WEBVTT 00:00:00.560 --> 00:00:04.480 Well, before Easter and before Lent, we were going through the book of Nehemiah. 00:00:04.559 --> 00:00:08.560 We had gone through Nehemiah 1, 2, 3, and then we hit Lent and we did Easter. 00:00:08.720 --> 00:00:10.400 So we're back in Nehemiah today. 00:00:10.480 --> 00:00:12.160 We're in Nehemiah chapter 4. 00:00:12.320 --> 00:00:16.879 If you remember, Nehemiah lived in Susa, about a thousand miles from Jerusalem. 00:00:17.039 --> 00:00:19.920 And he heard that the walls around Jerusalem were broken down. 00:00:20.079 --> 00:00:25.920 This meant a lot to him as a Jewish person because Jerusalem was the center of his faith. 00:00:26.079 --> 00:00:29.600 And so his city, the center of his faith, was vulnerable. 00:00:29.679 --> 00:00:32.719 And so he decided he was going to do something about this. 00:00:32.960 --> 00:00:34.560 Now here's what we had learned so far. 00:00:34.719 --> 00:00:39.200 The book of Nehemiah takes place at the end of the period called the Exile in the Old Testament. 00:00:39.439 --> 00:00:46.799 God's people had been conquered and had been taken away by other nations out of their own land into foreign lands. 00:00:47.039 --> 00:00:52.240 And in time, people began to return back to this homeland, return back to Jerusalem. 00:00:52.399 --> 00:00:53.920 And so here's a little bit of a timeline. 00:00:54.159 --> 00:00:59.600 539 BC before Christ BC, King Cyrus of Persia defeats Babylon. 00:00:59.679 --> 00:01:05.840 And the first wave of Israelites begin to return to Israel, and the people begin to rebuild the temple. 00:01:06.319 --> 00:01:14.959 458 BC, Ezra, that's the book right before Nehemiah, before Nehemiah, is sent to Israel and begins to restore worship in the temple. 00:01:15.200 --> 00:01:20.959 And then in 445 BC, we get Nehemiah is sent to Jerusalem to rebuild these walls. 00:01:21.120 --> 00:01:22.560 That's where we're at. 00:01:23.120 --> 00:01:28.239 Last summer we went with my college roommate's family up to his lake cabin in North Carolina. 00:01:28.480 --> 00:01:31.359 Both family, tons of kids, out in the mountains, beautiful lake. 00:01:31.439 --> 00:01:35.840 We arrived late afternoon, and as soon as we get there, my buddy's like, hey, we have time before dinner. 00:01:36.159 --> 00:01:38.079 Let's go down to the boat, let's put the kids on some tubes. 00:01:38.159 --> 00:01:43.120 Here's a picture of this beautiful lake up on North Carolina, some kiddos on tubes, beautiful, beautiful lake. 00:01:43.200 --> 00:01:45.760 He's like, Oh, we got time to go down the lake before dinner. 00:01:46.239 --> 00:01:47.599 We can go down, we can have fun. 00:01:47.760 --> 00:01:58.480 So off we go, all the kids on the tubes, we're zooming, swinging them back and forth, launching them into the risking major injury to our children, the people we love the most in the world. 00:01:58.719 --> 00:02:00.640 But as dads, it's like we gotta launch them. 00:02:00.719 --> 00:02:01.680 How you know how far? 00:02:02.000 --> 00:02:02.640 Can we hurt them? 00:02:02.719 --> 00:02:03.760 Let's not hurt them too bad. 00:02:03.920 --> 00:02:05.040 Let's hurt them a little. 00:02:05.280 --> 00:02:10.560 And so we work our way all the way down the lake, and then we can see, and then the picture, you kind of see the clouds way down there. 