The Best Year Yet (Part 1)

Introduction

We have come now to the last Sunday of 2019. Now we can look back upon the past year, with all of its successes and failures and marvel in amazement at what God has done.

At the same time it is natural for us to now turn our attention to the new year, as 2020 fast approaches.

My desire is that 2020 would be the best year yet in the history of High Plains Baptist Church, and I hope that is your desire as well.

We understand that God is certainly capable of doing a great work at High Plains Baptist Church in 2020, a work like we have not yet seen Him do.

We understand this morning that we are reliant upon the power of God, but we must also understand our responsibilities. If God is going to do such a work at High Plains Baptist Church, He will not do it in spite of our laziness and lack of effort but in response to our willingness to work to see it accomplished.

In the book of Nehemiah we see a city whose walls lay in ruins. In only 52 days, a great work is done and the walls are totally restored. This work was a work wrought of God, but how did it come about and what did Nehemiah and the people do to see such a great work completed?

What could God do in the next 52 weeks at High Plains Baptist Church?

We need:

Leaders with a Burden that Brings You to Your Knees ()

If we are going to see God do a great work at High Plains Baptist Church we need to get a burden for our community and for the growth of our church.

I for one, do not want to see High Plains Baptist Church become a statistic, just another church in decline in 2020. I want to see God do a supernatural work, breaking the trend of most churches of our generation and bringing spiritual growth that in turn produces numerical growth.

There are thousands of people who are lost and unchurched in our community. They need Jesus Christ, and we ought to have a burden to reach them with the gospel and to help them to become mature disciples of Jesus Christ.

Nehemiah was so burdened that he was driven to his knees. Nehemiah probably felt hopeless and helpless in the face of the report coming out of Israel, yet he recognized there was hope and help in God and His power.

This drove Nehemiah to fasting and prayer. Notice the substance of his prayer:

(Vs. 5-7) He begins with confession. Nehemiah confesses his own sin and the sins of the nation of Israel. If God is to work mightily at High Plains Baptist Church we must be willing to confess our shortcomings and our failures and come clean with God.

(Vs. 8-9) He appeals to the promises of God- - You and I also have the right to appeal to the promise of God. - “…I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.”

(Vs. 10-11) He makes his request for God to bring His power to bear- Nehemiah knew that it would take God to move the heart of the king to allow him to pursue the rebuilding of the wall. If 2020 is to be the best year yet at High Plains Baptist Church it will take God’s supernatural power working in the hearts and lives of people as well.

At this point Nehemiah is one man with a burden that has fasted and prayed that God would work mightily in Jerusalem again.

() Nehemiah then steps out in faith and God not only answers His request but even causes the king to commit provisions to get the work started.

If you are in a position of leadership at HPBC you ought to have a burden and you ought to be fasting and praying that God would grow HPBC and use us to make a great impact upon our community. You ought to lead the way to the altar at invitation time this morning!

At some point we must be willing to believe God enough to step out in faith trusting that God will do what He has promised to do. Let us enter into 2020 with the expectation that God will do a mighty work in and through our church and let us be willing to step out in faith as God directs.

People Who Will Catch the Burden and Participate in the Work ()

Nehemiah would never be able to accomplish the work that needed to be done on his own. He needed help to see the walls restored.

What he needed was a group of people who would catch the burden and commit to participate in seeing the work through to completion.

There is no way that a few individuals in leadership positions at HPBC can do the work that will need to be done if 2020 is to be the best year in the history of High Plains Baptist Church.

(Vs. 16-17) Nehemiah shared his burden with the Jews, including the priests, the nobles, the rulers and the rest of the people in hopes that they would catch his burden and commit to being a part of the work that God desired to do.

As the burden is communicated to each of you this morning what will your response be? The people Nehemiah shared his burden with responded by communicating their commitment to be a part of the work! (Vs. 18b)

The people then set about preparing themselves for the work. If you want to be a part of the work that God wants to do at High Plains Baptist Church in 2020 you must strengthen your personal walk with the Lord so that you are prepared to be a part of the work!

Then we see in Chapter 3 all the groups and individuals who would participate in the work.

(Vs. 1) the priests,(Vs. 2)- the men, (Vs. 8-9) the working class, (Vs. 12) the ruler and his daughters, (Vs. 17) the Levites,

Every social class, every people group was contributing to the work.

If 2020 is to be the best year in the history of HPBC then we will need everyone to find a way to contribute. You may not be able to do some things that others can do but every one of us can do something!

All of these different classes of people from different walks of life were each working together toward a common goal. We see no envy, no division only perfect unity as they work together to accomplish the work God has called them to do!

People Who Know How to Respond to Distractions ()

Sanballat and Tobiah are determined to hinder the work that God has led Nehemiah and the people to pursue. It is their aim to draw Nehemiah and the people away from doing what God has called them to do.

Nehemiah knew exactly how to respond. (Vs. 4-9) He took the matter to God in prayer and then went right back to work.

The people had made a commitment to the work of God but now Sanballat and Tobiah come to oppose them and to distract them from the work.

If you make a commitment to the work of God today, you can be certain that distractions will arise to draw you away from the commitment you have made. When they do, take it to God, and then get right back to work!

(Vs. 14-15) Don’t be ruled by fear, instead focus on God and trust Him to help you keep your commitment to the work. Do not let anything distract you from your commitment to the Lord and the work that He has led you to do.

- these men even attempted to distract Nehemiah personally, the devil will often try to distract those who are in leadership roles, but Nehemiah responds by reaffirming his commitment to the work! Even in the face of their threats, Nehemiah trusted God and continued to work!

Ultimately the wall was completed in 52 days time. Why was so much accomplished in such a small space of time?

Because a spiritual leader had a burden and fasted and prayed for God to work!

Because a group of people from all walks of life caught the burden and committed to participate in the work!

Because Nehemiah and the people trusted God and would not let anything distract them from the work He had called them to accomplish!