Theological Status: FAITHFUL (Sound)
Biblical Parallel(Archetype): Philadelphia
❓ What do these grades mean?
🔍 Biblical Discernment: The 7 Church Parallels
The Cold Orthodox Parallel
Ephesus
Teaching that upholds doctrinal precision yet parallels the loss of the "first love"—the vital, motivating power of the Gospel (Rev 2:4).
The Compromised Parallel
Pergamum
Teaching that parallels churches tolerating the "doctrine of Balaam" through cultural accommodation (Rev 2:14), characterized by weak boundaries, sloppy theology, and worldly compromise.
🧐 Overview
Theological Verdict & Summary
Sermon Summary: In a world of uncertainty, how do we find our footing? This sermon explores the book of Nehemiah to reveal that God is actively writing history, preparing the world for His purposes, and calling us to faithful participation in His ongoing work.
Pastoral Analysis: Pastor Dye delivers a theologically rich and homiletically sound message that bridges the historical context of Nehemiah with the modern experience of the church. The sermon successfully avoids common pitfalls of legalism or passivity, instead offering a balanced view of divine sovereignty and human responsibility. The application to the 'Pathway Project' is handled with wisdom, framing physical investment as an act of spiritual faith rather than mere pragmatism.
Biblical Parallel (Archetype): Philadelphia — The sermon demonstrates sound exposition and faithfulness to the biblical text, maintaining a robust theological balance between God's sovereignty and human responsibility without compromising core doctrines.
Big Idea: God is still actively writing history and preparing the world for His purposes; therefore, believers are called to faithful obedience and building, trusting that their efforts participate in God's sovereign design even when the ultimate outcome is not yet visible. [00:30:05 ▶️ 📄]
🎨 The Visual Metaphor
The arch represents God's sovereign architecture of history, built to endure across time, while the indecipherable runes reflect the mystery and depth of His ongoing creative work. This imagery affirms that believers participate in this eternal structure through faithful obedience, trusting in the unseen foundation of His design.
📖 How they Handle Scripture & Jesus
- Primary Text: Nehemiah 2:9
- Usage Classification: Expository
- Text-to-Talk Ratio: High
- Pulpit Decorum: ✅ PASS - The pastor maintains a respectful and pastoral tone throughout, avoiding coarse language or pejoratives.
✝️ Christological Focus: Redemptive-Historical
"The pastor connects Nehemiah's work to the broader narrative of redemption, positioning it as a preparation for the coming of Christ."
Scripture Saturation: Verses Read: 9 | Referenced: 5 | Alluded: 12
Passages Read Aloud:
-
Nehemiah 2:9-10
[00:32:22 ▶️ 📄]
"Then I came to the governors of the province beyond the river and gave them the king's letters. Remember, Nehemiah had heard a report that Jerusalem, the walls had been destroyed, the gates had been burned, it was in ruins, and they were kind of exposed. And so when he got that report, he spent four months praying about that. He had an opportunity to go before the king. He went before the king as a cupbearer. And the king asked him, what's your problem? And he said, why shouldn't I have a problem? The land where my ancestors are buried is lying in ruin. And the king says, what do you want? And he said, I want to be able to go and fix it. I want you to give me letters that grants me access and gives me resources and allows me to rebuild. And the king grants him those letters. So now he's taking the king's letters and says, Now the king had sent with me officers of the army and horsemen. But when Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite Servants heard this. It displeased them greatly that someone had come to seek the welfare of the people of Israel. So I went to Jerusalem and was there three days."
-
Luke 24:47
[00:41:31 ▶️ 📄]
"And that repentance for the forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations beginning from Jerusalem."
-
Acts 1:8
[00:41:56 ▶️ 📄]
"But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria and to the end of the earth."
-
Acts 5:28
[00:48:05 ▶️ 📄]
"Saying, we strictly charge you not to teach in this name, yet here you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and you intend to bring this man's blood upon us."
-
Nehemiah 2:17-20
[00:49:20 ▶️ 📄]
"Then I said to them, You see the trouble we are in, how Jerusalem lies in ruins with its gates burned? Come, let us build the wall of Jerusalem that we may no longer suffer derision. And I told them of the hand, remember we talked about the hand, that means power, active authority, moving forward in control. So basically he's saying, And I told them of the power and the authority and the in control of my God that had been upon me for good, and also of the words that the king had spoken to me. And they said, Let us rise up and build. So they strengthened their hands for the good work. Their strengthening of the hands is a little bit different word, but it's the moment where vision becomes action. For us, this is the vision of moving forward and growing and providing a little bit more space for people called the pathway project. And then we ask the church to commit to the pathway project. That's what you see happening here. We're strengthening our hand toward the vision. Turning into action where belief becomes obedience, where God's initiative becomes human participation. But then moving on it says, But when Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite servant and Gisham the Arab heard of it, they jeered at us and despised us and said, What is this thing that you are doing? Are you rebelling against the king? Then I replied to them, The God of heaven will make us prosper, and we his servants will arise and build, but you have no portion or right or claim in Jerusalem."
Key References: Genesis 3, Hebrews 13:8, Nehemiah 2:17, Acts 1:8, Acts 5:28
🎙️ Sermon Content & Delivery
Word Count: 4,528 words
📌 Key Topics Addressed
-
Divine Sovereignty vs. Human Maintenance
[00:30:05 ▶️ 📄]
> The pastor contrasts the human tendency to 'manage the decline' or 'cope' with the theological reality that God is still actively writing a story and preserving history for His purposes. -
Biblical Narrative Continuity
[00:29:17 ▶️ 📄]
> The speaker emphasizes that Scripture is not a series of silos but a connected narrative from Genesis to Revelation, requiring the preacher to 'connect the dots' between Old and New Testaments. -
Geographical Redemption
[00:38:31 ▶️ 📄]
> The pastor argues that redemption is not only theological but geographical, explaining how God preserved Jerusalem specifically to prepare a stage for Jesus' life, death, and resurrection. -
The '400 Years of Silence'
[00:38:48 ▶️ 📄]
> The speaker reinterprets the intertestamental period not as divine inactivity, but as a time where God was quietly preserving the city and people for the intentional arrival of Jesus. -
Divine Sovereignty and Human Responsibility
[00:52:48 ▶️ 📄]
> The pastor explains that Nehemiah's declaration combines divine initiative ('God of heaven will make us prosper') with human action ('we his servants will arise and build'), illustrating the biblical pattern of God empowering people to participate in His work. -
Theological Significance of Nehemiah
[00:42:43 ▶️ 📄]
> The pastor connects Nehemiah's rebuilding of the city to the New Testament, arguing that Nehemiah set the stage for Jesus' ministry, the Spirit's fall at Pentecost, and the global spread of the Gospel, showing a consistent rhythm of 'City, temple, people, mission.' -
Faithful Obedience and Long-term Impact
[00:45:36 ▶️ 📄]
> The pastor highlights that figures like Abraham, Moses, and Nehemiah never saw the full fulfillment of God's promises (the nation, the land, the Messiah) but built anyway, demonstrating that 'faithful obedience always outlives the one who obeys.' -
Opposition and Resistance
[00:47:19 ▶️ 📄]
> The pastor draws parallels between the opposition Nehemiah faced (Sanballat, Tobiah) and the opposition the early church faced (Sanhedrin, Pharisees), noting that the enemy resists not the walls themselves but the covenant identity and gospel mission they protect. -
Application to Church Infrastructure
[00:50:13 ▶️ 📄]
> The pastor applies the biblical narrative to the church's 'Pathway Project,' framing the construction not as mere maintenance or program expansion, but as 'strengthening hands for the good work' and creating pathways for future mission. -
Divine Sovereignty and Patience
[00:56:27 ▶️ 📄]
> The pastor asserts that silence, delay, and confusion are not signs of God's absence or denial, but part of His ongoing work. -
Personal Application of Biblical History
[00:56:06 ▶️ 📄]
> The speaker connects the historical narrative of Nehemiah to individual struggles, suggesting that personal brokenness and unclear seasons are met by God's continued care. -
Obedience and Gospel Progression
[00:57:09 ▶️ 📄]
> The pastor illustrates how obedience (Nehemiah building the wall) leads to broader spiritual outcomes (the gospel and salvation), showing God's consistent pattern of work.
🖼️ Illustrations & Stories
-
Sermon Illustration
[00:28:03 ▶️ 📄]
> The pastor shares a personal anecdote about a past conversation with 'Pastor Nate' at Caribou coffee, discussing God's attribute of creativity and His ongoing role as Creator, which served as a springboard for the sermon's theme of God still working today. -
Sermon Illustration
[00:30:56 ▶️ 📄]
> The pastor uses a humorous hypothetical about the Apostle Nehemiah coming to life on Peninsula to clarify that he is not speaking literally, but metaphorically about the book of Nehemiah 'coming to life' through narrative connection. -
Sermon Illustration
[00:37:11 ▶️ 📄]
> The pastor describes taking a photo of a poster of Jerusalem on a plane in Israel because his attempts to photograph the Temple Mount failed, using this image to illustrate the enduring power and significance of the city in God's plan. -
Sermon Illustration
[00:44:10 ▶️ 📄]
> The pastor uses a historical timeline to show how Nehemiah (445 B.C.) sits exactly in the structural hinge between the destruction of Jerusalem (586 B.C.) and the arrival of the Messiah (4 B.C./AD 30), illustrating that Nehemiah's work was a deliberate preparation for Christ. -
Sermon Illustration
[00:43:40 ▶️ 📄]
> The pastor contrasts the 'container' story of Nehemiah (restoring the wall/city) with the 'filled' story of Acts (the Spirit filling the church), using the analogy of a container being restored so it can be filled with glory and spill out to the world. -
Sermon Illustration
[00:50:13 ▶️ 📄]
> The pastor references the 'Pathway Project' as a modern-day application of Nehemiah's vision, where the church is 'strengthening their hands for the good work' by investing in physical space to facilitate future ministry and mission. -
Sermon Illustration
[00:57:09 ▶️ 📄]
> The pastor uses the historical example of Nehemiah building a wall, noting that this act of obedience led to the world and the gospel, illustrating how God uses specific acts of faith to prepare for greater redemptive history.
