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Harvest with Pastor Greg Laurie

Greg Laurie - Rebuilding The Ruins of Your Life

March 1, 2026 | 27:29

Greg Laurie - Rebuilding The Ruins of Your Life
Join Pastor Greg Laurie for a time of encouragement, worship, and Bible study.
#WordofGod #Change #Control #Family #Culture #Breakthrough #Children #Parents #Parenting #Struggle #Technology #Temptation #GregLaurie

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Harvest with Pastor Greg Laurie | Greg Laurie - Rebuilding The Ruins of Your Life | March 1, 2026
  • ...
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  • Greg laurie: let me tell you a secret.
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  • You wanna see your experience, so called, of church get richer
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  • And deeper and more fulfilling, start getting involved
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  • Personally and start building your part of the wall and then
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  • As we all work together, we see great things accomplished and we
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  • See god glorified as a result.
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  • ♪♪♪
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  • ♪ this is the day, ♪
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  • ♪ the day when life begins. ♪
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  • ♪ this is the day, ♪
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  • ♪ the day when life begins. ♪♪
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  • Greg: we look at our own lives and maybe that is a picture of
  • 00:00:55.145 --> 00:00:58.715
  • How our life looks, so to speak.
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  • A fire of sorts has wreaked havoc in your life and you're
  • 00:01:01.251 --> 00:01:04.454
  • Looking at a pile of rubble.
  • 00:01:04.454 --> 00:01:07.190
  • Things are going along reasonably well, or so you
  • 00:01:07.190 --> 00:01:09.492
  • Thought, and then an explosion of sorts hit.
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  • Maybe your spouse said to you that they're done with the
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  • Marriage or your child is leaving the faith or suddenly
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  • You're facing a health crisis of some kind or some other event
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  • Has happened and you have no ability to fix it whatsoever.
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  • Well, that was the state of israel in the text that we're
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  • Gonna be looking at right now in the book of nehemiah.
  • 00:01:35.318 --> 00:01:38.555
  • The city of jerusalem was lying in rubble and ruins.
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  • The once proud walls that surrounded the city were now
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  • Just charred and weeds were growing over them and it was a
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  • Picture not just of a city, but of the people as well.
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  • So of course what happened was the israelites kept turning to
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  • False gods.
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  • God warned them through the prophets that they would face
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  • Repercussions for that.
  • 00:02:04.247 --> 00:02:06.182
  • They ignored the warnings of the prophets and they were taken
  • 00:02:06.182 --> 00:02:10.053
  • Captivity to babylon for 70 years, ruled by nebuchadnezzar,
  • 00:02:10.053 --> 00:02:17.393
  • Then later by his wicked grandson belshazzar, but then
  • 00:02:17.393 --> 00:02:22.699
  • Cyrus and the mido-persian forces come and conquer babylon,
  • 00:02:22.699 --> 00:02:26.769
  • And cyrus frees the jews to go back to their homeland again.
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  • And so that's where we sort of enter the narrative.
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  • And so artaxerxes is on the throne of persia at this point,
  • 00:02:35.645 --> 00:02:40.416
  • And nehemiah, the title of the book and also a principal
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  • Character in our story, is a cupbearer to the king.
  • 00:02:44.220 --> 00:02:48.157
  • And to be a cupbearer meant that you were in a very high ranking
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  • Position of affluence and influence.
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  • You had the king's ear.
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  • Some think he was the second most powerful man in
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  • The kingdom.
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  • Before the king would eat the food, nehemiah would taste
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  • It first.
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  • So, something happened one day that changed everything for him.
  • 00:03:05.208 --> 00:03:09.045
  • He found out that the city of jerusalem was lying in ruin
  • 00:03:09.045 --> 00:03:12.715
  • After he had asked, "how are things going back there" when
  • 00:03:12.715 --> 00:03:14.884
  • Someone came from jerusalem, and that's where we pick up
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  • Our message.
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  • And so if you're taking notes, here's point number one, we need
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  • To help god's people when they are hurting.
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  • We need to help god's people when they are hurting because we
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  • Are the church and we are a family.
  • 00:03:30.033 --> 00:03:33.469
  • And the bible compares the church to a body, specifically
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  • The body of christ.
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  • In 1 corinthians 12:26, it says, if one part suffers, all the
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  • Parts suffer with it, and if one part is honored, then all the
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  • Parts are glad.
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  • And so just as a human body is interconnected, so is the body
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  • Of christ.
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  • I mean, if you injure yourself, your whole body notes it, even
  • 00:03:54.924 --> 00:03:58.528
  • Stubbing your toe.
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  • Oh, i hate to stub my toe.
  • 00:03:59.896 --> 00:04:01.698
  • You know, you hit something and there's the initial pain, but
  • 00:04:01.698 --> 00:04:05.068
  • You know the big pain's coming in a moment.
  • 00:04:05.068 --> 00:04:07.804
  • Or have you ever bitten the inside of your mouth?
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  • Am i the only one?
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  • I'm just talking.
  • 00:04:11.974 --> 00:04:13.309
  • All of a sudden i go like, what was that all about?
  • 00:04:13.309 --> 00:04:15.778
  • And now it's a little swollen and you bite it again.
  • 00:04:15.778 --> 00:04:19.148
  • And because it's swollen even more, you bite it again, so now
  • 00:04:19.148 --> 00:04:22.251
  • You're eating your food, holding your cheek out.
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  • Has this happened to anybody else?
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  • Raise your hand.
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  • I'm glad i'm not the only one.
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  • It's so embarrassing.
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  • I've had it happen when i'm speaking like crazy, so you're
  • 00:04:30.026 --> 00:04:33.730
  • Very aware of it.
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  • If you stub your toe, you're compensating for it.
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  • You're kind of limping.
  • 00:04:37.367 --> 00:04:38.701
  • So in the same way, if one part of the body of christ is
  • 00:04:38.701 --> 00:04:42.238
  • Hurting, in effect, we all are hurting, and maybe our natural
  • 00:04:42.238 --> 00:04:47.377
  • Inclination is if someone is in pain, we wanna walk the other
  • 00:04:47.377 --> 00:04:51.381
  • Direction, but in reality we should try to help them.
