October 17, 2021
This is the last of our four-part message series, Doing Good. We’re looking at the story of how an ordinary person named Nehemiah who does a very good work. Here’s what I know about you: you were created by God; he knew exactly what he was doing when he made you. God gave you gifts and passions, and a desire to do something that makes an eternal difference in the world. Nehemiah was an ordinary person, serving as cupbearer to King Artaxerxes of Persia. Nehemiah’s people, the Jews, had their nation conquered and the city of Jerusalem destroyed by the Babylonians in 587 B.C. 25% of the population of Judah was sent 600 miles away to Babylon. 50 years later, with the Persians now in charge, the Jews were allowed to return, but most didn’t. The people left in Jerusalem tried to rebuild. But when it came to the wall, nothing happened. 90 years after they started rebuilding, the wall, the city’s protection, was still broken down and the gates of the wall were burned. Nehemiah heard about what Jerusalem looked like from his brother, and his heart sank. So, against all odds, he gets permission and supplies from the King of Persia, the most powerful king in the world. Nehemiah travels 600 miles to Jerusalem where he rallies the people to build the wall. In today’s message, Nehemiah is still building, and needs to shut the door on distractions.
We all know a lot about distractions. We’ve been through a time of distractions. Kids have gone to school online and found how challenging it is to focus on a computer screen all day. Kids have pets, and toys and maybe a brother or sister at home to distract them. Parents working at home are distracted by their kids. Sometimes we just have to do our best to stay focused, unitl a new day has come!
For a long time, I wanted to go camping in a yurt, which is a round tent with a wooden frame, like they have in Mongolia. Kevin and I went to a yurt at Tuscarora state Park a month ago, just for an overnight. We enjoyed cooking outside over the fire pit. We made s’mores. We enjoyed looking at the fire. We took a night walk in the dark. But after that, there wasn’t much to do. There was no TV, no internet, and that helped us get to bed much earlier. It was different, calming to get away where you have less distractions!
Because we live in a world with a lot of stuff that distracts us and gets us off track, how do we shut the door on distractions so we can do a good thing?
Last week we talked about how so often opposition arises when you try to do a good thing. Today we are going to take about how distractions also arise when you’re trying to do a good thing.
Nehemiah had to deal with distractions. He didn’t have a cell phone or a TV. But there were people who tried to distract him from rebuilding the wall around Jerusalem.
We’re in chapter 6, and at this point, Nehemiah has rebuilt the wall around Jerusalem, and rebuilt the gates in the wall: The fish gate, old gate, valley gate, dung gate, water gate (yes, they had watergate!) horse gate, Inspection Gate and the sheep gate. But Nehemiah isn’t finished. He still has to set the doors in the gates. Nehemiah’s enemies from other provinces have been giving him trouble since he started rebuilding. Here in chapter 6, they do their best to keep Nehemiah from finishing.
We hear from Nehemiah’s enemies in chapter 6 verse 2. They say to him, “Come, let us meet together in one of the villages on the plain of Ono.” Here is a tip, whatever you do, never meet with your enemies in a place called Ono! Don’t go to Ono.
Nehemiah knew they were scheming to harm him, so Nehemiah sent someone to tell them, chapter 6 v. 3. “I am doing a great work and I cannot come down. Why should the work stop while I leave it and go down to you?”
What great wisdom: “I am doing a great work and I cannot come down.” Nehemiah’s enemies try four more times to get him to go to Ono. Nehemiah wasn’t born yesterday. He knows what they’re trying to do. So five times he says no to Ono.
Since that doesn’t work, his enemies try something else. In v. 6 they send Nehemiah a letter that says,
“’It is reported among the nations—and Geshem says it is true—that you and the Jews are plotting to revolt, and therefore you are building a wall.’” The letter claims, “you are about to become their king.”
Nehemiah replies, “Nothing like what you are saying is happening; you are just making it up out of your head.”
Then Nehemiah prays to God, “’Now strengthen my hands.’”
Nehemiah is almost done with this project! That’s why his enemies are working harder than ever to distract him.
Distractions can seem harmless. But it’s really a matter of life and death for Nehemiah and the people of this city. If they don’t get this wall finished and receive the protection and security it provides from their enemies, an enemy can come. An opponent could kill and destroy and take away the progress they have made on this wall, on their city, and on rebuilding their lives. His enemies really try everything they can think of to distract Nehemiah, but they can’t. Because he knows what is most important. And it’s easier to say no when you know what you are saying yes to.
Nehemiah: is like a horse with blinders on! He’s moving straight ahead, he has a purpose, he’s not looking to the left or right! He has his workers focused, too. They don’t leave the city and go home at night. They work on the wall and the gates of the wall during the day, and they sleep at the wall at night to provide security. No distractions are allowed! The workers want to get home and change their clothes; it’s been over a month! But no distractions are allowed! That’s what we have to do in a world of distraction: we can take time to change our clothes, but we have to get laser focused on the important work God has given us.
Jesus was not easily distracted. In the story from Luke 5:12-16 today, he heals a man with leprosy. Jesus tells the man not to tell people about his healing, but he says just go to the priest and do the sacrifices to be declared clean so you can rejoin society.
Jesus does not even want praise because it could distract him from his work and his purpose. Still, people hear about the healing Jesus did, and crowds come to him to be healed. Yet even though crowds of people are seeking Jesus for healing, he often withdraws to lonely places and prays.
Jesus knew his purpose was to be one with the father. His purpose wasn’t to satisfy everyone. His purpose was to do the will of God. So, he would often withdraw from people to pray. He had important work to do: to follow God, and he wouldn’t be distracted.
Nehemiah also knew he had important work to do: That’s why he says in Nehemiah 6:3, “I am doing a great work and I cannot come down.” Because it’s easier to say no when you know what you are saying yes to.
Jesus and Nehemiah were experts at shutting the door on distractions. They prayed and sought God often. And, they were crystal clear on what was most important for them to do.
There are a million things each of us can do every day. But do you know what your most important work is? Maybe you work, but someone in your family or a friend really needs you in this season. It’s ok to put family or friends first because that’s your most important work at the moment. Maybe you realize you need to make your health a priority over other matters in this season, or else you won’t be here! Focus on taking good care of yourself. If you’re building something and you want to finish it, make that your priority.
That’s my challenge for your this week, is to ask God, “What is most important for me to do in this season? What is my good work right now?” You need to know what your most important work is, so you can say no to all the things and people who try to distract you. Let’s practice what we’re going to tell people, say “I’m doing a good work…and I cannot come down.” It’s easier to say no, when you know what you are saying yes to.
Nehemiah and the Jewish people finished that wall! They said no to distractions. Nehemiah 6:15-16 says, “So the wall was completed on the twenty-fifth of Elul, in fifty-two days.
16 When all our enemies heard about this, all the surrounding nations were afraid and lost their self-confidence, because they realized that this work had been done with the help of our God.”
That wall was not just protection. That beautiful, rebuilt wall was a testimony to the glory of God.
We are all called to do important work with the help of our God. When we pray to God for help, and determine what is most important, we can say “Oh NO!” to a trip to Ono, and no to all the other things that keep us from the great work God calls us to. Amen.
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