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"Picturing the Possible"
# 3 in Series: Builders of Eternity
Text: Nehemiah 2:11-20
September 10, 2006Introduction to the Scripture Lesson
During this sermon series, God’s servant Nehemiah shows us how to be “builder’s of eternity” – to bring about the restoration of our lives, our homes, our church, our community and all of creation. During our first week, we noted that renewal starts with the heart. Nehemiah let his heart be broken – as God’s heart was – over the ruinous state of his people. But instead of taking some rash action, his first response was to drop to his knees and pray. Last week, he showed us that the greatest change-agents know how to channel their passion from the heart to the head – through the mental disciplines of patience, planning and tact.
This morning, Nehemiah shows us how to “picture the possible” before we begin building. Let’s look at Chapter 2:11-20.
Let us pray:
Eternal God, we hear and say so many words, yet yours is the word we need. Speak now, and help us to listen. Open our hearts to praise you; open our minds to attend to you; open our spirits to worship you; open our lives to live them as authentically and boldly as did Jesus. We pray in his name. Amen.
SERMON
Have you ever heard someone say casually: “And then I raised four children. . . ” Or “So I built this business. . . ” Or “And then I found out I had cancer. . . ” Or “After my spouse died, I went on to. . .” Isn’t it amazing, how people can refer with such humility, to a journey which takes literally thousands of courageous steps?
This morning’s text begins with Nehemiah’s words, “I went to Jerusalem.” He says it matter-of-factly – as if he’d simply hopped in a car and driven up the street -- when in truth, he had traveled across fifteen hundred miles of searing desert, through hostile lands in response to God’s call.
The point is this: whether we are building a character, a family, a church, or a changed society, few things of lasting value are accomplished without our willingness to make a long, difficult journey. Even the atheist, Frederick Nietzsche understood this truth when he said, “The essential thing in heaven and earth is that there should be a long obedience in the same direction; there thereby results, and has always resulted, in something which makes life worth living.”
Sometimes we wander off the path. Sometimes we wonder if we can keep on keeping on – and sometimes we may even lose sight of God, who has called and is leading us. But the Bible makes clear that the power to bless and to build is given to those who go the distance. The apostle Paul put it this way: “forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the heavenly call of God in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 3:13-14)
Brothers and sisters of this Metropolitan family, we gather in this splendid sanctuary today, because the saints of the past were faithful in going the distance. And as we worship, we are surrounded by that “great cloud of witnesses” who were willing to press on towards the goal – and who are praying that WE will be faithful to press on, in our generation.
However, pressing on towards our goal is only one part of the rhythm of the life of a disciple. There must be a balance between work and rest – like breathing in and breathing out. Nehemiah tells us that upon completing the journey from Susa to Jerusalem, he stayed there three days, before continuing his mission.
The story is told of missionaries who, after marching through Africa for several days, discovered their native porters had sat down and refused to move – they remained at rest for an entire day. Assuming they were lazy, the missionaries demanded they get moving again. But an elder tribesman wisely explained, “We are letting our souls catch up with us.”
Friends, if we are to sustain “long obedience in the same direction,” we must maintain the necessary balance between the journey and the rest. It is true, that God can’t fully use you unless you’re willing to get off the pew, roll up your sleeves and get to work. But it is also true, that your kingdom-building work will cease to be effective if you get burned out. Sometimes the key to tomorrow’s great work is today’s great rest.
Understand, it must have been terribly hard for Nehemiah to slow down – he had this painful burden on his heart – a sense of urgency about the work to be done. His people were dying in Jerusalem, as the city walls and gates literally turned to rubble at their feet. And he had a tremendous vision – to see that once-great city restored to glory. Perhaps YOU have experienced a time when some pressing need got you so fired you up, that you wanted to just grab someone by the lapels and shake them into joining your cause?
But notice what Nehemiah did. Verse 12 says, “I set out during the night with a few men. I had not told anyone what my God had put in my heart to do for Jerusalem.” Nehemiah didn’t begin his initiative under a spotlight, but in the dark of night. He didn’t start by rallying mass involvement; he carefully selected a few people in whom to develop a vision. He didn’t inaugurate his campaign by laying out his entire plan – instead, he sent his colleagues into the broken city and trusted that God would stir their hearts to action.
There’s a leadership lesson for us here: the most effective builders of eternity are willing to allow vision to grow from the bottom up rather than from the top down. That’s why, instead of imposing MY vision upon this congregation, I’m taking time to listen and learn. This fall, I’ll be visiting your Sunday School classes, your study groups and fellowship gatherings – to hear about your hopes and dreams for our future. I want to be more like a gardener than a general – to plant the seeds of hope; water the shoots of new life and watch them spring forth and grow into a miracle at 8000 Woodward Avenue.
And how will we grow? How will we build for the future? Nehemiah offers another important lesson in verse 13. He writes, “By night I went out through the Valley Gate toward the Jackal Well and the Dung Gate, examining the walls of Jerusalem, which had been broken down, and its gates, which had been destroyed by fire.” It’s important to note that this southernmost part of the city – the Jackal Well and the Dung Gate – was the area of Jerusalem that had sustained the least damage from marauders.
