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3/30/2025
Pastor Dwayne Smith
Immerse: Chronicles - Week 4
Nehemiah 1:1-11, “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. 4 As soon as I heard these words I sat down and wept and mourned for days, and I continued fasting and praying before the God of heaven. 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.”
Nehemiah: Who was he?
The Need:
Nehemiah 1:3, “Things are not going well for those who returned to the province of Judah. They are in great trouble and disgrace. The wall of Jerusalem has been torn down, and the gates have been destroyed by fire.”
- The walls of the city were very important
- Protection & Security
- Strength & Stability
- Symbol of God’s Presence
How does Nehemiah respond?
Nehemiah 1:4, “When I heard this, I sat down and wept. In fact, for days I mourned, fasted, and prayed to the God of heaven”
- Nehemiah’s Prayer: Worship, Confession and Petition
- Nehemiah 2:1-2, “…I was serving the king his wine. I had never before appeared sad in his presence. 2 So the king asked me, “Why are you looking so sad? You don’t look sick to me. You must be deeply troubled.”
- Nehemiah saw the opportunity!
- Nehemiah was ready for the opportunity
- When God gives you a passion for something, He also give you the provision to fulfill it!
- The Result: “And the king granted these requests, because the gracious hand of God was on me.”
How do we rebuild the walls?
Wall Building Process
1. Acknowledge the Need (Nehemiah 1:3)
2. Mourn, Fast, Repent and Pray (Nehemiah 1:4)
3. Be Willing for God to Use YOU! (Nehemiah 1:11)
4. Seek God for the Plan, the Blueprint (Nehemiah 2:1-8)
5. Take an Honest Assessment (Nehemiah 2:9-16)
6. Involve the Community (Nehemiah 2:17-18, Nehemiah 3-4)
- Expect Opposition
- Be watchful (Nehemiah 4:9)
- Nehemiah 6:3, “I sent messengers to them, saying, ‘I am doing a great work and I cannot come down. Why should the work stop while I leave it and come down to you?’”
- Part of our responsibility as followers of Christ is to see what is broken
- When we see the brokenness, the Love of God causes us to step in
- We Live: God is our source of life.
- We Move: God guides us step by step, day by day according to His perfect timing.
- We Have: God provides for us as we live and move. Provision is waiting for us, but we need to walk to it!
- Philippians 4:8-13, “And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. 9 Keep putting into practice all you learned and received from me—everything you heard from me and saw me doing. Then the God of peace will be with you…for I have learned how to be content with whatever I have. 12 I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little. 13 For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.”
Prayer of St. Francis of Assisi
Lord, make me an instrument of your peace:
where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
where there is sadness, joy.
O divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek
to be consoled as to console,
to be understood as to understand,
to be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive,
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.
Amen.
Response:
Where are the walls broken down in your life, family, community….?
What do you see?
What is serving as a reminder of your weakness, vulnerability, or defeat?
How is God inviting you to help?
What is holding you back? (Fear, feeling overwhelmed, exhaustion, feeling hopeless…)
Benediction
Numbers 6:24-26 (NIV)
24 The LORD bless you and keep you;
25 The LORD make his face shine on you and be gracious to you;
26 The LORD turn his face toward you and give you peace.
Go and Live for Jesus!
