Do you care??
Notes
Transcript
Introduction
Introduction
*story of Kaitlyn...
She heard, She cared, She went.
“The worst sin toward our fellow creatures is not to hate them, but to be indifferent to them: that’s the essence of inhumanity.” - The Devil’s Disciple, a play written by George Bernard Shaw
Being neglected or not cared for leaves a scar that will always leave a soreness under it’s sight.
The worst thing growing up was to not be invited to someone’s party, be included or asked to be sat with at the lunch table, or considered for superlatives.
It isn’t the acknowledgement of existence that is enough for us, it’s the desired to be truly cared for.
I have some friends who constantly joke about this idea that we always want to be asked or invited to spend time together, even if they know we are unavailable...
At the end of the day, our flesh is bent toward only caring for ourself. But God’s design for us is different… It is to care for others first, like we would care for ourselves..
We can care for others because through the grace and mercy extended to us by our Heavenly creator and Father, we have been cared for first...
If you have your Bibles, go head and turn to the book of Nehemiah. Nehemiah and Ezra were actually written as one book. We will discuss that in a second for context.
However, I want to do a 30,000 ft exegesis of the book of Nehemiah with you this morning. We are going to observe this narrative in it’s entirety so hang on tight.
But before we start, let me paint the picture of our discussion today.
There are millions and millions of people who are in great need of being cared for around the world…
Slavery still exist.
Poverty and violence rule nations.
But more importantly,
millions are separated from God, destined for hell...
Do you care?
CONTEXT
CONTEXT
The Israelite people have been captured and taken into captivity to Babylon. Remember, God warned the Israelites that if they ever abandoned the word of the Lord, there would be consequences…
The consequence was the loss of their land and the abduction by another nation.
In Ezra, there is a king named Cyrus, King of Persia, who we know as one who would was used by God to bring the Israelites out of captivity from Babylon according to Isaiah 45.
In the book of Ezra, King Cyrus, a pagan King anointed by God, allows some of the Israelites to return to Jerusalem under the leadership of a man named Zerubbabel.
Under Zerubbabel, the temple, destroyed in the taking over of Jerusalem and the capturing of the Israelite people, was being restored..
There was a problem here though… Back when the temple was erected under King David, the Lord’s Spirit descended upon it, showing that God was present with His people.
This didn’t happen… It was in part to the fact that Zerubbabel didn’t build the temple according to the original plans that God had given.
Let this be a reminder that we can build and implement anything we want to, but if we aren’t dealing with the sin at hand, we will never experience revival.
After Zerubbabel’s opportunity and poor ending, the book of Ezra brings us to another man… Who can guess his name???
EZRA!
That’s right! 60 years later, with the Persian kingdom under a new ruler, King Artaxerxes and the hand of God directing him, Ezra embarks on a journey back to Jerusalem to bring the word of God to the people...
Ezra was a torah scholar and scribe. When he arrived in Jerusalem, although he noticed a town in ruin both physically and spiritually, he was less concerned with the town being in shambles as he was with the spiritual condition of the people.
Ezra did a great work… however, the more he ministered, the more he realized that the people there were now adapted to pagan idolatries. Ezra’s time doesn’t end perfectly, and although many repented and returned to the Lord, the city was still in disarray..... This brings us to Nehemiah...
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. 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.”
We see all throughout history, through the old testament and even up into today, that a physical reality will always represent a spiritual reality.
Nehemiah’s friends are insinuating that the people are not doing well… and the wall being in shambles and the gate of the city being exposed represents this...
Let’s continue...
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, 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, 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. 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, 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. 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.
Nehemiah was a decorated official fulfilling his royal job.
Yet after he asked his friends about the state of his home city, he assumed a burdened for the people.
Nehemiah cared. He cared enough to ask. He cared enough to pray.
Later in the chapter we see Nehemiah waiting for an opportunity to go… His king then agrees to allow him to go.
Look at Chapter 2 verse 8.
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.” And the king granted me what I asked, for the good hand of my God was upon me.
Nehemiah cared enough to go.
Nehemiah was present, prayed up, and prepared.
Nehemiah was present, prayed up, and prepared.
Let me ask you this… When you hear of a people in need, not only of physical needs, but of spiritual renewal, do you respond like Nehemiah?
Does your heart ache for their restoration?
Does it drive you to your knees in prayer?
But wait a second… let’s talk about your response in prayer...
Are you willing to be the answer to your own prayer?
Are you willing to be the answer to your own prayer?
