Just brainstorm for a minute what are some of the ways the NT tells us to think about someone else? Love Forgive Welcome Encourage Exhort Honor above

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7 Just brainstorm for a minute what are some of the ways the NT tells us to think about someone else? Love Forgive Welcome Encourage Exhort Honor above yourself Outdo one another in showing honor Restore Bear burdens Serve Submit Basically: think like Jesus thinks see Phil. 2:5-8.

8 Why do you suppose there is such a strong emphasis on that throughout Scripture? It is characteristic of God s people through the ages notice the strong words from God to the shepherds of Israel in Jer. 34:1-6. Watch for this as we work our way through Nehemiah; we ll see Nehemiah do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than himself. look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. have this mind in himself, which is ours in Christ Jesus. And so on through Phil. 2:5-8.

9 So let s meet Nehemiah What can you learn about Nehemiah from ch. 1? Son of Hacaliah who is otherwise unknown One of the Jews in exile Lived in Susa (more on this in a minute ) Had a brother named Hanani (who shows up again) Was concerned for his people in Jerusalem Knew his history and the Scriptures Worked directly for the King as cupbearer How would you outline, or divide up, ch. 1? If you re interested, here s mine: Nehemiah s concern for his people, v. 1-4 Nehemiah s prayer for his people, v. 5-11

10 Nehemiah s concern for his people 1:1-4 The author sets the stage in v. 1-2 It was the month Chislev; in the old Jewish calendar that corresponds to our Nov./Dec. It was in the 20 th year of what? Notice Ezra 7:7; Nehemiah came 13 years later, in the 2oth year of Artaxerxes reign 445 BC. Nehemiah was in Susa the winter home of Persian kings, southeast of modern Baghdad. It was in Susa, approx. 100 years earlier, where Daniel saw his vision of the great empires of the Middle East. Notice the effect of his vision on him personally Dan. 8:27.

11 Nehemiah s concern for his people 1:1-4 The author sets the stage in v. 1-2 So why was Nehemiah in Susa? He was an exile so he didn t have much choice. He also had a job notice v. 11. What in the world was a cupbearer? A royal servant who tasted the wine and passed it to the king. In ancient courts the cupbearer was a person of rank and importance. He had frequent access to the king, and so could possess significant influence. Gen. 41:9; 1 Kings 10:5; 2 Kings 18:17.

12 Nehemiah s concern for his people 1:1-4 The author sets the stage in v. 1-2 Nehemiah s brother shows up one day along with some other men from Judah one wonders why. The text doesn t say why they came to the royal court of Artaxerxes, but the focus of their mile trip was likely not to relate to Nehemiah the condition of Jerusalem and the people it is Nehemiah who raises the question. Notice what happened approx. 100 years earlier: Ezra 4. There was a ring of opposition around Jerusalem, and, though the temple was finished, the walls and the people were languishing.

13 Nehemiah s concern for his people 1:1-4 The report of the remnant, v. 3 Nehemiah asks the logical question he was Jewish, he had friends and family among the returned exiles, and Jerusalem was the focal point for the Jews. And so he asks: How is it with the people? How is it with the city? Here is the response he gets in v.3: See 7:2 how would a man like this answer Nehemiah s question? The condition of the people: great trouble and shame. And to them, the shame part was worse than the trouble part.

14 Nehemiah s concern for his people 1:1-4 The report of the remnant, v. 3 Ask this. Care about our brothers and sisters the Puritans used to ask, How is it with your soul? Don t afraid to ask someone if they are still following the Lord, especially if you haven t seen them for a while. We should enquire especially concerning the state of the church and religion, and how it fares with the people of God; and the design of our enquiry must be, not that, like the Athenians, we may have something to talk of, but that we may know how to direct our prayers and our praises. Matthew Henry

15 Nehemiah s concern for his people 1:1-4 The report of the remnant, v. 3 It had been well over 100 years now since the first of the returning exiles had come back to Jerusalem The captivity is over! God s people have returned! It will be prosperity and joy! Right? The temple was rebuilt, but vulnerable. The Jews were surrounded by people who were opposed to their welfare. Jerusalem was not exactly a city anymore 7:4. The people were easy prey for their enemies. This report painted an ominous, troubling picture; desperate circumstances now what?

16 Nehemiah s concern for his people 1:1-4 The response of Nehemiah, v. 4 How long had it been since Nehemiah had heard any news of the returned exiles? We have no way of knowing but probably many years. Nehemiah himself could have returned with Ezra, but for whatever reason chose not to. Which tells you this: that God was continuing to use the circumstances of Nehemiah s life to prepare him for a more important role. Nehemiah would have been born and raised in Persia it was 445 BC; the captivity began in 586. He may have never been to Jerusalem.

17 Nehemiah s concern for his people 1:1-4 The response of Nehemiah, v. 4 Oh, that we could cry and sigh for the rents and breaches in the Church of God. We should deal much more successfully with men, if, like Nehemiah, we dealt more largely with God. F.B. Meyer Two others who felt heavily, and personally, the weight of the sin of God s people. Notice the depth of their reactions: Ezra 9:1-15 Luke 19:28-44 And we could also add John 2:13-17

18 Nehemiah s concern for his people 1:1-4 The response of Nehemiah, v. 4 Nehemiah notes in his journal in v. 4 that he did four things what are they? Wept Mourned Fasted Prayed Thinking of Nehemiah s prayer in v (which we ll get to in a minute), let s make a few observations on Nehemiah s response in v. 4 to the disastrous news he had just heard from his brother in v. 3

19 Nehemiah s concern for his people 1:1-4 The response of Nehemiah, v The condition of the hearts of his people were Nehemiah s deepest concern. We see that reflected in his prayer in v where he never mentions the walls, but expresses deep concern for his people. Do I think about the hearts the relationship to God of those around me? Does it weigh on me? 2. He took his distress immediately to God. Wept, mourned, fasted, prayed. It was the sins of his people that weighed heavily on him. That is where the most effective service begins.

