Nehemiah - Part 1 Leader

Nehemiah – Part 1

A MAN

OF

YOUNG ADULT CELLS NOV 2005 WEEK 2

VISION, PASSION

AND

PETITION

Leader’s Notes

FOCUS (10 mins) Show the members a light bulb. Tell them that a little more than 100 years ago, the world was still lighted by candles and oil lamps and how fast the world has transformed. Ask them who invented the light bulb. Ask if anyone of them know what Thomas Edison had to go through to invent the light bulb. Tell them that he had to work with more than 3,000 types of fibre and conducted more than 10,000 experiments before he came up with a carbon-type fibre that works. Ask them the discussion question. You may hand out the notes at this time at the same time and get someone to read the introduction or skip the introduction. What do you think were some characterize these inventors?

of

the

qualities

that

Some of the answers they will give: perseverance, determination, passion, talent, abilities etc. None of them are wrong. (of course, after seeing the heading some may say vision and passion  ask them to explain if they give such answer.) Lead them to the idea that these inventors must be driven by a need and they have a vision to want to make things better. Tell them that we will talk about 3 qualities of a great builder (Nehemiah) in today’s lesson. (This is a sermon I preached two months ago.) Who was Nehemiah and what was the story-line in the book of Nehemiah? (10 mins) Instead of telling the fact about Nehemiah, ask them for inputs on what they know about Nehemiah, and then try to piece the information together. It is more interesting than you running a commentary on the book of Nehemiah and encourages mutual learning. Some answers they will give: cupbearer, a Jew, rebuild the wall, had perseverance, overcame discouragement, great man of God, reform the Jews, re-institute the law etc.

Learning Outcomes: Understanding, Attitude Objective: At the end of this lesson, you will be able to: • Learn 3 qualities of a great builder. • Desire to pray and seek God for a personal vision. • Evaluate if your passions are God-centred.

Normally, I will read out the objectives to the members at the beginning of the lesson. This helps to give them a sense of where the lesson is going. I noticed that many of you do not do that. And some of you can get lost in the details to the point you dwell on the minor issues rather then the main objectives of the lesson. (Not saying you cannot deviate but watch your deviation). Reading the objectives help to keep the overall focus of the lesson in view.

You will have to read up the background to the book of Nehemiah to give you some confidence in the materials. You can use the introductory section of a study bible. A good study bible that I have found useful for such introductory material is the OPEN BIBLE. Alternatively, you have use the NIV STUDY BIBLE or other study bible that suits you.

Below is an excerpt of the points in my sermon. You may use this to help paint the background information for the members. Try not to read verbatim but utilize the information to explain that Nehemiah deals with the third return from exile (under Babylonian and later Persian rule.) 1)

When Babylon’s soldiers under King Nebuchadnezzar, marched out of Jerusalem in 586 BC, they left a desolate city behind them. 2) Its magnificent temple, built by Solomon 400 years earlier was reduced to a heap of rubble, the city gates and all its important buildings were destroyed and the city walls demolished. 3) Except for the poorest that were left behind, its citizens were taken off as captives to distant Babylon. 4) As they trod the thousand of miles of desert highways to an alien land, with their blinded king shackled and humiliated alongside them, their hearts must be heavy and the hope for Israel as a nation evaporated under the burning sun. 5) But God is preparing new leaders for fresh challenges. This is where we read of the story of Daniel and his companions who stood up for God in a pagan world. Then there is the ministry of Ezekiel who confronted the exiles with higher moral standards and values. 6) Challenged by new prophets such as Haggai, Zechariah and Malachi, God’s people would again think about nobler things. 7) The book of Ezra relates the story of two returns to Jerusalem from Babylon – the first led by Zerubbabel in 538 BC to rebuild the temple in Ezra 1-6 and the second under the leadership of Ezra in 457 B.C to rebuild the spiritual condition of the people. 8) Sandwiched between these two accounts is a gap of nearly 60 years, during which Esther lives and rules as queen in Persia. 9) The third return is led by Nehemiah in B.C 444 to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. 10) The book of Ezra and Nehemiah were originally bounded together as one book because Chronicles, Ezra and Nehemiah were viewed as one continuous history. 11) During this period covered by the book of Ezra and Nehemiah, Gautama Buddha (560-480) is in India, Confucius (551-479) is in China and Socrates (470-399) is in Greece. Leader’s Notes

