The Cost of Spiritual Carelessness and the Reward of Spiritual Carefulness - Radical

The Cost of Spiritual Carelessness and the Reward of Spiritual Carefulness

% buffered 00:00
00:00
00:00
Download

Is your love for the Lord growing cold? Do you remember a time when you were more intentional about loving and serving other believers, more serious about fighting sin, and more eager to tell other people about Jesus? Have you become casual about eternal realities? In this message from David Platt from Nehemiah 13, we’ll see the danger of spiritual carelessness among the people of Israel. It’s a danger that we need to be aware of today, particularly in light of the subtlety and seriousness of sin. The good news is, that the reward of spiritual carefulness is indescribably great, and God’s grace in Jesus Christ is sufficient to give us victory over sin and eternal life.

If you have a Bible—and I hope you or somebody around you does that you could look on with—I invite you to open with me to Nehemiah 13. As you’re turning there, I want you to know that we are really glad that you are here. 

Today we’re coming to the end of a journey we’ve been taking through the book of Nehemiah in the Bible. We titled this journey “What Could God Do?” We’re looking at this story of a guy who was not a preacher, not a pastor, not a church leader. He was a cupbearer who realized he had an opportunity to be used by God in his day to bring glory to God and good to others in ways that were far beyond what he could imagine. He said, “That’s what I want for my life.” He stepped out in faith, took some risks and paid a price. Here we are many years later in the book of Nehemiah, chapter 13. Just think about what had happened. He had moved to Jerusalem with the full support of a pagan king, whom he was afraid at first to even talk to. The king not only gave him permission to go but gave him resources and protection as he went.

Despite all kinds of opposition, Nehemiah had led the people of God to rebuild the walls around the city of God—Jerusalem—in that day when the temple was where the of God dwelt among his people. Then on top of all that, in Nehemiah 8-10, revival broke out among God’s people. They were revering God’s Word, repenting of sin, recommitting their lives to God and celebrating God’s grace in ways they had never done in their lives before.

Near the beginning of this book, people were trying to keep all this from happening, saying, “These people could never rebuild these walls. If a fox tried to walk on these walls, they would collapse.” Then in Nehemiah 12, he said, “Let’s show them.” Then all the people, the choirs and the bands climbed up on top of the walls and marched around on the city, doing a victory lap, singing about all God had done. God had done all this through Nehemiah, this cupbearer. 

Throughout this series, we’ve been asking, “What could God do through us, in our day, if we did this?” If each of us—no matter who we are, how young or old, where we’re from or what we do, what we have or don’t have—what if each of us just said, “I want to be used by God however he wants to use me, to bring glory to him and good to others”? 

What could God do in our lives, in our church family, in our city and among the nations, if we just made ourselves available to him, if we stepped out in faith and trusted him to use us, in our schools, on our campuses, in our workplaces, in our neighborhoods, starting right where we live and spreading around the world? Church family, don’t underestimate what God can do through each of us and all of us together.

Today I want to show you the one thing that can keep you from experiencing all of this. Today I want to show you the one thing that can keep you from experiencing all that God wants to do in and through your life, in and through your family. I want to show you the one thing that can keep us all together from experiencing all God wants to do in and through us as a church family. That one thing is spiritual carelessness.

I encourage you to write this down, at the very least on your heart and in your mind: carelessness is your enemy in your life, in your family and in our church family. 

I want to show you this in Nehemiah 13. Let’s read this whole chapter. Just follow the narrative, then I’m going to explain what’s happening here. I want to show you why this chapter is so important for you to understand in your life and for you to hear what God is saying today about spiritual carelessness. So follow along with me in Nehemiah 13, starting in verse one:

1 On that day they read from the Book of Moses in the hearing of the people. And in it was found written that no Ammonite or Moabite should ever enter the assembly of God, for they did not meet the people of Israel with bread and water, but hired Balaam against them to curse them—yet our God turned the curse into a blessing. As soon as the people heard the law, they separated from Israel all those of foreign descent.

Now before this, Eliashib the priest, who was appointed over the chambers of the house of our God, and who was related to Tobiah, prepared for Tobiah a large chamber where they had previously put the grain offering, the frankincense, the vessels, and the tithes of grain, wine, and oil, which were given by commandment to the Levites, singers, and gatekeepers, and the contributions for the priests. While this was taking place, I was not in Jerusalem, for in the thirty-second year of Artaxerxes king of Babylon I went to the king. And after some time I asked leave of the king and came to Jerusalem, and I then discovered the evil that Eliashib had done for Tobiah, preparing for him a chamber in the courts of the house of God. And I was very angry, and I threw all the household furniture of Tobiah out of the chamber. Then I gave orders, and they cleansed the chambers, and I brought back there the vessels of the house of God, with the grain offering and the frankincense.

