Nehemiah 8:1-10
Introduction
The citizens of Judah have been living in exile in Babylon for 70 years, cut off from their homeland and their temple in Jerusalem. They had little access to the news of Judah and were living as strangers in a strange land. And most of all, God’s word was not present to them—not beyond the remembered and memorized stories. But after years and years, finally, they are allowed to return home. Their governor, Nehemiah, led them in rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem, and the priest Ezra read scripture while the people listened.
The Word of God really mattered to the people, which is why they all gathered together and “Ezra brought the law before the assembly, both men and women and all who could hear with understanding” (Nehemiah 8:1-2).
This is an incredibly huge piece to our Judeo-Christian heritage. The people of Jerusalem craved the truth, the faith, the direction, the hope that came through scripture. So Ezra read the books of Moses, which the Lord had given to Israel. “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.”
The book of the law, the books of Moses, the words of God, were now uncensored. After years—generations— of being kept from, censored from God’s word, the people were hearing the word—some perhaps again, finally, most though for the first time. And it touched their hearts and souls. It was so meaningful and powerful it caused them to weep. Weep with joy, hope, thanksgiving, relief, and praise—because that is the power of God’s uncensored word.
Move 1
In the United States today, journalists are being criticized from both the right and the left because of biased coverage, inaccurate or incomplete coverage, skewing context or flat out taking context out, while also being accused of sensationalism and gas lighting. And the term most used, again on both sides of the aisle— and I know I going to trigger some of y’all, but hang with me— is the term “fake news.”
Now before y’all start bristling about where I might be going here, relax. This isn’t going to be a political stump speech or subtle jabs at one side of the aisle or the other, so just hold on a couple of minutes because I get it—some people take this topic and term very personally. So much so they will put their beliefs about “fake news” on a t-shirt so there’s no doubt about their position on “fake news.”
For instance, I saw the other day a t-shirt that states unequivocally the position the wearer stands when it comes to biased coverage, inaccurate or incomplete reporting, skewed context, sensationalism, and gas lighting. This t-shirt said— brace yourself, because again, this may trigger some of you… “My 60thBirthday is FAKE NEWS.”
Ok, so are we good? I am not going to try to convince you what news outlets are fake or not fake, rather the direction I want for us to consider today is that of being… Uncensored. Uncensored…that’s what we need to be if we are going to have a true and lasting impact on the world.
Move 2
When it comes to the free press— even if we don’t always agree with it—a free press is a blessing not all have. The First Amendment of our Constitution says Congress shall make no law “abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press” meaning our American press is free, uncensored and available to all. This, however, is not so in some countries where the government tightly controls the media and bans many news outlets. But there is a place people who live under such censorship can get access to uncensored journalism—and it may surprise you. People who live in countries where the press is censored play the popular kids video game Minecraft. No joke.
Minecraft is a video game in which players (of all ages, not just kids) explore a virtual world, extract raw materials, make tools and build structures. You can fight computer-controlled mobs or compete against other online players all around the globe. You can choose to play in survival mode, in which you have to gain resources in order to build the world and maintain health; or you can play in creative mode, in which you have unlimited resources. Or, in your game of Minecraft, you can access uncensored journalism.
This is sadly fascinating. A nonprofit called Reporters Without Borders has created a backdoor within the game Minecraft. Go through this door, and you can visit a virtual library stocked with uncensored articles, accessible by any player, anytime, anywhere in the world—even in the parts of the world where such news is censored.
The magazine Fast Company reports that visitors to The Uncensored Library, as it is called, can read reporting from a whole host of journalists, including pieces from slain journalists Jamal Khashoggi and Javier Valdez who exposed crime and corruption until they were killed.
Through this Minecraft backdoor, Reporters Without Borders is working to show the younger generations the importance of a free press. Anna Nelson, the U.S. executive director of Reporters Without Borders says, “In the real world there are very real consequences when information is censored. We want game users to understand how important it is to have access to a free press.” Since it launched in March 2020 the project has reached more than 20 million gamers from 165 countries.
And what is the overarching message that comes forth when news and information is uncensored? That there is more in this world than we know—and when we know more, when our eyes are opened more widely, there is life changing power to be found.
Move 3
Like censored journalism, the words of Moses had been unavailable for generations to those in exile in Babylon, but now in our text for today they are being read and heard. Ezra stands on a wooden platform and read God’s call and instructions to be God’s people, and the reading turned into a worship service that lasted for hours. “Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people, for he was standing above all the people; and when he opened it, all the people stood up. Then they bowed their heads and worshiped the Lord.”