00:02:10.719 --> 00:02:12.960 Well, we didn't notice those clouds way down at the end of the lake. 00:02:13.039 --> 00:02:15.840 And we get down there, it's like, oh, this is a major storm coming up. 00:02:15.919 --> 00:02:18.800 So we're just like, all right, we gotta turn around, we gotta haul back. 00:02:18.960 --> 00:02:22.159 And a wall of rain just started to chase us down. 00:02:22.319 --> 00:02:24.400 Have you ever had a wall of rain chase you down? 00:02:24.479 --> 00:02:26.879 And like you're a little kid, make it home. 00:02:27.120 --> 00:02:40.719 And a wall of rain was just chasing us down, it caught up to us, and at first it was rain, it was like, oh, this is fun, and then and then it became hail, and like it was like it was like a somebody shooting you with a paintball gun, but like over and over and over. 00:02:41.039 --> 00:02:44.319 So everybody in the boat's under under towels, curled up. 00:02:44.479 --> 00:02:51.599 Uh the kids on the tubes are they're in fetal position, like in their life jackets, just trying to wait this thing out. 00:02:51.840 --> 00:02:53.199 Just this huge storm. 00:02:53.280 --> 00:02:54.800 And that feels like life a little bit. 00:02:54.879 --> 00:02:56.879 That's a good metaphor for life. 00:02:57.039 --> 00:03:00.400 The the mix of amazing, beautiful, and horrible. 00:03:00.639 --> 00:03:00.879 Right? 00:03:01.039 --> 00:03:04.639 A day on the lake, beautiful, amazing, and then hailstorm. 00:03:04.879 --> 00:03:12.000 You have something you want to do, good grades, college, a better job, you know, a great church, investments, retirement, a garden. 00:03:12.080 --> 00:03:17.599 Uh, you want to have a loving marriage, you want to have uh children who are reasonably kind and responsible in the world. 00:03:17.759 --> 00:03:23.680 Like you want to have it, so you set out amazing, beautiful, and then hailstorm, right? 00:03:23.840 --> 00:03:25.280 It life is that's what life's like. 00:03:25.439 --> 00:03:30.719 It has this combination of amazing, beautiful, and a hail storm and something horrible. 00:03:30.960 --> 00:03:44.560 Nehemiah 4 gives us the brutal truth, but it is a truth, that as soon as you start on a meaningful path, whatever that path is, if it is meaningful, Nehemiah shows us you will face obstacles. 00:03:44.719 --> 00:03:45.759 It's just gonna happen. 00:03:45.919 --> 00:03:48.240 It's the way that the world works. 00:03:48.560 --> 00:03:49.759 Nehemiah 4. 00:03:49.919 --> 00:03:51.759 We're gonna work our way through this entire chapter. 00:03:51.840 --> 00:03:53.599 We're gonna read all of it in three different sections. 00:03:53.759 --> 00:03:55.759 Nehemiah 1 through 6. 00:03:56.000 --> 00:03:59.840 Now, when Sambalat heard that we were building the wall, he was angry. 00:04:00.000 --> 00:04:02.240 All right, so we got some opposition here. 00:04:02.400 --> 00:04:05.599 He was angry and greatly enraged, and he jeered at the Jews. 00:04:05.759 --> 00:04:11.199 And he said in the presence of his brothers in the army of Samaria, What are these feeble Jews doing? 00:04:11.520 --> 00:04:12.960 Will they restore it for themselves? 00:04:13.120 --> 00:04:13.919 Will they sacrifice? 00:04:14.080 --> 00:04:15.360 Will they finish up in a day? 00:04:15.520 --> 00:04:19.040 Will they revive the stones out of the heaps of rubbish and burn ones at that? 00:04:19.360 --> 00:04:22.079 Tobiah the Ammonite was beside him. 00:04:22.319 --> 00:04:24.399 And he said, What are they what are they building? 00:04:24.639 --> 00:04:28.160 If a fox goes up on the wall, he will break down their stone wall. 00:04:29.199 --> 00:04:31.519 Hear, O God, for we are despised. 00:04:31.759 --> 00:04:38.240 Turn back their taunt on their own heads, and give them up to be plundered in a land where they are captives. 00:04:38.399 --> 00:04:45.519 Do not cover their guilt, and let not their sin be blotted out from your sight, for they have provoked you to anger in the presence of the builders. 00:04:45.839 --> 00:04:48.639 So we built the wall. 00:04:48.800 --> 00:04:53.600 And all the wall was joined together to half its height, for the people had a mind to work. 00:04:54.240 --> 00:04:59.040 So point number one is this every meaningful purpose will have obstacles. 