197 00:25:27.785 --> 00:25:31.175 shout out to our Northwest Carey family for all you guys are doing out at 198 00:25:31.285 --> 00:25:35.175 Panther Creek High School. Hey, you know, it seems like in life, uh, 199 00:25:35.176 --> 00:25:39.255 just about every time I commit to making a big decision for good, 200 00:25:40.675 --> 00:25:43.335 it turns out a whole lot more difficult than I actually thought it was gonna be. 201 00:25:44.335 --> 00:25:45.015 Not funny. You know, 202 00:25:45.015 --> 00:25:47.655 I don't know if if if you're trying to lose a little bit of weight, you know, 203 00:25:47.656 --> 00:25:50.494 it takes a little bit longer for the pounds to drop off than you think it 204 00:25:50.495 --> 00:25:52.135 should. If you're make a decision, Hey, 205 00:25:52.155 --> 00:25:54.975 now I'm going to be the world's greatest employee. 206 00:25:55.994 --> 00:26:00.215 And then there's that one coworker that just won't stop talking. Uh, you say, 207 00:26:00.216 --> 00:26:01.975 Hey, I'm gonna save a little bit of money, uh, 208 00:26:01.976 --> 00:26:04.015 but now I gotta put new tires on the truck or, 209 00:26:04.415 --> 00:26:08.494 or now I'm gonna be obedient to the specific area that I know that God is 210 00:26:08.495 --> 00:26:10.095 calling me to be more obedient in my life. 211 00:26:10.275 --> 00:26:15.095 And it seems like temptation is around every single corner. Uh, 212 00:26:15.255 --> 00:26:17.975 I had a, my high school wrestling coach, Jerry Winterton, 213 00:26:17.976 --> 00:26:21.415 which by the way was the most winningest coach ever in North Carolina history. 214 00:26:21.895 --> 00:26:23.295 Uh, he said this all the time, he said, 215 00:26:23.615 --> 00:26:27.455 anything in life worth having comes at a cost. 216 00:26:27.875 --> 00:26:30.415 And I think we're gonna see that this week as we move into week two of our 217 00:26:30.416 --> 00:26:33.695 series that we're in right now called a Fresh Start. Uh, 218 00:26:33.805 --> 00:26:36.695 it's a timely series because we're at a time during the year where a lot of us 219 00:26:36.696 --> 00:26:40.095 are doing some evaluation of our lives. We're trying to make some decisions, 220 00:26:40.096 --> 00:26:42.335 some changes that we might wanna make, some resolutions. 221 00:26:43.145 --> 00:26:45.725 And then we're in this season as a church family here at Hope, 222 00:26:45.726 --> 00:26:48.605 where we're actually following God into a new day. 223 00:26:49.265 --> 00:26:52.205 And so what we're doing is we're walking through the book of Nehemiah, 224 00:26:52.206 --> 00:26:55.285 which is really a story of God's people, the Israelites, 225 00:26:55.286 --> 00:26:57.085 when they're getting a fresh start, uh, 226 00:26:57.086 --> 00:27:01.645 moving back into the land that that actually been exiled out of and years prior. 227 00:27:01.785 --> 00:27:03.484 So, uh, to give a little bit of context, 228 00:27:03.585 --> 00:27:06.045 and if you wanna go ahead and start turning to Nehemiah chapter two, uh, 229 00:27:06.046 --> 00:27:09.965 I'll meet you there in a minute, uh, Nehemiah, in case you missed it last week, 230 00:27:10.025 --> 00:27:14.645 or just as a reminder, uh, it's a time in, in history, uh, 231 00:27:14.734 --> 00:27:18.325 where God has made a covenant with his people. And, and he says, 232 00:27:18.425 --> 00:27:22.484 he says to the Jews, he says, I will be your God and you're gonna be my people. 233 00:27:22.905 --> 00:27:26.525 And part of that covenant was he was going to deliv to deliver them to a 234 00:27:26.725 --> 00:27:28.885 promised land, a land where they were gonna thrive. Uh, 235 00:27:28.915 --> 00:27:32.165 this was present day Israel. And then as a part of that covenant, 236 00:27:32.475 --> 00:27:34.005 they were gonna keep his commands. 237 00:27:34.155 --> 00:27:36.925 They were gonna live out his plans and purposes for them, 238 00:27:37.185 --> 00:27:40.885 and then they would be blessed to be a blessing to the world around them. 239 00:27:41.535 --> 00:27:43.484 Everything was working fine and good. 240 00:27:44.525 --> 00:27:47.605 And then what happened was they began to turn their back on the ways of God. 241 00:27:48.565 --> 00:27:51.805 And even though prophets like Jeremiah and they almost told them, they said, 242 00:27:51.806 --> 00:27:53.445 Hey, if you don't turn back to God, what he's gonna do, 243 00:27:53.446 --> 00:27:58.085 he's going to exile you out of Judah and into captivity in 244 00:27:58.155 --> 00:28:01.005 Babylon. This is the Israelites. They didn't listen. 245 00:28:01.015 --> 00:28:04.565 Moral decay continue to then sure enough, God did what he said he was gonna do. 246 00:28:05.005 --> 00:28:07.845 Uh, they're overthrown by the Babylon, by the Babylonians. Uh, 247 00:28:07.846 --> 00:28:11.805 their city was destroyed. The temple's torn apart. The wall around the city, uh, 248 00:28:11.905 --> 00:28:14.484 is burned to the ground, and then they're taken into captivity. 249 00:28:14.994 --> 00:28:18.205 They're forced to live in a foreign land and they, in that foreign land, 250 00:28:18.206 --> 00:28:22.205 they lose their sense of identity, uh, as to who they were as the people of God. 251 00:28:23.484 --> 00:28:26.165 Uh, years later, we read in the Book of Ezra, 252 00:28:26.166 --> 00:28:28.484 which is the book that precedes the book of Nehemiah, 253 00:28:28.755 --> 00:28:32.445 that the Babylonians were then overthrown by the Persian Empire. 254 00:28:32.865 --> 00:28:37.484 And then King Cyrus the Great made a decree during that time that the Israelites 255 00:28:37.485 --> 00:28:40.045 could actually leave and go back to Judah. 256 00:28:40.185 --> 00:28:44.485 And so a small portion of the Israelites actually went back to start rebuilding 257 00:28:44.505 --> 00:28:48.205 the city almost a hundred years after that decree was made. 258 00:28:48.265 --> 00:28:52.605 That's where we pick up in Nehemiah chapter one. Uh, Nehemiah, so you know, 259 00:28:52.725 --> 00:28:55.285 it's written in the first person by Nehemiah. Uh, 260 00:28:55.305 --> 00:28:59.365 he was a cupbearer to the king, we're told that. So while he was an Israelite, 261 00:28:59.385 --> 00:29:00.725 he was a Jew. Uh, 262 00:29:00.905 --> 00:29:04.485 he also had worked his way up into a high ranking official within the Persian 263 00:29:04.486 --> 00:29:07.245 government, what a cup bearer did. Uh, 264 00:29:07.246 --> 00:29:10.005 they were kinda like the first line of security detail for the king. 265 00:29:10.025 --> 00:29:13.125 So anything the king was gonna eat anything the king was gonna drink, 266 00:29:13.395 --> 00:29:17.365 they ate it first to make sure it wasn't poisoned. Uh, overall, 267 00:29:17.605 --> 00:29:19.645 a life of luxury, right? They live in royalty, 268 00:29:19.646 --> 00:29:22.845 they have proximity to and relationship with the king. So it's not a bad gig. 269 00:29:23.555 --> 00:29:28.205 What we saw last week in Nehemiah chapter one was Nehemiah's brother coming back 270 00:29:28.475 --> 00:29:31.605 from Judah to meet them in Suse in the Citadel. 