WEBVTT
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Amen.
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We praise God for our worship team.
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Amen.
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How many of us know that there's no one greater than our God?
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Amen.
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Amen.
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Thank you.
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Amen.
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That's the next generation, church.
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That's the next generation.
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Amen.
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That's the next generation.
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Such a blessing to see our children go over to play, but they're going also to learn the Bible.
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Amen.
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Amen.
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Amen.
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If you are visiting with us, we are walking through the book of Nehemiah.
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And I would tell you, we would, well, the goal is to do it chapter by chapter, verse by verse.
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But I will tell you, if we go verse by verse today, we won't get out of here until tomorrow.
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Amen.
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If you don't have anywhere to be, I don't have anywhere to be.
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We can just stay right here in the text.
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Amen?
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Amen.
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So we're going to be in Nehemiah chapter 2.
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Nehemiah chapter 2.
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If you have a Bible, please turn with me to chapter 2.
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If you don't have a Bible, you can look in the row in front of you and you'll be able to find one there.
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And you can turn and follow along with us.
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Keep Pastor Sammy and Mariah and Adassa in prayer.
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From one pastor's heart to another, it's not easy to be away from your flock.
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And so I know he is somewhat struggling, but can't be struggling too hard because he's on vacation.
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Amen.
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Amen.
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So we're going to be in the entire chapter of chapter two on today, but I just want to read for our hearing the first eight verses.
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But we'll wrestle with the all 20 verses in this chapter on this day.
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So please keep me in prayer and keep yourself in prayer as we walk through this passage together.
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Amen?
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As we always do, and in reverence to God's word, may we all stand for the reading and the reverence of God's holy word.
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In the month of Nisan, in the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes, when wine was before him, I took up the wine and gave it to the king.
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Now I had not been sad in his presence.
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And the king said to me, Why is your face sad, seeing you are not sick?
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This is nothing but sadness of heart.
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Then I was very much afraid.
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I said to the king, let the king live forever.
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Why should I not, why should not my face be sad when the king, when the city, the place of my father's graves, lies in ruins and its gates have been destroyed by fire.
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When the king said to me, then the king said to me, What are you requesting?
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So I prayed to the God of heaven.
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And I said to the king, If it pleases the king, and if your servant has found favor in your sight, that you send me to Judah to the city of my father's grave, that I may rebuild it.
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And the king said to me, the queen sitting beside him, How long will you be gone, and when will you return?
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So it pleased the king to send me when I had given him a time.
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And I said to the king, If it pleases the king, let letters be given me to the governors of the province beyond the river, that they may let me pass through until I come to Judah.
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And a letter to Asaph, the keeper of the king's forest, that he may give me timber to make beams of gates of the fortress of the temple, and for the wall of the city, and for the house that I shall occupy.
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And the king granted me what I asked, for the good hand of my God was upon me.
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Amen.
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That's God's word for God's people.
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Let us pray.
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Father God, we thank you for your hand upon our lives.
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For without you, O God, we would not have breath in our bodies.
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We wouldn't be able to stand here to hear, to worship and to listen to your holy word.
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So we thank you, Father, that your word is living and it meets us right where we are.
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And so we pray right now, Father, for open ears and open hearts.
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We pray that your word that goes forth, dear God, that it is for our edification and for your glorification.
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Father, we pray for unsaved souls in this moment.
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That they hear something today, dear God, that pricks their hearts that they may come and ask, what must I do to be saved?
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Father, help me to set self out of the way so that your word can come forth.
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We thank you, we praise you, and we ask these blessings in Christ Jesus' name.
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Amen.
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I just want to talk to us for a moment about the kind of faith that God honors.
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Faith is a very common word that we always use, we know about, but when it's time to exercise faith, sometimes it's a totally different story.
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As a young adult in college, I lived in an apartment that caught on fire.
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I was not there in that moment, but I had two roommates who both had to jump out of the window.
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One jumped out of the window with no problem.
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He just ran and jumped out of the window.
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It was only two stories.
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But then the other one just hung from the window.
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He hung from the window, and my roommate was trying to tell him, hey, you need to jump.
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You need to let go.
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And he looking down said, no, I can't let go.
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And my roommate said, just jump, I got you.
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And he let go of the window beam, and my roommate was able to catch them, and they both fell to the ground.
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But in that moment, he had to have the faith that our roommate would catch him.
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And so when we look at faith and we examine faith, we have to understand that faith is a gift from God.
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The Bible is full of narratives that we see that demonstrate how faith constantly opens pathways to divine favor.
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When you look through scriptures, you'll see Abraham's chief servant and Solomon both received wisdom when they sought, sought it out from God.
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Moses and Daniel's intercession for Israel brought divine mercy.
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Hannah found deliverance for her distress through earnest petition and prayer to God.
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And the list goes on and on.
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Joshua, Esther, Deborah, David, the disciples.
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These individuals were ordinary people who, like you and I, received answers to their prayers by placing confidence in God and trusting in his character and trusting in his word.
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Nehemiah is another name that needs to be added to that list of champions.
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His prayers for Jerusalem resulted in favor and protection for the reconstruction work.
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Chapter 1, we met Nehemiah, the Jewish cupbearer, to the Persian king.
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Nehemiah is living out the fulfillment of Scripture, and that he's experiencing the exile.
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He's a man who is a student of Scripture.
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He loves God, passionately prays for the king, for God's kingdom to come, and he has a deep concern for the welfare of his people.
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And now in chapter two, we have the privilege of watching what happens when God begins to answer Nehemiah's prayers.
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Nehemiah, distressed by the report of Jerusalem's broken and miserable condition, he approached God on behalf of the Jews.
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He fasted, he prayed, he sought God's mercy and help, and God heard Nehemiah and answered Nehemiah's prayer.
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You see, church, answered prayer strengthens and grows our faith.
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Faith itself, understood as living in complete dependence on God's presence, power, and future promises, is the condition for God's divine favor on our lives.
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It was the psalmist who understood this when he pinned these words in Psalms 116.1.
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It says, I love the Lord because he has heard my voice and my pleas for mercy.
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God heard Nehemiah's plea.
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So let's look back at what Nehemiah prayed.
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Look with me at Nehemiah 1.11 in your Bible.
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Nehemiah 1.11 says, O Lord.
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And I want us to listen to this prayer very closely.
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It says, O Lord, let your ear be attentive to the prayer of your servant, and to the prayer of your servants who delight to fear your name.
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And give success to your servant today and grant him mercy in the sight of this man.
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This man whom Nehemiah served was the king of Persia, and God grants this very prayer to this man of God.
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Now, I don't want you to expect that this sermon will give you an easy formula to answer prayer.
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There are no religious formulas to answer prayer, church.
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There's no religious formulas that can minimize our sovereign God and his providence.
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Neither are there any shortcuts to answer prayer.
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Nehemiah's prayer did not move the hand of God because he said the right words the right way.
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God accepted Nehemiah's prayer because God accepted Nehemiah.
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Fundamental obstacle to walking in faith is inadequate personal knowledge of God.
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And if you know what it means to walk in faith, and you've been walking with God for some time, you know that the more you walk with God, and the longer you walk with God, and the more you experience God, and the more you get to know God, the greater your faith.
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And so just as people naturally hesitate to trust strangers, Christians struggle to believe God's promises when they haven't developed genuine familiarity with his character and his track record.
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I like what Martin Luther says.
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He says, faith is a living, daring confidence in God's grace.
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Jesus said faith can move mountains in Matthew 17, 20.
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And so, what kind of faith honors God?
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A living active faith is what honors God.
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Nehemiah's life will demonstrate for us four aspects of living active faith.
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And as we study his testimony, we must examine our own hearts to see whether or not that we whether or not we are really walking and working by faith.
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So we see first that Nehemiah had faith that rested in the helping hand of God.
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Verses 1 through 4 of our text says this, in the month of Nisan, in the 20th year of King Artaxerxes, when wine was before him, I took up the wine and gave it to the king.
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Now I had not been sad in his presence.
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And the king said to me, Why is your face sad, seeing you are not sick?
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This is nothing but sadness of heart.
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Then I was very much afraid.
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I said to the king, Let the king live forever.
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Why should not my face be sad when the city, the place of my father's graves, lies in ruins and its gates have been destroyed by fire?
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Then the king said to me, What are you requesting?
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And here it is, church.
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So I prayed to the God of heaven.
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When Nehemiah heard about the condition of Jerusalem's wall, he made himself available to God to do something about the situation.
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He was even willing to leave his royal executive job to go in order to rebuild the walls in Jerusalem.
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But Nehemiah knew nothing would be accomplished in his own strength.
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He knew nothing would be accomplished in his own wisdom, and he knew nothing would be accomplished in his own authority, no matter how willing he was for success of this entire project.
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He knew that it rested in the hands of God.
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And because Nehemiah knew that the outcome was in God's hands, he prayed boldly.
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He prayed specific prayers, he prayed courageous prayers.
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Look with me again at verse 11.
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Verse 1, chapter 1, verse 11.
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The second half of this verse says, And give success to your servant today, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man.
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On the surface, these petitions may not seem like much.
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But the last sentence of the verse shows us the magnitude of the request.
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Look what it says.
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Now I was a cupbearer to the king.
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And this is significant.
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We can't miss this.
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The cupbearer was the most important cabinet position in the kingdom.
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The king trusted the cupbearer with his very own life.
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Sadness was dangerous, was a dangerous emotion to express in the king's presence.
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The king noticed that the cupbearer was carrying a heavy burden.
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And had Arta Xerxes been in a bad mood, he might have banished Nehemiah or even ordered him killed.
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But instead the king inquired, why is his servant, why his servant was so sad?
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He looked at his face and asked him, Why are you so sad?
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In verse 2, why is your face sad, seeing you are not sick?
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He knew that Nehemiah was not sick.
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You see, Persian monarchs required that those who served, who served them, were not to bring personal troubles into their presence.
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This sort of behavior would have had them killed.
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It was a signal for conspiracy or it was a signal for disrespect.
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But Arti Xerxes' next comment gave a little hope to Nehemiah because the king rightly interpreted his servant's disposition.
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Look what he says in verse 3.
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I said to the king, let the king live forever.
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Why should not my face be sad?
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When the city, the place of my father's graves, lies in ruins and its gates have been destroyed by fire.
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Verse 4, then the king said to me, What are you requesting?
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So I prayed to the God of heaven.
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The first thing that we see Nehemiah does in this text is in verse 3, is he approaches the king with respect and honor.
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The first thing he said, he assured the king that he was not in any kind of danger.
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He said, Let the king live forever.
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And then he was kind of wise when he says, Why should not my face be sad when the city, the place of my father's graves, lies in ruins and its gates have been destroyed by fire?
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There was a reason why Nehemiah did not mention Jerusalem in this text and in that verse.
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And the reason was because in Ezra 4 tells us that the king had previously ordered that Jerusalem not be rebuilt.
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So he purposely does not mention the name Jerusalem in this text.
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And Nehemiah now plans to go to the throne room and tell Artaxerxes that he's ready to take a leave of absence.
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To go do the very thing that King Artaxerxes did not want to be done.
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But Nehemiah knew a king that is greater than Artaxerxes.
