We may not understand it, but you can count on it. If there is one thing which should summarize the Christian church, it is mission. That time He told me two things. 1. You are currently impersonating {{userSessionData.email}}. Copyright 2003-2023 | Outreach, Inc., All rights reserved. Since the heart of these lean times comes from not having as much money as we used to, what about the money? read more. With that understanding, we need to start rebuilding. A. The people could not distinguish the sound of the joyful shouting from that of the weeping, because the people were shouting so loudly. The wall had lain in the rubble for decades because no one had the spiritual insight and fortitude to rebuild it. Ezra and Nehemiah wouldnt be impressed with our version of hard times, but they probably would have a simple message for us. 2) They trusted that God would fight for them (4:20). Nehemiah 1:1-7:3. I will build them up, and not tear them down; I will plant them, and not pluck them up (Jeremiah 24:6). Last week we talked about how Israel was taken into captivity in Babylon. Nehemiah 3:1-32 They returned from captivity in a trip that would take today, about four hours by air, even counting for a security check at the airport. The wall had lain in the rubble for decades because no one had the spiritual insight and fortitude to rebuild it. read more, Scripture: The Book of Ezra They willingly headed straight into tough times. This sermon encourages believers that rebuilding our lives is not impossible when it is covered with believing prayer. read more, Scripture: Background to passage: Recount briefly the historical setting of the captivity, and the returns of Ezra and Nehemiah under the reign of The census of the people (2) C. If a man has a history of fornication, is he disqualified from the office of pastor or can he still be considered the husband of one wife. (Psalms 118:6) The LORD is on my side; I will not fear: what can man do unto me? (Psalms 55:22) Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved. (1 John 4:4) Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world. However, from the vantage point of history, we understand that because the Greeks conquered the world, the world suddenly had one common language. They believed it could be done! . And I will be their God, and they shall be my people. read more, Scripture: What about the environment? Since the terrorism of Sept. 11th, we need to rebuild for the future of America and the church. Its being at-one-ment with God, through Jesus Christ. Lean times? The Greeks conquered their world, including Israel, and their swords dripped with blood. This is the 4th sermon in the series "Rebuilding". What if tough financial times were actually a test from God? read more, Scripture: Jerusalem's wall has been broken down. Holiness. And dont take our version of lean times to ancient Jerusalem, either. REBUILDING SUCCESSFULLY Hes the author of. read more. Featuring Jen Wilkin, Jennifer Rothschild, Kristi McLelland, and more! By and large, Americans arent starving, arent walking, arent living in garbage dumps and arent sending under-clothed children out scavenging for food. They were allowed to go back to Jerusalem. B. Rebuilding Ukraine: reconstruction of war-hit streets continues - in pictures 3d ago Ukraine may be willing to hold talks on Crimea, suggests Zelenskiy adviser At two key moments, two key leaders built altars in Jerusalem, and offered burnt sacrifices there. 1. Actually, our version of hard times wont sell very well in the rest of the world, or in the past pages of history. Open your Bibles tonight to the prophetic book of Haggai, you can find it in the Old Testament wedged between The temple's foundation became a concrete . This is the 4th sermon in the series "Rebuilding". Weve learned this and lived this even moreso since Katrina. What about all the instructions in the Bible related to handling money? The faith challenge is simple. This implies that we And were thankful for that. CSB Experiencing God Bible, Hardcover, Jacketed. The setting is about 500 years before the time of Christ. read more, Scripture: His banner reached across the entire width of his little store. On that day will your boundary be extended. Have you followed the devastation from the hurricanes or wildfires? 3) You will never rebuild an area of your life until you clearly see the need as God sees it. Zechariah 4:10, addressed originally to the returned exiles, says that those who despised the small things of the new temple would rejoice. For those possessing a precious copy of the Scriptures, God's Word would remind them of God's promises to restore Israel. The Bible has told us that we are to be cheerful givers, and to not give under compulsion. If they die, its unbelievably tough. By leaning on your relationship with Jesus Christ, a person wont just survive in lean times. 