Title: The Year of Rebuilding Part 2:
The preparation and the process of rebuilding
Text: Nehemiah Chapter 2 – 3
Introduction
In my first sermon, I explained how the enemy had destroyed the walls and the gates of YIA. I said that the walls represents the protection of God while the gates represents the vision given to us by God, the gates represents what this ministry is heading. Without vision we lose the power and authority to do that which God wants us to do.
I said that in order for God’s protective wall to be formed there is no other way but for God’s people to fall and their knees and pray for this ministry. And that was what Nehemiah did, he prayed and fasted not only in chapter one but also in the three months period between chapter one and two. In doing so Nehemiah laid the whole foundation of the rebuilding process.
This week let us see how Nehemiah prepared for the work of rebuilding.
1. He waited for the Karios time.
Nehemiah waited for 4 months before he approached the King. I believed that Nehemiah was not a procrastinator as were some of us here. I believed that he was waiting for the karios time.
What is the karios time? It is God’s time. Chronos is man’s time. Nehemiah was patient and he waited for God’s time.
In similar way, as we begin our rebuilding process, as we look at the ruins around us, we can get impatient, and began to ask, when are we going to set up this or that. If we are not careful we may even become discourage with the apparent lack of progress.
I believed that we need to be patient, in implement each element of this ministry wait on the karios of God.
2. He was prepared even to die for his vision.
I said last week, that Nehemiah risked his life by appearing sad in front of the king. He was prepared to sacrifice his life in order to fulfill his mission.
John Chapter 12
24 "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains by itself alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.
3. He looked at God and not at man. (verse 8)
Nehemiah asked the King for two things that is a safe journey and also timber and the King granted his request. However in verse 8 Nehemiah make this statement that the reason the king granted his request was because God was on his side.
You see Nehemiah looked at God and not man. I believed that in Youth in Action, we must learn not to look at man but God alone. Though I am the one that is leading this ministry, I am merely God’s servant and instrument. The one and only leader is God, he is the one that is leading us in fulfilling the destiny which he had set for us.
If look at me, I may fail u at times because I am still a frail human being that makes lots of mistakes. But if you set your eyes upon God you are be sure that He will never disappoint u or fail u in any way.
I’ve seen so many church build on one man and when the man fall or is taken away, the whole church collapsed.
4. He shared the vision. (verse 17-18)
In verse 17 – 18, Nehemiah shared the vision, which God had given to him to a few man.
This speaks of two things:
a. Nehemiah spoke to only a few men, but he got almost the whole community to join in the rebuilding process as we will see in chapter three. This showed that the few man whom he had spoken to own the vision and began to spread it to the others. And this is the very thing which you need to do. You need to began to spread this fresh fire and vision of God to those who were once part of this ministry, but had somehow had grown discouraged and disappointed and challenged them to come back and build up this ministry.
We need own vision and spread it!
b. Secondly, Nehemiah does not believe in a one – man ministry. He knew that it takes teamwork and strategy in order to rebuild Jerusalem. I want to say this I too do not believe in a one man ministry. I desire that God will place each and every one of you here into the specific task of rebuilding and together we do the rebuilding.
c. He shared the vision. (verse 17-18)
In chapter 3, we see small groups of people, led by leaders as appointed by Nehemiah, repairing the walls and the gates of Jerusalem.
As I was meditating on this passage, I see this pockets of people working in different parts of the walls and gates as extra radical cell groups. And this is the next stage, which we need to establish in this ministry. You see in the book of acts where the first church started, the church consist of many house groups who met weekly or even daily to pray and study the word of God. Through these house groups, people were being saved daily and the church of Jesus Christ was being established.
Secondly I see in chapter 3, each and every one of the people called to different task and job within the rebuilding process. Some of them were gifted in building walls, whilst others are gifted in putting the joints and bolts. Some of them are gifted in leadership and they direct part of the rebuilding process.
My desire is to see each and every one of you serves in the area which the Lord had called you in the rebuilding process.
Conclusion
I believed that today the Lord wants to strategically position each and every one of you within YIA. You may be asking yourself right now lord I want to serve you, but really do not know how to. You do not need to worry, because all that God needs is a vessel that is totally emptied of self. All that God desires of you is to say to him, Lord here I am, I have own this vision which you have given to YIA and I want to be use by you. I do not know how or in what capacity, but whatever I have I give unto you. That is the call of the Spirit.
