I have a dream… I think.
We talked about having a dream… but what if you’re not sure?
is your dream worth giving your life to?
how do you test a dream to see if it’s God or if you’re just keeping up the Kardashians… or Jones’…
Then I observed that most people are motivated to success because they envy their neighbors. But this, too, is meaningless—like chasing the wind. Eccl 4:4
So… how do we do something that is more than just chasing the wind?
RECAP
Bad news…
brother, friends
Jerusalem
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We’re going to talk about mission from God stuff… but you can just think about a dream or vision for your life. I might use some language that’s mostly for followers of Jesus… but I promise… I’ll hook you back in at the end. So don’t check out.
Nehemiah 1:4-11
When I heard these things, I sat down and wept. For some days I mourned and fasted and prayed before the God of heaven. Nehemiah 1:4
Nehemiah’s journey is roughly SIX MONTHS
Journey of conviction
Deepening passion
This is about getting serious… God might be waiting for you to get passionate about your passion.
Cultivate conviction
The people who make the biggest difference in the world and the people with the strongest convictions.
Previous generations: you did whatever your dad did
Recently: exposed to more
Today: exposed to too much
…paralyzing amount of info and options
“how do I know what I should do?”
“how can I be special?”
“how can I add value? Everything’s been done… every domain name has been purchased!”
Good news:
There’s no one like you. And there’s still something for you to do
Conviction can be cultivated
Nehemiah becomes more desperate and cultivates conviction in three simple ways:
Nehemiah CARES enough to…
MOURN
PRAY
FAST
For some days I mourned and fasted and prayed before the God of heaven.
Mourning
grieving for current realities or past injustice
this is what’s real
this happened
this is happening
I’m going to start by being sad about it
Prayer
setting aside time
praying constantly
When you’re cultivating conviction… do both—set aside time, and pray all throughout the day
If this is a mission from God, don’t you think that God would want to direct you… and give you clarity and courage?
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Another thing Nehemiah does is fast.
Fasting can help remove distractions and focus on God.
Fasting
Fasting isn’t just going without food.
Fasting is being more hungry for God than for food.
Fasting is being more hungry for God and what he wants for your life than you are hungry for what you want.
Fasting: Give up something to get something more
Questions to consider:
Do I care enough to fast?
Do I pray enough to care?
This is how get your WHY
People are motivated by why
If you’re not sure about “WHAT” you’re going to do… don’t worry.
START WITH WHY
what breaks your heart?
what needs around you connect to your own story/journey?
what gets you up in the morning?
Even if you’re not yet passionate, your passion can grow
That’s why we’re doing this series
EX: Taking over Mariners HB
only been to HB twice
walked…talked…prayed…
developed love for city and people—cultivated conviction, passion for serving here
EX: Raan and Shea Parton—Apolis
do good through for-profit retail
EX: Beth and Maggie
bible study and cooking lesson
Christian Cop-out: “Thanks for asking, I’ll pray about that.”
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When any opportunity comes up, you don’t have to say, “I’ll pray about that,” and walk away. You can say, “I’m praying about how best to engage in God’s ongoing work in the world all the time… and I have a pretty good idea about my mission—given my experiences, skills, passion, and what breaks my heart. So I have a guy instinct about this… but maybe I’ll give it some more thought to make sure I’m right.”
“I’m beginning to understand where I’m going… so I mostly know if every new idea, opportunity, and invitation fits into my larger mission. And to make sure, I will pray about it, and I’ve already started.”
Which leads us to the next thing Nehemiah does that is so important…
II. Connect to the bigger story
He Connects to the BIGGER story
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.
Nehemiah identified himself with the problem.
Not just “they, them or then”
But “we, us, now”
Maybe the reason you don’t yet have the burning passion to do something about bad news is that it’s still THEIR issue… not YOUR issue
they had it coming
this is the consequence of their actions
they should have known better
they’re generation is just so entitled…
Until “THEY” becomes “WE” you won’t do the dream.
Until “THEY” becomes “WE” your heart won’t break.
Until “THEY” becomes “WE” you won’t have the conviction to make something happen.”
you won’t volunteer consistently
you won’t give time or money generously
you won’t risk boldly
EX: Liz—“Safe families because if my family would have had this…”
Here is the next way Nehemiah connects to the bigger story…
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.’
This is a redemption story
…if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land. 2 Chronicles 7:14
Moses
Solomon
Common theme throughout the OT
Redemption: making things right
Hope was God’s idea… all along
God has always taken into account humanity’s inability to get it right… to stay on track… to be good.
Some of us need to do their third thing which is actually the FIRST thing:
III. Come home
Prodigal God Luke 15
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Some of you interested in your mission/dream…
Open to cultivating conviction and passion…
Willing to tap into the bigger story…
…But first, you need to COME HOME.
This is your day. This is your moment.
Nehemiah had to acknowledge that he wandered from God. Not just other people. He did. He had gotten comfortable. He had become complacent. He had made life about himself in some ways.
But there’s GOOD NEWS.
This has always been a redemption story. For others… and for YOU. It begins with you.
You have a HEAVENLY FATHER who is waiting on the porch… watching… hoping… He’s made the way. Jesus came to you and made the way. You just need to turn and run into his open arms. It’s as simple as that. And it’s invisible… but incredibly real.
This is your HOMECOMING.
Before we go any further, I want to pray and invite you to come home.
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God, thank you and when I wandered off did my own thing, you didn’t write me off. Jesus, you came to my rescue. You made a way for me to come home. I receive your grace, your mercy, your forgiveness… your love. I’m coming home. I want to play my part in your redemption story, and I know that starts with me. Amen.
First things, first. You’re home.
Now… it’s time to be you, and do your dream.
You have a mission from God. It’s motivates you and matters to someone else.
So what do you do when you’re looking for purpose… struggling to find passion.
First, you come home. God is your power source. Starting there today is your best decision.
Then, you connect to the story… moving from “THEY” to “WE”
And you cultivate conviction by praying and fasting… being desperate
…allowing the bad news to move you toward desperate action… because you just can’t not doing something.
Then, Nehemiah says this…
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.
…Starting with where he is.
Where are you?
“I was cupbearer to the king”
Where are you?
“I was _________________________”
Nehemiah prays and fasts… cultivates deeper convictions… connects to the larger story…
…Then he prays for God to give him favor with the most powerful human on earth at the time, King Artaxerxes.
He watches… He waits… He prepares… He starts from where he is…
What happens next is incredible…
But you’ll have to come back next week to find out :)
