Title: Saints preparing for tomorrow's vision
Contents
Title: Saints preparing for tomorrow's vision
Bible: Nehemiah 2:1-8
Starting Point of the Word>>
This time, we would like to share the sermon with the title of “Saints preparing for tomorrow’s vision” through the words of the text.
These days, we are sharing a 'purpose-driven life' together. Through the Word, we want to share with the members who realize our purpose and what the attitude of the members should be to achieve that purpose.
In today's text, the prophet Nehemiah had a vision to give Israel and the people a wonderful gift of rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem.
So Nehemiah first began to pray to do the work.
But just because he began to pray did not immediately change Israel.
Nevertheless, Nehemiah did not give up praying.
Because I couldn't give up on Israel's tomorrow.
Go to Word>>
What did Nehemiah have to pray for and prepare to realize the vision of tomorrow?
The answer we want to get through this question today is being told through the text.
This answer also makes us realize what we need to do at the same time when we pray for ourselves, our family, and our vision for the church.
First, Nehemiah had a vision and prayed with a purpose and waited for it to come true.
When we pray, we mean waiting with hope.
Nehemiah was able to return to his homeland and rebuild the city of Jerusalem after a long period of four months after he started praying for his country.
If we look at verse 1 of the text,
“In the month of Nisan in the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes”
This was the month in which Nehemiah began rebuilding the city of Jerusalem.
You can think of Nisan as April.
However, 1:1 says that it was between November and December when Nehemiah began to pray to rebuild the city of Jerusalem.
That is, at least four months have passed since he prayed.
In this way, he prayed enough and waited for a long time.
In other words, Nehemiah had been aiming for the vision of a beautiful tomorrow for his country.
Look at the words of Luke 18:1.
“Pray always and never lose heart”
Says.
Prayer bears fruit with time.
A widow who suffered injustice went to an unjust judge and taught the parable of continuous pleading. The essence of this parable is that you must know how to pray and wait in faith.
Why does the Lord make us go through a process of waiting rather than an immediate answer?
The reason for this is that the personal relationship we have with God while we pray is more important than the answer itself.
Example>>
A chaebol family has a son who is most interested in inheriting his father's inheritance quickly.
However, if the father of a chaebol is a wise man, his interest in his son will not be a mere inheritance of wealth, but his personal maturity as a son who is worthy of inheritance.
So the father makes the son wait.
Then, this waiting time should be the time to look forward and prepare for tomorrow for the son.
Therefore, in order to prepare for a bright tomorrow, we also need to know how to pray and wait willingly.
Second, it tells us that Nehemiah had a vision, prayed, and planned.
In the text, Nehemiah receives the decisive question he had been waiting for from the king he was serving.
When the king asked, "What do you want?" Nehemiah said, "Return to Jerusalem, my hometown, my homeland, the land of Israel, and rebuild the city of Jerusalem."
Then the king asked again, "How long will it take?"
At the end of verse 6, Nehemiah said, “The time limit has been set.”
And in verse 7 and below he lists the specific assistance he gave to the king for the completion of this project.
Looking at this list, we can see how meticulously Nehemiah prepared his plans during this period.
He first asks the king to issue a decree to the governors around him, so that he can get to Jerusalem without hindrance.
In verse 8, a decree is issued to Asaph, the king's foreman, requesting that he provide sufficient timber for the construction of the castle and the house.
He planned this carefully in advance.
We can see that there are two different positions among Christians on this plan.
Some people think they need a plan if they just pray, while others think they can do their best to plan and pray for what they need.
But people of true faith are those who pray and plan.
Because it is from prayer that visions and plans are born.
Everyone who lives on this earth lives with some kind of dream in their own way.
However, one of the factors that determines whether that dream will come true or not is whether you have a plan.
This is because the vision and dreams are determined by the plan or not.
Example>>
There were two sons in a house, and they both dreamed of owning a dog.
So both sons dream of owning a dog.
However, one son only dreams of a dog, and the other son dreams of a dog and starts designing and building a dog house.
If you were a father and you had to buy a dog for only one son, which son would you buy a dog for?
Are you a dreamer son? Or are you a son who dreams and plans?
But the question is, why can't we pray and plan?
That's because many people have a fear of failure, "what if you plan and don't realize it?"
But John Maxwell said, "He who plans nothing for fear of failure plans to fail."
At this time, I hope that all of our members will have a vision and make a plan with a clear purpose by praying.
Third, Nehemiah had a vision and prayed for an opportunity.
What does it mean to look for opportunities?
It means finding and seizing the decisive time when we can put our prayers and plans into action.
Once an opportunity passes, it is difficult to seize again.
In today's text, an opportunity finally came to Nehemiah.
If we look at the words of verse 2,
“The king said to Nehemiah, “You are not ill, so why do you have sorrow on your face, for surely you have sorrow in your heart.” At that time I was greatly afraid.”
There is a saying.
Seeing that Nehemiah had a sad expression on his face, the king asked what was going on.
Nehemiah did not miss this moment.
If we look at verse 3 of the text,
“I answered the king, ‘Long live the king. The city where the tombs of my forefathers are located has been desolate until now, and the gates have been burned with fire. How can I not be ashamed of my face?”
' Nehemiah answers.
At that time, the king asks again through the words of verse 4 of the text.
“What do you want?”
In verse 5, Nehemiah asked, “Send me in the land of Judah, to the city where the tombs of my ancestors are, to build it.”
And he finally receives an answer to his prayer.
When we pray and wait, it should not be a vague wait, but a wait to find an opportunity.
In fact, in order to get that opportunity, in 1:11, Nehemiah meditated on God and prayed, “Give me grace in the sight of this man (King Artaxerxes).
This prayer was specifically to get an opportunity, and the opportunity has finally come.
If we vaguely pray, the Lord will also vaguely answer.
However, if our prayers are specific, the Lord's answers will also be specific.
Here Nehemiah prayed for an opportunity, and when the opportunity came, he did not lose it.
Therefore, as believers, we must not miss the opportunity God has given us.
Because that very opportunity is an opportunity to fulfill God's purpose.
At the end of the speech>>
Organize your words.
No matter how difficult and difficult our lives are today, please believe that if we come to the Lord and pray, we will surely discover the true vision and purpose that the Lord will give us.
Therefore, we must become believers who wait and pray, who pray and plan, and who do not miss opportunities through prayer.
God is still creating us anew through a new vision and purpose for us every day.
In the name of the Lord, I pray that you and all of our saints will be able to see the glory of God through faith.