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Guest (Female): This is Connect with Skip Heitzig. Thanks for joining us today. Here at Connect with Skip, we love helping you understand God's word and apply it to your life through clear, practical Bible teaching and real encouragement. If you'd like help to keep growing in your walk with Jesus, sign up for Pastor Skip's free weekly devotional. You'll receive biblical insight, teaching highlights, and exclusive resources designed to help you stay strong in your faith, all delivered right to your inbox. Signing up is quick and easy, and you'll be glad you did. Go to connectwithskip.com and join the list today. That's connectwithskip.com. Now, let's dive into today's teaching with Pastor Skip Heitzig.

Skip Heitzig: Look at something else, verse 12: "Next to him was Shallum the son of Hallohesh, the leader of half the district of Jerusalem." So, he's a bigwig. Notice this: "He and his daughters" made repair. I just find it interesting that's mentioned. Probably he had no sons or perhaps he had no sons. In the very least, this was a dad and daughter date. They're going to build together on the wall.

I point it out because you probably know this, but the Bible isn't just full of great men. It's also full of great women that God used powerfully. Deborah, one of the great judges who delivered the children of Israel at a very crucial moment. Esther, the Queen of Persia, who delivered the entire Jewish race in Persia. Ruth, the great-grandmother of Jesus Christ, marrying Boaz in the lineage—the great-grandmother of David, but in the lineage of Jesus Christ.

Somebody once said when God wants to do a great work, He chooses a man. When He wants to do an extraordinary work, He chooses a woman. The point is—I'm not going to debate that, I'll let husbands and wives elbow each other all the way home—the point is, there's a place for everyone in God's work. Given the list of the different types of people that worked on this wall, God loves variety.

One of the things you ought to do in church more often is look around at the people in church and look at how different many of us are, and yet we are here over what really matters. We have that in common. First Corinthians chapter 12, Paul writes this—I'm going to put it on the screen: "There are different kinds of spiritual gifts, but it's the same Holy Spirit who is the source of them all. There are different kinds of service in the church, but it is the same Lord that we are serving. There are different ways God works in our lives, but it is the same God who does the work through all of us. A spiritual gift is given to each of us as a means of helping the entire church."

Years ago, I read this crazy little story about a legend that all of the tools in Jesus' carpentry shop in Nazareth were having a meeting together. It was presided over by the hammer. So, Brother Hammer begins the meeting. As he's beginning the meeting, somebody shouts out and says, "You have to go. You have to leave because you're just too noisy."

Brother Hammer said, "Well, if I have to go, then Brother Screw also has to go because you've got to twist him to get him to do anything." Brother Screw said, "Well, if I have to go, then Brother Plane also has to go because all of his work is surface work. He's not a very deep individual."

The plane said, "Well, if I have to go, then Brother Rule also has to go because he's always measuring everyone by himself." Then Brother Rule piped up and said, "Well, if I have to go, Brother Sandpaper also has to leave because he's rough and he rubs people the wrong way."

Just then, Jesus walked in to build something. He picked up the hammer, the screw, the plane, the rule, and the sandpaper, and they all worked together to build what He wanted to build. Every one of us is an instrument for God to use. We have a part.

I said Nehemiah organized this. His name is not mentioned, but there's a principle even in that. One person, no matter how gifted, can do the work of ministry alone. Nehemiah knew that. That's why he got a group. He began small, got a few leaders after that, and now he has conceivably hundreds of people doing it. One person, no matter how gifted, can do the work of ministry alone. First Corinthians 12, I just read, "The body is not one member, but many."

Moses learned that lesson when he was in the wilderness. You remember the story when Jethro, his father-in-law, watched him presiding over the people? He's there from morning until night listening to everybody's complaints, counseling them, doing everything. His father-in-law that evening said, "I am not impressed. What you are doing is not good. You're going to wear yourself out and you're going to wear people out, frankly. You need to get other people to shoulder different responsibilities to get the job done."

