The Hunger for God: Finding True Joy in the Word

• The Preacher's Dream 00:06:15 ▶️ 📄
  > The pastor contrasts the 'evangelist's dream' of people seeking salvation with the 'preacher's dream' of a congregation that actively requests and desires to hear the Word of God, as seen in Nehemiah 8.
• Reverence for the Word 00:09:06 ▶️ 📄
  > The pastor highlights the physical posture of the people (standing) as a sign of reverence for the opened Book of the Law, contrasting it with modern habits.
• The Impact of Scripture 00:12:03 ▶️ 📄
  > The pastor discusses the people's weeping upon hearing the Law, questioning why modern believers are less affected by Scripture and attributing the ancient reaction to their recent return from captivity and awareness of sin.
• The Cause of Weeping Over the Word 00:12:24 ▶️ 📄
  > The pastor contrasts the weeping of the Israelites after hearing the Law with the lack of emotional response in modern believers, attributing the difference to the Israelites' realization of their sin and the modern world's reduction of God to their level.
• The Necessity of the Cross and Substitutionary Atonement 00:15:34 ▶️ 📄
  > The pastor explains that the only way to reconcile with a holy God is through the perfect life and sacrificial death of Jesus Christ, emphasizing that without this, humanity is doomed.
• The First Commandment and Political Violence 00:18:33 ▶️ 📄
  > The pastor links the failure to love God with all one's heart to the rise of political violence and the inability to love one's neighbor, citing a poll about support for assassinating the president.
• Hunger for the Word vs. Modern Complacency 00:19:40 ▶️ 📄
  > The pastor contrasts the ancient Israelites' hunger for six hours of preaching with modern Christians' impatience, arguing that true spiritual life requires a deep desire for God's Word.
• The Joy of the Lord as Strength 00:22:42 ▶️ 📄
  > The pastor defines the 'joy of the Lord' not as emotional happiness but as the strength derived from knowing one's identity in Christ and the gospel, which is lost when the church focuses on worldly distractions.
• The Weakness of the Church 00:24:57 ▶️ 📄
  > The pastor argues that the church is 'weak as water' and marginalized because it lacks strength, which is derived from joy.
• The Source of Joy and Strength 00:25:45 ▶️ 📄
  > Joy is identified as a fruit of the Spirit, preceded by love for God, and is the source of the church's strength and progress.
• The Disconnect from the Word of God 00:26:27 ▶️ 📄
  > The pastor identifies a 'disconnect' where the church has lost the joy and power that should come from the Word of God.
• True Joy vs. Worldly Mirth 00:26:50 ▶️ 📄
  > Contrasting the biblical joy of understanding God's Word with worldly sources of happiness like sports, travel, and entertainment.
• The Dream of the Preacher 00:28:20 ▶️ 📄
  > Using the anecdote of a preacher receiving a six-hour sermon and the congregation begging for more to illustrate the ideal response to God's Word.
• Spiritual Junk Food 00:33:35 ▶️ 📄
  > Using the analogy of eating at an all-you-can-eat buffet to explain how worldly distractions fill believers up, leaving no room for God's Word.
• The Feast of Tabernacles 00:34:31 ▶️ 📄
  > Explaining the biblical command to dwell in booths as a reminder of God's preservation and a source of great gladness.
• Hunger for Righteousness 00:38:17 ▶️ 📄
  > Arguing that believers must hunger and thirst for righteousness (God's Word) just as they would for food, rather than seeking worldly entertainment.
• The Feasts of Israel as a Schema 00:40:00 ▶️ 📄
  > The pastor explains how the Jewish feasts (Passover, First Fruits, Pentecost, Trumpets, Atonement, Tabernacles) serve as a schematic of God's program, from Christ's death and resurrection to the final trump and eternal dwelling.
• The Water Gate and Spiritual Thirst 00:41:52 ▶️ 📄
  > The pastor connects the physical gathering at the Water Gate in Jerusalem with the spiritual need to hunger and thirst for righteousness, linking it to Jesus' offer of living water in John 7.
• Living Water and the Holy Spirit 00:44:14 ▶️ 📄
  > The pastor interprets Jesus' words in John 7 about 'rivers of living water' as referring to the Holy Spirit, which flows from the believer's heart, providing joy and strength.
• The River in Ezekiel and Eden 00:47:46 ▶️ 📄
  > The pastor uses the imagery of the river flowing from Eden and the temple in Ezekiel 47 to illustrate the presence of God and the Holy Spirit, which grows from a stream to an impassable river, symbolizing the fullness of salvation.
• Lack of Revival in the Church 00:45:34 ▶️ 📄
  > The pastor diagnoses the lack of revival in many churches as a result of people not being truly born again or having submitted to Christ, leading to a lack of the 'living water' and true joy.
• The Living Water and the Holy Spirit 00:50:02 ▶️ 📄
  > The pastor identifies the river in Ezekiel as the Spirit of God and salvation, explaining that the Holy Spirit flows from the throne of God into the heart of the believer, creating a river of living water.
• Biblical Typology of Water 00:50:38 ▶️ 📄
  > The pastor connects the water flowing from Eden, the Temple, and the believer's heart to Jesus' promise in John and the prophecy in Zechariah, culminating in the river of life in Revelation.
• The Necessity of Thirst for Salvation 00:53:43 ▶️ 📄
  > The pastor argues that without the 'living water' of the Spirit, one can only have weeping, but with it, there is joy, urging those who are thirsty to come and drink.
• The Lord's Supper and Communion 00:56:06 ▶️ 📄
  > The pastor transitions to the liturgy of communion, explaining the theological significance of the bread and cup as remembrance of Christ's death and the New Covenant.

• Sermon Illustration 00:07:12 ▶️ 📄
  > The pastor uses a humorous hypothetical scenario where Deacon Brett calls him to preach a Wednesday sermon because the church is 'filled with people' who 'just couldn't get enough' of the Word on Sunday, illustrating the ideal of a hungry congregation.
• Sermon Illustration 00:13:37 ▶️ 📄
  > The pastor compares the ancient Israelites' weeping over the Law to an unbeliever in America who thinks they are a Christian due to cultural associations (Christmas, Easter) but lacks true conversion, illustrating the difference between superficial religiosity and genuine spiritual conviction.
• Sermon Illustration 00:16:50 ▶️ 📄
  > The pastor uses the historical example of King Josiah, who wept and tore his clothes upon hearing the Word of God for the first time, to illustrate the proper response to God's holiness and the people's sin.
• Sermon Illustration 00:19:44 ▶️ 📄
  > The pastor shares a personal anecdote about Pastor Andy's Sunday night sermons, noting that attendance dropped to five or six people, illustrating the lack of hunger for preaching in the modern church compared to the ancient Israelites.
• Sermon Illustration 00:18:49 ▶️ 📄
  > The pastor cites a recent poll stating that 44% of Democrats in America support physical violence to assassinate the president, using this statistic to illustrate the moral decay and failure to love one's neighbor in modern America.
• Sermon Illustration 00:24:05 ▶️ 📄
  > The pastor observes billboards on the interstate between his location and Hickory, noting they predominantly advertise marijuana and haunted houses, illustrating the 'moral landscape' of the region as being dominated by vice and fear rather than faith.
• Sermon Illustration 00:28:20 ▶️ 📄
  > The pastor describes a hypothetical scenario where a preacher delivers a six-hour sermon, and the congregation returns the next day begging for more, illustrating the ideal transformation by the Word of God.
• Sermon Illustration 00:33:00 ▶️ 📄
  > The pastor uses an analogy of bringing a delicious 20-ounce ribeye steak to someone who has just finished an all-you-can-eat buffet, explaining that worldly distractions act as 'spiritual junk food' that fills believers up, leaving no appetite for God's Word.
