#187 The Joy of the Lord Is Your Strength: Nehemiah 8:9-12

We are going to be taking a look at Nehemiah 8:9-12. But before we do that, I want to share an analogy of what is going on here. In this section of verses we see the people mourning and then being told to be joyful. We are going to explore how we get from mourning to joy.

I picked up this cup of coffee this morning at Starbucks and if you look at the text on the side it says “that first sip feeling, let us add a little bit of joy to your day join Starbucks rewards” Starbucks says that joy is that thing you feel when you take that first sip of coffee in the morning and when that coffee is Starbucks. Furthermore they are saying that because of that feeling you receive you are going to make a commitment. You are going to join Starbucks rewards and you're gonna be a part of this community of coffee drinkers that experience joy when they have Starbucks. Does this remind anyone of something familiar to what we're all doing right now? We are gathered here in the morning because something is causing us to experience joy to be here. We have joined a community based around the idea that there is something good happening here right now, and we are committed to being here on a regular basis. What is that joy? What is joy? What are we actually feeling? What are we getting out of this experience?

“Then Nehemiah, who was the governor, and Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who taught the people said to all the people, “This day is holy to the LORD your God; do not mourn or weep.” For all the people were weeping when they heard the words of the law. Then he said to them, “Go, eat of the fat, drink of the sweet, and send portions to him who has nothing prepared; for this day is holy to our Lord. Do not be grieved, for the joy of the LORD is your strength.” So the Levites calmed all the people, saying, “Be still, for the day is holy; do not be grieved.” All the people went away to eat, to drink, to send portions and to celebrate a great festival, because they understood the words which had been made known to them.” (Nehemiah 8:9-12)

There's a lot to unpack here. There are many different sermons that could come out of this text and we don't have the context of what exactly is happening here yet. But as we move forward and we fill in all those details, I want you to consider how, can grief turn into joy? That is your central question today.

How can grief turn into joy?

At this point in the book of Nehemiah the people had gathered to hear readings from the first five books of the Bible by their leaders. They have been working diligently against long odds rebuilding the city walls. Now they are gathered and being reminded of who they are meant to be. These are the same people who a generation earlier had almost been put to death by Haman in the story of Esther. These people took turns building walls and carrying spears while looking out for their enemies.

The book of Nehemiah takes place during the Persian Empire, around the mid -400s BC. God’s people have been in exile for generations because of their rebellion against Him. By this point, the temple in Jerusalem had been rebuilt under Zerubbabel. Ezra had led a spiritual renewal, calling people back to God’s law. And now, under the leadership of Nehemiah, the walls of the city have been rebuilt.

And now, after all the work and all the struggle, the people are gathered together, listening to the Word of God read aloud, many of them for the very first time in their lives. The people have gained so much yet only now have they comprehended truly what they have lost. This is the moment where grief becomes joy.

God’s Word convicts us. It leads us to an awareness of the hurts and pains in our life.

Nehemiah 8:9 says “Then Nehemiah, who was the governor, and Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who taught the people said to all the people, “This day is holy to the LORD your God; do not mourn or weep.” For all the people were weeping when they heard the words of the law.”

The people were weeping. But why were they weeping? They were weeping over what they had lost. Over the experiences that they had not had. They were weeping over the past and who they could be and what they believed they could become. They were mourning their reality. The sort of weeping that comes from a realization that your world is not the way you would like it to be.

I'm sure that many of you have experienced this sort of feeling. My wife and I have three kids now, and the youngest is just a few months old but someone is missing. Last year we had a miscarriage. Kessa was about two months along and the baby stopped growing. We had an idea of what our life was going to look like with a third child walking around. We had a name picked out. We had beliefs formed in our mind about what his personality might be like. And then he was gone. We had an idea of what life would look like but that is not what happened. I am always looking towards the future. I imagined the day I would be standing in heaven and I get to see my children walk into the room after a good life. Yet that is not the future that God had in mind for me. Instead when I die my child will be there to greet me and say dad this is Jesus.

