Finding Boldness and Identity Through God
Summary
### Summary
Welcome, everyone. Today, we continue our series on the book of Nehemiah, a historical figure in the history of Israel. Nehemiah's story is one of rebuilding and renewal, and it offers us profound lessons on finding our voice and stepping into our God-given destiny. Nehemiah was not a professional religious leader; he was a cupbearer to the king, a secular job by all accounts. Yet, he had a burden on his heart for his people and their ruined city, Jerusalem.
Nehemiah's journey begins with a deep sense of mourning, fasting, and prayer. He starts by orienting his life around God, acknowledging God's greatness and graciousness. This grounding in God gives Nehemiah the boldness to approach the king with his requests. Despite his fear, Nehemiah steps into the king's presence with a sad face, a bold move given the king's potential for harsh reactions. When the king asks why he is sad, Nehemiah seizes the moment to share his heart's burden. He prays to God and then makes his request to be sent to Jerusalem to rebuild it. The king, surprisingly, grants his request and even provides letters for safe passage and materials for rebuilding.
This boldness and sense of purpose come from Nehemiah's deep-rooted identity in God. He doesn't rely on self-actualization or the opinions of others. Instead, he finds his security and freedom in God. This is a lesson for all of us. We often try to build our identity on our achievements, relationships, or social status. But these are fleeting and unreliable. True freedom and boldness come from anchoring ourselves in God, who is both great and gracious.
I shared some personal stories to illustrate this point. Growing up, I often felt like I didn't have a voice. I was the youngest in a family with a domineering father and three older brothers. I often felt overshadowed and insignificant. But looking back at old photos and memories, I realized that these feelings of inadequacy were deeply ingrained in me. However, like Nehemiah, I found my voice and purpose through my relationship with God.
I also referenced C.S. Lewis and Tim Keller to further explain the concept of gospel humility. Lewis points out that true humility is not thinking less of ourselves but thinking of ourselves less. Keller adds that our natural inclination is to build our identity around something other than God, but this always leads to dissatisfaction. Only when we root our identity in God can we experience true freedom and self-forgetfulness.
Nehemiah's story is a powerful reminder that God gives each of us a voice and a purpose. We are invited to step into our destiny with boldness, not because of our own strength, but because of who God is. This is the essence of gospel humility and the freedom of self-forgetfulness. As we anchor ourselves in God, we can live with a sense of levity and freedom, free from the trappings of needing to prove ourselves to others.
### Key Takeaways
1. Rooted in God for True Identity: Nehemiah's boldness to approach the king came from his deep-rooted identity in God. He didn't rely on self-actualization or the opinions of others. This teaches us that true freedom and boldness come from anchoring ourselves in God, who is both great and gracious. When we root our identity in God, we can step into our destiny with confidence and purpose. [04:29]
2. The Power of Gospel Humility: C.S. Lewis and Tim Keller highlight that true humility is not thinking less of ourselves but thinking of ourselves less. This gospel humility frees us from the need to constantly prove ourselves. It allows us to live with a sense of levity and freedom, focusing on others rather than being self-obsessed. This is the blessed rest that only self-forgetfulness brings. [29:38]
