Anything worth doing is worth doing right.
Serving God is more than a Sunday morning activity; it’s an all-encompassing lifestyle. But what exactly does that look like?
In the Old Testament, Nehemiah provides a great example of the struggles and rewards of serving God. He was called to lead the Jewish people to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. They served together in this great task, even as they encountered opposition and ridicule from enemies. They did far more than build a wall. As they served and rebuilt the wall, God rebuilt them!
We can serve God and others in a variety of ways, but in Nehemiah we see the principles by which we can serve—no matter what our work entails. Our work for God will have its ups and downs, but we gain so much as we serve. A lifestyle of service includes the work of God in us. Read on and let the example of Nehemiah help you build a life of service.
Nehemiah: Building a Life of Service Lessons
- Pray Nehemiah 1:1-11
- Plan Nehemiah 2:1-8,17-18
- Persist Nehemiah 4:1-3,6-9,14-18
- Protect Nehemiah 5:1-13
- Prioritize Nehemiah 6:1-3,15-16; 8:1-3,5-8
- Praise Nehemiah 8:9-12; 12:27-31a
THE BIBLE MEETS LIFE
The phone that was previously in my office had a red light that blinked with every new voicemail. It was annoying, but I had no idea how to turn it off. My solution? I put a piece of tape over the light. That phone has long since been replaced with a cell phone, but now I’m bombarded with constant notifications about messages, texts, and tweets.
Heaven doesn’t have a message machine with a blinking red light. Sometimes we may wonder if God hears our prayers, but we have no “message read” notification on our phones when it comes to prayer. Neither does prayer usually offer the same “instant gratification” we often get from social media notifications—but what it accomplishes is phenomenal!
Prayer can be a mysterious spiritual discipline, but God invites us to talk to Him! Nehemiah was a man who saw the need for prayer and realized its benefits.
When Nehemiah received bad news, his first reaction was to pray. He knew prayer is more than just simply sending messages to God. Prayer is a spiritual endeavor that brings us into communion with God, focusing on His truth and leading us into action.
WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY?
Nehemiah 1:1-3
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.”
The Book of Nehemiah begins with bad news. Hanani, either a close friend or likely Nehemiah’s biological brother, brought Nehemiah a message he didn’t want to hear. The few people left in Jerusalem were in trouble; the city was in ruins. This update was devastating because of the history leading up to this point.
About three hundred years earlier, the Assyrians destroyed the Northern Kingdom of Israel and deported the Jewish people to various areas all over their empire. The Southern Kingdom of Judah was spared conquest by the Assyrians, but because of their own disobedience, God allowed the Babylonians to invade and conquer Judah in 586 BC. Thus, the great empires of David and Solomon crumbled. The people of the Northern Kingdom had disappeared as they were scattered everywhere, but the people of the Southern Kingdom were exiled as a group. They were not in their homeland, but they were still together.
Babylon eventually fell to the Persians, and a new ruler emerged who was more benevolent to the Jews. The new Persian king, Cyrus, issued a decree in 538 BC that allowed the Jews to return to their homeland and rebuild the city of Jerusalem. A relatively small band of people returned and began to work, but opposition caused the initial work of rebuilding to be halted. The hope of rebuilding the city faded, and the ruins remained.
The news consumed Nehemiah. He was living in comfort in a place of safety. But what could Nehemiah do? He visualized the damage, and then he internalized it. Surely the words in verse 3 echoed as he heard them: “great trouble and shame ... broken down ... destroyed.” Nehemiah responded by praying. How can we pray like Nehemiah?
- Ask specific questions; don’t assume. Nehemiah asked about the people and city he loved. In order to understand the problems around us, we must first ask. Making assumptions does not reveal the true needs around us.
- Listen carefully; don’t jump to conclusions. After asking the question, listen. Don’t jump to conclusions. Drawing conclusions before listening is just as dangerous as making assumptions before asking. Nehemiah listened carefully as his brother shared the news.
Awareness is a critical first step in pouring out our hearts to God in prayer. But simply being aware of needs is not enough. As we will see in the next verses, we need to go to the source of our strength.
Nehemiah 1:4-7
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.
