When you attend a play, it is the job of the actor to

entertain you, you're supposed to just sit back and enjoy the show. That shouldn't

be your expectation in church, though. Whether you're preaching from the pulpit or

sitting on the pew, each of us has an important job to do in church.

Alistair Begg explores those roles today on Truth for Life, where in the

opening verses of Nehemiah chapter 8, to preach is no special honor, but it is a

great calling. Bruce Filman says it this way, there is no special honor in being

called to the preaching ministry. There is only special pain. The pulpit calls those

are known to it as the sea calls its sailors, and like the sea it batters and bruises and

does not rest. To preach, to really preach is to die naked a little at a time and to know

each time you do it, that you're going to have to do it again. Now what we have in Nehemiah

chapter 8, then, is a classic illustration of this kind of proclamation. So notice then,

first of all, all the people gathered expectantly. God gave Israel the ability and the authority

that people gave him the opportunity and the invitation. And what did they do? Well, they

listened attentively. Verse 2 on the first day of the seventh month, Ezra the priest brought

the law before the assembly, notice which was made up of men and women and all who were

able to understand. Now there is a principle here, loved ones, I'm not sure just how it

all works out, but I know there is a principle here. Namely, that the idea, that the only way

to effectively instruct a congregation is to demiate up on the basis of age and special

interest is not a biblical principle. It's not necessarily a wrong principle, but it's

not a biblical principle. The way of instruction in the Old Testament was first of all parental

instruction to the children and then it was the instruction of the elders of the church

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