DO I CARE?
NEHEMIAH – GOD’S MAN IN TIMES OF CRISIS
LESSON # 2 – Nehemiah 1 (A COMPLETE LESSON)
What are the biggest crises in the world today?
What are some things that Christians tend to care less about over time if they are not careful?
Name a Christian who God used to change an area of the world because that Christian cared?
In Nehemiah 1, we meet Nehemiah, a man who faced many crises in his service to God. In this chapter we find that the rebuilding of the walls of Jerusalem began with the burden of just one man. With all the sin, degradation, and crises all around us, we need to ask ourselves, “Do I care?” “Am I burdened enough to pour out my heart before God and take steps to be used in a time of crisis?”
AM I PERTURBED? – Vss. 1-4
Nehemiah was in the employ of the King of Persia. Israel had been carried into captivity by King Nebuchadnezzar, King of Babylon. Babylon had been conquered by Persia. After 70 years of captivity, some Jews were allowed to return and eventually rebuild the temple. The King that Nehemiah served under was probably Artaxerxes. Ezra the Scribe had led a contingent back to Jerusalem in the king’s 7th year. It is now his 20th year.
Nehemiah received a report from his brother concerning the conditions in Jerusalem.
What was the significance of the walls being down?
Where, figuratively speaking, do you see the walls down today?
Is there a crisis every time the walls are down? Why?
The biggest crisis is when the walls are down in _______________. Proverbs 25:28
How did Nehemiah show that he was perturbed by the news that he received?
How will we know when we are properly perturbed about broken down walls?
What are some of the things that make us lose or not have a concern for broken walls?
What do you think is the bottom line reason that we should be concerned for broken down walls?
AM I PRAYERFUL? – Vss. 4-5
What are some of the commands to pray and prayer promises that we have at our disposal?
If we have so many commands to pray and promises of answered prayer, why do we fail to be effective in our prayer lives?
What made Nehemiah effective?
AM I PENITENT? – Vs. 5-7
Vs. 5 – When Nehemiah prayed, what did he do first? Why is that significant?
How frequent were Nehemiah’s prayers? What did Jesus teach on the same subject? Luke 11:5-13, 18:1-8
Vss. 6-7 – Why should we confess more than just our own sins?
What will happen if we do not deal with our sins? Psalm 66:18, Proverbs 28:9, 1 Corinthians 11:27-32, 1 Peter 3:7
Remember that our hearts must be right with God before we can help rebuild the walls and before we will truly have a burden for the walls to be built!
AM I PROMISED? – Vs. 8-9
Why are the childish words, “But you promised!” effective words in prayer?
In claiming God’s promises, Nehemiah was summarizing what God had said in such passages as Deuteronomy 4:25-31, 30:1-5, Leviticus 26:27-45 and 2 Chronicles 6:36-39.
In times of crisis why does time in the Word of God take on even more significance?
How can 1 John 5:14-15 expand our prayer lives in times of crisis? “And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: [15] And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.”
AM I PROACTIVE? – Vs. 10-11
Vs. 10 – Notice who Nehemiah was concerned for. How should our concern for our brothers and sisters affect our willingness to be involved in times of crisis?
What three qualities mentioned in verse 10 should distinguish us as Christians?
What lesson does Nehemiah teach us about availability?
How did Nehemiah know what he should do?