Nehemiah 2-3:2 (pp. 473-4 of the pew bibles)

1. Recap of Nehemiah 1

1. 1. Nehemiah, cupbearer to the Persian King, has a heart to see Jerusalem’s walls rebuilt
   2. He begins with a heartfelt and fervent prayer
   3. His prayer ends with his own willingness to be the answer

1. Acting on Faith; God Answers His Prayer
   1. Nehemiah’s look of sadness is displaying an improper attitude in the king’s presence—this look is risking his life (explains his fear)
   2. Nehemiah had built trust with the king; his comments show his loyalty
      1. Building good relationships and behaving in a godly way can have positive effects down the road
   3. The Great Life Change—the shift from v. 8 to v. 9 represents a major change in Nehemiah’s life

1. Learning and Assessing (vv. 11-16)
   1. Nehemiah takes time to assess
      1. The Jerusalem situation looks bleak
   2. Bad ministry= just doing
   3. Good ministry= praying, assessing, doing, reflecting, and modifying or changing when needed

1. Servant Leadership and Team Work
   1. V. 17—Nehemiah leads the people to move forward
   2. Let us rise up and build… Nehemiah leads by being a part of the people
      1. Ministry is a team effort
   3. Nehemiah does not focus on the past or the problem but on the future and the solution
   4. V. 18—Nehemiah shares his God-given vision and how God has already worked

1. Moving Forward Despite Conflict (vs. 2:19-3:2)
   1. Conflict is inevitable when people move forward in God’s plan
   2. Despite conflict, Nehemiah the people in Jerusalem act on their plan
   3. Don’t let negative thinking or conflict keep us from going forward in God’s work

1. What about You?
   1. Will you pray fervently for the future of this church?
   2. Will you be open to God’s call in your life, to be an answer to prayer?
   3. Will you help lead by serving
   4. What do we hope our church will look like in 15 years? What steps need to be made to become that church?