Fear to Faith - Part 2
Nehemiah 2:11-20
Pastor Don Jones
Introduction
Rev. David E. Cox passed along this observation to his congregation one day. My youngest son, Brandon, is quite the newcomer as an author. No, he does not have the capabilities of writing splendid poetry like Maya Angelou nor leaves his readers in suspense like Stephen L. Carter, but with every story there is a distinct mark of brilliancy. Of course, he probably will not obtain a Nobel Prize in Literature this year because, you see, he is only 8 years old. That’s right - 8 years old! Okay, maybe I’m a little bias since he is my son, but I still think they are brilliant stories. Each story lacks a writer’s flow, but the ending makes up for incomplete styles in writing and grammar. Well, why do I enjoy reading Brandon’s stories? He always ends each adventure on a happy note. Whether it is a dragon being slain by a gallant knight or a firefighter rescuing a terrified girl from a building set ablaze, each story ends with triumph and pure glee. The story leaves the reader with a smile on his or her face. You may ask, what is so brilliant about a child’s story? The brilliancy comes in knowing that we can make the transition "From Fear To Faith". It took faith for the knight to stand up against a dragon and a firefighter to take on the strength of a fire. Yes, whenever we are faced with an overpowering challenge it takes faith to win.
And because the gracious hand of my God was upon me, the king granted my requests." (2:8)
Nehemiah took step of faith that turned into a leap of faith as Artexerxes provided the raw materials and permits to go back to rebuild the wall. Nehemiah had taken that step because God had laid a burden on his heart, the ruined wall of Jerusalem. The burden showed on his face to the point that Artexerxes was prompted by God to ask the questions that would change the life of Nehemiah, the cupbearer. Everything was working out according to the Lord’s plan.
Terry Teachout says, "We are born into a vast room whose walls consist of a thousand doors of possibility. Each door is flung open to the world outside, and the room is filled with light and noise. We close some of the doors deliberately, sometimes with fear, sometimes with calm certainty. Others seem to close by themselves, some so quietly that we do not even notice."
The door had been opened for Nehemiah and he was about to walk through. It would be the greatest adventure in his life for the Kingdom of God.
Evaluate the Work
Nehemiah left as soon as he received the papers to travel and the supply order from the king. He was ready to begin the work. The king also sent a small army along with him so he could travel in safety.
I went to Jerusalem, and after staying there three days I set out during the night with a few men. I had not told anyone what my God had put in my heart to do for Jerusalem. There were no mounts with me except the one I was riding on. (2:11)
One thing I noticed about Nehemiah’s methods. He did not flaunt God’s plan and he didn’t go out of his way to antagonize others. At night he went out with a few to evaluate the work ahead of them. You might say he didn’t come into the city and start building in a hurried manner, he examined and planned to do God’s work.
Some believe faith to be a blind obedience to God. Martin Luther King said, "Faith is taking the first step even when you don’t see the whole staircase". George Seaton says, "Faith is believing in things when common sense tells you not to."
Nehemiah didn’t understand all that was about to happen in his life. Nehemiah did know that the Lord would give him the provision, power, and protection to carry out what He laid on his heart. Instead of jumping in to the project blindly, he started out his endeavor by making a thorough examination of the wall.
Carter Lindberg says, "Faith enables persons to be persons because it lets God be God."
Enlist Help
The officials did not know where I had gone or what I was doing, because as yet I had said nothing to the Jews or the priests or nobles or officials or any others who would be doing the work. Then I said to them, “You see the trouble we are in: Jerusalem lies in ruins, and its gates have been burned with fire. Come, let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalem, and we will no longer be in disgrace.” I also told them about the gracious hand of my God upon me and what the king had said to me. (13-18)
Robert Louis Stevenson said, "Keep your fears to yourself but share your courage with others." Nehemiah began to share the vision with those who were there. He knew he needed help to accomplish the task of God.
He took 3 steps to recruit the people (1) he asked the people to see what he saw (the ruined wall) (2) he then asked them to own the work, "Let us rebuild" (it’s your wall too) and (3) it’s God’s mission and idea (not mine) and it is He who will give us the victory.
Someone has said, "Faith can move mountains, but don’t be surprised if God hands you a shovel."
Exercise Your Faith
They replied, “Let us start rebuilding.” So they began this good work. (2:18)
A man was sleeping one night in his cabin when suddenly his room filled with light and the Savior appeared. The Lord told the man that He had work for him to do and showed him a large rock in front of his cabin. The Lord explained that the man was to push against the rock with all his might.
The man did this, day after day. For many years he toiled from sun up to sun down, his shoulders set squarely against the cold massive surface of the unmoving rock pushing with all his might.
Each night the man returned to his cabin sore and worn out, feeling that his whole day had been spent in vain.
Seeing that the man was showing signs of discouragement, Satan decided to enter the picture by placing thoughts into the man’s mind, “You have been pushing against that rock for a long time and it hasn’t budged. Why kill yourself over this? You are never going to move it.”
The man began to believe that the task was impossible and that he was a failure and he felt discouraged and disheartened. “Why kill myself over this?” he thought. “I’ll just put in my time, giving just the minimum effort and that will be good enough.” And he planned to do this until one day he decided to make it a matter of prayer and take his troubled thoughts to the Lord. “Lord,” he said, “I have labored long and hard in your service, putting all my strength to do that which you have asked. Yet, after all this time, I have not even budged that rock by even half a millimeter. What is wrong? Why am I failing?”
The Lord responded compassionately, “My friend, when I asked you to serve Me and you accepted, I told you that your task was to push against the rock with all your strength, which you have done. Never once did I mention to you that I expected you to move it. Your task was to push. And now you come to me with your strength spent, thinking that you have failed, but is that really so? Look at yourself. Your arms are strong and muscled, your back is sinewy and brown, your hands are callused from constant pressure, and your legs have become massive and hard. Through opposition you have grown much and your abilities surpass that which you used to have, yet you haven’t moved the rock. Your calling was to be obedient and to push and to exercise your faith and trust in My wisdom. You have done this.
“Now, my friend, I will move the rock.” (Author Unknown)
We are already a twenty-fourth through the year. It is going by quickly. Are you going to begin God’s work or will you stand on the side lines and criticize? OK, just stand on the side lines. Some in the city did just that and began to ridicule and accuse the workmen of rebellion.
But when Sanballat the Horonite, Tobiah the Ammonite official and Geshem the Arab heard about it, they mocked and ridiculed us. “What is this you are doing?” they asked. “Are you rebelling against the king?” (2:19)
I remember my first mission work as pastor. It was a constant battle against discouragement and fear. Even some of our denominational leaders offered criticism and said it was useless.
Amazingly when we began to out pace even the largest churches in the state suddenly everyone wanted to be a part of the work and they began to offer help. It was too late. They had missed out on the great work the Lord had done.
I answered them by saying, “The God of heaven will give us success. We his servants will start rebuilding, but as for you, you have no share in Jerusalem or any claim or historic right to it.” (2:20)
These who ridiculed and mocked and threatened missed out on God’s plan. Don’t miss out this year on His plan for your life and the life of His church. It begins by knowing our Lord Jesus Christ. He who has faith has an inward reservoir of courage, hope, confidence, calmness, and assuring trust that all will come out well
