INTRODUCTION
On 911, 2001 our country was struck by something that changed the lives of many people. Our nation was struck by something that destroyed the lives of many people. The act of terrorism that struck our country will forever change the lives of many if not all Americans.
The acts of terrorism that our country witnessed left many Americans asking the questions of “why” this happened and “how” something like this could happen in America. Over the last couple of weeks we have looked at the questions of “Where is God in times of trouble?” and “Why do bad things happen to good People?”
Today we are going to look at the question, “What now?”
The recent acts of evil perpetrated on our nation can do one of two things to our nation, they can destroy us or they can make us a stronger nation.
In your life when you face the difficult times in life, you can allow those difficulties to do one of two things to you. You can allow the difficulties to destroy you with hate, bitterness, fear all that goes with it. Many times we can end up turning into what we hate. When we do this, Satan wins. The other option is that you can pick up the pieces and with God rebuild something wonderful.
The most important question we have to face when ever we face tragedies in our lives or when we face evil perpetrated against us is, “Now what?”
What are we going to do? Our great nation has to ask itself that question just as you and I need to.
Today, I want to take you to the Old Testament to the book of Nehemiah.
Nehemiah was a layman, cupbearer to the great “Artaxerxes,” who ruled Persia from 464 to 423 B.C. Nehemiah means; “The Lord has comforted.”
A cupbearer was much more than our modern “butler” (see Gen. 40). It was a position of great responsibility and privilege. At each meal, he tested the king’s wine to make sure it wasn’t poisoned. A man who stood that close to the king in public had to be handsome, cultured, knowledgeable in court procedures, and able to converse with the king and advise him if asked (see 41:1-13). Because he had access to the king, the cupbearer was a man of great influence, which he could use for good or for evil.
The Southern kingdom (Judah) (Northern by Assyria 722 BC) (Split 931 BC) had been taken captive by the Babylonians starting in 605 BC.
539 BC the Babylonian empire fell to the Persians.
538 B.C., Cyrus of Persia allowed the Jews to return home.
536 B.C., about 50,000 returned from captivity to Jerusalem.
535 B.C., the Temple reconstruction began.
515 B.C., the Temple was completed.
458, Ezra returned
445, Nehemiah returned to rebuild the walls of the city.
The nation was not very strong after the return. Moral was low. The city was left in ruins. The opposing nations wanted to keep Jerusalem in bad shape. The world was against Israel.
What was the nation going to do? Were they going to let the tragedy of their defeats in earlier years leave them vulnerable or were they going to do something about it? For almost 90 years the city lay in ruin until Nehemiah decided it was time for a change.
As we look at how Nehemiah picked up the pieces of his fallen nation, let us learn how to respond in a positive way to the tough times in our lives.
SERMON
I. PICKING UP THE PIECES REQUIRES PEOPLE WHO CARE. C-1
1. Nehemiah cared enough to ask. (1:1-3 READ)
Brother came back from a visit. When his brother coma for a visit from Judah, Nehemiah cared enough to ask how things were going back home.
How many times have we sensed something wrong with someone and never asked how things were going? GALATIANS 6:2 tells us, “Bear one another’s burdens, and thereby fulfill the law of Christ.”
Had Nehemiah not asked, he would not have known just how bad things were back home.
Sometimes we think we are too busy to ask people how their lives are going.
His concern did not stop there however.
2. Nehemiah cared enough to weep. (1:4 READ)
Nehemiah cared so much for the situation at home that he wept for days.
As our nation has faced one of its’ darkest hours, there have been many caring people who have wept for those who had been affected by the acts of evil.
All of us will not shed outward tears, but we will hurt inside. Have you ever hurt inside for another? I think that we all have. Nehemiah certainly did. But his caring did not end with the weeping.
3. Nehemiah cared enough to pray. 1:5-11
Nehemiah started to pray to God for direction and help so that something could be done to rectify the situation.
I have noticed that our nation has started to turn to God during our darkest hour. People are asking God to bless us, we are seeing public prayer come to the forefront in our nation once again.
When we decide that it is time to start picking up the broken pieces of our lives, we need to pray to God for just what to do and how to do it. Nehemiah knew that for him to be successful, he would need God behind him.
If you want to pick up the pieces of your life, you will need God’s presence and blessing in your life also.
Many people carry bitterness and hatred with them for the evils done to them. This is where most of us naturally go. If we stay on that course, we will be consumed by it. The only way we will be able to release the hurt and anger is to put it at the feet of Jesus. Nehemiah could have spent his life being angry with God for allowing the Babylonians to take them over. He could have spent his time hating the Babylonians for what they did to the nation, but he did not. Nehemiah prayed for strength.
