Beginning Again

Beginning Again

Mitch Marlowe / General

Nehemiah 1:1–11

Notes

Advent Christian Church 1-1-2017

Have You Ever Had to Begin Again?

Well did you stay up last night and watch the ball drop?  Did you make those New Year resolutions?  I read this week that only 8% of us actually keep all of our New Year's resolutions.  And in my mind, half of those are lying!

It seems we are always struggling and we can either give up or begin again.

Have you ever been in a situation that you needed to begin again?

Nehemiah shows us 3 great principles that we can use to begin again.   Let's take a look at this passage and allow me to walk with you through these verses.

Nehemiah 1:1-12

The words of Nehemiah son of Hacaliah:

In the month of Kislev in the twentieth year, while I was in the citadel of Susa, Hanani, one of my brothers, came from Judah with some other men, and I questioned them about the Jewish remnant that survived the exile, and also about Jerusalem.

According to scholars, this time of the year was like our November  and December.

Hanani could have been a blood brother or just someone that was close as a brother.  Later in the book, he has a prominent place of leadership.

Look at verse 3.

They said to me, “Those who survived the exile and are back in the province are in great trouble and disgrace. The wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates have been burned with fire.”

Have you ever thought about home?  I am from Statesville in Iredell County.  I am always interested in hearing about what is happening back home.  I will occasionally read the paper online to stay connected.  When I hear of trouble and heartache there, I too get troubled.  I can imagine that is what Nehemiah experienced here. 

However, I think metaphorically speaking there is another application here.  Jerusalem at that time was the spiritual center of the world.  The walls and gates housed the temple where the priests made atonement for the sins of the people.  During this time, not only the walls and gates had been destroyed but the city was in ruins having been over run by enemies. 

Interestingly, Paul called our bodies the temple of God. 

1 Corinthians 3:16 NIV84

Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit lives in you?

Have your spiritual walls ever been in ruin?  Perhaps you have found yourself in a condition needing repair and with no hope in sight.  Maybe you feel this way right now and are in need of repair.  On this first day of the New Year I have hope for you.  Not only can your spiritual walls be rebuilt, but they can be fortified with a cornerstone.

Isaiah 28:16 NIV84

So this is what the Sovereign LORD says:

         “See, I lay a stone in Zion,
         a tested stone,
         a precious cornerstone for a sure foundation;
         the one who trusts will never be dismayed.

Look now back at Nehemiah 1:4

When I heard these things, I sat down and wept. For some days I mourned and fasted and prayed before the God of heaven.

When you get discouraging news, what do you do?  Do you get angry?  Do you withdraw from those around you?  Look at what Nehemiah did.  He sat down.  I think this means he spent some time pondering it, thinking about it.  The bible then tells us he wept.  There are many things that will make us distraught.  This past November on election day, I voted and when I left the voting booth, I literally wept over the condition in our country.  Nehemiah says that he mourned for days and he fasted and prayed.  Notice his progression here, he didn't stop with life.  He progressed through his sorrow and used that time to prepare himself to go before God.

Notice what happens next in verses 5-11:

Then I said:

“O LORD, God of heaven, the great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love with those who love him and obey his commands, let your ear be attentive and your eyes open to hear the prayer your servant is praying before you day and night for your servants, the people of Israel. I confess the sins we Israelites, including myself and my father’s house, have committed against you. We have acted very wickedly toward you. We have not obeyed the commands, decrees and laws you gave your servant Moses.

“Remember the instruction you gave your servant Moses, saying, ‘If you are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the nations, but if you return to me and obey my commands, then even if your exiled people are at the farthest horizon, I will gather them from there and bring them to the place I have chosen as a dwelling for my Name.’

“They are your servants and your people, whom you redeemed by your great strength and your mighty hand. O Lord, let your ear be attentive to the prayer of this your servant and to the prayer of your servants who delight in revering your name. Give your servant success today by granting him favor in the presence of this man.”

