“REBUILDING THE WALLS OF REVIVAL”
NEHEMIAH 1:1-4; 8:1-6; 9:1-3
The setting is about 500 years before the time of Christ. God’s people had lived in Israel for centuries before. God had told them: “Obey Me and you’ll live in the land for a long time. Disobey Me and you’ll be carried off into captivity.” That’s what happened. The Babylonians came and conquered God’s people and took the leading citizens 1,000 miles away. But the discipline was ending. Several years before Nehemiah’s day, some of God’s people were given permission to return to Jerusalem to rebuild a broken down temple and a broken down city. But the attempts to rebuild the protective wall around the city (destroyed by the Babylonians in 586 BC) had been frustrated by some of ‘the enemies of Judah’ (Ezra 4:1, 7-16). As a result very few people lived in the capital city (Nehemiah 11:1). Jerusalem was a city of ruins.
At the time Nehemiah tells his story we are in the twentieth year of the reign of Artaxerxes. Which means by now Persia had replaced Babylon as the region’s great power, and the Persians ruled with a very different means of control. The commitment of the Persians was to resettle captured people in their native lands. What this meant is that these conquered people could act with a degree of freedom as long as they supported the state and paid their taxes. As we start the book of Nehemiah, God is about to instigate another movement back to the Promised Land. We are about to see a nation go from being complacent to returning to back to God. In other words, we are about to see Revival take place among God’s people again. The book falls into several divisions. The first six chapters cover the rebuilding of the wall, while chapters 7 through 10 deal with the renewing of Jerusalem’s worship with the final chapters addressing the repopulation and revival of God’s people.
Read Nehemiah 1:1-4. We know from Nehemiah 1:11 that Nehemiah was the cupbearer to the king. His job was to taste the king’s wine before the king drank it to make sure it was not poisoned. As cupbearer, Nehemiah had a great job. He had intimate access to royalty, political standing, and a place to live in the palace. It was a cushy job that provided everything he needed. And yet, when one of his brothers returned from a road trip to Jerusalem, verse 2 says that Nehemiah “questioned them about the Jewish remnant that survived the exile, and also about Jerusalem.” The word, “question” means “to inquire or demand” an answer. Nehemiah was greatly concerned about what was happening in Jerusalem. He could have protected himself if he chose to, but he didn’t. He sought them out and wanted to hear the first-hand report.
This is an important starting point. It’s so easy for us to stay uninvolved and unaware. Some of us don’t want to even think about stuff that’s going on in our own lives, much less take the time to investigate what is happening in the life of the church as well as the lives of others. Even though Nehemiah had never been to Jerusalem, he had heard stories about it, and knew that his ancestors had been led away in chains when Babylon destroyed it. As he thought on Jerusalem, he listened to the report in verse 3 that the survivors were in great trouble and disgrace, that the wall of Jerusalem was in shambles and that its gates had been burned with fire. As he tried to imagine the shame in the city of David, he could barely stand it. The phrase, “great trouble” meant that the people had “broken down and were falling to pieces.”
Nehemiah was broken over the complacency of the people of Jerusalem. They were living in ruins and they accepted it. They were willing to walk around the devastation instead of being concerned enough to do something about their situation. Friends, nothing is ever going to change in your life, in the life of this church, or for that matter, our nation, until we become concerned about the problem. As individuals and as a church we have become complacent in our lives and with church. It’s as if all we are doing is playing Christian and playing church and its time we get rid of the apathy towards God that we have allowed into our lives and our church and begin to become passionate about God again. In other words folks we need Revival. We need revival to rise up in our lives, to rise up in our church and our nation.
However, in order for revival to begin folks we need to begin to rebuild the walls of Revival. The question is though are you ready to allow God to do some rebuilding? If so, you need to become concerned about the problem by listening to the facts even if we don’t want to hear them. So this morning we are going to look at 5 walls that need to be rebuilt in the church.
I. WE NEED TO REBUILD THE WALL OF PRAYER. 1:4
Nehemiah said, “When I heard these things, I sat down and wept. For some days I mourned and fasted and prayed before the God of heaven.” We see that when he heard this report, he hit the ground and began to weep in verse 4 and pray. The meaning behind this word is that he “bemoaned and lamented,” much like Jesus did when he cried out in painful tears when he observed the hard hearts of those in Jerusalem (Luke 19:41). Why was Nehemiah so heart broken over the walls not being rebuilt? Walls mean little in most present-day cities, but in Nehemiah’s day they were essential. They offered safety from raids and symbolized strength and peace. Nehemiah also mourned for his people, the Jews, because they had been stifled by a previous law that was keeping them from rebuilding their walls. He also fasted. In the Old Testament, fasting was only required once a year, but here we see Nehemiah refrain from food for several days. In fact, we know from comparing the different dates in this book that he wept, fasted, and prayed for four months! These are all signs of humility and show his deep concern for the problem. Nehemiah saw the problem and he realized that the first thing he needed to do was to take it to the One who could fix the problem, God and so he got on his knees and began to weep and pray.
