God is going to make the call as to whether one goes to heaven, or one goes to hell. 3 December 2017 PM Nehemiah 2:9-4:23 EzNe17 Scott Childs. The Plan If you ask him, and trust him, [You will be] like a tree planted by water, that sends out its roots by the stream, and does not fear when heat comes, for its leaves remain green, and is not anxious in the year of drought, for it does not cease to bear fruit (Jeremiah 17:78). They were trusting God to take care of them, they were accepting Gods challenge to do something great, and they were confident that they were in the heart of Gods will as they took action. And no longer shall each one teach his neighbor and each his brother, saying, Know the Lord, for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, declares the Lord. Hell thrive in tough times. God is calling the church to rebuild after the Corona Virus pandemic lock-downs. Nehemiah organizes resources and teams, then completes the task in 52 days -- all amidst stiff opposition from Judah's enemies. Nehemiah 1:1-6:16, Denomination: Priests built (3:1), apothecaries built (3:8), some women built (3:12), rulers built (3:14), Levites built (3:17), gate-keepers built (3:29), goldsmiths and merchants built (3:32). 3) Spiritual rebuilding is not fast nor is it easy. Patient: Give me the bad news first. If your health starts to disappear, weeping is OK. Nehemiah 1:1-4, Denomination: (Ezra 1:1). Which do you want first? To date, "The United Methodist Church has helped Nehemiah 1:1-7:3, Denomination: The temple's foundation became a concrete . If youre ever going to benefit from money that is rightfully yours, youve got to fill in some forms, mail the information to the IRS and eventually, cash a check! Giving ourselves first to the Lord, we can be amazed at what god can and will do through us. NEHEMIAH 1:1-4; 8:1-6; 9:1-3 To ensure you receive the best experience on Lifeway.com, we use cookies to process information about your visit. The down-turn in the economy has affected everyone, every industry, every organization, every church. The day came when the small merchant found himself hemmed in with a new department store stretching out on both sides of and above his little retail shop. Salvation Army, Jeremiah 29:10, This is what the Lord says: You will be in Babylon for seventy years. There was much pain associated with the world leaders of those eras. 52-week preaching calendar to help you plan your sermons, Customizable sermon manuscripts for verse-by-verse preaching, Preach with creativity and impact throughout the year, Help your church understand God's plan in pain, Call your people to experience a higher freedom, Proclaim the gospel to the ends of the earth. It has felt at times like every new day has brought its own dark wave of reasons to be discouraged or to despair. And more than 100,000 taxpayers have let it go. The Babylonians came and conquered Zechariah 4:10, addressed originally to the returned exiles, says that those who despised the small things of the new temple would rejoice. Disobey Me and youll be carried off into read more, Scripture: And dont take our version of lean times to ancient Jerusalem, either. Sermon Transcript. This is the 1st sermon in the series "Rebuilding". (2 Peter 3:3) Sanballat and Tobiah ridiculed the work of God. A brief outline is: 1. God takes a defeated and exiled people and moves dramatically to send them back to Jerusalem. In our lean times? The Lord uses Nehemiah to show us some walls that need to be rebuilt for revival to take place. The A study of the book of Nehemiah. Tonight we are going to examine four steps in their rebuilding that can help us build up our spiritual lives. If we are really honest with God and INTRODUCTION. A tank of gas feels like a major purchase, and everything from food prices to basic supplies have seen dramatic increases. Instead of Atlanta, it was Jerusalem that had been destroyed. This sermon was preached when I was asked to take over the youth ministry of the church which was in shambles. Here is a sermon that encourages us to keep on building in the midst of battling Building and Battling Spend much time in prayer. Pentecostal. The competitors now opened shop. Doctor: Your other leg wont need to be On a tour of the facilities, the new CEO noticed a guy leaning on a wall. Nehemiah 4:7-9. They rebuild their demolished city. Your children get hurt, you experience divorce, you lose your job, you have an illness, etc There are times when it seems that we have lost Do you grieve over the behavior of our president? The fourth step in rebuilding is . Its the lessons learned in the Classroom of Suffering. So here we are, a group of committed followers of Christ, all taken, against our will, back into the Classroom of Suffering. (Psalms 1:1-3) Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. 