Nehemiah 9:22-38 | What will you do?

INTRODUCTION: Would you rather questions, raise your hands.

cell phone vs sugar. Be 10 years younger or 2x times smart.

TENSION: Certain things will happen in your life and you need to decide now what you will do then.

Nehemiah 9:22-25 - WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO WITH GOD’S BLESSINGS?

Nehemiah 9:22–25 (ESV)

22 “And you gave them kingdoms and peoples and allotted to them every corner. So they took possession of the land of Sihon king of Heshbon and the land of Og king of Bashan. 23 You multiplied their children as the stars of heaven, and you brought them into the land that you had told their fathers to enter and possess. 24 So the descendants went in and possessed the land, and you subdued before them the inhabitants of the land, the Canaanites, and gave them into their hand, with their kings and the peoples of the land, that they might do with them as they would. 25 And they captured fortified cities and a rich land, and took possession of houses full of all good things, cisterns already hewn, vineyards, olive orchards and fruit trees in abundance.

v22- Kingdoms were east of Jordan, They took over this before crossing over.

They were chronicling the history of Isreal and they mention now when they got into the Kingdom. Things went well. God fulfilled all his promises to the people. Every single one of them.

Nehemiah 9:25b

So they ate and were filled and became fat and delighted themselves in your great goodness.

Was this the right thing or wrong thing to do? You can celebrate the goodness of God towards you. But you should never be content about it. Turn those blessings and ask how to be a blessing to others.

HAHA - Mother and I are rich, you have nothing.

YOU CAN SERVE HIM OR SERVE YOURSELF.

They worshipped the gifts instead of the gift giver.

What did they do?

Nehemiah 9:26 ESV

26 “Nevertheless, they were disobedient and rebelled against you and cast your law behind their back and killed your prophets, who had warned them in order to turn them back to you, and they committed great blasphemies.

Nevertheless - despite that.

They were disobedient and rebelled - ILLUSTRATION - YUCK! AT DINNER.

Cast your law behind their back. - They did not pay attention to God’s Word. Are you actually reading God’s Word?

Killed your prophets, - Not only did they not believe they were hostile. This is what happens in the world today. I sometimes wonder, why can’t you leave us alone? They can’t.

Nehemiah 9:26-31 - WHAT WILL DO WHEN GOD PUNISHES?

Nehemiah 9:27–31 ESV

27 Therefore you gave them into the hand of their enemies, who made them suffer. And in the time of their suffering they cried out to you and you heard them from heaven, and according to your great mercies you gave them saviors who saved them from the hand of their enemies. 28 But after they had rest they did evil again before you, and you abandoned them to the hand of their enemies, so that they had dominion over them. Yet when they turned and cried to you, you heard from heaven, and many times you delivered them according to your mercies. 29 And you warned them in order to turn them back to your law. Yet they acted presumptuously and did not obey your commandments, but sinned against your rules, which if a person does them, he shall live by them, and they turned a stubborn shoulder and stiffened their neck and would not obey. 30 Many years you bore with them and warned them by your Spirit through your prophets. Yet they would not give ear. Therefore you gave them into the hand of the peoples of the lands. 31 Nevertheless, in your great mercies you did not make an end of them or forsake them, for you are a gracious and merciful God.

Therefore - because they rejected him.

You made them suffer - not every suffering is because of our wrong doing. But some is.

ILLUSTRATION - COPS OREAS

In the time of their suffering they cried out to you and you heard them from heaven - God heard them even though they were being punished.

GOD USES SUFFERING TO DRAW YOU CLOSER TO HIM. SOMETIMES TO TEACH YOU .....

HAHA ILLUSTRATION - v31- I hope this picture does me justice, and the photographer said you need Mercy not Justice.

YOU CAN REJECT HIM OR RETURN TO HIM.

Nehemiah 9:32-38 - WHAT WILL YOU DO WHEN GOD GIVES YOU ANOTHER CHANCE?

Nehemiah 9:32–38 ESV

32 “Now, therefore, our God, the great, the mighty, and the awesome God, who keeps covenant and steadfast love, let not all the hardship seem little to you that has come upon us, upon our kings, our princes, our priests, our prophets, our fathers, and all your people, since the time of the kings of Assyria until this day. 33 Yet you have been righteous in all that has come upon us, for you have dealt faithfully and we have acted wickedly. 34 Our kings, our princes, our priests, and our fathers have not kept your law or paid attention to your commandments and your warnings that you gave them. 35 Even in their own kingdom, and amid your great goodness that you gave them, and in the large and rich land that you set before them, they did not serve you or turn from their wicked works. 36 Behold, we are slaves this day; in the land that you gave to our fathers to enjoy its fruit and its good gifts, behold, we are slaves. 37 And its rich yield goes to the kings whom you have set over us because of our sins. They rule over our bodies and over our livestock as they please, and we are in great distress. 38 “Because of all this we make a firm covenant in writing; on the sealed document are the names of our princes, our Levites, and our priests.

Now therefore, God

YOU MUST COMMIT TO SERVE HIM

CONCLUSION: Bible characters who fell then got a second chance:

Adam sinned but wasn't killed.

Cain was a murderer but wasn't destroyed.

The world was sinful, but God spared mankind through Noah.

Abraham slept with slave, but God still used him.

Sarah laughed at God's promise, but she still bore a son in her old age.

Jacob wrestled with God and God blessed him.

Joseph was not forgotten even when he was in dungeon.

Moses murdered a man and was scarred to speak, but God raised him up to leadership.

Aaron knew about the golden calf, but continued as the high priest.

Joshua was scarred but God gave him courage.

Rahab, was a prostitute, but helped give the Israelites victory.

Gideon doubted God but led Israel to victory.

Samson cried to God to use him one more time and He was used.

Ruth, a foreign widow, found favor and became part of the lineage leading to King David.

David, committed adultery and murder yet was called a man after God's own heart after that.

Hezekiah was going to die, but God gave him a longer life.

Manasseh was the most evil king, but repented in jail and was restored.

Elijah struggled with depression and God gently reminded him he wasn't alone.

Jonah ran from the Lord yet God gave him a first class ticket to Nineveh.

In the New Testament we see

The woman at the well who was married 5 times found what she was really looking for.

Zacchaeus, a tax collector, repented and found salvation when Jesus visited his home.

Thomas doubted the resurrection of Jesus but was met with compassion.

Mary Magdalene was freed from demon possession to becoming the one who saw the resurrected Jesus first!

Peter denied Jesus three times only to be restored and given a mission.

Paul persecuting the church yet becoming the greatest Christian in history.

If God can use these people, he can use you!