WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:04.540 Good morning. 00:00:05.480 --> 00:00:07.600 Welcome to Cheyenne Mountain Presbyterian Church. 00:00:07.740 --> 00:00:10.320 It's my joy to bring God's word to you this morning. 00:00:10.660 --> 00:00:15.500 My name is Matthew Capone, and I'm the pastor here at Cheyenne Mountain Presbyterian Church. 00:00:16.879 --> 00:00:20.100 Special welcome if you are new or visiting with us. 00:00:20.580 --> 00:00:21.420 We're glad you're here. 00:00:22.240 --> 00:00:25.199 And we are glad you're here not because we are trying to fill seats, 00:00:25.600 --> 00:00:28.560 but because we are following Jesus together as one community. 00:00:28.559 --> 00:00:32.979 And as we follow Jesus together, we are convinced that there's no one so good 00:00:32.979 --> 00:00:37.060 that they don't need God's grace, and no one so bad that they can't have it. 00:00:37.820 --> 00:00:40.500 And so God is going to have something to say to everyone in his word, 00:00:40.560 --> 00:00:43.140 and everyone needs to hear what God has to say. 00:00:45.039 --> 00:00:47.460 If you've been with us, you know that we are in the book of Nehemiah. 00:00:47.679 --> 00:00:52.659 The book of Nehemiah is a book about a man named Nehemiah who lived in the 5th century B.C. 00:00:53.320 --> 00:00:57.820 And he lived during a time when the people of Israel, God's people in the Old Testament, 00:00:57.820 --> 00:01:00.280 were returning slowly from exile. 00:01:00.439 --> 00:01:02.920 They had been freed from exile in 538 B.C. 00:01:03.000 --> 00:01:07.680 And what we read about here is in 445 B.C., almost 100 years later. 00:01:08.219 --> 00:01:10.920 So the process of returning from exile is still continuing. 00:01:11.500 --> 00:01:14.340 And this is the process of Nehemiah, along with God's people, 00:01:14.879 --> 00:01:16.719 turning back from their sin, 00:01:17.180 --> 00:01:19.299 abandoning God's city and his ways, 00:01:19.379 --> 00:01:20.900 and turning back to God in repentance. 00:01:20.900 --> 00:01:26.000 This is part of a much larger story that's covered by many books in the Bible. 00:01:26.160 --> 00:01:30.320 And this particular part of the story is about the rebuilding of the wall around the city of Jerusalem. 00:01:31.060 --> 00:01:34.200 The city of Jerusalem is the city that God had given his people, 00:01:34.300 --> 00:01:36.440 the people of Israel, to be a light to the nations. 00:01:37.020 --> 00:01:39.700 That everyone in the world could look to this city to see 00:01:39.700 --> 00:01:42.820 what it is like when God's people follow after God's ways. 00:01:43.880 --> 00:01:47.860 Now we've been through quite a lot together as we've gone through the book of Nehemiah. 00:01:47.859 --> 00:01:51.140 We've seen internal problems and external problems. 00:01:51.299 --> 00:01:55.019 We've seen oppression of the poor by God's people, not even the people outside. 00:01:55.359 --> 00:01:59.400 We've also seen tremendous unity in chapter 3 as God's people worked together, 00:01:59.900 --> 00:02:03.260 despite their differences, to build the temple, excuse me, to build the wall. 00:02:04.019 --> 00:02:09.000 And then in chapter 6, we saw the fear that they encountered as they were going on God's mission. 00:02:10.099 --> 00:02:11.620 And now we come to chapter 7, 00:02:12.379 --> 00:02:15.379 which I know that many of you have been looking forward to. 00:02:15.379 --> 00:02:19.560 And I say that only half-jokingly. 00:02:20.620 --> 00:02:23.199 If you're not aware, if you haven't looked at the end of your worship guide, 00:02:23.259 --> 00:02:25.979 you know that this is mostly a long list of names and numbers. 00:02:26.900 --> 00:02:30.319 I only say that half-jokingly because this is a wonderful opportunity for some people. 00:02:30.419 --> 00:02:32.219 There are some congregants, and you've already told me this, 00:02:32.620 --> 00:02:34.819 who love passages like this. 00:02:35.719 --> 00:02:37.599 I would love to think that it's out of Christian charity. 00:02:37.740 --> 00:02:40.479 Some of it's just because this is a great stump-the-chump situation. 00:02:40.479 --> 00:02:43.379 And it's fun to watch a preacher squirm. 00:02:43.759 --> 00:02:45.939 So if that's you, you're welcome. 00:02:47.699 --> 00:02:52.000 It also raises a question of why it is that we cover passages like this. 00:02:52.399 --> 00:02:56.679 It would be easy for me to preach the very beginning of chapter 7 00:02:56.679 --> 00:02:58.739 and just skip to chapter 8 and just tell you, 00:02:59.120 --> 00:03:01.280 yes, that was a long list of names, and we're going to keep going. 00:03:02.159 --> 00:03:04.459 And we read passages like this for two reasons. 00:03:05.320 --> 00:03:07.540 First of all, we, and this is of lesser importance, 00:03:07.719 --> 00:03:09.980 we read them because we want to stay honest. 00:03:10.719 --> 00:03:15.780 It would be incredibly easy for me as your pastor to find passages that were easy to preach, 00:03:16.780 --> 00:03:19.659 be tempting to find passages that talked only about topics 00:03:19.659 --> 00:03:21.819 that everyone in this world could agree with us about, 00:03:22.140 --> 00:03:24.520 about God's goodness and His mercy and His justice. 00:03:25.520 --> 00:03:28.520 And so we pick books of the Bible, and we preach through the entire book 00:03:28.520 --> 00:03:32.300 because it makes us preach through things that are hard at times. 00:03:32.300 --> 00:03:35.920 Sometimes we have to touch on topics that our culture might disagree with us about. 00:03:36.980 --> 00:03:38.840 And so we do this, first of all, to keep ourselves honest, 00:03:38.900 --> 00:03:40.880 but that's not the most important reason we do it. 00:03:41.540 --> 00:03:44.760 The most important reason that we preach through passages like this 00:03:44.760 --> 00:03:46.300 is because they are part of God's Word. 00:03:47.740 --> 00:03:52.100 And we believe what God tells us when He says that His Word is more precious than gold, 00:03:52.460 --> 00:03:53.420 even the finest gold, 00:03:54.180 --> 00:03:55.880 and that it is sweeter than honey, 00:03:56.480 --> 00:03:58.900 even honey that comes straight from the honeycomb. 00:03:59.900 --> 00:04:01.360 God's Word is living and active. 00:04:01.360 --> 00:04:05.980 It was His Word in Genesis chapter 1 that brought the very world into existence. 00:04:07.200 --> 00:04:09.820 And it is God's Word that we find out in Romans 10 00:04:09.820 --> 00:04:12.320 that takes sinners and brings them to faith. 00:04:13.780 --> 00:04:19.160 And so we read Nehemiah chapter 7 as an act of faith and trust and hope in God's Word, 00:04:20.040 --> 00:04:23.300 that He has good for us and He has something to teach us. 00:04:23.840 --> 00:04:27.080 And so that's how we come and turn to this chapter in this book. 00:04:27.079 --> 00:04:30.839 Now as we come to it, I'm going to name the same reality that I named last week, 00:04:30.899 --> 00:04:34.519 which is that sometimes as we read long chapters like this, it is hard to pay attention. 00:04:35.379 --> 00:04:39.120 So I'm going to give you not one homework assignment, but two homework assignments this time. 00:04:39.680 --> 00:04:41.039 This is you, which is all of us. 00:04:42.079 --> 00:04:46.079 First of all, I want you to look out for the problem that Nehemiah faces. 00:04:46.240 --> 00:04:49.799 Nehemiah actually faces a big problem in this chapter, which is mostly of names, 00:04:49.800 --> 00:04:52.020 and that problem is going to show up in verses 1 through 4. 00:04:53.020 --> 00:04:56.639 And then if you are tempted to fall asleep during the list of names and numbers, 00:04:56.740 --> 00:05:00.439 my challenge to you is to try to track the number of groups. 00:05:00.740 --> 00:05:04.040 Not the numbers of sons, because we're going to hear about a lot of sonsets, 00:05:04.680 --> 00:05:09.300 but numbers like people of Israel or Levites or priests, anything under that category. 