WEBVTT 00:00:00.479 --> 00:00:03.120 We are in the book of Nehemiah in the Old Testament. 00:00:03.279 --> 00:00:08.640 After decades in exile, these Israelites begin to return to the city of Jerusalem. 00:00:08.800 --> 00:00:10.320 They rebuild the temple. 00:00:10.480 --> 00:00:13.119 They rebuild the walls around the temple. 00:00:13.279 --> 00:00:16.719 They rediscover the treasure of God's word. 00:00:17.039 --> 00:00:20.320 Then they realize how much they have failed God's word. 00:00:20.559 --> 00:00:28.640 And all that they're discovering God is faithful to them, even while they are not always faithful to Him. 00:00:28.879 --> 00:00:30.800 And today we're in Nehemiah 11. 00:00:30.960 --> 00:00:32.640 Let's read again verses 1 and 2. 00:00:32.799 --> 00:00:35.200 Now the leaders of the people lived in Jerusalem. 00:00:35.280 --> 00:00:43.759 And the rest of the people cast lots to bring one out of ten to live in Jerusalem, the holy city, while nine out of ten remained in other towns. 00:00:44.000 --> 00:00:49.280 And the people blessed all the men who willingly offered to live in Jerusalem. 00:00:49.600 --> 00:00:57.600 Point number one is this our calling will require our sacrifice, yet our calling rests in God's providence. 00:00:57.759 --> 00:01:04.239 Our calling will require our sacrifice, yet our calling rests in God's providence. 00:01:04.640 --> 00:01:06.640 Maybe you have something you want to do. 00:01:06.799 --> 00:01:08.959 We've been talking about this throughout this series. 00:01:09.200 --> 00:01:13.200 Maybe you have a calling, a dream, a vision, a thing you want to accomplish. 00:01:13.519 --> 00:01:32.640 You want to make good grades, get into a certain college, you want a healthy work, life balance, or you want to try to get there, you want some spiritual practices, you want a healthy, loving marriage, responsible kids, loving friendships, you want to own a business, you want to build a garden, you want something, you have a vision, you have a desire, a dream, a calling, we would say. 00:01:32.879 --> 00:01:37.760 And you will have to sacrifice to make that happen. 00:01:38.079 --> 00:01:40.719 Those things don't just happen. 00:01:41.200 --> 00:01:44.079 You will have to give time and resources and energy. 00:01:44.719 --> 00:01:49.200 And Nehemiah, these people are called to repopulate the city. 00:01:49.680 --> 00:01:51.200 That's the calling. 00:01:51.439 --> 00:02:00.319 The leaders move first, and then everybody else throws their name and a hat and draw. 00:02:00.959 --> 00:02:02.239 Can you imagine? 00:02:02.879 --> 00:02:07.519 Can you imagine the future of where you live throwing your name in a hat? 00:02:07.920 --> 00:02:12.319 Just imagine that we plant a Redeemer church campus in Smyrna. 00:02:12.879 --> 00:02:14.639 The leaders go first. 00:02:15.759 --> 00:02:17.280 They're already in Smyrna. 00:02:17.520 --> 00:02:24.479 And then we say, hey, by the way, everybody else, we're gonna come up here, throw your name in a hat, I'll draw all the names, or you can draw the names. 00:02:24.560 --> 00:02:28.000 I don't care who draws the names, but whatever names are drawn, you're moving to Smyrna. 00:02:28.159 --> 00:02:30.479 Now, nothing against Smyrna, you're moving to Kinesal. 00:02:31.280 --> 00:02:36.159 Can you imagine like your future, putting your future up like that? 00:02:36.719 --> 00:02:44.879 I've just been asking, like, what creates a people willing to do that? 00:02:45.919 --> 00:02:49.039 Like, what creates a people willing to do that? 00:02:49.360 --> 00:02:53.439 Well, I think they had clarity on two really important things in life. 00:02:54.240 --> 00:02:56.560 One, they're calling. 00:02:57.520 --> 00:02:59.680 We are called to do this. 00:03:00.240 --> 00:03:02.719 We are called to repopulate Jerusalem. 00:03:03.039 --> 00:03:05.439 This is the most meaningful thing in our lives. 