Most of us are familiar with football, and with how it is played today, but in its early days it was a very different game. In football's early years, yardage was tough to acquire; points were even scarcer. Wearing little padding and protective equipment, players who used their bodies as battering rams suffered not just kicks, bites and eye gouges but wrenched spines and cracked skulls.
But football wasn’t just extremely violent. It was deadly. The Chicago Tribune reported 18 football-related fatalities in 1904, mostly among prep school players. After another 19 died the following year, universities such as Stanford, Northwestern and Duke dropped football. Others threatened to do the same unless changes were made.
Prodded by President Theodore Roosevelt, an avid football fan who worried that the game could be outlawed if not made safer, more than 60 schools met after the 1905 season and approved rulebook revisions. Among them were the abolition of dangerous mass formations, the creation of a neutral zone between offenses and defenses, the doubling of the first-down distance to 10 yards and legalization of the forward pass.
The problem was, many of the old school believed the introduction of the pass would sissify the game, make it less physical and manly, and would cause people to lose interest.
Those who feared the forward pass would immediately ruin football needn’t have worried because old-school coaches of the East’s top colleges viewed it as a risky gimmick. Yale tried only three passes in its season opener. All failed.
“Well executed they are undoubtedly highly spectacular, but the risk of dropping the ball is so great as to make the practice extremely hazardous and its desirability doubtful,” the New York Times editorialized.
Unlike the Eastern elites, Saint Louis University coach Eddie Cochems gave the new rule the old college try. Before the start of the 1906 season, he cloistered his team in a Jesuit retreat in Wisconsin, as he later wrote, for “the sole purpose of studying and developing the pass.”
In the opener for Saint Louis against Carroll College on September 5, 1906, Bradbury Robinson threw football’s first legal forward pass. The toss hit the ground untouched, resulting in a turnover. But Robinson later connected on a 20-yard touchdown pass. Thanks in part to the forward pass, undefeated Saint Louis outscored its 1906 opponents, 407-11. (How the Forward Pass Saved Football, Christopher Klein, June 1, 2023, history.com).
Sometimes, in order to change the game, one must be so overwhelmed by the pain of the current situation, that you are willing to put everything on the line.
In the book of Nehemiah we find such a man.
- Read Nehemiah 1:11b - 2:8
I. IF YOU CARE, YOU PRAY AND WAIT
If you remember, last week we saw that there was somewhere between 3 months and 5 months between when Nehemiah heard about things in Jerusalem, and when he approached the king. What did he do during that time? What did he do during those months? He prayed and waited. He prayed and he waited.
Yale’s heard that the definition of insanity is doing the same thing again and again and expecting different results. That quote’s been attributed to a lot of people over the years, but the earliest it can be definitively found was from a Knoxville, TN newspaper article from October 1981, reporting on a recent Al-Anon meeting.
While in some cases that may be true, but when God is involved and we are praying, we continue to pray until He words.
When Joshua and the Israelites marched around Jericho, the first 6 days they marched and nothing happened. Can you imagine the people?
On day 1 the people ask, “Joshua, what are we doing today?” “We’re marching around the wall.” On day 2 the people ask, “Joshua, what are we doing today?” “We’re marching around the wall. They did that 6 times with nothing happening, until the 7th day changed everything.
In 2 Kings 5, Elisha told Naaman, dip in the river 7 times. He did and he was cured of his leprosy. What if he had quit after only 4 or 5? He never would have been cured.
I wonder how often we see our prayers unanswered because we don’t give God time to work?
There are times, like when Peter tried walking on water and began to sink that we cry out, “Lord save me, I’m sinking,” and God answers immediately. There are other times when we pray and pray and pray, and we give God time to work the way He wants to. That’s why Jesus told the parables about the guy who went to his neighbor and asked for bread and didn’t quit knocking until his neighbor got up and gave it to him. That’s why Jesus told us to parable about the widow who kept returning to the judge asking for justice, until the judge finally gave her what she requested.
My friends, we must care enough that we hang in there until God works.
We started ROL 4-H 15 years ago. When we first started the club, we started it so Drew and some friends and relatives could have some animals and show in the fair when they were too young to be in FFA. Well, after a year or so we decided we would use it as an outreach for the church, a way to meet people in our community and develop relationships with them.
