REVEALED SERIES: Reconciliation

“Now the tax collectors and ‘sinners’ were all gathering around to hear him. But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, ‘This man welcomes sinners and eats with them’”
Luke 15:1-2.

Read Luke 15:11-32. The Prodigal son.

There were three parables that Jesus used in correcting the Pharisees and the teachers of the law regarding his relationship with the sinners: The parable of the lost coin, the parable of the lost sheep and the story of the prodigal son. All three parables have the following in common: Something is lost, there is a search for the lost and a celebration after finding what was lost. The parable of the prodigal son shows that God allows his children to face the consequences of our actions (Hebrews 12:6). But if there is a time of discipline, there is also the time of restoration.

“So he got up and went to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him” Luke 15:20.

When the son realized that he was wrong, he planned on going back to his father to work for him as one of his servants. But when his father saw him from the distance, he quickly ran to greet him and couldn’t wait to restore him.

3 SYMBOLS OF SONSHIP.

“But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet” Luke 15:22.

Robe.
The robe is a symbol of identity in the time of Jesus. When the father gave his son a robe, he was restoring him his honor and his right as an heir.

Ring.
The ring is a symbol of authority. In the Old Testament, rings were metal seals used to seal covenants. The father gave a ring to his son as a covenant of unconditional love.

Sandals.
In the New Testament, only family members have sandals. When the father gave sandals to his son, he was giving him his destiny.

OUR HEAVENLY FATHER RECONCILES US TO HIMSELF

“For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more” Jeremiah 31:34b.

“I, even I, am he who blots out your transgressions, for my own sake, and remembers your sins no more” Isaiah 43:25.

THE RESPONSE OF THE OLDER BROTHER?

“Look! All these years I’ve been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends” Luke 15:29.

The older son did not address his father as “father” because he has always seen him as his master. We can be Christians for a long time but still miss out on the fatherhood of God because we always see ourselves as slaves.

“All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation” 2 Corinthians 5:18.**

REVEALED SERIES: Relationship

READ Galatians 4:1-7.

“Because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, ‘Abba, Father’. So you are no longer a slave, but a son; and since you are a son, God has made you also an heir”
Galatians 4:6-7.

The Jews outnumber the Gentiles in the early church of Galatia. The Jadaizers insist that the Gentiles follow the laws of Moses in order for them to be saved. Paul corrects these erroneous teachings by writing a letter, reminding the church that as sons of God, their inheritance is made available for them through faith in Jesus Christ alone.

“It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened by the yoke of slavery”
Galatians 5:1.

How do we view God? There are different ways on how people view God. Some see God as Pharisees do. They see God as a set of rules to follow and rituals to do. Some see God as Gentiles do who see God as distant (John 4:20). These are both “slave” mentality. We need to view God as His children. Do we have the mindset of a son or of a slave?


THE SON MENTALITY:

ACCESS.

“Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need”
Hebrews 4:16.

We have access to God the Father. We should not be afraid or ashamed to go to God in our time of need.

AFFECTION.

“Because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, ‘Abba, Father”
Galatians 4:6.

Abba is a transliteration of the Aramaic word for Father. In the New Testament times, it is the term of endearment used by a child for his/her Father (http://www.learnthebible.org/abba.html). There is a special kind of love that the Father gives us that lets us call Him Abba.

ASSURANCE.

“Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever”
Psalm 23:6.

The root word of the word assurance is sure. Sure means feeling no doubt and uncertainty. As God’s children, there is an assurance that God will be with us in everything that we do and that He has a place for us with Him.

GOD THE FATHER TREATS US AS CHILDREN AND NOT AS SLAVES.

“Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God---- children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.

As adopted sons, we become legitimate children who have the same rights as children of natural descent.**

LUPANG HINIRANG: Reform

Reform means that there was already something before that had been broken and will just be “re-formed.” Many times, we develop bad habits; if we tolerate these bad habits, it will continue and we will have a hard time changing them even when we know that it goes against the word of God.

Our bad habits affect our nation.

Nehemiah asked the people of Israel to renew their covenant with God.

THE COVENANT THAT THE ISRAELITES RENEWED WITH GOD.

Intermarriages.

“We promise not to give our daughters in marriage to the peoples around us or take their daughters for our sons” Nehemiah 10:30.

