Devotion & Commitment

"On the seals are the names of Nehemiah the governor, the son of Hacaliah, Zedekiah, Seraiah, Azariah, Jeremiah, Pashhur, Amariah, Malchijah, Hattush, Shebaniah, Malluch, Harim, Meremoth, Obadiah, Daniel, Ginnethon, Baruch, Meshullam, Abijah, Mijamin, Maaziah, Bilgai, Shemaiah; these are the priests. And the Levites: Jeshua the son of Azaniah, Binnui of the sons of Henadad, Kadmiel; and their brothers, Shebaniah, Hodiah, Kelita, Pelaiah, Hanan, Mica, Rehob, Hashabiah, Zaccur, Sherebiah, Shebaniah, Hodiah, Bani, Beninu. The chiefs of the people: Parosh, Pahath-moab, Elam, Zattu, Bani, Bunni, Azgad, Bebai, Adonijah, Bigvai, Adin, Ater, Hezekiah, Azzur, Hodiah, Hashum, Bezai, Hariph, Anathoth, Nebai, Magpiash, Meshullam, Hezir, Meshezabel, Zadok, Jaddua, Pelatiah, Hanan, Anaiah, Hoshea, Hananiah, Hasshub, Hallohesh, Pilha, Shobek, Rehum, Hashabnah, Maaseiah, Ahiah, Hanan, Anan, Malluch, Harim, Baanah. "The rest of the people, the priests, the Levites, the gatekeepers, the singers, the temple servants, and all who have separated themselves from the peoples of the lands to the Law of God, their wives, their sons, their daughters, all who have knowledge and understanding, join with their brothers, their nobles, and enter into a curse and an oath to walk in God's Law that was given by Moses the servant of God, and to observe and do all the commandments of the Lord our Lord and his rules and his statutes. We will not give our daughters to the peoples of the land or take their daughters for our sons. And if the peoples of the land bring in goods or any grain on the Sabbath day to sell, we will not buy from them on the Sabbath or on a holy day. And we will forego the crops of the seventh year and the exaction of every debt. "We also take on ourselves the obligation to give yearly a third part of a shekel for the service of the house of our God: for the showbread, the regular grain offering, the regular burnt offering, the Sabbaths, the new moons, the appointed feasts, the holy things, and the sin offerings to make atonement for Israel, and for all the work of the house of our God. We, the priests, the Levites, and the people, have likewise cast lots for the wood offering, to bring it into the house of our God, according to our fathers' houses, at times appointed, year by year, to burn on the altar of the Lord our God, as it is written in the Law. We obligate ourselves to bring the firstfruits of our ground and the firstfruits of all fruit of every tree, year by year, to the house of the Lord ; also to bring to the house of our God, to the priests who minister in the house of our God, the firstborn of our sons and of our cattle, as it is written in the Law, and the firstborn of our herds and of our flocks; and to bring the first of our dough, and our contributions, the fruit of every tree, the wine and the oil, to the priests, to the chambers of the house of our God; and to bring to the Levites the tithes from our ground, for it is the Levites who collect the tithes in all our towns where we labor. And the priest, the son of Aaron, shall be with the Levites when the Levites receive the tithes. And the Levites shall bring up the tithe of the tithes to the house of our God, to the chambers of the storehouse. For the people of Israel and the sons of Levi shall bring the contribution of grain, wine, and oil to the chambers, where the vessels of the sanctuary are, as well as the priests who minister, and the gatekeepers and the singers. We will not neglect the house of our God."
- Nehemiah 10:1‭-‬39 ESV

Nehemiah is a revival of the people of Israel. A return to an understanding of the word of God. And after this encounter, there is an outpouring of confession followed by repentance and commitment to change. True repentance ends in not just emotion, but must end in devotion. True revival is more than just an emotional outpouring. A genuine work of the Spirit results in commitment and devotion.

Commitment: Total

The people of Israel admit to their failures. They are cut to the heart and they make a firm commitment in writing. The leaders of the people write an actual document and sign their names. Why the formality? The formality demonstrates their level of devotion. It is one thing to say I love you. It is another to vow before family, friends, and make legal documents to attest to love them for better and worse, till death do you part.

