Rebuilding with Opposition
Series: Rebuild
Speaker: James Barnett
Date: 30th October 2022
Passage: Nehemiah 4:1-23
00:00:00 --> 00:00:04 time. My name is James. It's good to see you this morning. We were on holidays recently,
00:00:05 --> 00:00:09 and one of the few days where it wasn't raining, we went to the beach,
00:00:10 --> 00:00:15 and one of my favorite things to do with the kids at the beach is to build sandcastles. Now,
00:00:15 --> 00:00:20 this is not a photo I took. It is far too pretty, but it's just helpful for us. Now,
00:00:20 --> 00:00:24 when it comes to techniques and strategies for building sandcastles, we can have a good argument
00:00:24 --> 00:00:33 later, but I think the most important thing to do is to build the wall first. I need a strong
00:00:33 --> 00:00:39 defensive wall because I want to build close to the water, but I don't want the waves to destroy
00:00:39 --> 00:00:45 my creation. So I build the walls up. I've even started taking a half-sized shovel with a full
00:00:45 --> 00:00:50 shovel head, like a proper metal one, not one of these kids' shovels, a proper shovel down to the
00:00:50 --> 00:00:56 beach. It just makes life so much easier to build sandcastles. But what always happens when you
00:00:56 --> 00:01:04 build a sandcastle? There is always opposition. The waves just do not stop. Just because I've
00:01:04 --> 00:01:13 built the walls up doesn't mean the waves don't stop coming. And the walls might stand against the
00:01:13 --> 00:01:18 waves for a couple of small waves, but what always happens? There's just this big wave that comes,
00:01:18 --> 00:01:24 and it doesn't just go over the walls. It goes around them, and it just swamps everything. And
00:01:24 --> 00:01:27 there's squealing and yelling, and there's running, and my kids are upset too.
00:01:31 --> 00:01:39 But everything has become a destroyed, sloppy mess. And so you start again, and then it happens again,
00:01:39 --> 00:01:43 and you build again, and it's destroyed. And you just get to this point thinking,
00:01:43 --> 00:01:49 should I just give up? Is there ever a chance I'm going to beat this opposition?
00:01:51 --> 00:01:56 Have you ever felt this in life? Trying to make something, trying to build something,
00:01:56 --> 00:02:03 trying hard to grow as a disciple following Jesus, trying to make a difference in the world for God,
00:02:03 --> 00:02:09 trying to have a family going in the same direction following God, or to make an impact. And there's just
00:02:09 --> 00:02:17 wave after wave of opposition that comes, and it does not stop. There is opposition that wants to
00:02:17 --> 00:02:22 knock us over, opposition from outside, from work, from family, from culture.
00:02:24 --> 00:02:33 How do we respond to this opposition? Do we respond out of our own strength, or God's strength?
00:02:33 --> 00:02:39 Or are we tempted to think that these waves of opposition, well, they're never going to stop,
00:02:39 --> 00:02:42 and so we may as well just give up and give in?
00:02:44 --> 00:02:51 We are in the book of Nehemiah, seeing that we have been built to build. God's people had been
00:02:51 --> 00:02:59 exiled to Babylon, and they've returned. And they are seeking to rebuild Israel and the temple,
00:02:59 --> 00:03:06 and they are rebuilding the walls, and they want to offer sacrifices to God. They want everyone to know
00:03:06 --> 00:03:14 how great God is, but there is opposition. And so today, we're going to see how Nehemiah and the
00:03:14 --> 00:03:21 Israelites respond to this opposition. And we're going to be challenged and prepared for opposition in our
00:03:21 --> 00:03:28 own faith, to be prepared for that day. So to help us, let me pray as we have a look at God's Word.
00:03:28 --> 00:03:34 Heavenly Father, Lord, we thank you for your Word. We thank you that we get to sit under your Word today.
00:03:36 --> 00:03:44 Help us be people who are ready and equipped to face opposition, to be trusting in you more each day.
00:03:45 --> 00:03:53 Amen. There are three points for us this morning. The opposition, the response, and lastly, reality.
00:03:53 --> 00:04:03 So, opposition. Please have your Bibles open, as Rad's mentioned. You can find the points in the app.
