Kingdom Builders
The Work of Revitalization • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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The Work of Revitalization
The Work of Revitalization
Good morning everyone and welcome to Burr Oak. If you are visiting today please take a moment and fill out one of our connect cards. You can find one one the back of the pew in front of you or online at burroak.org.
We are continuing in our series The Work of Revitalization today looking to the third chapter of Nehemiah. To this point in this series we have looked at Zerubbabel, Ezra, and we are now being introduced to Nehemiah. Each of these men have taught us something about Yahweh’s purposes in revitalizing his church. Zerubbabel showed us the importance of properly exalting Yahweh. Ezra showed us the importance of living according to his word. Nehemiah is teaching us how Yahweh is our comfort.
This is where we need to be careful with the use of words. We understand comfort to mean, rest, ease, leisure. Yet, as we read the Bible we get the picture that, leisure and ease is not something we are guaranteed in this life. So what is it that Yahweh really wants for us? He wants for us to find our comfort in him, but beyond experiencing comfort what he wants for us is peace.
In the Scriptures, the Hebrew word that we get our word peace from is Shalom. The understanding of this word is not just a temporary break from troubles type of peace, but rather a complete wholeness. What we wrestle with is wondering if this type of peace is actually available within this life? Scripture tells us how we can find it.
165 Great peace have those who love your law; nothing can make them stumble.
Great peace, great wholeness comes to those that love Yahweh’s word. We can understand this both as Jesus the living Word and Yahweh’s written word. When we live in accordance to the way he has instructed us, we live with a peace with nothing that will make us stumble. Why is this important and why do I bring it up?
I see a situation on the horizon that has been brewing for many years and it is now starting to get to a boil. There is a dissidence growing amongst a demographic that at one point served as the foundational framework for the prosperity of our nation. This is the American male ages 18-44. This demographic has traditionally made up the majority of service members and the majority of working class laborers. The protection and prosperity of our nation has traditionally rested on the shoulders of this group. And yet we are seeing a shift in mentality.
This shift takes on many faces. In many it has taken on the look of a perpetual adolescence where grown men live off the backs of their parents. In others it takes the face of individualistic survival, where they live solely for themselves and their own desires with complete disregard for who they hurt along the way. Others still take on a victim mentality where their situations are the results of others faults and failures.
Now I believe that these have had their faces shown for a while now and there will always be individuals who live like this. But there is another face starting to show. I believe this face is one that we need to keep an eye on as the church. This face is made up of those that have been keeping their heads down. They have been trying to live life as they should, being productive members of society. Caring for their families. Trying to live a good and honorable lives. But they are growing tired. They are tired of being used. They are tired of being lied to. They are tired of seeing a system that no longer operates as though all men are created equal. And they are growing angry.
And there are some in this demographic that have not started to speak out in a way that expresses the feelings of this group. An overnight sensation Oliver Anthony’s song Rich Men North of Richmond speaks what many are feeling. Tom MacDonald is another whose rap songs are speaking to how many feel. And as these feelings are being expressed I sense that there will be many more who being to speak out as well. Many who will put words to how they are feeling.
And they are not wrong. I share many of the sentiments that shared through these artists. I looked at my boys and worry about the cultural fights they will have to face as men. I look at my daughters and hate how society will tell them that they need to hate how God has created them. Or the fact that they should be worried about predators because protecting our young is something that is quickly on its way out the door. It is not wrong to feel these feelings. Scripture does not state that our feeling are sinful, rather the response to our feelings is were sin can be produced.
Several weeks back I used a quote from Helen Keller where she stated that
True happiness is not attained through self-gratification, but through fidelity to a worthy purpose.
Helen Keller
The question we need to ask ourselves is whose purpose is worthy of our fidelity? Whose cause is worth fighting for? There are many with this brooding anger who are ready to unite themselves to a cause that may not be honoring to Yahweh. This is in part why church revitalization is necessary. So that our fidelity is to Yahweh’s purposes alone. The church needs to see clearly what it is that it is to be doing. Not every battle fought is Yahweh’s side verses Satan’s side. Satan has no problem causing two sides to war against each other with him influencing both. He is not fighting against himself, he is keeping both from seeing the truth.
We need to be aware of this. We need to know our purpose, we need to commit our fidelity to Yahweh. By this we find our wholeness, we find our peace, by fighting for Yahweh’s purposes. With that let us begin fighting this war in our own selves first. Let us look to our focus verse for this series. Say this with me.
10 Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me. 11 Do not cast me away from Your presence, And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me. 12 Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, And uphold me by Your generous Spirit.
Please pray with me.