00:03:05.759 --> 00:03:07.120 We will sacrifice for. 00:03:07.520 --> 00:03:08.240 That's number one. 00:03:08.400 --> 00:03:10.800 Number two, God's providence. 00:03:11.120 --> 00:03:17.439 The fact that they cast lots shows you that they're entrusting God in the process. 00:03:17.680 --> 00:03:28.159 They knew they were called to something meaningful, yet that sacrifice, that work, that effort, that energy is rested inside of God's providence. 00:03:29.199 --> 00:03:32.400 Last Friday evening I flew home from a class in St. 00:03:32.639 --> 00:03:34.479 Louis, and so I get home. 00:03:34.639 --> 00:03:37.120 I land at 3:30 Friday afternoon. 00:03:37.199 --> 00:03:38.879 I'm at my car by four. 00:03:39.039 --> 00:03:45.919 I am thinking about one thing because it's Friday night Mica Angelo's pizza. 00:03:46.240 --> 00:03:48.479 I love Micah Angelelo's. 00:03:48.560 --> 00:03:49.759 It's just right here in the corner. 00:03:49.919 --> 00:03:50.879 You should try it. 00:03:51.039 --> 00:03:52.560 I buy pizza every week. 00:03:52.639 --> 00:03:53.439 It's too much pizza. 00:03:53.520 --> 00:03:54.240 I'm buying too much. 00:03:54.639 --> 00:03:55.360 It's so good. 00:03:55.439 --> 00:03:55.840 I love it. 00:03:55.919 --> 00:03:58.400 So it's all I was thinking about is like, okay, I'm gonna get my car at four. 00:03:58.479 --> 00:03:59.039 I drive home. 00:03:59.199 --> 00:04:03.120 I got the pizza by like 5.15, pepperonian sausage. 00:04:03.280 --> 00:04:04.000 It's amazing. 00:04:04.080 --> 00:04:06.400 Here's a picture of Michael's pizza. 00:04:06.479 --> 00:04:07.360 It's unbelievable. 00:04:07.680 --> 00:04:08.800 It's so good. 00:04:09.039 --> 00:04:11.199 And uh, have have you had it? 00:04:12.000 --> 00:04:13.360 Okay, just making sure. 00:04:13.919 --> 00:04:18.000 I mean, we're not talking little Caesars pizza, like no, no, no, no, no, that's not that. 00:04:18.079 --> 00:04:23.759 I mean, this is brick oven, sourdough, he makes the sausage himself. 00:04:24.079 --> 00:04:25.120 It's amazing. 00:04:25.199 --> 00:04:26.480 I devour it. 00:04:26.720 --> 00:04:30.720 And then I have leftovers, which they're even better. 00:04:30.879 --> 00:04:35.600 Like you heat that pizza up in the oven, it's even better than the I don't know how that happens, but it's true. 00:04:35.839 --> 00:04:36.319 Even better. 00:04:36.399 --> 00:04:39.120 So I get out the gallon Ziploc bag. 00:04:39.279 --> 00:04:40.480 Here's a piece of the pizza. 00:04:40.639 --> 00:04:42.639 A gallon Ziploc bag. 00:04:43.439 --> 00:04:54.720 And I take, I take the piece of pizza, which is amazing, and I put it inside the gallon bag, which let's be honest, gallon Ziploc bags are amazing. 00:04:55.040 --> 00:04:58.079 Like I love, I you can do all sorts, put store all kinds of stuff. 00:04:58.160 --> 00:05:01.439 You're on a trip, food, I mean, all sorts, I love a gallon ziploc bag. 00:05:01.519 --> 00:05:03.199 So the bag's amazing. 00:05:03.759 --> 00:05:08.000 And then this is just an incredible picture of what's going on in Nehemiah 11. 00:05:08.480 --> 00:05:12.480 That it seems a little bizarre, but work with me. 00:05:12.720 --> 00:05:22.800 That all the amazing effort, energy, the thing that's amazing is inside of something else. 00:05:23.920 --> 00:05:27.360 These people know how to work really hard. 00:05:28.399 --> 00:05:32.399 I I maybe you're an overachiever. 00:05:32.560 --> 00:05:34.399 Maybe you like to achieve stuff. 00:05:34.560 --> 00:05:35.920 I'm guessing. 00:05:37.120 --> 00:05:42.319 All that work, all that effort is inside of something else. 00:05:42.560 --> 00:05:45.040 It rests inside of something else. 00:05:45.279 --> 00:05:52.639 These people knew how to work really hard, they had grit, and they knew about trusting God with that work. 00:05:53.759 --> 00:05:59.680 The Heidelberg Catechism, a theological document, says this about God's providence, as for definition. 