May 5, 2006

“WITH THE HELP OF OUR GOD”

Assorted Scriptures

I’ve been doing some review this week. It was just two years ago (April 30, 2004) that I preached a message to officially launch our building expansion project. We presented the vision for the project and encouraged your prayer and donations. Then last spring, in April and May, I preached a series of messages from Ezra and Nehemiah, looking at two great building projects of the Scripture and seeking to extract Biblical principles that could guide us in our own building project.

Today we are on a new threshold, as the actual construction phase of the project has begun with the demolition of the existing wing of the building. If all goes according to plan, the project will take 14 months to complete. So, by the end of summer, 2007, we hope to see the new building ready for occupying. A huge amount of work has already taken place in planning and fundraising. But in another sense, the real work is only just beginning.

As a pastor of a church involved in a building project, I find myself engaged in a delicate balancing act. On the one hand, I don’t want people to dread coming to church, “because all we’re going to hear is another message about the building project and another appeal for funds.” On the other hand, we are engaging in a great project together for the kingdom of God. Such a project gives us all, both individually and corporately, an opportunity to trust God in new ways, and see him work in dramatic ways. I see part of my role as a shepherd as guiding the congregation through that process of trusting God and learning the lessons he wants us to learn. It may well be that the most valuable thing to come out of this project will not be the new building itself, but rather the spiritual lessons we will learn and the spiritual growth we will experience by being a part of this process. So, in trying to strike that balance, I promise not to preach about the building project every week. But I do promise to preach about it occasionally to keep us focused on the spiritual dimensions of the task and the lessons we can learn from the project.

This is what took me back to reviewing the messages I preached two years ago and last year – to be reminded of the lessons we found from the great building projects of the Bible. It was an encouraging exercise, and what I have come away with that I want to share with you this morning in review are 3 perspectives to shape our thinking and 2 principles for us to apply.

Perspective #1: God is the divine recruiter and motivator for the task.

I found this perspective woven throughout the various Old Testament building projects. First in the building of the tabernacle, we see it in Exodus 35:4-5, 20-21. (Read) Do you see the emphasis in those verses on those who were willing, and those whose heart moved them? This was not done under compulsion. This was done willingly and freely.

But where does that willingness come from? (Read Ezra 1:5-6) The people gave and enlisted in the work as their heart moved them, but who moved their hearts? It was God who stirred and moved their hearts! He was the divine recruiter and motivator for the task. I want to always keep that perspective in this project. We will present challenges and opportunities from time to time. I am going to present one to you at the end of the sermon today. But please listen to me when I say this, because I really mean it. If God doesn’t stir your heart, don’t give! Don’t give out of guilt. Don’t give out of human pressure. Don’t give because everyone else is giving. We want this building to be built out of freewill offerings. We want you to give when God stirs your heart to give. And that is true in giving your time and talents as well as your money. God is the divine recruiter and motivator for the task.

Here is the second perspective we want to keep in mind. Perspective # 2: God will provide the strength and resources for the task.

Once again, this divine perspective is woven throughout the Old Testament accounts. But it comes through especially clearly in word from the Lord which came through the prophet Zechariah. There were two prophets who were preaching in Jerusalem during this time period. When the people of Israel first came back to Jerusalem, their first great task was to rebuild the temple. They laid the foundation and began the work. But then they faced many hardships and discouragements. They became distracted by other things. God sent Zechariah to Zerubbabel to stir him up. I love what he says in Zechariah 4:6-9. (Read).

When I was preaching through Ezra a year ago, I suggested that we take this verse as a theme for our building project: Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the Lord Almighty. I am afraid I have not done a very good job of keeping this verse in front of us. It is easy to look at the size of the task, and then at the extent of our own strength and resources and to become discouraged. But when God is in a task, a mighty mountain can become level ground! Isn’t that what verse 7 is saying? In two years of fundraising, we have raised just over 25 % of what our whole project will cost. That leaves a very high mountain still in front of us. That can be intimidating. It can also be an occasion to test and challenge our faith. Is God big enough? Can he provide for the task? Can he turn the mountain into level ground?

The third perspective that we need to keep in mind is this: Perspective # 3: God will receive the glory for what is achieved. I especially like what it says in Nehemiah 6:15-16, after they finished rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem in record time. (Read). Don’t you love that? Everyone, even their enemies, recognized that this work had been done with the help of our God. When we undertake a large task for God’s kingdom, relying on his power and resources, then he receives the glory when it is accomplished. Let us keep this perspective always before us during the next 14 months: For the glory of God! Let us make that our goal and our primary concern.

