Download 4.-The-Way-People-Talk-About-Gods

Place: Lurgan Baptist 26:2:2006
Reading: Nehemiah 4:1-23
THE WAY PEOPLE TALK ABOUT GOD’S WORK
Dr. Johnston was the author of several books. Concerning his books that were not
slandered he said,
“ I did not strike hard enough or the blow would rebound.” The Lord Jesus
speaking to His disciples said,
“ Woe unto you when all men shall well of you.”
( Lk 6:26 ) Everyone was not speaking well of Nehemiah. Here he was, burdened
in his soul concerning the work of God at Jerusalem. Unmistakeably called of God,
commissioned by the King Artaxerxes, and now surrounded by an army of helpers,
ready to tackle the mammoth task of rebuilding the walls. Everything seemed to be
going along wonderfully well. The King was glad to equip him for the journey and
send him to Jerusalem. There he prayerfully surveyed the ruins, and soon gathered
around him a great army of people to shoulder the burden of rebuilding.
But so often, immediately following a time of blessing, the enemy counterattacks !
( Matt 3:17 ) For can be sure of this, that when there is progress in the work of
God, there will be opposition to the work of God !
( Acts 12:1 ) Here in this passage, the opposition is gathering its forces, seeking to
hinder the work of God.
Now God’s work has never been easy, and in these last days it is getting more and
more difficult to serve. It seems that the enemy is hurling his ammunition at us as
never before and is setting his subtle traps where we least expect them. They were
those who were talking about the work of God back in Nehemiah’s day. What did
they say ? What did Nehemiah say ? What did God’s people say ? For we could
write across this chapter,
“ The way people talk about God’s work,” because talk about it most of us
certainly do. How do you talk about the work of the Lord ? What do you say about
God’s work ? Well, I want you to listen to the voices that we hear in this chapter.
We find that that there are three voices, and I believe that these three voices can be
still heard today.
(1) THE VOICE OF DOUBT
“ And Judah said the strength of the bearers of burdens is decayed, and there is
much rubbish, so that we are not able to build the wall.” ( 4:10 ) Here is the voice
of doubt which says, “ we can’t.” Do you ever hear that voice ? “ We can’t, we
can’t, I can’t.” You see, Nehemiah was not facing opposition from without here,
this was discouragement from within, and this discouragement came from an
unexpected quarter ! For did you notice who said this ? Judah ! Away back in the
closing chapters in the book of Genesis we discover that Judah was not just any
tribe among the nation of Israel, Judah was the leader. Do you know what we read
of Judah, “ thy hand shall be in the neck of thine enemies …. the sceptre shall not
depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come.”
( Gen 49:8 ) My …. here is the cream of the army, the crack regiment, the people
on whom Nehemiah though he could depend letting him down. In a word, Judah
had enough. The voice of doubt, “ we can’t.” Are you in a similar position this
…. ? Do you feel enough is enough ? Are you saying, “ I can’t go on, I am not able
to carry on this work of God anymore.” You see, doubt is thinking about,
(a) THE DEMANDING TASK:
Do you see what they say ? “ there is much rubbish.” The Hebrew word for “
rubbish,” means “ dry earth or debris.” “ We look around Nehemiah and all we
can see is debris, dirt, broken stones and hard dried chunks of mortar.” It’s the
sheer massiveness of the task that bothers them. There is so much to be cleared
away and so much to be build up. But whoever said that the task was not massive,
and the work was not demanding ! When our Saviour left behind him a handful of
men, just eleven to be precise, what kind of task did he gave them ? Did He gave
them a village, a town, a city. No ! Christ gave them the whole world. He said,
“ Go ye into all the world and preach the gospel,”
( Mk 16:16 ) My …. what task could be more demanding than that ? But He gave it
to them, massive though it was ! Did these men sit back and say, “ we can’t.” My
…. does the demanding task trouble you ? Does the sheer massiveness of the
work bother you ?
