Latest / Providence Baptist Church - Sermons / Nehemiah 6:1-19

Transcript

Nehemiah 6:1-19 · Providence Baptist Church - Sermons

0:00
I'm very thankful for being here today.
0:03
If you were not aware, Sam and I went on a family vacation this past week and we were not here last Sunday.
0:09
I want to say thank you to Kyle for filling in for me, preaching in Nehemiah.
0:16
I was hoping to come back to you refreshed and rested.
0:19
I'm exhausted and I brought a cold with me.
0:23
I'm actually going to have a seat today so I don't fall over.
0:25
I'm a little bit medicated.
0:27
But I really wanted to be here today and continue our work through the book of Nehemiah.
0:33
We have thus far seen, beginning in chapter 1, Nehemiah is the cupbearer to King Artaxerxes.
0:43
They are wintering in Susa, quite a bit of a journey from Israel.
0:48
But he receives word from his brother that the wall is still in shambles.
0:53
This is following Babylonian exile.
0:55
If you haven't been with us, Babylon as a judgment on Israel has come,
1:00
has conquered, has torn down the wall, has made Israel itself, Jerusalem a shambles,
1:07
and has carried away the people of God.
1:09
They have now in a couple of movements, as God promised, been returning to Jerusalem.
1:16
And at this time, this is some 90 years after the first exiles return.
1:21
And here we see the hand, the power, the world power has changed.
1:26
And now it's Persia that's in control.
1:28
And that's where we find Nehemiah still exiled, serving as the cupbearer to the king.
1:33
And he hears that the wall has yet to be rebuilt.
1:37
I want to remind you that the reason this troubles him,
1:39
you'll see in chapter 1 that he weeps and he mourns for days,
1:44
is not because he has a particular care for the wall,
1:47
that it's a special wall to him by any means,
1:50
but that the nature of what's happening with Israel,
1:54
the condition of God's people,
1:56
was the display of who God was.
2:00
So the fact that Israel's in shambles
2:02
meant that the view of God was not as high as it ought to be.
2:08
And this is why it grieves him so.
2:11
So we see him pray to God for months before he approaches the king.
2:16
And the king, by God's providence, grants him the ability to go back
2:21
and to lead in the building of this wall.
2:23
The king, in fact, makes him governor of the province
2:26
and basically gives him his credit cards
2:29
so that he can get all of the needs that he has for the rebuilding of this wall.
2:33
We saw the work that has happened.
2:35
They've begun to work.
2:37
They've strengthened their hands to work.
2:38
And in chapter 3, they began to rebuild the wall.
2:40
And we saw all the effort, the group effort that went in to this great task.
2:46
And then two weeks ago in chapter 4,
2:48
we talked about the opposition to the work.
2:50
There were some that weren't too happy about the work that was being done,
2:55
namely Sambalot and Tobiah.
2:59
Last week, Kyle, and Kyle, I apologize,
3:01
I have yet to listen to your sermon, but I promise that I will.
3:04
Kyle talked about chapter 5
3:06
and some of the spiritual work that begins to happen
3:09
as Nehemiah stops some of the oppression of the poor
3:12
and he himself is incredibly generous
3:14
to the servants that are living within his house.
3:18
But we see then again in chapter 6
3:20
a further expression of the opposition to this work.
3:24
And so this morning I want to talk a bit about that.
3:26
I want to show you specifically the opposition
3:29
that came up against Nehemiah.
3:32
A man that was called to lead God's people.
3:37
A man that was given a very special task
3:39
to accomplish and offer leadership to.
3:44
Before we do that, let's pray together.
3:50
Father God, I thank you for your goodness to us.
3:54
I thank you that an aspect of your character
3:57
is that you are good.
3:59
You are loving.
4:00
And your loving kindness towards us never fails.
4:04
You have shown us that in the greatest way in Christ.
4:08
I pray, Father, that all of us this morning
4:10
can say with confidence
4:11
that we have placed our faith in Him.
4:13
That we know that our souls have been redeemed
4:16
because of the work that He has done on our behalf.
4:20
Thank you for the blessing,
4:22
the grace to us of your Word.
4:24
That it is the guide and rule of our lives.
4:28
That it ultimately speaks of Christ.
4:30
That it is the grace of God.
4:30
Drawing us to Him.
4:32
Drawing us into holiness in Him.
4:35
And I pray, Father, this day it will have its way with us.
4:38
It will work in our hearts the way you see fit.
4:41
That we might look more like your Son
4:44
as a result of our work here together today.
4:47
And I pray this in Christ's precious and holy name.
4:50
Amen.
4:50
Amen.
4:51
So, as we've worked before,
4:54
typically I read the passage to you.
4:56
We're going to be looking at all of chapter 6.
4:58
Today I'm going to bring it to you in pieces.
5:00
So I just want to make you aware of that
5:01
so you're not wondering,
5:02
why has Nathan not read the text?
5:03
I'm so confused.
5:04
What's going on right now?
5:05
It's coming.
5:06
I'm going to read it to you in little pieces.
5:08
But I just first wanted to say to you
5:10
that any time that God calls us into leadership
5:15
with a holy ambition,
5:17
there will be opposition to that work.
5:21
I was surprised as I began to pastor this church
5:25
of what that opposition ended up looking like.
5:29
I came to realize that working in this setting
5:33
is not simply work, it's warfare.
5:37
It's a great task that is ahead of us
5:40
when we get called to a holy ambition for our Lord.
5:44
Now I want you to know at the outset this morning
5:46
that I am an exceedingly happy pastor.
5:51
Nothing I'm going to talk about today
5:53
has anything to do with any of you specifically.
5:56
Praise God for that,
5:57
that as I was studying through this,
5:59
I was seeing the way in which these men
6:01
were working to oppose the work,
6:03
that I couldn't think of a single example
6:05
of anybody that I knew would be sitting here this morning
6:08
having done this to me.
6:09
That's a blessing.
6:10
That's an incredible blessing,
6:11
and I thank you for that.
6:14
It has happened, though,
6:15
and I was surprised by that,
6:17
by people who have come here
6:19
and sat and said they were people of God
6:21
and opposed the very work of God.
6:25
The kind of opposition that came,
6:28
the personal criticism,
6:29
calling into question things like my age.
6:33
And if you don't know, I'm 33,
6:34
just in case you're wondering,
6:36
which is young.
6:36
Calling into question my motivations.
6:41
Calling into question my training.
6:44
Also, very surprised by the source of that opposition.
6:49
I was ready to take on the world,
6:52
not oblivious to that,
6:53
that the world hates us as it hates Christ.
6:57
Not at all.
6:58
I'm ready to contend for those types of things,
7:01
but I was so surprised that much of that opposition
7:04
came from those professing to be the people of God.
7:09
A holy ambition for the glory of God
7:12
will be met with unceasing opposition.
7:15
It's part of the game,
7:18
both from without and from within.
7:22
And the reason for this
7:24
is that God's enemy and ours,
7:27
the devil,
7:28
does not want to see the work accomplished.
7:32
He's a rather delusional character, right?
7:34
We all know the work is going to be accomplished.
7:36
We know that God is the sovereign
7:37
that reigns over all things.
7:38
And yet, the devil,
7:40
Satan, bucks against it
7:41
with all of his might.
7:44
His name, devil, means slander.
7:48
In the book of Revelation,
7:49
he's called Apollyon in Greek,
7:52
the destroyer, right?
7:54
The scriptures refer to him as a murderer,
7:57
a liar, a deceiver, the evil one,
8:00
a roaring, devouring lion,
8:02
and a great red dragon.
8:05
And he works most divisively in the church
8:09
by doing everything that he can
8:11
to impede God's ends,
8:14
knowing full well that he can't,
8:15
but he does everything that he can
8:16
to impede God's ends
8:17
by doing everything he can
8:18
to impede God's means.
8:21
And that is us, the church.
8:25
He roots his way in
8:27
to our meetings,
8:29
into our relationships,
8:30
and causes division
8:32
with this type of opposition.
8:36
We see that here with Nehemiah.
8:38
Not that Sanballat and Tobiah
8:40
and Geshem the Arab
8:41
are people of God,
8:44
but we see the way the enemy
8:45
works with them
8:46
and manipulates them
8:47
to try to stop the work
8:49
that Nehemiah is doing.
