A Sermon for the 2021 VBWIM Annual Feast preached by Rev. Dr. Ka’thy Gore Chappell
Nehemiah 8:1-10 NIV
Some of my most memorable, exhausting, humorous, and rewarding experiences in ministry occurred when I was an Associate Pastor with College Students in Raleigh. Each spring break, we would pack up a group of about 80 students, leaders, luggage, and supplies to depart North Carolina for an area that had an active “Habitat for Humanity” and could provide a sufficient amount of challenging work for our students as well as a church or ministry center that could adequately house us.
That year, our destination was Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The trip co-chairs and I conducted a pre-trip several months prior to that year’s “spring break” and the work projects and housing looked quite promising. The plan was to live, sleep, eat and shower (bathrooms are always a priority.) in an older church in the neighborhood where our work projects were also located. That way we could get a flavor of the community in which we were living; work crews could walk from the church to their work sites; and, trip participants could begin to connect and build those important relationships that might define their overall experience, a student’s life, a professional or ministerial career or a faith journey.
It was no surprise, then, when college students heard about the trip to South Philly, they were excited to sign-up for a “Spring Break” Road Trip, empowered by a purpose to serve and of course, greatly anticipating connecting with friends and living in community. These college students had a “mind to work” and it was a beautiful expression of their sense of purpose when one of our co-chairs suggested we use the Old Testament scripture, Nehemiah 4:6, as “our” scripture for the week. “So, we built the wall. And all the wall was joined together to half its height, for the people had a mind to work.” Nehemiah 4:6 (ESV)
Just like those college students who were eager and motivated to work, Nehemiah and the Jewish community worked with enthusiasm. In Nehemiah 8:1-10, the community is described as people who worked with all their heart and were committed to keep working until their tasks were completed.
Their remarkable leader, Nehemiah, exhibited personal faithfulness and perseverance in his call to lead a work project, a mission trip, if you will! While tasked by God to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem, Nehemiah was also challenged to REFORM THE COMMUNITY. And, reforming the community meant gathering these people who had been scattered and re-grouping them in a common venue. Reforming the community also meant reading, reviewing, the Torah, the Law of Moses, the Word of God.
Nehemiah 8:1-10 (NIV)
“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.
Ezra the teacher of the Law stood on a high wooden platform build for the occasion. Beside him on his right stood other leaders. Ezra opened the book. All the people could see him because he was standing above them; and as he opened it, the people all stood up. Ezra praised the Lord, the great God; and all the people lifted their hands and responded, ‘Amen! Amen!’ Then they bowed down and worshipped the Lord with their faces to the ground.
The Levites instructed the people in the Law while the people were standing there. They read from the Book of the Law of God, making it clear and giving the meaning so that the people understood what was being read.
Then Nehemiah the governor, Ezra the priest and teacher of the Law, and the Levites who were instructing the people said to them all, ‘This day is holy to the Lord your God. Do not mourn or weep.’ For all the people had been weeping as they listened to the words of the Law.
Nehemiah said, ‘Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.’” This is the Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.
Imagine this situation. The Temple had been re-built and the walls re-stored. This time the people (men, women AND children) gathered in community. The Torah or the Law of Moses that served as a GUIDE for the people and included “all of traditional Jewish learning” was read by Ezra (from a large platform) and Nehemiah interpreted the Law of Moses.
Remember. In their EXILE, the Jews could only read the Law privately or in secret. For the first time in years, the Law was read out loud, in public, in community. The people stood and paid attention to the reading and experienced the Word of God read and explained. The Torah or Law of Moses was made clear and was reported to be “full of meaning.” The people not only understood what they heard but wept as they understood the meaning. The reading was, in fact, so powerful, that the people raised their hands, responded with an “Amen and Amen!” then bowed down and worshipped the Lord. The people and God connected and were in relationship, a relationship that defined the gathering, the community, and a hope for the fulfillment of the Law.
What message was so important, so meaningful, that people wept, then, praised God? I thought this scripture and the point of this OT story was about “the work?” When, actually, this scripture and the point of the story (and so many of our life experiences) are about relationship with God and connections with others as an outpouring of these relationships. What was the message? The Torah or Law of Moses was narrowed to Deuteronomy 6:5 “Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.” (NIV)
The people heard the Word, responded in tears and praise to God, and were affirmed by Ezra and Nehemiah with a blessing. Nehemiah 8:10—“And all the people went their way to eat choice food and drink sweet drinks and to make great rejoicing, because they had understood the words that were declared to them.” Arriving as individuals or as families, the people connected and departed as community and with joy.
You have heard two stories this morning: one from a college mission trip to Philadelphia and one from an Old Testament community work project in Jerusalem. Both stories were defined by the transformation that took place through connections and developed relationships with God, self, and others and by people who “had a mind to work.”
Pandemic, pandemic, pandemic. During the last 16 months we have been faced with personal and world challenges in living, working, and relating due to the pandemic. The reality is, however, if not the pandemic, what other “thing” would have occurred or does occur in life that might call us to adjust, be flexible, pivot? Whatever life circumstance, God calls us to connect, restore, transform, and rejoice based on God’s faithful presence, work that gives us purpose and direction, and, most importantly, community that models fellowship through common attitudes and shared goals.
- How might God be calling you to be transformative in the restoration of your community?
- How might your relationship with God create meaning in your community for forward movement post pandemic?
- How might the message of rejoicing–eating choice foods & drinking sweet drinks–be described in your community?
Benediction: From the Clergy Coaching Network
Life is short and we do not have much time to gladden the hearts of those who travel with us.
So be swift to love, make haste to be kind, and go in peace to love and serve the Lord.
“Amen and Amen.”
(Raise hands, bow head and look to the ground.)
