OPENING CONVERSATION
As we begin this new series together entitled, “Rebuilding Faith”, I want to invite you to share with the group something that you’ve had to REBUILD in your lifetime. Maybe it was a room in your house, a school project gone wrong, or even a relationship. What comes to mind when you think about the idea of rebuilding?
Intro: Today we are beginning a brand new series that focuses on the BIG PICTURE of experiencing renewal in our faith. The guide for this journey is going to be someone in the Old Testament named Nehemiah. His ministry comes at the end of the chronology of the Old Testament just before Malachi. Most of you know the story of Daniel and the Lion’s Den. Well the ministry of Nehemiah comes at the end of that Persian reign that led to Daniel’s bad day in the den! So God has paved the way for His children to now return to the Promised Land and Nehemiah is just one of the characters that God used in that section of His story. So we are going to lean on Nehemiah as our guide through this journey.
But as we begin the journey together, we are not only going to use Nehemiah but we are also going to use a visual guide for this process. It’s the diagram that will appear on your notes each week – the stairway that wraps around the logo for this series.
It’s a diagram similar to what you might find in an “Experiencing God” book…hopefully a clear visual that will bring these points to mind…all built up on the word “REBUILD”.
And so as we go through this series…we are going to refer to this diagram again and again as the stepping stones for each incremental move in this series. Everything in week two is built upon week one…and so on. And as we study the life of Nehemiah and the culmination of the Old Testament story…I hope that we will gain a pattern for revival…for rebuilding our faith.
SETTING THE STAGE FOR THE STUDY
But as we start this study…I want us to consider…
Why this Material? To answer that I want you to imagine that you have just purchased a new DVD player or other really cool electronics item! You begin unpacking it…laying out all of the pieces…and you set the manual off to the side. You plug it in, you put in a DVD, and it works perfectly. But there’s just one problem. There’s a little flashing clock on the front, and try as you might to watch the DVD without being distracted by that little flashing 12:00…it continually catches your eye. Finally, you decide you’ll figure it out and get it set to the correct time, but you simply cannot figure out how that option shows up on the screen! So in a moment of desperation you do what every man despises…you reach for the manual and within minutes you’re back to your movie with a perfectly set clock.
Now what made the difference? Well the manual is what made all the difference! And in the same way, we often set out in our spiritual journeys without considering the fact that we have a Road Map for the adventure. So after trying and trying to do it all on our own…we realize that we need God’s help. Well, this material is intended to be just one component of that Road Map. Our hope is that you will be led to study the book of Nehemiah in the Old Testament and then long for more information. And as a result, you’ll become convinced that God has a plan and a map for you how YOU can not only rebuild your faith but live it out daily according to His plan!
Goal: And so as we set out in this study…my real intention is that we would have the stepping stones for rebuilding our faith to that place where we truly say, “In Christ I find the answer to my every longing!”
The first section that we come to in our material might be summed up with this question…
I. Recognizing Problems: “So How’s it Going?” - Read Nehemiah 1:1-3
As the story of Nehemiah begins, how does he find out that the walls are still broken in Jerusalem?
Answer: He seeks out Hanani…who had just returned from Jersualem. Nehemiah wanted to know an update on the situation and sought out someone with the information.
And there are times when we seek out how someone is doing…and other times when we just kind of stumble upon the opportunity to minister to someone.
Point: Well Nehemiah didn’t take a passive role hoping that something would come his way. Instead, he sought out the opportunity to find out what the situation was in Jerusalem.
The News: And the news that he discovered wasn’t good! Take a look at 1:1-3 and let’s see what the description was in that situation. What does our text say?
• The people were in great distress and reproach.
• The wall is still destroyed and the gates are still charred from the destruction.
He sought out an answer…I’m sure hoping for good news…but the word he heard just hit him in the face!
How are you? Have you ever walked by someone and asked them, “How ya doing?”…and they actually responded? You see, so often we just want to see someone in passing – but not know their lives!
Point: Well as we begin this material…our objective is to go beyond the surface answer – the quick response to a passing “How’s it going?” In the story of Nehemiah…he was immediately met with a real need in a real situation!
And as we study the life and ministry of Nehemiah…
The Starting Point for this awesome ministry is in his willingness to start where the people were – broken and hurting! And as we observe that…the wonderful thing is that in the story of Nehemiah we don’t just discover the FIRST STEP (Recognizing our Failures)…but we’re going to discover the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and so on.