8:52
Some of you may ask the question,
8:53
wasn't Nehemiah doing the will of God?
8:55
Right?
8:56
Had God's blessing?
8:57
We saw that.
8:58
The good hand of God was upon me
9:00
is the record we see in Nehemiah.
9:03
And certainly he was.
9:04
In fact, the opposition
9:05
is the proof of this.
9:09
We're trying to help you see
9:11
that the book of Nehemiah
9:12
is not this far-removed
9:14
historical account
9:15
that we read about and say,
9:16
isn't that interesting
9:17
the way God and Nehemiah
9:18
and the people of Israel
9:19
worked then,
9:20
but it has real implications
9:22
for us now.
9:24
As God has set us to the task
9:25
of building the church.
9:27
As that is now
9:28
the visible display
9:29
of his glory.
9:30
The condition of our church
9:32
has something to say
9:33
about who our God is.
9:36
And if we want proper praise
9:37
to be ascribed to him
9:38
the way it ought to be
9:39
ascribed to him
9:40
we'll be about the work
9:41
of building the church.
9:43
And I've said to you
9:44
that all of us
9:45
are called into that.
9:46
Right?
9:46
We're all called to be holy
9:47
and to see holiness
9:49
come about in other people's lives.
9:50
To be disciples
9:51
that make disciples.
9:53
To put it as simply
9:54
as I possibly can for you.
9:56
And there will be
9:58
opposition to that work.
10:01
Paul writes in 2 Timothy
10:02
3.12
10:03
All who desire to live
10:04
a godly, holy,
10:05
be a disciple,
10:06
life in Christ Jesus
10:08
will be persecuted.
10:10
It's a promise
10:11
given to us
10:12
if we're to live
10:13
in this way.
10:14
And we ought not be
10:15
surprised by it.
10:17
Now, some of you
10:18
may be saying,
10:18
okay, this is great.
10:20
The record here,
10:20
chapter 6 of Nehemiah,
10:22
the opposition
10:24
that came to him
10:25
as a leader
10:25
with this holy ambition
10:27
for the glory of God
10:28
is great,
10:28
but it doesn't really
10:29
apply to me.
10:31
But it does.
10:34
Hear what I'm saying to you.
10:35
We've all been called
10:37
to lead
10:38
in some regard.
10:41
And,
10:41
we've all been called
10:43
to follow
10:44
in some regard.
10:46
So there's many lessons
10:48
for us to learn here.
10:49
Both about how we ought
10:50
to respond
10:50
to opposition
10:52
and also about how we ought
10:54
to not be
10:55
that opposition.
10:56
We ought not let
10:57
the enemy come in
10:58
and have us
10:59
be the very ones
11:01
that are opposing
11:01
the leadership
11:02
of God.
11:05
Some of you,
11:06
I think many of you,
11:08
desire to spend
11:08
your lives
11:09
in vocational ministry.
11:12
Really believe
11:12
that God is leading
11:13
you into
11:14
a life
11:15
spent 24-7.
11:17
My vocation
11:18
is to lead
11:19
the people
11:20
of God.
11:20
And you ought
11:21
to be aware
11:21
of the opposition
11:23
that's going to come
11:24
against you
11:24
and how to deal
11:26
with it.
11:27
We all need to know
11:29
what our leaders
11:30
deal with
11:30
so that we can
11:32
best know
11:32
how to pray for them.
11:34
I covet
11:35
your prayers.
11:37
I need
11:38
your prayers.
11:39
I try to be
11:40
up here
11:41
so openly
11:42
honest with you.
11:42
Some people even say
11:43
to a fault
11:44
that I'm too
11:45
self-abasing.
11:47
But I want you to know
11:48
that I need grace
11:49
as much
11:50
as you do.
11:52
I battle
11:52
with my flesh
11:53
as much
11:54
as you do.
11:55
And I need
11:56
your prayers.
12:00
Much,
12:00
much opposition
12:01
will come against us.
12:03
Let me give you
12:03
just a small example.
12:04
This is,
12:05
again,
12:06
no one in the room.
12:07
So don't
12:07
cut eyes
12:08
at anybody in here.
12:09
There's nobody
12:09
in this room.
12:10
But my preaching
12:12
has been criticized.
12:14
The internet
12:14
is a really,
12:15
really fantastic tool.
12:17
How amazing.
12:18
All the things
12:18
we have at our fingertips.
12:20
You can spend
12:21
your week
12:21
listening to
12:22
wonderful,
12:23
wonderful
12:24
preaching.
12:25
We record
12:26
these sermons.
12:27
That's the primary
12:27
reason I wear
12:28
this little mic.
12:29
We put them up
12:29
on our website
12:30
so if you missed
12:30
one,
12:30
you can catch up.
12:31
That's the idea
12:32
behind that.
12:33
Not so everyone
12:33
can hear
12:34
really great preaching
12:35
which I'm not
12:36
claiming to do.
12:36
So you can catch up
12:37
if you normally
12:38
meet with us
12:38
and can do that.
12:39
You can hop on
12:40
Desiring God
12:41
the app
12:42
on your phone.
12:42
Get it.
12:43
It's fantastic.
12:44
Right?
12:45
You can hear
12:45
John Piper preach
12:46
any time
12:47
you want to.
12:49
But guess what?
12:50
It's also been
12:50
really damaging
12:51
to the local church.
12:53
Because now
12:54
everyone expects
12:55
their pastor
12:56
to be John Piper
12:57
or Tim Keller
12:58
or Mark Driscoll.
13:00
Right?
13:01
I'm not ever
13:02
going to be
13:02
those men.
13:04
Right?
13:04
I really, really
13:05
labor to be
13:06
the best possible
13:07
preacher I can be.
13:08
I am not going
13:09
to be Charles Spurgeon.
13:11
Right?
13:11
Get it out of your head.
13:12
I'm not going to do it.
13:13
Right?
13:14
He was a master
13:15
with words.
13:15
I sometimes
13:16
make up words
13:17
on the spot.
13:19
Right?
13:21
Right?
13:22
So everyone
13:23
wants entertainment.
13:24
Everybody wants
13:25
celebrity.
13:26
Right?
13:26
Over content.
13:28
Right?
13:28
What did Paul say
13:29
to the Corinthians?
13:30
I came to you
13:31
speaking simply
13:33
to you.
13:33
Right?
13:34
I didn't want you
13:35
to praise me
13:36
like you did
13:36
all the Greek orators
13:37
which was what was
13:38
going on in Corinth.
13:39
These wonderful
13:41
deliverers of speech.
13:42
Paul, Taman said,
13:43
I spoke simply
13:44
to you.
13:44
I simply told you
13:45
about Christ crucified.
13:48
Right?
13:48
We need to elevate
13:49
truth over entertainment.
13:53
I hope to engage you
13:54
with the truth.
13:55
Right?
13:55
That's the good labor
13:56
is to give you the truth
13:57
and give it to you
13:57
in an engaging way
13:58
that goes through your head
13:59
and right to your heart
14:00
so that you change
14:01
the way you live.
14:03
Right?
14:04
I will not be
14:06
John Piper
14:06
or Tim Keller
14:07
or Charles Spurgeon.
14:09
Right?
14:12
So let's look
14:13
at the opposition.
14:14
Let's see who we have
14:15
coming up against him.
14:16
And it's an ever
14:17
increasing group
14:19
of people.
14:19
Right?
14:19
People who are
14:20
critics love to gather
14:21
other critics to themselves.
14:23
So we see
14:23
initially in chapter 1
14:25
right at the very end
14:26
we see Sambalat
14:27
and we see
14:28
Tobiah.
14:30
They add to their number
14:31
Geshem
14:31
and later we see
14:32
a widening group
14:34
that doesn't even get
14:35
named.
14:36
But understand
14:36
what was going on
14:37
with Sambalat and Tobiah
14:38
and why they were
14:40
so set against
14:41
what was going on.
14:42
It's not that they
14:43
praised King Artaxerxes
14:44
they wanted all glory
14:45
to King Artaxerxes
14:46
no it's that they
14:48
ultimately worshipped
14:48
themselves.
14:49
We see Sambalat
14:50
is the Horonite
14:52
right?
14:52
Which just means
14:52
he was born in Beth
14:53
Haran
14:54
and he was Samaritan
14:55
that's what that means.