Our churches today have a problem and its called complacency. Complacency is killing the church and we need Revival. But, if we as a congregation want Revival to come here to Crossroads Baptist Church then we need to realize the importance of prayer. If we want Revival we need to be on our knees in prayer. Folks, we could learn a little something from Nehemiah. When was the last time that we were heart broken and we wept and cried out to God for the lost? There are people dying and going to hell because they don’t know Christ. We need to be crying out to God to save them. When was the last time we wept and cried out to God for the sins of the Church? What sins? You might ask. How about the sin of Apathy, the sin of Gossip, and the sin of wanting to run things our way instead of God’s way and how about the sin of wanting to make this church our church rather than God’s church? If we want Revival to come to Crossroads Baptist Church then we need to get on our knees and begin to cry out to God and ask Him to send Revival. His word has promised us that if we ask we shall receive, but we have to start asking folks if we want to receive.
Now before we go on let me set the stage. When Nehemiah arrived in Jerusalem he found more than just broken walls; he found broken lives. In response, Nehemiah gathers the people together to hear Ezra read God’s law and what we see is that the people repent and promise to change their lives by obeying God’s words. In others words, what we are fixing to read is that Revival took place among the Jews and it can take place here if we will just do the same thing. So when it comes to rebuilding the walls of Revival the next wall we need to rebuild is:
II. WE NEED TO REBUILD THE WALL OF PARTICIPATION. 8:1
Nehemiah 8:1a says, “When the seventh month came and the Israelites had settled in their towns, all the people assembled as one man in the square before the Water Gate. They told Ezra the scribe to bring out the Book of the Law of Moses, which the Lord had commanded for Israel.” Church, did you catch what happened that day? It said that the entire city of Jerusalem came as one man. They had unity folks. All the people in the Community realized that if they wanted God’s work to be done then they had to put their differences aside.
If we want Revival to fall on this church and this community then we need to rebuild the wall of participation. If we want God’s work to be done then we have to put our differences and aside and come together as one. If we want revival to take place each and every one of us here is going to have to get involved. Jesus wants each and every one of us to participate in the harvest.
We need to realize that Satan will do what ever he can to keep us from being a church that reaches the lost and one of the ways he will do that is by putting division in the church. I served in a church where one guy took it upon himself to vote “no” on everything we as a church ever did and his philosophy behind it was that he truly believed that there should always be one no vote. Folks, that right there is being divisive. There are some people who truly believe that there God given gift is to provoke. They think its there job to critique everything from the Pastor all the way down to the coffee we serve. However, Paul in 1 Corinthians 1:10 says to us, “I appeal to you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another so that there may be no divisions among you and that you may be perfectly united in mind and thought.” Understand that “To agree with one another,” allow for “no divisions” and “be perfectly united in mind and thought” does not require everyone to believe exactly the same. There is a difference between having opposing viewpoints and being divisive. A group of people will not completely agree on every issue, but they can work together harmoniously if they agree on what truly matters—Jesus Christ is Lord of all. That’s the message that is to exude from this place.
Paul also states in Philippians 2:14, “Do everything without complaining or arguing.” To have unity means to not argue or complain over stupid stuff. Let me share with you why complaining and arguing is so harmful? If all that people know about a church is that its members constantly argue, complain, and gossip, they get a false impression of Christ and the gospel. Belief in Christ should unite those who trust him. If a church is always complaining and arguing, it lacks the unifying power of Jesus Christ. Stop arguing with other Christians or complaining about people and conditions within the church and let the world see Christ.
Everything that we do here should be done to win people to Christ and if it doesn’t then we need to pull the plug on it. I’m going to be honest with you folks there are a lot of sacred cows in churches today that need to become gourmet burgers. If we want the message of Christ to reach out then we need to unite as one and realize that each one needs to reach one. Get involved!!! Well I don’t have time. Suck it up and get involved!!!
III. WE NEED TO REBUILD THE WALL OF PROCLOMATION. 8:1B-5
Read Nehemiah 8:1b-5. We need to understand that many of these folks born in captivity had never heard the word of God read. All that they had heard had been passed on to them. Some no longer spoke the native language, and possibly could not even understand what was being read to them......yet notice what happened. They went and they got the Book and then they went and got the preacher and said “SICK EM!” Say something! Teach us!! Read to us the Word of God! If we want Revival to come to Crossroads Baptist Church then we need to rebuild the wall of Proclamation and in order to rebuild it we must do the same 3 things these people did.
1. These people were hungry for the Word of God. We need to have the same kind of appetite that these people had for the Word of God. They were saying give us more. In the same way we need to be craving the Word of God. Spiritually speaking we need to be picking up the Word of everyday and reading it and chewing on it and swallowing it and allowing it to become a part of us. We are what we eat.
2. These people were attentive to the Word of God. Look what v. 3 says, “He read it aloud from daybreak till noon…” Church, we are talking 6 hours of nothing but God’s sweet and holy Word and I promise you, you wouldn’t have seen people checking their watches. You wouldn’t have seen people dozing off; you wouldn’t have heard people sighing but rather you would have seen people listening attentively to the Word of God.
