WHAT IS REVIVAL? NEHEMIAH 10
Some of you are familiar with that old hymn written by Robert Robinson in 1758, with verses added by Martin Madan in 1760 called “Come Thy Fount of Every Blessing”. Verse 3 of that old hymn says,
“O to grace how great a debtor
daily I’m constrained to be!
Let that grace now, like a fetter,
bind my wandering heart to thee.
Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it,
prone to leave the God I love;
here’s my heart; O take and seal it;
seal it for thy courts above.
Prone to wander, Lord I feel it, Prone to leave the God I love;
There is, within our nature, the tendency to cool in our affections, and our love for God. It is very easy, to begin to take God’s love, His protection and His provision for granted. There is a reason, time and time again, we find recorded through the pages of the Bible, prayers for renewal and revival.
{ In Psalm 85:6 we read,
> Psalm 85:6, “Will you not revive us again, that your people may rejoice in you?” Or,
> Habakkuk 3:2, “O Lord, I have heard the report of you, and your work, O Lord, do I fear. In the midst of the years revive it; in the midst of the years make it known; in wrath remember mercy.” Or,
> Psalm 80:18, “Give us life, and we will call upon your name!” Or,
> Isaiah 57:15, “Thus says the One who is high and lifted up, who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: ‘I dwell in the high and holy place, and also with him who is of a contrite and lowly spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly, and to revive the heart of the contrite.’”
Look at the history of Israel in the Old Testament and you find one king leads the nation to follow and obey God, and the Lord pours out His blessings and protection on the nation. Then another king arises who forgets the Lord and leads the people to worship other gods and the nation falls apart. Another God-fearing king comes to the throne and the Lord’s blessings return, only to have the next generation forget the Lord and the nation again falls into judgment.
In the New Testament, even though we’re covering a much shorter time, we find churches whose passion for the Lord has already begun to cool. So we find the apostles writing the churches to encourage them to get their priorities right once again.
> Hebrews 5:12 “Though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God.” Or,
> Hebrews 12:12, “Lift your drooping hands and strengthen your weak knees, and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be put out of joint.”
So, this is a church that is already drooping. It is already dragging. It has gotten tired already and needs reviving. In Ephesians 3:16-19 Paul writes;
> Ephesians 3:16-19 [I pray] that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.” {Interview with John Piper, “What is revival and where do we find it?”}
Revival is a sweet thing. Those are sweet times. But when does revival occur. How can we tell if it’s real?
In the book of Nehemiah we have seen God doing a work among the people of Israel. Under Ezra’s leadership, the temple has been rebuilt. Under Nehemiah’s leadership, the city has been cleaned up, walls have been rebuilt, the gates have been rehung, some of the people have returned, and some of the houses have been rebuilt. It is obvious God is doing something there, but has revival taken place? Not yet. Just because God is blessing doesn’t mean God is pleased or that revival has come.
We can look at many people in our country and others who are doing very well, materially. They make a lot of money and have a lot of fancy toys, but that doesn’t mean they are walking with the Lord or that He is pleased, and on the flip side, in spite of what some false teachers may claim, a lack of material prosperity also does not mean the Lord is displeased. We remember that none of the apostles ended up prosperous. Paul was bi-vocational, and worked as a tent-maker to help support himself. Prosperity and financial well-being doesn’t mean you are right with God.
In chapter 8, we see the beginnings of revival, as the people gather and ask Ezra to read to them from the scriptures. A renewed interest in your Bible and a desire to hear from God is an indication that perhaps God is doing something, but that alone does not mean you are saved, or have a relationship with the Lord.
The pharisees read, studied and memorized their Bibles regularly, but they crucified Jesus, so that alone doesn’t mean your heart has been revived. It is an indication that perhaps the Lord is at work.
- Read Nehemiah 9:34-37
In chapter 9, the people repented and confessed their sins. Again, that can be an indication that God is at work, but it does not mean revival has come.
Many of you have friends and neighbors who will tell you that our country has lost its way, and that we are doing some things wrong. Even the blind can see the foolishness coming out of many of our schools is wrong. When kids don’t know what restroom to use something’s wrong. There was a time in our nation when men would lie about their age so they could join the military and fight to defend our country. Now men lie about their gender so they can win in sports against women. Even the lost can tell you that’s wrong.
Last year, Target alone closed 9 stores because of increased shop lifting and retail theft. Whole Foods and other retail chains report having to close stores because of increased retail crime, and because criminals are being released and put back on our streets. If you go to Lowes and buy a roll of electrical wire, first you’re going to find that it is locked up behind a cage, and when they unlock the cage, the sales person is going to walk to the register with you, carrying that roll of wire to make sure you pay for it before you leave.
