Faithful and Available Builders

Introduction (5m)

Everything in Installation Ceremony reminds me I am appointed to people - you and the community of Maidenhead - not to a building

Love God / Live to win souls / Care for those in need / Make love of God visible to people / Share in pastoral ministry / Journey with those searching for faith / To care for people and serve them.

In Installation Ceremony, I promised to make myself available to you and the community of Maidenhead for as long as God/TSA want me to be and to be faithful to calling as Christian & TSA Officer

And that’s all God asks of any of us

When God wants to accomplish a work, He always prepares His workers and puts them in the right places at the right time. (Warren Wiersbe, Bible teacher)

Simply asks us to be available to be in the right place at the right time and to be faithful and obedient to him.

Today is an opportunity for all of us - not just me - to ask ourselves, before God if we are willing to be available and faithful to God

He is asking if we are ready to be future builders - here in this corps and in this community.

God wants this corps to continue to be healthy and growing. Believe?

Wants to build, bless and grow. Believe?

If we make ourselves available to God and are faithful to him then he will build his people/this corps through us, one person at a time.

Explanation (5m)

Introduction to Future Builders

To encourage: story of Nehemiah. / He led God’s people in rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem destroyed by the enemy / Most amazing feat of engineering and construction – completed in 52 days! / As we study the story of Nehemiah will learn crucial lessons for us as a body of God’s people, available to him and to the people around us, inc: vision, conflict resolution, spiritual renewal, unity and leadership development.

Nehemiah’s story is only possible because he was faithful to God and available to him

Nehemiah 1:1 NLT

These are the memoirs of Nehemiah son of Hacaliah. In late autumn, in the month of Kislev, in the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes’ reign, I was at the fortress of Susa.

Decided to be just where God needed him to be. Nearly 100 years, Jewish remnant had been back in Israel, but Nehemiah chose to remain in palace in Susa. There discovered God had a work for him he could not have carried out anywhere else:

God put Nehemiah in Susa just as He had put Esther there a generation before, and just as He had put Joseph in Egypt and Daniel in Babylon. (Warren Wiersbe, Bible teacher)

He was in a great position to help restore Jerusalem, because he had made himself available for what God called him to do

Bible times > common for kings > assassinated. One way = poisoning. Nehemiah = cupbearer — tasted everything before king. If he didn’t die, then OK for king to eat! But historical manuscripts tell us cupbearers also become unofficial advisers to king because always present when business discussed. He had the king’s ear.

As soon as he heard about Jerusalem’s plight, he made himself available to God

Nehemiah 1:3–4 NLT

They said to me, “Things are not going well for those who returned to the province of Judah. They are in great trouble and disgrace. The wall of Jerusalem has been torn down, and the gates have been destroyed by fire.” When I heard this, I sat down and wept. In fact, for days I mourned, fasted, and prayed to the God of heaven.

Walls of Jerusalem highly significant – protection, separation of God’s people, glorification of God, anticipation of Messiah’s coming – when Nehemiah heard they were still broken, it broke his heart / Their poor state became his burden / He sat down, he wept, he mourned, he prayed - and then sensing God’s call to be available and faithful he took action / He took responsibility to fix them.

Application (5m)

That’s all God asks of you and me - be available and be faithful

Will you be a future builder? Available to God? Faithful and obedient to him? / There is no limit to what God can do through you if you’ll decide to let him do it. / Doesn’t matter if you don’t think you are equipped. / God doesn’t call the equipped, he equips the called.

Man applied for a job as handyman. Prospective employer: “Can you do carpentry?” No. “How about bricklaying?” Again the man answered, “No.” The employer asked, “Well, what about electrical work?” The man said, “No, I don’t know anything about that either.” Finally the employer said, “Well, then tell me what is handy about you.” The man replied, “I live just around the corner.”

Sometimes the greatest ability we can have is availability. To be where God can call us, to be within whisper range of His voice, that is the beginning of a life of meaningful discipleship.

That’s what it takes to be a future builder. Will you join me?

Mention Battle Drill

Next Steps

SB 944 - What can I say to cheer a world of sorrow?

Miniature bricks

What can I say to cheer a world of sorrow? How bring back hope where men have sorely failed? Just where I am I?ll speak the word of comfort, Tell how for me Christ?s sacrifice availed. Just where he needs me, my Lord has placed me, Just where he needs me, there would I be! And since he found me, by love he?s bound me To serve him joyfully. 2 What can I do to ease life?s heavy burdens? What can I do to help mankind in need? Just where I am I?ll share my neighbour?s hardship, Lighten his load, and prove a friend indeed. 3 What can I do to justify my living? What can I be to make this life worthwhile? I?ll be a voice to call men to the Saviour, Just where I am, and win my Father?s smile. Miriam Mary Richards (1911-1989) © The General of The Salvation Army. Used By Permission. CCL Licence No. 30158 Copied from The Song Book of The Salvation Army Song Number 944