How Jesus Galvanizes Us Together
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,, How Jesus Galvanizes Us Together for Re-building!
Dear Congregation, Do you know what it means to be galvanized? Galvanize electrochemical process zinc coats metal - medicine eclectic impulse stimulates a muscle - Common way of talking - stimulate somebody to some great activity - affect with emotion - as that electricity does to metal - makes it stronger more resilient. Nehemiah galvanized people together for remarkable feet of engineering.... Jesus Christ alive today is doing the same with willing servants in His Church around the world! Maybe new comer , maybe covenant child wondering - Jesus stands among us - says you have a portion, place, a tract, inheritance here in my people, my city - my presence here for you, I’ll
Jesus Christ galvanizes His people around the common purpose of building His church, by evoking dedication to God and interdependence with each other!
1. You must be a shareholder in the colony of Heaven.
The re-building of Jerusalem was an extraordinary feet. A feet of engineering - with limited technology - 52 days clear rubble, establish a foundation, rebuild walls upto 9’ thick -coordination of not just the few skilled labourers, but volunteers like you or me! But remarkable on ly ch 3,4,6 of this book!
But even more phenomenal spiritual engineering - Jersualem - spiritual city like none other the world had ever or will ever see - Holy God lived there - gracious hand of the lord in a city like never before - Revelation of God - to go out to onations like a flood to fills … like manna, - new way of life of grace - like a river from Zion… Had become a disgrace - no different than the nations - haunt - had become more evil in practices …
Really upside down type of kingdom - it doesn’t fit in easily to this world, your life or mine!
Introduce: Sanballat and his sidekick Tobiah - Jewish name - most likely Samartian resettled after Assyria ; Sannballat Babylonian - mock idea of Jewish God - why don’t you syncretize with all the rest of us conquiered Persian vassals..
Look at Nehemiah’s response: the God of heaven will give us success. Start rebuilding, but as for you you have no share/portion/hlq part/territory , parcel tract in Jerusalem = sure other foreigners did… but not the point The point is neee a spiritual stake in the colony of grace God set up in Jerusalem, that way of life that project —
What will success be? NOt just the wall up , but like next chapter City of Mercy on the poor, Confession of Personal Sin - People, Marriages, Families readically repnenitng seeking God’s good, vibrant worship - renewed reformed way of life!
Nehemiah is saying - make your home - this colony and success won’t be just your working, but God’s!
Jesus came and established that New Society didn’t he, not just rebuilding land temple - but inheritance of world kingdom - do you have stakes in it?
DOn’t store up treasure in this world - moth and rust consume, theif breaks in, Tobiah and Sannballat those just live for stuff of this world - giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light.
giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light.
That’s you and me, not because so good or religious, but because X offered up saacrfice, dedicated himself to righteousness on our behalf, says this is for you; now qualified have a stake a share and inheritance in HIs Kingdom - now start living a sa sharehold of the Colony of Grace on earth!
Teens like Mission Impossible - whole new grace mission in life! Imagine stake in Apple - but work for them, invest further - Do that with my kingdom now! Jesus is saying, let me galvnize you are the activity of this kingdom, this colony!
What is most rewarding is doing something that really matters with congenial colleagues who share with us the firm conviction that it needs to be done. -- Elton Trueblood, Leadership, Vol. 5, no. 1.
But how does such a share-hold live in this world? Really a colonist of kingdom of light, how …
IE Pioneers = the heroic stroy of the settlers who brought the American Ideal West. What about us …
But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ,
calls us amabassadors of Christ’s kingdom in this world.
2. Dedicate Yourself to a Particular Work of the Lord.
What’s dedication - how do you know if dedicated ie. Prayer - do they show up ie. Tonight Friday morning … Hockey wouldn’t miss it for the world!
How do you know if a people a nation is dedicated - ie.- is it the speech about Kyoto goals or factories around world - shows up there… physically financially starts replacing - leaders start -Kierkegaard - pastors live in the week - are you sharing the gospel with neighbour, do you really love and serve family, do you clear away time for discipleship, do you care for downtrodden, lonely , grieving, actually pray and worship God through week…
So too hear - look at how Jews begin devoting themselves to a particular work of the Lord. Only remaining leader the High Priest - shows up at the first sectoin of wall - Sheep Gate - symbolic - sacrifices - fellow going to put worship of God first, protect that part of our life-together first - going to kick it off with decication tot he Lord ceremony - whole city, whole of life - for Lord, give first to Him!