10 I also found out that the portions of the Levites had not been given to them, so that the Levites and the singers, who did the work, had fled each to his field. 11 So I confronted the officials and said, “Why is the house of God forsaken?” And I gathered them together and set them in their stations. 12 Then all Judah brought the tithe of the grain, wine, and oil into the storehouses. 13 And I appointed as treasurers over the storehouses Shelemiah the priest, Zadok the scribe, and Pedaiah of the Levites, and as their assistant Hanan the son of Zaccur, son of Mattaniah, for they were considered reliable, and their duty was to distribute to their brothers. 14 Remember me, O my God, concerning this, and do not wipe out my good deeds that I have done for the house of my God and for his service.

15 In those days I saw in Judah people treading winepresses on the Sabbath, and bringing in heaps of grain and loading them on donkeys, and also wine, grapes, figs, and all kinds of loads, which they brought into Jerusalem on the Sabbath day. And I warned them on the day when they sold food. 16 Tyrians also, who lived in the city, brought in fish and all kinds of goods and sold them on the Sabbath to the people of Judah, in Jerusalem itself! 17 Then I confronted the nobles of Judah and said to them, “What is this evil thing that you are doing, profaning the Sabbath day? 18 Did not your fathers act in this way, and did not our God bring all this disaster on us and on this city? Now you are bringing more wrath on Israel by profaning the Sabbath.”

19 As soon as it began to grow dark at the gates of Jerusalem before the Sabbath, I commanded that the doors should be shut and gave orders that they should not be opened until after the Sabbath. And I stationed some of my servants at the gates, that no load might be brought in on the Sabbath day. 20 Then the merchants and sellers of all kinds of wares lodged outside Jerusalem once or twice. 21 But I warned them and said to them, “Why do you lodge outside the wall? If you do so again, I will lay hands on you.” From that time on they did not come on the Sabbath. 22 Then I commanded the Levites that they should purify themselves and come and guard the gates, to keep the Sabbath day holy. Remember this also in my favor, O my God, and spare me according to the greatness of your steadfast love.

23 In those days also I saw the Jews who had married women of Ashdod, Ammon, and Moab. 24 And half of their children spoke the language of Ashdod, and they could not speak the language of Judah, but only the language of each people. 25 And I confronted them and cursed them and beat some of them and pulled out their hair. And I made them take an oath in the name of God, saying, “You shall not give your daughters to their sons, or take their daughters for your sons or for yourselves. 26 Did not Solomon king of Israel sin on account of such women? Among the many nations there was no king like him, and he was beloved by his God, and God made him king over all Israel. Nevertheless, foreign women made even him to sin. 27 Shall we then listen to you and do all this great evil and act treacherously against our God by marrying foreign women?”

28 And one of the sons of Jehoiada, the son of Eliashib the high priest, was the son-in-law of Sanballat the Horonite. Therefore I chased him from me. 29 Remember them, O my God, because they have desecrated the priesthood and the covenant of the priesthood and the Levites.

30 Thus I cleansed them from everything foreign, and I established the duties of the priests and Levites, each in his work; 31 and I provided for the wood offering at appointed times, and for the firstfruits.

Remember me, O my God, for good.

There’s a lot here that I want to explain to you. Let me first point out something quickly. When Pastor Mike was assigning different chapters to different pastors to preach, he gave me Nehemiah 7, which is essentially a list of names that no pastor can pronounce. That’s all the chapter is—just names. Then he took Nehemiah 8, which is an incredible revival around God’s Word. He gave Eric Nehemiah 9 and 10, which is an incredible prayer of praise and repentance. Then he took Nehemiah 11 and 12, which was this amazing celebration of all God had done. Now he has given me Nehemiah 13, where Nehemiah is ripping hair out of people’s heads. I’m not complaining; I just want to call out injustice when I see it. 

In all seriousness though, this whole chapter is a microcosm of the whole Old Testament and in a sense it’s a mirror of all our lives. Turn back with me just a couple pages to Nehemiah 9. At the end of that prayer of praise and repentance, verse 38 says, “Because of all this we make a firm covenant in writing; on the sealed document are the names of our princes, our Levites, and our priests.” They said, “We’re going to make a covenant here. We’re going to write down all of our commitments to follow God.” When you get to chapter ten, you see those commitments. Look at 10:28-31: 

28 The rest of the people, the priests, the Levites, the gatekeepers, the singers, the temple servants, and all who have separated themselves from the peoples of the lands to the Law of God, their wives, their sons, their daughters, all who have knowledge and understanding, 29 join with their brothers, their nobles, and enter into a curse and an oath to walk in God’s Law that was given by Moses the servant of God, and to observe and do all the commandments of the Lord our Lord and his rules and his statutes. 30 “We will not give our daughters to the peoples of the land or take their daughters for our sons. 31 And if the peoples of the land bring in goods or any grain on the Sabbath day to sell, we will not buy from them on the Sabbath or on a holy day. And we will forego the crops of the seventh year and the exaction of every debt. We also take on ourselves the obligation to give yearly a third part of a shekel for the service of the house of our God.”