Back in 1981—how many were alive in 1981? In 1981, President Ronald Reagan was shot. It was an attempted assassination by John Hinckley Jr. The President of the United States was hospitalized for several weeks. What's interesting about this, the country didn't shut down. Its executive leader was laid up for weeks in the hospital; the country did not shut down. In fact, it had little impact on the nation's activity, the government functioned. Hold that thought.

A few weeks ago in Birmingham, England, the garbage collectors went on strike. The city was a literal mess. In fact, it was a health hazard. It stunk to high heavens. Question: the city almost shut down. Who's more important, the leader of a nation or the garbage collectors in a city? Before you answer that, it's sort of a trick question because the real answer is both are necessary for the society to function. All of these were necessary for the wall to get built. So, God's work should be orderly. Second, there's a place for everyone.

Let me give you a third principle: your service should fit you. Your service should fit you. Now, I want you to notice where people worked. Go back to verse 1: "Eliashib the high priest rose up with his brethren the priests and built" what gate? "The sheep gate." They consecrated it, they hung its doors, they built as far as the Tower of the Hundred, consecrated it as far as the Tower of Hananel.

The sheep gate, as we pointed out on the map, is on the northwest corner of the ancient city of Jerusalem. It is next to the sheep market, hence the name, sheep gate. These were sheep that were brought into the temple for sacrifice. This would be an area that the priests would have special interest in because they would receive the sheep given by the people, bought at the market, for the sacrifices. So, they're building on a section of the wall that fit their personality and their calling.

Something else to make a note of, look at verse 10: "Next to them, Jedaiah the son of Harumaph made repairs in front of his house." Now, go down to verse 23: "After him Benjamin and Hasshub made repairs opposite their house. After them Azariah the son of Maaseiah, the son of Ananiah, made repairs by his house." Go to verse 29: "After them Zadok the son of Immer made repairs in front of his own house." Also verse 28: "Beyond the horse gate the priests made repairs each in front of his own house," and that is also mentioned in verse 30.

Why'd they do that? Pretty easy answer, right? To make sure they did a good job. They're looking at it. You know the old saying, "I think I did a good job, I can't see it from my house." They could see it from their house. That's the whole point. You want them to build right in front of their house because they're going to be looking at that baby every single day. So, it fit them.

Also, look back at verse 26: "Moreover the Nethinim," this is a Hebrew word for the servants, I'll tell you about them in a minute, "the Nethinim who dwelt in Ophel," this little bulge in the ancient city, a mound, "made repairs as far as the place in front of the water gate toward the east and on the projecting tower." Now, the Nethinim were Gibeonites. You who are Bible students may remember way back in the book of Joshua, Gibeonites tricked Joshua into making him think that they came from a far distance, but they were just right around the block.

When Joshua found out that these were Canaanites, they didn't exterminate them, but they made them servants, woodcutters and water carriers for the children of Israel. So, it would make sense that their responsibility is the water gate, close to the water source, the Gihon Spring of Jerusalem. So, this you might say is the first Watergate crisis, way before 1972. And by the way, if you ever are planning to go with us to Israel, I can show you a portion of the wall that was built by the Nethinim and the Tekoites; they have discovered that as well.

So, here's the point. Nehemiah takes advantage of the natural conditions and the layout of the city and the people who live in various places. The principle is, you guys build where you are. Build where you are. You might say bloom where you're planted. Build where you are. He didn't have the people commute from one part of the city to the other part of the city; that would waste time, that would reduce efficiency. He ensured that each person put in their best effort because they have to look at that wall in front of the house.

Guest (Female): You're listening to Connect with Skip Heitzig. Every day, the generosity of friends like you helps make clear, verse-by-verse Bible teaching available to people searching for truth, direction, and hope. And this month, we want to thank you with two powerful resources to help you follow God faithfully, even when life feels uncertain or challenging. When you give, you'll receive the Expound Nehemiah seven-message CD series with digital download, along with Pastor Skip's booklet, *Overcoming an Anxious Mind*. Together, these resources show you how God rebuilds what's broken, strengthens you when you face opposition, and gives you peace even in seasons of pressure and waiting. We'll send both resources as our thanks when you give $50 or more to support Connect with Skip Heitzig. Call 800-922-1888 or visit connectwithskip.com/offer. Now, let's return to today's teaching with Pastor Skip Heitzig.