1. You CAN rebuild those broken walls if you will get motivated, participate, determine, and pray. As cruel as it sounds, even the unspeakable actions of Hitler were used by God for good. They were desperately short of food, national security, and sleep. On that day will your boundary be extended. What about the environment? Introduction: Relationships can hit hard times, grief can leave a person in emotional ruins, and disease can attack with the fury of an armed enemy. For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. As the people gathered with repentant hearts the blood shed on such an altar provided cleansing for sin. 43 Bible Verses about rebuilding Then they will rebuild the ancient ruins, They will raise up the former devastations; And they will repair the ruined cities, The desolations of many generations. read more, Scripture: God had told them: Obey Me and youll live in the land for a long time. You are currently impersonating {{userSessionData.email}}. Ezra 1:1-10:44, Several weeks ago, NBA superstar LeBron James tweeted, Its a weird feeling to feel so alone sometimes! He received over 140,000 likes and 4,000 replies from people expressing sympathy, disbelief, and from some, criticism. read more, Scripture: Your children get hurt, you experience divorce, you lose your job, you have an illness, etc There are times when it seems that we have lost And we believe the Bibles message is crystal clear. Determine to get the victory. We may not understand it, but you can count on it. Its about getting off the bench and into the game and when you leave today I hope you get it. Whether that was adjusting to the discomforts of life in a pandemic, or increasing social tensions from political and racial divide. (Philippians 3:13) Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,(Philippians 3:14) I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. to build and to plant. (Jeremiah 1:10), God sent Jeremiah to pluck up, break down, destroy, and overthrow. Disobey Me and youll be carried off into captivity. Thats what happened. A. 1. REBUILDING SUCCESSFULLY Are relatives more distant and estranged than ever before? Rebuilding Your Wall 1 The words of Nehemiah son of Hacaliah: in the month of Kislev in the twentieth year, while I was in the citadel of Susa, But there was also this: Ezra 3:12-13 But many of the older priests, Levites, and family leaders, who had seen the first temple, wept loudly when they saw the foundation of this house, but many [others] shouted joyfully. Since the terrorism of Sept. 11th, we need to rebuild for the future of America and the church. And evidence of that claim could be centered in two new places of worship, complete with their golden calves. We need to look at the realities of rebuilding- Those things to expect. (Romans 8:31) What shall we then say to these things? Gather my people Focusing on renewal and cooperation. And yet Atlanta would rise from the ashes, bigger and more fantastic than could have ever been imagined in just 14 decades ago. Marshall Segal is a writer and managing editor at desiringGod.org. They saw the need (2:9-16) After seeing its best days ever under David, and then Solomon, Israel foolishly divided with a Civil War. The setting is about 500 years before the time of Christ. If a hothead ever had an excuse, this was it. The news reports tell us that were in hard times, right now. The drawing on the screen shows the various sections of the wall that were rebuilt. Baptist. God is always ready to hear the prayer of someone who says, God, Im sorry for my sin. Our definition of lean times usually means well buy smaller cars instead of SUVs, well eat out one less meal than we used to, and well buy a less expensive brand of golf ball than we once did. Remember those piercing words God spoke to Samuel (1 Samuel 16:7) But the LORD said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart. read more, Scripture: Nehemiah 3:1-32 He's Where the Joy Is by Tara-Leigh Cobble, Black Church Leadership & Family Conference. You CAN do it! What if God is forcing us into a corner where weve got to make use of renewable energy? read more, Scripture: When I was asked to take up the role of youth pastor, that was sometime in October period, I began to pray and asked the Lord what was that which he wants to do in YIA. The work of rebuilding our personal wall is the effort we put into seeking a strong relationship with Him, and He then provides the defenses for us. We can learn about revival from Nehemiahs rebuilding the walls We're sorry, an error occurred. To rebuild successfully Instead of overthrowing our rebellion and tossing us into hell, he tossed his own Son to the wolves of evil where he was crucified (Acts 2:23). They saw rituals that would be very strange and very repulsive to us, but in their minds, in their hearts, they knew exactly what was happening. Our ministries at the church deal as much with energy costs as any business in town. A year of If we are really honest with God and 1) The wall was joined together because the people had a mind to work (4:6). Once the northern kingdom was gone, the southern kingdom was a sitting duck. Zerubbabel led the first effort, recorded in Chapter 3, and Ezra led the second sacrifice, recorded in Ezra 8. Series: Rebuilding [#3] At the end of all this rebuilding they experience revival of true religion. I will build them up, and not tear them down; I will plant them, and not pluck them up (Jeremiah 24:6). INTRO.