271 00:29:31.606 --> 00:29:35.285 And he gives a report of how things are going back in Israel and understand. 272 00:29:35.286 --> 00:29:37.285 So as Nehemiah hears this, like he knows the context, 273 00:29:37.425 --> 00:29:39.485 he knows the covenant that God had given to him, that, 274 00:29:39.486 --> 00:29:42.765 that he had given to his people. They've been gone for a hundred years, 275 00:29:42.945 --> 00:29:45.805 but this is the report that he gets. The remnant there, the people, 276 00:29:45.865 --> 00:29:50.245 the Israelites there in the province who survived the exile is in great 277 00:29:50.395 --> 00:29:51.605 trouble and shame, 278 00:29:52.385 --> 00:29:56.805 the wall of Jerusalem is broken down and its gates are destroyed by fire. 279 00:29:57.625 --> 00:29:59.005 So Nehemiah's thinking like, 280 00:29:59.345 --> 00:30:02.485 my people have been there for almost a hundred years, like things are gonna be, 281 00:30:02.615 --> 00:30:04.005 we're gonna get a positive report. 282 00:30:04.005 --> 00:30:07.605 And then he gets this news and the guy's just broken over it. He's heartbroken. 283 00:30:07.606 --> 00:30:11.285 It says he mourns, he fast. And you gotta understand for Nehemiah, 284 00:30:11.286 --> 00:30:13.405 like this is not just about a wall, right? 285 00:30:13.406 --> 00:30:15.285 Like he knew God's covenant for his people. 286 00:30:15.465 --> 00:30:19.645 He understood the plans that God has for his people and what that promise meant, 287 00:30:19.646 --> 00:30:21.565 and this wasn't it. And so, 288 00:30:22.315 --> 00:30:25.805 without preaching my entire sermon from last week, , uh, 289 00:30:25.865 --> 00:30:30.565 the bottom line was when we align our hearts with God for a fresh start, uh, 290 00:30:30.625 --> 00:30:34.565 we see that our God is a God of new beginnings and fresh starts for us in our 291 00:30:34.566 --> 00:30:34.945 lives. 292 00:30:34.945 --> 00:30:39.605 And what we saw was four action steps that Nehemiah took to lean into that new 293 00:30:39.606 --> 00:30:42.245 beginning and fresh start that God has for his people. Uh, 294 00:30:42.385 --> 00:30:45.925 we saw him take inventory of the situation. Um, he asked questions. 295 00:30:46.505 --> 00:30:49.525 He slowed down in the midst of his busy life and said, Hey, 296 00:30:49.526 --> 00:30:52.725 what's going on with our people? Uh, it led him to brokenness. 297 00:30:52.835 --> 00:30:56.005 Like he spent time thinking through the implications of what it was that he 298 00:30:56.006 --> 00:31:00.005 heard. He spent time in humble prayer before God, praying for the situation, 299 00:31:00.065 --> 00:31:00.965 for the circumstances. 300 00:31:01.265 --> 00:31:04.845 He even recognized that like his sin and the sins of the Israelites had really 301 00:31:04.846 --> 00:31:08.085 contributed to them being where they were. And then it moved them to act. 302 00:31:08.875 --> 00:31:12.205 Chapter one closed out, as you could see, Nehemiah like realized, 303 00:31:12.505 --> 00:31:15.925 I'm the cup bearer to the king. I have been placed here for such a time as this. 304 00:31:16.145 --> 00:31:20.485 And it actually ends with him praying that God would give him favor as he goes 305 00:31:20.486 --> 00:31:24.925 before the king. So he makes a decision, uh, 306 00:31:25.265 --> 00:31:26.445 as we've talked about already, 307 00:31:26.446 --> 00:31:29.045 when you make a decision for something worth having, 308 00:31:29.195 --> 00:31:32.525 like day one's kind of an easy day, right? Tomorrow's gonna start. 309 00:31:32.685 --> 00:31:37.005 But what happens after day one, I mean day two obviously, 310 00:31:37.505 --> 00:31:40.965 but usually with that comes the challenge of what it is that we're walking into. 311 00:31:40.985 --> 00:31:44.485 So we're gonna pick up Nehemiah chapter two verse one. It says, 312 00:31:44.545 --> 00:31:48.205 in the month of Nassan, in the 20th year of King Art of Xerxes, 313 00:31:48.795 --> 00:31:51.365 when the wine was before him. So he's the cup bearer, 314 00:31:51.366 --> 00:31:54.965 he's bringing wine to the king. I took up the wine and I gave it to the king. 315 00:31:55.665 --> 00:31:59.045 Now, I had not been sad in his presence. So he's saying up until this point, 316 00:31:59.165 --> 00:32:00.845 I hadn't been sad in the presence of the king. 317 00:32:01.715 --> 00:32:03.845 Give you a little background here. The month of Nisan, 318 00:32:03.846 --> 00:32:06.085 it's the first month of the Jewish calendar, 319 00:32:06.375 --> 00:32:08.645 still in the 20th year of King Art of Xerxes. 320 00:32:08.646 --> 00:32:10.045 That's where we were in chapter one. 321 00:32:10.265 --> 00:32:13.725 But that's important because when Nehemiah first heard the news, 322 00:32:13.825 --> 00:32:15.485 it said that it was the month of iff, 323 00:32:15.486 --> 00:32:17.525 which is the ninth month of the Jewish calendar. 324 00:32:17.665 --> 00:32:21.445 So this like he gets at this moment in time, 325 00:32:21.595 --> 00:32:24.965 it's four months after he originally heard the news. 326 00:32:24.985 --> 00:32:29.965 And so what that tells us is that while Nehemiah knew that God had moved in 327 00:32:29.966 --> 00:32:31.445 his heart to actually act, 328 00:32:32.545 --> 00:32:36.285 he also knew it wasn't his place to actually outrun the pace that God was 329 00:32:36.286 --> 00:32:38.165 moving. You know, 330 00:32:38.185 --> 00:32:41.965 so many times in our lives we get this holy discontent or something, 331 00:32:41.966 --> 00:32:45.645 we kind of get a spur, so to speak, and we think, man, it's time to act now. 332 00:32:46.105 --> 00:32:49.405 But what we see here from Nehemiah is that when we align with God for a fresh 333 00:32:49.406 --> 00:32:53.525 start, we, we've gotta trust in God's timing. And for a lot of us, man, 334 00:32:53.526 --> 00:32:56.085 that's the first obstacle. Like, God, I've, God's called me into this. 335 00:32:56.475 --> 00:32:58.845 I've made a decision. I'm gonna pursue something new, 336 00:32:58.846 --> 00:33:00.925 but it's not happening as fast as I want to. 337 00:33:01.945 --> 00:33:06.655 And I want you to know like God is faithful to the ones who are patient 338 00:33:07.675 --> 00:33:10.455 and who trust in his timing. And, uh, 339 00:33:10.456 --> 00:33:14.175 there's stories all throughout God's word of people who have actually waited on 340 00:33:14.385 --> 00:33:16.695 God's timing. And so I'm gonna read through a couple of 'em, 341 00:33:16.715 --> 00:33:17.735 I'm gonna share a couple of 'em with you. 342 00:33:17.955 --> 00:33:20.455 If you're hearing this and you're like, man, I don't know what the Bible says, 343 00:33:20.535 --> 00:33:23.255 I don't know who any of those people are, that's okay, just come back. 344 00:33:23.455 --> 00:33:25.935 'cause we try to teach through 'em and uh, we'll walk through 'em. But if, 345 00:33:25.936 --> 00:33:28.855 you know, these are good reminders, uh, of people who had to wait on the Lord, 346 00:33:28.856 --> 00:33:29.735 Abraham and Sarah, 347 00:33:30.175 --> 00:33:33.935 they waited 25 years from the time that God promised them a child. 