So here is Nehemiah…still in the capital…still in luxury…. but he was willing to ask the question, “How’s it going?”
Application to Us: In our own church here in South Carolina, the study just prior to this one in Nehemiah was a study of the book of James. In that study of James what we discovered is that God calls us to a deeper level of relationships…and as we apply that to our relationships today…we have to ask ourselves, “Do I really have a vested interest in the lives of my friends? Do I ask the tough questions and expect real answers?”
Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 says, “Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their labor.
10 For if they fall, one will lift up his companion. But woe to him who is alone when he falls, for he has no one to help him up.”
So if we apply this to our friendships…our relationships…then if we are going to help those individuals rebuild their faith…it means we have to ask with the intent of truly listening.
But I think the bigger step sometimes can be…
The Personal Application - there are those of us who are better at helping others than we are at helping ourselves. But if we turn the mirror on ourselves…then we are JUST AS WILLING to recognize our own brokenness as we are the brokenness of those around us.
And so as we begin in the story of Nehemiah…I don’t want us to be OBSERVERS…I want us to be participants. And so we begin claiming promises like we find in Proverbs 28:13…
“He who covers his sins will not prosper, but whoever confesses and forsakes them will have mercy.”
Context: God had sent His children back to the Land with an assignment- to rebuild and to reestablish themselves as God’s holy people. But as they arrived back in town…they very quickly put up their feet and grew lazy in their commitment to the Lord.
Major Point: And so we find out here in the beginning of our study that the walls were broken. So maybe the starting point for Rebuilding Faith is simply asking, “So how’s it going?” And it’s a question that we ask one another and a question that we ask ourselves.
Nehemiah set the example of a selfless concern for others and his response challenges us both relationally and personally.
Transition: And as we are willing to do a bit of self-evaluation work on where we are in our relationship with the Lord…then it moves us back into the story…as we ask the next question…
II. Recognizing Passion: “What Moves You?” - Read Nehemiah 1:4
The response of Nehemiah is clear as he heard the news regarding Jerusalem. But the reality is, we’re all moved by different things and moved in different ways.
Cliff Jumper: In January 2012, an American adventure seeker named Jeb Corliss traveled to South Africa to attempt a cliff dive. It’s where you literally jump off the edge of the cliff, diving through the air at speeds up to 120mph until you are close to the bottom of the cliff where you pull your parachute. Well on this particular dive, he miscalculated how he would fall…and caught the edge of one of the lower cliffs…breaking both of his legs and yet amazingly…he lived!
Point of Illustration: Well I can tell by many of your faces that you probably aren’t going to be attempting this any time soon, right? And the reason is…what moves one person doesn’t move another! But when it comes to Nehemiah’s response, is his response one that we should strive for?
Optional Discussion: If there are those of you here who have been on an international or national mission trip, what did you witness on that trip that moved you?
Well let’s look at the text and look at Nehemiah’s response…
Study the Text: So how does Nehemiah respond in 1:4 to the news?
• He sat down and wept.
• He mourned for many days.
• He entered into a fast.
• He prayed to God.
How you respond means everything!
Humorous Story: A Minnesota couple decided to vacation to Florida during the winter. They planned to stay at the very same hotel where they spent their honeymoon 20 years earlier. Because of hectic schedules, it was difficult to coordinate their travel schedules. So, the husband left Minnesota and flew to Florida on Thursday. His wife would fly down the following day.
The husband checked into the hotel. There was a computer in his room, so he decided to send an e-mail to his wife. However, he accidentally left out one letter in her e-mail address, and without realizing his error, he sent the e-mail.
Meanwhile.....somewhere in Houston, a widow had just returned home from her husband’s funeral. He was a minister of many years who was called home to glory following a sudden heart attack. The widow decided to check her e-mail, expecting messages from relatives and friends. After reading the first message, she fainted.
The widow’s son rushed into the room, found his mother on the floor, and saw the computer screen which read:
To: My Loving Wife
Subject: I’ve Arrived
Date: 16 May 2003
I know you’re surprised to hear from me. They have computers here now and you are allowed to send e-mails to your loved ones. I’ve just arrived and have been checked in. I see that everything has been prepared for your arrival tomorrow. Looking forward to seeing you then! Hope your journey is not as uneventful as mine was.
