Broken Walls and Burned Gates
Prairie Baptist Church – 11/22/09
P.M. Service
Text: Nehemiah 2
Key verse: Nehemiah 2:17-18 - 17Then I said to them, “You see the distress that we are in, how Jerusalem lies waste, and its gates are burned with fire. Come and let us build the wall of Jerusalem, that we may no longer be a reproach.” 18And I told them of the hand of my God which had been good upon me, and also of the king’s words that he had spoken to me. So they said, “Let us rise up and build.” Then they set their hands to this good work.
Premise: When you have heard about the work and seen the work it is time to get about the task of working the work. It requires personal involvement and prayer.
The Introduction
Relief pitching ace Donny Moore couldn’t seem to resolve his anguish over losing an American League championship series game many years ago. In a moment of total torment, he shot his wife and then shot himself. Compare that with Dave Dravecky, who loses not only a game but a career, a livelihood, his pitching arm, and his shoulder. He is energetically rebuilding his life and looking forward to whatever tomorrow might bring. He now runs Outreach of Hope non-profit organization to help people that are suffering.
There are many ways to look at tough situations:
We can be defeated before we start
We can see potential and hope
Let’s look at Nehemiah and the work he had in front of him and what he did about it.
(2:1-10)
2:1 – in the month Nisan – 4 months had passed (Chisleu = December (winter); Nisan = April (Spring); Nehemiah is in the presence of the king to serve him wine and is noticeably sad.
2:2 – The king notices that Nehemiah is sad and it is not because of sickness. Nehemiah is afraid because it is not good to be sad in the presence of the king. One is to have a good countenance because it could be construed as that you have evil designs on the king or you are dissatisfied with him.
2:3 – Nehemiah bears his burden to the king. It is noticeable that he did not mention Jerusalem by name but called it “the place of my father’s sepulchers.” “It was an effective way to mention the city, for the mention of the sepulchers would find sympathy with Artaxerxes, for the Persians, like the Jews, had a great respect for the tomb, and regarded it violation with horror.” (John G. Butler, Nehemiah, The Wall Builder, p. 44 quoting Rawlinson).
2:4 – The king questions Nehemiah and Nehemiah prays
2:5 – Nehemiah makes a request to the king to go and rebuild the city
2:6 – The king, with the queen present, questions Nehemiah on how long he would be gone and when he would be back. The king grants permission and a timetable is set.
2:7 – Nehemiah asks the king for letters for the governors that govern between Shushan and Jerusalem so that he could pass safely and securely
2:8 – He also asked for a letter to Asaph (keeper of the kings forest) to supply timber for the gates and walls and his own living accommodations. And the good hand of his God was upon him.
2:9 – Nehemiah sets out on his journey, encountering the governors for which he had letters of passage. He also had protection of the troops to protect him on his journey.
2:10 – We are introduced to Sanballet the Horonite (governor of Samaria according to an ancient Jewish papyrus) and Tobiah (servant of the government of Persia), later (v. 20) is Geshem the Arabian. They were enemies of the Jews and looked at Nehemiah and his entourage with disdain.
Read text – 2:11-20
Sometimes we deal with broken things – broken lives, broken hearts
Sometimes we deal with burned things – burned out servants, burned out ministries
Instead of looking at the problem and shaking our heads in disbelief, God calls us to be rebuilders.
There are four factors necessary to any work to get ready for any task God calls us too.
Body
1. Viewing the Crisis – 11-16
A. In 1776 Thomas Paine stirred the land with these words: "These are the times that try men’s souls. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of his country; but he that stands now deserves the love and thanks of man and women. Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered; yet we have this consolation, that the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph. What we obtain too cheep, we esteem too lightly; "tis dearness only that gives everything its value. 1776 Thomas Paine. Citation from http://www.trinitycathedral.org/Sermons/11111ser.htm How Nehemiah viewed the crisis gives us insight into how we ought to do the same.
B. He viewed the problem while others were sleeping (I arose in the night – 12)
i. It seems when there’s a problem, most people are caught sleeping
ii. There are different kinds of sleeping people:
a. Lazy people – I don’t want to do that. It will take too much time and energy.
b. Care less people – It really doesn’t bother me the way things are.
c. Angry people – Always mad about something, looking for the negative
d. Pessimistic people – What good will it do? I tried building the wall once and someone came and knocked it down. What’s the use?
e. Carnal people – I like my walls down the way they are; the world can get in better that way.
f. There are all kinds of people that see the problem and choose to do nothing
iii. Proverbs 6:10-11 – 10A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep— 11So shall your poverty come on you like a prowler, and your need like an armed man.
iv. Nehemiah took the opportunity to view the crisis with the intent of doing something about it.
C. He evaluated the problem that endangered the people (and viewed the walls of Jerusalem, which were broken down and the gates thereof were consumed with fire – 13)
i. Sometimes we view walls in a wrong way
a. We are told to tear down the walls of prejudice and hatred (this is good)
b. We are told to quit closing the door in opportunity and caring (this is good)
c. Those are indeed walls that need to be torn down and gates that need to be open
ii. But these walls Nehemiah viewed were for a purpose:
a. To protect from the enemy
b. To give security to those on the inside.
iii. We need walls:
a. The wall of salvation – John 3:16 – It keeps us from perishing.
b. The wall of holiness – 1st Pet. 1:15-16 – 15but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, 16because it is written, “Be holy, for I am holy.”
c. The wall of separation – 2nd Cor. 6:16-17 – 16And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said: “I will dwell in them and walk among them. I will be their God, and they shall be My people.” 17Therefore “Come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, and I will receive you.” (see also verses 11-15)
d. The wall of God’s Word – Prov. 29:18 - Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he.