Not only this, but this was an oath to God. An oath before God cannot be broken without invoking a curse. They, the leaders, and all the people committed themselves to God and his commandments. Not just some, but all of them. To commit the entirety of their lives to God. That is to make God the Lord of all areas of living. God is either Lord of all or he is just a consultant. In Jesus, he is either Lord of all or not Lord at all. The church is not about being filled with people; it is about people being filled with God.

Commitment: Specific

Devotion must translate to specifics. In any area of your life, you need to commit to specifics plans and details. So areas that the people stumbled over were the ones people made specific commitments regarding. Israel named marriage to commit to God and to avoid worship of other gods in their households. They vowed to not buy on the Sabbath. These are all plans and commitments to devote themselves to God more and more.

So it is with us. We are to put aside all the idols specific to us. These commitments are specific and targeted to what we struggle in. Daily quiet time. Forgiving people who we begrudge. Reassessing our vows to our spouses. Considering how we have been raising our children in God.

The Spirit lives in the details. When the people of God are more present with one another, the presence of God is more present in our city.

Commitment: Perpetual

Jesus died for us and cover us in total. All of our sins are forgiven. Because of this, we commit ourselves and the rest of our lives to him.

Confession leads to revival

Now on the twenty-fourth day of this month the people of Israel were assembled with fasting and in sackcloth, and with earth on their heads. And the Israelites separated themselves from all foreigners and stood and confessed their sins and the iniquities of their fathers. And they stood up in their place and read from the Book of the Law of the Lord their God for a quarter of the day; for another quarter of it they made confession and worshiped the Lord their God. On the stairs of the Levites stood Jeshua, Bani, Kadmiel, Shebaniah, Bunni, Sherebiah, Bani, and Chenani; and they cried with a loud voice to the Lord their God. Then the Levites, Jeshua, Kadmiel, Bani, Hashabneiah, Sherebiah, Hodiah, Shebaniah, and Pethahiah, said, "Stand up and bless the Lord your God from everlasting to everlasting. Blessed be your glorious name, which is exalted above all blessing and praise. "You are the Lord , you alone. You have made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their host, the earth and all that is on it, the seas and all that is in them; and you preserve all of them; and the host of heaven worships you. You are the Lord , the God who chose Abram and brought him out of Ur of the Chaldeans and gave him the name Abraham. You found his heart faithful before you, and made with him the covenant to give to his offspring the land of the Canaanite, the Hittite, the Amorite, the Perizzite, the Jebusite, and the Girgashite. And you have kept your promise, for you are righteous. "And you saw the affliction of our fathers in Egypt and heard their cry at the Red Sea, and performed signs and wonders against Pharaoh and all his servants and all the people of his land, for you knew that they acted arrogantly against our fathers. And you made a name for yourself, as it is to this day. And you divided the sea before them, so that they went through the midst of the sea on dry land, and you cast their pursuers into the depths, as a stone into mighty waters. By a pillar of cloud you led them in the day, and by a pillar of fire in the night to light for them the way in which they should go. You came down on Mount Sinai and spoke with them from heaven and gave them right rules and true laws, good statutes and commandments, and you made known to them your holy Sabbath and commanded them commandments and statutes and a law by Moses your servant. You gave them bread from heaven for their hunger and brought water for them out of the rock for their thirst, and you told them to go in to possess the land that you had sworn to give them. "But they and our fathers acted presumptuously and stiffened their neck and did not obey your commandments. They refused to obey and were not mindful of the wonders that you performed among them, but they stiffened their neck and appointed a leader to return to their slavery in Egypt. But you are a God ready to forgive, gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, and did not forsake them. Even when they had made for themselves a golden calf and said, 'This is your God who brought you up out of Egypt,' and had committed great blasphemies, you in your great mercies did not forsake them in the wilderness. The pillar of cloud to lead them in the way did not depart from them by day, nor the pillar of fire by night to light for them the way by which they should go. You gave your good Spirit to instruct them and did not withhold your manna from their mouth and gave them water for their thirst. Forty years you sustained them in the wilderness, and they lacked nothing. Their clothes did not wear out and their feet did not swell. "And you gave them kingdoms and peoples and allotted to them every corner. So they took possession of the land of Sihon king of Heshbon and the land of Og king of Bashan. You multiplied their children as the stars of heaven, and you brought them into the land that you had told their fathers to enter and possess. So the descendants went in and possessed the land, and you subdued before them the inhabitants of the land, the Canaanites, and gave them into their hand, with their kings and the peoples of the land, that they might do with them as they would. And they captured fortified cities and a rich land, and took possession of houses full of all good things, cisterns already hewn, vineyards, olive orchards and fruit trees in abundance. So they ate and were filled and became fat and delighted themselves in your great goodness. "Nevertheless, they were disobedient and rebelled against you and cast your law behind their back and killed your prophets, who had warned them in order to turn them back to you, and they committed great blasphemies. Therefore you gave them into the hand of their enemies, who made them suffer. And in the time of their suffering they cried out to you and you heard them from heaven, and according to your great mercies you gave them saviors who saved them from the hand of their enemies. But after they had rest they did evil again before you, and you abandoned them to the hand of their enemies, so that they had dominion over them. Yet when they turned and cried to you, you heard from heaven, and many times you delivered them according to your mercies. And you warned them in order to turn them back to your law. Yet they acted presumptuously and did not obey your commandments, but sinned against your rules, which if a person does them, he shall live by them, and they turned a stubborn shoulder and stiffened their neck and would not obey. Many years you bore with them and warned them by your Spirit through your prophets. Yet they would not give ear. Therefore you gave them into the hand of the peoples of the lands. Nevertheless, in your great mercies you did not make an end of them or forsake them, for you are a gracious and merciful God. "Now, therefore, our God, the great, the mighty, and the awesome God, who keeps covenant and steadfast love, let not all the hardship seem little to you that has come upon us, upon our kings, our princes, our priests, our prophets, our fathers, and all your people, since the time of the kings of Assyria until this day. Yet you have been righteous in all that has come upon us, for you have dealt faithfully and we have acted wickedly. Our kings, our princes, our priests, and our fathers have not kept your law or paid attention to your commandments and your warnings that you gave them. Even in their own kingdom, and amid your great goodness that you gave them, and in the large and rich land that you set before them, they did not serve you or turn from their wicked works. Behold, we are slaves this day; in the land that you gave to our fathers to enjoy its fruit and its good gifts, behold, we are slaves. And its rich yield goes to the kings whom you have set over us because of our sins. They rule over our bodies and over our livestock as they please, and we are in great distress. "Because of all this we make a firm covenant in writing; on the sealed document are the names of our princes, our Levites, and our priests.- Nehemiah 9:1‭-‬38 ESV