Unexpected news has a way of hitting us hard. When Nehemiah heard the report about Jerusalem, he “sat down and wept.” Nehemiah’s mourning was not momentary; it led him to fast and pray “for days.” His grief over Jerusalem led him to the right place: he went to God in prayer. Nehemiah’s prayer speaks to our own approach to prayer.
- Prayer is all about God, not us. Nehemiah began his prayer in the same way Jesus taught us to begin our prayers: looking to the Father in heaven. (See Matt. 6:9.) Nehemiah’s prayer was saturated with the character and nature of God. Prayer is not trying to get God to do our will on earth. Prayer is seeking God’s will on earth.
- Confession realigns our priorities. Nehemiah was hundreds of miles from the problem, but he did not distance himself from it. He included himself in the confession. Rather than lament about what others had done wrong, Nehemiah associated with his people, making confession his priority. Nehemiah understood that for Jerusalem to be restored as a city, the heart of the people first must be restored.
- Life should be an ongoing conversation with God. In order to pursue what is right and good, we must pray constantly. Nehemiah didn’t pray once and move on; he prayed for days. The Book of Nehemiah records nine different prayers Nehemiah prayed.
Nehemiah 1:8-11
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.
It should naturally follow that, when we confess our sins in prayer, we will turn to God in obedience—and that obedience calls for guidance. This is the exact pattern we see in Nehemiah’s prayer to God.
In his prayer, Nehemiah included a commitment to God’s Word and reassurance of God’s promises. Nehemiah recognized people cannot follow God without carefully observing His commands in Scripture. In order for God to guide us, we must consistently immerse ourselves in His Word, and when we’re committed to God’s Word, we also have an assurance of His promises.
Why did Nehemiah need guidance? He wanted to act on his concern for Jerusalem, but he wanted to do it the right way—God’s way. And he had an incredible opportunity in front of him. The opportunity came through Nehemiah’s job. As the cupbearer to King Artaxerxes, Nehemiah was tasked with protecting Persia’s most powerful leader, making sure his food and drink were not poisoned. He constantly watched for danger. The king was powerful, but he was also vulnerable. So Nehemiah was in a position of honor, with constant access to power.
Nehemiah served the king, but more importantly, he saw himself as God’s servant. The king could open a lot of doors for Nehemiah, but it was God who would grant success. The king’s heart was in God’s hand.
LIVE IT OUT
God wants you to pour out yourself to Him. Below are some ways you can do this.
- Pray. Follow Nehemiah’s example in your prayers. Surrender to Christ’s lordship and in obedience to His will. Confess your sin. Ask God to give you the guidance to do His will.
- Read. Prayer is never detached from God’s Word. You can’t pray well without reading the Word. You can’t read the Bible well without praying. Pray about what you read. Ask God to open your eyes to the wonderful truths in His Word. Then commit in prayer to follow what He shows you in His Word.
- Write. Write a handwritten encouraging note to someone after praying for him or her. Ask God to make His name great through this prayerful interaction.
God doesn’t have an in-box that gets full. Your prayers do not annoy Him the way a phone’s blinking red message light might annoy us. You can’t tire God with your prayers. He is always there for you.
Hope to see you on Sunday!
In His Love,
David & Susan
Teacher Notes:
Teacher Notes:
“WHAT this church needs
is … !” “I can’t believe our government officials. If I were there I would … !”
“Our schools are really in bad shape. Someone ought to do something!”
Gripers, complainers,
self-proclaimed prophets, and “armchair quarterbacks” abound. It is easy to
analyze, scrutinize, and talk about
all the problems in the world. But we really need people who will not just
discuss a situation but will do something about it! Someone willing to step out
and lead, serve, and do God’s will. This was the example of Nehemiah.
What is Nehemiah known for?
Nehemiah is known by
most as the individual who led the citizens of Jerusalem to rebuild the city
walls that remained in disrepair. He is an excellent model of effective
leadership. We are going to see his ability to plan a project, lead people to
work together, and see his diligence in face of opposition. In all of this
though, what many tend to overlook is that he
was a mighty prayer warrior. No less than nine prayers are in the book. All
his decisions were made after careful prayer. All that he did as a leader was
bathed in prayer.
This lesson focuses on
the first prayer recorded in Nehemiah. From the beginning, he sought direction
from the Lord.
