WEBVTT 00:00:04.105 --> 00:00:10.795 Anyway, I'm Tyler, I'm the lead pastor here and I'm so grateful to be able to stand in front of you and share the Word of God with you. 00:00:10.795 --> 00:00:16.550 And we are in the book of Nehemiah, so let's turn there to Nehemiah chapter. 00:00:16.550 --> 00:00:17.873 We're going to start in chapter 2. 00:00:17.873 --> 00:00:23.371 Today's the third installment of our sermon series on the book of Nehemiah, called the Passion Project. 00:00:24.125 --> 00:00:37.890 The Jews had been in captivity for 160 years in one form or fashion, and through that time, several different groups of Jewish people were allowed to come back to the homeland, and to Jerusalem in particular. 00:00:37.890 --> 00:00:49.411 The temple had been rebuilt, but the walls surrounding Jerusalem and the gates there were 12 gates that were part of the walls were still in disarray and in bad disrepair. 00:00:49.411 --> 00:00:59.502 We've seen so far how Nehemiah, after understanding and receiving the word of the condition of the walls of Jerusalem, began to cry. 00:00:59.502 --> 00:01:07.454 He was torn up, he became passionate about the state of things within his homeland, and so what did he do? 00:01:07.454 --> 00:01:31.212 He cried out to the Lord, and the Lord showed favor toward him and he answered his prayers by causing the Persian king, artaxerxes, to give him favor and to send him out of Persia, carrying with him all the materials that he would need to rebuild the gates and the walls, and also supplies and money to be able to purchase anything else that might be needed to finish the job. 00:01:31.212 --> 00:01:40.826 And so Nehemiah comes out and he comes into Jerusalem, and last week, scott did a great job of teaching us how Nehemiah put his faith into action. 00:01:40.826 --> 00:01:45.597 He put his faith into action, and this reality is what this could. 00:01:45.597 --> 00:01:50.808 The reality, though, is this this one man could not do the job. 00:01:50.808 --> 00:02:01.391 This one man could not do the job that was needed to be done, and so today's message is entitled the Value of Teamwork. 00:02:01.391 --> 00:02:02.933 The Value of Teamwork. 00:02:03.340 --> 00:02:12.784 Let's look at Nehemiah, chapter 2, and we're going to start in verses 17 and 18, and then we're going to look at chapter 3 to help us flesh out the truths that are in these verses. 00:02:12.784 --> 00:02:14.289 So let's read the word of God together. 00:02:14.289 --> 00:02:22.281 Then I said to them you see the trouble that we are in, how Jerusalem lies in ruins, with its gates burned. 00:02:22.281 --> 00:02:25.591 Come, let us listen to the plural words. 00:02:25.591 --> 00:02:31.870 Come, let us build the wall of Jerusalem that we may no longer suffer derision. 00:02:31.870 --> 00:02:44.551 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. 00:02:44.551 --> 00:02:48.950 So they strengthened their hands for the good work. 00:02:49.599 --> 00:02:50.906 Let's pray together this morning. 00:02:50.906 --> 00:02:59.408 Father God, in the name of Jesus, we thank you for the work that you've already done here today and, lord, we ask that this would be a continuation. 00:02:59.408 --> 00:03:16.429 We ask that you would take these words that you've placed in your Bible for us and that you would cause them to come alive, lord, that we would not only be hearers of the word, but we would hear this word, put our faith into action and do the things that you're asking of us. 00:03:16.429 --> 00:03:32.883 We thank you, holy Spirit, for saving those who are not saved and for causing those who may be in a state of disrepair in their own lives to have hope that today is the day for a new beginning, and we thank you for that in Jesus' name, amen. 00:03:34.085 --> 00:03:49.987 So there are two basic thoughts that, if you allow them to linger in your life, will stop any momentum in your life, and especially when it comes to your Christian community, this church and the church that God's called us to be a part of. 00:03:49.987 --> 00:03:57.105 I personally have experienced these two things in different ways, and I'm sure that you have as well. 00:03:57.105 --> 00:04:03.174 So the first one is we kind of like the way things are, Everything's good. 00:04:03.174 --> 00:04:08.087 We don't need the way things are, everything's good, we don't need to change a thing. 00:04:08.087 --> 00:04:19.240 Anybody ever lived within that reality Maybe you find yourself there right now that, my friends, if left unattended, can become a momentum killer. 00:04:19.240 --> 00:04:29.865 It can become a passion killer, because how many of you know that God, although he is the same yesterday, today and forever, is continually in motion. 00:04:29.865 --> 00:04:32.230 There is momentum. 00:04:32.230 --> 00:04:35.401 The kingdom of God is a momentous kingdom. 00:04:35.401 --> 00:04:39.168 It has movement, it breathes, it lives. 00:04:39.168 --> 00:04:42.653 There's activity in the kingdom of God. 00:04:42.653 --> 00:04:49.372 There is no point in your Christian life where there won't be some form of movement. 