• Sermon Illustration 00:37:05 ▶️ 📄
  > The pastor uses a rhetorical question about parasailing, slot machines, and boogie boarding to illustrate the modern desire for entertainment, contrasting it with the biblical model of Ezra's people who spent seven days in sermons, worship, and prayer, asking if heaven would be boring like that.
• Sermon Illustration 00:41:24 ▶️ 📄
  > The pastor references the historical context of the Feast of Trumpets and the Water Gate in Jerusalem, where people gathered to hear the Word of God, linking it to the spiritual concept of thirsting for righteousness.
• Sermon Illustration 00:43:50 ▶️ 📄
  > The pastor describes the scene in John 7 where Jesus stands on the last day of the Feast of Tabernacles and cries out, 'If any man thirst, let him come to me and drink,' explaining that this refers to the Holy Spirit.
• Sermon Illustration 00:50:50 ▶️ 📄
  > The pastor uses the analogy of a river flowing from the throne in the heart of a believer, comparing it to the river flowing from Eden and the temple in Ezekiel, to illustrate the continuous outflow of the Holy Spirit and salvation.
• Sermon Illustration 00:50:02 ▶️ 📄
  > The pastor uses the analogy of a river starting as a stream under the temple and growing deeper until it is unpassable, illustrating the increasing power and depth of the Holy Spirit's work in a believer's life.
• Sermon Illustration 00:51:01 ▶️ 📄
  > The pastor uses the analogy of a king sitting on a throne in the heart, from which water flows out, to explain how the presence of God in a redeemed person results in the flow of living water.

• Pastoral Charge 00:18:25 ▶️ 📄
  > To allow the truth of the Gospel to emotionally and spiritually impact the believers.
• Pastoral Charge 00:31:04 ▶️ 📄
  > Cry out to God for joy in knowing His Word.
• Pastoral Charge 00:38:45 ▶️ 📄
  > Hunger and thirst for the Word of God.
• Pastoral Charge 00:54:35 ▶️ 📄
  > Come to Christ and drink the living water to be filled with joy.
• Pastoral Charge 00:56:06 ▶️ 📄
  > Participate in the offering/tithe.
• Pastoral Charge 00:57:30 ▶️ 📄
  > Approach the Lord's table with humility.
• Pastoral Charge 01:00:31 ▶️ 📄
  > Come forward to partake in the communion elements.

[00:00:00] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_01]
[00:00:00] Nehemiah chapter 8. We continue our study of the book of Nehemiah. One of my daughters, tongue-in-cheek, said she wondered if we'd be through Nehemiah when she gets married. Well, I didn't think she's quite ready to get married yet, so I don't know.
[00:00:20] But actually, for those of you who've been paying attention, remember, over the last five, six years, we've been doing a redemptive history survey of the scriptures.
[00:00:34] Does anyone remember where we left off in that grand redemptive history survey?
[00:00:40] Anyone remember?
[00:00:45] So I can start back any place I want.
[00:00:47] It doesn't make any difference.
[00:00:48] anyone remember me preaching about love first corinthians 13 that's where we left off actually yeah first corinthians teresa she's sharp look up she's sharp breath praise the lord you knew that all right nehemiah chapter 8 uh i had you sing the joy of the lord is our strength that's our
[00:01:14] sermon title the joy of the lord is our strength where does it come from it comes from the book of nehemiah chapter 8 and that's our text so let's go ahead and read if we will nehemiah chapter 8
[00:01:26] in its entirety nehemiah 8 and all the people gathered themselves together as one man into the street that was before the water gate and they spake unto ezra the scribe to bring the book of
[00:01:40] the law of moses which the lord had commanded to israel and ezra the priest brought the law before the congregation both of men and women and all that could hear with understanding upon the first day of the seventh month and he read therein before the street that was before the water gate
[00:01:57] from the morning until midday before the men and women and those that could understand and the ears of all the people were attentive to the book of the law and Ezra the scribe stood upon a pulpit
[00:02:12] of wood, which they had made for the purpose. And beside him stood Mattathiah, and Shema, Ananiah, Uriah, Hilkiah, Messiah on the right hand, and on the left hand, Pediah, and Misael, Malchiah, and Hashem, Hashbadanah, and Zechariah, and Meshulam. And Ezra opened the book in the
[00:02:33] sight of all the people, for he was above all the people. And when he opened it, all the people stood up. And Ezra blessed the Lord, the great God, and all the people answered, Amen, Amen,
[00:02:46] with lifting up their hands, and they bowed their heads and worshiped the Lord with their faces to the ground. And Jeshua and Bani and Sherebiah, Jamin, Akub, Shabbathai, Hodijah, Messiah, Kiaita, Azariah, Josabath, Hanan, Pelletiah, and the Levites caused the people to understand
[00:03:08] the law and the people stood in their place. So they read in the book and the law of God distinctly and gave the sense and caused them to understand the reading. And Nehemiah, which is the
[00:03:22] Tarshithah and Ezra the priest, the scribe and the Levites that taught the people said unto all the people, this day is holy unto the Lord your God, more not nor weep. For all the people wept when
[00:03:36] they heard the words of the law then he said unto them go your way eat the fat and drink the sweet and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared for that day is holy unto our lord
[00:03:50] neither be ye sorry for the joy of the lord is your strength so the levite stilled all the people saying hold your peace for this day is holy neither be ye grieved and all the people went
[00:04:04] their way to eat and to drink and to send portions and to make great mirth, because they had understood the words that were declared unto them. And on the second day were gathered together the chief
[00:04:18] of the fathers of all the people, the priests and the Levites and Ezra the scribe, even to understand the words of the law. And they found written in the law, which the Lord had commanded by Moses,
[00:04:28] that the children of Israel should dwell in booths in the feast of the seventh month, and that they should publish and proclaim in all their cities and in Jerusalem saying go forth unto the mount and fetch olive branches and pine branches and myrtle branches and palm
[00:04:43] branches and branches of thick trees to make booths as it is written so the people went forth and brought them and made themselves booths everyone upon the how the roof of his house and in their courts and in the courts of the house of God and in the street of the water gate
[00:05:00] and in the street of the gate of Ephraim and all the congregation of them that were come again out of the captivity made booths and sat under the booths for since the days of Jeshua the son of Nun
[00:05:12] unto that day had not the children of Israel done so and there was very great gladness and day by day from the first day unto the last day he read in the book of the law of God
[00:05:27] and they kept the feast seven days And on the eighth day was a solemn assembly according unto the manner.
[00:05:36] Let's pray.
[00:05:37] Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for your holy word.
[00:05:40] Thank you for the love and reverence and attention that these gave to your holy words, reading some 1,400, 1,500 years ago.
[00:05:51] Lord, help us now.
[00:05:53] Actually, no, forgive me, some 2,500 years ago.
[00:05:57] Lord, help us now to be attentive to your word and may you work in us something similar to what you worked in them that very day as we cry out for your reviving work in the midst of the years
[00:06:11] for your glory, honor, and praise in Jesus' name, amen.
[00:06:15] This chapter is the preacher's dream.
[00:06:20] You've heard about the evangelist's dream.
[00:06:22] The evangelist's dream is people run up to you on the street tell me what should I do to be saved?
[00:06:28] That's the evangelist's dream.
[00:06:29] Okay, everybody line up.
[00:06:30] I'll tell you, I'll tell you, I'll tell you.
[00:06:32] Please do it, do it, do it, do it.
[00:06:33] That's wonderful.
[00:06:34] That's what we want.
[00:06:35] But the preacher's dream is outlined here in the very first verse.
[00:06:39] Notice chapter 8.
