TAKING OWNERSHIP OF YOUR SINS
Nehemiah 9:32-38, 10:28-29
INTRODUCTION
The Israelites at the time of this message from God were back in the promise
land after 70 years of captivity. God used the kings of the same nation who
destroyed Jerusalem and their beloved temple to release them from
captivity.
Some of the Israelites refused to return to Jerusalem preferring to retain the
life that they enjoyed doing captivity. Those who refused to return, abandon
their city and the salvation God provided for them.
Most of the Jews who returned, went back to their attitude of taking God
for granted with ritual service and an unchanged heart. The returning Jews
were directed by God to rebuild the temple and walls around Jerusalem.
Instead they made their priority rebuilding their homes and returning to their
pagan lifestyles.
It was the prophet Haggai that God used to remind Israel that failure to rebuild
the temple was the reason for the failure of their crops and their dissatisfied life
(Haggai 1:4-11).
It was Nehemiah, a Jew serving under King Artaxerxes of Persia who
God commission to rebuild the wall around Jerusalem and to restore the
temple worship. God used the Persian King as His agent to release
Nehemiah to the job of restoring worship of Him in Israel.
OWNING UP TO YOUR SINS
V:32. \”Now therefore, O our God, the great, mighty and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love, do not let all this hardship seem trifling in your eyes — the hardship that has come upon us, upon our kings and leaders, upon our priests and prophets, upon our fathers and all your people, from the days of the kings of Assyria until today.
33 In all that has happened to us, you have been just; you have acted faithfully, while we did wrong. \”
A. The first step of restoring your relationship with God is to recognize your sins and
take responsibility for them.
1. All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.
2. Our state of unhappiness, frustration, disrepair and life of mishaps belong
to us.
3. As a result of our unfaithfulness, God allows us to face the hardships of
life which are consequences of our sins.
4. In case of Israel and ours to, it is the failure to honor God with our lives
that is the underlying cause or our distress.
B. God is just in punishing us.
1. He chastises those He loves.
2. Not only is He just, but He covers us with His mercy until we can come to
our right mind.
C. God never changes. His Word to us never changes.
1. It is us that leaves the path of righteousness and follow our own fleshly desires.
2. The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord.
3. We have chosen to order our steps by the worlds standards.
4. The sooner we admit that we are wrong, we can repent and return
to God\’s guidance.
D. God has made a covenant of salvation with us ratified by the blood of
Jesus on the cross.
1. We have to take hold of that covenant, believe it and operate like
we are children of the king, destined for heavenly places.
2. We have to resist the temptation of living as slaves to sin and
take on the whole armor of God to live a redeemed life.
BREAK WITH THE PAST, SUMMIT YOURSELF TO GOD
V:34-35. \” Our kings, our leaders, our priests and our fathers did not follow your law; they did not pay attention to your commands or the warnings you gave them.
35 Even while they were in their kingdom, enjoying your great goodness to them in the spacious and fertile land you gave them, they did not serve you or turn from their evil ways. \”
A. As Christians, the chosen of God, we have to recognize that our sins and attitudes
today affects generations to come.
1. We pass on our habits and behaviors to our children who pass the same on to their
children.
2. Nehemiah recognized that Israel\’s sins were not entirely their fault.
3. Their behavior had been learned from their past generations.
4. We take on the habits of what we see and are taught.
5. It takes a redeemed heart to change old habits.
B. It is good to review how good God has been and review how ungrateful
we have been.
1. Sometime we see the good we have as something owed us or something deserved.
2. We don\’t realized that what we have is by the God\’s grace and His alone.
C. Israel was chosen for the promise land by Gods divine election.
1. Yet, they did not see the goodness of God as a reason to serve Him.
2. They did not see God as their God nor see a reason to follow His commands.
D. It is up to us to break the cycle of sin and follow God.
1. Change has to start with us for next generation.
2. We are God\’s role models for unbelievers.
THE CONSEQUENCES OF NOT SERVING GOD
V:36-37 \”But see, we are slaves today, slaves in the land you gave our forefathers so they could eat its fruit and the other good things it produces.
37 Because of our sins, its abundant harvest goes to the kings you have placed over us. They rule over our bodies and our cattle as they please. We are in great distress.
A. We forfeit the blessings of the Lord when we fail to follow His commands and
honor Him with our praise.
1. All the goodness of the earth was created by God for our use and enjoyment.
2. Without a relationship with God, we cannot have access to all He has in store
for us.
B. We are slaves to the world because of our disobedience.
1. Instead of enjoying God\’s creation, we have becomes slave to it.
2. We should be lenders and not borrowers.
3. Most of us owe all our income to creditors.
4. The world says the more credit cards you have the better off you are.
5. God say ask and it will be given to you, but we can\’t wait to
get in debt to have what we want.
6. It is our disobedient behavior that put us in distress.
PERSONALIZE A COMMITMENT TO SERVE GOD
38 \”In view of all this, we are making a binding agreement, putting it in writing, and our
leaders, our Levites and our priests are affixing their seals to it.\”
A. We need to come to a personal understanding of the reason for our problems.
1. We need also to make commitment to God to change our attitude toward
Him.
2. Unlike new years resolution, we should intend to keep any commitment
we make to God.
B. According to this text, it is a good idea to put your commitments to God
in writing.
1. There is nothing wrong with sharing your commitment with other
like minded spiritual people.
2. Together, with the encouragement and support of others, you can continue
your desire to serve God.
Nehemiah 10:28-29
SEPARATE YOURSELF FROM PEOPLE WHO DON\’T LOVE GOD
28 \”The rest of the people — priests, Levites, gatekeepers, singers, temple servants and all who separated themselves from the neighboring peoples for the sake of the Law of God, together with their wives and all their sons and daughters who are able to understand —
29 all these now join their brothers the nobles, and bind themselves with a curse and an oath to follow the Law of God given through Moses the servant of God and to obey carefully all the commands, regulations and decrees of the Lord our Lord.
A. To keep your commitment to God you may have to get rid of some folk.
1. There are those who will not be comfortable with your new direction.
2. There are those who will try to convince you that you are ok and no
change is needed.
B. Establish a relationship with those who follow God\’s commands.
1. Hang around people who share your commitment to change.
2. Your commitment to change may influence others in your
circle to change.
THANK GOD FOR HIS TOLLERANCE OF US
Rev. M. Mitchell
Asst Pastor Of Greater Macedonia Baptist Church
5510 West Sam Houston Toll Way North
Houston, Texas 77041