00:04:49.372 --> 00:04:52.345 Now, it doesn't mean that you have to. 00:04:52.687 --> 00:04:53.529 How many of you know Jesus? 00:04:53.529 --> 00:05:04.723 Very rarely do we hear of him running anywhere, but how many of you know he walked a lot of places and a lot of times? 00:05:04.723 --> 00:05:06.709 When he showed up in places, what did they say of him? 00:05:06.709 --> 00:05:10.050 If you'd only been here just a little bit sooner? 00:05:10.050 --> 00:05:14.230 How many of you know God's timing scale is not our timing scale. 00:05:14.230 --> 00:05:22.045 His way of measuring things is not the way that we measure things, but God is a God of movement, god is a God of momentum. 00:05:22.045 --> 00:05:30.125 How many of you know that Jesus also took time to be still to spend time with his father alone. 00:05:30.125 --> 00:05:37.045 All of that was a part of the momentum, the building of the kingdom of God. 00:05:37.045 --> 00:05:38.968 Those things were essential. 00:05:39.771 --> 00:05:44.408 So some people might say don't rock the boat, keep things the way that they are. 00:05:44.408 --> 00:05:46.273 Change is evil. 00:05:46.273 --> 00:05:49.824 Here's the thing you never want to do. 00:05:49.824 --> 00:06:01.470 If you believe that, don't look in the mirror every day, because a few weeks from now you look in that mirror and guess what you notice Change is happening. 00:06:01.470 --> 00:06:06.665 The other way you can tell change is happening is watching children grow. 00:06:06.665 --> 00:06:15.204 I saw Scott's granddaughter come in this morning and my goodness, he's so tall, scott, and she just shot up. 00:06:15.204 --> 00:06:24.389 You know, it's all the hormones in the chicken, man, I don't know. 00:06:24.389 --> 00:06:31.845 Sorry, that might actually stir some passion up within some of y'all, so I need to be careful there. 00:06:36.642 --> 00:06:40.028 Anyway, moving on, so that's one school of thought. 00:06:40.028 --> 00:06:43.069 Here's the other one, and maybe this one is even more invasive. 00:06:43.069 --> 00:06:46.108 We tried that before and it didn't work. 00:06:46.108 --> 00:06:50.848 We already tried that and it didn't work. 00:06:50.848 --> 00:06:56.370 How many of us have found ourselves in that sort of scenario? 00:06:56.370 --> 00:07:00.350 Imagine the children of Israel marching around Jericho after the third day. 00:07:00.350 --> 00:07:02.708 They said we tried that it didn't work. 00:07:02.708 --> 00:07:05.512 Or maybe the sixth time around the wall on that seventh day we tried that it didn't work. 00:07:05.512 --> 00:07:09.656 Or maybe the sixth time around the wall on that seventh day we tried that and it didn't work. 00:07:11.716 --> 00:07:17.004 Obedience is more important than what we perceive as something working. 00:07:17.004 --> 00:07:18.127 Does that make sense? 00:07:18.127 --> 00:07:21.134 God is always working and he's always moving. 00:07:21.134 --> 00:07:43.189 So let's make sure that we allow the passion of God to stir within us a desire for momentum, for movement, for change that is healthy, for change that he is bringing into our lives right, and let's shake off any kind of mindset that says I don't want to change or we've already tried that and it didn't work. 00:07:43.189 --> 00:07:45.761 Let's shake that off by the grace of God this morning. 00:07:45.761 --> 00:07:46.221 Amen. 00:07:46.221 --> 00:07:55.110 And that's what Nehemiah was faced with as he's talking, as he's observing and looking at how he's going to bring about change in this community. 00:07:55.110 --> 00:08:02.029 Nehemiah faces both of these passion stealers as he attempts to bring about a reformation among the people of God. 00:08:03.072 --> 00:08:15.692 Well, it's true that the temple had been restored 60 years prior to this, but the wall and the gates had been compromised and were laying in ruins for over 140 years. 00:08:15.692 --> 00:08:23.970 Wow, that's a long time, how many of you know you can get used to something after 140 years? 00:08:23.970 --> 00:08:27.247 How many of you know you can get used to something after 140 years? 00:08:27.247 --> 00:08:29.920 How many of you know you can almost forget that there were walls there after 140 years? 00:08:29.920 --> 00:08:37.114 How many of you know that weeds will take over any area that is not cultivated over 140 years? 00:08:37.114 --> 00:08:44.971 Right, so you can imagine, just picture with me what the scene must have looked like around Jerusalem. 00:08:44.971 --> 00:08:50.589 They had attempted to rebuild the walls even before and had failed miserably Again. 00:08:50.589 --> 00:09:02.404 All of these reasons, all of these excuses, all of these things that were screaming out to them just sit down, just hold on, just quit, just sit back. 00:09:04.489 --> 00:09:09.076 So we learn in our passage this morning that leadership is essential for teamwork. 00:09:09.076 --> 00:09:16.173 Talking about the value of teamwork, in order to have a team, you need to have at least a leader, right, or leaders. 00:09:16.173 --> 00:09:18.706 This is true in many different scenarios. 00:09:18.706 --> 00:09:19.850 How about in families? 00:09:19.850 --> 00:09:22.648 God has placed in families leadership. 