Don’t Mess with (t)His House Pt 2(a) Invest in the House

Pericope:  Nehemiah 1:4-6a

Sermon Text:  Nehemiah 5: 18 Now what was prepared at my expense[d] for each day was one ox and six choice sheep and birds, and every ten days all kinds of wine in abundance. Yet for all this I did not demand the food allowance of the governor, because the service was too heavy on this people. 19 Remember for my good, O my God, all that I have done for this people.

Sermon Title:  Don’t Mess with (t)His House Pt 2(a) Invest in the House

Nehemiah arrives to finish what Ezra started.

1.  He prayed – 1:4 - 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.

2.  He paid attention to detail – 2: 17 Then I said to them, “You see the trouble we are in, how Jerusalem lies in ruins with its gates burned. Come, let us build the wall of Jerusalem, that we may no longer suffer derision.”

3.  He pushed back on the opposition.  4:1, 6 - Now when Sanballat heard that we were building the wall, he was angry and greatly enraged, and he jeered at the Jews. 6 So we built the wall. And all the wall was joined together to half its height, for the people had a mind to work.

4.  He put his money where his heart was.  5:18 - 18 Now what was prepared at my expense[a] for each day was one ox and six choice sheep and birds, and every ten days all kinds of wine in abundance. Yet for all this I did not demand the food allowance of the governor,…

5.  He put a praise on it.  6:15, 16; 8:5-6 - 15 So the wall was finished on the twenty-fifth day of the month Elul, in fifty-two days. 16 And when all our enemies heard of it, all the nations around us were afraid and fell greatly in their own esteem, for they perceived that this work had been accomplished with the help of our God. 

5 And Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people, for he was above all the people, and as he opened it all the people stood. 6 And Ezra blessed the LORD, the great God, and all the people answered, “Amen, Amen,” lifting up their hands. And they bowed their heads and worshiped the LORD with their faces to the ground.