we are in a brand new series entitled Revival and Revival. We're gonna be taking three weeks at the story, looking through the story of Nehemiah And really taking a look at this revival, that took place over 2500 years ago and that the principles from this revival could actually apply to our community today. So that potentially we might find a spiritual revival within our community here in the valley. Now, back on January 19, 2015, john smith and two of his buddies were playing out on a frozen lake when the ice broke and they fell in. Now two of the boys were able to get out of the water, but john smith actually got trapped underneath And for 15 minutes was trapped under this frozen, icy late And so it's a miracle that first responders actually found his body and when they pulled him out and they got him to the hospital, his body was without a pulse for 43 minutes, but his mother Joyce had faith and believed that God would ultimately save her boy. And so the community and the family were praying out to God for a miracle and they got one and his pulse came back And he was in a coma for a while, but it's incredible that someone who had no pulse for 43 minutes was clinically viewed as as as dead, came back, was revived, came back to life and only three weeks later, not only woke up, but walked out of the hospital on his own volition and you can actually see a picture here of um the real john smith and there with his mom and the first responders that pulled him out of the water. And if this story sounds familiar, it's because the movie breakthrough that came out in april was based off of this inspirational true story and john smith experienced a personal revival. He was seen, he was described, he was thought of as dead, as close to the brink of death as possible. But yet he was revived. He came back to life and now is sharing his story with the world. Now a story of a personal revival makes for a great movie, but even more than just a personal revival, a spiritual revival can actually transform a community. It can ultimately change history and it can leave echoes for all eternity. And so that's why we're gonna talk about this concept of revival. In fact, if you want to write down this definition that a revival can be defined as an awakening back to life that sparks a movement of God, A revival is an awakening back to life that sparks a movement of God. Now, this first revival that we're talking about takes place in the city of Jerusalem where the city had been overtaken by the Babylonians and then the Persian Empire was ruling over this and this is a historical, in fact an historical um reality that happened. And so it's not just a made up story, but something that happened in history. So on 5 15 Bc a guy by the name of the variable took remnants a remnant of the Israelites and judy ins and went back to the city of Jerusalem and rebuilt the temple. Now it wasn't as grand of a temple as they once had, back when they had King um David and actually King Solomon built the temple and so it wasn't as great as that, but they rebuilt the temple. And then in 4 58 Bc a guy by the name of Ezra went back to try to rebuild the culture of the community and the society. And then we're gonna pick up the story in 4 45 B. C. Where a guy by the name of Nehemiah hears that while the temple has been rebuilt and there are people back in the city of Jerusalem, the walls are just destroyed and so that the city has not been functioning and and it's not only is it not thriving, it's barely surviving. And so we pick up this story of of Nehemiah and who's going to bring with him really a revival to this city or revival to this community. But it starts off with the concept of being renewed. And so if you're going to have a theme for this morning's message message, it's the concept of the concept of being renewed and what exactly was renewed if we were taking notes, write this down is that Nehemiah revival starts with a renewed passion for God's people. Revival starts with a renewed passion for God's people and over the 1st 3 chapters of Nehemiah, He experiences three shifts in thinking three movements that renews his passion for God and for his people. That ultimately starts this revival. And the first movement that Nehemiah experiences is that he goes from being comfortable to caring, He goes from being comfortable to caring Now in there. In this story, in Nehemiah chapter one, it's in the old testament because we're going through the story, we won't put a lot of verses up on the screen, I'll tell you where they are found. So you can follow along and if you do not own a bible, I want to cruise you to download on your smart device, maybe like a you version or a bible gateway, you can download onto your device or you can actually pick up a free bible as our gift to you at the guest services table on the way out. But in Nehemiah Chapter one, moving from comfortable to caring, we first see that Nehemiah cared enough to ask, He cared enough to ask what was going on picking up in verse two, it says that Hannah and I are one of my brothers came with certain men from Judah and I asked them concerning the jews who escaped and had survived the exile concerning Jerusalem and they said to me the remnant there in the province who had survived the exile is in great trouble. And in shame, the wall of Jerusalem is broken down and its gates are destroyed by fire. Now why is it important that Nehemiah would ask the question of what's going on? What's reality in Jerusalem? It's because Nehemiah had the best, well it's the best job until it wasn't. But it's my favorite position in all of the