Scripture: Nehemiah 11:1-12:47
Sermon Series: Nehemiah: Making a Difference for God – Sermon 13

Gordon M. Aamoth, Jr., Christy A. Addamo, Kermit Charles Anderson, Robert T Hughes Jr., Laura Marie Longing…Those are five of the 2,983 names inscribed on the 9/11 Memorial were read at the Memorial Service a little over a week ago. It took nearly 4 hours to read all the names.

We’re nearly finished with our study of Nehemiah and in chapters 11 and 12, there are over 150 names. I decided to be kind and not read them all. This passage is about a new beginning for God’s people.

Nehemiah was the king’s cupbearer and a leader in Artaxerxes cabinet. He checked all the food for poison to protect the king from assassination attempts and no one got near the king without his approval.

When Nehemiah learned the walls around Jerusalem were still destroyed, he went to Israel to rebuild the walls. They were vital for the city’s defense. Upon completion of the task, which miraculously only took 52 days, he acted as the nation’s governor for 12 years, seeking to establish order and a spiritual revival. This passage highlights this new era for God’s people.  

Unless you’re a Jewish history buff, you don’t know any of these names. Though some of you gave your children a biblical name, I’ve never met anyone who named their son, Nehemiah or any other name on this list.

What we have here is A Bunch of Nobodies Living for Somebody. Unknown to us, they’re known where it counts, with God, and so is every Christ-follower. While none of us were mentioned at the recent Emmy’s, faithful nobodies will be rewarded at Jesus’ award ceremony in heaven.

If you’re new here at Grace, we believe the Bible is the very Word of God, so our sermons come right out of the Bible.  We believe that when you come to worship here, you should hear a word from the Lord as found in Scripture.

So, the walls are rebuilt but Jerusalem is virtually empty. It’s not good. Nehemiah 7:4, Now the city was large and spacious, but there were few people in it, and the houses had not yet been rebuilt. It was urban blight. Jerusalem is a bit of a ghost town. Who would want to live there? For most of Jews, the primary occupation was agrarian. It’s hard to make a living as a farmer in the city. But since Jerusalem is the seat of power, something needed to be done about the barrenness.

This isn’t the first time we find a long list of names in Nehemiah. They remind us that there are no nobodies with God. God knows your name; He loves you and knows all about you! God can perform miracles on an awesome scale, but He prefers to do His work through ordinary people.

These chapters remind us of the importance of every person to God. So, today I want to encourage you that you matter to God. God has a place for every Christ-follower to play in His plan and purpose. We find three wonderful realities in Nehemiah 11 and 12. So, if you’re taking notes.

1. “Nobodies” living for a greater cause. 

40% of Americans move each year to find a larger or smaller home, transition from renting to owning, or secure a more affordable place. 25% relocate to move closer to family. 20% move for a new job, company transfer, or career growth.

But do we as Christians move so we can better serve the Lord? God’s people are to be distinctly different. Even something as basic as moving is to be submissive to His will. Our mission includes looking for a home in a neighborhood where we can serve the Lord.  

Since the Bible teaches local church and spiritual community, being in close proximity to a church where we can worship and serve must be a priority when we move. We must not simply look for a home; we must also search for a spiritual community. Yet, Christians rarely ask: “Will this move help me honor and serve the Lord?”

For 160 years Jerusalem had been abandoned. It was little more than a pile of rubble. If you lived there, you were open prey to enemies. So, what had these Jews done? They built nice homes outside the city.

To repopulate Jerusalem for its defense, they cast lots to choose 10% to leave their homes to move into the city. Casting lots was God’s way of guiding them back then, so they tithed people. Today we don’t cast lots. The Bible is our guide, and the Holy Spirit uses it to guide us. But what’s precious here and should get our attention is…

Some volunteered.

The people commended all who volunteered to live in Jerusalem (Nehemiah 11:2, NIV). Inherent in the word volunteered is the idea of inner generosity and willingness. These individuals had a passion to serve God, so they volunteered and moved into the “ghetto.”

The number one problem in our cities isn’t crime or poverty or poor education. It’s that the Christians have often left. The Apostle Paul always went to the city. We send missionaries to cities around the world, but the American church has too often abandoned the mission field of our cities. Drive through any major city and you’ll see abandoned church buildings.

It’s why I’m thrilled to have Pastor Mark Deering from Epikos Church at our Men’s Steak-Out this Thursday. I continually meet people from Milwaukee, and I want a church to recommend to them.

