Nehemiah and the big ask
In this 3rd message on Nehemiah, we examine Nehemiah chapter 2, how biblical leadership assesses where God's people are, where He wants them to be, and how to move forward.
Click here for the recording of this 11/9/25 Service, and you can fast-forward to 28:25 to get to the start of the sermon.
Our text comes from 1st Nehemiah 2.1-10
1 And it came about in the month Nisan, in the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes, that wine was before him, and I picked up the wine and gave it to the king. Now I had not been sad in his presence.
2 So the king said to me, “Why is your face sad, though you are not ill? This is nothing but sadness of heart.” Then I was very much afraid.
3 And I said to the king, “ May the king live forever. Why should my face not be sad when the city, the site of my fathers’ tombs, is desolate and its gates have been consumed by fire?”
Introduction
Part of God’s call in leading His people is to assess reality, in the light of Scripture-
Where are we?
Where does the Lord want us to be, as best we can discern?
How do we get there?
How do we get there in the most unified way?
Ex- Moses left Egypt with 4-6 mil people; how many of those got to the promised land, 40 yrs later?
v1
It was in the first month of the Jewish calendar, corresponding with our Mar-Apr, that Nehemiah found himself in the presence of the King during his routine duties
The king is 20 yrs into his reign
Nehemiah likely has already tasted the wine earlier, and now serves it to the king
It was not permitted for servants to be sad in the presence of the king
v2
The king wants to know why Nehemiah is sad
(we need to give people permission to be real with their emotions)
Knowing the custom of the king, fear gripped Nehemiah because of the question
(in leadership, fear is periodic, and needs to be managed)
v3
Nehemiah has to give him an answer
He wishes the king long life, as was the customary greeting
And then, he is honest with the king- “Why shouldn’t I be sad, when the place where my fathers are buried is desolate and the gates burned with fire?”
(there is a price to pay for honesty, but that is the risk you take)
v4
The king asks the big question- “what do you want?”
Before Nehemiah answers, he prays
(pray more, talk less)
V5-8
Nehemiah proceeds to tell the king what he wants-
“Send me to Judah, to rebuild”
Nehemiah set “a definite time”- he had a plan
“Give me documents for safe passage”
“Give me a royal warrant to harvest your timber for the rebuilding of the gates, and his house” (he is planning to live there for a while)
The king gave him what he asked for, because God’s hand was upon him
v9
As he travels, Nehemiah serves his papers to those who need to see them
Nehemiah is traveling with a military escort
V10
And then, opposition comes
Sanballot the horonite- Samaritan (religiously, this makes him miles apart from Nehemiah, a Jew)
Tobias the ammonite
They were displeased, raah- to think or be evil; Why?
Because Nehemiah had come to seek the welfare (tovah, tov) of Israel; all he wanted was ”good”
How this applies to us
God positions people in leadership for His purposes
Often, the lord uses relational leadership to accomplish His purposes- relationships that open doors otherwise closed
Leadership calls for realistic honesty, however difficult it may be to say, or hear
Sooner or later, leaders have to ask for what is needed- help, money, influence…
Wise leadership bathes everything in prayer
The wise leader both prays and asks, specifically, when needed
The leader is not responsible for results, but obedience; the results are up to God
Only a fool is surprised by opposition, which is often ongoing, and must be managed, via prayer, and honest, kind leadership
