1. Commitment to the Lord (Nehemiah 9:38-10:29)

The first significant change that we find in their lives is that they signed a covenant. They made a covenant together before the Lord. Verse 9:38 says, “Now because of all this We are making an agreement in writing; And on the sealed document are the names of our leaders, our Levites and our priests.” They subjected themselves to live their lives according to the words of the covenant at the risk of suffering God’s curse. If they broke the covenant, then they would be cursed by God. They were basically making themselves consciously accountable to God.

One special aspect of this covenant was that the Israelites had representatives of different groups involved in the signing. Let me read again verses 10:28-29 for the full impact of this covenant among the Israelites.

“Now the rest of the people, the priests, the Levites, the gatekeepers, the singers, the temple servants, and all those who had separated themselves from the peoples of the lands to the law of God, their wives, their sons and their daughters, all those who had knowledge and understanding, are joining with their kinsmen, their nobles, and are taking on themselves a curse and an oath to walk in God's law, which was given through Moses, God's servant, and to keep and to observe all the commandments of GOD our Lord, and His ordinances and His statutes.”

This was a group or people movement. Some people don't quite know how to handle groups when they come to know the Lord. America has a very individualistic way of interpreting the scriptures. Everything is “I”. Our songs are “I” or “me.” How I wish we could sing and pray the “we” and “us.” Prayer May God not just move in one or two of our hearts but the whole of our hearts!

This covenant would settle their hearts and build a framework on which they could build their new community around God. Without this seriousness and focus, it is not clear how long their zeal would last. Of course they would think the excitement would last forever, but it wouldn't. They were together willing to take the necessary steps to shape Israel’s future around God.

Oaths are important vows. No one is to take them lightly. Baptism is a covenant written with our bodies and marriage with our vows. We are not to take our faith lightly. When we are baptized, we state our lives will revolve around our Lord’s wishes. When we marry, we are saying that we will be deliberately faithful to our spouse. Our decisions in life will be shaped around these commitments. Some people ask why we should join the organizational church? The reason is that this commitment helps mold your life to a framework that you deem important for the future. You want to be held accountable for the way you serve the Lord while you are in Pittsburgh.

Application

“Live Worship” for the Israelites meant commitment. They saw that if they put their heart to God’s business in a serious way, they could help mold, protect and bless their children. They were done with their games. If you were to sign a covenant today, what would you write on it? What could you commit yourself to? Would there be anything in the covenant that would set you apart from the world? This is our second point.

2) Separation from the ungodly (Nehemiah 10:28-30)

We just don't understand what God really expects of His worshippers. He demands a separation of our lives from the world. I believe that the greatest reasons for ‘dead’ worship is because of worldliness. Our hearts are attached to the world. This shows up in our relationships and the way we are willing to compromise on issues the Lord has spoken clearly on. In 10:28-30 we find their willingness to start clean. They were to come apart from their ungodly compromises and start off clean.

Now this is the most difficult point to follow through with. We can easily sign our name, but it is hard to break the alliances we have formed with the ungodly. These associations have become part of life, with whom you talk, with whom you live. It is the hardest to modify because this is the one area so crucial to their future. They could make some changes but without a clean break, if they did not separate themselves from the ungodly now in these compromises of life, then they would lose their identity within one generation. They were committing themselves to separate themselves from these relationships meant that they were quite common. One cannot make a commitment to walk in the law of God (28) unless they have separated themselves from the world. For the Jews, this was very much an issue of relating only with other Jews. For Christians, it is simply to find other devout Christians to covenant with in issues of marriage and business. II Corinthians 6:14 says, “Do not be unequally yoked.” The image is to have two different kinds of animals sharing a yoke pulling the plow along. They walk at different speeds and no doubt do not relate very well with each other. The pulling of the yoke will be greatly affected by being joined with another of not common faith.

Besides our faith, marriage is the most important relationship that is established in our lives. These Israelite parents were finally getting their act together to preserve what was good and holy. They were determined not to give their daughters to those who did not commit themselves to a like faith and lifestyle. Nor were they willing to take a woman that has not a similar conviction. If you have not clearly stated in your lives that you would not marry a non-Christian, then you are making great trouble for your lives. Make the commitments now while your mind is clear. This is the value of oaths. They stand as a loud confirming voice during our confusing moments. It doesn't matter whether you are in ‘love’. You have made a promise to love God first. Unless you are clearly committed to marrying a godly Christian of great zeal, then you will be baited. You will be sucked in by the clever devices of the evil one. You will have no one but yourself to blame.

They were to separate from the ungodly in business partnerships too. They decided to stop trading on the sabbath just as God had told them. This is another bold step. They had to take a risk that their normal customers who regularly went to them would go and find another seller. The advantage of everyone playing by the same rules make it much easier for everyone and helps maintain the high moral standard. The issue is that the evil one controls non-Christians. Jesus said that the evil one is their father. We are greatly subjecting ourselves to the evil one's temptations and frustrations when we sign on with these non Christians. We are becoming unequally yoked. It is like inserting a needle in your skin and leaving it there so that whenever the evil one wants to bring trouble into your lives, all he has to do is squeeze.

In verse 31 they were separating themselves unto the Word of the Lord. They would no longer sell and buy on the sabbath, not pick the harvest on the seventh year or push people into sin by exacting every debt. They were putting God’s desires above their own preferences.