- ILL.- A doctor said to his patient, I have some good news and some bad news. Their banners unfurled, "Grand Opening! b. The setting is about 500 years before the time of Christ. The history that takes us into the story of Ezra and Nehemiah is pretty simple. Doctor: Your other leg wont need to be to pluck up and to break down, 1. Nehemiah 1:1-4 (NIV) read more, Scripture: Shell find victory, even in an atmosphere of loss. King Cyrus of Persia had them brought out under the supervision of Mithredath the treasurer, who counted them out to Sheshbazzar the prince of Judah. Wheaton: Standard Bible Society. In those days, imagining a mega city in its steel and glass glory was simply not possible. You need In the heart of lean times, they succeeded. The apostle mentions his fellow ministers, in part, to show how important relational dynamics are in the exercise of Christian authority. In this sermon, we see how Nehemiah helped the exiles begin rebuilding the walls, and we learn how to begin rebuilding out lives. Now walls represent two things among others. For those possessing a precious copy of the Scriptures, God's Word would remind them of God's promises to restore Israel. Your participation is necessary. A. This new boss was determined to rid the company of all slackers. The Lord is in this rebuilding. He saw the terrible condition it was in. Today, more than 5 million people live in the metro-Atlanta area, fighting gridlock as they drive among the gleaming skyscrapers, past the great sports stadiums, college campuses, and the states gold-domed capital building. Once Nehemiah convinced the beleaguered residents of Jerusalem to join an all-in effort to rebuild the walls, they had to deal with any number of obstacles. Will we take money away from our gifts to the Lord so we can keep putting the same amount of gasoline in our vehicles? In the early days, it must have been impossible to think that within a century, Atlanta would be one of the largest cities in America, and on its way to becoming one of the best-known cities in the world. Its nearly impossible picture the aftermath of the Civil War, when the city smoldered after a relentless, 36-day shelling from Shermans Union troops. If a man has a history of fornication, is he disqualified from the office of pastor or can he still be considered the husband of one wife. Those who chose to leave were also leaving a fairly comfortable environment, and headed toward a very tough one. In addition, a new presidential administration means more change is on the way, and no one is certain where the change will lead. 1. Nehemiah 1:1-4, Nehemiah 2:17-19. It was a terribly inconvenient process for millions of people, but also a logical way to get a young couple to Bethlehem in time for the birth of the Messiah, in exactly the place where the prophets said the Christ would be born. The Lord Jesus Christ live the life we have failed to live, died the atoning death we need, and rose victoriously so that we can be truly . Ive been wrong. read more, Scripture: The census of the people (2) C. 2) Note that the first workers listed were the priests (3:1). They attempted to discourage the workers. Or dead. . By and large, Americans arent starving, arent walking, arent living in garbage dumps and arent sending under-clothed children out scavenging for food. Instead of plucking us up, like we deserved, he placed his own Son on the cross (John 3:16). read more, Scripture: Even the cemetery will raise prices and call it a cost of living increase. 1. REBUILDING FOR THE FUTURE Ezra 1, Ezra 2, Here is a sermon that focuses on building people - which is also known as good old fashioned "Discipleship", "Building People" Are you fearful about the threat of war? Ezra knew it, Nehemiah knew it, Jesus knew it, and you either have known it, are knowing it now, or will know it. This sermon encourages believers that rebuilding our lives is not impossible when it is covered with believing prayer. Another key leader of Jerusalems rise from the ashes was Zerubbabel, who took the lead on re-building the temple. ENDURING THE STRUGGLES OF REBUILDING The priorities must stay in proper order. In this passage of Scripture we see the wisdom of Nehemiah as he prepares to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. God had told them: Obey Me and youll live in the land for a long time. You need Transition: The Jews under Nehemiahs leadership rebuilt their faith in God while they rebuilt the city wall. 3) You will never rebuild an area of your life until you clearly see the need as God sees it. King Cyrus also brought out the articles of the LORD's house that Nebuchadnezzar had taken from Jerusalem and had placed in the house of his gods. Talent was not required read more, Scripture: Is there a wall that is broken down and lying in decay? 