00:09:22.648 --> 00:09:25.308 For those of you who are single parents, guess what? 00:09:25.308 --> 00:09:34.409 God has given you the authority and the leadership to help your family, to minister to your family, to lead and guide your family. 00:09:34.409 --> 00:09:43.692 To those of you who are married, god has given both responsibilities, but the man, specifically, is called to be the spiritual leader of his household. 00:09:43.692 --> 00:09:48.131 Men, we have an opportunity to be a godly leader in our homes. 00:09:48.759 --> 00:09:49.826 How about in workplaces? 00:09:49.826 --> 00:09:51.988 Is leadership essential in workplaces? 00:09:51.988 --> 00:09:59.182 We may not like the leadership we have in workplaces, but leadership is essential Also in governments. 00:09:59.182 --> 00:10:02.591 We know that that's the same case there, and we could go on and on. 00:10:02.591 --> 00:10:09.424 How much more is it true in Christianity that godly leadership is essential for teamwork? 00:10:09.424 --> 00:10:15.405 So Nehemiah is an excellent example to us of what it looks like to be a godly leader. 00:10:15.466 --> 00:10:18.176 So let's talk about a godly leader First of all. 00:10:18.176 --> 00:10:22.345 A godly leader identifies and communicates challenges. 00:10:22.345 --> 00:10:25.210 Godly leaders do not hide from trouble. 00:10:25.210 --> 00:10:28.221 Godly leaders do not run from problems. 00:10:28.221 --> 00:10:34.472 Godly leaders observe them, understand them and then communicate about them. 00:10:34.472 --> 00:10:36.062 What needs to happen, right? 00:10:36.062 --> 00:10:38.307 So let's go back to the verses again. 00:10:38.828 --> 00:10:48.042 Then I said to them Nehemiah, speaking to the crowd, you see the trouble we are in, how Jerusalem lies in ruins with its gates burned. 00:10:48.042 --> 00:11:08.624 Nehemiah is pointing out for them there's a problem, there's a challenge, there's something that we are facing, and this was important not just because of the walls themselves being forms of protection, but it was also about the identity of a people, the identity of the people of Israel, the identity of the Jewish people. 00:11:08.624 --> 00:11:17.150 Jerusalem and the walls that were surrounding it were helping should have been helping to identify who these people were as the people of God. 00:11:17.150 --> 00:11:25.572 And yet their lives were disheveled and in disarray because they had quit attempting to repair things. 00:11:25.572 --> 00:11:28.541 I love that Nehemiah didn't sugarcoat it. 00:11:28.541 --> 00:11:37.989 He didn't say well, you know, I was just walking around today and I stubbed my toe on a rock and I thought you know, maybe somebody would like somewhere to. 00:11:37.989 --> 00:11:42.323 Somehow, if you don't mind, would you please move that rock? 00:11:42.323 --> 00:11:46.150 No, he said guys, there's a problem. 00:11:46.150 --> 00:11:49.160 There's a problem that we need to face. 00:11:49.982 --> 00:11:53.530 He had heard the report of the wall and now he'd observed it with his own eyes. 00:11:53.530 --> 00:12:00.091 His job, as he saw it now, was to rally the people to begin again, to begin again. 00:12:00.091 --> 00:12:14.033 Hear me prophetically this morning, some of you, god is calling you to begin again and I'm hearing that call myself, that clarion call from the Lord to step up, to re-engage, to begin again. 00:12:14.033 --> 00:12:21.793 He was communicating to everyone who would listen, to anyone who would listen to his voice. 00:12:21.793 --> 00:12:28.533 He was communicating to them, he was giving them a clear understanding of the issue and of the problem. 00:12:28.533 --> 00:12:31.609 But a godly leader doesn't just point out the problems. 00:12:31.609 --> 00:12:35.269 A godly leader calls others up to work with them. 00:12:35.269 --> 00:12:42.613 He says come, let us build the wall of Jerusalem that we may no longer suffer derision. 00:12:42.613 --> 00:12:47.812 Nehemiah issues again this great call to all who would hear his voice. 00:12:47.960 --> 00:13:03.480 And when I was reading this, I couldn't help but think of the scene from Braveheart where William Wallace gets on his horse and he's riding back and forth in front of the men who were getting ready to leave and go back to their homes and to lay down in their beds, and he's talking about the cost of freedom. 00:13:03.480 --> 00:13:04.307 And are you going to be content to lay down and beds? 00:13:04.307 --> 00:13:04.817 And he's talking about the cost of freedom. 00:13:04.817 --> 00:13:06.720 And are you going to be content to lay down? 00:13:06.720 --> 00:13:15.768 And many years from now, you may still be alive, but what will it have cost you if you lose your freedom, your freedom? 00:13:16.590 --> 00:13:19.254 Nehemiah, in a similar way, is rallying the troops. 00:13:19.254 --> 00:13:27.533 He's saying let's get, let's understand that we can do this together, let's do this thing together. 