And all the people gathered as one man into the square before the Water Gate. And they told Ezra the scribe to bring the Book of the Law of Moses that the LORD had commanded Israel. 2 So Ezra the priest brought the Law before the assembly, both men and women and all who could understand what they heard, on the first day of the seventh month. 3 And he read from it facing the square before the Water Gate from early morning until midday, in the presence of the men and the women and those who could understand. And the ears of all the people were attentive to the Book of the Law. 4 And Ezra the scribe stood on a wooden platform that they had made for the purpose. And beside him stood Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Uriah, Hilkiah, and Maaseiah on his right hand, and Pedaiah, Mishael, Malchijah, Hashum, Hashbaddanah, Zechariah, and Meshullam on his left hand. 5 And Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people, for he was above all the people, and as he opened it all the people stood. 6 And Ezra blessed the LORD, the great God, and all the people answered, “Amen, Amen,” lifting up their hands. And they bowed their heads and worshiped the LORD with their faces to the ground. 7 Also Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, the Levites, helped the people to understand the Law, while the people remained in their places. 8 They read from the book, from the Law of God, clearly, and they gave the sense, so that the people understood the reading.
(Nehemiah 8:1-8, ESV)
What are some principal observations we can consider from the text above, in light of the importance of intaking God’s Word? Here’s what I notice, at first glance:
1. The people received the Word in solidarity. (v.1a)
2. The people were eager to receive the Word. (vv.1b, 3)
3. The people assembled in a particular place to receive the Word. (vv.1, 2-3)
4. The people knew the Word was to be understood. (v.2)
5. The people made time to receive the Word. (v.3)
6. The people viewed receiving the Word as an act of reverent worship. (vv.4-6)
7. The people were accompanied by those who could help them understand the proclaimed Word. (vv.4b, 7-8).
Which of the elements above might be missing from our approach to receiving the Word each Sunday with gladness and steadfastness (Acts 2:41-42)? I’ll be honest: Sometimes I’m not very eager to receive the Word. I have Sundays in which I “go through the motions.” On other occasions I don’t want to stick around after the service to discuss the sermon’s content and strategize daily application. (Surely, I’m not alone here…)
I’m confident most of us reading this post agree we should prioritize the preached Word. However, it’s the mechanics that often find themselves rusting. To that end, this 3-part blog series will be very brief—offering practical input on improving how we prioritize intaking God’s Word in our local church. In this post (part 1), I will list actions we can take to prepare for Sunday mornings. The second post will engage benefitting from hearing the Word. The third post will help us flesh out the received Word after hearing a sermon. Again, my comments will be brief and will include anecdotes from my own life. My hope is to generate ongoing thought and discussion about improving the way in which we collectively receive the Word.
4 Ways to Prepare for Sunday Morning
1. Limit activity on Saturday evenings. In my home, we try to limit social activity after 5pm. This gives us time to unwind as a family, organize outfits, finalize Sunday meal plans, pray, and read text to be preached the next day.
2. Get plenty of rest. Just as athletes need plenty of rest for optimal performance, so we (spiritual athletes) need rest to be mentally and physically fit for receiving the Word with alertness and clear comprehension. The term “plenty of rest” is certainly subjective. I tend to function well on at least 8 hours of sleep.
3. Get up early and strategize. I recall a preacher stating he makes it a practice to be at his church 3 hours prior to each gathering. This is so he can go over his notes, pray, and simply be alert and ready for those he serves. This may not be a feasible practice for all of us, but we should certainly do whatever it takes to be ready. Get up in enough time to pray for the preacher. Pray for those teaching Sunday school classes. Pray for the music team. Pray for your brothers and sisters to benefit from the preached Word. Over breakfast, read again the text to be preached. (If applicable, this would be a good time to organize your notebook for the day.) Also consider a handful of folks, besides visitors, that you will be intentional about greeting and discussing the sermon with.
4. Arrive early. This will help us all be poised to welcome members and visitors. With a smile, be ready to stir up others to love and good works (Hebrews 10:24). Arriving early allows us to situate our children, locate seating, and drop off our Bibles and notepads. Having these things in order, we are free to engage others with Christian love. As we engage others, here are a few meaningful questions we might ask:
What were you able to read in God’s Word this week?
How are you doing, spiritually?
How can I pray for you and/or your family this week?
Are there any practical ways I can be a blessing to you and/or your family in the upcoming week?
As promised, I have kept it brief. But I do pray discussion abounds. Let us be those who come ready to worship, eager to collectively benefit from receiving the Word.
Next up: what to do while intaking the Word at church.
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