Completion, Continuation and Community

Ninth message in a series on Nehemiah by Pastor Craig Diestelkamp

Scripture: Nehemiah 6:15-19

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When we come to close of chapter six we see that Nehemiah moves from the completion of the task to the continuation of the work. Completing the wall was a great accomplishment, but Nehemiah realizes that a city is much more than walls, gates, and houses. A city is people. Rebuilding the wall served to unite the people together and refocused their attention to God’s purpose. Now it was time to rebuild the community of God’s people. Even though Nehemiah has accomplished a great task, he realizes he can’t stop here. He must continue.

1. Completion Must Be Followed With Continuance – So the wall was finished…  (Nehemiah 6:15)
2. Humility Is Key To Moving Forward – So the wall was finished on the twenty-fifth day of Elul, in fifty-two days … for they perceived that this work was done by our God.  (Nehemiah 6:15-16)
3. Faithfulness Speaks the Loudest – And it happened, when all our enemies heard of it, and all the nations around us saw these things, that they were very disheartened in their own eyes; for they perceived that this work was done by our God. (Nehemiah 6:16)
4. Recognizing Systemic Problems – Also in those days the nobles of Judah sent many letters to Tobiah, and the letters of Tobiah came to them. For many in Judah were pledged to him, because he was the son-in-law of Shechaniah the son of Arah, and his son Jehohanan had married the daughter of Meshullam the son of Berechiah. Also they reported his good deeds before me, and reported my words to him. Tobiah sent letters to frighten me. (Nehemiah 6:17-19)
5. Moving Forward With The Right Heart Attitude

• Let Jesus’ example encourage you (1 Peter 2:21-24)
• Do everything you can to live in peace (Romans 12:18)
• Grieve your loss and move forward (Psalm 27:10)
• Forgive (Ephesians 4:32)

Nehemiah, A Great Leader!

Second message in a series on Nehemiah by Pastor Craig Diestelkamp

Scripture: Nehemiah 1:11-2:8

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After much prayer and planning, Nehemiah approaches King Artaxerxes with a request for the resources needed to build back the city of Jerusalem. In this second sermon in the Nehemiah series, we see how Nehemiah’s actions give us a great example of a prayerful, faithful, humble and bold leader who puts his trust completely in the Lord.

A man of prayer
Nehemiah 1:11 – Lord, please hear my prayer! Listen to the prayers of those of us who delight in honoring You. Please grant me success today by making the king favorable to me. Put it into his heart to be kind to me.”

A faithful man
Nehemiah 1:11 – In those days  was the king’s cup-bearer.

A passionate man
Nehemiah 2:2-3 – And it came to pass in the month of Nisan, in the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes, when wine was before him, that  took the wine and gave it to the king. Now I had never been sad in his presence before.

A humble man
Nehemiah 2:2-3 – Therefore the king said to me, “Why is your face sad, since you are not sick?  This is nothing but sorrow of heart.” So I became dreadfully afraid, I said to the king “Let the king live forever.”

A courageous man
Nehemiah 2:4-5 – Then the king said to me, “What do you request?” So  prayed to the God of heaven. And I said to the king, “If it pleases the king, and if your servant has found favor in your sight, I ask that you send me to Judah, to the city of my fathers’ tombs, that I may rebuild it.”

A thoughtful man
Nehemiah 2:7-8 – Furthermore I said to the king, “If it pleases the king, let letters be given to me for the governors of the region beyond the River, that they must permit me to pass through till I  come to Judah, and a letter to Asaph the keeper of the king’s forest, that he must give me timber to make beams for the gates of the citadel which pertains to the temple, for the city wall, and for the house that will occupy.”

God’s Faithfulness: The Process of Sanctification

Pastor Craig Diestelkamp

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Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24

Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.  He who calls you is faithful, who also will do it.

The verb “sanctify” means to separate, to set oneself apart for the purpose of God.

Principles of the process of sanctification

1. Nature

2. Source

3. Extent

4. Goal

5. Culmination

6. Security

Faith Sustained By God’s Faithfulness

Pastor Craig Diestelkamp

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Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24

Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Hew who calls you is faithful, who also will do it. (1 Thessalonians 5:23-24)

Paul closes his letter to the Thessalonians by reminding them of God’s wonderful, unfailing faithfulness. In particular, Paul draws their attention to the faithfulness of God’s call upon their lives.

The faithfulness of God is demonstrated in three powerful ways:

• His genuineness – Always being true
• His veracity – Always telling the true
• His faithfulness – Always proving Himself true

“God’s call” is the phrase the Bible uses to describe the gracious and sovereign work of God, which brings us to “trusting in Christ” for our salvation. But we must also understand the goal of God’s call, which is to “be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Understanding what it means to be called by God is critical in order to fully know what it means to be a Christian. Not onlyh does it affect our understanding of how we became a Christian, but also our understanding of God’s purpose for us now and our hope for the future.

Paul wants to assure the Thessalonians that if the faithfulness of God can “Bring them to Christ” then certainly His faithfulness can preserve them for the day of Christ’s return.

How Does God’s Faithfulness Complete God’s Call?

• By faithfully sustaining and confirming our faith
• By faithfully leading us through the process of santification
• By faithfully presenting us complete, without blame before Christ.

By faithfully sustaining and confirming our faith

Why is faith in God, which should be easy, so difficult for us? (Like a monkey with his hand in the jar)

Who is the true hero of faith?

• Christ the Power of our faith – Hebrews 12:1-2
• Christ the Protector of our faith – Luke 22:31-32
• Christ the Perfector of their faith – Romans 4:19-22