Building Blocks for the New Year - Vision
Nehemiah 1:1-2:18
Pastor Don Jones
Introduction
It has gone by so fast. I don’t know where the time went. I can’t believe it’s already here. You have probably either said, or heard, all of these statements this past week. If you haven’t I’m sure you will hear them or say them this next week.
All of the statements are very true, time does go by fast and I do believe that it goes by faster with age. So, it is all the more reason to set goals for this year not only for you but more importantly for our church. We are celebrating our 5oth anniversary as a church, and frankly, I believe we need a vision for the next 50 years.
Definition of Vision
What is a "vision"? I like what Pastor Tony Miano says. He explains vision this way. "As I look ahead, far ahead, two to three years down the road, I do see God doing it, even though I may not know all of the details today. That’s what vision is. Vision is not a crystal ball or hearing audible voices. It is the belief in one’s heart that God is going to do something that is consistent with His Word and consistent with His will, and believing that what God is going to do will have an amazing impact on your life. Having vision is having the confident belief that the promises of God are going to be realized in the future of our church."
The book of Nehemiah gives us a close look at how God shared His vision to accomplish His great task.
Nehemiah
Who was Nehemiah? He was not a priest nor was he a king. Nehemiah identifies himself in verse 11 as "a cupbearer for the king." Nehemiah is encouraging because he is just a "regular" guy. God used an ordinary person to accomplish an extraordinary task.
I am especially encouraged because most of the people God calls are "regular" people. Some have been tax-collectors, shepherds, fishermen, and even murderers. Ordinary people empowered and encouraged by God to lead His ordinary people to extraordinary accomplishments. Why, because when all is said and done and the mission is accomplished, everyone knows it had to be the Lord.
As I look around this room I see a group of diverse yet ordinary people. As we look at scripture remember who you are and who God is. Ultimately remember you are a regular person but "with God all things are possible".
The Problem
They said to me, “Those who survived the exile and are back in the province are in great trouble and disgrace. The wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates have been burned with fire.”
The people of Judah were in exile. They did not repent when God called to them. God’s judgment had come upon them in a swift manner. The judgment brought on a terrible consequence, the wall of Jerusalem had been destroyed. It was an ever present reminder of their sin, defeat and disgrace.
Stop, Drop, and ...
When I heard these things, I sat down and wept. For some days I mourned and fasted and prayed before the God of heaven.
When Nehemiah heard the news about the wall, he was burdened. His first response was to sit down. His second response was to grieve. He gave a human response to news of great sadness. To put it another way, he broke down and cried.
For some reason people believe that if you are a strong believer you can’t stop and break down. You have to carry on or it will be a sign of a lack of faith.
Wrong! The Lord created us with feelings. We are not some Christian robot when we come to know the Lord. When you receive bad news, break down and cry. It’s what Jesus did. The shortest verse in the Bible says, "Jesus wept".
... Role
“O LORD, God of heaven, the great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love with those who love him and obey his commands, let your ear be attentive and your eyes open to hear the prayer your servant is praying before you day and night for your servants, the people of Israel."
We are to grieve but we don’t stay there forever. Notice that the first thing Nehemiah did after he wept was go to the Lord for the answer. He did not seek his own solution but God’s. Why, because he knew his role in life. He knew God’s power could accomplish much greater goals than his own. Nehemiah knew that all anything worth while begins with a solid foundation and vision from the Lord.
When my son was 3 years old he was sitting in his room. We could hear his frustrated voice coming from his room. The vocal frustration grew and grew until finally his mom went to see what the problem was.
She walked in the room and saw my son sitting before a pile of blocks on the floor. She watched as he very carefully and meticulously stacked one on top of the other. The pile grew and began to take shape. The blocks began to tilt ever so slightly until the last layer was placed on top. The blocks came tumbling down.
Mom went over and explained how the carpet was uneven and would move depending on the weight of the load. She explained to him that what he needed was a solid foundation. She very lovingly and quietly went and got a large book from his collection as he sat pondering her words.
She told him to begin building again this time on the book. He began stacking the blocks again and he began to get very excited. The blocks to his amazement stayed in place. From then on, he would leave them standing in his room for weeks on end. They stayed up because they began with a solid foundation.
As we begin to look at the New Year we too need to start on a solid foundation. Don’t call and ask advice of your friends, don’t seek out the sympathetic ears, go before Almighty God so you start with a Solid foundation in Christ. Seek out His will for your life and for the church from Him.
