READ | SERMON NOTES
Summary l What a powerful story of faith, leadership and the incredible things that can happen when hearts are aligned with God’s purposes! The two main themes running through this book are
1. Rebuild the Walls
2. Renew the Commitment
Eric Mason, in his book ‘Nehemiah For You’, suggests that Chapters 1-7 are more on external, physical issues and social renewal. Chapters 8-13 focus on inward, spiritual issues and covenant renewal.
Nehemiah 1 tells us that personal renewal and communal restoration come before accomplishing God’s greater mission. God has a heart for the city and within the city there is another ‘city’ which is the church! (Matt 5:14, Jer 29:7).
Building the walls is not only about the restoring of Jerusalem City but also about building up the people of God so they can be the light on the hill.
A. Heart-felt Concern.
In the first 4 verses, we see that Nehemiah cared passionately about Jerusalem and his people living there. His priorities were the glory of God and the good of God’s people. When he heard the bad news in V3, he wept, mourned, fasted and prayed for about four months. This level of identification was only possible by the power of God’s spirit. Let us also ask God to give us this kind of heart for the Church today. Commentators wonder why he was so distressed as the walls had been broken down long before. Was he hearing old news in a new way? The discipleship lesson here is that before we can build or rebuild we must care deeply. What areas need rebuilding in my life? Commit these to prayer. We must learn to turn information to intercession, and problems to prayer
B. Humble Prayer.
Nehemiah had a God-centred perspective and a God-dependent trust. This is seen in his prayer life. Often people may ask how can we pray, and the acronym ACTS is helpful. It stands for Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, and Supplication.
We see that Nehemiah starts with Adoration (V5,6). We must always remember how great, awesome, mighty and in control is our God. We need to come in an attitude of worship before we start asking! Prayer precedes petition! Besides knowing who God is, we also need to remember who we are and move into Confession (V6,7) Nehemiah confessed the sins of his people as well as his own. There is no renewal without genuine honest confession of sin. Thirdly we give thanks. His prayer of Thanksgiving is focused on what God has said (V8,9) and what God has done. (V10). These are the two great scriptural dimensions of Revelation and Redemption. He reminds God of His promises to Israel. The fourth element is Supplication. (V11). This prayer is bold and specific in asking for favour from his boss, a Pagan King. He believes that God can work in every heart, whether a believer or not.
In closing here are some reflections from Nehemiah Chapter 1.
1.Prayer is the place to process God’s work in our hearts. What pain are you facing in your life? Bring it to God and allow him to rebuild your life.
2.Leadership is built on a foundation of prayer. Always remember God’s power and authority, submit our agenda to God and ask for blessings on our ministry. Seek God’s guidance in prayer.
3.Build a strong base of prayer. Find the best place and time to pray. It may be walking alone or in the early morning. It’s important to pray corporately too and we are all invited to join the Church prayer meetings every Wednesday evening over Zoom.
Let us seek to develop our prayer lives and support one another in our faith community in areas of our lives where we need to rebuild or restore.
(Sermon notes by Frances Lim)
PONDER | REFLECTION QUESTIONS
A. Heart-felt Concern (v1-4)
- What stands out to you in Nehemiah’s reaction when he hears about the state of Jerusalem?
- Have you ever felt a burden for a cause or a situation like Nehemiah did for Jerusalem? How did you respond?
- In what areas of your life do you feel a need for rebuilding or restoration?
B. Humble Prayer (v5-11)
- What strikes you the most about Nehemiah’s prayer? Is there anything you like to change about your own prayers?
- How does Nehemiah’s prayer reflect his understanding of God and his relationship with Him? How can we incorporate elements of Nehemiah’s prayer into our own prayers?
- Nehemiah confesses the sins of Israel as well as his own sins. How does this model of confession challenge you in your prayer life?
- Nehemiah reminds God of His promises to Israel. How does remembering God’s promises strengthen your faith during difficult times?
- How can your small group support each other in areas where you need rebuilding or restoration?
