Nehemiah is a man caught between two worlds. In the vast and affluent Persian empire, he has status and influence. As an Israelite, his people are scattered and fragmented—much like the ruins of the wall surrounding Jerusalem. However, Nehemiah’s heart is captivated by the vision of a better future. As he moves in faith, his passion ignites a nation to come together with zeal for the empire of God.
WEEK 1: A Troubled Heart
February 28 Nehemiah 1:1-11
WEEK 2: Answered Prayer
March 7 Nehemiah 2:1-10
WEEK 3: Rebels or Rebuilders?
March 14 Nehemiah 2:11-20
WEEK 4: Shared Work
March 21 Nehemiah 3:1-32
WEEK 5: Facing Opposition
March 28 Nehemiah 4:1-23
WEEK 6: Defending the Oppressed
April 11 Nehemiah 5:1-19
WEEK 7: Opposition, Threats, and Lies
April 18 Nehemiah 6:1-19
WEEK 8: Creating Division
April 25 Nehemiah 7:1-73a
WEEK 9: Spiritual Reorientation
May 2 Nehemiah 8:1-18
WEEK 10: Corporate Confession
May 9 Nehemiah 9:1-37
WEEK 11: Corporate Repentance and Covenant Renewal
May 16 Nehemiah 9:38-10:39
WEEK 12: Celebrating What God Has Done
May 23 Nehemiah 12:27-47
WEEK 13: Unfinished Work
May 30 Nehemiah 13:1-31
Trust You (You are Good) | Grace Church Worship | Apple Music | Spotify
Mark 9:24 • Luke 12:27-32 • Psalm 107:28-30
Yet Not I But Through Christ in Me | CityAlight | Apple Music| Spotify
Galatians 2:20 • 1 Corinthians 15:10 • Philippians 2:13
Sovereign Over Us | Aaron Keyes | Apple Music | Spotify
Isaiah 43:2 • Isaiah 55:8-9 • Romans 8:28
Come Alive | Red Rocks Worship | Apple Music | Spotify
Matthew 11:28 • Psalm 46 • Ezekiel 37
In Your Presence | Elevation Worship | Apple Music | Spotify
Psalm 16:7-8 & 11• Deuteronomy 31:6 • Romans 8:31-34
Call Upon the Lord | Elevation Worship | Apple Music | Spotify
Psalm 18:3-2 • 2 Corinthians 3:17 • Hebrews 13:5-6
Never Be the Same | People & Songs | Apple Music | Spotify
John 4:13-14 • 2 Corinthians 5:17 • Romans 8:11
Unfailing (Psalm 5) | Grace Church Worship | Apple Music | Spotify
Psalm 5
Nobody Like You | Red Rocks Worship | Apple Music | Spotify
Psalm 33:6-7 • Exodus 15:11 • Phil 2:5-11 • Jeremiah 10:6
I Will Look Up | Elevation Worship | Apple Music | Spotify
Psalm 57:7-11 • Isaiah 26:1-8 • 2 Samuel 22:26-31
No Greater Love | Grace Church Worship | Apple Music | Spotify
John 15:13 • Romans 5:1-11 • Ephesians 5:2 • Galatians 5:13
Come Alive | Red Rocks Worship | Apple Music | Spotify
Matthew 11:28 • Psalm 46 • Ezekiel 37
Endless Surrender | Grace Church Worship | Apple Music | Spotify
Hebrews 4:12 • Philippians 3:8-11 • Titus 3:3-8
Dwell | Aaron Keyes | Apple Music | Spotify
Psalm 91:1 • Isaiah 54:17
You Never Fail | Hillsong Worship | Apple Music | Spotify
Psalm 73:26 • Psalm 27:1 • 2 Samuel 7:22
Mighty God (Another Hallelujah) | Elevation Worship | Apple Music | Spotify
Mark 4:39 • Revelation 19:6-8
Hallelujah for the Cross | Chris McClarney | Apple Music | Spotify
Colossians 1:13-20 • Isaiah 53:5 • Romans 2:4
Only a Holy God | CityAlight | Apple Music | Spotify
Isaiah 6 • Revelation 4:8 • Philippians 2:1-11
What a Savior | Hillsong Worship | Apple Music | Spotify
