Speaker:
That king actually came more or less by himself.
2
:
So his has a privileged
position in this setting.
3
:
Uh, we need to remember that as this
story, this account, what happens
4
:
to Nehemiah that he writes begins
there are many things that God
5
:
has already put in place, right?
6
:
We don't know how all these things came
to be, but it is God who has established
7
:
like everything that's come before
this, so that what we hear about next.
8
:
May happen.
9
:
Okay.
10
:
So the setting is a serious one.
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:
It's an intimidating one.
12
:
Uh, this is not a, a light role
that Nehemiah has and the things
13
:
that are gonna come after this, we
need to remember what that's like.
14
:
If you've read the book of Esther,
uh, the book of Esther gives a lot
15
:
of detail to how this might look.
16
:
Granted, Esther happens effectively a
generation earlier, but you can remember
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:
from that account many of the things
that will be helpful to inform your.
18
:
Uh, imagination as it were,
as we think about this.
19
:
So that's where Nehemiah is.
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:
Well, Hannah and I comes from
Judah, and in verse three, uh, he
21
:
tells Nehemiah what has happened.
22
:
Read with me in verse three.
23
:
And they said to me, so Ken and I and
his compatriots, they say to me, the
24
:
remnant there in the province who had
survived the exile is in great trouble.
25
:
And shame.
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:
The wall of Jerusalem is broken down
and its gates are destroyed by fire.
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:
Notice what Nehemiah asks about, like
Nehemiah's first question, and I imagine
28
:
he probably asked other questions, but
his first question, the thing that sits
29
:
most heavily on his part is God's plan.
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:
God's people, the city of
Jerusalem is important to him.
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:
If it were not, he wouldn't have asked,
and if it were not, he would be concerned
32
:
with his privileged role as a cup bearer.
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:
He'd be concerned with increasing his
status into his present surroundings,
34
:
but he is demonstrating that he has
a heart on the onset with his concern
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:
about God's plan and about God's people.
36
:
What is he talking about exactly?
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:
What are these, these, these guys talking
about as they talk about Jerusalem?
38
:
Well, one might think it's related
to the original exile, right?
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:
The original exile of
the people of Israel.
40
:
That would've happened, uh, probably
between 6 0 5 and 5 86, so that would've
41
:
been significantly before this account.
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:
And I think it's more likely that
what is being referred here is
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:
what occurs in the Book of Ezra.
44
:
The book of Ezra talks about a number
of the attempts and I trust, again,
45
:
you've read that before, but just
to refresh your, remember, it talks
46
:
about a number of the attempts of the
people of Israel to, to reestablish.
47
:
They're kingdom, uh, of course under
the greater kingdom that they are
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:
still in some sense subject to, but
they seek to rebuild the temple and
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:
in fact, they seek to rebuild the
walls, but not with a ton of success.
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:
Ezra chapter four, verse 23 says, then.
51
:
And this is just an example for you
to recall what is going on since then.
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:
When the copy of King Art's letter was
read before Rainbow and Hai described
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:
and their associates, they went and
pasted to the Jews at Jerusalem, and
54
:
by force and power made them cease.
55
:
They made them see.
56
:
So there are political oppositions,
there are, uh, even threats.
57
:
Uh, there are threats
of military, a action.
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:
There's threats of Raiders, and,
and there is also King Arteris
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:
who is, uh, calling them to cease.
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:
And granted, I'm not gonna go into all the
details of the timeline here, but it goes
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:
on and answer and says, then the work of
the house of the Lord that is in Jerusalem
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:
stopped, and it ceased until the second
year of the raid of Darius King Persia.
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:
So all that to be said.
64
:
This situation is, is not good.
65
:
This is not a good situation
for the people of Israel.
66
:
And we see them in what Hannah and
I says, okay, what does Nehemiah do?
67
:
What does ne Nehemiah do?
68
:
He has, in some sense, every
right to sprinkle to action.
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:
He hears this news, and it might be
right for him to say, I gotta solve this.
70
:
I need to go to the king right away.
71
:
I need to travel to Jerusalem to
solve this problem, to help with this.
72
:
I need to talk to Hannah and I and and
some patriots and say, you guys need to
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:
do this and that and the other thing.
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:
And in some sense, he
would be right to do that.
75
:
In some sense.
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:
He would be right to do
that, but he doesn't do that.
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:
He doesn't do that.
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:
At least he doesn't spring into
action in the way that our flesh
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:
might suggest that we should.
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:
He does spring into action.
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:
He does spring into action, and he does
that by turning to the Lord in prayer.
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:
And that's our first 0.4
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:
this morning, which is.
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:
Point number one, pray
when life hits hard.
