Nehemiah : WK 4 - MON
Community
Nehemiah 2:16-18
The city officials did not know I had been out there or what I was doing, for I had not yet said anything to anyone about my plans. I had not yet spoken to the Jewish leaders—the priests, the nobles, the officials, or anyone else in the administration. But now I said to them, “You know very well what trouble we are in. Jerusalem lies in ruins, and its gates have been destroyed by fire. Let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalem and end this disgrace!” Then I told them about how the gracious hand of God had been on me, and about my conversation with the king.
They replied at once, “Yes, let’s rebuild the wall!” So they began the good work.
Here, our story transitions from personal to corporate application. To fully understand this, we must acknowledge the differences in sensibilities between the ancient Hebrews and our contemporary Western world.
The Children of Israel found their greatest identity in belonging to the community of Yahweh. The scriptures repeatedly recount meaningful connections across time by listing genealogies that demonstrate familial bonds. We have already noticed a pattern of corporate confession and lament. The ancient Hebrews valued the concept of community over individualism, and belonging over isolation. Therefore, it makes perfect sense that Nehemiah begins his work by building consensus and creating buy-in among the community of Hebrews already living in Jerusalem. He has no intention of moving bricks or stones by himself. The work of God will be accomplished by His people rather than any single individual. “We” will rebuild the wall. Success will come as a group, God’s church, the body of Christ.
Our current culture places the highest value on rugged individualism. Our greatest source of pride is the story of someone picking themselves up by their bootstraps with help from no one. No wonder it’s so easy to decide to discontinue participation in church and go it alone on our journey with Jesus. However, we need to shift our understanding to fully grasp this story. Perhaps we require this same shift to truly realize the calling God has for our lives.
Throughout the New Testament, Jesus, Peter, and Paul use corporate language to describe God's work. A community of belonging is God’s plan for the apostolic church, not just the ancient Hebrew nation. We were never meant to follow God alone, as if we were some grotesquely dismembered part of His body. The Scriptures tell a story of something bigger than you or me. Within it, we discover our identity by belonging to the Kingdom of God. Implicitly, God’s children work to function in His family and seek to build this Kingdom.
We need to wrestle with today’s application of Nehemiah 2:18, which uses pluralized language. We must pray to understand God’s mission for our church. As we strive to build communities of belonging, may we discover unified work and develop our corporate mission.
Nehemiah 2:16-18
The city officials did not know I had been out there or what I was doing, for I had not yet said anything to anyone about my plans. I had not yet spoken to the Jewish leaders—the priests, the nobles, the officials, or anyone else in the administration. But now I said to them, “You know very well what trouble we are in. Jerusalem lies in ruins, and its gates have been destroyed by fire. Let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalem and end this disgrace!” Then I told them about how the gracious hand of God had been on me, and about my conversation with the king.
They replied at once, “Yes, let’s rebuild the wall!” So they began the good work.
Here, our story transitions from personal to corporate application. To fully understand this, we must acknowledge the differences in sensibilities between the ancient Hebrews and our contemporary Western world.
The Children of Israel found their greatest identity in belonging to the community of Yahweh. The scriptures repeatedly recount meaningful connections across time by listing genealogies that demonstrate familial bonds. We have already noticed a pattern of corporate confession and lament. The ancient Hebrews valued the concept of community over individualism, and belonging over isolation. Therefore, it makes perfect sense that Nehemiah begins his work by building consensus and creating buy-in among the community of Hebrews already living in Jerusalem. He has no intention of moving bricks or stones by himself. The work of God will be accomplished by His people rather than any single individual. “We” will rebuild the wall. Success will come as a group, God’s church, the body of Christ.
Our current culture places the highest value on rugged individualism. Our greatest source of pride is the story of someone picking themselves up by their bootstraps with help from no one. No wonder it’s so easy to decide to discontinue participation in church and go it alone on our journey with Jesus. However, we need to shift our understanding to fully grasp this story. Perhaps we require this same shift to truly realize the calling God has for our lives.
Throughout the New Testament, Jesus, Peter, and Paul use corporate language to describe God's work. A community of belonging is God’s plan for the apostolic church, not just the ancient Hebrew nation. We were never meant to follow God alone, as if we were some grotesquely dismembered part of His body. The Scriptures tell a story of something bigger than you or me. Within it, we discover our identity by belonging to the Kingdom of God. Implicitly, God’s children work to function in His family and seek to build this Kingdom.
We need to wrestle with today’s application of Nehemiah 2:18, which uses pluralized language. We must pray to understand God’s mission for our church. As we strive to build communities of belonging, may we discover unified work and develop our corporate mission.
- What team sports do you enjoy playing or watching? Why?
- Did you prefer individual or group projects in school? Why?
- What is your understanding of the mission of your church? Where do you find your place in this mission?
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