Better together (Part 1)

Introduction:

There is a most honorable pursuit that mankind can endeavor in and that is of course work. We are privileged to be able to use our God given abilities, talents, and resources. For many work gives us a sense of purpose, I believe that it is apart of our nature to crave meaning and significance.

If we sit and do nothing, work halfheartedly, or engaging in meaningless or self-centered activities most of the time, you will experience more and more emptiness and purposelessness. While on the other hand, if we work hard at our jobs and are diligent in all the task we undertake, there seems to be a sense of purpose and fulfillment.

TO experience purpose and fulfillment in life, one needs to come to Jesus Christ as their personal savior. Who died on the cross for your sin and was resurrected three days later, so that any of believe in Him will be eternally saved. I pray that all of us here this morning has made that confession (Jesus is Lord…raised from the dead).

Our salvation in Jesus isn’t “fire insurance,” or “Since I prayed that prayer… I’m good now.” NO! we have now been drafted into the army of God and we are at war. However Scripture is very clear:

Ephesians 6:12 NKJV

12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.

What I’m trying to get at here is that we are not to get saved and coast. God has a job for you and we cannot grow complacent.

For those of you who have been walking with the Lord for quite a while… there is no retirement from serving the Lord, accomplishing the work that He has laid before you.

Colossians 3:16–17 NKJV

16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. 17 And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.

Recap:

Chapter 1: We saw Nehemiah was a man with a broken heart for his people. He was a man who prayed fervently, and he interceded for his brethren. Our application was that we need to be praying more, communicating with our God more. How wild is it, that the God of the universe desires to have a relationship with you? Pray!

Chapter 2: last wee we saw the importance of praying. But there does come a time when we are going to have to act and be obedient to the calling of the Lord. God’s purpose for each of us is the same, to be made in the image of Jesus Christ. but each of our callings will be different… We need to be obedient to what the Lord wants from us!

When Nehemiah undertook the task of rebuilding the wall of Jerusalem, he needed above all else workers who would be diligent and zealously committed to the building project. Yes I know the names are hard to pronounce. Yes I know that it may seem like a rather boring passage… but that couldn’t be further from the truth.

The workers that are presented in this passage stand before us as dynamic examples of how we should work...

“Father teach us how we can rightly serve you this morning and with our lives. Oh, Father help us to understand this passage and to rightly apply it to our lives.”

(vv. 1-12) The workers on the north wall and its gates : some laborers worked together in spirit of unity, while others refused to work.

(vv. 13-14) The workers on the west wall: some humbled themselves and took on the undesirable jobs.

(vv. 15-32) The workers on the east wall: some were hard and diligent workers filled with zeal.

vv. 1-12) Unity and cooperation// Disobedience and pride

There is something to be said about these first 12 verses. Whenever there is a truly dynamic work of God, there is a spirit of unity within the body of Christ. However, sadly, there will be some that will be uncooperative, refusing to work.

[1-2] We start with the Sheep Gate and a section of the wall that were built by the priest. They worked on the construction project just as much as the lay workers. Even the High Priest himself put his hands to work instead of merely supervising the other priest.The adjoining section of wall was built by men from Jericho and the section next to them by a man named Zaccur.

The picture is that of cooperation, and unified effort by both clergy and laymen. Everyone, regardless of position or authority, was working together to rebuild the city and its wall. The Sheep Gate was on the north wall, the only section that had no natural barrier for defense such as a hill. As a result, two lookout or defensive towers were built along the north wall, the Tower of the hundred and the Tower of Hananel.

The Sheep Gate was close to the temple; thus it was the gate through which animals were brought to be sacrificed at the temple.

[3-5] The Fish Gate is the next starting point in our passage. It was one of the main entrances, and it was being built by the family of Hassenaah (Also mentioned in 2 Chr 33). Three adjoining section were built by several families of Meremoth (vv. 4, 21) and Meshullam (vv. 4, 30).

Because these two families help in several different spots might allude to a few things:

They might have a rather large family with many workers ready to help.

Their person sections were smaller and could lead help in other places.

It could also mean that they were just eager to help.

The family of Zadok built one section of the wall too.

The Hebrew work for “repair” means to be strengthened, made strong and firm to withstand attacks. The workers were not laboring halfheartedly, building a flimsy wall. Rather, they were totally committed to doing their best, to building the strongest wall they could.

