Nehemiah: Rebuilding Together

The church is the new house where God dwells and as we come to end of our journey through Nehemiah, the message is clear: keep rebuilding. How do we do that? (1) Be attractively different (2) Be obediently generous (3) Be truly rested.

Citylight Manayunk | March 28, 2021 from Citylight Church on Vimeo.

Resources:

Nehemiah 13
NICOT commentary on Nehemiah
Tyndale commentary on Nehemiah
ESV Study Bible

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Nehemiah 12 provides three ways to enjoy our weekly gatherings for the rededication ceremonies that they are: 1. Prepare yourself, (2) Sing joyfully together, and (3) Support God’s workers.

Resources:

Nehemiah 12: 27-47
NICOT commentary on Nehemiah
Tyndale commentary on Nehemiah
ESV Study Bible

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Nehemiah 9:38: Because of all this we make a firm covenant in writing; on the sealed document are the names of our princes, our Levites, and our priests. This brings us to the unifying big idea of this morning’s long passage: rebuilding requires re-covenanting. To get to the heart of what re-covenanting is and what it means for each of us and our church today, we are going to explore the concept of re-covenanting from four angles: (1) The essence of re-covenanting, (2) The specifics of re-covenanting, (3) The blessing of re-covenanting, and (4) The curse.

Citylight Manayunk | March 14, 2021 from Citylight Church on Vimeo.

Resources:

Nehemiah 9:38-12:26 Fensham, NICOT
https://www.desiringgod.org/messages/why-a-church-covenant

Do I Have to Tithe?

NICOT commentary on Nehemiah
Tyndale commentary on Nehemiah
ESV Study Bible

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

We build up the church as a gospel culture by honestly confessing our sins; rebuilding requires it. But confession isn’t easy. How do confess our sins? Three ways: (1) Celebrate God’s goodness, (2) Say the same thing about your sin that God does, (3) Rejoice that His mercy is more.

Citylight Manayunk | March 7, 2021 from Citylight Church on Vimeo.

Resources:

Nehemiah 9: 1-37
NICOT commentary on Nehemiah
Tyndale commentary on Nehemiah
ESV Study Bible

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

How can we be doers of the word? Our passage provides three ways: 1. Study it carefully 2. Obey it immediately 3. Celebrate it joyfully.

Live Stream on 2021-02-28 at 084517 from Citylight Church on Vimeo.

Resources:

ESV Study Bible
All Truth is God’s Truth by Keith Mathison
At what point can you say you have learned something? by David Wilkinson
NICOT, Ezra-Nehemiah, Charles Fensham
Ezra & Nehemiah, Tyndale Old Testament Commentary, Derek Kidner
Peter O’brien, Ephesians, PNTC
Finding Jesus in the Feast of Tabernacles by David Brickner

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Citylight Manayunk | February 21, 2021 from Citylight Church on Vimeo.

Last week we learned that rebuilding requires gathering around God’s word. And what we’re going to see this week, and for the next few weeks, are various responses to God’s word. Different ways that the people back then, and by extension us now, continue the work of rebuilding by responding to God’s word that we are gathering around.

Next week we’re going to talk about obedience as a response to God’s word. But this week we get to something that is absolutely crucial if we’re going to truly obey from the heart; if we’re going to make it for the long haul in the task of rebuilding and building up the church. We see it in v. 10: “Then he said to them, “Go your way. Eat the fat and drink sweet wine and send portions to anyone who has nothing ready, for this day is holy to our Lord. And do not be grieved, for the joy of the LORD is your strength.”” The joy of the Lord. This is one of the more famous verses in the Bible. It’s one that winds up on Christian wall hangings and so forth, and rightly so, because it’s a crucial truth that we need if we’re going to rebuild; in fact, if we’re going to make it through the Christian life at all.

