1 The words of Nehemiah the son of Hacaliah. 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.” Now I was cupbearer to the king.—Nehemiah 1:1-11

Intro: Nehemiah offers us a great example of living with conviction and strategic intention. Like Nehemiah, Christians need to walk by faith in these dark times. Nehemiah was sure of who God is. He acted with God and for God, even though it meant strenuous effort. Nehemiah addressed the spiritual compromise outside and inside his spiritual community to rebuild not only the walls of their city but the convictions of the people. All of this was aimed to renew their spiritual devotion and worship of a worthy Holy God. Your heart is in process of rebuilding. We call it progressive sanctification. God offers bright hope, the hope of fresh starts and new beginnings. In Nehemiah the people of Israel are given a fresh start. The challenge is following through on living in right relationship with God.

Big Idea: Because of God, you can experience a spiritual

1. Historical background

• a. Ezra-Nehemiah as one book.
• b. Jerusalem fell to Nebuchadnezzar in 587 B.C. and the people taken captive.
• c. King Cyrus authorized subsidizing a rebuilding of the temple in Jerusalem (Ezra 1:1-4; 6:3-5)
• d. The temple rebuilt (Ezra 3-6)

2. Major Themes of the book

• a. God’s
  Reveal Answer
  to Israel (Ch. 1-6)
• b.
  Reveal Answer
  (Ch. 7-10)
• c. Renewing the spirit of
  Reveal Answer
  (Ch. 11-12)
• d. God’s people need to be
  Reveal Answer
  against their own
  Reveal Answer
  . (Ch. 13)

3. The report and prayer of Nehemiah (1:1-11)

• a. The report (1:1-3)
  
  • i. Some Jews escaped and survived exile (v.1-2)
  • ii. They experienced great trouble and shame (v.3)
  • iii. The wall of Jerusalem broken down (v.3)
  • iv. The gates destroyed by fire (v.3)

When we

• b. The response (1:4)

  • i. Nehemiah wept and mourned for days
  • ii. Fasting and prayer
  • iii. All before God

  Rebuilding and Renewal need a foundation of

  Reveal Answer

  .
  

• c. The request (1:5-11)

  • i. Nehemiah remembers the character of God (v.5)
  • ii. Nehemiah acknowledges the sin (v.6-9)

  Rebuilding and Renewal requires

  Reveal Answer

  .

  • iii. Nehemiah asks God to use him (v.10-11)

Ask God to

Small Group Questions

1. What did God teach you through this passage and message? Share the work of God in your heart with the group.

2. What questions did this passage and sermon raise in your mind?

3. How has God helped you to grow in your spiritual self-awareness? Why is it important to identify our areas of opportunity for rebuilding and renewal?

4. In what ways do you need God? What areas of your life do you most long for a rebuilding and renewal?

5. Spend some time a praying for a rebuilding and renewal in our committed worshiping community as we spend the next few months in the book of Nehemiah.