KBS Course 002 Biased Header

 

Lesson One: Is the Media Biased? Lesson Two: Truth Lesson Three: Balance
 Lesson Four: Tolerance Lesson Five: Faith & Reason
[doc id = 3402]

[su_pullquote align=”right”][wise-chat theme=”airflow” show_users_counter=”1″ show_user_name=”1″ allow_post_links=”1″ allow_post_images=”1″ enable_images_uploader=”1″ enable_twitter_hashtags=”1″ show_message_submit_button=”1″ allow_change_user_name=”1″ emoticons_enabled=”4″ window_title=”KBS COURSE CHAT | biased” enable_attachments_uploader=”1″ messages_time_mode=”elapsed” enable_youtube=”1″ allow_change_text_color=”1″][/su_pullquote]

Is the world – particularly the media – biased today against Christianity? Has it always been so, or has it changed in our lifetime? How does that affect the confidence and assurance in our faith? Does it change how we share our faith? Do we share a bias against the world? These five lessons will help us better understand our culture and how we shine our light into a world of darkness.

“Promises to Obey – assembling a ‘to do’ list,” from the lesson series, Return from Babylon | scattered & gathered, June 2020

 

 

[popup_anything id=”2809″]

 

[popup_anything id=”2810″]

 

[popup_anything id=”2825″]

 

 

[popup_anything id=”2826″]

 

[popup_anything id=”2828″]

 

[popup_anything id=”2827″]

 

 

 

our Scripture

Because of all this we make a firm covenant in writing; on the sealed document are the names of our princes, our Levites, and our priests.

28 “The rest of the people, the priests, the Levites, the gatekeepers, the singers, the temple servants, and all who have separated themselves from the peoples of the lands to the Law of God, their wives, their sons, their daughters, all who have knowledge and understanding, 29 join with their brothers, their nobles, and enter into a curse and an oath to walk in God’s Law that was given by Moses the servant of God, and to observe and do all the commandments of the Lord our Lord and his rules and his statutes.

We obligate ourselves to bring the first fruits of our ground and the first fruits of all fruit of every tree, year by year, to the house of the Lord (ESV);

 

New American Standard Bible: Nehemiah 9:38 NASB, Nehemiah 10:28-29 NASB, Nehemiah 10:35 NASB

New International Version: Nehemiah 9:38 NIV, Nehemiah 10:28-29 NIV, Nehemiah 10:35 NIV

The Message: Nehemiah 9:38 MESSAGE, Nehemiah 10:28-29 MESSAGE, Nehemiah 10:35 MESSAGE

New Living Translation: Nehemiah 9:38 NLT, Nehemiah 10:28-29 NLT, Nehemiah 10:35 NLT

 

our lesson

Do you keep or break promises? If you break them, you are certainly not alone. We have all broken promises before – to our family, our friends and to God. Broken promises have a disastrous effect on our relationships with others and within ourselves.

Enjoy a one page summary of the lesson. You can print copies for use with your group.

[doc id=2736]

[su_pullquote align=”right”]Points to Ponder

1) How do you feel when someone breaks a promise to you? What does it do to the relationship that you have with the person?

2) Sometimes promises are broken for legitimate reasons. When this happens, how do you explain that you will do your best to not let it happen again? How can you best ask for forgiveness?

[/su_pullquote]

why do we break promises

So why do we continue to break promises? First, most people begin with good intentions. We want to please the people that we know and love. We want to do a good job at work or school. While there are some people who intentionally mislead others, most just aren’t able to follow through.

Second, we make our promises based on what our “best self” would do in the circumstance. But our “best self” is rarely at work in keeping the promise. Begin today to work toward keeping your word. If remembering is a problem, find some high tech ways to be reminded of the actions that are needed. Explore the reasons behind why you have difficulties keeping your word.

[su_pullquote]Verse to Memorize

For all the promises of God find their “Yes” in Him. That is why it is through Him that we utter our Amen to God for His glory (2 Corinthians 1:20 ESV). [/su_pullquote]

promises to Nehemiah

For Nehemiah, the people of faith signed a covenant to live their lives with God. First they agreed to walk with God. Henry Ford once said, “Those who walk with God always reach their destination.”

 

[su_pullquote align=”right”]Words to Wrangle

The people of God are called out to be a people who are different than the world. We are a part of the covenant between God and man. The idea of the covenant was a written affirmation of the verbal agreement. The signatures of both parties made the agreement legally binding. Have you entered into such a covenant with God? Have you thought about writing down what you agree to keep as a part of your covenant? [/su_pullquote]

 

Next they promised to observe all the commandments of the Lord. Don’t you love how Nehemiah writes the phrase “the commandments of the Lord, our Lord?” We see things all the time, but there are times when we pay attention and times that we don’t. There are times we see God as almost impersonal – away from us, perhaps watching, reigning from afar. But there are times when we understand it is personal – this is our God, He is concerned with my welfare. He wants me to succeed.

Finally, the people pledged to obey. It takes more than observation of God’s ways, it takes actually doing what He asks. The word implies being compelled by a legal or moral duty, but it is actually a term used in biology.We need to obey because it is our very nature.

pledging to God

[su_pullquote align=”right”]Conclusions to Consider

1) A primary truth in this lesson is we keep our promises because of the certainty of God’s promises. Make a list of promises that God has made and how you recognize they were kept and fulfilled? Can you share one example of how God has kept a promise to you?

2) We can trust God, no matter the circumstance, because God always keeps His promises. Would you agree or disagree? Why? Do we really believe that statement?

3) We are participants in the new covenant with God. In what ways have you put your signature on the dotted line of the contract? [/su_pullquote]

 

It describes something that is restricted to a particular function because of its purpose and design. The lungs are made to breathe air, not water. We are obligated to be faithful and obedient to God by design.

 

The declaration is made by the entire company of people,  filling in the blanks that are implied  in Nehemiah 9:38. Everyone, from the oldest down to the youngest who could understand, was standing before God and sharing in this oath. They reinforced the oath with a curse, in essence calling down disaster if they should go back on their word.

 

 

Return from Babylon: Lesson Four
 sub-lessons
Want to take your study to a deeper level? The images to the right represent ten “sub-lessons,” each supporting the theme in today’s lesson.
Click on an image and you will be taken to another page of content. Pick as many as you like. If you have a small group that meets two weeks apart, there is a study for each week day.

 

Mediterranean Moments

Understanding the context in which a passage from the Bible is written is important because it helps prevent wrong interpretations, which would result in bad theology and confusion. The [popup_anything id=”3076″] provides the complete meaning of Scripture as it is studied. The English word “context” was developed in the early 1400’s meaning a composition, a chronicle, the entire text of a writing. It comes from the Latin contextus which means “a joining together” The word was originally used “to weave together” in such a way that taking one thread from the others would destroy the fabric.

How does Nehemiah 8:2-8 fit into the tapestry of God’s entire message to humanity?

By the eighth chapter of Nehemiah, the walls of the city and the temple were near completion. The phrase “all the people gathered as one man” into the square is identical to Ezra 3:1, which also refers to an assembly on the first day of the seventh month. The object of the meeting in Ezra was to restore the altar of burnt offerings and sacrificial worship. This was key to the entire structure of Jewish worship, from daily activities to annual festivals.

Consider the energy that was present the first Sunday when worship was returned to buildings instead of online. Imagine what would happen if we went for seventy years without celebrating Christmas or Easter. There must have been tears shed, shouts of joy offered, and people embracing one another.

We don’t celebrate alone

We are encouraged not to forsake assembling together (Hebrews 10:25). How can we creatively accomplish that if restrictions for health and safety are in place? Can the people of God “assemble” in one place without actually being physically present?

In Nehemiahs time, assemblies were held by the city gates. The one in our passage convened in the square by the Water Gate. It may be the same place as mentioned in Ezra 10:9; see also Judges 19:15, 2 Chronicles 32:6). The people were gathered as one. Social distancing was certainly not a factor, but the implication touches “with one accord.” There were no minds wandering. There was a focused purpose among the people.

There is absolutely no reason that all of the people in verses four and seven are mentioned by name and included in the Scripture. The lesson being taught is vital. Individual people need to be celebrated. No doubt each of these individuals played an important role in the rebuilding or in the ceremonies that were being held. We clearly need to give honor to those for whom honor is due.

Participating with the Word

Notice in this celebration the place that the Word was given, and how the people participated. It is difficult in today’s worship for individuals to participate – a factor that we probably should work on correcting. Ezra the scribe is told to bring the Book of the Law of Moses before the people. Such scrolls would have been kept in regal containers, treated with the same reverence that was once given to the Ark of the Covenant. When the Torah was brought before the people, there must have been shouts of praise and extended applause.

