WEBVTT

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 Good morning.

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 My name is Matthew Capone, and I'm the pastor here at Cheyenne Mountain Presbyterian Church,

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 and it's my joy to bring God's Word to you today.

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 A special welcome if you are new or visiting with us.

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 We are glad that you're here.

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 And we're glad that you're here with us not because we are interested in filling seats,

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 but because we are following Jesus together as one community,

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 and we are convinced as we follow Jesus that there is no one so good

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 that they don't need God's grace, and no one so bad that they can't have it.

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 And so God has something to say to every one of us this morning,

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 and every one of us needs to hear what God has to say.

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 If you've been with us, you know that we're in the book of Nehemiah.

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 We've made some progress. We're now in chapter 6,

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 and the book of Nehemiah is a book about a man named Nehemiah,

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 and this man lived in the 5th century B.C.,

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 and he was living in the Persian Empire, and at the time he was living there,

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 he began to understand and realize that God's city in Jerusalem had fallen into ruins.

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 And so he began the process of repenting of his sin

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 and the sins of the people of Israel in the Old Testament,

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 turning back from the ways they had abandoned God

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 and instead turning back to God's wall to rebuild the city that he had given them.

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 The purpose of Jerusalem was to be a light to the nations,

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 that everyone would see what happens when God's people follow after God's ways.

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 We saw last week that they had not just abandoned God's wall,

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 but they had in fact abandoned God's ways,

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 and so there was oppression of the poor that was happening.

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 And Nehemiah then is leading his people not just in this physical reconstruction,

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 but also in a spiritual reconstruction.

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 Previously in chapter 4, we saw that as God's people return to God's ways,

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 there is an inevitable opposition that comes,

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 that we cannot have impact without opposition,

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 because God has real enemies that come up against his people when they try to follow him.

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 We're going to see that again this morning.

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 We're in Nehemiah chapter 6, and God's enemies are going to show up again.

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 If you are familiar, if you live life here in North America,

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 you know that something that we have heard more and more about in the last few years

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 is the phenomenon of fake news.

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 Fake news is exactly what it sounds like, right?

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 People put out news articles on the internet that are not true,

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 and they don't do this just for their own amusement,

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 but there's a purpose behind it.

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 The purpose of fake news is to make people afraid,

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 because there's few emotions that we experience that are more powerful than fear.

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 And if you can make people afraid,

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 there's few things you won't be able to get them to do.

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 In other words, if you can make people afraid,

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 then they are like butter in your hands.

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 Fear is one of the most powerful emotions that we come up against,

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 and so that is why fake news has become so popular.

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 If you can make someone afraid of the other political party,

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 then you can convince them to show up and vote for yours.

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 If you can make someone afraid of people who are different than them,

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 then you can convince them to help them stumble rather than to support them.

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 But fake news is not something that's new.

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 It's been around for a long time,

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 and we're going to see some fake news in our passage this morning.

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 We are in Nehemiah chapter 6,

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 and I'm just going to name that sometimes it's hard for many of us,

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 myself included, to pay careful attention when we are reading long passages of God's Word.

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 Some of that's just part of being human, right?

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 I don't say that to shame anyone.

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 It's just our attention spans, they move from place to place.

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 So I'm going to give you a little bit of an assignment.

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 As we read, I want you to see if you can spot all the places where the word afraid or frightened appear in this passage.

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 And if you have a pen with you, feel free to circle or underline.

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 That'll be my way to keep you all on track as we read.

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 We're in Nehemiah chapter 6,

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 and remember that this is God's Word.

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 And God tells us that His Word is a hammer that breaks a rock into pieces.

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 In other words, there is no opposition that can stand in the way of the impact that God has when He speaks.

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 And so please read with me now, starting at verse 1.

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 Verse 3.

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 Verse 7.

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 Verse 10.

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 Verse 11.

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 Verse 9.

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 1.

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 Verse 12.

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 And I understood and saw that God had not sent him,

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 but he had pronounced the prophecy against me

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 because Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him.

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 For this reason he was hired,

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 that I should be afraid and act in this way in sin,

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 so they could give me a bad name in order to taunt me.

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 Remember Tobiah and Sanballat, oh my God,

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 according to these things that they did,

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 and also the prophetess Noadiah

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 and the rest of the prophets who wanted to make me afraid.

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 Verse 15.

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 So the wall was finished on the 25th day of the month Elul

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 in 52 days.

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 And when all our enemies heard of it,

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 all the nations around us were afraid

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 and fell greatly in their own esteem,

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 for they perceived that this work had been accomplished

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 with the help of our God.

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 Moreover, in those days,

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 the nobles of Judah sent many letters to Tobiah,

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 and Tobiah's letters came to them,

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 for many in Judah were bound by oath to him,

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 because he was the son-in-law of Shekaniah,

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 the son of Ere.

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 And his son, Jehohanan,

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 had taken the daughter of Meshulam,

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 the son of Barachiah,

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 as his wife.

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 Also they spoke of his good deeds in my presence

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 and reported my words to him.

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 And Tobiah sent me letters

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 to make me afraid.

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 Please pray with me

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 as we come to this portion of God's word.

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 Dear Father in heaven,

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 we thank you for your word

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 that you've given to us.

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 We thank you that you have not left us alone

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 to be afraid,

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 but instead you've come

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 and you've spoken to us.

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 We ask that you would do that again,

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 that you would open our eyes to see,

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 you would unstop our ears to hear,

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 and you would clear our minds

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 that we can understand and believe

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 everything that is written about you

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 in your word.

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 We ask all these things

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 in the name of your son.

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 Amen.

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 Over the past few weeks,

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 we've seen the wall

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 that Nehemiah is rebuilding

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 come up little by little,

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 and it would be almost as if

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 you were living in a neighborhood

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 and you know a new house is being built,

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 and you get to see it stage by stage.

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 First just the frame comes up,

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 then slowly more and more

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 until finally maybe the only thing that's left

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 is for there to be put,

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 for sod to be put in the yard

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 so that there can be grass.

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 And this is what we find out

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 when we come to the beginning of chapter 6.

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 Everything has been finished

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 except for the gates.

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 The work that has happened

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 that we've seen over many chapters now

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 has come to completion,

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 and there's only one thing left to do.

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 And so as Nehemiah's enemies look,

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 they realize that everything they've done

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 to oppose him has failed.

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 All that they can do is a last-ditch effort.

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 In the past, we saw in chapter 4

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 that they were going to attack

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 the Israelites who were rebuilding the wall,

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 and that's not an option anymore.

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 And so now assassination of Nehemiah

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 is all that's left.

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 And that's the plot we find here at the beginning.

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 They send to Nehemiah in chapter 2

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 asking him to meet them in an isolated place.

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 Of course, Nehemiah sees right through them

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 and tells them multiple times

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 that he is so busy rebuilding the wall

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 that he can't join them.

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 And their insistence that he come to a place

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 where it would be easy to kill him

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 confirms his fears.

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 That this is a place

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 where they're looking for foul play.

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 Realizing this isn't going to work for Nehemiah,

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 they finally push their fake news.

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 They tell him,

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 look, you're going to have to meet us

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 because these rumors are being spread about you.

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 Everyone knows what you're really trying to do.

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 We know that this is not about

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 returning to God and his ways.

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 We actually know that you are trying

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 to become powerful politically.

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 And you're trying to take away Judah

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 from the Persian Empire.

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 And so if you don't come and meet with us,

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 you're going to face all the consequences

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 of being an enemy politically of the Persian king.

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 That doesn't work either, though.

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 So they try another strategy.

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 They hire a fake priest.

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 Now, maybe this man is legitimately a priest

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 at some level,

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 but he does not represent God.

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 And so, on the one hand,

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 they try to get Nehemiah to give in to fear

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 and turn away from God's work.

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 And their second strategy

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 is to convince Nehemiah

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 not to necessarily turn away from God's work,

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 but to use fear for him to disobey God's law.

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 They ask him to hide in a place in the temple

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 that was reserved only for the priests,

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 hoping that as Nehemiah feels threatened for his life

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 that he won't care about anything that God's commanded.

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 Instead, he'll simply run into this trap

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 that they've set for him.

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 He'll go into the holy place

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 where people who are not priests

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 were supposed to stay away from.

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 But Nehemiah, instead of giving in

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 to the fear of the end of his life,

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 instead sticks close to God and his commands.

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 And so he says in verse 11,

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 should such a man as I run away,

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 and what man such as I could go into the temple and live?

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 In other words, Nehemiah knows

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 that in the past, people who went into God's holy place

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 without permission were struck dead.

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 And so if he ran away on the one hand

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 from a plot to kill him,

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 he might meet death at God's hands in the end.

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 And so that strategy does not work either.

