Caleb Walker

Title: Renew the Church Connect Group Study

Text: Nehemiah 1:1-11; 2:7-8

Key Verse: Nehemiah 1:6, “⁶ let your ear be attentive and your eyes open, to hear the

prayer of your servant that I now pray before you day and night for the people of Israel your servants, confessing the sins of the people of Israel, which we have sinned against you. Even I and my father’s house have sinned.”

Theme: Concern for revival & renewal begins with prayer and leads to action.

1. Nehemiah saw the need (vv. 1-3)

“The words of Nehemiah the son of Hacaliah. Now it happened in the month of Chislev, in the twentieth year, as I was in Susa the citadel, ² that Hanani, one of my brothers, came with certain men from Judah. And I asked them concerning the Jews who escaped, who had survived the exile, and concerning Jerusalem. ³ And they said to me, ‘The remnant there in the province who had survived the exile is in great trouble and shame. The wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates are destroyed by fire.’”

The need was presented to Nehemiah. Notice Nehemiah genuinely inquired after the people of God. He asked questions. He was concerned for the wellbeing of others. As a SENT church, we are committed to living with an urgent concern for the eternal needs of the lost that they, too, may know God, find community, discover their purpose and leave a legacy.

Discussion: As you look at the needs of the church and our culture, in what ways do you want to see God intervene? 

Study Notes:

Nehemiah’s name means, “The Lord has comforted.”

Nehemiah was a layman, cup-bearer to the King of Persia. To serve in this position meant that he was highly trusted.

God put Nehemiah right where he wanted him for his work. Other examples of this are Joseph being placed in Egypt, Daniel in Babylon, and Esther in Susa (one generation before Nehemiah was there).

2. Nehemiah was burdened by the need (v. 4)

^“4 As soon as I heard these words I sat down and wept and mourned for days, and I continued fasting and praying before the God of heaven.”

Nehemiah’s response to the broken-down walls of Jerusalem were to pray and fast in God’s presence. Notice, he did not come up with a twenty-day community enrichment plan or call the town council together and charge ahead trying to fix everything in his own strength; notice he also didn’t ignore or distract himself from the burden, either. He could have veered into one of these two extremes, but he didn’t. He first went to God about it. He didn’t play, “Mr. fix it” and he didn’t distract himself from it by ignoring it or suppressing it with “doom-scrolling.” He went straight to God.

Discussion: As you look at the need for renewal in the church and our culture, how can we take these burdens to God?

Study Notes:

Dr. Warren Wiersbe says, “Three words can summarize the bad news from Judah: remnant, ruin, and reproach. Instead of a land inhabited by a great nation, only a remnant of people lived there, and they were in great affliction and struggling to survive. Instead of a magnificent city, Jerusalem was in shambles. Where there had once been great glory, now there was nothing but great reproach. You never know what God has in store, even in a commonplace conversation with a friend or relative, so keep your heart open to God’s providential leading.

Nehemiah wept about the plight of his people. What makes people laugh or weep is often an indication of character. People who laugh at others’ mistakes or misfortunes, or who weep over trivial personal disappointments, are lacking either in culture or character, and possibly both. Sometimes weeping is a sign of weakness; but with Nehemiah, it was a sign of strength, as it was with Jeremiah (Jer. 9:1), Paul (Acts 20:19),and the Lord Jesus (Luke 19:41).

Nehemiah fasted as he mourned. Fasting was required of the Jews only once a year, on the annual Day of Atonement (Lev. 16:29), but Nehemiah spent several days fasting, weeping, and praying. He knew that somebody had to do something to rescue Jerusalem, and he was willing to do whatever it took.” (Transformation Study Bible, p. 766).

3. Nehemiah prayed (vv. 5-11)

Nehemiah didn’t attempt to shoulder the burden on his own; crushed under the weight of this burden, he ran to God in prayer. One of the simplest hindrances to revival and renewal is that we are all-too-self-sufficient. We rely on our own so-called resources, ingenuity, education, our own means, rather than simply coming to God with genuineness.

