When the walls at Jerusalem were built Nehemiah was careful to record the name of every person who helped so that future generations would know. He did this to bring glory to God because He knew that it was God who had brought them together. Our names are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life and because of this God has a plan for our lives. We are here to bring glory to His name.
Chapters 1 and 2 told of the strength of Nehemiah’s relationship with God. His prayers were genuine and heart-felt. I know that many of you have identified with that in your own lives. The prompting of God causing us to pray recently has solely been to show you how timely His answers have been or will be. Chapter 3 is all to do with the record of those who built the walls of Jerusalem. There were ten gates in Jerusalem: the sheep gate, the fish gate, the old gate, the valley gate, the dung gate, the fountain gate, the water gate, the horse gate, the east gate and the inspection gate. The gates had to be repaired and so did the walls in between the gates and there were only a certain number of people who were able to do that. Here and there, in chapter three, it becomes apparent how delegated jobs to the people.
Nehemiah 3:1-4
First three verses we come across the fish gate and the sheep gate. The sheep gate had something about it because it was sanctified and was built by the priests. It is very significant that our lives are grounded in the faith of God and what He has done for us. He is the door of the sheepfold. The priest here is recorded specifically by Nehemiah.
Nehemiah 3:4-5
You get the gist of this. There’s a sense in which there’s a joint effort going on here. I want to emphasize the fact that everyone mentioned in this chapter was pulling the same weight. They were aware of the fact that they were doing something that was not welcome by the fraternity, but they knew this was something they had to do. It was like a sort of scrum in a rugby match where the players bind tightly together. The binding together was a distinct purpose born of God. Unfortunately, in v.4 the Tekoites put not their necks to the work of their Lord. The Tekoites were the nobles. There’s something sad and unnerving about the situation where you have a number of people, seventy-two listed here, joined together as one and yet a few decided not to put their necks to the work of the Lord.
Nehemiah 3:6-8
All sorts of occupations. It’s very easy to translate this into our own situation. Each one of us has our own abilities. When we come in here there’s a common bond – the faith of Jesus Christ. We are brothers and sisters in Him. There’s a sense in which where we are at the moment going forward fulfilling God’s purposes for His church. It’s time for us to link up together going forward.
Nehemiah was very aware that family by family they joined together as one.
Nehemiah 3:9-12
There are families involved here; Shallum and his daughters. It came to the point that they were building with a trowel in one hand and a sword in the other hand. There was a task they had to do; opposition was not going to stop them. At each gate there was a group of people getting on with what God wanted them to do, it was specific for each person. To the end that the walls would be built. Young and old were involved, there was nobody on the side lines. Everyone together. It must have been a sight to see.
As I thought about these names that are recorded here I began to think about your name and where your name is already recorded. I just want to look at a few scriptures relating to that.
Luke 10:17-20
When Jesus spoke to the seventy He empowered them. The work that God has for you you will do as unto Him, it’s His church. The tasks that He has for us will bring glory to Him. As we lift up His name collectively, so it is He will draw others to Himself. We should not just rejoice in the work that we are going to be getting on with, we should rejoice because our names are written in heaven.
Isaiah 4:2-3
Your name is written in the Lamb’s Book of Life. With your name written there, as a result of what Jesus Christ has done for you, you know that our position is secure, seated in the heavenlies. We are seated with Him in the heavenlies. Why? So that we can walk in the ways He has prepared for us and so that we can make a stand for Him. It is as if we are collectively on top of a hill and the enemy of our souls is always trying to come up the hill, and the armour we put on is purely defensive. We are not going down the hill to fight, we are merely defending. Your name is written in the Lamb’s Book of Life so that you will bring glory to His name. Each of us has a work to do.
Hebrews 12:18-25
This is the time when our work is to be co-workers with Him. Sharing the good news of the Gospel with others, so that they can become part of His church worldwide. Our situation is secure in Him through His wonderful grace. He wants us to, both individually and corporately, reach out to others in need. It is His love in us reaching out to others. We are here to glorify Him.
Revelation 21:25-27
That’s where security is. Your name is in the Lamb’s Book of Life. For the glory that was set before Him He endured the cross. That glory was His church, the heavenly Jerusalem. Tonight I’m confirming to you that your name is written in the Lamb’s Book of Life. As a result of that there is a work for you to do. That’s not something we have to work out, we just have to lift His name up. Our lives are going to be a testimony to what He has done. We know the power of sin broken in our lives. There are people waiting for us to share the gospel with them. Our names are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life.
You can imagine Nehemiah carefully recording every name of every person who worked on that wall, because everyone had put their hand to their plough and he believed it was important for future generations to see who had done the work. Nehemiah knew that what he was recording was bringing glory to God because it was God that had brought them together.
Ephesians 4:13-16
Jesus Christ is in charge of His church, He knows what He’s doing. This year we are going to see miraculous things, we are going to see people met. Now is the time when collectively we need to draw together because the enemy of our souls will try to stop us. As, in Nehemiah’s time, there is a specific work which God has for each of you here to do. He is already showing you what that work is. My responsibility before God is to identify and steer, by God’s Holy Spirit, to what collectively we can do. We can have a huge impact on many people in many ways. Is that to build us up? No. It’s to share the wonderful good news of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We will fulfil God’s purpose in this place no matter what loud noises occur off-stage. We will set ourselves to the work that God has given us each to do. When Nehemiah started recording these names I’m sure He was meticulous in recording every single person that got involved. The reason for reading the section in Ephesians is all to do with v. 16: “From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.” We shall be known by the love that we have for one another.
Our names are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life. It will be that as we go forward together the glory will be to His name. We will see, undoubtedly, that it has been God who has brought things about. The way we have been protected since March last year has definitely been Him. He has things prepared that we will walk into for His glory.
Friday, 30 January 2009
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