Rev. Dan Whang

Revival is not simply people saying they are born again. Revival can only happen when there is personal and national awareness of sin and repentance.

The ARC of confession

Acknowledgement, Repentance, and Celebration. We need to be in the word in order to know what sin is. We believe in the Bible and this is the standard we use to determine sin. Others may choose to fight the opposing political party, to eat a certain way, and even to root for the "right" sports team. But this is all based on feelings, unlike the word which is a standard that has stood forever.

They start by considering what God has done. The Creator of all things, the one who made a covenant with Abraham, the deliverer from Egypt, the one who have have the promised Land.

Then they repented for the sins of their fathers. This is not victim mentality. It is corporate repentance. They are taking responsibility as a people. They spelled out the sins. From killing of prophets, turning from God, and stiff necked rebellion.

Confession is not pleasant. It is like dieting or going to the gym. So why? Why do it? Because it for the end result. Confession brings a clear conscience before God and a renewed relationship with God. This is the end goal of confession. It is not just getting rid of our guilt. Simply getting rid of our guilt is self centered, where is God in it?

Repentance is more than just learning. It is more than conviction. It is turning from our idols and sins. We need to hate our sins. Cut them off entirely from our lives.

Celebration of the victories against sin. We may win some battles and fall into temptation in others. But we need to rejoice that God is working. Rejoice in the small victories because God is changing us.

