A life of grace fueled renewal
Series: A Time To Build
Speaker: Steve Jeffrey
Date: 11th August 2013
Passage: Nehemiah 8:1-10:39
00:00:00 --> 00:00:02 Friends, keep your Bibles open at Nehemiah 8.
00:00:03 --> 00:00:07 We're looking at Nehemiah 8, 9 and 10 this morning.
00:00:07 --> 00:00:08 Let's pray.
00:00:12 --> 00:00:16 Gracious Lord, in the words of your psalmist,
00:00:16 --> 00:00:19 we ask that you would open our eyes
00:00:19 --> 00:00:22 that we might see wonderful things in your law.
00:00:23 --> 00:00:25 Father, we pray that we would delight in your word
00:00:25 --> 00:00:29 and that we would delight in obeying your word
00:00:29 --> 00:00:31 and we ask it by your grace.
00:00:32 --> 00:00:32 Amen.
00:00:34 --> 00:00:38 Let me tell you about two court cases.
00:00:38 --> 00:00:41 Both have to do with driving offences.
00:00:42 --> 00:00:47 Case number one, a man is pulled over by the police
00:00:47 --> 00:00:49 for driving at 191 kilometres an hour.
00:00:50 --> 00:00:53 His breath test revealed his blood alcohol reading
00:00:53 --> 00:00:55 was four times the legal limit.
00:00:55 --> 00:01:01 He was charged and then eventually he was released on bail.
00:01:01 --> 00:01:04 Four hours after being released on bail,
00:01:04 --> 00:01:06 he was pulled over again.
00:01:07 --> 00:01:09 His breath test result was exactly the same.
00:01:10 --> 00:01:12 Four times the legal limit.
00:01:14 --> 00:01:18 Case number two, 23-year-old man is in court
00:01:18 --> 00:01:20 charged with manslaughter and culpable driving.
00:01:20 --> 00:01:25 Trying to overtake, he ran into an oncoming car
00:01:25 --> 00:01:26 that killed two people.
00:01:27 --> 00:01:30 The judge said one thing was in his favour
00:01:30 --> 00:01:32 and interestingly enough,
00:01:32 --> 00:01:35 so did the family of those who he killed.
00:01:36 --> 00:01:39 He said that they were struck by his genuine remorse.
00:01:39 --> 00:01:45 We know there's a big difference between those two attitudes.
00:01:46 --> 00:01:51 A difference between true repentance and empty words.
00:01:53 --> 00:01:57 So what might that look like for the people of God
00:01:57 --> 00:02:01 as they return from exile, settle back into their home
00:02:01 --> 00:02:04 after a long, long history of ignoring God?
00:02:04 --> 00:02:08 Have they learnt from their past mistakes?
00:02:09 --> 00:02:13 Will their lies reveal genuine remorse?
00:02:14 --> 00:02:17 The story so far is that the wars are built,
00:02:18 --> 00:02:21 the city is populated, leadership is in place,
00:02:21 --> 00:02:22 the community life is ordered,
00:02:23 --> 00:02:26 people are setting back into normal life again,
00:02:27 --> 00:02:30 but the work of Nehemiah that he had come to do
00:02:30 --> 00:02:32 had only just begun.
00:02:32 --> 00:02:38 Chapter 8 verse 1 says it's the first day of the seventh month.
00:02:38 --> 00:02:40 It's the day of the Feast of the Trumpets,
00:02:41 --> 00:02:44 something similar to our New Year's Day.
00:02:44 --> 00:02:47 A good day for the people of God to have a new start
00:02:47 --> 00:02:49 as they look forward to the future.
00:02:49 --> 00:02:53 Very significantly we read in chapter 8 verse 1
00:02:53 --> 00:02:57 that the people gather as one people
00:02:57 --> 00:03:03 and they ask Ezra the priest to read to them the law of Moses,
00:03:03 --> 00:03:06 the same law that they had neglected for so long.
00:03:07 --> 00:03:09 And notice that there are men and there are women,
00:03:09 --> 00:03:11 all who could listen and understand.
00:03:11 --> 00:03:13 They gather for the reading.
00:03:14 --> 00:03:16 There was potentially a creche,
00:03:16 --> 00:03:19 but there certainly wasn't a Sunday school
00:03:19 --> 00:03:21 and there wasn't a movie put on for the teenagers
00:03:21 --> 00:03:22 down by the dung gate.
00:03:23 --> 00:03:25 The whole community gathers
00:03:25 --> 00:03:27 for the reading of the word.
00:03:28 --> 00:03:29 Verse 3 says,
00:03:29 --> 00:03:32 the reading went for five hours.
00:03:33 --> 00:03:37 And verse 5 says that they stood for it the whole time.
00:03:37 --> 00:03:40 And verse 3 says,
00:03:40 --> 00:03:43 all the people listened attentively to the book of the law.
00:03:46 --> 00:03:49 There is a respect here for God's word.
00:03:50 --> 00:03:53 Notice too the response to the word of God in verse 6.
00:03:54 --> 00:03:56 Ezra praised the Lord, the great God,
00:03:56 --> 00:03:59 and all the people lifted their hands and responded,
00:03:59 --> 00:04:01 Amen! Amen!
00:04:01 --> 00:04:01 Amen!
00:04:03 --> 00:04:05 Then they bowed down and they worshipped the Lord
00:04:05 --> 00:04:06 with their faces to the ground.
00:04:08 --> 00:04:12 Bowing down is a posture that signifies their submission,
00:04:12 --> 00:04:14 corporate submission to the word of God,
00:04:15 --> 00:04:16 the authority of the word of God.
00:04:17 --> 00:04:20 The people of God are here relearning the law
00:04:20 --> 00:04:22 that they had rejected for so long.
00:04:23 --> 00:04:24 They are making the scriptures
00:04:24 --> 00:04:26 the guiding principle of their lives.
00:04:28 --> 00:04:30 Is that not what we confess here?
00:04:33 --> 00:04:34 The Bible for us,
00:04:35 --> 00:04:37 to be the guiding principle of our lives,
00:04:37 --> 00:04:38 it's written on our walls.
00:04:39 --> 00:04:42 One of our core values is Christ-centered Bible saturation.
00:04:42 --> 00:04:44 It says the Bible alone is God-inspired,
00:04:45 --> 00:04:45 infallible,
00:04:46 --> 00:04:48 and unerring means of speaking to humanity.
00:04:48 --> 00:04:50 The Bible is essential for knowing God
00:04:50 --> 00:04:51 and transformation of life.
00:04:51 --> 00:04:54 The Bible is our standard for faith and conduct
00:04:54 --> 00:04:57 and leads us to treasure Jesus Christ.
00:04:57 --> 00:04:59 We believe that right thinking
00:04:59 --> 00:05:00 fosters right living,
00:05:00 --> 00:05:02 and we value teachable hearts
00:05:03 --> 00:05:04 that are earnest and intense
00:05:04 --> 00:05:07 and passionate about the things of God.
00:05:10 --> 00:05:11 Like them,
00:05:11 --> 00:05:13 our response to the word of God
00:05:13 --> 00:05:16 is not meant to be a mere intellectualism.
00:05:17 --> 00:05:18 They praise God.
00:05:18 --> 00:05:20 They want God to change them
00:05:20 --> 00:05:22 and to change us.
00:05:23 --> 00:05:25 God's word here is informing the minds
00:05:25 --> 00:05:28 and reaching the hearts of these exiles.
00:05:28 --> 00:05:31 These exiles start to grieve in verse 9.
00:05:31 --> 00:05:32 It says,
00:05:32 --> 00:05:33 all the people
00:05:33 --> 00:05:35 had been weeping
00:05:35 --> 00:05:36 as they listened
00:05:36 --> 00:05:37 to the words of the law.
00:05:40 --> 00:05:42 Everyone who gathered was guilty.
00:05:43 --> 00:05:45 Their offense was tragically universal,
00:05:46 --> 00:05:47 deeply serious,
00:05:47 --> 00:05:49 and inescapably personal.
00:05:52 --> 00:05:53 Amazingly though,
00:05:53 --> 00:05:55 the gathering was urged
00:05:55 --> 00:05:56 to dry their tears.
00:05:57 --> 00:05:58 Verse 9 says that
00:05:58 --> 00:06:00 Nehemiah, Ezra, and the Levite
00:06:00 --> 00:06:01 said to them,
00:06:01 --> 00:06:02 whoa, whoa, whoa.
00:06:02 --> 00:06:04 This day is a sacred day
00:06:04 --> 00:06:05 to the Lord your God.
00:06:06 --> 00:06:07 Do not mourn or weep.
00:06:09 --> 00:06:10 They tell them to stop mourning
00:06:10 --> 00:06:12 and instead
00:06:12 --> 00:06:14 go off and have a party
00:06:14 --> 00:06:16 with some great food
00:06:16 --> 00:06:18 and the best drink
00:06:18 --> 00:06:19 because the end of verse 10,
00:06:19 --> 00:06:22 the joy of the Lord is your strength.
00:06:25 --> 00:06:26 Why do they tell them
00:06:26 --> 00:06:28 to stop weeping
00:06:28 --> 00:06:29 and start rejoicing?
00:06:29 --> 00:06:31 How can they find joy
00:06:31 --> 00:06:33 when all the conviction
00:06:33 --> 00:06:34 of their centuries
00:06:34 --> 00:06:35 of rebellion
00:06:35 --> 00:06:37 came flooding in
00:06:37 --> 00:06:40 as the word of God is read?
00:06:41 --> 00:06:42 How?
00:06:45 --> 00:06:45 Well,
00:06:46 --> 00:06:47 the same word of God
00:06:47 --> 00:06:48 also reveals the remedy
00:06:48 --> 00:06:49 to their sin
00:06:49 --> 00:06:52 because every year,
00:06:53 --> 00:06:54 10 days after celebrating
00:06:54 --> 00:06:56 the Feast of the Trumpets,
00:06:56 --> 00:06:58 the people of God
00:06:58 --> 00:06:58 gathered together
00:06:58 --> 00:06:59 to celebrate
00:06:59 --> 00:07:00 the Day of Atonement.
00:07:01 --> 00:07:03 This day
00:07:03 --> 00:07:05 is the annual public declaration
00:07:05 --> 00:07:06 of God's mercy.
00:07:07 --> 00:07:08 The atoning sacrifice
00:07:08 --> 00:07:09 was offered.
00:07:10 --> 00:07:10 The people would
00:07:10 --> 00:07:12 metaphorically
00:07:12 --> 00:07:13 pin their sins
00:07:14 --> 00:07:15 on a scapegoat.
