Sketch 22 Standing in the Gap - Ministry Exchange (MX)

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S @
tanding in the Gap : Prayer and Planning
Nehemiah 1:1-2:8
The words of Nehemiah son of Hacaliah. In the month of Chislev, in the twentieth year,
while I was in Susa the capital, 2 one of my brothers, Hanani, came with certain men
from Judah; and I asked them about the Jews that survived, those who had escaped the
captivity, and about Jerusalem. 3 They replied, `The survivors there in the province who
escaped captivity are in great trouble and shame; the wall of Jerusalem is broken down,
and its gates have been destroyed by fire.' 4 When I heard these words I sat down and
wept, and mourned for days, fasting and praying before the God of heaven. 5 I said, `O
Lord God of heaven, the great and awesome God who keeps covenant and steadfast
love with those who love him and keep his commandments; 6 let your ear be attentive
and your eyes open to hear the prayer of your servant that I now pray before you day
and night for your servants the people of Israel, confessing the sins of the people of
@
INTRODUCTION The year is 445 B.C., about
Israel, which we have sinned against you. Both I and my family have sinned. 7 We
150 years after the Babylonians had destroyed
have offended you deeply, failing to keep the commandments, the statutes, and the
Jerusalem and deported most of the city's
ordinances that you commanded your servant Moses. 8 Remember the word that you
people. Ezra has rebuilt the temple, but the
city walls, which had also been rebuilt, now lie
commanded your servant Moses, "If you are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the
in ruins again. This section of Nehemiah tells
peoples; 9 but if you return to me and keep my commandments and do them, though
us how one man responded to the desperate
your outcasts are under the farthest skies, I will gather them from there and bring them
situation.
to the place at which I have chosen to establish my name." 10 They are your servants
How is Nehemiah's reaction to the news from
and your people, whom you redeemed by your great power and your strong hand.
Jerusalem different from Hanani's?
11 O Lord, let your ear be attentive to the prayer of your servant, and to the prayer
of your servants who delight in revering your name. Give success to your servant
today, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man!' At the time, I was cupbearer to
the king. 1 In the month of Nisan, in the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes, when wine
was served to him, I carried the wine and gave it to the king. Now, I had never been
What impresses you about Nehemiah's prayer
sad in his presence before. 2 So the king said to me, `Why is your face sad, since you
in chapter 1?
are not sick? This can only be sadness of the heart.' Then I was very much afraid. 3 I
said to the king, `May the king live for ever! Why should my face not be sad, when the
city, the place of my ancestors' graves, lies waste, and its gates have been destroyed by
fire?' 4 Then the king said to me, `What do you request?' So I prayed to the God
of heaven. 5 Then I said to the king, `If it pleases the king, and if your servant has
What evidence do you see in chapter 2 that
would indicate that Nehemiah had planned
found favour with you, I ask that you send me to Judah, to the city of my ancestors'
ahead, in addition to the time he spent
graves, so that I may rebuild it.' 6 The king said to me (the queen also was sitting beside
praying?
him), `How long will you be gone, and when will you return?' So it pleased the king to
send me, and I set him a date. 7 Then I said to the king, `If it pleases the king, let letters
be given me to the governors of the province Beyond the River, that they may grant me
passage until I arrive in Judah; 8 and a letter to Asaph, the keeper of the king's forest,
directing him to give me timber to make beams for the gates of the temple fortress, and
How is Nehemiah a part of the answer to his
for the wall of the city, and for the house that I shall occupy.' And the king granted me
own prayers?
what I asked, for the gracious hand of my God was upon me.
INTERVARSITY ®
Sketches of Leadership #22

