Overview:
Nehemiah was known and respected for his diligence as a contractor and builder, while his contemporary, Ezra (whom we will encounter in the message “Studying Hard”), was a dedicated scribe and priest. Though their tasks were completely different, neither calling was more important or significant in God’s eyes. They were each strengthened by the other’s devotion.
Message Summary:
In this challenging message, Chuck Swindoll explores the “Integrity of Taking Responsibility” through the life of Nehemiah. Chuck opens with a sobering quote from A.W. Tozer, warning against the “habit of skipping through the corridor of the Kingdom like children,” chattering about everything while learning the value of nothing. He argues that true spiritual depth is found in the discipline of stillness and the willingness to accept a God-given mission. Nehemiah is presented as the ultimate model of this trait—a man who held a high-security position in a foreign palace but never lost his heart for the broken walls of his homeland.
The narrative centers on Nehemiah chapters 1 and 2, where Nehemiah receives word of the “great misery and reproach” in Jerusalem. Chuck highlights Nehemiah’s immediate response: he didn’t complain or look for someone else to blame; he fasted and prayed for “certain days.” The sermon tracks the progression of responsibility, from the private mourning and confession of national sin to the courageous “arrow prayer” offered in the presence of King Artaxerxes. By asking for permission to rebuild the walls, Nehemiah demonstrates that integrity involves moving beyond sympathy into strategic, sacrificial action.
Message Key Facts:
- The Tozer Quote: Chuck emphasizes the need for periodic silence, warning that we often chatter to avoid the weight of God’s holiness and our own responsibilities.
- The Role of a Cupbearer: Chuck explains the high-stakes role of a cupbearer to the King of Persia. It was a position of extreme trust and physical risk (tasting for poison), showing that Nehemiah was a man of proven integrity in the secular world before he was called to sacred work.
- The “Certain Days” of Prayer: The sermon highlights that Nehemiah didn’t rush into action. He spent a significant period in prayer and fasting, identifying himself with the sins of his people rather than distancing himself from them.
- The “Arrow Prayer”: When the King asked why he was sad, Nehemiah offered what Chuck calls an “arrow prayer”—a split-second, silent appeal to God (Nehemiah 2:4) before answering the most powerful man on earth.
- Nehemiah’s Three-fold Identity: Chuck describes Nehemiah as a simple cupbearer, a construction supervisor, and eventually a governor, proving that taking responsibility can elevate a person from obscurity to significant leadership.
Message References:
- Nehemiah 1:1–11: The report of Jerusalem’s ruin and Nehemiah’s deep prayer of confession and appeal.
- Nehemiah 2:1–8: The courageous interaction between Nehemiah and King Artaxerxes, resulting in the “bold request” to return and rebuild.
- Ezra (Context): Cited as the historical background to the return of the exiles and the spiritual climate of the day.
- Nehemiah 4:6 (Reference): The result of taking responsibility: “the people had a mind to work.”