I’d love to see us grow to the point where we could send families and plant a church in Milwaukee or Racine. At Grace we’ve been part of helping plant two churches in Chicago. Cities need churches and Christians. The Christian life is not about being safe or comfortable. It’s about being missional.

Your neighborhood, your workplace, this community are your mission field. Are you building gospel bridges? If someone you know faced a crisis and were looking for hope or answers, would they come to you? Are we willing to inconvenience ourselves for the cause of Christ?

Jesus sacrificed for us. He’s called His followers to follow His example. The Christian life is about sacrifice. It’s about commitment.

The problem most churches have is a lack of volunteers. Should we have to be asked to serve? Should churches have to beg for folk to serve Jesus?

It’s why we have a “Serve” insert in the bulletin. Can I share four of our easiest ministries? Greeters passing out bulletins, ushers, coffee café help, and bakers to make treats. Volunteers use their gifts to serve the Lord. Please never underestimate the power of serving in the place God has for you.

Some were valiant. 

Verses 6, 8 and 14 say they were valiant or had valor. The word can mean “great.” They’re willing to take a risk. There’s a military flavor here. The Christian life is spiritual warfare. Satan is our enemy and will attack us. But do you know who Satan leaves alone? Christians on the sidelines. These were valiant because they’re willing to do the inconvenient.

God wants us to grow. It’s why He wants us to move out of our comfort zones. So, do something new for the Lord. Can you hold a tune? Join the worship team. Work with children. Take a risk. Do something big for Jesus!

They were blessed.

And the people blessed all the men who willingly offered to live in Jerusalem (Nehemiah 11:2). Willingly stepping up is worship. When we do that, it helps us to grow spiritually. We shift our focus off ourselves onto others. God increases our faith by revealing new potential in us. When we see what He can do with our lives, we look for doors He’s opening. Studies show that volunteering is good for us and can ease symptoms of stress, anger or depression. It builds self-confidence and strength.  Serving others is a great distraction from our own worries.  

God doesn’t call the equipped; He equips the called. God has used men and women with similar fears and doubts to change the course of history. Moses didn’t think he was a leader, but God used him to lead Israel out of slavery. David was the youngest and most insignificant of all his brothers, but God used him to take out a giant and made him king. Paul killed Christians before he met Jesus but became one of the most highly regarded and prolific writers and missionary church planters in history.

2. “Nobodies” living to worship God. 

Imagine that you move out of state. In that new place, you must find a new church which is challenging. Finally, you visit one where the building is unbelievable. The worship team is amazing. The praise songs are energetic. The preacher is dynamic and people give so generously. You think, This is amazing! These people know how to worship! Maybe. Maybe not. Just because it looks like worship, doesn’t mean it’s worship or pleasing to God. It might just be a real good show.

This passage teaches that corporate worship isn’t optional. It’s impossible to have corporate worship, if attendance is optional. Worship is a necessity if our faith is going to grow and please the Lord.

If you’ve gone camping, you know that when a stick falls out of the campfire, it loses its glow and soon becomes a charred piece of wood. But if the stick is placed back in the fire in close association with other burning embers, it will burn and glow again. In the same way our individual faith as Christians is nourished as we worship together with others.

This lost world pulls us away from God, away from things that fan the flames of faith. The antidote is constant renewal of our relationship with God by communing with Him through worship with His people. We need corporate worship.

In chapter 12:27-43, we have a worship service that pleases God at the dedication of the walls. There are five elements that are part of true worship.

Dedication.

And at the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem they sought the Levites in all their places, to bring them to Jerusalem to celebrate the dedication with gladness (Nehemiah 12:27). The first step is dedication, giving all to God. True worship requires complete surrender. It’s placing all of you – your desires, wants, privileges, rights, goals on the altar of sacrifice every day. It’s what Romans 12:1-2 teaches.

Here’s our problem, we don’t want to sacrifice ourselves. We want to give God some things, maybe some of our money, a certain amount of our time. But you’ll never experience true worship until you understand God is not after your money or time. God wants something bigger. He wants YOU!

Jesus didn’t die for your money or your time. He died for you! What He wants is unconditional surrender. Are you willing to surrender it all to Him?

The Jews were accustomed to having workers and watchers on the walls, now people are assigned to be worshippers on the walls. Two large choirs walked on top of the wall, one to the right and the other to the left, meeting in the middle. Ezra led one choir and Nehemiah the other. 

