The Good Work of God

Nehemiah 3:1-32

The Importance of Work

• The Ordinary VS Extraordinary

• • Ordinary life takes up most of our days. (Wake up, Scale, Weep bitterly, take a shower, Eat breakfast, Work for 8-10 hours, Come home, make dinner, go to bed)
    • “I just wish God would show up”  He is there! Where? 
    • I wish we could be a part of the book of ACTS! (12 miracles in 30 years)
      • (800 days between each miracle)  (even Jesus spent 90% of his life as an ordinary carpenter)
  • Any good work done to glorify God is sacred. It has an eternal purpose. God is relying on your part getting done.  

• Ephesians 2:10 – For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for Good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.
• Proverbs 22:29 – Do you see a man skillful in his work? He will stand before kings; he will not stand before obscure men.

• What does it look like?

The Importance of Community Relationship

Sanctification

• Sanctification is a communal process.
• One problem we have today when it comes to the issue of holiness is that we think of sanctification as primarily an individual thing. We ask ourselves, “How often am I reading the Bible and praying? How often am I singing praise to God and meditating upon the things of God?” And while all of these are indeed important, too often we neglect the fact that we are holy and grow in holiness only because we are part of the body of Christ — in a real and vital union with Christ in the body he has knit together. The question of sanctification, then, is not, what are you doing to promote your growth in godliness, but what are WE doing.”

Mission

• Nehemiah never could have done this alone. it would have consumed the rest of his life trying to rebuild the walls on his own.  But with the help of God’s people, Nehemiah was able to restore the walls and accomplish God’s task.
  • You see here is a classic example of God doing incredible things through a small but committed group of people.  
  • What are we? A small but committed group of people.  We are stronger together.  This is not just about relationships.  We have a job to do.  In Montrose, and in the world.  We have a part to play, a section of wall to build.  We are expanding to 3 services to help meet the spiritual needs of Montrose.  We are starting a young adults ministry.  We are growing Celebration Kids from 3 classes to 4.  We are adding Sunday morning D2 Classes.  We are multiplying our Celebration Groups. We are in desperate need of a new building so we can all meet together.  The truth is, we could use your help.   
  • Our commitment to God MUST also be a commitment to God’s People. If it is not, We are missing out on the fullness of the Christian life.  Commit to join us on sunday mornings, commit to a celebration group.  Show up every week.  There is no better way to invest in one another than this.  Remember this as you consider Nehemiah this week.  A commitment to God MUST also include a commitment to God’s People.DEACON ORDINATIONWhat do deacons do?  
    • Acts 6:1-7 – Greek speaking Jews (grandmas) were not being taken care of.  
    • Appointed 7 men of good repute to be servants for the needs of the church.
    • What do deacons do? – 
      • Deacons serve the practical ministry needs of growing churches.
      • What for some might seem like a menial task, God elevates to be of the highest value.  It is one of only 2 ministry positions in the church.  
        • Notice that Pope, bishops, archbishops, cardinals, moderators, chairmen, CEO’s or presidents are not present in the scriptures… But deacons are.
      • There are deep needs, there are hurts, those who go without, those who are on the precipice…the edge of despair.  They don’t have the resources to handle their circumstances. And especially in a growing church, there are always more needs than resources.  And it is deacons who step in to fill the gap.  It is a high, high calling.

    What are the qualifications?

    1st Timothy 3:8-12 – Deacons likewise must be dignified, not double-tongued, not addicted to much wine, not greedy for dishonest gain. 9 They must hold the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience. 10 And let them also be tested first; then let them serve as deacons if they prove themselves blameless. 11 Their wives likewise must be dignified, not slanderers, but sober-minded, faithful in all things. 12 Let deacons each be the husband of one wife, managing their children and their own households well.

    • Good repute, dignified, not double-tongued, not addicted to anything, not greedy, knows the scriptures, knows the gospel, can answer tough questions, A one woman man, leading their homes and families well.  
      • We are not talking about perfection, but we are talking about growth and maturity. 

    What are the rewards?

    • John Piper – “We minimize the value of the rewards”
    • We so often talk about duty, and there is a place for that, but the new testament is clear that those who serve well, those who are faithful are set up for rewards.
    • Because, if you serve well as a deacon, you will have to navigate the most difficult of situations.  Ministry can sometimes be a brutal thing. Anger, Hurts, and Suffering, that leaves you weeping in your car as you drive home.  
      • But let’s not minimize the rewards 1st Timothy 3:13 – For those who serve well as deacons gain a good standing for themselves and also great confidence in the faith that is in Christ Jesus.
      • A good standing – Respect.  These men, should have your respect.  They are faithfully bearing the burdens of the least of these.  The person sitting next to you, or the person down the row.  These men, are in the trenches for the good of the body.  So that it can be healthy.  So that we can be healthy. 
      • Confidence in the faith – In those difficult moments of life, you are ministering, praying, sharing Jesus.  And you actually see theology lived out. They see that this JESUS stuff really works!  God transforms! And when you see that first hand. You gain a great confidence in the faith that is in Christ Jesus.