00:04:59.279 --> 00:04:59.600 Right? 00:04:59.759 --> 00:05:00.800 The jeers are coming. 00:05:01.199 --> 00:05:02.240 Will they actually do it? 00:05:02.639 --> 00:05:03.920 Will they work hard enough? 00:05:04.160 --> 00:05:06.319 Do they have any idea what they're actually trying to pull off? 00:05:06.399 --> 00:05:09.759 And Nehemiah teaches us expect the storm. 00:05:10.000 --> 00:05:11.360 Expect the obstacle. 00:05:11.519 --> 00:05:18.319 If you're attempting anything meaningful, anything meaningful in your life, expect an obstacle. 00:05:18.560 --> 00:05:21.199 Don't panic when it happens. 00:05:21.759 --> 00:05:23.120 It's part of the process. 00:05:23.279 --> 00:05:24.560 It's just going to exist. 00:05:24.720 --> 00:05:28.240 Point number two, we do not give in to obstacles. 00:05:28.800 --> 00:05:32.160 We pray and work through the obstacles. 00:05:33.199 --> 00:05:34.160 We can just look at the text. 00:05:34.319 --> 00:05:36.160 Verses four and five, the obstacles show up. 00:05:36.240 --> 00:05:37.360 Verses four and five, they pray. 00:05:37.439 --> 00:05:39.279 When the journey gets tough, they pray. 00:05:39.519 --> 00:05:41.680 And then verse six, they get back to work. 00:05:41.839 --> 00:05:46.399 But when they get back to work, they're trusting in a source of strength outside of themselves. 00:05:46.720 --> 00:05:48.079 I love verse six. 00:05:48.319 --> 00:05:49.680 So we built the wall. 00:05:49.839 --> 00:05:51.439 It's like an obstacle, you know. 00:05:51.519 --> 00:05:53.120 Oh man, this is looking bad. 00:05:53.199 --> 00:05:54.720 We're getting tired, it's not looking good. 00:05:54.800 --> 00:05:56.480 These people are, you know, belittling us. 00:05:56.639 --> 00:05:59.120 You know, you can feel the momentum coming down, the motivation come down. 00:05:59.199 --> 00:06:01.839 And so let's stop, let's remember where our strength is. 00:06:02.000 --> 00:06:05.360 Let's pause, slow down enough to remember where our strength comes from. 00:06:06.000 --> 00:06:08.160 You pray, and you're all right, back to work. 00:06:08.240 --> 00:06:09.279 Let's get back to work. 00:06:09.439 --> 00:06:10.720 So we built the wall. 00:06:10.879 --> 00:06:13.759 These people had perseverance. 00:06:14.800 --> 00:06:17.279 Listen to New Testament verses about perseverance. 00:06:17.439 --> 00:06:18.639 Perseverance for doing good. 00:06:18.879 --> 00:06:20.160 Galatians 6, 9. 00:06:20.319 --> 00:06:26.480 And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap if we do not give up. 00:06:26.879 --> 00:06:29.120 Perseverance produces character and hope. 00:06:29.360 --> 00:06:31.040 Romans 5, 3 through 5. 00:06:31.199 --> 00:06:33.600 Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings. 00:06:33.759 --> 00:06:34.800 Now why would we do that? 00:06:34.959 --> 00:06:39.040 Knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character. 00:06:39.279 --> 00:06:48.079 Character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. 00:06:48.399 --> 00:06:52.399 And last one, perseverance because of Christ's promises. 00:06:52.639 --> 00:06:54.319 Philippians 1, 6. 00:06:54.879 --> 00:07:02.639 And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. 00:07:03.439 --> 00:07:05.360 Now, back to Nehemiah 4. 00:07:05.519 --> 00:07:07.199 We're going to see how all this connects. 00:07:07.360 --> 00:07:11.360 How does our perseverance and lack of perseverance, or where do we turn when we lack perseverance? 00:07:11.439 --> 00:07:12.399 How's all this tie together? 00:07:12.560 --> 00:07:14.240 Nehemiah 4, 7 through 13. 