00:13:27.533 --> 00:13:35.808 He challenged their passion by asking them if they were content to let the nations around them mock them and mock their God. 00:13:35.808 --> 00:13:43.629 The nations around them were mocking them and mocking their God. 00:13:43.629 --> 00:13:51.049 A godly leader must receive a vision from God and then make it clear to those that will work together with them. 00:13:51.049 --> 00:13:57.043 Habakkuk 2 says this Write the vision, make it plain on tablets so he may run. 00:13:57.043 --> 00:13:57.827 Who reads it? 00:13:57.827 --> 00:14:07.144 We're not given every detail of Nehemiah's plan, but we know he had a plan Because we'll see as we get into chapter three how that plan was executed. 00:14:07.144 --> 00:14:08.167 And it's masterful. 00:14:08.167 --> 00:14:20.363 It's really amazing how God gave him such wisdom and insight on how to make sure that things were done in a way that would end up bringing glory and honor to God. 00:14:21.326 --> 00:14:24.094 And finally, a godly leader is under authority. 00:14:24.094 --> 00:14:25.017 What do you mean? 00:14:25.017 --> 00:14:26.741 I have authority if I'm a godly leader. 00:14:26.741 --> 00:14:30.370 We have authority because we've been given authority right. 00:14:30.370 --> 00:14:39.804 Nehemiah goes on to say 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. 00:14:41.086 --> 00:14:51.889 Nehemiah had been given a burden from God to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem, and God's favor was on him to do the task that he had the burden to do. 00:14:51.889 --> 00:15:04.840 Not only that, but the king of Persia, a foreign king who was holding Israelites captive, sent him with his blessings, with supplies, with funding, to complete the job. 00:15:04.840 --> 00:15:07.405 He wasn't a lone ranger. 00:15:07.405 --> 00:15:12.541 Friends, we cannot afford to be lone rangers. 00:15:12.541 --> 00:15:16.320 I think Kelly brought this up in the first message. 00:15:16.320 --> 00:15:21.201 We are not called to live this Christian life alone. 00:15:21.201 --> 00:15:24.158 We're called to run together. 00:15:25.250 --> 00:15:29.201 He used the authority God gave him to steward his greatest resource of all. 00:15:29.201 --> 00:15:30.797 What was the greatest resource he had? 00:15:30.797 --> 00:15:33.919 All of the stones that were there in disarray? 00:15:33.919 --> 00:15:40.734 Was it the wood that he brought from Persia? 00:15:40.734 --> 00:15:42.418 Was it the metal that the blacksmiths had made for locks? 00:15:42.418 --> 00:15:42.740 Was it, you know? 00:15:42.740 --> 00:15:47.033 Was it the supply of finances and gold to be able to purchase anything that needed to be purchased? 00:15:47.033 --> 00:15:50.711 What was the greatest resource out of the call of God that was on his life? 00:15:50.711 --> 00:15:53.639 The greatest resource was the people. 00:15:53.639 --> 00:16:04.364 Leaders, please understand your greatest resources is not your company or your money or your ability to command others. 00:16:04.364 --> 00:16:13.823 Your greatest resource are the people who serve with you, the people who work with you, the people who walk with you. 00:16:17.389 --> 00:16:18.972 Let's not take for granted our children, right? 00:16:18.972 --> 00:16:21.317 Let's not take for granted employees. 00:16:21.317 --> 00:16:24.764 Let's not take for granted those that are in our community groups. 00:16:24.764 --> 00:16:30.355 Let's not take for granted those who are part of this church. 00:16:30.355 --> 00:16:34.105 Let's not take for granted the children that are back here in the children's ministry. 00:16:34.105 --> 00:16:34.426 Do you know? 00:16:34.426 --> 00:16:37.875 They're not just future participants of this church. 00:16:37.875 --> 00:16:47.379 They're with us, they're a part of us and we have the privilege of stewarding them by the grace of God. 00:16:48.744 --> 00:16:52.313 So not only do we need godly leadership, but in order to have a team, what else do you have to have? 00:16:52.313 --> 00:16:58.432 You can have a lot of leaders and have no what Chief or followers. 00:16:58.432 --> 00:17:01.158 Right, we need some workers, we need some followers. 00:17:01.158 --> 00:17:03.711 A team is essential for teamwork. 00:17:03.711 --> 00:17:10.917 I know that this is not rocket science today, but the word of God sometimes is very plain, and I'm glad that it is because I need it to be plain. 00:17:10.917 --> 00:17:17.815 What I need is the Holy Spirit to stir me up so that I become passionate about the things that God is passionate about. 00:17:17.815 --> 00:17:22.044 And they said let us rise up and build. 00:17:22.044 --> 00:17:24.756 So they strengthened their hands for the good work. 00:17:25.156 --> 00:17:27.141 I'm going to show you a picture now. 00:17:27.141 --> 00:17:29.031 This is Jerusalem. 00:17:29.031 --> 00:17:30.375 This is a rendering, obviously. 00:17:30.375 --> 00:17:31.977 No, it's a picture. 00:17:31.977 --> 00:17:38.237 It's a rendering of Jerusalem, and this is with the completed walls, and you can see it there. 00:17:38.237 --> 00:17:39.740 And you see all of the different gates. 00:17:39.820 --> 00:17:43.960 I love the fact that the gates a lot of them were pretty simple, like fish gate. 00:17:43.960 --> 00:17:50.477 What do you think that was for, yeah, it's, the fishermen would bring their fish in and there was a fish market there, right? 