Nehemiah 3

Compliment: The people of Jerusalem, although broken into disparate groups/clans, bound bound together in what eventually became a unified effort to rebuild the Jerusalem Wall

Timeless Theological Truth: A divinely stirred community is distinguished by 3 marks:

A divinely stirred community is Anchored in Invitation

A divinely stirred community is Activated in Worship

A divinely stirred community is Awakened in Unity

Introduction

Close your eyes and picture this with me

You are a stranger in a foreign land, a land that is ruled one of the most powerful kings the world has ever known. You done well for yourself, Through political allegiances, Family connections, a lot of skill, and a little bit of luck, you have obtained the position of cupbearer to this powerful king.

God himself has blessed you to be in the kings inner circle. While serving the king he asks For your counsel in all sorts of matters, foreign and domestic and he respects your wisdom and ability to cut through all the court politics and advise him on the best course of action. You’ve earned his trust and proven to be a loyal and wise confidant. Everything is going swimmingly and you find contentment and meaning in your position.

Then one day when you are going to about your normal business affairs, running errands for the king, and you come across a countryman who brings word about your ancestral homeland , he has just returned from Jerusalem.

A place that was once the center of your people’s mighty empire

A prominent city in a land that was once overflowing with economic abundance

But, most importantly, Jerusalem is the city chosen by Yahweh, the one true God,

and at its center Lies the nation of Israel’s most important structure

the Temple of Yahweh

Jerusalem Temple

Lies the nation of Israel’s most prominent structure the Jerusalem Temple

the central rallying point for your people’s identity,

it is know as the house of Yahweh where He has designated His people to worship Him.

The news your countryman brings isn’t good. During your conversation, your new friend describes the current state of this former glorious city.

The picture he paints is bleak. The once famous walls that marked the boundaries of the City of David, the area immediately surrounding the Jerusalem Temple, are now broken rubble haphazardly strewn about the area. The gates once intricately designed to welcome worshipers into God’s sacred space are now charred and broken. Rather than showing delight and pride in the devoted craftsmanship of these gates, the people hold their heads in shame.

The news is devastating. It sticks with you and weighs you down. You cry out to God on behalf of your people appealing to His covenant faithfulness. And, in a whirlwind of events, you find yourself sent to make things right with the king himself as your sponsor.

Needs lead-in to Big idea

You’ve been given the difficult task of restoration but you are confident that God is at work, stirring the hearts of the people in Jerusalem to join with you to rebuild.

Not just walls and gates, but pride in who they are are called to be, a nation of unified worshipers carrying the name of Yahweh.

Big Idea

Today we are going to explore Nehemiah’s description of the building of the Jerusalem Wall (in ) and discover that he has left us 3 distinct Marks of a Divinely Stirred Community

Let’s start our exploration by turning to

Then Elia-shib 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 Han-a-nel.

And next to him the men of Jericho built. And next to them Zac-cur the son of Imri built.

The sons of HAS-sena-AH built the Fish Gate. They laid its beams and set its doors, its bolts, and its bars. (, ESV)

And so on and so on. Chapter 3 consists of 32 verses listing who, under Nehemiah’s supervision, built what section of the wall around Jerusalem.

And so on and so on. Chapter 3 consists o

Chuck Swindoll Joke

To be honest, I wasn’t sure where to start with this

So, I thought to myself, “I should probably check what other preachers have done with this passage.”

So I opened up Chuck Swindoll’s book on Nehemiah and Leadership, Hand Me Another Brick.”

An absolutely fabulous resource for leaders who want to be challenged as they walk through the book of Nehemiah.

But! Guess What? He basically skips this entire chapter!

So, with no help from Chuck, I prayed about it and put it aside for a while.

Aberdeen Wall Illustration

As I prayed about how to make sense out of this passage,

and not look like a fool in front of my new friends here today for picking such a seemingly obscure passage, God kept putting the picture of my time in Aberdeen, Scotland into my head.

The importance of gates became apparent to me

During my time in Aberdeen, while completing my PhD work in Biblical Studies

I was Constantly in awe of the ancientness of the city and its surrounding areas,

one of my favorite things was to explore the city.

So, usually with my boys and Melodie in tow, we would go walking.

Picture of Josh and the boys

One of the things we noticed pretty quickly was how high some of the granite walls were,

so high in fact that it was practically impossible to see what was on the other side.

So we would follow these walls walking along the pavement (that’s what they called sidewalks) while the mystery deepened.

As we walked along, it was as if the wall itself was leading us,

guiding the way and creating a palatable expectation.

For what, we didn’t know.

PAUSE

Then we would round a bend and suddenly come to an open gate,

Picture of Gate

When you came to one of these gates, all you had to do was look through to discover something breath taking,

Picture of Open Space with Castle

the gate stood as an open invitation to come and experience the very thing we had been following the wall to discover.

