LIFEGROUP
2025-0224
Sermon DON’T COME DOWN SERIES
2023-0223 – Nehemiah Chapter 3
Anything worth doing is more difficult thank you think …
especially when you are doing something for the Lord. Biggest challenge is not the obstacles
themselves, but the desire to give up.
Pastor’s example: Hammer on toe – pain, wait for Heaven
MEAH – Hundred
KOZ – HAKOZ
32 verses in chapter 3 of Nehemiah. Not all of the workers on the wall were from
Jerusalem. Some were people outside the
city, outside the country, in fact.
God included this on purpose – all the people listed as
helping to rebuild the Jerusalem wall.
When we get together and live for Him, God will give us what
we need
When we live for the Lord, He makes use of our brokenness.
92-144 years after the destruction of Jerusalem, Nehemiah
was rebuilding the wall – they had to hurry, there was a time constraint, because
people did not want the wall rebuilt.
Today, modern day, Temple Mount: 32 acres in total. Temple was destroyed in 70 AD by the
Romans. Luke 21:6
Nehemiah – when he first came to survey the job site, he
took three days to assess the issue. He
rode his horse around the rubble – Ch 2:14 – horse could not get through. City in ruins. The ruins became the building blocks for the
repair.
NOTE: during an excavation, Nehemiah’s wall was found. The photo of the wall, filled with pebbles
and broken stones, stands in stark contrast to the perfectly cut blocks that
are in the current wall.
Isaiah 22:10 – Broke down the houses to fortify the
wall. <= prophesy? Written before the event? (Isaiah was writing before Nehemiah was born)
… some believe the book was written by various people throughout history.
God used the rubble to bring city to Glory. If God can use that, He can use YOUR brokenness
to build something beautiful.
Examples of broken people used by God:
1)
Job
2)
Moses
3)
Rahab
4)
Samson
5)
David
6)
Peter
7)
Paul
When you work for the Lord, He will use it for His glory.
Point 2: When you
live for the Lord, not task is beneath us.
The rebuilt wall not just skilled labor. Everybody helped. Even the High Priest helped.
V5 Neh calls out the Tekoites. They helped (but not their rich people)
Matthew Ch 20: Disciples asking who is going to be first in
Heaven.
Jesus Matthew 20:26 – Whoever wants to be great must become
a servant.
Point 3 – Glorious to live for the Lord – we are involved in
something bigger than ourselves.
The way God gets things done is to use other people.
Neh 3:7 Gideon and Mispath North of Jerusalem
God used goldsmiths and perfumers to work on the wall
Ch 9 – Ruler of half of Jerusalem helped. His daughters helped too (v12)
Paul 1 Corinth 12 – Body of Christ. 12:20-27
She said, “If any member is honored, the whole body rejoices”
We want more people to know Jesus
