What we learn last week:
?What God originates, He orchestrates.
?Expect challenges when doing God’s will.
?Don’t fear difficulties. Choose to look at them with eyes of faith, and not fear.
Last Tuesday, I read these words from Bill Hybels?The Power of a Whisper (p.110-111):
“Don’t ever buy into the idea that everything God prompts His followers to do will be uncomplicated or low-cost. Sometimes God asks His children to carry heavy loads, as He did with the apostle Paul. But even ?and often especially ?under those backbreaking burdens, God’s purposes are fulfilled. When our (whispered) task is tough, the reward of knowing we’ve helped further His Kingdom and bettered our broken world is all the sweeter.
“If you ever find yourself with a difficult assignment, why not try giving God thanks for trusting you with something that needs your particular strength. He assigns tasks to the right person every time. He did it throughout history, and He still does it today. As you walk whatever potholed path He has asked you to walk, never forget the tough journey that Jesus Himself once made. …Christ was asked to bear the most difficult assignment of all ?to lay down His life as a redemptive sacrifice for humankind. He chose to obey. And because of His obedience, you and I enjoy our redemption today.?
[Read Neh 3:1-3, 8-12, glance through 17-21, read 31-32.]
?The list starts with the Sheep Gate, going anti-clockwise and ends with the Sheep Gate.
?It has a total of 38 names and 42 working groups, like a foreman’s list of the assignment of tasks.
?Every section was covered, with the men of Tekoa (v.5, 27) and Meshullam son of Berekiah (v.4, 31)) taking on yet another sections.
God Uses All Kinds of People
?We have the high priest leading a team of priests (v.1) and the Levites (v.17, 22); they were professionals serving in the Temple but now building walls.
?We have some rulers from different districts, city officials with authority and position, now building walls.
?And Jews from towns further away, like Jericho, Tekoa, Gibeon, Mizpah, Zanoah, Beth Hakkerem, Beth Zur, and Keilah. Some as far as 20km away!
We have people who are not accustomed to such work, even goldsmith and perfume-makers (v.8), and merchants (v.32).
?Even women were involved. Verse 12 says Shallum, a ruler, worked with the help of his daughters.
?So we see this massive group of diverse people - from the religious to the ordinary, from rulers to peasants, the skilled and unskilled, professionals and the untrained, men and women, all working together, side by side!
You see phrases like "next to him," "next to them," “next section,?appearing 28 times in this chapter!
?When you are building a wall, this is what you need to do. Side by side.
?It must be side by side. You cannot be doing up your wall somewhere else.
?My part of the wall must eventually link up with yours. They must match!
So they were all dependent on one another.
?The chain is only as good as its weakest link. If one section fails, if there is a gap in the wall, it makes the whole effort quite pointless.
?All the sections of the wall must be restored, and it would not be possible without the cooperation of every one.
Isn’t this the picture of the Church that Paul paints for us in 1 Cor 12?
?You have a place in God’s church. Every one has a part to play.
?You have a contribution to make, and your contribution is valuable.
?Every member, as different as he or she is, comes together to build up the Body of Christ.
Each man had an area of responsibility, so your contribution is valuable.
?And since we are all different, in training, gifting and experience, it makes no sense for us to compete or compare with one another.
?It would not make sense for the priests to compete with the goldsmiths or the perfume-makers to compare themselves with the merchants.
?Why would they want to do that?
We will never get beyond how well we are getting along. In order words, how well you get along will determine how well your ministry will be, or your project, your work.
?The work was successful because they worked together ‘side by side? cooperating with one another!
?Unity was their strength, and it will be ours too. We don’t compete and compare, but we COOPERATE.
In everything we do here, we must learn to cooperate.
?This is always a challenge because we are all made differently, with so diverse skills set, experiences and personalities. But this is precisely how God works.
You saw the show THE RED CLIFF (chi4 bi4) on eve and CNY night on Channel 8. The soldiers put their shields together and formed something like a moving ‘tank?
?Working together brings strength and inspires morale.
