Preacher's Corner

From the Preachers Desk

Nehemiah 1:1-3

“What Kind of Man Was Nehemiah?”

(Continued from last week) Nehemiah used wisdom in planning the work (Neh. 3). Nehemiah spread the work out among the people. He knew how to get people involved in the building program. He realized that it would take a joint effort, if the wall was to be rebuilt. They worked together, and because they worked together, they were able to rebuild the wall. The church is to work together in building up the body. Paul stated in Philippians 1:27, “…[w]ith one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel…” The word ‘striving’ in the Greek literally portrays an athletic contest. Paul here thought of the Philippians as a team, cooperatively working against all opposition to uphold and defend ‘the faith which was once for all delivered unto the saints’ (Jude 3)”. All Christians should strive together for the up-building of the body of Christ (Eph. 4:12).

He recognized that they were working for God (4:20; 2:18, 20). Since the work was spread out, and the workers were relatively few for the size of the job, they could not defend every foot of the wall. The plan was: If the enemy attacked, the trumpet would be sounded at the point of attack; the workers were to rush to the defense of that place. The main thing to remember is that God would be on their side, doing whatever was necessary to affect their safety. In chapter 2: 18, Nehemiah stated, "Then I told them of the hand of my God which was good upon me; as also the king's words that he had spoken unto me. And they said, Let us rise up and build. So they strengthened their hands for this good work." At this point he produced the documents which gave them authority to prosecute the construction. He described how God's hand had been with him, and repeated the words the king had spoken to him regarding the work. They could see the need for the work, and knowing now that they had the authority and means by which to do it, they united in their resolve to "rise up and build." They strengthened their hands for the task. Ministers are “workers together with God” (1 Cor. 3:9). We are not laboring alone, but with God; not as co-ordinate, but as subordinate workers; for though we labour in planting and watering, yet we bear no part with Him in giving the increase; He is the husbandman, and we are the laborers under Him, however Her works with us and because of this, our labor is not in vain (1 Cor. 15:58).

Nehemiah refused to compromise with the enemy (6:2-4).Having tried ridicule and physical violence to defeat Nehemiah; they now concocted a plot by which to get him to compromise. If the meeting they proposed had been conducted as they sought, Nehemiah would have had to compromise with them; he had nothing to gain and everything to lose; the Samaritans had everything to gain, and nothing to lose by meeting with Nehemiah. Christians cannot and should not compromise their faith. Paul charged Timothy to “[p]reach the word” (2 Tim. 4:2). He was to preach it weather people wanted the truth or not. We must not compromise the churches where we worship. Too many times our congregations are pressured to change some things for the sake of numerical growth; however, change can be damming. John stated that we must continue in the doctrine of Christ (2 Jn. 9-10). Not only are there those who teach false doctrine but there are also those who are in the body of Christ and are yet enemies of the cross (Phil. 3:18-19). There primary concern is to please themselves. As Christians, we must never allow compromise to become something that will destroy the Lord’s Church as we know it (Continue next week).