Revived By the Word

And all the people gathered as one man into the square before the Water Gate. And they told Ezra the scribe to bring the Book of the Law of Moses that the Lord had commanded Israel. So Ezra the priest brought the Law before the assembly, both men and women and all who could understand what they heard, on the first day of the seventh month. And he read from it facing the square before the Water Gate from early morning until midday, in the presence of the men and the women and those who could understand. And the ears of all the people were attentive to the Book of the Law. And Ezra the scribe stood on a wooden platform that they had made for the purpose. And beside him stood Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Uriah, Hilkiah, and Maaseiah on his right hand, and Pedaiah, Mishael, Malchijah, Hashum, Hashbaddanah, Zechariah, and Meshullam on his left hand. And Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people, for he was above all the people, and as he opened it all the people stood. And Ezra blessed the Lord , the great God, and all the people answered, "Amen, Amen," lifting up their hands. And they bowed their heads and worshiped the Lord with their faces to the ground. Also Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, the Levites, helped the people to understand the Law, while the people remained in their places. They read from the book, from the Law of God, clearly, and they gave the sense, so that the people understood the reading. And Nehemiah, who was the governor, and Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who taught the people said to all the people, "This day is holy to the Lord your God; do not mourn or weep." For all the people wept as they heard the words of the Law. Then he said to them, "Go your way. Eat the fat and drink sweet wine and send portions to anyone who has nothing ready, for this day is holy to our Lord. And do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your strength." So the Levites calmed all the people, saying, "Be quiet, for this day is holy; do not be grieved." And all the people went their way to eat and drink and to send portions and to make great rejoicing, because they had understood the words that were declared to them. On the second day the heads of fathers' houses of all the people, with the priests and the Levites, came together to Ezra the scribe in order to study the words of the Law. And they found it written in the Law that the Lord had commanded by Moses that the people of Israel should dwell in booths during the feast of the seventh month, and that they should proclaim it and publish it in all their towns and in Jerusalem, "Go out to the hills and bring branches of olive, wild olive, myrtle, palm, and other leafy trees to make booths, as it is written." So the people went out and brought them and made booths for themselves, each on his roof, and in their courts and in the courts of the house of God, and in the square at the Water Gate and in the square at the Gate of Ephraim. And all the assembly of those who had returned from the captivity made booths and lived in the booths, for from the days of Jeshua the son of Nun to that day the people of Israel had not done so. And there was very great rejoicing. And day by day, from the first day to the last day, he read from the Book of the Law of God. They kept the feast seven days, and on the eighth day there was a solemn assembly, according to the rule.- Nehemiah 8:1‭-‬18 ESV

Revival is different from emotionalism. It is joyful repentance in sleepy, nominal Christians. They are filled with zeal for God. This in turn awakens other sleepy, nominal believers. Corporate worship is thick with the Spirit of God without the assistance of assembly presiders. It cannot be accounted for by demographic shifts.

Perhaps we can commit this season to reassessing our relationship with God. We can rededicate ourselves to walking with God. We're not talking about our check attendance. We're talking about our walk with God.

Treasuring the word of God

The people asked the priest to bring out the scriptures. It was not the leaders. They heard from the Bible from early in the morning to midday. They were attentive. Not only that, but they were engaged. They shouted agreement. They lifted their hands in praise. They bowed their heads.

Corporate worship with expository preaching is at the heart of how God changes lives. This is not man's invention. We need an attitude of humility before the word of God. Don't tune out. Don't critique the preacher. It is not just about the quality of the preaching. It is also about the quality of the listening. We should listen to sermons listening for the voice of God.

Strengthened by the word of God

The word is not just about commandments, it is mainly about the gospel. The stubborn grace of God in face of the stubborn sin of his people is what Israel heard. The word of God is there to flood us with joy. This joy is not here today and gone tomorrow. It is like the boyantcy of a float in the water. No matter how hard you push down, the float pushes upwards. So as the circumstances push down, the joy of God keeps us afloat. Christians are not immune to life's troubles. Sometimes, you may feel like you are drowning. But God's word has a joy that will lift us up from the depths.

Doing the word of God

The next day, the people gathered together with the priest. This was not just a flash in the pan. So after the sermon, they had a Bible study. They rediscovered the festival of booths. When they found out, the people observed this festival. Because of the action of the people, God blessed the people. The point of hearing the word is to put it into practice.