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 And then we find out

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 that there's something else that's going on.

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 There's someone who's powerful in the Jewish community

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 who has many alliances.

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 There's this man named Tobiah

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 that we find out about in verse 17.

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 We've met Tobiah before.

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 He seems to have some connection.

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 He may be Jewish himself.

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 If he's not, he's very powerful

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 in the Jewish community.

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 He's powerful because he has people

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 who are bound by oath to him,

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 we find out in verse 18.

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 And then he's powerful

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 because of his alliances through marriage.

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 And he uses all of this,

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 as we find out in the last verse,

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 to continue to try to make Nehemiah afraid.

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 He's sending out letters

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 to people who have power,

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 convincing them that Nehemiah

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 is someone they should not help.

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 Over and over and over,

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 the opposition that Nehemiah faces in this chapter

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 is the opposition,

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 the temptation to give in to fear.

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 We saw in chapter four

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 that our enemy, the devil,

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 has many strategies

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 that he uses to come up against God's people.

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 His favorite strategy in North America

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 where we are is to convince people

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 that there's nothing more important

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 than their comfort and convenience

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 so that he can lull us to sleep

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 and we are not trying to have an impact

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 because we don't care about God

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 and his ways anymore.

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 But as we saw happen in chapter four,

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 that didn't work with Nehemiah.

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 And so he came with all out opposition.

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 And now we find out another strategy

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 of our enemy,

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 that he is rightly named

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 the father of lies.

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 that fear and lies

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 are one of his greatest strategies

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 to come up against God's people

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 when they're following him.

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 It's fear

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 that speeds things up.

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 If you want someone

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 to do something quickly,

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 if you want to prevent them

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 from thinking carefully,

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 then all you need to do

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 is make them afraid.

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 People who are afraid

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 act much faster than anyone else.

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 I was at a retreat recently

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 with some other pastors in our area

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 and we were staying

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 at a rental home

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 in Breckenridge for a night

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 right before one of our regional gatherings

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 as a chance to meet

00:13:40.539 --> 00:13:41.200
 and pray together.

00:13:41.419 --> 00:13:42.419
 And there came a point

00:13:42.419 --> 00:13:44.259
 where we got a call

00:13:44.259 --> 00:13:45.080
 from the rental company

00:13:45.080 --> 00:13:46.460
 saying that we had too many cars

00:13:46.460 --> 00:13:47.039
 in the driveway

00:13:47.039 --> 00:13:48.600
 and that the HOA

00:13:48.600 --> 00:13:50.120
 was going to start towing our cars.

00:13:50.120 --> 00:13:52.899
 And there was a meeting

00:13:52.899 --> 00:13:53.879
 to try to figure out

00:13:53.879 --> 00:13:55.039
 what was going to happen,

00:13:55.139 --> 00:13:56.820
 how we were going to rearrange our cars

00:13:56.820 --> 00:13:58.139
 so that we would not be towed.

00:13:58.799 --> 00:14:00.080
 There are very strict laws

00:14:00.080 --> 00:14:00.659
 in Breckenridge,

00:14:00.740 --> 00:14:01.440
 I found out about,

00:14:01.539 --> 00:14:02.080
 you're only allowed

00:14:02.080 --> 00:14:03.580
 to have four cars in a driveway.

00:14:04.320 --> 00:14:06.080
 You can't park on the street at all.

00:14:06.600 --> 00:14:07.879
 I ended up getting a little note

00:14:07.879 --> 00:14:09.840
 in my handle

00:14:09.840 --> 00:14:10.899
 with a cell phone number

00:14:10.899 --> 00:14:11.379
 and telling me

00:14:11.379 --> 00:14:12.440
 to move my car immediately.

00:14:13.060 --> 00:14:13.980
 And I decided

00:14:13.980 --> 00:14:15.440
 I was not going to take part

00:14:15.440 --> 00:14:16.240
 in this discussion

00:14:16.240 --> 00:14:17.360
 about how to move the cars.

00:14:18.220 --> 00:14:19.460
 I just left the house.

00:14:20.880 --> 00:14:21.760
 I left the house,

00:14:21.880 --> 00:14:22.640
 I ran to my car,

00:14:22.760 --> 00:14:23.320
 I warmed it up

00:14:23.320 --> 00:14:24.500
 and I immediately got out of there

00:14:24.500 --> 00:14:25.600
 and went to a different spot.

00:14:26.660 --> 00:14:28.260
 And it wasn't until after I'd done that

00:14:28.260 --> 00:14:29.080
 that I realized

00:14:29.080 --> 00:14:31.460
 fear speeds things up.

00:14:33.280 --> 00:14:34.600
 There was no imminent threat

00:14:34.600 --> 00:14:35.580
 of us being towed.

00:14:36.680 --> 00:14:38.200
 We had just received a call

00:14:38.200 --> 00:14:39.460
 from the Homeowners Association.

00:14:40.300 --> 00:14:41.400
 There was not a tow truck

00:14:41.399 --> 00:14:42.559
 on the way at that moment.

00:14:43.100 --> 00:14:44.199
 But just the suggestion

00:14:44.199 --> 00:14:46.019
 that someone might tow my car

00:14:46.019 --> 00:14:47.179
 was enough for me

00:14:47.179 --> 00:14:48.059
 to jump into action.

00:14:49.840 --> 00:14:51.899
 Fear is a powerful emotion.

00:14:54.120 --> 00:14:55.480
 And it speeds things up.

00:14:55.559 --> 00:14:57.019
 It's one of the greatest tools

00:14:57.019 --> 00:14:57.919
 that our enemy uses

00:14:57.919 --> 00:14:58.720
 to keep us

00:14:58.720 --> 00:14:59.519
 from the good things

00:14:59.519 --> 00:15:00.579
 that God has for us.

00:15:02.059 --> 00:15:04.259
 It's fear of missing out

00:15:04.259 --> 00:15:06.600
 that destroyed Adam and Eve.

00:15:07.360 --> 00:15:08.799
 Believing that there was something good

00:15:08.799 --> 00:15:10.059
 that God wanted to keep from them.

00:15:10.059 --> 00:15:13.819
 It's fear that God is not in control

00:15:13.819 --> 00:15:14.519
 or not good

00:15:14.519 --> 00:15:17.039
 that causes us to break His laws

00:15:17.039 --> 00:15:18.039
 rather than to follow Him.

00:15:18.919 --> 00:15:19.959
 It's fear of failure

00:15:19.959 --> 00:15:21.559
 that keeps us from ever trying

00:15:21.559 --> 00:15:23.899
 something great.

00:15:24.579 --> 00:15:25.759
 Ever trying to follow God

00:15:25.759 --> 00:15:27.119
 because we are afraid

00:15:27.119 --> 00:15:28.119
 that we'll find out

00:15:28.119 --> 00:15:29.079
 our greatest fear,

00:15:29.179 --> 00:15:30.099
 that we're not enough.

00:15:31.119 --> 00:15:33.139
 We're afraid to pray to God

00:15:33.139 --> 00:15:34.739
 to ask Him for things

00:15:34.739 --> 00:15:36.959
 because we don't know

00:15:36.959 --> 00:15:37.699
 what we're going to do

00:15:37.700 --> 00:15:38.540
 if He tells us no.

00:15:40.220 --> 00:15:41.480
 It's fear that causes us

00:15:41.480 --> 00:15:42.720
 to control other people.

00:15:43.280 --> 00:15:44.180
 Fear of embarrassment

00:15:44.180 --> 00:15:46.500
 that someone might see

00:15:46.500 --> 00:15:47.600
 our kids misbehaving

00:15:47.600 --> 00:15:48.280
 that causes us

00:15:48.280 --> 00:15:49.080
 to be harsh with them.

00:15:51.160 --> 00:15:51.920
 It's fear

00:15:51.920 --> 00:15:53.400
 that moves us quickly

00:15:53.400 --> 00:15:54.360
 away from God

00:15:54.360 --> 00:15:54.940
 and His ways

00:15:54.940 --> 00:15:56.620
 into our own comfort,

00:15:56.720 --> 00:15:57.360
 our own security.

00:15:58.940 --> 00:16:00.220
 Now we could talk all day

00:16:00.220 --> 00:16:02.259
 about this sort of general fear.

00:16:02.259 --> 00:16:04.240
 I could tell you

00:16:04.240 --> 00:16:05.419
 about all kinds of different facets

00:16:05.419 --> 00:16:05.759
 of fear

00:16:05.759 --> 00:16:06.539
 and what it does to us

00:16:06.539 --> 00:16:07.779
 but the fear that we see here

00:16:07.779 --> 00:16:08.919
 is a specific fear.

