Starting a new study! Nehemiah

News to cry about . . .
Do you cry at sad movies?
Do you cry at weddings? When your kids or kids you know move away from home?
We're starting a new study today: we are beginning the book of Nehemiah.
Nehemiah has a lot to reveal to us about leadership and about service.

But first, we need to know who he was . . .
Most of the stories and sermons that we hear are based on what Nehemiah did after leaving the court of Artaxerxes in the huge city of Susa, in present-day Shush, in Iran. What a history! Scholars tell us that the city is one of the oldest in the region; it's known to us as the place where the story of Esther the queen took place, and Daniel mentions it, too. Susa was part of several empires, and the artifacts that have been excavated there over the centuries speak to the artistry and culture of a thriving city.
But I digress.
My history-buff and geek side is showing. (Grin)
Let's get back to Nehemiah.
He arrived in Jerusalem in 444 BC, which was about thirteen years after Ezra returned to the city. He was used by God to pull off an amazing feat: he inspired the people and led them to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem!  The temple had been rebuilt, but the walls that Nebuchadnezzar had ruined in 586 BC were still in shambles. With God's help, in spite of all the opposition and obstacles, the task was completed in just fifty-two days!  (You may remember that the city was defenseless against attacks, and that in the book of Ezra, they'd tried to rebuild the walls. When pagan residents of the land complained, Artaxerxes had decreed a stoppage to the work -- and the enemies had made sure it stopped by force.

Well, back to our buddy, Nehemiah. In November of 444 BC (about this time of year, no?) Nehemiah was serving as cupbearer to the same Artaxerxes.  Doesn't sound like an important position, but it was. Nehemiah held a high rank in the court; it was his duty to serve wine at the kings table. Because there was always the threat of plots and schemes against the king, the cupbearer needed to be totally trustworthy. He had to be on constant guard against poison in the king's cup, and sometimes even had to drink some before he handed it to the monarch! (I'm assuming they would wait a moment or two, to see if there were any adverse effects!) He held such a confidential position with the king that he was a person of influence with him; many times the cupbearer was a person that the king genuinely liked and leaned on.
At any rate, that was Nehemiah's gig in the court, and then one day his brother, Hanani walked in with some others who had just traveled there from Jerusalem. I'm sure they greeted each other and each inquired about the other's situation. "How ya doin'?" (Grin)

This was to be a life-changing conversation.
Nehemiah also asked about the condition of the city, and the people in it.
Hanani and his traveling companions answered:

They said to me, “Those who survived the exile and are back in the province are in great trouble and disgrace. The wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates have been burned with fire.” (Nehemiah 1:3)

Now, part of this was actually not earth shattering news, in and of itself. Nehemiah knew well that the wall and gates had been destroyed about one hundred and forty years before. But this was a graphic description of the people, and the way that the surrounding nations viewed them. To know that the people were in trouble and disgrace was devastating to Nehemiah.
He wept, mourned, and fasted.
And he prayed.
In fact, our chapter for today (Nehemiah 1) says he prayed for days.

Please make time today to read the first chapter of the book and consider it thoughtfully. We are going to discuss this in depth this week, and I hope you will join me.

Nehemiah pleaded with God in a prayer that is memorable and inspiring.
God responded by working through Nehemiah.
I truly feel that the book of Nehemiah will challenge all of us. I'm assuming here that you were with us last week as we talked about investing in bringing others to Jesus Christ. And that each of us wants (truly desires) to be used by God. I'm also assuming that we have trusted in His shed blood to redeem us from sin -- if that is the case, the Bible is clear that we have been given a spiritual gift to use in His service!

There is much more to serving Him than just talking about it. God wants to use each of us, but many times He must work to develop us into people with the skills and temperament to do what He has planned.  We're going to learn more about all of this in Nehemiah, as we study chapters 1-7, which are about rebuilding the wall, and as we study chapters 8-13, which are about rebuilding the people.

Hope you are ready for a Spirit-guided study of Nehemiah!