1. Rebuilding and defending the walls. Nehemiah 1:1-3 Year theme: Fight the good fight of faith.

2. Two points… What are you willing to fight for… what does your heart count as important? What state are your walls in… is the temple protected?

3. Nehemiah 1:1-3 1 The words of Nehemiah the son of Hacaliah. Now it happened in the month Chislev, in the twentieth year, while I was in Susa the capitol, 2 that Hanani, one of my brothers, and some men from Judah came; and I asked them concerning the Jews who had escaped and had survived the captivity, and about Jerusalem. 3 They said to me, “The remnant there in the province who survived the captivity are in great distress and reproach, and the wall of Jerusalem is broken down and its gates are burned with fire.”

4. Introduction to Nehemiah The judgement on God’s people (1-2 Kings, 1-2 Chronicles) Jerusalem destroyed and the temple burned circa 586 B.C. (2 Kings 24) Circa 539 B.C., Babylon fell to the Medes and Persians. Zerubbabel led the first wave of Jewish exiles to return circa 536 B.C. (Ezra 1-6) Ezra led the second wave circa 455 B.C. (Ezra 7- 10) Nehemiah led the third wave circa 445 B.C. (Neh 1-3)

5. For the visuals…

6. Points to look out for… Israel was both a nation and a Church, embodying the Kingdom of God on Earth. We are the Temple of the Holy Spirit and continue this tradition. Fighting the good fight requires we keep our weapons at the ready. Our weapons are not of this world.

7. Lessons from Nehemiah He did not let comfort dull his need for God’s name to be glorified. He was concerned with his people’s welfare. He felt sorrow and did not judge his people. His sorrow led to action.

8. Problems he faced… Ridicule (2:9, 4:1-3) Wrath (4:1, 6-9) Discouragement (4:10) Fear (4:11-23) Internal Strife (5:1-5) Laziness (4:10) Satanic subtlety (6:1-8) compromise Lying prophets (6:10-14)

9. What state are our walls in? Are our walls prepared for opposition? What are these walls? Proverbs 25:28 Like a city that is broken into and without walls is a man who has no control over his spirit. Is your sword sharp and ready to defend your walls?

10. Two points… What are you willing to fight for… what does your heart count as important? What state are your walls in… is the temple protected?