My wife and I recently reflected on that season of our life and the pregnancy that followed. When she became pregnant again with our youngest child Nathaniel. She said, “it was hard to rejoice in hope because of the fear of loss that could happen again.

Nathaniel means God has given. Job 1:21 says as Job reflected on his loss “The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away, Blessed be the name of the LORD.”

We see in Nehemiah 8:9 that the people were weeping. They felt something that came naturally. They realized what they had lost in the past 200 years. They had forgotten their God. The people were afraid to hope again.

To put this story in its world, there were enemies all around them. Their life was in a state of constant jeopardy. All of these people had traveled far and wide across the empire to return to their homeland where they knew no one, they were alone in the truest sense of the word, even the emperor was going back-and-forth on what to do with these people. The surrounding towns and villages and peoples were undermining their very work. They had to stand with weapons day after day in order to be protected. They were building a wall and even within the city among their own people there were disagreements about what to do and how to do it. But this series of speeches by Nehemiah, Ezra, the priests, and the leaders of the people reminded the people of their singular goal to worship. God reminded them who they are, and what their place was in the world as God's chosen people. The way that the people felt was entirely natural and to be expected in this context, but that is not how they are told to act, they are told to act instead, as if they are filled with joy, not grief.

In verse 9 it says “This day is holy to the LORD your God” when a day is holy to God, it means that we must act accordingly. For something to be holy it is set apart for a special purpose. In this case it is for the feast of booths. The Feast was a reminder of the Israelites journey in the wilderness after leaving Egypt.

That word HOLY is ​​kah-DOHSH which means to be set apart by entering God’s way, secured to Him, and separated from corruption. It is to see a good thing that cannot be ruined.

When we look at the world in which these people were part of, we see that 200 years earlier, Jeremiah prophesied on God's behalf against the people in Jeremiah 2:5. God said to the people “What injustice did your fathers find in Me, That they went far from Me And walked after emptiness and became empty?” The people had experienced the consequences of their fathers actions. But now their actions need to not align with their personal feelings and beliefs as their fathers had done, but rather aligned with God's beliefs and feelings, that was the original mistake that drew the people out of the land. Through Nehemiah, God has told the people that instead of expressing their feelings, they are to act according to the dictates of joy in the responsibilities of the festival of booths.

The theology that we can derive from this text is that we do because God does. We do because God does. We feel as God feels. When God says that something is good that is not simply a feeling or an opinion it is a fact. When God declared the day to be holy that was not simply an opinion it became reality. The grief that the people were experiencing was real but it was far less than the overwhelming joy from God that had made that day holy.

1. Central question - How can grief turn into joy?

Grief can turn into joy when our beliefs and emotions are in proper alignment with God’s Word.

Is this a denial of the place of mourning? No! Rather when we are in alignment with God our feelings come to reflect God’s feelings. His joy becomes our joy.

Verse 10 reads, “Go, eat of the fat, drink of the sweet, and send portions to him who has nothing prepared; for this day is holy to our Lord. Do not be grieved, for the joy of the LORD is your strength.”

When God speaks, it is not an opinion, but it is a fact. When God is experiencing joy; it is not only here that is experiencing that joy. It is all of creation that is wrapped up into that joy. When verse 10 says that the joy of the Lord is your strength, it is saying that the way we feel is being held up by God. We are being pushed upwards into joy as God feels so. As God feels and does, he so emboldens us that we are filled with his strength and we come to find ourselves feeling the same way that God does. Our perspective shifts from the minutia of everyday life to the grand magnificent scheme of the universe from God's perspective, where what we see is the overwhelming joy of the presence of God.

The word for JOY here is khehd-VAH and this word is sort of like the picture of something that which pierces, is chaotic, is contained, but is seen as through a window. It is as if Joy is to behold that which is holy, and then to receive it for yourself to see it and then accept it as your own.

