Three themes from this chapter are explored: the importance of organization, the importance of everyone working and the importance of unity as believers work together to build the kingdom of God.
Read Nehemiah 3
Introduction to the Sermon on the Mount
This sermon introduces a study of the Sermon on the Mount by considering the significance of Jesus preaching of the kingdom of God and also Matthew’s portrayal of Jesus and his significance.
Read Matthew 4:12-25
Nehemiah Inspects Jerusalem’s Walls
This passage shows how God builds his kingdom using leaders who plan and motivate the people of God. It also shows that where God’s kingdom is being built there is opposition.
Read Nehemiah 2:9-20
Community and Mission (6): Hospitality
Hospitality is one of the ways that we are to reflect the character of God. The Bible often uses the imagery of hospitality to describe how God relates to us in the gospel. We are to show hospitality both to fellow Christians and people from the world.
Read Luke 14:12-24; 1 Peter 4:7-11
Prayer, Planning and God
This passage shows Nehemiah praying, planning and acting to attempt a project that will promote the cause of God in the world. He is successful because God hears his prayers and blesses his plans.
Read Nehemiah 2:1-8
Community and Mission (5): Engaging the World
This sermon considers three aspects of engaging the world. First the Bible speaks both of the Church attracting unbelievers by loving community and going out into the community to engage them. Second, the issue of “becoming all things to all people” from 1 Corinthians 9:19-23 is discussed. Thirdly from 1 Peter we are taught two ways of answering objections to the Christian faith.
Risen with Christ
Believers participate in the resurrection of Christ. This sermon considers how Paul intends this truth to function in our lives.
Read Ephesians 2:4-7
The Empty Tomb
The announcement of the angel to the women at the empty tomb is the most significant announcement that has every been made. There is great comfort in the fact that the women were explicitly told to tell the disciples and Peter all of whom had forsaken the Lord in his time of need.
Read Mark 16:1-8
“Who Gave Himself for Our Sins”
This sermon is a meditation on the death of Christ from the perspective of this text. The focus is on how Jesus’ death delivers us from “the present evil age.”
Read Galatians 1:3-5
Community and Mission (4): Community and Our Neighbours
The Bible calls for believers to be separate from unbelievers. Jesus’ example and other biblical passages show that that separation is not isolation, but rather holy lives which are deeply involved in the lives of unbelievers in order to be a blessing to them through the gospel.
Read Matthew 9:9-13; Luke 10:25-37