Introduction: Names illustration
Background: Security established, responsibility delegated, daily schedule delegated.
Purpose Statement: If you are a child of God then…
I. Get Organized for God (vs. 5-60, 66-69)
A. Nehemiah performing triage
1. Explaining triage illustration
2. Walls were just the symptom
3. Everybody seemed to have a bad case of apathy
B. We need to handle our own life that way
1. Attack the big problems first
2. Get the ruble cleared away
3. Living for Jesus Hymn
C. We need to handle the Church that way
1. My intended method as I came here almost 1 year ago
2. There are too many Laodiceans in the Body (Rev. 3:14-16)
3. J. Vernon McGee Quote
II. Get Right With God (vs. 5-60; 61-65)
A. He is reminding the people who they are
1. Purpose of the census – remind them; assign them
2. priests, Levites, singers, gatekeepers
3. The Urim and Thummim (v. 65)
B. He is calling them back to right priorities
1. What takes first place in your life
2. Priorities in Prayer Illustration
3. You are not you best to anyone if you’re not right with God
C. If you’re not a child of God (61-65)
1. These people could not prove they were God’s
2. Where are you today?
3. 1 Peter 2:9-10
III. Get Giving to God (vs. 66-72)
A. Giving to God brings true joy
1. Like Hudson Taylor said, no one knows what one person can accomplish…
2. Why Give Illustration
B. Only two people know whether you’re giving faithfully or not
1. You’re robbing yourself and God
2. Malachi 3:8-10
C. There is more than enough when we all give
1. It started with the leadership
2. Look at how much Nehemiah was able to raise – over 100 million
IV. Get Living for God (v. 73)
A. Once you know your role get to it!
1. Stop the country club mentality; this ain’t the Love Boat
2. But I don’t know what God wants me to do
3. Ephesians 2:9-10
B. Faith is evidenced by its works
1. What are you doing for God?
2. Don’t be no fruitless tree – remember what Jesus did?
C. Plan to be in it for the long haul
1. Don’t tell me you’re tired or you’ve done your part
2. Don’t let discouragement set in
3. Rescue swimmers Illustration
Conclusion: You’re either in the book or your not, if you are then live like it.
NEW AGE NAMES
When the 1960s ended, San Francisco’s Haight-Ashbury district reverted to high rent, and many hippies moved down the coast to Santa Cruz. They had children and got married, too, though in no particular sequence. But they didn’t name their children Melissa or Brett. People in the mountains around Santa Cruz grew accustomed to their children playing Frisbee with little Time Warp or Spring Fever. And eventually Moonbeam, Earth, Love and Precious Promise all ended up in public school.
That’s when the kindergarten teachers first met Fruit Stand. Every fall, according to tradition, parents bravely apply nametags to their children, kiss them good-bye and send them off to school on the bus. So it was for Fruit Stand. The teachers thought the boy’s name was odd, but they tried to make the best of it.
“Would you like to play with the blocks, Fruit Stand?” they offered. And later, “Fruit Stand, how about a snack?” He accepted hesitantly. By the end of the day, his name didn’t seem much odder than Heather’s or Sun Ray’s. At dismissal time, the teachers led the children out to the buses. “Fruit Stand, do you know which one is your bus?” He didn’t answer. That wasn’t strange. He hadn’t answered them all day. Lots of children are shy on the first day of school. It didn’t matter. The teachers had instructed the parents to write the names of their children’s bus stops on the reverse side of their nametags. The teacher simply turned over the tag. There, neatly printed, was the word “Anthony.”
Luanne Oleas in Salinas, Calif., Reader’s Digest
TRIAGE ILLUSTRATION
Triage in the simplest term is the sorting or prioritizing of items (clients, patients, tasks…). It comes from the French word ’trier’. Some form of triaging has been in place, formally or informally since emergency medicine came to existence.
GOALS OF TRIAGE
To rapidly identify patients with urgent, life threatening conditions.
To determine the most appropriate treatment area for patients.
To decrease confusion and wastes of time and efforts.
1. Dead or dying
2. Life-threatening - correctable but needs to be seen immediately
3. Urgent - treated within 1 - 2 hours
4. Delayed - came in walking or is non-urgent
5. No injury - no treatment needed
LIVING FOR JESUS – C. HAROLD LOWDEN & THOMAS OBEDIAH CHISHOLM
Living for Jesus a life that is true, Striving to please Him in all that I do
Yielding allegiance glad-hearted and free, This is the pathway of blessing for me
Living for Jesus who died in my place, Bearing on Calvary my sin and disgrace
Such love constrains me to answer His call, Follow His leading and give Him my all
Living for Jesus wherever I am, Doing each duty in His holy name
Willing to suffer affliction or loss, Deeming each trial a part of my cross
Living for Jesus through earth’s little while, My dearest treasure the light of His smile
Seeking the lost ones He died to redeem, Bringing the weary to find rest in Him
O Jesus Lord and Savior, I give myself to Thee
For Thou in Thy atonement, Didst give Thyself for me
I own no other master, My heart shall be Thy throne
My life I give henceforth to live, O Christ for Thee alone
REVELATION 3:14-16
14 "And to the angel of the church in Laodicea write: The Amen, the faithful and true Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God, says this:
15 ’I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot; I would that you were cold or hot.
