When God's People Work...

The "Celebrity Beyond" is a cruise ship that launched in April 2022, capable of holding 3,260 passengers and 1,400 crew members. Once on board, you have your pick of 32 food and beverage venues ranging from Greek too French to Italian cuisine. The ship boasts a 4,500 piece art collection, and entertainment options range from acrobatic shows to juggling mixologist performances. Further, if you want to enjoy stunning views of the water, you can hop on the "Magic Carpet," a large platform that hangs off the edge of the ship and moves from deck to deck.

Contrast the "Celebrity Beyond" with the USS Zumwalt. Named after American naval officer Elmo Russell Zumwalt Jr., the youngest to serve as Chief of Naval Operations, the Zumwalt in a state-of-the-art guided missile destroyer the lead ship of the Navy's new Zumwalt class of ships. She has stealth capabilities and multi-mission possibilities. She comes equipped with two Advanced Gun Systems designed to fire Long Range Land Attack Projectiles with a range of up to 100 nautical miles (120 miles). It can launch a bevy of missiles from its vertical launch system, comes equipped as you would expect with mid-range missiles, Sea Sparrow Missiles, Tomahawk Missiles, and anti-submarine defense missiles.

Safe to say that these two ships, the "Celebrity Beyond" and the USS Zumwalt, were built for and carry out two completely different purposes. And while you might find the entertainment, comfort, and pleasure of the "Celebrity" more appealing, God has called us to the front lines to man a battleship, not a cruise ship.

On a cruise ship, it's about you and your pleasure, people are there to serve you, and you have nothing more to do than relax and enjoy. On a cruise ship, you're a consumer taking in the goods.

But we are not called to a cruise ship. We're called to a battleship. There is no one to serve you. In fact, we all have jobs to do. Here, it's not about our pleasure, though we will find rest and peace and joy, but it's not about our pleasure but our mission. We are not called to be consumers but contributors in God's good plan. Nehemiah 3 gives us some clues as to how we should think and serve and accomplish the will of God. Join me as we read and take a deeper look at "God's people at work."

Not all work is equally distributed, but all are equally responsible.

Some had to repair while others had to build!

Neh.3:10 “Next to them Jedaiah the son of Harumaph repaired opposite his house. And next to him Hattush the son of Hashabneiah repaired.”

VS.

Neh.3:15 “And Shallum the son of Col-hozeh, ruler of the district of Mizpah, repaired the Fountain Gate. He rebuilt it and covered it and set its doors, its bolts, and its bars. And he built the wall of the Pool of Shelah of the king’s garden, as far as the stairs that go down from the city of David.”

Not all workers are equally gifted, but all are equally called.

Priests worked...

I’m sure there were skilled craftsmen who worked...

There were goldsmiths who worked...

There were servants who worked...

There were silversmiths who worked...

There were perfumers who worked...

And the text even points out the ones who did NOT work (Neh.3:5 “And next to them the Tekoites repaired, but their nobles would not stoop to serve their Lord.”) Even here, the work still gets done…because the Lord is the One responsible.

Not all work is equally pleasant, but all work is equally important.

Some had to work near the dung gate.

The call had to be made by Nehemiah to restore (probably better understood as abandon - Neh.3:8 “Next to them Uzziel the son of Harhaiah, goldsmiths, repaired. Next to him Hananiah, one of the perfumers, repaired, and they restored Jerusalem as far as the Broad Wall.”) which certainly would have been a difficult call to make, and there would have likely been some backlash.

Bridging the NT context.

1 Pet. 4:10-11 “As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace: whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.”

All believers a gift

Gifts are for the sake of honoring God and building up other believers

Our gifts are entrusted to us by God, to be invested wisely

When we use our gifts, it is a sure way to express love for the body

1 Cor.12:4-11 “Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone. To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. For to one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the ability to distinguish between spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. All these are empowered by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills.”

There are a variety of gifts, but one Spirit and one God who produces the result

Not all are gifted the same, but all are important

Joyfully serve God with all of your strength for the sake of His glory.

Spur each other on to love and good deeds, bearing in mind that Christ's honor is the common goal.

Refuse the lie that your ministry is lesser or unimportant. Our collective effort is greater than the sum of our parts.