3 OVERCOMING OBSTACLES AND OPPOSITION WITH GOD 4 WHEN YOU FACE OPPOSITION AS YOU TRY TO REBUILD When Ezra returned to Jerusalem, he knew that some exiles had already made the trip home. It has been over 7 decades since, as we read in 2 Chronicles, the fall of Judah, the destruction of God's temple and the entire city of Jerusalem, and the exile of the Jews to Babylon. Abraham, too, when he comes to a new place, would build an altar (Genesis 12:7-8; 13:4, 18; 22:9), as did Isaac and Jacob after him (Genesis 26:25; 33:20; 35:1, 3, 7). All their neighbors supported them with silver articles, gold, goods, livestock, and valuables, in addition to all that was given as a freewill offering. They had to move stones weighing two tons at the short end of the scale, and build gates that would withstand the attacks of well-trained armies. A series of sermon preached during the rebuilding of the churchs youth ministry. So now we talk about the return home. I definitely thank Him for His patience and for His willingness to persevere in what He started to do. Are you not where you thought you would be by now? The walls rebuilt in Nehemiah are not the same walls we have around the city of Jerusalem today. Let every survivor, wherever he lives, be assisted by the men of that region with silver, gold, goods, and livestock, along with a freewill offering for the house of God in Jerusalem." REBUILDING SUCCESSFULLY Rest assured, sooner or later, we all know tough times. Feel free to us it! The writers of the Bible blame that destruction on ungodly leadership. Weve known for years, for decades, that burning fossil fuels is bad for the environment. Free Sermons and Sermon Outlines for Preaching : Under Construction: How To Rebuild The Walls In Your Life Part 1, Mapping 'fault Lines' In America - Micah 3, 5 Ways To Grow Your Church's Congregation, My Sermon With A Little Bit Of Bible Thrown In. Its being at-one-ment with God, through Jesus Christ. They believed it could be done! Jeremiah 29:10, Ezra 1:1-4, Isaiah 44:28, Nehemiah task is to rebuild the wall of Jerusalem. And the rebuild began when he sent his Son. The Babylonians finally took the people captive, 136 years later, and transported the whole lot of them to the area of the world we now know as Iraq and Iran. I. The Romans followed, and the land flowed with blood. Ezra and Nehemiah provide the biblical background, for they led a people facing far more difficult circumstances to a point of great success in their work, in their national identity, and in their new understanding of faith. God had told them: Obey Me and youll live in the land for a long time. The words next, after and but in this chapter indicate that at least 34 groups worked on the wall. "All right then, we'll build all around you and put you out of business," the new competitors said. Nevertheless, weve got a lot of people hurting. Background to passage: Recount briefly the historical setting of the captivity, and the returns of Ezra and Nehemiah under the reign of the Medo-Persian King Artaxerxes I. Will you begin tonight? 2020 took a lot from us. This sermon encourages believers that rebuilding our lives is not impossible when it is covered with believing prayer. Maybe youre one of the rare ones who doesnt know the experience of lean times. The Bible tells us of the heroic actions of Jeshua, Seraiah, Reelaiah, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispar, Bigvai, Rehum and Baanah. Have you followed the devastation from the hurricanes or wildfires? We rebuild by speaking the truth in love to one another when we notice one another sinning. read more. Most definitely. 7 Now it happened, when Sanballat, Tobiah, the Arabs, the Ammonites, and the Ashdodites heard that the walls of 2. The Lord uses the same language even later in Jeremiah: It shall come to pass that as I have watched over them to pluck up and break down, to overthrow, destroy, and bring harm, so I will watch over them to build and to plant, declares the Lord (Jeremiah 31:28). In this passage of Scripture we see the wisdom of Nehemiah as he prepares to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. The most obvious application point deals with our offerings at church. They rebuild their demolished city. Series: Rebuilding [#5] There will be a mess. ", The merchant in the old store, the little store surrounded by the big bully, had a banner of his own. If God be for us, who can be against us? Humble yourself. Do your children seem even further away from the Lord? Politically they were looking for For the 2006 tax year, for instance, the IRS still has about $100 million in refund checks waiting on the