INTRODUCTION: Last week we started this series in Nehemiah. “Rebuilder of the Broken.” Nehemiah is known for mobilizing a group of people to rebuild the wall around Jerusalem and complete in just 52 Days.
Many use the book of Nehemiah for leadership growth. It really is amazing how God used Nehemiah as a leader to rebuild the wall.
In this conversation we’re talking about Rebuilding Broken People! That’s the heart of God! Broken people are all around us.
The first principle in “Rebuilding the Broken” is having COMPASSION for the broken.
Compassion will cause you to (1) Call on God (2) Take Responsibility (3) Move out of your Comfort Zone.
JESUS DID JUST THIS FOR US!
Isaiah 61:1,3,4 (NLT)- “The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is upon me, for the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to comfort the brokenhearted and to proclaim that captives will be released and prisoners will be freed. To all who mourn in Israel, he will give a crown of beauty for ashes a joyous blessing instead of mourning, festive praise instead of despair. In their righteousness, they will be like great oaks that the Lord has planted for his own glory. They will rebuild the ancient ruins, repairing cities destroyed long ago. They will revive them, though they have been deserted for many generations.”
WHO IS “THEY”? THE COMMUNITY. AND THAT LEADS TO THE NEXT PRINCIPLE IF YOU’RE GOING TO BE A REBUILDER OF THE BROKEN.
1. Cooperation
Working together for a COMMON effort.
“Alone we can do so little. Together we can do so much.” (Helen Keller)
To rebuild the wall in 52 days Nehemiah needed cooperation.
In Nehemiah 2 Nehemiah goes and surveys the city at night. No-body knows! Then he communicates what God has sent him to do.
Nehemiah 2:17-18 (NLT)- “But now I said to them, “You know very well what trouble we are in. Jerusalem lies in ruins, and its gates have been destroyed by fire. Let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalem and end this disgrace!” Then I told them about how the gracious hand of God had been on me, and about my conversation with the king. They replied at once, “Yes, let’s rebuild the wall!” So they began the good work.”
“SO THEY BEGAN THE GOOD WORK!” NOT “SO NEHEMIAH BEGAN THE GOOD WORK.”
If we’re going to be a church that REBUILDS THE BROKEN it’s going to take COMPASSION and COOPERATION!
HOW IS MY COOPERATION ACCOMPLISHED? BY
- Recognizing the Vision
THE WHY!!!!
“Let Us Rebuild the Wall Around Jerusalem.”
Habakkuk 2:2 (NKJV)- “Write the vision And make it plain on tablets, That he may run who reads it.”
Encounter Church exists to bring hope health and healing to a hurting world through the Good News of Jesus Christ as people ENCOUNTER GOD, EXPERIENCE FAMILY AND ENLARGE THE KINGDOM!
MY COOPERATION IS ACCOMPLISHED BY RECOGNIZING THE VISION.
b. Recognizing the Source of the Vision
Nehemiah 2:12 (NLT)- “I had not told anyone about the plans God had put in my heart for Jerusalem.”
Nehemiah 2:18 (NLT)- “Then I told them about how the gracious hand of God had been on me,”
God put this vision in Nehemiah’s heart. To cooperate with Nehemiah and what God had sent him to do was to COOPERATE WITH GOD!
Acts 5:38-39 (NLT)- “So my advice is, leave these men alone. Let them go. If they are planning and doing these things merely on their own, it will soon be overthrown. But if it is from God, you will not be able to overthrow them. You may even find yourselves fighting against God!”
Wouldn’t you rather be cooperating with God than fighting against God!
MY COOPERATION IS ACCOMPLISHED BY RECOGNIZING THE SOURCE OF THE VISION.
c. Recognizing My Part
Nehemiah 3 is one of the most remarkable displays of Unity recorded in the Bible as each person simply does their part!
“NEXT TO THEM” “AND NEXT TO THEM” “AFTER THEM”
This is the foreshadow of UNITY OF PURPOSE and work that is to characterize the church!
Philippians 2:2 (TPT)- “So I’m asking you, my friends, that you be joined together in perfect unity—with one heart, one passion, and united in one love. Walk together with one harmonious purpose and you will fill my heart with unbounded joy.”
HOW IS THIS UNITY ACCOMPLISHED? MY COOPERATION, AS I RECOGNIZE THE VISION. RECOGNIZE THE SOURCE OF THE VISION AND RECOGNIZE MY PART.
Ephesians 4:11-16 (NLT)- “Now these are the gifts Christ gave to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers. Their responsibility is to equip God’s people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ. This will continue until we all come to such unity in our faith and knowledge of God’s Son that we will be mature in the Lord, measuring up to the full and complete standard of Christ. Then we will no longer be immature like children. We won’t be tossed and blown about by every wind of new teaching. We will not be influenced when people try to trick us with lies so clever they sound like the truth. Instead, we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church. He makes the whole body fit together perfectly. As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love.”
CONCLUSION: A rebuilder of the broken! That’s who we are, that’s WHY we’re here.
We’re not building walls we’re building people! My part is to do my part and help the other parts grow!
WE ARE ABOUT YOU! What is the Holy Spirit saying to you today?