Scripture: Nehemiah 4:1-23
Sermon Series: Nehemiah: Making a Difference for God – Sermon 05

Have you ever done what was right and as a result, life got harder, not easier? Specifically, in your effort to obey God’s Word, have you ever faced opposition? Have you ever been slandered, had rumors spread about you when you’re seeking to please God, including from those who were once friendly to you?

If that’s happened to you, I’ve got good news for you. You’re in good company with God’s people throughout the Bible and ultimately with the Lord Jesus Himself. If you keep your focus on God amidst these challenges, He will always turn it to good and give you the victory.

And if you haven’t faced this, I have what you may think of as bad news for you, your time is coming. As you follow Jesus, opposition to your faith will come. But if you keep your focus on the Lord Jesus, He will use all these things for your good far beyond what you can imagine.

When we began our study of Nehemiah, we learned the Jews had enemies. A local mob boss named Sanballet, was displeased that someone had come to seek the welfare of the people of Israel (Nehemiah 2:10). Now that the Jews have united for this project to glorify God of rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem, he has a meltdown. My Bible is open to Nehemiah 4 (page 372).

Nehemiah and the Jews found out very quickly that No godly deed goes unpunished. You don’t have to be Christian very long before you’re awakened to the fact that you can never escape animosity, regardless of how much you seek to live out God’s peace. If you live for Jesus, someone somewhere is going to not only disagree with you, some will hate you.

50 years ago, in 1976, the enemy of the Church was secularism. Today the enemy is the “sexual revolution.” We must never be mean, yet because the Church holds to a biblical view of sexuality, we’re slandered and accused of being bigots on the wrong side of history. Like Nehemiah, those under attack need encouragement and God’s protection to advance. The attacks in Nehemiah won’t stop until the walls are finished.

Paul wrote, through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God (Acts 14:22). Attacks will increase as our culture becomes more devilish. What can we learn from Nehemiah 4 as we seek to live lives that please God? If you’re taking notes…

1. Conflict is inevitable

In 1845, Sir John Franklin and 138 officers and men embarked from England to find a Northwest passage across the Canadian Arctic to the Pacific Ocean. They sailed in two large ships. Each ship carried an auxiliary steam engine and a twelve-day supply of coal for the entire projected two or three years’ voyage.

Instead of additional coal each ship made room for a 1,200-volume library, an organ, fine China place settings, wine goblets, and sterling silver flatware. The officers’ sterling silver flatware was engraved with each officers’ initials and family crests. But the expedition to the Arctic carried no special clothing for the brutal cold. They only had the uniforms of Her Majesty’s Navy.

These ships set out amidst enormous fanfare. Two months later a British whaling captain met the two ships and reported back to England of the high spirits of the crew…he was the last European to see any of them alive.

Years later, it was learned that Eskimos had encountered either still living or dead members of the expedition. Some had glimpsed men pulling a wooden boat across the ice. Others found the remains of the thirty-five men who’d been dragging it. Accompanying one clump of frozen bodies were place settings of silver flatware.

Sir John Franklin and 138 men perished because they underestimated the requirements of Arctic exploration. They ignorantly imagined a pleasure cruise. Their ignorance led to all of their deaths. They discovered too late that they were unprepared.

Many Christ-followers discover the same thing. Throughout His ministry, Jesus was mocked by religious leaders, attacked and ultimately crucified. He warned us that they would hate us, His followers, and attack us too.

Sanballat’s displeasure soon turns into anger and he’s greatly enraged. His friend Tobiah was at his side with taunts and sarcasm. Sanballat gathers his cronies. They literally encircle Jerusalem from all directions.

If you’re going to live for Jesus, you’ll have people attack you and even hate you. We find today that because we disagree with the views of lost people we’re caricatured as hateful. We must not give fuel to that accusation, yet we must live according to God’s Word, not according to what’s culturally acceptable. We answer to a higher Master, not a dying world’s viewpoint.

A national survey by the Pew Research Center found that 32% of non-Christians view Christians unfavorably. Research finds that highly secular Americans are reluctant to live near or socialize with Christians, and we understand some of that. Sadly, some Christians can be obnoxious.

God’s Word commands us to be the most kind, loving people. Our lives should make those living in darkness long for the light. Still there are those living in darkness who will hate those living in the light. They may slander you. It could cost you your job. It can cost a church when a community prevents them from relocating or expanding. Just north of us, an E-Free church had to relocate because the HOA made ministry for them impossible.

Recently, Chicago Bulls player, Jaden Ivey, was released because he publicly shared his views opposing homosexuality. Living for Jesus can cost you. It may cost you friendships. You may not get invited to the company Christmas party or the neighborhood block party.