The men and women who were gathered were people “who could understand what they heard” when the Torah was read. This would be people who retained their knowledge of Hebrew even through the exile. There was no attempt to make the reading of God’s Word “user-friendly.” If you want to be a part of this, you need to know the language.

Ezra read the Law while standing on a raised platform that had been constructed for the event. Pomp and circumstance were a part of the ceremony. It is quite possible that the books read were not only the Torah, but also the Prophets and the other Writings. This would be practically the entire Old Testament which we know today. The reading lasted from early morning until midday.

The impression of this passage is that the people insisted upon the reading of Scripture. While not spontaneous, the attentive listening and heart-searching that followed is evidence this was not imposed upon the people by leadership.

The faithful listened

Throughout the passage, Ezra is seen as reading the Torah to the people. Verse six indicates that Ezra blessed the Lord and all the people answered, “Amen! Amen!” Don’t think of this as a one-time moment. Through the ceremonies of worship or festivals, several blessings were offered. Compare this idea to the Seder service for the Passover. Ezra may have done this at the end of a chapter, a book or a scroll.

Also notice that several people mentioned in verse seven helped people understand the Law. Some commentators assume this was translating it from the Hebrew into Aramaic, but Nehemiah and Ezra both seem to place value upon the people knowing the Hebrew language. Think instead of the readers working through a passage and then explaining what it meant. This could be the meaning of the phrase “they gave the sense” that is mentioned in verse eight so that the people understood the reading.

The people bowed their heads as the Scripture was read and placed their faces on the ground. Verse nine tells us that the people wept as they heard the words of the Law.

 

But Nehemiah and Ezra told the people not to mourn or weep, for this day was holy to the Lord. Instead the people were told to go, to eat, drink and celebrate for “the joy of the Lord in your strength” (verse ten).

They read from the book clearly … and the people went their way to eat, drink and make great rejoicing.

 

A believer understands that all truth is God’s truth. It is a principle that masters all of education. While an unbeliever may have discovered the consistency of natural behavior, a clear perspective on culture can only be seen through the lens of faith. A Christian worldview accepts the beginning, the life lived in the middle and the ending are best interpreted by the presence of God.

How have some pursued truth, and what are we doing to applaud their quest?

It is vital that we celebrate. Tom Volkar, of CoreU Coaching, says, “Celebration is a pivotal stage in the productivity process because it allows us to commemorate all the good that we do.” In a recent post, Volkar talked about the “Authentic Cycle of Probability” – the process in which people are productive. The cycle is illustrated in the figure below.

Authentic Cycle of Probability

Notice where celebration falls in the cycle. We normally celebrate when things are all over – as long as we evaluate and believe that we have been successful.

Katherine Spinney, life coach with a decade of experience supporting others in their professional journeys, says “We do not take sufficient time to stop and celebrate the good work being done. We think we do not have enough time or money for such recognition.” She wonders over the years, how many different parties, festivals and parades have you been to celebrating one thing or another?

The AARP website says “Ever since early man discovered fire and cheered an end to raw meat, celebrations have united human communities in honoring momentous events, rites of passage, religious observances and more.”

The Psychology Today website ran an article titled, “Why You Should Celebrate Everything.” The article tells us that moments of celebration make us pause and thoughtfully consider life, which boosts our well-being. “According to social psychology researcher Fred Bryant, when we stop to savor the good stuff, we buffer ourselves against the bad and build resilience.” Even small celebrations can boost positive emotions which makes it easier to manage the daily challenges that cause major stress.

In a world where sin is present at every corner, where chaos seems to reign supreme, and where bad appears to triumph over good, it is vital that we understand the value of celebrating.

 

The Pointe

According to a 2015 Deloitte Survey, 6 out of 10 Millennials chose to work for their current employers due to their “sense of purpose.” What we value gives us purpose. Just as organizations have values, individuals do also. Most people have 5 to 7 core values that identify who they are. For the Christian, we are to be “in the world, but not of it.” We are to be different than the world – in our values, in our beliefs, in our character and in our behavior.

Where does my faith intersect with this topic? What is “the pointe” of this passage? How can I explain “the pointe” to a non-believer? How does “the pointe” help me be different than the world?

We like to celebrate.

The recent coronavirus pandemic has changed how we celebrate the major events and holidays of life. At the outset for many, our weddings, graduations, and birthdays were simply postponed. But soon we have learned to adapt.

A pastor friend was celebrating his thirty-fifth year in the ministry with little fanfare. The church had been streaming services on the internet, but no one had attended worship in the building for weeks. Even without Sunday responsibilities, his office routine followed a rigid schedule and the day was coming to a close at about five o’clock. As he walked out the office door to his car parked in the parking lot, a caravan of horn-honking, streamer-waving congregants drove past the startled and appreciative man. Some handed cards out the car windows. Others offered words of encouragement and thanksgiving.

Amherst County High School, a school between Richmond and Roanoke Virginia, creatively celebrated graduates this year with “Commencement in Cars.” Every senior was given tickets for two cars. Families were encouraged to decorate the cars with inspirational messages and school spirit. A jumbo screen projected senior speeches to the folks in parked cars. At the conclusion of the speeches, cars with the seniors drove down the lane that housed the school, where teachers and school staff were standing ten feet apart, cheering and leading the cars to a stage where the senior got out of the car, walked across the stage and received a diploma. Area businesses donated for pictures to be taken. After the diploma ceremony, a parade of cars through the town was cheered by family and friends.

“Seeing all of these cars celebrating with balloons and markers and stuff, it’s awesome,” said class president Zamire Andrews. “We will go down in history.”

We have grown up believing we celebrate our successes. When we graduate, a party is thrown in our honor. When we get the new job, a banquet is served to commemorate the special occasion.

The Bible teaches a slightly different concept. We are to boast in our weaknesses. We are to celebrate God’s involvement in our lives. We rejoice in His words to us. We are nourished by them and enjoy. We see His power and purpose in our lives and give Him the glory – the credit – for what He accomplishes through us. We celebrate the people who have surrendered their lives to Him in faith and obedience.

Come, celebrate the Lord. “We will celebrate and praise you, Lord! You are good to us and your love never fails. No one can praise you enough …” (Psalm 106:1-2a CEV).

 

Re
“Proclaim & publish” from the lesson series, Return from Babylon | scattered & gathered, June 2020

our Scripture

And Nehemiah, who was the governor, and Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who taught the people said to all the people, “This day is holy to the Lord your God; do not mourn or weep.” For all the people wept as they heard the words of the Law. 

14 And they found it written in the Law that the Lord had commanded by Moses that the people of Israel should dwell in booths during the feast of the seventh month, 15 and that they should proclaim it and publish it in all their towns and in Jerusalem, “Go out to the hills and bring branches of olive, wild olive, myrtle, palm, and other leafy trees to make booths, as it is written.” 16 So the people went out and brought them and made booths for themselves, each on his roof, and in their courts and in the courts of the house of God, and in the square at the Water Gate and in the square at the Gate of Ephraim. 17 And all the assembly of those who had returned from the captivity made booths and lived in the booths, for from the days of Joshua the son of Nun to that day the people of Israel had not done so. And there was very great rejoicing. 18 And day by day, from the first day to the last day, he read from the Book of the Law of God. They kept the feast seven days, and on the eighth day there was a solemn assembly, according to the rule (ESV).

 

Nehemiah 8:9-18 NASB, Nehemiah 8:9-18 NIV, Nehemiah 8:9-18 Message, Nehemiah 8:9-18 NLT

 

our lesson

Do you have goals for your life?

Success coach Brian Tracy says, “The ability to set goals and make plans for their accomplishment is the ‘master skill’ of success.” His article, “Success Through Goal Setting,” is posted on his website.

What do your goals look like? Do they include a “bucket list” of things you would like to do or see? Are there things you would like to accomplish? Are they professional goals? Personal goals? How achievable are the items on your list? Do you know how to set them? If not, here is a link to SMART goals and how to write them.

In an article carried on the Inc. website, research says that while we may set them, we really don’t keep them. According to the University of Scranton, an incredibly large 92% of people who set New Year’s goals never achieve them. I fall into this category, do you? Failing to meet goals is both frustrating and discouraging.

Has 2020 been your year to finally achieve some of your goals? Has the pandemic sent your goals flying out the window and your world reeling to the ground at a record pace? The website thefinancialdiet.com includes an article talking to nine people whose 5-year plans have been impacted by COVID-19 and how they plan to get things back on track.

[su_pullquote align=”right”]Points to Ponder

1) Success mentor and coach, Brian Tracy, writes, “Goals enable you to do the work you want to do, to live where you want to live, to be with the people you enjoy and to become the kind of person you want to become.” Do you agree with his thoughts? Where does this statement fit into the life of a person of faith?