00:04:04 --> 00:04:08 Wendy, was that you or me that time? Was that you clicking that? We'll see. We'll see if the clicker
00:04:08 --> 00:04:14 likes to work for me today. We're going to have a look at chapter 4, verse 1. Have a look with me.
00:04:14 --> 00:04:21 When Sanballat heard that they were rebuilding the wall, he became angry and was greatly incensed.
00:04:22 --> 00:04:27 He ridiculed the Jews, and in the presence of his associates and the army of Samaria, he said,
00:04:28 --> 00:04:33 what are those feeble Jews doing? Will they restore their wall? Will they offer sacrifices? Will they
00:04:33 --> 00:04:39 finish in a day? Can they bring the stones back to life from those heaps of rubble burned as they are?
00:04:39 --> 00:04:47 Now, Sanballat, he was the governor of Samaria, which was formerly part of Israel. And Sanballat is not
00:04:47 --> 00:04:57 just annoyed, he is greatly incensed. Often we can think that people are angry with us in particular,
00:04:58 --> 00:05:05 but his anger is not just directed at God's people. It is far deeper. Have a look at these accusations.
00:05:05 --> 00:05:11 Will they restore the walls? Are they going to offer sacrifices? Are they going to be finished in a day?
00:05:12 --> 00:05:19 Are they going to bring stones back to life? The purpose of the building work was that so Israel
00:05:19 --> 00:05:29 could once again praise God, worship God, see that God is known to the nations. And so Sanballat is aware
00:05:29 --> 00:05:37 of this. Are you going to build so that you can offer sacrifices? Sacrifices so you can praise God,
00:05:37 --> 00:05:44 so you can deal with your sins, so you can be right with God. And so while it seems that Sanballat is
00:05:44 --> 00:05:52 against the people of God, he is also against God himself. He questions whether they can actually
00:05:52 --> 00:05:57 build it. You've got the wrong plan. You've got the wrong materials. You're not even going to finish
00:05:57 --> 00:06:05 what you started. And Tobiah the Ammonite, who comes across to me as, you know, in every good
00:06:05 --> 00:06:10 movie there's a main villain and then there's also a secondary villain, the little villain.
00:06:10 --> 00:06:15 Tobiah the Ammonite seems like the secondary villain. Wendy, if you can go to the next slide for me.
00:06:16 --> 00:06:21 Tobiah the Ammonite chips in. What they are building, even a fox climbing up on it would break
00:06:21 --> 00:06:30 down their wall of stones. And let's all stand around and mock how stupid Israel is for even
00:06:30 --> 00:06:40 trying to do this. It's hard when opposition grows. Opposition is not always a bad thing.
00:06:41 --> 00:06:47 It actually points out where something is going well. Opposition actually reveals a strength.
00:06:47 --> 00:06:54 I've been watching a couple of different sports documentaries recently. One about soccer or
00:06:54 --> 00:07:00 football as most of the world knows it. And one of the things that happens is that if there is one
00:07:00 --> 00:07:06 particularly good player, the opposition targets that player. They're going to put two defenders on
00:07:06 --> 00:07:16 that player. And so the opposition comes because of a strength. Imagine if no one was opposing the
00:07:16 --> 00:07:20 rebuilding of the walls. Oh, you're rebuilding those walls. Oh, we do not even care.
00:07:21 --> 00:07:26 You want to praise your God? We do not even care about you and against your God.
00:07:28 --> 00:07:33 Instead, Sanballat is angry. It's as if he knows how powerful the God of Israel is.
00:07:35 --> 00:07:37 What opposition are we facing?
00:07:39 --> 00:07:43 Daniel, in the Old Testament, he prayed and he got the lion's den.
00:07:43 --> 00:07:48 Jesus faced opposition from his friends and his enemies. He went to the cross.
00:07:49 --> 00:07:52 Paul had opposition from those who were like him and unlike him.
00:07:54 --> 00:07:57 Merely owning a Bible in some countries is opposed.
00:07:59 --> 00:08:04 Christians and the church have always faced opposition.
00:08:05 --> 00:08:08 It used to be strange in Australia to have opposition.
00:08:08 --> 00:08:13 Many years ago, the vast majority of Australians were Christian.
00:08:14 --> 00:08:18 But these days, we should be expecting opposition.
00:08:19 --> 00:08:25 Just like for Nehemiah, people will oppose the Christian faith.
