Reviving Spiritual Commitment & Community

Part II: Re-building the Community of Faith ;

Hinge reconstruction of the wall to reconstruction of the people. Holiness

Reviving Your Spiritual Commitment when Pressured By a God-Forgetting Lifestyle

Imagine you see most hard working construction crew slug forms, pouring concrete, laying re-bar, floor jousts. Framed up walls. You’re thinking most magnificent mansion ever built. Day after day you say - wow if this is just the foundation, imagine what the completed house is going to look like. But day after day imagine for over a month, they just keep toying around with that foundation, and the framing. Sanding it and painting it. Over and over again. Checking if its 100% square. Oh no, we just like building the firs stage so much, all we are really good at, doesn’t look finer each day? Scratch your head and say, I thought the point was there’d be a house, a mansion, with the finest living!

So it is with the church of jesus Christ, we can get so fixated on structure, keeping the structure going, maintaining the building, the programs, keeping the status quo going - that we don’t get on with the point of the church - which is lives being rebuilt by Christ for the glory of Christ. You could compare to Living Small Group ministry. We could spend forever tweaking the plan, the structure, eventually got to get down to getting in the word, listening and caring for one another, or all the planning is for naught! This was precisely the point that Nehemiah and God’s people were at in Ch 7. This the hinge of the book, the wall is completed, but now must swing to the whole reason they built the wall, so that a city, the holy city, the new community of God re-built in His very presence rebuilt by His Holy Word could rise up.

After Nehemiah rebuilds the walls of Jerusalem, God takes over the rebuilding of the spiritual community of His people.

1. Rebuilding a Spiritual Community Requires Gatekeepers & Guards (v.1,3)

To understand this need a bit of context. Remember at the end of Chapter 6, subtle attack of enemies of God’s people. 6:12 S, Tob, hired prophets old friends of Nehemiah to intimidate, try to get him to sin. Look at 6:17-18. Tobiah sending many letters, Sanballat married into the family of priest. These nobles who also intermarried, trafficking in slaves, charging usury. While God dealt with these threats in amazing ways, still Nehemiah realized the threats would not go away. He realized that there was a God-forgetting, a secularizing force - that though the walls were done, would undermine the life of the people of God, if he didn’t do something.

Look at his solution. He doesn’t wait for the next crisis, but proactively appoints Gatekeepers, in v 1, and in v.3b a local miltia of guards, watchmen who stationed close to their own homes and families! Listen to how it worked:

Look at his solution. He doesn’t wait for the next crisis, but proactively appoints Gatekeepers, in v 1, and in v.3b a local miltia of guards, watchmen who stationed close to their own homes and families! Listen to how it worked: 3a Siesta time high noon shut and barred the doors. Saw the threat of a day time attack while in the sleepy time of day.

Nehemiah 7:3a ESV

And I said to them, “Let not the gates of Jerusalem be opened until the sun is hot. And while they are still standing guard, let them shut and bar the doors. Appoint guards from among the inhabitants of Jerusalem, some at their guard posts and some in front of their own homes.”

Siesta time high noon shut and barred the doors. Saw the threat of a day time attack while in the sleepy time of day.

Spiritual truth being taught here. We also live surrounded by a culture that tends to be God-forgetting, secularizing. Influences of greed, lust, pride, self-cetnredness whether from media, or business partinoined off from God’s presence, entertainments that stream into our homes - that contribute to a God-forgetting life! Nehemiah teaches us that we need a firewall. Never have a computer that just lets in every virus, spyware from the internet into your home. Kids with cellphone, laptops programs designed to use the camera take video of you while in your home don’t even know it! Nehemiah sees a similar type of threat and says: need people in our lives who have a guarding influence. Who are trained to shout out wolf - to examine influences of our lives. Parents, prayer partner or accountability partner, elders are to gaurd the flock from false teaching, dangerous influences in our lives. In our we must have time, devoted time where we foster this idea that we are set apart by God to be His holy people, not jsut to be bombarded by all our wants, work, and demands of others. Does your home have that?

