1 00:00:07,320 --> 00:00:09,440 Good evening once more. Would you open with me your 2 00:00:09,440 --> 00:00:14,560 Bible to the Old Testament book of Nehemiah in chapter 2? 3 00:00:14,560 --> 00:00:16,640 This is our second message in the series. 4 00:00:16,640 --> 00:00:19,040 We'll have two more and then we'll have a couple of weeks 5 00:00:19,040 --> 00:00:22,280 break over the Christmas period. But tonight, as you turn into 6 00:00:22,280 --> 00:00:26,360 Nehemiah chapter 2, the title of the message is Pray, Probe, 7 00:00:26,760 --> 00:00:32,920 Persuade, leading God's rebuild. And many of you, I think, are in 8 00:00:32,920 --> 00:00:37,080 a season right now where life demands A pivot. 9 00:00:38,400 --> 00:00:42,120 If not, then there will come times where that is the case. 10 00:00:43,240 --> 00:00:45,840 And so things perhaps in your life have changed. 11 00:00:46,360 --> 00:00:48,560 A big decision maybe looms around the corner. 12 00:00:48,560 --> 00:00:50,360 You're not sure exactly what to do. 13 00:00:51,360 --> 00:00:53,360 Maybe it is that you're simply starting a family. 14 00:00:53,360 --> 00:00:58,320 You're getting married, sending kids off to university, perhaps 15 00:00:58,320 --> 00:01:01,760 next year or a new job is on the horizon. 16 00:01:02,840 --> 00:01:05,840 We've just moved into the area where you're considering 17 00:01:05,840 --> 00:01:10,920 contemplating a move elsewhere and decisions need to be made. 18 00:01:12,120 --> 00:01:15,360 And you're wondering in that decision making process, what do 19 00:01:15,360 --> 00:01:17,920 I do? How do I make this decision? 20 00:01:17,920 --> 00:01:21,920 Lord, give me your help. And maybe if you're married, it 21 00:01:21,920 --> 00:01:23,440 works a little something like this. 22 00:01:23,520 --> 00:01:25,880 The two of you approach decision making differently. 23 00:01:26,960 --> 00:01:31,600 One, maybe she prays, says I'm just going to take it to the 24 00:01:31,600 --> 00:01:35,280 Lord and he'll take care of it. And the husband says, yeah, 25 00:01:35,280 --> 00:01:37,080 he'll take care of it all right through me. 26 00:01:38,000 --> 00:01:42,480 So I've got to make a plan. And she'd pray and trust and he 27 00:01:42,480 --> 00:01:48,360 might plan and push. And he thinks that she's not 28 00:01:48,360 --> 00:01:52,400 practical enough in that, and she thinks he's not spiritual 29 00:01:52,400 --> 00:01:55,520 enough in that. Did you pray? 30 00:01:55,560 --> 00:01:59,840 She might ask and he might respond, Well, I asked God to 31 00:01:59,840 --> 00:02:04,440 bless my plan. So there, it's a simple little 32 00:02:04,440 --> 00:02:07,520 thing. But you see, finding God's will, 33 00:02:07,720 --> 00:02:12,000 finding what God's decision is in our making process, you know, 34 00:02:12,240 --> 00:02:16,280 it actually requires both the blending of praying and 35 00:02:16,280 --> 00:02:19,360 planning. It's been said that these are 36 00:02:19,360 --> 00:02:23,080 like praying and planning the 2 feet that God gives us to walk 37 00:02:23,080 --> 00:02:26,480 by faith with Him. It's an interesting way of 38 00:02:26,480 --> 00:02:30,520 thinking about it. The whole book of Nehemiah is a 39 00:02:30,520 --> 00:02:33,360 case study. In this Nehemiah we looked at 40 00:02:33,360 --> 00:02:36,320 last week, he prays he's burdened with the state of 41 00:02:36,320 --> 00:02:40,280 disrepair in Jerusalem as he's heard of of the Exiles returning 42 00:02:40,280 --> 00:02:43,240 and it and it breaks his heart to the point that he effectively 43 00:02:43,240 --> 00:02:48,280 spends some four months in heavy prayer unto the Lord about this. 44 00:02:48,800 --> 00:02:51,480 What we'll see tonight out of chapter 2 is that during that 45 00:02:51,480 --> 00:02:55,840 time of praying, he has also been planning so that when that 46 00:02:55,840 --> 00:02:59,360 opportunity arises for God to use him as he's requested and 47 00:02:59,360 --> 00:03:04,120 prayed, Lord God effectively use me, then he's ready to find 48 00:03:04,120 --> 00:03:08,160 God's will and to walk in it with those plans in place. 49 00:03:08,680 --> 00:03:11,520 So the whole book of Nehemiah is a case study in this. 50 00:03:11,520 --> 00:03:14,080 We'll see that specifically tonight in our chapter of 51 00:03:14,080 --> 00:03:16,200 Nehemiah. Additionally, what we'll see is 52 00:03:16,200 --> 00:03:21,320 this is that if you're a visionary in any way, if you're 53 00:03:21,440 --> 00:03:25,640 a leader in any capacity, then the art of doing that is the 54 00:03:25,640 --> 00:03:30,360 ability to see what others cannot see, they do not see. 55 00:03:31,480 --> 00:03:34,600 It's the difference between seeing what is and what could be 56 00:03:35,360 --> 00:03:38,880 the potential that is the Lord at work in and through a 57 00:03:38,880 --> 00:03:42,520 situation. So where one person perhaps sees 58 00:03:42,520 --> 00:03:45,480 an acorn, the visionary sees the oak tree. 59 00:03:46,280 --> 00:03:51,760 Where one person perhaps sees a stack of timber, the other sees 60 00:03:51,760 --> 00:03:56,160 a home in completion. Where one sees a city in ruin, 61 00:03:56,680 --> 00:03:59,560 as many are experiencing in the book of Nehemiah, the visionary 62 00:03:59,560 --> 00:04:04,400 sees an opportunity for renewal, and that's Nehemiah. 63 00:04:05,360 --> 00:04:08,760 Nehemiah again, as I say, picks up some four months after we 64 00:04:08,760 --> 00:04:12,880 left off in Chapter 1 last week, the devastating news that's come 65 00:04:12,880 --> 00:04:17,000 to him of Jerusalem's ruin. But God is opening a door now 66 00:04:17,000 --> 00:04:20,680 for Nehemiah and it's a terrifying experience, something 67 00:04:20,680 --> 00:04:24,680 that grips his heart with fear. You see, approaching the king 68 00:04:24,680 --> 00:04:28,560 with sadness, even if it's evident on your face, as we'll 69 00:04:28,560 --> 00:04:31,720 read could mean in fact, death for Nehemiah. 70 00:04:32,320 --> 00:04:36,640 And then asking as we read what Nehemiah does, very presumptuous 71 00:04:37,600 --> 00:04:41,000 asking what he does of the king. It's, it's almost the 72 00:04:41,000 --> 00:04:43,960 impossible. And So what follows out of 73 00:04:43,960 --> 00:04:47,840 chapter 2 is, is really a master class in turning that deep 74 00:04:47,840 --> 00:04:51,000 burden within us into divine breakthrough. 75 00:04:52,080 --> 00:04:55,000 So again, we're looking at 3 actions that define godly 76 00:04:55,000 --> 00:04:56,880 leadership. Or if you're seeking God's 77 00:04:56,880 --> 00:05:02,920 direction in your life of #1 praying #2 probing and looking 78 00:05:02,920 --> 00:05:07,080 into the situation and seeing and sensing the reality reality 79 00:05:07,120 --> 00:05:09,400 of that. And then thirdly, being able to 80 00:05:09,560 --> 00:05:13,840 persuade and bring others along in the vision in, in that 81 00:05:13,840 --> 00:05:18,160 purpose of obeying God's commands and direction for your 82 00:05:18,160 --> 00:05:21,000 life. So let's read verses one through 83 00:05:21,000 --> 00:05:23,360 to 10 and consider this first point for us. 84 00:05:23,360 --> 00:05:27,680 Pray and seize the moment despite the fear, for that is 85 00:05:27,680 --> 00:05:30,320 faith. I'm reading from the new King 86 00:05:30,320 --> 00:05:33,600 James Version and it came to pass in the month of Nissan, in 87 00:05:33,600 --> 00:05:37,920 the 20th year of King Artaxerxes when wine was before him, that I 88 00:05:37,920 --> 00:05:39,440 took the wine and gave it to the king. 89 00:05:39,440 --> 00:05:43,600 Remember, he was the cupbearer. The role of the cupbearer was to 90 00:05:43,600 --> 00:05:47,280 taste the wine in case of poisoning, as was quite 91 00:05:47,720 --> 00:05:50,960 customary in ancient times. To eradicate a leader that you 92 00:05:50,960 --> 00:05:53,680 didn't like. But a cup bearer was more than 93 00:05:53,680 --> 00:05:55,760 that. They're also a trusted advisor. 