00:08:27 --> 00:08:32 And so the question for us today is, are we seeking to grow following God?
00:08:32 --> 00:08:36 Are we seeking to build something like Nehemiah was building something?
00:08:36 --> 00:08:39 Because if we are, there will be opposition.
00:08:41 --> 00:08:47 I heard a story of a teenager many years ago who became a Christian through a school ministry.
00:08:48 --> 00:08:50 And it was exciting and wonderful.
00:08:50 --> 00:08:53 But her parents opposed her going to church.
00:08:54 --> 00:08:57 She faced opposition in her own family.
00:08:58 --> 00:08:59 And so she honored them.
00:08:59 --> 00:09:03 And she started going to church when she became an adult.
00:09:05 --> 00:09:08 There will be opposition for us to not follow Jesus at all.
00:09:09 --> 00:09:13 And there will be opposition just to have a softer form of Christianity.
00:09:14 --> 00:09:17 A form of Christianity that just doesn't look like Jesus.
00:09:18 --> 00:09:20 Just change your life a little bit.
00:09:20 --> 00:09:22 Stop trying to follow Jesus so much.
00:09:22 --> 00:09:27 Just have a bit of peer pressure and look like us.
00:09:29 --> 00:09:33 We see cancel culture opposition from outside.
00:09:33 --> 00:09:36 People saying, you know, that Christian God, that God is dead.
00:09:37 --> 00:09:39 Going to church is a complete waste of time.
00:09:39 --> 00:09:40 Stop doing what you're doing.
00:09:42 --> 00:09:44 Don't try to grow following Jesus.
00:09:45 --> 00:09:47 Don't try and read your Bible and know Him.
00:09:47 --> 00:09:49 And grow intimately following Him.
00:09:50 --> 00:09:53 Change your behavior to be more like us.
00:09:55 --> 00:09:56 Don't honor and please Him.
00:09:56 --> 00:09:58 Don't serve Him in the church.
00:09:58 --> 00:10:00 Don't sacrificially give to the church.
00:10:00 --> 00:10:01 Don't tell others about Him.
00:10:03 --> 00:10:08 What would the Sanballats and Tobias of the current world say today?
00:10:09 --> 00:10:11 You can't grow to be like Jesus.
00:10:11 --> 00:10:13 Why are you even trying to read your Bible?
00:10:13 --> 00:10:15 That's a complete waste of time.
00:10:15 --> 00:10:17 You want to be pure following Him?
00:10:18 --> 00:10:20 Well, I know what you are like.
00:10:20 --> 00:10:21 I know you're a terrible person.
00:10:22 --> 00:10:24 You can't be forgiven by God.
00:10:24 --> 00:10:26 You want other people to know about Jesus?
00:10:27 --> 00:10:29 Well, we all know that science has defeated God.
00:10:30 --> 00:10:31 Yeah, Tobias shouts.
00:10:31 --> 00:10:34 And you're the very weakest Christian I've ever seen.
00:10:35 --> 00:10:37 You don't even look like you're Jesus at all.
00:10:39 --> 00:10:43 I wonder if you've faced opposition like this in the past.
00:10:43 --> 00:10:45 I know I have.
00:10:47 --> 00:10:53 And this opposition often hurts because I feel the weight of my own sin and that I don't look like Jesus.
00:10:54 --> 00:11:01 And so for the church, for us today, the question is not, will there be opposition?
00:11:01 --> 00:11:03 It is promised for us.
00:11:04 --> 00:11:08 But the question is, how are we going to respond when there is?
00:11:10 --> 00:11:19 Nehemiah has been seeking to rebuild the walls, to rebuild the temple, to bring glory to God, to restore the people to their country.
00:11:19 --> 00:11:21 And he's been slammed on his plans.
00:11:22 --> 00:11:26 He's been slammed on his God and their ability to actually finish it.
00:11:27 --> 00:11:28 But it's wonderful how he responds.
00:11:29 --> 00:11:30 Wendy, if you can go to verse 4.
00:11:30 --> 00:11:31 The next one, thank you.
00:11:32 --> 00:11:34 This is our second point today, the response.
00:11:34 --> 00:11:34 Verse 4.
00:11:35 --> 00:11:37 He starts in prayer.
00:11:37 --> 00:11:41 Hear us, O God, for we are despised.