Sometimes we forget that walls serve a greater purpose then simply keeping people out,

instead, they might be marking off a space that is held special,

a space held sacred by the community of people

a space where the gates themselves are an open invitation to experience this space and the beauty inside.

A Divinely Stirred Community is Anchored in Invitation

This brings us to the first mark of a Divinely Stirred Community, that it is Anchored in Invitation.

Might not be evident at first, esp with a cursory reading of our text.

The Temple Context

BUT

If we take into account that the book of Nehemiah

sits within the narrative of God’s Redemptive Story,

a story that is implicit in the context of scripture as a whole

where God consistently acts to save His people and draw them to his presence,

we begin to see that the wall the people of Jerusalem were working to build actually served to mark off the sacred space immediately surrounding the Jerusalem Temple in the inner part of Jerusalem, what was known as The City of David.

actually served to mark off the sacred space immediately surrounding the Jerusalem Temple in the inner part of Jerusalem,

what was known as The City of David.

And, within God’s Redemptive Story

the Temple itself held an invitation to relationship that extends to all the nations of the world.

A invitation that began with God’s promise to Abraham that all the nations of the world would be blessed through him,

An Invitation that continued with the people of Israel being led to the Promised Land by God himself,

delving deeper and deeper into God’s sacred space

all the way to the Temple Mount in the city of Jerusalem.

Within this Story, God consistently called His chosen people to be different from the surrounding nations,

not because of a Houty-Touty arrogance thinking they were better than anyone else,

but because they were a chosen people saved by His grace,

carrying His personal name, Yahweh.

Compare to other ANE Walls and Sacred Spaces

First, usually in City Walls = Physical Defense:

ANE cultures built walls as a sign of self- sufficiency. Patted themselves on their back. Strength and security in walls. Exclusive hubris and pride. Think Jericho.

Temple Walls = Spiritual Separation:

Walls, within a city, that surrounded the god’s temple and marked the boundary, between sacred space, the space immediately surrounding the temple and everything else.

Within the wall, was Sacred Space, space set aside for worship of a certain god,

This Space determined through magical ceremonies involving astrological readings, pronouncements of oracles, and sacrifices of animals. They did All this to find a place that would please their god, in hopes they would be blessed and protected.

They attempted to build on places of natural power that would honor their gods and entice their presence to remain.

Cultures like the Egyptians had hundreds of temples dedicated to multiple gods, each with their own sacred space within its walls, where Secret rituals, sacrifices, and initiation ceremonies took place

Several Cultures, like ancient Sumeria, held mock-wedding ceremonies inside their most sacred space, where the king himself stepped into the role of a god and took credit for the creation of the world and the fertility of the people.

Back to Israel

Now, when it comes to Israel it seems pretty evident from the text that the People in Jerusalem, surrounded by enemies on all sides, needed some kind of wall for physical defense in case of an attack.

But, we need to recognise that when God stirs someone’s heart it’s for theological reasons. His concern is definitely for His people BUT, most importantly,

these are the people, who carry His name, Yahweh,

dwell in His city, Jerusalem

and worship in His sacred Space, the Jerusalem Temple

and this space was designed by God himself to be invitational.

taken in context, and recognising where the Jerusalem Temple

taken in context, and recognising where the Jerusalem Temple

The People of Israel were to be a light for all nations to find their way into His loving presence.

Is one of many verses that talks about God’s plan to include all nations as they worship in his presence.

Speaking to the people of Israel, he says:

“I am the Lord; I have called you in righteousness;

I will take you by the hand and keep you;

I will give you as a covenant for the people, a light for the nations”

In fact, just 60 years previous to Nehemiah’s time, they had completed the rebuilding of the Temple in Jerusalem,

and the Prophet Zechariah spoke these words, again reminding the people of Israel, newly returned from exile,

of a time to come when the invitation to all nations would be accepted and people from all over would come to worship God.

“Thus says the Lord of hosts: Peoples shall yet come,

even the inhabitants of many cities.

The inhabitants of one city shall go to another, saying,

‘Let us go at once to entreat the favor of the Lord and to seek the Lord of hosts; I myself am going.’

Many peoples and strong nations shall come to seek the Lord of hosts in Jerusalem and to entreat the favor of the Lord.

Thus says the Lord of hosts: In those days ten men from the nations of every tongue shall take hold of the robe of a Jew, saying,

‘Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you.’ ” ()

So, let’s not mistake God’s stirring of the hearts of his people with a feeble attempt to build a wall that would serve as a barrier to entering into his sacred space.

Let’s not be so in awe of the wall that we miss the invitation implicit in gates.

And, Let’s not lose sight of invitational anchor that the Jerusalem Temple was meant to be, an anchor for a community who carried the name of Yahweh.