There are several applications we can find in this prayer.  First and foremost, if you have a Bible that gives your lots of cross references,  you will notice that almost every phrase in this prayer is a reference to another passage in the Bible.  One of the beautiful aspects of the Word of God is that it interprets itself.  I want to encourage you to look at the references that come from other places in the Old Testament: Deuteronomy, 1 and 2 Kings, Daniel, 2 Chronicles, Psalms, Isaiah, Jeremiah and Ezekiel all are referenced in this short prayer.  This tells me that Nehemiah was a student of God's word and he used God's word in his prayer.  Do you ever pray utilizing Scripture? 

Look at the attributes of this prayer:

There is Praise:

“O LORD, God of heaven, the great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love with those who love him and obey his commands,

There is Confession:

I confess the sins we Israelites, including myself and my father’s house, have committed against you. We have acted very wickedly toward you. We have not obeyed the commands, decrees and laws you gave your servant Moses.

There is Petition:

“Remember the instruction you gave your servant Moses, saying, ‘If you are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the nations, but if you return to me and obey my commands, then even if your exiled people are at the farthest horizon, I will gather them from there and bring them to the place I have chosen as a dwelling for my Name.’

“They are your servants and your people, whom you redeemed by your great strength and your mighty hand.

This is just not just a "Now I lay me down to sleep" prayer!  It is a prayer that is scripturally-based.  It is a prayer that is for the people of Nehemiah's home.  It is a prayer for guidance and preparation as Nehemiah recognizes the opportunity in front of him:

O Lord, let your ear be attentive to the prayer of this your servant and to the prayer of your servants who delight in revering your name. Give your servant success today by granting him favor in the presence of this man.”

Notice what Nehemiah throws in after his prayer:

I was cupbearer to the king.

This is far from being arrogant on Nehemiah's part. He certainly doesn't throw in a "nana nana boo boo" here!  Nehemiah is reminding us of his circle of influence.  He has told us that he spent some time thinking about the situation as well as praying about the situation.  Notice the pattern here:  Each step is carefully designed and well thought out! Now he is showing us that God has placed him in a special place.

Ezra and Nehemiah: An Introduction and Commentary The Prayer of Nehemiah (1:4–11)

The cupbearer (the same word as the ‘butler’ of the Joseph story, Gen. 40:2ff.) was a high official in the royal household, whose basic duty of choosing and tasting the wine to demonstrate that it was not poisoned, and of presenting it to the king, gave him frequent access to the king’s presence and made him potentially a man of influence.

Don't you know that God has a way of placing His people right where they need to be?  Think about your circle of influence.  You and I have been divinely placed in areas where we can demonstrate His love.  Whether it is your work, your family, your garden club, your civic club, your favorite booth in your favorite restaurant or even the pew you are sitting on right now!  God can use your circle of influence to rebuild lives!  Are you letting Him?

So what can we take from this incredible passage?  There are 3 principles that you and I can apply today and begin this New Year in a way that will help us rebuild our spiritual walls.

First, Nehemiah started right where he was.  Too often when we are faced with a tough situation where we need to begin again, we think we have to wait until the situation gets better, or when we can afford it, or when the right timing occurs.  Nehemiah recognized that he needed to begin again right now.  You and I can learn lots from that!  There is no time like the present! 

Hebrews 3:13 NIV84

But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness.

Luke 23:43 NIV84

Jesus answered him, “I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise.”

A second principle that you and I can learn from Nehemiah in beginning again, is Nehemiah synthesized the facts.  In other words, Nehemiah gathered lots of information to understand the situation.

I don't think he goes to FACEBOOK to get his facts!  Have you ever noticed that when something happens and we want to gain instant news, where do we turn?  Nehemiah gathered facts.  I would imagine that he was able to discern the facts and filter them through Godly wisdom.  Nehemiah listened to those he trusted and processed what was happening in his beloved home. 

The third principle we see here is probably the most important of all:  In beginning again, Nehemiah sought sovereign wisdom through prayer.  What would happen if you and I prayed as much as we worried?  What about if we prayed as much as we complained?  The example we have here is scriptural prayer complete with praise,  confession, and petition.  I don't think we can go wrong doing this in 2017 do you?

How are you going to begin again?