Rebuilding Requires Rejoicing

1. God directs our joy.

2. His joy is our strength.

3. We can understand His words.

4. There’s a holiday coming.

Resources:

Nehemiah 8:9-12

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

As we move into Nehemiah 8, the wall has been rebuilt, the city is now secure, so Nehemiah can finally gather God’s people together as one. Nehemiah 8:1: And all the people gathered as one man into the square before the Water Gate. And they Told Ezra the Scribe to bring the Book of the Law of Moses that the LORD had commanded Israel. That brings us to the big idea of our passage today: rebuilding requires gathering around God’s word. Now, you may be wondering, “does he mean gather in person?” We’ll come back to that. I want us to first consider the question, “why does rebuilding require gathering around God’s word?” Three answers from our passage: 1. To hear God’s word 2. To understand God’s word 3. To worship the God of the word.

Citylight Manayunk | February 14, 2021 from Citylight Church on Vimeo.

Resources:

Nehemiah 8:1-8
NICOT commentary on Nehemiah
Tyndale commentary on Nehemiah
ESV Study Bible
Systematic Theology: An Introduction to Christian Belief by John Frame, page 594
Expanded from David Helm’s definition in Expositional Preaching: How We Speak God’s Word Today
https://www.evangelicalmagazine.com/article/how-to-listen-to-sermons/

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

How do we finish well? 1. Stay on the wall 2. Maintain your integrity 3. Remember the people

Citylight Manayunky | February 7, 2021 from Citylight Church on Vimeo.

Resources:

Nehemiah 6-7
NICOT commentary on Nehemiah
Tyndale commentary on Nehemiah
ESV Study Bible

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

How does Jesus lead us in overcoming internal conflict? Our passage provides us with three ways: 1. Speak the truth in love. 2. Respond to truth with humility.

Citylight Manayunk | January 31, 2021 from Citylight Church on Vimeo.

Resources:

Nehemiah 5
NICOT commentary on Nehemiah
Tyndale commentary on Nehemiah
ESV Study Bible
What is true repentance?  – Ray Ortlund
Dictionary.com

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

The book of Nehemiah is all about rebuilding together after hardship. In Nehemiah 1-3, we’ve learned that rebuilding together begins with prayer, but in chapter four we learn that rebuilding proceeds amidst opposition. That brings us to the big idea of our passage is: Keep rebuilding in the face of opposition. Citylight, we are in a season of seeking the rebuilding and renewing grace of God for ourselves personally and for our church as an attractively different gospel-culture that portrays the very beauty of Jesus. For us, rebuilding means each of us taking our dignified place and doing our dignified part in building up our church in gospel-empowered worship, community, and mission. The Bible says we are always rebuilding in the face of opposition, but Nehemiah 4 provides three ways to keep rebuilding in the face of opposition: (1) Look to the Lord (2) Encourage one another (3) Stay on guard.

Citylight Manayunk | January 24, 2021 from Citylight Church on Vimeo.

Resources:

Nehemiah 4
NICOT commentary on Nehemiah
Tyndale commentary on Nehemiah
ESV Study Bible
Adapted from Democracy in America by Alexis de Tocqueville
https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/the-surprising-ministry-of-encouragement Ibid
https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/essay/christus-victor/

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Nehemiah 2-3 provide three reasons why it’s worth pouring our lives into building up the church and strengthening our gospel culture: 1. God’s good hand is on us. 2. God has put a good work in our hearts. 3. God rebuilds through each of our hands.

Citylight Manayunk Service | January 17, 2021 from Citylight Church on Vimeo.

Resources:

Nehemiah 2-3
NICOT commentary on Nehemiah
Tyndale commentary on Nehemiah
ESV Study Bible

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Nehemiah 1:4 As soon as I heard these words I sat down and wept and mourned for days, and I continued fasting and praying before the God of heaven. This brings us to the big idea of our passage: Rebuilding begins with prayer. There are three basic kinds of prayer: upward prayer (praise), inward prayer (confession), and outward prayer (petition). How does prayer rebuild us? 1. Praise reorients us 2. Confession humbles us 3. Petition empowers us. (Nod to Tim Keller)

Citylight Manayunk | January 10, 2020 from Citylight Church on Vimeo.

Resources:

Nehemiah 1Prayer by Tim Keller
NICOT commentary on Nehemiah
Tyndale commentary on Nehemiah
ESV Study Bible
Covenant and God’s Purpose for the World by Tom Schreiner

Podcast: Play in new window | Download