Our universities have students supporting rapists, kidnappers, and baby killers, and immigrants have taken to our streets yelling, “Death to America.” That’s not in Iran, that’s right here in our own country on our own streets, by people enjoying the liberty our nation provides. Even the folks in the world can look at the these things and admit, we have lost our way. These things are not right, but that doesn’t mean revival has come.
An adulterer who has lost his family can admit he’s wrong, but that doesn’t mean revival has come. An embezzler who has lost his job and is heading to jail, can tearfully admit he was wrong, but that doesn’t mean revival has come.
In chapters 8 and 9 we see indications that the Lord is at work, and He is turning the people’s hearts toward home, but they’re not there yet.
** Turn to someone near you and tell them, “they’re close, but they’re not there yet.” They’re close, but they’re not there yet. Oh, but praise the Lord, the story does not end there.
- Read Nehemiah 10:1, 28-39
My friends, revival has not come until there is a change in the way people act. Revival has not come until people are doing what they know to do. Revival has not come until you are doing what you know to do.
In Acts 26, Paul is before King Agrippa and others, explaining his ministry and explaining what he’s been preaching. In verse 20 of that chapter Paul says,
> Acts 26:20 I preached to those in Damascus first, and to those in Jerusalem and in all the region of Judea, and to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, and do works worthy of repentance.
And do works worthy of repentance. True revival has not come until there are some changes in your actions.
My friend, many of us know God’s will, and in our minds we claim to want to do God’s will, but until there are changes in our actions, in the things we do revival has not come.
> James 2:26 . . . faith without works is dead.
Faith without works is dead, and so is revival.
True revival is going to bring about a change in actions. And notice if you will, how this comes about.
- Read Nehemiah 10:1
Notice if you will, the first 2 people who signed this vow to God. It was Nehemiah Zedekiah, who was probably his personal assistant. So, a change in action begins with the leadership.
1. Revival beings with leadership. begins with leadership.
There are a lot of people who want to be leaders, They want to have authority or the ability to make decisions for the church or for others. Let me tell you, if you want to be leader then you should strive to walk very closely with the Lord because your walk will tend to color or taint the Christian walks of those who follow you.
Nehemiah and Zedekiah were the first to sign the vow, . Then come the names of 17 heads of Levitical households (10:9-13), followed by 44 heads of leading families (10:14-27). Some of these names are identical to those on the lists in Ezra 2 and Nehemiah 7. Others represent either new families that have branched off of those from Zerubbabel’s time, or more recent arrivals from Babylon.
The point for us is that those in leadership set the example for others. They put their names on the dotted line and committed themselves to do what they expected the people under them to do.
A mother was reprimanding her son for not telling the truth. “Johnny,” she said sternly, “do you know what happens to little boys who tell lies?” “Yes,” the boy replied, “they travel for half fare.” He had obviously learned from his mother’s leadership!
If we set the example of telling so-called “white lies” when it is not to our advantage to tell the truth, our kids will learn quickly! Whether it is in our families, in the church, or in the business world, leaders must set the example by applying God’s truth to their everyday lives. (Lesson 11: Putting God’s Truth into practice, Steven J. Cole, Bible.Org, August 19, 2013).
It doesn’t matter if you lead in the church, in business, among your friends, or at home, the way you live and act impacts others, and if there is truly revival in your life, it will impact what you do and how you lead.
And while we’re here, pray for the upcoming election and that there will be a work done there.
> Proverbs 29:2 When the righteous flourish, the people rejoice, but when the wicked rule, people groan.
** Pause for prayer for the election.
A change in action begins in leadership.
2. Revival comes when you recognize God’s authority over you.
- Read Nehemiah 10:28-29
What did the people say about the law of God? They said they would obey it.
id they try to explain it away? No. Did they try to find loopholes in God’s Word? No. They recognized that the scriptures they had were the law of God and they said, “We will obey God’s commands.”
My friends, we need to recognize that these scriptures we call the Bible is the inspired word of God.
> 2 Timothy 3:16 All Scripture is inspired by God[a] and is profitable for teaching, for rebuking, for correcting, for training in righteousness,
The people said, “This is the Word of God. We believe it and we will do what it says.”
They didn’t’t argue that it was outdated. They didn’t say, “well, part of it is God’s word and part of it isn’t.” They read the scriptures, believed it was the word of God and they said, “We will do what it says.”
My friend, when you start looking for loopholes, when you start trying to explain away the Bible and feel comfortable doing parts and ignoring other parts, there is an issue and I assure you, revival has not come.
Let me ask you, are there parts of the Bible you are knowingly, willingly disobeying? Are there areas in your life when you know your life is not in accordance with God’s word? If so, I can tell you, you are in need of revival. There is a need for change in your life.
Revival begins with leadership. Revival comes when you put yourself under God’s authority. Third:
3. Revival comes when you put your homes under God’s authority.
- Read Nehemiah 10:30
They said, “We are under God’s authority, that means we will run our homes according to God’s guidelines. We will put our homes under God’s authority.