These enemies of the Jews are a clique of critics. Beware of cliques both outside and inside the church. Critics run in packs. They feed off each other’s animosity, pettiness and criticism.

So how do you avoid conflict as a Christian? It’s easy. Don’t say anything, don’t do anything, don’t believe anything. Just be silent or live like a pagan.

Warren Wiersbe wrote, When things are going well, get ready for trouble. Scripture warns, Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, while evil people and impostors will go on from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived (2 Timothy 3:12-13). Persecution is a mark of discipleship. It authenticates the reality of our faith.

But who’s behind this? Who’s the real enemy? The same Enemy we have. Sanballat and his mob are puppets for Satan. This is a satanically inspired attempt to thwart God’s work. It’s why we must not hate unbelievers. They’re acting in ignorance. They’re victims of the Enemy. Anytime heaven advances, hell attacks.

Tobiah’s weapon is sarcasm. Yes, what they are building—if a fox goes up on it he will break down their stone wall! (Nehemiah 4:3). Talk about being out of touch. Archaeologists have discovered that the walls of Jerusalem were nine feet thick. A fox would have to be a Godzilla fox. 

If you live for Jesus, some people are going to love you. Some will hate you. The most dangerous ones are those who want to stop you from obeying God. If you live for Jesus, Conflict is inevitable.  

2. Prayer is crucial

When you’re attacked or face a crisis, what’s your first response? When Nehemiah is attacked, he prays. He fights his battles on his knees. This is the third time we find Nehemiah praying. It won’t be the last.

May prayer be our default. Hear, O our God, for we are despised. Turn back their taunt on their own heads and give them up to be plundered in a land where they are captives. Do not cover their guilt, and let not their sin be blotted out from Your sight, for they have provoked You to anger in the presence of the builders (Nehemiah 4:4-5). Nehemiah doesn’t retaliate; he prays! If you’re attacked, be honest with God. You’d be amazed at some of the honest prayers in Scripture. Don’t gloss over your feelings. Admit you’re wounded, that you’re hurt. As Christ-followers, we can say, “Trash talk me all you want, but wait until I talk to my God about you!”

It’s vital to remember that when your vision and plans to advance God’s Kingdom are attacked, your heavenly Father cares. He’s more than willing to intervene for you and become involved in the conflict.

Talking to God is usually a better plan than talking to the critics. Proverbs 26:4, When arguing with fools, don’t answer their foolish arguments, or you will become as foolish as they are. There are times that arguing with your critics is the worst option. When you’re criticized, don’t take it out on other people. Talk it out with God. Prayer puts the attacks in their proper perspective. It enables you to evaluate criticism from God’s perspective.

Nehemiah prays for God’s help. 

What’s the toughest thing in your life today? Family strife, work stress, illness, depression, hopelessness?

Nehemiah is under attack. God’s work is under attack. God cares and responds to us in our tough times. God is the answer to every hurt. 

What is prayer? 

It’s responding verbally to God. It’s the act of bringing all of your life, good and bad, to the One who knows all and trusting Him.

What if you saw a baby who never cried or made a noise? You’d think something was wrong and be worried about his health. What if a Christian never prays? They have serious soul sickness. A Christian who doesn’t pray is like someone living as if God isn’t real. They’re living like an atheist.

Nehemiah prays for God’s justice. 

There’s so much injustice in our world. Instead of getting angry, like Nehemiah we must pray for God’s justice. It’s a powerful way to release burdens, seek divine vindication and align your heart with God’s righteousness. It means surrendering personal vengeance and asking the ultimate Judge to right wrongs in His perfect timing, and He will.

We’re must not take matters into our own hands. Romans 12:19, Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, ‘Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord’.

We must trust God to vindicate us. Praying like this affirms our confidence in God’s justice. Whether now or later, God and His truth will prevail. Injustice will be exposed. Prayer should be our first response to opposition.

It’s easy to fall into extremes as we face challenges. Some lean so heavily on prayer, they fail to take action. They pray for God to move, but they don’t. Others act without prayer, believing if they work hard, they can handle matters. Nehemiah shows us a better way: a balance of faith and action. He trusts God but goes back to work. So we built the wall (Nehemiah 4:6).

3. Discouragement is understandable

Why is Wednesday called “hump day?” It gets its name from the idea that the workweek is like a steep hill. Monday and Tuesday represent climbing the hill. Wednesday is the “hump,” after which it’s downhill to the weekend. Until you get over the hump, work can be discouraging.

