Everyone has a part to play

Title: Together, We All Have a Part to Play.

Show gratitude and privilege- It is great to be here and to see you all continuing to rejoice and worship in God’s presence.

So, I’ll start by reading our sermon passage from Nehemiah 3. I read….

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Read Scripture.

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Church, how beautiful it is to see God’s people dwelling together in Unity and joining in God’s work despite their previous shame, their separation from God.

So, the Title of my sermon is: “Together, We all have a Part to Play.”

• Church, every generation faces moments when God calls His people to rebuild —  → to rise from what’s broken,  → to repair what’s been neglected,  → and to renew what’s been lost. (pause)

• That’s where Israel found themselves in Nehemiah’s day —  → and maybe that’s where some of us find ourselves today. (beat)  → Even as a church, we may feel like we’re in that same season — a moment where God is inviting us to rebuild, to start again, to renew our trust in His faithfulness and mercy. (pause)

• As you heard last week, Nehemiah persuaded the Israelites to rebuild Jerusalem’s walls and gates —  → a massive task that not even Nehemiah could complete alone. (beat)

• When we read through Nehemiah 3, we see two kinds of workers:  → those who served according to their skill, and  → those who repaired near their homes. (pause)

• Some brought expertise; others simply worked on what was in front of them —  → but every single one mattered. (beat)

• And what’s amazing is that everyone — regardless of skill, class, or gender, or background — found a way to participate in rebuilding and repairing (pause)

• Verse 1 begins:  > “Then Eliashib the high priest rose up with his brothers the priests, and they built the Sheep Gate. They consecrated it and set its doors.” (Neh 3:1)  → Even the priests — the spiritual leaders — led by example.  → They didn’t just bless the work; they picked up tools and got their hands dirty. (beat)

• Then verses 3–4 read:  > “The sons of Hassenaah built the Fish Gate… and next to them Meremoth repaired… next to them Meshullam repaired… next to them Zadok repaired.” (Neh 3:3–4)  → Different abilities — one mission. (beat)

• Verse 8 adds:  > “Next to them Uzziel … goldsmiths repaired. Next to him Hananiah, one of the perfumers, repaired.” (Neh 3:8)  → Goldsmiths and perfumers — people unused to manual labor — joined in.  → This wasn’t about profession; it was about the joy of  participating in the works and mission of the good hands of God. (pause)

• Verse 9 says:  > “Next to them Rephaiah… ruler of half the district of Jerusalem, repaired.” (Neh 3:9)  → Even rulers — men of influence — humbled themselves to serve. (pause)

• Verse 28:  > “Above the Horse Gate the priests repaired, each one opposite his own house.” (Neh 3:28)  → They didn’t go far; they worked right on what was in front of them – Being faithful to meeting the needs that they saw right in their front

• Verse 12:  > “Next to him Shallum … repaired — he and his daughters.” (Neh 3:12)  → Even families — even daughters — who took their place in the work. (pause)

• When we read this passage, we can hear the sound of  → Bricks laid in place, screws are inserted into holes, and wood is nailed together. A hammer repeatedly taps nails,

→I’m sure, reading the passage- you can picture maybe five strong hands holding the gates in position as one person works on attaching the gate to the wall.

→Most importantly, No one building alone; everyone doing their part. [PAUSE]

• And don’t we all long for that?  → A world where people see a need and simply move and make themselves available to meet it?  → Where each person is faithful in using their gifts, strengths, and abilities to attend to the needs right in front of them(pause)

• This passage reminds me of the hard process of moving to a new home.

How many of you have done that? (smile)  I’ve done it more than six times since coming to the U.S., and it’s never fun doing it alone.

• But times when friends came to help — some lifted heavy things, some packed boxes, and one even sent me food from DoorDash —  (smile) maybe that’s why I married her! (laughter, pause)

• There’s joy and peace when everyone plays their part. (beat)  → That’s what’s happening in Nehemiah 3 — everyone bringing what they have, big or small, seen or unseen.  → And That’s how God builds His people.