2) Has living in exile during the pandemic caused you to alter some of your goals? How so? [/su_pullquote]

Why don’t some people set goals?

Yogi Berra was an outspoken athlete, a catcher for the New York Yankees during the team’s heyday of 1946 through 1963. He was inducted into baseball’s Hall of Fame as a player in 1972. Berra was loved by the press because he was always spouting lines that would be quotable for the next day’s paper. On setting goals, Yogi once quipped,

If you don’t know where you are going, you might wind up someplace else.

Why are there so many people that don’t know where they are going? Here are five reasons that many people fail to set goals.

  • People are not serious, not committed to achieving things. Let’s face it. We become adults, but a part of us doesn’t like “adulting.” We don’t like responsibility and accountability.
  • Another reason people may not understand the importance of setting goals. Our study should clear any doubts in your mind.
  • The third reason why people don’t set goals is they don’t know how to do so.
  • A fourth reason why people don’t set goals is the fear of rejection. Holding back on goal setting seems natural when others say it’s a waste of time or they can’t achieve them. Peer pressure is strong. Don’t share your goals – or even the fact that you are making them – with others, unless that person is also committed to achieving goals of their own.

 

The biggest reason people don’t set goals

  • Probably the biggest reason for not setting goals is the fear of failure. How many times have we failed to do things because we were afraid of failing? You have to be vulnerable to risk failure for the chance of achieving success.

In the research for his book, The Law of Success, Napoleon Hill interviewed 500 of the most successful people in America. Every one of them admitted they had achieved their greatest successes just one step beyond the point where they had experienced their greatest failures.

[su_pullquote]So they published this decree and had it posted in all their cities and in Jerusalem (Nehemiah 8:15a MSG)[/su_pullquote]

How important is it to have goals?

Geoffrey James, in an article on the inc.com website, writes, “I’ve seldom met a successful person who didn’t start out with a set of ambitious goals. However, the power of goal-setting isn’t just anecdotal. It turns out that there’s a wealth of scientific research into how goal-setting changes the way your brain functions.”

A landmark study performed by the University of Texas discovered that setting goals effects how the brain functions. The technical research boils down to this: Goal-setting restructures your brain to make it more effective. In some ways it actually heals the brain. It is like optimizing your hard drive on the computer so that you achieve your goals.

Bill Copeland said, “The trouble with not having a goal is that you can spend your life running up and down the field and never score.” In an article on the keepinspiring.me website, Quincy Seale identifies six reasons why you need to set goals. Most importantly, goals establish a pattern inside. You set your mind to something. You get excited about it. You work hard to finish the task. Having a specific goal helps the motivation from wearing off.

Seeing progress is addicting. Research proves it. Think about the last time you were “on a roll” or really “in the groove.” The momentum of success breeds the motivation for more success. Famed psychologist Mikhail Csikszentmihalyi calls the momentum “flow,” which he says is the optimal state of mental performance.

 

Are there steps to setting good goals?

Goal setting doesn’t have to be boring. It can be personal and visionary. There certainly are many benefits for setting goals. Jeff Boss, a contributor at the Forbes.com website, writes “you can’t manage what you don’t measure and you can’t improve what you don’t manage.” The key to setting goals is to find an organized plan that works for you.

There are many reasons that setting goals really works. Let’s talk about some ways to set good goals. We have already made reference to the plan called SMART goals. SMART is an acronym for Specific, Measurable, Assignable, Realistic and Time-related goals. Management guru Peter Drucker developed the concept. There are several approaches to writing SMART goals.

Richard Branson, founder of Virgin Group, a British multinational venture capital conglomerate, has a five-step process for setting goals. His thoughts include: don’t self-censor (write down everything); multiple lists are better; cheer yourself on with checkmarks; measure your way to success; and share your goals with others.

Stephen Covey, American author, educator and businessman proposed that the goals needed to be more than just words on paper. He insisted they become habits – habits the effective people all practice. The image of his habits links to the organization’s website.

You can also add several books to your Kindle or your bookshelf about goal-setting. The Success.com website lists six books to help make your vision a reality.

 

Should your goals be written down?

There are impressive studies that back up goal setting. Statistics also make a strong argument at getting good at the skill of writing them down. A Harvard Business Study conducted in 2017 found that the 3% of graduates from their MBA program who had written down their goals ended up earning ten times as much as the other 97% put together. While the study was not controlled in the way some scientific studies are conducted, the findings are still compelling.

Forbes.com concludes that one reason is that the goals have become articulated and are visible. As juvenile as it might sound, sit with markers, crayons, paint or any other means that you have for displaying them – just as if you were back in grade school. The creative process will cement the goals in your mind.

Michael Hyatt agrees and stresses that writing the goals is actually important for five reasons. In fact he says writing is the secret to accomplishing what master most to you.

  • Writing the goal is important because it will force you to clarify what you want.
  • The act of writing the goal helps motivate you to take action.
  • Goal writing also provides a filter for other opportunities.
  • Achieving goals encounters resistance. Writing goals helps you process ways to overcome the resistance.
  • The written goals enables you to see – and celebrate – the progress and victory.

An article on the Inc.com website adds that when you write your goals, you are 42% more likely to achieve them. Dr. Gail Matthews, at the Dominican University in California, led the study on goal-setting and concludes that the process of putting your goals on paper will force you to strategize, to ask questions about your current progress, and to brainstorm your plan of attack.

 

What about goals for your faith?

Setting goals in the Christian faith walks the perilous tight-rope between grace and works. We don’t want to fall off either side of the precarious position. The one side clamors for us to become pharisaical, keeping track of works in a way that hopes God will be pleased, and hopes that we can make our salvation sure. The other side laughs and says what we do doesn’t matter, for God will allow everyone in heaven anyway.

Years before Rick Warren’s best-selling work, The Purpose Driven Life, Dr. Joe Ellis was teaching seminary students that purpose clarifies direction and helps motivate action. His book, The Church on Purpose: Keys to Effective Church Leadership was published in 1982 and provided biblical explanations and achievable guidelines for developing a growing, fruit-producing church.

Warren’s work is landmark. God’s purposes for you extend beyond the few years that are spent here on earth. The Purpose Driven Life maps out the details for Christian living today. Using over 1200 Scriptures and references, it challenges the traditional definitions of conventional theology.

In answering the book’s subtitle, Warren finds five purposes that explain “What on earth am I here for?”  You are …

  • Planned for God’s pleasure (worship)
  • Formed for God’s family (church)
  • Created to become like Christ (discipleship)
  • Shaped for serving God (ministry)
  • Made for a mission (mission)

 

How Should We Form Our Goals?

If one of the goals of the Christian life is to become like Christ, then the traits of our character are steps toward mirroring His personality. Paul describes those characteristics as fruit (Galatians 5:22-23 NIV) and more than implies that the Holy Spirit is invested in their development. Peter describes traits that accompany faith (2 Peter 1:5-8 NIV). Love and self-control are common to both lists.

Some Christians take a particular trait and work on it the entire year. Others try to eliminate gaps (“This year I will be more patient.”) May I suggest forming your goals around three concepts – let’s call them “habits.” These are the general areas I want to focus on. At a regular interval (three months, six months, or a year), I will make specific applications for each of these three areas.

[doc id=2749]

Breaking it Down

First, I want to be gracious. We live in a harsh, biting world. Non-religious people notice the gracious spirit. People see the need for it in relationships, business and for success. Perhaps grace would be the salve that the wounded, hurting world could use for healing.

The second and third habits center around a question asked to Jesus. An expert in the Law inquired of Jesus about the most important commandment. Jesus responded there were two great commands, “First, to love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength.” He continued by saying, “The second is to love your neighbor as yourself.”

If I want to learn to love God in such a rich, complete way, I have going to have to be a life-long learner. I will want to know everything there is to know about God – who He is, what He has done, and what He says. I will also have to learn as much as I can about me. How does my heart work? What kind of strength do I have to use when I love God? How will that kind of love touch my soul?

If I want to love my neighbor as myself, I am going to need to be empathetic. I will need to understand the needs of my neighbor. I will need to care enough about them to be sensitive enough to help. I am going to have to be selfless and sacrificing. As I do, I am going to become more Christ-like in my character and my behavior.

[su_pullquote align=”right”]Words to Wrangle

The word that are striking in today’s passage are the words “proclaim” and “publish.” The words are often associated with verbal and written communication. Both the Old and the New Testaments ask, “How can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard?”

1) How do you “proclaim and publish” the validity of your faith to your closest audience, your family? Does this relate to Peter’s admonition to “always be ready to give an answer when someone asks you about your hope” (1 Peter 3:15 CEV).

