WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:02.660 Good morning. 00:00:04.060 --> 00:00:08.240 My name is Matthew Capone, and I'm the pastor here at Cheyenne Mountain Presbyterian Church, 00:00:08.240 --> 00:00:11.279 and it's my joy to bring God's word to you today. 00:00:12.140 --> 00:00:16.059 Special welcome if you are new or visiting with us. 00:00:16.140 --> 00:00:21.100 We're glad you're here, and we're glad you're here not because we are trying to fill seats, 00:00:22.000 --> 00:00:25.539 but because we are following after Jesus together as one community. 00:00:25.539 --> 00:00:32.619 And as we follow after Jesus, we are so convinced that there's no one so good that they don't need God's grace, 00:00:33.119 --> 00:00:35.340 and no one so bad that they can't have it. 00:00:36.100 --> 00:00:42.039 And so we look into God's word because we're convinced that everyone needs to hear what God has to say in his word, 00:00:42.620 --> 00:00:45.659 and God has something to say to every single one of us. 00:00:46.679 --> 00:00:50.700 If you were with us last week, you know that we just started the book of Nehemiah. 00:00:50.840 --> 00:00:52.739 The book of Nehemiah is in the Old Testament. 00:00:52.740 --> 00:00:57.800 The Old Testament is everything that happened in God's plan before Jesus' first coming. 00:00:58.840 --> 00:01:00.920 And we're at a specific point in the Old Testament. 00:01:01.060 --> 00:01:06.579 We're at the point where God's chosen people of Israel had been given the promised land, 00:01:07.099 --> 00:01:10.260 but they had failed to do what God had called them to do. 00:01:10.500 --> 00:01:14.879 They'd failed to be a people of justice and mercy and goodness. 00:01:15.280 --> 00:01:18.420 And so instead of allowing them to live in the land, God had to punish them, 00:01:18.439 --> 00:01:20.240 and he allowed them to go into exile instead. 00:01:20.239 --> 00:01:25.379 And after they were in exile for almost around 70 years, 00:01:25.519 --> 00:01:29.739 they came back partially in 538 B.C. 00:01:29.739 --> 00:01:32.919 They began to return to their home city of Jerusalem, 00:01:33.859 --> 00:01:35.219 and yet not everyone returned. 00:01:36.340 --> 00:01:39.919 And even those who returned did not do everything that they needed to do 00:01:39.919 --> 00:01:42.259 to restore the city that God had given them. 00:01:42.260 --> 00:01:45.880 And so while they began to return in 538 B.C., 00:01:45.880 --> 00:01:51.300 we are now in the year 445 B.C., almost 100 years later. 00:01:52.880 --> 00:01:56.480 And even 100 years after God had allowed his people to return, 00:01:57.240 --> 00:02:01.400 we met a man named Nehemiah who saw and heard that the walls 00:02:01.400 --> 00:02:04.600 that were supposed to protect the city of Jerusalem had still not been rebuilt. 00:02:04.599 --> 00:02:10.299 And so we asked this big question of what does it look like to stay close to God? 00:02:10.919 --> 00:02:14.400 What does it look like to return to God or to know him for the first time? 00:02:15.259 --> 00:02:17.759 And as we watched the story of Nehemiah last week, 00:02:17.799 --> 00:02:21.699 we saw that first it involves seeing the ruin that is caused by sin. 00:02:22.919 --> 00:02:26.579 Nehemiah sees the fact that the walls around Jerusalem have been broken down 00:02:26.580 --> 00:02:30.900 and that Jerusalem is, instead of being a light to the nations, 00:02:31.020 --> 00:02:32.360 it's a disgrace and a shame. 00:02:33.540 --> 00:02:35.540 But after seeing the ruin, he doesn't despair. 00:02:35.680 --> 00:02:36.660 Instead, he repents. 00:02:38.240 --> 00:02:41.280 And finally, after repenting, we saw that Nehemiah understands 00:02:41.280 --> 00:02:46.060 and sees the great hope that God offers to everyone who returns to him. 00:02:46.920 --> 00:02:48.920 In fact, when we left off last week, 00:02:48.980 --> 00:02:52.160 we had this cliffhanger verse at the very end of chapter 1 00:02:52.159 --> 00:02:57.719 because we find out that this man who sees the ruin, who repents, 00:02:58.539 --> 00:03:02.519 also happens to be one of the most powerful people in the Persian Empire. 00:03:04.219 --> 00:03:06.599 We find out at the very end of chapter 1, he tells us, 00:03:06.699 --> 00:03:08.180 Now, I was cupbearer to the king. 00:03:09.120 --> 00:03:10.960 And if you're familiar at all with ancient history, 00:03:11.060 --> 00:03:14.079 you know that the cupbearer was, first of all, a practical role. 00:03:14.199 --> 00:03:18.300 This was someone who would show up and taste food that was given to the king 00:03:18.300 --> 00:03:22.219 to make sure it wasn't poison, to make sure that he was safe. 00:03:23.320 --> 00:03:24.420 But it was more than that, 00:03:24.460 --> 00:03:26.380 because someone who was tasting the king's food 00:03:26.380 --> 00:03:28.640 is someone who would be in constant contact with him. 00:03:29.560 --> 00:03:31.520 Now, we don't know for sure in this situation, 00:03:31.620 --> 00:03:35.100 but often the cupbearer had political power as well. 00:03:35.480 --> 00:03:36.180 They had influence. 00:03:36.939 --> 00:03:39.420 They were someone who had a relationship and access to the king 00:03:39.420 --> 00:03:40.620 that few people had. 00:03:41.160 --> 00:03:45.400 We might even think of it as something similar to a president's body man. 00:03:45.400 --> 00:03:49.640 They're with him all the time, making sure he knows what he needs to know 00:03:49.640 --> 00:03:51.379 and he has the information he needs. 00:03:52.300 --> 00:03:54.280 In some places we know in the ancient Near East, 00:03:54.379 --> 00:03:55.939 this person would have been someone who functioned 00:03:55.939 --> 00:03:57.640 almost like a chief of staff for the king. 00:03:58.860 --> 00:04:02.040 And so as he turns towards God in repentance, 00:04:03.840 --> 00:04:06.780 God has already begun to provide a way for Nehemiah. 00:04:07.540 --> 00:04:10.439 He's brought the right man at the right place at the right time 00:04:10.439 --> 00:04:12.659 to begin to turn God's people back to him. 00:04:12.659 --> 00:04:15.960 As we begin chapter 2, then, 00:04:16.040 --> 00:04:17.819 we talked earlier this morning about 00:04:17.819 --> 00:04:19.680 what is repentance unto life, 00:04:19.779 --> 00:04:21.100 repentance that leads to life. 00:04:21.839 --> 00:04:25.079 And last week we discussed the turning away from sin, 00:04:25.620 --> 00:04:27.279 the seeing of the ruin and the repentance. 00:04:28.300 --> 00:04:31.240 And this week we're going to, as we read chapter 2, 00:04:31.319 --> 00:04:33.699 we're going to turn to the other half of repentance. 00:04:34.319 --> 00:04:36.600 Not just the turning away from sin, 00:04:36.699 --> 00:04:39.120 but the turning back to God and his mission. 00:04:39.120 --> 00:04:42.800 And so the question of chapter 2 is, 00:04:43.040 --> 00:04:45.759 what does returning to God's mission look like? 00:04:46.920 --> 00:04:49.139 If we've truly turned away from sin, 00:04:49.220 --> 00:04:50.500 we're not just going to turn away, 00:04:50.600 --> 00:04:51.639 but we're going to turn to. 00:04:52.120 --> 00:04:53.899 We're going to turn towards everything 00:04:53.899 --> 00:04:56.560 that God has called us to do and be. 00:04:57.639 --> 00:04:58.899 Now there's lots of different ways 00:04:58.899 --> 00:05:00.459 we could define God's mission. 00:05:01.620 --> 00:05:02.120 There's lots of... 00:05:02.639 --> 00:05:04.079 ...about God's mission. 00:05:04.079 --> 00:05:06.379 God's mission to his people 00:05:06.379 --> 00:05:07.519 and ultimately to the world 00:05:07.519 --> 00:05:09.500 is that his kingdom would come on earth 00:05:09.500 --> 00:05:10.800 as it is in heaven. 00:05:13.979 --> 00:05:15.439 The purpose of Jerusalem, 00:05:15.620 --> 00:05:17.419 the purpose of Israel, was this. 00:05:17.500 --> 00:05:19.180 We read about it this morning from 1 Peter, 00:05:19.259 --> 00:05:22.079 that it would be a people 00:05:22.079 --> 00:05:24.599 who would point the world to God. 00:05:25.339 --> 00:05:26.519 Not just for our good, 00:05:26.579 --> 00:05:28.019 but for God's glory as well. 00:05:29.500 --> 00:05:32.899 And so what does returning to God's mission look like? 00:05:32.899 --> 00:05:36.819 We're going to be in Nehemiah 2, 00:05:37.000 --> 00:05:37.899 starting at verse 1. 