Nehemiah

Part 3: Building Side By Side

The Fail Whale

•What’s wrong with this picture?

•What happens when some folks won’t work?

Inequality Of Christian Labor

• Church growth standard formula

• Should it be this way in the Lord’s Body?

• Who is exempt from the work?

• Is there work for me?

Do You Like Living In Ruins?

• Nehemiah 2:3 – “…Why should my face not be sad when the city, the place of my fathers’ tombs, lies desolate and its gates have been consumed by fire?”

Motivating The Workers• Nehemiah 2:18 --  I told them

how the hand of my God had been favorable to me and also about the king’s words which he had spoken to me.

• Nehemiah 2:20 --“The God of heaven will give us success; therefore we His servants will arise and build….”

To The Work!

• What was involved?• 10 gates which were in

ruins• Piles of rubble as building

material• 4,500 yards of wall (2.5

miles)• Some of the wall 9 feet

thick

Who Helped With The Work?

• High priest and priests (vs. 1)• Residents of Jericho (v. 2)• Residents of Tekoa (v. 5)• Residents of Gibeon and Mizpah (vs. 7)• Goldsmiths (vs. 8)• Perfumer (vs. 8)• Major officials (vs. 9, 14, 16)• Daughters (vs. 12)

Who Didn’t Help?

• Nehemiah 3:5 – “Moreover, next to him the Tekoites made repairs, but their nobles did not support the work of their masters.”

Are We Builders? Will We Build?

• 1 Corinthians 3:9-11 – “For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, God’s building. According to the grace of God which was given to me, like a wise master builder I laid a foundation, and another is building on it. But each man must be careful how he builds on it. For no man can lay a foundation other than the one which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.

1 Peter 2:5

• “…you also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.”

Colossians 1:10• “[We pray that you may be filled with

knowledge] …so that you will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God….”

We Must Build!

• What will your hands do for the Lord?

• Prayer?• Teaching?• Hospitality?• Pantry?• Building?• Outreach?• ??????????????