Nehemiah 2: Then Nehemiah said to them, “You see the trouble we are in: Jerusalem lies in ruins, and its gates have been burned with fire. Come, let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalem, and we will no longer be in disgrace.”

18 I also told them about the gracious hand of my God upon me and what the king had said to me. They replied, “Let us start rebuilding.” So they began this good work.

19 But when Sanballat the Horonite, Tobiah the Ammonite official and Geshem the Arab heard about it, they mocked and ridiculed us. “What is this you are doing?” they asked. “Are you rebelling against the king?”

20 I answered them by saying, “The God of heaven will give us success. We his servants will start rebuilding, but as for you, you have no share in Jerusalem or any claim or historic right to it.”

From Trouble to Triumph Nehemiah 1-13 Organizations Frustrating when there is no leadership Nehemiah heard about a problem: The wall Rather than thinking it was someone else should do something He asked God what he could do

Lessons from Nehemiah: 1.When you see a problem, ask God what you can do 2.There will always be opposition -- don’t let it detour you. 3.Everyone needs to do their part. 4.When we trust God, we can overcome troubles and triumph and be renewed

What’s the big deal about a wall? In Out Through The wall provided security for the city of Jerusalem and the temple Without the wall, they were at risk. Without gates, travel and trade halted

Nehemiah used his influence to do something Went to King Artexerxes He was given permission and authority to go to Jerusalem with royal letters Everyone knew who was in charge as he organized the workers

Chapter 2 17 Then Nehemiah said to them, “You see the trouble we are in: Jerusalem lies in ruins, and its gates have been burned with fire. Come, let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalem, and we will no longer be in disgrace.”

18 I also told them about the gracious hand of my God upon me and what the king had said to me. They replied, “Let us start rebuilding.” So they began this good work.

Starting was only part of the process Problems arose There’s always opposition If you let problems and opposition detour you… You will never accomplish anything

Sometimes problems come from the outside Chapter 2 19 But when Sanballat the Horonite, Tobiah the Ammonite official and Geshem the Arab heard about it, they mocked and ridiculed us. “What is this you are doing?” they asked. “Are you rebelling against the king?”

Sometimes problems come from the inside Chapter 5 They were letting some people go hungry Taking advantage of poor brothers by charging interest on home and land mortgages, and even enslaving the children Nehemiah tells them it is not right. Stop!

Successful people and organizations press on inspite of repeated opposition and distraction Chapter 4 Opposition from outside again More threats…some workers build, others are ready to defend Think of a football offensive team

Leaders deal with the problems Nehemiah came up with a plan, and offered encouragement “Don’t be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight for your brothers, your sons and your daughters, your wives and your homes.” (4:14)

Nehemiah enlisted the help of all the people Didn’t assign jobs randomly Gave people tasks that were near to them, important to them!! When working on a big project, everyone needs to see its importance and have a meaningful part

1 Corinthians 12:12-27 The Body of Christ 18 …God has arranged the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. 19 If they were all one part, where would the body be? 20 As it is, there are many parts, but one body.

Because everyone worked together, and the process was bathed in prayer, the wall was rebuilt in 52 days They gave God the glory What then?

It wasn’t just about the wall The wall meant the Jews could rebuild their lives and triumph Build their own homes Many families returned to Jerusalem Learn the word of the Lord Worship and confession The wall enabled renewal

Putting it all together When we see a problem, we should do more than complain! Ask: “Is there something I can do?” We should pray for guidance and direction in our plans

Putting it all together Opposition and distractions are just a part of life Don’t let them derail your dreams and plans Press on

Putting it all together Understand that we all have a place in the family of God We need to help each person find their place within the church Draw upon special interests and unique gifts

Putting it all together Our ultimate goal is to help people draw nearer to God Our projects and activities aren’t just about the tasks We see how God is with us…trust Even physical projects can provide opportunities for spiritual growth We are the Church