The Work On The Wall

Introduction

Continue in the study of Nehemiah

Chapters 1 and 2 covered Nehemiah hearing about the situation in Jerusalem and how the walls were in disrepair.

Nehemiah turned to God in prayer asking for success in returning to rebuild the walls.

He had a chance before the king to request to go and lead the people in rebuilding the walls and it was granted to him.

Nehemiah, through his studying of the his bible and prayer, knew God’s reputation was at stake as well as His covenant with the nation of Israel.

We see a model of valor exemplified by Nehemiah as a forward-looking Christlikeness.

Nehemiah was a student of the Scriptures, a prayer warrior, one who loved God and His people, who sought the good of God’s people at great risk to himself, who showed great courage and boldness protecting God’s people and trusting God, and who lived for the high cause of God’s kingdom.

Let us follow in Nehemiah’s footsteps on the valiant path of Christlikeness: study the Bible, pray, and lay your life down to protect others.

This chapter seems to be organized around the rebuilding of the gates, in fact if you were to follow on a map it would be a counter-clockwise movement.

The gives us a look at those who worked next to those rebuilding the gates for the people who rebuilt the walls between the gates.

Think of what this construction project entailed: wood, tools, labor

Including bolts, bars, and beams.

Remember as we see how Nehemiah led the people to rebuild the walls, we want to discover principles for us to rebuild our identity in our community as a house of God.

There Was A Coordinated Plan

We saw that last week, Nehemiah had a plan in mind before he approached the people to get them to join him in the task

To make progress on the project every worker had to know precisely the undertaking assigned to them.

It’s to lay out the goals for the workers to strive for with a clear direction in mind.

That’s the vision: Nehemiah 2:17, “So I said to them, “You see the trouble we are in. Jerusalem lies in ruins and its gates have been burned. Come, let’s rebuild Jerusalem’s wall, so that we will no longer be a disgrace.”

Nehemiah shared the vision then he delegated responsibility for a segment of the wall to supervisors and then they oversaw the workers.

In churches today, it is folly for the leaders of a church not to ease their workload by delegating some of their duties to other believers.

I am one of the worst at this, not because I fear that the work will not be performed according to my methods or with my expertise!

But how can anyone learn and mature if they are never trusted with some service for the Lord?

I need to be better at having a young or older Christian being trained by working at my side or the side of an older believer who is both wise and patient.

I saw that it has been said that ‘Today’s leaders were yesterday’s novices.’

As a church we need a plan and I’ve shared part it with you

We also need people to pray for our plan

We need people to give input on the plan

And we need people to cooperate

There Was Cooperation

In Nehemiah’s case, he had people from all walks of life and from different places working together to accomplish the task of rebuilding the walls.

He mentions priest and the rulers

Neither group thought it was beneath their dignity to dirty their hands alongside the working people of Jerusalem.

They had goldsmiths going from intricate work to brick laying

Perfume makers, temple servants, merchants and many others all working for one purpose.

The Apostle Paul teaches us that the triune God allocates Christians to, and equips each one for, his or her ministry:

“There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all men.’ Paul concludes his list of the various gifts with these words: ‘All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he gives them to each one, just as he determines.” (1 Cor. 12:4–6, 11).

God gives each one of us a gift to use to serve Him, the church and one another for His glory.

If you don’t think you can do anything, that just not the case, you just haven’t discovered your unique shape for ministry.

You are needed in rebuilding our church.

Notice in verse 12 that Shallum the ruler of a half-district of Jerusalem used his daughters indicating that women were involved.

Women were rarely mentioned in the Near East and when their activities are recorded in the Bible, it indicates something very significant.

These young women showed that they were not afraid to do work normally assigned to men.

Church work isn’t just for men; women and kids need to be involved.

Even people from the surrounding areas were willing to come to Jerusalem and work on the walls.

They had heard the call and came because of their zeal for God.

We should learn from them that the cause of Christ is something that we need to prioritize in our lives.

They had a coordinated plan and were working cooperatively, yet there were some who thought they were above all of that manual labor.

Conceit

Most of the workers worked with all their hearts, but the nobles of Tekoa were called out for not working.

In verse 5 it says they did not life a finger to help the supervisors.

One commentator put it like this:

This is a vivid touch, a glimpse of petty pride rather than half-heartedness.

The unbending neck, as it is translated in other version, is a standard picture of this unbiddable attitude.

If the nobles cut a sorry figure (what would Amos, their townsman, have said!) the rest of their community had nothing to be ashamed of: they were responsible for two sections of the wall (see verse 27).

Nor was there any support for the nobles from others of their status

This is a warning for us to not let pride get in the way of doing God’s work, even if that means we may have to do something we think might be beneath us.

Like a clogged toilet. Unclog it, don’t tell someone else.

I’ve seen a loft of division in churches that can be traced back to pride.

God does not like pride and we need to be aware of it in our lives.

As the people cooperated with the coordinated plan - some were conceited but most could be commended.

Commendation

Though a lot of people worked on the project, Nehemiah took personal interest in each one of his workers.

They weren’t just a number or name, they were people he knew personally and knew their efforts.

In fact, he picks out a few to commend especially for their work.

Here’s a few examples

Malkijah and Hasshub, who ‘repaired another section’ (3:11), and Baruch who ‘zealously repaired another section’ (3:20).

The expression ‘repaired another section’ is found six times in the space of twelve verses (3:19, 20, 21, 24, 27, 30).

Nehemiah does not forget to jot down in his memoirs that ‘Hanun and the residents of Zanoah’ not only rebuilt ‘the Valley Gate’, but they also ‘repaired five hundred yards of the wall as far as the Dung Gate’ (3:13).

The Dung Gate was fixed single-handedly by ‘Malkijah son of Recab’ (3:14).

The men of Tekoa made up for the arrogance and laziness of their leaders by pushing themselves to restore a further section of the wall

Everyone was special and these were highlighted, but I’m sure many others were commended as well.

We need to be careful to give praise to whom it is due.

As a leader you and I, should give an occasional word of appreciation that may prevent some hard-pressed Christian from discouragement.

We have a tendency to take for granted the conscientious Christian who gets on with his or her duties without fuss and complaint.

When such a believer is ill or dies we then discover the extent of their sacrificial and devoted service on behalf of the Lord’s people.

A day is coming when our Master in heaven will reward every one of his trustworthy servants.

Just a note, I am aware of all of you that work in our church.

Many over the past few weeks have helped in moving our office in the midst of a pandemic and I am truly thankful for each and everyone of you.

Your efforts have not gone unnoticed.

Completion

As a result of the people under the leadership of Nehemiah working a coordinated plan cooperatively together with humility and hard work completed the walls.

This work was done in a remarkably short period of time - 52 days!

It is amazing what can be achieved by churches when all the members are committed to the Lord and to each other.

I’ve been told to revitalize a church it takes a minimum of 1,000 days or 3 years

Just imagine what a church can do if everyone cooperated with each other and carry out the plan that God lays out before us.

Our church could be revitalized in a much less period of time.

We would have a rebuilt temple or worship

We would see a renewed people living out Spirit-filled growing lives

As we reset our identity in our community a church where God is alive and active as we minister to our city.

Are you ready to work?

As it says in chapter 2:18, “They said, “Let’s start rebuilding,” and their hands were strengthened to do this good work."

Let’s reaffirm our commitment to revitalizing our church especially during this time of pandemic and the coming out of all the restrictions.

Let’s seek new ways to do church in this day and age.

Let’s pray