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.”

Waiting for God

Message by Matt Donovan

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Waiting is a part of life

None of us like to wait and none of us are very good at it. Waiting cuts right at the heart of self-centeredness.

Waiting for God
“It’s one of the greatest stresses in Life.” – Oswald Chambers
“Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him.” Psalm 37:7

Biblical examples of waiting

• Abraham and Sarah
• Israelites in Egypt
• Promise of the Messiah

Why God asks us to wait
God works from a different timetable than we do. 2 Peter 3:8

What God does while we wait
“What God does in us while we wait is just as important as what it is we are waiting for” – Ben Patterson
“He considered that God is able to raise men even from the dead.” Hebrews 11:19

Active waiting

• Not passive, it’s active.
• We are not standing still.
• It’s a discipline.

What God really wants to give us
“We do not see the answer, we trust the answerer. We do not gain the victory; we are united with the victor.” PT Forsyth

Three Essentials

• Trust
• Humility
• Hope

“God gives strength to the weary, and to him who lacks might he increases in power. Though youths grow weary and tired, and vigorous young men stumble badly, yet those who wait for the Lord will gain new strength; They will mount up with wings like eagles, they will run and not get tired, they will walk and not become weary.” Isaiah 40:29-31

The Meaning of Jesus Birth, A Humble God Drawing Near

Pastor Craig Diestelkamp

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Scripture: Luke 2:1-7 and Philippians 2:1-11

Philippians 2:1-11 is one of the most significant portions of Scripture on the person and work of Jesus.  Verses 5 – 11 are considered to be a First Century creedal hymn that the church would use in worship. But Paul has a very practical purpose in mind.   Paul appeals to the church to look at the life of Jesus Christ and follow His example. And its here we find this incredible example of humility. The life of the Lord Jesus Christ is first and foremost about humility.

1. Humility honors God and causes the church to be strong.

Philippians 2 3-4  Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.

Pride is the greatest enemy to humility. (John Stott)

2. The Incarnation shows Christ as the most humble man in history.

Philippians 2:5-7  Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men.

3.  The humble circumstances of Christ birth demonstrate true humility!

Caesar Augustus, Quirinius
Joseph & Mary, Bethlehem

4. The greatest act of humility was demonstrated in the Cross.

Philippians 2:8  And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.

Jesus humbled himself…
For our glory (Hebrews 2:10)
To reach the lowest places in our heart (Hebrews 2:11)
To humble us (Psalms 34:18)
To help us have humble ministry (Luke 4:18)