Welcome to Big Valley Grace Community Church. If this is your first time here, my name is Joel, and I would love to meet you. I will be standing down front after the gathering and would love to welcome you personally.

All of us had a first time at Big Valley Grace. If today is yours, welcome on behalf of our entire church family.

My wife and I took some time away from work during July. It was a fantastic time that served three purposes.

During the first two weeks, we spent time playing with our children, enjoying vacation, and being together as a family. I would use two words to describe that time: revealing and reconnecting.

Spending that much time together revealed what was true about every member of our family. It helped us understand how each person was doing in that season. It was also reconnecting because our large, busy family had an opportunity to slow down and enjoy being together.

During the third week, my wife and I worked through a multiyear planning process. We looked several years into the future and asked what we believed would please God in the coming season. God used that time to bring us into greater alignment, and we are thankful for everyone in the church who prayed for us.

During the final week, I spent time planning for our church family.

While we were away, we visited other churches. It was encouraging to see the family of God worshiping in different places, but it is much better to be back. This church feels like home. It is where I am known and loved, and I am grateful that my family and I are part of Big Valley Grace Community Church.

Some of you may also be wondering what happened to my beard. Halfway through our time away, my family somehow began discussing my face. They took a vote, and I lost, so I shaved it.

As I was shaving, I thought I might be making a terrible mistake. Apparently, I still look like the same person, although many people have told me I look much younger. I am not sure what they are trying to say about how I looked before!

Enough about my face. Our Bibles are more important.

Please turn to the book of Nehemiah. If you need a Bible, our team will be available in the prayer room after the gathering, and we would love to give you one.

Nehemiah is located on the left side of your Bible, about a quarter of the way through. There was a time when someone asked me to turn to Nehemiah and I had no idea where it was. I had to ask the person sitting next to me. We all have a first moment of locating a book of the Bible, so use the table of contents if that is helpful.

Today we are beginning a new series through the book of Nehemiah.

During our personal planning time, my wife and I discussed the various roles we currently have. It was interesting for each of us to list the roles we believe we play and then identify which ones are primary.

That was a rich discussion because these are not merely roles we occupy. They are places where we hope God will use us.

God places us in different environments, relationships, and responsibilities. We want Him to use our lives in every one of them.

We can sometimes find ourselves asking whether what we are doing matters.

Does my current role matter?

Does God see me in this role?

Is this responsibility important?

Can I make an impact here?

I would phrase the question this way:

How can God use me as a leader in my current role?

I do not know how you view the roles you have in life, but your life is important. Your life matters. You were made in the image of God, and that truth demonstrates the tremendous value God has placed upon you.

Whatever roles you currently occupy, I believe God can use our time in Nehemiah to help you answer the question, “How can God use me as a leader in my current role?”

During June and July, we studied portions of the Psalms and challenged our church family to read through the entire book. Our study of Psalms connects with Nehemiah through the history of King David and the nation of Israel.

David wrote many of the Psalms. God made a covenant with David, promising that his royal line would continue and that an eternal King would ultimately reign from his family.

Jesus Christ is the fulfillment of that covenant promise. He is the King who sits upon the eternal throne.

David’s son Solomon became the next king. Solomon began well and asked God for wisdom, but he eventually turned away from faithfully following the Lord.

Because of Solomon’s disobedience, God declared that the kingdom would be torn away and divided. Ten tribes became the northern kingdom, while Judah remained connected to David’s royal line.

This division began a tragic sequence in Israel’s history. The northern kingdom was eventually conquered, and the southern kingdom was later destroyed. Jerusalem and its temple were devastated, and many of the people were carried into exile.

Yet God preserved a remnant.

The books of Ezra and Nehemiah describe portions of Israel’s return from exile. Zerubbabel led a group back to rebuild the temple. Ezra later returned to teach God’s law and bring spiritual renewal. Nehemiah then came to lead the rebuilding of Jerusalem’s walls.

These leaders accomplished important work, but their efforts also revealed that buildings, political reform, and social organization could not solve the deepest problem within God’s people.

They needed transformed hearts.

That historical background brings us to Nehemiah chapter 1.

Nehemiah 1:1–4 records that Nehemiah was in Susa when Hanani and several men arrived from Judah. Nehemiah asked them about the Jewish remnant that had survived the exile and returned to Jerusalem.

They told him that the people were experiencing great trouble and disgrace. Jerusalem’s walls were broken down, and its gates had been destroyed by fire.

When Nehemiah heard the report, he sat down and wept. He mourned for days, fasted, and prayed before the God of heaven.

The name Nehemiah means “Yahweh comforts.”

Israel was in a condition of despair. The tribes had been conquered, the people had been exiled, and Jerusalem had been devastated. God was preparing to work through a man whose very name declared that Yahweh comforts.

Some of you may be experiencing serious needs today. You need to remember that God is a God who comforts.

Nehemiah was the son of Hakaliah. His father’s name may communicate the idea of waiting for Yahweh, which would have been appropriate for a generation living in exile and waiting for God to act.