Skip Heitzig: Here's the principle: your service for the Lord should be according to your gifting from the Lord. You should serve where you are fit. John Maxwell, who's written many books on leadership, talks about putting people in their comfort zone and in their gifting zone. Find their comfort zone, find their gifting zone, and he notices that often spiritual gifts and natural aptitudes will match.

By the way, speaking of being at home, some of you are doing some of God's best work by raising the kids that you raise in your home. That is an important task to build the walls of the kingdom of God. You are infusing into those children His principles. It is not a light thing. So, God's work should be orderly, there's a place for everyone, your service should fit you. Here's a fourth principle: some work harder than others.

I know you know this, but I want you to compare a couple of verses with me to see it here in the scripture. Go to verse 20: "After him Baruch the son of Zabbai diligently repaired" or carefully repaired "the other section from the buttress to the door of the house of Eliashib the high priest." That word "diligently" or "carefully," depending on what translation you might have, is a word that means to burn or to glow. We would say this guy's fired up about his job. He's fired up, he's ready to do it, he puts his whole heart into it.

But I want you to compare that with verse 5 of chapter 3: "Next to them the Tekoites made repairs; but their nobles did not put their shoulders to the work of their Lord." Interesting. Now, a word about Tekoa. Tekoa is a village about 10 miles south of Jerusalem. If you went to Bethlehem and just sort of kept going and went a little left, you're in Tekoa. I'm guessing that some of these Tekoaites were relocated to Jerusalem. Maybe they're a little bent out of shape because they had to move to Jerusalem, I don't know. But maybe the nobles just thought, "This work is beneath me. I'm a noble. Nobles don't build even though everybody else is building." They showed up, but they didn't step up to do the work.

All of that to say, we just need to realize that some people won't do anything. Just got to get used to that fact. Some people won't do anything, others will do more than some, some will do less, etc. That's just the way it is. But laziness is never exonerated in the scripture. "Go to the ant, you sluggard," writes Solomon. "Consider her ways and be wise," he instructs. One comedian said, "I love work. It fascinates me, I can sit and stare at it for hours." That's what these nobles were doing. They were just looking, but not putting their shoulder to the work.

This is true in every office, in every business, in every organization, in every school, in every government institution, in every church. It's even true on every church staff. I'm not going to tell you who's who or who's doing what. But for some people, church is nothing more than a spectator sport. They dress up, they come, they sit, they watch, they listen, they leave, but never serve.

I've always loved how one coach described his definition of football. He said it's 22 men running around on a field who desperately need rest and 50,000 people in the stadium who desperately need exercise. That's football. That's the church sometimes. There's a few people doing a lot and a lot of people not doing much but watching everybody run around doing stuff. Ecclesiastes 9:10: "Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might."

Let me follow that up with one of my favorite Charles Spurgeon quotes. He said, "If you plan to be lazy, there are plenty of avocations in which you will not be wanted, but above all you are not wanted in the Christian ministry. The man who finds the ministry an easy life will also find that it brings a hard death." They're building the walls of Jerusalem, some are building harder, some are not.

Let me give you the fifth and final principle: work should be tied to purpose. Work should be tied to purpose. Why are you working? Why are you building? What's the point of this? Is it just to have a nice city with nice gates and just to protect from the enemy? What is—is that the purpose or is there an even greater purpose? In this case, there is a greater purpose.

Now, for this, I'd like to take you back to chapter 2, back in verse 17. I want you to notice the wording by Nehemiah: "I," that is Nehemiah, "I said to them," chapter 2, verse 17, "I said to them, 'You see the distress that we are in, how Jerusalem lies in waste, its gates are burned with fire. Come, and let us build the wall of Jerusalem that we may no longer be a reproach.'"

