How To Face Ridicule Series

Remember Nehemiah is god’s man. He is going back to his home land Israel. Back to Jerusalem. To help the Jews to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. We read here in 4:1-6 Nehemiah 4:1 But it came to pass, that when Sanballat heard that we builded the wall, he was worth, and took great indignation, and mocked the Jews.

2 And he spoke before his brethren and the army of Samaria, and said, what do these feeble Jews? Will they fortify themselves? Will they sacrifice? Will they make an end in a day? Will they revive the stones out of the heaps of the rubbish which are burned?

3 Now Tobiah the Ammonite was by him, and he said, even that which they build, if a fox go up, he shall even break down their stone wall.

4 Hear, O our God; for we are despised: and turn their reproach upon their own head, and give them for a prey in the land of captivity:

5 And cover not their iniquity, and let not their sin be blotted out from before thee: for they have provoked thee to anger before the builders.

6 So built us the wall; and all the wall was joined together unto the half thereof: for the people had a mind to work .I have titled this message reacting to ridicule. The devil wants to hinder gods work. At any times gods people say let us arise and build the host of hell says let us arise and stop them/ destroy. You would be amazed to here that the one of the main tools of the devil is ridicule. You may think ridicule is something that we can just toss off/ignore. Let me tell you beloved ridicule is one of the hardest things that you ever face as Christian. Did you know that A Christian may face the lion but same Christian when he faces ridicule he may fold and fall? When I was young believer…one friend of mine had written me how some relative and friends ridiculed my faith, when I came back from Germany four years I did not visit my father and mother because I knew when I go home those people will be there. Some people leave one church and go other church to avoid ridicule and shame, new fellowship no one knows then so body questions. Some you of you have unsaved spouse and he or she ridicules your faith and that hardest persecution that you face. Any true Christian is going to face some ridicule if you are not facing ridicule then you need to question about your stand in the world. Some of you if you have not face any ridicule do not get proud. Becose bible says: No servant is greater than his master if they have ridiculed the lord Jesus Christ they will ridicule you. Why did the ridicule in those day, look in Nehemiah 4. I want you to notice fist of all The nature of the ridicule:

1.The feebleness of god’s people: the first thing they ridicule is the feebleness of the god’s people. Nehemiah 4:2 and he spoke before his brethren and the army of Samaria, and said, what do these feeble Jews? Will they fortify themselves? Will they sacrifice? Will they make an end in a day? Will they revive the stones out of the heaps of the rubbish which are burned? Beloved we are the feeble people. By worlds slandered when the world measures us by size, by numbers by finances there is always going to sandblast and laugh at us ha-ha look at them these feeble people… but make no mistake my beloved never compare Christianity by size or number bible says god has chosen week things of the world to confound the wise and mighty…not many mighty and not many nobles are called. And people laugh at us because of our feebleness. Secondly often people laugh at us not

because of the our feebleness but also because of the futility of task

2. Futility of the task: look at verse 2 Will they make an end in a day? Will they revive the stones out of the heaps of the rubbish which are burned?….that means they will never do what they are saying they will do. It cannot be done. I have a secret beloved, it may look like as if we have a frail task, but we are going to win. President Woodrow Wilson, "I would rather temporarily fail with a cause that will ultimately win than to temporarily win with a cause that must ultimately fail."

They mocked at our feebleness/futility here is the third thing they mocked at us not only….but also

3. Foolishness of their faith: look in Nehemiah 4:2 and he spoke before his brethren and the army of Samaria, and said, what do these feeble Jews? Will they fortify themselves? Will they sacrifice? Will they make an end in a day? Will they revive the stones out of the heaps of the rubbish which are burned? Will they sacrifice? Now they are mocking at their religion/v at their faith.1 Corinthians 1:18 for the preaching of the cross are to them that perish foolishness; but unto us who are saved it is the power of God. Henry ironsides the great preacher once was crossing river from Oakland to San Francisco with a group of believers on the way they were singing Christian songs like we do when we get together. And there was another group on that boat and they were just watching. Among them there was a man and he said to ironsides who are you he said we are Christian. He said what are doing? He said we just singing and praising the lord. He said I think you are a bunch of fool. He said you are quite right we are fool. We are fooling for Christ sake, whose fool are you?