John 9:35-39 • Psalm 71:14 • Psalm 149:4
I Surrender | All Sons & Daughters | Apple Music | Spotify
Romans 12:1 • Luke 22:41-43 • Matthew 6:19-21
God You Are My God | Vertical Worship | Apple Music | Spotify
Zechariah 14:9 • Isaiah 2:2 • 1 Peter 1:18-20
Christ Be Magnified | Cody Carnes | Apple Music | Spotify
Psalm 34:1-3 • Romans 6:3-5 • Revelation 5:11-13
Yes I Will | Vertical Worship | Apple Music | Spotify
Psalm 130:5-8 • Philippians 2:9-11 • Isaiah 28:30
Man of Sorrows | Hillsong Worship | Apple Music | Spotify
Isaiah 53 • 1 Timothy 2:5-6 • Hebrews 5:5-9
Glory to You | Emmanuel Live | Apple Music | Spotify
Philippians 1:9-11 • 2 Thessalonians 1:11-12 • Psalm 115:1-3
Only a Holy God | CityAlight | Apple Music | Spotify
Isaiah 6 • Revelation 4:8 • Philippians 2:1-11
This We Know | Vertical Worship | Apple Music | Spotify
Isaiah 55:8-9 • Hebrews 10:23 • Colossians 2:15 • 1 Corinthians 15:55-57 • 1 Peter 1:3-7
Give It All | Grace Church Worship | Apple Music | Spotify
Psalm 101:1 • Romans 12:1 • Romans 5:8 • Galatians 2:20
Look What God Has Done | Corey Voss & Madison Street Worship | Apple Music | Spotify
Psalms 77 • Philippians 2:9-11
Came To My Rescue | Hillsong | Apple Music | Spotify
Psalm 17:6 • Psalm 81:7
Yet Not I But Through Christ in Me | CityAlight | Apple Music | Spotify
Galatians 2:20 • 1 Corinthians 15:10 • Philippians 2:13
Fully Devoted | Life.Church Worship | Apple Music | Spotify
Romans 12:1 • Ephesians 4:16 • Ephesians 3:20
You Never Fail | Hillsong Worship | Apple Music | Spotify
Psalm 73:26 • Psalm 27:1 • 2 Samuel 7:22
Unfailing (Psalm 5) | Grace Church Worship | Apple Music | Spotify
Psalm 5
The Lord is Great and Mighty | Grace Church Worship | Apple Music | Spotify
Psalm 40 • Ezekiel 36:26
Look What God Has Done | Corey Voss & Madison Street Worship | Apple Music | Spotify
Psalms 77 • Philippians 2:9-11
I Will Look Up | Elevation Worship | Apple Music | Spotify
Psalm 57:7-11 • Isaiah 26:1-8 • 2 Samuel 22:26-31
Great and Mighty King | Elevation Worship | Apple Music | Spotify
Psalm 47:6-8 • Revelation 5:11-14 • Isaiah 6:1-3
All Creatures of Our God and King | David Crowder Band | Apple Music | Spotify
Psalm 66:1 • Psalm 148 • Revelation 5:13
Only a Holy God | CityAlight | Apple Music | Spotify
Isaiah 6 • Revelation 4:8 • Philippians 2:1-11
Not Anymore | Grace Church Worship | Apple Music | Spotify
Isaiah 12
This I Believe | Hillsong Worship | Apple Music | Spotify
1 Corinthians 15 • John 3:16 • Romans 1:16-17 • Hebrews 1
Center My Life | Austin Stone Worship | Apple Music | Spotify
Hebrews 12:2 • Matthew 6:21,33 • Galatians 2:20 • Colossians 3:1
Once For All | CityAlight | Apple Music | Spotify
Romans 6:10 • Hebrews 10:19-22 • 1 Peter 3:18 • Revelation 4:11
Build My Life | Passion | Apple Music | Spotify
Matthew 7:24-27 • Colossians 2:6-8 • Psalm 145:3
Singing in the Victory | Austin Stone | Apple Music | Spotify
John 14:27 • 1 Corinthians 15:54-57 • Romans 8:35-39
Yes I Will | Vertical Worship | Apple Music | Spotify
Psalm 130:5-8 • Philippians 2:9-11 • Isaiah 28:30