00:05:37.979 --> 00:05:39.539 Remember that this is God's word. 00:05:40.739 --> 00:05:41.979 And God tells us that his word 00:05:41.979 --> 00:05:43.439 is a lamp to our feet 00:05:43.439 --> 00:05:44.679 and a light to our feet. 00:05:45.859 --> 00:05:46.639 In other words, 00:05:46.759 --> 00:05:48.219 God has not left us alone 00:05:48.219 --> 00:05:49.399 to stumble in the dark. 00:05:50.579 --> 00:05:51.579 He gives us his word 00:05:51.579 --> 00:05:53.419 so that we know the way to walk. 00:05:54.759 --> 00:05:56.279 So read with me now as we're in the sea. 00:05:57.719 --> 00:05:59.859 And the king said to me, 00:06:00.099 --> 00:06:01.419 the queen sitting beside him, 00:06:01.420 --> 00:06:03.140 how long will you be gone 00:06:03.140 --> 00:06:04.120 and when will you return? 00:06:05.240 --> 00:06:06.960 So it pleased the king to send me 00:06:06.960 --> 00:06:07.500 when I had given. 00:06:07.759 --> 00:06:08.140 And I said, 00:06:08.220 --> 00:06:09.100 let me pass through 00:06:09.100 --> 00:06:10.180 until I come to Judah 00:06:10.180 --> 00:06:11.740 and a letter to Asaph, 00:06:11.819 --> 00:06:13.100 the keeper of the king's forest, 00:06:13.199 --> 00:06:14.360 that he may give me timber 00:06:14.360 --> 00:06:16.120 to make beams for the gates 00:06:16.120 --> 00:06:17.240 of the fortress of the temple 00:06:17.240 --> 00:06:19.180 and for the wall of the city 00:06:19.180 --> 00:06:20.139 and for the house. 00:06:20.220 --> 00:06:21.600 And I gave them the king's letters. 00:06:22.480 --> 00:06:23.720 Now the king had sent with me 00:06:23.720 --> 00:06:25.200 officers of the army and horsemen. 00:06:25.900 --> 00:06:27.560 But when Sanballat the Horonite 00:06:27.560 --> 00:06:29.700 and Tobiah the Ammonite servant heard this, 00:06:29.699 --> 00:06:31.019 it displeased them greatly 00:06:31.019 --> 00:06:33.039 that someone had come to seek 00:06:33.039 --> 00:06:34.659 the welfare of the people of Israel. 00:06:35.659 --> 00:06:36.279 Verse 11. 00:06:36.979 --> 00:06:38.159 So I went to Jerusalem 00:06:38.159 --> 00:06:39.399 and was there three days. 00:06:40.099 --> 00:06:41.519 Then I arose in the night, 00:06:41.639 --> 00:06:42.980 I and a few men with me. 00:06:43.639 --> 00:06:44.759 And I told no one 00:06:44.759 --> 00:06:46.339 what my God had put into my heart 00:06:46.339 --> 00:06:47.259 to do for Jerusalem. 00:06:48.099 --> 00:06:49.639 There was no animal with me 00:06:49.639 --> 00:06:50.839 but the one on which I rode. 00:06:51.659 --> 00:06:52.639 I went out by night 00:06:52.639 --> 00:06:53.519 by the valley gate 00:06:53.519 --> 00:06:54.620 to the dragon spring 00:06:54.620 --> 00:06:55.639 and to the dung gate. 00:06:55.639 --> 00:06:57.919 And I inspected the walls of Jerusalem 00:06:57.919 --> 00:06:58.979 that were broken down 00:06:58.979 --> 00:06:59.699 and its gates 00:06:59.699 --> 00:07:01.099 that had been destroyed by fire. 00:07:02.120 --> 00:07:02.860 Verse 14. 00:07:03.899 --> 00:07:04.519 Then I went on 00:07:04.519 --> 00:07:05.339 to the fountain gate 00:07:05.339 --> 00:07:06.259 into the king's pool 00:07:06.259 --> 00:07:07.300 but there was no room 00:07:07.300 --> 00:07:08.000 for the animal 00:07:08.000 --> 00:07:09.379 that was under me to pass. 00:07:10.219 --> 00:07:11.560 Then I went up in the night 00:07:11.560 --> 00:07:12.139 by the valley 00:07:12.139 --> 00:07:13.180 and inspected the wall 00:07:13.180 --> 00:07:14.300 and I turned back 00:07:14.300 --> 00:07:15.599 and entered by the valley gate 00:07:15.599 --> 00:07:16.459 and so returned. 00:07:17.379 --> 00:07:18.939 And the officials did not know 00:07:18.939 --> 00:07:19.719 where I had gone 00:07:19.719 --> 00:07:20.719 or what I was doing. 00:07:21.000 --> 00:07:22.620 And I had not yet told the Jews, 00:07:22.879 --> 00:07:23.459 the priests, 00:07:24.019 --> 00:07:24.579 the nobles, 00:07:24.579 --> 00:07:25.419 the officials 00:07:25.419 --> 00:07:26.459 and the rest 00:07:26.459 --> 00:07:27.399 who were to do the work. 00:07:28.560 --> 00:07:29.539 Then I said to them, 00:07:30.099 --> 00:07:31.519 you see the trouble we are in 00:07:31.519 --> 00:07:33.339 how Jerusalem lies in ruins 00:07:33.339 --> 00:07:34.319 with its gates burned. 00:07:35.180 --> 00:07:36.159 Come, let us build 00:07:36.159 --> 00:07:37.099 the wall of Jerusalem 00:07:37.099 --> 00:07:38.439 and no longer suffer derision. 00:07:39.279 --> 00:07:40.159 And I told them 00:07:40.159 --> 00:07:41.259 of the hand of my God 00:07:41.259 --> 00:07:42.560 that had been upon me for good 00:07:42.560 --> 00:07:44.279 and also of the words 00:07:44.279 --> 00:07:45.680 that the king had spoken to me. 00:07:46.479 --> 00:07:47.139 And they said, 00:07:47.240 --> 00:07:48.519 let us rise up and build. 00:07:49.219 --> 00:07:50.699 So they strengthened their hands 00:07:50.699 --> 00:07:51.459 for the good work. 00:07:52.279 --> 00:07:53.740 But when Sanballat the horror night 00:07:53.740 --> 00:07:55.180 and Tobiah the Ammonite servant 00:07:55.180 --> 00:07:56.120 and Geshem the Arab 00:07:56.120 --> 00:07:56.639 heard of it, 00:07:56.740 --> 00:07:57.579 they jeered at us 00:07:57.579 --> 00:07:58.460 and despised us 00:07:58.460 --> 00:07:58.900 and said, 00:07:59.220 --> 00:08:00.439 what is this thing 00:08:00.439 --> 00:08:01.120 that you are doing? 00:08:01.920 --> 00:08:02.819 Are you rebelling 00:08:02.819 --> 00:08:03.560 against the king? 00:08:04.620 --> 00:08:05.900 Then I replied to them, 00:08:06.079 --> 00:08:07.160 the God of heaven 00:08:07.160 --> 00:08:08.139 will make us prosper 00:08:08.139 --> 00:08:09.600 and we his servants 00:08:09.600 --> 00:08:10.620 will arise and build. 00:08:11.400 --> 00:08:12.840 But you have no portion 00:08:12.840 --> 00:08:14.100 or right or claim 00:08:14.100 --> 00:08:15.100 in Jerusalem. 00:08:17.139 --> 00:08:18.060 Please pray with me 00:08:18.060 --> 00:08:19.220 as we come to this portion 00:08:19.220 --> 00:08:19.980 of God's word. 00:08:19.980 --> 00:08:23.620 Dear Father in heaven, 00:08:23.800 --> 00:08:25.200 we thank you 00:08:25.200 --> 00:08:27.020 that you do not just call us 00:08:27.020 --> 00:08:28.340 to repent of our sins, 00:08:28.860 --> 00:08:30.400 but you also call us 00:08:30.400 --> 00:08:31.819 into your plans 00:08:31.819 --> 00:08:32.480 for the world. 00:08:32.800 --> 00:08:33.440 You call us to be 00:08:33.440 --> 00:08:34.279 a part of your mission. 00:08:35.340 --> 00:08:35.980 And so we ask 00:08:35.980 --> 00:08:37.180 that you would help us 00:08:37.180 --> 00:08:38.180 this morning to do that, 00:08:38.240 --> 00:08:39.940 that you would show us 00:08:39.940 --> 00:08:41.360 everything that you have 00:08:41.360 --> 00:08:42.200 for us in your word. 00:08:43.139 --> 00:08:44.060 We ask this 00:08:44.060 --> 00:08:46.120 not because we have earned it 00:08:46.120 --> 00:08:46.840 or deserve it, 00:08:46.840 --> 00:08:48.620 but because Jesus 00:08:48.620 --> 00:08:49.440 has earned it 00:08:49.440 --> 00:08:50.560 and deserved it for us. 00:08:50.780 --> 00:08:51.460 And so we ask it 00:08:51.460 --> 00:08:52.000 in his name. 00:08:52.700 --> 00:08:52.960 Amen. 00:08:56.560 --> 00:08:57.519 If you have been 00:08:57.519 --> 00:08:59.580 following the news 00:08:59.580 --> 00:09:00.340 the last few weeks, 00:09:00.399 --> 00:09:00.980 you know that we've had 00:09:00.980 --> 00:09:02.480 a couple important dates pass. 00:09:03.460 --> 00:09:04.660 Now it's debate 00:09:04.660 --> 00:09:05.879 as to whether it's 00:09:05.879 --> 00:09:06.860 January the 12th 00:09:06.860 --> 00:09:08.220 or January the 17th, 00:09:08.220 --> 00:09:09.220 but there is an official 00:09:09.820 --> 00:09:11.360 ditch New Year's 00:09:11.360 --> 00:09:12.180 resolution day. 00:09:13.360 --> 00:09:15.240 And I believe it's based 00:09:15.240 --> 00:09:16.340 on some sort of polls 00:09:16.340 --> 00:09:17.060 or data about 00:09:17.060 --> 00:09:18.220 when people are most likely 00:09:18.220 --> 00:09:19.019 to drop their 00:09:19.019 --> 00:09:19.840 New Year's resolutions. 00:09:20.480 --> 00:09:21.320 So there's some debate 00:09:21.320 --> 00:09:21.920 about which week 00:09:21.920 --> 00:09:22.780 in January it is, 00:09:22.820 --> 00:09:23.759 but there comes a point 00:09:23.759 --> 00:09:26.980 at which people decide 00:09:26.980 --> 00:09:28.759 or maybe don't even decide, 00:09:28.860 --> 00:09:30.160 but they finally drop off 00:09:30.160 --> 00:09:30.840 everything that they've 00:09:30.840 --> 00:09:31.420 resolved to do 00:09:31.420 --> 00:09:32.000 in the new year. 00:09:32.920 --> 00:09:34.019 Now this is bad news 00:09:34.019 --> 00:09:35.060 for people who set goals. 00:09:35.480 --> 00:09:36.460 It's amazing news 00:09:36.460 --> 00:09:37.379 for all the gyms 00:09:37.379 --> 00:09:39.420 in the world. 