Work Where You Are

Revelation

Nehemiah 3 CSB

1 The high priest Eliashib and his fellow priests began rebuilding the Sheep Gate. They dedicated it and installed its doors. After building the wall to the Tower of the Hundred and the Tower of Hananel, they dedicated it. 2 The men of Jericho built next to Eliashib, and next to them Zaccur son of Imri built. 3 The sons of Hassenaah built the Fish Gate. They built it with beams and installed its doors, bolts, and bars. 4 Next to them Meremoth son of Uriah, son of Hakkoz, made repairs. Beside them Meshullam son of Berechiah, son of Meshezabel, made repairs. Next to them Zadok son of Baana made repairs. 5 Beside them the Tekoites made repairs, but their nobles did not lift a finger to help their supervisors. 6 Joiada son of Paseah and Meshullam son of Besodeiah repaired the Old Gate. They built it with beams and installed its doors, bolts, and bars. 7 Next to them the repairs were done by Melatiah the Gibeonite, Jadon the Meronothite, and the men of Gibeon and Mizpah, who were under the authority of the governor of the region west of the Euphrates River. 8 After him Uzziel son of Harhaiah, the goldsmith, made repairs, and next to him Hananiah son of the perfumer made repairs. They restored Jerusalem as far as the Broad Wall. 9 Next to them Rephaiah son of Hur, ruler of half the district of Jerusalem, made repairs. 10 After them Jedaiah son of Harumaph made repairs across from his house. Next to him Hattush the son of Hashabneiah made repairs. 11 Malchijah son of Harim and Hasshub son of Pahath-moab made repairs to another section, as well as to the Tower of the Ovens. 12 Beside him Shallum son of Hallohesh, ruler of half the district of Jerusalem, made repairs—he and his daughters. 13 Hanun and the inhabitants of Zanoah repaired the Valley Gate. They rebuilt it and installed its doors, bolts, and bars, and repaired five hundred yards of the wall to the Dung Gate. 14 Malchijah son of Rechab, ruler of the district of Beth-haccherem, repaired the Dung Gate. He rebuilt it and installed its doors, bolts, and bars. 15 Shallun son of Col-hozeh, ruler of the district of Mizpah, repaired the Fountain Gate. He rebuilt it and roofed it. Then he installed its doors, bolts, and bars. He also made repairs to the wall of the Pool of Shelah near the king’s garden, as far as the stairs that descend from the city of David. 16 After him Nehemiah son of Azbuk, ruler of half the district of Beth-zur, made repairs up to a point opposite the tombs of David, as far as the artificial pool and the House of the Warriors. 17 Next to him the Levites made repairs under Rehum son of Bani. Beside him Hashabiah, ruler of half the district of Keilah, made repairs for his district. 18 After him their fellow Levites made repairs under Binnui son of Henadad, ruler of half the district of Keilah. 19 Next to him Ezer son of Jeshua, ruler of Mizpah, made repairs to another section opposite the ascent to the armory at the Angle. 20 After him Baruch son of Zabbai diligently repaired another section, from the Angle to the door of the house of the high priest Eliashib. 21 Beside him Meremoth son of Uriah, son of Hakkoz, made repairs to another section, from the door of Eliashib’s house to the end of his house. 22 And next to him the priests from the surrounding area made repairs. 23 After them Benjamin and Hasshub made repairs opposite their house. Beside them Azariah son of Maaseiah, son of Ananiah, made repairs beside his house. 24 After him Binnui son of Henadad made repairs to another section, from the house of Azariah to the Angle and the corner. 25 Palal son of Uzai made repairs opposite the Angle and tower that juts out from the king’s upper palace, by the courtyard of the guard. Beside him Pedaiah son of Parosh 26 and the temple servants living on Ophel made repairs opposite the Water Gate toward the east and the tower that juts out. 27 Next to him the Tekoites made repairs to another section from a point opposite the great tower that juts out, as far as the wall of Ophel. 28 Each of the priests made repairs above the Horse Gate, each opposite his own house. 29 After them Zadok son of Immer made repairs opposite his house. And beside him Shemaiah son of Shecaniah, guard of the East Gate, made repairs. 30 Next to him Hananiah son of Shelemiah and Hanun the sixth son of Zalaph made repairs to another section. After them Meshullam son of Berechiah made repairs opposite his room. 31 Next to him Malchijah, one of the goldsmiths, made repairs to the house of the temple servants and the merchants, opposite the Inspection Gate, and as far as the upstairs room on the corner. 32 The goldsmiths and merchants made repairs between the upstairs room on the corner and the Sheep Gate.