00:11:42 --> 00:11:44 Nehemiah, interestingly, doesn't get defensive.
00:11:44 --> 00:11:46 We'll be fine.
00:11:46 --> 00:11:47 We can do it.
00:11:47 --> 00:11:49 Actually, we're great.
00:11:49 --> 00:11:50 He doesn't get that aggressive.
00:11:50 --> 00:11:52 We are going to build the very best wall.
00:11:52 --> 00:11:54 It's going to be the biggest wall you've ever seen.
00:11:54 --> 00:11:56 Actually, Stan Ballett, you're going to pay for this wall.
00:11:57 --> 00:11:58 He doesn't say that.
00:11:59 --> 00:11:59 He prays.
00:12:00 --> 00:12:03 Hear us, our God, for we are despised.
00:12:04 --> 00:12:06 Turn their insults back on them.
00:12:06 --> 00:12:09 Give them as plunder to a land of captivity.
00:12:09 --> 00:12:12 Do not cover up their guilt or blot out their sins from your sight,
00:12:12 --> 00:12:15 for they have thrown insults in the face of the builders.
00:12:17 --> 00:12:19 God, hear us, Nehemiah says.
00:12:19 --> 00:12:20 Hear our pleas.
00:12:20 --> 00:12:22 Turn their insults back on them.
00:12:22 --> 00:12:27 And in modern terms, he says, God, send them to hell.
00:12:28 --> 00:12:29 Don't blot out their sins.
00:12:30 --> 00:12:31 Don't forgive them.
00:12:31 --> 00:12:32 Pour out your full wrath on them.
00:12:34 --> 00:12:40 And there's two wonderful things about this attitude that we can see.
00:12:40 --> 00:12:42 First of all, he prays.
00:12:43 --> 00:12:50 When we are angry and upset by opposition, turn to God in prayer.
00:12:51 --> 00:12:54 He knows the opposition.
00:12:54 --> 00:12:56 He is the one who has power to save.
00:12:57 --> 00:13:00 And secondly, focus on obedience.
00:13:02 --> 00:13:03 God is the one who acts.
00:13:04 --> 00:13:06 Turn to him to see him work.
00:13:06 --> 00:13:08 Wait for him for justice.
00:13:08 --> 00:13:15 See, Nehemiah's first response is, God, you are the one who is powerful.
00:13:16 --> 00:13:18 But then they focus on him in obedience.
00:13:18 --> 00:13:19 Verse 6.
00:13:20 --> 00:13:24 So we rebuilt the wall till all of it reached half its height,
00:13:24 --> 00:13:26 for the people worked with all their heart.
00:13:27 --> 00:13:28 This is really important.
00:13:29 --> 00:13:31 Nehemiah doesn't just go off half cocked.
00:13:31 --> 00:13:32 We're going to build the greatest wall ever.
00:13:32 --> 00:13:35 But the first step is prayer.
00:13:35 --> 00:13:37 God, hear our prayer.
00:13:37 --> 00:13:38 We are despised.
00:13:39 --> 00:13:41 But they also don't just pray and sit passively.
00:13:41 --> 00:13:43 God, we hope you build the wall.
00:13:43 --> 00:13:46 And then expect it to be done.
00:13:47 --> 00:13:49 They expect God to act.
00:13:49 --> 00:13:52 But they also act out of obedience.
00:13:53 --> 00:13:55 And they do this with all of their heart.
00:13:56 --> 00:14:03 Jesus is a wonderful example here of prayer and focusing on God in obedience.
00:14:03 --> 00:14:04 In 1 Peter, it says,
00:14:04 --> 00:14:06 He committed no sin.
00:14:07 --> 00:14:09 No deceit was found in his mouth.
00:14:10 --> 00:14:13 When they hurled insults at him, he did not retaliate.
00:14:14 --> 00:14:16 When he suffered, he made no threats.
00:14:16 --> 00:14:21 Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly.
00:14:22 --> 00:14:25 The one who could rightly and justly defend himself,
00:14:26 --> 00:14:29 the one who could call down angels on his opposition,
00:14:29 --> 00:14:33 knew he would be vindicated by God in the end.
00:14:34 --> 00:14:38 He depends on God and stays focused on obeying God,
00:14:38 --> 00:14:40 knowing that God would justify him.