00:09:39.980 --> 00:09:40.560 That was a joke. 00:09:40.639 --> 00:09:41.120 You can laugh. 00:09:41.200 --> 00:09:41.460 It's okay. 00:09:41.460 --> 00:09:45.740 But the reality is 00:09:45.740 --> 00:09:46.480 that it's one thing 00:09:46.480 --> 00:09:48.180 to set a goal 00:09:48.180 --> 00:09:50.019 and it's another thing 00:09:50.019 --> 00:09:50.639 to see it through. 00:09:50.740 --> 00:09:51.259 It's another thing 00:09:51.259 --> 00:09:52.080 to carry it out. 00:09:54.580 --> 00:09:55.759 Nehemiah in chapter 1 00:09:55.759 --> 00:09:57.600 repented of the sins 00:09:57.600 --> 00:09:58.200 of himself 00:09:58.200 --> 00:09:59.519 and the people of Israel 00:09:59.519 --> 00:10:01.480 on the one hand. 00:10:02.540 --> 00:10:03.740 But now he actually 00:10:03.740 --> 00:10:05.400 has to do all the work 00:10:05.400 --> 00:10:06.800 that it requires 00:10:06.800 --> 00:10:07.700 to come back. 00:10:07.700 --> 00:10:09.200 All the work 00:10:09.200 --> 00:10:10.480 to restore years 00:10:10.480 --> 00:10:11.160 and years 00:10:11.160 --> 00:10:11.940 of neglect 00:10:11.940 --> 00:10:13.120 of Jerusalem. 00:10:14.200 --> 00:10:15.759 It's been hundreds 00:10:15.759 --> 00:10:16.700 of years leading up 00:10:16.700 --> 00:10:17.240 to this point. 00:10:17.340 --> 00:10:17.840 It's been almost 00:10:17.840 --> 00:10:18.600 a hundred years 00:10:18.600 --> 00:10:20.540 since the return 00:10:20.540 --> 00:10:21.180 from exile. 00:10:21.920 --> 00:10:23.060 It was decades 00:10:23.060 --> 00:10:23.840 in exile 00:10:23.840 --> 00:10:24.900 and it was hundreds 00:10:24.900 --> 00:10:26.020 of years before that 00:10:26.020 --> 00:10:27.440 as Jerusalem fell 00:10:27.440 --> 00:10:28.360 and Israel fell 00:10:28.360 --> 00:10:29.040 little by little 00:10:29.040 --> 00:10:29.640 into sin 00:10:29.640 --> 00:10:30.140 and rebellion 00:10:30.140 --> 00:10:30.860 against God. 00:10:32.740 --> 00:10:33.640 And so while it's easy 00:10:33.640 --> 00:10:34.940 to at times 00:10:34.940 --> 00:10:35.600 feel sorry 00:10:35.600 --> 00:10:36.860 or regret 00:10:36.860 --> 00:10:37.320 the things 00:10:37.320 --> 00:10:37.840 that we've done 00:10:37.840 --> 00:10:39.220 it's on the other hand 00:10:39.220 --> 00:10:40.080 much more challenging 00:10:40.080 --> 00:10:40.720 to begin 00:10:40.720 --> 00:10:41.740 to walk the path 00:10:41.740 --> 00:10:42.640 away. 00:10:43.060 --> 00:10:43.980 To walk the path 00:10:43.980 --> 00:10:44.879 back to what God 00:10:44.879 --> 00:10:45.620 has for us. 00:10:47.100 --> 00:10:47.540 And yet we had 00:10:47.540 --> 00:10:48.720 that great cliffhanger 00:10:48.720 --> 00:10:49.300 last week 00:10:49.300 --> 00:10:49.980 that great hint 00:10:49.980 --> 00:10:50.840 that there were 00:10:50.840 --> 00:10:51.520 wonderful things 00:10:51.520 --> 00:10:52.720 in store for Nehemiah 00:10:52.720 --> 00:10:53.140 and we're not 00:10:53.140 --> 00:10:54.000 disappointed at all. 00:10:54.100 --> 00:10:54.600 We find out 00:10:54.600 --> 00:10:55.260 at the very beginning 00:10:55.260 --> 00:10:55.920 of chapter 2 00:10:55.920 --> 00:10:56.780 that Nehemiah 00:10:56.780 --> 00:10:57.460 has been praying 00:10:57.460 --> 00:10:58.360 for four months. 00:10:58.860 --> 00:10:59.280 It's the month 00:10:59.280 --> 00:10:59.700 of Nisan. 00:10:59.900 --> 00:11:00.360 So we've gone 00:11:00.360 --> 00:11:01.040 from November 00:11:01.040 --> 00:11:01.720 and December 00:11:01.720 --> 00:11:02.440 of one year 00:11:02.440 --> 00:11:03.080 to April 00:11:03.080 --> 00:11:04.060 of the next year. 00:11:04.780 --> 00:11:05.480 Remember I told you 00:11:05.480 --> 00:11:06.360 that this prayer 00:11:06.360 --> 00:11:06.840 that we saw 00:11:06.840 --> 00:11:07.440 in chapter 1 00:11:07.440 --> 00:11:08.419 was a summary prayer 00:11:08.419 --> 00:11:09.019 of everything 00:11:09.019 --> 00:11:10.060 that Nehemiah 00:11:10.060 --> 00:11:10.659 had been praying 00:11:10.659 --> 00:11:11.240 for months. 00:11:12.279 --> 00:11:13.300 And as he's been praying 00:11:13.300 --> 00:11:14.259 he's also been planning 00:11:14.259 --> 00:11:14.820 because we're going 00:11:14.820 --> 00:11:15.899 to see the brilliance 00:11:15.899 --> 00:11:16.379 of everything 00:11:16.379 --> 00:11:17.340 that he's thought through. 00:11:18.500 --> 00:11:19.200 He's waited 00:11:19.200 --> 00:11:19.919 four months. 00:11:20.220 --> 00:11:20.860 Now we would assume 00:11:20.860 --> 00:11:21.399 at this point 00:11:21.399 --> 00:11:21.840 that he's had 00:11:21.840 --> 00:11:22.519 many chances 00:11:22.519 --> 00:11:23.159 to bring food 00:11:23.159 --> 00:11:23.840 before the king. 00:11:24.659 --> 00:11:25.740 There's many times 00:11:25.740 --> 00:11:26.060 that the king 00:11:26.060 --> 00:11:26.840 is going to eat. 00:11:27.279 --> 00:11:27.700 We can assume 00:11:27.700 --> 00:11:28.460 he hasn't been fasting 00:11:28.460 --> 00:11:29.500 for the last four months. 00:11:29.759 --> 00:11:29.860 Right? 00:11:30.759 --> 00:11:32.120 And so Nehemiah comes 00:11:32.120 --> 00:11:32.720 he's been waiting 00:11:32.720 --> 00:11:33.159 and finally 00:11:33.159 --> 00:11:34.300 he has the right opportunity. 00:11:34.299 --> 00:11:36.759 Everything that he does here 00:11:36.759 --> 00:11:37.899 it seems to be strategic. 00:11:38.059 --> 00:11:38.419 First of all 00:11:38.419 --> 00:11:39.519 he's coming before the king 00:11:39.519 --> 00:11:40.359 when there's wine 00:11:40.359 --> 00:11:40.939 to be had. 00:11:42.199 --> 00:11:43.199 If there's any time 00:11:43.199 --> 00:11:43.620 that the king 00:11:43.620 --> 00:11:44.199 is going to be 00:11:44.199 --> 00:11:45.019 most friendly 00:11:45.019 --> 00:11:46.199 and receptive 00:11:46.199 --> 00:11:47.000 to what Nehemiah 00:11:47.000 --> 00:11:47.799 has to say to him 00:11:47.799 --> 00:11:48.519 it's going to be 00:11:48.519 --> 00:11:50.339 when he's feeling good. 00:11:51.459 --> 00:11:52.679 Now Old Testament scholars 00:11:52.679 --> 00:11:53.919 have a debate here 00:11:53.919 --> 00:11:55.559 about whether this was 00:11:55.559 --> 00:11:56.740 a Pinot Noir 00:11:56.740 --> 00:11:58.639 or a Cabernet 00:11:58.639 --> 00:12:02.819 but the type of wine 00:12:02.819 --> 00:12:03.240 that is here 00:12:03.240 --> 00:12:03.819 is not important. 00:12:03.960 --> 00:12:04.620 The point is that 00:12:04.620 --> 00:12:06.059 Nehemiah is using 00:12:06.059 --> 00:12:07.319 everything at his disposal. 00:12:07.659 --> 00:12:08.600 He's using all the 00:12:08.600 --> 00:12:09.939 intelligence and faculties 00:12:09.939 --> 00:12:10.840 that God has given him. 00:12:10.899 --> 00:12:11.980 He picks the right time. 00:12:12.559 --> 00:12:13.199 Then he also does 00:12:13.199 --> 00:12:13.699 something else 00:12:13.699 --> 00:12:14.319 that's strategic. 00:12:14.519 --> 00:12:15.439 He tells us in verse 1 00:12:15.439 --> 00:12:16.360 he had not been sad 00:12:16.360 --> 00:12:17.559 in the king's presence before. 00:12:18.279 --> 00:12:18.879 Now we know that 00:12:18.879 --> 00:12:19.539 this isn't because 00:12:19.539 --> 00:12:20.460 Nehemiah had not been 00:12:20.460 --> 00:12:21.299 feeling sad 00:12:21.299 --> 00:12:22.659 he had been fasting 00:12:22.659 --> 00:12:23.240 and weeping 00:12:23.240 --> 00:12:24.059 in chapter 1. 00:12:25.139 --> 00:12:25.659 But instead 00:12:25.659 --> 00:12:26.299 it's more likely 00:12:26.299 --> 00:12:26.939 that Nehemiah 00:12:26.940 --> 00:12:28.060 strategically decides 00:12:28.060 --> 00:12:29.140 this is going to be 00:12:29.140 --> 00:12:30.200 the day that he finally 00:12:30.200 --> 00:12:31.380 lets the king see 00:12:31.380 --> 00:12:32.080 everything that he's 00:12:32.080 --> 00:12:32.540 been feeling. 00:12:33.300 --> 00:12:34.700 So he picks the right time. 00:12:35.800 --> 00:12:37.100 He sets the right mood. 00:12:38.260 --> 00:12:39.280 And the plan begins 00:12:39.280 --> 00:12:39.840 to work because 00:12:39.840 --> 00:12:40.560 the king notices 00:12:40.560 --> 00:12:41.600 that something is wrong 00:12:41.600 --> 00:12:42.200 with Nehemiah 00:12:42.200 --> 00:12:42.880 and he asks him 00:12:42.880 --> 00:12:43.500 this question. 00:12:45.520 --> 00:12:46.320 Nehemiah continues 00:12:46.320 --> 00:12:47.280 in his brilliance there 00:12:47.280 --> 00:12:48.080 because he doesn't even 00:12:48.080 --> 00:12:48.780 make a request 00:12:48.780 --> 00:12:49.440 at this point. 