1. Make Small Things Spiritual - 3:1-2

In the work of rebuilding and restoration, it is a massive task and therefore it is important to celebrate the little wins

Like it may seem trivial to us, looking at this story and this context, to seem them essentially have a dedication ceremony for installing a gate

Like guys, you have an entire nation to rebuild, infrastructure, economy, defenses, leadership, boundaries

As well as dispersing out plots of land for actual people to live on

ON TOP OF repairing the national relationship with the LORD

This is why the Old Testament can be really hard to read at times because it can seem hard to apply to us

The reason is, we are seeing God’s People reflected in the NATIONAL sense as opposed to now in the spiritual sense

That the lessons of the people of God carry over to the church not necessarily to the nation in which we dwell

But the nation, the visible manifestation of God’s chosen people, were rebuilding literally everything around them but that wasn’t the most important part

The relationship with the LORD was

Because there was a point, just before the Exile that the people of God had the nation and the temple and no presence of God

Now they are coming back from exile that was because of their disobedience, and they are repairing the nation as well as learning to walk again in their relationship with God

So yes, there are times where it seems celebration is a bit premature, but I think that’s only because we are viewing things through the wrong lens

Like yes they had an entire nation to rebuild, but they had the blessing of their relationship with God

So little moments, in the midst of humble beginnings are things to be celebrated

Small Confession

But I need this, I need to see that a single gate was put up, and they dedicated it to the LORD.

2. Make Ready To Work - 3:3-5

There is this odd moment, where Nehemiah is talking about who is doing what and then gets to Nehemiah 3:5

Nehemiah 3:5 CSB

5 Beside them the Tekoites made repairs, but their nobles did not lift a finger to help their supervisors.

Contrast the Biblical Leadership to Ezra 3:8-9

Ezra 3:8–9 CSB

8 In the second month of the second year after they arrived at God’s house in Jerusalem, Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, Jeshua son of Jozadak, and the rest of their brothers, including the priests, the Levites, and all who had returned to Jerusalem from the captivity, began to build. They appointed the Levites who were twenty years old or more to supervise the work on the Lord’s house. 9 Jeshua with his sons and brothers, Kadmiel with his sons, and the sons of Judah and of Henadad, with their sons and brothers, the Levites, joined together to supervise those working on the house of God.

The Church of God doesn’t need more nobles

Like where would you fit if you were in this story?

Many of us are quick to say “of course I’m not one of the nobles who watch while the others work”

“Of course I would never refuse to ‘lift a finger to help’”

But Then I ask….what are you doing?

Like actually. Joiada repaired the Old Gate, What’s your role? The Sons of Hassenaah (v.3) build the Fish Gate, where are you working?

Because notice also there is an orderliness to things here, these are individuals working yes, but they are not just kind of willy nilly working as they see fit

There is individuals working as a part of a community of believers

But like seen in this passage, there are those who, desire to be a part of the group, until it comes time to actually put in the work

And as harsh as that sounds, that is the unfortunate reality

Like just read these verse and think about “legacy”

You may skip over these names when you read them. And even in reading them they may seem unimportant to you

But no one can read these verses and not have verse 5 stand out

“Would not lift a finger”

So I challenge you with that, in the work of God restoring a community, right in your midst

In God bringing together a people who would worship Him and take His name out to those who have never heard

Are you a noble?

If you would say not, then make ready to work.

3. Make Sure To Note Your Strengths - 3:6-19

Here is a big block of text but there are some really key things to note here

you see a fairly constant repetition of “installed doors, bolts, and bars”

But then you see moments like Nehemiah 3:15

Nehemiah 3:15 CSB

15 Shallun son of Col-hozeh, ruler of the district of Mizpah, repaired the Fountain Gate. He rebuilt it and roofed it. Then he installed its doors, bolts, and bars. He also made repairs to the wall of the Pool of Shelah near the king’s garden, as far as the stairs that descend from the city of David.

Like Shallun had an ability to do things we don’t see others doing. He rebuilt the gate but he also roofed it

He had a strength and he didn’t let that strength go unused!

If you don’t know your strengths, start somewhere!

Diana illustration

4. Make Note Of What And Who’s Around You - 3:20-32

Work where you are!

Not everyone is called to do what me and my family did

Our Story

But if you’re not being called to pack up and go, there is work RIGHT BESIDE YOU

RIGHT ACROSS YOUR STREET

Nehemiah 3:28

Nehemiah 3:28 CSB

28 Each of the priests made repairs above the Horse Gate, each opposite his own house.

So if you’re wondering, what can I do for a church plant? How can I help in the restoration of a community

Look at the grid around you.

Infront, left, right, behind

Who or what is in those places? Do you know them? Do they know Jesus?

Because that is the key, all of this work, just like Israel, is worthless without a relationship with the LORD

Like what would happen if we found a way to keep everyone in this community, provides jobs, lift everyone out of whatever hard situation,

SO that every. single. person. was without need. And simultaneously, not a single person came to know Jesus?

Is that success? Is that a community restored? Or is that full bellies and happy thoughts straight into a life after death of eternal separation from God?

We are meeting in this space because we believe in the necessity of physical restoration

I will be helping out after for the food pantry, likely on computer, because I believe in the need of physical restoration

Just like the Israelites saw the need to rebuild the walls and gates for PHYSICAL SAFETY

That’s not wrong

But I am also not in this building to only do that.

I want you to know SPIRITUAL SAFETY

I want you to know physical rest from weariness

But also, that you would find true rest for your souls

See the thing about all this is, all you good deeds, all of your working is not what gives you ANY RIGHT into heaven

If you are working FOR your salvation you will never earn it. And you will be exhausted.

But Jesus offers salvation and true rest.

GOSPEL