🚀 Calls to Action (Application)
-
Pastoral Charge
[00:50:21 ▶️ 📄]
> Commit financially or practically to the church's 'Pathway Project' infrastructure expansion. -
Pastoral Charge
[00:59:47 ▶️ 📄]
> Maintain regular spiritual communion with God -
Pastoral Charge
[01:00:01 ▶️ 📄]
> Approach current life challenges with confidence rather than fear
🧭 Biblical Alignment Dashboard
Overall Verdict: Sound & Commendable
| Category | Status | Reasoning |
|---|---|---|
| Gospel Presentation | ✅ PASS | The sermon maintains a clear distinction between the Old Testament narrative of restoration and the New Testament fulfillment in Christ, using Nehemiah as a type of preparation for the Gospel rather than a means of salvation in itself. |
| Soteriology | ✅ PASS | The sermon correctly frames obedience and building as responses to God's grace and sovereignty, not as mechanisms for earning salvation. |
| Bibliology | ✅ PASS | The historical and theological connections drawn between Nehemiah, the destruction of Jerusalem, and the coming Messiah are accurate and well-supported. |
| Hermeneutic | ✅ PASS | The pastor employs a Christ-centered hermeneutic, viewing Nehemiah's work as part of the broader redemptive history leading to Christ. |
| Theology Proper | ✅ PASS | The attributes of God discussed (sovereignty, creativity, faithfulness) are presented in a biblically consistent manner. |
| Sacramentology | ⚪ N/A | No specific sacramental errors were detected in the provided reports. |
| Confessional Depth | ❌ FAIL | The sermon demonstrates a deep understanding of the theological implications of the text, connecting historical events to redemptive history. |
⚙️ The Gospel Engine (Confessional Distinctives)
❌ The Law And Wrath: Not observed in the sermon.
❌ Total Depravity And Inability: Not observed in the sermon.
❌ Active Obedience Of Christ: Not observed in the sermon.
✅ The Cross And Atonement:
"It is the city outside whose walls he will be crucified." [00:40:08 ▶️ 📄]
✅ Commendations
Theological Balance | Sovereignty and Responsibility
The sermon masterfully balances God's sovereignty with human responsibility, urging active participation without implying that human effort earns God's favor.
Homiletical Structure | Christ-Centered Narrative
The use of the historical timeline to show Nehemiah as a hinge between destruction and Messiah provides a compelling Christological connection.
Pastoral Application | Faithful Investment
The application to the 'Pathway Project' is handled with wisdom, framing physical investment as an act of spiritual faith and preparation for future ministry.
🛡️ Verified Orthodox Mechanics
✅ God's Sovereignty Over History
✅ The Importance of Faithful Obedience
✅ The Continuity of Redemptive History
📜 Full Sermon Transcript (Audit)
Use the 📄 icons next to quotes above to automatically jump to their location in this raw transcript.
[00:04:14] [SPEAKER UNKNOWN]:
For more information visit www.fema.org
[00:04:58] Let's pray.
[00:05:46] Let us pray.
[00:06:02] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_00]:
Good morning, I'm Shelly Byrne.
[00:06:04] And I'm Lisa Mooney.
[00:06:05] Welcome to Peninsula.
[00:06:06] We have a few things coming up to put on your radar this morning.
[00:06:10] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_01]:
First, if you're new to Peninsula or if you've been here for a little while and want to know more about how to get connected, missions, membership, we'd love to see you at Starting Point.
[00:06:19] This will be February 1st at 12-15 p.m.
[00:06:23] Lunch and childcare will be provided and you can register for this online.
[00:06:27] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_00]:
And on that Friday, February 6th, we have our annual marriage event, Two Steps Closer, the sequel.
[00:06:33] This is for married or soon to be married couples, whether you're newlyweds or seasoned professionals.
[00:06:39] It's a night of fun, encouragement, challenge, and connection.
[00:06:42] Pastor Daniel will be building on the theme from last year, Two Steps Closer.
[00:06:47] So we're looking forward to part two of this teaching.
[00:06:49] This is a free event.
[00:06:51] We provide dinner.
[00:06:52] We provide child care.
[00:06:53] But space is limited.
[00:06:54] So please register online and please do that very soon.
[00:06:58] So do I need to have attended last year to come this year?
[00:07:00] No.
[00:07:01] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_01]:
If you were not here last year, you are welcome to join us and jump right in.
[00:07:04] Awesome.
[00:07:05] Also starting in February is our next Bible study.
[00:07:08] It's through the book of Joshua.
[00:07:10] We'll be having this on Tuesday nights from 630 to 8.
[00:07:13] It'll be starting on February the 10th.
[00:07:15] We'll have groups for men and women.
[00:07:17] They're going to take place at the same time but in separate locations.
[00:07:21] The Bible study is for everybody.
[00:07:23] Child care is provided and you can register for that online as well.
[00:07:26] Yes, it is open for everyone.
[00:07:28] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_00]:
Even teenagers can attend with their parents.
[00:07:31] As a reminder, if you're looking for ways to serve in our local community, you can check out opportunities listed on the mission page of our website.
[00:07:39] We'd love to have you join with us as we work with our local ministry partners.
[00:07:44] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_01]:
Also on the On Mission page you'll see two opportunities for international mission trips.
[00:07:49] We'll be going to France April the 23rd through May the 1st and then to Guatemala in October.
[00:07:54] There will be an informational meeting about both of these trips on Sunday February 8th at 8 45 a.m. You can find the link to register for that as well.
[00:08:04] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_00]:
It's hard to believe that summer camps are just around the corner.
[00:08:08] We have several camps for our kids in elementary school.
[00:08:11] Centric Kid Camp is one of those.
[00:08:13] It's an overnight camp at Gardner-Webb University for completed second through fifth grade students on July 6th through 10th.
[00:08:20] Registration is open already at peninsulabaptist.com slash kids.
[00:08:25] And while you're there, you'll see a very exciting update about Winshape.
[00:08:28] Ooh, Winshape is always exciting.
[00:08:30] Absolutely.
[00:08:30] We can't leave out our youth as well.
[00:08:32] Our youth summer camp is May 31st through June 6th for current 6th through 12th grade students.
[00:08:38] They're going to be traveling to Clayton, Georgia and will host a camp for kids in the local area.
[00:08:43] It's a great chance for our teenagers to bond, to grow in their relationships with one another, and to grow in their relationships with Christ.
[00:08:50] They also get a great taste of ministry.
[00:08:53] If you would like for your teen to be a part of this trip, it's very important to attend an informational and registration meeting on Sunday, January 25th at 3.30pm in our Youth Center.
[00:09:05] You can check out the Youth tab on our webpage for more information, but it really is important if you want to get in to be at that meeting.
[00:09:12] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_01]:
because that camp sells out pretty quick it does usually fills up at that meeting yep we have got a lot of things going on around here so check out what is happening at peninsula on our website at peninsula baptist.com thank you again for being here with us today we look forward to worshiping together well good morning
[00:09:42] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_03]:
How are you?
[00:09:43] Is there something going on right here?
[00:09:45] Does anybody want to move up to the more expensive seats in the house?
[00:09:51] Hope you're doing well.
[00:09:53] I know you've been watching the weather.
[00:09:54] You're wondering what it's going to do this afternoon.
[00:09:56] And I'm going to tell you, nobody knows.
[00:09:59] And so we're just going to kind of watch it as it goes on.
[00:10:01] So glad you're here today as we continue in the book of Nehemiah.
[00:10:05] I want to read the first portion of the first song we're going to sing together today.
[00:10:10] And I want you to catch this because there's a couple lines in here that really nails what we're talking about today in the scripture when we get there.
[00:10:17] It says, this is the first part of the song, I am holding on to faith because I know you'll make a way.
[00:10:23] I don't always understand and I don't always get to see, but I will believe it, I will believe it.
[00:10:29] You make mountains move.
[00:10:31] You make giants fall.
[00:10:33] You use songs of praise to shake prison walls.
[00:10:36] I will speak to my fear.
[00:10:38] I will preach to my doubt.
[00:10:40] This is the two lines right here.
[00:10:41] That you were faithful then, you'll be faithful now.
[00:10:48] The God of yesterday, today, and tomorrow never changes.
[00:10:51] And that's the God we celebrate today.
[00:10:53] Amen?
[00:10:54] So glad that we can be a part of that.
[00:10:55] Well, before we get started, I want to lead us in a time of prayer.
[00:10:59] And if you would here and in the video venue stand and join us in a time of prayer as we kind of get our hearts and our emotion ready to be able to sing and to worship the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords.
[00:11:11] Let's pray together.
[00:11:12] Father, we thank you so much for an opportunity to be here today to celebrate who you are.
[00:11:17] and also who you are in our lives help us to be able to reflect through song through your word through fellowship today of just your goodness because we know you are for our good but it's ultimately for your glory help us to be about that today we're seeing Jesus name we pray amen
[00:11:57] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_05]:
I am holding on to faith Cause I know You'll make a way And I don't always understand And I don't always get to see But I will believe it
[00:12:18] Yes I will believe it Cause you make mountains move You make giants fall You use songs of praise To shake prison walls And I will speak to my fear I will preach to my doubt That you were faithful then You will be faithful now
[00:13:00] I am standing on your word Calling heaven down to earth You will fight my enemies And this will end in victory
[00:13:27] You make giants fall You use songs of grace To shake prison walls And I will speak to my fear I will preach to my doubt That You were faithful then You'll be faithful now That You were faithful then You'll be faithful now
[00:14:17] Yes, I know that I know that you never will
[00:14:23] You make mountains move.
[00:14:26] You make giants fall.
[00:14:30] You use songs of praise to shake prison walls.
[00:14:36] And I will speak to my fear.
[00:14:40] I will preach to my doubt.
[00:14:43] You were faithful then.
[00:14:46] You'll be faithful
[00:18:07] I've decided to follow Jesus No turning back, no turning back
[00:21:14] Christ upon Jesus Look full in his wonderful face And the things of earth will grow strangely dim In the light of his glory
[00:21:48] In the hillside where justice and mercy embrace There the Son of God gave His life for us And on measure His dead was raised
[00:22:28] I adore you, behold you, a Savior ever true O Jesus, we turn our eyes to you
[00:24:01] Our King will return for His own
[00:25:21] Oh, Jesus, we turn our eyes to you.
[00:25:45] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_04]:
Jesus, we do turn our eyes to you today, God.
[00:25:47] And we thank you, Lord, for all that you do.
[00:25:49] For you are a God who is good.
[00:25:53] Lord, you care about every aspect of our lives.
[00:25:57] Lord, we just give our life to you.
[00:25:59] Lord, we thank you for this time of worship where we can lift you up.
[00:26:03] Lord, we bless your name, we praise you, we thank you.
[00:26:07] And as we continue in worship through your word, Lord, I pray that the Holy Spirit move freely in this place and touch the hearts of the people.
[00:26:16] God, we thank you for this in Jesus' name.
[00:26:18] Amen.
[00:26:19] You may be seated.
[00:26:43] [SPEAKER UNKNOWN]:
Let us pray.
[00:26:55] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_03]:
What a sweet time of worship.
[00:26:57] Thank you for being here today as we're continuing in Nehemiah.
[00:27:00] We're going to be in Nehemiah chapter 2 starting somewhere right around verse 9 and we'll continue in that.
[00:27:07] I hope that you have been able to be a part of a connect group on Sunday mornings because what the connect groups are currently doing is studying the same
[00:27:17] Scripture text that is being spoken about in here.
[00:27:21] And it's always a little bit different because there's so much richness in Scripture.
[00:27:26] And I hope you can be a part of that.
[00:27:27] If you're not a part of the Connect group, I encourage you to go and be a part of one so that you can engage in that.
[00:27:35] One of our Connect group leaders is Jay.
[00:27:37] He's sitting right over here.
