WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:07.040 DIY SOS. Have you seen that program on TV? I love that program with Nick Knowles and his team. 00:00:07.520 --> 00:00:12.480 And if you haven't seen it, they gather a whole community of tradespeople from all over the place 00:00:12.480 --> 00:00:20.019 and they all come together and they blitz a house or a property to make it fit for purpose for maybe 00:00:20.019 --> 00:00:26.140 somebody who is disabled, for a family where there's been need or bereavement or whatever 00:00:26.140 --> 00:00:33.520 it's been, but they transform the place for living. And then at the end when they've completed all 00:00:33.520 --> 00:00:39.899 this, all these tradespeople, different trades, all coming together, labourers, chippies, sparks, 00:00:40.039 --> 00:00:48.000 all of those, all in their own time, bringing their own skills, often at their own expense and bringing 00:00:48.000 --> 00:00:54.439 some of the stuff that they need as well, you know, all the materials. But the greatest part of the show 00:00:54.439 --> 00:01:00.679 is not just all the banter that goes on, but at the end, they all gather in this street and the 00:01:00.679 --> 00:01:07.340 family that's going to be the recipients of this new home that will transform their lives, 00:01:08.379 --> 00:01:14.280 go into the house and are shown around. There's a lot of great emotion, but one I find is the 00:01:14.280 --> 00:01:21.060 greatest emotion is when they step outside and they are faced with this sea of people 00:01:21.060 --> 00:01:27.560 who have all come together. Many of them didn't even know them, but responded to the call. 00:01:29.060 --> 00:01:35.579 And they thank them and tell them what a difference their labourers, the fruit of their labourers will 00:01:35.579 --> 00:01:43.460 make. What gets me is there's all these tradespeople just like wiping tears away from their eyes and 00:01:43.459 --> 00:01:48.759 there. I'm sat on the settee next to Mandela, I'm wiping tears from my eyes as well because it's so 00:01:48.759 --> 00:01:58.719 emotional. But they all came together. Jerusalem's walls were a DIY SOS problem. They were a project 00:01:58.719 --> 00:02:03.280 that had to be addressed. And as we heard, the gates were burnt down, the walls were in ruin. 00:02:03.699 --> 00:02:07.399 Nehemiah couldn't even get his horse through one of the gates because of the rubble. 00:02:07.400 --> 00:02:14.920 These people needed serious help. John Stock, the biblical teacher and commentator, said of leadership, 00:02:15.319 --> 00:02:21.780 indignation and compassion form a powerful combination. They are indispensable to vision 00:02:21.780 --> 00:02:29.800 and therefore to leadership. And Nehemiah was called to be that leader. And often you need that indignation 00:02:29.800 --> 00:02:36.879 in our leadership. You know, how has it come to this? Why has this been allowed to happen? 00:02:36.879 --> 00:02:43.799 Where did it all go wrong? How can we seek to right this injustice? Maybe you feel that fire in your 00:02:43.799 --> 00:02:50.479 belly for something. And compassion, you know, it's compassion and God's compassion for people who have 00:02:50.479 --> 00:02:56.180 lost their way and turned from God. Are people who have lost their motivation, their dignity, their 00:02:56.180 --> 00:03:02.379 self-worth. You know, they're vulnerable. They're vulnerable both physically and spiritually. 00:03:02.379 --> 00:03:11.159 Nehemiah, it says, then I said to them, you see the trouble we are in. You know, it's not, 00:03:11.539 --> 00:03:20.099 it's the trouble we are in. It's not the trouble you are in. That's good leadership. It's shared focus. 00:03:20.099 --> 00:03:28.659 Jerusalem lies in ruins and its gates have been burned by with fire. Come, let us rebuild the walls 00:03:28.659 --> 00:03:38.740 of Jerusalem and we will no longer be in disgrace. It was a disgrace. Let us, not you, let us start 00:03:38.740 --> 00:03:46.379 rebuilding. So they began this good work. What was the catalyst to move a people from lethargy to 00:03:46.379 --> 00:03:55.000 motivation to say, let us start rebuilding. It has to be God's intervention through Nehemiah and the 00:03:55.000 --> 00:04:00.439 power of God's Holy Spirit moving through a whole people for all people. Notice that Nehemiah 00:04:00.439 --> 00:04:09.699 gathers, engages a powerful workforce from a very diverse skill set. People ready to do manual labor, 00:04:09.819 --> 00:04:16.339 to roll up their sleeves and get stuck in, even if it's not their, their gifting. You know, priests, 00:04:16.860 --> 00:04:24.360 Levites, rulers, everyday folk, merchants, temple servants, guards, farmers and goldsmiths. 