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TOPIC: Nehemiah [Sunday, 6th May 2018]
OPENING PRAYER: Father, remember my services to you and bless me. (Scroll down for SUNDAY SCHOOL HYMN)
Bible Passage: Nehemiah 2: 1-8 (KJV)
1 And it came to pass in the month Nisan, in the twentieth year of Artaxerxes the king, that wine was before him: and I took up the wine, and gave it unto the king. Now I had not been beforetime sad in his presence.
2 Wherefore the king said unto me, Why is thy countenance sad, seeing thou art not sick? this is nothing else but sorrow of heart. Then I was very sore afraid,
3 And said unto the king, Let the king live for ever: why should not my countenance be sad, when the city, the place of my fathers’ sepulchres, lieth waste, and the gates thereof are consumed with fire?
4 Then the king said unto me, For what dost thou make request? So I prayed to the God of heaven.
5 And I said unto the king, If it please the king, and if thy servant have found favour in thy sight, that thou wouldest send me unto Judah, unto the city of my fathers’ sepulchres, that I may build it.
6 And the king said unto me, (the queen also sitting by him,) For how long shall thy journey be? and when wilt thou return? So it pleased the king to send me; and I set him a time.
7 Moreover I said unto the king, If it please the king, let letters be given me to the governors beyond the river, that they may convey me over till I come into Judah;
8 And a letter unto Asaph the keeper of the king’s forest, that he may give me timber to make beams for the gates of the palace which appertained to the house, and for the wall of the city, and for the house that I shall enter into. And the king granted me, according to the good hand of my God upon me.
MEMORY VERSE:
“Remember me, O my God, concerning this, and wipe not out my good deeds that I have done for the house of my God, and for the offices thereof “. – Nehemiah 13:14
LESSON INTRODUCTION: Nehemiah, the son of Hachaliah, was born at Babylon during the captivity-Neh. 1:1. He was according to some, of the race of the priests according to others, of the royal family of Judah and apparently a stepson of Queen Esther. He sustained the office of cupbearer to the Persian king Artazerzes Longimanus. Touched with the calamitous state of the colony of Jews, which had formerly returned to Jerusalem, he besought the king of Persia to permit him to go to Jerusalem and aid in rebuilding it. He directed his attention chiefly to rebuilding the walls of the city. He remained in Judea for thirteen years as Governor, carrying out many reforms, notwithstanding much opposition that he encountered-Neh. 13:11. Probably, he remained at his post as Governor till his death about B.C. 413 in a good old age.
TEXT REVIEW: NEHEMIAH 2:1-8
EVIDENCE OF COMMITMENT
i. Nehemiah was sad in full glare of the king. Nehemiah. 2:1
ii. He was not making merry with the King instead, he was in grief of fear and sorrow. Nehemiah. 2:2
iii. He advanced two reasons for his sadness:
a. The city of Jerusalem lay waste (has ilacn devastated). Nehemiah 2:3.
b. The gate had been broken down and burnt with fire. Nehemiah. 2:3
iv. Nehemiah had to seek God’s face in prayer to make his request known to the King. Nehemiah 2:4
v. He requested for favour to rebuild the city at Judah (Nehemiah 2:5)
vi. He requested for ample time for the work. Nehemiah 2:6
vii. His mind was on God’s work than serving wine to the King. Nehemiah 2:1-2
viii. He obtained authority or approval from the government (king) to embark on the building work. Nehemiah 2:7.
ix. He obtained materials from the government to build the city. Nehemiah 2:8
x. He obtained the mercy of the Lord to execute the project. Nehemiah 2:8
Nehemiah is a good illustration of commitment to divine assignment
LESSON OUTLINES
Lesson Outline 1: CHARACTERS AND ACHIEVEMENT
QUESTION:
What are some characters of Nehemiah?
ANSWER:
i. He was a man of prayer and action.
ii. He prayed before action not after.
iii. He was patriotic, brave and forthright.
iv. He was a man of undoubting faith in God to do whatever God wanted. Phil. 3:14.
QUESTION:
What do the following scriptures say about Nehemiah? Neh. 1:411; 2:4-5, 9; 4:4-5, 9.
QUESTION:
What are some of the achievements of Nehemiah?
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ANSWER:
i. He led the people to rebuild the broken wall of Jerusalem. Neh. 6:15
ii. He fortified the city of Jerusalem and its wall which was destroyed In 586BC.
iii. After the completion of the wall, Nehemiah and Ezra called for public prayer and reading of the law. Nehemiah. 8:1.3, 8
ix. He signed first to the covenant to walk with God.
v. He made people to sign to the covenant to walk with God thereafter. Nehemiah 9:38
vi. He wrote the book of Nehemiah between 430-431 BC.
CLASS ACTIVITY 1: Why do we have oppositions whenever we are ready to do the work of God?
LESSON OUTLINE 2: LESSON FROM HIS LIFE
QUESTION/TASK:
A. Teacher should ask students to mention those lessons to learn from Nehemiah.
B. Teacher should the lessons to learn from the life of Nehemiah after students’ response as outlined below:
i. Prayer should always precede any endeavour. Jas 5:17-18.
ii. God is always willing to help. Ps 46:1.
iii. Persistence combined with faith can accomplish great things. Jesus Himself exhorted persistency with
iv. His parable of the persistent widow and the judge. Luke 18:1-8.
v. Be single-minded in all that you do for God, and in all that you desire from God. Luke 9:62, James 1:5-8. God remembers and rewards good work. Neh.13:14, I Cor.15:58, Rev.22:11-12.
CLASS ACTIVITY 2: Mention the challenges the body of Christ may face if the wall of unity (in the body of Christ) is allowed to break down.
SUMMARY:
Arise and build the cracked wall in the body of your class, parish and Church as Nehemiah did.
CONCLUSION:
Nehemiah had an unrelenting zeal to rebuild the broken wall of Jerusalem. In spite of the opposition from Sambalath and others, he achieved his goal. What passion do you have for the things of God?
EVALUATION:
Mention lessons which you have learned and ready to emulate from the life of Nehemiah.
ASSIGNMENT:
Mention five roles which your class can play to ensure that the unity wall in your Parish is fortified.
Read previous RCCG Sunday School Teacher’s Manual Here
SUNDAY SCHOOL HYMN
1. O Sunday School, on the Lord’s day,
O how I love Thee well,
I am happy, it makes me glad
To rejoice at Thy birth.
2. O Sunday School, on the Lord’s day, Thy friendship suits me well,
Both young and old will sing Thy song,
We long for Sunday School.
3. O Sunday School, on the Lord’s day,
Christ was Thy first teacher,
The Holy Spirit, great teacher,
Does manifest in thee.
4. O Sunday School, on the Lord’s day,
This testimony is sure,
That God, the Father Almighty,
Poured His blessing on Thee.
5. O Sunday School, on the Lord’s day,
Though the sun be so bright,
Or if the clouds black with rain,
I’ll be in Sunday School.
6. O Sunday School, on the Lord’s day,
I rejoice to see Thee,
Will thou pass over me today?
Without my being blest?