00:17:50.477 --> 00:17:51.699 The dung gate. 00:17:51.699 --> 00:17:52.960 What was the dung gate for? 00:17:52.960 --> 00:17:57.826 Nobody wants to say. 00:17:57.826 --> 00:18:01.813 That's where all the trash went. 00:18:01.813 --> 00:18:11.512 Okay, outside of the city, outside of the city, the fountain gate, the water gate, on and on and on the horse gate, pretty simple, and we're going to talk about the sheep gate in just a minute. 00:18:11.512 --> 00:18:23.441 But look at this If you look at the fish gate, that's where the sheep gate, up at the top, that's where the work began, and they worked counterclockwise around the walls all the way around back to the sheep gate. 00:18:23.441 --> 00:18:28.237 It's about a two mile circumference from one end to the other. 00:18:28.237 --> 00:18:41.416 So just picture that, think about no power tools, just picture that, think about no power tools, no lifts, no large moving vehicles. 00:18:41.416 --> 00:18:46.933 And if you've ever been to Israel and you've seen what remains of the wall of Jerusalem, you understand that this was some large stone work. 00:18:46.933 --> 00:18:49.219 This was a big deal, right? 00:18:49.219 --> 00:18:56.239 Everybody getting an image of that, everybody getting an image of that. 00:18:56.480 --> 00:19:03.016 So chapter 3 begins to describe how, under Nehemiah's leadership, different parts of the city wall were rebuilt by groups. 00:19:03.016 --> 00:19:08.932 There were 42 sections of the wall that this chapter speaks about 42 sections and 12 gates. 00:19:08.932 --> 00:19:11.720 There's 10 gates that are mentioned in this chapter, but there were 12 gates. 00:19:11.720 --> 00:19:15.270 There's 10 gates that are mentioned in this chapter, but there were 12 gates in Jerusalem. 00:19:15.270 --> 00:19:19.259 So, the spiritual leaders, first of all. 00:19:19.259 --> 00:19:20.321 We talked about leadership. 00:19:20.321 --> 00:19:22.291 Let's look at even the work itself. 00:19:22.291 --> 00:19:24.296 Spiritual leaders set an example. 00:19:24.296 --> 00:19:26.279 Look at Nehemiah 3, verse 1. 00:19:27.221 --> 00:19:33.098 Then Eliashib, the high priest, rose up with his brothers, the priests, and they built the sheep gate. 00:19:33.098 --> 00:19:36.270 They consecrated it and set its doors. 00:19:36.270 --> 00:19:41.782 They consecrated it as far as the tower of the hundred, as far as the tower of Hananel. 00:19:41.782 --> 00:19:48.474 We lead, first of all, by example. 00:19:48.474 --> 00:19:52.303 It's one of the things I love about the leaders in this church. 00:19:52.303 --> 00:19:56.160 We all have this mindset and we don't do it perfectly. 00:19:56.160 --> 00:20:00.761 We need your prayers, but we have this mindset that we are servant leaders. 00:20:00.761 --> 00:20:06.563 God has made us servants and we have the privilege of leading. 00:20:06.563 --> 00:20:10.979 It's fitting that the high priest should set the example. 00:20:11.049 --> 00:20:13.137 He was placed in charge of rebuilding the sheep gate. 00:20:13.137 --> 00:20:14.676 And what was the purpose of the sheep gate? 00:20:14.676 --> 00:20:17.397 This is where the sheep would have been brought in. 00:20:17.397 --> 00:20:20.018 In order to what? 00:20:20.018 --> 00:20:28.236 In order to be sacrificed on the temple altar, to atone for the sins of the people Think about it like this. 00:20:28.236 --> 00:20:37.891 There's no way that this high priest could have understood at the time the importance of this gate being restored. 00:20:37.891 --> 00:20:43.784 How many of you know that there would be another lamb who would walk through this gate? 00:20:43.784 --> 00:20:50.240 Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. 00:20:50.240 --> 00:20:53.520 And we know that he did because, if you look at John, chapter 5, verse 1, it says this after this, there was a feast of the world. 00:20:53.520 --> 00:20:59.320 And we know that he did because, if you look at John 5, verse 1, it says this After this, there was a feast of the Jews and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 00:21:00.029 --> 00:21:06.837 Now there is in Jerusalem, by the Sheep Gate, a pool, an Aramaic called Bethesda, which has five roofed colonnades. 00:21:06.837 --> 00:21:11.321 In these lay a multitude of invalids blind, lame and paralyzed. 00:21:11.321 --> 00:21:15.439 One man was there who had been an invalid for 38 years. 00:21:15.439 --> 00:21:16.402 Just think about that. 00:21:16.402 --> 00:21:26.211 When Jesus saw him lying there and knew that he had already been there a long time, he said to him do you want to be healed, boy? 00:21:26.211 --> 00:21:27.717 That seems like a strange question. 00:21:27.717 --> 00:21:30.256 What was he looking for? 00:21:30.256 --> 00:21:33.900 Jesus was looking for faith in this man. 00:21:33.900 --> 00:21:40.781 The sick man answered and said Sir, I have no one to put me in the pool when the water is stirred up. 00:21:40.781 --> 00:21:42.715 I've been here 38 years. 00:21:42.715 --> 00:21:46.141 I've tried and I've tried and I've tried. 