Why did it take 90 years for someone to do this?
Nehemiah did not stop with prayer, but:
4. Nehemiah cared enough to volunteer. 1:11
Nehemiah wanted to be part of the solution. He was willing to make sure that whatever needed to be done would get done by him with God’s help.
II. PICKING UP THE PIECES REQUIRES FAITH. C-2
1. Nehemiah had the faith to wait on God. 2:1-3
2:1 tells us that the following spring Nehemiah starts to put the plan into action. Nehemiah was first told of the plight of his homeland in the fall.
The Bible does not tell us why it took so long for Nehemiah to act. We have to believe that he was waiting on God’s timing before he acted.
In our lives whenever we are ready to start picking up the pieces we have to have the faith to walk with God. Many times we will try to run ahead of God, then we wonder why things do not go well.
I appreciate the way our President has acted during this terrible time. It would have been easy to just start launching out of anger, but the President has asked God for direction during this terrible time.
2. Nehemiah had the faith to ask carry out God’s plan. 2:4-8
Nehemiah had the plan of action, now he just needed to follow it through.
When you are trying to pick up the pieces of your life, it will take faith to be able to carry out the plan of action that you need to follow.
I am starting to teach the Jesus on Money class. For people who want some help with their finances, they will have a plan, then it will take faith to carry out the plan.
3. Nehemiah had the faith to challenge others to action. 2:11-18a
Nehemiah knew he would need help, so he proceeded to share his vision with the other people. He was willing to challenge others to share in his vision for change.
In Nehemiah’s day, the walls of the city was all that kept you from falling prey to the enemy. As long as the city gates and walls were in ruin, the people of Jerusalem would never experience true freedom because they would always he vulnerable to attack.
Whenever we let our guard down we too are vulnerable to the attacks of the enemy. As long as you leave your life in ruin, Satan is free to attack you all he wants to.
We need to build up a wall of protection with God so we can withstand the attacks of Satan. 1 Peter 5:8 says, “Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour”
4. Nehemiah had the faith to rely on God. 2:19-20
There were people who were going to stand in his way, but Nehemiah had total faith that with God, he would prevail.
When you are picking up the pieces of your life, you need to know that you can rely on God.
III. PICKING UP THE PIECES REQUIRES WORK. C-3
Edmund Burke- All that is necessary for evil to prevail is that good men do nothing.
The task looked overwhelming. The wall around the city was destroyed, the gates were burned, it looked like too muck to do. I wonder if nothing had been done to the wall in the past because people were overwhelmed with the task?
I see people who never try to pick up the pieces of their lives because they feel overwhelmed by the task. It is easier to be mad or to feel bad for ourselves than it is to do the work that it takes to put life back together.
In our society we want quick and easy fixes or we will not try.
When you read chapter 3, you will find that the work was broken up in manageable pieces for each person to do so that the work would get done.
When the enemies threatened to attack, half of the people stood guard while the other half worked on the wall.
One thing you see happening in this country right now is a joining of hands to get the work done of rebuilding. I hope that one day the build another World Trade Center that is larger than the last one. This will show the terrorists of the world that you will never knocked to spirit of freedom from the American people!
One way that you can help is to send money to the American Red Cross or any other legitimate organization of your choice.
If you are experiencing bad times in your life, it will take some work to get back on track. But God will be with you through it all.
IV. PICKING UP THE PIECES REQUIRES DETERMINATION C-4,6
Nehemiah and the people of Jerusalem were being mocked, verbally assaulted, intimidated among other things.
It would have been easy to give up because of the roadblocks.
Whenever you are try to make positive changes in your life there will be people who will try to intimidate you into not changing.
1. Verbal assault. 4:4-6
2. Intimidation. 4:7-9
3. Discouragement. 4:10
4. Fear. 4:11-23
In chapter 6 Sanballet, Tobiah and Geshem got a supposed prophet of God to try to trick Nehemiah into going into the Temple to meet with them. Nehemiah was not going to compromise what God wanted him to do so that he could be safe.
CONCLUSION
In an amazing 52 days, the walls of Jerusalem and the city gates were back in place. READ 6:15.
Whenever we are able to pick up the pieces and do something positive with tragedy, it will make an impression on those around us. READ VERSE 16
When people know that God is working in your life, people will step back and take notice.
When the terrorist world sees how this great nation rebounds from their attack, they will step back in fear.
Whenever we let tragedy and evil overcome us and consume us, we give Satan a victory.
When bad things happen, the important thing is how we answer the question, “WHAT NOW”?
Will we let our problems consume us or will we allow God to do His work in our lives?
ROM 8:28 And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.
