We are continuing to glean wisdom and advice towards pursuing 20/20 vision from the book of Nehemiah. You have heard me say it before, and I’ll say it again. Take some time, maybe 30 minutes, in the next few days or weeks, and read through the book of Nehemiah in one setting. We are only scratching the surface of this incredible story. And there are parts we have and will skip that you will want to read. As well as following how the pieces we have looked at fit into the puzzle.
Last week we explored the first landmine that can destroy your vision. Opposition, often in the form of criticism. Opposition that can keep you from completely focusing in on that vision God has for your life. That can keep you from fully pursuing that dream that God would want to fulfill in your life. It can take all your hopes and plans, and blow them out of the water if you aren’t careful. But that is not the only landmine to be aware of.
As you focus in on your vision. As you pursue that call on your life from God. And as we, the church, move towards that place of obedience and ministry that the Lord would call us to in Lexington, there is another landmine that can derail us. . .distractions.
We humans are a highly distractible group of people. Think of how little it would take to turn your attention from this message. Some feedback in the sound system. A disorderly child on the other side of the sanctuary. A growling stomach. A siren passing by the church. A pacing pastor. The temperature. Just a few degrees too low, or a few degrees too high. . .the difference between 72 and 68 can be all it takes to distract us from where our attention should be.
And that in itself would not necessarily be a problem, but here is the problem. Life is full of distractions. Simply being highly distractible is not a big deal in a controlled environment, but life is not a controlled environment. It is full of distractions, and those distractions are constantly taking us from the path God would have us journey down. The path of our vision.
You see, here is the problem phrased another way. Life is now. Bills are now. Crisis is now. Things have to be dealt with now. Vision. . .that’s later. We can get around to that down the road. There are too many things in front of us right now that have to be attended to.
So it looks like this. . .we’ll get out of debt after our kids graduate from college and get their own homes established. Or we’ll spend more time together as husband and wife, work on our relationship, when our children have moved out and its just the two of us. Or we’ll settle into a community, and really get connected after one more job promotion and relocation. Or we’ll build friendships after one more degree and academic achievement. It looks like, we’ll get involved in ministry after a few more months getting our lives together, and our house in order.
You see, life is now. The chaos is our existence is now. So vision gets pushed back, starts to blur, and the distractions become the center of attention.
Andy Stanley in his book "Visioneering" gives the example of weddings. He talks about a common phenomena where as the wedding date gets closer the couple thinks less and less about the marriage, and more and more about the wedding. Especially the brides, but even family members. As the day grows closer, everyone is constantly checking in on all the details, making sure the "things" for the wedding have been tackled, and we ask fewer and fewer questions about the marriage, making sure relationship issues have been tackled.
That’s an understandable dynamic, but it is not necessarily a good one. Often the wedding, a good thing, distracts the couple’s attention from the marriage, a great thing. And for the most part, Stanley point out, there are very few ugly weddings, but there are plenty of ugly marriages.
He shares that on a few occasions he has suggested to a couple that they postpone their wedding. And the objections he hears are always the same. . .
"The invitations have already been printed."
"Friends and relatives have already adjusted their vacation schedule."
"The hall has already been reserved."
"Everything has already been planned."
The wedding plans are always the issue, and the wedding becomes the driving force in the decision process. . .rather than the original vision. . .a lifelong marriage of happiness together.
We are easily distractible, and that means that our visions are easily distracted, but Nehemiah provides a wonderful answer for defeating those distractions to your vision. Nehemiah, Chapter 6. The majority of the wall is finished. The vision seems almost complete. All that they have left to do is to hang the doors in the gateways to the city. It would appear that nothing can stop this vision from coming to completion.
But Sanballat and company have not given up yet. All of their attempts to derail the work via the workers have failed. So now they focus in on the leader. Like John Maxwell, they figured out through all their efforts that it all rises and falls on leadership. So they go after Nehemiah. Nehemiah, chapter 6 (read through verse 2).
Sanballat, or as you may remember from last week, Mr. "Sin Gave Birth to Him" and his side kick Tobiah have decided to try and distract Nehemiah. They have decided to invite him to a little pow-wow in a place appropriately named Ono. They want Nehemiah to come with them. Talk things out. Mend some fences. Get on the same page as neighbors. An invitation that could easily have been seen as the extension of an olive branch.
But I love Nehemiah’s reply. It may be my favorite verse in the entire book of Nehemiah. Verse 3 (read). That’s good stuff. Look at that again (read verse 3). Say that with me, "I am doing a great work. I can’t come down." Say it again, "I am doing a great work. I can’t come down." Say it one more time, and this time I want you to put all your emphasis on that word "great". Let’s say it, "I’m doing a great work. I can’t come down."
