"work For The Lord"

Title: “Work for the Lord” Script: Neh. 3

Type: Series Where: GNBC 1-18-15

Intro: William Carey, the pioneer missionary to India, had a son named Felix, who resigned from the mission to accept a position as Burma’s ambassador to the British government in India. William deeply lamented this and wrote to Andrew Fuller (Pearce Carey, William Carey [The Wakeman Trust], p. 317, italics in original), “Felix is shriveled from a missionary into an ambassador.” William Carey knew what a privilege it is to serve the King of kings. I sometimes wonder if we have that appreciation today? Oftentimes, the church is the last institution or organization we are willing to give time to from our very busy schedules. Maybe we need to rethink the Lord’s work and our individual roles.

Prop: In Neh. 3 we’ll notice ___ principles related to fulfilling the Lord’s work.

BG: 1. I have to tell you that when first read chapter wondered what would preach on. Seemed difficult. Looked and in the past conveniently skipped over the chapter. Yet, I believe every verse is inspired by God and if such then needed to ask Him to show.

2. This chapter is the record of a massive “work day” and who came out and helped.

Prop: In Neh. 3 we’ll notice 6 principles related to fulfilling the Lord’s work.

I. 1st Principle: Dedicate Your Work to the Lord. Vv.1-3

A. Nehemiah records that the Priest who had come to rebuild the walls consecrated the work of the their hands.

1. Here Nehemiah begins his recording of the work by noting that the priests helped to lead the work of rebuilding and as such they dedicated their work unto the Lord.

-“consecrated” – Heb. – qadash – means to make or pronounce clean, to hallow or to dedicate unto God. The priests knew that the city and the walls and the construction itself needed the blessing of God if it was going to succeed and so they asked God’s help. I find it interesting that Nehemiah actually records the exact locations of where the priests, and the rest of the individuals worked. Here we see that the priests repaired two locations, the Sheep Gate and the wall from the Tower of Hundred to the Tower of Hananel.

2. Some of you may remember that is exactly what we did before construction and remodeling started on this building. This building had been a retail venue. Before construction began we came into this building and laid hands on it and prayed. You may remember we circled the building with our people, holding hands, and prayed. If you were able to pull up the carpet you would see Scripture verses written on the floor and up here on the platform. The very studs in the walls on both this and in the basement floor have verses written on them. Why? We were consecrating this building to God! (That’s why a church building or a sanctuary of a church building is to be treated with respect&honor. Parents, teach your children the sacredness of this.)

B. When Beginning a Project, Consecrate Your Work Unto the Lord.

1. Prov. 16:3 says: “Commit your works to the LORD And your plans will be established.” My friends, America is at a real crossroads in our history. Our President and other leaders do not want to focus on the real issues we are facing. Our nation is under threat from radical Islam and no one wants to address this menace. In fact, the more threatened we are and the more we experience its violence the more certain segments of our population want to capitulate to it. Illust: Read with great consternation earlier this week where Duke University, in an attempt to be more open and diverse, was PROMOTING a Muslim call to afternoon prayers from the Chapel bell tower! Oh, that our intellectual elite in this nation would learn the things of God and what makes for true peace and prosperity! I Cor. 1:20 says: “Where is the wise person? Where is the teacher of the law? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?”

2. The Best Way to Consecrate our Work to the Lord is to Consecrate Our Lives to the Lord!

Illus: Sometimes an easy conversation between friends can have ramifications far beyond what either person expects. Such was the case in the summer of 1872 near Dublin, Ireland, when two prominent evangelists were discussing ministry. The two men were the British evangelist Henry Varley and the renowned American evangelist Dwight L. Moody. As they were talking Varley made a throw away remark, but the Holy Spirit took that remark and burned it into the heart & mind of D.L. Moody. It was a remark that affected him for the rest of his life. This is how Moody recorded it in one of his diaries:"'The world has yet to see what God can do with and for and through a man who is fully and wholly consecrated to Him.' ... A man! Varley meant any man. Varley didn't say he had to be educated, or brilliant, or anything else. Just a man. Well, by the Holy Spirit in me I'll be that man!" [John Pollock, Moody: The Biography (Chicago : Moody, 1963, 1983), 115].