:1-14

A. Introduction

1. Nehemiah is a great book for us to be looking at together at our elder’s meetings.

It is a book about building a community of people who will reach the community around them.

It is a book about God’s provision for His people as they wait for King Jesus to come.

It is a book that will be helpful for us as we plan for the next 10 years of Banstead Community Church.

2. What have we seen so far?

In Nehemiah 1-2 we saw that God’s provision for His people are elders of local church to build them up in their faith so they will reach the community around them as they wait for King Jesus to return.

In we saw that the building up of God’s people will not be effective without the involvement of both church leaders and church members.

In -5 we saw that when the church is being built up and reaching its community there will be opposition from outside the church but also from within.

3. At the start of Nehemiah 6 we see that the rebuilding of the wall is near to completion.

“When word came to Sanballat, , Geshem the Arab and the rest of our enemies that I had rebuilt the wall and not a gap was left in it.” (Nehemiah 6:1)

Things were going well for Nehemiah.

But the opposition was not over.

In verses 1 to 14 we see two tactics God’s enemy uses to stop the church from carrying out its mission.

4. Application.

We’ve just had a good few months at Banstead Community Church: we’ve sent Ben and James out to serve, Tim has joined us to train, attendance at services is up, the Christmas season went well, we had a good Week of Prayer and The Word 121 evening, coming up we have a baptismal service, Holiday Club, and the Passion for Life events.

This chapter says we must be on guard against opposition from our enemy the devil and be prepared for it, which is why we need to be aware of the tactics that he uses.

Remember opposition came to Jesus after the high point of His baptism.

B. Distraction

1. The first tactic the devil uses to stop the church from carrying out its mission is distraction.

“When word came to Sanballat, Tobiah, Geshem the Arab and the rest of our enemies that I had rebuilt the wall and not a gap was left in it – though up to that time I had not set the doors in the gates – Sanballat and Geshem sent me this message: “Come, let us meet together in one of the villages on the plain of Ono.” (Nehemiah 6:1-2)

Nehemiah’s enemies invite him to meet with them.

It appears to be an innocent invite.

But the plan was to kidnap him and harm him.

Nehemiah spots the danger, and refuses to meet with them – time and time again.

“But they were scheming to harm me; so I sent messengers to them with this reply: “I am carrying on a great project and cannot go down. Why should the work stop while I leave it and go down to you?” Four times they sent me the same message, and each time I gave them the same answer.” (Nehemiah 6:2-4)

Nehemiah says, “No, I can’t come and meet you!”

And the reason he gives was that meeting with them would draw him away from his priority of rebuilding the walls.

2. This wasn’t the only way Nehemiah’s enemies tried to distract him from his mission.

“Then, the fifth time, Sanballat sent his assistant to me with the same message, and in his hand was an unsealed letter in which was written: “It is reported among the nations – and Geshem says it is true – that you and the Jews are plotting to revolt, and therefore you are building the wall. Moreover, according to these reports you are about to become their king and have even appointed prophets to make this proclamation about you in : ‘There is a king in !’ Now this report will get back to the king; so come, let us confer together.” (Nehemiah 6:5-7)

To force Nehemiah to meet with them, they spread a rumour that he is leading a rebellion.

The temptation now would be for Nehemiah to spend time proving his innocence to everyone or to go and meet with them.

“I sent him this reply: “Nothing like what you are saying is happening; you are just making it up out of your head.” They were all trying to frighten us, thinking, “Their hands will get too weak for the work, and it will not be completed.” But I prayed, “Now strengthen my hands.” (Nehemiah 6:8-9)

Nehemiah got on with what God had told him to do.

Nehemiah prayed that God would strengthen his hand.

3. Application.

The devil will send all sorts of things to distract us from our priorities as elders.

We need to be aware of the things that are distracting from what we should be doing – including accusations that we may feel we need to defend ourselves from.

We need to ask God to strengthen our hands so that we can stick with what is most important.

By this we follow the example of our Lord Jesus who did not allow Himself to be distracted from His mission to save people.

C. Discrediting

1. The second tactic the devil uses to stop the church from carrying out its mission is discrediting.

“One day I went to the house of Shemaiah son of Delaiah, the son of Mehetabel, who was shut in at his home. He said, “Let us meet in the house of God, inside the temple, and let us close the temple doors, because men are coming to kill you – by night they are coming to kill you.” (Nehemiah 6:10)

Nehemiah’s enemies have a man on the inside.

Shemaiah looked like he was a messenger from God until he delivered his message to Nehemiah.

He tells Nehemiah that men are coming to kill him and that he should hide out in the temple.

“But I said, “Should a man like me run away? Or should one like me go into the temple to save his life? I will not go!” I realised that God had not sent him, but that he had prophesied against me because Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him. He had been hired to intimidate me so that I would commit a sin by doing this, and then they would give me a bad name to discredit me. Remember Tobiah and Sanballat. O my God, because of what they have done; remember also the prophetess Noadiah and the rest of the prophets who have been trying to intimidate me.” (Nehemiah 6:11-14)

Nehemiah knew that he could not do this because only priests from the tribe of Levi could go in the temple.

He knew what the Bible said and knew that a true prophet would never go against God’s Word.

If Nehemiah had followed Shemaiah’s instructions he would have disobeyed God’s Word and it would have discredited his ministry.

3. Application.

There is nothing the devil wants more than for leaders of local churches to compromise God’s Word and to discredit their ministry.

Like Nehemiah we need to know what God’s Word says.

Like Nehemiah we need to take what God’s Word says seriously and not allow ourselves to compromise on it and discredit our ministries.

By this we follow the example of our Lord Jesus who resisted every temptation to disobey God’s Word.