Preaching Nehemiah Christologically

Last Sunday, I preached on Nehemiah 2. As I prepared, it struck me that I’ve normally heard the book preached with the emphasis being on Nehemiah as an example to us. We are to be like him. At it’s best, it is about building faith, at its worst its about building projects. The book has even been used as a leadership training manual!

I have no doubt that we have useful things to learn about all those things (maybe even the building projects) but this asks us to treat Nehemiah different to how we preach other books. What if we preached and applied it through Christ.

What if Jesus (not us) is the true and better Nehemiah? What if the book is a love story where Nehemiah is the lover and Jerusalem the beloved? What then if we are not meant to put ourselves in his shoes? If he is the type of Jesus then where do we fit into the tory?

In Revelation, the new Jerusalem is the church. What if we identify ourselves with Jerusalem, this broken, ruined, defenseless city?

How would this shape how we preach it?

This is how I approached it

Nehemiah 2 Sent to the city

Introduction

What do you think of the church

  • Local church
  • National church
  • International

Where do we fit in the story?

Types of Jesus

  • Temple
  • Walls
  • Nehemiah himself

Revelation 21-22 New Jerusalem … The Church  

  1. Meet Jesus -the one who intercedes for us (v1-8)

4 months later, time to fast and pray, note the slowing down, not rushing theme

At just the right time!

  • Meet Jesus -the one who searches and knows us (v9-18)

The city is in a sorry and shocking state but Nehemiah does not give up

  • Meet Jesus -the one who opposes our enemies (v19-20)

Mocked -abused, accused but Nehemiah stands his ground

The enemies will have no part in it.

Conclusion

Words of an older hymn “the church’s one foundation” describe the Church as experiencing tumult and war, division and distress.  We might feel like that about The Church” it may feel like ti describes yourself at times.

The church’s one foundation
is Jesus Christ her Lord;
she is his new creation
by water and the Word.
From heaven he came and sought her
to be his holy bride;
with his own blood he bought her,
and for her life he died.

If we want to know our true identity we need to first see Jesus, then we can see ourselves as he sees us.