94 00:05:55,760 --> 00:05:59,280 And it was something that Nehemiah had had earned 95 00:05:59,440 --> 00:06:03,680 ultimately through years of just a qualification and 96 00:06:03,680 --> 00:06:06,080 demonstration of his character and his attributes. 97 00:06:06,720 --> 00:06:08,520 So he took the wine and gave it to the king. 98 00:06:08,800 --> 00:06:11,680 Now the end of verse one. I'd never been sad in his 99 00:06:11,680 --> 00:06:15,680 presence before. Therefore the king said to me, 100 00:06:15,880 --> 00:06:19,320 why is your face sad since you are not sick? 101 00:06:19,320 --> 00:06:22,440 And I wonder the time that Artaxerxy employed here. 102 00:06:22,440 --> 00:06:25,600 We're not really given that in the language here. 103 00:06:26,800 --> 00:06:29,240 The king then says this is nothing but sorrow of heart. 104 00:06:30,440 --> 00:06:34,800 If you imagine a movie and and and the score to it, ominous 105 00:06:34,800 --> 00:06:38,120 music is probably sitting underneath that statement from 106 00:06:38,120 --> 00:06:41,200 the king now. And so it says, I became 107 00:06:41,240 --> 00:06:46,880 dreadfully afraid and said to the king, verse 3, May the king 108 00:06:46,880 --> 00:06:50,960 live forever. Why should my face not be sad, 109 00:06:51,320 --> 00:06:55,920 when the city, the place of my father's tombs, lies waste, its 110 00:06:55,920 --> 00:06:59,920 gates are burned with fire? And then the king said to me, 111 00:07:00,080 --> 00:07:04,960 verse 4, What do you request? So I pray to the God of heaven, 112 00:07:05,200 --> 00:07:09,480 it says. And I said to the king, verse 5, 113 00:07:09,480 --> 00:07:12,480 If it pleases the king, and if your servant has found favour in 114 00:07:12,480 --> 00:07:16,640 your sight, I ask that you send me to Judah, to the city of my 115 00:07:16,640 --> 00:07:18,560 father's tombs, that I may rebuild it. 116 00:07:19,800 --> 00:07:23,520 And then the king said to me, queen also sitting beside him in 117 00:07:23,520 --> 00:07:28,280 brackets, how long will your journey be, and when will you 118 00:07:28,280 --> 00:07:31,400 return? So please the king, descend me, 119 00:07:32,040 --> 00:07:35,600 and I set him a time. Furthermore, I said to the king, 120 00:07:36,240 --> 00:07:39,040 If it pleases the king, let let us be given to me. 121 00:07:39,040 --> 00:07:41,360 For the governors of the region beyond the river, it's the 122 00:07:41,600 --> 00:07:45,920 Euphrates river that they must permit me to pass through till I 123 00:07:45,920 --> 00:07:49,040 come to Judah. And a letter to Asaph, the 124 00:07:49,040 --> 00:07:52,200 keeper of the King's forest, that he must give me timber to 125 00:07:52,200 --> 00:07:55,120 make beams for the gates of the citadel which pertains to the 126 00:07:55,120 --> 00:07:59,600 temple, for the city wall, and for the house that I will 127 00:07:59,600 --> 00:08:03,120 occupy. And the king granted them to me, 128 00:08:03,520 --> 00:08:06,120 according to the good hand of my God upon me. 129 00:08:07,560 --> 00:08:10,040 And then I went to the governors in the region beyond the river 130 00:08:10,040 --> 00:08:11,520 and gave them the King's letters. 131 00:08:12,320 --> 00:08:16,400 Now the king had sent captains of the army and horsemen with 132 00:08:16,400 --> 00:08:20,880 me, and when verse 10, San Bellot the Horonite and Tobiah 133 00:08:20,880 --> 00:08:22,520 the Ammonite official heard of it. 134 00:08:22,520 --> 00:08:25,360 We'll read a lot more about these individuals later. 135 00:08:26,040 --> 00:08:30,080 They were deeply disturbed that a man had come to seek the well 136 00:08:30,080 --> 00:08:35,960 being of the children of Israel. It's Nissan, it says, and we 137 00:08:35,960 --> 00:08:37,520 don't know what time of the year that is. 138 00:08:37,520 --> 00:08:41,159 I'll tell you it's April. And since chapter 1, as I've 139 00:08:41,159 --> 00:08:44,840 mentioned already, it's been some four months in passing of 140 00:08:44,840 --> 00:08:48,840 time where again Nehemiah has been weeping, he's been fasting, 141 00:08:48,840 --> 00:08:52,000 he's burdened with the news of what Jerusalem is. 142 00:08:52,000 --> 00:08:55,360 And I cannot help but think that he's also been putting pen to 143 00:08:55,360 --> 00:08:59,840 paper in formulating his thoughts and his prayers unto 144 00:08:59,840 --> 00:09:03,160 the Lord and, and maybe journaling that process and, and 145 00:09:03,160 --> 00:09:06,320 putting some plans together. And Nehemiah has all through 146 00:09:06,320 --> 00:09:11,200 this no doubt been in misery, firstly, having been a slave in 147 00:09:11,200 --> 00:09:16,920 Persia, again burdened this slave in Susa, far from 148 00:09:16,920 --> 00:09:19,000 Jerusalem. He's he's never been there. 149 00:09:19,280 --> 00:09:23,040 The king Artaxerxes, if you've read any history about him, was 150 00:09:23,440 --> 00:09:27,280 an evil, wicked man, kind of demonic in many respects and 151 00:09:27,280 --> 00:09:30,720 behaviour. And he rules with a fist of iron 152 00:09:30,720 --> 00:09:33,480 over his people. And Nehemiah is heartbroken. 153 00:09:34,240 --> 00:09:37,760 The nation of Israel is in decline, disrepute, a city 154 00:09:37,760 --> 00:09:41,840 devastated, and temple, we might call it church, has been closed 155 00:09:42,240 --> 00:09:45,920 for God's people to be able to gather and to worship God 156 00:09:45,920 --> 00:09:48,480 Almighty. They can't worship him freely. 157 00:09:49,400 --> 00:09:53,240 But here's a principle out of this God often uses ministry, 158 00:09:54,000 --> 00:09:59,600 sorry misery to create ministry. Frustration and heartbreak can 159 00:09:59,880 --> 00:10:04,720 heartbreak can often birth your calling by God that that God 160 00:10:04,720 --> 00:10:08,280 burdens you with things that you identify and see because he's 161 00:10:08,280 --> 00:10:10,880 wanting you to be the vessel, the instrument through which 162 00:10:11,080 --> 00:10:14,960 he's able to effect change In that situation, you sense 163 00:10:14,960 --> 00:10:17,000 something wrong. It turns to prayer. 164 00:10:17,000 --> 00:10:19,800 Lord, how can I be a part of helping to make this right? 165 00:10:20,240 --> 00:10:23,840 How can I be a part of being the solution, the help in this? 166 00:10:23,840 --> 00:10:27,240 Nehemiah's done that, and now at the King's table, his face 167 00:10:27,240 --> 00:10:30,160 betrays him. The king notices Nehemiah. 168 00:10:30,160 --> 00:10:33,640 Why is your face sad? There's nothing but sadness of 169 00:10:33,640 --> 00:10:34,560 heart. Verse 2. 170 00:10:35,760 --> 00:10:39,440 And you can imagine the blood draining from Nehemiah, his face 171 00:10:39,440 --> 00:10:42,600 going cold, white with fear. I was very much afraid. 172 00:10:42,600 --> 00:10:47,000 It says in verse 2, literally fear sees him like a cramp. 173 00:10:47,400 --> 00:10:51,240 Ever been frozen with fear? Your heart just beating within 174 00:10:51,240 --> 00:10:52,880 you. It's almost like that the 175 00:10:52,880 --> 00:10:56,720 cartoons where it just beats and and the noise there is echoing 176 00:10:56,720 --> 00:10:59,680 and and you're hearing it and it's just filling you with this 177 00:10:59,680 --> 00:11:03,120 apprehension as to what's going to take place again, why the 178 00:11:03,920 --> 00:11:07,880 Persian Lord demanded joy in the King's presence. 179 00:11:08,520 --> 00:11:10,280 How artificial and contrived is that? 180 00:11:10,560 --> 00:11:12,640 You will always be happy in my presence. 181 00:11:13,440 --> 00:11:16,800 You ought to be a burden lifter, not a burden bringer. 182 00:11:17,360 --> 00:11:21,040 Nehemiah, I don't employ you to bring sadness into my presence. 183 00:11:21,200 --> 00:11:23,080 I've got enough of that ruling the Kingdom. 