Nehemiah's pure motive to seek the welfare of the children of Israel is presented as a model for believers. The sermon highlights Nehemiah's actions toward his brethren, outsiders, and himself, emphasizing his sympathetic approach, encouragement, and vigilance. The core lesson is that a genuine concern for God's people should lead to diligent inquiry, heartfelt prayer, and personal identification with their struggles. The message concludes by urging listeners to align their motives with Nehemiah's, prioritizing the good of God's people and His glory above personal comfort or worldly gain.
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I want to read in the Old Testament, please. The Book of Nehemiah. This is our brother, Mr. Jim Hutchinson. Well, no one wrote here in the Northern Bounds. Nehemiah, and we will read please in chapter two, reading only verses nine and ten.
Nehemiah chapter two at verse nine. Then I came to the governor beyond the river and gave them the king letters. Now the king had sent captains of the army and horsemen with me. When Sambala, the Horalite, and Tobiah, the servant, the Ammonite, heard of it, it grieved them exceedingly that there was come a man to seek the welfare of the children of history.
May the Lord be pleased to bless you all. The short reading of the Holy Scripture. I want to try and emphasize, if I can, a man comes to seek the welfare of the children of Israel. This is not a broad thread concerning Nehemiah away in that early day. It was to his credit there.
It is to his credit this evening and will be to his credit throughout eternity, a man to seek the welfare of the children of Israel. It was God who knew the motive of the man to cause this to be required. people around may have heard his word and seen his action but would not have known his motive.
But his motives were fully known to God. And God caused this to be written about him. I dare not begin to speak about your motive. You dare not begin to speak about mine. We may see each other's actions and listen to each other's words, but we do not know each other's motives. But it's searching for us to remember this evening.
that God knows our motives. And it's just possible that as Nehemiah has been revealed to us in a coming day, yours and mine will also be revealed. A man's receipt the welfare of the feast. In an earlier day, Joseph was asked, What seeketh thou?
And without hesitation he could say, My brethren, and he went after death. Paul had to use that word in his day. Paul seek their own. I think a very solemn statement that came from Paul looks around him on every heart and says, concerning the peace, they seek their own.
But did he ask for Timothy? That weak, timid young man, indifferent. He will genuinely, naturally care for your sins. He saw the welfare of God's peace. And notice that This caused Jeremiah to act in at least a threefold way. Notice how he acted toward himself, then toward his brethren, and then toward them that were with us.
And notice as we consider these. that the power, the force, the motivating energy behind all of these was this. In what he said, in what he did, the well there of the people. Perhaps nine little things could be noticed. in his attitude and action toward his brethren.
First of all, he speaks to them of the condition in which they're part. And while I wouldn't want you to take time to look at it now, it's interesting to know that he doesn't speak in a critical heart, hurting way. Now that he seems to me to be sympathetic in his approach and speaks to them of a condition in which they were part of. Then he seeks to encourage that.
We would have said, but you can't encourage people in such conditions. But Nehemiah thought, and encourages them by speaking to them of the good hand of his God upon him. Then we notice that he exhorts them with a view to better. Then later you'll notice that He puts them upon their guard, while encouraging them and exhorting them to build the enemy forces.
Now take heed and take an instrument in your hand that can be used in defense. Other are dangers. Then he seeks to introduce amongst them the fear of God. Then he says to them, bring the book. Then he enjoins separation upon that.
Chapter thirteen. And he speaks to them about having neglected the Levites portion. Then finally he speaks to them of their desecration of the papacy. And each of these nine things were prompted in the heart of Nehemiah by this. the welfare of the people. Four or five things noted in relation to his attitude to the outsider, those who are not the people of God.
First of all, he says to them, now you have no portion in this. We're not going to have an unholy mixture. You have no portion in this. Then he says, I'm not going to have meetings with you down in the plain. No ecumenical spirit was without of Nehemiah. Then we read that he cast out their salt. And then we actually read. that he chased a certain man from him.
Ah, some would have said, but now, Nehemiah, you surely let them share a little bit. You're at least some consultations with them. And you'll retain a little of their stuff. You'll not take the powers to chase a man away. But again, why? the welfare of the people. I want you now to come and notice how he acted toward himself, if you like, how it affected him personally.
First of all, we notice that it led him to inquire. And when he was making inquiry, he desired to be accurate, and consequently he inquired from someone who had a first-hand knowledge. So it wasn't that he was inquiring from a mere itch for news. or to have something to talk about and pass on to others. Far deeper and more important of that.
He's seeking your welfare and he's anxious to know exactly what their condition is. Or if he doesn't know what their condition is, How can he start to be a help to us? He needs to know. Why should not for me or God? And he sought to be accurate. He went to the front and head. Maybe a challenge to us.
