Hope Sabbath School Lesson 2 Nehemiah

[Music] [Applause] [Applause] welcome to Hope Sabbath school an in-depth interactive study of the Word of God we are just getting started with a series on Ezra and Nehemiah if you miss part one you can go to our website hope TV org slash hope SS and you can watch the first part because there are lessons from a priest 400 years before the time of Jesus and a government official nehemiah will study about today that have powerful implications for our lives today and by the way if you haven't yet downloaded our hope channel app let me just pull it up here there is hope Sabbath school you can watch all of the past programs in the series you can go and find other pro great programs from Hope channel I will turn some on probably if I push the button too too carelessly but go to the App Store go to Google Play download the Hope Channel app and you'll be blessed if you've got a parent or grandparent they don't know how to do it you help them so that they can be fully engaged with the Word of God but this series on ezra and nehemiah just getting started what's the most important lesson you've learned so far anybody most important lesson Stephanie stay connected with God stay connected with God and someone else learn do it share it that's right that's what we learned in part one and I hope you've learned some lessons - write to us at SS hope at hope TV org and we are always happy to hear from you because we're growing together in a study of the word of God here's a note from Greg Greg lives in Tennessee and he's got a powerful testimony of how God has led in his life he said I was raised in the church but from my 20s until about 40 I drifted away from the Lord and from church but praise God he never gave up on me well what he didn't know is there was a beautiful lady in Poland watching hope Sabbath school which they have in Polish they put a voiceover in Polish who was watching they connected and on August 18 I think we got a picture they were married us is in the picture this is when they were visiting Krakow in Poland she's polish and they have been watching hope Sabbath school every week since they got married they're active in church and he says maybe someday I'll share our story it's a wonderful story of God's love and guidance thank you for continuing to spread the word of God to the world blessings from Greg and his wife viola amen I know the Bible says when you seek first the kingdom the other things you need will be added to you right amen thanks for sharing here's a note from Abigail in Jamaica we've got a lot of hope Sava school members in Jamaica thank God for some helpful people like you I didn't understand my Bible studies and three weeks ago my Sabbath School teacher introduced me to Telescope I started watching your program and I'm learning to understand the Bible little by little and my teacher is very proud of me I never stopped watching Hope Sabbath school because if it wasn't for your program I wouldn't understand my Bible studies I hope and trust that our Lord and Savior Jesus will bless you all and I hope to see you all in heaven amen amen well Abigail I don't know how old you are but your teacher gave you wise counsel and that is that we can learn together yeah because this is not just in-depth but it's what interactive and so thanks for being part of our hopes and school family here's a touching testimony from a donor in Anguilla in the British West Indies no name I won't give you the name but here's what it says I wrote to you hope Sabbath school a while back I was very sad and dejected at the time because of my dire financial straits and I could very well lose my home thank you for personally answering my email and for your kind and encouraging words it really helped a lot amen you read a letter from a lovely older donor like me who gave a gift to help support Hope Service School and the Ministry of Hope Channel I felt guilty that I didn't spend my money more wisely than I should have and now I didn't have the money to give I cried and prayed about it for a while and then God gave me the answer give a recurring donation of $10 a month Amy you say that's not a fortune well maybe it is a fortune for an elderly person so I did I went to the website set up to give $10 a month and I feel better I've even come closer to really trusting God to provide amen I've had to as certainly I cannot provide very well for myself anymore but I'm not terrified anymore I have hope in Christ and his soon return I always watch hope sabbath-school each Friday to bring in the Sabbath I love the team the interactive teaching style thank you for being so diligent in studying the Word of God I'd like to meet this lady wouldn't you yeah well if any of you are interested I'll confidentially give you an email you can write to her but she says god bless you all she's giving $10 a month to be a partner in the mission you know that's beautiful we're all partnering together in the mission this is a donor supported ministry all of our programs Bible programs on Hope channel are blessed by your support had the rights from Australia and she says dear hope Sabbath school team your lesson study and share time this week was the very best I have ever watched I am a Sabbath School team leader and teacher down under that's a way of talking about Australia and every week you inspire me to encourage my church family amen please be encouraged that you're touching souls I'd say put it in different language that God is touching Souls through you in Australia New Zealand and the Pacific Islands amen one last note from the country of Namibia where's Namibia right below where gold you're exactly right right below Angola it's used to be German West Africa kind of embedded into South Africa and in on gay rights and says Saints of the Living