00:16:09.860 --> 00:16:11.700
 It's not fear of heights

00:16:11.700 --> 00:16:13.939
 or fear of certain places

00:16:13.939 --> 00:16:14.939
 but this is the fear

00:16:14.939 --> 00:16:16.080
 that comes up against us

00:16:16.080 --> 00:16:18.139
 when we try to follow God

00:16:18.139 --> 00:16:18.799
 and His ways.

00:16:20.139 --> 00:16:21.379
 It's the fear that comes

00:16:21.379 --> 00:16:22.000
 when we are going

00:16:22.000 --> 00:16:22.799
 on God's mission.

00:16:23.720 --> 00:16:24.240
 It's the fear

00:16:24.240 --> 00:16:25.419
 that our enemy uses

00:16:25.419 --> 00:16:27.399
 to convince us

00:16:27.399 --> 00:16:28.580
 that what we are trying to do

00:16:28.580 --> 00:16:29.460
 when we follow God

00:16:29.460 --> 00:16:30.500
 is a terrible idea.

00:16:30.500 --> 00:16:32.860
 It's the fear

00:16:32.860 --> 00:16:33.759
 that makes us believe

00:16:33.759 --> 00:16:34.779
 that if we follow God

00:16:34.779 --> 00:16:35.679
 and obey His laws

00:16:35.679 --> 00:16:36.679
 it will lead to death.

00:16:37.559 --> 00:16:38.500
 That's what's presented

00:16:38.500 --> 00:16:39.460
 to Nehemiah here.

00:16:40.200 --> 00:16:41.539
 If he doesn't run away,

00:16:42.039 --> 00:16:43.059
 if he doesn't meet them

00:16:43.059 --> 00:16:45.240
 in this isolated place,

00:16:45.620 --> 00:16:46.480
 then political ruin

00:16:46.480 --> 00:16:47.179
 is going to come.

00:16:48.220 --> 00:16:49.279
 If he doesn't run

00:16:49.279 --> 00:16:49.899
 into the temple,

00:16:50.019 --> 00:16:51.120
 then his own personal death

00:16:51.120 --> 00:16:51.840
 is going to come.

00:16:53.100 --> 00:16:55.200
 Now we don't necessarily fear

00:16:55.200 --> 00:16:56.279
 that someone's going to come

00:16:56.279 --> 00:16:57.679
 kill us or assassinate us

00:16:57.679 --> 00:16:58.480
 here in southwest

00:16:58.480 --> 00:16:59.379
 Colorado Springs.

00:17:00.500 --> 00:17:01.679
 But we do have fear

00:17:01.679 --> 00:17:02.639
 when God calls us

00:17:02.639 --> 00:17:04.119
 to have hard conversations

00:17:04.119 --> 00:17:04.859
 with other people

00:17:04.859 --> 00:17:05.859
 that would lead

00:17:05.859 --> 00:17:06.579
 to reconciliation.

00:17:09.200 --> 00:17:09.980
 We're afraid

00:17:09.980 --> 00:17:11.200
 to talk with other people

00:17:11.200 --> 00:17:11.799
 about the way

00:17:11.799 --> 00:17:12.660
 that we have sinned

00:17:12.660 --> 00:17:13.400
 or the way that they

00:17:13.400 --> 00:17:14.400
 have sinned against us

00:17:14.400 --> 00:17:15.539
 so that we could move forward

00:17:15.539 --> 00:17:16.779
 as one community.

00:17:18.559 --> 00:17:19.299
 That's the fear

00:17:19.299 --> 00:17:19.960
 that comes up

00:17:19.960 --> 00:17:20.400
 when we're trying

00:17:20.400 --> 00:17:21.059
 to follow God

00:17:21.059 --> 00:17:21.680
 and His ways.

00:17:23.400 --> 00:17:24.180
 There's fear

00:17:24.180 --> 00:17:25.380
 of personal conflict.

00:17:25.579 --> 00:17:26.359
 Many people

00:17:26.359 --> 00:17:26.940
 who we think of

00:17:26.940 --> 00:17:27.680
 as peacemakers,

00:17:28.000 --> 00:17:28.420
 now there are

00:17:28.420 --> 00:17:29.480
 real peacemakers, right?

00:17:29.480 --> 00:17:29.920
 There are people

00:17:29.920 --> 00:17:30.960
 who work through conflict

00:17:30.960 --> 00:17:31.599
 in a way that's

00:17:31.599 --> 00:17:32.400
 healthy and wise.

00:17:33.019 --> 00:17:33.539
 But then there's

00:17:33.539 --> 00:17:33.960
 other people

00:17:33.960 --> 00:17:34.640
 that we think of

00:17:34.640 --> 00:17:35.519
 as peacemakers

00:17:35.519 --> 00:17:36.000
 that are really

00:17:36.000 --> 00:17:36.579
 just scared.

00:17:38.400 --> 00:17:39.680
 They're profoundly scared

00:17:39.680 --> 00:17:40.380
 of what would happen

00:17:40.380 --> 00:17:41.019
 if they actually

00:17:41.019 --> 00:17:41.660
 talked about

00:17:41.660 --> 00:17:42.500
 the things

00:17:42.500 --> 00:17:43.240
 that they have done

00:17:43.240 --> 00:17:44.420
 that have upset others

00:17:44.420 --> 00:17:44.900
 and the things

00:17:44.900 --> 00:17:45.759
 that others have done

00:17:45.759 --> 00:17:47.180
 that have upset them.

00:17:49.120 --> 00:17:49.799
 There's a fear

00:17:49.799 --> 00:17:50.299
 that comes

00:17:50.299 --> 00:17:51.099
 when we try

00:17:51.099 --> 00:17:52.059
 to talk about Jesus

00:17:52.059 --> 00:17:52.740
 with our friends

00:17:52.740 --> 00:17:53.240
 and our neighbors

00:17:53.240 --> 00:17:54.079
 who don't know Him.

00:17:54.940 --> 00:17:55.579
 That somehow

00:17:55.579 --> 00:17:56.500
 we'll be rejected

00:17:56.500 --> 00:17:58.099
 and isolated

00:17:58.099 --> 00:17:58.759
 and marginalized.

00:18:00.680 --> 00:18:01.559
 There's a fear

00:18:01.559 --> 00:18:03.680
 in Christian churches

00:18:03.680 --> 00:18:04.299
 right now

00:18:04.299 --> 00:18:05.000
 in North America

00:18:05.000 --> 00:18:06.299
 that we are going

00:18:06.299 --> 00:18:07.460
 to be persecuted

00:18:07.460 --> 00:18:08.480
 and marginalized.

00:18:10.500 --> 00:18:11.400
 And that fear

00:18:11.400 --> 00:18:12.339
 on the one hand

00:18:12.339 --> 00:18:13.619
 causes some people

00:18:13.619 --> 00:18:14.259
 to run away

00:18:14.259 --> 00:18:14.660
 from God

00:18:14.660 --> 00:18:15.220
 and His ways.

00:18:16.180 --> 00:18:16.779
 We don't want

00:18:16.779 --> 00:18:17.440
 to be associated

00:18:17.440 --> 00:18:17.920
 with God

00:18:17.920 --> 00:18:18.460
 and His law

00:18:18.460 --> 00:18:19.019
 and what He says

00:18:19.019 --> 00:18:19.779
 is good for the world

00:18:19.779 --> 00:18:20.400
 because we're afraid

00:18:20.400 --> 00:18:20.880
 of the shame

00:18:20.880 --> 00:18:21.799
 that might come to us.

00:18:21.799 --> 00:18:24.319
 But our enemy

00:18:24.319 --> 00:18:24.799
 is tricky

00:18:24.799 --> 00:18:26.500
 and he can use

00:18:26.500 --> 00:18:26.919
 our fear

00:18:26.919 --> 00:18:27.759
 in the opposite way

00:18:27.759 --> 00:18:28.220
 as well.

00:18:28.980 --> 00:18:29.700
 Instead of being

00:18:29.700 --> 00:18:30.980
 afraid of what happens

00:18:30.980 --> 00:18:31.919
 if people see us

00:18:31.919 --> 00:18:32.379
 embracing

00:18:32.379 --> 00:18:33.899
 what God calls good

00:18:33.899 --> 00:18:35.680
 there are others

00:18:35.680 --> 00:18:36.700
 of us who take that

00:18:36.700 --> 00:18:37.539
 and embrace it

00:18:37.539 --> 00:18:39.180
 but then we take that

00:18:39.180 --> 00:18:39.879
 as an opportunity

00:18:39.879 --> 00:18:40.940
 to complain

00:18:40.940 --> 00:18:43.319
 and play the victim

00:18:43.319 --> 00:18:45.359
 giving our energy

00:18:45.359 --> 00:18:46.720
 and our time

00:18:46.720 --> 00:18:47.960
 to focusing

00:18:47.960 --> 00:18:48.500
 on what we need

00:18:48.500 --> 00:18:48.879
 to fear

00:18:48.879 --> 00:18:49.399
 rather than what

00:18:49.399 --> 00:18:50.359
 God has called us to.