This worship service could have taken place at the Temple, but Nehemiah wanted it to take place on the walls. It was important to see and touch the walls during this service. It was a physical reminder of God’s faithfulness.

They were bearing witness to a watching world that God had done the work. He alone should be glorified. The enemy had said the walls were so weak, a fox could knock them down, but the people were marching on top of the walls! It’s estimated that they were 8 feet wide. It demonstrated that this work had been done with the help of our God (Nehemiah 6:16).

Participation. 

Many congregations have been trained to be passive. Much of the worship today resembles something similar to a performance where the congregation are the “audience” watching a show. A band will feature gifted musicians. A speaker delivers a motivational “talk” to inspire the crowd. The congregation are just passive observers.

Today those attending church somehow think singing is for professionals. Yet, singing is mentioned eight times here. The Bible teaches singing is for every believer. The big question isn’t, “Do you have a voice?” but “Do you have a song?” When you give yourself to Jesus, He puts a song in your heart, so sing whether you have a good voice or not. Sing so others can hear it “far away.” Sing from a heart full of joy. Addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ (Ephesians 5:19-20).

Celebration. 

German atheist, Friedreich Nietzsche devoted his life to ridiculing Christianity. But he was the son of a pastor and had married a pastor’s daughter. At one time he felt the tug of Christianity and examined it in the lives of Christians he knew. He was disappointed with their joylessness and concluded, These Christians will have to look more redeemed before I can believe in them!

These Jews were filled with joy. The wall is finished. More importantly, they were joyful because they’re aware of God’s power that brought it all to pass. Their enemies were still there; the economy was still a wreck; they were still under the thumb of a pagan king. But God was over that king and God enabled them to build the wall. Why not celebrate with joy? 

How similar this situation can be for us! For those who have had an active part in building Christ’s church, whether in a physical or spiritual way, or both, how much more meaningful that church becomes to us! When we’ve invested ourselves into it—physically, emotionally, financially, spiritually—we have a greater concern for that church and the cause of Christ!

Thankfulness is related to joy. It’s impossible to have one without the other.  These choirs gave thanks. They were grateful for God’s working in a pagan king’s heart that permitted this project. They were thankful for angelic protection that watched over them as they traveled from Babylon to the Promised land and as they built the temple and wall right under the nose of their enemies. They were thankful for the godly leadership of Ezra and Nehemiah. They were thankful for the spirit of unity that prevailed, for the most part; for strength and a will to labor; for food and shelter; for wives and children who stood by them in spite of danger. 

God’s people need more times of celebration to express thanksgiving to God. These Jews know how to do it! This account of two huge choirs on the wall reveals a freedom in worship rarely seen in the church. They were so excited about what God had done, the joy of Jerusalem was heard far away (Nehemiah 12:43).

What gets you excited? Causes you to celebrate? When your team wins? But our team has won! Isn’t that cause to celebrate? Someone who doesn’t know Jesus can only be happy because happiness is dependent on what happens. Only Christ-followers can have joy no matter what happens!

Purification. 

Three times this passage speaks of purification. This is the only time that purification includes gates and walls. Perhaps they were bloodstained from Babylon capturing the city. Though cleansing is mentioned after celebration, it obviously happened before.  When the priests and Levites had purified themselves ceremonially, they purified the people, the gates and the wall (Nehemiah 12:30). 

We can’t experience the joy of the Lord without clean hearts. Their joy was more than skin deep. They had pure lives and hearts.

Ceremonial purification was a big issue for Old Testament Jews. It was symbolic of spiritual cleansing. But once Jesus shed His blood on the cross, He provided permanent cleansing. Every believer is now pure in Christ.

How does the Christ-follower find cleansing today? Through confessing our sins. Confess them, not only to God but to any who’ve been affected by them. Then, trust that God forgives and restores you.  If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9).

Too many think they’re pure because they don’t do the “big sins.” Those who crucified Jesus were first guilty of sins of the spirit. Our heart sins are just as vile in the eyes of God: pride, anger, jealousy, bitterness, or selfishness to name a few. We must be pure in heart before we can worship. It’s hypocrisy to sing praise songs and have unconfessed sins in our hearts.

Generations. 

This chapter includes extensive genealogical lists of those who’d returned to Jerusalem (Zerubbabel and Jeshua from 100 years earlier) to connect the current rebuilding generation with their spiritual heritage. Six or seven generations are included in these lists. As you read these lists, read them slowly. Imagine here and there a concerned parent praying for a rebellious child. As Psalm 145:4 says, One generation shall commend your works to another, and shall declare your mighty acts. 