Discouragement is one of Satan’s most potent weapons. Maybe you started reading your Bible or praying at one time. What happened? You got discouraged and quit. It happens with marriages, jobs, or even living for the Lord. Discouragement is costly. It slows us down or even paralyzes us.

The battle on the outside with Sanballat and his thugs moves inside. What Satan couldn’t do by outward opposition, he now attempts with inward discouragement. Before the people had a mind to work. What happened? Why are they so discouraged? 

They were half done. 

One of the most difficult times in a project is when you’re half done. The second half is always harder. The newness can wear off very quickly. It’s easier to begin a work for God then to stick with it.

They were exhausted. 

Their strength was giving out. The original language is vivid – exhausted workers tottering under a heavy load. They’ve been working for weeks but still there’s so much to do. The Message paints a graphic picture: The builders are pooped, the rubbish piles up; We’re in over our heads, we can’t build this wall (Nehemiah 4:10, The Message).

They had the wrong focus. 

They’re focused on the rubble. All they saw were broken stones. When it comes to serving the Lord, pessimism is a bigger problem than atheism. Negative thinking produces negative feelings. We feel the way we feel for we feel the way we think. They lost their vision and were looking at unfinished work instead of God and His plans.

They were afraid. 

They were demoralized by threats of a surprise attack. Unnerving rumors eroded their spirits. Those living near Jerusalem picked up on the propaganda, repeating it. Perhaps the enemy leaked out their plans. It was meant to demoralize the workers and bring the work to a stop. Fear and discouragement are attached at the hip.

Who do you listen to? Who you choose to listen to influences your spirit. Don’t listen to the “it will never work” crowd. Notice these rumors were repeated 10 times. If you hear something enough, it worms into your soul.

Their security was threatened. Fear of the unknown paralyzed them. Now the work of God is in jeopardy. Satan is the author of discouragement and fear! The discouraged don’t build walls or accomplish much for God.

What are you discouraged about today? Satan wants to keep you in the dumps. He doesn’t want you to trust God. Christian friend don’t let him win.

4. Unity is essential

Paul Tripp writes: One of the themes that courses through the New Testament…is that your walk with God is designed by God to be a community project. Anonymous, consumerist, isolated, independent, self-sufficient, “Jesus and me” Christianity is a distant and distorted facsimile of the faith of the New Testament. You and I simply were not created or re-created in Jesus to live all by ourselves…The Bible is clear, when each part is working properly, the body of Christ grows to maturity in Christ. We each need to live in intentionally intrusive, Christ-centered, grace-driven redemptive community.

Nehemiah first mobilizes his team by making sure that the weakest and most vulnerable parts of the wall are protected. He stationed workers by families with their swords, spears and bows. Relatives would be protective of each other’s wives and children.

Then, Nehemiah rallied them, telling them not to be afraid and to fight for their homes, Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight for your brothers, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your homes (Nehemiah 4:14). “Remember the Lord!” That rallying cry sounds like “Remember Pearl Harbor” or “Remember 911!”

It’s a bit astonishing that Nehemiah suggests they might forget God. But, in a crisis, they could and so can we. We need that, Remember the Lord! He’s our strength!

They were fully armed with bows, swords and spears – open carry – would get the enemies attention. Builders worked together with a sword in one hand, a trowel in the other. Nehemiah had a man with a trumpet near his side, so they could all rally and join together if attacked to fight the enemy.

Jesus had a team of 12 disciples. Paul had a mission team. The Bible knows nothing of a Lone Ranger complex for the church. The Christian life was never meant to be lived alone.

On the eve of the battle in Desert Storm, journalist Sam Donaldson was interviewing a young soldier. Donaldson asked him, “How do you think the battle will go? Are you afraid?”

“We’ll do okay. We’re well trained. And I’m not afraid,” the GI answered, gesturing toward his buddies around him. “I’m not afraid because I’m with my family.” The other soldiers shouted, “Tell him again. He didn’t hear you.” The soldier repeated, “This is my family and we’ll take care of each other.”

That was those Jewish wall builders. They were family! We will never succeed at what God has called us to accomplish, if we do not think of Grace Church as family. Please say it with me: We are family!

5. Sacrifice is inescapable

So neither I nor my brothers nor my servants nor the men of the guard who followed me, none of us took off our clothes; each kept his weapon at his right hand (Nehemiah 4:23). Unlike many leaders, Nehemiah put himself last. They even neglected normal hygiene for the cause.

For Christ-followers, a life of sacrifice is the DNA of our faith. This isn’t about appeasing God or atoning for our sins. Jesus Christ’s death is the final payment for that. He paid our sin debt on the cross.

Do you want to know what it is to truly live? You must know what it is to live a life of sacrifice. Living for Jesus is not convenient. It’s a daily response of worship, service, and obedience in gratitude for God’s love and grace.

