Lessons from Nehemiah Nehemiah 6:1-6:14 Introduction- This morning we are going to look at the leader Nehemiah. People cry about a lot of things. According to 13:6, Nehemiah returned to Babylon in the king’s 32nd year, or around 432 B.C. Destroyed Again. How do I discern which particular need God wants me to get involved with?”. God has always called leaders. Then He said to His disciples, ‘The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. 7-8). Sin. Third wave under Nehemiah (445 BC) is found in Nehemiah 1-3. The temple had been rebuilt for about 70 years, but the walls that Nebuchadnezzar had destroyed in 586 B.C. Grappling with the truths that Edwards presents makes your brain ache! We live in such a man-centered age that we easily can fall into the error of thinking that God’s purpose is to save people because He loves them and wants them to be happy. What should you do? Nehemiah included himself with the sins of the people. You’d be hard-pressed to find a single pastor who hasn’t been influenced, pressured, or scolded on both sides of the table. Do our knees hit the floor with a sense of ownership and confidence? Alan Redpath wrote, “Recognition of need must be followed by earnest, persistent waiting upon God until the overwhelming sense of world need becomes a specific burden in my soul for one particular piece of work which God would have me do” (Victorious Christian Service [Revell], p. 31). Nehemiah arrived in Jerusalem in 444 B.C., about 13 years after Ezra had returned there. In the face of opposition and ridicule, Nehemiah spilled the secret to his confidence declaring, “The God of heaven will give us success; therefore we His servants will arise and build…” (2:20). But this graphic firsthand description of the scene by Nehemiah’s brother, including the news of things after the ban by Artaxerxes, devastated Nehemiah. God’s chief purpose is to further His own glory through the joy of salvation that His people experience in Him. The needs are simply endless. Motivating them with divine confidence is critical to moving the ball downfield. Hockey ice, that is. From 1977-1992 he was the pastor of Lake Gregory Community Church in Crestline, California. The […], In the previous post, we looked at 7 Habits of a Fool. Perhaps, like Nehemiah, you will have known in general about the need for a long time. the Persian king Artaxerxes sent Nehemiah to Jerusalem to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem that Nebuchadnezzar had destroyed about 150 years before. Nehemiah wasn't a priest or preacher, but God used him mightily during his time. Do our hearts break for those in bondage? Nehemiah kept the people focused on the work even as they made preparations to face the opposition. He didn’t let the work go undone as he countered the threat. But then you hear about the specifics of it or you see it firsthand and you can’t put it out of your mind. We … LESSONS LEARNED FROM NEHEMIAH Marvin L. Weir Most remember that the children of Israel were carried into Babylonian captivity because of their lack of faith in the true and living God. Sometimes you hear about the overwhelming needs around the world and run for cover because there is no way to respond to them all. Nehemiah went to Jerusalem to rebuild the wall in the 20th year of King Artaxerxes (444 B.C. Vision begins with a dissatisfaction of what could and should be. You must not think that I regret coming here, and leaving my mother. Search the Scriptures, and you won’t find a prayer recorded that just asks God to “be with” his people. Jesus said, “I will build My church” (Matt. Nehemiah wasn’t even living in Jerusalem, but was serving in the palace for the King of Persia. Lesson 1 Introduction and Chapter 1 Nehemiah Accepts the Mission to Rebuild the Walls of Jerusalem • Bibliography • Nehemiah Lesson List • Next. You can create a small walled city out of blocks, Legos, or other stackable objects. I was traveling the world on a private Gulfstream jet doing “gospel” ministry and enjoying every luxury money could buy. Nehemiah is one of my favorite Bible heroes too. He argues that the end for which God created the world is, “first, that the glory of God might be magnified in the universe, and, second, that Christ’s ransomed people from all times and all nations would rejoice in God above all things” (Piper, p. 31). A Time To Build: Lessons From Nehemiah - Shared by Brian Bill; Save A Time To Build: Lessons From Nehemiah Contributed ... Scripture: Nehemiah 1:1-11. What does that mean? And what’s more? Required fields are marked *. Explain that Nehemiah was a Jew who served as the cupbearer to the Persian king (see Nehemiah 1:11). The Search OF the Savior: Why Jesus Came, Part 2 (Gal. It’s easy to pick on fools because they’re so blatantly…well, foolish! A lot of opposition was mounted, but Nehemiah set his eyes on what was to be accomplished and did not turn aside from that. If the fire of your desire, love for God, love for His kingdom, your ministry or your business has dwindled over the years or months, these two lessons from the life of Nehemiah will … And lost people need repentance so that they can be reconciled to God. Attach images - Only