?The large shields used by Roman soldiers can be locked together in such a way that an entire row could move forward as one single unit, each soldier fully protected. They looked like a moving wall!
?Their protection is greatly strengthened because of their unity!
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Nehemiah had 42 working groups. If each group has, say 10 people (ought to be more), then he has a taskforce of over 420 people.
?These people were not just building a wall; they were building for the glory of God.
?They were working together for one purpose ?the greater motivation behind it all ?to glorify God.
So must we. We are not here hoping to make a name for ourselves, to be a well-known church, to have a successful programme?or whatever.
?Although these are good in themselves, our ultimate goal must be to glorify God.
?Anything less, means that we have shifted our focus away from God, to the things that God can give me ?a good name, a big church, a successful ministry.
?It feels good to be successful in ministry or to belong to a famous church. These can just be ‘camouflaged?pride.
Our ultimate goal must be for God and God alone.
?We seek Him, not just for the blessings He can give me. We love Him, for His sake, not just for the things that He can give me.
?He IS the motivation behind our serving. We serve because we love Him and we want to glorify Him.
?Col 3:23-24 “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, 24 since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.?
Nehemiah remembers their names, and God remembers them. He noted each worker and put his name in the Scriptures - 38 of them and what they do.
?It would be the same for us when we see Him in heaven. God remembers.
No man can do everything. All men can do something.
?Nehemiah alone would not be possible, but with over 400 now, it’s possible. God made it possible because the people offered themselves!
Can God count on you?
?God is much more interested in our “availability?than our “capability? The choice is ours!
?One group has chosen not to join in ?verse 5, the only negative in this chapter.
5“The next section was repaired by the men of Tekoa, but their nobles would not put their shoulders to the work under their supervisors.?
?Pride kept them from it. They wouldn’t stoop this low. They were too important.
?God’s work will not be accomplished by those who are filled with self-importance.
If you have been READING THROUGH THE NT then you would have read Matt 20.
?The mother of Zebedee’s sons (John and James) came to Jesus with her sons and requested, “Grant that one of these two sons of mine may sit at your right and the other at your left in Your kingdom."
?Jesus said, “…to sit at my right or left is not for me to grant. These places belong to those for whom they have been prepared by my Father."
?20:24 “When the ten heard about this, they were indignant with the two brothers.
?25Jesus called them together and said, "You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. 26Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, 27 and whoever wants to be first must be your slave - 28just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."
?Do not let self-importance deprive you of this greatness, this blessing, this privilege.
So we see here that no one is dispensable (we need everyone) and yet no one is indispensable (if they choose not to serve, God will raise up others).
?But they will be deprived of the joy and blessings of being a part of God’s great work.
So we want to unite ourselves and serve; we stand side by side despite our differences, because we LOVE Him and we want to glorify Him.
?How are we going to do that? Finish His work. The same way Jesus finished the Father’s work for Him.
?This is how we can truly please Him.
At a meeting of the American Psychological Association, Jack Lipton, a psychologist at Union College, and R. Scott Builione, a graduate student at Columbia University, presented their findings on how members of the various sections of 11 major symphony orchestras perceived each other.
The percussionists were viewed as insensitive, unintelligent, and hard-of-hearing, yet fun-loving. String players were seen as arrogant, stuffy, and apathetic. The orchestra members overwhelmingly chose "loud" as the primary adjective to describe the brass players. Woodwind players seemed to be held in the highest esteem described as quiet and meticulous, though a bit egotistical. Interesting findings!
With such widely divergent personalities and perceptions, how could an orchestra ever come together to make such wonderful music? The answer is simple: regardless of how those musicians view each other, they subordinate their feelings and biases to the leadership of the conductor. Under his guidance, they play beautiful music.
We look up to Him, we focus on Him, we listen to Him, and we obey Him.
?Together we will surely play beautiful music.
Let us pray and tell God He can count on you! Offer yourself afresh to Him.
?In whatever area that you can serve in, tell God you are willing to put in your best.
?You are willing to stay at your post and finish the task that has been given you.
?You need to, because God is counting on you, and your contribution is valuable.