bible. You know what it is? He was called a cut bear. And the role of a cut bear is that to be at the right hand of the king. And because they didn't have technology that could sense food and and sensors and lasers and all these things to test the chemicals in the food because they didn't have technology. They had people. And so they had people who were called cup bearers who would hang out with the king and then would taste all of the food and drink all of the drinks to make sure that there was no poison in before the king would take part. So you can see why that would be my favorite job because you sit there and you get to eat all of the best food in all of the world. And that is your job. Now it's the best job in the world until you come across someone trying to poison the king. But that's another story. But I love this concept. And so we had a very comfortable life while a lot of his people were in ruins and they were in captivity and they were going through hardship. He had actually worked his way up in the ranks to where he was working in the palace. He was working for the king, eating the king's food, interacting with the king's people. And so he had an ultimate comfortable job. But when he saw his brothers, when he saw his fellow Israelites, he cared enough to ask the question, okay, what's really going on. But secondly, he cared enough to weep because when he heard the city of his father, the city of his parents, the city of his people was was destroyed and in ruins. It says in verse four that as soon as I heard these words, I sat down and wept and mourned for days and continued fasting and praying before the God of Heaven. And and then the last thing is not only did he care enough to ask, he cared enough to weep, but then he cared enough to pray about it verse five, it says, oh Lord God of Heaven, the great and awesome god who keeps his covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments. So let your ear be attentive and your eyes open to hear the prayer of your servant that I now pray before you day and night for the people of Israel, your servants confessing your sins the sins of the people of Israel, which we have sinned against you, even I in my father's house have sinned. So he, he starts off by praising God for how awesome he is. But then he confessed his sin sin of the people, but then his own personal sin and he goes into further detail, but then he says in verse nine, to remember your promises God. So he goes from praising God to confessing his sins, to focusing on God's promises. And then ultimately, in verse 11, he says, this, let Lord let your ear be attentive to the prayer of your servant, to the prayer of your servants who delight to fear your name and give success to your servant today and grant him mercy in the sight of this man. Now, I was a cup bearer to the king. So Nehemiah went from this comfortable position to a caring position for his people. He asked the right question, then he wept, but then he prayed to God over the situation. A guy by the name of scott Harrison, It was a world famous in his mid 20s. He became a world famous nightclub promoter, you know, for people that like to party, like it's your birthday and drink Bacardi, like it's your birthday. Okay, that came because of guys like scott Harrison, who literally was paid thousands of dollars to push drinks and have massive parties for celebrities and to promote clubs and so he was making tons of money and the most extreme worldliness and most extreme stereotype that you could think of living in the world and being successful was scott. You can see his picture here. And so scott was all over new york city. He was partying and he was throwing parties. He was getting paid to throw parties and of this world, he had everything that he wanted. But growing up in a religious home, he realized after pushing his body, pushing his limits, pushing his worldliness to the extreme, he found himself feeling empty and he thought back to life and thought, you know, People tithe of their money, I'm gonna tie with my time, I spent 10 years living for myself. So I'm going to take a year and try to live it for others. And so he served on a hospital ship and that travel around to developing countries like Liberia and other places. And while he had no medical training, he used his skills as a promoter and took photographs and started telling stories of the people. And he started, his heart started to change. He started to go from a comfortable first world heart to care and a love and a burden for those in the third world. And he saw so many issues. In fact, he went back for a second year and he was serving and and and he saw what the craziest thing that people were dying because they didn't have clean water. The little boys, little girls, we're drinking this polluted water the same water that they would bathe in the same water that they would wash their clothes in the same water that they would use the restroom in. There was the only water that they would know and sometimes people would have to walk for miles to get this polluted water. And so this essential need to human life Was not being provided to people in these countries. And so he just had this burden he had this carrying. So he went back to New York City and in 2006 without any knowledge of how to do. So he started a nonprofit and he didn't know what to do. And so he actually, the first thing is to raise money for his nonprofit called charity water. He started throwing these massive parties. But instead of saying, hey, here's this vodka. He sent out emails saying, hey, this person is dying now. Imagine being on the