Good Beginnings
Notes
Transcript
Introduction
Introduction
Good morning!
Please keep your bibles open to Nehemiah chapter 2. We are continuing our journey through the book today where we come to a pivotal moment: in today’s passage, Nehemiah gets to inspect the damage to the wall himself and start rallying buy-in from the people in Jerusalem. Today, we will see Nehemiah acting in with shrewdness, leadership and courageousness.
In life, we all face situations at times were difficulty and circumstance require decisive action to navigate well. More often than not, I would argue that even though most of these kinds of situations are uncomfortable and awkward to navigate, that God uses them in our lives to help grow us and mold us through obedience, steadfastness and reliance on Him. We go through these things to learn that by relying on Him - despite the opposition and difficulty, despite the awkwardness we may feel, that He is in fact with us; that His goal is our good and that His way is the best.
The reality of the Christian life is that we need to approach situations remembering that how we conduct ourselves is a reflection on Jesus to a watching world, waiting for us to give them reason to doubt Jesus’ ability to save. We can take tremendous comfort in our passage today because it reminds us of this one big, main idea: God’s vision moves forward when His people see honestly, speak boldly, and stand faithfully.
We’ll have three main sub-points that we’ll be looking at today: When facing difficult situations, we should approach them with:
Shrewd Assessment (2:11-16)
Inspirational Leadership (2:17-18)
Faith in the Face of Opposition (2:19-20)
Shrewd Assessment (2:11-16)
Shrewd Assessment (2:11-16)
Please read with me, starting in…
11 After I arrived in Jerusalem and had been there three days,
12 I got up at night and took a few men with me. I didn’t tell anyone what my God had laid on my heart to do for Jerusalem. The only animal I took was the one I was riding.
13 I went out at night through the Valley Gate toward the Serpent’s Well and the Dung Gate, and I inspected the walls of Jerusalem that had been broken down and its gates that had been destroyed by fire.
14 I went on to the Fountain Gate and the King’s Pool, but farther down it became too narrow for my animal to go through.
15 So I went up at night by way of the valley and inspected the wall. Then heading back, I entered through the Valley Gate and returned.
16 The officials did not know where I had gone or what I was doing, for I had not yet told the Jews, priests, nobles, officials, or the rest of those who would be doing the work.
Sometimes its helpful to define our terms. The word I chose to use here is “shrewd…” It’s a word that isn’t used today as much as it was in the past, but I felt it communicated the point the best. It means to be astute, or “to have sharp powers of judgment.” In other words, its thoroughly thinking things through before you speak, or act - its knowing the tactics you are going to use to get your desired result - it is exercising wisdom and discernment well. Nehemiah is exercising prudence, discretion and wisdom in this passage that is definitely worthy of our attention in our own pursuit of Christlikeness.
From the outset of this passage, Nehemiah is presented as a humble servant of God, set out with tunnel vision, hyper-focused on accomplishing the mission he was commissioned for. He doesn’t ride in to town with trumpets blazing, announcing to anyone who would listen what he’s there to do, but rather, he comes in quietly and humbly, and assesses the situation for himself. He leaves the Jewish leaders in the city out of the loop until necessary.
It’s difficult for us to really understand the geography he is describing here, because he speaks to his readers who would have known exactly what he was talking about. It would be the same thing if I said, “The lower 48 of the USA mainly encompasses the land between Seattle, Los Angeles, New York and Orlando…” Because we know our own country and geography, that makes a bit more sense.
What Nehemiah is describing is essentially the major perimeter features around the destroyed wall. These gates would have been major structural components of the wall, so it makes sense that he would want to inspect each of these to get a better idea of what the job at hand would require.
But notice, also, how Nehemiah specifically indicates that he didn’t inform the local authorities what he was doing? Perhaps he knew better because of what happened in the city in the time of Zerubbabel.
Turn with me, one book before Nehemiah, to Ezra Chapter 4. Remember, Ezra and Nehemiah were originally a single literary unit. For Christians, it was split into two units by Origen in the 3rd century, codified by Jerome in the 4th century, when he was working on the Latin Vulgate. For the Jews, it would be split in the Hebrew Bible in the 15th century. The working theory is that it was split in two because as a single literary unit, it was too long for a single scroll.