  • 00:04:51.381 --> 00:04:55.585
  • So nehemiah heard about the walls of jerusalem lying in
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  • Rubble, and he wanted to do something 'cause walls mattered
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  • To them back then.
  • 00:05:03.126 --> 00:05:04.560
  • Walls obviously protected this city.
  • 00:05:04.560 --> 00:05:07.063
  • They were a symbol.
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  • Walls matter now too.
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  • For instance, the walls of faithfulness protect a marriage.
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  • The walls of marriage protect the family.
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  • The walls of the family protect our nation.
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  • The reason our nation is experiencing so many problems
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  • Right now is the breakdown of the family.
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  • As i've said many times, you can look at all the stats that
  • 00:05:27.683 --> 00:05:31.187
  • Supported almost every problem in our culture today is due to
  • 00:05:31.187 --> 00:05:34.891
  • The breakdown of the family.
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  • If the family was stronger, the nation would be stronger.
  • 00:05:37.260 --> 00:05:41.063
  • And so we find that the walls come down and the other things
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  • Begin to happen as a result.
  • 00:05:44.867 --> 00:05:47.069
  • So nehemiah hears this and he prays.
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  • He prays for four months, "lord, you've got to show me what
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  • To do."
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  • So this is a real example of what to do when you're
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  • Facing crisis.
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  • Let's pick it up in nehemiah chapter 2, verse 1.
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  • "early the following spring, in the month of nisan."
  • 00:06:05.288 --> 00:06:08.925
  • That's right after the month of toyota.
  • 00:06:08.925 --> 00:06:13.329
  • "during the twentieth year of king artaxerxes' reign, i was
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  • Serving the king his wine.
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  • I had never appeared sad in his presence.
  • 00:06:19.068 --> 00:06:22.438
  • So the king asked me, 'why are you looking so sad?
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  • You don't look sick to me.
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  • You must be deeply troubled.'
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  • Then i was terrified, says nehemiah, but i replied, long'
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  • Live the king!
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  • How can i not be sad?
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  • For the city where my ancestors are buried is in ruins, and the
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  • Gates have been destroyed by fire.'
  • 00:06:39.121 --> 00:06:41.824
  • The king asked, 'how can i help you?'
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  • With a prayer to the god of heaven.
  • 00:06:44.861 --> 00:06:46.963
  • I replied, 'if it please the king and if you're pleased with
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  • Me, your servant, send me to judah to rebuild the city where
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  • My ancestors are buried.'
  • 00:06:53.636 --> 00:06:56.005
  • The king, with the queen beside him, asked, 'how long will you
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  • Be gone?
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  • And when will you return?'
  • 00:07:01.544 --> 00:07:02.945
  • After i told him how long i would be gone, the king agreed
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  • To my request."
  • 00:07:06.482 --> 00:07:07.817
  • What a powerful narrative that is.
  • 00:07:07.817 --> 00:07:09.185
  • That brings me to point number two.
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  • There is a time to pray, and there's a time to move.
  • 00:07:10.953 --> 00:07:14.790
  • There's a time to pray and there's a time to move.
  • 00:07:14.790 --> 00:07:17.093
  • So here's nehemiah looking sad, and by the way, a cupbearer was
  • 00:07:17.093 --> 00:07:21.531
  • Supposed to be a cheerful person, an encouraging person.
  • 00:07:21.531 --> 00:07:25.801
  • Someone the king would want to have around.
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  • Because of their close proximity to the king, you really weren't
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  • Supposed to ever be sad in his presence.
  • 00:07:32.174 --> 00:07:34.544
  • So i think you can conclude from the way this story goes is that
  • 00:07:34.544 --> 00:07:38.781
  • Normally nehemiah was a pretty upbeat person, a pleasant person
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  • To be around.
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  • Not everyone is pleasant to be around.
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  • We all know a debbie downer or a bobby buzzkill, or worse,
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  • A karen.
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  • I'm sorry if your name is karen.
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  • I did not coin the name karen.
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  • I'm sorry.
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  • It's not fair in many ways, but you know what?
  • 00:07:59.569 --> 00:08:02.438
  • Those people, they can be very difficult to deal with.
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  • You couldn't be that if you were the cupbearer.
  • 00:08:06.042 --> 00:08:08.844
  • But i think god--nehemiah was a godly man and a happy man, and
  • 00:08:08.844 --> 00:08:13.549
  • That's a good thing to be said about a christian, that they're
  • 00:08:13.549 --> 00:08:16.052
  • Cheerful, they're helpful, they're encouraging, they're
  • 00:08:16.052 --> 00:08:19.855
  • Always offering to help, do something a little extra and
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  • So forth.
  • 00:08:23.726 --> 00:08:25.061
  • So that's nehemiah.
  • 00:08:25.061 --> 00:08:26.429
  • So it was noticeable to the king, the change in his
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  • Countenance, in his expression.
  • 00:08:29.131 --> 00:08:31.334
  • He goes, "hey man, why are you so sad?
  • 00:08:31.334 --> 00:08:34.036
  • I mean, you don't look sick to me.
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  • Something must be going on."
  • 00:08:36.072 --> 00:08:38.074
  • And that brings us to point number three, nehemiah had
  • 00:08:38.074 --> 00:08:40.576
  • A plan.
  • 00:08:40.576 --> 00:08:41.944
  • He was praying, "lord, open the door for me now.
  • 00:08:41.944 --> 00:08:44.146
  • Open the door to have a conversation with the king.
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  • Show me the right moment."
  • 00:08:47.116 --> 00:08:48.451
  • So the king asked him, he thinks that's it.
  • 00:08:48.451 --> 00:08:50.620
  • That's the right moment.