email list. And like the first five you opened, we're like, hey, it's like boom dying child in Africa, what are you gonna do? And so we started doing that. And so we started raising money, starting funds and he started this organization and 10 years later are actually now at this 0.13 years later, What do you believe that that actually through his projects and the projects that they are currently building nine million people. We'll have water. You know, that didn't have access to clean water before. I wanna encourage you to check that out and check out his book too. You can see his picture. These are, there's an actual picture of kids receiving water for the first time in one of the wells drilled by scott Harrison and his company, and what happened, he moved from comfortable to caring, and so the question I have for you this morning is what breaks your heart. What breaks your heart? Are you so busy trying to keep up with the joneses to try to keep up that, that we don't even think about the burdens and the issues that other people have in the world. Can you take a moment out of your busy schedule, out of your stressful life and pause and think about what's in front of you, think about what's around you and ask yourself the question, what is it that breaks your heart? Is it, is it foster care, that was a burning for a wife and I it was a crazy up and down journey to go through classes and and fostering to ultimately adopting our little baby girl? Is it the school system is a homeless ministry. Is it preaching, jesus, in a business setting? What is it that breaks your heart? Because whatever it is, in order for revival, to take place for the renewal of a passion for God's people? It starts when we make a move from comfortable to carry, but that's not all. See the second move that Nehemiah made is that Nehemiah moved from Brokenness to boldness. He moved from Brokenness to boldness. Four months later he found himself in front of the king and the king had full authority. So if you if you if you enter the king's presence on a bad day, not only could he kick you out, he could have you killed. So it was dangerous to express your emotions, but Nehemiah could hide his burden no longer. And so the king, I finally asked him what is wrong and Nehemiah builds up the boldness and actually he's bold in two ways. He's bold in his action and then he's bold in its preparation. Here's what I mean. Let me read to you, pick it up in verse five of Chapter two. And I said to the king, if it pleases the king, if your servant has found favor in your sight, that you send me to Judah to the city of my father's graves, that I may rebuild it. And the king said to me, how long will you be gone? And when will you return? And so it pleased the king to send me when I had given him a time. And I said to the king, Now notice that he asked for something. He took action. But he didn't stop there. He said, actually, over these last four months, I've been doing some preparation. Here's the time. I'll be back. But I don't just need your permission. I need a letter from you and I need this. I need this. Listen to what he says here, he says, if it pleases the king, let letters be given to the governors of the province beyond the river that they may let me pass through until I come to Judah and a letter of Isaf, the keeper of the King's Forest, that he may give me timber to make beams for the gates of the fortress of the temple and for the wall of the city and for the house that I shall occupy. And the king granted me what I asked for. The good hand of my God was upon me. I love this picture because Nehemiah represents in some ways what we as christians can be called to today. He held onto his convictions and his faith in a predominantly opposing culture that believed completely different than he did, but yet he remained respectful. So if you have a boss, that is a different um faith than you or different practice in you or maybe even borderline persecution, you can still respond with integrity and with respect while holding onto your conviction. And so this is a great picture. We see this also with Daniel and joseph and other old testament figures that give us an example today, when we live in a culture that is against Christianity, we can still rise up to positions of leadership while holding onto our faith and our convictions. And so he was bold not only to ask, but then to ask, hey I also need letters and I need resources and I even know the name of the guy who can give me the resources. So would you give me this? That is a bold ask. So it's one thing to be broken. It's another thing to be bold and to take a step you know I think of our very own Michael murtaugh who shared his heart ah and just yesterday Actually swam a mile and a half from Alcatraz to the coast of California and then ran seven miles to the Golden Gate bridge and back. But he did so with chains on his feet when he swam and chains on his hands when he ran. Why? Because he wanted to show that if he could do something with chains on his feet and then running with chains on his hands he could show and demonstrate that the chains of addiction can be broken through the power of jesus christ. But he didn't just show up there, he trained, he got a coach, he got the word out, He was broken but then he was bold. He said I was addicted, I was abused, I was lost but God saved me and God can save others. And he raised over $19,000 so that life can be saved and can be um and as a person gets placed into this recovery program. And so he ran for that family. He ran for that life that will be saved, but he ran most importantly for the