Sullivan church of Christ -- Sullivan, MO
Date: August 8, 2004
“Let Us Rise Up And Build”
Ben Justice
Have you ever known of a man who was a leader’s leader, or have you ever known of a
group of people who were so into their work that they were truly worthy of imitation?
To answer these two questions can be found in the book of Nehemiah. Nehemiah
was a leader’s leader, and Nehemiah’s workers were the kind of people who we would
do well to follow. The leadership principles set forth in the book of Nehemiah are
truly worthy of deep and careful study. Nehemiah’s workers are truly the kind we
need in the church today.
The account of the book of Nehemiah basically deals with Nehemiah’s efforts to
rebuild the wall around Jerusalem and the gate to the city that had been destroyed by
the Babylonians over 70 years prior. Nehemiah and the people very much wanted to
see Jerusalem restored and returned to its former glory. Nehemiah came to the
people and said, “Ye see the distress that we are in, how that Jerusalem lieth waste,
and the gates thereof are burned with fire: come, and let us build up the wall of
Jerusalem, that we be no more a reproach. 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” (Neh.
2:17-18b). Nehemiah was concerned with “getting on with the work.” This is the kind
of leaders we need in the church today. We need the kind who has vision and who
are willing to plan and implement good works for the church.
Note how the people responded to Nehemiah: “And they said, Let us rise up and
build” (Neh. 2:18). The writer of the book of Nehemiah is Nehemiah. He recorded
concerning the people, “So they strengthened their hands for this good work” (v. 18).
According to Neh. 4:6, “the people had a mind to work.” Note the following important
points:
1.) They didn’t have the attitude that so many have today: “Let someone else do it.”
Someone once wrote this:
Once upon a time, there were four people — their names were Everybody, Somebody,
Nobody, and Anybody.
Whenever there was an important job to be done, Everybody was sure that
Somebody would do it. Anybody could have done it, but Nobody did it.
When Nobody did it, Everybody got angry because it was Everybody’s job.
Everybody thought that Somebody would do it, but Nobody realized that Nobody
would do it.
So consequently, Everybody blamed Somebody when Nobody did what Anybody
could have done in the first place.
If you are a member of the body of Christ, you are important and have a role to play in
the overall function of the body (cf. I Cor. 12).
Let us be excited for working for the Lord like the people of Nehemiah’s day. Let us
all say together, “Let us rise up and build.”
2.) The account of Nehemiah clearly shows that the people were together in their
work. They were one; they were unified. People need to be able to look at the
Sullivan church and say, “You know, these people are united in working for the Lord.”
There is to be “no schism in the body” (I Cor. 12:25). The Psalmist said, “Behold, how
good and pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!” When a congregation
of the Lord’s people is unified upon God’s truth (2 John 9) and is determined to be
workers for the Lord great things can happen.
3.) There was fervency about the people. As ch. 4:6 tells us, “the people had a mind
to work.” This is where it all begins. You show me a person who has a mind to work
— a fervency to work — and I will show you a person who is in fact working. If you
don’t have that fervency, then develop it. Know that to work for the one who saved
you is the greatest thing in this life. Study your Bible and pray. Attend all the
services of the church. Be determined in your Christian walk to labor. We are
“laborers together with God” (I Cor. 3:9; 2 Cor. 6:1).
Spiritual and numerical growth does not come easy. It takes a lot of hard work and
sweat. The Lord never promised an easy road. It is a road that takes sacrifice and
effort on everyone’s part. In the days to come, I hope and pray that we can all work
together to spread the name of Christ in this community and to strengthen our faith.
Let us remember the words of the apostle Paul, “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be
ye steadfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye
know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord” (I Cor. 15:58). In the end, it will all be
worth it to hear the words from Jesus, “Well done, good and faithful servant; thou
hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter
thou into the joy of the Lord” (Matt. 25:21, 23).
I say to this congregation, as Nehemiah said to the people of his day, “let us rise up
and build.” Will you say in return, “Let us rise up and build?”
LIBERAL INCONSISTENCY
James Boyd
Liberals hate criticism, unless they are doing the criticizing. If you expose publicly
the error they teach publicly they cry, “Foul.” (They contend we must come to them
privately about it. That way they can ignore it). But they are quick and ready to
publicly criticize you for publicly criticizing their publicly taught error and feel no
necessity to approach you privately first. Faithful brethren do not mind being “ready
to give answer,” but liberals must feel they are excluded from that. Let them publicly
criticize whatever they wish. Faithful brethren won’t cry. They do not have to come to
us privately before they oppose publicly what we do publicly. But they ought to at
least live by the rule they have concocted for others. But you hear them publicly
criticizing others for publicly criticizing their publicly taught error, demanding they be
approached privately, but feel no need to comply to their own rule. Inconsistency is a
trademark of liberalism and liberals.