3. The Invitation to Self-Forgetfulness: We often try to build our identity on achievements, relationships, or social status, but these are fleeting and unreliable. The invitation today is to receive the gift of self-forgetfulness by rooting ourselves in God. This leads to a life free from the trappings of needing to prove ourselves to others, allowing us to live with a sense of levity and freedom. [32:37]
4. Boldness Through Prayer and Grounding in God: Nehemiah's boldness to make his requests to the king came after a period of mourning, fasting, and prayer. He oriented his life around God, acknowledging God's greatness and graciousness. This grounding gave him the courage to step into his destiny. We too can find boldness and purpose through prayer and grounding ourselves in God. [22:36]
5. The Freedom of Self-Forgetfulness: Tim Keller and Soren Kierkegaard remind us that our natural inclination is to build our identity around something other than God, but this always leads to dissatisfaction. Only when we root our identity in God can we experience true freedom and self-forgetfulness. This allows us to live with a sense of levity and freedom, free from the trappings of needing to prove ourselves to others. [25:24]
### Youtube Chapters
[0:00] - Welcome
[01:01] - Introduction to Nehemiah
[04:29] - Nehemiah's Bold Request
[09:20] - Personal Story: Finding My Voice
[14:01] - The Greatest Showman: This Is Me
[22:36] - Nehemiah's Prayer
[25:24] - The Freedom of Self-Forgetfulness
[29:38] - Gospel Humility
[32:37] - The Invitation to Self-Forgetfulness
Study Guide
### Bible Reading
1. Nehemiah 2:1-8 (NIV)
> In the month of Nisan in the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes, when wine was brought for him, I took the wine and gave it to the king. I had not been sad in his presence before, so the king asked me, “Why does your face look so sad when you are not ill? This can be nothing but sadness of heart.” I was very much afraid, but I said to the king, “May the king live forever! Why should my face not look sad when the city where my ancestors are buried lies in ruins, and its gates have been destroyed by fire?” The king said to me, “What is it you want?” Then I prayed to the God of heaven, 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 ancestors are buried so that I can rebuild it.” Then the king, with the queen sitting beside him, asked me, “How long will your journey take, and when will you get back?” It pleased the king to send me; so I set a time. I also said to him, “If it pleases the king, may I have letters to the governors of Trans-Euphrates, so that they will provide me safe conduct until I arrive in Judah? And may I have a letter to Asaph, keeper of the royal park, so he will give me timber to make beams for the gates of the citadel by the temple and for the city wall and for the residence I will occupy?” And because the gracious hand of my God was on me, the king granted my requests.
2. Nehemiah 1:4-11 (NIV)
> When I heard these things, I sat down and wept. For some days I mourned and fasted and prayed before the God of heaven. Then I said: “Lord, the God of heaven, the great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love with those who love him and keep his commandments, 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 family, have committed against you. We have acted very wickedly toward you. We have not obeyed the commands, decrees and laws you gave your servant Moses. “Remember the instruction you gave your servant Moses, saying, ‘If you are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the nations, 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.’ “They are your servants and your people, whom you redeemed by your great strength and your mighty hand. 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.
### Observation Questions
1. What was Nehemiah's role in the king's court, and why was it significant that he appeared sad before the king? ([04:29])