PNG, JPG, JPEG and GIF are supported. But Nehemiah persisted and the wall was completed in 52 days! What is the month Kislev? Whatever the problem, you can trace its roots back to sin, either to the original sin of Adam and Eve, or directly to the sins of the people with the problems. These 2 lessons from the life of Nehemiah should be ones you take into the new year. He quickly realized that at the heart of things was not a lack of organization, although they desperately needed someone to organize things, which Nehemiah subsequently did. When we see brokenness in the lives of people it should break our hearts and cause us to pursue God’s heart … Sin. Social media is ablaze right now and has been for some time. Sin. The person God uses has a burden for His people, a vision for His purpose, and a commitment to His purpose. What does the twentieth year refer to? Rather, he waited on God in prayer for four months before the opportunity arose to talk with the king. That physical law has a parallel in the spiritual realm: Even among God’s people, unless we are constantly fighting against it, things tend toward the maximum state of spiritual entropy. 2. Today we’re going to look at a man who cried about a broken wall. Nehemiah quickly stepped in and called for the people to remember the sins of Solomon (13:26) and turn in obedience to God. But Nehemiah knew something about what God wanted to do with His people (1:9): “I … will bring them to the place where I have chosen to cause My name to dwell.” Babylon would not do. Why do kids from Christian homes rebel against God and their parents? Go to Nehemiah. In the end, he declared, “Remember me, O my God, for good” (13:31). A friend of mine who happens to be the Vice President of a prominent seminary and no stranger to the challenges in leadership recently tweeted words that accurately predict the current (and coming) landscape in homes, families, and […], Everybody’s played the fool at some point. 1. Where can we learn about that? Yes and no. The question was: Is it biblical for a man who is able-bodied and married with children to be a stay-at-home dad while his wife goes to work as primary provider? Bible Lesson: Nehemiah’s Burden (Nehemiah 1-2) (Introduction to Bible Lesson) The purpose of the introduction is to help the students to discover that as they study Nehemiah and learn how he was burdened for Jerusalem being in ruins they can identify the brokenness that surrounds them. I hope that somebody does something about it.” Rather, he was willing to commit himself to the task and to stick with it in spite of numerous difficulties. Knock down the wall and explain that the houses aren’t safe anymore, because there is no protection around them. Rebuilding. I will warn you: it is not easy, light reading! They promise that with enough faith (and a big enough offering), you can hit the […], Navigating Different COVID-19 Convictions, If there is one word to describe how we must navigate re-gathering amid COVID-19, it’s this: grace. Lesson #1: “Full-time” ministry is not required. Oh, no! Below are some lessons we might learn from Nehemiah’s leadership example. Parents cry when their children leave home. Since he enjoyed closest access to the king, he was a highly trusted man. The greatest lesson that we can learn from Nehemiah comes from his amazing endurance. In fact, he prayed (of course! Sometimes it may seem like all a leader is doing is policing people’s bad behavior. Maybe you’re wondering, “The needs are so many and so great! Nehemiah modeled what it means to obey God for the right reasons and stay focused on what matters most. 1:1-3). Susa: In Shushan the palace.—Susa, the capital of Susiana; where, after the capture of th… 16 Replies to “Overcoming Distractions – Lessons from Nehemiah” Barbara Harper says: September 25, 2020 at 1:01 pm. As the cupbearer, he was in charge of … We also need to be aware of and confess our own sins. Here are five qualities that Nehemiah possessed, though the list could be much longer. were still in ruins, leaving the city defenseless against enemy attacks. “A cup-bearer was an officer of high rank in royal courts, whose duty it was to serve the drinks at the royal table. Jesus had predicted this in Matthew 24. Nehemiah was realistic in assessing the problem. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. First wave under Zerubabbel (536 BC) is found in Ezra 1-6. It is the most humbling moment of your existence to find that so […], Old time evangelist Vance Havner once said, “The alternative to discipline is disaster.”[1] You know what? It could mean that you are not born again, because you are not concerned about the things that God is concerned about. Nehemiah is one of the most prominent examples of spiritual leadership that viewed authority as God-given privilege — a responsibility, really — not a mandated right. We had a band that was filled with hired guns and we paid them to play the lights out every Sunday. Leadership Lessons from Nehemiah : Lesson #1. 