Building Together

A Adams

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Nehemiah 3

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Introduction & Review

<<PRAY>> <<CW>> <<TRANSITION>>

We’re a few weeks into our series in Nehemiah.

445 BC, Israel under Persian power

God redeemed from Egypt, Covenant, ( in )

Jeremiah, Nebuchadnezzar, 586 BC

Return 538, Temple 516, still no wall 141 years later

2:12 - It’s N’s mission… Q:

Intro to Nehemiah

Intro to rebuilding of Jerusalem

“Viggo Olsen, who helped rebuild ten thousand houses in war-ravaged Bangladesh in 1972, derived unexpected inspiration from reading a chapter ordinarily considered one of the least interesting in the Bible: ‘I was struck . . . that no expert builders were listed in the “Holy Land Brigade.” There were priests, priests’ helpers, goldsmiths, perfume makers, and women, but no expert builders or carpenters were named.”

Q: Why not leave the building work to the pros?

3 discoveries in the text in 3 points. CPS: God builds when his people stand shoulder to shoulder in Gospel work.

I. One mission for all our works

EXPLAIN:

7 kinds of work listed in this chapter:

Build gate (1, 3); Consecrate (1); Repair wall (4-13, 16-32); Repair gate (6, 13, 14, 15); Repair tower (11); Rebuild gate (13, 14, 15); Build wall (2)

Consecrate (1)

READ v1 for BUILD GATE & CONSECRATE; READ 13 for REBUILD GATE, REPAIR GATE, and REPAIR WALL; READ 11 for REPAIR TOWER; READ 2 for BUILD WALL

Repair wall (4-13, 16-32)

Nehemiah 3:1 ESV

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. They consecrated it as far as the Tower of the Hundred, as far as the Tower of Hananel.

Repair wall (4-13, 16-32)

Nehemiah 3:2 ESV

And next to him the men of Jericho built. And next to them Zaccur the son of Imri built.

Nehemiah 3:13 ESV

Hanun and the inhabitants of Zanoah repaired the Valley Gate. They rebuilt it and set its doors, its bolts, and its bars, and repaired a thousand cubits of the wall, as far as the Dung Gate.

Repair gate (6, 13, 14, 15)

Nehemiah 3:11 ESV

Malchijah the son of Harim and Hasshub the son of Pahath-moab repaired another section and the Tower of the Ovens.

Repair gate (6, 13, 14, 15)

Explain gates, towers, walls

Towers were defensive structures - allowed for protecting the gates - esp. on the north side where we begin, where the Temple stood. Gates also security / defensive structures. Must be able to be quickly closed against attackers, strong enough to keep them out, etc.

Sheep Gate & Tower of Hundred & Tower of Hananel - top of Mt Zion, north of temple

Repair tower (11)

Some portions of the wall were devastated so completely that they crushed and demolished the terraces & houses built further below the hillside, and were abandoned - rebuilt further up-hill; some were torn down but rebuilt in same place

Repair tower (11)

Walls were stone, very thick and strong, but built rapidly - stone walls filled with rubble

Rebuild gate (13, 14, 15)

To accomplish this work: Gathering of stone, mixing of mortar, filling of wall cavities, repairing of breaches. Surveying, leveling, setting foundations & pillars, beams, cutting stone, laying stone

Build wall (2)

Sheep Gate & Tower of Hundred & Tower of Hananel - top of Mt Zion, north of temple

Gathering of stone, mixing of mortar, filling of wall cavities, repairing of breaches. Surveying, leveling, setting foundations & pillars, beams, cutting stone, laying stone

Gates - beams, doors, bars, covers (canopies or roofs)

Build wall (2)

Rapid work - “So the wall was finished on the twenty-fifth day of the month Elul, in fifty-two days. ( ESV)”

Archaeology shows wall was built rapidly, but solidly.

So there’s a lot to do! Too much for Nehemiah, that’s for sure. Nehemiah knew this from the beginning. I think we’ve seen already in this book that Nehemiah’s no fool.

There’s a few important verses in chapter 2 that sets the stage for chapter 3.

Nehemiah 2:12 ESV

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.

Nehemiah 3:16 ESV

After him Nehemiah the son of Azbuk, ruler of half the district of Beth-zur, repaired to a point opposite the tombs of David, as far as the artificial pool, and as far as the house of the mighty men.

