From Cupbearer to Builder

From Cupbearer to Builder

Nehemiah 2:9-20, 3

Grace, Mercy, and Peace to each and every one of you in the name of our Risen Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

I am Steve Garrabrant, and I am blessed to serve as Vicar here at Gloria Dei and the Head of School at Lutheran South Academy.

We are in the midst of our sermon series on Nehemiah and the rebuilding that took place historically in the days of Nehemiah as well as looking at how God is rebuilding his people now.

As a recap to what we have studied so far, we have learned that Nehemiah was the cupbearer to King Artaxerxes and after hearing that the survivors living in exile are living in great trouble and shame with the walls of Jerusalem broken down and the gates destroyed, 4 months later Nehemiah boldly asks permission of the king to return to Jerusalem to rebuild the walls and gates. The Lord moves Artaxerxes to grant permission to Nehemiah—even granting him resources and protection.

Let’s look at Nehemiah 2:9-10.

Then I came to the governors of the province Beyond the River and gave them the king's letters. Now the king had sent with me officers of the army and horsemen. But when Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite servant heard this, it displeased them greatly that someone had come to seek the welfare of the people of Israel.

Even though Nehemiah has the blessing of the king and is sent with the king’s permission, already Nehemiah faces opposition.

Perhaps you can relate to what Nehemiah was facing. The Lord put this on Nehemiah’s heart and called him into action, and yet he faces opposition. Has the Lord ever put something on your heart and called you to action but it didn’t go all that smoothly? Perhaps something so simple like the Lord putting on your heart that you need to spend more time with your family—strengthen family bonds—go on a vacation together but the kids loathe and complain about the destination. Perhaps something tougher—a relocation, a job change, a career change, those can all be very difficult things to navigate. We should not be surprised to face opposition for often times what the Lord is putting on our hearts can be very counter-cultural.

Verse 11.

So I went to Jerusalem and was there three days.

Perhaps we would have thought that Nehemiah would have acted differently upon his arrival to Jerusalem. Perhaps we would have thought that he would have been driven by an inner burning compulsion to pull out the trowel, hire subcontractors, and hang the plumbline. In short, to get someone started on the wall fast!

But that’s not how Nehemiah acted. That’s not what he initially did. Actually, he didn’t do anything for 3 days!

But after those 3 days, v. 12 tells us that Nehemiah got up and took a couple of men with him, and without telling anyone what God put in his heart to do for Jerusalem, Nehemiah at night begins to inspect and survey all of the destruction and the challenges.

Then I arose in the night, I and a few men with me. And I told no one what my God had put into my heart to do for Jerusalem. There was no animal with me but the one on which I rode. I went out by night by the Valley Gate to the Dragon Spring and to the Dung Gate, and I inspected the walls of Jerusalem that were broken down and its gates that had been destroyed by fire. Then I went on to the Fountain Gate and to the King's Pool, but there was no room for the animal that was under me to pass. Then I went up in the night by the valley and inspected the wall, and I turned back and entered by the Valley Gate, and so returned. And the officials did not know where I had gone or what I was doing, and I had not yet told the Jews, the priests, the nobles, the officials, and the rest who were to do the work.

You see, Nehemiah made a careful, conscious, probing examination of the wall for one reason: As a leader, it was his job to be aware of the details and to develop a plan of action. But there is a vast difference between being aware of the details and being lost in those details. The individual who is able to stand back—being fully aware of the facts and yet not lost in them—is the one best equipped to lead. Nehemiah made a careful investigation of the facts. In his mind, he was developing a master plan for the whole process of construction and determining the necessary personnel and building materials.

In verses 17-18, Nehemiah tells the plan and raises up and rallies the workers. And their response was this: “Let us rise up and build.” So they strengthened their hands for the good work. They were fired up! They were motivated! They were ready to get to work!

But in verse 19, the opposition rears its ugly head again. Notice how quickly opposition comes! It never fails. There is direct criticism of the plan. As soon as the rebuilding crews rolled up their sleeves, they were opposed. Nehemiah’s response to this immediate opposition is this: “The God of heaven will make us prosper, and we his servants will arise and build, but you have no portion or right or claim in Jerusalem.”

