Satan is tearing things down in this world, but Jesus Christ is building things up. For
which one are you working?
God is looking for people who will make a difference in the difficult places of life! People
with vision who see possibilities, not problems! People with courage who will finish the
job! People with faith who believe that God can use them! Are you that kind of person?
Do you desire to be that type of person? Do you yearn to “go the extra mile” for God and
maybe, just maybe complete some of the tough tasks in life? I hope so!
Nehemiah was this kind of person. Nehemiah was the kind of person who cared. He
cared about the traditions of the past and the needs of the present. He cared about the
hopes for the future. He cared about his heritage, his ancestral city, and the glory of his
God. He was a layman called by God to give Jerusalem a new beginning. In spite of
opposition, Nehemiah stayed on the job and saw the holy city restored. The restoring of
the city was God’s desire! The restoring of this church to greatness is God’s desire! But
God is looking for men, God is looking for women and God is looking for young people
who are willing to do what they can with what they have and to see the task through to
completion. Are you ready? Are you anxious? Are you excited? Not excited about what
you or what I am going to do, but rather are you excited about watching and participating
in what God is going to do with this church? I hope so! I pray so! So let’s get started
shall we!?
Over the next five weeks we are going to spend an extended period of time learning
together about Nehemiah and the manner in which God directed him to rebuild the wall
around the holy city of Jerusalem. Today we are going to look at some of preparation
that Nehemiah did before even starting the task of rebuilding the wall. Then in upcoming
weeks we are going to see how the construction progressed and what types of people that
God used, what conflict and opposition both from outside and also from within that they
came up against, the diligence or “stick to-it-iveness” of the peoples and finally the
cleansing and celebration upon the completion of the job. I think that is going to be a
great time for each of us as individuals as well as in the life of this church as a body of
Christ. I hope that you will make it a point to be here each Sunday for the next five
weeks. I do have to warn you, however, that at the end of this time together, maybe, just
maybe you will be changed, I will be changed and this church will be stronger, healthier
and more vibrant.
Prayer!
How will you accomplish anything great for God? Let me ask that again, How will you
accomplish anything great for God? How will we accomplish anything great for
God?
Nehemiah was attempting something great for God in the rebuilding of the wall around
Jerusalem. Now before we get too far into our teaching this morning, we should take a
quick look at just who Nehemiah was and where Nehemiah was so that we can better
understand just how big of a task this was.
Nehemiah, whose name means “The Lord has comforted” was a layman cupbearer to the
King Artexerxes, who was ruler over Persia or modern day Iran in the mid 400’s BC.
Now a cupbearer was much more than our modern day butler. It was a position of great
responsibility and privilege. At each meal he tested the king’s wine and tasted the king’s
food to make sure that it wasn’t poisoned. He was a “secret service agent’ of the time. A
person who stood that close to the king in public had to be well cultured, good looking,
knowledgeable in court procedures and able to converse with the king and advise him if
asked. Because the cupbearer had great access to the king, he had great influence and
power which cold be used for good or evil. It is also interesting to note that this was quite
a position for Nehemiah to hold since he was an “ex-patriot” or someone who was not
originally from that country. Nehemiah was from Judah and had been driven out of his
homeland by a succession of invading armies over the years.
But Nehemiah was in Susa because God had placed him there, just as he had placed Esther
there a generation before, just as He had put Joseph in Egypt and Daniel in Babylon.
When God wants to accomplish a work he always prepares his workers and puts them in
the right places at the right times. You are maybe sitting here this morning, not because
you decided to be here, but rather because God has you here, for this is the right time and
the right place for you and this is the right time and the right place for me. God has placed
each of us here to accomplish certain tasks with the individual gifts and skills that He has
given us.
Which brings me back to my original question, How will you accomplish anything great
for God? I think that there are at least 5 areas that we can take from Nehemiah on how
we can work for God, and I wanted to personalize these so that we can come away this
morning with a checklist of ideas that we can ponder and hopefully allow to begin to
change each of so that we can be more useful to God.
First, I Must First Prepare Personally! I Must First Prepare Personally!
I could not print all of the text in your outline this morning that I really wanted because of
the size limitations. So I have listed some background scripture from earlier in Nehemiah
for your personal review and study. This “personal preparation” starts with information
gathering.
Back in chapter 1 we find that Nehemiah had a conversation with his brother who had just
returned to Susa from Jerusalem about the conditions in the city. He found that the land
was in ruins, that a few people had migrated back but were in distress and great need and
that the once mighty city and people were a reproach or a “black-eye” so to speak to
God. Further, his brother reported that the city walls were broken down and in ruins and
that the city gates were burned with fire. Nehemiah cared enough to ask!