Nehemiah 2:16 ESV

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.

neh 2.1

Nehemiah had a job - to equip and deploy his people to build the wall. Look how he did it in verses 17-18 of chapter 2:

Nehemiah 2:17–18 ESV

Then I said to them, “You see the trouble we are in, how Jerusalem lies in ruins with its gates burned. Come, let us build the wall of Jerusalem, that we may no longer suffer derision.” And I told them of the hand of my God that had been upon me for good, and also of the words that the king had spoken to me. And they said, “Let us rise up and build.” So they strengthened their hands for the good work.

Who gave Nehemiah the mission he was on? Verse 12 says it was God who put it on his heart. Was there a different mission for Tekoa, Zanoah, Mizpah, Gibeon? No! The priests, the nobles, the officials and the rest were all called to one mission: Build the wall of Jerusalem. But they had different works on that mission. The priests were the only ones with the job of consecrating the work. Some worked on towers, some worked on gates, some worked on walls. You want to know what would have been off-mission? For a family to rebuild their ancestral house when the mission is to build the wall.

Here’s how I know <<CONTEXT>>

Nehemiah 7:4 ESV

The city was wide and large, but the people within it were few, and no houses had been rebuilt.

There was one mission, given by God, to all the people. And there was enough work for everyone, and too much for Nehemiah.

APPLICATION

Mistaken missions: Repair your house first, repair the road first, repair another town first. As the people of God, by faith in Christ, we must not forget that the priorities and the mission don’t get set by the wider culture, or by Christian authors or podcasts.

Churches don’t get to decide on their own mission.

The priorities haven’t changed since Jesus gave them.

The wall of Jerusalem was a priority because people were in trouble and shame (, ).

An insignificant problem, but basement: if I install the ceiling before I deal with the drainage problem, I’m still in danger of flooding and I’ve wasted time on a project likely to be destroyed

To rebuild the house before the wall is to prolong the danger to all in order to serve themselves.

Today, we need a reminder that there is only one mission for the Church. It’s not different for churches in the suburbs and churches in the city, not different for churches in Illinois and churches in India. In times of relative ease, we’re seduced into thinking the priorities have changed. There’s a time and place for Christian involvement in politics, and compassion ministries, etc., but these things absolutely must submit to the mission Christ gave us or else they become idols and false gospels.

So what’s the mission? And does it have enough work for all of us

Not just for apostles - , in , Pet preaches but all telling works of God; - Stephen (deacon) proclaims; - apostles in Jerusalem, all the rest bearing witness to Christ in fulfillment of Acts 1:8

Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.

mention hell

In times of ease, we must not forget that the people around us are in trouble and shame, just like

Legion: "Return to your home, and declare how much God has done for you." And he went away, proclaiming throughout the whole city how much Jesus had done for him. ( ESV)

And calling the crowd to him with his disciples, he said to them, "If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. 35 For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel's will save it. 36 For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul? 37 For what can a man give in return for his soul? 38 For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him will the Son of Man also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels." ( ESV)

All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; 19 that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. 20 Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. 21 For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. ( ESV)

I bet you know more about Jesus than that man did on that day

"Return to your home, and declare how much God has done for you." And he went away, proclaiming throughout the whole city how much Jesus had done for him. ( ESV)

Then he said to them, "These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled." 45 Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, 46 and said to them, "Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, 47 and that repentance for the forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. 48 You are witnesses of these things. 49 And behold, I am sending the promise of my Father upon you. But stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high." ( ESV)

Mission is why we have projection, preaching, singing, committees, CW, nursery, ADS, small groups, etc.

RELATE both to work within the Church and our work in the world

ADD 3 sentences on the MISSION and 3 sentences on APPLICATION to all our works

<<Hold till II>>

II. One calling for all peoples

41 groups of people listed -

1 Eliashib & the priests begin with the Sheep Gate, consecrate (1, 22, 28 - priests)

Men of towns - Jericho (2), Gibeon & Mizpah (7), inhabitants of Zanoah (13), priests of surrounding area (22)

Men known by family name (2-4, 6, 10-11, 20-25, 29-30)

1 Eliashib & the priests begin with the Sheep Gate, consecrate (1, 22, 28 - priests)

Men of towns - Jericho (2), Gibeon & Mizpah (7), inhabitants of Zanoah (13), priests of surrounding area (22)

Tekoites (w/o rulers) (5, 27)

Men known by family name (2-4, 6, 10-11, 20-25, 29-30)

Tekoites (w/o rulers) (5, 27)

Men known by own names (7, 23)

Tekoites (w/o rulers) (5, 27)

Men known by own names (7, 23)

Tradesmen (8, 32) - goldsmiths, perfumers, merchants - businessmen, middle class

Tradesmen (8, 32)

Rulers (9, 12, 14, 16, 17, 18, 19) - “Ruler of half the district” - Province of Judah divided into “districts,” areas surrounding towns / cities, like modern counties. Larger towns like Jerusalem were divided in half. Local rulers (i.e. powerful men)

Rulers (9, 12, 14, 16, 17, 18, 19)

Daughters (12)

Levites (17)

Temple servants (26)

Brothers (1, 18)

Locals (10, 20 [Eliashib], 23, 26 [Ophel], 28 [priests], 29, 30)

EXPLAIN:

If we take a sample of the verses in chapter 3, we’ll notice that the people who join the work match up closely with the groups mentioned in 2:16.

