Tabor Baptist Church

• The Lord's work is never done (until The Lord Jesus Christ returns to reign)
• Nehemiah had finished the walls and hung the gates - but the work was really just beginning
• Nehemiah appoints gatekeepers, singer and Levites (7:1)
• As a church we are at the beginning of a refurbishment project
• The real work is saving souls and building up a spiritual church
• The enemies of Israel knew that God was in the midst

• Nehemiah was a humble servant of God
• He was dependant on God
• He never lost sight of his focus in God
• He realised that certain things were outside of his control
• He trusted in God's sovereignty
• There were certain things he couldn't do

We need to work but leave the impact to God (6:15-16)

• There was a great number of materials
• They needed workers - all the families got involved
• Everybody serving
• Often work is done in an unseen way
• Example of John McArthur - have 900 people working during each week
• We must leave the impact to God (6:16)
• We have nothing to boast of that He might have all the glory
• We should not give too much emphasis to man
• Nehemiah realised the impact did not rest upon him and so appointed his brother and Hananiah (7:2)
• As we get involved God will impact society

We need to live with unfavourable circumstances (6:17-19)

• God is sovereign
• Nehemiah did not want this situation
• Tobiah is a Jewish name and was related to the High Priest in Jerusalem
• It was hard for Nehemiah to hear good reports about this evil man
• The letters and reports were outside of his control
• As a church there are some situations that must be dealt with (e.g. sinful conduct)
• God allows these situations that we might be humble and seek Him
• If everything was plain sailing we would become proud
• Paul's thorn in his flesh - God says "My grace is sufficient"

We need to protect the church (7:1-3)

• What we can do to protect the church, must be done for the wellbeing of the church
• Nehemiah appoints gatekeepers
• They would only open the gates during the day to lessen the likelihood of attack
• Nehemiah appointed guards to protect other areas
• We must watch for false teaching
• We must watch who preaches from the pulpit
• We must look at the areas of vulnerability
• A church should never descend into a social club - the main function is worship
• Nehemiah appointed faithful servants (7:2)
• He did not choose noble men or popular men but people who feared God

Do what God puts into your heart (7:4-5)

• The people were vulnerable (7:4)
• Nehemiah was prompted to take a genealogy [census]
• Some had started to intermarry and taken positions they ought not to
• Some of the priests were removed as they were not of the correct lineage (7:63-64)
• Nehemiah did what God put into his heart (7:5)
• Do not do things from your own heart
• David took a census, but it was not God's will
• David regretted this and God disciplined him for this
• Moses hit the rock instead of speaking to it
• If we do things in church life that He has not sanctioned there may be consequences

Summary and Recap