  • 00:08:50.620 --> 00:08:52.188
  • So nehemiah prays in nehemiah chapter 2 verse 7, "i said to
  • 00:08:52.188 --> 00:08:56.592
  • The king, 'if it please the king, let me have letters
  • 00:08:56.592 --> 00:09:00.596
  • Addressed to the governors of the province west of the
  • 00:09:00.596 --> 00:09:03.065
  • Euphrates river, instructing them to let me travel safely to
  • 00:09:03.065 --> 00:09:07.303
  • The territories on my way to judah.
  • 00:09:07.303 --> 00:09:09.705
  • And please give me a letter addressed to asaph, manager of
  • 00:09:09.705 --> 00:09:13.209
  • The king's forest, instructing him to give me timber, i will
  • 00:09:13.209 --> 00:09:16.846
  • Need to make beams for the gates of the temple fortress, for the
  • 00:09:16.846 --> 00:09:20.449
  • City walls, and a house for myself.'
  • 00:09:20.449 --> 00:09:22.752
  • And the king granted these requests, because the gracious
  • 00:09:22.752 --> 00:09:26.188
  • Hand of god was on me."
  • 00:09:26.188 --> 00:09:28.090
  • I love this.
  • 00:09:28.090 --> 00:09:29.458
  • This is so practical.
  • 00:09:29.458 --> 00:09:30.793
  • Nehemiah had already been down to home depot.
  • 00:09:30.793 --> 00:09:34.263
  • He already figured out what he needed.
  • 00:09:34.263 --> 00:09:35.931
  • He's got the whole plan.
  • 00:09:35.931 --> 00:09:38.200
  • He's got the whole list.
  • 00:09:38.200 --> 00:09:39.535
  • "okay, well, since you asked, here's what i need."
  • 00:09:39.535 --> 00:09:43.906
  • He was dependent on god, but he was praying, and he gives god
  • 00:09:43.906 --> 00:09:48.310
  • The credit, for he says in nehemiah 2:18, "the king granted
  • 00:09:48.310 --> 00:09:52.548
  • These requests, because the gracious hand of god was on me."
  • 00:09:52.548 --> 00:09:57.219
  • You know, sometimes we go to two extremes when it comes to
  • 00:09:57.219 --> 00:10:00.890
  • Wanting to see god work in our life.
  • 00:10:00.890 --> 00:10:02.758
  • One extreme is we just worry and fret and we don't pray about it.
  • 00:10:02.758 --> 00:10:07.363
  • The other is we pray, but we don't take practical steps, so
  • 00:10:07.363 --> 00:10:11.100
  • We can pray all day long for god to give us the strength to
  • 00:10:11.100 --> 00:10:14.170
  • Do something.
  • 00:10:14.170 --> 00:10:15.538
  • Sometimes i got to just do it.
  • 00:10:15.538 --> 00:10:17.339
  • Just take that little step of faith.
  • 00:10:17.339 --> 00:10:19.141
  • The emotions and the feelings will catch up.
  • 00:10:19.141 --> 00:10:21.777
  • So nehemiah has a plan.
  • 00:10:21.777 --> 00:10:23.179
  • Okay, i prayed for 4 months.
  • 00:10:23.179 --> 00:10:25.114
  • Now it's time to do something, and we see it all
  • 00:10:25.114 --> 00:10:28.818
  • Coming together.
  • 00:10:28.818 --> 00:10:30.419
  • Go to nehemiah chapter 2.
  • 00:10:30.419 --> 00:10:32.488
  • So now he's arrived in jerusalem.
  • 00:10:32.488 --> 00:10:35.191
  • He's heard about how bad it is.
  • 00:10:35.191 --> 00:10:37.359
  • Now he's gonna check it out for himself.
  • 00:10:37.359 --> 00:10:39.729
  • "so i arrived in jerusalem, three days later, i slipped out
  • 00:10:39.729 --> 00:10:43.499
  • During the night, taking only a few others with me.
  • 00:10:43.499 --> 00:10:46.736
  • I had not told anyone about the plans god had put in my heart
  • 00:10:46.736 --> 00:10:49.405
  • For jerusalem.
  • 00:10:49.405 --> 00:10:50.740
  • We took no pack animals with us except the donkey i was riding.
  • 00:10:50.740 --> 00:10:54.143
  • After dark, i went through the valley gate, past the jackal's
  • 00:10:54.143 --> 00:10:57.313
  • Wall, over to the dung gate to view the broken walls and
  • 00:10:57.313 --> 00:11:01.984
  • Burned gates."
  • 00:11:01.984 --> 00:11:04.186
  • We'll stop there.
  • 00:11:04.186 --> 00:11:05.554
  • So he's checking things out.
  • 00:11:05.554 --> 00:11:06.889
  • The word used here for view, when he says i viewed it means
  • 00:11:06.889 --> 00:11:09.992
  • To closely examine it.
  • 00:11:09.992 --> 00:11:12.595
  • It's a medical term used for a surgeon giving an intense
  • 00:11:12.595 --> 00:11:17.533
  • Examination of a wound.
  • 00:11:17.533 --> 00:11:19.101
  • He's doing his homework.
  • 00:11:19.101 --> 00:11:20.736
  • He's plotting his course.
  • 00:11:20.736 --> 00:11:23.005
  • Putting together the idea of how he's going to resolve this.
  • 00:11:23.005 --> 00:11:28.210
  • And i love how the story continues on because if this was
  • 00:11:28.210 --> 00:11:31.747
  • A fairy tale, it would have just stopped.
  • 00:11:31.747 --> 00:11:34.150
  • He got permission to go back to jerusalem.
  • 00:11:34.150 --> 00:11:36.585
  • Everything is great, but now we see conflict end of the story,
  • 00:11:36.585 --> 00:11:40.256
  • Reminding us the bible is not a fairy tale, it's a true story,
  • 00:11:40.256 --> 00:11:43.859
  • And god puts all of it in there for our instruction, bringing me
  • 00:11:43.859 --> 00:11:47.363
  • To point number four.
  • 00:11:47.363 --> 00:11:48.731
  • When we're doing the will of god, we will face opposition.