Do you see this? They’re going to observe and do all the commandments of God. They were writing it down. They were going to do this. Specifically, they were not going to “give our daughters to the peoples of the land or take their daughters for our sons.” They were not going to buy any grain on the Sabbath, nor do any business on the Sabbath day or a holy day. They declared, “We’re going to fulfill our obligation to give to the service of the house of our God.”

Then jump down to the very last verse of this chapter, to the last part of this covenant. Here’s how it ends in Nehemiah 10:39: “We will not neglect the house of our God.” That’s what they said all together in Nehemiah 10. Sometime after that, Nehemiah left Jerusalem and went back to the king for a time, then came back to Jerusalem. As soon as returned, look at what he found—what we just read in Nehemiah 13.

First, in Nehemiah 13:4, Eliashib the priest, who was overseeing the rooms in the temple—the house of our God—gave one to Tobiah. Do you remember Tobiah? This guy had opposed God’s word from the very beginning of this book, from chapter two. He was taunting Nehemiah and God’s people. He’s the guy who, in Nehemiah 4, said, “Not even a fox could walk around these walls.” Then later in that chapter, he and a guy named Sanballat started making plans together to attack the people of Jerusalem. That plot thankfully was frustrated by God. Then in chapter six, once the walls were rebuilt, Tobiah conspired against Nehemiah again. And now Tobiah has an apartment in the temple?

Then, in verse ten, Nehemiah finds out the Levites had moved out of the city because they weren’t being provided for like the people had promised. In verse 15 we find out that they’re buying and selling all kinds of things in Jerusalem on the Sabbath, as well as doing work. Then in verse 23, we find out that they had intermarried in ways that God had forbidden.

As a side note, but an important and significant side note, verses like this in the Old Testament do not in any way forbid interracial marriage today. This command in the Old Testament was not primarily about ethnicity; it was about preventing idolatry, the worship of false gods. It was about preserving faith among the people of God. It was about the people of Yahweh not joining their lives with nations who worshiped all kinds of other gods. It’s similar to the picture we have in the New Testament of not uniting our lives with someone so closely—like in a marriage relationship—with someone who doesn’t love Jesus. What’s most important in a marriage relationship is not a man and woman’s ethnicity, but a man and a woman’s heart toward Jesus. This is why we actually celebrate interracial marriages as a beautiful picture of the gospel that brings people together in the closest human relationship God has made, not because they have the same skin color, but because they have the same Savior. 

All that as an aside, let’s come back to these marriages to Ashdodites, Ammonites and Moabites that were already leading to idolatry and immorality. Their children didn’t even know the language of God’s Word anymore. When we put it all together, do you see what happened by Nehemiah 13? The people of God had become spiritually careless. They made these commitments and meant them. But then time began to pass, zeal began to wane, complacency started to set in. We don’t have the story of how they got to this point, how Tobiah moved in, how the Levites moved out, how the Sabbath day became a day of commerce, when and how these marriages started happening. We can only imagine it happened just like it happens throughout the Bible. 

Sin tempts so incessantly.

Do you see how Satan has taken every single commitment the people of God made in Nehemiah 10 and tempted them to turn from God at every single one of those points? Do you realize that he does the same thing in your life every single day? Do you realize that from the moment you wake up in the morning there is an adversary who wants to destroy you and all of God’s good designs for your life? These temptations are just waiting for you from the moment you wake up, tempting you to scroll through your phone in the morning instead of meditating on God’s Word. They’re tempting you with all kinds of distractions, keeping you from time alone with God in prayer. They’re tempting you all day long from all kinds of angles, with pride, anger, impure thoughts, unholy desires. They’re tempting you with envy, jealousy, comparison, worry about this or fear of that. They’re tempting you with fear to keep you from sharing the gospel with other people. “What will they think of me? I don’t know what to say. I’ll mess it up. They don’t want to listen anyway.” They’re tempting you all day long to look out for yourself instead of others. They’re tempting you with impatience, unkind speech, harsh words, unforgiveness. They’re tempting you to spend your money on things that won’t last, to spend your time on things that don’t matter. 

Are you getting the point? You’re surrounded by temptations all day long. Spiritual warfare is not just when you walk through a particularly hard time. Spiritual warfare starts the moment you wake up in the morning. It’s something you live in all the time. I trust you realize these devices are filled with sirens, alluring your flesh at every scroll. Sin tempts so incessantly and appears so innocently. This is how sin has worked from the beginning of human history. In Genesis 3, Satan said to Eve, “Did God actually say not to eat of a piece of fruit? It’s just a piece of fruit. It looks good. It would be good for you. It’s just a bite. God is trying to keep something good from you.” 