Overcome | Elevation Worship | Apple Music | Spotify
Romans 8 • Psalm 145:13 • John 16:33
Nobody Like You | Red Rocks Worship | Apple Music | Spotify
Psalm 33:6-7 • Exodus 15:11 • Phil 2:5-11 • Jeremiah 10:6
Worthy of it All | Grace Church Worship | Apple Music | Spotify
Psalm 51:16-17 • Psalm 139:23-24 • Amos 5:21-24
Endless Surrender | Grace Church Worship | Apple Music | Spotify
Hebrews 4:12 • Philippians 3:8-11 • Titus 3:3-8
Mighty God (Another Hallelujah) | Elevation Worship | Apple Music | Spotify
Mark 4:39 • Revelation 19:6-8
You Never Fail | Hillsong Worship | Apple Music | Spotify
Psalm 73:26 • Psalm 27:1 • 2 Samuel 7:22
Faithfulness | Hillsong Worship | Apple Music | Spotify
Lamentations 3:22-23 • Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 • Romans 15:13
O Come to the Altar | Elevation Worship | Apple Music | Spotify
1 John 2:2 • Hebrews 13:12 • Romans 12:1-2
I Surrender | All Sons & Daughters | Apple Music | Spotify
Romans 12:1 • Luke 22:41-43 • Matthew 6:19-21
Who You Say I Am | Hillsong Worship | Apple Music | Spotify
1 Peter 2:9-10 • John 8:36 • Romans 8:14-17
Our Great God | NewSpring Worship | Apple Music | Spotify
Psalm 19:1-4 • Psalm 107:29 • 1 Peter 2:24
Great Are You Lord | All Sons & Daughters | Apple Music | Spotify
Psalm 98 • Psalm 66:4 • John 1:3-4 • Genesis 2:7
O Come to the Altar | Elevation Worship | Apple Music | Spotify
1 John 2:2 • Hebrews 13:12 • Romans 12:1-2
Look What God Has Done | Corey Voss & Madison Street Worship | Apple Music | Spotify
Psalms 77 • Philippians 2:9-11
O Praise the Name | Hillsong Worship | Apple Music | Spotify
Matthew 27-28 • 1 Corinthians 15:3-7 • Revelation 7:9-12 • Hebrews 9:28
There Is a Fountain | Grace Church Worship | Apple Music | Spotify
Zechariah 13:1 • John 1:29 • Hebrews 9:12-14
Come Thou Fount (We Praise You) | Grace Church Worship | Apple Music | Spotify
Ephesians 2:7-8 • 1 John 3:1-3 • Titus 3:4-6 • 1 Corinthians 1:22
Glory to You | Emmanuel Live | Apple Music | Spotify
Philippians 1:9-11 • 2 Thessalonians 1:11-12 • Psalm 115:1-3
Christ Be Magnified | Cody Carnes | Apple Music | Spotify
Psalm 34:1-3 • Romans 6:3-5 • Revelation 5:11-13
O God of Our Salvation | Grace Church Worship | Apple Music | Spotify
1 Chronicles 16:29
These daily readings will help prepare you for the upcoming teaching you will hear this weekend at Grace Church. These passages will create some context for the sermon by showing you Scriptures the teacher might be quoting and some passages that contain related ideas. Our hope is that as you follow this reading plan, it will help you become more defined and directed by Scripture.
WEEK 1: A Troubled Heart
WEEK 2: Answered Prayer
WEEK 3: Rebels or Rebuilders?
WEEK 4: Shared Work
WEEK 5: Facing Opposition
WEEK 6: Defending the Oppressed
WEEK 7: Opposition, Threats, and Lies
Although as believers, we are exiles in this world, many of us have been thoroughly assimilated into our American culture. Where are you heavily invested in the social, political, and economic power structures of our country?