00:07:15 --> 00:07:18 The scapegoat
00:07:18 --> 00:07:19 was cast out
00:07:19 --> 00:07:20 into the wilderness.
00:07:20 --> 00:07:22 It was a visible sign
00:07:22 --> 00:07:23 that they were clean
00:07:23 --> 00:07:24 from all of their sins.
00:07:25 --> 00:07:26 All their sins
00:07:26 --> 00:07:27 would be fully,
00:07:27 --> 00:07:28 immediately
00:07:28 --> 00:07:29 and irrevocably
00:07:29 --> 00:07:30 pardoned by God
00:07:30 --> 00:07:32 on the Day of Atonement.
00:07:32 --> 00:07:34 Of course,
00:07:34 --> 00:07:35 each year
00:07:35 --> 00:07:36 the Day of Atonement
00:07:36 --> 00:07:37 anticipated
00:07:37 --> 00:07:39 a greater scapegoat
00:07:39 --> 00:07:41 who would truly,
00:07:42 --> 00:07:42 fully,
00:07:42 --> 00:07:43 completely carry
00:07:43 --> 00:07:44 the sins of all people
00:07:44 --> 00:07:45 and that day came
00:07:45 --> 00:07:47 on the first Good Friday
00:07:47 --> 00:07:48 when God's Son,
00:07:48 --> 00:07:49 the Lord Jesus Christ,
00:07:49 --> 00:07:50 carried our sins
00:07:50 --> 00:07:52 on the cross
00:07:52 --> 00:07:54 in his sinless body.
00:07:55 --> 00:07:56 And that's why
00:07:56 --> 00:07:58 for these returned exiles,
00:07:58 --> 00:07:59 the weeping and sadness
00:07:59 --> 00:08:00 of verse 9
00:08:00 --> 00:08:01 is balanced
00:08:01 --> 00:08:02 by the joy
00:08:02 --> 00:08:03 and the gladness
00:08:03 --> 00:08:04 of verse 12.
00:08:08 --> 00:08:09 The people of God
00:08:09 --> 00:08:10 are again starting
00:08:10 --> 00:08:11 to live
00:08:11 --> 00:08:12 under the control
00:08:12 --> 00:08:13 of the Word of God.
00:08:13 --> 00:08:14 Verse 14,
00:08:15 --> 00:08:15 I think,
00:08:15 --> 00:08:16 expresses it
00:08:16 --> 00:08:18 with a beautiful simplicity.
00:08:19 --> 00:08:20 They found written
00:08:20 --> 00:08:20 in the law
00:08:20 --> 00:08:21 which the Lord
00:08:21 --> 00:08:22 had commanded
00:08:22 --> 00:08:22 through Moses
00:08:22 --> 00:08:24 that the Israelites
00:08:24 --> 00:08:25 were to live in booths
00:08:25 --> 00:08:26 during the feast
00:08:26 --> 00:08:27 of the seventh month.
00:08:29 --> 00:08:30 They discovered
00:08:30 --> 00:08:30 something
00:08:30 --> 00:08:31 from the Word of God
00:08:31 --> 00:08:33 that they didn't know
00:08:33 --> 00:08:33 was there,
00:08:34 --> 00:08:35 that they neglected.
00:08:36 --> 00:08:37 And what they discovered,
00:08:37 --> 00:08:38 most likely,
00:08:38 --> 00:08:38 they'd been looking
00:08:38 --> 00:08:40 at Leviticus 23,
00:08:40 --> 00:08:41 was that the following
00:08:41 --> 00:08:43 the Day of Atonement
00:08:43 --> 00:08:44 on the 10th
00:08:44 --> 00:08:45 of the seventh month
00:08:45 --> 00:08:47 was the Feast of the Booths
00:08:47 --> 00:08:49 on the 15th day
00:08:49 --> 00:08:50 of the seventh month,
00:08:51 --> 00:08:52 also known to us
00:08:52 --> 00:08:53 as the Feast of the Tabernacles.
00:08:54 --> 00:08:55 They saw it,
00:08:55 --> 00:08:57 they'd been ignoring it,
00:08:57 --> 00:08:58 and so they did it,
00:08:58 --> 00:08:59 they celebrated it.
00:08:59 --> 00:09:01 The Feast of Tabernacles
00:09:01 --> 00:09:04 called the people of God
00:09:04 --> 00:09:05 to look back
00:09:05 --> 00:09:06 to the wilderness wanderings
00:09:06 --> 00:09:09 and remember God's provision
00:09:09 --> 00:09:12 of water from a rock,
00:09:12 --> 00:09:15 from a dying, thirsty people,
00:09:15 --> 00:09:16 for a dying, thirsty people.
00:09:17 --> 00:09:18 They're also to remember
00:09:18 --> 00:09:20 God's presence with them
00:09:20 --> 00:09:21 in the pillar of the cloud
00:09:21 --> 00:09:22 during the day
00:09:22 --> 00:09:24 and the light that led them
00:09:24 --> 00:09:26 to the promised land
00:09:26 --> 00:09:27 at night time.
00:09:29 --> 00:09:30 Verse 16, 17 is entering.
00:09:30 --> 00:09:32 It says that they hadn't celebrated it
00:09:32 --> 00:09:34 from the days of Joshua,
00:09:34 --> 00:09:35 son of Nun.
00:09:37 --> 00:09:38 That's a long gap.
00:09:41 --> 00:09:44 Joshua led the wilderness wanderers
00:09:44 --> 00:09:45 into their new home
00:09:45 --> 00:09:47 after the rescue from Egypt.
00:09:47 --> 00:09:49 And the next time
00:09:49 --> 00:09:51 this festival is celebrated
00:09:51 --> 00:09:54 is when the exiled people of God
00:09:54 --> 00:09:56 are brought back to their home
00:09:56 --> 00:09:59 and established again
00:09:59 --> 00:10:00 in the land
00:10:00 --> 00:10:01 as the people of God.
00:10:03 --> 00:10:05 They are meant to see the parallels.
00:10:06 --> 00:10:08 God has again committed
00:10:08 --> 00:10:10 a mighty act of salvation.
00:10:12 --> 00:10:14 God has again committed
00:10:14 --> 00:10:16 a mighty act of salvation
00:10:16 --> 00:10:18 and he has rescued his people
00:10:18 --> 00:10:20 and brought them to their home.
00:10:22 --> 00:10:23 And this feast
00:10:23 --> 00:10:24 was to remind
00:10:24 --> 00:10:25 these returned exiles
00:10:25 --> 00:10:27 that their confidence
00:10:27 --> 00:10:28 is not in walls.
00:10:31 --> 00:10:33 It's not in the city.
00:10:34 --> 00:10:35 It's not in even
00:10:35 --> 00:10:36 the strong leadership
00:10:36 --> 00:10:37 of Nehemiah and Ezra
00:10:37 --> 00:10:38 and others
00:10:38 --> 00:10:40 but in their great
00:10:40 --> 00:10:41 and awesome God.
00:10:45 --> 00:10:47 The Lord Jesus celebrated
00:10:47 --> 00:10:48 the Feast of Tabernacles
00:10:48 --> 00:10:49 in John chapter 7.
00:10:50 --> 00:10:51 On the last day
00:10:51 --> 00:10:52 of the feast
00:10:52 --> 00:10:53 he stands up
00:10:53 --> 00:10:53 and he says
00:10:53 --> 00:10:55 if anyone is thirsty
00:10:55 --> 00:10:56 let him come to me
00:10:56 --> 00:10:57 and drink.
00:10:57 --> 00:10:59 Whoever believes in me
00:10:59 --> 00:10:59 as the scriptures
00:10:59 --> 00:11:00 has said
00:11:00 --> 00:11:01 and I believe
00:11:01 --> 00:11:01 when he says
00:11:01 --> 00:11:02 the scriptures has said
00:11:02 --> 00:11:03 he was looking at
00:11:03 --> 00:11:04 Nehemiah 8 and 9
00:11:04 --> 00:11:07 streams of living water
00:11:07 --> 00:11:08 will flow from within him.
00:11:09 --> 00:11:10 By this he meant
00:11:10 --> 00:11:11 the spirit
00:11:11 --> 00:11:13 whom those who believe
00:11:13 --> 00:11:13 in him
00:11:13 --> 00:11:14 will later
00:11:14 --> 00:11:16 were later to receive.
00:11:16 --> 00:11:17 Jesus
00:11:17 --> 00:11:19 on the Feast of Tabernacles
00:11:19 --> 00:11:21 makes an extraordinary claim.
00:11:22 --> 00:11:23 It's an offer
00:11:23 --> 00:11:24 to anyone
00:11:24 --> 00:11:24 and whoever
00:11:24 --> 00:11:25 believes in him.
00:11:26 --> 00:11:27 Jesus claims
00:11:27 --> 00:11:27 to fulfill
00:11:27 --> 00:11:28 all that the
00:11:28 --> 00:11:30 Feast of Tabernacles
00:11:30 --> 00:11:32 points back to
00:11:32 --> 00:11:33 and anticipated
00:11:33 --> 00:11:34 in the future.
00:11:35 --> 00:11:36 Jesus is the one
00:11:36 --> 00:11:38 true rescuer
00:11:38 --> 00:11:39 who will provide
00:11:39 --> 00:11:40 for our most
00:11:40 --> 00:11:41 essential need.
00:11:43 --> 00:11:44 Spirit of God himself.
00:11:44 --> 00:11:47 Jesus is the
00:11:47 --> 00:11:48 giver of the Spirit
00:11:48 --> 00:11:49 as God's
00:11:49 --> 00:11:50 ongoing presence
00:11:50 --> 00:11:51 with the believer
00:11:51 --> 00:11:52 as the guiding
00:11:52 --> 00:11:53 toward truth
00:11:53 --> 00:11:54 and the rich source
00:11:54 --> 00:11:55 of eternal life.
00:11:57 --> 00:11:58 That is what he promises
00:11:58 --> 00:11:59 those who believe
00:11:59 --> 00:12:00 in him.
00:12:01 --> 00:12:02 Our confidence
00:12:02 --> 00:12:03 is to be
00:12:03 --> 00:12:04 in the Lord Jesus.
00:12:07 --> 00:12:08 So the rediscovery
00:12:08 --> 00:12:09 of the word of God
00:12:09 --> 00:12:10 leads to covenant
00:12:10 --> 00:12:10 renewal
00:12:10 --> 00:12:11 on the
00:12:11 --> 00:12:12 day of the
00:12:12 --> 00:12:13 Feast of the Booths.
