Digging Deep Feb.
2016- Nehemiah: Persecution of a Wall-builder
N- Never compromised
E- Exhorted/Encouraged
H- Heartbroken over sin
E- Enemies mocked
M- Mind to work
I- Interceded with God
A- Artaxerxes’ cupbearer
H- Helped rebuild the wall
What should be our general responses to our enemies and persecution?
·
1 Pet 3:15 – always be ready to give a defense
·
Php 1:27-29 – let your conduct be worthy of
gospel; stand fast
·
2 Cor 6:3 – give no offense that ministry not
blamed
·
Gal 6:9 – let us not grow weary while doing good
·
Col 3:5-17,23 – whatever you do, do all in name
of Jesus
·
1 Thess 4:11-12 – lead quiet life; walk
properly;
·
1 Thess 5:15-22 – do not render evil for evil;
rejoice always; pray w/o ceasing; abstain from evil; test all things; hold fast
what is good
·
2 Tim 2:15 – study to show self approved
·
1 Cor 15:58 – be steadfast, immovable
·
2 Thess 3:13 – do not grow weary in doing good
·
Titus 2:1-15 – speak sound doctrine; be pattern
of good works; “one who is an opponent may be ashamed, having nothing evil to
say of you”
·
2 Pet 2:9 – Lord knows how to deliver godly out
of temptation
·
2 Tim 4:2 – be ready in season and out
·
1 Pet 5:8-9 – be sober, vigilant; resist; be
steadfast; know others share sufferings
·
1 John 4:7 – love one another, for love is of
God
|
Category of persecution
|
Nehemiah’s response
|
Our response
|
|
Reproach because the Lord’s
kingdom looked bad
|
1:3 – great distress & reproach – Neh. Wept, prayed, mourned, and
fasted
2:17 – saw city broken down & burned – “Come let us build the
wall of Jerusalem
5:9- outcry from people – Neh confronted and chastised their sin;
encouraged them to not be a reproach in the view of others
|
1 Cor 5:5 – deliver such a one to Satan
1 Cor 5:7 – purge out old leaven
Eph 5:1-5 – let not be named among you
|
|
Mocking by enemies
|
2:19 – Sanballat “laughed at us and despised us” – Nehemiah answered
“God will prosper us.”
4:1 – mocked – Nehemiah responds in 4:6 “So we built the wall.”
|
Matt 5:44 love enemies
Luke 6:27-31 – love enemies
Matt 7:12 golden rule
2 Tim 1:7-8,12 not ashamed
Rom 1:16 not ashamed
1 Pet 2:21 Christ = example, not revile or threaten
Heb 10:32-36 – cast not away
confidence; know that you have a better reward
2Tim2:25 – in humility correct those in opposition
|
|
Category of persecution
|
Nehemiah’s response
|
Our response
|
|
Anger and Threats
|
4:1 – responded with prayer and hard work
4:7-9 – conspiracy; made our prayer and set a watch
4:16 – ½ worked and ½ stood guard; builders held hammer and sword –
not intimidated
6:7 – when told matters would be reported to the king, Nehemiah
responded with “you are making these up” and asked God for strength
|
Matt 5:38-42 – turn cheek, go 2nd mile, give cloak
Matt 5:10 – Blessed are persecuted; kingdom of heaven
1 Cor 4:12 – being reviled, bless; being persecuted, endure
Col 3:22-23 – do all as to Lord
|
|
Financial distress
|
2:17 – I told them of the hand of my God
5:1-13 – Nehemiah reproached the people
|
Matt 6 – do not worry
Php 4:4-7 – be anxious for nothing
James 4:13-17
|
|
Deceit
|
6:2 – sent messengers to them and told them
|
2 Jn 7, 8 – many deceivers; look to
yourselves
2Cor 11:3,13- fear minds corrupted
from simplicity; false apostles transform
Gal 1:6-8 – do not turn to another
gospel; let him be accursed
Titus 1:10-16 rebuke, deny
2 Cor 13:5- examine, test selves
Heb 13:9 – do not be carried about
Eph 5:6 – let no one deceive you
1 Thess 5:21 – test all things
Matthew 7:15 – 20 sheep’s clothing
|
|
Category of persecution
|
Nehemiah’s response
|
Our response
|
|
False accusation
|
6:5-9 – Nehemiah told them it was not true and asked God to
strengthen them
|
Matthew 5:11- blessed when reviled; great is reward in heaven
Luke 6:22-23 – blessed; reward in heaven
|
|
Treason
|
6:10-14 – Nehemiah realized trying to cause evil report and refused
to flee
13:4
13:23-29 – Neh had the children of Israel end their mixed marriages
and he prayed for them; cleansed them of everything pagan
|
1 Cor 6:7 – accept the wrong
Eph 5:11 – no fellowship with darknewss
2 Tim 4:10, 14 – Demas; beware
|
|
Forsaking true doctrine from
within
|
1:7- Neh admitted the people had acted corruptly and had not kept
commandments; prayed for them
13:4-Tobiah allied with Eliashib – Neh threw out all that belonged to
Tobiah; Neh cleansed rooms and made offerings
13:10-Levites not given their share; Neh contended with rulers and
had them bring what they should
13:23- - had married foreign women
13:15 – selling on Sabbath – Neh warned them and confronted them (v
17) – Neh shut the gates
|
Matt 7:15-20- beware
1 Thess 5:21 – test all things
2Thess 3:6, 14, 15 – withdraw from disorderly
2Tim 2:15-18 – study so you know!
2Tim 3:1-14 – continue in what have learned
Heb 3:12-13 – exhort & beware!
Titus 3:10 – reject divisive
|
|
Category of persecution
|
Nehemiah’s response
|
Our response
|
|
Outsiders bringing temptation
very close to God’s people
|
13:21 – sellers brought things in to sell on Sabbath; even when
kicked out, slept around the walls; Neh sent them away and cleansed priests
and sanctified Sabbath day
|
1 Cor 10:12-13 – remember way of escape; God will not tempt beyond
what can bear
2 Cor 6:14 – not unequally yoked
1 Thess 5:22 – flee all appearance of evil
1 Tim 6:11 – “flee these things”
James 1:12-16 – endure temptation, receive crown of life; not tempted
by God
James 4:7-10 – submit to God, resist devil, humble selves
2 Pet 2:9 – Lord knows how to deliver godly out of temptation
|
No comments:
Post a Comment