A.   Nehemiah’s prayer remembered God’s character (v. 5)

^“5 And I said, ‘O Lord God of heaven, the great and awesome God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments,”

B.   Nehemiah’s prayer confessed sin (vv. 6-7)

1. Nehemiah knew God gave his prayer personal attention (v. 6a)

“⁶ let your ear be attentive and your eyes open, to hear the prayer of your servant that I now pray before you…”(v. 6a)

2. Nehemiah prayed with persistence (v. 6b)

“…the prayer of your servant that I now pray before you day and night for the people…”

3. Nehemiah prayed for the nation and himself and his household (v. 6c-7)

 “…of Israel your servants, confessing the sins of the people of Israel, which we have sinned against you. Even I and my father’s house have sinned. ⁷ We have acted very corruptly against you and have not kept the commandments, the statutes, and the rules that you commanded your servant Moses.”

Confession is simply owning-up-to, acknowledging our sin for what it is as God defines it in His word.

Discussion: From verse five what attributes of God does Nehemiah remember in his prayer? Why did Nehemiah include himself in his prayer for the confession of the sins of God’s people?

C. Nehemiah’s prayer recalled God’s promise of forgiveness (vv. 8-9)

^“8 Remember the word that you commanded your servant Moses, saying, ‘If you are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the peoples, ⁹ but if you return to me and keep my commandments and do them, though your outcasts are in the uttermost parts of heaven, from there I will gather them and bring them to the place that I have chosen, to make my name dwell there.’”

A prayer that brings about revival will always have a desire for God’s glory as its highest goal and end. The psalmist prayed in Psalm 85:6, “Will you not revive us again, that your people may rejoice in you?” What are God’s people rejoicing in once revived? Not circumstances. Not temporal comforts. They rejoice in God Himself.

Discussion: What is the main condition to experiencing God’s renewal from verse 9?

D.  Nehemiah’s prayer remembered that God is a Redeemer (v. 10)

^“10 They are your servants and your people, whom you have redeemed by your great power and by your strong hand.”

Discussion: How has God shown Himself to be your personal Redeemer?

E.   Nehemiah feared God more than man (v. 11)

^“11 O Lord, let your ear be attentive to the prayer of your servant, and to the prayer of your servants who delight to fear your name, and give success to your servant today, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man.’ Now I was cupbearer to the king.”

Study Notes:

The book of Nehemiah has 12 prayers (1:5-11; 2:4; 4:4,9; 5:19; 6:14; 7:5; 9:5-37; 13:14, 22, 29, 31).

Prayer guided Nehemiah to not delay or run ahead of God.

Nehemiah remembered God chastens, redeems, and forgives (Deut. 28:63-67; 30:1-10; I John 1:9).

4. Nehemiah was moved to action (2:7-8)

^“7 And I said to the king, ‘If it pleases the king, let letters be given me to the governors of the province Beyond the River, that they may let me pass through until I come to Judah, ⁸ and a letter to Asaph, the keeper of the king’s forest, that he may give me timber to make beams for the gates of the fortress of the temple, and for the wall of the city, and for the house that I shall occupy.’ And the king granted me what I asked, for the good hand of my God was upon me.”

Nehemiah respectfully requested that the king grant him permission and letters of passage to go repair the broken walls of Jerusalem, and the king responded favorably. Nehemiah did not take the credit for his actions, but pointed humbly to the good hand of God in his life.

Discussion: In what ways has God called you to live with counter-cultural courage?

Study Notes:

Nehemiah continued to faithfully go about his duties and work, serving where God had placed him.

Nehemiah waited four months before he asked the king.

Nehemiah was ready and willing to be SENT (vv. 4-6).

Nehemiah was personally willing to give his time, energies, resources, and focus to the work (vv.7-10).

5. Nehemiah rebuilt what was broken (v. 20a)

^“20 Then I replied to them, ‘The God of heaven will make us prosper, and we his servants will arise and build’…”

After surveying the broken walls, Nehemiah called the people to begin the process of rebuilding the walls. Concern for renewal begins with prayer and leads to action. As soon as Nehemiah learned that the walls of Jerusalem were in disrepair he was burdened for the well-being of God’s people and nation, despite the opposition and discouragement of their surrounding enemies. We have spiritual walls in disrepair in our day and age not just in the culture but in the church, as well. There is a great need for renewal. We, too, in our day and age are called to rise up and build.

Discussion: Why do you think Nehemiah used the title of “God of heaven” when he called the people to renewal?