00:05:10.240 --> 00:05:11.960 Okay, that's my challenge to you as we go through this. 00:05:11.980 --> 00:05:14.160 There's a problem, and then there are groups. 00:05:15.240 --> 00:05:17.920 And with that, we are going to read Nehemiah chapter 7. 00:05:17.920 --> 00:05:19.340 And remember that this is God's word. 00:05:20.400 --> 00:05:25.600 And God tells us that while the grass may fall and the flowers fade, 00:05:26.160 --> 00:05:28.160 it is his word that stands forever. 00:05:29.360 --> 00:05:33.720 In other words, while each of us in this room will die one day unless the Lord returns, 00:05:34.340 --> 00:05:35.879 God's word is going to continue. 00:05:36.000 --> 00:05:38.060 And so we're going to read it now, starting at verse 1. 00:05:39.319 --> 00:05:43.700 Now when the wall had been built, and I had set up the doors and the gatekeepers, 00:05:43.840 --> 00:05:45.560 the singers and the Levites had been appointed, 00:05:45.560 --> 00:05:50.420 I gave my brother Hananiah and Hananiah the governor of the castle charge over Jerusalem, 00:05:50.959 --> 00:05:54.160 for he was a more faithful and God-fearing man than many. 00:05:54.879 --> 00:05:55.839 And I said to them, 00:05:56.240 --> 00:05:59.160 Let not the gates of Jerusalem be opened until the sun is hot. 00:05:59.660 --> 00:06:02.920 And while they are still standing guard, let them shut and bar the doors. 00:06:03.800 --> 00:06:06.420 Appoint guards from among the inhabitants of Jerusalem, 00:06:07.220 --> 00:06:10.459 some at their guard posts and some in front of their own homes. 00:06:10.459 --> 00:06:15.459 The city was wide and large, but the people within it were few, 00:06:16.180 --> 00:06:17.719 and no houses had been rebuilt. 00:06:19.099 --> 00:06:19.899 Verse 5. 00:06:20.839 --> 00:06:24.319 Then my God put it into my heart to assemble the nobles and the officials 00:06:24.319 --> 00:06:26.599 and the people to be enrolled by genealogy. 00:06:27.259 --> 00:06:30.779 And I found the book of the genealogy of those who came up at the first, 00:06:30.839 --> 00:06:31.959 and I found written in it. 00:06:32.679 --> 00:06:36.919 These were the people of the province who came up out of the captivity of those exiles, 00:06:37.419 --> 00:06:40.259 whom Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, had carried into exile. 00:06:41.000 --> 00:06:43.899 They returned to Jerusalem and Judah, each to his town. 00:06:44.920 --> 00:06:49.240 They came with Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Nehemiah, Azariah, Ramiah, 00:06:49.620 --> 00:06:54.259 Nahomini, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mizpareth, Bigvi, Nahim, Banna. 00:06:54.860 --> 00:06:56.879 The number of the men of the people of Israel, 00:06:57.159 --> 00:06:59.860 the sons of Peresh, 2,172. 00:07:00.420 --> 00:07:03.300 The sons of Shephetiah, 372. 00:07:03.899 --> 00:07:06.300 The sons of Ere, 652. 00:07:06.300 --> 00:07:12.579 The sons of Pehath-Moab, namely the sons of Jeshua and Joab, 2,818. 00:07:13.560 --> 00:07:16.840 The sons of Elam, 1,254. 00:07:17.340 --> 00:07:19.600 The sons of Zatu, 845. 00:07:20.360 --> 00:07:22.519 The sons of Zaka, 760. 00:07:23.180 --> 00:07:25.960 The sons of Benue, 648. 00:07:26.400 --> 00:07:28.580 The sons of Bebi, 628. 00:07:28.579 --> 00:07:31.859 The sons of Asgad, 2,322. 00:07:32.519 --> 00:07:35.359 The sons of Edenakam, 667. 00:07:35.839 --> 00:07:38.359 The sons of Bigvi, 2,067. 00:07:38.879 --> 00:07:41.300 The sons of Aden, 655. 00:07:41.800 --> 00:07:44.939 The sons of Atter, namely of Hezekiah, 98. 00:07:45.579 --> 00:07:47.919 The sons of Hashem, 328. 00:07:48.419 --> 00:07:50.779 The sons of Bezi, 324. 00:07:50.779 --> 00:07:53.539 The sons of Heraph, 112. 00:07:54.459 --> 00:07:56.319 The sons of Gibeon, 95. 00:07:57.279 --> 00:08:00.639 The men of Bethlehem and Netophah, 188. 00:08:01.199 --> 00:08:03.859 The men of Anathoth, 128. 00:08:04.899 --> 00:08:05.739 Verse 28. 00:08:06.459 --> 00:08:08.419 The men of Beth-Azmaveth, 42. 00:08:09.179 --> 00:08:13.679 The men of Kiriath-Jerim, Shethra and Beroth, 743. 00:08:14.439 --> 00:08:17.099 The men of Ramah and Geba, 621. 00:08:17.860 --> 00:08:20.420 The men of Michmas, 122. 00:08:20.900 --> 00:08:23.280 The men of Bethel and Ai, 123. 00:08:24.220 --> 00:08:26.420 The men of the other Nebo, 52. 00:08:27.220 --> 00:08:30.500 The sons of the other Elam, 1,254. 00:08:31.060 --> 00:08:32.899 The sons of Haram, 320. 00:08:33.500 --> 00:08:35.540 The sons of Jericho, 345. 00:08:36.240 --> 00:08:39.639 The sons of Lot, Hadid and Ono, 721. 00:08:40.340 --> 00:08:43.480 The sons of Sinai, 3,930. 00:08:44.340 --> 00:08:44.920 The priests. 00:08:44.919 --> 00:08:49.000 The sons of Jedi, namely the house of Jeshua, 973. 00:08:49.639 --> 00:08:52.179 The sons of Emmer, 1,052. 00:08:52.860 --> 00:08:55.819 The sons of Pasher, 1,247. 00:08:56.399 --> 00:08:58.599 The sons of Haram, 1,017. 00:08:59.759 --> 00:09:00.500 The Levites. 00:09:00.839 --> 00:09:04.399 The sons of Jeshua, namely of Cadmiel, of the sons of Hodeva, 74. 00:09:05.179 --> 00:09:05.860 The singers. 00:09:06.439 --> 00:09:08.479 The sons of Asaph, 148. 00:09:09.120 --> 00:09:09.899 The gatekeepers. 00:09:10.339 --> 00:09:11.199 The sons of Shalem. 00:09:11.399 --> 00:09:12.120 The sons of Eter. 00:09:12.219 --> 00:09:13.039 The sons of Talman. 00:09:13.039 --> 00:09:17.199 The sons of Akab, the sons of Hatata, the sons of Shobai, 138. 00:09:18.339 --> 00:09:19.339 Verse 46. 00:09:19.340 --> 00:09:21.019 The temple servants. 00:09:21.639 --> 00:09:28.500 The sons of Zihah, the sons of Hassaphah, the sons of Tabiath, the sons of Keros, the sons of Siah, the sons of Paddan, the sons of Lebanon. 00:09:28.960 --> 00:09:33.580 The sons of Hagaba, the sons of Sheolmai, the sons of Hanan, the sons of Geddel, the sons of Gehar. 00:09:34.139 --> 00:09:39.340 The sons of Reiah, the sons of Rezin, the sons of Nakoda, the sons of Ghazm. 00:09:39.340 --> 00:10:02.399 Verse 57. 00:10:09.340 --> 00:10:24.500 Verse 61. 00:10:39.340 --> 00:11:09.320 Verse 61. 00:11:09.340 --> 00:11:10.879 Verse 66. 00:11:10.879 --> 00:11:18.519 Verse 79. 00:11:18.980 --> 00:11:33.980 Verse 72. 00:11:34.879 --> 00:11:36.000 Verse 70. 00:11:36.000 --> 00:11:39.379 Now some of the heads of fathers' houses gave to the work. 00:11:40.080 --> 00:11:47.220 The governor gave to the treasury 1,000 derricks of gold, 50 basins, 30 priests' garments, and 500 minas of silver. 00:11:47.879 --> 00:11:54.860 And some of the heads of fathers' houses gave unto the treasury of the work 20,000 derricks of gold and 2,200 minas of silver. 00:11:55.379 --> 00:12:02.580 And what the rest of the people gave was 20,000 derricks of gold, 2,000 minas of silver, and 67 priests' garments. 00:12:02.580 --> 00:12:12.000 So the priests, the Levites, the gatekeepers, the singers, some of the people, the temple servants, and all Israel lived in their towns. 00:12:12.580 --> 00:12:16.900 And when the seventh month had come, the people of Israel were in their towns. 00:12:24.780 --> 00:12:25.580 Please pray. 00:12:29.060 --> 00:12:30.980 Very appreciated, but unnecessary. 00:12:30.980 --> 00:12:33.980 I apologize, but I'm not sorry. 00:12:36.080 --> 00:12:38.639 Please pray with me as we come to this portion of God's word. 00:12:40.399 --> 00:12:44.639 Dear Father in heaven, we thank you that you are a good father to us. 00:12:45.659 --> 00:12:48.800 You don't leave us to figure things out on our own. 00:12:49.899 --> 00:12:52.060 You don't leave us to stumble around in the dark. 00:12:53.519 --> 00:12:55.820 But instead, you shine a light. 00:12:55.820 --> 00:12:59.080 You tell us the way that we should go in your word. 00:13:00.340 --> 00:13:05.680 And you've given us Jesus to help us, to redeem us, and sustain us as we follow after you. 00:13:06.420 --> 00:13:08.540 And so we ask all these things in his name. 00:13:09.040 --> 00:13:09.240 Amen. 00:13:09.240 --> 00:13:15.799 We have come here to the very end of the rebuilding of the wall. 00:13:16.060 --> 00:13:19.419 Now, I've been telling you all along that Nehemiah chapter 7 is about building a wall. 00:13:19.580 --> 00:13:23.159 And yet, if you've been paying attention, you know that we have many chapters to go. 00:13:23.840 --> 00:13:26.240 So we're going to talk about many things besides walls. 