00:18:50.700 --> 00:18:51.539
 There are entire

00:18:51.539 --> 00:18:52.619
 podcasts

00:18:52.619 --> 00:18:53.700
 and magazines

00:18:53.700 --> 00:18:54.460
 and websites

00:18:54.460 --> 00:18:55.159
 and blogs

00:18:55.159 --> 00:18:55.940
 that are devoted

00:18:55.940 --> 00:18:57.019
 to letting God's people

00:18:57.019 --> 00:18:57.839
 know everything

00:18:57.839 --> 00:18:59.139
 they need to be afraid of.

00:19:01.559 --> 00:19:02.659
 And yet you'll rarely find

00:19:02.659 --> 00:19:03.220
 among the people

00:19:03.220 --> 00:19:04.359
 who publish these things

00:19:04.359 --> 00:19:06.000
 lists of ways

00:19:06.000 --> 00:19:06.639
 that God's people

00:19:06.639 --> 00:19:07.539
 can follow Him.

00:19:08.879 --> 00:19:09.539
 Follow Him

00:19:09.539 --> 00:19:10.399
 into the difficult

00:19:10.399 --> 00:19:11.299
 relationships

00:19:11.299 --> 00:19:14.059
 and ministries

00:19:14.059 --> 00:19:14.920
 that He's called them to.

00:19:16.159 --> 00:19:17.000
 Nehemiah sets a great

00:19:17.000 --> 00:19:17.799
 example for us

00:19:17.799 --> 00:19:18.859
 here in verse 14.

00:19:19.720 --> 00:19:20.420
 He recognizes

00:19:20.420 --> 00:19:21.519
 that God has enemies

00:19:21.519 --> 00:19:22.920
 that oppose Him

00:19:22.920 --> 00:19:24.519
 and that that's not

00:19:24.519 --> 00:19:25.539
 the focus of His energy.

00:19:25.660 --> 00:19:26.839
 He hands it over to God.

00:19:27.480 --> 00:19:28.180
 He doesn't spend

00:19:28.180 --> 00:19:28.799
 His time

00:19:28.799 --> 00:19:30.779
 creating a podcast

00:19:30.779 --> 00:19:31.879
 about 10 ways

00:19:31.879 --> 00:19:32.680
 the Persian Empire

00:19:32.680 --> 00:19:33.819
 is going to

00:19:33.819 --> 00:19:34.960
 marginalize Israelites.

00:19:36.559 --> 00:19:36.879
 Instead,

00:19:36.980 --> 00:19:37.700
 He simply says,

00:19:37.859 --> 00:19:38.200
 remember,

00:19:38.400 --> 00:19:39.000
 oh my God,

00:19:39.059 --> 00:19:39.700
 what these people

00:19:39.700 --> 00:19:40.039
 have done.

00:19:40.099 --> 00:19:40.879
 He gives God

00:19:40.879 --> 00:19:42.059
 the chance

00:19:42.059 --> 00:19:42.799
 to bring justice

00:19:42.799 --> 00:19:43.819
 and then He leaves it

00:19:43.819 --> 00:19:44.139
 to Him

00:19:44.139 --> 00:19:45.259
 and returns to His mission.

00:19:45.259 --> 00:19:48.039
 And so we can spend

00:19:48.039 --> 00:19:48.599
 our time

00:19:48.599 --> 00:19:49.319
 being afraid

00:19:49.319 --> 00:19:52.220
 or we can spend

00:19:52.220 --> 00:19:52.660
 our time

00:19:52.660 --> 00:19:53.460
 following God

00:19:53.460 --> 00:19:54.079
 as He calls us

00:19:54.079 --> 00:19:54.660
 to minister

00:19:54.660 --> 00:19:55.539
 to the community

00:19:55.539 --> 00:19:56.259
 around us.

00:19:57.660 --> 00:19:58.220
 Nehemiah doesn't

00:19:58.220 --> 00:19:59.359
 avoid the scary things

00:19:59.359 --> 00:19:59.940
 in this world

00:19:59.940 --> 00:20:02.099
 but he also doesn't

00:20:02.099 --> 00:20:03.460
 let them consume him.

00:20:04.220 --> 00:20:05.180
 He turns back

00:20:05.180 --> 00:20:06.119
 right to the temple.

00:20:07.720 --> 00:20:08.720
 He turns back

00:20:08.720 --> 00:20:09.740
 to God's city

00:20:09.740 --> 00:20:10.640
 that needs to be rebuilt.

00:20:10.640 --> 00:20:13.140
 There's also

00:20:13.140 --> 00:20:13.800
 a certain fear

00:20:13.800 --> 00:20:14.420
 that comes

00:20:14.420 --> 00:20:15.680
 in our doubts.

00:20:17.440 --> 00:20:17.920
 And don't hear

00:20:17.920 --> 00:20:18.580
 what I'm not saying.

00:20:18.680 --> 00:20:19.580
 There are legitimate

00:20:19.580 --> 00:20:20.360
 doubts

00:20:20.360 --> 00:20:21.720
 and intellectual questions

00:20:21.720 --> 00:20:22.380
 that people have

00:20:22.380 --> 00:20:23.100
 about Christianity.

00:20:24.480 --> 00:20:25.460
 But there are also

00:20:25.460 --> 00:20:26.200
 people who

00:20:26.200 --> 00:20:28.120
 refuse to embrace

00:20:28.120 --> 00:20:28.680
 the gospel,

00:20:29.120 --> 00:20:29.840
 refuse to follow

00:20:29.840 --> 00:20:30.400
 after Jesus,

00:20:30.500 --> 00:20:31.140
 not because they

00:20:31.140 --> 00:20:32.360
 don't understand

00:20:32.360 --> 00:20:33.660
 the gospel,

00:20:33.800 --> 00:20:34.340
 not because they

00:20:34.340 --> 00:20:35.060
 don't understand

00:20:35.060 --> 00:20:36.120
 the claims of Christianity,

00:20:36.720 --> 00:20:37.580
 but there are those

00:20:37.580 --> 00:20:38.259
 of us who have

00:20:38.259 --> 00:20:39.080
 doubts and objections

00:20:39.080 --> 00:20:39.980
 because we understand

00:20:39.980 --> 00:20:41.180
 it all too well.

00:20:42.759 --> 00:20:43.940
 And we know exactly

00:20:43.940 --> 00:20:44.519
 what we would have

00:20:44.519 --> 00:20:45.200
 to give up

00:20:45.200 --> 00:20:46.120
 and lose

00:20:46.120 --> 00:20:46.700
 if we were going

00:20:46.700 --> 00:20:47.500
 to follow Jesus.

00:20:49.680 --> 00:20:50.700
 And so often

00:20:50.700 --> 00:20:52.319
 doubts and objections

00:20:52.319 --> 00:20:53.839
 are ways that we

00:20:53.839 --> 00:20:54.700
 hide our fear.

00:20:55.519 --> 00:20:56.240
 Fear of what we

00:20:56.240 --> 00:20:56.860
 would lose.

00:20:58.519 --> 00:20:59.440
 Nehemiah here loses.

00:20:59.559 --> 00:21:00.220
 We already saw it

00:21:00.220 --> 00:21:01.240
 in chapter 5.

00:21:02.099 --> 00:21:02.799
 He lost his

00:21:02.799 --> 00:21:03.839
 political position

00:21:03.839 --> 00:21:04.579
 as the Persian

00:21:04.579 --> 00:21:05.279
 cupbearer.

00:21:06.920 --> 00:21:08.019
 He lost a lot

00:21:08.019 --> 00:21:08.400
 of money

00:21:08.400 --> 00:21:10.140
 as he spent

00:21:10.140 --> 00:21:10.519
 his own

00:21:10.519 --> 00:21:11.420
 personal resources

00:21:11.420 --> 00:21:12.440
 feeding the Israelites

00:21:12.440 --> 00:21:13.019
 around him

00:21:13.019 --> 00:21:13.580
 because they did

00:21:13.580 --> 00:21:14.040
 not have

00:21:14.040 --> 00:21:14.940
 what they needed.

00:21:17.019 --> 00:21:17.580
 And so fear

00:21:17.580 --> 00:21:18.040
 is something

00:21:18.040 --> 00:21:18.920
 that comes up

00:21:18.920 --> 00:21:19.540
 against people

00:21:19.540 --> 00:21:20.420
 inside the church

00:21:20.420 --> 00:21:21.280
 and people

00:21:21.280 --> 00:21:22.040
 outside the church

00:21:22.040 --> 00:21:22.400
 as well.

