Sermon Tone Analysis

When we get delivered from people.

God uses all kinds of people.

The chapter mentions rulers and priests (vv. 1, 12–19), men and women (v.

12), professional craftsmen (vv.

8, 32), and even people from outside the city (vv.

2, 5, 7).

There was a place for everyone, and a job for everyone to do.

Neh

Some people will not work ().

Tekoa was a town about eleven miles from Jerusalem, and some of their people traveled to Jerusalem to assist in the work.

What a contrast between these people and their nobles!

The Tekoites built in two places on the wall (vv. 5 and 27), while their nobles refused to bend the neck and work in even one place.

Were these “aristocrats” so important in their own eyes that they could not perform manual labor?

Yet Paul was a tentmaker (), and Jesus was a carpenter ().

The Tekoites were not the only “outsiders” to go to Jerusalem to work on the wall; for men also came from Jericho (), Gibeon, and Mizpah (v. 7).

Their loyalty to their nation and their Lord was greater than their local interests.

They were certainly safer back in their own communities, but they risked their lives to do the work of the Lord ().

“I like work, it fascinates me.

I can sit and look at it for hours.”

Leadership is beyond you if serving is beneath you

Some people do more work than others (, , , , , ).

Most workers are glad to lay down their tools when their job is finished, but these people asked for additional assignments.

It isn’t enough for us to say that we have done as much as others; we must do as much as we can as long as the Lord enables us.

Jesus asked, “What do you do more than others?

Some people work harder than others ().

Baruch is the only worker of whom it is said that the work was done “earnestly” (“zealously,” NIV).

The Hebrew word means “to burn or glow” and suggests that Baruch burned a lot of energy!

“Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might” (, NIV).

Paul admonished the slaves to work hard for their masters because they were really working for Christ ().

Lazy workers not only rob themselves and the Lord, but they also rob their fellow workers.

“He also that is slothful in his work is brother to him that is a great waster” ().

When we can endure the Ridicule

verse 1-3

7-8

Neh

Jeer:to mock v. — to treat with contempt, for example, verbally.

ridicule verb

to make an object of laughter <ridiculed him for his inability to perform the feat>

synonym RIDICULE, DERIDE, MOCK, TAUNT mean to make an object of laughter of.

RIDICULE implies a deliberate often malicious belittling

Ridicule: British critic and author Thomas Carlyle called ridicule “the language of the devil.”

Some people who can stand bravely when they are shot at will collapse when they are laughed at.

Shakespeare called ridicule “paper bullets of the brain,” but those bullets have slain many a warrior.

Merriam-Webster, I. (1996).

Merriam-Webster’s collegiate thesaurus.

Springfield, MA: Merriam-Webster.Ridicule: British critic and author Thomas Carlyle called ridicule “the language of the devil.”

Some people who can stand bravely when they are shot at will collapse when they are laughed at.

Shakespeare called ridicule “paper bullets of the brain,” but those bullets have slain many a warrior.

IMPRECATION, IMPRECATORY PSALMS Act of invoking a curse.

In the Imprecatory Psalms the author calls for God to bring misfortune and disaster upon the enemies (; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ).

These psalms are an embarrassment to many Christians who see them in tension with Jesus’ teaching on love of enemies ().

It is important to recall the theological principles that underlie such psalms.

These include: (1) the principle that vengeance belongs to God (; ) that excludes personal retaliation and necessitates appeal to God to punish the wicked (cp.

); (2) the principle that God’s righteousness demands judgment on the wicked (; ); (3) the principle that God’s covenant love for the people of God necessitates intervention on their part (; , ); and (4) the principle of prayer that believers trust God with all their thoughts and desires.

See Blessing and Cursing.

Neh

There was a politician that was running for a particular office that turned real dirty real quick , The politicians opponent put out a bunch of malishus lies to attempt to damage the character and reputation of his opponent when the team of the accused politician asked their boss how were they going to respond to all of the lies and ridicule ...

He responded to his team and said every time there is a full moon my dog barks and barks and barks at that full moon and the full moon never responds the moon just keeps shinning!!

Let the dogs bark.

When we have the right Mind

We see Co-operation.

“The people had a mind to work.”

Success in war is due to two principles.

The one is, Divide your enemy; and the other is, Unite yourselves.

We see in this passage: I. Co-operation.

“The people had a mind to work.”

Success in war is due to two principles.

The one is, Divide your enemy; and the other is, Unite yourselves.

In proportion as co-operation has been real and vital, in that proportion has it been crowned with success.

II.

Cheerfulness.

“The people had a mind to work.”

Some men think that their function is that of critic

Sometimes people have a mind to talk, but not to work.

Some have a mind to complain not to work

Some have a mind to supervise not to work

Of course, the rebuilding of the walls and the setting of the gates also meant protection and security for the people.

Jerusalem was surrounded by enemies, and it seemed foolish for the residents to improve their property when nothing was safe from invasion and plunder.

Over the years, the citizens had become accustomed to their plight.

Over the years, the citizens had become accustomed to their plight.

Like too many believers in the church today, they were content to live with the status quo.

Then Nehemiah arrived on the scene and challenged them to rebuild the city to the glory of God.

Like too many believers in the church today, they were content to live with the status quo.

Then Nehemiah arrived on the scene and challenged them to rebuild the city to the glory of God.

(3) As they worked with purpose, so they worked with cheerfulness.

III.

Success.

“And all the wall was joined unto the half thereof.”

Nicoll, W. R. (Ed.).

(1958).

The Sermon Outline Bible: 1 Kings– (Vol.

2, p. 163).

Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House.

When we can recognize the Enemy

When we get tied of the trash and not let the trash tire us.

When I’m Bold enough to keep Building

Wiersbe, W. W. (1996).

Be Determined (pp.

50–51).

Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.