American Christians struggle with this idea of “sacrifice.” It goes against our selfish sinful nature and our national attitude toward individualized freedom. But Jesus gave it all for us. He purchased us from the slave market of sin. My friend, you will never find the fulfillment God has for you unless you know what it is to live out sacrifice in worship and gratitude.

In recent history probably nothing is a better example of sacrifice than 911. First responders rushed into danger rather than away from it. Brave people on airplanes sacrificed their lives to protect others on the ground so that the flight that crashed in Pennsylvania never reached its target.

Few of us will ever face that kind of situation. Do you know the surest way to be miserable and make others miserable? Live for YOU. Think only of your needs, your wants, your pleasures. A “me first” outlook is a guaranteed formula for misery. Jesus calls us to take up our cross. He wants all of us. What’s the sacrifice that He’s calling you to make? It’s probably that area that you most want to cling to and not surrender.

6. God is invincible

Our God will fight for us (Nehemiah 4:20). Have you ever had a moment in your life where you had to praise God out loud because He came through for you in such a mighty way, you couldn’t contain it? God is that amazing! He does the impossible with a snap of His finger!

He will make it known to you that He is your Father, your Physician, your Provider, your Everything, just to let you know who it is that is running things in your life! And He doesn’t stop there. He runs all affairs throughout the globe. Don’t underestimate God’s ability to turn evil into good.

The cross is the most hideous evil, but because of Christ’s cross we can be forgiven and live a new life! We can have peace, joy and victory this world knows nothing about. Christ-followers, have the power of God within us in the person of the Holy Spirit. Though we face many troubles, we must not be afraid. God is on our side! Opposition to the wall was overcome by faith, not in themselves, but in their awesome God. It’s how we are over-comers too!

Conclusion

What does this all mean for us? We have a mission. It’s not building walls. It’s building bridges and reaching our world with the gospel. It’s making disciples. As we move forward with the mission God has called us to, there will be attacks and distractions from within and without.

This morning you’re sitting in a miracle. Unbelievably, there were those in our church who were against us purchasing this property and opposed building this building.

Last week I mentioned that two gospel preaching churches in our community have closed. One of their big issues that brought about their demise was that they could not find property to expand.

We have property and facilities but are limited in a vital part of Jesus’ mission, discipleship. We don’t have enough classroom space. We struggle to give our children enough biblical teaching. We’re not discipling adults like we should. We need to grow in family community. Yet, it’s hard to build relationships when we primarily meet on Sunday mornings for worship.

How limited are we? We have a group meeting this morning at McDonald’s. We use the lunchroom at the Lynch Dealership for a group. Those are temporary solutions.

Studies show the best day for classes and groups is Sunday. Why? Because we’re all busy. Today’s work schedules and kids’ commitments make it the best day.

Some think we should wait. We need to honestly ask ourselves: Wait for what? Construction prices to drop? Children or adults to struggle to grow spiritually without needed discipleship? Folks, the need is now.

Let’s circle back and tie this up. Historian Will Durant observed, Rome remained great as long as she had enemies who forced her to unity, vision and heroism. When she had overcome all her enemies, she flourished for a moment and then began to die. Opposition kept Rome strong. It’s the same with us. Opposition makes us turn to Jesus who gives the victory!

If you try to accomplish anything for Jesus, you’ll experience opposition. We must respond as Nehemiah did, with prayer, keeping on with the work, vigilance against the enemy, and keeping our focus on our awesome God!

What is God calling you to do in your life through Nehemiah 4 today?

1. Know that conflict is inevitable and determine by God’s grace to stand firm!
2. Pray first, knowing that prayer is crucial! Bring it all to your Heavenly Father!
3. Are you discouraged? What are you struggling with? Please give it to Jesus. Share it with others so they can pray for you, with you and encourage you.
4. Unity is essential. Do you know your brothers and sisters in this church? Do you know their names? Are relationships with other Christ-followers important to you? Are you trying to draw together or are you a Lone Ranger Christian?
5. Sacrifice is inescapable. What are you holding back? Is it a pet sin? Is it time, money, your abilities? Is there an area of your life the Holy Spirit is tapping on today?
6. God is invincible! Do you believe that? Or, for you, is it just a Sunday morning church talk? God wants us to live in victory! He doesn’t want us to be defeated by sin, this world or Satan. Jesus won the victory at Calvary. Are you living in victory today?

At Grace, we’re a family. So, how can we pray for you? Would you please jot it down on your Connection Card, so we can pray with you and for you? Like the wall builders at Jerusalem, we’re all in this together!