Remember, I said earlier in our series that a God given vision will require Godly intervention. And think about this. . .is there anything great that a vision from God? If the vision is from God, can there be anything more worth while? Anything more worthy of your time, your energy and your efforts? If you are engaged in a vision from God, you are doing a great work. Why would you let anything distract you from that?
Well, sometimes it is because we don’t recognize the distractions, so let’s look at a few of them together this morning. First. . .
1. OPPORTUNITES
You name them. Financial opportunities, relational opportunities, religious opportunities, career opportunities, business opportunities, vacation opportunities, entertainment opportunities, athletic opportunities, investment opportunities. This list can go on forever. And these opportunities are often distractions from the great work that God has called you to.
And the opportunities you have to watch out for most are those good opportunities. Those things that you can easily justify, because they don’t sound bad to the outside observer. I have learned that pastoral ministry is a minefield of good opportunities that can distract me from the great, God given vision.
For example, I like our church facility to look as good as possible. It’s important to me. So I’ll grab the paint brush and paint. I’ll walk through the pews and pick up papers. I’ll clean-up trash in the yard. I’ll pull weeds from around the sign. In my two years here, the bushes have only been trimmed a handful of times. But if no one else was going to do it, I wasn’t going to let it go undone. And keeping the facility looking good sounds like a pretty good ministry to the outside observer. But is isn’t that great thing that God has called me to. So it can become a distraction.
I can chair committee meetings, accept speaking opportunities, attend community activities, participate in Asbury events. I can be out six nights a week taking full advantage of "good" opportunities. But they may not relate to the great thing that God has called me to.
In fact, good opportunities will often distract me from making progress towards that great thing that I know God has called me to do. That is why one of the accountability questions I have my accountability team ask me each month is, "Have you been utilizing busyness to divert your attention from the deeper, quiet and reflective moments of the spiritual disciplines. . .such as prayer and meditation?" Because I’m real good at "doing" good things. But when they distract me from the great thing that God has called me to, that’s a bad thing.
From the outside, this little invitation from Sanballat might have looked like a good opportunity. But if Nehemiah had accepted it, he would have been killed. Likewise, if taken advantage of, good opportunities will kill your chance of accomplishing your vision.
Grant was fifty-six years old. In his early twenties he went to work in the outdoor advertising business. He did quite well in that position, but there was a problem. His boss expected his employees to work six days a week. The owner lived for his business, and figured everybody else ought to as well.
Now Grant didn’t mind working hard, and didn’t mind being well compensated for his efforts. But he and his wife had a vision for their family that went beyond owning a big house and a couple of new cars. And working every Saturday pretty much eliminated any hopes they had of creating the family environment they were envisioning. So Grant turned in his resignation.
His boss asked him what he was going to do. Grant told him he didn’t know, and he didn’t. But he knew one thing: whatever he did next would support rather than compete with his vision of what could be and should be regarding his family. Years later, most of Grant’s co-workers had lost their families, and the owner’s children were grown and gone. His interaction with them is infrequent and superficial. But Grant was able to realize his vision for his family.
Don’t let good opportunities rob you of the joy of seeing your vision become a reality. When the distractions come your way, remind yourself, "I am doing a great thing, and can’t come down."
A second distraction that we partially explored last week. . .
2. CRITICISM
Even after Nehemiah rejected Sanballat’s invitation, Sanballat came back four more times with the same invitation. But the fifth time, Sanballat sent more than an invitation. Verse 4 (read through verse 7).
Now there was a word in there that you probably didn’t even notice. Look again at verse 5 (read). Unsealed.
You may have heard the custom from back in those days. A letter would be written on the papyrus or leather. Then it would be tied up, probably with some form of string or ribbon, and then it would be sealed. A clay, or wax seal with the signet ring of the sender stamped into it. A way of verifying the security of the communication.
But this letter wasn’t sealed. Why? Because Sanballat wanted everyone to read it. He had written a letter accusing Nehemiah of plotting a revolt, and he wanted everyone along the way to see the accusation. Basically, he was spreading a rumor. Maybe trying to get it back all the way to King Artaxerxes that his cupbearer was on an ego trip and trying to become king.
Now, I don’t know about you, but to me this sounds like a good time to get in an argument. Nehemiah should confront this letter, debate Sanballat, and defend himself against these false accusations, right? But Nehemiah’s the man. Look at how he responds. Verse 8 (read through verse 9).
Talk about a man that is focused in on a vision. Nehemiah knows what he has been called to, and is not going to be distracted. So when the criticism wells up, in the face of mudslinging and spreading gossip, he prays, asks for strength, and continues with the work.
It looks like this today. Stay-at-home moms are accused of doing so because they lack education or marketable skills. You are doing a great thing, don’t come down. Business men pass on promotions and bonuses to prioritize their family and are accused of being unmotivated, not having what it takes to cut it in today’s market place. You are doing a great thing, don’t come down. Single men or women can be accused of being gay or religious fanatics because they decide to remain sexually pure until marriage. You are doing a great thing, don’t come down.