Unfortunately, not everyone was committed to the project… Some did not cooperate, even refused to take part in the rebuilding project. This is seen in the next section that was built by the people of Tekoa. Their leaders and nobles refused to help.

They would not put their shoulders to the work. Tekoa was a small town about 11 miles just south of Jerusalem, and was the hometown of Amos:

Amos 1:1 NKJV

1 The words of Amos, who was among the sheepbreeders of Tekoa, which he saw concerning Israel in the days of Uzziah king of Judah, and in the days of Jeroboam the son of Joash, king of Israel, two years before the earthquake.

The city was close to territory controlled by the Arab Geshem, Nehemiah’s opponent. To me it, this looks like the leaders of Tekoa either feared Nehemiah or felt like they would lose some of their authority. Perhaps they feared retaliation from Geshem, or they were just too proud to do the work of the commoners.

However, the common people cooperated fully, committing themselves totally to the project. They too build to sections of the wall (vv. 5, 27).

The Fish Gate was protected by two towers that were strategically placed to defend the north wall. It was probably named the Fish Gate because it was the site where the commercial marketing of fish took place, or the cities major fish market was nearby.

[6-12] In the building of the Old Gate and the sections of wall adjoining it, two truths are clearly seen:

How God uses all kinds of people to get a task done.

How important a unified, cooperative spirit is

The Old Gate was build by the families of two men: Joiada and Meshullam (v. 6). The gate was known as the Jeshanah Gate, which referred to the city to which the road led to, the city that lay on the border between Judah and Samaria. It was also known as the Mishneh Gate, which referred to the second district of Jerusalem lying on the western hill.

People from Gibeon and Mizpah also helped in the project, building the next section (v.7). Their cooperation and commitment to the project is significant, for there two cities were under the authority of the governor of Trans-Euphrates. Meaning that their governor himself supported the project.

Business leaders and tradesmen supported the project too (v. 8). One of the business leaders was a goldsmith named Uzziel, and the other was a perfume maker named Hananiah. These two very different business leaders were working together.

Even the political leaders became involved in the building project (v. 12).

People who had houses sitting next to the wall also joined in the project (vv. 10,23, 28-30). What this suggests is that there was a sense of importance of neighbors cooperating together looking out for and taking care of their neighborhood.

(v. 11) Malkijah and Hasshub rebuilt, the Tower of the Ovens along with the next section of the wall.

Lastly the other ruler of the half-district of Jerusalem, Shallum, built the next section of wall. Significantly, his daughters jumped in and helped him in the construction, which indicates that both men and women were involved in this project.

The facts to note are that everyone was assigned very specific task and that everyone cooperated together in a unified effort. Each person kept his or her eyes on a specific task and worked to accomplish the project. Each used the specific gift God had given. Throughout this chapter, 38 workers and 42 different groups will be named. All of them cooperating and working together to build their city and its walls.

Practically everyone was taking part in the project: the political leaders, priest, commoners, business leaders, and craftsmen.

Application: Cooperation is an absolute essential in achieving any task that requires more than one person. Oneness of spirit is a must. Unless there is unity, people are moving in different direction, pulling against each other and accomplishing little. The result of pulling against each other is dissension and divisiveness. Think how often dissension and divisiveness rip apart families, friends, worker, classmates, athlete, businesses, social organizations, church, communities, political parties nations, and host of other relationships.

Our church cannot be a golf team. There needs to be structure and order and everyone working in the same direction. This is why we have our vision Sundays. That is why we communicate with you all of where we believe the Lord is leading us.

For those who are helping in the work of the ministry, you will or have been frustrated by the lack of help at times.

[Cow example]

1 Peter 1:22 NKJV

22 Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart,

Those who will not work: we love you, and we desire you not to just help, but to live a victorious Christian life. God has something for you and we desire you to live up to your calling.

Philippians 3:12–14 NKJV

12 Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. 13 Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, 14 I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

We have to ask ourselves if Jesus is truly the Lord of our lives why are we not serving Him?