14:56
Right?
14:57
And there was an intense
14:57
racial tension
14:59
between the Samaritans
15:00
and the Jews
15:00
just from the outset
15:02
they didn't like
15:03
one another.
15:04
Right?
15:04
But beyond that
15:05
he was the governor
15:06
of the Samaritan province
15:07
just north
15:08
of Judea.
15:11
Right?
15:11
And more than likely
15:12
most scholars say
15:13
that it was probably
15:14
under his control
15:15
as well.
15:16
So when King Artaxerxes
15:17
puts Nehemiah
15:19
over
15:19
Judea
15:21
the town of Judah
15:22
the province of Judah
15:24
he was cutting out
15:25
some of
15:27
Sambalat's property.
15:29
Right?
15:29
He was cutting it out
15:30
some of his control.
15:31
Right?
15:31
So Sambalat
15:32
hated him.
15:33
Right?
15:33
We see Tobiah
15:34
the governor
15:35
of Ammon.
15:36
Now recognize
15:36
if you're looking at a map
15:37
you're seeing that little strip of land
15:39
just to the east
15:40
of the Mediterranean.
15:41
Right?
15:42
Picture above
15:42
just north of that
15:44
you've got Sambalat's property
15:46
and just to the west of that
15:48
to the coast
15:49
you've got Tobiah's property.
15:50
This is where
15:51
they reign.
15:53
Now throughout history
15:54
Jerusalem was a major
15:57
major
15:58
trade route.
16:00
Right?
16:01
All the trade routes
16:02
of the region
16:02
crossed through
16:03
Jerusalem.
16:04
But when Babylon
16:05
came in and overthrew
16:07
the Israelites
16:08
that ceased to be the case.
16:10
The city was in ruins.
16:11
There was no reason
16:12
to go there and trade
16:13
so guess where the trade shifted?
16:15
Right?
16:15
To the west
16:16
and to the north.
16:18
So Sambalat and Tobiah
16:20
were profiting greatly
16:21
as the governors
16:22
of these regions.
16:24
So what would happen
16:25
if they rebuilt the wall
16:26
and restored the city?
16:29
The trade routes
16:30
would shift back
16:30
and they would lose out.
16:32
Right?
16:32
They would become
16:33
poorer regions
16:35
as a result
16:36
of that very thing.
16:37
So recognize
16:37
that the opposition here
16:39
is ultimately
16:40
because they worship
16:41
themselves
16:42
and what they could gain
16:43
by keeping the wall
16:44
from being built.
16:47
Right?
16:47
Now look
16:48
as you see
16:48
the first little example
16:49
here.
16:50
We know that
16:51
at the end of chapter 1
16:52
Sambalat and Tobiah
16:53
are not happy
16:54
with what's going on
16:55
but they approach him
16:55
for the first time
16:56
at the end of chapter 2
16:57
verse 19.
16:58
But when Sambalat the Horonite
17:01
and Tobiah the Ammonite
17:02
servant and Geshem
17:04
here comes Geshem
17:04
the Arab
17:05
heard of it
17:05
they jeered at us
17:07
and despised us
17:07
and said
17:08
what is this thing
17:09
that you are doing?
17:10
Are you rebelling
17:11
against the king?
17:12
Then I replied to them
17:13
the God of heaven
17:15
will make us prosper
17:16
and we his servants
17:17
will arise and build
17:19
but you have
17:20
no portion
17:21
or right
17:22
or claim
17:23
in Jerusalem.
17:24
I love his response here.
17:26
Okay?
17:26
So recognize
17:27
that these are not
17:28
people
17:28
who simply need
17:30
their perspective
17:31
adjusted a little bit.
17:34
It can be a very
17:35
healthy thing
17:36
to be constructively
17:37
critical of things
17:38
that are going on
17:39
in your churches.
17:40
I need feedback.
17:41
That's what I'm trying
17:42
to say to you.
17:43
Come and talk to me.
17:44
And there will be times
17:45
that I will be wrong
17:47
and I hope that I have
17:48
been given the grace
17:49
to be humble
17:49
to accept that
17:50
and to make adjustments.
17:51
There will be times
17:52
that you're wrong
17:53
and you simply need
17:54
your perspective
17:54
adjusted a little bit.
17:55
Right?
17:56
That's going to happen.
17:56
That's a good
17:57
healthy process
17:57
to take place here.
17:58
But these are not men
17:59
who just need
18:00
a little nuancing
18:01
of their perspective.
18:02
Right?
18:03
These are men
18:04
that need to be told
18:04
to be quiet.
18:05
Right?
18:06
And to get out of the way.
18:08
That's a painful thing
18:09
to do.
18:09
I've had to do that
18:10
in the life of this church
18:11
already.
18:13
Right?
18:13
With grace and love
18:14
to tell somebody
18:15
be quiet
18:16
and get out of our way.
18:17
Right?
18:18
So this is his response
18:19
to him.
18:19
The God of heaven
18:20
will make us prosper
18:20
and we as servants
18:21
will rise and build
18:21
but you have no portion
18:23
or right
18:24
or claim
18:25
in Jerusalem.
18:27
So these are the people
18:28
that we're talking about.
18:29
And what I hope
18:29
you're hearing from me
18:30
is that I don't want you
18:32
to be one of these people.
18:34
Right?
18:34
Have any character quality
18:36
of a person
18:37
that really
18:37
what I would respond
18:38
to you is
18:39
be quiet
18:40
and just get out of the way.
18:41
Right?
18:42
I want to have a bunch
18:43
of people
18:44
who need just a little
18:44
perspective adjustment
18:45
occasionally
18:46
and not ones
18:47
that need to be shown
18:47
the door.
18:48
Right?
18:48
So let's look now
18:50
at our text.
18:52
Nehemiah was tempted
18:53
in four common ways.
18:55
Right?
18:55
And I want to show you those
18:56
and I want to see
18:57
I want you to see
18:58
how he responded
18:59
appropriately
19:00
to these temptations.
19:03
Right?
19:04
Number one
19:04
the temptation
19:06
to be distracted
19:07
by the daunting nature
19:09
of the work.
19:10
Right?
19:11
And we've got to look
19:11
a little bit before
19:12
chapter 6
19:13
to see that.
19:14
Beginning of chapter 6
19:15
we see that
19:16
he has completed
19:18
the wall
19:18
the breaches
19:19
the gaps in the wall
19:20
have been filled in
19:21
except that the doors
19:22
the huge gate doors
19:24
which is a huge task
19:25
in and of itself
19:25
they have yet to be set
19:26
so it's not quite done
19:27
we're almost there.
19:29
But let's back up
19:30
just a little bit
19:30
in chapter 4
19:31
to see the temptation
19:32
verse 10.
19:33
Right?
19:33
The temptation
19:34
to be distracted
19:34
by the daunting nature
19:36
of the work.
19:38
Chapter 4 verse 10
19:39
we have record
19:40
of what was
19:41
happening in Judah
19:42
what was being said.
19:43
they've half completed
19:46
the wall at this point.
19:47
It says
19:47
in Judah it was said
19:48
the strength of those
19:49
who bear the burdens
19:50
is failing.
19:52
There is too much rubble.
19:53
By ourselves
19:54
we will not be able
19:56
to rebuild the wall.
19:58
And our English
19:59
doesn't quite capture here
20:00
what this phrase
20:02
would have looked like
20:04
to the Hebrew people.
20:05
It was actually
20:06
a Hebrew couplet.
20:08
It was a little song
20:09
a little ditty
20:10
that had been written.
20:11
It took them 52 days
20:12
to build the wall.
20:13
And at this point
20:14
it's half built
20:15
and somebody
20:15
has come up
20:16
with a song
20:17
and been passing it
20:18
around Jerusalem
20:19
about how
20:20
they're going to fail.
20:22
Right?
20:22
A little sing song thing.
20:24
The strength of those
20:24
who bear the burden
20:25
is failing.
20:25
There's too much rubble.
20:26
By ourselves
20:27
we will not be able
20:28
to rebuild
20:29
the wall.
20:31
Right?
20:31
Look carefully
20:32
at who was saying it.
20:33
Right?
20:34
So here's
20:34
we've got opposition
20:35
coming from without
20:36
Sambalat, Tobiah,
20:37
Geshem the Arab.