God you are really amazing and inspiring and we say and praise God I have been watching hope Sabbath school for a long time and I'm seeing myself learning more about a God who loves me unconditionally a man and is interceding for me I even discovered your hope Sabbath school study guide well I've got mine right here and that's what we're going to be using today you can download that from our website hope tv.org / hope SS don't forget the app that you can find you can even download it from your app if you print from your phone amazing technology and you non-gay says I've discovered the hope Sabbath school app now guide and it's so helpful that I'm sharing it with a lot of people and it's making our Bible study more lively and fruitful amen that's so encouraging isn't it well you see we're not just looking for admirers you go oh what a wonderful program no we're looking for tens of thousands of disciples who teach an in-depth interactive study of the word of God just like you known gay in Namibia thanks for writing to us thanks for partnering with us right now we're going to sing a 3000 year old scripture song from Psalm 25 and if you listen carefully to the words it's got a lot to do with this series of honoring God even when there's adversity opposition choosing to be the woman of God the man of God his goal is to be I'm excited that my wife Bodell who composes our scripture songs he's gonna sing with us today and we invite you to sing - to you O Lord I lift up my soul let's sing together [Music] be a shame triumph over me [Music] stop he will not live to my soul oh my god I trust in you do you old I lift up my soul oh my god I trust in you oh my god [Music] Thank You Bo dill and thank you to the Word of God cuz we just sang Scripture three thousand-year-old scripture song with the new tune but I kind of like that to know you it's kind of doo doo doo doo it's kind of a happy tune yes and but do you notice there you think of Ezra Nehemiah they they would have known that Scripture right because they were around for in the 400 BC and and the song was written a thousand BC so maybe a different tune but let me not be ashamed let not my enemies triumph over me there were lessons in that scripture for them we're gonna study about a great man of God named Nehemiah he wasn't a priest wasn't a preacher oh maybe he kind of was a preacher but actually his main profession was a government official lessons for our lives today let's pray father in heaven we're excited because the Word of God is alive because your Holy Spirit guided the prophets to write and your holy spirit guides us as we study so please may the lessons that you want us to learn from the life of this government official Nehemiah be so clear that we may not only here but do what we learn and yes share with others to to bless their lives we pray in the name of Jesus amen well I'm excited your name Maya is actually someone that I have great admiration for and respect for another one for me is John the Baptist just have great respect Daniel or we could list a whole lot of men and women of God couldn't we but let's go to nee Amaya chapter one and we'll begin with some news ninety years has passed since zerubabbel led the first wave of captives back home and more than a decade since Ezra took that second wave and only about 1500 men plus families went and now Nehemiah gets some news and Joshua would you begin our study with name i chapter 1 verses 1 to 3 sure and I'll be reading from the New King James Version the Bible says the words of Nehemiah son of Hokulea it came to pass in the month of Kislev in the 20th year as i was in Shushan the citadel that Hanna and I one of my brethren came with men from Judah and I asked them concerning the Jews who had escaped who has survived the captivity and concerning Jerusalem and they said to me the survivors who are left from the captivity in the province are there in great distress and reproach the wall of Jerusalem is also broken down and its gates are burned with fire now xuxa and I'm looking in my Bible and it's got another or souza now there was a prophet in a previous generation who lived in souza what was his name with the wheels and the wheels within the wheels and Ezekiel Daniel was in the city of Babylon Ezekiel was down the down the river at Suzhou Shushan now we've got Nehemiah living there because that was the that was the capital right that's the headquarters and he's an a government official but news comes to him that is what's bad news what is the bad news Stephanie that there is persecution for those who have left and gone back to Jerusalem and discouragement persecution and okay how's the work going it stopped so you've probably given us a clue already but what are some reasons why the work is is going so slowly or not going at all Brittany they had opposition from the neighboring peoples around them that were discouraging them from completing the work God gave them to do all right any other thing besides opposition from surrounding people Jason well they didn't have a lot to go back to begin with and so they only had a small group there right I mean if we do the math if you went back with zerubabbel a few more go back with Ezra and most of the people are still living in in Babylon or in Shushan and we talked about that in part 1 of our series what was some of the reasons they might have stayed but when when when God moved in a supernatural way through a decrees of several Kings to say you can go home Cyrus and then artaxerxes 100 and some years later right what are some well not quite that's about 80 years later get that right so I don't get a thousand emails right but you know it's from 538 now 457 and what was some of the reasons people might have stayed when they could have gone home furniture they were not willing to leave the the