Renewed, Restored, Rebuilt
Rebuild, Restore, Renew • Sermon • Submitted
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Overview
Overview
This morning we finish up our Nehemiah series. Just to catch us up, Nehemiah was cupbearer to the King of Babylon, who became governor of Jerusalem for roughly 12 years from about 445-433 B.C. Why was Jew living in Babylon, serving the Babylonian king? He was born and raised in Babylon, because, roughly 170 years earlier, God exiled Israel by sending them into captivity in Babylon. Why? Because they failed to remain aligned with God’s vision, God’s plan for Israel. God called Israel to be set apart, to be witnesses of the one true God, by demonstrating, by living out his heart and character by keeping his commandments.
But they drifted out of alignment. Slowly at first, but then more and more until they were no longer set apart, but looked and behaved exactly like the culture around them. God warned them what would happen if they broke covenant—that is the contract, the agreement they willingly made with God. God would punish them with exile.
God sent them into captivity in order to cause them to remember their promises. In order that they would admit their sins, believe in God again, and commit themselves to obeying him again. And they did. They admitted their sin, believed in God’s promises, and committed themselves to him, and after about 70 years, God sent them back to Israel, to restore things to the way they used to be.
Fast forward about 90 years and Nehemiah enters the picture. When he hears that Jerusalem was still in ruins, he obey’s God’s call to rebuild, renew and restore the walls, gates and hearts of Israel. Armed with the King’s permission, he went to Jerusalem and got to work.
In just 52 days, the walls and the gates were rebuilt, despite significant opposition. Nehemiah sparked a huge spiritual renewal throughout Israel. They listened to God’s Word, and promised to obey it. It looked like everything was great… for a while.
In chapter 13, at the end of the book, we discover that Nehemiah had returned to Babylon, but then came back to see how things were going. In his absence, the people drifted out of alignment. They reverted to their old ways again. They stopped looking after one another. They stopped supporting the temple and the priests and Levites. The priest rented out rooms in the temple for profit. They went back to working on the Sabbath, buying and selling on the Sabbath—desecrating it—forgetting what the point of the Sabbath was all about—faith and trust in God’s provision. The people of Israel were marrying people of other faiths, other people groups—groups that were God’s enemies, people that would lead Israel into sin.
So Nehemiah had to call everyone to align themselves with God and His plan, his commandments.
Now, let’s be honest. Is it surprising that Israel so quickly drifted out of alignment, drifted so quickly from their commitment to God and his commandments? We see this pattern repeatedly in their history. In the time of the Judges, each person would do what was right in his or her own eyes and then God would raise up a judge who’d straighten things out for a while, but then drift started happening again. Even in the time of the kings, evil and wicked leaders would lead the whole nation astray, so God sent prophets, preachers and teachers to straighten things out again. Sometimes the people would listen, sometimes they made life very difficult for the prophets.
This pattern kept repeating itself until God sent his Son, Jesus. Jesus radically transformed the world. He taught with power and authority. He healed the sick, he raised the dead. He willingly gave his life to pay for sin. He took all the penalties, all the exiles upon himself. He paved the only way to God through his death on the cross. All you have to do is believe that he did all that for you. Trust that it’s true for you.
Jesus rose again from the dead. He conquered death. He returned to God the Father, and he sent his Holy Spirit on everyone who believes in him, in what he’s done. Suddenly, scared men became bold preachers. People who were terrified of being beaten, mocked and imprisoned, considered such things an honour, a participation in Jesus’ suffering.
But something else happened that changed the world. Ten days after returning to heaven, he sent his Holy Spirit on everyone who believes in him, in what he’s done. Suddenly, scared men became bold, in your face preachers. People who were terrified of being beaten, mocked and imprisoned, considered such things an honour, a particpaiton in Jesus’ suffering.
The prophecies were fulfilled, God gave people new hearts, hearts of flesh, not hearts of stone. Instead of blindly following rules and regulations, people were close to God, he was Father, brother, friend to them. Filled with the Holy Spirit, people lived according to the Spirit, they demonstrated the fruit of the Spirit, love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. In step with the Spirit, the kept God’s commandments to love Him with all their heart, soul, mind, and strength, and to love their neighbours as they loved themselves. Additionally, they kept God’s commission, to make disciples of all nations, baptising them, teaching them obedience, trusting that God was with them every step of the way.
But how long did it last? How long until the drift, the same drift we see in , the same drift we see in Israel’s history? Not too long, as a matter of fact. In the book of Revelation, we have seven letters that were sent to seven churches on the Mediterranean Sea. In every church, there was something missing. In fact, scholars and theologians agree that these seven things represent all the ways churches throughout history have struggled with faithfulness. They represent the ways churches drift off course from God’s plan.
But what happened? How long did people stay aligned with God’s plan? Do we see the same kind of drift that we see in , the same drift we see in Israel’s history? In short, yes. Most of the New Testament is made up of letters written to churches. Much of the instructions in those letters were to correct behaviour, to help the church become better aligned with God and his plan. In the book of Revelation, are seven letters sent to seven churches. In every church, there was something missing. In fact, scholars and theologians agree that these seven things represent all the ways churches throughout history have struggled with alignment. They represent the ways churches drift off course from God’s plan.
