Hyde Park United Methodist

In the pivotal eighth chapter of Nehemiah, we come to realize that the rebuilding of the bricks and mortar of the wall was not the only renovation project God intended for the people. In fact, it was not the most important one. God was more interested in a rebuilding of the hearts of the people, and a renewed commitment to faithfulness and integrity. The reformer Ezra stood at the WaterGate and began to read to the people the law of Moses, the sacred scripture of their ancestors, and called them to repentance. 

We cannot have a resilient faith without a diligent and daily reading of the scriptures. Nor is it good enough to just read the scriptures for our own comfort. We also need to open ourselves up to the potential of the scriptures to convict us, to correct us, and to reorient us toward God’s purposes. 

The third chapter of Nehemiah is tempting to gloss over and read quickly. On the surface, it reads like a trivial listing of random names who contributed various parts to rebuilding the wall. But the list also underscores a crucial principle in developing and maintaining resilience: none of us can do it alone. We need the companionship and partnership of others in the journey. In modern terms of spiritual practices, we need to be part of a supportive, faithful small group of Christians with whom we can learn, pray, study, and do life together. And when each of us do our part and remain committed in small groups, the body of Christ can accomplish far more than we can as individuals. 

Few characters in the Bible fit the role of antagonist quite like Sanballat and Tobiah. Shortly after Nehemiah and the people began construction on the wall, these two showed up to mock, criticize, and undermine their work. They ramped up their criticism in chapter 4, leading Nehemiah to double-down on his determination to inspire the people and get the job done. He offered this prayer to God in 4:4-5: “Hear us, our God, for we are despised. Turn their insults back on their own heads. Give them over as plunder in a land of captivity. Do not cover up their guilt or blot out their sins from your sight, for they have thrown insults in the face of the builders.”

When we are committed to doing what is right and living lives of integrity, opposition is bound to rise up. But God can help that criticism become fuel for us to remain steadfast and even more determined to stay true to God. 

Much of Nehemiah’s prayer constitutes much of what one would expect: petition, confession, praise. But then there is this. At the end of the prayer, something happens to Nehemiah. God does something within his heart and his spirit to give him the courage to do something about the situation. The result of the prayer is that Nehemiah heard this message from God: “You, Nehemiah, are the answer to your own prayer.” God will give you the opportunity and the courage, and even the words to do something about your prayer concern.

Prayer can not only give us comfort and help us stand firm amid crisis. God can also use our prayers to prepare us to be part of the solution, and make a difference for others. 

Perhaps the most famous verse in Philippians is from 4:13: “I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.” The broader context is important to remember. Paul is not talking about doing something superhuman or in the realm of comic book superheroes. He is talking about living a faithful life despite the pressures and adversity of life. It begins with contentment, an acknowledgement that God has already and will always supply him with everything he needs. And just like God has demonstrated numerous times in the Bible, God gives us just enough to take one more step and go one more day, even when we feel like we can’t. No adversity is greater than God’s ability to provide for us.  

Paul’s most vivid and encouraging word in Philippians is in verses 13 and 14: “Brothers and sisters, I myself don’t think I’ve reached it, but I do this one thing: I forget about the things behind me and reach out for the things ahead of me. The goal I pursue is the prize of God’s upward call in Christ Jesus.” The Bible sometimes uses the metaphor of a race to depict the spiritual life (Hebrews 12), but none is more vibrant than this one. We can imagine the spiritual life as a marathon, replete with hills and potholes and inclement conditions. But Paul calls us to “press on” and not give up. The source of that endurance comes from an “upward call,” which is to say that we should keep our head up and our eyes fixed on Jesus, who enables us to move on, one step at a time. 

In this famous Christ hymn of the early church, Paul encourages us to have the mind of Jesus Christ. It is in the kenosis (self-emptying) of Jesus that he shows us that the way to true life is not through selfish ambition and rising to greatness, but through service, humility, and obedience. That can be a gateway to joy, as we are liberated from the needs of self and freed to love God and others. (thus fulfilling the great commandment). The central part of this text is verses 3 and 4. They are both necessary. It begins with the mindset of being selfless; it is expressed by assuming the best in others. 

Paul begins with this encouragement in verse 6: “the one who started a good work in you will stay with you to complete the job by the day of Christ Jesus.” For Paul, joy comes from the acknowledgment that since the beginning, God has been working in our lives, and will be relentless and reliable in working in us through every challenge of life. God is not only with us along the way, but is ahead of us at the finish line to see us through to the end. 

Jeff Morton (Seminary Student and Chaplain at Tampa General Hospital) considers what our lives would look like if we re-gifted more often in our lives—specifically regifting forgiveness, encouragement, kindness, and presence.

Everything has a beginning. And returning to explore those beginnings can help us understand what we are meant to be doing in the present. Tonight, we return to the beginning of the Christian story—the birth of Jesus—and discovered what it means to be full of grace and truth.