Study Notes:

Nehemiah was willing to accept the challenge of the work ahead, personally. He did not just expect others to do the work. He put his own shoulder to the plow. He was ready to get his own “boots on the ground” in the work of God.

Nehemiah was willing to enlist the people’s help for the task ahead.

As soon as the work was initiated the discouragement of the enemy was mobilized against them. We must not allow discouragement to keep us from serving God.

The name “God of Heaven” speaks to God’s transcendence and omnipotence. As Nehemiah faced enemies and obstacles in the work ahead, they were no match for our King of kings and Lord of lords.

Renewal and Revival Quotes:

Sinclair Ferguson says, “An awakening or a revival is not something that we can accomplish…something that we plan. It is a reality that God gives. It is not worked up from earth. It is not even worked up first of all from earth by prayer. It is sent down by God from heaven as a season of refreshing from the presence of the Lord. And what marks it really is not so much that God does things that He does not ordinarily do. It isn’t that regeneration and conversion are somehow superseded by revival and awakening. It is not so much that God does extraordinary things in that sense; but that He does ordinary things in an extraordinary way. And in doing so He both awakens the church from its lethargy and revives the spiritually dead from their judgement and their condemnation.”

Martin Lloyd-Jones says, “A revival, by definition, is the mighty act of God and it is a sovereign act of God” (Pg. 112, Revival).

G. Campbell Morgan said, “We cannot organize revival, but we can set our sails to catch the wind from Heaven when God chooses to blow upon His people once again.”

Dr. Ted Rendall said, “Perhaps the greatest barrier to revival on a large scale is the fact that we are too interested in a great display. We want an exhibition; God is looking for a man who will throw himself entirely on God. Whenever self-effort, self-glory, self-seeking or self-promotion enters into the work of revival, then God leaves us to ourselves.”

This is probably why we don’t see revival as much as we think we wish we would; because the moment revival did come, someone would be taking “selfies” and taking credit for it, and it would be immediately hindered from continuing. It does not have to be this way. A quiet, God-glorifying revival can happen.

How to Pray for Renewal:

As your Connect Group prays, please use the below prayer prompts as a guide for specific prayer based in Nehemiah 1-2. What a blessing to know that each Connect Group across all our campuses is  praying in unison for renewal, using these prompts.

Pray:

• Tell God the need, the sin, the brokenness (personal, church, nation); Confess any known personal sin, as well as any unknown sins.
• Express to Him how much personal, the church, and/or national sin burdens you.
• Acknowledge His greatness and grace as your personal Redeemer.
• Ask and receive His cleansing and forgiveness, afresh.
• Pray for God to bring about renewal through the Renew the Church Conference
• Pray for Franklin Heights Church to with loving urgency reach our “Jerusalem …Judea and Samaria, and…the end of the earth” with the gospel (Acts 1:8)
• Pray for unity
• Pray for families in our community
• Pray for neighborhoods, schools, the workplace, and homes in our community to be reached and transformed with the gospel through us.
• Pray for God to use the FHC Network to see more and more churches planted, replanted, revitalized, and for pastors to be raised up, mentored, and encouraged
• Pray for our FHC Network Partners:

-Mike & Angela Balos (Maine)

-Admin & Fiona Bocsa (Romania)

-René & Jackeline Bonilla (Colombia)

-Fostering Champions

-Franklin Co. Missionary Baptist Association

-Elliot & Hildur Jones (Iceland)

-Jorge and Rebecca Santiago (Puerto Rico)

-Jili Yang (California)

Take action:

• Ask Him to empower you to rebuild the spiritual strength of your life, the church, and our nation.

-To strengthen your personal prayer time and time in the Word

-To invest in and invite others to church

-To serve in the church (Kidzpointe, Greeting Team, garden, other)

• Ask for His strength to be obedient to turn every day conversations into gospel conversations, so that real and lasting change can happen one person at a time through the gospel (Romans 1:16)

-Pray for your “One”

-Pray for others in your spheres of influence who need to be saved.

Give God the credit:

• As you see growth and fruit glorify God, giving Him the credit.
• As He answers your prayers, be mindful to guard against any pride of taking credit for the work He does.
• Express gratitude to Him in advance with expectation that he has heard and will answer your prayers, according to Philippians 4:6-7, “do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”