This Week's Sunday School Lesson, "Reclaiming Your Sunday", 8/25/2013

RECLAMING YOUR SUNDAY

 

Nehemiah 13:15-22

 

V:15. " In those days I saw men in Judah treading winepresses on the Sabbath and bringing in grain and loading it on donkeys, together with wine, grapes, figs and all other kinds of loads. And they were bringing all this into Jerusalem on the Sabbath. Therefore I warned them against selling food on that day."

 A. The Israelites had the Word from the Lord to "Remember The Sabbath And To

 

      Keep It Holy."

     1. They had the Word but they ignored the Word.

     2. They had been in captivity for seventy years because they ignored the Word.

     3. Their city had been destroyed and the temple burned down because they were

         disobedient.

 B. God delivered them back into the promise land and they returned to being disobedient.

     1. God is same today as He was in the past. He does not change.

     2. God punished Israel for their sins and He is capable of doing it again.

     3. Some people refuse to learn from there past mistakes.

 C. The job of God's leaders is to look after the flock.

     1. When we see others in the body of Christ going astray, we have a responsibility

 

         to  warn them of their errors.

     2. The Sabbath was designed as a day of rest for themselves and their animals.

         a. The animals used in planting and harvesting needed a day of rest.

         b. The Sabbath was designed as a day of worship.

         c. The Israelites went back to their old ways before their captivity.

         d. Not only were they going astray, but they were leading others

             outside of  the Body of Christ astray.      

     3. We are all God's leaders in some way and have a responsibility to proclaim the

         Word be doers of the Word.

 

V:16. " Men from Tyre who lived in Jerusalem were bringing in fish and all kinds of merchandise and selling them in Jerusalem on the Sabbath to the people of Judah."

 A. To Worship the Lord in Spirit and truth, we must separate ourselves from the

 

     world.

     1. The world never takes a break from the pursuit of profit.

     2. There is this never ending desire to buy and sell goods and services.

     3. This desire feeds on it's self and knows no boundaries.

     4. This desire is controlled by the human flesh.

 B. The Christian man shall not live by bread alone but by every Word of the Lord.

     1. Abiding in the Word is the way to sure profit for the believer.

     2. God commands us to set aside a day for worship.

     3. Failure to worship the Lord is a recipe for destruction.

 

V:17. " I rebuked the nobles of Judah and said to them, "What is this wicked thing you are doing — desecrating the Sabbath day? "

 A. All unrighteousness is sin and we should be constantly reminded of this fact.

     1. The Jewish community was commanded to observe the Sabbath and keep it holy.

     2. It was a serious violation to work on the Sabbath day.

     3. Continuously ignoring God's commands will lead to our destruction.

     4. The Israelites had a history of disobedience and a history of God's wrath.

 B. The Israelites were under the dispensation of the Law and the penalty of the Law.

     1. Jesus death on the cross fulfilled all the requirements of the Law by establishing

         the age of Grace.

     2. Jesus was resurrected on Sunday, establishing a new day of worship.

     3. We are encouraged to offer ourselves as a living sacrifice holy and acceptable

         to the Lord.

         a. This is continuous worship of the Lord.

         b. As believers, we have to be careful to put God first.

         c. If we do not put God first, He becomes a second to our worldly desires.

  C. David said, "I was glad when they said let us go into the house of the Lord."

     1.We are not under the penalty of the Law.

     2. It is through the Law that we learn the righteousness of the Lord.

     3. It is through the Law that we understand that all have sinned and fall short

         of the Glory of God.

     4. We must be careful to follow God and not the ways of the world. 

 

V: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."

 A. There are times when we need to be reminded of how bad we were and how God

      dealt with us.

     1. Some of the bad thing that happened to us were a result of our disobedient

 

        behavior.

     2. You can't claim bad luck as the reason for your situation.

     3. Sometimes God punishes us by putting us through difficult times.

B. Disobedience can stir up God's wrath against us.

   1. It is to our benefit to follow God's commands.

   2. God can cause things to work out in our favor. according to our obedience.

   3. God can cause things to work out against us, according to our disobedience.

 

V:19. " When evening shadows fell on the gates of Jerusalem before the Sabbath, I ordered the doors to be shut and not opened until the Sabbath was over. I stationed some of my own men at the gates so that no load could be brought in on the Sabbath day."

 A. Leaders have a responsibility to take action that will benefit God's people.

     1. Nehemiah, the Governor of people saw the disobedience of the Israelites and

         took corrective actions.

     2. He closed the gate to the city so that outside traders could come not come to

         to do business on the Sabbath.

    3. He ordered the Israelites to observe the Sabbath, as God commanded.

 B. Sometimes God has to shut doors to keep us out of trouble.

    1. We can't get to busy living that we can't live for God.

    2. The best living we can experience is living with the Lord.

 C. Sometimes God has to shut us down so we can focus on Him.

    1. I am of the opinion that some illness that put us on our backs are designed to

        to give us rest and cause us to focus on the Lord.

    2. When we are on our backs, it is easy to look up and see the Lord.

    3. We load ourselves up with all kinds of activities that burdens us

        to the point that we don't have time for God.      

 

V:20. " Once or twice the merchants and sellers of all kinds of goods spent the night outside Jerusalem. "

 A. Satan is busy all the time.

    1. Just because you have decided to follow God does not prevent Satan from

        bring temptations to you.

    2. I believe your decision to follow God is an invitation for Satan to test your

        dedication.

 B. The gates were shut, but the traders still showed up for business outside the gates.

    1. If Satan can't get to you in the Church, he will catch you on your way out of the

        Church.

    2. If Satan can't get to you during the day, He will try you in the night time.

    3. Satan does not run out of time. He will try to temp you all day and all night.

    4. Believers have to arm themselves with the Word to resist the devil.

 

V:21. " But I warned them and said, "Why do you spend the night by the wall? If you do this again, I will lay hands on you." From that time on they no longer came on the Sabbath."

 A. You have to give Satan notice.

     1. As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.

     2. You cannot allow the demands of the world to shut down you worship.

 B. You have to watch your night time.

     1. Satan is the father of darkness.

     2. At all times you must put on the full armor of God.

 C. You have to warn Satan that he is already defeated and that you hold the victory

      with Jesus Christ.

 

V:22. " Then I commanded the Levites to purify themselves and go and guard the gates in order to keep the Sabbath day holy. Remember me for this also, O my God, and show mercy to me according to your great love."

 A. All believers are priests of God.

    1. We have the Word of God to guide us into His righteousness.

    2. God stands guard over His people.

    3. Jesus Christ is our gate keeper.

B. Our job is to repent of our sins and follow God's commands.

   1. We should ask God the Father to remembers us in good times and bad times

       and keep us from harm and danger.

   2. God loves those who follow His commands.

   3. The mercy of God endures forever because of His love shown through

       the death of His Son on the cross.