NEHEMIAH 2 9 20 A RUINED WASTELAND THE

NEHEMIAH 2: 9 -20 A RUINED WASTELAND THE CALL TO REBUILD.

NEHEMIAH CHARLES SPURGEON (1834 -1892) ONCE SAID: • ‘A SERMON WITHOUT CHRIST AS ITS BEGINNING, MIDDLE AND END IS A MISTAKE IN CONCEPTION AND A CRIME IN EXECUTION’

NEHEMIAH 2: 9 -12 STUDY THIS So I went to the governors of Trans-Euphrates and gave them the king’s letters. The king had also sent army officers and cavalry with me. 10 When Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite official heard about this, they were very much disturbed that someone had come to promote the welfare of the Israelites. Nehemiah Inspects Jerusalem’s Walls 11 I went to Jerusalem, and after staying there three days 12 I set out during the night with a few others. I had not told anyone what my God had put in my heart to do for Jerusalem. There were no mounts with me except the one I was riding on. 9

NEHEMIAH 2: 13 -15 13 By night I went out through the Valley Gate toward the Jackal[a] Well and the Dung Gate, examining the walls of Jerusalem, which had been broken down, and its gates, which had been destroyed by fire. 14 Then I moved on toward the Fountain Gate and the King’s Pool, but there was not enough room for my mount to get through; 15 so I went up the valley by night, examining the wall.

NEHEMIAH 2: 16 -17 Finally, I turned back and reentered through the Valley Gate. 16 The officials did not know where I had gone or what I was doing, because as yet I had said nothing to the Jews or the priests or nobles or officials or any others who would be doing the work. 17 Then I said to them, “You see the trouble we are in: Jerusalem lies in ruins, and its gates have been burned with fire. Come, let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalem, and we will no longer be in disgrace. ”

NEHEMIAH 2: 18 -20 18 I also told them about the gracious hand of my God on me and what the king had said to me. They replied, “Let us start rebuilding. ” So they began this good work. 19 But when Sanballat the Horonite, Tobiah the Ammonite official and Geshem the Arab heard about it, they mocked and ridiculed us. “What is this you are doing? ” they asked. “Are you rebelling against the king? ” 20 I answered them by saying, “The God of heaven will give us success. We his servants will start rebuilding, but as for you, you have no share in Jerusalem or any claim or historic right to it. ”

The Future. • 1. 2048 AD • 2. 2067 AD.

GREAT SPIRITUAL WASTELANDS • AT PRESENT: • TWO THIRDS OF BRITISH TEENS DO NOT EVEN BELIEVE THERE IS A GOD. • 2015 50%+ CHILDREN BORN OUT OF WEDLOCK. • TONIGHT IN BRITAIN MORE CHILDREN WILL HAVE A TV IN THEIR BEDROOM THAN THEIR BIOLOGICAL FATHER AT HOME.

SPIRITUAL RUINS • 200+ BRITAINS DIE EACH WEEK FROM ALCOHOL RELATED DISEASES. CIRRHOSIS OF THE LIVER IS NOW THE 9 TH LEADING CAUSE OF DEATH. • STDs ARE AT EPIDEMIC LEVELS • IN BRITAIN THERE IS NOW ONE SURVEILLANCE CAMERA FOR EVERY 11 PEOPLE. CHINA ONLY HAS ONE CAMERA FOR 500000 PEOPLE. • 63% OF BRITISH GIRLS WOULD LIKE TO BE CELEBRITY POSING NUDE, A LAP DANCER OR A STRIPPER IN THEIR PREFERRED CAREER. ONLY 3% DESIRE TO BE A NURSE, TEACHER OR DOCTOR.

SPIRITUAL WASTELANDS • In the United States last year 2015 there were 20 million new cases of STDs. Epidemic is called severe and ongoing. • Divorce rates vary between 40 -50% • Homosexual marriage legalised and made equal with heterosexual marriage. • Vulgarity, crudeness and lewdness is rocketing in music, films, radio, everyday language.

Family Breakdown

Music lyrics • Eagles of Death Metal ‘Kiss the Devil’ Who'll love the devil? . . . Who'll song his song? . . . Who will love the devil and his song? . . . I'll love the devil!. . . I'll sing his song!. . . I will love the devil and his song!. . . Who'll love the devil? . . . Who'll kiss his tongue? . . . Who will kiss the devil on his tongue? . . . I'll love the devil!. . . I'll kiss his tongue!. . .

