Sermon Tone Analysis
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Introduction:
Transition to the text: Nehemiah had a huge task before Him.
But up until this point everything seemingly went his way.
The King enthusiastically gave him everything he asked for.
Even when he arrived in Jerusalem, armed escort and all, it doesn’t seem like it took all that much convincing to get the people to agree to help.
Seems like smooth sailing.
This is what many of us wrongly assume that the Christian life will be like.
If God is for us, and in control, then we somehow expect everything to go our way.
But it goes deeper than just enduring rough times.
This isn’t a “I didn’t get a close parking spot at Costco after church on Super Bowl Sunday.
Where was God then?
There was a pivotal book in youth minsitry that came out when I first Got into ministry…written to the young middle schooler trying to explain this concept....”If God loves me why can’t I get my locker open.”
Of course there is also the “When Bad Things Happen to Good People” by Harold Kushner.
The problem is that so many of these well meaning people trying to comfort others.
But it’s usually at the expense of God’ sovereignty.
We’ll say things like, “God is just as upset as you are.” or God’s heart is broken just like yours.
And we’re left with the thought that “God would stop it if he could, but I guess He can’t”
The problem is that’s not what the BIble says.
The Bible says that not only does allow things to happen, He actually brings them to help us to grow.
That’s how the nation of Israel got into this mess in the first place.
They were in exile while the city of the fathers lay in ruin because God was teaching the nation to be obedient.
But in spite of this, Nehemiah believed that God not only had the ability to rescue them out of Persian, but he recognized that it was God who sent them there.
Remember this is what Nehemiah prayed:
neh 1:8
Now for the Christian, if we want to see how God uses pain and suffering to bring about great things for His glory, we need only look at the cross.
The Son of God dying for the sins of God’s children.
And throughout the BIble time after time we see the people of God experiencing great trouble.
And when they trust God, we see amazing things happen.
So probably not the inspirational message you were looking for this morning, but in this life, you will face trouble.
But hold on, because it’s about to get really good.
Read
Big Idea: When people come against you, remember Who is for you.
Now like I said
1. Opposition is inevitable.
(4:1-9)
Explanation: Woah....I thought you said that this was going to be encouraging!
For so long I believed that if I faced anything bad in life it was because God was mad at me and punishing me for something dumb I did.
I filtered everything through this lens of my own worth and worthlessness.
I deserved what happened because I’m a bad person.
From getting bullied to broken hearted, to getting benched on the football team to getting a bad grade on a test…well that actually was the result of something dumb....playing video games instead of studying…but I digress.
So the encouragement is that when opposition inevitably comes, I can cling to the truth that God’s not mad at me.
This isn’t punishment.
Opposition is inevitable.
Something else is afoot.
And perhaps God is doing something in and through my pain to transform my life for His glory.
Now let’s be clear this passage is specifially related to people.
People who become and opposition.
And my guess is that this is the hardest of all.
Do you have a Sanballat and Tobiah in your life?
Can you cling to the truth that God is for you?
Many of us seem surprised when we face opposition…particularly when its with respect to something we thought God was telling us to do.
We have this feeling that if God is behind it, it should be easy.
I’m not sure where we got this idea from, but it’s not biblical.
Every major biblical figure faced opposition.
EVERY SINGLE ONE!!!!
So rather than being suprised when we face opposition, when we don’t face opposition, it should really cause us to question if we are in fact actually following God’s plan.
Now in the case of Nehemiah and the Israelites, this will not be the first time that they faced opposition.
We saw the seed of opposition planted back in chapter 2. But it’s pretty clear that Sanballat and Tobiah didn’t actually think that the Israelite people would go forward with building the wall.
Now as the make headway into repairing the city wall, Sanballat and Tobiah come back.
And this time, things are about to escalate to the point of violence and death threats.
But it starts out subtly.
It starts out as ridicule.
(1-3)
When words don’t work, intimidation comes next.
(7-8)
This can lead to violence (11)
But I want us to see something so important.
The opposition was somewhat of an illusion.
Sure it was there and real and the ridicule, intimidate and threat of violence were very real, but in reality is it was never going to come to any of that.
Illustration: The great preacher John Wesley was riding along on his horse one day when he realized that three days had passed, and he had not been persecuted in any way.
Not a single brick had been thrown in his direction.
He had not been hit by an egg.
So he actually stopped his horse and said out loud, "Could it be that I am backslidden or I have sinned?"
Slipping down from his horse, he knelt on one knee and asked the Lord to show him if there was anything wrong with him spiritually.
A man who disliked Wesley saw him kneeling in prayer, so he picked up a brick and threw it at him, barely missing the preacher.
When Wesley saw the brick fly by, he said, "Thank you, Lord!
I know I still have Your presence."
dan 3:
Take one more example:
So often we don’t see the spiritual reality going around our situation.
But God is fighting for us all around us.
If we could only see....
So while it was inevitable that Nehemiah and the Israelites would face opposition.
Those foolish people didn’t stand a chance against the amazing God that we worship.
Application: So if opposition is inevitable, how can we overcome it?
I think Nehemiah gives us the path.
Praying....Nehemiah prayed so much I’m not sure how he got anything done.
Then again he would probably say “I don’t know how you get done anything without prayer.”
(, 9)
Planning - Nehemiah also made a plan.
(, 15-20)
Persevering - Sometimes you have to get down to business.
Power through.
(Nehemiah 4:21-23)
Let’s keep reading.
Nehemiah
Now my guess is that some of you need to hear vs. 14.
You’re facing opposition.
Wondering where God has been?
Why is God letting this happen?
Be encouraged and inspired by God’s word.
neh 4:
Let me read vs. 14 again.
2. But, God is for us.
(4:10-14)
Explanation: Remember in chapter 1, we learn that Nehemiah knows His scriptures.
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