Reformation Series

Reformation

Nehemiah 13:15-31

“It is the nature of fire to burn out”

1. Recommitment to Separation

A. A Mixed Multitude (vs. 1-3)

A “Mixed Multitude” is when a Christian lets sin enter his life and does not treat it as his enemy.

A “Mixed Multitude” is when the church does not teach the cost of discipleship and is then full of people claiming to be Christians who have never given their lives to Jesus Christ.

2 Peter 1:10 - Therefore, my brothers, be all the more eager to make your calling and election sure.1

B. An Intruder (vs. 4-9)

“Why is the house of God neglected?”

When the enemy sneaks in, one of the first things to go is time with God and service in the Body of Christ.

2. Recommitment to the Sabbath (vs.10-22)

Neglecting Worship (vs. 10)

Neglecting Rest

Matt 11:28-30 - “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” 2

Serious Consequences (vs. 17,18)

“What is this wicked thing you are doing—desecrating the Sabbath day? 18 Didn’t your forefathers do the same things, so that our God brought all this calamity upon us and upon this city? Now you are stirring up more wrath against Israel by desecrating the Sabbath.” 3

3. Recommitment to Purity - Sleeping With The Enemy

The story reveals clearly the way evil works. It invades us quietly.

When it comes down to individuals this is a picture of our struggle with our flesh. What this story depicts is the times when we must take a strong stand against evil in ourselves. We must be prepared to be drastic and take often painful action to clear up the things that are wrong in our own affairs.

Matt 5:29-30

Take action. Do not allow these evil things to remain. Even if it takes painful effort to do so, end it!

Bear the pain and stand firm.

Child Sacrifices

“Half of their children spoke the language of Ashdod or the language of one of the other peoples, and did not know how to speak the language of Judah.”

Les’s Dream

Surrounded by lifeguards.

The Times-Reporter of New Philadelphia, Ohio, reported in September 1985 a celebration of a New Orleans municipal pool. The party around the pool was held to celebrate the first summer in memory without a drowning at the New Orleans city pool. In honor of the occasion, 200 people gathered, including 100 certified lifeguards. As the party was breaking up and the four lifeguards on duty began to clear the pool, they found a fully dressed body in the deep end. They tried to revive Jerome Moody, 31, but it was too late. He had drowned surrounded by lifeguards celebrating their successful season.

~Times-Reporter, September 1985

The real enemy to the Christian today is not “the liberals”, abortion, or no prayer in school. The real enemy to the Christian today is subtle sins like pride, envy, jealousy, selfishness, lust and greed, that infiltrate the Christian’s life and the church like a virus and produce ineffective, apathetic, complacent and lazy Christians who have no idea what it means to die to self and live for God.

“We repeat without feeling, we repeat without meaning, we sing without wonder, and we listen without surprise.4

1The New International Version, (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House) 1984.

2The New International Version, (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House) 1984.

3The New International Version, (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House) 1984.

4 Rut, Rot or Revival, A.W. Tozer (Christian Publications, Camp Hill, Pennsylvania) 1992.