Nehemiah 2:16 ESV

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.

Look at some of the ways the people are described in chapter 3:

In v1, the high priest and his brothers the priests.

In vv2, 7, and 13, we have men named for their towns - Jericho (2), Gibeon & Mizpah (7), and Zanoah (13). The people of Tekoa are mentioned twice, in verse 5 and 27.

Throughout the chapter, we have people from prominent families - Zaccur son of Imri, in v2, Meremoth son of Uriah, son of Hakkoz, in v4. Hananiah son of Shelemiah and Hanun the sixth son of Zalaph in v30.

There’s a small number of people listed only by their own names, without any mention of family, or occupation.

In verses 8 and 32, we have tradesmen and businessmen listed - goldsmiths, perfumers, and merchants.

The Levites who aren’t priests are listed in verse 17. The Temple Servants are in verse 26.

In addition to men from other towns, we’ve also got locals mentioned - folks who had homes in Jerusalem, either homes that survived or ancestral homes that hadn’t been rebuilt - Jedaiah in v10, Eliashib the high priest in v20, Benjamin and Hasshub in v23, and others in verses 26, 28, 29, and 30

In verse 12, we see that the calling wasn’t just for the men.

Nehemiah 3:12 ESV

Next to him Shallum the son of Hallohesh, ruler of half the district of Jerusalem, repaired, he and his daughters.

What do we see here in this list of names, titles, hometowns, and families?

We see a diverse people standing shoulder to shoulder for a united calling. They did different work, but they did it together for God. They came from different towns and backgrounds, but they stood next to one another.

In verse 5, Nehemiah singles out the non-nobles from the city of Tekoa. The verse says the nobles wouldn’t serve. But just down the wall a little ways, in verses 9-19, we have seven district rulers named - these were regional magistrates above the nobles of places like Tekoa. We have the priests, the aristocracy, the Persian-appointed politicians, the middle class craftsmen, townspeople, servants, men and women both, serving together in a building project.

Among those who belonged to the Lord, no one was left out. No one was without a place on the wall. There was more than enough work to go around, as evidenced by the fact that at least six groups worked on two or more sections of the wall.

APPLICATION

You know what I notice here? No one is called an architect, no one is called a stonemason. I’m sure some of the people who worked on the wall were builders by trade, but I guarantee you, by the world’s standard, Ezer, son of Jeshua, ruler of Mizpah could have complained that he was too busy ruling Mizpah to build a wall. The daughters of Shallum could have complained that they weren’t cut out for this kind of work.

But they didn’t. They heard Nehemiah’s call and responded, all of them, by going to the wall.

The only exception, the only sorry failure in this whole chapter, are the nobles of Tekoa.

Nehemiah 3:5 ESV

And next to them the Tekoites repaired, but their nobles would not stoop to serve their Lord.

neh 2.5

Nobody else begged off, nobody else sat back and watched the pros do the work, and nobody said, “That’s not my gift.” Nobody else said, “I’ll volunteer, but only if I don’t have to serve with those guys.” The nobles of Tekoa are memorialized forever in God’s Perfect Word as the epitome of irony - they’re called “noble,” but their own common townspeople outshine them by completing not one, but two sections of the wall without them according to verses 5 and 27.

In , we saw a few weeks ago how Paul characterized the Gospel work that was done in Corinth. Paul planted, Apollos watered, and God gave the growth. Paul laid down the foundation in preaching Jesus Christ, and each one must take care how he builds on the foundation.

Just as there’s one mission for all our works, there is one calling for all peoples. We’re called to build.

In chapter 4 of Paul’s letter to the Ephesians, we read this (and this is a long quote, but it’s worth it):

Ephesians 4:1–16 ESV

I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call— one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. But grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ’s gift. Therefore it says, “When he ascended on high he led a host of captives, and he gave gifts to men.” (In saying, “He ascended,” what does it mean but that he had also descended into the lower regions, the earth? He who descended is the one who also ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things.) And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.