blessings of the land so they were comfortable we talked about that or maybe God had them there for a reason maybe God had them there for a reason for a few but we talked about one other reason and that is that they were disconnected from God you know which was part of being comfortable with this life right right and so there are challenges well let's see Britany if you could read verse 4 of Nehemiah chapter 1 how nehemiah responds to the news that he receives I'll be reading from the New King James Version Jeremiah chapter 1 verse 4 so it was when I heard these words that I sat down and wept and mourned for many days I was fasting and praying before the God of heaven mm-hmm that's that's kind of an unusual reaction I mean you hear sad news from back home and you go oh you know back home in Kenya some things that's challenging or back home in Myanmar mr. Raum back home in Ghana until you got Baltimore you know sometimes we go that's really sad right but what does that tell us that he wept for many days fasted and prayed before the God of heaven what does that tell us about Nehemiah yes Harold he's a man that thinks gods were seriously because actually God worked a miracle with the previous Kings so it's like people like why like why are we like not even taking to heart God's Word so he's a man of God we can see very godly okay Travis he's unselfish totally unselfish just thinking about you know and I mean he's got the cupbearers condo right it's probably toward the top of the building I mean he was a high-ranking government official and he hears bad news from the homeland and he is devastated yes even though he was in Susa in his heart was in a different place and I think that kind of dichotomy with these two things was troubling to him he probably felt lonely I mean even though he was high ranking and he had all these perks he was you wanted to be with his people and I think that drew him into this emotional situation that he was in now some people get bad news there's a lesson we can learn because in life we'll all get some bad news right maybe you're watching today and you just got some really bad news what are some negative things a person could do when they get bad news mm-hmm anybody revert to substance abuse right they can say I'm gonna go and get drunk or high or whatever do some bad thing to try to self-medicate keep it to yourself I mean he he just cried he I think we have to just allow ourselves to mourn and he gave himself permission so some people try to we have an expression in English to stuff it right you translate that into Polish or Swahili but we kind of keep it inside yeah don't deal with it what's the problem with that it's unhealthy it's unhealthy it hasn't effect on you it hasn't effect on you and whether we like it or not it will have an effect on the people around us it will seep out some way right so he says this is sad I'm going to deal with this by weeping and great crying out to God Stephanie well I think it's interesting that that's who he went to he went to God knowing that this is the God who can fix the problem all right knew where to go so let's listen to his prayer Travis if you could read for us verses 5 through 11 of Nehemiah chapter 1 and what impresses you the most as you listen now it's amazing to us I mean this is really scriptures so precious we are overhearing his prayer now he wrote it down as a witness guided by the Holy Spirit but just where over here is a prayer that was prayed for hundred years before the time of Jesus that's amazing isn't it listen and what impresses you the most about his prayer and I'll be reading from the New King James Version and I said I pray Lord God of heaven oh great and awesome God you who keep your covenant and mercy with those who love you and observe your Commandments please let your ear be attentive and your eyes open that you may hear the prayer of your servant which I pray before you now day and night for the children of Israel your servants and confess the sins of the children of Israel which we have sinned against you both my father's house and I have sinned we have acted very corruptly against you and have not kept the commandments the statues nor the ordinances which you've commanded your servant Moses remember I pray the word that you commanded your servant Moses saying if you are unfaithful I will scatter you among the nations but if you return to me and keep my Commandments and do them though some of you were cast out to the farthest part of heavens yet I will gather them from there and bring them to this place which I have chosen as a dwelling place for my name now these are your servants and your people whom you have redeemed by your great power and by your great hand oh lord I pray let your ear be attentive to the prayer of your servant and to the prayer of your servants who desire to fear your name and let your servant prosper this day I pray and grant him mercy in the sight of this man for I was the king's cup bearer what do you notice about the prayer Alex but he identifies himself amongst the sinners so he's humph it's humble now he may have said well I am a sinner and we've said well that's good he's obviously humble he's not saying well they're a bunch of sinners and but we've all sinned what do you know his Booya at the center of his prayer is claiming God's promise I think that's really very powerful how does he know God's promise yes definite time when I spent time studying it so he knew them he is quoting scripture yes he is quoting recent scripture mm-hmm hundred years old who's that no he's quoting recent scripture mm-hmm but he's also quoting what we would call ancient scripture he's quoting from the Torah right from the books of Moses particularly from Deuteronomy so what does that tell you about this man he's filled with the word and