Reverence For God's Word

In today's church we get sermons that are 23-60 minutes long and people complain and murmur about the length. I was in one congregation that actually yelled out jokes at the preacher because he would go longer than the senior pastor did. And people laughed. The pastor laughed. Read this passage from Nehemiah.

Nehemiah 8:1-3
And all the people gathered as one man into the square before the Water Gate. And they told Ezra the scribe to bring the Book of the Law of Moses that the LORD had commanded Israel. So Ezra the priest brought the Law before the assembly, both men and women and all who could understand what they heard, on the first day of the seventh month. And he read from it facing the square before the Water Gate from early morning until midday, in the presence of the men and the women and those who could understand. And the ears of all the people were attentive to the Book of the Law.

Nehemiah didn't even preach. He read God's Word for about 5 hours straight. No one complained. No one left. No one sat down. No one got bored or fell asleep. This how much they revered God's Word. Look at what this did to their hearts.

Nehemiah 8:5-6
And Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people, for he was above all the people, and as he opened it all the people stood. And Ezra blessed the LORD, the great God, and all the people answered, “Amen, Amen,” lifting up their hands. And they bowed their heads and worshiped the LORD with their faces to the ground.

When is the last time you saw this happen in church?

Look at how the day ends.

Nehemiah 8:9-12
And Nehemiah, who was the governor, and Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who taught the people said to all the people, “This day is holy to the LORD your God; do not mourn or weep.” For all the people wept as they heard the words of the Law. Then he said to them, “Go your way. Eat the fat and drink sweet wine and send portions to anyone who has nothing ready, for this day is holy to our Lord. And do not be grieved, for the joy of the LORD is your strength.” So the Levites calmed all the people, saying, “Be quiet, for this day is holy; do not be grieved.” And all the people went their way to eat and drink and to send portions and to make great rejoicing, because they had understood the words that were declared to them.

This is what church ought to look like. we ought to come in and be overwhelmed by the power of God's Word and it ought to penetrate our hearts causing us to weep and worship. Then we should rise up and go celebrate the day in view of the greatness of our God and the power of His Word and then share what we have in honor of what we have been given.