00:21:46.141 --> 00:21:56.573 And while I'm going another steps down before me, jesus said to him Get up, take up your bed and walk. 00:21:56.573 --> 00:22:05.499 And at once the man was healed and he took up his bed and walked. 00:22:05.499 --> 00:22:17.407 Jesus Christ, the Savior of the world, the Messiah, is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. 00:22:17.407 --> 00:22:19.836 The perfect sacrifice. 00:22:19.836 --> 00:22:24.339 Put your faith and hope and trust in him today. 00:22:24.339 --> 00:22:26.607 Amen, amen. 00:22:28.050 --> 00:22:33.423 Secondly, another important part about the team is a diverse team contributed. 00:22:33.423 --> 00:22:37.680 First of all, there were Israelites from outside of Jerusalem that came to help. 00:22:37.680 --> 00:22:43.943 The Jews in Jerusalem, were assisted in their building operations by their fellow countrymen who lived in the surrounding area. 00:22:43.943 --> 00:22:50.036 Chapter 3 talks about the men of Jericho they knew something about walls right. 00:22:50.036 --> 00:23:00.460 The men of Tekoa, the men from Gibeon and Mizpah, the residents of Zenoa, those of the district of Beth-Zer and the district of Keilah. 00:23:00.460 --> 00:23:09.403 All of these different groups came to Jerusalem or were in Jerusalem and agreed to participate in the rebuilding process. 00:23:09.403 --> 00:23:12.371 Let's use the Tekoites for an example. 00:23:12.371 --> 00:23:37.884 In verse five it says and next next to them, the Tekoites repaired, but their nobles would not stoop to serve their Lord, what the people of Tekoa willingly served, but their nobles would not bow their knees, would not stoop themselves down to participate in serving in this venture. 00:23:39.911 --> 00:23:56.722 I know that some of you have leaders in your life who are not on board with you following Christ, who are not on board with you being obedient to the commandments of God, who are not on board with you pursuing Jesus. 00:23:56.722 --> 00:24:05.784 This is the one space where we have to make a decision to follow someone greater. 00:24:05.784 --> 00:24:20.943 If we had to choose between an earthly leader attempting to pull us away from God and Jesus, king of kings and Lord of lords, how many of you know Jesus is the only answer. 00:24:20.943 --> 00:24:30.840 So I just want to encourage you that I know it may be difficult and we're praying for you and if we can help you and be supportive of you, please let us know. 00:24:30.840 --> 00:24:32.736 I know how difficult. 00:24:32.736 --> 00:24:40.979 I don't know because I haven't fully experienced it but I want to know, I want to understand how difficult it must be for you. 00:24:40.979 --> 00:24:47.700 But when it comes to this type of thing, follow Jesus, follow Jesus. 00:24:48.990 --> 00:24:58.483 I know my mom did this for well over a year, as my dad ridiculed her and mocked her and said she was weak, and only the weak, need Jesus. 00:24:58.483 --> 00:25:07.483 Until one day my dad bowed his knee, took off his hat and gave his heart and soul to Jesus Christ. 00:25:07.483 --> 00:25:10.176 Your labor is not in vain. 00:25:10.176 --> 00:25:22.452 The Tekoaites were so into this. 00:25:22.452 --> 00:25:24.659 They were so I'm trying to think of the right word connected Verse 27,. 00:25:24.659 --> 00:25:31.473 It says after him, the Tekoites repaired another section opposite the great projecting tower, as far as the wall of Ophel. 00:25:31.473 --> 00:25:34.358 They got done with their part and they're like give us more. 00:25:34.358 --> 00:25:35.621 We want to do more. 00:25:35.621 --> 00:25:37.684 Is there anything else that we can do? 00:25:37.684 --> 00:25:41.337 I'm sure the leaders were excited with that right. 00:25:45.111 --> 00:25:50.021 So much diversity, so many different types of people that were there that were a part of this. 00:25:50.021 --> 00:25:55.544 They're also with people with varying gifts and occupations. 00:25:55.544 --> 00:25:59.473 Very few actual builders seem to contribute to the project. 00:25:59.473 --> 00:26:01.979 That's crazy to me. 00:26:01.979 --> 00:26:15.519 It seems like to me you'd put out a call for all of the stone workers, for all of those who know how to make wood straight and square and know how to fortify things, all of those who have experience you come and be a part of this. 00:26:15.519 --> 00:26:19.545 No, it was all who are willing come. 00:26:19.545 --> 00:26:31.065 There were goldsmiths and perfumers, several that were called rulers, and also some women. 00:26:31.065 --> 00:26:32.871 Come on. 00:26:32.871 --> 00:26:35.537 In the Old Testament. 00:26:35.537 --> 00:26:38.963 Some women contributed to this project. 00:26:39.730 --> 00:26:41.056 How many of you know, god loves women. 00:26:41.056 --> 00:27:01.986 God loves women and the Church of Jesus Christ in the largest part in America has been sustained throughout the generations by women who fall on their knees before him and cry out to him for their families, for their husbands and for the world. 00:27:01.986 --> 00:27:12.964 Now, men, men, I'm saying men, men, hear the call. 00:27:12.964 --> 00:27:14.241 It's time to step up. 00:27:14.241 --> 00:27:19.820 It's time to step up, it's time to get back, it's time to lead spiritually. 