16 ’So because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of My mouth. (NAS)
J. VERNON MCGEE QUOTE
I wonder what God would say to us today as He sees all of our so-called Christian organizations in ceaseless activity but no action—motion but no movement. The burgeoning building program proclaiming astronomical figures in cost and “people reached” is indeed impressive. The mushroom growth of both churches ad organizations would seem to indicate a healthy condition. The polls which give such a large percentage of evangelicals would appear to be a sign that we are marching to Zion. But before we sing “Onward Christian Soldiers,” let’s find out how many are marching. We are not even standing on the promises; we are sitting on the premises! We are not stalwart soldiers of the faith. We are paper dolls playing church in our bigger and better sanctuaries. We are seeking entertainment, not instruction or inspiration in our smug complacency. We do not have a vision or concern for a lost world out there that has not even heard the Word of God.
PRIORITIES IN PRAYER
Andrew Bonar (great man of prayer) had three rules:
1. Not to speak to any man before speaking to Jesus;
2. Not to do anything with his hands until he had been on his knees;
3. Not to read the papers until he had read his Bible.
Keith L. Brooks, Essential Themes, (Moody Press, Chicago; 1974), p. 6
1 PETER 2:9-10
9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for {God’s} own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;
10 for you once were not a people, but now you are the people of God; you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. (NASB)
WHY GIVE 10% OR MORE OF YOUR INCOME TO THE LORD’S WORK
In stewardship speaking engagements across America and on five continents, I have discovered two things:
First: Christians of all income levels have experienced spiritual joy, supernatural grace and divine help through the practice of making a specific commitment to GIVE 10% OR MORE of their resources to the Lord’s work.
Second: The vast majority of pastors are reluctant to teach their congregations about money matters and Christian giving.
This list of 10 reasons to give 10% or more to the Lord’s work was written to encourage laity and clergy that this subject can be biblically and practically taught and caught! When believers are taught to make it a priority to give to God first, it will ultimately bring greater financial freedom and blessing into their personal lives and to the ministries they support.
1. It is a tried and proven pattern of giving by godly people throughout the ages (regardless of cultures and income levels). Genesis 14:17-20, 28:16-22; Leviticus 27:30; Proverbs 3:9, 10; Malachi 3:7-15; Matthew 23:23
2. It will help you revere God more in your life. Deuteronomy 14:23
3. It will bring God’s wisdom and order to your finances and will help you harness the dragon of materialism. Matthew 6:19-21, 24-34; Luke 12:16-21; 1 Timothy 6:6-10, 17-19; Ecclesiastes 5:10
4. It will serve as a practical reminder that God is the Owner of everything you have. 1 Chronicles 29:11-18; Psalm 24; 1,2; Psalm 59:10-12; Haggai 2:8
5. It will allow you to experience God’s creative care and provisions in ways you would not otherwise experience. 1 Kings 17; Proverbs 3:9,10; Malachi 3:7-15; Haggai 1:4-11, 2:15-10; Luke 6:38; Deuteronomy 14:23; Proverbs 3:5,6; Malachi 3:8-10; Haggai 1:4-11, 2:15-19; 2 Corinthians 8:5
6. It will encourage your spiritual growth and trust in God. Deuteronomy 14:23; Proverbs 3:5,6; Malachi 3:8-10; Haggai 1:4-11, 2:15-19; 2 Corinthians 8:5
7. It will ensure you of treasure in heaven. 1 Timothy 6:18, 19; Matthew 6:19021; Hebrews 6:10; 3 John 8; 1 Samuel 30:22
8. It will strengthen the ministry, outreach, and stability of your local church. Acts 2:42-27, 4:32; 2 Corinthians 9:12,13
9. It will help provide the means to keep your pastor and missionaries in full-time Christian service. 1 Corinthians 9:9-11,14; 1 Timothy 5:17,18; 3 John 5-8; Philippians 4:15-19; Galatians 6:6; Luke 8:3; 2 Kings 4:8-10
10. It will help accomplish needed building projects and renovations. 2 Chronicles 24:4-14; Exodus 35, 36; 2 Kings 12:2-16; 1 Chronicles 29:2-10; Ezekiel 1:4-6
Brian Kluth, Dimensions, Vol. 20, Fall, 1997, pp. 1-2, reprint by permission: Christian Stewardship Magazine
MALACHI 3:8-10
8 "Will a man rob God? Yet you are robbing Me! But you say, ’How have we robbed Thee?’ In tithes and offerings.
9 "You are cursed with a curse, for you are robbing Me, the whole nation {of you}
10 "Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, so that there may be food in My house, and test Me now in this," says the LORD of hosts, "if I will not open for you the windows of heaven, and pour out for you a blessing until it overflows. (NAS)
EPHESIANS 2:8-10
8 For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, {it is} the gift of God;
9 not as a result of works, that no one should boast.
10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. (NASB)
RESCUE SWIMMERS ILLUSTRATION
Did you most people drown because they panic. Panic is what kills. Every human being has the ability to float if the remain calm and lie back, but struggling is the surest way to sink. In the early days of rescue swimmers Coast Guard and Navy officials were having their swimmers nearly drowned while attempting rescues. People, in an all out panic would grab onto the rescue swimmer and pull him under water in their attempt to climb on top of him and save their selves. When one Navy diver was actually drowned they determined to figure out how to rescue people without letting them endanger the life of the rescue swimmer. They started teaching rescue swimmers how to combat and conquer the waterborne victim. Panic solves nothing. Remain calm, hold onto God and realize that He is in control
