Introduction

In January, Pastor Tim and I got together with several other SoCal pastors to talk shop. David Brock brought along a personality test that was especially focused on how you work and on your working strengths and weaknesses.

It was fun, and it reaffirmed something I’ve always known about myself. I don’t relish the journey. If work were a hike, I’m not one to stop and look at every rock or stare at every flower. I don’t like to meander, and I especially hate quitting before it’s done. No, I enjoy the hike because I love to finish. So, few things bring me greater joy than crossing something off my task list. It makes me so happy.

However, there are few things I despise more than an overwhelming problem I can’t see a path to solving. I feel defeated, I get anxious, and I want to ignore it or procrastinate. Do you ever feel that way? You’re up against something hard. You don’t see any hope of solving it. So, you try to ignore it.

But ignoring the problem fixes nothing. It festers and grows worse. It eats at your marriage, it’s a steady leak on your budget, it saps the joy out of your home, and it looms over the church. So, don’t ignore problems. Look them in the eye, make a plan, and fix them. That’s what Nehemiah does in our next passage. He’s already solved many problems. He stopped an invasion. He solved an economic crisis. He warded off a coupe, and he finished the wall. But every time he reaches one mountain peak, he must climb another.

But he never despairs. He faces the next challenge, he rallies his team, and he starts the next climb. So, don’t be a problem ignorer but a problem solver, and I especially want to challenge you to solve problems together. Don’t be a lone ranger; be a team player. That’s especially important in the church. My T-H-T today is work with each other and for each other to accomplish God’s purpose. To get there, our text offers two challenges. 1^st…

I.  Solve problems (vv. 1–3).

Remember that chapter 6 celebrated the fact that Nehemiah finished the wall in only 52 days. It was a great victory. But oftentimes after a monumental victory. We think, “I’ve won. I did it. Now I’m tired. I’m not solving anymore problems.”

I know this is not what you want to hear, but Nehemiah’s story is a sobering reminder that leaders don’t get breaks. You can’t take a break from managing your marriage, being a good parent, fighting sin, or loving people. Solving one problem (even a big one like a massive construction project) never guarantees that more problems (even big ones) will not arise quickly.

We saw last week that even as Nehemiah finished the wall, some of the most powerful people on his team were pushing him to make peace with Tobiah, one of his worst rivals.

Now, 7:1–3 say that he must develop an ongoing plan to defend Jerusalem. The walls were a huge help, but Nehemiah’s enemies won’t roll over. Nehemiah must demonstrate ongoing strength by organizing an armed guard.

But he can’t call in the National Guard. Nehemiah doesn’t have a big budget, and he doesn’t have a big team. Instead, his team is dangerously small, poor, and untrained. He’s not even sure who’s loyal and who is not.

But Nehemiah doesn’t complain. Instead, he faced the problem, he rallied his team, and he solved the problem. First, he…

Set Up Guards (v. 1): You must understand that Nehemiah is in a pickle (v. 4). Chapter 11 adds that Jerusalem was empty because most people lived in the villages and on their farms. But Nehemiah can’t leave the city empty. Otherwise, Sanballat and Tobiah will smell blood and attack. He needs an armed guard.

His only option is to call on the gatekeepers, singers, and Levites to help guard the city. Normally they served at the temple. The gatekeepers were used to providing security but not the singers or the Levites. But Nehemiah doesn’t have other options. He solves the problem as best he can.

Appointed Leaders (v. 2): An armed guard is no good without leadership. So, Nehemiah’s next task is to appoint leaders. His brother Hanani was an obvious choice. Remember that his report about Jerusalem’s condition began Nehemiah’s story. And Hanani has been at Nehemiah’s side every step of the way. There’d be no Nehemiah without Hanani. Nehemiah knows he can trust Hanani’s character, perseverance, and competence. You need a brother like Hanani. If you have one, treasure him. Otherwise, find one.

He also appointed Hananiah to work alongside him. This is all we know about him, but it’s enough to know he was a great teammate. He had already been working as “commander of the fortress” (possibly a fortress at the temple or at a strategic spot on the wall), so he has experience.

But more importantly, “He was a faithful man and feared God more than many.” What a great legacy! I know faithfulness is not the most exciting attribute. No one comes back from a first date bragging about the fact that his girlfriend is faithful. But aren’t you thankful that God is faithful? It’s one of his most comforting attributes. We know he will keep every gospel promise. We can rest in him.

Are you known for faithfulness? Are you fickle, or are you a friend who sticks closer than a brother? You may not be charismatic and talented, but you can be faithful. Make sure you are known as trustworthy.

Hananiah was also known for fearing the Lord. Nothing is more important than that. Don’t just be a busy Christian; be a godly one. Sit at Jesus’ feet. Love him. Worship him. Meditate on his grace. Be like Hananiah.