  • 00:11:48.731 --> 00:11:56.305
  • Verse 19, nehemiah 2. "when sanballat," you can underline
  • 00:11:52.902 --> 00:12:00.776
  • That name, "tobiah," underlined that too, "and geshem the arab,"
  • 00:12:00.776 --> 00:12:05.381
  • Underline that as well, "heard of our plan, they scoffed
  • 00:12:05.381 --> 00:12:08.784
  • Contemptuously, saying, 'what are you doing?
  • 00:12:08.784 --> 00:12:11.654
  • Are you rebelling against the king?'"
  • 00:12:11.654 --> 00:12:14.023
  • And the conflict only escalated from there.
  • 00:12:14.023 --> 00:12:18.661
  • Listen to this.
  • 00:12:18.661 --> 00:12:19.995
  • Whenever god's people say, "let's rise and build," the
  • 00:12:19.995 --> 00:12:22.731
  • Devil's gonna say, "let's rise and oppose."
  • 00:12:22.731 --> 00:12:26.335
  • I think sometimes we think when we're in the will of god, it's
  • 00:12:26.335 --> 00:12:29.138
  • Gonna be blue skies, green lights, and singing birds.
  • 00:12:29.138 --> 00:12:34.410
  • You know, when i have all the time in the world, all
  • 00:12:34.410 --> 00:12:36.111
  • The lights are green.
  • 00:12:36.111 --> 00:12:37.780
  • When i'm late for something, every light is going red.
  • 00:12:37.780 --> 00:12:43.085
  • What is the deal with the lights in irvine, california?
  • 00:12:43.085 --> 00:12:46.889
  • Does it seem like they're just time to make us wait for years
  • 00:12:46.889 --> 00:12:51.126
  • Of our life?
  • 00:12:51.126 --> 00:12:52.494
  • It seems that way to me.
  • 00:12:52.494 --> 00:12:53.829
  • But you know, we think it's gonna be easy but the reality
  • 00:12:53.829 --> 00:12:56.665
  • Is, and sometimes it is, sometimes things just cruise
  • 00:12:56.665 --> 00:12:59.568
  • Along nicely.
  • 00:12:59.568 --> 00:13:01.003
  • But so often there's conflict, sometimes conflict or opposition
  • 00:13:01.003 --> 00:13:05.808
  • From unexpected sources, but that's what happens.
  • 00:13:05.808 --> 00:13:09.845
  • When there's a divine opportunity, there's going to
  • 00:13:09.845 --> 00:13:12.648
  • Be opposition.
  • 00:13:12.648 --> 00:13:14.216
  • I should expect it.
  • 00:13:14.216 --> 00:13:15.784
  • Not only should i expect it, i should count on it in many ways,
  • 00:13:15.784 --> 00:13:20.756
  • But there's no success without risk and there's no success
  • 00:13:20.756 --> 00:13:25.060
  • Without opposition because satan hates what god loves.
  • 00:13:25.060 --> 00:13:29.164
  • Now, who are these guys?
  • 00:13:29.164 --> 00:13:30.532
  • Three of them are named.
  • 00:13:30.532 --> 00:13:32.167
  • We have sanballat, we have tobias, and we have geshem.
  • 00:13:32.167 --> 00:13:36.138
  • So sanballat was a leader of samaria.
  • 00:13:36.138 --> 00:13:39.441
  • And he was threatened by the presence of nehemiah, the return
  • 00:13:39.441 --> 00:13:43.345
  • Of the jews.
  • 00:13:43.345 --> 00:13:44.680
  • He didn't want these jewish people rebuilding their walls,
  • 00:13:44.680 --> 00:13:47.683
  • So it threatened his livelihood, it threatened his authority.
  • 00:13:47.683 --> 00:13:51.887
  • And it's interesting 'cause he's leading the samaritans and that
  • 00:13:51.887 --> 00:13:55.291
  • Conflict continued until the day of jesus.
  • 00:13:55.291 --> 00:13:58.594
  • Remember when jesus met with the samaritan woman at the well, and
  • 00:13:58.594 --> 00:14:03.232
  • She was surprised and said, "why are you talking to me?
  • 00:14:03.232 --> 00:14:05.401
  • Don't you know that jews have no dealings with samaritans?"
  • 00:14:05.401 --> 00:14:08.671
  • So that conflict continued on.
  • 00:14:08.671 --> 00:14:11.040
  • So here we have sanballat, the primary opponent, and then we
  • 00:14:11.040 --> 00:14:15.110
  • Also have tobiah, a leader of the ammonites, and geshem, an
  • 00:14:15.110 --> 00:14:19.315
  • Arabian leader.
  • 00:14:19.315 --> 00:14:20.749
  • So three enemies were facing nehemiah, and we have three
  • 00:14:20.749 --> 00:14:25.287
  • Enemies too.
  • 00:14:25.287 --> 00:14:27.056
  • They're the world, the flesh, and the devil.
  • 00:14:27.056 --> 00:14:30.125
  • So the world with its enticements is the external
  • 00:14:30.125 --> 00:14:34.663
  • Enemy, the flesh with its vulnerabilities and appetites is
  • 00:14:34.663 --> 00:14:39.001
  • The internal enemy, and the devil with the world and the
  • 00:14:39.001 --> 00:14:43.138
  • Flesh is our infernal enemy.
  • 00:14:43.138 --> 00:14:45.941
  • Now i love how nehemiah responded to this.
  • 00:14:45.941 --> 00:14:48.177
  • They come, they ask him these questions.
  • 00:14:48.177 --> 00:14:49.945
  • "what are you doing?"
  • 00:14:49.945 --> 00:14:51.280
  • He doesn't even respond to them.
  • 00:14:51.280 --> 00:14:52.614
  • He doesn't give them the time of day.
  • 00:14:52.614 --> 00:14:55.517
  • So when the devil comes to you with his temptations, here's
  • 00:14:55.517 --> 00:14:58.420
  • What the bible says you should do.