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:
Nehemiah cared about a situation
in Israel, cared about what was
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:
going on in Jerusalem, and he could
have done many things, but he chose
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:
to spring into action as it were
by turning to the Lord in prayer.
88
:
When this news hits hard, verse
four of Nehemiah one says this,
89
:
put down at your Bibles with me.
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:
As soon as I heard these words, I
sat down and wept and mourned for
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:
days, and I continued fasting and
praying before the God of heaven.
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:
As soon as I heard these words, I prayed.
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:
Our flesh often says that we
need to do things immediately.
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:
We need to respond to things with our
own solutions and our own strength
95
:
and our own power right away.
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:
Especially as men.
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:
Especially as men.
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:
We want to solve the problems.
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:
We want to be the solution
to the things that we fix.
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:
You know, maybe you have a kid who you're
trying to raise and you're struggling
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:
with obedience, that you struggle with
them being humble and hearing you.
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:
It might be tempting to
immediately spread into action.
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:
And in some sense it's good.
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:
I'm not, don't hear me saying all of
this is necessarily bad, but if we are
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:
relying on our own strength, we might turn
and say, okay, what are we going to do?
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:
What are the three steps that we're gonna
do to solve this issue of disobedience?
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:
We need to do that this then, but
it needs to be proceeded by court.
108
:
Maybe you have a difficult job situation.
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:
Maybe your boss is difficult.
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:
Maybe you have a coworker
who's difficult it.
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:
It might be that he say,
I know how to solve this.
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:
I'm gonna go to my boss
and I'm gonna talk to him.
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:
I'm gonna tell him these four things
that are wrong, and it's gonna solve the
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:
problem because he's gonna intervene.
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:
Or maybe I'm gonna go to hr.
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:
I'm gonna go to hr.
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:
I'm gonna tell them,
here's the violations.
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:
You need to do something about this.
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:
Right?
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:
Or maybe say, I'm done.
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:
I'm gonna quit.
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:
I'm gonna go find another job.
123
:
I'm done.
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:
Not that any of those things are
necessarily bad because we have a
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:
heart that thinks and believes that
we can solve those problems ourself,
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:
and that's the end all, be all.
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:
We're gonna be in trouble.
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:
Or maybe you have a, a wife who is
struggling with anxiety or pain or
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:
depression, and it eats it here.
130
:
It, it's difficult for you to watch.
131
:
It's painful for you.
132
:
You might be inclined to turn
right away to solve your problems,
133
:
to suggest things, to bring up
solutions, to do all sorts of things.
134
:
And, and again, we need to do
those things as end, right?
135
:
You need to love your wives with action,
but have you ever we dealing with
136
:
those things turn to the Lord in prayer
and mourning and weeping for days.
137
:
The many of us have not, but Nehemiah is
an example of how we ought to do that.
138
:
Well, here's a, here's
a silly illustration.
139
:
I've flown quite a bit less than
the number of past number of
140
:
years, but I've flown quite a bit.
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:
And I remember our flight sequence, I
believe it was from San Jose to Phoenix
142
:
to Albuquerque, and I'm on my flight
from San Jose to Phoenix, and I'm.
143
:
Taxiing up to the gate.
144
:
I'm not flying in the plane, taxiing
up to the gate and I look at my phone
145
:
and I realize my connecting flight
is like three hours late and I go,
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:
okay, I'm gonna solve this problem.
147
:
I'm gonna solve this problem
right here, right now.
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:
I'm gonna go up to the counter.
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:
There is another flight to Albuquerque
that's actually leaving before my
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:
original flight, so I can get on that
and I can get home and not waste my time.
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:
So I confidently walk up to the desk.
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:
You know, I stand behind somebody who I
don't know is, is in tears because their
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:
bag is, you know, four inches too big.
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:
It doesn't fit in the thing.
155
:
Wait for that to be resolved.
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:
And I talk to the person, I say,
look, this is my flight's late.
157
:
I want to get home.
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:
Can I get on this other flight?
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:
I don't know.
160
:
Let me see.
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:
And then she, you know, begins typing
and I don't know what they're doing.
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:
Are they sending messages to their kids?
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:
Like, like they're typing way too long
to solve a problem that I think could
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:
be solved with just a few key plates.
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:
But, you know, typing,
typing, typing, typing.
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:
She finally goes, yes, we
can get you on that flight.
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:
Well, great.
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:
I get on that flight, arrive,
Albert walk to the bag, claim, and
169
:
I stand by bag claim in my bag.
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:
He's in Clayton, I can't play yet.
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:
Stop there.
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:
I was able to change my flight, but I
wasn't able to change my bags flight.
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:
So like sat on the other side of
security for like two hours waiting
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:
for my bags to show up on the carousel.
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:
All my clever solutions, all my
creative things that I told the
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:
person at the desk to try and
convince her to change my flight.
