The Ideal Church Service
Nehemiah 8:1-6
I have been in church most all of my life; in almost 32 years I have attended several thousand “church services”. I have been to Morning and evening worship, Wednesday prayer and bible studies, Singings, Homecomings, Revivals, Bible conferences, Men’s conferences and many other events in the church I have been to churches that had an average attendance of 5, and I have been to churches that have several hundred in attendance on a weekly basis. I have been to churches that have traditional worship, some that have contemporary worship and some that have a combination of both.
I have been in some church services that were so amazing and the presence of the Spirit was so real that you just didn’t want to leave. Then I have been in some services that were so dead that I couldn’t wait for the last “amen” to be said so we could go home.
Last week while I was on vacation I attended a couple of different churches:Sunday morning I was blessed to visit Olive Baptist Church in Pensacola Florida where Bro. Ted Traylor is the pastor. That church averages over 3500 in worship each week. Then on Wednesday night I visited my friends at Seddon Baptist in Pell City. They have just moved into a new sanctuary and have added 40 new members in the past 5 weeks. (most of the growth has been through conversion) While at these churces I observed how things were done. God is blessing both of them… they are growing, they are having an impact on the Kingdom and I want Stockdale to do the same.
We must understand that it is not enough for us just to join together and sing some songs, pray some prayers, listen to a sermon and go home. I believe that there are certain things that God expects when His people join together. And I believe that format is found in these verses we have read in Nehemiah today. I want to look at our selected text and consider the subject “The Ideal Church Service”. The first thing that we will see is:
I.“GOD’S PEOPLE MUST ASSEMBLE TOGETHER V1-2
The reason for the assembly was the “feast of the 7th month” - (Nehemiah 7:73). This was also a time called "the feast of trumpets," which was celebrated over a 2 day period. It was the 1st day of the 7th ecclesiastical year, and also the New Year’s day of the Jewish civil year. As we examine this assembly we find some elements that will be found in “The Ideal Church Service”
A. WE MUST ASSEMBLE WITH UNITY - v1 And all the people gathered themselves together as one man into the street that was before the water gate;
Notice - “They assembled as one man” what a great description of unity among the brethren. There were no cliques! There were no personal agendas! It was not about them! The New Living Translation says that they “assembled with a unified purpose”
At “The Ideal Church Service”... There will be no division! There will be no griping, grumbling or complaining! The main topic of conversation will not be…Where we are going for lunch. …How many more days until SEC kickoff…How dysfunctional our government is or what we did on Saturday night
There won’t be any arguments about …Which hymn book we sing out of or which translation of the bible we read out of! There won’t be people whispering about the things they don’t like about the church or the people they don’t like in the church
At “The Ideal Church Service” there won’t be any fighting or discord. Folks, people encounter fighting and turmoil at work, home and school. They shouldn’t have to deal with it in God’s house.
At “The Ideal Church Service”…People will get out of their cars… (Before they even enter the doors) and their hearts and minds will be 100% focused on our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and this will only happen when they are prepared before they get in the car!!!
Every great move of God comes where there is unity among His people - This was seen at Pentecost - Acts 2:1 ¶And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. - So, if we are going to have “The Ideal Church Service” we will have unity among the brethren. Not only will we assemble in unity, we also see that:
B. WE MUST ASSEMBLE REGARDLESS OF CONVENIENCE– “into the street that was before the water gate”
These people were gathered “in the street at the water gate" . The Gibeonites brought water into the temple through this gate. There was a spacious area of land in front of this gate. These people did not enter into an elaborate building. This was not a beautiful sanctuary or cathedral, they weren’t even in the temple… they were in the street! But here “in the street at the water gate” these people experienced God in a powerful way!
We are truly blessed when it comes to the place in which we worship! Our worship is not hindered by the rain, heat, cold or any of the elements.
But “The Ideal Church Service” is not defined by”
The roof over our head
Our padded pews
Heat and Air conditioning
Audio and Video technology
Carpeted floors
Painted walls
Running water
Electricity
In fact it seems that the church had more POWER before it had “power” - As we speak, people are worshipping in huts, houses, barns and strip malls that are filled with the power and the Spirit of God! While others are in elaborate million dollar sanctuaries and wouldn’t know the power of God if they saw it! A fire could come and destroy every square foot of this building and we could still have “The Ideal Church Service” In order for that to happen, we must assembly with unity, assemble regardless of convenience and:
C. WE MUST ASSEMBLE WITH A DESIRE– v1b and they spake unto Ezra the scribe to bring the book of the law of Moses, which the LORD had commanded to Israel.
By this time, Ezra the scribe had reached a point of semi retirement. He spent his time producing a complete edition of the scriptures. The public reading of the Scriptures was required by the law to be made every 7th year. During the period of captivity this practice had been neglected. Here in our text is when this tradition was revived.
What is encouraging is that the people had a desire to hear the Word of God! They said “bring the book of the law of Moses, which the LORD has given to Israel”
That is the kind of people I want to worship with! Too many walk in the doors looking to hear:
a comedian
motivational speech
entertaining stories
A soap box sermon.
An eloquent sermon from a distinguished pastor.
We don’t need any of that… what we need is “THUS SAITH THE LORD!” - Listen to what Paul said in 1 Corinthians 1:18 For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.
Did you come here today with a desire to hear and obey His word? If we are going to have “The Ideal Church Service” then we must have that desire! Notice Also:
D. WE MUST ASSEMBLE WITH OUR FAMILY - v2 and Ezra the priest brought the law before the congregation both of men and women, and all that could hear with understanding, upon the first day of the seventh month.
