Pastor Linnecar looks at the warning sound of the trumpet in Nehemiah, and what it means in our own lives, individually and as a church.
We’ve been looking at Nehemiah. This was a person who, when he heard that Jerusalem was in disarray, got permission from the king and went there to organise the rebuilding. There was opposition to this. In chapters 1, 2 and 4 we see those who were contrary to the project – Sanballat and Tobiah. They mocked what he was trying to do. He surveyed the scene before undertaking the task.
Nehemiah 4:13
There was no one without a weapon. We saw the importance of our sword – the Word of God, constantly our touchstone and our strength. Faith comes by hearing the Word of God.
Nehemiah 4:18... And he that sounded the trumpet was by me.
God can get our attention very easily. And at times He specifically makes it very clear what He wants us to do and which direction He wants us to take.
I want to talk about the trumpet, where God in His love and mercy calls us to do and be what He wants.
Nehemiah 4:19
The work is great and large. I was thinking about this in the context of someone here who sees such a mountain inside – so large that it seems impossible that mountain can be removed. A mountain of sin, of iniquity. The rebuilding of the walls is to do with not just the walls of our lives, but also the walls of the church, and this morning we’ll see what it means to help one another in the building.
Hebrews 12:1
It’s a great work, a large work which Jesus Christ did on the cross.
2 Corinthians 5:19
A great work, a large work. There is no one in this hall this morning who cannot partake of that work of the Lord Jesus Christ – no one for whom the work of the cross is irrelevant. It’s vital for you. It’s for you today.
A great work, a large work. And as we consider Nehemiah and the great work he was undertaking – ten massive gates to be restored, swathes of walls to be rebuilt ... When God sorted out His great work for you and me in Christ Jesus, there was no way He would be swerved from completing it. The completion of His great work is entirely for you individually and for us collectively.
Nehemiah didn’t want people working on one gate to be detached from those on others. He didn’t want people to be picked off.
1 Peter 5:5
Our adversary seeks to pick off, to isolate, to bring people into condemnation, to lock people up in their minds so they can’t speak to anyone. His hallmark is division – husband from wife, parents from children, brother from brother, sister from sister in the church. Nehemiah was aware of this – if there was a problem on one side, you needed people to get over and help. He didn’t want anyone to think they were on their own. They weren’t.
The enemy struts about. A lot of noise, dramatics, antics. Resist him steadfast in the faith.
I like reading out things from Romania, from Pakistan, that broaden our perspective. God knows what He is doing. And I want you to know that there is a body of people called of God to be in this place who are here, brothers and sisters with you.
What was the joy set before Him? That you and I would be members of His church worldwide.
I’m assuming you are here this morning because this is where He’s put you. If He wants you somewhere else then that’s where you need to be. But this morning, we’re here all together.
Nehemiah 4:20
“Wherever the trumpet sounds, I want you to come. And our God shall fight for us.”
v18 says that the person who sounded the trumpet was by Nehemiah. So Nehemiah was alerted to what was going on. God alerted Him. And wherever He knew that support was needed, he could summon the people.
Then we’ll all be together at the point of need, and our God shall fight for us. It’s not as a result of us all being together that we’ll do things – but because we’re all together, our God shall fight.
We had a meeting of Springboard yesterday. Someone asked why we have church – why we meet together. There’s something about meeting together which brings a strength, when we praise God together and when we affirm the common bond of our life in Christ and the faith in our hearts.
Hebrews 10:23
We’re not to forsake the assembling of ourselves together – we’re to consider one another etc. Let us hold fast the profession of our faith. I love it when we’re all together, and we hold fast the profession of our faith and provoke one another to good works.
The people were to listen for the sound, and to move the moment they heard it. And as they moved and combined, their God would fight for them. God lives within each of us, but there is a mighty moving force in the church of God.
How should we help one another? If the trumpet sounds and we go to help, how should we be?
1 Corrinthians 12:25
If someone is suffering, it affects everyone. If someone is honoured, it affects everyone – we rejoice with them.
