Nehemiah: Building a Life of Service

Session 1: Pray Nehemiah 1:1-11

Session 2: Plan Nehemiah 2:1-8,17-18

Session 3: Persist Nehemiah 4:1-3,6-9,14-18

Session 5: Prioritize Nehemiah 6:1-3,15-16; 8:1-3,5-8

Session 6: Praise Nehemiah 8:9-12; 12:27-31a

The Point: As Christians, we cannot separate who we are from what we do.

Year after year, Coach Joe Hendrickson pulled out his Bible and told his team about the gospel of Jesus Christ. They say football coaches in public high school are not supposed to do that, but Coach Hendrickson was going to share the gospel no matter what the cost. This was over forty years ago, and my father was one of his players. He accepted Christ because Coach Hendrickson was willing to live out his faith consistently. He was a coach in a tiny south Alabama town, and he had no idea he would impact the kingdom simply by living a consistent faith. I never met Coach Hendrickson, but he had a personal impact on me. He shared Jesus with my dad, who in turn shared Jesus with me.

Coach Hendrickson “protected” his walk with Christ; he lived a consistent faith. Nehemiah had to hold those individuals building the wall in Jerusalem to the same truth: to honor God by living out a consistent faith. As Christians, we cannot separate who we are from what we do. We can protect our own walk with Christ as we live for Him every day.

Nehemiah had mobilized the residents of Jerusalem to accomplish the massive task of rebuilding the city’s walls. Facing threats from outsiders who wanted to crush the work, the people stayed secure inside the city and were armed in case of attack. But Nehemiah also dealt with internal distractions, including the abuse of some Hebrews by their countrymen. In response, he worked to resolve the injustices and keep the people focused on God’s task for them.

Who do you know who always delivers on what they say?

Where do you see examples of hardship and injustice in today’s culture?

When have you seen righteous anger make a difference?

What kinds of things can hinder a church’s witness in the community?

What principles can we learn from Nehemiah about handling conflict?

How would you define ‘repentance’ for someone who’s never heard of it?

What are the benefits of corporate repentance for a group or church?

What role can our group play in protecting and advancing our witness for Christ in the community?

Live It Out

Reflect. Reflect on times you have been selfish. Think how your view of God will help you become more selfless.

Repent. Confess and repent of any sin in your life. Be specific and ask God to help you develop a lifestyle of repentance.

Restore. Identify someone you have used for your own advantage. Ask for forgiveness. Work to restore the relationship by doing something sacrificial for this person.

Faith is not meant to be part-time, but full-time, touching every area of life. We must give all we are to God, not just part. Let’s use every day as an opportunity to live out what we believe about God.