Nehemiah’s heart was captured by a vision of Jerusalem restored and glorifying God. What would it look like for the light of the gospel to overwhelm our culture here in the Upstate? How can you pray towards the vision? What action steps can you take to make it a reality?
Nehemiah moves because he knows God’s Word and God’s heart for his people. How well do you know God’s Word? Does it play a role in your daily decisions and interactions with people? How do you need to grow in your understanding of the Scriptures?
Just because something isn’t your fault doesn’t mean you don’t have responsibility. Where do you see brokenness in your immediate circle of influence? How can you own the cause of restoration in that situation?
Nehemiah’s family has been living in exile for generations. This creates tension and ambiguity for Nehemiah—he is living and prospering in the powerful Empire of Persia, yet his core identity is that of Jew.
When he receives word that the people of Israel are not faring well in Judah, Nehemiah’s heart is troubled. He recognizes his responsibility in the situation. In the same way, we are responsible for the burdens of fellow believers.
As he cries out to God in prayer, Nehemiah speaks with boldness and humility. He repents of his sin and affirms God’s faithfulness.
We often view the church as a place to go and get something to make our lives better. However, the church is about our interconnectedness as believers. We take on one another’s burdens because Jesus took on our burdens.
Even though Nehemiah has been living in comfort, his new awareness moves him to take a step that is risky and disruptive to his life. We should also value the glory of God over the comforts of our daily lives.
Nehemiah’s story is a prelude to the great story of the Bible. Jesus also leaves a glorious palace to identify with a lowly and obscure people.
We find that Nehemiah has been waiting and praying for three to four months before his audience with the king. This time of prayer changes him. Evaluate your personal prayer life. What steps can you take to grow closer to God through prayer?
Our personal ministry has two sources of input—divine and human. If we overemphasize the divine side, we can be tempted to remain passive. If we lean too heavily on the human side, we may do too much or take action on the wrong issues. Which way do you lean? Why?
Take some time to look over the Outreach Serving Tools. After working through your individuality, concerns, and opportunities, where do you think God is calling you to further his mission here on earth? What will your next step be and to whom can you be accountable?
Nehemiah has been prayerfully waiting for months after hearing of the plight of his people in Jerusalem. He knows that he cannot control his situation, but he does put himself in a position to take advantage of the opportunities God brings him.
Just as Nehemiah focuses his energy on building up God’s people, so must we be constantly working to move God’s mission forward.
Artaxerxes is a powerful king; however, God is truly in control. Nehemiah is oriented to God’s empire, which gives him boldness when he asks the king for help.
Nehemiah both trusts God and takes action. This is how we elevate God’s spiritual empire while living in this earthly empire.
Our identity in God’s empire should affect how we think and what we do in this earthly empire.
When Nehemiah arrives in Jerusalem, he is careful to gather firsthand information. How does this principle apply to us as both Christians and leaders? Have you ever acted on secondhand information (as a leader, in a relationship, etc.)? What was the result?
As God’s people, we are “living stones that God is building into his spiritual temple” (1 Peter 2:5). We should be easily identifiable as people who are close to God. Who is someone in your life that fits this description? Why is that so? What needs to change in your life to make you more identifiable as belonging to God?
Those following Nehemiah obey God even when they don’t know the extent of what will be involved. When was a time you obeyed God without having all the information, and what was the fruit? When was a time you failed to obey God, and what was the fruit?
The Scriptures are clear that those who follow Jesus will face conflict. Have you ever been accused of doing something bad when you were attempting to do something good? How did that affect you? How can you prepare for such conflict?
Trusting God is integral to the Christian faith. Jesus trusted the Father at the end of his earthly life because he had trusted him all along the way. What are some areas where you struggle to trust God with difficult things (work, parenting, finances, etc.)? How can you move towards giving those areas to him to build a life that is a culmination of trusting him?
When Nehemiah arrives in Jerusalem, he takes time to gather firsthand information about the situation. He is patient to wait, learn, and discern the nuances of the circumstance before he casts vision for the work ahead.
Jerusalem’s wall is significant not because of what it excludes, but because of how it functions to identify God’s place among his people.
