Nehemiah sermon- Entire book overview

Thoughts from the book of Nehemiah

Place: Persia

Time: Post exile

Characters: Nehemiah, Ezra, Tobiah & Sannabalath, people, finally God who is overseeing the things.

Background

Israel was politically broken, socially broken, religiously broken community and to the shock of our lives, we too live in times similar to these! We are asked to go into a community of people who are in great need and increased possibilities. How do we restore, revitalize, and renew a community that is broken. How Book of Nehemiah shows this! What did we learn in this two months of study?

Chapter 1 – Comfort didn’t alter Nehemiah’s Concern for the broken

Nehemiah prays for his people! His concern for his people: the broken community became his the utmost priority. Living in a comfort zone of Persia did not deviate his passion to restore his community. Too often, our comfort zones changes our priorities in life. We forget our community, our passion, our call, our ministry, our lifestyle.....! But Nehemiahs’ passion was to Renew, restore, revitalize the broken-  remained static that didn’t alter even when he was in his comfort zone.

Chapter 2- Agents of restoration

Nehemiah been granted the permission to go to Judah, inspects the wall after he returns, plans, inspects to restore the walls. Restoration is not Nehemiah's Job alone. It was a communal affair.  People involved, contributed, shared the same line of thought etc.. Nehemiah was an agent used by God for the restoration of the Community. REMEMBER, we are the agents in this time for the restoration of our broken community. 

Chapter 3-4- Get ready to be discouraged yet detour towards progress

1.     Mocking,

2.    Distraction,

3.    Discouragement,

4.    Rumour mongering,

5.    Evil reporting.

My enemies wanted me to be weak! They assumed, I will stop my work when I am discouraged. Nehemiah didn't ask his enemies to be disappeared but his request was to sustain the work through the grace of GOD and the call in which he came here from Persia.
Too often we play the role of GOD: Kill him LORD, let him disappear from my life, if I pray...

ACRONYM 

1.     Betrayal- close friends

2.    Courageous- despite threatens

3.    Discern rightfully

4.    Evil reports- by your enemies 

5.    Faith that rested upon God.

Remember, Faith that rested upon God during your vulnerable situations makes you the strongest of all. Realign your track with the track of God! We have to face mocking, trails during the restoration.

Not even one hand of support and build a system but there are 100 arm chair critics and 1000 people to destroy a system.  

Chapter 5-6- Sometimes the CHOSEN can be the agents of destruction

1.     Deals with the oppression,

2.    Generosity of Nehemiah seen,

3.    Intrigues of enemy foiled.

Nehemiah 5:1  Now there was a great outcry of the people and of their wives against their Jewish brothers.

How manipulation of power, abuse of money, extraction, social injustice in a community can never lead to restoration.

Chapt 5: Yet, his heart cry was looking at the needs of the people? You see this certainly in every corners of the community in the wider scope of our influence.

Does your spirit moves by seeing the injustice? Do you see, your own people, your own church, your own community does injustice to others? How do you respond?

You walk with the flow? Watch the flow? or you take action against the flow knowing that people are against you!

Chat 6: Nehemiah is being misinterpreted as a rebel who trying to form forces and he is being threatened to be informed to the king. Instead of getting discouraged he says STRENGTHEN MY HANDS- we need to learn this principle of asking the LORD  to strengthen our hands during times that discourages us.

Nehemiah 6:9  For all of them were trying to frighten us, thinking, "They will become discouraged with the work and it will not be done." But now, O God, strengthen my hands.

Chapter 6:15-7^th Chapter- Wall gets completed: Re-establishment of structure after goal accomplished.

After the completion of the wall he resumes the broken system. He resumes three foundational functional works that was initiated by God.

1.     Re-establishes to be guardians of the word

2.    Re-establishes to be the worshippers

3.    Re-establishes to be teachers of Law

Restarted the gate-keepers, musicians, Levites! 

1.     We are the guardians of the word in this generation

2.    We are the worshippers proclaiming the glory of God

3.    We are the teachers of his God, to defend and explain the truth

Nehemiah’s work and the reason why he came is got completed! HE could have easily justified his choice, case and cause and walk away after the construction gets over! Here, he does something profound. He reads the law! Studies the law, enjoys the law for hours

Chapter 7:5-8:12 

1.     Studying the word of God truly

2.    Applying the word of God exactly: which is very important in life!

Israelites do not want to go again in captivity. So they focussed on the minute detail on reading the law.  They based their life on the LAW. Law is not a ritual, book or a work bur their identity, their foundation, their roots.

If we are misled we will mislead others! Align your family with the Word of God.

Chapter 9- National confession: Repentance that is real is the key to restoration.

Israel confesses their sin.

Process of repentance

Turn back from self & turning towards God.

Realize-React-respond-manifest

Refection of God in the History.

Do we realize our sins, react and work on that before God, respond to him as genuinely as can so that, it could be manifested through our lives. 

Chapter 10-12

1. Summary of the covenant

2. Population of the city increased

Chapter 13: 1-13 

1) Disobedient to the-scriptures

      Unless you are rooted in the scripture, identifying problem will become a hassle

2) Contaminated sanctuary

      Keep the sanctuary holy

3) Disregarding the servants of God.

     Remember, they are God's anointed

The verb Restore should be a continuous tense that needs to happen all time, to all people, at all places. It is a personal, communal and national affair.

A nation is developed through God's word- its not a private affair but a communal affair.

Conclusion

Book of Nehemiah teaches us that Restoration, renewal, revitalization can happen only when people does few actions.

1.    Restoration has to happen on a personal level for a communal level transformation.

2.   Restoration without a passion is hypocrisy.

3.   Restoration needs involvement: so take part and do your part

4.   Restoration cannot happen without opposition.

5.   Restoration cannot be done if we compromise in the process

6.   Restoration is not a onetime act but a continuous process.

For all the above said things

1.     Be rooted in the law- or else you can be uprooted easily.

2.    Be driven by the law- or the worldly systems will drive you.

3.    Be always drawn closer to the LORD- or Babylon will drive near you to keep you in exile. 

As Chapter 8 remarks the priest Ezra, Levites, Nehemiah asked them to rejoice and stop weeping and mourning.  Take delight in the Happiness of the Lord. Joy a communal affair. 

 Stop mourning Rejoice. Its not a holiday. Its Holy day!