Returning to the main point, Nehemiah is solving problems. He recruited guards, and he appointed leaders. 3^rd, he…

Designed a Strategy (v. 3a): Normally, city gates were open from sunrise to sunset. People want to start working before it’s hot, and a strong nation isn’t worried about a surprise attack. But Nehemiah’s rivals are only a few miles away, and there’s hardly any people in Jerusalem to defend it. Nehemiah cannot afford to have even a small force successfully invade.

But Jerusalem had a lot of gates (Slide). And he doesn’t have many guards to watch them and close them if they spot an invasion. So, Nehemiah decrees that every open gate must have a guard on duty. And since he only has a few guards, the gates will not open at sunrise but when the sun gets hot. It’s inconvenient. But it’s what they had to do.

Again, Nehemiah didn’t ignore the problem, procrastinate, or freeze. He’s making tough decisions and solving problems. You may have some overwhelming problems, but by God’s grace, you can do the same. Be strong, trust the Lord, and get to work. You can do it. Finally, Nehemiah…

Included Everyone (v. 3b): Even with the shortened times, Nehemiah still doesn’t have enough guards. So, he calls on every family to help. It’s another big ask. These people have jobs. They’re trying to survive. Giving up one or two days a week to sit at a gate without pay is hard.

Nehemiah made it as easy as possible by posting people near their homes. That also motivating. Security matters a little more when you are in the shadow of your own home, and your own family. But still, it’s a big ask. But Nehemiah understood that it’s what had to be done. And the people responded. They rallied for each other and for Jerusalem.

We are family. Galatians 6:2 calls us to bear one another’s burdens and fulfill the law of Christ. You can do it by God’s grace. Choose love and grace. Work with each other and for each other to accomplish God’s purpose.

Not only that, imitate Nehemiah’s example of solving problems. I know the pressures of life can be overwhelming. Some of you came in today feeling defeated and discouraged. You feel like you are failing. And looking at Nehemiah makes you feel more discouraged because you don’t see any hope of ever living up to his example.

But you don’t need to despair. You serve a sovereign God who is faithful to every promise. He will give you more than enough grace. He promises never to give more than you can handle. He will get you through every challenge. And he will forgive every failure. You can get through, so hang in there.

Then in the strength of his grace, courageously address the problems in your marriage and in your family. Reconcile relationships and confront sin. Solve problems at work and everywhere else. You can do it by the grace of God.

The 2^nd major challenge is…

II.  Work together (vv. 4–73).

This is an unusual section. It’s mostly a long list of the people who returned with Zerubbabel almost 100 years before Nehemiah’s story. You don’t know who these people are, and all the numbers don’t seem to have any relevance for your life today. On top of that, this list is almost an exact replica of the list found in Ezra 2.

Why does Nehemiah repeat it? What is his point (It’s not immediately clear)? Does his point have any ongoing relevance for us? Yes, all Scripture is inspired and profitable. We must understand what God is saying and how it can profit us.

First, v. 4 states the problem Nehemiah must solve. Nehemiah’s wall enclosed a much smaller than the previous one, but there were still not enough people to fill the city. Chapter 11 tells us more (11:1–2). Then chapter 11 lists everyone who eventually moved into the city. It’s a lot of people, which means Jerusalem must have been a practical ghost town.

Why is filling Jerusalem a big deal? First, it’s a big problem militarily. In the ancient world, walled cities were central to national defense. Everyone needed a place to flee when foreigners invaded. Otherwise, village communities were easy pickings. That’s why Nehemiah built the wall in the first place. A strong Jerusalem was essential to national defense.

But those walls were little use if there was no one to defend them. It doesn’t matter how big they are. An invader will eventually break through unless someone is shooting at them or ready to slaughter anyone who comes through a breach. So, Jerusalem’s small population is a big problem.

But don’t forget the redemptive symbolism and importance of Jerusalem. As I’ve said before, God wanted Jerusalem to reflect his glory to all the earth. A strong Jerusalem would draw the nations to the God behind it.

That’s what happened in Solomon’s day with the Queen of Sheba. She wanted to see the glory of Jerusalem, and she left glorifying Solomon’s God. So, God did not call Israel to go to the nations the way the Streits are called to go. Instead, God wanted Israel to draw the nations to itself. And the glory and power of Jerusalem was at the center of that draw.

That’s why I keep saying that it’s not a big leap from Nehemiah’s work to restore Jerusalem to our mission to reach the world with the gospel. Both are central to God’s purpose for that time. So, Nehemiah has a practical problem, but he also has a redemptive problem.

To solve both problems, he must populate Jerusalem. So, he calls an assembly to enroll the people by genealogies. Why does he care about genealogies? It’s because, as chapter 11 will say, he must demand that 10% of the people move into the city.