In our current time and culture, believers function as the wall and temple of God. As God’s people, we are the gateway for others to find God since he lives within us. We should therefore live in such a way that we are easily identified as God’s people.
Nehemiah is able to connect the dots between the truths in the Scripture and what is happening in the world around him. Likewise, we should be alert and aware of what God is doing around us and how it connects to his Word.
The Israelites in Jerusalem are willing to obey God and follow Nehemiah, and their work will expose their flaws. We must also be willing to serve and give our lives away—for only when we get exposed will we actually grow in faith and maturity.
Jesus’ trust at the end of his earthly life was a result of an entire lifetime of trusting God. We cannot think that we can walk through life not trusting God with difficult things and then be able to trust him in that final moment.
We need to get to work quickly and close. Are you currently serving at church and in the community? If not, where can you start? If you are already serving, pray and consider if God is calling you to engage in any additional ways.
Part of following Jesus is humble submission to ordained leadership. When have you struggled to come under authority? How so? Have you submitted to authority that you didn’t agree with? How did that affect you?
Discuss the idea that “there is always a list.” Does this principle comfort you or cause you concern? How should this concept affect our everyday lives?
In Nehemiah, God’s people had to start small. They were doing obscure work that seemed insignificant to the rest of the world. What would it look like for you to “start small” in your Christian walk? Is there an area of sin that you need to confess? Or has God burdened your heart about brokenness in the world? How can you take a small step towards helping one person?
In Nehemiah’s context, the work he is doing to rebuild the wall is utterly unimpressive. However, obedience to God is rarely impressive to the world on its terms. It takes faith to see the significance of what God is doing.
Rather than trying to impress the world, we should be driven to be part of something that only God can do. Just as Jesus came to earth in an obscure way, so must we be willing to work and live in obscurity and obedience.
We are all called to serve God by serving others. Like the people of Jerusalem, we must be willing to pick up a rock and get to work quickly even when the task seems small.
God also calls us to submit to his ordained leadership and come under their authority. This may not always be easy, but it is a necessary element of following Jesus.
The Scriptures are full of lists. God and his angels are always watching us and taking note. This idea should both humble and comfort us.
In this passage, those who did the work of rebuilding also reaped repentance in their hearts. As a result, they saw revival in their midst, and God’s glory was revealed. Likewise, we must move towards God and his work as an act of repentance—this is how we manifest his glory to the world.
We are all tempted to trust in the “walls” we build in our lives to protect us or give us identity. What “walls” are you trusting in (retirement, marriage, children, work, education, ministry)? How can you move towards trusting God in those areas?
Can you think of a time in your life when you invested a lot of effort into building a “wall” for yourself, but then became disillusioned when it didn’t give you the security, status, or comfort that you desired? How did that affect you?
What is something in your life that you are trusting God for—where you are putting work in, but you cannot control the outcome? How can you both trust God and take action in that situation?
Discuss the idea that God is orchestrating the world around you to gain your attention and draw you into relationship with him. How does this affect the way you view both the difficulties and the victories in your life?
Nehemiah and his followers are being opposed by both external and internal forces. They will have to trust God in a way that they have not previously had to.
When mocked by his enemies, Nehemiah prays and places the burden on God. Rather than engaging them himself, he humbly acknowledges that the battle belongs to God.
As they continue to work in the face of opposition and even death, the Israelites are exposed. In the same way, God continually brings difficulties into our lives in order to humble and teach us. This is part of the Christian journey.
Having to trust God with an outcome we cannot control is an important shaping experience for believers. Like Nehemiah, we must both trust God and take action according to his will.
The world is a challenging and difficult place. We have to work hard and fight hard in the areas where God has given us responsibility. But, we also have to maintain a deep sense that everything we build belongs to God.
In this passage in Nehemiah, the wealthy are exploiting the impoverished. Are you aware of any exploitation in your immediate sphere of influence (business, organization, etc.)? How can you be part of the solution?
Discuss the idea that it’s possible to have “too much” as a believer. How can you be generous and release your resources for the good of others in such a way that you are forced to depend on God for contentment, security, and comfort?