I'm trying to think that there's too much idle thought, too much rumour, too many things based upon speculation. Wonder do we ever think of that word that Jesus said. Every idle word. I know this morning, now, is this what I'm after? It'll draw this at least. The row of things is almost startling. Stories that go about the country.
And the things that are given to us are fruit. They're not a vestigate fruit, isn't they? The reason he is. that people don't stop to get what the Bible speaks of us. Diligence and quiet. One little time ago, a brother said to me, I'd like to have a word with you. And I nearly knew that I looked on his face and wasn't too happy with that. I said, certainly I'd talk to you about that. And I said, down there, tried him to speak.
Can't you be? Can't you be? Can't you be? When I'm finished, you can give me the facts. So you know them. So I listened. And when he finished, I said, is that all? I said, he said, yes, that's all. And I said, I give you the facts. And just a few words are given. And at least this is to be said to be pressed. Well, to be brother's death. That's not what I have. And to be I'm completely satisfied.
That finishes the matter. As far as I'm concerned. Nehemiah makes diligently quiet. And yet. He has a fruit. Passionate. It led him to wheat. Now from what I said earlier, you could think that Jeremiah was a strong, firm man. But he wasn't one of these hard, mechanical, spiritual kind of thoughts. But couldn't he be touched and sharpened?
my little strong firm mind was, I see him tipping down to wait. I am to wait as if he's hot with breath. I make a sound to say, but you maya, why you're here? What's wrong? You were good for dishes. You live in a good home. You're moving in a slender circle. What's wrong with your mind? I think you would like me amidst the tears of Luke to clean and sad.
How can I do else but we? Listen to what I've heard. I've heard that God's beloved people so dear to God and so dear to me, they're in affliction. They're in the brook. The walls are broken down and the gates are burned with fire. How can I do else but we? When I hear of such conditions amongst the people of God, I don't want to be pessimistic.
Mind you, it's just possible. That has in many circles we made diligence in prayer. We would hear that God's people are in the picture. Let us forget their soul tonight in prison. They're lonely and broken. Many of them in mental institutions. Many of them in hospitals. Many in pains. or at home. Some of them are in reproach. Just because of their fidelity and loyalty to Christ and to his truth.
Some of them are in reproach. Some of them are in reproach. Some places the walls are perhaps broken down. When Nehemiah, the wall was not built to keep the people in. But what the people gathered to the center, and God's people still gather to the center, walls are not built to keep God's people in. What the wall was built to keep the word on things pertaining to us outside.
In Diomaias' faith, that war is broken down. I need you to think about it. Is it not possible that he'll bear the war that's broken down? And today I have heard of the gift, places of the administration of government and judgment that are burned by it. And maybe not in a whole lot of places that godly order and administration and government are the New Testament kings that began, put into the hands and hearts of men of glory that are healed before them.
is not what it used to be or what it ought to be. Nehemiah hears it, and he says, God, aren't we? Speaking in an assembly here in the city, I had a good number of years ago. I went to visit preacher, widow, not let us know Jesus Christ, Many of you knew of me. She said, what kind of morning meeting to the house? I tried to tell her.
What's the gospel like of the evening? I tried to tell her. What about the Sunday school? And I told her, you know that the old woman didn't say what? He stood and the tears trickled far further. He said, and what seemed to me to be now? He said, it didn't used to be like that. My brother, I put it to you this evening. My sister, you know anything about that? A burden?
A tear? care for the afflicted, for those who look good, or even those who are the walls are broken down in the enemies yet again, even where there may be disorder and lack of room, do we know anything of Nehemiah in the sacrifice? I think it was the tyrant, the writer, as he said.
But no man will ever, worth an investment, to husband's purse, wept over the roof. We could get men, women, young and old, whose hearts would be reached, whose sincere motive would be the well-held estate. even to the point that the fountain of their tears would be broken. If I would speak, it would be on the way to that of death.
Had him to do a third thing, to pray. There are quite a number of references to prayer in this little book, Nehemiah. Maybe eight times he reads, he prays. I think the same writer that I've just now referred to has suggested that his praying reading lasted at least four months. just watching them emotional feeding for an hour or two or a couple of meetings with them for four months mind you it might help our assembly prayer meetings and some of our public prayers if we would take a few minutes and read me a minor prayer at least it would shorten some of the prayers you have to listen to They were every one brief.
And yet think of how much was contained in these. First of all, we notice that his prayer was marked by earnestness. You couldn't fail to see that in these opening verses of the book when he sits down and weep and he pray. Marked by earnestness. If you go to look at verse five, you'll notice it was marked by knowledge. indicates that he had a knowledge of who God was and of what God was. It was marked by impurity.