We often talk about living out our faith as a walk or a race, but the Christian life is also a relay race. We pass on the faith from generation to generation in a spiritual relay race stretching back to the women at Jesus’ empty tomb. In our own generation, we tell the story of the risen Christ to each other, working together with other believers toward our common goal of growing in grace and spreading the Gospel.

Those we’re most responsible to pass the faith on to are our families. While each generation must personally choose, are we an example to those coming behind us of what it means to follow Jesus? Is He Lord of our lives? Because of what they see in us, will our children or grandchildren follow Christ?

3. “Nobodies” living to give to God. 

Many of you know that since basically I had no home, I lived for many years with Dad and Mom Cummins.

Dad was my pastor in Atlanta, and I worked for him in both of his churches in LaCrosse, Wisconsin and Warren, Michigan. Without the legal stuff, they “adopted” me. During college and later after graduation I lived with them. For Jane, they were wonderful in-laws and grandparents to our children.

After Dad went Home to be with the Lord, Mom began to fail mentally. She moved in with her daughter in Watertown. Every month I’d go to Watertown and take her out to eat. She wasn’t the mom I’d known years before, but it was the joy of my life to be with her! She was born in Georgia and loved KFC. I did it until God called her Home. It was a privilege! Why? When you’ve been given so much, it’s a joy to give back!

These Jews were thrilled to give back to God, And they offered great sacrifices that day and rejoiced, for God had made them rejoice with great joy; the women and children also rejoiced (Nehemiah 12:43).

Why were they so thrilled to give? Because God had been so generous with them. He rescued them from slavery in Egypt, gave them the land of Israel. Even after they rebelled against Him and He punished them by having pagan nations take them into captivity…in His mercy, God brought them home. God intervened for them again and the walls of Jerusalem have been rebuilt! God didn’t owe them! It was His mercy and grace!

If you know Jesus as your Savior, you’ve experienced a greater mercy and grace story! What did God owe us to sacrifice His own Son on the cross for us, for our sin? Nothing! Not only has saved us from Hell, which we deserve. He’s given us heaven too, along with His grace and power and the indwelling of His Spirit so we can be empowered to live heavenly now!

Like these Jews, it’s why Christians give, not out of obligation, not because our church needs it – it’s out of gratitude and love! We give cheerfully!

That’s where we are at in our current season at Grace. We’re asking you to partner with us and commit as we seek to build this 5,000 square foot addition to help us better serve the Lord. $1.5 million is a chunk of change.

There are lots of great causes you can give too. One that touches mine and Jane’s heart is Children’s Hospital. They were so good to our son, Ben, when he had epilepsy. Here’s the big difference between so many good organizations you can give to. None of them are going to finance sharing the gospel and seeing lives transformed for eternity. Giving here, to this ministry, to Grace Church, makes a difference in forever. It’s a gift of gratitude for how much Jesus loves us and has given to us! It’s why we must give sacrificially – we have been given so much. Those Jews got it! Do we?

It is my hope and prayer as we move forward to build this addition that many similar sacrifices will be offered by individuals and families. It’s my hope that each one of us will realize that while we’re giving for a building, this building by itself is not a ministry—it will not love people, meet their needs for grace, teach them God’s Word, or equip them to serve Jesus and others. It’s as this new addition is used by dedicated believers to share God’s Word, that lives will be changed and new lives brought into God’s family.  

As C.T. Studd so powerfully said, Only one life twill soon be past, only what’s done for Christ will last.

Conclusion

Mark Bingham, Tom Burnett, and Jeremy Glick – those three men joined Todd Beamer in rushing the cockpit on United Airlines Flight 93 on 911 crashing the jet in a field near Shanksville, PA—28 minutes from the terrorists intended target of Washington, DC. But until today, you probably didn’t know their names. Just a few nobodies, but suddenly genuine 9/11 somebodies.

Every Christ-follower has an opportunity to somebody for Jesus. He knows our name and someday He’ll call us by name when we get Home.

Everything done for Jesus will be remembered for eternity! In this world, we may be A Bunch of Nobodies Living for Somebody…In eternity, we’ll be SOMEBODY forever. Like this long list of names who made a difference for God, we can too. So, in the words of Todd Beamer, Let’s roll!