But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing. - James 1:22‭-‬25 ESV

Do not confuse conviction with action. Conviction is good, better than straight apathy, but it is insufficient. We need to put the word into practice. There are doubtless many areas in our lives to greater obedience to God. Pick one area where you feel God convicting you to change. Trust in God and obey. This is the way to joy. Abandon fear and complacency for the way of God. Seek God's kingdom a bit more and seek our own kingdom a bit less. May this week be the week where we turn towards God and away from ourselves.

Dealing with Internal Dangers

Now there arose a great outcry of the people and of their wives against their Jewish brothers. For there were those who said, "With our sons and our daughters, we are many. So let us get grain, that we may eat and keep alive." There were also those who said, "We are mortgaging our fields, our vineyards, and our houses to get grain because of the famine." And there were those who said, "We have borrowed money for the king's tax on our fields and our vineyards. Now our flesh is as the flesh of our brothers, our children are as their children. Yet we are forcing our sons and our daughters to be slaves, and some of our daughters have already been enslaved, but it is not in our power to help it, for other men have our fields and our vineyards." I was very angry when I heard their outcry and these words. I took counsel with myself, and I brought charges against the nobles and the officials. I said to them, "You are exacting interest, each from his brother." And I held a great assembly against them and said to them, "We, as far as we are able, have bought back our Jewish brothers who have been sold to the nations, but you even sell your brothers that they may be sold to us!" They were silent and could not find a word to say. So I said, "The thing that you are doing is not good. Ought you not to walk in the fear of our God to prevent the taunts of the nations our enemies? Moreover, I and my brothers and my servants are lending them money and grain. Let us abandon this exacting of interest. Return to them this very day their fields, their vineyards, their olive orchards, and their houses, and the percentage of money, grain, wine, and oil that you have been exacting from them." Then they said, "We will restore these and require nothing from them. We will do as you say." And I called the priests and made them swear to do as they had promised. I also shook out the fold of my garment and said, "So may God shake out every man from his house and from his labor who does not keep this promise. So may he be shaken out and emptied." And all the assembly said "Amen" and praised the Lord . And the people did as they had promised. Moreover, from the time that I was appointed to be their governor in the land of Judah, from the twentieth year to the thirty-second year of Artaxerxes the king, twelve years, neither I nor my brothers ate the food allowance of the governor. The former governors who were before me laid heavy burdens on the people and took from them for their daily ration forty shekels of silver. Even their servants Lorded it over the people. But I did not do so, because of the fear of God. I also persevered in the work on this wall, and we acquired no land, and all my servants were gathered there for the work. Moreover, there were at my table 150 men, Jews and officials, besides those who came to us from the nations that were around us. Now what was prepared at my expense for each day was one ox and six choice sheep and birds, and every ten days all kinds of wine in abundance. Yet for all this I did not demand the food allowance of the governor, because the service was too heavy on this people. Remember for my good, O my God, all that I have done for this people. - Nehemiah 5:1‭-‬19 ESV

Internal threats are incessant

There was a threat of death from Sanballet. You would think that the worst is over, but no, there is another threat from within. The work on the wall is in danger because of the economic divide. The rich Israelites were taking advantage of the poor among them. Charging interest and making themselves wealthy off the backs of the poor. It is easy to say that the world out there hates Christian values and detests Christians, but here in the U.S. the largest danger is internal. Not only does the atheist and agnostic need the gospel, but so does the Christian. We need to preach the gospel to ourselves. Our worst enemy may be ourselves, the sin within our hearts.
The battle against sinful/ungodly desire rages and will continue to do so until the day we die. We need to have a healthy suspicion of our own hearts and desires. We are far more sinful than we realize. The idea that we never imagined ourselves committing a certain sin... this very thing makes us much more susceptible to that very sin.

Loving confrontation is absolutely necessary

Love is not opposed to anger. Anger and outage is the appropriate reaction to seeing something destroying the beloved. Indifference, apathy, and hated are the opposite of love. When we are annoyed, we should be gracious. When we see a constant pattern of sin, we need to consider it carefully and lovingly & graciously confront. If the sin is personal, the confrontation should be personal. So if the sin is public and a group, then the confrontation should also be group as it is in this passage. Additionally, loving confrontation requires us to examine our own lives long before we confront others.

