Nehemiah 2:5-10

[Re]Vision I: Strategies for Pursuing God’s Call

Since the first of this year, we have been studying the Book of Nehemiah together. After attending the National Congress on Evangelism and hearing the alarming statistics about our denomination and then, after coming home and doing a 20 year analysis of our own church, God pressed upon me the need to address His call to renewal and rebuilding the brokenness of the church.

And as we have learned, the Book of Nehemiah is all about rebuilding. It’s about how God seeks to rebuild and restore his movement upon this earth and how God seeks to rebuild and restore broken people and broken lives. And so, we have been taking a look at what we can learn from this story of Nehemiah.

And what we’ve come to understand, is that, just as in Nehemiah’s day, it has always been evil’s intent to destroy God’s movement on this planet. But God’s purposes will not be thwarted or overcome by evil. God is continually seeking to rebuild and restore. And the way that God does this is through people … people, who become aware of God’s concern for the broken places in this world. People whose hearts break for the things that break the heart of God.

But more than just become aware of God’s concern, the difference in this world is made by people who move from “awareness” to “action”. Those who make a difference for God in this world, are those who “recognize” and then “respond” to God’s call. They are “servants” who submit their will to God, not “volunteers” who assert their will to God.

Today, we are going to talk about how we develop winning strategies for pursuing God’s call. Once we make this transition from “awareness” to “action”, we have to develop a strategy that will enable our actions to be successful. And what we see in this 2^nd chapter of Nehemiah, is that Nehemiah had 6 clear strategies that ensured his success. In fact, Nehemiah’s strategy is so good, that he rebuilds the wall of Jerusalem in 52 days against opposition.

When John Wesley, the founder of Methodism, became aware of God’s vision to reform the Church in his day, after much prayer, seeking clarity about God’s call for his life, he articulated his passion as being “To spread Scriptural holiness and to reform the nation.” (And at that time, it was the Church of England.) And in order to make that vision a reality, he had to develop a strategy. In fact, this is where we got our name “Methodist” from. People made fun of John Wesley and his followers because of their methodical approach to the faith.

John Wesley had a detailed strategy for how to bring about “Scriptural holiness and reforming the nation.” And one part of that strategy was to have people come together in small groups for the purpose of growing in Christ and holding each other accountable to the faith. And that still should be the purpose of our small groups and Sunday School Classes today. When people came to these small group meetings in John Wesley’s day, the question was always asked, “How is it with your soul?”

Now, what does that mean? Well, you know what that means. It means, “Are you growing in Christ?” “Are you growing as a disciple of Jesus Christ?” And part of growing in Christ, is that you recognize that a disciple is a “servant leader”. As Christians, we cannot separate those two words. To be a leader means that we are a servant, and if you are a servant, it means that you have leadership influence in the world. And a disciple is a servant leader who understands that our purpose is not to bring the world into the church, but to take the church into the world, so that we can infect and influence every sector of our society. It is crucial that we understand this. This is the spiritual test or barometer of our spiritual health in the church.

The four people that God brings together in the 5^th century B.C. to rebuild the City of God and to renew God’s movement on this earth are Esther, Zerubbabel, Ezra, and Nehemiah. Esther is going to have political influence. Zerubbabel is going to rebuild the Temple, so that means that he is going to have spiritual influence. Ezra is going to have influence in the education sector. If you are ever going to rebuild societies or people, it is going to involve education. And Nehemiah is called to rebuild the wall of the city. Walls have to do with establishing economy and culture. So, as God seeks to renew and rebuild his movement upon this earth, we see all of these dimensions … spiritual, political, education, and culture. We see that God had a strategy to bring about his vision.

And today, we are going to begin taking a look at Nehemiah’s strategy. You see, I think Nehemiah was a good Methodist. He had a very methodical approach for pursuing God’s call in his life. Today, we are going to look at 3 of these strategies and then, next Sunday we will look at the other three. Today, we are going to focus on “Preparation”… “Strategic Partnerships” … and “Trusting in the Providence of God.” These are the first 3 strategies that Nehemiah uses to build his life upon and to pursue God’s call.