We normally think of worship of God as only happening on Sunday morning but in fact God has called us as a people to live out our life separate unto Him. Some people reject this kind of thinking with one or more of the following lines of reasoning:
• Some say that this separatism is too radical.
• Some say that pluralism is more noble; tolerance more excellent.
• Some deny that this separateness is asked for by the Lord.
• Most deny any connection between what they say and what they live.

He was helping them to step out of their desperate and disobedient state. They as a community had clearly compromised God’s law and the financial, spiritual and emotional burdens were very obvious. Some people think they can easily separate their spiritual lives from other aspects of their lives. I tried to show you last time that this is simply impossible. Real worship is when we come bringing our whole lives under the reigns of the Holy Spirit. A Christian is one who follows Christ in all of his life.

Application

Before I go on, let me make few applications. Our Sunday is not the sabbath. We must understand that there is a fundamental calendar change. There are principles that go on regarding the sabbath such as breaking from work once a week. We work to live not live to work. We are not machines nor materialistic garbage cans preoccupied on buying and selling. When I studied, busy as I was, I took off Sunday from my studies. As a pastor I take off Monday. Some might criticize me, but I believe that it is not having a weekend off but a special time stating that I am more important than my occupation. I am not the center of the universe but God is. His command is enough to rotate my life around.

Some people use the principle of stewardship to get away with sins like grabbing the last penny of interest. Clearly there are principles that override so-called good stewardship. They would not shop on the sabbath. They would rest their bodies rather than maximize them. They would forego the seventh year crop. What a waste! But God says it is normal and good. Nor should we love to get back our loans more than care for the needs of others. Money must not rule us. Capitalism can be a sin. Materialism is sin. Our lives are not ours nor is our money. We are stewards of what God has given us and must use it in a way that pleases our Lord; our pleasures and comforts only follow this priority. Each year I wrestle with giving more and more to missions. It doesn't come easily, but it is clearly our Lord’s priority.

3) Support for the house of God (Nehemiah 10:32-39)

Religious worship is not free. In order to preserve the order that delights God, we will find that again and again it will cost us time, effort and money. I appreciate our recent presentation of the church's budget before the congregation. The connection between our offerings and our ministries was clearly shown. Without the offerings, the ministries would not go on. Any area that we are not willing to provide the resources, whether personnel or financial, will become an area of need rather than strength. As we look at their commitment to serve the Lord, let us see what their undermining goal was. It is found in 10:39, “We will not neglect the house of our God.”

We will get into specifics in a moment, but I want you to think about one good improvement that has been going on here in this congregation of God’s people. I have seen a great improvement on our worship teams. I have been very encouraged and blessed. I think we are finally beginning to see the glory of worshiping God! But in order for this to happen, you must prepare your hearts behind the scenes. You might take drum lessons. You take time practicing with each other. You think of keeping a pure heart so to protect your music offerings. You sometimes are even here before I get here at 9:00. Maintaining decor and glory about God’s house, which is us His people as we assemble together, is our priority in life. We must make it our goal of excellence in serving the Lord wherever He has called us . The welfare of the house of God is dependent upon us. We are the house of God. Let me read two references confirming this.
“...But Christ was faithful as a Son over His house whose house we are, if we hold fast our confidence and the boast of our hope firm until the end.” (Hebrews 3:6)

“I write so that you may know how one ought to conduct himself in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and support of the truth.” (1 Timothy 3:15)

I would like to outline three areas mentioned. They are broad but crucial areas. We will speak of financial offerings, faith offerings, and personal offerings.

Financial offerings

The Israelites put themselves under pledge to provide 1/3 of a shekel a year for the main worship supplies. What did the law require? Exodus 30:13 says,

“This is what everyone who is numbered shall give: half a shekel according to the shekel of the sanctuary (the shekel is twenty gerahs), half a shekel as a contribution to the LORD.”

Accountants will notice that 1/3 and 1/2 shekel are differing amounts. I believe with some commentators that this is to be seen beyond the regular 1/2 shekel required in the Law. They were trying to build up the treasury that has been in shambles. The other possible interpretation is that because of their dire poverty they were giving only 1/3 of a shekel which is better than none. The problem with this interpretation is that their other covenant commitments were very strong. What sense does it make to covenant something short of what the law demanded? It only makes sense if they were covenanting something equal or more.

Application

Some people ask me about the necessity of offering a tithe which is 10% of our income. It is clear from this passage that these impoverished Jews were giving more than a tithe. They had many more offerings that added up to more than 10%. The point of this matter is why are we willing to secure better houses, clothes and cars and accommodations then they and let the tithe be the last of our commitments. They made giving to God their highest priority. They covenanted their money to God. They understood that God is not only interested in getting a good portion of what He has given to you, but that He wants His part given before you give others their portion. This is referred to as the first fruits which is the next point.

• For the shewbread, etc. To defray the expenses of the twelve loaves, which every week were set on the table of shewbread, #Leviticus 24:5-9|,
• and for the continual meat offering, and for the continual burnt offering; for the daily sacrifice, morning and evening, which always had a meat offering along with it, #Ex 29:38-42|,
• of the sabbaths, and of the new moons; on which were additional sacrifices, #Nu 28:9-15|,
• and for the set feasts; of passover, Pentecost, and tabernacles; in which also were offered other sacrifices, besides the daily one, #Nu 28:16-31 29:1-39|,
• and for the holy things: which were both by way of thanksgiving to God, and that they might feast and rejoice together:
• and for the sin offerings, to make an atonement for Israel; for the whole body of the people, and so were made at the public expense:
• and for all the work of the house of our God; whatever else was necessary that is not mentioned. [GILL]