And look at how the others follow suit: With Nehemiah and the High Priest coordinating this kick off of common puprore - they are calling for commitment of each to tehir job, their part of the wall. Say boring list of names - Anything but 40-41 sectoins - most interesting group of people , organized in very different ways …. Some by occupation, others by political job, some from outlying regions stay overnight, others in much smaller group just by family Father, daughters…
Put aside other work, other lesiure, other family time for 52 days to do something together for the Lord. Willing to submit ot leadership of God’s people to shoot for this common goal this prject of teh Lord’s for their time thier place…
Dedication - men of Tekoah v.5 at Fish Gate, but also in v.27 from prjecting tower to the wall of Ophel wen done..
Ever felt that Zeal of the Lord like Barruch son of Zabbi - for up building of God’s children here? For outreach? For Never mind if you’ve got the skilled labour job of rebuilding, or if doing the heavy lifting of clearing away the rubble to make a new foundation… Goal to do your job - greeting, giving, praying, or hospitality - connect what you do in church, how reach out through the week - with great whole.
Sir Paul rand - St. Paul Cathedral - A man came upon a construction site where three people were working. He asked the first, “What are you doing?” and the man replied: “I am laying bricks.” He asked the second, “What are you doing?” and the man replied: “I am building a wall.” As he approached the third, he heard him humming a tune as he worked, and asked, “What are you doing?” The man stood, looked up at the sky, and smiled, “I am building a cathedral!”
Precious book to anyone who worked on it ..don’t you think - Nehemiah didn’t buidl the wall, never recorded - God’s people, nameless to the world - here recorded - Who are you Whewre are you working - All through church history! Is your name on this list?
Need that kind of zeal to God’s work in this church today! This world … Look at v.5b some nobles would not put their shoulders to the work under their supervision. Forget it too busy, too proud, I’m doing my own thing - God says No…together with we’ve seen a cause, a purpose, submit to their leadership and go for it!
But now God’s really going to stretch us - in this sermon yes, but in the life of this church in the next months ahead of us! I believe I’ve seen I’ve experience that dedication to the upbuilding of God saints, and the desire to expand his kingdom here! But look what comes after dedication to a task:
3. Connect interdependently with others serving in different ministries
Imagine having a bird’s eye view of this work - know what you would see - hurry to the next section - see big desire - close the gaps - concern was the big picture of the city , not each individual just finishing their own section, oh I kind of like this - let’s add a restuarant and a club, - each does it’s part but - no cookie cutter - but from that small group want to put it together …
Actually in this diversity that really learn to live by grace, depnd and learn from each other! Dietrich Bonhoeffer… nb
Even person that hurt you, even conflict - realize God’s opporunity to learn to live Christ, to find miracle of forgiveness in your heart …
Castle Loma - wall - offered $1, Tommy Fidich - there it stands white rock - so different almost overlooked - no cookie cutter small groups - some …others… prayer partner, discipling group… get used to it …others family - but is there openness of family, your group to others - Telling question on that survey: You forgot one impotant question, HOw man of the young fmailyies interact with the seniors? Very, very few… v.v seniors to young familes… singles yougn couples, only assoc. With people like self - Joined together = get rid of sharp elbows = put aside differences - MORTAR OF THE LOVE OF CHRIST - CHARITY = not a mush setnimaentla word - action of self-giving serveice
saved you gave gifts - Christ apportioned them, but also arranged them, lik parts of a body -like wierd odd shaped rocks, love is the mortar - you knwo what the test is = service! There Nehemiah was working between all the sections of wall, urguing, encouraging, …Do you believe it Jesus Chrsiti praying for us, moving in hearts of people by Spirit - this is the way walk in it - not just as indiviudals - but love of Christ compells us - share connect - coordinate = Heed Jesus direction, supervision of the building project of this church and your part and coneection to others in it?
If so focused on our group our family, our circle of riends, missing point - building out to arrive with each other - to raise up a City be light to OThers … lost sight of what Jesus is doing - If we think Covenant CRC exists for orselves - just builidng that club on one part of the wall and leaving huge gaps… Globlablly accompolish together ministry in this church, thie world! By keeping the goal before us together = Build Up , multiply!
See the gate builders need to meet up with wall, twoer, dwelling,s visotrs, … Can’t do the silo thing - get to know new members, cross boundaries, IE YOUTH SENIORS NIGHT.