Let’s begin with the first one, “Preparation”. This Sunday is Boy Scout Sunday and Nehemiah was a good Boy Scout, because he was prepared. Chapter 2 is the story of Nehemiah’s preparation before he begins to build. We have learned that “brokenness precedes progress”, and that “prayer precedes progress”, and here we learn that “preparation precedes progress.” Now, a lot of us are impatient and we want the achievement of victory right now, but we have to understand that “preparation” precedes achievement.

I think all of us have had this dream in one form or another. You appear for some kind of great exam and you’re not prepared. Have you ever had a dream like that? You see, this is part of our DNA. God has put this within us as a prod, because “if we fail to prepare, we fail to succeed”. This is critical. If we fail to prepare, we fail to succeed. But the right kind of preparation is hard.

As students, we don’t like school, because of the homework, right? And yet, if you’re a student right now, there is a reason that you have to do all these things, because you are preparing for ultimate success in life. And if you fail to prepare, you will fail to succeed. In life, what motivates people to prepare, is the vision of what they want to achieve, right? Well, as we see in Nehemiah, what motivates us as Christians to prepare is the vision of what God is calling us to.

Now, when we talk about vision, the Bible talks about being “born again” and being “born of the Spirit” and this happens when we submit our lives to the process of following Jesus. And the really neat thing about being born again, is that when we are “born again”, we are given the ability to dream God’s dreams. We begin to have the mind of Christ, where we can begin to see God’s preferable future for our lives. That is part of the gift of God’s Holy Spirit within us. We are given a vision of God’s purpose for our lives.

And as a Christian, this vision becomes the passion of your heart. This is why, I asked you last Sunday to seek clarity about where you see the greatest need in the world. Where do you see the greatest need? What is the sadness or the burden that is preoccupying your thoughts? What is the passion that God is putting upon your heart?

The difference between successful people and un-successful people, is that successful people are able to translate that “vision” into “clearly defined actions and timelines”, not just goals, but “clearly defined actions and timelines.

Look at verses 4, 5, & 6 in the 2^nd chapter. “Then the king said to me, “What do you request?” So I prayed to the God of heaven. Then I said to the king, “If it pleases the king, and if your servant has found favor with you, I ask that you send me to Judah, to the city of my ancestors' graves, so that I may rebuild it.” The king said to me, “How long will you be gone, and when will you return?” So it pleased the king to send me, and I set him a date.”

The King asked Nehemiah to articulate his passion. And in the 4^th verse, Nehemiah articulates his passion by saying that he is consumed by the desolation of the city of his ancestors, the City of God. And then, the King opens a door of opportunity for him by asking, “How long will you be gone, and when will you return?”

Nehemiah then says in verse 6, “So it pleased the king to send me and I set him a date.” Now, what does it mean that “he set a date”? Before he began to build or act, he sat down and came up with a strategic action plan and he set a timeline for that strategic action plan to take place.

Here it is the beginning of 2007 and how many of you set goals for the New Year? Now let me ask you, how many of us are still making progress on those goals? You see, most of us make New Year resolutions with good intentions, but unless we develop a strategic action plan with timelines for how we are going to reach those goals, then all we have is “a wish list” and that is all it ever becomes.

Now, as Christians, our strategic action steps should define the course we are going to take this year to reach God’s vision and purpose for our lives. How many of us have set goals for this year that are designed to help us reach God’s vision and purpose for our lives? What goals are we setting that will help us put that passion that God has placed in our hearts into action? In order for those goals to become a reality, we have to take the time to do adequate preparation by developing “clearly defined actions and timelines.”

The second motivation people have for doing diligent preparation in their lives, is that they driven by “a passion for change”. People who are successful in reaching God’s purpose for their lives have a passion for change. They are not satisfied with the status quo. They are consumed with a hunger for restoring God’s purposes in the world.

Often in the news, we hear about various celebrities who are taking up certain causes and trying to use their influence to make a difference. But one of these who has caught my attention, and the attention of the world right now, is the lead singer, Bono, of the Irish rock band named U2. Now, I recognize that many of you may not have clue as to who Bono or U2 is. But, having a teenage son, I try to keep up with these things.

