February 11, 2007

Nehemiah
Builders of the Wall

Steve Lane

A. Review/Introduction - "We're in"

Themes - Leadership, Sovereignty of God, Word, prayer, vision, risk, opposition...

722 BC : Israel defeated and deported by the Assyrians

605 BC - 586 BC : Babylonians defeated Judah and deported the people in three stages.

Zerubbabel 538 BC, Ezra in 458 BC and Nehemiah in 445 BC

Does the condition of the wall concern you? The body, the world, friends and family

Nehemiah wept, fasted and prayed
Counted the cost
Moonlight ride

Chapter three? A list of names - builders of the wall

What will be written about you?

1 Corinthians 3: 9 - 15
Building up the body of Christ

B. The faithful builders (with a couple of exceptions)

Nehemiah 3: 1 Six towers and ten gates - The priests go to work on the wall

Nehemiah 3: 2 No personal benefit - love for God's place and God's people

Nehemiah 3: 5 These rich stood on the sidelines - their personal cause was above God's

Nehemiah 3: 7 The repentant guilty now serving - God's interest out-weighed personal interest

Nehemiah 3: 8 - 9 Just available and seeking to do the work of the Kingdom

Nehemiah 3: 10 To work on the wall outside his own home

Nehemiah 3: 12 A ruler and his daughters out toting rocks and building the wall

Nehemiah 3: 13 Worked according to their ability, and did not look at fairness

Nehemiah 3: 14 Willing to do the dirty work...

Nehemiah 3: 15 And, willing to do the glory work

Nehemiah 3: 16 - 17 The Levites

Nehemiah 3: 18 - 21 With zeal (why not?) Loving God more each day and...

Nehemiah 3: 22 - 25 The wall in front of your own house - your own circle

Acts 2: 42 Word, fellowship, breaking bread, sharing their faith, prayer

A discussion around every table. Not just consumers, but producers/wall-builders

Nehemiah 3: 28 - 32 There was a plan

C. Conclusion

Common people building a wall - until you look from a different perspective

A lifetime of laying down rocks... a Massive wall when viewed with eternal eyes - it is good