  • 00:14:58.420 --> 00:15:00.956
  • Have extended conversations with the devil, find out what he's
  • 00:15:00.956 --> 00:15:04.626
  • Offering, and then say no, right?
  • 00:15:04.626 --> 00:15:06.495
  • Have you read that verse?
  • 00:15:06.495 --> 00:15:08.263
  • It's not in the bible.
  • 00:15:08.263 --> 00:15:10.532
  • Here's what the bible says, "resist the devil and he will
  • 00:15:10.532 --> 00:15:14.503
  • Flee from you."
  • 00:15:14.503 --> 00:15:15.838
  • Resist him.
  • 00:15:15.838 --> 00:15:17.172
  • Don't take his free offer, don't try his free sample, and don't
  • 00:15:17.172 --> 00:15:20.409
  • Take a test drive of anything he offers.
  • 00:15:20.409 --> 00:15:23.445
  • So that's the devil.
  • 00:15:23.445 --> 00:15:24.813
  • "here's a free sample.
  • 00:15:24.813 --> 00:15:26.382
  • Just try this thought on for size.
  • 00:15:26.382 --> 00:15:28.017
  • You would never do this, being the great man or woman of god
  • 00:15:28.017 --> 00:15:31.920
  • That you are, but just try it out for a test drive.
  • 00:15:31.920 --> 00:15:36.125
  • Take a trip to fantasy island."
  • 00:15:36.125 --> 00:15:39.595
  • If you laughed, you're old.
  • 00:15:39.595 --> 00:15:40.929
  • That was an old tv show.
  • 00:15:40.929 --> 00:15:42.297
  • Remember fantasy island?
  • 00:15:42.297 --> 00:15:43.932
  • "the plane, the plane," never mind,
  • 00:15:43.932 --> 00:15:47.369
  • It's a really dated references
  • 00:15:47.369 --> 00:15:49.104
  • That are lost to most of you, which is probably good, but no,
  • 00:15:49.104 --> 00:15:54.710
  • Don't give him the time of day.
  • 00:15:54.710 --> 00:15:57.112
  • You can't stop an impure thought, an ungodly thought, an
  • 00:15:57.112 --> 00:16:00.749
  • Evil thought from knocking on the door of your imagination,
  • 00:16:00.749 --> 00:16:04.253
  • But you don't have to invite it in for tea, okay.
  • 00:16:04.253 --> 00:16:07.956
  • It's been said you can't stop a bird from flying over your head,
  • 00:16:07.956 --> 00:16:11.427
  • But you can stop them from building a nest in your hair.
  • 00:16:11.427 --> 00:16:15.064
  • And in my case, that bird better bring his own materials 'cause
  • 00:16:15.064 --> 00:16:19.334
  • There's nothing here to work with at all.
  • 00:16:19.334 --> 00:16:22.538
  • But the idea is i can't stop the impure thought, i can't stop the
  • 00:16:22.538 --> 00:16:27.209
  • Evil thought, i can't stop the temptation, but i can resist it.
  • 00:16:27.209 --> 00:16:31.947
  • It'll come.
  • 00:16:31.947 --> 00:16:33.315
  • I say, "no, not gonna go there."
  • 00:16:33.315 --> 00:16:34.683
  • So sanballat and tobiah and geshem come.
  • 00:16:34.683 --> 00:16:38.253
  • "hey, hey we wanna talk to you.
  • 00:16:38.253 --> 00:16:39.621
  • We don't like this."
  • 00:16:39.621 --> 00:16:40.956
  • Nehemiah's like, "yeah, whatever.
  • 00:16:40.956 --> 00:16:42.524
  • I'm gonna just keep doing this work god's called me to do."
  • 00:16:42.524 --> 00:16:45.394
  • Go to nehemiah 3.
  • 00:16:45.394 --> 00:16:47.729
  • "and then eliashib the high priest, and
  • 00:16:47.729 --> 00:16:49.598
  • The other priests started to rebuild up the sheep gate and
  • 00:16:49.598 --> 00:16:52.501
  • Dedicated it and set up its doors, building the wall as far
  • 00:16:52.501 --> 00:16:59.274
  • As the tower of the hundred, where they dedicated, and the
  • 00:16:59.274 --> 00:17:02.578
  • Tower of hananel."
  • 00:17:02.578 --> 00:17:03.946
  • Now he just goes on and lists a bunch of names, a bunch of names
  • 00:17:03.946 --> 00:17:08.016
  • And locations of people and where they were building
  • 00:17:08.016 --> 00:17:11.053
  • Their walls.
  • 00:17:11.053 --> 00:17:12.421
  • So it was sort of like, it's sort of like the closing credits
  • 00:17:12.421 --> 00:17:14.756
  • At the end of the movie.
  • 00:17:14.756 --> 00:17:16.425
  • You know, the movie's ended now the credits are rolling.
  • 00:17:16.425 --> 00:17:18.894
  • I always say, "cathy, let's go.
  • 00:17:18.894 --> 00:17:20.963
  • Let's beat the crowd."
  • 00:17:20.963 --> 00:17:22.331
  • She's like sitting there.
  • 00:17:22.331 --> 00:17:23.665
  • "what do you--you don't know these people."
  • 00:17:23.665 --> 00:17:26.668
  • So we have this chapter filled with all these names of people
  • 00:17:26.668 --> 00:17:30.005
  • That we don't know about.
  • 00:17:30.005 --> 00:17:31.373
  • They're not familiar names.
  • 00:17:31.373 --> 00:17:32.708
  • We think, why are they even in there?
  • 00:17:32.708 --> 00:17:34.710
  • Because all scripture is given by inspiration of god, and
  • 00:17:34.710 --> 00:17:39.114
  • They're in there, so we'll see how these people heroically
  • 00:17:39.114 --> 00:17:44.219
  • Obeyed god and did their part.
  • 00:17:44.219 --> 00:17:46.455
  • Everyone did their part, bringing me to point number
  • 00:17:46.455 --> 00:17:49.358
  • Five, we need to find our place in the work that god is doing.
