Built To Build – When God Builds A Burden (Week 1)

Preacher: Pastor Daniel Erasmus

Worship:
Spend a few moments worshipping together and asking God to align your heart with His heart.

Suggested songs:

1. Build My Life
2. Goodness of God
3. Here I Am Lord

Check-in:
Take a few moments to connect as a group.

• What was a highlight from your week?
• What stood out to you most from Sunday’s message?
• Have you experienced a moment recently where God brought a person or situation to your attention?

Key Scriptures:

• Nehemiah 1:1-11
• Nehemiah 1:4
• Exodus 33:15
• Matthew 9:36
• Ephesians 2:10

Sermon Summary:
The book of Nehemiah begins not with a building project, but with a burden. When Nehemiah heard about the broken walls of Jerusalem and the struggles of God’s people, he allowed what he heard to move from his ears to his heart. What was broken deeply affected him.

The message highlighted that God often begins His work in us by allowing us to see something we can no longer ignore. A burden is different from pressure. Pressure comes from people, fear, or expectations.
A burden from God is when He allows us to feel something of His heart for people and situations He already loves.

Before Nehemiah ever took action, he prayed. He mourned, fasted, and brought the burden into the presence of God. Rather than rushing to fix the problem, he first sought God’s heart and remembered God’s promises.

The message concluded with a powerful challenge: the burdens God places in our hearts are not meant to stop with emotion. Burden becomes prayer. Prayer becomes surrender. Surrender becomes availability. Availability becomes obedience. What God builds through us, must first begin with what He builds in us.

Discussion Questions:

1. What Has God Allowed You to See?
   Nehemiah’s burden began when he saw the brokenness of Jerusalem and chose not to look away. Is there a person, need, situation, or area of brokenness that God seems to be drawing your attention to in this season?
2. From Burden to Prayer
   Before Nehemiah made a plan, he prayed. Why do you think our natural instinct is often to rush into action rather than bring things first into God’s presence? What could it look like for you to pray first in an area you’re carrying right now?
3. What Does Your “Yes” Look Like?
   The message challenged us to move from “Someone should do something” to “Lord, what are You asking of me?” What might a simple, surrendered “yes” to God look like in your life this week?

Prayer Pointers:
Pray together for:

• Eyes to see people and situations through God’s heart.
• Courage not to ignore the burdens God places before us.
• A deeper commitment to prayer before action.
• Wisdom to discern what God is asking each person to do.
• Unity as a church as we step into this “Built to Build” season.
• The Goodwood campus launch and the people God wants to reach through it.

Weekly Application:
This week, spend time asking God three simple questions:

1. Lord, what are You helping me to see?
2. Lord, what do You want me to pray about?
3. Lord, what does my yes look like?

Write down anything God places on your heart and take one practical step of obedience, however small it may seem.