Interesting. . . instead of focusing on the biggest problem to be solved, or the portion of the city that was in the WORST condition; Nehemiah began by examining those walls that were likely to be in the BEST condition. Why? Because builders of God’s Kingdom discipline themselves to look for strengths before they look for weaknesses.
Typically, the church does things the other way around. We make heroic efforts and invest precious resources to salvage failing ministries, instead of building on our strengths. Ken Chrisler, the new Director of the Detroit Methodist Union sat in my office a couple weeks ago and said, “It’s time for the church to stop pouring all our resources into rescuing dying churches – I want to invest in churches that are doing creative, effective ministry.”
We get it backwards in our relationships, as well. In our marriages and families, we tend to harp on the shortcomings and forget to be thankful for the strengths we see in our loved ones. I’ve seen parents destroy their children’s self esteem by concentrating too much on correcting perceived limitations and giving too little notice of their child’s God-given gifts. It is all too easy to see where the walls and gates are in poor repair. We have no trouble finding faults and pointing out problems. But it takes a special kind of character to discern decency, to celebrate strengths, to draw out the best in others.
That said, sometimes when we look at things in such a state of disrepair, it’s almost impossible to stay positive – unless we remember that God is in the picture! Unless we envision what is possible through God’s gracious power and love.
Certainly that was true of Nehemiah. As he toured the ravaged city of Jerusalem, he saw nothing but hopeless destruction; burned out buildings and gates; the streets piled with rubbish heaps; people picking through the garbage to find something to eat. Their health and their hopes were haggard with relentless poverty.
He addressed those discouraged, apathetic people – not with a word of judgment – for they had been trying to rebuild for three years – but with a word of hope. He helped them picture the possibilities, and offered an opportunity to DO something about their circumstances, saying, “Come, let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalem, and we will no longer be in disgrace.’ I also told them about the gracious hand of my God upon me.”
Friends, Nehemiah reminds us that no matter how bad things look, builders never stop picturing what is possible when God shows up! God is “able to accomplish abundantly far more than all we can ask or imagine.” Say that with me: God is able – to accomplish abundantly – far more – than all we can ask for – or imagine! God is able to rehabilitate your life! God is able to restore your relationships! God is able to revitalize this congregation! God is able to renew the face of the earth! Friends, do you hear it? God is able to accomplish abundantly, far more than we can ask for or even imagine!
In his ground-breaking book, Experiencing God, Henry Blackaby says that the chief problem confronting humanity today is not a lack of resources, but the lack of a God-sized vision. I believe this is true.
Our nation will rise high above the partisan deadlock, when our leaders begin to picture a dream of mutual sacrifice and creative partnership that is grand enough to stir again the brightest embers of the American spirit. Our children will rise above their preoccupation with the latest techno-toys and designer clothes, when their parents and grandparents begin to picture for them a sacred destiny and a spiritual discipline that inspires them beyond a lust for the good life, toward a longing to live a life that is truly good. Our corporations will rise above the scandals of our time only as their executives are picturing for their employees and shareholders a vision for contributing to the common good and not just their bottom line. Our churches will rise above their sleepy sanctuaries, when the people of God are once again seized with a vision of the King and His Kingdom – a vision that moves us beyond comfortable rituals and polite relationships and compels us to re-present Christ to the world – to be a beacon of light in this present darkness.
The writer of Proverbs says: “Where there is no vision, the people perish.” (Proverbs 29:18). But when God’s vision is seen and spoken of; when people are willing to step out in faith and move towards God’s vision, then anything is possible. I’m convinced that our families, workplaces, social circles and churches need ALL of us to be visionary leaders. And it won’t be enough to speak of our vision. We must live it -- after the example of Jesus Christ, who cast a vision, not merely in words, but with his whole life.
Jesus left the unimaginable comforts of a seat at the right hand of power and glory to make the long and difficult journey to and through a broken world. He was obedient for the long haul – even unto death on a cross. He rested for three days in the tomb, before beginning the great work of rebuilding his kingdom – which his dying and rising made possible. And while he saw all the brokenness of this world, he held in his mind the wisest of plans.
He carefully selected a few ordinary people. He invested time and attention in them – took them from place to place – showed them the magnitude of human need and awakened in the, a heart for God’s people. He told stories and asked questions – he modeled servanthood and sacrifice, trusting that these would have an irresistible influence. And in the process, Jesus Christ began the greatest renovation project in the history of this world – one that continues to this day.
So, my brothers and sisters, let us learn and live the way of Jesus – so that when it comes time to leave this sanctuary, we will have what we need to be “builders of his eternal kingdom” – for that is what we have been called to be. Amen.
Sermon Note: I am indebted to Daniel Meyer for his research and insight into this text.
Rev. Tonya M. Arnesen
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