In Chapter 3, they begin to rebuild the wall. This chapter gives us a picture of individuals coming alongside one another to accomplish an important task that cannot be accomplished by any one individual.

While we are not going to read the entirety of Chapter 3 together, and I would encourage to look at that chapter on your own, I do want us to look at 5 verses and study their commonality.

Verse 10

Next to them Jedaiah the son of Harumaph repaired opposite his house.

Verse 23

After them Benjamin and Hasshub repaired opposite their house.

Verse 28

Above the Horse Gate the priests repaired, each one opposite his own house.

Verse 29

After them Zadok the son of Immer repaired opposite his own house.

Verse 30

After him Meshullam the son of Berechiah repaired opposite his chamber.

You see in each of these verses we just looked at, these individuals were building right in the area of their homes and chambers—where they lived. I believe there are 3 reasons as to why Nehemiah put the men to work on the wall closest to where they lived:

1. There would be an easy commute to work. Early start to the day for work to begin. The whole family could be involved.

2. The walls being built would be the same to offer protection. These people living in proximity to this protection would have little reason to cut corners.

3. If an attack were to come while construction was taking place, the workers would be less likely to abandon their posts to go off and search for their family to protect them. They were already right there.

Yes, Nehemiah was wise to put the men to work on the wall closest to where they lived!

As we study the end of Chapter 2 and Chapter 3 of Nehemiah, there is great application for us today.

1. Service for the Lord is always born out of personal devotion to the Lord.

We know that Nehemiah had a personal devotion to the Lord, and the Lord put on Nehemiah’s heart what to do.

2. Building and rebuilding always starts at home.

Just as Nehemiah wisely and strategically placed men to work on the wall closest to where they lived, the building up and rebuilding of our lives today starts at home.

Luther said that faith formation begins in the home.

Culture changes in our homes first.

Our mission here at Gloria Dei is “Helping more people live life with Jesus every day.” That doesn’t just take place here 1 hour every Sunday. It’s 24/7. It’s in the home. It’s at our workplace. It’s during our everyday lives—living in the grace of the forgiveness of sins, life, and salvation, and sharing that good news of the forgiveness of sins, life, and salvation as we journey through life. And, that all begins in what we model in our very homes.

3. Being faithful to God requires us to get out of our comfort zones.

In all of the listed wall builders, not a single individual listed had the credentials of a builder. No masons were listed. No carpenters were listed. No contractors were listed. As far as we can tell, every single individual described in Nehemiah chapter 3 was working completely out of his comfort zone—including the cupbearer Nehemiah himself! Yes, from Nehemiah the cupbearer to Eliashib the high priest to Shallum a government official and his daughters—these people were able to accomplish much but first had to step out their comfort zone.

4. God uses the ordinary to do the extraordinary!

Throughout Scripture we see time and time again that God uses ordinary people to do extraordinary things.

· Nehemiah and the wall builders

· The Calling of the Apostles—fishermen and a tax collector

· God even uses ordinary bread and wine to miraculously give us His very body and very blood for the forgiveness of sins, life, and salvation

· And, God used death on the cross—a criminal’s death—to save the entire world

Yes! God uses the ordinary to do the extraordinary!

And, God extraordinarily is building new within us.

· It began at our baptism…

· We are being rebuilt as a new creation in Christ…

· We are being rebuilt with hope, and grace, and mercy, and peace…

· We are being rebuilt with the forgives of sins, life, and salvation…

· We are being rebuilt with a 24/7 life of discipleship…being rebuilt to love our neighbor…being rebuilt to live with generosity…being rebuilt to live each day with praise and thanksgiving!

Yes! God is doing extraordinary things in His building and rebuilding of you! And, in closing, I’d like you to ponder these 3 simple questions:

· What has He placed on your heart to do?

· What is he directing you to rebuild?

· How is He calling you out of your comfort zone to be faithful to Him?

And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.