Sermon notes

Introduction 

For nearly 160 years, God has blessed this local church with the mission to serve the community of Sittingbourne and proclaim the glorious gospel of Jesus Christ from generation to generation. God has also allowed us to occupy this beautiful building on High Street to conduct ministry and activities for the glory of God. Over the years, the church has made numerous modifications and improvements to enhance the aesthetics and functionality of the premises, and we thank God for the hard work of previous generations that have paved the way for us today. 

As we enter a season of improving the stage area, adding new seats, and installing a new sound system, we will focus our attention on the book of Nehemiah over the next month. We ask the Lord not just to improve our facilities but to work in our hearts and minds. 

“One never rebuilds until he personally identifies with the need and weeps over the ruins. … Sadly, there are many who are simply not grieved or burdened about the walls in their lives that are broken and in need of rebuilding. It has been far too long since some of us have ‘sat down,’ much less ‘wept and mourned for many days.’” – Craig T Owens

The Situation……………………………(Nehemiah 1:1-11)

The Problem………………………………(Nehemiah 1:3-4)

The Resolution…………………………(Nehemiah 1:5-11)

Questions

In verses 4-11, Nehemiah prays for the exiles and for the Lord to move in him. What did you learn from this prayer about leadership? What is one thing Nehemiah prayed that you would like to emulate?

When was the last time you sat down and cried over something you felt a holy discontentment over? What is it that breaks your heart?  

Read Nehemiah 1:4-6 as a group. How can we use Nehemiah’s prayer as a model for our own prayers? 

What does Nehemiah’s response to the state of Jerusalem teach us about responding to the needs of our communities today?

Discuss and identify spiritual and practical walls that may need repair within the church today? (Local and Global)

Have you practised fasting in your life? What was the motivation? Describe that experience.