00:14:42 --> 00:14:45 More opposition ends up coming for Nehemiah and for Israel,
00:14:45 --> 00:14:48 which sends them back to prayer and obedience.
00:14:49 --> 00:14:54 When Sanballat, Tobiah, the Arabs, the Ammonites,
00:14:54 --> 00:14:57 and the people of Ashdod heard that the repairs to Jerusalem's walls
00:14:57 --> 00:15:01 had go ahead and that the gaps were being closed,
00:15:01 --> 00:15:02 they were very angry.
00:15:03 --> 00:15:06 They all plotted together to come and fight against Jerusalem
00:15:06 --> 00:15:09 and stir up trouble against it.
00:15:09 --> 00:15:14 Again, Israel has not stopped because of other people's evil plans.
00:15:14 --> 00:15:18 They've continued to obey God despite jeers, despite opposition.
00:15:19 --> 00:15:21 And there's an interesting detail here.
00:15:21 --> 00:15:37 Jerusalem is surrounded in its opposition.
00:15:39 --> 00:15:44 God sometimes allows us to be surrounded by opposition.
00:15:44 --> 00:15:47 Paul says in 2 Corinthians,
00:15:48 --> 00:15:51 we are afflicted in every way but not crushed.
00:15:51 --> 00:15:54 That word afflicted can mean squeezed in.
00:15:55 --> 00:15:56 We are pressed in.
00:15:56 --> 00:15:58 We are squeezed in on every side,
00:15:58 --> 00:16:00 but we are not crushed.
00:16:02 --> 00:16:07 God allows the furnace and suffering to be turned up,
00:16:07 --> 00:16:10 to be really hot and painful and difficult.
00:16:11 --> 00:16:13 That's what's happening to Nehemiah and to Israel.
00:16:13 --> 00:16:16 The enemies have gone from just jeering at them
00:16:16 --> 00:16:19 to now plotting their downfall.
00:16:19 --> 00:16:22 The heat is being turned up.
00:16:22 --> 00:16:24 How will they respond?
00:16:25 --> 00:16:27 We prayed to our God
00:16:27 --> 00:16:32 and posted a guard day and night to meet this threat.
00:16:32 --> 00:16:34 They prayed trusting in God
00:16:34 --> 00:16:37 and they obeyed staying focused.
00:16:37 --> 00:16:40 They take sensible precautions to make sure that they are ready,
00:16:40 --> 00:16:43 but they focus on the God who is their strength.
00:16:45 --> 00:16:49 Circumstances in our lives can be a mess.
00:16:50 --> 00:16:52 Our lives can be heated like a furnace.
00:16:53 --> 00:16:56 We can feel as if there is opposition on every single side.
00:16:57 --> 00:16:59 But God is bigger than our opposition.
00:17:00 --> 00:17:01 He's bigger than our struggles.
00:17:01 --> 00:17:03 He is bigger than our past.
00:17:03 --> 00:17:05 He is bigger than our pain and our hurt.
00:17:06 --> 00:17:10 He's bigger than those who mock and jeer and plot to hurt us.
00:17:11 --> 00:17:13 He is bigger than our loss and our sickness.
00:17:15 --> 00:17:17 And so we stay focused on him.
00:17:19 --> 00:17:22 There is opposition to going to church.
00:17:23 --> 00:17:28 There is the soft opposition of just things like Sunday sport.
00:17:28 --> 00:17:30 Having other oppositions.
00:17:30 --> 00:17:32 There is soft opposition.
00:17:33 --> 00:17:34 And then there is direct opposition.
00:17:34 --> 00:17:35 Don't go to church.
00:17:36 --> 00:17:37 Don't waste your time.
00:17:38 --> 00:17:41 There is opposition to reading the Bible.
00:17:43 --> 00:17:46 It is easy to compromise our faith
00:17:46 --> 00:17:49 or hide away faith.
00:17:50 --> 00:17:51 To soften our beliefs
00:17:51 --> 00:17:54 so that we look more like those around us.
00:17:54 --> 00:17:57 So that we don't feel pressured on every side.
00:17:58 --> 00:18:00 But that is staying focused on the enemy
00:18:00 --> 00:18:03 instead of the one who defeats the enemy.