glory of Jesus Christ? And so he did something, he went from this Brokenness to boldness and he said I know it's crazy but I'm going to share my story and I'm gonna run and I'm gonna swim and I'm gonna do something that sounds crazy, but I'm gonna do that to demonstrate that the love of God is real and that you can have victory over addiction and that all glory be to jesus christ amen. So the question I have for you is that what risk do you need to take? What risk do you need to take in order for revival to take place? It starts when we have a renewed passion for God's people and we must move from being comfortable to caring, but secondly we must move from just being broken to being bold. What risk do you need to take? What boldness do you need to move? Do you need to take? Do you need to ask a question? You need to put yourself out there is it's starting a bible study and a business, is it helping the homeless? Is it helping in foster care? Is it serving in your cold attacked? What can you do right now to make an impact to where you're broken? But then you take a bold step of faith to see God come through for his his kingdom and his glory because we have the power of the living God inside of us. And if we have the power that conquered death, why is it that we act afraid for God did not give us a spirit of fear but of power and love and self control with God, all things are possible and revival will break out in this community if a family of believers, a community actually believes that and lives in bold moves and actions, what we say and what we do in sacrifice, service and love, what risk do you need to take? Is it a conversation, is it sacrificial giving? Do you have something crazy in the back of your head of? I'd like to start something one day, but that's a one day. Maybe It's A two Day Issue. Maybe something is stirring in your heart right now that you've been trying to put off for years. He says, no, I made you the way you are right now in this season in this community, because you are here to make a difference for me, the last move Nehemiah makes to bring about renewal and ultimately revival is that he moves from an individual burden to inspiring others. He moves from an individual burden to inspiring others. He arrives to the city in verse nine verse 10 were introduced to some bad guys, sand ballot and Tobias. We're gonna talk about those guys. Next week. We talked about how to persevere in the midst of adversity. But then versus 11 through 16 of Chapter two, he walks around the city and he examines the ruins that are the wall and the ruins that are the gates and he comes back to the people and he addresses the people of Jerusalem for the very first time and it's just an incredible picture of leadership here in verse 17 and 18, let me read it to you and then I said to them, you see the trouble we are in now, how Jerusalem lies in ruins with its gates burned. Come, let us build the wall of Jerusalem that we may no longer suffer. Tourism. And I told them of the hand of my God, that had been put upon me for good. And also the words of the king that had spoken to me and they said let us rise up and build, I love like war and action movies. So I picture almost like a William Wallace Braveheart scene, I think about it. He said look around you. Do you want to live this way? No, let us build the walls. I have received a word from God and approval from the king. What is stopping you? And that collectively they say let us rise and build right? I don't know if his face was painted when he gave that speech, but I just in my head, that's how I picture it. But that speech those two verses, if you're in business or education or healthcare. Those two verses are a model of leadership, Let me break it down this way to go from an individual burden and to inspire another. He does four things in those two verses, number one, he defines reality, he defines reality, he didn't walk in and go, hey, you're good, I'm good, we're all okay, right? There's a story in a school where a teacher didn't want to make any kids feel bad playing duck, duck goose and so she just circled For about 10 minutes, it's gently patting everyone on the head, never called goose because I didn't want anyone to feel it, we get. So it's a true story. And so they go around and like we gettin excited, were so fearful of people like getting hurt feelings, They were like, no, you're good, I'm good, warm fuzzies all around participation trophies, everybody wins. Woo! Who cares that we got beat 1720 you're a winner, right? And like we're afraid to define the reality of circumstances sometimes. Right? Well the starting point of a leader is defined reality and no matter how harsh it is, you have to have an honest conversation in order to have a Gps to have directions. It requires two things that requires the destination, but it also requires to identify where you are and one of the jobs of a leader is to identify where you are, if we know we're talking stick arena is where the phoenix suns play. I mean play is kind of a loose word based on how we've done the past couple of years, but we'll just say play, I'm optimistic for this year. So if you're trying to get to Talking stick arena to watch the phoenix suns play in order to give someone directions, you have to find out where the person is coming from, because if they're coming over from Gilbert or they're coming from surprise or they're coming from anthem, those directions are very different and you cannot offer steps to move forward until you first identify where you are and that's what Nehemiah does. He defines reality. But secondly, he paints