In whole denomination way can be thankful for Office of Social Justice - not always for strategy to solve problems - but to raise awareness of dangerous influences in our society - destructiveness of sex-trade, child abuse, abortion, ethenasia. Equally need in personal piety and justice, those who see the dangers of abusing alcohol, drugs, local traps in unhealthy friendships - lifestyles - Say, in sales on the road - eating poorly, do we have friends who would speak into this. What if sexually not sinning yet, but wandering. Notice.

The rebuilding of Christian community requires that kind of gatekeeping in our relationships. And certainly individually - like John Bunyan’s Holy War - ey gate, ear gate, touch gate - realize need self-government.

But here’s a practical question, who would you trust to play such a role in your life, in our community? Look who Nehemiah sets up to oversee this gate-keeping venture: v.2 Hanani and his brother Hananiah and why? Because he was a man of integrity and feared God more than most men do! We need to find friends and be friends who are known for making God the most important person in our buy lives. We must choose leaders whose priorities and influence for God we trust! Hananiah was successful as a military leader, like many of our leaders are successful in their work, business, farming. But that’s not qhat qualifies them, though a leader, what set him apart from most others was how each day he understood hismelf to be led by God

But here’s a practical question, who would you trust to play such a role in your life, in our community? Look who Nehemiah sets up to oversee this gate-keeping venture: v.2 Hanani and his brother Hananiah and why?

Nehemiah 7:2 ESV

I gave my brother Hanani and Hananiah the governor of the castle charge over Jerusalem, for he was a more faithful and God-fearing man than many.

Because he was a man of integrity and feared God more than most men do! We need to find friends and be friends who are known for making God the most important person in our buy lives. We must choose leaders whose priorities and influence for God we trust! Hananiah was successful as a military leader, like many of our leaders are successful in their work, business, farming. But that’s not qhat qualifies them, though a leader, what set him apart from most others was how each day he understood hismelf to be led by God

II. Rebuilding a Spiritual Community Requires Singers! (7:1, 8:1-3,6)

Now this is absolutely astonishing.

Now this is absolutely astonishing. It reminds of a documentary movie: The Singing Revolution. Folk singing in Lithuania brought down the communist government. How could Nehemiah turn his attention from brick and mortar projects, from social, economic problems, to appointing an army of singers for Jerusalem. Powerful message here for those who want to rebuild their spiritual life and the spiritual life of a faith community!

Nehemiah 7:1 ESV

Now when the wall had been built and I had set up the doors, and the gatekeepers, the singers, and the Levites had been appointed,

It reminds of a documentary movie: The Singing Revolution. Folk singing in Lithuania brought down the communist government. How could Nehemiah turn his attention from brick and mortar projects, from social, economic problems, to appointing an army of singers for Jerusalem. Powerful message here for those who want to rebuild their spiritual life and the spiritual life of a faith community!

Secularization, God-forgetting lifestyles that threaten us are first of all overcome, by making sure we get our priorities straight. And what is the highest priority of a believer, or a community of believers. What is the greatest commandment. This is so critical that we put first things first. It’s not loving ourselves, its not even serving our neighbour. It’s loving, worshiping God. The number one goal of a church is not missions. It will burn out if it is. The number one goal that will fuel everything else is worship. There will be a time when mission is done, but worship always continue. Central act of a believer’s life - to be praying to, adoring, praising, communing with the living God!

In , get four main components of life: work; relationship; service in raising up other image bearer, and lastly and most importantly there is worship! The cool of the day to walk with God, pattern of 1 out of 7 return to me rest let me work in you. Serious challenge to you to have family, or personal worship. In the hospital at the table, in the car.

Nehemiah knew that the God-forgetting lifestyle, the secularizing culture - would do away with the Sabbath - open those gates and trading. He knew that busy people trying to set up there homes and businesses, connect with family again - would squeeze out worship! So he makes regular worship, true temple worship a priority that would keep God big in each Israelites life!