D. Rules for crisis management: 1. Hope for the best, but prepare for the worst. 2. Look first, then act. 3. When you do act, act aggressively. 4. Seek help. 5. Don’t get locked on a detail. 6. No matter how bad things get, be truthful. 7. Look for the silver lining. Reynolds Dodson, Reader’s Digest, June, 1992
2. Communicating the Need – 17
A. The knowledge of our wives must extend beyond the everyday. Yet there are days when all a man has to do is open his mouth and he takes his life in his own hands. There is a story of a couple who was attending a marriage seminar on communication and the instructor told them that it was essential that husbands and wives know the things that are important to each other. He addressed the men, “Can you describe your wife’s favorite flower?” One man leaned over and touched his wife’s arm gently and whispered, “Pillsbury All-Purpose, isn’t it?”
B. Open your eyes (ye see the distress that we are in)
i. There is a call to look clearly and see what has taken place
ii. It is a call to the task of rebuilding and restoring what has been neglected
C. Here’s the problem (how Jerusalem lieth waste, and the gates thereof are burned with fire: and that we be no more a reproach)
i. Vulnerable to the enemy – prone to the attacks of discouragement and negativity
ii. Open to mockery by the heathen – these people are unprepared and defenseless
D. Be part of the solution (come, and let us build the walls of Jerusalem)
i. Be encouraged – Is. 35:3-4 – 3Strengthen the weak hands, and make firm the feeble knees. 4Say to those who are fearful-hearted, “Be strong, do not fear! Behold, your God will come with vengeance, with the recompense of God; He will come and save you.”
ii. Get busy
a. Eccles. 9:10 – Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might; for there is no work or device or knowledge or wisdom in the grave where you are going.
b. Eph. 5:16 - redeeming the time, because the days are evil.
3. Preparing the Participants – 18
A. When it comes to being on the alert and ready at any moment to do the job, it’s hard to beat the Pony Express. This historically famous mail service between St. Joseph, Missouri, and California depended on constant movement and readiness. Relay stations were established every ten to fifteen miles. A rider would shout aloud as he approached a station, giving the station master very short notice that he needed to be outside waiting with a fresh mount. Even when a rider came to the station where he was to spend the night, another rider was already mounted and waiting, ready to grab the first rider’s bundle of packages and continue the trip. In the same way, we need to be prepared for the tasks God has for us.
B. We have God’s favor (hand of my God which was good upon me)
i. When you are doing God’s will and work you have His favor
ii. Where God guides, He provides
C. We must have the desire (let us rise and build)
i. Catching the vision is 90% of the battle
ii. God’s people are builders because God is a builder
a. God builds you – Acts 20:32 – “So now, brethren, I commend you to God and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified.
b. God builds His church – Matt. 16:18 – And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.
c. God has built His New Jerusalem – Heb. 11:10 – for he waited for the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God.
d. So we are to be careful builders as well – 1st Cor. 3:9-10 - 9For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, you are God’s building. 10According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise master builder I have laid the foundation, and another builds on it. But let each one take heed how he builds on it.
D. We must strengthen ourselves for the work (they strengthened their hands)
i. Eph. 6:10 – Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.
ii. How do we do this:
a. By being in His Word
b. By confessing and forsaking sin in our lives
c. By being involved in the church and making it a priority
d. By governing our families by God’s standards
e. By being a holy people
E. We must get to work (for this good work)
i. No more sitting around, there is much work to do
ii. We sing, “work, for the night is coming,” but we are sometimes found sleeping
iii. These are darkening days and there is no time for ignoring the obvious
iv. We must be about our Father’s business
4. Expecting the Opposition – 19-20
A. Athanasius, early bishop of Alexandria, stoutly opposed the teachings of Arius, who declared that Christ was not the eternal Son of God, but a subordinate being. Hounded through five exiles, he was finally summoned before emperor Theodosius, who demanded he cease his opposition to Arius.
The emperor reproved him and asked, ’Do you not realize that all the world is against you?"
Athanasius quickly answered, ’Then I am against all the world."
We need to expect opposition as well and stand strong against it.
B. These three men presented opposition to Nehemiah
i. They scoffed, ridiculed, scorned and hated what Nehemiah’s group wanted to do
ii. Isn’t that the way it is?
iii. This is sometimes even found in the church
iv. It should never be found in the church
C. There will be scorners and scoffers
i. These are mockers, they laugh at your plans and desires for God
ii. Prov. 3:34 – Surely He scorns the scornful, but gives grace to the humble.
iii. There have been foolish people who have always laughed at the work of God
iv. There have always been doubters and naysayers
a. 2nd Pet. 3:3 – knowing this first: that scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts,
b. They laugh at what you believe, but don’t give in
D. There will be haters
i. People who hate you for doing the right thing
ii. People who want to get you off course and see you stumble and get discouraged
iii. People who want to see you fail
iv. But it says in Isaiah 41:10 - Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.’
E. Our response?
i. We will succeed with God
ii. The opposition will fail
Conclusion:
What do you see around you that needs to be done?
Will you respond to the call of God on your heart to be part of His work?
