Nehemiah - Remember to Pray

Introduction: Mourning over something that is destroyed.

Turn with me in your Bibles to Nehemiah 1.

Transition to the text: Nehemiah tells us that he is the cupbearer in the court of the King of Persia. The cupbearer was a high ranking position and had to have the utmost trust of the king. They were responsible for taking the first sip of the wine to make sure it wasn’t poisoned.

Nehemiah had a good life with wealth and influence. No reason to think about the barren wasteland that was the birthplace of grand parents.

But God had a plan. And his plan involved the obedience of one man with a vision for the restoration of a city leading to the restoration of a nation.

Let’s read:

nehemiah 1

Nehemiah 1:1–11 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.” 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. 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, 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. 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.’ 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.

Big Idea: When trouble strikes, remember to pray.

Transition: When Nehemiah first learned that the city of Jerusalem lie in ruins, he didn’t jump into action. So many of us immediately think, I need to get to work. But that is not what Nehemiah did. He hit his knees and started praying. Not the type of prayer that many of us our used to. Where we make a plan and ask God to bless it. Or we pray asking God to guide our steps and then that is it. We then get to work.

1. Nehemiah remembered to pray. (4-10)

Explanation:

Nehemiah, in his distressed, prayed fervently. He also fasted and prayed for many days.

Now based on what he was praying it’s safe to assume that he was also reading the Hebrew scriptures as well. Because he calls on God to remember his covenant love as described throughout the old testament. Additionally, he quotes Moses regarding God’s promises to His people.

How did Nehemiah know what to pray? He was reading His Bible.

1. Nehemiah Prayed continually.

Nehemiah Prayed continually.

Illustration: If you want to get really good at something, you need to practice. Prayer takes practice. And you don’t start practicing during the game. You practice in practice so you’re ready for the game.

Nehemiah didn’t start praying in the midst of his trouble. Nehemiah seems to have had a strong prayer life even before this. He prayed before he needed to pray so that when he needed to pray, he would already have the established relationship with God.

Application: Now what does this have to do with us? How many times do we face trouble and we fail to pray? How many times do we jump to action before asking God what He is already doing in this? Do you have a prayer life that prepares you for when things go wrong?

2. Nehemiah Confessed sin.

Nehemiah understand (again from His reading of the Bible) that the reason that Jerusalem lay in ruins was because of the sin of the Hebrew people. They failed to follow the law of Moses and as a result, God destroyed their city and dispersed the people into exile.

So for Nehemiah, he understood that in order to restore the nation, it must begin in repentance. Now some might suggest that it is ridiculous for Nehemiah to confess sin that was committed long before He was born, but as a representative of a nation, not only is he able to confess the sins of the nations, he has the responsibility. Because you can’t restore what is broken if you don’t acknowledge that there is a problem.

Illustration: Amanda and I will get in arguments sometimes and after 5 minutes, she forgets why she was mad. That makes it hard to carry on and win and argument.

I think one of the biggest problems with our sin nature is that we forget our sin. And each of our sins has a way of making it easier to sin next time.

By confessing our sins, we keep them in mind so that we can discipline our mind not to commit them again.

Application: Again, what does this have to do with us? What sins must we confess that are getting in the way of our relationship with God? The Bible tells us to confess our sins. It’s true that God has forgiven our sins in Christ Jesus, but we are still called to confess so that we can stay on the straight and narrow path.

3. Nehemiah prayed God’s promises.

Explanation: Sometimes we don’t know how to pray and in those cases God gives us the words. In the case of Nehemiah, he found comfort in the words God’s command to Moses.

Nehemiah 1:9 ESV

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.’

Nehemiah prayed that God’s word would come true. This is beautiful mystery of prayer. God would always have kept His word, but in His sovereignty allows prayer to trigger the fulfillment of his will.

God will answer Nehemiah’s prayer in chapter 2 when he uses a pagan king to send Nehemiah to Jerusalem to rebuild the city walls. He basically gives him a blank check.