It’s not as though people necessarily did it on purpose. I mean, no one in Ephesus decided one day to give up on their first love, no one in Sardis sought to have a reputation of being alive, when they were actually dead. No one decided to fail to complete their deeds, but they did.
That they needed was reform. They needed a course correction. But if they refused to reform, if the refused to repent and turn away, then God would remove their light. They would fade away and die. And that’s exactly what happened. None of those churches lasted.
The church in North America today has drifted out of alignment with God and his plan. Rather than focussing on God’s mission, churches have drifted, they started out as movements, amazing acts of God. They were risk takers, 3000 people were added to the church in one day! But after a while, they became museums. They became caretakers, shoring up and preserving traditions, buildings, religious debates. Then they became mausoleums, there’s no movement, no life. Thom Rainer, author of the book “I am a Church Member” says that 80% of churches are declining. Something has happened to these churches, the things that once lifted them, motivated them, are there no longer.
So, where are we? Are we a mausoleum, with no movement, no life? Are we a museum? Are we caretakers, seeking to preserve and protect what we have? Are we a movement? Are we willing to take risks, to put ourselves out there confident in what God will do in and through us?
What would Nehemiah say to us today? What would the apostle Paul write? What would the disciple John write to the Church of Christ in Bradford? How are we doing in stewarding God’s treasure to us? And how can we tell if we’re out of alignment?
One way is to look at the dedication stones on the building. What was this building set apart to do? What did God’s people hope and dream we as a congregation would do with God’s grace? The verse for the dedication of this building is from , “All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God.”
The second inscription is from , “All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God.” Again, it helps to read a bit more of the context: “It is written, I believed; therefore I have spoken.” With that same spirit of faith we also believe and therefore speak, because we know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus from the dead will also raise us with Jesus and present us with you in his presence. All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God.
Now the only part of the verse inscribed on the stone is “to the glory of God.” It’s easy then, to think that anything we do is to the glory of God. But the verse, and it’s context is much more explicit.
“‘It is written, I believed; therefore I have spoken.’ With that same spirit of faith we also believe and therefore speak, because we know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus from the dead will also raise us with Jesus and present us with you in his presence. All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God.”
The Spirit of God, the same spirit of God who worked powerfully in the disciples to preach and teach, is in you, in us. The same Spirit that started the early church movement is in us, the same Spirit who emboldened the disciples to preach and teach about Jesus, is in you, in me.
Let’s not forget the words that come before our inscription, “the grace that is reaching more and more.” Are we still aligned with that? Are we still reaching more and more with God’s grace? If we’re not, and we’re not, then we’re just keeping that grace to ourselves. We’re in museum mode, preserving things for ourselves. Does that glorify God? No. It is when the grace is reaching more and more people that causes thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God. If we don’t share God’s grace with others, we’re robbing God of his glory. And if we’re not doing that, then we’ve drifted, we’re out of alignment.
This morning we installed two deacons and one elder. The other elder will be installed next week. So, what’s their job? Why has God placed elders and deacons over us, with authority? Because God instructs them to examine our alignment with God’s mission. God’s mission throughout the history of this church, this congregation is summarised neatly into three words, Gather, grow, serve. We gather for worship, grow in the love of Jesus Christ, and serve everyone everywhere, inside and outside the church.
For the last decade, we’ve been out of alignment. God’s appointed leaders are working to bring us back, to move us out of museum mode into movement mode. That’s why we’ve changed our name. That’s why we’re renovating parts of the building. That’s why we’ve added staff. That’s why we’re doing what we’re doing. This is the direction God is leading. I’m convinced of it, the council is convinced of it.
Are you in? Are you aligned with God? Are you aligned with God’s plan for this church, this congregation?
All he’s waiting for is us to trust and obey. Speak about your faith. Set a goal for the week ahead. Challenge yourself to talk to one person about their faith. That’s what the Spirit is in you to do!
If you are, then there’s two things God wants you to do. Give yourself wholly over to God again. You might need to admit your sin, believe in God’s power in Christ, and then commit your life to him once again, or maybe for the first time. My colleagues in ministry share stories of people who have been in church their whole life and yet never gave their life to Christ. Never formally accepted Christ, his love, his forgiveness, his grace. If that describes you, don’t hesitate, do it this morning.
Secondly, having surrendered to Christ, committed to him, ask God to open an opportunity for you to talk to someone this week about your faith, then have a conversation with someone this week. Maybe you’re at a soccer practise, or at work, or walking in the neighbourhood, or at a restaurant, ask them, “Are you a spiritual person?” It’s a safe question. Most people are. Most people are happy to answer that question. Trust the Holy Spirit to give you the words to continue the conversation or not.
God’s challenge for us, each of us this week is this: ask someone about their faith, their spirituality. This will begin the process of bringing us into alignment with Christ and his plan for Westside Community Church. “All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God! Amen!
ll he’s waiting for is us to trust and obey. Speak about your faith. Set a goal for the week ahead. Challenge yourself to talk to one person about their faith. That’s what the Spirit is in you to do!