It's All in Your Mind (and Heart)

Introduction

What does it take to succeed? What makes the difference between making it and not making it? What drives individuals to overachieve?

How did a simple carpenter and twelve common men manage to change the world bring humanity into relationship with God?

How did a basic cupbearer become God’s agent to restore Jerusalam?

We are going to look at some of these questions today as we consider the 3rd and 4th chapters of Nehemiah.

This is the second sermon in a series entitled, “Helpful Hints for Higher Heights.” This specific sermon is entitled, “It’s All in Your Mind (and Heart).” We will look at the people of Jerusalem, under Nehemiah’s leadership, who, against all odds, rebuild the destroyed walls of Jerusalem.

Scripture

Nehemiah 4:1–6 NIV

1 When Sanballat heard that we were rebuilding the wall, he became angry and was greatly incensed. He ridiculed the Jews, 2 and in the presence of his associates and the army of Samaria, he said, “What are those feeble Jews doing? Will they restore their wall? Will they offer sacrifices? Will they finish in a day? Can they bring the stones back to life from those heaps of rubble—burned as they are?” 3 Tobiah the Ammonite, who was at his side, said, “What they are building—even a fox climbing up on it would break down their wall of stones!” 4 Hear us, our God, for we are despised. Turn their insults back on their own heads. Give them over as plunder in a land of captivity. 5 Do not cover up their guilt or blot out their sins from your sight, for they have thrown insults in the face of the builders. 6 So we rebuilt the wall till all of it reached half its height, for the people worked with all their heart.

Transition

I want to look at chapters 3 and 4 from a four-part perspective with an emphasis on the final part. I want us to consider these chapters with these four words: Revival, Roles, Hate and Heart. The primary focus will the be my final thought around the concept of Heart.

Revival

In general a revival is the improvement of the condition or strength of something. Nehemiah was on a mission of revival. The people of Jerusalem, and all of Isreal, were in a condition of destroyed hopes and fearful faith. They had been destroyed by their enemies. This destruction was utter and complete. The city of Jerusalem had been the center of the nation and the center of worship. The city of David had been powerful and the temple had been beautiful and holy. Now both had ceased to exist.

Without a wall, no city in the ancient Near East was safe from bandits, gangs and wild animals, even though the empire might be at peace. The more economically and culturally developed a city was, the greater the value of things in the city, and the greater the need for the wall. The temple, with its rich decorations, would have been particularly at risk. Practically speaking, no wall means no city, and no city means no temple. - Mark Rogers of the Theology of Work Project

The walls of Jerusalem were down. They were defeated and destroyed. But Nehemiah is on a mission of revival. He is on a mission to build from the ruble that had been left behind during the catastrophic events that had overcome the city and the nation.

Nehemiah’s mission was a mission of revival and restoration. His mission was to lead the people to a restored fullness of life that allowed for safety and worship. Isn't that the church’s mission today? Wasn’t that Jesus’s mission? To free us from the threat of the law and return us to a fullness in worship and relationship with God? Nehemiah is bringing the freshness of God’s power in the desolation of Jerusalem. Like a cool drink of water - living water - to a thirsty people.

Roles

To achieve this revival, Nehemiah needed help. He needed the people to rally around the mission and join in the mission. Chapter 3 focuses on describing how different people worked on different sections of the wall. There are different people with different roles and reasons for their work. Some are more successful then others.

Nehemiah 3:5 NIV

5 The next section was repaired by the men of Tekoa, but their nobles would not put their shoulders to the work under their supervisors.

The nobles were there and were part of the process, but were not highly motivated and did not work hard.

The church body has those people. They are supportive of the mission and they are on-site but their help is less then overwhelming. You will notice though, Nehemiah does not actually criticize them. He simply notes their lack of effort.

Nehemiah 3:12 NIV

12 Shallum son of Hallohesh, ruler of a half-district of Jerusalem, repaired the next section with the help of his daughters.

Not only was this “ruler” working, but his daughters were as well. These are the only women mentioned in Nehemiah’s account of the rebuilding of the wall. Women did a lot of difficult and demanding work. But clearing rubble and working with stones were not typically something that women did. While the nobles in verse 5 were not fully committed or invested, the daughters of Shallum were exceptionally invested and committed. They were working outside of their comfort zone - likely outside of the comfort zone of the people around them. They made the mission their own.

