Studies in Nehemiah

Studies in Nehemiah Presentation 11

The Fruit Of Consecration Chapter 11v1-36 Presentation 11

Introduction Years ago a friend took me into his workshop to see some semi precious stones he was about to polish. To be truthful, many of them looked downright dull. They had been picked up from the beach though I am sure I would have walked right past them without giving them a second glance. But when I saw the polished stone I was amazed at what had been produced from such unpromising beginnings. Now some passages in God's word may on the surface appear dull and uninteresting. We are tempted to walk past them. But if we spend a little time working at the text we might be surprised by the results. This chapter which many skip because it looks uninteresting, falls into that category. Presentation 11

Background In order to understand the significance of the names listed, we need to remind ourselves of what has gone before. Nehemiah had left his plush job in the palace in Susa and returned to Jerusalem because the city of God lay in ruins and its people discouraged. His burden and vision was to see the city rebuilt. Not because he had an interest in architecture, or in historical restoration but because of God’s purposes of salvation. He realised that God's plan of salvation was tied up with the city and more particularly with the people who lived there. Presentation 11

Background The people had given themselves enthusiastically to the work of rebuilding. They were gripped with a sense of excitement at being caught up in God's purposes. They experienced considerable opposition. There were pressures from outside and from within, which were calculated to bring the work to a standstill, but all these measures failed. We have noted that the work was carried out by a minority of committed people. Indeed from 7v4-5 we learn of Nehemiah's concern that so few people were committed to the work. Presentation 11

Background The walls were completed. After which some of the people gathered to celebrate the feast of booths. They asked to have God's word read to them and soon realised that their ultimate safety did not rest in the strength of their walls but in God. They wanted to know him and his ways better but the implication of that request soon became clear. They learned from God's word that they'd failed God and wandered in their obedience. That understanding broke their hearts and paved the way for spiritual restoration. They experienced the joy of a new beginning with God and experienced a renewed concern to reach out to their Jewish brethren who'd shown little interest in coming to the feast. Presentation 11

Background At the end of the seven day feast, a large number of Israelites gathered in solemn assembly. They confessed their sins. They recognised the pattern of failure that had marked their national history as well as their own lives and they wanted to make a fresh start with God. The people then entered into a covenant with God resolving to live distinctive and godly lives. This consecration was expressed in practical terms as they dealt with what they knew to be wrong in their lives. We also noted a fresh commitment to God’s service. Presentation 11

The Peopling Of Jerusalem After the rebuilding programme there was one significant thing still lacking. There was still a shortage of manpower. Everything was in place except that there was a shortage of people residing in Jerusalem which was of course the very heart of the work. Their presence was necessary in order to ensure its safety and continuance. This reflects Nehemiah's earlier concern in 7v5 that there had not been enough people in the very heart of the work to do what needed to be done. Presentation 11

The Peopling Of Jerusalem The people had just expressed a new depth of consecration and a new willingness to obey. When we consecrate ourselves to God are saying to God, “Our lives are at your disposal. What do you want me to do?” And so Nehemiah says, “God's work needs people to live here in Jerusalem and give themselves to the work”. They are challenged to bear the burden of responsibility with the associated danger of being at the very heart of the work. Sympathy with the work of God is never enough. Telling others what a fine job they are doing is never enough. Participation at some level is what is required. Presentation 11

The Peopling Of Jerusalem Can we translate this into our own situation. When God has awakened our hearts to our sinfulness, forgiven us and graciously restored us, so that we rededicate our lives to him, we need to be aware of what we are doing. God will test the sincerity of our new consecration and may ask of us things that do not naturally appeal. Many of the Israelites who re-consecrated themselves to God would have enjoyed living in the countryside. A move to the city would have been unsettling and unpalatable. But then consecrating ourselves to God is not offering him qualified obedience, but is a submission to his will. Presentation 11