Jesus is the greatest example of advocating for the marginalized. How have you seen the power of advocacy play out in your life or in the lives of those around you? What step can you take towards being a better advocate for someone in need?
Although the wall has progressed, there is conflict among the people of Jerusalem. It comes to Nehemiah’s attention that the wealthy are exploiting the impoverished, and he takes swift action.
When Nehemiah tells the nobles and officials that their use of interest against their fellow Jews is the opposite of what God is doing, they respond in obedience. What they were doing was culturally acceptable, but it did not honor God.
In Leviticus, God is clear that his plan is to protect and uplift the poor as well as check the power of the wealthy. We must also follow this concept of caring for our fellow believers.
Generosity is essential in the Christian life. We must trust God enough to deplete ourselves for the good of others. Then, we will look to God for comfort, status, and significance.
We are responsible to address division, bias, or prejudice within the church. It is our nature to create division among ourselves, but God calls us to strive for compassion and unity.
While our first priority is caring for the body of Christ, we should also use our resources to uplift the oppressed in the world. We will not “fix” the brokenness around us, but we can build inroads for the gospel.
As we give towards and advocate for those in need, we look to Jesus—the great advocate who completely depleted himself for our redemption.
Fear of man can cause us to act in ways that oppose God’s work, and valuing the opinions of others can prompt us to either self-promote or self-protect. Consider the following questions as a diagnostic. Do you tend to self-protect or self-promote?
-Do you give into things against your will to make others happy?
-Do you avoid saying yes to anything because you have a deep fear of failure?
-Do you bask in praise? Or do you avoid praise because it has expectations attached to it?
-Do you keep people from knowing you?
-How do you take personal criticism? Does it devastate you?
-Are you obsessed with your body (in a good or bad way)?
-If you compare yourself to others, does it make you feel good?
After considering these questions, ask yourself—what is the motivating factor behind what you do and why you do it? What drives you to get up each morning? What energizes you?
We are going to serve, obey, and follow what we fear the most. Take some time to look at your life. Where do you invest time, energy, and money? What do those investments reveal about what you fear and what you value?
Three governors who oppose the rebuilding of the wall try various methods to entrap Nehemiah and put an end to God’s work. However, God grants Nehemiah clarity, steadfastness, and discernment to handle this opposition.
Because Nehemiah fears God above all else, he doesn’t feel the need to vindicate himself. He realizes that his integrity and even his life is not at greatest risk in this situation—God’s work is. He is not overwhelmed by fear because he fears rightly.
It becomes clear that a segment of God’s people are informing and enabling the outside opposition. We must also consider if we as believers are acting in ways that oppose God’s work.
Fear of man can be a powerful influence in our lives, and we often fear man more than God because we lack an understanding of God’s holiness and our sinfulness.
Fear of the Lord will give a deeper satisfaction and freedom to serve him than anyone’s approval. We must therefore pursue understanding who God is through studying his Word and asking him to reveal himself.
When we fear God above all else, we will be free to do the good work he has called us to do. Only then we will be effective as catalysts for life change in those around us.
The truth that there will be a future division between believers and non-believers can make us uncomfortable. Reread Revelation 20:11-15. How does this passage affect you as a believer? How does it stir your heart when you think of those around you who are not believers?
The Scripture is also clear that present division is part of how God will establish his people (Luke 12:49-53, 1 Corinthians 11:19, Matthew 18:17). How have you seen this play out in your family, church, or elsewhere? Can you think of a time when division was clarifying for you?
God’s people should be distinct from the world and clearly identifiable. Do people you work with or in your neighborhood know that you are a Christian? How can you move towards being more distinctive? With whom do you need to take a risk and share the gospel?
If you are a believer and have not identified with Christ in baptism, consider why not. What is holding you back from taking that step? Ask God to humble you and give you courage to be obedient in this area.
Now that the wall around Jerusalem has been restored, God prompts Nehemiah to create a record of those who are present and committed to the work at hand. This is how he will establish and mobilize his people.
After the census, both the leaders and all of the people give towards God’s work. In the same way, we should be fully committed with our money, time, and energy to the local church.
Scripture is clear that at a future time, Jesus will divide and separate his people from the rest of the world. Those who trust in his work of redemption will be included, and all others will be excluded.
