Building Together - "Good Stewardship" - Nehemiah 7 - Tim Nay

LifeSpring Christian Church Sermons

Part of Building Together
A Study in Nehemiah

August 11, 2024

7 Now when the wall had been built and I had set up the doors, and the gatekeepers, the singers, and the Levites had been appointed, 2 I gave my brother Hanani and Hananiah the governor of the castle charge over Jerusalem, for he was a more faithful and God-fearing man than many. 3 And I said to them, “Let not the gates of Jerusalem be opened until the sun is hot. And while they are still standing guard, let them shut and bar the doors. Appoint guards from among the inhabitants of Jerusalem, some at their guard posts and some in front of their own homes.” 4 The city was wide and large, but the people within it were few, and no houses had been rebuilt.5 Then my God put it into my heart to assemble the nobles and the officials and the people to be enrolled by genealogy. And I found the book of the genealogy of those who came up at the first, and I found written in it:6 These were the people of the province who came up out of the captivity of those exiles whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried into exile. They returned to Jerusalem and Judah, each to his town. —Nehemiah 7:1-6

1. Protect the people with faithful, God-fearing leaders—“gatekeepers”.

7 Now when the wall had been built and I had set up the doors, and the gatekeepers, the singers, and the Levites had been appointed, 2 I gave my brother Hanani and Hananiah the governor of the castle charge over Jerusalem, for he was a more faithful and God-fearing man than many. —Nehemiah 7:1-2

One of the first positions appointed
Guards stationed for protection
Assigned to guard each gate to the city
Assigned to guard the Temple
Trustworthy and alert
Allowed business within walls to happen without concern of outside threats

3 And I said to them, “Let not the gates of Jerusalem be opened until the sun is hot. And while they are still standing guard, let them shut and bar the doors. Appoint guards from among the inhabitants of Jerusalem, some at their guard posts and some in front of their own homes.” 4 The city was wide and large, but the people within it were few, and no houses had been rebuilt. —Nehemiah 7:3-45 Then my God put it into my heart to assemble the nobles and the officials and the people to be enrolled by genealogy. And I found the book of the genealogy of those who came up at the first, and I found written in it:6 These were the people of the province who came up out of the captivity of those exiles whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried into exile. They returned to Jerusalem and Judah, each to his town. —Nehemiah 7:5-6

2. Follow through with what God puts on your heart.

The heart is deceitful above all things,
and desperately sick;
who can understand it? —Jeremiah 17:912 For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. —Hebrews 4:12Without counsel plans fail,
but with many advisers they succeed. —Proverbs 15:2262

—Nehemiah 7:62-65

3. Relationships come first, then roles.

66 The whole assembly together was 42,360, 67 besides their male and female servants, of whom there were 7,337. And they had 245 singers, male and female. —Nehemiah 7:66-67

4. Create a culture where all people matter.

—Nehemiah 7:70-73

5. Give generously so others can attend freely.