Growing
up in a coal camp in Greenbrier I wondered through the woods looking for
something to do. One of our
favorites was take an axe and a saw and build cabins or clubhouses out of
trees that we had cut down in the woods.
There was no doubt about it we wanted to build and we did, although we
never finished any of those cabins we continued to build those cabins.
It was the joy of our life to try to build structures to have some type
of joy and fulfillment. The question for us today is the building question.
To Build or not to Build that is the question.
When
is it time to build in the church? What
should we be building anyway? When
should we build? Are you ready to
get started?
Scripture
Text: Nehemiah
2:17 (KJS) Then said I unto them, Ye see the distress that we [are] in, how
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. 18 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].
Nehemiah 4:1 Now when Sanballat heard
that we were building the wall, he was angry and greatly enraged, and he
mocked the Jews. 2. He said in
the presence of his associates and of the army of Samaria, "What are
these feeble Jews doing? Will they restore things? Will they sacrifice? Will
they finish it in a day? Will they revive the stones out of the heaps of
rubbish--and burned ones at that?"3
Tobiah the Ammonite was beside him, and he said, "That stone wall
they are building--any fox going up on it would break it down!" 4
Hear, O our God, for we are despised; turn their taunt back on their
own heads, and give them over as plunder in a land of captivity. 5
Do not cover their guilt, and do not let their sin be blotted out from
your sight; for they have hurled insults in the face of the builders. 6
So we rebuilt the wall, and all the wall was joined together to half
its height; for the people had a mind to work. 7
But when Sanballat and Tobiah and the Arabs and the Ammonites and the
Ashdodites heard that the repairing of the walls of Jerusalem was going
forward and the gaps were beginning to be closed, they were very angry, 8 and all plotted together to come and fight against Jerusalem
and to cause confusion in it.9 So
we prayed to our God, and set a guard as a protection against them day and
night.
1.
What should we build?
Build
houses and buildings for security, health, and physical help.
(Houses and church buildings, schools, businesses)
Build
societal structures for growth and life.
(Families, churches, schools, businesses, governments.)
Build
up people for eternal life and that they may also be able to build up others.
2.
When should we build?
When
there is a need.
When
there is a desire.
When
there is a vision.
When
there is a direction.
When
there are people to help and bring in out of the cold.
3.
Why should we build?
Because
we can. Because we should.
Because
of God’s direction and command.
Because
of compassion and desire to see more people come in.
(to enlarge the enclosure to make more room for others to come and be
safe.)
Because
we don’t want to see people die in the storms of life without the shelter of
knowing the Lord and having him bring you through life.
4.
What are the obstacles to building?
Do we
have a lack of desire to work? Is
apathy the biggest obstacle in the path of the victorious church?
There could be an uprising of people who don’t want to see the
building. (Skeptics who mock the
work of the Lord and his people.)
We
don’t have a vision or we don’t see the need.
Christians and churches who don’t seek to build up the kingdom of God
and living is sin. We are living
in sin because God wants to save the lost, but it appears that we don’t.
Then why aren’t we seeking ways to save them? We have been content for too many years of church worship
services as our only means of living our faith. He said to go. Are
we going?
We miss
the call or choose to be disobedient to the command to build and reach out to
bring in those who are without.
5.
Will we commit to the work?
Does
God want us to build? He commands
it in Mat. 28:19-20.
Do we
want to follow the direction of the Lord?
Will we
be willing to take a chance to build up the people, families, churches, or the
structures that house them? Will
we pray for direction to go?
Will we
pray for the work that must be done? Will
we do our part?
6.
How can we build?
With
the Lord’s blessings and help through the prayers of the people.
It will
take alot of hard work.
With
the joint/combined efforts of all involved.
With
everyone adding their own part to the work.
Will
you seek to build with the Lord?
Build
your spiritual life on the solid rock of Christ Jesus.
Build
your family on the way of Godly living.
Build
your church on the direction and vision of the Lord.
Build
your work/business on the principles of righteousness.