One People, One Purpose, One Mission: Let's Build Together

Intro: Good morning FE! We are glad you are here with us today. How many of you are enjoying our series in Nehemiah: When Love Dares to Move.

Alfredo has done a great job pointing out love should move us to pray for what is broken in our church, families, city, countries and nations. Our lives should reflect the heart of God.

Last week we learned love, compassion does not stop with feeling sorry and prayer. Love dares to move. We see Nehemiah going to Jerusalem, strategizing how to rebuild the walls, then we see him gather the people and cast a vision and the people responded “Let us rise up and build”.

Nehemiah has this burden this passion to rebuild the wall of Jerusalem, but why? Why is rebuilding this wall so important? What is driving him to this mission?

The Word of God, I believe Nehemiah knew the words of the prophet of Jeremiah written 150 years earlier

Jeremiah 15:5 ESV

“Who will have pity on you, O Jerusalem, or who will grieve for you? Who will turn aside to ask about your welfare?

Jeremiah 29:10–14 ESV

“For thus says the Lord: When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will visit you, and I will fulfill to you my promise and bring you back to this place. For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you, declares the Lord, and I will restore your fortunes and gather you from all the nations and all the places where I have driven you, declares the Lord, and I will bring you back to the place from which I sent you into exile.

Nehemiah knew the word of God and he knew that the people of God were returning to Jerusalem like Jeremiah wrote. Nehemiah was watching the prophecy fulfilled before his eyes. He wanted to know how Jerusalem was doing and how the people of God were flourishing. But in chapter 1 he recieved bad news.

2. In Biblical Times, cities were protected by the strength of the walls that surrounded them. In Ezekial you read of the Watchmen on the wall, these were men who would sit on the walls and keep watch for any enemies. With the wall surrounding the city still destroyed, it left Jerusalem vulnerable to attacks by any one. This is what was happening and why Nehemiah was concerned for the city.

3. There is also the sovereign plan of God working in men and women to accomplish his purposes on the earth. When we look at the story of the Bible we read over and over, the Messiah is coming through the nation of Israel. God in his purposes and plans is preserving the nation of Israel so that one day about 500 years later an Angel would appear to Mary and then to Joseph to let them know you will be the parents of Jesus the son of God, he will save you from your sins.

For all these reasons the building of the wall is vital to what God wants to do in the world. Nehemiah was the leader God chose to lead the rebuilding of the wall, but he couldn’t do it alone.

What we see in Nehemiah 3 is One People, One Purpose, One Mission - Let’s Build Together.

Read Nehemiah 3 in Spanish only.

Nehemiah 3 ESV

Then Eliashib the high priest rose up with his brothers the priests, and they built the Sheep Gate. They consecrated it and set its doors. They consecrated it as far as the Tower of the Hundred, as far as the Tower of Hananel. And next to him the men of Jericho built. And next to them Zaccur the son of Imri built. The sons of Hassenaah built the Fish Gate. They laid its beams and set its doors, its bolts, and its bars. And next to them Meremoth the son of Uriah, son of Hakkoz repaired. And next to them Meshullam the son of Berechiah, son of Meshezabel repaired. And next to them Zadok the son of Baana repaired. And next to them the Tekoites repaired, but their nobles would not stoop to serve their Lord. Joiada the son of Paseah and Meshullam the son of Besodeiah repaired the Gate of Yeshanah. They laid its beams and set its doors, its bolts, and its bars. And next to them repaired Melatiah the Gibeonite and Jadon the Meronothite, the men of Gibeon and of Mizpah, the seat of the governor of the province Beyond the River. Next to them Uzziel the son of Harhaiah, goldsmiths, repaired. Next to him Hananiah, one of the perfumers, repaired, and they restored Jerusalem as far as the Broad Wall. Next to them Rephaiah the son of Hur, ruler of half the district of Jerusalem, repaired. Next to them Jedaiah the son of Harumaph repaired opposite his house. And next to him Hattush the son of Hashabneiah repaired. Malchijah the son of Harim and Hasshub the son of Pahath-moab repaired another section and the Tower of the Ovens. Next to him Shallum the son of Hallohesh, ruler of half the district of Jerusalem, repaired, he and his daughters. Hanun and the inhabitants of Zanoah repaired the Valley Gate. They rebuilt it and set its doors, its bolts, and its bars, and repaired a thousand cubits of the wall, as far as the Dung Gate. Malchijah the son of Rechab, ruler of the district of Beth-haccherem, repaired the Dung Gate. He rebuilt it and set its doors, its bolts, and its bars. And Shallum the son of Col-hozeh, ruler of the district of Mizpah, repaired the Fountain Gate. He rebuilt it and covered it and set its doors, its bolts, and its bars. And he built the wall of the Pool of Shelah of the king’s garden, as far as the stairs that go down from the city of David. After him Nehemiah the son of Azbuk, ruler of half the district of Beth-zur, repaired to a point opposite the tombs of David, as far as the artificial pool, and as far as the house of the mighty men. After him the Levites repaired: Rehum the son of Bani. Next to him Hashabiah, ruler of half the district of Keilah, repaired for his district. After him their brothers repaired: Bavvai the son of Henadad, ruler of half the district of Keilah. Next to him Ezer the son of Jeshua, ruler of Mizpah, repaired another section opposite the ascent to the armory at the buttress. After him Baruch the son of Zabbai repaired another section from the buttress to the door of the house of Eliashib the high priest. After him Meremoth the son of Uriah, son of Hakkoz repaired another section from the door of the house of Eliashib to the end of the house of Eliashib. After him the priests, the men of the surrounding area, repaired. After them Benjamin and Hasshub repaired opposite their house. After them Azariah the son of Maaseiah, son of Ananiah repaired beside his own house. After him Binnui the son of Henadad repaired another section, from the house of Azariah to the buttress and to the corner. Palal the son of Uzai repaired opposite the buttress and the tower projecting from the upper house of the king at the court of the guard. After him Pedaiah the son of Parosh and the temple servants living on Ophel repaired to a point opposite the Water Gate on the east and the projecting tower. After him the Tekoites repaired another section opposite the great projecting tower as far as the wall of Ophel. Above the Horse Gate the priests repaired, each one opposite his own house. After them Zadok the son of Immer repaired opposite his own house. After him Shemaiah the son of Shecaniah, the keeper of the East Gate, repaired. After him Hananiah the son of Shelemiah and Hanun the sixth son of Zalaph repaired another section. After him Meshullam the son of Berechiah repaired opposite his chamber. After him Malchijah, one of the goldsmiths, repaired as far as the house of the temple servants and of the merchants, opposite the Muster Gate, and to the upper chamber of the corner. And between the upper chamber of the corner and the Sheep Gate the goldsmiths and the merchants repaired.

