Rise Up Week 1 - The First Response
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Nehemiah 1:1-11 Christian Standard Bible
1 The words of Nehemiah son of Hacaliah: During the month of Chislev in the twentieth year, when I was in the fortress city of Susa, 2 Hanani, one of my brothers, arrived with men from Judah, and I questioned them about Jerusalem and the Jewish remnant that had survived the exile. 3 They said to me, “The remnant in thegy province, who survived the exile, are in great trouble and disgrace. Jerusalem’s wall has been broken down, and its gates have been burned.” 4 When I heard these words, I sat down and wept. I mourned for a number of days, fasting and praying before the God of the heavens. 5 I said, Lord, the God of the heavens, the great and awe-inspiring God who keeps his gracious covenant with those who love him and keep his commands, 6 let your eyes be open and your ears be attentive to hear your servant’s prayer that I now pray to you day and night for your servants, the Israelites.
I confess the sins we have committed against you. Both I and my father’s family have sinned. 7 We have acted corruptly toward you and have not kept the commands, statutes, and ordinances you gave your servant Moses. 8 Please remember what you commanded your servant Moses: “If you are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the peoples. 9 But if you return to me and carefully observe my commands, even though your exiles were banished to the farthest horizon, I will gather them from there and bring them to the place where I chose to have my name dwell.” 10 They are your servants and your people. You redeemed them by your great power and strong hand. 11 Please, Lord, let your ear be attentive to the prayer of your servant and to that of your servants who delight to revere your name. Give your servant success today, and grant him compassion in the presence of this man. At the time, I was the king’s cupbearer.
Summary
Welcome back to Community Group, last week we finished our Next Is Now series and today we kick of our new series Rise Up. For the next seven weeks we will be traveling through the book of Nehemiah. This week’s sermon was titled The First Response. Nehemiah is a powerful book about how faith can rise up in a person to spark transformation and renewal. Before Nehemiah inspires people to build his first response was a time of intense prayer. As we desire to rise up in faith, Nehemiah chapter one is filled with wisdom on why prayer should be our first response.
Prayer is our first response because in prayer we WORSHIP. Worship is more than music. Nehemiah, burdened by the news of his homeland, is moved to weeping and motivated to worship. He spends time in the spiritual practices of fasting, praying, mourning, and solitude. These practices allowed him to focus his attention on the worship of God. Our burdens often drive us to the presence of God. It is in worship that our hearts rise up before our hands rise to work. In worship we are able to connect with God through confession.
Many times we are brought low by our burdens. Our burdens are brought on by the reality of sin in our lives or the sin of others. Notice Nehemiah’s honest confession. True worship to God allows us to be truthful with God. In Jesus’ encounter with the women at the well he tells the woman that God wants people to worship him in Spirit and Truth.
Prayer is our First Response because there is a reward. While in prayer and while in Worship Nehemiah is reminded in God’s word that there is a reward in following God. This is not a prosperity gospel. This is biblical theology. We aren’t talking about riches and fame because you can be rich in materialistic things and completely miss out on the rewards of God. God wants us to expect rewards. According to the book of Hebrews God is a rewarder of those who seek him. Prayer is our first response because it trains our hearts to desire the correct rewards of God. Nehemiah is rewarded with God’s attention. Notice how Nehemiah understands that the rewards of God are connected to the promises of God. How we handle God’s words and promises will determine how we get to experience the rewards of God. Why would God allow a people to enjoy the reward of dwelling in the land where He has chosen to dwell, when they despise his name? Another reward of prayer is that it deepens our relationship with God. What are relationships built on? Communication & Intimacy. Be careful that we don’t pray for the wrong rewards.
Prayer is our first response because we want results. It is not wrong to desire results in life. It is not wrong to desire results from prayer. This series, “Rise Up” is about raising our faith in order to bring transformation and renewal so there’s nothing wrong with results. We don’t seek results to be selfish. We seek results to be faithful. So that we can be who God has called us to be and do what he has called us to do. Nehemiah asks God for results. He asks God for success and compassion from the King. The key to these results in how Nehemiah describes himself. He sees himself as “God’s servant.”
If we want the God kind of results we need to have the God kind of heart. A heart that sees service as the path to success. Maybe, the reason some of us haven’t risen up in success is because we won’t stoop down in service.
The greatest result that we can pray for is a life that brings God glory. Nehemiah cares about the city because it was God’s city. Nehemiah cares about God’s city because he was God’s servant. When we serve God we want results that glorify him.
We need to ask ourselves, what are we praying for? Are we praying with the right type of heart, asking for the right type of reward. Will the answer to our prayer bring God glory?
Discussion
How is your prayer life? Is it daily, or is it only when you find yourself needing something?
Is prayer your first response? Why is that important?
How do you track the results of your prayers? Do you journal them?
How do you bring worship into your prayers? Explain
How has God rewarded your prayer life? Explain
Announcements
Continue to pray for our CG leaders.
Help us pray for new CGs to be formed.
We will be scheduling a CG Leaders meeting soon, more information coming soon!
Pastor Isauro Medina
Isauro.medina@bt.church
Cell: (956) 984-9380
