Sermons
June 4th, 2023 by Pastor Solley060423AM Watchers
Sub. Nehemiah
Theme: Nehemiah appointing watchers.
Text: Neh 7:1-4
“Watchers” Neh 7:1-4
Introduction
I want to speak to you this morning about the need for spiritual watchers using Nehemiah as an example and illustration.
Neh 7:1-4 – We find here the command to appoint watchers. – Neh 7:3
I. Nehemiah was used by God to accomplish one of the great works of the Old Testament: Noah in building the Ark, Moses is setting up the tabernacle, Solomon in building the temple, and along side of them Nehemiah in rebuilding the walls and gates of Jerusalem and restoring the temple.
A. Nehemiah was engaged in a great work for the Lord: And along the way he faced many obstacles and much opposition.
1. For years not being able to return to Jerusalem himself: He served in the court of a Gentile king and had no leave to return.
2. Indifference among the Jews who had returned and were able to travel back and forth: They were indifferent to the condition of both the city and the temple.
3. Ridicule and false accusation from Gentiles who lived in and around the city of Jerusalem: They wanted the city in ruins.
4. People who grew weary in the work:
5. The task itself: It was a huge undertaking.
6. But Nehemiah was able to get done in fifty two days what others could not in seventy years: Neh 7:3
B. Yet the work was not complete: Neh 7:4 There was still much to do and the enemy was lurking about.
1. So it was time to appoint some watchers: Neh 7:2-3 Certain things they were to watch for.
a. The enemy that would never leave them alone.
b. The work to continue until it was complete.
c. There needed to be watchers.
2. But who would make up their ranks? Two are named. – Neh 7:2 – There would be many others appointed by these men as well. They would look out for others as well as themselves.
C. It is the watchers we will be looking at this morning: For they watched for danger, they watched for others and for themselves.
II. There is certainly a need for watchers today, for spiritual watchers: We are engaged in even a greater work than Noah, Moses, Solomon or Nehemiah today. Our work is not in erecting a great building but it is a spiritual work we are engaged in today.
A. At times we may look at the work as being complete: Saved and on the way to heaven. Perhaps our families saved as well. Joined to a Bible believing church standing on the doctrines of the KJB. Active in serving the Lord.
1. And we have certainly seen opposition along the way: Satan hindering and fighting against us even being born again.
2. Satan trying to hinder us from being sold out to and involved in the work of God:
3. But we continue on doing what and all that we can: We at times may look at the work as complete.
4. But our work like theirs is far from finished: Neh 7:4 Not all parts of all houses are complete and the enemy is still walking about seeking whom he may devour.
B. So there is a need for watchers today: But who will make up the watchers of our day and what are we to watch for? There are several things here in the book of Nehemiah that answer both of those questions.
PROP: There is a great need for watchers today. The need to watch for others and for ourselves. TS. We are to make up those ranks.
Body
I. A watcher must first look for shortcomings within himself: If I am going to be a watcher for others as well as for myself I must first look for shortcomings within myself.
A. Nehemiah would have been one of those watchers: He does not name himself but Nehemiah would have been one of those watchers so let us go back to the beginning of the book and the burden that Nehemiah had. – Neh 1:1-5 – Nehemiah had not been to Jerusalem in the seventy years that the Jews were permitted to return. Nehemiah was most likely born into captivity and had never been to Jerusalem. Nehemiah certainly played no part in Israel going into captivity and in the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple.
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1. But as Nehemiah begins to pray with a great burden for Jerusalem and the temple notice where he first looks: Neh 1:6-11 There are certain words in this prayer that point to Nehemiah looking for shortcomings within.
a. We, I, my father’s house. – Neh 1:6
b. We. – Neh 1:7
c. Thy servant. – Neh 1:11
2. Nehemiah was not even born when the sins of the nation moved the hand of God in judgment: Why then the words we, I, my father’s house, they servant? Why place himself in the same place as a sin laden nation?
3. Because Nehemiah never forgot who he was before his relationship through blood with Jehovah, who he would be without Jehovah and what he could still become without a right relationship with Jehovah: The first place Nehemiah would look would always be within. Only with a right walk and relationship with Jehovah could Nehemiah find any peace and joy in this world.
4. Nehemiah knew what sin could do in his life: He had plenty of examples to look at.
a. Israel was in captivity because they refused to look within and make all things right between them and the Lord.
b. Solomon lived a life of misery because he refused to look within and make all things right between him and the Lord.
5. The first place Nehemiah would watch was within:
B. A spiritual watcher today must first look within, look for sin in our lives, look for our shortcomings before God: Watchers look outward but they must also look inward.