How quickly this can change: Jews in America only 17% regard religious observance as important to their Jewish ID. 2/3rds say to be a good Jew without believing in God at all! Could it happen here that the next generation thinks regular worship, acceptable worship in Jesus name with God’s people just a preference. The Governor makes worship a priority in the lives of the people!

And if you look at you’ll see that Nehemiah sends the people home after the 52 days of camping out - and they can hardly wait to get back to their families, farms. But he set a d ate, 1 day seventh month, everyone come back -

And if you look at 8:1-3 you’ll see that Nehemiah sends the people home after the 52 days of camping out - and they can hardly wait to get back to their families, farms. But he set a date, 1 day seventh month, everyone come back - and setting the priority of worship says have a special worship time, teaching time together. Mid week prayer meeting or special service - wondering get a few…Holy Spirit takes over - and people show up with neighbours, wives and children - all show up - at the break of day. Hungering to be in worship to hear God speak. Chanting Ezra, when he’s done v.6 raised hands, Amen! Amen! Face to the ground. Ever get before the Lord like that? Prayer meeting - ready to grow in holiness!

Nehemiah 8:1–3 ESV

And all the people gathered as one man into the square before the Water Gate. And they told Ezra the scribe to bring the Book of the Law of Moses that the Lord had commanded Israel. So Ezra the priest brought the Law before the assembly, both men and women and all who could understand what they heard, on the first day of the seventh month. And he read from it facing the square before the Water Gate from early morning until midday, in the presence of the men and the women and those who could understand. And the ears of all the people were attentive to the Book of the Law.

Nehemiah 8:1–3 ESV

And all the people gathered as one man into the square before the Water Gate. And they told Ezra the scribe to bring the Book of the Law of Moses that the Lord had commanded Israel. So Ezra the priest brought the Law before the assembly, both men and women and all who could understand what they heard, on the first day of the seventh month. And he read from it facing the square before the Water Gate from early morning until midday, in the presence of the men and the women and those who could understand. And the ears of all the people were attentive to the Book of the Law.

and setting the priority of worship says have a special worship time, teaching time together. Mid week prayer meeting or special service - wondering get a few…Holy Spirit takes over - and people show up with neighbours, wives and children - all show up - at the break of day. Hungering to be in worship to hear God speak. Chanting Ezra, when he’s done

Nehemiah 8:6 ESV

And Ezra blessed the Lord, the great God, and all the people answered, “Amen, Amen,” lifting up their hands. And they bowed their heads and worshiped the Lord with their faces to the ground.

Nehemiah 8:6 ESV

And Ezra blessed the Lord, the great God, and all the people answered, “Amen, Amen,” lifting up their hands. And they bowed their heads and worshiped the Lord with their faces to the ground.

Nehemiah 7:6 ESV

These were the people of the province who came up out of the captivity of those exiles whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried into exile. They returned to Jerusalem and Judah, each to his town.

you’ll see that Nehemiah sends the people home after the 52 days of camping out - and they can hardly wait to get back to their families, farms. But he set a date, 1 day seventh month, everyone come back - and setting the priority of worship says have a special worship time, teaching time together. Mid week prayer meeting or special service - wondering get a few…Holy Spirit takes over - and people show up with neighbours, wives and children - all show up - at the break of day. Hungering to be in worship to hear God speak. Chanting Ezra, when he’s done v.6 raised hands, Amen! Amen! Face to the ground. Ever get before the Lord like that? Prayer meeting - ready to grow in holiness!

v.6 raised hands, Amen! Amen! Face to the ground. Ever get before the Lord like that? Prayer meeting - ready to grow in holiness!

and setting the priority of worship says have a special worship time, teaching time together. Mid week prayer meeting or special service - wondering get a few…Holy Spirit takes over - and people show up with neighbours, wives and children - all show up - at the break of day. Hungering to be in worship to hear God speak. Chanting Ezra, when he’s done v.6 raised hands, Amen! Amen! Face to the ground. Ever get before the Lord like that? Prayer meeting - ready to grow in holiness!

v.6 raised hands, Amen! Amen! Face to the ground. Ever get before the Lord like that? Prayer meeting - ready to grow in holiness!