"Why won’t you go?" "Why won’t you stay?" "You’re so religious." "Sure, family is important, but come on! It’s just one night." "You’re no fun anymore." "Don’t you want to make more money?" "I know someone who tried that once. It didn’t work." The subtle voices of criticism. Remember, as you pursue your vision you will face criticism. But you can answer it with, "I am doing a great thing." Say a prayer, ask God for strength, and press on.
I tell you what. If you want to silence your critics, then complete the vision God has called you to. Don’t get distracted. Jump ahead to verse 15 for a second. Look at how a complete vision impacts criticism (read 15-16). That’s how you silence the critics. Complete the vision.
One more common distraction to the fulfillment of our visions.
3. FEAR
Man, this is good stuff. Follow this with me. Sanballat is not able to get Nehamiah to come to this little pow-wow. So he comes up with another plan. Verse 10 (read).
All right, check this out. These people have been watching Sanballat and company throw their temper tantrums. Voice their taunts. Build their anger. Pretty much posture themselves in a hostile and threatening manner for the entire period of time that they are rebuilding this wall. They are staying at the work, but they are seeing a hostile force just on the other side of that wall. From a purely human standpoint, there is good reason to be afraid.
But jump ahead to verse 12, and I’m going to show you what a Godly vision bathed in constant prayer can do for you. Verse 12 (read through verse 13). Now that is a man connected to the Almighty. Nehemiah can sense in his spirit that this little plan of Shemaiah’s, someone within the city. . .a Jew from Jerusalem, is not for Nehemiah’s safety. It is a set-up. Shemaiah has made up this story to suggest that Sanballat is going to send an assassin into the city and murder Nehemiah. So Nehemiah should run to the temple for protection.
But there are some things you have to understand about this. Only priests are allowed in the area of the temple that houses the altar. Nehemiah is not a priest. So to go in there would totally discredit Nehemiah with the people. Worse than that, it would violate the law of God, and in doing so would completely undermine Nehemiah’s authority as a leader. Think of how quickly word would spread that the governor was hiding in the temple, clinging to the altar, stowing away from a would-be assassin. Violating the law of God because he was afraid for his own life. Think that is going to give the workers confidence to finish the task?
So look at what Nehemiah says. Verse 11 (read). You know, I have always liked Nehemiah and his story. But I don’t think I ever really saw him with "hero" like eyes until this series. He is one committed, devoted, focused, and God believing hombre. (re-read verse 11).
And understand, this isn’t some ego trip on Nehemiah’s part. When he says "a man like me", what does he mean? He means someone on a mission from God. Someone called by God to fulfill the vision. He is saying, "Why would someone called by God? Someone appointed by God to do a great work? Someone like me, run and hide? I won’t do it."
So how do you respond to fear when the vision seems to be breaking down in your life? Do you say. . .
"He is not exactly what I’m looking for, but what if nobody else comes along?"
"I really need to quit, but what if I can’t find another job?"
"I know I need to say no, but what if it costs me my bonus?"
"I know God wants me to initiate this relationship, but what if they reject me?"
Then comes the biggest what if of them all. . .the ultimate vision destroyer. . "What if I fail?"
It’s interesting that while fear is a distraction, it is also a form of focus. We can get so focused in on what we are afraid of, that we loose sight of what we envisioned. Don’t allow fear to rob you of your vision for your marriage, your finances, your relationships, your career or ministry. Don’t allow fear to distract you from what you believe could and should be done.
In light of what God has called you to, and who He has made you so that you can accomplish it. . .should a man or women in our position retreat? We are children of the Most High God. Should we run from where we are, and turn from where we are heading because of fear of what might happen?
Say it with me again. . "I am doing a great work. I can’t come down."
Now, I want you to think for a moment. What great work are you doing? Not good. . .there are a lot of good things in the world. A lot of things that can consume you, possess you, and own you. What great work are you doing?
Or maybe a better way to pose the question today. . . as you look at your life, is there something that when the distractions of opportunity, criticism and fear come your way, you can point at that thing and say, "This is a great work. And I will not be distracted."
You know what? The older I get, the less I’m willing to die for. My parents told me this would happen. Along with a slew of other people in my life. Goodness, when I was 16, I would die for anything someone else saw differently than I did. But as I’ve moved through my 20s, and now most of my 30s. . .I’m not willing to die for too many things.
But as I plot out 2006, as I begin brainstorming New Year’s Resolutions, I know there are some great visions that God has given me for my life. A great vision for my marriage. A great vision for my family. A great vision for this city. Those things that I am still willing to die for. Those "great" works that God has given me to do.
Think about that "great" work that God has birthed in your heart. Assigned to you. And then pray with me that as we launch a New Year we will live undeterred by distractions and be able to say, "I am doing a great work. I can not come down."