00:12:50.240 --> 00:12:50.640 Verse 2 00:12:50.640 --> 00:12:51.540 the king asks him 00:12:51.540 --> 00:12:52.320 why he's sad. 00:12:54.260 --> 00:12:54.920 And Nehemiah 00:12:54.920 --> 00:12:55.520 doesn't say 00:12:55.520 --> 00:12:56.920 here's what I want 00:12:56.940 --> 00:12:57.520 you to do 00:12:57.520 --> 00:12:58.020 and says 00:12:58.020 --> 00:12:58.920 instead he says 00:12:58.920 --> 00:12:59.420 let the king 00:12:59.420 --> 00:13:00.000 live forever. 00:13:00.160 --> 00:13:00.620 Verse 3 00:13:00.620 --> 00:13:01.740 why should not 00:13:01.740 --> 00:13:02.680 my face be sad 00:13:02.680 --> 00:13:03.200 when the city 00:13:03.200 --> 00:13:03.760 the place of 00:13:03.760 --> 00:13:04.780 my father's graves 00:13:04.780 --> 00:13:05.680 lies in ruins 00:13:05.680 --> 00:13:06.660 and its gates 00:13:06.660 --> 00:13:07.260 have been destroyed 00:13:07.260 --> 00:13:07.880 by fire. 00:13:09.000 --> 00:13:09.800 Here Nehemiah's 00:13:09.800 --> 00:13:10.720 strategy continues 00:13:10.720 --> 00:13:11.500 because instead 00:13:11.500 --> 00:13:12.480 of talking about 00:13:12.480 --> 00:13:14.360 his regret 00:13:14.360 --> 00:13:14.960 over sin 00:13:14.960 --> 00:13:15.520 his repentance 00:13:15.520 --> 00:13:16.460 he speaks in words 00:13:16.460 --> 00:13:16.920 that the king 00:13:16.920 --> 00:13:17.620 can understand. 00:13:19.620 --> 00:13:20.260 And at this time 00:13:20.260 --> 00:13:20.780 in history 00:13:20.780 --> 00:13:21.780 there is few 00:13:21.780 --> 00:13:22.580 things worse 00:13:22.580 --> 00:13:23.920 than your father's 00:13:23.920 --> 00:13:25.100 graves being destroyed. 00:13:25.100 --> 00:13:28.500 And so Nehemiah 00:13:28.500 --> 00:13:29.560 chooses the right time. 00:13:30.480 --> 00:13:31.200 He chooses 00:13:31.200 --> 00:13:31.940 the right mood. 00:13:33.080 --> 00:13:33.779 He chooses 00:13:33.779 --> 00:13:34.700 the right words 00:13:34.700 --> 00:13:35.240 that he knows 00:13:35.240 --> 00:13:35.779 will be most 00:13:35.779 --> 00:13:36.720 effective to the king. 00:13:38.460 --> 00:13:39.279 And it leads 00:13:39.279 --> 00:13:39.860 to the result 00:13:39.860 --> 00:13:40.480 that he wants. 00:13:40.560 --> 00:13:41.040 In verse 4 00:13:41.040 --> 00:13:41.879 the king says to him 00:13:41.879 --> 00:13:42.740 what are you requesting? 00:13:45.000 --> 00:13:46.240 What does Nehemiah do? 00:13:48.759 --> 00:13:49.779 After he's laid out 00:13:49.779 --> 00:13:50.740 this brilliant strategy 00:13:50.740 --> 00:13:51.940 after he's decided 00:13:51.940 --> 00:13:53.060 for the perfect moment 00:13:53.060 --> 00:13:53.899 at the perfect time 00:13:53.899 --> 00:13:54.819 to speak to the king 00:13:54.819 --> 00:13:57.019 he prays. 00:13:59.299 --> 00:14:00.079 He does 00:14:00.079 --> 00:14:00.799 again 00:14:00.799 --> 00:14:01.559 what he's been doing 00:14:01.559 --> 00:14:02.139 for the last 00:14:02.139 --> 00:14:02.779 four months. 00:14:05.199 --> 00:14:06.100 He continues 00:14:06.100 --> 00:14:07.120 and we can see 00:14:07.120 --> 00:14:07.819 that he has 00:14:07.819 --> 00:14:09.220 planned out everything. 00:14:10.740 --> 00:14:11.379 The king continues 00:14:11.379 --> 00:14:12.279 to ask him questions 00:14:12.279 --> 00:14:12.840 and Nehemiah 00:14:12.840 --> 00:14:13.159 has thought 00:14:13.159 --> 00:14:14.179 through every contingency 00:14:14.179 --> 00:14:14.740 every need 00:14:14.740 --> 00:14:15.259 that he has. 00:14:15.379 --> 00:14:15.899 He strikes 00:14:15.899 --> 00:14:16.819 when the moment 00:14:16.819 --> 00:14:17.299 is right. 00:14:18.240 --> 00:14:18.860 He asks for the 00:14:18.860 --> 00:14:19.919 permission that he needs 00:14:19.919 --> 00:14:20.419 the letters 00:14:20.419 --> 00:14:21.199 that he requires 00:14:21.199 --> 00:14:21.899 to be able to do 00:14:21.899 --> 00:14:23.220 everything that is required. 00:14:24.720 --> 00:14:25.840 Even so much so 00:14:25.840 --> 00:14:26.360 that he gets 00:14:26.360 --> 00:14:27.480 the king to pay 00:14:27.480 --> 00:14:29.919 for the resources 00:14:29.919 --> 00:14:30.679 that he needs. 00:14:32.179 --> 00:14:33.179 You see in verse 8 00:14:33.179 --> 00:14:34.220 he asks for a letter 00:14:34.220 --> 00:14:36.100 so that he could use 00:14:36.100 --> 00:14:37.539 wood from the king's forest. 00:14:42.220 --> 00:14:42.860 And so Nehemiah 00:14:42.860 --> 00:14:43.899 does two things here. 00:14:45.179 --> 00:14:46.079 He acts 00:14:46.079 --> 00:14:47.500 decisively 00:14:47.500 --> 00:14:48.539 and boldly 00:14:48.539 --> 00:14:49.559 and intelligently 00:14:49.559 --> 00:14:50.840 with everything 00:14:50.840 --> 00:14:51.860 that God has given him. 00:14:51.860 --> 00:14:54.500 but he also 00:14:54.500 --> 00:14:55.240 prays 00:14:55.240 --> 00:14:56.680 and relies 00:14:56.680 --> 00:14:57.139 on God 00:14:57.139 --> 00:14:57.800 to give him 00:14:57.800 --> 00:14:58.240 the favor 00:14:58.240 --> 00:14:58.779 that he needs 00:14:58.779 --> 00:14:59.200 in the eyes 00:14:59.200 --> 00:14:59.639 of the king. 00:15:03.120 --> 00:15:03.940 And so what does it 00:15:03.940 --> 00:15:04.680 look like for 00:15:04.680 --> 00:15:05.600 us 00:15:05.600 --> 00:15:07.539 to return 00:15:07.539 --> 00:15:08.279 to God's mission? 00:15:09.240 --> 00:15:09.759 What does 00:15:09.759 --> 00:15:10.600 returning to God's 00:15:10.600 --> 00:15:11.360 mission look like? 00:15:11.419 --> 00:15:12.180 It means that we 00:15:12.180 --> 00:15:13.200 act 00:15:13.200 --> 00:15:15.060 and we pray. 00:15:16.740 --> 00:15:17.680 We act 00:15:17.680 --> 00:15:18.399 and we pray. 00:15:18.399 --> 00:15:21.220 Now some of us 00:15:21.220 --> 00:15:21.720 are going to 00:15:21.720 --> 00:15:22.279 fall more 00:15:22.279 --> 00:15:22.720 on the side 00:15:22.720 --> 00:15:23.220 of acting 00:15:23.220 --> 00:15:24.559 others of us 00:15:24.559 --> 00:15:25.279 more on the side 00:15:25.279 --> 00:15:25.720 of praying. 00:15:25.720 --> 00:15:28.500 we don't just 00:15:28.500 --> 00:15:30.500 invite our 00:15:30.500 --> 00:15:30.879 neighbors 00:15:30.879 --> 00:15:32.320 over to our 00:15:32.320 --> 00:15:32.680 house 00:15:32.680 --> 00:15:34.220 or invite 00:15:34.220 --> 00:15:34.820 them to church. 00:15:35.920 --> 00:15:36.820 We also pray 00:15:36.820 --> 00:15:37.259 for them. 00:15:38.480 --> 00:15:39.220 And we don't 00:15:39.220 --> 00:15:39.980 just pray 00:15:39.980 --> 00:15:40.399 for our 00:15:40.399 --> 00:15:40.720 neighbors 00:15:40.720 --> 00:15:42.019 that they would 00:15:42.019 --> 00:15:42.560 come to know 00:15:42.560 --> 00:15:42.840 Jesus 00:15:42.840 --> 00:15:43.440 but we also 00:15:43.440 --> 00:15:43.800 act. 00:15:43.899 --> 00:15:44.180 We also 00:15:44.180 --> 00:15:44.740 invite them 00:15:44.740 --> 00:15:45.340 over to our 00:15:45.340 --> 00:15:45.639 house 00:15:45.639 --> 00:15:46.759 and we 00:15:46.759 --> 00:15:47.240 invite them 00:15:47.240 --> 00:15:47.680 to join 00:15:47.680 --> 00:15:48.220 us at church. 00:15:49.960 --> 00:15:50.600 We don't 00:15:50.600 --> 00:15:51.399 just pray 00:15:51.399 --> 00:15:52.700 that our 00:15:52.700 --> 00:15:53.240 children would 00:15:53.240 --> 00:15:54.100 come to know 00:15:54.100 --> 00:15:54.480 Jesus 00:15:54.480 --> 00:15:55.220 and embrace 00:15:55.220 --> 00:15:55.480 him. 00:15:57.240 --> 00:15:58.100 But we also 00:15:58.100 --> 00:15:58.960 model for them 00:15:58.960 --> 00:15:59.720 what that looks 00:15:59.720 --> 00:16:00.180 like as we 00:16:00.180 --> 00:16:00.620 talked about 00:16:00.620 --> 00:16:01.120 last week 00:16:01.120 --> 00:16:01.779 in repenting. 00:16:03.659 --> 00:16:04.240 We don't 00:16:04.240 --> 00:16:04.879 just model for 00:16:04.879 --> 00:16:05.220 them what it 00:16:05.220 --> 00:16:05.720 looks like to 00:16:05.720 --> 00:16:06.399 repent but we 00:16:06.399 --> 00:16:07.019 also pray. 00:16:08.759 --> 00:16:09.360 We don't 00:16:09.360 --> 00:16:10.259 just pray about 00:16:10.259 --> 00:16:11.800 injustice and 00:16:11.800 --> 00:16:12.519 poverty and 00:16:12.519 --> 00:16:14.920 homelessness but we 00:16:14.920 --> 00:16:15.759 also join with 00:16:15.759 --> 00:16:16.279 people in our 00:16:16.279 --> 00:16:16.779 city who are 00:16:16.779 --> 00:16:17.279 doing that. 00:16:18.820 --> 00:16:19.620 We don't just 00:16:19.620 --> 00:16:20.340 join with people 00:16:20.340 --> 00:16:20.860 who are doing 00:16:20.860 --> 00:16:21.340 that though we 00:16:21.340 --> 00:16:22.000 also pray. 00:16:22.000 --> 00:16:22.039 pray. 00:16:25.720 --> 00:16:26.899 Oftentimes for 00:16:26.899 --> 00:16:28.740 Christians as 00:16:28.740 --> 00:16:29.299 much as God 00:16:29.299 --> 00:16:30.080 calls us to 00:16:30.080 --> 00:16:31.679 pray prayer can 00:16:31.679 --> 00:16:32.500 become a cop 00:16:32.500 --> 00:16:32.720 out. 00:16:35.379 --> 00:16:36.220 I often hear 00:16:36.220 --> 00:16:36.899 people say well 00:16:36.899 --> 00:16:37.580 I'm praying about 00:16:37.580 --> 00:16:39.279 that and that is 00:16:39.279 --> 00:16:39.940 good and right. 