Fast forward to Nehemiah’s day. “It’s just one room in the temple. No big deal. Tobiah’s not that bad. We don’t have to give all this money to the Levites. Let’s just keep some of it for ourselves. And speaking of money, we could make a lot more if we worked on the Sabbath. Won’t our alliances with other nations be stronger through marriage alliances with other nations?”

Then keep fast forwarding to our day. We realize our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit. In so many of the exact same ways we think, “It’s just one impure thought. Everybody has them. It’s just one jealous, envious thought.” We hardly even notice it. It’s just normal to us. It’s just one selfish desire. It’s what it means to be human. It’s just one harsh word. It’s just one site to click on, one picture to look at. With our money, we think, “Do we really need to give, or to give that much?” In our relationships, “But I love her/him. That’s why I do that with her/him because I desire her/him. It’s who I am. It’s how I feel. It’s what I need to be fulfilled.” 

Sin appears so innocently.

Sin comes to us subtly, shrewdly, so innocently. You likely will not be tempted this week to deny the existence of God altogether, but you will be tempted to live tomorrow like God doesn’t exist, to not listen to his Word, to move on with everything else you have going on in the world, to not spend time alone with him in prayer, to not say anything about him to others. 

Sin spirals so inevitably.

Especially as you walk through trials in this world, you’ll be tempted with thoughts like, “Does God really love me? If so, and if he’s really sovereign, then why is this happening?” In these questions, it will almost appear like Satan is sympathizing with you, but he is not! Because he knows sin spirals so inevitably, he knows that if you can be casual with this small temptation, just take one step in this direction, then another step in that direction and another step. The old adage says, “Sin takes you farther than you want to go, keeps you longer than you want to stay and costs you more than you want to pay.” 

Listen to it here in Nehemiah 13. You can hear the shock in Nehemiah’s voice, “How did this happen?” What seemed unfathomable to everyone just a short time ago is now a reality and everybody seems okay with it. Did you notice this contrast? Even in the very first part of Nehemiah 13, verse one tells us, “They had read from the Book of Moses…” That’s a reference to Deuteronomy 23 about Ammonites and Moabites not entering the assembly of God. 

Then, the way Nehemiah writes this story is intentional—get the link here. Right after that is when we read about Tobiah living in the temple. Remember when we were introduced to Tobiah back in Nehemiah 2:19? Listen to this: “But when Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite…” Tobiah is an Ammonite! God’s Word had said, “No Ammonite should enter the assembly of God.” Yet Tobiah is now living inside the temple! How did this happen? 

Sin is spiraling and it continues. Now people are gathering in the temple for worship, the Levites are scattering, the Sabbath has become a day for doing business, marriages are being totally redefined and all of this is wreaking havoc in their lives, their community, their children in these idolatrous marriages. The children can’t even understand the Word of God anymore.

Sin devastates so indescribably.

Are we not seeing a picture of what happens in our lives and communities when we give in to the incessant, innocent-appearing and inevitably spiraling picture of sin? It’s the way sin works. It doesn’t stop. It keeps affecting more and more and more, which leads to this last reality: sin devastates so indescribably. Are we seeing the seriousness of sin here? What happens when people become spiritually careless? Nehemiah is saying, “Do you realize? Our city was destroyed. These walls were destroyed in the first place because we did these same things. We just rebuilt the walls and now we’re doing the same things all over again. It leads to devastation. Have we not learned that?”

That’s what God said to his people over and over again. Let’s go back to before they entered the Promised Land. Look with me at Deuteronomy 5:1. Moses told them, “Hear, O Israel, the statutes and the rules that I speak in your hearing today, and you shall learn them and be careful to do them.” Then verse 32, “You shall be careful therefore to do as the Lord your God has commanded you.” Deuteronomy 6:3, “Hear therefore, O Israel, and be careful to do [these laws], that it may go well with you, and that you may multiply greatly, as the Lord, the God of your fathers, has promised you, in a land flowing with milk and honey.” Then he says at the end, Deuteronomy28:15, “But if you will not obey the voice of the Lord your God or be careful to do all his commandments and his statutes that I command you today, then all these curses shall come upon you and overtake you.” 

They had been warned to be careful. Why? Because there is an adversary that doesn’t want you to experience all the good God has for you. Satan will tempt you from so many different angles and in so many different ways all the time. So be careful! Don’t treat sin like it’s no big deal. Its aim is your destruction. Don’t justify it. Don’t minimize it. Don’t rationalize it. Run from it. Don’t play with it; flee from it. Whatever you do, don’t try to hide it. Don’t pretend like it’s not there. Don’t pretend it’s not real or it’s not affecting you or others because nobody else knows about it. Sin thrives in secret, yet will not remain secret. It won’t, period. 