00:06:00.160 --> 00:06:10.879 The Almighty, everywhere present, power of God, whereby, as it were, by his hand, he still upholds heaven and earth with all creatures, and so governs them. 00:06:10.959 --> 00:06:23.040 The herbs and grass, rain and drought, fruitful and barren years, meat and drink, health and sickness, riches and poverty, yea, all things come not by chance, but by his fatherly hand. 00:06:24.319 --> 00:06:27.759 Point number two is this we live in the power of providence. 00:06:28.000 --> 00:06:30.480 Providence, God's story is at work. 00:06:31.439 --> 00:06:33.600 We've had this point before. 00:06:34.079 --> 00:06:39.839 We've talked about Acts chapter 2, the people pray and they say, Sovereign Lord. 00:06:40.000 --> 00:06:40.720 Here's the verse. 00:06:40.879 --> 00:06:55.040 And now, Lord, and that means sovereign Lord, maybe your translation says, Lord, you are God, upon their threats and grant, upon their look upon their threats and grant to your servants to continue to speak your word with all boldness. 00:06:55.199 --> 00:06:57.839 The interesting thing there is the story that's going on. 00:06:58.079 --> 00:07:01.360 The thing that they come before God with prayer is sovereign Lord. 00:07:03.199 --> 00:07:07.600 Meaning, Lord your God, meaning I'm not God. 00:07:08.720 --> 00:07:11.279 This week a friend was telling me about this book, let them. 00:07:11.680 --> 00:07:12.560 Do you know this book? 00:07:12.800 --> 00:07:13.279 Let them? 00:07:13.920 --> 00:07:16.879 Do you know that some people, is anybody let them? 00:07:17.199 --> 00:07:17.439 Right? 00:07:17.519 --> 00:07:19.439 It's just like let her, let him. 00:07:19.680 --> 00:07:23.600 Like I could, I'll lovingly communicate, I'm there to help, but I can't control you. 00:07:24.160 --> 00:07:25.360 I gotta let them. 00:07:25.600 --> 00:07:28.000 You know, like it's like, I'm not God. 00:07:28.319 --> 00:07:29.920 I mean, it's kind of the same thing. 00:07:30.000 --> 00:07:31.759 It's like, I am not God. 00:07:31.920 --> 00:07:37.120 I cannot control everything about this person, this circumstance, this outcome. 00:07:38.240 --> 00:07:39.680 Sovereign Lord. 00:07:40.560 --> 00:07:44.639 For Nehemiah chapter 11, these people, providence meant something. 00:07:44.800 --> 00:07:48.800 It meant that they can't control everything, they can't control all these outcomes. 00:07:49.040 --> 00:07:52.560 They're willing to put all their effort into God's providence. 00:07:52.639 --> 00:07:54.720 They're willing to put their names in a hat. 00:07:56.079 --> 00:07:57.439 That's wild. 00:07:58.639 --> 00:08:04.399 That's only empowered if you trust that God is in that process. 00:08:06.319 --> 00:08:16.639 Just as God sovereignly called his people to inhabit, repopulate Jerusalem, he calls you to places and to purposes and roles. 00:08:19.120 --> 00:08:21.040 I don't know what those are. 00:08:21.839 --> 00:08:26.560 I know the Holy Spirit scripture can work those out in you in time. 00:08:28.720 --> 00:08:31.040 This week I found Pastor Brad Garrett. 00:08:31.199 --> 00:08:34.240 He's pastor of a church in San Francisco, also named Redeemer. 00:08:34.320 --> 00:08:34.799 That's fitting. 00:08:34.960 --> 00:08:37.440 I found something that he teaches very helpful. 00:08:37.519 --> 00:08:40.080 He calls it the spheres of vocation. 00:08:41.200 --> 00:08:46.480 I think about it as I've read about and learned about it, I kind of think about like circles of calling. 00:08:46.639 --> 00:08:49.279 Like we have different callings, different parts of our lives. 00:08:49.360 --> 00:08:53.200 We feel called to this, but we feel called to more than one thing. 00:08:53.759 --> 00:08:58.240 And he teaches the circles of vocation because you have a calling, right? 00:08:58.399 --> 00:09:00.720 You're a mom, your dad, your child, a friend. 