When the people heard the word of God, the emotions of it all, the magnitude of what was happening was so overwhelming, and God’s word resonated so deeply in their souls that they wept. What had been kept from them for so long; what had been censored for generations—some having never heard before, but only heard of God’s word—was now being given to the people—and it moved them so much they wept.
Think about that. The reading and hearing of God’s word, hearing of God’s power and deeds and grace and promise and all that God is and does for God’s children, made the people weep. A thirst so dry, quenched. A hunger so great, fed. A missing piece at last found. Can we even imagine? I dare think we can’t—which is a good thing for sure—because it means we are not an exiled people. But it can mean, if we are not careful, we take what we have for granted.
Move 4
The people of Jerusalem gathered beneath a wooden platform and listened to the word of God being read. They knew that to “understand” the Bible means, quite literally, to “stand under” the Bible— to place ourselves under its authority, to take it personally, to allow our lives to be shaped by it, to give it our trust and our confidence, and to live and share it.
In ancient times and today, the Word of God has the power to penetrate the human spirit, to speak to the heart, to touch the deepest corners of the soul.
Think of the biblical passages that still have this effect today:
“The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want…” (Psalm 23:1) “For surely I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord…” (Jeremiah 29:11) “Do justice … love kindness … walk humbly with your God…” (Micah 6:8) “Love is patient; love is kind…” (1 Corinthians 13:4) “I can do all things through him who strengthens me…” (Philippians 4:13) “All things work together for good for those who love God…” (Romans 8:28) “For God so loved the world…” (John 3:16).
These words and more—Christmas Eve, Easter— touch our spirits, hearts and souls, and all come from God… uncensored. And we know their life changing power, their hope filled promise, their unconditional love. They are uncensored to us—thanks be to God. But here’s the hard question we have to ask ourselves… Are the words of God uncensored through us? The word of God is uncensored to us, but is the word of God censored by us? Meaning, are we for sure reading, hearing, sharing, living, and offering God’s word to others?
Conclusion
Minecraft reminds us that we should never censor journalism. And the same is true of God’s word, and the book of Nehemiah makes this clear. There is nothing fake about God’s Good news.
Which means in every time and place, the uncensored Word of God is our truth, and the joy of the Lord is our strength. And therefore it becomes our important duty to make sure God’s word is never censored; that all doors are open to it; that it is shared, understood, lived, and offered because we know its life changing power—that it can move people with such magnitude that they weep with joy, hope, thanksgiving, relief, and praise.
And the joy, hope, thanksgiving, relief, and praise that comes from God’s word, and changes lives must always be uncensored.
May we do our part to make sure it never is. Especially not by us. Amen.
Pastoral Prayer, January 23, 2022
Holy God, when we seek to understand the Bible, we are doing more than making an effort to understand what the words mean. Instead, we are “standing under” your Holy Word, seeing how you view humanity and history, giving your word not only the insight our brains need, but also leading us to respond with allegiance of our hearts.
When the people of Jerusalem stood under your law and your ways, they were allowing your word to shape them as a people. And though we don’t know the exact words Ezra read—they could have been the Ten Commandments, the challenge to “love the Lord your God”, or the commandment to “love your neighbor as yourself”—we know the words delivered truth to the people. And they responded by pledging allegiance to you, their God, who was speaking and calling to them.
But they did so with clear understanding, and not a mindless reaction. They hung on every word, and relied on the help of others who “gave the sense” to what was being shared and told and instructed. And all of it moved them to a place of joy, hope, thanksgiving, relief, and praise.
Admittedly O God, we are moved to weep today—but not because of joy, hope, thanksgiving, relief, and praise. We are moved to weep because we cannot make any sense of why the world is in such a state of division, vitriol, judgement, and hate; nor can we begin to make any sense of how it will ever stop.
So take the tears we weep Lord, and transform them into a healing balm that not only puts back together our broken spirits, but also inspires us to move forward with your word as our guide.
Be to us the help we need to know that what makes sense in a senseless world is your word that can change everything for the better.
Encourage us to live lives that are uncensored—lives that share and live out your call to live with grace, hope, compassion, empathy, and love. For truly that is how the world will be changed.
Hear now the prayers of our hearts as we offer them in this time of holy silence.
All this we pray in the name of Christ Jesus, who taught us to pray, saying, “Our…”