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:
Or meaningless.
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:
Or meaningless, of course, that's a
silly example, but often in our life
179
:
when we seek to solve problems, uh, we.
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:
Find ourselves not really able to do it,
not fully able to solve the problems.
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:
God certainly has called us to,
to act and we'll get to them.
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:
But why do we turn to prayer?
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:
Because we're turning to God who
is indeed able to solve problems.
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:
He's able to solve them, and he's
able to solve them in a fine,
185
:
complete way without the silliness of
ending up in a situation like I was.
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:
I want to mention that he prays for days.
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:
I think that's worth observant.
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:
I don't think in 2026.
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:
Most of us pray for days and some
of that is practical reasons.
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:
There's practical reasons for that.
191
:
Certainly.
192
:
Uh, Paul calls us in first,
IANS five 16 through 18.
193
:
That passage there that we are
to pray without ceasing, right?
194
:
That is an important aspect
of the Christian life.
195
:
Uh, that's something that we should
strive for, but I also think we need
196
:
to recognize that there's plenty of
places in scripture that call us to
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:
pray for a long time, to pray at length.
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:
And Nehemiah doesn't pray for a minute.
199
:
He doesn't pray for an hour.
200
:
He prays for days.
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:
He prays overnight.
202
:
He prays at length.
203
:
And one of the things that I think
we should pursue in our Christian
204
:
life is yes, praying without ceasing,
but also when there are serious
205
:
things that require our prayer.
206
:
Praying for days that could look
like a lot of different things.
207
:
Again, I know that's not necessarily
possible for all of our work schedules
208
:
and, and, and the life that we may live,
but have we ever taken time off to pray?
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:
Have you ever said, I'm gonna take a
PTO day so that I can pray for my kids?
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:
Have you ever spent a night maybe praying
for your, your job situation, right?
211
:
Giving up the rest that
you probably dearly need?
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:
So that you can pray for that situation
so that you can pray for your boss, so
213
:
that you can pray for your coworkers.
214
:
Have you ever, uh, spent days
praying for your wife as she
215
:
struggles with something serious?
216
:
Have you ever wept up for her as you pray?
217
:
Have you ever mourned?
218
:
Have you ever fasted?
219
:
While you pray, the Bible often talks
about fasting and prayer together,
220
:
and that's nonetheless true here.
221
:
Right?
222
:
What is he doing?
223
:
He is fasting and praying.
224
:
In fact, fasting even comes, at least
in terms of word order before praying.
225
:
Do you fast?
226
:
I, I'm not gonna go into on the
technicalities of fasting, but if
227
:
that is something that God is calling
you to do in a spiritual sense, not
228
:
necessarily just in a health sense,
which I know we like to talk about a lot.
229
:
And there's nothing wrong with that.
230
:
But if he's following you to
spiritually fast and the Bible makes
231
:
it clear that Christian's fast,
I would commend to you, uh, Dr.
232
:
Donald Whitney's chapter on fasting
from a book called Spiritual Discipline.
233
:
So if that's something that you
feel called to do, uh, indeed,
234
:
that's a helpful place to go.
235
:
So, are you facing something hard?
236
:
Is there something in your life
that you know God cares about?
237
:
Is there something you know that God has?
238
:
Clearly made, prevalent, not
just in your mind, but through
239
:
scripture that you are facing.
240
:
That's difficult.
241
:
It it, it comes in practical ways
and I mentioned kids and job and
242
:
wife, but it might be something else.
243
:
It might be a legal situation, it might
be a health situation that you're facing.
244
:
I would encourage you, even this
very week, to seek an opportunity
245
:
to pray a long time about it.
246
:
You may not be able to do it
like Nehemiah, you may not be
247
:
able to take days to do it.
248
:
But I would suggest to you even this
very week set it to aside a significant
249
:
portion of time, an amount that your
schedule allows to pray for that thing
250
:
that's in your mind right now that you
are facing, that is difficult, that
251
:
is challenging, that emulates Nehemiah
in that way, even this very week.
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:
Well, we've talked about the method.
253
:
We've talked about the method that
Nehemiah uses, but it's also important
254
:
that we examine the content of his
prayers, the content of his prayers.
255
:
And thankfully, Nehemiah gives us the
content of his prayers Granted, he prays
256
:
for many days, and so I think what we see
here is a summary, a faithful summary.
257
:
Of his prayers and, and perhaps he
did pray these specific words at
258
:
a time, uh, but this is, this is
an encapsulation of his prayers.
259
:
So read with me, uh, in verse five.
260
:
So we're still chapter one in verse five.
261
:
I'm gonna read a little bit longer
than maybe normal, but I think it's
262
:
important that we hear the whole
thing all at once and then we will
263
:
digest it together, verse 5 cents.