00:18:05 --> 00:18:07 God's plan for Israel through Nehemiah
00:18:07 --> 00:18:09 was to build these walls.
00:18:10 --> 00:18:12 They didn't stay focused on their...
00:18:12 --> 00:18:16 They didn't change their plans based on criticism
00:18:16 --> 00:18:18 because of negativity,
00:18:18 --> 00:18:21 because of the plots to attack them.
00:18:22 --> 00:18:25 They stayed focused on the job God had given them.
00:18:25 --> 00:18:28 As Taylor Swift sang,
00:18:29 --> 00:18:29 haters are going to hate,
00:18:31 --> 00:18:33 but I'm going to shake it off and obey God.
00:18:34 --> 00:18:35 At least I'm pretty sure that's how the song went.
00:18:35 --> 00:18:40 Now this all seems really straightforward.
00:18:41 --> 00:18:42 There is opposition.
00:18:43 --> 00:18:45 God's people respond in prayer and action.
00:18:46 --> 00:18:47 No problems.
00:18:48 --> 00:18:50 But reality hits in.
00:18:50 --> 00:18:52 Our third point today, the reality.
00:18:53 --> 00:18:56 Life can often feel like two steps forward
00:18:56 --> 00:18:57 and one step back.
00:18:57 --> 00:18:59 Or maybe even one step forward
00:18:59 --> 00:19:00 and three steps back.
00:19:00 --> 00:19:04 Because not everything is smooth sailing for Israel.
00:19:04 --> 00:19:06 Wendy, if you can go to the next slide for me, please.
00:19:07 --> 00:19:09 Meanwhile, the people in Judah said,
00:19:11 --> 00:19:12 strength is giving out.
00:19:12 --> 00:19:13 We are weak.
00:19:13 --> 00:19:15 We can't do this.
00:19:15 --> 00:19:18 Our enemies are saying that they're going to come and kill us.
00:19:18 --> 00:19:19 They're going to harm us.
00:19:20 --> 00:19:23 The Jews living nearby come and tell them
00:19:23 --> 00:19:26 they are coming to attack and kill you.
00:19:26 --> 00:19:29 Reality sets in.
00:19:30 --> 00:19:31 The opposition doesn't end.
00:19:32 --> 00:19:33 They don't roll over.
00:19:33 --> 00:19:35 The reality of life is that it is hard.
00:19:37 --> 00:19:38 So Nehemiah gets everyone together.
00:19:38 --> 00:19:39 Verse 14.
00:19:41 --> 00:19:42 Don't be afraid of them.
00:19:43 --> 00:19:45 Remember the Lord who is great and awesome.
00:19:47 --> 00:19:48 Stand and fight.
00:19:48 --> 00:19:49 The Lord is awesome.
00:19:49 --> 00:19:50 He fights for us.
00:19:50 --> 00:19:52 And the enemy backs off.
00:19:52 --> 00:19:53 Verse 15.
00:19:53 --> 00:19:56 The enemies are frustrated because Israel doesn't just roll over.
00:19:57 --> 00:19:59 Frustrated because they're not afraid of them
00:19:59 --> 00:20:00 because they're trusting in God.
00:20:01 --> 00:20:05 Verse 16 tells us that the work to rebuild the walls slows down.
00:20:07 --> 00:20:08 But it continues.
00:20:09 --> 00:20:13 It slows down because half of them are ready to defend the walls with weapons.
00:20:13 --> 00:20:15 And half of them are actually doing the work.
00:20:16 --> 00:20:19 But Nehemiah encourages them to keep working
00:20:19 --> 00:20:20 and to be ready to fight.
00:20:20 --> 00:20:20 Why?
00:20:20 --> 00:20:21 Verse 20.
00:20:21 --> 00:20:24 Our God will fight for us.
00:20:25 --> 00:20:26 Obey God.
00:20:26 --> 00:20:27 Follow him.
00:20:27 --> 00:20:29 Follow him even when there is opposition.
00:20:30 --> 00:20:32 Because God is on our side.
00:20:32 --> 00:20:35 He will fight for us.
00:20:36 --> 00:20:37 Brothers and sisters.
00:20:37 --> 00:20:40 God has fought for us in Jesus.
00:20:41 --> 00:20:42 Not with spears.
00:20:42 --> 00:20:44 Not with weapons of war.