What’s sad is that we can hardly get through 30-40 minutes of God’s Word on Sunday morning without dozing off or looking at our watches. We go past noon and all of a sudden watches start beeping to the point you think the church is getting ready to blow up and people start getting fidgety and you can read their mind. Pastor you better shut er down because it’s time for me to get in the feeding line at Golden Corral because today is shrimp day Sunday.
3. These people appreciated the Word of God. Look what v. 5 says, “Ezra opened the book. All the people could see him because he was standing above them; and as he opened it, the people all stood up.”
Did you notice what they did? For one they had an elevated stage for the Word to be preached from. They had to look up, which was a symbol of humbleness or unworthiness. Secondly, they stood in Honor of God’s Word when it was read. When Ezra lifted the scroll and unrolled it to the passage he would read, the people who were seated in the square honored the Word of God by standing up. They knew they would not be hearing a mere man speak his own ideas; they would be hearing the very Word of God (1 Thess 2:13). The people remained standing while the Law was read and explained (Neh 8:7). Ezra started his reading and teaching early in the morning and continued through midday (v. 3), which means the congregation stood and listened for five or six hours; and this continued for a week (v. 18). No doubt from time to time, he gave the people opportunities to rest; but the people were there to hear God speak and were willing to stand and listen.
What’s sad is that in today’s society most people no longer honor the Word of God. We take it for granted. Folks if we want Revival to come to Crossroads Baptist Church then we need to begin to respect and appreciate the Bible again. We need to quit taking it for granted and realize that this Book right here is God’s Words to us as Christians. What and honor and a privilege to know that God thought enough of you and me to write this Book with thousands of pages in it to us. What an honor and privilege to think that when He wrote this Book He had you and me in mind. These words in this book are God’s Word. WOW! What and honor and a privilege that He has done this for us.
IV. WE NEED TO REBUILD THE WALL OF PRAISE. 8:6
In v. 6 is says, “Ezra praised the Lord, the great God; and all the people lifted their hands and responded, “AMEN! AMEN!” Then they bowed down and worshiped the Lord with their faces to the ground.” All the people, about 50,000 in all, said AMEN! AMEN! Because they were moved by the Word of God. They lifted up their hands because they were moved by the Word of God. They laid their faces to the ground because they were moved by the Word of God. They were passionate because they were moved by the Word of God.
If we want revival to come to Crossroads Baptist Church then we need to begin to rebuild the wall of praise. We need to become moved by the Word of God. We need to become passionate in our Worship. I’m going to tell you something folks; we cheat God by giving our passion to other things. We show excitement and feelings for other things but yet when we are in the house of God we act like a bunch dead people. Instead of smiling we have this soured look on our faces as if we’ve we have not hope. Folks I have hope and His name is Jesus Christ therefore, I have reason to smile and to say AMEN AMEN! In other words, I have reason to Praise God.
It’s ok to show emotion we show it at games so why not show it in church when we are worshiping God through song and sermon. Some folks seem to only get all stirred up, worked up, fired up and for the most part mixed up after some good singing.......don’t get me wrong......I love some good singing myself. Yet what we see here is that it is after the reading of the Word or God that the people begin to worship! Folks these verses right here just prove to us that it’s ok to stand up, it’s ok to raise your hands, and it’s ok to show some emotion in church. IT’S OK TO WORSHIP!!!
V. WE NEED TO REBUILD THE WALL OF PURITY. 9:1-3
Read Nehemiah 9:1-3. So after a week of hearing nothing but God’s Word people began to get right with God. People began to confess their sins. You see the Feast of Tabernacles had ended, but the people lingered to hear more of the Word of God for three more hours. There feasting had turned to fasting as the Word brought conviction and people started confessing their sins for three hours. In most churches today, a six-hour service-three hour of preaching and three hours of praying — would probably result in some requests for resignations; but to the Jewish people in that day, it was the beginning of a new life for them and their city. In other words folks, it was the beginning of Revival!!!
If we want Revival to come to Crossroads Baptist Church we need to rebuild the wall of purity by beginning to confess our sins as Christians and as a Church. In 2 Chronicles 7:14 it says, “if my people, who are called by name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.” This verse reminds us that true repentance is more than talk—it’s a changed behavior. Whether we sin individually or as a church, following the steps found in this verse will lead to forgiveness. So as we close this morning, if we rebuild these walls I believe God will answer our earnest prayers and He will send Revival to Crossroads Baptist Church, but we have to do our part to Rebuild the Walls of Revival.
“REBUILDING THE WALLS OF REVIVAL”
NEHEMIAH 1:1-4; 8:1-6; 9:1-3
WE NEED TO:
I. REBUILD THE WALL OF ____________________. 1:4
II. REBUILD THE WALL OF ___________________. 8:1
III. REBUILD THE WALL OF ________________. 8:1b-5
IV. REBUILD THE WALL OF ___________________. 8:6
V. REBUILD THE WALL OF __________________. 9:1-3