Follow our leader

The rich were oppressing their poor brothers and sisters. Sin is largely self serving. The people of God are called to love God first, others second, and finally ourselves. Nehemiah fed people out of his own pocket without taxing the people. He modeled what he was calling the rich nobles & officials to do. Jesus is the better Nehemiah. He came to pay for our sins without holding onto his rights. Nehemiah looked to God for approval of this work on the rebuilding of the wall. Nehemiah devoted himself to the work God had given him. May we also devote ourselves to our families, our spouses, our neighbors, our church, or our ministry. So that we can look back over our lives and tell him that we have fully devoted ourselves to the work laid before us because Jesus fully devoted himself to us.

From Vision to Reality

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. 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. So I went to Jerusalem and was there three days. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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." 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. 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?" 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."
Then Eliashib the high priest rose up with his brothers the priests, and they built the Sheep Gate. They consecrated it and set its doors. They consecrated it as far as the Tower of the Hundred, as far as the Tower of Hananel. And next to him the men of Jericho built. And next to them Zaccur the son of Imri built. The sons of Hassenaah built the Fish Gate. They laid its beams and set its doors, its bolts, and its bars. And next to them Meremoth the son of Uriah, son of Hakkoz repaired. And next to them Meshullam the son of Berechiah, son of Meshezabel repaired. And next to them Zadok the son of Baana repaired. And next to them the Tekoites repaired, but their nobles would not stoop to serve their Lord. Joiada the son of Paseah and Meshullam the son of Besodeiah repaired the Gate of Yeshanah. They laid its beams and set its doors, its bolts, and its bars. And next to them repaired Melatiah the Gibeonite and Jadon the Meronothite, the men of Gibeon and of Mizpah, the seat of the governor of the province Beyond the River. Next to them Uzziel the son of Harhaiah, goldsmiths, repaired. Next to him Hananiah, one of the perfumers, repaired, and they restored Jerusalem as far as the Broad Wall. Next to them Rephaiah the son of Hur, ruler of half the district of Jerusalem, repaired. Next to them Jedaiah the son of Harumaph repaired opposite his house. And next to him Hattush the son of Hashabneiah repaired. Malchijah the son of Harim and Hasshub the son of Pahath-moab repaired another section and the Tower of the Ovens. Next to him Shallum the son of Hallohesh, ruler of half the district of Jerusalem, repaired, he and his daughters. Hanun and the inhabitants of Zanoah repaired the Valley Gate. They rebuilt it and set its doors, its bolts, and its bars, and repaired a thousand cubits of the wall, as far as the Dung Gate. Malchijah the son of Rechab, ruler of the district of Beth-haccherem, repaired the Dung Gate. He rebuilt it and set its doors, its bolts, and its bars. And Shallum the son of Col-hozeh, ruler of the district of Mizpah, repaired the Fountain Gate. He rebuilt it and covered it and set its doors, its bolts, and its bars. And he built the wall of the Pool of Shelah of the king's garden, as far as the stairs that go down from the city of David. After him Nehemiah the son of Azbuk, ruler of half the district of Beth-zur, repaired to a point opposite the tombs of David, as far as the artificial pool, and as far as the house of the mighty men. After him the Levites repaired: Rehum the son of Bani. Next to him Hashabiah, ruler of half the district of Keilah, repaired for his district. After him their brothers repaired: Bavvai the son of Henadad, ruler of half the district of Keilah. Next to him Ezer the son of Jeshua, ruler of Mizpah, repaired another section opposite the ascent to the armory at the buttress. After him Baruch the son of Zabbai repaired another section from the buttress to the door of the house of Eliashib the high priest. After him Meremoth the son of Uriah, son of Hakkoz repaired another section from the door of the house of Eliashib to the end of the house of Eliashib. After him the priests, the men of the surrounding area, repaired. After them Benjamin and Hasshub repaired opposite their house. After them Azariah the son of Maaseiah, son of Ananiah repaired beside his own house. After him Binnui the son of Henadad repaired another section, from the house of Azariah to the buttress and to the corner. Palal the son of Uzai repaired opposite the buttress and the tower projecting from the upper house of the king at the court of the guard. After him Pedaiah the son of Parosh and the temple servants living on Ophel repaired to a point opposite the Water Gate on the east and the projecting tower. After him the Tekoites repaired another section opposite the great projecting tower as far as the wall of Ophel. Above the Horse Gate the priests repaired, each one opposite his own house. After them Zadok the son of Immer repaired opposite his own house. After him Shemaiah the son of Shecaniah, the keeper of the East Gate, repaired. After him Hananiah the son of Shelemiah and Hanun the sixth son of Zalaph repaired another section. After him Meshullam the son of Berechiah repaired opposite his chamber. After him Malchijah, one of the goldsmiths, repaired as far as the house of the temple servants and of the merchants, opposite the Muster Gate, and to the upper chamber of the corner. And between the upper chamber of the corner and the Sheep Gate the goldsmiths and the merchants repaired.- Nehemiah 2:9-3:32 ESV