00:13:26.299 --> 00:13:30.220 But we find out here in verse 1 that everything is finished. 00:13:30.980 --> 00:13:34.480 In chapter 6, we knew that the wall was finished, but the gates were not there. 00:13:34.480 --> 00:13:36.840 And now we find that the gates are here as well. 00:13:36.980 --> 00:13:38.420 Everything is finished. 00:13:39.399 --> 00:13:40.440 But there's a problem. 00:13:42.279 --> 00:13:48.159 While the wall is complete, there are not enough people to fill the city. 00:13:50.779 --> 00:13:55.980 We're told in verse 1 that Nehemiah appoints gatekeepers and singers and Levites. 00:13:56.300 --> 00:14:02.200 And he doesn't tell us explicitly why, but perhaps the most likely reason is that he did not have enough guards to watch the city. 00:14:02.200 --> 00:14:10.520 And so just like we saw Levites and all sorts of people building the wall, which is way outside of their area of expertise, their experience, 00:14:10.640 --> 00:14:12.320 so we also see them guarding the wall. 00:14:13.540 --> 00:14:16.879 He has to set up folks who live in the city, the inhabitants. 00:14:17.140 --> 00:14:17.660 Verse 3. 00:14:18.259 --> 00:14:20.780 The inhabitants of Jerusalem are appointed as guards. 00:14:21.540 --> 00:14:25.060 Some of their guards post, and then this is Nehemiah's brilliant, some in front of their homes. 00:14:25.259 --> 00:14:28.460 So Nehemiah puts people to guard things that they personally find valuable. 00:14:28.460 --> 00:14:32.379 But even this does not solve the problem that we find in verse 4. 00:14:33.519 --> 00:14:38.680 The city was wide and large, but the people within it were few, and no houses had been rebuilt. 00:14:40.040 --> 00:14:43.540 And so in this place where we should expect a celebration, 00:14:44.379 --> 00:14:49.080 we would think that at this point in the book, Nehemiah would tell us about the dedication service that they had, 00:14:49.120 --> 00:14:51.080 about how everyone rejoiced at the building of the wall, 00:14:51.080 --> 00:14:55.940 but instead of celebration, they have a much more important task on their hands, and that is triage. 00:14:57.820 --> 00:15:01.980 No one has been living in the city of Jerusalem, at least very few people have, because there have not been walls. 00:15:03.520 --> 00:15:05.280 And so while it's exciting on the one hand, 00:15:06.480 --> 00:15:10.360 the task before them to hold down the city to guard it is overwhelming on the other. 00:15:10.360 --> 00:15:18.019 And so as they follow God in his mission, as we've seen, there are many challenges that come to us. 00:15:18.419 --> 00:15:19.659 Many things that we face. 00:15:19.740 --> 00:15:21.759 We have fear on the one hand, 00:15:23.139 --> 00:15:24.220 discouragement on the other, 00:15:25.000 --> 00:15:26.899 God's enemies coming up against us. 00:15:27.560 --> 00:15:30.659 But here the problem is that as they look around, it's not God's enemies. 00:15:31.639 --> 00:15:34.220 It's just that there's not many people standing with them. 00:15:34.220 --> 00:15:40.200 There's not many people that are there following after God's mission with them. 00:15:41.379 --> 00:15:45.940 And while we are not rebuilding a literal wall around a literal city, 00:15:46.639 --> 00:15:50.519 if we follow after God in his ways, there will be times when we look around, 00:15:51.580 --> 00:15:53.920 and we do not see many people standing with us. 00:15:56.300 --> 00:15:59.860 There will be times when we are all bought in on following God in his ways, 00:16:00.000 --> 00:16:03.060 and we just realize there aren't many other people who are excited about that. 00:16:04.879 --> 00:16:06.820 There aren't many other people who are standing with us. 00:16:06.899 --> 00:16:09.420 There are times when we want to fight for goodness and justice, 00:16:09.560 --> 00:16:14.220 and we realize that the people we wished and hoped would be with us are instead apathetic. 00:16:16.000 --> 00:16:19.620 There are times that we are fighting and striving to remain sexually faithful, 00:16:20.340 --> 00:16:22.519 following after God's commands and his intentions, 00:16:22.700 --> 00:16:24.259 and yet no one else is with us. 00:16:25.920 --> 00:16:29.060 And it feels at times like we're fighting the battle all by ourselves. 00:16:30.620 --> 00:16:34.200 There will be times when we're trying to raise our children to love God in his way, 00:16:34.220 --> 00:16:37.600 and yet it seems like there's no one else there. 00:16:38.259 --> 00:16:40.500 There are very few people who share that goal with us. 00:16:41.720 --> 00:16:44.680 There will be times where perhaps you're single and you want to be married, 00:16:45.500 --> 00:16:48.399 but you also want to be with someone who follows after God. 00:16:49.240 --> 00:16:52.540 And when you look around, there's not many other people who are doing that. 00:16:54.580 --> 00:16:58.240 Perhaps you want to keep walking with God, but your family wants to walk away from him. 00:16:58.240 --> 00:17:04.519 Perhaps you are not following after Jesus, but you want to, you're thinking about it. 00:17:05.640 --> 00:17:10.200 But you're afraid that if you do, your friends and your spouse won't come with you. 00:17:12.299 --> 00:17:15.259 There are many times when we're going on God's mission. 00:17:15.259 --> 00:17:20.579 And the problem is not necessarily fear like we saw in the last chapter, 00:17:21.119 --> 00:17:23.220 but discouragement, but loneliness. 00:17:24.660 --> 00:17:26.400 Who else is going to stand with us? 00:17:26.440 --> 00:17:30.980 If we are going to stand with God, is it going to be a lonely journey? 00:17:30.980 --> 00:17:35.480 Is it going to be constantly uphill? 00:17:37.660 --> 00:17:43.579 It's with that question in mind that Nehemiah decides he's going to call an assembly. 00:17:44.759 --> 00:17:50.000 This list of names is not something accidental or coincidental in the book of Nehemiah, 00:17:50.380 --> 00:17:53.640 but it is a response to this problem that they come up against 00:17:53.640 --> 00:17:57.019 as they look to guard the city that they are trying to rebuild. 00:17:57.019 --> 00:18:02.980 And so we see in verse 5, Nehemiah decides to assemble the nobles and the officials 00:18:02.980 --> 00:18:04.180 and the people to be enrolled. 00:18:05.539 --> 00:18:07.680 And it doesn't tell us exactly why he's doing this, 00:18:07.759 --> 00:18:10.879 but presumably, as he knows that the city needs more inhabitants, 00:18:11.420 --> 00:18:14.180 he is going to do an audit of the census, 00:18:14.579 --> 00:18:16.819 figure out who there is that's in the surrounding town 00:18:16.819 --> 00:18:18.900 so that he can begin to recruit people 00:18:18.900 --> 00:18:21.619 and bring them back into the city of Jerusalem that had been abandoned. 00:18:23.539 --> 00:18:25.680 And as he provides this list for us, 00:18:25.680 --> 00:18:28.980 we're told that it's going to have three categories in it. 00:18:29.640 --> 00:18:32.539 It's going to have the nobles, the officials, and the people. 00:18:34.080 --> 00:18:37.019 And yet the list does not go quite in that order. 00:18:39.519 --> 00:18:41.700 If you've been tracking, if you tried to list the groups, 00:18:41.779 --> 00:18:43.539 you may notice that the first group that's listed 00:18:43.539 --> 00:18:45.880 is actually not the nobles and the officials. 00:18:46.759 --> 00:18:49.120 Instead, in verses 6 and 7, it's simply the people. 00:18:49.119 --> 00:18:52.899 We see, first, these were the people of the province. 00:18:54.079 --> 00:18:55.299 And then at the end of verse 7, 00:18:55.339 --> 00:18:57.259 the number of the men of the people of Israel. 