The church body has these people as well. People who reached beyond what is expected and take on tasks that are outside of their “normal” roles. People who are not concerned with what others assume is what they should do and, instead, dedicate themselves to the mission with all that they have.

Nehemiah 3:23 NIV

23 Beyond them, Benjamin and Hasshub made repairs in front of their house; and next to them, Azariah son of Maaseiah, the son of Ananiah, made repairs beside his house.

Nehemiah 3:28 NIV

28 Above the Horse Gate, the priests made repairs, each in front of his own house.

For some, the mission is very personal. In these verses we see people working, essentially, in their front yards. The wall is not some abstract thought or idea. It is not something that needs to be repaired “over there.” The security of the wall is very personal for them. It is part of their daily experience. They have walked by the rubble daily - perhaps praying for God to restore their identify and safety for their home. Not just the city or the nation. But for their home. The mission is very personal and they take responsibility for their part. They don’t wait for someone else to bring them relief. They make themselves available and address the problems close to home.

The church body has these people as well. People who feel the mission deep in their being. People who seek the revival of God’s people in a compelling personal way. People who do not look for someone to do the work for them but take on the mission directly in front of them.

Hate

How does the enemy respond to revival? What happens when we become faithful to God’s calling? God’s love and the love of his people trigger a response of hate from evil and the adversary.

Nehemiah 4:1–3 NIV

1 When Sanballat heard that we were rebuilding the wall, he became angry and was greatly incensed. He ridiculed the Jews, 2 and in the presence of his associates and the army of Samaria, he said, “What are those feeble Jews doing? Will they restore their wall? Will they offer sacrifices? Will they finish in a day? Can they bring the stones back to life from those heaps of rubble—burned as they are?” 3 Tobiah the Ammonite, who was at his side, said, “What they are building—even a fox climbing up on it would break down their wall of stones!”

There is anger in Sanballat’s words. He cannot stand the idea that God’s people were restoring the city and, by extension, the temple. He saw them as “feeble” and ridiculed them. But under that anger is fear. When the people of God are faithful, they are not achieving victory. They are claiming the victory that has already been won. The enemy is fearful because they are already defeated.

The victories achieved by the church are reflections of and manifestations of the victory already achieved. The rebuilding of the wall is not a new thing. God had already established Jerusalem and his presence in the temple. The destruction of the city was because of the faithlessness of the people. The victory was always God’s, but the people abandoned it.

Detour

I want to make a brief detour. Last week we discussed how prayer was a theme throughout Nehemiah. In verse 4, following Sanballat’s words, Nehemiah prays.

Nehemiah 4:4–5 LEB

Hear, our God, for we are despised. Turn their scorn on their head and give them over to plunder in the land of captivity. Do not cover their guilt, and do not let their sin be blotted out from before you. They have provoked the builders to anger.

Heart

Here is the focus.

Nehemiah 4:6 LEB

So we rebuilt the wall, and all of the wall was joined up to half its height. For the people had a heart to do it.

“For the people had a will to do it.”

We have to find and act in the roles set for us. We have to be willing to build on the rubble and generate revival. We have to be prepared to deal with anger and hate to response to our love. But none of that matters if we do not have the right attitude and heart. The people could not have been successful if they had not had the will - the mindset and the heart for the mission.

This is the crux of the matter. We can show up and fill the role prepared for us. We can be part of the revival and face the difficulties thrown at us. But if we are not focused on what is holy and Godly, we will fail. If we do not have a heart for the God and the gospel we know, then we will fail.

Conclusion

In the end, its all in our heads and hearts. If we think back to the begining of this story, it was Nehemiah’s heart that kicked everything off.

Nehemiah 1:4 LEB

When I heard these words, I sat and wept and mourned for days, and I was fasting and praying before the God of the heavens.

He had a heart for the mission and his heart reflected God’s heart.

His clear plan presented to the king and exexuted in Jerusalam reflected a commitment to God’s people and the mission set before him.

Once Nehemiah was in Jerusalam the people responded to his call to action. This reflects their hear and their hard work reflected their commitment.

“For the people had a will to do it.”

Where is your heart? What is your mind set on?

Will you pray for and build revival? Will you fulfill your role? How passionatley will fulfill that role? Will you stand up to the enemy with courage? Will you consistently pray as you are on mission with God?

Do you have the will to rebuild the wall?