Sermon Tone Analysis

Nehemiah 4:1-23

Introduction

We have learned that opportunity equals opposition.

One to the tests of an overcomer is how we handle opposition~/problems. 

“Opposition is not only an evidence that God is blessing, but it is also an opportunity for us to grow” (Warren Wiersbe, Nehemiah).

“God had one Son without sin, but He never had a son without trial” (Charles Sprugeon in Wiersbe, Nehemiah).

We are entering a new era as a church.

An era of renewed focus, focus on the Lord Jesus, a focus on the Word of God, a focus on others, and a focus on evangelism.

As certain, as we renew our focus we will face the opposition of the enemy.

Satan will not allow us to do a great work for God without opposing us.

You can be certain that you will be attacked.

Satan hates us because he hates God.

We must remember however, that Satan is under God’s sovereign rule.

*1 Corinthians 10:13* No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God /is /faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear /it./.

Today we are going to learn how we can to anticipate opposition and how we are to answer opposition.

1A.

How to Anticipate Opposition

We anticipate opposition by understanding the tactics the enemy employs.

Satan has not changed his methods in four thousand years.

In this chapter, we see his three favorite tactics.

Remember Satan will use men to do his biding.

1B.

Satan will try to distract you (4:1-3)

They ridiculed the feebleness of God’s people (4:2a)

Ø      They ridiculed them because they were few and small.

“Feeble” means withered, miserable.

We are a feeble people in the eyes of the world.

We are a small an insignificant group compared to the size and prestige of the world.

It is wrong to measure the church by the size of the people.

A little fellow applied for a job as woodsman in the north woods.

They told him he was too small to chop down trees; he said I can do it.

They gave him an ax and told him to chop down a sapling he went chop, chop and it was done.

They said try that on this redwood.

He went chop, chop, and chop and down it went.

The man said I never seen any thing like that, where did you learn to chop wood like that?

He said in the Sahara forest, the man said don’t you mean the Sahara desert, the little man said; well that is what they call it now.

God does not measure His people simply by their hands, how strong they are, or by their heads, how smart they are, but by their hearts, how surrendered they are.

Paul expresses it best in 1 Corinthians 1.

\\ *1 Corinthians 1:26-31* For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, /are called./

27But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; 28and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, 29that no flesh should glory in His presence.

30But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God—and righteousness and sanctification and redemption—31that, as it is written, /“/He who glories, let him glory in the Lord.”

They ridiculed the foolishness of their faith.

(4:2b)

“Will they sacrifice?”

They ridiculed the Jew’s faith in God.

The world will mock our faith.

*1 Corinthians 1:18* “For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.”

They ridiculed the futility of their task.

(4:2c)

They will never do what they say they are going to do.

We are not about just buildings and budgets; they are a means to an end.

Jesus is building a church, “I will build my church.”

An in building a church He is building a people of God.

We will win!

We cannot loose, because Christ will not loose!

They ridiculed the frailty of their work.

(4:3)

They were convinced that the work would not last.

The world laughs at us; the world says it will not last.

The world will tells us that what we do will not last.

Satan is still ridiculing the work of God.

\\ 2B.

Satan will try to discourage you (4:10-11)

There is an old legend that one day Satan had a garage sale.

He was selling all of his tools that he had used over the centuries.

Lying, hatred, malice, lust, greed, envy, jealousy, pride, all of these different things.

Over in the corner one tool not for sale.

It was so priceless that he would not sale it.

Why?

Because it was "Discouragement” That’s Satan's most important tool.

With this tool and can get into a heart and pry it open and destroy it.

Good people can become discouraged (4:10)

Judah was the chief tribe!

Judah was the best of the best.

These were the leaders!

Jesus would come from this tribe.

Fatigue will cause you to become discouraged (4:10a)

They were worn out, weighted down, and worried.

They were only halfway finished on the wall (4:6).

The beginning and the end are the easiest times to work; halfway is the hardest time!

Middle age in life is a time of discouragement.

Some of you are saying we have been at this work a long time.

I am tired.

Some are saying when will we ever get ahead?

Serving the Lord is hard tedious work.

We are to serve God until He calls us home.

Fatigue is dangerous, Vince Lombardi said, "Fatigue makes cowards of all of us."

Fatigue can and will lead to discouragement.

We need to rest physically.

We need to work smart and be as effective as we can for the Kingdom.

Frustration will cause you to become discouraged (4:10b)

“*There is so much rubbish*,” they were weighted down.

Frustration is usually a matter of perception.

Actually, the piles are getting smaller.

They just seemed to be never ending.

It is easy to become weighted down in serving the Lord.

That is why the trash must be removed.

If we are going to succeed, we must remove the clutter the garbage.

The hardest part of the job was removing the trash.

Ø      We have a lot of trash that must be removed.

*Theological trash*, we must regain a proper understanding of God and man, we must reaffirm our belief of the Bible, and we must live what the Bible says.