[00:27:38] He always waits to see if I'm going to say something that he didn't study for his Connect time.
[00:27:44] And we have fun
[00:27:46] I remember a conversation that Pastor Nate and I had years ago.
[00:28:03] We were probably sitting at Caribou.
[00:28:05] I can't remember exactly where it was.
[00:28:06] We were sitting at Caribou and we got to talking about the attributes of God.
[00:28:11] And one of the attributes in particular that we were talking about was His love.
[00:28:16] Creativity.
[00:28:17] He is Creator.
[00:28:17] He is Creator of the universe.
[00:28:20] And the conversation went down this path.
[00:28:22] We were talking about how He is Creator, but it couldn't have stopped at Genesis 3 because He is the same yesterday and tomorrow.
[00:28:31] He is always creating.
[00:28:33] He is still creating.
[00:28:35] And it's kind of that thought process that brings us into the conversation today.
[00:28:40] I am going to look at Nehemiah chapter 2 today, but I'm also going to dial the objective lens back a little bit so that we can see how Nehemiah fits in the narrative of the Bible, of God's working, of him
[00:28:55] I want us to understand that we don't just, oh, we're studying the book of Acts now, and that's it, like it's a silo that's standing all along by itself, and now we're studying the book of Nehemiah, and it's a silo.
[00:29:17] The narrative of the story from Genesis to Revelation is connected.
[00:29:22] And I love connecting the dots and that's where we're going to spend the greater part of today in connecting the dots because I really feel like that something that was impressed upon my heart as I was getting ready for this text was this question.
[00:29:37] What are we doing here?
[00:29:40] What is it that we're doing when we get into
[00:29:44] Scripture.
[00:29:45] What are we doing in life in general?
[00:29:48] So I want to ask you a question, and it's not necessarily a churchy question, but I think it's a real question.
[00:29:55] I think it is one that will make us ponder, is God still actually at work?
[00:30:05] Is He still doing something?
[00:30:06] Are we seeing God work or are we managing the decline with good intentions?
[00:30:15] Have you ever looked at culture, the direction that seems like the world's going, the state of things around us, and thought, is there really any point to what we're doing other than just maintaining?
[00:30:29] Is God still writing a story, or are we just trying to survive one?
[00:30:37] That's the question I want us to kind of think about as we're looking at the Scripture text today and dialing the objective lens back from Scripture a little bit to see how Nehemiah fits in the narrative.
[00:30:53] I think today we're going to see Nehemiah come to life.
[00:30:56] I don't mean the man.
[00:30:59] That would just be creepy, right?
[00:31:01] Oh, I was at Peninsula today and Nehemiah came to life.
[00:31:04] We'd have people coming from all over the world to come see that, right?
[00:31:07] No, I mean the book.
[00:31:08] We're going to see the book Nehemiah come to life because
[00:31:12] We ask this question because when the world feels like it's going crazy, it's unstable, culture feels hostile, when faith seems to be extremely marginalized in our lives and everything gets louder and darker and more confused, it's easy to shift from advancing the mission to trying to protect and preserve what is left.
[00:31:37] It's easy to move from vision to just maintenance.
[00:31:43] It's easy to move from calling to just coping with what the world is throwing at us.
[00:31:50] And if we're honest, some people carry that sentiment into every area of life, into faith, into family, our work, and even the church.
[00:32:02] That question, why am I doing this?
[00:32:05] Why am I fighting for this?
[00:32:06] What is the point of me trying to fight for this particular thing?
[00:32:10] What is going on here?
[00:32:13] And Nehemiah 2 was written into that exact same kind of moment.
[00:32:19] So that's why I want us to look at this.
[00:32:22] This is Nehemiah chapter 2, starting at verse 9.
[00:32:26] It says, Then I came to the governors of the province beyond the river and gave them the king's letters.
[00:32:32] Remember, Nehemiah had heard a report that Jerusalem, the walls had been destroyed, the gates had been burned, it was in ruins, and they were kind of exposed.
[00:32:43] And so when he got that report, he spent four months praying about that.
[00:32:47] He had an opportunity to go before the king.
[00:32:49] He went before the king as a cupbearer.
[00:32:51] And the king asked him, what's your problem?
[00:32:54] And he said, why shouldn't I have a problem?
[00:32:57] The land where my ancestors are buried is lying in ruin.
[00:33:01] And the king says, what do you want?
[00:33:03] And he said, I want to be able to go and fix it.
[00:33:05] I want you to give me letters that grants me access and gives me resources and allows me to rebuild.
[00:33:11] And the king grants him those letters.
[00:33:13] So now he's taking the king's letters and says, Now the king had sent with me officers of the army and horsemen.
[00:33:20] But when Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite
[00:33:26] Servants heard this.
[00:33:27] It displeased them greatly that someone had come to seek the welfare of the people of Israel.
[00:33:33] So I went to Jerusalem and was there three days.
[00:33:36] Now this is just the beginning of it.
[00:33:37] This is the beginning of the account of him being there.
[00:33:40] This is where he kind of goes in and looks around at some things.
[00:33:45] Let's look at why they had a problem with it.
[00:33:47] This guy named Sanballat.
[00:33:50] He was probably from Samaria.
[00:33:53] And he had rejected probably the fact that Jerusalem was the center of worship to begin with.
[00:33:57] We see this evident in Jesus' time when he was walking on the earth and he says, we're going to cut through Samaria and his disciples say, why are we going through Samaria?
[00:34:08] Because the people didn't believe that Jerusalem was the holy central.
[00:34:13] So they were negating that fact.
[00:34:16] And then the guy named Tobiah
[00:34:19] Tobiah actually his name actually means Yahweh is good but the people were borrowing religious language without covenant loyalty so these people that were mentioned in here in this chapter they're not outsiders they're not just outsiders stepping up against Nehemiah and saying you have no right they're actually villains because they are opposing what God is building
[00:34:50] And so at the beginning of Nehemiah walking into Jerusalem here we see it looks like it's a political mission or a government assignment or a construction project of some sort.
[00:35:01] But what God is doing here is far bigger than administration.
[00:35:06] It's redemptive.
[00:35:09] This is where I want us to be able to pull on this as I'm saying I'm going to scale back and connect some dots for us that it's not just building a wall.
[00:35:17] There is a whole lot more going on here that I want us to be able to lean into.
[00:35:23] This really makes sense a whole lot more to us when we understand the weight of Jerusalem.
[00:35:29] Jerusalem is not just a dot on the map.
[00:35:32] It's actually what I would call a theological address.
[00:35:37] It is the city of David, the dwelling place of God, the center of worship, the location of promise.
[00:35:44] That's what Jerusalem kind of pulls on.
[00:35:47] This is the city that God chose to place His name on.
[00:35:51] It is the city where God promised that a king would come from.
[00:35:54] This is the city through which God said salvation would flow.
[00:35:59] We're going to connect those dots in just a moment.
[00:36:02] But when Nehemiah arrives, it is broken.
[00:36:05] The gates are burned, the walls are destroyed, the people are discouraged, and the nations around them are mocking.
[00:36:14] From the outside, this looks like a pointless project.
[00:36:19] But from heaven, it is a necessary one.
[00:36:25] Because God had already promised that a Savior would come from this place.
[00:36:30] So before God sends His Son, He sends a servant named Nehemiah.
[00:36:37] Before God reveals His glory, He rebuilds the ground on which it will stand.
[00:36:46] To Nehemiah he is rebuilding a wall, but to God he is preparing a stage.
[00:36:55] You're going to see the connection, I think, more as we go on.
[00:36:59] This is where we need to pause because we're not just studying a book, we're actually looking at God making history here.
[00:37:06] I want to show you a picture of today Jerusalem.
[00:37:11] You'll be happy to know that I took that picture
[00:37:16] With my iPhone standing in front of a poster.
[00:37:28] I was in Israel though when I took the picture.
[00:37:31] I tried to take pictures of Temple Mount in Jerusalem and none of them turned out good and as I was actually getting on the plane walking down the gateway there was a poster on the wall and I thought, for crying out loud.
[00:37:45] I just took that picture.
[00:37:48] I want to leave that up there for a few minutes because I want us to understand the power of Jerusalem.
[00:37:55] The city had been destroyed for over a hundred years when Nehemiah steps into it.
[00:38:00] The temple had been burned, the people had been scattered, and it looked like God's promises were buried under rubble.
[00:38:08] But God had already said, a Messiah will come, a King will reign, redemption will flow, and so God moves in history.
[00:38:15] He moves on Cyrus to release the people, He moves on Ezra to restore the Word, and now He's
[00:38:23] Are you moving on Nehemiah to rebuild the wall?
[00:38:26] Are you starting to see the flow of God, what He's doing here and how Nehemiah plays into this?
[00:38:31] Because redemption is not only theological, it's geographical too.
[00:38:39] God does not just redeem people, He prepares places for people to come in connection with Him.
[00:38:46] And this is where the story gets even bigger.
[00:38:48] During the 400 years of silence, that's what we call it, between the Old Testament and New Testament.
[00:38:54] We call that the 400 years of silence.
[00:38:57] Nothing new was recorded for us to read.
[00:39:00] That's why we call it 400 years of silence.
[00:39:03] But the silence was not inactivity.
[00:39:06] This is where I want us to lean into.
[00:39:08] God was quietly preserving a city that Nehemiah had rebuilt.
[00:39:16] He was sustaining a people and he was preparing a moment so that when the time was right Jesus would arrive not randomly but intentionally into a city God had been keeping for him all along.
[00:39:35] So you've got Nehemiah now building walls
[00:39:40] That's going to prepare for the city to grow and to be a strong religious work to the point of Jesus coming in.
[00:39:48] Are you starting to grab how it's fitting in the context of what Jesus is doing?
[00:39:53] Because the city Nehemiah rebuilds is the city where Jesus will walk.
[00:39:59] It is the city where the temple courts will hear his teaching.
[00:40:03] It is the city whose gates will see him ride in on a donkey.
[00:40:08] It is the city outside whose walls he will be crucified.
[00:40:12] It is the city near which the tomb will be found empty.
[00:40:15] And it is the city where the Spirit of God will fall as we saw in the book of Acts.
[00:40:21] And scripture doesn't just tell us how God prepared a city for Christ's first coming.
[00:40:27] It also tells us He is preparing for His return.
[00:40:32] That's why I'm putting a modern day picture of Jerusalem in front of us.
[00:40:39] The New Testament doesn't end with a church scrambling in confusion, but with a people watching and waiting and bearing witness.
[00:40:48] What feels like disorder now is not delay or neglect.
[00:40:56] What feels like disorder for us is God quietly preserving Jerusalem until the right time and the moment.
[00:41:06] He is even now sustaining His church, us, refining us in our faith, purifying our witness and holding history steady until the appointed time when Christ will return, not to chaos but to ultimate fulfillment.
[00:41:24] Jesus Christ will return.
[00:41:28] Amen?
[00:41:31] Listen to the words of Jesus in Luke 24 verse 47 talking about this city.
[00:41:38] And that repentance for the forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations beginning from Jerusalem.