264
:
And I said, oh Lord of heaven.
265
:
The great and awesome God who keeps
covenant and steadfast love with those
266
:
who love him and keep his commandments.
267
:
Let your ear be attentive and your eyes
open to hear the prayer of your servant
268
:
that I now pray before you dig in night
for the people of Israel, your servants
269
:
confessing the sins of the people of
Israel, which we have sinned against you.
270
:
Even I and my father's house have sinned.
271
:
We have acted very abruptly against
you and have not kept the commandments,
272
:
the statutes, and the rules that
you commanded your servant, Moses.
273
:
Remember the word that you commanded Your
servant Moses saying, if you are faithful,
274
:
I will scatter you among the peoples.
275
:
But if you return to me and
keep my commandments and do them
276
:
though, your outcasts are in the
uttermost parts of the heaven.
277
:
From there, I will gather them
and bring them to the place that I
278
:
have chosen to make my name dwell.
279
:
There they are your servants and your
people whom you have redeemed by your
280
:
great power and by your strong hand.
281
:
Oh Lord.
282
:
Let your dear be attentive to the prayer
of your servant and to the prayer of your
283
:
servants who delight to fear your name
and give success to your servant today.
284
:
And grant him mercy in
the sight of this man.
285
:
Excuse me.
286
:
Now, I was a copier to the king.
287
:
What do we see in Nehemiah's prayer?
288
:
We see him praying for things that only
God can do and specifically our second
289
:
point for this morning is praying for
what God alone can restore, pray alone,
290
:
or praying for what God alone can restore.
291
:
Let's break this prayer down 'cause I
think this is a helpful template for us,
292
:
for our prayers and specifically for our
prayers of confession before the Lord.
293
:
He could just begin to begin
to saying, I'm Ty Young.
294
:
I have broken your rules.
295
:
And there might be times in our
life where it's appropriate for
296
:
us to pray like that in a moment.
297
:
If we're gonna commit ourselves to
lengthy prayer about something, it
298
:
is helpful to follow this template.
299
:
And what does Nehemiah begin?
300
:
He begins with who God is.
301
:
But look at verse uh, look at verse five.
302
:
He begins by telling God, not because
God doesn't know these things.
303
:
Begins by telling God that
he's the great and awesome God.
304
:
He describes him and he also
talks about what he does.
305
:
You are the God, right?
306
:
Who keeps covenant and steadfast
love with those who love him
307
:
and keep his commandments.
308
:
So he began this by
recognizing who God is.
309
:
Makes me think of one John one five
and that this is a section on a
310
:
confession if you are familiar with it.
311
:
Right?
312
:
And what does John begin this section of?
313
:
Right.
314
:
He begins one John one five by saying
this is the message that we have heard
315
:
from him and proclaimed to you that God
is light and in him is no darkness at all.
316
:
It is right and it's good and
fitting for us to begin prayers
317
:
by acknowledging who God is.
318
:
It's right for us to declare
things that are true about him.
319
:
That sets the context, that sets the
pretense for the confession that we say
320
:
for the requests that we make to him.
321
:
And Nehemiah does that well.
322
:
Also, even again, before getting to
any requests or to his confession,
323
:
he makes another specific, another
specific set of statements.
324
:
Again, not that God doesn't know these
things or that he has to save them
325
:
in order for God to be willing to do
it, but he recognizes that God is a.
326
:
Who listens.
327
:
In verse six, it says, let your ear be
attentive and your eyes open to hear
328
:
the prayer of your servant that are
now praying for you day and night for
329
:
the people of Israel, your servants.
330
:
He recognizes and, and reminds God, not
in the sense that God just forgotten,
331
:
but ramani God of his promise to listen.
332
:
Isn't it amazing that you.
333
:
This very warning can
go before God in prayer.
334
:
You have a God who listens.
335
:
You have a God who has his ears
open, as it were, his eyes open,
336
:
as it were to your problems.
337
:
And as you pray this, it will set
up in your mind as you pray, uh,
338
:
the right setting, the right context
again for the confession, for the
339
:
requests that you might make to God.
340
:
And then Nehemiah gets to his confession.
341
:
Right.
342
:
He says, even I, even I and
my father's house have sinned.
343
:
He makes a very specific
consent confession.
344
:
I, I think it's fair to suggest
that he probably spoke at length
345
:
about each of these things, right?
346
:
He talks about, uh, the, the
acts of corruption, right?
347
:
That he's not kept the commandments,
the statutes, and the rules that
348
:
you've commanded your servant, Moses.
349
:
And we see him later in, or Nehemiah
specifically addressing those s and those
350
:
instructions, and he knows them well.
351
:
So he confesses in a specific way.
352
:
Uh, there is an aspect here in which
he's confessing for the people of Israel.