page 1 of 3

Nehemiah – Part 1

YOUNG ADULT CELLS NOV 2005 WEEK 2

L In these parts, there is no need to break up your cell into 3 groups since the questions are straight-forward, reflective or personal. To keep time, you will do the open question approach. That is you throw out the question to the group and ask for response. If everybody stares blank, then you arrow someone. If he/she don’t know, ask for another person to help him/her.

PART II – A Man of Vision Read Neh 1:1-11, 2:1-5 You may assign a circular reading format, do role-play or do mime to enhance the story-line. KEY is to be creative. Describe the feelings and thoughts in Nehemiah’s mind?  sat down and wept, mourned and fasted, felt despair etc. The one thing that gripped Nehemiah’s heart:  a vision of wanting to rebuild Jerusalem. (He remembered God’s promise in Neh 1:9 of gathering them back from exile.)

IMPORTANT NOTE: There is no need to invoke response from everybody, else you will overrun your time. Learn to listen to their response, summarize and then ask a closing question like: “anybody got anything to add, or any other thoughts” then move on. What is a vision? It is a projection of what you will become in the future. (Usually an improvement of the present.) It is a mental image of what the future could be like.

Do you have a personal vision for your life?  invite them to share what they want to do in the future. Many would be talking about their goals and ambitions. It is ok. Go further by asking if they ever had a personal vision from God before (their purposes in life)? Many will not have, it is ok, encourage them to seek God for a personal vision of what God wants them to do in life.

Part III – A Man of Passion Some of the reasons that the people agreed to rebuild the walls:  authority of Nehemiah, he has the king’s letter etc. But mainly, he did not invoke his authority. He refers to the disgrace (ruins v17) and that God hands was with him (v18). He had the conviction and confidence that the plan will succeed. He is passionate about the whole thing. (people will not follow him if he has no conviction and passion.) What are some of the things that you are naturally excited about?  eg. soccer, netball, computer games, hanging out. It is ok to have these areas of interest. You can relate some area of your life in which you are passionate about. However, as Christian, we must also be passionate with the things of God (eg. word of God and Christian service). The second question is to help them to align some of their passions with those that are Godcentred. (Are our passions self-centred or does it adds value to the Kingdom of God?)

Part III – A Man of Petition What does it tell us about the prayer life of Nehemiah?  naturalness of his prayer life, his intimacy with God, persistent prayer, consistent prayer (day and night), travailing prayer. (more than 100 days he prayed from chapter 1 to 2). Why do you think prayer is such an important component in the life of a Christian?  helps us discern God’s will. Give us strength to overcome problems. What are some ways we can improve our prayer life?  prayer partners, having a fixed place and time, using prayer list, synchronize prayer, prayer with someone over the phone etc.

What is passion? While vision is something that grips you, passion is something that moves you. Passion is what excites you. It is an area of interest that will keep you talking night and day. What I mean by God-centred passion: Spiritual passion eg. reading the Word, prayer, fellowship, reaching out, serving others etc. Those that bring glory to God. Eg. of personal passion that adds value: play soccer at same time reach out to non-christians.

My take: Prayer is one of the most profound mysteries in the universe, how a omnipotent God who could do all things would in certain sense restrict Himself to the prayer of his people to do his work. Pat Johnson quote: “when man works, man works. When man prays, God works.

Leader’s Notes page 2 of 3

Nehemiah – Part 1

V.

YOUNG ADULT CELLS NOV 2005 WEEK 2

Conclusion (5 mins)

Summarize the lesson and ask them to write down their reflections. Point to them the helping questions at the side.

Tell them about the assignment for next week. (refer member’s notes)

Leader’s Notes page 3 of 3