20:38
But from within
20:39
it was in Judah
20:40
that this was being said.
20:42
Right?
20:42
The people of Judah
20:43
had become whiners.
20:47
My father
20:48
who's sitting in the room
20:49
is really famous
20:50
at least
20:51
most of you may not
20:52
have ever heard him say this
20:53
but for me
20:53
he's really famous
20:54
for always saying
20:54
we want winners
20:55
not whiners.
20:57
Right?
20:57
I just had to interject that
20:58
at this point.
20:59
Right?
21:00
The people of Judah
21:00
were being whiners.
21:03
How is it
21:04
that in the face
21:05
of this kind of
21:06
sing song
21:08
opposition
21:09
to the work?
21:10
Right?
21:10
People are walking around
21:11
saying it's never
21:13
going to be accomplished.
21:14
Right?
21:15
We've written
21:15
a little lyrical poem
21:17
that we're singing
21:17
about that very thing
21:19
that Nehemiah
21:20
who's trying to lead
21:21
this great work
21:22
doesn't become
21:23
just absolutely
21:24
distracted
21:25
by the daunting
21:25
nature of it.
21:26
Just crushed
21:27
by how much
21:28
is ahead of him
21:29
when it seems
21:30
that the people
21:31
of Judah
21:31
are not for
21:32
the work.
21:33
He did so
21:35
by resting
21:36
in the fact
21:37
that God
21:38
will
21:38
accomplish
21:39
his purposes.
21:42
We've been talking
21:42
a lot about
21:43
the providence
21:44
of God
21:44
and what God
21:45
sets out to do
21:46
he does in fact
21:47
accomplish
21:47
and this is a very
21:48
great motivation
21:49
for us
21:50
to see the work
21:51
get done.
21:52
Verse 14
21:53
of chapter 4
21:54
He says
21:55
that I looked
21:55
and arose
21:56
and I said
21:56
to the nobles
21:57
and to the officials
21:58
and to the rest
21:58
of the people
21:59
do not be afraid
22:00
of them
22:01
in light of this
22:02
physical opposition
22:03
that could be
22:04
coming from without
22:04
do not be afraid
22:05
of them
22:05
remember the Lord
22:06
who is great
22:07
and awesome
22:08
and fight for your
22:10
brothers, your sons,
22:11
your daughters,
22:11
your wives
22:12
and your homes
22:13
and then in verse 20
22:14
he says
22:15
our God
22:16
will fight
22:17
for us.
22:19
So Nehemiah
22:19
rested in the fact
22:20
that God
22:21
was providentially
22:22
in control
22:23
he knew
22:24
that it was God's
22:25
will
22:25
that the wall
22:26
be built
22:27
and therefore
22:28
he wasn't distracted
22:29
by the daunting
22:30
nature
22:30
of the work.
22:31
Secondly
22:33
Nehemiah
22:35
was tempted
22:36
to be distracted
22:37
by prestige
22:39
or position
22:40
look now
22:41
in chapter 6
22:42
finally here we go
22:44
chapter 6
22:44
beginning in verse 2
22:47
Sanbalat and Geshem
22:50
sent to me
22:51
saying
22:52
come and let us
22:53
meet together
22:54
at Hakafurim
22:56
in the plain
22:56
of Ono
22:57
but they intended
22:58
to do me harm
22:59
and I sent
22:59
messengers to them
23:00
saying
23:01
I am doing
23:02
a great work
23:02
and I cannot
23:03
come down
23:04
why should the
23:05
work stop
23:06
while I leave it
23:07
and come down
23:07
to you
23:08
and they sent
23:09
to me four times
23:09
in this way
23:10
and I answered
23:11
them in the same
23:12
manner.
23:13
So two of these
23:15
leaders
23:15
we've already talked
23:15
about
23:16
Sambalite
23:16
and Geshem
23:17
they send to him
23:19
and they say
23:19
let's go and meet
23:21
in a place
23:21
that's only recorded
23:22
here in the scriptures
23:23
so I tried to do
23:24
some research on it
23:24
don't really know
23:26
a lot about
23:26
Hecathurim
23:28
however
23:29
it's likely
23:32
that this was a place
23:33
in the plain
23:33
of Ono
23:34
that was a
23:35
lush place
23:36
a nice
23:37
place
23:38
to meet
23:39
and these
23:39
other governors
23:41
were saying to him
23:42
hey as a governor
23:43
let's come together
23:44
and meet
23:45
let's talk about
23:46
this work
23:47
that you're setting
23:48
out to do
23:49
now he perceives
23:51
that they intended
23:51
to do him harm
23:52
but he was not
23:53
distracted
23:54
by a meeting
23:56
a day's journey
23:57
away
23:57
to go and meet
23:58
in this nice
24:00
place
24:00
with the other
24:01
governors
24:01
of the provinces
24:02
surrounding
24:03
but instead
24:05
what does he say
24:06
to them
24:06
I'm doing a great
24:08
work
24:08
and I cannot
24:10
come down
24:10
why should
24:12
the work
24:13
stop
24:13
while I
24:13
leave it
24:14
and come
24:14
down
24:14
to you
24:15
so he
24:17
battled
24:17
against
24:18
this
24:18
temptation
24:19
to be
24:19
distracted
24:20
by position
24:21
by possessing
24:23
a focused
24:24
understanding
24:24
of his
24:25
God-given
24:25
task
24:26
Nehemiah
24:28
knew exactly
24:28
what it was
24:29
he was there
24:29
to do
24:30
Nehemiah
24:31
knew that
24:31
his position
24:32
any prestige
24:34
that belonged
24:35
to him
24:35
was not
24:36
for him
24:37
it was for
24:37
the work
24:38
that was to
24:39
be done
24:39
he was made
24:40
governor of the
24:41
providence
24:41
so he could
24:41
lead the
24:42
people
24:42
in that
24:43
very
24:44
work
24:45
there is a
24:46
great difference
24:47
between being a
24:48
man or woman
24:49
of God
24:50
and a puppet
24:51
of people
24:52
God has given
24:55
us a task
24:56
he's given
24:57
you
24:57
tasks
24:58
laid them out
24:59
before you
25:00
prepared them
25:01
beforehand
25:01
that you might
25:02
walk in them
25:03
have a
25:05
single-mindedness
25:07
towards
25:07
accomplishing
25:08
those
25:09
tasks
25:09
be a
25:10
man or
25:11
woman of
25:11
God
25:12
and not
25:12
a puppet
25:13
of people
25:14
on our
25:16
vacation
25:16
Sam and I
25:17
got away
25:18
from the
25:18
beach
25:18
which was
25:19
a blessing
25:19
to me
25:20
for an
25:20
afternoon
25:21
with the
25:21
kids
25:21
and we
25:22
went to
25:22
a place
25:23
called
25:23
Brook
25:23
Green
25:24
Gardens
25:24
have you
25:25
ever been
25:25
to Brook
25:26
Green
25:26
Myrtle
25:27
Beach
25:27
nobody
25:28
okay
25:28
beautiful
25:30
place
25:30
just
25:31
just
25:31
south
25:32
of
25:32
Myrtle
25:32
Beach
25:32
that was
25:33
built by
25:34
in the
25:34
early
25:35
late
25:36
property
25:36
bought
25:37
in
25:37
29
25:37
built
25:38
into
25:38
the
25:38
early
25:38
30s
25:39
by
25:39
Archer
25:40
