How
do you get Spiritually Revived?
Sermon
Text: Nehemiah
8:1-12
At
this point of time, the walls of Jerusalem were completed and the
residents were settling in their own towns. Instead of feeling elated
after their hard work, it seemed they were spiritually parched.
They wanted a revival, to return to their first love with God. They
were tired to continue in their spiritual rut.
Like
the people in Nehemiah 8, we often feel this way; where we seem
distant from God and we lack the JOY of the Lord. We find ourselves
in this post-event blues, with leftover ‘highs’ after
a major spiritual event, we were so deeply involved in.It could
also be a case where we have been busy serving and doing all the
‘ministries’, but right inside us, our relationship
with God is dull and drained. Instead of a glowing flame; it’s
now turning to a dying ember. How should we avoid such a roller
coaster ride in our relationship with the Lord?
It
is time to be spiritually revived…
1.
We need to read God’s word (Neh 8: 1-4; 8)
The
people gathered and asked Ezra to bring the book (scroll) of the
Law of Moses which the Lord had given to Israel (Neh 8:1). They
read publicly from dawn until noon, that was about six hours!
God
could have communicated with us in so many other forms but He chose
the written form. That means for us to know God, we must read and
study His Holy word as God reveals Himself as the Word and by the
Word. He also performs His work by His word. If this is so, then
we must submit that the strength of a church will be in direct proportion
to the number of people in that church who read and study God’s
written Word.
For
the good of our souls, let us take this challenge to read the Bible
cover to cover. If we want to be spiritually revived, we must dig
into God’s Word.
2.
We need to revere God’s word (Neh 8:3; 5-6)
The
Israelites were attentive and reverent when God’s Word was
read to them. They stood up as if to greet a royal visitor, and
then they bowed down in worship. They were not worshipping the scroll
that Ezra held in his hand, but rather the God who had given the
words of that scroll through Moses to them.
For
us, having ears that work, does not guarantee that we really hear
his Word. God gave us two ears that we cannot close and one mouth
that we can, but sometimes we close our minds so that we do not
listen to what is being said.
Attentiveness
stems from reverence. If we maintain our reverence for God, we will
pay attention to what He says. Sometimes our minds will wander when
we hear the word of God. When we lose our attention, direct our
minds to the text of Scripture and ask the Lord to open our hearts.
3.
We need to understand God’s word (Neh 8: 7-8)
Nehemiah
8: 7-8 tells us that the people who stood at the platform with Ezra
explained the law to the people, “translating to give the
sense so that they understood the reading.”
What
about us today? Do we understand the Word of God wholly, in order
to take heed of it? Although there may be sections that are difficult
to grasp, God has given the church, pastors and teachers to help
His people understand and apply His Word in our lives. The day the
Israelites understood the Word of God that was read to them was
the day they celebrated and did not grieve. It was a day of JOY
and it was this joy that gave them the strength of the Lord. It
starts with a desire to study God’s Word seriously and then
the other disciplines will follow.
4.
We must respond to God’s word
It
is spiritually dangerous to study the Word of God without the goal
of obedient response. Knowledge apart from obedience leads to pride
(I Corinthians 8: 1b-2: “Knowledge puffs up, but love builds
up. The man who thinks he knows something does not yet know as he
ought to know. But the man who loves God is known by God.”)
Our
lives should be transformed by Scripture. There are five responses
that we are called to make:
a.
Call to Repentance
b. Call to Joy
c. Call to Good Deeds
d. Call to Obedience
e. Worship
The
reading, study, preaching and understanding of God’s word
produce in all of us a heart of worship as we reflect on His abundant
mercies toward us.
The
Bible: Read through it, Work it out, Pass it on.
Prayer
response
Holy
Spirit, open my heart to Jesus, the living Word,
to make the Bible, the written Word, come alive.
Thank you Jesus that this will change my life.
May this desire burn deep in my heart no matter what circumstance
I am in. Grant me patience and perseverance in reading Your Word
daily so I can discover Your will and purpose in my life.Thank you
for making me realise how much You long to give us this spiritual
food and when we allow You to fill us, we can have
a fulfilling life. Amen.
~ Devotional write-up based on Rev Vincent Goh’s message