The Joy of the LORD is your Strength

The Joy of the LORD is your Strength
Nehemiah 8:8-10
Epiphany 3
January 27, 2019

Philippians 1:2(ESV) 2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

There is a coffee mug that sits on my desk that says “The Joy of the Lord is your Strength” which was part of today’s reading from Nehemiah. This is the only time in the 3 year lectionary that our church follows that there is a reading from Nehemiah. That means that, “The Joy of the Lord is your strength” is an important theme. It is paired well with the Gospel reading where Jesus return to His hometown reads and explains God’s Word. However there is a difference between the two readings. In Nehemiah the people go home celebrating and in the Gospel reading after speaking well of Jesus, the people try to kill their savior. Wow, what a contrast. So it is obvious that we will focus on Nehemiah, lest anyone is offended and tries to stone the preacher as they did in the Gospel reading.

Both reading had God’s Word being read and explained to the people.

Nehemiah 8:8(ESV) 8 They read from the book, from the Law of God, clearly, and they gave the sense, so that the people understood the reading.

What was the people response to the understanding of God’s Word?

Nehemiah 8:9(ESV) 9 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.

God’s Word accuses us. Shows us our sins. The response of the people was weeping and mourning because they realized their sin.

Welcome to the concept of Confession and Absolution. The two words go together, because immediately after confession must come absolution. We never separate the two. We don’t sing a hymn after confession before absolution. We don’t have the offering after confession before absolution. Absolution immediately follows.

It is like a child when confronted with their mistake is sobbing to Mom saying I am sorry. Does Mom say, let me think about this for a while as the child continues to sob. Does the Mom say if you clean up your room, wash the dishes, take out the garbage, and dust the furniture, I may forgive you? God like a loving parent immediately forgives. There may be consequences for certain actions, but the child isn’t shunned by the family until payment is made.

Nehemiah 8:10(ESV) 10 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.”

Celebrate is the response, and if other don’t have the means to celebrate with share with them. While we are eating and drinking and rejoicing in the Lord, we might have missed the reason why we are celebrating.

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.

A Holy Day, yes. Sounds like:

The Third Commandment

Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy.

What does this mean? We should fear and love God so that we do not despise preaching and His Word, but hold it sacred and gladly hear and learn it.

When God’s Word convicts us of sin, we are reminded we need a savior. The Absolution comes with Jesus’ love and forgiveness. For this is how we are made Holy. For only God is Holy, but when God touches us with His forgiveness, as we hear His word, we forgiven, we are made holy.

But is we despise God’s Word, we despise God Himself.

Luke 4:22(ESV) 22 And all spoke well of him and marveled at the gracious words that were coming from his mouth. And they said, “Is not this Joseph’s son?”

They heard the gracious words, but despised when the Law was preached. In the Gospel reading there was no weeping, but wrath against the Son of God.

Why? Welcome to our sinful nature, and notice it is our sinful nature.

Matthew Harrison in his book Why am I joy:fully Lutheran writes “how profoundly difficult it is even to get two Christians who have heard the Word of God for a lifetime and who have sinned against each other to ask for forgiveness and forgive!

Our sinful nature hates to confess. We would rather self-justify than admit we were wrong. The problem is that self-justification leaves no room for the merciful actions of Jesus the Christ.

How does God respond with we realize our sin? I will let Jesus tell you in

Luke 15:7(ESV) 7 Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.

Luke 5:32(ESV) 32 I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance.”

So how do we get to this Joy, there are two things: Hearing God’s Word, for faith comes from hearing, and not denying our sin, Jesus came for sinners. For this is how we realize “The Joy of the Lord is your strength”

Philippians 4:7(ESV) 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.