In the early years we would put out signs in front of 2 elementary schools, and down on 415 when the new school year started, trying to reach some new children. Later, we started promoting it during Christmas in the Country. Well, the club grew so big that we quit promoting it. We didn’t want it to get so large we couldn’t handle it.
Well, can I tell you honestly, Gladys and I are a bit tired of dealing with it. Working on feeding schedules for the children. Then she spends 20 - 30 minutes a day on the club paperwork, not to mention repairing waterers, doctoring sick animals and such, picking up bread and feed when the last ones to feed up forget to tell you we’re out of feed..
Then on top of it, we were recently asked us to provide some proof that the club funds were being handled properly, in case the state had any questions.
Gladys and I said, “That’s it. We’re tired. We’re frustrated. Come May, that’s it.”
This past Tuesday was our first meeting for 2024. We had 9 new children sign up! We haven’t promoted the club. We haven’t advertised. We haven’t invited. 9 new children signed up. Several of them neighbors of ours!
Gladys told the new parents about what was required and about the dues and the parents started getting out their checkbooks. Gladys is trying to talk them out of it. “Don’t ya’ll want to wait and see if this is what you really want to do? Don’t ya’ll want to come for a while before you join?” One of the dads answers, “Just take the money.”
How in the world can you close down something when folks are appearing out of no where?
I was complaining to a friend about it the night of the meeting. The next morning he calls and tells me he was listening to Allister Berg on the radio and Allister said folks should call and encourage their pastors so he was calling to encourage me.
I said, “No you’re not. You’re calling to gloat. You’re calling to laugh.” As he’s laughing he says, “Isn’t this what you prayed for those years ago, that you would be able to impact your community, and now your neighbors are coming with no one asking them, and you have the opportunity to get to know them and to build relationships with them.
Then on top of it, we’re going to have to do some reorganization on teaching during the club meetings and I’m gonna start teaching some of the younger children again. So, as I’m writing this sermon, the Lord gives me the next 2 lessons I’m gonna teach, and showed me how to incorporate the Bible into the lesson.
My friends, if you love someone, if you care about someone, if you want to see changes, you don’t pray once and throw in the towel. You pray and watch, and wait for God to work. If you want changes in your life, you pray, and pray, and pray and watch God work.
II. IF YOU CARE, YOU TAKE A CHANCE
Our passage begins with Nehemiah saying, “At the time I was the king’s cupbearer”. What does that mean? Does that mean Nehemiah was like the king’s waiter? Was he like a dishwasher? What was he?
In those days, running a kingdom could be a very dangerous thing. A king was always looking for intrigue, and motives, and looking to protect himself from rebellion and assassination. Poisoning was a very real threat. So king’s would have a food taster, who would taste his food and drink before the king did.
This person had to be very close to the king, and was one of the most trusted people in the whole kingdom. This person would often become one of the king’s closest advisors. Many of these tasters would become very wealthy by asking the king for a favor on behalf of a paying benefactor.
So this position would be similar to a very well-paid civil servant job, complete with retirement.
There was a catch to the position though. One had to remain in the king’s favor and in the king’s good graces or life could become very difficult very quickly.
If you remember in Genesis 40 we are told,
> Genesis 40:1-3 Some time later, the cupbearer and the baker of the king of Egypt offended their master, the king of Egypt. Pharaoh was angry with his two officials, the chief cupbearer and the chief baker, and put them in custody in the house of the captain of the guard, in the same prison where Joseph was confined.
One had to be good to have that position, but if you displeased the king, you could quickly find yourself in jail for nothing more than offending or displeasing the king.
Thus, Nehemiah’s statement in chapter 2 and verse 1, “I had never been sad in his presence.”
Nobody wants to be around someone who is doom and gloom all the time. No one wants to be around someone who complains all the time. People want to be around folks that lift them up, that encourage them, that brighten their day. Folks who are honest, but positive. Cup 1/2 full kinda people.
But Nehemiah heard what things were like in the land of his ancestors. He heard how his people were living and heard about their reputation in the area and he said, “Something has got to change, even if it means my reputation, my career, or my life.”