00:27:19.820 --> 00:27:27.678 It's one thing to command your wife to do something or to command your children to do something in anger and in wrath. 00:27:27.678 --> 00:27:32.952 It's another thing to lovingly lead them, like Christ leads his church. 00:27:32.952 --> 00:27:41.005 You know, this is an example. 00:27:43.910 --> 00:27:46.767 This Old Testament reality is an example of what the body of Christ is like. 00:27:46.767 --> 00:27:47.230 It really is. 00:27:47.230 --> 00:27:50.961 We are all needed in order to see God's purposes fulfilled. 00:27:50.961 --> 00:27:53.898 Look at 1 Corinthians 12, verse 14. 00:27:53.898 --> 00:27:57.839 For the body does not consist of one member, but of many. 00:27:57.839 --> 00:28:06.078 If the foot should say, because I'm not a hand, I do not belong to the body, that would not make it any less a part of the body. 00:28:06.078 --> 00:28:10.955 And if the ear should say, because I'm not an eye, I do not belong to the body. 00:28:10.955 --> 00:28:13.739 That would not make it any less a part of the body. 00:28:13.739 --> 00:28:22.391 If the whole body were an eye, if the whole body were an ear, where would be the sense of smell? 00:28:22.391 --> 00:28:28.071 But as it is, god arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose. 00:28:28.071 --> 00:28:36.332 If all were a single member, where would the body be as it is, there are many parts, yet one body. 00:28:36.332 --> 00:28:41.509 Be who God made you to be. 00:28:41.509 --> 00:28:47.669 How many of you know, we can work on the same types of activities, the same sort of projects, the same sort of. 00:28:47.669 --> 00:28:55.471 We can follow the same, be a part of the same mission, and yet each one of us brings to the table our particular slant. 00:28:56.079 --> 00:29:05.486 I wonder if the gold workers you know dressed up their side of the wall a little bit differently and put some gold leaf here and there, or maybe made some little ornamental things? 00:29:05.486 --> 00:29:06.489 I don't know. 00:29:06.489 --> 00:29:12.546 Maybe the perfumers you know soaked the stones with some kind of beautiful smelling aroma. 00:29:12.546 --> 00:29:19.686 I don't know what they did, but all of them worked together for the purpose of rebuilding the wall. 00:29:19.686 --> 00:29:24.512 Not only that, but team members were placed strategically. 00:29:24.512 --> 00:29:31.951 Strategically, god is a God of order and he's a God of strategy, and he knows what he's doing. 00:29:31.951 --> 00:29:38.071 First of all, when it was possible, he placed them close to their own homes. 00:29:38.071 --> 00:29:39.782 Why was that important? 00:29:39.782 --> 00:29:46.760 Why was it important for Nehemiah to place those who were working close to their own homes? 00:29:46.760 --> 00:29:55.734 Yeah yeah, pride in their work, ownership, all of those things right. 00:29:55.734 --> 00:30:14.354 When Nehemiah organized the work, he adopted the policy, like I said, wherever possible, of assigning a particular person to repair the part of the wall which was opposite his house, for this would encourage that person to work hard so as to ensure that his own home and family would be well protected. 00:30:14.354 --> 00:30:19.532 It was in their own interest even to help rebuild this portion of the wall. 00:30:20.961 --> 00:30:26.080 What's in front of your house right now of the wall? 00:30:26.080 --> 00:30:27.163 What's in front of your house right now? 00:30:27.163 --> 00:30:30.050 As you look out the windows of your house right now, what do you see that needs to be reordered? 00:30:30.050 --> 00:30:34.762 Where do you see areas that are broken and disheveled? 00:30:34.762 --> 00:30:38.028 What is it that God's put right in front of you? 00:30:38.028 --> 00:30:40.614 Are we being faithful with that? 00:30:40.614 --> 00:30:49.290 So many times, we talk about wanting to go to foreign nations and faraway places to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ, and is that important? 00:30:49.290 --> 00:30:50.252 Absolutely so. 00:30:50.252 --> 00:30:59.029 This church that's a big part of what we do, but how many of you know God's placed you in a neighborhood, people all around you. 00:30:59.029 --> 00:31:10.615 I was thinking about that this morning as we were driving out and people were walking their dogs and I was thinking we really haven't done a great job yet of reaching them for Jesus. 00:31:10.615 --> 00:31:20.525 What's right in front of my house and how can I be involved actively and passionately in the building of the kingdom of God? 00:31:22.509 --> 00:31:27.705 Not only were they close to their homes, but they were also placed next to each other. 00:31:27.705 --> 00:31:35.682 Twelve times in chapter three it says that they were next to the person or the people that were next to them. 00:31:35.682 --> 00:31:59.307 I said it again it was important for each team member to acknowledge the fact that they were serving next to others because, although they were working independently of the people next to them, they would complete this job as a team, each one doing their work next to each other. 