2) Is it difficult for you to admit that you are doing gracious things because God has been gracious to you? What is the best way to say that? [/su_pullquote]

Making the Goals Real

John Piper says, “The most loving thing we can do for others is love God more than we love them. For if we love God most, we will love others best.”

If we were to make goals out of these commands, we ought to apply the concepts of the SMART goal process to our theology. How can I make a goal that would emphasize my need to love God with all my heart, while graciously loving my neighbor as myself?

S – SPECIFIC – I will show God that I love Him with all my heart by giving money to the church.

M – MEASURABLE – I will give $25 a week beyond my tithe for the next six months.

A – ATTAINABLE – My tithe and an additional $25 a week fit into my salary and my budget.

R – RELEVANT – My church is trying to raise money for the next six months to aid our mission to the camp in Arizona.

T – TIME BOUND – The goal of giving is once a week, every week, for the next six months.

This particular goal aligns a gracious spirit with both the command to love God and to love our neighbor.

 

Are there lessons from Nehemiah?

As we close our study from Nehemiah, let’s look at some important concepts the people kept in mind as they sought to put their faith into practice as they returned from their exile in Babylon.

[su_pullquote align=”right”]Conclusions to Consider

1) A primary truth in this lesson is that we are to publish and proclaim our commitment to faith. How do we remember what God has done in our lives? How do you record or publish what you want to do for God?

2) In what ways have you personally proclaimed the message of your faith? How did you become a Christian? How is God working in your life right now? [/su_pullquote]

This day is holy … do not mourn or weep

The people understood there was a holy nature to the work they were doing. Building walls and re-establishing their practices were physical, mundane activities. It doesn’t necessarily “feel” that there is a lot spiritual about what they were doing. But Nehemiah and God’s Word helped them understand the work done to further God’s kingdom was a spiritual matter as well as a physical one. This was a holy thing they were doing. They were to celebrate.

We usually think the opposite, don’t we? If the day is holy, we are to be quiet and reverent. We see those characteristics as evidence of holiness. “Be quiet! You’re in church.” There is celebration in the holiness of God – and in the holy work that we are accomplishing in His name.

As we set goals, there should be both a holiness and a celebration applied to our efforts to serve the Lord.

 

They found …in the Law … they should proclaim it and publish it

Consider the concepts of verses fourteen and fifteen. “They found written in the Law” contains a simple, yet profound message. We need to look in the Scriptures for the truths containing the principles for how we are to live. But the use of the word “found” almost implies the truths were lost. Perhaps they hadn’t looked. Maybe they over-looked.

“They should proclaim and publish it” speaks a lot to our conversations today about setting goals and writing them down. Here is what we are going to do. These are the written plans that will govern our behavior. Let everyone know what we are doing and why.

Years ago the city of Cincinnati was enduring one of the hottest months of August on record. The sweltering heat was causing exhaustion and illness throughout the city. It was also causing a shortness of breath and a shortness of patience and holding tempers everywhere. Add to the busyness of downtown traffic and you have a recipe for disaster. One of the churches in the area, The Vineyard, gathered a crew of volunteers and passed out ice cold bottles of water to the hot drivers of cars on a downtown street corner.

They did not hand out tracts with the water. They did not hand out flyers advertising their church. They walked up to a car as it was stopped in traffic and handed them a cold drink.

If someone asked, and many people did, “What is this for?” they simply responded, “We are handing out cold water in the name of Jesus who gives Living Water. Enjoy your drink.”

Proclaimed and published.

 

So the people went out … and made booths

When the people read the Word, they discovered they were to do things that reminded them of what the Lord had done for His people. They found they were to build temporary shelters and spend time living in them, pointing their minds back to the time when Israel was freed from their slavery in Egypt into the Promised Land.

So the people went out and made tents. They didn’t just read the things on the scrolls of the Law. They went out and did what the Law said. They took part in a festival of remembrance. They realized that such a feast was in fact a celebration.

And their joy was very great.

The body of believers today has a festival that remembers what God has done. “For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes” (1 Corinthians 11:26 NASB).

Some churches celebrate communion every quarter. Other churches celebrate it once a month. Many churches celebrate the Lord’s Supper each Sunday. We remember the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus as a payment and sacrifice for our sins. We do it – as often as we remember.

Don’t weep. Don’t mourn. This is a holy experience. It is a festival of celebration.

Let your joy be great!

 

“Rejoicing – celebrating God speaking and our listening,” from the lesson series, Return from Babylon | scattered & gathered, June 2020

our Scripture

So Ezra the priest brought the Law before the assembly, both men and women and all who could understand what they heard, on the first day of the seventh month. 3 And he read from it facing the square before the Water Gate from early morning until midday, in the presence of the men and the women and those who could understand. And the ears of all the people were attentive to the Book of the Law. 4 And Ezra the scribe stood on a wooden platform that they had made for the purpose. And beside him stood Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Uriah, Hilkiah, and Maaseiah on his right hand, and Pedaiah, Mishael, Malchijah, Hashum, Hashbaddanah, Zechariah, and Meshullam on his left hand. 5 And Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people, for he was above all the people, and as he opened it all the people stood. 

6 And Ezra blessed the Lord, the great God, and all the people answered, “Amen, Amen,” lifting up their hands. And they bowed their heads and worshiped the Lord with their faces to the ground. 7 Also Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, the Levites, helped the people to understand the Law, while the people remained in their places. 8 They read from the book, from the Law of God, clearly, and they gave the sense, so that the people understood the reading (English Standard Version)

Nehemiah 8:2-8 NASB, Nehemiah 8:2-8 NIV, Nehemiah 8:2-8 Message, Nehemiah 8:2-8 NLT

our lesson

We like celebrating. The recent coronavirus pandemic has changed how we celebrate the major events and holidays of life. At the outset for many, our weddings, graduations, and birthdays were simply postponed. But soon we have learned to adapt.

A pastor friend was celebrating his thirty-fifth year in the ministry with little fanfare. The church had been streaming services on the internet, but no one had attended worship in the building for weeks. Even without Sunday responsibilities, his office routine followed a rigid schedule and the day was coming to a close at about five o’clock. As he walked out the office door to his car parked in the parking lot, a caravan of horn-honking, streamer-waving congregants drove past the startled and appreciative man. Some handed cards out the car windows. Others offered words of encouragement and thanksgiving.

Amherst County High School, a school between Richmond and Roanoke Virginia, creatively celebrated graduates this year with “Commencement in Cars.” Every senior was given tickets for two cars. Families were encouraged to decorate the cars with inspirational messages and school spirit. A jumbo screen projected senior speeches to the folks in parked cars. At the conclusion of the speeches, cars with the seniors drove down the lane that housed the school, where teachers and school staff were standing ten feet apart, cheering and leading the cars to a stage where the senior got out of the car, walked across the stage and received a diploma. Area businesses donated for pictures to be taken. After the diploma ceremony, a parade of cars through the town was cheered by family and friends.

“Seeing all of these cars celebrating with balloons and markers and stuff, it’s awesome,” said class president Zamire Andrews. “We will go down in history.”

 

The importance of celebrating

It is vital that we celebrate. Tom Volkar, of CoreU Coaching, says, “Celebration is a pivotal stage in the productivity process because it allows us to commemorate all the good that we do.” In a recent post, Volkar talked about the “Authentic Cycle of Probability” – the process in which people are productive. The cycle is illustrated in the figure below.

Authentic Cycle of Probability

Notice where celebration falls in the cycle. We normally celebrate when things are all over – as long as we evaluate and believe that we have been successful. But in this cycle celebrating comes as the third step, providing motivation and encouragement to take better actions throughout bringing the idea to fruition.

Katherine Spinney, life coach with a decade of experience supporting others in their professional journeys, says “We do not take sufficient time to stop and celebrate the good work being done. We think we do not have enough time or money for such recognition.” She wonders over the years, how many different parties, festivals and parades have you been to celebrating one thing or another?

The AARP website says “Ever since early man discovered fire and cheered an end to raw meat, celebrations have united human communities in honoring momentous events, rites of passage, religious observances and more.”

The Psychology Today website ran an article titled, “Why You Should Celebrate Everything.” The article tells us that moments of celebration make us pause and thoughtfully consider life, which boosts our well-being. “According to social psychology researcher Fred Bryant, when we stop to savor the good stuff, we buffer ourselves against the bad and build resilience.” Even small celebrations can boost positive emotions which makes it easier to manage the daily challenges that cause major stress.

The Bible teaches celebrating

Jesus loved to tell stories. You would have been spell-bound to listen to Him because He had a knack for taking the most profound spiritual truths or doctrines and make them as simple as learning to throw seeds in the garden or baking a loaf of bread. A story – an object lesson – used to tell a spiritual truth is called a parable. About a third of His teaching used parables, and depending on how you count, Jesus told about forty different parables.