PRAYER
Father you have again allowed us to come together today. Lord as we prepare to receive your word open our hearts and minds to understand it. Father may you present yourself to us today. For those that are sorrowful bring them comfort. For those that are fearful bring the courage. For those that harboring sin, bring them conviction that they might be able to walk in the freedom of the light of Christ. Father we ask your blessing on our message for today. In Christ’s name we pray, amen.
The title of our message for today is Kingdom Builders: Laborers in Jesus’ Plan of Action. I f you are using your own Bible or following along on your device please turn to the end of the second chapter of Nehemiah. If you are using the blue pew Bible we will begin on page 439 and end on 440. You can also follow along on the screen. Because of the length and make of this chapter our reading is going to be some select verse from this chapter. We will pick up with Nehemiah’s call to action and then trace through the chapter each gate that this built.
PASSAGE
Let us hear the word of the Lord.
18 And I told them of the hand of my God that had been upon me for good, and also of the words that the king had spoken to me. And they said, “Let us rise up and build.” So they strengthened their hands for the good work.
1 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.
2 And next to him the men of Jericho built. And next to them Zaccur the son of Imri built.
3 The sons of Hassenaah built the Fish Gate. They laid its beams and set its doors, its bolts, and its bars.
4 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.
5 And next to them the Tekoites repaired, but their nobles would not stoop to serve their Lord.
6 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.
11 Malchijah the son of Harim and Hasshub the son of Pahath-moab repaired another section and the Tower of the Ovens.
12 Next to him Shallum the son of Hallohesh, ruler of half the district of Jerusalem, repaired, he and his daughters.
13 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.
14 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.
15 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.
26 and the temple servants living on Ophel repaired to a point opposite the Water Gate on the east and the projecting tower.
27 After him the Tekoites repaired another section opposite the great projecting tower as far as the wall of Ophel.
28 Above the Horse Gate the priests repaired, each one opposite his own house.
31 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.
32 And between the upper chamber of the corner and the Sheep Gate the goldsmiths and the merchants repaired.
May the Lord bless the reading of his word.
As we consider being Kingdom Builders this week we are going to look at sharing in the work of Jesus, the significance of the wall, and the purpose of the wall.
Sharing in the Work Of Jesus
Sharing in the Work Of Jesus
As we read through this chapter we are again presented with a list of names that are difficult for us to pronounce. Yet, embedded within this chapter is a significant principle that we need to understand.
The work of Yahweh is not for a select minority, but for the vast majority.
When we looked at the second purpose of the church, the edification of the saints we looked at this through Paul’s letter to the Corinthians. How if we are all equipped the same we miss out on both the beauty and functionality of the whole body. Nehemiah demonstrates this principle by looking at the varying individuals and people groups that help with the reconstruction.
Peter Adam counts 40 different people or groups that took part in this rebuilding. They came from all walks of life. We see the high priest, his fellow priest, we see men and women alike working to rebuild the wall. We see those who had skills in trades other than masonry or carpentry. We see some individuals take on extra portions to see the job become completed. Within this group of 40 there are a couple worth pointing out.
11 Malchijah the son of Harim and Hasshub the son of Pahath-moab repaired another section and the Tower of the Ovens.
This is not the first time we have read of Malkijah. We are introduced to him in Ezra.
31 Of the sons of Harim: Eliezer, Isshijah, Malchijah, Shemaiah, Shimeon,
We find his name in a list of people at the end of Ezra. These people were guilty of sin.
44 All these had married foreign women, and some of the women had even borne children.
What we see here is Nehemiah is that Malchijah is now incorporated back into the community and working to restore the wall. Seeing how he was named as one who had sinned, Adam suggests that his named being mentioned here in Nehemiah indicates that he has repented and been restored to his position as a community member. We see here that Yahweh can use those who have sinned to help rebuild.
I mentioned last week that one of the tactics that Satan uses is convincing us that Yahweh cannot use us because of our past. This mentality operates in resistance to Jesus’ plan of action. Malchijah had sinned, and sinned in such a way that his named is forever recorded int he Scriptures as having sinned. But through Yahweh’s grace Malchijah was also restored to his position within the community and that too is also forever recorded within the Scriptures.
The next thing that we need to see is that the residents of Jerusalem were not the only ones to take part in the building of the wall. This passage list out people from Jericho, Tekoa, Gideon, Mizpah, Zanoah, Beth Hakkerem, Beth Zur, and Keilah. Adam argues that part of the reason for this aid, is that these surrounding cities would have found the walled city of Jerusalem as a place of shelter if an enemy attacked.