It's a key phrase. Also a key phrase, verse 18: "I told them of the hand of my God which had been good upon me and also of the king's words." And then I'm even going to take you down to verse 20: "I answered them," those are the enemies, Sanballat, Tobiah, and Geshem, "I answered them and I said, 'The God of heaven Himself will prosper us.'" Stop there.

Just with that language, pretty easy to see that Nehemiah is convinced that this is God's city. This is not like Shushan, not like Susa in Persia or any other town in the world. This is God's city, and this is God's work that we are doing, and we want God's glory. We're a reproach. God's people are a reproach. We want to do this for the glory of God.

Let me give you a couple of scriptures that'll just sort of tie in, I think. One is Psalm 87 where the Psalmist says, "The Lord loves the gates of Zion," that's Jerusalem, "more than all the dwellings of Jacob." Then in Second Chronicles 12, "Jerusalem, the city which the Lord had chosen out of all the tribes of Israel to put His name there." This is God's city, right there. This is for God's glory. This isn't just for our protection, this is for the glory of God.

What's my principle? It doesn't matter what you do in terms of a vocation. You could be a clerk, a businessman, a medical technologist, construction worker, scientist, clergy member. When you do your job with integrity and skill and dependability, and especially if you share the gospel at opportune times, you are living for the glory of God. You are serving and working for the glory of God. That's an important truth that elevates work, that elevates whatever project you're working on to the highest possible level.

First Corinthians 10:31: "If you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God," even a meal, eating or drinking, the hamburger in the backyard barbecue. Do it for the glory of God. "Thank you, Jesus." Colossians 3:23: "Work hard and cheerfully at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people."

Some of you are familiar with the Westminster Catechism, in particular the Westminster Shorter Catechism. It's several questions followed by answers. First question and first answer is this: "What is the chief end of man?" "What is the chief end of man?" Answer: "The chief end of man is to glorify God and to enjoy Him forever." That's a sermon right there. Glorify God and enjoy Him forever. That happens to be the very purpose and the ultimate goal of human existence itself. "And for Your pleasure they were created," we are told in Revelation. This is the reason we serve our church, this is the reason we serve our city, we want to make the name of Jesus as famous as possible. So, work should be tied to purpose.

There's one final quote I'm going to throw up on the screen and I want to look at it together. It's by Dietrich Bonhoeffer. I have a little book that he wrote and I think it's a hidden gem; it's called *Life Together*, it's about fellowship. But he said something that just blew my mind. He said, "The person who loves their dream of community," watch the wording, "the person who loves their dream of community will destroy community. But the person who loves those around them will create community."

Now, just keep that up for a minute. Just let that sink in. Some people dream of the perfect community to live in. It's going to be like this. I'm going to—there's a utopia out there. I'm leaving here, the neighboring state, I'm going to go there. That's what they dream of. Others make the place they live in utopia and serve the people around them, and that creates community. And that little statement just hit me between the eyes yesterday afternoon. Beautiful. "The person who loves their dream of community will destroy community, but the person who loves those around them will create community."

So, we have five principles for working together, all of them found in Nehemiah 3 in this whip report by Nehemiah. God's work should be orderly, there's a place for everyone, your service should fit you, some work harder than others, but work should always be tied to the purpose of God's goal.

Guest (Female): Thanks for joining us today on Connect with Skip Heitzig. Before we go, remember, your generosity helps share God's word with people all around the world, offering truth, hope, and encouragement where it's needed most. And this month, we'd love to thank you for your gift of $50 or more by sending you the Expound Nehemiah seven-message CD series with digital download, along with Pastor Skip's booklet, *Overcoming an Anxious Mind*. These resources will help you see how God rebuilds what's broken in your life and gives you peace even in the midst of pressure and uncertainty. Give today at connectwithskip.com/offer or call 800-922-1888. We'll see you next time on Connect with Skip Heitzig.

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