rightful owners to claim. That would be a vitally important reality when God decided it was time to share news of the Messiah with the whole world. Christian/Church Of Christ. Are you less content in your work, maybe even ready to quit? I appreciated John Stonestreets insight: It can be difficult to Millions of Americans find themselves facing the greatest struggles of their lives today, squeezed financially by rising energy costs, rising unemployment rates, fears of a national recession or even a depression. read more, Scripture: The Lord is in this rebuilding. However, in order to capitalize on the opportunity, you must follow the instructions of the Bible. Men like Zerubbabel came to be household names in Israel, because they followed in the courageous footsteps of Ezra and Nehemiah. read more, Exposition of Neh 1 about hte burden that Nehemiah had for the Kingdom of God, Text: Nehemiah 1:1-11, Title: A Rebuilders Burden, Date/Place: NRBC, 8/26/07, AM GETTING STARTED RIGHT 15:4 Read read more, Scripture: They recognized Gods leading (2:17-20) They willingly headed straight into tough times. The great city had lain in ruins for decades. But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. Hes the author of. So the family leaders of Judah and Benjamin, along with the priests and Leviteseveryone God had motivatedprepared to go up and rebuild the LORD's house in Jerusalem. Like the small businessman whose clothing store was threatened with extinction when a national chain store moved in and acquired all the properties on his block. In this sermon, we see how Nehemiah helped the exiles begin rebuilding the walls, and we learn how to begin rebuilding out lives. Nehemiah 4:6, Nehemiah 6:15-16. It is important for us to realize that Nehemiah was, in the words of J. I. Packer, "a church builder." 1 Without the restoration of the walls of the city of Jerusalem, there could have been no normal or healthy city life. to destroy and to overthrow, Introduction: It may be your time with God in prayer. Frankly, todays a great day to deal with that problem. This implies that we Rebuilding should focus on long-term planning that helps people come back stronger by rethinking new systems that make entire individuals and communities more resilient and successful. God is going to be the ultimate judge. This sermon encourages believers that rebuilding our lives is not impossible when it is covered with believing prayer. Others from Judah had been there the entire time. This was a really, really big day, and there was lots of music, and lots of celebration. Rebuild. If youre going to get your refund you have to be aware of the rules, or read the stories, or visit the web sites and then take action. There's no doubtwe've been frazzled. But Ezra was shocked to see the ruins and the shocking lack of progress. Just a few verses later, the Lord says, Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah, not like the covenant that I made with their fathers on the day when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, my covenant that they broke, though I was their husband, declares the Lord. He took a task that seemed impossible, mobilized a team of people, and accomplished the task of rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem. b. Lean times, tough times, are difficult. Ezra is the story of a great revival. This sermon encourages believers that rebuilding our lives is not impossible when it is covered with believing prayer. Only obedience will take us to a point of thriving during lean times. This is the 5th sermon in the series "Rebuilding". Complete control. Last week we established the realities of rebuilding. on re-building the temple. Could it be that God is calling us back to a state of biblical, fiscal responsibility? Which do you want first? Can we comprehend it? One was committed to preaching, one was committed to action. This new boss was determined to rid the company of all slackers. Its like I tell Trevor (my son); if you dont understand the When you are rebuilding, there will be struggles. Before we get started on the challenge, let us take a moment and admit this. This new boss was determined to rid the company of all slackers. The Lord fulfilled His promise through Jeremiah after 70 years (Jer 25:11-12). read more, Scripture: Ezra is the story of a great revival. There are times when we have to start over and when we do, we need to get started right. Series: Rebuild The Gates [#1] THE SHEEP GATE Nehemiah 3:1 Introduction: With all of the craziness going on, many people are predicting that this is the end. Lean times? 1) Building was not the occupation of many of the workers. Title: A Year of Rebuilding Free Sermons and Sermon Outlines for Preaching : Mapping 'fault Lines' In America - Micah 3, 5 Ways To Grow Your Church's Congregation, My Sermon With A Little Bit Of Bible Thrown In. When people insisted they couldnt make it, they did more than simply survive.