348 00:33:34.205 --> 00:33:37.775 Abraham was 75 years old. Uh, Sarah was 65, 349 00:33:37.795 --> 00:33:41.855 so that means that he was a hundred and Sarah was 90 when they were given their, 350 00:33:41.856 --> 00:33:46.815 their son Isaac Joseph. He was sold into slavery by his brothers, 351 00:33:47.455 --> 00:33:50.495 then falsely accused by Potiphar's wife of making a move on her. 352 00:33:50.515 --> 00:33:54.695 And so it was 13 years before he saw vindication and a blessing from God. 353 00:33:56.145 --> 00:33:59.215 Moses, one of the, the greatest leaders, uh, 354 00:33:59.235 --> 00:34:04.175 of the Israelites ever in the desert for 40 years before God called him into 355 00:34:04.176 --> 00:34:07.495 leading them out of Egypt. Then he waited another 40 years in the wilderness, 356 00:34:07.555 --> 00:34:10.775 in the desert, uh, before they actually went into the Promised Land. 357 00:34:10.895 --> 00:34:11.705 And then on top of that, 358 00:34:11.705 --> 00:34:15.135 Moses didn't even get to go into the Promised Land with God's people, 359 00:34:15.965 --> 00:34:19.335 king David. He was anointed king as a shepherd boy. 360 00:34:19.915 --> 00:34:22.895 But he spent years fleeing for his life from King Saul. 361 00:34:24.075 --> 00:34:27.614 He actually had a chance to kill Saul himself, and he didn't because he said, 362 00:34:27.615 --> 00:34:30.735 listen, I'm not gonna outrun God. I'm not gonna touch the Lord's anointed. 363 00:34:30.736 --> 00:34:33.495 He trusted in God's timing. Hannah waited for a child. 364 00:34:33.665 --> 00:34:37.735 Jacob waited seven years and a week to marry Rachel. That's a crazy story. 365 00:34:37.736 --> 00:34:41.495 Should read it sometime. Uh, the Israelites, they spent 70 years in Babylon. 366 00:34:41.496 --> 00:34:44.535 We're talking about that right now. The disciples waited on the Holy Spirit. 367 00:34:44.536 --> 00:34:48.855 But what I wanna see here is family doing things the right way 368 00:34:50.435 --> 00:34:53.655 before God following his plans and purposes. It, it, 369 00:34:53.675 --> 00:34:55.575 it always means trusting in God's timing. 370 00:34:57.775 --> 00:35:01.035 And this isn't even like the point of this whole sermon, but, 371 00:35:01.175 --> 00:35:03.755 but I think some of us, we need to hear this 372 00:35:05.585 --> 00:35:08.995 like God does something in the waiting in our lives. 373 00:35:10.535 --> 00:35:14.675 He positions us in the waiting. He, he prepares us in the waiting. 374 00:35:14.676 --> 00:35:15.995 Like when God gives you a, 375 00:35:16.075 --> 00:35:18.875 a vision of the preferred future of where you're supposed to be and you think 376 00:35:18.876 --> 00:35:20.515 you're supposed to be all there, be there already. 377 00:35:20.585 --> 00:35:22.435 Like you start seeing things that you would do, 378 00:35:22.436 --> 00:35:24.955 things that you would do differently. He prepares us. Uh, 379 00:35:24.956 --> 00:35:28.315 we learn that our ambitions aren't important as God's plans. 380 00:35:30.375 --> 00:35:33.755 We learned faith and God's sovereignty. We learned how to pray, how to fast, 381 00:35:34.364 --> 00:35:35.197 which by the way, 382 00:35:35.555 --> 00:35:39.165 Nehemiah said that he had been praying and fasting day and night. Okay? 383 00:35:39.725 --> 00:35:41.565 Remember, it's been four months. 384 00:35:42.555 --> 00:35:46.245 Like sometimes we can't wait four minutes right before we need to say the thing 385 00:35:46.246 --> 00:35:49.165 that we know that we need to say. And spoiler alert here, uh, 386 00:35:49.515 --> 00:35:50.685 when we get to chapter six, 387 00:35:50.695 --> 00:35:54.525 we're gonna see that the wall does actually get rebuilt. Uh, 388 00:35:54.864 --> 00:35:58.285 it takes 52 days for them to rebuild the wall. That's it. 389 00:35:58.305 --> 00:36:02.045 So the Israelites have been back there for a hundred years. Uh, 390 00:36:02.105 --> 00:36:05.725 the wall has not been rebuilt yet, and it gets done in 52 days. 391 00:36:06.965 --> 00:36:11.925 Nehemiah spent more time waiting and praying and fasting than 392 00:36:11.926 --> 00:36:14.045 it actually took for God to get the wall built. 393 00:36:15.775 --> 00:36:19.715 And I just wonder how many times in our lives, man, do we say, you know what? 394 00:36:19.716 --> 00:36:22.675 We gotta get after it. We gotta get after it. When's it gonna get done? 395 00:36:22.864 --> 00:36:26.635 What would our lives look like if we just took a step back and just realized 396 00:36:26.875 --> 00:36:29.875 maybe, maybe I need to spend a bit more time praying and fasting before God? 397 00:36:33.344 --> 00:36:34.175 Oftentimes with God, it, 398 00:36:34.175 --> 00:36:38.905 it's more about what he wants to do in us through the waiting than what it is 399 00:36:38.906 --> 00:36:41.065 that he wants to provide for us. After the waiting, 400 00:36:41.785 --> 00:36:45.745 like there's just something to realizing that the process is greater than the 401 00:36:45.746 --> 00:36:49.465 destination. So when we align our hearts with God for a fresh start, 402 00:36:49.915 --> 00:36:51.625 we've gotta trust God in his timing. 403 00:36:53.405 --> 00:36:57.705 So we waited four months for God to provide just the right moment, okay? Uh, 404 00:36:57.875 --> 00:37:00.665 verse two, it says, and the king said to me, 405 00:37:01.705 --> 00:37:04.225 remember he said he hadn't been sad in the presence of the king. He says, 406 00:37:04.245 --> 00:37:06.425 why is your face sad seeing that you're not sick? 407 00:37:06.855 --> 00:37:10.864 This is nothing but sadness of the heart. So the king recognizes like, 408 00:37:10.865 --> 00:37:13.185 there's something going on, like you're sad what's going on? 409 00:37:13.285 --> 00:37:14.945 And if you're Nehemiah, you've gotta be thinking, 410 00:37:15.265 --> 00:37:18.145 I have prayed about this for four months. I've fasted, 411 00:37:18.295 --> 00:37:21.585 I've waited for the moment. There's an opportunity coming. What does he do? 412 00:37:22.855 --> 00:37:24.785 Then I was very much afraid. 413 00:37:26.945 --> 00:37:29.605 You ever been at that moment where, you know, like, I've gotta do something, 414 00:37:30.114 --> 00:37:33.725 I've gotta say something. You probably have the conversation with yourself in, 415 00:37:33.905 --> 00:37:36.005 in your head, and then you get there. 416 00:37:37.665 --> 00:37:41.844 Here's the moment he says, I said to the king, let the king live forever, 417 00:37:43.075 --> 00:37:45.645 just giving glory and honor to, to the king respecting the king. 418 00:37:46.565 --> 00:37:48.805 Why should my face not be sad when the city, 419 00:37:48.905 --> 00:37:53.445 the place of my father's graves lies and ruins and its gates have been destroyed 420 00:37:53.446 --> 00:37:57.005 by fire. So lets him know what's going on. He's honest with them. 421 00:37:57.975 --> 00:37:59.725 Verse four, then the king said to me, 422 00:38:00.765 --> 00:38:03.005 I love the king doesn't have a lot of time, right? Really direct. 