00:07:14.319 --> 00:07:25.600 But when Sambalat and Tobiah and the Arabs and the Ammonites and the Ashadites heard that the repairing of the walls of Jerusalem was going forward and that the breaches were beginning to be closed, they were very angry. 00:07:25.839 --> 00:07:30.160 And they all plotted together to come and fight against Jerusalem and to cause confusion. 00:07:32.079 --> 00:07:33.600 We tried like making fun of them. 00:07:33.759 --> 00:07:34.800 Alright, we're done with that. 00:07:34.879 --> 00:07:36.560 Now we're actually gonna go, we're gonna fight them. 00:07:36.800 --> 00:07:37.360 Verse 9. 00:07:37.519 --> 00:07:42.959 And we prayed to our God and set a guard as a protection against them day and night. 00:07:43.199 --> 00:07:45.279 So that was the response of the Israelites. 00:07:45.519 --> 00:07:47.279 Pray, we're gonna set a guard. 00:07:47.519 --> 00:07:48.000 Verse 10. 00:07:48.160 --> 00:07:51.759 In Judah, it was said, the strength of those who bear the burden is failing. 00:07:51.839 --> 00:07:53.439 There is too much rubble. 00:07:53.680 --> 00:07:55.839 By ourselves we will not be able to rebuild the wall. 00:07:56.000 --> 00:07:56.800 So they're getting tired. 00:07:56.959 --> 00:07:57.600 Verse 11. 00:07:57.759 --> 00:08:02.879 And our enemy said, They will not know or see till we come among them and kill them and stop the work. 00:08:03.040 --> 00:08:09.279 At that time the Jews who lived near them came from all directions and said to us, ten times, you must return to us. 00:08:09.519 --> 00:08:18.879 So in the lowest parts of the space, behind the wall and open places, I stationed the people by their clans with their swords, their spears, and their bows. 00:08:19.040 --> 00:08:23.519 So point number three is this we work hard, remembering the Lord. 00:08:23.759 --> 00:08:26.800 In this section of the text, it says they're getting tired. 00:08:26.879 --> 00:08:28.319 They're about halfway through. 00:08:28.480 --> 00:08:30.319 And they're just starting to get tired, right? 00:08:30.399 --> 00:08:32.559 Have you ever made it halfway through something meaningful? 00:08:32.720 --> 00:08:35.200 There's just a point where you get tired. 00:08:35.360 --> 00:08:38.799 There's a point where the obstacle is your own weariness. 00:08:39.120 --> 00:08:41.279 And these people are losing heart. 00:08:41.360 --> 00:08:43.679 And their enemies see that and decide to take force. 00:08:43.759 --> 00:08:44.559 So what do they do? 00:08:44.720 --> 00:08:47.120 What do the people do when they're losing heart? 00:08:47.279 --> 00:08:48.399 They're under threat. 00:08:48.639 --> 00:08:51.759 Verse 9 is their first response they have. 00:08:52.480 --> 00:08:54.559 And we prayed to our God. 00:08:55.759 --> 00:08:56.799 So prayer. 00:08:57.039 --> 00:09:00.320 And then they do something, and we set a guard for protection. 00:09:00.720 --> 00:09:03.120 So pray and get back to work. 00:09:03.360 --> 00:09:05.440 Pray, set a guard. 00:09:06.000 --> 00:09:09.120 And Nehemiah gives them encouragement along the way in verse 14. 00:09:09.279 --> 00:09:12.720 He said, he looks at them and he says, Do not be afraid of them. 00:09:12.879 --> 00:09:15.840 Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome. 00:09:16.080 --> 00:09:19.919 And fight for your brothers, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your homes. 00:09:20.240 --> 00:09:24.879 So we pray, we work hard, and then we fight. 00:09:25.039 --> 00:09:33.120 And we do all this remembering that we don't have to be afraid, because we have a source of strength beyond ourselves. 00:09:33.360 --> 00:09:36.480 Last passage, verses 15 through 23. 