353
:
He, he confesses the sin of the
corporate body of Israel, and he
354
:
also confesses his individual sins.
355
:
You as a New Testament believer, are not
gonna be confessing the sins of Israel.
356
:
It is possible that there would be a
time and place for it to be appropriate
357
:
to confess the sentence of a corporate
group and specifically perhaps the church.
358
:
I think that is less common because
of the way God has set up the
359
:
church as opposed to the way that
he set up the people of Israel.
360
:
There may be a place for that,
but I wanna focus on the fact
361
:
that we need to be specific in
our confessions about our sins.
362
:
And that is something that each and every
one of us, including myself, even this
363
:
very morning, need to be bringing to God.
364
:
We need to be bringing specific
confessions about how we have not kept
365
:
his commandments, how we have not loved
him, how we have not done as we should.
366
:
It's worth saying, right?
367
:
That it's not the, that's not the
method by which we receive forgiveness.
368
:
Right.
369
:
And it is, if we die and we haven't
confessed all our, of our sins, we don't
370
:
end up in purgatory or somewhere else.
371
:
Speaker 2: Uh,
372
:
Speaker: but it is a good and natural
and healthy thing for us to be in
373
:
regular confession of specific sins.
374
:
Uh, following Theand of Nehemiah,
but that's not the end of his prayer.
375
:
That's not the end of his prayer.
376
:
There's two more really big
elements that kind of go together.
377
:
One is he reminds the people or he reminds
himself rather, of god's, of his promises
378
:
to judge the people, and he reminds
himself and he reminds God, as it were,
379
:
of God's promises to redeem his people.
380
:
So he says, right, and he's referencing
Deuteronomy 30, and as he phrased
381
:
this, he says, reminding himself of the
commandments that God gave to Moses.
382
:
He says, if you are unfaithful, I'm gonna
scatter you among the peoples, but if
383
:
you return to me and keep my commandments
and do them though your outs are in the
384
:
uttermost parts of the heaven from there
and will gather them and bring them.
385
:
To the place that I have chosen
to make my name dwell there.
386
:
So Nehemiah is turning back to
the promises that God has already
387
:
given him, that God has already
given to the people of Israel.
388
:
He's acknowledging that God
is right to have judged the
389
:
people to send them into exile.
390
:
He's acknowledging that they have broken
the commandments and that it was right
391
:
for God to bring about that judgment,
but he's also praying that God would
392
:
redeem his people, that God would keep
his promise to restore his people.
393
:
You don't see him pray specifically,
God let the king notice my
394
:
sadness, and therefore I'll have an
opportunity to talk to him, which
395
:
is what we're gonna see happens.
396
:
But we do see him reminding himself,
reminding God in prayer of his promises.
397
:
He does have a specific request.
398
:
In the sense of a, a sort of general
request that he may be part of God's plan.
399
:
And he says this, give success to
your servant today and bring him
400
:
mercy in the sight of this man.
401
:
And then again, now I was,
come bear to the king.
402
:
We need to, we need to pray like this.
403
:
Right?
404
:
I already mentioned, I already
mentioned perhaps your kids.
405
:
I've already mentioned
perhaps your, your wife.
406
:
Maybe there's something else
that comes to mind, but.
407
:
We need to pray like this, and
I'm not gonna pray for days.
408
:
Don't worry.
409
:
I'm not starting a day long prayer
here to demonstrate this, but a
410
:
prayer for us might look something
like this as it relates to our
411
:
job, as it relates to our work.
412
:
I say something like this,
God, you are the provider.
413
:
You are the one who
has created everything.
414
:
You are the one who has
created me and my family.
415
:
You are the God who is kind to me and
has provided for me already in my life.
416
:
You might say, God, you are the one
who hears all of the conversations
417
:
that happen in my workplace.
418
:
You have heard every conversation, every
argument, every discussion that's happened
419
:
between me and my boss, and in fact, you
have heard all of the conversations that
420
:
were had behind closed doors without me.
421
:
But Lord, you are a great God who is
willing to hear my prayers or my hand.
422
:
I, I am coming before you speaking
to me, asking me for things, and
423
:
that is an amazing and good thing.
424
:
And even as you may think that
your boss is causing issues or your
425
:
coworkers causing issues, it is right
for you to confess and say, Lord, I
426
:
have harbor bitterness in my heart.
427
:
I have been upset with my boss in
ways that are not appropriate and
428
:
know what I call my boss when I
was talking to my wife about his
429
:
last night, or forgive me for that.
430
:
Forgive me for the laziness that I.
431
:
Carry that.
432
:
Forgive me for the times when, when
I've been belligerent and difficult
433
:
and yes, Lord, he, I do believe in good
faith is causing issues, but also I
434
:
recognize that I have been unfaithful
at moments and at times you say, God,
435
:
I recognize that you are a God who
says that he will judge the wicked.