00:09:00.879 --> 00:09:05.759 But then you have service to God's church, like to be loving and missional and what God calls you to do through the church. 00:09:05.840 --> 00:09:08.799 And then you have maybe a vocation, your job. 00:09:10.159 --> 00:09:13.759 And somewhere along the line, this can all get really confusing. 00:09:14.480 --> 00:09:16.080 Am I just a mom? 00:09:17.039 --> 00:09:18.240 Am I just a dad? 00:09:18.399 --> 00:09:19.679 Am I just a teacher? 00:09:19.840 --> 00:09:21.360 Am I just an executive? 00:09:21.600 --> 00:09:25.759 Am I just, am I, am I a just a pastor? 00:09:25.919 --> 00:09:27.440 Or like, am I a person? 00:09:27.679 --> 00:09:29.360 Can I be a person before I'm a pastor? 00:09:29.519 --> 00:09:30.639 Like, would you be okay with that? 00:09:30.720 --> 00:09:31.200 I don't know. 00:09:31.279 --> 00:09:33.200 Like, but you we can get confused with this, can't we? 00:09:33.279 --> 00:09:39.600 We can think about ourselves in terms of our core identity in just one way and one thing we're called to. 00:09:39.759 --> 00:09:46.399 And Pastor Garrett reminds us, good reminder for me this week, we are more than our roles, more than our callings. 00:09:46.639 --> 00:09:53.519 We've said it before, we are God's beloved child before we do anything for God. 00:09:56.639 --> 00:10:01.759 And then, as God's forever beloved child, we go into our callings. 00:10:03.519 --> 00:10:05.200 Pastor Garrett breaks it down this way. 00:10:05.360 --> 00:10:07.360 Here's an image of his spheres of vocation. 00:10:07.519 --> 00:10:09.440 So then you can think about circles of calling. 00:10:09.519 --> 00:10:15.039 You have a calling to career vocation, you have a calling in the church, you have a calling to your family and your friends. 00:10:15.200 --> 00:10:18.240 And God has called us into each of these circles. 00:10:18.799 --> 00:10:21.600 We are called, you need to leave that image up there while I'll talk. 00:10:21.759 --> 00:10:26.799 We are called to fulfill God's purpose for us in our church, in the church. 00:10:27.039 --> 00:10:31.679 We are called to fulfill God's purpose for us and our friendships and families. 00:10:31.840 --> 00:10:38.080 We are called to fulfill God's purpose for us in our career, what we wake up and do every day. 00:10:38.480 --> 00:10:43.200 And these are all separate and yet they overlap in certain ways. 00:10:43.279 --> 00:10:49.840 And sometimes it's really beautiful when they really overlap, and you're like, oh, it's amazing how this is overlapping, and then sometimes they're separate. 00:10:50.480 --> 00:11:00.399 But the point is that we understand ourselves as God's forever beloved, and then we go into our callings, into our roles. 00:11:00.960 --> 00:11:07.279 We live out our calling in the church, family and friends, and career based on who we are as people. 00:11:08.960 --> 00:11:13.600 Now back to Nehemiah, verses 3 through 24 of chapter 11. 00:11:13.679 --> 00:11:15.279 It's just a list of people. 00:11:15.679 --> 00:11:17.120 Long list of people. 00:11:17.440 --> 00:11:19.519 Where they lived and their role. 00:11:19.679 --> 00:11:22.480 This person lived here and they did this, this person lived here and they did this. 00:11:22.639 --> 00:11:23.840 I won't bore you with reading it. 00:11:23.919 --> 00:11:28.960 What's clear is there's 21 verses of names and places. 00:11:30.159 --> 00:11:36.080 And point number three is this every role, big and small, matters. 00:11:36.399 --> 00:11:38.879 So we focus on our faithfulness. 00:11:39.519 --> 00:11:41.519 Like we're called to faithfulness. 00:11:41.759 --> 00:11:43.840 God places us somewhere, we're called to faithfulness. 00:11:44.159 --> 00:11:51.440 This passage is just a list of priests, Levites, gatekeepers, temple servants, and then just regular residents in the city. 00:11:51.679 --> 00:11:55.440 Every person who moves into Jerusalem is important. 