84-85). Perhaps, like Daniel and his friends, he had been conscripted into the king’s service as a young man and was not free to leave. If God is going to use us to help alleviate any great need, we need to keep clear in our focus, that at the root of the problem is human sin. He knew God was in it and He looked to God for sustenance and strength to carry it through. He didn’t stand and testify of his strength, wisdom, and might. Matthew 9:36-38 says, “Seeing the people, He felt compassion for them, because they were distressed and dispirited like sheep without a shepherd. On account of the constant fear of plots and intrigues, a person must be regarded as thoroughly trustworthy to hold this position. Nehemiah was so emotionally moved by the report about the condition of his city and his people that he mourned, fasted, and prayed for 4 months. From beyond the grave his words are still piercingly true. We end up engrossed in our own pursuit of pleasure and ignore the needs of others. The wall symbolizes the distinctive difference between God’s people and worldly people in the way we think, the values we hold, and the way we relate to God and to one another (see 1 Pet. His responsibility was to choose and taste the wine before it was served to the king to make sure that it was not poisoned. 1. We have acted very corruptly against You and have not kept the commandments, nor the statutes, nor the ordinances which You commanded Your servant Moses” (1:6b-7). No matter the tension we feel […], We’re cruising into the first year of Trump in the White House. About 444 B.C. If you are born again but do not feel burdened for the lost or for God’s people, it probably means that you have become so caught up with seeking the things that the world seeks that you are not seeking first God’s kingdom and righteousness (Matt. For Passion to have staying power and not just be a desire/dream requires action: 2 specific actions from Nehemiah. 16:18). Nobody could do that. He begins his prayer addressing God: “I beseech You, O Lord God of heaven, the great and awesome God, who preserves the covenant and lovingkindness for those who love Him and keep His commandments” (1:5). But then you hear about the specifics of it or you see it firsthand and you can’t put it out of your mind. 3 Proven Ways to “Grow” Your Youth Ministry, For decades the American church has sold a shallow “growth strategy” revolving around the notion that teenagers and college students need copious amounts of shenanigans to stay in the church and buy into Christianity. You need to go before God and get your priorities in line with His priorities. Thanks, Barbara! The Bible is clear. But we dare not get distracted from the root problem. He just couldn’t put it out of his mind. Nehemiah would have eaten the best food, worn the best clothes, and lived in very comfortable quarters. He was prudent, planned, and ready when the answer was, “Yes!”. […] Leadership Lessons from Nehemiah — Costi Hinn […], Your email address will not be published. He does that when His people not only know and dutifully obey Him, but when they joyfully know and obey Him (Piper, p. 75). Within the church today, leaders have the opportunity to motivate people to take on big challenges for the glory of God and the good of His people. Nehemiah had a pretty impressive resume and instead of leaving a path of destruction behind him, he was about to … This is a story about four people named Everybody, Somebody, Anybody and Nobody. Sometime later, Nehemiah requested and received a second leave … As we saw in Ezra 4:11-23, an attempt at rebuilding the walls had been made a few years before. But if you have done that, the Bible is clear that you have been given a spiritual gift to use in service for the Lord (1 Pet. He wept, mourned, fasted, and prayed for days, entreating God to do something about these deplorable conditions. 16-19 Study #3 Obstacles to Rebuilding God’s Community (Chapter 5) pgs. Second, don’t commit yourself impetuously to something just because the need is there. We go to other sinners and offer God’s mercy. Rather, wait on God in prayer until He burdens your heart with a particular need that you can do something about. Passion is the catalyst which catapults you out of passive concern and into action. Copyright, Steven J. Cole, 2002, All Rights Reserved. The cupbearer was a high position in the court. As Paul makes clear in Ephesians 1-3, God’s purpose involves building His church for the sake of His name or His glory. If that is your condition, you need to repent of your sins and trust in Christ to save you. In chapter 1 of the book of Nehemiah, we are introduced to Nehemiah who was taken captive and was serving the king of Persia as his cupbearer. Nehemiah lived in the palace at Susa with the king. You may be waiting on a ministry opportunity, waiting to complete seminary, or waiting on what you think you’re ready for – but haven’t seen God open the door yet. Why not just settle down and worship God here?”. God’s purpose in this age involves the church. He was willing to give it all up, make the difficult journey to Jerusalem, and to set about the stressful job of mobilizing the people to rebuild the walls so that God’s name would be honored among His people. 15:9-12)! They cry at weddings. Where is Susa? 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