Nehemiah 1

Introduction

Quick Introduction of Myself (Here, you can briefly introduce yourself—)

Context of Nehemiah

The book of Nehemiah is deeply connected to the story of Israel’s exile and return. In the Hebrew Bible, Ezra and Nehemiah were originally one book, telling a continuous story of God’s people coming back to their land.

The exile happened because of Israel’s sin, and in 586 BC, the Babylonians destroyed Jerusalem and took many into captivity.

Decades later, God used Persian kings to allow the Israelites to return. Zerubbabel led the first group back to rebuild the temple (completed in 516 BC). Later, Ezra led a second return to restore worship and the Law (458 BC).

Now, in 445 BC, Nehemiah hears that Jerusalem’s walls are still in ruins. Without walls, the city is defenseless, vulnerable to attack, and a symbol of disgrace.

"Nehemiah's response to the brokenness of Jerusalem teaches us that in times of suffering, we must turn to our Heavenly Father in prayer—recognizing His greatness, repenting of our sin, remembering His promises, and trusting in our Redeemer."

I. The Report of Ruin and the Posture Prayerful Mourning (Nehemiah 1:1-4)

Scripture Reading: Nehemiah 1:1-3

Nehemiah 1:1–3 (ESV) 1 The words of Nehemiah the son of Hacaliah. Now it happened in the month of Chislev, in the twentieth year, as I was in Susa the citadel, 2 that Hanani, one of my brothers, came with certain men from Judah. And I asked them concerning the Jews who escaped, who had survived the exile, and concerning Jerusalem. 3 And they said to me, “The remnant there in the province who had survived the exile is in great trouble and shame. The wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates are destroyed by fire.”

Explanation:

Nehemiah receives a report about the ruin of Jerusalem—its broken walls and burned gates. The city is defenseless, and the people in trouble. This symbolizes not only the physical devastation of the city but also the spiritual and moral state of the people. Jerusalem’s brokenness is a direct result of their disobedience, and this deeply affects Nehemiah. In fact, if you recall, the state of Jerusalem is a direct result of a continued sin within the nation of Judah and also of Isreal.

The city is in ruins, but Nehemiah understands that the true problem is deeper than just broken walls. It is a spiritual problem—the result of sin.

What does Nehemiah do when he learns this news?

Scripture Reading: Nehemiah 1:4

Nehemiah 1:4 (ESV) 4 As soon as I heard these words I sat down and wept and mourned for days, and I continued fasting and praying before the God of heaven.

Explanation:

Nehemiah’s first response to the brokenness of Jerusalem was deep sorrow. His posture was not anger, but sadness. He did not immediately take action but instead wept, mourned, fasted, and prayed for several days. His reaction reveals a spiritual burden—he recognized that the suffering of his people was not just a physical issue but a result of sin and separation from God. His reaction displays that he has a dependence upon his heavenly father. He depends on the father so much, that he is reminding his very body, you do not need bread as much as you need God.

How would you respond if you heard news like this?

Illustration:

Today, we see similar suffering in the church. Recently, Feb 13. 2025 Open Doors reported that 70 Christians were murdered in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) by Islamic extremists 

“All 70 captives were taken to a Protestant church in Kasanga where they were killed inside with machetes or hammers. 

Field sources say that even several days after the attack, some families had not been able to bury their dead because of the insecurity in the region. Many Christians have fled the area to somewhere deemed safer. 

"We don't know what to do or how to pray; we've had enough of massacres," said an elder in a nearby church. "May God's will alone be done." 

Application:

The church today also experiences suffering, persecution, and the reality of living in exile until Christ returns. How do we respond when we see the brokenness in our world, our communities, and even within the church?

When we see brokenness in the world, how do we respond? Do we ignore it, become numb, or turn to God? Just as Nehemiah mourned over Jerusalem’s ruins, we should grieve for the persecuted church and the suffering of believers worldwide. But like Nehemiah, our grief should drive us to prayer and intercession.

Nehemiah shows us step one: Turn your face to the Father in prayer.

Transition to Next Point:

"Nehemiah's response to the brokenness of Jerusalem teaches us that in times of suffering, we must turn to our Heavenly Father in prayer—recognizing His greatness, repenting of our sin, remembering His promises, and trusting in our Redeemer."

III.We must Recognize the Greatness of God (Nehemiah 1:5)

Scripture Reading: Nehemiah 1:5

Nehemiah 1:5 ESV

5 And I said, “O Lord God of heaven, the great and awesome God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments,

Explanation: Nehemiah begins his prayer by recognizing the greatness of God. Before presenting any requests, he honors God’s sovereignty, faithfulness, and mercy. Nehemiah reminds God that He is worthy of worship and able to act on behalf of His people. This recognition sets the tone for the prayer, aligning Nehemiah’s heart with God’s purposes.

God is recognized here as the

Yahweh, The great I AM.

The god who created the heavens and earth

the great and awesome God

The God of the covenant, the covenant which Nehemiah certainly was reliant upon!

Steadfast in love

A God who love us, but also wants us to love him,

A righteous God who wants our obedience to his great commandments, and therefore also is a judge, to judge his people on whether they keep his commandments.

All of that is expressed in the beginning of Nehemiahs prayer…

How do you pray, do you recognize God’s greatness like this?

Illustration:

When Jesus teaches us to pray in Matthew chapter 6, he starts by saying: ““‘Our Father in heaven,

hallowed be your name,”

Jesus begins his prayer, not with a request, or with thankfulness, but by first recognizing the greatness of God.

Application: In our prayers, we must first recognize who God is. When we face challenges or brokenness, it’s important to remind ourselves of God’s greatness before making our requests. Praise precedes petition—it shifts our focus from the problem to the provider. Take time in your prayers to acknowledge God’s power, faithfulness, and love.