423 00:38:03.035 --> 00:38:07.364 What are you requesting? So I look at this, 424 00:38:07.905 --> 00:38:10.885 the king asked him, what are you requesting? He doesn't answer him. 425 00:38:10.975 --> 00:38:14.245 Could you say that again? I'm, no, I can't say that again. Hold on. 426 00:38:14.415 --> 00:38:15.725 Let's do what I thought I already did. 427 00:38:15.726 --> 00:38:19.085 Make sure this thing's turned off for those listening on a podcast, uh, 428 00:38:19.285 --> 00:38:22.445 my watch decided to talk right in the middle of a message, clearly very curious, 429 00:38:22.805 --> 00:38:27.525 Linda. And that's great. He doesn't answer him right away. Look what it says. 430 00:38:27.864 --> 00:38:30.725 He says, the king asked, what are you requesting? He said, 431 00:38:30.726 --> 00:38:32.325 so I prayed to the God of heaven. 432 00:38:34.065 --> 00:38:37.285 We can't miss like Nehemiah praying without ceasing. 433 00:38:37.505 --> 00:38:40.765 He clearly understands that this is a God thing, not a Nehemiah thing. 434 00:38:41.745 --> 00:38:43.364 And how many times in our life, again, 435 00:38:43.365 --> 00:38:46.245 do we see this thing that we gotta chase after when we make it a little bit more 436 00:38:46.246 --> 00:38:48.445 about us and a little bit less about God, 437 00:38:51.065 --> 00:38:54.605 but he prays to the God of heaven. And then after he prays, verse five, he says, 438 00:38:54.765 --> 00:38:56.844 and I said to the king, if it pleases the king, 439 00:38:56.985 --> 00:39:01.405 and if your servant has found favor in your sight that you send me to Judah, 440 00:39:01.406 --> 00:39:05.085 the city of my father's graves, that I may rebuild it. 441 00:39:06.594 --> 00:39:08.805 This is a man that knows what he needs to do. 442 00:39:09.505 --> 00:39:11.525 He knows what God's called him to do. 443 00:39:12.835 --> 00:39:17.094 But you gotta listen to his humility. He didn't say, Hey, yeah, 444 00:39:17.095 --> 00:39:21.655 thanks for asking. I'm gonna do this. No matter what he says, I'm, 445 00:39:21.675 --> 00:39:25.055 I'm trusting the authority that God's placed over me. Ne Nehemiah says, 446 00:39:25.075 --> 00:39:28.575 if it pleases the king, Nehemiah knew that, 447 00:39:28.815 --> 00:39:32.975 that God could work in the king's heart. You know, the Psalms tell us that, 448 00:39:32.976 --> 00:39:36.295 that God can guide the hearts of kings like rivers. 449 00:39:39.785 --> 00:39:41.645 So the king responds, he says to me, 450 00:39:41.646 --> 00:39:43.805 with the queen sitting beside him asks him a question, 451 00:39:44.045 --> 00:39:45.844 how long will you be gone and when will you return? 452 00:39:46.665 --> 00:39:51.205 So it please the king to send me when I gave him the time? So the kink says yes, 453 00:39:51.445 --> 00:39:53.765 right? He says, Nehemiah ask. He says, yes, go build the city. 454 00:39:53.985 --> 00:39:55.885 And you would think like, okay, that was it. 455 00:39:55.886 --> 00:39:57.364 Nehemiah wanted to go build the city, 456 00:39:57.545 --> 00:40:01.045 but this is a man that's like sat in prayer. He is a man that is convicted. 457 00:40:01.145 --> 00:40:04.125 And so we saw a guy a moment ago that was kind of afraid even to ask the 458 00:40:04.245 --> 00:40:08.125 question, he's sensing the favor of God. He doesn't stop. Verse seven, he says, 459 00:40:08.225 --> 00:40:11.925 so then I said to the king, if it pleases the king, let the letters be give, 460 00:40:11.985 --> 00:40:13.364 let letters be given to me, 461 00:40:14.145 --> 00:40:17.525 to the governors of the province beyond the river that they may let me pass 462 00:40:17.526 --> 00:40:21.245 through until I come to Judah. And a letter to asap, 463 00:40:21.265 --> 00:40:22.765 the keeper of the king's forest, 464 00:40:23.235 --> 00:40:27.885 that he may give me timber to make beams for the gates of the fortress, 465 00:40:27.886 --> 00:40:32.205 of the temple, for the wall of the city, and for the house that I shall occupy. 466 00:40:32.355 --> 00:40:34.364 It's like he just stuck that one in. Like, 467 00:40:34.365 --> 00:40:37.205 I wanna go rebuild the temple and I wanna rebuild the wall and I'm maybe gonna 468 00:40:37.206 --> 00:40:38.325 build myself a house there. 469 00:40:40.955 --> 00:40:44.015 And the king granted me what I asked for. 470 00:40:44.035 --> 00:40:47.455 The good hand of my God was upon me. Notice he doesn't say, 471 00:40:47.735 --> 00:40:52.285 'cause I gave a great speech. He didn't say 'cause I compelled him. He said, 472 00:40:52.286 --> 00:40:54.844 the king gave me what I asked because God's hand was on me 473 00:40:57.105 --> 00:41:00.125 plenty to talk about here. Uh, if we had more time. But I, 474 00:41:00.126 --> 00:41:03.165 we gotta see like how the favor of God keeps coming. 475 00:41:03.645 --> 00:41:07.125 I also wanna take a minute and just recognize like this is about the plans and 476 00:41:07.126 --> 00:41:09.605 the purposes of God for his people and what he wants to do in the world. 477 00:41:09.915 --> 00:41:14.005 What you see here is sometimes the plans and the purposes of God require 478 00:41:14.325 --> 00:41:15.805 resources. Um, 479 00:41:16.035 --> 00:41:19.245 there's been some times quite regularly recently in our worship services where, 480 00:41:19.765 --> 00:41:24.165 um, we've actually, uh, taken time during our worship time, uh, 481 00:41:24.525 --> 00:41:29.005 to to explain, um, generosity and giving as a part of our worship. 482 00:41:29.385 --> 00:41:32.364 And we've done that for, in part because of this, 483 00:41:32.435 --> 00:41:35.485 like to do and to live out the plans and purposes of God. 484 00:41:35.486 --> 00:41:39.205 Sometimes it requires resources. That's really like a small part of it. Uh, 485 00:41:39.364 --> 00:41:42.885 a large part of it is because the Bible tells us we're created in the image of a 486 00:41:43.085 --> 00:41:46.165 generous God and part of our discipleship and becoming more like Jesus has 487 00:41:46.445 --> 00:41:48.325 recognized, we have been blessed to be a blessing. 488 00:41:48.326 --> 00:41:50.765 Everything that we have in our lives has been given to us by God. 489 00:41:51.025 --> 00:41:54.925 And we are called by God in generosity, uh, to give that back. And you, 490 00:41:54.945 --> 00:41:56.445 you see this lived out here. 491 00:41:56.945 --> 00:42:00.285 But I I tell you that not because I'm trying to really tell you that. 492 00:42:00.286 --> 00:42:03.125 What I want to tell you is at our Christmas services, 493 00:42:03.364 --> 00:42:06.125 at our Christmas Eve services, at our Christmas walkout offerings, 494 00:42:06.344 --> 00:42:07.605 we told all of you, we said, 495 00:42:07.606 --> 00:42:12.285 this year everything that comes in is gonna go to our Benevolence 496 00:42:12.286 --> 00:42:13.086 Ministries here at Hope. 497 00:42:13.086 --> 00:42:15.325 It's gonna go serve right back into the local community. 