he doesn't know how to pray isn't there somewhere that says that the Holy Spirit will help us yeah we don't know how to pray yes and the Holy Spirit is helping him to do what claim the promise the promises of God pedra yes that's one of the things that I looked at here that he's his first arrest made very well with the prayer of Daniel when he was asking for the 70 weeks to put the promise of the 70 weeks and and we're looking through the Bible I connected with it because when I pray before I pray I like to read the Psalms I like to read some promises of the Bible so I can know how to talk to God because he talks to us first then I can talk to him back and I think definitely he spent some time morning on the Word of God yes Lisa I'm gonna ask you a question and I'm gonna give you a chance for some others we all go through hard times think of a hard time that you went through and a scripture that God brought to you to give you courage in that difficult time is there's something that comes to mind I think of when I was I think previously in another show I talked about going through my ordeal with cancer and I remember when I was going through treatment and I was going through all the side-effects the pain and everything and I remember the scripture verse that said I'll never leave you nor forsake you and they a through I walked through the valley of the shadow of death I will be with you and just saying Lord you said that I didn't say that you said that you would be with me and I just echoed back his words to me and said Lord you have to fulfill this because it's your word in my life and just there in that presence I felt that he was with me in that journey powerful Hebrews 13 I think verse 5 quotes the Old Testament I will never leave you or forsake you and then you quoted from Psalm 23 even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death and it was kind of the valley of the shadow of death I will fear no evil no evil why you with me someone else goes you went through a difficult time a hard time and give me a scripture a promise that God brought to you because plea is exactly right it is the promises of God's Word that gives now he doesn't just go and slit his throat and die or jump off a bridge at Sousa right in his pain in his anguish he quotes the promises of God yeah Gladys yes my favorite is psalm 46 just like Lisa I went through a brain surgery I had a brain tumor and it's just this scripture really brought a lot of comfort God is our refuge and strength an ever-present help in time of travel its ever-present there's not a moment when you go in through travel that he is not there with you therefore we will not fear though the earth be removed yes and the mountains be cast into the depths of the sea psalm 46:1 and to now i'm so thankful that we learn scripture songs and some of us maybe make little scripture memory cards because there are times we will need that word and the Holy Spirit will bring it to us Joshua I didn't know if you needed another example I won yes yeah years ago I was involved with someone that I shouldn't have been involved with and you know we fell in temptation and I remember that afterwards I was like sick to my stomach remorseful about it and I just got on my knees and prayed to God and you know after I prayed I studied Psalm 51 where David was repenting for you know going into Bathsheba and when I studied it out it said that the Lord the Lord appreciates a broken spirit a broken in a contrite heart these Oh God you will not despise yes and after that I said wow you know Lord you know you know me like I'm sorry it became the Word of God to you yes right very came God's Word created me a clean heart Oh God and renew a right spirit so you say well if there's time but there was someone maybe you're watching and you needed to hear that testimony today because the Word of God gives us hope right why because God loves us with an immeasurable and unfailing love so Nehemiah is like Lord what do I do he cries out to God and moving to chapter 2 Stephanie you have a comment before I do I think there's a little at the end of verse 11 he asked and grant him mercy in the sight of this man somehow he had an inkling or an idea that God was gonna use the King to answer the prayer alright so read on for us now if you would chapter 2 verses 1 to 3 because 4 months pass before he sees any kind of answer to this request to grant him mercy in the sight of this man we could take some time with that because our prayers are not always answered at the time we would like yeah but we can't trust his promise right yes let's see what happens we're now in chapter 2 verse 1 as his prayer is about to be answered and I'll be reading from the King James Version and it came to pass in the month of Nisan in the 20th year of artaxerxes the king that wine was before him and I took up the wine and gave it unto the king now I had not been before time sad in his presence wherefore the King said unto me why is thy countenance sad seeing thou art not sick this is nothing else but sorrow of heart then I was very sore afraid and said unto the king and let the king live forever why should not my countenance be sad when the city the place of my father's self occurs lies waste and the gates thereof are consumed with fire for months it passes before the king the King notices he looks sad that is very dangerous why yes Meredith back in those days it would be an insult to be saddened in front of a king because actually it was thought that since the king was such a wonderful person all your problems would have been gone away okay that was a belief back all right that's part of it but that's not the main reason why he's terrified oh okay he should have been happy to be before the king but there's something else going on Travis well the King you know back