00:12:13 --> 00:12:17 And then there's
00:12:17 --> 00:12:17 another
00:12:17 --> 00:12:17 service
00:12:17 --> 00:12:20 celebrated
00:12:20 --> 00:12:21 on the very
00:12:21 --> 00:12:22 next day
00:12:22 --> 00:12:22 of the Feast
00:12:22 --> 00:12:23 of the Booths.
00:12:23 --> 00:12:24 This time
00:12:24 --> 00:12:25 it's a six hour
00:12:25 --> 00:12:26 service.
00:12:27 --> 00:12:28 And this time
00:12:28 --> 00:12:29 there will be
00:12:29 --> 00:12:30 repentance.
00:12:32 --> 00:12:32 Nehemiah
00:12:32 --> 00:12:33 chapter 9.
00:12:34 --> 00:12:35 We notice
00:12:35 --> 00:12:36 there that
00:12:36 --> 00:12:37 Ezra's prayer
00:12:37 --> 00:12:38 from verse 6
00:12:38 --> 00:12:39 dominates the
00:12:39 --> 00:12:39 chapter.
00:12:40 --> 00:12:40 And his
00:12:40 --> 00:12:41 prayer
00:12:41 --> 00:12:42 surveys
00:12:42 --> 00:12:43 the history
00:12:43 --> 00:12:44 of Israel's
00:12:44 --> 00:12:45 relationship
00:12:45 --> 00:12:46 with Yahweh.
00:12:47 --> 00:12:47 Verses 6
00:12:47 --> 00:12:48 to 15
00:12:48 --> 00:12:49 in chapter 9
00:12:49 --> 00:12:50 lists the goodness
00:12:50 --> 00:12:50 of God
00:12:50 --> 00:12:51 in creation,
00:12:52 --> 00:12:53 in choosing
00:12:53 --> 00:12:53 Abram
00:12:53 --> 00:12:54 from all the
00:12:54 --> 00:12:54 peoples,
00:12:55 --> 00:12:55 in hearing
00:12:55 --> 00:12:56 the cry
00:12:56 --> 00:12:56 of his people
00:12:56 --> 00:12:57 in Egypt,
00:12:57 --> 00:12:57 in delivering
00:12:57 --> 00:12:58 them with
00:12:58 --> 00:12:58 his awesome
00:12:58 --> 00:12:59 power,
00:12:59 --> 00:13:00 in giving
00:13:00 --> 00:13:00 his law,
00:13:00 --> 00:13:01 in providing
00:13:01 --> 00:13:02 bread from heaven
00:13:02 --> 00:13:02 and water
00:13:02 --> 00:13:03 from the rock
00:13:03 --> 00:13:03 and telling
00:13:03 --> 00:13:04 them to take
00:13:04 --> 00:13:05 the land.
00:13:06 --> 00:13:07 Verse 16
00:13:07 --> 00:13:08 gives the
00:13:08 --> 00:13:09 contrast
00:13:09 --> 00:13:11 that people
00:13:11 --> 00:13:12 acted
00:13:12 --> 00:13:13 arrogantly.
00:13:14 --> 00:13:15 They become
00:13:15 --> 00:13:15 stubborn and
00:13:15 --> 00:13:16 refused to
00:13:16 --> 00:13:17 listen.
00:13:17 --> 00:13:17 They refused
00:13:17 --> 00:13:18 to remember
00:13:18 --> 00:13:19 God's goodness
00:13:19 --> 00:13:20 and they even
00:13:20 --> 00:13:20 tried to go
00:13:20 --> 00:13:21 back to
00:13:21 --> 00:13:21 Egypt.
00:13:24 --> 00:13:25 And then
00:13:25 --> 00:13:26 comes a
00:13:26 --> 00:13:26 list of
00:13:26 --> 00:13:27 God's added
00:13:27 --> 00:13:28 mercies in
00:13:28 --> 00:13:29 spite of
00:13:29 --> 00:13:29 Israel's
00:13:29 --> 00:13:30 disobedience.
00:13:30 --> 00:13:31 Verse 17,
00:13:31 --> 00:13:32 you are a
00:13:32 --> 00:13:33 forgiving God,
00:13:33 --> 00:13:34 gracious and
00:13:34 --> 00:13:34 compassionate,
00:13:35 --> 00:13:35 slow to
00:13:35 --> 00:13:36 anger and
00:13:36 --> 00:13:36 abounding in
00:13:36 --> 00:13:37 love,
00:13:37 --> 00:13:37 therefore you
00:13:37 --> 00:13:38 did not
00:13:38 --> 00:13:39 desert them.
00:13:39 --> 00:13:39 And more
00:13:39 --> 00:13:40 than that,
00:13:41 --> 00:13:41 he didn't
00:13:41 --> 00:13:42 just desert
00:13:42 --> 00:13:42 them,
00:13:42 --> 00:13:43 he pursued
00:13:43 --> 00:13:44 them with
00:13:44 --> 00:13:45 goodness and
00:13:45 --> 00:13:46 mercy again
00:13:46 --> 00:13:47 and again
00:13:47 --> 00:13:47 and again
00:13:47 --> 00:13:48 and again.
00:13:48 --> 00:13:48 Verses 20
00:13:48 --> 00:13:49 to 25
00:13:49 --> 00:13:49 says,
00:13:50 --> 00:13:51 God gave
00:13:51 --> 00:13:51 his good
00:13:51 --> 00:13:52 spirit to
00:13:52 --> 00:13:52 instruct them.
00:13:53 --> 00:13:53 He gave
00:13:53 --> 00:13:53 them manna
00:13:53 --> 00:13:54 and he gave
00:13:54 --> 00:13:54 them water.
00:13:54 --> 00:13:55 For 40
00:13:55 --> 00:13:55 years their
00:13:55 --> 00:13:56 clothes did
00:13:56 --> 00:13:57 not wear
00:13:57 --> 00:13:57 out.
00:13:57 --> 00:13:57 They
00:13:57 --> 00:13:58 overcame
00:13:58 --> 00:13:58 kingdoms.
00:13:58 --> 00:13:58 They
00:13:58 --> 00:14:00 entered and
00:14:00 --> 00:14:00 possessed
00:14:00 --> 00:14:01 the land.
00:14:01 --> 00:14:01 They
00:14:01 --> 00:14:02 had cities
00:14:02 --> 00:14:03 and fertile
00:14:03 --> 00:14:03 land.
00:14:03 --> 00:14:03 They
00:14:03 --> 00:14:04 had houses
00:14:04 --> 00:14:04 and cisterns
00:14:04 --> 00:14:05 and vineyards
00:14:05 --> 00:14:06 and olive
00:14:06 --> 00:14:06 grows and
00:14:06 --> 00:14:07 fruit trees.
00:14:08 --> 00:14:08 The end
00:14:08 --> 00:14:09 of verse 25
00:14:09 --> 00:14:10 just sums
00:14:10 --> 00:14:10 it up.
00:14:10 --> 00:14:11 They
00:14:11 --> 00:14:12 reveled in
00:14:12 --> 00:14:12 the goodness
00:14:12 --> 00:14:13 of God.
00:14:16 --> 00:14:17 Like a
00:14:17 --> 00:14:18 dog rolling
00:14:18 --> 00:14:18 in something.
00:14:20 --> 00:14:21 Oh,
00:14:21 --> 00:14:21 this is
00:14:21 --> 00:14:22 great.
00:14:25 --> 00:14:26 Contrast
00:14:26 --> 00:14:26 to the people
00:14:26 --> 00:14:26 of God.
00:14:27 --> 00:14:27 Verse 26
00:14:27 --> 00:14:28 in their
00:14:28 --> 00:14:28 response.
00:14:29 --> 00:14:29 But they
00:14:29 --> 00:14:30 were disobedient
00:14:30 --> 00:14:31 and they
00:14:31 --> 00:14:31 rebelled
00:14:31 --> 00:14:32 against you.
00:14:32 --> 00:14:32 They
00:14:32 --> 00:14:33 put your
00:14:33 --> 00:14:33 law behind
00:14:33 --> 00:14:34 their backs.
00:14:34 --> 00:14:34 They
00:14:34 --> 00:14:34 killed
00:14:34 --> 00:14:35 your
00:14:35 --> 00:14:35 prophets
00:14:35 --> 00:14:36 who had
00:14:36 --> 00:14:36 admonished
00:14:36 --> 00:14:37 them in
00:14:37 --> 00:14:37 order to
00:14:37 --> 00:14:38 turn them
00:14:38 --> 00:14:38 back to
00:14:38 --> 00:14:38 you.
00:14:39 --> 00:14:39 They
00:14:39 --> 00:14:39 committed
00:14:39 --> 00:14:40 awful
00:14:40 --> 00:14:41 blasphemies.
00:14:42 --> 00:14:42 God's
00:14:42 --> 00:14:43 response.
00:14:43 --> 00:14:43 Verse 27,
00:14:44 --> 00:14:44 you handed
00:14:44 --> 00:14:45 them over to
00:14:45 --> 00:14:45 the enemies.
00:14:45 --> 00:14:45 You oppressed
00:14:45 --> 00:14:46 them.
00:14:46 --> 00:14:47 But when
00:14:47 --> 00:14:47 they were
00:14:47 --> 00:14:47 oppressed,
00:14:47 --> 00:14:48 they cried
00:14:48 --> 00:14:48 out to you.
00:14:49 --> 00:14:49 And from
00:14:49 --> 00:14:50 heaven you
00:14:50 --> 00:14:50 heard them.
00:14:50 --> 00:14:50 And in
00:14:50 --> 00:14:51 your great
00:14:51 --> 00:14:51 compassion,
00:14:52 --> 00:14:52 you gave
00:14:52 --> 00:14:53 them deliverers
00:14:53 --> 00:14:53 who rescued
00:14:53 --> 00:14:54 them from
00:14:54 --> 00:14:54 the hand of
00:14:54 --> 00:14:55 their enemies.
00:14:55 --> 00:14:55 The people's
00:14:55 --> 00:14:56 response,
00:14:56 --> 00:14:56 verse 28,
00:14:56 --> 00:14:57 but as
00:14:57 --> 00:14:58 soon as
00:14:58 --> 00:14:58 they were
00:14:58 --> 00:14:58 at rest,
00:14:59 --> 00:15:00 they again
00:15:00 --> 00:15:00 did what
00:15:00 --> 00:15:01 was evil
00:15:01 --> 00:15:01 in your
00:15:01 --> 00:15:01 sight.