The Fruit of Consecration Perhaps you live on the fringe of your church fellowship. You benefit from the church’s ministry to your infants and teenagers, you approve of its work in the community, yet you remain on the fringe. Can I suggest that the very heart of the church’s work is the prayer meeting. Spurgeon called it the ‘powerhouse’ of his church’s ministry! Where there is no believing prayer the church begins to atrophy, its mission loses momentum and most importantly God can withdraw his presence. How it is possible to say, “I am deeply committed to God’s work, my life is consecrated to him, I am at his disposal”… and yet fail to heed God’s call to pray? Involvement in the church’s prayer life is more than anything else is what ‘living in Jerusalem’ means today. Presentation 11

The Fruit of Consecration What kind of response did Nehemiah's call to ‘live in Jerusalem’ produce? Did people begin to make their excuses? No! Did they get upset that such a thing be asked of them? No! Did they attempt to renegotiate their consecration to God? No! In fact their response was so overwhelming that they had more volunteers than there was room for and as a result they had to draw lots for the privilege of engaging in costly demanding service. This selfless service earned them the commendation of the nation v2. What an encouragement and example these people proved to be. They were living sacrifices! Presentation 11

The Fruit of Consecration We must not lose sight of the fact that these people rose to this challenge only because they had heard and responded to a clear biblical ministry. This should not surprise us for it is what God's Word produces. From time to time school-children have an opportunity to interview ministers. On one occasion a minister was asked what he thought the most important part of his job was. He needed little time to reflect on his answer. He said it was to make God's Word as plain as he could to the people to whom he spoke about God. Presentation 11

The Fruit of Consecration Preaching must be a priority for God's Word alone can challenge and change people's lives. It calls people to a level of consecration that results in sacrificial service - and that in turn can only have a beneficial impact upon society. It has driven men around the world to share the gospel, build hospitals and schools. It has caused people in positions of influence to shape a more caring society. Think of the political and social reforms carried out in the UK. by Wilberforce, Shaftsbury and Fry, or of the work of Barnardo, Quarrier and Muller among the orphans and homeless. They were challenged by scripture and they rose to the challenge. Presentation 11

The Fruit of Consecration You may ask where are the men and women of this calibre in our generation? That is a good question. Of course there are a goodly number around but I suspect that the reason more names do not spring immediately to mind is that we have tried to make our Christian lives less demanding. Often we have been more concerned about keeping young people in the church that we have felt it necessary to dilute the challenge of God's call to serve. We have said, “We must wrap them up in cotton wool and on God's behalf ask the bare minimum of them”. Presentation 11

The Fruit of Consecration Such an approach will not make Christian heroes out of them. Quite the reverse they will be frightened to take a stand for Jesus and find it easier to go with the flow. It is the demand of total consecration that fires young people and provides God-given spunk to take risks for God. Then and only then will they make their mark on society. John Wesley, who was greatly used of God in the C18th revival, wrote in his Journal; “Give me a 100 men who love God with all their hearts and fear nothing but sin and I will move the world”. God gave him his consecrated men, the spiritual fabric of the nation was transformed and a national disaster averted. Presentation 11

Conclusion Can you begin to imagine what God might accomplish in your fellowship from consecrated lives? The chapter continues by listing the names of those who were consecrated to God's work. There is a glorious mixture in this roll of honour. They were quite different not only by way of background and personality but in gifts. Significantly, those who responded to God's challenge were not short of spiritual or material resources to enable them to continue with God’s work. Even the pagan king of Persia, without necessarily appreciating the significance of what he was doing, was involved in supporting the work of God among a consecrated people v23. Presentation 11

Conclusion The people of God in the outlying area beyond Jerusalem also began to experience the blessing of God v25. This is significant because this is the region where Sanballet and Tobiah had been most active. The lesson is clear, when priority is given to the heart of God’s work by a consecrated people, then safety and blessing overflows. Today, when we commit ourselves to the heart of God’s work and engage in sacrificial service then the peripheral issues surrounding our lives will be taken care of. Jesus put the matter simply, “Seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” Matt.6.33 Presentation 11

Studies in Nehemiah