00:09:37.039 --> 00:09:44.000 When our enemies heard that it was known to us and that God had frustrated their plan, we all returned to the wall, each to his work. 00:09:44.159 --> 00:09:51.600 From that day on, half of my servants worked on construction, and half held the spears, shields, bows, and coats of mail. 00:09:51.759 --> 00:09:55.840 And the leaders stood behind the whole house of Judah who were building the wall. 00:09:56.159 --> 00:10:07.759 Those who carried burdens were loaded in such a way that each labored on the work with one hand and held his weapon in the other, and each of the builders had his sword strapped at his side while he built. 00:10:07.919 --> 00:10:10.080 The man who sounded the trumpet was beside me. 00:10:10.240 --> 00:10:22.159 And I said to the nobles and the officials of the rest of the people, The work is great, widely spread out, we're separated on the wall, far from one another, and the place where you hear the sound of the trumpet, rally to us there, our God will fight for us. 00:10:22.399 --> 00:10:28.559 So we labored at the work, and half of them held the spears from the break of dawn until the stars came out. 00:10:29.120 --> 00:10:38.240 I also said to the people at that time, let every man and his servant pass the night within Jerusalem, and that they may be a guard for us by night and may labor by day. 00:10:38.399 --> 00:10:43.679 So neither I, nor my brothers, nor my servants, nor the men of the guard who followed me, none of us took off our clothes. 00:10:43.759 --> 00:10:46.559 Each kept his weapon at his right hand. 00:10:46.799 --> 00:10:52.320 Point number four is this accomplishing anything meaningful will require flexibility. 00:10:52.639 --> 00:10:56.799 In this text, we constantly see Nehemiah adjusting his strategy. 00:10:57.200 --> 00:11:02.000 Vision is set, but the strategy is adjusting based on the situation. 00:11:02.639 --> 00:11:08.639 This week I learned, maybe you didn't know this, I learned the most flexible person in the world is a 16-year-old in England. 00:11:08.720 --> 00:11:10.399 Her name is Liberty Barrows. 00:11:10.559 --> 00:11:12.000 Here's a picture of Liberty Barrows. 00:11:12.080 --> 00:11:17.840 She actually, last year, real picture, that's all her same body, believe it or not, just curled up. 00:11:18.000 --> 00:11:21.919 Last year, she's at the Guinness Brook of World Records for most splits in a minute. 00:11:22.080 --> 00:11:22.960 That's amazing. 00:11:23.200 --> 00:11:28.000 She can contort herself in all sorts of ways, adjust her body as she desires. 00:11:28.159 --> 00:11:34.240 The advantage, of course, to flexibility, of any level of flexibility, is that you can adapt to a new situation. 00:11:34.399 --> 00:11:41.440 Now, me, I got like hip flexor things going on, I got a shoulder thing, I got planar fasciitis in my left foot. 00:11:41.600 --> 00:11:43.120 Anybody else got planar fasciitis? 00:11:43.200 --> 00:11:43.759 We're all gonna get it. 00:11:43.919 --> 00:11:49.360 If you're over 40, you're gonna get planar fasciitis at some point, and we can talk about inserts, we can talk about inserts later on. 00:11:49.519 --> 00:11:51.039 I can talk to you about it. 00:11:51.279 --> 00:11:56.080 Half of my life's just stretching, like just stretching to prepare to be normal, right? 00:11:56.320 --> 00:12:03.759 As we grow, we become more rigid physically, emotionally, practically. 00:12:04.000 --> 00:12:07.840 This is true in organizations, it's true in businesses, it's true in churches. 00:12:08.240 --> 00:12:11.279 But to be healthy, we have to remain flexible. 00:12:11.440 --> 00:12:18.000 And in our home, my wife over and over and over again says all the time flex or die, flex or die, flex or die, right? 00:12:18.320 --> 00:12:22.559 Because we have to be adaptable to new situations and new people. 