Sermon Notes - April 21, 2024
Back to Eden // Rejoice!
Pastor Chris Pletcher
Nehemiah 8:8-12
They read from the book, from the Law of God, clearly, and they gave the sense, so that the people understood the reading. 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. 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.” 11 So the Levites calmed all the people, saying, “Be quiet, for this day is holy; do not be grieved.” 12 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.
PRESENCE → JOY → STRENGTH → ENDURE
If His presence contains the joy that becomes my strength to endure, then entering His presence is a Kingdom skill that we must all acquire.
“Kingdom Laws of Gravity”
Proverbs 18:21 “Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruits.”
Psalm 22:3 “You are holy, enthroned on the praises of Israel.”
Another translation is… “dwelling IN the praises of Your people”
Our voices together create a DWELLING PLACE FOR GOD!
PRAISE = vocal adoration
The from Old French proisier, preisier (“to value, prize”), from Late Latin pretiō (“to value, prize”) from pretium (“price, worth, reward”)
Praise the LORD = TREASURE Him! Value Him! Realize His WORTH!
“Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing to you, O Lord, my Rock and my redeemer.” Psalm 19:14
We naturally ADORE what we value the most, this is why we must learn to PRIZE HIM above everything else. Our vocal expression is simply the overflow of our heart’s greatest joy, our hearts greatest prize.
YOUR VOICE and YOUR ADORATION are extremely powerful!
Psalm 100:1-4 “Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth! Serve the Lord with gladness! Come into his presence with singing! Know that the Lord, he is God! It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise! Give thanks to him; bless his name!”
At least 6 imperative commands in 4 verses… telling us how to ENTER.
In the book of Psalms alone, we are commanded to REJOICE repeatedly.
Psalm 32:11 “Be glad in the Lord, and rejoice, O righteous, and shout for joy, all you upright in heart!”
Psalm 70:4 “May all who seek you rejoice and be glad in you! May those who love your salvation say evermore, “God is great!”
Psalm 97:12 “Rejoice in the Lord, O you righteous, and give thanks to his holy name!”
Psalm 105:3 “Glory in his holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice!”
Psalm 118:24 “This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.”
The Scripture COMMANDS you to be joyful!
42 times in the New Testament, the greek verb “chairo” (khah'-ee-ro) is used. It means “to be glad, to take delight:”
1 Corinthians 13:6
Love… does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth.
Romans 12:15
Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep.
Philippians 4:4
Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice.
1 Thessalonians 5:16
Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
The word "rejoice" is a call to joy. Christians are commanded by God to rejoice.
Lastly, we cannot teach on biblical rejoicing without addressing trial, suffering and persecution. The biblical authors specifically encourage us to rejoice in these moments, too.
Matthew 5:12
Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
Colossians 1:24
Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in Christ's afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church.
Philippians 2:17-18
Even if I am to be poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrificial offering of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with you all. Likewise you also should be glad and rejoice with me.
Romans 5:1-5
Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.