Nehemiah 2 verses 10 - 20
Whenever we turn to the book of Nehemiah we are turning to the life of a man under the backdrop of Israel returning to the land of captivity. They were there for 700 years and had now been given leave by the God of heaven to return to Jerusalem, to build the house and walls of the city. The walls were broken down, fires had burned them down and the people were scattered.
First Nehemiah and his prayers. We are introduced in chapter 1 to Nehemiah walking in the garden up in the palace of Shushan some 1000 miles from home. There was one thing in his heart. As he walked in the garden he saw his brother and friends coming to meet him. They had been down in Jerusalem. He asked about the work there and the report was bad. It is sad to say but the walls are not built, the gates are still broken down, the people are still scattered. He got on his knees, he prayed, confessed his sin and the sin of his father`s house. As he did that God put something into heart that particular day - verse 12. Here was Nehemiah not in Jerusalem now, not there because of a notion on his mind or some fanciful idea. He left his king and his palace, made his way to Jerusalem because God had placed it on his heart. God had placed it there to bring him down to Jerusalem and do a work for him. The man of God is a man of prayer.
Nehemiah and his passion. He had a passion for the work of God. He wanted to seek the welfare of the children of Israel. He had a concern for them. The Pastor needs a passion for the souls and that passion only comes from the heart for precious souls. As you gather here tonight you are not saved. You have never come to the foot of the old rugged cross, never trusted Christ as Saviour, never realised you are lost. There is a need in your soul. It is not the need of this church. It is the need of the heart for Jesus Christ. We have all sinned and come short of the glory of God. If you die in your sins you cannot come to where I am God says. Something has to happen in that life of yours. Maybe tonight as the Holy Spirit comes and takes the word of God, shows to you your great need. Your heart is deceitful and desperately wicked. Then he takes you, opens up your mind, shows figure of man dying on the cross, dying for your precious soul. He asks you to come. There is a need tonight in your heart. Remember Paul`s passion. In Acts 17 in Athens did not come to see great architecture, he was ready to preach the word of God. He watched people going by. His heart was stirred within him. Why? because saw the whole city given over to idolatry, he saw these people not saved, going out into a lost sinless Christless hell. His heart was stirred within him. Hadn`t Timothy that same passion. "I am sending you down Timothy, no man like him, he will naturally care for your souls." What a tremendous calling to the ministry, to have a compassion for souls. Paul took it from the example of Christ. In Pilate`s hall a crown of thorns was placed on his head, then given a purple robe. He was laughed at and they abused him, mocked him, took him out to Calvary, lifted him up between 2 thieves, nailed his hands and feet there. There he cried out "Father forgive them for they know not what they do." That is a passion for souls. The Lord doesn`t want you to be lost.
A man in his perils. "When Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the servant, the Ammonite, heard of it, it grieved them exceedingly that there was come a man to seek the welfare of the children of Israel." Sanballat was the enemy of God`s people. The enemy knows why you are here, knows all about it. He will do all in his power. The enemy is the roaring lion and he seeks to devour. That is what he will try to do. The apostle Paul came to Thessalonica John Wesley when he came to preach the gospel it would either be a riot or acceptance. The enemy will do all in his power to bring this man down. You need to do all in your power to help him. The enemy here in Jerusalem brought accusations against Nehemiah. They said he was only here for his own purpose. They said if a fox ran up against these walls they will fall down. They criticised his work.
Notice the man and his privacy. Verse 16 there will be times whenever you think - what is the Pastor doing. Times you will think he never tells us anything. He is going wrong and there will be times like that. He needs a certain degree of privacy. Sometimes the Lord leads the pastor in ways no-one can fathom. Maybe you will say we have done it that way before. The last Pastor wouldn`t have done it like that. That is all well and good. The Lord is leading and guiding. The new man is here now. We have to be careful in jumping to conclusions. Late at night Nehemiah was inspecting the walls for gaps and holes. He told no-one about it. Be careful about jumping to conclusions. The Pastor needs that degree of privacy, to be allowed to do the work of God.
There is the man and his people - chapter 2 verse 18. The people said "let us rise." They put their hands to the building of the walls. Chapter 4 verse 9 set a watch against them day and night. They set watch against the enemy. They were afraid of the enemy comin in. Now is time to get to prayer, time to get on with the work, time to go forward. Chapter 6 verse 15 so the way was finished. The victory at last. The charge I would say for the pulpit to night - keep at it, keep working, keep together and keep going and God will bless.
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