Nehemiah 1:1-11
1 The words of Nehemiah
son of Hakaliah: In the month of Kislev in the twentieth year, while I was in
the citadel of Susa, 2 Hanani, one of my brothers, came from Judah with some
other men, and I questioned them about the Jewish remnant that had survived the
exile, and also about Jerusalem. 3 They said to me, “Those who survived the
exile and are back in the province are in great trouble and disgrace. The wall
of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates have been burned with fire.” 4 When I heard these things, I sat down and
wept. For some days I mourned and fasted and prayed before the God of heaven. 5
Then I said: “Lord, the God of heaven, the great and awesome God, who keeps his
covenant of love with those who love him and keep his commandments, 6 let your
ear be attentive and your eyes open to hear the prayer your servant is praying
before you day and night for your servants, the people of Israel. I confess the
sins we Israelites, including myself and my father’s family, have committed
against you. 7 We have acted very wickedly toward you. We have not obeyed the
commands, decrees and laws you gave your servant Moses. 8 “Remember the instruction you gave your
servant Moses, saying, ‘If you are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the
nations, 9 but if you return to me and obey my commands, then even if your
exiled people are at the farthest horizon, I will gather them from there and
bring them to the place I have chosen as a dwelling for my Name.’ 10 “They are
your servants and your people, whom you redeemed by your great strength and
your mighty hand. 11 Lord, let your ear be attentive to the prayer of this your
servant and to the prayer of your servants who delight in revering your name.
Give your servant success today by granting him favor in the presence of this
man.” I was cupbearer to the king.
When have you been stopped in your tracks by a
news story?
What was your first
response? Was it concern or worry?
In this first lesson, we
learn how Nehemiah responded to bad news. His
first response was to pray.
I.
Become aware of needs
around you. Nehemiah
1:1-3
1 The words of Nehemiah son of Hakaliah: In the month of Kislev in
the twentieth year, while I was in the citadel of Susa, 2 Hanani, one of my
brothers, came from Judah with some other men, and I questioned them about the
Jewish remnant that had survived the exile, and also about Jerusalem. 3 They
said to me, “Those who survived the exile and are back in the province are in
great trouble and disgrace. The wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates
have been burned with fire.”
Everyday life has a way
of creating routines that can insulate us from what’s going on in our
communities and beyond. Have you ever suddenly found yourself in a crisis
situation? What was your first response? Did you immediately pray to the God of
heaven or did you take matters into your own hands to try to fix the situation?
· Problems and struggles
are all around us, but there are certain concerns especially close to us that
grab our attention. Those situations are the ones we feel compelled to
confront. Convinced we know what to do; we eagerly jump in to tackle the
problem. Then at other times, we may have a burning desire to address a
concern, but we are not as certain we know what to do. In both instances,
however, the place to start is by looking to God. Before we act, we are to
pray.
· How
many times have you heard someone make this statement? “All I know to do is pray.”
What they usually mean is, “I’ve tried everything else, so all I have left is
prayer.” It does not speak well of our priorities. Prayer should not be our
last resort, but our very first step when confronted with a huge problem. Like
many people, I tend to be rather task-oriented. As a result, I often plunge
right into tackling a problem without pausing to pray about it first. Alas,
that approach has gotten me into more trouble than I would care to admit!
Nehemiah
had his priorities right. When he heard bad news from his homeland, the very
first thing he did was carry it to the Lord in prayer. We serve a big God, and
no problem is too big for Him to handle. Do we really believe that?
These first 3 verses
tell us that Awareness is a critical
first step in pouring out our hearts to God in prayer. Our lesson says to Become aware of the needs around you.
· Times of affliction and
distress come to us all. We need to be informed and concerned about the
suffering of others.
What helps you become
aware of the needs around you?
Verse 1: The opening chapter occurred in the fortress city of Susa, modern
day Iran – about 150 miles north of the Persian Gulf. Verse 2: Hanani is identified as Nehemiah’s brother, but a Jew
would have been considered family in a broad sense. The men had just come from
Judah and Nehemiah was eager to hear about his homeland. The Babylonians had
taken roughly 10,000 prominent Jews captive and relocated them to Babylon.