00:18:59.339 --> 00:19:01.619 And so while we have a book of the Bible 00:19:01.619 --> 00:19:06.319 whose title is a name about one man, 00:19:06.819 --> 00:19:09.959 this is a book that has a surprising number of names in it. 00:19:10.919 --> 00:19:13.319 While on the one hand, Nehemiah is the leader 00:19:13.319 --> 00:19:15.159 and the person whose name is given to the book. 00:19:15.160 --> 00:19:17.960 On the other hand, he doesn't look to do it all by himself. 00:19:19.240 --> 00:19:21.640 There are other accounts, historical accounts, 00:19:21.720 --> 00:19:22.900 of what happened during this time, 00:19:23.300 --> 00:19:25.900 and they do not include these long lists of names. 00:19:27.460 --> 00:19:28.680 Because to other historians, 00:19:28.759 --> 00:19:30.180 historians outside of God's people, 00:19:30.279 --> 00:19:31.940 that is unimportant and meaningless. 00:19:33.019 --> 00:19:34.460 It's only the leader that matters. 00:19:35.340 --> 00:19:36.880 But here the nobles and the officials 00:19:36.880 --> 00:19:38.400 are pushed to second place. 00:19:39.759 --> 00:19:41.080 Because it's God's people 00:19:41.080 --> 00:19:44.220 that Nehemiah looks to for the work. 00:19:45.960 --> 00:19:47.600 If we're tempted to believe 00:19:47.600 --> 00:19:50.120 that Nehemiah is some kind of hero leader 00:19:50.120 --> 00:19:51.420 who's just leading the charge, 00:19:52.000 --> 00:19:53.480 he's the one we should be praising. 00:19:54.700 --> 00:19:56.480 The long list of names that we find, 00:19:56.600 --> 00:19:57.500 not just in this chapter, 00:19:57.600 --> 00:19:58.840 but previously in chapter 3, 00:19:58.920 --> 00:20:00.060 and we have a few more lists 00:20:00.060 --> 00:20:02.040 coming up in future chapters as well, 00:20:02.120 --> 00:20:04.040 cut against the grain of all of that. 00:20:06.100 --> 00:20:08.300 This is a book with one man's name 00:20:08.300 --> 00:20:09.279 on the one hand. 00:20:09.740 --> 00:20:11.540 But it's a book with lots of names 00:20:11.540 --> 00:20:12.420 on the other hand. 00:20:12.420 --> 00:20:15.940 When we're tempted to believe 00:20:15.940 --> 00:20:16.680 that we're alone 00:20:16.680 --> 00:20:18.759 and no one else is standing with us, 00:20:19.300 --> 00:20:20.400 we're reminded of the truth 00:20:20.400 --> 00:20:21.460 that we saw in chapter 3, 00:20:21.560 --> 00:20:22.720 that God's people are many 00:20:22.720 --> 00:20:23.660 and they move together. 00:20:27.380 --> 00:20:28.480 Not only are they many 00:20:28.480 --> 00:20:29.259 and they move together, 00:20:29.380 --> 00:20:30.500 but that's the only way, 00:20:30.640 --> 00:20:32.060 that's the only way 00:20:32.060 --> 00:20:33.440 that God's people can work. 00:20:33.660 --> 00:20:34.440 That's the only way 00:20:34.440 --> 00:20:36.840 we're able to go on mission together, 00:20:37.019 --> 00:20:38.140 following after God 00:20:38.140 --> 00:20:39.720 and going in his ways. 00:20:41.240 --> 00:20:43.400 We've already talked a lot about this 00:20:43.400 --> 00:20:48.140 in chapter 3, 00:20:48.259 --> 00:20:49.660 about different people, 00:20:49.740 --> 00:20:50.300 but one vision. 00:20:50.420 --> 00:20:51.480 And so I'm simply going to say this. 00:20:52.940 --> 00:20:54.780 We need a lot of guards 00:20:54.780 --> 00:20:56.160 for our gates at Cheyenne Mountain. 00:20:56.160 --> 00:21:00.660 And if you come to our church, 00:21:01.540 --> 00:21:03.140 week after week, 00:21:03.200 --> 00:21:04.160 we are glad you're here. 00:21:06.500 --> 00:21:07.660 But we are not interested 00:21:07.660 --> 00:21:08.460 in filling seats. 00:21:10.240 --> 00:21:11.660 We are interested in following 00:21:11.660 --> 00:21:13.100 after Jesus together 00:21:13.100 --> 00:21:14.200 as one community. 00:21:16.519 --> 00:21:17.720 And so if you do not have 00:21:17.720 --> 00:21:18.580 a gate to guard, 00:21:19.420 --> 00:21:20.900 please come and talk to me. 00:21:22.000 --> 00:21:23.160 Talk to one of our elders. 00:21:23.920 --> 00:21:24.880 Because if you look 00:21:24.880 --> 00:21:25.520 and you think, 00:21:26.220 --> 00:21:27.600 wow, this church is running great. 00:21:27.720 --> 00:21:28.860 Everything is getting done 00:21:28.860 --> 00:21:29.680 that needs to be done. 00:21:29.760 --> 00:21:30.760 No one needs me here. 00:21:32.160 --> 00:21:33.300 Nothing could be further 00:21:33.300 --> 00:21:33.880 from the truth. 00:21:35.860 --> 00:21:37.760 We don't just need Nehemiahs. 00:21:38.440 --> 00:21:39.740 We don't just need nobles 00:21:39.740 --> 00:21:40.260 and officials. 00:21:40.920 --> 00:21:42.520 We need the people of Israel. 00:21:45.520 --> 00:21:47.460 As we look at this long list 00:21:47.460 --> 00:21:48.040 of names, 00:21:49.140 --> 00:21:50.620 we're reminded of the number 00:21:50.620 --> 00:21:52.020 of people who are available 00:21:52.020 --> 00:21:53.780 in Israel to help live 00:21:53.780 --> 00:21:54.300 in the city. 00:21:54.880 --> 00:21:56.240 and work in the city 00:21:56.240 --> 00:21:58.260 and come alongside 00:21:58.260 --> 00:22:00.000 everyone who's there with them 00:22:00.000 --> 00:22:02.520 to follow God in his ways. 00:22:05.680 --> 00:22:06.940 And so the message here 00:22:06.940 --> 00:22:07.820 is not one of shame, 00:22:07.900 --> 00:22:08.700 but one of invitation. 00:22:09.420 --> 00:22:10.380 We need you. 00:22:12.520 --> 00:22:14.200 We need every single person 00:22:14.200 --> 00:22:14.980 in this church 00:22:14.980 --> 00:22:17.280 to come and work with us 00:22:17.280 --> 00:22:19.140 as we follow after God. 00:22:19.140 --> 00:22:21.900 And so if you don't have a gate, 00:22:22.560 --> 00:22:23.960 if no one has asked you 00:22:23.960 --> 00:22:25.380 to help guard 00:22:25.380 --> 00:22:26.380 or work with something, 00:22:27.720 --> 00:22:28.820 then come. 00:22:29.540 --> 00:22:31.220 Help us as we are following 00:22:31.220 --> 00:22:32.140 after Jesus together 00:22:32.140 --> 00:22:32.860 as one community. 00:22:33.820 --> 00:22:34.980 Be a part of the work 00:22:34.980 --> 00:22:35.720 that God is doing 00:22:35.720 --> 00:22:36.759 here at Cheyenne Mountain. 00:22:38.240 --> 00:22:39.780 The work of rebuilding the wall 00:22:39.780 --> 00:22:40.300 is not something 00:22:40.300 --> 00:22:41.700 that Nehemiah can do alone. 00:22:42.520 --> 00:22:43.200 It's not something 00:22:43.200 --> 00:22:44.080 the nobles and officials 00:22:44.080 --> 00:22:44.700 can do alone, 00:22:44.700 --> 00:22:45.180 but it's something 00:22:45.180 --> 00:22:46.039 that's going to take 00:22:46.039 --> 00:22:47.019 all of these numbers 00:22:47.019 --> 00:22:47.799 of people to do. 00:22:51.720 --> 00:22:52.660 And so what do we do 00:22:52.660 --> 00:22:53.799 when we look around 00:22:53.799 --> 00:22:55.080 and we're following after God, 00:22:55.160 --> 00:22:55.940 but it doesn't seem like 00:22:55.940 --> 00:22:56.700 there's enough people 00:22:56.700 --> 00:22:57.279 around us? 00:22:59.340 --> 00:23:00.120 What we have to do 00:23:00.120 --> 00:23:00.720 on the one hand, 00:23:00.799 --> 00:23:01.680 what Nehemiah does, 00:23:02.259 --> 00:23:03.440 he gathers the people 00:23:03.440 --> 00:23:05.059 so that he can list them 00:23:05.059 --> 00:23:05.720 and recruit them. 00:23:06.980 --> 00:23:07.819 But on the other hand, 00:23:07.819 --> 00:23:08.460 we have to do 00:23:08.460 --> 00:23:09.599 what the people do, 00:23:10.240 --> 00:23:11.559 which is come forward 00:23:11.559 --> 00:23:12.119 and be willing 00:23:12.119 --> 00:23:13.319 to stand up and serve, 00:23:14.439 --> 00:23:15.960 to be part of everything 00:23:15.960 --> 00:23:17.319 that God is doing here 00:23:17.319 --> 00:23:18.619 through the city of Jerusalem. 00:23:23.659 --> 00:23:25.359 If you are reading carefully, though, 00:23:25.539 --> 00:23:27.019 there was a little bit 00:23:27.019 --> 00:23:27.839 of a plot twist 00:23:27.839 --> 00:23:29.619 here with the list of names. 00:23:30.759 --> 00:23:32.319 So Nehemiah has a problem, right? 00:23:32.379 --> 00:23:33.059 On the one hand, 00:23:33.099 --> 00:23:33.879 he thinks that 00:23:33.879 --> 00:23:35.799 he needs more people 00:23:35.799 --> 00:23:36.619 to come into the city. 00:23:37.039 --> 00:23:37.779 And so we would assume 00:23:37.779 --> 00:23:38.680 that he's going to count 00:23:38.680 --> 00:23:39.740 the people that are alive. 