00:15:01 --> 00:15:02 Then you
00:15:02 --> 00:15:02 abandoned
00:15:02 --> 00:15:02 them to
00:15:02 --> 00:15:03 the hand
00:15:03 --> 00:15:04 of their
00:15:04 --> 00:15:05 enemies so
00:15:05 --> 00:15:06 that they
00:15:06 --> 00:15:06 ruled over
00:15:06 --> 00:15:07 them.
00:15:08 --> 00:15:08 God's
00:15:08 --> 00:15:09 response,
00:15:09 --> 00:15:09 verse 28,
00:15:10 --> 00:15:10 and when
00:15:10 --> 00:15:10 they cried
00:15:10 --> 00:15:11 out to you
00:15:11 --> 00:15:11 again,
00:15:11 --> 00:15:11 you heard
00:15:11 --> 00:15:12 from heaven
00:15:12 --> 00:15:12 and in
00:15:12 --> 00:15:12 your
00:15:12 --> 00:15:13 compassion,
00:15:13 --> 00:15:13 you delivered
00:15:13 --> 00:15:14 them time
00:15:14 --> 00:15:15 after time.
00:15:16 --> 00:15:16 And again
00:15:16 --> 00:15:17 in verse
00:15:17 --> 00:15:17 29,
00:15:18 --> 00:15:19 you warned
00:15:19 --> 00:15:19 them to
00:15:19 --> 00:15:20 return to
00:15:20 --> 00:15:20 your law,
00:15:21 --> 00:15:21 but they
00:15:21 --> 00:15:22 became arrogant
00:15:22 --> 00:15:23 and disobeyed
00:15:23 --> 00:15:23 your commands.
00:15:23 --> 00:15:25 They sinned
00:15:25 --> 00:15:25 against your
00:15:25 --> 00:15:26 ordinances,
00:15:26 --> 00:15:27 by which a
00:15:27 --> 00:15:28 man will
00:15:28 --> 00:15:29 live if he
00:15:29 --> 00:15:30 obeys them.
00:15:30 --> 00:15:31 Stubbornly they
00:15:31 --> 00:15:31 turned their
00:15:31 --> 00:15:32 backs and you
00:15:32 --> 00:15:33 became stiff
00:15:33 --> 00:15:33 necked and
00:15:33 --> 00:15:34 refused to
00:15:34 --> 00:15:34 listen.
00:15:35 --> 00:15:35 But again,
00:15:35 --> 00:15:36 God's response
00:15:36 --> 00:15:37 in verse 30,
00:15:37 --> 00:15:38 for many years
00:15:38 --> 00:15:38 you were
00:15:38 --> 00:15:38 patient with
00:15:38 --> 00:15:39 them.
00:15:40 --> 00:15:40 By your
00:15:40 --> 00:15:41 spirit,
00:15:42 --> 00:15:43 you admonished
00:15:43 --> 00:15:44 them through
00:15:44 --> 00:15:44 your prophets,
00:15:45 --> 00:15:46 yet they
00:15:46 --> 00:15:46 paid no
00:15:46 --> 00:15:47 attention,
00:15:48 --> 00:15:48 so you
00:15:48 --> 00:15:49 handed them
00:15:49 --> 00:15:50 over to the
00:15:50 --> 00:15:50 neighbouring
00:15:50 --> 00:15:51 Gentiles,
00:15:51 --> 00:15:51 neighbouring
00:15:51 --> 00:15:52 peoples.
00:15:52 --> 00:15:53 And yet this
00:15:53 --> 00:15:53 is what I
00:15:53 --> 00:15:54 mean by
00:15:54 --> 00:15:55 inexhaustible
00:15:55 --> 00:15:56 grace.
00:15:56 --> 00:15:57 In verse
00:15:57 --> 00:15:57 31,
00:15:57 --> 00:15:58 Ezra says,
00:15:59 --> 00:15:59 in your
00:15:59 --> 00:16:00 great mercy
00:16:00 --> 00:16:01 you did
00:16:01 --> 00:16:01 not put an
00:16:01 --> 00:16:02 end to
00:16:02 --> 00:16:02 them or
00:16:02 --> 00:16:03 abandon
00:16:03 --> 00:16:03 them,
00:16:03 --> 00:16:04 for you
00:16:04 --> 00:16:05 are gracious
00:16:05 --> 00:16:06 and a
00:16:06 --> 00:16:07 merciful God.
00:16:09 --> 00:16:10 The focus
00:16:10 --> 00:16:10 right through
00:16:10 --> 00:16:11 this prayer
00:16:11 --> 00:16:12 is on God's
00:16:12 --> 00:16:13 faithfulness,
00:16:13 --> 00:16:14 mercy and
00:16:14 --> 00:16:15 goodness in
00:16:15 --> 00:16:16 the face of
00:16:16 --> 00:16:16 Israel's
00:16:16 --> 00:16:17 rebellion,
00:16:18 --> 00:16:19 sinfulness and
00:16:19 --> 00:16:19 failure.
00:16:20 --> 00:16:21 It is a
00:16:21 --> 00:16:21 history lesson
00:16:21 --> 00:16:22 in
00:16:22 --> 00:16:24 inexhaustible
00:16:24 --> 00:16:24 grace.
00:16:28 --> 00:16:28 Notice
00:16:28 --> 00:16:29 that the
00:16:29 --> 00:16:29 language
00:16:29 --> 00:16:29 shifts in
00:16:29 --> 00:16:30 verse 32.
00:16:33 --> 00:16:35 Ezra now
00:16:35 --> 00:16:36 prays in
00:16:36 --> 00:16:36 the first
00:16:36 --> 00:16:37 person plural.
00:16:39 --> 00:16:39 Now
00:16:39 --> 00:16:40 therefore,
00:16:40 --> 00:16:41 O our
00:16:41 --> 00:16:42 God,
00:16:42 --> 00:16:44 the great,
00:16:44 --> 00:16:45 mighty and
00:16:45 --> 00:16:45 awesome God
00:16:45 --> 00:16:46 who keeps
00:16:46 --> 00:16:46 his covenant
00:16:46 --> 00:16:47 of love,
00:16:48 --> 00:16:48 verse 33,
00:16:48 --> 00:16:50 in all
00:16:50 --> 00:16:50 that has
00:16:50 --> 00:16:51 happened to
00:16:51 --> 00:16:51 us.
00:16:52 --> 00:16:52 You have
00:16:52 --> 00:16:53 been just.
00:16:53 --> 00:16:54 You have
00:16:54 --> 00:16:55 acted faithfully
00:16:55 --> 00:16:56 why we
00:16:56 --> 00:16:57 did wrong.
00:17:01 --> 00:17:01 Ezra's
00:17:01 --> 00:17:02 prayer is
00:17:02 --> 00:17:03 not just a
00:17:03 --> 00:17:04 history lesson.
00:17:05 --> 00:17:06 He brings
00:17:06 --> 00:17:07 it right
00:17:07 --> 00:17:08 down to
00:17:08 --> 00:17:08 present
00:17:08 --> 00:17:09 ownership of
00:17:09 --> 00:17:11 failure and
00:17:11 --> 00:17:12 acknowledgement of
00:17:12 --> 00:17:12 God's goodness.
00:17:13 --> 00:17:14 His prayer
00:17:14 --> 00:17:16 here is an
00:17:16 --> 00:17:17 implicit plea
00:17:17 --> 00:17:17 for mercy.
00:17:18 --> 00:17:19 Verses 36
00:17:19 --> 00:17:20 and 37
00:17:20 --> 00:17:21 twice state
00:17:21 --> 00:17:22 the condition
00:17:22 --> 00:17:22 of God's
00:17:22 --> 00:17:23 people as
00:17:23 --> 00:17:24 being slaves.
00:17:25 --> 00:17:25 They are in
00:17:25 --> 00:17:26 great distress,
00:17:26 --> 00:17:27 it says.
00:17:27 --> 00:17:28 They might be
00:17:28 --> 00:17:29 back now in
00:17:29 --> 00:17:29 the promised
00:17:29 --> 00:17:30 land, but
00:17:30 --> 00:17:31 they are still
00:17:31 --> 00:17:32 under foreign
00:17:32 --> 00:17:33 control.
00:17:35 --> 00:17:36 And so
00:17:36 --> 00:17:37 Ezra's prayer
00:17:37 --> 00:17:38 is implicitly
00:17:38 --> 00:17:39 asking God,
00:17:39 --> 00:17:42 have your
00:17:42 --> 00:17:43 mercies dried
00:17:43 --> 00:17:43 up?
00:17:45 --> 00:17:46 Have your
00:17:46 --> 00:17:46 great
00:17:46 --> 00:17:47 compassions
00:17:47 --> 00:17:48 ceased?
00:17:50 --> 00:17:50 Will you
00:17:50 --> 00:17:51 now forsake
00:17:51 --> 00:17:52 what you
00:17:52 --> 00:17:53 have refused
00:17:53 --> 00:17:54 to forsake
00:17:54 --> 00:17:54 all these
00:17:54 --> 00:17:55 centuries?
00:17:59 --> 00:17:59 Notice
00:17:59 --> 00:18:01 that they
00:18:01 --> 00:18:02 don't direct
00:18:02 --> 00:18:03 God to
00:18:03 --> 00:18:04 do anything.
00:18:05 --> 00:18:05 They don't
00:18:05 --> 00:18:06 know what
00:18:06 --> 00:18:06 the outcome
00:18:06 --> 00:18:07 will be.
00:18:08 --> 00:18:09 They do,
00:18:09 --> 00:18:10 however,
00:18:10 --> 00:18:10 commit to do
00:18:10 --> 00:18:11 something themselves.
00:18:11 --> 00:18:12 Have a look
00:18:12 --> 00:18:12 at verse 38.
00:18:12 --> 00:18:17 this is the
00:18:17 --> 00:18:17 great renewal.
00:18:19 --> 00:18:20 In view of
00:18:20 --> 00:18:21 all this,
00:18:22 --> 00:18:23 all what?
00:18:24 --> 00:18:25 All the
00:18:25 --> 00:18:26 century-longs
00:18:26 --> 00:18:27 of great,
00:18:28 --> 00:18:29 mighty,
00:18:29 --> 00:18:30 awesome,
00:18:30 --> 00:18:31 covenant-keeping,
00:18:31 --> 00:18:32 loving work
00:18:32 --> 00:18:32 of God.
