How can we make the boring parts of life meaningful?: Nehemiah 3
(45 MIN!)
- Some Bible commentators skip chapter (too boring)
2 Tim 3:16–17 All Scripture is breathed out by God & profitable for teaching …reproof …correction…(&) training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.
- 38 named people, numerous unnamed, teams w/tasks
- Imagine your name? Your ministry team? Your family?
Statue of Liberty: Caget, Gauthier & Company workshop
Any good work done to glorify God is sacred
- Digging holes. Shoveling dirt. Stacking stones. Hanging gates
-Gen. 1 God works
-Gen. 2:15 The Lord God took the man & put him in the garden of Eden to work…
-Col. 3:23–25 Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord & not for men…from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.
- It’s not what you are doing, but who you are doing it for!
- Jesus spent 90% His life doing labor
(Protestant Work Ethic)
= World needs good preachers, mechanics, hvac techs, dr’s, cooks, roofers, etc.
- Real Men Wed. 6:30
- DINNER FOR WORK PARTY
- COMMITMENT WEEKEND OCTOBER 15-16 (trinitychurch.com)
Neh. “firstfruits folks”: PHOTOS OLD/NEW REBUILDING HOME CAMPAIGN
Before/After: I need 3 sets of before & after photos on a split screen. I have the before photos & they are ugly, so I need awesome/epic after photos for each
1). Before the building exterior
-I will need 2 other photos: 1. Current 2. Rendering of the new park
2). Before of the main room
-I need an awesome after photo of the main room
3). Before kids ministry Backyard
-I will need 2 other photos: 1. Current 2. Rendering of the updated Backyard
= THANK YOU! LET’S FINISH & SEE WHAT’S NEXT!
Ordinary days and extraordinary days both matter
- Nehemiah 1-2 (extraordinary). Nehemiah 3 (ordinary). Ends w/revival (extraordinary)
- Bible records both kinds of days since God is in both
- Ordinary days – prepare for extraordinary days (sow-reap)
-Acts NT 14 healing miracles, 12 of 28 ch’s = 30 years (highlight reel)
8 Lessons for Leaders (Nehemiah 3)
“Leadership is the capacity & will to rally men & women to a common purpose & the character which inspires confidence.” – British Field Marshal Bernard Montgomery
- Everything rises and falls with leadership (141 yrs before Nehemiah)
- Singular headship, plural leadership. (Neh. & other leaders leading teams)
- Delegate and elevate (obstacles & opportunities)
- Look for “old stones” to repurpose (TC)
- Look outside your team to round out your team (GWC)
(e.g. men Jericho, people from: Tekoa, Gibeon, Mizpah, Zanoah, Beth Hukkerem).
- A diverse team is the best team (body)
(priests, craftsmen, officials, women, bachelors, temple servants, security guards, biz ldrs)
- A culture of honor is godly. A culture of dishonor is ungodly. (Sanballat & Tobiah)
- A unified team without a superstar is better than a superstar without a team.
= growing organization = playing a new game
8 Principles for People (Nehemiah 3)
- God works for you, in you, and through you
- Leaders work on the plan, people work out the plan. (2 year park Phase 1)
- A serving family is a special family.
= Trinity started w/our family & families (boys up early Sat. boots/gloves)
- Some people refuse to work (3:5). (hammer, feet)
“their nobles would not stoop to serve their Lord.”
- Some people do more work than others (3:11, 21, 3:24, 3:27, 3:30).
- Some people work from home (3:10, 3:23, 3:28-30).
Multiple X “repaired opposite/beside his house”
- Some jobs are less desirable (Dung Gate/nursery)
- Unknown people are known by God.
John Maxwell: 1. Cop-outs 2. Hold-outs 3. Dropouts 4. All-outs
= Today- paid employees not going to work. Churches filled w/unpaid volunteers.
Jesus has another list and another home
Philippians 4:3 the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the book of life.
Revelation 3:5, 13:8, 17:8, 20:12, 21:27 all mention the “book of life”
- List
- Home (Jn. 14:3)
CLOSE W/KEYS: 5 minutes pastoral word sets up worship
-1. CULTURE 2. GOV’T 3. ECONOMY BAD. 4. CHURCH APOSTATE.
- Remnant
- Revival
- Reach