Beginning around 538 BC, the Persian king, Cyrus allowed the Jews to return to
Jerusalem to restore the temple and the city. The book of Ezra details several
trips in which about 50,000 Jews ultimately returned to their homeland. They finally
rebuilt the temple but the city itself was not completely restored. The remnant
could have been the poor people or their descendants who had remained in Judah.
More likely, it was descendants who had returned to Jerusalem from Babylon. It
had been almost one hundred years since the first Jewish exiles returned to
their homeland from Babylon. Verse 3:
Perhaps many of the Jews who had willingly returned to Jerusalem had given up
and returned to Babylon, leaving few, a remnant, in the area. Nehemiah heard
that this group was experiencing great trouble
and disgrace. Their trouble came
from the opposing people who had been living in the land for decades, many
of whom had been relocated there by the Assyrians after they conquered the
Northern Kingdom of Israel. These enemies saw the Jewish people as a threat to
their influence and control of the area – thus they opposed the rebuilding of
the temple and the city. They forcibly stopped the building and may have
destructed anything that had previously been done. The bad news was primarily
about Jerusalem’s wall and its city gates. The temple eventually had been rebuilt,
but the wall and its gates were a disgrace to the Jews and a dishonor to the
Lord. In the ancient Middle East, a city wall provided protection for the
inhabitants. The condition of the city wall was also seen as an indication of
the strength of the people’s gods. The
ruined condition of the wall of Jerusalem was a disgrace to God’s name.
The next verses show us
the importance of confession and repentance once we are made aware.
II.
Acknowledge God and
Confess Sin Nehemiah 1:4-7
4 When I heard these
things, I sat down and wept. For some days I mourned and fasted and prayed
before the God of heaven. 5 Then I said: “Lord, the God of heaven, the great
and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love with those who love him and
keep his commandments, 6 let your ear be attentive and your eyes open to hear
the prayer your servant is praying before you day and night for your servants,
the people of Israel. I confess the sins we Israelites, including myself and my
father’s family, have committed against you. 7 We have acted very wickedly
toward you. We have not obeyed the commands, decrees and laws you gave your
servant Moses.
How would you describe
Nehemiah’s reaction to the news of Jerusalem and the exiles?
· Passionately concerned -
Nehemiah prayed to God.
What do we learn about
Nehemiah from his prayer?
· Prayer is all about God, not us. Nehemiah began his prayer in the same way Jesus
taught us to begin our prayers: looking to the Father in heaven. (See Matt.
6:9.) Prayer is not trying to get God to do our will on earth. Prayer is seeking God’s will on earth.
· Life should be an ongoing conversation with God. In order to pursue what
is right and good, we must pray constantly. Nehemiah didn’t pray once and move
on; he prayed for days. The Book of Nehemiah records nine different prayers
Nehemiah prayed.
Why is confession of sin
an important part of prayer?
· Confession realigns our priorities. Nehemiah was hundreds
of miles from the problem, but he did not distance himself from it. He included
himself in the confession. Rather than lament about what others had done wrong,
Nehemiah associated with his people, making confession his priority. Nehemiah
understood that for Jerusalem to be restored as a city, the heart of the people
first must be restored.
Our lesson says to Acknowledge God and confess sin.
· What a privilege to be
able to come into the presence of such an awesome God. He is gracious and can
be counted on to keep His promises. God blesses those who love and obey Him.
Nothing is more important or needed during difficult times than approaching the
Lord in prayer. Prayer should include confession of sin unto the Lord.
Verse 4: Bad news has a way of moving us – often, however, we are tempted
to move away from God. Nehemiah moved toward God. When he heard about the wall
he sat down and wept. This situation had been this way for a number of years –
had Nehemiah not known? Maybe God convicted him at this time because He was
planning to use him to rectify the situation. Nehemiah mourned for a number of
days to the Lord. Under the Mosaic law, Jews were only required to fast one day
a year. Nehemiah either did not want to eat or he intentionally refused food so
he could seek God’s will. Verse 5:
Nehemiah prayed to the God of heaven. He recognized God as great and awesome.
