Kingdom Building 101: Get Real/ The Plan

KINGDOM BUILDING 101: GET REAL/ THE PLAN

NEHEMIAH 2: 1-10

JANUARY 25, 2004

INTRODUCTION: FOR THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN TO PROMISE KEEPER IN THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS, THIS SOUNDS LIKE SOMETHING JOE WHITE WOULD SHARE: I am a soldier in the army of my God. The Lord Jesus Christ is my commanding officer. The Holy Bible is my code of conduct, Faith, prayer and the Word are my weapons of warfare. I have been taught by the Holy Spirit-- trained by experience, tried by adversity and tested by fire. I am a volunteer in this army, and I am enlisted for eternity. I will either retire in this army at the rapture or die in this army; but I will not get out, sell out, be talked out, or pushed out. I am faithful, reliable, capable, and dependable. If my God needs me, I am there. If He needs me in the Sunday school to teach the children, work with the youth, help adults or just sit and learn I’ll be there. He can use me because I am there! I am a soldier. I am not a baby. I do not need to be pampered, petted, primed up, pumped up, picked up, or pepped up. I am a soldier. No one has to call me, remind me, write me, visit me, entice me, or lure me. I am a soldier. I am not a wimp. I am in place saluting my King, obeying His orders, praising His name, and building His kingdom! No one has to send me flowers, gifts, food, cards, candy or give me handouts. I do not need to be cuddled, cradled, cared for, or catered to. I am committed. I cannot have my feelings hurt bad enough to turn me around. I cannot be discouraged enough to turn me aside. I cannot lose enough to cause me to quit. If I end up with nothing, I will still come out ahead. I will win. My God has, and will continue, to supply all of my needs. I am more than a conqueror. I will always triumph. I can do all things through Christ. Devils cannot defeat me. People cannot disillusion me. Weather cannot weary me. Sickness cannot stop me. Battles cannot beat me. Money cannot buy me. Governments cannot silence me and hell cannot handle me. I am a soldier. Even death cannot destroy me. For when my Commander calls me from this battlefield, He will promote me to Captain and then allow me to rule with Him. I am a soldier in the army and I’m marching, claiming victory. I will not give up. I will not turn around. I am a soldier marching, heaven bound. ~author unknown~ Contributed by: Dr. C. David White

TRANSITION THOUGHT: Last week we began talking about Kingdom Building. My first thought is that it takes a broken heart for the Kingdom to move us into Kingdom building. I believe once our hearts are broken, we can begin to see the Kingdom through God’s Eyes and thus see HIS PLAN. For us to stay involve, though, we must become completely honest with ourselves. I call this: Getting Real! When we real before God, we can become real before others. When we are real before God, we can become SOLDIERS in the Kingdom. When we are Soldier, when we are willing to fight for the KINGDOM, we CAN be a part of God’s plan!

Do you want to sit on the bench or do you want to PLAY BALL?

THESIS SENTENCE: BUILDING THE KINGDOM WILL DEMAND OUR HONESTY BEFORE GOD AND OTHERS AS WE FULFILL HIS PLAN!

I. KINGDOM BUILDING STARTS WITH TRANSPARENCY VV. 1-4A

A. TRANSPARENCY IS BEING YOURSELF

1. Being yourself means going to work. Our text begins with Nehemiah at work. He was found being faithful to the task he was given to do.

2. After all, the heartache of finding out that the Wall of Jerusalem was broken down and its gates had been burned and that the people who survived the exile were in great trouble and disgrace, Nehemiah went back to work.

3. Have you ever had to go back to work when the world is crashing down around you? Nehemiah did and it would be for his benefit.

4. He knew he was in great despair, but went on with life! “I took the wine and gave it to the king. I had not been sad in his presence before (v.1).”

ILLUSTRATION: [Koinonia—Part 2 (February 14), from Celebrate! Daily Devotions for the Spirit-Filled Life, Edited by Jack Hayford, Thomas Nelson Publishers, Nashville, 1992]

Besides a mutual sharing of resources implied in the word koinonia, there is also an implication of “public-ness.” If we are to walk in the light of our Lord, there will be something of public-ness in our lives with one another. What does this mean?