West Side Church of Christ, Searcy, Arkansas
February 9, 2014 P.M.
HOW TO BUILD A GREAT LIFE
Steve W. Reeves
INTRODUCTION
A. All of us have seen construction sites where a new building is being built. Maybe
it is a house, a school, a factory or a store.
- When you visit a construction site you will find all types of building materials. Sand, gravel, concrete blocks, steel beams, wood, roofing material, etc…
- When I preached in Middle Tennessee for several years during the 1990’s the congregation built a new building. I would walk around the site nearly every day fascinated by how all of these materials came together to form a new structure. When it was completed we rejoiced.
B. Life is like a construction project. Who you are is a result of the materials you
choose to build your character through the years.
- As we began a study of the book of Nehemiah we noticed what type of person he needed to be to accomplish the task of rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem.
- A person of Prayer
- A person of Purpose
- A person of Planning
- A person of Passion
- This evening I want to look at the people Nehemiah led. The people who engaged in the work of rebuilding the walls. What was their character like? We know they used stone to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. What spiritual building materials did they use in the building of their character?
I. A WILLINGNESS TO WORK
A. Rebuilding the walls of a city as large as Jerusalem was a formidable task.
Nehemiah knew it would require the involvement of every person who was able.
- In Ch. 2:17 notice three important words. “We,” “Us” and “We.”
- Everyone had to be willing to work with one another. Nehemiah did not point his finger at the people and say “you, you, you.” He included himself.
- He appealed to their inward character. There are two types of motivation that leaders can appeal to.
- Extrinsic – appeals to the flesh with a material reward. A parent may say to a teen - “When you get your homework and chores done you can use the car.” Sometimes churches use extrinsic motivation. A lot of Televangelists use it. If you give this much then God will do this for you.
- Intrinsic – appeals to a person’s inward character to do what they know is the right thing. It may not be easy. It may not bring any immediate reward but it is the right thing to do
1.)One of the great leaders of the 20th century was Winston Churchill, Prime Minister of Great Britain during much of World War II. When London was being bombed every night by the Germans Churchill used intrinsic motivation.
2.) “We shall not flag or fail. We shall go on to the end. We shall fight in France. We shall fight in the seas and the oceans. We shall fight with growing confidence and growing strength in the air. We shall defend our island whatever the cost may be. We shall fight on the beaches. We shall fight on the landing grounds. We shall fight in the fields and in the streets. We shall fight in the hills. We shall never surrender.”
3.)The people of England responded to that. They endured. Their nation was saved.
B. Notice how the people responded to Nehemiah.
1. 2:17 – “Let us arise and build.” They included themselves. Theydidn’t say, “go
ahead and get started Nehemiah.”
2. ILL. The legend of “Stone Soup.” Some travelers come to a village, carrying
nothing more than an empty cooking pot. Upon their arrival, the villagers are
unwilling to share any of their food with the hungry travelers. Then the travelers
go to a stream and fill the pot with water, drop a large stone in it, and place it
over a fire. One of the villagers becomes curious and asks what they are doing.
The travelers answer that they are making "stone soup", which tastes wonderful,
although it still needs a little bit of garnish to improve the flavor. The villager
does not mind parting with a few carrots to help them out, so that gets added to
the soup. Another villager walks by, inquiring about the pot, and the travelers
again mention their stone soup which has not reached its full potential yet. The
villager hands them a little bit of seasoning to help them out. More and more
villagers walk by, each adding another ingredient. Finally, a delicious and
nourishing pot of soup is enjoyed by all.
3. Nehemiah could not have rebuilt the walls by himself. No one could have done
this job by themselves. However, through the combined efforts of many people
the project was completed.
C. There are enormous life lessons in this example. There are enormous lessons for
the church. Listen to Paul in Ephesians 4:15-16 – “Instead, speaking the truth in
love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the
head, that is, Christ. 16 From him the whole body, joined and held together by
every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its
work.”
II. A UNIFIED SPIRIT
- Chapter 3 of Nehemiah is a remarkable list of all the families and individuals who came together to rebuild the wall.
- Vss. 1-2 “Then Eliashib the high priest rose up with his brethren the priests and built the Sheep Gate; they consecrated it and hung its doors. They built as far as the Tower of the Hundred,and consecrated it, then as far as the Tower of Hananel. 2 Next to Eliashib the men of Jericho built. And next to them Zaccur the son of Imri built.”