In other words, Nehemiah knew about God’s power and the fear or respect He was
to be shown. These were genuine words of praise and worship to the God whom
Nehemiah had worshipped throughout his whole life. Nehemiah then acknowledged
the covenant nature of God. God’s special relationship with His people, the
Jews, was defined by graciousness. The Hebrew word for this is chesed, which is translated mercy,
kindness, steadfast love, or lovingkindness. God’s requirement in this covenant
was that His people would love Him and keep His commands – His law – that He
gave for the good of His people. Verse
6: Nehemiah asked God to be open and attentive to his request. He had no
doubt God knew of him and the distressing situation. He presented himself as
God’s servant coming on behalf of the Jews, who were also Gpd’s servants. God
had been faithful in keeping His responsibility in the covenant, but the people
had not done what was required of them. They had broken the covenant when they
disobeyed God’s commands. Their sins were the reason God removed them from the
promised land, and the reason they had been exiles in a foreign land. While his
ancestors committed these sins over 100 years before, Nehemiah identified with
them and confessed his own sins as well as those of his family (his father’s
family). Franklin Graham’s prayers at
the State Capitals before the 2016 election. Verse 7: Nehemiah noted that
he and his fellow Jews had themselves acted corruptly toward God. It was what
the Jewish people had done throughout their history as they disobeyed God’s
commands – the laws God gave to Moses. These laws gave instruction for how God’s
people were to live in relationship to Him and other people.
The next verses show us
how we are to look to God for guidance.
III.
Pray for Guidance
Nehemiah 1:8-11
8 “Remember the
instruction you gave your servant Moses, saying, ‘If you are unfaithful, I will
scatter you among the nations, 9 but if you return to me and obey my commands,
then even if your exiled people are at the farthest horizon, I will gather them
from there and bring them to the place I have chosen as a dwelling for my
Name.’ 10 “They are your servants and your people, whom you redeemed by your
great strength and your mighty hand. 11 Lord, let your ear be attentive to the
prayer of this your servant and to the prayer of your servants who delight in
revering your name. Give your servant success today by granting him favor in
the presence of this man.” I was cupbearer to the king.
When has prayer prepared
you for something important in your life?
· In his prayer, Nehemiah
included a commitment to God’s Word and reassurance of God’s promises. Nehemiah
recognized people cannot follow God without carefully observing His commands
(obedience). In order for God to guide us, we must consistently immerse
ourselves in His Word, and when we’re committed to God’s Word, we can also have
assurance of His promises.
What principles can we
learn from Nehemiah about making requests of God? Sometimes having a guide to
prayer can be helpful.
A: Adoration – praising God for who He is; His character traits.
C: Confession – confessing sin, specifically, to God.
T: Thanksgiving – thanking God for things He has done in your life.
S: Supplication – praying for your needs and the needs of others.
Verse 8: After declaring God’s sovereignty and confessing his and his
people’s sin, Nehemiah requested God’s guidance. He recalled words God gave to
Moses centuries earlier and asked God to remember those words. Verse 9: Disobedience did not
necessarily spell the end of the Jews’ relationship with God. Because of His
merciful and forgiving nature, God promised restoration and blessing if the
people would return to Him. This involved turning away from their sin and
turning back to God – the essence of New Testament repentance. Returning to God
meant more than just saying you’re sorry. It was essential to carefully observe
and obey God’s commands. The conditional nature of God’s promise is emphasized
in the word - if. If they repented and obeyed God once again, then He would
restore them. Verse 10: Just as
Moses interceded on behalf of the Hebrew people when they sinned, so Nehemiah
interceded now. Verse 11: Nehemiah’s
words reflected a humble servant who recognized his unworthiness to approach his
Master. As he had been grieving and praying, Nehemiah must have been
considering what he might do about the condition of Jerusalem. He obviously had
devised a plan and asked God for success today.
Conclusion:
This lesson about
Nehemiah reveals several important truths about prayer. During times of trouble
and distress, we can approach the Lord in prayer to seek His strength and
consolation. Begin prayer by praising and glorifying the name of the Lord.
Confessing sin is a key element of prayer. Prayer provides an opportunity to
claim the promises of God. During prayer, we renew our commitment to serve the
Lord as His servants and to obey His Word as His people. In prayer, we can make
our petitions known to the Lord with confidence that He hears, sees, and is
able to provide what we need.