20 Nehemiah s concern for his people 1:1-4 The response of Nehemiah, v He persisted in prayer. Not every waking moment he was, after all, cupbearer to the King, and not exactly in a position to take a few personal days. But this was more than just a one-time prayer. See Luke 18:1. 4. Their burdens became his. Nehemiah lived in a place of ease and plenty, as the King s most trusted servant. He was a great man in a powerful King s service yet he became the servant of his people in weeping, mourning, fasting and prayer. A lot like Phil. 2:5-8.

21 Nehemiah s concern for his people 1:1-4 The response of Nehemiah, v He prayed in secret. Nehemiah was the King s cupbearer, so could not show such emotion in public so prayed in secret, before the God of heaven. See Matt. 6:1, 5-7, He poured out his burden before the Lord and left it there. Nehemiah was content that God would act in His timing for the vindication of His name and the good of His people. And so he waited for God s timing. How long? See 2:1; he waited for four months.

22 Nehemiah s concern for his people 1:1-4 The response of Nehemiah, v Nehemiah thought like an exile in a foreign land. Like Moses, Nehemiah chose Heb. 11: He had probably never seen Jerusalem and knew only a very few people there. But Jerusalem was in his heart, and like the rest of the exiles he thought like Psalm 137:5-6. He never let himself feel truly at home in Persia; he was an exile, living far from a home he had never seen and perhaps never would, unless God intervened. He kept thinking like a stranger and an exile 1 Pet. 1:1, 17; 2:11.

23 Nehemiah s prayer for his people 1:5-11 Three quick questions about Nehemiah s prayer: 1. What does he say about God? 2. What does he say about his people? 3. What does he say about himself? Where does Nehemiah go first in his prayer? He starts off with worship The entire prayer is focused around the great theme of God s covenant with Israel: he uses God s covenant name (LORD), remembers God s covenant faithfulness (using words from Ex. 34:6-7), and refers often to God s covenant stipulations (His commandments v. 5, 7, 8, 9).

24 Nehemiah s prayer for his people 1:5-11 In Nehemiah s prayer there is adoration, confession, submission, and petition. Not a bad pattern for prayer in fact, it sounds a lot like another pattern for prayer in Scripture Matt. 6:9-13. So Nehemiah prayed for four months (2:1) He recorded this prayer in his journal he probably didn t pray this exact prayer over and over; rather, it is likely that these are the themes that gripped him in prayer for these months. He begins in v. 5 with worship, in v. 6-7 there is confession and repentance, v. 8-9 are the foundation of his prayer a reminder of God s promise, and v are his petition.

25 Nehemiah s prayer for his people 1:5-11 The focal point of Nehemiah s prayer is God s promise see Deut. 30:1-3. If you are unfaithful I will scatter see Lev. 26:33; Deut. 4:27, 28:64; 1 Kings 9:6. It is not the Babylonians who scatter, but God. If you return I will gather Ps. 147:2; Jer. 32:37; Ezek. 34:12-13, 36:24; Zech. 8:7-8. In v. 11 Nehemiah is trusting the principle of Prov. 21:1 God is sovereign over the hearts of man, even the heart of a very powerful king. As he trusts God s promise even for a new generation, he also sees the new generation s sin and his own as the cause of their problems: notice v. 6-7: Even I, we.

26 Nehemiah s prayer for his people 1:5-11 So how could Nehemiah pray what he did in v. 6: Even I and my father s house have sinned? It wasn t Nehemiah s fault his sin that plunged Israel into captivity. But notice his humility he refers to himself often here as Your servant. What does (should) that thought produce in us? The more loftily we think of our privileges, the more clearly should we discern our sins. Nothing leads a true heart to such self-ashamed penitence as reflection on God s mercy. If a man thinks that God has taken him for a servant, the thought should bow him with conscious unworthiness, not lift him in selfsatisfaction. Alexander Maclaren

27 Nehemiah s prayer for his people 1:5-11 Well, what can we glean from Nehemiah s prayer? He lays before God His Name and His character the ground of his hope for an answer. He had learned the Scriptures this cupbearer of Artaxerxes had fed his young soul on God s word, and drawn thence the true nourishment of high and holy thoughts and strenuous resolutions and selfsacrificing deeds. Maclaren He was conscious of his own sin that is the starting point of all true service to Christ (Matt. 5:3). His humble prayer led to his life s work he got up from his prayer, went back to work, and waited. And when the time was right, God moved.

28 A couple of closing thoughts and remember, 120 days of prayer preceded 52 days of work. Recognition of need must be followed by earnest, persistent waiting upon God until the overwhelming sense of world need becomes a specific burden in my soul for one particular piece of work which God would have me do. Alan Redpath Laying the matter to heart, he did not begin to speak with other people about what they would do, nor did he draw up a wonderful scheme about what might be done if so many thousand people joined in the enterprise; but it occurred to him that he would do something himself. Charles Spurgeon