Sermons from August 2023
Nehemiah 1:1-2:5
Kneehemiah, Man of Prayer, or Don’t Just Do Something, Stand There Introduction: The crisis hits in your life…. You are informed that your company doesn’t need your service any longer. Or, you discover that your father is leaving your mother and their thirty-five year marriage. Or, in the happy aftermath of the birth of your new baby, the pediatrician lets you know there is a problem. Perhaps, it’s one of the more common everyday crises …. You run out of…
Nehemiah 2
Do You Have a Plan? Introduction: I want to talk to you today about broken-down walls. The particular broken walls that generated this message are the walls of Jerusalem, but each of us has walls in our own lives that need repair. They may be walls in our emotional life or family or career or finances or personal habits or ministry. These walls are structures needed to support, protect, defend, and strengthen our character and relationships. If you are hurting today because of some…
Nehemiah 3, 4
Trust in God, and Keep Your Powder Dry! Introduction: When my wife heard my sermon title yesterday, she responded, “A 4th of July sermon, huh?” I was surprised at the question because I hadn’t even thought of this message in those terms, but perhaps it could be related. Please listen to the Word of God as found in Ezra 4. When the enemies of Judah and Benjamin heard that the exiles were building a temple for the Lord, the God of Israel, 2 they came to Zerubbabel…
Nehemiah 5
The Scylla and Charybdis of Christian Leadership Introduction: You’re probably shaking your head at the strange title of today’s sermon. Well, it’s an allusion to Greek mythology. Between the toe of the boot of Italy and the island of Sicily is a narrow passageway of water known as the Straits of Messina. Though this constituted by far the shortest route between Rome and Athens, it was also very dangerous for ancient sailors because of Scylla and Charybdis. Scylla was a dangerous rock formation, which, according…
Nehemiah 6, 7
Operation Intimidation DATE: April 7, 2019 Note: This was Michael Andrus’ last sermon at First Free in St. Louis, preached in 2019. It has been inserted into the 1992 series on Nehemiah. Greetings: Thank you kindly, Adam, for that introduction. I listened to John Richardson’s last message in which he said you were turning on the “way back machine” and inviting me to speak. Well, he’s not far off as it’s been over 15 years since we moved back to Wichita. I expect this will…
Nehemiah 8:1-18
Spiritual Renewal Begins with You! Introduction: For the past two months as we have been walking through the story of Ezra and Nehemiah. In the process, we have witnessed not only the Israelites returning to Judah after over 40 years in exile. But we’ve also seen the temple rebuilt and worship restored. In the last four weeks we’ve seen the walls around Jerusalem rebuilt in 52 days. In Chapter 7, which I didn’t read, Nehemiah seems to bring a fitting end to the story. He…
Nehemiah 9:1-31
The Importance of Learning from Our Past Note: This message was delivered on the final Sunday that First Free met at Westminster Christian Academy before moving to the new facility at Carman and Weidman. Introduction: After graduating from the University of Missouri in 1985, I decided to attend the Summer Institute of Biblical Studies, sponsored by Campus Crusade for Christ. In order to attend I needed to raise my own financial support. The Sunday I was to leave, I had $500 of the $1,500…
Nehemiah 9:32-10:39
Making Commitments at a Time of Transition Note: This is the day that First Evangelical Free Church of St. Louis County first worshipped in our new facility at Carman and Weidman. Introduction: For the sake of our visitors and those returning from vacation, we are moving toward the end of a three-month series on Godly Leadership, based upon the OT books of Ezra and Nehemiah. These books describe the trauma of the nation of Israel during the decades after their nation was destroyed…
Nehemiah 11
Distinguished Service from Undistinguished Servants Introduction: When I submitted my preaching schedule for Ezra and Nehemiah to the Worship and Music Committee last April, it listed Nehemiah 10 for last Sunday (August 9), and Nehemiah 12 for today (August 16). It left chapter 11 out, and that wasn’t accidental. When I first read through Nehemiah in preparation for this series, my initial thought was that if ever a chapter could have been left out of the Bible without anyone noticing, this is it. It…
Nehemiah 12:27-47
A Celebration of Joy Introduction: Two and a half years ago I stood at the Berlin Wall and watched as hundreds of young people, under the confused and helpless gaze of East German guards, chipped away at that hated symbol of Communist repression. To the German people that wall divided them from their families, from their fellow-countrymen, and from the ideals of freedom and opportunity. There was no joyful dedication when that wall was erected in 1961, only when it was torn down…
Nehemiah 13:4-31
Eternal Vigilance Is the Price of Liberty Introduction: A better writer surely would have ended the book of Nehemiah one chapter sooner. You will recall that the completion of the wall of Jerusalem in chapter six was followed by a significant spiritual revival, a return to the Word of God, the confession of sin, public written agreements to live in obedience to God, and a willingness on the part of many to repopulate Jerusalem and serve God faithfully. Then they dedicated the wall…
1 Kings 1-4
Solomon: “Give Your Servant a Discerning Heart” Introduction: We’re going to begin today with a little quiz. I want you to take a pen or pencil and write something on your worship folder. Suppose I was in a position to give you any three wishes your little heart desired, what would they be? That’s right. Anything you want. Write it down. You don’t have to show it to anyone else–this is just between you and the Lord. Have you got it? Now just set it aside; we’ll come back…