III. Rebuilding a Spiritual Community Requires Bible Teaching! (7:1c, 8:7-8) Here too you must understand the situation: God’s Word the Torah His Will, the Great Promises of the Nevim Prophet, and the Writings - all in Hebrew locked up away from the people. Just like when in Latin. For at least 100 years Jews were now speaking Aramaic unable to understand. When Ezra some 14 years before came to help , we read that he check among the people for Levites, but found none. Made arrangements for Levites and temple servants to come. God had appointed a whole tribe of his 12 tribes to be Levites. True you think yes the priests are from that tribe. But only a few served as priests, the majority of levittes served in other minsitry functions. The most important of which was to take the Torah -the Teaching of God and each of the tribes - teach it and apply it to real life situation in all the villages. They were the school teachers, the Bible Study leaders. That had stopped! Nehemiah discerns that there can be no revitalization of God’s people, no great work of God is these Levites aren’t organized and a great Bible Study program released among the people of God!

II. Rebuilding a Spiritual Community Requires Bible Teaching! (7:1c, 8:7-8)

Here too you must understand the situation: God’s Word the Torah His Will, the Great Promises of the Nevim Prophet, and the Writings - all in Hebrew locked up away from the people. Just like when in Latin. For at least 100 years Jews were now speaking Aramaic unable to understand. When Ezra some 14 years before came to help , we read that he check among the people for Levites, but found none. Made arrangements for Levites and temple servants to come. God had appointed a whole tribe of his 12 tribes to be Levites. True you think yes the priests are from that tribe. But only a few served as priests, the majority of levittes served in other minsitry functions. The most important of which was to take the Torah -the Teaching of God and each of the tribes - teach it and apply it to real life situation in all the villages. They were the school teachers, the Bible Study leaders. That had stopped! Nehemiah discerns that there can be no revitalization of God’s people, no great work of God is these Levites aren’t organized and a great Bible Study program released among the people of God!

I remember being a kid, watching a movie a bought father’s struggle with illiteracy - wanted to read a book to his kid, had to pretend - pretended for drivers licence. Got a job as trucker - lost with signs, crashed it. That’s how it goes in our spiritual lives without knowing God’s word. J I Packer puts it bluntly “Ignorance of God’s Word makes it impossible to serve and please God!”

So look at .

So look at 8:7. After Ezra proclaims the word, there are 13 levites out in the various parts of the crowd interpreting in Aramaic, explaining the meaning. Nehemiah assures that they are in Jerusalem, but also systematically in every town.

Nehemiah 8:7 ESV

Also Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, the Levites, helped the people to understand the Law, while the people remained in their places.

After Ezra proclaims the word, there are 13 levites out in the various parts of the crowd interpreting in Aramaic, explaining the meaning. Nehemiah assures that they are in Jerusalem, but also systematically in every town.

Now what about us?Who here wants to be a good servant of Christ Jesus -got to be trained int he words of the faith and the good doctrine you have followed:

Now what about us? tells us to gymnasticize ourselves toward godliness. Train like an athlete trains her body for the olymics, do that with the Bible which will be even more prfitable for this life and the next! Church history shows that there is no significant movement toward God if our bibles are not open. William Tyndale, Arch Bishop Thomas Cramner, King Edward VI, Puritans -practical Xn living literature. Christian schooling movement. Teaching Bible in our own homes. Excited as we believe in the priesthood of all believers, that we have a calling to speak the Word of God richly into each others lives. T have parents, teachers, elders and deacons who know the Word, alive to the, and they are excited to share it, to have mall groups!