When you think of the souls that have to be saved, the resources that have to be
found, the manpower that has to be raised, the decline that has to be halted, do you
say
“ we can’t.” (a) Then, doubt is thinking about,
(b) THE DECAYING STRENGTH:
“ And Judah said, the strength of the bearers of burdens is decayed.” ( 4:10 ) Or “
the strength of the labourers is giving out.” Now if you have been to Israel and
seen something of the size of the stones used in the construction of the walls of
Jerusalem, you must have wondered how on earth they were able to lift them. Now
lets face it. They had done well. Tremendous progress had been made. We are told
that the half way stage had been reached, because the people had a mind to work.
But now, signs of tiredness were appearing. They were literally running out of
steam, and having to reduce the work force, to face the threat of attack ( 4:9 ) by
assigning some to do guard duty only complicated the problem. There was
decaying strength and many were ready to give up. You see, God’s work has been
never short of starters but its has of finishers. Did you notice that they were ready
to give up when the half way stage had been reached ? The glow of the beginning
had departed, the end was not in sight, and the question on their lips was “ is it all
worth while ?” Have you reached that stage in your Christian Experience ? The
glow of conversion is past, the battle has taken more out of you than you dreamed,
and you’re beginning to say to yourself, “ Shall I ever get to the end ?” Have you
reached that stage in your Christian Service ? You began zealously to tackle the
wall of evangelism, prayer, visitation, helps, but you’re now discovering that its
more difficult to continue than to complete. Could it be that these words are on
your lips, “ We are not able to build ?” Doubt is thinking about (a) (b) and,
(c) THE DEMORALISING CONDITION:
“ We are not able to build,” ( 4:10 ) When you lose strength, and you lose vision,
then you lose confidence. And when you lose confidence, discouragement is
winking at you around the corner ! Here were a people who had lost heart in their
work for God ! Is that where you are ? Are you saying, “ its not worth it, enough is
enough.” A legend tells about the Devil, who was one day auctioning of all his
tools. The tools that he wrecks every work of God with. He had all his tools out
there. There was pride, and there was a price on pride. Then there was laziness,
arrogance, hate, bitterness, jealousy. All the tools that he used on the people of God
were there and he had a high price on each of them. But there was one tool that had
a sign under it. It said, “ Not for sale.” It was a strange looking tool and someone
said,
“ what is that tool ? Why isn’t it for sale ?” “ Well,” said the Devil, “ I could not
afford to get rid of that one, for that’s my chief tool, its called discouragement.”
The person said, “ why is it so important ?” “ Well,” said the Devil, “ with this
tool I can get into a heart and pry it open, and once I get into the heart, I can do
almost anything I want. Discouragement is my best tool.” Is discouragement
running rampant in your soul ? Are you saying, “ enough is enough, we are not
able.” (1)
(2) THE VOICE OF HATE
The voice of doubt says, “ we can’t.” The voice of hate says, “ you won’t.” Look if
you will at ( 4:11 ) “ The voice of hate,” you say ! Yes, the voice of hate. Let’s face
it. Godliness is not popular. The only person who lived a perfect life of truth, grace,
and love was found so unacceptable that men nailed Him to a Roman cross. They
just could not stand Him. And if we are going to be involved in the work of the
Lord we will discover that there are adversaries, and their voice is sometimes the
voice of hate. “ You won’t.” Do you recall what the Lord Jesus said, “ if the world
hate you, ye know that it hated Me before it hated you. If ye were of the world, the
world would love his own, but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen
you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.” ( Jn 15:18-19 ) My …. if you
want to be socially acceptable, then you had better give up any idea of being a
follower of the Lamb, “ for the friendship of the world is enmity with God.”
( James 4:4 ) The voice of Hate. “ You won’t.” Did you notice from the context that
they were seeking to stop the work of God,
(a) BY THEIR TAUNTS:
British author Thomas Carlyle called ridicule “ the language of the Devil.” Isn’t it
an amazing thing, that which is precious to God, that is, His work, is an object of
the ridicule and scorn of the Devil. Do you see the enemy sneering and laughing at
the servants of God ?