184 00:11:23,760 --> 00:11:26,360 You ought to come into my presence and lift my burdens and 185 00:11:26,360 --> 00:11:30,440 bring happiness and joy to me. And now Nehemiah's quizzed on 186 00:11:30,440 --> 00:11:32,960 why the change in the presence of the king. 187 00:11:34,760 --> 00:11:37,080 But here's what Nehemiah recognises, and that is that 188 00:11:37,080 --> 00:11:42,160 some things are worth living and dying for takes the risk here 189 00:11:42,160 --> 00:11:46,880 and the reopening of temple of the Church of blessing God's 190 00:11:46,880 --> 00:11:49,280 people of worshipping God, That's it. 191 00:11:49,280 --> 00:11:51,680 That's that's the hill I'm willing to die on. 192 00:11:51,880 --> 00:11:55,280 Nehemiah effectively States, and I don't know about you, but how 193 00:11:55,320 --> 00:12:00,080 many of you have something so burdensome that it shows on your 194 00:12:00,080 --> 00:12:07,960 face, it weighs on your soul and and you can't fake it anymore in 195 00:12:07,960 --> 00:12:11,880 the presence of others. Many times in in Christianity, 196 00:12:11,880 --> 00:12:15,360 we can put on a facade in the presence of other people when 197 00:12:15,360 --> 00:12:17,440 they ask us, how are you doing? What's going on? 198 00:12:17,440 --> 00:12:19,160 How's your day been? How's your week been? 199 00:12:19,160 --> 00:12:21,240 And automatically we go into yeah, good. 200 00:12:21,240 --> 00:12:25,640 How are you mode. And there are sometimes when we 201 00:12:25,640 --> 00:12:29,440 respond in that fashion that our our face, our body language, our 202 00:12:29,440 --> 00:12:32,760 features gives us away. There is something that is going 203 00:12:32,760 --> 00:12:34,440 on. And the trouble is, just like 204 00:12:34,440 --> 00:12:38,600 Nehemiah here again, many times we feel like that we're supposed 205 00:12:38,600 --> 00:12:40,320 to be burden lifters for other people. 206 00:12:40,320 --> 00:12:42,920 And so we don't want to overwhelm them with what's going 207 00:12:42,920 --> 00:12:47,640 on in our lives and, and fill their sort of minds with burdens 208 00:12:47,640 --> 00:12:50,840 that come from us too. And we're supposed to many times 209 00:12:50,840 --> 00:12:53,880 feel like we're we're to solve problems, not to to bring them 210 00:12:53,880 --> 00:12:56,360 in to others. And maybe that's your boss. 211 00:12:57,120 --> 00:12:59,960 Maybe that's your family dynamic, maybe that's your 212 00:12:59,960 --> 00:13:03,040 friend group. But certainly Artaxerxes here. 213 00:13:04,360 --> 00:13:07,720 But Nehemiah, he can't help it. And the king bites. 214 00:13:08,520 --> 00:13:10,320 What are you requesting, Nehemiah? 215 00:13:10,320 --> 00:13:13,360 Verse 4. Before answering, we're giving 216 00:13:13,360 --> 00:13:15,640 this little insight into Nehemiah's life. 217 00:13:15,800 --> 00:13:20,400 Says that he prays. We're not told what the words 218 00:13:20,400 --> 00:13:24,040 were. There's definitely no time for 219 00:13:24,040 --> 00:13:25,880 kneeling. Can you imagine that? 220 00:13:25,880 --> 00:13:29,440 The king asks, What's the matter with you, Nehemiah? 221 00:13:29,480 --> 00:13:31,920 Just give me a moment, king. And he goes off in the corner, 222 00:13:32,080 --> 00:13:34,760 hops down on his knees and prays a long prayer out. 223 00:13:34,760 --> 00:13:38,720 No, this seems to indicate a silent kind of arrow like prayer 224 00:13:39,600 --> 00:13:41,400 straight to the throne room of God. 225 00:13:42,120 --> 00:13:47,000 God help. God help in his thoughts, in his 226 00:13:47,000 --> 00:13:50,240 mind. It's interesting that the Bible 227 00:13:50,240 --> 00:13:55,400 seems to indicate that Satan hears words, sees deeds, reads 228 00:13:55,400 --> 00:14:00,680 body language, but not thoughts. And I think silent prayer is 229 00:14:00,680 --> 00:14:05,120 often a private and powerful channel for us unto God. 230 00:14:06,680 --> 00:14:09,040 But why? Maybe you're wondering, pray 231 00:14:09,480 --> 00:14:13,000 after Nehemiah has just literally spent months praying 232 00:14:13,000 --> 00:14:16,800 about this situation? Because here's the important 233 00:14:16,800 --> 00:14:18,680 point that I want you to glean from this. 234 00:14:18,680 --> 00:14:23,080 And it's something that I learn and reminded of again and again 235 00:14:23,080 --> 00:14:24,360 in my life. And that is this. 236 00:14:24,800 --> 00:14:28,720 You and I, we need to prepare not only the message, but we 237 00:14:28,720 --> 00:14:35,800 need to prepare the messenger. No doubt he knows what to say. 238 00:14:36,520 --> 00:14:40,320 He's formulated it in his mind over those four months in the 239 00:14:40,320 --> 00:14:44,240 praying, in that waiting of that opportunity to come before the 240 00:14:44,240 --> 00:14:47,440 king. But what he needs in this moment 241 00:14:47,440 --> 00:14:51,160 is the right tone to communicate, that is the right 242 00:14:51,160 --> 00:14:53,560 words to articulate. Sometimes you can rehearse 243 00:14:53,560 --> 00:14:55,960 things in your head, but when that opportunity comes to 244 00:14:55,960 --> 00:15:00,040 express it, your words come bumbling out as emotion takes 245 00:15:00,080 --> 00:15:02,760 over you. And and you're praying and 246 00:15:02,760 --> 00:15:05,200 wondering about the right timing of that. 247 00:15:05,200 --> 00:15:08,120 When, when should I go and say or when should I go and seek in 248 00:15:08,120 --> 00:15:10,640 this situation? And he's no doubt probably been 249 00:15:10,640 --> 00:15:14,400 praying for the King to interpret rightly the request 250 00:15:14,400 --> 00:15:18,320 that comes before him. Again, I've learnt this 251 00:15:18,320 --> 00:15:21,760 principle sometimes painfully in my life, the need to prepare 252 00:15:22,000 --> 00:15:23,840 both the message and the messenger. 253 00:15:24,960 --> 00:15:28,200 I think very practically of, of times when I prepared the 254 00:15:28,200 --> 00:15:31,120 message literally of what I'm doing right now in preaching 255 00:15:31,120 --> 00:15:34,680 God's word. And for whatever reason, maybe 256 00:15:34,680 --> 00:15:38,680 it's been a busy week or certainly back when I was 257 00:15:38,680 --> 00:15:43,880 working 2 jobs and I, I skipped or I had limited time in prayer. 258 00:15:45,440 --> 00:15:47,920 And there's times when I've delivered the message and I've, 259 00:15:48,000 --> 00:15:52,000 I've gone home, I'm, I'm out of the pulpit and I can almost hear 260 00:15:52,200 --> 00:15:57,240 God say you prepared the words, but not yourself. 261 00:16:00,280 --> 00:16:04,600 You know, it takes hours for the sermon, but it needs to take 262 00:16:04,600 --> 00:16:07,880 more for the preacher, for the person. 263 00:16:09,360 --> 00:16:13,640 And if the messenger is ready, the Holy Spirit supplies and 264 00:16:13,640 --> 00:16:18,040 takes over the message. My apologies to you if you've 265 00:16:18,040 --> 00:16:20,440 seen me at any times. I'm prepared. 266 00:16:20,960 --> 00:16:24,280 Pray for your pastors here in this this important role. 267 00:16:24,280 --> 00:16:28,240 But Nehemiah here, he prays it's a quick prayer. 268 00:16:28,240 --> 00:16:30,480 God no doubt help me is his prayer. 269 00:16:32,160 --> 00:16:35,800 Now he answers the king. But before we consider this, 270 00:16:36,000 --> 00:16:41,080 understand that Nehemiah here, his resources are in his 271 00:16:41,080 --> 00:16:44,720 character and his relationships. You would think that he has 272 00:16:44,720 --> 00:16:48,240 built favour before the king over the years that he served as 273 00:16:48,240 --> 00:16:52,440 the cupbearer, wouldn't you? That this has been an an ongoing 274 00:16:52,440 --> 00:16:55,480 journey in Nehemiah's life of having demonstrated 275 00:16:55,480 --> 00:16:57,200 faithfulness. You know, where did where did 276 00:16:57,200 --> 00:17:01,640 Nehemiah start, for example, in his career trajectory on the way 277 00:17:01,640 --> 00:17:05,640 to being cupbearer of the king? What roles did he fill? 278 00:17:05,640 --> 00:17:09,319 What little things was he faithful in in leading up to now 279 00:17:09,319 --> 00:17:12,000 this trusted position of being the cupbearer? 