2) Nehemiah gave the oppression to the Lord (4:4-5). Methodist, Several weeks ago, NBA superstar LeBron James tweeted, Its a weird feeling to feel so alone sometimes! He received over 140,000 likes and 4,000 replies from people expressing sympathy, disbelief, and from some, criticism. One man was a Bible teacher, and the other was a motivator. Many pastors have felt the pain in the weeks that followed an extended period of closure due to reduced Gather my people Rebuilding is part of life. If you dont know the power of forgiven sin, youre more bankrupt, more in trouble, more destitute, more stricken, than any other kind of human being. 18 For the builders, everyone had his sword girded by his side, and so builded. This process allows you to re-build your character, acknowledging that you have worth in God's eyes. When God promised to build us up to give us a new heart and a new covenant he was promising to tear down his beloved Son. What if God is forcing us to become green, as the term is, these days? The Babylonians came and conquered If we are really honest with God and He worked through people like Daniel and Shadrach, Meshach and Abendigo. Instead of destroying us, he crushed his own Son under his unbearable wrath (Isaiah 53:10). Instead of overthrowing our rebellion and tossing us into hell, he tossed his own Son to the wolves of evil where he was crucified (Acts 2:23). The drawing on the screen shows the various sections of the wall that were rebuilt. 1) Building was not the occupation of many of the workers. read more, Scripture: Transition: The Jews under Nehemiahs leadership rebuilt their faith in God while they rebuilt the city wall. Once the northern kingdom was gone, the southern kingdom was a sitting duck. Perhaps the state of repair of the walls will not epitomise 7 Now it happened, when Sanballat, Tobiah, the Arabs, the Ammonites, and the Ashdodites heard that the walls of This new boss was determined to rid the company of all slackers. Introduction: Introduction: Introduction: read more, Scripture: to build and to plant." ( Jeremiah 1:10) God sent Jeremiah to pluck up, break down, destroy, and overthrow. Another key leader of Jerusalems rise from the ashes was Zerubbabel, who took the lead on re-building the temple. The Bible has told us that our first fruits are to be given to the Lord. Haggai 1:1-8. It adds up to a shocking new way of life: These are Lean Times.. Our definition of lean times usually means well buy smaller cars instead of SUVs, well eat out one less meal than we used to, and well buy a less expensive brand of golf ball than we once did. 3. As cruel as it sounds, even the unspeakable actions of Hitler were used by God for good. (Psalms 1:1-3) Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. Conclusion: It is time to repair the broken walls of your spiritual life. A tank of gas feels like a major purchase, and everything from food prices to basic supplies have seen dramatic increases. Nehemiah was one of the greatest leaders of all time. But without the sin problem being solved, all of the other problems will pale dramatically, in comparison. I said that the walls represents the protection of God while the gates Nehemiah helps to rebuild Jerusalem's walls and city and Israel flourishes until Alexander the Great pops onto the scene, writes the Embassy of Israel . If your health starts to disappear, weeping is OK. All their neighbors supported them with silver articles, gold, goods, livestock, and valuables, in addition to all that was given as a freewill offering. In this sermon, we see how Nehemiah helped the exiles begin rebuilding the walls, and we learn how to begin rebuilding out lives. Once they built the foundation, however, many people could visualize God's greater purposes. (Romans 8:31) What shall we then say to these things? As I processed the trials and sorrows of the last year, personally and across the United States, I reread what the Lord said to Jeremiah when he called him into ministry: See, I have set you this day over nations and over kingdoms, God is going to make the call as to whether one goes to heaven, or one goes to hell. Will we cut our offerings because groceries are higher? The setting is about 500 years before the time of Christ. This message can be re-worked for a building program. Nehemiah 4:18 The Lord fulfilled His promise through Jeremiah after 70 years (Jer 25:11-12). So Haggai and Zechariah were sent by God to assist in the rebuilding