[00:41:49] What is Nehemiah doing 400 years prior?
[00:41:53] He is setting the stage for this.
[00:41:56] Then remember Acts chapter 1 verse 8.
[00:41:59] But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria and to the end of the earth.
[00:42:11] It never really hit me that part about Samaria until I understood the pushback that Nehemiah got from a possible Samaritan to restore the walls.
[00:42:23] And now the scripture text in Acts chapter 1 verse 8 is saying, and yes, in Samaria too.
[00:42:31] The gospel does not launch in Rome.
[00:42:33] It doesn't launch in Athens.
[00:42:36] It doesn't take off in Alexandria.
[00:42:38] It launches in Jerusalem.
[00:42:43] Nehemiah rebuilt the city so the Messiah could come.
[00:42:49] Jesus redeemed in the city so the Spirit could fall, and the Spirit fell in the city so the world could be reached.
[00:43:03] The pattern is what God does throughout all of Scripture.
[00:43:08] In Nehemiah, a city is rebuilt, the temple is protected, people are gathered, and the covenant is renewed.
[00:43:16] In the book of Acts, we see the Spirit is poured out, people are gathered, gospel is proclaimed, and the church is formed.
[00:43:23] It's the same rhythm, new covenant.
[00:43:27] All of Scripture is connected.
[00:43:29] Nehemiah has its place because of what he's doing.
[00:43:35] This is kind of a fun way that I would say we could look at it.
[00:43:40] Nehemiah tells the story of restoring the container.
[00:43:44] Acts tells the story of it being filled with His glory so that it could spill out to the world.
[00:43:53] And that's the pattern.
[00:43:54] City, temple, people, mission.
[00:43:59] God has always worked that way.
[00:44:01] And when we zoom out, the timeline is even more stunning.
[00:44:05] This is how we can understand the book of Nehemiah and how it fits.
[00:44:08] Let's look at this.
[00:44:10] In 586 B.C.
[00:44:11] the city was destroyed.
[00:44:13] We see that in history.
[00:44:14] In 538 B.C.
[00:44:15] the temple begun.
[00:44:17] In 458 B.C.
[00:44:19] people were reformed.
[00:44:21] You can follow this through the Old Testament.
[00:44:23] In 445 B.C.
[00:44:25] around there the city's rebuilt.
[00:44:26] That's Nehemiah.
[00:44:27] That's where we are in Nehemiah chapter 2 where he's walking into this.
[00:44:31] Somewhere around 4 B.C.
[00:44:33] Messiah arrives in AD 30.
[00:44:36] The cross and resurrection in AD 30.
[00:44:38] The church is launched.
[00:44:40] Nehemiah sits exactly in the middle of the structural hinge between promise and fulfillment.
[00:44:50] Nehemiah means something now, a little more to me, realizing this.
[00:44:53] This is not accidental.
[00:44:55] This is design.
[00:44:57] Here's what gets me every single time I read this.
[00:45:01] Knowing that it was setting of the stage, Nehemiah never sees the cross, the empty tomb, Pentecost, or the church, and yet he obediently builds.
[00:45:17] He invests in something he will never personally benefit from.
[00:45:21] And that is one of the most consistent patterns of Scripture.
[00:45:24] Abraham never sees the nation.
[00:45:27] Moses never enters the land.
[00:45:29] David never builds the temple.
[00:45:30] Nehemiah never meets the Messiah.
[00:45:33] But they all build for what comes after.
[00:45:36] Faithful obedience always outlives the one who obeys.
[00:45:45] Faithful obedience always outlives the one who obeys.
[00:45:51] Which tells us something profound, I think, about God.
[00:45:56] God prepares environments before He reveals His glory.
[00:46:00] God is not dependent on environments.
[00:46:04] But He started with the Garden of Eden.
[00:46:06] He chooses to work through prepared environments.
[00:46:11] God builds infrastructure before He sends power.
[00:46:14] This does not mean if you build it, God owes us His power.
[00:46:19] But it does mean God often chooses to pour His power where He has already shaped structure.
[00:46:28] God shapes foundations before He displays fruit.
[00:46:33] God is not interested in visible success built on invisible weaknesses.
[00:46:38] He is always more concerned with depth than display.
[00:46:43] And that's how He works.
[00:46:46] And so as you read on down in Nehemiah 2 here, I'm not blind to the fact that the opposition is there, but it also fits into the same thing that happened in the book of Acts.
[00:46:57] Let me do a quick tie-in and connect dots for you.
[00:47:01] In Nehemiah, you have Sanballat, Tobiah, Gishom who are mocking, threatening, and resisting.
[00:47:08] In the book of Acts, you have the Sanhedrin, the Pharisees, and the priests who are imprisoning, beating, and threat.
[00:47:15] It's different names.
[00:47:16] It's the same resistance.
[00:47:19] Why?
[00:47:19] Because the enemy does not care about the walls.
[00:47:23] He cares about what the walls protect.
[00:47:31] In Nehemiah, the walls were to protect the covenant identity.
[00:47:37] In the book of Acts, the gospels advance.
[00:47:43] This is the real battle.
[00:47:44] In Nehemiah, the walls were about security, identity, and covenant distinction.
[00:47:48] And in the book of Acts, Jerusalem becomes the preaching center, the persecution center, and the sending center.
[00:47:58] I want you to, this would be really cool if Nehemiah could have seen this
[00:48:03] After he had helped build the walls.
[00:48:05] Acts chapter 5 verse 28.
[00:48:08] This makes me chuckle inside a little.
[00:48:11] Saying, we strictly charge you not to teach in this name, yet here you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and you intend to bring this man's blood upon us.
[00:48:24] Jerusalem is now filled with the gospel of Jesus Christ.
[00:48:32] Nehemiah
[00:48:33] Restoring a wall, restoring a covenant for the world to see, to set the stage for Jesus to enter.
[00:48:44] This is not an accident.
[00:48:45] The same city once broken is now saturated with the gospel.
[00:48:51] Nehemiah's bricks become the backdrop of the apostolic boldness.
[00:48:59] And now with all of that in mind, listen to what Nehemiah says when he stands in front of the opposition that is in front of him.
[00:49:07] Listen closely because we talked about last week God's hand and authority being on our lives and that no king can stop what God is doing.
[00:49:16] No situation can stop what God wants to see happen.
[00:49:20] Listen to what Nehemiah now says starting at verse 17.
[00:49:24] Then I said to them, You see the trouble we are in, how Jerusalem lies in ruins with its gates burned?
[00:49:31] Come, let us build the wall of Jerusalem that we may no longer suffer derision.
[00:49:37] And I told them of the hand, remember we talked about the hand, that means power, active authority, moving forward in control.
[00:49:46] So basically he's saying, And I told them of the power and the authority and the in control of my God that had been upon me for good, and also of the words that the king had spoken to me.
[00:49:58] And they said, Let us rise up and build.
[00:50:02] So they strengthened their hands for the good work.
[00:50:05] Their strengthening of the hands is a little bit different word, but it's the moment where vision becomes action.
[00:50:13] For us, this is the vision of moving forward and growing and providing a little bit more space for people called the pathway project.
[00:50:21] And then we ask the church to commit to the pathway project.
[00:50:25] That's what you see happening here.
[00:50:26] We're strengthening our hand toward the vision.
[00:50:30] Turning into action where belief becomes obedience, where God's initiative becomes human participation.
[00:50:36] But then moving on it says, But when Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite servant and Gisham the Arab heard of it, they jeered at us and despised us and said, What is this thing that you are doing?
[00:50:51] Are you rebelling against the king?
[00:50:53] Then I replied to them, The God of heaven will make us prosper, and we his servants will arise and build, but you have no portion or right or claim in Jerusalem.
[00:51:08] This is not optimism.
[00:51:11] This is not hype.
[00:51:14] It's not leadership flexing on Nehemiah's part.
[00:51:19] It's theology.
[00:51:22] Nehemiah is a man standing in the middle of rubble and saying, God is not finished.
[00:51:31] It's Nehemiah looking at the opposition and saying, you do not get a vote in what God is saying.
[00:51:39] It's Nehemiah declaring, we are not managing decline, we are participating in design.
[00:51:49] Oh, if we could grasp that from Scripture and understand that the God who loves us, who purchased us back with His shed blood of His Son Jesus,
[00:52:01] that is walking with us daily.
[00:52:03] The providential God who is sovereign that is walking with us not only as a corporate body but as individuals.
[00:52:09] If we could grasp that, it would change our outlook on all things in life, period.
[00:52:18] We would look at life differently.
[00:52:20] Nehemiah is not saying we hope this works.
[00:52:24] He's saying the God of heaven will make us prosper.
[00:52:28] That word prosper means to advance, to break through, to move forward.
[00:52:33] In other words, God Himself will push this forward.
[00:52:38] And then we His servants will arise and build.
[00:52:44] God initiates, God empowers, but God involves His people.
[00:52:48] What we see in that one verse right there is divine sovereignty and human responsibility in one sentence.
[00:52:58] That is the story of the Bible.
[00:52:59] That's the story of the church.
[00:53:01] That's the story of redemption.
[00:53:04] And here's the part, honestly, that leaves me awed.
[00:53:09] I hope that you will be in awe of this.
[00:53:12] Nehemiah thought he was rebuilding a wall.
[00:53:16] God was preparing a world.
[00:53:20] Nehemiah thought he was restoring a city.
[00:53:22] God was setting the stage for salvation.
[00:53:26] Nehemiah thought he was answering a burden.
[00:53:29] God was advancing a promise, which means when God asks His people to build, He is never thinking small.
[00:53:42] I'm not talking about size of facility.
[00:53:44] I'm talking about the usability of it and what He's got in mind for it.
[00:53:50] We think one thing, God's thinking much bigger.
[00:53:56] Sometimes the most spiritual thing we can do is build infrastructure for what God has not yet revealed.
[00:54:05] This is where this meets us because there are seasons when God calls His people to not just gather, but to build.
[00:54:13] Not just attend, but to invest.
[00:54:16] Not just preserve, but to prepare.
[00:54:21] Not because everything is easy, not because everything is clear, but because God is still writing the story.
[00:54:31] The creative God, who is the same always, is still creating.
[00:54:36] We are not building programs, we are building pathways.
[00:54:43] We are not maintaining tradition, we are participating in mission.
[00:54:51] And like Nehemiah, we may not see everything God intends to do through us in our programming and in our discipleship and in our building, but He's not going to stop from using it because we just don't see how He's going to use it.
[00:55:08] God has never waited for the world to look promising before He started building, not with Abraham, not with Nehemiah, not with the cross, not with the cross, not with the church, and not
[00:55:21] Waiting now.
[00:55:25] So if you're wondering, is God still at work?
[00:55:32] Is what we are doing worth it?
[00:55:37] Is this going anywhere?
[00:55:39] Nehemiah's answer is yes, eternally.
[00:55:46] And the book of Acts answers, it worked.
[00:55:54] Some of us, this isn't just about cities or centuries of work, it's about our own lives.