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And Nehemiah asked the greater king to make him successful.
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After Nehemiah expressed his grief, the Persian king asked Nehemiah for his request.
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And verse 4 records Nehemiah's response So I prayed to the God of heaven.
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Amen.
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Right in that moment, while he was talking to the Persian king, Nehemiah was able to breathe out a word of prayer.
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You can only breathe out a word of prayer in an instant like that if prayer is a part of your life.
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If you're not a stranger to prayer, if you're praying every day and you're praying consistently, as the Bible teaches us to always pray, he was able to stand before the king.
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And while he was talking to the king, he breathed up a word of prayer.
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This is a reminder that there is a king.
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And there's the king.
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Amen.
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So he asked God, he asked God to touch the heart of Artaxerxes so that he would receive all that he needed to do the Lord's work.
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And God answered Nehemiah's prayer.
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Today we want to give up on careers and marriages that aren't going right because we're looking at a king and not the king.
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But I don't care what you're facing today.
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If you'll bring the king to bear it, it doesn't matter how big a king, a boss, or a rival or circumstance is.
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See, unlike Arta Xerxes, we serve a king who gives us permission to enter into his presence just as we are.
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And so if you discouraged, you can go to the king.
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If you're afraid, as the text says, and already Nehemiah was afraid, you can go to the king.
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When you're angry and brokenhearted, you can go to the king.
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You never have to worry if he'll be angry.
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You never have to worry if he'll want to do away with you.
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He accepts you just as you are.
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In fact, Hebrews tells us something so wonderful about our priestly king.
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He sympathizes with our weaknesses.
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So more than the Lord Jesus being willing to hear us in the state of our heart, he actually feels us in our frailties.
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That's the kind of God that we serve.
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We don't serve an earthly king, we serve a heavenly king who's in control of every situation.
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And Nehemiah understood that listen, I may be standing before a king, but I'm going to the king.
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Amen?
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And so Nehemiah had faith that rests in the helping hand of God.
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But not only that, he had the kind of faith that patiently waits on the Lord for directions.
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Four months had passed since Nehemiah received the bad news about the plight in Jerusalem.
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Four months.
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As every believer should, Nehemiah patiently waited on the Lord for directions because it's through faith and patience that we inherit promises.
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Verse one of our text, of our passage says, in the month of the Nisan, month of Nisan in the 20th year, King of Artizeres.
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It was four months until God answered Nehemiah's prayers.
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In chapter one, we see his prayers.
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So it was four months of praying, four months of fasting, four months of patiently waiting on the Lord.
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And so if you're like me, you would have the question why didn't God answer sooner?
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Because we can be like that.
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God, what's taking you so long?
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I need an answer now.
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But there are many reasons why God does not answer our request right away.
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And Nehemiah's story here in this chapter gives us one of those answers.
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And I submit to you today that divine delay can be the grace needed to give us time to practically plan and prepare.
00:26:52.319 --> 00:27:01.359
Divine delay can give us the grace we need to practically prepare and plan.
00:27:03.039 --> 00:27:13.680
Verses 5 through 10, Nehemiah shows us that these four months of fasting and praying, he was also thinking and strategizing.
00:27:14.160 --> 00:27:15.519
Look with me at verse 5.
00:27:15.599 --> 00:27:28.559
And I said to the king, if it pleases the king, and if your servant has found favor in your sight, that you send me to Judah to the city of my father's graves, that I may rebuild it.
00:27:29.200 --> 00:27:38.880
Verse 6, and the king said to me, the queen sitting beside him, How long will you be gone and when will you return?
00:27:39.279 --> 00:27:45.839
So it pleased the king to send me when I had given him a time.
00:27:47.519 --> 00:27:48.720
Verse 6.
00:27:52.000 --> 00:27:57.039
God, or the king here in the text, but it's actually God doing it.
00:27:57.279 --> 00:28:04.000
God is actually granting him permission to go and do what he has called him to do.
00:28:05.279 --> 00:28:11.839
But it's interesting in this text, and if you see it in your Bible, it has a parenthesis beside.
00:28:11.920 --> 00:28:15.039
It says the queen sitting behind beside him.
00:28:18.480 --> 00:28:20.319
That's not by chance.
00:28:21.599 --> 00:28:31.839
Because it was said that if the king's wife, a lot of kings had many wives, but he always had he had one that would sit next to him.
00:28:32.079 --> 00:28:41.920
And if the king was sitting if the king's wife was sitting next to him, the king would be a little bit nicer to his subjects during that time.
00:28:42.000 --> 00:28:45.839
So this was not by chance, and this is not in our text by chance.
00:28:46.079 --> 00:28:48.079
God is intervening church.
00:28:50.319 --> 00:28:53.519
And so in verse 6, he gets permission.
00:28:54.559 --> 00:29:05.839
In verse 7, and it said to the king, if it pleases the king, let letters be given me to the governors of the province beyond the river that they may let me pass through until I come to Judah.
00:29:06.000 --> 00:29:08.559
Verse 7, he gets protection.
00:29:09.200 --> 00:29:24.480
And verse 8, and the letter to Asap, the king, the keeper of the king's forest, that he may give me timber to make beams for the gates of the fortress of the temple for all for the wall of the city and for the house that I shall occupy.
00:29:24.640 --> 00:29:27.279
And the king granted me what I asked.
00:29:27.599 --> 00:29:30.160
Verse 8, he gives provision.
00:29:30.400 --> 00:29:37.359
But notice where his provision comes from, for the good hand of my God was upon me.
00:29:45.200 --> 00:29:56.720
But this happened during the time, during the four months that Nehemiah was waiting on the Lord to answer his prayer.
00:29:57.680 --> 00:30:03.519
He was waiting on the Lord to answer his prayer, and during that time, God was preparing him.
00:30:03.839 --> 00:30:07.200
He was planning him, he was giving him a plan.
00:30:07.359 --> 00:30:09.279
He was allowed to strategize.
00:30:09.440 --> 00:30:15.200
How else would he know how much time it would take for him to return?
00:30:17.440 --> 00:30:22.480
He knew the people that he had to go before to have the protection that he needed.
00:30:22.720 --> 00:30:31.759
And when the answer, when it was time for him to answer the king, answer a king, he gave the answer from the king.
00:30:32.400 --> 00:30:36.319
And God provided everything that he needed.
00:30:39.200 --> 00:30:50.480
Church, this is a reminder that whenever we call out to God, whenever we wait on the Lord.
00:30:52.720 --> 00:30:56.720
And not just wait idly by sitting around doing nothing.
00:30:56.880 --> 00:31:03.920
No, and be while before God has answered, before we get to answer our prayer, He wants us to plan.
00:31:04.640 --> 00:31:06.240
He wants us to prepare.
00:31:13.359 --> 00:31:13.759
Right?
00:31:13.920 --> 00:31:15.119
He wants you to get ready.
00:31:15.279 --> 00:31:16.960
He wants you to get ready for your husband.
00:31:17.119 --> 00:31:21.599
If you want that job that you've been praying about, he wants you to get ready for that job.
00:31:21.759 --> 00:31:26.160
If he's calling you to ministry, he wants you to get ready for that ministry.
00:31:26.400 --> 00:31:30.799
He gives us time to prepare.
00:31:32.319 --> 00:31:40.400
And it's a shame if we don't take that time and use it for God's glory.
00:31:42.240 --> 00:31:44.400
But I want you to see something.
00:31:47.359 --> 00:31:55.759
Verse 9 says, Then I came to the governor of the province beyond the river and gave them the king's letters.
00:31:56.079 --> 00:32:03.200
Now the king has sent with me officers of the army and horsemen.
00:32:06.240 --> 00:32:10.160
See, Nehemiah asked for a visa.
00:32:12.160 --> 00:32:17.599
And God gave him a visa, and he gave him security.
00:32:18.799 --> 00:32:25.519
He gave him an army, officers to go with him, to protect him.
00:32:26.079 --> 00:32:28.799
But notice what happens in verse 10.
00:32:31.359 --> 00:32:45.519
But when Sanbalat the Hornite and Tobiah the Ammonite servant heard this, it displeased them greatly that someone had come to seek the welfare of the people of Israel.
00:32:46.799 --> 00:32:57.200
Church, any time that you and I do something right for the Lord, enemies, enemies will show up.
00:33:00.799 --> 00:33:03.039
Satan church has his agenda.
00:33:05.759 --> 00:33:11.440
But we always need to remember that our struggle is not against flesh and blood.
00:33:13.519 --> 00:33:17.279
It's against spirit wickedness and spiritual palities in high places.
00:33:17.359 --> 00:33:19.440
There's a fight going on that we can't see.
00:33:20.160 --> 00:33:23.759
And so understand that it's not that individual that you're looking at.
00:33:24.480 --> 00:33:25.359
That's your enemy.
00:33:25.519 --> 00:33:26.559
They're not your enemy.
00:33:30.319 --> 00:33:34.160
So my question to you today is what obstacle stands before you?
00:33:36.079 --> 00:33:46.640
I submit to you that God honored Nehemiah's prayer in such a great way because Nehemiah had great faith in God.
00:33:57.200 --> 00:34:03.759
To have great faith in God is something that we have to thank him for.
00:34:06.000 --> 00:34:13.119
We have to always know that the faith we have is not because of any of our doing.
00:34:14.480 --> 00:34:17.840
Nehemiah walked by faith and not by sight.
00:34:18.559 --> 00:34:28.159
He tried something so great that he was sure to fail if the Lord did not help him.
00:34:29.360 --> 00:34:32.960
That's the kind of prayer that God answers.
00:34:33.039 --> 00:34:37.280
That's the kind of prayers, that's the kind of faith that God honors.
00:34:37.599 --> 00:34:42.880
God answers believing, faithful prayer.
00:34:44.960 --> 00:34:48.400
So what is it that you need God to do in your life?
00:34:49.519 --> 00:34:50.880
Whatever it is.
00:34:51.920 --> 00:34:54.239
Church, I got good news for you.
00:34:55.199 --> 00:34:56.400
God is able.
00:35:09.599 --> 00:35:14.000
God is able to bring you, bring your wandering child back home.
00:35:14.239 --> 00:35:19.039
God is able to heal a sin sick soul and a hurting body.
00:35:19.360 --> 00:35:23.119
God is able to strengthen us in our finances.
00:35:23.280 --> 00:35:26.159
God is able to save your loved ones.
00:35:26.320 --> 00:35:31.039
The issue is not God's ability to move in the situation.
00:35:31.199 --> 00:35:45.199
The issue is do you really believe that God is able to immeasurably above all that you can ask or think, handle whatever situation we bring before God.
00:35:46.239 --> 00:35:51.760
So the question is, are you willing to operate and to walk and to step out in faith?
00:35:52.559 --> 00:35:57.599
Jeremiah 33:3 says this, call to me and I will answer.
00:35:58.239 --> 00:36:01.760
I will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known.
00:36:02.719 --> 00:36:06.480
Matthew 7, 7 says this, ask and it will be given to you.
00:36:07.119 --> 00:36:11.519
Seek and you will find, knock and it will be opened to you.
00:36:12.719 --> 00:36:28.480
1 John 5, 14 and 15 says this, and this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us, and if we know that he hears us, I love this part.