2. How did Nehemiah prepare himself before making his request to the king? ([22:36])
3. What specific requests did Nehemiah make to the king, and how did the king respond? ([07:21])
4. What does Nehemiah's prayer in Nehemiah 1:4-11 reveal about his relationship with God?
### Interpretation Questions
1. How does Nehemiah's grounding in God influence his boldness to make requests to the king? ([25:24])
2. What does Nehemiah's story teach us about the importance of prayer and preparation before taking bold actions? ([22:36])
3. How does the concept of "gospel humility" as explained by C.S. Lewis and Tim Keller relate to Nehemiah's actions and attitude? ([29:38])
4. In what ways does Nehemiah's story challenge our modern understanding of identity and self-worth? ([21:19])
### Application Questions
1. Nehemiah found his boldness through prayer and grounding in God. How can you incorporate more intentional prayer into your daily routine to seek God's guidance and strength? ([22:36])
2. Reflect on a time when you felt hesitant to use your voice or step into a challenging situation. How can Nehemiah's example inspire you to act with boldness and faith in similar situations? ([09:20])
3. The sermon mentioned the concept of "gospel humility" and thinking of ourselves less. What practical steps can you take this week to focus more on others and less on yourself? ([29:38])
4. Nehemiah's identity was rooted in God, not in his achievements or social status. What are some areas in your life where you might be seeking validation from others instead of finding your identity in God? ([25:24])
5. The sermon highlighted the freedom that comes from self-forgetfulness. How can you practice self-forgetfulness in your daily interactions and responsibilities? ([30:56])
6. Nehemiah's story is one of stepping into his God-given destiny. What is one area in your life where you feel God is calling you to step out in faith, and what steps can you take to respond to that call? ([21:19])
7. Reflect on the personal stories shared in the sermon about finding one's voice. How can you support others in your community to find their voice and step into their God-given purpose? ([09:20])
Devotional
Day 1: Rooted in God for True Identity
Nehemiah's boldness to approach the king came from his deep-rooted identity in God. He didn't rely on self-actualization or the opinions of others. This teaches us that true freedom and boldness come from anchoring ourselves in God, who is both great and gracious. When we root our identity in God, we can step into our destiny with confidence and purpose. Nehemiah's story reminds us that our achievements, relationships, or social status are fleeting and unreliable. True freedom and boldness come from anchoring ourselves in God, who is both great and gracious. When we root our identity in God, we can step into our destiny with confidence and purpose. [04:29]
Jeremiah 17:7-8 (ESV): "Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose trust is the Lord. He is like a tree planted by water, that sends out its roots by the stream, and does not fear when heat comes, for its leaves remain green, and is not anxious in the year of drought, for it does not cease to bear fruit."
Reflection: In what areas of your life are you relying on achievements, relationships, or social status for your identity? How can you begin to root your identity more deeply in God today?
Day 2: The Power of Gospel Humility
C.S. Lewis and Tim Keller highlight that true humility is not thinking less of ourselves but thinking of ourselves less. This gospel humility frees us from the need to constantly prove ourselves. It allows us to live with a sense of levity and freedom, focusing on others rather than being self-obsessed. This is the blessed rest that only self-forgetfulness brings. Gospel humility is about finding our worth and identity in God, which liberates us from the constant need to validate ourselves through external means. When we embrace this humility, we can live with a sense of peace and freedom, focusing on serving others rather than being consumed by our own needs and insecurities. [29:38]
Philippians 2:3-4 (ESV): "Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others."
Reflection: How often do you find yourself seeking validation from others? What steps can you take to shift your focus from self-validation to serving others with humility?
Day 3: The Invitation to Self-Forgetfulness
We often try to build our identity on achievements, relationships, or social status, but these are fleeting and unreliable. The invitation today is to receive the gift of self-forgetfulness by rooting ourselves in God. This leads to a life free from the trappings of needing to prove ourselves to others, allowing us to live with a sense of levity and freedom. When we root our identity in God, we can experience true freedom and self-forgetfulness. This allows us to live with a sense of levity and freedom, free from the trappings of needing to prove ourselves to others. [32:37]
Colossians 3:2-3 (ESV): "Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God."
Reflection: What are some specific ways you can practice self-forgetfulness in your daily life? How can you shift your focus from proving yourself to others to finding your identity in God?
Day 4: Boldness Through Prayer and Grounding in God
Nehemiah's boldness to make his requests to the king came after a period of mourning, fasting, and prayer. He oriented his life around God, acknowledging God's greatness and graciousness. This grounding gave him the courage to step into his destiny. We too can find boldness and purpose through prayer and grounding ourselves in God. When we orient our lives around God through prayer and acknowledgment of His greatness, we can find the courage to step into our God-given destiny with boldness and purpose. [22:36]
Ephesians 3:12 (ESV): "In whom we have boldness and access with confidence through our faith in him."
Reflection: How can you incorporate more intentional prayer and grounding in God into your daily routine? What bold steps is God calling you to take in your life right now?
Day 5: The Freedom of Self-Forgetfulness
Tim Keller and Soren Kierkegaard remind us that our natural inclination is to build our identity around something other than God, but this always leads to dissatisfaction. Only when we root our identity in God can we experience true freedom and self-forgetfulness. This allows us to live with a sense of levity and freedom, free from the trappings of needing to prove ourselves to others. When we root our identity in God, we can experience true freedom and self-forgetfulness, living with a sense of levity and freedom, free from the trappings of needing to prove ourselves to others. [25:24]
Galatians 2:20 (ESV): "I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me."
