Nehemiah 1:1-11: Troubling News

Intro: Wow, with a title of “Troubling News” we do not have to go far to connect with this theme.

Pandemic, 9/11 anniversary, recent diagnosis from the doctor, conversation with a spouse, or children

Physical, emotional, spiritual, economical,

Outline:

Circumstances: “Great Trouble and Shame” (vs. 1-4)

Cry of the Heart: “O LORD God of Heaven” (vs. 5-7)

Christ-like Change: “If you Return...” (vs. 8-11)

Summary: Troubling news provides the opportunity to be honest about our circumstances, humble in the cry of our hearts, and hopeful about Christ-like Change.

Prayer:

Circumstances: “Great Trouble and Shame” (Vs. 1-4)

The Words of Nehemiah

Son of Havaliah- more than likely born in Persia

The month of Chilslev-Nov/Dec

I was in Susa the citadel- Persian winter palace

In the 20th year- Artaxerxes the king, 6th king of Persia, 444 b.c. Just after Esther

931 B.c. kingdom splits: 10 northern tribes (Jeroboam), 2 southern (Rehoboam)

“931 the split was done”

722 B.c. The assyrians capture the 10 northern tribes of Israel- scatter and assimilate, no return

“The Assyrians catured all but 2”

586 B.C The Babylonians capture the southern tribe of Judah- stay together, return (“586 the final two added to the mix”) SLIDE

538 B.C Return under Zerubable- temple rebuilt (515 B.C)

458 B.C return under Ezra- people rebuilt

444 B.c. return under Nehemiah- walls rebuilt

The Remnant

That Hanani

One of my brothers

came with certain men

from Judah

I asked them concerning

The Jews who escaped-were not taken into captivity by the Babylonians

Who had survived the exile

Jerusalem

They said to me

The remnant there in the province

Who survived the exile

Is in great trouble- remarkable or out of the ordinary evil, wickendess, disaster

Shame- taunt, disgrace, reviling, a state of dishonour

Jerusalem

Broekn down

Its gates are destroyed by fire- rebuilding had begun in Ezra 4:12 but was stopped in verse 21.

The Response

As soon as I heard these words

I sad down and wept

and Mourned

for days

I continued fasting and praying

before the God of Heaven

Application

What are the circumstances of your life today? How would you describe them to a friend or spouse? Have you described them?

Have you recieved troubling news this week? When was the last time you sat down and mourned and wept over troubling news about those that you love?

Great trouble- the facts about the circumstances

Shame- the way you view the circumstances

How are you doing with being honest about the circumstances that you are living in right now? Are you trying to escape from the facts (alcohol, drugs, food, sex, binging), are you overwhelmed by the facts (worry, anxiety, depression, fear, anger)? How are you doing with the events of this last week, month, year, decade? Have you given yourself the time to respond?

Cry of the Heart: “O LORD God of Heaven” (vs. 5-7)

Towards God- Humilty

O LORD God of heaven- covenant relationship to Israel, and sovereignty over earth

The Great and Awesome God- power and majesty

Who keeps covenant- God always keeps his covenant

Steadfast love-

With those who love him

Keep his commandments.

From the Heart- Honest

Let your ear be attentive and your eyes open

To hear the prayer of your servant that I now pray

Day and night for the people of israel

Confessing the sins

of the people of Israel

Which we have sinned against you

Even I amd my fathers’s house have sinned- Nehemiah incorporates himself in this.

Addressing Actions- How

We have acted…how?...

Very Corruptly…By whose standards?...

Against You…in what ways?...

and have not kept the commandments

The statutes

The rules- that you commanded your servant Moses

God’s Word has the answers to all of these question!

Application:

When was the last time we humbly acknowledged that God was different than anyone else?

When was the last time after facing troubling news our honesty before God took you into the night?

When was the last time we aligned our actions with the word of God to determin right and wrong?

Some of you might say, I have done all that and it hasn’t worked. can I humbly challenge you on that, “what were you expecting it to look like?” Just because it did not turn out the way you wanted does not mean that it is not working. After all, who is the LORD God of heaven and earth, who is the great and awesome God? Here is the danger, when I go to God and the circumstances of my life don’t change I am tempted to look to for a sovereign in a different place and that is usually me! When God is no longer awesome or great I have to find a substitute to help me get my life back in order, to take control,…Why are the children of Israel in Captivity? IDOLATRY!!!

Who or what are you crying out to in order to regain “control” of your life? A political party, financial stability, balanced medication, physical dominance, intellectual ability. Are these all bad, no, but when they become my longerterm solution to my present distress they become idols.

Sinful actions always offends God, and always affects others

Nehemiah knows what it is like to cry out to the Lord during the night. If this is you, you are in good company! This is a good way to deal with our emotions about our circumstances.

Christ-Like Change: “If You Return...” (vs. 8-11)

Remember the Word

That you commanded your servant Moses

If you are unfaithful

I will scatter you among the peoples

If you return to me

and keep my commandments

and do them

Though your outcasts are in the uttermost parts of heaven, from here I will

Gather them

Bring them to the place that I have chosen

To make my name dwell there

Servants

Your Servants

Your people

whom you have redeemed

by your great power

your strong hand- no other power or hand

Context

Let your ear be attentive to the prayer of your Servant

To the prayer of your servants who delight to fear your name

Give success to your servant today

Grant him mercy in the sigh of this man

I was cupbearer to the king…not a priest, not from the tribe of Levi,

Application

How often in our actions do we forget to remember the Word of God?

What will it look like for you to “return to keeping and doing God’s commandments” later on today or this week?

How does the fact that If you know God you are His servant, you belong to His family, He has redeemed you by power greater than your will power, by hands stronger than your desires.

This promise is still the same today, if we are unfaithful to what God has declared in His word we will be scattered. distanced from God and others. Look at the benefits of returning to God!

Trust me the benefits of being humble are far greater than the percieved benefits of keeping your humiliation a secret.

This is not just a return to Jerusalem, it is a return to the Work that God is doing in their lives.

The first steps in rebuilding during a time of great trouble and shame is

Humbling yourself and your circumstances before God

Being honest with the cry of your heart

Making hopeful steps towards Christ-like change

Communion

Believe

Repent

Obey

Discussion Questions

Worship- Renew the Mind (Scripture)

What passage of Scripture did we look at? Summarize it in your own words.

What was the troubling news that Nehemiah heard in verses 1-4? What were the circumstances?

What was the content of Nehemiah’s cry in verses 5-7?

Nehemiah had hope for change in verses 8-11. Where was that hope founded?

Grow- Engage the Heart (Conversation)

What are the circumstances of your life today? How would you describe them to a friend or spouse? Have you described them? Take a moment and share what is going on in your life.

In what ways are you tempted to find a different soveriegn in your life? In other words, what do you run to in order to “get a hold of your life” or “take control” during troubling times?