God also uses division throughout Scripture and in our present time to create boundaries and carve out a people for himself. This is why we practice church membership. It’s important to know who is fully vested and committed to God’s work.
As God’s people, we should be clearly distinctive from the world. Those around us should see that something is different in the way we live and how we are motivated. We embrace this distinctive identity by following Jesus and committing to the work of discipleship.
How do you know if you have a relationship with God? Consider how you would answer that question. The Scriptures are clear that we get assurance from obedience. How does that truth impact your faith story?
Consider the three components of how believers interact with God’s truth: thinking, feeling, and acting. Which of these facets is underdeveloped in your spiritual life? What steps do you need to take in order to move forward in that area?
When was the last time you realized that your thinking was out of line with biblical truth? What brought you to that realization? What needs to change in your life to challenge your thinking more often?
Our lives should be distinctive from the world. Do your life choices beg questions of those around you? How can you live out Scripture in such a way that others ask, “What does this mean?”
As believers, we should be part of a continuous, ongoing process where we are collectively affirming God’s Word and working it out in our lives. How can you embrace this process both as an individual and as part of the body of Christ?
As God continues to establish his people in Jerusalem, they come together to listen to Ezra read the law of Moses. This shared experience is integral to how they learn who God is and who God wants them to be.
In the same way, our lives should be bracketed by Scripture. Corporately—as the church—we must continuously affirm God’s Word and work it out in our individual lives.
The people in Jerusalem already had knowledge of religious behavior and a veneer of reverence, but they had to come together and truly experience God’s Word in order to grow in genuine faith and understanding.
The Israelites’ initial reaction to understanding their sin is despair, but Nehemiah encourages them to rejoice in the reality of who God is. We also should allow the truth of who God is to impact our affections.
Our faith involves thinking, feeling, and acting. As God forms our thinking through his Word, our feelings must also change. And ultimately, his truth is evident in our lives through our actions.
As God’s people, we should be clearly distinctive from the world. Our life choices should beg the question, “Why do you do this?” This distinction is a powerful part of how we further God’s kingdom here on earth.
The Israelites’ cycle of sin and repentance was generational, and the same is true of us. Consider your family of origin—in what ways have the generations before you set you on a path that included sin? How can you take responsibility to break that cycle?
We are most prone to pride and self sufficiency when we are in a season of prosperity. How have you seen this play out in your own life? What does our lack of faithfulness and dependence on God during the good times reveal about our souls?
We all have to face consequences for our sinful choices, even after we turn and come back to God. What does true repentance look like when dealing with those consequences? What is a recent example of repentance in your life?
We can find hope in the truth of the gospel, which is bigger than our past and current sin. How does the gospel apply in a current or recent sin struggle you have? What would it look like for you to imitate Jesus' dependence on the Father?
As the Israelites gather to confess their sins corporately, they begin by exalting God as the Creator and Sustainer of all things. This practice is vital to the act of repentance.
For generations, the Israelites have been in a complex cycle of prosperity, pride, sin, discipline, humility, repentance, forgiveness, and obedience. Every time they fall into sin, God is faithful to discipline and then ultimately restore them when they repent.
We must be particularly mindful of how we handle seasons of prosperity. Our culture makes it very easy for a sense of self-sufficiency, control, and entitlement to creep into our souls.
When we do fall into sin, it’s vital that we quickly recognize God’s discipline, come under his authority, and repent. Only then can he restore our souls.
Genuine repentance means that even though we face consequences from our sins, we are not frustrated or bitter towards God. We must recognize that he is both just and merciful.
Our only hope to break the cycle of sin is to engage the gospel. While we naturally promote and fill ourselves, Jesus did the opposite—he emptied himself, releasing all he had to the Father in order to redeem us.
The Israelites take so seriously their promise to obey all of God’s commands that they curse themselves if they fail to obey. How does your devotion compare to that of the Israelites? How seriously do you take obedience to God’s commands?
We should not be bound to anything that would hinder us from following Jesus, but keep ourselves free to do what God wants us to do. In what ways or to whom are you bound? (debt, schedule, recreation, relationships, etc) Do you need to disentangle yourself? How?