 • But, you see, it’s not enough just to admire the united effort of the Israelites.  → We have to ask: what moved them?  → What drove their participation — and their unity?  → And for us as a church, what should drive us? (pause)

• So, here are our two points for today.  → 1. Our security in Christ frees us to Play our Part in God’s mission.  → 2. Our security in Christ unites us to build together for God’s mission. (beat, smile)

POINT 1 — Our Security in Christ Frees Us to Play Our Part in God’s Mission

To understand their motivations for repairing and rebuilding the walls, we first have to ask: why rebuilding mattered so much to them.

• These people — including Nehemiah — had been unfaithful to God.  → Because of rebellion and idolatry, God allowed them to be scattered among the nations.  → They experienced exile, oppression, and loss because of their sins.

• Even when Nehemiah returned and inspected the walls, he said: *

 > “You see the trouble we are in, how Jerusalem lies in ruins with its gates burned. Come, let us build… that we may no longer suffer derision.” (Neh 2:17)  → The broken walls were visible shame — a symbol of broken fellowship with God.

• The walls and gates had represented God’s covenant love and protection.  → But their destruction and ruin meant more than defeat — it spiritually meant distance from God, and a missing experience of the protection and security that only God gives. [PAUSE]

In fact, there are fifteen psalms in the Bible written to celebrate and express a longing for the city of Jerusalem.  → They’re called the Psalms of Ascent — songs the people would sing as they climbed toward the holy city. (pause) • One of them, Psalm 122:6-7, captures this heartbeat of longing:  > “Pray for the peace of Jerusalem!  > May they be secure who love you.  > Peace be within your walls and security within your towers!” (Ps 122:6–7)

• These weren’t just songs — they were prayers of hope.  → Prayers for shalom — for wholeness, peace, and belonging in God’s presence.  → Because they knew that true security didn’t come from the walls themselves,   but from the God who protected them. (beat)

• So when they looked at the ruins of Jerusalem, they didn’t just see broken stones —  → they saw a broken covenant.  → They felt the weight of distance from God — the loss of joy, of meaning, of identity that was only gotten from God. (pause)

• But here’s what’s beautiful: even in their shame, they still built.  → Because deep down, they believed God had not abandoned them.  → They trusted that the same faithful God who once dwelt among them would draw near again

• And that trust wasn’t just something they felt in their hearts — it showed up in HOW they built. → Even how they organized the rebuilding ishows us their faith. → In fact, the rebuilding begins and ends with the Sheep Gate…

 → In Verse 1, it says: “Then Eliashib the high priest rose up … and they built the Sheep Gate.”  → Verse 32: “Between the upper chamber and the Sheep Gate the goldsmiths and the merchants repaired.”

• You see, the Sheep Gate was where sacrificial lambs entered for the sacrifice of atonement and forgiveness • So, this further shows that the rebuilding was a proclamation or a worship of who God is, A God who is faithful, merciful, and steadfast in love; at the same time:

 →Every repairing and rebuilding was an a song singing: “Our God has not abandoned us.” • Their rebuilding was worship — a living testimony to God’s covenant faithfulness.  → It wasn’t about who they were, but about who God is.  → The faithfulness of God became the strength of their hands.

• What drove their work wasn’t their skill or guilt — it was trust.  → Trust that God would forgive.  → Trust that He would atone for their sins.  → Trust that He would keep His promises and restore His people.

• Every stone said, “Our God keeps His covenant. Our God still dwells with us.”  → This was more than reconstruction — it was worship in action.  → They built by faith and in hope that one day God would send a perfect sacrifice — a Savior who would bring lasting peace and forgiveness.

• Church, here’s the good news:  → If you are in Christ, you’re not building while waiting for forgiveness — you’re building because forgiveness has already been given.

• Like the Israelites, we too have been unfaithful.  → We were people living in shame, carrying guilt from many sins.  → In Ephesians 2:1 Paul says, “You were dead in your trespasses and sins.” (Eph 2:1-2)

• But then he continues:  > “But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ — by grace you have been saved.” (Eph 2:4-5)  → Even when we were unfaithful, God — rich in mercy and steadfast in love — saved us.  → He forgave us… but that came at the cost of his Christ Jesus

• Christ, who lived perfectly, died our death, and took upon himself our guilt and shame so we could stand forgiven and secure before God.  → If you’ve trusted Christ, you stand precious, holy, and righteous — not by works but by grace through faith.