00:36:29.119 --> 00:36:34.559
If we know that he hears us, we know that we have the petitions that we desire of him.
00:36:35.440 --> 00:36:38.320
And so, church, and I said this number of times.
00:36:41.039 --> 00:36:47.599
If we're praying something and we know that it's according to God's will, how do we know if it's according to God's will?
00:36:49.360 --> 00:36:50.400
It's in the book.
00:36:51.440 --> 00:36:52.960
You don't have to guess.
00:36:53.519 --> 00:37:03.360
But when we pray that prayer and we know that it's part of God's will, we can get up from that prayer in full confidence, knowing that God has answered that prayer.
00:37:06.320 --> 00:37:07.679
We don't have to guess.
00:37:07.840 --> 00:37:23.039
He will answer that prayer in an instant, or it may take him a couple months to answer that prayer, maybe even six to a year or so to answer that prayer, but you can rest assured that God will answer that prayer.
00:37:23.199 --> 00:37:24.480
It's a done deal.
00:37:32.000 --> 00:37:49.280
And so God answers the kind of faith that rests in his hand, and God answers the kind of faith that waits on him for direction.
00:37:49.440 --> 00:38:04.960
But then thirdly, God answers the kind of faith that personally, personally examines situations.
00:38:07.119 --> 00:38:15.039
Verse 11 says, So I went to Jerusalem and was there three days.
00:38:15.760 --> 00:38:20.239
This one verse is a connection to what happened in verse 10.
00:38:20.559 --> 00:38:22.639
Verse 10, he faced opposition.
00:38:22.800 --> 00:38:24.320
Verse 10, he faced the enemy.
00:38:24.480 --> 00:38:29.920
And verse, right in verse 11, he says, So I went to Jerusalem and I was there three days.
00:38:30.239 --> 00:38:33.840
See, the opposition did not hinder Nehemiah.
00:38:34.000 --> 00:38:37.440
He knew that he had a call on God for his life.
00:38:37.599 --> 00:38:42.000
They were greatly displeased that someone had come to seek the welfare of the people.
00:38:43.840 --> 00:38:45.760
And what did Nehemiah do?
00:38:46.480 --> 00:38:47.840
He marched on.
00:38:49.039 --> 00:39:04.960
And interesting, in verse 12, says that he rose in the night, him and a few men with him, and I told no one what my God had put in my heart to do for Jerusalem.
00:39:05.360 --> 00:39:11.519
Nehemiah never lost sight of the fact that he was called to be on mission for God.
00:39:12.559 --> 00:39:19.840
If God really put it in your heart, then Nehemiah, why wouldn't you tell others about it?
00:39:21.440 --> 00:39:25.199
If God really put it in his heart, why wouldn't he tell others about it?
00:39:25.280 --> 00:39:32.239
Well, the reason he didn't tell others about it is because in this moment it's between him and God.
00:39:33.760 --> 00:39:35.360
It's between him and God.
00:39:36.320 --> 00:39:40.159
The answer to that is found in verses 13 to 16.
00:39:40.880 --> 00:39:42.159
Look what it says.
00:39:42.320 --> 00:39:57.760
Verse 13, I went out by the night, I went out by night by the valley gate of the dragon spring to the Dungate, and I inspected the walls of Jerusalem that were broken, broken down, and its gates that had been destroyed by fire.
00:39:57.920 --> 00:40:07.039
Then I went on to the fountain gate, to the king's pools, but there was no room for the animal that I was under to under me to pass.
00:40:07.440 --> 00:40:16.800
Then I went up in the night by the valley and inspected the wall, and I turned back and entered by the valley gate, so and so returned.
00:40:17.679 --> 00:40:23.039
Verse 16, and the officials did not know where I had gone or what I was doing.
00:40:23.199 --> 00:40:31.840
And I had not yet told the Jews, the priests, the nobles, the officials, and the rest who were to do the work.
00:40:32.639 --> 00:40:36.559
Nehemiah went on a recognizance mission.
00:40:36.880 --> 00:40:42.079
He went to go inspect what he was sent there to do.
00:40:42.239 --> 00:41:05.599
He went to go investigate what he was sent there to do and included in God's will is Nehemiah facing the facts personally without any interruptions, without any questions from anybody, without any doubts from anybody, without any skepticism from those who had lived in Jerusalem from all this time.
00:41:05.760 --> 00:41:12.960
And he even grown accustomed that of those who had grown accustomed to live a life with all these walls and ruins torn down.
00:41:13.199 --> 00:41:21.599
Nehemiah knew that the job of rebuilding the walls could couldn't go forward unless he saw exactly how bad the situation was.
00:41:32.719 --> 00:41:38.400
Some like to always see the good, and then some like to always find what is wrong, and that's fine.
00:41:39.360 --> 00:41:40.239
We just built like that.
00:41:40.320 --> 00:41:44.639
There's some people that's all positive, there's some people that can be skeptics.
00:41:45.039 --> 00:41:50.480
But Nehemiah teaches us that we must see the broken down walls.
00:41:50.960 --> 00:42:01.360
But only if we have the right heart, only if we have right prayer, only if we have the right prayer life and the passion to be used by God to set it right.
00:42:01.920 --> 00:42:10.000
You see, with the right hearts, hearts ready to act, we must be, we must take an honest look.
00:42:10.639 --> 00:42:16.880
If you got the right heart, you got the heart to act, then we can take the we can take an honest look.
00:42:17.039 --> 00:42:18.559
These walls were real.
00:42:19.199 --> 00:42:24.559
They were real ruins where the people could see in plain sight.
00:42:25.039 --> 00:42:28.960
And you and I have figurative walls.
00:42:29.760 --> 00:42:33.519
We got figurative walls in our own lives that need an honest look.
00:42:34.719 --> 00:42:42.559
Some are desperately hurting or trapped in a cycle of sin and want to get out but don't know how to ask for help.
00:42:43.519 --> 00:42:53.039
Some have a respect and know God and know God is real, but don't have a relationship with Jesus Christ.
00:42:54.320 --> 00:43:08.960
When we look at the church, we can be thankful for it, but if we examine our impact on the community around us, we have to ask the question, what else can we do to impact the lives of Jesus?
00:43:09.119 --> 00:43:11.280
That's what it means to take an honest look.
00:43:11.840 --> 00:43:18.480
There's always more to be done when considering the outreach and the spread of the gospel.
00:43:18.719 --> 00:43:25.519
Many lives are like the city with broken walls, living with a constant sense of fear, poverty, and insecurity.
00:43:25.840 --> 00:43:37.920
And church, we should be the ones who don't hide our eyes to the brokenness in our own lives, and definitely not I hide our eyes in the brokenness that's around us.
00:43:38.159 --> 00:43:45.599
God wants us to see the brokenness so we can take the steps necessary to do what God has called us to do.
00:43:49.519 --> 00:43:58.960
Then lastly, God honors a faith that promotes unity and action.
00:44:00.159 --> 00:44:02.239
Verses 17 through 20.
00:44:03.760 --> 00:44:09.679
The time had finally come for Nehemiah to do what God has sent him there to do.
00:44:10.000 --> 00:44:15.199
He knew that he had to unite the people and encourage them to action.
00:44:15.679 --> 00:44:27.920
He understood this: that if it was one thing that was going to help him and necessary for him to rebuild the walls, he needed to build the people up first.
00:44:29.199 --> 00:44:30.320
And how did he do that?
00:44:30.480 --> 00:44:31.840
Verse 17 tells us this.
00:44:32.000 --> 00:44:38.400
Then he said, and watch this verse clearly carefully.
00:44:38.719 --> 00:44:43.519
He said to them, You see the trouble we are in?
00:44:44.159 --> 00:44:48.079
How Jerusalem lies in ruins with its gates burned.
00:44:48.480 --> 00:44:55.840
Come, let us build the wall of Jerusalem, that we may long no longer suffer derision.
00:44:56.960 --> 00:45:02.639
Nehemiah could have approached them and made them feel guilty about the situation.
00:45:02.960 --> 00:45:10.320
He could have came to them, he could have said, Listen, y'all been here so long, y'all all this time, and y'all see that the wall is torn down.
00:45:10.480 --> 00:45:15.920
Why why why come none of y'all decided to fix the walls here?
00:45:16.639 --> 00:45:19.679
He could have came with that approach, but he didn't come with that approach.
00:45:19.760 --> 00:45:21.760
Look how he came to the people.
00:45:21.840 --> 00:45:22.960
He could have said all of that.
00:45:23.039 --> 00:45:25.199
No, but he he didn't do that.
00:45:25.519 --> 00:45:39.039
He could have said, listen, this over the last got God had to, I had to pray, I had to wait on God for four months, and then I had to travel all this way to come here when you guys are sitting right here in the city, you're looking right at it every day.
00:45:39.199 --> 00:45:40.480
He could have said that.
00:45:40.800 --> 00:45:42.400
But he didn't say that.
00:45:43.280 --> 00:45:45.440
His appeal was positive.
00:45:45.920 --> 00:45:49.760
He focused on the glory and the greatness of the Lord.
00:45:52.480 --> 00:45:55.119
He only been in the city for a few days.
00:45:55.199 --> 00:45:56.880
And look at verse 17 again.
00:45:56.960 --> 00:46:01.119
He says, You see the trouble we are in?
00:46:02.320 --> 00:46:06.559
How Jerusalem lies in ruins with its gates burned.
00:46:06.880 --> 00:46:16.960
Come, let us build the wall of Jerusalem, that we may no longer suffer derision.
00:46:17.679 --> 00:46:21.679
Nehemiah said, look, we're in this together.
00:46:22.800 --> 00:46:28.639
In church, for any ministry to succeed, and I want to say this lovingly, as lovingly as I can.
00:46:30.239 --> 00:46:40.400
For any ministry to succeed, you and I need to reject the harmful mindset of me versus you.
00:46:42.880 --> 00:46:52.639
The word, my ministry, and your ministry, church, has got to be removed from our vocabulary.
00:46:57.119 --> 00:47:06.159
Anyone who is part of the local church as a member, the proper language and attitude is our ministry.
00:47:07.119 --> 00:47:14.079
And if you want to get really technical about it, the proper language is it's the Lord's ministry.
00:47:18.719 --> 00:47:20.880
We all have a common goal.
00:47:21.280 --> 00:47:22.639
We all need each other.
00:47:22.800 --> 00:47:26.719
Every single one of us needs each other to do what God has called us to do.
00:47:31.360 --> 00:47:35.599
Ministry is not for our own satisfaction and for our own self-esteem.
00:47:35.920 --> 00:47:39.360
It's for the glory of Christ Jesus.
00:47:41.039 --> 00:47:46.159
Ministry is the combined effort of the body of Christ to accomplish the advancement of the gospel.
00:47:46.239 --> 00:47:48.320
And that's what we see here in this text.
00:47:48.480 --> 00:47:53.760
Nehemiah is willing to work together toward a goal.
00:47:53.840 --> 00:47:58.480
And one of the ways we do this is to encourage one another.
00:47:59.519 --> 00:48:00.719
And look what he says.
00:48:00.800 --> 00:48:05.119
And I love what he says in verse 18, and we're going to get ready to close in just a moment.