[00:06:41] And all the people gathered themselves, verse 1, together as one man into the street that was before the water gate.
[00:06:48] They all come together in Jerusalem.
[00:06:49] What do they do?
[00:06:50] They come together as if they're coming to church, and they call the pastor.
[00:06:56] Hey, Pastor, we want a sermon.
[00:06:59] Can you imagine?
[00:07:00] I don't see Pastor Andy here right now.
[00:07:03] But this is a beautiful thing.
[00:07:05] He's not going to get to hear about the dream, but he'll hear later.
[00:07:08] So Pastor Andy's at home, and I don't know where I am.
[00:07:12] And all of a sudden, we get a call from Deacon Brett.
[00:07:16] Ring, ring, ring.
[00:07:17] That's how my phone rings.
[00:07:18] And I say, yes, yes, Deacon Brett.
[00:07:21] Pastor Joseph, you have to come.
[00:07:23] Why?
[00:07:24] You have to preach a sermon.
[00:07:25] Why?
[00:07:25] The church is filled with people here Wednesday at 2 p.m. in the afternoon, and they all want a sermon.
[00:07:33] I said, what's the occasion?
[00:07:34] Oh, they just love the Word so much, they just couldn't get enough on Sunday.
[00:07:37] They've come back for another sermon.
[00:07:40] Has that ever happened before?
[00:07:42] Not in this church.
[00:07:44] That's the preacher's dream.
[00:07:46] You know, we preach, and some people go to sleep.
[00:07:49] We preach, some people look at their watch.
[00:07:51] We preach, that's about enough.
[00:07:52] But these people didn't get enough.
[00:07:55] they ask for a sermon. Now, it gets better. Hold on. The preacher's dream. Not only do they ask for a sermon, and so they tell Ezra, the scribe, bring the book of the law of Moses. That's the
[00:08:11] only scripture they got written down right now, which the Lord has commanded Israel. Ezra brings the book, and he's on the first day of the seventh month, which is a special feast in Israel. What's
[00:08:23] the feast? The feast of? Teresa always gets the answer right. What is it, Teresa? You're all right, those are all in September, but on the first day of the month is the feast of trumpets.
[00:08:40] Interesting, interesting. Okay, so they come on the feast of trumpets, and Ezra gets on this pulpit. He's got a platform and a pulpit. He's going to preach. He's above the people, and And notice, everyone gathers, the men, the women, and all that were old enough to understand the law.
[00:08:59] And he opens the book.
[00:09:01] So this is, you know, a scroll, right?
[00:09:03] He opens the book.
[00:09:04] And when he opens, what happens?
[00:09:06] Everybody stands up.
[00:09:07] In some churches, when they read the passage of the sermon, everyone stands up.
[00:09:12] Now, the main reason we don't do it here is because the passage is so long that you all might fall back down.
[00:09:17] But you're certainly welcome to stand while I read an entire chapter because they are showing reverence to the Word of God, so they stand up.
[00:09:27] And it's a nice thing.
[00:09:28] We could do that, but like I said, sometimes our text is long.
[00:09:31] And then, of course, if we read one and then we go and read another chapter somewhere else, you stand up again.
[00:09:36] That's why we don't do it.
[00:09:37] But some churches do this, and I think it's a nice thing.
[00:09:40] So he opens the Word of God.
[00:09:42] Everyone stands up.
[00:09:43] They have reverence for the Word of God.
[00:09:45] See, they don't have copies at home collecting dust on their shelf.
[00:09:49] They probably don't even have a book at this time period.
[00:09:53] And so when it's opened, the people stand up.
[00:09:56] Verse 6, Ezra blesses the Lord.
[00:09:59] He praises God, the great God.
[00:10:01] And the people, yes, amen, amen.
[00:10:03] They lift their hands.
[00:10:04] They bow their heads.
[00:10:05] They worship the Lord.
[00:10:06] They open the reading of the Word of God with praise and worship.
[00:10:11] And notice, it wasn't just a reading.
[00:10:14] This was a sermon.
[00:10:16] Why?
[00:10:16] Notice it says in verse 7.
[00:10:19] And these Levites caused the people to understand the law, and the people stood in their place.
[00:10:26] Now that's something.
[00:10:27] How long was this sermon?
[00:10:29] Oh, about six hours.
[00:10:32] See, Pastor Andy's missing some good stuff.
[00:10:35] I was going to tell him, look, we can get off easy.
[00:10:38] An hour?
[00:10:39] Nothing.
[00:10:39] Two hours?
[00:10:41] Three hours, sermon?
[00:10:42] Six hours.
[00:10:43] And guess what?
[00:10:44] They didn't have chairs like you.
[00:10:46] They were standing.
[00:10:48] Now, we don't know.
[00:10:49] Did they ever take a rest and sit some on the ground?
[00:10:52] I don't know, but it says they stood in their place.
[00:10:55] They're attentive.
[00:10:56] They're listening.
[00:10:57] And by the way, it might be harder to fall asleep in a sermon if you're standing up.
[00:11:01] Now, some people could still do it, but, you know, it's a good thing.
[00:11:05] And they're attentive.
[00:11:06] They're honoring the Word.
[00:11:07] They're standing.
[00:11:08] They're listening.
[00:11:09] and as it's being read it's also being expounded and explained even as we are doing here today here is a sermon in the old testament this couldn't be be anything more biblical and so notice they read in the book of the law verse 8 of god distinctly and gave the sense and caused
[00:11:30] them to understand the reading now again the preacher's dream i read i preach and and you know, people say, well, how'd it go, pastor? Well, from my perspective, I may have preached to you all that I meant. I may have done it in a way that I thought pleased the Lord, but if it doesn't
[00:11:47] affect you in a good way, what good was it? Now, I don't know exactly how it affects you, but the affection of the people. Now, here's a question. When they heard the word of God, what did they do?
[00:12:03] They weeped.
[00:12:07] Now you might want to say, why?
[00:12:09] But the first question I think you should ask yourself, when is the last time you read the Bible and you were so affected by the Bible that it made you to weep?
[00:12:24] And if it's hard for you to figure that out, then why?
[00:12:30] Why was it so easy for these people to be so affected by the Word of God?
[00:12:35] But for us, I don't know.
[00:12:38] I'm not looking for a show of hands, but I bet most of you, most of you probably would say that you didn't start weeping over the Word of God this week. Maybe over something else, but not the Word
[00:12:50] of God. And if that's the case, we need to ask ourselves, not why were they weeping, but why aren't we? But then the question is, why were they weeping? It's a valid question for people who
[00:13:04] don't know. Well, I think the answer is pretty obvious. These people didn't have a Bible.
[00:13:09] These people have just come back from 70 years of captivity.
[00:13:13] Why?
[00:13:14] Because of their sins.
[00:13:16] They have enemies outside the wall who fought against them in these earlier chapters, tooth and nail, to keep them from building the wall, to keep them from being once again the people of God in these walls and the worship of God.
[00:13:29] And they even fought against them reestablishing the temple.
[00:13:33] And now, for the first time, they find out why.
[00:13:37] It's like the unbelieving person in America.
[00:13:40] He may think he's a Christian.
[00:13:42] Oh yeah, Christmas, Easter, all that good stuff.
[00:13:44] But he doesn't understand that unless he is born again, unless he is thoroughly converted by the power of the Holy Spirit of God, that he is under God's wrath now and he is doomed for eternity without Christ.
[00:13:58] He's doomed to the very pit of hell and that he has no hope outside of Christ.
[00:14:02] That he recognizes, I am sinful.
[00:14:05] I am wicked.
[00:14:06] I can't be good enough.
[00:14:07] No matter how much I do, I will never be good enough.