John Piper once said, “To be caught in secret sin is a horrible thing. There’s only one thing worse—not to be caught, because one day, guaranteed, you will be caught.” Guaranteed, the longer you continue in secret sin, the more devastating the consequences will be. 

One of the things I’ve prayed regarding today is that in a gathering this size, I know there are many who are holding on to secret sin. I believe that God loves you so much that in his mercy he has brought you today to hear this word, to hear him mercifully saying, “Bring it into the light. Don’t let it stay in the dark. It will lead to more and more and more destruction.” He loves you. Hear him say he loves you. For God’s sake, for others’ sake around you, and for your sake—to every person within the sound of my voice—be careful! This is what God is saying right now.

Part of me wants to run down the list of people I know personally who have forfeited so much of what God could do in their lives, their families, their work, their ministries and in entire churches because they were careless. They missed out on their good and on God’s glory; others have missed out because of them. Heed this word from God. 

This leads us back to Nehemiah. He’s one mad man in this chapter and from all we can tell, it’s holy indignation that we see in him. It’s holy passion for the purity of the temple and the ministry of the Levites. It’s holy desire for the honoring of the Sabbath and the covenant of marriage, which leads Nehemiah to take some hard steps, yet again in this book to reveal sin with haste and remove sin with force, even though that would undoubtedly cause more trouble for him.

This is what I love about Nehemiah and we’ve seen it throughout this book. Nehemiah wasn’t looking for his reward from man. He was not looking for his reward from this world. Nehemiah was looking for his reward from God. His eyes were fixed on another world. I want you to see Nehemiah’s spiritual carefulness in Joshua 1:7-8, that he was doing what God had said to do in Deuteronomy, what God had told Joshua to do right before he led the people into the Promised Land. 

Only be strong and very courageous, being careful to do according to all the law that Moses my servant commanded you. Do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may have good success wherever you go. This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.

Nehemiah knew success and prosperity are found in being careful to do all that God has said to do and that’s all Nehemiah wants to do. Do you hear his prayers throughout Nehemiah 13? Do you see this contrast between spiritual carelessness and spiritual carefulness? Verse 14 says, “Remember me, O my God, concerning this, and do not wipe out my good deeds that I have done for the house of my God and for his service.” And verse 22, “Remember this also in my favor, O my God, and spare me according to the greatness of your steadfast love.” Then the last verse—31—the very last words in the book say, “Remember me, O my God, for good.”

Do you know what I love about these prayers? They’re so personal, just between Nehemiah and God. He is praying—not just to Israel’s God—he’s praying, “O my God. Hear me, O my God. You’re the God I know, trust and love. You’re the God I just want to worship, follow and obey with my life. I want to do whatever you say to do.” He’s single minded. This helps us realize that Nehemiah isn’t just recounting these good deeds so that God will give him credit for them. No, Nehemiah knows—did you hear it in verse 22?—he’s totally dependent on God’s grace: “Spare me according to the greatness of your steadfast love.” Nehemiah is overwhelmed by God’s love for him and just wants to live as a picture of love for God. 

Do you know what’s interesting? This word ‘steadfast love’—we’ve talked about this before in the Old Testament—is chesed. It’s a beautiful picture of God’s love, mercy and faithfulness toward his people, of his commitment to his people. Now, that’s the word talking about God’s love for Nehemiah. Interesting that in verse 14 he says, “Remember me, O my God, concerning this, and do not wipe out my good deeds.” Do you know what this word that’s translated ‘good’ is? It’s chesed. It’s the same word. It’s basically Nehemiah saying, “You’ve shown this kind of love for me. I just want my deeds, my life, to be a picture of love for you. In the same way you’ve loved me, I want to love you with faithfulness. I want to love you with commitment.” This is a beautiful picture of love from God and love to God.

As a dad with six kids, I treasure anything they’ve ever made for me, especially when they were younger. I’ve kept every single thing would give me on my birthday, Father’s Day, Christmas or another holiday—cards, pictures, crafts. This is a Lego creation from one of my kids. I’m not going to mention which one because I don’t want to embarrass this child. He gave this to me when he was seven years old. It’s super-fragile. As best as I can remember, he didn’t give it to me on my birthday or a holiday. He just did this one day when he was playing with Legos. He put together this creation. I don’t know if you’ll be able to tell, but it says in Legos, “I U SO MUCH.” 

I can remember the look in his eyes when he brought it to me. It wasn’t, “Dad, I feel like I needed to do this.” It wasn’t,  “I want to get some credit for doing something nice for you.” It was like, “Dad, I was just playing and thinking about you. I want to give you something. I know it’s not perfect.” He pointed out what he wished was a little different. “I just wanted to give it to you. I want you to know I love you so much.” This is a beautiful, priceless treasure to me as a dad.

