The Bricks and the Builders

We went back to our series in Nehemiah on this past Sunday after a five week preaching absence from the pulpit that God has given me here at Macedonia. It was not a planned five week recess but as scheduling took place, it fell that way. To be out of your own pulpit for any amount of time, yet alone for five weeks, I must admit I wanted to hit it out of the park if I can admit to selfish desires; however, my assignment was Nehemiah 3.

At first glance, Nehemiah 3 looks a bit dry. Upon first read, it seems down right boring. On Commentator called it "A Colorless memorandum of assignments" much like I Chronicles is with its long lists of names. The information in Nehemiah 3 gives you names we have trouble pronouncing, a chronological timeline that seems meaningless and family information that we don't care about because let's face it, WE DON'T EVEN KNOW OUR OWN FAMILY LIKE WE SHOULD.

I am glad to report that sometimes we must go deeper than the surface and look past our first glance and after doing this what seemed to be boring turned out to be beautiful. I thought this sermon would be an overview of Chapter 3 moving quickly into chapter 4 but it is shaping into a five week sojourn just in this chapter.

What makes Chapter 3 so special and should make you rejoice beyond the funny names is because of what the chapter represents. This is not a chapter of Promise, nor is it a chapter or Prophecy but rather it is a chapter that is Personal. We live in a day and age where people forget. They forget your name, they forget where you are from, forget what you have done, but God has a PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP with us and HE DOES NOT FORGET.

So, I found my first shout in this "at first glance" dull chapter, that while some walls needed to Repaired and others needed to be Rebuilt, all of it was Recorded. God is a recorder of names. The Bible does not say "Lots and lots of people made repairs to the wall but rather it specifically names each person for eternity's record.

We tried on Sunday to introduce chapter three (3) before we break into a gate by gate sermon view. This chapter does not lend itself to easy verse by verse expositional preaching but we did the best we know how to do. I certainly did not knock it out of the park on Sunday, but thankfully, I didn't make an out either. Here was part of the outline:

I. Consecration Of the Work Vs 1
a. sanctified it, (consecrated, dedicated, set it apart)
b. strengthened it(Set the doors in place)
II. Cooperation In the Work.
One of the key words in this chapter depending on translation is the word "section" It is used 13 times. The people were assigned a certain section to work on but something that just excited me in this text was this, THE WALL WAS DIVIDED, THE PEOPLE WERE NOT.
The priests worked vs 1. They weren't expected to do it all but they did their part.
The rulers worked vs 12-19. No all the nobles didn't but thank God for those who did.
The craftsmen worked vs 8, 32
Jews from other cities worked vss. 2; 5; 7
Some gave more vss. 11; 19; 21; 24; 27; 30
The women worked vs 12
Although they worked in Sections, their work was Seamless because of the right Spirit.
III. Coordination Through the Work
There were 40 to 42 separate building projects going on over a distance between a mile and a mile and a half. There were 42 groups of people listed in this work. It would take coordination.
Different People--Same Plan, Same Purpose--Same Power
IV. Commendation For the Work
Chapter 3 is God's directive in Nehemiah Diary to leave a personal mark of Distinction for all of the workers. No one can say Thank you like God can. In fact the only Thank you I want to hear comes form God. It was back home at the Greater Mount Olive Church where some old sister would sing the song:

If when you give the best of your service Telling the world that the Saviour has come Be not dismayed when men don't believe you He'll understand and say well done Oh when I come to the end of my journey Weary of life and the battle is won Carrying the staff and the cross of redemption He'll understand and say well done

I am living for Well Done:

Run On,

Owens