[00:14:10] and I need desperately God's saving work and we find out what He did for us and we see and we value it so much when we recognize how low and despicable and wicked we fall short of God's perfect standard of righteousness
[00:14:26] and holiness and perfection and sinlessness and love and light and glory.
[00:14:33] What we have done, the great sin of sins in America today is instead of recognizing how low and wicked we are and without hope, we have taken our spotless, holy, righteous, majestic, triune God and brought him down to our level
[00:14:53] so that we can feel comfortable with our sins and live in relative comfort and say, ah, well, I'm not as bad as Hitler after all.
[00:15:05] No.
[00:15:06] But when we do that, the difference between us and God is only that much.
[00:15:14] And that is what you have reduced the cross to.
[00:15:18] And no wonder you don't weep over it.
[00:15:22] But when you realize that we are indeed without hope, without Christ, and that there was no other way for our salvation, that we think, well, he's not talking about me, surely.
[00:15:34] That God is perfect and holy and righteous.
[00:15:36] That we were all born in sin.
[00:15:38] Our parents were sinners.
[00:15:39] our grandparents all the way back to Adam and Eve and that there was no way to reconcile us with a pure, holy, undefied, righteous God in heaven except for God himself to take on human flesh
[00:15:51] and to live the perfect life that he demands of us never sinning one time never even entertaining temptation even though he was tempted to live a life of perfect obedience to God's law that every jot and tittle might be perfectly fulfilled
[00:16:08] in the God-man Jesus Christ and yet to take the penalty that you and I deserve for falling short.
[00:16:16] It was the only way.
[00:16:19] And he suffered terribly.
[00:16:22] The weight of all of our sins, everyone who believes, was placed upon him.
[00:16:26] He who knew no sin became sin that we might become the righteous of God in Christ Jesus.
[00:16:32] And this we know.
[00:16:34] These people didn't know it.
[00:16:35] And they still cried.
[00:16:37] We know it.
[00:16:39] And it's hard for us to cry over the word of God.
[00:16:42] What's wrong?
[00:16:45] Lord have mercy.
[00:16:47] And they weeped.
[00:16:50] Because they recognized like Josiah, King Josiah.
[00:16:55] He didn't know the word.
[00:16:57] His father was wicked.
[00:16:59] His grandfather was more wicked.
[00:17:03] But he didn't know the word.
[00:17:07] He suddenly hears the word.
[00:17:08] They rediscovered the word of God.
[00:17:10] He rips his clothes and he weeps and he mourns because he knows the destruction and the punishment that is due to him because of the sin and the nation.
[00:17:21] And this should be for us when we come face to face with the glory of God, the holiness of God, the righteousness of God.
[00:17:30] Our God is an awesome God.
[00:17:32] Sing it till the cows come home, but understand what it means.
[00:17:36] He is so perfect.
[00:17:37] He is so holy.
[00:17:37] And if he wasn't, why would you want to worship him?
[00:17:40] And yet, we are so far removed from Him that there is only one way to reconcile.
[00:17:47] And that is through the death, burial, and resurrection of the sinless Lamb of God, slain from the foundation of the world.
[00:17:53] And they didn't know that exactly because Christ hadn't come yet, but they had a sense.
[00:18:00] They had a feeling.
[00:18:01] And maybe they weeped more because they didn't know that they could have absolute cleansing and a fountain of cleansing opened up for them through the blood of Jesus Christ.
[00:18:15] Because they didn't know him yet.
[00:18:17] They knew God, but they weren't quite clear.
[00:18:19] We know about it, but let us never take it for granted.
[00:18:23] May it affect our hearts.
[00:18:25] For after all, Christ himself, who gave himself for us, said the first and greatest law is what?
[00:18:33] To love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your mind, all your strength.
[00:18:40] and then love your neighbor as yourself.
[00:18:43] Why is the world going crazy?
[00:18:45] Forgive me for being political.
[00:18:47] This is just fact.
[00:18:47] Go check it yourself.
[00:18:49] In a recent poll, 44% of Democrats in America said we will support physical violence to assassinate our president to remove him from office.
[00:18:58] 44%.
[00:18:59] We support killing the president.
[00:19:04] How did we get there?
[00:19:05] I don't care.
[00:19:06] If you like the Democrats, God have mercy on you.
[00:19:09] But the point is, it's not about Democrats or Republicans.
[00:19:12] it's about a significant part of America has suddenly decided that assassinating our leaders is perfectly justifiable and we should kill and murder our leaders, our own leaders. How did that happen? You'll never love your neighbor as yourself if you don't first love God with all of your heart,
[00:19:32] soul, mind, and strength. And that's where we are today. These people have been turned back to God.
[00:19:40] They have a hunger.
[00:19:41] It's not a matter of, well, I preach Sunday morning.
[00:19:44] When Pastor Andy first came here, Pastor Andy, why don't you preach Sunday night?
[00:19:48] That worked for a while.
[00:19:49] And then after a while, we only had about five people on Sunday night.
[00:19:53] Pastor Andy said, I think he might have said, well, you think it's me?
[00:19:55] I said, no, because when I fill in from you, I only get five or six too.
[00:20:00] One's enough, Pastor Joseph.
[00:20:02] That's all I can do, man.
[00:20:04] These people didn't have a sermon.
[00:20:07] They cry out for it.
[00:20:08] Six hours.
[00:20:09] you say well they probably had enough then read on my friend notice what happens in uh you'll find in in verse 13 and on the second day after the six-hour sermon were gathered together the chief
[00:20:28] of the fathers and all the people and the priests and the levites unto ezra the scribe again even to understand the words of the law hey that wasn't long enough they didn't say that but we'd like
[00:20:38] some more preaching. That six-hour sermon, can you do it again? Why don't we have that today?
[00:20:44] Well, these people's hearts were mightily affected by the Word of God, and they began to understand, and they began to recognize its importance, and they feared God, and they had reverence for the Word, and they had a hunger and thirst for righteousness. And Christ says, blessed are those
[00:20:59] who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled, filled with the Holy Spirit. It goes along with being saved, but they shall be filled. It's in Matthew chapter 5 verse 6. And so
[00:21:12] this idea that they have been touched by the word, that they're hungry for it now. I don't think most American Christians are hungry for the word, brothers and sisters, because one sermon on Sunday, if it goes 15 minutes too long, that's way too long. That 45 was long enough, but another 15,
[00:21:31] Come on, I got to go. Lord have mercy. Why are they happy with six? Six hours. Notice, continue reading in chapter 8. The people are hungry for God's word. The people revere God's word. The
[00:21:45] people are mightily affected by God's word. They are weeping. And why are they weeping? Notice in verse 9, Nehemiah and Ezra say, hey, don't mourn. Don't weep. Why? Because this is a high and holy
[00:21:58] day, the Feast of Trumpets. And it's supposed to be a joyful day, a day of blowing trumpets. It begins the month of these wonderful festivals that some of you mentioned, the Day of Atonement, the Feast of Tabernacles, are all in that seventh month. And it begins, the head of it is with the
[00:22:13] Feast of Trumpets. This is a wonderful day. It is a glorious day. We shouldn't be mournful and weeping on this day. And so it says in verse 9, mourn not, weep not, for the people were weeping
[00:22:26] when they heard the word of the Lord.
[00:22:28] Then he said, verse 10, Go your way, eat the fat, drink the sweet, and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared.
[00:22:34] For this day is a holy unto our Lord.
[00:22:39] Neither be ye sorry, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.
[00:22:42] Notice, the joy of the Lord is my strength.
[00:22:44] What is that tied to?
[00:22:45] The word of God.
[00:22:47] Having joy in the word of God.
[00:22:48] Having fulfillment in the word of God.