Are we like Nehemiah, anxious to know the truth even about the worst situations? Is our
interest born of concern or idle curiosity? When we read missionary prayer letters, the
news in religious periodicals, or even our own church’s ministry reports, do we want the
facts, and do those facts burden us? Are we the kind of people who care enough to ask?
Nehemiah continued his personal preparation through fasting, prayer and intercession
before God. The bible tells that he went four months without food in an attempt to
cleanse himself of sin and to humble himself before God. A great prayer is listed there in
Nehemiah 1:5-11 and I pray that you will take time maybe later today to review that
prayer.
Look at your outline and follow along with me as we look at today’s focal passage; Read
scripture
In addition to his personal preparation, Nehemiah began to make the needed preparations
for his journey and for the work ahead. In the beginning of chapter 2 we find him going
before Artexerxes and asking for time off to make the journey to repair. Now this was a
big, big ask on his part. In those days if a servant of the king did anything to displease the
king, he could and most often times was killed on the spot. Nehemiah asked Artexerxes
for time off from his high position of influence and assistance to the king. The king told
him to take the time that he needed. The King asked Nehemiah how long he would be
gone and “after considering the time needed” Nehemiah gave him a time period, which is
interesting and you’ll see why in just a little bit. This was a big “ask” for another reason,
in that Artexerxes and previously made a decree that the walls were not to be rebuilt and
that anyone attempting to do so would be killed.
Nehemiah continued on with his requests of the king. He asked for letters of safe passage
through the various lands between Susa and Jerusalem, roughly a four month journey at
the time. The king said sure thing. Nehemiah continued and asked the king to pay for the
entire journey and construction through financing out of the kings treasury and even going
so far as to request that wood be cut from the kings forest to provide wood for the great
gates of the city, Artexerxes said no problem. An interesting thing that I just saw for the
first time is that in 2:8 Nehemiah also has the king’s permission to use the kingly forest for
resources to build a house in which to live once he gets there, again the king says, no
problem.
All of this was prayed about and begun after much personal preparation on Nehemiah’s
part. You see success begins in the heart. Nehemiah somehow understood that his
internal being needed to be “in-place” before his external work could begin. Success
begins in the heart. “what I do is not as important as who I am”, “what you do is not as
important as who you are”. We are human beings, not human doings. Our internal being
needs to be clean and ready and prepared before we can even think about success on the
outside.
Another way to look at this is to consider what the great basketball coach John Wooden
once said, “ Be more concerned with your character than your reputation, for your
reputation is what people think you are, your character is who you really!”
Proverbs 10:9 says, “He who walks with integrity, walks securely, but he who perverts his
ways will become known”. Nehemiah had lived his life before the King in such a great
way that reflected upon his interior character that the king was quick to listen and to
respond with the requested help that Nehemiah needed!
Next, I Must Make Adequate Mental Preparations! I must make adequate mental
preparations! Nehemiah thought through each and every step of the project that he was
undertaking so as to, be prepared for each obstacle along the way. He thought about the
problems of travel and requested letters of safe passage. He considered what materials
would be needed so he made arrangements for the king’s forest to provide much of the
needed materials. And note that he also understood that provision of shelter would be
need for him and his people so he also requested that the king pay for that as well. He
also requested that the king pay for all of the food, all of the grain necessary for the
animals and even to provide a means for the sacrificial animals to be provided. Nehemiah
thought through the entire process, he was ready for any eventuality that may come up.
This goes to that scripture that says that we are to do “everything to our very best as if we
are doing it for God”. Nehemiah was following this mind set.
Proverbs 4:26 catches this idea when it says, “Ponder the path of your feet, and let all of
your ways be established.” Proverbs14:8 continues down this same path, “The wisdom of
the prudent is to understand his way, But the folly of fools is deceit.” Leaders of any
kind, whether it be in the business world at the highest levels, in government at any level
or even here in this church. Regardless if you are the pastor, a SS teacher, a nursery
worker or handing out bulletins in the back, You must take time for think time! You
must take time for think time!
Next, I Must Make Allowances for Adversity! I Must make allowances for adversity!
If you fast forward in your bibles starting in verse 11 of chapter 2 you will find that
Nehemiah was making a three day inspection of the wall after he arrived in Jerusalem. He
wasn’t doing this during the day, and he didn’t have the Building Committee of Jerusalem
with him but rather he was by himself going out at night. He was making a close personal
inspection so that he both understood the condition and could make a plan as to how to
actually proceed with the work at hand. In verse 13 it says that he was at the “refuse
gate” you may have “dung gate” in your translation. I don’t think that I have to explain
that one. You see we each will come up against problems as we attempt anything for
God. And normally what I have found, the bigger the task attempted, the bigger the
adversity. Nehemiah found himself at the dung gate. He was knee deep in a bad situation
but he kept going. He kept on inspecting. He kept on planning. He kept on praying.