00:11:56.000 --> 00:12:00.000 The passage is making sure we as readers understand that. 00:12:00.240 --> 00:12:01.759 Nobody is left out. 00:12:02.000 --> 00:12:05.759 Every role, every person matters. 00:12:07.120 --> 00:12:13.519 This past week, I was in a new member interview, interviewing through our membership process at the end of it. 00:12:13.600 --> 00:12:14.559 I sit down with you. 00:12:14.720 --> 00:12:18.399 I've done this with so many of you, an interview and said, hey, tell me about your faith and what's going on. 00:12:18.480 --> 00:12:19.759 And then you ask questions about the church. 00:12:19.919 --> 00:12:27.600 So I was getting to hear about this young family's uh their faith and how they came to know Jesus, and then I was like, hey, tell me about being at the church. 00:12:27.679 --> 00:12:28.559 How are you connecting? 00:12:28.720 --> 00:12:29.679 How are you serving? 00:12:29.840 --> 00:12:39.679 And at some point, the mom said, not the first time this kind of comment's been made, by the way, one of the major reasons we are here is our little boy keeps asking to come to church. 00:12:40.480 --> 00:12:42.480 Okay, that's amazing. 00:12:42.960 --> 00:12:52.000 I would just ask, okay, so how important do you think our children's ministry volunteers are? 00:12:55.600 --> 00:12:58.159 How important do you think our greeters are? 00:13:00.720 --> 00:13:04.480 How important is a worship volunteer? 00:13:04.720 --> 00:13:07.039 How important is the screen operator? 00:13:09.600 --> 00:13:10.399 Every role. 00:13:10.639 --> 00:13:12.559 I mean that's what this passage is teaching us. 00:13:12.960 --> 00:13:17.279 Every single role, every person matters. 00:13:17.440 --> 00:13:26.320 And what this means is it means you are where you are because God has you there until you're somewhere else. 00:13:27.840 --> 00:13:32.480 And that transition of being somewhere else from one role to the next, right? 00:13:32.559 --> 00:13:34.879 We're expanding the conversation outside of service in the church. 00:13:34.960 --> 00:13:37.679 Like in your life, you're called somewhere and you are somewhere. 00:13:37.759 --> 00:13:39.200 And we always wrestle with that. 00:13:39.279 --> 00:13:40.320 Like, am I supposed to be here? 00:13:40.480 --> 00:13:41.279 Where are we supposed to be? 00:13:41.519 --> 00:13:46.559 You are where you are, you're called there, placed there until you're somewhere else. 00:13:46.799 --> 00:13:48.320 Your role is faithfulness. 00:13:48.480 --> 00:13:53.200 Our role is faithfulness in that place until we're somewhere else. 00:13:53.440 --> 00:13:56.399 And that transition could be by your effort. 00:13:57.120 --> 00:14:02.240 It could be because you generate something and you create a change in your calling. 00:14:04.559 --> 00:14:07.679 It could also be just like God does something. 00:14:07.840 --> 00:14:14.639 Either way, all your work and effort and thought and all that inside of the gallon bag of God's providence. 00:14:16.240 --> 00:14:17.919 Which is incredibly relieving. 00:14:18.799 --> 00:14:26.399 Because it means that our entire lives, all of like the outcome, all of it is not just up to us. 00:14:28.080 --> 00:14:37.360 But what is clear is every role matters, and we're called to faithfulness in the places God places us, and the callings he gives us. 00:14:38.000 --> 00:14:39.279 Verse 25. 00:14:39.679 --> 00:14:51.360 And as for the villages with their fields, some of the people of Judah lived in Kariath Arbah and its villages, and in Daban and its villages, and Jekap Zeel and its villages. 00:14:51.519 --> 00:14:55.759 The passage goes on many more towns, many more areas listed. 00:14:55.919 --> 00:14:58.799 These are the villages of Judah and Benjamin. 00:14:59.440 --> 00:15:10.000 So some people are called to go into Jerusalem and repopulate, but then some people are called to settle in these towns all around Jerusalem. 