00:20:44 --> 00:20:46 But Jesus was armed with the cross.
00:20:46 --> 00:20:49 He didn't fight.
00:20:49 --> 00:20:50 He didn't fight earthly battles.
00:20:50 --> 00:20:52 But he fought death itself.
00:20:53 --> 00:20:55 So that we can follow him.
00:20:55 --> 00:20:58 So that we might be built not into a wall or a city.
00:20:58 --> 00:21:00 But into the family of God.
00:21:02 --> 00:21:02 Life.
00:21:02 --> 00:21:05 Anywhere in the world right now.
00:21:06 --> 00:21:08 But for Christians is not easy.
00:21:09 --> 00:21:11 There will be a promise of opposition.
00:21:12 --> 00:21:14 But God has fought for us in Jesus.
00:21:14 --> 00:21:17 So that we can follow him.
00:21:18 --> 00:21:20 So when there is opposition.
00:21:21 --> 00:21:23 Know that opposition is good.
00:21:24 --> 00:21:25 It points out something good.
00:21:26 --> 00:21:27 A little while ago.
00:21:27 --> 00:21:32 I was helping Steve move the cubby house.
00:21:32 --> 00:21:35 In his backyard down to my house.
00:21:35 --> 00:21:37 And one of the things we had to do.
00:21:37 --> 00:21:39 Was we had to dig holes.
00:21:40 --> 00:21:42 With a fence post digger.
00:21:42 --> 00:21:43 And I'd never used one of these before.
00:21:44 --> 00:21:45 They're an awful thing.
00:21:46 --> 00:21:48 And it's this repeated movement.
00:21:48 --> 00:21:49 Doing this.
00:21:50 --> 00:21:52 And the next morning I woke up.
00:21:52 --> 00:21:56 And my back was diabolically sore.
00:21:56 --> 00:21:58 All across the middle of my back.
00:21:59 --> 00:22:00 Because it's the repeated movement.
00:22:01 --> 00:22:02 Of the middle back muscles.
00:22:02 --> 00:22:04 And it turns out I hadn't used those ever.
00:22:05 --> 00:22:07 And what did it point out?
00:22:07 --> 00:22:08 It's this thing called DOMS.
00:22:09 --> 00:22:11 Delayed onset muscle soreness.
00:22:12 --> 00:22:13 It says.
00:22:14 --> 00:22:14 Hey.
00:22:15 --> 00:22:17 This muscle you've been trying to use.
00:22:18 --> 00:22:19 Well what we're going to do.
00:22:19 --> 00:22:20 Is we're going to tear.
00:22:21 --> 00:22:22 And get bigger.
00:22:22 --> 00:22:25 So that the next time you move a cubby house.
00:22:25 --> 00:22:26 And need to dig fence poles.
00:22:26 --> 00:22:27 We're going to be ready for it.
00:22:28 --> 00:22:29 And that's painful.
00:22:31 --> 00:22:33 Pain and opposition is not always a bad thing.
00:22:34 --> 00:22:36 It points out what is good.
00:22:38 --> 00:22:40 Biblical scholar William Tyndale.
00:22:41 --> 00:22:43 He's the one on the left with the beard.
00:22:44 --> 00:22:45 He faced massive opposition.
00:22:46 --> 00:22:48 And he was eventually executed.
00:22:48 --> 00:22:50 Because he translated the Bible into English.
00:22:50 --> 00:22:52 The man on the right.
00:22:52 --> 00:22:53 William Wilberforce.
00:22:53 --> 00:22:56 He was born into a wealthy family.
00:22:57 --> 00:22:59 Where he could have had a comfortable Christian life.
00:23:00 --> 00:23:05 Instead he used his influence to fight against the slave trade.
00:23:05 --> 00:23:07 Massive opposition.
00:23:07 --> 00:23:12 If we are seeking to focus on following God.
00:23:14 --> 00:23:15 Growing like him.
00:23:16 --> 00:23:17 Following him.
00:23:17 --> 00:23:19 There will be opposition.
00:23:19 --> 00:23:19 Opposition.
00:23:20 --> 00:23:22 But my concern for us.
00:23:22 --> 00:23:25 Is that there is little opposition in our lives.
00:23:25 --> 00:23:28 Because we are not seeking to grow.
00:23:29 --> 00:23:31 The late evangelist B.R. Larkin.