00:21:22.460 --> 00:21:23.100
 Whenever we

00:21:23.100 --> 00:21:24.240
 follow after Jesus,

00:21:25.280 --> 00:21:25.960
 whenever God

00:21:25.960 --> 00:21:26.740
 calls us

00:21:26.740 --> 00:21:28.000
 to his mission,

00:21:29.060 --> 00:21:29.880
 fear will always

00:21:29.880 --> 00:21:30.880
 be there with us.

00:21:32.160 --> 00:21:32.840
 One of the most

00:21:32.840 --> 00:21:33.400
 common phrases

00:21:33.400 --> 00:21:34.280
 in the Bible

00:21:34.280 --> 00:21:35.040
 that God speaks

00:21:35.040 --> 00:21:35.580
 to his people

00:21:35.580 --> 00:21:36.519
 is do not be afraid.

00:21:36.519 --> 00:21:38.420
 And if you look

00:21:38.420 --> 00:21:38.960
 at the context,

00:21:39.099 --> 00:21:39.460
 you'll notice

00:21:39.460 --> 00:21:40.379
 that God never

00:21:40.379 --> 00:21:41.259
 says do not

00:21:41.259 --> 00:21:41.920
 be afraid

00:21:41.920 --> 00:21:43.579
 to his people

00:21:43.579 --> 00:21:44.960
 when they are

00:21:44.960 --> 00:21:45.700
 caught up

00:21:45.700 --> 00:21:46.740
 in idolatry

00:21:46.740 --> 00:21:47.599
 and sin

00:21:47.599 --> 00:21:48.160
 and oppression.

00:21:50.279 --> 00:21:51.379
 He says do not

00:21:51.379 --> 00:21:51.700
 fear

00:21:51.700 --> 00:21:53.279
 when they're doing

00:21:53.279 --> 00:21:54.720
 wisdom

00:21:54.720 --> 00:21:55.879
 and courage.

00:21:56.460 --> 00:21:57.299
 When they're trying

00:21:57.299 --> 00:21:58.059
 to choose those

00:21:58.059 --> 00:21:58.940
 things and follow him,

00:21:59.000 --> 00:21:59.519
 that's when they're

00:21:59.519 --> 00:22:00.180
 going to come up

00:22:00.180 --> 00:22:01.539
 against the opposition.

00:22:03.259 --> 00:22:03.879
 That's when they're

00:22:03.879 --> 00:22:04.339
 going to feel

00:22:04.339 --> 00:22:04.960
 the temptation

00:22:04.960 --> 00:22:05.740
 that Nehemiah

00:22:05.740 --> 00:22:07.240
 feels here as well

00:22:07.240 --> 00:22:08.559
 to give up the work.

00:22:08.640 --> 00:22:09.240
 That's what we see

00:22:09.240 --> 00:22:09.920
 in verse 9.

00:22:11.140 --> 00:22:11.640
 This fear

00:22:11.640 --> 00:22:13.579
 has a goal.

00:22:13.900 --> 00:22:14.319
 They all wanted

00:22:14.319 --> 00:22:14.940
 to frighten us

00:22:14.940 --> 00:22:15.759
 thinking their hands

00:22:15.759 --> 00:22:16.720
 will drop from the work

00:22:16.720 --> 00:22:17.660
 and it will not be done.

00:22:18.539 --> 00:22:19.079
 In other words,

00:22:19.120 --> 00:22:20.140
 it's when we follow

00:22:20.140 --> 00:22:20.660
 after God

00:22:20.660 --> 00:22:21.700
 and take up his work

00:22:21.700 --> 00:22:22.299
 that we're going

00:22:22.299 --> 00:22:22.840
 to meet fear.

00:22:24.980 --> 00:22:25.620
 That's when we're

00:22:25.620 --> 00:22:26.480
 going to encounter

00:22:26.480 --> 00:22:27.440
 all the lies

00:22:27.440 --> 00:22:28.360
 of our enemy

00:22:28.360 --> 00:22:28.900
 who comes up

00:22:28.900 --> 00:22:29.500
 against us.

00:22:29.500 --> 00:22:32.900
 Now the problem

00:22:32.900 --> 00:22:33.920
 and the struggle

00:22:33.920 --> 00:22:34.579
 here is also

00:22:34.579 --> 00:22:35.339
 that this fear

00:22:35.339 --> 00:22:37.319
 is real.

00:22:37.480 --> 00:22:38.420
 It has real foundations.

00:22:39.119 --> 00:22:40.339
 Nehemiah has real enemies

00:22:40.339 --> 00:22:41.759
 who are seeking

00:22:41.759 --> 00:22:42.779
 to really kill him.

00:22:43.619 --> 00:22:44.420
 They really want

00:22:44.420 --> 00:22:44.839
 him dead.

00:22:46.220 --> 00:22:47.180
 And so while this fear

00:22:47.180 --> 00:22:47.880
 is in temptation,

00:22:48.000 --> 00:22:48.900
 it's also a reality.

00:22:51.599 --> 00:22:52.759
 And so God meets us

00:22:52.759 --> 00:22:53.480
 there as well.

00:22:54.440 --> 00:22:55.319
 We don't just see

00:22:55.319 --> 00:22:56.019
 the word frightened

00:22:56.019 --> 00:22:56.500
 and afraid

00:22:56.500 --> 00:22:57.559
 repeated over and over.

00:22:57.559 --> 00:22:59.299
 But we also see

00:22:59.299 --> 00:23:00.460
 Nehemiah's response

00:23:00.460 --> 00:23:01.559
 and God's faithfulness.

00:23:02.919 --> 00:23:03.659
 The first thing

00:23:03.659 --> 00:23:04.279
 we find out

00:23:04.279 --> 00:23:04.819
 in this chapter

00:23:04.819 --> 00:23:05.659
 is that the wall

00:23:05.659 --> 00:23:06.220
 has been built.

00:23:07.700 --> 00:23:08.359
 Remember I mentioned

00:23:08.359 --> 00:23:08.799
 at the beginning

00:23:08.799 --> 00:23:09.980
 that all that's left

00:23:09.980 --> 00:23:10.779
 to do is to put

00:23:10.779 --> 00:23:11.299
 in the gates.

00:23:13.259 --> 00:23:14.240
 Despite the plots

00:23:14.240 --> 00:23:15.099
 of chapter 4,

00:23:16.399 --> 00:23:17.619
 despite the internal

00:23:17.619 --> 00:23:19.179
 opposition of chapter 5,

00:23:19.179 --> 00:23:21.480
 the dissension

00:23:21.480 --> 00:23:22.339
 over money

00:23:22.339 --> 00:23:22.899
 and oppression,

00:23:24.099 --> 00:23:25.000
 God has finished

00:23:25.000 --> 00:23:25.539
 this work.

00:23:27.559 --> 00:23:28.299
 His people

00:23:28.299 --> 00:23:29.279
 have not been perfect.

00:23:30.839 --> 00:23:31.440
 They've been tempted

00:23:31.440 --> 00:23:31.940
 at times

00:23:31.940 --> 00:23:33.059
 to forget courage

00:23:33.059 --> 00:23:33.480
 and wisdom

00:23:33.480 --> 00:23:33.919
 and instead

00:23:33.919 --> 00:23:34.539
 choose fear.

00:23:35.579 --> 00:23:36.460
 But God has remained

00:23:36.460 --> 00:23:37.339
 faithful to them

00:23:37.339 --> 00:23:38.099
 so that the wall

00:23:38.099 --> 00:23:38.859
 is complete.

00:23:41.819 --> 00:23:42.700
 God hasn't done

00:23:42.700 --> 00:23:43.259
 just that

00:23:43.259 --> 00:23:44.480
 in verse 1,

00:23:44.539 --> 00:23:45.379
 but then in verse 9

00:23:45.379 --> 00:23:45.960
 we see

00:23:45.960 --> 00:23:47.059
 Nehemiah's prayer.

00:23:48.779 --> 00:23:49.720
 On the one hand,

00:23:49.799 --> 00:23:50.559
 God doesn't call us

00:23:50.559 --> 00:23:51.000
 to safety.

00:23:51.119 --> 00:23:51.559
 He calls us

00:23:51.559 --> 00:23:52.139
 to wisdom

00:23:52.139 --> 00:23:52.700
 and courage.

00:23:52.700 --> 00:23:54.259
 But he doesn't do that

00:23:54.259 --> 00:23:55.400
 without giving us strength.