If you remember from the story of Moses, when he came down from the mountain, the glory of God was on his face, his face shown from the brightness to behold that which is Holy creates in us this joy that cannot be contained.

If we cannot find ourselves accepting this reality that at the very least as verse 10 suggests, we can do the actions, we can do the things that become joy. Our circumstances do not dictate our response to the world around us because there is something far bigger at work, and that is God in our life. God's presence dictates our reality, our feelings, and what we care about.

Verse 10 doesn’t just say, “Eat and drink.” It also says, “Send portions to him who has nothing prepared.” God’s comfort is never meant to be hoarded. Real comfort is shared. It flows from God, through us, to others. Joy and strength are multiplied when we include those around us in God’s blessing. Grief may look like crying. It may look like being alone. It may look like not doing what is best for yourself. But what does joy look like joy is a way of being but it's also a way of responding to the world around you joy is generosity towards others. It is giving gifts. It is the focus on the way others feel rather than on the way you feel it is putting others first. When God feels joy that is our strength, we are the recipient of that joy and by being the recipient of that joy. Joy creates joy which creates joy all around us.

Throughout the Old Testament, God’s comfort is linked with His faithfulness and deliverance. Isaiah 61:10 says: “I will rejoice greatly in the LORD, My soul will exult in my God; For He has clothed me with garments of salvation, He has wrapped me with a robe of righteousness”

This verse suggests that the joy of the Lord is connected to the actions of God. What actions does God take when He is expressing joy? We see the image of garments of salvation and a robe of righteousness which is to say, God does not want to celebrate alone. He wants to celebrate with you and bring you up to His level. What did God’s joy look like in the story of Ezra and Nehemiah? It looked like the walls were being rebuilt. It looked like the people being protected and the temple being restored. God’s joy was, quite literally, their strength; it was the very thing holding them together. For the Israelites, comfort meant trusting in God’s faithfulness. They had seen the walls rebuilt, the city restored, and now they were hearing the Law read once again. They were reminded that God Himself had brought them back to their land. Even in the midst of grief, they could trust that God had not abandoned them.

And just as importantly, they could act: celebrate, share, and live out the joy God gives.

For us, comfort works the same way. Life brings grief: loss, disappointment, and fear. But God’s joy remains our strength. We may feel overwhelmed, but His presence sustains us. And when we share that comfort through generosity, encouragement, or acts of kindness we participate in God’s work, just like the Israelites did when they sent portions to those who had nothing.

If you get to know me, you might learn that one of the most impactful people in my life shaping the way I view the world was my grandpa, who passed away when I was in high school. He was one of the most joyful people I’ve ever known. He spent most of my life in a wheelchair, but that never stopped him. My grandma and grandpa’s favorite hobby was going out to eat. They would go to an all-you-can-eat buffet in the morning and sometimes not leave until after dinner, two or three times a week or as often as they could get away with it. What stood out to me as a kid, though, was the way children were drawn to him. Little kids would come up to him and tell him what they wanted for Christmas. They’d even bring him cookies in June. They were excited to see him because, just by his countenance, they knew he was Santa Claus. I hope everyone here has someone like that in their life, someone whose very presence makes people wonder where their joy comes from, because their joy naturally creates joy in others. Every Christmas, my grandpa would dress up as Santa Claus. He was hired by multiple places to play the role, including the all-you-can-eat buffet he frequented. Children would climb onto his lap and say, ‘I really want a Barbie doll,’ and he’d respond, ‘Really? Don’t you want a pony?’ Then the parents would glare at him, and he would let out the deepest, most wonderful chuckle from his belly. It was a sight to behold.

Comfort is not passive; it is active, expressed in how we live and how we love.

I asked earlier: How does grief turn into joy?

Verse 10 gives us part of the answer: through God’s comfort. Grief is real. Loss is real. But God’s presence, His joy, and His providential care equip us to rise above grief, to act in faith and obedience, to trust His faithfulness even when our feelings are unsure.