00:48:06.000 --> 00:48:21.039
He says in verse 18, and I told them of the hand of my God that had been upon me for good, and also of the words that the king had spoken to me.
00:48:21.519 --> 00:48:25.199
And they said, Let us rise up and build.
00:48:25.599 --> 00:48:29.280
So they strengthen their hands for the good work.
00:48:30.000 --> 00:48:30.639
Amen.
00:48:40.719 --> 00:48:56.800
He says, I told them of the hand of my God that had been upon me for good, and also of the words of that word that the king had spoken to me.
00:48:57.679 --> 00:49:07.119
Nehemiah lets them know that the only way that this is going to get done is if God is on this side, on their side.
00:49:14.480 --> 00:49:15.360
Look with me there.
00:49:15.519 --> 00:49:30.079
But when Sanbalat the Hornite and Tobiah the Ammonite servant and Geshem the Arab heard of it now, in verse 10, it was just two of them.
00:49:31.760 --> 00:49:35.599
In verse 19, it grows.
00:49:35.760 --> 00:49:37.519
There's now three of them.
00:49:38.000 --> 00:49:44.559
And that's a reminder to us, church, that the more our ministry grows, the more the opposition grows.
00:49:45.199 --> 00:49:45.840
Amen.
00:49:49.920 --> 00:49:51.920
But notice something else that they did.
00:49:52.719 --> 00:49:57.519
In verse 10, they just greatly despised.
00:49:59.679 --> 00:50:08.719
In verse 19, they despised us and said, What is this thing that you are doing?
00:50:08.880 --> 00:50:11.519
Are you rebelling against the king?
00:50:12.239 --> 00:50:15.119
So now they don't just greatly despise.
00:50:15.280 --> 00:50:18.559
Now they despise and they say something about it.
00:50:20.000 --> 00:50:23.519
They jeered at them and despise them.
00:50:23.599 --> 00:50:27.119
What is this that the king you are doing and rebelling against?
00:50:28.000 --> 00:50:29.360
Rebelling against the king.
00:50:29.599 --> 00:50:37.039
Earlier, they didn't say a word, but now they had a whole lot to say.
00:50:40.239 --> 00:50:44.880
But I love the reply in verse 20.
00:50:46.079 --> 00:50:54.480
Nehemiah replied to them the God of heaven will make us prosper.
00:50:55.440 --> 00:51:08.239
And we his servants will rise and build, but you have no portion or right or claim in Jerusalem.
00:51:14.960 --> 00:51:30.400
Nehemiah understands that without with or without a king.
00:51:34.159 --> 00:51:36.719
God is on our side.
00:51:38.880 --> 00:51:41.679
Church, it doesn't matter what earthly kings do.
00:51:42.880 --> 00:51:53.519
Doesn't matter who's in charge, doesn't matter who has authority, because we serve a God who has all authority.
00:51:54.719 --> 00:51:58.320
And I want us to think about that.
00:51:58.400 --> 00:52:00.159
I want us to let that sink in.
00:52:00.480 --> 00:52:04.960
God is on our side.
00:52:05.119 --> 00:52:15.760
If you have accepted Jesus Christ as your Savior, you have a God that is on your side, a God that is intervening in your situation when you don't even know it.
00:52:16.159 --> 00:52:20.480
A God that's permitting things to happen for you that you don't even realize.
00:52:20.800 --> 00:52:24.559
A God who's watching over you and protecting you.
00:52:24.800 --> 00:52:28.559
And you don't even know that he's protecting you.
00:52:29.519 --> 00:52:33.599
That's the kind of God who's on our side.
00:52:35.039 --> 00:52:39.679
Romans 831 says this, what then shall we say to these things?
00:52:40.320 --> 00:52:46.079
If God is for us, who can be against?
00:53:02.400 --> 00:53:04.639
Thank God for a text like this.
00:53:07.599 --> 00:53:16.000
Because it helps us to realize and to know that God has called us to salvation.
00:53:16.800 --> 00:53:20.639
He's called us to service.
00:53:22.159 --> 00:53:27.280
He's called us to sanctification.
00:53:28.159 --> 00:53:32.159
And he's calling us to glorification.
00:53:33.840 --> 00:53:37.199
We may have to deal with earthly kings now, church.
00:53:38.079 --> 00:53:43.440
But sooner or later, one day, we won't have to deal with no more earthly kings.
00:53:45.760 --> 00:53:57.039
And the reason we have to deal with earthly kings now is because our sin has separated us from God.
00:53:57.199 --> 00:54:05.679
If you haven't received Jesus Christ, the Bible says, for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.
00:54:05.840 --> 00:54:07.840
That's the bad news, church.
00:54:08.159 --> 00:54:11.920
But then it gets even worse.
00:54:13.039 --> 00:54:15.760
We can't do anything to remove our sin.
00:54:16.960 --> 00:54:26.320
We have to put our trust and our faith in Jesus Christ and what he has done for us on Calvary's cross.
00:54:26.719 --> 00:54:31.119
And the good news is at the cross, Jesus paid it all.
00:54:32.880 --> 00:54:44.800
And the best news is through faith we freely receive forgiveness and eternal life through faith.
00:54:44.960 --> 00:54:45.519
Amen?
00:54:46.239 --> 00:54:46.639
Amen.
00:54:46.800 --> 00:54:47.280
Let us pray.
00:54:47.440 --> 00:54:49.199
Father God, we thank you.
00:54:58.320 --> 00:55:09.599
That you have given us the faith to trust you, dear God, to place all dependence upon you for our life.
00:55:10.719 --> 00:55:16.639
Knowing, oh God, that we have a place in your kingdom.
00:55:17.280 --> 00:55:20.880
That we'll be able to spend eternity with you, oh God.
00:55:20.960 --> 00:55:31.280
We pray in this moment that for anyone here, oh God, who have not yet accepted your son Jesus Christ, we pray, Lord, that you touch their hearts.
00:55:34.320 --> 00:55:41.360
That you press upon them in this moment the need for Jesus Christ in their life.
00:55:41.760 --> 00:55:45.280
You know what we all are standing up against.
00:55:46.480 --> 00:55:48.639
And some of us can thank you.
00:55:51.440 --> 00:56:01.760
That we can trust you and we can count on you to watch over us, to protect us, to provide for us, but then there's some who don't know what that's like.
00:56:03.280 --> 00:56:20.320
Father, we pray right now that you stir them up in the inside, that they may come and experience the favor that you have given us of those who believe in Christ Jesus.
00:56:20.880 --> 00:56:21.599
Thank you, Lord.
00:00:00.320 --> 00:00:00.719
Amen.
00:00:00.959 --> 00:00:02.799
We praise God for our worship team.
00:00:02.959 --> 00:00:03.520
Amen.
00:00:07.839 --> 00:00:11.359
How many of us know that there's no one greater than our God?
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Amen.
00:00:14.160 --> 00:00:14.640
Amen.
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Thank you.
00:00:21.199 --> 00:00:21.839
Amen.
00:00:23.359 --> 00:00:25.519
That's the next generation, church.
00:00:25.600 --> 00:00:26.960
That's the next generation.
00:00:27.199 --> 00:00:27.839
Amen.
00:00:29.359 --> 00:00:31.280
That's the next generation.
00:00:32.000 --> 00:00:38.880
Such a blessing to see our children go over to play, but they're going also to learn the Bible.
00:00:39.679 --> 00:00:40.320
Amen.
00:00:41.600 --> 00:00:42.240
Amen.
00:00:42.640 --> 00:00:43.280
Amen.
00:00:45.359 --> 00:00:52.000
If you are visiting with us, we are walking through the book of Nehemiah.
00:00:53.439 --> 00:01:00.960
And I would tell you, we would, well, the goal is to do it chapter by chapter, verse by verse.
00:01:01.840 --> 00:01:06.560
But I will tell you, if we go verse by verse today, we won't get out of here until tomorrow.
00:01:09.359 --> 00:01:10.000
Amen.
00:01:11.359 --> 00:01:14.079
If you don't have anywhere to be, I don't have anywhere to be.
00:01:15.040 --> 00:01:17.120
We can just stay right here in the text.
00:01:17.280 --> 00:01:17.840
Amen?
00:01:19.040 --> 00:01:19.519
Amen.
00:01:19.680 --> 00:01:22.959
So we're going to be in Nehemiah chapter 2.
00:01:23.359 --> 00:01:24.799
Nehemiah chapter 2.
00:01:24.879 --> 00:01:28.719
If you have a Bible, please turn with me to chapter 2.
00:01:28.879 --> 00:01:35.680
If you don't have a Bible, you can look in the row in front of you and you'll be able to find one there.
00:01:36.000 --> 00:01:39.439
And you can turn and follow along with us.
00:01:39.599 --> 00:01:44.239
Keep Pastor Sammy and Mariah and Adassa in prayer.
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From one pastor's heart to another, it's not easy to be away from your flock.
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And so I know he is somewhat struggling, but can't be struggling too hard because he's on vacation.
00:02:00.640 --> 00:02:01.200
Amen.
00:02:01.680 --> 00:02:02.319
Amen.
00:02:04.640 --> 00:02:16.800
So we're going to be in the entire chapter of chapter two on today, but I just want to read for our hearing the first eight verses.
00:02:17.919 --> 00:02:24.400
But we'll wrestle with the all 20 verses in this chapter on this day.
00:02:24.479 --> 00:02:31.439
So please keep me in prayer and keep yourself in prayer as we walk through this passage together.
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Amen?
00:02:33.759 --> 00:02:43.680
As we always do, and in reverence to God's word, may we all stand for the reading and the reverence of God's holy word.
00:02:54.639 --> 00:03:06.400
In the month of Nisan, in the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes, when wine was before him, I took up the wine and gave it to the king.
00:03:06.879 --> 00:03:11.120
Now I had not been sad in his presence.
00:03:11.919 --> 00:03:20.000
And the king said to me, Why is your face sad, seeing you are not sick?
00:03:21.439 --> 00:03:24.240
This is nothing but sadness of heart.
00:03:24.879 --> 00:03:26.639
Then I was very much afraid.
00:03:26.879 --> 00:03:29.919
I said to the king, let the king live forever.
00:03:30.240 --> 00:03:42.400
Why should I not, why should not my face be sad when the king, when the city, the place of my father's graves, lies in ruins and its gates have been destroyed by fire.
00:03:43.039 --> 00:03:47.439
When the king said to me, then the king said to me, What are you requesting?
00:03:47.759 --> 00:03:51.759
So I prayed to the God of heaven.
00:03:52.319 --> 00:04:05.680
And I said to the king, If it pleases the king, and if your servant has found favor in your sight, that you send me to Judah to the city of my father's grave, that I may rebuild it.
00:04:06.240 --> 00:04:14.479
And the king said to me, the queen sitting beside him, How long will you be gone, and when will you return?
00:04:15.280 --> 00:04:20.000
So it pleased the king to send me when I had given him a time.
00:04:20.720 --> 00:04:32.639
And I said to the king, If it pleases the king, let letters be given me to the governors of the province beyond the river, that they may let me pass through until I come to Judah.
00:04:33.120 --> 00:04:48.240
And a letter to Asaph, the keeper of the king's forest, that he may give me timber to make beams of gates of the fortress of the temple, and for the wall of the city, and for the house that I shall occupy.