P.S. Sure is hot down here!
Transition: Well her response was CLEAR…even though it was sent to the wrong person! Well in the story of Nehemiah…his response is about as drastic! He was moved to tears, to mourning, to fasting!
What can we duplicate: But I want us to think about his response for a few minutes. As we consider the response of Nehemiah to the news of Jerusalem still in ruins, I want us to consider this, “Which of these responses can we control and which can we not control?”
CANNOT CONTROL: Weeping and Mourning CAN CONTROL: Fasting and Praying
Answer: And so while we might all strive to have such a softened heart that we react in tears to every need around us…I believe the first step is to do what we CAN control.
I CANNOT control an emotional outflowing…but I can control spiritual disciplines in my life.
Missions: You may have discovered in your own life that there are some things that move you that do not move someone else. Take for example missions. There may be those that have a heart for children’s ministries and would want to participate in an orphanage ministry while on missions. Others would want to be involved with construction and buildings. And yet when all of those gifts come together…it makes a wonderful team!
Our Response: So instead of hearing stories of how others are being used by God and saying, “But things just don’t touch me like they do someone else. I’m just not wired that way.”
Well that can be our cop-out…or it can be our challenge.
Guiding our Hearts: If we realize that we are not BROKEN over what breaks God’s heart…then we need to take REAL action steps to guide our hearts rather than depend on our hearts to guide us!
STEP NUMBER ONE: Our FIRST STEP is all about recognizing where we are missing the mark and being willing to honestly accept that.
And while I CANNOT control my “emotional response” to the needs around me…I can begin praying, and even fasting as I pray, over those needs…to lead my heart to be broken over those needs and my own need!
Making it Practical: So let’s pause and make this point come alive in our lives. As we move through this material…at points like this…we are going to pause and consider what I am calling “Rebuilding Action Moments”. These are opportunities for us to take tangible steps towards rebuilding our faith. Just like a contractor has to have a written plan for when the work will be completed, so we need real plans for putting into action our rebuilding faith emphasis. And so let’s consider the “Rebuilding Action Moment” in relation to “What Moves Us?”.
Rebuilding Action Moment
Let’s discuss for a moment what you believe would be some action steps to begin to guide your heart. Let’s imagine that your church announces an emphasis on international mission trips. Your attitude is that there is too much to be done in Greenville and Travelers Rest to be going overseas. What action steps can you take to develop a heart for individuals in other countries?
• Pray daily for the country that your church is considering traveling to.
• Post pictures on your computer desktop so that you see their faces on a daily basis.
• Sit down with one of the individuals that are passionate about the trip and let them share their heart.
That’s how I want us to see Nehemiah’s response. I want it be a contagious response that challenges us to strive for that same level of deep emotional identity with what God is doing around us!
STEP No. 1 in this journey called “Rebuilding Faith” is called “Recognizing our Failures”. We might say that another way…it’s “Recognizing where we miss the mark”. Let me ask you…
• Are you moved by reading God’s Word?
• Are you moved by worshiping here on a Sunday mornings or evenings?
• Are you moved by needs that are all around you?
• OR are you stirred up by silly little disagreements and discussions?
In Nehemiah we see an individual MOVED BY WHAT MOVED GOD!
And as Nehemiah was moved by what moved God…what we then discover in the story is this…
III. Recognizing Priorities: “The First Thing that Came to Mind” - Read Nehemiah 1:5-11
What was “the first thing that came to mind” for Nehemiah? Well we can see clearly in that text that “The first thing that came to mind” for Nehemiah was to go before the Lord in prayer. And the first things that came to mind IN HIS PRAYER were the attributes and activities of God in relation to Israel.
Take a look at those verses – vss. 5-11 – and let’s pull out some points from there…
Activity: What are some of the attributes of God and activities of God that Nehemiah points out in his prayer?
• Attributes: God is great, awesome, covenant-keeping, merciful, Redeemer, powerful.
And his activities are closely connected with his “attributes”.
• Activities: He keeps His covenant; He hears our prayers; He restores; He redeems.
Key: And that list of attributes and activities…that’s the first thing that came to mind when Nehemiah responded to the brokenness of the people in Jerusalem.
