Nehemiah 1 New Years
We got to spend a few days with Sarah and Drew the week after Christmas, visiting in Colorado. We spent some time resting, but we also spent some time sightseeing, driving through the snow-covered mountains and seeing a winter wonderland.
As we were discussing their Christmas tree one time, they told us how expensive trees are in Colorado, almost double what they are here, but that you can get a permit to go out and cut a Christmas tree in some of the national forests out there. Then they told us about seeing some folks driving along the interstate with a Christmas tree strapped to the roof of their car. What great anticipation they must have had as they drove along, looking forward to unloading and decorating that tree they had cut and carried themselves.
What they did not realize though, is that when you carry a Christmas tree on a vehicle, especially at high speed for a long distance, is that you have to protect it from the wind. That high speed wind, especially with the dry air of Colorado, will dry all the moisture out of the needles of the tree and cause it to lose its needles.
They said as they followed, that tree was losing needles all along the interstate, When they saw it, it had already lost a great deal of its needles and looked like a Charlie Brown Christmas tree, and was losing more by the minute.
People driving around the car could see what was happening. They could see the needles falling off. They could see the tree becoming more and more bare, but so far, those with the tree were unaware of what was happening.
Drew and Sarah wanted to follow the car to its destination to see the people’s expressions when they arrived and saw their tree was bare, and hoped that there were not children in the car.
Great dreams, great anticipation, shattered because they did not understand.
As we stand here at the threshold of a new year, some of us can remember how we entered 2023 with such great anticipation. We had dreams, plans, hopes, that did not come to fruition. 2023 was going to be different. It was going to be the year we changed. It was going to be the year, after Covid, when things were going to begin to go our way. We were going to lose weight, save money, start that business, get out of debt, heal our marriage, rebuild those relationships. We were going to start walking closer to the Lord. We were going to grow as a Christian, see His hand at work in our lives, read our Bible, witness to our friends and more.
But some of us, looking back over the past year, and some even beyond, all we see are needles along the road; Compromises, shortcuts, busyness, and at the end of 2023, we stand with a Charlie Brown Christmas tree, not at all what we had dreamed of.
I praise God that we serve a forgiving Lord. A Lord of new beginnings, fresh starts, and prodigal homecomings. I praise God that when He called me His child, He had already factored in my laziness, sinfulness, mistakes, and stupidity, and it didn’t change His love for me one bit.
This morning, as we have started new year, I would like to start a series on fresh starts, new beginnings, and turn arounds, from one of the books God gave us recording a nation’s fresh start.
Open your Bibles this morning and turn with me please to the book of Nehemiah. Nehemiah chapter 1. Nehemiah chapter 1 and verse 1 as this morning we think together about God’s fresh starts.
- Read Nehemiah 1:1-11
I. BE HONEST ABOUT THE SITUATION
- 1:1-3
When Nehemiah had folks come to visit from Jerusalem, he asked for an honest evaluation of the situation. He didn’t ask about the good points in the city. He didn’t ask about the highlights, he said, “Tell me about the folks there.”
See, some of the exiles had already returned to the city. Ezra had already taken some of the people back and they had rebuilt the temple, but things were still not like they were supposed to be.
If you want a fresh start, if you want there to be changes, you have to start with being honest without yourself about where you are and about how you are.
How many relationships are on the rocks because one or both of the people in the relationship will not admit there are issues. How many people are on the rocks financially because they won’t admit they are having money issues and won’t admit that they need to change some of their spending or saving habits. How many people are struggling to pull themselves through the day because they won’t admit they need to change their eating or sleeping or exercise habits. Oh, the Lord and I are OK, though the last time you opened your Bible was at church last week, or the last time you prayed was when someone put you on the spot and asked you to say the blessing.
There are several ways to build.
1. Cosmetic approach - this is often done by the superficial optimist. I like being around optimistic people. They look for the good, the opportunities, the possibilities. My word, who wants to be picking Eore up all the time? I like optimists, but if the optimism is superficial, they can go around like the prophets in Jeremiah’s day, saying “Peace, peace, when there is no peace.”