00:16:40.080 --> 00:16:40.899 God calls us to 00:16:40.899 --> 00:16:41.620 pray about things 00:16:41.620 --> 00:16:42.600 but he also calls 00:16:42.600 --> 00:16:43.240 us to act. 00:16:44.679 --> 00:16:45.639 He calls us to 00:16:45.639 --> 00:16:46.460 step out like 00:16:46.460 --> 00:16:48.480 Nehemiah and to 00:16:48.480 --> 00:16:49.460 use the resources 00:16:49.460 --> 00:16:50.299 that he has given 00:16:50.299 --> 00:16:51.639 us to return to 00:16:51.639 --> 00:16:52.139 his mission. 00:16:54.039 --> 00:16:54.879 He doesn't just 00:16:54.879 --> 00:16:55.679 call us to 00:16:55.679 --> 00:16:56.899 repent of our 00:16:56.899 --> 00:16:58.759 sin but he 00:16:58.759 --> 00:16:59.299 calls us to 00:16:59.299 --> 00:16:59.799 fight it as 00:16:59.799 --> 00:17:00.059 well. 00:17:01.799 --> 00:17:02.120 And so we 00:17:02.120 --> 00:17:02.819 don't just pray 00:17:02.819 --> 00:17:03.379 that God would 00:17:03.379 --> 00:17:04.160 give us victory 00:17:04.160 --> 00:17:06.079 and faithfulness 00:17:06.079 --> 00:17:06.879 in the things in 00:17:06.879 --> 00:17:07.420 our lives that 00:17:07.420 --> 00:17:08.059 continue to trip 00:17:08.059 --> 00:17:08.639 us up but he 00:17:08.639 --> 00:17:09.240 calls us to 00:17:09.240 --> 00:17:09.960 take the action 00:17:09.960 --> 00:17:10.639 that we need to 00:17:10.639 --> 00:17:11.359 put it to death. 00:17:12.980 --> 00:17:13.599 It might look 00:17:13.599 --> 00:17:14.660 like confessing 00:17:14.660 --> 00:17:15.500 not just to God 00:17:15.500 --> 00:17:16.220 but to a friend 00:17:16.220 --> 00:17:16.960 and asking for 00:17:16.960 --> 00:17:17.359 their help. 00:17:18.240 --> 00:17:19.039 It might look 00:17:19.039 --> 00:17:19.940 like joining an 00:17:19.940 --> 00:17:20.920 accountability group 00:17:20.920 --> 00:17:21.539 that will help 00:17:21.539 --> 00:17:22.840 us move back 00:17:22.840 --> 00:17:23.660 away from sin 00:17:23.660 --> 00:17:24.120 and towards 00:17:24.120 --> 00:17:24.580 righteousness. 00:17:27.360 --> 00:17:28.420 When we return 00:17:28.420 --> 00:17:29.240 to God and 00:17:29.240 --> 00:17:29.900 his mission we 00:17:29.900 --> 00:17:30.720 don't just act 00:17:30.720 --> 00:17:31.460 but we pray. 00:17:32.660 --> 00:17:33.160 And we don't 00:17:33.160 --> 00:17:34.460 just pray but we 00:17:34.460 --> 00:17:34.800 act. 00:17:36.460 --> 00:17:37.400 Nehemiah sets a 00:17:37.400 --> 00:17:38.400 model here of 00:17:38.400 --> 00:17:40.100 depending entirely 00:17:40.100 --> 00:17:40.759 on God. 00:17:41.920 --> 00:17:42.800 He prays for 00:17:42.800 --> 00:17:44.259 four months 00:17:44.259 --> 00:17:45.259 before doing 00:17:45.259 --> 00:17:45.820 anything. 00:17:45.819 --> 00:17:48.859 but he also 00:17:48.859 --> 00:17:49.500 sets us a 00:17:49.500 --> 00:17:50.919 model of 00:17:50.919 --> 00:17:51.599 being bold 00:17:51.599 --> 00:17:52.799 and decisive. 00:17:55.259 --> 00:17:55.859 And he 00:17:55.859 --> 00:17:56.500 doesn't do it 00:17:56.500 --> 00:17:57.399 because he is 00:17:57.399 --> 00:17:58.740 a man of 00:17:58.740 --> 00:17:59.859 great confidence 00:17:59.859 --> 00:18:00.839 and ability. 00:18:03.200 --> 00:18:03.960 Did you see 00:18:03.960 --> 00:18:05.000 what he said 00:18:05.000 --> 00:18:05.619 in verse 2? 00:18:05.619 --> 00:18:09.699 Just as his 00:18:09.699 --> 00:18:10.539 plan is about 00:18:10.539 --> 00:18:11.239 to succeed 00:18:11.239 --> 00:18:12.559 just as it's 00:18:12.559 --> 00:18:13.019 underway 00:18:13.019 --> 00:18:15.059 the king is 00:18:15.059 --> 00:18:15.559 asking him 00:18:15.559 --> 00:18:15.919 about the 00:18:15.919 --> 00:18:16.479 sadness of 00:18:16.479 --> 00:18:17.059 his face. 00:18:18.379 --> 00:18:19.239 The very end 00:18:19.239 --> 00:18:19.799 of verse 2 00:18:19.799 --> 00:18:20.419 then I was 00:18:20.419 --> 00:18:21.099 very much 00:18:21.099 --> 00:18:21.539 afraid. 00:18:24.859 --> 00:18:25.979 As Nehemiah 00:18:25.979 --> 00:18:26.559 repents 00:18:26.559 --> 00:18:28.359 and moves 00:18:28.359 --> 00:18:28.899 back towards 00:18:28.899 --> 00:18:29.500 God and his 00:18:29.500 --> 00:18:30.139 mission he is 00:18:30.139 --> 00:18:30.879 not immune 00:18:30.879 --> 00:18:32.679 from fear. 00:18:32.680 --> 00:18:35.700 He is not 00:18:35.700 --> 00:18:36.360 immune from 00:18:36.360 --> 00:18:37.200 the challenges 00:18:37.200 --> 00:18:39.700 and the 00:18:39.700 --> 00:18:40.019 frightening 00:18:40.019 --> 00:18:41.799 reality of 00:18:41.799 --> 00:18:42.200 living in 00:18:42.200 --> 00:18:42.660 this world. 00:18:43.039 --> 00:18:43.480 Of pushing 00:18:43.480 --> 00:18:44.120 back against 00:18:44.120 --> 00:18:44.580 all the 00:18:44.580 --> 00:18:45.140 effects of 00:18:45.140 --> 00:18:45.340 sin. 00:18:45.460 --> 00:18:45.880 Everything 00:18:45.880 --> 00:18:46.460 that sin 00:18:46.460 --> 00:18:47.019 has ruined. 00:18:48.320 --> 00:18:48.680 And yet he 00:18:48.680 --> 00:18:49.340 moves forward 00:18:49.340 --> 00:18:50.200 not because 00:18:50.200 --> 00:18:51.279 Nehemiah is 00:18:51.279 --> 00:18:51.960 brilliant. 00:18:53.480 --> 00:18:54.519 But he knows 00:18:54.519 --> 00:18:55.140 that God's 00:18:55.140 --> 00:18:56.120 good hand is 00:18:56.120 --> 00:18:56.820 upon him. 00:18:58.440 --> 00:18:59.140 That's what he 00:18:59.140 --> 00:18:59.759 tells us at the 00:18:59.759 --> 00:19:00.380 end here in 00:19:00.380 --> 00:19:00.920 verse 8. 00:19:01.000 --> 00:19:01.360 The end of 00:19:01.360 --> 00:19:01.880 this scene. 00:19:02.680 --> 00:19:04.299 The king 00:19:04.299 --> 00:19:04.840 granted me 00:19:04.840 --> 00:19:05.120 what I 00:19:05.120 --> 00:19:05.660 asked for 00:19:05.660 --> 00:19:06.080 the good 00:19:06.080 --> 00:19:06.500 hand of 00:19:06.500 --> 00:19:07.019 my God 00:19:07.019 --> 00:19:07.799 was upon 00:19:07.799 --> 00:19:08.060 me. 00:19:09.980 --> 00:19:10.440 And so 00:19:10.440 --> 00:19:10.680 as we 00:19:10.680 --> 00:19:11.400 turn back 00:19:11.400 --> 00:19:13.500 as we 00:19:13.500 --> 00:19:14.060 return to 00:19:14.060 --> 00:19:14.480 God and 00:19:14.480 --> 00:19:14.920 his mission 00:19:14.920 --> 00:19:15.299 as we 00:19:15.299 --> 00:19:16.420 want God's 00:19:16.420 --> 00:19:16.880 kingdom to 00:19:16.880 --> 00:19:17.500 be here on 00:19:17.500 --> 00:19:17.960 earth as 00:19:17.960 --> 00:19:18.360 it is in 00:19:18.360 --> 00:19:18.600 heaven. 00:19:19.299 --> 00:19:20.060 We work 00:19:20.060 --> 00:19:20.340 and we 00:19:20.340 --> 00:19:20.759 pray but 00:19:20.759 --> 00:19:21.180 we work 00:19:21.180 --> 00:19:21.480 and we 00:19:21.480 --> 00:19:22.019 pray because 00:19:22.019 --> 00:19:22.700 we know 00:19:22.700 --> 00:19:23.320 that God's 00:19:23.320 --> 00:19:23.759 good hand 00:19:23.759 --> 00:19:24.180 is with 00:19:24.180 --> 00:19:24.460 us. 00:19:24.880 --> 00:19:25.519 It's on 00:19:25.519 --> 00:19:25.840 us. 00:19:26.360 --> 00:19:27.080 Because it's 00:19:27.080 --> 00:19:27.480 God's 00:19:27.480 --> 00:19:27.779 mission. 00:19:29.220 --> 00:19:30.140 It's God's 00:19:30.140 --> 00:19:30.640 kingdom that 00:19:30.640 --> 00:19:31.019 he wants 00:19:31.019 --> 00:19:31.620 to return. 00:19:32.680 --> 00:19:33.799 And so 00:19:33.799 --> 00:19:34.340 God is 00:19:34.340 --> 00:19:34.799 going to 00:19:34.799 --> 00:19:35.440 bring his 00:19:35.440 --> 00:19:36.160 good hand 00:19:36.160 --> 00:19:37.980 anywhere and 00:19:37.980 --> 00:19:39.660 everywhere that 00:19:39.660 --> 00:19:40.240 his people are 00:19:40.240 --> 00:19:40.779 returning to 00:19:40.779 --> 00:19:41.060 him. 00:19:47.660 --> 00:19:48.340 And so 00:19:48.340 --> 00:19:51.180 our next 00:19:51.180 --> 00:19:51.920 portion as we 00:19:51.920 --> 00:19:52.840 return to 00:19:52.840 --> 00:19:53.480 God's mission 00:19:53.480 --> 00:19:54.060 is this. 00:19:54.140 --> 00:19:55.400 First we saw 00:19:55.400 --> 00:19:57.120 as we look 00:19:57.120 --> 00:19:59.019 to return to 00:19:59.019 --> 00:19:59.480 what God has 00:19:59.480 --> 00:19:59.940 called us to 00:19:59.940 --> 00:20:00.519 do, we act 00:20:00.519 --> 00:20:01.000 and we pray. 00:20:03.180 --> 00:20:03.900 But we also 00:20:03.900 --> 00:20:04.299 have to make 00:20:04.299 --> 00:20:04.900 sure that the 00:20:04.900 --> 00:20:05.519 mission that 00:20:05.519 --> 00:20:06.859 we're on is 00:20:06.859 --> 00:20:07.539 God's mission. 