Do the work, make a difference

Part 2 of Doing Good message series 

Oct. 3, 2021 

We are in a message series called doing good, based on an incredible story from the Old Testament about an ordinary guy named Nehemiah. Something broke his heart and I’m guessing that there’s probably something that bothers you when you see it in the world, some injustice, something that weighs on you. It might be people who are hurting, maybe those who have been abused. It’s a divine burden that disturbs you and moves you to act in a significant way. Maybe like Nehemiah, you’ll see a need and decide you have to do something about it. Today’s message is “Do the work, make a difference.”  

We learned last week that in 587 B.C. the Babylonian king destroyed Jerusalem and sent 25% of the Jewish population to Babylon, 600 miles away. 50 years later Persia conquered the Babylonians, and so the Jews in exile were allowed to return to their homeland, but most didn’t. Those remaining in Jerusalem started to rebuild, but years later, the walls of Jerusalem were still in disrepair. The city was unprotected. Nehemiah was living far away in Babylon, but his heart broke over the state of the people and over the city his family was from way back. He had a passion to make things better. Some of you who are listening right now have a passion from God about something that matters and that qualifies you to make a difference. So, Nehemiah cried about Jerusalem, prayed to God, and he decided to act. He thought, “Somebody’s got to do something, and it might as well be me!” 

We’re in chapter 2, and at this point Nehemiah has spent two months, upset, fasting and praying to God for help. This is crucial! Nehemiah doesn’t just jump into action. No. He needs God’s help if this huge task is going to happen! Nehemiah needs a crazy amount of courage to approach his boss, the king of Persia, for a leave of absence from his job as cupbearer to the king, and for the mountain of supplies and soldiers he needs to get to Jerusalem and rebuild that wall! He’s praying: God give me the words, give me wisdom, direct my steps. Nehemiah calls on God for help. 

One day Nehemiah is working, he takes the wine to the king and the king says, Nehemiah, you look sad, what’s up? The king of Persia is the wealthiest, the most powerful man in the world, the king of the Persian empire! This was the largest empire in the history of the world at that point! Nehemiah is shaking in his sandals, but he says to the king, I’m sad because the city where my ancestors are buried lies in ruins, and its gates have been destroyed by fire! 

The king said, “What is it you want?” Nehemiah prayed to God before answering, and then he made a God-sized request, a huge ask. Nehemiah decided to shoot for the moon and see how much he could get! 

Nehemiah asks: Let me have a leave of absence to go rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. And can I also have letters to the governors of the regions I will travel through on my way, so they will allow me safe passage? AND can I have timber, oh king, from your forest for my building project? The crazy thing is, the king gave Nehemiah everything he asked for, and he also threw in some army officers and cavalry for protection! 

This is an amazing story, but it shows us when you call on God in prayer, you might get more help than you can imagine! 

So, Nehemiah travelled safely to Jerusalem, bringing with him a massive amount of building supplies. Now he needs to convince the people of Judah to help build the wall. Nehemiah spends three days checking out Jerusalem and seeing the state it is in. In chapter 2 v. 17 Nehemiah finally speaks to them, “You see the trouble we are in: Jerusalem lies in ruins, and its gates have been burned with fire.” His words are true, but people often don’t like to hear bad things about their town. 

27 years ago, someone from Tamaqua wrote in the newspaper that the town of Tamaqua looks terrible. There was a lot of response, people writing into the newspaper and talking to each other. Some people said, “No it doesn’t! Tamaqua doesn’t look terrible.” And others said, “You know, you’re right.” 

There was truth to both sides. You love your hometown. Wonderful people live there. You don’t want to insult it. But it needed rebuilding, beautification, there should be more opportunities for recreation and education and sights to see. There was a problem with Tamaqua. 27 years ago, someone pointed out the problem. And it stirred controversy.  

But enough people cared to start a committee with the vision: To improve quality of life and make a real difference in the lives of people who live in Tamaqua. They started fixing things, raising money, and applying for grants. They saved the train station, started an art center and turned an abandoned shoe factory into apartments.  

Once the committee starting fixing things up, people decided to fix up their homes. Tamaqua is a better place, and the borough keeps getting those grants: the latest grant is over 5 million to make apartments in the upper floors of downtown buildings. They, like Nehemiah, make really big asks! 

It started with someone saying: we have a problem. They let it break people’s hearts, like Nehemiah’s heart was broken. 

So back to Nehemiah, the people of Jerusalem had to see, they had to open their eyes and see their city lies in ruins. Some things had been rebuilt. The temple was rebuilt. But it was not at all like Solomon’s grand temple. Still, they needed the wall and its gates rebuilt.  

Then Nehemiah says, “Come, let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalem, and we will no longer be in disgrace.” Nehemiah also told the people how God had been gracious to him, and that the king of Persia, the most powerful man in the world, had helped him and told him to go build that wall! 

The people could see how much Nehemiah cared about Jerusalem! Why, he took a leave of absence from his job, and was brave enough to ask for all the help he could from the King of Persia. But Nehemiah wasn’t going to build the wall without the help of the people in Jerusalem. They had to want to rebuild their city.  

The people said, “Let us start rebuilding.” They could tell Nehemiah cared. They could see a lot of work was ahead, but they were inspired to help. When you show you care, and call on God in prayer, you can make a difference. 

Not everybody was happy about the rebuilding. These guys named Sanballat, Tobiah and Gersham mocked and ridiculed Nehemiah. There will always be somebody who’s a negative Nellie or a no way Ned! But Nehemiah didn’t let that stop him. He saw there were so many people who wanted to rebuild.  

We’re going to hear more about the troublemakers in the next two weeks, because they keep complaining and causing trouble! And we’ll hear how to stand strong in the face of opposition and cut out distractions.  

What do you do if you want to change the world? You do it in bite sized pieces! You call on God. Nehemiah did that for two months. Then you get up your nerve to ask for the help you need: Nehemiah asked for only the sun and moon from the king of Persia. And he got that and more! One step at a time. You do the next right thing. You step out in faith. In our gospel reading from John today, Jesus says, “You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you.” Jesus says we’re here to bear fruit. We’re here to do good. Whatever you ask in Jesus’ name, the Father will give you, because the father’s purpose for you is that you bear fruit and do good. 

My homework for you is to ask yourself, when it comes to the good you want to do, what is the next step? What is the next right thing you can do? Is it praying for two months? Is it making a big ask of someone? Is it showing people how much you care? What is your next step? 

Nehemiah left his comfortable job in a thriving city, because his heart was broken over the state of Jerusalem. He took so many risks, to do good. You would think the people right there in Jerusalem would have rebuilt the wall, but they got lost in despair and depression. Nehemiah’s superpower was God. God guided his steps, and helped him moving forward, doing the next right thing. His story shows us that when you show you care, and you call on God in prayer, you can begin a good work, and make a difference. Amen.