Rise Up: Building Up, 5/05/2019

Pastor Pete Hartwig

Sermon Notes

Rise Up – Building Up.2

 

50 days from Easter to Pentecost

 

SLIDE: RISE UP

 

The intersection

 

  1. Resurrection “Rise up”
  2. Health now moving to action

 

Growing up, Stepping up, Facing up, Building up, Moving up, listening up, Opening up, Reaching up

 

Here is our overarching thought for this sermon series.

 

SLIDE: Very rarely in life will you or I “Rise Up” without a person or an event calling us to do so.

 

The stories of God + read in faith =  empowers us to rise up too!

 

 

SLIDE: Rise Up – “Building Up”   (Nehemiah)

 

The words of Nehemiah son of Hakaliah:

In the month of Kislev in the twentieth year, while I was in the citadel of Susa, Hanani, one of my brothers, came from Judah with some other men, and I questioned them about the Jewish remnant that had survived the exile, and also about Jerusalem.

They said to me, “Those who survived the exile and are back in the province are in great trouble and disgrace. The wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates have been burned with fire.”

When I heard these things, I sat down and wept. For some days I mourned and fasted and prayed before the God of heaven. Then I asked (PRAYED)…

 

:11 “I was cupbearer to the king.”

 

Captive in Exile.  – Jewish

 

Israel and Jerusalem.  – wall.

 

Babylon – Persian – King Artaxerxes

 

Cup Bearer – Trust – Pinnacle of success –

HIGHLY GIFTED – character

 

Nehemiah speaks to King Artaxerxes

 

In the month of Nisan in the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes, when wine was brought for him, I took the wine and gave it to the king. I had not been sad in his presence before, so the king asked me, “Why does your face look so sad when you are not ill? This can be nothing but sadness of heart.”

I was very much afraid, but I said to the king, “May the king live forever! Why should my face not look sad when the city where my ancestors are buried lies in ruins, and its gates have been destroyed by fire?”

The king said to me, “What is it you want?”

Then I prayed to the God of heaven, and I answered the king, “If it pleases the king and if your servant has found favor in his sight, let him send me to the city in Judah where my ancestors are buried so that I can rebuild it.”

Then the king, with the queen sitting beside him, asked me, “How long will your journey take, and when will you get back?” It pleased the king to send me; so I set a time.

I also said to him, “If it pleases the king, may I have letters to the governors of Trans-Euphrates, so that they will provide me safe-conduct until I arrive in Judah? And may I have a letter to Asaph, keeper of the royal park, so he will give me timber to make beams for the gates of the citadel by the temple and for the city wall and for the residence I will occupy?” And because the gracious hand of my God was on me, the king granted my requests. So I went to the governors of Trans-Euphrates and gave them the king’s letters. The king had also sent army officers and cavalry with me.

 

BIG Challenge – Arc of a sermon

 

Nehemiah lays ALL of his influence, skills and social capital on the line for the kingdom of God.

 

Paradigm shift!

 

Matthew 6:19-21  Treasures in Heaven – JESUS

19 “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

 

Nehemiah is the ONLY one – influence – position.

 

There are things that do not get done because someone will not do them.

 

  1. Nehemiah asks for help.

 

Big DEAL!  building up = asking for help!

 

BUIDLING UP!  I always find someone to help me.

 

When you lay it all on the line…

GOD MAKES A WAY!

He asks…

 

Nehemiah goes to Jerusalem… INSPECTS – PRAYS – PLANS

 

Builders of the Wall

Eliashib the high priest and his fellow priests went to work and rebuilt the Sheep Gate.They dedicated it and set its doors in place, building as far as the Tower of the Hundred, which they dedicated, and as far as the Tower of Hananel. The men of Jericho built the adjoining section, and Zakkur son of Imri built next to them.