God did not want the Israelites to intermarry because they might follow the ways and values of other nations. Solomon, the wise king of Israel, was influenced to sin by his foreign wives (Nehemiah 13:26).

We have the tendency to conform to the world. Paul, the apostle, warns in a letter to the church of Corinth not to be yoked with unbelievers and to the Romans not to be conformed with the patterns of the world.

“Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness?”
2 Corinthians 6:14.

“Do not conform any longer to the patterns of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is – his good, pleasing and perfect will”
Romans 12:2.

Keeping the Sabbath.

“When the neighboring peoples bring merchandise or grain to sell on the Sabbath, we will not buy from them on the Sabbath or on any holy day. Every seventh year we will forego working the land and will cancel all debts” Nehemiah 10:31.

Sabbath means a day of rest and worship. It means making God your top priority.

“But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well” Matthew 6:33.

Taking care of the Temple.

“We assume the responsibility for carrying out the commands to give a third of a shekel each year for the service of the house of our God: for the bread set out on the table; for the regular grain offerings and burnt offerings; for the offerings on the Sabbaths, at the New Moon feasts and at the appointed festivals; for the holy offerings; for sin offerings to make atonement for Israel; and for all the duties of the house of our God”
Nehemiah 10:32-35.

“Will a man rob God? Yet you rob me. ‘But you say, “How do we rob you?” In tithes and offerings. You are under a curse – the whole nation of you –because you are robbing me“ Malachi 3:8-9.

LIVE THE WORD. CHANGE THE WORLD.
Nehemiah was not a religious figure. He was just a lay person but he did his part in rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem. He let the word of God play an important role in his life and it affected his nation.**

LUPANG HINIRANG: Spiritual Renewal

“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 worshiped the LORD with their faces to the ground”
Nehemiah 8:5-6.

When the Israelites finished rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem, all 50,000 of them gathered together at the town square wanting to hear God’s word. It will be their first time since their exile of over a hundred years. During those times, there were no printing presses that the word of God was read publicly for people to hear.

The bible is the accurate measurement of who we are as Christians. It is more important to understand the word of God more than just reading it.

“Those who listen to the word but do not do what it says are like people who look at their faces in a mirror and after looking at themselves, go away and immediately forget what they look like” James 1:23-24.

We build families, cities and nations through the word of God. Only when we read the word of God that our lives are changed and we can change the nation.

GOD’S WORD BRINGS SPIRITUAL RENEWAL.

READ IT.
The people of Israel prioritized the word of God. After they have settled into their towns, they asked Ezra to read the book of the law aloud. Ezra read it from daybreak till noon (Nehemiah 8: 3) atop a wooden platform that signifies the supremacy of the word of God in their lives.

“As for God, his way is perfect; the word of the LORD is flawless. He is the shield for all who take refuge in him” Psalm 18:30.

God’s word is supreme over our marriages, finances, relationships and in every area of our lives.

UNDERSTAND THE WORD.

“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. Then all the people went away to eat and drink, to send portions of food and to celebrate with great joy, because they now understood the words that had been made known to them”
Nehemiah 8:9; 12.

We need to understand the word for it to penetrate our lives. Sometimes, we tend to get too familiar with the word of God that we take it for granted. The word of God and His Presence brings fullness of joy.

“You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand”
Psalm 16:11.

APPLY THE WORD.

“Ezra praised the LORD, the great God; and all the people lifted their hands and responded, ‘Amen! Amen!’ Then they bowed down and worshiped the LORD with their faces to the ground”
Nehemiah 8:6.

“Amen” means “so be it” or “let it be applied in my life.” Lives change when the word of God is applied. Strong families make up strong cities. Strong cities build a strong nation.

“For the LORD is our judge, the LORD is our lawgiver, the LORD is our king; it is he who will save us”
Isaiah 33:22.

“To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, ‘If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free”
John 8:31.

Let us not take for granted and be good stewards of the freedom that we have.**

LUPANG HINIRANG: Unity

Filipinos are different from one another, but whatever our stations are in life, we are called to be one. There is division when there is no leadership, no unity and no common vision. Division leads to anarchy. What is our role in nation-building?

Read Nehemiah 2:17-20.

“Then I said to them, ‘You see the trouble we are in; Jerusalem lies in ruins, and its gates have been burned with fire. Come, let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalem, and we will no longer be in disgrace.’ I also told them about the gracious hand of my God on me and what the king had said to me. They replied,’let us start rebuilding.’ So they began this good work”
Nehemiah 2:17-18.

