2. Nehemiah God’s Servant

3. Examples to follow –(1) What one man can accomplish –(2) What a group can accomplish with a mind to work and a unity of purpose Time: –445 BC Conditions: –Persia was in control. The Jews were surrounded by those who despised them, while they struggled to follow God. Jerusalem had no walls or gates.

4. Status of Nehemiah –King Artaxerxes’ (Persia) cupbearer – wine taster – checked the King’s drinks before he drank them – very important, responsible position Accomplishments: –Rebuilt the walls and gates in 52 days. –Caused Israel to repent and restored worship according to the Law of Moses.

5. His Prayers of Faith Nehemiah 1:4 - 11 4 So it was, when I heard these words, that I sat down and wept, and mourned for many days; I was fasting and praying before the God of heaven. 5 And I said: "I pray, LORD God of heaven, O great and awesome God, You who keep Your covenant and mercy with those who love You and observe Your commandments, 6 "please let Your ear be attentive and Your eyes open, that You may hear the prayer of Your servant which I pray before You now, day and night, for the children of Israel Your servants, and confess the sins of the children of Israel which we have sinned against You. Both my father's house and I have sinned.

6. His Prayers of Faith Nehemiah 1:4 - 11 7 "We have acted very corruptly against You, and have not kept the commandments, the statutes, nor the ordinances which You commanded Your servant Moses. 8 "Remember, I pray, the word that You commanded Your servant Moses, saying, 'If you are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the nations; 9 'but if you return to Me, and keep My commandments and do them, though some of you were cast out to the farthest part of the heavens, yet I will gather them from there, and bring them to the place which I have chosen as a dwelling for My name.'

7. His Prayers of Faith Nehemiah 1:4 - 11 10 "Now these are Your servants and Your people, whom You have redeemed by Your great power, and by Your strong hand. 11 "O Lord, I pray, please let Your ear be attentive to the prayer of Your servant, and to the prayer of Your servants who desire to fear Your name; and let Your servant prosper this day, I pray, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man." For I was the king's cupbearer.

8. His Prayers of Faith Praised God – 1:5; Psalm 42:11 Humbled himself – 1:6; James 4:10 Realized own weakness and the need for God’s help – 1:6, 7: James 5:16 Asks in faith and according to God’s will – 1:11 –Did not ask God to do the work –Did not ask for selfish reasons – James 4:2, 3

9. His Works of Faith Nehemiah 2:1 – 6 1 And it came to pass in the month of Nisan, in the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes, when wine was before him, that I took the wine and gave it to the king. Now I had never been sad in his presence before. 2 Therefore the king said to me, "Why is your face sad, since you are not sick? This is nothing but sorrow of heart." So I became dreadfully afraid, 3 and said to the king, "May the king live forever! Why should my face not be sad, when the city, the place of my fathers' tombs, lies waste, and its gates are burned with fire?"

10. His Works of Faith Nehemiah 2:1 – 6 4 Then the king said to me, "What do you request?" So I prayed to the God of heaven. 5 And I said to the king, "If it pleases the king, and if your servant has found favor in your sight, I ask that you send me to Judah, to the city of my fathers' tombs, that I may rebuild it." 6 Then the king said to me (the queen also sitting beside him), "How long will your journey be? And when will you return?" So it pleased the king to send me; and I set him a time.

11. His Works of Faith Attitude was good – 2:1 Action was immediate – 2:2 – 6 –Had courage to talk to the King –Used wisdom before the King Did not act rashly Obtained letters from the King – 2:7, 8 Left Persia to go to Jerusalem – 2:11 Convinced others to go and help – 2:17,18

12. His Accomplishments Rebuilt the walls in 52 days – 4:6; 6:15 Worked under adverse conditions –Ridicule – 2:19, 20; 4:1 – 5 –Threats – 4:7 - 22 (8, 13, 17, 18); 6:19 –Internal strife – 5:1 - 13 (5) –Attempts to compromise – 6:2 – 7 –False prophets (teachers) – 6:10 – 13 –Without luxuries (the basics) – 4:23; 5:14–19

13. His Accomplishments Resettled the city of Jerusalem – 11:1 – 2 Resettled the country – 11:25 Re-established the priests – 12:1 - 47 Showed the enemies the power of God – 6:16

14. His Influence Public and private study of God’s Word – 8:1 – 3, 7, 8, 9 –Had respect in worship (assembly) – 9:3 –Worshipped according to God’s will – 8:14, 17 – 18 –Spent much time in worship Morning to midday – 9:3

15. His Influence Confessed their sins – 9:1 - 3 Obeyed God’s law about separation – 13:1 - 3 Removed evil from God’s house – 13:4–9

16. His Influence Restored the support for the Levites – 13:10 - 14 Kept the Sabbath – 13:15 – 22 Mixed sinful marriages were dissolved – 13:23 – 26; Ezra 10:3, 4

17. Summary What caused these changes? –Prayer – 1 Thessalonians 5:17 –Strong faith – Hebrews 11:6 –Good leadership – Titus 1:5 –Zealous people – 2 Corinthians 9:1, 2 –Knowledge of God’s Word – 1 Peter 3:15

18. Conclusion Do we have the courage to make changes in our lives? Have you obeyed God? It’s time to make a change!!