Nehemiah- Rebuilding and RenewalSample

Renewal is taking place. What began as a building project is resulting in renewal and revival of a spiritual nature. It began with corporate prayer (Ch 9) and is now written as a vow to the LORD (Ch 10). As governor, Nehemiah is joined by the priests, Levites, leaders, gatekeepers, singers, temple servants, and the rest of the people ready to bring their whole lives before God- uncorrupted and undistracted by lesser loves.

Their promise includes purifying their hearts and homes (v30-31)- in everything from marriage, to business practices, to prioritising worship and giving to the ‘house of our God’- a phrase repeated in this chapter (v35-37). For emphasis, the vow concludes with the commitment, “We will not neglect the house of our God” (v39).

What began as a burden in Nehemiah’s heart, acted on by faith, carried forward by the community- the rebuilding of Jerusalem’s walls and gates- carries far more meaning than merely fixing the walls. Region-wide revival and consecration of all the people is the result, culminating in corporate re-dedication to the on-going care and provision for worship in Jerusalem’s temple.

“It’s not about bricks and mortar!” We’ve all heard these words, and most of us have said it when it comes to the spiritual house of God today. We recognise that with the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, Jesus’ followers are now the ‘temple of God’ (1 Cor 3:16). This can lead to the erroneous conclusion that we therefore have all we need- just ‘Jesus and me’. And while it is true that Jesus saves us personally, it is never meant to be individually. The ekklesia (church) are the assembly of called out ones. And the ekklesia has always needed and benefited from places to meet that are made of bricks and mortar- physical spaces where we come to encounter God’s love and presence together.

In Nehemiah’s story, a rebuilding of bricks and mortar resulted in a spiritual awakening of the people. We must be careful to not dismiss the physical ‘bricks and mortar’ elements in favour of what sounds more spiritual. Throughout history, God has used the physical to bring renewal to the spiritual, and the spiritual to bring redemption to the physical.

Reflect:

Think about how you see the Church, and how you see your local church. Do any differences stand out? What are they?

What thoughts come to mind as you consider the place of ‘bricks and mortar’ and church?