Introduction: We have spent some time in Nehemiah, but not as much time as the people there themselves spent in establishing the work of reformation. As with all reformations, they often find themselves doing the same thing over again, as we find in this passage. The Text: Now those that sealed were, Nehemiah, the Tirshatha, …
Valuable Beyond Rubies
The sanctification of the checkbook is extraordinarily difficult for many. We like to tell ourselves that obedience to God’s way is “impractical,“ as though we knew more about it than He does. Always, always, always we must turn to the Word. And on this subject, we have a treasury of doctrine. First, wealth is a …
Ezra Nehemiah 19
Introduction: Repentance is hard work. Although a change of heart and mind is right at the center of it, there are other aspects of repentance—study of the law of God being one of them. It is not enough to say that you would do what God wants “if you only knew.” Perhaps, if He has …
The Fool Is a Thoroughbred
A people are known by their proverbs — what they value and what they do not, where they profess to find wisdom and where they do not. Our modern culture hates objectivity — countless propaganda pieces tell us that we must find the truth within ourselves, we must be true to ourselves, we must always …
The Liberty of God
There is certainly no biblical problem with preaching the doctrine of God’s sovereignty. At the same time, there are other situations where it is wise to present the facts of the case as dispassionately as we are able to. God’s saints must see this issue as it really is — the clear, objective teaching of …
Parents in Proverbs
As we consider the teaching of Proverbs on various issues, we find that one central emphasis of the book is the importance of right family relationships. Proverbs sets before us the biblical and the unbliblical family. “There is a generation that curses its father, and does not bless its mother” (Prov. 30:11). Unfortunately, ours is …
Ezra Nehemiah 18
Introduction: Returning to the book of Nehemiah, we find the city walls built, but the city within is still not populated, and is still not prosperous. Building a city involves more than building the infrastructure, and repentance brings gladness together with the sorrow. The Text: Now it came to pass, when the wall was built, …
The Death of Ritual Murder: Easter 2006
Introduction: We testify to the reality of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. He was crucified, died, and was buried. He came back from the dead on the third day, and He did so in accordance with the Scriptures. This we confess, and confess gladly. But it is not enough to declare that Jesus is risen; …
Bad Whiskey
The book of Proverbs contains any number of great themes, and one of the first is the teaching of the book on tongue — the words we speak. There are many aspects to this because we sin more with our mouths than any other way. “Whoever guards his mouth and tongue keeps his soul from …
Palm Sunday 2006
Introduction: We are seeking to recover a Christian sense of time, and in some sense this means a recovery of the Church year. But though we are seeking to escape a secularized calendar, we must never forget that we got this secular calendar (in part) because of a reaction away from the problem of “saints …