Week 3, Nehemiah 2:9 20 - Hook Main Point: When the Lord prompts, take action. Current Event: So many of us watched with sadness the story of the fertilizer plant explosion in West, Texas in the late spring of 2013. Vast destruction, loss and tragedy left the small Texas town bewildered and tired as they faced the uphill road of rebuilding. A footnote to the long list of stories is the plight of the town s high school football field. Like any other Texas town, the local high school football field is the place to be on Friday nights in the fall. In the wake of the explosion in West, this same field became a temporary hospital for those injured. But the field was rebuilt, allowing for another football season and the chance for a broken community to come together and find healing. 1 Discussion Questions: What are some of the emotions people deal with during times of loss (e.g., fear, depression, doubting their faith)? How can a rebuilding project, like the ones that took place in West, speak directly to these feelings? Personal Story: It s possible that some members of your class were directly affected or have friends/family who were affected by the tragedy in West. Take a moment to listen to any potential testimonies or accounts people may have and ask what positive stories of hope and restoration may have emerged. 1 David Schechter, West High School football field returning to action, wfaa.com.
Nehemiah 2:9 20 - Book Main Point: When the Lord prompts, take action. Text Summary: Nehemiah learns of Jerusalem s dilapidation. Nehemiah hears of the distress of Jerusalem and Judah (vv. 1 3) and prays for God s favor toward them (vv. 4 11). 2 Nehemiah 2:9 16 (Read) Sub Point: Pursue wisdom and demonstrate patience when addressing a new task. Before doing anything, Nehemiah spends time evaluating and assessing the damage of Jerusalem s walls. He does this during the night with only a few men, keeping his plan quiet as he prepares. Nehemiah takes his time as he plans, observes, and calculates. Nehemiah doesn t share any plans or news prematurely. He waits. He remains diligent with his work until all aspects of the planning for rebuilding are in place and ready to be shared and executed. Nehemiah understands that this is a very large task, one that must be done right. For this reason, Nehemiah is strategic. He knows that he is unable to simply present a rebuilding plan without doing the right amount of preparation and analysis of the city s gates and walls. He knows action must be preceded by responsible evaluation and preparation. For Nehemiah, trusting in God s plan and being commissioned for this work by God does not mean that he is to begin work the moment he arrives in Jerusalem. So he spends time during the night diligently observing, taking notes, calculating, preparing, and planning the most efficient way to rebuild and restore the walls and gates of the city before anyone knows what he or, more importantly, God is up to in regard to Jerusalem. There is great wisdom in the way Nehemiah chooses to begin the rebuilding process. Notice that he does not arrive on the scene and demand the people s allegiance and order them to get behind his plan of attack. He is careful with his approach so that he may offer the best method and most efficient plan to repair the gates and walls for the ultimate safety of the people of Jerusalem. He knows that he must do what is needed to be the most effective and trustworthy leader for the people, and that means keeping his plans quiet until the time is right. We see evidence of this in verse 16. Nehemiah knew that God would lead him to action when action was needed. The situation in Jerusalem caused great sadness in Nehemiah. When emotions are high, is it possible to think strategically? How? How can an action- oriented person safeguard against being rash in decision making? 2 Crossway Bibles, The ESV Study Bible (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2008), 824.
Have you ever shared a plan or started work on something before the timing was right? Describe your experience. Nehemiah 2:17 20 (Read) Sub Point: Communicate God s vision clearly to those He has placed under your leadership. Nehemiah addresses the people in verses 17 18. After his time of observation, Nehemiah stands before the people of Jerusalem and explains not only his plan for rebuilding but how he came to be in his current position. He opens up, sharing his personal story with the people and uniting himself with them. In verse 18 we notice that Nehemiah shared the details of his journey over the past several months. He told of his relationship with the king, how God had moved, what God had done with him, and how God had led him to this point standing in front of them. He proclaims to the people that this mission, this rebuilding and restoring of Jerusalem s gates and walls is not his plan, but that of his great and mighty God. God continued working and moving. A direct sign of His grace and His hand shows up right after Nehemiah addresses the people. The end of verse 18 says, And they said, Let us rise up and build. The Lord used Nehemiah to unite the people and to bring them together for the cause. Nehemiah explained well. He communicated effectively. He gave a tangible vision for the people. And they began to work. As the rebuilding commences and the people begin working, so does the opposition. Saballat and Tobiah mock and ridicule them. They begin raising questions concerning what they are doing, why they re doing it, and under whose authority it s being done. Their attempts to discourage and disrupt are in vain as Nehemiah speaks out on behalf of the people. Nehemiah knows he has support and backing from the king, but this isn t the direction he chooses to go. Nehemiah proclaims the authority for the work being done is given by the God of Heaven. They will not be set back or discouraged. Their task will not be thwarted because their God has set the plan in motion and nothing can stop what He begins. Therefore, the people of Jerusalem will rise up and rebuild what has been destroyed. Their season without protection is over. Their walls and gates will be rebuilt. Their God is for them and will complete His work. Who comes to mind that you believe to be a wise leader? What makes you think of the person this way? How does a leader create trust within his or her people? What did Nehemiah accomplish when he cited God s support instead of the king s? Another Perspective: The Expositor s Bible Commentary
Immediately they (Sanballat and Tobiah) began to plan how to stop Nehemiah from achieving his goal. Perhaps they were hoping to gain control of Judah. In fact in the Elephantine papyri written in 407 B.C., 37 years after this event, Sanballat was called governor of Samaria. But Nehemiah s motivation remained undaunted. He knew that God had brought him to this moment in Israel s history and he was about to tackle a project that others, for almost 100 years before him, had been unable to complete. 3 Discussion: These two would prove to be a constant problem for Nehemiah. From the beginning, Sanballat and Tobiah sought to stop Nehemiah from completing his God- given task. Discuss with your class the role of obstacles when seeking God s will and completing tasks you believe are from Him. Are such challenges indications that you are seeking your will and not His? Are they obstacles to overcome? How does one distinguish between the two? 3 Gene A. Getz, Nehemiah, in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, J. F. Walvoord and R. B. Zuck, ed., (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985), Ne 2:9 10.
Nehemiah 2:9-20 Took Main Point: When the Lord prompts, take action In Today s Culture: The Dallas Mavericks have taken a lot of heat in the last couple of seasons for their rebuilding plan. After a successful championship run in 2011, key players were lost in free agency and trades and the team began a makeover that is still in process. When asked about the implementation of the plan and whether he regretted the steps the organization had taken, owner Mark Cuban replied, Would I do it the same way again? In a heartbeat. Why? Because in the NBA, like in the non- sports business world you have to take chances in order to be rewarded. You have to be smart and you have to be more than a little lucky. 4 Class Exercise: Ask your class to form small groups and look through the passage in Nehemiah. Have them look specifically at all the different opposition Nehemiah and the builders were facing. After a few moments of discussion, ask them to share their observations. Follow- up by asking, Have you ever had to try something new and encountered obstacles? Give class members a chance to respond and share some experiences. Challenge: Nehemiah took a huge leap of faith to come back to Jerusalem to rebuild the city wall. Great wisdom would be required and he was going to have to trust God for the outcome (he could not rely on luck!). As you close your time today, ask your class to consider the issues that they are working through right now. Encourage them to realize that God may be asking them to take a faith risk, that they need to seek the Scripture for wisdom and ultimately trust God for the outcome. 4 Tim MacMahon, Mark Cuban authors Let s Talk epic, espn.com.