Here is a map of the wall Nehemiah built. They started at the Sheep Gate and worked their way around counter clock wise. Just so you can have a mental picture of the work.

So what can we learn from this passage? What can a list of names about rebuilding a wall teach us today?

I. The Unity of God’s People Coming Together For a Purpose.

A. Unity of God’s People.

1. There are 38 different names mentioned in this chapter.

2. 42 different groups are identified

3. Some people that are not named as well.

4. People who didn’t live in Jerusalem came to help.

Tekoites, men from Jericho, Gibeon and Mizpah.

We see the people of God come together, working together in unison, for the purpose of rebuilding the wall.

B. For A Purpose

To rebuild the wall, the wall was vital for the flourishing of the city of Jerusalem, for the protection of God’s people and the Temple where they worshipped.

C. One Mission

The people came together as one people for one purpose and one mission. What was the mission. I would argue it was the glory of God.

Nehemiah 2:17 ESV

Then I said to them, “You see the trouble we are in, how Jerusalem lies in ruins with its gates burned. Come, let us build the wall of Jerusalem, that we may no longer suffer derision.”

The surrounding nations were mocking the people of God therefore mocking God. Nehemiah comes into town and lets the people know the mocking of our people and our God stops today. We are going to rebuild this wall so that God can be glorified amongst our people again.

It is like David when he came on the battle field and Goliath was mocking the people of God. David says who is this uncircumcised philistine who would defy the armies of the Living God. Nehemiah had the same zeal for the Lord.

II. When God’s people come together as One People, with One Purpose, with One Mission their unity is not easily broken.

(Show Video)

We see 38 different people, 42 different groups people from outside of Jerusalem coming working together in unison.

But then you read Neh 3:5

Nehemiah 3:5 ESV

And next to them the Tekoites repaired, but their nobles would not stoop to serve their Lord.

The Tekoites nobles would not work to rebuild the wall. There is power in unity. When you look around and everyone is working together and a few refuse, it doesn’t discourage you because there is power in unity. The Tekoites worked so hard they built 2 sections of the wall. But imagine if everyone refused to work, it leads to discouragement.

I will be honest when we get together to work and serve and few people show up, it is discouraging. But what encourages me is the people who do show up ready and willing to work.

III. The People of God May Have Different Gifts, Talents and Abilities But They All Picked Up Stones to Rebuild the Wall.

A. God uses all kinds of people.

1. Men

2. Women (12)

3. priests

4. political leaders

5. goldsmiths

6. perfumers

None of them said no I am a perfumer not a wall builder. The task at hand was a job for everyone regardless of who they were or what they did for a living.

This week kicks off missions and there many places you can use your gifts, talents and abilities to serve the Lord. At the same time on Oct 2 we will have a serve day where we should all put on our work boots and serve some where.

B. We are one body with many parts.

1 Corinthians 12:25–26 ESV

that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together.

Go home and read 1 Corinthians 12, everyday this week and meditate on it.

IV. The Work Was Divided In Such a Way That The People of God Had a Personal Interest In The Work.

Many of the people working on the wall were working in areas that was close to their home. Many of the priests worked on the wall closest to the Temple.

The people were invested in the work because it was for their own good and the good of the city.

When you see the work we do here at church and other ministries, do you see how the Lord can use it to bless your life and the life of others.

When you have a vested interest the work becomes less like a job and more of a joy. The work becomes a blessing.

In Nehemiah 3 we see One people coming together for one purpose for one mission.

God is still gathering a people for a purpose and for a mission.

One People - the church

God is redeeming people from all nations and bringing them together to form one people known as the church.

1 Peter 2:4–5 ESV

As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

One Purpose

“to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ”

Our purpose is use our lives to glorify God in everything we do. In our work in the church and outside of the church, we work to bring glory to God. WHich is why in our mission as FE it says to make disciples who live for God’s glory.

One Mission

Peter goes on to say what our mission is.

1 Peter 2:9 ESV

But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.

You are the people of God’s own possession so that you can make disciples that is what Peter means when he says “to proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.”

Our mission is to go back into to the darkness and shine the light of the Gospel. To proclaim the excellencies of God to point to our God and say look how beautiful he is, come and see. We are to run into the darkness and proclaim the Gospel so others can come into the light of the Gospel.

One People, One Purpose, One Mission: Let’s Build Together.