498 00:42:15.505 --> 00:42:19.165 And so it's gonna go to pay for things like rent for people that don't have it, 499 00:42:19.185 --> 00:42:22.325 to, to pay for light bills, to put food, uh, in the pantry, 500 00:42:22.425 --> 00:42:24.485 to put food on the table. It's gonna go to, to, 501 00:42:24.486 --> 00:42:28.205 to provide resources for and to support women who've been rescued out of human 502 00:42:28.405 --> 00:42:29.565 trafficking situations locally. 503 00:42:31.085 --> 00:42:33.844 I just wanna celebrate across all of our campuses right now, 504 00:42:33.845 --> 00:42:36.005 the generosity of those who showed up. 505 00:42:36.735 --> 00:42:41.005 $65,000 came in across all of our campuses on Christmas Eve. 506 00:42:45.325 --> 00:42:47.645 I mean that to a degree, like that's God's favor, 507 00:42:48.265 --> 00:42:50.285 but that's also people recognizing man, for, 508 00:42:50.286 --> 00:42:53.045 for God's plans and purposes to move forward. Like we, 509 00:42:53.835 --> 00:42:55.285 it's gonna require resources. 510 00:42:55.505 --> 00:42:59.805 But what I don't want us to miss here is the faithfulness of God and the favor 511 00:42:59.806 --> 00:43:01.125 of God. But I want to ask you a question. 512 00:43:02.395 --> 00:43:07.065 Don't you think that Nehemiah's faithfulness to what God had in front of him for 513 00:43:07.066 --> 00:43:08.305 years as the cup bearer, 514 00:43:08.565 --> 00:43:12.665 and don't you think that time that he spent praying and fasting had quite a bit 515 00:43:12.666 --> 00:43:17.645 to do with the favor that he saw in that moment? And again, 516 00:43:17.745 --> 00:43:20.045 I'm telling you, I I was so convicted in this message, 517 00:43:21.125 --> 00:43:24.925 but how much time do I really spend in prayer and in fasting for the things that 518 00:43:24.965 --> 00:43:29.045 I believe that God is calling myself into as a husband, as a dad, as a man, 519 00:43:29.046 --> 00:43:32.485 and then even as a church? So the king says go, 520 00:43:33.185 --> 00:43:34.645 so he sets all for Jerusalem. 521 00:43:34.875 --> 00:43:39.125 That was day two was really like day one of month four. But like, 522 00:43:39.126 --> 00:43:41.285 that's a hard day, right? You gotta have a hard conversation. 523 00:43:41.715 --> 00:43:45.765 Clearly day three things are gonna get easy. Verse nine, 524 00:43:46.114 --> 00:43:48.725 then I came to the governor. So he's leaving. He's got the letters, 525 00:43:48.835 --> 00:43:49.805 he's got everything he needs. 526 00:43:49.995 --> 00:43:52.605 Then I came to the governors of the province beyond the river, 527 00:43:52.705 --> 00:43:54.925 and I gave them the king's letters. Now, 528 00:43:54.926 --> 00:43:58.685 the king had also sent me with officers of the army and horsemen, 529 00:43:59.425 --> 00:44:04.364 but when Samba, the Horror Night and Tobiah, the Ammonite servant heard this, 530 00:44:05.105 --> 00:44:09.965 it displeased them greatly that someone had come to seek the welfare of the 531 00:44:09.966 --> 00:44:13.525 people of Israel. So these are like political leaders, some other folks, 532 00:44:14.285 --> 00:44:15.118 they're in the region. 533 00:44:16.385 --> 00:44:19.285 You ever tried to do something for good and then for some reason, 534 00:44:19.286 --> 00:44:23.205 like everybody around you didn't love it. Um, 535 00:44:24.355 --> 00:44:27.775 you got Nehemiah here willing to risk everything that he has to go before the 536 00:44:27.776 --> 00:44:31.405 king, you know, to risk everything that he, he has for God's people, 537 00:44:31.545 --> 00:44:34.605 for this covenant that he believes in, that he knows God has given to them. 538 00:44:34.785 --> 00:44:38.045 And now there's some people who are greatly displeased. This is the, um, 539 00:44:38.344 --> 00:44:41.725 the old theological concept that, um, 540 00:44:42.515 --> 00:44:45.805 hater's gonna hate. Like that's what this is right here. 541 00:44:45.825 --> 00:44:47.565 You see it plain and simply. And I'm telling you, 542 00:44:47.635 --> 00:44:50.364 when you step out in life to pursue something good, 543 00:44:50.365 --> 00:44:53.285 whether it's for yourself or if it's for the greater good for the world around 544 00:44:53.286 --> 00:44:57.445 you, especially if it's something different, you are gonna face naysayers. 545 00:44:57.875 --> 00:45:01.725 Like it's gonna be hard. It's, and it makes sense, right? 546 00:45:01.805 --> 00:45:04.685 A lot of times when we're doing that, they probably haven't heard from God. 547 00:45:04.686 --> 00:45:05.519 Like you have, 548 00:45:05.955 --> 00:45:09.485 like you might be calling them into something that's not the status quo for 549 00:45:09.486 --> 00:45:10.085 them, what you're doing. 550 00:45:10.085 --> 00:45:13.885 It might impact them in a way that that might concern them a bit about their 551 00:45:14.125 --> 00:45:16.725 security. And that's really what's going on here in this situation. 552 00:45:16.726 --> 00:45:18.525 These two guys, samba Tobias, 553 00:45:18.675 --> 00:45:21.805 like this is going to impact their political influence in the region. 554 00:45:22.025 --> 00:45:25.725 If this city gets built back up and is safe and secure, 555 00:45:25.915 --> 00:45:28.485 they're not gonna have all the power and the influence that they have. 556 00:45:28.945 --> 00:45:32.045 But sometimes it's not even for selfish reasons, right? I mean, just as humans, 557 00:45:33.065 --> 00:45:33.925 we don't like change. 558 00:45:34.985 --> 00:45:37.405 And so you just gotta know when you're trying to get a fresh start, 559 00:45:37.406 --> 00:45:39.285 when you're stepping out into this new beginning. 560 00:45:39.594 --> 00:45:41.485 When we align with God's heart for a fresh start, 561 00:45:41.545 --> 00:45:45.725 we have to trust in God's calling over man's rumblings. 562 00:45:46.805 --> 00:45:51.665 We have to, 'cause it's gonna happen. His journey continues. Verse 11. 563 00:45:52.485 --> 00:45:57.225 So I went to Jerusalem, so he gets there, I was there three days, 564 00:45:57.895 --> 00:46:00.465 then I arose in the night, I and a few men with me, 565 00:46:00.844 --> 00:46:05.665 and I told no one what my God had put into my heart to do 566 00:46:05.666 --> 00:46:08.785 for Jerusalem. Quick lesson here. Uh, 567 00:46:09.495 --> 00:46:14.385 sometimes there's wisdom in holding onto what it is that God's told you and just 568 00:46:14.386 --> 00:46:18.465 keeping it between you and him. Uh, you'll know when it's time. 569 00:46:19.455 --> 00:46:23.425 This is something that, um, just, just being honest with you as a leader, like, 570 00:46:23.665 --> 00:46:26.225 uh, this is something I need to work on. . Like, you, 571 00:46:26.226 --> 00:46:29.385 you hear something before God sometimes and you just wanna start running and you 572 00:46:29.386 --> 00:46:30.785 haven't really talked about a plan yet. 573 00:46:30.786 --> 00:46:34.025 You haven't really gotten people there and not to mention you. Again, 574 00:46:34.026 --> 00:46:35.785 you can start to outrun God. Like if, 575 00:46:35.805 --> 00:46:39.185 if you're married and you believe that God reveals something to you and his 576 00:46:39.195 --> 00:46:41.785 grace and mercy that needs to change about your spouse, 577 00:46:43.515 --> 00:46:46.355 I would encourage you to pray about that for them more that you talk to them 578 00:46:46.356 --> 00:46:47.594 about it . 