Illustration: In a world full of lies, the best thing we can cling to is the truth. When people tell you that God doesn’t care, we combat lies with truth. And the best truth comes from the Bible.

Application: There are some promises of God that apply to us. Others apply only to Israel. We can and should pray the ones that apply to us.

All promises of God find their yes and amen in the person of Jesus.

Nehemiah didn’t start praying in the midst of his trouble. Nehemiah seems to have had a strong prayer life even before this. He prayed before he needed to pray so that when he needed to pray, he would already have the established relationship with God.

Application: Now what does this have to do with us? How many times do we face trouble and we fail to pray? How many times do we jump to action before asking God what He is already doing in this? Do you have a prayer life that prepares you for when things go wrong?

2. Nehemiah confessed sin. (Nehemiah 1:6-7)

Explanation:

So for Nehemiah, he understood that in order to restore the nation, it must begin in repentance. Now some might suggest that it is ridiculous for Nehemiah to confess sin that was committed long before He was born, but as a representative of a nation, not only is he able to confess the sins of the nations, he has the responsibility. Because you can’t restore what is broken if you don’t acknowledge that there is a problem.

I think one of the biggest problems with our sin nature is that we forget our sin. And each of our sins has a way of making it easier to sin next time.

By confessing our sins, we keep them in mind so that we can discipline our mind not to commit them again.

3. Nehemiah prayed God’s promises. (0)

Nehemiah 1:8 ESV

8 Remember the word that you commanded your servant Moses, saying, ‘If you are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the peoples,

Nehemiah 1:9 ESV

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.’

Nehemiah prayed that God’s word would come true. This is beautiful mystery of prayer. God would always have kept His word, but in His sovereignty allows prayer to trigger the fulfillment of his will.

God will answer Nehemiah’s prayer in chapter 2 when he uses a pagan king to send Nehemiah to Jerusalem to rebuild the city walls. He basically gives him a blank check.

Illustration: In a world full of lies, the best thing we can cling to is the truth. When people tell you that God doesn’t care, we combat lies with truth. And the best truth comes from the Bible.

Application: There are some promises of God that apply to us. Others apply only to Israel. We can and should pray the ones that apply to us.

All promises of God find their yes and amen in the person of Jesus.

2. Nehemiah remembered to act. ()

Explanation: At some point in Nehemiah’s fervent, passionate and ongoing prayer, he figured out what he was supposed to do. It’s pretty safe to say that God revealed it to him over time, piece by piece. And prayers that began in desperation of a man in distress began to form into a direction and a plan. Nehemiah realized that it was now up to him to go to the King of Persia and request aid for the city of Jerusalem. Additionally, he would need to request the opportunity to personally oversee the delivery of aid and the rebuilding of the city walls. And asking this of a pagan king was no slam dunk. This would take a lot of risk. But at the very beginning, Nehemiah was willing to pray with action.

Illustration: Often people are great at complaining. They are quick to point out the problems. But someone willing to offer a solution is few and far behind. And then someone willing to get behind appropriate action is sometimes even rarer.

How often do we complain to God about our situation without a real willingness to do anything about our situation?

Application: So what does this have to do with us? Well the truth is that we need to put feet to our prayers. When we pray, we need to leave room for God to guide us to action.

Reflection: How is your prayer life? Do your prayers have feet to them?

Conclusion: Nehemiah and other Old Testament believers relied on the promises of God as they looked forward to their redemption.

As Christians, we look back on the promises of God fulfilled in Jesus.

Hebrews 11:13–16 ESV

13 These all died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. 14 For people who speak thus make it clear that they are seeking a homeland. 15 If they had been thinking of that land from which they had gone out, they would have had opportunity to return. 16 But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city.

I think sometimes we forget how blessed we are to live on this side of the cross. People like Nehemiah could only look forward and wait. However we have received the promises of God in the person of Jesus.

And here is the beauty of prayer on this side of the cross.

John 14:13 ESV

13 Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.

What will you pray for? How will you work to bring about what you pray for?]