00:18:32 --> 00:18:34 In view of
00:18:34 --> 00:18:34 all this,
00:18:35 --> 00:18:36 we are making
00:18:36 --> 00:18:36 a binding
00:18:36 --> 00:18:37 agreement,
00:18:37 --> 00:18:38 putting it in
00:18:38 --> 00:18:38 writing,
00:18:39 --> 00:18:39 and our
00:18:39 --> 00:18:39 leaders,
00:18:39 --> 00:18:40 our Levites,
00:18:40 --> 00:18:40 and our
00:18:40 --> 00:18:41 priests are
00:18:41 --> 00:18:42 fixing their
00:18:42 --> 00:18:43 seals to
00:18:43 --> 00:18:43 it.
00:18:43 --> 00:18:44 They confess
00:18:44 --> 00:18:45 their failure.
00:18:45 --> 00:18:46 They ask
00:18:46 --> 00:18:47 God for
00:18:47 --> 00:18:47 mercy,
00:18:48 --> 00:18:48 but they're
00:18:48 --> 00:18:49 not taking
00:18:49 --> 00:18:49 that mercy
00:18:49 --> 00:18:50 for granted.
00:18:50 --> 00:18:51 In view of
00:18:51 --> 00:18:52 God's mercy
00:18:52 --> 00:18:53 from the past,
00:18:53 --> 00:18:54 they commit
00:18:54 --> 00:18:55 themselves to
00:18:55 --> 00:18:56 covenant
00:18:56 --> 00:18:57 obedience in
00:18:57 --> 00:18:58 verse 38.
00:18:58 --> 00:18:59 The details of
00:18:59 --> 00:19:00 what they commit
00:19:00 --> 00:19:01 themselves to
00:19:01 --> 00:19:02 are in
00:19:02 --> 00:19:02 chapter 10.
00:19:02 --> 00:19:04 they make
00:19:04 --> 00:19:05 six pledges
00:19:05 --> 00:19:05 in chapter 10
00:19:05 --> 00:19:07 and they
00:19:07 --> 00:19:07 all have to
00:19:07 --> 00:19:07 do with
00:19:07 --> 00:19:08 the law
00:19:08 --> 00:19:08 and the
00:19:08 --> 00:19:08 temple.
00:19:09 --> 00:19:09 Time doesn't
00:19:09 --> 00:19:10 permit to
00:19:10 --> 00:19:10 go into
00:19:10 --> 00:19:10 all the
00:19:10 --> 00:19:11 details,
00:19:11 --> 00:19:12 but the
00:19:12 --> 00:19:12 pledges of
00:19:12 --> 00:19:13 commitment
00:19:13 --> 00:19:13 have to
00:19:13 --> 00:19:14 do with
00:19:14 --> 00:19:14 how these
00:19:14 --> 00:19:16 people are
00:19:16 --> 00:19:16 to rightly
00:19:16 --> 00:19:17 relate to
00:19:17 --> 00:19:18 God.
00:19:20 --> 00:19:21 My friends,
00:19:21 --> 00:19:22 this is
00:19:22 --> 00:19:22 willed,
00:19:23 --> 00:19:23 principled,
00:19:24 --> 00:19:24 binding,
00:19:25 --> 00:19:25 written,
00:19:25 --> 00:19:26 corporate
00:19:26 --> 00:19:26 agreement to
00:19:26 --> 00:19:27 pursue the
00:19:27 --> 00:19:27 covenant
00:19:27 --> 00:19:28 together.
00:19:28 --> 00:19:31 God's
00:19:31 --> 00:19:31 inexhaustible
00:19:31 --> 00:19:32 grace through
00:19:32 --> 00:19:34 history is
00:19:34 --> 00:19:35 the basis
00:19:35 --> 00:19:36 of this
00:19:36 --> 00:19:36 covenant
00:19:36 --> 00:19:37 renewal.
00:19:38 --> 00:19:40 The return
00:19:40 --> 00:19:40 to covenant
00:19:40 --> 00:19:42 faithfulness is
00:19:42 --> 00:19:43 not just seen
00:19:43 --> 00:19:44 in walls being
00:19:44 --> 00:19:44 built.
00:19:46 --> 00:19:47 And it's not
00:19:47 --> 00:19:48 just seen in
00:19:48 --> 00:19:48 the reverence
00:19:48 --> 00:19:49 for the word
00:19:49 --> 00:19:49 of God.
00:19:51 --> 00:19:53 Not even in
00:19:53 --> 00:19:53 grieving over
00:19:53 --> 00:19:54 sin.
00:19:56 --> 00:19:56 They're all
00:19:56 --> 00:19:57 part of the
00:19:57 --> 00:19:58 covenant
00:19:58 --> 00:19:58 renewal.
00:19:59 --> 00:19:59 What is
00:19:59 --> 00:20:00 needed is
00:20:00 --> 00:20:01 a return
00:20:01 --> 00:20:01 to God
00:20:01 --> 00:20:02 in relationship
00:20:02 --> 00:20:03 of obedience.
00:20:05 --> 00:20:05 These
00:20:05 --> 00:20:06 pledges are,
00:20:07 --> 00:20:07 if you like,
00:20:07 --> 00:20:08 the fruits that
00:20:08 --> 00:20:09 show repentance.
00:20:10 --> 00:20:10 Their
00:20:10 --> 00:20:11 brokenness of
00:20:11 --> 00:20:12 heart is
00:20:12 --> 00:20:13 not content
00:20:13 --> 00:20:14 to simply
00:20:14 --> 00:20:15 moan and
00:20:15 --> 00:20:16 groan,
00:20:17 --> 00:20:18 but it
00:20:18 --> 00:20:18 whips out a
00:20:18 --> 00:20:19 pen and a
00:20:19 --> 00:20:20 piece of
00:20:20 --> 00:20:20 paper and it
00:20:20 --> 00:20:21 makes a
00:20:21 --> 00:20:22 list of
00:20:22 --> 00:20:23 how it
00:20:23 --> 00:20:23 will be
00:20:23 --> 00:20:24 revealed in
00:20:24 --> 00:20:24 repentance.
00:20:28 --> 00:20:28 The
00:20:28 --> 00:20:29 centuries of
00:20:29 --> 00:20:29 God's
00:20:29 --> 00:20:30 faithful
00:20:30 --> 00:20:30 mercy and
00:20:30 --> 00:20:31 provision to
00:20:31 --> 00:20:32 the faithless
00:20:32 --> 00:20:32 and ungrateful
00:20:32 --> 00:20:34 people has
00:20:34 --> 00:20:35 stirred the
00:20:35 --> 00:20:35 returned
00:20:35 --> 00:20:36 exiles to
00:20:36 --> 00:20:36 renew their
00:20:36 --> 00:20:37 commitment to
00:20:37 --> 00:20:38 their covenant
00:20:38 --> 00:20:39 with Yahweh.
00:20:40 --> 00:20:41 Their return to
00:20:41 --> 00:20:42 the covenant is
00:20:42 --> 00:20:43 seen in their
00:20:43 --> 00:20:44 faithfulness to the
00:20:44 --> 00:20:44 covenant
00:20:44 --> 00:20:45 requirements.
00:20:45 --> 00:20:50 just before
00:20:50 --> 00:20:51 his death on
00:20:51 --> 00:20:51 the first
00:20:51 --> 00:20:52 Easter,
00:20:52 --> 00:20:53 the Lord
00:20:53 --> 00:20:53 Jesus said he
00:20:53 --> 00:20:54 was establishing
00:20:54 --> 00:20:54 a new
00:20:54 --> 00:20:55 covenant.
00:20:56 --> 00:20:57 Luke 22
00:20:57 --> 00:20:58 verses 19
00:20:58 --> 00:20:59 to 20
00:20:59 --> 00:20:59 records the
00:20:59 --> 00:21:00 occasion.
00:21:01 --> 00:21:01 It says he
00:21:01 --> 00:21:02 took bread,
00:21:02 --> 00:21:03 gave thanks and
00:21:03 --> 00:21:04 broke it,
00:21:04 --> 00:21:05 and he gave
00:21:05 --> 00:21:05 it to them
00:21:05 --> 00:21:06 saying,
00:21:07 --> 00:21:07 this is my
00:21:07 --> 00:21:08 body given
00:21:08 --> 00:21:08 for you,
00:21:08 --> 00:21:09 do this in
00:21:09 --> 00:21:10 remembrance of
00:21:10 --> 00:21:10 me.
00:21:11 --> 00:21:12 In the same
00:21:12 --> 00:21:12 way after the
00:21:12 --> 00:21:13 supper he took
00:21:13 --> 00:21:14 the cup saying,
00:21:14 --> 00:21:15 this cup is
00:21:15 --> 00:21:15 the new
00:21:15 --> 00:21:16 covenant in
00:21:16 --> 00:21:16 my blood
00:21:16 --> 00:21:16 which is
00:21:16 --> 00:21:17 poured out
00:21:17 --> 00:21:17 for you.
00:21:19 --> 00:21:19 The apostle
00:21:19 --> 00:21:21 Paul picks
00:21:21 --> 00:21:21 up Jesus'
00:21:21 --> 00:21:22 words in
00:21:22 --> 00:21:22 1 Corinthians
00:21:22 --> 00:21:23 11.
00:21:24 --> 00:21:24 He picks
00:21:24 --> 00:21:25 them up to
00:21:25 --> 00:21:25 a church
00:21:25 --> 00:21:26 that is
00:21:26 --> 00:21:26 declared to
00:21:26 --> 00:21:27 be the
00:21:27 --> 00:21:27 people of
00:21:27 --> 00:21:27 God,
00:21:28 --> 00:21:29 but you
00:21:29 --> 00:21:29 could hardly
00:21:29 --> 00:21:30 tell by the
00:21:30 --> 00:21:30 way that
00:21:30 --> 00:21:31 they lived.
00:21:33 --> 00:21:34 Verse 23
00:21:34 --> 00:21:34 of 1 Corinthians
00:21:34 --> 00:21:35 11 says,
00:21:35 --> 00:21:35 the Lord
00:21:35 --> 00:21:36 Jesus on the
00:21:36 --> 00:21:36 night he was
00:21:36 --> 00:21:37 betrayed took
00:21:37 --> 00:21:37 bread,
00:21:38 --> 00:21:38 and when he
00:21:38 --> 00:21:39 had given
00:21:39 --> 00:21:39 thanks he
00:21:39 --> 00:21:40 broke it and
00:21:40 --> 00:21:40 said, this is
00:21:40 --> 00:21:41 my body which
00:21:41 --> 00:21:41 is for you,
00:21:42 --> 00:21:43 do this in
00:21:43 --> 00:21:43 remembrance of
00:21:43 --> 00:21:44 me.