That’s a big ask. These people’s farms and extended family were out in the villages. Nehemiah will ask a lot by demanding that some move to Jerusalem. He wants to make sure that the various families equally share this burden. How do you do that if you don’t know who’s who?

Thankfully, in God’s providence Nehemiah discovered the original genealogy of the returnees from almost 100 years prior. It will be a massive help in justly recruiting people to move into the city. That’s why it’s here. That’s very plain when you set chapter 7 alongside chapter 11. Nehemiah used it to determine how many people from each family and community must move to Jerusalem. He solves the problem by calling the people to work together to fix it. I’d like to highlight 3 ways Nehemiah led the people toward solving the problem.

Nehemiah rallied the people around their shared heritage. Don’t miss the fact that by going to this genealogy, Nehemiah is doing more than solving a math problem. He’s calling the people to remember who they are and where they came from. They are God’s people.

That’s why vv. 61–65 say some were excluded from the priesthood because they couldn’t prove their place in the family. Rebuilding Jerusalem is not just about solving a practical problem; it is about their shared heritage going all the way back to Moses and even further to Abraham. They were family.

And through Christ, we are family too. You aren’t just a private in an army doing a task. We are a brotherhood; we are a family. The most important thing that’s ever happened to you is that you were born again. You got saved, and Christ transformed your life. And every other genuine Christian in this church has shared that same precious experience. And the Spirit didn’t just save us; he placed us in a family. That is an awesome gift. We have friendship and support. You are loved.

Sure, we have our differences, and sometimes we irritate each other. But every true believer in this room shares the most important experience of our lives—the new birth. Remember that when you get frustrated or disagree. We share a lot more than we don’t. Give thanks for your family. Love your family. Pursue your family.

And like Nehemiah’s community, God has given us a shared and precious mission. We get to glorify our Savior and help others know the beauty of his grace. It’s awesome! When you are tired, distant, or discouraged, come back to what is most important just like Nehemiah did with this genealogy. Remember our shared gospel heritage.

Maybe you don’t have that gospel heritage because you’ve never received Christ as your Savior. Coming to church and calling yourself a Christian does not make you one. You must be born again. You must repent and receive Christ as your Lord and Savior. Please do that. Christ will forgive all your sins. He will receive you into his family. You will gain brothers and sisters and true family. Please be saved. If you aren’t sure what all this means, I want to answer your questions afterwards. 2^nd…

Nehemiah called for broad participation. Repopulating Jerusalem was a big problem and a vital aspect of the nation’s mission. So, everyone must get involved. He rehearses all these families because he needed everyone to help solve the problem. As Nehemiah has emphasized over and over, he rallies the team to work together to get the job done.

Of course, we’ll never have perfect equality, and we don’t want to. God gives us all different stewardships. I understand that. Some of you wish you could do more, but you can’t. Be content with where God has you.

God has given others an unusually large stewardship. I’m thankful for you too. It’s overwhelming to think about what some of our people sacrifice for the sake of the gospel.

But the more we can spread the load, the healthier we will all be. Maybe the Spirit is challenging you to jump in. I hope you will. It’s hard, but it is always worth it, and God is always faithful. Commit to finding out how you can share the load. Pray. Get counsel. Do your part. The church is always far more effective when many people share the load. 3^rd…

Nehemiah called the people to sacrifice. In Nehemiah 7 and 11, he calls on some people to make big sacrifices for the cause. Nehemiah knew it was a big ask, but Jerusalem must be strong. Nehemiah courageously and compassionately called the people to respond. And praise the Lord that many did. 11:2 says many volunteered. God moved the hearts of his people, and God accomplished his purpose.

I love the people of our church, and I am often overwhelmed by the sacrifice and generosity you make. You love your families and you sacrifice to see them know the Lord. Many of you make tremendous sacrifices financially, personally, and so on for the sake of this church. And it’s awesome. You do it because you love the Lord, you love the gospel, and you love God’s people. Someday Jesus will bless you beyond your wildest imaginations. Keep going. Christ is worth it. You are making an impact.

But maybe the Spirit is convicting you to do more. Some of you can’t do much at all, but others could. I must follow Nehemiah’s example and call you to obey the Spirit’s leading.

Give sacrificially to the work of the ministry. Invest your time, your heart, and your talents for the most important work in the world. Don’t be afraid of relationships; instead, be open with others. Love people and invest in them. Jesus doesn’t want your scraps. He wants the best of you. Step out by faith and watch him give grace.

Conclusion

God’s purpose is worth it all. These people are worth more than your hobbies and down time. And God’s reward is better than anything you will lose. Work with each other and for each other to accomplish God’s purpose.