  • 00:17:49.358 --> 00:17:54.096
  • The phrase next to him and after him is mentioned 28 times in
  • 00:17:54.096 --> 00:17:58.834
  • This chapter.
  • 00:17:58.834 --> 00:18:00.202
  • Everybody had something to do.
  • 00:18:00.202 --> 00:18:02.804
  • And these are just regular people.
  • 00:18:02.804 --> 00:18:04.873
  • They're not construction people.
  • 00:18:04.873 --> 00:18:07.242
  • They're just folks helping out, doing their part.
  • 00:18:07.242 --> 00:18:09.945
  • There's priests and goldsmiths, perfumers, merchants, young
  • 00:18:09.945 --> 00:18:15.551
  • People, old people, men, women, everyone was working, and that
  • 00:18:15.551 --> 00:18:20.055
  • Reminds us the church is not only a family, it's also an
  • 00:18:20.055 --> 00:18:25.327
  • Army, and we all have a role to play.
  • 00:18:25.327 --> 00:18:29.364
  • Ephesians 4:16 says, "the whole body fits together perfectly,
  • 00:18:29.364 --> 00:18:34.169
  • And each part does its own special work and helps the other
  • 00:18:34.169 --> 00:18:38.073
  • Parts grow, so the whole body is healthy and growing and full
  • 00:18:38.073 --> 00:18:43.212
  • Of love."
  • 00:18:43.212 --> 00:18:44.713
  • Nehemiah was a really organized guy.
  • 00:18:44.713 --> 00:18:47.015
  • I love organized people.
  • 00:18:47.015 --> 00:18:49.384
  • Maybe it's because i'm not that organized.
  • 00:18:49.384 --> 00:18:52.588
  • But i like people that have schedules and notes, and here's
  • 00:18:52.588 --> 00:18:56.391
  • What we're gonna do, then we're gonna do that and that's who
  • 00:18:56.391 --> 00:18:59.027
  • Nehemiah was.
  • 00:18:59.027 --> 00:19:00.395
  • He was a detail guy.
  • 00:19:00.395 --> 00:19:03.565
  • It's a 2 1/2 mile wall divided into 41 segments.
  • 00:19:03.565 --> 00:19:08.103
  • Everyone's got to do their part.
  • 00:19:08.103 --> 00:19:10.239
  • Nehemiah is putting a team together.
  • 00:19:10.239 --> 00:19:13.642
  • B.c. forbes,
  • 00:19:13.642 --> 00:19:14.977
  • The founder of forbes magazine, once said, "you spell
  • 00:19:14.977 --> 00:19:18.013
  • Success as follows t-e-a-m-w-o-r-k, teamwork."
  • 00:19:18.013 --> 00:19:24.853
  • Someone once said, "coming together is a beginning, keeping
  • 00:19:24.853 --> 00:19:28.457
  • Together is progress.
  • 00:19:28.457 --> 00:19:30.926
  • Thinking together is unity, working together is success."
  • 00:19:30.926 --> 00:19:36.398
  • There are two evidences that you are a christian.
  • 00:19:36.398 --> 00:19:39.701
  • Do you know what they are?
  • 00:19:39.701 --> 00:19:41.303
  • A very large bible and a lot of christian bumper stickers on
  • 00:19:41.303 --> 00:19:45.641
  • Your car.
  • 00:19:45.641 --> 00:19:47.009
  • That's, no, those are not--those could be evidences, but
  • 00:19:47.009 --> 00:19:50.412
  • According to the bible in ephesians 1, the two evidences
  • 00:19:50.412 --> 00:19:54.383
  • That you are a christian is your strong faith and love for
  • 00:19:54.383 --> 00:19:58.487
  • God's people.
  • 00:19:58.487 --> 00:20:00.222
  • Paul writes, i heard of your strong faith in the lord jesus
  • 00:20:00.222 --> 00:20:03.759
  • Christ and your love for the people of god.
  • 00:20:03.759 --> 00:20:07.896
  • Everybody finds their role.
  • 00:20:07.896 --> 00:20:09.765
  • We all have a part to play.
  • 00:20:09.765 --> 00:20:12.434
  • In romans 12 it says, "we being many, are one body in christ,
  • 00:20:12.434 --> 00:20:16.672
  • Everyone members, one of another.
  • 00:20:16.672 --> 00:20:18.774
  • Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is
  • 00:20:18.774 --> 00:20:21.877
  • Given to us."
  • 00:20:21.877 --> 00:20:23.412
  • It continues on and it says, "if you're a teacher, teach well.
  • 00:20:23.412 --> 00:20:28.483
  • If your gift is encouraging others, well, be encouraging.
  • 00:20:28.483 --> 00:20:32.854
  • If your gift is giving, give generously.
  • 00:20:32.854 --> 00:20:35.223
  • If god has given you leadership ability, then take that
  • 00:20:35.223 --> 00:20:38.527
  • Responsibility seriously.
  • 00:20:38.527 --> 00:20:40.729
  • If you have a gift for showing kindness, do it gladly."
  • 00:20:40.729 --> 00:20:43.699
  • These are our gifts of the spirit, encouraging others.
  • 00:20:43.699 --> 00:20:46.735
  • You know, i've never found a gift of discouraging others, but
  • 00:20:46.735 --> 00:20:50.839
  • Some people seem to think they have that gift.
  • 00:20:50.839 --> 00:20:53.775
  • "well, i just want to keep you grounded."
  • 00:20:53.775 --> 00:20:56.445
  • No, you're just debbie downer or bobby buzzkill or karen.
  • 00:20:56.445 --> 00:21:00.215
  • I don't know.
  • 00:21:00.215 --> 00:21:01.550
  • Always a negative thing to say.
  • 00:21:01.550 --> 00:21:03.752
  • Always a criticism, never a compliment.
  • 00:21:03.752 --> 00:21:07.322
  • Now there's a place for criticism.
  • 00:21:07.322 --> 00:21:10.325
  • But there's also a place for encouraging, and there's a gift
  • 00:21:10.325 --> 00:21:14.262
  • Of encouraging others.
