NEHEMIAH SERMONS BY REV MIKE JONES[Revised August 19, 2021]
Neh 03- REBUILDING REVIVAL GATES
Neh 08:10 RETURNING MEANING TO LIFE
Neh 13:1-3 BETWEEN THE CURSE AND THE CORRUPTION
Neh 03- REBUILDING REVIVAL GATES
REBUILDING REVIVAL GATES- Neh. 3
1. THE SHEEP GATE VERSE 1
a. sacrificial lambs were led thru it
b. this speaks of the shedding of blood
2. THE FISH GATE verse 3
a. fishermen would bring fish from the Jordan and the sea of Galilee to sell
b. we are saved to serve and won to win
3. THE VALLEY GATE verse 13
a. opening before the valley of Hinnon, built by the people of Zanoah
b. the name means broken, a sign of humility
4. THE FOUNTAIN GATE verse 15
a. “the virgin’s fount”
b. an overflowing fountain, a type of the Holy Spirit Jn. 7:37-39
5. THE WATER GATE
a. water a type of cleansing
b. Jesus said ye are clean thru the word which I have spoken to you
6. THE HORSE GATE verse 28
a. the ate thru which horses entered the city
b. this gate speaks of battle
7. THE EASTERN GATE
a. this gate was on the east side of the temple
b. the gate of His coming
Neh 04: FOX FIGHTING WALLS
Now Tobiah the Ammonite was by him, and he said, Even that which they build, if a fox go up, he shall even break down their stone wall (Nehemiah 4:3).
Song 2:15 Take us the foxes, the little foxes, that spoil the vines: for our vines have tender grapes.
La 5:18 Because of the mountain of Zion, which is desolate, the foxes walk upon it.
When Satan says our work does not matter and the things we do have no lasting value then we need to encourage ourselves in the Lord and continue working for the Lord so that one day He may say, “Well done good and faithful servant”.
FOX FIGHTING WALLS ARE BUILT WHEN:
1) The People have a Mind to WORK– So built we the wall; and all the wall was joined together unto the half thereof: for the people had a mind to work (Nehemiah 4:6).
a. Proper Perspective- God loves order and wants organization out of Chaos.
b. Personal Performance-
A Vigorous Church: Everyone likes to be around fire- The fire shall ever be burning upon the altar; it shall never go out (Leviticus 6:13). Some will gather wood, some will mind the fire, some will tote ashes.
A Visiting Church: Soul Winning, Friendly, Fellowship.
A Vision Church: If you do not know where you are going then it is difficult to get there.
2) The People had a Heart to Pray– Nevertheless we made our prayer unto our God, and set a watch against them day and night, because of them (Nehemiah 4:9). Our Power is in Prayer.
3) The People had an Eye to Watch– Nevertheless we made our prayer unto our God, and set a watch against them day and night, because of them (Nehemiah 4:9). Sometimes the “devil wears a red dress but sometimes he changes to blue”!
4) The People had an Ear to Hear– In what place therefore ye hear the sound of the trumpet, resort ye thither unto us: our God shall fight for us (Nehemiah 4:20). We listen to the “trumpet” of media, text prayer requests, and try to really hear Sunday School lessons and Sermons. We are also listening for the Trumpet of our Lord’s return.
5) The People had a Job to Finish– So neither I, nor my brethren, nor my servants, nor the men of the guard which followed me, none of us put off our clothes, saving that every one put them off for washing (Nehemiah 4:23). We realize our work is serious and needed and we will continue to “build the walls” until we reach the walled city of New Jerusalem.
Neh 08:10 RETURNING MEANING TO LIFE
We talked Wednesday Night about what “Meaning to Life” was all about. We determined that Life assumes meaning when we have Confidence in God’s Forgiveness Plus the ability to forgive ourself. Then we recognize God’s Plan for our Life and walk in it.
Sadly, many people have lost this abundant Life and now live lives of quiet desperation. We’re here to help change that today.
The first thing we must do is RECOGNIZE THE PROBLEM. No matter how much water you pump you will never fill a pail if the bottom is rusted out!
So let’s look at the FOUR THINGS THAT STEAL THE JOY FROM OUR LIFE:
1> Rigors of Life- Debt, Disease, Death, Disasters. All these combine to rain on our parade on a regular basis. It’s hard to keep a joyful attitude when Life keeps dropping bricks on your head!
2> Rut of Routine- We NEED Routine; but it becomes so easy for routine to trap us into a Rut. Once we’re in the rut, it’s easier to stay in the rut that to make the effort needed to break out (The rut does most of the driving for us now!). Then the Rut becomes a grave without ends as we want to break free from the jail we’ve become captured in but find we don’t have the energy or ability. We give up Hope of change and allow the rut to control our destiny and our destination.
3> Ruin of Sin- Sin is Appealing. It’s Fun to do (The consequences are frightful but the actions are Fun). We must teach people to do right but they just naturally do wrong– I don’t have to preach about waiting your turn to attend Church; I have to tell you how sorry you are that you always look for excuses to miss Church!!
Sin steals our time, our heart, and our conscience (People can justify ANYTHING). Then, when it traps us, it pounds on us and tells us how sorry we are and our hopeless it is for us to think we can possible change.
All of these “joy stealers” are easily recognized. The easy thing for me to do now would be to tell you to “straighten up and do better. Then come to the Altar and tell God you’re sorry”. The sad truth, however, is that most of the people who came to the altar and just prayed a prayer would be back in their ruts before Wednesday night! When they walked out the door of the Church, Life would slap them beside the head, Their routine would require them to do certain things that would ease them right back into the rut, and the ballgame would still seem more entertaining than the Bible.