The events occurred during the month of Kislev, corresponding approximately to November or December, around 445 years before Jesus Christ.

Nehemiah was in Susa, an important Persian royal residence, when Hanani came from Judah.

Nehemiah asked about the Jewish people who had survived captivity and returned to Jerusalem. Multiple groups had returned from exile over time, and Nehemiah wanted to know how they were doing.

We live in a world where information travels globally within minutes. Nehemiah lived in a very different context. Someone had to travel personally, observe the situation, and then make the long journey back before news could be delivered.

The report came from a trusted source who had seen the situation firsthand.

The remnant had survived the shame of exile and returned to the promised land, but they were still experiencing great trouble and disgrace.

Jerusalem’s wall was broken down.

This was the city of David. Under David’s leadership, Jerusalem had been viewed as a powerful and secure city. God had given David success as a warrior, and Israel’s territory expanded during his reign.

Now the city of David lay exposed.

Its walls had been penetrated, its gates had been destroyed, and the city no longer provided security.

Those gates once welcomed the tribes of Israel as they came to worship. They opened for trade with surrounding nations. Israel’s armies once marched through them and returned in victory.

Now they had been burned.

The destroyed walls and gates represented a complete loss of control. What had once displayed strength, security, and blessing now lay in ruins and disgrace.

As soon as Nehemiah heard the report, he sat down, wept, and mourned for days.

His reaction shows his empathy. Although he was living in a distant land, he carried a shared burden for his homeland and its people.

He continued fasting and praying before the God of heaven.

Fasting means temporarily stepping away from food to focus intentionally on seeking the Lord. Every experience of hunger becomes a reminder to pray and depend on God.

Nehemiah was a man of tremendous devotion. He was living far from Jerusalem, yet he was deeply burdened by what was happening there.

His example should challenge us to pray for our own homeland.

There are ways in which it can feel as though the walls of our nation have been broken and its gates burned. We hear reports that reveal bondage to sin, slavery to evil, shameful behavior, suffering, and spiritual captivity.

Our nation has been described as one nation under God, yet it dishonors the Lord in many ways.

We should ask God to give us empathy, a shared burden, and genuine devotion.

Like Nehemiah, we should care about our homeland and seek the God of heaven on its behalf.

We should pray for our cities, counties, state, and nation. We should ask God to break our hearts and show us the role He wants us to play as part of the solution.

We want to see God’s people worship the Lord and reach others for Jesus Christ.

Nehemiah’s story begins with a broken heart.

Over the coming weeks, we will study the book in greater detail. Today, however, we will look at three major roles God used to develop Nehemiah into a godly leader.

God built Nehemiah into a godly leader through three roles.

In the same way, God can develop you into a godly leader through the roles He has given you.

Every role contains challenging situations, but it also contains opportunities to grow. Very often, the challenge and the opportunity are connected.

God can use our roles and circumstances to grow us as leaders.

Nehemiah’s First Role: The Cupbearer

At the end of Nehemiah chapter 1, Nehemiah explains that he was cupbearer to the king.

He was not the cupbearer to an ordinary person. He served the king who ruled the empire responsible for Israel’s exile.

This was not a normal job. Nehemiah may not have been asked whether he wanted the position. He did not have the kind of employment protections or benefits we might expect today.

He served in a potentially forced position under the ruler of the empire controlling his people.

In chapter 2, Nehemiah describes taking wine and giving it to the king.

The cupbearer was responsible for what the king drank, and sometimes for his food as well. This was a significant responsibility because poisoning was a potential method of assassination.

The cupbearer could be required to taste the food or wine before the king consumed it.

If it had been poisoned, Nehemiah would die before the king did.

That was an extremely challenging role.

Some of you may also feel trapped in difficult responsibilities. Considering the danger Nehemiah faced may help us place our own challenges in perspective.

Yet the role also gave Nehemiah an opportunity to grow.

A king would not choose just anyone to serve as cupbearer. The person needed a proven history of faithfulness and trustworthiness.

Nehemiah had demonstrated his character over many years, decisions, and circumstances. He had consistently shown that he could be trusted.

Perhaps your present situation is difficult, but it may also be an opportunity to grow in trustworthiness.

You can choose to be faithful again and again, proving through your conduct that you are a dependable person.

One role I identified during my planning time was the role of friend.

That may sound simple, but it is a genuine God-given responsibility. I am a friend to many people.

That role includes challenges. As I meet people and enter into what they are experiencing, I encounter many complicated situations.

Yet it also brings opportunities.

Because God has allowed me to know many people, I sometimes see Him connect one person with another for a purpose He has planned. I may play only a small role, but I get to witness God bringing people together to accomplish His work.

As you consider your roles, recognize both the challenging situations and the opportunities to grow.

Nehemiah’s Second Role: The Builder

As Nehemiah’s story continued, he left Susa and traveled to Jerusalem. He moved from serving as cupbearer to becoming a builder.

When he arrived, Jerusalem was in ruins and its gates had been burned.

Nehemiah called the people together and told them to recognize the trouble they were facing. He invited them to rebuild Jerusalem’s wall so they would no longer remain in disgrace.