and
25:40
Anna
25:40
Huntington
25:41
and
25:42
it's
25:42
just a
25:42
beautiful
25:43
garden
25:43
to walk
25:44
around
25:44
Anna
25:45
was a
25:45
sculptor
25:46
so there's
25:46
all these
25:46
huge bronze
25:47
sculptures
25:48
all over
25:48
the gardens
25:49
and as I was
25:50
thinking about
25:51
this text
25:52
and thinking
25:52
about the
25:53
work that
25:53
was ahead
25:54
of them
25:55
in doing
25:55
this
25:56
task
25:59
of rebuilding
25:59
the wall
26:00
I saw a
26:01
comparison
26:01
here
26:02
because
26:03
Archer
26:03
and Anna
26:04
had to
26:04
have vision
26:05
for this
26:05
place
26:05
because
26:06
this
26:06
place
26:06
has
26:07
these
26:07
huge
26:08
live
26:08
oak
26:09
trees
26:09
you know
26:09
they're
26:09
kind of
26:09
split off
26:10
from the
26:10
bottom
26:11
of the
26:11
ground
26:11
and grow
26:11
up
26:12
they're
26:12
massive
26:13
massive
26:13
oak
26:13
trees
26:13
and the
26:14
property's
26:14
been planned
26:15
around them
26:15
the pathways
26:16
these types
26:17
of things
26:17
there are hedges
26:18
everywhere
26:19
there's a hedge
26:19
maze
26:20
you don't just
26:21
go build a hedge
26:22
maze
26:22
you've got to
26:23
plant it
26:23
and plant
26:24
the hedges
26:24
and wait
26:25
for them
26:25
to grow
26:25
and trim
26:26
them back
26:26
and shape
26:27
them
26:27
and keep
26:27
doing this
26:27
type of
26:28
thing
26:28
this was
26:29
a work
26:29
that they
26:30
knew
26:31
they would
26:31
never see
26:32
the completion
26:32
of
26:32
when they
26:33
set out
26:34
to build
26:34
this
26:35
magnificent
26:35
garden
26:35
they knew
26:36
that it
26:37
wouldn't
26:37
reach
26:37
its full
26:37
glory
26:38
until
26:39
I don't
26:39
even know
26:39
is it
26:39
in its full
26:40
glory
26:40
I don't
26:40
know
26:40
it's
26:41
beautiful
26:41
right
26:41
these hedges
26:42
are you know
26:43
ten feet
26:44
tall now
26:44
blocking off
26:46
these things
26:46
with these
26:46
sculptures
26:47
and all
26:47
this stuff
26:48
and they
26:48
must have
26:48
had a
26:49
single
26:49
mindedness
26:50
to
26:50
accomplishing
26:51
this
26:51
work
26:52
draws my
26:53
mind also
26:54
to Noah
26:54
and the
26:55
work that
26:55
was set
26:55
before him
26:56
God
26:57
told Noah
26:57
to build
26:58
a boat
26:58
in the
26:58
middle
26:59
of a
26:59
desert
26:59
and his
26:59
friends
27:00
thought he
27:00
was insane
27:01
and yet
27:02
he built
27:02
it
27:03
right
27:03
and praise
27:04
God
27:05
for his
27:05
grace to
27:06
Noah
27:06
to have
27:07
such
27:07
single mindedness
27:08
that we
27:09
live today
27:10
because the
27:11
human race
27:11
was preserved
27:12
in Noah's
27:13
family
27:14
right
27:15
we should
27:16
not be
27:17
distracted
27:18
by the place
27:18
that God
27:18
has put us
27:19
I think a
27:20
lot of
27:20
Christians
27:21
are
27:21
because
27:22
we're
27:23
the children
27:24
of God
27:24
right
27:25
we want
27:26
to have
27:26
our special
27:27
meetings
27:27
we get
27:28
together
27:29
and we
27:29
feel good
27:29
about
27:30
ourselves
27:30
because God
27:31
has picked
27:32
us out of
27:32
the muck
27:33
and the mire
27:33
right
27:34
and we sit
27:35
and we revel
27:35
in that
27:36
rather than
27:37
recognizing that
27:37
he's done
27:38
so for a
27:39
very important
27:40
work
27:41
thirdly
27:43
Nehemiah
27:45
was tempted
27:46
to be
27:47
distracted
27:47
by fear
27:48
let's look
27:50
at chapter 6
27:51
verse 5
27:52
through 9
27:52
in the same
27:54
way Sambalot
27:55
for the fifth
27:56
time sent
27:56
his servant
27:57
to me
27:57
with an
27:58
open letter
27:58
in his
27:59
hand
27:59
in it
28:01
was written
28:02
it is
28:03
reported
28:03
among the
28:04
nations
28:04
and Geshem
28:05
also says
28:05
it
28:06
that you
28:06
and the
28:07
Jews
28:07
intend
28:07
to rebel
28:08
that is
28:08
why you
28:09
are building
28:09
the wall
28:10
and according
28:10
to these
28:11
reports
28:11
you wish
28:12
to become
28:12
their king
28:13
and you
28:14
have also
28:14
set up
28:14
prophets
28:15
to proclaim
28:15
concerning you
28:16
in Jerusalem
28:16
there is a
28:17
king in
28:17
Judah
28:18
and now
28:18
the king
28:19
will hear
28:19
of these
28:19
reports
28:20
so now
28:21
come and
28:21
let us
28:22
take
28:22
counsel
28:22
together
28:23
so after
28:25
four requests
28:26
have gone
28:27
the fifth
28:27
comes
28:28
Sambalot
28:29
writes
28:29
with an
28:30
open letter
28:31
and letters
28:32
in these days
28:33
were sealed
28:33
which meant
28:34
that the letter
28:35
was intended
28:36
for a particular
28:37
person
28:37
and it was only
28:38
that person
28:38
that broke
28:39
the seal
28:39
and read it
28:39
if a letter
28:40
was sent
28:41
open
28:41
without a seal
28:42
it was intended
28:43
to be read
28:44
by everybody
28:45
the messenger
28:47
would say
28:47
I've got an
28:49
open letter
28:49
and he'd open
28:50
it up
28:50
and he'd read
28:50
it
28:50
and walking
28:51
along the way
28:52
he'd share
28:52
it with others
28:52
hey the
28:53
open letter
28:53
so what
28:54
Sambalot's
28:54
doing here
28:55
is he's
28:55
spreading
28:56
the rumor
28:56
far and
28:58
wide
28:58
about what
29:00
Nehemiah
29:00
is supposedly
29:01
doing
29:02
he makes
29:03
this accusation
29:04
to him
29:05
that the reason
29:05
he's there
29:06
to build
29:06
the wall
29:06
is so that
29:07
the Israelites
29:08
will rebel
29:08
he will be
29:09
their king
29:09
they will
29:10
overthrow
29:10
the king
29:11
of Persia
29:12
listen to his
29:13
response
29:14
then I
29:15
sent to him
29:16
saying
29:16
no such
29:18
thing
29:18
as you
29:18
say
29:19
have been
29:19
done
29:20
for you
29:20
are
29:20
inventing
29:21
them
29:21
out of
29:21
your
29:22
own
29:22
mind
29:22
for they
29:23
all
29:23
wanted
29:24
to
29:24
frighten
29:24
us
29:24
thinking
29:24
their
29:25
hands
29:25
will
29:25
drop
29:25
from
29:26
the
29:26
work
29:26
and
29:26
it
29:26
will
29:26
not
29:27
be
29:27
done
29:27
but
29:28
now
29:28
oh
29:28
God
29:29
strengthen
29:30
my
29:31
hands
29:31
his
29:32
response
29:32
to him
29:33
is
29:33
liar
29:34
and
29:35
that's
29:35
it
29:35
right
29:36
he
29:36
simply
29:37
says
29:37
the
29:37
things
29:37
you're
29:38
saying
29:38
of
29:38
me
29:38
are