00:23:42.220 --> 00:23:43.160 Except in verse 5, 00:23:43.220 --> 00:23:44.099 we find something different. 00:23:45.519 --> 00:23:46.339 He is going to assemble 00:23:46.339 --> 00:23:47.279 the nobles and the officials 00:23:47.279 --> 00:23:47.779 and the people 00:23:47.779 --> 00:23:48.440 to be enrolled, 00:23:48.740 --> 00:23:50.039 but that's not the list 00:23:50.039 --> 00:23:51.019 that I just read to you. 00:23:52.119 --> 00:23:53.359 I did not just read you 00:23:53.359 --> 00:23:54.180 a list of people 00:23:54.180 --> 00:23:55.859 who were from 445 B.C. 00:23:57.779 --> 00:23:58.819 These, verse 6, 00:23:59.259 --> 00:24:00.119 actually verse 5, 00:24:00.180 --> 00:24:00.879 I found the book 00:24:00.879 --> 00:24:01.680 of the genealogy 00:24:01.680 --> 00:24:02.579 of those who came up 00:24:02.579 --> 00:24:03.160 at the first. 00:24:03.920 --> 00:24:04.420 In other words, 00:24:04.519 --> 00:24:05.240 I found the book 00:24:05.240 --> 00:24:06.859 of people who came up 00:24:06.859 --> 00:24:08.240 in 538 B.C. 00:24:10.299 --> 00:24:11.279 I found the book 00:24:11.279 --> 00:24:12.199 of the first people 00:24:12.199 --> 00:24:13.000 who returned 00:24:13.000 --> 00:24:14.819 when they were allowed 00:24:14.819 --> 00:24:16.500 to leave exile in Babylon 00:24:16.500 --> 00:24:17.919 and come back to Jerusalem. 00:24:19.679 --> 00:24:20.500 And so that's what he says 00:24:20.500 --> 00:24:21.079 in verse 6. 00:24:21.139 --> 00:24:21.759 These were the people 00:24:21.759 --> 00:24:22.339 of the province 00:24:22.339 --> 00:24:23.279 who came up 00:24:23.279 --> 00:24:24.259 out of the captivity 00:24:24.259 --> 00:24:25.259 of those exiles 00:24:25.259 --> 00:24:26.219 whom Nebuchadnezzar, 00:24:26.299 --> 00:24:26.959 the king of Babylon, 00:24:27.039 --> 00:24:28.039 had carried into exile. 00:24:29.359 --> 00:24:30.740 At the time that Nehemiah 00:24:30.740 --> 00:24:31.319 is writing this, 00:24:31.379 --> 00:24:32.399 Nebuchadnezzar is dead. 00:24:32.400 --> 00:24:35.240 And most likely, 00:24:35.400 --> 00:24:36.420 everyone's name 00:24:36.420 --> 00:24:37.640 that he just listed 00:24:37.640 --> 00:24:38.880 is dead as well. 00:24:40.160 --> 00:24:41.519 This would be like me 00:24:41.519 --> 00:24:43.700 thinking that we have 00:24:43.700 --> 00:24:44.500 a problem guarding 00:24:44.500 --> 00:24:45.180 our gates here 00:24:45.180 --> 00:24:45.680 at Cheyenne Mountain. 00:24:45.759 --> 00:24:46.360 We need more people. 00:24:46.480 --> 00:24:47.480 Instead of listing, 00:24:47.900 --> 00:24:48.320 instead of going 00:24:48.320 --> 00:24:49.680 to our new church directory, 00:24:50.840 --> 00:24:52.100 instead I make a phone call 00:24:52.100 --> 00:24:52.740 to Ken O'Connell 00:24:52.740 --> 00:24:53.160 and I say, 00:24:53.220 --> 00:24:53.480 Ken, 00:24:54.080 --> 00:24:55.759 I really need the role 00:24:55.759 --> 00:24:57.280 of members from 1996. 00:24:57.279 --> 00:25:02.059 And as I'm going through 00:25:02.059 --> 00:25:02.700 trying to figure out 00:25:02.700 --> 00:25:03.339 who's at the church 00:25:03.339 --> 00:25:03.779 right now, 00:25:03.859 --> 00:25:04.960 instead I just pause 00:25:04.960 --> 00:25:05.720 and I pull out 00:25:05.720 --> 00:25:06.639 the role of people 00:25:06.639 --> 00:25:07.819 who started Cheyenne Mountain 00:25:07.819 --> 00:25:08.619 in 1996 00:25:08.619 --> 00:25:10.019 and I start reading through it. 00:25:10.779 --> 00:25:11.859 And then I list it. 00:25:12.839 --> 00:25:14.019 This list of names 00:25:14.019 --> 00:25:15.019 that Nehemiah gives 00:25:15.019 --> 00:25:15.940 would be like me 00:25:15.940 --> 00:25:16.839 coming in front of you 00:25:16.839 --> 00:25:18.720 and listing a group 00:25:18.720 --> 00:25:19.720 of people who were 00:25:19.720 --> 00:25:20.619 working for the church 00:25:20.619 --> 00:25:21.700 in the 1930s. 00:25:24.200 --> 00:25:25.759 He's looking to count people now 00:25:25.759 --> 00:25:27.160 but instead he reminds 00:25:27.160 --> 00:25:28.160 everyone of people 00:25:28.160 --> 00:25:29.300 in the past. 00:25:31.580 --> 00:25:32.380 It's sort of like 00:25:32.380 --> 00:25:34.680 if you watch your license plates 00:25:34.680 --> 00:25:35.920 in Colorado carefully, 00:25:36.000 --> 00:25:36.300 you know there's 00:25:36.300 --> 00:25:37.519 the Pioneer license plate. 00:25:39.240 --> 00:25:40.120 And it used to be 00:25:40.120 --> 00:25:41.240 until the late 2000s 00:25:41.240 --> 00:25:42.320 that you would have to prove 00:25:42.320 --> 00:25:43.660 that you had ancestors 00:25:43.660 --> 00:25:44.600 in Colorado 00:25:44.600 --> 00:25:45.940 going back at least 00:25:45.940 --> 00:25:46.600 100 years 00:25:46.600 --> 00:25:47.220 so that you could get 00:25:47.220 --> 00:25:48.240 a Pioneer license plate. 00:25:49.140 --> 00:25:50.140 Apparently that was illegal. 00:25:51.240 --> 00:25:52.680 So now I could get 00:25:52.680 --> 00:25:53.640 a Pioneer license plate 00:25:53.640 --> 00:25:54.660 even though I've only lived here 00:25:54.660 --> 00:25:55.360 for a couple years. 00:25:56.160 --> 00:25:57.000 And you all would know 00:25:57.000 --> 00:25:57.500 I was lying 00:25:57.500 --> 00:25:58.000 but no one else 00:25:58.000 --> 00:25:58.660 on the roads would. 00:26:01.759 --> 00:26:02.759 That is what Nehemiah 00:26:02.759 --> 00:26:03.339 is doing here. 00:26:03.440 --> 00:26:04.099 He is showing 00:26:04.099 --> 00:26:05.240 the people of Israel 00:26:05.240 --> 00:26:07.079 that when it comes 00:26:07.079 --> 00:26:07.720 to Jerusalem 00:26:07.720 --> 00:26:10.140 they have Pioneer 00:26:10.140 --> 00:26:10.859 license plates. 00:26:13.359 --> 00:26:14.500 They can look back 00:26:14.500 --> 00:26:15.779 almost 100 years 00:26:15.779 --> 00:26:16.519 to the people 00:26:16.519 --> 00:26:17.559 who came at first. 00:26:21.500 --> 00:26:22.579 But why does Nehemiah 00:26:22.579 --> 00:26:22.980 do that? 00:26:25.299 --> 00:26:26.139 Why instead of just 00:26:26.139 --> 00:26:26.779 counting the people 00:26:26.779 --> 00:26:27.639 who existed 00:26:27.639 --> 00:26:29.379 then who could help him? 00:26:29.419 --> 00:26:30.139 Does he go back 00:26:30.139 --> 00:26:31.199 and look at what 00:26:31.199 --> 00:26:32.359 happened 100 years before? 00:26:36.299 --> 00:26:37.139 First of all 00:26:37.139 --> 00:26:39.299 Nehemiah is giving them 00:26:39.299 --> 00:26:40.119 great hope. 00:26:41.980 --> 00:26:42.960 As they're looking around 00:26:42.960 --> 00:26:43.480 and they don't see 00:26:43.480 --> 00:26:44.039 enough people 00:26:44.039 --> 00:26:44.899 with them 00:26:44.899 --> 00:26:46.639 they know that 00:26:46.639 --> 00:26:47.199 they're not alone. 00:26:48.579 --> 00:26:49.839 This was not their idea. 00:26:49.939 --> 00:26:50.599 The city of Jerusalem 00:26:50.599 --> 00:26:51.539 was not their idea. 00:26:53.839 --> 00:26:54.559 They're joining 00:26:54.559 --> 00:26:55.579 into a work 00:26:55.579 --> 00:26:57.059 that God's remnant 00:26:57.059 --> 00:26:57.959 has been part of 00:26:57.959 --> 00:26:58.339 for over 00:26:58.339 --> 00:26:59.399 almost 100 years. 00:27:00.599 --> 00:27:01.259 They're joining 00:27:01.259 --> 00:27:01.740 into something 00:27:01.740 --> 00:27:02.899 that God had started 00:27:02.899 --> 00:27:04.579 thousands of years 00:27:04.579 --> 00:27:05.619 before with Abraham. 00:27:05.619 --> 00:27:08.500 And so they're 00:27:08.500 --> 00:27:09.000 continuing 00:27:09.000 --> 00:27:09.739 a freight train 00:27:09.739 --> 00:27:10.599 that will not stop. 00:27:13.039 --> 00:27:14.059 As they're discouraged 00:27:14.059 --> 00:27:14.539 in the moment 00:27:14.539 --> 00:27:15.139 as they're wondering 00:27:15.139 --> 00:27:15.639 in the moment 00:27:15.639 --> 00:27:16.859 what's going to happen 00:27:16.859 --> 00:27:17.659 all they have to do 00:27:17.659 --> 00:27:18.279 is look back 00:27:18.279 --> 00:27:19.339 to God's faithfulness 00:27:19.339 --> 00:27:19.939 over time 00:27:19.939 --> 00:27:21.079 through generations. 