He told them how God’s gracious hand had been upon him and how the king had granted permission and resources for the project.

The people responded by committing themselves to the work.

Nehemiah was now functioning as a builder and leader. He needed to convince the people that rebuilding mattered and that they could accomplish it together.

This role brought opposition.

The people groups surrounding Jerusalem did not want the wall rebuilt. They preferred Israel to remain exposed and vulnerable.

Jerusalem had once been known as the powerful city of David and Zion. When its defenses were strong, it was extremely difficult to conquer.

The surrounding groups did not want to see that strength restored.

Nehemiah therefore faced the challenge of resistance from people who opposed the project.

Yet that challenge also became an opportunity to grow.

Nehemiah needed to inspire, equip, and encourage people to continue performing difficult work in a dangerous environment.

He had to remind them why the work was important.

He had to help people who did not believe they possessed the necessary skills.

He had to encourage workers who were being mocked, threatened, and opposed.

Together, they continued doing difficult work in a dangerous workplace.

I do not know what roles you currently occupy or which challenges you are facing. It may be that your difficult situation is directly connected to an opportunity for leadership growth.

God may use the story of Nehemiah to inspire, equip, and encourage you to continue doing difficult work in a dangerous or discouraging environment.

Another role I identified in my life is being a pastor in a local church.

It is a God-given role that I did not initially seek. Before working at the church, I worked for a mechanical engineering firm. God later called me to serve as a pastor.

Pastoral ministry has brought many challenges. There are situations I have faced only because God placed me in this role.

In this season, God has called me to serve as senior pastor of Big Valley Grace Community Church. This responsibility includes challenges I would never have encountered outside this position.

I have needed to teach myself an important truth:

If God has called me into this role, then whatever He asks me to address within the role is a blessing and not a curse.

No matter how difficult it becomes, it is a blessing because God has called me to be here.

He wants me to trust and obey Him in the situations that come with the calling.

Every challenge provides another opportunity to grow stronger in faith, obedience, and leadership.

Whatever your role may be, the difficult circumstances connected to it may also contain opportunities for God to develop you.

Nehemiah’s Third Role: The Governor

Nehemiah eventually became governor of Judah and served in that position for twelve years.

Earlier governors had placed heavy burdens upon the people. They took food, wine, and significant amounts of silver. Even their assistants exercised power harshly.

Nehemiah refused to act in the same way because he feared God.

Not every governor governed alike.

Nehemiah wanted to exercise authority in a manner that honored the Lord rather than placing unnecessary burdens upon the people.

As governor, he faced an enormous organizational challenge.

The returning exiles had been scattered across generations, family lines, tribes, and national boundaries. Many people were confused about their ancestry and tribal identity.

The community was in chaos, and Nehemiah had to organize it.

This challenging situation also provided an opportunity to grow.

Nehemiah needed to offer both reforming and transforming leadership based upon the truth of God’s Word.

He needed to reform what had become wrong and help transform the people into what God desired them to become.

Whatever challenge you are facing, God’s Word is sufficient to guide you.

As we study Nehemiah, the truth of Scripture will be sufficient to help us understand our roles, respond to difficult circumstances, and mature as leaders.

Another role I carry is what I would call the leader of my tribe.

I have a wife and nine children. My children are now marrying and having children, so our tribe continues to grow.

I have a responsibility to provide direction and encouragement, but most importantly, to give them the Word of God.

When my adult children ask for advice, I have the opportunity to use Scripture to encourage them as they lead their own households.

I do not know which role you are playing today, but I am confident there is an opportunity for God to grow you through it.

The Word of God will help you face the challenges connected to your role.

Here is a sentence that can encourage all of us:

God is growing me as a leader through challenge and opportunity.

Do you believe that is possible?

God is growing you as a leader through challenge and opportunity.

Perhaps this is a prayer you should pray:

“Dear Lord, please give me a thirst, a hunger, and a willingness to become the kind of godly leader who is both used and blessed by You.”

Are you willing to pray that prayer?

Begin by identifying one person you influence.

Who is one person God has placed within your sphere of influence?

Consider inviting that person more intentionally into your life. You might invite them to church or encourage them to study what God teaches through Nehemiah.

Who are you influencing, and how can you invite that person to become a greater part of your life and church family?

As we study Nehemiah together, I believe God will help us understand our roles and develop a godly perspective toward the responsibilities He has given us.

When challenging situations arise, we can continue making an impact for Jesus Christ because we understand that God has placed us there.

The challenge can be a blessing rather than a curse.

When opportunities for growth appear, we should move toward them.

My prayer is that God will raise the level of leadership and spiritual maturity throughout our church family.

I am excited to take this journey together. Continue coming and consider bringing someone with you.

Those who recognize their need for God to develop them into godly leaders are invited to respond.

God knows every role He has given you. He knows every detail of your story. Your life matters, and your story matters.

May God use the truth of His Word as we study Nehemiah. Brick by brick, may He build us into the godly leaders He is calling us to become.

May He raise us in spiritual maturity through Jesus Christ.

Amen.