280 00:17:12,000 --> 00:17:15,520 You see, no newbies applied for the cupbearer position. 281 00:17:17,520 --> 00:17:22,319 It's earned through character. And I think that we can demise 282 00:17:22,319 --> 00:17:26,599 from this, that he's never asked anything of the king before 283 00:17:26,599 --> 00:17:31,640 this. And it's a wonderful reminder 284 00:17:31,640 --> 00:17:35,200 for you and I to not wear out your welcome with constant 285 00:17:35,200 --> 00:17:38,040 requests. Do you know people like that? 286 00:17:38,960 --> 00:17:42,800 Maybe you're a boss and you have people underneath you that work 287 00:17:42,800 --> 00:17:45,960 alongside you and and you're arriving every day wondering 288 00:17:46,080 --> 00:17:50,080 what's so and so going to request today for me to bend 289 00:17:50,080 --> 00:17:52,080 over backwards and accommodate. In their life. 290 00:17:52,080 --> 00:17:54,880 There's no indication that Nehemiah has been this kind of 291 00:17:54,880 --> 00:18:00,440 an individual, but now he does he starts relationally let the 292 00:18:00,440 --> 00:18:05,360 king live forever affirming his loyalty and that's personal. 293 00:18:05,360 --> 00:18:08,720 He brings now the issue the matter the the city, the place 294 00:18:08,720 --> 00:18:11,080 of my father's graves lies in ruins. 295 00:18:11,080 --> 00:18:16,600 Verse 3 but then then he outlines the plan that God has 296 00:18:16,600 --> 00:18:18,800 put on his heart. When the king asks, what is it 297 00:18:18,800 --> 00:18:23,080 that you request in verse 4? And understand that this is very 298 00:18:23,080 --> 00:18:27,240 audacious on behalf of Nehemiah here because he's in fact 299 00:18:27,720 --> 00:18:32,480 seeking the reversal of the King's very own decision that he 300 00:18:32,480 --> 00:18:36,920 decreed some 13 years earlier in the book of Ezra, chapter 4, 301 00:18:36,960 --> 00:18:42,720 verse 21, where Artaxerxes had banned any rebuilding of 302 00:18:42,720 --> 00:18:46,280 Jerusalem in particular. So this is a big deal that 303 00:18:46,280 --> 00:18:49,920 Nehemiah is requesting of Artaxerxes the king. 304 00:18:50,480 --> 00:18:53,000 You can understand the nervousness and the fear, the 305 00:18:53,000 --> 00:18:57,880 trepidation taking over him. But yeah, in yours, in my life, 306 00:18:58,200 --> 00:19:03,160 risky faith is willing to sacrifice well being and believe 307 00:19:03,160 --> 00:19:06,560 in God can do anything. I think that probably Nehemiah 308 00:19:06,560 --> 00:19:09,320 had memorised Proverbs 21 verse one. 309 00:19:10,040 --> 00:19:13,720 The King's heart is a stream of water in the hand of the Lord. 310 00:19:14,000 --> 00:19:17,480 He turns it wherever he will. I bet each day he's like the 311 00:19:17,480 --> 00:19:20,280 King's heart. It's like a stream of water, the 312 00:19:20,320 --> 00:19:23,120 Lord the King's heart. What does it say again? 313 00:19:23,320 --> 00:19:25,880 He poured over it waiting for that opportunity. 314 00:19:25,880 --> 00:19:28,640 And so now that opportunity comes and look at the 315 00:19:28,640 --> 00:19:31,280 preparedness on behalf of Nehemiah. 316 00:19:31,280 --> 00:19:33,320 He's prayed, yes, but he's planned also. 317 00:19:33,320 --> 00:19:36,960 You see, vision requires provision and here Nehemiah 318 00:19:36,960 --> 00:19:41,280 displays belief in God and Nehemiah has been planning as a 319 00:19:41,280 --> 00:19:46,040 consequence of that belief. The timeline as we read through 320 00:19:46,040 --> 00:19:49,440 Nehemiah, you know what he's asking basically for leave from 321 00:19:49,440 --> 00:19:52,400 his job from the king for is 12 years. 322 00:19:53,600 --> 00:19:55,680 Imagine trying that with your employer tomorrow. 323 00:19:56,920 --> 00:20:00,160 I'd like 12 years paid to go and take care of this. 324 00:20:00,240 --> 00:20:03,400 Oh yeah. What else would you like for 325 00:20:03,400 --> 00:20:06,640 safe passage in verse 7? So royal letters to be written 326 00:20:06,640 --> 00:20:10,160 for those in the surrounding territories to understand that 327 00:20:10,160 --> 00:20:14,880 he's on King's business and and for materials to be supplied and 328 00:20:14,880 --> 00:20:17,160 also king. I'd like it to come from the 329 00:20:17,160 --> 00:20:21,920 business account, if you please, for timber from the King's 330 00:20:21,920 --> 00:20:25,920 Forest. Personal funding basically to 331 00:20:25,920 --> 00:20:29,320 undo 141 years of foreign policy. 332 00:20:31,000 --> 00:20:34,000 And he even this is how much research Nehemiah's put into it. 333 00:20:34,000 --> 00:20:37,240 He names the foreman and in case king you've forgotten, it's Asaf 334 00:20:37,640 --> 00:20:40,520 who's in control of the timber. He's done his homework as 335 00:20:40,520 --> 00:20:44,080 Nehemiah. He's requested. 336 00:20:45,120 --> 00:20:47,520 Look at how presumptuous it is on his behalf. 337 00:20:47,560 --> 00:20:51,160 I'd like Tim, but not only to rebuild aspects of the wall and 338 00:20:51,160 --> 00:20:54,280 and the worship for the temple, but for my own house. 339 00:20:55,360 --> 00:20:57,280 I'm going to need to live somewhere, King. 340 00:20:58,000 --> 00:20:59,680 I'm going to need to take care of business. 341 00:20:59,680 --> 00:21:03,120 And if you could appoint me as the governor in the region, that 342 00:21:03,120 --> 00:21:05,600 would make life a whole heap easier for me. 343 00:21:06,240 --> 00:21:08,120 I'm paraphrasing all that's wrapped up in here. 344 00:21:09,520 --> 00:21:12,600 And again, on top of that, thirteen years prior, the very 345 00:21:12,600 --> 00:21:16,680 same king had denied any sense of what he's now requesting. 346 00:21:16,760 --> 00:21:20,200 This is a crazy ask on behalf of Nehemiah. 347 00:21:20,840 --> 00:21:23,960 Unless what? Unless God's hand is on it. 348 00:21:25,280 --> 00:21:28,160 And that's what we read, for God's hand was upon me. 349 00:21:28,240 --> 00:21:33,440 Verse 8. You know, anointing is 350 00:21:33,440 --> 00:21:38,640 everything if God is in it and who can be against it? 351 00:21:38,640 --> 00:21:42,360 And the Holy Spirit's presence in our lives provides what we 352 00:21:42,360 --> 00:21:47,520 see in Nehemiah here, protection, direction, blessing. 353 00:21:48,360 --> 00:21:53,480 You know what happens when the good hand of our God is upon us. 354 00:21:54,720 --> 00:22:00,680 The enemy sees verse 10, we're introduced to Sam ballot the 355 00:22:00,680 --> 00:22:02,800 horror night to bio the Ammonite. 356 00:22:02,800 --> 00:22:05,840 And there's another fellow that we'll read of in a moment. 357 00:22:07,120 --> 00:22:10,320 Opposition starts and it's a hint at conflict to come. 358 00:22:11,040 --> 00:22:14,080 You know you, you know that you're flying over enemy 359 00:22:14,080 --> 00:22:18,680 territory when you start becoming the target of fire, 360 00:22:19,480 --> 00:22:24,000 when you start taking fire. This would be a very short book. 361 00:22:24,120 --> 00:22:28,520 Nehemiah, if the burden came upon him in chapter 1, the 362 00:22:28,520 --> 00:22:30,760 request given to the king in chapter 2. 363 00:22:30,760 --> 00:22:32,080 And then chapter 3 was all about. 364 00:22:32,080 --> 00:22:34,840 And so I went to Jerusalem and we rebuilt the wall. 365 00:22:35,040 --> 00:22:40,320 And that would be it, the end. There's 13 chapters, and pretty 366 00:22:40,320 --> 00:22:44,440 much from here in chapter 2 all the way through to the end is 367 00:22:44,440 --> 00:22:48,280 Nehemiah dealing with opposition and conflict. 368 00:22:49,640 --> 00:22:52,480 And you and I, we can be busy about God's work, but know that 369 00:22:52,480 --> 00:22:55,800 there will be opposition that comes from the enemy as a 370 00:22:55,800 --> 00:23:00,440 consequence of that. And so as we seek to apply this 371 00:23:00,440 --> 00:23:02,640 and to think about what I started, maybe there is a, a 372 00:23:02,880 --> 00:23:06,960 time of pivot in your life, a, a job change or a family shift or 373 00:23:07,080 --> 00:23:09,400 some decision making that you're needing to do. 374 00:23:09,640 --> 00:23:16,560 What must you do in that? Pray and plan, Pray and plan and 375 00:23:16,560 --> 00:23:19,600 understand that the misery or the burden, maybe that you're 376 00:23:19,600 --> 00:23:21,800 feeling, the frustration that you're going through. 377 00:23:21,800 --> 00:23:26,480 Let it be a call to action or to ministry to service in your 378 00:23:26,480 --> 00:23:29,720 life. But as you do that, prepare not 379 00:23:29,720 --> 00:23:34,520 only the message, but prepare the messenger fast We saw last 380 00:23:34,520 --> 00:23:39,840 week, Journal, pray, silent prayers, maybe before hard talks 381 00:23:39,840 --> 00:23:44,040 or or business meetings or those moments where you know, OK, it's 382 00:23:44,040 --> 00:23:47,480 time now we're on. God help me to have the right 383 00:23:47,480 --> 00:23:48,800 words and the right way to say that. 384 00:23:48,800 --> 00:23:52,840 Give me favour, Lord God, and you can build that favour 385 00:23:52,840 --> 00:23:56,360 through faithfulness in little things, just as Nehemiah did, 386 00:23:56,360 --> 00:23:59,720 because many times that opportunity only knocks once. 387 00:24:00,920 --> 00:24:04,280 We need to be ready when God brings it across our path, and 388 00:24:04,280 --> 00:24:07,040 so believe in Jesus and plan accordingly. 389 00:24:07,240 --> 00:24:10,800 Vision very much needs practical provision and we see that 390 00:24:10,800 --> 00:24:13,600 displayed in Nehemiah chapter 2, verses 1 to 10. 391 00:24:14,440 --> 00:24:17,880 And as we pray, we move on into the second, we, we now see him 392 00:24:17,880 --> 00:24:21,320 do something when he arrives in Jerusalem, probing and looking 393 00:24:21,320 --> 00:24:25,040 and assessing the reality. And he does that in in secrecy, 394 00:24:25,480 --> 00:24:29,440 wanting to get a very realistic understanding of just how heavy 395 00:24:29,880 --> 00:24:32,320 the situation he's dealing with. Verse 11. 396 00:24:32,320 --> 00:24:35,800 So I came to Jerusalem and was there three days. 397 00:24:35,800 --> 00:24:41,720 This is about a three to four month kind of camelback journey 398 00:24:42,720 --> 00:24:45,200 that he's taken here. It's not a hop in the aeroplane 399 00:24:45,200 --> 00:24:47,000 and be there in the space of an hour. 400 00:24:50,040 --> 00:24:54,600 And I was there three days. Then after those three days, 401 00:24:55,320 --> 00:24:59,120 verse 12, I arose in the night, I and a few men with me. 402 00:24:59,800 --> 00:25:02,960 I told no one what my God had put in my heart to do at 403 00:25:02,960 --> 00:25:06,920 Jerusalem, nor was there any animal with me except the one on 404 00:25:06,920 --> 00:25:10,320 which I rode. And I went out by night through 405 00:25:10,320 --> 00:25:14,120 the valley gate to the serpent well and the refuse gate, and 406 00:25:14,120 --> 00:25:16,920 viewed the walls of Jerusalem which were broken down, and its 407 00:25:16,920 --> 00:25:18,600 gates which were burned with fire. 408 00:25:19,480 --> 00:25:23,520 Then verse 14, I went on to the fountain gate and to the King's 409 00:25:23,520 --> 00:25:25,880 pool. There was no room for the animal 410 00:25:25,880 --> 00:25:29,520 under me to pass. So this indicates how much the 411 00:25:29,520 --> 00:25:33,400 debris and the rubble and the city was in disrepair. 412 00:25:34,640 --> 00:25:38,200 And so I went up in the night by the valley, verse 15, and viewed 413 00:25:38,200 --> 00:25:40,880 the wall. Then I turned back and entered 414 00:25:40,880 --> 00:25:42,920 by the valley gate and so returned. 415 00:25:43,800 --> 00:25:46,480 And the officials did not know where I had gone or what I had 416 00:25:46,480 --> 00:25:49,360 done. I had not yet told the Jews, the 417 00:25:49,360 --> 00:25:53,800 priests, the nobles, the officials or the others who did 418 00:25:53,960 --> 00:25:57,680 the work. So again, Nehemiah arrives in 419 00:25:57,680 --> 00:26:01,640 Jerusalem, we've just read, after a gruelling about 1500 420 00:26:01,640 --> 00:26:06,520 kilometre journey, three, possibly four months depending 421 00:26:06,520 --> 00:26:10,360 on events on the way, a trek through hostile territory. 422 00:26:11,320 --> 00:26:16,360 He's physically spent, you could imagine, emotionally no doubt 423 00:26:16,360 --> 00:26:20,000 drained from months of burden bearing, of organising people 424 00:26:20,000 --> 00:26:22,760 that the travelling retinue with him and being spiritually 425 00:26:22,760 --> 00:26:25,960 vigilant, praying no doubt all the way through the journey as 426 00:26:25,960 --> 00:26:27,920 to what will happen when he gets there. 427 00:26:28,120 --> 00:26:32,080 And then the text tells us verse 11, he rests for three days. 428 00:26:32,880 --> 00:26:36,480 Interestingly, that Ezra did the same when he first arrived in 429 00:26:36,480 --> 00:26:39,040 Jerusalem in chapter 8, verse 32. 430 00:26:40,080 --> 00:26:44,120 But know that this is no mere nap on behalf of Nehemiah. 431 00:26:44,120 --> 00:26:47,120 Now I just just need to go in the corner of the couch for a 432 00:26:47,120 --> 00:26:48,680 little bit and just pop on the TV. 433 00:26:48,680 --> 00:26:51,440 I'm cooked. It's not that for Nehemiah, it's 434 00:26:51,600 --> 00:26:56,040 strategic replenishment. Because haven't you found that 435 00:26:56,040 --> 00:27:00,560 fatigue in our lives clouds judgement, our ability to 436 00:27:00,800 --> 00:27:05,480 discern, to ascertain things? And Elijah learnt this in his 437 00:27:05,480 --> 00:27:10,600 life. Jesus himself would withdraw to 438 00:27:10,600 --> 00:27:15,840 rest after intense ministry. And so in our lives, you know, 439 00:27:15,840 --> 00:27:21,080 waiting time is not wasted time. And that could be you tonight 440 00:27:21,080 --> 00:27:23,680 where you feel like you're in this period of you're on your 441 00:27:23,680 --> 00:27:26,720 way to doing something, to being involved in something. 442 00:27:26,720 --> 00:27:30,840 But now there's this, this rest moment where you're there, but 443 00:27:31,120 --> 00:27:35,080 you're not there yet. And here, it's preparation in 444 00:27:35,080 --> 00:27:37,560 Nehemiah's life. It's preparation in your life 445 00:27:37,560 --> 00:27:41,480 for wise action. And Nehemiah, I think, uses 446 00:27:41,480 --> 00:27:45,720 these three days to pray, to reflect, perhaps sketch, maybe 447 00:27:45,720 --> 00:27:50,040 initial plans out, having now seen with his own eyes certain 448 00:27:50,040 --> 00:27:53,200 things. And I think that he probably had 449 00:27:53,200 --> 00:27:56,720 also memorised this proverb. Proverb 21, verse 5. 450 00:27:57,280 --> 00:28:01,320 The plans of the diligent lead surely to abundance. 451 00:28:03,080 --> 00:28:05,800 Then under the cover of night, we read. 452 00:28:06,520 --> 00:28:12,040 He acts with deliberate secrecy. It's like the Mission Impossible 453 00:28:12,040 --> 00:28:15,640 theme music comes on. He's putting on his, you know, 454 00:28:15,800 --> 00:28:20,760 all black gear and he's put the the black paint over his donkey 455 00:28:21,040 --> 00:28:24,000 to keep it camouflaged so that nobody sees what's going on. 456 00:28:26,080 --> 00:28:29,400 He tells no one what my God had put into my heart to do for 457 00:28:29,400 --> 00:28:34,280 Jerusalem. Verse 12, he slips out a few 458 00:28:34,280 --> 00:28:36,960 trusted men, only the one animal. 459 00:28:36,960 --> 00:28:40,320 So there's there's no large entourage that's drawing 460 00:28:40,320 --> 00:28:42,760 attention under the cover of night. 461 00:28:44,240 --> 00:28:48,160 I want you to know this isn't paranoia on Nehemiah's part. 462 00:28:49,480 --> 00:28:54,080 See it as prudence. So why you wonder if it's 463 00:28:54,080 --> 00:28:57,280 prudent? Did he not tell anyone yet? 464 00:28:58,880 --> 00:29:02,480 Would you think that when you first arrive, one of the first 465 00:29:02,480 --> 00:29:05,000 questions is Nehemiah, what are you doing here? 466 00:29:05,560 --> 00:29:08,560 Oh, well, I'm. I'm come here to fix what's 467 00:29:09,680 --> 00:29:12,680 wrong here in Jerusalem. He hasn't done that. 468 00:29:13,440 --> 00:29:16,160 So why had he not told anyone as yet? 469 00:29:17,880 --> 00:29:20,720 You know, if you rally people without a plan, it can create 470 00:29:20,720 --> 00:29:26,760 movement but not lasting change. And people can often gather 471 00:29:26,760 --> 00:29:30,280 around hype and get whipped up into a frenzy. 472 00:29:30,280 --> 00:29:31,960 And passion, yeah, we're going to do it. 473 00:29:32,600 --> 00:29:34,560 Sounds good. But you know, passion is great, 474 00:29:34,560 --> 00:29:38,320 but it needs to be pointed in the right direction and it needs 475 00:29:38,320 --> 00:29:40,120 to have a plan that goes with it. 476 00:29:41,160 --> 00:29:44,320 And additionally, you know, premature publicity could ignite 477 00:29:44,400 --> 00:29:47,560 more opposition from the enemies in Sam Bell and Tobiah that have 478 00:29:47,560 --> 00:29:51,000 been mentioned, or even discourage the already 479 00:29:51,000 --> 00:29:55,400 demoralised locals who had grown complacent in the ruins. 480 00:29:57,480 --> 00:30:02,000 He hasn't yet shared this God given plan building suspense 481 00:30:02,000 --> 00:30:05,960 over what's Nehemiah doing here, but ensures that his vision 482 00:30:05,960 --> 00:30:08,800 remains pure and not diluted by committee. 483 00:30:09,160 --> 00:30:12,280 Oh, we should all get together and sort out what what the how 484 00:30:12,280 --> 00:30:16,000 we can fix this Nehemiah. And so this solitary probe here 485 00:30:16,000 --> 00:30:20,360 on Nehemiah's part it it steals his resolve all the more further 486 00:30:20,360 --> 00:30:25,720 and equips him then to inspire others onto the task at hand and 487 00:30:25,720 --> 00:30:27,920 the route that he takes. It's a very meticulous one. 488 00:30:27,920 --> 00:30:30,960 It takes us counterclockwise If you were to have a look at a 489 00:30:30,960 --> 00:30:34,040 map, the city of Jerusalem and each of these gates that are 490 00:30:34,040 --> 00:30:37,360 mentioned understand them as effectively little 491 00:30:37,360 --> 00:30:39,960 neighbourhoods in the city of Jerusalem. 492 00:30:40,520 --> 00:30:43,360 So he's taking the time to get a feel and a sense for each 493 00:30:43,600 --> 00:30:46,240 community and what the problems are and what the state of each 494 00:30:46,240 --> 00:30:49,600 gate is. You see, gates were not only the 495 00:30:49,640 --> 00:30:52,400 access and entrance points into the city, but they were the 496 00:30:52,400 --> 00:30:56,240 places where decisions would be made, where people would gather 497 00:30:56,240 --> 00:30:59,720 and congregate, where all sorts of important activity would take 498 00:30:59,720 --> 00:31:01,600 place. And so this is very much an 499 00:31:01,600 --> 00:31:04,960 important mission here that Nehemiah is about. 500 00:31:06,800 --> 00:31:08,680 And imagine the sensory assault on him. 501 00:31:08,920 --> 00:31:12,000 You know, the Judean knight biting through his cloak in the 502 00:31:12,000 --> 00:31:15,480 coldness of it, the the crunch of charred stones under foot, 503 00:31:16,320 --> 00:31:20,320 the stench of 141 year old ash and refuse mingling with the 504 00:31:20,320 --> 00:31:23,960 damp earth of the valley. All of that filling his nostrils 505 00:31:23,960 --> 00:31:26,120 and his senses. And, and the jackals may be 506 00:31:26,120 --> 00:31:29,440 howling in the distance and the dangers and the shadows kind of 507 00:31:29,440 --> 00:31:32,120 play a trick on, on your mind, you know, with that broken 508 00:31:32,120 --> 00:31:35,600 skyline that's before him, where once these proud walls might 509 00:31:35,600 --> 00:31:39,400 have stood. We need to see that it's used 510 00:31:39,400 --> 00:31:43,480 three times in verse 13 and 15, that this is not a quick glance 511 00:31:43,920 --> 00:31:50,960 of a expiration by Nehemiah. It's a thorough inspection 512 00:31:50,960 --> 00:31:53,640 that's taking place. The Hebrew word implies careful 513 00:31:53,640 --> 00:31:57,160 examination, measuring and evaluation. 514 00:31:57,160 --> 00:31:58,680 I think he's got his tape measure out. 515 00:31:59,520 --> 00:32:04,040 He's using all sorts of devices. If you're able to like today 516 00:32:04,040 --> 00:32:07,720 and, and sort of seeing, well, that's down there and, and well, 517 00:32:07,720 --> 00:32:10,840 this is that way. And and that's, that's in fact 518 00:32:10,840 --> 00:32:12,760 usable. We can redeem that and we can 519 00:32:12,760 --> 00:32:15,080 put that to good use and all of this happening. 520 00:32:16,240 --> 00:32:17,560 It's very practical here. Yeah. 521 00:32:17,560 --> 00:32:21,280 The there's the safety and stealth in in this sort of 522 00:32:21,600 --> 00:32:25,400 darkness of an enemy ringed city in the absence of walls 523 00:32:27,240 --> 00:32:30,160 symbolically maybe it mirrors the dark times in which they're 524 00:32:30,160 --> 00:32:34,080 living under the cover of night here, but also here's here's 525 00:32:34,080 --> 00:32:37,040 what I really want to sink into your hearts through this tonight 526 00:32:37,880 --> 00:32:40,960 is that leaders anyone that's making a decision. 527 00:32:42,040 --> 00:32:45,480 You often need to confront yourself with the brutal facts 528 00:32:47,360 --> 00:32:52,880 and to do that alone with God first as many times you can ask 529 00:32:52,880 --> 00:32:55,440 people, you know, how are things going? 530 00:32:55,440 --> 00:32:59,320 And you know what, what are your thoughts on, on, you know, the 531 00:32:59,320 --> 00:33:01,240 business and work or on this ministry? 532 00:33:01,240 --> 00:33:02,640 And people say, Oh yeah, no, it's good. 533 00:33:02,640 --> 00:33:05,200 Yeah, all's going well when meanwhile they're overwhelmed 534 00:33:05,200 --> 00:33:09,360 and they're burdened and, and the true state of the situation 535 00:33:09,360 --> 00:33:11,440 is something that they, they philtre out. 536 00:33:12,560 --> 00:33:17,720 But Nehemiah here, he, he understands that bad info yields 537 00:33:17,720 --> 00:33:22,160 bad decisions. So leaders can make bad 538 00:33:22,160 --> 00:33:23,680 decisions with wrong information. 539 00:33:23,680 --> 00:33:26,600 So he's not asking everybody upon arrival, how's it going in 540 00:33:26,600 --> 00:33:28,560 Jerusalem? You know, he wants to ascertain 541 00:33:28,760 --> 00:33:32,400 and find out himself. And, you know, I think of recent 542 00:33:32,400 --> 00:33:37,680 examples in our Society of, of COVID-19 of many decisions that 543 00:33:37,680 --> 00:33:40,040 were made and certain results of that. 544 00:33:40,040 --> 00:33:44,040 And, and not all information was accurate, we could say politely. 545 00:33:45,440 --> 00:33:49,120 And so Nehemiah here is reality. First, I want to, I want to 546 00:33:49,120 --> 00:33:50,920 explore, want to see what's going on. 547 00:33:50,920 --> 00:33:54,920 And then, and then we'll set about putting the plan in place. 548 00:33:55,760 --> 00:33:58,880 And so in, in your life, in my life, you know, if there's a 549 00:33:58,880 --> 00:34:04,240 burden, a weight that's heavy upon you, probe that, explore 550 00:34:04,240 --> 00:34:07,880 that with God. Maybe it's a fractured marriage. 551 00:34:08,760 --> 00:34:12,960 Maybe it's a wayward teen. Maybe it's a stalled ministry. 552 00:34:14,360 --> 00:34:18,639 Have you taken time to ride the walls at night time to feel the 553 00:34:18,639 --> 00:34:22,679 rubble, to maybe even see the potential where healing can come 554 00:34:22,679 --> 00:34:26,480 through? To seek God's insight into what 555 00:34:26,480 --> 00:34:30,639 the reality of the situation is? You know, and if you're in 556 00:34:30,639 --> 00:34:33,960 leadership in any way or fashion, you need to always be 557 00:34:33,960 --> 00:34:38,159 asking God's wisdom in how to handle and deal with what lies 558 00:34:38,360 --> 00:34:41,320 ahead of you. And there were times in my 559 00:34:41,320 --> 00:34:45,480 previous job that I held where I was in a leadership role over a 560 00:34:45,480 --> 00:34:50,040 number of of, of people and many people were impacted by the, the 561 00:34:50,040 --> 00:34:53,639 decisions that I would make as soon as I would exit my vehicle 562 00:34:53,639 --> 00:34:56,239 and on my, my walk to my office space. 563 00:34:56,440 --> 00:35:00,440 That whole journey was spent in prayer saying, God, whatever I'm 564 00:35:00,440 --> 00:35:03,280 about to step into today, whatever rubble, whatever 565 00:35:03,280 --> 00:35:07,080 problems, whatever situation, give me your wisdom to see it 566 00:35:07,080 --> 00:35:11,080 with clarity so that I can make decisions that reflect you and, 567 00:35:11,320 --> 00:35:15,680 and, and bring about restoration and healing in this and to work 568 00:35:15,680 --> 00:35:17,760 through in, in the wisdom that you supply. 569 00:35:17,760 --> 00:35:20,560 You know what God would do, he would deliver that. 570 00:35:25,280 --> 00:35:28,040 So lastly, now we see that we persuade. 571 00:35:29,080 --> 00:35:31,880 Sometimes we need to rally up the people, particularly in 572 00:35:31,880 --> 00:35:34,840 light of opposition. And in verse 17 to 20, that's 573 00:35:34,840 --> 00:35:39,960 what Nehemiah is tasked with. Then I said to them, verse 17, 574 00:35:41,080 --> 00:35:45,360 You see the distress that we're in, how Jerusalem lies waste, 575 00:35:45,360 --> 00:35:52,520 its gates are burned with fire. Come, let us build the wall of 576 00:35:52,520 --> 00:35:56,080 Jerusalem, that we may no longer be a reproach. 577 00:35:57,040 --> 00:35:59,840 And I told them of the hand of my God, which had been good upon 578 00:35:59,840 --> 00:36:03,160 me, and also of the King's words that he had spoken to me. 579 00:36:03,840 --> 00:36:06,880 And so they said, let us rise up and build. 580 00:36:07,680 --> 00:36:09,720 And then they set their hands to this good work. 581 00:36:10,560 --> 00:36:14,720 But when Sam Bell at the Horonite, Tobiah the Ammonite 582 00:36:14,720 --> 00:36:18,560 official, and Geesham, now this third individual, the Arab heard 583 00:36:18,560 --> 00:36:22,240 of it. Verse 19, they laughed at us, 584 00:36:23,280 --> 00:36:27,960 despised us, and said, What is this thing that you are doing? 585 00:36:28,520 --> 00:36:33,200 Will you rebel against the king? So I answered them and said to 586 00:36:33,200 --> 00:36:36,880 them, verse 20, God of heaven himself will prosper us, 587 00:36:37,520 --> 00:36:40,040 therefore we servants will arise and build. 588 00:36:40,520 --> 00:36:44,160 But you have no heritage or riot or memorial in Jerusalem. 589 00:36:44,200 --> 00:36:48,120 We'll stop there. Nehemiah has prayed, he's 590 00:36:48,120 --> 00:36:50,520 probed, he's he's gone in the cover of darkness. 591 00:36:50,520 --> 00:36:52,080 He's seen the worst with his own eyes. 592 00:36:52,080 --> 00:36:56,680 And now the moment of truth, he must turn somehow a demoralised 593 00:36:56,680 --> 00:37:00,200 people group that's living in Jerusalem, this shame covered 594 00:37:00,200 --> 00:37:05,600 remnant into some united, fired up workforce. 595 00:37:06,920 --> 00:37:09,600 Imagine being the coach of a football team and you inherit 596 00:37:09,600 --> 00:37:13,160 these type of players. You'd be like, oh man, what a 597 00:37:13,160 --> 00:37:17,280 task I've got before me. Verse 17, I think is one of the 598 00:37:17,280 --> 00:37:19,360 greatest leadership sentences in the Bible. 599 00:37:20,040 --> 00:37:23,360 You see the trouble we're in, how Jerusalem lies in ruins. 600 00:37:23,360 --> 00:37:26,240 Its gates are burned with fire. Come, let us build the wall of 601 00:37:26,240 --> 00:37:29,400 Jerusalem that we may no longer suffer derision. 602 00:37:30,040 --> 00:37:33,560 So let's break it down. He identifies fully with the 603 00:37:33,560 --> 00:37:37,040 people. You see the trouble you are in? 604 00:37:37,680 --> 00:37:41,400 No. You see the trouble we are in? 605 00:37:42,840 --> 00:37:44,600 Not. And here's what I might have 606 00:37:44,600 --> 00:37:46,320 been tempted to say upon arrival. 607 00:37:47,240 --> 00:37:49,720 You people have made a real mess of this city, haven't you? 608 00:37:49,720 --> 00:37:52,800 There's none of that from Nehemiah. 609 00:37:54,320 --> 00:37:57,920 There's also not. I've come here to fix the 610 00:37:57,920 --> 00:37:59,040 problem. Everybody. 611 00:38:00,920 --> 00:38:06,120 It's we 141 years of leaders had come and gone and the people had 612 00:38:06,880 --> 00:38:08,720 had always felt used but never loved. 613 00:38:08,720 --> 00:38:11,200 But Nehemiah comes in with a different approach. 614 00:38:11,560 --> 00:38:14,040 He's he's standing in the rubble with them. 615 00:38:14,040 --> 00:38:17,640 And there's a genuine care that comes through from Nehemiah's 616 00:38:17,640 --> 00:38:20,200 words. And the people feel that just 617 00:38:20,200 --> 00:38:24,040 from this one sentence in the language that he uses and notice 618 00:38:24,040 --> 00:38:26,400 that he names the pain without sugar coating it. 619 00:38:26,840 --> 00:38:29,360 He's not dishonest. He doesn't say, oh, it's not 620 00:38:29,360 --> 00:38:34,080 that bad, everybody. God will beam down new walls for 621 00:38:34,080 --> 00:38:37,320 us. You know, He forces them to look 622 00:38:37,320 --> 00:38:38,920 at the disgrace in which they're living. 623 00:38:39,320 --> 00:38:43,880 The gates, they're burnt. There's open shame upon us. 624 00:38:43,880 --> 00:38:46,240 The nations around us are laughing. 625 00:38:46,400 --> 00:38:49,840 Where is their God? They say, you know, and 626 00:38:49,840 --> 00:38:52,800 sometimes we in the church, we need to stop pretending 627 00:38:52,800 --> 00:38:58,760 everything's fine. And until we feel the weight of 628 00:38:58,760 --> 00:39:01,560 the reproach, I don't think we'll pay the cost of the 629 00:39:01,560 --> 00:39:05,960 rebuild many times. Notice, too, that he casts a 630 00:39:05,960 --> 00:39:08,360 clear, compelling vision in this one sentence. 631 00:39:08,720 --> 00:39:11,120 Come. It's an invitation, not a 632 00:39:11,120 --> 00:39:12,640 coercion. I command you. 633 00:39:12,680 --> 00:39:14,360 That's not there. No, it's come. 634 00:39:14,400 --> 00:39:17,840 Come on. Let us, the shared ownership, 635 00:39:18,400 --> 00:39:19,800 build. There's action here. 636 00:39:19,800 --> 00:39:22,120 Here's what we're going to do. There's something concrete, 637 00:39:22,120 --> 00:39:26,160 tangible that they can see and touch and be involved in of 638 00:39:26,160 --> 00:39:28,800 Jerusalem. There's this identity that harks 639 00:39:28,800 --> 00:39:33,680 back thousands of years to what Jerusalem stood for as a city on 640 00:39:33,680 --> 00:39:36,960 a hill, as a beacon, as a light. And now there are there's this, 641 00:39:37,160 --> 00:39:41,600 this formation to just be about, this destiny of restoration. 642 00:39:42,400 --> 00:39:45,040 He didn't pull out his PowerPoint and run through the 643 00:39:45,040 --> 00:39:47,920 47 slides of here's what we're going to do, everybody. 644 00:39:48,840 --> 00:39:52,440 It's a single sentence, and God was in it. 645 00:39:53,280 --> 00:39:55,920 This sentence, I think, was simple enough for even the 646 00:39:55,920 --> 00:39:58,760 children to repeat it. What are we doing? 647 00:39:59,200 --> 00:40:02,280 We're rebuilding the wall of Jerusalem. 