[00:56:06] There are places in your life that feels broken.
[00:56:12] There are things in your life that feels delayed.
[00:56:15] There are probably things in your life that's extremely unclear.
[00:56:22] There are seasons where it feels like nothing is happening.
[00:56:27] This passage reminds us that silence is not absence.
[00:56:33] Delay is not denial.
[00:56:37] And confusion is not the end of the story.
[00:56:42] The same God who prepared Jerusalem for Christ's coming is still at work today.
[00:56:53] Often quietly, demanding patience, but preparing for what He intends to reveal in His timing.
[00:57:09] Nehemiah built a wall, and the wall led to the world.
[00:57:19] The obedience led to the gospel.
[00:57:23] The faith led to salvation and that same God is still writing the story.
[00:57:36] Let's pray.
[00:57:43] Father, as we look into the book of Nehemiah, help us to understand that you've allowed us to hear this story, to see this story, to resonate with this story, not just so that we can know a portion of history and be strengthened by your moving back then, but to understand that you are a God today that is the same you were then.
[00:58:03] Nehemiah stepped into opposition.
[00:58:05] Nehemiah stepped into the unknown.
[00:58:07] He had a burden on his heart that moved him forward.
[00:58:09] And it was probably unclear to Nehemiah where you were taking him and what you wanted him to do.
[00:58:14] Even though the task was clear, how you would use it was unclear.
[00:58:23] And that meets us where we are today.
[00:58:27] When we ask the question, Father, are you still working?
[00:58:32] Are you still doing a thing?
[00:58:35] Help us to know that you are.
[00:58:45] You're still there.
[00:58:49] It didn't stop at creation.
[00:58:51] It didn't stop at the end of the Old Testament.
[00:58:53] It didn't stop when Jesus ascended.
[00:58:56] But God, Your working hand is still moving forward to an ultimate fulfillment of Your promise.
[00:59:08] And we get to play a part in that.
[00:59:10] We get to join You in that energy and that effort.
[00:59:14] Help us to be encouraged today to know that on the big scale, the large scale, you're still working.
[00:59:24] But that also on the small scale, those little things that burden our heart day in and day out, you're still there, you're still caring, you're still loving, you're still holding, you're still working it for our good, but for your glory to refine us, to make us more like your son Jesus.
[00:59:47] Help us not to neglect communion with You.
[00:59:50] Help us not to overlook the things that You're doing in our life that's going to take us into tomorrow.
[00:59:58] But help us with confidence.
[01:00:01] Father, help us with confidence to walk into what we're facing, saying that this situation, this problem, this issue, this thing that we're trying to navigate has no part
[01:00:16] has no say because you are a providential sovereign God guiding our steps.
[01:00:25] Thank you for salvation.
[01:00:27] Thank you for making our relationship right through the shed blood of Jesus.
[01:00:32] And may we walk with that security.
[01:00:35] In Jesus' name we pray.
[01:00:37] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_04]:
Amen.
[01:00:50] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_05]:
The weapon may be formed but it won't prosper When the darkness falls it won't prevail Because the God I serve knows only how to triumph
[01:01:28] I'm not backing down from any giant Cause I know how the story is I'm gonna see a victory I'm gonna see a victory
[01:01:57] The battle belongs to you, Lord I'm gonna see a victory I'm gonna see a victory For the battle belongs to you, Lord You take what the enemy meant for evil You turn it for good You turn it for good
[01:02:33] You turned it for good, You turned it for good Cause I'm gonna see a victory, I'm gonna see a victory For the battle belongs to You, Lord I'm gonna see a victory, I'm gonna see a victory
[01:03:03] I'm gonna sing your victory For the battle we won't see you go I'm gonna sing your victory
[01:03:36] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_02]:
We would say we are thankful for an opportunity to worship together today.
[01:03:39] I want you to know as well, if you are new or here with us at Peninsula, guests with us, we just want to say thank you for being here with us to worship today.
[01:03:46] And we'd love to have an opportunity to say hello to you and connect with you at the Welcome Center.
[01:03:51] If you haven't done so already, we'd love for you to stop by there after the service.
[01:03:54] We've also got an event coming up in just a couple of weeks on February 1st called Starting Point.
[01:03:58] So if you're new or here to Peninsula, that's a great way.
[01:04:01] We can learn about how to get involved here at Church Life and groups and ministry for you and your family.
[01:04:07] That'll be after our second service.
[01:04:09] It's a lunch we have provided.
[01:04:10] We've got child care.
[01:04:11] You can register for that online, but we'd love for you to be there with us on February 1st.
[01:04:16] Also, Friday, February 6th is going to be our annual marriage event.
[01:04:20] We're really excited about this.
[01:04:22] If you remember last year, it called Two Steps Closer.
[01:04:24] This year it's called Two Steps Closer Part Two.
[01:04:27] Okay, so it's kind of a follow-up to that.
[01:04:29] and we look forward to that it'll be Friday February 6th there is limited space for that so make sure you register for that I know that there are already a lot of couples and families already registered and so we look forward to that and love for you to join us
[01:04:44] The last thing for you to know as you leave today, we've got these little bottles that are kind of at some of our doors, our welcome center, different areas.
[01:04:51] This is a really easy way for us to be able to support one of our ministry partners, the Community Pregnancy Center of Lake Norman.
[01:04:57] You can take these back over the next couple of weeks.
[01:04:59] Don't worry, we will remind you about bringing them back.
[01:05:04] You can kind of sit there.
[01:05:04] You can put a check in here, cash, change, wherever you like.
[01:05:08] I know our kids love to fill up coins that they've got around.
[01:05:11] It's a way that they can help serve whatever that looks like.
[01:05:14] There's also instructions on there about giving online if you would prefer to do that.
[01:05:18] That's a great way.
[01:05:19] I want to lead us in reading together from Nehemiah chapter 2 in verse 20 and being reminded of the Lord is the one who sends us and uses us this week so let's read together Nehemiah chapter 2 verse 20
[01:05:38] Then I replied to them, The God of heaven will make us prosper, and we his servants will arise and build, but you have no portion or right or claim in Jerusalem.
[01:05:51] This week we are sent out by the God of heaven.
[01:05:53] He is the one who is working, building, using us to see people come to faith in our community.
[01:05:57] And we pray this week that he would use us as we go.
[01:06:00] Have a great week.
[01:34:15] [SPEAKER UNKNOWN]:
Thank you for watching!
[01:34:58] Let's pray.
[01:35:46] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_00]:
Good morning, I'm Shelly Byrne.
[01:36:04] And I'm Lisa Mooney.
For more information visit www.fema.org
[00:04:58] Let's pray.
[00:05:46] Let us pray.
[00:06:02] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_00]:
Good morning, I'm Shelly Byrne.
[00:06:04] And I'm Lisa Mooney.
[00:06:05] Welcome to Peninsula.
[00:06:06] We have a few things coming up to put on your radar this morning.
[00:06:10] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_01]:
First, if you're new to Peninsula or if you've been here for a little while and want to know more about how to get connected, missions, membership, we'd love to see you at Starting Point.
[00:06:19] This will be February 1st at 12-15 p.m.
[00:06:23] Lunch and childcare will be provided and you can register for this online.
[00:06:27] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_00]:
And on that Friday, February 6th, we have our annual marriage event, Two Steps Closer, the sequel.
[00:06:33] This is for married or soon to be married couples, whether you're newlyweds or seasoned professionals.
[00:06:39] It's a night of fun, encouragement, challenge, and connection.
[00:06:42] Pastor Daniel will be building on the theme from last year, Two Steps Closer.
[00:06:47] So we're looking forward to part two of this teaching.
[00:06:49] This is a free event.
[00:06:51] We provide dinner.
[00:06:52] We provide child care.
[00:06:53] But space is limited.
[00:06:54] So please register online and please do that very soon.
[00:06:58] So do I need to have attended last year to come this year?
[00:07:00] No.
[00:07:01] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_01]:
If you were not here last year, you are welcome to join us and jump right in.
[00:07:04] Awesome.
[00:07:05] Also starting in February is our next Bible study.
[00:07:08] It's through the book of Joshua.
[00:07:10] We'll be having this on Tuesday nights from 630 to 8.
[00:07:13] It'll be starting on February the 10th.
[00:07:15] We'll have groups for men and women.
[00:07:17] They're going to take place at the same time but in separate locations.
[00:07:21] The Bible study is for everybody.
[00:07:23] Child care is provided and you can register for that online as well.
[00:07:26] Yes, it is open for everyone.
[00:07:28] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_00]:
Even teenagers can attend with their parents.
[00:07:31] As a reminder, if you're looking for ways to serve in our local community, you can check out opportunities listed on the mission page of our website.
[00:07:39] We'd love to have you join with us as we work with our local ministry partners.
[00:07:44] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_01]:
Also on the On Mission page you'll see two opportunities for international mission trips.
[00:07:49] We'll be going to France April the 23rd through May the 1st and then to Guatemala in October.
[00:07:54] There will be an informational meeting about both of these trips on Sunday February 8th at 8 45 a.m. You can find the link to register for that as well.
[00:08:04] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_00]:
It's hard to believe that summer camps are just around the corner.
[00:08:08] We have several camps for our kids in elementary school.
[00:08:11] Centric Kid Camp is one of those.
[00:08:13] It's an overnight camp at Gardner-Webb University for completed second through fifth grade students on July 6th through 10th.
[00:08:20] Registration is open already at peninsulabaptist.com slash kids.
[00:08:25] And while you're there, you'll see a very exciting update about Winshape.
[00:08:28] Ooh, Winshape is always exciting.
[00:08:30] Absolutely.
[00:08:30] We can't leave out our youth as well.
[00:08:32] Our youth summer camp is May 31st through June 6th for current 6th through 12th grade students.
[00:08:38] They're going to be traveling to Clayton, Georgia and will host a camp for kids in the local area.
[00:08:43] It's a great chance for our teenagers to bond, to grow in their relationships with one another, and to grow in their relationships with Christ.
[00:08:50] They also get a great taste of ministry.
[00:08:53] If you would like for your teen to be a part of this trip, it's very important to attend an informational and registration meeting on Sunday, January 25th at 3.30pm in our Youth Center.
[00:09:05] You can check out the Youth tab on our webpage for more information, but it really is important if you want to get in to be at that meeting.
[00:09:12] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_01]:
because that camp sells out pretty quick it does usually fills up at that meeting yep we have got a lot of things going on around here so check out what is happening at peninsula on our website at peninsula baptist.com thank you again for being here with us today we look forward to worshiping together well good morning
[00:09:42] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_03]:
How are you?
[00:09:43] Is there something going on right here?
[00:09:45] Does anybody want to move up to the more expensive seats in the house?
[00:09:51] Hope you're doing well.
[00:09:53] I know you've been watching the weather.
[00:09:54] You're wondering what it's going to do this afternoon.
[00:09:56] And I'm going to tell you, nobody knows.
[00:09:59] And so we're just going to kind of watch it as it goes on.
