The rebuilding of the temple is underway because God moves to begin the work. What if tough financial times were actually a test from God? Their banners unfurled, "Grand Opening! In the new covenant, through Jesus Christ of Nazareth, God finally redeems, rebuilds, and replants. Today, more than 5 million people live in the metro-Atlanta area, fighting gridlock as they drive among the gleaming skyscrapers, past the great sports stadiums, college campuses, and the states gold-domed capital building. 2. Nehemiah's rebuilding the wall of Jerusalem can teach us much about the steps to personal revival. Go back for Title: A Year of Rebuilding The first thing they did was use the weapon of mocking. And were all in it for the same reasonto fuel the churchs mission of making disciples. Maybe youre one of the rare ones who doesnt know the experience of lean times. Politically they were looking for Same is true today. Lean times, they would tell us, will demand either defeat, or a victory. Copyright 2003-2023 | Outreach, Inc., All rights reserved. The room was full of workers and And no longer shall each one teach his neighbor and each his brother, saying, Know the Lord, for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, declares the Lord. read more, Scripture: Introduction: A. It takes determination. Your spiritual condition is not what you try to portray to others on the outside. Are you not where you thought you would be by now? There mission was returning, restoring and rebuilding, ours is seeking, saving, serving. In fact, itll all be immersed in pain, in hard work, in disappointment and discouragement, and in exhaustion. Ezra and Nehemiah, two of the Bibles more famous men, faced a similar reconstruction project. Evangelical/Non-Denominational. The Lord uses Nehemiah to show us some walls that need to be rebuilt for revival to take place. Their mother saw the opportunity for a moral lesson so she said: If Jesus were sitting here, He would say, "Let my brother have the first pancake. 2001. Introduction: Gods people had lived in Israel for centuries before. . (2 Peter 3:3) Sanballat and Tobiah ridiculed the work of God. This sermon encourages believers that rebuilding our lives is not impossible when it is covered with believing prayer. God is in control. As we look at this passage, I want us to focus on what God would have us do as we prepare to rebuild the walls of our spiritual lives. However, from the vantage point of history, we understand that because the Greeks conquered the world, the world suddenly had one common language. 1 The words of Nehemiah son of Hacaliah: in the month of Kislev in the twentieth year, while I was in the citadel of Susa, This is the 1st sermon in the series "Rebuilding". 15:4 Read Hell thrive in tough times. I. In those days, imagining a mega city in its steel and glass glory was simply not possible. Withholding our Best 2) They trusted that God would fight for them (4:20). On a tour of the facilities, the new CEO noticed a guy leaning on a wall. Holiness. They rebuild their demolished city. The pandemic has caused the church to reexamine the way she serves the community of believers. Instead of Atlanta, it was Jerusalem that had been destroyed. Other costs start climbing. Its time to put action to all of the planning and praying. 2) Note that the first workers listed were the priests (3:1). REBUILDING SUCCESSFULLY Are you less content in your work, maybe even ready to quit? A year of 3) Spiritual rebuilding is not fast nor is it easy. Complete control. 1. And he promised to prove himself to be an equally patient, compassionate, and merciful Redeemer a Rebuilder. And the rebuild began when he sent his Son. It's time to rebuild. He was not just aware that This sermon encourages believers that rebuilding our lives is not impossible when it is covered with believing prayer. Featuring Jen Wilkin, Jennifer Rothschild, Kristi McLelland, and more! Today we confront a simple, universal truth: Rebuilding is hard work. Ezra 1, Ezra 2. That would be a vitally important reality when God decided it was time to share news of the Messiah with the whole world. We don't know exactly how big the walls of the city were at that time. Text: Nehemiah Chapter 2 3 a. There were others, but heres the point. And Jerusalem is a symbol of the city of God, God's dwelling place and the center of life for the world. What about another point of application? Is your family facing even larger trials in 2018? They were desperately short of food, national security, and sleep. When I was asked to take up the role of youth pastor, that was sometime in October period, I began to pray and asked the Lord what was that which he wants to do in YIA. This sermon encourages believers that rebuilding our lives is not impossible when it is covered with believing prayer. (2 Peter 3:18) But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Dont take our sad stories to the rest of the world and expect a sympathetic ear. What if God is forcing us to become green, as the term is, these days? Restoring the Wall (Nehemiah 