Nehemiah; Part 3 - Kingdom Builders
Nehemiah 2:9–20 (ESV)
9 Then I came to the governors of the province Beyond the River and gave them the king’s letters. Now the king had sent with me officers of the army and horsemen. 10 But when Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite servant heard this, it displeased them greatly that someone had come to seek the welfare of the people of Israel. 11 So I went to Jerusalem and was there three days. 12 Then I arose in the night, I and a few men with me. And I told no one what my God had put into my heart to do for Jerusalem. There was no animal with me but the one on which I rode. 13 I went out by night by the Valley Gate to the Dragon Spring and to the Dung Gate, and I inspected the walls of Jerusalem that were broken down and its gates that had been destroyed by fire. 14 Then I went on to the Fountain Gate and to the King’s Pool, but there was no room for the animal that was under me to pass. 15 Then I went up in the night by the valley and inspected the wall, and I turned back and entered by the Valley Gate, and so returned. 16 And the officials did not know where I had gone or what I was doing, and I had not yet told the Jews, the priests, the nobles, the officials, and the rest who were to do the work. 17 Then I said to them, “You see the trouble we are in, how Jerusalem lies in ruins with its gates burned. Come, let us build the wall of Jerusalem, that we may no longer suffer derision.” 18 And I told them of the hand of my God that had been upon me for good, and also of the words that the king had spoken to me. And they said, “Let us rise up and build.” So they strengthened their hands for the good work. 19 But when Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite servant and Geshem the Arab heard of it, they jeered at us and despised us and said, “What is this thing that you are doing? Are you rebelling against the king?” 20 Then I replied to them, “The God of heaven will make us prosper, and we his servants will arise and build, but you have no portion or right or claim in Jerusalem.”
Habits of kingdom-builders
Kingdom Builders study
Nehemiah doesn't show up to Jerusalem ready to build a wall.
He is there for three days and spent time studying the task that was in front of Him.
He's up in the middle of the night taking inventory of the damages that they will have to repair.
"I inspected the wall" - Verses 13, 15
Up unto this point, Nehemiah had not told anyone what he had been planning.
He was carefully and meticulously studying the details of the task that God had called him to.
What does that mean for us?
2 Timothy 2:15 (ESV) 15 Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.
(KJV) STUDY to shew thyself approved
Jesus taught the idea that we should not blindly walk into the workload that God has placed in front of us.
Luke 14:27–30 (ESV)
27 Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple. 28 For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it? 29 Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, 30 saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish.’
The context is that if we are going to follow Jesus, we need to know exactly what we are getting ourselves into.
We walk by faith, but it does not necessarily mean blind faith!
Ultimately, we are building by faith, but that does not mean that we are to neglect the hard work of planning and preparation of being excellent in our callings!
If you are a disciple: GROW!
Kingdom Builders share vision
Once Nehemiah has taken a good look at the task before him, he begins to share vision!
Nehemiah 2:17-18 (ESV)
17 Then I said to them, “You see the trouble we are in, how Jerusalem lies in ruins with its gates burned. Come, let us build the wall of Jerusalem, that we may no longer suffer derision.” 18 And I told them of the hand of my God that had been upon me for good, and also of the words that the king had spoken to me.
God-sized tasks are bigger than you can accomplish alone.
Nehemiah's task was bigger than Nehemiah could accomplish by himself.
The piece of the puzzle that was standing between him and the work in front of him? Having a team!
How did Nehemiah build a team? HE SHARED THE VISION
Here's what that looked like for Nehemiah:
He shared the need
He shared the call
He shared the story of provision
SHARING VISION AND SHARING THE GOSPEL ARE SYNONYMOUS
This is what Paul did every time he came to a new city:
He would show up and tell his story from Acts 9
Kingdom builders TALK about the kingdom - they share!
Kingdom Builders strengthen those around them
Nehemiah 2:18 (ESV)
18b And they said, “Let us rise up and build.” So they strengthened their hands for the good work.
Hub City Church wants a reputation of strengthening believers for good work!
This is our heart, if we can help build up your strength and help remove the obstacles that are standing in your way from accomplishing ministry, thats what we want to do!
We shared this at Micro-Church this week:
Hebrews 10:24–25 (NLT)
24 Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. 25 And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.
We have the opportunity to speak life and pour value into the people around us!
Kingdom builders strengthen the things around them!
They strengthen:
The vision
The strategy
The team
Be someone who leaves people better than they found them!
I want to leave this city better than we found it!
You should leave your MC better than you found it!
I look around, and I see so many significant things that are happening at Hub City Church.
God is putting together a team of Kingdom-builders
We are such a parallel to the story of Nehemiah
God has called
You have answered
A city is being impacted
The Spirit is moving
Continue the work - build the kingdom!
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