then did the king is always looking out for his well-being and so he's watching the people around them and when they see something different about them he's wondering what is their agenda what are they up to because he's worried for his life what's his job his company out there what does that mean to cupbearer it's not like a cupholder right what's the cupbearer Pedro so he was the man who would drink out of the cup before we're served to the king to make sure there was no poison in it so give me a little more than just a sip sip person who sips the drink he's the security man yeah he's that he's the bodyguard he's the I mean they're soldiers out there but he's protecting and all of a sudden his body language is like right so he was afraid and the King notices and and your old English version said sore yeah right sore what is our King James say Oh dreadfully if it's a strong word isn't it dreadfully afraid but what does he do we're learning something about Nehemiah what does he do he speaks encouraged okay what does he do he tells the truth tells a JIT oh well my stomach's hurting today no no he tells the truth because God is gonna answer his prayer are you with me this makes sense he tells the truth and what does the King say to him verse four Lisa again you supernatural intervention is about to happen I'll be reading from the New King James Version then the king said to me what do you request so I pray to the God of heaven what's startling about the Kings comment answer to prayer what's startling about it come on now he's getting ready to give him whatever he has yeah it's like would you like a small cup of juice an apple no no it's it's wide open right yeah just make your request so here's another key question for us why does Nehemiah pause and pray before he answers the king Stephani he was needing God's guidance wisdom well what would we do if we didn't pray it foolish maybe selfish we could be selfish it's big foolish man we could speak foolishness I say not to have all share all God's blessings that he would want to give us so we might think too small yeah when God's saying big what's he just asks you what would you like it's like almost saying anything up to half my kingdom right yeah except he's not drunk like the guy that said that though is not drunk moved by the Spirit of God he asked his cup bearer what is your request and you're saying what's the takeaway Alex you remind us in a previous study there's for us today this great window of opportunity is open what's the lesson for us when a great window of opportunity opens for us great right yeah right Gordon Lord well let's keep reading and see see what happens next Laurel could you read on we've looked at verse four and let's look at verses five through 11 and and see what one might consider to be an audacious response what's another word for audacious buh-buh-buh the over-the-top courageous yes God directed response let's see what happens verses 5 through 11 all right I'll be reading from the new American Standard Bible I said to the king if it please the king and if your servant has found favor before you send me to Judah to the city of my father's tomb that I may rebuild it then the king said to me the Queen sitting beside him how long will your journey be and when will you return so it pleased the king to send me and I and I gave him a definite time I said to the king if it pleases the king let the letters be given me for the governors of the provinces beyond the river that they may allow me to pass through until I come to Judah and a letter to Asaph the keeper of the king's forest that he may give me timber to make beams for the gates of the fortress which is by the temple for the wall of the city and for the house to which I will go and the King granted them to me because the good hand of my God was on me let's hold it right there for a moment we look at verses 9 and following what do you get from the response of Nehemiah detail details for sure yes have you ever if someone said what would you like today Harold oh well I think I would like a massive amount of things please detailed right he it's like he came to the king with a solution to other people's problems it wasn't this is the problem we have we don't know what to do it's no here's the situation and here's how you can help if you allow me to go and provide materials then this will be resolved so think of some other Bible characters I mean this is nothing short of bold courageous of other Bible characters we've said when God opens the door of opportunity maybe it's to go back to me so I'm on hold meetings you know I know you were back in these room well God may say I want you to go and do something in Malawi Travis you may ask you to go there I may ask you to go to California as a missionary or whatever right we've learned first what should we do pray pray yeah earnestly pray right God because I don't want to act foolishly foolishly selfishly or think too small small right and then because of this really bold response can you think of other women or men of the Bible mm-hmm who just had a holy boldness when God opened the window of opportunity booyah I remember Esther I think we can see the parallel story here of being in the position of influence and opportunity and the words like for such a time as these so I think God intentionally places us in positions and places where he can use us if we're willing to be used and course that she's a contemporary yeah this is happening about the same time so another another Bible character that when God opened the window of opportunity was just really bold Daniel literally the the window was open literally the window that was an opportunity to honor God even if it meant being executed though right yes but there's still yeah it was a window of opportunity to say you honor me and