How do you pray?

Do you recognize the greatness of God before coming to the lord asking for him to solve your problems?

Or do we often just skip straight to our requests? Forgetting what God has done for us and who he is?

Transition to Next Point:

"we must turn to our Heavenly Father in prayer—recognizing His greatness, repenting of our sin,

IV. We must repent from our sin (Nehemiah 1:6-7)

Scripture Reading: Nehemiah 1:6-7

Nehemiah 1:6–7 ESV

6 let your ear be attentive and your eyes open, to hear the prayer of your servant that I now pray before you day and night for the people of Israel your servants, confessing the sins of the people of Israel, which we have sinned against you. Even I and my father’s house have sinned. 7 We have acted very corruptly against you and have not kept the commandments, the statutes, and the rules that you commanded your servant Moses.

Explanation: Nehemiah takes ownership of the sin of his people. He doesn’t simply blame others but confesses both the national and personal sin of Israel. He acknowledges that their disobedience has brought about their suffering and the destruction of the city. This honest confession is essential to receiving God’s forgiveness and restoration.

Illustration: In the history of Israel, time and time again, the nation strayed from God, worshiping idols and neglecting His commandments. Each time, their sin led to suffering—whether through exile, oppression, or destruction. Yet, whenever they humbled themselves and repented, God was faithful to restore them. One powerful example is in is the life of David. Davis repents of his sin in Psalm 51, and he says Psalm 51:1-4

Psalm 51:1–4 ESV

1 Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions. 2 Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin! 3 For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me. 4 Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you may be justified in your words and blameless in your judgment.

This mirrors Nehemiah’s response—recognizing that repentance is the first step toward restoration.

Application: We often want to point fingers at others, but true repentance involves taking personal responsibility.  Confession is the first step to repentance. Recognizing that you are in sin and that you need help! Then we must turn away from our sin and focus on our Lord and savior. When we confess our sins, we can expect God’s forgiveness and begin to see healing. But ultimately the healing of God is found only the person of Jesus Christ. When we confess our sins to the Lord, those of us who are christians here today can live the knowledge that Jesus has already paid for those sins and we do not need to bare them any longer.

For those of us here who are believers, do you have sin in your life that you need to confess and repent from? Are there sins in your life you need to turn to your church family and say, I have been doing this sin and I need help being free of it!

Are there those here today who have potentially never turned from their sin? I plead with you today to be free of the shackles of sin, repent and believe upon the name of Jesus and you will be saved.

Transition to Next Point:

"we must turn to our Heavenly Father in prayer—recognizing His greatness, repenting of our sin, remembering His promises,

V. We must remember the promises of God (Nehemiah 1:8-9)

Scripture Reading: Nehemiah 1:8-9

Nehemiah 1:8–9 ESV

8 Remember the word that you commanded your servant Moses, saying, ‘If you are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the peoples, 9 but if you return to me and keep my commandments and do them, though your outcasts are in the uttermost parts of heaven, from there I will gather them and bring them to the place that I have chosen, to make my name dwell there.’

Explanation: Nehemiah recalls God’s promise to Israel that, even in the midst of their sin, God would restore them if they turned back to Him. Nehemiah appeals to God’s faithfulness to His word, reminding Him that His people have the hope of restoration if they return to Him in obedience.

Application: In moments of despair, we must be reminded of God’s promises. We need to anchor ourselves in the truth of His Word. God is faithful to fulfill what He has spoken. In your prayers, claim God’s promises and trust that He will restore and rebuild what has been broken.

Our promise in the midst of distress Romans 8:28

Romans 8:28 ESV

28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.

God works all things for the good of those who love him, we as a church need to remember this, so that the next time the storm hits this church, your family, or you! You can look bolding at the world and say, I trust my God, the promise keeper, that this is for my good!

Illustration: Moses promise, Abraham Promise…Adam and eve promise, -Jesus God has never broken a promise!

Transition to Next Point:

"we must turn to our Heavenly Father in prayer—recognizing His greatness, repenting of our sin, remembering His promises, and trusting in our Redeemer."

VI. Trust in our redeemer… (Nehemiah 1:10-11)

Scripture Reading: Nehemiah 1:10-11

Nehemiah 1:10–11 ESV

10 They are your servants and your people, whom you have redeemed by your great power and by your strong hand. 11 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, and give success to your servant today, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man.” Now I was cupbearer to the king.

Explanation: Nehemiah ends his prayer with a specific request for God’s favor and success. He asks for God’s help in seeking the king’s permission to return to Jerusalem and rebuild the walls. Nehemiah recognizes that the restoration of God’s people depends not only on their repentance but also on God’s provision and intervention. Nehemiah does go back to Jerusalem, and he does indeed rebuild the walls. I challenge you to read teh rest of Nehmiah this week

illustration application: In the Old Testament, Ezra and Nehemiah served as instruments of redemption for Israel. Ezra restored worship and the teaching of God's law, while Nehemiah physically rebuilt the walls of Jerusalem, securing the city for God's people. But their efforts, though significant, were incomplete—Israel still struggled with sin and faithfulness.

Jesus Christ is the greater Nehemiah. He didn’t just rebuild walls; He tore down the barrier of sin that separated us from God. Through His death and resurrection, He became our ultimate Redeemer, securing not just the restoration of a city but eternal redemption for all who trust in Him.

God is our redeemer! Each morning, wake up with this truth: 

Your life is in the hands of the Redeemer!!!!

 No matter what challenges you face, you can trust that the same God who restored Jerusalem is at work in your life, bringing about His perfect plan.

Conclusion:

The lords prayer

Matthew 6:9–13 KJV 1900

9 After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. 10 Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. 11 Give us this day our daily bread. 12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. 13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.