2:9-7:73). Introduction: Priests built (3:1), apothecaries built (3:8), some women built (3:12), rulers built (3:14), Levites built (3:17), gate-keepers built (3:29), goldsmiths and merchants built (3:32). Opening illustration: Rebuilding PCB Which do you want first? As cruel as it sounds, even the unspeakable actions of Hitler were used by God for good. They had to move stones weighing two tons at the short end of the scale, and build gates that would withstand the attacks of well-trained armies. The very first words of Ezras story are these: In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, in order to fulfill the word of the LORD spoken by Jeremiah, the LORD moved the heart of Cyrus king of Persia to make a proclamation throughout his realm and to put it in writing. Shell find victory, even in an atmosphere of loss. read more. 1) Opposition increased (4:7-8). Proverbs 3:5-6. Here, says the Bible, is an opportunity to thrive. As we look at this passage, I want us to focus on what God would have us do as we prepare to rebuild the walls of our spiritual lives. You need Ezra 1:1-11 (HCSB) In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, the word of the LORD spoken through Jeremiah was fulfilled. Nehemiah 4:7-9. Baptist. Transition: The Jews under Nehemiahs leadership rebuilt their faith in God while they rebuilt the city wall. The wall had lain in the rubble for decades because no one had the spiritual insight and fortitude to rebuild it. The setting is about 500 years before the time of Christ. If your health starts to disappear, weeping is OK. 1) Building was not the occupation of many of the workers. Politically they were looking for read more, Scripture: The work of rebuilding our personal wall is the effort we put into seeking a strong relationship with Him, and He then provides the defenses for us. God had told them: Obey Me and youll live in the land for a long time. This sermon was preached when I was asked to take over the youth ministry of the church which was in shambles. One of the most amazing stories? The rebuilding of the temple is underway because God moves to begin the work. . Since The census of the people (2) C. God had told them: "Obey Me and you'll live in the land for a long time. GETTING STARTED RIGHT Will you begin tonight? The down-turn in the economy has affected everyone, every industry, every organization, every church. REBUILDING FOR THE FUTURE For more information, see ourPrivacy Policy. Doctor: We amputated the wrong leg. United Way has been involved in community-building and disaster response for more than 130 years. Enemies of God heard the people were rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem under Nehemiah's leadership; they were jealous and they were furious. The last year has been one of the most confusing, troubling, and heartbreaking for many Christians in America, especially for younger believers. There was much pain associated with the world leaders of those eras. There's no doubtwe've been frazzled. 1) The devil opposed the work on the wall. And during that time God continued to be with his people, even after they had failed him so completely. Holiness. 2) Never think that you are incapable of building up your spiritual life. Last week we established the realities of rebuilding. Its like I tell Trevor (my son); if you dont understand the They attempted to discourage the workers. As exciting as rebuilding is, there is a reality that comes with that. Can we comprehend it? If a hothead ever had an excuse, this was it. Through human history governments, militaries have constructed defensive walls to keep enemies at bay. The year is 445 BC, the 20th year of his reign. -God's work; by God's power; over God's enemies. All scripture marked ESV: The Holy Bible : English standard version. Nehemiah organizes resources and teams, then completes the task in 52 days -- all amidst stiff opposition from Judah's enemies. B. It might be a time when a persons physical health turns sour. Your children get hurt, you experience divorce, you lose your job, you have an illness, etc There are times when it seems that we have lost Nehemiah 1:1-4 (NIV) How Nehemiah begins to re-build the walls of Jerusalem. Sermon Transcript. Your family. to build and to plant. (Jeremiah 1:10), God sent Jeremiah to pluck up, break down, destroy, and overthrow. They learned as they worked. Instead of plucking us up, like we deserved, he placed his own Son on the cross (John 3:16). But then I will come and do for you all the good things I have promised, and I will bring you home again., Scripture: To ensure you receive the best experience on Lifeway.com, we use cookies to process information about your visit. Series: Rebuilding [#4] And this is Ezra and Nehemiahs story, for they were the men who inspired those who had returned to re-build. Part of that freedom, literally, is the freedom to choose to obey God, right now, and soon thrive in the midst of difficult circumstances. The enemies mocked them (4:2-3). A study of the book of Nehemiah. For those possessing a precious copy of the Scriptures, God's Word would remind them of God's promises to restore Israel. Nehemiahs background read more, Scripture: Nehemiah was aware of the PROBLEM. 