What will it cost to follow Jesus? That is the question with which Luke 5:1-16 forces us to wrestle. Cultural Christianity is acceptable in Birmingham, Alabama, but what happens in Luke 5 does not leave us with that option. The King of all the universe desires relationship with us because he loves us.

After an initial wave of popularity, Jesus comes home to Nazareth. While there he preaches in his local synagogue and gives the people good news: the long-awaited Messiah is here. It’s him. Though the people didn’t have a problem with the kingdom coming, they had a problem with how it was coming and refused to bow to Jesus. Jesus demands a choice, and only through his choosing us can we be a child of God.

If you were the author of Nehemiah, wouldn’t you want to end the story of great revival in chapter 12 and not 13? Chapter 12 is filled with the glorious revival of the people of God. And chapter 13 takes us back to cycles of sin. God, in his most wise counsel saw fit to include chapter 13, which makes us long for things to be made right: it makes us long for Jesus.

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If the Christian’s proper response to God’s faithfulness is joy, how are we to be joyful?
The people of Israel in Nehemiah 12 show us how we are to be joyful by painting one of the most beautiful worship services in all of Scripture. And in so doing tell us this very important truth that we must know: Joy is God-powered.