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- What Is the Lord Doing with IFM Today?
NEIGHBOUR
TO NEIGHBOUR
CHRIST CHURCH DINGLEY
TEACHING NOTES: The Rev Denis Plant - Sunday 23rd May, 1999
An audio tape is available for
this sermon. See TAPES
1. NEHEMIAH - A Portrait of a Godly Man
 | A common man in a unique position. |
| Secure and successful, cupbearer to the king. |
| Had a little power but great influence. |
| Trusted by the King. |
| A man of God concerned for his people in Jerusalem. |
| Jerusalem's walls were in ruins, bringing humiliation
and hardship to his people and dishonour to God. |
| The news broke his heart. |
GOD SHAPED AND USED HIM:
| God is in the business of working through ordinary
people. |
| God often shapes people with: |
| Personality characteristics |
| Experiences |
| Training |
| Adversity |
| Etc. |
PREPARED AND POSITIONED
| God prepared and positioned Nehemiah to accomplish one
of the Bible's "impossible" tasks. |
| Usually the person, like Nehemiah, has no idea what God
has in store for him/her. |
| As he talked to God about Jerusalem, a plan began to
form about his own role. |
| He willingly left the security of his home and job to
follow God on an "impossible" mission. |
LESSONS FROM HIS LIFE
| The first step in any
venture is to pray. |
| People under God's
direction can accomplish impossible tasks. |
| There are two parts to
real service for God: |
| Talking with God. |
| Walking with God. |
2. A MESSAGE FOR US
(Neh 1:1-11 NIV) The words of Nehemiah son of
Hacaliah: In the month of Kislev in the twentieth year, while I was in the citadel of
Susa, {2} Hanani, one of my brothers, came from Judah with some other men, and I
questioned them about the Jewish remnant that survived the exile, and also about
Jerusalem. {3} They said to me, "Those who survived the exile and are back in the
province are in great trouble and disgrace. The wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its
gates have been burned with fire." {4} When I heard these things, I sat down and
wept. For some days I mourned and fasted and prayed before the God of heaven. {5} Then I
said: "O LORD, God of heaven, the great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of
love with those who love him and obey his commands, {6} let your ear be attentive and your
eyes open to hear the prayer your servant is praying before you day and night for your
servants, the people of Israel. I confess the sins we Israelites, including myself and my
father's house, have committed against you. {7} We have acted very wickedly toward you. We
have not obeyed the commands, decrees and laws you gave your servant Moses. {8}
"Remember the instruction you gave your servant Moses, saying, 'If you are
unfaithful, I will scatter you among the nations, {9} but if you return to me and obey my
commands, then even if your exiled people are at the farthest horizon, I will gather them
from there and bring them to the place I have chosen as a dwelling for my Name.' {10}
"They are your servants and your people, whom you redeemed by your great strength and
your mighty hand. {11} O Lord, let your ear be attentive to the prayer of this your
servant and to the prayer of your servants who delight in revering your name. Give your
servant success today by granting him favor in the presence of this man." I was
cupbearer to the king.
| Result of Babylon's invasion. |
| Walls of city broken down (v3). |
| Society open to attack, destruction. |
| Response - he wept and mourned for several days (v4). |
IF WE SAW WE WOULD WEEP
| Melbourne's walls are broken down spiritually, morally,
socially. |
| God is calling His people to wake up and get a sense of
the pain of broken cities and broken lives. |
| The pain of the hurting rises to heaven, causing the
Lord to weep. |
HEARTFELT PRAYER
| Nehemiah was driven to his knees in prayer and
repentance, confessing his sins and crying for help, with great confidence in God's
compassion. |
3. WALKING WITH GOD
| Nehemiah sees the problem (1:3) |
| It breaks his heart (1:4) |
| He prays a prayer of faith (1:5-11) |
| He acts in faith to fix the problem. |
(Neh 2:3-5 NIV) but I said to the king,
"May the king live forever! Why should my face not look sad when the city where my
fathers are buried lies in ruins, and its gates have been destroyed by fire?" {4} The
king said to me, "What is it you want?" Then I prayed to the God of heaven, {5}
and I answered the king, "If it pleases the king and if your servant has found favor
in his sight, let him send me to the city in Judah where my fathers are buried so that I
can rebuild it."
| God intervened and provided for his needs. |
| He went to Jerusalem and surveyed the wall (2:11-15) |
SHARING THE VISION
(Neh 2:17-18 NIV) Then I said to them,
"You see the trouble we are in: Jerusalem lies in ruins, and its gates have been
burned with fire. Come, let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalem, and we will no longer be in
disgrace." {18} I also told them about the gracious hand of my God upon me and what
the king had said to me. They replied, "Let us start rebuilding." So they began
this good work.
| He tells others and invites/inspires them to join in. |
THE PEOPLE RESPOND
| Rebuilding the wall (Chapter 3). |
| Neighbourhood mission:
 | Built where they lived. |
| In front of their house. |
| With their neighbours. |
| Partnership with others. |
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ENEMY ATTACKS AND OPPOSITION (3:33-4:23)
| Dependence on God |
(Neh 4:14-15 NIV) After I looked things over, I
stood up and said to the nobles, the officials and the rest of the people, "Don't be
afraid of them. Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight for your brothers,
your sons and your daughters, your wives and your homes." {15} When our enemies heard
that we were aware of their plot and that God had frustrated it, we all returned to the
wall, each to his own work.
| The wall was finished. |
(Neh 6:16 NIV) When all our enemies heard about
this, all the surrounding nations were afraid and lost their self-confidence, because they
realized that this work had been done with the help of our God.
| Due to their faith and perseverance and Nehemiah's
leadership. |
PRINCIPLES OF MINISTRY:
| Conviction by God. |
| Holding the faith vision. |
| Prayerful planning and strategy. |
| Mobilisation of the team. |
| Perseverance under difficulty and attack. |
| Completion in God's time. |
4. NEIGHBOURHOOD MINISTRY
| See the need - effect of Babylon's invasion. |
| Let God break your heart - feel the pain. |
| Talk with God - ask for forgiveness, help. |
| Walk with God - become part of the solution. |
| Share the vision. |
| Work in your neighbourhood. |
| Persevere. |
EARLY CHURCH
| Homes were the centres of ministry (Acts 17:5; 18:7;
21:8; Romans 16:5; 16:10; 1 Corinthians 1:16). |
FAMILY WITNESS
| To share Christ's love and shine for Him. |
| To be an example to other Christians. |
| As one of the ways by which people can see and
experience God's love and come to Christ |
THE ADVANTAGES OF HOME MINISTRY
| Reaches people who won't come to church. |
| Informal and relaxed. |
| Exercises the spiritual gift of hospitality. |
| It is God's way to use homes and he blesses it. |
THERE ARE MANY WAYS:
| Offer to pray for the sick. |
| Meet the needs of hurting people: |
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| Visiting |
| Listening |
| Financial help |
| Hospitality |
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| Invitations to evangelistic Bible Studies, Videos. |
| Use of Christian literature, magazines, and music. |
| Deliver leaflets and follow up with a visit to ask if
there are needs to be met. |
THE FAMILY IS GOD'S BASIC UNIT
(Acts 16:31-34 NIV) They replied, "Believe in
the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved--you and your household." {32} Then they spoke
the word of the Lord to him and to all the others in his house. {33} At that hour of the
night the jailer took them and washed their wounds; then immediately he and all his family
were baptized. {34} The jailer brought them into his house and set a meal before them; he
was filled with joy because he had come to believe in God--he and his whole family.
(Acts 18:7-8 NIV) Then Paul left the synagogue and went next door to the house
of Titius Justus, a worshiper of God. {8} Crispus, the synagogue ruler, and his entire
household believed in the Lord; and many of the Corinthians who heard him believed and
were baptized.
HOSPITALITY: The home is a place for others to
find rest and peace from God (Romans 12:13; 1 Peter 4:9).
HOME FELLOWSHIP GROUP DISCUSSION NOTES
(1) Read Nehemiah 1:1-11
- What does this passage say about Nehemiah's feelings
about the needs of his people in Jerusalem?
- What does it say to you about Melbourne or your
neighbourhood?
- How are our city walls broken down? How has the world
(Babylon) invaded our culture?
- How does God want us to respond?
(2) Read Nehemiah 2:3-5; 17-18
Have you caught the vision of what God is doing in our
time/neighbourhood?
What is the vision?
What is your part?
(3) Read Nehemiah 3:33 - 4:23
(a) How does the enemy attack and discourage us
today?
(b) What attacks are you experiencing?
(4) Read Acts 17:5; 18:7; 21:8; Romans 16:10; Acts 2:42-47
- How does God use homes in the early church?
- How does God want to use homes/families now?
- How does he want to use you?
What Is the Lord Doing with IFM Today?
A Personal View by Denis Plant
In 1993 when the Lord spoke to Steve Smith and myself about gathering a
"Prayer Network" in Melbourne, we saw that God had raised up Intercessors all
over the city from all types of churches who were called to pray for our city, but they
were isolated and often misunderstood.
Our role was to gather them together into a network of Intercessors to:
| Form relationships
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| Encouragement
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| Teaching
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| City wide meetings
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Very quickly our numbers grew to over 500 people. We have held regular
citywide meetings for prayer, fellowship worship and teaching. We have facilitated the
forming of local prayer groups and citywide initiatives. It has been an exciting time with
many breakthroughs.
So where are we going from here? I was impressed with Luke 10:1 "After
this the Lord appointed 72 others and sent them two by two ahead of him to every town and
place where he was about to go."
I believe the Lord is still sending intercessors and preachers out to
prepare the ground where the Lord is about to visit in power and glory to bring people
into His Kingdom.
We were commanded by Jesus to pray to the Lord of the Harvest that He
would raise up labourers to bring in the harvest. This is our continuing role!
So we need to keep focused on:
| Forming a wider network.
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| Developing relationships, unity and vision.
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| Teaching and Training.
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| Facilitating new local prayer groups.
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| Praying prophetically for out city and localities.
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| Upholding the church of every denomination.
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| Praying in the harvest for the Kingdom.
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This is an important strategic role - often unseen and unrecognised by
those who will reap the harvest. Be encouraged and don't give up. We need each other to
keep focused and strong in faith.
Being part of our quarterly meetings at Box Hill and participating in a
local prayer group is an important part of this. God bless you in your life and ministry.
   
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