00:04:24.360 --> 00:04:31.460 They all came together with a common purpose to prosper the whole community. Many of these people 00:04:31.460 --> 00:04:41.660 were way out of their comfort zone. They came together as one. Perhaps you feel that when God 00:04:41.660 --> 00:04:48.300 prompts you to do something, to get involved, you initially or straight away say, oh, it's not me, 00:04:48.300 --> 00:04:56.480 it's not my thing. But these people stepped up. Nehemiah even records how the reconstructions 00:04:56.480 --> 00:05:02.939 of one of the gates was carried out by men from Gibeon and Mizpah. They were outside the city gates. 00:05:03.180 --> 00:05:10.759 They had nothing really to gain, but they caught the fire. They caught the vision and they joined in. 00:05:11.560 --> 00:05:17.060 And no, there was no celebrity here. You know, people came together. 00:05:17.060 --> 00:05:24.579 You know, sadly, you know, often we think, oh, you know, we should employ people to do things for us. 00:05:25.519 --> 00:05:31.680 Maybe you get frustrated as I do when you see week after week adverts on the church news sheet saying, 00:05:32.199 --> 00:05:36.060 could people join this? Could you help with hospitality? Could you do this? Could you do that? 00:05:36.240 --> 00:05:40.259 And week after week, it appears that it shouldn't be that way. 00:05:40.259 --> 00:05:48.300 As people come together with a common purpose, they just came together as one and said, what can we offer? 00:05:48.699 --> 00:05:54.240 What can we do? What is the job, Nehemiah? Show us what to do and we'll get on with it. 00:05:54.240 --> 00:06:02.319 What a great motivational, good news story that is. 00:06:02.319 --> 00:06:06.939 They see the goal. They see what has got to come. 00:06:07.579 --> 00:06:13.860 They see together. They come together to move rubble, to get dirty. 00:06:13.860 --> 00:06:25.100 Those who are the greatest among you should take the lowest rank. 00:06:26.439 --> 00:06:29.379 Just read that again and get it right this time. 00:06:30.420 --> 00:06:34.900 Those who are the greatest among you should take the lowest rank. 00:06:34.899 --> 00:06:42.060 Through Nehemiah, God had gathers afresh the servant heart of the whole people. 00:06:43.120 --> 00:06:45.099 This is the good news story. 00:06:45.419 --> 00:06:49.539 The people embrace the vision Nehemiah communicates from God. 00:06:49.939 --> 00:06:51.479 And yes, there is opposition. 00:06:51.739 --> 00:06:53.120 There will always be opposition. 00:06:53.319 --> 00:06:55.139 We're going to talk about that, I think, next week. 00:06:55.459 --> 00:06:57.579 But he knows his opposition. 00:06:57.799 --> 00:06:59.279 He knows where it's coming from. 00:06:59.279 --> 00:07:07.719 It's always good to know in leadership of God's people for those who definitely will be against God's plan. 00:07:08.699 --> 00:07:10.819 They often stand out like a sore thumb. 00:07:12.159 --> 00:07:21.679 You've probably heard the age-old story of the archdeacon's visit to a very quaint church of maybe just only 15 people in the congregation. 00:07:22.519 --> 00:07:26.259 He's met by the warden who's 75 and he's the youngest. 00:07:26.259 --> 00:07:29.319 And he's been there sort of man and boy, really. 00:07:29.939 --> 00:07:34.420 And showing the archdeacon around, he shows him all the crumbling stonework. 00:07:34.519 --> 00:07:38.480 He shows him all the stuff that's growing out of the gutters. 00:07:39.180 --> 00:07:41.800 He tells them that the heating hasn't worked for some time. 00:07:42.259 --> 00:07:48.879 He also tells them that the last two vicars that were here had this great idea that they should go into the school, 00:07:48.879 --> 00:07:57.600 where they would be nice and warm on a Sunday morning, where they could worship and they could gather with the wider community of the families that go to the school as well. 00:07:58.579 --> 00:08:03.639 The archdeacon is trying desperately to think of something positive to say and said, 00:08:03.779 --> 00:08:08.800 well, you've certainly been presented with a few opportunities and changes in your time. 00:08:08.800 --> 00:08:16.980 And the warden, without hesitation, turned around and said, and be assured, archdeacon, I can tell you, I have voted against every one of them. 00:08:19.860 --> 00:08:30.860 The principles of Jesus' leadership, and as we have seen in Nehemiah, is the people come together as one, sharing in a common vision and a purpose. 