Realize Your Need
I confess the sins we Israelites, including myself and my father’s house, have committed against you. We have acted very wickedly toward you. We have not obeyed the commands, decrees and laws you gave your servant Moses.
When Nehemiah went before Almighty God he realized just how inadequate he and the Israelites were to take on the task. His resources were nil. He was a bond servant to the king in a foreign land and at this point he could do nothing without the king’s permission.
On top of that, the Israelites were in captivity because they had sinned. Prophets had been sent, the message proclaimed, and they had not repented before God. And now, Nehemiah goes before God to repent not only himself but for the entire nation.
Where do we need to look? We need to begin by going before God, seeking His will, His burden, His vision and then realize we cannot do it. We are totally inadequate for the task of building this church further. We are sinners and will mess it up. We must confess our sins and stay very focused and then do everything according to and empowered by the Lord and His vision.
Remember God’s Word
Remember the instruction you gave your servant Moses, saying, ‘If you are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the nations, 9but if you return to me and obey my commands, then even if your exiled people are at the farthest horizon, I will gather them from there and bring them to the place I have chosen as a dwelling for my Name.’ “They are your servants and your people, whom you redeemed by your great strength and your mighty hand.
How do we stay focused? By remembering what the Lord has already done for us. Do you really believe Nehemiah was reminding God what He had promised or was he reminding himself of what the Lord had done before he took on this impossible task? I think he was reminding himself because it focused his mind on God’s promises and power.
We have major decisions in this 50th year. Here are some of the decisions we are faced with as a church. Does the Lord desire us to build a new sanctuary and refurbish the education space or vise versa? Does the Lord desire us to abrogate our responsibility to 83% of our community that are Hispanic or have an interpreter for the messages and Bible studies? Does the Lord desire us to revamp our educational approach to better meet the needs of everyone and utilize our space more effectively? Does He desire us to be a church that goes out to reach people for Christ instead of staying in our comfortable place?
As I prayed about all of these things, God has burdened my heart to the point of tears. I am woefully inadequate. We are woefully inadequate for the tasks at hand. But we are His people and He desires us to be the church in this community. He is looking for a revival not only in our church but in our hearts as well.
Reach for the Goal
"O Lord, let your ear be attentive to the prayer of this your servant and to the prayer of your servants who delight in revering your name. Give your servant success today by granting him favor in the presence of this man.”
A pastor thought God gave Him an idea, and he presented it in the monthly council meeting. After giving his most impassioned plea and really “selling” the idea to the counsel, the counsel voted and voted down the pastors proposed changes 12-1. The moderator looked at the pastor and said, “Well pastor, it’s 12 votes to 1. Looks like you’ve been out voted. Looks like time is up for the evening, so will you please close in prayer.”
The pastor, not wanting to give up yet on what he felt God was leading him to do then lead in prayer. As he prayed, he lifted his hands up to heaven and prayed, “Loooorrrdddd - I know my brothers here do not have the same vision you have given me. Please help them to see that this is not MY vision, but YOOOOUUUUURRRR vision!”
At that exact moment, a lightning bolt with a loud clap of thunder burst in through the window in the meeting room, striking the table, splitting it in two and knocking all the council to the floor. As the dust cleared, the pastor looked at the moderator and said - so, what do you think about that?
The moderator, dusting himself off, sighed and said, “Well, I guess that’s 12 votes to 2, then...”
We need to come together as God’s people in this place and seek His will. Yes, we will spend many hours together seeking His will. Ultimately it will come down to God’s people on their knees in prayer seeking God’s will for His purposes. Scripture says we are to pray to become of one mind, one spirit under one Lord.
Where do we start? It starts with us on our knees seeking Him to be our solid foundation, our solid rock. Can we do it? Yes! Not by our own resources or through our own work, but by His power, His presence and His Spirit. Scripture says "all things are possible" through Him. It begins with you yielding yourself to Jesus Christ.
All illustrations from Sermon Central Pro.
Outline
Building Blocks for Success - Vision
Nehemiah 1:1-23
1. Definition of Vision
Abiding faith in God
His work will be done in our church
Consistent with His Word
2. Nehemiah (A regular guy)
Not a priest
Not a king
Cupbearer to the king
3. Stop, Drop, and ...
Jerusalem’s wall in ruins
Nehemiah wept
His burden to fix it
4. Role
God is Holy & Awesome & Adequate
We are sinful & inadequate
5. Remember God’s Word
6. Reach for the goal
With Him all things, without nothing
