Nehemiah - Remaining Where God Wants You

Introduction: So much of my relationshiop with Amanda has been standing in front of things posing for pictures. But many of our favorite pictures are of ones we had to work for. Standing on the Summit Overlooking the vast expanse of creation.

You wish you could just stay there. But the best you can hope for is trying to stay in that state of mind. Living in light of God’s creation.

Transition to the Text: There are times when we have these experiences in life that take your breath away. You are absolutely in awe. Hopefully you are a believer and acknowledge that it is God.

As we continue through the Nehemiah, that last few weeks for the people of Israel has been an experience that took their breath away. Now the festivities from the last few weeks have been winding down. As the celebration from the completion of the wall and rededication of the people to their God.

This has been a monumental high in the life of these people. For the first time in a long time they have a pride in their national identity. They have a faith and trust in their God.

But now as life is about to get back to normal, the burning question on everyone’s mind has to be”

Now what?

These last few weeks have been great, but will this actually affect our daily lives?

Let’s take a look at what happens next.

Read:

Nehemiah 11:1–2 ESV

1 Now the leaders of the people lived in Jerusalem. And the rest of the people cast lots to bring one out of ten to live in Jerusalem the holy city, while nine out of ten remained in the other towns. 2 And the people blessed all the men who willingly offered to live in Jerusalem.

Transition: What follows after this is again a list of names that tell us the people who were willing to live in Jerusalem. And you might ask, what’s so bad about Jerusalem? Well, it was still a city in ruins, it just had a wall around it. Those who would stay would commit themselves to rebuilding the city and living there. It wasn’t going to be like living in New York or LA.

And these are people who had perhaps gotten used to their lives out in the country.

Moving is not fun…Just ask Pastor Daniel’s wife DeeDee. This was going to be rough.

But sometimes God calls us to the uncomfortable. He calls us to be inconvenienced.

Even when sometimes we don’t necessarily want to, we need to:

Big Idea: Remain where God wants you to be.

Transition: Have you ever ever had to stay somewhere when you would have rather left? Have you ever had to do something hard even though it was the right thing to do? This is the life of someone trying to follow Jesus.

So part of Nehemiah’s task was to determine who would repopulate the city. Who would continue the work to ensure that this city would once again be the crown jewel of the nation of Israel. This was not going to be an easy road for those who stay.

It seems like it is the Leaders are the ones who willingly offered to remain in Jerusalem. Others probably did as well.

1. Leaders remain when others leave.

Explanation: It seems like it was the leaders who willing volunteered to stay. The rest of the population will be flushed out by a lottery (casting lots). Now from these very short passages we get the distinct impression that this is not a lottery that many people wanted to win. Leadership sometimes means setting an example by doing something that you wish you didn’t have to. Like living in a crumbling city. By the very definition, these leaders probably could have easily lived a much more luxurious lifestyle in the foothills of Mt. Zion.

yashov - to remain

Illustration: As I read this passage, I can’t help but think of a mission to Mars in movies. You know the scene, there is a dangerous pioneering mission to build a colony on mars. You probably won’t come back. Would you volunteer? But even those movies know how difficult that decision would be so they usually pick some guy who’s already lost everything but the will to live. And he dramatically steps forward and says I’ll go. But the high moment of accepting the task usually is short lived and the movie producers are going to make that guy miserable for the next 90 minutes. And of course those who go have their names written down forever while those who stay fade into obscurity.

And again, we have a list of names of people willing to follow God no matter where He leads. And He is leading them to stay and rebuild the city that will one day condemn and crucify Jesus.

Application: This reminds me of all that the disciples gave up to follow Jesus. But a time came when things got tough and people began to walk away from Jesus. And he asks them if they want to leave too?

John 6:68 ESV

68 Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life,

One of life’s greatest dilemnas is knowing when to stay and when to go. When to leave a job? When to stay even though you’re going through a rough time? When to take a risk? When to play it safe? But one thing is absolutely sure, no matter where we go, following Jesus is the best route on our journey of life.

However, God’s desire and will for your life is almost always on the other side of pain and suffering. It certainly was for the Jewish people even now. The next 400 years would not be easy…just look at the book of Daniel and the plan he lays out.

But they are willing to do it because they are grateful.

2. Grateful people willingly remain faithful.

Explanation: While this wasn’t exactly an assignment that anyone wanted, Nehemiah doesn’t record any bickering or complaining. That’s significant because the writers of scripture don’t ever shy away from depicting the childish bickering of God’s ungrateful people. But in this case, the ending is overall good.

Everyone seems to know what is at stake here. The rebuilding and reestablishing the city of Jerusalem is something that has been prophesied for hundreds of years. And these people get to be a part of it. And they willingly endure the hardship that is to come because they are grateful.

Just look at what they’ve experienced these past few weeks. From the lowest lows of their sin and disobedience to the highest highs of God’s grace and love for His people. They are grateful. So what response would they have but to willingly do whatever for their God?

Illustration:

Application: As a youth pastor, I’ve spent a lot of time at youth camps where students and leaders have an intense time of diving into God’s word and being pushed toward Jesus. And what’s amazing is that by the end of the week, we are all riding an amazing high that we would do anything for Jesus in that moment. We call this a mountaintop experience. It helps that its usually in the mountains.

But what I have come to realize that usually 2 weeks later things are back to regularly scheduled programming. Why? Because, it’s hard to remain on that high mountain top. Because following Jesus isn’t about living on the mountain tops, but in the valleys.

The past few weeks for the people of Israel had been a mountain top experience. How will they respond when things get rough?

For followers of Jesus, the only place to remain is with Jesus. I’m reminded of :1-5

John 15:1–5 ESV

1 “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. 2 Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. 3 Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. 4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. 5 I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.

Yes sometimes following Jesus is hard. Sometimes we feel like God has abandoned us. But he hasn’t. Like I said, God’s will for their lives was on the other side of the cross. And then Jesus said, take up their cross and follow Him.

And the same is true of us today.

Can you remain when others leave? Can you follow Jesus when others abandoned Him? Can you follow when it gets hard?

Reflection: Where has God called you to be?