My friend, you aren’t going to make a change until it really becomes important to you.
If you have a pencil and a piece of paper you might want to write this down. Ok. You ready?
People change for 4 reasons.
1. People change when they hurt enough they have to. There’s a woman I know, lives over in Meadowlea. Her children came to Mission Possible Camp for a while, back in the day. She keeps posting pictures of herself on Facebook. She keeps showing how much progress she has made in getting back in shape. Getting all up in my business. She said when she couldn’t walk 50 feet without stopping to catch her breath, she knew things had to change.
People change when they hurt enough they have to.
2. People change when they see enough they’re inspired to. They see what another person has done, and they say, “Hey. I can do that.” Or, they see such and such a person doing something and they say, “I know that person. If they can do that, I know I can.”
People change when they hurt enough they have to. They change when they see enough they’re inspired to.
3. People change when they learn enough they want to.
I remember a mandatory meeting they had at the grocery store I worked at during college. The manager got us all together and said, “Look, the company is going to start setting aside 1% of your pay into a retirement account. You can put in more if you want to, and they will match it dollar for dollar up to 3%
One of the assistant managers started complaining that he didn’t want anyone holding his money. Someone then pointed out that the 1% the company was putting into retirement, they wouldn’t have gotten all of anyway, because of taxes and such. So that $1 cost them closer to 80 cents. Plus, the company was matching it, so that’s 100% interest instantly. Plus, they would be earning money on what they would have formerly paid out in taxes over the entire time the money was in their retirement account.
All of sudden, peoples’ idea about the company’s new policy completely changed.
People change when they learn enough they want to.
4. People change when they receive enough they’re able to.
If you’re a single mom, waiting tables at Denny’s living in your car with your child, it can be tough to undo bad decisions, to get back on your feet, to get ahead. But, if that woman gets some encouragement, some guidance, a little hand up, it might be enough to get the ball rolling where she can get her feet underneath her again.
People change when they hurt enough they have to. People change when they’re inspired enough they want to. People change when they learn enough they want to. People change when they receive enough they’re able to.
(The 4 reasons for change are from John Maxwell)
Nehemiah thought about his people and hurt. Then he thought about his God and he was inspired, and he said, “Something has got to change. Something is going to change.
God give us eyes to see fields white unto harvest.
Oh Lord, let us as the church, hurt enough for the hurting that we say, “Something has got to change.”, and let us be inspired enough by You that we believe something is gonna change.
If you want to see a change, you expectantly pray and wait. If you want to see a change, you take a chance. If you want to see a change, you work with wisdom.
III. IF YOR CARE, YOU WORK WITH WISDOM
- Read Nehemiah 2:1-5
We are currently studying Proverbs together on the church’s website and Facebook page. We are teaching for wisdom, from the wisest king who ever lived.
Do you remember our memory verse for this week? Proverbs 1:7. Let’s say it together.
> Proverbs 1:7 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.
Fools despise wisdom and instruction. It takes wisdom to deal with people.
You know, ministry would be easy if it wasn’t for people. Life would be easier if you didn’t have to work with people. You have coworkers, and bosses, and customers, and neighbors, and teachers and parents. All of these folks come with different priorities, with different concerns.
Week before last we were getting ready to work on fire building at MPC, and I saw a boy in the group who was carrying his Bible with him. I asked him if had a readiness pack and he said he did. I told him he needed to put his Bible in his pack so his hands would be free to work on the fire.
A couple of minutes later his mother came up to me and asked why I singled out her son when there were other children in the group who had their Bibles with them. I told her I had not seen them yet. Over the next several minutes she sent officers to me twice to point out to me, children who were carrying their Bibles.
Are you kidding me? I’m busy trying to help with this class, see a child that I could help and pointed it out, and then I’m picking on her child because I hadn’t gotten to the other children yet.
Don’t you love working with people? I wonder if it’s unbiblical to want to jackslap someone?
I’m reminded of when they asked Jimmy Carter if he had ever cheated on his wife and he answered, “He had lusted in his heart.” Well, I didn’t yell at the woman and tell her I was busy and tell her how silly she was being, but I yelled in my heart.