436
:
I don't want to be the witness.
437
:
I, I'm turning to Christ as my
holy hope for righteousness.
438
:
I, I can't do this perfectly.
439
:
I can't be a perfect employee.
440
:
I need your help.
441
:
I need your help.
442
:
Bend the cross.
443
:
I need your help through the Holy
Spirit on a day in and day out basis.
444
:
But God, you are the one who says
that you will reconcile everything.
445
:
You will judge everything.
446
:
You'll make everything right, I recognize,
and I'm asking for that to be possible.
447
:
Right now.
448
:
But I also see that it may not
be, it may not end the way that I
449
:
see it, but you are a God who will
make all things right At the end.
450
:
You will reconcile all of the accounts.
451
:
So your firm may like look like that.
452
:
And again, this is just an example
that's this, a sample of what it may be.
453
:
And again, if we're gonna follow the
example of Nehemiah, I think it would
454
:
be significantly longer, at least as
we pursue this particular example.
455
:
If we turn to a God who
restores, God is the one who
456
:
can solve these problems, right?
457
:
Our ability to solve problems is limited.
458
:
It is finite.
459
:
It's not that we are not called to act,
and we're gonna get to that in a second,
460
:
but we need to begin by recognizing that
we have a God who is able to perfectly
461
:
act, who has already sovereignly,
set forth all of human history.
462
:
And we can come to him in prayer
because he is the one who can solve
463
:
the problems that we may face.
464
:
And ultimately that is a recognition.
465
:
And I think even Nehemiah is beginning
to understand this of the fact that
466
:
we need Christ, we need him to be the
one who solves the problems we face.
467
:
Uh, we're not gonna be able to
build walls that solve our problems.
468
:
We're not gonna be able to
build, uh, armies that are gonna
469
:
be able to solve our problems.
470
:
We need to turn to Christ
as the ultimate solution.
471
:
Okay?
472
:
So he's brave.
473
:
He's brave, and we've spent
most of our time here.
474
:
But that doesn't end, right.
475
:
It is not just a, okay,
I pray and now I'm done.
476
:
Right?
477
:
That is true of the Christian life.
478
:
We pray and then we go
out and we do our jobs.
479
:
We love our families.
480
:
We do the things in life,
and that requires action.
481
:
That requires us to be active,
as it were, and let's see how
482
:
that plays out in Nehemiah.
483
:
So let's look at verse one
of chapter two together.
484
:
If you look down at your Bibles
with me, I think again, it's helpful
485
:
to read a little bit more that
we'll break this passage down.
486
:
In Nehemiah chapter two verse one,
it says, in the month, Nissan in
487
:
the 20th year of King are Xes.
488
:
When wine was before him, I took up
the wine and gave it to the king.
489
:
Now, I had been sad in his presence and
the king says to me, why is your face sad?
490
:
See, you are not sick.
491
:
This is nothing but sadness of heart.
492
:
Then I was very much afraid.
493
:
I was very much afraid, and I said to
the king, love the king lives forever.
494
:
Why should not my face be sad when
the city, the place of my father's
495
:
grace lies and ruins and its
gates have been destroyed by fire?
496
:
Then the king said to me, what are
you requesting and what is Nehemiah?
497
:
Dear?
498
:
He prays again.
499
:
He says, so I pray you
to the God of heaven.
500
:
And I said to the king, if it pleases
the key, and if your servant has
501
:
found favor in your sight, and you
send me to Judah, to the city of my
502
:
father's Graves, not the ability.
503
:
And the king said to me, the
queen was sitting beside him.
504
:
How long will you be gone
and when will you return?
505
:
So it pleased the king to send
me when I had given him the time.
506
:
Notice a few things here, I guess
before we do, but we need to
507
:
recognize that, uh, we have to act.
508
:
There is part of a Christian life,
whether we like it or not, where we need
509
:
to act and we need to act in obedience.
510
:
Um, but that action is never
separated from prayer, right?
511
:
The foundation of what Nehemiah does
is days of prayer, we be mourning.
512
:
He also prays in the moment, right, as
the king says, what are you requesting?
513
:
What does he do?
514
:
He prays in the moment, and that's
our third point for this morning.
515
:
Which is pray as you obey.
516
:
Pray as you obey the Lord.
517
:
Remember that he is in great fear, right?
518
:
This situation is not an easy one for him.
519
:
I, I think in Esther, right?
520
:
And I trust that you know that story
well, as Esther plans to go before
521
:
the king, she recognizes that it may
in fact result in her death, right?
522
:
That is the same again, it was a
generation earlier, but it's the same
523
:
context that we're working in here.
524
:
She recognizes that going before
the king is a serious matter.