[00:22:50] Knowing what the word of God says about me, but more importantly what it says about him, and what it says about what he's done for me, and what it says about His Holy Spirit that is now inside of me
[00:22:59] once I've been born again that I can do all things through Christ Jesus who strengthens me all things that He calls me to do for His glory in His path of righteousness not looking to the right
[00:23:09] nor to the left nor to the behind but looking forward to the very throne of God that I'm now destined for I've been bought and paid for with the blood of the Lamb I've been sent up
[00:23:19] into the very heavenly places raised up and made to sit with Him in heavenly places in Christ Jesus at the right hand of God the Father in the very throne of Christ and one day that which is now
[00:23:30] spiritually true will one day be in every way true for God himself it says in Revelation 3 will say come child and reign with me in my throne I don't know how but it is
[00:23:43] amazing it is wonderful it is glorious and so this is the joy of the Lord what the word tells us who we are not what we're going to do after church or where we're going to go on
[00:23:53] vacation or or what our hobbies are or or what really gives us a kick god forbid not the liquor bottle nor nor the drugs or you know forgive me for a second i got this this is a commercial break
[00:24:05] forgive me between here and hickory on the interstate do you know what the most predominant billboards are there's two kinds one is dope marijuana pot right for people who want to get high just face it that's what it is really and then the you know what the other one is
[00:24:26] lawyers that's that's when it's this isn't in season it's haunted houses and fields of terror the moral landscape of iredale county and catawba county is dope and haunted houses lord have mercy and yet aren't we in the bible belt isn't this some of the most christian country
[00:24:57] in America? No, brothers and sisters, we need revival desperately, desperately. Oh, Lord God, have mercy. And so the joy of the Lord is our strength. Why is the church so weak? Weak as water, like the salt that's been cast out, that's lost its savor, which is good for nothing, Jesus
[00:25:20] said, but to be what? Trodden under the foot of men. And that's what they do to us. They laugh us off they marginalize us ah that's that thing for a you need it for a crutch uh the christianity who
[00:25:32] are they ah these people that believe the bible a little cult who are they why is it so weak because we have no strength and why don't we have strength because we don't have joy and where's the
[00:25:45] joy come from a fruit of the spirit coming from the word of god and his spirit filling us and producing that joy but what precedes joy in the listing of the fruit of the spirit what's the
[00:25:56] first one love the second one joy and remember when peace you can go on through but remember the first commandment to love the lord your god with all your heart soul mind and strength if
[00:26:08] that's not operating where you're going to have the joy and if you don't love him with all of your heart soul mind and strength i said you can't love your neighbor as yourself there's no joy to
[00:26:17] share and if we don't have the joy we don't have strength and so why is the church not progressing from glory to glory, from victory to victory, because where is the joy?
[00:26:27] Where is the love? Where is the power?
[00:26:30] It's supposed to be in the Word of God.
[00:26:33] Somehow there is a disconnect.
[00:26:35] God help us.
[00:26:36] And so the Levites, still the people, verse 11, saying, Hold your peace, for this day is holy.
[00:26:42] Don't be grieved.
[00:26:43] And the people went their way, and they were sad, but now they're glad.
[00:26:49] And why are they glad?
[00:26:50] They go away rejoicing.
[00:26:52] The word in the King James is mirth.
[00:26:54] It goes back to the idea of joy.
[00:26:56] Notice in verse 12.
[00:26:57] Why were they joyful?
[00:26:58] And all the people went their way to eat and drink and to send portions and to make great mirth.
[00:27:04] Because, here it is, because their favorite team won a football game.
[00:27:11] Because they're going to a baseball game.
[00:27:14] Because they're going to, I don't know, you name it, Las Vegas.
[00:27:20] They're going to take a trip.
[00:27:21] Or they're going to do their favorite, you know.
[00:27:24] They're missing church this Sunday to take a motorcycle ride in the mountains, God forbid.
[00:27:28] And so because they had understood the words that were declared, what made them joyful?
[00:27:35] Because I heard the word of God and I understood it and I'm just filled with joy.
[00:27:42] Have you ever heard anybody say that?
[00:27:45] Maybe when they got born again, maybe.
[00:27:48] But do you regularly encounter?
[00:27:50] I mean, we're the Christian little huddle thing, right?
[00:27:54] Do you go around here hearing me or anyone else, you know, say, Oh, I'm so filled with joy today.
[00:28:01] Why, Pastor Joseph?
[00:28:02] I heard the word of God.
[00:28:04] I understood it.
[00:28:06] I've never heard one of you say that.
[00:28:12] Now, I've heard some good testimonies.
[00:28:15] And you hadn't heard it from me.
[00:28:18] Pastor Eddie, you missed some good stuff.
[00:28:20] And I say that because I was talking about the preacher's dream.
[00:28:23] that the people come and ask for a sermon.
[00:28:27] He gives them a six-hour sermon, and they come back the next day and want more.
[00:28:31] And I said, this is what we need, right?
[00:28:34] So we're asking, why isn't it like that?
[00:28:37] Why isn't it like that?
[00:28:39] Well, you could say, well, Pastor Joseph, if you'd preach better, then we would do it.
[00:28:43] Well, then get Pastor Andy up there.
[00:28:47] Or, and I'm serious now, if you will do that, if you'll stand and listen to a sermon for six hours and come back the other day, the next day, and beg for more, if you find a church that'll make you do that, please go there if this one's
[00:29:02] not doing it. Because that's the picture of people who are being changed and transformed by the Word of God. That's what the Bible talks about. That's what it tells us that should be happening in us. It says in 2 Corinthians chapter 5, isn't it 17? That if any man, behold, if any
[00:29:17] man be in Christ, he is a new creature. That is, he is a new creation. Behold, old things have passed away. Behold, all things have become new. And that's why Paul says in Romans 12,
[00:29:27] I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service, and be not conformed to this world. Oh yeah.
[00:29:38] Let's look at my phone.
[00:29:39] This sermon's not too interesting.
[00:29:41] Maybe let's see what's on Facebook Marketplace.
[00:29:43] Or let's see what the latest news is. Let's see what the game scores are. Be not conformed to the world, but be you transformed informed by the renewing of your mind proving what is that good and acceptable and perfect
[00:29:58] will of god you got a picture right here of what is that good and perfect and acceptable will of god that people are hungering and thirsting for righteousness and they call the preacher ring ring ring ring that's my phone and pastor joseph please come pastor andy come everybody
[00:30:15] from church is here there's other people here even even the police have come back because they're all hungry for the word of God. Please come preach a sermon to us.
[00:30:25] Preachers dream, right? I never had that happen.
[00:30:28] You ever had that happen, Pastor Andy? We didn't schedule a sermon and we get a call from the elders or the deacons. Where are you, Pastor Andy?
[00:30:36] There's a hundred people here dying to hear the word of God and you're sitting at home doing whatever. I've never had that happen.
[00:30:44] What would we do? Praise the Lord. We'd get here as fast as we could, because that's our dream. But here it's a reality. Why is it only a dream now and a reality here? Aren't these people flesh and blood just like us? Don't we have more revelation than
[00:31:04] them? Is not the very Holy Spirit of God supposed to be inside of us? Brothers and sisters, cry out to our triune God that this would no longer be a dream, then that we would be joyful when we get
[00:31:20] to know the word of God, exploring and finding out these wonderful treasures and gems that are hidden in the word of God. I say hidden. They're not hidden like some kind of mystery, but they're
[00:31:34] laid up for us in the word for our, to find out for all of our life. We never exhaust the inexhaustible riches of the word of God. And then even in eternity, we say, well, when we get to heaven,
[00:31:46] will be like him and yet there is an eternity more of us to search out the inexhaustible beauty and majesty of that triune God who's created everything that exists and will never ever tire of being amazed and mesmerized and blessed and filled with his glory and his love and his light
[00:32:09] and his joy and his peace.