“ What do these feeble Jews ? ( 4:2) What a combination of derision and
denunciation. Taunt after taunt is flung at Nehemiah and his army of workers, the
object being to bring them to the place where they would stop the work of
rebuilding ! My …. the enemy’s tactics have changed little from the days of
Sanballat and Tobiah, for does Satan still not taunt us and remind us of,
1. Our FEEBLENESS:
“ What do these feeble Jews ?” ( 4:2 ) What an up to date approach. You see, when
we dare to say that the only hope for the world is the gospel of Christ, the world
rises up against us and says, “ you with your feeble prayer meetings, your silly
plans of getting folks saved.
You have no intellect, no resources, no status.” The world looks on and says, “
what are they doing over at that church ?” They’re praying ! “ What ? Do they
think that their praying is going to solve any problems in the world ?” “ What else
are they doing over there ?” They are preaching ! “ What ? Do they think that
preaching is going to have any effect in this town ?” (1)
(2) OUR FAILURES:
“ Will they revive ….,” ( 4:2 ) Is there not a hint here about past failure ? Have you
not discovered that the Devil is not a bit slow about reminding you of your past
failures ? “ You hypocrite,” he says “ how can the Lord use the likes of you to build
up His work ? You have failed Him in the past, do you think He is going to gave
another chance ?” My …. has the Devil been whispering in your ear ? Is he
seeking to stop your work for God ? Has he been reminding you of your feebleness
and your failures ?
“ I hear the Accuser roar
Of ills that I have done
I know them and a thousand more
Jehovah findeth none.”
(b) BY THEIR THREATS:
This opposition was not only scornful, it was powerful.
In ( 4:7 ) we have a formidable alliance, in ( 4:8 ) we have a conspiracy to attack,
in ( 4:11 ) we have the overall objective, to cause the work to cease. Did you notice
the “ Three A,” society in ( 4:11 ) ? “ Apollyons Aggravation Association.” Isn’t it
amazing that mutual enemies become mutual friends to oppose the work of God.
Sometimes you find this in a local church. People who cannot stand each other,
often become “ buddies,” because of something that has happened. These folk
could not stand each other, but when old Nehemiah comes along, they sink their
differences to oppose the work of God. Was this not the kind of thing that the Lord
Jesus experienced ? “ And the rulers also with them derided Him saying, He saved
others let Him save Himself, if He be Christ the chosen of God. And the soldiers
also mocked Him, coming to Him, and offering Him vinegar, and saying, If thou be
the King of the Jews save Thyself.” ( Lk 23:35-37 )
Do you recall that prior to the crucifixion Pilate sent the Saviour to Herod. We
read, “ And the same day Pilate and Herod were made friends together, for before
they were at enmity between themselves.” ( Lk 23:12 ) Is there not a word of
encouragement for us here ? You see, whatever scorn, derision, threat, has ever
been directed against you, has first of all been poured out upon your precious Lord
and “ the servant is not greater than His Lord.” ( Jn 15:20 ) (1) (2) But there’s
another voice here.
(3) THE VOICE OF FAITH
You see, if the Voice of Doubt says, “ we can’t.” If the Voice of Hate says, “ you
won’t.” Then the Voice of Faith says, “ God will.” Isn’t that a lovely voice to hear
when you are talking about then work of God ? The voice that says, “ God will.”
Isn’t that what Nehemiah says, “ Our God shall fight for us.” ( 4:20 ) Someone has
said that “ when the going gets tough the tough get going.” There’s no question
on which of the fence Nehemiah was on. His enemies efforts at demoralising him,
and the children of Israel simply didn’t work. Nehemiah knew that God had sent
him to Jerusalem and he was not about to forsake his divinely appointed task.
If the Lord could help him in the past ( 2:4 ) He could help him in the present. So
how does the man of God react ? How does he handle the scorn, the abuse, the
criticism ? Does he retaliate ? That’s the temptation, is it not ? Do you recall the
saying
“ Sticks and stones may break my bones
But words will never hurt me.”
Words never hurt us, but they sure make you feel bad along the way don’t they ?
