Video Link: Brighter than Apathy by Remedy Drive
Nehemiah 1:11
Nehemiah 2:1-8
Risk: Seize the Opportunity
Request: Ask for What is Needed
Whatever our opportunity is, our King has UNLIMITED resources to provide us.
Philippians 4: 19-20
Audio
Nehemiah (1B): What’s Your First Response?
Nehemiah 1:4
Response: Fast and Pray
Reasons a person might fast:
To express sorrow.
To express repentance.
To express humility.
To express concern.
To express worship.
Nehemiah 1:5-11
Nehemiah 1:5
Nehemiah Praises God
Nehemiah 1:6-7
Nehemiah confesses disobedience and corruption against God
Nehemiah 1:8-10
Nehemiah calls on God to be God.
Deuteronomy 4:33
Nehemiah 1:11a
Nehemiah asks God to give him favor.
Matthew 6:5-8, Matthew 6:16-18
Prayer and fasting should be our first response, not our last resort.
Challenge: fast and pray 3 times this week.
Personal: for an area of need.
Community: for our outreach efforts.
Kingdom: for unbelievers.
Nehemiah (1A): There Is Something Wrong Here
2 Chronicles 36:11-21 text
Ezra 3:10-12
Nehemiah 1:1-3 text
Report: Somethings is wrong here.
Nehemiah 1:4 text
Reaction: Weep and Mourn.
Our hearts should be genuinely distressed over things that grieve God’s heart.
Personal Level: Is our heart deeply moved for things that are broken?
Community Level: Do we see where we as a faith community are coming up short?
Kingdom Level: Do we recognize where things just aren’t right in the kingdom of God?
Our hearts should be genuinely distressed over things that grieve God’s heart.
VIDEO: BRANDON HEATH GIVE ME YOUR EYES You can watch it by clicking here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P5AkNqLuVgY
Hello, My Name is Jesus
He came to meets us where we were at
He came to introduce himself to us
John 17:3 (text)
Jesus lived to honor God.
John 8:49b-50
Philippians 2:5-8
Jesus selflessly loved people.
Mark 6:30-34
Jesus cared deeply for the weak and poor.
Luke 14:12-14
Matthew 25:35-40
Jesus sought out the spiritually needy.
Matthew 9:10-12
Jesus laid down his life for all… even those who opposed him.
1 Timothy 2:5-6
Romans 5:10
John 10:17-18
Hello, My Name is Jesus pic
What others see in you should be a reflection of Jesus.
Live to honor God
Selflessly love people
Care deeply for the weak and poor.
Seek out the spiritually needy. Lay down our lives for all… even those who oppose us.
Make (More) Room for Jesus
We have a God who gives us more than the capacity we have to contain.
Psalm 23:1-6
John 7:37-38
Ephesians 3:14-19
Make room for Jesus, both in your heart and in your life.
If you need to get back on track in this area of your life:
1 Be Brave; Take the First Step.
2 Start Small and Build it Up.
3 Don’t Be Afraid to Start Over. Again.
4 Saying Yes requires Saying No.
The Coming of Christmas: The Arrival (revisited)
Luke 2:1-7
Luke 2:7a And she gave birth to her firstborn son
Luke 2:7b and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.
The swaddling cloths hinted at his humanity.
The swaddling cloths pointed to his purpose.
Luke 2:7b and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.
Luke 2:8-12
Matthew 2:6
Isaiah 40:10-12
Jesus wrapped and laying a manger was powerful picture of God’s plan of salvation.
Luke 2:7b and[wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.
Jesus was born into very humble beginnings with less than ideal circumstances.
Make room for Jesus, both in your heart and in your life.
The Coming of Christmas: The ARRIVAL (Christmas Eve)
Luke 2:1, 3-7 NLT
Luke 2:7
This scene might appear to be a disaster. It’s not fit for a king. But it’s exactly what God wanted it to be.
The Coming of Christmas: The PROMISE
We have a need for Christmas because we have a need for Christ, the Savior.
The PROMISE of Christmas was foreshadowed in scripture.
Genesis 3:15
Numbers 21:7-9
Genesis 22:10-13
The PROMISE of Christmas was foretold by prophets.
Micah 5:2
Isaiah 7:14
Matthew 1: 18-23
Isaiah 9:6-7
The PROMISE of Christmas was/would be fulfilled through Jesus.
Isaiah 53:1-8
Video: Jesus in OT scripture final
God’s PROMISE of Christmas (Christ) was meant to give His people hope.
The Coming of Christmas: The NEED
Main Text: Romans 5:12-14 and Romans 5:19-21
Romans 5:14
Romans 5:20
Isaiah 53:6
Romans 3:9-12
James 2:10-11
Romans 3:20
“Just as looking into a mirror enables you to see dirt on your face, so God’s law enables us to see our sin.”
We needed a Savior.
We needed the Christ.
Key Idea: We have a need for Christmas because we have a need for Christ, the Savior
1 Thessalonians 5:19-28 (the One About Being Kept Blameless)
1 Thessalonians 5:19
sbennumi (sben’-noo-mee): to quench; to extinguish, suppress or thwart
1 Thessalonians 5:20-21
2 Timothy 4:1-4
1 Thessalonians 5:22
1 Thessalonians 5:23
1 Thessalonians 5:24
“I look forward to seeing Jesus face to face, but I don’t want to stand before Him with regrets.”
Are we allowing God to keep us blameless? Are we willing to let Him work on our rough edges? Our secret sins? Our inner fears?
1 Thessalonians 5:25-28