1. Jesus tells us the importance of looking within: Matt 7:3-5 Watchers look outward but they must first look inward.
2. Never forget what you were before Jesus Christ came into your life and never forget what it took to save you: You had no part, I had no part in salvation other than repentance and receiving the Lord Jesus Christ within. It is all Jesus.
3. Once we are saved Satan would have us forget what we were without Christ: Don’t dwell on the past, don’t beat yourself up over the past, but never forget what we were and what Jesus Christ has done for us.
a. Those who forget the past are prone to repeat it is a common saying.
b. But that can have a spiritual application.
4. We need look within so we can have a right walk and relationship with Jesus Christ: Ps 139:21-24
5. A spiritual watcher will first look within:
C. A watcher must first look for shortcomings within himself:
II. A watcher must put aside all indifference: Neh 1:1-5 Notice that Nehemiah is the only one broken hearted and praying with bitter tears before God in chapter one. But Nehemiah is not the only one who knew the condition of Jerusalem. – Neh 1:2-4 – Hanani and the others were indifferent to the condition of Jerusalem, the walls, the gates and the temple. They were indifferent.
A. But something takes place between chapter one and chapter seven: Neh 7:1-2 It is the same Hanani in chapter seven as in chapter one. – Neh 7:2 – Something happened to Hanani, the indifference is gone and Hanani has the same burden as Nehemiah.
1. Two men are named in verse two, Hanani and Hananiah, but it is said one feared God above many: Neh 7:2 Which one? Both. Hanani was no longer indifferent to the spiritual needs of Israel, of Jerusalem, and of himself.
2. Hanani was a runner, a courier going back and forth between Jerusalem and Shushan with orders from the king and reports of what was going on in Jerusalem: Hanani was the fax machine, the on site reporter and he would make many trips to Jerusalem.
a. Hanani became so used to seeing the ruin of the city, the walls, the gates, and the temple, that it no longer bothered him.
b. Perhaps it did bother him at the first but he became hardened and indifferent and it no longer bothered him.
3. What changed Hanani we are not told but something did: It most likely was a number of things.
a. The crushed and broken heart of his brother Nehemiah. – Neh 1:4
b. The willingness of his brother to risk his life. – Neh 2:1-3 The kind had no desire to look at sad faces and it could have cost Nehemiah his life to plead for his people.
c. The willingness of Nehemiah to leave the palace and do a work for the Lord. – Neh 2:4-6
d. Perhaps it was just the fire withing the heart of his brother.
4. But in chapter seven Hanani is a different man and the indifference is gone: Neh 7:1-2
B. An indifferent person is a lukewarm individual and what does Jesus think of those ones? Rev 3:14-16 God could have never used Hanani as a watcher as long as that indifference remained. A watcher must put aside all indifference.
1. So easy to become indifferent today: With the sins that have taken over America, with things getting progressively worse by the hour it seems, with churches closing their doors, with missionaries leaving the field, it is easy to become indifferent today.
2. We have gotten so used to sin and spiritual decline that it no longer bothers us: Many a Christian today sitting in good Bible believing churches fit right in with a lukewarmness and so do their pastors. This is still true. – Rev 3:14-16
3. We say we care, we say we are not indifferent, but do our actions match our words? Very often that answer is no.
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a. When we have one special prayer service for America every thirty days and ten people attend do we really care?
b. When we claim to be a praying church and prayer meeting numbers dwindle are we really?
c. When we say we have a burden for souls and six or seven are willing to go door to door is there really a burden?
4. What will it take to put aside the indifference? A spiritual watcher needs to put aside the indifference that has taken over our lives.
a. When a loved one dies apart from Jesus Christ it wakes us up. We should already be awake.
b. When sin ruins the life of one close to us it wakes us up. We should already be awake.
c. What will it take to put aside the indifference?
C. A watcher must put aside all indifference: Neh 1:1-5
III. A watcher need to be aware of frontal attacks: Neh 4:1-3 ; Neh 4:11-18 There was an open attack on Nehemiah and the others as they went to work in the city. It began with words and then escalated. – Neh 4:11
A. They were to watch for open and frontal attacks: So people were armed to protect one another. – Neh 4:18-22 – And they watched.
1. Satan is not only called a lion, he is called a dragon: Thirteen times in the book of Revelation Satan is called a dragon. Dragons don’t sneak up on people, they openly attack.