What does it take to fulfill this vision of renewal? Three things stand out: balance, encouragement, and a body.

Balance

First, when Nehemiah heard of the state of the city of Jerusalem, he was praying and fasting. Then he came before the king. How long? Nehemiah was praying and fasting for 4 months. Why so long? The prophet knew that this was an impossible task for a cupbearer. He was going to confront the most powerful man in the world. After receiving the king's blessing, he goes to the city. Then he surveys the wall at night and makes plans. Finally, he brings a plan to the people. He executes a strategic plan to rebuild the wall in something like 40 some sections with teams of men with enemies all around. God does not give the words to say to the king or a strategic plan. The prophet does all this along with being prayerful the entire time. Nehemiah was both working actively to fulfill God's desire as well as being prayerful. This is also necessary for us as we seek to launch this new site. Don't just plan first and pray later. Pray first, plan, and then pray continually as we plan and strategize.

Encouragement

When Nehemiah shared the plan, he spoke of the king's words and how God had been gracious. When the passage says they "strengthened their hands", this means they encouraged themselves. Encouragement is vital for kingdom work. The most repeated command is "do not fear". Following God requires significant courage. The origin of the word encouragement means to pour courage into. We are not calling for self help theology. Not how strong or smart or etc we are. We are to focus on how great/powerful/faithful God is. We draw courage from knowing the character of God. Encouragement is the oxygen of the church.

Body

Nehemiah planned well and he was shrewd, but he could not have done it by himself. The hand of God prepared the way. There is wide array of people from diverse backgrounds, professions, and skills. But there was a single heart and vision for the rebuilding of the city walls in 52 days. They did it with a sword in one hand and construction materials in the other. They had a whatever-it-takes mentality. There was a singular exception "the Tekoites repaired, but their nobles would not stoop to serve their Lord." So when they refused to serve there was more work for their fellow brothers and sisters. The body of believers had to compensate. So it is with the church today. We are all gifted by God with one or more spiritual gifts. We are all called to serve. But it is more than that, to refuse to serve also means that they miss out on seeing the rebuilding of the people. They miss out on seeing the movement of God. We miss out on seeing the rebuilding and renewing of lives. We are only robbing ourselves.
The walls were burned down again by the Romans. The temple of God is not in Jerusalem. It was only meant to point to the final temple. It is made of living stones.

Challenge

I encourage you to write an encouragement not to me, your senior pastor, but to a committee head, a servant who has encouraged you.

Vision of Renewal

The words of Nehemiah the son of Hacaliah. Now it happened in the month of Chislev, in the twentieth year, as I was in Susa the citadel, that Hanani, one of my brothers, came with certain men from Judah. And I asked them concerning the Jews who escaped, who had survived the exile, and concerning Jerusalem. And they said to me, "The remnant there in the province who had survived the exile is in great trouble and shame. The wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates are destroyed by fire." As soon as I heard these words I sat down and wept and mourned for days, and I continued fasting and praying before the God of heaven. And I said, "O Lord God of heaven, the great and awesome God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments, let your ear be attentive and your eyes open, to hear the prayer of your servant that I now pray before you day and night for the people of Israel your servants, confessing the sins of the people of Israel, which we have sinned against you. Even I and my father's house have sinned. We have acted very corruptly against you and have not kept the commandments, the statutes, and the rules that you commanded your servant Moses. Remember the word that you commanded your servant Moses, saying, 'If you are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the peoples, but if you return to me and keep my commandments and do them, though your outcasts are in the uttermost parts of heaven, from there I will gather them and bring them to the place that I have chosen, to make my name dwell there.' They are your servants and your people, whom you have redeemed by your great power and by your strong hand. O Lord, let your ear be attentive to the prayer of your servant, and to the prayer of your servants who delight to fear your name, and give success to your servant today, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man." Now I was cupbearer to the king.