00:31:59.307 --> 00:32:03.031 I'm sure that there was camaraderie. 00:32:03.031 --> 00:32:06.201 I'm sure if these were normal human beings, what else was there? 00:32:06.201 --> 00:32:07.525 There's probably some competition. 00:32:07.525 --> 00:32:11.521 Probably somebody cried out you call that a wall. 00:32:11.521 --> 00:32:20.403 I'm sure there were some that were saying that's a weird color all of these things. 00:32:20.403 --> 00:32:25.079 But they were all actively involved and they were working next to each other. 00:32:25.099 --> 00:32:26.482 Who has God placed you next to? 00:32:26.482 --> 00:32:29.328 I don't like that person. 00:32:29.328 --> 00:32:32.193 Hey, talk to God. 00:32:32.193 --> 00:32:38.750 He's the strategist, he's the one that's placed us next to those people. 00:32:38.750 --> 00:32:42.930 And God forbid, please tell me you're not saying that about your husband or your wife. 00:32:42.930 --> 00:32:47.839 God forbid, please tell me you're not saying that about your husband or your wife. 00:32:47.839 --> 00:32:55.039 If you are, call the church office and let's set up a time to get together and do some counseling. 00:32:55.039 --> 00:32:59.259 But God has placed us next to people for a reason, for a purpose, right? 00:32:59.259 --> 00:33:03.680 So let's link arms. 00:33:06.720 --> 00:33:08.929 And, by the way, nehemiah 3, as we read this, it reads it as a completed project. 00:33:08.929 --> 00:33:10.556 Guess what we're going to find out in the next few weeks. 00:33:10.556 --> 00:33:11.239 The project is far from over. 00:33:11.239 --> 00:33:26.682 There are all kinds of disturbances and things that are going to try to interrupt the flow of things, but Nehemiah is giving an overview and he's mentioning all of these people's names and all of these groups of people that were such an essential part of this passion project. 00:33:26.682 --> 00:33:44.949 Friends, let's not unlock arms and move away from each other unless God's the one that does it. 00:33:44.949 --> 00:33:57.192 If God's called you to be a part of this church, let's link arms, let's look at what's in front of us and let's work together to fulfill his purpose. 00:33:59.540 --> 00:34:03.390 And finally, god places a high value on teamwork. 00:34:03.390 --> 00:34:04.692 How do we know that? 00:34:04.692 --> 00:34:09.719 Let's look at Psalm 133. 00:34:09.719 --> 00:34:14.891 It says Behold how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity. 00:34:14.891 --> 00:34:24.083 It is like the precious oil on the head running down on the beard, on the beard of Aaron, running down on the collar of his robes. 00:34:24.083 --> 00:34:28.788 It is like the dew of Hermon which falls on the mountains of Zion. 00:34:28.788 --> 00:34:30.188 Is God a God of unity? 00:34:30.188 --> 00:34:41.445 Is God a God of teamwork? 00:34:41.445 --> 00:34:45.239 Is God a God of teamwork? 00:34:45.239 --> 00:34:51.692 Is God a God that overlooks and doesn't care about division and strife and backbiting? 00:34:51.692 --> 00:34:55.405 God wants that to stop. 00:35:00.601 --> 00:35:23.869 If there are marriages that are in trouble, those who are married have a choice to make and I'm praying for you that you will make the right choice to follow after God, to pursue Him, and I'm praying for you that, whenever it is at all possible that there will be forgiveness and restoration and redemption. 00:35:23.869 --> 00:35:25.985 Also praying that for families. 00:35:25.985 --> 00:35:28.989 I know that there are some families that are ostracized from one another. 00:35:28.989 --> 00:35:41.128 When it's within your power to do so, would you consider humbling yourself and reaching out and loving, with boundaries that are healthy? 00:35:41.128 --> 00:35:52.806 I understand that, but would you consider being that person and being passionate about restoration, about relationship and within our church as well. 00:35:52.806 --> 00:35:57.844 We could all just come together on Sundays and we do, and I'm so grateful for that. 00:35:59.260 --> 00:36:17.429 But, man, wouldn't it be better if we could have meals together, if we could see each other at Walmart and not duck and hide, but we'd go find each other and we'd spend 30 minutes just catching up, just because we can't hardly stand being apart? 00:36:17.429 --> 00:36:28.907 Wouldn't it be amazing if we, as a group of people, as a church, decided that we were going to follow God when it comes to being passionate about the things that he's passionate about? 00:36:28.907 --> 00:36:37.393 How would the world change if the Christians in America would put God's priorities as their priorities? 00:36:37.393 --> 00:36:41.630 My friends, we are not waiting for the government to change this country. 00:36:41.630 --> 00:36:42.942 We are not waiting for the government to change this country. 00:36:42.942 --> 00:36:48.568 God's the only one that can change the heart of people, and how does he do that? 00:36:48.568 --> 00:37:01.367 A lot of times, he does it through Christians who are not perfect but who are attempting, by God's grace, to live out the values and the truths that are found in the word of God.