They asked for the Word and Ezra brought it. We have a description of those present in this assembly…”Men, women and their children”
Do you remember when going to church was a family event? Do you remember when the parents made the rules and the kids didn’t have a choice? Do you remember when ball tournaments and football practice didn’t override worshipping the Lord? Do you remember when parents would cling to the promise in Proverbs 22:6 Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it. -Too many people today not only allow their children to focus on the things of this world they encourage it! And then want to know why their child begins to rebel and live like the devil! It is time that we forsake the things of this world and boldly proclaim that” as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD” - When men and women take these steps and when “We Assemble With Our Families” we will be one step closer to “The Ideal Church Service”
II. GOD's PEOPLE WILL GIVE TO HIM V3
There are several things that God’s people will give to the Lord in “The Ideal Church Service”
A. WE WILL GIVE HIM TIME– v3 and he read therein before the street that was before the water gate from the morning until midday, before the men and the women, and those that could understand;
Ezra read the Word of God half a day. The people remained interested in God’s Word! This goes back to the fact that they arrived with a desire to hear the Word! - Today people can’t listen to a 30 minute sermon without sleeping, squirming, stirring or straying!
There is so much encouragement that we find in the Word of God:
1) We Have Grace!
2) We Have Mercy!
3) We Have Salvation!
4) We have Jesus!
Every Sunday morning at this same time we have a divine appointment to hear from God! Many of our brethren are struggling today… they are looking for answers. But they refused to give the Lord any time today and they are missing out on the message that He had for them! Some will give Him a little bit of time, but if things last longer than they like they begin to drift and their minds begin to wander. Consider this… Not only will we give Him time:
B. WE WILL GIVE HIM ATTENTION – v3b and the ears of all the people were attentive unto the book of the law.
This was all inclusive - “The ears of ALL the people were ATTENTIVE”
No one was asleep, No one was walking around distracting others, No one was talking to his neighbor… If they had cell phones and tablets no one would have been surfing the web!! …after half a day of reading the scripture …”ALL THE PEOPLE WERE ATTENTIVE!”
There is more involved in giving God the attention that He deserves that listening to His word! This also involves responding to, and obeying His Word! Are you giving the Lord time and attention? There is something else I would like to see that we will give the Lord in “The Ideal Church Service”
C. WE WILL GIVE HIM REVERENCE - v4 And Ezra the scribe stood upon a pulpit of wood, which they had made for the purpose; 5 And Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people; (for he was above all the people;) and when he opened it, all the people stood up:
The people came prepared. They made a wooden pulpit for Ezra to stand in as he read the Word of God! Did you spend more time preparing to come to the House of The Lord or more time preparing for what you will do when you leave? Do you look at church as just another place you go or do you see it as an opportunity to meet with the Lord?
When “Ezra began reading the Law, the people stood up!” This was a simple act of reverence for the Word of the Lord. When a called man of God is preaching the Bible, it is a Word from God, not a speech from a man …and it should be treated as such!
At “The Ideal Church Service” people will realize that they are in the presence of the Lord and they will give Him the proper TIME. ATTENTION & REVERENCE!
III.GOD’S PEOPLE WILL GROW SPIRITUALLY - v8 So they read in the book in the law of God distinctly, and gave the sense, and caused them to understand the reading.
The Word was preached!
The people understood!
The people learned!
The people grew spiritually!
We live in a time when there are Christians who have been saved for decades but they are still babies drinking milk! I think this contributes to the discord and conflict that we spoke of earlier. Listen to what the writer of Hebrews said in - Hebrews 5:12 You have been believers so long now that you ought to be teaching others. Instead, you need someone to teach you again the basic things about God’s word. You are like babies who need milk and cannot eat solid food.13 For someone who lives on milk is still an infant and doesn’t know how to do what is right.14 Solid food is for those who are mature, who through training have the skill to recognize the difference between right and wrong.
When God’s people assemble in unity …When they give God the time, attention, and reverence that He deserves …When they have a true desire to hear and respond to His Word… THEY WILL GROW SPIRITUALLY! When these things happen we will be well on our way to experiencing “The Ideal Church Service” There is one final thing that will happen at this “Ideal Church Service”
IV. GOD’S PEOPLE WILL WORSHIP HIM - v6 And Ezra blessed the LORD, the great God. And all the people answered, Amen, Amen, with lifting up their hands: and they bowed their heads, and worshipped the LORD with their faces to the ground.
These people who had long been separated from the Word of God found themselves at a place of worship! Notice how they worshipped:
1) THEY WORSHIPPED VOCALLY- “Amen, Amen”
Amen - (âmên - aw-mane') sure. Truly. This word literally means so be it.
2) THEY WORSHIPPED VISIBLY- “with lifting up their hands: and they bowed their heads”
3) THEY WORSHIPPED HUMBLY - “and worshipped the LORD with their faces to the ground.”
They responded to the Word with WORSHIP! When God’s people have that intense desire for HIS WORD, once they get it they WILL be motivated to WORSHIP! I believe that everything we need to have “The Ideal Church Service” is found here in this assembly of people before the water gate. My question for you is… “do you want it?” Do you want “The Ideal Church Service” enough to do what it takes to have it?
i. Will You Assemble Together? In Unity… Regardless of Convenience… With A Desire For God’s Word… With Your Family?
ii. Will You Give To The Lord? Will You Give Him Time, Attention & Reverence?
iii. Do You Seek To Grow Spiritually?
iv. Will You Worship The Lord?
When we get all of these things in order… God will be honored and glorified and we will experience church in a way we have never seen before! ARE YOU READY TO DO WHAT IT TAKES????