00:27:22.479 --> 00:27:23.319 God's faithfulness 00:27:23.319 --> 00:27:24.679 through real time 00:27:24.679 --> 00:27:25.479 and real space. 00:27:28.379 --> 00:27:29.439 There are very few 00:27:29.439 --> 00:27:30.059 of us here 00:27:30.059 --> 00:27:31.879 there's a few of us 00:27:31.879 --> 00:27:32.619 but there's very few 00:27:32.619 --> 00:27:33.039 of us 00:27:33.039 --> 00:27:34.000 who were here 00:27:34.000 --> 00:27:35.019 when Cheyenne Mountain started. 00:27:37.200 --> 00:27:38.119 And there's none 00:27:38.119 --> 00:27:38.700 of us here 00:27:38.700 --> 00:27:40.339 who were alive 00:27:40.339 --> 00:27:41.140 in the first century 00:27:41.140 --> 00:27:42.059 when the church started. 00:27:44.799 --> 00:27:46.099 And so if we look around 00:27:46.099 --> 00:27:46.680 and we're tempted 00:27:46.680 --> 00:27:47.740 to be discouraged 00:27:47.740 --> 00:27:49.039 because we don't see 00:27:49.039 --> 00:27:49.900 enough people with us 00:27:49.900 --> 00:27:50.880 we only have to remember 00:27:50.880 --> 00:27:51.420 that God 00:27:51.420 --> 00:27:52.500 is still at work. 00:27:53.900 --> 00:27:54.880 He's still at work 00:27:54.880 --> 00:27:55.380 in the way 00:27:55.380 --> 00:27:56.160 he's been at work 00:27:56.160 --> 00:27:57.279 for thousands of years. 00:27:58.559 --> 00:27:59.880 And he's put us here 00:27:59.880 --> 00:28:00.819 in this moment 00:28:00.819 --> 00:28:02.180 and this time 00:28:02.180 --> 00:28:02.759 to continue 00:28:02.759 --> 00:28:03.500 the work he has 00:28:03.500 --> 00:28:04.000 for us. 00:28:05.740 --> 00:28:06.539 But it doesn't 00:28:06.539 --> 00:28:07.379 rest on us 00:28:07.379 --> 00:28:09.599 and one day 00:28:09.599 --> 00:28:10.759 unless the Lord returns 00:28:10.759 --> 00:28:11.799 we will pass it on 00:28:11.799 --> 00:28:12.819 to someone else. 00:28:16.220 --> 00:28:17.200 And so Nehemiah 00:28:17.200 --> 00:28:17.700 gives them 00:28:17.700 --> 00:28:18.599 tremendous hope 00:28:18.599 --> 00:28:19.680 as they look back 00:28:19.680 --> 00:28:20.980 on everything 00:28:20.980 --> 00:28:21.539 that's happened 00:28:21.539 --> 00:28:22.140 in the past. 00:28:22.879 --> 00:28:23.579 The remnant 00:28:23.579 --> 00:28:24.379 their parents 00:28:24.379 --> 00:28:25.019 and grandparents 00:28:25.019 --> 00:28:25.839 and great grandparents 00:28:25.839 --> 00:28:26.680 who came back 00:28:26.680 --> 00:28:27.140 from exile 00:28:27.140 --> 00:28:27.900 in 538. 00:28:27.900 --> 00:28:31.120 but Nehemiah 00:28:31.120 --> 00:28:32.160 is also giving them 00:28:32.160 --> 00:28:33.180 tremendous humility. 00:28:35.980 --> 00:28:37.160 There will come a day 00:28:37.160 --> 00:28:39.080 when everyone 00:28:39.080 --> 00:28:39.720 in this room 00:28:39.720 --> 00:28:40.380 will be dead. 00:28:43.240 --> 00:28:44.460 Unless Jesus returns 00:28:44.460 --> 00:28:45.560 as exciting as it is 00:28:45.560 --> 00:28:46.200 as we start 00:28:46.200 --> 00:28:46.920 this new chapter 00:28:46.920 --> 00:28:48.100 in our church's life 00:28:48.100 --> 00:28:49.740 as many times 00:28:49.740 --> 00:28:50.060 as I've been 00:28:50.060 --> 00:28:50.560 in this pulpit 00:28:50.560 --> 00:28:51.280 and it's not many 00:28:51.280 --> 00:28:53.660 no one knows 00:28:53.660 --> 00:28:54.380 the day or the hour. 00:28:56.080 --> 00:28:56.480 And so whether 00:28:56.480 --> 00:28:57.440 it's in 3 weeks 00:28:57.440 --> 00:28:58.579 or in 30 years 00:28:58.579 --> 00:29:00.019 there will come 00:29:00.019 --> 00:29:00.460 a time 00:29:00.460 --> 00:29:02.120 when I step out 00:29:02.120 --> 00:29:02.579 of this pulpit 00:29:02.579 --> 00:29:03.339 for the last time. 00:29:08.360 --> 00:29:09.940 And unless Jesus returns 00:29:09.940 --> 00:29:10.779 our prayer is that 00:29:10.779 --> 00:29:11.640 there will come a day 00:29:11.640 --> 00:29:13.380 when no one 00:29:13.380 --> 00:29:14.400 in this room now 00:29:14.400 --> 00:29:15.860 will be worshiping 00:29:15.860 --> 00:29:16.460 at this church 00:29:16.460 --> 00:29:18.519 because we will have 00:29:18.519 --> 00:29:19.140 all gone to be 00:29:19.140 --> 00:29:19.640 with the Lord 00:29:19.640 --> 00:29:21.799 and there will be 00:29:21.799 --> 00:29:22.779 a new congregation 00:29:22.779 --> 00:29:25.700 and our hope is that 00:29:25.700 --> 00:29:26.339 we will be like 00:29:26.339 --> 00:29:27.740 this list in 538. 00:29:29.399 --> 00:29:30.720 They can look back 00:29:30.720 --> 00:29:32.139 not on our perfection 00:29:32.139 --> 00:29:33.879 as we know 00:29:33.879 --> 00:29:34.679 Nehemiah is coming 00:29:34.679 --> 00:29:35.439 to make up 00:29:35.439 --> 00:29:36.039 for what previous 00:29:36.039 --> 00:29:37.240 generations have not done 00:29:37.240 --> 00:29:39.159 but they can look back 00:29:39.159 --> 00:29:40.159 on our faithfulness 00:29:40.159 --> 00:29:43.159 and they can rest 00:29:43.159 --> 00:29:43.919 on our shoulders 00:29:43.919 --> 00:29:44.959 looking back to us 00:29:44.959 --> 00:29:46.399 like we look back 00:29:46.399 --> 00:29:46.959 to the people 00:29:46.959 --> 00:29:47.759 who have come before. 00:29:50.639 --> 00:29:51.659 Our hope is that 00:29:51.659 --> 00:29:52.559 and prayer is that 00:29:52.559 --> 00:29:53.059 Cheyenne Mountain 00:29:53.059 --> 00:29:54.359 this church would be here 00:29:54.359 --> 00:29:56.419 for generations to come 00:29:56.419 --> 00:29:57.659 unless the Lord returns. 00:29:58.979 --> 00:30:00.259 And so as we look 00:30:00.259 --> 00:30:01.139 and work now 00:30:01.139 --> 00:30:03.240 we look back 00:30:03.240 --> 00:30:03.879 to people who have 00:30:03.879 --> 00:30:04.579 worked in the past 00:30:04.579 --> 00:30:05.819 and we also look forward 00:30:05.819 --> 00:30:06.899 to people we'll hand it off 00:30:06.899 --> 00:30:07.519 to in the present. 00:30:09.139 --> 00:30:10.299 We're going to talk more 00:30:10.299 --> 00:30:12.119 as our loan renegotiation 00:30:12.119 --> 00:30:12.679 comes up 00:30:12.679 --> 00:30:13.839 about our building campaign 00:30:13.839 --> 00:30:17.339 and I hope that we reach 00:30:17.339 --> 00:30:17.980 our goals for our 00:30:17.980 --> 00:30:18.639 building campaign. 00:30:19.819 --> 00:30:20.720 But no matter 00:30:20.720 --> 00:30:21.759 how much money 00:30:21.759 --> 00:30:22.379 you give 00:30:22.379 --> 00:30:24.939 there will come a day 00:30:24.939 --> 00:30:25.779 when the only way 00:30:25.779 --> 00:30:26.379 someone will know 00:30:26.379 --> 00:30:26.799 your name 00:30:26.799 --> 00:30:27.459 is if they read it 00:30:27.459 --> 00:30:27.939 in a list. 00:30:30.740 --> 00:30:31.559 In fact that's exactly 00:30:31.559 --> 00:30:32.399 what we see here 00:30:32.399 --> 00:30:33.019 at the end 00:30:33.019 --> 00:30:34.240 of chapter 7. 00:30:34.899 --> 00:30:35.619 After the list 00:30:35.619 --> 00:30:36.119 of people 00:30:36.119 --> 00:30:38.339 now I widely advertise 00:30:38.339 --> 00:30:39.099 the list of people 00:30:39.099 --> 00:30:39.519 and numbers 00:30:39.519 --> 00:30:40.919 we also have a list 00:30:40.919 --> 00:30:41.799 of people and gifts. 00:30:41.799 --> 00:30:43.639 We don't just see 00:30:43.639 --> 00:30:44.279 the faithfulness 00:30:44.279 --> 00:30:44.779 of these people 00:30:44.779 --> 00:30:45.659 in returning back 00:30:45.659 --> 00:30:46.500 from Babylon 00:30:46.500 --> 00:30:47.339 as the remnant. 00:30:47.879 --> 00:30:48.539 We also see 00:30:48.539 --> 00:30:49.339 their faithfulness 00:30:49.339 --> 00:30:49.960 financially 00:30:49.960 --> 00:30:50.779 in building up 00:30:50.779 --> 00:30:51.879 the city of Jerusalem. 00:30:53.240 --> 00:30:54.279 We see the gifts 00:30:54.279 --> 00:30:54.720 and the gifts 00:30:54.720 --> 00:30:55.220 that are given 00:30:55.220 --> 00:30:56.159 by the nobles 00:30:56.159 --> 00:30:57.180 in the fathers' houses 00:30:57.180 --> 00:30:58.759 are almost equal 00:30:58.759 --> 00:30:59.539 to the same gifts 00:30:59.539 --> 00:30:59.899 that are given 00:30:59.899 --> 00:31:00.859 by the rest of the people. 