00:15:10.639 --> 00:15:18.960 And verse 36 says that the Levites also served them, the ones outside the walls. 00:15:19.360 --> 00:15:20.960 Which we could just read right over that. 00:15:21.039 --> 00:15:23.200 It'd be easy to read over that. 00:15:23.679 --> 00:15:31.440 But it's saying something profound because what it's saying is in this new vision and this new calling, some people are called in the city and some people are called somewhere else. 00:15:31.679 --> 00:15:34.799 Some people are called to do one thing, and some people are called to do another. 00:15:36.320 --> 00:15:40.720 Point number four is this God cares about you and other people. 00:15:42.720 --> 00:15:46.960 This is teaching us God's mission is not confined to one place. 00:15:48.000 --> 00:15:54.480 God's heart is for you and your dysfunctional family member you're about to go on vacation with. 00:15:54.639 --> 00:15:56.720 You're gonna be in a house with them for a week. 00:15:56.879 --> 00:15:58.320 It's gonna be horrible. 00:15:58.639 --> 00:16:04.080 God's heart is for your family and for the family you don't like. 00:16:05.840 --> 00:16:14.080 God's heart is for you and the race and the country and the people group that you hold prejudice toward. 00:16:16.159 --> 00:16:16.480 Right? 00:16:16.639 --> 00:16:18.559 The people outside the walls. 00:16:20.240 --> 00:16:30.879 It's a beautiful beginning image of God's heart is not bound to one type of person, but it's outside the walls and it's spreading. 00:16:32.159 --> 00:16:42.240 Once a semester, all the ministry leaders in Marietta, we gather, we have breakfast, we hear what's going on in the city, and we also get to share a little bit what's going on in our churches. 00:16:43.279 --> 00:16:47.120 And I I'm I'm an introverted person, despite the fact that I do this. 00:16:47.360 --> 00:16:49.279 I love to not go to things. 00:16:49.519 --> 00:16:54.159 I can't not go to enough. 00:16:55.360 --> 00:16:56.639 Right, introverts? 00:16:56.799 --> 00:16:58.559 You're like, I know what you're talking about. 00:16:58.799 --> 00:17:01.120 I can't leave quick enough. 00:17:01.919 --> 00:17:06.799 So I love this once I'm there. 00:17:07.039 --> 00:17:07.359 Right? 00:17:07.440 --> 00:17:09.200 That's how an introvert usually is. 00:17:09.279 --> 00:17:10.240 Introverts, you know exactly. 00:17:10.400 --> 00:17:11.519 Extroverts, you don't know what I'm talking about. 00:17:11.599 --> 00:17:12.079 That's not for you. 00:17:12.240 --> 00:17:13.759 Introverts, you know what I'm talking about. 00:17:13.839 --> 00:17:16.480 You love things once you're there, but it's really hard to get there. 00:17:16.559 --> 00:17:18.160 And then you get there and you're like, oh, this is lovely. 00:17:18.240 --> 00:17:19.599 Why would I ever not want to come? 00:17:19.680 --> 00:17:22.319 So I always get there, I always don't want to go, never want to go. 00:17:22.400 --> 00:17:24.880 And then I get there and I'm like, this is amazing. 00:17:25.039 --> 00:17:27.680 This is amazing that our city does this. 00:17:28.319 --> 00:17:35.279 This is amazing that all these leaders and ministry staff are in one place and we're eating and we're sharing, we're talking about what God's doing. 00:17:35.359 --> 00:17:43.200 And I we get to hear what God's doing at City Church or Stonebridge or First Baptist or Marriott Preds or Married Community, whatever, all the churches. 00:17:43.759 --> 00:17:46.240 Listen, I love that our church has grown. 00:17:46.400 --> 00:17:46.880 I love that. 00:17:47.039 --> 00:17:47.920 I like to brag on that. 00:17:48.000 --> 00:17:48.880 I like to brag on you. 00:17:49.039 --> 00:17:49.519 I love that. 00:17:49.599 --> 00:17:50.000 That's great. 00:17:50.079 --> 00:17:50.880 God's doing things. 