00:12:22.799 --> 00:12:27.360 If not, if we just remain rigid, there's a death to that. 00:12:27.519 --> 00:12:29.279 There's an inability to adjust. 00:12:29.440 --> 00:12:33.440 Vision stays the same, but we're adapting along the way. 00:12:33.679 --> 00:12:35.679 And that's what we see Nehemiah doing. 00:12:35.840 --> 00:12:39.279 Nehemiah keeps the same vision, build the wall, build the wall. 00:12:39.440 --> 00:12:41.679 He is laser focused on his vision. 00:12:41.840 --> 00:12:43.039 It is not up for debate. 00:12:43.200 --> 00:12:44.720 Nobody's gonna detour him. 00:12:44.960 --> 00:12:48.879 He is there to motivate these people, strategize to build the wall. 00:12:48.960 --> 00:12:53.679 That strategy is changing over time based on the situation and the scenario. 00:12:54.639 --> 00:12:55.679 Here's what we say. 00:12:55.840 --> 00:12:56.960 Let's sum it up this way. 00:12:57.120 --> 00:13:00.960 They are reliant on God as the source of their strength. 00:13:01.840 --> 00:13:03.679 They are committed to work hard. 00:13:03.840 --> 00:13:07.679 These people have perseverance, these people have grit, they get back to work. 00:13:08.480 --> 00:13:13.519 And then lastly, they are flexible in a new strategy for the same vision. 00:13:14.159 --> 00:13:16.080 And whatever that vision is for you. 00:13:16.879 --> 00:13:26.399 Godly marriage, great kids, great career, whatever the meaningful thing is, we pray, source of strength, get back to work, get flexible along the way. 00:13:26.639 --> 00:13:27.840 And those are great lessons. 00:13:28.000 --> 00:13:29.039 I just gave you some great lessons. 00:13:29.200 --> 00:13:29.759 Aren't they good? 00:13:29.919 --> 00:13:33.440 You're like, I'm ready, I'm ready to go accomplish something in the world. 00:13:33.519 --> 00:13:35.919 And it's a gr that's a great set of lessons. 00:13:36.080 --> 00:13:39.919 Like it is true, it is good, you should set yourself on it. 00:13:40.080 --> 00:13:45.200 There's one big problem with it, and that is us. 00:13:46.480 --> 00:13:47.759 We are the problem. 00:13:48.399 --> 00:13:51.679 Because we don't always want to turn to God for strength. 00:13:51.919 --> 00:13:55.600 We really enjoy doing stuff on our own, apart from God. 00:13:55.919 --> 00:13:57.440 We don't want to turn to Him. 00:13:57.840 --> 00:14:04.879 We usually overwork and become workaholics, or we underwork and we're lazy. 00:14:05.360 --> 00:14:10.639 And we're much more easily rigid and stubborn than we are flexible and open. 00:14:11.360 --> 00:14:13.360 So we're sinners, is what we would say. 00:14:13.600 --> 00:14:16.720 We're self-centered and we don't tend to turn to God. 00:14:16.960 --> 00:14:18.240 We're prone to wander. 00:14:18.320 --> 00:14:20.320 So what do we do? 00:14:21.039 --> 00:14:28.879 Well, the good thing about Nehemiah is Nehemiah is a story that gives us some lessons, but if that's all it is, it's just a moral teaching. 00:14:29.279 --> 00:14:34.720 But it's a story in set in a bigger story, the story of the gospel. 00:14:35.039 --> 00:14:41.600 And that's where Nehemiah points us into the New Testament, where the new Jerusalem is us, the church. 00:14:41.840 --> 00:14:52.000 And we get to remember and reflect on just as Nehemiah is set to work on these walls in this Jerusalem, Jesus is at work in us, committed to us. 00:14:52.320 --> 00:14:57.519 Set vision, laser focus on repairing us and restoring us. 00:14:57.759 --> 00:15:04.159 If you remember back in Nehemiah 3, we talked about how the word repair is used 35 times in chapter 3. 00:15:04.879 --> 00:15:10.639 Repair is the Hebrew word kazak, meaning to make firm or strong. 00:15:11.440 --> 00:15:16.000 It has the idea of strengthening, encouraging, or making something strong. 00:15:16.720 --> 00:15:19.200 One of my favorite shows is this old house. 