00:08:30.860 --> 00:08:42.360 The principles of Jesus' leadership are vastly different sometimes than the many business models that we have inherited within our present culture, 00:08:42.620 --> 00:08:48.440 where people measure success on status, wealth, power and control. 00:08:49.340 --> 00:08:51.460 You know, Jesus humbles himself. 00:08:52.919 --> 00:08:57.620 Number two, Jesus was guided by his father's will rather than his own. 00:08:57.620 --> 00:09:02.940 For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will, but to do that of him who has sent me. 00:09:04.740 --> 00:09:08.179 Jesus defined greatness by being a servant. 00:09:08.980 --> 00:09:14.879 If anyone would be first, he must be last of all and servant of all, as it says in Mark's Gospel. 00:09:15.460 --> 00:09:23.940 And Jesus left his place at the head of the table and to serve the needs of others, seeking the lost and the marginalized, 00:09:23.940 --> 00:09:26.620 and encourages us to do the same. 00:09:27.620 --> 00:09:31.500 Jesus shared his responsibility and authority with those he called. 00:09:31.879 --> 00:09:35.720 And he called the twelve together and gave them power and authority, 00:09:35.919 --> 00:09:40.720 and he sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal. 00:09:43.360 --> 00:09:48.279 And Jesus built a team to carry out the commission that he gave us. 00:09:48.279 --> 00:09:52.539 We are the team. 00:09:52.539 --> 00:09:57.079 All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 00:09:57.079 --> 00:10:05.919 Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 00:10:06.379 --> 00:10:10.899 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded. 00:10:10.899 --> 00:10:15.740 And behold, I will be with you until the end of the age. 00:10:16.539 --> 00:10:17.399 Matthew's Gospel. 00:10:18.399 --> 00:10:20.779 We have been given the tools. 00:10:21.659 --> 00:10:22.679 We have the tools. 00:10:23.379 --> 00:10:28.860 They're here in the power of the Holy Spirit and in Jesus's teaching. 00:10:28.860 --> 00:10:34.879 We are that team to carry out the commission that Jesus gave us. 00:10:35.659 --> 00:10:39.379 Do we accept being part of that team? 00:10:39.919 --> 00:10:41.379 Do we accept the task? 00:10:41.779 --> 00:10:46.340 Do we embrace the authority that's been given to us? 00:10:46.340 --> 00:10:54.480 Faced with this challenge, I'd like you to just pause for a moment because this makes me pause and think. 00:10:56.220 --> 00:11:08.780 Do I need to reassess my commitment to Jesus and his call on my life as part of his mission and commission and part of his church? 00:11:10.200 --> 00:11:12.220 Am I leading others to Jesus? 00:11:12.220 --> 00:11:17.000 Am I gathering disciples as he has called me to do? 00:11:17.540 --> 00:11:20.660 Am I doing this in the power of the Holy Spirit? 00:11:21.940 --> 00:11:29.540 Do I know the cost and sacrifice, the joys, the adventure and the sweat of serving him? 00:11:30.680 --> 00:11:39.580 Am I ready to hear and act on what God is asking for me for such a time as this within his bride, the church? 00:11:39.580 --> 00:11:59.340 As we emerge from this devastating 15 months, as we regather, we are gathering together to help others rebuild, often spiritually and emotionally from the effects of this pandemic. 00:11:59.340 --> 00:12:04.879 What is God saying and asking of us personally in our own discipleship? 00:12:06.660 --> 00:12:23.460 The great John Wimber said, and I'll paraphrase it, professional management tools and consultants can never replace reliance on the presence, initiative and guidance that can only come through the power of God's Holy Spirit. 00:12:26.040 --> 00:12:28.519 Nehemiah's people were joined in a common purpose. 00:12:28.519 --> 00:12:58.500 Nehemiah's people were joined in a common purpose. 00:12:58.500 --> 00:12:59.720 Nehemiah's people were joined in a common purpose. 00:13:01.600 --> 00:13:02.980 Let's pray together. 00:13:04.960 --> 00:13:11.820 Lord Jesus, thank you for your sacrifice for us and your call on our lives today. 00:13:12.679 --> 00:13:15.039 Make us worthy of that calling, I pray. 00:13:16.179 --> 00:13:18.659 In Jesus' name, Amen.