The Fish Gate was rebuilt by the sons of Hassenaah. They laid its beams and put its doors and bolts and bars in place. Meremoth son of Uriah, the son of Hakkoz, repaired the next section. Next to him Meshullam son of Berekiah, the son of Meshezabel, made repairs, and next to him Zadok son of Baana also made repairs. The next section was repaired by the men of Tekoa, but their nobles would not put their shoulders to the work under their supervisors.

Uzziel son of Harhaiah, one of the goldsmiths, repaired the next section; and Hananiah, one of the perfume-makers, made repairs next to that. They restored Jerusalem as far as the Broad Wall. Rephaiah son of Hur, ruler of a half-district of Jerusalem, repaired the next section.10 Adjoining this, Jedaiah son of Harumaph made repairs opposite his house, and Hattush son of Hashabneiah made repairs next to him.  12 Shallum son of Hallohesh, ruler of a half-district of Jerusalem, repaired the next section with the help of his daughters.

 

22 The repairs next to him were made by the priests from the surrounding region. 23 Beyond them, Benjamin and Hasshub made repairs in front of their house; and next to them, Azariah son of Maaseiah, the son of Ananiah, made repairs beside his house.

 

28 Above the Horse Gate, the priests made repairs, each in front of his own house. 29 Next to them, Zadok son of Immer made repairs opposite his house. Next to him, Shemaiah son of Shekaniah, the guard at the East Gate, made repairs. 30 Next to him, Hananiah son of Shelemiah, and Hanun, the sixth son of Zalaph, repaired another section. Next to them, Meshullam son of Berekiah made repairs opposite his living quarters. 31 Next to him, Malkijah, one of the goldsmiths, made repairs as far as the house of the temple servants and the merchants.

 

:1 The HIGH PRIEST + fellow priests

 

Uzziel son of Harhaiah, one of the goldsmiths, repaired the next section; and Hananiah, one of the perfume-makers, made repairs next to that.

 

12 Shallum son of Hallohesh, ruler of a half-district of Jerusalem, repaired the next section with the help of his daughters.

 

:5 but their nobles would not put their shoulders to the work under their supervisors.

 

NEXT TO!

Abraham, Moses, Joshua… EVERYONE!

 

his own home

Realize the importance of this.

 

THE CHURCH.

Ephesians 4:15 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.

 

 

4:15-18 The Men worked and carried weapons

15 When our enemies heard that we were aware of their plot and that God had frustrated it, we all returned to the wall, each to our own work.

16 From that day on, half of my men did the work, while the other half were equipped with spears, shields, bows and armor. The officers posted themselves behind all the people of Judah 17 who were building the wall. Those who carried materials did their work with one hand and held a weapon in the other, 18 and each of the builders wore his sword at his side as he worked. But the man who sounded the trumpet stayed with me.

 

OPPOSITION  from the enemy

 

God does it! We work as well!

 

Nehemia , 8:7-12  (The People understand God’s Word and rejoiced!)

The Levites—Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan and Pelaiah—instructed the people in the Law while the people were standing there. They read from the Book of the Law of God, making it clear[a]and giving the meaning so that the people understood what was being read.

Then Nehemiah the governor, Ezra the priest and teacher of the Law, and the Levites who were instructing the people said to them all, “This day is holy to the Lord your God. Do not mourn or weep.” For all the people had been weeping as they listened to the words of the Law.

10 Nehemiah said, “Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”

11 The Levites calmed all the people, saying, “Be still, for this is a holy day. Do not grieve.”

12 Then all the people went away to eat and drink, to send portions of food and to celebrate with great joy, because they now understood the words that had been made known to them.

 

10: the joy of the Lord is your strength!

 

Nehemiah  = foreshadowing of Jesus

The rebuilding of the wall is that of the church!

 

Cup bearer, Leaves all in heaven.

 

Jesus lays ALL of his influence, skills and social capital on the line for the kingdom of God.

 

He faced brutal opposition

 

Asks for our help!

 

Calls us to realize the importance of the mission

 

Nobles, perfume makers, women, men