Looking into the need for protection:

Passages like this seem unimportant, and there is a real temptation to skip over the endless list of workers who took part in rebuilding Jerusalem and its walls. But that would be a mistake. God has included the account of the construction project in His Holy Word for a reason. There are a number of very important truths gleaned from the passage, truths that speak forcefully to our hearts. This morning we are going to also look at 5 practical applications from just the topic of rebuilding the walls. Next week we will look more in-depth at the gates and their application.

The rebuilt walls of Jerusalem:

[Eternal Security] represented security and protection from enemies. So it is with us. Once we enter the gates of God’s Holy City of salvation and deliverance, we are given a level of protected from our enemies. As long as we stay within the city, rejecting the seductions and temptations to return to the world, we are going to be living a victorious Christian life, continually delivered through all the temptations and trials.

2 Timothy 1:12 NKJV

12 For this reason I also suffer these things; nevertheless I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that Day.

2 Timothy 4:18 NKJV

18 And the Lord will deliver me from every evil work and preserve me for His heavenly kingdom. To Him be glory forever and ever. Amen!

1 Peter 1:5 NKJV

5 who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

Deuteronomy 33:27 NKJV

27 The eternal God is your refuge, And underneath are the everlasting arms; He will thrust out the enemy from before you, And will say, ‘Destroy!’

[Holiness] represented spiritual separation. When a person settled down in the walls of Jerusalem that person was declaring that they were a child of God. Identifying that they were God’s people. And the those who returned from exile were targeted for being set apart unto the Lord. This is a clear picture of spiritual separation for those who are believers in Jesus Christ. When we turn to the Lord for salvation, we are separating ourselves from the wicked life-style and any false worship.

2 Corinthians 6:14–16 NKJV

14 Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness? 15 And what accord has Christ with Belial? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever? 16 And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said: “I will dwell in them And walk among them. I will be their God, And they shall be My people.”

Ephesians 5:11 NKJV

11 And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them.

[Ransomed/ Brought out of slavery] represented deliverance and salvation. Those returning from exile have been rescued (by God) from the captivity of their enemies, and He brought them back to the promised land. So it is with any person who turns to the Lord, seeking the “Way, Truth, and the Life.” The Bible tells us that:

Jeremiah 29:13 NKJV

13 And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.

The Lord saves those who are genuinely seeking Him, and God delivers them from the captivity of sin, death, and judgement to come.

John 3:16–18 NKJV

16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. 17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. 18 “He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

Romans 6:23 NKJV

23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Titus 2:11–12 NKJV

11 For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, 12 teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age,

[Vigilance] represented the need for watchfulness and diligence. These Jews, as we are going to see, needed to be a constant guard to stand and watch against any attacks by the enemy. Spiritually speaking, we too must be vigilant in guarding ourselves. We must guard against leaving the safety of God’s protection// neglecting His Holy Word. Family if you are not willing to be vigilant you will make your life a living hell. Also note that God disciplines and chastens His children.

10 virgins (5 prepared 5 unprepared)

Matthew 25:13 NKJV

13 “Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming.

1 Corinthians 10:12 NKJV

12 Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall.

1 Corinthians 16:13 NKJV

13 Watch, stand fast in the faith, be brave, be strong.

Revelation 16:15 NKJV

15 “Behold, I am coming as a thief. Blessed is he who watches, and keeps his garments, lest he walk naked and they see his shame.”

[Blessing] the rebuilt walls represented God’s presence, righteousness, provision, guidance, and blessings. For those who returned, they were able to live rightly with God again in the way that the law prescribed. And God faithfully grant all the blessing He had promised since Adam and Eve, and the rest of the covenants.

When we turn to the Lord and keep His commandments, seeking to live for Him, the Lord promises to be present with each of us. We will find ourselves under the spout where the blessings pour out.

Matthew 6:33 NKJV

33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.

Philippians 4:19–20 NKJV

19 And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus. 20 Now to our God and Father be glory forever and ever. Amen.

Psalm 23:1–6 NKJV

1 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. 2 He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters. 3 He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness For His name’s sake. 4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. 5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; My cup runs over. 6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me All the days of my life; And I will dwell in the house of the Lord Forever.

Matthew 28:19–20 NKJV

19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.

Lo: emphasis on the size or importance of something.

Numbers 6:24–26 NKJV

24 “The Lord bless you and keep you; 25 The Lord make His face shine upon you, And be gracious to you; 26 The Lord lift up His countenance upon you, And give you peace.” ’