Nehemiah 8 with Homework

Nehemiah 8 Introduction. Overview: Chapter 1/ God lays deep burden for Nehemiahs people on his heart Chapter 2/ Nehemiah grieves deeply for His people Chapter 3 and 4/ Nehemiah's opposition and spiritual warfare Chapter 5/ Nehemiah has Gods favor Chapter 6/Nehemiah character in face of opposition Chapter 7/ Nehemiah has a heart that knows when God speaks to him Chapter 8/The power of Gods Word on the new city Ezra/priest/some called high priest/contemporary of Nehemiah 12 years before Nehemiah had been with small group of exiles from Babylon and was grieved over their sin of mixed marriages. It was appropriate that Nehemiah call on Ezra to read Gods Word because he had a huge investment in the rebuilding of Jerusalem. Festival of booths: / agricultural/ The feast of in gathering On the first day you shall take the product of hadar trees, branches of palm trees, boughs of leafy trees, and willows of the brook" (Lev. 23:40), and "You shall live in booths seven days; all citizens in Israel shall live in booths, in order that future generations may know that I made the Israelite people live in booths when I brought them out of the land of Egypt" (Lev. 23:42-43). Constructed and lived in booths 7 days/ symbolized the way family leaved in wilderness under Moses Listened to reading of Gods Word every day After that they would circle temple praying and reciting psalm 118:25 Lord, save us! Lord, grant us success! (Psalm 118:25 NIV) Appropriate that after the labor of building the wall they would celebrate this holiday in all it's fullness. Celebration of all God had shown them and done for them. Time of joy! 1. The power of Gods Word on those that hear it and understand it. It is possible to hear it and not understand it. This is the parable of the sower. When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in their heart. This is the seed sown along the path. The seed falling on rocky ground refers to someone who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away. The seed falling among the thorns refers to someone who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, making it unfruitful. But the seed falling on good soil refers to someone who hears the word and understands it. This is the one who produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown." (Matthew 13:19-23 NIV) Gods spirit was allowing all that came and understood to take it deeply to heart 2. Ezra and Nehemiah knew deep grieving and mourning. There are seasons for everything. The bible says there is a time to mourn and a time to dance. This was a season for rejoicing. a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance, (Ecclesiastes 3:4 NIV) Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. (Matthew 5:4 NIV) Thankfulness for crops and all God had done and put work aside. Grieve is work. Time not to focus on self but God. 3. God makes ALL things new Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come. (2 Corinthians 5:17 NASB) Demonstration of true meaning of Gods Law and word . Building of the booths. God wants us to understand Him in newness every day, Glenda Homework Chapter 8 Pray and ask God for insight as you read Nehemiah chapter 8. Write those insights down. What have been the most meaningful things you have learned in Nehemiah so far? What is the importance of God's Word in Chapter 8? What are the key elements of the Festival of Booths? In what ways has the Joy of the Lord been your strength? Glenda

Nehemiah 7 with Homework

Nehemiah Chapter 7 Intro. Two important topics stare me in the face when I read this chapter. That's what we are going to talk about today. 1. The Bible says God laid a plan on Nehemiah's heart. 2. Restoration of the wall doesn't make the restoration complete. What goes back inside the walls is as important as the rebuilding. A lot of times we think we can't hear God speaking to us or into our lives because we haven't given him our whole heart. Nehemiah gave God his whole heart. 1. He had a heart for his people. Chapter one. He wasn't self absorbed or selfish. The law of his God is in his heart; His steps do not slip. (Psalm 37:31 NASB) 2. Nehemiah's heart was broken but He gave his broken heart and what it was broken about to God. Chapters 1 and 2 My flesh and my heart may fail, But God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. (Psalm 73:26 NASB) 3. Nehemiah heart turned to God for strength in face of opposition and his workers getting weak. Chapter 3 and 4 Psalm 73:26 4.Nehemiah heart sought favor of God and not men. Chapter 5 You have no part or portion in this matter, for your heart is not right before God. (Acts 8:21 NASB) 5.Nehemiah's heart was full of Gods wisdom. Chapter 6 And all the kings of the earth were seeking the presence of Solomon, to hear his wisdom which God had put in his heart. (2 Chronicles 9:23 NASB) 6. Nehemiah had a heart full of God therefore God could lay something on his heart. Then my God put it into my heart to assemble the nobles, the officials and the people to be enrolled by genealogies. Then I found the book of the genealogy of those who came up first in which I found the following record: (Nehemiah 7:5 NASB) Pure Heart matthew 5:8 "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. (Matthew 5:8 NASB) Pure heart is living a life totally pleasing to God. Restoration God doesn't just build the damaged walls and want us to fill them with rubble again. If He rebuilds a strong wall he wants to put strong stuff on the inside also. Example The Lord didn't just rebuild the walls of Jerusalem to have them filled with sin and disorder again. He wanted to establish order and strength. Same in our life. 1. Restoration = newness= new heart Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come. (2 Corinthians 5:17 NASB) 2. Restoration to embolden the weary Restore to me the joy of Your salvation And sustain me with a willing spirit. (Psalm 51:12 NASB) 3. Restoration to set up a new standard Thus says the Lord GOD, "Behold, I will lift up My hand to the nations And set up My standard to the peoples; And they will bring your sons in their bosom, And your daughters will be carried on their shoulders. (Isaiah 49:22 NASB) 4.Restoration to make strong "I will strengthen the house of Judah, And I will save the house of Joseph, And I will bring them back, Because I have had compassion on them; And they will be as though I had not rejected them, For I am the LORD their God and I will answer them. (Zechariah 10:6 NASB) Conclusion Homework Nehemiah Chapter 7 Pray and ask God to give you insight as you read Chapter 7. Nehemiah says that God put it in his heart. What does that mean? Has God ever put a thought or action in your heart? What was it? This chapter is about restoring those that were exiled and their families. God is in the business of restoration. Do you feel like anything in your own life needs to be restored? If so, what? Scripture: Psalm 51:12 Psalm 80:3 Jeremiah 42:12