00:31:02.480 --> 00:31:03.099 And so not only 00:31:03.099 --> 00:31:03.740 are they resting 00:31:03.740 --> 00:31:04.299 on the shoulders 00:31:04.299 --> 00:31:05.180 of these generations 00:31:05.180 --> 00:31:06.240 that come before them 00:31:06.240 --> 00:31:08.359 they're also resting 00:31:08.359 --> 00:31:09.419 on their faithfulness. 00:31:09.559 --> 00:31:10.279 Their faithfulness 00:31:10.279 --> 00:31:11.299 not just in serving 00:31:11.299 --> 00:31:12.359 but in giving. 00:31:15.599 --> 00:31:16.599 As Nehemiah 00:31:16.599 --> 00:31:17.519 deals with the people 00:31:17.519 --> 00:31:18.559 who do not have 00:31:18.559 --> 00:31:19.659 enough around them. 00:31:21.460 --> 00:31:22.399 On the one hand 00:31:22.399 --> 00:31:23.299 he encourages them 00:31:23.299 --> 00:31:23.919 with the list 00:31:23.919 --> 00:31:24.460 of everyone 00:31:24.460 --> 00:31:25.240 who's come before. 00:31:26.919 --> 00:31:28.059 But on the other hand 00:31:28.059 --> 00:31:30.099 he reminds them 00:31:30.099 --> 00:31:30.680 as they're tempted 00:31:30.680 --> 00:31:31.279 to believe 00:31:31.279 --> 00:31:32.460 that it's all up to them 00:31:32.460 --> 00:31:34.919 God is at work 00:31:34.919 --> 00:31:36.399 and there will come 00:31:36.399 --> 00:31:37.519 a day when our hope 00:31:37.519 --> 00:31:38.159 is that no one 00:31:38.159 --> 00:31:39.000 will remember us 00:31:39.000 --> 00:31:40.960 unless they read a list. 00:31:41.299 --> 00:31:43.240 But that God's mission 00:31:43.240 --> 00:31:43.899 will continue. 00:31:45.259 --> 00:31:46.460 It will continue 00:31:46.460 --> 00:31:47.039 generation 00:31:47.039 --> 00:31:48.099 after generation 00:31:48.099 --> 00:31:49.200 after generation. 00:31:52.639 --> 00:31:53.899 And so the question 00:31:53.899 --> 00:31:54.500 is not 00:31:54.500 --> 00:31:55.299 will we be remembered 00:31:55.299 --> 00:31:55.879 or not 00:31:55.879 --> 00:31:56.799 because we won't. 00:31:58.839 --> 00:32:00.039 The question is 00:32:00.039 --> 00:32:00.899 what will we inherit? 00:32:03.500 --> 00:32:04.579 Which city 00:32:04.579 --> 00:32:05.879 will we be found in? 00:32:05.880 --> 00:32:08.700 As we wonder 00:32:08.700 --> 00:32:09.340 if there's enough 00:32:09.340 --> 00:32:10.460 people next to us 00:32:10.460 --> 00:32:12.540 the question is not 00:32:12.540 --> 00:32:13.260 who is with us 00:32:13.260 --> 00:32:14.020 but where are we? 00:32:15.940 --> 00:32:17.260 God's city of Jerusalem 00:32:17.260 --> 00:32:18.020 was the place 00:32:18.020 --> 00:32:18.600 that he had given 00:32:18.600 --> 00:32:19.320 to his people. 00:32:20.180 --> 00:32:21.100 It was the place 00:32:21.100 --> 00:32:21.840 where his kingdom 00:32:21.840 --> 00:32:22.680 was meant to be 00:32:22.680 --> 00:32:23.300 on earth 00:32:23.300 --> 00:32:24.260 just as it is 00:32:24.260 --> 00:32:24.620 in heaven. 00:32:26.780 --> 00:32:27.560 As we move 00:32:27.560 --> 00:32:28.540 from the Old Testament 00:32:28.540 --> 00:32:29.320 to the New Testament 00:32:29.320 --> 00:32:30.020 we expand 00:32:30.020 --> 00:32:30.560 God's vision 00:32:30.560 --> 00:32:31.980 expands beyond Jerusalem. 00:32:32.440 --> 00:32:33.040 Jerusalem was never 00:32:33.040 --> 00:32:33.880 meant to be 00:32:33.880 --> 00:32:35.380 something that stood 00:32:35.380 --> 00:32:36.380 by itself forever 00:32:36.380 --> 00:32:36.940 but it was meant 00:32:36.940 --> 00:32:37.580 to expand 00:32:37.580 --> 00:32:38.520 to the whole earth. 00:32:39.640 --> 00:32:40.420 God told Abraham 00:32:40.420 --> 00:32:41.220 in Genesis 12 00:32:41.220 --> 00:32:41.960 that he was going 00:32:41.960 --> 00:32:42.640 to bless him 00:32:42.640 --> 00:32:43.260 to be a blessing 00:32:43.260 --> 00:32:44.180 and that all 00:32:44.180 --> 00:32:45.180 the nations of the earth 00:32:45.180 --> 00:32:45.920 all the families 00:32:45.920 --> 00:32:46.360 of the earth 00:32:46.360 --> 00:32:46.920 would be blessed 00:32:46.920 --> 00:32:47.440 through him. 00:32:48.760 --> 00:32:49.760 And so what begins 00:32:49.760 --> 00:32:50.420 in Jerusalem 00:32:50.420 --> 00:32:51.900 spreads throughout 00:32:51.900 --> 00:32:52.400 the world. 00:32:55.040 --> 00:32:55.840 And so while we 00:32:55.840 --> 00:32:56.620 do not live 00:32:56.620 --> 00:32:57.060 and work 00:32:57.060 --> 00:32:57.600 for the city 00:32:57.600 --> 00:32:58.140 of Jerusalem 00:32:58.140 --> 00:33:00.220 while we don't 00:33:00.220 --> 00:33:00.880 try to find 00:33:00.880 --> 00:33:01.320 ourselves 00:33:01.320 --> 00:33:02.060 within the physical 00:33:02.060 --> 00:33:02.460 boundaries 00:33:02.460 --> 00:33:03.059 of the walls 00:33:03.059 --> 00:33:04.059 that Nehemiah rebuilt 00:33:04.059 --> 00:33:06.200 our hope is 00:33:06.200 --> 00:33:06.660 that we would 00:33:06.660 --> 00:33:07.180 be found 00:33:07.180 --> 00:33:07.880 in Jesus 00:33:07.880 --> 00:33:09.240 through faith 00:33:09.240 --> 00:33:09.759 in Christ. 00:33:11.380 --> 00:33:11.840 And so our hope 00:33:11.840 --> 00:33:12.400 is that we would 00:33:12.400 --> 00:33:12.900 be found 00:33:12.900 --> 00:33:13.920 with God's people 00:33:13.920 --> 00:33:14.579 now 00:33:14.579 --> 00:33:16.559 just as everyone 00:33:16.559 --> 00:33:17.319 in this list 00:33:17.319 --> 00:33:18.120 who is forgotten 00:33:18.120 --> 00:33:18.740 was found 00:33:18.740 --> 00:33:19.160 in the city 00:33:19.160 --> 00:33:19.600 of Jerusalem 00:33:19.600 --> 00:33:20.000 then. 00:33:24.200 --> 00:33:24.920 What will you 00:33:24.920 --> 00:33:25.220 inherit? 00:33:26.500 --> 00:33:27.340 Where will you 00:33:27.340 --> 00:33:27.900 be found 00:33:27.900 --> 00:33:29.200 when you die? 00:33:29.200 --> 00:33:32.140 will you be 00:33:32.140 --> 00:33:32.640 in the city 00:33:32.640 --> 00:33:33.400 when Jesus 00:33:33.400 --> 00:33:33.920 returns? 00:33:35.039 --> 00:33:35.920 Because one day 00:33:35.920 --> 00:33:36.559 God's city 00:33:36.559 --> 00:33:37.340 will be full 00:33:37.340 --> 00:33:37.940 and complete. 00:33:38.759 --> 00:33:39.360 While it's 00:33:39.360 --> 00:33:40.319 imperfect now 00:33:40.319 --> 00:33:42.240 people feeling 00:33:42.240 --> 00:33:42.720 at times like 00:33:42.720 --> 00:33:43.140 they're standing 00:33:43.140 --> 00:33:43.460 alone 00:33:43.460 --> 00:33:44.000 there is going 00:33:44.000 --> 00:33:44.819 to come a day 00:33:44.819 --> 00:33:45.340 when Jesus 00:33:45.340 --> 00:33:46.000 is going to 00:33:46.000 --> 00:33:46.519 return 00:33:46.519 --> 00:33:47.480 for the second 00:33:47.480 --> 00:33:47.900 time. 00:33:49.580 --> 00:33:50.259 And when 00:33:50.259 --> 00:33:50.960 that happens 00:33:50.960 --> 00:33:52.620 his kingdom 00:33:52.620 --> 00:33:53.680 will be full 00:33:53.680 --> 00:33:54.539 and complete 00:33:54.539 --> 00:33:55.319 on earth 00:33:55.319 --> 00:33:56.259 as it is 00:33:56.259 --> 00:33:56.600 in heaven. 00:33:56.599 --> 00:33:59.199 And so our 00:33:59.199 --> 00:33:59.480 hope 00:33:59.480 --> 00:34:01.659 is that Jesus 00:34:01.659 --> 00:34:02.859 uses us 00:34:02.859 --> 00:34:03.419 as part of 00:34:03.419 --> 00:34:04.000 his mission 00:34:04.000 --> 00:34:06.119 while we 00:34:06.119 --> 00:34:06.679 wait for that 00:34:06.679 --> 00:34:07.079 to happen. 00:34:08.460 --> 00:34:09.079 Our hope 00:34:09.079 --> 00:34:09.519 is not that 00:34:09.519 --> 00:34:10.079 we have enough 00:34:10.079 --> 00:34:10.779 people around 00:34:10.779 --> 00:34:11.139 us 00:34:11.139 --> 00:34:12.619 but that we're 00:34:12.619 --> 00:34:13.400 following after 00:34:13.400 --> 00:34:14.219 Jesus together 00:34:14.219 --> 00:34:14.659 as one 00:34:14.659 --> 00:34:15.099 community. 00:34:16.860 --> 00:34:17.279 Christians are 00:34:17.279 --> 00:34:17.880 people who 00:34:17.880 --> 00:34:19.079 work in the 00:34:19.079 --> 00:34:19.460 present 00:34:19.460 --> 00:34:20.559 guarding the 00:34:20.559 --> 00:34:20.839 walls 00:34:20.839 --> 00:34:23.199 as they look 00:34:23.199 --> 00:34:24.039 back to the 00:34:24.039 --> 00:34:24.880 past for 00:34:24.880 --> 00:34:25.360 encouragement. 