I will show you what a great and awesome God I am right mm-hmm and of course see the story is being delivered from those lions right that's a great story to someone else just Jason of someone just can we use the expression Holy Spirit boldness right you're not talking about selfish or human boldness but like holy really holy spirit boldness so I think of a story in the Gospels of blind bartimaeus when he's there by the side of the road and he's asking Jesus to have mercy on him he wants to be able to see and even when people are shutting him down and telling him to be quiet he calls out even louder so there's clearly boldness and courageousness there even against others who are telling him to be and actually when he's calling out and I think that's in Luke 18 he's crying Jesus son of David have mercy on me yeah but then Jesus stops and says asked him a question what do you what do you want me to do for you it's almost like the king four hundred years early what is your request and instead of what what are some things Bartimaeus could have said money money could I have some things yes but I have a drop what does he say Lord see I want to see also Stephen holy spirit boldness yeah when the door of window of opportunity or a door of opportunity opens pray man yeah God give me holy boldness yeah what do you want me to do here yeah one last year Stephanie I was thinking of Elijah okay he was very bold when he went and said there will not be rain except by my word that's right God had to be clearly and we see in that narrative that God was leading him but I again it's Lord what do you want me to do with my next step show me is it possible that they could be women of God a man of God like that in this generation you say it has to be right well we're gonna go up to verse 9 Harold if you could read Nehemiah 2:9 and 10 as Nehemiah embarks on his mission you've got to say he's got Holy Spirit boldness for sure the window of opportunity or door of opportunity is opened and prayerfully when he walked through yes verses 9 and 10 of Nehemiah chapter 2 and I'll be reading from the New King James Version then I went to the governors in the region beyond the river and gave them the Kings letters now the King had sent captains of the army and horsemen with me when sanballat the horror night and tobiah the ammonite official heard of it they were deeply disturbed that a man had come to seek the well-being of the children of Israel and we're gonna hear more about opposition in our further studies and these are two key characters who are to use a colloquial expression a thorn in his side he's clearly followed God and opposition comes why should that not surprise us anybody yes Brittany Jesus himself said they persecuted the prophets who were before you they persecuted me they're gonna persecute you and doesn't he say in John 15 they hated me yes and they will hate you and in chapter 16 he said they'll even think killing you they doing service for God so he's going out to do a work clearly guided by God and he faces opposition hmm think of some other Bible characters they weren't just being foolish you know so we could do something foolish right and then get opposition or harm Jonah case in point right but but think of women or men of God who would leave following God courageously who also experienced opposition I think of the New Testament the woman with the issue of blood it's a miraculous story where she was trying to get closer to Jesus but he was surrounded by a lot of men and was in a crowd and to think of all the barriers she had to overcome to get close to him being a woman being sickly being impure because she had the issue of blood but she was still willing to go beyond all this societal opposition these barriers that were in her way they're not visible to get close to Jesus and to touch the hem and was that clearly the will of God for her life was right and Jason you mentioned early Bartimaeus had opposition to right he told him be quiet be quiet they shouted louder somebody else yes goddess yes I think of Peter you know he will be flogged he will be in prison and the Bible says that the next day he will be preaching I think it was just like this courage that could not be quenched hmm so the opposition doesn't mean God is not with me now correct right all right Harold also just when Caleb so it could a person come come can come from within because there's like ten ten of the leaders of the tribe of Israel opposed yeah Joshua and Caleb who represented the other two from the 12 tribes you're talking about the story remember where 12 spies were sent in by Moses 10 came back and said forget it won't work if but Caleb and Joshua said we God is with us right he was faithful they were faithful till the end and yet God promises like both of you will enter the kind of Cana at the land of Canaan but the rest of your generation will not oh yeah I am reminded of all these great men and women of God throughout the ages of you know history of Christianity itself after the Bible a time like I remembered the Reformers John Wickliffe Martin Luther John HUS like these men of God like whenever they were convinced to move for God they always faced opposition so it's almost like a given that if you are doing the Lord's work you were to be facing up position because behind the scene we know that Satan is working you know to attack God's movement so let's look at the some words of Jesus which I think illustrate that in John chapter 16 we just paused because nehemiah's experiencing opposition and and he is saying it's happened even after the end of the writing of Scripture that faithful women of God men of God have have experienced opposition not for doing foolish things but for doing precisely what God wanted them to do John chapter 16 verses one through three Pedro could you