00:23:32 --> 00:23:32 Said.
00:23:33 --> 00:23:35 There are three ways to prevent opposition.
00:23:36 --> 00:23:37 Know nothing.
00:23:38 --> 00:23:38 Have nothing.
00:23:39 --> 00:23:40 And do nothing.
00:23:40 --> 00:23:45 How easy would it have been for Nehemiah.
00:23:45 --> 00:23:46 And the Israelites.
00:23:46 --> 00:23:47 To have no opposition.
00:23:48 --> 00:23:49 You don't want us to build the wall.
00:23:49 --> 00:23:50 No problem.
00:23:50 --> 00:23:51 We won't build the wall.
00:23:51 --> 00:23:51 No opposition.
00:23:52 --> 00:23:53 We'll just stay here.
00:23:53 --> 00:23:54 We'll be God's people in the land.
00:23:54 --> 00:23:55 Everything's totally fine.
00:23:58 --> 00:23:59 But they sought.
00:23:59 --> 00:24:00 To follow God.
00:24:00 --> 00:24:01 To obey him.
00:24:01 --> 00:24:02 To build something.
00:24:03 --> 00:24:05 If we are seeking.
00:24:05 --> 00:24:07 To be built up following God.
00:24:08 --> 00:24:09 To grow like him.
00:24:09 --> 00:24:11 There will be opposition.
00:24:12 --> 00:24:13 If we are seeking to see.
00:24:13 --> 00:24:15 Other people come to know and love him.
00:24:16 --> 00:24:17 Sharing our faith.
00:24:19 --> 00:24:20 There will be opposition.
00:24:22 --> 00:24:24 Don't have a small view of Christianity.
00:24:25 --> 00:24:26 That has no problems.
00:24:26 --> 00:24:27 And no opposition.
00:24:27 --> 00:24:28 This is not a real faith.
00:24:30 --> 00:24:32 Jesus wants you to follow him.
00:24:32 --> 00:24:33 Radically.
00:24:33 --> 00:24:35 Even if that means.
00:24:35 --> 00:24:37 That there is pressure around you.
00:24:37 --> 00:24:38 That the world.
00:24:38 --> 00:24:40 Feels like it is against you.
00:24:41 --> 00:24:44 Because our God has fought for us.
00:24:44 --> 00:24:44 In Jesus.
00:24:45 --> 00:24:46 Let me pray.
00:24:48 --> 00:24:49 Heavenly Father.
00:24:50 --> 00:24:51 Remind us today.
00:24:52 --> 00:24:54 That you are great.
00:24:54 --> 00:24:56 That you are awesome.
00:24:56 --> 00:24:58 And that you have fought for us.
00:24:58 --> 00:24:59 In Jesus.
00:24:59 --> 00:25:00 Heavenly Father.
00:25:00 --> 00:25:02 Heavenly Father.
00:25:02 --> 00:25:02 We thank you.
00:25:02 --> 00:25:03 That Jesus.
00:25:03 --> 00:25:03 That Jesus.
00:25:03 --> 00:25:05 Faced down opposition.
00:25:05 --> 00:25:06 From his friends.
00:25:07 --> 00:25:08 From family.
00:25:10 --> 00:25:12 From his enemies.
00:25:13 --> 00:25:15 From spiritual opposition.
00:25:16 --> 00:25:18 And that he obeyed you.
00:25:18 --> 00:25:20 To the cross for us.
00:25:21 --> 00:25:22 Heavenly Father.
00:25:22 --> 00:25:22 Father.
00:25:23 --> 00:25:25 As we have.
00:25:26 --> 00:25:27 Soft opposition.
00:25:28 --> 00:25:29 And hard opposition.
00:25:29 --> 00:25:30 To follow you today.
00:25:31 --> 00:25:33 Help us to remember.
00:25:33 --> 00:25:34 How big you are.
00:25:34 --> 00:25:36 That you have won this battle.
00:25:38 --> 00:25:40 Give us courage.
00:25:41 --> 00:25:43 To continue to grow like you.
00:25:44 --> 00:25:45 And to be built up.
00:25:46 --> 00:25:47 To be like Jesus.
00:25:47 --> 00:25:49 We pray all this in his name.
00:25:50 --> 00:25:50 Amen.