He speaks in parables because not everyone wants to hear. He used parables so that the hearts of those rejecting His words would not be hardened further. The same sun that softens the wax hardens the clay. The same gospel that humbles the heart of the honest seeker hardens the heart of the one who is clinging to their path of disobedience.

[su_pullquote align=”right”]Points to Ponder

1) In what ways has the quarantine changed how you live your life … how you shop, how you travel, how you treat people and how you celebrate?

2) Has the quarantine caused you to realize your need for God? Give some examples to the group. In what ways have you come to appreciate things about God that you took for granted? [/su_pullquote]

William Barclay wrote, “The parable conceals truth from those who are either too lazy or too blinded by prejudice to see. It reveals truth to him who desires truth; it conceals truth from him who does not wish to see the truth.” D.A. Carson states, “the parables spoke to the crowds do not simply convey information nor mask it, but challenge the hearers” to understand it.

 

Understanding parables

The term “parable” is a transliteration of the Greek word parabole (parah-bow-lay). The word means “to throw alongside.” A parable throws one idea alongside another for the purpose of providing a better explanation. The story in a parable illustrates and illuminates basic ideas and is not meant to have an “item-by-item” explanation for each detail, but rather a larger picture painted on the canvas.

The word starts with the Greek preposition “para.” It literally means alongside, but it stresses a nearness, a closeness or a relationship that is often not expressed in translation. It implies an intimate relationship, something that actually changes the nature of the two when separate and individual.

Let me give you an example. I might call your attention to “peanut butter alongside jelly.” We could be picturing a jar of peanut butter and a jar of jelly sitting next to one another on the kitchen cabinet or on the shelf at the grocery. But if the word “para” was used to describe “alongside” we would not think of the peanut butter and the jelly as separate, but instead we would think of them as already intermingled, as in a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.

We bring the word “para” straight into the English on so many occasions. We often speak of a parachute, paradigm, paragraph, paralegal, paralysis, parameter, or paradox.

[doc id=2753]

My Two Sons

The fifteenth chapter of Luke describes an interesting point in the earthly ministry of Jesus. In the midst of intense criticism from Jewish religious leaders regarding His practice of eating with characters of ill-repute, Jesus tells three stories. The imagery wrestles your attention away from any other direction.

Do any of you have sheep? There was a woman who had coins. Once a man had sons. Everyone can relate to these stories. Haven’t we all had a pet that got off the leash and wandered away? Is there anyone among us that hasn’t misplaced our keys or our cell phone? Could there be a parent whose child never made a bad decision?

[su_pullquote align=”left”]We will celebrate and praise you, Lord! You are good to us, and your love never fails. No one can praise you enough (Psalm 106:1-2 CEV) [/su_pullquote]

I finally found it! It was in the last place I looked! He came to his senses and it all worked out.

All three of the stories have similar circumstances. The stories all teach similar lessons. And all three stories end the same way: we call friends and neighbors and say, “Let’s celebrate! I found what I lost!”

The title of one of Tony Campolo’s earliest books spoke to this concept: The Kingdom of God is a Party. In the book, Tony tells the story of throwing a birthday celebration. If you have not heard this story, it will be one that you always remember. The gracious spirit of God celebrates when we return to the Father. We need to celebrate our relationships with others in the same way.

 

Support from the Scriptures

The Psalmists remind us to throw all our passions and energies into celebrating the Lord of Hosts.

 

They will celebrate and sing about your matchless mercy and your power to save.

Psalm 145:7 CEV

Our God, you are the one who rides on the clouds, and we praise you. Your name is the Lord, and we celebrate as we worship you.

Psalm 68:4 CEV

We will celebrate and praise you, Lord! You are good to us, and your love never fails. No one can praise you enough for all of the mighty things you have done.

Psalm 106:1-2 CEV

Other Psalms enforcing the same idea include Psalm 150:1-6, Psalm 118:24, Psalm 149:5, Psalm 16:11, Psalm 145:7, Psalm 126:3, Psalm 20:5, Psalm 68:3, and Psalm 118:15. The same concept echo throughout the pages of the New Testament. The gospel writers record the joyful praise idea in John 15:11, John 16:21, Luke 15:7 and Matthew 22:1. The rest of the New Testament continues the idea in the epistles and revelation. Be sure and notice important Scriptures like 1 Corinthians 10:31, 1 Corinthians 5:8, 1 Peter 1:8-9, Colossians 3:14, Romans 12:15 and Revelation 19:1-5.

 

Three Biblical Perspectives for Celebrating

What does it mean to celebrate our God? What makes up the feelings and how do we express them? The New Testament gives us three ingredients to make our celebration genuine and heart-felt.

 

We are blessed

The 119th Psalm begins, “Our Lord, you bless everyone who lives right” – using the same word “bless” that Jesus uses when He begins the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5:1). The first verses of this sermon are typically called “The Beatitudes.” It describes the blessed life of the faithful.

The word “beatitude” does not appear anywhere in Scripture. It is a word that tries to explain the concept behind the word אֶ֫שֶׁר RASHA, the blessing of God. It rests upon those who give themselves to living as a wise individual. We struggle with that, don’t we? The wise are people of integrity – blameless, pure, sincere (Genesis 18:1; Proverbs 11:20; 13:6). They walk on God’s path.

In the Sermon on the Mount, Matthew counts nine “blessings” for those who follow Jesus. In these verses, Jesus was not describing separate types of Christian character, but instead is painting qualities and experiences that are to be found in the one who follows God.

There were three general kinds of blessings developed in the Scriptures.  The first was the blessing that God would offer the people for their faithful obedience. The next was the blessing offered within the family. Finally the Old Testament spoke of God’s faithfulness to his people as a blessing.  Blessing spoke to the understanding that God’s faithfulness, in good times and bad, was a source of strength, security and peace. 

What kind of person will find this blessing, this favor of God? By the world’s standards, not the extra-ordinary person, but the ordinary one. Blessed are those who dwell in your house, they are ever praising you (Psalm 84:4 NIV).

The one who understands that he is blessed, celebrates.

 

We are content

Paul tells the Philippians that he has learned the secret of contentment. The concept supports Jewish peace – being at peace with the circumstance. Listen to Paul’s words:

11 I am not complaining about having too little. I have learned to be satisfied with whatever I have. 12 I know what it is to be poor or to have plenty, and I have lived under all kinds of conditions. I know what it means to be full or to be hungry, to have too much or too little. 13 Christ gives me the strength to face anything (Philippians 4:11-13 CEV).

There is contentment in believing that Christ gives you the strength to face all things. It puts the amazing promise of Philippians 4:19 in its proper perspective: “My God will supply every need of yours according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.”

The Hebrew writer – which quite probably is the apostle Paul – says the same thing. He argues that freedom from the love of money, the idea of having contentment, is based on a promise that God will always be there. “Keep your life free from the love of money, and be content with what you have, for He has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you” (Hebrews 13:5 ESV).

We spend most of our lives concerned that we will lose what we have – loved ones, material things, confidence, our possessions. Wasn’t that the real cause of people hording toilet paper at the start of the pandemic? We are even concerned about losing our relationship with God. If I mess up often enough or bad enough, God will get fed up with me and leave me.

When we accept and believe that enough to celebrate it, we will have begun to master contentment.

 

We rejoice

Paul tells those same Philippians to rejoice in the Lord always. He repeats the encouragement and the words “rejoice” and “joy” sixteen times in the small epistle. Paul is not dependent upon his circumstances for his joyfulness. He has been imprisoned almost four years (Philippians 1:12-18). Even if he were to be sentences to death, he would still be joyful (Philippians 2:17-18).

Instead Paul found his joy in people. His life and well-being were always tied to those he had touched in the faith. Self-centered people don’t have that kind of feeling for others. They also do not have much joy.

Joy and celebration go hand-in-hand, don’t they?

What if our understanding of rejoicing were more akin to celebrating? How would that change your connotation of the command, “Rejoice in the Lord always”? We are to celebrate the Lord.

[su_pullquote align=”right”]Words to Wrangle

We tend to celebrate when we are successful. The Scripture tells us to celebrate when we are weak, because it is then we realize God is strong. Read Psalm 106:1-5, 44-48. The verses in-between give an account of the times when Israel was unfaithful, yet God continued to support Israel, steadfastly faithful, even when they didn’t realize it. Such is cause to celebrate!

1) Can you give examples of times that God was faithful, even when you were less than obedient, less than confident in God’s presence?

2) Does the recent pandemic fit into this need? How has the virus proven God to be faithful? In what ways can we celebrate? [/su_pullquote]

Let’s look at a handful of lessons about celebrating from Nehemiah’s story.