read that for us yes jump chapter 16 verses one two three I'll be reading from the New King James Version and Jesus speaking these things I have spoken to you that you should not be made to Istanbul they will put you out our signal dogs yes the time has come that whoever kills you will think that he's offer God's service in these things they do to you because they have not know the father nor me so this is a spiritual battle yes right it's what we describe as the great controversy between good and evil so behind Sanballat and Tobiah or whoever the other people will show up our forces beyond them right voices of darkness that's why Ephesians 6 says put on the whole armor of God right because conflicts going to count well let's go to name I again we say it's it's he's experiencing it he doesn't turn back let's see how he proceeds Brittany could you read verse 11 of chapter 2 when Nehemiah arrives at Jerusalem I'll be reading from the New King James Version Nehemiah chapter 2 verse 11 so I came to Jerusalem and was there three days and you might say so what what is there some kind of cryptic ooh there can you think of anyone else who said three days after Esther tell me tell me the story Stephanie about Esther she said three days three days what and let me fast with my servants and you go back and fast fast and pray and pray yeah hey three days and and now it doesn't say what name I did but he said he went there and he was there for three days is that reading too much into the text when Saul lost his sight he went in Damascus and for three days he said he fasted and prayed yes based on his relationship with God and his immediate response when the king asked him you know what do you want his immediate response was to pray so I don't know that I don't think we're reading too much into it to say that that would be a response that he would have in this conflict by the way it's a life and death issue with Esther and I think it's a life and death issue with Saul of Tarsus mm-hmm so there's something really significant otherwise why do I mention the three days hey Pedro but we see on the stories unites in Nehemiah he's constantly praying for God's guidance and and I see and I look at myself my walk with God I understand that every step of the way I have to seek God's constantly but sometimes if I not if you don't do it God will not be able to act I see the works of the Holy Spirit as the word for guiding us through through his work and we need to be submissive and the best way to be submissive is by praying and the story of Paul gives that clarity Paul was blind and he peed fast for three days and the very next thing that goes to Ananias and tell go and he'll lay hands on him and he'll receive a sight and back to a previous study and be filled with the Holy Spirit and go out as an unstoppable force for the kingdom of heaven right so I don't think it's reading too much into the story to say okay before we rush in I can do this I'm a cup Bearer I'm well trained okay god yes we fast we pray because something important needs to happen for your kingdom that's exactly what I was gonna say you know our human nature is just like okay this is what I know I'm gonna go and do it fast but he took the time to be still and we forgot to leave him what did you next well let's see what he does for you in verses 12 through 16 of chapter 2 interesting that he doesn't go out with a big fanfare and parade but he leaves under the cover of darkness let's try to figure out it must be somewhat related to the three days of fasting a break right so let's hear his purées chapter two of Nehemiah verses 12 to 16 I'll be reading from the New King James Version then I arose in the night I and a few men with me I told no one what my God had put in my heart to do at Jerusalem nor was there any animal with me except the one on which I wrote and I went out by night through the valley gate of the serpent well and the refused gate and viewed the walls of Jerusalem which were broken down and its gates which were burned with fire then I went on to the fountain of the fountain gate and to the Kings pool but there was no room for the animal under me to pass so I went up in the night by the valley and viewed the wall then I turned back and entered by the valley gate and so returned and the officials did not know where I had gone or what I had done I had not yet told the Jews the priests the nobles the officials or the others who did the work what's going on Stephanie goes at night takes a few people with him yes I'm assuming for safety right it doesn't take a whole you know entourage of horses and whatever it's just what he's riding on what's happening here to me I'm very impressed by the fact that every time he prays God gives some very clear instruction mmm to me he was giving clear instruction go by yourself with a few other 12 with a few other folks and do it at night I because it says well go to God on my heart hmm so next question I think you're absolutely right is why do you think God told him to do it that way I mean because if anyone lacks wisdom let her ask God let him ask God right who gives to all generously or liberally and without reproach or complaining right God is like I'm happy to give you wisdom you want to know what to do why do you think God gave him what Stephanie described as very specific instructions Travis I think it could be for two reasons one we know that Sanballat and Tobiah were upset that he was even there so it could be for their protection and if they were out there alone and also he was going to meet with the children of Israel afterwards and that he could speak intelligent Lee about what was going to be happening or what they were with the problems that they were facing that he could speak intelligent Lee and they would wonder how does he know this well