This is just a taste of how I imagine God may have received these prayers from Nehemiah when he went to God and said, “Here’s what I’ve done. It’s not perfect, but in light of all your love for me, this is a picture of my deeds, my life. I want to show you that I love you so much.” Yes, it wasn’t perfect. Nehemiah didn’t do everything right. He was like every other person in the Old Testament. Even the best people all fell short. But that’s kind of the point. 

Do you realize the book of Nehemiah is actually the end of the Old Testament when it comes to history? I shared this at Secret Church recently. The first 17 books of the Old Testament give us the entire history of the Old Testament, then everything that happens after that, all the books that come after that, happen sometime within this history. They’re written, spoken, done within this timeframe. So Genesis to Deuteronomy tell us the story of God’s people leading up to the Promised Land. Then the books of Joshua and Judges tell us about God’s people entering the Promised Land. Joshua and Judges are fairly chronological. Ruth actually happened during the time of Judges. Then 1 and 2 Samuel, 1 and 2 Kings and 1 and 2 Chronicles actually happen during this time, simply retelling some of the story of 1 and 2 Samuel and 1 and 2 Kings from the perspective of the line of David, focusing on the line of David. Then you have after that Ezra and Nehemiah. Then the book of Esther actually happens during the time of Ezra, most think around Ezra 6 and 7.

All of this means Nehemiah is the end of the story in the Old Testament. What we just read in Nehemiah 13 was the end of the history in the Old Testament. It’s not the most encouraging ending, is it? It ends with the same old story we read over and over and over again. God blesses his people. They turn against him and rebel. Then they experience consequences for their sin, then they repent. God restores them, yet the people rebel, again and again and again and again and again. By the end, the point is crystal clear: in and of ourselves we are all sinners, even the best of us. We’re all prone to wander in so many ways, meaning we all desperately need a savior. 

The good news of the Bible comes in the first verse of the New Testament. In Matthew 1:1, we’re introduced to “The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ….” What does Jesus’ name mean? Well, I’m glad you asked. Verse 21 says, “She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” That’s what his name means. 

This is the good news of the Bible and the greatest news in all the world. Jesus has come to save us from our sins. Jesus also took a journey to the city of Jerusalem, but he didn’t come from a Persian palace—he came from the throne of heaven. He didn’t come to rebuild a wall—he came to redeem a people. People like you and me. People all over the world. People throughout all history. People who have all sinned against God and who all deserve death and eternal judgment before God for their sin. But Jesus came for us. He never sinned one time, then even though he had no sin for which to die, he chose to die outside the city gates of Jerusalem on a cross. He died to pay the price for sin. Then the good news keeps getting better because he didn’t stay dead for long. Jesus rose from the grave. Jesus conquered sin and death, so that anyone, anywhere—no matter who you are, no matter what you’ve done, no matter how secret or public it has been—when you confess your sin to God and trust in Jesus as the Savior from your sin, the Lord of life, God will freely forgive you of all your sin and restore you to relationship with him, now and forever. If you’ve never placed your faith in Jesus in this way, God in his Word is inviting you to do that today. 

You know what’s interesting about Nehemiah’s prayers here? You know what Jesus did, right before he went to the cross? He prayed. You know what he said? He said, “Father, I’ve finished the work you gave me to do.” Now, to be clear, his work was perfect. But he prayed, “I did this work in love for you and for them.” Then he went to the cross and said there, “It is finished. Father, into your hands I commit my spirit,” and he died. Then he rose from the dead and said to his disciples, “I’m going to heaven now, but you’re going to keep this work going, with my Spirit inside each of you, until I come back. So go, make disciples of all the nations. Spread my love, in my power, to all the peoples, languages, tribes and nations of the earth. When that mission is complete, I’m coming back for all of you.” So fast forward to the end of the Bible. Check this out. Jesus is not coming back to the city of Jerusalem. He’s coming back with the city of Jerusalem. Watch this, Revelation 21:2–4

And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning nor crying nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.

Jesus is coming back and bringing heaven to earth. As you keep reading on in this chapter, you see walls around the city. But these walls are shaped like a temple because the point is we’re going to live in the temple. All of creation is going to be in the perfect presence of a holy God. Verses 22-27 say:

I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb. And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and its lamp is the Lamb. By its light will the nations walk, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it, and its gates will never be shut by day—and there will be no night there. They will bring into it the glory and the honor of the nations.  But nothing unclean will ever enter it.

