonians chapter 2 verse 13 that he delighted in the fact that when he preached they did not receive it as the word of man but as it was the truth of God.

That church of Thessalonica was a remarkable church. And Paul was so thankful to be able to see God's work in their midst and to point out that they were the people that were receptive. How thankful we are that you are a part of this assembly today. And I hope that you not only are giving attention at this moment but praying Lord may this message find a lodging place in my heart. If I've been one that's known among my friends and family members as being a grumbler or a complainer.

I've always got something to comment about just the things that are not going right and I'm not satisfied about it. May this be the day of repentance when you come to be one who walks in the joy of the Lord and gives a clear testimony of one that has fellowship with God. And people can see in you that there is a difference when there is discouragement and there is gloom all around us in our society that you have every reason in the world to have joy because the joy of the Lord is your strength.

This comes to you not only by hearing what God says but by believing what God says. Believing that the future is secure. People often tell, well I just don't know what the future holds. I don't know what's going to happen to my children or my grandchildren.

Well none of us do. None of us know what we may have to face but I want to tell you this that everything is under control. 1 Peter chapter 1 verse 6. Speaking of this great inheritance that belongs to the children of God he says wherein ye greatly rejoice, you're rejoicing in it in the anticipation of it though now for a season if need be ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations.

He also acknowledges there is a burden to carry. There is a certain sense of heaviness but he says you're still greatly rejoicing even in the midst of your burdens because that the trial of your faith being much more precious than gold that perisheth though it be tried with fire might be found under the praise and honor and glory of the appearing of Jesus Christ whom having not seen ye love in whom though now ye see him not yet believing ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory receiving the end of your faith even the salvation of your soul. Why is it you're rejoicing? Not because everything is going smoothly for you today. Not because you don't have any trials and troubles.

No, you're rejoicing because as you anticipate the future it's secure, it's settled and therefore you rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory. There may be days of suffering ahead. There may be days of persecution but the good news, the thing that brings you joy is to know that you're going to be victorious even in that. Romans chapter 8 who shall separate us from the love of Christ. This is verse 35. Shall tribulation or distress or persecution or famine or nakedness or peril or sword as it is written for thy sake we are killed all the day long we are counted as sheep for the slaughtered nay and all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.

Yes, these trials may come. Distress, persecution, even famine, even the sword. Lives may be taken. There are people dying as martyrs all over the world today for the cause of Christ. It could happen to any one of us if the Lord tarries but the good news is in all of this you are more than conquerors because your inheritance is secure.

It's reserved for you in heaven and you're being kept by the power of God so you'll be there on schedule to enjoy it. You have reason to rejoice and then you find this joy by not only hearing what God says and believing what God says but by doing what God says. These people were dwelling in booths for a reason. You see when they heard the word they didn't ignore it, they didn't reject it.

They immediately got about the business and dwelt in booths. It was to remember the protection that they had enjoyed as a people while they were in their wilderness wanderings. They were dwelling in booths or tents of sorts, sometimes nothing more than tree limbs piled together. They were out in the wilderness traveling in a dangerous desert. There were wild animals and numerous enemies, constant threats against them but God protected them. God alone was their protector. He gave them the pillar of cloud in the daytime to shield them from the hot desert sun and the fire at night to guide them in the path that they would travel. He gave them bread from heaven and water out of a rock. God cared for them and so these people dwelt in booths to remind them that the same God that had cared for their fathers in the wilderness would care for them and the God who has favored and blessed his people through all the years has promised that he will never leave us nor forsake us that we might boldly say the Lord is our helper and therefore we can rejoice.

Finally we want to think about the great blessing of it. The joy of the Lord is your strength says our text. The joy of the Lord is your strength in trials. James chapter 1 verse 2 says, You can count it all joy when you fall into divers temptations.

How can you do that? When various different kinds of trials and testings come you can count it joy because you know God is at work. Even as Job said, God has tried me I'll come forth as gold.

There's dross that must be consumed. God's purpose in my life is not to destroy me but to destroy that which is harmful and to bring me out on the other side refined to the glory of his name. The joy of the Lord is your strength in every trial. The joy of the Lord is your strength in temptation.

Satan tempts you in the weakness of your flesh you may be enticed to go after something that you know is not right. How then is your joy going to assist you in the time of temptation? Psalm 43 verse 4, Then will I go unto the altar of God unto God my exceeding joy. Verse 5, I shall yet praise him who is the health of my countenance and my God. If God is my exceeding joy and here's someone beckoning me to go after the sinful pleasures of this world, how can anything there that is being offered compared to what I already have in my joy with the Lord? If you're rejoicing in your God, you have a guard against temptation. And then the joy of the Lord is your strength when it comes to service.

After Jesus had washed the disciples' feet in John chapter 13, he said in the 17th verse, If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them. Now, any service that is rendered reluctantly, somebody said I know I ought to be doing this, I'm just going to try to grit my teeth and get through it. That's not going to honor God. God is pleased with service that is joyfully rendered. Think about it, it's a joy that you are allowed to serve in his kingdom. If you were called up by one of our congressmen or senators and said somebody has referred your name to me, I would like for you to serve in my office. Depending on who it was, you might consider that to be a great honor.