00:04:48.480 --> 00:04:57.360
And the king granted me what I asked, for the good hand of my God was upon me.
00:04:57.680 --> 00:04:58.160
Amen.
00:04:58.319 --> 00:05:00.160
That's God's word for God's people.
00:05:00.240 --> 00:05:00.720
Let us pray.
00:05:00.879 --> 00:05:08.959
Father God, we thank you for your hand upon our lives.
00:05:10.959 --> 00:05:17.680
For without you, O God, we would not have breath in our bodies.
00:05:18.879 --> 00:05:31.680
We wouldn't be able to stand here to hear, to worship and to listen to your holy word.
00:05:32.000 --> 00:05:36.720
So we thank you, Father, that your word is living and it meets us right where we are.
00:05:36.800 --> 00:05:40.959
And so we pray right now, Father, for open ears and open hearts.
00:05:41.199 --> 00:05:49.439
We pray that your word that goes forth, dear God, that it is for our edification and for your glorification.
00:05:49.759 --> 00:05:52.879
Father, we pray for unsaved souls in this moment.
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That they hear something today, dear God, that pricks their hearts that they may come and ask, what must I do to be saved?
00:06:02.079 --> 00:06:08.399
Father, help me to set self out of the way so that your word can come forth.
00:06:08.639 --> 00:06:13.439
We thank you, we praise you, and we ask these blessings in Christ Jesus' name.
00:06:13.759 --> 00:06:14.399
Amen.
00:06:20.560 --> 00:06:32.959
I just want to talk to us for a moment about the kind of faith that God honors.
00:06:41.680 --> 00:06:56.160
Faith is a very common word that we always use, we know about, but when it's time to exercise faith, sometimes it's a totally different story.
00:07:01.199 --> 00:07:11.120
As a young adult in college, I lived in an apartment that caught on fire.
00:07:12.879 --> 00:07:20.160
I was not there in that moment, but I had two roommates who both had to jump out of the window.
00:07:22.000 --> 00:07:26.959
One jumped out of the window with no problem.
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He just ran and jumped out of the window.
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It was only two stories.
00:07:33.040 --> 00:07:36.959
But then the other one just hung from the window.
00:07:39.040 --> 00:07:46.160
He hung from the window, and my roommate was trying to tell him, hey, you need to jump.
00:07:46.480 --> 00:07:48.000
You need to let go.
00:07:49.680 --> 00:07:52.959
And he looking down said, no, I can't let go.
00:07:54.480 --> 00:07:58.639
And my roommate said, just jump, I got you.
00:08:00.879 --> 00:08:08.800
And he let go of the window beam, and my roommate was able to catch them, and they both fell to the ground.
00:08:09.600 --> 00:08:17.040
But in that moment, he had to have the faith that our roommate would catch him.
00:08:19.439 --> 00:08:31.199
And so when we look at faith and we examine faith, we have to understand that faith is a gift from God.
00:08:34.320 --> 00:08:46.559
The Bible is full of narratives that we see that demonstrate how faith constantly opens pathways to divine favor.
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When you look through scriptures, you'll see Abraham's chief servant and Solomon both received wisdom when they sought, sought it out from God.
00:09:00.879 --> 00:09:06.480
Moses and Daniel's intercession for Israel brought divine mercy.
00:09:08.159 --> 00:09:18.879
Hannah found deliverance for her distress through earnest petition and prayer to God.
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And the list goes on and on.
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Joshua, Esther, Deborah, David, the disciples.
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These individuals were ordinary people who, like you and I, received answers to their prayers by placing confidence in God and trusting in his character and trusting in his word.
00:09:44.639 --> 00:09:50.080
Nehemiah is another name that needs to be added to that list of champions.
00:09:51.200 --> 00:10:02.320
His prayers for Jerusalem resulted in favor and protection for the reconstruction work.
00:10:03.679 --> 00:10:09.360
Chapter 1, we met Nehemiah, the Jewish cupbearer, to the Persian king.
00:10:09.919 --> 00:10:18.159
Nehemiah is living out the fulfillment of Scripture, and that he's experiencing the exile.
00:10:18.399 --> 00:10:21.200
He's a man who is a student of Scripture.
00:10:21.440 --> 00:10:33.519
He loves God, passionately prays for the king, for God's kingdom to come, and he has a deep concern for the welfare of his people.
00:10:35.600 --> 00:10:46.080
And now in chapter two, we have the privilege of watching what happens when God begins to answer Nehemiah's prayers.
00:10:48.000 --> 00:11:02.159
Nehemiah, distressed by the report of Jerusalem's broken and miserable condition, he approached God on behalf of the Jews.
00:11:02.240 --> 00:11:11.919
He fasted, he prayed, he sought God's mercy and help, and God heard Nehemiah and answered Nehemiah's prayer.
00:11:13.039 --> 00:11:17.120
You see, church, answered prayer strengthens and grows our faith.
00:11:19.519 --> 00:11:31.679
Faith itself, understood as living in complete dependence on God's presence, power, and future promises, is the condition for God's divine favor on our lives.
00:11:32.559 --> 00:11:38.559
It was the psalmist who understood this when he pinned these words in Psalms 116.1.
00:11:38.879 --> 00:11:45.440
It says, I love the Lord because he has heard my voice and my pleas for mercy.
00:11:46.720 --> 00:11:49.279
God heard Nehemiah's plea.
00:11:50.639 --> 00:11:54.720
So let's look back at what Nehemiah prayed.
00:11:54.799 --> 00:11:58.159
Look with me at Nehemiah 1.11 in your Bible.
00:12:02.399 --> 00:12:06.000
Nehemiah 1.11 says, O Lord.
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And I want us to listen to this prayer very closely.
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It says, O Lord, let your ear be attentive to the prayer of your servant, and to the prayer of your servants who delight to fear your name.
00:12:24.879 --> 00:12:33.360
And give success to your servant today and grant him mercy in the sight of this man.
00:12:34.639 --> 00:12:43.759
This man whom Nehemiah served was the king of Persia, and God grants this very prayer to this man of God.
00:12:45.840 --> 00:12:53.600
Now, I don't want you to expect that this sermon will give you an easy formula to answer prayer.
00:12:54.960 --> 00:13:00.080
There are no religious formulas to answer prayer, church.
00:13:00.159 --> 00:13:08.720
There's no religious formulas that can minimize our sovereign God and his providence.
00:13:09.840 --> 00:13:14.000
Neither are there any shortcuts to answer prayer.
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Nehemiah's prayer did not move the hand of God because he said the right words the right way.
00:13:21.279 --> 00:13:27.679
God accepted Nehemiah's prayer because God accepted Nehemiah.
00:13:33.600 --> 00:13:40.960
Fundamental obstacle to walking in faith is inadequate personal knowledge of God.
00:13:43.840 --> 00:13:58.559
And if you know what it means to walk in faith, and you've been walking with God for some time, you know that the more you walk with God, and the longer you walk with God, and the more you experience God, and the more you get to know God, the greater your faith.
00:14:03.200 --> 00:14:18.559
And so just as people naturally hesitate to trust strangers, Christians struggle to believe God's promises when they haven't developed genuine familiarity with his character and his track record.
00:14:19.759 --> 00:14:21.519
I like what Martin Luther says.
00:14:21.600 --> 00:14:28.559
He says, faith is a living, daring confidence in God's grace.
00:14:29.679 --> 00:14:35.279
Jesus said faith can move mountains in Matthew 17, 20.
00:14:36.559 --> 00:14:40.879
And so, what kind of faith honors God?
00:14:43.600 --> 00:14:47.039
A living active faith is what honors God.
00:14:48.000 --> 00:14:55.679
Nehemiah's life will demonstrate for us four aspects of living active faith.
00:14:56.080 --> 00:15:10.399
And as we study his testimony, we must examine our own hearts to see whether or not that we whether or not we are really walking and working by faith.
00:15:13.519 --> 00:15:28.799
So we see first that Nehemiah had faith that rested in the helping hand of God.
00:15:31.200 --> 00:15:45.840
Verses 1 through 4 of our text says this, in the month of Nisan, in the 20th year of King Artaxerxes, when wine was before him, I took up the wine and gave it to the king.
00:15:46.080 --> 00:15:48.639
Now I had not been sad in his presence.
00:15:48.720 --> 00:15:52.639
And the king said to me, Why is your face sad, seeing you are not sick?
00:15:52.799 --> 00:15:55.279
This is nothing but sadness of heart.
00:15:55.519 --> 00:15:56.960
Then I was very much afraid.
00:15:57.120 --> 00:15:59.200
I said to the king, Let the king live forever.
00:15:59.360 --> 00:16:09.039
Why should not my face be sad when the city, the place of my father's graves, lies in ruins and its gates have been destroyed by fire?
00:16:09.279 --> 00:16:13.840
Then the king said to me, What are you requesting?
00:16:14.720 --> 00:16:16.639
And here it is, church.
00:16:16.960 --> 00:16:24.799
So I prayed to the God of heaven.
00:16:26.480 --> 00:16:38.000
When Nehemiah heard about the condition of Jerusalem's wall, he made himself available to God to do something about the situation.
00:16:38.639 --> 00:16:46.559
He was even willing to leave his royal executive job to go in order to rebuild the walls in Jerusalem.
00:16:46.639 --> 00:16:51.840
But Nehemiah knew nothing would be accomplished in his own strength.
00:16:52.080 --> 00:17:07.839
He knew nothing would be accomplished in his own wisdom, and he knew nothing would be accomplished in his own authority, no matter how willing he was for success of this entire project.
00:17:08.240 --> 00:17:12.640
He knew that it rested in the hands of God.
00:17:13.839 --> 00:17:19.599
And because Nehemiah knew that the outcome was in God's hands, he prayed boldly.
00:17:20.000 --> 00:17:23.920
He prayed specific prayers, he prayed courageous prayers.
00:17:24.240 --> 00:17:26.720
Look with me again at verse 11.
00:17:27.200 --> 00:17:30.240
Verse 1, chapter 1, verse 11.
00:17:34.720 --> 00:17:44.400
The second half of this verse says, And give success to your servant today, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man.
00:17:44.640 --> 00:17:48.960
On the surface, these petitions may not seem like much.
00:17:50.160 --> 00:17:54.960
But the last sentence of the verse shows us the magnitude of the request.
00:17:55.839 --> 00:17:56.880
Look what it says.
00:17:57.039 --> 00:18:01.119
Now I was a cupbearer to the king.
00:18:02.000 --> 00:18:03.200
And this is significant.
00:18:03.359 --> 00:18:04.640
We can't miss this.
00:18:04.799 --> 00:18:08.880
The cupbearer was the most important cabinet position in the kingdom.
00:18:09.119 --> 00:18:12.960
The king trusted the cupbearer with his very own life.
00:18:13.200 --> 00:18:19.359
Sadness was dangerous, was a dangerous emotion to express in the king's presence.
00:18:19.519 --> 00:18:24.799
The king noticed that the cupbearer was carrying a heavy burden.
00:18:25.599 --> 00:18:34.400
And had Arta Xerxes been in a bad mood, he might have banished Nehemiah or even ordered him killed.