It takes wisdom to deal with people.
In this passage, We see Nehemiah handling the king with wisdom. He did so in several ways.
1. He never mentioned Jerusalem by name
“The king had previously stopped the work on the wall in Jerusalem (Ezra 4:21). The decrees of the kings of the Medes and Persians were proverbial about being unchangeable. Now Nehemiah wants to convince this Persian king to reverse his policy about Jerusalem! It was no easy task!
Also, Nehemiah was tactful and sensitive in how he spoke to the king. He never mentions Jerusalem by name—that would have been a sore spot with the king! He refers to it in personal terms, as the place of his fathers’ tombs, a point that this pagan king could relate to. If you have to speak to an unbelieving boss about a difficult subject, think about how he will receive it and speak in a manner that he is certain to identify with.” (Bible.org, lesson 2: The realities of serving God)
People say, “Well, what I’m saying is the truth.” Big deal. Does that mean it needs to be said? Just because it’s true doesn’t mean it needs to be said. Do you think telling your daughter-in-law that she’s a poor housekeeper going to do anything but injure your relationship and cause her to not want you at her house? Do you think telling your son-in-law that did a poor job painting his house is going to help anything? It may be true, but it doesn’t need to be said.
And if it is something that NEEDS to be said, is there a tactful, less confrontational way to say it?
> Proverbs 15:1 A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.
> Proverbs 25:15 Through patience a ruler can be persuaded, and a gentle tongue can break a bone
When the people brought the woman caught in adultery to Jesus, what did he say? Did He yell and tell them all what hypocrites they were? Did He tell them they were all hell-bound sinners, even though it was true? No. He said, “Let you who is without sin cast the first stone.”
You can say what needs to be said, but do so in a wise manner that doesn’t cause the person to raise their guard.
2. He proceeded his request with faithful service
“Nehemiah had gained the king’s respect through his competence on the job. The king’s inquiry about how soon Nehemiah could return shows that he wanted him to come back! Nehemiah’s trustworthy character and his loyalty to the king had been obvious over the time that he had worked for the king. Every Christian should be a witness on the job first by godly character and competence, and only second by verbal witness.” (Ibid)
If you are not a good employee, if you don’t work hard without complaining, then please don’t tell people you attend this church.
If you’re going to be lazy, if you’re going to do your work 1/2 way and blame others for your failures, please don’t keep a Bible on your desk.
He answered with wisdom. He wisely demonstrated faithful service before making his request.
3. He wisely continued to pray
“So I prayed to the God of heaven. And I said to the king….” It had to be a silent, instantaneous cry of “Help, Lord!” Or, “Lord, give me wisdom now!” This quick sentence prayer rested on four months of extended praying. It shows that Nehemiah depended on the Lord in every situation. As 2:8 shows, Nehemiah didn’t attribute the king’s favorable response to good luck. Rather, “the king granted them to me because the good hand of my God was on me.” As Proverbs 21:1 states, “The king’s heart is like channels of water in the hand of the Lord. He turns it wherever He wishes.” Or, as Hudson Taylor said, “It is possible to move men through God by prayer alone” (cited by Charles Swindoll, Hand Me Another Brick [Thomas Nelson Publishers], p. 43).
When the work has begun, when the Lord is working, that is no time to stop praying. We continue to pray. We continue to work and serve and watch for God to work.
This past week someone posted on line about our responsibility to be soul winners. In the comments under it, someone had commented that soul winning was all a work of God and only God could save someone.
Isn’t that special? Some people want to argue just for the sake of arguing. Please explain to me then why there is a soul-winners crown, a crown of rejoicing mentioned in the Bible for soul-winners if God is not doing His work through us?
Why are we told to pray the Lord of the harvest will send laborers into the field if we are not expected to pray and if we are not expected to be laborers?
We do our part. We pray, and look for God to do what only He can do.
Each Friday night we end MPC by calling out, “If you do your best”, and the children answer, “God will do the rest.”
If you do your best God will do the rest.
My friend, you can have change in your life this year. You can see change in your family. We can see change in our country. The walls can be rebuilt. But, the change and the rebuilding involves us and God.