Read with me briefly, from verses 12-14…
12 Let it be known to the king that the Jews who came from you have returned to us at Jerusalem. They are rebuilding that rebellious and evil city, finishing its walls, and repairing its foundations.
13 Let it now be known to the king that if that city is rebuilt and its walls are finished, they will not pay tribute, duty, or land tax, and the royal revenue will suffer.
14 Since we have taken an oath of loyalty to the king, and it is not right for us to witness his dishonor, we have sent to inform the king
Nehemiah didn’t want to encounter the same divided loyalties that troubled Zerubbabel, so he kept his intentions to himself until the time was right - when it was time to rally the people toward a common cause of rebuilding the wall.
How about us, today? Are there situations that we’ve made worse by acting or speaking without having all the knowledge we need to make well-informed decisions? One of the reasons I really dislike social media is because it gives equal platform to everyone - informed and uninformed, so information is so untrustworthy that it just becomes useless noise. A big reason for this is because people like to share their opinions on things - even when their opinion isn’t informed by facts, but rather by emotions or even, in some cases, pure ignorance.
When ever we approach a given situation or circumstance, it is best for us to make an assessment of what is actually going on before making a bunch of decisions or plans. As a cabinet maker, I would go to the jobsite, take measurements and discuss with the homeowner what kind of look they were going for before I would start making designs. Action without assessment is putting the cart before the horse.
How do we respond when we are offended by someone? I’ll readily admit that I don’t always respond well - especially when I let anger dictate my responses. However, if we assess the situation as objectively as possible, trying not to let emotion determine how we react, we can practice empathy, compassion and even grace… If we do this before we react, we can avoid the hurt we cause because of our own hurt. After all, there have been times I have been confronted for an offense, and my first thought is, “I never intended to offend - I kind of wish they had given me the benefit of the doubt…” If we commit to assessing situations before we act, we can exercise the ability to give people the benefit of the doubt by considering their perspective, their circumstances, or even how we may have legitimately hurt them. If we want to live at peace with people and we want to give ourselves every opportunity for a favorable outcome, we would do well to learn to assess situations before acting or reacting to them.
God’s vision moves forward when His people see honestly - and as we about to see, when they also speak boldly.
Inspirational Leadership (2:17-18)
Inspirational Leadership (2:17-18)
Let’s flip back over to Nehemiah 2, and pick it up there again…
17 So I said to them, “You see the trouble we are in. Jerusalem lies in ruins and its gates have been burned. Come, let’s rebuild Jerusalem’s wall, so that we will no longer be a disgrace.”
18 I told them how the gracious hand of my God had been on me, and what the king had said to me. They said, “Let’s start rebuilding,” and their hands were strengthened to do this good work.
After Nehemiah had assessed the condition of the wall and had a chance to get to know some of the people in the town, he finally makes the big reveal for the burden God placed on his heart. God had not only raised Nehemiah up for the purpose of rebuilding the wall, but also for the purpose of leading the people in the work. He motivated the people in several ways:
He identified himself as part of them (“You see the trouble we are in…” and “…so that we will no longer be a disgrace…”).
He successfully communicates and stresses the importance of the situation at hand.
Provides a solution and commits to taking definite and real action - no wishy-washy platitudes - promises made with a solid plan on how to deliver.
He used his personal testimony of God’s grace in his journey so far to assure the people that God was the one directing the rebuilding of the wall.
As a leader, Nehemiah was not only responsible for casting the vision and making the plans, but also mobilizing and motivating the people as well. The people were in a bad situation because the condition of the wall left them defenceless - if they wanted to experience a change in their situation, they had to respond to Nehemiah’s leadership - and we see how they respond in our passage - In verse 18, they agree and commit to doing the work. In the CSB, it says that they were “strengthened” to do this good work. The idea behind being “strengthened” isn’t in the sense of being given the brut force or braun to do they work, but rather the drive, commitment and zeal to accomplish the work.
Nehemiah had exercised extraordinary leadership with the Jewish people by offering them the motivation they needed, the plan they would need and even the resources provided by King Artexerxes III. It feels good to know that the person leading the charge is not only competent, but capable, as well, right? There is a kind of assurance that we experience when we know that the person driving is well-equipped for the task at hand. I think a big part of this feeling of security comes from an all-too-common experience of having people in charge of something who have no business being in charge of anything.