I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, 2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, 3 eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 4 There is one body and one Spirit-- just as you [[not some of you, all of you]] were called to the one hope that belongs to your call-- 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.

So there’s one calling - for Jew and Gentile, ruler and townsperson, politician and merchant, in Ephesus or Corinth or Jerusalem or Winnetka, or Glenview, or Capetown. The calling is to the hope that belongs to your call - the hope that comes from knowing the one Lord by the only faith that saves. And just like Nehemiah’s brothers and sisters, we are a diverse people called together. Here’s how Paul continues in -

7 But grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ's gift. .. 11 And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, 12 to equip the saints <<i.e. all who belong to Jesus>> for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ ( ESV)

Just as Nehemiah's people had one calling to one mission, every one of us has been called, together, diverse though we are, with a variety of gifts, to build up the body of Christ.

There is no spiritual gift of spectatorship. There is no calling to sit and watch the building up of the body of Christ. The work is too diverse, the calling is too big.

There are people in this very Body who have stepped up like the people of Tekoa - they’ve not only served, they’ve doubled up. They keep seeing needs and responding. These are your brothers and sisters, who hear there’s a shortage of children’s worship leaders and plug the holes in the schedule. They hear we need more folks in Awana and they step up. They don’t have more time than the rest of us, they don’t have a different mission than the rest of us. But I believe that God sees. The fact that you and I will probably forget every other name in except the people of Tekoa and their foolish nobles is proof that it matters to God whether we respond when He calls.

says that God gave the Church prophets, apostles, evangelists, pastors and teachers to equip you for ministry. The building up of the Body isn’t a job for the pros. There’s too much to do, and the calling is for you.

HOW to step up to the wall -

Trunk & Treat

Small Groups

Children’s Worship

Grab one or two brothers or sisters and commit to pray every week together for one another, for opportunities to witness, etc.

Not everyone is an evangelist, but everyone called to be a witness. Maybe terrifying. Pray! Ask for help! ((Nehemiah was the man with the plan - here’s ours:

III. One Lord for all of life

I want us to close our time in chapter 3 by looking at the first and last verses.

Nehemiah 3:1 ESV

Nehemiah 3:31–32 ESV

After him Malchijah, one of the goldsmiths, repaired as far as the house of the temple servants and of the merchants, opposite the Muster Gate, and to the upper chamber of the corner. And between the upper chamber of the corner and the Sheep Gate the goldsmiths and the merchants repaired.

neh

Nehemiah 3:32 ESV

And between the upper chamber of the corner and the Sheep Gate the goldsmiths and the merchants repaired.

There are two gigantic truths right on the face of these verses. This is a consecrated and comprehensive work. The priests started out the work at the Sheep Gate, and once they’d finished, they consecrated it - they proclaimed that it belonged to God.

And in verses 31-32, look how we conclude: Right back where we started. Nehemiah makes sure we know that this work was completed all the way around the city. It was comprehensive.

If the wall wasn’t for God, then it wasn’t worth doing. It had to be a full circuit

First of all, notice that

We started with the question, “Why shouldn’t I leave the work of ministry to the ministry professionals.”

Just as was the case for Nehemiah, God has given us one mission. God gave him the mission to rebuild the wall around Jerusalem, but Christ has given us another mission - make disciples of all nations.

There’s a variety of work, but one mission.

There’s a diversity of people, but one calling.

This work was consecrated. It benefited the people of Jerusalem, but it was ultimately for God. He’s the one who issued the call through Nehemiah.

There is one body and one Spirit-- just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call-- 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.

When Jesus Christ called us out of darkness and into the light of His salvation, He did not call us to set aside some of our lordship over our own lives, to divide our allegiances between him and other gods. He called us to serve Him and His kingdom alone. The mission we’ve been called to is consecrated and comprehensive.

Romans 12:1–2 ESV

I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

He didn’t

Jesus said it this way:

"If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. 35 For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel's will save it. (Mark 8:34-35)

Colossians 3:16–17 ESV

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

There wasn’t a single stone in that wall that was meant to be dedicated to another Lord besides God. And there wasn’t a single square inch of Jerusalem that was meant to be left out of the wall’s circuit. You and I have been called to the service of the Lord Jesus Christ, that everything we do in this building, and everything we do on Monday morning at work, and everything we do with our finances, and our children, and our friends, and our spouses, and our parents, and our studies, should be dedicated to Him.

When we start a work by dedicating it to Him, He helps us with the how & when <<ELABORATE>>

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