00:21:44 --> 00:21:45 In the
00:21:45 --> 00:21:45 same way,
00:21:45 --> 00:21:46 after supper he
00:21:46 --> 00:21:46 took the
00:21:46 --> 00:21:47 cup saying,
00:21:47 --> 00:21:48 this cup is
00:21:48 --> 00:21:48 the new
00:21:48 --> 00:21:49 covenant in
00:21:49 --> 00:21:50 my blood,
00:21:50 --> 00:21:51 do this
00:21:51 --> 00:21:51 whenever you
00:21:51 --> 00:21:52 drink it in
00:21:52 --> 00:21:52 remembrance of
00:21:52 --> 00:21:52 me.
00:21:54 --> 00:21:55 Notice first
00:21:55 --> 00:21:56 of all that the
00:21:56 --> 00:21:56 Lord's Supper is
00:21:56 --> 00:21:57 about remembering
00:21:57 --> 00:21:58 the Lord Jesus
00:21:58 --> 00:21:58 and all that we
00:21:58 --> 00:21:59 have in him.
00:22:00 --> 00:22:02 As his covenant
00:22:02 --> 00:22:03 commitment and
00:22:03 --> 00:22:05 obedience is so
00:22:05 --> 00:22:05 much about
00:22:05 --> 00:22:06 remembrance.
00:22:06 --> 00:22:06 remembrance.
00:22:09 --> 00:22:10 Jesus is the
00:22:10 --> 00:22:10 fulfillment of
00:22:10 --> 00:22:11 centuries of
00:22:11 --> 00:22:12 God's grace and
00:22:12 --> 00:22:12 patience and
00:22:12 --> 00:22:13 mercy and
00:22:13 --> 00:22:14 goodness and
00:22:14 --> 00:22:16 kindness, and
00:22:16 --> 00:22:17 Paul calls this
00:22:17 --> 00:22:18 church of
00:22:18 --> 00:22:19 Corinth to
00:22:19 --> 00:22:20 remember Jesus,
00:22:21 --> 00:22:22 remember the
00:22:22 --> 00:22:22 gospel.
00:22:24 --> 00:22:25 But reading on,
00:22:25 --> 00:22:26 we see that the
00:22:26 --> 00:22:27 Lord's Supper is
00:22:27 --> 00:22:28 also about
00:22:28 --> 00:22:29 covenant renewal.
00:22:31 --> 00:22:32 Verse 26 says,
00:22:32 --> 00:22:33 whenever you eat
00:22:33 --> 00:22:34 this bread and
00:22:34 --> 00:22:35 drink this cup,
00:22:35 --> 00:22:36 you proclaim the
00:22:36 --> 00:22:36 Lord's death
00:22:36 --> 00:22:38 until he comes.
00:22:39 --> 00:22:40 When you partake
00:22:40 --> 00:22:41 in the Lord's
00:22:41 --> 00:22:42 Supper, you are
00:22:42 --> 00:22:42 declaring your
00:22:42 --> 00:22:43 allegiance to the
00:22:43 --> 00:22:45 Lord Jesus and
00:22:45 --> 00:22:47 commitment to a
00:22:47 --> 00:22:48 covenant relationship
00:22:48 --> 00:22:49 with him.
00:22:50 --> 00:22:51 And when we read
00:22:51 --> 00:22:53 on further into
00:22:53 --> 00:22:54 1 Corinthians 11,
00:22:54 --> 00:22:55 we know that this
00:22:55 --> 00:22:56 is a very serious
00:22:56 --> 00:22:57 commitment.
00:22:58 --> 00:22:59 Therefore, whoever
00:22:59 --> 00:22:59 eats the bread or
00:22:59 --> 00:23:00 drinks the cup of
00:23:00 --> 00:23:01 the Lord in an
00:23:01 --> 00:23:02 unworthy manner,
00:23:02 --> 00:23:03 will be guilty of
00:23:03 --> 00:23:04 sinning against the
00:23:04 --> 00:23:05 body and blood of
00:23:05 --> 00:23:06 the Lord.
00:23:07 --> 00:23:07 A person ought to
00:23:07 --> 00:23:09 examine themselves
00:23:09 --> 00:23:10 before they eat of
00:23:10 --> 00:23:11 the bread or drink
00:23:11 --> 00:23:11 of the cup.
00:23:12 --> 00:23:13 For anyone who
00:23:13 --> 00:23:13 eats and drinks
00:23:13 --> 00:23:14 without recognizing
00:23:14 --> 00:23:15 the body of the
00:23:15 --> 00:23:16 Lord, eats and
00:23:16 --> 00:23:17 drinks judgment on
00:23:17 --> 00:23:18 themselves.
00:23:21 --> 00:23:23 When we take this
00:23:23 --> 00:23:25 bread and we take
00:23:25 --> 00:23:28 this cup, we are
00:23:28 --> 00:23:28 saying amongst
00:23:28 --> 00:23:30 other things, I
00:23:30 --> 00:23:30 remember the mercy
00:23:30 --> 00:23:31 and the forgiveness
00:23:31 --> 00:23:32 of the Lord
00:23:32 --> 00:23:32 Jesus.
00:23:34 --> 00:23:35 And so to take
00:23:35 --> 00:23:37 this bread and
00:23:37 --> 00:23:38 to drink from
00:23:38 --> 00:23:41 this cup, while
00:23:41 --> 00:23:42 acting like sin
00:23:42 --> 00:23:43 doesn't matter,
00:23:46 --> 00:23:47 despising other
00:23:47 --> 00:23:49 people, cherishing
00:23:49 --> 00:23:50 and nurturing secret
00:23:50 --> 00:23:52 sin, malicious
00:23:52 --> 00:23:53 talk, slander,
00:23:55 --> 00:23:56 gossip, judging
00:23:56 --> 00:23:57 motives, embellishing
00:23:57 --> 00:23:58 the truth, greed,
00:23:58 --> 00:24:00 ingratitude, sharing
00:24:00 --> 00:24:01 information that's
00:24:01 --> 00:24:04 not yours, sarcasm.
00:24:07 --> 00:24:08 That's to profane
00:24:08 --> 00:24:09 the covenant.
00:24:09 --> 00:24:20 it's taking the
00:24:20 --> 00:24:22 Lord's Supper and
00:24:22 --> 00:24:23 instead of renewing
00:24:23 --> 00:24:25 the covenant in
00:24:25 --> 00:24:26 that moment, you're
00:24:26 --> 00:24:27 blaspheming against
00:24:27 --> 00:24:28 the covenant.
00:24:28 --> 00:24:28 covenant.
00:24:32 --> 00:24:33 And that's why the
00:24:33 --> 00:24:34 Lord's Supper is
00:24:34 --> 00:24:35 never to be an
00:24:35 --> 00:24:36 automatic, unthought
00:24:36 --> 00:24:38 through, ritualistic
00:24:38 --> 00:24:38 outward form.
00:24:40 --> 00:24:41 In recommitting
00:24:41 --> 00:24:42 ourselves to him, he
00:24:42 --> 00:24:44 calls on us to
00:24:44 --> 00:24:46 examine our lives, to
00:24:46 --> 00:24:48 make sure that we
00:24:48 --> 00:24:50 make much of our
00:24:50 --> 00:24:53 sin so that we
00:24:53 --> 00:24:53 would mourn it
00:24:53 --> 00:24:55 rather than conceal
00:24:55 --> 00:24:56 it or excuse it
00:24:56 --> 00:24:58 and so that we
00:24:58 --> 00:24:58 would repent of
00:24:58 --> 00:25:00 it and pursue
00:25:00 --> 00:25:01 change.
00:25:01 --> 00:25:02 Friends, this is so
00:25:02 --> 00:25:03 essential for us.
00:25:06 --> 00:25:07 It is the
00:25:07 --> 00:25:07 difference between
00:25:07 --> 00:25:08 genuine remorse
00:25:08 --> 00:25:09 and empty words.
00:25:11 --> 00:25:12 And genuine
00:25:12 --> 00:25:13 remorse is at the
00:25:13 --> 00:25:14 heart of covenant
00:25:14 --> 00:25:14 renewal.
00:25:16 --> 00:25:17 At the end of
00:25:17 --> 00:25:19 Nehemiah 9, Ezra
00:25:19 --> 00:25:20 turns the attention
00:25:20 --> 00:25:21 on the people
00:25:21 --> 00:25:22 standing right
00:25:22 --> 00:25:23 there in front of
00:25:23 --> 00:25:24 him and including
00:25:24 --> 00:25:25 himself in that.
00:25:27 --> 00:25:28 They had a long
00:25:28 --> 00:25:29 history of God's
00:25:29 --> 00:25:30 goodness and mercy
00:25:30 --> 00:25:31 expressed to them.
00:25:33 --> 00:25:34 They instead had a
00:25:34 --> 00:25:35 long history of
00:25:35 --> 00:25:36 having unrepentant
00:25:36 --> 00:25:38 hearts and lack of
00:25:38 --> 00:25:39 change and renewal.
00:25:40 --> 00:25:42 Ezra, in praying
00:25:42 --> 00:25:42 this prayer at the
00:25:42 --> 00:25:44 end, knew his place
00:25:44 --> 00:25:44 in history.
00:25:48 --> 00:25:49 Do we?
00:25:49 --> 00:25:53 This is a church
00:25:53 --> 00:25:55 that has a
00:25:55 --> 00:25:56 Bible teaching
00:25:56 --> 00:25:57 history that we're
00:25:57 --> 00:25:57 proud of.
00:25:59 --> 00:26:00 We sit in the
00:26:00 --> 00:26:01 biblically rich
00:26:01 --> 00:26:02 reformed evangelical
00:26:02 --> 00:26:02 tradition.
00:26:04 --> 00:26:05 We've had many
00:26:05 --> 00:26:06 great names in our
00:26:06 --> 00:26:06 pulpit.
00:26:07 --> 00:26:09 We have access
00:26:09 --> 00:26:10 to the very best
00:26:10 --> 00:26:11 of Christian
00:26:11 --> 00:26:11 literature,
00:26:12 --> 00:26:12 conferences,
00:26:13 --> 00:26:14 Bible colleges.
00:26:14 --> 00:26:16 We are part of a
00:26:16 --> 00:26:16 diocese with a
00:26:16 --> 00:26:18 very strong
00:26:18 --> 00:26:18 doctrinal and
00:26:18 --> 00:26:19 gospel heritage.
00:26:20 --> 00:26:21 We have access
00:26:21 --> 00:26:22 to any number of
00:26:22 --> 00:26:23 Bible translations
00:26:23 --> 00:26:24 in the English
00:26:24 --> 00:26:25 language.
00:26:25 --> 00:26:26 We have the
00:26:26 --> 00:26:27 word of God.