  • 00:21:14.262 --> 00:21:15.864
  • We all have something to do.
  • 00:21:15.864 --> 00:21:18.367
  • We all need to participate.
  • 00:21:18.367 --> 00:21:20.602
  • Let's start with worship.
  • 00:21:20.602 --> 00:21:22.437
  • You know, when we worship, we should all engage and we should
  • 00:21:22.437 --> 00:21:25.941
  • All sing to the lord and all lift our hearts and praise
  • 00:21:25.941 --> 00:21:30.078
  • To god.
  • 00:21:30.078 --> 00:21:31.413
  • Every one of us should seek to volunteer and serve.
  • 00:21:31.413 --> 00:21:33.782
  • 1 peter 4:10 says, "each of you should use whatever gift you've
  • 00:21:33.782 --> 00:21:38.387
  • Received to serve others as faithful steward of god's grace
  • 00:21:38.387 --> 00:21:41.990
  • In its various forms."
  • 00:21:41.990 --> 00:21:43.425
  • Every one of us should give in the offering.
  • 00:21:43.425 --> 00:21:45.761
  • 2 corinthians 9:7 says, "each of you should give what you have
  • 00:21:45.761 --> 00:21:50.732
  • Decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or
  • 00:21:50.732 --> 00:21:53.769
  • Under compulsion."
  • 00:21:53.769 --> 00:21:55.103
  • So everyone worked.
  • 00:21:55.103 --> 00:21:57.539
  • Nehemiah 3:5 says, "next to them, the tecawites made
  • 00:21:57.539 --> 00:22:01.476
  • Repairs, and their nobles did not put their shoulders to the
  • 00:22:01.476 --> 00:22:06.648
  • Work of the lord."
  • 00:22:06.648 --> 00:22:08.016
  • Now here's the problem, the nobles, "well, we can't, you
  • 00:22:08.016 --> 00:22:12.020
  • Know, get our fingernails dirty.
  • 00:22:12.020 --> 00:22:15.357
  • We don't need to that."
  • 00:22:15.357 --> 00:22:16.725
  • Everybody needs to work, and we've done this many times.
  • 00:22:16.725 --> 00:22:20.595
  • We've had work days at our church.
  • 00:22:20.595 --> 00:22:23.365
  • I remember when we were building our building in riverside, we
  • 00:22:23.365 --> 00:22:26.835
  • Had a workday, and i am not good at anything to do with home
  • 00:22:26.835 --> 00:22:32.741
  • Repair or construction.
  • 00:22:32.741 --> 00:22:34.776
  • If i'm walking around the house with a hammer, my wife is
  • 00:22:34.776 --> 00:22:37.379
  • Alarmed like, "what are you gonna do?"
  • 00:22:37.379 --> 00:22:39.915
  • Whatever i try to fix gets worse.
  • 00:22:39.915 --> 00:22:42.184
  • I'm not kidding.
  • 00:22:42.184 --> 00:22:44.953
  • So one day, we were cleaning up the church in riverside and i
  • 00:22:44.953 --> 00:22:49.991
  • Was trimming a hedge and so i had, it was plugged into
  • 00:22:49.991 --> 00:22:53.829
  • The wall.
  • 00:22:53.829 --> 00:22:55.163
  • I'm trimming the hedge and i just went a little to our, cut
  • 00:22:55.163 --> 00:22:59.134
  • Right through the cord, so it was like...
  • 00:22:59.134 --> 00:23:00.702
  • So i looked to the right, i looked to the left, i set it
  • 00:23:03.738 --> 00:23:06.341
  • Down and i walked away.
  • 00:23:06.341 --> 00:23:09.311
  • I didn't tell anyone what i'd done.
  • 00:23:09.311 --> 00:23:10.879
  • I was embarrassed, humiliated.
  • 00:23:10.879 --> 00:23:12.714
  • What kind of a man am i?
  • 00:23:12.714 --> 00:23:14.950
  • They might ask me to turn my man card in.
  • 00:23:14.950 --> 00:23:18.854
  • And so 30 years later, some guy says to me, "you know, we had
  • 00:23:18.854 --> 00:23:23.792
  • That work day at the church, you were trimming the hedge."
  • 00:23:23.792 --> 00:23:26.027
  • I'm like, "yeah."
  • 00:23:26.027 --> 00:23:28.763
  • "i saw what happened."
  • 00:23:28.763 --> 00:23:33.235
  • "you're still a christian?
  • 00:23:33.235 --> 00:23:34.603
  • Amazing.
  • 00:23:34.603 --> 00:23:35.937
  • Sorry i let you down."
  • 00:23:35.937 --> 00:23:39.107
  • When we were building our church here at orange county, we had to
  • 00:23:39.107 --> 00:23:41.910
  • Do demolition, so we had to knock down the wall.
  • 00:23:41.910 --> 00:23:45.146
  • So i got a sledgehammer and tried to.
  • 00:23:45.146 --> 00:23:47.282
  • That's about all i'm good for, you know.
  • 00:23:47.282 --> 00:23:49.451
  • But the thing is everybody needs to participate.
  • 00:23:49.451 --> 00:23:52.087
  • Everybody needs to do their part, but these guys didn't
  • 00:23:52.087 --> 00:23:55.190
  • Wanna work, and it comes down to this, and there's two kinds of
  • 00:23:55.190 --> 00:23:59.427
  • People that come to church, participators and spectators.
  • 00:23:59.427 --> 00:24:03.899
  • Or another way to put it, workers or shirkers.
  • 00:24:03.899 --> 00:24:08.003
  • Participators want to engage.
  • 00:24:08.003 --> 00:24:12.307
  • Spectators wanna just watch.
  • 00:24:12.307 --> 00:24:15.944
  • And i think that we miss out on so much when we're merely
  • 00:24:15.944 --> 00:24:19.214
  • A spectator.
  • 00:24:19.214 --> 00:24:20.582
  • Now look, if it's your first time here, you're a spectator.