let's read on in verses 17 and 18 and Gladys if you could read that for us he does go back having done an assessment can you say a divinely guided assessment let's see what it says in verses 17 and 18 when he does come back and speak to the officials you're reading from the New International Version Jeremiah chapter 2 verses 17 and 18 then I said to them you see the trouble we are in Jerusalem lies in ruins and his gates have been burned with fire come let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalem and we will no longer be in disgrace I also told them about the gracious hand of my God on me and what the has said to me they reply let us start rebuilding so they began this could work what do you notice in the words that he spoke what was what was some important components or ingredients Brittany he shared how God had worked miracles with the King and how he had granted them what they needed so he's giving them encouragement look God is with us God is with us yeah okay what else is important Jason he identified the reality of the situation he didn't a sugarcoat of cloak he'll phrase the problem he was real about what the issue we've got a big problem here yeah but God's been open the door of opportunity yeah and what else did you hear in there that was important here's something else Travis what he let us yes what does that tell you that we that tells me that he was willing to lead by example I am here to be with you I'm here to help you the Lord that the Lord's hand is upon me yes we call that servant leadership yes Jesus when he went and washed his disciples feet you know ami is saying we're serving the Lord together yeah right you know the opposition is going to come in fact let's read the last two verses Lisa of night verses 19 and 20 of chapter 2 and and notice how Nehemiah response to this opposition I'll be reading from the New King James Version but when sanballat the hora night tobiah the ammonite official and Josh M the Arab heard of it they laughed at us and despised us and said what is this thing that you are doing will you rebel against the king so I answered them and said to them the god of heaven himself will prosper us therefore we are his servants will arise and build but you have no inheritance or right or memorial in Jerusalem did you did you notice that his opposition increased by 50% another fellow showed up now Eric named congestion or Hashem someone who watches from arabic-speaking country will tell us how to say his name so it's increased 50% yes right and what doesn't Nehemiah do reacting he doesn't say no 50% more that's too much what does he say the claims of Pilar God yeah Glenn Scott nod we'll take care of it you know it reminds us of a wonderful promise written 400 years later what should we say to these things if God is for us verse 31 I think he who did not spare his own son he didn't know all of that yet did he but he'd seen God's leading in his past and he said the hand of the Lord is upon us yes and you folks who are trying to hinder God's work you will have no share that's fairly bold strong world so wrap up couple of minutes left lessons from mayor Maya a government official from around 450 BC for you what what do you take from the study today my biggest takeaway from the story of Nehemiah is that God intentionally places each and every one of us in positions or places where he wants to use us in that area in my personal story I my family was here my family came here to this country in 2012 and after I went through school I learned that I believe that God you know brought my family here for a reason and me here for a reason and the more I thought about it I realized that I needed to do something for my fellow me so young people here in the United States and Mizoram is in the Northeast in India and and western me and our me and West in Myanmar okay you needed to do something for your own people right here and right yes so with God's help we organize now Amazo Advent is you Federation for the whole North American division well the whole country the whole country and we're moving forward these are young Christian men and women yes with with some kind of family connection to me sir oh yes so you're saying that God puts us in a specific place at a specific time and it will have the courage to pray yes and say God you've opened the door help me to be both for you he will do something amazing amen but we will receive and you say it's not coming yet but it will it has already but if God is for us who can be against us where we are just saying God if you've asked me to do something important for you I just want to humble myself before you and say Lord show me what you want me to do and I'll do that where we've heard a testimony from Puryear today for the miso ramen people miso people but maybe there's a circle of influence you have you say God open the door of opportunity and by your grace I'll be faithful to you let's pray together father in heaven we've learned from a government official nehemiah who didn't just stay in a comfortable position and not care about anyone else but he you put something on his heart to be your servant in his generation God do that for us too and help us not to be afraid but to trust in your strength and your wisdom and we thank you in the name of Jesus amen I'm gonna be excited to get an email from USS hope at hope TV org what God's put on your heart because the world is waiting to hear about a God who loves us with an immeasurable and unfailing love go out share the good news with those around [Music] [Applause] [Applause] [Music]

Channel: HopeSabbathSchool

Views: 19,595

Rating: 4.8723402 out of 5

Keywords: hopesabbathschool, hope sabbath school, Seventh-Day Adventist, derek morris, Nehemiah

Id: -D_18AJ1KoM

Length: 58min 29sec (3509 seconds)

Published: Mon Oct 07 2019