So, those are the three perspectives that we want to keep in mind as we continue with the task before us. But I said I wanted to share 3 perspectives and 2 principles. The perspectives will hopefully shape the way we think about the project. The principles will guide our actions and the way we approach the project.

Principle #1: When we respond to challenges with prayer, God acts.

I have deliberately used the word challenges to include both problems and simply challenges related to the size and difficulties of a task. We have already faced both in our project – and we will continue to face them. It is a mistake to think that because we are engaged in God’s work, that the road will be smooth. The accounts of the Old Testament building projects tell of constant and repeated problems and difficulties. They had opposition from outside, they had problems from within. They faced physical problems and spiritual problems. When they were doing the work on the walls of Jerusalem, they literally worked with their armor on and their swords strapped to their sides because of threats of attack. Then in the midst of the job, they faced a labor strike. I could go on and on. Problems and challenges will come. That is a given. The key is, how will we respond? Where will we turn when the going gets tough?

Let’s look at Nehemiah’s example. Read Nehemiah 1:3. Sounds like a problem, a faith challenge, doesn’t it? So what did Nehemiah do? (Read Nehemiah 1:4) We don’t have time to go into the details of his prayer, but it’s a great model to look at in verses 5-11. I just want to emphasize the principle of prayer. This was Nehemiah’s response. He responded with prayer.

In answer to his prayer, he gets an opportunity to speak to the king. Look at Nehemiah 2:4-5: (Read). I like that. He prayed to God, then he answered the king. And he gave his request. What was the result?  We find it in the middle of verse 8: And because the gracious hand of my God was upon me, the king granted my requests.

This became a pattern for Nehemiah’s ministry. In chapter 4, they faced more opposition to the building project. Their enemies were ridiculing them and mocking them. Look at Nehemiah’s response in Nehemiah 4:4-5. (Read). And the result? They kept building. The same thing again in Nehemiah 6:9. (Read)

Once again, I challenge you to take on the burden of prayer for our project. We have faced difficulties, and we shall no doubt face more. Some of those we will be able to share with the whole congregation. Other sensitive issues may need to be handled at the leadership level. But at whatever level of involvement, let us face the challenges with prayer. Because in response to prayer, God acts.

The second principle grows out of the first one. When we do God’s work, we can rely on God’s help. I preached an entire message on this principle a year ago. In fact, I urged you all to memorize this simple principle. Let’s rememorize it. (Repeat several times.) As we continue in this task, we need to be constantly reminded of this truth. Otherwise, we will be overwhelmed by the task. But we must remember, it is not our task. This is where the perspectives meet the principles. If God is the divine recruiter and motivator and if he provides the strength and resources for the task and if he will receive the glory when it is accomplished, then our task is to rely on God’s help.

This principle is found throughout the different accounts. For brevity, I will simply take us to one Scripture in Nehemiah 2:20. Nehemiah’s enemies were accusing him of rebelling against the king. But look at his response: I answered them by saying, “The God of heaven will give us success. We his servants will start rebuilding.” That should be our attitude when we take on a work for the Lord. He is our source of strength. When we do God’s work, we can rely on God’s help. He will give us success.

Well, that is a quick overview and review of the key principles gleaned from these great Old Testament building projects. They are truths we will need to ponder and apply repeatedly as we continue to build.

These perspectives and principles are first and foremost applicable to us on the corporate level. But I would like to issue a very specific faith challenge to you as members of the ECC church family in terms of our project. We have been encouraging you to give and participate in a variety of ways over the previous two years. And you have responded in a great way. We have made great progress. But we are now entering a more intense and urgent phase of the project. Money given over these next 14 months will not sit long in the bank. It will be used quickly to actually build the project. Here is the faith challenge I would like you to consider. It is the faith challenge to give, over and above your normal giving to the church, the equivalent of one month’s salary to the project.

We are giving you this challenge with two purposes in mind. First, we need the money to build the project. We need it to make payments and pay for the project as it is built. That is the first and obvious reason for this challenge. But there is a second reason. We want to give you this challenge so that you have an opportunity to very personally enter into the challenge of this project, and to apply the truths we have been talking about.

First of all, it is God who recruits and motivates. So if God is not stirring your heart to be involved, don’t respond. But if he is stirring you to participate at this level, then listen and let him move your heart. Secondly, your initial response may be: “But that’s impossible. I can’t do that. I don’t have the resources.” But remember the second perspective: “God will provide the strength and the resources.” This is an opportunity to trust God. If he stirs your heart to make this faith pledge, do you think he is able to provide the resources for you to fulfill it? Finally it is an opportunity to apply these last two principles. When we respond to challenges with prayer, God acts. When we do God’s work, we can rely on God’s help.

Will you accept the challenge?