SERIES: The Letters of John
TEXT: Nehemiah 1:1-4
MESSAGE: Vision Sunday — “Experiencing the Call”
“If Jesus Christ is the head of the church and hence the source and goal of its entire life, true growth is only possible in obedience to Him. Conversely, if the church becomes detached from Jesus Christ and His Word, it cannot grow, however active and successful it may seem to be.” — Os Guinness
Q: Do you know your “calling” in life?
“We have to define calling…the way I define it and see it in Scripture…calling, in it’s simplest definition is, ‘what does God want me to do with the talents He has invested in me.’ So if I look at calling from a very creative perspective, God as this great Creator; 7.4 Billion people and counting, does He have the capacity to invest unique clumps of talent in each person? Yes, calling is for everyone, it’s not just for a few. How many people go to their grave and actually discover it? That’s a very small percentage.” — Pete Richardson
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.” — Proverbs 3:5-6
TEXT: Nehemiah 1:1-4
“Nehemiah proved to be a capable leader, diligent in God’s work both for the community of God and the city of David. Glory should not be given to Nehemiah, however, but rather to God, who directed and brought about this event. Just as in Ezra, the providence of God, his loving care, and discipline were the real forces behind the events recorded in these chapters of the Book of Nehemiah.” — Mervin Breneman
Q: What shaped the call in Nehemiah’s life? It came from: (1. A Genuine Curiosity 2. A Shared Concern 3. A Deep Conviction)
1. A Genuine Curiosity (v. 1-2)
“The words of Nehemiah the son of Hacaliah. Now it happened in the month of Chislev, in the twentieth year, as I was in Susa the citadel, 2 that Hanani, one of my brothers, came with certain men from Judah. And I asked them concerning the Jews who escaped, who had survived the exile, and concerning Jerusalem.”
“Although he had a highly responsible job, in a secure environment in a fine Persian city, noted for its opulence and prosperity, magnificent buildings and spacious gardens, he is not remotely preoccupied with himself. Anxious for the welfare of the returned exiles, he enquires about the condition of the city where they lived. The initiative was with Nehemiah, not the visitors. Throughout Christian history, men and women with a deep love for others have been used to transform the face of society.” — Raymond Brown
“The history of Christian work and witness across the centuries is an inspiring record of sacrificial people who did not think primarily about their own well-being but gave top priority to God’s will and the needs of others…” — Raymond Brown
2. A Shared Concern (v. 3)
“And they said to me, “The remnant there in the province who had survived the exile is in great trouble and shame. The wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates are destroyed by fire.”
“..the history of redemption, like that of creation, begins with God speaking…” — Derek Kidner
“Biblical accounts of a call to God’s work frequently begin with an arresting assertion of the divine initiative, though there are occasions when the ‘call’ is discerned through a known crisis. Prompted by an overwhelming awareness of need, such people do not decide to serve; they believe the decision has been made for them. Nehemiah’s call was discerned in that way.” — Raymond Brown
3. A Deep Conviction (v. 4)
“As soon as I heard these words I sat down and wept and mourned for days, and I continued fasting and praying before the God of heaven.”
“We are not wise enough, pure enough, or strong enough to aim and sustain such a single motive over a lifetime. That way lies fanaticism or failure. But if the single motive is the master motivation of God’s calling, the answer is yes. In any and all situations, both today and tomorrow’s tomorrow, God’s call to us is the unchanging and ultimate whence, what, why, and whither of our lives. Calling is a ‘yes’ to God that carries a ‘no’ to the chaos of modern demands. Calling is the key to tracing the storyline of our lives and unriddling the meaning of our existence in a chaotic world…Discover the meaning of calling and you discover the heart of the gospel itself.” — Os Guinness
TAKEAWAYS: At our 10th anniversary, what do we believe God is calling our church to do in this next season? (3 year Strategic Vision)
- Discipleship: Develop a discipleship path for people of all ages
- Leadership: Nurture a leadership culture marked by growth, investment, retention, and mobilization
- Multiplication: Grow into a multiplying church
- City: Continue to develop trusted relationships and gospel partnerships throughout San Diego
- Generosity: Our congregation’s joyful giving reflects God’s generosity to us
- Redevelopment: Our property will have a strategic redevelopment plan well underway
- Global: We have a clear strategy to make a gospel-impact globally