Nehemiah 1-2:8 Interceding for others / Caring enough to act

I. Recognize the Need

A. In the midst of his own comfortable situation

(ESV) Nehemiah 1 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. …

1. Living life

2. Prosperity

3. Daily friendships

B. Saw the deep need of people

1. Hurting people

(ESV) Nehemiah 1 … 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.”

a. Sin

b. Ruined lives

c. Failure

d. Discouraged people

e. Emptiness

f. Probability of further ruin

2. People needing help

C. His heart was broken

(ESV) Nehemiah 1 4 As soon as I heard these words I sat down and wept and mourned for days, …

1. Felt their pain as if it were his own

2. Cared that their need might be met

II. Turn to the Lord for help

A. With a focused intentionality

(ESV) Nehemiah 1 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.

1. Caught a vision of God's ability to work “before God”

2. Recognized that God works through the mechanism of prayer “prayed”

3. Put self aside to seek God on their behalf “fasted”

4. Sustained his focus on receiving God’s help “Some days”

B. With prayer

1. Asked of God

(ESV) Nehemiah 1 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.

a. Actually asked – not just talk about it

2. Based in God’s character

(ESV) Nehemiah 1 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,

a. Powerful “great and awesome” - Justice “keeps His covenant”

b. Mercy “of love” - His heart to hear

3. Seeking God to act

(ESV) Nehemiah 1 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, …

a. With faith sought God intently – Knew it was His desire – acts based on our faith response

C. Dealing with the problem of sin

(ESV) Nehemiah 1 6 … 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.

a. The problem was sin

b. Identified with the people – not setting himself over them

c. Dealt with his own sin

d. Knew the solution begins with turning to the Lord

(ESV) Nehemiah 1 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, …

e. Understood – the Lord already cared enough to provide redemption

.. 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.

D. Made himself available for use

(ESV) Nehemiah 1 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

1. Maintained a focus on the Lord / Recognition that only God can prosper any effort / Not for his own glory but God’s – about “revering your name”

2. But involves his activity also --- God uses people to accomplish His will --- Someone must stand up and be used

3. God equips and places people in positions to be used --- But the person must yield to God ---- then God demonstrates His power --- ushers in redemption

III. Take action

A. Prepared himself

(ESV) Nehemiah 2:1 In the month of Nisan, in the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes, when wine was before him, I took up the wine and gave it to the king. Now I had not been sad in his presence.

1. Maintained a good testimony - Excellent service – cupbearer very important position

2. Continue to serve in the area God has given

3. Made preparation for an open door – expected one

a. Thought through a plan

b. Prepared to act

c. Looked for an open door - Four month delay Nisan vs. Kislev Dec-April

B. Proceeded in spite of the possible cost

1. Reacted normally

(ESV) Nehemiah 2 2 And the king said to me, “Why is your face sad, seeing you are not sick? This is nothing but sadness of the heart.” Then I was very much afraid. …

a. Siezed with fear – anxiety

1) Saddness before the King may mean death 2) Seeming impossible task - Same king stopped the building of the wall by Ezra 4:16-23

2. But acted anyway – bold in his speech

(ESV) Nehemiah 2:3 (but) I said to the king, “Let the king live forever! Why should not my face be sad, when the city, the place of my fathers’ graves, lies in ruins, and its gates have been destroyed by fire?”

C. Sought God in the moment of action

(ESV) Nehemiah 2:4 Then the king said to me, “What are you requesting?” So I prayed to the God of heaven.

1. Prepared through times of prayer – helped with moment of prayer

D. Had a plan of action ready

1. Required him to be personally involved

(ESV) Nehemiah 2 5 And I said to the king, “If it pleases the king, and if your servant has found favor in your sight, that you send me to Judah, to the city of my fathers’ graves, that I may rebuild it.”

2. Knew what he needed

(ESV) Nehemiah 2 6 And the king said to me (the queen sitting beside him), “How long will you be gone, and when will you return?” So it pleased the king to send me when I had given him a time.

(ESV) Nehemiah 2 7 And I said to the king, “If it pleases the king, let letters be given me to the governors of the province Beyond the River, that they may let me pass through until I come to Judah, 8 and a letter to Asaph, the keeper of the king’s forest, that he may give me timber to make beams for the gates of the fortress of the temple, and for the wall of the city, and for the house that I shall occupy.” …

a. Set a time for completion

b. Proposed a letter of protection

c. Proposed a letter of provision

E. But never forgot that it was God who prospered the plan

(ESV) Nehemiah 2 8 … And the king granted me what I asked, for the good hand of my God was upon me.