Oh, if we hang in there long enough it will work out. They never look for or attempt to address the root of the problem before them, they just dress it up.
2. Realists - Then you have folks who will self identify as realists. They look at the situation, and all they see are problems. Their answer? Work harder. Get a new program, or lets leave and get with some new people.
You see some of these folks in churches today. They’re in a church and they realize it’s not perfect. The pastor’s not perfect. Some of the programs in the church are not perfect, or they are lacking. Yeah there are some issues. So how do they address it? Let’s make this church like the one we just left, or, lets leave here and move up the road to another church. I know there’s a better church somewhere. So you see them, every 2 years they’re in a new church.
Or they’re in serial marriages, or they’re changing jobs all the time, or they’re moving all the time.
3. Honest folks - Then you have folks who make an honest evaluation of the situation but they address the difficulties or problems they see honestly.
I was watching a video the other day, and the man was talking about when he had Kobe’ Bryant come and speak to his team. He said that the most memorable part of Kobe’s talk was when he said he knew he had to change.
He said, I can still get 30 points in a game, but I can’t do it the same way I did when I was younger. I’m older now. I’m a little slower now, so I have to change some things in order to continue to score.
Many of us need to do some rebuilding. Things have changed. Things are not like we want them, we are not share we want to be. That change starts with being honest about who, where, and what we are.
Nehemiah asked, how are things? And they replied honestly, the walls are torn down. The gates are burned. The people living there are in great trouble and distress.
My friend, you will never grow, you will never correct, you will never fix, until you are honest with yourself about where you are and about what needs to be done.
I believe the walls in many of our lives are broken down through neglect. It wasn’t all at once. It didn’t happen over night.
Perhaps it began with a loose brick. It was a hectic day, so you ignored your wife and went off to be alone when you got home. It was late, you were tired and flipping through the channels and ended up on a program you had no business watching.
You knew it was going to be a long day, so you missed spending time with the Lord in the morning and jumped right into your day. You worked a lot during the week and wanted to spend some time with your family, so you missed church one week.
I just want a drink to help me relax. I’m just gonna work through this weekend, because we really need the money. I’m gonna work late tonight. Yes I know I’ll miss my son’s ballgame, but he’ll understand. We really can’t afford a nice vacation right now, but it’s been a long time and the family deserves some time away, so I’ll put it on my credit card.
It just a loose brick.
The next thing you know, you’ve missed many of your son’s games or your daughter’s recitals. Your credit cards are loaded. You’re often watching those shows now. You can’t remember when you read your Bible last. Church? Naw. I spend time with the family on the weekend.
The funny thing about missing church is that the more you miss church, the less you miss church.
Now it’s not a loose brick, it’s a broken wall.
Be honest about the situation.
II. GRIEVE THE LOSS
Second, Nehemiah grieved the loss.
- Read Nehemiah 1:4
Nehemiah could have rejoiced that the king had allowed some of the people to return to Jerusalem and that there were Israelites living there again. He could have celebrated the fact that the temple had been rebuilt. He did neither of those things. Instead he sat down and cried.
He heard that the walls of the city were still broken down, so enemies could come into the city any time they wanted to. He herd the the city gates were burned.
He remembered the days when the gates would be closed and locked at the start of the sabbath so people couldn’t bring their goods into the city to sell on the holy day of worship and rest.
He remembered when people would flock to Jerusalem to hear the teaching and the wisdom of Solomon, but now the walls are torn down, the gates are burned, and instead of people excitedly coming to the city to worship, the people are in great trouble and distress.
He remembered when God went out with the armies of Israel and they were victorious over their enemies everywhere they went. He remembered David leading the armies through the streets of Jerusalem in victory parades. He remembered when the Israelites first came into the promised land, how the people of Jericho trembled and closed up their city because they had heard about the mighty God of the Israelites. He remembered all of these things, but now the people of Israel are in great trouble and disgrace and he sat down and cried.
O. S. Hawkins, in his commentary on this book said, “One never rebuilds until he or she weeps over the ruins.”
My friend, we cannot go back and change the past. But we can start today and change the future, and that begins with grieving what could have been, grieving what should have been, grieving that we are not who or where we want to be.