00:18:34.720 --> 00:18:41.599
But instead the king inquired, why is his servant, why his servant was so sad?
00:18:42.160 --> 00:18:50.559
He looked at his face and asked him, Why are you so sad?
00:18:50.799 --> 00:18:54.960
In verse 2, why is your face sad, seeing you are not sick?
00:18:55.200 --> 00:18:58.880
He knew that Nehemiah was not sick.
00:18:59.119 --> 00:19:10.960
You see, Persian monarchs required that those who served, who served them, were not to bring personal troubles into their presence.
00:19:12.880 --> 00:19:16.079
This sort of behavior would have had them killed.
00:19:16.160 --> 00:19:20.880
It was a signal for conspiracy or it was a signal for disrespect.
00:19:20.960 --> 00:19:29.119
But Arti Xerxes' next comment gave a little hope to Nehemiah because the king rightly interpreted his servant's disposition.
00:19:29.200 --> 00:19:31.279
Look what he says in verse 3.
00:19:35.519 --> 00:19:42.240
I said to the king, let the king live forever.
00:19:43.759 --> 00:19:46.160
Why should not my face be sad?
00:19:46.880 --> 00:19:55.599
When the city, the place of my father's graves, lies in ruins and its gates have been destroyed by fire.
00:19:56.720 --> 00:20:01.920
Verse 4, then the king said to me, What are you requesting?
00:20:03.359 --> 00:20:05.440
So I prayed to the God of heaven.
00:20:05.519 --> 00:20:12.640
The first thing that we see Nehemiah does in this text is in verse 3, is he approaches the king with respect and honor.
00:20:13.839 --> 00:20:19.039
The first thing he said, he assured the king that he was not in any kind of danger.
00:20:19.119 --> 00:20:23.039
He said, Let the king live forever.
00:20:24.240 --> 00:20:38.000
And then he was kind of wise when he says, Why should not my face be sad when the city, the place of my father's graves, lies in ruins and its gates have been destroyed by fire?
00:20:38.160 --> 00:20:45.759
There was a reason why Nehemiah did not mention Jerusalem in this text and in that verse.
00:20:46.000 --> 00:20:53.359
And the reason was because in Ezra 4 tells us that the king had previously ordered that Jerusalem not be rebuilt.
00:20:54.160 --> 00:20:58.720
So he purposely does not mention the name Jerusalem in this text.
00:20:58.799 --> 00:21:07.119
And Nehemiah now plans to go to the throne room and tell Artaxerxes that he's ready to take a leave of absence.
00:21:08.480 --> 00:21:14.559
To go do the very thing that King Artaxerxes did not want to be done.
00:21:18.240 --> 00:21:24.319
But Nehemiah knew a king that is greater than Artaxerxes.
00:21:26.640 --> 00:21:32.559
And Nehemiah asked the greater king to make him successful.
00:21:33.759 --> 00:21:38.400
After Nehemiah expressed his grief, the Persian king asked Nehemiah for his request.
00:21:38.559 --> 00:21:45.200
And verse 4 records Nehemiah's response So I prayed to the God of heaven.
00:21:47.440 --> 00:21:48.079
Amen.
00:21:51.119 --> 00:21:59.519
Right in that moment, while he was talking to the Persian king, Nehemiah was able to breathe out a word of prayer.
00:22:00.640 --> 00:22:07.759
You can only breathe out a word of prayer in an instant like that if prayer is a part of your life.
00:22:08.480 --> 00:22:19.359
If you're not a stranger to prayer, if you're praying every day and you're praying consistently, as the Bible teaches us to always pray, he was able to stand before the king.
00:22:20.640 --> 00:22:25.279
And while he was talking to the king, he breathed up a word of prayer.
00:22:25.440 --> 00:22:28.480
This is a reminder that there is a king.
00:22:30.559 --> 00:22:32.319
And there's the king.
00:22:33.359 --> 00:22:34.000
Amen.
00:22:38.079 --> 00:22:49.279
So he asked God, he asked God to touch the heart of Artaxerxes so that he would receive all that he needed to do the Lord's work.
00:22:49.359 --> 00:22:52.160
And God answered Nehemiah's prayer.
00:22:57.039 --> 00:23:10.559
Today we want to give up on careers and marriages that aren't going right because we're looking at a king and not the king.
00:23:12.960 --> 00:23:15.440
But I don't care what you're facing today.
00:23:16.720 --> 00:23:30.000
If you'll bring the king to bear it, it doesn't matter how big a king, a boss, or a rival or circumstance is.
00:23:31.039 --> 00:23:37.519
See, unlike Arta Xerxes, we serve a king who gives us permission to enter into his presence just as we are.
00:23:41.200 --> 00:23:47.440
And so if you discouraged, you can go to the king.
00:23:49.519 --> 00:23:56.000
If you're afraid, as the text says, and already Nehemiah was afraid, you can go to the king.
00:23:57.599 --> 00:24:03.599
When you're angry and brokenhearted, you can go to the king.
00:24:08.559 --> 00:24:13.359
You never have to worry if he'll be angry.
00:24:14.000 --> 00:24:18.559
You never have to worry if he'll want to do away with you.
00:24:18.960 --> 00:24:21.759
He accepts you just as you are.
00:24:21.920 --> 00:24:26.240
In fact, Hebrews tells us something so wonderful about our priestly king.
00:24:26.319 --> 00:24:29.920
He sympathizes with our weaknesses.
00:24:32.559 --> 00:24:46.000
So more than the Lord Jesus being willing to hear us in the state of our heart, he actually feels us in our frailties.
00:24:46.799 --> 00:24:49.200
That's the kind of God that we serve.
00:24:49.759 --> 00:24:56.799
We don't serve an earthly king, we serve a heavenly king who's in control of every situation.
00:24:57.279 --> 00:25:04.640
And Nehemiah understood that listen, I may be standing before a king, but I'm going to the king.
00:25:05.200 --> 00:25:05.759
Amen?
00:25:09.440 --> 00:25:15.759
And so Nehemiah had faith that rests in the helping hand of God.
00:25:17.599 --> 00:25:31.359
But not only that, he had the kind of faith that patiently waits on the Lord for directions.
00:25:33.759 --> 00:25:39.920
Four months had passed since Nehemiah received the bad news about the plight in Jerusalem.
00:25:40.079 --> 00:25:41.119
Four months.
00:25:41.440 --> 00:25:49.680
As every believer should, Nehemiah patiently waited on the Lord for directions because it's through faith and patience that we inherit promises.
00:25:50.880 --> 00:25:59.920
Verse one of our text, of our passage says, in the month of the Nisan, month of Nisan in the 20th year, King of Artizeres.
00:26:00.000 --> 00:26:05.119
It was four months until God answered Nehemiah's prayers.
00:26:06.319 --> 00:26:09.279
In chapter one, we see his prayers.
00:26:09.440 --> 00:26:17.680
So it was four months of praying, four months of fasting, four months of patiently waiting on the Lord.
00:26:18.960 --> 00:26:23.359
And so if you're like me, you would have the question why didn't God answer sooner?
00:26:24.480 --> 00:26:26.160
Because we can be like that.
00:26:26.480 --> 00:26:28.319
God, what's taking you so long?
00:26:28.960 --> 00:26:30.720
I need an answer now.
00:26:31.359 --> 00:26:35.279
But there are many reasons why God does not answer our request right away.
00:26:35.359 --> 00:26:41.039
And Nehemiah's story here in this chapter gives us one of those answers.
00:26:41.279 --> 00:26:50.640
And I submit to you today that divine delay can be the grace needed to give us time to practically plan and prepare.
00:26:52.319 --> 00:27:01.359
Divine delay can give us the grace we need to practically prepare and plan.
00:27:03.039 --> 00:27:13.680
Verses 5 through 10, Nehemiah shows us that these four months of fasting and praying, he was also thinking and strategizing.
00:27:14.160 --> 00:27:15.519
Look with me at verse 5.
00:27:15.599 --> 00:27:28.559
And I said to the king, if it pleases the king, and if your servant has found favor in your sight, that you send me to Judah to the city of my father's graves, that I may rebuild it.
00:27:29.200 --> 00:27:38.880
Verse 6, and the king said to me, the queen sitting beside him, How long will you be gone and when will you return?
00:27:39.279 --> 00:27:45.839
So it pleased the king to send me when I had given him a time.
00:27:47.519 --> 00:27:48.720
Verse 6.
00:27:52.000 --> 00:27:57.039
God, or the king here in the text, but it's actually God doing it.
00:27:57.279 --> 00:28:04.000
God is actually granting him permission to go and do what he has called him to do.
00:28:05.279 --> 00:28:11.839
But it's interesting in this text, and if you see it in your Bible, it has a parenthesis beside.
00:28:11.920 --> 00:28:15.039
It says the queen sitting behind beside him.
00:28:18.480 --> 00:28:20.319
That's not by chance.
00:28:21.599 --> 00:28:31.839
Because it was said that if the king's wife, a lot of kings had many wives, but he always had he had one that would sit next to him.
00:28:32.079 --> 00:28:41.920
And if the king was sitting if the king's wife was sitting next to him, the king would be a little bit nicer to his subjects during that time.
00:28:42.000 --> 00:28:45.839
So this was not by chance, and this is not in our text by chance.
00:28:46.079 --> 00:28:48.079
God is intervening church.
00:28:50.319 --> 00:28:53.519
And so in verse 6, he gets permission.
00:28:54.559 --> 00:29:05.839
In verse 7, and it said to the king, if it pleases the king, let letters be given me to the governors of the province beyond the river that they may let me pass through until I come to Judah.
00:29:06.000 --> 00:29:08.559
Verse 7, he gets protection.
00:29:09.200 --> 00:29:24.480
And verse 8, and the letter to Asap, the king, the keeper of the king's forest, that he may give me timber to make beams for the gates of the fortress of the temple for all for the wall of the city and for the house that I shall occupy.
00:29:24.640 --> 00:29:27.279
And the king granted me what I asked.
00:29:27.599 --> 00:29:30.160
Verse 8, he gives provision.
00:29:30.400 --> 00:29:37.359
But notice where his provision comes from, for the good hand of my God was upon me.
00:29:45.200 --> 00:29:56.720
But this happened during the time, during the four months that Nehemiah was waiting on the Lord to answer his prayer.
00:29:57.680 --> 00:30:03.519
He was waiting on the Lord to answer his prayer, and during that time, God was preparing him.
00:30:03.839 --> 00:30:07.200
He was planning him, he was giving him a plan.
00:30:07.359 --> 00:30:09.279
He was allowed to strategize.
00:30:09.440 --> 00:30:15.200
How else would he know how much time it would take for him to return?
00:30:17.440 --> 00:30:22.480
He knew the people that he had to go before to have the protection that he needed.
00:30:22.720 --> 00:30:31.759
And when the answer, when it was time for him to answer the king, answer a king, he gave the answer from the king.
00:30:32.400 --> 00:30:36.319
And God provided everything that he needed.
00:30:39.200 --> 00:30:50.480
Church, this is a reminder that whenever we call out to God, whenever we wait on the Lord.
00:30:52.720 --> 00:30:56.720
And not just wait idly by sitting around doing nothing.