In the month of Nisan, in the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes, when wine was before him, I took up the wine and gave it to the king. Now I had not been sad in his presence. And the king said to me, "Why is your face sad, seeing you are not sick? This is nothing but sadness of the heart." Then I was very much afraid. I said to the king, "Let the king live forever! Why should not my face be sad, when the city, the place of my fathers' graves, lies in ruins, and its gates have been destroyed by fire?" Then the king said to me, "What are you requesting?" So I prayed to the God of heaven. And I said to the king, "If it pleases the king, and if your servant has found favor in your sight, that you send me to Judah, to the city of my fathers' graves, that I may rebuild it." And the king said to me (the queen sitting beside him), "How long will you be gone, and when will you return?" So it pleased the king to send me when I had given him a time. And I said to the king, "If it pleases the king, let letters be given me to the governors of the province Beyond the River, that they may let me pass through until I come to Judah, and a letter to Asaph, the keeper of the king's forest, that he may give me timber to make beams for the gates of the fortress of the temple, and for the wall of the city, and for the house that I shall occupy." And the king granted me what I asked, for the good hand of my God was upon me.
Nehemiah 1:1‭-‬2:8 ESV

Rev. Dwight Yoo

Our Vision Statement

To ignite a gospel-spreading movement through multiple local congregations in the greater Philadelphia area and the world, so that individuals, communities, and cultures are renewed in Christ.

We are moving towards launching a Center City campus. They will be under the same leadership and attend the same training. We hope and pray they will eventually become an independent church, but that will come later. For West Philly, this means an increased focus on how we can serve and minister to West Philly.

Background of Nehemiah

Due to the rebellion of the Israel generation over generation, God promised that they would be sent to exile. They kept rebelling, so the people were enslaved. But they were eventually allowed to return to their lands. They came in multiple waves with Nehemiah being the last of the waves of returning exiles.

Broken over brokenness

Nehemiah hears from a brother that Jerusalem has no walls. The temple had been rebuilt. So why is this wall so important? The walls were necessary for the stability of the city. They provided protection from roving robbers and armies. When Nehemiah heard, he wept and mourned. But he was not weeping over the literal walls, he was lamenting with God. He desired for a return and restoration of the temple of God. A return to the worship and praise of God. But that could not happen without those walls. This is not in the text, but I believe that Nehemiah was stirred because the city of Jerusalem was close to God's heart.

Empowered by promises

Nehemiah mourned and wept, but he does not stay there. Nehemiah prays to God and remembers the promises of God. He prays and acts. He goes into action, acting by faith, doing what God desires. He goes before the king both sad about Jerusalem and fearful. And he asks after the city of God. And by the grace of God, the king gives permission.

What are you living for?

May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face to shine upon us, Selah that your way may be known on earth, your saving power among all nations. Let the peoples praise you, O God; let all the peoples praise you! Let the nations be glad and sing for joy, for you judge the peoples with equity and guide the nations upon earth. Selah Let the peoples praise you, O God; let all the peoples praise you! The earth has yielded its increase; God, our God, shall bless us. God shall bless us; let all the ends of the earth fear him!- Psalms 67:1‭-‬7 ESV

Rev. Rob Hamby

We forget to share about Jesus' salvation of us. We horde the great blessing of God.

First, the psalmist asks for the blessing of God. The blessing of God's people is so that we can reach others. God blesses to catch the attention of those outside of God's family.

Second, God's mission is to reach those outside
The mission was not for the church. The church was made for the mission of God. The blessing is not for our dreams. It is not just for our personal gratification. The blessing of God is for the mission of reaching people. It is not to end with us.

Lastly, we are to bring more people to worship and praise God. The purpose of the mission is to make much of God. We all have different needs, but firstly we need God. We are to invite people to the greatest story ever told