No more sin. No more evil. No more sorrow. No more pain. Nothing. “Nor anyone who does what is detestable or false, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s book of life.” Ah, see what this means for your life. One, make sure your name is written in this book of life. Is your name in the book of those who’ve trusted in Jesus to save them from their sins and to give them life? If you have not trusted in Jesus, do that today. Don’t wait another second. When you do, and for all who have, do you realize why you’re here? In light of the love of our God for us, in light of the Spirit of Jesus inside of us, we’re here to do all that he calls us to do. To step out in faith, to take risks, to obey all of his Word and do this work he’s called us to do. So let’s make ourselves available to God in our workplaces, schools and cities. Let’s step out in faith, like Nehemiah did. Let’s not settle for anything less than all God wants for us. Let’s follow Jesus and make him known in our neighborhoods and to all the nations, until one day we see his face. Then you and I will have an opportunity to bow before him and say, “I know it’s not perfect, but here’s what I did because I love you so much. I praise you for your steadfast love that kept me, that made all this possible. I just want to offer my life all the time before you as an offering of love…and here are all the people that I’ve led to you. 

Don’t you want to be able to say that? Don’t settle for what this world calls success, what this world says will satisfy you. Don’t settle for the cost of spiritual carelessness. Live for the reward of spiritual carefulness. 

So I want to give you a moment, just between you and God, to personally reflect on this question: What are two or three steps I need to take this week to be more spiritually careful in my life? Just ask this question before God, then listen to his Spirit speaking to you. I would encourage you to write down what comes to your mind, what God puts on your heart. Then—so not right now, but at some point today, at some point this week, as soon as possible—I encourage you to share what God says to you in response to this question with somebody else who can pray for you, encourage you and help you be spiritually careful. We need each other. Let’s start, just between each of us and God, to ask what are some practical steps God is leading you to take this week to be more spiritually careful in your life? Just spend some time before God. This may involve confessing spiritual carelessness, confessing sin, secret sin, whatever it is. Spend some time with God, however his Spirit leads, then I or someone at your location will lead you from there. 

Observation: What does the passage say?

1) Read Nehemiah 13:1–31 aloud as a group. Let group members share observations. Try not to move into interpretation of the passage or application of what you read quite yet. Simply share what you observe.

a. What promises did the people of Israel make in Nehemiah 10:28, 39, and Nehemiah 13:1–3? How had they broken their promises?

    • What did Eliashib, the high priest, do to desecrate the house of the Lord?  Nehemiah 13:4–5
    • How had the officials violated promises regarding the temple and the Levite’s well-being? What was the impact of their actions on the Levites and the house of God? Nehemiah 13:10, 12
    • What were the people prioritizing on the sabbath? Nehemiah 13:15–16, 20 
    • What did they do concerning intermarriage with foreign women? Nehemiah 13:23–24 

b. How did Nehemiah respond to the people’s unfaithfulness and what reforms did he instituted? 

    • What was Nehemiah’s response to the desecration of the temple? What actions did he take? Nehemiah 13:4–9
    • What was Nehemiah’s response to how the Levites were treated? What actions did he take? Nehemiah 13:11–13 
    • What was Nehemiah’s response to what the people were doing on the Sabbath? What actions did he take? Nehemiah 13:15–22
    • What did Nehemiah do about the people intermarrying? Nehemiah 13:25–28; 30–31

c. What was Nehemiah’s prayer? Nehemiah 13:14, 22, 29, 31

2) How would you summarize Nehemiah 13 in your own words?

Interpretation: What does the passage mean?

1) In what ways did the spiritual leaders compromise?  Nehemiah 13:4–5 Why is godly leadership of God’s people so important? Exodus 32; Acts 20:28–32; 1 Corinthians 10 

2) Why did God forbid intermarriage? Exodus 34:14–16; Deuteronomy 7:3, 23:3–5 

3) What are some similarities between Nehemiah’s response and Jesus’ concerning the description of the temple? Matthew 21:12–13

    • What were some challenges Nehemiah may have experienced in confronting sin and instituting the reforms that he did? 

4) Why do you think the spiritual decline among God’s people happened? Was their repentance in Nehemiah 9 genuine?

Application: How can we apply this passage to our lives?

  1. What are some ways that Satan tempts you to live spiritually careless and compromise with sin? In what ways are you tempted to live as those God doesn’t exist?
  2. How does Nehemiah’s courage to stand up for righteousness and confront sin encourage you? 1 Corinthians 9:24-25, 2 Timothy 4:8, 1 Peter 5:4, Revelation 21:21–27 
  3. What are 2-3 steps you need to take this week to be more spiritually careful in my life?
  4. In light of today’s discussion, how can your church group/huddle members pray for you?

Nehemiah 13

1 On that day they read from the Book of Moses in the hearing of the people. And in it was found written that no Ammonite or Moabite should ever enter the assembly of God, 2 for they did not meet the people of Israel with bread and water, but hired Balaam against them to curse them—yet our God turned the curse into a blessing. 3 As soon as the people heard the law, they separated from Israel all those of foreign descent.