But take a moment and think about that personally…
Our “First to Come to Mind”: You know, as we face a challenge in our lives…the reality of our faith is often discovered and exposed in what “first comes to mind” in that trial. Our reaction communicates a great deal about our beliefs.
• If our first thought is, “God has forsaken me”…then our belief is that God is fickle in His love and forgiveness.
• If our first thought is, “I deserve this trial”…then our belief is that our worth is in performance and not position, that our status as a child of God changes depending upon our performance in that role.
Point: But the “first thing that came to mind” for Nehemiah was to turn to the Lord in prayer and to echo the attributes of God…and the activity of God. The focus was on GOD and not on Nehemiah!
Transition: As we focus on God…and not ourselves…it’s only then that we’ll truly RECOGNIZE our FAILURES. That’s what Paul taught in Romans 2:4, “Or do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance?”
Paul said very clearly there in Romans 2…it’s God’s goodness…thinking on His goodness…that leads us to repent and return to Him. And in the same way, Nehemiah looked around him and learned of destruction…but he looked UP and saw hope.
The 1727 Earthquake: In 1727, there was an earthquake that rattled the buildings in the New England colonies. Aftershocks continued long after the quake. In the midst of the destruction…people returned with a renewed focus on the power of God and the judgment of God. In one church, 154 people came forward to receive Christ. It was an amazing awakening. And I wonder…does God allow natural disasters still today with the intent of stirring people towards revival? When the ground shook in 1727…the people turned their focus to God. But is that the response today? All too often we are guilty of not looking up to God and to God’s people…but instead we find our hope in the Red Cross or FEMA. Are those necessary organizations? Sure, but we also need to remember that in our brokenness God can do amazing things!
In the story of Nehemiah…when it looked like everything was still in destruction…he looked up and he found hope. And essentially what we read in vss 8-9 is this…
“Remember…the word…to Moses…if you return to me and keep My commandments…I will bring them to the place which I have chosen.”
Key: Nehemiah claimed the promises of God when there was no promise in the world around him!
Review: So it began in surveying the situation, “How’s it going?” It continued in answering the question, “What moves you?”. Then we have to consider, “What first comes to mind when we face hardship?”.
But as we close out this first session today…it’s important that we need to ask…
IV. Recognizing Power: “In whom will you place your trust?” – Read last sentence – Nehemiah 1:11b
As we consider that statement by Nehemiah…it may seem kind of random. In fact…
Question: Do you know someone that you would describe as “random” at times in their conversation? Maybe you are discussing what flowers to plant in the yard and your friend turns the conversation to international politics. Well that’s kind of the feeling we get when we read the ending of Nehemiah chapter one. He is rolling along in his prayer…and then stops with a mention of his position – the king’s cupbearer.
Why do you think Nehemiah thought it important to share this detail?
Well…to see that…let’s thing about the original context…
What role did the cupbearer have in the king’s palace?
• They would taste the wine given to the king to make sure someone had not poisoned his drink.
• If the cupbearer died…might not want to drink that one!
Even though Nehemiah was a man of position in the kingdom…he realized that the FIRST STOP in addressing the situation of the people in Jerusalem wasn’t to be creative with his earthly resources. Instead, he went to the King of Kings with his need. Now we’ll talk about how God placed him in that position of power in order to give him an avenue to become a tool in God’s plan, but the first step was to come before God…not man.
If we are going to experience the Rebuilding of our Faith…it’s going to require that we…
(1) Survey our lives. (2) Survey what moves us. (3) Survey what first comes to mind…but it’s also going to require that we (4) Survey where we place our trust.
Nehemiah knew that it wasn’t power or position…it would only be the work of God! And that’s what I want us to be praying for in this series – that God would so move in our hearts…so that what moves Him will move us!
1. Problems – we’re willing to look inward and ask “How’s it going?”
2. Passion – we talked about the question of “What moves you?”
3. Priorities – we talked about what first comes to mind when there is a need.
4. Power – when a need arises, are you quick to try to fix it in your own power or do you seek God’s will and plan for how to proceed?
Leading into Next Week: Well this week’s study has covered our AWARENESS of our brokenness. But we’re going to go a step further next week and focus even more on the ACTION STEPS that result from our brokenness. Recognizing is step one, but examining is step two when it comes to us rebuilding our faith and experiencing spiritual renewal.