1 Timothy 4:7–8 ESV

Have nothing to do with irreverent, silly myths. Rather train yourself for godliness; for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come.

tells us to gymnasticize ourselves toward godliness. Train like an athlete trains her body for the Olympics, do that with the Bible which will be even more profitable for this life and the next! Church history shows that there is no significant movement toward God if our bibles are not open. William Tyndale, Arch Bishop Thomas Cramner, King Edward VI, Puritans -practical Xn living literature. Christian schooling movement. Teaching Bible in our own homes. Excited as we believe in the priesthood of all believers, that we have a calling to speak the Word of God richly into each others lives. T have parents, teachers, elders and deacons who know the Word, alive to the, and they are excited to share it, to have mall groups!

IV. Rebuilding a Spiritual Community Requires Re-Location of our Relationships (7:6-7)

Who was living in Jerusalem these last years, be like a war-zone, a construction one. Who would settle a family in such an environment? Nehemiah wants this city to become the holy city, a godly community. He looks back to this census taken by Cyrus - father and grandfathers who had a stake in Jerusalem, inspired by their faith, Nehemiah is calling these families - to come and live in closer proximity to each other to the Temple - to reconfigure their whole lives for the mission of God in Jerusalem.

Who was living in Jerusalem these last years, be like a war-zone, a construction one. Who would settle a family in such an environment? Nehemiah wants this city to become the holy city, a godly community. He looks back to this census taken by Cyrus - father and grandfathers who had a stake in Jerusalem, inspired by their faith, Nehemiah is calling these families - to come and live in closer proximity to each other to the Temple - to reconfigure their whole lives for the mission of God in Jerusalem. And many respond and leave their homes and farms to start again as kind of a community life church plant! What would it take for you to do that? I’m not suggesting all do that? But how about moving into some new relationships here? Reconfiguring your fellowship - who you are really living your life with? In your neighbourhood what would it take?

Nehemiah 7:7 ESV

They came with Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Nehemiah, Azariah, Raamiah, Nahamani, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispereth, Bigvai, Nehum, Baanah. The number of the men of the people of Israel:

Nehemiah 7:6–7 ESV

These were the people of the province who came up out of the captivity of those exiles whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried into exile. They returned to Jerusalem and Judah, each to his town. They came with Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Nehemiah, Azariah, Raamiah, Nahamani, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispereth, Bigvai, Nehum, Baanah. The number of the men of the people of Israel:

And many respond and leave their homes and farms to start again as kind of a community life church plant! What would it take for you to do that? I’m not suggesting all do that? But how about moving into some new relationships here?

And many respond and leave their homes and farms to start again as kind of a community life church plant! What would it take for you to do that? I’m not suggesting all do that? But how about moving into some new relationships here? Reconfiguring your fellowship - who you are really living your life with? In your neighbourhood what would it take?

Nehemiah 7:70 ESV

Now some of the heads of fathers’ houses gave to the work. The governor gave to the treasury 1,000 darics of gold, 50 basins, 30 priests’ garments and 500 minas of silver.

Reconfiguring your fellowship - who you are really living your life with? In your neighbourhood what would it take?

Former member here - MOVE IN MINISTRY - major city live in low cost apartment with Muslims - serve them - witness to Christ. Some moving to India! What would it take to strategically say I feel called to serve here? To this person, this new family. This hurting family. I feel called to serve shoulder to shoulder with this person! Do you believe God could call you to that here?

That’s what it would take - the call of God! That’s how it worked in the early church - First in Jerusalem - many just stayed after Pentecost - why stay - hostile to Christians. But then Lord moved many to liquidate their lands, give as needed , but Spirit was preparing for them to move out to Judea, Samaria - able to move to start homes, business, churches . Same with the Apostle Paul - Ephesus, Athens, Corinth, Rome. Classis thinking of TO - 100,000. But how would you know?

That’s what it would take - the call of God! That’s how it worked in the early church - First in Jerusalem - many just stayed after Pentecost - why stay - hostile to Christians. But then Lord moved many to liquidate their lands, give as needed , but Spirit was preparing for them to move out to Judea, Samaria - able to move to start homes, business, churches . Same with the Apostle Paul - Ephesus, Athens, Corinth, Rome. Classis thinking of TO - 100,000. But how would you know? V.5 So my God put it into my heart. There are more opportunities to serrve in the kingdom then all of us could ever do - Ukraine, Haiti, DR , stay, go - plant, As we spend regular time in God’s presence - trust give us peace, ability to discern where he would have each one of us serve!