Has any of us ever worked for a boss or manager that wasn’t up to the task? Have any of us ever seen an institution or organization we love collapse because of some kind of mismanagement? I believe many of us are probably thinking back to past jobs and some of the horrible experiences we’ve had with the inexperienced managers or working with other people incapable of following through with what they were supposed to do. When someone is able to prove themselves as a leader in their sphere of influence, they build a reputation for being reliable and trustworthy. When they continue to follow through, they are said to have great “integrity.”
Spiritual shepherding demands a godly, gifted, multiskilled man of integrity.
John F. MacArthur
As Christians, we are not all called to ministry leadership, but we are all called to being people of integrity and of good character. One of the hardest parts about ministry leadership is the balancing act you have to perform between acknowledging and dealing with your own sin and your own faults and inspiring confidence in others that you are leading them towards Christlikeness. I’ve had to learn the difference between seeking perfection and seeking excellence. Perfection is a marker I can never hit - I will never be a perfect leader. I can, however, strive for excellence as a leader. What does it mean to be “excellent?” To do your very best with the tools and capabilities you have. There are varying levels of excellence - what I consider my best might not measure up to someone who has been a pastor for 40 some odd years, but it is the best I can do with who God made me to be and I am giving it my all. We can’t expect to reach perfection because we are imperfect people until we go home to be with the Lord.
So I guess, if nothing else, this point in the sermon today gives me an opportunity to help manage expectations as my tenure as pastor - I wont be perfect, but I will strive for excellence! Nehemiah is a great example of excellent leadership in a difficult situation. The historical impact of the Exile on the Jewish nation cannot be overstated - this was the event that finally made in sink in that God wasn’t going to tolerate being second fiddle to other gods or their sinful lifestyles. They had to live up to their end of the covenant agreement that He would be their God and they would be His people - that is the big theme of the book of Deuteronomy that we are discussing during Sunday School hour.
10 “All of you are standing today before the Lord your God—your leaders, tribes, elders, officials, all the men of Israel,
11 your dependents, your wives, and the resident aliens in your camps who cut your wood and draw your water—
12 so that you may enter into the covenant of the Lord your God, which he is making with you today, so that you may enter into his oath
13 and so that he may establish you today as his people and he may be your God as he promised you and as he swore to your ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
God’s vision moves forward when His people see honestly through assessment, leading well by speaking boldly, and finally, standing faithfully with…
Faith in the Face of Opposition (2:19-20)
Faith in the Face of Opposition (2:19-20)
Read with me again, starting in…
19 When Sanballat the Horonite, Tobiah the Ammonite official, and Geshem the Arab heard about this, they mocked and despised us, and said, “What is this you’re doing? Are you rebelling against the king?”
20 I gave them this reply, “The God of the heavens is the one who will grant us success. We, his servants, will start building, but you have no share, right, or historic claim in Jerusalem.”
Not only are the two previously mentioned governors recorded as mocking Nehemiah and the Jews, but at this point, a third voice of opposition joins the fight against God’s will - Geshem, the Arab. Now, why might an Arab have a quarrel against the Jews building the wall around Jerusalem? Perhaps it goes all the way back to the first born son of Abraham, Ishmael, who is said to the be the father of all Arabians. If you’ll remember, Sarah couldn’t tolerate Hagaar and Ishmael, so Abraham sent them away.
11 The angel of the Lord said to her, “You have conceived and will have a son. You will name him Ishmael, for the Lord has heard your cry of affliction.
12 This man will be like a wild donkey. His hand will be against everyone, and everyone’s hand will be against him; he will settle near all his relatives.”
13 So she named the Lord who spoke to her: “You are El-roi,” for she said, “In this place, have I actually seen the one who sees me?”
14 That is why the well is called Beer-lahai-roi. It is between Kadesh and Bered.
15 So Hagar gave birth to Abram’s son, and Abram named his son (whom Hagar bore) Ishmael.
But God wasn’t in the business of writing off His promise He made to Abraham - because Ishmael was a son of Abraham, His promise of making Abraham’s descendants as numerous as the sands on the shore extended to Ishmael.