of the temple. But there was also this: Ezra 3:12-13 Links to other sermons in this series at the bottom of this article. Introduction: Gods people had lived in Israel for centuries before. Introduction In the countryside near Leicester, England, there stands an ancient church whose walls are inscribed with an eloquent memorial. Daniel saw many dreams and visions, and even saw Its the lessons learned in the Classroom of Suffering. So here we are, a group of committed followers of Christ, all taken, against our will, back into the Classroom of Suffering. Go back for Nehemiah 2:11-20, Denomination: Nehemiah 4:1-23, Denomination: Jesus told us to be watching, be ready, and be praying. They rebuild the destroyed temple of God. A. read more, Scripture: The Babylonians came and conquered 1) The devil opposed the work on the wall. There are times when we have to start over and when we do, we need to get started right. This new boss was determined to rid the company of all slackers. In this mornings text, we will look at how Nehemiah begins to re-build the walls of Jerusalem. Millions of Americans find themselves facing the greatest struggles of their lives today, squeezed financially by rising energy costs, rising unemployment rates, fears of a national recession or even a depression. As the people gathered with repentant hearts the blood shed on such an altar provided cleansing for sin. The inscription recalls the life of a man who made the laying of that church's enduring stones possible long ago, and it reads as follows: Part of that freedom, literally, is the freedom to choose to obey God, right now, and soon thrive in the midst of difficult circumstances. read more, Denomination: God is going to be the ultimate judge. The Babylonians came and conquered One knew the law, and the other one knew people. Dont take our sad stories to the rest of the world and expect a sympathetic ear. There were others, but heres the point. Opening illustration: Rebuilding PCB In the early days, it must have been impossible to think that within a century, Atlanta would be one of the largest cities in America, and on its way to becoming one of the best-known cities in the world. They worked with a sword in one hand, and a brick trowel in the other. Zerubbabel led the first effort, recorded in Chapter 3, and Ezra led the second sacrifice, recorded in Ezra 8. Or, if I could put it this way, they were leaning on God. The setting is about 500 years before the time of Christ. We're sorry, an error occurred. From Pharaoh of Egypt to the top world leaders of today, all of them are under Gods control. read more, Scripture: Patient: Give me the bad news first. Introduction: Ezra 1:1-11 (HCSB) In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, the word of the LORD spoken through Jeremiah was fulfilled. 1. They learned as they worked. read more, Scripture: 3) Spiritual rebuilding is not fast nor is it easy. Can we comprehend it? Life can deal you things that you never thought was possible. Rest assured, sooner or later, we all know tough times. Today we confront a simple, universal truth: Rebuilding is hard work. 52-week preaching calendar to help you plan your sermons, Customizable sermon manuscripts for verse-by-verse preaching, Preach with creativity and impact throughout the year, Help your church understand God's plan in pain, Call your people to experience a higher freedom, Proclaim the gospel to the ends of the earth. Last week we established the realities of rebuilding. Ezra 1:1, Denomination: Lean times might be all about a tough financial season. 1. Nevertheless, weve got a lot of people hurting. THE REALITIES OF REBUILDING read more, Scripture: Patient: Give me the bad news first. In the worst of all the bad days, they were victorious. Then Last week we look at how after the Jews return from Babylon, they got sidetracked A brief outline is: 1. Gods people had lived in Israel for centuries before. -Any determination to fulfill the purposes of God will be opposed by the Devil, demons, the world. The outline I borrowed but the sermon is mine. They ignored the opposition Application in todays world is as important to OT scriptures as it is to those in the NT. Here, says the Bible, is an opportunity to thrive. Micah 7:11 Verse Concepts It will be a day for building your walls. For if the Bible is right, and life lasts forever, then being in a right relationship with God is critically important. In this sermon, we see how Nehemiah helped the exiles begin rebuilding the walls, and we learn how to begin rebuilding out lives. Last week we established the realities of rebuilding.
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