Restorers, Repairers and Rebuilders #4 Procedure for Opposition

Restorers, Repairers and Rebuilders #4 Procedure for Overcoming Opposition

Text: Nehemiah 4:1-6:14

Introduction: Henry Ward Beecher was a abolitionist preacher who often received threats and hate mail.  Once he received a letter with only a single word written on it.  Opening the letter all it said was "Fool".  He took the letter to the pulpit and after showing it to the congregation said, "I have often received mail in which someone did not sign their name, but this is the first time someone signed their name and forgot to write the letter."

In the Lord's work you will often find opposition, if the work is to continue how you handle opposition will determine whether the work will continue or cease.   Nehemiah faced tremendous opposition in his God called work of rebuilding the wall around Jerusalem.  If we can learn from his example we can also be successful despite the opposition we encounter.

Review: The Rebuilder’s Toolkit
The Rebuilder must have passion.
The Rebuilder must make preparation by pray and fasting.
The Rebuilder must plan for a hard work and have a plan to accomplish the task.
 

The Opposition: Six Attacks against God's Rebuilders

By Mockery: Nehemiah 4:1-3

Nehemiah 4:1-3 But it came to pass, that when Sanballat heard that we builded the wall, he was wroth, and took great indignation, and mocked the Jews. And he spake before his brethren and the army of Samaria, and said, What do these feeble Jews? will they fortify themselves? will they sacrifice? will they make an end in a day? will they revive the stones out of the heaps of the rubbish which are burned? Now Tobiah the Ammonite was by him, and he said, Even that which they build, if a fox go up, he shall even break down their stone wall.

By Conspiracy and threats 4:7-8

 Nehemiah 4:7-8 But it came to pass, that when Sanballat, and Tobiah, and the Arabians, and the Ammonites, and the Ashdodites, heard that the walls of Jerusalem were made up, and that the breaches began to be stopped, then they were very wroth, And conspired all of them together to come and to fight against Jerusalem, and to hinder it.

By internal sin 5:1-6

 Nehemiah 5:1-5 And there was a great cry of the people and of their wives against their brethren the Jews. For there were that said, We, our sons, and our daughters, are many: therefore we take up corn for them, that we may eat, and live. Some also there were that said, We have mortgaged our lands, vineyards, and houses, that we might buy corn, because of the dearth. There were also that said, We have borrowed money for the king's tribute, and that upon our lands and vineyards. Yet now our flesh is as the flesh of our brethren, our children as their children: and, lo, we bring into bondage our sons and our daughters to be servants, and some of our daughters are brought unto bondage already: neither is it in our power to redeem them; for other men have our lands and vineyards.

By Compromise 6:1-3

 Nehemiah 6:1-4 Now it came to pass, when Sanballat, and Tobiah, and Geshem the Arabian, and the rest of our enemies, heard that I had builded the wall, and that there was no breach left therein; (though at that time I had not set up the doors upon the gates;) That Sanballat and Geshem sent unto me, saying, Come, let us meet together in some one of the villages in the plain of Ono. But they thought to do me mischief. And I sent messengers unto them, saying, I am doing a great work, so that I cannot come down: why should the work cease, whilst I leave it, and come down to you? Yet they sent unto me four times after this sort; and I answered them after the same manner.

By Slander 6:4-6

 Nehemiah 6:5-6 Then sent Sanballat his servant unto me in like manner the fifth time with an open letter in his hand; Wherein was written, It is reported among the heathen, and Gashmu saith it, that thou and the Jews think to rebel: for which cause thou buildest the wall, that thou mayest be their king, according to these words.

By Deceit 6:10

 Nehemiah 6:10 Afterward I came unto the house of Shemaiah the son of Delaiah the son of Mehetabeel, who was shut up; and he said, Let us meet together in the house of God, within the temple, and let us shut the doors of the temple: for they will come to slay thee; yea, in the night will they come to slay thee.
 

Six Defenses: Six courses in the Wall of Steadfastness

Pray 4:4-5,9

 Nehemiah 4:4-5 Hear, O our God; for we are despised: and turn their reproach upon their own head, and give them for a prey in the land of captivity: And cover not their iniquity, and let not their sin be blotted out from before thee: for they have provoked thee to anger before the builders.

Nehemiah 4:9 Nevertheless we made our prayer unto our God, and set a watch against them day and night, because of them.

Prepare 4:13

 Nehemiah 4:13 Therefore set I in the lower places behind the wall, and on the higher places, I even set the people after their families with their swords, their spears, and their bows.

 

Communicate 4:18-19

 Nehemiah 4:18-20 For the builders, every one had his sword girded by his side, and so builded. And he that sounded the trumpet was by me. And I said unto the nobles, and to the rulers, and to the rest of the people, The work is great and large, and we are separated upon the wall, one far from another. In what place therefore ye hear the sound of the trumpet, resort ye thither unto us: our God shall fight for us.

And I said unto the nobles, and to the rulers, and to the rest of the people, The work is great and large, and we are separated upon the wall, one far from another.

Confront 5:7-8

 Nehemiah 5:7-8 Then I consulted with myself, and I rebuked the nobles, and the rulers, and said unto them, Ye exact usury, every one of his brother. And I set a great assembly against them. And I said unto them, We after our ability have redeemed our brethren the Jews, which were sold unto the heathen; and will ye even sell your brethren? or shall they be sold unto us? Then held they their peace, and found nothing to answer

Recognize 6:3

 Nehemiah 6:3 And I sent messengers unto them, saying, I am doing a great work, so that I cannot come down: why should the work cease, whilst I leave it, and come down to you?

Realize 6:11

 Nehemiah 6:11 And I said, Should such a man as I flee? and who is there, that, being as I am, would go into the temple to save his life? I will not go in.

 

Rebuilder’s Reminder: The Story of Eric Liddel

Eric Liddel was the fastest man alive in 1924 and England’s greatest hope of an Olympic Gold in the 100 yard dash.  After winning the Olympic trails in England and on the ship sailing toward France he is told the 100 yard dash qualifying heats would be on Sunday.  Eric, a Scottish missionary’s son and missionary on deputation himself is faced with incredible pressure to forsake his convictions and run on the Sabbath Day.  

Eric refuses to run and instead preaches in a French church that Sunday.  Later in the week another runner drops out of the 400-yard dash and Eric is asked to run in his place.  In spite of not having trained for the event nor having run it in Olympic competition, he not only ran and won but set a new world record.  In the movie an American runner, who took 2nd place in the 100 that Eric would not run, walked up to Eric at the beginning of the race and handed him a slip of paper.  On it was written, "The good book says God honors those who honor him."

The 1924 Olympics wasn't the end of Eric Liddell or his steadfastness in opposing opposition.  He and his sister joined his family in China where he had grown up.  It was there just before WWII that he was taken prisoner when the Japanese invaded China.  Rather than run, when he was given the chance, he stayed and was still ministering in a Japanese prison camp when he died of sickness in 1945.

Rebuilder’s Foundation Scripture:

Neh 4:16-17 And it came to pass from that time forth, that the half of my servants wrought in the work, and the other half of them held both the spears, the shields, and the bows, and the habergeons; and the rulers were behind all the house of Judah. They which builded on the wall, and they that bare burdens, with those that laded, every one with one of his hands wrought in the work, and with the other hand held a weapon.

Rebuilder’s Prayer:

Lord, Give me grace to stand when opposition comes.  Help to realize that any work that is worthwhile will be withstood by those who withstand You. Give me strength and courage to carry on this work.  Do not let me quit no matter the cost to me because the value of rebuilding is too great to walk away from.