00:15:19.440 --> 00:15:21.360 Do you all remember this old house on PBS? 00:15:21.440 --> 00:15:23.919 It's the OG home renovation show. 00:15:24.080 --> 00:15:28.639 Like before Chip and Joanna, like before Hometown, that's the new one. 00:15:28.720 --> 00:15:29.600 Hometown's the new one. 00:15:30.000 --> 00:15:31.440 Like this is the original one. 00:15:31.519 --> 00:15:33.279 It's not like one house in one show. 00:15:33.360 --> 00:15:34.159 No, no, no, no, no. 00:15:34.240 --> 00:15:34.879 We're not doing that. 00:15:34.960 --> 00:15:37.039 It's one house for like 50 episodes. 00:15:37.120 --> 00:15:42.559 And you are painfully detailed going through the entire house. 00:15:43.039 --> 00:15:44.639 We're in season 46. 00:15:44.720 --> 00:15:47.840 They're restoring a historic Massachusetts home that burned. 00:15:47.919 --> 00:15:49.120 Here's a picture of the home. 00:15:49.279 --> 00:15:53.919 They are presently restoring this burned up, broken down home. 00:15:54.080 --> 00:15:56.639 And you could see that, and you could say, you know what? 00:15:56.720 --> 00:15:59.360 If I'm honest, I kind of feel like that. 00:15:59.600 --> 00:16:02.000 Or you definitely have felt like that at some point. 00:16:02.080 --> 00:16:07.840 Just like the whole insides of you are sort of like burned up, broken down, worn down. 00:16:09.200 --> 00:16:14.240 And they're gonna go step by step to restore that house back to beauty. 00:16:14.480 --> 00:16:18.320 They have a vision and they have a plan for that house. 00:16:18.480 --> 00:16:20.000 And they're gonna go step by step. 00:16:20.080 --> 00:16:21.679 But as they do it, do you know what will happen? 00:16:21.759 --> 00:16:24.000 And I know because I've watched so many of these seasons. 00:16:24.320 --> 00:16:25.360 Problems. 00:16:25.679 --> 00:16:26.720 Obstacles. 00:16:27.039 --> 00:16:27.440 Right? 00:16:27.600 --> 00:16:28.240 They just are. 00:16:28.399 --> 00:16:35.519 Problem after problem, obstacle after obstacle, and what they're gonna do is they're gonna figure it out, they're gonna adapt, they're gonna be flexible, they're gonna get back to work. 00:16:35.679 --> 00:16:38.399 And the house will go from broken to beautiful. 00:16:38.559 --> 00:16:42.000 Here's another picture of a house in that same area of our country up in Massachusetts. 00:16:42.159 --> 00:16:47.200 The house will eventually, this season, the house we're working on right now, will eventually become as beautiful as that. 00:16:48.320 --> 00:16:49.840 It will be repaired. 00:16:50.080 --> 00:16:53.279 Now, why do we keep loving shows like this? 00:16:53.759 --> 00:16:54.080 Right? 00:16:54.240 --> 00:16:56.159 I mean, these shows are on repeat. 00:16:56.399 --> 00:16:59.440 I mean, it started with this old house in the 80s. 00:16:59.679 --> 00:17:01.279 But like these shows are on repeat. 00:17:01.600 --> 00:17:04.559 Chip and Joanna, Hometown, there'll be another one after Hometown. 00:17:04.720 --> 00:17:07.839 Aaron and Ben will go away and we'll get a new couple, right? 00:17:08.000 --> 00:17:09.680 Like over and over and over. 00:17:09.759 --> 00:17:14.000 Why do we we love to see the broken repaired? 00:17:15.039 --> 00:17:18.640 Our hearts long for restoration. 00:17:18.960 --> 00:17:25.200 Our hearts long for the burned up, broken down parts of ourselves to be restored. 00:17:25.599 --> 00:17:27.839 We are people who want redemption. 00:17:28.240 --> 00:17:39.599 Now Nehemiah asks us this question: as we are the new Jerusalem that Jesus is working on, how can we, as people, be repaired from our broken parts? 00:17:40.480 --> 00:17:42.880 How do we as people become strong? 00:17:43.359 --> 00:17:46.640 How do we become people who could persevere? 