If you want to rebuild, if you want a fresh start, that starts with an honest evaluation. Second, you grieve the loss.
III. TAKE PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY
- Read Nehemiah 1:4-7
The other day I helped a friend with a leak, and while I was there, her son came home. This son is in his mid 30s. He’s had some issues. Now he and his girlfriend are back home living with his widowed mother. And what does he tell me? Well, I’ve thought about doing this as a business. Or, I’m hurt and I can’t do what I’m doing much longer so I’m looking for another job. One excuse after another for why he’s not succeeding, or moving ahead, or making progress. No remorse over what could have been. No plans for what can be. Just excuses.
You will never rebuild, you will never move ahead, you will never make repairs if you’re in the excuse-making mindset.
Nehemiah could have said, “Well, if those Israelites back then hadn’t sinned, none of this would have happened.” “If Nebuchadnezzar hadn’t been so cruel, we wouldn’t have to rebuild these walls. If he hadn’t torn them down in the first place, they wouldn’t require rebuilding.”
Is that what he did? No! He took personal responsibility for the situation before him.
In verse 6 he says to the Lord, “I confess the sins we have committed against you. Both I and my father’s family have sinned. We have acted corruptly toward you and have not kept the commands, statutes, and ordinances you gave your servant Moses.”
He says, “I may not be back there right now. I may not have physically helped tear down the wall, but I had a part in this. I and my family did. Lord, we are not what we should be. I am not what I should be. There is sin in my life. I have played a part in what has happened in the capital of my homeland.”
It is easy to make excuses and to blame others for where we are and for what has happened to us.
We live in a day when no one is responsible for anything they do. It’s my teachers fault. It’s my community’s fault. It’s my parents’ fault. He disrespected me. You triggered me.
Yesterday morning, Gladys and I were watching the news as we ate our breakfast. There was a story on there about a woman who just graduated from the Air Force Academy and is now a fighter pilot. She just won the Miss Colorado Beauty Pageant. She is a blackbelt in some martial art I didn’t catch, and they listed a whole bunch of other accomplishments she’s made.
Some people seem to succeed at whatever they put their hands to, but that does not absolve us from our responsibility.
Do some of us have more obstacles to overcome than others? Yes. Do some of us have more opportunities than others? Yes. So, do your best to help those who come behind you. But that does not absolve you of responsibility for your actions.
You’re not where you want to be? You’re not who you want to be? Then do something about it, and that includes taking personal responsibility for your actions.
IV. GET GOD INVOLVED
- Read Nehemiah 1:4-11
Nehemiah was honest about the situation. He mourned the loss. He took personal responsibility, and 4th, He Got God Involved!
In his prayer, he confessed the part he and his family played in Israel’s current situation, but then he asked God for help.
Notice how he did that.
1. He recognizes Who God is
- Read Nehemiah 1:5
Nehemiah is doing what Jesus taught His disciples to do hundreds of years later when He taught them to pray. Do you remember what Jesus taught?
The disciples said, “Jesus, teach us to pray.” Jesus began by saying, “Our Father which art in Heaven.”
Jesus said, “Your Father is in heaven. His throne is over all. He is the ruler of all things. There is nothing He does not see, and there is nothing He cannot do.
Nehemiah says, “Lord, the God of the heavens, the great and awe-inspiring God who keeps his gracious covenant with those who love him and keep his commands.”
God, I recognize Who You are. You are the creator of all things. There is nothing beyond your ability. There is nothing You cannot handle. This may be a difficult task for some, it might be an impossibility for some, but it’s not for you. If You can make all things out of nothing in the beginning, then you can certainly build a wall out of something.
My friend, you and I need to remember Who’s side we’re on. We don’t serve some little ol’ wimpy God, with no ears to hear, no hands to act, and no feet to move. We serve Yahweh. The Creator. The Alpha and the Omega. Web serve the One of whom all creation cries holy.