SKETCHES of Leadership o o o o >
S @
tanding in the Gap : Prayer and Planning
Nehemiah 1:1-2:8
The words of Nehemiah son of Hacaliah. In the month of Chislev, in the twentieth year,
while I was in Susa the capital, 2 one of my brothers, Hanani, came with certain men
from Judah; and I asked them about the Jews that survived, those who had escaped the
captivity, and about Jerusalem. 3 They replied, `The survivors there in the province who
escaped captivity are in great trouble and shame; the wall of Jerusalem is broken down,
and its gates have been destroyed by fire.' 4 When I heard these words I sat down and
wept, and mourned for days, fasting and praying before the God of heaven. 5 I said, `O
Lord God of heaven, the great and awesome God who keeps covenant and steadfast
love with those who love him and keep his commandments; 6 let your ear be attentive
and your eyes open to hear the prayer of your servant that I now pray before you day
and night for your servants the people of Israel, confessing the sins of the people of
@
INTRODUCTION The year is 445 B.C., about
Israel, which we have sinned against you. Both I and my family have sinned. 7 We
150 years after the Babylonians had destroyed
have offended you deeply, failing to keep the commandments, the statutes, and the
Jerusalem and deported most of the city's
ordinances that you commanded your servant Moses. 8 Remember the word that you
people. Ezra has rebuilt the temple, but the
city walls, which had also been rebuilt, now lie
commanded your servant Moses, "If you are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the
in ruins again. This section of Nehemiah tells
peoples; 9 but if you return to me and keep my commandments and do them, though
us how one man responded to the desperate
your outcasts are under the farthest skies, I will gather them from there and bring them
situation.
to the place at which I have chosen to establish my name." 10 They are your servants
How is Nehemiah's reaction to the news from
and your people, whom you redeemed by your great power and your strong hand.
Jerusalem different from Hanani's?
11 O Lord, let your ear be attentive to the prayer of your servant, and to the prayer
of your servants who delight in revering your name. Give success to your servant
What impresses you about Nehemiah's prayer
today, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man!' At the time, I was cupbearer to
in chapter 1?
the king. 1 In the month of Nisan, in the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes, when wine
· Passionately weeps and mourns
was served to him, I carried the wine and gave it to the king. Now, I had never been
· Prays and fasts for days on end
· Confesses not only his own sins but the sins
sad in his presence before. 2 So the king said to me, `Why is your face sad, since you
of his ancestors
are not sick? This can only be sadness of the heart.' Then I was very much afraid. 3 I
· Boldly claims God's promises
said to the king, `May the king live for ever! Why should my face not be sad, when the
What evidence do you see in chapter 2 that
city, the place of my ancestors' graves, lies waste, and its gates have been destroyed by
would indicate that Nehemiah had planned
fire?' 4 Then the king said to me, `What do you request?' So I prayed to the God
ahead, in addition to the time he spent
of heaven. 5 Then I said to the king, `If it pleases the king, and if your servant has
praying?
found favour with you, I ask that you send me to Judah, to the city of my ancestors'
· Note the detailed requests that he made
graves, so that I may rebuild it.' 6 The king said to me (the queen also was sitting beside
to the king
him), `How long will you be gone, and when will you return?' So it pleased the king to
send me, and I set him a date. 7 Then I said to the king, `If it pleases the king, let letters
How is Nehemiah a part of the answer to his
own prayers?
be given me to the governors of the province Beyond the River, that they may grant me
passage until I arrive in Judah; 8and a letter to Asaph, the keeper of the king's forest,
· He is cupbearer to the king--a position of
directing him to give me timber to make beams for the gates of the temple fortress, and
access and influence
· He makes a plan of action and is willing
for the wall of the city, and for the house that I shall occupy.' And the king granted me
to make personal sacrifices to see it come
what I asked, for the gracious hand of my God was upon me.
to pass
INTERVARSITY ®
Sketches of Leadership #22

SKETCHES of Leadership o o o o >
W @
hat Does It Take To Stand In The Gap?
> Hanani and others had been eyewitnesses of the desperate situation in Jerusalem. Yet, apparently, they are not
Insight :
moved to mourning, to prayer and fasting, and to taking action, like Nehemiah. What is it that sets Nehemiah apart?
Nehemiah's heart is present for hopes that haven't been fulfilled for 150 years ... he has a soft heart that leads him into a pretty pow-
erful prayer. He is allowing "the things that break God's heart" to break his heart."
Characteristics of those who will Stand in the Gap
> See clearly and feel deeply the desperation of the present reality
> See clearly and trust deeply in
God's promises and resources
It engages both our hearts and minds; it
> Make a and a to addr
plan of action
sacrificial commitment
ess the need involves both prayer and actions.
What @keeps us from being like Nehemiah?
Failure To: SEE
unaware :
· Unaware--we are often unaware of the needs around us and
around the world
...The desperate need
apathetic : · Apathetic--we often are apathetic to even the desperate needs
of others and have little or no sense of urgency about those
resignation : ·we think that the situation is hopeless and sink into despair
...The resources God has at his disposal
unbelief :
·we fail to lay claim to the promises God has already made
· we often think that there is nothing we
inferiority complex : can do about situations some of us think too
...The part I can play
messiah complex :
highly of ourselves, and act as if we are the
solution to all the world's problems. Apart
from Christ we can do nothing.
For reflection:
Note: Seeing the need and an awareness of
God's power are the two essential ingredi-
1. What spiritual/physical needs would you see if you walked through your campus,
ents to prayer. Without the one, we feel no
your dorm, or your student union with eyes to see deeply?
urgency. Without the other, we fail to go
to God. Which of these is more the issue as
2. How would you like your prayer life to be more like Nehemiah's?
you think about your own life of prayer?
3. PRAY about the work God wants to do on campus through you.
INTERVARSITY ®
Sketches of Leadership #22
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