579 00:46:48.385 --> 00:46:51.075 Like if you've got a coworker or a boss or somebody that works for you and 580 00:46:51.076 --> 00:46:52.715 there's some things you need, like I would encourage you, 581 00:46:52.905 --> 00:46:55.355 pray for them more than you talk to them. I heard someone say one time, 582 00:46:55.785 --> 00:46:58.594 it's hard to hear the whisper of the Holy Spirit if you've got someone yelling 583 00:46:58.595 --> 00:47:02.715 in your ear. So we just, 584 00:47:02.785 --> 00:47:05.995 just recognize that like the, the guy's wise, he's using wisdom. 585 00:47:07.255 --> 00:47:10.955 You see the patience of Nehemiah. So he's investigating again, 586 00:47:10.956 --> 00:47:13.955 he's taking inventory of the situation. It goes on. He says, 587 00:47:13.956 --> 00:47:17.795 there was no animal with me, but the one on which I wrote on, um, 588 00:47:17.875 --> 00:47:20.715 I think it would've been easier there just to say I was riding on a horse, 589 00:47:20.775 --> 00:47:23.075 but that's fine. Uh, verse 13, it says, 590 00:47:23.114 --> 00:47:28.075 I went out by night by the valley gate to the dragon spring. 591 00:47:28.415 --> 00:47:31.565 You can guess what that is. Uh, and to the dung gate, 592 00:47:31.864 --> 00:47:33.205 I'm pretty certain you know what that is. 593 00:47:33.945 --> 00:47:36.565 And I inspected the walls of Jerusalem, listen, 594 00:47:36.715 --> 00:47:40.005 that were broken down and it's gates that have been destroyed by fire. 595 00:47:42.905 --> 00:47:43.765 So to this point, 596 00:47:43.766 --> 00:47:47.925 Nehemiah had really only heard about the walls being torn down in the rubble 597 00:47:48.915 --> 00:47:53.565 that was now Judah, right? He heard about it and he broke down. 598 00:47:53.745 --> 00:47:57.445 He mourned, but now he's seeing it face to face. He's, 599 00:47:58.005 --> 00:48:00.805 and I just want you to kind of imagine the scene he's going through on a 600 00:48:00.806 --> 00:48:02.285 horseback and this once prosperous, 601 00:48:02.625 --> 00:48:07.605 but now ruined city with these broken down and burned and 602 00:48:07.705 --> 00:48:09.285 busted stones all over the place. 603 00:48:10.545 --> 00:48:13.844 And you're there because you know that God has a plan for this city to thrive. 604 00:48:14.195 --> 00:48:16.405 Like your forefathers lived there and, 605 00:48:16.725 --> 00:48:18.525 and everyone who lived here lived in prosperity. 606 00:48:18.665 --> 00:48:20.525 And you're here to rebuild the wall, 607 00:48:20.526 --> 00:48:24.645 but you're most likely tempted to be overwhelmed by the work that needs to be 608 00:48:24.646 --> 00:48:25.479 done. 609 00:48:28.005 --> 00:48:32.185 And I'm certain that there's a lot of us to find ourselves in places 610 00:48:32.195 --> 00:48:35.305 where we think, man, I know there's a lot of work to be done. 611 00:48:35.435 --> 00:48:40.025 Maybe it's in our own personal lives, but we look around and we think, man, I, 612 00:48:42.515 --> 00:48:43.755 there's just too much broken around me. 613 00:48:44.545 --> 00:48:47.395 Like I don't even really know if I can get this put back together. 614 00:48:49.415 --> 00:48:50.555 You're probably tempted to think, 615 00:48:50.575 --> 00:48:53.915 is there any way that we can see this thing be rebuilt? 616 00:48:53.975 --> 00:48:58.075 But what Nehemiah understood was when we align with God for a fresh start, 617 00:48:59.335 --> 00:49:01.435 we have to trust that God is bigger than the brokenness. 618 00:49:02.765 --> 00:49:04.835 We're gonna see brokenness around us in our lives. 619 00:49:04.885 --> 00:49:09.114 We've gotta trust that God's bigger because he believes that Nehemiah stays the 620 00:49:09.275 --> 00:49:12.475 course. You get to verse 14, then I went onto the fountain gate, 621 00:49:13.555 --> 00:49:14.388 into the king's pool, 622 00:49:14.655 --> 00:49:17.435 but there was no room for the animal that was under me to pass. 623 00:49:18.425 --> 00:49:22.395 Then I went up and the night by the valley and I inspected the wall and I turned 624 00:49:22.396 --> 00:49:25.875 back and I entered by the valley gate and so returned verse 16. 625 00:49:26.215 --> 00:49:29.475 And the officials did not know where I had gone or what I was doing. 626 00:49:29.855 --> 00:49:34.114 And I had not listened to this. I had not yet told the Jews, the priests, 627 00:49:34.115 --> 00:49:37.035 the nobles, the officials, and the rest who were to do the work. 628 00:49:37.275 --> 00:49:38.108 So we hadn't told anyone. 629 00:49:41.915 --> 00:49:46.695 You gotta understand, Nehemiah is now aware of the work that's ahead of him. 630 00:49:47.445 --> 00:49:49.855 Like he's seen it. He, 631 00:49:49.875 --> 00:49:52.215 he knows that he's been called to be a part of the solution. 632 00:49:52.216 --> 00:49:53.495 He's trusted in God's timing. 633 00:49:53.844 --> 00:49:56.975 He's recognized that God's calling is greater than the rumblings. Uh, he, 634 00:49:56.976 --> 00:49:59.655 he's believing that God is bigger than the brokenness, 635 00:50:00.035 --> 00:50:05.015 but right now is the time for him to call God's people into what it is that 636 00:50:05.016 --> 00:50:08.015 he has for them. This is a big moment. Now listen, 637 00:50:08.215 --> 00:50:09.575 I don't know what Nehemiah looks like. 638 00:50:09.855 --> 00:50:11.775 I don't know what the intensity of which he speaks, 639 00:50:11.795 --> 00:50:14.135 but like this is a big moment. And so when I'm thinking through it, 640 00:50:14.136 --> 00:50:15.455 we already know he is on a horse. Uh, 641 00:50:15.475 --> 00:50:18.575 I'm kind of thinking like Mel Gibson and Braveheart kind of thing. 642 00:50:19.635 --> 00:50:24.175 And yeah, this is communications team got a picture. That's great. 643 00:50:25.195 --> 00:50:27.420 You don't have to think about that if you want to, but it works for me. 644 00:50:27.421 --> 00:50:29.844 So that's what I'm gonna go with. You get to verse 17. 645 00:50:30.205 --> 00:50:32.765 Nehemiah is here at this moment. It says, then I said to them, 646 00:50:33.685 --> 00:50:37.805 you see the trouble that we're in how Jerusalem lies and ruins with its gates 647 00:50:37.806 --> 00:50:42.765 burned, come let us build the wall of Jerusalem that we may no longer suffer. 648 00:50:43.085 --> 00:50:46.715 Derision. Full transparency. 649 00:50:47.995 --> 00:50:52.515 I had to do a word study on derision in English and in Hebrew, um, 650 00:50:53.155 --> 00:50:55.355 I can't remember the last time that I used it in a sentence, 651 00:50:57.025 --> 00:50:59.005 but it means ridicule or mockery. 652 00:51:00.545 --> 00:51:03.605 And it speaks to the shame that we talked about in chapter one, 653 00:51:03.606 --> 00:51:07.085 that God's people felt because they knew they were not where they were supposed 654 00:51:07.086 --> 00:51:09.565 to be in light of God's plan and purpose. For them, 655 00:51:10.395 --> 00:51:11.885 they were supposed to be the light of the world. 