Sermon Tone Analysis

Series Preface - Part II: Nehemiah

This morning we continue our Obedience series

Prayer

Good to be back with you.

Hook

Hook

Introduce Subject

Fallen Condition Focus

Prayer (or maybe do all of this up in announcements.)

Reason to Hear

Transition to Text

So this morning we are going to look at the story of Nehemiah.

Can y’all say Nehemiah?

This story is a fascinating one found in the Old Testament in between the books of Ezra and Esther.

If the Old Testament was ordered based on time, which it is not, this book would be near the end of the Old Testament.

Let me lay the context for you.

The Three Returns from Exile

Captivity 70 years

Zerubbabel – temple rebuilt (538-516)

Haggai – 520

Zechariah 520-518

Gap 58 years

Esther (484 – 465?)

Ezra – People reformed (458 – 456)

Gap 12 years

Nehemiah – wall rebuilt (444 – 432)

Neh.’s Second Return 430 (?)

Malachi (450 – 430) (?)

400 silent years

Remember a few weeks ago when I was talking about the Prophet Hosea who was prophesying that exile was going to come and they were going to be taken away to another country?

Yeah, well that just didn’t happen for Israel but it happened for Judah as well.

Both Israel and Judah were living in exile during the time of Nehemiah in another country with only a remnant, a small portion of the people of Israel were living in the land at the time.

So as we set up this story of Nehemiah you have to understand that Nehemiah is one of those people who has been exiled and is serving as the Kings cup-bearer.

A cup bearer is someone who would test the kings drink for him amongst other things so that if there was poison he would take the hit first.

Believe it or not this was an important and very trusted role; one in which would interact with the king daily.

So Nehemiah’s brother along with some other folks came from Jerusalem and Nehemiah wanted to know the current state of affairs in Jerusalem and well, they were awful.

says

Nememiah 1:3

So whoever was left over from exile were in an incredible vulnerable state on many levels and in essence were defenceless.

Any one around Jerusalem who had power or authority would have viewed this city as easy pickings to maraude and attack.

V. 4 Nehemiah’s reaction to this was weeping and the Bible says that “he mourned and fasted and prayed.”

Do you know why Nehemiah, wept and mourned and reacted as if he did?

He saw the current state of affairs and new that this was not God’s desire for the people of Jerusalem.

Nehemiah prays this powerful prayer that highlights

God’s greatness and covenant

Confession of his people’s sin - deserving of exile

Reminds God of his word to bring people back from exile if they would obey

Huge ask - Favour with the king

That brings us through chapter one.

Chapter 2

Nehemiah comes before the king sad and he had never done so before so it provoked the king to ask.

Nehemiah 2:

Passage: & 2

Verses 1-3: The Situation

Verse 4: The Reaction

2:1-8: The Ask and Favour of God

Insert Bible Text

But then Nehemiah makes this huge, bold ask(s) after the kings asks him the question

Need to set up context- the importance of the wall and why this grieve Nehemiah.

The first ask is the for the overall job

Nemehiah asks to build the wall and the king grants his request.

Then Nehemiah has the boldness and courage to not only ask for time off work to go do another job he asks him for letters for safe passage for the trip home, and he asks for a bunch of wood and ends up getting officers and calvary.

So let me set this up for you - It be like if I was fishing with George and I was like, hey George, can I take the season off lobstering so I can go on a mission trip.

Oh and George, can you fund me some security guards to go with me.

Oh and George, and I hate to ask, but can I use your truck,....oh and um I guess the guard will need a vehicle too so…uh…can we use your car too.

And George, one more thing, that wood you got stored away, well, can we use that for the project.

Actually George were kind of wondering if you could fund the whole project.

What do you say???

Oh George, old buddy, old pal.

This is what I want you to see

Nehemiah carried the favour of God

Favour comes with obedience

When we walk in obedience we walk in the favour of God.

When we walk in God’s favour his blessing rests upon us and he gives us favour with man.

Crazy, amazing doors will begin to open and blessings will come from areas you didn’t even imagine.

That’s the kind of God we serve.

If God has called you to a specific task he is going to provide.

So why did Nehemiah have such favour with God?

Well you pick it up in chapter one as Nehemiah prayed - He mourned, fasted and prayed and it talks about in his prayer how Nehemiah had a reverence for God.

2. Obedience requires humility

If we want to walk in obedience to God and walk in God’s favour we need to first and foremost humble ourselves before God.

What’s amazing about this passage of Scripture is Nehemiah humbles himself before God and what does the Bible say

So Nehemiah humbles himself in the sight of God with this need with weeping, fasting and prayer and God exalts him to a position of authority.

Here’s a question - what made Nehemiah humble himself?

He knew his people in exile were experiencing God’s judgement because of disobedience

Do you see the favour of God that is on this guy?

Why does this guy hav

He took responsibility for it

He was overwhelmed by the huge need that only God could help respond to - You see that in how prayer is mentioned in both chapters 1 & 2

He knows he is going to have the courage and gumption to make a big ask to the king

He actually makes the asks which is humbling in and of itself

He already has a humility before God as he reveres him

Often times our circumstances brings us to the point of humility before God but I think Nehemiah already had a sense of humility before hand as well based on he respond to the situation.

While circumstances can humble our hearts before God it’s always better to be humble before the circumstances.

When you are humble before the circumstances your first default is to go to God vs. having to be beat down by the circumstances.

And just to go back to the encouraging passage of Scripture when we are faced with circumstances.

Nehemiah humbles himself before the Lord and God lifts him up.

I love the progression in these two chapters.

Nehemiah gets word of condition of walls

Comes to God with mourning, fasting and prayer - asks for help