People Celebrated

By the eighth chapter of Nehemiah, the walls of the city and the temple were near completion. The phrase “all the people gathered as one man” into the square is identical to Ezra 3:1, which also refers to an assembly on the first day of the seventh month. The object of the meeting in Ezra was to restore the altar of burnt offerings and sacrificial worship. This was key to the entire structure of Jewish worship, from daily activities to annual festivals. Consider the energy that was present the first Sunday when worship was returned to buildings instead of online. Imagine what would happen if we went for seventy years without celebrating Christmas or Easter. There must have been tears shed, shouts of joy offered, and people embracing one another.

Assemblies were held by the city gates, this one being convened in the square by the Water Gate. It may be the same place as mentioned in Ezra 10:9; see also Judges 19:15, 2 Chronicles 32:6). The people were gathered as one. Social distancing was certainly not a factor, but the implication touches “with one accord.” There were no minds wandering. There was a focused purpose among the people.

There is absolutely no reason that all of the people in verses four and seven are mentioned by name and included in the Scripture. The lesson being taught is vital. Individual people need to be celebrated. No doubt each of these individuals played an important role in the rebuilding or in the ceremonies that were being held. We clearly need to give honor to those for whom honor is due.

Worshipers participated with the Word

Notice the place that the Word occupied in this celebration. The people reacted and participated with the Word. It is difficult in today’s worship for individuals to participate – a factor that we probably should work on correcting. Ezra the scribe is told to bring the Book of the Law of Moses before the people. Such scrolls would have been kept in regal containers, treated with the same reverence that was once given to the Ark of the Covenant. When the Torah was brought before the people, there must have been shouts of praise and extended applause.

The men and women who were gathered were people “who could understand what they heard” when the Torah was read. This would be people who retained their knowledge of Hebrew even through the exile. There was no attempt to make the reading of God’s Word “user-friendly.” If you want to be a part of this, you need to know the language.

Ezra read the Law while standing on a raised platform that had been constructed for the event. Pomp and circumstance were a part of the ceremony. It is quite possible that the books read were not only the Torah, but also the Prophets and the other Writings. This would be practically the entire Old Testament which we know today. The reading lasted from early morning until midday.

[su_pullquote align=”right”]Conclusions to Consider

1) A primary truth in this lesson is that God is to celebrate the fact that God has spoken and that we have the opportunity to listen. Can you make a list of the essential truths of the Message that God has spoken to us? What are essentials and what are simply matters of opinion?

2) During the past week, how have you listened to what God is saying to you, your church and our country during this pandemic? How will you celebrate in the coming week? [/su_pullquote]

The impression of this passage is that the people insisted upon the reading of Scripture. While not spontaneous, the attentive listening and heart-searching that followed is evidence this was not imposed upon the people by leadership.

The faithful listened

Throughout the passage, Ezra is seen as reading the Torah to the people. Verse six indicates that Ezra blessed the Lord and all the people answered, “Amen! Amen!” Don’t think of this as a one-time moment. Through the ceremonies of worship or festivals, several blessings were offered. Compare this idea to the Seder service for the Passover. Ezra may have done this at the end of a chapter, a book or a scroll.

We don’t think of listening as being a part of celebration, but it is a vital part of the dynamic that takes place between the people, the leadership and the Father. It certainly makes sense that when we care deeply enough about the subject or the speaker, we will care enough to listen. Celebrating the moment means to pay attention to it.

Also notice that several people mentioned in verse seven helped people understand the Law. Some commentators assume this was translating it from the Hebrew into Aramaic, but Nehemiah and Ezra both seem to place value upon the people knowing the Hebrew language. Think instead of the readers working through a passage and then explaining what it meant. This could be the meaning of the phrase “they gave the sense” that is mentioned in verse eight so that the people understood the reading.

The people bowed their heads as the Scripture was read and placed their faces on the ground. Verse nine tells us that the people wept as they heard the words of the Law.

But Nehemiah and Ezra told the people not to mourn or weep, for this day was holy to the Lord. Instead the people were told to go, to eat, drink and celebrate for “the joy of the Lord in your strength” (verse ten).

They read from the book clearly … and the people went their way to eat, drink and make great rejoicing.

“Rebuilding the Walls,” from the lesson series, Return from Babylon | scattered & gathered, June 2020

our Scripture

Then I said to them, “You see the trouble we are in, how Jerusalem lies in ruins with its gates burned. Come, let us build the wall of Jerusalem, that we may no longer suffer derision.” 18 And I told them of the hand of my God that had been upon me for good, and also of the words that the king had spoken to me. And they said, “Let us rise up and build.” So they strengthened their hands for the good work. 19 But when Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite servant and Geshem the Arab heard of it, they jeered at us and despised us and said, “What is this thing that you are doing? Are you rebelling against the king?” 20 Then I replied to them, “The God of heaven will make us prosper, and we his servants will arise and build, but you have no portion or right or claim in Jerusalem”(English Standard Version)

(Nehemiah 2:17-20 NASB, Nehemiah 2:17-20 NIV, Nehemiah 2:17-20 MESSAGE, Nehemiah 2:17-20 NLT).

our lesson

“You see the trouble we are in.” Could Nehemiah’s words be any more pointed? Could there be any words that would ring this true, generation after generation? Are there any better words to describe our lives right now?

Let’s take the COVID-19 situation as an example.

Can you add to that the tensions and struggles that divide our country? It is easy to center on ethnicity and race because they are in the news, but those certainly are not the only points of division. Is it reasonable to have faith? Here are a handful of the “polar opposites” that separate America today. Can you think of others?

We know that stress has physical effects on us. The website of the Mayo Clinic tells us that stress symptoms “may be affecting your health, even though you may not realize it.” It says that illness is to blame for the irritating headache, your frequent insomnia or your decreased energy at work. Stress may in fact be the cause.

Walls of life in shambles

Stress that is left unchecked can contribute to health problems, such as high blood pressure, heart disease, obesity and diabetes. The Clinic lists this chart of the common effects of stress.

 

Body Mood Behavior
Muscle tension or pain Restlessness Overeating or under-eating
Chest pain Lack of motivation or focus Drug or alcohol misuse
Fatigue Feeling overwhelmed Tobacco use
Change in habits Irritability or anger Social withdrawal
Stomach upset Sadness or depression Exercising less often

 

Could stress have similar spiritual effects on us as well? Do we need to have a column for the spiritual effects? Think for a moment. If you are depressed, what does that do to your spiritual life? Does it keep you from praying? Does it take you away from your Bible reading? If you are feeling overwhelmed and anxious? Does it make you worry to the point of trusting God less? Does it make you question God more?

 

shelters from the stress

To shelter us against the stresses, we build walls to protect us. Christian counselors, Dr. Henry Cloud and Dr. John Townsend call these walls “boundaries.” A wall is something you build to make the further progress of an activity impossible. A wall keeps intrusions out while giving you a place to recover and restore.

Walls can be physical, but they may also be spiritual. Solomon warns us to protect our hearts (Proverbs 4:23 ESV). Walls keep the good in and the bad out. We build our walls with several things that we will talk about, but a vital one is the ability to respond clearly. God wants your “no” and your “yes” to be straight-forward (Matthew 5:37, James 5:12).

Our bodies intertwine the spiritual, mental, emotional and physical. If we are concerned about the spiritual, we have to make sure the other areas are protected and healthy by strong walls because they have an impact on the spiritual.

Let’s turn to the Old Testament prophet Nehemiah for a lesson on rebuilding walls.

 

Jerusalem lies in ruins

Depending on who you listen to, life as we know it lies in ruins. We are in desperation and tragedy. The “normal” that had become comfortable and convenient has vanished. The structure that provided the boundaries and walls of life are laying in shambles. We want things to go back to the way they were.

But the way things were didn’t protect, didn’t provide and they didn’t promote hope.

The walls – the structure, the protection around our lives – needs to be rebuilt – better, wiser, more ready to acknowledge the presence of God.

Nehemiah comes to Jerusalem (Nehemiah 2:11) and stayed there three days. We are not specifically told what Nehemiah did during that time, but let’s speculate for a moment. He may have first rested there like Ezra did (Ezra 8:32). Rest should be an important part of the schedule of the servant of God. Jesus once told the disciples to come with Him to a quiet place and get some rest (Mark 6:31). If the spiritual body is going to be sharp, the physical body needs to be well-rested and prepared.

 

[su_pullquote align=”right”]Points to Ponder

1) Let’s get them out on the table. Describe some of the troubles that are facing our nation today. Identify the troubles that are facing the church. What troubles sit on your personal doorstep?