00:30:56.880 --> 00:31:03.920
No, and be while before God has answered, before we get to answer our prayer, He wants us to plan.
00:31:04.640 --> 00:31:06.240
He wants us to prepare.
00:31:13.359 --> 00:31:13.759
Right?
00:31:13.920 --> 00:31:15.119
He wants you to get ready.
00:31:15.279 --> 00:31:16.960
He wants you to get ready for your husband.
00:31:17.119 --> 00:31:21.599
If you want that job that you've been praying about, he wants you to get ready for that job.
00:31:21.759 --> 00:31:26.160
If he's calling you to ministry, he wants you to get ready for that ministry.
00:31:26.400 --> 00:31:30.799
He gives us time to prepare.
00:31:32.319 --> 00:31:40.400
And it's a shame if we don't take that time and use it for God's glory.
00:31:42.240 --> 00:31:44.400
But I want you to see something.
00:31:47.359 --> 00:31:55.759
Verse 9 says, Then I came to the governor of the province beyond the river and gave them the king's letters.
00:31:56.079 --> 00:32:03.200
Now the king has sent with me officers of the army and horsemen.
00:32:06.240 --> 00:32:10.160
See, Nehemiah asked for a visa.
00:32:12.160 --> 00:32:17.599
And God gave him a visa, and he gave him security.
00:32:18.799 --> 00:32:25.519
He gave him an army, officers to go with him, to protect him.
00:32:26.079 --> 00:32:28.799
But notice what happens in verse 10.
00:32:31.359 --> 00:32:45.519
But when Sanbalat the Hornite and Tobiah the Ammonite servant heard this, it displeased them greatly that someone had come to seek the welfare of the people of Israel.
00:32:46.799 --> 00:32:57.200
Church, any time that you and I do something right for the Lord, enemies, enemies will show up.
00:33:00.799 --> 00:33:03.039
Satan church has his agenda.
00:33:05.759 --> 00:33:11.440
But we always need to remember that our struggle is not against flesh and blood.
00:33:13.519 --> 00:33:17.279
It's against spirit wickedness and spiritual palities in high places.
00:33:17.359 --> 00:33:19.440
There's a fight going on that we can't see.
00:33:20.160 --> 00:33:23.759
And so understand that it's not that individual that you're looking at.
00:33:24.480 --> 00:33:25.359
That's your enemy.
00:33:25.519 --> 00:33:26.559
They're not your enemy.
00:33:30.319 --> 00:33:34.160
So my question to you today is what obstacle stands before you?
00:33:36.079 --> 00:33:46.640
I submit to you that God honored Nehemiah's prayer in such a great way because Nehemiah had great faith in God.
00:33:57.200 --> 00:34:03.759
To have great faith in God is something that we have to thank him for.
00:34:06.000 --> 00:34:13.119
We have to always know that the faith we have is not because of any of our doing.
00:34:14.480 --> 00:34:17.840
Nehemiah walked by faith and not by sight.
00:34:18.559 --> 00:34:28.159
He tried something so great that he was sure to fail if the Lord did not help him.
00:34:29.360 --> 00:34:32.960
That's the kind of prayer that God answers.
00:34:33.039 --> 00:34:37.280
That's the kind of prayers, that's the kind of faith that God honors.
00:34:37.599 --> 00:34:42.880
God answers believing, faithful prayer.
00:34:44.960 --> 00:34:48.400
So what is it that you need God to do in your life?
00:34:49.519 --> 00:34:50.880
Whatever it is.
00:34:51.920 --> 00:34:54.239
Church, I got good news for you.
00:34:55.199 --> 00:34:56.400
God is able.
00:35:09.599 --> 00:35:14.000
God is able to bring you, bring your wandering child back home.
00:35:14.239 --> 00:35:19.039
God is able to heal a sin sick soul and a hurting body.
00:35:19.360 --> 00:35:23.119
God is able to strengthen us in our finances.
00:35:23.280 --> 00:35:26.159
God is able to save your loved ones.
00:35:26.320 --> 00:35:31.039
The issue is not God's ability to move in the situation.
00:35:31.199 --> 00:35:45.199
The issue is do you really believe that God is able to immeasurably above all that you can ask or think, handle whatever situation we bring before God.
00:35:46.239 --> 00:35:51.760
So the question is, are you willing to operate and to walk and to step out in faith?
00:35:52.559 --> 00:35:57.599
Jeremiah 33:3 says this, call to me and I will answer.
00:35:58.239 --> 00:36:01.760
I will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known.
00:36:02.719 --> 00:36:06.480
Matthew 7, 7 says this, ask and it will be given to you.
00:36:07.119 --> 00:36:11.519
Seek and you will find, knock and it will be opened to you.
00:36:12.719 --> 00:36:28.480
1 John 5, 14 and 15 says this, and this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us, and if we know that he hears us, I love this part.
00:36:29.119 --> 00:36:34.559
If we know that he hears us, we know that we have the petitions that we desire of him.
00:36:35.440 --> 00:36:38.320
And so, church, and I said this number of times.
00:36:41.039 --> 00:36:47.599
If we're praying something and we know that it's according to God's will, how do we know if it's according to God's will?
00:36:49.360 --> 00:36:50.400
It's in the book.
00:36:51.440 --> 00:36:52.960
You don't have to guess.
00:36:53.519 --> 00:37:03.360
But when we pray that prayer and we know that it's part of God's will, we can get up from that prayer in full confidence, knowing that God has answered that prayer.
00:37:06.320 --> 00:37:07.679
We don't have to guess.
00:37:07.840 --> 00:37:23.039
He will answer that prayer in an instant, or it may take him a couple months to answer that prayer, maybe even six to a year or so to answer that prayer, but you can rest assured that God will answer that prayer.
00:37:23.199 --> 00:37:24.480
It's a done deal.
00:37:32.000 --> 00:37:49.280
And so God answers the kind of faith that rests in his hand, and God answers the kind of faith that waits on him for direction.
00:37:49.440 --> 00:38:04.960
But then thirdly, God answers the kind of faith that personally, personally examines situations.
00:38:07.119 --> 00:38:15.039
Verse 11 says, So I went to Jerusalem and was there three days.
00:38:15.760 --> 00:38:20.239
This one verse is a connection to what happened in verse 10.
00:38:20.559 --> 00:38:22.639
Verse 10, he faced opposition.
00:38:22.800 --> 00:38:24.320
Verse 10, he faced the enemy.
00:38:24.480 --> 00:38:29.920
And verse, right in verse 11, he says, So I went to Jerusalem and I was there three days.
00:38:30.239 --> 00:38:33.840
See, the opposition did not hinder Nehemiah.
00:38:34.000 --> 00:38:37.440
He knew that he had a call on God for his life.
00:38:37.599 --> 00:38:42.000
They were greatly displeased that someone had come to seek the welfare of the people.
00:38:43.840 --> 00:38:45.760
And what did Nehemiah do?
00:38:46.480 --> 00:38:47.840
He marched on.
00:38:49.039 --> 00:39:04.960
And interesting, in verse 12, says that he rose in the night, him and a few men with him, and I told no one what my God had put in my heart to do for Jerusalem.
00:39:05.360 --> 00:39:11.519
Nehemiah never lost sight of the fact that he was called to be on mission for God.
00:39:12.559 --> 00:39:19.840
If God really put it in your heart, then Nehemiah, why wouldn't you tell others about it?
00:39:21.440 --> 00:39:25.199
If God really put it in his heart, why wouldn't he tell others about it?
00:39:25.280 --> 00:39:32.239
Well, the reason he didn't tell others about it is because in this moment it's between him and God.
00:39:33.760 --> 00:39:35.360
It's between him and God.
00:39:36.320 --> 00:39:40.159
The answer to that is found in verses 13 to 16.
00:39:40.880 --> 00:39:42.159
Look what it says.
00:39:42.320 --> 00:39:57.760
Verse 13, I went out by the night, I went out by night by the valley gate of the dragon spring to the Dungate, and I inspected the walls of Jerusalem that were broken, broken down, and its gates that had been destroyed by fire.
00:39:57.920 --> 00:40:07.039
Then I went on to the fountain gate, to the king's pools, but there was no room for the animal that I was under to under me to pass.
00:40:07.440 --> 00:40:16.800
Then I went up in the night by the valley and inspected the wall, and I turned back and entered by the valley gate, so and so returned.
00:40:17.679 --> 00:40:23.039
Verse 16, and the officials did not know where I had gone or what I was doing.
00:40:23.199 --> 00:40:31.840
And I had not yet told the Jews, the priests, the nobles, the officials, and the rest who were to do the work.
00:40:32.639 --> 00:40:36.559
Nehemiah went on a recognizance mission.
00:40:36.880 --> 00:40:42.079
He went to go inspect what he was sent there to do.
00:40:42.239 --> 00:41:05.599
He went to go investigate what he was sent there to do and included in God's will is Nehemiah facing the facts personally without any interruptions, without any questions from anybody, without any doubts from anybody, without any skepticism from those who had lived in Jerusalem from all this time.
00:41:05.760 --> 00:41:12.960
And he even grown accustomed that of those who had grown accustomed to live a life with all these walls and ruins torn down.
00:41:13.199 --> 00:41:21.599
Nehemiah knew that the job of rebuilding the walls could couldn't go forward unless he saw exactly how bad the situation was.
00:41:32.719 --> 00:41:38.400
Some like to always see the good, and then some like to always find what is wrong, and that's fine.
00:41:39.360 --> 00:41:40.239
We just built like that.
00:41:40.320 --> 00:41:44.639
There's some people that's all positive, there's some people that can be skeptics.
00:41:45.039 --> 00:41:50.480
But Nehemiah teaches us that we must see the broken down walls.
00:41:50.960 --> 00:42:01.360
But only if we have the right heart, only if we have right prayer, only if we have the right prayer life and the passion to be used by God to set it right.
00:42:01.920 --> 00:42:10.000
You see, with the right hearts, hearts ready to act, we must be, we must take an honest look.
00:42:10.639 --> 00:42:16.880
If you got the right heart, you got the heart to act, then we can take the we can take an honest look.
00:42:17.039 --> 00:42:18.559
These walls were real.
00:42:19.199 --> 00:42:24.559
They were real ruins where the people could see in plain sight.
00:42:25.039 --> 00:42:28.960
And you and I have figurative walls.
00:42:29.760 --> 00:42:33.519
We got figurative walls in our own lives that need an honest look.
00:42:34.719 --> 00:42:42.559
Some are desperately hurting or trapped in a cycle of sin and want to get out but don't know how to ask for help.
00:42:43.519 --> 00:42:53.039
Some have a respect and know God and know God is real, but don't have a relationship with Jesus Christ.
00:42:54.320 --> 00:43:08.960
When we look at the church, we can be thankful for it, but if we examine our impact on the community around us, we have to ask the question, what else can we do to impact the lives of Jesus?
00:43:09.119 --> 00:43:11.280
That's what it means to take an honest look.
00:43:11.840 --> 00:43:18.480
There's always more to be done when considering the outreach and the spread of the gospel.
00:43:18.719 --> 00:43:25.519
Many lives are like the city with broken walls, living with a constant sense of fear, poverty, and insecurity.