Consistent survey result - though slipping still relatively strong dvotional practices individually Strong family relationships, friends and neighbours; but depth of speaking and liestning and acting in each others lives, partenring for gospel progress = room to grow!
By way of application - who are you connecting with interdependently to help build up others, or brings the gospel to others? - in this church for build up - ask young people how can I pray, and as one member hw about start with Any way I can help - In our districts - elders have hard time get through- widows and shut ins, #s, teachers… Coffee Socials, Potluck with new attenders… - Melani hard time meals - few people I can call for you -
We love it in church when our little corner does well - choir hits a home run, deacons, elder there for tough bu good visit satisfying, hit a homerun of a sermon, but that’s nothing to seeing - partners in minisinty - new comer - surrounded by love by one, welcome by another, hospitiality, look teaching - accountabilty - lng term - shoulders to the whole ministry each oding its part! See this… from a tractor - paper weight and pen holder on its own, but in tractor … Why Jesus sent them out 2 by 2 , gathered togehter - work in tandem - …
But there is a last part of the galvanizing process that I know I’d rather do without, how about you? I know my dad hated this part of doing church so much never serve in leadership again, so scathing even just to watch. But this all the more reason to make sure we learn from God’s Holy Word, from Jesus direction how to handle it, rather than to simply avoid, ignore, or bury it! The heat of opposition and discouragement.
4. Overcome Discouragement with Prayer & Timely Encouragement
Sadly we often don’t really deal with this part of God’s rebuilding in our homes, church, in the world until we absolutely have to. To often we think being thick skinned will repel the attack of Satan and prevent it from penetrating our psyches and turn into the poison of discouragement. We think sticks and stones may break my bones words - never hurt me! Simply not true!
I read once that the Devil was having a yard sale, and all of his tools were marked with different prices. They were a fiendish lot. There was hatred, jealously, deceit, lying, pride--all at expensive prices. But over to the side of the yard on display was a tool more obviously worn than any of the other tools. It was also the most costly. The tool was labeled, DISCOURAGEMENT.
When questioned, the Devil said, "It's more useful to me than any other tool. When I can't bring down my victims with any of the rest of these tools, I use discouragement, because so few people realize that it belongs to me."
Progression in Sannbalt and Tobiah’s oppostion - first just bothered, then ridicules, then as gets under way - insult after insult - going to do one of two things with it; 1. Natural thing to do is deal with it on our own - usually reflect it either back to them - or take it out your self or worse others at home - miserable bitter, or proud abrasive!
Natural tihng to do is deal withit on our own - usually reflect it either back to them - or take it out your self or worse others at home - miserable bitter, or proud abrasive!
Nehemiah,following the Psalmist teaches us a new way: 2. Absorb - but not just absorb and not reflect - blow up if you did that - Absorb by Prayer - Brings it to God with all honesty - Injustice - ridicule no rationale basis ; but not too good at it - because rage - - What a Friend W ehave in Jesus - Cry out to God for justice - put it in his hands - something wrong if don’t want evil redressed - not a prayer of personal revenge - God you deal with this!
Imprecatory Prayer - God in this world evil is happening either stop the oppressor or take him out!
Fuller story of Jesus shows us way for God to deal out all justice on the Cross - we pray convert them to the way of Christ - God I’m readdy for all correction, I will check my mortification - is it selfish pride -or service to you - I won’t revenge - Take it to the Cross, Take it the Corss - Forgive Your enemies - love - new posture even in the ridicule - protected from entangled in their game of attack.
Look at the restult in v.6 -
So we built the wall. And all the wall was joined together to half its height, for the people had a mind to work.
if in your life insult, opposition , looking down - that’s big in your mind - birng it to the Cross - God of justice and mercy will deal with it, absorb and move on to work on re-building! Momentum in the heat galvanized even more strnog ly together!
if in your life insult, opposition , looking down - that’s big in your mind - birng it to the Cross - God of justice and mercy will deal with it, absorb and move on to work on re-building! Momentum in the heat galvanized even more strongly together!
But it progresses doesn’t it? V.7-8;
But when Sanballat and Tobiah and the Arabs and the Ammonites and the Ashdodites 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. And they all plotted together to come and fight against Jerusalem and to cause confusion in it.