[00:10:01] So glad you're here today as we continue in the book of Nehemiah.
[00:10:05] I want to read the first portion of the first song we're going to sing together today.
[00:10:10] And I want you to catch this because there's a couple lines in here that really nails what we're talking about today in the scripture when we get there.
[00:10:17] It says, this is the first part of the song, I am holding on to faith because I know you'll make a way.
[00:10:23] I don't always understand and I don't always get to see, but I will believe it, I will believe it.
[00:10:29] You make mountains move.
[00:10:31] You make giants fall.
[00:10:33] You use songs of praise to shake prison walls.
[00:10:36] I will speak to my fear.
[00:10:38] I will preach to my doubt.
[00:10:40] This is the two lines right here.
[00:10:41] That you were faithful then, you'll be faithful now.
[00:10:48] The God of yesterday, today, and tomorrow never changes.
[00:10:51] And that's the God we celebrate today.
[00:10:53] Amen?
[00:10:54] So glad that we can be a part of that.
[00:10:55] Well, before we get started, I want to lead us in a time of prayer.
[00:10:59] And if you would here and in the video venue stand and join us in a time of prayer as we kind of get our hearts and our emotion ready to be able to sing and to worship the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords.
[00:11:11] Let's pray together.
[00:11:12] Father, we thank you so much for an opportunity to be here today to celebrate who you are.
[00:11:17] and also who you are in our lives help us to be able to reflect through song through your word through fellowship today of just your goodness because we know you are for our good but it's ultimately for your glory help us to be about that today we're seeing Jesus name we pray amen
[00:11:57] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_05]:
I am holding on to faith Cause I know You'll make a way And I don't always understand And I don't always get to see But I will believe it
[00:12:18] Yes I will believe it Cause you make mountains move You make giants fall You use songs of praise To shake prison walls And I will speak to my fear I will preach to my doubt That you were faithful then You will be faithful now
[00:13:00] I am standing on your word Calling heaven down to earth You will fight my enemies And this will end in victory
[00:13:27] You make giants fall You use songs of grace To shake prison walls And I will speak to my fear I will preach to my doubt That You were faithful then You'll be faithful now That You were faithful then You'll be faithful now
[00:14:17] Yes, I know that I know that you never will
[00:14:23] You make mountains move.
[00:14:26] You make giants fall.
[00:14:30] You use songs of praise to shake prison walls.
[00:14:36] And I will speak to my fear.
[00:14:40] I will preach to my doubt.
[00:14:43] You were faithful then.
[00:14:46] You'll be faithful
[00:18:07] I've decided to follow Jesus No turning back, no turning back
[00:21:14] Christ upon Jesus Look full in his wonderful face And the things of earth will grow strangely dim In the light of his glory
[00:21:48] In the hillside where justice and mercy embrace There the Son of God gave His life for us And on measure His dead was raised
[00:22:28] I adore you, behold you, a Savior ever true O Jesus, we turn our eyes to you
[00:24:01] Our King will return for His own
[00:25:21] Oh, Jesus, we turn our eyes to you.
[00:25:45] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_04]:
Jesus, we do turn our eyes to you today, God.
[00:25:47] And we thank you, Lord, for all that you do.
[00:25:49] For you are a God who is good.
[00:25:53] Lord, you care about every aspect of our lives.
[00:25:57] Lord, we just give our life to you.
[00:25:59] Lord, we thank you for this time of worship where we can lift you up.
[00:26:03] Lord, we bless your name, we praise you, we thank you.
[00:26:07] And as we continue in worship through your word, Lord, I pray that the Holy Spirit move freely in this place and touch the hearts of the people.
[00:26:16] God, we thank you for this in Jesus' name.
[00:26:18] Amen.
[00:26:19] You may be seated.
[00:26:43] [SPEAKER UNKNOWN]:
Let us pray.
[00:26:55] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_03]:
What a sweet time of worship.
[00:26:57] Thank you for being here today as we're continuing in Nehemiah.
[00:27:00] We're going to be in Nehemiah chapter 2 starting somewhere right around verse 9 and we'll continue in that.
[00:27:07] I hope that you have been able to be a part of a connect group on Sunday mornings because what the connect groups are currently doing is studying the same
[00:27:17] Scripture text that is being spoken about in here.
[00:27:21] And it's always a little bit different because there's so much richness in Scripture.
[00:27:26] And I hope you can be a part of that.
[00:27:27] If you're not a part of the Connect group, I encourage you to go and be a part of one so that you can engage in that.
[00:27:35] One of our Connect group leaders is Jay.
[00:27:37] He's sitting right over here.
[00:27:38] He always waits to see if I'm going to say something that he didn't study for his Connect time.
[00:27:44] And we have fun
[00:27:46] I remember a conversation that Pastor Nate and I had years ago.
[00:28:03] We were probably sitting at Caribou.
[00:28:05] I can't remember exactly where it was.
[00:28:06] We were sitting at Caribou and we got to talking about the attributes of God.
[00:28:11] And one of the attributes in particular that we were talking about was His love.
[00:28:16] Creativity.
[00:28:17] He is Creator.
[00:28:17] He is Creator of the universe.
[00:28:20] And the conversation went down this path.
[00:28:22] We were talking about how He is Creator, but it couldn't have stopped at Genesis 3 because He is the same yesterday and tomorrow.
[00:28:31] He is always creating.
[00:28:33] He is still creating.
[00:28:35] And it's kind of that thought process that brings us into the conversation today.
[00:28:40] I am going to look at Nehemiah chapter 2 today, but I'm also going to dial the objective lens back a little bit so that we can see how Nehemiah fits in the narrative of the Bible, of God's working, of him
[00:28:55] I want us to understand that we don't just, oh, we're studying the book of Acts now, and that's it, like it's a silo that's standing all along by itself, and now we're studying the book of Nehemiah, and it's a silo.
[00:29:17] The narrative of the story from Genesis to Revelation is connected.
[00:29:22] And I love connecting the dots and that's where we're going to spend the greater part of today in connecting the dots because I really feel like that something that was impressed upon my heart as I was getting ready for this text was this question.
[00:29:37] What are we doing here?
[00:29:40] What is it that we're doing when we get into
[00:29:44] Scripture.
[00:29:45] What are we doing in life in general?
[00:29:48] So I want to ask you a question, and it's not necessarily a churchy question, but I think it's a real question.
[00:29:55] I think it is one that will make us ponder, is God still actually at work?
[00:30:05] Is He still doing something?
[00:30:06] Are we seeing God work or are we managing the decline with good intentions?
[00:30:15] Have you ever looked at culture, the direction that seems like the world's going, the state of things around us, and thought, is there really any point to what we're doing other than just maintaining?
[00:30:29] Is God still writing a story, or are we just trying to survive one?
[00:30:37] That's the question I want us to kind of think about as we're looking at the Scripture text today and dialing the objective lens back from Scripture a little bit to see how Nehemiah fits in the narrative.
[00:30:53] I think today we're going to see Nehemiah come to life.
[00:30:56] I don't mean the man.
[00:30:59] That would just be creepy, right?
[00:31:01] Oh, I was at Peninsula today and Nehemiah came to life.
[00:31:04] We'd have people coming from all over the world to come see that, right?
[00:31:07] No, I mean the book.
[00:31:08] We're going to see the book Nehemiah come to life because
[00:31:12] We ask this question because when the world feels like it's going crazy, it's unstable, culture feels hostile, when faith seems to be extremely marginalized in our lives and everything gets louder and darker and more confused, it's easy to shift from advancing the mission to trying to protect and preserve what is left.
[00:31:37] It's easy to move from vision to just maintenance.
[00:31:43] It's easy to move from calling to just coping with what the world is throwing at us.
[00:31:50] And if we're honest, some people carry that sentiment into every area of life, into faith, into family, our work, and even the church.
[00:32:02] That question, why am I doing this?
[00:32:05] Why am I fighting for this?
[00:32:06] What is the point of me trying to fight for this particular thing?
[00:32:10] What is going on here?
[00:32:13] And Nehemiah 2 was written into that exact same kind of moment.
[00:32:19] So that's why I want us to look at this.
[00:32:22] This is Nehemiah chapter 2, starting at verse 9.
[00:32:26] It says, Then I came to the governors of the province beyond the river and gave them the king's letters.
[00:32:32] Remember, Nehemiah had heard a report that Jerusalem, the walls had been destroyed, the gates had been burned, it was in ruins, and they were kind of exposed.
[00:32:43] And so when he got that report, he spent four months praying about that.
[00:32:47] He had an opportunity to go before the king.
[00:32:49] He went before the king as a cupbearer.
[00:32:51] And the king asked him, what's your problem?
[00:32:54] And he said, why shouldn't I have a problem?
[00:32:57] The land where my ancestors are buried is lying in ruin.
[00:33:01] And the king says, what do you want?
[00:33:03] And he said, I want to be able to go and fix it.
[00:33:05] I want you to give me letters that grants me access and gives me resources and allows me to rebuild.
[00:33:11] And the king grants him those letters.
[00:33:13] So now he's taking the king's letters and says, Now the king had sent with me officers of the army and horsemen.
[00:33:20] But when Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite
[00:33:26] Servants heard this.
[00:33:27] It displeased them greatly that someone had come to seek the welfare of the people of Israel.
[00:33:33] So I went to Jerusalem and was there three days.
[00:33:36] Now this is just the beginning of it.
[00:33:37] This is the beginning of the account of him being there.
[00:33:40] This is where he kind of goes in and looks around at some things.
[00:33:45] Let's look at why they had a problem with it.
[00:33:47] This guy named Sanballat.
[00:33:50] He was probably from Samaria.
[00:33:53] And he had rejected probably the fact that Jerusalem was the center of worship to begin with.
[00:33:57] We see this evident in Jesus' time when he was walking on the earth and he says, we're going to cut through Samaria and his disciples say, why are we going through Samaria?
[00:34:08] Because the people didn't believe that Jerusalem was the holy central.
[00:34:13] So they were negating that fact.
[00:34:16] And then the guy named Tobiah
[00:34:19] Tobiah actually his name actually means Yahweh is good but the people were borrowing religious language without covenant loyalty so these people that were mentioned in here in this chapter they're not outsiders they're not just outsiders stepping up against Nehemiah and saying you have no right they're actually villains because they are opposing what God is building
[00:34:50] And so at the beginning of Nehemiah walking into Jerusalem here we see it looks like it's a political mission or a government assignment or a construction project of some sort.
[00:35:01] But what God is doing here is far bigger than administration.
[00:35:06] It's redemptive.
[00:35:09] This is where I want us to be able to pull on this as I'm saying I'm going to scale back and connect some dots for us that it's not just building a wall.
[00:35:17] There is a whole lot more going on here that I want us to be able to lean into.
[00:35:23] This really makes sense a whole lot more to us when we understand the weight of Jerusalem.
[00:35:29] Jerusalem is not just a dot on the map.
[00:35:32] It's actually what I would call a theological address.
[00:35:37] It is the city of David, the dwelling place of God, the center of worship, the location of promise.