656 00:51:12.125 --> 00:51:14.925 The the world was supposed to look to them and to see the glory of God. 657 00:51:15.145 --> 00:51:18.364 But all you see is their world around them broken and in ruins. 658 00:51:19.435 --> 00:51:23.805 What are he saying? He's like, he's saying, we were made for more than this. 659 00:51:26.085 --> 00:51:27.445 You get to verse 18, and he says, 660 00:51:27.765 --> 00:51:31.805 I told them of the hand of my God that had been upon me for good and also the 661 00:51:31.806 --> 00:51:34.965 words that the king had spoken to me. And they said, 662 00:51:35.225 --> 00:51:37.085 let us rise up and build. 663 00:51:37.864 --> 00:51:42.285 So they strengthened their hands for the good work. Nehemiah says, listen, 664 00:51:42.465 --> 00:51:44.285 you guys don't understand. God's been working. 665 00:51:44.435 --> 00:51:46.885 He's made it clear to me like God is in this thing. 666 00:51:47.145 --> 00:51:50.605 The king is behind this thing. We have found favor with God and with man. 667 00:51:50.606 --> 00:51:53.285 And the people look at one another and they say, let's do this thing. 668 00:51:55.425 --> 00:51:59.645 And you're gonna see next week what can happen when God's people actually come 669 00:51:59.844 --> 00:52:03.405 together and everybody plays their part. And I told you last week, 670 00:52:03.406 --> 00:52:07.125 when we assign, when we align ourselves with God's heart for a fresh start, 671 00:52:08.155 --> 00:52:12.685 there's nothing that can stand against it. So you're gonna start building. 672 00:52:13.555 --> 00:52:16.844 This is where it gets easy, right? Verse 19, 673 00:52:18.125 --> 00:52:22.565 here come the haters again. But when samba, the hor knight and Toba, 674 00:52:22.705 --> 00:52:26.405 the Ammonites, the servant and gem, the Arab heard of it, 675 00:52:26.635 --> 00:52:30.045 they jeered at us and despised us. And this is what they said. 676 00:52:30.555 --> 00:52:33.565 What is this thing that you're doing? Are you rebelling against the king? 677 00:52:34.835 --> 00:52:37.285 They're really doing is like they're gospel. I mean, they're not, 678 00:52:37.475 --> 00:52:39.245 they're not rebelling against the king. 679 00:52:39.246 --> 00:52:42.645 They actually have documents given to them by the king. But if you notice, 680 00:52:42.885 --> 00:52:45.445 the temptation in that moment would be like to get defensive. He say, no, no, 681 00:52:45.446 --> 00:52:47.885 no. I I actually have papers from the king. I'm not doing that. 682 00:52:47.985 --> 00:52:50.525 He doesn't even worry about that. Look what he does. He goes right above that. 683 00:52:50.526 --> 00:52:53.285 He says, I reply to him. This isn't about papers, this isn't about anything. 684 00:52:53.585 --> 00:52:57.205 The God of heaven will make us prosper and we, 685 00:52:57.225 --> 00:52:59.285 his servants will arise and build. 686 00:52:59.505 --> 00:53:03.405 But you have no portion or right or claim in Jerusalem. 687 00:53:03.406 --> 00:53:06.844 You know what Nehemiah knew? Nehemiah understood. If my God is for me, 688 00:53:07.075 --> 00:53:08.485 nothing can stand against me. 689 00:53:10.395 --> 00:53:13.005 Nothing can stand against what it was that God has for them. 690 00:53:13.025 --> 00:53:17.045 Now the story continues next week and uh, 691 00:53:17.265 --> 00:53:18.925 that's when they're gonna start building the wall. 692 00:53:21.185 --> 00:53:23.325 But I wanna talk this week about how this applies to us. 693 00:53:25.945 --> 00:53:28.525 You know, you can read a story like this, like there's so many stories, 694 00:53:28.655 --> 00:53:30.085 especially in the Old Testament, 695 00:53:30.086 --> 00:53:33.525 and you can read through them and you can find practical application. 696 00:53:33.545 --> 00:53:36.525 We can say, here's what Nehemiah did. And so we apply that to our lives and, 697 00:53:36.705 --> 00:53:38.405 and we do what he did. Um, 698 00:53:38.585 --> 00:53:41.965 so the principle is the application for this is when we align with God for a 699 00:53:41.966 --> 00:53:45.885 fresh start, we have to trust in God's timing. How are you doing? 700 00:53:46.625 --> 00:53:51.405 How are you doing in the waiting? Are you trusting in God's timing? 701 00:53:51.545 --> 00:53:52.805 Are you trying to outpace God? 702 00:53:53.305 --> 00:53:55.525 We see things like when we align with God for a fresh start, 703 00:53:55.526 --> 00:53:58.765 we have to trust in God's calling over man's rumblings. 704 00:54:00.905 --> 00:54:04.575 How are you doing with that? When you hear the naysayers, 705 00:54:04.765 --> 00:54:08.925 does it make you doubt? 'cause if you do, 706 00:54:08.926 --> 00:54:09.925 what I would encourage with you, 707 00:54:09.945 --> 00:54:12.605 you probably haven't spent enough time in prayer before God. 708 00:54:13.965 --> 00:54:16.405 'cause I'm telling you, when you hear from the creator of the universe, 709 00:54:18.245 --> 00:54:22.565 the things other people say, man, they pale in comparison. See, 710 00:54:22.645 --> 00:54:24.364 when we align with God for a fresh start, 711 00:54:24.385 --> 00:54:28.285 we have to trust that God is bigger than the brokenness around us in our lives. 712 00:54:29.065 --> 00:54:33.825 Do you believe that? And all of those apply, 713 00:54:34.565 --> 00:54:37.344 all of those are real. But the truth is, 714 00:54:38.605 --> 00:54:40.735 this isn't really a story about us. 715 00:54:42.965 --> 00:54:47.895 This is a story about God. And we need to understand, 716 00:54:48.094 --> 00:54:51.815 like for us to be a biblically sound church family that can, 717 00:54:52.175 --> 00:54:55.575 that understands what God's word says so that we can appropriately love God and 718 00:54:55.576 --> 00:54:57.614 appropriately follow Jesus and appropriately share hope. 719 00:54:58.635 --> 00:54:59.975 We have to understand that, 720 00:55:00.005 --> 00:55:04.855 that the Bible is for us like it was given to us. The Bible is for us, 721 00:55:06.155 --> 00:55:10.485 but it's not about us. The Bible is a story about God. 722 00:55:10.486 --> 00:55:13.245 What this means is like Nehemiah isn't even about Nehemiah. 723 00:55:14.125 --> 00:55:18.685 Nehemiah is about God's faithfulness to his promises and his covenant with 724 00:55:19.005 --> 00:55:19.838 his people. 725 00:55:20.765 --> 00:55:24.005 Nehemiah just so happens to be a man that God worked in and worked through. 726 00:55:27.945 --> 00:55:31.085 And as the story of God continues to unfold in the New Testament, 727 00:55:31.985 --> 00:55:35.364 we see this new covenant come to life. God, through Jesus, 728 00:55:35.505 --> 00:55:40.165 he makes a way for every man and woman and student to become a part of the 729 00:55:40.166 --> 00:55:40.999 family of God. 730 00:55:41.585 --> 00:55:44.925 And the reality is just like the wall around the city was left with broken 731 00:55:45.065 --> 00:55:46.085 stones and rubble. 