• Do you believe that?  → Have you received Christ, or are you still trusting yourself — your skills, ambitions, or righteousness — to find peace and acceptance with God? In verse 10 of Eph 2, it says…

• “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.” (Eph 2:10)  → Do you know what this means, we don’t serve to earn favor; we get to serve from the favor we already have.  → We don’t work to become secure; we work because we are secure in Christ.

• Nehemiah 3:5 says,  > “Next to them the Tekoites repaired, but their nobles would not stoop to serve their Lord.”  →Church, from this, we can see that the nobles probably did not have skill problem — it was a humility problem.

• Humility in service says, “Lord, here’s what I have — use it for Your glory.”  → Maybe you hold back because what you have feels too small.   The world says, “Go big or go home.”   God says, “Bring your five loaves and two fish — watch what I can do.”

• Every believer here is God’s workmanship. When you see a need, meet it — not to prove you are better or to feel better about yourself, but do so because you are loved by God eternally in Christ Jesus.

 → And listen — God can use what we bring far more than you think He can.

• He can use your silent prayers when no one else hears them. • He can use your quick phone calls to check on someone who’s been missing for weeks or a call to an elderly, the sick. • He can use your quiet visit to someone grieving in silence. • He can use your warm welcome at the church door, that smile that says, “You belong here.” • He can use your simple text, faithful giving, and behind-the-scenes serving. • He can use your daily work, your parenting, your voice, --- conversations, and even your acts of forgiveness — He can use every one of them as bricks in the wall of His mission.

• Because church, it’s never about how visible or perfect your service or skill is — it’s about how available your heart is.  → God delights to take what looks small and make it His.  → He weaves your ordinary acts into a STORY of his grace towards you. *

• So when you bring what you have — your time, your prayers, your presence – small, big, in secret, in open, imperfect — you’re saying, “God, Here I am, Be glorified through me.”  → And He will glorify himself through you.

• You see, the beauty of the church is when the world looks at us and sees God using what seems small or ordinary to display His power.

[PAUSE]

You see…

• For some of us, the hesitation to serve isn’t a skill issue — it’s a trust issue.  → Trusting that we can serve God not as perfect people, who have everything all figured out,  but as forgiven people. Carried by God’s grace.

Church, do you believe you are forgiven? [Wait for response]

•So, there is no more need for hiding or fear of God’s judgment for you. Now, you can be an instrument for God’s mission without shame, derision, or hiding.  → And what is that mission? Paul tells us:  > “…so that in the coming ages He might show the immeasurable riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.” (Eph 2:7)  → God’s mission is to display His grace through His people.

→So, this means that God’s mission is not about US, but about what amazing things He is doing through us, for His glory…

→And the mission not being about us frees us to serve in joy and perseverance, because we can trust that God is faithful to keep his word and promises towards us, when all things fail, when life and people disappoint, and we meet life uncertainties…

→ And you see, God’s faithfulness shown on Christ on the cross that forgives us, gives us a reason to keep on serving and loving, even in the hard places and times… carrying each other’s burdens…instead of remaining in our comforts or just hiding.

•You see….  → The Israelites didn’t just experience God's good hand; they became God's good hands in the rebuilding.  → And through Christ, so are we — we are hands that build, repair, serve, and love in His name.

• So, serve with your gifts, meeting the needs right where you are and with what you have..  → Is there a neighbor, a church member, or one of the elderly who needs encouragement?  → A coworker who needs hope?  → A friend who needs prayer?  → Your spouse, your children, your parents — those are the walls right in front of you to encourage, comfort, build up, and love… for God’s glory and purpose.  → No matter what anyone tells you or how you feel, Faith Baptist Church, God has designed you for this time.  → He can use what you bring — just bring it.  → Every small act builds into His larger story of God’s grace and kindness shown through Christ Jesus. [PAUSE]

So, when we hide our service, skills, and love, we miss out on amazing things God is doing through his people for His glory. Don’t hide what you have, use it. And yes, you have something….

[PAUSE]

• But you see, our security in Christ doesn’t just free us to serve — it unites us to serve together in His mission.  → (pause, gentle smile) Point 2.