00:20:09.359 --> 00:20:09.940 In other 00:20:09.940 --> 00:20:10.420 words, how do 00:20:10.420 --> 00:20:11.960 we know that 00:20:11.960 --> 00:20:12.599 the good hand 00:20:12.599 --> 00:20:13.059 of our God 00:20:13.059 --> 00:20:13.720 is upon us? 00:20:15.099 --> 00:20:15.819 When do we 00:20:15.819 --> 00:20:16.519 know that God 00:20:16.519 --> 00:20:17.379 is with us? 00:20:19.579 --> 00:20:20.220 What are the 00:20:20.220 --> 00:20:20.879 actions that 00:20:20.879 --> 00:20:22.319 result in God's 00:20:22.319 --> 00:20:22.960 blessing and 00:20:22.960 --> 00:20:23.559 favor here? 00:20:23.559 --> 00:20:25.559 God's 00:20:25.559 --> 00:20:26.159 God's 00:20:26.159 --> 00:20:26.559 mission? 00:20:26.559 --> 00:20:27.240 Sometimes it's 00:20:27.240 --> 00:20:27.879 tempting when we 00:20:27.879 --> 00:20:30.000 talk about God 00:20:30.000 --> 00:20:30.319 and the 00:20:30.319 --> 00:20:31.200 coincidences that 00:20:31.200 --> 00:20:31.899 he provides, the 00:20:31.899 --> 00:20:32.539 doors that he's 00:20:32.539 --> 00:20:32.839 opened. 00:20:33.639 --> 00:20:34.419 Sometimes I hear 00:20:34.419 --> 00:20:35.259 people talk about 00:20:35.259 --> 00:20:35.940 those things but 00:20:35.940 --> 00:20:36.919 it's things that 00:20:36.919 --> 00:20:37.379 seem to have 00:20:37.379 --> 00:20:37.960 nothing to do 00:20:37.960 --> 00:20:38.440 with God and 00:20:38.440 --> 00:20:38.879 his mission. 00:20:40.940 --> 00:20:41.299 So God's 00:20:41.299 --> 00:20:42.059 promised to 00:20:42.059 --> 00:20:42.359 us. 00:20:43.539 --> 00:20:44.119 His presence 00:20:44.119 --> 00:20:44.779 with us is not 00:20:44.779 --> 00:20:45.419 a promise that 00:20:45.419 --> 00:20:46.079 he's going to 00:20:46.079 --> 00:20:47.000 help us with 00:20:47.000 --> 00:20:47.779 everything in 00:20:47.779 --> 00:20:48.359 every way. 00:20:48.359 --> 00:20:50.919 God is not 00:20:50.919 --> 00:20:51.599 necessarily going 00:20:51.599 --> 00:20:52.419 to help everyone 00:20:52.419 --> 00:20:52.979 in this room 00:20:52.979 --> 00:20:53.439 become a 00:20:53.439 --> 00:20:54.159 multimillionaire. 00:20:56.399 --> 00:20:57.279 God is not 00:20:57.279 --> 00:20:58.259 going to help 00:20:58.259 --> 00:20:58.919 everyone in 00:20:58.919 --> 00:21:00.079 this room start 00:21:00.079 --> 00:21:00.919 a successful 00:21:00.919 --> 00:21:01.439 real estate 00:21:01.439 --> 00:21:01.939 business. 00:21:03.039 --> 00:21:03.799 God is not 00:21:03.799 --> 00:21:04.579 necessarily going 00:21:04.579 --> 00:21:05.459 to help everyone 00:21:05.459 --> 00:21:06.079 in this room 00:21:06.079 --> 00:21:07.939 find what we're 00:21:07.939 --> 00:21:08.599 looking for. 00:21:10.459 --> 00:21:11.159 And so as we're 00:21:11.159 --> 00:21:12.019 praying and acting, 00:21:12.119 --> 00:21:12.619 how do we know 00:21:12.619 --> 00:21:13.159 that we are on 00:21:13.159 --> 00:21:13.859 God's mission? 00:21:13.979 --> 00:21:14.819 How are we with 00:21:14.819 --> 00:21:15.679 God? 00:21:16.500 --> 00:21:17.359 How do we know 00:21:17.359 --> 00:21:17.919 that that good 00:21:17.919 --> 00:21:18.339 hand of God 00:21:18.339 --> 00:21:19.279 is upon us? 00:21:23.000 --> 00:21:24.220 We see here 00:21:24.220 --> 00:21:25.079 in this chapter 00:21:25.079 --> 00:21:26.199 in the following 00:21:26.199 --> 00:21:27.019 section that 00:21:27.019 --> 00:21:28.119 Nehemiah is 00:21:28.119 --> 00:21:31.139 pursuing the 00:21:31.139 --> 00:21:31.980 kingdom of God. 00:21:32.779 --> 00:21:33.500 He's looking to 00:21:33.500 --> 00:21:34.159 rebuild and 00:21:34.159 --> 00:21:35.099 restore Jerusalem, 00:21:35.220 --> 00:21:35.899 the place where 00:21:35.899 --> 00:21:36.799 God wants his 00:21:36.799 --> 00:21:38.839 kingdom to be 00:21:38.839 --> 00:21:39.599 modeled on earth. 00:21:39.799 --> 00:21:40.319 The point of 00:21:40.319 --> 00:21:41.119 Jerusalem was that 00:21:41.119 --> 00:21:41.539 all of the 00:21:41.539 --> 00:21:42.179 nations would be 00:21:42.179 --> 00:21:43.039 able to look and 00:21:43.039 --> 00:21:43.859 see what it's 00:21:43.859 --> 00:21:45.319 like when God's 00:21:45.319 --> 00:21:46.079 people live in 00:21:46.079 --> 00:21:46.759 God's ways. 00:21:46.759 --> 00:21:47.759 God's mission. 00:21:47.759 --> 00:21:49.039 And so we see 00:21:49.039 --> 00:21:49.740 here in this 00:21:49.740 --> 00:21:50.319 chapter that 00:21:50.319 --> 00:21:51.599 Nehemiah is on 00:21:51.599 --> 00:21:52.200 God's mission. 00:21:52.319 --> 00:21:52.920 We see in verse 00:21:52.920 --> 00:21:54.920 10 that he's 00:21:54.920 --> 00:21:55.859 come to seek the 00:21:55.859 --> 00:21:56.539 welfare of the 00:21:56.539 --> 00:21:57.220 people of Israel. 00:22:00.099 --> 00:22:01.099 We see in verse 00:22:01.099 --> 00:22:03.059 12 that God 00:22:03.059 --> 00:22:03.759 had put this in 00:22:03.759 --> 00:22:04.539 his heart to do 00:22:04.539 --> 00:22:05.059 something for 00:22:05.059 --> 00:22:05.500 Jerusalem. 00:22:07.259 --> 00:22:07.940 And so Nehemiah 00:22:07.940 --> 00:22:08.900 here has a special 00:22:08.900 --> 00:22:10.119 mission from God. 00:22:11.299 --> 00:22:12.359 And what's difficult 00:22:12.359 --> 00:22:13.720 as we ask and 00:22:13.720 --> 00:22:14.299 wonder what is 00:22:14.299 --> 00:22:15.099 God's mission is 00:22:15.099 --> 00:22:15.859 that Nehemiah 00:22:15.859 --> 00:22:16.379 doesn't just have 00:22:16.379 --> 00:22:17.119 a special mission 00:22:17.119 --> 00:22:17.879 from God but he 00:22:17.879 --> 00:22:18.779 plays a role in 00:22:18.779 --> 00:22:19.480 the Bible that we 00:22:19.480 --> 00:22:20.240 do not play. 00:22:23.019 --> 00:22:24.159 Not everyone in 00:22:24.159 --> 00:22:24.779 the history of 00:22:24.779 --> 00:22:25.480 Israel makes it 00:22:25.480 --> 00:22:26.079 into the Bible. 00:22:28.839 --> 00:22:29.919 Not everyone has 00:22:29.919 --> 00:22:31.179 a special mission 00:22:31.179 --> 00:22:31.819 from God in 00:22:31.819 --> 00:22:32.599 redemptive history. 00:22:33.819 --> 00:22:34.659 God has not 00:22:34.659 --> 00:22:35.480 called us to 00:22:35.480 --> 00:22:36.519 rebuild the walls 00:22:36.519 --> 00:22:37.259 of Jerusalem like 00:22:37.259 --> 00:22:38.059 he called Nehemiah 00:22:38.059 --> 00:22:38.599 to do that. 00:22:40.439 --> 00:22:41.480 And yet we do 00:22:41.480 --> 00:22:42.639 have God's 00:22:42.639 --> 00:22:43.599 commands to us in 00:22:43.599 --> 00:22:43.980 the Bible. 00:22:45.099 --> 00:22:47.439 God has given 00:22:47.439 --> 00:22:48.240 us enough that 00:22:48.240 --> 00:22:49.299 we know everything 00:22:49.299 --> 00:22:50.379 that God loves. 00:22:53.599 --> 00:22:54.299 And so we 00:22:54.299 --> 00:22:55.480 experience God's 00:22:55.480 --> 00:22:56.059 good hand. 00:22:57.339 --> 00:22:58.179 We know that we 00:22:58.179 --> 00:22:59.319 are returning to 00:22:59.319 --> 00:23:00.019 God in his 00:23:00.019 --> 00:23:01.740 mission when we 00:23:01.740 --> 00:23:02.319 work for the 00:23:02.319 --> 00:23:03.119 things that God 00:23:03.119 --> 00:23:03.539 loves. 00:23:04.639 --> 00:23:05.399 We know that we're 00:23:05.399 --> 00:23:06.419 returning to God's 00:23:06.419 --> 00:23:07.000 mission when we 00:23:07.000 --> 00:23:07.699 are seeking for 00:23:07.699 --> 00:23:08.639 God's kingdom to 00:23:08.639 --> 00:23:09.480 be here on earth 00:23:09.480 --> 00:23:10.319 just as it is in 00:23:10.319 --> 00:23:10.539 heaven. 00:23:11.899 --> 00:23:12.399 And so on the 00:23:12.399 --> 00:23:13.059 one hand we make 00:23:13.059 --> 00:23:13.779 a mistake if we 00:23:13.779 --> 00:23:14.799 want everything to 00:23:14.799 --> 00:23:15.819 happen to us just 00:23:15.819 --> 00:23:16.619 like it happens to 00:23:16.619 --> 00:23:17.119 Nehemiah. 00:23:18.500 --> 00:23:19.500 We are not an 00:23:19.500 --> 00:23:20.099 Old Testament 00:23:20.099 --> 00:23:21.559 governor of Judah. 00:23:23.019 --> 00:23:23.700 On the other 00:23:23.700 --> 00:23:24.359 hand we can be 00:23:24.359 --> 00:23:25.279 confident that God's 00:23:25.279 --> 00:23:26.019 hand is with us 00:23:26.019 --> 00:23:26.839 whenever we turn 00:23:26.839 --> 00:23:28.319 back to him and 00:23:28.319 --> 00:23:28.779 his mission. 