Nehemiah called the Israelites to a common vision. Levites, rulers, goldsmiths, women and children came together to rebuild the walls. Nehemiah assigned the sections of the wall according to where the people lived. What is it that you’re doing right now? Whatever it is that you are doing in your life is your assignment in rebuilding the nation. Be the best in what you are doing!

WHAT UNITY CAN DO:
Unity accomplishes great things.
“How could one man chase a thousand, or two put ten thousand to flight, unless their Rock has sold them, unless the LORD had given them up?”

If we put our hearts together, we can fight together.
When we are doing the will of God, we will always face opposition because the enemy does not want us to fulfill the purposes of God. Nehemiah faced oppositions as he was leading the people in rebuilding the walls (Nehemiah 4:1-3).

There are two kinds of threat: External opposition and the Internal opposition. The bigger threat is internal opposition which causes division. Nehemiah and the Israelites faced external opposition but they were able to rebuild the walls with a track record of 52 days.

Strength of homes depends on the unity of husbands and wives. Strong children are born out of strong marriages. Strong families compose strong cities, and strong cities compose a strong nation.

“For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior”
Ephesians 5:23.

“Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace” Ephesians 4:3.

External opposition, no matter how great, cannot bring down a unit that is together.

“The LORD said, ‘If as one people speaking the same language they have begun to do this, then nothing they plan to do is impossible for them”
Genesis 11:6.

Nation building starts with the church. It is important that we acknowledge that we need the help of God in rebuilding our nation.

“Blessed is a nation whose God is the LORD”
Psalm 33:12.

“My prayer is not for them along. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me”
John 1:20-21.

We must encourage one another and spur each other towards love and good deeds. FULFILLING GOD’S PURPOSE COMPELS US TO UNITE DESPITE THE OPPOSITION..**

LUPANG HINIRANG: Prayer

“If my people who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land”
2 Chronicles 7:14.

Read Nehemiah 1

There have been many prophecies on the rise of the Philippines into economic abundance and while the country is currently undergoing crises left and right, it is quite difficult for the Filipino people to accept it. There are now different Christian leaders rising up in the government, but we need to realize that a few Christian politicians alone cannot bring about change; it will take every Filipino to achieve this. We need to rebuild the walls. We need to stand in the gap for our nation.

Nehemiah was a Jew exiled in Persia who served as the cupbearer, a trusted position, for King Artaxerses. 141 years after the fall of Jerusalem, he received news about of its walls again in shambles both physically and spiritually, he felt heaviness in his heart for his nation. God used Nehemiah to lead the people of Israel in rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem.

2 THINGS NEHEMIAH DID UPON HEARING NEWS:

1. PRAYED.
(Read Nehemiah 1:5-11).
Instead of pointing a finger or blaming others on the plight of Jerusalem, Nehemiah identified with his ancestors and repented before the Lord (Nehemiah 1:6). He also prayed a persevering prayer (Nehemiah 1:6), praying from the month of Kislev (Nehemiah 1:1) to the month of Nisan (Nehemiah 2:1) before he talked to the king.
Nehemiah prayed until something happened. He saw the walls of Jerusalem being rebuilt. How much do we pray for the things that we’re believing for?


2. ACTED.
(Read Nehemiah 2: 1-9)
Nehemiah presented his request to the king when he was asked the cause of his sadness. He did not ask anything for himself. Instead, he asked for:

Permission.

“and I answered the king, ‘If it pleases the king and if your servant has found favor in his sight, let him send me to the city in Judah where my ancestors are buried so that I can rebuild it” Nehemiah 2:5.

Protection.

“I also said to him, ‘If it pleases the king, may I have letters to the governors of Trans-Euphrates, so that they will provide me safe-conduct until I arrive in Judah?” Nehemiah 2: 7.

Provisions.

“And may I have a letter to Asaph, keeper of the royal gates of the citadel by the temple and for the city wall and for the residency I will occupy?”
Nehemiah 2:8.

If God asks you, “what do you want?” what will you say to Him? Do you know what you want?
Nehemiah went back to Jerusalem with his people. He himself supervised the rebuilding of the wall.

STOP BICKERING, START BUILDING.

The story of Nehemiah teaches us how to have deep love, passion and burden for our nation. God has given us different tools and crafts to rebuild it. How will you use them?**