[00:35:44] That's what Jerusalem kind of pulls on.
[00:35:47] This is the city that God chose to place His name on.
[00:35:51] It is the city where God promised that a king would come from.
[00:35:54] This is the city through which God said salvation would flow.
[00:35:59] We're going to connect those dots in just a moment.
[00:36:02] But when Nehemiah arrives, it is broken.
[00:36:05] The gates are burned, the walls are destroyed, the people are discouraged, and the nations around them are mocking.
[00:36:14] From the outside, this looks like a pointless project.
[00:36:19] But from heaven, it is a necessary one.
[00:36:25] Because God had already promised that a Savior would come from this place.
[00:36:30] So before God sends His Son, He sends a servant named Nehemiah.
[00:36:37] Before God reveals His glory, He rebuilds the ground on which it will stand.
[00:36:46] To Nehemiah he is rebuilding a wall, but to God he is preparing a stage.
[00:36:55] You're going to see the connection, I think, more as we go on.
[00:36:59] This is where we need to pause because we're not just studying a book, we're actually looking at God making history here.
[00:37:06] I want to show you a picture of today Jerusalem.
[00:37:11] You'll be happy to know that I took that picture
[00:37:16] With my iPhone standing in front of a poster.
[00:37:28] I was in Israel though when I took the picture.
[00:37:31] I tried to take pictures of Temple Mount in Jerusalem and none of them turned out good and as I was actually getting on the plane walking down the gateway there was a poster on the wall and I thought, for crying out loud.
[00:37:45] I just took that picture.
[00:37:48] I want to leave that up there for a few minutes because I want us to understand the power of Jerusalem.
[00:37:55] The city had been destroyed for over a hundred years when Nehemiah steps into it.
[00:38:00] The temple had been burned, the people had been scattered, and it looked like God's promises were buried under rubble.
[00:38:08] But God had already said, a Messiah will come, a King will reign, redemption will flow, and so God moves in history.
[00:38:15] He moves on Cyrus to release the people, He moves on Ezra to restore the Word, and now He's
[00:38:23] Are you moving on Nehemiah to rebuild the wall?
[00:38:26] Are you starting to see the flow of God, what He's doing here and how Nehemiah plays into this?
[00:38:31] Because redemption is not only theological, it's geographical too.
[00:38:39] God does not just redeem people, He prepares places for people to come in connection with Him.
[00:38:46] And this is where the story gets even bigger.
[00:38:48] During the 400 years of silence, that's what we call it, between the Old Testament and New Testament.
[00:38:54] We call that the 400 years of silence.
[00:38:57] Nothing new was recorded for us to read.
[00:39:00] That's why we call it 400 years of silence.
[00:39:03] But the silence was not inactivity.
[00:39:06] This is where I want us to lean into.
[00:39:08] God was quietly preserving a city that Nehemiah had rebuilt.
[00:39:16] He was sustaining a people and he was preparing a moment so that when the time was right Jesus would arrive not randomly but intentionally into a city God had been keeping for him all along.
[00:39:35] So you've got Nehemiah now building walls
[00:39:40] That's going to prepare for the city to grow and to be a strong religious work to the point of Jesus coming in.
[00:39:48] Are you starting to grab how it's fitting in the context of what Jesus is doing?
[00:39:53] Because the city Nehemiah rebuilds is the city where Jesus will walk.
[00:39:59] It is the city where the temple courts will hear his teaching.
[00:40:03] It is the city whose gates will see him ride in on a donkey.
[00:40:08] It is the city outside whose walls he will be crucified.
[00:40:12] It is the city near which the tomb will be found empty.
[00:40:15] And it is the city where the Spirit of God will fall as we saw in the book of Acts.
[00:40:21] And scripture doesn't just tell us how God prepared a city for Christ's first coming.
[00:40:27] It also tells us He is preparing for His return.
[00:40:32] That's why I'm putting a modern day picture of Jerusalem in front of us.
[00:40:39] The New Testament doesn't end with a church scrambling in confusion, but with a people watching and waiting and bearing witness.
[00:40:48] What feels like disorder now is not delay or neglect.
[00:40:56] What feels like disorder for us is God quietly preserving Jerusalem until the right time and the moment.
[00:41:06] He is even now sustaining His church, us, refining us in our faith, purifying our witness and holding history steady until the appointed time when Christ will return, not to chaos but to ultimate fulfillment.
[00:41:24] Jesus Christ will return.
[00:41:28] Amen?
[00:41:31] Listen to the words of Jesus in Luke 24 verse 47 talking about this city.
[00:41:38] And that repentance for the forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations beginning from Jerusalem.
[00:41:49] What is Nehemiah doing 400 years prior?
[00:41:53] He is setting the stage for this.
[00:41:56] Then remember Acts chapter 1 verse 8.
[00:41:59] But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria and to the end of the earth.
[00:42:11] It never really hit me that part about Samaria until I understood the pushback that Nehemiah got from a possible Samaritan to restore the walls.
[00:42:23] And now the scripture text in Acts chapter 1 verse 8 is saying, and yes, in Samaria too.
[00:42:31] The gospel does not launch in Rome.
[00:42:33] It doesn't launch in Athens.
[00:42:36] It doesn't take off in Alexandria.
[00:42:38] It launches in Jerusalem.
[00:42:43] Nehemiah rebuilt the city so the Messiah could come.
[00:42:49] Jesus redeemed in the city so the Spirit could fall, and the Spirit fell in the city so the world could be reached.
[00:43:03] The pattern is what God does throughout all of Scripture.
[00:43:08] In Nehemiah, a city is rebuilt, the temple is protected, people are gathered, and the covenant is renewed.
[00:43:16] In the book of Acts, we see the Spirit is poured out, people are gathered, gospel is proclaimed, and the church is formed.
[00:43:23] It's the same rhythm, new covenant.
[00:43:27] All of Scripture is connected.
[00:43:29] Nehemiah has its place because of what he's doing.
[00:43:35] This is kind of a fun way that I would say we could look at it.
[00:43:40] Nehemiah tells the story of restoring the container.
[00:43:44] Acts tells the story of it being filled with His glory so that it could spill out to the world.
[00:43:53] And that's the pattern.
[00:43:54] City, temple, people, mission.
[00:43:59] God has always worked that way.
[00:44:01] And when we zoom out, the timeline is even more stunning.
[00:44:05] This is how we can understand the book of Nehemiah and how it fits.
[00:44:08] Let's look at this.
[00:44:10] In 586 B.C.
[00:44:11] the city was destroyed.
[00:44:13] We see that in history.
[00:44:14] In 538 B.C.
[00:44:15] the temple begun.
[00:44:17] In 458 B.C.
[00:44:19] people were reformed.
[00:44:21] You can follow this through the Old Testament.
[00:44:23] In 445 B.C.
[00:44:25] around there the city's rebuilt.
[00:44:26] That's Nehemiah.
[00:44:27] That's where we are in Nehemiah chapter 2 where he's walking into this.
[00:44:31] Somewhere around 4 B.C.
[00:44:33] Messiah arrives in AD 30.
[00:44:36] The cross and resurrection in AD 30.
[00:44:38] The church is launched.
[00:44:40] Nehemiah sits exactly in the middle of the structural hinge between promise and fulfillment.
[00:44:50] Nehemiah means something now, a little more to me, realizing this.
[00:44:53] This is not accidental.
[00:44:55] This is design.
[00:44:57] Here's what gets me every single time I read this.
[00:45:01] Knowing that it was setting of the stage, Nehemiah never sees the cross, the empty tomb, Pentecost, or the church, and yet he obediently builds.
[00:45:17] He invests in something he will never personally benefit from.
[00:45:21] And that is one of the most consistent patterns of Scripture.
[00:45:24] Abraham never sees the nation.
[00:45:27] Moses never enters the land.
[00:45:29] David never builds the temple.
[00:45:30] Nehemiah never meets the Messiah.
[00:45:33] But they all build for what comes after.
[00:45:36] Faithful obedience always outlives the one who obeys.
[00:45:45] Faithful obedience always outlives the one who obeys.
[00:45:51] Which tells us something profound, I think, about God.
[00:45:56] God prepares environments before He reveals His glory.
[00:46:00] God is not dependent on environments.
[00:46:04] But He started with the Garden of Eden.
[00:46:06] He chooses to work through prepared environments.
[00:46:11] God builds infrastructure before He sends power.
[00:46:14] This does not mean if you build it, God owes us His power.
[00:46:19] But it does mean God often chooses to pour His power where He has already shaped structure.
[00:46:28] God shapes foundations before He displays fruit.
[00:46:33] God is not interested in visible success built on invisible weaknesses.
[00:46:38] He is always more concerned with depth than display.
[00:46:43] And that's how He works.
[00:46:46] And so as you read on down in Nehemiah 2 here, I'm not blind to the fact that the opposition is there, but it also fits into the same thing that happened in the book of Acts.
[00:46:57] Let me do a quick tie-in and connect dots for you.
[00:47:01] In Nehemiah, you have Sanballat, Tobiah, Gishom who are mocking, threatening, and resisting.
[00:47:08] In the book of Acts, you have the Sanhedrin, the Pharisees, and the priests who are imprisoning, beating, and threat.
[00:47:15] It's different names.
[00:47:16] It's the same resistance.
[00:47:19] Why?
[00:47:19] Because the enemy does not care about the walls.
[00:47:23] He cares about what the walls protect.
[00:47:31] In Nehemiah, the walls were to protect the covenant identity.
[00:47:37] In the book of Acts, the gospels advance.
[00:47:43] This is the real battle.
[00:47:44] In Nehemiah, the walls were about security, identity, and covenant distinction.
[00:47:48] And in the book of Acts, Jerusalem becomes the preaching center, the persecution center, and the sending center.
[00:47:58] I want you to, this would be really cool if Nehemiah could have seen this
[00:48:03] After he had helped build the walls.
[00:48:05] Acts chapter 5 verse 28.
[00:48:08] This makes me chuckle inside a little.
[00:48:11] Saying, we strictly charge you not to teach in this name, yet here you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and you intend to bring this man's blood upon us.
[00:48:24] Jerusalem is now filled with the gospel of Jesus Christ.
[00:48:32] Nehemiah
[00:48:33] Restoring a wall, restoring a covenant for the world to see, to set the stage for Jesus to enter.
[00:48:44] This is not an accident.
[00:48:45] The same city once broken is now saturated with the gospel.
[00:48:51] Nehemiah's bricks become the backdrop of the apostolic boldness.
[00:48:59] And now with all of that in mind, listen to what Nehemiah says when he stands in front of the opposition that is in front of him.
[00:49:07] Listen closely because we talked about last week God's hand and authority being on our lives and that no king can stop what God is doing.
[00:49:16] No situation can stop what God wants to see happen.
[00:49:20] Listen to what Nehemiah now says starting at verse 17.
[00:49:24] Then I said to them, You see the trouble we are in, how Jerusalem lies in ruins with its gates burned?
[00:49:31] Come, let us build the wall of Jerusalem that we may no longer suffer derision.