Nehemiah 7:5 ESV

Then my God put it into my heart to assemble the nobles and the officials and the people to be enrolled by genealogy. And I found the book of the genealogy of those who came up at the first, and I found written in it:

There are more opportunities to serrve in the kingdom then all of us could ever do - Ukraine, Haiti, DR , stay, go - plant, As we spend regular time in God’s presence - trust give us peace, ability to discern where he would have each one of us serve!

But there is a last piece of this puzzle of God rebuilding the spiritual community and that is this:

5. Rebuilding a Spiritual Community Requires Kingdom Generosity!(7:70-73)

While this was certainly first-fruits giving - they hadn’t even been able to set up their homes, new businesses, and farms yet - and while it was completely voluntary; what strikes me most about this giving of God’s people was that they were generous with the needs for the immediate ministry at hand. It reminds me of the early church knowing their bro/sis in Jerusalem starving, all take up an offering. It reminds me of a need being expressed for Mkar, or CRWRC disaster relief; but this is a generosity for a local mission, directly affecting them. Garments, and materials for the rebuilding of their own spiritual lives! Generosity of time, invested talents, but also of money for promoting local Bible Study, for training of ministry leaders, And the application is to look where the fields are white for harvest and prayerfully let your generosity flow. Daring investment in the kingdom of God here.

While this was certainly first-fruits giving - they hadn’t even been able to set up their homes, new businesses, and farms yet - and while it was completely voluntary; what strikes me most about this giving of God’s people was that they were generous with the needs for the immediate ministry at hand.

Nehemiah 7:70–73 ESV

Now some of the heads of fathers’ houses gave to the work. The governor gave to the treasury 1,000 darics of gold, 50 basins, 30 priests’ garments and 500 minas of silver. And some of the heads of fathers’ houses gave into the treasury of the work 20,000 darics of gold and 2,200 minas of silver. And what the rest of the people gave was 20,000 darics of gold, 2,000 minas of silver, and 67 priests’ garments. So the priests, the Levites, the gatekeepers, the singers, some of the people, the temple servants, and all Israel, lived in their towns. And when the seventh month had come, the people of Israel were in their towns.

All different It reminds me of the early church knowing their bro/sis in Jerusalem starving, all take up an offering. It reminds me of a need being expressed for Bible League, or a disaster relief; but this is a generosity for a local mission, directly affecting them. Garments, and materials for the rebuilding of their own spiritual lives! Generosity of time, invested talents, but also of money for promoting local Bible Study, for training of ministry leaders, And the application is to look where the fields are white for harvest and prayerfully let your generosity flow. Daring investment in the kingdom of God here.

It reminds me of the early church knowing their bro/sis in Jerusalem starving, all take up an offering. It reminds me of a need being expressed for Bible League, or a disaster relief; but this is a generosity for a local mission, directly affecting them. Garments, and materials for the rebuilding of their own spiritual lives! Generosity of time, invested talents, but also of money for promoting local Bible Study, for training of ministry leaders, And the application is to look where the fields are white for harvest and prayerfully let your generosity flow. Daring investment in the kingdom of God here.

Nehemiah and those who followed his leadership saw the present and future in terms of their godly heritage.

They saw in God’s Word the Kingdom the goal and set their feet on the path to walking toward that Kingdom. They applied themselves together and as a result they had a part to play to in the coming of the Messiah.

It is no different for us - for the Messiah is coming again but before He comes the church must be built in every land, and every last one of Christ’s children is brought in.

We like Nehemiah can build the physical walls, but let us be found faithful in following God as He takes over the rebuilding of our spiritual community! Let us be found faithful in playing our part in this community of grace that others might come in before Jesus returns!