[00:32:12] How wonderful.
[00:32:13] How glorious.
[00:32:15] And then to come back the second day and want more.
[00:32:17] Praise the Lord.
[00:32:18] That's coming back to earth.
[00:32:20] Now, they come back the second day and they want another sermon.
[00:32:24] Wasn't six hours enough for you?
[00:32:26] Pastor Andy, I tried to help you.
[00:32:28] I told him, I said, six hours.
[00:32:30] We don't ever preach that long.
[00:32:32] Right?
[00:32:33] You know, it's a dream.
[00:32:36] Pastor Andy and I, maybe next week he will preach and then I will preach.
[00:32:39] And we'll say, hey, we're still four hours short.
[00:32:44] Don't get nervous.
[00:32:45] It got real quiet there, Pastor Ed.
[00:32:49] But only if you're not hungry.
[00:32:52] You know, what's your favorite food?
[00:32:54] Think of whatever your favorite food is.
[00:32:56] A big steak?
[00:32:56] I don't know.
[00:32:57] What is it?
[00:32:58] A big cake?
[00:32:59] I don't know.
[00:33:00] The most favorite thing you could possibly eat, made by the best chef.
[00:33:05] Just whatever you've eaten, it's the most delicious you've ever had before.
[00:33:08] And yet, I'll bring it to you after you went to the all-you-can-eat buffet and you really tore it up.
[00:33:14] I mean, there's nothing left.
[00:33:16] I mean, you're walking out of there and saying, I overdid it.
[00:33:19] I feel like I may lose it here.
[00:33:23] And then I bring to you that big 20-ounce ribeye.
[00:33:29] Don't you want a bite?
[00:33:30] Come on, can't you eat half of it?
[00:33:31] Just a bite?
[00:33:33] You might throw up just thinking about it.
[00:33:35] And so, I think we've filled ourselves with spiritual junk food.
[00:33:46] We've filled ourselves with the news.
[00:33:49] We've filled ourselves with the things of life which aren't necessarily sinful, but we've left no room for God at all.
[00:33:56] God doesn't say, love me with part of your heart, just a little bit of your mind, and, you know, some of your strength, at least on Sunday morning.
[00:34:05] Not at all.
[00:34:07] You must love the Lord your God with all of your heart.
[00:34:10] But it seems like many of us struggle to find leftovers to give unto God.
[00:34:17] Whether that be our time, whether it be our money, or our affections.
[00:34:23] Something is wrong.
[00:34:30] May God help us.
[00:34:31] And so when they come back, they find in the word of God, this joy of discovery, the Feast of Tabernacles.
[00:34:39] They haven't been celebrating it.
[00:34:40] Feast of Tabernacles, seven months.
[00:34:42] Remember, you find all of the feasts in Leviticus 23.
[00:34:46] This is to remind them of the time that they were in booths coming out and the 40 years of wilderness wandering out of Israel from the Exodus on the way to the promised land.
[00:34:57] And it is to remind them how God preserved them in that time.
[00:35:02] And they're to do this once in a year in Jerusalem.
[00:35:05] They find this in the Word.
[00:35:08] And this is what the text tells us.
[00:35:10] verse 14 they found written in the law which the lord had commanded by moses that the children of israel should dwell in booths in the feast of the seventh month and they said go and get branches
[00:35:20] go and bring them and and make your booths verse 16 so the people went forth and brought them and made themselves booths everyone upon the roof of his house in their courts in the courts of the
[00:35:30] house of god in the street of the water gate in the street of the gate of ephraim and on the congregation and all the congregation of them that were come again out of the captivity made
[00:35:40] booths and sat under the booths for since the days of jeshua the son of none unto that day had not the children of israel done so and there was very great gladness here's that joy again
[00:35:50] and that's that fall family retreat thing right maybe we should make booths out there we talked about tents and rvs and whatnot but but they're joyful you say but pastor this is a seven-day feast. I can't take seven days off of work. They did. Well, time was different back
[00:36:10] then. I've heard that a lot. Don't we find seven days to take a vacation to wherever?
[00:36:20] Where you like to go? Myrtle Beach? I don't know. We could fill in the blank with lots of places we like to go. How about seven days to be with the Lord? Can it be on a cruise? Can it be at the
[00:36:36] beach can it be in the caribbean or what you know in other words yeah that sounds nice but what are we going to do no you're just going to be with the lord yeah but what kind of fun stuff you're
[00:36:50] going to be with the lord yeah but like do they have parasailing you know i mean what can i do why doesn't it appeal to us it appealed to them they were excited and what did they do
[00:37:05] they said would they just go sit in a booth and just sit there no no look at verse 18 and day by day from the first day until the last day he that's Ezra read in the book of the law of God
[00:37:26] and they kept the feast seven days and on the eighth day was a solemn assembly according to the manner what did they do for seven, eight days. Straight sermons. Sermons, worship, prayer, sermons, worship, prayer, reading the Word of God, sermons, reading the Word of
[00:37:46] God, prayer, worship. I'd get tired of that, Pastor.
[00:37:50] That's just too much. What do you think you're going to do in heaven? Parasail?
[00:37:57] Play slot machines?
[00:38:01] You know, boogie board at the beach?
[00:38:03] zipline on the mountains?
[00:38:07] What's heaven about?
[00:38:09] Oh, that sounds boring to me, Pastor.
[00:38:11] We just have the harp and we just sit up there.
[00:38:14] There's a problem.
[00:38:15] There's the problem right there.
[00:38:17] You're not hungering and thirsting for righteousness because where is the abode of righteousness?
[00:38:22] Heaven itself.
[00:38:23] That's where righteousness, who has existed from all eternity, the very definition of righteousness, righteousness exemplified, righteousness personified and the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit dwells for eternity, they have to hunger and thirst for righteousness.
[00:38:39] We think, well, that's just some of this personal thing, trying to get a little bit more like Jesus.
[00:38:42] No, no.
[00:38:43] Hunger and thirst for righteousness.
[00:38:45] Yes, for the Word of God.
[00:38:46] We want to hear it.
[00:38:46] We want to be attentive.
[00:38:47] We want it to change us.
[00:38:48] Hunger and thirst for righteousness.
[00:38:49] Ultimately, to be in heaven with righteousness, eternal righteousness, perfect righteousness, all-pervading, all-invading righteousness that bears our very soul.
[00:39:04] That's the hunger that we need.
[00:39:09] I don't think most people are like that.
[00:39:13] In the church, even.
[00:39:16] Why?
[00:39:23] They went to hear the word of God, it says on the first day of the week, the Feast of Trumpets.
[00:39:28] If we were preaching a series, maybe we could go to Leviticus and talk about the Feast of Trumpets.
[00:39:33] Or maybe, maybe Revelation.
[00:39:35] Pastor Andy, I never thought of it until I prepared this sermon, but Feast of Trumpets.
[00:39:39] Then there's seven trumpets in Revelation.
[00:39:41] Remember, on the last day, there's going to be the final trump.
[00:39:49] Very interesting.
[00:39:50] We don't have time to look at it now, but the feasts of Israel seem to be a schematic of God's program with his people, the church.
[00:40:00] Passover, right?
[00:40:01] Just real quickly, Passover is the death of Christ, right?
[00:40:04] The third day from that is the festival of first fruits.
[00:40:09] That's the resurrection of Christ.
[00:40:10] These are all festivals that the Jews kept.
[00:40:13] The next one is Pentecost, right?
[00:40:16] Pentecost is not only the day when the Holy Spirit came upon the church, it's also the day that the law came down on Mount Sinai for Moses.
[00:40:25] Then there's this long summer period of growth, that's the church growth.