A Divinely Stirred Community is Activated in Worship

Through Nehemiah’s firsthand account we can also discern the Second Mark of a Divinely Stirred Community,

This mark isn’t explicit in the text but it is evident in the way the people spring into action and begin to rebuild the Jerusalem Wall and Gates. Through their action we can see that a Divinely Stirred Community is Activated in Worship.

Think for a moment what that must have been like.

Separate tribes of people occupying a city surrounded by hostile nations.

Just 60 years previously, they had made great strides by rebuilding the Jerusalem Temple, the cultural and spiritual center of their once great nation.

So we cannot forget that the people of Israel hearts were stirred by God himself, to complete this construction project, to partition off God’s sacred space.

At God’s command, they had begun to worship Him again within the space He had designated.

Things were headed in the right direction. But we come to Nehemiah’s time and not much more progress has been made.

with multiple gates that served as open invitations for people of all ethnic backgrounds to come and worship Yahweh, the one true God at His Temple.

The Temple in Jerusalem is surrounded by brokenness and rubble.

God’s sacred space,

the area outside the Temple where people gathered to worship by reading scripture and singing

where people gathered to worship by reading scripture and singing

is strewn with rubble,

So we cannot forget that this building project that the community was taking part in as they were diwe are reading about today was never about constructing a wall. It was about partitioning off God’s sacred space with multiple gates that served as open invitations for people of all ethnic backgrounds to come and worship Yahweh, the one true God at His Temple.

Gates that were meant to be invitations to community and an experience of God’s relational love

were broken and blocked with debris.

Walls that were meant to protect the people as they worship

and lead to the gates of invitation had crumbled.

The faithful people, barely surviving in this hostile environment, lacked the resources to to do anything about it.

So, when Nehemiah comes on to the scene with the backing of the Persian King and the resources to repair the walls and the gates,

they spring in to action.

they spring in to action.

There are two beautiful but seemingly simple phrases that reveal so much.

Bookends to our chapter today

Nehemiah speaking:

And I [Nehemiah] 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 [The people of Jerusalem] said, “Let us rise up and build.”

So they strengthened their hands for the good work. ()

And then, after some of the work was completed:

So we rebuilt the wall until all of it reached half its height, for the people worked with all their heart. ()

In response to God’s stirring,

The people engaged their hands, hearts, and minds

and in this moment

they became a Community Activated in Worship.

This pursuit of God’s will,

and they became a Community in Motion

a pursuit that engages not only your head and heart,

But also your hands is worship in its purest form.

I’m not just talking about Jazz Hands during worship:)

actively stirred by God, who continued to show his faithfulness to His people.

But rolling up your sleeves and digging into what God has stirred your heart to do

Illustration Needed

A Divinely Stirred Community is Awakened in Unity

A third mark is evident in Nehemiah’s account and it has to do with with a different kind of rebuilding.

Anything could happen by the time news would get to him that they were in trouble.

While the physical structure of the wall and gates is being rebuilt, God is also doing work on the hearts of his people stirring them towards a unity only He can provide.

So our last observation from the text will be that

A Divinely Stirred Community is Awakened in Unity

Imagine with me for a moment, each group building in their section, right where they live.

As they work, they can look to the left and to the right,

across from each other (kitty or catty corner),

Whichever we say in Texas, and see other groups working.

Each group led by their own leaders where they live,

focused on their own task, but part of something bigger.

Video First Slide

Lets take a moment and look at the Verbs in chapter 3, verbs that describe the awakening that is taking place

Play Video and Leave On Finished Diagram of the Temple

Arose, Built, Set, Restored, laid, consecrated, dedicated, put, erected, repaired, rebuilt

These Verbs, although simple in their use, are not just descriptions of mundane actions.

When we look at the context and space in which these actions take place,

God’s Sacred Space surrounding His Temple,

we can see that they describe something awesome.

We see that God has stirred their hearts and minds a towards a singular purpose,

and they act in one accord to accomplish His will,

Something not possible if they had not worked together

in His Sacred Space,

And, as they engage their hands, hearts, and minds

a space He has set apart specifically set apart to engage in the worship!

in this act of worship

within God’s Sacred Space,

something supernatural happens that goes way beyond the construction of a wall.

They start to become the people of Israel again.

What once were different groups occupying different sections of the city,

each with their own agendas,

are now reunited in purpose,

they are Awakened to Unity

Illustration Needed

In Summary:

A Divinely Stirred Community.....

Is Anchored in Invitation

Is Activated in Worship

Is Awakened in Unity

Application

Think about your own Community

To what degree does your community reflect the 3 Marks of a Community Stirred by God discovered here today?

*Walk through each mark

Think of a real percentage!

Where is God stirring you in your leadership role to step into one of these areas?

Think of a practical thing you can do in the first week you are back home.

Share with your neighbor and then spend a few min praying for each other and their idea. Commit to keep praying throughout the year!