Remembering with Great Joy
BY STANLEY ALLABY
Nehemiah 8:1-12 IN MANY CONGREGATIONS, joy is missing in communion. I have partaken of the Lord's table in different churches and, glancing around, I have seen long faces, sad eyes, and dull expressions on so many worshippers. And I have to ask myself the question: Is this what remembering our Lord does for usto create a mood that is gloomy and heavy-hearted?Now, don't get me wrong. I know
there is an awesomeness to partaking of communion. There is an awesomeness as we consider the death of our Lord Jesus. But there is more to remembering Him than just sorrow or remorse.
Recorded in Nehemiah 8:1-12 is an episode that focuses our thoughts upon joy as we worship the Lord. And I would like to just draw your attention to three truths from it.
1. The law of God produces conviction.
The chapter begins by telling us that after the Jerusalem wall had finally been rebuilt and the Israelites had settled back in their towns, all the people assembled together to worship the Lord and to hear Ezra read the Book of the Law.Ezra read it aloud from daybreak till noon, and all the people listened attentively. Then, we read in verse 9:
Nehemiah the governor, Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who were instructing the people said to them all, "This day is sacred 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.
You see, hearing the law of God should indeed strike terror into our hearts and cause us to weep before Him. The apostle Paul writes in Romans 3 that the law was given so that every mouth might be silenced and the whole world stand guilty before a holy God.
On the day of Pentecost, Peter reminded the people that they had crucified the Lord of glory. And we
read in Acts 2:37,38:When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, "Brothers, what shall we do?" Peter replied, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins.
Yes, the law of God, the holiness of our God, does produce conviction in our hearts. It cuts to the heart.
You know, we were taught in seminary that in our preaching we had two responsibilitiesone was to comfort the afflicted, the other was to afflict the comfortable. That's what happens when you really preach the word of God. The Holy Spirit uses it to bring conviction to our hearts.
Communion therefore is not to be taken lightly or thoughtlessly.
2. Atonement is a solemn matter.
The assembly recorded in Nehemiah 8 took place in the seventh month of the Jewish calendar. That's the month in which the Jews observe Yom Kippurthe day of atonement. It was a day when the people were to assemble and deny themselves. They were to be solemn before God as they examined themselves and meditated upon what the high priest was doing in the temple to effect the atonement for their sins.Likewise, as we partake of the communion, we remember the death of our Lord Jesus. We are deeply humbled and shamed remembering what He had to do to atone for our sins. And as the apostle Paul writes in I Corinthians 11, we are to examine ourselves before we eat of the bread and drink of the cup.
The Lord's Table is not fun and games. Communion is a solemn matter. But we do not end on that note, for The Lord's Table is not fun and games. Communion is a solemn matter. But we do not end on that note, for there is one other truth that comes out of this passage.
3. A full understanding of the gospel brings joy to our hearts.
Verse 12 of Nehemiah 8 reads: "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."At first, they felt sorrow over sin and a gloomy sense of failure about their lives. They wept as they heard the law of God. Ezra said: "Yes, that's appropriate, up to a point."
But Ezra would not let them soak in their sorrow. This was a holy daya day when feasting and celebrating were in order. We read in verses 10 and 11:
Nehemiah said, "Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is sacred to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength." The Levites calmed all the people, saying, "Be still, for this is a sacred day. Do not grieve."
For, you see, the full message of communion is that God is merciful. He forgives our sin. Fellowship with Him is a reality because Jesus died. The joy of the Lord is our strength. Through Christ's death and resurrection, our sins are forgiven.
Oh, dear friends, let us never lose the wonder of His "amazing love, that thou my God shouldst die for me". Never lose the amazement of all of those hymns that we sing that begin with, "O, how marvellous, o how wonderful", as we think of the grace and mercy and love of our Savior.
Surely, communion is a solemn time. But that is not the whole story. To paraphrase what Nehemiah said, "For communion is sacred to the Lord your God. So do not mourn and weep. Do not grieve. For the joy of the Lord is your strength. Therefore, let us celebrate communion with great joy!" o
Dr. Stanley R. Allaby is pastor of Black Rock Congregational Church, 3685 Black Rock Turnpike, Fairfield, CT 06430.