This is the God who made all things with a word. This is the God Who carried a man in a live fish for 3 days and then had the fish spit him up on the beach where God told him to go in the first place. This is the God who gave a teenage boy victory over a giant, who parted the Red Sea and the Jordan River. He’s the One who sent water from a stone, plagues upon Egypt, and at the complaints of His people brought them so many quail that the birds were stacked chest high a days walk in every direction!
This is the God who protected Daniel in a lion’s den, and 3 Israelite men in a furnace. This is the God Who raised His Son from the dead, who changed a cowering Peter into the boldly proclaiming preacher, and a persecuting Saul, into a Christ-preaching Paul!
Do you honestly think there is anything in your life He can’t handle? Do you honestly think there is any addiction He can’t deliver you from?
Nehemiah says, “I know Who You are God. There is no one like You.”
2. He recognizes what God does
Second, he recognizes what God does.
- Read Nehemiah 1:5
What’s he say? God, you are the one who keeps His covenant.
God, You keep Your word. God, you don’t throw in the towel. God, You don’t give up. God, You forgive and restore.
Do you remember when Jesus told the parable of the prodigal son? When the son finally came to his senses and returned home, what did he find. Did he find his dad sitting on the porch witting, with no care in the world? No. Did he find his Dad off on business too busy to care about him? No. When he returned home what he found was Dad who had been longing and looking for him the whole time he had been gone. What he found was a dad who rushed to him.
He put a new suit of clothes on his body. New shoes on his feet. A ring on his hand, and He slaughtered the fatted calf.
Even so does our heavenly Father eagerly await your return today.
And the good thing is, no matter how far you have wandered, the road home only takes one step.
3. He recognizes his need.
- Read Nehemiah 1:11
Lord, please give me success today.
Nehemiah was about mot go in a face the king. He was about to ask the king for a favor. He knew he couldn’t turn the king’s heart, but he knew nothing was too difficult for the Lord, so he said, “Lord, please help me.”
I wonder how many of us fail at our New Year’s Resolutions because we never ask the Lord for Hi help, because we never admit that we have a need, we simply grit our teeth and say, “I’m gonna man up and get this done.
There is a place and a need for godly determination, but there is also a place and a need for seeking the Lord’s help and intervention in our situations.
God, this is Who you are. God, this is what You do. Lord, please help me.
4. He returned to God repeatedly
- Read Nehemiah 1:1 & 2:1
These verses list the names of 2 months. So, the time between when Nehemiah started praying and when he went before the king was between 3 and 5 months, depending on what day of the month each was.
So Nehemiah returned to the Lord regularly. He prayed repeatedly.
This wasn’t an overnight whim. Oh, I’m gonna join a gym and lose so weight.
No, Nehemiah heard of the broken walls, the burned gates, the demoralized and dejected people, and it moved him to the point that he returned to the Lord in prayer repeatedly.
My friend, if the walls are broken down in your life, this is not a one day, a one prayer situation. If there is rubble around. If you look at the tree on your car and you see more needles on the ground than on the tree, it’s not time to put the tree on the burn pile, it’s time to get real in your prayers and ask the Lord for help.
In Matthew 10 verse 29 and 30 Jesus says,
> Matthew 10:29-30 Aren’t two sparrows sold for a penny?Yet not one of them falls to the ground without your Father’s consent. But even the hairs of your head have all been counted. So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.
In other words, God sees you. He knows you. Loves you, and He hasn’t given up on you. Are there things I wish I’d done differently? Yes. Are there things I wish I could undo? Yes. I can’t go back, but I can go forward, and God sees me, He’s watching over me. He hasn’t given up on me and He hanse’t given up on you.
Get back in the game. Look at the rubble and let it drive you to become all God has called and equipped you to be.
Please bow your heads and let me pray for us.
We are beginning a new devotional series. . . . Our youth are going through the book of Proverbs in Mission Possible Camp, so I’m inviting you to go through it with us. 5 days a week we’ll be posting a short passage to read from the book of Proverbs.
We will be memorizing 1 verse per week, and there will be daily devotions posted both on the church’s web site and on our website. We invite you to join us in this study of the book of Proverbs from now until Easter, when we will be beginning a new study together.
