The words of Nehemiah son of Hacaliah: In the month of Kislev in the twentieth year, while I was in the citadel of Susa, Hanani, one of my brothers, came from Judah with some other men, and I questioned them about the Jewish remnant that survived the exile, and also about Jerusalem. They said to me, "Those who survived the exile and are back in the province are in great trouble and disgrace. The wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates have been burned with fire." They said to me, "Those who survived the exile and are back in the province are in great trouble and disgrace. The wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates have been burned with fire." When I heard these things, I sat down and wept. For some days I mourned and fasted and prayed before the God of heaven. When I heard these things, I sat down and wept. For some days I mourned and fasted and prayed before the God of heaven. ~Nehemiah 1:1-4

Nehemiah means “the Lord consoles” “Cupbearer to the King” Artaxerxes ( BC) Twentieth Year – 445 BC Chislev – November/December Susa – Winter palace of the Persian Kings

Persian Empire

I.Nehemiah’s Concern for the Things of God (1:1-3) II.Nehemiah’s Compassion for the Things of God (1:4)

The Problem The People of God  In exile The Land of Promise  Occupied by strangers The Place of Worship  Destroyed The City of God  Rubble

Babylonians Nebuchadnezzar 586 BC Persians Cyrus Cyrus 536 BC Artaxerxes Artaxerxes 445 BC Greeks Alexander the Great 335 BC 335 BC Romans Republic -> Empire Julius Caesar Julius Caesar 44 BC DestructionDeportation ReturnRebuilding ExpansiveLanguageCulture ExpansivePeaceStability

The Problem The People of God  In exile The Land of Promise  Occupied by strangers The Place of Worship  Destroyed The City of God  Rubble

The Problem The People of God  The Land of Promise  The Place of Worship  The City of God  Rubble

The Problem The People of God  The Land of Promise  The Place of Worship  The City of God 

I.Nehemiah’s Concern for the Things of God (1:1-3) He asked about the City of God and the People of God

Our Concerns... ?  We are more concerned about material blessings than spiritual blessings  We are more concerned about having a good reputation than a godly character  We are more concerned about what we DO than what we ARE  We are more concerned about personal desires than God’s will

> Determine: What concerns really dominate my life? > Decide: I want make it my top priority to care about what God cares about >Find out: Where God is at work in the world Principles for Leadership and Service