Point 2: Our Security in Christ Unites Us to Build Together in God’s Mission

(pause – gentle tone) If God’s love and faithfulness in Christ drive our participation in His mission,  → then we must understand that — God’s mission was never meant to be done alone. [pause]

• It’s not enough for each of us to serve God individually;  → He calls us — to serve together in unity.

And That’s what we see in Nehemiah 3.  → Each person and family repaired their part of the wall side by side — shoulder to shoulder — with others. [slow tone]

• Nehemiah 3:2–4 paints this picture of harmony:  > 2 And next to him the men of Jericho built. And next to them Zaccur the son of Imri built.

3 The sons of Hassenaah built the Fish Gate. They laid its beams and set its doors, its bolts, and its bars. 4 And next to them Meremoth the son of Uriah, son of Hakkoz repaired.[1]

• Then later in verses 7 through 10, the same rhythm continues — we see God’s people building next to each other.

• Within the passage, it’s as if Nehemiah wanted readers to visualize the harmony among the builders.  → He repeats “Next to them…” and “After him…” [pause] — 31 times in total.  → To show that everyone was building, but no one was building alone. [long pause]

You see, to Israel, unity wasn’t just a nice idea — it was the mark of being God’s people.  → It reflected His covenant love — His shalom, His peace and wholeness that come from belonging to Him.

In Psalm 122:3-4, one of the Psalms of Ascent that celebrates the people’s longing for Jerusalem, gives us a vivid picture of that city as a place of unity. It says,

 “Jerusalem—built as a city that is bound firmly together, to which the tribes go up, the tribes of the Lord, as was decreed for Israel, to give thanks to the name of the Lord.”

The psalmist pictures a city filled with many tribes — different people, different backgrounds — yet all going up together to worship the same Lord.

• It’s a vision of diversity in unity —  → a people bound together not by preference, class, or culture, but by their shared purpose: to give thanks to the name of the Lord. • Jerusalem wasn’t meant to display the greatness of its people, but the greatness of its God.

• That’s the kind of unity the builders in Nehemiah’s day had— many hands, one heart, all working for the glory of God.

(transition) → [soft tone]Andthat same vision wasn’t just meant for them — it’s what God longs to see among us today. [pause]

a community where everyone quietly decides,  → “I’ll use what I have for your good, and God’s glory; Regardless of who you are, where you come from, you are my family in Christ.” [pause]  → That’s what the watching world longs to see. [pause]

• And this unity does not mean uniformity.  → We don’t all look alike, think alike, or serve the same way, capacity, or degree.  → We don’t all share the same strengths or effort.  → We don’t all come from the same background, race, or opinions — or even support the same party.

• No — unity means that in spite of our diversity and differences, and sometimes through our differences,  → we choose to seek one another’s good regardless of where they come from — their background, status, political beliefs, or age.  → We bring our diversity together under one Lord, one Spirit, one baptism, for the purpose of God’s glory.

• Look again at Nehemiah 3 — it’s a living picture of that unity.  → People with different skills working together without competition.  → Different backgrounds, age-group, gender, and tribe — side by side without comparison or shame, without feeling inferior or superior.  → Men and women, fathers and daughters, serving without feeling less or greater.  → Those with strength helping those with less — each saying, “We’ll build this together.”

• And that’s covenant love in action — God’s people, finding peace in God, and experiencing and expressing peace with one another. [long pause]

(transition) → [lower tone] But we also know how fragile that kind of unity can be. [pause]

• And you see, we all long for that kind of unity —  → in our homes, our work, and our church —  → but we know how quickly division can form. • [lower tone] We see division everywhere — in our communities, our politics, even our families.

(transition) → But Nehemiah’s people remind us where true unity begins.

But look again at Nehemiah’s people.  → Their worth wasn’t in themselves, skill, their numbers, or title, but in God’s faithfulness — who saw them, loved them, forgave them.  → They weren’t building for approval but from it. They were not building for their glory, but they were building from God’s glory and for God’s glory.

There was literarily no self-glory for them to hold on to…because they knew they were not perfect, but people in Hope of forgiveness… They were a forgiven people.

• That’s our story too.  → Your worth isn’t in what you do or don’t do — it’s in what Christ has done for you on the cross… the forgiveness of Christ on the cross… So, our unity is centered on Christ who deserves all the glory… On Christ, who has won the victory over death and sin on the cross for us…so that we can be free. Only Him deserves that glory in the church[pause]

(transition) → [raise tone slightly] And it’s that gospel foundation that tears down every wall that divides us.