MARTYN LLOYD-JONES (1899 -1981) • Lloyd-Jones was perhaps one of the greatest preachers of the 20 th century. ‘If the West goes down and is defeated, it will be for one reason only: internal rot. . If we continue to spend our lives in jollification, doing less and less work, demanding more and more money, more and more pleasure and so-called happiness, more and more indulgence of the lusts of the flesh, with a refusal to accept our responsibilities, there is but one inevitable result—complete and abject failure. Why did the Goths and Vandals and other barbarians conquer the ancient Roman Empire? Was it by superior military power? Of course not! Historians know that there is only one answer: the fall of Rome came because of the spirit of indulgence that had invaded the Roman world— the games, the pleasures, the baths. The moral rot that had entered into the heart of the Roman Empire was the cause of Rome’s ‘decline and fall. ’ It was not superior power from the outside, but internal rot that was Rome’s ruination. And the really alarming fact today is that we are witnessing a similar declension in this and most other Western countries. This slackness, this indiscipline, the whole outlook and spirit is characteristic of a period of decadence. The pleasure mania, the sports mania, the drink and drug mania have gripped the masses. ”

HISTORICAL STUDY MADE ON 2 FAMILIES OVER 140 YEARS One family was Jonathan Edwards family between c. 1740 and 1880. They were a Christian family. The other was Edwards contemporary and near neighbour max Jukes whose family chose atheism. The study showed what happened to Edwards’ and Jukes’ descendants. The study is interesting and anecdotal.

Edwards and Jukes Descendants

HENRY MARTYN Martyn was a missionary to the Muslims in Persia in the early 19 th century. One day he was shown a picture of Christ bowing down to Muhammed. Jesus was begging for mercy and holding his robes. Martyn wept. He was asked why he wept. Martyn replied: ‘I could not endure existence if Jesus was not glorified – it would be hell to me, if He were always thus dishonoured’.

NEHEMIAH 2: 9 -20 1 ST POINT: NEHEMIAH INVESTIGATED THE DAMAGE. HE COULD HAVE BEEN INDIFFERENT TO THE RUINS. HE COULD HAVE SAID IT WAS SOMEONE’S ELSES PROBLEM. OR NEHEMIAH COULD HAVE IDENTIFIED WITH THE PROBLEM. HE DID. HE WENT. HE INVESTIGATED THE RUINS CLOSELY.

SECOND POINT • NEHEMIAH WITNESSED FIRST HAND THE TOTALITY OF THE RUINS – THE UTTER DESTRUCTION. • NEHEMIAH WITNESSED FIRST HAND WHAT SIN DOES AND HOW GOD PUNISHES IT. • See Deuteronomy 28. God did what He said He would do.

THIRD POINT NEHEMIAH WAS NOT PUT OFF BY THE GREAT EXTENT OF THE DAMAGE CAUSED. GREAT SPIRITUAL WASTELANDS HAVE OCCURRED BEFORE (AS THEY DO NOW) BUT GOD HAS RAISED UP MEN AND WOMEN TO TURN WASTELANDS AND RUINS INTO THRIVING CHRISTIAN COMMUNITIES. PRAY THAT GOD WILL DO AGAIN!

ENORMOUS TASKS REQUIRE GREAT FAITH HUDSON TAYLOR In 1886 Taylor burdened by the 400 million Chinese without a saving knowledge of Christ prayed for 100 workers. It was a bold request. At each meal the CIM and Taylor sang this grace. ‘Oh, send the hundred workers Lord, Those of Thy heart and Mind and Choice To tell Thy love both far and wide – So shall we praise thee and rejoice. And above the rest this note shall dwell My Jesus hath done all things well’. My note: In 1887 God answered this prayer by sending 102!

Fourth Point • As The Gospel advances the Devil keeps pace. • Expect opposition. • Of George Whitefield, the Christian writer JC Ryle wrote: “The church was too much asleep to understand him, and was vexed at a man who would not keep still and let the Devil alone. ” Samuel Rutherford once wrote: The Devil’s war is better than the Devil’s peace. Expect dumb holiness. When the dog is kept out of doors he howls to be let in again.

Fifth Point 6 Ps. • 1 st. Nehemiah trusted in the PERSON, the POWER, and the POSITION of GOD. • 2 nd. Nehemiah trusted in God’s PRESCENCE. • 3 rd. Nehemiah trusted in God’s PROMISES. • 4 TH. Nehemiah trusted that God would PROSPER them. God is passionate about his purposes. • PERSON/POWER/POSITION/PRESCENCE/ PROMISES/PROSPER