- The rest of the chapter is just like this. “This family worked to rebuild this section of the wall and this family worked next to them.” What a wonderful display of unity. They were all working together for a common purpose.
- One of the things I have always appreciated about this congregation has been the tremendous spirit of unity and the wonderful cooperation that has been exhibited by the people who worship here.
- Notice what you don’t hear in these verses.
1. One family or individual who disregards everyone else in order to build a wall to
suit themselves or to meet their own needs.
2. Thom Rainer has written a book called, Surprising Insights From The
Unchurched. He asked a lot of people. “Why does the church exist?” While
unchurched folks gave a number of different answers, listen to what people who
were church members said. 85% said, “church exists to meet my needs.” Such
an attitude leads to a divisive spirit. No longer is it about God – it is about you.
The focus is not about God and His body – the church. It is about what you
want.
C. Each family worked alongside another family. There was no competition
between them.
1. It reminds me that healthy churches are built the same way a healthy physical
body grows – each part working together.
2. God longs for His people to be united.
a. Jn. 17:21 – “all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in
me and I am in you, may they also be un us so that the world
may believe that you have sent me.”
b. Paul wrote about unity – 1 Cor. 1:10 – “Now I plead with you, brethren, by the
name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing, and that
there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly joined together in
the same mind and in the same judgment.”
c. God models unity – Eph. 4:3-6 – “endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in
the bond of peace. 4 There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were
called in one hope of your calling; 5 one
Lord, one faith, one baptism; 6 one God and Father of all, who
is above all, and through all, and in you all.”
D. What was the result of their unity. Rebuilt the walls in just 52 days. Brothers and
sisters I’m telling you tonight – there i we can achieve anything that God desires if
we put our minds to it and are united in doing it.
III. SHARED RESPONSIBILITY
A. Ch. 3:28 –“Beyond the Horse Gate the priests made repairs, each in front of his
own house.”
1. Old song: written by Ina Ogdon in 1913 “Do not wait until some deed of
greatness you may do, Do not wait to shed your light afar,To the many duties
ever near you now be true, Brighten the corner where you are.
Refrain: Brighten the corner where you are!Brighten the corner where you are!
Someone far from harbor you may guide across the bar;Brighten the corner
where you are!”
B. In Chapter 4 those who were opposed to the wall being rebuilt began to threaten
the people of Jerusalem with violence. What did the people do? 4:15 – 18 – “And it
happened, when our enemies heard that it was known to us, and that God had
brought their plot to nothing, that all of us returned to the wall, everyone to his
work. So it was, from that time on, that half of my servants worked at construction,
while the other half held the spears, the shields, the bows, and wore armor; and
the leaders were behind all the house of Judah. Those who built on the wall, and
those who carried burdens, loaded themselves so that with one hand they worked
at construction, and with the other held a weapon. Every one of the builders had
his sword girded at his side as he built. And the one who sounded the trumpet was
beside me.”
C. When people share responsibility tasks that otherwise would have been
impossible can be accomplished.
IV. REMEMBERING THE LORD
A. Whenever you are trying to do what is right. Something good. Something positive.
There will always be someone who stands in opposition to you. There will always
be critics. That was certainly true for Nehemiah and the people building the wall.
What did they do?
1. 4:14 - “Do not be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, great and awesome, and
fight for your brethren, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your
houses.”
2. “Remember The Lord. Whatever opposition you may be facing.Remember The
Lord.
CONCLUSION:
A. ILL. A man built houses for a living. He had a man who was a carpenter who worked
for him for many years. The carpenter was getting ready to retire so the man called
him in, gave him a large sum of money and said, “I want you to build one last house
for me.” Since it was going to be the last house he built the carpenter decided to cut
corners on the materials and labor and keep the extra money for himself. When he
went to present the keys of the house to his boss the boss told him, “The house is
my retirement present to you.”
B. You’ll never get ahead by taking short cuts. There are no short cuts to Godly
character. No shortcuts to winning souls and building a great church. No short cuts
in establishing a good relationship with God.
C. Vince Lombardii: “Quality of a person’s life is in direct proportion to his commitment
to excellence.”
D. Invitation: