Mayor Gerardo Balmori
The Salvation Army
The year is 537 B.C. The place is Jerusalem. The Jews have just returned from a long captivity
in Babylon. Some have been gone from their homeland for 70 years. They were sent into
captivity as part of God’s judgment on generations of disobedience. Now at last the first wave of
Jews is returning to the land. But everything has changed. The countryside is in the hands of
their enemies. The city of Jerusalem lies in ruins. The walls have been torn down and buildings
have been looted. And worst of all, the temple built by Solomon 500 years earlier is no more.
The great Leader, Nehemiah call the people to rebuild the city. Bible says they achieve a great
success.
¿What was the key of their success? ¿How does the church prospers?
1. - The Church Ministry prospers when people “wake up” to God’s calling.
Ezra 1:5 ¿God wake up whom?
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Sometimes we do not realize that there is a need for Christian workers. We come to church on
Sundays only, not even noticing this dying world. We need revival. God waked up Nehemiah’s
people, because they were so used to live in bondage in Babylon, so He pushed them up pot of
their comfort zone. ¿What does God says about being sluggish? (Proverbs 6:9-11)
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2. - The Church Ministry prospers when every member take care of their battle positions.
Even though God waked up His people, some of them did not want to participate in the
rebuilding of the city ruins. And they were the wealthiest! Nehemiah 3:5
¿How do you think you can help the ministry at the church? ________________________
¿Are you taking part in any of the ministries of the Salvation Army Corps? ______________
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What would you like to do in the near future? _________________________________
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3. - The Church Ministry prospers when we do not pay attention to criticism.
Everyone knows disappointment sooner or later, especially when people criticized us. Friends
break their word, marriages end in divorce, our children move away and never call us,
colleagues betray us, the company lays us off, doctors can’t cure us, our investments disappear,
our dreams are shattered, the best-laid plans go astray, other Christians disappoint us, and
very often, we disappoint ourselves. While rebuilding the city walls, Nehemiah, Ezra and the
people of Judah were criticized by their enemies. (Nehemiah 4:1-3)
What was Nehemiah’s answer to criticism? (Nehemiah 4:4)
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¿What have you done when people criticized you for serving Christ? __________________
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Conclusion: When the Church Ministry does prosper?
- We most wake up the sleepy and the lazy. (Awareness)
- We all most take battle positions. (Participation)
- We shouldn’t pay attention to bad critics. (Focus to the Vision)
