Latest / Equipped: A Podcast Platform for the Equip Ministry of Cuyahoga Valley Church / LaunchPad: Day 18
Transcript
- 0:00SPEAKER_00: Nehemiah two nineteen through twenty.
- 0:04SPEAKER_00: Have you ever been bullied or mocked because something made you different?
- 0:09SPEAKER_00: Being mistreated is painful, but have you ever faced opposition specifically because you were following Jesus and attempting to do God's work?
- 0:19SPEAKER_00: Well that's exactly what Nehemiah experienced in chapter two nineteen twenty.
- 0:24SPEAKER_00: The Scripture says, But when Sanbala the Hornite, and Tobiah, the Ammonite servant, and Geshem, the Arab, heard of it, they jeered at us and despised us and said, What is this thing that you are doing?
- 0:40SPEAKER_00: Are you rebelling against the king?
- 0:43SPEAKER_00: Then I Nehemiah replied to them, The God of heaven will make us prosper, and we his servants will arise and build.
- 0:52SPEAKER_00: But you have no portion or right or claim in Jerusalem.
- 0:58SPEAKER_00: This is powerful opposition.
- 1:01SPEAKER_00: Nehemiah was not being mocked by three random men.
- 1:04SPEAKER_00: Sanbalah, Tobiah, and Geshem were very powerful regional leaders.
- 1:10SPEAKER_00: Sanbala was the leading official of Samaria, north of Judah.
- 1:14SPEAKER_00: Tobiah was an influential Ammonite official from east of the Jordan River with connections among Jerusalem's nobles.
- 1:22SPEAKER_00: And Geshem was a powerful Arab leader associated with the kingdom of Kadar.
- 1:27SPEAKER_00: Now together they represented opposition surrounding Jerusalem from north, east, and south.
- 1:34SPEAKER_00: Now their question, are you rebelling against the king?
- 1:38SPEAKER_00: That was more of an insult.
- 1:40SPEAKER_00: King Artaxerxes ruled the region.
- 1:43SPEAKER_00: The rebellion could be punished by death.
- 1:46SPEAKER_00: If their accusations were believed, Nehemiah could lose the rebuilding project and possibly his life.
- 1:54SPEAKER_00: Now how would you respond if three powerful leaders mocked you and accused you of treason?
- 2:00SPEAKER_00: I mean it would be easy to become hurt, discouraged, and probably you'd want to give up.
- 2:06SPEAKER_00: Nehemiah, however, did not panic or allow their accusations to distract him.
- 2:12SPEAKER_00: Instead, he declared, The God of heaven will make us prosper, and we, his servants, will arise and build.
- 2:22SPEAKER_00: These men possessed political power, but they did not possess ultimate authority.
- 2:28SPEAKER_00: The God of heaven was greater than every official, accusation and threat.
- 2:35SPEAKER_00: Now expect opposition when doing God's work.
- 2:39SPEAKER_00: Criticism and resistance often appear when God's people begin a new work, pursue spiritual renewal, or restore something that is broken.
- 2:50SPEAKER_00: Peter reminds us that opposition should not surprise those who follow Jesus.
- 2:55SPEAKER_00: Beloved, do not be surprised when fiery trials come upon you and test you as though something strange were happening to you, but rejoice insofar as you share Christ's sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed.
- 3:12SPEAKER_00: If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed because the spirit of glory and the God rests upon you.
- 3:19SPEAKER_00: First Peter four, twelve through fourteen.
- 3:23SPEAKER_00: Now Peter does not say suffering is easy or that we should even enjoy the mistreatment.
- 3:28SPEAKER_00: He reminds us that trials are not strange for followers of Jesus and that God remains with us.
- 3:35SPEAKER_00: Opposition does not automatically prove that everything we are doing is right.
- 3:40SPEAKER_00: We must examine our hearts and make sure our actions agree with Scripture.
- 3:44SPEAKER_00: However, difficulty does not necessarily mean we have misunderstood guide's direction.
- 3:51SPEAKER_00: Faithfulness does not guarantee an easy path.
- 3:56SPEAKER_00: Now recognize the tactics of the enemy.
- 3:59SPEAKER_00: Nehemiah's enemies used mockery and false accusations to make God's people feel foolish, afraid, and powerless.
- 4:08SPEAKER_00: The enemy often uses similar tactics today.
- 4:11SPEAKER_00: Christians who hold to biblical truth may be called hateful, intolerant, or judgmental because their beliefs oppose society's accepted cultural norms.
- 4:22SPEAKER_00: These accusations can tempt us to remain silent, compromise our convictions, or become ashamed of God's word.
- 4:31SPEAKER_00: We need to keep our confidence in God.
- 4:34SPEAKER_00: Nehemiah did not allow his opponents to determine whether he would continue.
- 4:40SPEAKER_00: His confidence was not in his plan, leadership ability, or other people's approval.
- 4:45SPEAKER_00: He trusted that the God who called his people would help them complete the work.
- 4:51SPEAKER_00: When we face opposition, we should not react through anger, revenge, fear, or discouragement.
- 4:58SPEAKER_00: We must depend upon the Holy Spirit for courage, wisdom, humility, and self-control.
- 5:05SPEAKER_00: We do not have to answer every insult or win every argument.
- 5:09SPEAKER_00: Sometimes the most faithful response is just to keep trusting God and continue the work He gave us.
- 5:15SPEAKER_00: So here's a personal question to consider.
- 5:18SPEAKER_00: How should you respond when you are criticized, mocked, or opposed for doing the Lord's work?
- 5:26SPEAKER_00: What would it look like to respond with Nehemiah's confidence and self-control?
- 5:31SPEAKER_00: Here's a prayer prompt.
- 5:34SPEAKER_00: Pray for God's protection as you do his work.
- 5:38SPEAKER_00: Ask him for courage when you face criticism or opposition.
- 5:42SPEAKER_00: Pray that you would respond through the Holy Spirit rather than anger, fear, frustration, or the desire of the flesh.
- 5:50SPEAKER_00: Ask God to keep your confidence in him and help you remain faithful to his work that he called you to do.