00:17:47.839 --> 00:17:54.400 And point number five is this Jesus repairs us, He rebuilds, restores, and protects us. 00:17:54.720 --> 00:17:59.119 See, Jesus persevered through prayer when the obstacles hit. 00:18:00.400 --> 00:18:01.759 Jesus prayed for strength. 00:18:01.920 --> 00:18:03.680 He turned to the source of strength. 00:18:03.759 --> 00:18:06.400 He remained vigilant when opposition to obstacles arose. 00:18:06.640 --> 00:18:07.680 He did not shrink back. 00:18:07.839 --> 00:18:11.920 He stood firm, he had his vision, and he never made a single mistake along the way. 00:18:12.160 --> 00:18:14.720 And he finished the work on the cross. 00:18:15.039 --> 00:18:20.640 So that he might be at work in us, so that we might be redeemed even before we're perfect. 00:18:20.880 --> 00:18:22.240 But by his grace. 00:18:22.559 --> 00:18:23.680 And he's at work in us. 00:18:23.759 --> 00:18:26.000 Listen to Colossians 2, 6 and 7. 00:18:26.160 --> 00:18:32.079 Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him. 00:18:33.599 --> 00:18:38.559 So don't walk in wonderful, good lessons that put you to work. 00:18:38.880 --> 00:18:39.920 As good as they are. 00:18:40.160 --> 00:18:41.119 We're going to use them. 00:18:41.359 --> 00:18:42.480 We want to use them. 00:18:42.799 --> 00:18:44.640 But that's not where we rest our hearts. 00:18:45.119 --> 00:18:53.119 We walk in Jesus, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving. 00:18:53.279 --> 00:18:53.519 Right? 00:18:53.599 --> 00:18:56.799 Twice in those verses, in him, not in our performance. 00:18:57.119 --> 00:18:57.599 In him. 00:18:58.000 --> 00:19:00.640 So we receive Christ and we walk in Christ. 00:19:00.799 --> 00:19:02.640 We don't walk in our own great words. 00:19:02.799 --> 00:19:06.079 That's an expression that we are in Christ. 00:19:06.400 --> 00:19:09.920 He is rooting us, he is building us, he is establishing us. 00:19:10.079 --> 00:19:11.599 Here's how we could say it to summarize. 00:19:11.839 --> 00:19:15.359 Nehemiah shows us something about perseverance. 00:19:15.519 --> 00:19:16.240 That's wonderful. 00:19:16.319 --> 00:19:16.960 Let's learn it. 00:19:17.039 --> 00:19:17.680 Let's embrace it. 00:19:17.839 --> 00:19:25.920 Nehemiah shows us something about perseverance and then points us to Jesus, our forever gate, and he is our walls of protection. 00:19:26.400 --> 00:19:31.359 If you have a question about this sermon or you would like prayer for anything, a pastor will be down front afterwards. 00:19:31.440 --> 00:19:32.319 I'd love to speak to you. 00:19:32.480 --> 00:19:33.279 Let's pray together. 00:19:34.319 --> 00:19:38.720 Heavenly Father, we're so grateful for these lessons of perseverance. 00:19:38.880 --> 00:19:44.640 Help us all the more to turn to you for strength, to confess and it meet our need. 00:19:45.440 --> 00:19:47.279 Help us to get back to work. 00:19:47.440 --> 00:19:50.640 Help us to become people who have work and proper placement. 00:19:50.799 --> 00:19:56.799 That we don't overwork, but we don't underwork, but we're people of grit and perseverance who know how to get things done. 00:19:57.599 --> 00:19:59.920 And help us to be flexible along the way. 00:20:00.480 --> 00:20:04.160 And in all the ways we fail at those things, thank you for Jesus. 00:20:04.799 --> 00:20:14.319 That He perfectly turned to you, He perfectly persevered, and He accomplished the work on the cross, that all of our sins and inabilities are forgiven, and we are righteous in your sake. 00:20:14.480 --> 00:20:16.640 Help us to be people of redemption. 00:20:16.799 --> 00:20:21.759 Help us to walk in you, rooted and built up in you as a new Jerusalem. 00:20:21.920 --> 00:20:23.440 In Jesus' name we pray. 00:20:23.599 --> 00:20:24.000 Amen.