This week, Mike continues to preach from the powerful book of Nehemiah.
People will be changed when they encounter God’s word.
It is not coincidental that the first thing Nehemiah does after Jerusalem’s walls are rebuilt is to present God’s word to the people. Disobedience had resulted in 70 years of exile, so Nehemiah understands the value of knowing and obeying God’s Law.
Obeying God is an essential part of the Christian walk, but we cannot obey what we do not know!
That said, reading (or hearing) the Word, and doing what the Word says, are two completely different things. Sometimes we’re hearing but not listening.
“All the people came together as one in the square before the Water Gate. They told Ezra the teacher of the Law to bring out the Book of the Law of Moses, which the Lord had commanded for Israel. So on the first day of the seventh month Ezra the priest brought the Law before the assembly, which was made up of men and women and all who were able to understand. He read it aloud from daybreak till noon as he faced the square before the Water Gate in the presence of the men, women and others who could understand. And all the people listened attentively to the Book of the Law.”
Nehemiah 8:1-3 (NIV)