Sermon Tone Analysis

A Spiritual Leader

Background!

“We all need renewal from time to time”

In our Bibles today, the books of Ezra and Nehemiah are separate.

However, early on, Ezra and Nehemiah were combined into a single, unified work.

To understand the setting of Nehemiah, here is a brief outline of the two books: These stories take place after King Nebuchadnezzar and the Babylonian Empire invaded Judah and destroyed Jerusalem and the temple, taking a large number of the Jewish people into exile.

The beginning of Ezra takes place approximately fifty years after the initial exile and one year after Persia had overtaken the Babylonian Empire.

Ezra and Nehemiah record three stories of particular leaders who oversaw groups of people returning to Jerusalem and the rebuilding process:

Zerubbabel () helps rebuild the temple.

About sixty years after the conclusion of those events, Ezra the priest () arrives in Jerusalem to restore the teaching of the Torah (the Law of God).

Nehemiah

() returns to initiate and oversee the rebuilding of the walls around Jerusalem, with this taking place a few years after Ezra’s return.

These three stories of return and rebuilding follow a very similar pattern.

First, each begins with a king of Persia being stirred by God to send the leader to Jerusalem and to supply them with resources.

Second, each leader encounters heavy resistance from others in the region that threatens the rebuilding efforts.

Third, each leader overcomes the opposition.

Fourth, the rebuilding or restoring process finishes with a great celebration.

A Spiritual Leader

I Recognizes the Problem

Nehemiah is serving in the Persian empire as a cupbearer to King Artaxerxes.

One day, an Israelite named Hanani, who is Nehemiah’s brother (see and 7:2), returns to Persia from Judah.

Nehemiah inquires of the well-being of the Israelites who had returned and about Jerusalem.

Hanani tells him that the people in Israel are “in great trouble and disgrace” and that “the wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates have been burned with fire” ().

Upon hearing this report, Nehemiah’s heart breaks, and he mourns, fasts, and prays for several days ().

Notice he asked how they were doing.

caring about others

It was really bad news ....

A Spiritual Leader

II Prays

neh 1.4-

First, when Nehemiah encounters the bad report, his first response is to pray ().

He does not go and tell others; he tells God.

He does not try to distract himself from the problem; he goes God.

He casts his anxieties and cares upon God.

When we encounter bad reports or go through difficulties, prayer should be our first response, not our last resort.

In the same way, when we experience the goodness and blessing of God, prayer with thanksgiving should also be our initial reaction.

Brokenness and weeping before God he prayed .....

he asked how they were doing and he prayed

A Spiritual Leader

III Waits to Act

Nehemiah enters a season of seeking God through prayer, fasting, and mourning.

Nehemiah says that “for some days I mourned and fasted and prayed before the God of heaven” ().

Chislev corresponds roughly to November/December” [The Lexham Bible Dictionary (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2016), s.v.

“Chislev”].

When Nehemiah goes to the king in chapter 2, it is the month of Nisan, which is “the first month of the Israelite calendar, corresponding approximately to March/April” (Lexham Bible Dictionary, s.v.

“Nisan”).

Nehemiah did not just pray and fast for a few days.

Rather, he prayed, fasted, and mourned for 90 to 150 days.

We live in a culture that thrives on the instant.

We want things to happen right away—from packages arriving in the mail in two days to downloading movies immediately to our phones.

“A lot of things that are really valuable take time.

But immediate gratification is the default response.

It’s difficult to overcome those urges and be patient and wait for things to come over time”

This desire for the instant influences our spiritual lives also.

When we experience trials and hardships, we must patiently enter into the process of seeking God and waiting on him.

Just because we do not see immediate results from our prayers and other spiritual disciplines, we must not quit or give up.

We need to persevere and walk by faith.

the first church

A Spiritual Leader

IV Confess

Nehemiah confessed his sins and the sins of his people ().

Nehemiah confessed his sins and the sins of his people ().

neh

“Confession is a powerful spiritual practice in our lives.

Nehemiah confessed his sins and the sins of his people ().

“Confession is a powerful spiritual practice in our lives.

However, when we hear or think about the word confession, we might have a negative reaction.

Confession is not a negative word, a horrible experience, or meant to be a reminder of our failures.

Confession is beautiful.

… The Greek word is a compound term from ‘to speak’ and ‘the same.’

Therefore, confessing is agreeing with God that we sinned against Him and perhaps others” (Craig Conaway, “The Weapon of Confession,” 6,

However, when we hear or think about the word confession, we might have a negative reaction.

Confession is not a negative word, a horrible experience, or meant to be a reminder of our failures.

Confession is beautiful.

… The Greek word is a compound term from ‘to speak’ and ‘the same.’

Agreeing with God!

Therefore, confessing is agreeing with God that we sinned against Him and perhaps others” (Craig Conaway, “The Weapon of Confession,” 6,

Therefore, confessing is agreeing with God that we sinned against Him and perhaps others” (Craig Conaway, “The Weapon of Confession,” 6,

This certainly does not mean that the cause for every trial, hardship, or suffering is a result of personal sin.

However, when we seek God in difficult seasons and agree with him and his truth, we humble ourselves and submit to his rule and reign.

Rebuilding and healing begins with confession

A Spiritual Leader

IV States God’s Promises

neh 1.

Fourth, in prayer, Nehemiah recalls the character and promises of God (, ).

When we find our hearts troubled and our circumstances appearing dark, we must remember how great and amazing God's faithfulness and lovingkindness is toward us ().

In verse 5, the word for love is the Hebrew word hesed, which means “loyal love, unfailing kindness, devotion, i.e., a love or affection that is steadfast based on a prior relationship”

God’s loyal love for us is steadfast—meaning, it does not fluctuate!

After remembering God’s character, Nehemiah recalls God’s promise ().

Whenever we go through afflictions, stressful events, and seasons of hurt, we need to stand in hope upon the foundation of God’s truth.