How Great is Our God – Part 1
Come Let Us Build
-Introduction
-I’m going to venture into an area to which I know I cannot do justice. Honestly, I would be
concerned about a person who thought he could.
-To do so, I’m going to utilize Nehemiah.
-What a leader—accomplishing in 52 days what had been left undone for 72 years
(following the completion of the temple).
-There are many things we can extract from the book of Nehemiah and utilize today.
-Let’s start with the first words of Nehemiah which we have recorded for us—“O LORD
God of heaven, the great and awesome God…” (Neh 1:5).
-Nehemiah—from his first recorded words and through is ongoing words and actions—clearly
understood, “How Great is Our God.”
-“Come, Let Us Build Because God”
-In our Wed-evening class, we have been contrasting Pre-Babylonian-Captivity conditions to
Post-Babylonian-Captivity conditions.
-Remember, in 586 B.C., God allowed the Babylonians to defeat Judah, destroy Jerusalem
and take the people into captivity.
-Contrast the pre and post conditions—physically & spiritually.
-Yes, there were still some issues; mistakes were made. There was still room for improvement.
-There was a process unfolding. There was still work to do.
-Nehemiah said, “Come, let us build…” (Neh 2:17).
-Notice v. 18 – “And I told them of the hand of my God that had been upon me for good…”
-In other words, “Come, let us build because God…”
-Great is Our God
-Has Something Been Torn Down?
-For the city of Jerusalem, walls protected. They provided security, safety and comfort.
-The lack of walls meant danger, vulnerability, worry.
-In our lives, we like a sense of safety, don’t we? We like to feel secure. We like comfort.
-This might be in the context of self-evaluation; family; work/career; life in general.
-As we know, this world of ours can tear those things down.
-Have you had something torn down?
-Has something happened (past or present) to make you feel less secure? Less confident?
More vulnerable?
-Hear the words of Nehemiah, “Come, let us build.”
-Neh 2:18 – “And they said, ‘Let us rise up and build’ So they strengthened their hands…”
-Job 4:1-4 – Job had helped others find strength. Then, look what he went through.
-Sometimes we give strength. Sometimes we need it.
-Neh 6:9 – Nehemiah had encouraged the people and provided strength. Yet, when
troubles, interference, opposition arose, he asked God for strength.
-If some things have been torn down in your life, remember to go to God and ask for
strength.
-The world will try to weaken your hands. The world will try to tear down. Look to God.
Pray to God. Remain focused on God. Worship God. Serve God.
-Come let us build…for… How Great is Our God!
-For How Great is Our God
1. Motivated by God
-For the Israelites of Nehemiah’s day: His works, his selection of them, his guidance, his
patience, his promises (pointing to and leading to Jesus)
-For us: Think how fortunate we are to have the cross of Christ is our past with its benefits
available in the present; the Gospel of Christ; the ongoing Providential care of God
-Philemon 15; Rom 8:28; avenue of prayer
-Come let us build!
2. Motivated for God
-As Christians, we are the children of God (1 John 3:1)—members of the kingdom of Christ
(Col 1:13).
-We are to be kingdom builders—church builders.
-We are to allow the kingdom to transform us—build within us (Rom 14:17; fruit of
Sprit, etc.).
-Come, let us build in order to conform to God’s will in our lives. Let us build &
grow spiritually.
-We are to be church builders—1 Cor 3:10, Matt 28:18-20.
-Come, let us build in order to bring more people into the family of God. Let us
build & grow numerically.
-We have reason to build in both manners—God.
-Come, let us build because How Great is Our God!
-Closing
-Isaiah 35:3 – Within a prophecy pointing to Jesus and his kingdom, the church
-Heb 12:
-vv. 1-2 – Look to Jesus
-v. 3 – Don’t grow weary
-v. 12 – Lift your hands, strengthen your knees
-vv. 18-24 – Look at what God has made available.
-v. 28 – The kingdom is the place of protection, security, safety and comfort.
-Are you in the kingdom? You can be because, How Great is Our God!