Beyond Our Failure
We’ve all failed. From minor mistakes to persistent sins, failure has marked our lives. The best place to turn in times of failure is to God. But sometimes turning to God about our sins just seems to magnify our moral crisis. Thus, we’d prefer to keep our distance from the Perfect One who disapproves of us. But moving toward God is our only hope. A posture of humility and confession before God will move us beyond our failure.
Discussion Questions
How would you describe the difference between mistakes and sins? Why might some people feel reluctant to approach God when they have failed or sinned? Why is it important to move toward God when we fail?
Read Nehemiah 9:1-3. Describe each detail of this account. What prompted the people to confess their sins? Why were the Israelites separated from the foreigners? Do you see any transferable principles for believers?
Most of Nehemiah 9 includes a summary of God’s faithfulness and the people’s rebellion. Read Nehemiah 9:5-38. How was God consistently faithful? How were the people disobedient?
How would you define sin? What does it mean to confess your sins? How does our sin affect our fellowship with God (1 John 1:9)?
At the end of the lengthy recounting of their history, the Israelites made an agreement that was sealed by their leaders (Neh. 9:38-10:27). What is the significance of agreeing together as a group? Why is it important for our church to be unified?
In Nehemiah 10:39 the people were committed to not neglecting the house of God. Why was this important to the Israelites? What does the New Testament say about “the house of God?” (Read Acts 7:48-50, 1 Corinthians 6:19-20)
Beyond Our Plans
Life is filled with the unexpected. Sometimes our plans exceed our expectations and other times we fall short as we trip and stumble along the journey. We need to leave room for both successes and failures. Our plans must always create space for God to work in ways we...
Beyond Our Comfort
The cost of achieving great things usually requires sacrifice and focus. When the Jewish people were called upon to occupy Jerusalem, they found themselves at a crossroads. This next step of faith would require giving up their comfort. In fact, it would require they...
Beyond Our Assumptions
If you think about it, we make a lot of choices and decisions based on assumptions. We assume we know what someone meant; that we have all the information; that we know the outcome. The problem is that our assumptions often turn out to be completely wrong and this can...
Beyond Our Indifference
Some problems in life are so big they are overwhelming. At the beginning of the book of Nehemiah, the walls of Jerusalem lay in ruins. The people living there had grown accustomed and indifferent to the ruin around them, but Nehemiah’s heart was broken by it. He was...
Beyond Our Doubt
It’s not unusual to find people paralyzed by doubt. But with God’s help we can go beyond where we are to where we could be. And that means our doubt can get replaced with confidence and faith. Nehemiah led the people of Jerusalem in a rebuilding project that was met...
Beyond Our Reach
It’s usually a good sign when we’re reaching for things that require God’s help. If we could make progress without God, then maybe we should reconsider the goal. The story of Nehemiah and the Jewish people is one of remarkable accomplishment. It all began with an...