2) Psalm 127 reminds us that when the Lord watches over the city, He will give sleep to his beloved. What does that say to us when our times are enough to keep us awake at night? [/su_pullquote]

The presence of a prophet

Nehemiah probably met with the leaders of the Jewish community. He needed to receive their “buy-in” for the project that he intended to fulfill, but it was also important to get their take on what was needed and what opposition would oppose his efforts. Most likely the prophet wandered through the streets of the city, getting an idea of hits flavor and witnessing first hand where the greatest problems were developing.

Nehemiah wanted his project to be the right work at the right time. Success of this nature takes planning. Nehemiah had to assess the circumstance and craft a proposal based on his perception of the problem. There is an interesting phrase in verse twelve of the context of our passage (Nehemiah 2:11-20 ESV). “I had not told anyone what my God has put on my heart to do for Jerusalem. There were no mounts with me except the one I was riding on” (Nehemiah 2:12 NIV).  He used only one horse so as not to draw attention to what he was doing. He did not want opposition before he started his work. Wise leadership knows when to publicize work and ministry, and when to quietly clarify the need and develop the plan.

 

Rebuilding: the task at hand

Nehemiah was to face many who opposed his work and direction. He perceived his mission as rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem so that an environment could be established for the people where there was freedom and safety to worship their God. Nehemiah wanted to build a location that would be pleasing to God. The walls would serve not only as physical protection, but would nurture a culture that would symbolize boundaries of religious belief. The walls are made complete later with the reading of the Torah – the first five books of Moses.

[su_pullquote]Then I said to them, “You see the trouble we are in, how Jerusalem lies in ruins with its gates burned. Come, let us build the wall (Nehemiah 2:17a ESV). [/su_pullquote]

Psalm 126 is one of the handfuls of psalms that were “sung” at the people would travel up to the city of Jerusalem to commemorate one of the feasts. This particular psalm speaks to the exiles return to Jerusalem. These psalms (Psalm 120-134) form a collection known as the “Songs of Ascents.” The Mishnah links these fifteen psalms with the fifteen steps of the temple where the Levites sang these songs upon entering the temple. It is more likely that the songs were sung in the three annual festival processions when Jewish males were required to return to Jerusalem. The pilgrims sang the song as they “ascended” up to Jerusalem (Exodus 23:14-18, Deuteronomy 16:16).

The ascent to Jerusalem was not just literal, it was also a metaphor of life. The trip to Jerusalem represented a life lived moving purposely toward God, the goal of the believer. Paul would later describe the believer’s life as one that “presses on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:14).

 

A word from the Psalms

The Message begins Psalm 126 by proclaiming, “It seemed like a dream, too good to be true” (Psalm 126:1-6 MSG).

When the Lord restored the fortunes of Zion,
    we were like those who dream.
2 Then our mouth was filled with laughter,
    and our tongue with shouts of joy;
then they said among the nations,
    “The Lord has done great things for them.”
3 The Lord has done great things for us;
    we are glad.

4 Restore our fortunes, O Lord,
    like streams in the Negeb!
5 Those who sow in tears
    shall reap with shouts of joy!
6 He who goes out weeping,
    bearing the seed for sowing,
shall come home with shouts of joy,
    bringing his sheaves with him. (Psalm 126:1-7 ESV)

 

reflecting on its words

In this psalm, the people of faith reflect with humility and thanksgiving upon the things that God has done in the past, while at the same time praying for His continued goodness. While the date is not completely agreed upon, the form and content reflect upon a time when they were taken out of the Promised Land and then led by God to return. This could have been any number of times throughout their history. Placing it after the return from the Babylonian exile tends to be the most popular position.

The psalm reflects the sentiment and gratitude expressed in the prayer of Psalm 85:1-7.

Verses two and three give us a glimpse into the Hebrew poetry structure of parallel phrases repeating the same concept. Notice the value of the idea: the Lord has done great things for us. Before any petitions or requests, the psalmist reflects on the idea that the Lord has provided. This is not to appease the senses of God before requests are made. Prayer is much more for our benefit than it is for God’s. Reflecting before we ask places things in their proper perspective.

 

The Lord blesses His work

As we understand God’s involvement in our particular place in history, it is important for us to reflect upon God’s blessings in the past. Whatever our task – the restructuring of our congregations because of circumstances of life or the restructuring of our lives in order to better worship – the people of the Lord reach to Him for guidance, favor and blessings. Notice a couple of important concepts in these two passages of the Psalms.

So teach us to number our days
    that we may get a heart of wisdom.
13 Return, O Lord! How long?
    Have pity on your servants!
14 Satisfy us in the morning with your steadfast love,
    that we may rejoice and be glad all our days.
15 Make us glad for as many days as you have afflicted us,
    and for as many years as we have seen evil.
16 Let your work be shown to your servants,
    and your glorious power to their children.
17 Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us,
    and establish the work of our hands upon us;
    yes, establish the work of our hands (Psalm 90:12-17 ESV)!

Numbering the days in the Old Testament is far deeper than trying to figure out just how long we will live. It involves putting structure in the day so that priorities can be set, that God’s purposes can be seen, and the proper acknowledgment can be given to God for His involvement, guidance and blessing. When we align our days in such a way, we receive a heart of wisdom. How much better our lives would be, were we able to maintain perspective on life’s events.

The 29th Psalm, a psalm of David, points us to place the greatest value upon keeping our priorities straight, noticing God’s involvement.

Ascribe to the Lord, O heavenly beings,
    ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.
2 Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name (Psalm 29:1-2 ESV);

 

Giving God glory

We are presented with a tough theological concept. How do we give God glory? We usually assume that it means to give God praise, and that certainly is a part of the picture. The concept may be much bigger than just that. Giving God glory is to recognize God’s involvement in the activities of our life. It is giving Him the credit He deserves.

If we look at the world around us and come to the conclusion that it was not made by God, but rather the result of a random chance process we call “evolution,” we are doing the opposite of giving God glory.

Notice how David ends the psalm. God is given credit for ruling over the events of nature (“the flood”) and over the activities of men (“enthroned as king”).

The Lord sits enthroned over the flood;
    the Lord sits enthroned as king forever.
11 May the Lord give strength to his people!
    May the Lord bless his people with peace (Psalm 29:10-11 ESV)!

If we accomplish anything on earth, whether it be rebuilding walls or enduring a coronavirus, we are able to do so because of the blessing and strength of God. Even if we live at peace with other nations and people, it is because the hand of the Lord is upon us.

Consider for a moment Psalm 112. Albert Barnes says that the author of this psalm is unknown, but it carries the same structure as the previous psalm, also unknown. Both psalms have phrases and clauses that begin with the successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet. Psalm 112 also begins where the other needs – the happiness or blessedness of fearing God.

Praise the Lord!
Blessed is the man who fears the Lord,
    who greatly delights in his commandments!
2 His offspring will be mighty in the land;
    the generation of the upright will be blessed.
3 Wealth and riches are in his house,
    and his righteousness endures forever.
4 Light dawns in the darkness for the upright;
    he is gracious, merciful, and righteous.
5 It is well with the man who deals generously and lends;
    who conducts his affairs with justice.
6 For the righteous will never be moved;
    he will be remembered forever.
7 He is not afraid of bad news;
    his heart is firm, trusting in the Lord.
8 His heart is steady; he will not be afraid,
    until he looks in triumph on his adversaries.
9 He has distributed freely; he has given to the poor;
    his righteousness endures forever;
    his horn is exalted in honor.
10 The wicked man sees it and is angry;
    he gnashes his teeth and melts away;
    the desire of the wicked will perish (Psalm 112:1-10 ESV)!

Blessed is the man who fears the Lord. He will not be moved. Troubles and turmoil may approach life, but the man of God takes it in stride because God works in circumstances to bless us.

 

They jeered at us and despised us

Even though Nehemiah was aware of the blessings that God offered, he was pestered by the ways and the words of people outside of the faith. Does that sound like it could have been written today? Just when it feels like we understand what God is doing and why, our thoughts are disrupted by the words and deeds of the wicked.

On Nehemiah 2:10 Old Testament scholar Derek Kidner writes, “These two men will throw a long shadow over the story.” We know a little bit about the two names mentioned in the verse. A document dated around 407BC (about 38 years after the events of this chapter) refers to Sanballat as the “governor of Samaria.” This would put him as a Jewish leader of the people who was still very loyal to the people of Persia. Their loyalty remained fierce so that by the time of Jesus, a faithful Jew from either Galilee or Judea would not walk through the area of Samaria.

[su_pullquote align=”right”]Words to Wrangle

The purposes of walls are to provide strength and protection for the inhabitants of the city. Most cities employed a watchman to patrol and warn the people when danger was approaching. Are the church and the Christian supposed to serve as a watchman for the world? Read Psalms 122 and 127. If so, what does it mean to be a watchman on the wall?

1) Solomon writes “Unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchmen stand guard in vain” (Psalm 127:1 NIV). How have you seen this true in the cases of the COVID-19 pandemic and the racial tensions and protests?

