The Hebrews had forgotten their God.
After 150 years in captivity in Babylon, only scribes like Ezra and high officials like Nehemiah knew anything of the Law of Moses. They were allowed to return to Jerusalem by the Persian Empire, the new ruling power. But they had not yet returned to the truth.
Ezra stood before the crowd and began to read. As he did, teachers turned and explained to those behind them, and more teachers behind them turned and did the same. In this way, the Law was read to all the people of Israel, the descendants of exiles.
The truth was excruciating to hear. The weight of their ignorance, of the distance they had created between themselves and God by forgetting him as a people, was so great it pushed the faces of the people into the ground.
You might think their leaders would consider this lament a healthy response. They did not.
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.”
The Levites calmed all the people, saying, “Be still, for this is a holy day. Do not grieve.” (Nehemiah 8:9-11)
There was a process of godly redemption going on. It was painful, but it was not meant to stay that way.
Pastor Josh told us yesterday about theologian Frederick Buechner, who recalled a preacher once telling him that Christ is crowned in the hearts of those who believe in him, "among confession, and tears, and great laughter."
This is the process of redemption that was playing out in Nehemiah. It is a process that, when we engage in it, once again crowns the Lord in our hearts.
Step 1: Confession
God is love. His forgiveness was already there in front of the Hebrews, like a ripe fruit ready to be picked. All it took for them to experience it was to recognize they needed it.
That's what confession is. It isn't begging God to forgive you for your sins. He already wants to do that! It is the simple act of speaking the truth, that you have hurt others, yourself, God. That's all it takes to pick the fruit of forgiveness.
Step 2: Tears
It was only natural that the people wept before the reading of the Law. They had turned away from their only hope, the source of all love, their creator, their protector and provider. They had lived in darkness for generations. It was painful to realize that.
Tears are a natural part of the process of redemption for all of us. But take heart, because the focus of redemption is not what you have done wrong. This is a coronation! The focus is on the Lord, whom you are crowning in your heart once again. There is more reason for tears of joy than sadness.
Step 3: Great Laughter
It was not time for the Hebrews to grieve. It was party time!
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. (verse 12)
The pain of confession is a good, productive pain. The tears you shed as guilt pours out of you is also good.
But shame is not from God. A godly process of redemption does not bring you low. It does not push your face into the dirt. It frees you.
Even if you have to go and make amends to people you have hurt - even if you have committed a crime and must serve time in prison - to be redeemed means Christ is king in your heart. You know you are forgiven. That's what gives you the strength to carry on.
When he was teaching in his home town of Nazareth, Jesus quoted what the prophet Isaiah had long ago foretold about him:
“The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free,
to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” (Luke 4:18-19)
As Josh explained, this is both literal and figurative. It is not God's intention for his children to live as prisoners. Not in a prison cell, nor in the prison of shame.
God desires to redeem us, and for us to treat others as redeemable.
He does not call us to live in shame, or to shame one another. He longs to forgive us all. He longs to see our tears come and go, so we can laugh and dance and experience his joy once again. He calls us to encourage others to do the same.
His forgiveness is a ripe fruit. We need only reach up and pick it.