Our culture says we should take advantage of every opportunity and leverage every asset to our advantage. The Sabbath reminds us that it is God who provides for us and who is the source of any prosperity in our lives. Why is it hard to turn down an opportunity even when we know it is too much? When is a time you have foregone an opportunity and trusted God to provide? Are there things in your life that God has given you for the purpose of giving to someone else?
We must love God by ordering our lives around his worship and his Temple, the people of God, even if it means removing ourselves from activities that demand all of our energy and affection. What are some practical ways you can center your life around God and his Temple?
Following Christ requires intentionality, accountability, and sacrifice. The Israelites promised to obey and took action to help them stay committed.
We should be bound to people who share our agenda—a desire to follow Christ wholeheartedly.
Disentangling ourselves from things that encumber us involves prayer, counsel, and action. It may take time and intentionality to unbound ourselves from them.
It is necessary to live as if all of our springs are in the temple of God and not in places or things of this world.
Not leveraging every asset requires us to limit the opportunities we take to bless and take care of ourselves in order to bless and care for others
God calls us to obey everything he says, not just a portion of it.
Psalm 87
Nehemiah and the Israelites intentionally dedicated the wall to God as a symbol of their commitment to him and his purposes. What would it look like for you to dedicate a significant investment, relationship, or goal to God?
The process of remembering and celebrating what God has done is an act of worship. Consider the list below. How can you celebrate what God has done in and through you?
-Write things down.
-Tell others about what God has done in your life.
-Spend time with God pausing, praying, and thinking.
-Attend a worship service.
-Memorialize important moments and events.
Celebration and worship go hand-in-hand with sacrifice. Pray and consider what God may be calling you to sacrifice for his Kingdom. How can you deplete yourself for others and for God in such a way that acknowledges your dependence on him?
As the Israelites gather to celebrate the completion of the wall and dedicate it to God, they acknowledge their dependence on God and commit themselves to his purposes.
Many of us celebrate ourselves or fail to pause and celebrate what God has done in our lives. Both of these tendencies reflect our arrogance, for we ruin the opportunity for God to receive glory for the work he has done
Failure to joyfully celebrate God indicates that we are either bitter or believe we are sovereign.
Part of the Israelites’ celebration includes sacrifice. The act of sacrifice—for them and us—acknowledges that our sin brings death into the world and we cannot resolve it on our own.
As the ultimate sacrifice for sins, Jesus must be both fully God and fully human. Only a perfect human is free to pay for the sin of others, and only God is fully perfect.
Joy reveals what you believe about God. Only someone who believes that God is fully sovereign and able to provide for all their needs will have deep, abiding joy
Compromise is always easier than holiness, and it leads us down a path of even more compromise and sin. When in the past have you compromised your commitment to God? What were the results? Where are you currently being tempted to compromise?
God uses confrontation—through believers and the Scriptures—to redeem us when we compromise. How have you seen this play out in your life? How do you receive confrontation? Are you willing to confront others? Why or why not?
Nehemiah was able to confront the Israelites’ sin effectively because he was in God’s Word and living a holy life. How can you live in such a way that you have spiritual power to humbly confront other believers who are living in compromise?
Our choices have generational impact—both our compromise and our faithfulness can transfer to the next generation. How should this truth influence your actions? How has it already impacted your life?
After a brief time away, Nehemiah returns to Jerusalem to find that the Israelites have already fallen into sin and compromised their commitment to God.
God uses both Nehemiah and the Scriptures to confront his people. Although often painful, confrontation is a redemptive act wherein God works to restore us to himself.
The Israelites’ compromise had been incremental. This is the nature of sin—we make small, sinful choices that seem insignificant. But over time, it leads to death.
Nehemiah has spiritual power to confront the Israelites because his conscience is informed by God’s Word and clean of sin.
Not only does compromise lead to further compromise, but it also affects future generations. In the same way, our present choices will affect those who come after us.
Although it seems that the story of Nehemiah ends in failure, it reminds us that the only One who can truly finish the work of redemption and restoration is Jesus.