"Hearing of Distress" (Whole Service)

Pastor Jon Gohdes Shawnee Bible Church Sunday May 3, 2020 “HEARING OF DISTRESS” (Nehemiah 1:1–11) It’s a little difficult to think of a present-day example of a person being totally left in the dark about a situation and having to wait for someone to bring them news. What I mean by that is in our age of cell phones and the internet, we have so many resources to keep in touch—at least with those who are willing to communicate. However, I want you to imagine a dear elderly believer who is having to enter an assisted living facility (this is completely fictional). For decades, she has sincerely sought to love her family well; she genuinely lived out her faith before her only child, her son whom she brought him up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord. Several years ago, she became a widow. She has to move into this facility because her one caregiver, her only son, unexpected passed away. He also had only one son who last she knew was finishing college out of state. She has fond memories of when he was young, and she used to spend quality time with him. … But she never hears from him anymore, and she doesn’t know if that will change. But, she tells herself, college is a busy time. Several years pass, and she still hears nothing from him. She can’t help but wonder how her only grandson is doing. She hopes he’s walking with the Lord. She hopes he might have a good paying job doing well for himself and might have a girlfriend or even a wife by now—maybe his own kids! Even though he hasn’t kept in touch with her, just knowing that he’s doing well would be enough for her! Well, one day she’s surprised to see her son’s estranged ex-wife come to visit her. Their relationship was never really close, but they are friendly to one another. After catching up for a bit, she just can’t help but ask how her only grandson is doing—she’s ready for all the news! And her grandson’s mother relays to her that sadly he’s basically homeless. He never finished college. He had a decent job for a while, but he started using drugs, got fired and never really held down another a job. He had a pretty serious relationship with a girl, but she broke it off; and after that he basically checked out. Now he’s basically just a beach bum and an addict. In one single day, in one single conversation, her hopes and dreams for his good and his welfare are crushed and dashed to pieces. To hear of her only grandson’s sorry situation in life just breaks her heart and leaves her feeling empty. Nehemiah chapter 1 is a similar type of situation, where Proverbs 13:12 rings true: “Hope deferred makes the heart sick; but desired fulfilled is a tree of life.” If you would, turn in your Bibles to Nehemiah 1:1–11. Some time has passed since Ezra came to Jerusalem and began his work among the exiles. In between the close of what our Bibles call Ezra and the beginning of what they call Nehemiah, is about 13 years. (You’ll remember, originally it was all a single book.) Incidentally, it’s instructive for us when we come across these gaps in the Bible. We have the whole story (of the whole Bible!) before us, and it’s easy for us to forget the element of time involved in these narratives. What exactly happened in those 13 years that separate just two verses we’re simply not told. Sometimes Christians wish they were in Bible times when “God spoke and told people everything.” But when we think that way, we’re forgetting that the vast majority of people in the Bible were never told anything (directly by God)! Not only that, there are these gaps (decades/even centuries) between sections of text. It’s a remarkable thing what we hold in our hands—the completed, written canon of the Bible—is the comprehensive, organized, useful, all-the-highlights-you-need final form of God’s revelation! In the Bible, we basically have God pressing the “fast forward button” to bring us up to the next thing. Ezra came to Jerusalem, turned the people back to faithfulness; and now almost a decade and half later, the next event of significance is unfolding. Right away we’re introduced to the next significant person, Nehemiah, who is still back in Babylon. We’re introduced to him by this new section, which is basically his own memoirs: “The words of Nehemiah the son of Hacaliah…” (v. 1). In many ways, he and his counterpart Ezra are united in their zeal to lead the Jewish exiles back to faithfulness and stability as a nation; but Nehemiah is a very different man in temperament, in the position he will hold, and the projects he will lead. “More than half of this book is personal record, punctuated with ‘asides’ and frank comments which make it (in such parts) one of the liveliest pieces of writing in the Bible. Much of Ezra’s story was told in the first person (Ezra 8:15–9:15), but Ezra was a quieter personality than the formidable, practical Nehemiah; he does not leap out of the page as this man does.” (Kidner, Ezra-Nehemiah, 77) From Nehemiah chapter 1, it is evident that this Jewish servant to the king had a vested interest in how the exiles were doing back in Jerusalem—he hoped and cared deeply that they thrive. But his hopes are dashed by the sad report brought to him. Verse 3: “The remnant there in the province who has survived the captivity is in great distress and reproach, and the wall of Jerusalem is broken down and its gates are burned with fire.” Up until this point, much progress has been made; but much progress must still be made. You’ll recall the book of Ezra was all about rebuilding the temple and the sacrificial system of the old covenant. Immediately as we’re introduced here to Nehemiah, we see the issue emerge which he is coming upon the scene to address: the city is in disrepair, the people are vulnerable and harassed; the nation is a laughingstock! This distress hits Nehemiah hard. 1) WHEN NEHEMIAH HEARS OF DISTRESS, HE LAMENTS TO GOD (vv. 1–4) Verse 4: “When I heard these words, I sat down and wept and mourned for days; and I was fasting and praying before the God of heaven.” Although the word itself is not used in the text, I think it accurately describes his response: he laments to God over this distressing news. Lament is significant in the Bible, and there are probably fewer things more misunderstood by 21 Century America! You or I may even hear the word “lament” and think, “Wow, that’s a little melodramatic, isn’t it?” I don’t think so at all! Read verse 4 again: “When I heard these words, I sat down and wept and mourned… for DAYS; and I was fasting and praying before the God of heaven.” How easily we might just read this in passing. I must confess that I’m not sure I’ve ever been so disturbed in my daily routine as Nehemiah was upon receiving this news! His response informs us of the intensity of the situation. In life we face intense situations! Loved ones pass away. A tragic miscarriage or stillborn birth is suffered. A spouse is unfaithful in marriage. A diagnosis is announced. Abuse explodes. The door closes on a long hoped for opportunity. You could name others from the dark times you’ve been through. Lament is the biblical response to processing evil and calamity. We should not view lament as wrong or undesirable—it is one of God’s gift to his people that they might process suffering! To understand this experience more, you really need to study what the Bible says about lament. I highly recommend you get and read Dark Clouds Deep Mercy. It is the premier biblical resource on this topic which was born out of a pastor’s struggle after he and his wife suffered the loss of their baby girl when she was still born. Hopes were dashed. Sorrow set in. He was sent into a tailspin. People tried to help, but something was missing. Listen to what he says: “As I read books on grief, I discovered many attempts to explain the purpose of pain or to walk readers through the stages of grief. While these are helpful at some level, they frequently missed or ignored the concept of lament. Finding an explanation or a quick solution to grief, while an admirable goal, can circumvent the opportunity afforded in lament—to give a person permission to wrestle with sorrow without understanding and embracing the God-given song of lament can stunt the grief process. I came to see lament as a helpful gift from the Lord.” (Mark Vroegop, Dark Clouds Deep Mercy, 19) Nehemiah’s response indicates he cared that deeply about the distressing situation in Jerusalem. How likely is it that King David’s own wrestling with the troubles of his day was not used to fuel Nehemiah’s prayers? Psalm 13:1–4 The Psalms are loaded with lament. The very Worship and Prayer Book of the Old Testament is filled with intense grapplings and wrestlings with the difficult side of life and how God fits into it! That was in some OT songs of worship! How often is lament reflected in our modern music? Or are we taught to jump up and down singing, “I’m trading my sorrows; I’m trading my pain; I’m laying them down for the joy of the Lord!” While there is a point to that song, it sounds so trite compared to real life which sometimes calls us to just sit down, weep, mourn, pray—for days! We often fall prey to thinking we need to fix problems and get rid of our emotions of anguish, but that’s just not what the Bible