2) If you will determine to work rebuilding your broken walls, God will bless and bring it together. I can Tonight we are going to examine four steps in their rebuilding that can help us build up our spiritual lives. This is the 3rd sermon in the series "Rebuilding". The competitors now opened shop. Patient: Give me the bad news first. The setting is about 500 years before the time of Christ. Ezra and Nehemiah would hand you a trowel and a sword, and point to the area of the city where you could go to work. They secured roadways, built super highways, improved shipping and transportation, and even volunteered to transport missionaries from the Middle East to Europe (via persecution) spreading that message faster than could have ever been done, if the first followers of Jesus hadnt had the unintentional help of the Romans. If we are really honest with God and The story is told of a company who felt like it was time for a shake-up, so they hired a new CEO. Introduction: The rebuilding of the Jerusalem wall was a physical project, but it was also a spiritual project. They saw the need (2:9-16) Nehemiah 1:1-11 REBUILDING SUCCESSFULLY Workers cleared the Temple Mount, quarried new stones, cleaned old stones, and finally, they laid the foundation for the Temple. Drive through Atlanta, Georgia today, and its nearly impossible remember the worst days in the citys history. They determined to work read more, Scripture: The Lord fulfilled His promise through Jeremiah after 70 years (Jer 25:11-12). They thrived. 1. To rebuild successfully 2. read more, Scripture: They believed it could be done! By leaning on your relationship with Jesus Christ, a person wont just survive in lean times. Ezra is the story of a great revival. They saw animals being killed, right in front of their eyes, and they saw the blood collected. A. Have you followed the devastation from the hurricanes or wildfires? They rebuild the destroyed temple of God. If God can rebuild a relationship with us ripped apart by sin, and replant and revive souls like ours dead in sin, what new thing could he do in your life this year in your family, in your workplace, in your neighborhood, in our nation, in you? The Lord uses Nehemiah to show us some walls that need to be rebuilt for revival to take place. God is going to be the ultimate judge. INTRODUCTION. The wall had lain in the rubble for decades because no one had the spiritual insight and fortitude to rebuild it. Spend much time in prayer. That kind of judgment and destruction makes up most of the book of Jeremiah (and the rest of the Prophets for that matter). Nehemiah 1:1-11. Are relatives more distant and estranged than ever before? Focusing on renewal and cooperation. Last week we talked about how Israel was taken into captivity in Babylon. So Much is Learned from History Nehemiah 3:1-32 Admit your needs. No world leader ever tried to destroy the Jews more than Adolf Hitler. Only obedience will take us to a point of thriving during lean times. God had told them: Obey Me and youll live in the land for a long time. They were the men who decided to thrive in very difficult circumstances, and lead the reconstruction of Jerusalem, of the Temple, and of Gods people. God had told them: Obey Me and youll live in the land for a long time. Please see below for details. Reading about the refunds wont do it. Nehemiah 2:9-20. Lean times might be all about a tough financial season. Because things often fall apart, it seems we are always starting again. A series of sermon preached during the rebuilding of the churchs youth ministry. The preparation and the process of rebuilding What if God is forcing us into a corner where weve got to make use of renewable energy? NEHEMIAH 1:1-4; 8:1-6; 9:1-3 And now that Son has obtained a ministry that is as much more excellent than the old as the covenant he mediates is better, since it is enacted on better promises (Hebrews 8:6). Micah 7:11 Verse Concepts It will be a day for building your walls. One of the reasons America is in Lean Times, frankly, is that the news media keeps telling us how bad things are. Like the small businessman whose clothing store was threatened with extinction when a national chain store moved in and acquired all the properties on his block. This strengthened the people for the work. Navigating the challenges and joys of ministry life. You will find that some of the challenges you face are like what Gods people face in building the second temple. A tank of gas feels like a major purchase, and everything from food prices to basic supplies have seen dramatic increases. He even says, I will rejoice in doing them good (Jeremiah 32:41). The temple's foundation became a concrete . No one knows when Jesus is coming back; but He gave us instructions. Nehemiah 3:1-32. 1) The wall was joined together because the people had a mind to work (4:6). 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