Friends, there is no success without suffering. There is no success without suffering.
There is never a promised land without a wilderness. In Proverbs it says that “Sensible
people seeing adversity coming and avoid it”.
Then, I Must Count The Cost! I must count the cost! If Nehemiah’s request had
displeased Artexerxes, he could have been killed, but Nehemiah requested anyway. That
is a huge price to pay, that is a huge cost to bear. Another way to say this is to ask,
“What is it going to take to get the job done?” Didn’t Jesus say that you should first
count the cost before you begin to build?
What are you willing to pay to have a vibrant relationship with Jesus Christ. One that will
radically change your life. One that will have you looking different, talking different,
thinking different, praying different, making life decisions different? What are you willing
to pay? Not pay in the form of money or credit card credit limit but rather in terms of
your current life. Jesus said that we are to each take up our cross and follow him, that we
must first lose our life in order to have eternal life, that we are to follow his example in
living and allowing our lives to be poured out through being a living sacrifice and living
with a servants heart. How can you do this? How can I do this? Well you begin with
prayer and praise to God! Then you move onto allow the presence of the Holy Spirit to
take control of your life, full control of your life! You begin to see things through the
lens of God and to begin to take actions and steps that will honor Him regardless.
Regardless if it has never been done that way before. You know nationally, one of the
sayings heard at dying and dead churches is, “We have never done it that way before or
we have ALWAYS done it this way”. Well if it is Biblical great, but even Jesus changed
His teaching methods based upon who he was with and who he was trying to reach.
Regardless if your family and friends are on board with you. Let me ask you a question,
and I really, really want you to think about this week, “Are you more interested in
following Jesus or in being comfortable where you are at in life?” Are you more interested
in following Jesus or in being comfortable where you are at in life? Be honest with
yourself and please don’t give the typical response without thinking and that being, “why
Jesus of course”. Your honest answer is crucial. Why? How can we begin to build this
church, how can God begin to build this church if we, as members and regular attenders
don’t even know where we are at and what we are willing to attempt? Know your true
position and then God can begin to either use you or to point out areas in your life that
you need to work on and that he will provide the power and the grace in order to change.
When we have a relationship with God, He desires that we change, daily. Some change
faster than others and that is ok. Some change for a while and then hit a plateau and that
is ok too. The real sin is when we refuse to change and stay stuck at the “dung gate” all
of our life.
Finally, I Must Begin!, I Must Begin! Look with me at Nehemiah 2:18, “And I told
them of the hand of my God which had been good upon me, and also of the king’s words
that he had spoken to me. So they said, “Let us rise up and build”. Then they set their
hands to this good work”
With all of the praying, with all of the fasting, with all of the preparation, with all of the
asking, having done everything possible, they began. How many times have you, as I have
made many preparations or pondered something for an extended time and then simply
failed to begin. All of the preparing, if you don’t begin is wasted. We finally have to do
something! Nehemiah finally had to begin!
Ecclesiastes 5:4 says, When you make a vow to God, do not delay to pay it; For He has
no pleasure in fools. Pay what you have vowed -- 5:5 Better not to vow than to vow and
not pay.
What things have you been pondering and vowing to do for God? what have you been
pondering and vowing to do for God? It may have something do with your personal
prayer life, your devotion life. It may be that some relationship needs some action to
either end it, begin it or fix it. It could be that your finances are way out of hand and you
have been saying that you were gong to work on it. Or it could be that you have been
putting off doing something in this church or in another ministry somewhere here in
Franklin or around the world. What is God wanting from you today? What is God
wanting from you today? Have you made a promise to God and have yet to begin?
God knows the plans that He has for you and you and for me. We simply have to begin.
C. Chuck Reedy, head football coach of U of Louisiana football successfully recruited
John Williams to play for his team. Williams was the best linebacker coming out of high
school that year and was recruited by every college in the country. Williams had always
wanted to play for Louisiana ever since he was a little boy and on the very brink of his
lifelong dream coming true was killed in an auto accident the summer between high school
and college. Later that year, at the homecoming football game. John Williams’ mother
came to the game and the players and the coaches surrounded her to offer their prayers
and thoughts. Coach Reedy later told of what the mother had said. “Inscribed on Johns
headstone are these words, You are standing on a dream unfulfilled, don’t miss yours”
Friends, don’t miss yours!