732 00:55:47.245 --> 00:55:48.078 Uh. 733 00:55:48.594 --> 00:55:52.625 There's a lot of brokenness around us in our lives and our personal life 734 00:55:53.705 --> 00:55:57.945 and our church and our community. But through Jesus, 735 00:55:58.975 --> 00:56:02.945 this new covenant with this plan and purpose that involves all of us, 736 00:56:03.175 --> 00:56:07.545 like God's heart is for the earth to experience God's kingdom and blessing. 737 00:56:07.546 --> 00:56:10.864 And what that means is to experience a people that actually know what God's word 738 00:56:10.865 --> 00:56:15.105 says and lives it out in the world around us. And one day, 739 00:56:15.285 --> 00:56:17.145 and we talked about this during the advent season, 740 00:56:17.146 --> 00:56:20.705 Jesus is gonna come back to earth and he's gonna reestablish a new heaven and a 741 00:56:20.706 --> 00:56:22.505 new earth. And you wanna talk about rebuilding a city, 742 00:56:22.575 --> 00:56:23.725 he's gonna build a new city. 743 00:56:23.945 --> 00:56:28.844 And what we see in Nehemiah is really a symbol of what God wants to do in 744 00:56:28.845 --> 00:56:31.445 our lives, what he wants to do in our church, what he wants to do in our world. 745 00:56:31.625 --> 00:56:35.205 But what it takes is men and women and students who are willing to align with 746 00:56:35.295 --> 00:56:36.885 God's heart for a fresh start. 747 00:56:39.585 --> 00:56:42.285 And I know that some of you, you're in a place of waiting on God's timing. 748 00:56:43.925 --> 00:56:46.325 I know a lot of us are looking around at the brokenness and saying, 749 00:56:47.945 --> 00:56:52.525 That's too far gone. Some of you're saying the the opposition's too strong. 750 00:56:52.526 --> 00:56:54.525 And what I want you to know is 2000 years ago, 751 00:56:54.815 --> 00:56:57.965 Jesus went to a cross and he died for our sins. 752 00:56:58.065 --> 00:57:00.685 And he rose from the grave overcoming sin and death. 753 00:57:00.825 --> 00:57:02.325 And just like Nehemiah said, 754 00:57:02.685 --> 00:57:07.125 the God of heaven will make us prosper and we as his servants will arise and 755 00:57:07.126 --> 00:57:10.485 build. Jesus said something very similar in the New Testament. 756 00:57:10.486 --> 00:57:12.765 He said to Peter in Matthew chapter 16, he said, 757 00:57:12.835 --> 00:57:15.605 upon this rock and that rock that he's talking about is the declaration of the 758 00:57:15.606 --> 00:57:17.765 gospel, that Jesus is the Messiah. 759 00:57:17.905 --> 00:57:21.805 He said he would build his church and the gates of hell wouldn't stand against 760 00:57:21.806 --> 00:57:22.639 it. 761 00:57:26.065 --> 00:57:27.485 And you still might think you're too broken. 762 00:57:28.385 --> 00:57:30.525 You might think your life is too much in shambles, 763 00:57:32.765 --> 00:57:35.425 But I don't think that it's a coincidence. And I was blown away by this, 764 00:57:35.426 --> 00:57:37.705 this week that in Nehemiah, 765 00:57:37.765 --> 00:57:41.185 he rebuilds this wall with broken down burn stones. 766 00:57:43.205 --> 00:57:47.825 And Jesus says in the New Testament, first Peter chapter two, verse four, 767 00:57:48.875 --> 00:57:52.425 Peter says, as you come to him, as you come to Jesus, as we come to Jesus, 768 00:57:53.705 --> 00:57:57.665 a living stone rejected by men. So we're a living stone that's rejected. 769 00:57:57.895 --> 00:57:59.225 What that means is like, uh, 770 00:57:59.345 --> 00:58:02.905 a stone that's rejected by a builder is a stone that's too imperfect to use. 771 00:58:03.135 --> 00:58:03.968 It's too broken, 772 00:58:04.425 --> 00:58:09.305 it's too beat up as you come to him as a living stone rejected by men. 773 00:58:09.405 --> 00:58:12.625 But in the sight of God chosen and precious, 774 00:58:13.965 --> 00:58:18.505 you yourselves, like living stones are being built into a spiritual house. 775 00:58:19.375 --> 00:58:22.345 Like that's the story that we're called into as the family of God. 776 00:58:22.346 --> 00:58:23.179 You're not too broken. 777 00:58:25.115 --> 00:58:27.745 Jesus is the only one who takes broken, 778 00:58:28.175 --> 00:58:31.825 beat up lives and brings healing and restoration and strength to the ones who 779 00:58:31.826 --> 00:58:34.865 call in there on his name. And if you've never do, if you've never done that, 780 00:58:34.866 --> 00:58:36.425 if you've never called on the name of Jesus, 781 00:58:36.985 --> 00:58:40.705 I beg you to call on the name of Jesus and to believe in the gospel. 782 00:58:44.535 --> 00:58:47.795 And then what he wants to do is he wants to take those lives and he works, 783 00:58:47.796 --> 00:58:48.835 wants to work in those lives, 784 00:58:48.836 --> 00:58:52.915 and he wants to work through those lives just like he did Nehemiah to see his 785 00:58:52.916 --> 00:58:55.475 plans and his purposes and his kingdom, uh, 786 00:58:55.535 --> 00:58:57.835 coming to life for the world around us 787 00:59:00.735 --> 00:59:01.568 church family. 788 00:59:01.615 --> 00:59:06.475 My hope and my prayer is that we would align with God's heart for a fresh start 789 00:59:07.235 --> 00:59:11.315 and our lives that we would align with God's heart, uh, for, 790 00:59:11.335 --> 00:59:13.955 for a fresh start in our community and in our church. 791 00:59:14.135 --> 00:59:17.795 And just like the Israelites did that we would stand together and we would say, 792 00:59:17.975 --> 00:59:20.635 let us rise together and build. 793 00:59:23.185 --> 00:59:25.085 You Pray with me. Father, I want to thank you for, 794 00:59:26.325 --> 00:59:28.965 I wanna thank you for your words. I wanna thank you for that. 795 00:59:28.985 --> 00:59:31.845 We can go to Nehemiah chapter two 796 00:59:34.185 --> 00:59:38.845 and that we can see a very clear picture of our need to put trust in your 797 00:59:38.965 --> 00:59:42.685 timing, that we can see a very clear picture that that, 798 00:59:42.686 --> 00:59:46.285 that we can expect there to be opposition from other people when you call us 799 00:59:46.286 --> 00:59:50.285 into something, Lord, that we can expect to know that, that in this life, Lord, 800 00:59:50.305 --> 00:59:54.165 we are going to be broken. There is going to be brokenness around us. But Lord, 801 00:59:54.166 --> 00:59:59.125 just like Nehemiah used broken stones to rebuild a wall around a 802 00:59:59.126 --> 01:00:01.725 city, you have promised that you will use us, 803 01:00:02.355 --> 01:00:05.085 that you will take us broken just as we are, 804 01:00:06.665 --> 01:00:10.325 and you will build us into the men and the women and the students that, that, 805 01:00:10.605 --> 01:00:11.765 that you have called us to be. 806 01:00:11.825 --> 01:00:15.245 And that this world desperately needs to experience the kingdom of God. 807 01:00:18.075 --> 01:00:19.965 Lord, I pray that we would be a church that would, 808 01:00:20.085 --> 01:00:24.365 that would willingly accept the goodness and the grace and the mercy and the 809 01:00:24.366 --> 01:00:27.205 calling that you have placed on our lives. Lord, 810 01:00:27.206 --> 01:00:30.365 we love you and we pray all these things in the mighty name of Jesus. 811 01:00:30.865 --> 01:00:32.725 And everyone said, amen. 812 01:00:34.805 --> 01:00:35.638 Amen.