12 But God said to Abraham, “Do not be distressed about the boy and about your slave. Whatever Sarah says to you, listen to her, because your offspring will be traced through Isaac,
13 and I will also make a nation of the slave’s son because he is your offspring.”
14 Early in the morning Abraham got up, took bread and a waterskin, put them on Hagar’s shoulders, and sent her and the boy away. She left and wandered in the Wilderness of Beer-sheba.
This is where we begin to see the idea of “blessing” in the story of the Patriarchs. The blessing passes down through the generations, ultimately leading to Jesus Christ through King David through the lineage of Isaac.
But in Nehemiah’s time, the Arab’s didn’t necessarily like the idea of Israel being protected and fortified because they didn’t like Israel - it was the same hate-filled nationalistic bitterness that the other two governors had against them. We gather from the book of Ezra, also, that they believed that if Israel could rebuild its fortifications, they would refuse to pay their taxes and, in a sense, revolt.
Whatever their reason for not wanting Jerusalem’s wall to be rebuilt, they were making enough noise or direct confrontation about it that it lead to Nehemiah’s statement in verse 20:
20 I gave them this reply, “The God of the heavens is the one who will grant us success. We, his servants, will start building, but you have no share, right, or historic claim in Jerusalem.”
Notice how he handled it? He didn’t insult them, he didn’t curse them, he did nothing to defame himself or the Lord to them - he stood on the promise and authority of God as his source of confidence.
I don’t know about you, but generally, when I answer a confrontation, I’m not generally as composed and poised as Nehemiah was. I have been known to, on occasion, say things that have gotten me into trouble! So, as a guy who has struggled with putting his own foot in his mouth, I have tremendous respect for how Nehemiah handled this situation. If we could only remember that the more our confidence is in God and in the mission He has called us to, and we leave our own pride out of it, the better suited we would be to handle confrontation.
It is impossible to be faithful to Jesus Christ and not incur the opposition of the world.
William Still
If we stand with Christ, we will inevitably encounter resistance or opposition from the world. Jesus said that the world would hate us because it first hated Him! So it is to be expected. However, the thing we should be looking at from Nehemiah is the utter lack of care that he gave to the governor’s complaints because his focus and gaze was on the Lord and the task he was commissioned for. We should have that some kind of laser-focus on the Lord as well! Our cry should be:
Give me Jesus, Give me Jesus!
You can have all this world,
Just give me Jesus!
Conclusion
Conclusion
In the first sermon of this series, we looked at how Nehemiah reacted to the news of Jerusalem being laid waste and defenceless against its enemies. From that, we learned to recognize the distress, to respond with earnestness and to rely on God’s promises.
In a sense, today’s sermon is a reminder along those same themes.
When God places something on our hearts, we recognize that something isn’t as it should be. When we begin the work, we need to stop and assess the scope of the work that needs to be done. I’ve likened this to woodworking and cabinetry before, how we need to have measurements and put a plan in place before we start cutting wood. But we could also liken this situation to a budget - before we can spend, we need to know what kind of resources we are working with and what obligations we have with those resources. We ought to stop and admire Nehemiah’s wisdom in not rushing the beginning of the process by blabbering about it to anyone who would listen, but rather quietly and shrewdly assessed the situation first.
Next, the same way we saw the importance of responding with earnestness, we see Nehemiah work to inspire those in the community to partner with him in a common cause and common devotion to the Lord. His ability to lead reminds us of the importance of good leadership and the importance of following good leaders.
When I was in college, I worked at a music store as a salesman for music production and recording equipment. They had a motto that has always stuck with me: “Sales is the transference of enthusiasm…” Essentially, if we could get someone else to be legitimately and intrinsically enthusiastic about a product, the sale was a forgone conclusion. Leadership, in the sense of where we see Nehemiah in this passage, is transferring his own enthusiasm and earnestness for this cause to the Israelites in Jerusalem to also take part in what God had tasked him to do.
Finally, in the same way that Nehemiah showed us the importance of relying on the Lord, we see the reminder of that in the fact that opposition will come and go, but we will and we act for the express purpose of pleasing our Lord - not other people.
God’s vision moves forward when His people see honestly, speak boldly, and stand faithfully.
