AM Scripture Reading: Nehemiah 13.4-9

This Morning’s Sermon:

Brent T. Willey

SHORT-LIVED RESTORATION

Nehemiah 13.1-22

Introduction:

1. The Old Testament books of Ezra & Nehemiah are primarily about the restoration of the Jewish Temple and the city of Jerusalem (ca., 536-428 BC).
2. Jerusalem and the Temple had been left in ruins since 586 BC, when Judah fell to the Babylonians.
3. Restoration would come to Judah, but it was short-lived!

I. IN THE ABSENCE OF NEHEMIAH – Verse 6

1. How important is leadership?
   1. In the absence of law… (Neh. 8.1-8; cf., James 1.25)
   2. In the absence of leadership… (V.6; cf., Heb. 13.7, 17)
2. Corruption in Jerusalem immediately ensued.
   1. Alliances with Tobiah (vs. 4-7; cf., 2.19-20; 6.14).
   2. Levitical priests neglected (v.10; cf., Nehemiah 12.1-21, 27, 44-47)
   3. God’s House was forsaken (v. 11; cf. Ezra 6.15-18)
   4. The Sabbath was abused (vs. 15-18; cf., 9.14)
3. Why was this “written for our learning”? (Rom. 15.4)
   1. Restoration principles have a tendency to be short-lived. (Cf., Gal. 1.6-9; Rev. 2.1-5)
   2. The worship & work of the church has been corrupted. (Cf., Matt. 15.8-9; 2 Tim. 4.2-5)
   3. Profaning what is to be holy: assembly, contribution, etc. (Cf., 1 Cor. 3.16-17; Heb. 10.24-25; 1 Cor. 16.1-2)

II. NEHEMIAH SEEKS GOD’S MERCY – Verses 14, 22

1. Nehemiah took this very personally – he had to!
   1. All the good he had done was in jeopardy… (V. 14)
   2. Nehemiah took charge… (V. 21-22a)
   3. Repentance & diligence were a must… (V. 22b)
2. So should we!
   1. We must not “lose heart” (Gal. 6.9).
   2. We must never rest on past successes. (Phil. 3.12-14)
   3. We must possess a penitent attitude. (1 John 1.9)

Conclusion: Before we become too quickly critical of the Judeans, we had better take a close look at our own spiritual situation…