So how does Nehemiah deal with this flack ? Well, he encourages the people to be,
(a) MINDFUL & REMEMBER THE LORD:
The people were looking at the problems, the rubbish they needed to be looking to
the Lord. So Nehemiah cries, “ Be not ye afraid of them, remember the Lord which
is great and terrible ….,” ( 4:14 ) The battle cry of the Americans in World War 2
was “ Remember Pearl Harbour, the battle cry in the Mexican war was “
Remember the Alamo,” the cry in the Spanish American War was “ Remember the
Maine,” but Nehemiah’s cry was, “ Remember the Lord.” Which Lord ? “ the
Lord which is great and terrible.” Do you recall a few months previous Nehemiah
prayed to the same “ great and terrible God.” ( 1:4 ) God helped Nehemiah the, the
Lord would help Nehemiah now. In effect he was saying, “ The Lord helped us
before, the Lord will help us again.” My …. as you face those seemingly
insurmountable problems do you look upward ? In the heat of the battle do you
look up and remember the Lord ? In the thick of the fight do you remember that
God is fighting for you ? ( 4:20 ) The Lord who helped before will help you again !
Do you remember His promises, His purposes, His providences, His provision ?
His power ? Nehemiah says, “ you’ve got your eyes on the rubbish, get your eyes
on the Lord.” Robert Lewis Stevenson told about some people who were on a
ship, and the ship was tossed up and down in the troubled sea, and the passengers
were afraid, they were going down. They all huddled together in a cabin room
beneath the decks. It was so rough that no-one could stay out on the decks, but one
passenger mind up his mind, he was going to find out the state of the ship. So he
made his way out, and clinging to the railing, with his face in the teeth of the
storm, he made his way up to the pilot house. There he saw the pilot standing at the
wheel of the ship, and the captain saw the passenger, and he realised how fearful
his heart must have been. The pilot without speaking a word, just turned and
smiled at him. The passenger didn’t ask a question. He went back down stairs and
told the others. He said, “ we’re going to be alright. I’ve seen the face of the
captain and he smiled at me.” Have you seen the face of the Lord lately ? Do you
know the smile of Christ in the midst of the storm ? Do you know what Nehemiah
tells you, “ Remember the Lord.” (a)
(b) WATCHFUL & RESIST THE FOE:
In ( 4:14 ) the emphasis is on fighting, in ( 4:9 ) on watching, in ( 4:13 ) its on
vigilance ! Can you picture them with sword and trowel ! Did you notice that while
half of the people were ready for battling, the other continued to build ( 4:16 ) for
the battling of the Christian must never replace the building ! The wall has got to
up. Its building and battling together ! We have an English Bible in our possession
today largely because of a man called John Wycliffe, He was not only known as a
builder, producing the first English text of the Bible, but he was also known as a
battler. When he died his enemies burned him at the stake and took the ashes and
sprinkled them over the river Thames in London.
“ Forever we are rid of Wycliffe,” they thought. They were wrong. The product of
his labours, the English Bible is with us to day, because he did more than fight, he
stayed at the task. (a) (b)
(c) PRAYERFUL & RESORT TO THE THRONE:
How did Nehemiah deal with the enemy’s taunts ? He prayed ! How he deal with
the enemy’s threats ? He prayed ! Is this not what the early church did when they
faced opposition ? “ Lord behold their threatening ….,”
( Acts 4:29-30 ) Have there been times when you have been misrepresented,
maligned, slandered ? Did you resort to the throne of grace ? Is this what you do
when the enemy seeks to intimidate you ? Rest your case and cause in God’s hands
! (1) We can’t (2) You won’t (3) God will ! Which voice is your voice ? You know,
old Nehemiah kept a trumpeter by his side. You see, the work was large, the area
was immense, the workers scattered, and Nehemiah had given instructions that the
sound of the trumpet, they were to leave their work, and rally around him for the
final overthrow of the enemy !
My …. the church is in every land this …. ! Our missionaries are scattered all over
the world. The work is great, the area immense, but one day soon the trumpet will
sound. The rallying call will come, and on that day we will be taken from our work
to meet Him, and the enemy will be overthrown !
My …. I know what the Devil is up to. I know the Devil would like to stop the
work of God in this place. Don’t you dare let him use you ! I like what one man
said to his friend. He said, “ Don’t you let up, shut up, back up, until you are taken
up.” One of these days the trumpet will sound and we will be taken up to meet the
Lord in the air. How will you meet Him ? How will He meet
you ? Here’s the bottom line ! Will you hear His well done ?