4.5.32 7.4.2021 Nehemiah 4 Rebuild

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Entice: What we are really discussing throughout this series from Nehemiah is Revival. The need for it and the conditions necessary for it to thrive. The last 18 months have been a thorough education in what can divide and weaken the Church. Revival requires identifying the threats and neutralizing them.

Revival is primarily a work of

rebuilding the internal structures of the Church.

Engage: In the real world this process means overcoming obstacles and outlasting opposition. Not because we relish confrontation but because we have important work which requires us to move forward. In this sense the circumstances of Nehemiah are emblematic of the struggles of believers throughout history.

A central question...

How do you create community when those who are opposed the work of God sow conflict, confusion, and complacency?

Expand: The opposition to God's work is spiritual, moral, physical, mental. It is diverse and can be creative. Nehemiah responds on every level with equal diversity and creativity.

Excite: Nehemiah did not seem to get discouraged. Those with him did not seem to get discouraged. They partnered with God and one another to accomplish the task of rebuilding which was before them. The understood what they faced and partnered with God to get the work done.

Explore:

Rebuilding in the face of opposition requires an obstinate obedience.

Explain: We need to understand the enabling power of obedience in the dynamics of opposition.

It usually begins with...

1 Ridicule

Nehemiah 4:1–3 ESV

1 Now when Sanballat heard that we were building the wall, he was angry and greatly enraged, and he jeered at the Jews. 2 And he said in the presence of his brothers and of the army of Samaria, “What are these feeble Jews doing? Will they restore it for themselves? Will they sacrifice? Will they finish up in a day? Will they revive the stones out of the heaps of rubbish, and burned ones at that?” 3 Tobiah the Ammonite was beside him, and he said, “Yes, what they are building—if a fox goes up on it he will break down their stone wall!”

1.1 Sticks and stones

1.1.1 It can discourage.

1.1.2 It creates doubt.

1.2 God honors our work according to His Word.

Nehemiah 4:4–6 ESV

4 Hear, O our God, for we are despised. Turn back their taunt on their own heads and give them up to be plundered in a land where they are captives. 5 Do not cover their guilt, and let not their sin be blotted out from your sight, for they have provoked you to anger in the presence of the builders. 6 So we built the wall. And all the wall was joined together to half its height, for the people had a mind to work.

Our response is

1.2.1 pray

1.2.2 Obey

When making fun of us fails we will meet outright

2 Resistance

Nehemiah 4:7–11 ESV

7 But when Sanballat and Tobiah and the Arabs and the Ammonites and the Ashdodites heard that the repairing of the walls of Jerusalem was going forward and that the breaches were beginning to be closed, they were very angry. 8 And they all plotted together to come and fight against Jerusalem and to cause confusion in it. 9 And we prayed to our God and set a guard as a protection against them day and night. 10 In Judah it was said, “The strength of those who bear the burdens is failing. There is too much rubble. By ourselves we will not be able to rebuild the wall.” 11 And our enemies said, “They will not know or see till we come among them and kill them and stop the work.”

2.1 Resisting God and His work.

2.1.1 Conflict

2.1.2 Confusion

2.2 Responding to resistance

2.2.1 Unity

2.2.2 Integrity

Whatever we face we must develop

3 Resilience

Nehemiah 4:12–23 ESV

12 At that time the Jews who lived near them came from all directions and said to us ten times, “You must return to us.” 13 So in the lowest parts of the space behind the wall, in open places, I stationed the people by their clans, with their swords, their spears, and their bows. 14 And I looked and arose and said to the nobles and to the officials and to the rest of the people, “Do not be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight for your brothers, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your homes.” 15 When our enemies heard that it was known to us and that God had frustrated their plan, we all returned to the wall, each to his work. 16 From that day on, half of my servants worked on construction, and half held the spears, shields, bows, and coats of mail. And the leaders stood behind the whole house of Judah, 17 who were building on the wall. Those who carried burdens were loaded in such a way that each labored on the work with one hand and held his weapon with the other. 18 And each of the builders had his sword strapped at his side while he built. The man who sounded the trumpet was beside me. 19 And I said to the nobles and to the officials and to the rest of the people, “The work is great and widely spread, and we are separated on the wall, far from one another. 20 In the place where you hear the sound of the trumpet, rally to us there. Our God will fight for us.” 21 So we labored at the work, and half of them held the spears from the break of dawn until the stars came out. 22 I also said to the people at that time, “Let every man and his servant pass the night within Jerusalem, that they may be a guard for us by night and may labor by day.” 23 So neither I nor my brothers nor my servants nor the men of the guard who followed me, none of us took off our clothes; each kept his weapon at his right hand.

3.1 Resilience begins in Conviction.

3.2 Resilience is Creative.

Shut Down:

Jesus met with resistance and told us to expect it.

John 15:20 ESV

20 Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours.

Paul anticipated it and reminded us of our obligation to pray for the opposition.

Romans 12:14 ESV

14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them.

For James it is a source of joy

James 1:2–4 ESV

2 Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, 3 for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. 4 And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

The people formed a team. The walls were rebuilt. God was honored. Rebuilding will always meet with ridicule. When God is working in our midst there will always be resistance. We need to be resilient. That means belief and creativity that honors God. It requires integrity and backbone.

Our culture, our fallen world needs the Church to be thriving and strong. It's time to get to work.