Reflection: What are some areas in your life where you feel the need to prove yourself to others? How can you begin to let go of these pressures and find freedom in your identity in Christ?
Quotes
### Quotes for Outreach
1. "God gives each of us a voice to step into our destiny. And for Nehemiah there's a freedom and a power and a purposefulness with which he's able to step into this moment. The same is true for you and me in these various different ways. Now, here's the thing, you know, the culture around us, like, here's the question, because the reality is, even if someone is not a Christian, this message of self-belief and coming into our own is a message that we hear often." [20:09]
2. "The essence of gospel humility is not thinking more of myself or thinking less of myself. It is thinking of myself less. Gospel humility is not needing to think about myself, not needing to connect things to myself. Gospel humility means I stop connecting every experience, every conversation with myself. In fact, I stop thinking about myself. The freedom of self-forgetfulness, the blessed rest that only self-forgetfulness brings." [29:38]
3. "It is the normal state of the human heart to try to build its identity around something besides God, whether it's our resume, our GPA, our LinkedIn profile, our Instagram followers, our career, our finances, where we are in the org chart. I can go on all day if you want me to, right? I mean, this is what we do as human beings. Center our identity on all of these different things." [26:54]
4. "How many of us today, like we find ourselves in a situation where we're overly anxious about certain things in our lives, or we find ourselves fearful about the future, about relationships, whatever it might be. Could it be that what we're trying to do is we're trying to build an identity in anything apart from God, build it on a relationship, build it on our performance, build it on our jobs. And meanwhile, the invitation today is, will you come and receive the gift, the blessing of self-forgetfulness, the blessing of being rooted in the God of heaven and a God who is great and gracious to you?" [32:37]
### Quotes for Members
1. "Nehemiah, he starts by basically saying, the Lord, God of heaven and earth. He's beginning to orient his life, his disposition on everything around him, on God. In fact, check out the rest of his prayer, right? He says, I confess the sins we Israelites, he goes into confession, but notice the posture of this confession. Including myself and my father's family have committed against you. We have acted very wickedly toward you. We have not obeyed the commands, decrees, and laws you gave your servant Moses." [24:02]
2. "Where does Nehemiah get the chutzpah, the boldness to be able to walk in with the king and be able to make these requests? It's because his groundedness, his sense of security doesn't come from himself or supportive community around him. While there may have been those things, it actually comes from a belief in who God is, that this great and gracious God is the God who is behind him for him. And it's armed with this knowledge of this kind of God that Nehemiah is able to walk into this story with this king." [25:24]
3. "Nehemiah was someone who probably played that game. But on this day, it's actually incredibly bold for Nehemiah to actually wear his heart on his sleeves and to be sad before him. And that's why he says, I was very much afraid. But look at what happens. But I said to the king, May the king live forever. I love that. Buttering him up a little bit. Then he says, Why should my face not look sad when the city where my ancestors are buried lies in ruins and its gates have been destroyed by fire?" [05:08]
4. "Nehemiah, somehow in this moment, in this moment, he's able to occupy this space where he steps in to his destiny by using his voice. I know that for myself, I grew up kind of shying away from any kind of asking for things or asking for what I want or feeling almost ashamed to be able to say, may I have this? Part of that was I grew up in a family of four. So I had four brothers, or three brothers, rather. There were four of us, and I was the youngest." [09:20]
5. "And it's only when we can find in ourselves a security and a freedom in God that all of those trappings can begin to dissipate. Now, of course, not completely. We still live with anxieties and fears as we live in this world. But the invitation, like Nehemiah, is to root ourselves, to center ourselves in God. Not ourselves, not in the opinions of other people." [21:19]
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