But here's something far surpassing that, the God of heaven having called you and drawn you and saved you by his sovereign grace allows you to serve in his kingdom. Should there be any reluctance in that service? Should it be considered a burden? Is that an imposition on your time?

Do you have many other things that are so important that this is just hard for you to fit it into your schedule? Oh, what a privilege. Happy are you if you do these things. Oh, that we might serve the Lord with joy. God loves a cheerful giver, for example. The person has the attitude, well, I guess this is my obligation.

I really hate to turn loose of this, but I guess I better do it. That kind of giving is not going to be pleasing to God. God loves a cheerful giver. And then the joy of the Lord is your strength when it comes to praise. Praise, praise him for sins forgiven. You see, when the scripture was first read to these people, if you notice, they were weeping. They were convicted of their sin and there's a place for that. For one to mourn and weep when they see that they are guilty before God. But then the priest came on and said, don't weep anymore.

Why? Because they were looking to that next great feast day, the day of atonement, which pointed to the fact that there is forgiveness of sin. Leviticus chapter 16 and verse 30 says, For on that day shall the priest make an atonement for you to cleanse you, that you may be clean from all your sins before the Lord. You talk about something that's a source of joy. You look at your life and you may say, oh, I wish I could go back and start it all over again. But the fact is, you probably wouldn't do any better the next time than you did the first. Because in human nature, you're weak and frail and you may have sins that still come back in your conscience to haunt you.

And oh, if I could just remove it, if I could just get rid of it. But here's what happens to the atonement that is in Jesus Christ. He will cleanse you from your sins. And so they were praising God for His abundant mercies. The joy of the Lord is your strength in praise. Look at Nehemiah once again, this time in chapter 12. You know this portion of scripture is very special to me. I've preached on it a number of times and going through it on some occasions verse by verse.

It's just remarkable how many practical lessons are to be learned. Nehemiah chapter 12 verse 42, the latter part of it said, The singers sang loud. Now certainly we don't want somebody just to try to sing loud on anybody else so that they call attention to themselves. But at the same time, when we come to a song service, if people are just singing and a little whispering you can barely hear them. And you think they may go to sleep before the song's over, that they're just going to fade away. Is God hundred in that?

No. We sing because we want to praise God. You ought to count it a privilege to be able to sing. The singers sang loud. Also that day they offered great sacrifices and rejoiced for God had made them rejoice with great joy. The wives also and the children rejoiced so that the joy of Jerusalem was heard even afar off. Now their joy was a witness. First of all it was a witness of people came to town and they were coming in those days. These people didn't live in isolation. There were travelers and business people that would come in. Don't you know when they came in and saw all these people sitting under little booths out in the street.

What on earth is going on? Well it gave him an opportunity to say we were a people that were in bondage. God brought us out.

We traveled through the wilderness. He protected us there and this is in memory of what he has done. Now they're celebrating with all of the opposition behind them. The wall has been built. And they say now I want two companies to get up on the wall.

One go one direction and one go another. And you are to sing and shout the praises of God. And they rejoice and the joy of Jerusalem was heard even afar off. What a testimony. What a testimony. Here's people who are happy and they're God. Religion is not a drudgery. It's not a burden.

It's not an imposition. It's what life is all about. God is good and we want to declare it. We want to rejoice in him because of his wonderful mercies.

Where are you today? Are you mourning? Oh there's a place and time for that. Blessed are they that mourn for they shall be comforted. So when you mourn over sin you're not to make a lifetime profession out of mourning. You're to turn then looking to the Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world and you find hope in him. Weeping may endure for a night but joy cometh in the morning. Remember the source of joy. Philippians chapter 4 verse 4 says rejoice always in the Lord.

And again I say rejoice. I'm not telling you that it's just a positive mental attitude. I'm not telling you that you're going to find joy just by sheer will power. I'm telling you that the joy that I'm talking about is of God. He says rejoice in the Lord. Your feelings change, your emotions change, your circumstances change, the world you're living in changes but God does not.

He's the same yesterday, today and forever so you'll have the same reason to rejoice in him tomorrow as you have today. If you're mourning over sin look to the Lamb of God that went to the cross to put sin away. God said in Isaiah chapter 43 I even I am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake and will not remember thy sin.

Isn't that wonderful to consider? You remember your sin. Maybe some of your friends remember your sin and bring it up to you from time to time.

God said I'll put it away and remember it no more. The joy of the Lord is your strength. If you find joy looking unto Jesus as your only hope of salvation, though you have mourned over your sin, you by faith have trusted Jesus Christ as the only way.

You've never confessed in that opportunity has given you while we stand to sing. I'm glad you've been with us for the broadcast today. I pray the message has been a blessing to you. If you'd like to help with the support of this program you can do so by going to our website at BaptistBibleHour.org.

Until next week at the same time may the Lord richly bless you all. The Baptist Bible Hour has come to you under the direction of Elder LeSaire Bradley Jr. Address all mail to the Baptist Bible Hour Cincinnati, Ohio 45217. That's the Baptist Bible Hour Cincinnati, Ohio 45217. Just as I am, thou wilt receive, wilt welcome, my love, let me be. Because I promise, I believe, O Lamb of God, I come, I come. Thank you.