00:17:50.960 --> 00:17:51.440 I love that. 00:17:51.599 --> 00:17:53.039 You know what I love even more? 00:17:54.160 --> 00:17:56.000 We're part of a bigger story. 00:17:58.480 --> 00:18:04.880 Because it turns out when we're not growing, another church is. 00:18:06.000 --> 00:18:06.720 Isn't that nice? 00:18:06.799 --> 00:18:07.359 Isn't that amazing? 00:18:07.519 --> 00:18:08.640 That's so great. 00:18:08.960 --> 00:18:10.799 You know what's better than one big church? 00:18:11.119 --> 00:18:12.400 Like a whole bunch of churches. 00:18:12.720 --> 00:18:14.240 A whole bunch of healthy churches. 00:18:14.559 --> 00:18:22.559 When we started, I I if you asked me, like, what's the spiritual health of a lot of churches in Marietta, I'd probably say, it's okay. 00:18:23.759 --> 00:18:27.680 I'm a lot more confident on the spiritual health of churches in Marietta today. 00:18:28.079 --> 00:18:32.799 We probably grew a lot early on because of unhealth in other churches. 00:18:33.039 --> 00:18:37.119 We're not growing at the same rate anymore because other churches have got healthier. 00:18:37.279 --> 00:18:37.759 You know what? 00:18:37.920 --> 00:18:38.400 Fantastic. 00:18:38.640 --> 00:18:39.920 That is amazing. 00:18:40.079 --> 00:18:42.079 That is unbelievable. 00:18:42.880 --> 00:18:43.680 Unbelievable. 00:18:43.759 --> 00:18:44.960 That's such good news. 00:18:45.279 --> 00:18:50.160 Our church is inside the gallon bag of God's providence. 00:18:50.400 --> 00:18:50.720 Right? 00:18:50.799 --> 00:18:52.880 Like we're gonna we're gonna work hard. 00:18:53.039 --> 00:18:57.359 We're gonna try to serve each other, we're gonna like think about problems and try to anticipate. 00:18:57.680 --> 00:18:59.680 We're inside the gallon bag. 00:19:01.440 --> 00:19:04.480 See, God's heart and missions, it's about you. 00:19:04.880 --> 00:19:12.880 It is, it is all about you and your family and your dream and your calling, but it's not just about you. 00:19:14.480 --> 00:19:16.400 Our story is part of a bigger story. 00:19:16.559 --> 00:19:18.319 Our church's story is a part of a bigger story. 00:19:18.480 --> 00:19:20.000 Your family is part of a bigger story. 00:19:20.160 --> 00:19:22.559 You, you are part of a bigger story. 00:19:22.720 --> 00:19:27.519 Nehemiah is a story about these people, but it's also about future generations. 00:19:27.680 --> 00:19:29.920 That's what we're seeing right here in this story. 00:19:30.079 --> 00:19:33.119 These walls, these people go in the city, other people are outside. 00:19:33.279 --> 00:19:33.599 Why? 00:19:33.759 --> 00:19:45.519 Well, the restoration of Jerusalem is part of a larger redemptive story to restore and spread God's glory, not just in Jerusalem, but everywhere. 00:19:46.880 --> 00:19:48.400 Beyond the walls. 00:19:49.519 --> 00:19:50.880 Last point, point number five. 00:19:51.039 --> 00:20:00.079 Jesus is the ultimate gatherer, resting place, gallon bag, I don't know, and restorer. 00:20:00.960 --> 00:20:08.000 The gathering of God's people in Nehemiah 11 points to the greater gathering of God's people in Jesus. 00:20:08.240 --> 00:20:10.079 Jesus is the ultimate Nehemiah. 00:20:10.160 --> 00:20:19.519 That's what we keep seeing over and over again in this story, who he came to restore and rebuild his people, not just a city. 00:20:19.680 --> 00:20:23.680 And Jesus gathers us not in a city, but in himself, right? 00:20:23.920 --> 00:20:27.039 Ephesians 2, by his grace we are saved. 00:20:27.599 --> 00:20:28.960 He is gathering. 00:20:29.119 --> 00:20:34.319 And in his finished work on the cross, all of your sin, all the ways you fail. 00:20:35.279 --> 00:20:40.799 I mean, we could, can we put the spheres of vocation back up there, like the circles of calling thing? 00:20:40.880 --> 00:20:44.319 I mean, because you could look at this and you could go, ooh. 00:20:47.039 --> 00:20:51.039 Friends and family, I have really caused some problems. 