2. Lions may hide for a time but they spring out and attack: Part of their nature is to frighten.
3. Interesting that is Ezekiel Pharaoh is called a dragon: Ezek 29:3 Speak, and say, Thus saith the Lord God; Behold, I am against thee, Pharaoh king of Egypt, the great dragon that lieth in the midst of his rivers, which hath said, My river is mine own, and I have made it for myself.
4. One of the gates Nehemiah had to repair was the dragon gate: Neh 2:13
5. They watched for an open attack from the enemy:
B. Watchers today need to look for that open attack: We can talk about the whiles of the devil, of those that sneak in unawares, but we also need to watch for an open attack.
1. When we see danger we need to sound an alarm: Ezek 33:5 He heard the sound of the trumpet, and took not warning; his blood shall be upon him. But he that taketh warning shall deliver his soul.
2. Warning is a part of preaching: An alarm needs to be sounded when danger is spotted.
3. This is a day of acceptance and tolerance: But when there is no warning people stand in danger.
ILL. I never thought we would see a day when one had to be placed in the lobby or people would be armed in the church house. But I also never thought I would see the day it would be needed and it is needed today…
4. There needs to be a watch set: 1 Thess 5:5-7 And when the lion is sighted people need to be warned.
C. A watcher need to be aware of frontal attacks: Neh 4:1-3 ; Neh 4:11-18
IV. A watcher needs as well to be aware of the enemy trying to infiltrate: There are open assaults but that is not the only way that Satan attacks the people of God. There are the whiles of the devil.
A. Satan will also try and infiltrate and do harm: Neh 6:1-9 The enemy trying to get together under the guise of friendship and cooperation. – Neh 6:2 ; Neh 6:7 This tactic also recorded in the book of Ezra who was working with Nehemiah.
1. Why didn’t Nehemiah take the time to sit down with Sanballat? He heard from Sanballat and others before. – Neh 4:11 – It was the same group now wanting to sit down in friendship.
2. Had there been repentance and conversion Nehemiah would certainly have sat down with Sanaballat: But there was neither of those. This man had not changed, his desire to hurt and harm the work of God had not changed. How do I know that?
3. Because Sanballat bribed a prophet to lie: Neh 6:8-14 ; Neh 6:13
4. If Satan could not get Nehemiah with a frontal attack he would try and infiltrate under the guise of friendship and cooperation:
B. We need to be aware of the tactics of Satan today as he tries to infiltrate and do harm to the work and people of God: A dragon and a lion shout danger but that is not the only way Satan appears. – Matt 7:15
1. The Bible warns us to be on guard for those who are not what they say they are: 2 Cor 11:13-15
2. Many a church and child of God has fallen because they were not watching for the little foxes that try and enter in: Some things appear to be harmless and then they bring things in that will ruin. – Jude 4
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a. How many churches have been ruined because they permitted just a little of the wrong type of music to be used?
b. How many churches have been ruined because they permitted just a little of the wrong Bible to be used?
c. How many churches have been ruined because they no longer believe sin to be sin?
3. Not everyone is what they claim to be and we need to be watchful: 1 John 4:1
C. A watcher needs as well to be aware of the enemy trying to infiltrate:
V. Nehemiah knew there was a need for watchers: Neh 7:1-4 So they were appointed.
A. Is there any less need for spiritual watchers today, or is there an even greater need? I would contend there is a greater need.
1. We cannot sleep today: Eph 5:14-16 The days are certainly evil and we need to watch.
2. As we get closer to the return of Jesus the need to watch gets greater and greater: Rom 13:11-12
B. Where will the watchers come from today? If not from within this room, where?
Conclusion
Having looked at watchers as found in the book of Nehemiah what then can we say?
I. A watcher must first look for shortcomings within himself: If I am going to be a watcher for others as well as for myself I must first look for shortcomings within myself.
II. A watcher must put aside all indifference: Neh 1:1-5 Notice that Nehemiah is the only one broken hearted and praying with bitter tears before God in chapter one. But Nehemiah is not the only one who knew the condition of Jerusalem. – Neh 1:2-4 – Hanani and the others were indifferent to the condition of Jerusalem, the walls, the gates and the temple. They were indifferent.
III. A watcher need to be aware of frontal attacks: Neh 4:1-3 ; Neh 4:11-18 There was an open attack on Nehemiah and the others as they went to work in the city. It began with words and then escalated. – Neh 4:11
IV. A watcher needs as well to be aware of the enemy trying to infiltrate: There are open assaults but that is not the only way that Satan attacks the people of God. There are the whiles of the devil.
V. Nehemiah knew there was a need for watchers: Neh 7:1-4 So they were appointed.