The other day I had to leave my work truck at a shop in Orlando, and take an Uber home. While riding home I got to visit with the driver. He used to run some nice motels in Puerto Rico. Then he moved to Miami and ran a rather large motel there. The he ran the Waldorf Astoria in Orlando for a while. The stress and being on call 24/7/365 finally got to be too much and he quit. Now he drives an Uber and coaches Volleyball at some big club in Orlando.
He was telling me about all of the uniforms those kids get when they start on a team there, how often they practice and play each week, and how often they travel on the weekends to play out of town. They and their parents will fly all over the place.
I asked him, “Do all of those parents think their children are going to play on college teams? He said most of them do. I said, “Well, how many do you think will play volleyball in college?” He said, “Four have potential if they work at it.”
For that possibility, parents are willing to travel almost every weekend, and not spend the time helping their children build a foundational understanding of God b y having them in church and teaching them godly priorities. Listen, there is less than 1/2 of 1% chance your child will play pro sports, but there is a 100% chance they will stand before Christ and have to give an account of themselves.
These folks said, “We will not give our daughters to the people who live around here, neither will we take their daughters for our sons. We don’t care how well their family is doing in business. We don’t care what is popular among their friends at school. We will put our homes and our families under God’s authority.
> Deuteronomy 6:1-9 “This is the command—the statutes and ordinances—the Lord your God has commanded me to teach you, so that you may follow them in the land you are about to enter and possess. Do this so that you may fear the Lord your God all the days of your life by keeping all his statutes and commands I am giving you, your son, and your grandson, and so that you may have a long life. 3 Listen, Israel, and be careful to follow them, so that you may prosper and multiply greatly, because the Lord, the God of your ancestors, has promised you a land flowing with milk and honey. “Listen, Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. These words that I am giving you today are to be in your heart. Repeat them to your children. Talk about them when you sit in your house and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Bind them as a sign on your hand and let them be a symbol on your forehead. Write them on the doorposts of your house and on your city gates.”
If your child attends Yale, but he doesn’t know Jesus, there is a problem. If your daughter grows up to be a doctor and doesn’t know Jesus, there is a problem. Your first and primary responsibility as a parent is to make sure your child knows Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior.
These folks said, we will put our homes under God’s authority.
And can I say something real quick? Your children need you to be their parent when they are young, a lot more than they need you to be their friend. The friendship can come later, but they need you to be a parent, to make the hard calls, to help them see what is really important.
Revival comes when you put your homes under God’s authority.
4. Revival comes when you take your religion outside the Church
- Read Nehemiah 10:31
These folks said, “We are not content to keep our religion in the temple. Our relationship with God is going to impact the way we conduct business as well.
Let me tell you my friend, if your religion is not strong enough to impact the way you do business and the way you act during the week, then revival has not come and I would question your religion .
After the Welsh revival in 1904-1905 there was a 50% decrease in arrests for drunkenness in the following 2 years. Others report that in some mines, production nearly came to complete stop because the miners were no longer cursing at the mules they used to pull the mine cars and so the mules didn’t didn’t know what they were supposed to do.
My friend, if your religion doesn’t leave church with you, it’s not worth very much and I would question whether revival has even occurred.
You and I are called to be salt and light. We are called to bring light to a lost and dying world, and if we are not doing that, there is something wrong with our professed religion.
5. Revival has come when it impacts your church commitments.
- Read Nehemiah 10:32-39
The folks said, we are going to support the work of the church. We are going to be a part of the work of our church and we are going to give to help support that work. We are not just attenders. We are part of the family of God and we are involved here. We are committed to this church’s vision and calling. We are going to do our part to see that it continues to reach and impact our community.
We know how God has worked in our lives. We know how God has blessed our nation. We see Him at work all around us and we want to be a part of what He’s doing.
So what do we do in response to what did and is doing?
“A man had just put the finishing touches on a fresh concrete driveway. He went inside to enjoy a glass of lemonade when, to his horror, he saw his little neighbor boy playing in the fresh concrete. He went outside and yelled angrily at the boy. After he had fixed the concrete and come back inside, his wife said, “Why did you yell at him? I thought you loved little boys.” The man replied, “I love little boys in the abstract, but I don’t like them in the concrete.”
Many Christians are like that when it comes to spiritual truth. We love it in the abstract, but we don’t like it in the concrete. When truth gets too specific, when it means that I actually need to change my life, that’s going too far! With Linus, we can echo, “I love mankind; it’s people I can’t stand!” (Told by Steven J. Cole, Lesson 11.)
So what do we do in the concrete? Ask God to show you one specific thing that needs to change in order for there to be revival in your life. You can’t do it for your spouse. You can’t do it for your neighbor. You are responsible for you.
Right now, let’s pray. “Lord what needs to change in my life in order for there to be revival?”