  • 00:24:20.582 --> 00:24:22.350
  • It's okay, checking it out.
  • 00:24:22.350 --> 00:24:24.452
  • I kind of like this church preaching, yeah, but everything
  • 00:24:24.452 --> 00:24:27.556
  • Else very good, you know.
  • 00:24:27.556 --> 00:24:29.357
  • You're evaluating, deciding if you wanna come back.
  • 00:24:29.357 --> 00:24:32.027
  • I welcome you here.
  • 00:24:32.027 --> 00:24:33.695
  • Please come back.
  • 00:24:33.695 --> 00:24:35.063
  • But then maybe you've been coming a month, you've been
  • 00:24:35.063 --> 00:24:36.965
  • Coming six months, you've been coming a year, and you need to
  • 00:24:36.965 --> 00:24:40.235
  • Be one of the volunteers now.
  • 00:24:40.235 --> 00:24:42.904
  • You need to move from spectating to participating, and that's
  • 00:24:42.904 --> 00:24:47.809
  • What's happening here at the wall.
  • 00:24:47.809 --> 00:24:49.578
  • Some people didn't wanna work, but everybody needed to do their
  • 00:24:49.578 --> 00:24:53.782
  • Job because there's so much to get done, and i'll tell you it's
  • 00:24:53.782 --> 00:24:57.852
  • The faithfulness of people in the past that have given us what
  • 00:24:57.852 --> 00:25:01.890
  • We have right here right now.
  • 00:25:01.890 --> 00:25:04.426
  • So the question is, are you a wall builder or a wall breaker?
  • 00:25:04.426 --> 00:25:09.130
  • Are you a faith maker or a faith breaker?
  • 00:25:09.130 --> 00:25:13.168
  • And that brings us to point number six.
  • 00:25:13.168 --> 00:25:14.869
  • The problem with faith breakers is they want to discourage
  • 00:25:14.869 --> 00:25:17.706
  • Faith makers.
  • 00:25:17.706 --> 00:25:19.074
  • Nehemiah 2:19, "when sanballat, tobiah, and geshem the arab
  • 00:25:19.074 --> 00:25:23.445
  • Heard our plan, they scoffed contemptuously, 'what are
  • 00:25:23.445 --> 00:25:26.982
  • You doing?'"
  • 00:25:26.982 --> 00:25:28.316
  • People will oppose you.
  • 00:25:28.316 --> 00:25:29.884
  • You know, you get serious about your christian life.
  • 00:25:29.884 --> 00:25:33.088
  • I'm gonna go to church every sunday, and i'm gonna join a
  • 00:25:33.088 --> 00:25:36.024
  • Small group, and they say, "come on, man, lighten up a
  • 00:25:36.024 --> 00:25:39.294
  • Little bit.
  • 00:25:39.294 --> 00:25:40.829
  • You were more fun when you weren't doing all that stuff,
  • 00:25:40.829 --> 00:25:43.064
  • You know, you don't need to be so committed," but they don't
  • 00:25:43.064 --> 00:25:45.700
  • Understand the joy of serving.
  • 00:25:45.700 --> 00:25:48.837
  • The walls of jerusalem needed to be rebuilt.
  • 00:25:48.837 --> 00:25:51.172
  • The wall of our life needs to be rebuilt.
  • 00:25:51.172 --> 00:25:54.542
  • We all have a part to play.
  • 00:25:54.542 --> 00:25:56.244
  • Let me tell you a secret.
  • 00:25:56.244 --> 00:25:58.446
  • You wanna see your experience, so called, of church, get richer
  • 00:25:58.446 --> 00:26:04.653
  • And deeper and more fulfilling, start getting involved
  • 00:26:04.653 --> 00:26:08.623
  • Personally and start building your part of the wall and then
  • 00:26:08.623 --> 00:26:12.894
  • As we all work together, we see great things accomplished and we
  • 00:26:12.894 --> 00:26:18.299
  • See god glorified as a result.
  • 00:26:18.299 --> 00:26:26.808
  • Greg: hi, i'm greg laurie.
  • 00:26:30.412 --> 00:26:31.780
  • I've got some good news for you.
  • 00:26:31.780 --> 00:26:33.181
  • God loves you, and god has a plan for your life.
  • 00:26:33.181 --> 00:26:36.918
  • Here's the problem, we're separated from god by our sin
  • 00:26:36.918 --> 00:26:40.555
  • Because we've all broken his commandments.
  • 00:26:40.555 --> 00:26:43.358
  • But the good news is, is 2000 years ago, god sent his son
  • 00:26:43.358 --> 00:26:47.862
  • Jesus christ to die on the cross for your sin, and then to rise
  • 00:26:47.862 --> 00:26:52.067
  • Again from the dead.
  • 00:26:52.067 --> 00:26:53.501
  • The same jesus who died and rose is alive and ready to come into
  • 00:26:53.501 --> 00:26:57.639
  • Your life right now.
  • 00:26:57.639 --> 00:26:59.374
  • Would you like your sin forgiven?
  • 00:26:59.374 --> 00:27:01.443
  • Would you like to know that when you die you will go to heaven?
  • 00:27:01.443 --> 00:27:04.412
  • If so, pray this simple prayer with me right now.
  • 00:27:04.412 --> 00:27:07.749
  • Just say, "lord jesus, i know i'm a sinner, but i believe
  • 00:27:07.749 --> 00:27:11.319
  • You're the savior who died on the cross for my sin.
  • 00:27:11.319 --> 00:27:14.723
  • I turn from my sin now and i choose to follow you from this
  • 00:27:14.723 --> 00:27:19.060
  • Moment forward."
  • 00:27:19.060 --> 00:27:20.695
  • Did you just pray that prayer with me?
  • 00:27:20.695 --> 00:27:22.564
  • If you did, god in heaven has heard you.
  • 00:27:22.564 --> 00:27:25.900
  • Congratulations and welcome to the family of god.
  • 00:27:25.900 --> 00:27:29.010