29:38
not
29:38
true
29:39
I
29:39
will
29:39
not
29:39
allow
29:40
your
29:40
false
29:40
accusations
29:40
to
29:41
cause
29:41
me
29:42
to
29:42
fear
29:43
I
29:43
will
29:44
continue
29:45
to
29:45
work
29:45
another
29:47
example
29:47
here
29:48
another
29:48
instance
29:49
of it
29:49
beginning
29:50
in
29:50
verse
29:50
10
29:51
now
29:52
when I
29:52
went
29:52
into
29:53
the
29:53
house
29:53
of
29:54
Shemaiah
29:54
the son
29:55
of
29:55
Deliah
29:55
son
29:55
of
29:56
Mehedabel
29:56
who
29:57
was
29:57
confined
29:58
to
29:58
his
29:58
home
29:58
he
29:59
said
29:59
let
30:00
us
30:00
meet
30:00
together
30:00
in
30:01
the
30:01
house
30:01
of
30:01
God
30:01
within
30:02
the
30:02
temple
30:02
let
30:03
us
30:03
close
30:03
the
30:03
doors
30:03
of
30:03
the
30:04
temple
30:04
for
30:04
they
30:04
are
30:04
coming
30:04
to
30:05
kill
30:05
you
30:05
they
30:06
are
30:06
coming
30:06
to
30:06
kill
30:06
you
30:07
by
30:07
night
30:07
so
30:08
notice
30:09
here
30:09
he
30:09
now
30:10
goes
30:10
to
30:11
visit
30:11
a
30:12
friend
30:13
someone
30:14
that
30:14
he
30:14
knows
30:15
he's
30:15
in
30:16
his
30:16
house
30:17
he's
30:17
confined
30:17
to
30:17
his
30:18
home
30:18
and
30:18
he
30:18
goes
30:19
to
30:19
visit
30:19
this
30:19
man
30:20
who
30:21
has
30:21
been
30:21
bought
30:22
out
30:22
by
30:22
Tobiah
30:23
and
30:24
Sambalot
30:24
his
30:24
response
30:25
is
30:25
but
30:25
I
30:26
said
30:26
should
30:27
such
30:27
a
30:27
man
30:27
as
30:27
I
30:28
run
30:28
away
30:28
and
30:29
what
30:29
man
30:29
such
30:30
as
30:30
I
30:30
could
30:30
go
30:30
into
30:30
the
30:35
so
30:36
what
30:36
Shemaiah
30:37
had
30:37
suggested
30:38
to
30:38
him
30:38
is
30:39
that
30:39
out
30:39
of
30:39
fear
30:39
he
30:40
go
30:40
into
30:41
the
30:41
holy
30:42
place
30:42
the
30:43
holy
30:43
of
30:43
holies
30:44
in
30:44
the
30:45
temple
30:45
a
30:45
place
30:46
that
30:46
the
30:46
Israelites
30:46
were
30:47
clearly
30:47
instructed
30:48
not
30:48
to
30:48
go
30:49
unless
30:49
they
30:50
were
30:50
the
30:50
high
30:50
priest
30:51
it
30:53
was
30:53
off
30:54
limits
30:54
place
30:55
to
30:55
go
30:55
and
30:56
he
30:56
would
30:56
have
30:57
either
30:57
been
30:57
killed
30:58
which
30:58
is
30:58
what
30:58
the
30:59
law
31:00
prescribed
31:00
probably
31:01
would
31:01
have
31:01
taken
31:01
place
31:01
God
31:02
would
31:02
have
31:02
struck
31:02
him
31:02
dead
31:05
his
31:05
reputation
31:06
the
31:06
Israelites
31:07
would
31:07
not
31:07
have
31:07
followed
31:07
him
31:08
any
31:08
longer
31:08
because
31:09
of
31:09
the
31:09
travesty
31:10
that
31:10
would
31:10
have
31:11
been
31:11
committed
31:11
here
31:11
so
31:12
he
31:12
said
31:12
should
31:13
such
31:13
a
31:13
man
31:13
as
31:14
I
31:14
run
31:14
away
31:15
and
31:15
what
31:15
man
31:15
such
31:16
as
31:16
I
31:16
could
31:16
go
31:17
into
31:17
the
31:17
temple
31:17
and
31:18
live
31:18
I
31:18
will
31:19
not
31:19
go
31:20
in
31:20
verse
31:21
12
31:21
and
31:22
I
31:22
understood
31:22
and saw
31:22
that
31:23
God
31:23
had
31:23
not
31:23
sent
31:24
him
31:24
but
31:24
he
31:25
had
31:25
pronounced
31:25
the
31:25
prophecy
31:26
against
31:26
me
31:26
because
31:27
Tobiah
31:27
and
31:27
Sambalot
31:28
had
31:28
hired
31:28
him
31:28
speaking
31:29
of
31:29
Shemaiah
31:29
there
31:29
for
31:30
this
31:30
purpose
31:31
he
31:31
was
31:31
hired
31:31
that
31:31
I
31:31
should
31:32
be
31:32
afraid
31:32
and
31:32
act
31:33
in
31:33
this
31:33
way
31:33
and
31:33
sin
31:34
and
31:34
so
31:35
they
31:35
could
31:35
give
31:35
me
31:35
a
31:35
bad
31:35
name
31:36
in
31:36
order
31:36
to
31:37
taunt
31:37
me
31:38
so
31:39
he
31:39
was
31:39
tempted
31:40
to be
31:40
distracted
31:41
by
31:41
fear
31:42
to
31:42
lose
31:42
the
31:43
point
31:43
of
31:43
the
31:43
work
31:44
that
31:44
he
31:44
was
31:44
to
31:44
be
31:44
doing
31:46
So
31:46
what
31:46
is
31:47
!
31:47
his
31:47
!
31:47
how
31:47
does
31:47
he
31:48
properly
31:48
deal
31:49
with
31:49
it?
31:50
He
31:50
prays
31:51
and
31:52
then
31:52
he
31:52
acts
31:53
simple
31:54
he
31:54
prays
31:55
and
31:56
then
31:56
he
31:56
acts
31:57
so
31:58
we
31:58
see
31:58
in
31:58
verse
31:59
9
31:59
so
32:00
the
32:01
wall
32:01
was
32:01
finished
32:01
nope
32:02
nope
32:04
that's
32:04
verse
32:05
15
32:05
I'm
32:05
sorry
32:05
I
32:06
didn't
32:07
write
32:07
down
32:07
verse
32:07
9
32:07
for
32:07
myself
32:08
so
32:08
verse
32:08
9
32:08
for
32:09
they
32:10
wanted
32:10
us
32:10
frightened
32:10
thinking
32:11
and
32:11
he
32:11
prays
32:11
but
32:12
now
32:12
oh
32:12
God
32:13
strengthen
32:14
my
32:14
hands
32:15
right
32:15
so
32:16
there's
32:16
the
32:16
prayer
32:16
right
32:17
I'm
32:17
I've
32:18
been
32:18
made
32:18
to
32:19
feel
32:19
afraid
32:19
my
32:20
reputation
32:20
is
32:20
out
32:20
there
32:21
being
32:21
slandered
32:21
with
32:21
this
32:21
open
32:22
letter
32:22
I
32:22
could
32:23
stop
32:23
and
32:23
be
32:24
worried
32:24
about
32:24
that
32:24
but
32:25
he
32:25
prays
32:25
instead
32:26
but
32:27
now
32:27
oh
32:27
God
32:28
strengthen
32:28
my
32:29
hands
32:29
and
32:30
then
32:30
he
32:30
acts
32:30
and
32:30
how
32:30
do
32:31
we
32:31
know
32:31
that
32:31
he
32:31
acts
32:31
because
32:31
in
32:32
verse
32:32
15
32:32
we
32:32
see
32:33
so
32:33
the
32:33
wall
32:33
was
32:34
finished
32:34
on
32:34
the
32:34
25th
32:35
day
32:35
of the
32:35
month
32:35
Elul
32:36
in
32:37
52
32:37
days
32:37
right
32:38
the
32:38
work
32:38
continued
32:39
on
32:40
because
32:40
it
32:40
was
32:40
completed
32:41
right
32:42
in
32:43
verse
32:43
12
32:43
we
32:44
see
32:45
the
32:45
record
32:45
and
32:45
I
32:45
understood
32:46
and
32:46
saw
32:47
that
32:47
God
32:48
had
32:48
not
32:49
sent
32:50
him
32:50
now
32:51
the
32:51
Hebrew
32:51
word
32:52
here
32:52
for
32:52
understood
32:52
is
32:54
the
32:54
same
32:54
word
32:55
that
32:55
would
32:55
have
32:55
been
32:55
used
32:56
of
32:56
wisdom
32:56
right
32:58
so
32:58
you
32:58
could
32:58
read
32:59
it
32:59
and
32:59
I
33:00
was
33:00
wise
33:01
and
33:02
I
33:02
saw
33:02
that
33:03
God
33:03
had
33:04
not
33:04
sent
33:04
him
33:05
right
33:06
how
33:06
was
33:06
it
33:06
that
33:07
it
33:07
!