2) In Psalm 122, David describes Jerusalem as a city that is bound firmly together. How does the unity of the people help the watchman? How does unity help make the walls secure? What is the meaning of verse nine: “For the sake of the house of the Lord our God, I will seek your good.” [/su_pullquote]

Tobiah is a Jewish name of a powerful family in Ammon that would provide leadership for centuries to come. The label or title “servant” no doubt refers to being the king’s servant, one of the highest positions in the country of Persia.

The Bible understates the problem: it displeased these two men greatly that someone had come to seek the welfare of the people of Israel. Verse nineteen places the period at the end of Nehemiah’s sentence. “They jeered at us and despised us.”

How do you feel despised for your faith today? How is God despised by people?

 

So they strengthened their hands for the good work

“Do you see the trouble we are in?”

Isn’t Nehemiah speaking to the church today? We are getting back to worshiping again, but the way we “do church” needs to be different today. Worship needs to be better. The experience needs to be more personal. Our approach to God must meet the needs of a changing culture and society. The walls should be different. Are you up for the task?

The last part of verse eighteen is incredibly important. The English Standard Version translates the phrase, “So they strengthened their hands for the good work.” Look at how it is rendered in some of the other versions: Nehemiah 2:18 MSG, Nehemiah 2:18 HCSB, Nehemiah 2:18 NET, Nehemiah 2:18 NRSV.

The walls and the gates of Jerusalem had lain in ruins since Nebuchadnezzar and his Babylonians had come through to plunder and conquer some 130 years earlier. The leaders and people had just become complacent to the sad state of affairs. This is just the way things are, and the way things will always be.

The church tends to be the same way. There are problems with injustice but there really isn’t anything that the church can do about it. The government wants us to stay out of politics. We tend to want to see things positively. Nehemiah uses the word “disgrace” to describe the conditions of the city, its walls and the temple (Nehemiah 2:17, Nehemiah 1:3, Nehemiah 4:4, Nehemiah 5:9).

 

Rebuilding starts with assessment

It took someone from outside to correctly assess the circumstance, rally the people together and lead them with a plan toward action. How can the church strengthen itself for the task at hand? Let’s look at a handful of opportunities.

  • Recognize your need to depend upon God. We have such a desire to be independent and self-sufficient. Depending on God is basic to the Christian life, the concept of grace and our ability to reach heaven. We depend on God for our salvation (Ephesians 2:8-9). We depend on God for wisdom to apply truth to daily circumstances (James 1:5). In fact, we depend on God for everything (Psalm 104:27) and in everything (Proverbs 3:5-6). Begin each day with a prayer acknowledging God and leaning on Him.
  • Identify your priorities and structure of your life. We all have responsibilities and challenges. Prioritize the people and projects of your circumstances. Place God at the top of the list, followed by the people in your immediate family, ordered by their priority and need. An ailing and elderly father may require more of my time and attention at this point in my life than a fairly independent adult son. Order the tasks needed to do long term, short term and daily. Be flexible and adaptable. Nothing in life stays the same, so your planning needs to be flexible to adapt, rather than frustrating to stop.
  • Build daily routines and traditions that will work for you. The life of the faithful Israelite in the Old Testament was built around structure and tradition. The keeping of the Law and the celebrating of special occasions helped teach the faithful, but it also provided stability and confidence. Mental health professionals and life coaches agree there both mental and physical benefits in having daily routines. In addition to counting the daily tasks, factor in time to build a time with God and a connection to your family and your past.
  • Make time for your own self. As you build a workable routine, plan for time for yourself. Jesus often set aside time for Himself to be with the Father, and for the disciples to be with just Him. Condense some of the tasks of the day (order online instead of going to a store) and pencil that time in for yourself and God. Do it with another task and pencil that time in to be with the most significant person in your life.
  • Regularly review your priorities and adjust. We have hinted at it before, but it is worth repeating. If the schedule is too rigid, when the unexpected occurs (and it will), you will simply scrap the structure because it is too frustrating to adapt. Build flexibility into the schedule. Don’t put things so crammed back-to-back that you cannot breathe – or adapt.

 

We, His servants, will arise, rebuilding

When Nehemiah was able to paint the correct picture to the people, and mapped out a plan for them to follow and rebuild, the people responded positively. The time is now. The culture is in despair. The walls and structures of society are in shambles.

Come. Let’s start rebuilding. The Lord will give us success.

Building walls is taking responsibility for who you are and who God is calling you to be. Do you see the difference? There are parts of who we are that are not who God wants us to be. We are to take responsibility for our sins. That is difficult and humbling. We want to blame someone or something else for who we are. It’s my parent’s fault. I am the product of my culture. I need to take responsibility for my sins and I need to repent of them.

 

Images from Scripture

But there is also the person that God is building in us. Listen to some of the images of God doing the building that the Bible paints.

from Paul

9 For we are God’s fellow workers. You are God’s field, God’s building.

10 According to the grace of God given to me, like a skilled master builder I laid a foundation, and someone else is building upon it. Let each one take care how he builds upon it. 11 For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12 Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw— 13 each one’s work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done. 14 If the work that anyone has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward. 15 If anyone’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire.

16 Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you? 17 If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him. For God’s temple is holy, and you are that temple (1 Corinthians 3:9-17 ESV).

For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it (Luke 14:28 ESV)?

Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing (1 Thessalonians 5:11 ESV).

So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit (Ephesians 2:19-22 ESV).

 

from Peter

As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. For it stands in Scripture: “Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, a cornerstone chosen and precious, and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.” So the honor is for you who believe, but for those who do not believe, “The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone,” and “A stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense.” They stumble because they disobey the word, as they were destined to do (1 Peter 2:4-8 ESV).

 

from the gospels

For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it (Luke 14:28 ESV)?

And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it (Matthew 16:18 ESV).

 

What God is building

God is in the process of building, building a new way. The early church were known as followers of the Way, often shortened to just “The Way.” It wasn’t a name claimed by their own; it was a name bestowed upon them by others.  These followers of Christ were first called “Christians” by the leaders of the community in Antioch (Acts 11:26).

The interesting – and quite unusual – thing about this is that sects of the Jewish faith usually did not get a distinctive name among the Gentile population. The Jewish faith had Pharisees and Sadducees and Essenes but to the outside world they were all Jews. So why weren’t Christians simply lumped in with all the other variants of the Jewish faith?

A little context to the culture might help. The city of Antioch was often referred to as “all the world in one city.” You could see the riches and diversity of the entire world located in one city. Antioch was designed like most cities of the day – a circular wall surrounding the boundaries of the city and inner marketplace at the center of the city, serving as its hub. From the hub of the city were inner walls, sometimes constructed, sometimes natural barriers that served as spokes reaching from the hub to the outer wall. The spokes marked ways that divided different people groups from one another. Jews from Gentiles. Rich from poor. Color from color.

[su_pullquote align=”right”]Conclusions to Consider

1) One of the important truths in this lesson is our need for walls – hedges – which provide us strength and protection. What are the walls in your life that ensure your well-being and safety? How have God and others worked to rebuild what our circumstances have destroyed?

2) What encouragement do you see from the church being able to meet again? How can you build upon that strength? What can you do if you are still unable to attend services and studies? [/su_pullquote]

Until the Christians came here. Remember Antioch was one of the first cities outside Judea where Christianity spread.

 

God is rebuilding His people

The term “Christian” comes from the world realizing that something new and unheard of was happening. Remember what Paul used to write? In Christ there was no male nor female, no Jew nor Greek.

After Acts 11:26 the word “Christian” is only found two other times in the New Testament. King Agrippa used the word in Acts 26:28 – an unbelieving king applied the name that he knew as an outsider. The apostle Peter uses the word the only other time in 1 Peter 4:16 to speak of being oppressed in a wider society because of the label of that name.

I wonder if Peter used it because of how aware he was that the spokes of the city needed to be gone. For a while Peter struggled because he was afraid of unity when he was around some conservative Jewish brothers (Galatians 2:11-17). God nudged him once before in a dream (Acts 10). This time Paul scolded him publicly to his face (Acts 15:1-2).

Christians defied categories. They lived like they didn’t exist. Are we able to show the world a vision of a community in which there is no social, economic, racial or gender divisions (Galatians 3:28; Colossians 3:10-11)?

Billy Graham’s website carries an article written by Graham about ten years ago. He begins the lesson by asking, “Have you ever thought about what the word ‘Christian’ means? It comes from a Latin word. It means ‘partisan for Christ.’ When you come to Christ, you take sides. You take sides with Christ.

Partisans are never neutral. They never play it safe. They never sit on the fence. They’re never spectators of the struggle of their times. They commit themselves.”

The time for rebuilding is now.