We pray for needs to be met on that side of town, for certain communities to be reached for the gospel, yet we rarely seek the Lord willing to say yes to being a part of that missional effort...
When we see Nehemiah’s prayer, we see his heart was not only for the rebuilding of the walls and gate, but for the people to return to the Lord and experience spiritual renewal.
Listen, if Nehemiah would have contracted Fite Construction to rebuild the wall, he would have failed his people.
Compassion ministry is great, but it has to be a means for bringing the truth and hope of Jesus… The wall was the means for the restoration of a people to God.
Our burden precedes our prayers.
Do you feel a burdened for those in need of a spiritual awakening that drives you to pray and to be willing to GO.
This is why we don’t experience God...
The American church today is filled with “some-days”
“Someday, I will… but right I...”
Delay is Denial.
Delay is Denial.
Life is not a dress rehearsal. God is either Lord of all or not Lord at all! Let’s serve Him now!
In that, let me take one moment to show appreciation for you...
We have a body filled with people who have supported the vision of our pastor, bought into the possibilities that come with pursuing God’s truth and putting it into action.
I know there are things about our culture, style, and efforts that you might wish were different...
But the mission is not compromised when pursuing God’s will, regardless of the preference at hand, as long as it is from the Lord and for the Lord.
Nehemiah calls the city officials together once arriving at Jerusalem
18 And I told them of the hand of my God that had been upon me for good, and also of the words that the king had spoken to me. And they said, “Let us rise up and build.” So they strengthened their hands for the good work.
God is honored when we take His word, apply it to life, and live on mission. He desires for the lost to be saved and the nominal to be drawn near...
Here is the deal...
Revival is a threat to those who live in the flesh, those who want power, and those who hate change, even if it is good change. - Michael Catt
Revival is a threat to those who live in the flesh, those who want power, and those who hate change, even if it is good change. - Michael Catt
In the midst of Nehemiah’s obedience to the Lord and his conviction for restoration and renewal, he faced opposition...
10 But when Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite servant heard this, it displeased them greatly that someone had come to seek the welfare of the people of Israel.
19 But when Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite servant and Geshem the Arab heard of it, they jeered at us and despised us and said, “What is this thing that you are doing? Are you rebelling against the king?”
7 But when Sanballat and Tobiah and the Arabs and the Ammonites and the Ashdodites heard that the repairing of the walls of Jerusalem was going forward and that the breaches were beginning to be closed, they were very angry. 8 And they all plotted together to come and fight against Jerusalem and to cause confusion in it.
Any great work of God will be opposed.
Some will lack faith.
Some will not understand the vision.
Some will feel threatened.
Nehemiah faced men who were displeased, who despised him, and attempted to fight him.
There is no such thing as grumpy people in the church, right??
8 times throughout this book, Nehemiah declared his allegiance and dependence on God.
Watch what his obedience and care for the people do to those who he came to serve...
8 They read from the book, from the Law of God, clearly, and they gave the sense, so that the people understood the reading.
9 And Nehemiah, who was the governor, and Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who taught the people said to all the people, “This day is holy to the Lord your God; do not mourn or weep.” For all the people wept as they heard the words of the Law.
2 And the Israelites separated themselves from all foreigners and stood and confessed their sins and the iniquities of their fathers. 3 And they stood up in their place and read from the Book of the Law of the Lord their God for a quarter of the day; for another quarter of it they made confession and worshiped the Lord their God.
The word of God contains the message of salvation and is a compass for our direction.
The word of God contains the message of salvation and is a compass for our direction.
We have this hope. It is found in JESUS. His word contains the message that saves and can change people, offering them eternal life according to their devotion to God and His teachings!
What changed everything in Jerusalem? The walls? The new gate?
The word of God!
“The foundation of every reformation of the Holy Spirit is the Word of God made plain to the people.” - Frank Cooke
“The foundation of every reformation of the Holy Spirit is the Word of God made plain to the people.” - Frank Cooke
7 The law of the Lord is perfect,
reviving the soul;
the testimony of the Lord is sure,
making wise the simple;
Today, there are more than 1,300 languages with no scripture.
Today, there are more than 1,300 languages with no scripture.
*Picture of boards
If 303 people pay forward the translation of one verse for $35, a people group will receive a book of the Bible that reveals truth regarding the message of salvation, providing a compass for direction.
If 303 people pay forward the translation of one verse for $35, a people group will receive a book of the Bible that reveals truth regarding the message of salvation, providing a compass for direction.
Do you care?