That’s because we have left out the most common “Joy Stealer” among people who attend Church- The Rituals of Religion. The very thing that is supposed to Give us life ends up Stealing it!
Sermons beat us in the head instead of building us up in the Lord. We volunteer for a task and find that other Christians are apathetic at best and sometimes down right hard to live with. It becomes more fun to recognize who comes in late than to really read the words of the song we’re singing. Church really becomes boring to us. We only come because of duty, guilt, or social obligation.
How did the Church become a Boulder of Burden instead of a Rock of Rest and Protection? What causes the Solution to become the problem.
The answer is relatively simple. The Bible says the Meaning of Life is found in a proper relationship with Christ. We have changed that to believe that the meaning to life can be found in Church Attendance. We have succumbed to the greatest temptation of religion.
The greatest temptation of religion is to BECOME WORSHIP CENTERED INSTEAD OF SERVICE CENTERED. Service without power found through worship is inadequate, but worship which does not express itself in service is worthless- Or as James said it, “Faith without works is dead”.
Madame Chiang Kai-shek said, “Confucianism worshiped ancestors, but never built an old folks’ home”. I fear today she would say that Christians worship God but never serve Him.
Once a soap manufacturer was arguing with a minister about the value of religion. The Soap manufacturer said that religion had been here a long time and sin still existed. At that time they passed a boy playing in the mud. The Minister said that soap didn’t work because the boy was still dirty. The manufacturer said, “But it would if it was applied”. “So would religion”, said the Minister.
It’s simply amazing but Jesus never told about casting anyone into outer darkness because of a particular sin. It was always a failure in service. The rich man was sent to Hell because he ignored Lazarus; not for any specified wrong. The Pharisees did not do anything “wrong” but they failed to help people. The man who failed to use his talent did not do anything “wrong”. He was cast into outer darkness because he did not use what God had given him. The five virgins who were excluded from the wedding had not become unclean; they had simply let their lights go out.
Christians seem to think we are righteous because of the bad that we don’t do. Jesus continually emphasized the good that we should do!
So there you have it. If we are going to return meaning to life we must return to God’s Purpose for our life. A person who loses purpose; loses life. That’s why you will never enjoy life until you begin to live for something. The unhappiest people in the world are the people who live only for themselves. Life without meaning is the thought that if you died tonight it would not be a loss to anyone.
This Purpose in life is not found in feverish activity or financial abilities. It is found in service commissioned by God. It is taking the talents God has given you and using them to benefit others.
What has happened is that we have hid our talents for so long until they’ve lost their usefulness. There are fish in Mammoth cave that are blind. They have eyes but they have lived so long in darkness without using them until they are now blind. Put your arm in a sling for a week- then try to use it; it will be almost useless. Many people who stay in hospitals for extended times have to learn how to walk all over again.
Service in not based on our Ability to serve- Of the 30 miracles recorded in the Gospels, only one is recorded in all four of the Gospels. That one is the feeding of the 5000. The boy had only Two fish and five loaves; but he committed them to God! DESIRE TO SERVE God is all that’s needed. God will provide the power and opportunity.
Are you willing to dedicate yourself to Serving God instead of just Worshipping God?? Sanctified Service will make your Worship wonderful and give meaning to your life. Come volunteer today.
Neh 13:1-3 BETWEEN THE CURSE AND THE CORRUPTION
(Neh 13:1-3) On that day they read in the book of Moses in the audience of the people; and therein was found written, that the Ammonite and the Moabite should not come into the congregation of God for ever; {2} Because they met not the children of Israel with bread and with water, but hired Balaam against them, that he should curse them: howbeit our God turned the curse into a blessing. {3} Now it came to pass, when they had heard the law, that they separated from Israel all the mixed multitude.
The last historical event in the Old Testament.
Vs 2 is the Key thought-God turned the curse into a blessing. Balaam was hired to curse the people of God since the people could not defeat them in battle. Each time he attempted to curse them God made it come out a Blessing. YET God allowed Balaam to tell the Moabites the way to defeat the Children of Israel was to bring in Moabite woman who would cause the people to commit physical and spiritual adultery.
1) God would not allow Balaam to curse the People- This would involve God in doing harm to His people
2) God did allow Balaam to show how the people could be corrupted- that involved THEIR Choice and God would not take that away.
(Job 15:8) Hast thou heard the secret of God? and dost thou restrain wisdom to thyself?
– There are some things the Lord keeps secret from His people- (Deu 29:29) The secret things belong unto the LORD our God: but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever, that we may do all the words of this law.
(Job 15:15) Behold, he putteth no trust in his saints; yea, the heavens are not clean in his sight.
– God is aware of our Human weakness: (Psa 8:4-5) What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him? {5} For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour.
(John 5:40-47) And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life. {41} I receive not honour from men. {42} But I know you, that ye have not the love of God in you. {43} I am come in my Father’s name, and ye receive me not: if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive. {44} How can ye believe, which receive honour one of another, and seek not the honour that cometh from God only? {45} Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father: there is one that accuseth you, even Moses, in whom ye trust. {46} For had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed me: for he wrote of me. {47} But if ye believe not his writings, how shall ye believe my words?
HOW CAN YOU BELIEVE? That receive honor one of another, and seek not the honor that cometh from God only?