presents to us when life is painful and distressing. We’re not told how many days this lasted, but the reality is Nehemiah was crushed and out of commission for some time. In response, he didn’t go somewhere, get all pumped up and turned around in one shot. NO: when he hears of the distress, he laments to God; but… 2) WHEN NEHEMIAH LAMENTS TO GOD, HE EXTOLS GOD (vv. 5–10) First notice why he’s lamenting: It wasn’t nationalism (“our great way of life is threatened!”). It wasn’t sentimentalism (“we gotta get back to the good ol’ days!”). It wasn’t tribalism (“our people are being dominated by those people!”). It was theocentrism (“God, this is about your glory!”); Theo = God; centric = centered (God-centered). We may be called upon to face intense things in life, but it is always a matter of practical theology—of taking what we know about God and processing what we’re going through in such a way that that theology comes to bear upon our situation! Notice all the theology in Nehemiah’s prayer (which remember is condensed down from several days’ worth of praying): How does he view and appeal to God? - As great and awesome (v. 5) - As loving (v. 5) - As One who answers prayer (v. 6) - As holy (vv. 6–7) - As faithful (vv. 8–9) - As master (v. 10) - As redeemer (v. 10) - As powerful and strong (v. 10) Yes, Nehemiah wrestles through processing this distressing news, but he’s doing so through the framework of good theology—the framework of who God is. Theology is crucial to biblical lament! We get to know our God experientially, but our relationship with him grows first out of what we know about him—what we know about him revealed in his Word—his statements, his record, his dealings with people, Nehemiah’s prayer is laced with confession. Just as Ezra was sensitive to corporately confess the sins of the Jewish community, so Nehemiah is as well. When we see God for who he is, we see us for who and what we are. Part of the distress of the situation has to do with the fact that the people are suffering but sin is present too. All the problems and distresses of life fall under one of those categories: sin, suffering, or both. For the people it was both. When Nehemiah laments to God, he extols God; but finally… 3) WHEN NEHEMIAH EXTOLS GOD, HE PREPARES FOR ACTION (v. 11) Because of who God is and what he does, Nehemiah is made confident and is driven to action. (Read verse 11a.) This verse strikes me every time. All of the exhausting lament of his praying leads up to requesting that God would grant him compassion “before this man.” And it’s the final sentence of the chapter that almost gives me goose bumps every time I read it. (Read verse 11b.) It’s almost meant to shock us as readers to find out that Nehemiah isn’t just some bumpkin—he’s a man of position before the king; he’s around him all the time (possibly even one who could have influence with the king). “According to Ezra 4:21, this same Artaxerxes had earlier issued a decree to stop work on the city of Jerusalem, perhaps on the wall itself. [For Nehemiah to make] a request clearly contrary to royal policy might even prove dangerous. But Nehemiah called him “this man,” perhaps to stress that he was only a human under God’s sovereignty. Nehemiah knew the seriousness of his undertaking and put his case in God’s hands. Like many since his time, Nehemiah’s greatness came from asking great things of a great God and attempting great things in reliance on him.” (Breneman, New American Commentary: Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther, 173–174) Nehemiah extols God, and he prepares for action… APPLICATION Some of you don’t hear of distress, you live with it. Process suffering in other ways rather than lamenting to God is destructive: - Going silent - Isolating ourselves - Lashing out - Rebelling against authority - Becoming bitter and angry - Harming ourselves - Taking our own life - Harming others All of us, especially young people must learn to lament in a world that is racked by evil (outside of us and within us). Our culture is belching incessant lies that life supposed to be fun all the time, free from concern, free from pain and problems, and feel perfectly beautiful. The only problem is that world does not exist. What does exist is a holy, perfect, beautiful, almighty, gracious, and loving God to whom we can lament and appeal, and whom we can trust. In lament, we pour out our hearts to God (however long that takes), we trust him, and we prepare for what he would have us to do. Study more about biblical lament in the following resource: Mark Vroegop, Dark Clouds Deep Mercy: Discovering the Grace of Lament. Crossway, 2019.