*** Again, sorry for the voice issues. Having some lingering treatment complications***
Now have entered into a new year, 2022, which I’m very thankful for. I for one an ready to look forward to a wonderful 2022 with the theme of building.
Our vision for 2022 is going to be building taken from Nehemiah 2:18
“Then I told them of the hand of my God which was good upon me; as also the king’s words that he had spoken unto me. And they said, Let us rise up and build. So they strengthened their hands for this good work.”
Specifically the phrase, “Let us rise up and build.”
There has been so much over the decades torn down
- Country
- Homes
- Churches
- Education
- Livelihoods
It’s time a group of people, a remnant of God’s people, stood up and said enough. It’s time to build. So, let this be our challenge in these areas of rising up and building.
- Our homes need to be built upon Him
- Our marriages need to be build on Him
- Our church needs to be built on Him
Our focus for this year is going to be building in those areas
- Help you build your home upon Christ
- Help strengthen your marriage, your relationships upon Christ
- Help His church be built
Nehemiah is deep on the subject of building. A lot of commentaries and messages focus on the wall, but it goes deeper than that as Nehemiah has three primary themes
- Leadership demonstrating faithfulness and commitment in the face of great opposition
- Purity in worship
- A challenge for all and future generations to be faithful to the work, again even in the face of adversity
We have a leader leading and walking the talk. Worshiping God purely. Laying the foundation for others to follow
In order for your home to be built, a leader must step up and show the way. Not just any way, but God’s way And encourage the next generation to not start a new path, but continue in God’s ways.
The Backdrop
Remember Jews were taken into captivity by Babylon and during that siege the Babylonian empire destroyed and raided everything. Jerusalem basically laid in waste. Jews would remain in captivity for 70 years and then in 538 BC would be allowed to go back under the leadership of Zerubbabel. Out of the millions of Jews taken into captivity only 50k returned. 22 years later the Temple would be restored and about 80 years after that Ezra would lead another small remnant back to Jerusalem. And then about 445 BC we enter into the story of Nehemiah who would lead the third wave of the Jews back to Jerusalem with the purpose of restoring the wall
Quick Outline
Nehemiah 1:1-4
- The character of Nehemiah
- Verse 11 was the kings cupbearer, a position you could only fail one time
- Responsible for tasting everything that the king ate or drank
- Very trusted position in the palace
- Was also a Jew
- Born of Jewish parents while in captivity
- Had not seen Jerusalem, but he had a burden for his people
- The Burden of Nehemiah
- A burden is a load, task with difficult…duty
- I asked them…I can always tell who are the burden bearers of the church because they are always asking for updates
- How’s so and so
- What needs to get done
- What can I do
- He may have been in Shushan the palace
- The Brokenness of Nehemiah
- Sat down and wept
- Mourned certain days
- Fasted
- Prayed
- Takes the burden to God for an answer
Application
There is so much in these first 4 verses that just get lost, how can we apply this quick lesson today. If you are going to want to build your home… If you are going to want to build your family… …If you are going to want to build this church
- It is going to start with a burden
- It is going to be a load to build your family
- It is going to be a load to build your marriage, your relationships
- It is going to be a load to build this church
You have to be willing to to say this burden is a priority above everything
My family
My marriage
My church
These are my priorities in 2022.
Not only that, it’s you have to know where to take that burden.
Nehemiah demonstrates exactly where to take your burdens… Before the God of Heaven
“Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” – Matthew 11:28-30
That’s exactly what Nehemiah did. Had a burden, stopped and took it to God. Which is the exact pattern that we need to follow today to build our home, our marriage and our church.
You want to build your family, it’s not just going to happen, it’s going to start with a real burden that you take to Him
You want to build your marriage, that certainly isn’t going to just happen, you need a real burden that is going to move you to do so
You want to see this church grow, get a burden for her
May 2022 be a year of building for you, your home, your church lets start it off right, by taking it to Him here this morning.
-Pastor Kroll