Philippians 2:2
It’s not “Me, me, me.” I’m in a church, linked up with brothers and sisters. The trumpet sounds, and I need to help where I can.
Galatians 6:2
Galatians 5:14
That’s the law fulfilled in one word:
Leviticus 19:18
You love God with all your heart, and love your neighbour as yourself.
There’s something about the trumpet sounding, that God seeks to get your attention. And it’s not a vague hope. He manages very easily and at the right time to get your attention. For some of you, this is a crucial time in your life. Why? The trumpet has sounded. There’s a jolt to the system.
There’s a very telling account of the need for the trumpet to sound:
Ezekiel 33:1
Is God being fair? Yes. If the trumpet sounds for you to realise that on your own you can’t manage your life ... if you hear the trumpet, and you know it means there will be an assessment of your life ... if you hear the sound of the trumpet and take warning, you’ll deliver your soul.
Ezekiel 33:6
What does this verse mean for me? I have to be faithful to preach God’s word. I have to bring to anyone’s attention what God intends. I’m not special – this is just what I’m meant to do. And if I don’t do it, it will affect me. The trumpet sounds for a reason.
Ezekiel 33:11
Ezekiel 33:15
If you know the right way to live and then don’t live that way, scripture says that’s sin. It may well be with the pressures in your life ... you’ve been painting the floor of your house and you’ve painted yourself into the corner of the room, and there’s nowhere to go, and the trumpet has sounded.
The moment you hear the sound of the trumpet, come over to the wall and God will fight for us. The trumpet sounded in your life is a warning. But it’s not a warning from a despot who wants to kill you. It’s a warning from a God of love who is saying, turn, repent, live right, be right. That’s the way I want you to be.
You’d think that a trumpet sounding would be clear cut. And yet we have:
Jeramiah 6:16
There’s a trumpet sounding, and the trumpet is for you as an individual and for us collectively to walk the way of God. It’s very clear.
What’s your reaction going to be in your life? Our God shall fight for us. His work was great and large. His work affected the whole world. The cross ... Jesus gave His life to break the power of sin and bring forgiveness for you, to change you on the inside, so that you are free to walk right. You don’t become a robot, but you’re free to live right.
And as a church, these verses are about how we should help each other. When the trumpet sounds, resort hither. Are you forever going to exist in a rumour mill of pulling someone down? No! Full stop. Our God shall fight for us.
Nehemiah 4:21
No let up. We laboured in the work from dawn to dark.
Nehemiah 4:22
They always had their weapons with them – steadfast, resolute, determined.
Nehemiah 6:16 And it came to pass, that when all our enemies heard thereof, and all the heathen that were about us saw these things, they were much cast down in their own eyes: for they perceived that this work was wrought of our God.
It’s the goodness of God which causes us to repent. It’s His goodness. He’s not some malevolent being. By His Holy Spirit it’s the goodness of God which leads us to repentance.
People will see you as an individual and us as a church and will say, “This work was wrought of our God.”
There’s a clarity, a freedom. There’s praise for God for what He did on the Cross and how He rose from the dead.
The following speaks oft he God with whom we deal:
Ephesians 1:18
That’s the power – the power that raised Jesus from the dead. When I looked into the grave at my aunt’s funeral recently, there was no death. She’s not there. Grave, where is thy victory, death where thy sting?
It’s the goodness of God that leads to repentance. How’s the timing in your life? The timing is perfect because Jesus Christ our loving heavenly father is organising things. The trumpet is clear. We all hear it. And whether it’s causing us to pray, to read His word, to share with one another, He’s bringing it to pass.
It’s the church. There’s something about the fact that I’m linked to you, and you’re linked to the person next to you. He wants you to live right. That’s’ why the trumpet is sounding so clearly to as individuals and to us as a church.
When you hear the trumpet sound, resort thither. Now is the time. His body, the fullness of Him that filleth all in all. It’s the goodness of God which leads us to repentance. Our God shall fight for us.
Sunday, 8 February 2009
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