00:23:56.380 --> 00:23:57.319
 He doesn't remove

00:23:57.319 --> 00:23:57.920
 the challenges

00:23:57.920 --> 00:23:58.620
 and the obstacles

00:23:58.620 --> 00:23:59.220
 we face,

00:23:59.319 --> 00:23:59.960
 but he gives us

00:23:59.960 --> 00:24:00.580
 what we need

00:24:00.580 --> 00:24:01.380
 to walk through them.

00:24:01.420 --> 00:24:01.840
 And that's what

00:24:01.840 --> 00:24:02.779
 Nehemiah prays for

00:24:02.779 --> 00:24:03.440
 in verse 9.

00:24:04.519 --> 00:24:04.920
 But now,

00:24:05.120 --> 00:24:05.400
 O God,

00:24:05.519 --> 00:24:06.559
 strengthen my hands.

00:24:09.240 --> 00:24:09.940
 Nehemiah knows

00:24:09.940 --> 00:24:10.940
 that there's real opposition

00:24:10.940 --> 00:24:11.680
 as he seeks

00:24:11.680 --> 00:24:12.720
 to have real impact.

00:24:13.200 --> 00:24:14.180
 And so he prays

00:24:14.180 --> 00:24:15.500
 for God's real strength

00:24:15.500 --> 00:24:16.779
 to help him.

00:24:17.779 --> 00:24:18.680
 We've seen already

00:24:18.680 --> 00:24:19.440
 that as he faces

00:24:19.440 --> 00:24:20.119
 these enemies,

00:24:20.440 --> 00:24:21.180
 he doesn't spend

00:24:21.180 --> 00:24:22.839
 his time worked up

00:24:22.839 --> 00:24:23.619
 about all the ways

00:24:23.619 --> 00:24:24.460
 they might harm him.

00:24:25.039 --> 00:24:25.279
 Instead,

00:24:25.379 --> 00:24:26.019
 he moves on

00:24:26.019 --> 00:24:26.759
 leaving justice

00:24:26.759 --> 00:24:27.359
 to God.

00:24:28.000 --> 00:24:28.799
 In verse 14,

00:24:29.099 --> 00:24:29.960
 as I already mentioned,

00:24:31.139 --> 00:24:32.460
 he just asks God

00:24:32.460 --> 00:24:33.000
 to remember.

00:24:33.759 --> 00:24:34.639
 He's asking God

00:24:34.639 --> 00:24:35.240
 to bring full

00:24:35.240 --> 00:24:36.059
 and final justice

00:24:36.059 --> 00:24:37.359
 so that he does not,

00:24:37.440 --> 00:24:38.119
 he trusts God

00:24:38.119 --> 00:24:38.759
 with the outcome.

00:24:40.660 --> 00:24:41.720
 And then we find out

00:24:41.720 --> 00:24:42.240
 that the wall

00:24:42.240 --> 00:24:42.920
 in verse 15

00:24:42.920 --> 00:24:43.879
 is completely finished.

00:24:43.880 --> 00:24:46.880
 Before it was

00:24:46.880 --> 00:24:47.480
 just the gates

00:24:47.480 --> 00:24:48.560
 and now this wall,

00:24:48.680 --> 00:24:48.960
 Jerusalem,

00:24:49.160 --> 00:24:50.360
 is move-in ready.

00:24:52.380 --> 00:24:53.220
 There's no more

00:24:53.220 --> 00:24:53.820
 refurbishing

00:24:53.820 --> 00:24:54.460
 that needs to happen.

00:24:54.600 --> 00:24:55.300
 There's no more

00:24:55.300 --> 00:24:56.820
 knocking down

00:24:56.820 --> 00:24:57.360
 and rebuilding.

00:24:58.860 --> 00:24:59.580
 And so as Nehemiah

00:24:59.580 --> 00:25:00.480
 faces these things,

00:25:00.600 --> 00:25:01.420
 God remains faithful

00:25:01.420 --> 00:25:01.860
 to him.

00:25:03.380 --> 00:25:04.280
 But then the kicker

00:25:04.280 --> 00:25:05.460
 comes in verse 16.

00:25:07.560 --> 00:25:08.580
 We've already seen

00:25:08.580 --> 00:25:09.480
 through 15,

00:25:09.620 --> 00:25:10.200
 three places

00:25:10.200 --> 00:25:11.300
 where God's enemies

00:25:11.300 --> 00:25:11.780
 try to make

00:25:11.780 --> 00:25:12.680
 God's people afraid.

00:25:13.880 --> 00:25:15.100
 And then we find out

00:25:15.100 --> 00:25:15.700
 who it is

00:25:15.700 --> 00:25:16.300
 that is really

00:25:16.300 --> 00:25:17.240
 supposed to be afraid.

00:25:19.200 --> 00:25:20.480
 Fear is not something

00:25:20.480 --> 00:25:21.340
 for God's people

00:25:21.340 --> 00:25:22.740
 but for his enemies.

00:25:23.260 --> 00:25:23.840
 And that's the word

00:25:23.840 --> 00:25:24.940
 we see in verse 16.

00:25:25.800 --> 00:25:27.060
 When all our enemies

00:25:27.060 --> 00:25:27.600
 heard of it,

00:25:27.880 --> 00:25:28.560
 all the nations

00:25:28.560 --> 00:25:29.620
 around us were what?

00:25:31.020 --> 00:25:32.160
 They were afraid

00:25:32.160 --> 00:25:34.080
 and felt greatly

00:25:34.080 --> 00:25:35.380
 in their own esteem.

00:25:36.780 --> 00:25:37.320
 In other words,

00:25:37.360 --> 00:25:38.000
 it's not those

00:25:38.000 --> 00:25:38.940
 who follow God

00:25:38.940 --> 00:25:40.600
 choosing to go

00:25:40.600 --> 00:25:41.240
 in his ways

00:25:41.240 --> 00:25:41.900
 with courage

00:25:41.900 --> 00:25:42.400
 and faith

00:25:42.400 --> 00:25:43.300
 who need to be afraid.

00:25:43.880 --> 00:25:44.960
 But it's those

00:25:44.960 --> 00:25:45.580
 who do not

00:25:45.580 --> 00:25:46.220
 follow God.

00:25:47.260 --> 00:25:47.940
 And the reason

00:25:47.940 --> 00:25:48.280
 that those

00:25:48.280 --> 00:25:48.780
 who do not

00:25:48.780 --> 00:25:49.340
 follow God

00:25:49.340 --> 00:25:50.220
 need to be afraid

00:25:50.220 --> 00:25:50.920
 is that God

00:25:50.920 --> 00:25:51.980
 is bringing full

00:25:51.980 --> 00:25:53.020
 and complete

00:25:53.020 --> 00:25:55.160
 and final justice

00:25:55.160 --> 00:25:55.700
 on the earth.

00:25:56.720 --> 00:25:57.780
 As Paul tells us

00:25:57.780 --> 00:25:58.380
 in Romans 5,

00:25:58.460 --> 00:25:59.640
 he is pouring out

00:25:59.640 --> 00:26:00.260
 his wrath

00:26:00.260 --> 00:26:02.100
 for all the sins

00:26:02.100 --> 00:26:02.860
 of all the people

00:26:02.860 --> 00:26:03.400
 in the world.

00:26:03.400 --> 00:26:04.380
 God

00:26:04.380 --> 00:26:07.480
 is that power

00:26:07.480 --> 00:26:09.100
 and that judgment

00:26:09.100 --> 00:26:09.840
 and that majesty

00:26:09.840 --> 00:26:10.840
 that on the one hand

00:26:10.840 --> 00:26:11.900
 is with his people

00:26:11.900 --> 00:26:12.759
 as they follow him

00:26:12.759 --> 00:26:14.240
 but on the other hand

00:26:14.240 --> 00:26:15.480
 is against his enemies

00:26:15.480 --> 00:26:16.440
 as they oppose him.

00:26:18.740 --> 00:26:19.560
 And so when we face

00:26:19.560 --> 00:26:20.180
 the temptation

00:26:20.180 --> 00:26:21.380
 to give in to fear

00:26:21.380 --> 00:26:22.160
 and be afraid,

00:26:24.040 --> 00:26:24.960
 verse 16 here

00:26:24.960 --> 00:26:25.920
 is our final word.

00:26:25.920 --> 00:26:28.140
 that the fear

00:26:28.140 --> 00:26:28.960
 that is ultimate

00:26:28.960 --> 00:26:29.800
 and great,

00:26:30.480 --> 00:26:30.940
 the fear

00:26:30.940 --> 00:26:31.400
 that should

00:26:31.400 --> 00:26:33.039
 make us act quickly

00:26:33.039 --> 00:26:34.140
 and speed things up

00:26:34.140 --> 00:26:35.400
 is the fear of God,

00:26:35.940 --> 00:26:37.120
 not the fear of man.