[00:40:30] And then when the Lord's going to return, what's the first thing?
[00:40:33] The final trump will sound.
[00:40:36] We're not talking about Donald Trump, we're talking about the trump.
[00:40:38] it's in 1 Corinthians 15 and other places I think 1 Thessalonians 4 and then the Lord is going to work an ultimate reckoning we have the day of atonement and finally the feast of tabernacles
[00:40:52] where God's people are in his holy city Zion with him dwelling for seven days which signifies completion either the millennium on earth or ultimately the new heavens and the new earth where we'll be with him forever and ever.
[00:41:10] And so this day is important.
[00:41:13] They did this on the Feast of Trumpets, the first day of the month, and then also the place.
[00:41:18] They gathered together where to hear the sermon.
[00:41:21] Do you remember where in Jerusalem specifically?
[00:41:24] The Watergate.
[00:41:26] Very interesting.
[00:41:26] This isn't Nixon and, you know, the 1970s.
[00:41:32] This is a physical gate in the wall of Jerusalem where the spring of Gihon, where they would get water.
[00:41:40] And certainly you need water physically, but there's also, I think, some spiritual implication there with the water coming in and them gathering and they're hungering and thirsting, right?
[00:41:52] For righteousness, the place to go would be the water gate, right?
[00:41:55] Especially if you're thirsty.
[00:41:57] It's interesting when you think about that because if you turn to John chapter 7, Pastor Andy and I have talked about this several times in our sermons, but it's really interesting to consider what Jesus says about this
[00:42:12] very subject.
[00:42:15] In John chapter 7, remember it's the Feast of Tabernacles.
[00:42:19] They're worshiping the Lord. They're filled with the joy of the Lord, which is their strength. They're excited.
[00:42:22] They're glad because they've heard the Word of God.
[00:42:24] They know the Word of God. And they're there, not only looking back towards coming out of slavery and bondage and being delivered into the wilderness, but ultimately the promised land, but they're also looking forward to the
[00:42:36] eternal promise, the eternal tabernacle, when God will make his abode, the Lord with his people.
[00:42:43] And they continued to do that up until the time of Jesus, and up till the 70 AD, and I guess after that, but different ways, because this temple in Jerusalem was destroyed. And it just
[00:42:55] so happens in John chapter 7, verse 37, in the last day, that great day of the feast. Now, if you study the the context here it's the feast of tabernacles jesus was a good jew he's celebrating
[00:43:09] the feast of tabernacles and on the last day either the seventh or the eighth because they also had an eighth day solemn dedication he stands up remember the water gate we're thirsting for righteousness and and this feast of tabernacles it's not in the bible but we understand that the
[00:43:27] Jews would have this procession of taking water from the spring and carrying it through Jerusalem and pouring it out at the base of the altar.
[00:43:36] We're not quite sure how it developed, but something about spiritual cleansing, renewal, revival.
[00:43:44] And in that context, Jesus stands up in the area of the temple.
[00:43:50] And the last day, the great day of the feast, Jesus stood and he cried.
[00:43:54] he cried out if any man thirst let him come unto me and drink he that believeth on me as the scripture hath said out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water but this spake he
[00:44:14] of the spirit which they that believe on him should receive for the Holy Ghost was not yet given because that Jesus was not yet glorified he's saying listen if you i wish jesus was saying this but essentially if you're like
[00:44:32] what pastor joseph was saying you don't weep over the word you're not hungry for the word one sermon a week is way too much then there's a problem and the problem is you have not come
[00:44:44] unto me and drunk you have not come unto me and accepted the gift that i want to give you because that gift of that river of living water.
[00:44:54] Not a cistern, not a pot, but a river.
[00:44:58] It just keeps coming out.
[00:45:00] How's that?
[00:45:00] That's the joy.
[00:45:01] The joy of the Lord is your strength.
[00:45:03] That's the Spirit of God.
[00:45:04] The Spirit of God that is in us.
[00:45:05] The fruit of the Spirit.
[00:45:06] Love, joy, peace.
[00:45:09] But love first and then joy.
[00:45:11] The joy of the Lord is our strength.
[00:45:12] In that love, for God so loved the world He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.
[00:45:18] We have to believe on Him to receive his salvation, to receive his sacrifice, to receive that love inside of our heart, inside of our spirit, the Holy Spirit of God, the spirit of love that overflows in joy.
[00:45:30] And the joy of our Lord is our strength.
[00:45:34] And I think this is the real reason that most people in churches aren't like the people right here.
[00:45:41] Now, if that's talking about you, forgive me.
[00:45:44] I don't want to be blunt, but I believe that the real problem with the lack of revival is that most people in most churches are not born again.
[00:45:53] They do not have the living water.
[00:45:56] They have not submitted to Christ.
[00:45:58] There is certain areas in their life, yes, God, you can have this, you can have that, but there's certain things that are closed to Christ.
[00:46:06] And we have taken God down to our level so that we might feel comfortable instead of recognizing this great gap between us that we desperately need filled by the eternal weight and priceless value of the blood of the Lamb of God, Jesus Christ.
[00:46:24] And so we need that living water.
[00:46:28] Jesus offers it to whoever would believe.
[00:46:30] He says, He that believeth on me, as the scripture has said, out of his belly flow rivers of living water.
[00:46:38] Now I know, Pastor Andy and I have done this before.
[00:46:40] Some of you were here.
[00:46:42] Some of you were not here.
[00:46:44] But as I learned earlier today, most of you probably don't remember anyway so I'm going to preach it again okay is that fair enough no because it is the word of God whether you remember it or not it's worth repeating
[00:46:59] but I think a lot of you may have forgotten so it's important this idea river of living water coming out this is the idea of salvation this is the idea of the glory of God
[00:47:07] this is the idea of the presence of God which these people felt at the water gate in Jerusalem standing before the Lord with their heads bowed their hands raised, shouting amen, amen, and waiting, and hungering, and thirsting,
[00:47:23] ears open, hearts open to receive the word of God with gladness and with joy that affects them, that reduces them to tears.
[00:47:31] And yet those tears turn into joy.
[00:47:33] You've turned my mourning into dancing.
[00:47:35] You've turned my sorrow and my shame into joy.
[00:47:38] It's a wonderful thing that God did for them.
[00:47:41] It should be for us.
[00:47:42] And you see, this river of living water didn't start here with Jesus.
[00:47:46] Remember in Genesis, in Adam and Eve in the garden, it tells us something about the garden of Eden.
[00:47:55] In Genesis 2, verse 10, you'll find that a river went out of Eden to water the garden.
[00:48:05] And from thence it was parted and became into four heads.
[00:48:08] So where the presence of God is, there is this river going forth.
[00:48:13] This river constantly going forth from the presence of God.
[00:48:16] very interesting you'll find it again in the book of ezekiel in chapter 47 when it talks about this new temple that's going to be built this temple that people argue is it a physical temple
[00:48:28] is it a spiritual temple if it's physical it hasn't been built yet but if it's physical it's got some problems with the foundation because look at ezekiel chapter 47 beginning in verse 1 afterward he brought me again under the door of the house this is the temple and brought and and
[00:48:45] And behold, waters issued out from under the threshold of the house eastward, for the forefront of the house stood towards the east, and the right side of the house and the south side of the altar.
[00:48:56] Brother Steve does a lot of work around here.
[00:48:59] Brother Steve, if we went out to that door, and we saw water gushing out from underneath the door, we'd say we might have a problem, right?
[00:49:07] We'd have a problem.
[00:49:09] There's a problem here.
[00:49:11] Or is there a problem?
[00:49:12] Because this is a spiritual vision.