00:23:30.279 --> 00:23:31.099 And so what we 00:23:31.099 --> 00:23:31.919 see here in 00:23:31.919 --> 00:23:32.519 chapter 2 is 00:23:32.519 --> 00:23:33.079 similar to what we 00:23:33.079 --> 00:23:33.680 saw in the book 00:23:33.680 --> 00:23:34.059 of Ruth. 00:23:34.180 --> 00:23:35.359 Remember Ruth 00:23:35.359 --> 00:23:37.279 goes out trying to 00:23:37.279 --> 00:23:38.460 provide for Naomi 00:23:38.460 --> 00:23:39.399 and it just so 00:23:39.399 --> 00:23:40.279 happens that she 00:23:40.279 --> 00:23:41.619 turns out in the 00:23:41.619 --> 00:23:42.579 fields of Boaz. 00:23:42.579 --> 00:23:45.879 We expect things 00:23:45.879 --> 00:23:46.960 to just so happen 00:23:46.960 --> 00:23:48.720 not with every 00:23:48.720 --> 00:23:49.639 coincidence in our 00:23:49.639 --> 00:23:51.720 lives but whenever 00:23:51.720 --> 00:23:53.119 we're seeking God 00:23:53.119 --> 00:23:53.819 and his ways. 00:23:55.259 --> 00:23:55.740 And so how do we 00:23:55.740 --> 00:23:56.599 know that we are 00:23:56.599 --> 00:23:58.240 with God on his 00:23:58.240 --> 00:23:58.539 mission? 00:24:00.599 --> 00:24:01.480 One thing we can 00:24:01.480 --> 00:24:02.220 do is we can ask 00:24:02.220 --> 00:24:03.899 the why test. 00:24:05.619 --> 00:24:06.539 We can use the 00:24:06.539 --> 00:24:07.079 why test. 00:24:07.139 --> 00:24:07.480 In other words, 00:24:07.579 --> 00:24:08.439 why is it that we 00:24:08.439 --> 00:24:09.839 are pursuing what 00:24:09.839 --> 00:24:10.399 we're pursuing? 00:24:10.759 --> 00:24:11.519 Why is it that we 00:24:11.519 --> 00:24:12.639 want what we want? 00:24:13.519 --> 00:24:14.619 How is it that our 00:24:14.619 --> 00:24:15.639 lives are seeking 00:24:15.639 --> 00:24:16.539 after God and his 00:24:16.539 --> 00:24:16.819 mission? 00:24:16.939 --> 00:24:17.579 One way that this 00:24:17.579 --> 00:24:19.039 shows up is in our 00:24:19.039 --> 00:24:19.459 prayers. 00:24:21.279 --> 00:24:22.500 Yemiah here has been 00:24:22.500 --> 00:24:23.720 praying to God that 00:24:23.720 --> 00:24:24.859 Jerusalem would be 00:24:24.859 --> 00:24:25.359 destroyed. 00:24:25.639 --> 00:24:26.199 Excuse me, not 00:24:26.199 --> 00:24:26.480 destroyed. 00:24:26.579 --> 00:24:27.119 Jerusalem would be 00:24:27.119 --> 00:24:28.339 restored after its 00:24:28.339 --> 00:24:28.759 destruction. 00:24:29.819 --> 00:24:30.579 And so we can ask 00:24:30.579 --> 00:24:31.439 the same question for 00:24:31.439 --> 00:24:31.799 ourselves. 00:24:31.919 --> 00:24:32.619 How does our life 00:24:32.619 --> 00:24:33.619 relate to God and 00:24:33.619 --> 00:24:34.079 his mission? 00:24:35.500 --> 00:24:36.720 And this is not just 00:24:36.720 --> 00:24:37.480 something that involves 00:24:37.480 --> 00:24:38.299 building up the church 00:24:38.299 --> 00:24:39.279 but all of our lives. 00:24:39.839 --> 00:24:42.679 If we are single and 00:24:42.679 --> 00:24:43.639 praying for a spouse, 00:24:44.659 --> 00:24:46.939 are we praying for a 00:24:46.939 --> 00:24:48.339 spouse so that we will 00:24:48.339 --> 00:24:49.119 not be lonely? 00:24:50.839 --> 00:24:51.919 Or are we saying to 00:24:51.919 --> 00:24:53.119 God, please bring me a 00:24:53.119 --> 00:24:54.559 spouse and here is how I 00:24:54.559 --> 00:24:56.519 see my marriage bringing 00:24:56.519 --> 00:24:57.579 you and your kingdom 00:24:57.579 --> 00:24:58.079 glory. 00:24:59.379 --> 00:25:00.659 I want it to be a place 00:25:00.659 --> 00:25:02.319 where people see the 00:25:02.319 --> 00:25:03.500 gospel lived out and 00:25:03.500 --> 00:25:04.059 acted out. 00:25:05.639 --> 00:25:07.720 Do we ask God for a 00:25:07.720 --> 00:25:08.079 house? 00:25:10.519 --> 00:25:11.119 Because we are 00:25:11.119 --> 00:25:11.899 interested in our own 00:25:11.899 --> 00:25:12.279 comfort. 00:25:14.039 --> 00:25:15.279 Or are we asking God 00:25:15.279 --> 00:25:16.339 that he would come and 00:25:16.339 --> 00:25:17.639 bring us a place that's 00:25:17.639 --> 00:25:18.720 not just for our good 00:25:18.720 --> 00:25:19.559 but for his glory. 00:25:20.559 --> 00:25:21.899 A place where people are 00:25:21.899 --> 00:25:22.959 going to experience the 00:25:22.959 --> 00:25:25.539 safety and belonging and 00:25:25.539 --> 00:25:27.379 rest and challenge of the 00:25:27.379 --> 00:25:27.720 gospel. 00:25:29.679 --> 00:25:31.059 If we are asking God for 00:25:31.059 --> 00:25:32.000 children, are we asking 00:25:32.000 --> 00:25:33.199 him for children so that we 00:25:33.199 --> 00:25:34.439 won't be lonely in our old 00:25:34.439 --> 00:25:34.759 age? 00:25:34.759 --> 00:25:37.940 Or are we asking him that 00:25:37.940 --> 00:25:38.900 he would provide us with 00:25:38.900 --> 00:25:40.180 children so that we can be 00:25:40.180 --> 00:25:41.559 part of raising them to 00:25:41.559 --> 00:25:44.220 love God and know God and 00:25:44.220 --> 00:25:45.460 that they would play a role 00:25:45.460 --> 00:25:46.619 in bringing God's kingdom 00:25:46.619 --> 00:25:47.339 here on earth. 00:25:47.759 --> 00:25:49.200 That he would raise them up 00:25:49.200 --> 00:25:51.000 and give them vocations and 00:25:51.000 --> 00:25:51.460 work. 00:25:52.119 --> 00:25:53.700 That they would be a part of 00:25:53.700 --> 00:25:55.660 restoring this world that God 00:25:55.660 --> 00:25:56.339 has given us. 00:25:56.339 --> 00:26:01.980 Are we seeking to help those 00:26:01.980 --> 00:26:02.980 who are homeless so that we 00:26:02.980 --> 00:26:03.879 can feel good about 00:26:03.879 --> 00:26:04.379 ourselves? 00:26:06.599 --> 00:26:08.439 Or are we praying that God 00:26:08.439 --> 00:26:10.980 would use us to help restore 00:26:10.980 --> 00:26:11.919 everything that's been 00:26:11.919 --> 00:26:12.879 ruined by sin? 00:26:16.539 --> 00:26:17.720 In other words, are we 00:26:17.720 --> 00:26:19.000 seeking God and his mission? 00:26:19.119 --> 00:26:20.359 Are we seeking the things that 00:26:20.359 --> 00:26:20.980 God loves? 00:26:20.980 --> 00:26:23.599 For the reasons that he loves 00:26:23.599 --> 00:26:23.819 them. 00:26:25.400 --> 00:26:27.660 God has not called us to build 00:26:27.660 --> 00:26:29.819 a wall around Jerusalem. 00:26:31.400 --> 00:26:33.000 And yet he has called us, just 00:26:33.000 --> 00:26:34.400 like Nehemiah, as we repent of 00:26:34.400 --> 00:26:36.860 our sin to turn back to all of 00:26:36.860 --> 00:26:38.259 his purposes for this world. 00:26:40.740 --> 00:26:42.180 And so whatever we're pursuing, 00:26:42.299 --> 00:26:43.279 whatever we're doing, we're 00:26:43.279 --> 00:26:44.700 pursuing it with God and his 00:26:44.700 --> 00:26:45.480 mission in mind. 00:26:46.299 --> 00:26:49.019 It's not that we need to become 00:26:49.019 --> 00:26:51.660 frantic and fill our schedules 00:26:51.660 --> 00:26:53.299 with more things in our lives. 00:26:54.680 --> 00:26:55.879 But that the things that we're 00:26:55.879 --> 00:26:57.240 already doing are not more 00:26:57.240 --> 00:26:58.700 things, but they become mission 00:26:58.700 --> 00:26:59.180 things. 00:27:01.900 --> 00:27:04.240 Things that are bringing God and 00:27:04.240 --> 00:27:05.700 his goodness and his justice and 00:27:05.700 --> 00:27:07.000 his love to bear in the world. 00:27:11.200 --> 00:27:13.279 We see in this section, Nehemiah 00:27:13.279 --> 00:27:14.099 meets some enemies. 00:27:15.299 --> 00:27:16.339 We're going to see a lot of 00:27:16.339 --> 00:27:18.160 Nehemiah's enemies and the rest of 00:27:18.160 --> 00:27:20.400 Nehemiah, so we're going to save 00:27:20.400 --> 00:27:22.100 some of that for later when they 00:27:22.100 --> 00:27:23.140 oppose him even more. 00:27:25.180 --> 00:27:27.040 But we see throughout all of this, 00:27:27.700 --> 00:27:29.080 as he faces the enemies, as 00:27:29.080 --> 00:27:30.500 Nehemiah looks around the wall, 00:27:31.259 --> 00:27:34.759 that he is interested in God and 00:27:34.759 --> 00:27:35.380 his good hand. 00:27:35.480 --> 00:27:37.759 It's God and his provision that is 00:27:37.759 --> 00:27:39.480 the motivating factor for Nehemiah 00:27:39.480 --> 00:27:40.180 as he's leading. 00:27:42.360 --> 00:27:44.580 We saw already in verse 12 that God 00:27:44.580 --> 00:27:45.740 had put this in his heart. 00:27:45.740 --> 00:27:51.680 We see in verse 8 before that the 00:27:51.680 --> 00:27:53.420 good hand of God was upon Nehemiah. 00:27:53.500 --> 00:27:55.519 In fact, that's a theme here in this 00:27:55.519 --> 00:27:57.220 chapter because it shows up again in 00:27:57.220 --> 00:27:57.839 verse 18. 