00:26:27 --> 00:26:28 We know the
00:26:28 --> 00:26:29 word of God.
00:26:29 --> 00:26:30 It's even on
00:26:30 --> 00:26:31 some of our
00:26:31 --> 00:26:31 laps.
00:26:32 --> 00:26:33 And for those
00:26:33 --> 00:26:33 who it's not,
00:26:35 --> 00:26:36 make sure it is.
00:26:39 --> 00:26:40 Some of the most
00:26:40 --> 00:26:41 sobering words of
00:26:41 --> 00:26:42 scripture are in
00:26:42 --> 00:26:43 Matthew chapter 11
00:26:43 --> 00:26:44 where Jesus
00:26:44 --> 00:26:45 pronounces judgment
00:26:45 --> 00:26:46 on two cities
00:26:46 --> 00:26:48 amongst God's
00:26:48 --> 00:26:49 people who did
00:26:49 --> 00:26:50 not repent when
00:26:50 --> 00:26:51 they were confronted
00:26:51 --> 00:26:51 with the Lord
00:26:51 --> 00:26:52 Jesus, the word
00:26:52 --> 00:26:53 of God.
00:26:54 --> 00:26:55 He said to
00:26:55 --> 00:26:57 them, it
00:26:57 --> 00:26:57 would be better
00:26:57 --> 00:26:58 off for those
00:26:58 --> 00:27:00 other two pagan
00:27:00 --> 00:27:01 cities up to
00:27:01 --> 00:27:03 the north who
00:27:03 --> 00:27:04 have never been
00:27:04 --> 00:27:05 experienced the
00:27:05 --> 00:27:06 gospel, never
00:27:06 --> 00:27:07 even had me in
00:27:07 --> 00:27:08 their midst.
00:27:09 --> 00:27:09 It would be
00:27:09 --> 00:27:10 better for them
00:27:10 --> 00:27:10 on the day of
00:27:10 --> 00:27:11 judgment.
00:27:12 --> 00:27:13 The principle
00:27:13 --> 00:27:15 is, he
00:27:15 --> 00:27:15 who has been
00:27:15 --> 00:27:17 given much, much
00:27:17 --> 00:27:18 is expected.
00:27:20 --> 00:27:21 Imagine Jesus
00:27:21 --> 00:27:22 saying on the
00:27:22 --> 00:27:23 day of judgment,
00:27:23 --> 00:27:24 woe to you
00:27:24 --> 00:27:25 Chatswood, it
00:27:25 --> 00:27:26 would be better
00:27:26 --> 00:27:26 for Kabul
00:27:26 --> 00:27:28 Afghanistan than
00:27:28 --> 00:27:28 for you on the
00:27:28 --> 00:27:29 day of judgment.
00:27:32 --> 00:27:33 Or, woe to
00:27:33 --> 00:27:34 you St.
00:27:34 --> 00:27:35 Paul's Chatswood,
00:27:35 --> 00:27:36 it would be
00:27:36 --> 00:27:37 better for the
00:27:37 --> 00:27:38 Lakemba mosque on
00:27:38 --> 00:27:38 the day of
00:27:38 --> 00:27:39 judgment than it
00:27:39 --> 00:27:40 would be for you.
00:27:42 --> 00:27:44 some very
00:27:44 --> 00:27:46 sobering words.
00:27:47 --> 00:27:48 And in case
00:27:48 --> 00:27:49 you think I
00:27:49 --> 00:27:51 am removing
00:27:51 --> 00:27:51 myself from
00:27:51 --> 00:27:54 this, there's
00:27:54 --> 00:27:54 some very
00:27:54 --> 00:27:55 sobering words
00:27:55 --> 00:27:55 for me
00:27:55 --> 00:27:56 personally in
00:27:56 --> 00:27:56 James chapter
00:27:56 --> 00:27:57 3 verse 1,
00:27:58 --> 00:27:58 not many of
00:27:58 --> 00:27:59 you should
00:27:59 --> 00:27:59 presume to be
00:27:59 --> 00:28:00 teachers, my
00:28:00 --> 00:28:01 brothers, because
00:28:01 --> 00:28:02 you know that
00:28:02 --> 00:28:03 we who teach
00:28:03 --> 00:28:03 will be judged
00:28:03 --> 00:28:04 more strictly.
00:28:04 --> 00:28:07 every time I
00:28:07 --> 00:28:08 call others to
00:28:08 --> 00:28:09 obedience as I'm
00:28:09 --> 00:28:10 calling you to
00:28:10 --> 00:28:10 right now and
00:28:10 --> 00:28:11 don't do it
00:28:11 --> 00:28:13 myself, I'm
00:28:13 --> 00:28:14 compounding
00:28:14 --> 00:28:14 judgment for
00:28:14 --> 00:28:15 myself.
00:28:17 --> 00:28:19 To those who
00:28:19 --> 00:28:21 have much, much
00:28:21 --> 00:28:22 as is expected.
00:28:24 --> 00:28:25 When I call us to
00:28:25 --> 00:28:26 renew covenant
00:28:26 --> 00:28:27 faithfulness with
00:28:27 --> 00:28:29 Jesus, what I'm
00:28:29 --> 00:28:29 not saying here
00:28:29 --> 00:28:30 this morning is
00:28:30 --> 00:28:31 take a deep
00:28:31 --> 00:28:32 breath and say,
00:28:32 --> 00:28:33 here goes, I'm
00:28:33 --> 00:28:33 going to give it
00:28:33 --> 00:28:34 my best shot, I'm
00:28:34 --> 00:28:35 going to pull up
00:28:35 --> 00:28:35 my socks.
00:28:36 --> 00:28:37 That's legalism.
00:28:38 --> 00:28:38 That's not what
00:28:38 --> 00:28:39 I'm calling you
00:28:39 --> 00:28:39 to.
00:28:40 --> 00:28:41 What I'm saying
00:28:41 --> 00:28:43 is in view of
00:28:43 --> 00:28:44 the history of
00:28:44 --> 00:28:45 God's grace and
00:28:45 --> 00:28:47 mercy, with such
00:28:47 --> 00:28:49 a God as this,
00:28:49 --> 00:28:50 there is hope
00:28:50 --> 00:28:51 that I will get
00:28:51 --> 00:28:52 the help that I
00:28:52 --> 00:28:53 need and when I
00:28:53 --> 00:28:56 fail and repent,
00:28:57 --> 00:28:58 he will forgive
00:28:58 --> 00:28:59 me and take me
00:28:59 --> 00:29:00 back.
00:29:01 --> 00:29:02 I will continue
00:29:02 --> 00:29:03 to press on in
00:29:03 --> 00:29:03 the promises
00:29:03 --> 00:29:04 that I have
00:29:04 --> 00:29:05 made to live
00:29:05 --> 00:29:06 in such a
00:29:06 --> 00:29:07 way that I'll
00:29:07 --> 00:29:08 proclaim the
00:29:08 --> 00:29:09 Lord's death
00:29:09 --> 00:29:10 until he
00:29:10 --> 00:29:10 returns.
00:29:13 --> 00:29:14 The grace of
00:29:14 --> 00:29:14 the Lord Jesus
00:29:14 --> 00:29:16 fuels our
00:29:16 --> 00:29:17 covenant renewal.
00:29:20 --> 00:29:21 So friends,
00:29:21 --> 00:29:21 I'm going to
00:29:21 --> 00:29:24 lead us into a
00:29:24 --> 00:29:24 time of covenant
00:29:24 --> 00:29:25 renewal now.
00:29:27 --> 00:29:28 As I've said,
00:29:28 --> 00:29:28 do not make
00:29:28 --> 00:29:30 much less of
00:29:30 --> 00:29:31 your sin.
00:29:36 --> 00:29:37 As we do
00:29:37 --> 00:29:38 this, I'm
00:29:38 --> 00:29:38 very much
00:29:38 --> 00:29:39 reminded of
00:29:39 --> 00:29:40 two things
00:29:40 --> 00:29:40 that are at
00:29:40 --> 00:29:41 the heartbeat
00:29:41 --> 00:29:41 of Charles
00:29:41 --> 00:29:42 Simeon's
00:29:42 --> 00:29:43 spiritual life,
00:29:43 --> 00:29:44 a growing
00:29:44 --> 00:29:44 downward in
00:29:44 --> 00:29:45 humility and
00:29:45 --> 00:29:45 a growing
00:29:45 --> 00:29:46 upward in
00:29:46 --> 00:29:48 adoration and
00:29:48 --> 00:29:49 communion with
00:29:49 --> 00:29:49 God.
00:29:50 --> 00:29:51 I once said
00:29:51 --> 00:29:52 in a sermon
00:29:52 --> 00:29:53 that the
00:29:53 --> 00:29:53 remarkable thing
00:29:53 --> 00:29:54 about humiliation
00:29:54 --> 00:29:55 and adoration in
00:29:55 --> 00:29:55 the mind of
00:29:55 --> 00:29:56 Charles Simeon is
00:29:56 --> 00:29:57 that they were
00:29:57 --> 00:29:58 inseparable.
00:29:58 --> 00:29:59 They go
00:29:59 --> 00:29:59 together.
00:30:01 --> 00:30:01 For him,
00:30:01 --> 00:30:02 adoration of
00:30:02 --> 00:30:03 Christ only
00:30:03 --> 00:30:04 grew in the
00:30:04 --> 00:30:06 freshly ploughed
00:30:06 --> 00:30:06 soil of
00:30:06 --> 00:30:07 humiliation for
00:30:07 --> 00:30:08 sin.
00:30:09 --> 00:30:10 He actually
00:30:10 --> 00:30:11 labored to
00:30:11 --> 00:30:12 know his
00:30:12 --> 00:30:12 true sinfulness,
00:30:13 --> 00:30:14 not to excuse
00:30:14 --> 00:30:15 it, not to
00:30:15 --> 00:30:16 make less of
00:30:16 --> 00:30:16 it.
00:30:16 --> 00:30:21 But he had
00:30:21 --> 00:30:21 no fear of
00:30:21 --> 00:30:22 turning up every
00:30:22 --> 00:30:23 sin in his
00:30:23 --> 00:30:24 life and looking
00:30:24 --> 00:30:25 upon it with
00:30:25 --> 00:30:26 grief and with
00:30:26 --> 00:30:27 hatred because
00:30:27 --> 00:30:28 he had such a
00:30:28 --> 00:30:29 vision of
00:30:29 --> 00:30:29 Christ's
00:30:29 --> 00:30:30 sufficiency.