525
:
And granted, the situation of
Nehemiah is different, right?
526
:
The king asks him the question,
but this is no laughing matter.
527
:
This is, this could
indeed result in death.
528
:
We don't experience that today.
529
:
We don't go before, uh, city council and
prosper and risk dying at the hand of the
530
:
mayor, but that is in fact a reality in
the situation, and he faces great fear.
531
:
I think there's an aspect in
which he is afraid of the king.
532
:
Or the king poses a threat to him.
533
:
But I also think that part of the fear
he's experiencing is a fear of God.
534
:
And the reason I would suggest
that is because of what he does.
535
:
If he was afraid of man, if he was afraid
of man exclusively, then what would he do?
536
:
He would say, I don't have anything.
537
:
Say I'm gonna go keep
my job as a cup bearer.
538
:
I'm gonna keep this privilege position
and I'm not gonna get in any danger.
539
:
But what does he do?
540
:
I think he's fearing the Lord and
he is responding to the situation,
541
:
uh, as he oughts to right.
542
:
Instead of fearing man, he fears the
Lord and makes his request known to the
543
:
king at even great risk of his own life.
544
:
So that's begins it.
545
:
Uh, but also notice that
he prays in the moment.
546
:
He prays in the moment, and
maybe you've done this right.
547
:
Maybe there's something that happens
and you go, God, please help me,
548
:
and that's a good thing to do.
549
:
But it's far better for those prayers in
the moment to be built on a foundation
550
:
of many days and maybe many years
of praying that preceded it, right?
551
:
His prayer as he prays, we
don't know what he prayed for.
552
:
The Lord is built on those
days of morning and weeping.
553
:
And care for God's promises and God's
people, and that makes it possible.
554
:
That makes it effective.
555
:
But that is a good thing that
might not have happened otherwise.
556
:
Right?
557
:
I, I know that there's many times in my
life where things have happened that have
558
:
gotten bad or I can tell are going bad
and my response is often not to pray.
559
:
But that's because I haven't been praying
about the situation leading up to that.
560
:
I think we see Nehemiah praying
diligently about it and then ready
561
:
and able to pray in the moment.
562
:
It is a habit of a sorts that he has
developed, and I think it's one that
563
:
we should develop as well, right?
564
:
We should have our prayer list that
has those deep concerns on it and
565
:
that we're praying day in and day out
for, or perhaps for many days for it.
566
:
But then we need to also pray
for things in the moment.
567
:
How do we do that?
568
:
Especially as men, it's so easy to be
single-minded, focused on something.
569
:
And when you know that the email
you're gonna open up is a problem,
570
:
or when you know your boss is
walking in the door, if it's not
571
:
gonna go well, what's your response?
572
:
We need to build a habit in those
moments to respond in prayer
573
:
before anything else happens.
574
:
Let me suggest to you, and I said
this on the podcast, so maybe I,
575
:
you know, maybe you already heard
it and you're gonna be bored.
576
:
But I think responding to the emotional
swells that we have in our life.
577
:
Is a great way to trigger us
to pray, to cause us to pray.
578
:
And I know we're men.
579
:
I know we don't have any emotions.
580
:
I know nothing faces us ever, but
those rare times, I'm kidding.
581
:
Of course, those rare times when we
feel those emotions on an hourly basis,
582
:
I think is a helpful time for us to
train ourselves to respond in prayer.
583
:
I know many people will pray when
they arrive in the driveway, right?
584
:
Or maybe they're going up the elevator.
585
:
They'll use those sort of
physical moments, and that's a
586
:
great way to practice prayer.
587
:
But if we're gonna be like Nehemiah, and
when somebody asks us something like the
588
:
king asked Nehemiah, how are we gonna
be trained to pray in those moments?
589
:
And I'm gonna suggest one way that he
may do that is to feel that emotion.
590
:
Nehemiah felt great fear and
he responds in prayer before
591
:
saying anything to the king.
592
:
Well, his prayer is answered.
593
:
His prayer is answered, and it's
answered in two different senses.
594
:
It is answered in an immediate sense.
595
:
Right, and we don't have time to go
through the whole book of Nehemiah, but
596
:
his prayer is that the king will hear him.
597
:
The king will allow him to go forward and
go to Jerusalem and eventually rebuild the
598
:
wall, which he is successfully able to do.
599
:
He made a specific request of of
God, right, that he would find
600
:
favor in the eyes of the king, and
God answered that specific prayer.
601
:
God is a gun who answers prayers.
602
:
Like that.
603
:
And so there's an immediate answer
to that, but I also wanna make sure
604
:
that we don't miss that there is
a long-term answer to that prayer
605
:
that doesn't get answered fully.
606
:
It doesn't get answered fully.