[00:49:37] And I told them of the hand, remember we talked about the hand, that means power, active authority, moving forward in control.
[00:49:46] So basically he's saying, And I told them of the power and the authority and the in control of my God that had been upon me for good, and also of the words that the king had spoken to me.
[00:49:58] And they said, Let us rise up and build.
[00:50:02] So they strengthened their hands for the good work.
[00:50:05] Their strengthening of the hands is a little bit different word, but it's the moment where vision becomes action.
[00:50:13] For us, this is the vision of moving forward and growing and providing a little bit more space for people called the pathway project.
[00:50:21] And then we ask the church to commit to the pathway project.
[00:50:25] That's what you see happening here.
[00:50:26] We're strengthening our hand toward the vision.
[00:50:30] Turning into action where belief becomes obedience, where God's initiative becomes human participation.
[00:50:36] But then moving on it says, But when Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite servant and Gisham the Arab heard of it, they jeered at us and despised us and said, What is this thing that you are doing?
[00:50:51] Are you rebelling against the king?
[00:50:53] Then I replied to them, The God of heaven will make us prosper, and we his servants will arise and build, but you have no portion or right or claim in Jerusalem.
[00:51:08] This is not optimism.
[00:51:11] This is not hype.
[00:51:14] It's not leadership flexing on Nehemiah's part.
[00:51:19] It's theology.
[00:51:22] Nehemiah is a man standing in the middle of rubble and saying, God is not finished.
[00:51:31] It's Nehemiah looking at the opposition and saying, you do not get a vote in what God is saying.
[00:51:39] It's Nehemiah declaring, we are not managing decline, we are participating in design.
[00:51:49] Oh, if we could grasp that from Scripture and understand that the God who loves us, who purchased us back with His shed blood of His Son Jesus,
[00:52:01] that is walking with us daily.
[00:52:03] The providential God who is sovereign that is walking with us not only as a corporate body but as individuals.
[00:52:09] If we could grasp that, it would change our outlook on all things in life, period.
[00:52:18] We would look at life differently.
[00:52:20] Nehemiah is not saying we hope this works.
[00:52:24] He's saying the God of heaven will make us prosper.
[00:52:28] That word prosper means to advance, to break through, to move forward.
[00:52:33] In other words, God Himself will push this forward.
[00:52:38] And then we His servants will arise and build.
[00:52:44] God initiates, God empowers, but God involves His people.
[00:52:48] What we see in that one verse right there is divine sovereignty and human responsibility in one sentence.
[00:52:58] That is the story of the Bible.
[00:52:59] That's the story of the church.
[00:53:01] That's the story of redemption.
[00:53:04] And here's the part, honestly, that leaves me awed.
[00:53:09] I hope that you will be in awe of this.
[00:53:12] Nehemiah thought he was rebuilding a wall.
[00:53:16] God was preparing a world.
[00:53:20] Nehemiah thought he was restoring a city.
[00:53:22] God was setting the stage for salvation.
[00:53:26] Nehemiah thought he was answering a burden.
[00:53:29] God was advancing a promise, which means when God asks His people to build, He is never thinking small.
[00:53:42] I'm not talking about size of facility.
[00:53:44] I'm talking about the usability of it and what He's got in mind for it.
[00:53:50] We think one thing, God's thinking much bigger.
[00:53:56] Sometimes the most spiritual thing we can do is build infrastructure for what God has not yet revealed.
[00:54:05] This is where this meets us because there are seasons when God calls His people to not just gather, but to build.
[00:54:13] Not just attend, but to invest.
[00:54:16] Not just preserve, but to prepare.
[00:54:21] Not because everything is easy, not because everything is clear, but because God is still writing the story.
[00:54:31] The creative God, who is the same always, is still creating.
[00:54:36] We are not building programs, we are building pathways.
[00:54:43] We are not maintaining tradition, we are participating in mission.
[00:54:51] And like Nehemiah, we may not see everything God intends to do through us in our programming and in our discipleship and in our building, but He's not going to stop from using it because we just don't see how He's going to use it.
[00:55:08] God has never waited for the world to look promising before He started building, not with Abraham, not with Nehemiah, not with the cross, not with the cross, not with the church, and not
[00:55:21] Waiting now.
[00:55:25] So if you're wondering, is God still at work?
[00:55:32] Is what we are doing worth it?
[00:55:37] Is this going anywhere?
[00:55:39] Nehemiah's answer is yes, eternally.
[00:55:46] And the book of Acts answers, it worked.
[00:55:54] Some of us, this isn't just about cities or centuries of work, it's about our own lives.
[00:56:06] There are places in your life that feels broken.
[00:56:12] There are things in your life that feels delayed.
[00:56:15] There are probably things in your life that's extremely unclear.
[00:56:22] There are seasons where it feels like nothing is happening.
[00:56:27] This passage reminds us that silence is not absence.
[00:56:33] Delay is not denial.
[00:56:37] And confusion is not the end of the story.
[00:56:42] The same God who prepared Jerusalem for Christ's coming is still at work today.
[00:56:53] Often quietly, demanding patience, but preparing for what He intends to reveal in His timing.
[00:57:09] Nehemiah built a wall, and the wall led to the world.
[00:57:19] The obedience led to the gospel.
[00:57:23] The faith led to salvation and that same God is still writing the story.
[00:57:36] Let's pray.
[00:57:43] Father, as we look into the book of Nehemiah, help us to understand that you've allowed us to hear this story, to see this story, to resonate with this story, not just so that we can know a portion of history and be strengthened by your moving back then, but to understand that you are a God today that is the same you were then.
[00:58:03] Nehemiah stepped into opposition.
[00:58:05] Nehemiah stepped into the unknown.
[00:58:07] He had a burden on his heart that moved him forward.
[00:58:09] And it was probably unclear to Nehemiah where you were taking him and what you wanted him to do.
[00:58:14] Even though the task was clear, how you would use it was unclear.
[00:58:23] And that meets us where we are today.
[00:58:27] When we ask the question, Father, are you still working?
[00:58:32] Are you still doing a thing?
[00:58:35] Help us to know that you are.
[00:58:45] You're still there.
[00:58:49] It didn't stop at creation.
[00:58:51] It didn't stop at the end of the Old Testament.
[00:58:53] It didn't stop when Jesus ascended.
[00:58:56] But God, Your working hand is still moving forward to an ultimate fulfillment of Your promise.
[00:59:08] And we get to play a part in that.
[00:59:10] We get to join You in that energy and that effort.
[00:59:14] Help us to be encouraged today to know that on the big scale, the large scale, you're still working.
[00:59:24] But that also on the small scale, those little things that burden our heart day in and day out, you're still there, you're still caring, you're still loving, you're still holding, you're still working it for our good, but for your glory to refine us, to make us more like your son Jesus.
[00:59:47] Help us not to neglect communion with You.
[00:59:50] Help us not to overlook the things that You're doing in our life that's going to take us into tomorrow.
[00:59:58] But help us with confidence.
[01:00:01] Father, help us with confidence to walk into what we're facing, saying that this situation, this problem, this issue, this thing that we're trying to navigate has no part
[01:00:16] has no say because you are a providential sovereign God guiding our steps.
[01:00:25] Thank you for salvation.
[01:00:27] Thank you for making our relationship right through the shed blood of Jesus.
[01:00:32] And may we walk with that security.
[01:00:35] In Jesus' name we pray.
[01:00:37] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_04]:
Amen.
[01:00:50] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_05]:
The weapon may be formed but it won't prosper When the darkness falls it won't prevail Because the God I serve knows only how to triumph
[01:01:28] I'm not backing down from any giant Cause I know how the story is I'm gonna see a victory I'm gonna see a victory
[01:01:57] The battle belongs to you, Lord I'm gonna see a victory I'm gonna see a victory For the battle belongs to you, Lord You take what the enemy meant for evil You turn it for good You turn it for good
[01:02:33] You turned it for good, You turned it for good Cause I'm gonna see a victory, I'm gonna see a victory For the battle belongs to You, Lord I'm gonna see a victory, I'm gonna see a victory
[01:03:03] I'm gonna sing your victory For the battle we won't see you go I'm gonna sing your victory
[01:03:36] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_02]:
We would say we are thankful for an opportunity to worship together today.
[01:03:39] I want you to know as well, if you are new or here with us at Peninsula, guests with us, we just want to say thank you for being here with us to worship today.
[01:03:46] And we'd love to have an opportunity to say hello to you and connect with you at the Welcome Center.
[01:03:51] If you haven't done so already, we'd love for you to stop by there after the service.
[01:03:54] We've also got an event coming up in just a couple of weeks on February 1st called Starting Point.
[01:03:58] So if you're new or here to Peninsula, that's a great way.
[01:04:01] We can learn about how to get involved here at Church Life and groups and ministry for you and your family.
[01:04:07] That'll be after our second service.
[01:04:09] It's a lunch we have provided.
[01:04:10] We've got child care.
[01:04:11] You can register for that online, but we'd love for you to be there with us on February 1st.
[01:04:16] Also, Friday, February 6th is going to be our annual marriage event.
[01:04:20] We're really excited about this.
[01:04:22] If you remember last year, it called Two Steps Closer.
[01:04:24] This year it's called Two Steps Closer Part Two.
[01:04:27] Okay, so it's kind of a follow-up to that.
[01:04:29] and we look forward to that it'll be Friday February 6th there is limited space for that so make sure you register for that I know that there are already a lot of couples and families already registered and so we look forward to that and love for you to join us
[01:04:44] The last thing for you to know as you leave today, we've got these little bottles that are kind of at some of our doors, our welcome center, different areas.
[01:04:51] This is a really easy way for us to be able to support one of our ministry partners, the Community Pregnancy Center of Lake Norman.
[01:04:57] You can take these back over the next couple of weeks.
[01:04:59] Don't worry, we will remind you about bringing them back.
[01:05:04] You can kind of sit there.
[01:05:04] You can put a check in here, cash, change, wherever you like.
[01:05:08] I know our kids love to fill up coins that they've got around.
[01:05:11] It's a way that they can help serve whatever that looks like.
[01:05:14] There's also instructions on there about giving online if you would prefer to do that.
[01:05:18] That's a great way.
[01:05:19] I want to lead us in reading together from Nehemiah chapter 2 in verse 20 and being reminded of the Lord is the one who sends us and uses us this week so let's read together Nehemiah chapter 2 verse 20
[01:05:38] Then I replied to them, The God of heaven will make us prosper, and we his servants will arise and build, but you have no portion or right or claim in Jerusalem.
[01:05:51] This week we are sent out by the God of heaven.
[01:05:53] He is the one who is working, building, using us to see people come to faith in our community.
[01:05:57] And we pray this week that he would use us as we go.
[01:06:00] Have a great week.
[01:34:15] [SPEAKER UNKNOWN]:
Thank you for watching!
[01:34:58] Let's pray.
[01:35:46] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_00]:
Good morning, I'm Shelly Byrne.
[01:36:04] And I'm Lisa Mooney.