00:30:35 --> 00:30:35 And so with
00:30:35 --> 00:30:37 those words,
00:30:37 --> 00:30:38 words from God
00:30:38 --> 00:30:38 fresh in our
00:30:38 --> 00:30:39 mind in the
00:30:39 --> 00:30:39 example of
00:30:39 --> 00:30:40 Charles Simeon,
00:30:40 --> 00:30:41 will you bow
00:30:41 --> 00:30:41 your heads and
00:30:41 --> 00:30:42 pray with me?
00:30:47 --> 00:30:48 Great and
00:30:48 --> 00:30:48 awesome God,
00:30:49 --> 00:30:50 we confess our
00:30:50 --> 00:30:51 sins this day.
00:30:53 --> 00:30:54 You have been
00:30:54 --> 00:30:56 gracious not only
00:30:56 --> 00:30:56 in the great
00:30:56 --> 00:30:57 moments of
00:30:57 --> 00:30:58 redemptive history,
00:30:59 --> 00:31:00 but in our
00:31:00 --> 00:31:01 small history,
00:31:01 --> 00:31:04 pouring out
00:31:04 --> 00:31:05 reformation and
00:31:05 --> 00:31:06 revival in the
00:31:06 --> 00:31:07 lives of many.
00:31:09 --> 00:31:10 You have given
00:31:10 --> 00:31:11 us your spirit,
00:31:11 --> 00:31:12 drawing us to
00:31:12 --> 00:31:12 yourself.
00:31:13 --> 00:31:14 You have been so
00:31:14 --> 00:31:15 good to us,
00:31:15 --> 00:31:15 Father.
00:31:15 --> 00:31:16 You have given
00:31:16 --> 00:31:16 us the Bible,
00:31:17 --> 00:31:18 preachers,
00:31:19 --> 00:31:19 community group
00:31:19 --> 00:31:20 leaders,
00:31:20 --> 00:31:21 courses,
00:31:21 --> 00:31:21 literature,
00:31:22 --> 00:31:22 conferences,
00:31:22 --> 00:31:23 theological
00:31:23 --> 00:31:24 colleges,
00:31:24 --> 00:31:25 mission societies,
00:31:25 --> 00:31:26 strong churches
00:31:26 --> 00:31:27 and constant
00:31:27 --> 00:31:28 exposure to the
00:31:28 --> 00:31:29 communion of the
00:31:29 --> 00:31:29 saints.
00:31:30 --> 00:31:31 All in the part
00:31:31 --> 00:31:32 of a world where
00:31:32 --> 00:31:33 there is relatively
00:31:33 --> 00:31:34 little strife
00:31:34 --> 00:31:35 compared to many
00:31:35 --> 00:31:37 parts and
00:31:37 --> 00:31:38 comparatively many
00:31:38 --> 00:31:39 freedoms compared to
00:31:39 --> 00:31:40 many parts.
00:31:41 --> 00:31:43 We can just get in
00:31:43 --> 00:31:44 our car and go to
00:31:44 --> 00:31:45 Courant.
00:31:46 --> 00:31:47 You are so good to
00:31:47 --> 00:31:48 us.
00:31:50 --> 00:31:51 But we have been
00:31:51 --> 00:31:52 wicked.
00:31:53 --> 00:31:54 We have not feared
00:31:54 --> 00:31:55 your word.
00:31:56 --> 00:31:57 We have not acted
00:31:57 --> 00:31:58 as if we believed
00:31:58 --> 00:31:59 the promises or
00:31:59 --> 00:32:00 trembled as if we
00:32:00 --> 00:32:00 feared your
00:32:00 --> 00:32:01 judgment.
00:32:02 --> 00:32:03 We enjoy all the
00:32:03 --> 00:32:04 trinkets of a
00:32:04 --> 00:32:06 passing society and
00:32:06 --> 00:32:07 have not lived with
00:32:07 --> 00:32:08 eternity's values and
00:32:08 --> 00:32:10 views despite the
00:32:10 --> 00:32:11 warning you have
00:32:11 --> 00:32:12 given us,
00:32:12 --> 00:32:12 our Lord.
00:32:13 --> 00:32:14 We have loved
00:32:14 --> 00:32:15 ourselves.
00:32:15 --> 00:32:15 ourselves.
00:32:17 --> 00:32:19 While confessing
00:32:19 --> 00:32:20 that we are to
00:32:20 --> 00:32:20 love you with all
00:32:20 --> 00:32:21 of our heart and
00:32:21 --> 00:32:22 our soul and our
00:32:22 --> 00:32:23 mind and our
00:32:23 --> 00:32:25 strength and to
00:32:25 --> 00:32:25 love our neighbours
00:32:25 --> 00:32:26 as ourselves,
00:32:28 --> 00:32:30 so many of our
00:32:30 --> 00:32:31 decisions reveal
00:32:31 --> 00:32:32 that we don't.
00:32:33 --> 00:32:34 They have really
00:32:34 --> 00:32:35 been bound up with
00:32:35 --> 00:32:37 self-interest and
00:32:37 --> 00:32:38 self-fulfillment and
00:32:38 --> 00:32:39 family promotion.
00:32:40 --> 00:32:42 We love money more
00:32:42 --> 00:32:42 than service.
00:32:43 --> 00:32:44 We want self-fulfillment
00:32:45 --> 00:32:46 more than self-doubt.
00:32:46 --> 00:32:47 We entertain
00:32:47 --> 00:32:48 ourselves to death.
00:32:49 --> 00:32:50 We have so many
00:32:50 --> 00:32:51 things to do that we
00:32:51 --> 00:32:52 can't do the
00:32:52 --> 00:32:53 important things.
00:32:54 --> 00:32:55 We have often
00:32:55 --> 00:32:55 drifted towards
00:32:55 --> 00:32:56 prayerlessness.
00:32:57 --> 00:32:58 We've got multiple
00:32:58 --> 00:32:59 Bibles that are
00:32:59 --> 00:33:01 hardly read, a
00:33:01 --> 00:33:02 domesticated gospel,
00:33:03 --> 00:33:04 little passion for
00:33:04 --> 00:33:04 holiness and
00:33:04 --> 00:33:05 righteousness,
00:33:06 --> 00:33:07 worship and the
00:33:07 --> 00:33:07 glory of God.
00:33:08 --> 00:33:09 We've drifted
00:33:09 --> 00:33:11 towards coolness in
00:33:11 --> 00:33:11 all things of the
00:33:11 --> 00:33:13 faith so that we
00:33:13 --> 00:33:14 exercise them with a
00:33:14 --> 00:33:16 sense of duty but
00:33:16 --> 00:33:17 no longer a delight.
00:33:18 --> 00:33:19 We've become two
00:33:19 --> 00:33:20 people.
00:33:20 --> 00:33:22 Outwardly there is
00:33:22 --> 00:33:23 still a kind of
00:33:23 --> 00:33:25 conformity to
00:33:25 --> 00:33:26 expected piety
00:33:26 --> 00:33:28 while inwardly we
00:33:28 --> 00:33:29 succumb to jealousy
00:33:29 --> 00:33:30 and rivalries.
00:33:31 --> 00:33:32 Our pleasures are
00:33:32 --> 00:33:33 bound up with who
00:33:33 --> 00:33:34 wins in the football
00:33:34 --> 00:33:35 or shopping or the
00:33:35 --> 00:33:36 opera or travel,
00:33:37 --> 00:33:39 much more than they
00:33:39 --> 00:33:40 are bound up with
00:33:40 --> 00:33:41 someone coming to you.
00:33:41 --> 00:33:43 Sometimes, Lord, we
00:33:43 --> 00:33:44 even doubt your
00:33:44 --> 00:33:44 word.
00:33:46 --> 00:33:47 We go through the
00:33:47 --> 00:33:48 motions but we no
00:33:48 --> 00:33:49 longer believe that
00:33:49 --> 00:33:50 Christ is building his
00:33:50 --> 00:33:51 church.
00:33:52 --> 00:33:53 We confess, Lord God,
00:33:54 --> 00:33:55 that frequently we
00:33:55 --> 00:33:55 succumb to
00:33:55 --> 00:33:56 covetousness.
00:33:58 --> 00:33:59 Some of us dishonour
00:33:59 --> 00:34:00 our parents.
00:34:01 --> 00:34:02 Some of us really do
00:34:02 --> 00:34:03 not hunger for purity
00:34:03 --> 00:34:04 of mind or heart.
00:34:05 --> 00:34:06 We make little of some
00:34:06 --> 00:34:07 sin.
00:34:08 --> 00:34:09 We make excuses for
00:34:09 --> 00:34:09 our failure.
00:34:10 --> 00:34:11 We point the finger
00:34:11 --> 00:34:12 and we blame others.
00:34:14 --> 00:34:15 We're affronted when
00:34:15 --> 00:34:16 someone points out to
00:34:16 --> 00:34:17 us the obvious sin
00:34:17 --> 00:34:17 that we harbour.
00:34:20 --> 00:34:22 We hear your voice
00:34:22 --> 00:34:23 saying, be holy for I
00:34:23 --> 00:34:25 am holy but it does
00:34:25 --> 00:34:26 not stir us.
00:34:27 --> 00:34:29 We don't grieve over
00:34:29 --> 00:34:29 sin as you do.
00:34:34 --> 00:34:35 But you are holy
00:34:35 --> 00:34:38 and you are pure.
00:34:44 --> 00:34:45 Will you not
00:34:45 --> 00:34:46 forgive us our sins,
00:34:46 --> 00:34:47 most mirthful Father,
00:34:47 --> 00:34:48 by the merits of the
00:34:48 --> 00:34:50 Lord Jesus Christ?
00:34:51 --> 00:34:53 Will you not renew a
00:34:53 --> 00:34:54 right spirit within us?
00:34:58 --> 00:34:59 Will you not renew your
00:34:59 --> 00:35:00 covenant faithfulness to
00:35:00 --> 00:35:00 us?
00:35:01 --> 00:35:03 Have mercy on us
00:35:03 --> 00:35:04 and revive us,
00:35:05 --> 00:35:05 we pray,
00:35:06 --> 00:35:07 for the glory of your
00:35:07 --> 00:35:07 name.
00:35:09 --> 00:35:09 Amen.
00:35:09 --> 00:35:09 Amen.
00:35:09 --> 00:35:28 Affście B woh tu
00:35:28 --> 00:35:29 to the heavenly
00:35:29 --> 00:35:31 new
00:35:31 --> 00:35:33 work and
00:35:33 --> 00:35:33 you
00:35:33 --> 00:35:35 can
00:35:35 --> 00:35:35 see.
00:35:35 --> 00:35:36 Let's
00:35:36 --> 00:35:36 see.