Often times when we think of revitalizing a church, we are looking at a singular locale. What we need to realize is that this is not necessarily the case. When we look at Jesus letters to the Seven Churches in Revelation, we see that they are addressed to regions. This can give us the understanding the Jesus cares for the church of the region. Church meaning all that belong to him in a particular area. This takes revitalization beyond any single church’s walls.
Does Yahweh care about the health of Burr Oak? Absolutely. But he also cares about Wolf Lake, and Berean, and Ormas, and Cosperville, and Merriam, and Grace Community, and Albion Wesleyan, and every other local congregation in the area. Our goal in revitalization is not just the health of our own church, but the church overall. Promoting this type of overall relationship amongst churches, Sam Rainer, author of The Church Revitalization Checklist, argues that church mergers should not happen. Mostly because it usually is more of one church taking over another church. Rather church fostering, or church adoption should take place.
Rainer explains that in this format, a healthy church will begin by fostering an unhealthy church. They will send people and resources to help the unhealthy church get back on its feet. An adoption is when the unhealthy church comes under the governing documents and board of a healthy church, yet still serving it’s local community. With these formats churches are less likely to close as they are invest in and edified by the healthy church.
The interesting thing that we see with these two examples, is the over work that Yahweh is showing us here in Nehemiah. The fact that through Jesus we are both redeemed and brought together in unity for God’s common cause. In Nehemiah’s day the common cause was the rebuilding of the city walls. But what is the principle that we are to learn from this? Why is the wall being rebuilt significant to us?
The Significance of the Wall
The Significance of the Wall
Last week I briefly mention the significance of a wall around a city in the ancient world. The wall represented the strength of the city, its’ people, and the people’s god. Looking back to our passage from last week we see that the wall being in ruins was a disgrace upon the people.
17 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.”
As Christians one of the truths that we hold to is that God dwells in and among us and we are now his holy temple.
16 What agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; as God said, “I will make my dwelling among them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
There are many others verses that point to this truth as well. What I want us to understand is how similarly, we are built together like a wall around a city to demonstrate how great our God is. I want us to look at a couple of these verse and come to understand the implication of us being built together as a wall.
First, let’s look at Eph 2:20-21
built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord.
This passage here indicates that we are being joined together on the foundation of the apostle and prophets with Christ being the cornerstone. The reference to Christ is pretty easy to understand. The corner stone of a building need to be cut pure and true. It needed to be without blemish or imperfection as it decided the way every other stone would lie.
The cornerstone determined the stability of the structure.
When we look at the apostles and the prophets we wonder what this means as they are the foundation. I have suggested before that when we see these terms used like this instead of thinking about the people that filled positions, we should instead think of how they were primarily used, to teach God’s word. John Stott supports this position stating,
The Message of Ephesians c. God’s Temple (Verses 20–22)
Since apostles and prophets were both groups with a teaching role, it seems clear that what constitutes the church’s foundation is neither their person nor their office but their instruction
This understanding would imply that what the Church is in fact built upon and measured against is both the Living Word and the written word.
The next passage I want us to consider is 1 Cor 3:16-17
Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you? If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him. For God’s temple is holy, and you are that temple.
When looking at his passage the first thing we need to understand is that the you is in a plural format. Paul is not assigning this to individuals but rather to the collective. Since the collective is the temple, the destruction is that that tears the the collective apart. Seeing how Paul is writing to a church full of divisions, we can understand that Paul’s instruction, which comes to a high point in chapter 13, is that things that divide Christians should not be tolerated amongst us as they tear apart God’s temple. For those that do not heed this warning, Yahweh will bring ruin upon them.
Again it is clear that we are built together to be the temple of Yahweh. Connecting this to the idea of a wall that symbolizes the greatness of Yahweh, let us consider John 13:34-35
A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”
The love we have for one another. The way we come together. The way we care for each other. The way our unity together accomplishes kingdom work. Jesus says that this is the testimony to the world that we are his. In essence it proclaims Yahweh’s greatness. John expands on this in his first letter.
We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brothers. Whoever does not love abides in death.
If anyone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen.
Nehemiah’s rebuilding of the wall was to show how great the Israelites God was. That the people could all come together to accomplish a like task. To all take part in a shared purpose, in Yahweh’s purpose. As Christians we are to be striving for these same things. And not just within our own four walls, but with our brothers and sisters around us.
The Purpose of the Wall
The Purpose of the Wall
Now that we understand the significance of the wall, how does it’s purpose relate to us? Peter Adam shares that in Nehemiah’s day the wall served three purposes.
