Invitation to Significance | Nehemiah
Nehemiah 2:1-8, Luke 14:26-27, Mark 8:34-35
What BREAKS your HEART?
Answering this question is going to REQUIRE something of you.
Ultimately, it’s going to cost you some LIFE.
Nehemiah 2:1-18 (pg. 751)
v.1: “In the month of NISAN, in the twentieth year of king Artaxerxes”
First Principle: God will use your CIRCUMSTANCES to PREPARE you to ACCOMPLISH His vision for your life.
Our Heavenly Father is an expert of resurrecting MEANING out of MEANINGLESSNESS.
Second Principle: What God BIRTHS in you, He knows how to bring to FRUITION.
v.2: “So the king asked me, Why does your face look so sad when you are not ill? This can be nothing but sadness of heart. I was very much AFRAID.”
v.4: “The king said to me. What is it you want? Then I PRAYED to the God of heaven and I ANSWERED the king.”
v.8: “And because the gracious hand of my GOD was on me, the king GRANTED my requests.”
Third Principle: Vision builds our FAITH by serving as a constant reminder of our DEPENDENCE on God.
When Jesus’ followers have no vision, or lose their vision for Jesus’ mission, Jesus’ CHURCH and ultimately the WORLD, suffers.
“If anyone comes to Me and does not HATE father and mother, wide and children, brothers and sisters yes, even their own LIFE, that person CANNOT be my DISCIPLE.” (Luke 14:26)
“Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny THEMSELVES and take up their cross and FOLLOW Me.” (Mark 8:34)
“For whoever wants to SAVE their life will LOSE it. But whoever loses THEIR life for ME and for the GOSPEL will SAVE it.” (Mark 8:35)
This is an invitation to SIGNIFICANCE.