607
:
Yes, Nehemiah is able to go back
to Jerusalem and rebuild the walls.
608
:
He's able to do that with God's hope.
609
:
But what is Meyer really
asking for in his prayer?
610
:
As he prays the prayer of Deuteronomy
referencing Deuteronomy 30, he's asking
611
:
for the restoration of people of Israel.
612
:
And yes, there's a physical
aspect to that, but there's
613
:
also a spiritual aspect to that.
614
:
Nehemiah gets to participate in that,
and you can see that later in the book,
615
:
in the restoration of the, the spiritual
practices, the people of Israel.
616
:
But it's not complete.
617
:
It's not complete.
618
:
And even, even at the end of chapter two.
619
:
If you will turn or, or
look down at verse 19.
620
:
Halfway through there it says, they
jered at us and despised us and said,
621
:
what is this thing that you are doing?
622
:
Are you rebelling against the king?
623
:
So even in the long term,
he still faces opposition.
624
:
God did not answer fully in the sense that
there's perfect restoration at this point.
625
:
Not fully answer.
626
:
Nehemiah's rear, right?
627
:
There are still those who.
628
:
Challenging.
629
:
There are still those who cause
obstacles to it, even at the very
630
:
last chapter of Nehemiah, right?
631
:
We see AYA causing continued problems
and, and there is need for restoration.
632
:
So in our own lives, we need to
look for both of those things.
633
:
We need to look for the
specific answers to praise.
634
:
And we can see those if we are faithful.
635
:
I, I spoke at the NAC conference
about prayer journaling, and I find
636
:
that prayer journaling is a really
helpful way for us to remember how
637
:
God has answered those prayers.
638
:
But we also need to know and recognize
that God answers our prayers in ways that
639
:
are far more complex and in far more long
term, long reaching ways than we may like.
640
:
Uh, we need to look for those things and
be encouraged, and be thankful for when
641
:
the answers are prayers in that way.
642
:
Uh, but also recognize
that Nehemiah acted.
643
:
Nehemiah acted in this moment, right?
644
:
He prays to God, and then he says
what you have to say, that action,
645
:
that courage, that resolve, that
Nehemiah demonstrates to ask.
646
:
The king is a product of his prayers.
647
:
It's a product of him
remembering who God is.
648
:
It's a product of him remembering.
649
:
That God cares for him,
that God listens to him.
650
:
It's a product of him recalling the
promises that God has made to his
651
:
people, the promises that God has
made to him, and it allows him to act.
652
:
It allows him to be courageous.
653
:
Remember, remember the tank man.
654
:
We don't know who he is.
655
:
We don't know who he is, but what did
we know was gonna happen because of
656
:
his willingness to lay down his life?
657
:
If those tanks were to run over, he had
no guarantee that things would end well.
658
:
He had no promise that his
sacrifice would be meaningful.
659
:
He had no idea what was gonna happen.
660
:
Yet he was willing to do that.
661
:
He had the courage and
the resolve to do that.
662
:
How much more us as Christians
who have the sure promises of God.
663
:
Who know what is done.
664
:
Yes, we may not know what this
week holds, but we know that
665
:
God is going to care for us.
666
:
We know that God is going to save us.
667
:
We know that God is going to
restore the heavens and the earth.
668
:
We know that we will dwell
with him as sons forever.
669
:
With those assurances, with
those confidences, then we
670
:
can come to him in prayer.
671
:
We can come to him in confession.
672
:
We can come to him in
reliance and in trust.
673
:
The difference is, is we know He the end.
674
:
We know the end.
675
:
And so we can come to God this week.
676
:
I encourage you to, to get on
your knees, to pray to the Lord.
677
:
Ask him for help, confess your sins
to them so that when the moment comes
678
:
when you need to act, encourage and
resolve that you will be able to
679
:
do that faithfully for the Lord.
680
:
Amen.
681
:
Let me pray for us.
682
:
And then we would like to small groups.
683
:
Lord, thank you for this morning.
684
:
I'm thankful for for men.
685
:
I pray that you will help us, help us to
be courageous men who are resolved, and I
686
:
pray that we will follow the example, the
footsteps of me in room, that we will turn
687
:
to you as a God who is able to do that.
688
:
We are not able to solve those
problems, but you're a God who is.
689
:
Whatever problems we face in our life,
you are a God who cares about them.
690
:
And ultimately it will resolve them.
691
:
Help us to be people who trust in that
so that we can go about our lives acting
692
:
in confidence, going before key or bosses
or whoever it may be, with confidence
693
:
in you and trusting in your promises.
694
:
I pray for our small group time that
it'll be beneficial and profitable
695
:
in your son's name and right.
696
:
Amen.
697
:
We have smaller time, so I think
most of you have been here before.
698
:
If you haven't written.