Bono is a professed Christian and follower of Jesus. And he is not content with the success of his band U2. Bono has had tremendous success. He can travel any where in the world today on his private jet. He can stay in $20,000 a day rooms and have a limo meet him wherever he goes, and it would be like me spending $50. But Bono is not content with the success of U2, fame, or wealth. What drives Bono right now? The passion that consumes him is AIDS and poverty. Bono believes that God has placed in his heart the idea that we can eliminate extreme poverty in our generation … not all poverty, but extreme poverty. So, he is literally going all over the world as a warrior for this purpose, networking people all across the world for this purpose. He is consumed with a passion for making a change in the way things are.

People who are committed to diligent preparation are driven by a passion for change. And the third motivation people have for doing diligent preparation in their lives, is that they have a “commitment to sacrifice.” Nehemiah, like Bono, was successful in life. Both Nehemiah and Bono had it made by the world’s terms. Nehemiah was on the executive staff of the King, yet he was willing to leave a good situation and to give his life and his resources for God’s greater purpose. That’s commitment to sacrifice.

Now, Bono is still the lead singer of U2. He didn’t quit the band. He uses his position there as an influence for God’s purpose, just like Nehemiah did. And what this shows us, is that being a servant leader can be a tiring investment of your time. It is a commitment to sacrifice. Folks, we need to understand that we are not fulfilling God’s purpose in our lives and being faithful, just because we come here on Sunday mornings to a religious service maybe once a week. Fulfilling God’s purpose is more than this. It is the commitment of our lives, to being the army of God that is seeking to fulfill God’s purpose in the world.

And whenever we begin to think that serving God is asking too much, we need to think about Jesus. Jesus was up in heaven and it doesn’t get any more comfortable than that. But he came down from heaven to this earth to rebuild broken lives and a broken world. And when he got here, he declared in Mark 10:45, “The Son of Man came not to be served, but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

People who are motivated to doing diligent preparation in their lives are committed to sacrifice. And here’s the fifth characteristic … they practice “self-discipline”. You cannot lead others, if you cannot lead yourself. That’s just a fact of life. But self-discipline is not natural and it is not easy.

As Methodists, John Wesley said that in order for “Scriptural holiness and reform of the nation” to become a reality, those who were servants of God had to lead a disciplined spiritual life. And for Wesley, that included things like: Daily prayer; Daily Scripture reading; Regular Worship; Participation in the Sacraments; Fasting; Doing acts of service for those in need; among other things.

And what I have learned in my own life, is that I need to be doing certain things in my life every day or I won’t be able to pursue God’s purpose for my life. If I am not practicing the spiritual disciplines of prayer, devotion, worship, and service to God daily, then I won’t be able to stay the course and overcome the challenges to pursuing God’s call in my life. And I cannot lead people, if I am unable to lead myself in self-discipline. This is a crucial part of preparation.

The 6^th characteristic or motivation I see in people who are willing to do diligent preparation in their lives … is that they are “resistant to negativity and criticism.” Folks, I am here to tell you, when you step out to fulfill the passion that God has put in your heart, believe me, you will meet with opposition and resistance.

Look at what it says in the 10^th verse: “When Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite official heard this, it displeased them greatly that someone had come to seek the welfare of the people of Israel.” And then in the 19^th verse, Nehemiah says, “They mocked and ridiculed us.”

What this means, is that as a part of our strategic action plan, we have to prepare ourselves to overcome obstacles of resistance and negativity. This is why that step of “clarity” that we talked about a couple of weeks ago is so important. We will face resistance and negativity, but folks, those of us who have gained a sense of clarity and are pursuing God’s purpose in our lives, we don’t have time for negativity or to hang around people who are filled with negativity. You have to become convinced that what Christ Jesus has placed in your heart, the One who has called, you will give you the victory. All things are possible through Christ Jesus who calls us. So, prepare yourselves.

Okay, “diligent preparation” is the first strategy for success in pursuing God’s call in our lives. Let’s talk about the second strategy. Before Nehemiah begins his work, he develops a “network of strategic partnerships”. We cannot accomplish what God has placed in our hearts by ourselves.