00:20:53.039 --> 00:20:53.519 Career? 00:20:53.920 --> 00:20:55.119 That hadn't worked out. 00:20:56.240 --> 00:20:56.880 Church. 00:20:57.279 --> 00:20:58.720 Yeah, I'm not doing much. 00:21:00.000 --> 00:21:00.319 Right? 00:21:00.640 --> 00:21:04.480 It'd be easy to just feel condemned. 00:21:07.440 --> 00:21:10.319 Your calling and these callings couldn't condemn you. 00:21:11.599 --> 00:21:14.640 But the good news is that Jesus is gathering you. 00:21:14.880 --> 00:21:15.200 Right? 00:21:15.279 --> 00:21:19.759 We're called to be God's beloved in Jesus before we do any of our callings. 00:21:20.720 --> 00:21:22.480 It's by his grace. 00:21:24.640 --> 00:21:28.960 And every person, every heart, every family, calling, every all of it matters. 00:21:29.119 --> 00:21:38.720 All your dreams, all your callings, and what you want to do and what you want to do in your family with your work and with your friends, all in the church, all of it rests inside of God's providence. 00:21:39.359 --> 00:21:41.759 So you don't have to be obsessed. 00:21:42.480 --> 00:21:45.200 Or you could be less obsessed, maybe maybe that's fair. 00:21:45.440 --> 00:21:49.519 You don't have to be anxious or neurotic, less anxious, less neurotic. 00:21:50.000 --> 00:21:52.640 Because we're trusting in God's providence. 00:21:53.519 --> 00:21:59.119 In all the ways we failed to these callings, we ran away, we've blown it. 00:21:59.440 --> 00:22:02.799 Jesus still gathers us up. 00:22:03.920 --> 00:22:04.960 That's what the cross is. 00:22:05.119 --> 00:22:11.839 It's all of our failings and sin that we put upon Jesus on the cross and his righteousness given to us. 00:22:13.039 --> 00:22:14.160 Here's what we love to say. 00:22:14.319 --> 00:22:19.200 Our faith is always about what he has done for us long before. 00:22:19.359 --> 00:22:22.000 It's about what we do for him. 00:22:22.319 --> 00:22:37.039 So if we're gonna talk about callings and circles of calling, we're gonna talk about Jesus first and who he makes us righteous, forgiven, holy, worthy before you do anything. 00:22:38.079 --> 00:22:42.799 And then you can go into your callings, secure and loved. 00:22:43.440 --> 00:22:46.559 If you have any questions about this sermon, I'll be done afterwards. 00:22:46.720 --> 00:22:48.000 Let's talk to you and pray with you. 00:22:48.240 --> 00:22:49.039 Let's pray together. 00:22:49.759 --> 00:22:57.440 Heavenly Father, we're so grateful that you call us beloved before you call us to a role. 00:22:58.480 --> 00:23:10.640 That you call us your forgiven child, you call us accepted, you call us righteous, and the work of the cross before. 00:23:11.200 --> 00:23:21.359 Before you call us to family and friends, before you call us to our vocations, before you call us into the church service, before you call us, you've already called us. 00:23:22.319 --> 00:23:24.319 And we're so grateful and free. 00:23:26.079 --> 00:23:35.119 Help us even more to run into our callings, what you have before us, and how we hold those with open hands inside of your providence. 00:23:35.759 --> 00:23:40.319 To say, we want to be a people who work hard, but we're gonna trust you. 00:23:41.039 --> 00:23:42.480 We have to trust you. 00:23:43.200 --> 00:23:48.160 Help all of us that are control freaks when it comes to future-oriented stuff. 00:23:48.319 --> 00:23:51.279 We get so anxious and we're gonna work so hard, we're gonna make stuff happen. 00:23:51.440 --> 00:24:02.079 Help us to trust, trust that you are in our work, or our work is in you, and that you are working things out for your glory and for our good. 00:24:02.319 --> 00:24:05.200 Help us to trust in Jesus more. 00:24:05.519 --> 00:24:10.160 Rest in him and the goodness of Christ's sufficiency for us. 00:24:10.400 --> 00:24:11.519 In Jesus' name we pray. 00:24:11.680 --> 00:24:12.079 Amen.