00:26:38.420 --> 00:26:39.460
 It's the fear of God

00:26:39.460 --> 00:26:39.920
 that comes

00:26:39.920 --> 00:26:40.500
 when we realize

00:26:40.500 --> 00:26:41.440
 that he is the one

00:26:41.440 --> 00:26:42.480
 who is most powerful.

00:26:42.640 --> 00:26:43.259
 He is the one

00:26:43.259 --> 00:26:44.200
 who is bringing justice.

00:26:45.140 --> 00:26:45.960
 It's that fear,

00:26:46.080 --> 00:26:46.680
 that knowledge

00:26:46.680 --> 00:26:48.420
 that it's not

00:26:48.420 --> 00:26:49.200
 that we are trying

00:26:49.200 --> 00:26:50.779
 to ask other people

00:26:50.779 --> 00:26:51.360
 to be good

00:26:51.360 --> 00:26:52.080
 like we are good

00:26:52.079 --> 00:26:53.000
 but the understanding

00:26:53.000 --> 00:26:53.899
 that no one is good

00:26:53.899 --> 00:26:55.379
 and Jesus alone is good

00:26:55.379 --> 00:26:57.319
 that drives us to him.

00:26:58.379 --> 00:26:58.919
 God's presence

00:26:58.919 --> 00:26:59.379
 and power

00:26:59.379 --> 00:27:00.000
 with his people

00:27:00.000 --> 00:27:00.779
 is because

00:27:00.779 --> 00:27:03.319
 while on the one hand

00:27:03.319 --> 00:27:03.799
 the temple

00:27:03.799 --> 00:27:04.819
 represents his presence

00:27:04.819 --> 00:27:05.779
 it points forward

00:27:05.779 --> 00:27:06.399
 to Jesus

00:27:06.399 --> 00:27:07.319
 who will one day

00:27:07.319 --> 00:27:08.299
 be fully present

00:27:08.299 --> 00:27:09.059
 with his people.

00:27:10.099 --> 00:27:10.579
 He will come

00:27:10.579 --> 00:27:11.220
 as a man

00:27:11.220 --> 00:27:12.419
 and live among us

00:27:12.419 --> 00:27:13.379
 for 30 years

00:27:13.379 --> 00:27:16.240
 so that the temple

00:27:16.240 --> 00:27:16.960
 of the Old Testament

00:27:16.960 --> 00:27:18.059
 is no longer necessary.

00:27:19.899 --> 00:27:20.439
 And then Jesus

00:27:20.439 --> 00:27:21.659
 will die a death

00:27:21.660 --> 00:27:22.200
 on a cross

00:27:22.200 --> 00:27:22.600
 even though

00:27:22.600 --> 00:27:23.720
 he lived a perfect life.

00:27:24.540 --> 00:27:25.519
 He'll die the death

00:27:25.519 --> 00:27:26.420
 that we deserved

00:27:26.420 --> 00:27:27.380
 taking on

00:27:27.380 --> 00:27:28.000
 God's full

00:27:28.000 --> 00:27:28.940
 and final justice

00:27:28.940 --> 00:27:30.120
 for himself

00:27:30.120 --> 00:27:32.160
 suffering the complete punishment

00:27:32.160 --> 00:27:34.259
 and then rising again

00:27:34.259 --> 00:27:34.920
 from the dead.

00:27:38.160 --> 00:27:39.060
 That is where

00:27:39.060 --> 00:27:39.920
 the real power

00:27:39.920 --> 00:27:40.759
 comes from

00:27:40.759 --> 00:27:42.180
 and that is what

00:27:42.180 --> 00:27:43.040
 our real fear

00:27:43.040 --> 00:27:43.880
 should be of.

00:27:44.779 --> 00:27:45.700
 The ultimate fear

00:27:45.700 --> 00:27:46.400
 the great fear

00:27:46.400 --> 00:27:47.500
 that these people see here

00:27:47.500 --> 00:27:47.980
 is that God

00:27:47.980 --> 00:27:48.759
 is with his people

00:27:48.759 --> 00:27:50.540
 and the ultimate

00:27:50.540 --> 00:27:51.420
 and great fear

00:27:51.420 --> 00:27:52.160
 for us

00:27:52.160 --> 00:27:53.240
 is that we would

00:27:53.240 --> 00:27:53.980
 not be found

00:27:53.980 --> 00:27:54.720
 in God's people.

00:27:56.240 --> 00:27:56.920
 And so the call

00:27:56.920 --> 00:27:58.200
 as we follow God

00:27:58.200 --> 00:27:58.740
 in his mission

00:27:58.740 --> 00:27:59.360
 and his ways

00:27:59.360 --> 00:27:59.820
 and the call

00:27:59.820 --> 00:28:00.600
 that God offers

00:28:00.600 --> 00:28:01.220
 to everyone

00:28:01.220 --> 00:28:02.420
 is that we would

00:28:02.420 --> 00:28:03.480
 embrace Jesus

00:28:03.480 --> 00:28:06.019
 that we would be free

00:28:06.019 --> 00:28:07.080
 from the greatest fear

00:28:07.080 --> 00:28:08.580
 and that we would

00:28:08.580 --> 00:28:09.259
 have the confidence

00:28:09.259 --> 00:28:10.000
 that comes from

00:28:10.000 --> 00:28:10.640
 knowing that there

00:28:10.640 --> 00:28:11.360
 is nothing

00:28:11.360 --> 00:28:12.900
 that can take away

00:28:12.900 --> 00:28:13.860
 what is most important

00:28:13.860 --> 00:28:14.380
 from us.

00:28:15.380 --> 00:28:16.980
 If we are in Christ

00:28:16.980 --> 00:28:18.220
 following after Jesus

00:28:18.220 --> 00:28:18.880
 accepting

00:28:18.880 --> 00:28:21.200
 his death

00:28:21.200 --> 00:28:21.880
 as the punishment

00:28:21.880 --> 00:28:22.640
 for our sins

00:28:22.640 --> 00:28:23.740
 and accepting

00:28:23.740 --> 00:28:24.620
 his righteousness

00:28:24.620 --> 00:28:25.140
 knowing that

00:28:25.140 --> 00:28:25.620
 when God

00:28:25.620 --> 00:28:26.480
 looks at us

00:28:26.480 --> 00:28:27.380
 he sees Jesus

00:28:27.380 --> 00:28:28.400
 if we are in him

00:28:28.400 --> 00:28:30.000
 knowing that justification

00:28:30.000 --> 00:28:30.860
 is God's

00:28:30.860 --> 00:28:31.920
 free gift

00:28:31.920 --> 00:28:32.360
 of grace

00:28:32.360 --> 00:28:32.900
 to us

00:28:32.900 --> 00:28:35.960
 then rather

00:28:35.960 --> 00:28:36.700
 than be afraid

00:28:36.700 --> 00:28:37.140
 we know

00:28:37.140 --> 00:28:38.000
 that it is God

00:28:38.000 --> 00:28:38.680
 who brings us

00:28:38.680 --> 00:28:39.600
 true and full

00:28:39.600 --> 00:28:41.019
 and complete peace.

00:28:41.860 --> 00:28:42.380
 He is the one

00:28:42.380 --> 00:28:43.059
 who goes with

00:28:43.059 --> 00:28:44.019
 his people

00:28:44.019 --> 00:28:44.680
 as they go

00:28:44.680 --> 00:28:45.240
 on his mission.

