The God who fights for his people

AIMS / PURPOSE

1. To use the experience of Nehemiah and apply the lessons learned to the current situation that MGBFC faces.

2. To make clear what God is saying through the Nehemiah Chapter 4 passage

3. To demonstrate from the passage that God fights for his people

4. To show from the passage that although circumstances change God does not change.

5. To show that God's people in this passage had to change and adapt to changing circumstances

IMPORTANT VERSES

When Sanballat heard that we were rebuilding the wall, he became angry and was greatly incensed. He ridiculed the Jews, and in the presence of his associates and the army of Samaria, he said, "What are those feeble Jews doing? Will they restore their wall? Will they offer sacrifices? Will they finish in a day? Can they bring the stones back to life from those heaps of rubble—burned as they are?" Tobiah the Ammonite, who was at his side, said, "What they are building—even a fox climbing up on it would break down their wall of stones!" Hear us, our God, for we are despised. Turn their insults back on their own heads. Give them over as plunder in a land of captivity. Do not cover up their guilt or blot out their sins from your sight, for they have thrown insults in the face of the builders. So, we rebuilt the wall till all of it reached half its height, for the people worked with all their heart. But when Sanballat, Tobiah, the Arabs, the Ammonites and the people of Ashdod heard that the repairs to Jerusalem's walls had gone ahead and that the gaps were being closed, they were very angry. They all plotted together to come and fight against Jerusalem and stir up trouble against it. But we prayed to our God and posted a guard day and night to meet this threat. Meanwhile, the people in Judah said, "The strength of the laborers is giving out, and there is so much rubble that we cannot rebuild the wall." Also, our enemies said, "Before they know it or see us, we will be right there among them and will kill them and put an end to the work." Then the Jews who lived near them came and told us ten times over, "Wherever you turn, they will attack us." Therefore, I stationed some of the people behind the lowest points of the wall at the exposed places, posting them by families, with their swords, spears and bows. After I looked things over, I stood up and said to the nobles, the officials and the rest of the people, "Don't be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight for your families, your sons and your daughters, your wives and your homes." When our enemies heard that we were aware of their plot and that God had frustrated it, we all returned to the wall, each to our own work. From that day on, half of my men did the work, while the other half were equipped with spears, shields, bows and armor. The officers posted themselves behind all the people of Judah who were building the wall. Those who carried materials did their work with one hand and held a weapon in the other, and each of the builders wore his sword at his side as he worked. But the man who sounded the trumpet stayed with me. Then I said to the nobles, the officials and the rest of the people, "The work is extensive and spread out, and we are widely separated from each other along the wall. Wherever you hear the sound of the trumpet, join us there. Our God will fight for us!" So, we continued the work with half the men holding spears, from the first light of dawn till the stars came out. At that time, I also said to the people, "Have every man and his helper stay inside Jerusalem at night, so they can serve us as guards by night and as workers by day." Neither I nor my brothers nor my men nor the guards with me took off our clothes; each had his weapon, even when he went for water.

(Neh 4:1-23 NIV)

1. Verse 2

i. and in the presence of his associates and the army of Samaria, he said, "What are those feeble Jews doing? Will they restore their wall? Will they offer sacrifices? Will they finish in a day? Can they bring the stones back to life from those heaps of rubble—burned as they are?"

ii. (Neh 4:2)

2. Verse 7

i. But when Sanballat, Tobiah, the Arabs, the Ammonites and the people of Ashdod heard that the repairs to Jerusalem's walls had gone ahead and that the gaps were being closed, they were very angry.

ii. (Neh 4:7)

3. Verse 11

i. Also, our enemies said, "Before they know it or see us, we will be right there among them and will kill them and put an end to the work."

ii. (Neh 4:11)

4. Verse 13

i. Therefore, I stationed some of the people behind the lowest points of the wall at the exposed places, posting them by families, with their swords, spears and bows.

ii. (Neh 4:13)

5. Verse 14

i. After I looked things over, I stood up and said to the nobles, the officials and the rest of the people, "Don't be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight for your families, your sons and your daughters, your wives and your homes."

ii. (Neh 4:14)

6. Verse 20

i. Wherever you hear the sound of the trumpet, join us there. Our God will fight for us!"

ii. (Neh 4:20)

BACKGROUND

1. 1000 Years after Moses

2. 400 years before Christ

3. Israel and Judah invaded by Babylon

4. Nehemiah and his generation raised in Babylon

SERMON BODY

1. Nehemiah

i. Born in Babylon and never seen Israel

ii. God gave him a heart and a vision for a place he had never seen

1. The LORD had said to Abram, "Go from your country, your people and your father's household to the land I will show you. "I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you."

2. (Gen 12:1-3)

iii. Nehemiah learned about his roots

iv. Nehemiah remembered God's promises and believed

v. Nehemiah trusted God

2. Sanballat

i. Miserable

ii. Violent

iii. Schemer

3. God calls his people and they return to Israel when many of them had not even seen it before.

4. God sends his people on mission

5. People of God united by their vision and knowledge of God

6. Rest on the providence of God

7. God fights for his people and protects them

MAIN POINTS

1. Nehemiah was on mission to rebuild Jerusalem’s walls

2. God was with Nehemiah

3. God's people are united in their vision and purpose

4. The enemy will attempt to plot our downfall

i. Enemy has strategies for our destruction

ii. The enemy plots

iii. The enemy mocks

iv. The enemy discourages

v. The enemy sometimes uses deception

vi. The enemy not averse to using violence

5. God's people will have to adapt to changing circumstances

6. Nehemiah and the Israelites focus on God

i. Let God renew your mind so you can know his will as Nehemiah knew

ii. Remember God's grace

iii. Remember God's promise

iv. Fill your mind with God's word

v. Renew your mind by meditating on God's promise

SUMMARY

1. The Israelites were living in extraordinary times

2. The Israelites were called to do an extraordinary task

3. Nehemiah is led to return to Israel

4. BFC in extraordinary times

5. BFC having to do some extraordinary things

6. Church is done differently

7. Some things endure

i. Prayer

ii. Trust and faith in God

iii. Meditating on God's word

iv. Fellowship

v. Obedience

vi. Pure unadulterated love of God

8. Stay alert

9. Wear the whole armour of God

10. Take heart - God fights for us

11. Contend for your loved ones, your family, your community and the world