Truth For Life - Alistair Begg

After overseeing the reconstruction of Jerusalem's walls and the restoration of the people's right worship, Nehemiah returned to Susa. When he later came back to Jerusalem, what he found was distressing: The people had embraced unhelpful associations, unfulfilled commitments, unkept promises, and unholy marriages. Alistair Begg walks us through each of these issues in turn, helping us to see why they mattered, how Nehemiah confronted them, and how they are mirrored in the problems confronting today's church and its leaders.

After learning of the sorry state of Jerusalem's walls, Nehemiah responded with prayerful dependence, careful preparation, and quiet assessment before calling others to act. As Alistair Begg points out, his leadership combined trust in God's sovereignty with practical wisdom and courage in the face of opposition. Through Nehemiah's example, we're reminded that God's work advances through ordinary people who rely on Him, persevere through discouragement, and unite around a shared, God-given purpose.

While all Scripture is inspired, not all Scripture is equally inspiring. When we read the long list of names in Nehemiah 3, we might be prone to wonder at its purpose. As Alistair Begg reminds us, though, God's work requires the unified, active participation of those whose names will largely be forgotten, each contributing their part within a larger purpose. And as chapter 4 makes plain, while opposition to such work is inevitable, leaders must commit to meeting it with prayer, vigilance, and trust in God.

While an approach to Christianity that treats it as a soft option may sound attractive, it's certainly not scriptural. Truly biblical discipleship is muscular, demanding, and thoughtful. The apostle Paul made this clear to Timothy as he urged him to proclaim the Gospel boldly and to suffer for it bravely. In this conference message, Alistair Begg examines the three word pictures Paul used to clarify the believer's daily need for devotion, discipline, and diligence in the Christian life.

As Christopher Ash writes, "The word of God is the driving force that shapes authentic church life." If in our churches we wish to see discipleship in the pews, we have to have discipleship in the pulpit. With this conviction in view, Alistair Begg guides us through Paul's stirring words in 2 Timothy 4:1–8, examining the charge Paul gave to his pastoral protégé, the challenge Timothy faced, and the commitment the apostle urged upon him.