00:34:26.599 --> 00:34:27.500 of what God 00:34:27.500 --> 00:34:28.179 has done. 00:34:28.779 --> 00:34:29.440 And then we 00:34:29.440 --> 00:34:30.019 look forward 00:34:30.019 --> 00:34:30.579 and hope 00:34:30.579 --> 00:34:31.500 to the future 00:34:31.500 --> 00:34:32.360 for what God 00:34:32.360 --> 00:34:32.799 will do. 00:34:33.920 --> 00:34:34.480 And our hope 00:34:34.480 --> 00:34:35.159 is this that 00:34:35.159 --> 00:34:36.319 as the prophets 00:34:36.319 --> 00:34:36.920 tell us in the 00:34:36.920 --> 00:34:37.380 Old Testament 00:34:37.380 --> 00:34:37.799 in the book 00:34:37.799 --> 00:34:38.380 of Habakkuk 00:34:38.380 --> 00:34:39.940 one day 00:34:39.940 --> 00:34:40.699 the earth 00:34:40.699 --> 00:34:41.039 will be 00:34:41.039 --> 00:34:41.400 covered 00:34:41.400 --> 00:34:42.119 with the 00:34:42.119 --> 00:34:42.420 knowledge 00:34:42.420 --> 00:34:42.920 of God 00:34:42.920 --> 00:34:44.719 just like 00:34:44.719 --> 00:34:45.239 the seas 00:34:45.239 --> 00:34:45.759 are covered 00:34:45.759 --> 00:34:46.279 with water. 00:34:49.239 --> 00:34:49.460 Jerusalem 00:34:49.460 --> 00:34:50.179 is not the 00:34:50.179 --> 00:34:51.099 ending point 00:34:51.099 --> 00:34:51.659 but the 00:34:51.659 --> 00:34:52.259 starting point 00:34:52.259 --> 00:34:52.940 of God's 00:34:52.940 --> 00:34:53.179 mission. 00:34:54.460 --> 00:34:55.059 And one day 00:34:55.059 --> 00:34:55.719 will continue. 00:34:55.719 --> 00:34:56.799 it continues 00:34:56.799 --> 00:34:57.339 now and one 00:34:57.339 --> 00:34:57.599 day will 00:34:57.599 --> 00:34:57.980 take over 00:34:57.980 --> 00:34:58.319 the whole 00:34:58.319 --> 00:34:58.599 earth. 00:35:02.699 --> 00:35:03.359 One of my 00:35:03.359 --> 00:35:03.980 favorite scenes 00:35:03.980 --> 00:35:05.359 from The 00:35:05.359 --> 00:35:05.839 Lion King 00:35:05.839 --> 00:35:06.279 is when 00:35:06.279 --> 00:35:07.059 Mufasa and 00:35:07.059 --> 00:35:07.359 Simba 00:35:07.359 --> 00:35:08.939 are up on 00:35:08.939 --> 00:35:09.359 top of the 00:35:09.359 --> 00:35:09.639 rock. 00:35:11.759 --> 00:35:12.619 And Mufasa 00:35:12.619 --> 00:35:13.179 tells his 00:35:13.179 --> 00:35:13.519 son 00:35:13.519 --> 00:35:14.859 look Simba 00:35:14.859 --> 00:35:17.159 everything the 00:35:17.159 --> 00:35:17.719 light touches 00:35:17.719 --> 00:35:18.739 is our 00:35:18.739 --> 00:35:19.039 kingdom. 00:35:22.480 --> 00:35:23.019 God's 00:35:23.019 --> 00:35:23.519 promise to 00:35:23.519 --> 00:35:23.959 his people 00:35:23.960 --> 00:35:26.199 is that 00:35:26.199 --> 00:35:26.679 now in 00:35:26.679 --> 00:35:27.000 part 00:35:27.000 --> 00:35:28.240 and one 00:35:28.240 --> 00:35:28.760 day in 00:35:28.760 --> 00:35:29.079 full 00:35:29.079 --> 00:35:30.900 his kingdom 00:35:30.900 --> 00:35:31.480 will come 00:35:31.480 --> 00:35:32.059 on earth 00:35:32.059 --> 00:35:32.679 as it is 00:35:32.679 --> 00:35:33.000 in heaven. 00:35:33.940 --> 00:35:34.420 And when 00:35:34.420 --> 00:35:34.940 it does 00:35:34.940 --> 00:35:36.340 everything 00:35:36.340 --> 00:35:37.139 the light 00:35:37.139 --> 00:35:37.500 touches 00:35:37.500 --> 00:35:38.300 will be 00:35:38.300 --> 00:35:38.679 God 00:35:38.679 --> 00:35:39.199 and his 00:35:39.199 --> 00:35:39.480 kingdom. 00:35:41.360 --> 00:35:41.740 And so 00:35:41.740 --> 00:35:42.079 as we 00:35:42.079 --> 00:35:42.500 stand 00:35:42.500 --> 00:35:44.059 sometimes 00:35:44.059 --> 00:35:44.780 wondering if 00:35:44.780 --> 00:35:45.340 there's enough 00:35:45.340 --> 00:35:46.059 people around 00:35:46.059 --> 00:35:46.940 us or with 00:35:46.940 --> 00:35:47.199 us 00:35:47.199 --> 00:35:49.199 we take hope 00:35:49.199 --> 00:35:49.599 on the one 00:35:49.599 --> 00:35:49.960 hand that 00:35:49.960 --> 00:35:50.460 God is 00:35:50.460 --> 00:35:51.059 with us. 00:35:51.059 --> 00:35:51.860 we're 00:35:51.860 --> 00:35:52.400 taking part 00:35:52.400 --> 00:35:52.880 in a small 00:35:52.880 --> 00:35:53.380 slice of 00:35:53.380 --> 00:35:53.759 his work. 00:35:54.539 --> 00:35:54.739 We have 00:35:54.739 --> 00:35:55.279 humility on 00:35:55.279 --> 00:35:55.619 the other 00:35:55.619 --> 00:35:56.679 hand knowing 00:35:56.679 --> 00:35:57.139 that one 00:35:57.139 --> 00:35:57.440 day we 00:35:57.440 --> 00:35:57.940 will die 00:35:57.940 --> 00:35:59.000 but God's 00:35:59.000 --> 00:35:59.480 mission will 00:35:59.480 --> 00:35:59.880 continue. 00:36:01.059 --> 00:36:01.460 And so we 00:36:01.460 --> 00:36:02.079 look to the 00:36:02.079 --> 00:36:02.719 past taking 00:36:02.719 --> 00:36:03.159 hope from 00:36:03.159 --> 00:36:03.619 what God's 00:36:03.619 --> 00:36:03.840 done. 00:36:04.340 --> 00:36:05.039 We work 00:36:05.039 --> 00:36:05.360 in the 00:36:05.360 --> 00:36:05.960 present towards 00:36:05.960 --> 00:36:06.420 what God 00:36:06.420 --> 00:36:06.980 is doing 00:36:06.980 --> 00:36:08.099 and we 00:36:08.099 --> 00:36:08.480 have hope 00:36:08.480 --> 00:36:08.739 to the 00:36:08.739 --> 00:36:09.480 future knowing 00:36:09.480 --> 00:36:10.019 what will 00:36:10.019 --> 00:36:10.559 one day be 00:36:10.559 --> 00:36:11.099 fully true. 00:36:12.299 --> 00:36:12.820 And so we 00:36:12.820 --> 00:36:13.599 keep walking 00:36:13.599 --> 00:36:14.559 with God 00:36:14.559 --> 00:36:15.299 in his ways. 00:36:16.239 --> 00:36:16.840 Please pray 00:36:16.840 --> 00:36:17.199 with me. 00:36:17.199 --> 00:36:20.199 dear Father 00:36:20.199 --> 00:36:20.539 in heaven 00:36:20.539 --> 00:36:21.719 we thank 00:36:21.719 --> 00:36:23.719 you that 00:36:23.719 --> 00:36:24.079 you are 00:36:24.079 --> 00:36:25.480 not ignorant 00:36:25.480 --> 00:36:26.659 you're not 00:36:26.659 --> 00:36:27.239 unaware of 00:36:27.239 --> 00:36:27.719 the challenges 00:36:27.719 --> 00:36:28.399 that we face 00:36:28.399 --> 00:36:29.039 in this world 00:36:29.039 --> 00:36:30.319 as we follow 00:36:30.319 --> 00:36:30.599 you. 00:36:32.599 --> 00:36:33.139 That you 00:36:33.139 --> 00:36:33.519 don't leave 00:36:33.519 --> 00:36:33.899 us there 00:36:33.899 --> 00:36:34.500 but that you 00:36:34.500 --> 00:36:35.319 meet us 00:36:35.319 --> 00:36:36.019 with your 00:36:36.019 --> 00:36:36.379 grace. 00:36:37.500 --> 00:36:38.119 We ask 00:36:38.119 --> 00:36:38.399 that you'd 00:36:38.399 --> 00:36:38.759 show us 00:36:38.759 --> 00:36:39.139 our need 00:36:39.139 --> 00:36:39.500 for your 00:36:39.500 --> 00:36:39.839 grace 00:36:39.839 --> 00:36:41.039 that you'd 00:36:41.039 --> 00:36:41.619 encourage us 00:36:41.619 --> 00:36:42.199 as we follow 00:36:42.199 --> 00:36:42.819 after you 00:36:42.819 --> 00:36:43.879 that you 00:36:43.879 --> 00:36:44.339 would give 00:36:44.339 --> 00:36:44.659 us the 00:36:44.659 --> 00:36:45.059 strength 00:36:45.059 --> 00:36:45.539 and the 00:36:45.539 --> 00:36:45.779 hope 00:36:45.779 --> 00:36:46.119 and the 00:36:46.119 --> 00:36:46.519 humility. 00:36:47.199 --> 00:36:47.919 To continue 00:36:47.919 --> 00:36:48.359 working. 00:36:50.899 --> 00:36:51.439 And Father 00:36:51.439 --> 00:36:51.739 I ask 00:36:51.739 --> 00:36:51.960 that you 00:36:51.960 --> 00:36:52.539 would remind 00:36:52.539 --> 00:36:53.119 every one 00:36:53.119 --> 00:36:53.399 of us 00:36:53.399 --> 00:36:53.819 that one 00:36:53.819 --> 00:36:54.159 day we 00:36:54.159 --> 00:36:54.599 will die 00:36:54.599 --> 00:36:56.579 and that 00:36:56.579 --> 00:36:56.839 we will 00:36:56.839 --> 00:36:57.279 make our 00:36:57.279 --> 00:36:58.079 choices about 00:36:58.079 --> 00:36:58.879 you and 00:36:58.879 --> 00:36:59.279 your kingdom 00:36:59.279 --> 00:36:59.759 in light of 00:36:59.759 --> 00:36:59.939 that. 00:37:00.799 --> 00:37:01.399 We ask 00:37:01.399 --> 00:37:01.759 all these 00:37:01.759 --> 00:37:02.139 things in 00:37:02.139 --> 00:37:02.359 the name 00:37:02.359 --> 00:37:02.619 of your 00:37:02.619 --> 00:37:02.879 son. 00:37:03.639 --> 00:37:03.859 Amen.