• Before Christ, we built walls that kept us apart — walls made from our own pride and pursuit of glory.  → Walls that elevated our image, our ethnicity, our social class, our age groups, our culture, and even our politics.  → Walls that made us see others as “not one of us” or “less” so that we can feel better than… instead of others as neighbors.  → Walls that shouted, “Me first… me first… my needs first… my recognition first… my image first…• But In Christ, those walls have been torn down.

Ephesians 2:19-20 says:  > So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, 20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, [2]

• Jesus is the cornerstone — the One who holds us together.  → His cross not only gave you peace with God, but it tore down the walls of division and hostility, making you one with your brothers and sisters.  → In Him, people whom you will consider strangers are now your family, competitors are now co-workers and co-laborers.  → [slow tone] To belong to Christ is to belong to His people and serve them for His glory. [long pause]

• So what does that mean for us today? [pause] • It means  → When ministry becomes about us — our recognition, our image — pride creeps in.  → And you see, Pride breaks apart what grace unites.  → It breeds competition instead of teamwork, discouragement instead of joy, and weakens our witness.

• You can have a church full of gifts and ideas,  → but if we forget that ministry is for God’s glory and the good of others — unity will fall apart.

• [gentle tone] I’ve learned this the hard way.  → When ministry was about me, I felt empty and overwhelmed.  → When it became about God’s glory and His work in others, I found joy again.

• On the other hand, some of us show pride by hiding what God gave us.  → That voice says, “I’m not good enough. God can’t use me.”

• And when we believe that voice, we hold back, we isolate — and the body feels it.

→ When one person pulls away, everyone feels the gap.

• (short illustration tone) Imagine a family refusing to build their section of the wall — everyone would feel it. [pause]

In Christ, we can serve together without fear of losing comfort, image, and respect, and even in boldness.  → In Christ, we get to show humility to others without shame.  → Lift others up without feeling smaller.  → Celebrate others’ gifts without envy, but in contentment of Christ in us, the Hope of glory.

• Imagine a church where everyone helps someone grow —  → equipping, discipling, training, sending — all for Christ’s glory.

• (encouraging tone) Yes, this is hard work — it takes us out of comfort zones —  → but it’s glorious work.

• The church isn’t a stage for celebrities, or a place where we come to prove we are better or smarter or we are the best — No, the church is a family of servants —  → Disciples who stoop low to wash other people’s feet because Christ, THE LORD OF THE UNIVERSE, did it first for them.  → And when you see someone you equipped shining for Christ — serving beside you — there’s no greater joy. [long pause]

• All this to say:  → In stooping low to serve others and lift them, you lose nothing… Because you can’t lose the eternal acceptance, the approval, the love, the value that God gives you in Christ.

• Maybe you’ve struggled to serve because you feel unnoticed or unworthy.  → God sees you and delights in you. • Maybe you’ve served faithfully and feel tired or unseen.  → God hasn’t missed a single thing you’ve done for Him.  → Even the quiet prayers and unseen acts of love are noticed in heaven.

Faith Baptist Church, for those of you here still persevering in service… still being faithful with the little —  → God sees you. Even when it seems no one sees you… God does not forget your labor of love. [long pause]

• So let’s ask ourselves:  → Am I building with others — or am I building walls that keep me apart from others?  → Am I investing in others for God’s glory — or protecting my own comfort?

• Unity in Christ isn’t automatic — it doesn’t just happen suddenly…  → it’s the Spirit’s work, but it’s our responsibility to protect, pursue, and participate in it. [pause]

• [raise tone] Church, this is our moment to live that out.  → Faith Baptist Church, God is not done with you. [long pause – let it sink in]  → This is the time to rebuild what’s broken.  → To restore what’s wounded and worn down.  → To love one another well.  → To be the good hands of God in our city, our homes, and our families, and with our brothers and sisters.

• So this week, I encourage you to ask yourself:  → how can I come alongside my brothers and sisters — to serve, to invest, and to build together in God’s mission for His church and His world?

[1]The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), Ne 3:2–4.

[2]The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), Eph 2:19–20.