648 00:40:02,480 --> 00:40:05,560 Of Jerusalem, yes. That's what they knew. 649 00:40:05,560 --> 00:40:08,240 And so He gave them a motive that was bigger than themselves, 650 00:40:08,440 --> 00:40:12,600 that we may no longer suffer derision or be a reproach. 651 00:40:12,800 --> 00:40:15,800 So this isn't just about nice real estate for them. 652 00:40:15,840 --> 00:40:18,720 You know, let's fix up these walls and make the aesthetic of 653 00:40:18,720 --> 00:40:21,000 the place a little bit nicer for us. 654 00:40:21,320 --> 00:40:24,400 This is about the glory of God and the honour of His name 655 00:40:24,600 --> 00:40:27,960 amongst the nations. And when the walls were down, 656 00:40:27,960 --> 00:40:33,800 the nation of Israel was mocked. But when the walls went up, the 657 00:40:33,800 --> 00:40:37,800 nations around would see that Israel's God was alive and well 658 00:40:37,800 --> 00:40:41,200 and active and being worshipped and evident amongst his people. 659 00:40:44,000 --> 00:40:48,520 But as I said, hostility. Opposition comes. 660 00:40:49,320 --> 00:40:53,240 The moment any momentum ignites, opposition detonates. 661 00:40:54,280 --> 00:40:58,880 Verses 19 and 20, Sam ballot. He's the governor of Samaria to 662 00:40:58,880 --> 00:41:02,600 the north. Tobiah is in the east and 663 00:41:02,600 --> 00:41:04,200 Geisham the Arab is in the South. 664 00:41:04,200 --> 00:41:07,160 So there's this 3 front alliance that surrounds them. 665 00:41:07,160 --> 00:41:11,720 Not a lot's changed in Israel today and they use the classic 666 00:41:11,760 --> 00:41:13,080 attacks. Mockery. 667 00:41:13,600 --> 00:41:17,240 What's this thing you're doing? Accusation. 668 00:41:17,240 --> 00:41:18,800 Are you rebelling against the king? 669 00:41:19,840 --> 00:41:23,640 Character assassination, treason charges will come up later on as 670 00:41:23,640 --> 00:41:26,120 these false letters and documentation is sent off. 671 00:41:26,440 --> 00:41:28,840 Intimidation, threats come through. 672 00:41:29,160 --> 00:41:31,920 Nothing's changed today. And I think many of you have 673 00:41:31,920 --> 00:41:36,160 experienced all three of these things when you've endeavoured 674 00:41:36,160 --> 00:41:39,480 to live your life for God's purposes and God's ways. 675 00:41:40,120 --> 00:41:42,960 And this is spiritual warfare dressed in political clothing 676 00:41:42,960 --> 00:41:46,680 for them. Notice whenever God's people get 677 00:41:46,680 --> 00:41:49,560 together to start rebuilding what glorifies God, that the 678 00:41:49,600 --> 00:41:54,880 enemy notices. And when God acts, Satan reacts. 679 00:41:56,040 --> 00:42:00,320 But Nehemiah's response is a model for any of us, basically 680 00:42:00,320 --> 00:42:03,840 to translate his words in verse 20. 681 00:42:04,680 --> 00:42:07,840 God's bigger than any of your negative narratives, you guys. 682 00:42:09,280 --> 00:42:12,440 And we're too busy about the important business of what God 683 00:42:12,440 --> 00:42:15,320 has called us to. And you've got no stake here. 684 00:42:16,080 --> 00:42:19,600 You've got no right to offer. This is God's city. 685 00:42:19,960 --> 00:42:22,440 This is God's people. This is God's work. 686 00:42:23,800 --> 00:42:26,520 Notice that he, he doesn't debate them, he doesn't defend, 687 00:42:26,520 --> 00:42:29,480 he doesn't dialogue with them. He draws a line and declares the 688 00:42:29,520 --> 00:42:33,640 outcome and gets back to work. And we'll see this on through in 689 00:42:33,640 --> 00:42:36,160 many respects. And I think many times in in 690 00:42:36,160 --> 00:42:39,640 yours and my lives, if you feed trolls, they multiply. 691 00:42:41,640 --> 00:42:45,040 But if you ignore them and build and be busy about that which God 692 00:42:45,040 --> 00:42:48,560 has called you, the walls eventually speak for themselves. 693 00:42:50,360 --> 00:42:55,880 So let's finish. I think in many of our lives, 694 00:42:56,720 --> 00:42:58,960 God is rebuilding something right now. 695 00:43:00,400 --> 00:43:03,480 Maybe your marriage, maybe aspects of your family life, 696 00:43:04,360 --> 00:43:07,840 maybe certain ministry components, maybe it's in your 697 00:43:07,840 --> 00:43:10,720 neighbourhood. But know this, that it won't 698 00:43:10,720 --> 00:43:16,360 happen by accident. Pray like Nehemiah until heaven 699 00:43:16,360 --> 00:43:20,520 moves earth. Probe like Nehemiah until you 700 00:43:20,520 --> 00:43:23,600 felt the full weight of the rubble and seen the hidden 701 00:43:23,600 --> 00:43:28,040 stones that maybe God can reuse and redeem and persuade. 702 00:43:28,040 --> 00:43:32,160 Like Nehemiah. Stand in the gap, Cast God sized 703 00:43:32,160 --> 00:43:34,640 vision. Ignore the mockers. 704 00:43:36,320 --> 00:43:38,880 Hundreds of years later, after what we've been reading in 705 00:43:38,880 --> 00:43:42,760 Nehemiah, Jesus will look over Jerusalem, and he'll not just 706 00:43:42,760 --> 00:43:45,840 see a city rebuilt, but all creation renewed. 707 00:43:47,560 --> 00:43:51,640 He had Kingdom vision, absolutely, But outcasts would 708 00:43:51,640 --> 00:43:56,280 become siblings, brothers and sisters, Sinners needing grace. 709 00:43:56,960 --> 00:44:01,320 Brokenness as redemption start and failure as future hope. 710 00:44:01,600 --> 00:44:07,400 Weakness as vessels for power. And like Nehemiah, Jesus 711 00:44:07,400 --> 00:44:10,360 recruited disciples. He called them into mission. 712 00:44:11,040 --> 00:44:14,120 Yes, faced opposition. He was certainly crucified. 713 00:44:14,520 --> 00:44:17,960 And on the cross, the world saw defeat, foolishness and shame. 714 00:44:19,200 --> 00:44:23,600 You know, through faith in that we see the king climaxing his 715 00:44:23,600 --> 00:44:27,160 mission, accomplishing victory through sacrifice. 716 00:44:28,960 --> 00:44:34,360 So tonight, because of Jesus, look at your life through faith 717 00:44:34,720 --> 00:44:38,040 feels like it's falling apart. God holds you. 718 00:44:39,440 --> 00:44:42,560 If you're wandering alone, He shepherds you. 719 00:44:43,760 --> 00:44:47,320 If you're struggling in weakness, He shows strength. 720 00:44:48,880 --> 00:44:52,720 If you're losing everything, He gives what truly matters. 721 00:44:53,560 --> 00:44:58,400 If your life seems in ruins, He rebuilds with grace. 722 00:44:59,920 --> 00:45:08,000 Let's pray, Lord Holy Spirit, maybe you're, you're putting a a 723 00:45:09,720 --> 00:45:15,440 finger on a ruined wall in our lives or situation that weighs 724 00:45:15,440 --> 00:45:19,880 heavy upon us and we can hear you through this and what you've 725 00:45:19,880 --> 00:45:23,920 been calling us to in our study of Nehemiah to rise and build. 726 00:45:25,560 --> 00:45:28,840 We believe that God, you're the God who, just as we've read, can 727 00:45:28,840 --> 00:45:33,360 turn a Pagan King's heart and you can give a cupbearer A 728 00:45:33,360 --> 00:45:39,800 favour and timber, you can silence the enemies with one 729 00:45:39,800 --> 00:45:44,200 sentence and you're the same God yesterday, today and forever. 730 00:45:45,920 --> 00:45:49,680 And so, Lord, you see the trouble that I'm in that we're 731 00:45:49,680 --> 00:45:54,480 in. Will you use our misery for 732 00:45:54,480 --> 00:45:58,080 ministry? Will you help us to arise and 733 00:45:58,080 --> 00:46:03,840 build and give us as as Co labourers of people who are 734 00:46:03,840 --> 00:46:08,200 called to the Great Commission, courage to shut the mouth of 735 00:46:08,200 --> 00:46:14,000 every sand ballot, every Tobiah, every geisha in the name of 736 00:46:14,080 --> 00:46:19,080 Jesus? Who is the true and better 737 00:46:19,080 --> 00:46:23,000 Nehemiah? Will you rebuild our lives for 738 00:46:23,000 --> 00:46:26,080 your glory and purposes? We pray this in Jesus mighty 739 00:46:26,080 --> 00:46:27,920 name. Amen. 740 00:46:28,920 --> 00:46:29,280 Amen.