Joining Nehemiah in Jerusalem DOING A GREAT WORK BEGINNING
& SHARING IN THE WORK
Slide 2
BEGINNING THE WORK THE REALITY CHECK PAULS EXPERIENCE (1 Cor
16.9) For a great door and effectual is opened up to me, AND THERE
ARE MANY ADVERSARIES Sanballat, governor of Samaria Tobiah,
governor of Ammon Geshem, an Arab chief used ridicule & scorn
to oppose the work before it began
Slide 3
BEGINNING THE WORK THE RESPONSE Put the enemies in their place
& give GOD His place. Ye have no portion (past), nor right
(present), nor memorial (future) in Jerusalem. The God of heaven,
he will prosper us. THE BALANCE OF POWER HAD SHIFTED IN THE CITY.
HAS IT SHIFTED WHERE WE ARE?
Slide 4
MEET THE WORKERS (Chapter 3) its not just a list of boring
names nor are we! God keeps records - it does matter what we do
here! heaven is interested in what each person is building For we
are labourers together with God every mans work shall be manifest:
for the day shall declare it, 1 Cor 3.
Slide 5
WHAT WAS THE SECRET OF THIS SUCCESSFUL WORKFORCE? You might
read Chap 3 & say, TEAMWORK & HARMONY next unto him next
unto them after himafter them BUT TEAMWORK doesnt just happen,
because someone says it will. It stems from: CLARITY STANDARDS
REWARDS
Slide 6
CLARITY THREE KEY QUESTIONS 1.Do the leaders know where they
are going? 2.Do the workers know where the leaders are going &
whether they are included in the plans? 3.Are the workers aware of
their part in the plan? There was CLARITY ABOUT THE VISION for
Jerusalem Come and let us build up the wall of Jerusalem that we be
no more a reproach
Slide 7
There was CLARITY AS TO WHO COULD BE INVOLVED all had
responsibility we, us but the reality was it was only those who had
a mind (heart) to work,4.6, who were committed. Are you one of
these? seemingly unsuitable & unlikely people were involved the
high priest v.1 priests/Levites v.1 goldsmiths v.8,31 women v.12
merchants v.31 rulers vv.12,14 dont make excuses! outsiders were
involved from 8 outlying areas e.g. Jericho v.2; Tekoa v.5; Gibeon
v.7. some people may not have been happy about this we can allow
prejudices to exclude others a restored backslider was involved
Malchijah, v.11 13 years before he had been guilty of taking a
strange wife (Ez 10.31 probably the same man) we often find it hard
to forgive
Slide 8
There was CLARITY ABOUT EACH PERSONS PART IN THE PLAN they knew
precisely what they had to do when they turned up for work do we
turn up & do we know what to do ? do we turn up to work or to
sit around and? there was great harmony, but they were not all
doing the same thing, e.g. some built and some repaired TEAMWORK
& HARMONY ON THE WALLS STEMMED FROM CLARITY!
Slide 9
STANDARDS TWO KEY QUESTIONS 1.Are the workers expected to give
of their best? 2.Is mediocrity tolerated here? REMEMBER at the
Judgment Seat, Christ will want to know: how much we have gained of
what sort (how excellent) our work has been He will want quantity
of the right quality
Slide 10
STANDARDS How did Nehemiah get the best out of the workers? He
set some to work on sections of the wall that were in close
proximity to their own houses 3.10,23,28-30 an incentive to give
their best! That is where every real work for God must begin at
homea church is no stronger than its homes, for a church is made up
of families. A.Redpath Each local assembly must build in its local
area In gospel work, the many are not called to climb the steeps
and cross the waves, their duty lies in simply climbing the steps
across the street. S.Carson
Slide 11
He set others to work in areas that were of particular interest
and relevance to them. Eliashib, the high priest & the priests
worked on the Sheep Gate animals for sacrifice came through here.
the Nethenims (temple servants) worked near their dwellings that
stood on the threshold of the temple mount Later on the enemies
around perceived that this work was wrought of our God, 4.6 there
was a quality about it! What does the neighbourhood see from us the
best or mediocrity? And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the
Lord, and not unto men; knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive
the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ, Col
3.23,24.
Slide 12
REWARDS TWO KEY QUESTIONS 1.Does anyone notice what the workers
are doing? 2.Does anyone care? THE LORD KNOWS, CARES & REWARDS
HIS WORKERS we shall all stand before the judgment seat of ChristSo
then every one of us shall give an account of himself to God every
man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour, Rom
14.10,12, 1 Cor 3.8,13,14. We are all known in heaven !
Slide 13
REWARDS Nehemiahs judgment seat for the workers in Jerusalem He
recorded & remembered their names identified those with the
same names by their family backgrounds, e.g. v.16 knew where they
lived, even Meshullam who lived in a one-room apartment, v.30 He
noticed their work individual praise - not general it is
motivational noticed those who gave extra another piece noticed a
lone-worker Malchiah working on the Dung Gate not glamorous, but
vital, v.14 noticed those who did a complete job fitted the locks
& bars, e.g. v.14 noticed the exceptional worker Baruch
earnestly repaired there will be positions in Christs kingdom,
v.20
Slide 14
REWARDS those who lost out And next unto them the Tekoites
repaired, but their nobles put not their necks to the work of their
Lord, v.5. They suffered loss for not sharing in the work. It is
possible to suffer loss at the Judgment Seat of Christ a serious
matter! The Tekoites lived 11 miles from Jerusalem, but they did
not use poor leadership as an excuse to lower their own standards.
Clarity of vision, high standards & those who felt valued &
rewarded turned a disparate band of workers into a potent team for
the furtherance of the Lords work. IT CAN BE ACHIEVED TODAY - USE
YOUR GIFT(S)!