Protecting God’s name
Protecting from enemies
Protecting distinctiveness
Let’s consider for a moment how these three purposes may apply to us a a spiritual wall. I believe that we covered the first purpose in our last point. The way we operate together is our testimony to the world of how great our God is and this is us striving to protect his name (not that he needs that).
The second purpose the protection from enemies I believe directly correlates to the second purpose of the church, the edification of the saints. If you remember one of the passages we looked at regarding this was Eph 4:13-16
until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes.
Together we serve to walk with each other, encouraging each other in our growth with Christ, helping to equip each other to continue on. In this fashion we help protect each other from the enemies attacks so that none of us are tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes.
The third purpose of the wall was to provide distinction. It physically separated the Israelites from everyone else. It showed that there was something different about them. This is the same way the church is to be. Peter Adam states,
Ezra & Nehemiah: Walking in God’s Words Protecting Distinctiveness
The city wall was a reminder of the need to be distinctive as worshippers of the one true and living God, to lead distinctive lives, and to worship God alone.
In writing to the Corinthians regarding an incestuous relationship taking place within their church Paul stated this.
But now I am writing to you not to associate with anyone who bears the name of brother if he is guilty of sexual immorality or greed, or is an idolater, reviler, drunkard, or swindler—not even to eat with such a one. For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Is it not those inside the church whom you are to judge? God judges those outside. “Purge the evil person from among you.”
There is to be a distinction between how we live and how the world lives. As we come together all being laid in alignment to Christ. All being refined by his word. We should show a difference in how we live. There should be a distinction between how we used to be and how we are now. A test for this is letting a co-worker or acquaintance know that you are a Christian and see what their response is. Do they affirm it or do they question it? This was the catalyst that change the life of a mentor of mine.
He was working in a factory in Memphis TN in his mid twenties. He became a believer while working there. Some point after his conversion, it came up in conversation that he was now a Christian and his one of his coworkers stated that they would have never known. There was no distinction, there was no evidence of being different. If we asked those around us what would they say? Could they at least see that we are different then we used to be?
Closing
Closing
As we are getting to the closing of this, some of you may be wondering how my opening about a growing demographic of angry young men connects to what we are talking about today. Many of these young men have been raised int he church in some format or another. Yet, they see the church as being passive. They see the church as either a country club, or a museum of artifacts. They do not see where the church has any power or influence to deal with these issues. Yet, many of us feel helpless in knowing where to start. So here are a few ways.
One of the greatest issues I see here in the Albion area is that the churches for the most part do not work together. I know this is starting to change but is very much in the beginning stages. For the most part there is some resistance in coming together. This lack of unity among the churches is leading to despair amongst the lost of our area. A great way to start to overcome this is by making yourself available to go to the Chili Fire at Ormas Church on the 30th. Let us begin to rebuild the spiritual wall with our other brothers and sisters.
Another way is by investing in ministries that are trying to change our community. You can do this through your time or your finances. One of the greatest needs our community has lies within our public school district. The greatest complaint last year from the staff was the level of disrespect from the student towards the staff was the highest they have experienced ever.
This is where LifeWise comes in. LifeWise takes the kids involved through character training by teaching them the Bible and how every story points to Jesus. The schools that have had this program implement have seen an increased morale amongst students and staff both. Ryan Ule is the program director for Central Noble’s program. They are in need of volunteers and financial donations. However along with this they need support from other churches. LifeWise requires at least 3 different churches in a community to come together for the program to go. So please if you have family or friends in other local churches encourage them to partner with LifeWise. Ryan and Lisa would be more than happy to go and visit them and share what LifeWise is all about if they are unaware. LifeWise is a literal carrying out of the Great Commission in our own back yard.
But if we are really going to impact our area. If we are going to reach this demographic of angry young men, there is something far more important that must take place first. Daniel Akin exhorts us in his commetnary saying.
If we are going to live for something more than our trivial agendas to make our own names great, we must be convinced of the truth, goodness, and beauty of God on display in the gospel of Jesus Christ and advanced in the work of the church.
If we are going to sacrifice personal luxuries and advantages in order to live for the gospel and advance it in the church, we must not only see but experience the truth, goodness, and beauty of God on display in the gospel and advanced in the work of the church
If we lay down our lives for the gospel and the church, it will be because we have seen, experienced, and lived for the truth, goodness, and beauty of God on display in the gospel and advanced in the church.
We must see, experience, and live for the truth, goodness, and beauty of Yahweh.
He has presented it to us in both his Living and written word, and he has commanded us to advance this message. It takes all of us laboring together to help build his kingdom. But you will not understand the plan or the why until you have seen and experienced it for yourself. And once you have seen and experienced it, you cannot help but live for it.
END IN PRAYER
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