Ch 6 surrounding provinces closing in; see they prayer …
And we prayed to our God and set a guard as a protection against them day and night.
but look at what happens with outward opposition - going gets tough - people want to fold - diappointment within - spreads like wild fire - half way done - hearing threats - and Then the Jews who lived near them came and told us ten times over, Whenver they turn they will attack NIV
At that time the Jews who lived near them came from all directions and said to us ten times, “You must return to us.”
Gossip some who delights in spreading what NT calls a bad report! Stir up a slough of neigh-sayers. - saps work of the Lrod in a poeple like crazy, in Brazil church planter - busy body a demon!
Linus has just written a comic strip of his own, and he wants Lucy's opinion. In the first frame, he tentatively hands Lucy his comic strip and says, "Lucy, would you read this and tell me if you think it is funny?" In the next frame, you see Lucy patting her foot, and a little bit of a grin comes across her face. She looks at Linus and says, "Well, Linus, who wrote this?" Linus with his chest heaved out and a great big grin says, "Lucy, I wrote that." In the next frame, you see Lucy wadding it up, throwing it to the side, and saying, "Well, then, I don't think it's very funny." In the final frame, you see Linus picking up his comic strip, throwing his blanket over his shoulder, looking at Lucy and saying, "Big sisters are the crab grass in the lawn of life."
In the next frame, you see Lucy patting her foot, and a little bit of a grin comes across her face. She looks at Linus and says, "Well, Linus, who wrote this?"
Linus with his chest heaved out and a great big grin says, "Lucy, I wrote that."
In the next frame, you see Lucy wadding it up, throwing it to the side, and saying, "Well, then, I don't think it's very funny."
In the final frame, you see Linus picking up his comic strip, throwing his blanket over his shoulder, looking at Lucy and saying, "Big sisters are the crab grass in the lawn of life."
We find that humorous. I dare say if you and I thought long and hard enough, we'd remember being the crab grass in the lawn of somebody else's life. None of us wants to be a loser. None of us wants to be a source of discouragement. And yet, if we're not careful, we can find ourselves being more pessimistic than optimistic, more discouraging than encouraging.
See those armies, plots, see the disappointment within - realize this is spiritual warefare - this is Satan in the circumstances maybe even in the people!
And Jesus is calling us to Stand in the Day of Testing! NT Hold Fast, Stand Fast Make a plan - a guard, see more next time - have trumpet - can’t deal with discouragement alone - rally together spread out - don’t give up meeting together small group , large group - but look at
And I looked and arose and said to the nobles and to the officials and to the rest of the people, “Do not be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight for your brothers, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your homes.” 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.
Make a plan - a gaurd, see more next time - have trumpet - can’t deal with disdcouragment alone - rally together spread out - don’t give up meeting together small group , large group - but look at v.14-15
We need to speak those words to self, to each other - show up in time of discouragement - Message of Bible Don’t Be Afraid -Jim Wallis and UCC former leader got something right; don’t lose it - why not - Remember the LORD, self-sufficient all sufficient, abundant who is great and awesome - He caused Artexerxxes to change his mind, here, he arranged - come - he is rebuilding this wall - ; It’s like Isaiah said - don’t lose your head now - God is at work even in the opposition:
“Do not call conspiracy all that this people calls conspiracy, and do not fear what they fear, nor be in dread. But the Lord of hosts, him you shall honor as holy. Let him be your fear, and let him be your dread. And he will become a sanctuary and a stone of offense and a rock of stumbling to both houses of Israel, a trap and a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem.
We need to speak those words to self, to each other - show up in time of discouragment - Message of Bible Don’t Be Afraid - don’t lose it - why not - Remember the LORD, self-sufficient all sufficient, abundant who is great and awesome - He caused Artexerxxes to change his mind, here, he arranged - come - he is rebuilding this wall - ; It’s like Isaiah said - don’t lose your head now - God is at work even in the opposition: “Do not call conspiracy everything that these people call conspiracy; do not fear what they fear, and do not dread it. The Lord Almighty is the one you are to regard as holy, he is the one you are to fear, he is the one you are to dread, and he will be a sanctuary;.
That’s Jesus Christ But seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well.
Instead, seek his kingdom, and these things will be added to you. “Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.
I feel it in my bones that this is what Jesus is saying to us now - yes little flock , but a success of faithfulness, success of rebuilding that God is calling us towards, - Jesus is our great Nehemiah - galvanize us in this work - as devote ourselves to God and work interdependently with each other!
Chorsuses from the Rock:
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