He says day and night. It was marked by confession. He confessed the sins of the people. But I want you to notice this impartingly. If he didn't get a way up on the pedestal, he'd stand back and confess the sins of the people and say, Lord, look at the plight that they've got themselves into. On the sake of their condition and how they've departed and their sin and all the rest of it. Ah, no, the dear man includes himself. He said, we have sinned in so far. Confession? Mind you, it might help us. Maybe you a little bit more of confession to God.
As I hinted at the other night in the meeting, I'd be a little bit more of confession of wonder or not. As I've seen strange, it's about the very last thing we'll even acknowledge to God that we're wrong. And it's about the very last thing we'll do is to acknowledge to a fellow believer, I'm wrong. Say I'm wrong. E.M.I. Prayers were marked by compassion. They were marked by faith. He remains glad of his promise that the sin he would scatter. What if the repentance he would gather?
Daniel Lutus, his prayer was marked by a spiritual concentration. cries that God would heal prayer for those who desire to fear his name. Prayer. Long time since I heard the late Mr. Sotomayor say, and I didn't misunderstand him and I know you won't, that he would rather have one Praying woman, slung six preaching men.
How he wasn't making light of preaching men, you know I'm not either. But in his experience and the things of God, he had learned to value the prayer of the faith. I see Nehemiah praying, as I've hinted a moment ago, perhaps for these four long weary ones, mingling his prayer to receive it. And why? The welfare of the people. I'm going to pause for just a minute and put it to you, brother.
When did you last spend a little while in prayer with God about the welfare of your family? I put it to you, sisters, just the same. Now, please, be candid and all of it. Now, baby, I ask you when you spent the last little while talking about the failures of so-and-so, it mightn't be so hard to answer as the first question. far too much occupation with them, far too much time spent in talking about these matters, but not enough time spent in praying about them.
Here might pray. Notice the next thing it led him to do. verse I read with you it says verse eleven so I came with the rootless verse the wall you see him identifying himself with the people he's done that in his confession done that in prayer now he's actually doing it in person I've got a hundred words taken to us about Moses.
And very often and rightly so emphasis is put upon the fact that Moses sacrificed the gravely he did. Hardly ever do you hear much thread about the sacrifice that Nehemiah here makes. And he makes it to identify himself Were the people of God? Are we glad you said, Well, it's a pity. And right enough, we would like to see them doing better. And we'll just put up a wee quiet, silent prayer here where I go on with presenting the king with a cup.
And I not leave a splendor or a court and draw the good with us. With Nehemiah. I leave the family of the poor. I leave the easy occupation. And I go to where they are. And there are others. And there are proof. I would strongly say, you couldn't give me a ruleskeeper. Look how far away you've got. And you couldn't go to that place. You know, the walls are burned down. Nehemiah, don't do that. They're God's people.
Nehemiah, I'm going to them. It's God's place. I'm going to it. I just don't imparted that. He wasn't going to it to encourage them in their wrongdoing. or to further help them in their departure from God, but he was going to them because he sought the welfare of the people and is prepared to be identified with their approach.
all of the privilege of preaching the gospel in Corinth and saw them saved, baptized, in assembly form, they had the disappointment of seeing that they got lost to such an extent that I couldn't take pain to dwell upon But it is at most significant, but never once do I hear Paul say, two more, cast them off, abandon them, repeat them, the even race, and talk to us, comment, hear them.
stopping that out into your mind and heart's quiet. These thoughts are well-backed. And I told you, with this encouraging little work, you're trying to take a book to read chapter eight of B. Amaya. Further on, you'll find a normal, dramatic change The affliction finished. The approach is removed. The walls read out. The gates are set in water.
And the messages sent throughout the day. There is to be joy. No more grieving. So are. And humanly speaking. All are tributes of us. To address one point, there's one man on his motive before God was honest and pure. And he saw the welfare of the people.
Did I see the Corinthians? Very far away in the first place. What are you tracking with us? I see better conditions. I see happier things. A trivial amount. To amass. To undergo. So are we aware of that? Obviously. Could I lovingly appeal to my brotherly mother? Now it is some of the younger men starting out and taking a little interest in the things of God.
Try and get your motive regulated in the presence of God. Try and set your sights on this. The good of God's people. And the glory of his name. I'm letting you sit there. You can sit in the written way. And it would fit into what was still good. He opened the conscience for us. A Christian, holy, dedicated priest, consecrated priest away from things of God.
And I can assure you, infinitely better, from anything this poor, glittering world can offer to you. For, mind you, your gold will rest in well wealth. Your honor perished in death at this point. You never can be kept in a good house to take a glory on the welfare of the world.