I look at Bono again. Bono only has a high school degree. He clearly understands that in order to accomplish what God has placed upon his heart, he has to develop a network of strategic partnerships. That’s why he’s going to governors and senators and to universities all across the world. You see, servant leaders understand “the power of team.” You know what the acronym “Team” means? “Together Everyone Accomplishes More.”

The problem is that most people are connected to “groups” and groups are not necessarily a team. Here’s the difference. A team comes together to sacrifice and to work for a common objective. A group gets together to meet and to socialize. And you know what? Most churches are groups. One of the reasons for the alarming statistics about mainline churches today, is that most of our churches are not functioning as “teams” that come together to sacrifice and work for a common objective. Rather, their emphasis is on being a “group” that gets together to meet and to socialize. And you know, God’s not going to honor that. That’s not what God is about.

As United Methodists, our denominational structure is set up so as to promote partnership in God’s cause. We call it “connectionalism.” We are connected to one another as United Methodists, believing that working together, we can do much more than we can do separately. One of the ways that we participate in that is through our “apportionment giving.” A portion of what we give is put together with United Methodist Churches from all over the country and is used to make a significant impact in areas of need. And this is a positive aspect of who we are.

But I’m talking more about “strategic partnerships” that we develop in order form a “team” that helps us to achieve a common goal that God has called us to. And you know, the Bible warns us about being unequally yoked. In other words, are we connecting to people who are going to pull us forward in God’s call and purpose? Or are we connecting to people who are going to pull us away from that?

Look at your friendships. Are you equally yoked? Do your friends pull you forward in God’s purpose and call or do they pull you back? Look at who you date. Do they pull you forward in God’s purpose and call or do they pull you back? What about your business partners? Do your business partners pull you forward in God’s purpose and call or do they pull you back?

This is the second strategy for pursuing God’s call in our lives … developing strategic partnerships. The third strategy for pursuing God’s call in our lives is “trusting in God’s providence.” God’s Providence literally means “the protective care of God.” As Christians, we are willing to commit to God’s purpose in our lives and to take risks, because we know and we trust that God will take care of us.

Look at verse 8. Nehemiah says, “The gracious hand of my God was upon me.” Let me say to you, that the passion you are learning to articulate in your life, it is God who has laid that passion upon your heart and the God who has given you that passion will help you to be successful in it. Listen to what it says in Proverbs 16:9, “A person’s heart plans their way, but the Lord God directs their steps.”

But you see, before we can realize that preferred purpose of God in our lives … we have to commit. And commitment is not, “I’ll give it a try.” Any time that we say, “I’m going to give it a try”, whether it is in diet, exercise, or anything else, it means that you still have one eye on that route of escape or retreat. To commit means that you cut off all routes of retreat or escape.

How many of you remember the Spanish explorer Cortez? Cortez left Spain with a fleet of 11 ships in 1519 for Veracruz Mexico. They arrived in Veracruz later that year with all 11 ships. The custom of all explorers in that day, is that they would come ashore and build a small fort there at that site. They would then keep a small garrison of soldiers there at that fort, as they moved out into the countryside.

It was very important that the garrison at that fort protected those ships, because those ships were the only way back. Cortez’s 11 ships had a decent force … but the forces of Mexico could easily overpower them. So, it would be important to secure this way of retreat, right? It was the first time in history that an explorer ordered all 11 ships to be burned as a commitment to their mission.

Folks, some of us this morning need to burn our ships of retreat or we will never persevere against the resistance, to arrive at that place of God’s promise.

I want to invite you to bow with me in prayer this morning and I want you to ponder this question: Where have you heard God speak to you this morning? Maybe it is in the area of discipline. Self-discipline precedes strategic leadership. You can’t lead others if you cannot lead yourself. Maybe it is in the area of partnerships … who you’re dating? What about your friendships and business partners. Are people pulling you forward in God’s purpose or pulling you back? Maybe it is in the area of commitment and today is the day that you burn your ships of retreat.

Lord Jesus, today we declare ourselves to be servant leaders. Help us not to rationalize or procrastinate. Today, help to commit to setting a time and making a plan. Help us to connect to strategic people and to be equally yoked, so that we can fulfill the purpose to which you call us. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.