the picture, he says, it doesn't have to stay this way. He casts a vision, a living picture of a preferred future, and he says, listen, we can rise up and build, it doesn't have to stay that way. And he paints this picture and one of the roles of a leader in any organization, in a classroom and a family and a business in a community is to paint the picture of what could be, but then he offers credibility, He's like, I'm not just some crazy person, I've received word from the king, our word from our God and resources from the king, you can trust me, can you establish credibility in your workplace, can you show empathy for what someone is going through to build that connection and then the last thing is that he inspires action what would have happened if Nehemiah would have gathered the people and they just said, hey let's sing songs about a wall that's built and then let's talk about it and then we'll huddle around, never mind that the ruins are standing right next to us, we never do anything about it, right. The point of the speech was to inspire action in the same way. The point of our sunday morning gathering is for us to go out and to live it and to and to live in faith. And so as a leader in just those two verses, Nehemiah defines reality, he paints the picture, he establishes his credibility, but then he inspires action and when I think about inspired action, I think about our church, I think about the countless hours that people sacrifice, I think about those that set up of of drake of Dave and Jared and bill and Jeff, I think of our tech team and Larkin and Joey and Angie and and Jacob and we think of the band that's here, we think of the Children's team setting up in the back and serving and decorating and and working through curriculum and praying and I think of the crosses and even since taking turns driving, picking up donuts again, I'm a cup bearer, I love that part of it, okay. But um so I think of everybody's sacrifice that comes and serves and build and do it and it comes together when we gather as a church and we make an impact last year at this time, Church was an idea and I stand here blessed now to see your eyes to think that wow, how God is moving, but it's just getting started. And so I want to close this morning by just asking the question, what has God called you to do, What has God called you to do because as a church, our vision is to help every man, woman and child experience jesus, but reality is is that no single tree makes up a grove, but a growth can start from a single tree. So in order for revival to break out in this community in northern phoenix in Cave Creek and Scottsdale in, in in all of these areas in order for revival to break out, it'll happen when the people in this room have a renewed passion for God's people and they ask themselves a question, God, what have you called me to do and then we go and do it. My job as a pastor, our job as a staff and as a ministry team is not simply to say, hey, you do what we want you to do, but really to equip you for the work of ministry and to ask you the question, what has God called you to do? We're the support role, we want to come alongside you like Jose and Katie Ramirez in Guadalajara serving in orphanages or Michael murtaugh with his race for recovery or kevin Winbush with Grace and mercy homeless ministries or we have families that are in foster care or people that want to serve on their school PTO or start bible study and businesses. What has God called you to do? If you're willing to ask that question, if you're willing to say God break my heart, god help me take a risk, God help me, inspire others were willing to do those things and there is nothing that cannot be accomplished here with the power of jesus christ amen. So you close your eyes and bow your heads. I just want to ask the question here is that before group revival can take place, there has to be personal commitment. And so if you're willing to see you God, I want to receive you today, I want you to pray along with me and if you have done that, but you want to take that next step, you want to show this community of faith that you want that you're making that decision. I want you to consider getting baptized as we're having a baptism service in two weeks in the 25th, then I want you to market on that connection card so that we can follow up with you but take your personal revival and make it public so that we can inspire others and renew a passion for God's people, what has God called you to do? That's right, dear heavenly father as you called Nehemiah out And he moved from being comfortable to caring God. I ask that you can move us out of our comfort zone and break our hearts. For what breaks yours and God has you moved Nehemiah from Brokenness to boldness? If there's been an idea planted in our heads or in our hearts, but we take that step, take that bold step to actually reach out to make an impact And God as you moved Nehemiah from just an individual burden to inspiring others. May we spur and stir one another up to good works. God, what have you called us to do? We ask that you would build our lives. God build our community of faith so that revival can break out in the city. God I cannot make it to heaven on my own. I have sinned and fallen away from you and it's only through your son jesus that I can receive forgiveness and eternal life. Mm hmm. God, I commit my life to you. May I answer the calling in my life and may we collectively answer the callings in our lives. So that revival will break out when we have a renewed passion for your people, God, we love you and your son's name. We pray amen