Advancing the Kingdom Agenda: Nehemiah #13
This is an exposition of Nehemiah 11:1-12:47. This message by Pastor Rod Harris was delivered at Trinity Baptist Church on Sunday evening, February 28, 2016.
Intro:
No doubt his mind often drifted back to his days in Susa in the palace of the king. It was an impressive, imposing sight. 36’ tall columns lining the great hall each topped with a pair of intricately carved horned bulls. The bulls kneel atop a seven-foot tall, carved capital. The whole display was both massive and stunning. Persia was the dominate power of the day. Not only was the palace opulent but everything that mattered was happening there. The city was bustling with activity as people from around the world gathered and Nehemiah had been there in the center of it all. Nehemiah had left that to come to a broken down city than didn’t even have walls. The rubble was so thick he could not even pass through when he tried to inspect (Nehemiah 2:14). Then there were those petty leaders who tried to stop his work. Half the time he was fighting his own people to get the job done. Yet in just 52 days they did what others had not managed to do in decades. Yet we are told, after the walls were completed, “The city was large and spacious, but there were few people in it, and no houses had been built yet.” Nehemiah was stuck in an outpost of the empire with few people and little to no worldly significance.
Here is where we need to be reminded, “We live by faith and not by sight.”
By all appearances Susa was the place of action and importance but we know, from Scripture, God was at work in that broken down dump known as Jerusalem. It was in Jerusalem God was at work advancing His kingdom.
Things are not always as they seem.
Have you noticed how excited people get in a stadium watching a football game?
Do you notice the excitement that builds with “March Madness?”
Better yet, note the passion generated by a presidential election.
By comparison the church seems pretty tame.
What we do seems insignificant and fewer and fewer take note.
Yet we know that God is at work in His church advancing the kingdom. As surprising as it may seem God intends to accomplish His purpose through the church. Churches made up of seemingly insignificant people who have normal lives and normal problems. People, well, like us!
Nehemiah Nehemiah 11 and 12 are not very exciting. In fact coming into the week I was thinking I had 2 or 3 messages left in our current study. As I started reading over Nehemiah 11 then into Nehemiah 12 my initial reaction was, “Well, I guess I finished up last week!”
Not exciting stuff.
Names and tedious details.
Yawn.
But this is another case of stop staring at the trees and notice the forest. Back off from the detail to the larger picture. I think there is something worthwhile in our text. Important principles for the task assigned to us.
Text: Nehemiah 11:1-12:47
Context:
The walls have been rebuilt – security
The gates have been installed – justice is restored
Now it is time to rebuild the nation.
- It began with a solemn assembly
- The word of God was read and the people were convicted
- The Feast of Booths was reestablished
- Then came revival
- That revival brought repentance and a commitment to real change
Nehemiah 11 and 12 take that another step.
Thesis: Advancing the Kingdom agenda demands submission to the will of God in all things, dedication to the glory of God above all things, and sacrificial commitment to the on-going work of God.
Our text naturally divide into 3 sections.
11:1-12:26
12:27-43
12:44-47
In these sections we find 3 demands for advancing the kingdom agenda through kingdom living.
- Kingdom living demands submission to the will of God in all things. (11:1-12:26)
- Kingdom living demands dedication to the glory of God above all things. (12:27-43)
- Kingdom living demands sacrificial commitment to the on-going work of God. (12:44-47)
Conclusion:
God has always been pleased to choose the weak things of the world to confound the strong.
- He chose Abram, a man without children, to bless the world through his descendants.
- When Abraham’s descendants multiplied they were slaves in Egypt.
- God chose them as His people.
- There were led by Moses who had spent the last 40 years as a shepherd on the backside of the desert.
- He chose, David, Jesse’s youngest son to be the great king.He chooses people like you and me and churches like ours to manifest His glory and advance His kingdom on the earth.
Advancing the Kingdom agenda demands submission to the will of God in all things, dedication to the glory of God above all things, and sacrificial commitment to the on-going work of God.
Will you be part of what God is doing in the earth today?