4 Now before this, Eliashib the priest, who was appointed over the chambers of the house of our God, and who was related to Tobiah, 5 prepared for Tobiah a large chamber where they had previously put the grain offering, the frankincense, the vessels, and the tithes of grain, wine, and oil, which were given by commandment to the Levites, singers, and gatekeepers, and the contributions for the priests. 6 While this was taking place, I was not in Jerusalem, for in the thirty-second year of Artaxerxes king of Babylon I went to the king. And after some time I asked leave of the king 7 and came to Jerusalem, and I then discovered the evil that Eliashib had done for Tobiah, preparing for him a chamber in the courts of the house of God. 8 And I was very angry, and I threw all the household furniture of Tobiah out of the chamber. 9 Then I gave orders, and they cleansed the chambers, and I brought back there the vessels of the house of God, with the grain offering and the frankincense.

10 I also found out that the portions of the Levites had not been given to them, so that the Levites and the singers, who did the work, had fled each to his field. 11 So I confronted the officials and said, “Why is the house of God forsaken?” And I gathered them together and set them in their stations. 12 Then all Judah brought the tithe of the grain, wine, and oil into the storehouses. 13 And I appointed as treasurers over the storehouses Shelemiah the priest, Zadok the scribe, and Pedaiah of the Levites, and as their assistant Hanan the son of Zaccur, son of Mattaniah, for they were considered reliable, and their duty was to distribute to their brothers. 14 Remember me, O my God, concerning this, and do not wipe out my good deeds that I have done for the house of my God and for his service.

15 In those days I saw in Judah people treading winepresses on the Sabbath, and bringing in heaps of grain and loading them on donkeys, and also wine, grapes, figs, and all kinds of loads, which they brought into Jerusalem on the Sabbath day. And I warned them on the day when they sold food. 16 Tyrians also, who lived in the city, brought in fish and all kinds of goods and sold them on the Sabbath to the people of Judah, in Jerusalem itself! 17 Then I confronted the nobles of Judah and said to them, “What is this evil thing that you are doing, profaning the Sabbath day? 18 Did not your fathers act in this way, and did not our God bring all this disaster[a] on us and on this city? Now you are bringing more wrath on Israel by profaning the Sabbath.”

19 As soon as it began to grow dark at the gates of Jerusalem before the Sabbath, I commanded that the doors should be shut and gave orders that they should not be opened until after the Sabbath. And I stationed some of my servants at the gates, that no load might be brought in on the Sabbath day. 20 Then the merchants and sellers of all kinds of wares lodged outside Jerusalem once or twice. 21 But I warned them and said to them, “Why do you lodge outside the wall? If you do so again, I will lay hands on you.” From that time on they did not come on the Sabbath. 22 Then I commanded the Levites that they should purify themselves and come and guard the gates, to keep the Sabbath day holy. Remember this also in my favor, O my God, and spare me according to the greatness of your steadfast love.

23 In those days also I saw the Jews who had married women of Ashdod, Ammon, and Moab. 24 And half of their children spoke the language of Ashdod, and they could not speak the language of Judah, but only the language of each people. 25 And I confronted them and cursed them and beat some of them and pulled out their hair. And I made them take an oath in the name of God, saying, “You shall not give your daughters to their sons, or take their daughters for your sons or for yourselves. 26 Did not Solomon king of Israel sin on account of such women? Among the many nations there was no king like him, and he was beloved by his God, and God made him king over all Israel. Nevertheless, foreign women made even him to sin. 27 Shall we then listen to you and do all this great evil and act treacherously against our God by marrying foreign women?”

28 And one of the sons of Jehoiada, the son of Eliashib the high priest, was the son-in-law of Sanballat the Horonite. Therefore I chased him from me. 29 Remember them, O my God, because they have desecrated the priesthood and the covenant of the priesthood and the Levites.

30 Thus I cleansed them from everything foreign, and I established the duties of the priests and Levites, each in his work; 31 and I provided for the wood offering at appointed times, and for the firstfruits.

Sermon Recap

  • Sin temps so incessantly.
  • Sin appears so innocently.
  • Sin spirals so inevitably.
  • Sin devastates so indescribably.
David Platt

David Platt serves as a Lead Pastor for McLean Bible Church. He is also the Founder of Radical, an organization that helps people follow Jesus and make him known in their neighborhood and all nations.

David received his B.A. from the University of Georgia and M.Div., Th.M., and Ph.D. from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. Some of his published works include Radical, Radical Together, Follow Me, Counter Culture, Something Needs to Change, and Don’t Hold Back.

He lives in the Washington, D.C. metro area with his wife and children.

LESS THAN 1% OF ALL MONEY GIVEN TO MISSIONS GOES TOWARDS REACHING THE UNREACHED.

That means that the people with the most urgent spiritual and physical needs are receiving the least support. You can help change that!