33:07
was
33:07
possible
33:07
for
33:08
him
33:08
to
33:08
be
33:08
wise
33:09
in
33:09
this
33:09
way
33:10
unless
33:11
he
33:12
was
33:12
tarrying
33:12
with
33:13
God
33:13
Leonard
33:15
Ravenhill
33:15
in his
33:15
book
33:16
Why
33:16
Revival
33:16
Tarries
33:17
which
33:17
Chris
33:17
McKean
33:18
gave me
33:18
here
33:18
recently
33:19
wrote
33:19
to be
33:20
much
33:20
for
33:20
God
33:20
we
33:21
must
33:21
be
33:21
much
33:22
with
33:23
God
33:23
as
33:25
a
33:25
result
33:25
of
33:26
the
33:26
way
33:26
in
33:26
which
33:26
Nehemiah
33:27
spent
33:28
time
33:28
with
33:28
God
33:28
he
33:29
was
33:29
wise
33:29
unto
33:30
these
33:30
things
33:31
heard
33:32
a
33:32
great
33:32
little
33:33
analogy
33:33
which
33:33
I've
33:34
made
33:34
some
33:34
slight
33:34
alterations
33:35
to
33:35
speaking
33:36
of
33:37
wisdom
33:37
and
33:39
here
33:39
you
33:39
go
33:39
knowledge
33:41
is
33:42
valuable
33:42
we
33:42
want
33:43
to
33:43
gain
33:43
knowledge
33:44
it's
33:44
a
33:44
good
33:44
thing
33:44
for
33:45
us
33:45
to
33:45
have
33:45
knowledge
33:47
is
33:47
knowing
33:48
that
33:48
a
33:48
tomato
33:49
is
33:49
a
33:49
fruit
33:50
that's
33:51
knowledge
33:51
it's
33:52
a
33:52
fact
33:52
right
33:52
a
33:53
tomato
33:53
is
33:54
a
33:54
fruit
33:54
if
33:54
you
33:54
didn't
33:54
know
33:54
that
33:54
a
33:54
tomato
33:55
is
33:55
a
33:55
fruit
33:55
okay
33:56
understanding
33:58
would
33:59
be
33:59
like
33:59
knowing
34:00
what
34:00
a
34:00
tomato
34:00
tastes
34:00
like
34:01
and
34:01
how
34:01
to
34:01
properly
34:02
cut
34:02
it
34:03
for
34:03
eating
34:03
right
34:03
getting
34:04
the
34:04
tomato
34:04
like
34:05
we
34:05
understand
34:05
what
34:05
the
34:06
tomato
34:06
is
34:07
right
34:08
we've
34:08
experienced
34:09
the
34:10
tomato
34:10
when you
34:11
combine
34:12
those two
34:12
things
34:13
you have
34:13
wisdom
34:14
and
34:14
wisdom
34:14
is
34:15
knowing
34:15
that
34:15
a
34:15
tomato
34:16
does
34:16
not
34:16
belong
34:17
in
34:17
a
34:17
fruit
34:18
salad
34:18
right
34:20
and
34:21
this
34:21
is
34:21
what
34:21
Nehemiah
34:22
had
34:22
right
34:23
Nehemiah
34:24
had
34:24
wisdom
34:25
right
34:26
he knew
34:27
that
34:28
God
34:28
had
34:28
given
34:28
him
34:28
a
34:28
work
34:29
he
34:29
knew
34:30
that
34:30
God
34:30
had
34:30
purposes
34:31
!
34:31
Israel
34:32
right
34:32
there
34:32
were
34:32
promises
34:33
made
34:33
in
34:33
the
34:34
scriptures
34:34
for
34:35
what
34:35
ought
34:35
to
34:36
be
34:36
done
34:36
right
34:37
he
34:37
knew
34:37
that
34:37
God
34:37
had
34:37
said
34:38
him
34:38
about
34:38
the
34:38
task
34:39
right
34:39
he
34:40
knew
34:40
that
34:40
he
34:40
ought
34:40
not
34:41
go
34:41
into
34:41
the
34:41
temple
34:41
right
34:42
he
34:43
knew
34:43
that
34:44
what
34:44
San
34:44
Blot
34:44
was
34:44
saying
34:45
was
34:45
a
34:45
lie
34:45
right
34:46
and
34:47
he
34:47
combined
34:47
this
34:47
with
34:47
his
34:47
understanding
34:48
wisdom
34:49
to
34:49
make
34:50
the
34:50
right
34:50
choices
34:51
in
34:52
this
34:52
case
34:52
so
34:54
Nehemiah
34:54
was
34:54
not
34:55
distracted
34:56
by
34:56
fear
34:56
because
34:57
he
34:57
prayed
34:57
and
34:58
he
34:58
acted
34:59
fourthly
35:01
and
35:02
finally
35:02
Nehemiah
35:04
was
35:05
tempted
35:05
to be
35:05
distracted
35:06
by
35:06
exacting
35:07
justice
35:08
so
35:13
note
35:14
these
35:15
men
35:16
are
35:16
conniving
35:16
right
35:17
obnoxious
35:18
men
35:19
San
35:19
Blot
35:20
and
35:20
Tobiah
35:20
they
35:20
show
35:20
up
35:20
beginning
35:21
in
35:21
chapter
35:22
one
35:22
we
35:22
begin
35:23
to
35:23
see
35:23
their
35:23
appearances
35:24
right
35:24
they
35:25
send
35:25
him
35:25
four
35:27
requests
35:27
right
35:28
and
35:28
he
35:28
answers
35:29
them
35:29
the
35:29
same
35:29
way
35:29
they
35:30
continue
35:30
to
35:31
send
35:31
him
35:31
these
35:31
requests
35:32
to
35:32
stop
35:32
the
35:32
word
35:33
then
35:33
they
35:33
spread
35:34
obnoxious
35:35
rumors
35:35
about
35:36
him
35:36
right
35:37
Nehemiah
35:38
had
35:38
every
35:39
reason
35:40
to
35:40
despise
35:41
them
35:41
right
35:42
Nehemiah
35:43
had
35:43
every
35:45
reason
35:46
I'm
35:48
speaking
35:48
in human
35:48
terms
35:49
to be
35:49
distracted
35:50
to be
35:51
plotting
35:51
his
35:52
vengeance
35:52
to be
35:53
figuring
35:53
out
35:53
he
35:54
could
35:54
shame
35:54
the
35:54
name
35:54
of
35:55
Sam
35:55
who's
35:55
spreading
35:55
rumors
35:56
and
35:56
lies
35:56
about
35:56
him
35:57
but
35:57
what
35:57
does
35:58
Nehemiah
35:59
do
35:59
he
36:00
turns
36:00
his
36:00
enemies
36:01
over
36:01
to
36:02
the
36:02
justice
36:02
of
36:03
the
36:03
ultimate
36:03
judge
36:04
verse
36:05
14
36:06
he
36:07
prays
36:07
to
36:07
God
36:08
remember
36:08
Tobiah
36:09
and
36:09
Sanballat
36:10
oh my
36:10
God
36:11
according
36:11
to
36:12
these
36:12
things
36:12
that
36:12
they
36:13
did
36:13
and
36:13
also
36:14
the
36:14
prophetess
36:15
Noadiah
36:15
and the
36:16
rest of
36:16
the prophets
36:17
who want
36:17
to make
36:18
me
36:18
afraid
36:19
right
36:20
Nehemiah
36:22
is so
36:22
singularly
36:23
focused on
36:23
the work
36:23
ahead of
36:24
him
36:24
that he
36:24
simply
36:25
says
36:25
God
36:26
remember
36:26
those
36:27
who are
36:28
opposing
36:28
the work
36:29
right
36:29
you deal
36:30
with them
36:31
the way
36:31
you see
36:31
fit
36:32
I got
36:33
work to
36:33
do
36:33
I'm
36:34
getting
36:34
back
36:34
to
36:35
the
36:35
work
36:35
and
36:35
I
36:35
will
36:35
not
36:36
be
36:36
distracted
36:38
by
36:38
exacting
36:39
justice
36:39
now I
36:43
hope that
36:43
you're
36:43
about
36:44
the work
36:45
of God
36:46
already
36:46
and you
36:46
can relate
36:47
to some
36:47
of these
36:48
things
36:48
that you've
36:49
experienced
36:49
some of
36:50
this
36:50
type of
36:50
opposition
36:51
to the
36:52
work
36:52
that God
36:52
laid
36:53
before
36:53
you
36:54
I
36:54
hope
36:54
you
36:54
get
36:54
it
36:54
if
36:55
you
36:55
don't
36:55
it's
36:55
coming
36:56
I
36:56
promise
36:57
it's
36:57
on
36:57
its
36:58
way
36:58
you
36:59
are
36:59
going
36:59
to
36:59
experience
37:00
opposition
37:01
and I
37:02
hope
37:02
that you
37:03
will
37:03
deal
37:03
with
37:03
it
37:04
appropriately
37:05
now we
37:06
have our
37:06
greatest
37:07
example
37:07
of this
37:08
in Christ
37:09
the perfect
37:12
model
37:12
for this
37:13
type of
37:13
thing
37:13
we are
37:14
to grow
37:14
up into
37:15
him
37:15
or to
37:15
be
37:15
like
37:16
Christ
37:17
in
37:17
dealing
37:17
with
37:18
opposition
37:19
remember
37:20
that
37:20
Nehemiah
37:21
is a
37:22
type
37:22
of Christ
37:23
Christ
37:24
is the
37:24
anti-type
37:25
the greater
37:25
Nehemiah
37:27
Jesus
37:28
was tempted
37:28
in many
37:28
of the
37:29
same
37:29
ways
37:29
and yet
37:30
he did
37:31
not
37:32
sin
37:32
recall
37:34
that the
37:35
world
37:35
will hate
37:35
us
37:36
because
37:37
it
37:37
first
37:38
hated
37:38
Jesus
37:39
Christ
37:39
is
37:40
John
37:40
15
37:40
18
37:41
turn with
37:43
me to
37:43
Hebrews
37:43
chapter
37:44
13
37:45
13
37:45
try to
38:03
wrap
38:03
this
38:03
all up
38:04
for us
38:04
here
38:04
beginning
38:05
in
38:05
verse
38:05
12
38:06
So Jesus also suffered
38:17
had opposition
38:20
outside the gate
38:22
in order to sanctify the people
38:23
through his own blood.