00:27:59.660 --> 00:28:01.500 Nehemiah is trying to lead and 00:28:01.500 --> 00:28:03.759 encourage the people of Jerusalem to 00:28:03.759 --> 00:28:04.660 join him in the work. 00:28:04.759 --> 00:28:05.460 And so he says, 00:28:05.460 --> 00:28:08.240 And I told them, this is verse 18, 00:28:08.319 --> 00:28:09.779 of the hand of my God that had been 00:28:09.779 --> 00:28:12.440 upon me for good, and also of the 00:28:12.440 --> 00:28:14.019 words that the king had spoken to me. 00:28:14.980 --> 00:28:17.039 And they said, let us rise up and build. 00:28:17.539 --> 00:28:19.400 So they strengthened their hands for the 00:28:19.400 --> 00:28:19.920 good work. 00:28:21.519 --> 00:28:22.559 In one verse, 00:28:23.220 --> 00:28:26.220 we see that God has given his good 00:28:26.220 --> 00:28:27.200 hand to his people. 00:28:28.519 --> 00:28:30.039 And the result is that they can 00:28:30.039 --> 00:28:31.500 strengthen their hands as well. 00:28:31.500 --> 00:28:34.559 But then the real kicker comes in 00:28:34.559 --> 00:28:35.680 verses 19 and 20. 00:28:36.579 --> 00:28:37.859 Nehemiah's enemies and opponents 00:28:37.859 --> 00:28:39.420 come to him and they make fun of him. 00:28:40.480 --> 00:28:42.059 And they ask him a question that he 00:28:42.059 --> 00:28:42.660 doesn't answer. 00:28:43.039 --> 00:28:43.680 Do you notice that? 00:28:47.180 --> 00:28:48.140 Verse 19. 00:28:48.859 --> 00:28:50.680 What is this thing that you are doing? 00:28:51.420 --> 00:28:53.180 Are you rebelling against the king? 00:28:55.460 --> 00:28:56.900 And Nehemiah doesn't answer whether 00:28:56.900 --> 00:28:58.160 he's rebelling against the king. 00:28:58.160 --> 00:29:04.360 Because he answers to a different king. 00:29:06.600 --> 00:29:08.259 And so in verse 20 he says, 00:29:08.380 --> 00:29:09.340 Then I replied to them, 00:29:10.759 --> 00:29:11.880 The God of heaven 00:29:11.880 --> 00:29:15.060 will make us prosper. 00:29:15.800 --> 00:29:17.779 And we his servants will arise and build. 00:29:18.600 --> 00:29:21.040 But you have no portion or right or claim 00:29:21.040 --> 00:29:22.240 in Jerusalem. 00:29:22.240 --> 00:29:25.980 In other words, 00:29:26.079 --> 00:29:27.019 Nehemiah knows 00:29:27.019 --> 00:29:29.980 that God allows 00:29:29.980 --> 00:29:31.019 and calls 00:29:31.019 --> 00:29:32.039 and invites his people 00:29:32.039 --> 00:29:33.259 to be a part of his mission. 00:29:34.660 --> 00:29:35.620 He invites them 00:29:35.620 --> 00:29:37.099 not just to repent of sin 00:29:37.099 --> 00:29:37.940 but to turn back. 00:29:38.000 --> 00:29:38.880 And he does that 00:29:38.880 --> 00:29:41.799 not because of our good hand 00:29:41.799 --> 00:29:43.620 but because of his. 00:29:46.640 --> 00:29:47.980 It's God's good hand 00:29:47.980 --> 00:29:48.599 on his people. 00:29:49.559 --> 00:29:50.460 It's God's good hand 00:29:50.460 --> 00:29:51.220 on his people here 00:29:51.220 --> 00:29:52.039 in the Old Testament. 00:29:52.240 --> 00:29:53.559 As they look forward 00:29:53.559 --> 00:29:54.539 to Jesus coming. 00:29:55.920 --> 00:29:57.299 And it's God's good hand 00:29:57.299 --> 00:29:58.079 on us as well 00:29:58.079 --> 00:29:58.920 as we look back 00:29:58.920 --> 00:29:59.720 to Jesus coming. 00:30:01.420 --> 00:30:02.599 God doesn't allow us 00:30:02.599 --> 00:30:04.099 to be part of restoring 00:30:04.099 --> 00:30:04.559 the world 00:30:04.559 --> 00:30:06.079 that's been broken by sin 00:30:06.079 --> 00:30:07.339 because we 00:30:07.339 --> 00:30:08.740 are not a part 00:30:08.740 --> 00:30:09.279 of the problem. 00:30:10.539 --> 00:30:11.460 He allows us 00:30:11.460 --> 00:30:12.200 to be a part of it 00:30:12.200 --> 00:30:13.059 even though we are. 00:30:14.799 --> 00:30:16.120 Even as we are part 00:30:16.120 --> 00:30:16.859 of the brokenness 00:30:16.859 --> 00:30:17.420 of this world, 00:30:17.579 --> 00:30:18.359 God allows us 00:30:18.359 --> 00:30:19.019 and invites us 00:30:19.019 --> 00:30:19.720 to join him. 00:30:19.720 --> 00:30:21.819 because his good hand 00:30:21.819 --> 00:30:22.360 is with us 00:30:22.360 --> 00:30:23.120 and it's with us 00:30:23.120 --> 00:30:23.940 because of Jesus. 00:30:26.000 --> 00:30:26.940 As we talked about 00:30:26.940 --> 00:30:27.519 with repentance, 00:30:27.779 --> 00:30:28.400 God is bringing 00:30:28.400 --> 00:30:28.920 his justice 00:30:28.920 --> 00:30:29.500 on the earth. 00:30:31.880 --> 00:30:33.180 And yet for those 00:30:33.180 --> 00:30:33.880 who follow him 00:30:33.880 --> 00:30:34.880 and have faith in him 00:30:34.880 --> 00:30:35.620 and trust him, 00:30:36.019 --> 00:30:37.220 he allows that justice 00:30:37.220 --> 00:30:38.120 to fall on Jesus. 00:30:38.279 --> 00:30:39.120 He takes people 00:30:39.120 --> 00:30:40.920 who allow the walls 00:30:40.920 --> 00:30:41.839 to be torn down 00:30:41.839 --> 00:30:42.420 and destroyed 00:30:42.420 --> 00:30:44.960 and he invites us 00:30:44.960 --> 00:30:45.640 to come back 00:30:45.640 --> 00:30:46.039 with him 00:30:46.039 --> 00:30:47.580 and rebuild them. 00:30:50.759 --> 00:30:51.340 And so because 00:30:51.340 --> 00:30:52.200 of everything 00:30:52.200 --> 00:30:53.300 that Jesus has done 00:30:53.300 --> 00:30:53.740 for us, 00:30:53.800 --> 00:30:54.640 God's invitation 00:30:54.640 --> 00:30:55.640 to Nehemiah 00:30:55.640 --> 00:30:57.200 is his invitation 00:30:57.200 --> 00:30:58.440 to us as well. 00:30:59.840 --> 00:31:00.720 That we can be 00:31:00.720 --> 00:31:01.840 a part of his mission 00:31:01.840 --> 00:31:04.080 and we can return 00:31:04.080 --> 00:31:06.340 with action 00:31:06.340 --> 00:31:06.900 and prayer 00:31:06.900 --> 00:31:10.100 joining God 00:31:10.100 --> 00:31:10.660 in everything 00:31:10.660 --> 00:31:11.380 that he has 00:31:11.380 --> 00:31:11.980 that is good 00:31:11.980 --> 00:31:12.680 for this world. 00:31:14.300 --> 00:31:14.960 And so that's 00:31:14.960 --> 00:31:15.420 what we're about 00:31:15.420 --> 00:31:15.860 to sing 00:31:15.860 --> 00:31:16.440 as we sing 00:31:16.440 --> 00:31:17.100 By Faith. 00:31:18.200 --> 00:31:19.019 We're going to sing 00:31:19.019 --> 00:31:19.800 a verse about 00:31:19.800 --> 00:31:20.900 the city 00:31:20.900 --> 00:31:21.860 that God has given 00:31:21.860 --> 00:31:22.640 of justice 00:31:22.640 --> 00:31:23.220 and goodness. 00:31:24.400 --> 00:31:25.040 That it's something 00:31:25.040 --> 00:31:26.440 that we don't see now 00:31:26.440 --> 00:31:28.019 but we walk by faith 00:31:28.019 --> 00:31:29.560 knowing that God 00:31:29.560 --> 00:31:30.820 comes and joins 00:31:30.820 --> 00:31:31.460 and gives us 00:31:31.460 --> 00:31:32.200 his good hand 00:31:32.200 --> 00:31:33.460 as we choose 00:31:33.460 --> 00:31:34.300 to walk with him. 00:31:35.000 --> 00:31:35.920 Even when we don't 00:31:35.920 --> 00:31:36.720 see and know 00:31:36.720 --> 00:31:38.539 everything that lies ahead. 00:31:39.620 --> 00:31:40.480 And so let's do that now. 00:31:40.559 --> 00:31:41.400 Please pray with me 00:31:41.400 --> 00:31:42.740 before we sing 00:31:42.740 --> 00:31:43.480 our closing hymn. 00:31:47.000 --> 00:31:48.120 Dear Father in Heaven, 00:31:48.279 --> 00:31:49.539 we thank you 00:31:49.539 --> 00:31:53.220 that even though 00:31:53.220 --> 00:31:54.720 we are part 00:31:54.720 --> 00:31:55.360 of the problem 00:31:55.360 --> 00:31:56.019 of this world, 00:31:56.100 --> 00:31:56.759 we've contributed 00:31:56.759 --> 00:31:58.180 to its brokenness, 00:31:58.559 --> 00:31:59.860 to its destruction. 00:32:01.940 --> 00:32:03.319 You allowed Jesus 00:32:03.319 --> 00:32:04.220 to be broken 00:32:04.220 --> 00:32:05.700 and destroyed for us 00:32:05.700 --> 00:32:07.180 so that we could 00:32:07.180 --> 00:32:08.840 join with you 00:32:08.840 --> 00:32:10.420 in rebuilding 00:32:10.420 --> 00:32:11.299 everything that's 00:32:11.299 --> 00:32:12.240 been broken and lost. 00:32:13.000 --> 00:32:13.840 We ask that you 00:32:13.840 --> 00:32:14.799 would encourage us 00:32:14.799 --> 00:32:15.740 with that this morning, 00:32:15.840 --> 00:32:16.799 that you would remind us 00:32:16.799 --> 00:32:17.580 of your love 00:32:17.580 --> 00:32:18.220 and your grace. 00:32:19.500 --> 00:32:20.600 And we would take that 00:32:20.600 --> 00:32:21.440 and it would allow us 00:32:21.440 --> 00:32:22.220 to walk forward 00:32:22.220 --> 00:32:22.779 in faith, 00:32:23.720 --> 00:32:24.700 building and restoring 00:32:24.700 --> 00:32:25.400 as you guide us 00:32:25.400 --> 00:32:25.900 and lead us. 00:32:26.840 --> 00:32:28.019 We ask all these things 00:32:28.019 --> 00:32:28.920 in the name of your son. 00:32:29.640 --> 00:32:29.940 Amen. 00:32:29.940 --> 00:32:30.080 Amen. 00:32:30.080 --> 00:32:30.140 Amen. 00:32:30.140 --> 00:33:00.120 Thank you.