Now we move to the final point: God’s Joy leads us to Celebrate: how God calls us to express His joy in action, not just feel it internally. This is where our grief truly transforms into tangible, overflowing joy.

“So the Levites calmed all the people, saying, “Be still, for the day is holy; do not be grieved.” All the people went away to eat, to drink, to send portions and to celebrate a great festival, because they understood the words which had been made known to them.” (Nehemiah 8:10-11)

Celebration is not just communal; it is also individual. Each person chooses to act joyfully.

Understanding God’s Word fueled their actions. When we understand what God has done, we cannot help but celebrate. Joy is an intentional response. It is a choice, made over and over, even when circumstances are uncertain.

Now, I want you to think about what this means to you today. I don't want to take away to simply be joyful. Whatever, I don't feel joyful, not gonna be joyful. Can't tell me how to feel whatever that's not the takeaway here. I want to connect with what Nehemiah said to the words of Christ in John's gospel. Jesus spoke in John 15:11 saying “These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full.” The things we feel, the joy we feel, are made more abundant by God's joy just a few verses before this Jesus said “My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be My disciples.” John 15:8 shows that the joy of the Lord in you is that self same proof that you are one of his disciples if you claim to be following God, where is the joy? Joy is not simply a feeling. It is a choice that is empowered and emboldened by the power of God in your life.

This is the story of the Gospel. That humanity sinned: Conviction, God comforted: God met us where we were at by sending His Son, and now is the time to celebrate.

The application of Nehemiah 8:9-12 back then was to go celebrate the feast of booths. Give food to one another.

We do not need to celebrate the feast of booths, but God has done far more for us. He has sent His one and only son to die in the cross for our sins to be risen again three days later, God has given us overwhelming reasons for joy this day. What actions will you take to show that you are filled with joy? Go do what is normally expected of a joyful person to give gifts, joy this is a choice for you to make today. Act intentionally: joy is a choice. Choose to celebrate God’s goodness in your life, even when you feel grief or fear. Create joy in your community: be a source of encouragement, laughter, and worship. Your joy can multiply as others see God’s faithfulness through your life. Joy is both internal and external. It pierces, it is chaotic, but it is contained and visible. We are called to see God’s joy and reflect it in our actions.

The ethical teaching here is clear: grief is not to be denied, but joy is chosen and expressed. The people of Israel modeled a life where obedience, understanding, and community transform sorrow into celebration. This is God’s way for us today. Grief has a place, but it is never the final word. Joy, rooted in God, is stronger and longer-lasting than any sorrow we face.

So, as we reflect on Nehemiah 8:9-12, we see a clear movement:

Convict - acknowledge the past, but do not be defined by it.

Comfort - God strengthens us and reminds us that His joy is our strength.

Celebrate - respond with intentional action, community, and obedience.

Grief turns into joy when we follow God’s Word, trust His comfort, and celebrate His goodness with our lives.

As we come to the end of our time together, let’s revisit the central question of this sermon: How can grief turn into joy? Nehemiah 8:9-12 shows us a clear path: The Joy of the Lord convicts us, it comforts us, and it causes us to celebrate along with God.

Remember my Starbucks cup this morning? The company promises a small burst of joy with that first sip, and then encourages you to commit, to join a community, to act. But the joy God offers is far deeper.

God’s joy does not depend on coffee, circumstances, or fleeting emotions. It comes from Him, flows through us, strengthens us, and calls us to participate in something bigger than ourselves just like the Israelites did in the Feast of Booths. As I shared earlier, grief can be very real. I know that. God is our comforter. If you are grieving today, God is with you. Know that God’s comfort and His joy are real and sustaining. And now, when we celebrate Nathaniel’s life, when we embrace each day with Abraham and Helena, we are learning to respond in joy, even after sorrow. The joy of the Lord is our strength not because life is perfect, but because God is faithful.

As we leave today, I want you to consider:

• How might God’s joy transform your grief into strength?