00:43:25.840 --> 00:43:37.920
And church, we should be the ones who don't hide our eyes to the brokenness in our own lives, and definitely not I hide our eyes in the brokenness that's around us.
00:43:38.159 --> 00:43:45.599
God wants us to see the brokenness so we can take the steps necessary to do what God has called us to do.
00:43:49.519 --> 00:43:58.960
Then lastly, God honors a faith that promotes unity and action.
00:44:00.159 --> 00:44:02.239
Verses 17 through 20.
00:44:03.760 --> 00:44:09.679
The time had finally come for Nehemiah to do what God has sent him there to do.
00:44:10.000 --> 00:44:15.199
He knew that he had to unite the people and encourage them to action.
00:44:15.679 --> 00:44:27.920
He understood this: that if it was one thing that was going to help him and necessary for him to rebuild the walls, he needed to build the people up first.
00:44:29.199 --> 00:44:30.320
And how did he do that?
00:44:30.480 --> 00:44:31.840
Verse 17 tells us this.
00:44:32.000 --> 00:44:38.400
Then he said, and watch this verse clearly carefully.
00:44:38.719 --> 00:44:43.519
He said to them, You see the trouble we are in?
00:44:44.159 --> 00:44:48.079
How Jerusalem lies in ruins with its gates burned.
00:44:48.480 --> 00:44:55.840
Come, let us build the wall of Jerusalem, that we may long no longer suffer derision.
00:44:56.960 --> 00:45:02.639
Nehemiah could have approached them and made them feel guilty about the situation.
00:45:02.960 --> 00:45:10.320
He could have came to them, he could have said, Listen, y'all been here so long, y'all all this time, and y'all see that the wall is torn down.
00:45:10.480 --> 00:45:15.920
Why why why come none of y'all decided to fix the walls here?
00:45:16.639 --> 00:45:19.679
He could have came with that approach, but he didn't come with that approach.
00:45:19.760 --> 00:45:21.760
Look how he came to the people.
00:45:21.840 --> 00:45:22.960
He could have said all of that.
00:45:23.039 --> 00:45:25.199
No, but he he didn't do that.
00:45:25.519 --> 00:45:39.039
He could have said, listen, this over the last got God had to, I had to pray, I had to wait on God for four months, and then I had to travel all this way to come here when you guys are sitting right here in the city, you're looking right at it every day.
00:45:39.199 --> 00:45:40.480
He could have said that.
00:45:40.800 --> 00:45:42.400
But he didn't say that.
00:45:43.280 --> 00:45:45.440
His appeal was positive.
00:45:45.920 --> 00:45:49.760
He focused on the glory and the greatness of the Lord.
00:45:52.480 --> 00:45:55.119
He only been in the city for a few days.
00:45:55.199 --> 00:45:56.880
And look at verse 17 again.
00:45:56.960 --> 00:46:01.119
He says, You see the trouble we are in?
00:46:02.320 --> 00:46:06.559
How Jerusalem lies in ruins with its gates burned.
00:46:06.880 --> 00:46:16.960
Come, let us build the wall of Jerusalem, that we may no longer suffer derision.
00:46:17.679 --> 00:46:21.679
Nehemiah said, look, we're in this together.
00:46:22.800 --> 00:46:28.639
In church, for any ministry to succeed, and I want to say this lovingly, as lovingly as I can.
00:46:30.239 --> 00:46:40.400
For any ministry to succeed, you and I need to reject the harmful mindset of me versus you.
00:46:42.880 --> 00:46:52.639
The word, my ministry, and your ministry, church, has got to be removed from our vocabulary.
00:46:57.119 --> 00:47:06.159
Anyone who is part of the local church as a member, the proper language and attitude is our ministry.
00:47:07.119 --> 00:47:14.079
And if you want to get really technical about it, the proper language is it's the Lord's ministry.
00:47:18.719 --> 00:47:20.880
We all have a common goal.
00:47:21.280 --> 00:47:22.639
We all need each other.
00:47:22.800 --> 00:47:26.719
Every single one of us needs each other to do what God has called us to do.
00:47:31.360 --> 00:47:35.599
Ministry is not for our own satisfaction and for our own self-esteem.
00:47:35.920 --> 00:47:39.360
It's for the glory of Christ Jesus.
00:47:41.039 --> 00:47:46.159
Ministry is the combined effort of the body of Christ to accomplish the advancement of the gospel.
00:47:46.239 --> 00:47:48.320
And that's what we see here in this text.
00:47:48.480 --> 00:47:53.760
Nehemiah is willing to work together toward a goal.
00:47:53.840 --> 00:47:58.480
And one of the ways we do this is to encourage one another.
00:47:59.519 --> 00:48:00.719
And look what he says.
00:48:00.800 --> 00:48:05.119
And I love what he says in verse 18, and we're going to get ready to close in just a moment.
00:48:06.000 --> 00:48:21.039
He says in verse 18, and I told them of the hand of my God that had been upon me for good, and also of the words that the king had spoken to me.
00:48:21.519 --> 00:48:25.199
And they said, Let us rise up and build.
00:48:25.599 --> 00:48:29.280
So they strengthen their hands for the good work.
00:48:30.000 --> 00:48:30.639
Amen.
00:48:40.719 --> 00:48:56.800
He says, I told them of the hand of my God that had been upon me for good, and also of the words of that word that the king had spoken to me.
00:48:57.679 --> 00:49:07.119
Nehemiah lets them know that the only way that this is going to get done is if God is on this side, on their side.
00:49:14.480 --> 00:49:15.360
Look with me there.
00:49:15.519 --> 00:49:30.079
But when Sanbalat the Hornite and Tobiah the Ammonite servant and Geshem the Arab heard of it now, in verse 10, it was just two of them.
00:49:31.760 --> 00:49:35.599
In verse 19, it grows.
00:49:35.760 --> 00:49:37.519
There's now three of them.
00:49:38.000 --> 00:49:44.559
And that's a reminder to us, church, that the more our ministry grows, the more the opposition grows.
00:49:45.199 --> 00:49:45.840
Amen.
00:49:49.920 --> 00:49:51.920
But notice something else that they did.
00:49:52.719 --> 00:49:57.519
In verse 10, they just greatly despised.
00:49:59.679 --> 00:50:08.719
In verse 19, they despised us and said, What is this thing that you are doing?
00:50:08.880 --> 00:50:11.519
Are you rebelling against the king?
00:50:12.239 --> 00:50:15.119
So now they don't just greatly despise.
00:50:15.280 --> 00:50:18.559
Now they despise and they say something about it.
00:50:20.000 --> 00:50:23.519
They jeered at them and despise them.
00:50:23.599 --> 00:50:27.119
What is this that the king you are doing and rebelling against?
00:50:28.000 --> 00:50:29.360
Rebelling against the king.
00:50:29.599 --> 00:50:37.039
Earlier, they didn't say a word, but now they had a whole lot to say.
00:50:40.239 --> 00:50:44.880
But I love the reply in verse 20.
00:50:46.079 --> 00:50:54.480
Nehemiah replied to them the God of heaven will make us prosper.
00:50:55.440 --> 00:51:08.239
And we his servants will rise and build, but you have no portion or right or claim in Jerusalem.
00:51:14.960 --> 00:51:30.400
Nehemiah understands that without with or without a king.
00:51:34.159 --> 00:51:36.719
God is on our side.
00:51:38.880 --> 00:51:41.679
Church, it doesn't matter what earthly kings do.
00:51:42.880 --> 00:51:53.519
Doesn't matter who's in charge, doesn't matter who has authority, because we serve a God who has all authority.
00:51:54.719 --> 00:51:58.320
And I want us to think about that.
00:51:58.400 --> 00:52:00.159
I want us to let that sink in.
00:52:00.480 --> 00:52:04.960
God is on our side.
00:52:05.119 --> 00:52:15.760
If you have accepted Jesus Christ as your Savior, you have a God that is on your side, a God that is intervening in your situation when you don't even know it.
00:52:16.159 --> 00:52:20.480
A God that's permitting things to happen for you that you don't even realize.
00:52:20.800 --> 00:52:24.559
A God who's watching over you and protecting you.
00:52:24.800 --> 00:52:28.559
And you don't even know that he's protecting you.
00:52:29.519 --> 00:52:33.599
That's the kind of God who's on our side.
00:52:35.039 --> 00:52:39.679
Romans 831 says this, what then shall we say to these things?
00:52:40.320 --> 00:52:46.079
If God is for us, who can be against?
00:53:02.400 --> 00:53:04.639
Thank God for a text like this.
00:53:07.599 --> 00:53:16.000
Because it helps us to realize and to know that God has called us to salvation.
00:53:16.800 --> 00:53:20.639
He's called us to service.
00:53:22.159 --> 00:53:27.280
He's called us to sanctification.
00:53:28.159 --> 00:53:32.159
And he's calling us to glorification.
00:53:33.840 --> 00:53:37.199
We may have to deal with earthly kings now, church.
00:53:38.079 --> 00:53:43.440
But sooner or later, one day, we won't have to deal with no more earthly kings.
00:53:45.760 --> 00:53:57.039
And the reason we have to deal with earthly kings now is because our sin has separated us from God.
00:53:57.199 --> 00:54:05.679
If you haven't received Jesus Christ, the Bible says, for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.
00:54:05.840 --> 00:54:07.840
That's the bad news, church.
00:54:08.159 --> 00:54:11.920
But then it gets even worse.
00:54:13.039 --> 00:54:15.760
We can't do anything to remove our sin.
00:54:16.960 --> 00:54:26.320
We have to put our trust and our faith in Jesus Christ and what he has done for us on Calvary's cross.
00:54:26.719 --> 00:54:31.119
And the good news is at the cross, Jesus paid it all.
00:54:32.880 --> 00:54:44.800
And the best news is through faith we freely receive forgiveness and eternal life through faith.
00:54:44.960 --> 00:54:45.519
Amen?
00:54:46.239 --> 00:54:46.639
Amen.
00:54:46.800 --> 00:54:47.280
Let us pray.
00:54:47.440 --> 00:54:49.199
Father God, we thank you.
00:54:58.320 --> 00:55:09.599
That you have given us the faith to trust you, dear God, to place all dependence upon you for our life.
00:55:10.719 --> 00:55:16.639
Knowing, oh God, that we have a place in your kingdom.
00:55:17.280 --> 00:55:20.880
That we'll be able to spend eternity with you, oh God.
00:55:20.960 --> 00:55:31.280
We pray in this moment that for anyone here, oh God, who have not yet accepted your son Jesus Christ, we pray, Lord, that you touch their hearts.
00:55:34.320 --> 00:55:41.360
That you press upon them in this moment the need for Jesus Christ in their life.
00:55:41.760 --> 00:55:45.280
You know what we all are standing up against.
00:55:46.480 --> 00:55:48.639
And some of us can thank you.
00:55:51.440 --> 00:56:01.760
That we can trust you and we can count on you to watch over us, to protect us, to provide for us, but then there's some who don't know what that's like.
00:56:03.280 --> 00:56:20.320
Father, we pray right now that you stir them up in the inside, that they may come and experience the favor that you have given us of those who believe in Christ Jesus.
00:56:20.880 --> 00:56:21.599
Thank you, Lord.