38:25
Therefore, let us go to him
38:27
outside the camp
38:28
and bear the reproach
38:29
he endured.
38:30
And that's simply what I want you to see.
38:32
Right?
38:32
Jesus bore reproach
38:34
we ought to bear reproach as well.
38:36
For here we have no lasting city,
38:39
but we seek the city
38:40
that is to come.
38:42
Through him, then,
38:43
let us continually offer up
38:45
a sacrifice of praise to God
38:47
that is the fruit of lips
38:50
that acknowledge his name.
38:52
Do not neglect to do good
38:53
and to share what you have,
38:54
for such sacrifices
38:55
are pleasing to God.
38:57
Obey your leaders
38:58
and submit to them,
38:59
for they are keeping watch
39:00
over your souls
39:01
as those who will give an account.
39:03
Let them do this with joy
39:05
and not with groaning,
39:05
for that would be
39:07
of no advantage
39:07
to you.
39:10
Isn't that a beautiful
39:11
wrap-up here?
39:12
As if the author of Hebrews
39:14
knew
39:14
that someone
39:16
was going to need a way
39:16
to close
39:17
a sermon on Nehemiah
39:19
chapter 6.
39:20
Right?
39:22
What are we to do?
39:22
We're supposed to suffer
39:23
as Christ suffered.
39:25
Why?
39:26
Because here we have
39:27
no lasting city.
39:28
Right?
39:28
We're sojourners
39:29
in this place.
39:30
We're seeking
39:31
the city that is to come,
39:32
that is the kingdom of God.
39:33
We're about that work.
39:35
Building the kingdom.
39:36
Right?
39:36
That's founded on Christ.
39:38
The chief cornerstone.
39:39
We've been looking at Peter
39:40
in the last couple of weeks.
39:43
Right?
39:44
Through Him then,
39:45
let us offer up
39:46
sacrifices of praise.
39:48
The fruit of lips
39:49
that acknowledge
39:50
His name.
39:52
Right?
39:52
Being disciple-making
39:54
disciples.
39:55
That's what I've been
39:56
saying to you.
39:57
Do not neglect
39:58
to do good
39:59
and to share
40:00
what you have.
40:01
For these sacrifices
40:02
are pleasing to God.
40:04
And then 17.
40:06
Obey your leaders
40:07
and submit to them.
40:08
For they are keeping
40:09
watch over your souls
40:10
as those who will give
40:11
an account.
40:14
Right?
40:14
Do not be
40:15
the Sambalots
40:16
and the Tobias
40:16
and the Geshams
40:18
of the church.
40:20
Let them do this
40:21
with joy
40:22
and not with groaning.
40:24
For that would be
40:25
of no advantage to you.
40:26
You want your leaders
40:27
to be joyful.
40:29
And I'm thankful
40:30
as I said before
40:31
again that you do this
40:32
for me.
40:33
And I really appreciate it.
40:34
I hope that will continue
40:35
to be the case
40:36
as we consider
40:37
this.
40:40
Now as we
40:41
think about
40:42
Christ
40:43
and what He has done
40:45
the suffering
40:45
that He did
40:46
on our behalf
40:48
as we take
40:49
the Lord's Supper
40:50
together
40:50
my mind was drawn
40:52
to Hebrews 12.3
40:54
It says
40:54
consider Jesus
40:55
who endured
40:56
from sinners
40:57
such hostility
40:58
against Himself
40:59
so that you may not
41:01
grow weary
41:01
or faint hearted.
41:03
That we may not
41:04
grow weary
41:05
as we suffer
41:06
in the work
41:07
that's put
41:07
before us.
41:08
And it goes on
41:09
to say that
41:10
none of us
41:10
have suffered
41:11
none of us
41:11
have fought
41:12
against sin
41:12
to be holy
41:13
to the point
41:15
of death
41:15
the way Jesus
41:16
has.
41:16
Right?
41:17
All of us
41:17
live on.
41:18
So let's be
41:18
encouraged
41:19
by the way
41:20
that Jesus
41:20
endured
41:21
from sinners
41:22
such hostility.
41:24
We ought not
41:25
grow weary
41:26
or faint hearted.
41:28
It is because
41:28
of the personal
41:30
work of Christ
41:30
what He has done
41:31
for us
41:32
that we can have
41:33
the encouragement
41:34
the motivation
41:34
He is the channel
41:36
by which grace
41:36
comes to us
41:37
to live
41:38
in this way
41:38
and that's why
41:39
we celebrate
41:40
the Lord's Supper
41:41
together.
41:43
This is
41:44
an invitation
41:45
to you.
41:45
Recognize that
41:46
the Lord's Supper
41:47
when we give it to you
41:47
is a chance
41:48
for you to respond
41:49
to the work
41:50
that God's doing
41:50
in your life.
41:51
In fact,
41:52
we plead with you
41:52
to do that.
41:54
To not take
41:54
the Lord's Supper
41:55
with sin
41:56
in your life.
41:57
Not to
41:57
dismiss things
41:59
and go through
41:59
the motion
42:00
and sit back down.
42:03
But recognize
42:04
that these are
42:04
symbols of what
42:05
Christ has done
42:05
for you
42:06
and what He's
42:06
promised to do
42:07
for you.
42:08
That should be
42:09
working down
42:10
in you.
42:10
That should be
42:11
a truth
42:11
that's rolling
42:12
around in your
42:13
heart
42:13
and having
42:14
some effect
42:15
and some
42:16
change.
42:18
I've said
42:19
to you before
42:19
this should be
42:20
joyful and solemn.
42:22
The gospel
42:23
all at once
42:24
both gladdens
42:24
and abases.
42:26
We should be
42:26
humbled by
42:27
who we are.
42:28
How sinful
42:29
we can be.
42:31
But so joyful
42:32
for what Christ
42:33
has done for us
42:34
that simply
42:34
by believing
42:35
we have become
42:38
righteous.
42:39
And that's
42:39
what we celebrate
42:40
together
42:41
in the Lord's Supper.
42:43
I'm going to pray
42:44
for us to close
42:45
our time
42:45
and I'm going to
42:45
ask men
42:46
that I ask
42:47
to come
42:47
hold the elements.
42:48
If you'll come up
42:48
while I'm praying
42:49
that way we can
42:50
get the elements
42:51
out.
42:51
Just as you
42:52
feel prepared
42:53
feel free to go
42:54
and partake of the
42:55
elements
42:55
and then come back
42:56
to your seat.
42:58
Let's pray together.
42:59
Let's pray together.