00:28:45.240 --> 00:28:49.500
 In February

00:28:49.500 --> 00:28:50.799
 of 2018

00:28:50.799 --> 00:28:51.700
 just last year

00:28:51.700 --> 00:28:52.500
 in Scotland

00:28:52.500 --> 00:28:53.380
 there was a village

00:28:53.380 --> 00:28:54.099
 farmer named

00:28:54.099 --> 00:28:54.920
 Bruce Grubb

00:28:54.920 --> 00:28:57.039
 and he was hosting

00:28:57.039 --> 00:28:58.099
 a housewarming party

00:28:58.099 --> 00:28:58.640
 he just moved

00:28:58.640 --> 00:28:59.440
 into a new place

00:28:59.440 --> 00:29:00.059
 apparently on a

00:29:00.059 --> 00:29:00.680
 Saturday night

00:29:00.680 --> 00:29:02.660
 this was on a farm

00:29:02.660 --> 00:29:03.859
 and at one point

00:29:03.859 --> 00:29:04.660
 he decided he needed

00:29:04.660 --> 00:29:05.779
 to leave the party

00:29:05.779 --> 00:29:06.460
 to go check on

00:29:06.460 --> 00:29:07.359
 his pregnant cows

00:29:07.359 --> 00:29:07.799
 and make sure

00:29:07.799 --> 00:29:08.420
 they were okay

00:29:08.420 --> 00:29:10.420
 and when he went out

00:29:10.420 --> 00:29:11.079
 he saw something

00:29:11.079 --> 00:29:12.779
 that disturbed him

00:29:12.779 --> 00:29:13.500
 that frightened him

00:29:13.500 --> 00:29:15.000
 he spotted a tiger

00:29:15.000 --> 00:29:15.799
 on his property

00:29:15.799 --> 00:29:18.839
 and Bruce was filled

00:29:18.839 --> 00:29:19.880
 with tremendous fear

00:29:19.880 --> 00:29:20.740
 he said this

00:29:20.740 --> 00:29:22.240
 I was worried

00:29:22.240 --> 00:29:23.240
 it was going to eat

00:29:23.240 --> 00:29:24.259
 all my cows

00:29:24.259 --> 00:29:25.599
 before police

00:29:25.599 --> 00:29:26.799
 managed to shoot it

00:29:26.799 --> 00:29:28.480
 of course he called

00:29:28.480 --> 00:29:29.099
 the police

00:29:29.099 --> 00:29:29.740
 local authorities

00:29:29.740 --> 00:29:30.559
 jumped into action

00:29:30.559 --> 00:29:31.359
 they contacted

00:29:31.359 --> 00:29:32.599
 a local wildlife park

00:29:32.599 --> 00:29:33.240
 to see if there were

00:29:33.240 --> 00:29:34.079
 any missing animals

00:29:34.079 --> 00:29:36.259
 there was a 45 minute

00:29:36.259 --> 00:29:37.059
 standoff

00:29:37.059 --> 00:29:38.480
 between the officers

00:29:38.480 --> 00:29:39.559
 of Police Scotland

00:29:39.559 --> 00:29:40.700
 and the tiger

00:29:40.700 --> 00:29:44.319
 but the tiger

00:29:44.319 --> 00:29:44.940
 never moved

00:29:44.940 --> 00:29:45.779
 and so Bruce Grubb

00:29:45.779 --> 00:29:46.559
 became suspicious

00:29:46.559 --> 00:29:47.200
 at one point

00:29:47.200 --> 00:29:48.180
 and he got into his truck

00:29:48.180 --> 00:29:49.039
 where he would be safe

00:29:49.039 --> 00:29:50.759
 and he drove up

00:29:50.759 --> 00:29:51.360
 to the tiger

00:29:51.360 --> 00:29:53.799
 got closer and closer

00:29:53.799 --> 00:29:56.319
 and the tiger

00:29:56.319 --> 00:29:57.039
 did not move

00:29:57.039 --> 00:29:57.720
 even as the truck

00:29:57.720 --> 00:29:58.120
 came up

00:29:58.120 --> 00:29:59.019
 and Bruce finally

00:29:59.019 --> 00:29:59.980
 realized that this was

00:29:59.980 --> 00:30:01.440
 it was a tiger

00:30:01.440 --> 00:30:02.220
 but not quite the tiger

00:30:02.220 --> 00:30:03.080
 that he thought it was

00:30:03.080 --> 00:30:05.340
 it was a stuffed tiger

00:30:05.339 --> 00:30:10.720
 police kept the tiger

00:30:10.720 --> 00:30:12.059
 to use as a mascot

00:30:12.059 --> 00:30:15.779
 and Bruce Grubb

00:30:15.779 --> 00:30:16.539
 was able to go back

00:30:16.539 --> 00:30:17.119
 to his house

00:30:17.119 --> 00:30:18.319
 and his home

00:30:18.319 --> 00:30:19.299
 housewarming party

00:30:19.299 --> 00:30:24.419
 when we follow God

00:30:24.419 --> 00:30:24.980
 and his mission

00:30:24.980 --> 00:30:25.519
 and his ways

00:30:25.519 --> 00:30:26.299
 we will be tempted

00:30:26.299 --> 00:30:27.079
 many times

00:30:27.079 --> 00:30:28.319
 by lies

00:30:28.319 --> 00:30:32.079
 that will cause us

00:30:32.079 --> 00:30:32.619
 to fear

00:30:32.619 --> 00:30:35.539
 and when rather than

00:30:35.539 --> 00:30:36.279
 running away

00:30:36.279 --> 00:30:37.239
 in fear

00:30:37.239 --> 00:30:38.339
 when we come close

00:30:38.339 --> 00:30:40.519
 when we see God

00:30:40.519 --> 00:30:42.000
 in his power

00:30:42.000 --> 00:30:43.979
 when we choose wisdom

00:30:43.979 --> 00:30:44.859
 and courage

00:30:44.859 --> 00:30:45.579
 over fear

00:30:45.579 --> 00:30:47.899
 we will see the lie

00:30:47.899 --> 00:30:48.759
 and the joke

00:30:48.759 --> 00:30:49.500
 for what it is

00:30:49.500 --> 00:30:52.879
 and so we follow God

00:30:52.879 --> 00:30:53.559
 with wisdom

00:30:53.559 --> 00:30:54.000
 and courage

00:30:54.000 --> 00:30:54.759
 asking him

00:30:54.759 --> 00:30:55.879
 to give us strength

00:30:55.879 --> 00:30:57.059
 as Nehemiah does

00:30:57.059 --> 00:30:57.919
 here in verse 9

00:30:57.919 --> 00:31:00.619
 rather than running away

00:31:00.619 --> 00:31:02.379
 because of the lies

00:31:02.379 --> 00:31:03.259
 and the fear

00:31:03.259 --> 00:31:04.179
 that our enemy

00:31:04.179 --> 00:31:04.979
 brings to us

00:31:04.979 --> 00:31:06.339
 and we do it

00:31:06.339 --> 00:31:07.179
 because we have hope

00:31:07.179 --> 00:31:08.000
 and confidence

00:31:08.000 --> 00:31:09.299
 knowing that God

00:31:09.299 --> 00:31:10.059
 is with us

00:31:10.059 --> 00:31:11.479
 both in his presence

00:31:11.479 --> 00:31:12.119
 and his power

00:31:12.119 --> 00:31:13.839
 because what he's done

00:31:13.839 --> 00:31:14.439
 for us

00:31:14.439 --> 00:31:15.599
 through Jesus

00:31:15.599 --> 00:31:17.559
 and so we continue

00:31:17.559 --> 00:31:18.039
 to walk

00:31:18.039 --> 00:31:19.339
 giving up fear

00:31:19.339 --> 00:31:20.079
 and choosing wisdom

00:31:20.079 --> 00:31:20.919
 and courage instead

00:31:20.919 --> 00:31:23.519
 please pray with me

00:31:23.519 --> 00:31:26.779
 dear father in heaven

00:31:26.779 --> 00:31:27.619
 we thank you

00:31:27.619 --> 00:31:28.399
 that you're with us

00:31:28.400 --> 00:31:29.940
 that you give us

00:31:29.940 --> 00:31:30.940
 your power

00:31:30.940 --> 00:31:32.060
 and your presence

00:31:32.060 --> 00:31:32.680
 and your strength

00:31:32.680 --> 00:31:35.259
 we know that as we go

00:31:35.259 --> 00:31:36.220
 on your mission

00:31:36.220 --> 00:31:37.180
 following your ways

00:31:37.180 --> 00:31:38.080
 that we will be tempted

00:31:38.080 --> 00:31:38.980
 to believe things

00:31:38.980 --> 00:31:39.740
 that are not true

00:31:39.740 --> 00:31:42.160
 so we ask that you'd help us

00:31:42.160 --> 00:31:43.240
 that you would strengthen

00:31:43.240 --> 00:31:43.840
 our hands

00:31:43.840 --> 00:31:44.660
 for the work

00:31:44.660 --> 00:31:46.860
 that you'd keep us close to you

00:31:46.860 --> 00:31:48.440
 that we would obey you

00:31:48.440 --> 00:31:49.000
 and your law

00:31:49.000 --> 00:31:51.259
 and that you'd remind us

00:31:51.259 --> 00:31:51.800
 most of all

00:31:51.800 --> 00:31:52.620
 that you are with us

00:31:52.620 --> 00:31:53.060
 in Christ

00:31:53.060 --> 00:31:54.960
 we ask all these things

00:31:54.960 --> 00:31:55.820
 in the name of your son

00:31:55.820 --> 00:31:56.759
 amen

00:31:56.759 --> 00:32:01.240
 you

00:32:01.240 --> 00:32:02.379
 are with us

00:32:02.379 --> 00:32:03.379
 and

00:32:03.379 --> 00:32:04.180
 we ask all these things

00:32:04.180 --> 00:32:04.720
 on the basis

00:32:04.720 --> 00:32:05.379
 of the men

00:32:05.379 --> 00:32:06.500
 we ask all these things

00:32:06.500 --> 00:32:07.500
 we ask to ask to unify