[00:49:15] Then brought he me out of the way of the gate northward, verse 2, and led me about the way without unto the other gate, by the way that looketh eastward.
[00:49:21] And behold, there ran out waters on the right side.
[00:49:25] And when the man that had the line in his hand went forth eastward, he measured a thousand cubits.
[00:49:31] He brought me through the waters, and the waters were to the ankles.
[00:49:35] Again, he measured a thousand cubits, and brought me through the waters, and the water was to the knees.
[00:49:40] Again, he measured a thousand, and brought me through the waters, and the water was to the loins.
[00:49:45] Afterward, he measured a thousand and it was a river that I could not pass over for the waters were risen, waters to swim in, a river that could not be passed over.
[00:49:55] This miraculous river that starts out as this stream under the temple but grows and grows and grows and gets deeper and deeper.
[00:50:02] This is the Spirit of God.
[00:50:03] This is the salvation of God through the Holy Spirit.
[00:50:06] This is the living waters and those who are truly immersed therein, therein, those who are truly drinking therein, those who have that fountain within them, those who will move and operate in that Spirit of God, cleansed by the blood of Christ and saved, that
[00:50:23] will be a flood that will overwhelm them and will make it easy to spend seven days with the Lord and nothing else. Because I am now filled with the very Spirit of God. Here's that water coming out
[00:50:38] from the Garden of Eden, God's presence, from the temple, God's presence. And then we get to John, and Jesus says, if you believe on me, out of the belly, your belly will flow rivers of living
[00:50:50] water. Isn't that interesting? Because when we're born again, who comes into our heart? The Father and the Son, through the Holy Spirit. And our son is a king, isn't he? The king sits on a throne.
[00:51:01] Here's the throne, here's the heart, here comes the water out from the throne. Isn't that interesting?
[00:51:06] out from Eden the presence of God out from the temple the presence of God out from the heart of a redeemed person the presence of God and then in Zechariah you'll find Pastor Andy preached
[00:51:20] a great message as far as covering Zechariah I mean he was in all the chapters a beautiful book and Zechariah also mentions these waters coming out just real briefly real briefly in chapter 14 of Zechariah
[00:51:35] verse 8 and 9 and it shall be in that day that living waters living water hadn't i heard that somewhere before shall go forth out of jerusalem half of them towards the former sea half towards
[00:51:48] the hinder sea in the summer and the winter shall it be and the lord shall be king over all the earth and that day there shall be one lord in his name one and that's jesus christ that's prophesying
[00:51:59] what jesus says in john and then finally in revelation if you want to turn to the last book of the Bible and turn to the last chapter of the last book and if you're saying good that means
[00:52:10] he must be done then this sermon's for you Revelation chapter 22 the first five verses verse 1 and he showed me a pure river of water of life here it is again clearing crystal proceeding out of where
[00:52:30] the throne of the God of God and of the Lamb if God is not in your heart you don't have to live in water but if he is he's enthroned in your heart and here comes the water
[00:52:44] the Holy Spirit the joy the love the peace and all the fruits thereof notice he showed me a pure river of water of life clear as crystal proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb
[00:52:56] and in the midst of the street of it and on either side of the river was there the tree of life that's what they didn't get to eat in the Garden of Eden but we'll get to eat of it
[00:53:05] praise the Lord which bear twelve manner of fruits and yielded her fruit every month and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations and there shall be no more curse praise God
[00:53:15] but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it and his servants shall serve him and they shall see his face and his name shall be in their foreheads and there shall no night be there
[00:53:27] and they need no candle neither light of the sun for the Lord God giveth them light and they shall reign forever and ever.
[00:53:39] Praise the Lord. Praise the Lord.
[00:53:43] But we cannot have this joy and this gladness.
[00:53:48] We cannot have this river of water.
[00:53:53] And we, like the Jews of Nehemiah's day, the best we can hope for without this table is weeping, but no joy.
[00:54:03] Yet, praise God, the tears of the disciples and the women that followed Jesus on Friday were followed by jubilant cries, hallelujah and praise.
[00:54:15] Three days later, the resurrection of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
[00:54:21] This is what we remember.
[00:54:22] His death, His burial, His glorious resurrection and the giving of the living water to all who thirst and hunger after righteousness.
[00:54:35] But if you're not thirsty, it's just not for you but if you are come and drink and be filled to overflowing with the joy of God and never forget it's the joy of the Lord
[00:54:50] which is your strength Amen Heavenly Father help us as we transition to the table as they come to bless us with song Lord help us to consider our state before you. Lord, if we have not wept over your word,
[00:55:12] why? Lord, if we haven't wept over our sins, convict us.
[00:55:16] And Lord, if we have not felt and lived out that joy that you freely give us through your spirit and planted in us by your grace, Lord God, forgive us. Make us to understand. Help us to be attentive
[00:55:30] to your word. Help us to revere your word. Help us that we can't get enough of your word because, Lord, you are the word help us to love you more than anything else with all of our heart soul mind and
[00:55:41] strength and Lord as we come to the table may we come weeping over our sins but may we come filled with joy for you have you have paid the price in full and said it
[00:55:56] is finished to you be the glory honor and praise both now and forever in Christ's name Amen.
[00:56:06] We are going to give unto the Lord now the tithe and the offering as John comes up to bless us in song.

[00:56:20] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_00]
[00:56:20] Jesus says in John 6.35, He says, I am the bread of life.
[00:56:25] He who comes to Me will never hunger, and he who believes in Me will never thirst.
[00:56:35] Jesus has done all of the work for us in preparing this meal.
[00:56:40] in going to the cross for us to bear our sins, to have victory over them, to rise again so that we can be forgiven and have the assurance of eternal life and the assurance of pardon.
[00:57:01] Even as we can confess together in confessing our sin to the Lord, what we ask of Him and what He grants as we genuinely come to Him, we ask Him to forgive us, embrace us,
[00:57:18] cleanse us, and heal us.
[00:57:21] It's only in the name of Jesus.
[00:57:26] This is the table of the Lord.
[00:57:30] We are to humbly come to Him for His salvation.
[00:57:41] On the night that Jesus was betrayed, He took bread.
[00:57:49] When He had blessed it, He broke it.
[00:57:52] and He gave it to His disciples as I do ministering in His name.
[00:57:57] And He said, take, eat.
[00:57:59] This is My body which is broken for you, this do in remembrance of Me.
[00:58:07] In the same manner, after supper, He took the cup.
[00:58:11] He says, this cup is the New Testament or the New Covenant in My blood.
[00:58:17] As often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death.
[00:58:26] until he comes line that escapes my memory and in in the middle there says do this as often as you drink this cup in remembrance of me for as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup
[00:58:47] you proclaim the lord's death until he comes we're going to have two lines here i have gluten free on this side of the table if we can make two lines coming down this side once you receive
[00:59:05] the elements if you can go around the outside of the chairs back to your seats and then if you will hold as we partake together but before we do come up why don't we pray oh lord jesus
[00:59:24] lord we do thank you for what you have done for us well we ask that you will take this these common elements of bread and grape juice.
[00:59:38] Lord, that You would use it for our spiritual growth and that we might come closer to You, that we might grab on to You.
[00:59:47] Because by the Holy Spirit, You tell us that we are seated with You now in the heavenly places because of what You have done for us.
[00:59:59] Because You have given us the Holy Spirit and it dwells in us.
[01:00:05] And Lord, we are spiritually connected to You.
[01:00:09] Lord, remind us of this in this eating of this bread and juice.
[01:00:16] Lord, help us confess our sins to want to turn from them that we might follow You wholeheartedly.
[01:00:24] And we ask all of these things in Your name, Lord Jesus.
[01:00:27] Amen.
[01:00:29] We can come and dine.
[01:00:31] Please come.